The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show

There were millions of kids at the airport, which nobody had expected. We heard about it mid-air. There were journalists on the plane, and the pilot had rang ahead and said "Tell the boys there's a big crowd waiting for them." We thought 'Wow! God, we have really made it.' I remember, for instance, the great moment of getting into the limo and putting on the radio, and hearing a running commentary on us: 'They have just left the airport and are coming towards New York City...' It was like a dream. The greatest fantasy ever."  Paul McCartney

Source:  The Beatles

February 1964 . . . they had arrived!

For as long as live, I don't think I will ever experience such a happening as the Beatles' first visit to the United States.  

As a elementary school aged music lover, all the hype was so exciting.  Their music had a different sound, they had a totally different look.  Prior to the Beatles, the excitement was all about Elvis Presley . . . but he was of another generation, my parents' generation.  The Beatles were all about my generation . . . they belonged to us and we identified with them.

For the first time in my life, I wanted my hair cut in the Beatles mop top style . . . and I got my first haircut.  All of a sudden, the boys at school dumped their crew cuts and started letting their hair grow out.

By the time The Beatles arrived, the hype was at a fevered pitch and their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was all we could talk about with friends.  The only things I would spend my allowance on were those associated with The Beatles . . . and I had it all.

My parents watched The Ed Sullivan Show with me . . . in horror . . . they felt the winds of change as I sat directly in front of the television, totally mesmerized . . . a new world was born for my generation.

They are timeless in my opinion . . . their music has stood the test of time and they remain one of my favorite groups of all time.

Drive-In Movie Theaters . . . great memories!

Whatever happened to drive in theatres?

Some of my fondest childhood memories involved going to the drive-in movie theatres with the family.  We would pop massive amounts of popcorn, fill the cooler with drinks and sandwiches, gather pillows and blankets and off we would go for a night of watching movies at the drive-in.

The movie wasn't always the main attraction for us kids.  Most drive-in movie theaters in my area had massive playgrounds.  The sound of laughter from the kids at the playground and the smell of food from the refreshment stand would hypnotize us into wanting to watch the movie from the playground area.  My parents usually took lawn chairs and would indulge our desire to hang out at the playground area with the other kids.  It was euphoric for us . . . it was such a festive atmosphere buzzing with people everywhere.

How about those intermission clips featuring dancing popcorn and soda?  I loved those intermission clips!  I can't believe that we loved that nasty pizza from the refreshment stand . . . it was more like cardboard with tomato sauce and melted cheese!



My parents didn't have to deal with not being able to take us to R-rated movies . . . they didn't exist.  It was an innocent time and we were able to be kids without having sexual innuendo in our face 24/7.  It was simple family fun and we went often.  The only problem we had was keeping the mosquitoes away!

As I approached high school age, the drive-in movie theaters were the big hang out on the weekends.  Seems like we kind of chased the families away and took over.  There was a theater in particular that we shared with three other high schools as the cool hang out.  Those were great times!

Movies started changing and became sexual where it didn't have to be, in my opinion.  A good story is a good story without the sex.  Those movies embarrassed me . . . especially since we hung out in mixed company.  Not that I'm a prude or anything, but I was so very innocent . . . but you know, I feel like most of the time it is just not necessary, even now.  The movie makers love to shock us, although we have become desensitized and are no longer shocked.  I would not like to be a kid growing up in today's time . . . this is their "normal".

Little by little, we lost interest in going to see movies outdoors . . . and during the 70's and 80's, thousands of drive-in movie theaters closed.  Malls became popular and the single movie theaters turned into multiplex theaters.  I guess with lowered attendance and revenue, drive-in movie theater owners found that they could make more money by selling the land to developers and get out of the business.

It is sad . . . I often think of those times and how cool it would be to see a movie outdoors and relive those times for just a night.  However, in my area there is only one left that I know of and it is in a bad part of town . . . but I don't think I would feel safe in a drive-in movie theater in these crazy times of high crime in the best part of town. The times have drastically changed since those simple, innocent times that I loved so much.

What are your memories of drive-in movie theaters?

  

Do you still go to them or would you go if they were available in your area?

Learn more about the history of drive-in movie theaters, 

find a theater in your area and much more . . .

DriveInMovie.com

Drive-Ins.com

Photo credit:  Date: 8/19/1961; Artist: George Hughes; Title: Drive-In Movies; Copyright: 1961 SEPS. All rights reserved.

My new home page

 

My home page is back!  Now you can keep up with all of my blogs, websites and places on the web in one place.  Click here to go to the blog, where you can follow via Blogger, Google Friend Connect, Networked Blogs, my new Facebook Fan Page or through RSS feed via your favorite reader or email.  You can also follow me on Twitter where all my blog posts are automatically tweeted.

For my Adgitize and Entrecard blogging friends . . . within the next couple of days, I will be setting up Adgitize and Entrecard . . . so you will have one more place to click!

My apologies for not being around as much . . . there are not enough hours in the day for everything I have been working on, but I should be back to "normal" soon.

Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!

Marilyn Monroe . . . Suicide Blonde?

Marilyn Monroe's story reads like a best selling novel complete with the glamour of Hollywood, romantic ties to sports figures, leading men and politicians . . . and one of the greatest controversial mysteries of our time.

I created this video as a tribute to Marilyn

Playboy's first centerfold died at the age of 36 on August 5, 1962 . . . the reported cause of death is an overdose of sleeping pills, but to this day, her death remains a mystery with the controversial rumors that she was murdered.

Did she commit suicide, was she murdered because of her involvement with the Kennedy family . . . or was it accidental death?

Was Marilyn Monroe a suicide blonde?

What do you think?

Candle in the Wind

Written by Elton John/Bernie Taupin

in memory of Marilyn Monroe

Lyrics

Goodbye Norma Jean

Though I never knew you at all

You had the grace to hold yourself

While those around you crawled

They crawled out of the woodwork

And they whispered into your brain

They set you on the treadmill

And they made you change your name

chorus

And it seems to me you lived your life

Like a candle in the wind

Never knowing who to cling to

When the rain set in

And I would have liked to have known you

But I was just a kid

Your candle burned out long before

Your legend ever did

Loneliness was tough

The toughest role you ever played

Hollywood created a superstar

And pain was the price you paid

Even when you died

Oh the press still hounded you

All the papers had to say

Was that Marilyn was found in the nude

[repeat chorus]

Goodbye Norma Jean

Though I never knew you at all

You had the grace to hold yourself

While those around you crawled

Goodbye Norma Jean

From the young man in the 22nd row

Who sees you as something more than sexual

More than just our Marilyn Monroe

Share your memories of Marilyn Monroe . . . 

her life, her loves, her movies . . . and the controversy surrounding her death.