Dick Clark, R.I.P.

From Fox News --

Dick Clark, the creator of "American Bandstand" and "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve," died Wednesday morning, his rep tells FoxNews.com.

He was 82.

Clark suffered a massive heart attack after entering St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica Tuesday night for an outpatient procedure, according to his family.

Attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful.

Clark had suffered a stroke in 2004, which forced him to significantly curtail his hosting of "New Years' Rockin' Eve," a show he created in 1972.

Long dubbed "the world's oldest teenager" because of his boyish appearance, Clark was also a successful businessman. He created a variety of popular game shows and music specials, including the American Music Awards.

But it was "American Bandstand" for which Clark was best known. The show was one of network TV's longest-running series, airing as part of ABC's daytime lineup from 1957 to 1987.

Over the years, "Bandstand" introduced stars ranging from Buddy Holly to Michael Jackson to Madonna.

Clark is survived by his wife Kari and his three children, RAC, Duane and Cindy.

Happy Easter!

What's eveyone doing for Easter this Year? We colored a dozen eggs last night using the trusty Paas kit. And today me, the wife, the son, the girlfriend and the in-laws are going to Golden Corral for the all-u-can-eat Easter buffet. Mmmmmm....buffet.....

Happy Easter!!!

Easter Island

Easter Carols

I guess there really aren't any Easter Carols. But, there are a few songs that go along with the Easter season.

I originally made this compilation back in 2007 and I've re-posted it a few times since then. Every time I seem to find a few more tracks to add to it. Here's this year's version along with a new cover featuring some eggs I colored last year.

Track List

1. Another Easter Day - Veggie Tales
2. Another Easter Day (Reprise) - Veggie Tales
3. Easter Parade - Judy Garland, Fred Astaire & Chorus
4. Happy Easter - Fred Astaire & Chorus
5. Easter Parade - Bing Crosby
6. Egbert, The Easter Egg - Betty Clooney & The Sandpipers
7. Easter Parade - Frank Sinatra
8. Easter - Bob Hope
9. Easter Parade - Gene Autry
10. (Here Comes) Peter Cottontail - Gene Autry
11. Easter Parade - Guy Lombardo
12. It's Easter Time - Mouseketeer Ensemble
13. My Easter Rubber Duck - Roberts & Katz
14. Easter Parade - Andy Russell
15. Easter Monday On The White House Lawn - United States Marine Band
16. Egbert, The Easter Egg - Roy Rogers
17. Peter Cottontail - Roy Rogers
18. Easter Parade - Rosemary Clooney & The Mellowmen
19. Funny Little Bunnies - The Cricketts w/ The Peter Pan Orch.
20. Here Comes Peter Cotton Claus - Alex Houston & Elmer
21. Silly Easter Bonnet - Linda Barrie & The Peter Pan Orch.
22. My Choc'late Rabbit - Rosemary Clooney & Tony Mottola
23. Peter Cottontail - Swing & Sway with Sammy Kaye
24. Eggbert, The Easter Egg - Ray Heatherton
25. Cadbury Creme Eggs Commercial
26. There's That Rabbit - Maury Laws and Jules Bass
27. Thanks, Easter Bunny - M & M's Commercial
28. Peter Cottontail - The Four Knights
29. Get Dressed Up For Easter Day - CRC (Commercial Recording Corp.)
30. Get Ready For The Easter Parade - CRC
31. Here's Where To Start Your Easter Parade - CRC
32. Step Into Easter - CRC
33. The Latest Easter Ware - CRC

Click the link below to download --

--> Easter Mix <--

The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest

One of the greatest April Fool's Day pranks of all time. Read the full story at The Museum of Hoaxes.

On April 1, 1957 the British news show Panorama broadcast a three-minute segment about a bumper spaghetti harvest in southern Switzerland. The success of the crop was attributed both to an unusually mild winter and to the "virtual disappearance of the spaghetti weevil." The audience heard Richard Dimbleby, the show's highly respected anchor, discussing the details of the spaghetti crop as they watched video footage of a Swiss family pulling pasta off spaghetti trees and placing it into baskets. The segment concluded with the assurance that, "For those who love this dish, there's nothing like real, home-grown spaghetti."

The Swiss Spaghetti Harvest hoax generated an enormous response. Hundreds of people phoned the BBC wanting to know how they could grow their own spaghetti tree. To this query the BBC diplomatically replied, "Place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best."

To this day the Panorama broadcast remains one of the most famous and popular April Fool's Day hoaxes of all time. It is also believed to be the first time the medium of television was used to stage an April Fool's Day hoax.

The Toys Time Forgot

About a month ago, I went to a vintage toy store in Canal Fulton, OH called The Toys Time Forgot. I nearly had a nerdgasm when I walked in there. My wife had went there around Christmastime to buy me some presents (see pics here) and the only other time I'd been there was probably about 15 or more years ago. I spent way too much time just admiring all of the wonderful collectibles (my wife was waiting in the car) and I finally walked out of there with three Marvel Legends Hulk figures and a bunch of packs of Star Wars and Battle of the Planets trading cards. I dealt with the owner (who is a great guy) and think I got a pretty good deal. They graciously allowed me to take some photos with my cell phone. The one thing I wish I would have photographed was a set of Funny Face mugs with pitcher. If you're ever in NE Ohio, I highly recommend visiting this store.

Wow! A Marx Creature from the Black Lagoon and a Mummy Soaky.



All kinds of great action figures here. Ideal STAR Team Zem 21 and Knight of Darkness. Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior. Buck Rogers Tigerman. Pulsar and his nemesis Hypnos. V alien. I still have a Zem 21 and my brothers Pulsar.



Jigglers! I had the Mummy.



Marvel Legends.

Statues and busts galore.



Poor Howdy Doody has been lynched! I had this ventriloquist dummy when I was a youngin'.

MEGOs!!!!



Holy crap! A carded Aqualad (although the back of the card was cut open).

I love Shogun Warriors!



These Groovie Goolies statues are awesome!



G.I. Joe. I still have pieces of Mike Power, Atomic Man.

DC Super Powers Collection and Mego Pocket Super Heroes.



This one's for my brother. The Fantastic Four.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sorry I haven't been around much lately. I've been having some personal issues lately and I just haven't been up to blogging. But, I wanted to stop by and wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day. To celebrate, here's a video put together by Crazy Sexy Geeks a couple of years ago. It's all about Irish super heroes. Have fun and don't drink too much green beer!

Ralph McQuarrie, R.I.P.

From The Verge --

Artist Ralph McQuarrie has passed away at the age of 82. One of the primary visual forces behind the original Star Wars trilogy, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, McQuarrie created the original designs for such iconic characters as Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and C-3PO. Before partnering with George Lucas, McQuarrie had worked illustrating movie posters and creating artwork for CBS News. He collaborated with Steven Spielberg several times, including on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and eventually won an Academy Award for his work on Cocoon. Contributing illustrations and conceptual drawings to video games, books, advertising campaigns, and numerous other projects over the years, it's no stretch to say that McQuarrie influenced science-fiction sensibilities for an entire generation. For a further look at his prolific body of work, you can visit McQuarrie's site or Facebook page.

The Force Is Strong With Me!

This past weekend, the wife and I went to see the new Ghost Rider movie. Here's my review: it's not a great movie, but I thought it was kinda fun. Great review, right? Anyhoo, in the theater lobby was a huge display for Star Wars: TPM 3D with one of those standee things that you can put your face in. Of course I had to do it. I handed my embarrassed wife my phone and asked her to take a picture. I think it was meant for children, because I had to stoop down to put my face in it and you can see most of my body sticking out. Oh well, it was still awesome!

Davy Jones, R.I.P.

This makes me very sad. He was way too young. My brother and I used to listen to the Monkees all the time when we were young. R.I.P. Davy!

From USA Today --

Davy Jones, the mop-topped leader of 1960s pop band The Monkees, died Wednesday of a massive heart attack. Jones was 66.

His publicist, Helen Kensick, said the singer died in Indiantown, Fla., where he lived.

With an infectious smile and easy humor, the diminutive Briton played the Paul McCartney role in the Beatles-inspired quartet, which also included Peter Tosh, Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith.

Jones sang lead on some of the group's biggest hits, including Last Train to Clarksville and I'm a Believer.

Jones, who like his bandmates had continued to perform, had dates scheduled for March.

Formed in 1966 by Hollywood producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, The Monkess quickly stormed radio and TV airwaves with a string of chart-topping songs that went on to sell an estimated 65 million copies worldwide.

"There were certain indelible images we had of The Monkees, and that was Mike's cap, Micky's goofy looks and Davy's cuteness," says Phil Gallo, senior correspondent at Billboard. "Of all of them, Davy's character was the softest. He was the nice guy, the crowd pleaser."

Gallo recalls being a kid in the 1960s, "collecting Batman cards, then graduating to Monkees cards, way before I got into baseball cards. They were the very first boy band, when you think about it."

Jones was born Dec. 30, 1945, in Manchester, England. His long hair and British accent helped him achieve heartthrob status in the United States.

According to The Monkees website, Monkees.com, he left the band in late 1970. In the summer of 1971, he recorded a solo hit Rainy Jane and made a series of appearances on American variety and television shows, including Love American Style and The Brady Bunch.

By the mid-1980s, Jones teamed up Tork, Dolenz and promoter David Fishof for a reunion tour. Their popularity prompted MTV to re-air The Monkees series, introducing the group to a new audience.

In 1989, the group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the late 1990s, the group filmed a special called Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees.

Jones is survived by his wife Jessica and four daughters from previous marriages.

Funny Valentines

What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than with Topps Funny Valentines. Here's a description and pictures from an old Hake's Auction --

"Topps issued its first Funny Valentines set in 1959 followed by a second set in 1960. All cards are 2.5x3.5” with fronts featuring sweet Valentine greeting while backs have a humorous twist. Cards include art by Jack Davis."