A K3 fan tells me this new video from Ylvis in Norway is going viral. Here’s the back story. I completely missed Gangnam Style and didn’t see it until well past the billion mark, so I’m getting out in front of this one, with under seven million hits!
Author: DOuG pRATt
FREDA!
The story of Beatles Fan Club secretary Freda Kelly is now a documentary.
Joltin’ Joe on the mend
That’s Joe Sinnott, a Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame inductee, with Tommy John. Yes, Tommy John the former Major League pitcher, famous for a particular type of elbow surgery. On Thursday Joe had some orthopedic surgery himself, but it wasn’t on his elbow. He had a shoulder replacement done and, yes, it’s his pitching arm — I mean his drawing arm! So Joe needs a lot of “GET WELL SOON” wishes while he heals and goes through physical therapy. Joe’s not an online guy, and he can be reached at this address:
Joe Sinnott
PO Box 406
Saugerties, NY 12477
I have something very unique and special. It’s a Sinnott-Sinnott Mighty Marvel Team-Up. A tapestry made by Joe’s daughter-in-law, Belinda, based on a drawing by Joe.
Belinda is a whiz at making hooked rugs, and she’s been at it for a long time. When I saw her work for the first time, my immediate, spontaneous reaction was, “do one with Lockjaw!” Lockjaw is one of my favorite Fantastic Four supporting characters, created by Jack Kirby. He’s a giant 4th dimensional bulldog that can transport himself, and others, through space. But you knew that. 😉
At first Belinda thought I was kidding, but I persisted and convinced her that I was serious about commissioning her to do a Lockjaw tapestry. Belinda is quite creative on her own, and she suggested that Lockjaw by himself may not be enough for visual interest, and she asked if I had another character in mind. Well, that was easy. Dragon Man, of course! And so, the team of Sinnott and Sinnott started working.
Here are Joe and Belinda with the completed preliminary drawing. That’s probably the last photo taken of Joe holding his right arm up so high, before his shoulder gave out for good.
And here’s the finished masterpiece. Joe said, “Belinda put blood, sweat, and tears into this one, Doug!” And I don’t doubt it! Click to enlarge and see all of the detail and texture that Belinda put into this one-of-a-kind Marvel Masterwork.
P.S. By the way, this was posted on the 7th anniversary of the blog.
Labor pains
Labor Day in America and the world economy.
Mr. Lucky Strikes Out
Another one of my mother’s friends from her acting days was John Vivyan, who seemed to be headed for major success when Blake Edwards picked him to star in his TV series Mr. Lucky, for the 1959-60 season.
I heard Vivyan’s name a lot while growing up, but I don’t recall him ever visiting the family, like Vince Beck did. It wasn’t until much later that I figured out who he was. MeTV is currently running Mr. Lucky late on Sunday nights. Ross Martin, later Robert Conrad’s sidekick on The Wild, Wild West, played Vivyan’s sidekick.
In the era of cigarette advertising on TV, you’d think that Lucky Strike would have sponsored the show, and indeed the Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. was a sponsor, along with Lever Brothers. The ratings for Mr. Lucky were very good, but then Brown & Williamson, or possibly Lever Bros., decided the gambling premise wasn’t respectable, and when they demanded that it be changed. Blake Edwards handed the series over to journeyman director Jack Arnold, who is known for his 1950’s science fiction movies and for directing a lot of the “Gilligan’s Island” episodes. The advertiser meddling didn’t work out, CBS couldn’t find another primary sponsor, and Mr. Lucky was cancelled after only one season.
After Mr. Lucky, John Vivyan had mostly bit parts in TV shows. Today, if Mr. Lucky is remembered at all, it’s for its theme music by Henry Mancini.
[audio:https://s3.amazonaws.com/dogratcom/Audio/2013/09/Mr+Lucky.mp3|titles=Mr. Lucky by Henry Mancini]This is no cartoon! This is a… PANIC!
From French Belgium (the Walloon side) is the surreal and hilarious stop-motion feature, A Town Called Panic. My sister Marianne recommended it to me, and now I’m recommending it.
(The title of this post is a reference that only old comic book fans will get.)