Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry for I must arise at six-thirty to announce the new Kritzerland release. So, no time to parry and thrust with words and thoughts, let’s just get down to cases and do what must be done and what must be done we shall do, namely write these here damn notes.
I got up around nine after some mighty peculiar dreams. I did a three-mile jog, finished writing liner notes and sent them off to be looked at, had some telephonic conversations, then went and had some bacon and eggs, accompanied by tomatoes and toast. Then I came home, did some work on the computer, after which I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I watched episodes one and two of a television series entitled Mr. Lucky. As an eleven-year-old wee laddie I’d loved Mr. Lucky – I loved it even more than Peter Gunn and I knew it was from the same people because it looked, sounded, and felt like Peter Gunn. Both shows were the brainchild of Blake Edwards. Both shows had scintillating and extremely popular music by Henry Mancini, and both shows had charming, suave leading men – Peter Gunn was Craig Stevens and Mr. Lucky was John Vivyan. And Mr. Lucky had something more – a great sidekick in Andamo, played by the wonderful Ross Martin. I watched every episode back in the day. I had the soundtrack album in stereophonic sound, which I played to death. I loved everything about the show, including its wonderful main title with the winking cat.
Interestingly, I had not seen an episode of Mr. Lucky since it went off the air after but one season of thirty-something episodes. I was petrified that I would watch it and be completely disappointed, as I kind of was with Peter Gunn. But I wasn’t, Blanche, I wasn’t. No, it’s not high art and it’s corny, but I just had a blast watching the first two episodes, which basically tell the story of how Mr. Lucky and Andamo have to beat it out of a Spanish town, and how they come to own the gambling boat that is the setting for the series. Mr. Vivyan is as handsome and charming as I remember him, and Mr. Martin is a complete delight. In fact, Martin made such a huge impression on me as a kid, that when I went to the sneak preview of Experiment in Terror at the Village Theater in Westwood, as soon as I heard the voice of the mysterious shadow-shrouded man I knew it was him. Blake Edwards directed the first episode and Jack Arnold (The Incredible Shrinking Man) directed the second episode. The music by Mancini is just as much a character in the show as Vivyan and Martin. No great guest stars yet, save for Nehemiah Persoff and Pippa Scott, but I suspect there will be some fun folks coming along. I wish I could say that the transfers in this DVD set were fantastic, but they’re barely better than VHS quality – in fact, it looks like this was sourced from video rather than film. It’s a shame because the photography by Phil Lathrop is great. Anyway, I’m looking forward to watching the rest of the episodes, a real blast from my TV past.
I then watched the latest episode of Mad Men, which has as its backdrop the killing of Martin Luther King (I think we all know what other national tragedy will certainly be the backdrop for another episode). Nothing really happened in the episode that was that compelling – it just ambled along and was over.
After that, I did some more work on the computer, I had some tuna (no bread) for my evening snack, and that was that. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall be up at six to announce the new Kritzerland title, and it’s a goodie. Then I may or may not go back to bed for a couple of hours. Hopefully I’ll print out a LOT of orders, I’ll do a jog, I’ll eat, I may or may not have a little meeting, I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, I’m hoping I may see and approve the book covers, and then we have our first Kritzerland rehearsal.
Tomorrow, we have a very short two-person rehearsal, for two of our cast members who couldn’t be there today. The rest of the week will be meetings and meals and rehearsal and stumble-through and sound check and show.
Let’s all put on our pointy party hats and our colored tights and pantaloons, let’s all break out the cheese slices and the ham chunks, let’s all dance the Hora or the Pony because today is the birthday of our very own little child the Vixter, who somehow is twenty! So, let’s give a big haineshisway.com birthday cheer to our very own little child the Vixter, who somehow is twenty! On the count of three: One, two, three – A BIG HAINESHISWAY.COM BIRTHDAY CHEER TO OUR VERY OWN LITTLE CHILD THE VIXTER, WHO SOMEHOW IS TWENTY!!!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, announce our new title, hopefully print out a LOT of orders, do a jog, eat, maybe have a short meeting, hopefully pick up some packages, hopefully see and approve covers and have a rehearsal. Today’s topic of discussion: What were your favorite 1950s and 1960s crime shows? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall undoubtedly be charming and suave whilst humming the theme from Mr. Lucky.