The Maverick Walking Man! :)

Who is the tall dark stranger ringing the doorbell there? It might be the Maverick walking man:

And such prizes he brings: Maverick western ties! Transistor radios! Air mattresses! (Just be sure you're watching Maverick or he's liable to go next door instead.)

So, if your doorbell rings this evening, you could see the Maverick walking man on your porch! (But, more likely it'll be something from Amazon or Doordash--this ad is from 1959. ;>)

"Beggars" Night :)

Hey!

I meant to post this original pic from the Kellection a couple of weeks ago, in honor of the 62nd anniversary of "Two Beggars on Horseback", the Maverick episode which premiered on 1/18/59. 

But, any time is a good time to remember this lively episode, which pairs Jack Kelly and James Garner with Patricia Barry (as crafty "Jessamy Longacre"). It's a fan favorite and reportedly was JK's favorite Maverick episode, as well. 

It's also time to say "Bye-bye" to January and "Hello" to February. What's coming up in TDS during the next month? Please stay tuned to find out! :)

"Give the Boots the Stars Wear" Revisited!

 Hello Everyone,

Christmas will be here in just a few days! So, what better time to revisit the "Give the Boots the Stars Wear" Acme Boots ad campaign. This colorful holiday-themed magazine page from the Kellection dates back to December 1959:

As Santa says, "Here's authentic western style, fiery color, imaginative design--all in comfortable, sturdy-wearing boots that live up to the legend of the west, every day of the year! No gift ever speaks with such understandable language to youngsters...'the boots the stars wear...Acme Boots.'"

Here's a closer look at those Warner Bros. western stars, headed by Jack Kelly and James Garner of Maverick:

And, a close-up of those magnificent Maverick boots:

Lucky was the little cowboy or cowgirl who found this footwear under the tree on Christmas morning! 

What will you find in the next TDS? Stay tuned and "Yule" find out! :)

Lucky "Lass"

 Hello Everyone!

Wow, I can't believe it's November 1 already. 

Speaking of November 1--it was exactly 61 years ago today (Sunday, November 1, 1959) that the Maverick episode "The Lass With The Poisonous Air" premiered on ABC-TV.

The plot:

The storyline for this episode was adapted by Catherine Turney from series creator/producer Roy Huggins' novel Lovely Lady, Pity Me (which was also the basis for an episode of 77 Sunset Strip with the same title). 

On the outskirts of Denver, Bart gallantly rescues Linda Burke (Joanna Moore), whose horse is galloping out of control. The gambler and the lady fall in love and rendezvous by a lake every day. 

Lovely Linda remains coy about her private life during their lakeside trysts, neglecting to tell Bart that she's married to the wealthy guy he plays poker with in town. 

Linda has a rival for Bart's affection: Cathy, the teenaged daughter of the owner of the livery stable where his mare (Goldie!) is being stabled. Bart pays no attention to her, so she sneaks to the lake where she secretly spots him and Linda. Later, Cathy asks Bart to take her for a buggy ride, and they conveniently "happen" to pass by the Burke mansion in time to see Linda leaving for dinner with her husband.

Bart also has a rival for Linda's affection: Dana, a drunk who's already sore at Bart because he lost at poker to him. Dana knows about Bart's meetings with Linda and threatens to blab to her husband. He also taunts Bart until the gambler knocks him out.

The next day, Dana beats Bart to the lake and is shot in the back by Linda, who flees, leaving Bart to take the rap after he arrives to find Dana dead. Cathy warns him that the sheriff is on the way to arrest him for Dana's murder. Bart wonders how that's possible, because, didn't he just now discover the body, with no one else around?! 

Cathy hides him in a barn and urges him to run away. But, Bart wants to prove his innocence. He asks Cathy for some tattered old clothes and a nondescript horse to ride. Bart lopes into Denver and narrowly escapes after he's spotted by the sheriff. 

Bart scales a balcony into Linda's room at the mansion. She's startled to see him, but then professes her "love" for him. She tells him to go to the lake and she'll meet him there. 

Instead, Linda runs downstairs, screaming to her husband and the sheriff that Bart just tried to kill her. Then, Bart comes downstairs with his hands up. The sheriff hears him out. Linda's husband tries to alibi for her, but their stories become so contradictory that they finally confess that Linda is guilty of killing Dana. Bart goes free and can be his carefree gamblin' self again.

Although she had a poisonous air, Linda was a lucky lass to have been "extra chummy" with Bart Maverick. Unfortunately, her portrayer, Joanna Moore, wasn't so lucky. Following a promising start that included a brief stint as "Peggy" on The Andy Griffith Show and a marriage to actor Ryan O'Neal which produced actress Tatum O'Neal, Ms. Moore's career and life sadly declined. After battling drug addiction and lung cancer, Ms. Moore died at age 63 in 1997.

But, she shines in "The Lass With The Poisonous Air". Here are some original stills from the Kellection of Ms. Moore with Jack Kelly:

"BEHIND THE TV CAMERA", the snipe begins. "Jack Kelly, an old hand now at playing Bart Maverick, assists pretty Carole Wells [sic--yes, it really identifies Ms. Moore as the actress who played "Cathy"!] in getting the most out of the script of 'The Lass With the Poisonous Air', the next Warner Bros. Maverick show, in which she appears with Kelly. The new episode will appear on ABC-TV network Sunday, November 1." 

Another rehearsal still 

Surprise! 

It's Bart in disguise...

...And he's not buying Linda's lies! :)

The original snipe for this still says, "ROMANCE LEADS TO TRAP...Bart Kelly [sic--yes, the caption writer actually called him that!] gets chummy with a mysterious beauty named Linda (Joanna Moore) and ends up in a well-planned frame in 'The Lass With the Poisonous Air', ABC's Maverick teledrama Sunday, November 1 (7:30-8:30 PST). Jack Kelly stars as Bart Maverick."

Well, please stay tuned for more about Bart, er, I mean Jack Kelly in TDS.  :)

A Stormy Moment With JK :)

Hello!

Presenting one of my favorite original vintage stills from one of my favorite Maverick episodes:  "The Goose-Drownder", starring Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick and guest-starring Fay Spain as the provocatively named dance-hall girl "Stella Legendre":  

Even in this still image, JK's and Ms. Spain's expressive eyes convey the tense emotions of the scene. 

Here's how the photo looked when it was published in The Columbus Dispatch on May 8, 1960, the date 'The Goose-Drownder' was rerun on ABC:

The caption reads, "Jack Kelly, as Bart Maverick, protects Stella Legendre, played by Fay Spain, from a vicious outlaw in 'The Goose Drownder' on Maverick, Sunday, May 8, on Chan. 6 at 7:30 p.m.)"

(The Dispatch cropped out the deceased character in the background.)

By the way, I'm always baffled when authors, reviewers, etc., claim that when Maverick originally aired in the 1950s, viewers didn't know from one week to the next if they were going to see Bret or Bart Maverick as the star of an episode. Really? Did these viewers not read "TV Guide" or their local newspapers? 

I've found that Maverick was very well-publicized during its 1957-1962 network run, with plot synopses and photos appearing in advance of each weekly episode. I found several different promo photos and write-ups for 'The Goose-Drownder' alone during my perusals of various newspaper databases. 

For example:

The caption: "TIME OF DANGER - Time is running out for Jack Kelly and Fay Spain, who are stranded in a ghost town with a band of stagecoach robbers in 'The Goose-Drownder', next segment in the Warner Bros. Maverick series, to show on Sunday, December 13 [1959], on the ABC-TV network."

Notice it says "next segment". So, viewers shouldn't have been surprised when Bart showed up as the star of "The Goose-Drownder". Unless, of course, they were too busy watching TV to read the newspaper. ;)

Well, please stay tuned for more photographical fun with JK in TDS! :)

Happy Father's Day 2020! :)

Happy Father's Day!

To celebrate, I present an unusual 1959 photo of Jack Kelly, James Garner and JG's step-daughter, Kimberly:

Kimberly looks like she's saying "Give me your autograph or else!" to JK.

You may be wondering why JK is in costume for Maverick and JG isn't. The caption on the reverse explains: "On a day when he was not required for scenes in Up Periscope, a Lakeside Production for Warner Bros., star James Garner brings his daughter, Kimberly, to the studio for a visit and to watch the filming of scenes for other pictures in production. Jack Kelly, who co-stars with Jim in the Maverick television series, is scared to death of the way Kimberly is handling a gun."

NOTE: This vintage photo has been in the Kellection for a while and I like it because it's a rare glimpse at JK and JG behind the scenes of Maverick. However, I've been somewhat torn about posting it here because it also shows a child pointing a gun at another human being. Yes, I know it's a gag photo, the gun was probably a prop and obviously no Jack Kellys were harmed during the making of this picture. On the other hand, firearm handling is no laughing matter, so here are some basic tips to help ensure that every day is happy for each Dad and child:

• Treat all guns as if they are loaded
• Point guns in a safe direction
• Don’t rely on a gun’s “safety”
• More tips available at Safe Kids Worldwide 

Thanks for reading, and please stay tuned for more about Jack Kelly in TDS. :)

Remembering...

Robert Conrad

1935-2020

Robert Conrad passed away today at age 84. Best known for portraying "Jim West", the suave Secret Service agent in the hit TV series The Wild Wild West, Mr. Conrad made one of his first TV appearances in 1959 as "Davie Barrows"(shown above) in the "Yellow River" episode of Maverick with Jack Kelly.

In 1962, while starring as "Tom Lopaka" in the Hawaiian Eye series, he acted with JK in the short anti-Communist film Freedom and You (a.k.a. Red Nightmare):

Incidentally, The Wild Wild West is currently (2020) airing on Family Entertainment Television (FETV).

JK and RC also appeared as cohorts in a daring train robbery scheme in the 1965 Kraft Suspense Theatre episode "Four Into Zero" (also starring Martha Hyer):

Caption on the reverse of photo: "'Suspense' Trio--Jack Kelly, left, Martha Hyer, and Robert Conrad are seen in 'Four Into Zero', drama about stolen currency plates to be presented on 'Suspense Theatre', in color Thursday night [2/18/1965] at 10 o'clock. In the segment, Kelly plays an ex-ski instructor who bolsters his ego by staging a $1 million dollar money-making scheme."

Rest in peace, Mr. Conrad. 



All Dressed Up! :)

Howdy!

Here's a pic from a 1959 movie magazine of Jack Kelly and some famous friends, all dressed up:

As the caption says, "It's not often you see so many Western heroes all duded up at the same time. Left to right, the TV cowboys are Ty Hardin, Peter Brown, Chuck Connors, Jack Kelly and John Russell. The occasion for the fancy dress was a ball held at the Hollywood Palladium."

Of course, this is how we usually saw JK, Hardin, Brown and Russell (along with some other cowboy pals):

It's interesting to glimpse these TV westerners in tuxes, and especially to see Russell ("Marshal Dan Troop" in Lawman) without his signature mustache.

I think JK looks great in a tux or in a buckskin jacket. Please stay tuned for more of his "looks" in TDS. :)

A Kelly Called Carol :)

Happy Monday!

Usually, when we see a photo of Jack Kelly and his sister, that sister is his older sibling, Nancy.

Well, here's a pic of JK with his younger sister, Carol (a.k.a. Karolee or Carolee), from a Japanese movie magazine:

Carol played minor roles in films and on TV during the 1950's and 1960's. Big brother Jack seems to be looking askance at Carol's skimpy costume, or maybe he's just pointing out a run in her hose. ;>

I think this is the first photo I've seen of JK and CK together as adults. The magazine in which the pic was printed is dated 1962, but the photo itself probably dates to 1959, when Carol played a stripper named "Fay Dawn" in "Girl In Trouble", an episode of the Warner Bros. detective series Bourbon Street Beat.

When "Girl In Trouble" was rerun in the summer of 1960, Carol told a newspaper reporter that JK visited her on the set. And, she revealed it was actually rather nerve-wracking to have Bart Maverick on Bourbon Street:

What a fun backstage peek at the Kelly clan!

Incidentally, another look at JK and Maverick from Japan will be featured in TDS very soon, so please stay tuned. :)

Happy Love Your Pet Day 2019! :)

Hello!

In honor of "Love Your Pet Day" 2019, here's a lovely pic of Jack Kelly from 1959 (dig those argyle socks):

The caption for this original vintage press photo reads: "Jack Kelly serenades his wife and their French poodle in the Kellys' North Hollywood, Calif., home during a break in shooting of ABC-TV's Warner Bros.-produced Maverick, telecast Sundays (7:30-8:30 PM, EDT), on which Jack stars as brother Bart. His actress wife is known professionally as May Wynn."

What a treat! Speaking of treats, remember to be extra sweet to your pet today. And, please stay "tuned" for more fun with JK in TDS. :)

"Biggest Sunday Audience" :)

 

Hi!

 

The picture quality of this ad with Jack Kelly from a 1959 Amarillo, Texas, newspaper is terrible, but I still wanted to share it with you.

 

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and that was true of the audience size for Maverick in Amarillo.

 

"Some Programs Win Awards! Others Win Audiences! Some Win Both!" the ad trumpets. 

 



It notes that Maverick was named "Best Western" by the Television Academy of Arts and Sciences. Maverick also had the "Biggest Sunday Audience", according to the American Research Bureau.

The ad sums it all up: "TONIGHT, More Amarillo Residents Will Watch Maverick Than ANY Other Sunday Program on ANY Station!"

Of course, now we can watch Maverick on Sunday, Monday or any other day of the week. But, it's still nice to see that it was the "king" of its timeslot and "aces" with the audience back in the day. ;)

Please stay tuned for more about our favorite Maverick in TDS!

JK in AZ :)

Howdy!

Fifty-nine years ago today (and tomorrow), Bart Maverick, er, Jack Kelly, appeared "IN PERSON!" at John F. Long's International Home Show in Phoenix, Arizona:

While in Phoenix, JK also put in an appearance at a local Jeep dealer:

 

 

 Now, here's the scoop on JK and wife Donna/May Wynn's arrival in AZ on Friday 4/10/59 (I love the headline--just wish the photo was clearer!):

The bemused local newspaper reporter, Charlotte Buchen, didn't quite know what to make of the cowboy from Queens:

 

"I do declare--television's Bart Maverick ain't like no cowboy I ever saw.

 

Bret's 6-foot, brown-eyed little brother stepped down from an American Airlines plane here yesterday morning looking very much like the man about town on the streets of New York. He's here for the John F. Long International Home Show. 

 

Wearing a gray suit that might well be the pride of Brooks Brothers, Maverick's white teeth sparkled as he beamed a matinee idol smile upon dozens of admirers who caught his arrival.  

 

'I don't live the part of Maverick,' he said, 'although I'd love to do Maverick forever.'

 

Like the rugged individualism of the show that has brought his face and name to millions, he defies the Buck Jones era of gun-slinging 'personality' cowboys.

 

'The Western ideas on the moral-telling story are over,' he said with the clipping accent of a dramatic star. 'No longer must there be right conquering might, where the mortgage property must be free and clear from the villain who goes to his demise.'

 

Whew!

 

'Maverick', he continued, 'is the charming and fortunate man of the West with no ties to responsibility. He counteracts drollness and doesn't care if it's right or wrong.'

 

What the Maverick show has done for the actor in the brother role is to give him 'constant and prestige exposure of a national nature.'

 

Although 'I was successful for some 8 to 10 years prior to the Maverick show, such a force of concentration was never exerted on my career,' he added.

 

As he told a television newsman at the close of an on-the-spot interview at the airport, 'It might be nice if you told the listeners that my name is Jack Kelly.' So be it said.

 

Kelly, the man, turned away from a potential career in law to become an actor. After two years in law school, he asked his father for one year to prove himself on stage.

 

With reasonable success that year, he moved on to successes on stage and in films. 'Until 1951,' he admitted with a big smile, 'I was afraid of horses.'

 

Under contract to Universal, he was taught everything from wielding a sword to slinging a gun. When it came to learning to ride, he balked.

 

"But I was told that if I didn't take [riding] along with the rest, it would mean I wasn't serious about my career. So, I went out with the wranglers on the farms, and after a series of lessons, I found I wasn't petrified anymore.'

 

'Now I love horses, and I know that once a fear is faced it can be controlled and conquered.'

 

As he chatted, his wife, the former May Wynn, actress in her own right, sat sedately by as a woman who has turned her ambitions to her husband's interests.

 

'We have very little time for social life,' she said, 'with bedtime at 9 p.m. and getting up every morning at 5:45.'

 

Drawing a light for two cigarettes in the best Charles Boyer tradition, her handsome husband beamed down on her as he handed her one. 'We've been married for three years. I hope it will be 30.'

 

The Western star will appear at the home show from 2 to 4 p.m. today [Saturday] and tomorrow [Sunday] at West Indian School Road and 57th Street."

 

Where will TDS travel next in pursuit of JK? Please stay tuned and find out! :)

Another Postcard Post! :)

Howdy!

Two more vintage Jack Kelly postcards just joined the Kellection, including one with the quintessential JK image which adorns this blog. So, I now have five of these cool cards:

These postcards were sent by the Warner Bros. fan mail department whenever folks wrote to JK. For only fifty-cents, you could also get an 8"x 10" photo (try getting one for that price now! ;>)

The reverse side of the cards features a reproduced signature and a greeting ("You are a real friend for writing!") from JK. Helpful hint: Some sellers erroneously assume the signatures on these cards are hand-written. I way overpaid for the first JK postcard I bought many years ago because I was led to believe I was purchasing a hand-signed item. Nope: the autographs shown on the front and back of these cards are pre-printed.

WB used the postmark to advertise their upcoming or current films. This one heralds A Summer Place, a 1959 melodrama starring Richard Egan, Dorothy McGuire and Sandra Dee. Postmarks on other JK cards I have advertise Auntie Mame, Sunrise at Campobello, and The Sundowners.

Yes, that's only four cards. The fifth JK postcard is "postally unused"--it has no postmark or mailing address, which means it was never sent by the fan department.

The other JK-related postcard I just received features a familiar grouping of Warner Bros. TV western stars. I've seen this pose before, but not in color like this:

Here's Clint Walker, Wayde Preston, Ty Hardin, Jack Kelly, John Russell, James Garner,
Peter Brown and Will Hutchins having a rootin' tootin' time
 on the Warner Bros. western street set

(How come JK is the shortest person on this card?!)

I think the image of Clint Walker ("Cheyenne") may have been inserted by WB into the color scene--he's usually not in other shots of this grouping I've seen, such as this one:

(BTW, this B&W photo was one of my first Kellectibles, before I actually had a Kellection! It was in a group of pix I bought at an antiques show before I "discovered" JK. :>)

The back of the color postcard has the pre-printed signatures of all the WB cowboys appearing on the front (with another pitch for A Summer Place):  

Well, I hope this post about JK postcards "sent" you. ;> Please stay tuned for more fun in TDS!

Maverick In Person! :)

Happy Friday!

No, you're not seeing things--that is James Garner on the Jack Kelly blog. And, you've probably never seen this incredible image before, because it wasn't taken by a professional photographer. It was snapped by an unknown fan, perhaps at the 1958 Illinois State Fair, where JG appeared as a grandstand attraction along with other performers including Jane Russell and Jonathan Winters. (If anyone knows what the pictured event actually was, please let me know!)

As you can tell by the banner in the background, JG is promoting the "Maverick Special" Jeep, which is partially visible behind him. Also, it's a little hard to see, but the tie the gentleman in the white shirt is wearing says "Maverick" and "Jeep".

This next shot is a bit blurred, but it gives another candid view of what it was like for JG (and no doubt JK) during personal appearances. 

It's obvious "Maverick" (and Maverick) was very popular as JG is dwarfed by a crowd of adoring fans:

Jack Kelly also made his share of personal appearances during the original network run of Maverick, including this one at a home show in Arizona in 1959 ("Through the courtesy of Kaiser Gypsum and Warner Bros...") :

 

Sometimes, either one or the other Maverick was set to appear at an event, such as a 1959 agricultural extravaganza called "Farm-Orama" which was staged at a sprawling farm near Richwood, Ohio. A local newspaper rather vaguely announced:

"The highlight of the two-day event will be the appearance on the grounds of either James Garner (Bret Maverick) or Jack Kelly (Bart Maverick), stars of a television western. The Kaiser Aluminum Co. is sponsoring the visit, with whomever appearing expected to be on hand during the afternoon of both days. He will tour the grounds via a stagecoach pulled by a multiple pony hitch."

Unfortunately, the estimated 30,000 visitors who showed up for the first day of Farm-Orama saw neither JG or JK take that stagecoach ride. Another local paper indignantly reported that Maverick was a no-show and wondered if either actor had really been scheduled to attend. ("Was the appearance of 'Maverick' a wild dream of a publicity agent seeking a means of attracting hundreds and more hundreds to the event?...This newspaper wants to know who is responsible for forcing such a 'dirty' trick upon thousands of its readers.")

But, then "Faux Maverick" appeared at Farm-Orama. That is, a stand-in costumed to "represent" Maverick made an appearance. A newspaper stated that "It was not determined whether he represented Bret or Bart Maverick." It was also revealed that neither JK or JG could attend the event due to "prior commitments".

Well, Jack Kelly (and sometimes even James Garner) will always show up here in TDS. What's coming up next? Please stay tuned! :)

"You Can't Beat 5 Aces!" :)

Howdy!

The 1959 paperback Poker According to Maverick is one of the most popular Maverick Kellectibles. I see it all the time at paper shows and it can easily be purchased online as well.

When it was originally published, Poker According to Maverick could be "yours for the asking...FREE!", simply by visiting one's local Jeep dealership:

I personally have four copies of this book (a couple were thrown in as freebies when I purchased other Kellectibles). It was even the subject of a guest post here in TDS.

What's interesting about Poker According to Maverick (aside from the front cover photo and the subject matter) is that there are different back covers for this book. Two copies I own have a regular back cover with a "blurb" about the book; one has a plain white back cover.

And, the fourth copy has this for its back cover:

 

An advertisement for Kaiser Foil (seemingly aimed at grocers) starring the "guys who know" that "You can't beat 5 aces"! The five "aces" are sales points for Kaiser Foil (it's quilted; there are five different types of Kaiser foil; Kaiser sponsors Maverick--yay!; Kaiser's promotions meet grocers' needs; customers quickly notice the ruby red boxes). But, I spot four more aces in this ad: Bart and Bret and the cards they're holding! ;)

Poker According to Maverick was so popular that it had sold over half a million copies by 1960, as noted in this review from the Amherst News Times:

And, the author of a forthcoming book about poker and pop culture also credits the Maverick TV series and Poker According to Maverick with sparking the mini "poker boom" of the late Fifties.

I've read Poker According to Maverick, but, alas, I still can't play poker (I'm afraid my card playing prowess is limited to 52 Pickup). However, this little tome still taught me something, which is: I love looking at the front cover...and sometimes the back cover, too. ;)

FUN FACT: Although Bret Maverick gives first-person poker tips in Poker According to Maverick, the actual author's name isn't printed anywhere on or in the book. Since Roy Huggins contributed the forward, most readers have probably assumed he secretly wrote the rest of the book as well. Nope: The book's uncredited author was actually veteran newspaperman and author James H. Cummings. According to a Columbus Dispatch story following his death in 1966, "Cummings 'ghosted' a novel Poker According to Maverick which sold more than one million copies. He also wrote and sold more than 200 magazine stories beginning in 1939." 

Odds are you'll enjoy what's coming up next in TDS, so please stay tuned! :)

What Makes A Maverick A "Maverick"?

Hi!

I was going through some of the magazines in the Kellection and found this 1959 issue of TV Prevue. Inside are the TV listings for the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper. Outside is a smilin' cover portrait of the Maverick Brothers! (I love Bart's colorful vest.)

The cover story reveals "Why Those Maverick Boys Never Change". Although Maverick had many different writers, the boys "stay in character--humorous, sardonic and unheroic", because of a mimeographed sheet of guidelines for the characters. The article lists the guidelines:

And, guess what? I have a copy of that original sheet of guidelines, which were authored by Roy Huggins, the creator and producer of Maverick. They're also aimed at the show's directors. BTW, these guidelines were part of a cache of documents I purchased many years ago which relate to the production of Maverick. I'll share more of these documents in the future.

"Give The Boots The Stars Wear" Pt III :)

So, did the Acme cowboy boot craze continue into 1959?

You betcha! :)

In fact, Acme created a special style of "Maverick" boots and our boys got the ads all to themselves ("Adios", other Warner Bros. cowboys).  

Maverick boots weren't advertised only as Christmas gifts; they were also touted as back-to-school footwear (and look, you got a free autographed picture of Bart and Bret with your purchase!):

The ad copy proclaims, "Give your little Maverick star billing...in boots named for the exciting Maverick show on ABC television!"

"The Official Warner Brothers Television Maverick Acme Boot" was for "Boys and Girls" and it featured..."Acme's all new Maverick outside leather pull-strap. Beautiful underlay top pattern on a stovepipe top with striking contrasting stitching..."

As Christmas 1959 approached, even Pappy Maverick got into the Acme advertising act when he was quoted by Bret:

This ad, from Corpus Christi, Texas, urged: "Bring in your young Texan and get him fitted now. We promise to get the word to Santa. Christmas morning his eyes will outshine the stars on the tree! Cowgirls like Acme Boots, too!"

Never fear, Bart also appeared in the 1959 Christmas ads:

"Sure...they want BOOTS", this ad begins. "Santa's cobblers have been busy all year fashioning these ACME BOOTS for your little 'Maverick'. See their eyes sparkle with real delight when they put on these boots the Stars wear. A traditional favorite with children."

Stay tuned as we continue the boot-scootin' boogie towards Christmas in TDS! :)

Scootaway With JK! :)

Hello!

The image below of Jack Kelly and James Garner on the cover of the June 1959 issue of American Motorcycling may look familiar (it appeared in B/W in Linda Alexander's bio of JK), but you may not know the story behind the Maverick boys' little two-wheeled "steed".

According to the cover blurb inside the magazine, "Jack Kelly and James Garner, better known as the 'Mavericks'--Bart and Bret--take time off from their top-rated television series for a round of golf at a course adjacent to the Warner Bros. studio in Burbank [CA]. They're still in the saddle--but it's a Harley-Davidson motor scooter instead of a horse."

And, that motor scooter was actually H-D's first--and so far only--scooter, called the "Topper". H-D president William H. Davidson stated in an article in the same issue of American Motorcycling that the Topper was designed for "young adults, and the young at heart" and "The post-war baby boom is now bringing into the driver market young adults in large numbers who need wheels. Scooters are a logical answer to this problem because they are not being purchased just for 'sport'. They are definitely a means of transportation."

The Topper's many user-friendly features included an automatic "Scootaway" transmission which "enables the driver to accelerate smoothly from a full stop to motion without a 'hitch' or shifting of gears".

Yet another familiar face posed with the Topper in American Motorcycling:

Yes, that's leggy Arlene Howell, better known to Maverick fans as "Cindy Lou Brown". Too bad Cindy and Bart didn't have that Topper to scoot away from danger in "Alias Bart Maverick":
 

But, a few years later Bart ended up with a Topper of his own:

Alas, H-D's Topper topped out in 1965. The website "How Stuff Works" sums up the jaunty scooter's untimely demise: "Despite carrying the revered Harley-Davidson name, the Topper didn't sell particularly well in a market quickly becoming dominated by Japanese machines. And it wasn't long before the scooter craze subsided, taking the Topper as one of its early casualties."

Bart should have stuck with Goldie. ;-) 

STAY TUNED for a special Veteran's Day salute--coming up next time in TDS!