I really liked “The Munsters” TV show when I was 4 and 5 years old. At the time, I couldn’t imagine anything more entertaining on television, but one day the unthinkable happened! ABC began running promos for a new program titled “Batman” that looked like the greatest show to ever grace the world of television. Two things to keep in mind, I was 5 and television hadn’t really been around all that long.
What was I to do? Sorry “Munsters”, but the Dynamic Duo won out, but not before much soul-searching and toddler angst. Honestly, I’m not sure that it was actually my choice, even though I remember it that way. I can’t really believe that a 5-year-old with 4 siblings made the decision regarding the family’s viewing choices. It’s possible that I just liked TV way more than my brother’s and sister’s and my folks deferred to us in the early viewing hours.
Perhaps, with five children to watch over, my mom tuned to whatever she thought would keep us the quietest, or maybe my parents were secretly bigger Super Hero fans than even I was, though I doubt it. Well for whatever reason, “Batman” ended up on our television and my life was forever changed. Not really, I just thought the blog needed a snazzier ending.
For several years in the 1960’s Welch’s grape Jelly was packaged in jars with art work from The Flintstones cartoon show. In our household we used them as drinking glasses once the jelly was all gone. We managed to have quite a large collection since five kids went through a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A few years later, as I recall, The Archies were on the Welch’s jars and we had quite a few of those also.
At some point as we got older the jelly jar glasses were retired, but my mom stored them in the attic for many years. Unfortunately, they did not make the cut when the family home was sold and nobody wanted to lug them to their next stop. I wish I had laid claim to those glasses, as well as the old 1940’s console radio that had originally belonged to my grand parents. But I was 22 at the time and about to move into my first tiny apartment with my older brother, so not much beyond the bare essentials like a bed and television seemed to be worth the effort of moving.
I had no way of knowing that 30 years later I would be incessantly seeking to recapture my childhood and really wanting a glass of milk adorned with Fred Flinstone to wash down my peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
I’m sure most of you are familiar with the cartoon series The Jetsons. Created in 1963 it pretty much takes the opposite approach, timeline wise, that is, to The Flintstones. I thought it was a visually clever cartoon. Unfortunately, none of its predictions for the future have come to pass, which is quite disappointing. It has been 50 years and you’d think some of it would be a reality. Yet, we have no flying cars, instant meals from a machine or automatic conveyor belts that shower and dress us in the morning. Alas, we still don’t have dogs that talk like Astro, albeit with a limited vocabulary, either.
Much to my dismay, one aspect of the future they got right was that people would still be slaving away at boring jobs for thankless bosses. George’s boss, Mr. Spacely, was quite the grouch and poor old George was always being blamed for something whether his fault or not. My dad worked for years as a personnel manager in the jewelry industry which was quite huge in our hometown of Attleboro, MA back in the day. He would often tell me stories of the annoying things his bosses would do and I couldn’t help but picture Mr. Spacely with all his bluster. Though I would also, on occasion, get a mental image of Larry Tate from the old Bewitched TV series. A smarmy kind of guy that was great at taking undeserved credit and dolling out equally undeserved blame to his subordinates.
Either way, the working world did not have much appeal to me and I have spent many years, as I like to tell people, working hard at not working hard. I have been self-employed for over 30 years, mostly inspired by my father’s tales of woe and his eventual foray into being his own boss with several businesses. I, like my father have had varying success, ranging from very little to none at all. But, hey, it’s a living.(not really) Unfortunately, very few people took to my original idea where I stayed home and they sent me money. So, I am currently selling nostalgic pop culture at Blast From The Past. Stop by if you are in Falmouth, MA and pick up an item or two from your childhood or you could stay home and just send me a check. Some dreams die hard!
Quite often when I was buying comics it took me quite a while to decide exactly which book to choose. I had a limited budget. When Kamandi issue #29 hit the stands every other comic seemed to disappear. Never before had a cover grabbed my attention the way that one did. I recall the ads for Kamandi #1 by Jack Kirby in many of the DC titles but never purchased any issues prior to this. I was way too interested in the traditional super hero books.
I knew from the ads that Kamandi was a post apocalyptic story similar in theme to the “Planet of the Apes” movies and I was intrigued but still couldn’t risk my 25 cents on this untested and unproven comic. Everything changed when I saw that Superman costume on the cover of issue #29. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Here was a story that would explain how or if the world’s mightiest being survived a nuclear holocaust. “Well, did he?”, you are probably asking yourself. I’m not going to tell you. Go track down a copy and read it for yourself . Actually, the story never really tells whether Supes survived or not, just that he performed heroic deeds in preventing the utter destruction of the planet and elevating his stature to that of a god in the minds of the new society that sprang forth from the devastation.
I think this was Jack Kirby’s greatest gift as a comic book creator. He understood that comics and their heroes were our modern mythology and he created stories that captured that feeling better than anyone then working in the industry and probably even today. I think it is fitting that Jack Kirby himself has become a legendary figure of the industry and years after his passing and years into the future his impact will be felt.
The Three Stooges seem to create the widest gender divide that I have ever witnessed. I can think of no other creative property which is as universally despised by women and yet loved by men. If you know of one, please clue me in.
I did not have a single friend growing up that did not watch the Stooges. It was as close to a right of passage as there was. Your man card was not issued until you became a Three Stooges aficionado. To this day. most any male we encounter at Blast From The Past proudly proclaims his love of the Stooges while his wife rolls her eyes in sheer embarrassment. That is the strangest thing about liking the Three Stooges, the complete lack of shame is mind boggling. If there were ever a form of entertainment that one would most assuredly outgrow, you would think that would qualify. Nope.
I’m sure greater minds than you or I have tried to figure it out. Alas, it shall remain as one of life’s great mysteries much like Stonehenge and I’m sure the topic of great philosophical debate for years to come. Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk
For most of my childhood nothing was as anticipated as Saturday morning. It brought both the promise of two days away from school and hours of animated fun. I loved all cartoons as a child, but was especially fond of the Hanna Barbera produced super hero cartoons. There were so many, I’m not sure I could even name them all, but a few of the top ones for me were Space Ghost, The Herculoids, Mighty Samson and the Galaxy Trio. And special mention to Atom Ant, though technically he was super powered, I put him more in the comedy category as opposed to the very serious dramatic qualities of the other programs.
I know an awful lot has been written about Walt Disney, both positive and negative, which is pretty much true for any public figure of that stature. I won’t deny that he was most likely a tough shrewd business man, but I don’t think he could have totally faked the kind of warmth that I recall from seeing him on television in the 60’s.
They claim children can spot a phony. I always thought he seemed like the pro-typical grandfather. So, if he was faking his kindness, I sure bought into it.
It’s strange that for all the times I watched his programs that were in part advertising for Disneyland, it never once crossed my mind that it was some place that my parents would actually take us. California was pretty far away from Massachusetts. Even after they opened Walt Disney World in Florida it still was not something I considered possible, nor did I have a burning desire to go there. In fact, I only knew one kid that ever went.
Eventually my wife dragged me down to Disney World on our honeymoon and we have been back every year since. I won’t go into great detail here as to why we enjoy the place so much, but I do understand those that don’t care for it. It requires a certain perspective to really enjoy it to the degree that we do. An ability to regress into childhood helps.
For me, nothing could be more demonstrative of the magic of those Disney theme parks than the effect they had on my dad. This surprised the heck out of me. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my dad, but when I was growing up, he wasn’t exactly the carefree happy go lucky type. But, boy, Walt Disney World sure could get a laugh out of him. I was always close to my father, but somehow those Florida vacations allowed us to bond in a different way. Even though I worked with him in a couple of businesses, the relationship still was distinctly that of father and son, but at Disney World, we became much more like peers. I presume it was becuase we were both taking temporary leave from our otherwise adult existence. Whatever the reason, I am grateful for those vacations.
So, to paraphrase an old childhood taunt, “My dad likes Disney World” more than your dad!”
Welcome 2013. I have to admit it was a little sad watching the ABC New Year’s Eve celebration without Dick Clark.
Although it is quite common to make New Year’s resolutions, it is something that I have never done. I always felt that they more often than not would lead to frustration and disappointment, no to mention the feeling of failure. But, I think I will give it a try this year.
I resolve to eat more junk food, gain weight, watch more television, not finish projects around the house and become less productive at work. Check back with me in a year to see how well I did. Anyone care to take the challenge?
