Allee Willis Blog » TV/Radio

09Sep 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – TV Salt & Pepper Shakers/Photo Holder

09Sep 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – TV Salt & Pepper Shakers/Photo Holder

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This is one of the first things I found when I started collecting vintage accessories. I also collected matching TVs, real ones like Predictas, Halo-Visions, hanging spheres and the like. I LOVE television and televisions. So this ‘Tiny-TV’ S&P set has been the main condiment carrier at my place for years.

The S&P containers raise up and down by turning the gold ‘on/off’ knob. It’s also theoretically a photo holder. You’re supposed to be able to push the screen in and slide in a photo. But this part of the TV is completely ill-conceived as the plastic, as I’m sure it was even back in its day, is unbelievably brittle so the slightest bit of pressure shatters the screen. And even if you could get the photo in there to be a real TV it ought to be behind the screen and not in front of it where grease and everything else going into your body can spatter it. Despite its shortcomings, this, one of five I’ve collected over the years, is still one of my favorite S&Ps.

This is one of the first things I found when I started collecting vintage accessories. I also collected matching TVs, real ones like Predictas, Halo-Visions, hanging spheres and the like. I LOVE television and televisions. So this ‘Tiny-TV’ S&P set has been the main condiment carrier at my place for years. The S&P containers raise up and down by turning the gold ‘on/off knob. It’s also theoretically a photo holder. You’re supposed to be able to push the screen in and slide in a photo. But this part of the TV is completely ill-conceived as the plastic, as I’m sure it was even back in its day, is unbelievably brittle so the slightest bit of pressure shatters the screen. And even if you could get the photo in there to be a real TV it ought to be behind the screen and not in front of it where grease and everything else going into your body can spatter it. Despite its shortcomings, this, one of five I’ve collected over the years, is still one of my favorite S&Ps.

14Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Vintage Bab-O Cleanser Can

14Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Vintage Bab-O Cleanser Can

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Instant action can o’ Bab-o, good for cleaning the usual stuff plus “rubber rollers on wringers, etc.” I’m one of the few people who do, in fact, have “rubber rollers on wringers, etc” as I use a 1940’s wringer washing machine as a beer barrel at my parties.

One of my favorite product names ever, the can-o Bab-o’s from the early 1950’s.

Instant action can o’ Bab-o, good for cleaning the usual stuff plus “rubber rollers on wringers, etc.” I’m one of the few people who do, in fact, have “rubber rollers on wringers, etc” as I use a 1940’s wringer washing machine as a beer barrel at my parties.

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One of my favorite product names ever, this can-o Bab-o’s from the early 1950’s.

I always loved the drums in the Bab-o commercial. I still use that muffled tribal beat in tons of songs I write.

12Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Talking Monkees Doll

12Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Talking Monkees Doll

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I’ve never seen one of these that worked properly or where the heads stood up straight but still it’s one of the most prized collectibles of Monkees memorabilia. Although I loved the just-ingested-mushrooms quality of their TV show and the supreme popiness of the records, I never had a favorite Monkee as my head was buried so deeply in Motown.

When I co-wrote The Friends theme song, “I’ll Be There For You”, we were told to write something Monkees-ish. The Last Train To Clarksville definitely pulled into the station during those sessions.

Made by Mattel in 1966, this pull string doll was part of a flood of Monkees merchandising that included small rubber dolls with weird pajama feet, hard and soft lunch boxes, games, Monkee Mobiles, cufflinks, comic books and more. Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones were everywhere that year, not the least of which was on the shelves in my bedroom.

Not sure what the hand stitched surgery was meant to heal but probably involved efforts to restore vocal cords.

I’ve never seen one of these that worked or where the heads stood up straight but still it’s one of the most prized collectibles among Monkees memorabilia. Although I loved the just-ingested-mushrooms quality of their TV show and the supreme popiness of the records, I never had a favorite Monkee as my head was buried so deeply in Motown.

When I co-wrote The Friends theme song, “I’ll Be There For You”, we were told to write something Monkees-like. The Last Train To Clarksville definitely pulled into the station.

Made by Mattel in 1966 this pull string doll was part of a flood of Monkees merchandising that included small rubber dolls with weird pajama feet, hard and soft lunch boxes, games, Monkee Mobiles, cufflinks, comic books and more. Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Englishman Davy Jones were everywhere, not the least of which were the shelves in my bedroom.

07Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Howdy Doody Salt & Pepper Shakers

07Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Howdy Doody Salt & Pepper Shakers

howdy-doody-S&Ps_2974

I, like so many others of my vintage, was a Howdy Doody freak. Howdy was a pop star before there was such a thing. Although I wasn’t big on Western TV motifs I was really into Buffalo Bob Smith’s fringe laden shirt and I was so laden with freckles growing up I was totally into Howdy’s speckled face too.

Howdy Doody ran on NBC from 1947 until 1960. One of the first TV shows in color, NBC, which also owned RCA who manufactured color TV sets, used the show in part to sell color sets to an enamored tot audience.

These salt and pepper shakers were one of the first pieces of memorabilia I found when I discovered thrift shops.

To this day, every time I shake one of them I get a hit of my childhood. I wanted to be Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Flub-a-dub, 8 animals in one – combo duck, cocker spaniel, seal, cat, elephant, dachshund and pig – was a true inspiration to my budding multimedia self.

Although the thought of anything food related like these S&Ps coming from a town named Doodyville isn’t the most appetizing of thoughts I like shaking Howdy’s head every time I need to spice things up.

I, like so many others of my vintage, was a Howdy Doody freak. Howdy was a pop star before there was such a thing. Although I wasn’t big on Western TV motifs I was really into Buffalo Bob Smith’s fringe laden shirt and I was so laden with freckles growing up I was totally into Howdy’s speckled face too.

Howdy Doody ran on NBC from 1947 until 1960. One of the first TV shows in color, NBC, which also owned RCA who manufactured color TV sets, used the show in part to sell color sets to an enamored tot audience.

These salt and pepper shakers were one of the first pieces of memorabilia I found when I discovered thrift shops.

To this day, every time I shake one of them I get a hit of my childhood. I wanted to be Princess Summerfall Winterspring and Flub-a-dub, 8 animals in one – combo duck, cocker spaniel, seal, cat, elephant, dachshund and pig – was a true inspiration to my budding multimedia self.

Although the thought of anything food related like these S&Ps coming from a town named Doodyville isn’t the most appetizing of

thoughts I like shaking Howdy’s head every time I need to spice things up.

04Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite Popcorn

04Aug 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite Popcorn

hopalong-cassidy-popcorn_9685

I have a bunch of Hoppy memorabilia but none so rare as this 1950’s can of “hybrid yellow” popcorn, actually called Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite. H. Cassidy lunch boxes, paper plates, comic books, roller skates, wristwatches, guns and jackknives were just some of the products that made this cowboy one of the most successful personality brands from early TV.

William Boyd played Hopalong Cassidy from 1935 in films through the 1950’s on radio and tv and was one of the earliest stars to own the copyright to the character he played.

Hoppy’s favorite kernel kontainer is made of tin by the Maryland Popcorn Cooperative Association, Inc.

I have a bunch of Hoppy memorabilia but none so rare as this1950’s can of “hybrid yellow” popcorn, actually called Hopalong Cassidy’s Favorite. H. Cassidy lunch boxes, paper plates, comic books, roller skates, wristwatches, guns and jackknives were just some of the products that made this cowboy one of the most successful personality brands from early tv.

William Boyd played Hopalong Cassidy from 1935 in films through the 1950’s on radio and tv and was one of the earliest stars to own the copyrights to the character he played.

Hoppy’s favorite kernel kontainer is made of tin by the Maryland Popcorn Cooperative Association, Inc.