A Pause for the Cause

Hello,

The sitcom Happy Days was set in the 1950s. But, of course, not everything in the Fifties was so rosy. People had their share of unhappy days as well.

One of the reasons for their unhappiness was cancer. But, back in 1958, comedian Sid Caesar decided to take action after the dread disease claimed a number of notables including film legend Humphrey Bogart, pianist Eddy Duchin, actress Hattie McDaniels, and Caesar's friend,  Manie (sometimes spelled "Manny") Sacks. Sacks, who died of leukemia at age 56, had been a vice president of RCA Victor and the NBC network.

Caesar contacted the American Cancer Society and asked what he could do. Then, he presided over "The Something Can Be Done About It Club" and rallied his fellow entertainers to join the fight.

According to 4/3/58 story in the Indiana (PA) Gazette, the comic sent a telegram explaining, "The purpose of the club is to bring vital information about cancer to the public and help save the 75,000 who die needlessly every year; to raise money to increase the quantity and intensity of existing and proposed cancer research which will eventually bring about the breakthroughs that will end cancer as the number one health menace."

Caesar encouraged celebrities to do "...one thing a year for the American Cancer Society...Your duties are: to make a recorded announcement, or appear on a network TV program , or film an announcement, etc."

A couple of Mavericks participated in "The Something Can Be Done About It Club". Jack Kelly and James Garner are seen below in a feature in the May 10-16, 1958, issue of TV Guide, looking at an "educational film" about cancer.

 

Here's a close-up of our boys taking a pause for the cause:

 





Some of Manie Sacks' famous friends came together in 1959 to pay tribute to him on NBC.  

Although great strides have been made against cancer since 1958, it unfortunately remains a major health menace today. My father died of cancer in 2002; I had a minor bout with skin cancer last year; and my dog was recently diagnosed with canine lymphoma (he's  undergoing chemotherapy and is thankfully doing very well at this time).

Early detection and quick treatment remain two of the best weapons we have against cancer, so please--have that check-up and give generously to the cancer charity of your choice.

Viva Maverick! :)

Hola!

A 1965 Chilean TV Guia (TV Guide) recently joined the Kellection, and I discovered that some familiar program titles are a bit different in Spanish. For example, Gunsmoke is La Ley Del Revolver. Bewitched is La Hechizada. The Addams Family is Los Locos Adams. Other titles are a little easier to guess, like El Santo (The Saint), Ruta 66 (Route 66), and Show de Dick Van Dyke (you know).

And, some titles are exactly the same in the TV Guia as they are in the TV Guide, such as Bonanza, Jonny Quest--and Maverick:



This colorful "poster" that's inside the TV Guia shows JK and his lovely co-star Kathleen Crowley in a tender moment (either that, or they're arm wrestling ;>). However, the description for Maverick in the program section mentions only "el actor magnifico James Garner"! (Hey, Linda: you need to get A Maverick Life translated into Spanish, pronto!) :)

Jack Kelly - Best of the West! :)

Howdy!

Spring has finally sprung, and it was such a lovely day today, I thought I'd go antiquing.

There was an antiques show about 40 miles away. I made the pleasant drive in no time, but was disappointed by what I found when I arrived.

This recurring show is typically packed with sellers all around the grounds. Today, however, the selling area was smaller (maybe because another event was being held on the grounds) and there were far fewer sellers than usual.

I did manage to find a booth that looked interesting. The guy had a ton of old paper stuff, including comic books. I asked him if he had any Maverick comic books. No, he didn't, but my inquiry sparked a lively discussion of Warner Brothers TV westerns between the vendor, myself, and a chatty bystander.

Fellow Kelly fans, I'm afraid we may have an uphill battle in our efforts to obtain more parity as a Maverick for JK.

When I confessed I preferred JK and Bart, the seller winced and shook his head dismissively.

"Nope, James Garner is Maverick. That's all there is to it."

The chatty bystander wasn't much help.

"Is Kelly still around? Boy, he sure got heavy after Maverick."

Well, you're not exactly Mr. Svelte yourself, buddy!, I thought as I walked away. >:(

But, not to worry. After I left the antiques show, I visited a nearby antiques mall where I found a 1958 TV Guide with a very interesting story about the beginnings of the movie western. It also touches on the TV westerns of the day.

The story opens with a two-page color photo of some top sagebrush celebrities. And, guess who is featured on the first page of the photo:

Yep, that's Jack Kelly--not James Garner--who is standing next to John Wayne while surrounded by other Western royalty such as Gary Cooper, Gene Autry and James Arness.

It's the best of the west, and JK is literally right in the middle of it! :)

And, that wasn't the only Kellectible I stumbled upon. Next time, I'll share some helpful home decorating tips from Jack and Donna Kelly (which, strangely, don't mention clown pictures). ;->