Thursday, October 3rd, 1974

I got through Gym again. Not very easily, though.

A pretty good day otherwise. Doug and I and Jim Fawcett are doing a science project that's not so hot...yet.

I was supposed to go with Terry to Cincy but didn't.

I'm mad at everyone because no one ever sits next to me on the bus. People would rather stand than sit next to me. Boy! Well, I wouldn't sit next to them either!

NOTES: Jim Fawcett went on to do well, first working as a newspaper reporter and then eventually running a whole darn city! Literally! Saw a photo of him at last week's 35th Reunion (which I didn't go to) and he looks great!

The album charts this week were tied three ways with Rod Stewart's SMILER, The Bay City Rollers' ROLLIN' and John Lennon's WALLS & BRIDGES. Lennon's album has sounded better and better over the years  but I've never cared for Rod Stewart as a singer. The Bay City Rollers is the one of this trio that was uniquely seventies. They were an early Scottish boy band with some semblance of real talent which was largely sublimated by their success when the powers that be tried to cram them into standardized little flavor of the month boxes. 

Wednesday, October 2nd, 1974

Just when I thought my love for Linda might be dwindling, I had a dream last night of finally meeting her when I snuck into a private sneak preview of AIRPORT 1975. I saw George Kennedy and other stars I knew so I was certain she'd be there. I started looking around and there she was! I told her nervously about what I'd written her. She didn't remember but she did go with me on a date! Well, sort of. And it was all so real! Her voice, her mannerisms, her words! It had to be really her! I know it wasn't me thinking those things. I think it was her mind telling me about her. I love you so much, Linda Blair! AIRPORT '75 starts in two weeks!

Although I saw METROPOLIS with Terry (he didn't have to work) the highlight of the day was the dream. METROPOLIS is good if this were 1926 but the film did lose some stuff over the years. I think I would have enjoyed it much better if it had had SOME sound. Not even any organ music or anything. We didn't stay for the Felix the Cat cartoon.

I subscribed the the school yearbook today.

The temps were very cold but my ears were better.

The Beatles MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR is at the Penthouse. The only film of the Fab Four that I haven't seen and that's only because it was never released in this country.

Oh, Linda, may I dream another sweet dream of you. Oh, Linda!

NOTES: Oh, Linda...oh, please. I was such a lovesick geek.

Tuesday, October 1st, 1974

I had some ear trouble today. My cold was still here.

Finally picked up my Geometry book (YAY!) but it made me late for class.

We played basketball in Gym. Yuck!

I caught the early bus.

Terry says he may have to work tomorrow.

The Reds are out of it.

Saw a great movie written by Richard Matheson called THE STRANGER WITHIN with Barbara Eden. Eerie! Saw part of HOUSE OF WAX again, too.

A 50-50 day. Oh, well.

NOTES: No, I didn't know how to play basketball, either. All I knew was that at some point, someone was supposed to throw that ball through that basket. That's about all I know, now, too.  Baseball was my game of choice during the brief period I was into sports. Thus my bothering to note that the Reds were out of the running for the series.

Richard Matheson, who had written the TALES OF TERROR I saw just the day before, had become one of my favorite writers as I discovered more and more movies and TV shows--lots of TWILIGHT ZONE for instance--that he had written. 

Monday, September 30th, 1974

If today was too long, today more than made up for that by being very, very short.

Mr. Hubble was out today. Geometry books are finally in. I'll get mine tomorrow.

Coming home on the bus today, I got to sit next to Sarah Munday. Oh, she is SO attractive! But she hates me. And if she doesn't, she would if she knew me.They all do. I would have loved to have just leaned over on her shoulder like Ron and Kate were doing a couple of seats behind us.

Doug says Josette's pregnant! A likely story but I suppose it IS possible!

I saw TALES OF TERROR again with Price, Poe and Rathbone.

My cold was much better today but still evident. I developed an earache, too.

At work, I got two more folder, at least 20 more perfectly good pens and pencils, three more Donna Fargo albums and a wall map of Louisville. All thrown out by them!

So what can be expected for the last day of September, huh?

NOTES: Donna Fargo used to host a 5 minute daily radio show sponsored by Social Security in the seventies. Basically she would introduce a classic country song and talk very briefly about the performer before and, if time, after. Then there would be a plug for Social Security. I don't even think it aired in the Cincinnati market but since I was working as a janitor at the Social Security office at the time, they would get in box sets of albums monthly that featured all of the episodes and were supposed to be given to the radio stations. They threw them out, still sealed. Needless to say, I took them home and had a big set of them for years. Wasn't much call for rare Donna Fargo 
though, but I did sell them eventually.

As 2102 imitates 1974 yet again, the above paragraph was written by me yesterday in a comment on FB to artist Carol Tyler after she had posted a clip of Donna Fargo, a singer I hadn't heard mentioned in years.

Josette was a girl Doug had gone out with a few times. I don't think there was any fear that he was the father if she was, in fact, pregnant. 

Sarah was someone I had secretly crushed on since kindergarten...literally. Ron and Kate married out of high school but have long since divorced. 

TALES OF TERROR was Roger Corman and Richard Matheson's multi-story Edgar Allen Poe adaptation from about a decade earlier which also starred, along with Vincent Price and Basil Rathbone, the great Peter Lorre. 

Sunday, September 29th, 1974

My sore throat is now a rotten cold! I didn't sleep well at all. Felt terrible. I started taking some prescription medicine i had left over from the last time I felt like this.

I spent several hours this morning returning to the "good old days" by playing my Beatles singles and reading books.

Man, it was a really long day.

Mom and Dad went to see the Reds. I stayed home and watched a Martin & Lewis flick on TV. Later tonight, Joey Heatherton was on with Sonny Bono and I watched Bronson in THE VALACHI PAPERS. It was really good!

NOTES: THE VALACHI PAPERS was based on the true story of the testimony of gangster Joe Valachi. It was one of the last really good roles Bronson had before becoming labeled as an "action star" and then later an exploitation star. What a terrible poster, though!

Saturday, September 28th, 1974

IT. It'll probably happen again, I guess, but not as often I bet.

We had lots of car troubles. Might get it back from the garage by Monday.

I got two more PEANUTS books.

Saw several folks I know from school on TV's IT'S ACADEMIC as my beloved school barely blew it.

I saw THEATRE OF BLOOD again.

Terry said they called to tell him the STAR TREK thing was postponed for another couple of weeks.

Tomorrow, I hope to catch up on a lot of work.

Was up early this morning with a sore throat so bad I couldn't get back to sleep. It didn't get much better the rest of the day.

NOTES: For the umpteenth time, the past imitates the present or the other way around, I suppose.  IT'S ACADEMIC was a long-running TV game show featuring regional series with teams made up of students from local high schools. I had wanted to be on our school's team. That was the one thing I really wanted that year but for reasons lost to time I was passed over. Can't recall who was on it at this point. Now, in 2012, there's no longer a TV show but the competition still exists and my son is, according to the team sponsor who we met this evening at the parent/teacher conferences, one of its shining stars! After NO wins last year, they are two for two so far this year. 

Actually, IT'S ACADEMIC has a more interesting history than I thought. See here: http://www.itsacademicquizshow.com/history/

Friday, September 27th, 1974

I got my first copy of THE HOLMESPUN. It had some rotten things in it but i suppose it better than the stuff in that "underground" paper. The great thing was about free films at the Public Library. I've never been in there before but I can't wait to go, now. 1914 METROPOLIS and the Chaney PHANTOM OF THE OPERA! The first is next week! Told Terry and he said he may come.

I went to Doug's after school and then with him to where he works where I caught an Eastern bus home. Had the same driver of the morning Rosedale I catch. Ha! Thought I would get off a little closer but I didn't. The bus doesn't stop at the closest corner. Every other corner mind you but not mine. That's dumb.

NOTES: Hard to believe I had never been to the Public Library at this point but I had not. To be fair, I had, in fact, been to the Public Library, just not since it had opened its new--oddly much more convenient to me--location about three years earlier. Just never had a reason to go. I bought the books I wanted. In later years, I would spend quite a bit of time at that location when son David was little. Beyond that, when I briefly worked for a different branch of the Public Library, I actually spent one day working at that original location. 

METROPOLIS, of course, was the classic 1927 movie. Don't know if it was my mistake to say 1914 or if that's the way they had it in THE HOLMESPUN.

THE HOLMESPUN was the school's official "newspaper." Near the end of the previous year, I had been contacted by someone about becoming the anonymous editor of an unofficial, underground paper at the school. Sounded risky to me and I turned it down. Not sure I ever actually sa w acopy while I was attending. Maybe they couldn't find anyone to take it over and it folded?

Thursday, September 26th, 1974

I made it through Gym Day I suppose but I do NOT want to talk about it!

We didn't get to work 'til late tonight again. It was only me and Mom. Dad went to pitch horseshoes.

I heard "Paper Moon" on the radio at work.

Saw a great episode of STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO with Bill Bixby but we're already having TV problems again. Oh, well. Tomorrow's the end of another week.

NOTES: The late Bill Bixby was one of those few who could be termed a true television superstar. These folks couldn't get arrested on the big screen but rarely failed to please on the small. This rarified number includes folks such as Michael Landon, David Janssen, David McCallum and Gene Barry. Someday I should write an article about them.

Wednesday, September 25th, 1974

Basically good today. I had some homework problems at school and I missed the first bus but otherwise okay.

Doug told me that blankety blank Coach wants students to really PLAY football and not just walk around like they don't know how to play the game...even if they don't,  like me! If I can just get through and pass this year I won't have to take Gym anymore. Damn fool thinks he's in the Army!

Terry dropped by later and we went over the river. Good thing, too, because I picked up a new Bruce Lee book, FM, etc. I passed up CFR.

NOTES: Again, looking back I seemed in the minority in my dislike of the Coach but I just couldn't figure why or how he expected me to play football when I hadn't the slightest bit of instruction as to how the game was played. It was, to me, discriminatory for him to presume that, as a teenage male, I had any knowledge of the game. The fact that he genuinely seemed to me to be making fun of myself and the few others who weren't athletic, as well as de facto encouraging (by not stopping them) the macho jocks from attacking us in class, made me hate the class all the more. 

CFR was CONTINENTAL FILM REVIEW, a long-running magazine exploring European movies. Since many European films in the seventies had nude scenes, much of the magazine in this period did also. Thus it was one of my favorite magazines. 

Tuesday, September 24th, 1974

Basically a good day but some things were rotten. Like getting plastered with a football in only my second game ever and then waiting to go to work even though nobody worked late. A quick day though and I'm glad of that.

Casey Piotrowski told a Linda Blair joke on the air while I was at work. Because of the broomstick scene in BORN INNOCENT, he says he finally believes the tales of THE EXORCIST affecting her mind and says she's now engaged to an O-Cedar broom. Haw. Haw. NOT funny.

NOTES: Casey was a local DJ known for his edgy sense of humor. He went on to write an episode of WKRP IN CINCINNATI and, according to IMDB, appeared in an episode of FIREFLY!

Monday, September 23rd, 1974

Last night I wished for a good day today. And wishes DO come true. I breezed through the school day with hardly an incident. I caught the early bus home. My locker stuck again but I fixed it in a second. Almost everything that could go right did.

At home, I played Marie's new albums a lot and saw another anti-Linda letter in the paper. Controversy! Hah!

NOTES: Checking in on the pop charts, this week the # 1 record was "Cant' Get Enough of Your Love" by Barry White, arguably the man with the sexiest male singing voice of them all.

Sunday, September 22nd, 1974

A bad day. I paid terry 8 bucks for his two Marie Osmond albums and I didn't like them as much as I expected to.

Then we went out to Ludlow to see ONE MILLION YEARS BC. It was on with the Sinbad flick. I stayed to see some of it but not much. Having already seen it, I left, leaving Terry to catch the bus. I walked all the way home. I had two Cokes before I left and my stomach was hurting terribly. I'm never gonna do THAT again!

Back home tonight, 007 was on with THUNDERBALL as was Sonny (sans Cher). I saw THE MALTESE FALCON, also. It was really good!

DEATH WISH is coming to the Ludlow.

Two more celebrities died--Walter Brennan and Jacqueline Susann.

NOTES: Another memory lapse on my part. Looks like we DID go to see Raquel but I didn't stay. Sounds more like my chronic gastrointestinal issues more than any particular desire to NOT see the film(s) again. 

The Marie Osmond albums in question were her first two. They were more than "a little bit" country. They were SO country that I didn't really care for them.

When Sonny and Cher divorced, their hit TV series disappeared immediately. Sonny was given a one-hour variety show with emphasis on comedy. Cher would later debut her high-profile version with emphasis on music. Ultimately, both would disappoint and the two would eventually reunite creatively and revive their joint show. America wasn't buying it, though.

And yes, I believe this was my very first time seeing THE MALTESE FALCON, one of my all-time favorite films.

Saturday, September 21st, 1974

Terry came over late to go over to OBS with me. They had new Golden Age stuff. I got two cheapies and a PEANUTS paperback with the "Thompson" series. Wow! I couldn't resist.

We may go see ONE MILLION YEARS BC tomorrow at the Penthouse.

The TV man came this morning and fixed it, hopefully once and for all.

IT again...finally. Guess I knew it would happen one more time and I'm glad it did. Now I know it will never happen again! I'm free!

NOTES: We didn't make ONE MILLION YEARS BC, a revival of the 1966 Raquel Welch film that  we'd both already seen on television.

The PEANUTS book is THOMPSON IS IN TROUBLE, CHARLIE BROWN, named after a brief surreal seventies sequence in which Snoopy is called on to help fellow dog...what? Agent? Spy?...Thompson. It is, as far as I know, the only instance where a PEANUTS book had a  name like that in its title...and it was MY name! Cool! And yes, I still have it. 

IT. Last time. Again. Uh-huh. Free. Right. 

Friday, September 20th, 1974

I saw Cindy again. Holding hands with a boy. My little Cottontop has grown up.

I watched the second episode of PLANET OF THE APES and my first NIGHT STALKER episode.

I've started seeing more stuff about BORN INNOCENT, particularly the shower "rape" scene. Very controversial!

NOTES: I had mentioned a while back my neighborhood friend Cindy. It was an odd friendship as we rarely saw each other but when we did it was like we were old friends. We'd walk along and talk. She always seemed calm and friendly with a ready smile, much older than her actual years but she was really about a year or two younger than me. I called her Cottontop because, in the winter, she always wore a red coat with a white knit cap with what looked like a fluffy bunny tail on top. Guess I could have called her Bunnybutthead or some such but no, Cottontop she was. 

Once again from the department of "the more things change," just this week in 2012 I watched a NIGHT STALKER episode online!

Thursday, September 19th, 1974

A bad day. Most Thursdays are now. I got my locker stuck again. I had to take that GATB test which about made me sick just by the ridiculousness of it. In Gym, we played touch football on the practice field. Having never played the game before, I didn't know how to play and had no idea what I was doing. I still don't. As a matter of fact, I probably know even less now.

We got out early which should have been great but wasn't. I ended up walking home because of the long wait for the bus. My back was hurting terrible. I don't know why.

At Woolworth's, I got another mag with more on Linda and Marie. Mom brought me home an article about Roddy from a mag at her work. I may send Marie a birthday card. Her birthday's soon.

Dad went to pitch horseshoes so it was just Mom and I tonight at work. We split up his parts. Somebody over there had a catalog of dirty jokes, novelties, tricks, etc. Was interesting but dumb.

Talked to Doug. Yesterday at the golf thing, he met Jim Scott and Jack Nicklaus. No autographs, though.

NOTES: GATB is "General Aptitude Test Battery." Normally I liked standardized tests and breezed through them. No idea why this was apparently different. 

As previously stated, the Gym teacher, from what I understand a very popular man with everyone except me, seemed to treat every "class" like practice for the guys on his teams. The rest of us were treated like cannon fodder when not being ridiculed or ignored completely. No offense to my ex-classmates but I was there and this was the way I felt then and the way I still remember him.

Golf thing? No clue. This may have been the brief period I was mildly infatuated with Saturday afternoon Golf programs on TV. Never played real golf and was never good at miniature golf. 

Wednesday, September 18th, 1974

A fair schoolday. My back's been hurting a lot lately. I caught the early bus home.

I may go to the Princeton this weekend to see LIVE AND LET DIE  and WESTWORLD again.

IT almost happened. Even if IT does happen a time or two more I'm convinced I've got it under control finally.

I got TBG and found out that Ron Ely has quit Doc Savage films and Roy Thomas has quit Marvel!

I saw THE DAY THE EARTH MOVED with Cleavon Little, directed by Bobby Sherman.

NOTES: Had forgotten that my back problems had started so early. Poor me. Bad posture early in life is how one doctor described it.  

IT is under control. Finally. Seriously. Stop laughing.

Roy Thomas was arguably my favorite overall comics writer of the seventies and certainly one of my favorite comics writers of all time. In 2012, I have a bit of an email relationship with him and have contributed to his ALTER EGO magazine. Since there WERE no more Doc Savage movies, Ely's leaving them turned out to be moot.

The TV movie was a last ditch effort by 1970's flavor of the month, Bobby Sherman, to remain relevant by becoming a director. It didn't work and he soon became an EMT and later a police officer before finally coming back as an oldies act. 

Tuesday, September 17th, 1974

We did Kickball in Gym again.

I got all the books Terry said were out but three or four. I also got SPORTS ILLUSTRATED covering Evel's jump and a film mag with a Spidey cover.

Came home to fid my Hammer book had finally arrived! About time! Almost six months! It's got a lot of nude pictures in it.

NOTES: The Hammer book was the one seen here, mostly a picture history with, as I noted, more than a few nude shots! As with many books from this period, I still have it. The Bounty Books film book series that followed were done in almost exactly the same format dealing with vampire films, censorship in films, violence in films, disaster movies, mysteries, etc. They also featured a few nude shots in nearly every volume!

Monday, September 16th, 1974

A general day at school. Some good and some bad. I stopped downtown with Doug and ended up getting some coneys for me and chili for Dad. It was raining. Also got the STAR TREK adaptations # 10.

Was going to stop at the doctor's for my eye test but was running very late since I had stopped at Doug's.

Terry says all the new books are out. I'll get them after school tomorrow.

Doug telles me that Tony Marino is dead. One of my favorite wrestlers, killed in a car accident.

There's a Klingon model in Science class at school!

All day long I've been daydreaming about what it would be like married to Marie Osmond. I can just imagine the wedding. Of course, I'd have to become a Mormon. It's possible. I haven't broken any moral codes. I can imagine our honeymoon with both of us natural virgins.  And babies! there would have to be lots of babies. Mormons love babies! A large house in a beautiful, quiet place in Utah. If only I could believe in the Mormon God. But no, I'm cursed to be a free spirit. But it's a nice dream, though. But I guess at the end of this year, I'll be a bit older, a bit wiser, but my quest for a normal life will still be nothing. Sigh...I guess I can live with that. I'll have to.

NOTES: I remember that Klingon ship model hanging from the ceiling in Science but I don't remember a wrestler named Tony Marino. I looked him up. Apparently he had a feud with my favorite that I DO remember, The Stomper. Marino later teamed with Bobo Brazil as a tag team. These were the guys who were at the top of the game during my seventies wrestling infatuation but I'm blanking on Marino. I guess I could ask him for more details, tough, because apparently Doug was full of it. Looks like Marino is still alive even today!  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Marino

Yeah, Marie briefly challenged my Linda Blair obsession. Couldn't have become a Mormon, though. A free spirit. Yup. That's me. I gotta blow with the wind, baby. 

Sunday, September 15th, 1974

Instead of going to the movie BANK SHOT (no one would go with me) I went to Twin Fair where I got "White Rabbit" and the Donny and Marie Osmond album. Wow. IT brought back the good old days of Bobby Sherman and partridge family albums.

Almost did IT but I managed to avoid it. It's gone for good, remember?

I saw an exceptionally good episode of APPLE'S WAY.

I've got big plans for STAR TREK. More on that later.

NOTES: Not sure why I didn't see BANK SHOT alone. I actually saw the majority of the pictures that I saw by myself. Always preferred it that way as you didn't feel the need to keep another person or persons entertained.

The Donny and Marie albums really were good!

"An exceptionally good episode of APPLE'S WAY"--now there's an expression that's rarely been uttered. It wasn't bad, mind you, just unmemorable. APPLE'S WAY was an attempt at a modern day family drama with a WALTONS vibe. It starred Ronny Cox and Vince Van Patten. Starting as a mid-season replacement, it ran a season and a half. This night's episode was the first episode of the second  (and only full) season and was, according to the 'Net, entitled "Tornado."

Saturday, September 14th, 1974

A great day! I got a letter from Warren saying my book was finally mailed!

We got paid!

Mom and I bought Dad a slot machine for fifteen dollars. I bought CASTLE OF FRANKENSTEIN with a big thing on Roddy.

Later, Mom, Dad, Terry and I went to see BIG BAD MAMA. Mom didn't like it at all. Way too much sex! Didn't do a thing for me. I told you.

Terry and I went to the STAR TREK meeting, too! Much better than before.We got free stuff, they had  slideshow, set up another meeting and discussed plans for a fanzine and a group trip to the STAR TREK con in February! I hope more than almost anything we can go. That would be a highlight of my life! My first STAR TREK con! I'm gonna dig up my STAR TREK story I started and finish it to take to the next meeting! Man, this could be great! WOW!

NOTES: My dad had loved playing the slot machines around here before organized crime was cleared out around 1960. We bought him one of those tabletop fake slot machines that came with tokens. He loved it for ages.

I guess my parents were so willing to take me to see BIG BAD MAMA because it was made up of TV stars--Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, Tom Skerritt and even that cute little thing from OZZIE'S GIRLS (Susan Sennett, later married to Graham Nash). Must have been hard to wrap their head around the fact that they could all be rolling around naked in it. And who was I kidding here? Myself? My memory is that I thought the sex scenes were HAWT!

Speaking of memory, I have only the vaguest memories of this STAR TREK meeting that seemed to make such an impact. I don't even recall what the free stuff was. If there was ever a 'zine or a trip, I wasn't involved. Sigh. 

Friday, September 13th, 1974

Bad luck? No, they've always been good for me and this was no exception. It rained hard but nothing else.

I saw PLANET OF THE APES and it fit in with the movies better than I expected.

Got some more stuff from SS.

BIG BAD MAMA's at the Albee.

According to the paper, some parts of BORN INNOCENT were deemed to be obscene by some viewers. Oh, well.

NOTES: The PLANET OF THE APES TV series really is kind of hard to fit into the established timeline of the film series but it's not a bad show. Plotwise, it's the typical "man on the run" concept only with two men and a large, sentient chimp...on the run from gorillas. Roddy was great but his makeup had been streamlined so much as to now LOOK like makeup rather than a real face. Many of the gorillas were wearing obvious masks. The constraints of TV budgets. Ron Harper, previously the star of GARRISON'S GUERILLAS, was perversely cast as the human lead with future Broadway and TV commercial voiceover star James Naughton as his sidekick. A year or so later, I would see Naughton perform in a summer stock musical. 

Thursday, September 12th, 1974

The SS people worked late meaning I had to, also. And man, they made a mess tonight. I missed THE ODD COUPLE but I caught most of PAPER MOON.

I got a few new things in Cincinnati. Got a lot of pens and stuff the office threw out tonight.At ;least thirty!

School went a little better but for Gym and a few other things. I still have no Geometry book! I expect tomorrow to be better as it's Friday the 13th and that's always been lucky for me.

I've noticed my attitude about sex has changed recently. Even after those scenes with Kinda the other night, I just didn't care. I think I've beaten it to the point where I care nit at all about sex! My tendency toward physical attraction is increased, though. I guess most of that is due to the girls at school even though they all hate me.

NOTES: PAPER MOON had been the movie for which Tatum O'Neal won the Oscar, beating out Linda Blair. In retrospect, Tatum was brilliant while Linda was just very good but at the time I was less than thrilled. What I was talking about here, though, was the TV version of PAPER MOON, a short-lived sitcom in which actor Chris Connelly replaced his former PEYTON PLACE brother Ryan O'Neal and future superstar Jodie Foster replaced his daughter, Tatum.

Wednesday, September 11th, 1974

The TV got worse. Had to take mine in to watch. I saw FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON for like the fifth time. Saw part of CANNON with Steffie but a bad storm hit and I had to turn it off. MARLOWE was on late tonight with Bruce Lee.

I hurt my toe bad last night and although it got some better today, I hit it again.

I got a neat new hole puncher that the SS threw out.

May go see two movies this weekend. At least one.

I was really moved by Linda's performance last night but heard no mention of it all day at school. I couldn't stop thinking about her, though.

The hot water in the kitchen has been getting bad again so we cut it off tonight so we can get somebody to fix it tomorrow.

NOTES: FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON is a fun early sixties family adventure based on Jules Verne. Wouldn't mind seeing it again now. MARLOWE was James Garner's 1969 modernized take on Raymond Chandler's character, best remembered today for a couple of brief but energized scenes with Bruce Lee.

Cannon was, in the seventies--if you're still keeping track--the FAT detective. 

Tuesday, September 10th, 1974

Bad school day all around. Especially Gym. That stupid teacher thinks he's an Army Sergeant!! "Attention! Count Off! About Face! At Ease," etc...Boy!

Missed the early bus but still made it home by 4.

May go back to Newport this weekend to see BANK SHOT if it doesn't open closer.

I saw BORN INNOCENT!! And it was SOME movie! It came complete with a warning that young people shouldn't see it and yet more than two-thirds of its cast was under 18! If it had been a theatrical release submitted to the MPAA, it would at least have been a PG. maybe an R. There was one creepy scene where Linda was completely nude and assaulted by the other girls. Only her arms protected them from the censor! The language contained a few things never heard on TV and the implications were as graphic as a real picture! It was powerful, all right. It made me furious to again see the terrible things done to people when supposedly someone is trying to HELP them. I mean, in the end, instead of getting better, she ended up as bad as the rest. Even smoking! Maybe she doesn't smoke much. They only showed her for a minute. I sure ope she's not a smoker. The TV messed up about halfway through but I was quick to get to mine. Black and white was better than nothing. If BORN INNOCENT doesn't garner at least one Emmy Award for Linda, I'll know something's crooked!  Wow. What an evening!

Oh, and I also watched BARNABY JONES.

NOTES: Never did catch George C. Scott's BANK SHOT.

This was the first episode of BARNABY JONES' 3rd season. Jones was the "elderly" detective during the period when every detective show had to have some way to pigeonhole it.  Buddy Ebsen played the role. 

Don't get me started on that Gym teacher. Things got worse before they...come to think of it, they never got better until I didn't have to deal with him anymore and I had him for two years!!

BORN INNOCENT. It really was a good movie but it was relentlessly dark and its controversy over the plunger rape scene overshadowed it. As I understand it, the only network rerun, which aired only out of prime time, was edited. Never saw it and haven't seen the film since.


She would be better served by her next TV movie, SARAH T, PORTRAIT OF A TEENAGE ALCOHOLIC.

Turned out Linda really did smoke and the fan mags started running oics of her with cigarettes soon afterwards. 

Monday, September 9th, 1974

I still haven't gotten a Geometry book. Doug thinks his sister might have one.

There's a girl in my Spanish class that resembles a young Lynn Redgrave.

I caught the very early (3:29) bus home. Almost beat Dad home.

Tonight's the start of the new TV season. Our TV's been acting up again, though. I sure hope it's better tomorrow to see Linda! I saw Linda's commercial four times this evening and I loved every one.

I caught a NANNY & THE PROFESSOR rerun and Clint in JOE KIDD.

I got several things about Evel's jump.

NOTES: Lynn Redgrave, for those who don't recall, was a lovely and popular English actress first noticed in GEORGY GIRL in 1966.

What does it say when I'm all excited about the new TV season and then all I end up watching on Day one is a rerun and an old movie? And I didn't even like the movie! JOE KIDD is my least favorite Eastwood western. Oddly, it's also his most traditional. 

Sunday, September 8th, 1974

I went to Terry's house where we played Monopoly and then TRIED to play Poker with the Monopoly money. I won. I took Terry some old notebooks for which he gave me the felt cat poster. (It looks terrific on my wall!)

While I was there, he got a phone call from that woman who was supposed to be at the STAR TREK thing a month or so back. Seems there's gonna be another one--well, the first actually--at that Library next Saturday. I hope it's great. It will be nice to see some of those people again! They were my kind of people.

On the way home, I stopped at Rink's and got two STAR TREK Viewmaster packs. Also picked up a Louisville paper.

Tonight I watched a Sonny & Cher movie directed by Billy Friedkin and also saw Linda's favorite film, NATIONAL VELVET. Haven't seen it in years. Heard Linda talking on a BORN INNOCENT commercial. She even said her own name. First time I've heard that. Wow!

I was sorry to hear Evel didn't succeed with the big jump! He's okay though but all my scrapbook stuff seems meaningless now.

Ford pardoned Nixon.

Notes: You can tell where my priorities were. The biggest and most controversial story of the day and it's an afterthought above. Ford pardoned Nixon.

I didn't know it then but apparently this was the anniversary of the premiere of STAR TREK 8 years earlier. 46 years earlier than today in 2012. Hopefully I'll get a chance to write about it later today on my other blog. 

The Sonny & Cher movie is a bizarre but pointed sixties comedy that parodied exactly the kind of success the duo eventually found in TV. 

Sigh...I swooned to hear Linda say her own name. I WAS FIFTEEN!! GIMME A FREAKIN' BREAK, 'K? ;)

Saturday, September 7th, 1974

This  morning I got up early to catch the new cartoon shows. I thought HONG KONG PHOOEY was silly. The acting was good but the special effects on LAND OF THE LOST could have been a lot better. THE GLOBETROTTERS show had its moments but as a whole I thought it was boring. I was crazy about SHAZAM! The acting, effects and even story was terrific, exciting and even educational. The emphasis could have been better on the original Shazam legend. I mean, they left out the old Wizard completely! I wish I could have seen the Hudson Brothers show but it was up against the morning's best show, the returning animated STAR TREK. Words do not do this great show justice. (Sound just like a trekkie, don't I?)

Cincy had nothing again. I got another pic of Linda from TV TIME and later at the Song Shop picked up 2 Seals and Crofts doubles for only $1.87.

Tonight I saw part of the EVEL KNIEVEL movie for about the fifth time and then Evel himself on THE ANDY WILLIAMS SPECIAL. Also Donny and Marie among others. Tonight I also saw the BORN INNOCENT commercial again. I wish I could count it on my Top Ten list. Maybe I can. Can I? Maybe...we'll see.

NOTES: Yeesh! I hadn't even seen the Linda Blair TV movie yet and was ready to post it on my Top Ten for the year even though I didn't count TV movies! I had it bad.

Speaking of Linda, TV TIME was the name of the CINCINNATI POST Saturday TV mag.

I was 15 years old but never too old for good Saturday morning fare. Unfortunately, by this point in the seventies, what passed for good wasn't much. Looking at it from today's standpoint, I feel pretty much the same about HONG KONG PHOOEY although I love Scatman Crothers. LAND OF THE LOST was well-written low-rent fun with some good actors overplaying and no money for real spfx. A great opening sequence and theme song. Loved the Hudson Brothers in anything. The STAR TREK animated series was soon to be taken off locally and to this day i've never seen some of the new episodes of that second season (which was mostly reruns as it would turn out).

And apparently my opinion of SHAZAM has changed as I was just recently discussing how bad it was with a friend. The leads couldn't act, the scripts were preachy and duller than dirt, the backstory was left out and Captain Marvel was never used enough! At least the first Captain Marvel actor who debuted on this date LOOKED the role. But he was replaced in Season Two. 

Friday, September 6th, 1974

I must've fixed my locker yesterday. It worked fine today.

I read part of THE CRUCIBLE in my literature book. A great play about the Salem Witch Trials.

Caught the bus back quick and os beat Dad home for once.

There was a great local article and a pic of Linda in Mary Wood's column, today. I've met Mary a number of times and she's met Linda...or at least talked to her...Hmmm...I doubt I'd ever be bold enough to ask for an introduction but maybe.

Watched new TV previews tonight.

NOTES: Arthur Miller's play THE CRUCIBLE is as much about its own times and the witch hunts therein as it is about the historical Salem trials. Once I realized that I enjoyed it even more and it remains a favorite play of mine. 

Mary Wood was the legendary, beloved and eccentric TV columnist for THE CINCINNATI POST for ages . She lived just a block down from us so I would see her walking around the neighborhood down by the river and, in fact, trick-or-treated at her house as a kid. Not like I actually KNEW her but we would recognize each other on sight. I never did ask her about Linda. 

Thursday, September 5th, 1974

Basically a good day at school but my locker wouldn't close twice so I was late for Science. I hope I fixed it.

Coming home, I went straight into Cincinnati. No new comics out but I did pick up a couple old issues I missed.

Watched EVEL KNIEVEL: ONE MAN, ONE CANYON.

I played Christmas records tonight to go with the cold weather and keep me in a good mood. Wow.

NOTES: My son's been having trouble with his locker in 2012. The parallels continue. 

Wednesday, September 4th, 1974

Things went breezy at schol. I now have got all my books except for Geometry which is sold out! Spanish wasn't that hard and I got out of English all together. I caught the earliest bus back and avoided the crowds. I got off at Woolworths and picked up the Fall Preview TV GUIDE as well as THE STAR for an Evel article (as well as a Bruce lee one!).

Trouble is we fixed my glasses so well last night that I forgot they were broken and so forgot to stop in town for my test!

Got all nostalgic again. Oh, how I wish the "good old days" were still here!

Watched the debut of THAT'S MY MAMA tonight. Pretty good.

NOTES: THAT'S MY MAMA was an African-American sitcom starring Clifton Davis and Theresa Merritt. I thought it was pretty funny, especially Teddy Wilson and a pre-LOVE BOAT Ted Lange in supporting roles. It lasted only 39 episodes over two seasons. Last year, I watched a marathon of them on TV and they held up better than other, more successful, "black" sitcoms of the day such as GOOD TIMES and SANFORD AND SON. 

Tuesday, September 3rd, 1974

I had a bad dream last night. Or at least it seemed bad at the time. Thinking about it now that I'm awake it just seems silly.

Spanish was better today. Gym wasn't TOO bad. I just missed getting my books! I was next in line when they closed! Tomorrow I'm going to be first in line! I managed to get through without them today. Had to wait a long tome on the bus home. The first one was so full it literally just passed me by!

Stopped at Woolworth's on the way home for a TV GUIDE but they weren't in yet. I did pick up a RONA with coverage of AIRPORT 1975 that had several black and white and color pix of Linda! Ought to be a great movie!

Walking home I found myself really missing all the old places and it hasn't even been that long. The temps were very cool today.

Watched FAMILY AFFAIR.

Work was so terrible tonight I'd rather not say anything other than that. I broke my glasses. Guess tomorrow I'll stop at Doctor Flaig's and have him do that new test. I should probably have him fix these up at least for a few days, too.

I watched Liz Montgomery on a BEWITCHED rerun and on MRS. SUNDANCE.

What a day--great and terrible.

NOTES: I didn't like my first eye doctor even though he was wildly famous in this area. Long dead in 2012, he still has buildings, roads and practices named after him! I didn't like him because I went for new glasses once and he told me I didn't need them. I told him I sure couldn't see anything without glasses! A friend from school recommended Dr. Flaig--also very well-known and long deceased. He has  a plaque still on a downtown building!

I was really setting myself up for disappointment with this AIRPORT movie. I had loved the spectacle of the first one in 1970 and this one had to be bigger and better since it had Linda! Little did I know.

MRS. SUNDANCE was, I believe, Liz's first post-BEWITCHED project in an effort to be taken seriously and break any possibilities of typecasting. Her co-star here was actor Robert Foxworth who became her real-life co-star until her untimely death, also.

Monday, September 2nd, 1974

Labor Day. I watched Jerry Lewis all day from about 7:30 AM. Last night and today, I finally got to see and hear Lena Zavaroni. Been hearing about her. Last night I didn't like her but now I've decided to get her album.

It rained all day again.

I'm very worried about tomorrow. My first Gym day, my last Spanish day and I still have to find the bookstore to get my books!

I see where Clint will be on TV next Monday night in JOE KIDD.

NOTES: Okay, I thought we mentioned having Gym class already. And what's this about my LAST Spanish class? I was THERE so if I'm this confused I can only imagine how YOU feel!

Raining all day here in 2012, also. 

Speaking of things never changing, here I was talking about Clint Eastwood on TV and guess what I've done--like much of America--for the past couple of days here in 2012?

It was, of course, the Jerry Lewis MD telethon I was watching. I saw firefighters out collecting for it today so I guess it will be on somewhere tomorrow, Jerry-less like last year and truncated down to just a few hours.

Lena Zavaroni was a guest that year, a precociously phenomenal 11 year old Scottish singer who had been getting quite a bit of press. She never really caught on in the uS but apparently did in the UK where she had hit records and eventually her own talk show. Sadly, she struggled with Anorexia  for most of her life and died at age 36. I never did end up getting her album.

Sunday, September 1st, 1974

We couldn't go to King's Island due to morning rains. This afternoon we went out to Joan's instead. Everyone was crazy about all my pictures.Wish I'd taken my camera. Rachel looked photogenic as always.

We stopped to shop on the way home and Mom bought me Joni's FREE MAN IN PARIS and PAUL BABY SINGS.

Doug came down this evening and brought his Evel posters and the record album. We played my own Evel record and I got that  Evel newspaper. A real Evel kind of day.

I stayed up a little late to watch some of the Labor Day telethon.

NOTES: See previous post for how my thoughts on Evel Knievel have changed since these hero worship days. It was all marketing but who knew that then?

Joan is my first cousin, Rachel's mother.

Joni was Joni Mitchell and this was the first of her records I ever got.


PAUL BABY SINGS was a regional novelty single that tied in with THE PAUL DIXON SHOW, the long-running talk/variety/comedy show in Cincinnati and the Mid-West that David Letterman has always credited as an influence. I still have it. In the hip parlance of the late sixties, the balding but be-wigged, middle-aged former newsman had become known as Paul Baby. His locally bestselling autobiography was called PAUL BABY, a follow-up book was called LETTERS TO PAUL BABY and thus this record, PAUL BABY SINGS. Side one was a serious version of a song he was known for on his show. (He wasn't a great singer but pretty good). The flip side was basically Paul and his two female sidekicks from his show just goofing around on a take with the machine still running. Much fun!

Saturday, August 31st, 1974

I got up to see nothing in particular but I watched the Red Baron cartoon.

This morning at King Kwik I got SPORTS ILLUSTRATED with a  beautiful Evel Knievel cover. On TV, I watched his last jump on videotape from two weeks ago. I hope he makes it. I'm certain that if anyone can, he will. Doug told me the other day there's an Evel Knievel newspaper out. Fifty cents.

I went over the river and got at Fountain all the new books and all the ones I missed last week except the Marvel Calendar. That girl was there all by herself. I had to pay her and I realized that she isn't really as attractive as I'd been thinking. And yet...after I left that feeling came back again.

Later this afternoon, I went with Terry to that store I found up at 20th. I got most of the books that I had picked out. They were right where I had left them Thursday.

Then we met Dad in Cincinnati and saw CALIFORNIA SPLIT. I was right. It was better than HOMEBODIES but they could've done more with the ending.

Some girl at the bus terminal eyed me as she walked past. Then she put her lips together all puckered like she was kissing. Wonder what that was all about. Weird.

I saw THE AVCO HOUR OF STARS but Phil Donahue wasn't in it. Oh, well. At leas, I saw the Fair again.

I'm praying that this school year will be different. Everything around me is different The setting, most of the people. The other day I saw a guy and a gal kissing in school! In the hall! And all the girls are so much prettier and grown up. Only the guys (most of them) remain slobs. But I'm passed by, of course. Perhaps I'm being spared for some greater purpose. I hope it can top what I'm missing now.

NOTES: Slowly I would come to the realization that it wasn't Evel himself I liked but George Hamilton's portrayal of him from the 1971 movie! Evel turned out to be not only a schmuck but possibly more than a little crazy...and not in a good way. 

Friday, August 30th, 1974

A pretty good day at school. Dennis wasn't mad. Both book deals fell through but I picked up another at the same price. Also got a five dollar science book. I only need a few more now but I have to find them by Monday!

Mr. Clay, my Spanish teacher, although obviously a great fella but he speaks Spanish at 360,000 words per minute! Oh, well. Maybe I can get used to it. I hope so. Couldn't understand a word he said!

Evel Knievel's famous quote was that his death would be glorious. I've got an idea on how to make mine so, too. It's too far-fetched to ever come true but if I could convince people to send me on a mission in space! I would head toward Mars but then keep on going, sending back pics and info up until my inevitable death. Impossible. But maybe I can at least write a story about it.

I saw BORN INNOCENT advertised! It'll be on NBC in two weeks. Starring Linda Blair! Oh, it should be marvelous!

NOTES: Don't think I ever did write that Mars story. Too bad. A rogue astronaut.

Mr. Clay really was (and is) a great guy. About ten years back I ran into him at the Supermarket and was shocked to see he looked just the same while I was now a middle-aged fat guy. I later saw him often as a patron when I worked at the Public Library and still later would see him from time to time shopping in local bookstores. Somewhere, a portrait of him is aging because the last time I saw him--maybe 4 years ago now, he was still not. 

Thursday, August 29th, 1974

School was terrific today except I've still got no books. I do have a deal to get a history book.

I did have a big fight with Dennis in gym. I accidentally tore his folder so he took my Spanish book and made me promise to give him 12 more folders if he gave it back. Of course I won't but I had to get the book. I had Spanish next period. Hope I can get around him tomorrow.

After school, I walked all the way home even though it was another rainy day so I could stop at that store with comics. I used my bus fare to buy a TV GUIDE there.

NOTES: Like I said yesterday, Dennis was a troublemaker. Not sure how he could ransom my Spanish book if, as I stated first, I had no books yet.

I can't for the life of me remember what that store was with comics along the way to school. That was the only thing that could have made me walk it, though. Readers of my earlier, later journal blog will recall that the school was approximately 25 blocks from my house. A looong walk. By contrast, we now live about ten minutes away and my son takes the bus daily both ways.

Wednesday, August 28th, 1974

School days are here again. I called Doug at 7 and told his Mom I'd meet him before 8:15. At 7:35, I left to catch the 7:45 bus. I met Dennis Pine at the bus stop. Uptown, Sherri and her sister Sharon got on. As we went along Madison, more and more people I knew boarded. We got off at 25th Street and Dennis walked with me back to 24th to find Doug's new house. It was raining a little. Doug's mother said he and his sister were already gone. Dennis and I walked up stairs to what my Mom says used to be called Holmesdale Court. We saw Alex Wallace and Dennis asked him about things. He pointed us to our rooms and even named my teacher. I saw Kenny and Roger. Once inside the Senor Building, I saw George. I remembered he was supposed to be in my home room so I followed him to it. In my opinion, it was a better room than most. They all seem to have good views. Kathy, Cindy and Caroline all spoke to me for the first time in months. I've got a lot of classes with no one I know in them. Finally saw Doug. He's in one of my classes. Everyone was pretty nice today. Hope it doesn't wear off. I have gym tomorrow and Tuesday. I got lost only once but for quite a long time! I'm also worried about my Spanish class. I haven't gotten my books yet. Coming home it was storming badly so I stayed a wile at Doug's. Then all four of us (Me, Doug, his Mom and his sister) came downtown. Already I'm nervous again about tomorrow.

After I got home, I read Batman comics all afternoon to the rhythm of the rain.

I now have 96 pics of Linda!

I may see PUFNSTUF at The Penthouse this weekend.

Terry failed last year! I didn't know that!

On the way home this afternoon, I think I saw a store that sold old comics. Hopefully I can check it out Saturday, too.

NOTES: I didn't catch PUFNSTUF until a later TV airing. 

Terry had moved to the next county so wasn't attending Holmes. Eventually, he dropped out but got his GED long before we got our diplomas.

None of those mentioned above--other than Doug--were particularly close friends. Not even sure who Cindy and Alex were. Dennis was a guy I'd come up through grade school with--a trouble-prone youth with whom I had occasionally traded old comic books. Got a lot of THOR from him. 

I was nervous and excited. Having been founded in 1853, Holmes was (and presumably still is) both the oldest and the largest high school in Kentucky. Since my old school had 7th, 8th and 9th grades, I was entering the new school not as a Freshman but as a Sophomore. The next three years were filled with promise at that point. Unfortunately, they were far from my best years and my up-util-then exemplary school work would suffer for it. 

Tuesday, August 27th, 1974

IT! Last time! I swear!

Last day before school. I'm basically prepared except that I got up at 4:30 this morning and I'll need to get up early tomorrow, too. Boy, am i nervous! All those people I haven't seen in years. Could be a lot of those people who hate me there, too. I 'll get through it. I just hope I can do it quick--adjust that is. That place is 5 times bigger than CJH! WOW! I miss the old school already.

CARNAL KNOWLEDGE is back in theaters but I doubt I'll ever see it. I don't know much about it anyway but I do like Ann-Margret and Arthur Garfunkel.

After months of nothing, I finally finished my Avengers vs Defenders notebook.

We got to work very early tonight but I didn't get finished 'til 7:30. I was in no hurry to get to tomorrow.

NOTES: Never did see CARNAL KNOWLEDGE. Doesn't look good to me even now.

I took the Avengers vs Defenders notebook apart at some point. I still have the comics with the binder holes in them, though.

Boy, was I nervous. The school, as I discussed last year on my 1976 blog, is huge! It's a high school but it's on a large campus with three major buildings and a number of smaller ones, two parking lots, two athletic fields. It's huge! Now that my son attends the same school, they have even MORE buildings! We got won out just walking around to meet his new teachers last week! 

The interesting thing was when we ran into my own 10th grade geometry teacher--who I was about to meet on the next day here in 1974. He is STILL there!

The reason I was worried about seeing people I hadn't seen in years was that many of the students I attended grade school with had moved to other parts of the city and attended other junior high schools. Holmes, however, was the ONLY high school in the city limits so many of them would be back in my classes.

Monday, August 26th, 1974

I watched three shows from the Ohio State Fair this morning including one with Seals and Crofts.

Watched Ellen Burstyn on a GUNSMOKE episode. Also saw a very, very old episode of HOGAN'S HEROES.

We gota  new gas meter put in.

I wrote the Dreamville letter but still haven't rewritten the others.

Today, I began preparations for school. Tomorrow night I bathe, wash my hair, brush my teeth--the works. Might even get my new eye test tomorrow.

NOTES:The HOGAN'S HEROES episode couldn't have been all THAT old as it hadn't even been a decade since that series had originally premiered!

When I was a kid, we went to all the local school and church carnivals and such. I guess I just liked the atmosphere. The rides made me sick and I wasn't big on cotton candy. Never went to an actual county or state fair, though. The Ohio State one got extensive coverage every year, though, so I often watched it for hours. 

Seals and Crofts were a then popular vocal duo, sort of a mellower and less political Simon and Garfunkel. I never bought one of their albums but I picked up all their hit singles for a while. 

Sunday, August 25th, 1974

IT. I destroyed the mag already.

We went to church where I saw Janet O'Malley, the first of many familiar faces I'll see I guess as school starts up again this next week. Doug had me terribly worried this morning with a remark about school but now I'm convinced it's not so.

I intend to write Dreamsville about Linda instead of Linda herself this time.

Saw Sinatra's LADY IN CEMENT with Raquel on TV today.

NOTES: Dreamsville was a column in some magazine where they supposedly would choose a fan letter and then introduce the fan to the person they were a fan of, in this case me to Linda...I wished.

No clue what Doug had said about school or why I almost bought it.

What a terrible poster! Looks like he's shooting at her! LADY IN CEMENT was actually a pretty good sequel to Sinatra's TONY ROME.

Saturday, August 24th, 1974

IT. I bought a new 60 cent mag for it but I expect to get rid of it soon. In fact, once school starts, I'm hoping IT will never happen again.

I got a BLACK BELT yearbook, SIXTEEN (with Linda pics), a new PEANUTS paperback and Marvel's HITLER mag.

I saw the girl at Fountain. Wish i could see her more often.

I saw RETURN OF THE DRAGON with Terry and his mother. Twice. Actually, she didn't even stay. She paid to take us in, then walked back out. Throughout the picture, everyone was cheering, yelling and applauding. Everyone loved it! It will probably make my Top Ten. I've devoted several pages in my new scrapbook to Mr. Lee now.

I gota  new stapler, too.

NOTES: Wish I still had that new stapler. Mine's missing. 

In a bizarre attempt to...do something, Marvel Comics packaged and published a historical photo magazine based on Adolf Hitler. Hitler was surprisingly popular in this period with several movies related to him and John Toland's award-winning biography just a year or two away.

The folks who ran Fountain News were a family from...somewhere. I thought Mexican at first, then Greek, later Indian. Not sure. All I know is that girl was cuter than cute! She helped out from time to time and later worked the counter often which always made me feel awkward when I was buying the dirty mags.

RETURN OF THE DRAGON was actually not a sequel in any way, shape or form to ENTER THE DRAGON. In fact, it had been made first under the title WAY OF THE DRAGON. It's a minor story with its major setpiece being a duel to the death between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris--he in his first major role--set in the Roman Colosseum. 

Friday, August 23rd, 1974

Dad came home at noon.

I got several things including the new CINEFANTASTIQUE. It says they're planning a special EXORCIST issue. I couldn't get much, though, even though I got a dollar from OSS.

There was still some girl at work when we went over so I never got to use my radio. Boy!

NOTES: Earlier in the month, back in '74, the number one song was Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love." Starting tomorrow, the number one song was, appropriately enough, Paul Anka's "Having My Baby."Unfortunately for the joke, "The Night Chicago Died" by Paper Lace topped the charts in between. 

Thursday, August 22nd, 1974

Didn't get the letters done again.

Doug came up early and we played games until about one.

So far of the two people I had going to the movie with me, I now have four. Oh, well. It's the last time.

Today I saw a Martin-Lewis picture.

Spent the afternoon re-reading all my PEANUTS strip collections.

I saw MANHUNTER again.

NOTES: MANHUNTER was a short-lived TV series with Ken Howard as a Depression-era bounty hunter. Seen above is the pilot as it was eventually released on VHS. The pilot co-starred Stefanie Powers and her then-husband, Gary Lockwood.

My parents had taken me to Jerry Lewis films all my life and I knew Dean Martin from his TV variety series and records on the radio. It was only in the early seventies that I began to become aware that they had been a team. Over the next few years I would learn more and more about them and in time become a big fan of Martin and Lewis.

Earlier this year in 2012, I finally sold all of the PEANUTS books mentioned here.

Wednesday, August 21st, 1974

IT twice. I know I'll have it licked when school starts this next week.

Tomorrow I hope to finish rewriting those letters.

Dad promised to take me to RETURN OF THE DRAGON Saturday.

Terry's not mad at me.

MADHOUSE is on at the Twin. Ack! Too bad.

I finally saw ABC's MEN OF THE DRAGON and they ran a commercial for RETURN OF THE DRAGON. WOW!!!!

NOTES: I know, I know. Too easy. Let's just ignore that accidental double entendre above, okay? Okay. Moving on...

MADHOUSE is a Vincent Price/Peter Cushing/Robert Quarry film that looked great to me but barely played anywhere around here at all! It was cover-featured in FM and came directly on the heels of Price's well-received THEATRE OF BLOOD and yet for some reason, it didn't get booked in this area except at a drive-in way out on the other side of Cincinnati where I had no hope of seeing it. Although not well-liked by many fans, I found it quite enjoyable but that wouldn't be until I found it on VHS about two decades later!

Tuesday, August 20th, 1974

I went to see ANIMAL CRACKERS and it was really funny! Coming back I ran into Terry so I ended up not buying a new dirty mag at Fountain. Terry told me I had missed a lot of good stuff at The Ohio Book Store this morning because I didn't go.

This weekend, I hope to see a movie that's much better than BIG BAD MAMA--the unofficial sequel to my all-time favorite action flick, RETURN OF THE DRAGON with Bruce Lee!! Terry says we might get to see the other film tonight, also. I'm not staying home from work, though.

Well I cracked my previous work record again by finishing in just 23 minutes! I'm mad about one thing, though. Doug saw BIG BAD MAMA two days ago and didn't even tell me until now! I could have went with hi and he knew I wanted to see it! Terry got mad at me on the phone tonight but that's okay because I'm mad at him, too!

NOTES: As religious as his family was, I'm surprised Doug saw the controversial exploitation flick with William Shatner and Angie Dickinson (and Graham Nash's future wife, Susan Sennett!) at all.

ANIMAL CRACKERS was the 2nd Marx Brothers film from way back in 1930 that had at that time been out of circulation for decades. Steve Stoliar, now one of my FB friends, was instrumental in getting it nationally re-released to capacity crowds! As you can see from the flyer above that I picked up that day, it had been on for nearly a week already by the time I saw it. By that point, I knew three of the Brothers Marx from TV but Zeppo was new to me so he fascinated me. I kept waiting for him to be funny, though. 

Monday, August 19th, 1974

An average day. I forgot to finish the letters. Spent the afternoon making a list of my 50 Top Films and anticipating the chance of the one tonight. Only Terry never called. I called him but he wasn't even home. Boy!

I sat my alarm to wake me up at 1 to see Gene Roddenberry, Ray Bradbury and Harlan Ellison. A trio like that I couldn't miss! About the only good thing about today and technically--and literally--it's TOMORROW.

NOTES: Gene Roddenberry, Ray Bradbury and, to a lesser extent at this point, Harlan Ellison (who would come to mean  more to me later) were three of my sci-fi heroes. (Sorry, Harlan--he hates the expression "sci-fi.") This night, they were on the TOMORROW show with Tom Snyder.