Avengers Got Milk?

Remember this commercial for the Got Milk campaign? Does anyone out there know why I can't find the Baby Ruth candy bar commercial that featured Hawkman?

Castle of Love

Well I hope you all had a happy valentine's day. My wife and I did and big spender that I am I took her to White Castle. Yes you read it right I said White Castle. I thought it was only local but it seems to be nationwide. You see this is the third year that White Castle has held a special valentine's dinner. You had to call ahead and make reservations. You should have seen the looks that people gave me when I told them I made reservations at White Castle. But that was the rules. The did let people come in who just walked in like usual but the got the regular tables and no extras.

We were greeted at the door by the hostess who gave my wife a red carnation and seated us at our table which had a cloth tablecloth not the paper kind that you usually see restaurants theses days. There were candles on the tables and a waitress took our order. We were even asked if we wanted and appetizer. The hostess came by and apologized for not having lit the candles about half way through the meal. I told her we thought they weren't lit yet because it was still somewhat light outside. Later after the dinner was over we were given ice cream as a desert and they took our picture. They kept one and gave us a copy. I told my wife it will probably wind up on a bulletin board or their website. Anyway a fun time was had by all at the restaurant. Except for the ones without reservations who wanted to sit at the tables that were reserved.
I didn't take her to the one shown above but that was the only photo of a White Castle that I could find.

Rest in Peace Steve Gerber

Well I am behind the news on this one as I just learned from Booksteve that one of the best comic book writers of the 1970's and probably of any decade, Steve Gerber, passed away on Feb. 10th 2008. Most of his writing that I am familiar with is from Marvel Comics of the 1970's. It was there that he wrote for Man-Thing, Son of Satan, The Defenders, Omega the Unknown, Marvel Two-In-One and was most famous for creating Howard the Duck.

His battle over the rights for Howard the Duck is near legendary in the business and among comic book fans. It is a shame that it seems to have dominated his career and legacy as he put out some fine and entertaining comic books. As Steve said his work was surreal. Still that does make for good literature from time to time and Mr. Gerber's was good literature.

His battle with Marvel was a rallying cry to freelance artist and gave a kick to the Independent comic book industry in the 1980's. Jack Kirby created the character Destroyer Duck that was the star of an anthology series where other major freelancers submitted stories and the sales helped with the legal fees that Mr. Gerber was having a hard time with. That book also gave us the first look at Groo The Wanderer.

It is a shame that he didn't seem to care for all of his body of work. I recall reading a story where a young boy got together enough money to finance a comic book convention in the area. He got Steve Gerber to be the guest of honor but didn't have enough for him to get a motel room so he stayed at the boys house that weekend. The first day the boy had all of his favorite Steve Gerber stories laying on his bed. He showed them to Mr. Gerber. The boy was proud of his collection but got a startling reaction from him. He said he can't believe all the garbage that he had produced over the years. This shook the boy but he said it helped to make him a better writer.

Well Mr. Gerber may have believed that he put out a lot of garbage. I don't agree. However, in life there is good garbage and bad garbage. If he did put out garbage then Steve Gerber put out good garbage.
The above photo is from his site which you can see here or click on the title above. On that site he talks about recently working on a Dr. Fate project. The character seems a perfect fit for his style and I hope DC decides to publish it soon.

Monkees Clip from Too Many GIrls

Here is a Valentine's Day video. From Season one of the Monkees. The Episode is called Too Many Girls. We all know that Davy was a chick magnet but in this teaser to the episode they seem to be throwing themselves at him more then usual.

Happy Birthday Peter Tork

According to the Monkees Quiz below I am more like this man then the rest of the group. Happy Birthday to the smartest and best looking dummy in the world. Peter Tork!

Rest In Peace Roy Scheider

Roy Scheider passed away yesterday after a 2 year battle with myeloma but it is also being reported at this time that he died of complications from a staph infection. So the exact cause of death is unknown. He was nominated for an Oscar for his roles in the French Connection and All That Jazz. However, he is best known for his role as thankless police chief Brody in the movie Jaws. That film was the first to make over $100 million and is said to be the beginning of the blockbuster movie era. Three years later he repeated his role in the sequel Jaws 2. While he had been well known in Hollywood, he was not a household name until the Jaws series of films.

Monkees quiz

Well this wasn't too surprising to me. I thought it would either be Peter or Mike. I would have been shocked if it said was was more like Micky or Davy. Take the quiz and see which one you are most like.

Take the Hey Hey, Which Monkee Are You? Quiz.

New Kid in Town

Welcome to the new kid in town Forgotten Hits. Actually I know Kent from when he and his Forgotten Hits lived in the town of e-mail newsletters. He had to move after a problem with AOL. Kent and his friends are very knowledgeable about music from the 1960's and a lot of fun to read. So click on over to his site and give him a friendly hello. Only one posting there right now but I know there will be a lot more real soon and it will be informative and fun. If you loved the Peter Noone interview that is on this site you can thank Kent. Kent is also a big Monkees fan like myself so info on them will turn up from time to time. He gave me permission to put it on this site as he was the interviewer and ran it on his newsletter. He recently had a Phil Spector special that he had to stop suddenly when he had to move but it was fun to read. Welcome to town Kent! I think you'll like it.
Also, the above photo is not from his site. I just found this on another site that I don't know the name. The image came up in a search and when I clicked to see it only the image came up and not the site it was on. Thanks to whatever site it was from for your contribution.

To welcome Kent and his Forgotten Hits to blogspot here is a You Tube clip of the Eagles singing "The New Kid in Town" live!

This Day In Music History: Elvis Presley and Too Much

For nine weeks Guy Mitchell had the #1 hit on the Billboard Charts with "Singing the Blues." On this day in music history, February 9, 1957 Elvis Presley thought that nine weeks was too much and he reclaimed his position at the top of the charts with..."Too Much." :) It was the first #1 hit for 1957.

Now Elvis had appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show three times and Elvis went from being a regional to national celebrity. The first time Elvis was on the show Ed Sullivan was sick and not on his own live broadcast. Actor Charles Laughton filled in for him on that broadcast. Ed was on the others and on his third and last appearance on January 6, 1957 Elvis was only shot from the waist up and he sang seven songs. One of those songs was the premiere of "Too Much."

The song was part of a three day recording session that began on September 1, 1956. Musicians Scotty Moore, Bill Black and D. J. Fontana were flown to Hollywood to back up Elvis on the songs that would be his second album for RCA Records. The album, simply titled Elvis, was released in October of 1956 but they held "Too Much" for release in January of 1957.

One moth before Elvis released "Too Much" he took part in a recording session at Sun records that became legendary. In December Sam Phillips of Sun was producing a record for Carl Perkins. Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis were there to record and Johnny Cash stopped by. A picture of the four famous musicians was taken and released to the newspapers.

For years this was known as the Million Dollar Quartet but no recordings were known to have survived. Then in 1981 the recordings surfaced and an album was released in England. It then became known that Cash was there visiting when the picture was taken but left later to do some shopping.

After "Too Much" was released Elvis bought a home in Tennessee from Mrs. Ruth Brown Moore for $100,000. It was built by her husband Dr. Thomas Moore and named after her Aunt Grace. Elvis liked the name and kept it. The name of course was Graceland.

Here is a video of Elvis singing it live on television.

My Second 45

Not long ago I recalled when I got my first 45. It was a second hand one of the Monkees Daydream Believer. Today I recall my second 45. It was the duet between Elton John and Kiki Dee singing "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." I bought it at Elsmere Drugs in Elsmere, Ky. Now the owner of the place was named Sid and he and my Grandad where friends. So everyone in my family called it Sid's. For the first 20 years of my life I never heard anyone call it Elsmere Drugs. It was when I was in college and I was talking to my friend Chuck and I told him I was going to Sid's and he didn't know what I was talking about. I told him where it was at. I remember saying "It was the place on Dixie Highway in Elsmere next to the bakery." His eyes lit up with recognition and he said "You mean Elsmere Drugs?" That was when I realized not everyone called it Sid's.

Anyway I bought this with my own money and I believe it was the first one I bought with my own money. I remember listening to it with my friends Dave, Chuck (another Chuck) and Doug. We all enjoyed it. I remember Dave wondering if Elton and Kiki were dating as they positioned him on the picture sleeve looking at her. Oh if we only knew then.

I have loved many of Elton John's songs. Two of my favorites of his early songs where "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" and "Don't Go Breaking My Heart." I will never for get how could it felt to hear them for the first time.

80 Page Giant Memories

The late 1960's were a fun time in comic books. One part of the fun for me was the DC comics 80 page Giant comic books. Mostly they were reprints of stories that came out years before I was born but they were new to me. Most of the stories I don't recall that well to this day but I remember enjoying them. On Batman #182 my favorite story was the one with the Rainbow Batman. I don't remember the story but after seeing Batman in drab gray and dark blue it was fun to see Batman in bright colors. I usually saw them at my cousin Steve's house. He was, actually he still is, 3 years older and we would play together and he would let me sit on his bed and read his comics. I could tell he was wanting to play more games as he could read these anytime he wanted. For me reading these books opened up other worlds to me that I didn't have access to any other way. I lived too far from stores that carried them and had to depend on Mom and Dad to bring them home to me or wait till we were in town to get them. So to see these books at my cousins house was always exciting.
One time after leaving there I was in the car reading a book that had the origin of Robin. I don't remember if Steve let me borrow it or if I got it from Mom and Dad. I had never read the origin of Robin till then. I had also never saw the word origin before. I asked Mom and Dad how to pronounce it. They told me to try to say it phonetically. I did but I said orange. My Dad pronounced it correctly but it still sounded like orange to me.

A Glass of Milk

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way
through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He
decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his
nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked
hungry so brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it so slowly, and then
asked, How much do I owe you?"

You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taug ht us never to
accept pay for a kindness."

He said ... "Then I thank you from my heart."
As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but
his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Many year's later that same young ! woman be came critically ill. The local
doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they
called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name
of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.

He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her
life. From that day he gave special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for
approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was
sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the
rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught
her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ... "Paid in full with one glass of milk"
(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.

Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: "Thank You,
God, that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."

There's a saying which goes something like this: Bread cast on the waters
comes back to you. The good deed you do today may benefit you or someone you
love at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again at least
you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that
what life is all about?

Superman From The 30's To The 70's

The year is 1974. My Mom and Dad would on occasion drive to Cincinnati, Ohio to go shopping at the McAlpin's department store that is now called Dillards. I was 13 years old and allowed to roam the store on my own and sometimes the downtown area since my parents knew my regular stops. This was in the days before it started being reported that children were being kidnapped in broad daylight.

Anyway on one trip I saw the Bonanza Books Superman from the 30's to the 70's and Batman from the 30's to the 70's. I believe there was one for Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel too but my memory isn't what it should be anymore. I do know those books existed but I am not sure if they were for sale at that store at that time. For some reason I didn't buy it when I was with my Mom and Dad.

Now my Mom and Dad would let me take the bus to Cincinnati. One day not long after seeing the books at McAlpin's I ask my cousin Randy to go with me on one trip. As my cousin Randy liked to read as much as I did I asked him if he wanted to go to Cincinnati with me. His Mom wasn't so sure we should but when my Mom said she would let me wander the downtown area, as back then it was safe to do so, she said it was ok.

We took the bus and arrived at the Dixie Terminal. We walked to McAlpin's and bought the books. I remember Randy buying the Batman book while I bought the Superman one. They were now on sale for $3. Sometimes it pays to wait.

We went to some of the other places I normally went to. The guy who sold newspapers and magazines on the street corner. I bought Nova #1 from him but not on this trip. There was some records shops and the Ohio Bookstore. There must be a story or two I have in me from visits to that store. We got some lunch and then caught the bus home. It was a fun day to share with Randy. We talked on the bus and even read some of the stories on the way home.

Eventually I did buy the Batman book too and even the Wonder Woman one. I don't have the Wonder Woman book anymore. I still have Superman and Batman. I hope to keep them forever as they bring back some wonderful memories.

A few years later I was in the newly built Florence Mall in Florence, Ky with a friend from High School. My friend was deeply into music. He didn't care much for comic books and thought they were childish.He was always asking me when I was going to stop reading them. We were in a bookstore there and I saw the Superman book there selling for $6. I held it up and told him when a regular comic book sells for this price I will stop. Well now that they are selling for $3 or $4 each I have pretty much stopped buying new comic books. I do buy old comics for that price as they may go up in value. But a new one is not worth it to me anymore. So it looks like I kept my promise to my friend.

The Bangles and Spock Go Down to Liverpool

Here is a great 80's video that has Leonard Nimoy playing the driver of the rock group the Bangles. From what I have read on the net it seems that Nimoy was their co-star and director of the video because his son was friends with Susanna Hoffs.

Look at the Bangles member on the far left. She seems to be making eyes at Nimoy.

Happy Groundhog Day

Just wanted to tell everyone Happy Groundhog day. Didn't think anyone would want to look at the picture of a groundhog so I put up a picture of Andie MacDowell who was one of the stars of the movie Groundhog Day.

The Golden Age is Gone Forever

I can't say I am happy with the turn in the life of Captain America in issue #34. Yes Marvel comics has "decided" to make Bucky Barnes Captain America. I do have to say that if we can't have Steve Rogers any more I am happy that it is Bucky or even Rick Jones would have been a good choice. I was expecting them to say they decided to have the government create a new one with a character that readers had never heard of before. As much as I love the art of Alex Ross I have to say I am not happy with the new costume either. I believe I saw the art on the internet for the new costume around the time they killed him off. I could be wrong. Yes I still hope that one day Steve Rogers will be Cap. I also hope the same for Barry Allen to come back as the Flash. So don't anyone hold your breath while waiting.
With all of the revisions in comics, Steve Rogers was the last link to the golden age of comics. When life was more innocent and simple. Even World War II that spawned him was a pretty black and white conflict. With the news media today showing every angle of a story it takes a lot of thinking to push away the gray shadows see the issues that are really there. With the passing of the original Captain America life will never be the same. Even if they do bring him back it may never be the same.

Paypal On My Mind

Just a reminder of the Paypal link on the right side of this page. It doesn't cost hardly anything to run the site. However every once in a while I do need some extra money to help pay some bills. Should you ever want to donate to the site every little bit helps. No matter what everyone is welcome to stop by and read this site. Thank you for your readership.

Sean Dietrich.Com Free Music Download

Just a quick note before I have to get ready for work. If you like Contemporary Christian Music then you should go to Sean Dietrich.com. He has some pretty good music there and it is free to download. Sean was on this site once and told me about his site so now I am passing it on to you.

Enough of the Hannah Montana News

Ok I think the media has to back off of Miley Cyrus aka Hannah Montana. The media and mostly her cable show have built her up to be the new good girl on the block. I am sure that she is. However, she is being reported doing some things that most people wouldn't want their 15 year old daughter to do. The thing is she is a teenager who is living her life in public view. We are not her parents. Let Billy Ray and her Mom handle it. Her Dad has been there before. He said in an interview that he gave that he told her when it stops being fun to stop doing it. Well once her contract is up I wouldn't blame her if she quit. Thankfully she is more known as Hannah Montana. In a few years this may all blow over and Miley can get a new career on her own name. At least she won't be as typecast as the Monkees who only went by their own names on their show. Maybe she should talk to them or David Cassidy. Those 5 men would understand what she is going through.

Ognir Rrats On the web

Thanks to Pop Culture Safari, formerly This is Pop Culture, I was directed to these videos of the Ringo Starr special that I never saw but have only heard about. It stars Ringo as himself and his look a like Ognir Rrats. Ognir is poor and Ringo is famous. Tired of fame he trades places with Ognir. Hilarity ensues. You can click here for part 1 or click here for part two.