Yeah, I know, just what the planet needs, yet another Blog. But this one is the OFFICIAL Blog of Illustration-ist, cartoonist, humor- mongerist, greasy Stooge-Shemp Howard-enthusiast, Danny Thomas glass coffee table ponderist Drew Friedman! Happier now?
In 1972, entertainer Sammy Davis, Jr., a lifelong democrat, shocked the country by supporting President Richard M. Nixon who was running for re-election and giving him a famous hug on stage at a youth rally during the republican convention in Miami. This proved to be pretty controversial and Sammy received hostile reactions from his friends, (aside from Frank Sinatra), democrats, blacks and, southern Nixon supporters. He would later undertake a USO tour of Vietnam at the behest of the Nixon Administration.
As a thank you for helping to get him re-elected, Nixon invited Sammy to the White House on several occasions, and along with his wife Altovise, to a grand reception in 1973 hosted by Bob Hope. The Davis's were invited to sleep in the White House which is believed to be the first time a black couple was invited to do so. Sammy would later write that he regretted his alliance with Nixon and felt that he was ultimately misled.
1972 in Miami:
cover to an 8-page brochure issued in 1972 highlighting the Nixon administrations accomplishments for black Americans
Photos from two visits Sammy Davis Jr. and his wife made to the White House in 1973:
FOREPLAY, "a Carl Gurevich production", is a largely forgotten, barely-released three-part "sex comedy" (originally there were four intended stories/plays, thus the title). It was barely released in 1975, starring the aging but still great Zero Mostel in one of his final film roles, and featuring the fascinating cast of Estelle Parsons, Jerry Orbach (in his third film), Pat Paulson, George S. Irving, Paul Dooley and Professor Irwin Corey. The film was written by four screenwriters, among them Dan Greenberg (How to be a Jewish Mother), and playwright Jack Richardson who adapted a short story entitled "Vortex" by Bruce Jay Friedman. After the film was screened for the writers, all four requested that their names be removed from the film, posters and advertising, as did the film's three directors including John G. Avildsen, who would direct ROCKY a year later. The film would eventually be released on DVD by Troma films.
The film received it's most attention when Jerry Orbach and other cast members
recreated some of
their scenes for a photographer for a PLAYBOY spread on the yet to be released film
Newspaper ad
The Italian poster
In 1976, in an attempt to cash in on the hit film "All The Presidents Men", the film was re-released and retitled "The President's Women". Why "All" wasn't included is anyones guess, perhaps fear of a potential lawsuit by Woodward & Bernstein
double bill newspaper ad for the newly titled film
"I sum up all of show business in three words: Frank Sinatra Junior"
-Albert Brooks
"He sure ain't his old man."
Originally appearing in the Oct 1985 issue of National Lampoon (a forgotten late 20th-Century humor magazine) script by Josh Alan Friedman, art by Drew Friedman, lettering by Phil Felix, The Saga of Frank Sinatra Jr...
GOOD WORK
The Illustration Art Invitational opens Jan-18th and runs till March 10th, at the Arts Center Gallery at Nazareth College, Rochester, NY. Curated by Kathy Calderwood & David Cowles, the show will feature 56 top illustrators picks for their single favorite pieces:
Illustrations on display will include work by Daniel Adel, Terry Allen, Tom Bachtell, Melinda Beck, Guy Billout, Juliette Borda, Steve Brodner, Lou Brooks, Calef Brown, Philip Burke, Kathy Calderwood, Dave Calver, André Carrilho, Michael Cho, David Cowles, Brian Cronin, Jose Cruz, Paul Davis, Roger DeMuth, Debbie Drechsler, Henrik Drescher, Randall Enos, Vivienne Flesher, Douglas Fraser, Drew Friedman, Milton Glaser, Eddy Guy, Danny Hellman, John Hershy, John Kascht, Stephen Kroninger, Anita Kunz, Peter Kuper, Chris Lyons, Wilson McLean, Bill Mayer, Ross MacDonald, Mark Matcho, Hanoch Piven, C.F. Payne, Chris Pyle, Robert Risko, Edel Rodriguez, Laurie Rosenwald, Richard Sala, Zina Saunders, David Sheldon, Owen Smith, Bob Staake, Nancy Stahl, Ward Sutton, Gary Taxali, Murray Tinkleman, Mark Ulrikson, Kirsten Ulve, and James Yang.
This is the latest in my ongoing series of portraits of the legends of comic books, the renowned caricaturist and illustrator, the amazing Mort Drucker. Mort has been a MAD artist for going on six decades, and I'm proud to count him as a friend (OK, full disclosure, we've actually only met once, but do occasionally correspond, Mort, a personal hero always being very complimentary of my artwork). This is Mort posed in his studio, at least my imagining of his studio:
Mort Drucker finished art (click to enlarge)
this is the early pencil sketch
Do yourself or a loved one or a hated one a favor and order the incredible brand new book "Mort Drucker, Five Decades of his Finest Works":
"I hope people now refer to the game as "Berle-ing" -Milton Berle
In 1950, Milton Berle, aka "Uncle Miltie", was the host of the most-watched show on television, Texaco Star Theatre and was by far the most popular star on television, in fact he was known as "Mr. Television". Ten years later Milton Berle was hosting Jackpot Bowling.
Milton Berle summed up the show: "Twenty-one minutes of bowling and nine minutes of Milton Berle. Nine minutes? I usually bow that long!"
Jackpot Bowling had been on NBC TV for three years before the producers had the brilliant idea of hiring Uncle Miltie as MC for comedy relief, delivering an opening, rapid-fire bowling-joke oriented monolog before turning things over to announcer Chick Hearn who called the matches between the professional bowlers. Berle would return and kibbitz with special guest stars, including Buddy Hackett, Debbie Reynolds, Bobby Darin, Jack Dempsey, Diana Dors, The Ritz Brothers...
Milton Berle welcomes The Ritz Brothers
... all bowling for their favorite charities, then later close the show with more bowling related jokes. The show, filmed at the Hollywood Legion Lanes in Hollywood actually garnered good ratings but after six months Milton Berle bowed out, perhaps due to a better offer... or due to sheer embarrassment.
"Only Milton Berle would have the nerve to
stand in a bowling alley and tell jokes" -George Burns
Berle Bowls
TV Guide's 1961 preview of new Monday night shows (including The Andy Griffith Show)
a "review" of the new show
opening credits
Berle's opening monolog
"Im doing this for "pin" money"- Milton Berle
"People wonder what I'm doing on this show, I'll tell you.
The sponsor called me up-- and I said "I'll take it!"- Milton Berle
A fan letter to the show:
" How dare those bowlers take up so much time!"
Premiere episode with guest Diana Dors
Berle with the show's co-sponsors
Milton Berle on Jackpot Bowling generated several magazine covers.
at least the covers of several newspaper TV magazines...
art by George Wachsteter
a "Bowling Berle"
Milton Berle welcomes celebrity bowler Bobby Darin
Another reason for the show's popularity with men, regular
"Cigar Salesgirl" and Milton Berle foil Laura Brady
The Brunswick corporation, manufacturers of the bowling equipment used on the show and co-sponsors of the show along with Philles cigars,
ran this newspaper ad welcoming Uncle Miltie as the shows new host.
Milton Berle welcomes guest former boxer/bowler Jack Dempsey
magazine ad for the show
press photo: Berle with a happy jackpot winner
Phillies cigars featured the star of the show on their 1960/61 cigar boxes...
thanks to "The Worst TV Shows Ever" by Bart Andrews & Brad Dunning (Dutton)
and to Kliph Nesteroff
"Dining At Melvyn's" was a large panoramic mishmash drawn by "The Rumba King", Cuban bandleader/caricaturist Xavier Cugat created when Melvyn Haber ("Mr. Palm Springs") opened the restaurant in 1975. Melvyn's continues to be a popular Palm Springs restaurant/tourist stop, and this piece featured many of the new "regulars", or at least 1975 Palm Springs regulars. A print of the art still hangs there above the men's room urinal. Some of the caricatures are clearly identifiable (thanks to his basing them on Al Hirschfeld caricatures), some continue to baffle to this day. Cugat took his master list and the mystery to the grave with him in 1990. People have debated this for years. The best I can make out: Top Row: Possibly John Carradine, Abbey Lane or Charo (both Cugat wives), the artist himself-Cugat, Liza Minelli, Phyllis Diller, possibly Ernest Borgnine, or, a restaurant bouncer?, the following the most confusing of all: possibly Eddie Fisher and his latest squeeze, or, as some have speculated, restaurant owner Melvyn's "agent" with his girlfriend, although why a restaurant owner would have an agent is confusing, and finally possibly Melvyn himself? Row 2: David Niven, Tony Bennett, Buddy Hackett, Liberace, Charles Bronson, Jerry Lewis (some had guessed Clark Gable, but ears way too small and he was long deceased) Row 3: John Wayne, Hugh Hefner, Katherine Hepburn, Danny Kaye, Jackie Gleason, Barbra Streisand Row 4: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Sonny and Cher, Sammy Davis Jr. (??), Alfred Hitchcock (via Hirschfeld), Anthony Quinn, Frank Sinatra Bottom Row: Rex Harrison, Kirk Douglas, Red Skelton, Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Lucille Ball, Danny Thomas and Groucho Marx (what, no Zeppo who lived in Palm Springs?)
