The Quarter Box

Does your local comic book store have boxes full of 25¢ comics? Mine does (Kenmore Komics & Games). Here's a few of the books I've pulled out of it recently.

Jay Robinson, R.I.P.

 

I just heard about this. He will always be Dr. Shrinker to me. Rest in peace Mr. Robinson.

From the LA Times (Oct. 2, 2013) --

Jay Robinson, 83, a character actor who had a burst of fame after his film debut as Caligula in the 1953 biblical epic "The Robe" but saw his career take a downturn following his arrest for drug possession, died Friday at his home in Sherman Oaks, said longtime friend Lee Brandon. Robinson had congestive heart failure and had been in poor health since suffering a fall last year.

Robinson, a New York native, was routinely labeled the "boy genius" of Broadway after a string of noteworthy performances in the early 1950s, highlighted by his role as the fop Le Beau in a 1950 production of Shakespeare's "As You Like It" that starred Katharine Hepburn.

He was 23 when "The Robe," starring Richard Burton, Jean Simmons and Victor Mature, was released, and his performance as the tyrannical Roman Caesar earned praise from critics. He reprised the part of Caligula the next year in a follow-up film, "Demetrius and the Gladiators."

But Robinson's life took a turn in the late '50s. He was arrested in December 1959 at his home in Bel-Air and charged with possessing and selling heroin. He was found guilty the next spring, sentenced to a year in jail, released on bond expecting probation and began the appeals process.

He said years later that frustration at being typecast led to his drug use. But after his arrest, there was no work at all.

"I lost everything in Hollywood," Robinson told The Times.

He took menial jobs, working as a short-order cook and a veterinarian's assistant. In 1966 he was arrested on a bench warrant for failing to appear for a retrial of his original case and was sent to the state prison in Tracy, where he was put to work as a firefighter. Paroled after 15 months in the spring of 1968, he began to rebuild his life and career.

He won guest spots on "Bewitched," "Mannix," "The Waltons" and other TV series, landed a regular role on the daytime soap "Days of Our Lives" and was cast in small parts in "Shampoo," "Big Top Pee-wee" and a handful of other movies.

"I feel like the ultimate survivor," he told United Press International in 1988.

Labor Day Flea Market Finds

Happy Labor Day! I went to the Hartville Flea Market in Hartville, OH this morning. I usually go every Labor Day and Memorial Day if it's not raining. They have a fair amount of dealers selling old toys, comics, cards, games, glasses, lunchboxes. etc. I was at the flea market for about two hours and only got through half of it. I would stay longer, but I don't drive and my wife doesn't care for flea markets. Two hours is about as long as she will sit in the car by herself waiting for me to come back with bags full of more "junk" lol. Here's what I added to my toy collection --

Krofft Supershow Presents Kaptain Kool and the Kongs Magic Slate for $4.00. I don't think there was a whole lot of merchandising for them.

Mego Micronauts Microtron ($12.00) and Force Commander's steed Oberon ($18.00). I love Micronauts! They're not complete, but they will look good on display (if I ever get around to displaying them).

And three Hero Clix. The Thing, The Hulk and Doc Samson. This guy had a big ol' box of these figures for 3 for $1.00.

I could have bought a bunch more toys, but I was kinda on a budget (and the wife woulda killed me). They also have a farmer's market and I bought a dozen ears of corn for $3.00 and two lbs. of fresh green beans for $2.00.

Van Snowden, R.I.P.

From The Hollywood Reporter --

Van Snowden, one of Hollywood's premier puppeteers, died Sept. 22 of cancer at St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank. He was 71.

Snowden began with Sid and Marty Krofft, played H.R. Pufnstuf and appeared in almost every TV show the brothers produced. He did puppetry as Chucky in the "Child's Play" films and as the Crypt Keeper in the horror anthology "Tales From the Crypt" and served as the lead puppeteer on "Pee-wee's Playhouse."

"His talent equaled the talent of Jim Henson," Marty Krofft said. "He was one of the great puppeteers of all time. He touched just about every TV series and movie we've ever done."

Snowden shared an Emmy nomination in 1989 for his puppetry work on "D.C. Follies" in the category of outstanding performance in a variety or musical program. It was the first time in the 42-year history of the Primetime Emmys that puppeteers were so honored (he lost out to singer Linda Ronstadt).

Snowden's career took off when he played the helpful dragon H.R. Pufnstuf in the 1970 film "Pufnstuf." He then became a favorite of the Kroffts on such shows as "The Bugaloos," "Lidsville," "Land of the Lost" and "Sigmund & the Sea Monsters."

Snowden starred in "The Pufnstuf Road Show" for two years, making stops in Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl along the way, and his final credit came as Pufnstuf in a 2007 episode of "My Name Is Earl."

Snowden also worked as a puppeteer in such films as "Beetle Juice" (1988), "Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey" (1991), "Bram Stroker's Dracula" (1992), "Alien: Resurrection" (1997), "Starship Troopers" (1997) and "The X Files" (1998).

For the past three years, Snowden headed the puppeteer division of Hasbro and its Tiger Toys. His team programmed in original mouth sync, eye blinks and body movements for such popular interactive toys as Furby, Gizmo, Yoda and E.T.

Survivors include his sister Deanna and brother Nick.

Wonderbug Theme Song

Wonderbug Theme (click link to download)

The Wonderful Wonderbug

I got the name for my blog from the old Sid & Marty Krofft show 'Wonderbug' (actually my brother suggested it). We were kids in the 70's and watched most of the Krofft shows. My favorites were 'Land Of The Lost' and 'Sigmund And The Sea Monsters.' They don't make 'em like that anymore. http://www.krofft.net/