The glory of vinyl
This 1956 educational film from RCA explains the process of recording, producing, and manufacturing vinyl records. Stereo recording was a very new innovation at the time, and stereo records as we know them weren’t available until 1958. Note that 12″ LP’s were introduced by Columbia, not RCA, which developed the 7″ 45 rpm format for singles.
The return of… Larissa!
Collectively, a few things on this site attract most of the attention, including my Prue Bury posts, Jonathan Ross’ “In Search of Steve Ditko” (especially when it could be viewed nowhere else), and the MP3 copies of the Merry Marvel Marching Society records. But in terms of sustained popularity, nothing compares to the posts with Larissa Kelly on “Jeopardy!”
Like sort of a blogging equivalent to the Voyager spacecraft, requests for transmission of the Larissa videos continue month after month, right up to today. Larissa says hi, and if you are wondering if her return to the “Jeopardy!” studio has already happened, the answer is yes.
The 2000s Battle of the Decades shows taped a few weeks ago. I can’t discuss any of the games, but it was very nice to have the chance to meet the other contestants and spend a few days in Los Angeles.
Post for a friend
Morris — This is Philip Seymour Hoffman, circa 1987, in his New York University dorm, Weinstein Hall, room 729. Contents of the room include a Playbill, Spin Magazine (from Tower Records), a copy of Vanity Fair, and two Amazing Spider-Man comic books.
Inchoate Beaver
Lots of old TV pilots failed outright, but some had enough promise to be re-written, re-cast, and tweaked until everything clicked. Famous examples include “Star Trek,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” and “Gilligan’s Island.” Less well-known is the false start that my all-time favorite series, “Leave it to Beaver,” had with “It’s a Small World.” Look for Harry Shearer in a role that seems to have been a precursor to Eddie Haskell.
All the way with LBJ!
Silver Age comic book fans are familiar with Superman’s visits with JFK at the White House, but when LBJ was President, and needed some super help, he picked up the Bat Phone.