They Don't Make Them Like They Used To: Why Old Movies Are Better

Unlike other classic film fans, I am not wholly adverse to more recent films. There are movies made in the past few years that number among my favourites, and I do go to the cinema on a somewhat regular basis to watch recently made movies. That having been said, I cannot escape believing that on the whole movies were better fifty or more years ago than they are now.

Now I have given thought to the idea that this could simply be an illusion created by the passage of time. After all, it stands to reason that the best movies--those that would become classics--would continue to be shown over the years, while inferior movies would be shown much less. Citizen Kane is still shown several times a year both on television and in theatres. By contrast, The Conqueror is not shown nearly as much. I also cannot deny that I have seen my share of bad movies made from years and years ago. Jimmy Stewart once called Pot o' Gold the worst film he ever made. He was right.

Still, even given the fact that good movies will tend to be shown much more over the years than bad movies, perhaps creating the illusion that every movie from years ago has some quality, I cannot deny feeling that on average movies declined a good deal in quality in the past forty years. This can be shown by contrasting the films that topped the box office over the years, as well as the various blockbusters released over the years. The top ten grossing films of 1944 included such classics as Going My Way, Meet Me in St. Louis, Double Indemnity, and the Forties version of Gaslight. By contrast, the top ten grossing films of 1988 included such movies as Twins, Crocodile Dundee, and Cocktail (which I am convinced is one of the worst movies of all time). As to blockbusters, the top grossing film of the Thirties (indeed, of all time when adjusted for inflation) was Gone With the Wind, a well crafted epic still regarded as a classic. The top grossing film of the Nineties was Titanic, an epic which relied on its special effects and lavish production to make up for a weak storyline.

If I had to pinpoint the time when movies began to seriously decline in quality, I would say that it was probably the Seventies. The Seventies saw a boom in disaster movies, where big name stars and special effects were more important than good filmmaking or  the storyline. Worse yet, films such as Airport, The Poseidon Adventure, The Towering Inferno, and Earthquake all did relatively well at the box office. This would lead to such empty, special effects epics as Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow, and 2012. While the disaster films would lead to a decline in quality of blockbusters from yesteryear, comedies would also start to decline in the Seventies. While the Seventies would produce some truly funny comedies (Young Frankenstein, Animal House, What's Up, Doc?), it also produced some truly bad comedies (Smokey and the Bandit, Every Which Way But Loose, 1941).

Indeed, even more so than in the arena of blockbusters, it is in the genre of comedy that movies have suffered the most the past forty years. Such classic comedies of the Thirties and Forties as My Man Godfrey, Bringing Up Baby, and To Be or Not To Be relied on witty dialogue and some truly funny situations for their humour, which always grew out of the characters. Today the average comedy often relies on low, obvious, and often scatological humour. There's not a bit of witty dialogue to be heard. Among the subgenres of comedy which have suffered the most must be the romantic comedy. There was a time when romantic comedies were made to be enjoyed by both sexes. Men and women alike could appreciate such movies as It Happened One Night and Bringing Up Baby. Sadly, today it seems as if romantic comedies are made exclusively for women. This would not be so bad, but it seems as if filmmakers must think the average woman is none too bright and none too discerning with regards to film, as the average romantic comedy of today features cardboard characters and often hackneyed situations.

Even children's movies seem inferior in quality these days. The period from the Thirties into the Sixties produced such classic children's films as The Wizard of Oz, The Thief of Baghdad, The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, and The Parent Trap. And I cannot deny that there have been some good children's films released in the past forty years (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Babe), but today it seems as if the average studio's idea of a good children's movie is to combine talking animals created by CGI with very low brow humour. The Wizard of Oz and Babe have been replaced by Alvin and the Chipmunks and G-Force.

Here I must stress that I do think there are a few genres where movies do compare favourably to those of yesteryear. While animated movies would decline precipitously in quality in the late Sixties into the early Eighties, the genre would make up comeback in the Nineties. This I attribute to Pixar, who had always maintained a high degree of quality on their films. In doing so they placed the bar higher for other animated filmmakers, who had to make good films of their own simply to keep up with Pixar. I also believe the superhero movie of today is superior to those made in the past. I suspect much of this has to do with the fact that in the past forty years comic books have become more respectable, thus insuring that superhero movies would no longer be quickie productions made simply for kids. I also think much of this has to do with the directors at the helm of such movies--Sam Raimi, Guillermo del Toro, and Christopher Nolan, directors who either grew up reading comic books, are visionary enough to see the cinematic possibilities of the medium, or both.

As to what caused this decline in film, that is difficult to say. Some might point to the weakening of the MPAA Production Code from the late Forties into the Sixties and the establishment of the ratings system, which would permit much more graphic content than the old Production Code had allowed. I suppose an argument could be made that the ratings system allowed for movies to rely more on sex and violence than strong writing and characters. Indeed, such atrocities as the American Pie movies, which rely upon sex for their source of humour, would have been impossible even in the Sixties. That having been said, I tend to doubt that the ratings system was to a large degree responsible for the decline in film. While the ratings system would allow for the existence of films like Porky's and American Pie, it must be pointed out that the disaster films of the Seventies and what's passes for romantic comedies now could have been made before the ratings system was implemented, even if some language and situations might have to have been edited out.

Instead, I have to wonder that the decline of American movies is not associated with the decline of the studio system. For those of you unfamiliar with the studio system, it was the dominant means by which the major studios operated from the Thirties into the Fifties, with directors, writers, and actors under exclusive contracts and ownership (or at the very least some power over) movie distribution and even exhibition at theatres. Under the studio system, studio executives wielded a good deal of power over the films made at their studios, including the directors, actors, and writers who worked on those films. To a degree the studio system did impede creativity among filmmakers. The conflict between David O. Selznick and Alfred Hitchcock over the films that director made for that producer is legendary. And I rather suspect that here have been a number of classic films since the Sixties which could not have simply been made under the studio system, such as 1966's Blowup. Even if its content could have been edited to fit the production code of the Forties, I rather suspect studio bosses would have thought the film not commercial enough. While the studio system did impede  creativity among actors, writers, and directors, it may have also had a beneficial effect on film.

Quite simply, the studio system may have acted as a means of quality control in filmmaking. After all, it cannot be coincidence that many, perhaps most, of the greatest films in American history were made under the studio system. While it seems that the studio bosses may have exerted a bit too much control over their creative personnel, they also often knew quality when they saw it. Although the two would often come to heads, it was David O. Selznick who brought Alfred Hitchcock to the United States, resulting in some of his best work. Samuel Goldwyn relied on such writers as Ben Hecht, Lillian Hellman, Sidney Howard, and Dorothy Parker. Over the years his movies earned a number of Oscars. It seems possible that the studio system may have acted as a means of insuring that movies were quality productions. In fact, it seems likely that the major difference between the studio bosses who operated under the studio system and the studio bosses of today could well be that the former were concerned with making quality movies, while the latter apparently care more about making money.

Regardless of why it seems to me that movies have declined in quality, it does seem as if they have. I often find that I would much rather watch an older film from the Forties than many films made more recently, regardless of how they performed at the box office. I have yet to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks and I doubt I ever will. Sadly, it seems to me that it is true that "They don't make them like they used to."

The Late, Great Allen Swift

Allen Swift, who provided the voice for both Simon Barsinister and Riff-Raff on Underdog and many other characters, passed on April 18 at the age of 87.

Allen Swift was born Ira Stadlen on January 16, 1824 in Washington Heights, New York, but was raised in Brooklyn. He attended the High School of Music and Art in Manhattan. He created his stage name by combing the names of two men he admired, Fred Allen and Jonathan Swift. In his late teens Mr. Swift began performing at hotels in the Catskills as a stand up comedian. He also worked on many radio shows. In 1941 he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps. Following World War II, he returned to show business. He worked on  Gangbusters and other radio shows. He also resumed his work as a comedian at night clubs.

It was around 1950 that Allen Swift joined the cast of the television version of The Robert Q. Lewis Show. It was in 1953 that Allen Swift joined The Howdy Doody Show. Initially he served as the replacement for Dayton Allen as the voice for the puppets Phineas T. Bluster and Flub-a-Dub, as well as playing Chief Thunderchicken, but after  September 1954 when Buffalo Bob Smith had a heart attack, Mr. Swift found himself voicing Howdy Doody for a year. It was in 1954 that Mr. Swift provided his voice for a cartoon for the first time, the Famous Studios Howdy Doody short "Boo Moon." In 1956 he became the host of The Popeye Show on WPIX-TV, New York, playing Captain Allen Swift. He was host of the show for four years. In 1957 he did his first work for Terrytoons in the short "A Bum Steer." He would go onto voice several of the studio's characters, including Gaston and Clint Clobber. It was also in the Fifties that he began doing voice overs for radio and television commercials. It is estimated Mr. Swift did over 30,000 commercials in his lifetime.

It was in 1960 that Alan Swift did his first work for TTV, providing the voices of Odie Cologne, Itchy Brother, and Tooter Turtle on King Leonardo and His Short Subjects. He would go onto voice various characters on Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales, Simon Barsinister, Riff-Raff, and many of the villains on The Underdog Show, and Tubby and Scotty on The Beagles. In 1961 he worked on the syndicated puppet show Diver Dan. He also provided voices for many of the cartoons produced by Gene Deitch, including his "Tom and Jerry" cartoons and the feature film Alice of Wonderland in Paris. In 1967 he provided most of the voices for Rankin/Bass's feature film Mad Monster Party.

The Seventies saw Allen Swift do further work for Rankin/Bass, including the specials The Enchanted World of Danny Kaye: The Emperor's New Clothes, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, The Easter Bunny is Coming to Town, and Pinocchio's Christmas. In the Eighties Mr. Swift more or less retired, although into the Naughts he would guest star on such shows as Kate and Allie, The Equalizer, Crime Story, and Law and Order. He appeared in the feature films Seize the Day, A Price Above Rubies, and Safe Men. His last work was providing voice work for an episode of Courage the Cowardly Dog in 2000.

There can be no doubt that Allen Swift was among the greatest voice men of all time. On The Underdog Show alone he voiced such diverse characters as Simon Barsinister, Riff-Raff, and Batty Man, each one with a distinct voice. Indeed, in his work in commercials Allen Swift voiced everything from a toilet plunger in a Draino advert to the Burger King in early Burger King adverts. Although not as well known as Mel Blanc, he was arguably just as skilled, literally a man of a thousand voices.It is for that reason he left behind a plethora of cartoons and commercials bearing his talents.

Actor Peter Haskell R.I.P.

Actor Peter Haskell, who starred in the short lived series Bracken's World, passed on April 12 at the age of 75.

Peter Haskell was born in Boston, Massachusetts on October 15, 1934. His father was noted geophysicist Norman Haskell. He attended Buckingham Browne and Nichols School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He served in the United States Army from 1954 to 1956.  Afterwards he earned a Bachelor in Arts at Harvard University. It was while at Harvard that he became interested in acting. He was about to enter Columbia University to major in Law, but when a Harvard professor referreded him to playwright Derek Washburn, he found himself cast in the off Broadway play The Love Nest.

Peter Haskell made his television debut in an episode of Death Valley Days. He would become a frequent performer on television. In the Sixties he appeared in guest appearances on The Outer Limits, Dr. Kildare, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Fugitive, Twelve o'Clock High, Rawhide, Ben Casey, Combat, Lassie, and The Big Valley. In 1969 he was cast as a lead character in the night time soap opera Bracken's World. The series lasted a season and a half. Haskell made his movie debut in Passages from James Joyce's Finnegan's Wake in 1966.

Throughout the Seventies Peter Haskell guest starred on such shows as McCloud, Mary Tyler Moore, Longstreet, Mission: Impossible, Mannix, Cannon, and Barnaby Jones. He appeared in the film Christina in 1974. In the Eighties he guest starred on Vega$, The A-Team, Too Close for Comfort, Hunter,  the revival of Alfred Hitchock Presents, and Murder, She Wrote. From 1982 to 1983 he was a regular on Ryan's Hope. It was during this period that he attended the New York Law School. He also appeared in the film Child's Play 2.

The Nineties saw Peter Haskell guest star on Matlock, Diagnosis Murder, and Frasier. He also appeared in the films Child's Play 3 and Robot Wars. In the Naughts he guest starred on JAG, The Closer, and ER (his last appearance on screen).

American Anime Pioneer Carl Macek R.I.P.

Carl Macek, the man who  produced Robotech and later as part of Streamline Productions brought such anime as Lensmen, Wicked City, and the original, dubbed version of Akira to America, passed on April 17 at the age of 58. The cause was a heart attack.

Carl Macek was born on October 12, 1951 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He attended California State University at Fullerton, the University of California at Irvine, and Chapman College in Orange California. While at California State University in Fullerton he served as a librarian, which would lead him to a career as a writer in the field of pop culture. He wrote several articles and  he was co-editor of McGill’s Survey of the Cinema and in 1979 Film Noir—An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style. It was in 1979 that he first worked with anime, as a producer on the American version of Rupan sensei: Kariosutoro no shiro (Lupin the Third The Castle of Cagliostro). In 1983 he served as a producer on the English version of Golgo 13. He was also a publicist for The Creature Wasn't Nice.

It was in 1985 that Carl Macek served as a producer, story editor, and writer on the series Robotech. Robotech took material from three distinct, unrelated, Japanese animated series (Chōjikū Yōsai Makurosu "Super  Dimension Fortress Macross," Chōjikū Kidan Sazan "Super Dimension Cavalry Southern Cross," and Kikō Sōseiki Mosupīda, "Genesis Climber MOSPEADA") and blended them into a continuous storyline that spanned three generations. The series was produced by Harmony Gold in conjunction with Tatsunoko Production. At the time Harmony Gold's reasoning for combining the three different series was that it was necessary to create the number of episodes for the series to be shown daily in American syndication. Regardless, the series proved popular, resulting in several failed attempts at sequel series and movies.


In 1988 Carl Macek was a writer on the American animated series C.O.P.S. It was that same year that he co-founded Streamline Pictures with Jerry Beck. Over the years Streamline Pictures would release dubbed versions of such anime as Vampire Hunter D, Robotto Kãnibaru (Robot Carnival), Yōjū Toshi (Wicked City), Kuraingu Furiiman (Crying Freeman), and the original dubbed version of Akira. Streamline Pictures lasted until 2002.


Carl Macek also adapted Casshan to English and wrote the screenplays for Heavy Metal 2000 and Lady Death. He also wrote the book The Art of Heavy Metal (published in 1981) and the novel War Eagles, based on an idea for a movie by Merian C. Cooper of King Kong fame. 


Over the years Carl Macek has had his share of detractors. Although popular, Robotech was controversial among anime fans for taking three different Japanese series and combining into one. As part of Streamline Pictures, Macek met with controversy again as Streamline only released anime dubbed in English rather than in the original Japanese with subtitles. Indeed, I must confess that I prefer to watch anime with subtitles over anime that has been dubbed. And while I was a Robotech fan in its day, part of me wonders how well known Macross might be in the United States now if it had only been released in something close to its original form.


That having been said, while I can see the points of Macek's detractors, I think they ignore the fact that over all Carl Macek did an enormous service to anime fans in the United States. After the first wave of anime series (Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion, Speed Racer) in the Sixties ended, very little in the way of anime was to be seen in the United States throughout the Seventies and into the early Eighties. What few anime series did air in the United States during that time were hardly successful, not to mention few and far between. This changed in the mid-Eighties when Voltron (another American series created out of two different anime shows) debuted in 1984 and Robotech followed it a few months later. While Voltron attained some level of popular, it would be Robotech that would put anime back on the map in the United States. It became the most successful anime series since Speed Racer.


As part of Streamline Pictures, Carl Macek also did a great service for anime fans. Streamline Pictures was one of the first companies to bring anime movies to the United States, even if they were dubbed. It opened the way for other companies which would import anime to the United States, many of which was not dubbed (or at least was available in both dubbed and subtitled versions). To a large degree Streamline Pictures was responsible for the acceptance anime would finally find in the American mainstream. In many respects, if it had not been for Carl Macek, Spirited Away might not have won the 2002 Oscar for Best Animated Movie and Howl's Moving Castle might not have been nominated for the 2005 Oscar. Quite simply, Carl Macek paved the way for anime's general acceptance among American audiences. And for anime fans, that can only be a good thing.

The Late, Great Peter Steele

(WARNING If you are a bit uncomfortable with content that is rated at least PG-13, you might want to pass this blog entry by....)

Peter Steele, the leader, lead vocalist, bassist, and lead songwriter of the Gothic metal band Type O Negative, passed on Wednesday, April 14, 2010. The cause was heart failure. He was 48 years old.

Peter Steele was born Petrus T. Ratajczyk in Brooklyn on January 4, 1962. Prior to forming Type O Negative, Mr. Steele was employed by the New York City Parks Department. In 1979 he became a founding member of the heavy metal band Fallout alongside future Type O Negative member Josh Silver. Fallout only released one single ("Rock Hard/Batteries Not Included"). Fallout evolved into the heavy metal band Carnivore, which consisted of Mr. Steele on bass guitar and vocals, Louie Beato on drums, and Keith Alexander on lead guitar. Carnivore released two albums before breaking up in 1987.

It was not long after the break up of Carnivore that Peter Steele formed a band with drummer Sal Abruscato, keyboardist Josh Silver, and guitarist Kenny Hickey. Initially calling themselves "Repulsion," they renamed themselves "Subzero." After realising that name was taken, they renamed themselves "Type O Negative." As Type O Negative they released a demo, which came to the attention of Road Racer Records (now Roadrunner Records), who signed them. In 1991 they released their debut album, Slow Deep and Hard. That first album blended elements of thrash metal, industrial music, and New Wave with Gothic themes. For their second album Roadrunner Records insisted that Type O Negative fulfil a contractual obligation to record a live album. Instead the band simply re-recorded Slow Deep and Hard,  along with covers of Jii Hendrix's "Hey, Joe (redone as "Hey, Pete)" and Black Sabbath's "Paranoid," and dubbed in crowd noises, even going so far as to create a fake fight with the non-existent audience. While Roadrunner was not happy with Type O Negative's joke, they released  the fake live album,  entitled The Origin of the Faeces, in 1992 anyway.

It would be with Type O Negative's second original album that the band finally achieved success. Bloody Kisses featured  the cult songs "Christian Woman," which dealt with sexuality and religion,  and "Black No. 1 (Little Miss Scare-All), which parodied Goth stereotypes. Another well known cut from Bloody Kisses was a Gothic metal rendition of Seals and Croft's "Summer Breeze."  The album was the first in which Type O Negative really came into their own, characterised as it was by Gothic imagery and rather dry, but very black humour. It became Roadrunner's first album to go gold and then its first to go platinum. On the heels of the success of Bloody Kisses, Mr. Steele posed for Playgirl,  a decision he later regretted.

Bloody Kisses was followed by October Rust in 1996. The album featured Type O Negative's Gothic remake of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," as well as the cult songs "My Girlfriend's Girlfriend,"  "Love You To Death" and "Green Man." The album did not do as well as its predecessor, peaking at #42 on the Billboard albums chart, but went gold. It was also around this time that Type O Negative became involved in a bit of controversy, after Mr. Steele confessed on The Howard Stern Show to having murder-suicide fantasies and even admiring Kurt Cobain for having taken his own life. It was in the wake of the release of October Rust that several of Peter Steele's family members died. In his grief he began drinking heavily. The result of this was the album World Coming Down, an album which dealt with death, addiction, and self loathing. Strangely enough, the album ended with a medley of The Beatles songs "Day Tripper," "If I Needed You," and "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." In 2000 a "greatest hits" album was released, entitled The Least Worst of Type O Negative.

It was in 2003 that Life is Killing Me was released. The album was much lighter than World Coming Down, even featuring music from the TV show The Munsters and a cover of "Angry Inch" from the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch, as well as the humorous "I Like Goils." The songs on the album were also much shorter, "...A Dish Best Served Coldly" being the longest, clocking in at seven minutes and two seconds. It was following the release of Life is Killing Me that Peter Steele served a short time in prison for possession of narcotics. Afterwards he went into drug rehabilitation. It was at this time that Roadrunner Records released The Best of Type O Negative in 2006 without the band's permission. Unhappy that the label would released a compilation album without their permission and receiving a better offer from SPV Records, Type O Negative left Roadrunner for SPV.

It was in 2007 that the band released Dead Again, their final album. The album featured the epic ballad of lost love "September Sun," the comedic "Halloween in Heaven," and the Black Sabbath influenced title track. The album did very well , reaching #27 on the Billboard album chart.

Peter Steele was also a guest on The Jerry Springer Show. At the time of his death he had reportedly been sober for years. After being a self confessed atheist for many years, he confessed to being drawn to Roman Catholicism.

There can be no doubt that Peter Steele had more than his fair share of problems. He coped with alcoholism and other addictions, and even suffered from clinical depression at one point. When it came to Gothic metal, however, he was a true artist. He composed some of the most powerful songs in the genre, many of which are now considered classics. His songs could often be very, very dark, but at the same time tinged with a wry sense of humour. His lyrics were emotional, intelligent, and at times even poetic. If Type O Negative became the foremost band, short of Sisters of Mercy, in the Goth genre, it is largely because of Mr. Steele's talent as a composer.

Actor James Aubrey R.I.P.

Actor James Aubrey, who played Ralph in Lord of the Flies (the one boy who maintains his wits while the others descended into savagery) passed on 8 April at the age of 62. The cause was pancreatitus.

James Aubrey was born James Aubrey Tregido in Klagenfurt, Austria on 28 August, 1947. His father was a career military man serving with the British army in Austria at the time. The family going wherever his father was assigned, Aubrey was educated in Jamaica, Germany, and Singapore. He was in Jamaica when director Peter Brook found him at a swimming pool and cast him as the lead in the movie Lord of the Flies. The movie was shot during the summer of 1961 and took a year to edit, being released in 1963. In that time he had appeared in the play Isle of Children at the Wilmington Playhouse. He would make his only appearance on Broadway in the play, reprising the role he originally played.

Aubrey trained at the Drama Centre in London. Afterwards he was a regular on the British stage. He played at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow, the Royal Court Theatre, the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the Comedy Theatre, and the Old Vic. He toured with the the Cambridge Theatre Company and performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Beginning in the Seventies, Aubrey regularly appeared on television. His TV debut was a guest appearance on Z Cars in 1974. He was a regular on the series Bouquet of Barbed Wire and its sequel Another Bouquet. He guest starred on the series Return of the Saint, Murder, The Sweeney, and Minder. He appeared in the films Galileo, Home Before Midnight, and The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle. In the Eighties he was a regular on Emmerdale Farm. He appeared in such series as Tales of the Unexpected, The Last Place on Earth, and Lovejoy. He appeared in the films  The Hunger, The American Way, Cry Freedom, and The Rift. From the Nineties into the Naughts he appeared in such shows as Inspector Morse, Causality, The Apocalpyse Watch, The Bill, Doctors, and Brief Encounters. He appeared in such films as Buddy's Song and Spy Game.

Film Editor Dede Allen R.I.P.

Dede Allen, who edited The Hustler and Bonnie and Clyde, passed on April 17 at the age of 86. She had suffered a stroke on April 14.

Dede Allen was born Dorothea Allen on in Cleveland on December 3, 1923. Her mother was the actress Dorothea S. Caruthers. Her father was a Union Carbide executive. Allen took an interest in entertainment while still young. Growing up she wanted to join the circus and she was already interested in film. She studied architecture, pottery, and weaving at Scripps College in Claremont, California. Eventually she took a job as a production runner at Columbia Pictures. By World War II she had a position in Columbia's special effects department and was editing industrial and commercials films. In 1948 she edited her first feature film, Because of Eve; however, it was not until 1958 that she began editing feature films on a regular basis, beginning with Terror From the Year 5000.

From the Sixties into the Seventies she edited several classic films. Among these were The Hustler, Bonnie and Clyde, Alice's Restaurant, Little Big Man, Serpico, Dog Day Afternoon, and Slap Shot. From the Eighties into the Naughts she edited such films as Reds, Henry and June, The Addams Family, and Wonder Boys. Her last film was Fireflies in the Garden. She was nominated for the Oscar for Best Editing three times, for Dog Day Afternoon, Reds, and Wonder Boys.

Undeniably Dede Allen was one of the greatest film editors of all time. On many of her films, most notably Bonnie and Clyde, she utilised a staccato style. As a result her movies seem to constantly be on the move. Although widely imitated today, this was ground breaking in the Sixties. That it is much more common today is a mark of Allen's influence.

All of Your Toys: The Monkees vs. Don Kirshner

Foreword

"Just like all of your toys, I don't wanna be
Just like all of your toys..."
("All of Your Toys," Bill Martin, originally performed by The Monkees)

"You say we're manufactured,
To that we all agree,
So make your choice and we'll rejoice
In never being free."
("Ditty Diego War Chant," Jack Nicholson, Robert Rafelson, performed by The Monkees, from the movie Head)

Every good story needs a villain. For most fans the villain of The Monkees story has always been music supervisor Don Kirshner. He is the man who forbade The Monkees from playing their instruments on their own records. He is the man who only allowed songwriter Michael Nesmith a meagre two songs per album. He is the man who even released an album with no input from the group whatsoever. Perhaps worst of all, many still perceive that Kirshner took credit for the group's success, as if Bob Rafelson, Bert Schneider, Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, and The Monkees themselves had no role in that success at all.

Don Kirshner's initial involvement with the television series and the recording act known as The Monkees, his early success with the band, and his fall from grace within Screen Gems, are now the stuff of legend, so much so that over the years the story has changed and been elaborated upon. As a result a number of misconceptions have arisen regarding The Monkees and Don Kirshner's part in their career. In fact, many of these misconceptions have been printed as the truth over the years, even in the mainstream press. Sadly, it often takes a very dogged Monkees fan a good deal of investigation to arrive at what was the actual truth behind the strange tale of made for TV rock band The Monkees and music impresario Don Kirshner.




The Beginning

In both books and the press it has often been stated that Don Kirshner created The Monkees. This could well be the grossest misconception about both the TV series and the rock group to have developed over the years. In truth, The Monkees began in the mind of one man, future motion picture director Bob Rafelson. Based in part on his own experiences as a young man, in the early Sixties Rafelson conceived a TV series about a group of itinerant musicians (initially a folk group) who took more interest in having fun than seriously pursuing a career. At the time, however, no one expressed interest in Rafelson's idea for a television show about rambunctious musicians. Fortunately for Rafelson, a whole new music phenomenon arrived in the United States in 1964: The Beatles. Not only did The Beatles produce an unprecedented number of hit singles and albums, but they also starred in a highly successful motion picture, A Hard Day's Night. Rafelson's idea for a TV show about an itinerant folk group then became a TV show about an itinerant rock band. In other words, the idea that had been germinating in Bob Rafelson's mind for years became The Monkees.

Bob Rafelson was not even a television writer when Don Kirshner tasted his first success in the music business. It was in 1955 that Don Kirshner formed a song writing partnership with up and coming singer Bobby Darin. While Bobby Darin would go onto phenomenal success as a performer, his partnership with Kirshner would produce very little in the way of hit songs. To make money Darin and Kirshner wound up writing jingles for commercials. Ultimately Kirshner would not find fame as a songwriter, but instead in the world of music publishing. It was in 1958 that Don Kirshner met successful composer and musician Al Nevins. Together the two formed Aldon Music, which became one of the major publishing houses in the legendary Brill Building. Aldon Music would achieve a good deal of success through its stable of songwriters, which included Neil Sedaka, and Howard Greenfield, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was on April 12, 1963 that Don Kirshner sold Aldon Music, lock , stock, and barrel, to Columbia Pictures for two million dollars worth of Columbia stock. The company was renamed Screen Gems-Columbia Music Inc., and Don Kirshner became president of Columbia's music division (including not only music publishing, but Colpix Records as well).

Among the songwriters signed to Screen Gems-Columbia Music were up and coming composers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. In 1964 Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, and Wes Farrell co-wrote "Come a Little Bit Closer" for Jay and the Americans. The song would go all the way to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following that success, Tommy Boyce was invited to sign with Screen Gems-Columbia Music. Due to a prior commitment in Las Vegas as a back up singer with Teddy Randazzo, Tommy Boyce's occasional partner Bobby Hart was not able to sign with Screen Gems-Columbia Music until April 1965. It was at Screen Gems-Columbia Music that the Boyce and Hart partnership was cemented. Among their first jobs as a team was to compose the theme for the soap opera Days of Our Lives. The up and coming songwriters developed a reputation for being able to work swiftly and efficiently.

It was in 1965 that Bob Rafelson teamed with Bert Schneider (son of Columbia Pictures president Abraham Schneider) to form Raybert Productions. The goal of Raybert Productions was to produce feature films, but the company's first project would be the TV series The Monkees. The production of the series necessitated Rafelson and Schneider find both a rock group to star in the series and songs for them to perform. Produced under the umbrella of Columbia's television arm, Screen Gems, the two producers did not have far to go for songs. Lester Sill, then consultant to Don Kirshner, told Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to meet with producer Bert Schneider about songs for a prospective television series. Schneider described the series to Boyce and Hart as an "American Beatles on television." As a result, Boyce and Hart determined The Monkees' sound should be like The Beatles, but not a direct rip off, blended with the more recent sound of such bands as The Kinks and The Who. In other words, for The Monkees, Boyce and Hart set about creating some of the earliest American power pop. For the series' pilot Boyce and Hart provided three songs: "I Wanna Be Free (a song they had already written), "(Theme From) The Monkees," and "Let's Dance On."

While Boyce and Hart set about shaping The Monkees' sound, Rafelson and Schneider set about casting the series. Initially they considered casting an existing rock group, namely The Lovin' Spoonful, but that idea soon fell by the wayside. Rafelson and Schneider then elected to create their own band for the series, running the now famous ad in Daily Variety on September 9, 1965 asking for "Folk and Rock Musicians-Singers for Acting Roles in a New TV Series." Over 437 young men would ultimately audition for the roles, among them Danny Hutton (later of Three Dog Night), Paul Petersen (of The Donna Reed Show), Stephen Stills, and Paul Williams (contrary to a popular urban legend, Charles Manson did not audition for The Monkees--he was in prison at the time). Ultimately it would be Micky Dolenz (son of actor George Dolenz and former child star of the series Circus Boy), Davy Jones (a star of British television and the stage who was already signed to Colpix), Mike Nesmith (a musician and songwriter already signed to Colpix as well), and Peter Tork (born Peter Thorkelson, he was a friend of Stephen Stills and knew how to play several different instruments) who would become The Monkees.

Obviously, Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider were a part of The Monkees from the beginning. Boyce and Hart were brought onto the project before casting even had begun. Having been cast as The Monkees, Mickey, Davy, Mike, and Peter were there from the show's earliest stages. The question, then, is "Where was Don Kirshner during all of this?" Don Kirshner was in New York, heading up Columbia Pictures' music division. At this stage he took no more interest in The Monkees than any other prospective TV show or even those shows Screen Gems already had on the air (such as Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Farmer's Daughter, and so on), on which he was listed as "Musical Consultant." Of course, this would soon change....




Come and Watch us Sing and Play

It was in November 1965 that the pilot for The Monkeeswas shot. Although Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart had already recorded the theme song, two versions of "I Wanna Be Free (an up tempo version and the better known ballad version)," and "Let's Dance On," there was no time to re-record the songs with The Monkees' voices. As a result, in the original pilot, it is the voices of Boyce and Hart that one hears on the songs. It was in January 1966 that a test screening was held for the pilot. Unfortunately, it scored disastrously (The Monkees was not the only classic show to have a disastrous test screen--Batman and The Mary Tyler Moore Show did as well). Bob Rafelson then went into the editing room for two days, during which he inserted The Monkees' screen tests into the pilot. When the pilot was tested again, it scored considerably better. It was in February 1966 that NBC picked up The Monkees for a season of 32 episodes.

Because the series was about a struggling rock band, The Monkees took a bit more preparation than other sitcoms at that or any time. Namely, The Monkees had to coalesce as the band that they were going to be on screen. From February to April, the group then would rehearse playing together. In April The Monkees auditioned for Capitol, Columbia, and RCA. Capitol was so impressed that they would have signed the band even without the television series. In the end, however, RCA was picked as it was the parent company of NBC. It was this decision that would pave the way for the new Colgems label, on which The Monkees' records were released.

It would also be in April that The Monkees would begin recording for the first time. Not only did The Monkees actually play their own instruments on these sessions, but among the songs recorded were ones written by Michael Nesmith. Indeed, among the songs known to be recorded was "The Girl I Knew Somewhere." Unfortunately, once Don Kirshner became music supervisor, The Monkees were no longer allowed to play their own instruments on their records. It is perhaps for this reason that the tapes from this sessions have never surfaced.

Of course, The Monkees also recorded with Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart as producers. The first song Boyce and Hart recorded was "(The Theme From) The Monkees.." Initially Boyce and Hart tried recording with all four Monkees in the studio at once. Unfortunately, the four young men would spend more time trying to crack each other up than actually recording the song. Afterwards, Boyce and Hart would record with only one Monkee at a time.

It would also be around this time that Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider would call on Don Kirshner for help in providing songs for the series. With only a matter of months before the series debuted, and two to three songs often featured in each episode, the producers needed a good number of songs in a very short period of time. In some respects, Don Kirshner was the ideal man to whom to turn when it came to songs. He had access to such songwriters as Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield. He also had a number of connections within the industry with music producers and musicians themselves. Although well suited to the task at hand, Kirshner's services would not come cheaply. He asked for one third of all the profits from The Monkees' recordings, a request which Screen Gems granted. He would also take the first steps toward his final confrontation with The Monkees. Kirshner allowed The Monkees no real selection in the songs they would perform, much less which songs were released a singles. He also kept the number of The Monkees' own compositions on their albums to an absolute minimum. On their first two albums songwriter Michael Nesmith only had two songs apiece. What may have been the coup de grace he dealt himself was the decision that under no circumstances would The Monkees be allowed to play their own instruments on their records.

Of course, while Don Kirshner officially became the music supervisor of The Monkees, other events were unfolding at a corporate level. Columbia's old recording label, Colpix, had been stagnant for years. Its place would be taken by a new label. It was in June 1966 that RCA Victor and Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems formed Colgems. Columbia/Screen Gems would develop product for the new label, while RCA Victor would manufacture and distribute it. As creative director of the new label, Don Kirshner was appointed. Colgems' first recording artists would be The Monkees.

It was by mid-1966, then, that Don Kirshner not only became music supervisor of The Monkees, but the de facto head of Columbia Pictures' music arm. Among his first tasks was to find someone to produce The Monkees' songs. Although Tommy Boycce and Bobby Hart had shaped The Monkees' sound by writing and producing songs for the pilot, he dismissed them out of hand as not having enough experience in music production. Instead, Kirshner sought out Snuff Garrett, who had produced both Bobby Vee and Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Garrett and The Monkees would clash in the studio however, particularly after he decided Davy Jones should sing lead vocals on both "Take a Giant Step" and "Let's Dance On." The June 10, 1966 recording session with Garret was so disastrous that he was dismissed as producer.

With Snuff Garrett out of the picture, Don Kirshner then looked across the Pond to Mickie Most as a possible music producer for The Monkees. Most had a good deal of success producing both The Animals and Herman's Hermits. Unfortunately for Kirshner, Most turned him down. Don Kirshner then turned to two of his own songwriters, the legendary Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Their session with The Monkees proved as disastrous as that of Snuff Garrett. The two in particular clashed with Mike Nesmith, to the point that Carole King left the studio in tears. The three would eventually make up, co-writing the song "Sweet Young Thing," which appeared on the first album.

Amazingly enough, Don Kirsner would allow Michael Nesmith to produce his own songs, provided neither he nor any other Monkee played on them. As it turned out, Michael Nesmith eventually did allow Peter Tork to play acoustic guitar on "Papa Gene's Blues," which appeared on the first album. Ironically, Michael Nesmith did not play any of the instruments on his own songs at these sessions.

During this time Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart had not given up hope on becoming The Monkees' producers. Boyce and Hart contacted Don Kirshner and asked to audition as producers of The Monkees. Without anyone to produce The Monkees' music, Don Kirshner accepted the offer. The so-called "Man With the Golden Ear" was then given a performance by Boyce and Hart and Hart's band The Candy Store Prophets of nearly every song they had written for The Monkees as they would appear on an album. Fortunately for Boyce and Hart, Kirshner was impressed. They won the right to produce The Monkees, although initially Kirshner insisted on Jack Keller (who wrote, among other things, the theme to Bewitched) be present at their sessions.

Over the next several months Boyce and Hart would hold several recording sessions with The Monkees. Among the tracks produced were such classics as "Last Train to Clarksville," "(The Theme from) The Monkees," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone (originally written for Paul Revere and the Raiders)," and "She." In fact, on The Monkees' self titled debut album only two songs were not produced by Boyce and Hart--the Michael Nesmith compositions "Papa Gene's Blues" and "Sweet Young Thing (produced by Nesmith himself). Having established the sound of The Monkees and producing nearly their entire first album, it must have seemed to Boyce and Hart that they would remain the band's producers. Unfortunately, they would not remain The Monkees' only producers for long.




They Weren't His Steppin' Stones

Throughout the summer of 1966 Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart would produce many of the songs that would become among the most recognised of The Monkees' oeuvre. With an eye on The Beatles, Boyce and Hart recognised that The Beatles often included novelty songs (usually sung by Ringo Starr) on their albums. It is for this reason that The Monkees recorded "Gonna By Me a Dog," a song written by Boyce and Hart prior to the conception of The Monkees and even performed by then Colpix artist Davy Jones on an episode of The Farmer's Daughter. Among the novelty numbers Boyce and Hart produced were their own song "Ladies Aid Society" and the Lynn Castle and Wayne Erwin composed "Teeny Tiny Gnome." Don Kirshner determined neither song was suitable. It is possible that these were among the songs which led television producer Bert Schneider to believe that many of the songs Boyce and Hart were not commercial enough.

At the same time, Don Kirshner preferred to work with East Coast music producers and to keep music production closer to his home in New York City. It is perhaps because of Schneider's view that much of what Boyce and Hart recorded was not commercially viable and Don Kirshner's desire to keep music production closer to New York that the so-called "Man with the Golden Ear" brought in Jeff Barry as a producer. A songwriter himself, Jeff Barry had written or co-written such songs as The Ronette's "Be My Baby" and Darlene Love's "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)."

Here it must be pointed out that Don Kirshner did not fire Boyce and Hart, and he particularly did not fire them for allegedly using recording time allotted to The Monkees for their own solo project. Even as Don Kirshner enlisted Jeff Barry and later such producers as Gerry Goffin and Carole King as well as Neil Sedaka and Carole Bayer Sager, Boyce and Hart continued to produce their own Monkees material. Quite simply, Boyce and Hart were not fired, they simply no longer have a monopoly as The Monkees' producers. As to using The Monkees' recording time for their own solo project, it must be pointed out that Boyce and Hart the songwriters and music producers did not become Boyce and Hart the rock performers until after the end of The Monkees' first tour. It was at The Monkees' last gig of their American tour at the Cow Palace in San Francisco on January 22, 1967 that Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart decided to make the leap from composers to performers. By that time The Monkees had found their own producer in Chip Douglas (more on that later) and Don Kirshner's days were numbered.

Regardless, Don Kirshner's choice to move much of the music production to New York not only took away Boyce and Hart's monopoly on The Monkees, but it also further removed The Monkees from the recording process. While The Monkees were busy shooting the series on the West Coast and later touring the United States, Kirshner's producers were busy recoding music with session musicians, to which The Monkees would merely add their own vocals. Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, the two serious musicians of the group, had never been happy about not being allowed to play on their own records. Nor were The Monkees necessarily happy with the songs Don Kirshner selected for them. Worse yet, there were rumours that The Monkees did not play their own instruments. While these rumours had not surfaced in the mainstream press, they were current as early as October 1966 (as evidenced by articles in Crawdaddy magazine). Between further isolating The Monkees from the recording of the instrumental tracks to their songs and rumours regarding The Monkees' skill as musicians, Kirshner had merely added more fuel to a fire that would soon burn out of control.

The inevitable showdown between The Monkees and Don Kirshner would be delayed by The Monkees' first United States tour. Raybert Productions and Screen Gems had planned, almost from the beginning that The Monkees would tour as a means of promoting both the television series and the the records (this was reportedly over Don Kirshner's objections). It was then on December 3, 1966 in Honolulu, Hawaii that The Monkees began a tour of the United States. The Monkees visited fourteen different cities across America. As proof that The Monkees could play their own instruments, The Monkees provided their own accompaniment, except on their solo sets (in which case accompaniment was provided by the Candy Store Prophets, who also opened for the group). Footage from the show in Phoenix, Arizona would be used in the final episode of the first season, "The Monkees on Tour."

It was while The Monkees were on tour that Don Kirshner made what may have been one of the biggest errors of his career. With neither The Monkees' consent nor their knowledge, he released a second album (entitled More of the Monkees) to capitalise on growing Monkeemania. While the first album was composed almost entirely of material produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart (except for the two songs produced by Michael Nesmith), the songs on More of The Monkees were produced by nine different producers from the various recording sessions Kirshner had held in the past months. And while the first album featured six songs composed by Boyce and Hart, the second album only featured two. The cover featured a photo stitched together from two different shots, with The Monkees in J. C. Penney clothes as part of a promotion for that chain of stores. The liner notes on the back were composed by Don Krishner himself. More of The Monkees was released on January 10, 1967.

The Monkees did not even learn of the new album until, while on tour, they were browsing in a record store, only to find a Monkees album none of them had ever seen or heard. Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork in particular were displeased that an entire album had been released without their knowledge or consent, and both were unhappy with the songs that had been selected for More of The Monkees. Michael Nesmith even went so far as to refer to the album as "the worst album in the history of the world." The Monkees were further enraged by the liner notes on the back of the album, in which Don Kirshner name drops the various songwriters who had composed songs for More of The Monkees, and only mentions The Monkees as an afterthought. Even the cover photo angered The Monkees. Composed in a fashion which aped the cover of The Beatles' Rubber Soul, it featured the four young men in the J. C. Penney clothes which they had hated wearing. Delayed by the tour, the showdown with "the Man with the Golden Ear" was inevitable.

Of course, Michael Nesmith had grossly exaggerated when he called More of The Monkees "the worst album in the history of the world." The album actually did include some of the high points of the band's career. Among these were "She," in my humble opinion the best song The Monkees ever performed and the best song Boyce and Hart ever wrote. It has been covered at least three times (by The Dickies, The Colourfield, and Love Candy). It also included The Monkees' version of "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," which would go onto become a garage band standard. "I'm a Believer" was not only the biggest selling Monkees single of all time, but possibly the best song ever written by Neil Diamond and certainly the best performance of a Diamond song short of Deep Purple's version of "Kentucky Woman." The song also included two of Mike Nesmith's best tracks, "Mary, Mary" and "The Kind of Girl I Could Love" That having been said, there was no escaping the fact that More of The Monkees was essentially a quickie album created merely to cash in on Monkeemania. While the album included some of the best Monkees songs ever recorded, it also included some of their worst. More of The Monkees featured what may have been the most forgettable Gerry Goffin and Carole King song of all time, "Sometime in the Morning." "The Day We Fall in Love," written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, was a ballad in the fashion of "I Wanna Be Free," but with none of that song's appeal. "Hold On Girl" was very nearly bubblegum. What may have been the worst song on the album was "Laugh," credited to four different songwriters. In many ways More of The Monkees is the exact opposite of the first album. While the first album had a fairly consistent sound, that of early American power pop, More of The Monkees is fragmented between the varied styles of the many producers on the album. Ultimately the only songs on which The Monkees sound created by Boyce and Hart was in evidence were "She," "Mary, Mary," "Your Auntie Grizelda," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," "The Kind of Girl I Could Love," and "I'm a Believer."

It was the second album which led The Monkees to rebel against Don Kirshner. Determined to make their own music, The Monkees even recruited their own producer. While Peter Tork had thought that his friend Stephen Stills could fill the role, it was ultimately Chip Douglas who would get the job. Chip Douglas had been a member of the Modern Folk Quartet and later a bassist for The Turtles. It was while The Turtles were performing at the Whisky a Go Go that Mike Nesmith asked Douglas if he would like to produce records for The Monkees. Douglas pointed out that he had never produced a record in his life. Nesmith told Douglas that he would teach him how to be a producer. Douglas then accepted Nesmith's offer and Chip Douglas became The Monkees' newest producer.

In response to the release of More of The Monkees, Michael Nesmith would call his own press conference. He would call several magazines and newspapers, although in the end only Time and Look attended the conference. As it turned out, those two magazines were enough to ignite what may have been the biggest controversy in the history of The Monkees. At the conference Nesmith complained, "We're being passed off as something we're not. We all play instruments but we haven't on any of our records. Furthermore, our company doesn't want us to and won't let us." The rumour that The Monkees did not play their own instruments on their records had existed very nearly since the show had debuted, but following Mike Nesmith's press conference it swiftly became a source of controversy in mainstream magazines and newspapers. Accusations that The Monkees were not a "real band" began to appear with increasing frequency. For the most part, the venom which many in the press directed towards The Monkees was very much uncalled for. The use of session musicians to play on record for rock bands was a well established practice by 1966. Session musicians had played the instruments on many of The Beach Boys' early records, while on The Byrds' first album, Mr. Tambourine Man, session musicians provided all of the accompaniment except for some guitar work by Roger McGuinn. Regardless, the fact that The Monkees had not played their instruments was used as a means to attack them in the press, perhaps because having been formed for a TV series they were obviously a manufactured group.

With The Monkees (particularly Mike and Peter) furious over the release of More of The Monkees, the stage was now set for the showdown with Don Kirshner. It would take place in late January when the group was invited to Don Kirshner's suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel to accept their gold records and royalty cheques. The four Monkees were accompanied by their new producer, Chip Douglas. Don Kirshner was accompanied by attorney Herb Moelis. Once the press had left, Kirshner presented The Monkees with acetates of four songs to which they would only have to add their voices. This was too much for Michael Nesmith, already unhappy with being unable to play guitar on even the songs he had written himself and angry at the release of More of The Monkees. Mike informed Kirshner that he was tired of having his name attached to work which others had done. He also threatened to quit if The Monkees were not allowed more control over their music. It was then that Herb Moelis told Michael Nesmith that he had better read his contract. This simply angered the already angry Mike Nesmith even more. He rammed his fist into the hotel's room wall and then said, "That could have been your face....!" Mike then stormed out of the room.

The confrontation between Mike Nesmith, Don Kirshner, and Herb Moelis has since become legendary. In fact, it has even been said by those involved that one of the songs on the acetates Kirshner offered The Monkees was none other than "Sugar, Sugar," written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim. Kirshner perhaps told the story as an example of typical Monkee business, the "foolish" boys refusing to record a song that would later be number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks in a row. Others have perhaps told the story as an example that Don Kirshner would have had The Monkees perform a song that was pure bubblegum.

In truth, it would seem that "Sugar, Sugar" was not among the songs which Don Kirshner offered to The Monkees that night. Andy Kim has stated that "Sugar, Sugar" was never offered to the Monkees and was in fact written expressly for The Archies nearly two years later. Andrew Sandoval of Rhino Records, an expert on The Monkees, has theorised that instead The Monkees were offered a song entitled "Sugar Man," written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell (who also wrote The Monkees' "The Day We Fall in Love"). In fact, it was on January 22, 1967 that Don Kirshner held a recording session, produced by Denny Randell, during which instrumental tracks for the songs "I Wanna Be Your Puppy Dog," "Love is On the Way," "I Didn't Know You Had It in You, Sally," and "Sugar Man," all by Linzer and Randell, were all recorded. While never released by The Monkees, "Sugar Man" would later be recorded by bubblegum artist Keith (who had a hit with the song "98.6") and released both as a single and a track on his album Out of Crank in 1968. It would be due to the similarity of the two songs' titles that over time even those present at the confrontation between The Monkees and Don Kirshner would mistakenly remember "Sugar, Sugar" as the song which The Monkees refused to perform. Regardless, it must be pointed out that "Sugar Man" was nearly as much bubblegum as "Sugar, Sugar," as were the other tracks produced by Denny Randell on January 22, 1967.

Faced with the prospect of Michael Nesmith quitting both the television series and the group, Bert Schneider ultimately chose to give The Monkees more control over their music. The Monkees would finally be allowed to play their own instruments on their records. While Don Kirshner would still choose the A-side of their singles, the B-side of their singles would have to be a song of The Monkees' choice that they had recorded themselves. It would be this agreement that would lead to "the Man with the Golden Ear's" downfall.

Indeed, The Monkees would still come to heads with Don Kirshner over what should be released as their third single. It was on January 16, 1967 that The Monkees gathered, with Chip Douglas as producer, to record what they intended to be the A-side and the B-side of their next single. The song intended as the A-side was "All of Your Toys," a song written by Mike Nesmith's friend Bill Martin. Sadly, the song would not become the A-side of The Monkees' next song due to a simple technicality. A rule existed that The Monkees could only record songs published by Screen Gems-Columbia Music, Inc. All of Your Toys" had been published by Tickson Music. Screen Gems did offer to buy "All of Your Toys" from Tickson, but they refused to sell. As a result "All of Your Toys" would not see the light of day until it was released on Rhino Records' Missing Links compilation in 1987. As to the B-side of single, that was Michael Nesmith's song "The Girl I Knew Somewhere," which was re-recorded at this time. While "All of Your Toys" would not be released as The Monkees' third single, it would be historic as the first song in an official Monkees recording session on which The Monkees themselves played their own instruments.

While The Monkees wanted "All of Your Toys" as their next single, Don Kirshner had other ideas. Eager to repeat the success of Neil Diamond's "I'm a Believer," he decided the A-side of The Monkees' third single would be another Neil Diamond composition, "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You." In defiance of the agreement struck between Colgems and The Monkees, he also had a song in mind for the B-side of the next single, "She Hangs Out" by Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwhich. It was on January 21, 1967, the same date that The Monkes performed in Phoenix, that "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" and "She Hangs Out" were recorded in a session produced by Jeff Barry. It was on February 4, 1967 that Davy Jones recorded the vocals for the two songs in the New York studio, with no other Monkees present.

Don Kirshner would then make the crucial mistake that would cost him his position as The Monkees' music supervisor. He authorised the pressing and distribution of the single with "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" as the A-side and "She Hangs Out" as the B-side, complete with a picture sleeve. Worse yet, he even had a number of promotional copies created with the label "My Favourite Monkee-Davy Jones Sings." All of this was in clear violation of the new rule which gave The Monkees more control over their music. Reportedly, Don Kirshner's reasoning was that in creating a third Monkee hit in a row, his power as the group's musical supervisor would be cemented. Unfortunately, "The Man with The Golden Ear's" scheme would ultimately backfire upon him.

It was not long before copies of "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"/"She Hangs Out" began to appear in Canada. The two songs also began to receive airplay on radio stations in both the United States and Canada. Not only were The Monkees and Raybert Productions angered by Don Kirshner's actions, but so too was Columbia Pictures. Indeed, not only would Don Kirshner be dismissed as The Monkees' music supervisor, but on February 27, 1967 he would be fired as president of Columbia-Screen Gems Music and Colgems Records. The single was swiftly withdrawn in Canada and cancelled entirely in the United States. Because it was already publicised that "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" would be the next single released by The Monkees, it was kept as the A-side of the official third single from the group; however, the B-side would be "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" by Mike Nesmith, the song The Monkees had chosen for the B-side to begin with.

Don Kirshner would not take his termination from Columbia Pictures lying down. Kirshner filed a $35 million breach of contract suit against Columbia Pictures-Screen Gems. In the suit Kirshner alleged that Abe Schneider, president of Columbia Pictures Inc., Bert Schneider, and Jerry Hyams, executive vice president of Screen Gems, conspired to "interfere with and terminate his contractual rights, to 'diminish' his reputation, and to obtain for Bert Schneider 'a greater share of royalties' from The Monkees' recordings." In response Columbia Pictures stated that Kirshner's suit was wholly without merit and the personal charges he made against Abraham Schneider, Bert Schneider, and Jerry Hyams were groundless. They also stated that they were well within their legal rights to fire Kirshner.

Included as part of Screen Gems' response to Don Kirshner were accusations that would make him sound all the more sinister than any Monkees fan had ever feared. According to Crawdaddy, in response to Kirshner's lawsuit, Screen Gems alleged that the night before The Monkees was set to premiere on NBC, Kirshner threatened to withhold the master tapes of the songs unless Raybert Productions surrendered their share of the music publishing royalties from The Monkees songs to him. Screen Gems also alleged that Don Kirshner had attempted to release a single featuring only the vocals of The Monkees, with accompaniment provided by other musicians, in violation of the agreement with The Monkees (this was a reference to the single "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"/"She Hangs Out"). Screen Gems also alleged that Kirshner secretly recorded conversations between himself and officers of Colgems, Screen Gems, RCA, and so on.

Despite the accusations made towards each other by both Don Kirshner and Columbia Pictures-Screen Gems, the suit itself would be settled quietly out of court after a few months. Reportedly, it was the largest out of court settlement made in the history of Columbia Pictures.

With Don Kirshner no longer their music supervisor (indeed, he was no longer even a part of Columbia Pictures), The Monkees now had total control over their music. On February 23, 1967, The Monkees held their first recording session for their third album, Headquarters. It would be the first album on which they played their own instruments and the first on which they selected the songs. Recording on Headquarters would continue until April 18, 1967, at which time it was completed. Headquarters was released on May 22, 1967. The album hit #1 on the Billboard albums chart, a position it maintained for only one week before slipping to #2 (it seems the following week an album entitled Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band had been released). Headquarters remained at #2 for eleven consecutive weeks. The first A-side of a single on which The Monkees played their own accompaniment, "Pleasant Valley Sunday (written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King)" would be released on July 3, 1967, would perform equally well. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its B-Side, "Words," peaked at #11. Not only had The Monkees proven that they could play their own instruments on their own records, they had proven they could produce hits without Don Kirshner.




Afterword

In many ways it is difficult to access the position of Don Kirshner in the history of The Monkees. More often than not Monkees fans treat him as if he was the villain of a silent movie serial. It would seem that the truth is a bit more complex than this overly simplistic characterisation. There can be no doubt that Kirshner gave The Monkees no real input in the music they recorded and that he did not allow them to play their instruments on their own records. It is also indisputable that he authorised the release of a single in clear violation of the agreement Colgems had made with The Monkees. It is possible that Kirshner was even guilty of some of the more nefarious things ascribed to him, such as withholding the master tapes from Raybert Productions in a bid for the greater share of royalties, could be true. That having been said, it must be admitted that Don Kirshner was of some benefit to The Monkees.

The fact is that Don Kirshner came into the multimedia project that was The Monkees at the request of Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider. In desperate need of songs to feature each week on the TV seires, they turned to the one man who would be best able to find them. And it cannot be argued that Don Kirshner did not deliver the goods in his role as The Monkees' music supervisor. The Monkees' first two singles, "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer," both went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their first two albums (including More of The Monkees, the album Mike Nesmith called "the worst... in the history of the world") also went to #1 on the Billboard albums chart. While there can be no doubt that much of this was due to the exposure The Monkees' songs received on the TV show, one cannot entirely dismiss the knack Don Kirshner had for choosing hit records.

Indeed, it must be pointed out that it was through Don Kirshner that The Monkees would have access to some of the greatest songwriters of all time. While Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart were a part of The Monkees project before Don Kirshner became music supervisor, it was because of Kirshner that The Monkees would also perform songs written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Jeff Barry, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Neil Diamond. Even after Columbia Pictures fired Don Kirshner, The Monkees would continue to utilise the talents of Gerry Goffin and Carole King, who would write six more songs for The Monkees, including the hit "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "Porpoise Song," the theme to their movie Head. Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Jeff Barry, and Carole Bayer would all contribute songs to The Monkees after Don Kirshner was long gone.

While Don Kirshner gave The Monkees hits and access to some of the greatest songwriters of all time, it must also be kept in mind that he was largely a product of another time. Don Kirshner rose to power in the music business during the era of the Brill Building Sound. It was an era when more often than not artists did not write the songs they sang, when singles were often selected either by a producer or recording industry executives, and session musicians were regularly employed. In working with The Monkees, then, Don Kirshner was operating no differently from many producers and recording industry executives before him. It seems likely that Kirshner believed he had the right to use session musicians to play on The Monkees' records, to forbid The Monkees from playing on their own records, and to select the songs they would sing. Unfortunately for Don Kirshner, the era of the Brill Building Sound had ended in 1964 with the arrival of The Beatles on American shores. In the wake of The Beatles, not only were artists expected to play their own musical instruments on their records, but to write their own songs as well.

While it seems fairly certain that Don Kirshner had some benefit upon The Monkees' career, it also seems clear that he was in some ways a detriment to it as well. In forbidding The Monkees from playing their own accompaniment, Kirshner would ultimately damage the credibility of The Monkees. Even after The Monkees had performed on tour, even after they had recorded several albums on which they played their own songs, there are many to this day who are convinced that The Monkees could not even play their own instruments. If Don Kirshner had allowed The Monkees to play their own instruments on their records, the idea that they could not play their instruments may never have arisen.

Even when it came to producing hits for The Monkees, it seems in some respects Don Kirshner may have hindered The Monkees' career. For the period of a year, from August 1966 to August 1967 (during part of which Kirshner was admittedly no longer part of The Monkees project) The Monkees only released four singles. In some respects this was not unusual in the Sixties. In the year 1966 The Turtles only released five singles, as did Paul Revere and The Raiders. Despite this, it was possible for an extremely successful rock band, which The Monkees were, to release many more. At the height of Beatlemania in 1964, The Beatles released over ten singles alone in the United States. With Monkeemania in late 1966 and early 1967 approaching the proportions of the Beatles hysteria in 1964, it seems possible that the band could have had many more hit singles than they actually did. Indeed, there seemed to be a demand for them going by the airplay The Monkees' album tracks received in late 1966 and early 1967. Reportedly, "She (released only as an album track on the second album)" was requested by callers to radio stations as often as if it was a single. The original version of the song "Valleri" was never released as a single or even appeared on an album in the Sixties, yet it became something of a hit. Deejays in both Chicago and Florida had recorded the song from an episode of the television series and started playing it on the radio. Demand for the song was great enough that The Monkees would eventually re-record it and release it as a single on February 17, 1968.

That The Monkees could have had many more hit singles in the United States than they did may be borne out by the performance of Monkees singles in Australia. In Australia more Monkees singles were released, songs that were only album tracks in the United States, and most of them performed remarkably well. In 1967, six different Monkees singles were released in Australia. Among them were "(The Theme From) The Monkees (which went to #8 on the Australian singles chart)" and "Randy Scouse Git (which went to #9)." When "She" was released in Australia in January 1968, it went to #7. In some respects then, it can be said that Don Kirshner dropped the ball when it came to releasing Monkees singles. It seems possible that he could have at least released two more than he actually did.

While it is possible that Don Kirshner could have released more Monkees singles than he did, it also seems possible that over time the quality in the songs he chose The Monkees had deteriorated. There can be no doubt that "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer" were top notch songs. That having been said, while it is still a good song, "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" not only seems inferior to both "Last Train to Clarksville" and "I'm a Believer," but many of The Monkees' album cuts as well (and "All of Your Toys," for that matter). Indeed, an examination of Don Kirshner's last recording sessions for The Monkees cannot help but bring a chill up the spines of fans. The aforementioned recording session at which "Sugar Man" and other bubblegum confections were recorded was not an isolated incident in early 1967. At a January 26, 1967 recording session produced by Jeff Barry, the song "Poor Little Me," co-written by Jeff Barry and future bubblegum czar Andy Kim (the same team who would go onto write "Sugar, Sugar") was among those recorded.

It seems possible that had Don Kirshner had remained The Monkees' music supervisor, he would have steered them away from the power pop sound originally designed by Boyce and Hart into a sound that was pure bubblegum. Here it must be noted that Don Kirshner would later be in charge of a project whose goal was to produce bubblegum music, The Archies. It must also be noted that most of The Archies' songs were produced by either Jeff Barry or Neil Goldberg, and many of the songs written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim. Sadly, The Monkees' final album Changes (by which time Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones only remained in the band) would be produced by Jeff Barry, with three songs co-written by Jeff Barry and Andy Kim. Easily the least of The Monkees' original albums, Davy Jones would later complain it was "...Jeff Barry and Andy Kim doing an Andy Kim album." Changes would be as close to bubblegum as The Monkees would ever come. And it seems possible that had Don Kirshner remained in charge, we would have seen albums like it much earlier in The Monkees' career.

It would seem that in the end, in the history of The Monkees, Don Kirshner is simultaneously a hero and a villain. He did get Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider songs when they needed them. He did generate hits for The Monkees. At the same time, however, he kept The Monkees from playing their own instruments, did not allow them a say in the songs they would perform (much less which ones would be released as singles), and even released a single in violation of the rule that The Monkees could select the B-side. He may have also used reprehensible means to get a greater share of royalties from The Monkees songs for himself. The fact that Raybert Productions needed someone with the connections of Don Kirshner is unavoidable. The possibility that Don Kirshner may have actually hurt The Monkees more than he helped them seems likely. In the end. Don Kirshner was not something so simple as the silent movie serial villain Monkees fans often make him out to be, but something much more complex.
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Credit Where Credit Is Due Department: This article would not have been possible without a good deal of research and hence without the work of many others over the year. Much of the neccessary information for the article came from the books The Monkees Tale by Eric Lefcowitz, Monkeemania: The Story of The Monkees by Glenn A. Baker, I'm a Believer: My Life of Monkees , Music, and Madness by Micky Dolenz and Mark Bego, and Total Control: The Monkees Michael Nesmith Story by Randi L. Massingill. Also essential to researching this article were the web sites The Monkees Sessionography, The Monkees Film and TV Vault (ran by Aaron Handy III, who is possibly the only person I know who knows more about The Monkees than I do), and The Monkees Music Vault. Also indispensable were back issues of Billboard, Crawdaddy, Time, and The Columbia Missourian, as well as the backlog of Monkees songs released on Rhino Records. My thanks goes out to all.

A Monkees Single That Almost Wasn't And One That Never Was

Before anything else I want to apologise for the scarcity of post here of late. Work has been extremely busy this week, not to mention allergy season is in full swing. Between the two I have felt worn out much of the week.

Anyhow, for the weekend I have a post planned on the power struggle between made for TV rock group The Monkees and Screen Gems' music supervisor Don Kirshner. In anticipation of this event, I thought I would give you two Monkees songs tonight. The first was a single that was swiftly withdrawn after its initial release. The second was a song which The Monkees wanted to release as a single, but circumstances would ultimately prevent its release until nearly thirty years later.

Before going onto the songs, however, I would guess some background is in order. The sitcom The Monkees debuted on September 12, 1966 on NBC. From the beginning Columbia's television branch, Screen Gems, had planned to market the music created for the series. Unfortunately, this would bring Don Kirshner, president of both Colgems (Screen Gems recording label) and Screen Gems-Columbia Music, Inc. (Screen Gems' music publishing arm) and hence music supervisor on Screen Gem's TV shows into the picture. Not only did Don Kirshner insist on selecting the singles they would release, but he would not even let them play their own instruments on their records (even though Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork were both skilled musicians). This rubbed both Mike and Peter the wrong way, and they soon led a rebellion against the so-called "Man with the Golden Ear." Eventually Colgems and The Monkees reached an agreement whereby The Monkees would be allowed to play their own instruments and they would be given more control over the songs they would perform.

This lead us directly to the first song in question. In January 1967 Don Kirshner held a "Monkees" recording session in New York of the songs "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" by Neil Diamond and "She Hangs Out" by Jeff Barry. The session was produced by Jeff Barry and the only Monkee whose vocals were featured on the record was Davy Jones. In the wake of the agreement between Colgems and The Monkees, Don Krishner approved the pressing and distribution of a single with "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" as the A-side and "She Hangs Out" as the B-Side, without The Monkees' approval. Copies were released in Canada and the songs started to receive airplay in both Canada and the United States, so The Monkees and Colgems soon learned of Kirshner's violation of the agreement. The single was withdrawn and Don Kirshner paid dearly for his hubris. Not only did The Monkees producers Bob Rafaelson and Bert Schneider fire Kirshner as the series' music supervisor, but Screen Gems fired him as president of Colgems and Screen Gems-Columbia Music, Inc.



While Don Kirshner recorded "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" as the next Monkees single, The Monkees had their own ideas about their next single. Mike Nesmith had brought in Chip Douglas, then bassist for The Turtles, to produce their own sessions. As the first single with them playing their own instruments, The Monkees selected "All of Your Toys," a song by Mike's friend Bill Martin, backed with Mike's own song "The Girl I Knew Somewhere." Unfortunately two circumstances would prevent "All of Your Toys" from being released as The Monkees' third single. The first was that "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" had already been publicised as The Monkees' next single, even if it had been by Don Kirshner in an unethical manoeuvre. The second was a rule that Colgems had that The Monkees could only record songs published by Screen Gems-Columbia Music, Inc. "All of Your Toys" had been published by Tickson Music. Screen Gems did offer to buy "All of Your Toys" from Tickson, but they refused to sell. This not only prevented "All of Your Toys" from being the band's next single, but from even appearing as an album track. The Monkees' recording of "All of Your Toys" would not see the light of day until Rhino Records released in 1987 Missing Links, their first compilation album of previously unreleased Monkees material.



Ultimately, the third single of The Monkees would be "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You," backed by "The Girl I Knew Somewhere (rather than "She Hangs Out"). While Neil Diamond fans may wish to disagree with me, I personally think "All of Your Toys" is the better song. Indeed, it is a much darker, more complex song, much more characteristic of The Monkees (whose songs included "Last Train to Clarksville," about evading the draft, and "Daily Nightly" about the Sunset Strip riot). Indeed, I ahve to wonder if The Monkees did not choose the song because it described to some degree their feelings bout Krishner ("I don't want to be just like all of your toys....").

Sci-Fi Illustrator John Schoenherr R.I.P.

John Schoenherr, who illustrated art for science fiction authors from Frank Herbert to Philip K. Dick, passed on April 8 at the age of 74. The cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

John Schoenherr was born in Manhattan on July 5, 1935, but raised in Queens. His future as an artist developed in part from growing up in a neighbourhood where multiple languages were spoken. Growing up in a German speaking household, Mr. Schoenherr used pictures to communicate with his English, Italian, and Chinese speaking neighbours. He studied at the Art Students League of New York. He earned a bachelor of fine arts at the Pratt Institute.

John Schoenherr had wanted to be a painter, but eventually found himself as a illustrator often published in the science fiction magazine Astounding (later renamed Analog). He was the first man to illustrate the classic novel Dune by Frank Herbert, which was first published as a serial in Analog from 1963 to 1965. He was also the first artist to depict the world of Pern created by Anne McCaffrey "Dragonriders of Pern" series. By 1961 Mr. Schoenherr was regularly illustrating the covers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror paperbacks. Among the works Mr. Schoenherr illustrated were Bright New Universe by Jack Williamson, We Can Build You by Philip K. Dick, Children of Tomorrow  by A. E. Van Vogt, and many many more. From 1962 to 1967 John Schoenherr was nominated for the Hugo for Best Professional Artist every year, winning the award in 1965.

Beginning in 1963 with Rascal: A Memoir of a Better Era by Sterling North, John Schoenherr also illustrated children's books. He also illustrated Gentle Ben by Walt Morey, The Wolfling by M. Miles, and Julie of the Wolves by Jean C. George. He won a Caldecott Medal for Owl Moon by Jane Yolen in 1988. He also wrote and illustrated several of his own children's books, including The Barn, Bear, and Rebel.

There can be no doubt that John Schoenherr was one of the greatest science fiction illustrators of all time. No one could depict alien landscapes as well as he could. And with a background in nature illustration, he could make even the strangest creatures seem real. Indeed, it would be Mr. Schoenherr's depiction of Dune that would shape our image of the alien world ever since. Charged with depicting the gigantic sandworms, Mr. Schoenherr accomplished what seemed impossible---making a worm seem terrifying. Schoenherr's sandworms had gaping maws into which one could only inky, perpetual darkness. No one has ever improved on Mr. Schoenherrr's depiction of Dune, and it is doubtful anyone ever will.

Dixie Carter Passes On

Dixie Carter, best known for her role on the Eighties sitcom Designing Women, passed yesterday at the age of 70. The cause was endometrial cancer.

Dixie Carter was born on May 25, 1939 in McLemoresville, Tennessee. It was when she was four years old, after hearing a broadcast of the Metropolitan Opera, that she decided she wanted to be an opera singer. She attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and Southwestern at Memphis. She graduated from Memphis State University. In 1959 she competed in the Miss Tennessee pageant, where she took first runner up.

Dixie Carter made her professional debut in a production of Carousel in Memphis in 1960. In 1963 she moved to New York City. She appeared in a production of A Winter's Tale in Central Park. She joined the Music Theatre of Lincoln Centre, but never rose above the level of understudy. She left the Musical Theatre of Lincoln Centre in 1966 for the revues at the Upstairs at the Downstairs nightclub.

Dixie Carter made her television debut on The Edge of Night, on which she played Assistant District Attorney Brandy Henderson from 1974 to 1976. In 1974 she made her Broadway debut in Sextet. In 1976 Miss Carter appeared on Broadway in a revival of Pal Joey. In 1977 she guest starred on The Andros Targets. That same year she joined the cast of the short lived show On Our Own. In 1979 she was part of the cast of the short lived sitcom Out of the Blue. The early Eighties saw Miss Carter guest star in such shows as Cassie & Co., Brett Maverick, Best of the West, Quincy M.E., The Greatest American Hero, and Lou Grant. From 1982 to 1983 she was a regular on the series Filthy Rich. From 1984 to 1985 she was a regular on Diff'rent Strokes.

In 1986 Dixie Carter guest starred on Crazy Like a Fox. It was that same year that she was cast in her best known role, as Julia Sugarbaker on the series Designing Women. Julia was the head of a four woman interior design firm in Atlanta, gifted with both beauty and sarcasm. The series proved to be a hit, running until 1993. In the Nineties Miss Carter appeared in the television movies Gambler V: Playing for Keeps, Dazzle, and Gone in the Night She guest starred on Christy, Diagnosis: Murder, and Fired Up. From 1999 to 2000 she was a regular on the short lived series Ladies Man. From 1999 to 2002 she played lawyer Randi King on the series Family Law. Miss Carter also returned to Broadway. She appeared in the play Master Class.

The Naughts saw Dixie Carter on Broadway one last time, in a revival of Thoroughly Modern Millie. She guest starred on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and Hope and Faith. She had a recurring role on Desperate Housewives as the mother-in-law of Marcia Cross. She appeared in the film That Evening Sun, released in 2009. It was her last appearance on film. From the Eighties onwards she had a career as a cabaret singer.

Dixie Carter was undoubtedly beautiful. She was also very talented. Although best known as Julia Sugarbaker, she played a number of different roles. In Thoroughly Modern Millie she played the fiendish Mrs.Meers. On Desperate Housewives she played the sometimes frightening Gloria Hodge. She could play far more than Southern belles. She was also a talented singer, a craft she was able to display on Designing Women. There can be little doubt that the reason for much of that series' success was Dixie Carter.

Munchkin Coroner Meinhardt Raabe & Jiminy Cricket Voice Eddie Carroll R.I.P.

Meinhardt Raabe

Meinhardt Raabe, who played the Munchkin's coroner who pronounced the Wicked Witch of the East "really, most sincerely dead" in The Wizard of Oz, passed Thursday at the age of 94. He was one of the last surviving actors to play one of the Munchkins.

Meinhardt Raabe was born on September 2, 1915 in Watertown, Wisconsin. Growing up he in rural Wisconsin, he assumed that he was unique, as there were no other little people in the area. It was in 1933 that he went to the Chicago World's Fair and visited the Midget Village there. He so enjoyed the experience that he took a job as a barker there the next summer. He attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison where he received a bachelor's degree in accounting in 1937. He graduated from Drexel University in 1970 with an M.B.A.

Mr. Raabe experienced a good deal of discrimination because of his height, with one recruiter even telling him he belonged in a carnival. He eventually took a job with Oscar Mayer as a salesman. The company appointed him their mascot, Little Oscar "the World's Smallest Chef," and he spent nearly thirty years travelling with the Wienermobile to promote the company. He would be one of the first to drive the Wienermobile, the original having been designed in 1936.

It was in 1938 that he found out MGM was hiring little people for a film. Meinhardt Raabe took a leave from his job and went to Hollywood. MGM was impressed with Mr. Raabe, and cast him in the role of the coroner in The Wizard of Oz. Like the other actors who played Munchkins in the film, it is believed his lines were later dubbed. Despite this, Mr. Raabe always remained a fan of the film. It would be his only feature film role. For the rest of his life he would appear before schools and clubs to talk about his experiences in making the film.  He was frequently seen at fan conventions dedicated to the film.

During World War II he served in the Civil Air Patrol. It is believed he was the smallest pilot in uniform. Mr. Raabe later worked as a horticulturist and a teacher.

Meinhardt Raabe had only one role in a feature film, and it was a role that lasted only a few seconds. Despite this, he made an impression that actors who work for years in their profession would not. For years later he would continue to promote The Wizard of Oz, becoming one of its best loved supporters. He also worked for years in public relations for Oscar Mayer, many of them as "Little Oscar." In this position he again made a memorable impression on many. It was perhaps a photograph autographed by Judy Garland, which Mr. Raabe kept his whole life, that may have best summed up the man, "For Meinhardt, A perfect coroner, and person, too."


Eddie Carroll 
Eddie Carroll, only one of two men to voice Disney's Jiminy Cricket (the other was the legendary Cliff Edwards), passed on April 6 at the age of 76. The cause was a brain tumour.

Eddie Carroll was born Edward Eniak in Edmonton, Alberta on September 5, 1933. In high school he acted alongside another student who would one day be famous, Robert Goulet. It was in the Fifties that he moved to the United States as part of a NBC talent programme. He served in the United States Army, where he wrote and produced shows for Armed Forces Radio and Television. It was his mother who suggested he choose a simpler name for use in show business. He chose Carroll for a favourite aunt.

Eddie Carroll made his debut on television in a guest appearance on The Lieutenant in 1963. He also guest starred on Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., Mission: Impossible, and The Andy Griffith Show. He appeared in the film The Last of the Secret Agents in 1966. In 1970 he was a regular on The Don Knotts Show. It was in 1971 that Mr. Carroll would receive the role for which he was best known. Following the death of Cliff Edwards, Disney needed to find a new voice for Jiminy Cricket. Prior to the audition, Mr. Carroll studied Mr. Edwards' rendition of "When You Wish Upon a Star." He also realised that he would have to adopt a Missouri to get the part. In the end, Eddie Carroll was cast as the new voice of  Jiminy Cricket. He first voiced the character in the animated short "Bongo" in 1971. In the end, Mr. Carroll would be the voice of Jiminy Cricket nearly until his death. He would become the man to voice a Disney character the longest.

In 1983 Eddie Carroll performed in a one man show, A Small Eternity with Jack Benny, in which he impersonated the legendary comedian. He continued to appear in the role of the comedian until last year. To play the role, Mr. Carroll had to teach himself violin.

Eddie Carroll did an admirable job as Jiminy Cricket, to the point that is difficult to notice any differences between his voice and that of Cliff Edwards. Indeed, he mastered Mr. Edwards' Hannibal, Missouri accent, no mean feat. He also did an admirable job impersonating Jack Benny. He was one of the few men who could capture the great comedian's character and personality nearly perfectly. Mr. Carroll's success as both Jiminy Cricket and as a Jack Benny impersonator was largely due to his ability to engulf himself in a character. It was an ability which he put to good use throughout his career.