Tuesday, December 31st, 1974

The very last day of the year. I slept late and when I awoke I watched THE MIRACLE WORKER where young Patty Duke gave a performance that reminded me of Linda's in THE EXORCIST. The movies are taking Paul's place for now.

Got a letter from the TREK group detailing the Convention plans. I'm really doubting now that I'll be able to go. Terry claims he's definitely going. If I don't, I hope he doesn't or I'll never hear the end of it. The letter did tell where to send story contributions as well so if I ever finish mine, I'll have that.

I saw most of Paul's funeral today live. I didn't much care for it, maybe because I'm not Catholic. It was very confusing. Afterwards, another brief obituary aired.

In just over a week, I will be sixteen years old. Big deal. I feel that fifteen has been very good to me overall. Although being sixteen, everyone's seeming "dream age," means nothing special to me, I do hope 1975 will be even better.

IT. One thing's for sure. This time, it was absolutely positively the last time this year! There's no year left!

Dad picked me up more APES cards.

I finally read a lot more of ALICE.

Cut out my last PEANUTS strip.

Saw Art Carney, Dyan Cannon and Elliott Gould on with MERV.

Thought I glimpsed a very young Linda Blair on a detergent commercial but I was probably wrong!

I'm writing this at 10 PM. Two hours away from next year. One year ago today, I was just preparing to begin this book. Tonight I'm going to stay up and see a late New Years show and then I'm going to seal this book and seal my 1974 movie lists inside it, also.

Well, it's minutes until Midnight now, nearly 365 days to the minute after I started this thing. This is almost where I came in. I've met a lot of people this year whose very existence I was unaware of a year ago. I hope next year will be just as good.

Well...like I said, this is where I came in. Time to go.

Goodbye.

THE END

NOTES: Here in 2012, I echo my younger self. I've met a lot of folks through this blog and its 1976 predecessor who went through everything I went through...even though none of us knew it at the time. We were NOT alone! And we survived. It hasn't always been easy and 2013 is looking like quite a struggle from my end. Hopefully it looks better from where you are.

In answer to a large amount of requests (and a few demands), I have decided to leave both 1974 and 1976 online, at least for the foreseeable future. If you're just discovering them, I hope you enjoy them. As I've stated before, I did not keep a journal in 1975 so there is no more. These two are all there is. 

If you like what you've read here--if you somehow relate to geeky teenage me, we hope that you'll consider a small donation via the DONATE button at top left. Thanks to the many who have already done so and helped us survive a tough couple of years.

Also, please keep in mind the other BOOKSTEVE BLOGS which will, of course, be continuing on for the pop culture aficionados amongst you. 

Happy New Year, thanks and good afternoon.

Buh-bye. 

Monday, December 30th, 1974

Mom went in to work but she didn't stay all day.

Watched a special 90 minute tribute to Paul Baby this morning hosted by Tom Atkins. It was even sadder than Jack Benny's! That was probably because it was broadcast right from Paul's studio where the show came from all those years. But no more. It was empty now when it should have been full if he was still alive. They showed a lot of film clips. As funny as they were, I really cried. Oh, it was sad. I wish these things didn't happen. Even Nick Clooney before his previously taped show did a short, live eulogy for Paul even though he was on a different station. Bob Braun did one, too. The special was repeated tonight in prime time.

Terry and I went to see THE ISLAND AT THE TOP OF THE WORLD and WINNIE & TIGGER uptown. The last movies of a busy movie year!

Later at Woolworths I picked up the two DC dollar books.

Saw Chris Connelly on a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE rerun. Dad wouldn't let me stay up to see the Monkees movie.

NOTES: ISLAND was a sub-par adventure film of the type Disney had done much better two decades earlier. It starred David Hartman, soon to become the hist of GOOD MORNING AMERICA and  give up acting completely. 

I assume the reference to a Monkees movie being on was a reference to HEAD, a film I wouldn't see until a midnight showing a decade later.

As you can tell, Paul Dixon's passing, especially coming almost immediately after Benny's, affected me greatly. The end of the year and the end of people who had always been there in my life, even if I had never met them. 

Sunday, December 29th, 1974

I began reading ALICE when I got up today. Later in the morning, I watched Marlo and The Muppets on WONDERAMA.

Went over to Fountain to get THE NATIONAL ENQUIRER.

Watched DR WHO & THE DALEKS again. Love that movie!

At 7:30, I watched an hour long uninterrupted tribute to Jack Benny. It was live and quite marvelous. Later in the evening, I watched JUDGE DEE AND THE MONASTERY MURDERS.

IT. Twice. I've decided that next year I'm not going to try to stop cold, but gradually. Maybe I can slow down until I quit.

NOTES: Wow. As I type this up, without having read it in advance, I'm watching a DR WHO episode on Netflix. In 1974, as far as I knew, the only Doctor was Peter Cushing who starred in the two Dalek features loosely adapted from William Hartnell episodes. 

Saturday, December 28th, 1974

Things almost didn't work out but they finally did. Terry's Mom took us out to Comic Corner where I got $4.75 for the comics I sold him. I turned right around and bought 5 good mid-sixties books. Steve says the Hilton downtown doesn't have any info about a comic convention next month even though there was another mention of it in today's paper.

LAND OF THE LOST actually had an ending today!

Mom, Terry and I went to see the third showing of FREEBIE & THE BEAN. We missed about a half hour and had to sit through it again. It was real good! Very funny. Afterwards, Mom went on home and Terry and I stopped at McDonalds. When I got home, Aunt Rosie had been there to deliver our presents--another sweater and two pairs of socks.

Mom got me ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Not the version I had been wanting but still should be good.

Paul Dixon died tonight. Too bad. I've known who he was all my life but had really just begun watching his show regularly this past summer.

NOTES: I had never read ALICE but had long enjoyed the Disney version and had expressed an interest in reading it, The version she got me was an edited, illustrated children's version. In an odd twist, she bought it at the Waldenbooks location where I would be working eight years later.

If you aren't from this area, the name Paul Dixon will mean nothing to you. Beginning as a reporter, he ended up with a slightly naughty free-form, ad-libbed talk variety show that ran live 5 mornings a week and was syndicated throughout the Midwest at its peak. It was there where a young and impressionable David Letterman saw Paul. Nuff said. And yes, that's a bad wig. Paul Baby (as he was called by everyone) milked it for a million gags, too.

Friday, December 27th, 1974

Dad was real sick again today. He went to the doctor with Mom. Because of this, I reverted to my original Friday plans.

Terry and I went over the river and caught the bus there right away. We passed the Valley Cinema by at least four blocks. It was only the second time I had been to the Cine Carousel but I remembered it well.

FREEBIE & THE BEAN was there, too, but we'd gone to see EARTHQUAKE and we did. Sensurround was fun but I'm sure glad all flicks don't have it!

Afterwards we walked back to the Valley, my first time there. It seemed a bit like the old Liberty in Covington. Really! We went in in the middle. It was also good. Linda's role was a small one but I loved it. I should. I waited long enough to see her in it! Now I've seen all of her films except SARAH T...

We got back downtown about 6. I got a few things at Fountain. That cute girl was working.

Had to go straight to work when I got home.

Later I saw the very last APES show--a rerun, of course. I only missed one of the whole run. Bought some more APES cards this morning. Bet they'll be hard to come by now.

NOTES: Somewhere in here my dad developed juvenile diabetes but I don't believe this was it. Seems like that was a year or two later...although I don;t recall it from my '76 Journal. Hmmm...

I usually thought the cute girl at Fountain News was Mexican but sometimes I wondered if she was Indian...as in "from India." Her parents ran the store for many years.

I can't believe I actually planned on and saw two big movies in one day less than a week after I had done the same thing with THE TOWERING INFERNO and YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. I did, though. EARTHQUAKE was the first and the unnamed second one here was AIRPORT 1975. 

Sensurround was the new process developed by Universal that made the seats shake in the theater, supposedly to enhance one's filmgoing experience. It kind of worked with EARTHQUAKE but was later used with ROLLERCOASTER, MIDWAY and the theatrical release of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA to lesser success, then retired.

I don't believe I ever returned to either the Valley or The Carousel. Too far out from downtown.

PS--Due to popular demand, I have decided I will leave both 1974 and 1976 online after the year ends. Tell your friends!

UPDATE--In the latest of many parallels between 1974 and 2012, this afternoon I unexpectedly received an early birthday gift from a friend that included AIRPORT 1975 on DVD! So here I am, exactly 38 years after I first saw AIRPORT 1975...and I'm watching AIRPORT 1975! Even weirder, my friend of 20+ years now, actor Bob Hastings, is in the film!

Thursday, December 26th, 1974

Christmas is over again.

Dad called in sick again and he was in bed most of the day. Mom wouldn't leave him to go to the show with me and Terry didn't want to see any others. I'll have to play it by ear now. I did get to pick up the new books that were out, though. I decided to skip a lot that I usually get.

I forgot but yesterday, Jeff came to me with a wishbone. He said whoever got the bigger piece would be the first to marry. I got it. I have no idea who I could marry at all but I guess it could happen. We'll see.

Everybody's favorite miser, Jack Benny, must have suffered a stroke or something and they said on the news he's been given 'til morning to live.

NOTES: Wishbones don't work. Jeff beat me in getting married by more than a few years.

Jack Benny had been a favorite since childhood and remains so today. In actuality, he was dying of pancreatic cancer, the same disease that would take my mother just a few years later. He wouldn't last 'til morning. He died on the 26th. 

Wednesday, December 25th, 1974

Christmas.

I saw MONEY MAZE again.

I shaved, bathed and dressed really neat before we went out to Aunt Velma's. They'll all be moved soon. I took some pics with my camera and some with Mom's. All of those messed up. Everybody kept talking about how tall I'd gotten. I got two shorts, two sweaters, a wallet and a jigsaw puzzle. Never really liked puzzles like this but it's only 75 pieces and has a cool illustration of Spidey and Thor so that was my favorite gift from out there.

I ate a lot of ham here at home and even ate a lot out there for a change. My stomach hurt really badly for most of the day, though.

Tonight, I watched avery sad but good Christmas episode of LUCAS TANNER.

Mom and Dad did SS for me as I was too sick to be of much help.

NOTES: LUCAS TANNER was a short-lived show about a school teacher starring David Hartman, soon to become the host of GOOD MORNING AMERICA.

I always preferred ham for Christmas and turkey for Thanksgiving. Over the years, especially after marrying a Jewish girl, we did away with the ham. 

Normally I didn't--and still don't--eat at gatherings, whether it be a Christmas get-together or a comic book con. That way I can make sure my still unpredictable stomach issues don't ruin my day...which happened far too often back in the day.

Wishing a  Merry Christmas to all of you who have followed 15 year old me through 1974. As 2012 ends, so does this blog, and since '74 was nowhere near as popular as '76, the concept will die there as well. I may leave the two blogs online for a bit or I may just take them down. It's been a fun ride revisiting my past and taking all of you with me. More farewells in a week.

***EXTRA***Let's Go For Broke

One thing that I paid only marginal attention to at Christmas time in 1974 but that would end up being very important to me in the long run was the World Premiere of the movie, LET'S GO FOR BROKE, held in Cincinnati at The 20th Century Theater. I didn't know how to get to that neighborhood theater so, while I remember the incessant radio ads, the thought of actually attending the premiere was not on my radar. I vaguely considered looking for the picture when it came closer. Little did I know that it never would. 

On Christmas evening, 1974, LET'S GO FOR BROKE star Christa Helm appeared live and in person at the World Premiere of what would prove to be her sole starring vehicle. Due to the death of local TV legend Paul Dixon, there was no coverage of the premiere in the newspapers. After the film left Cincinnati, it failed to find a distributor and never played anywhere else at all. 

The sole positive copy of the Premiere version of LET'S GO FOR BROKE sat forgotten in its 35 MM cans in the closet of the film's director Ron Walsh for the next three decades. In the meantime, the picture's star, lovely blonde Christa Helm, was murdered in February of 1977. That murder remains unsolved to this day. In 2006, though, my memories of LET'S GO FOR BROKE intersected with a cold case investigation into her death. For a while, progress was made toward finding her killer as well as finding her movie. Because of the work of myself, the actress's daughter and writer John O'Dowd, CBS did a one-hour 48 HOURS MYSTERY on the case. Partly in exchange for my helping with the show, I pointed them toward the movie, they converted it to digital and I received one of an extremely limited number of copies of LET'S GO FOR BROKE. Tragically, Christa Helm's murder remains unsolved as of this writing. 

http://christahelm.blogspot.com

Tuesday, December 24th, 1974

Slept late today. Had six hamburgers for breakfast when I finally got up. Watched Nick Clooney's new network game show, MONEY MAZE.

Noel Neill (Lois Lane) was on with Mike Douglas! She talked about the cast, George Reeves' suicide, her college shows, and even had a film clip! It was her birthday and they brought out a cake with a Superman symbol on it.

IT. Last time for '74!!!! Hopefully.

Mom bought me a cheap magic kit but it was still pretty neat! I've already mastered a few tricks. Oh, I love it!

Dad gave me another early present--a new tape recorder! Same type I got last year but I hope it works better.

Saw a very good Christmas episode of BEWITCHED. Then watched a little of Roddy on the daytime HOLLYWOOD SQUARES while I helped Mom wrap presents.

This was Christmas eve. For so many years, I would go to bed in anticipation of waking up to tomorrow's gifts. So much has changed.

NOTES: Noel Neill is still alive in 2012 and recently her birthday was celebrated on Facebook.

Today I watched a vintage Christmas episode of BEWITCHED online. Could it be the same one??? This one co-starred Bill Mumy, a longtime favorite actor whom I've had the pleasure to meet and talk with a number of times through the years and who is now a Facebook friend.

Nick Clooney's national game show was a bit ridiculous as Nick, himself admitted to me twenty years later when he signed the MONEY MAZE picture seen here on a TV mag cover I kept from that time.

BY this point, I was already suffering holiday depression that would continue throughout the years. I don't do Decembers well.

Monday, December 23rd, 1974

Another big conquest. I talked Terry into going with me to the new Showcase Cinemas and we caught the bus about 11. We got off at the right stop, Commonwealth Road, and walked down to I-75. It really wasn't as far as I thought it would be. Maybe 7-8 blocks straight down. That was where I had expected the only real problem to be but it wasn't. Next there was a long walk to the Interstate bridge where the cutoffs all met. There was no sidewalk but you could walk in grass along the side of the road and we did. After that, slightly uphill to get back out of the expressway area. All told maybe another 4 blocks from beginning to end.

THAT's when we found the hard part! To get to the actual theater itself (there was a big sign) we had to walk up a great big, long, steep hill! In the long run it took us nearly as long to get there once we got off the bus as it had the other one out in Springdale a few months back. When we did finally get there, the building looked exactly the same!

We were exhausted but paid three bucks to see TOWERING INFERNO first. It was longer than I had expected but we got out just in time to catch the beginning of YOUNG FRANK for another $2.50.

Coming back, after nearly 5 hours of movies, we attempted to take a short cut but that didn't work. Ouch! Ended up catching a Garage bus so we had to transfer at 12th Street. Got home and had to go straight to work even though I was exhausted!

Richard Long died. I really liked him.

Finally hear from Yoshiko. She sent a combination Christmas and birthday card. That was nice of her.

NOTES: I was 15 here and didn't drive. As a reminder, because of my motion sickness issues, I didn't learn to drive until I was 32. Over the next 15 years, I would end up walking that long and actually treacherous walk probably 50 times. Sometimes I would talk Terry's Mom into taking us or, later on, other friends. But I walked it a lot. 

In retrospect, I've always felt seeing both films that day was most likely a mistake as I have never really enjoyed YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN to the extent I feel like I should. 

Richard Long was the actor who had starred on the then-relatively recently canceled NANNY & THE PROFESSOR sitcom I had been enjoying in reruns then. 

Sunday, December 22nd, 1974

Dad got the new gas radiator cap for his car and we put it on. Later I had to help move the seats up. I remembered how I accidentally did it yesterday and I discovered how to do it again. Dad's gonna leave it out over Christmas and never put it back unless they can secure that garage better.

After all that, they finally got to go to the store today.

Had to fix a light at work along with taking out the trash.

I began decorating the tree this afternoon while I caught a small part of a movie with Bogart, Edward G and Bette Davis.

I re-re-reread the first books of Kirby's Fourth World series.

My ear remained stopped up and hurting until late in the day. Has to be a minor ear infection.

Watched several more holiday shows and then finished the evening with Lon Chaney's HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME on Ch. 48.

NOTES: Jack Kirby's first DC books on his return to that company were collectively referred to--for reasons no one seems to know--as the "Fourth World Trilogy," even though there were four of them. They were my favorite comics of the period and the ones that made me stick with reading comic books when I was contemplating dropping them.

At the time, the only one singing the praises of silent film star Lon Chaney was Forrest J. Ackerman, editor of FAMOUS MONSTERS magazine. So I thought of him as a horror star which he really wasn't. Still, it drew me to watch his films whenever--and it was rare--I could find them.

Saturday, December 21st, 1974

A long, long day. I was awakened by a call from Terry. he picked up one book I didn't and vice versa.

When Dad and I went to the car later in the morning, we found it was all messed up again! They got the battery, the radio, etc. All gone! I was SO mad but not half as mad as Dad was! He called the cops and we waited but they never even showed up. Damn it! Boy! Conners claims he'll get the garage fixed. I'll bet. I told Dad early this year it wasn't his year for cars. Boy, was I right! Later in the day, Dad got the car fixed. It's not great but at least it runs for now.

Mom went uptown and picked me up some new comics and a new scrapbook which I promptly dedicated to Roddy and the Apes.

While she was gone, I watched WHITE CHRISTMAS again and picked out some toys to give to that lady Mom knows who's collecting. She came by tonight to pick 'em up.

I watched ALL IN THE FAMILY's special 100th episode and a really neat James Bond commercial.

We brought the tree up from the basement tonight. Only took me 30 minutes to put it up. We didn't get it fully decorated yet.

My ear slowly began to hurt very badly. I went to bed with cotton in it.

NOTES: If you'll recall, my Dad, after having his car stolen from a nearby public parking lot earlier in the year, he began renting one side of a garage a block and a half away. Unfortunately, the car was constantly being broken into by someone because the OTHER side of the double garage was easily accessible. They couldn't open the lock and steal our car but they basically had unfettered access to do what they wanted with it otherwise. Ugh! After the first time, I tried to talk my dad into moving it but for reasons I forget, he chose not to do so. 

When I was very small, we would go out and buy a real tree every year from a street market. At some point, they decided to get an artificial tree and that's what we always had from that point. In recent years, we've given up putting up a tree. Seems like a lot of trouble to go to when you just take it down a week or so later. Must admit, though, sometimes I miss Christmas trees.

WHITE CHRISTMAS actually isn't a Christmas movie except for certain early scenes and the ending. But that voice and that song represents Christmas to so many in several generations.

Friday, December 20th, 1974

We got out a few minutes earlier than expected even. I saw Jay at school and he told me he saw the new Showcase yesterday. I caught the regular bus home for a change and it was the most overcrowded bus I have ever been on! Still crowded when it arrived in Cincinnati!

I went straight to the theater to find out what time THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN started. Unfortunately, I had already missed the first showing which started at 11 so I decided to get my books and then catch the 1:05 showing.

Got a lot of mags and then went back just a little early. They raised their price to $3.50 but it was only $2.75 for the first two showings. It was really good! Probably make my Top Ten. Saw a review of it tonight though that really put it down. Next year's THE SPY WHO LOVED ME. On the way out, I picked up a free full color glossy of the poster. It looks great on the back page of my scrapbook.

APES' last episode was cut off locally for a Christmas special! Boy!

Mom gave me a present from her friend Agnes. A fancy dueling pistol shaped bottle filled with Avon cologne. It's really neat.

They're finally playing Donny and Marie's new record on the radio.

Missed my deadline on finishing my TREK story. Maybe I'll still keep going. maybe not.


NOTES: Seen here are both sides of the glossy I got on my way out that day.

Thursday, December 19th, 1974

Dodgeball in Gym again. I did a little bit better than usual. In Home Room, a girl named Angie collected money for needy people. Starting with nothing she had over six dollars before we got out of Home Room. She never said a word to me, though. She never does. Wish I knew why. I'm not that bad looking. A fairly hard Geometry test and an easy Science one rounded out the day. There would have been a Spanish test but it was called off for some reason.

Jay bought TEN of my notebooks!

One girl collected money to get a gift for Mr. K for Christmas. I contributed my last dime. At least she spoke to me. She only got $1.32 so she wrapped it up and gave it to him in class. He loved it! I'm glad I was a small part of that.

Tomorrow we get off at 11 and then it's 007!

I wish I was part of some group. Maybe the STAR TREK group will be my "thing." I know more about the show than most people--especially non-Trekkies.

 I wish PAPER MOON hadn't been canceled. Next week, PLANET OF THE APES reruns the first episode and then that's it for them, too.

I've given up on asking Debbie to the new Showcase Cinemas.

Nelson Rockefeller became the new VP of the USA today. I stayed up 30 minutes past Rocky's oath to catch the last part of a MOVIN' ON Christmas special.

NOTES: I had so many of the giant 3 ring binders the Social Security office had thrown away that I was selling them at school! Hah!

Nelson Rockefeller became the controversial unelected Veep to an unelected President. The seventies were weird.

Wednesday, December 18th, 1974

We had an assembly this morning where the choir sang. 7 and 8 plus also the rest. One girl i recognized was up there with 7 and 8 but I didn't know any of the others. I took my ST story to school and wrote almost 3 more pages on it.

Dad stayed off again and the TV man finally came. It's working pretty good again now.

When I started this journal I never imagined I'd be working at the Social Security Office for more than half the year. I've grown to hate the job even though it grants me exercise and experience but I enjoy the money so I can't quit now. We had SO much trash tonight! I nearly broke the trash cart!

Saw Tony Orlando's Christmas special and part of THE MISSLES OF OCTOBER.

NOTES: Major computer issues. Don't think anything here needs an explanation so...

Tuesday, December 17th, 1974

Mr. Rodgers was still absent and I was almost late for Study Hall. The Coach was out, too, and I almost got out of Gym but he decided to come in by fifth period. Boy! The highlight of the day was Part Two of RED BADGE.

I almost purposely missed the bus so I could talk to the girl who works at the theater.  After waiting in the snow for a while with her, I got up the courage to say something and asked her if she still worked at The Madison. I think she was afraid I'd ask her to get me in free. Guess she gets that a lot. I just wanted to know what was coming in January. THE GROOVE TUBE, she said. Bleeeh! It goest off today at The Place after playing there 5 months! When we finally got on a bus, i sat near her but we never spoke another word.

We got a late start at work and ended up with a lot to take out. Mom and Dad even missed Christmas shows they had wanted to see. I got back just in time to catch a special holiday episode of HAPPY DAYS. And it was really something, too!

I got twelve more giant binders they threw out at work. I think I'm going to have to get rid of some.

Late tonight i watched THIS IS THE WEST THAT WAS with Ben Murphy recreating his Kid Curry character and also Wild Bill Hickok.

NOTES: I have no idea what I meant by that last remark as IMDB doesn't list Kid Curry as a character and Murphy plays Hickok. His ALIAS SMITH AND JONES co-star narrates. I have absolutely no memory of this TV movie from the roy Huggins stable but it seems to be a deconstruction of Western myths. A good cast but totally forgotten.

THE GROOVE TUBE seemed under the radar at the time, a cult comedy edited together from early uncensored closed circuit TV comedy shown in a club in New York City. Appearing were a couple of faces who would become more familiar later--Chevy Chase and Richard Belzer. Ir would be another decade before I finally saw it and I wasn't impressed. It was more shocking than funny and by that point, KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE, AIRPLANE, SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE and NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE had come along, all an outgrowth of THE GROOVE TUBE in a way (whether or nit I realized that at the time) only they were, at least sometimes, actually funny as well as outrageous.

Monday, December 16th, 1974

Not sure what I dreamed about last night but it sure must have been good. I awoke ready for anything. I'll bet it was about the Convention!

More teachers absent today.

I worked on a new story outline for my STAR TREK piece. It only vaguely resembles what I started last year. This one is called THE GOLDEN SAVIOR. I also began rereading STAR TREK 10 and, of course, watched tonight's episode.

At school, we finally got to see Part one of RED BADGE OF COURAGE. Part two tomorrow.

Got a 75 on a Science test! Uh oh...Finally made up my Spanish test, too, and I'm sure I did better on it.

Some guy came by to see Dad while he was at the doctor. Said he'd come back later but never did.

At the Office tonight, they had a tree up and a card decoration down in the break room!

Watched a little of START THE REVOLUTION WITHOUT ME on TV with Gene Wilder and Donald Sutherland.

NOTES: I don't think I ever did finish THE GOLDEN SAVIOR but I did finish the earlier TREK tale I'd started, MISSION TO MENTHOS. Still have it. These days, it's my wife who writes the STAR TREK stories as a prolific fan-fic author.

The Wilder/Sutherland film is more interesting than it is actually good but I did eventually see all of it. 

Sunday, December 15th, 1974

A big day. The second Sunday in a row where I saw no movie! Doug saw DRAGON yesterday.

IT.

I put up my silver Christmas tree this morning. It's really pretty. It's in my room.

I saw another good NANNY & THE PROFESSOR.

I made two new comics folders this afternoon.

Found out YOUNG FRANK is rated PG.

My poster paper was warped so I forewent any work on my stars poster this week.

I read  a little of my EARTHQUAKE book.

Some dumb doctor says that THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK could corrupt people. Proves to me how crazy HE is!

Watched both Bing and Bob in specials on TV tonight. There was a UFO special on Channel 2 out of Dayton.

I heard my favorite Helen Reddy song on the radio tonight for the first time all year--"Oh, so peaceful here!"

Didn't write a word on my TREK story but did a lot of research and came up with some new ideas. Gave Terry a few art tips for it, too. I sure hope I finish it on time.

NOTES: NANNY AND THE PROFESSOR was a sitcom in the classic mode that had aired a couple of years earlier but stayed around in reruns for a while. A favorite of both my wife's and mine, a few years ago, I picked it up on DVD-R for her. For a while, I was Facebook friends with star Juliet Mills.

Saturday, December 14th, 1974

A bad beginning. Got my glasses fixed, though...somewhat.  I still don't feel like they're perfect.

Terry's mother drove us over the river and dropped us off at the bus stop. We caught bus # 17 to UC and got off when we thought we saw it. We were right. After wandering aimlessly for a while, we asked a guy how to get to Tangeman Center and he told us and we found it. Man, it's really beautiful up there. I may consider going there rather than Indiana University.

A lot of the same Trek fans were there but even more. There was a door prize but we didn't win. We all got Spock business cards. We discussed the fanzine and they want me to call them when I finish the STAR TREK story I started last year. We also discussed the trip. It would be about a hundred bucks each. With  a little work, I could afford it but I'd have to miss a few school days. That won't go over well. I think maybe Mom and dad might agree. Oh, it would be marvelous!

NOTES: I remember us being overwhelmed by how big The University of Cincinnati was! At that time, I had hoped to attend the Indiana University because I had discovered they taught a course on comic book history. I had even sent away for flyers a year or so before. Who knows if they were still teaching it by the time I would have actually needed it? If I'm correct, it was being taught by Michael Uslan who went on to not only write comics himself but also to produce the BATMAN movie franchise starting with the Michael Keaton films. As I ended up not going anywhere, the thoughts were moot and, in retrospect, a bit sad.

The STAR TREK fan stuff never really went anywhere or if it did, they quit contacting Terry and myself, perhaps deciding we were too young. Never saw a fanzine, never made the trip. Never heard from them again, sadly. But I kept the Spock business card! See above.

Friday, December 13th, 1974

Another good Friday the 13th!

Got the new TBG and saw where BATMAN's Chief O'Hara died last week and Otto Binder died in October.

I found out in THE HOLMESPUN that I made the B Honor Roll. That was the day's only real bummer. I had expected to make the A Honor Roll.

Got about five bucks worth of stuff over the river.

I'll have to get my glasses fixed tomorrow. They're just too tight.

Maybe I should invite Debbie to see THE TOWERING INFERNO with me since it's going to be at the new cinemas near where she lives. I doubt it. I'd be afraid of being turned down.

NOTES: Friday the 13 has always brought good luck to me. Still does. Even if nothing good happens on a Friday the 13th, nothing bad does at least.

Hard to believe that five bucks worth of stuff was a LOT in those days.

Actor Stafford Repp played Chief O'Hara, a character originally unique to the TV series. Otto Binder was a longtime comic book writer known for his stories of the original Captain Marvel and later for the various Superman family of titles. 

Not Debbie again. I'm so embarrassed.

Thursday, December 12th, 1974

In Gym today, we played basketball and somehow I scored my first two points! A great Gym day!

We were in Lab in Spanish.

After school, I picked up my new glasses. They're a bit too tight even though he fixed 'em five times.

I picked up another paperback, EARTHQUAKE.

Terry called. he got another letter from the STAR TREK people. Seems there's another meeting this Saturday at UC. It's supposed to be about the chartering of the bus to the February Convention. Mom says I can't go but I'm still hoping to convince her.

NOTES: Note that when I was doing well in it --which was rare--Gym wasn't such a bad class after all.

During that period, I picked up a lot of novelizations, novels written based on the movie's screenplay rather than the other way around. The ones for spectacles such as EARTHQUAKE were particularly poorly done as they couldn't convey that spectacle on the printed page...especially in this case with Universal's new Sensurround feature. 

Wednesday, December 11th, 1974

Back to school. Readjusting was easier than I expected. Was like I had never even been off yesterday. Gym again tomorrow. Too bad.

I drew caricatures of all my teachers. Four out of the seven were surprisingly really very good! Wouldn't show them to the teachers, though.

Today for the first time in ages, I missed a window seat on the bus home. I did get to sit by a cute girl, though!

ENTER THE DRAGON has returned again. In fact, it's the only good thing currently on except for a few other re-releases I've already seen, too.

I ran out of tape on Monday! My work is beginning to pile up!

I played some more Christmas songs. Saw Andy's Christmas special tonight as well as Tony Orlando and Flip Wilson.

NOTES: Growing up, Andy Williams' Christmas specials were as much a tradition as Bing Crosby's. I believe by this point though that Andy had already split with his wife, the soon to be infamous Claudine Longet, and that they only got to back together on these specials "for the children." Andy died in 2012.

Tuesday, December 10th, 1974

Today I did end up staying home. I felt a bit better than yesterday but my head was stopped up worse. While talking with Mom, I kept trying to think of excuses why I should stay home. I guess she knew what I was doing but she gave me the money to see the doctor. Mrs. P had called the doctor to see her husband and I was going to see him, too, while he was here only he never came. I started taking the penicillin pills he gave me last time and felt a little better so I didn't even end up going this afternoon.

This afternoon, the Dean of Boys called. I almost didn't recognize his name at first. Wanted to know where I was and sounded a bit skeptical when I told him I was sick. I felt bad because I almost feel good enough to go in by afternoon.

Finished YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN. It was funny but if the movie is like the book it would have to be rated R.

Mom hurt her ankle at work.

Mrs. P called to ask if what she was seeing across the street looked like a fire to me. It did but someone seemed to have put it out even as I watched out the windows.

NOTES: I really hadn't ever had any interaction to speak of with the Dean of Boys. That's why I hadn't recognized his name when he called. Apparently no one, myself included, had remembered to call me in sick that morning. Oops.

Monday, December 9th, 1974

Just a month today from my birthday.

Some good, some bad, today. It snowed again. I almost didn't go to school because of my cold but really wanted to see THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE and I also had a Spanish test. Turned out BADGE isn't 'til next week and the test is tomorrow.

I did have a Geometry test and in English we had a hilarious discussion of prostitution throughout history. In actual history class, we acted out historical figures and I was assigned Cardinal Richelieu, enemy of the Musketeers, played by Charlton Heston in the film.

I missed the first bus back and had to wait in the cold for the next one.

I started reading my new paperbacks. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN was better than TRIAL OF BILLY JACK.

NOTES: Heston, as an actor, had always made a great hero but in Richard Lester's THREE MUSKETEERS (and its later sequel), he gave a fine, nuanced performance as the real life Cardinal  Richelieu. 

Sunday, December 8th, 1974

I woke up today with the beginnings of a cold that got worse all morning.

I saw Lena Zavaroni on WONDERAMA. I'm really beginning to like her singing.

We all went Christmas shopping over the river. I stayed with Mom and Dad for awhile but then split off to go to Bell Block where I picked up VARIETY and that YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN book. At Walgreens I got more APES cards and two more paperbacks, THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK and CLINT EASTWOOD. I read CLINT EASTWOOD this afternoon.

Watched three Christmas specials on TV including THE HOMECOMING. THE HOMECOMING and John-Boy Walton were what originally inspired me to keep this journalistic record!

NOTES: I had totally forgotten that! John-Boy Walton wanted to be a writer and often was seen writing in his journal about his daily life. THE HOMECOMING, subtitled A CHRISTMAS STORY, had originally aired in 1971. Although not my usual type of fare at age 12, between the snow scenes, the impressive acting, the rare dramatic turn of Edgar Bergen as Grandpa Walton (no Charlie McCarthy in sight) and the fact I found myself relating to John-Boy, played by a former child star I'd never heard of, Richard Thomas, it became a favorite. I followed it into series when THE WALTONS began its long run. In 2008, Richard Thomas came through my store at the Airport...but on my day off! Ugh!

Poor Lena, again. I hadn't thought about her in years until I re-read this journal. Eventually she died from an eating disorder.

The YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN book was a novelization that actually came across as more R-rated than the PG rated film.

The CLINT EASTWOOD bio was by film professor Stuart Kaminsky. In the late seventies, he switched to writing Hollywood themed mysteries set in the 1930's and became my favorite mystery writer. He passed just a couple of years back and in 2012 I sold that CLINT EASTWOOD book. 

Saturday, December 7th, 1974

IT. Twice. Ugh.

It rained most of the day.

Watched part of a Santa Claus Parade on TV, then we went uptown to Dr. Flagg's. He said my eyes had changed greatly and I needed a whole new pair of glasses. They should be ready Thursday.

Got the new Rona mag and saw a YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN book at Bell Block. Terry bought that FF issue I missed for me.

I began work on my own private collage of my favorite actors and actresses.

Saw Harry Nilsson's THE POINT, an encore of the first ever made for TV animated Movie of the Week.

I played a lot of Christmas records.

NOTES: THE POINT was the cartoon story of Oblio, the only round-headed character in a pointed world. The great song, "Me and My Arrow" (often said to be euphemistic for IT) comes from THE POINT. The original running of the film on TV featured narration by Dustin Hoffman but later versions replaced that with Ringo Starr and, beyond that, two or three other narrators! Not certain which version this early run had.

Friday, December 6th, 1974

My glasses' other earpiece broke today. I'll have to go get new ones tomorrow. I can't put it off this time. Spent my first day at school without glasses today, though and my eyes held up pretty well.

All my teachers were finally back today.

We'll probably get to see RED BADGE OF COURAGE--which I passed up on Tuesday night--on tape on Monday and Tuesday next week.

Speaking of TV sets in the classroom, we got locked out of our room coming back from lunch because there was a TV in there.

I found out what films will open at the new Erlanger Showcase Cinemas December 20th. Three I want to see. The only problem will be determining where they are!

Tonight at The Place, they showed a Sneak of FREEBIE & THE BEAN. I think I want to see it. Dad might go with me to catch ENTER THE DRAGON. He's about the only person I know who hasn't seen it!

Caught "Mirror, Mirror," another of my favorite TREK episodes, and also saw Shatner on PYRAMID and POLICE WOMAN.

NOTES: RED BADGE OF COURAGE turned out to be a superior TV movie version of that classic. It starred Richard Thomas (who would later come in my store at the Airport but on my day off, darn it!) and Wendell Burton (whom I would later exchange a few emails with online).

I'd been wearing glasses since I was 5 years old. I actually (purposely) lost them on the second day I had them and went through long periods of not wearing them if childhood photos are to be believed. That said they became a part of me in time. Up until this point, I always wore black and silver ones, very old-fashioned looking. The brown ones seen here were my first major change ever and would last until I got wire frames n the eighties.

Thursday, December 5th, 1974

A day that started and ended badly but had a good in-between.That was today. Fooling with my zipper on my coat I missed my bus. Trying to catch up to it, I chased it all the way to 6th and Madison where I finally just decided to wait on the late bus. Fortunately it was early today and that's where the good came in.

School was fairly easy. Even Gym. Missing: two teachers again.

In Gym, we actually didn't even have Gym! The Fieldhouse floor was being worked on and we ended up just watching the Senior classes play Hockey.  It was fun. Well...at least it was better than Gym. Our Coach may be evil but that fat guy was worse. I wouldn't trade ours.

Just missed the earliest bus back but I went straight over the river and got three new mags. Passed up two I didn't need and somehow ended up with two TV GUIDES. I also saw a new kids mag with an article on Daredevil but I didn't buy it.

ENTER THE DRAGON is coming back, doubled with BLACK BELT JONES. Once more would be my sixth and a half viewing.

Raquel's THE OLDEST PROFESSION is back at drive-ins. Wouldn't mind seeing that.

Got to work late because we thought they were still there but they weren't They had just left the lights on. While I worked I picked up the audio from channel 12 on the radio and listened to just the audio of Astaire and Rooney in SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN.

Nothing else much on TV tonight.

NOTES: THE OLDEST PROFESSION was probably the single most obscure film Raquel Welch, THE sex symbol of the late sixties/early seventies, ever made. It's an international anthology of six short comical films about prostitution made in 1967. Among the actresses were Elsa Martinelli and Jeanne Moreau. Among the directors were Godard and Truffaut. As Raquel became more famous, it kept turning up on drive-in bills but we were too young to get to the drive-ins. So today it remains obscure. I never did see the film! (I actually have a source for it. I just don't really care anymore.)

Wednesday, December 4th, 1974

A bit better day at school but still no Home Room/English teacher.

Doug was out today, too, so Jay was my partner in identifying rocks in Science.

I began writing a story combining DM and Nightmare.

I got a Jack Davis poster at work.

I watched the return episode of Tony Orlando and Dawn as well as Jim Backus and Charo on MERV. Later on PBS, I saw Douglas Fairbanks, Sr in THE AMERICANO.

Terry called. He's gone really GREEN HORNET crazy! He wanted so badly to know who played in THE GREEN HORNET that he called Mary Wood at the Post to find out. He says he might buy my GREEN HORNET pinback button. I'll try to find it tomorrow.

The only movie that changed out this week was HARRY AND TONTO.

NOTES: Can't recall the Jack Davis poster. If I got it at work, it was probably Social Security-related.

Don't think I have any traces of that Nightmare/DM story left.

This MAY have been the first time I ever saw Doug Fairbanks in a movie. Certainly one of the earliest. 

As far as that GREEN HORNET pinback button, I guess I couldn't find it then because I still have it now. Say, I wonder if Terry would still be interested? "I'll try to find it tomorrow."

Tuesday, December 3rd, 1974

A bad day. Two teachers were absent. I really did badly in Gym as we played "21" (??) and some kind of basketball race. I got accidentally hit hard in the chest and later on at home I found it hard to swallow.  My stomach and chest hurt the rest of the night. Boy!

On the bus home that freak Dorman set off a firecracker. He makes me sick.

Doug says his ex-girlfriend had her baby.

Mom says they raided 313 the other night and found lots of dope. We had kinda figured that kinda thing was going on over there. We were right I guess.

I finally saw an actual Spidey story on THE ELECTRIC COMPANY. It was real short, neat and funny. M*A*S*H was especially good tonight, too. Also a good episode of POLICE STORY with Dandy Don.

NOTES: Dorman (not his real name) was an annoying friend of a friend in our class. A few years ago I was looking up people out of the Yearbook and found him as a registered sex offender. Can't say I was surprised. 

We used to know our neighbors but there had been a big turnover and the house literally ten feet away across the alley had gone visibly downhill in the years prior to this point. Somewhere in there it was actually condemned. Oddly enough, in 2012, it's still there, presumably rehabbed and attracting a better class of people.

"Dandy Don" was Don Meredith, a football player turned actor who became a sort of regular on the anthology series, POLICE STORY, usually teamed with Tony Lo Bianco.

Monday, December 2nd, 1974

Back to school again. Only about three weeks more 'til another vacation already, though. A very unexpected heavy snowfall this morning. Things were a little slippery but not too bad really. Even Mr. K had to ride the bus, though!

I ended up getting a hundred on the notebook I waited so long to do.

One guy in my Geometry class had a mixed up book!

Sait, in my Spanish class, saw AIRPORT '75 over the weekend.

Saw "Amok Time" on STAR TREK tonight and later Bogie and Hepburn in THE AFRICAN QUEEN. And what a film that was! WOW!

NOTES: Just a reminder that they never seemed to close our schools for snow in those days.

In 2012, I was talking with Sait online today. Will have to tell him this was when he saw that movie.

Bogart was fast becoming my favorite classic era actor and AFRICAN QUEEN was a major atypical role in which he really showed his acting chops! Still a favorite!

Sunday, December 1st, 1974

Didn't get to see HARRY AND TONTO after all but Terry and I did see LT. ROBIN CRUSOE, USN instead. They had a Mickey Mouse cartoon with it! Nancy Kwan=gorgeous.

Afterwards, I went by King Kwik. They've changed everything there! Got one comic and left.

The snow had partly melted by this morning but came back this afternoon...with much more expected overnight.

I watched a special about Burt Reynolds. What language he used! Boy!

I counted 130 Linda Blair pics I have!

Watched MISTER MAGOO'S CHRISTMAS CAROL tonight for the first time in several years. Wonderful! Later, I saw a John Denver special.

NOTES: Eventually, I would catch HARRY AND TONTO when it debuted on network TV. LT. ROBIN CRUSOE, USN, was actually a re-release of an older Dick Van Dyke film. Years later, I found out that actor Tyler McVey, whom I met through the old time radio conventions, is in it.

The Magoo special featured Broadway quality songs and a great cast including Jack Cassidy along with Jim Backus as Scrooge. The fact that it was Mister Magoo was thoroughly incidental to the fact that it was and remains one of the best retellings of the classic Dickens ghost story. In fact, by this point in the seventies, to fit more commercials they were editing out the bumpers where we saw Magoo as himself arriving at the theater and preparing for his role as Scrooge. 

Saturday, November 30th, 1974

LAND OF THE LOST was really good this morning.

I went over the river this afternoon and bought THE MARX BROTHERS SCRAPBOOK. I may ask for WHY A DUCK?  for Christmas.

I discovered HARRY AND TONTO was on downtown. Mom might go with me to see it tomorrow.

Wonder of wonders! Early afternoon rain became snow! The first snow to actually stick this year! Later I went out with Dad when he took out the trash. I just walked around the house but oh, it was marvelous!

Terry called and talked for a long time this evening. He said he saw THE GREEN HORNET twice today!

NOTES: THE MARX BROTHERS SCRAPBOOK was a major early book in my Library and is still occupying its position on a shelf in the next room as I type this. I liked it but apparently Groucho didn't and disowned it even though he's credited as co-author. 

WHY A DUCK? was another Marx Brothers book, all photos and text from the films. The copy I eventually got was one of the first books I ever purchased at Waldenbooks in downtown Cincinnati, by then marked down as a bargain book. Eight years on from November, 1974, I got my second real job there, a dinky little Christmas help position that would last 21 years (with a return even after that for a few more!).

Oddly enough, when Terry and I reconnected a couple of years back via Facebook, the first thing we did was go to the new version of THE GREEN HORNET. He loved it. I didn't.

Friday, November 29th, 1974

Another early start today. Read some recent FF stories when I got up.

Dad took him with me to the Post Office to get his check. We went across that new bridge, me for the first time. I took my camera and finished all 20 shots. On the way back, Dad let me out downtown and I went around and got all the new books. Also picked up a $1.50 Bruce Lee special. Doug would love it.

We got our check in the mail today.

Later in the afternoon, Terry and I planned to take the bus to go see MAN OF THE EAST at Newport but we missed the bus. Caught a later one, though. The hill was muddy and there were problems with the theater and the print. The picture wasn't as good as Terence Hill's other films, either. Turns out it's several years old! We stopped at the poster shop and a few other places, then came home. Terry bought a  whole box of APES trading cards. He's crazy sometimes.

NOTES: I still have a photograph I took that day of my dad walking away from the car toward the Post Office (where he worked). You can see my reflection in the car's rear-view mirror. I was hoping to find it and post it but apparently I've never scanned it and I'm not sure where he original is.

MAN OF THE EAST was erroneously billed as a TRINITY picture but, of course, was not. Taken on its own, though, it was much fun. I watched it again earlier this year.

Turns out Terry was, of course, ahead of the game regarding buying a whole box of trading cards. In a decade or so, even I would be doing that until I finally gave up trading cards completely.

Thursday, November 28th, 1974

Happy Thanksgiving! This year, for a change, we stayed home all day. I awoke early, watched THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW and read the paper. I had pancakes for breakfast and watched the parades.  On the whole I was disappointed with them this year although I did enjoy Kathy Coleman from LAND OF THE LOST singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" as Dorothy.

Then we all sat down to dinner--a marvelous full meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and a few other things.

I watched A DAY AT THE RACES yet again, this time on TV.

I also read a few favorite comics I hadn't read in a while.

Dad watched all the football games naturally. In my room, I watched "Friday's Child" on STAR TREK, WILLY WONKA (again) and Miss MacLaine's TV special.

NOTES: There was a period in the seventies where I actually considered Thanksgiving to be my favorite holiday. That said, there were also a few years when we DID go out to relatives' homes for the holiday and I opted to be anti-social and stay home to read and watch TV whilst my parents went without me. 

I had managed to catch The Marx Brothers' A DAY AT THE RACES on the big screen in revival prior to ever seeing it on TV with commercials.

"Miss MacLaine" would have been Shirley MacLaine, a delightful actress whose sitcom a couple years earlier flopped but she returned with some popular TV specials. Later on, she would seem to go about nuts and would be parodied on TINY TOONS as Shirley MacLOON.

Wednesday, November 27th, 1974

The last day of school! Well, for four days anyway.

We were able to forego English class in English class and instead discuss certain student's love lifes. Lives? We had a part of a game in History but tests in Geometry and Science. Boredom in Study Hall was followed by a canceled quiz in Spanish due to the teacher having visitors. So instead I just sat and listened to Colleen's dirty jokes like everyone else.

After school, I went straight over the river and saw THE GREEN HORNET. The continuity was non-existent as three half hour shows and one cartoon (The Dogfather) were shown.

Dad took Mom to and from work today.

We've got a turkey and pies for tomorrow.

Not too much on TV tonight. I saw a little bit of GODSPELL and then watched Rod Serling and Dick Clark on a special MERV about live TV.

NOTES: I have no recollection of a "Colleen" in my class.

The Dogfather was featured in a late theatrical series of cartoons made by Depatie-Freleng, the folks who made the Pink Panther cartoons. They started this series in '74 so this must have been one of the first ones. They popped up off and on through '76.

This was most likely the first time I saw any part of GODSPELL. Despite my not being a Christian, I've always enjoyed the movie and its songs. What I had no way of knowing then was that I would one day interview one of its assistant directors as he went on to direct Christa Helm's only starring feature. I also spoke on the phone with one of the producers of the original Broadway version of GODSPELL.

Tuesday, November 26th, 1974

I made it through today. Tomorrow should be a lot easier. I've got 3 tests tomorrow but I don't mind tests as much as Gym.

Dad went over and saw THE SAVAGE IS LOOSE today. I was going to ask him to take me when he was talking about going Friday but he says it isn't very good anyway. We may go see MAN OF THE EAST, then, with "Nobody," "Trinity" or just plain Terence Hill.

PLANET OF THE APES has been canceled as of December 27th. Too bad. I kind of expected it, though.

The color on the TV went off again. I watched Shatner on POLICE STORY, though and during that hour they advertised THE GREEN HORNET. Should be great! Hoping to catch it tomorrow or on Thanksgiving day.

NOTES: My Dad rarely went to movies on his own but for some reason, this one intrigued him. THE SAVAGE IS LOOSE starred George C. Scott and his real-life younger wife, Trish Van Devere along with John David Carson, an acted handed many chances and yet who never quite caught on. Directed by Scott who was still on a career high after PATTON, the plot dealt with a family shipwrecked on an island and the sexual tensions fostered as the young son grows up. It was generally NOT well-received.

Monday, November 25th, 1974

I awoke looking forward to a great day and I got it. I got up very early and it felt great!

GREAT EXPECTATIONS was on TV last Friday but we watched it at school today.

I saw the very first BEVERLY HILLBILLIES episode and STAR TREK's "City on the Edge of Forever" by Harlan Ellison. My favorite episode! Magnificent!

Later I saw Rod Serling, Big Foot, The Abominable Snowman and the Loch Ness Monster in a  special while I worked some more on my Geometry notebook.

Dad's home all week this week.

It snowed a little and turned very, very cold.

NOTES: The version of GREAT EXPECTATIONS here was a greatly truncated TV movie version with a fine cast of British stalwarts including Michael York, Sarah Miles, James Mason, Robert Morley, Margaret Leighton and Anthony Quayle. I remember greatly enjoying it.

In the years prior to his death, Rod Serling, one of the greatest writers of his generation, settled into an easier and more profitable career narrating speculative documentaries. While it was great to hear his wonderful voice so often, in retrospect it was sad that he no longer shared his true genius with us.

I think "City On the Edge of Forever" became my favorite episode of STAR TREK from the very first time I saw it. At once one of that classic series most memorable and yet most atypical episodes, it also introduced me to Joan Collins.

Sunday, November 24th, 1974

In most ways a really good day for a chane. A real holiday feeling in the air!

I got three new movie ads.

Worked on my Geometry notebook for school.

We went up and got chicken. I stopped for an album on the way back but ended up not getting one.

I made a PEANUTS 1973 folder.

Saw Bill Cosby, Helen Reddy and Johnny Ray on FEELIN' GOOD. It was fun! I also took time out to watch THE SAINT and wash my hair.

When we took out the garbage tonight, it was rainy and cold. It's supposed to get colder.

In this morning's paper, I found out opening dates for a lot of the new flicks I want to see.

Saw a good episode of McCLOUD and a great magic act on MERV. Plus Paul Williams on BOBBY GOLDSBORO's show.

NOTES: Yes, I still have that PEANUTS folder although I'm thinking of putting it up for sale.

Bobby Goldsboro was a pleasant enough performer--a John Denver type--who had achieved great success with uber-schmaltzy story songs like HONEY and WATCHING SCOTTY GROW. His career suffered greatly when his wife and oldest daughter leveled unsubstantiated molestation claims at him during a messy divorce.

According to IMDB. FEELIN' GOOD, a show I don't remember at all, starred Dick Cavett and featured, of all people, Ethel Shutta--Jack Benny's partner in early radio--and actor Joe Morton, most recently on EUREKA! IMDB describes it thusly---A lunchonette called Mac's Place. Through the health problems and behavior of its residents, and through songs, sketches and animation, and documentary segments, tips on staying healthy are presented.

Saturday, November 23rd, 1974

A good day, basically. Dad took me to King Kwik this morning and I paid $3.75 for 5 new PEANUTS books! I gave all my change to a Covington Lion.

It turned out I already had one of the books so I took it, along with quite a few other things, with me this afternoon out to Comic Corner. Got fifteen bucks for all of them. Terry's mother drove us so there was no way I could stop to see Debbie. While we were out there, I bought an almost complete FOOM kit! We talked to Steve about the convention coming in January and he said he's sponsoring a smaller one in March, himself, at a Holiday Inn. He also had two pix of Leonard Nimoy on the wall out there. Actual photos! Real Polaroid type pix of him at a con somewhere with sunglasses and curly hair. Definitely no Spock there! I think seeing them was the highlight of my day!

Later over the river, I passed up APES trading cards and an Eastwood bio in favor of ARGOSY with lots of good stuff!

I found out that the corner grocery sells TV GUIDE now.

I got a card from SIXTEEN saying they'll look into my missing order. About time!

NOTES: FOOM stood for Friends Of Ol' Marvel, Marvel Comics' latest attempt at a fan club, this one with the major participation of Jim Steranko. I had never actually joined but the fan club kit came with all the membership cards, magazines, posters, etc, as if I had. 

Friday, November 22nd, 1974

I had a lot of luck today--most of it bad. Our school pictures were out today but I didn't get mine. If you had no English class, you were supposed to go to 101 Science. My teacher was absent. After school, Doug helped me find 101 Science but by then no one was there. Monday, I guess. We had lab in Spanish again and the school paper came out. Doug and I and Jay worked on a map of the school grounds. It's pretty good but we're still working on it.

I had to catch the Eastern bus back.

IT. What'd you expect on a bad luck day?

Couldn't get up the nerve to try calling Debbie again even though the very feeling in the air earlier reminded me of her. Maybe I should find her house and stop out there tomorrow if I take the bus out to Comic Corner.

I finally heard the name of Linda's new TV movie. It's SARAH T, PORTRAIT OF A TEENAGE ALCOHOLIC.

I watched SHE, the first Hammer flick I've seen since I got the book about them.

NOTES: I cringe every time I see me trying to drag this thing with Debbie out! I'm convinced now that if she remembered me at all it was as that guy who needed a restraining order against him! Ugh! Sorry, Debbie, wherever you are!

A lot of film fans love SHE. I was not a big fan of SHE, then or now. Great cast, though. Great poster, also.

Thursday, November 21st, 1974

I had forgotten that I had to stay with Mom after work tonight but I managed to convince her to let me come home early. First thing I did was call Debbie again. THE LINE WAS BUSY! I'm beginning to think destiny doesn't want us to get together again. Couldn't try anymore tonight because Mom came back.

Watched A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING.

At school we heard the 3rd and last part of DEATH OF A SALESMAN.

We played basketball in Gym again and went to Lab in Spanish.

I got a 96 on the Spanish test we had yesterday.

I found a strange counting device and sunglasses at work.

After I'd been home for a while I went over the river. It was very cold and the feeling of Christmas permeated the air! I got a DC Christmas special book, TV GUIDE, APES and the new 16 with part two of Linda's life story. Saw a poster at Kidd's for the Comic Con. It says it will cost $1.25 to get in. I also saw the poster for MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN at the Times.

NOTES: Not much to say on this except that I have no idea what that strange counting device was.

Wednesday, November 20th, 1974

1974's been really something so far but 1975 may even top it. As of today I'm fairly certain that there WILL be a Comicon at the Netherland Hilton in January in Cincinnati. It's been planned for years but never came about. Now this is it! THE big deal of comics in my life!My biggest association with them. When I get older, I hope to go to several conventions a year but I've yet to go to even one. But my chance is coming...and I'll GRAB it! Wow!

We saw a really neat play at school this morning.

Tonight I finally got up enough nerve for the first time in over a year to call Debbie. I was really nervous but I dialed the number in the phone book labelled "children's residence." But I got a recording. I didn't know what to say to a recording. It would have been bad enough if she had actually answered! So I hung up and called Terry instead. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.

No movies I want to see this weekend.

Saw the Osmonds TV special with Marie only she wasn't on it much. Hard to believe but Rod Hull was listed as Creative Consultant.

NOTES: This seems to be the most excited I've been all year. Yes, the convention happened. I was so nervous and shy, though, that I wandered around for about half an hour, spent the $75.00 I'd saved up for it and then scurried home. I did get a free copy of the poster for the show while I was there and earlier this year, 2012, I sold it to the man who runs the current Cincinnati Comic Expo, the single best convention we've had in this area in the nearly 4 decades since!

Rod Hull was a comedian who didn't do much other than carry around an emu puppet. The emu puppet, on the other hand, did lots! Google Rod for some odd entertainment.