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!