Allee Willis Blog » 2009 October

19Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Dr. Kildare’s Thumpy ‘The Heartbeat’ Stethoscope

19Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Dr. Kildare’s Thumpy ‘The Heartbeat’ Stethoscope

Dr.-kildare-thumpy_3935

Thought I would give props to Dr. K. today seeing as I spent Friday night over at his place watching The Towering Inferno, which he, Richard Chamberlain, aka Dr. Kildare, costarred in as the guy who skimped on the wire and started the whole barbecue. It was unbelievable to sit next to him watching this movie, one of the two original disaster films along with The Poseidon Adventure, and hearing him say No, Dick!”, “Don’t do it, Dick!” as he tried to steal a seat in the little swinging chair thing strung between the burning hi-rise and the building across the street before it crashed taking him and his beautiful ’70s wide lapel velvet suit down.

I took my Thumpy stethoscope along with my Dr. Kildare paper dolls book, greeting card with Dr. K.AND Ben Casey and my “Theme from Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)” 45 over there for Richard/ Dr. Kildare to sign but promptly forgot to yank any of it out. And how I didn’t snap a photo of us is crazy given my proclivity for storing every significant moment of my life digitally for the last 25 years… So I’ll just have to listen to this thing beat until l I see him again. Which will be very soon as he’s coming over here for dinner in a few weeks. Which makes my heart go thumpy.

Made in 1963 by Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Inc. and Amsco Industries Inc, Thumpy’s packaging boasts that there’s no batteries and nothing to wind – “Pick me up!”, “Hear Me Thump!”- and that “light movement activates “heartbeat””. They’re not kidding. This thing, US patent no. 2570740, starts beating if you even tiptoe by.

The water stains weren’t acquired until the late ’80s when Thumpy and my Brigitte Bardot By Lovable bra were the victims of a tragic dishwasher leak on the floor above which they resided.

Thought I would give props to Dr. K. today seeing as I spent Friday night over at his place watching The Towering Inferno, which he, Richard Chamberlain, aka Dr. Kildare, costarred in as the guy who skimped on the wire and started the whole barbecue. It was unbelievable to sit next to him watching this movie, one of the two original disaster films along with The Poseidon Adventure, and hearing him yell No, Dick!”, “Don’t do it, Dick!” as he tried to steal a seat in the little swinging chair thing strung between the burning hi-rise and the building across the street before it crashed taking him and his beautiful ’70s wide lapel velvet suit down.

I took my Thumpy stethoscope along with my Dr. Kildare and Nurse Nancy paper dolls book, greeting card with Dr. K.AND Ben Casey and my “Theme from Dr. Kildare (Three Stars Will Shine Tonight)” 45 over there for Richard/ Dr. Kildare to sign but promptly forgot to yank any of it out. And how I didn’t snap a photo of us is crazy given my proclivity for storing every significant moment of my life digitally for the last 25 years… So I’ll just have to listen to this thing beat until I see him again. Which will be very soon as he’s coming over here for dinner in a few weeks. Which makes my heart go thumpy.

Made in 1963 by Metro Goldwyn Mayer, Inc. and Amsco Industries Inc, Thumpy’s packaging boasts that there’s no batteries and nothing to wind – “Pick me up!”, “Hear Me Thump!”- and that “light movement activates “heartbeat””. They’re not kidding. This thing, US patent no. 2570740, starts beating if you even tiptoe by.

The water stains weren’t acquired until the late ’80s when Thumpy and my Brigitte Bardot By Lovable bra were the victims of a tragic dishwasher leak on the floor above which they resided.

18Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “World’s Champion Bull Thrower” Coffee Mug

18Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “World’s Champion Bull Thrower” Coffee Mug

bull-thrower-cup

The first thing I do on Sunday mornings is to brew a reallllly strong cup of coffee, well, decaf, and set about trying to knock out all the tasks I know will make the coming week much easier if they’re not piled up and waiting for me Monday morning. This big bull cup holds twice as much as a normal coffee cup and I’ve used it so much I almost look at it as my pet.

The cup looks somewhere between mass-produced and handmade, only one coat of glaze on the lettering – as a ceramicist myself I can tell you this comes from pure laziness – as well as parts of the bull being a little lumpier than he should be. No manufacturing marks anywhere so who knows? I just know I’m a pretty good bull thrower myself and lifting this cup puts a smile on my lips whether bull’s coming out of them or not.

16Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “Like, Man, Lend Me Your Ear” Beatnik Statue

16Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “Like, Man, Lend Me Your Ear” Beatnik Statue

beatnik-statue_4994

I collect anything Beatnik, especially when the colloquialisms of the day accompany it. “Like, man, lend me your ear” was in heavy rotation circa 1956, printed on bed sheets, stationery, statues and any other kind of collectibles that could be pushed on the burgeoning newly liberated teen and young adult crowd.

This guy has a “real” mustache and goatee, the kind of furry, feathery stuff they stuck on cats and other ceramic animals in the ’50s and ’60s. But what’s all those black whiskers on his nose?!

Also not sure why the ceramicist portrayed him as an old bald man as the Beat generation represented all that was rebellious about youth. But this incongruity kicks it up a notch on the Kitsch scale so I’m not complaining.

This guy has a “real” mustache and goatee, the kind of furry, feathery stuff they stuck on cats and other ceramic animals in the ’50s and ’60s. But what’s all those black whiskers on his nose?!

Also not sure why the ceramicist portrayed him as an old bald man as the Beat generation represented all that was rebellious about youth. But this incongruity kicks it up a notch on the Kitsch scale so I’m not complaining.

15Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Pigmy Will starring in “Jockstrap”

15Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Pigmy Will starring in “Jockstrap”

Brand new Pigmy Will video, as sophisticated as ever!

14Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Badly Translated Friend Straws

14Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Badly Translated Friend Straws

Friends-flex-straws_0599

The package reads “Let’s try homeparty fashionably and have a joyful chat with nice fellow.” And all it takes is a straw! For years after I co-wrote the Friends theme song I received gifts that had the word ‘friend’ as part of their title. Without question, these Fujinami flexstraws are one of my favorites. Who could resist sucking on such sage advice?

13Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “No Hustling Allowed” Mirror

13Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – “No Hustling Allowed” Mirror

no-hustling-allowed-mirror_0738

Between Van McCoys’s huge 1975 hit, “The Hustle”, and the proliferation of that decade’s gay clubs and discos, especially in New York and LA, negative connotations of the word ‘hustle’ and its older sister ‘hustling’ melted away in a fog of polyester shirts and glitter eye shadow to become one of the most popular colloquialisms of the day. ‘No Hustling Allowed’ was printed on jean patches, underwear and, thankfully, this mirror as well as anything else that could be sold in a catalog, novelty or souvenir shop.

This baby stands proud at 4″ x 8.5″ and was made in 1974 by Wallace Berrie & Co. of Van Nuys, California, makers of rubber statues, wall plaques and other like-minded toys and promotional items.

12Oct 2009

Allee Willis Kitsch O The Day – Madonna Inn Ashtray

12Oct 2009

Allee Willis Kitsch O The Day – Madonna Inn Ashtray

madonna-inn-ashtray_3902

I don’t have to tell any self-respecting Kitsch lover about the Parthenon of Kitsch, the Madonna Inn, in San Luis Obispo, California. Appearing like a mirage off the 101, its customized-to-the-brink-of-insanity rooms, pink, pink, pink dining room, not to mention the cheeseburgers and sprinkle cookies in the coffee shop attract me like a magnet whenever I drive up north. Besides, the bathrooms are nutty and always add that extra dimension to a rest stop. The place has such magic powers that any smoke rising from this ashtray is probably pink.

I love my bedroom but there’s no doubt that using this ashtray in the Barrel Of Fun, Canary cottage, Cave Man, Daisy Mae, Edelweiss, Jungle Rock, Matterhorn, Oriental Fantasy, Time Of Your Life, Wilhelm Tell or any of the other 11o rooms enhances the desired Kitsch effect. To see all of them go here.

I don’t have to tell any self-respecting Kitsch lover about the Parthenon of Kitsch, the Madonna Inn, in San Luis Obispo, California. Appearing like a mirage off the 101, its customized-to-the-brink-of-insanity rooms, pink, pink, pink dining room, not to mention the cheeseburgers and sprinkle cookies in the coffee shop attract me like a magnet whenever I drive up north. Besides, the bathrooms are nutty and always add that extra dimension to a rest stop. The place has such magic powers that any smoke rising from this ashtray is probably pink.

I love my bedroom but there’s no doubt that using this ashtray in the Barrel Of Fun, Canary Cottage, Cave Man, Daisy Mae, Edelweiss, Jungle Rock, Matterhorn, Oriental Fantasy, Time Of Your Life, Wilhelm Tell or any of the other 110 rooms enhances the desired Kitsch effect. To see all of them go here.

10Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Handmade “Especially Blended” Chef Jar

10Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Handmade “Especially Blended” Chef Jar

chef-shaker-Tony-Whan_0640

Not sure exactly what blend Tony Whan stashed inside when he made Murray Yunkers this jar featuring a removable chef’s cap with holes in it but it’s awfully cute and practical whatever contents it was made for. Standing 9″ high and looking somewhere between professionally made and a lumpy school project, it’s signed “Stole” on the bottom, which makes no sense seeing as the cap clearly says it was made by Tony Whan. Perhaps Tony “stole” the bottom part from “Stole” and only made the top.

It would seem like a special blend, be it coffee, tea, snuff or whatever, would want to be airtight so the holes in the top don’t make much sense either. Maybe it was for something like sugar, flour or grated cheese but there’s no way of securing the hat when the chef is turned over so, once again, it makes no sense. I guess Tony Whan was in his own little world making something special for Murray Yunkers and I guess I’ll never know what exactly it was made to hold but I’m happy I have this happy little chef to make me think about both of them all of the time.

Not sure exactly what blend Tony Whan stashed inside when he made Murray Yunkers this jar featuring a removable chef’s cap with holes in it but it’s awfully cute and practical whatever contents it was made for. Though it would seem like a special blend, be it coffee, tea, snuff or whatever, would want to be in something airtight so the holes in the top don’t make much sense.

Maybe it was for something like sugar, flour or grated cheese but there’s no way of securing the hat when the chef is turned over so that makes no sense either.

Standing 9″ high and looking somewhere between professionally made and a lumpy school project, it’s signed “Stole” on the bottom, which also makes no sense seeing as the cap clearly says it was made by Tony Whan. Perhaps Tony “stole” the bottom part from “Stole” and only made the top.

I guess Tony Whan was in his own little world making something special for Murray Yunkers and I guess I’ll never know what exactly it was made to hold but I’m happy I have this happy little chef to make me think about both of them every time I walk in my kitchen.

09Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – The Spork

09Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – The Spork

spork_0585

With as many taco trucks as I eat off of and as many meals as I eat in my car — my favorite dining room of all — the Spork, a spoon, fork and knife in one, is an one of those indispensable instruments of life that you should always have around. And just like another modern-day marvel, the Snuggie, it’s both practical and kitschy, the penultimate combination in contemporary Kitsch klassicism

Made in Sweden by Light My Fire, the Spork is heat resistant, “Teflon ready” (whatever that means – isn’t it either Teflon or not?!) and machine washable.

I hope to never be without my Spork.

With as many taco trucks as I eat off of and as many meals as I eat in my car, my favorite dining room of all, I can tell you that the Spork, a spoon, fork and knife in one, is one of those indispensable instruments of life that comes in handy time and time again. And just like another modern-day marvel, the Snuggie, it’s both practical and kitschy, the penultimate combination in contemporary Kitsch.

Made in Sweden by Light My Fire, the Spork is heat resistant, “Teflon ready” (whatever that means – isn’t it either Teflon or not?!) and machine washable.

I hope to never be without my Spork.

08Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Female Beauty Products Wastebasket

08Oct 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Female Beauty Products Wastebasket

beauty-wastebasket_7961

I found this trashcan for 99¢ at a thrift shop in Santa Barbara, CA. and it’s been the proud receptacle of Willis waste ever since. I often stare at the illustrations of perfume atomizers, combs, compacts and other elegantly sketched artifacts that comprise a typical female’s cosmetic regime, loving more each time the absolutely perfect 1950’s color combination of white, pink, gold and black as applied to the metal.

Made by Harvell and standing 13″ tall x 10-3/4″ wide, a lot of the paint has scraped off this baby but as far as I’m concerned she just gets prettier with age.

I found this trashcan for 99¢ at a thrift shop in Santa Barbara, CA. and it’s been the proud receptacle of Willis waste ever since. I often stare at the illustrations of perfume atomizers, combs, compacts and other elegantly sketched artifacts that comprise a typical female’s cosmetic regime, loving more each time the absolutely perfect 1950’s color combination of white, pink, gold and black as applied to the metal.

Made by Harvell and standing 13″ tall x 10-3/4″ wide, a lot of the paint has scraped off this baby but as far as I’m concerned she just gets prettier with age.