Kent,
With the premiere of Batman on television, sure enough, the records would be forth coming. Instrumentals by the Marketts, Neal Hefti, songs by Jan and Dean, and novelty records like BATMAN AND HIS GRANDMOTHER. Also a break-in record called KEYHOLE PEEPERS INTERVIEWS BATMAN AND ROBIN by Keyhole Peepers on Triad records.
Larry
“Batman And His Grandmother” was a Top Ten Hit for Dickie Goodman here in Chicago.
And even our own Ides Of March were willing to try any gimmick to get noticed at the time. Although “You Wouldn’t Listen” ultimately charted under their own name, they also gave it a shot as Batt Mann and the Boy Wonders, released as a 45 on the Ginny record label!
This song should have been a MUCH bigger hit than it was at the time … but we’ve certainly done more than OUR fair share of bringing it to new listeners everywhere!!! (kk)
>>>Sometime shortly after the mid-1960s launch of Chicago's UHF Channel 32, legendary WLS On-Air Radio Personality Art Roberts once hosted a weekly TV show on that station, “The Swinging Majority.” Its format actually escapes me now! But in my fading memories, I do remember filling in for him as host (once ) in the later 1960s for one reason or another. In those days of Kinescopes, I’m not sure there’s a copy of his TV Show hosting available anywhere, tho! (During that time, the powers that be did not anticipate any future market for TV reruns, home video sales, digital streaming or Forgotten Hits Postings even with early national television broadcasts like Johnny Carson and the Tonight Show!) CB
As to Art Roberts’ TVer, when I first had a computer online, I chatted with Art a bit and he told me he had exactly ONE show still at his home. I asked about the possibilities of ever seeing it, but no answer. SO, one existed in 2000.
Summer ‘68 Art Roberts "Swingin' Majority" Tver:
And, speaking of the Kiddie A Go Go show, the Mulqueens that ran the show give a great story of their lives in their book. It is GREAT for anyone interested in Chicago teen early TV! Not just their story but Jim Lounsbury, Art Roberts and other teen shows and the UHF stations that struggled to present them all.
AND, from my private youtube channel, here's a 1968, Happening ‘68 with guest WLS’ Ron Riley!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJJ_E5vHVuE
I was in touch with Ron's documentary producer recently and it is still in the working stages but still a go.
Clark Besch
Tom Cuddy sent us this great Smokey Robinson Tiny Desk mini concert from a couple of years ago. Sounding pretty good there, Smokey! (kk)
He also told us about this new Dion musical …
The Dion jukebox biomusical “The Wanderer” was staged back in 2022 at New Jersey’s Papermill Playhouse, with its sights set on the Broadway stage. It’ll get one step closer with an industry presentation in New York City on January 23. The cast for the readings will include Joshua Bassett as Dion and Olivia Holt as Susan.
A couple of weeks ago, one of our readers told us the story about Walter Scott, former lead singer of Bob Kuban and the In-Men, who scored the Top 20 Hit "The Cheater" back in 1966.
Well, I was intrigued enough to do a little more digging and found this piece online from the coverage done by the television series "Forensic Files" ...
https://forensicfilesnow.com/index.php/2024/04/19/walter-scott-a-one-hit-wonder-meets-discord/
As well as the episode itself, which is available On Demand (it comes from Season 7, Episode 13 ... which we verified by watching it last night ... the online information shows it as Season 7, Episode 1, but this is not correct.)
Check it out yourself if you want to hear the whole, gory story. (kk)
60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
1/13/66 – Actor Patrick (Dr. McDreamy) Demsey is born. He is currently starring in the new television series "Memory Of A Killer," which will air a special two night premier on January 25th and 26th.
