Is it possible to be nostalgic for 2 eras that I didn't even live through?

[Steve Bowen]

While talking to BBB at the WILLIAMSBURG FILM FEST on Thursday, we we talking about how I became a huge fan of all things western, 5 years ago at the age of 43, after spending my whole life being a fan of classic horror films.

Later, I was thinking about why I love old TV and film westerns.  I decided that while watching something like a classic western TV show from the late '50's, I often find myself simultaneously thinking how exciting it would be to live during the Old West AND how exciting it would be to live during the hey-day of TV westerns during the late '50's and early '60's.  Being born in 1964 I missed both of those time periods. I know I'm looking at both eras through rose colored glasses, but it still makes me wish I had a time machine so I can experience both eras.

That's one of the reasons I enjoy reading books ABOUT classic TV shows and films as much as I enjoy watching those shows. It puts me in Hollywood during the filming of those shows.

So yes, I guess I AM nostalgic for 2 eras that I never lived through. 

[Stan H]

Steve

 

I grew up in the 50's,, you did not miss much except the advent of television, the birth of rock & roll, crawling under the school desk to pracice for a nuclear attack, the Salk vaccine, cars with lots of chrome and fins, James Dean, beatniks, the Interstate highway system, drive-ins with car-hops on roller skates, kleninx stuffed in a bra, the McCarthy hearings, hula hoops, going to the sock-hop, trying to get to second base in the backseat of your father's 49 Buick, "pantsing" the local nerd, t-shitrs with a pack of camels rolled in the sleeve, blue jeans, leather jacket with the collar pulled up, slinkys, American Bandstand, Hoody Doody, I like Ike, and smoking in the boy's room.

 

Other than that, it was pretty much boring,,,,,

[Steve Bowen]

LOL!  Thanks Stan!! That's just how I imagined it was!!

[Kevin Hogge]

Steve, you were there on Thursday?

[Murray A. Gewirtz]

You crammed a lot in your nutshell, but here's a few other things that bear mention: The Brown v. Board of Education Surpreme Court Decision ordering school desegregation with "all deliberate speed," growth of suburbs, girls' long full skirts with poodle appliques, American Abstract Expressionist painting, the Korean War, Uncle Miltie, Science Fiction/horror movies with creatures mutated by atomic radiation, and guys' greasy hairdo's with pompadours in front and "d.a.'s" in the back.

[Jim Holden]

Had a console radio in my room in small town (then) Edmond Ok. On hot summer nights discovered Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison & Sun Records and Rock-A-Billy! 3.2 Beer quenched our thirst as we longed to head to Ft Lauderdale for Spring Break. But we also lived very close to the Old West. The jail Bill Doolin escaped from in Guthrie was still there; my Aunt knew Lucille Mulhall very well, and there were lots of old cowboys from the 101 Ranch & Wild west show. We lived very close to our Cherokee neighbors & friends & absorbed their lives & culture. A great time. I long to go home after more than 50 years.

[Kevin Hogge]

Stan I think you covered it. Pretty much everything else would fall under one of those categories.

[Dave McGowan]

You guys have pretty much covered it all. However, I would like to mention some of the adds that realy hit their peak in the 60s.

"Brylcream, a little dab 'll do ya,

Brylcream, you look so dab-a-nair

Brylcream, the gals 'll all pursue ya,

Simply rub a little in your hair."

 

"E-N-O, Eno,

When you're feeling low, Eno,

It's mild and gentle

And good, good tasting,

E-N-O."

[Murray A. Gewirtz]

Dave, I'm familiar with the Brylcream jingle, but I've never heard the one for Eno, nor do I have any idea what the product is. Is it something that was only marketed in your neck of the woods, and not down here on the East coast of the US?

Here's another that I'll never forget ... no matter how hard I've tried:

 

"Use Ajax, boom boom

The foaming cleanser

Da da da da da da da da

Floats the dirt right down the drain

Bu bu bu bu bu bu bu bu boom!"

 

[Dave McGowan]

Yes, Murray, I forgot; Eno didn't do all that well in the US because it was competing with Alka Seltser which was already well established. It was Canadian and started out well, but AS eventually bought them out I think. And yes I remember Ajax.

[C. F. 'Charley' Eckhardt]

So far monbody's mentioned sack dresses, which came out in the late '50s.  There was even a song--Take Back The Sack, the first line of which went 'Take back the sack an' put it on the rack an' bring the sweater back.'  That & 15¢ gas & Luckies at 21¢ a pack.  'The Prom' included a $6 tux rental, a $3 corsage, 2 $1 tiickets, & you drove Dad's car because it looked better'n yours & there were no limos to rent.  I can also recall Model A Fords still being used as transportation, not 'antiques,' as late as the late '50s.  My 1st car--1956--was a 1924 Model T touring.  That ol' bucket was fun. We had a drive-in movie that advertised '60¢ a carload.'  With work, you can pack 24 kids into a Model T touring with the top down.  They called the TV station, had us come thru again to be filmed--& then went up to $1 a carload the next week.

[Stan H]

Charley

 

I forgot to mention the drive-ins,, both the movie type and the hamburger places,, with car hops wearing short skirts and on roller-skates,,

 

Got my first "car" in 1958, It was a 1939 Chevy pickup. Went to the drive-in with the back full of guys on $1 night,,, the local drive in changed the policy and specified it had to be a car,, no pick-ups full.

 

We would back into the space, drop the tailgate, and watched the show. Of course a lot of the guys spent more time walking around looking for "chicks." (no disrespect intended to the ladies for using that term)

 

 

 

 

[C. F. 'Charley' Eckhardt]

With one exception, the only drive-in cafes in Austin were local ones.  The Pig Stand was the only chain, & it came out of San Antonio.  None of ours had short-skirt carhops on roller skates.  The first 'chain' in Austin was KFC.  A hamburger joint called '2J's' picked up on the franchise when the old man was still selling it out of his car. We finally got a McDonald's in the early '60s, when the sign said 'Over 4 Million Sold.'  Now, of course, there are plastic ticky-tacky joints all over the town. The best burger in Austin, tho, is at an independent place called Martin's Kum-Back, better known as 'Dirty Martin's' or just 'Dirty's.'  The only place I've ever gotten a burger as good as the ones at Dirty's was Little Hipp's in San Antonio, which is now out of business because Layne Hipp died.  The best burger in Seguin is at PJ's on the square, across from the courthouse.  The best burgers in San Antonio are at the Jim's restaurants.  The Jim's mushroom-swiss burger is over the top.  They also have the best onion rings you'll find anywhere.