Sunday, March 10th, 1974

I started off the day by seeing a lady only in her underwear! Oh, my! What a feeling! I'd hate tp know what it would feel like to actually see a naked lady!

I worked most of the day on my SCE's and then watched TV all evening. Saw Chris Lee on GREAT MYSTERIES.

NOTES: THE GREAT MYSTERIES was a rerun of an episode of that syndicated anthology series hosted by Orson Welles. Lee and Jane Seymour, only recently made famous by her appearance as a Bond Girl the summer before, co-starred in an Arthur Conan Doyle adaptation entitled THE LEATHER FUNNEL.


Welles to me, at this point, was that hammy fat guy who did magic tricks and commercials. It was only later I would come to a respect for his work as an actor and a director.


As far as the lady, here's the story. I was up way early for some reason and started out to get the newspaper, I stood in the front hallway of the apartment building  and pulled the window curtain aside to see if the paper was out there yet. When I did, I glanced across the street and saw a full-grown blonde woman in a second floor window just standing there taking in the sights...in a short, low-cut negligee! It was a large window so I could see her from about the knees up. The house across the street was owned by an eccentric millionaire who was, to the best of my knowledge, unmarried, so I'm not sure who this lady was but she stood there just looking around for several long minutes...not having a clue that I stood there looking around--at HER!--for those same several long minutes! I was fifteen years old and I couldn't even imagine being that lucky! Wow!

Saturday, March 9th, 1974

I went over to Terry's for most of the afternoon and in Cincy picked up the best NEW comics I've read in months.

NOTES: Another of those days with not much to say, I'm afraid. As comic books were always dated about two months ahead, above are two comics that most likely hit the stands this month if not this very week. Im not a big fan overall of the so-called Bronze Age f the seventies. Both DC and Marvel had some doldrums and, quite frankly, hackwork. What's good, though, was amazing and included things like Steve Englehart's now-classic CAPTAIN AMERICA run and Rich Buckler's brief stint on THE FANTASTIC FOUR.  In recent years, Rich and I have begun a friendly acquaintance via the 'Net. 

Friday, March 8th, 1974

IT again. Ugh.

I started my tape operation again and tonight I watched Raquel's second TV special.

NOTES: This Raquel Welch special, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft and based in part on her nightclub act made no real impression on me as I had forgotten it even existed until now. 


Raquel's previous TV special in 1970 got quite a bit of coverage including the cover of TV GUIDE. It was produced and choreographed by David Winters, a former film dancer (WEST SIDE STORY) who had also done memorably unique specials for everyone from Lucille Ball to Nancy Sinatra. Mr. Winters is now one of my Facebook friends.

Thursday, March 7th, 1974

The March showers (thunderwise) began today.

The movie they showed at school was THE HORSE WITHOUT A HEAD. A Disney film. I got out of three classes watching it and because of the short length of the film, I got out early.

Got home in time to catch a TV movie with Roddy that started at 3:30.

Got the Guides today--The TV GUIDE and THE BUYER'S GUIDE.

NOTES: Pretty much forgotten today, THE HORSE WITOUT A HEAD is one of the films the Disney studio had to produce overseas in the fifties and sixties in order to utilize money they had that for complicated reasons was only available in Europe. Many were quite good but had a very different feel than the company's live action US films. A good international cast toplined this unjustly forgotten film.

Wednesday, March 6th, 1974

The algebra turned out okay, after all.

Tomorrow there's going to be  movie at school. Don't know what it's going to be yet.

Speaking of movies, I'll almost definitely see one at the Ludlow this weekend as there's a new Trinity flick out there.

NOTES: So much for my predictions. I did NOT see a movie that weekend. In fact, I was getting off to a pretty slow start when one considers how many films I did ultimately see in theaters that year. 


I'm surprised I didn't catch the Trinity flick, though. Technically there is only one actual sequel to THEY CALL ME TRINITY and that's TRINITY IS STILL MY NAME. That said, there are dozens of spaghetti westerns that incorporate the Trinity name--most well after the fact--to try to fool audiences and scores of pictures starring Trinity stars Terence Hill and/or Bud Spencer in Trinity-style roles. In fact, there are even Italian films starring Hill and Spencer lookalikes! 


The duo never really caught on in the US but have been favorites of mine since 1972 or so. It's just been in recent years that I've been able to finally see (through the magic of the Internet) most of their fun films, together and separately. In fact, by sheer coincidence, this afternoon, I was watching one of the Hill/Spencer lookalikes comedies, this one starring Paul Smith who went on to play Bluto in Robert Altman's POPEYE movie. 

Tuesday, March 5th, 1974

Mr. Blanchard today asked me if I had seen anyone around his desk. I couldn't lie so I told him about me and Dan. He said he wasn't mad. Just "Don't do it again...ever." Even so, it made me feel incredibly guilty for the entire rest of the day! Boy!

On my way downhill again. I'm no good in Volleyball in Gym, either.

And for the first time in ages, I had a lot of homework tonight so I didn't have time to watch TV at all. Not only that, I don't think I did it right! Man!

NOTES: What was this about, you ask? Welllll...ya see...I mean...well...Okay, here's the story. I had been the smartest kid in school all through grade school and also in the 7th and 8th grades, despite my being very unhappy then. This year, though, in 9th grade, there was another kid named Dan S. who was, quite frankly, smarter than me. Our English class coincided with our lunch period and neither Dan nor I ate lunch. We weren't friends. We were rivals. Mr. Blanchard (not his real name) trusted us to stay there but locked the room until lunch was over. Dan and I would often play chess. Other times, we'd read separately, either books from the room's little library or just reading ahead in our textbooks. On days when we had a quiz, we both knew we would ace it. We had gotten to a point where we considered ourselves above the rest of the students. The rules didn't apply to us, you see. So...we'd get into Mr. Blanchard's desk and doublecheck our answers! In advance! It wasn't technically cheating, you see, because we KNEW all the correct ones. Always. Yeah. Uh, huh. We rationalized it the best way we could but it was still wrong. We had adopted an elitist attitude and we got busted. We were lucky he didn't cut us down a grade in his class!


I can be pretty full of myself. Then and now. But I also burden myself with guilt more than just about anyone I've ever known. This incident did NOT sit well with me.

Monday, March 4th, 1974

IT again.

Got some great books over the river after school including X-MEN # 7 and AMAZING ADVENTURES # 1. The best thing, though, was INSIDE COMICS which showed up on the newsstand even though it was supposedly a private publication.

I also got a monster book I ordered some time ago through school.

NOTES: INSIDE COMICS was similar to the later version of THE COMICS JOURNAL with a serious but somewhat elitist attitude toward the comic book industry. It was spun-off from a feature in the newspaper, THE MONSTER TIMES and was the brainchild of Joe Brancatelli. It ran only four controversial issues. In recent years, Mr. Brancatelli has become a respected travel writer. I contacted him a couple of years back via the Internet to let him know how much I enjoyed his publications way back then.

Sunday, March 3rd, 1974

I had a good time playing board games all afternoon with Terry. I'm going to use the $3.00 he gave me to buy something I like better than those old records. More old comics at the Ohio Book Store tomorrow after school!

Only thing was I didn't get around to writing my pen-pal letter. Maybe next week.

NOTES: Above is a relatively recent shot of the Ohio Book Store, still there and still virtually unchanged since 1974. (Even some of the same books are still there!)

Saturday, March 2nd, 1974

Well, I got the Superman book and it's a great mate for the Batman one I already had.

Also picked up a bunch of great all-time hads and wants. Wow!

Terry will most likely buy a bunch of old records from me tomorrow for $3.00 to sell later to the Ohio Book Store for a profit. That's okay by me because I don't have to go through all the hassle of dragging them over there and I get three whole bucks up front. Hah!

Saw the Grammy Awards tonight.

NOTES: Can you remember when "three whole bucks" was exciting? Wow. 


I never really cared for the Grammy Awards much, mainly because it always seemed like the really good singers and records didn't even get nominated!


At the 1974 Grammys, the record, song and best pop vocal of the year was KILLING ME SOFTLY by Roberta Flack.


Stevie Wonder's INNERVISIONS was album of the year.


Best new artist was Bette Midler.


Olivia Newton-John and  Charlie Rich took the top country awards.


Gladys Knight, Aretha Franklin, Big Band leader Woody Herman, actor Richard Harris and the SESAME STREET cast also took home awards this night. 


Albums that would have been eligible for awards that year, I believe, included BAND ON THE RUN from McCartney and Wings, DARK SIDE OF THE MOON from Pink Floyd, Elton John's GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD and DESPERADO from The Eagles.


1973 songs that should have been eligible include big hits by  Grand Funk Railroad, John Denver, Three Dog Night, the Doobie Brothers, Deep Purple, Loggins and Messina, Chicago, Curtis Mayfield and The Allman Brothers Band.


The Beatles regularly lost at the Grammys.


Come to think of it, I don't know why I watch the Grammys. 

Friday, March 1st, 1974

My dreams were shattered this evening when the paper noted that NO ONE under the age of 18 will be admitted to THE EXORCIST even with a parent! They can't do that!! It just isn't fair but I swear I will see it someday! Even if I have to wait three years 'til I'm 18 and it's re-released! BOY! Darn it!!

At least tomorrow I should be able to pick up the SUPERMAN Book and maybe some old comics. Terry picked up $70.00 worth!

NOTES: I don't recall if I was mis-reading that or if they legitimately chose to consider THE EXORCIST as if it were an X-rated film. I clearly wasn't happy about what I thought it said anyway. I mean "Boy!" and "Darn it!!" Wow.


My parents didn't really curse to speak of.  Ever. The one exception was that my Dad referred to anything he didn't like as "horseshit." No "hells," no "damns"and certainly nothing more colorful.  Thus I grew up NOT cursing. 


A year earlier was when George Carlin ran afoul of the law with his SEVEN DIRTY WORDS sketch. It was that sketch that eventually convinced me that words are just words. It's the way one uses them that gives them power. 


The first time I heard "bitch" was when Dexter P. called our third grade teacher that through a window after he walked out of class for reasons long forgotten. The first time I heard "suck my dick" was from an apparently very confused girl in the 4th grade named Susan. The first time I SAID "hell" was in the 7th grade when we were reading a Herman Wouk story and, as the best reader in class, I was chosen to read a segment aloud. I would be 23 before I said the dreaded "F" word when it turned up in a comedy sketch written by another member of the comedy troupe I was in. 


Today, I know all the words and creative ways to use them. They no longer scare me but I choose not to use them unless I particularly want or need to emphasize something. Makes 'em more powerful that way. 


I can't believe Terry had $70.00 to spend on Golden Age comics at that age! I sure didn't. 

***EXTRA***Movies I Saw in 1974, Part 4

31--CALIFORNIA SPLIT--Aug. 31st, Times
Elliot Gould, arguably the biggest star of the "New Hollywood," teamed with George Segal as gamblers who hit it big. Segal would become one of my favorite stars after this.

32--BIG BAD MAMA--Sept. 14th, Albee
Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, Tom Skerritt and Graham Nash's future wife, Susan Sennett, all in Roger Corman's violent 1930's crime drama filled with lots of surprising nudity!

33--ONE MILLION YEARS, BC--Sept. 22nd, Ludlow
What do you know? i didn't remember seeing this in theaters at all! Obviously a re-release of Raquel Welch and SPFX guru Ray Harryhausen's 1966 caveman pic.

34--MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, Oct. 6th, Penthouse
The Beatles TV movie, finally released in theaters in the US some seven years after it flopped in England. The Penthouse was a new theater, a tiny art-house addition upstairs at the Ludlow Cinemas. The projectionist looked out, didn't see anyone and turned off the film. I had to go out front and tell them to turn it back on!

35--DEATH WISH, Oct.13th, Ludlow
Went with my Dad to see this. I had seen Bronson in plenty of things on TV but I was amazed at how charismatic he was on the big screen. Unlike the later ripoff sequels, he gives a nuanced performance here in a serious and well-made film about a man taking the law into his own hands.

36--THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT, Oct. 20th, Skywalk
When this compilation of classic MGM musical scenes came out in 1970, I wasn't a big enough film buff to care but seeing it at this point was almost a life-changing experience! I picked up the soundtrack soon afterwards.

37--THE TAKING OF PELHAM 123, Oct. 26th, Times
This was SUCH a great time for films! Here's another that became an all-time favorite. Walter Matthau and a hijacked subway train co-starring the city of New York and a great cast with an amazing serious/funny script.

38--WHAT'S UP DOC?, Oct. 27th, Madison
Saw this one again just recently, too. Absolutely hilarious tribute to screwball comedies and the only time I would ever describe Barbra Streisand as sexy!

  
39-43--THE SAGA OF THE PLANET OF THE APES--Nov. 2nd, International '70. This was the famous "Go Ape!" campaign! All five of the PLANET OF THE APES films in one single sitting! Eight hours of fun!

Thursday, February 28th, 1974

The last day of the second month already. I taped the school band concert for Arthur (he was in it) but apparently I did something wrong or accidentally erased it.

Tonight I saw a very entertaining evening of TV which included, among other things, Jim Kelly, a discussion of THE EXORCIST and a vintage Laurel and Hardy feature!

NOTES: I got my very first tape recorder around 1970. It was a reel to reel recorder and I always had problems with threading the reels. Not sure when cassettes came in big but I know by this point, I had a cassette recorder that looked much like this one.


Sometimes I would tape songs I like from the radio. Other times I would sit quietly for two hours or so and record the entire soundtracks of movies like BATMAN, FIREBALL 500, FIVE WEEKS IN A BALLOON and DALEKS' INVASION EARTH-2150 A. D. 


After a while, my friend Terry and I would just sit and be goofy for the run of the hour long tape. I wish I'd taped my parents voices more. I still have a couple of very brief bits with them. 

Wednesday, February 27th, 1974

No comics today but I picked up the TV GUIDE and several magazines. Also, I put in layaway over there at the Ohio Book Store the book SUPERMAN: FROM THE THIRTIES TO THE SEVENTIES for only $4.50! That's a savings of $5.50 off the original price!

Saw Mr. Daniels walking downtown, too.

NOTES: Mr. Daniels was the art teacher at school. Somewhere I have a picture of him. He was a small, black man with a mustache that covered his mouth, a smallish afro hairstyle and a penchant for colorful shirts that looked to have been designed by Jackson Pollack. He spoke softly and with a stammer and through that mustache was often unintelligible but he was very encouraging to me. Sometimes I wish I'd followed through with art rather than writing.


The book, SUPERMAN: FROM THE THIRTIES TO THE SEVENTIES was a hardcover collection of just that from a couple of years earlier. I had gotten the companion Batman volume for Christmas but had never actually seen the Superman one in stores until now. I did end up getting it. In 2012, I'm seriously considering putting that very copy on our booksale site this next week. Let me know if you're interested. 

Tuesday, February 26th, 1974

I rewrote my English composition at home today although I didn't actually change it very much.

Possibly--but not probably--I will go to see the triple kung-fu movie feature at the Albee this weekend.

Tomorrow, I'll probably go over to the Ohio Bookstore with Terry.

NOTES: Cincinnati's RKO Albee theatre was one of my favorites. Directly across from the city's centerpiece, Fountain Square, I was not yet aware really of its amazing history as a showplace going way back. I certainly had not come to the realization that this gorgeous old movie house with it's ornate interiors and an amazing, unused giant pipe organ should not have fallen so far as to be showing a triple king-fu feature! Sigh. I was so naive. 

Monday, February 25th, 1974

The snow is still all over the ground. I read a lot of my GAZETTES today.

NOTES: Oddly enough, in 2012, we have had no snow at all. Today, we had a couple of instances of hail, though!


I really loved THE MENOMONEE FALLS GAZETTE. Yesterday, in 2012, I was speaking with its editor on Facebook! What a world.

Sunday, February 24th, 1974

I finally wrote my pen-pal letter and finished a composition for English.

I watched Steffie and Rocky in movies on TV today.

Mom cut my hair this afternoon and tonight we had the biggest snow we've had all year.

NOTES: "Steffie" and "Rocky" were my pet names for actresses Stefanie Powers and Raquel Welch.


My mom cutting my hair is not something that happened all the time. In fact, I had been raised going to one barber, a Clifton Webb type, and when he died suddenly, I felt lost. I tried going to my Dad's barber, an Ed Wynn type. He nicked my ear. During this period, we were trying other things. Mom had bought this kit that supposedly made it easy to cut other people's hair. It wasn't. She hated it and I hated the results. 

Saturday, February 23rd, 1974

I got some more issues of THE GAZETTE as well as a few other things. THE COMIC BOOK BOOK is finally out, also! I need to start saving up $9.95 to get that on!

NOTES: THE COMIC BOOK BOOK was the long-awaited sequel to the already classic personalized history of comics entitled ALL IN COLOR FOR A DIME. That book was a collection of essays by many different writers from an early sixties sci-fi fanzine. This one featured more of the same but purposely written for this volume. 


Edited by Dick Lupoff and Don Thompson, as had been the original volume, this one includes pieces by them as well as Don Glut, Mike Barrier, Maggie Thompson and Ron Goulart. In the years since, I met Don, had a story I myself wrote appear in a book alongside one by Dick, I'm Facebook friends with Maggie (and her daughter, Valerie) as well as Mr. Goulart and have exchanged email correspondence with Messrs. Glut and Barrier. I love teh Interwebs.

Friday, February 22nd, 1974

I did IT again.

I had my health exam in school today and it turned out there was nothing to it really.

Stayed up late tonight to watch THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES but almost fell asleep.

NOTES: THE ABOMNABLE DR. PHIBES was a slightly campy 1971 horror film that proved a surprise hit for Vincent Price in one of his few times in heavy make-up. Initially publicized as Price's 100th movie appearance (it was not) and marketed oddly as a children's film (Vincent appeared on an episode of a kids' program selling it--WONDERAMA maybe?), it was a violent tale of multiple acts of revenge. It even led to a sequel and a long talked about but never made third film!


After a decade in Poe adaptations, this movie had revived Vincent's career as a box-office success and led to the similar, but even darker, THEATRE OF BLOOD, where one of Price's co-stars was Coral Browne, who would become his last wife.

Thursday, February 21st, 1974

Today was a fine day at school. I even beat someone in floor drill runs in Gym.

But then I came home and found when Dad came in that now his entire--just refurnished!--car has been stolen! AS I said before when it was broken into, it really isn't any worry of mine and yet I'm concerned. I hate to see Dad this way. I wish something would happen in the case.

Probably have my health exam tomoroow. I hope so so I can get it over with.

Saw Roddy on TV tonight.

NOTES: Ugh! I guess that's why, to this day, even though we have a driveway for our car I still look out the front door regularly just to make sure it's still there! I hate that feeling of violation when someone gets away with something that's yours--especially something that big and expensive! But...you survive. 


Roddy was, of course, Roddy McDowall, a favorite then and a favorite now. Made a point of catching him on something just yesterday in 2012 in fact. In 1974, he seemed to be on everything, often still playing early twentysomething characters in spite of the fact that he was, by then, early fortysomething.

Wednesday, February 20th, 1974

School was a disaster today but in the end I guess nothing happened that won't be forgotten by tomorrow.

I read where Bobby Sherman has a new baby--another son.

I got TBG, another pen-pal letter and I stayed up way late tonight to watch THE HORROR FILM HALL OF FAME. I may have lost some sleep but it was worth it!

NOTES: I was a very loyal fan. I was still following Bobby Sherman's career even though it was quickly dwindling at this point. 


Produced by Chuck Braverman, the late night TV special HORROR HALL OF FAME was hosted by Vincent Price and featured guests such as John Carradine, FAMOUS MONSTERS editor Forrest J. Ackerman and, oddly, both actors who played the Riddler on TV's BATMAN, Frank Gorshin and John Astin.