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.