Is there anything more boring than World Cup Soccer? I think it is to the credit of the United States that we ignore this monotony. What is the excitement in watching a bunch of guys run around all afternoon faking life threatening injuries, just to see a 0-0 score. Then, they have to have a "shootout" to determine the winner. Suggestion: Eliminate the game and just have the shootout or make the field smaller and the goal wider. I want to see some 10-9 games.....The May/June edition of "AARP, The Magazine" has a picture of Paul McCartney who is now 64 years old and still going strong. Can it really be 42 years since "I Want to Hold Your Hand"? The Beatles turned the pop music world upside down in 1964 while leading the British Invasion. Ringo is still around with Paul but John Lennon and George Harrison are gone (1980, 2001).....Speaking of the British Invasion, my favorite Mick Jagger quote still echos today as Mick turns 63 this year and is still touring. While in his 20's he said that, "I would rather be dead than singing "Satisfaction" when I’m 45." It’s all right Mick, a lot of us don’t always keep our word....See you next week! JM (Comments? Questions? azjimmcallister@cox.net)

ERIC STEWART and GRAHAM GOULDMAN,
(L-R, both in foreground) were the driving forces
behind 10 cc, one of the great '70s bands (10 cc)

A FEW THINGS JUST HAPPENED TO CROSS MY MIND

by Jim McAllister

A little bit of this, that, and the other thing or musings, miscellaneous ramblings or whatever...I was getting a haircut this morning at my friendly Supercuts haircut factory. By the way, do you know the difference between a Supercuts haircut and a $40 haircut? Answer: $27, but I digress. Anyway, Yvette, the girl cutting my hair and I were talking about great rock musicians and the cost of concerts now and years ago. In 1971 my wife and I saw Foghat at the Cowtown Ballroom in Kansas City for $3.00! Throughout the ‘70s we would see the best of the day for $10 to $15. Bands like The Electric Light Orchestra, 10cc, Eric Clapton, Frank Zappa, and many others. Today, secondary acts are getting $50 and higher, and acts like The Stones and Paul McCartney get $100 or more. No thanks, that’s ridiculous and I won’t pay it although I hear that Roger Waters is coming to Phoenix and doing a whole Pink Floyd show including the entire "Dark Side of the Moon" album. I might relent for that! I am so weak!...Those of you who are into the vintage movie scene probably know that director Vincent Sherman died this past week at 99. He directed a lot of the top stars in his day including Bette Davis, Humphrey Bogart, and Claude Rains. Also recently deceased is character actor Arthur Franz. Right now you are saying, "Who’s he?" Unless you are a close follower of old films and the tube, you may not know Franz by name. He was a handsome guy who was on about every TV show there was in the ‘50s in addition to many movies. The name may not sound familiar, but if you saw him you would probably say, "Oh, that guy! I remember him!" Arthur Franz was 86...I watched "The lost Weekend" (1945) last night on TCM.. That movie still packs a punch. Ray Milland was not the first choice for the lead, and he didn’t consider himself capable of it either. But after Cary Grant and Jose Ferrer (Jose Ferrer?) turned it down, Milland gave it a shot and won the Best Actor Oscar for 1945...I like the BP ads on television. They are trying to make us believe that they are a bunch of Albert Schweitzers in dealing with energy. Notice also that they never mention that "BP" stands for British Petroleum. Could it be that since a lot of the UK is hostile towards us they don’t want to advertise that they are British?...Cadillac has sure changed their ads also. They used to appeal to the older set with very sedate advertising including country club scenes and soft music. Now they show the younger folks doing wheelies to the sound of rock music. It looks like an MTV video. It seems to be working, sales are up...The number one car on my "most disliked car" list continues to be the Cadillac Escalade. Coming in a close second is the Hummer. These two heaps illustrate what gluttony, greed, and waste are all about...Congratulations to Scottsdale, the embarrassment of "The Tuesday Night Book Club" is over. Much to our relief, CBS canceled this mess after two shows, so those bimbos will have to seek out something else to do with their lives. Thanks to all who didn’t watch this silliness; you renewed my faith in the taste of the American public...Flash! Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton hate each other! Does anyone care other than rags like PEOPLE? As talentless as Lohan is, at least she does work. Hilton is just a perpetual partier. By the way, don’t invite her and Robert Redford to the same party...Is it annoying to you to have to push "1" on the phone to hear English? This is the USA, right? This is supposed to be an English speaking country. Hopefully, English will never be demoted to "2" on the push button. I have no problem with LEGAL immigrants but when you move here, take a shot at English. That’s what we do here. Remember the old saying, "When in Rome,......". The same goes for the USA...

ARTHUR FRANZ and PEGGIE CASTLE in BACK
FROM THE DEAD (1957). Arthur Franz died
at 86 recently. He was a busy guy in TV and movies
for many years. (20th Century Fox)

The frustrated members of the canceled THE
TUESDAY NIGHT BOOK CLUB. Supposedly
living in Scottsdale, one lived in Chandler. After
cancellation one of these Einsteins actually said,
"The audience thought were were actually going
to read books." Uh.......Yeah. (CBS)

"Dead or Alive" is an interesting site if you want to keep up with celebrity deaths. I know it sounds a bit morbid, but it is a good research tool with some interesting features. Recently they listed all the TV dads from the 1950's and what their status is. Hugh Beaumont, who played Ward Cleaver, died in 1982 at 73. Beaumont was a good character actor in the 1940’s but is usually only remembered for his role on "Leave it to Beaver"...The critics are killing "Nacho Libre", the latest from Jack Black. Most of them see it as a bunch of flatulence jokes, no real story line, and supposed "pie in the face" type nonsense. As usual, that’s good enough for audiences as it did $28 million for its first week. Never underestimate the taste of the American public!...In other current movie news the latest Poseidon remake seems to have flopped doing only about $60 million, and Tom Cruise’s latest Mission Impossible flick has not lived up to expectations at the box office. I guess all of Brooke Shields’ fans are boycotting it!...See you next week, I have to go mourn the U. S. A. soccer loss to Ghana. Ghana?! (Comments? azjimmcallister@cox.net)

DENVER HAS A TREASURE IN WRITER JOHN DUNNING

(Author's note: This column was also published in the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS, Denver edition on June 17, 2006)

by Jim McAllister

John Dunning is the best mystery writer that I have ever read and my favorites, other than Dunning, are no slouches: Robert B. Parker, Michael Connelly, Harlan Coben, Tony Hillerman, Michael Crichton, and others of the same level. Why, then, would I pick Dunning over those guys who have much longer resumes and, in general, are more well known?
It started in 2001 when my wife was at a Border’s store in Scottsdale and came across Dunning’s novel for that year, "Two O’Clock, Eastern Wartime". She knows that being a history major, specializing especially in American history and the period of the 1940's, I enjoy stories pertaining to that period. I also like anything that involves old time radio. After perusing Dunning’s book, she noticed that not only was it a mystery, but was involved with the early days of World War II (1942) plus some strange happenings occurring at a radio station along the Jersey shore outside of New York City. She bought the book, I immediately read it, and have been a John Dunning fan ever since.
Mr. Dunning has also written a series of mysteries involving fictional former Denver cop and now bookseller, Cliff Janeway. His first in the Janeway series was "Booked to Die", which was published in 1992. Happy just to be published, Dunning figured to sell the initial printing of 6,500 hardback first editions and maybe go through a small second printing. After all, he hadn’t had a published work in ten years. What actually happened was "Booked to Die" had its initial printings sold out immediately and from 1992 through 2000 has had four more hardback and nineteen paperback editions.

BOOKED TO DIE...John Dunning's
surprise best seller that introduced
ex-Denver cop Cliff Janeway
(Old Algonquin Books)

THE BOOKMAN'S WAKE by
JohnDunning. Number two in
the Cliff Janeway series. (Old Algon-
quin Books)

Since that time he has written four more Cliff Janeway mysteries: "The Bookman’s Wake" (1995), "The Bookman’s Promise", (2004), "The Sign of the Book" (2005), and "The Bookwoman’s Last Fling" (2006). Two other good mysteries are "The Holland Suggestions" (1975) and "Looking For Ginger North" (1980). Also in 1980 he published a sprawling novel about his adopted hometown called simply, "Denver". It covers the lives of some fictional families in Denver and the effects of the Ku Klux Klan on them during the 1920's. The last three selections are excellent but are long out of print. I was lucky and found used copies on Amazon.
John Dunning was not always a successful writer. In 1964, after something of a nomadic lifestyle, he settled in Denver working at a glass shop and later at some horse racetracks. By 1966 he was working in the library of "The Denver Post". That job led to a reporter’s job. During that time he also was in the process of collecting recordings of old radio shows which he turned into a 25 year long radio show in Denver and the publication of "The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio", a must for radio enthusiasts.

JOHN DUNNING, author of TWO O'CLOCK,
EASTERN WARTIME at a book signing (Jon Jordan)

In addition, Dunning owned the Old Algonquin Bookstore in East Denver from 1984 to 1994. He closed it at that time and has been in the book business on the internet since its closing.
I think that is a pretty good resume for a guy whose formal education consists of a GED high school diploma from South Carolina in the early 1960's.
If you like good mysteries combined with a bit about the book business, John Dunning’s books are for you. He writes in a clear, concise, style with well defined characters, interesting storylines, and great endings.
Yes, Denver, you have a treasure in writer John Dunning.

CATCHING UP AND A COUPLE OF MOVIE REVIEWS

by Jim McAllister

This week I am going to take a step backward to catch my breath. It has been a busy time! Last Tuesday THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC published the piece that I had originally done in April of 2005 about the ghost army of World War II. It was published in conjunction with D-Day, June 6, and was focused on a member of that group from Scottsdale, Dr. Harold Laynor. The REPUBLIC liked the article so much that they have asked me to write opinion pieces for them at a rate of three per month. These pieces will concern things that are going on in the northeast part of the Phoenix metro area (Scottsdale, Arcadia, Salt River Indian Community, Carefree, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley). I have also been keeping in touch with my old buddy from the INDEPENDENT of Scottsdale/Paradise Valley, Brendan Leonard, who is now with the ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS in Denver. I am posting a blog in that paper which has been receiving a nice bit of attention with a lot of responses and a 5 star rating out of a possible 5 stars by readers. Along with that, I am trying to keep up with this blog and possibly contribute something to my good friend, Emily Soccorsy, at the INDEPENDENT without whose help, along with Brendan, I may have never made it to the map. Thanks to all you readers and supporters, I appreciate you all!
BACK TO BUSINESS....Have you seen the recent British import flick, "Kinky Boots"? If you enjoyed "The Full Monty" or "Calendar Girls", you will love "Kinky Boots". Yes, this story has been done in the aforementioned, but it is still a funny and heartwarming film.
This time the action is in Northhampton, an industrial town of the UK. The local shoe factory, which has been around for generations, is about to go under. Their products are boring and sales are down. The 62 year old owner has just died and his son Charlie (Joel Edgerton), who is lost in space in the shoe business, has taken over. He contemplates selling off the company assets but reconsiders after realizing how that would affect the long time loyal employees. What to do, what to do...after stumbling into a gay bar full of female impersonators, he meets Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who has a hell of a time trying to find a decent pair of women’s shoes to wear. The lightbulb goes off in Charlie’s head! Maybe there is a market in shoes for cross dressing men! He goes for it along with Lola’s help and the rest is predictable along with the ending at the big Italian fashion show. However, it is so well done, flashy and funny, it makes for great laughs and a feel good feeling. Ejiofor steals the film with his over the top portrayal of Lola, Edgerton is good playing Charlie in a low key, and cutie Sarah Jane Potts is good as Charlie’s factory worker girlfriend. There are some good musical numbers too. Nothing complicated here, just an enjoyable 107 minutes. Rated PG-13, limited distribution, check the art houses.

CHIWETEL EJIOFOR, SARAH-JANE POTTS and JOEL
EDGERTON star in KINKY BOOTS (Miramax)

Another recent film that will probably be found at the art houses is DOWN IN THE VALLEY which is a bit too long at 125 minutes (rated "R"). It is also a downer but it contains some very good acting by Edward Norton, Evan Rachel Wood, Rory Culkin, and David Morse. Norton plays Harlan Carruthers to the hilt as a cowboy from South Dakota who, somehow, has wound up in the San Fernando Valley. He is a rope carrying, cowboy hat wearing, western epithet speaking character that is totally out of place in this "gag me with a spoon" environment. While working in a full service gas station (those still exist somewhere?) He meets Tobe (Wood), a gorgeous typical SFV teenager, and her girlfriends as they are on their way to the beach. Tobe invites Harlan along and, after one thing leads to another, they fall in love. Harlan seems like a good, albeit naive, guy but Tobe’s father (Morse) detects another side to him and discourages his daughter from seeing him. Harlan’s intensified feelings for Tobe and dislike of her father, start the story in another direction.

EVAN RACHEL WOOD and EDWARD NORTON
in DOWN IN THE VALLEY. Cowboy meets San
Fernando Valley teen with unpredictable results.
(Element Pictures)

DOWN IN THE VALLEY plays the L. A. scene to the hilt with good photography of the confusion and overbuilding of the place as compared to the hayseed mentality of Harlan. It’s a long movie, I wish I had brought a pillow to sit on when it inched past the two hour mark, but I liked it enough that I would recommend it to those who like a show with a psychological twist.....Upcoming flick not seen yet but on my list: A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION. Garrison Keillor’s NPR show comes to the big screen. A niche movie for sure but down my alley.

ALAN FREED AND ROCK AND ROLL

by Jim McAllister

It’s the kids that make it work. If Benny Goodman was still alive he would tell you that statement is true after his Oakland and Los Angeles, California experiences in the late 1930's. His band was on the verge of breaking up while on a failed tour until they reached California and the ballrooms packed with kids wanting to jitterbug to Goodman’s new swinging sound. His late night broadcasts to the West Coast from New York had won them over and they were ready to party.
Rock and roll had a similar beginning since, once again, it was the kids that made it work along with help from rock and roll legendary promoter Alan Freed. Freed was born in Pennsylvania in 1922 and by the time he finished college he had developed an interest in music and radio. After World War II he went to work as a disc jockey for several stations in the Ohio-Pennsylvania area before finally ending up in Cleveland in 1949.

ALAN FREED...credited by many as
the originator of rock and roll through
his Cleveland radio show. (alanfreed.com)

One day a local record store owner contacted Freed and said that for some unknown reason his teenage customers were starting to buy a lot of black rhythm and blues records and that it might make his show more popular if he began playing some of these tunes. Freed took his advice and in 1951 he started playing black rhythm and blues to a white teenage audience. The response was immediate as his show skyrocketed in popularity. He coined the term "rock and roll" from a song done by a black group of the day as a means to appease those who held a prejudice against black music.
This success led to Freed’s "Moondog Coronation Ball" in Cleveland in 1952. It was held at a hall with seating for 10,000 and featured popular black acts of the time. Another 6,000 stormed the gates for a total attendance of 16,000, two thirds of which were white.
By 1954, Freed had outgrown Cleveland and moved to New York to work for WINS radio. Once again his show took off and was soon rated number one. He also starred in a series of rock and roll movies which further increased his popularity.

CHUCK BERRY...He will be 80 this year
and is still at it. He was once promoted by
Alan Freed (Yahoomusic.com)

By 1957, the bloom was beginning to leave the rose. ABC-TV had given Freed a nationally televised show. On one episode, black singer Frankie Lymon danced with a white girl, virtually a no-no for that era. The ABC southern affiliates were incensed by this and the show was canceled. Next came a show he promoted in Boston where he was charged with inciting a riot. Although cleared of the charges, WINS let him go.
Freed was now mired in bankruptcy and his troubles were just beginning. He was convicted in the payola scandals of the late 1950's where disc jockeys were accused of accepting money and gifts for playing certain records. Although his sentence was a small fine and no jail time his career was basically finished.
He worked briefly at stations in Los Angeles and Miami and tried to cash in on the "twist" craze of the early 1960's. When that fad passed, he was out of work again and drinking heavily. In 1964, while broke and barely existing in Palm Springs, California, the Federal Government charged him with income tax evasion. Shortly afterward, Freed entered a hospital suffering from uremia and eventually died on January 20, 1965 at the age of 43.

ALAN FREED surrounded by a collage
of stars that he promoted (rockabillyhall.
com)

Freed was like a comet: one day he was here and the next day he was gone. Anyone who loves rock and roll should know about Alan Freed, for without him the genre might never have existed. Alan Freed, radio, and the kids made rock and roll work and caused great rock stations to evolve like WHB in Kansas City, KXOK in St. Louis, and the all night 50,000 watt giants like KOMA in Oklahoma City, WLS in Chicago, and KAAY in Little Rock. Many a kid went to bed at night with their transistors tuned to these guys.
Alan Freed loved rock and roll until the day he died and supported the black performers who played the hits he loved over the "clean cut" white cover versions. He was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. (If you would like to receive my column automatically on a weekly basis, send me a note at azjimmcallister@cox.net with your email address and I will add you to my bloggers list.)

THE ERA OF "SCREWBALL COMEDY" FILMS, 1934-1941

by Jim McAllister

"Screwball" comedy was popular in Hollywood films from about 1934 until the early 1940's. Last November I devoted two columns (11-9, 11-16) to discussing the musicals of the same period and how their purpose was to cheer up audiences of the Depression and try to make them really believe that "We’re in the Money". The screwball comedies were designed to do basically the same thing during the same period and, like the musicals, they usually added a bit of commentary to their stories.

CARY GRANT and ROSALIND RUSSELL in
HIS GIRL FRIDAY. Classic "screwball" in this
remake of THE FRONT PAGE. Fast paced and
funny. Grant even refers to his real name "Archie
Leach"! A must for all "screwball" fans. (Modern
Times)

What were the screwball comedies about? The word "screwball" came about in the early 20th century and meant "crazy" or "insane" so the first thing one notices when discussing these films is the fast pacing and frenetic or crazy action. A good example of this is the 1940 entry, "His Girl Friday" starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Another trait is the story line which usually involves the breakup of a romance, as one or both partners decide they can’t stand the other, and gets involved with another person. Usually, through a rough and tumble story, they eventually find that they can’t live without each other after all. The dialogue is almost always sophisticated and slapstick comedy can be involved. Somebody or some thing is usually being laughed at such as in "My Man Godfrey" (1936) where the rich are being skewered during the height of the Depression for their frivolous spending while others starved.

WILLIAM POWELL and CAROLE LOMBARD
in MY MAN GODFREY. Made in 1936, it was
a good example of "screwball" commentary with
its portrayal of the wealthy during the Depression.
Powell and Lombard were married briefly in the
1930's. He lived to be 92, she died tragically in
a plane crash in 1942 at 34 while on a war bond rally
trip. She was married to Clark Gable at the time;
he never fully recoverd from her death. (Modern
Times)

When watching a screwball comedy, one will notice that although there is a lot of sexual innuendo, there isn’t much in the way of sex. Had these movies been made before 1934 this may have been different, but 1934 was the year that Joseph Breen took over the administration of the Hollywood Production Code and started enforcing the Hays Code of 1930. Hence, Frank Capra had to be careful in the first successful screwball comedy, "It Happened One Night" (1934). Clark Gable was allowed to take off his shirt to reveal a bare chest in the motel room but with a blanket dividing the room between him and Claudette Colbert. (Note: that scene almost ruined the undershirt makers as men wanted to be like the ultra cool Gable and quit wearing undershirts.) "It Happened One Night" also incorporated a couple more traits of screwball comedy: strong willed women, and wealth by one or both parties. In this case, Colbert is the strong willed, runaway heiress being chased by reporter Gable and her harried father, Walter Connolly. A similar role is that of Carole Lombard in "My Man Godfrey". It’s hard to think of Lombard as anything but strong willed as she played a similar personality in other screwball favorites, "Nothing Sacred" (1937), "Twentieth Century" (1934), and "Mr. And Mrs. Smith" (1941).

CLAUDETTE COLBERT and CLARK GABLE
in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT. Gable was loaned
to poverty row Columbia Pictures by MGM as
punishment for asking for more money. Col-
bert originally had no interest in the movie. Result:
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT won Best Movie Oscar
for 1934, Best Actress: Colbert, Best Director: Frank
Capra, Best Screenplay: Robert Riskin. Truly "screwball"!
(Modern Times)

William Powell and Myrna Loy starred in "The Thin Man" series of six films produced between 1934 and 1947. These entries exemplified the screwball touch. Nick and Nora Charles (Powell and Loy) were characters invented by Dashiell Hammett and "The Thin Man" movies had it all: plenty of wealth, some slapstick, misunderstandings, a lot of drinking, a strong female lead, and a good final resolution. They are fast paced, funny, sophisticated, and well worth watching.
Some of the Hollywood’s best were well suited for screwball comedy. They were all good looking, classy performers who weren’t afraid to take a pratfall or get a pie in the face. I have mentioned Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Carole Lombard, Gable and Colbert, and Powell and Loy. Others were also good such as: Melvyn Douglas ("Ninotchka" (1939) with Greta Garbo), Jean Arthur (The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936) with Powell), and Ginger Rogers ("Bachelor Mother" (1939) with David Niven).

WILLIAM POWELL and MYRNA LOY
in THE THIN MAN. The popular pair
starred in five other Thin Man movies.
These films had most of the attributes
of "screwball". (Modern Times)

A lot of popular character actors inhabited these movies too. Among them were Edward Everett Horton, the above mentioned Walter Connolly, Franklin Pangborn, the ever rotund Eugene Pallette, Alan Mowbray, and Edward Arnold.
Although there were a few more screwball films made in the 1940's, the style had pretty much run its course by the early 1940's. With the onset of World War II, the Depression finally ended and with it the feeling for frivolity. War pictures became popular as part of the fighting mentality and people turned their attention to more serious matters. The day of the screwball comedy was basically over but not forgotten by the Depression audiences of the 1930's.

THE "GHOST ARMY" OF WORLD WAR II

(Author's note: This article was originally published on April 27, 2005 in the INDEPENDENT. I was fascinated by the story of the ghost army and the bravery of those guys in World War II and, with Memorial Day arriving in another week, I feel a tribute to them and our current fighting forces is appropriate with a reprint of that column....JM

by Jim McAllister

I’m sure you are wondering, "What in the world was the ghost army of World War II?" It’s an interesting story that I will explain in this column.
Ever since warfare has existed, armies have relied on some type of deception to gain an advantage on their opponents. Some ancient armies used plaster dummies, others used fake smoke signals and spies, and we all know about the famous Trojan horse. These ancient examples of deception were carried into modern warfare during World War II with the exploits of the ghost army or their actual title which was the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops.
The ghost army was a unique and little known group of American soldiers who played a big part in the Allied victory over Germany through their abilities in the art of deception. Even though information on this unit became available about thirty years ago, not much has been written about them. As World War II faded into history, so did the 23rd Special Troops.
The ghost army was organized by Lieutenant Colonel Merrick Truly. He was the executive officer in charge of these deception experts. Although Truly’s men reported to the American ground commander in Europe, General Omar Bradley, most of the American soldiers did not know of the existence of the Special Troops. They operated at night under strictly special orders and were not even required to give their identity to superior officers.

DR. HAROLD LAYNOR... a member
of the American 23rd Special Troops
of World War II. Photo taken in
France, 1944. (Courtesy Laynor
Museum)

The most unique part of this already unique group was the composition of its members. Many of these men were already famous as artists, sculptors, architects, literary figures, and others from the world of the arts and humanities. Actor Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. was perhaps the most well known for his Hollywood successes, but there was also renowned fashion designer Bill Blass, Olin Dows: a prominent artist, George Diestal: a Hollywood set designer, Art Kane: a fashion photographer, and Harold Laynor, whose artistic works depicting World War II and other subjects, are shown in galleries throughout the country.

One of the 23rd Special Troops deception items:
A dummy plane used in France to deceive the
enemy (Courtesy Laynor Museum)

The ghost army consisted of 82 officers and 1,023 enlisted men. With their eclectic mixture of talents, they were strictly in the deception business. The Special Troops were made up of four units: a sonic deception company, a special radio company, a company of combat engineers, and a battalion of camoufleurs. They served with four armies in five European countries in five major campaigns from D-Day (June 6, 1944) until the end of the war in 1945.
The Special Troops used six major methods of deception: camouflaging troops and tanks, placing dummy tanks and artillery, firing pyrotechnics to simulate actual artillery fire, the use of artificial sound effects, using artificial radio communication, and using fake special effects. This created an atmosphere of great danger as they needed to be in close to front line battles.

One of Dr. Harold Laynor's paintings
from World War II titled "YOUNG G.I."
(Courtesy Laynor Museum)

Although these brave men were involved in at least twenty other confrontations with the enemy, their biggest contribution was probably at the battle between Allied Forces and Germany at the Rhine River on March 23, 1945. Their contributions were essential in weakening the German assault and forcing Germany to surrender two months later in May of 1945.
Although records and information concerning the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops are sketchy, the aforementioned artist Harold Laynor (1922-1991) made a series of fifty paintings covering two years of participating in World War II. His works include paintings of army buddies, aspects of training and, as the series progresses, he relates the brutality and horror of war.

BILL BLASS (1922-2002)...The famous
fashion designer as seen in 1972. He was
a member of the American "ghost army" of
World War II. (Jackie Robinson Archive)

Like the above mentioned celebrities participating in the 23rd, Dr. Laynor was highly distinguished in his field. Although he used primarily watercolors for his World War II work, he was also a pioneer in the use of lacquer as a medium of painting and the use of 3D paintings for the blind.
The Laynor Foundation website (www.laynor.org) has valuable information concerning the ghost army and also features seven galleries of Dr. Laynor’s World War II paintings. They are very interesting and illustrative of that terrible time in our history.
Optical illusions, bluffs, sleight of hand, misinformation, disappearing acts: all part of the ghost army of World War II; a brave and cunning bunch of guys who were instrumental in giving us the lifestyle we enjoy today. (Comments? Questions? azjimmcallister@cox.net)

THE BIG BANDS: SWING, JAZZ, AND BENNY GOODMAN

by Jim McAllister

Once upon a time in America couples actually touched each other while dancing. Not only that, if you really got into "fast" dancing you needed some athletic ability plus you better be in good physical shape. If you see movies such as "Cabin in the Sky" (1943), The Marx Brothers’ "A Day at the Races" (1937) or "Hellzapoppin’" (1941), you will see dancing being performed that will take your breath away. Popularly known as "jitterbugging" or "swing dancing" many years ago, this style was originally an outgrowth from a popular dance in the 1920's called the "Lindy Hop", named after transatlantic crossing aviator Charles Lindbergh.
In the 1920's, the so-called society orchestras played a ragtime style dance music that included a lot of strings. By the latter part of the decade, artists like Louis Armstrong were breaking away from that style fronting smaller groups consisting mainly of brass sections, piano, and drums. As the 1930's emerged these "swing" bands became larger and louder (they were now known as "Big Bands") and were led by such future stars as the Dorsey brothers, Cab Calloway, Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, and Benny Goodman.

Jitterbugging in Harlem in 1939. (Museum of City
of New York, Sid Grossman, photographer)

Since this was considered a drastic change to the popular music and dancing scene, there was much consternation from previous generations much like that experienced in the 1950's by Elvis and in the 1960's by The Beatles. I tend to pick Benny Goodman as the harbinger responsible for the success of Big Band jazz and swing. January 18, 1938 is an important date in this movement as that was when promoter Sol Hurok booked Goodman and his band into the most prestigious venue in the country, Carnegie Hall. Goodman had experienced some hard earned success before the Hall date, but that was the benchmark for all others who followed.
Benny Goodman was born in Chicago on May 30, 1909 and was part of a family of twelve. By the age of 16 he was playing clarinet for various bands and by 1933 was doing recordings with drummer Gene Krupa and trombonist Jack Teagarden. He led his first band in 1934 and then was engaged to perform on radio via NBC’s "Let’s Dance". He also performed on the "National Biscuit Saturday Night" broadcasts. Although he also played standards that appealed to the masses during the day on New York radio, the late night programming allowed him to play his own type of music. Although New York didn’t hear much of these late night broadcasts, the kids in California did because of the three hour time difference. This would later prove to be a major factor in Goodman’s success.

CAB CALLOWAY (1907-1994)...The "Hi-de-hi,
Hi-de-ho" man. Calloway was a great
entertainer with his orchestra, singing, and
dancing. (Cab Calloway photo gallery)

In the spring of 1934 Benny and the band took off on a summer tour. Although they had Benny’s music, they were told to stay with the standards because of the complaints of the older ballroom dancers about the new style of the band. Refusing to acquiesce to this demand, the tour was becoming a failure as fewer people were showing up to hear the new sound. As plans to disband the tour were discussed, they reached California. The first stop was Oakland where lines of young people extended around the block to get into Sweet’s Ballroom to "jitterbug" the night away to the sound of Benny’s music. He was happy with this success but considered it more as a one time situation than any sort of breakthrough. However, when the band reached the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles for the last stop on the tour, the crowds of kids and adults were there to greet him and dance the night away again. The band stayed at the Palomar for a two month gig before heading back east wallowing in the success of the West Coast dates. Thanks to the East Coast-West Coast time difference of three hours, Benny Goodman had become a star through his late night radio broadcasts.

BENNY GOODMAN...His concert of
January 18, 1938 at Carnegie Hall
established him as the "King of Swing"
(Photo: David Mulliss)

More success was attained in Chicago and then it was on to New York to pack them in at the Paramount Theater where kids waited for hours to get in and jitterbug in the aisles. At the age of 28, Benny Goodman was practically at the pinnacle of his profession as he was now featured on the Camel Caravan radio program and receiving rave reviews from the critics and fans. Then there was January 18, 1938, the date that he received his final approval with the Carnegie Hall gig. Benny Goodman was truly the "King of Swing".
The swing era began to fade a bit as World War II progressed, but Benny Goodman’s influence was felt as he was responsible for many kids getting into music and working in particular with the clarinet. He later played some classic compositions as a soloist with noted orchestras around the world. He had played with the best jazz and swing artists of his time and remained the King of Swing until his death in June of 1986 at the age off 77. (Comments? Questions? azjimmcallister@cox.net)

THE 2006 MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL

by Jim McAllister

It has been one year since I reviewed The McDowell Mountain Music Festival number two. It was a great event and the 2006 event that took place Friday and Saturday, April 28 and 29, was even better. Think about it: For fifty bucks you get to enjoy an entire day on the polo field of Westworld in Scottsdale and listen to some great bands perform from noon until eleven o’clock at night. Fifty bucks won’t even get you close to a Madonna concert or any other notable act, so this was a great deal.

The 2006 MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN MUSIC
FESTIVAL (Photo: McDowell Mountain Music
Festival)

The Festival also is a family friendly event as there was a craft center and other activities to keep the kids busy. Once again the proceeds of an expected $30,000 will be donated to the Boys Hope, Girls Hope foundation and the Phoenix Day Child and Family Learning Centers.
This year’s setup looked about the same as last year’s with plenty of food and drink booths on the perimeter of the field. There was the artist’s colony section with some nifty stuff and the obligatory tacky items and, of course, tee shirts were available. I’m glad the organizers haven’t gone overboard with the booths, enough is enough with that sort of attraction .With the heat of Saturday I was thankful for the suds available at the Sierra Nevada beer booth. I also was glad I lathered down with sun block as the sun was shining in all of its Arizona glory.
The music at The McDowell Mountain Music Festival just keeps getting better. Last year was good with well known acts like Bruce Hornsby and Solomon Burke performing along with good but lesser known acts. This year was an improvement as Friday’s lineup included the multi platinum Black Crowes as the featured act of a day that included Traveler, The Pistoleros, Tishamingo, Son Volt, and Buckwheat Zydeco.

BURNING SPEAR...The reggae artist performed
on a hot Scottsdale afternoon at the McDowell
Mountain Music Festival. (Photo: Burning Spear)

On Saturday, the entertainment level was kicked up a notch as nine acts made their way to the stage. I arrived in time to see the end of event co-organizer Walt Richardson’s set. Following Richardson was the master of reggae, Burning Spear. This guy has been around for over thirty-five years and, along with his band, put on quite a show. A large crowd cheered enthusiastically and since there was accessability for fans to get close to the stage, there was plenty of dancing. Spear’s band was great and for a moment, I thought I heard a guitar riff similar to the one in Norman Greenbaum’s "Spirit in the Sky" from 1970. Could it be? Did that lead guitar player for Spear give me a nod of appreciation for noticing that? I would like to think so.

THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND...A favorite
from the 1970's, they thrilled the large crowd
on Saturday night at The McDowell Mountain
Music Festival (Photo: Yahoo.com)

After Burning Spear came Ozomatli, a group with a sound very different from the smooth reggae tones of Burning Spear. I would describe their sound as a mix of rap, Latin, hip-hop, all with a middle eastern background. Does that sound a bit different to you? I assure you that it was but some of their tunes were pretty good as I enjoyed the mysterious air to them with the middle eastern sound. Whatever it was they did, their fans were appreciative as the crowds were enlarging and getting more boisterous with their cheering and dancing. Evening was approaching and full blown party time was nearing.
Saturday night brought 1970's favorite, The Marshall Tucker Band, popular rock and soul guitarist Johnny Lang, and three time Grammy winning Los Lobos. That concluded a great day and weekend of music and fun at the 2006 McDowell Mountain Music Festival.

THE BLACK CROWES performed at the McDowell
Mountain Music Festival on April 28 (Photo:
RollingStone.com)

The Festival is a nice event that I look forward to. It appeals to everyone from families to young party animals to older fans of some of the nostalgic bands like Marshall Tucker. In the two years that I have attended, I have yet to see any type of scuffling that you might expect at an event that includes beer and rock and roll. Security is good and I even saw a "rent a cop" that reminded me of officer Jim Chee of the Tony Hillerman novels. How is that for imagination?
If you have never gone, I would suggest marking your calendar for next year. Two suggestions: Take some chairs for seating and some blankets if you plan to sit in front of the bandstand. Last year it got pretty cool at night. Secondly, if you are there for an extended period in the daytime, bring along some sun block. I saw a lot of pink people that are suffering today from the sun exposure.
Other than those suggestions, I hope I see you next year for another fun time at The McDowell Mountain Music Festival, 2007. (Comments? Questions? azjimmcallister@cox.net.

THE ADVENTURES OF ROUTE 66, THE"MOTHER ROAD"

by Jim McAllister

Route 66, sometimes known as "The Mother Road" or "The Will Roger’s Highway", is probably still the most talked about highway in the United States. Starting at Jackson Boulevard and Lakeshore Drive in Chicago, it ran in the shape of a crescent from Chicago to Santa Monica Boulevard in Los Angeles grinding its way south through Illinois then heading west through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and into California.

"Get your kicks on Route 66"....from Chicago
to Los Angeles, the "Mother Road" had it all.
(Courtesy: National Park Service, Dept. of
The Interior)

Route 66 was originated in the 1920's as a combination of existing roads which were mostly unpaved. With its heavy use in the Depression of the 1930's, it became a road of both romance and despair as it was the route to California for both the more fortunate of that dreadful era and for those less fortunate that were fleeing the "dust bowl" of Oklahoma in search of a new life out west. The plight of these "Okies" was best described by John Steinbeck in THE GRAPES OF WRATH....."and they come into 66 from the tributary side roads, from the wagon tracks and the rutted country roads, 66 is the mother road, the road of flight."
With the better economy in post World War II times, U. S. 66 became the busiest highway to the west and with that heavier traffic came various roadside businesses that were rather unique such as the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, the Route 66 diner in Albuquerque, and the Snocap Drive-in in Seligman, Arizona. These places still exist while many others have disappeared through the years after the demise of Route 66 in the mid 1980's.

The remains of a Route 66 bridge located east of Winslow,
Arizona. (Photo: Route 66 Federation)

In 1946 musician Bobby Troup was driving west on 66 with his wife when he wrote the famous ode to the mother road, "Route 66". It was later recorded by Nat "King" Cole and most of the words bring back memories to me of my connections to the old road: "When you make that California trip...." I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1959, I met a young lady from Los Angeles who was visiting her father in Cincy. I became enamored with her and decided to drive to California with a friend later that summer to visit her. This gave me the opportunity to travel Route 66 from St. Louis to Santa Monica and enjoy one of the first adventures of my young life as I went through parts of the country that I had never known. It was a great experience that I will never forget. I remember thinking, "Wow!" when I crossed into California.
"Now you go through St. Louis....You see Amarillo..." The time is late December of 1961. I have been in the Air Force for three months and have just completed Supply Tech School at Amarillo Air Force Base in Texas. I am trying to get to Cincinnati for Christmas via a Greyhound bus and after traveling all night via Route 66 I arrive in St. Louis at 7:00 a.m. to find that I missed my connecting bus to Ohio by fifteen minutes. This necessitated a wait until 4:30 that afternoon for the next bus. As unpleasant as that was, I will always fondly remember the camaraderie with my fellow servicemen on that long bus ride up 66.

The sad remains of a portion of Route 66 pavement
located near Seligman, Arizona. Many an "Okie
jalopy" passed over this pavement heading west
during the Depression of the 1930's. (Photo:
Martin's Route 66 gallery)

"Flagstaff, Arizona. Don’t forget Winona, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino...." I have always had itchy feet. Cincinnati was a good place to grow up but I made up my mind as a youth that I was not going to spend my life there. Television may have had a hand in that decision as I would watch the football games from the West Coast with all the sunshine and happy people in the stands with their colorful short sleeve shirts on in December. At the same time it would be dark in Cincy with cold rain pelting the windows. When I finally got my chance to head west, I grabbed it with a vengeance. Thank you Linda Devereaux, wherever you are, for encouraging me to visit you in those salad days of 1959. I still remember the excitement of driving my non-air conditioned ‘57 Chevy on old two lane Route 66 and going through Flagstaff and the pines, then dropping down to the desert of Kingman and on through Needles, California, across the Mojave Desert to Barstow and San Bernardino and finally Los Angeles. I was in awe as I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time; it was a little more impressive sight than the Ohio River.

NAT "KING" COLE....Had a hit tune with
recording of ROUTE 66 (photo courtesy
Dale Dexter, Jr. collection)

The old road may have had a song written about it plus a television show from the early 1960's, but the passage of time finally had its say and Route 66 was decommissioned as a major highway in 1985. Luckily, several states have preserved portions of the road that are popular tourist attractions and there are those who take Route 66 vacations along the various portions that still exist. Sure, the interstates are faster and safer but do they have the romance of the old highway? I don’t think so. At the closing of Route 66 in the 1980's, noted CBS newsman Charles Kuralt stated that, "Now you can travel across the entire country and not see anything." I agree. (Do you have memories of Route 66? Tell me about them at azjimmcallister@cox.net.

ONE CD, ONE MOVIE, ONE BOOK: THREE REVIEWS

by Jim McAllister

David Gilmour is doing a bit of relaxing "On An Island", Aaron Eckhart is a tobacco huckster, and if you like history, especially Chicago history, you have to like Erik Larson. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is time for Jim’s fearless reviews of one CD, one movie, and one book.

DAVID GILMOUR in an undated photo from a
few years ago. The Pink Floyd guitarist takes us
on a nice trip with his new CD release ON AN ISLAND.
It's his first solo release in 20 years (Photo: Neptune
Pink Floyd)

THE CD: It is "On An Island", the latest from David Gilmour of Pink Floyd. I had to give this one a couple of plays as my first impression was Gilmour has gone the way of Rod Stewart with the easier listening stuff. After all, these guys are all over sixty now (Gilmour released "On An Island" the day after birthday number 60 on March 6) and I suppose we are finally finding out what happens to all our 1960's and ‘70's favorites when they reach that milestone (except for the always ageless Rolling Stones!).
As I was ready to dismiss "On An Island" as Pink Floyd lite, cut number four, "Take A Breath" came on and suddenly I was back with "The Wall" and "Animals" and heaven. Then I was ushered into "Red Sky At Night" and suddenly I was on and island viewing dusk and sipping a Corona. Gilmour is so influential with his sax playing on this cut (that’s right, sax) that the imagery is almost eerie. Consensus: It may take a couple of plays for Floyd fans to appreciate this one, but that should do the job. From the short intro into the title track through the final of ten cuts, "Where We Start", this is David Gilmour at his finest. "On An Island" could be called the ultimate "date record". It’s been twenty years since Gilmour’s last solo effort but it was worth the wait.

AARON ECKHART stars in the satiric comedy
THANK YOU FOR SMOKING. The opening
credits are posted on cigarette packs. (Photo:
Fox Searchlight Pictures)

THE MOVIE: "Thank You For Smoking", Fox Searchlight Pictures, rated R for sexuality and language, 92 minutes....If you decide to see this, be sure you like satire. It used to be said that satire closes on Saturday night so this one isn’t for everyone although it was tenth nationally in box office receipts two weeks ago.
"Thank You For Smoking" is a good adult comedy based on the book by Christopher Buckley that, at 92 minutes, is just the right length for a story of an expert master of the spin. That master is Nick Naylor (Aaron Eckhart) and as he prances through the movie in his Armani suits, he brings new meaning to the definition of sleazy lobbyist. His job is to lobby for the big cigarette companies and because of this he is universally despised. Whether he is discussing his job to a classroom of kids which includes his twelve year old son (who implores his father to not "ruin my childhood") or is speaking before a Senate committee headed by a staunch, anti-smoking Senator (William H. Macy) who wants to put "poison" stickers on cigarette packs, Nick proudly embraces his belief that "if you argue correctly, you’re never wrong.".
Some of the funniest scenes are the weekly lunch meetings with Nick and his pals from the gun and liquor lobbies (The M.O.D. squad, "merchants of death", David Koechner and Maria Bello). Robert Duvall is also good as the captain, the head of the pro smoking organizations. This movie is tough but has a heart as Nick has a special empathy for his son (Cameron Bright) which is a nice contrast to the negativity of his character. It is well worth seeing.

THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY
by Erik Larson. Nice non-fiction
and mystery about the creation
of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair
also known as the "Columbian
Exposition" to celebrate the 400th
anniversary of Columbus discovering
America. (Cover photo: Vintage Books)

THE BOOK : "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson, 390 pages, paperback, Vintage Books. As a fairly keen observer of American history, this book was of special interest to me as it was not only about our history but covers an especially interesting time, that of the 1880's and 1890's. This was a time when the industrial revolution was gaining a foothold with many "miracles" of the time being discovered and invented. It was also still an era of Victorian thinking which made for an interesting combination. This is a true story of the light and dark sides involved in the building of the "White City" which was the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. Intertwined with these details is the story of a serial killer using the backdrop of the Fair to lure his victims. Erik Larson has done his homework, as thirty-three pages of bibliography will attest, to bring out all the characters and frustrations involved with this monumental project. Once you start into the book, you will have to keep in mind that it is a non-fiction piece as it reads like a novel. Larson’s use of imagery to describe the filth and pestilence of Chicago in the gilded age is remarkable as it makes you feel that you are inhaling the smoke filled air and looking at the endless litter. "The Devil in the White City" is a must for those who enjoy a work of well crafted non-fiction that includes a learning experience. I highly recommend it. (Comments? Questions?: azjimmcallister@cox.net.

ONE MORE NOTE: I have added a few more links to the blog all of which bear a relationship to the subjects I write about. With one click you can now check out "Google News", click "North Scottsdale" for information about that area, movie and TV details are available from "IMDB", programmming notes and information from public radio and TV can be obtained by clicking "NPR" and "PBS", and by clicking "INDEPENDENT" you can read the entire "NORTH SCOTTSDALE INDEPENDENT" online. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the site!

"WATCHING THE DETECTIVES" THROUGH THE TELEVISION YEARS

by Jim McAllister

"Watching the detectives, ‘Ooh, he’s so cute.’" That refrain was recorded by Elvis Costello in 1977 but covered much of the appeal of television detectives to female viewers through the years. Whether it was Edd "Kookie" Byrnes or Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. from "77 Sunset Strip" in the 1950's on through to Chris Noth of "Law and Order" in the 1990's and beyond, the ladies loved these guys for their good looks and heroic deeds. Men liked them also for being so tough, cool, and usually winning the best looking babe on the show. These programs were exciting and easy to understand thus propelling some of them to high ratings.
One of the earliest entries was "Man Against Crime"(1949-1956) starring perennial movie second lead Ralph Bellamy. This show carried over some of the traits of film noir from the movies since it originated in 1949. Bellamy played hard boiled P. I. Mike Barnett, a Dashiell Hammett type character, who usually spoke with his fists. It was a popular show that was a mainstay on CBS for many years.

RALPH BELLAMY (1904-91), star of MAN
AGAINST CRIME in a later undated photo.
I liked the end of this weekly show where
Ralph would announce which military hospitals
were being sent the sponsor's complimentary
cigarettes! Hello? (Photo: MBC)

During the same era, another type of private eye emerged on the TV scene. That was the more analytical and thoughtful type of sleuth. Two examples are "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" which ran as a syndicated series in 1954 and "The Adventures of Ellery Queen" which was first on from 1950-1952. These programs put the emphasis on the more cerebral aspects of the cases and eliminated much of the violence of some of their contemporaries. Ellery Queen challenged the viewer to put the pieces of the crime together and arrive at a solution. At the end of the program was usually a denoument to explain to the audience how Ellery figured out the case.
Another early style of detective show was the serio-comic approach which usually involved the comic interaction of a husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend as they went about the solving of a case. Examples of this style were shows like "Mr. And Mrs. North" (1952-1954), "Boston Blackie" (1951-1953), and "The Thin Man" (1957-1959).

RICHARD DENNING and BARBARA BRITTON
starred in the comedy-mystery MR. AND MRS.
NORTH from 1952-54. (Photo: James Reasoner)

Most of these early entries were produced in New York and either done live, on kinescope, or filmed and, in most cases, were thirty minutes in length. By the late 1950's and into the 1960's, production values were increasing and the newer shows were becoming sixty minutes in length. These shows were mostly being filmed on the West Coast and many exhibited the image of "gloss and glamour" with beautiful girls and handsome guys in attractive settings. Examples of these shows are "77 Sunset Strip" (1958-1964) and "Hawaiian Eye" (1959-1963). These two were basically interchangeable as they had similar plots and stars and both came from Warner Brothers. One of the only differences was the settings: one in L. A. and one in Hawaii. Other notable detective shows from the 1960's include "Mannix" (1967-1975) with Mike Connors handling cases in a rough and tumble manner and "I Spy" (1966-1969) which was a lighthearted entry most notable for the success of Bill Cosby as the first black performer to star in a TV dramatic series.

EDD "KOOKIE" BYRNES, was a big
factor in the success of 77 SUNSET STRIP
in the late 1950's. (Photo: fiftiesweb.com)

The 1970's brought about more change in these programs. In the past the plots were completed in each week’s show with the following week producing completely different stories and guest casts. Now the story lines began involving repeat characters either from previous shows within the season or from past seasons. The emphasis was on people and situations more than violence and reality became a bigger factor. Some good examples of this programing are "The Rockford Files" (1974-1980), "Hill Street Blues" (1981-1987), and "Police Story" (1973-1977).
The 1970's would not be complete with out a mention of "Columbo" (1971-1977) starring Peter Falk in one of the wittiest and best acted detective shows. In the 1980's some more lightheartedness crept in with Tom Selleck as "Magnum P. I." (1980-1988) and the off beat "Moonlighting" (1985-1989) with Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willis.

JAMES GARNER as Jim Rockford in
THE ROCKFORD FILES (1974-80).
See Ed Robertson's book THIRTY
YEARS OF THE ROCKFORD FILES
for details of this great show. (Photo:
Starplus.com)

Later shows like Homicide" (1993-1999), NYPD Blue (1993-2005), and Law and Order (1990- ) are still maintaining popularity through the same basic premise as shows of the 1970's: dealing with relationships with returning characters.
There are many more detective shows (No, I haven’t forgotten "Murder, She Wrote"!) but the ones mentioned give you a good idea of how the genre has changed through the years. My favorite? That’s easy, James Garner in "The Rockford Files". Other than the terrible clothes styles and cars of the 1970's, that show still holds up as strong as ever today. (Comments? azjimmcallister@cox.net

THE DAYS OF PARANOIA: THE HUAC AND THE "HOLLYWOOD TEN"

By Jim McAllister

The 1930's was a time of paranoia in the United States of America. With the advent of Adolf Hitler’s power in Germany combined with the rise in the popularity of Communism in the U. S. during the Depression, the Federal Government felt that necessary safeguards were in order to thwart these possible threats.
The Dies Committee was formed in 1938 as a precursor to the House Un-American Activities Committee with the sole purpose of investigating German American involvement with the Nazis and the involvement of Communists in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the Federal Theater Project.
By 1946 the Dies Committee had become a permanent nine member group officially called the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). Their purpose was to investigate any possible threats to the policies of the government of the United States.
In 1947 the HUAC acted upon the Hollywood establishment after rumors persisted about Communist infiltration into the motion picture industry. Several members of the Hollywood community were questioned about supposed Communist activity and when they refused to answer the Committee’s questions based on their First Amendment rights, they became known as the blacklisted "Hollywood Ten". This group consisted mostly of writers and directors, some who were quite well know like Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner, Jr., and Dalton Trumbo. Eventually over 300 people were blacklisted including many well know actors of the time like Barbara Bel Geddes, Harry Belafonte, and Zero Mostel. One actor, Philip Loeb who starred in radio’s "The Goldbergs", actually committed suicide over his depression from being no longer able to find work in the entertainment industry. Some members of the "Hollywood Ten" were sentenced to prison terms of six months to one year in 1950 despite the fact that being a Communist was not actually against the law, it was simply not a popular organization to be a part of. In 1947, during the brouhaha of the "Ten", the Screen Actors Guild required its members to take a non-Communist pledge to satisfy the demands of the HUAC. The original "Hollywood Ten" were fired by the studios and all credits they had achieved were omitted or removed from Hollywood productions where they had been affiliated.
Many of the blacklisted writers found a detour around their ban from the industry by writing under pseudonyms or having friends pose as writers and submit scripts under their names. This policy was known as "fronting" and was detailed expertly in the 1976 Woody Allen production, "The Front". Allen’s production not only gave a vivid description of the era involved but starred many blacklisted actors like Mostel, Herschel Bernardi, and Lloyd Gough.

Chairman J. PARNELL THOMAS (R-NJ) is shown
swearing in a witness during the HUAC investigations
of 1947. Thomas was later jailed for accepting kickbacks.
(Photo: Modern Times)

The Committee for the First Amendment led
by LAUREN BACALL and HUMPHREY BOGART
arrive in Washington for HUAC meetings.
(Photo: Modern Times)

Although the use of pseudonyms and fronting was popular, many of these individuals simply left the country to continue their careers. Some flourished in the United Kingdom where television and film work was plentiful. Others reverted to doing stage work in places like New York where theater owners were indifferent to the Hollywood attitudes.
By 1960, the inevitable passage of time and the seriousness of the "Red Scare" was weakening and when Otto Preminger hired Dalton Trumbo to write the script for "Exodus", the effect of the blacklist weakened. Kirk Douglas followed close behind by giving full writing credit also to Trumbo for "Spartacus". At the same time President elect Kennedy crossed American Legion picket lines to see the Douglas movie and by 1965 Ring Lardner, Jr. was given credit for writing "The Cincinnati Kid". In 1997 the writer’s guild agreed to change the credits of twenty-three movies made during the blacklist years to reflect the actual screenwriter’s names.

EDWARD DMYTRYK (right, foreground)
with Gregory Peck on the set of MIRAGE (1964)
(Photo: Modern Times)

In spite of the various methods used by blacklisted personnel from Hollywood, many had their careers ruined by the link to Communist activities. Where writers could used false names and fronts, actors couldn’t hide because of their obvious visibility. Larry Parks, Karen Morley, Sam Jaffe and many other fine actors lost parts because of HUAC activity against them.
Eventually, because of changes in attitude and politics, the barriers were dropped along with the HUAC which was abolished in 1975 when its duties were taken over by the House Judiciary Committee. Like the fear of movie censorship in the early 1930's which brought about the Breen Production Code Administration (Hays Code) and the powerful Catholic Legion of Decency, the power of the HUAC had run its course and became just another interesting part of American history. (Comments? azjimmcallister@cox.net

ROBIN WILLIAMS...NOT ALWAYS NUTS!

ROBIN WILLIAMS...His plan (Photo:
Celebritywonder.com)

We all love Robin Williams for his offbeat sense of humor but the following is a piece from my buddy Allen in New Hampshire showing that Robin can be very logical at times. Wouldn't it be great if someone in power would pay attention? Thanks for the forward, Allen.

You gotta love Robin Williams......
Even if he's nuts! Leave it to Robin
Williams to come up with the perfect
plan. What we need now is for our
UN Ambassador to stand up and
repeat this message.
Robin Williams's plan...(Hard to
argue with this logic!)
"I see a lot of people yelling for peace,
but I have not heard of a plan for
peace. So, here's one plan.
1) "The US will apologize to the world for our 'interference' in their affairs, past & present. You know: Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those 'good ole boys;' we will never 'interfere' again.
2) "We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea, the Middle East, and the Philippines. They don't want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.
3) "All illegal aliens have 90 days to get their affairs together and leave. We'll give them a free trip home. After 90 days, the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of who or where they are. They're illegal!!! France will welcome them.
4) "All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in If you don't like it there, change it yourself and don't hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don't need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.
5) "No foreign 'students' over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don't attend classes, they get a D, and it's back home, baby.
6) "The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficient energy-wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy, but will require temporary drilling for oil in the Alaska wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.
7) "Offer Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don't like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)
8) "If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not 'interfere.' They can pray to Allah, or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement, or whatever they need. Besides, most of what we give them is stolen or given
to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.
9) "Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don't need the spies and fair-weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.
10) "All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us 'Ugly Americans' any longer. The language we speak is ENGLISH...learn it...or LEAVE."
"Now, isn't that a winner of a plan?"
"The Statue of Liberty is no longer
saying, 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.' She's got a baseball bat, and she's yelling, 'You want a piece of me?' "

FOR NEIL YOUNG FANS, "HEART OF GOLD" IS A POT OF GOLD

by Jim McAllister

NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD ("Prairie Wind"), Starring Neil Young, Directed by Jonathan Demme, 103 minutes, rated PG for some drug related lyrics....I have listened to Neil Young’s music for most of my adult life and he doesn’t seem to have lost a step. My first remembrance of him is from his days with Buffalo Springfield where he worked with Stephen Stills to produce a couple of mid 1960's hits. Later he teamed with Stills plus David Crosby and Graham Nash for a couple of years in the early 1970's (remember CSNY?). After that he was pretty much a solo act but he usually stayed true to his country and rock roots. He has always been a welcome sight when he took the stage with his guitar and harmonica and cut loose in his cracking tenor voice.

NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD...
A great concert film, it rivals Scorsese's
THE LAST WALTZ from 1978.
(Photo: Thrasherswheat.org and
Jonathan Demme)

In the spring of 2005, at age 59, Neil Young underwent a non invasive procedure to repair a brain aneurysm. By August he was back to work and prepared to star in "Neil Young: Heart of Gold", which was filmed over two nights at the former home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.
This film is a combination of music from Young’s autumn 2005 release of his album "Prairie Wind" combined with some older Young favorites. It opens as the musicians are arriving at the Ryman in their cars. Comments from long time Young back up musicians like Chad Cromwell, Ben Keith, and Grant Boatwright are interesting and the use of some hand held cameras on them gives a nice effect. A few scenes of Nashville add to the interest especially the shots of Tootsies, a popular night spot and favorite water hole of Grand Ole Opry legend Hank Williams.

NEIL YOUNG performing at the Ryman Auditorium
in NEIL YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD. (Photo:
Thrasherswheat.org and Jonathan Demme)

Nighttime arrives and the camera zooms in on the well worn stage of the Ryman. Demme believes in close-ups and doesn’t spare them as he closes in for plenty of shots of a weather worn looking Young and his back up artists. Notable as a back up singer is Emmylou Harris, who is stunningly beautiful at 59, and we are fortunate to have Young and her do a duet. Young is in top form with his new stuff which includes a song dedicated to his college age daughter. He also exhibits a sense of humor talking about some of his days of growing up in Canada. He explains the sources of some of his older music like "Old Man" which he wrote after being asked by the caretaker of his ranch (an older man, Luis Avila) how he made enough money at his age (24 at the time) to afford such a spread. The caretaker had no idea that Young was a superstar or as Neil says, "a rich hippie". Of the newer tunes I especially liked "This Old Guitar", which Young played on Hank Williams’own guitar, and the title song "Prairie Wind". Among the oldies was the expected "Heart of Gold", now thirty-four years old and from his 1972 album "Harvest". It isYoung’s only song to make it to number one on the charts.

EMMYLOU HARRIS....A gorgeous lady and a
great talent, she is an important part of NEIL
YOUNG: HEART OF GOLD. (Photo: Emmylou.net)

At 103 minutes, the length of the film feels just right and has a fitting ending with Young singing solo with guitar over the closing credits. I have seen a lot of good concert films and "Neil Young: Heart of Gold" is one of the best. I would rank it in the same league as Martin Scorsese’s "The Last Waltz" (1978) as he chronicled the last appearance of The Band on Thanksgiving Day of 1976. Coincidently, Neil Young also appeared in that film.
I advise all Neil Young fans to catch this one and take some friends who aren’t familiar with the man from the plains of Canada. I guarantee you will bring about some converts.
MUSICAL MILEPOSTS: David Gilmour of Pink Floyd has a new album, "On an Island". The word is that it is selling well having gone gold in several countries already. Known for his guitar work, Gilmour plays some saxophone on this new CD. He also celebrated birthday number 60 on March 6.....

STEVEN TYLER of Aerosmith. The
ageless rocker recently underwent
surgery for an undisclosed illness.
Reports are that he is doing fine.
(Photo: MGM)

Steven Tyler, lead singer for Aerosmith, has undergone recent surgery for an undisclosed illness. Because of this the band has been forced to cancel its North American tour. Tyler is 58.....The Indian Casinos have given new life to some performers who may have had trouble booking dates to perform. Among those who are taking advantage of the new forums are Connie Francis, Mary Wilson (of Supremes fame), David Cassidy, and Patti Page.....Queen is also touring and playing in large venues. It is their first tour since 1991 when lead singer Freddie Mercury died. Paul Rodgers, formerly of Free and Bad Company, has taken over the vocal duties. (Comments? azjimmcallister@cox.net.)