Monkees.net Contest

Over at Monkees.net they are having a contest as part of their grand re-opening. Among the many prizes that any Monkees fan should have is a copy of my fictional novel "Last Train to Murder." You can see it in the photo above listed with the other prizes. Those other prizes are
■From Friday Music are re-issued Monkees classic CD’s for the first time with bonus track.
■The preeminent Monkees biographer Eric Lefcowitz has donated a copy of his fabulous new book Monkee Business with a special set of actual collectible Monkees Coins! Actual minted metal “Monkee Money” featuring the likeness of Micky, Davy, Peter and Michael – a true collectors item!
■One copy of the only complete biography of Michael Nesmith, “Total Control – The Monkees Michael Nesmith Story“
■One copy of the fiction book based on the Monkees, “Last Train to Murder” by Rick L. Phillips
■Multiple copies of magazines including “Monkees Monthly”.
■10 Gold Monkees Logo clothing patches
So click here to enter and do it now as the contest ends May 11th.

Thor Tales of Asgard

If you like the movie Thor that comes out at the end of the week you may want to order Thor Tales of Asgard. It will be released May 17th. You can get it at Amazon.com.

Help Save Someones Home

I know someone who is in deep financial trouble and may loose their home. So any money I get from the sales of my book Last Train to Murder PB will go to them. If you wish to help go to >Lulu.com.

Happy Easter Rise Again by Dallas Holm

Free shipping on Last Train to Murder

Buy my book & save on shipping. Go to Lulu.com Enter code APRILMAIL305 at checkout  and select Mail Shipping and receive single book shipping cost free. Maximum savings, $4.99. Print and tax amounts are excluded. You can only use the code once per account. Offer ends 4/30/11 at 11:59 PM

You are a survivor

If you were born in the 1950's or 1960's then you are a survivor. Here is the reason that I saw on the Official 60's Site,com. You can click on the title above to go to that site.
First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because......

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays,

We made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just yelled for them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL

Monkees sampler for sale today only

Hey Hey Monkees fans. If you want to get the Rhino sampler it is for sale on e-bay today only at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200589208273&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123 or just click on the title above.

Circus Boy

Here is an episode of Circus Boy starring a very young Micky Dolenz. I think this episode is called The Fabulous Colonel Jack.

Dennis the Menace Contest ends and the winner is...

Well the contest is over and the winner is...drum roll please....Michael LeBlanc. He had 19 answers to the 21 questions. The correct answers were as follows...
1.What was the date that the first episode of Dennis the Menace aired on TV? October 4, 1959


2.What date did Dennis the Menace comic strip first appear in the newspapers? March 12 1951

3.Who picked Jeannie Russell to play Margaret? Jay North picked her personally.

4.How many children do the Wilson’s have? None

5.What was the name of the policeman in Dennis’ neighborhood? Sgt. Mooney

6.After Joseph Kearns, the original Mr. Wilson, died what was the excuse given to explain his absence? He was on a trip to Ohio.

7.What actor replaced Joseph Kearns as Mr. Wilson? Gale Gordon

8.What is the favorite sport of Mr. Mitchell? Golf

9.What network did the show air on? CBS

10.What night did it air on? Sunday at 7:30pm

11.What was the address where Dennis and his parents lived? 627 Elm Street

12.What other TV show did Jay North play on after Dennis the Menace? Maya based on the movie of the same name that also starred Jay North.

13.What cartoon character did Jay North provide the voice to on Saturday morning TV? Bamm- Bamm Rubble on the “Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show.”

14.Willard Waterman played Mr. Quigley on the show. What old time radio character is he also known for? The Great Gildersleeve

15.What was the date of the last original first run episode to air? September 22, 1963
(I started to over look this one as I realized this was the date for a re-run and everyone else gave a different date. Most of them were in June.)

16.What is the name of his dog? Ruff

17.What was the name of Mr. Wilson’s dog? Fremont

18.How old has Dennis always been in the comic strip? 5 and a half

19.How many episodes were there in the series? 146

20.What was Dennis’ catch phrase from the series? Hello Mr. Wilson!

21.What was Mr. Wilson’s catch phrase? Great Scott!

Last Day for Dennis the Menace DVD contest

If you haven't entered this contest you better hurry. Today is the last day to enter the contest to win the DVD set of season one of Dennis the Menace. To see more just click here.

Dennis The Menace: Dinosaur Hunter

Here is a Dennis the Menace movie that was on the Disney Channel a long time ago that I never saw. It's pretty good. If you are a Dennis the menace fan don't forget to enter my triva contest to win a Dennis the Menace Season 1 box set of the classic TV series. You can go there if you click here.

Monkees 45th Anniversary Tour

It wasn't long ago that the Monkees announced the dates for their tour of England. Today I heard these are the dates for their North American tour.
6/3/2011 Chastain Park Amphitheatre Atlanta, GA
6/4/2011 Ruth Eckerd Hall Clearwater, FL
6/5/2011 Pompano Beach Amphitheatre Pompano Beach, FL
6/6/2011 Florida Theatre Jacksonville, FL
6/8/2011 Innsbrook Pavilion Glen Allen, VA
6/9/2011 The Community Theatre At Mayo Center For The Performing Arts
Morristown, NJ
6/10/2011 Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, CT
6/11/2011 Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort Niagara Falls, ON
6/12/2011 Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort Niagara Falls, ON
6/15/2011 Lowell Memorial Auditorium Lowell, MA
6/16/2011 Beacon Theatre New York, NY
6/17/2011 NYCB Theatre At Westbury Westbury, NY
6/18/2011 Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa / Event Ctr. Atlantic City, NJ
6/19/2011 Filene Center At Wolf Trap Vienna, VA
6/20/2011 Hershey Theatre Hershey, PA
6/22/2011 Stage AE Pittsburgh, PA
6/23/2011 Fox Theatre Detroit, MI
6/24/2011 Lifestyle Communities Pavilion Columbus, OH
6/25/2011 Aronoff Center For The Arts Cincinnati, OH
6/26/2011 Murat Theatre Indianapolis, IN
6/29/2011 Genesee Theatre Waukegan, IL
6/30/2011 Star Plaza Theatre Merrillville, IN
7/1/2011 Minneapolis Zoo Minneapolis, MN
7/2/2011 Minneapolis Zoo Minneapolis, MN
7/5/2011 Paramount Theatre Denver, CO
7/8/2011 Pantages Theater Tacoma, WA
7/9/2011 Sleep Country Amphitheater Ridgefield, WA
7/10/2011 The Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
7/13/2011 Majestic Fox Theater Bakersfield, CA
7/14/2011 Chumash Casino Santa Ynez, CA
7/15/2011 Morongo Casino Resort & Spa Cabazon, CA
7/16/2011 Greek Theatre Los Angeles, CA
You can visit http://www.facebook.com/monkeestour for tour dates, updated ticketing information and more.

21 Questions with Dennis the Menace

Thanks to Shout Factory I have a chance to give away a free copy of Dennis the Menace Season 1 on DVD. So here are 21 trivia questions about Dennis the Menace, the TV show and the comic strip. The person who e-mails me the most correct answers by March 12th at originalcaptainatom@gmail.com will be the winner. Now here are the questions.

1.What was the date that the first episode of Dennis the Menace aired on TV?
2.What date did Dennis the Menace comic strip first appear in the newspapers?
3.Who picked Jeannie Russell to play Margaret?
4.How many children do the Wilson’s have?
5.What was the name of the policeman in Dennis’ neighborhood?
6.After Joseph Kearns, the original Mr. Wilson, died what was the excuse given to explain his absence?
7.What actor replaced Joseph Kearns as Mr. Wilson?
8.What is the favorite sport of Mr. Mitchell?
9.What network did the show air on?
10.What night did it air on?
11.What was the address where Dennis and his parents lived?
12.What other TV show did Jay North play on after Dennis the Menace?
13.What cartoon character did Jay North provide the voice to on Saturday morning TV?
14.Willard Waterman played Mr. Quigley on the show. What old time radio character is he also known for?
15.What was the date of the last original first run episode to air?
16.What is the name of his dog?
17.What was the name of Mr. Wilson’s dog?
18.How old has Dennis always been in the comic strip?
19.How many episodes were there in the series?
20.What was Dennis’ catch phrase from the series?
21.What was Mr. Wilson’s catch phrase?

Here They Come Walking Down the Street Again

They didn't tour for their 40th anniversary but they are making up for that with a 45th anniversary tour. In May the Monkees begin what I hope turns into a world tour in England. Saddly it isn't a world tour as Mike is the usual holdout. But it is always fun to see Micky,Peter and Davy. Here are the dates for the UK tour and if anyone connected to the Monkees sees this please put Cincinnati,Ohio on the USA tour schedule.
THE MONKEES MAY TOUR DATES

May 12th Liverpool Echo Arena

May 24th Manchester Apollo

May 15th Newcastle City Hall

May 16th Glasgow Clyde Auditorium

May 19th London Royal Albert Hall

May 20th Sheffield City Hall

May 21st Birmingham NIA Academy

May 23rd Plymouth Pavillions

May 24th Cardiff CIAgoodma

May 25th Nottingham Royal Centre

Last Train to Murder is half off

My latest book, Last Train to Murder featuring the Monkees, is for sale at 50% off. Get it now at this great savings while you can at Lulu.com.

Happy Belated Birthday to Peter Tork

Peter's Birthday was on the 13th. He turned 69 that day and it was even mentioned on CBS in their Sunday Morning Almanac. Here is a segment of that video.

Last Train to Murder Reviewed

Michael D Hamersky at comic book collectors blog.com has reviewed my current novel "Last Train to Murder. You can read the review if you click here.

In memory of my Dad

Years ago, about 1976, I found David Jones first album. I bought it and for the first time I heard this song. I called my Dad into my room and played it for him. Then I told him I played it for him because this was how I felt about him but didn't know how to tell him myself. Today is his birthday and he would have been 81 years old today.

Soylent Green

I am toying with the idea of making this site dedicated to reviews of movies,tv shows, comic books and music that I read,see and hear. I did one of the TV shows, WKRP in Cincinnati and recently Dark Skies. Today I am doing one of an old sci-fi film Soylent Green. The movie came out in 1973. I like seeing movies fromthe late 60's and early 70's as you get a good but sometimes odd pairing of the movies golden age of actors with the then new age of actors. As many people know this film starred Charlton Heston with Leigh Taylor Young, Chuck Conners, Josepth Cotton and Edward G. Robinson. This cast is a good examploe of odd casting that worked. I espically liked the scenes that had Mr. Conners and Mr. Robinson opposite Mr. Heston. What you may not know about this film is that this film was based on a book called "Make Room! Make Room!" by Harry Harrison. I haven't read the book so I won't discuss that here. This was also the last movie to star Edward G. Robinson. He died before it came out. It seems odd but approiate that he passed away in the film. Kind of gave movie fans closure to some of his fans.
The film was actually an answer to the population explosion that the world was experiencing in the 60's and 70's. Overcrowdind in every country and mjor city was and still is a concern. How would we feed them all? Real food is now gone in this bleak future world. Only the manufactured food called Soylent is able to sustain us. They are identified by different colors and the most popular is the one is Soylent Green.
A man is murdered by a hired killer. We aren't told who or why at first. In this way the film is really murder mystery. Heston is a cop and he investigates the murder. As he peels back the layers he finds that the food company is behind it and, as most movie fans know by now, that Soylent Green is really made from corpses of dead people. Soylent Green is people.
If your only exposure to this ending is the one they spoofed on Saturday Night Live then you will be disappointed. Heston doesn't run through crowds shouting that famous phrase at the end. He is shot and carried out. He raises his hand soaked in his own blood saying the phrase and trying to warn them that one day they may breed us like cattle.
With the excepton of this taking place in the future and food being manufactured form people, there is very little to associate this in the science fiction area as it has been for decades. It is more of a cop drama then anything else. A pretty boring onw too. The acting is great but not enough to save it for my money. Still if you want the movie, book or the poster you can get them at Amazon. The on good thing about this movie was that it showed that Chuck Conners was a good an actore as Charlton Heston. More famous for his heroic roles on TV like the Rifleman and Branded, Conners was even better in films as the villian. I wish he had as big a film career as he had in TV.

Slap Happy Pappy

Here is a good example of a cartoon from the 1940's. Very funny spoofs of the celebrities from that time.