Fun Ideas

Fun Ideas Productions News

2009-11-08T09:17:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't hear it (or I haven't bragged about it enough to you in person or on Facebook), here is my appearance on the November 4th edition of "The Dan Shahin Show" on KSCU in its entirety.

http://www.vimeo.com/7448204

I'll be posting my appearance on "The Howard Stern Show" from the same day as soon as I get a copy of it.

Also, while I have your attention, please be sure to stop by The Saratoga History Museum anytime from now through January as I'm being honored as one of 100 famous Saratogans. The museum is located at 20450 Saratoga-Los Gatos Road in Saratoga (obviously). It is normally open Fri, Sat and Sun from 1-4pm. There will be an open house reception on November 27 at 6pm. All are invited. I'll be there.

And, for my East Coast friends. If Saratoga, CA, is too far away, you might want to attend the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art at 594 Broadway #401 in New York, on November 19, at 7pm, as they have an opening reception for "The Art of Archie Comics", which I helped coordinate. I don't think I'll be in attendance that day, but the show does run through February 28, 2010, so I may make it out there before the show concludes its run.

Archie Finally Does it Right!

2009-10-30T10:14:00.001-07:00

After years of ignoring their past, Archie is FINALLY doing it right, by reprinting their older material in a format intended for collectors. Above you see the cover of the first volume of the collected newspaper strips. These will be followed by various volumes of comic book material focusing on a particular artist or characters in hardback collections. Also, there are now DVD-ROMs that compile a goodly amount of Archie comic book material in archival form.

Who says that material like this has to be only about superheroes. The clincher on this is that the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCA) in New York is running an art show featuring original artwork from the 40s to the present. The show runs from November through January and features contributions by yours truly, who also brought you the Harvey Art Show last year.

Let me know if you need any further information about any of these Archie products or shows.

Mark Arnold LIVE! on KSCU (Nov. 4, 2009)

2009-10-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

I'm scheduled to appear as a guest to talk about my book and other projects live on KSCU radio 103.3 on Wednesday, November 4, at 9pm. Listen, if you're local.

Here's the "Mad" Ad

2009-10-28T16:19:00.000-07:00

My dad came through and found a copy of the ad I was looking for in the last blog entry. Although this one is a call for artists, I'm sure if there was a writer's ad, it would have been very similar. Anyway, this ad originally appeared in the September 23, 1956 edition of "The New York Times".

I had contacted Sam Viviano of "Mad" and he did not have a copy and once my dad located this in a local library to me, I sent Sam a copy for the "Mad" archives. Sam said that this ad also is rumored to have been answered by Mort Drucker and Norman Mingo, among others.

The writer ad was supposed to have been responded to by Paul Laikin and Frank Jacobs, but they may have just responded to this same ad, placed by Al Feldstein when Harvey Kurtzman left "Mad" and took virtually the entire staff with him.

Mad Magazine Help

2009-10-25T15:52:00.001-07:00

I am writing a book on "Cracked" magazine and one of the interview subjects was Paul Laikin, who has worked for every black and white humor magazine over the years, being editor for many of them, too, including "Cracked", "Sick" and "Wacko". Anyway, Laikin was the first of two writers hired by "Mad" after Harvey Kurtzman left with the staff. New editor Al Feldstein placed an ad in the "New York Times" in 1956-57 for new writers and two respondees were hired: Laikin and Frank Jacobs. Laikin stayed with "Mad" until about 1959 and Jacobs is still there to this day.

What I need is a copy of this help wanted ad. Please let me know if you have access to a copy.

Wonka Bashing

2009-10-20T08:37:00.001-07:00

I was reading through Amazon comments about "Willy Wonka" and decided to respond to one of them for kicks. Here's the original post and my rebuttal.

One Sick puppy..., November 15, 2008
A Kid's Review

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is one of those movies thats just so twisted its not even funny. The first time I saw this movie, I was about four and it scared the crap out of me. I remember the sadistic, demented Willy Wonka played by Gene Wilder (Who is probably the best thing this movie has as a fan of his other movies.)and the hellish Oompa Lompas with their little songs. Let's not forget that tunnel w/ the snakes and chickens, I had nightmares for months. Was it wrong that I felt sorry for the fat boy who got sucked up the tunnel? Or the little girl who got turned into that blueberry? I mean it was sick!!! Their kids they don't even know their behavior is wrong! I mean of course I know its fake but still. You never even know what happened to them (their actually is a small line about them being alright but I didn't hear it until like the 3rd viewing.) The special effects a downright terrible, even for back then. The chocolate river looked like some kiddy w/ mud in it. The musical scores (Besides "The Candy Man") were downright awful.
What I don't understand most is that this movie is considered a classic. Its played regularly on tv, and was shown almost daily at my school. If this movie is for you that's fine, you're entitled to your opinion, no need to bash me in your comments, that's just stupid. All I want to say is that I have no idea how a movie that was a critical and box office flop became regarded as a children's classic. This movie is way to disturbing for young children and maybe some adults. I'm even a fan of the book and I don't like this. What we fans need to a truth to the book adaption. Then we'll be satisfied.

and now my response:

I'll take issue with your comments as well (just for kicks). Anyway, I saw this movie originally when I was 4 in the theater in 1971 upon first release! Yes, it was freaky and weird and a bit disturbing especially during the boat ride, but it became my favorite movie of all time, and leaps and bounds greater than that inferior "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" movie, which I so much wanted to love, too, but couldn't, and "Charlie" WAS more faithful to the book.

The main problem with the book is Roald Dahl. Even though I love him as an author and he has great ideas, some of his book ideas really don't translate well to the motion picture screen and "Willy Wonka" solved the majority of those book problems and made it a better story, as a result.

Strange if you are a fan of the book, as you state, then you should remember the kid sucked up the tube and the girl who got turned into a blueberry as those remained unchanged from the book.

Actually for years it WASN'T played on TV. It was, in the early 70s, but by the late 70s through the mid-80s due to ownership changes from Paramount to Warner Bros, it remained strangely hidden from view.

Finally, I take great issue with your comment "The special effects are downright terrible, even for back then". Actually, they were state-of-the-art for 1971. Really! When the words pop up saying "brat" and "cat" and "mother" and "father", those were actually the very first computer graphics, and this was the first feature film to use them. They were also used at the same time on "Sesame Street" and the then brand-new "Electric Company" TV shows. Without those effects, you wouldn't have all those Pixar films and all those feature films you have nowadays that rely so much on computer animated effects, including "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". In "Willy Wonka", this was the best you could do in 1971. You can't bash a film's special effects for that.

Of course, you are entitled to your own opinions, but please do some research before making "factual" statements that are presented as "truth".

Many Casper Comics Coming Out

2009-10-07T13:40:00.001-07:00

These are the covers of some various "Casper" comic books out now or coming soon. The three are the new "Casper and the Spectrals" series (issues #1 and 2 shown here), the "Casper 60th Anniversary Book" and the "Casper Halloween Treat" giveaway (also featuring "Little Lulu"). There's even more soon, but I've been sworn to secrecy for a little while longer....

Harvey in Roy Thomas' "Alter Ego" #89

2009-10-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

Make sure to pick up Roy Thomas' "Alter Ego" #89. It has extensive coverage of Harvey's horror and superhero titles. Basically, it covers everything non-humor, although it does talk about "Flip!". Yours truly helped out with some of the information and images.

More Quality From Yoe!

2009-08-28T09:40:00.000-07:00

I really enjoy Craig Yoe's books ("Comic Arf", "Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman's Co-creator Joe Shuster", "Weird but True Toon Factoids"), and this one is more of the same, a high quality observation of a neglected aspect of the comic world. One thing it would have been great to have unearthed are some scandalous Richie Rich artwork by Ernie Colon and Lennie Herman. As it is, there's some great stuff in here and more surprising is who it is sometimes by.

What? No Harveys!!

2009-08-26T15:51:00.001-07:00

I picked up this book and was sorely disappointed that not one Harvey comic book story made the grade. It might be a rights issue with Classic Media, but it seems a shame that not one "Casper" or Richie Rich story was accepted. Granted, I love "Sugar and Spike" and "Dennis the Menace" and have an appreciation for all things Walt Kelly, but the lack of a single Harvey story is inexcusable. At least Dark Horse has reprinted some of these stories in their 5-volume series. I was hoping for at least one...

"Cold Turkey" and "Zotz"

2009-08-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

I was just told about two movies that I think I would love, but they came out on VHS about 100 years ago and no DVD release is on the horizon. I don't understand the movie companies withholding their inventory. Warner Bros. and Disney have figured it out at least and have put some of their more obscure movies out as a "print on demand" DVD available through the Internet as in the case of Warner Bros. or as part of a Movie Club as Disney has done. Both are not available in stores.

The other movie studios should take a lead from this and should rerelease every single solitary movie in their inventory, especially if their is a major star, like "Cold Turkey" has Dick Van Dyke, Bob Newhart and a number of others, while "Zotz" stars Tom Poston and was produced by William Castle.

What is wrong with the studios? It's easy money to put this stuff out in either limited release as explained above or in box sets by subject or star or director.

As a fan, it's very frustrating and baffling.

Entertaining Memoir from One of the Last Classic Cartoon Voices

2009-07-27T09:07:00.001-07:00

I just met June Foray and Stan Freberg at the recent Comic Con International in San Diego. I was in cartoon voice bliss. Two greats in one day in one setting!! It would have only been surpassed if Mel Blanc, Daws Butler and Paul Frees were also there, but they have long ago left this mortal coil.

Anyway, June is one of those people that may not be a household name, but you HAVE heard her voice, be it as Rocky, the Flying Squirrel (pictured on cover) or Granny in the Warner Bros. cartoons or two different Witch Hazels, one for Disney and another for Warner Bros.

Or, you may have seen her in various live-action roles in such places as "Green Acres", or as the voice of "Talky Tina" in a classic "Twilight Zone" episode where she creepily states, "I'm Talky Tina, and I'm gonna kill you!!"

This book is well-written and covers her entire life and career. It's a little rushed on discussing some of her voicework and I think she spends a little too much time on her formative years, but that's minor quibbling as I really knew nothing about her childhood. Read about the life and career of one animation's greatest LIVING legends!!

Also (plug plug) if you get a chance and like animated cartoons, pick up my book "Created and Produced by Total TeleVision Productions". Unfortunately, June never voiced anything for them.

This is a great book and a great asset for my own book about TTV

2009-07-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

I sought out this book for its coverage of many voice artists that are now deceased particularly Norma MacMillan and Jackson Beck. This was a very helpful reference for my book about TTV called Created and Produced by Total TeleVision Productions. It was also a good read about other known and unknown vocal talents. Highly recommended!

Very Good But Not Excellent Stuff From Kurtzman and Company

2009-07-10T13:02:00.001-07:00

I would have given this five stars, but I fault Fantagraphics for doing some artsy-fartsy production on the various "Humbug" cover reproductions by also reproducing the various tears, wrinkles and missing pieces from the covers to make them look old. While the book goes on and on about how meticulously they rescanned and recreated missing artwork (for which this is worth a 5), they fall far short with these travesties posing as covers. It's like intentionally putting in scratches on a digitally remastered film. If I want a crappy copy of "Humbug", I certainly can pick one up at a show or on Ebay.

As far as material goes, this is very good, but not excellent Kurtzman material as other reviewers have said. Best is the parody of "Around the World in 80 Days" which is possibly why it is touted on the slipcase, but the other stuff doesn't hold up as strongly, despite great artwork.

BTW, I am currently at work about the history of "Cracked" magazine and although this book doesn't state it, Jaffee, Elder and Davis all bailed out to "Cracked" for a short time before eventually returning to "Mad" (in Jaffee and Davis' case) and "Playboy" (in Elder's case).

As for Kurtzman, I have always considered "Trump", "Help!" and especially "Mad" to be far superior to this. Overall, it looks good, but it leaves you kind of limp. Fantagraphic's lousy issue cover reproductions kind of imply this as well.

It's worth buying the deluxe limited edition for the original autographs of Jaffee, Davis and Roth.

New History Book on Underdog and TTV Out NOW!!

2009-06-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

Now you can order my second book "Created and Produced by Total TeleVision productions: The Story of Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo and the Rest" at BearManor Media

Also available at Amazon

Front cover by Mike Kazaleh ("The Simpsons", "New Adventures of Mighty Mouse")

Back cover blurb by Scott Shaw! ("Scooby-Doo", "Captain Carrot")

Written by Mark Arnold ("The Best of The Harveyville Fun Times!")

380 pages! Full color covers! Complete TTV history!

From Fun Ideas Productions and BearManor Media!

Order your copy today! Only $29.95!

George's Greatest Miss

2009-06-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

What a disappointment. This should have been a career-encompassing greatest hits. Instead, we get an album of random tracks that are too top heavy on four of George's albums "All Things Must Pass", "Cloud Nine" and "Brainwashed", and "Concert for Bangla Desh" and virtually ignore everything else. Many have said this should have been a two-disc set. In light of that, here is a more coherent single-disc set that actually does cover George's entire solo career:

1. My Sweet Lord
2. What is Life?
3. Bangla Desh
4. Give Me Love
5. Dark Horse
6. You
7. This Song
8. Crackerbox Palace
9. Blow Away
10. All Those Years Ago
11. Wake Up My Love
12. I Don't Want To Do It
13. Got My Mind Set On You
14. When We Was Fab
15. Handle With Care
16. Cheer Down
17. My Sweet Lord 2000
18. Horse to the Water
19. Any Road

I Finally Replaced Archie's Car

2009-05-22T15:25:00.001-07:00

I am so happy. I went to Supercon in San Jose last weekend and found an item that was stolen from me years ago...Archie's Car!!!!

The genesis of this story dates back to 1969 when The Archies were HOT and Post cereals had various Archie items included in their cereals or as sendaway items. For example, there were cut-out records on the back of the boxes and a sendaway of Jughead's beanie.

One of the items was a small plastic car included inside of boxes of "Alpha-Bits" referred to as "Archie's Car". There were cut-outs on the back of the box of Archie and the gang that you were supposed to insert into the car and a cut-out of a garage.

The cut-outs were later discarded, but I always loved my Archie's Car. Later, in 1989, I had a party at my apartment in San Francisco, and invited people from my work at KBHK-TV 44 at the time.

I invited my boss and he brought along his wife and son. His son was about 9 years old at the time. I had a habit of having favorite toys on display on my bookshelves; Archie's Car being one of them.

Anyway, I noticed that the boss' son was looking at the car at the time, but figured he'd just put it back after holding it. Next day, I was cleaning up and noticed that my Archie's Car WAS GONE!!!

HORRORS! I was so mad. And I couldn't tell the boss, because I had no real proof that he actually took it. I only saw that he was looking at it, so I let it go.

Years later, I wanted to replace my Archie's Car and looked for it at shows and in stores and later on line. I never saw one. At one toy show, someone had a red one, but I wanted my yellow one back. (The car also was available in blue, apparently, but I've never seen one.)

Time after time, I checked Ebay to no avail. If you look up Archie's Car on Ebay, typically you will see the "Burger King" versions, which I also own, that feature Archie and the gang actually in the driver's seat.

Anyway, at last Saturday's Supercon, I was looking around...and THERE IT WAS!!! And it was YELLOW!!! It looked just like the one that was stolen, so I purchased it without hesitation. Cost me $20, which seemed fair. Of course, I would like to have not had to pay to replace it, but now the search is over.

And here it is (see photo above)!!!

Finally Found Thurl Ravenscroft Album!!!

2009-05-12T16:40:00.001-07:00

I finally found a download of a very rare Thurl Ravenscoft album!! For those who don't know, Ravenscroft was the voice of Tony the Tiger for over 50 years!! He also sang the theme song to Disneyland's Haunted Mansion and the Grinch song in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "No Dogs Allowed" in "Snoopy, Come Home" among other things.

This particular album was available as a digital download and is everything I expected. Ravenscroft narrates the story behind the Gospel song and then sings it. I had the pleasure to interview with Ravenscroft a few years ago, and I asked him if there were any plans to issue this to CD and he said probably not. Sadly, it turned out to be his final interview and can be found in "Hogan's Alley" magazine.

I would still love to see it rereleased. Despite a download, I'd still be interested in a vinyl version of this, so if you see one cheap, please let me know...

If the Rich Just Paid More Taxes....

2009-03-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

Interesting chart that was sent to me showing that the rich only pay about 35% of their income in taxes currently. In the past, they have paid up to 91% of their income and guess when we were strongest economically as a country, when the rich were paying that much!!!

Look at the 1920s before the Great Depression, the rich paid the least in taxes and look what happened? THE GREAT DEPRESSION!!!

During WWII and after, when they were paying a lot, we were doing GREAT economically as a country.

As the rich have paid less and less since the 1950s, our economy has gone down and down accordingly. IT'S ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, but not totally unexpected.

So wealthy people, you know what to do. Your fun is over. It's time to pay more than your share to help us low paid individuals out and SAVE OUR COUNTRY!!!

This is the bailout we need!!!

Paul and Ringo in Concert Again

2009-03-13T16:47:00.001-07:00

Only about 29 years too late....

Cracked Book

2009-03-10T07:39:00.001-07:00

I have been told to write a new blog entry due to monumental demand (alright one person), but that's enough for me to do another plug for my upcoming book on "Cracked" magazine.

The book is going to be called "If You're Cracked, You're Happy: The History of Cracked Mazagine" and will be published by Bear Manor Media.

I am currently in the process of interviewing as many of the original creators as possible including John Severin.

I am also in the process of indexing every issue ever published including the annuals and specials and am currently up to 1969.

I'll post periodic updates here, but please feel free to comment or give me any assistance on the project. I would like to know if anyone has a "Who's Cracked?" T-shirt from 1958, or any other rare "Cracked" merchandise?

Please email me at thft@att.net if you have anything...

Finally! Finally! At Last!! At Last!!

2009-02-20T14:10:00.001-08:00

Tracks like "Kingpin" and "16 Golden Bits" are enough to qualify it as a classic, but "A Date With Danger" and the "Tonight Show" parody truly bring it over the top...

It's great to have this finally in high fidelity on compact disc instead of listening to my old vinyl recordings.

Highly recommended...

The Collection I Have Been Waiting For For Years

2009-02-19T10:37:00.001-08:00

This is the Stan Freberg collection I have been waiting for as it does indeed collect not only the A-sides of virtually every Stan Freberg record as released but the B-sides as well!!!

Some of these have never been compiled on any album before. For instance, you probably have heard Freberg's version of "Ya Got Trouble" from "The Music Man", but have you heard his version of "Gary, Indiana"?

I say virtually because there is at least one single ("Comments For Our Time Parts 1 and 2") that still eludes compilations, but this is a minor complaint due to the excessive datedness of the track and the fact that it really isn't very funny anymore.

Buy this and Tip Of The Freberg (Includes Video) and be in Freberg heaven!!!

Jr’s Fun To Draw

2009-02-17T09:40:00.000-08:00

Jerry Beck was gracious enough to post scans I made from a book called "Jr's Fun To Draw". Rather than re-type his entry, I will post a link to "Cartoon Brew" here:

Cartoon Brew

-Mark.

SNL Better Again

2009-02-05T20:11:00.000-08:00

I posted this on Facebook, but it turned out well enough, I made it a blog entry.

I feel SNL is finally getting better again after being lousy for a number of years. SNL has always been kind of hit and miss with the better years being 1975-1980; 1982-1985; 1987-1992; 2004-present, and I've watched it since the beginning. I think they took more chances in the beginning especially with the musical guests where they could have a jazz artist or classical artist, where as now it's just the latest pop or rap act. The comedy writing and acting was more daring and sharp in the early days a lot of the time as well, and if a sketch didn't work, it didn't seem to go on for 20 minutes, except maybe Bill Murray as the lounge singer. I didn't like it then and I don't like it now when re-watching them recently on the full season DVDs.

I actually wish that the show wouldn't be live anymore. Since I live in California it's never live anyway. It could easily be "live on tape" or actually filmed so that there weren't any flubs and the sketches could be tighter since the writing and acting isn't as strong. Also, I think it's time Lorne Michaels be put out to pasture. SNL has gotten stale and stiff like he has. Watch the early shows and he seems to have an enthusiasm that is totally missing now. So what if he created the show...