MEGA-STAR BOB HOPE AT THE EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE IN 1984...

Okay, so they're not the greatest quality pics in the world, but all I had was a HANIMEX 110mm camera when I snapped these photos on the night of October 13th 1984, while attending The EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE to catch superstar comedy legend BOB HOPE.  I'd briefly met Mr. Hope and got his autograph before the show (and sent a few items backstage afterwards for him to sign), but after the rest of the audience had departed, I was still gathering my stuff together and Bob wandered onstage with his jacket over his shoulder to chat to the stagehands, saw me in the fourth row, and gave me a wave through the gap in the curtains.  I met him again ten years later when he played The GLASGOW ROYAL CONCERT HALL and had my photo taken with him and his wife DOLORES.

Incidentally, Bob was 81 years of age back then, but looked at least 20 years younger.  The woman sharing the stage with him in the second-last photo is one of the singers from the support act on the night, STUTZ BEAR CATS, and she performed a short comedy routine with him during his part of the show.  (Just her, not the rest of the group.)  Don't recall her name, alas (if I ever knew it), but she was a total babe.  (Update December 2024: CHRIS HENNEN of Stutz Bear Cats informs me that the lady is JANE BEAUMONT.)

A great show and a great night - one that I'll always remember.

Jane Beaumont of Stutz Bear Cats with Bob.  Sue Wright,
Chris Hennen, & Graham Bickley were the other members 

And below is some of the paraphernalia I picked up at the Playhouse on the night.

Bob mentioned that the Portsmouth show was cancelled due
to a suspected unexploded bomb being found the night before

Just to save anyone having to trawl through the archives, below is one of the photos taken in 1994 when an ordinary guy met a legend.  (That's the legend in the grey pinstripe jacket.  Cough!)

OLIVER HARDY HAS A BAD BREAK...

In my local neighbourhood shops was once an establishment called STANLEY'S STORES.  It was a hardware store and contained a Post Office section, as well as selling a variety of household items.  At the time of this trivial, self-indulgent reminiscence, it wasn't my local neighbourhood, but the one next to it.  It had previously been the area in which I lived, but we'd moved in 1965 and weren't to return 'til '72, though that's neither here nor there, I suppose.

In this shop, tacked to the wall was a sign - the one you see above, in fact.  I recognized the LAUREL & HARDY figures as being in the style of the LARRY HARMON cartoon show of the famous comedy duo, which was then on TV.  It seemed likely that the sign's artist had copied them from the strip in TV COMIC, or the cover of the 45 rpm single of the theme tune (which I also had at the time, and now do again since first publishing this post).

Anyway, having noticed the sign on numerous occasions when accompanying my mother, I one day ventured to enquire whether I might have it.  Much to my surprise, I was informed that I could, and that's how it came to be in my possession.  I've owned it, at a guess, since around 1971 (perhaps even late '70 or early '72) and because the shop is long, long-gone, it's a nice reminder of a place that was once a familiar part of my young life.

I bought my WADE porcelain YOGI BEAR (which I still have) from the same shop, perhaps even on the exact same day, so that's two items which conjure up images of a long-vanished era on which I look back with some fondness.  Do you have a similar link to your youth?  Then tell your fellow Criv-ites all about it, why don'tcha?  Go on!

WHOOPEE! SHIVER AND SHAKE WITH DELIGHT - IT'S ROBERT NIXON'S FRANKIE STEIN...

Copyright REBELLION

Mention the name FRANKIE STEIN to people of a certain age and images of KEN REID's maniacal, mental and marvellous comic strip character from WHAM! comic in the 1960s spring to mind.  My main memories of Frankie are from this period, but it's strange to realize that PROFESSOR CUBE's creepy creation enjoyed far more fame on his second stab at the big time in the 1970s than he experienced on his first outing.

Frankie appeared in Wham! around 142 times between '64 & '67, and six times in the '66-'71 Annuals, but his '70s appearances in IPC comics SHIVER & SHAKE and WHOOPEE! (not including MONSTER FUN, where he was honorary editor) far outnumber his earlier ODHAMS PRESS strips.  What's more, Ken Reid only illustrated 121 of Frankie's 142 Wham! outings, and only two of the six Annual stories, although, as far as the '60s are concerned, he's still the artist mainly associated with the strip in most readers' minds.

Although I bought Shiver & Shake and Whoopee! when they first came out, I didn't stay with them (apart from the odd issue) throughout their run.  Casting my mind back, I recall being pleased to see Frankie again, but I was a little disappointed that Ken hadn't resumed illustrating the cartoon antics of his comic creation.  (Excellent though his successor ROBERT NIXON undoubtedly was.)  I also wondered where Prof. Cube's 'real' son MICKY had disappeared to, as - apart from Reid reprints - he was absent from the '70s incarnation of the strip.

This led to a potentially perplexing situations on occasion, as in a reprinted Reid story where Prof. Cube goes on holiday and Micky accompanies him on the 'plane - with no mention as to who he actually is.  Older, more street-smart readers could perhaps be forgiven for wondering why Cube had apparently taken to hanging around with a young boy - and was taking him on holiday.  Yes, you're right - that's probably just a cynical, world-weary adult view of things - not something that would've crossed the minds of more innocent readers back then.

It's also interesting to note that Micky was present in only one of the last 16 Wham! strips, so it seems that he was in the process of being phased out anyway - regarded, perhaps, as surplus to requirements.  If so, then the '70s strips basically just picked up where Wham! ones left off, and Micky's absence is consequently less surprising than at first thought.

So for fans like me, it's Ken Reid's version of the character that remains the definitive one, but the fact is - we're probably in the minority.  To readers of the '70s, Frankie was an even bigger comic star for a longer period, and Robert Nixon is the artist with whom Frankie is mainly associated.  Every '60s Frankie strip would fit into one relatively thin volume, whereas his '70s pages would fill two or three thicker ones, at least.

Having featured Ken's version of Frankie several times in the past on this blog, it's now time to acknowledge Robert Nixon's even more popular incarnation of the comical creature.  I've been reading through these '70s strips over the last few weeks and Nixon's version of Frankie, though just as gormless as Reid's, is more lovable - and probably more innocent.  They're an enjoyable read indeed, and make me wonder if the strip might've had a longer run the first time around if Nixon's simpler style had been adopted from the start.  Who knows?      

YOGI BEAR STRIKES AGAIN...

Copyright relevant owner

From the cover-dated October 8th 1960 issue of TV EXPRESS WEEKLY (or whatever it was calling itself at the time) comes YOGI BEAR and his pals.  Hope you enjoy this page from yesteryear.