Wednesday, December 25th, 1974

Christmas.

I saw MONEY MAZE again.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://christahelm.blogspot.com

Tuesday, December 24th, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, December 23rd, 1974

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

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

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

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

Richard Long died. I really liked him.

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

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

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

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

Sunday, December 22nd, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, December 21st, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, December 20th, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

Thursday, December 19th, 1974

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

Jay bought TEN of my notebooks!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, December 18th, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, December 17th, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Monday, December 16th, 1974

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

More teachers absent today.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday, December 15th, 1974

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

IT.

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

I saw another good NANNY & THE PROFESSOR.

I made two new comics folders this afternoon.

Found out YOUNG FRANK is rated PG.

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

I read  a little of my EARTHQUAKE book.

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, December 14th, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, December 13th, 1974

Another good Friday the 13th!

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

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

Got about five bucks worth of stuff over the river.

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

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

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

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

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

Not Debbie again. I'm so embarrassed.

Thursday, December 12th, 1974

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

We were in Lab in Spanish.

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

I picked up another paperback, EARTHQUAKE.

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

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

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

Wednesday, December 11th, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, December 10th, 1974

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

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

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

Mom hurt her ankle at work.

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

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

Monday, December 9th, 1974

Just a month today from my birthday.

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

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

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

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

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

Sunday, December 8th, 1974

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, December 7th, 1974

IT. Twice. Ugh.

It rained most of the day.

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

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

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

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

I played a lot of Christmas records.

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