Jack Kelly - Be My Guest...Blogger! :)

Howdy Everyone!

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at blogging? Would you like to review your favorite Jack Kelly movie or TV performance, or do you have an item of JK memorabilia you'd like to discuss here on The Tall Dark Stranger There?

Well, here's your chance to be a guest blogger! All you have to do is identify JK's mystery companion in the photo below:

A couple of hints: Obviously, the lucky lady is not May Wynn, although she is an actress. The toothsome twosome was snapped at a glamourous Hollywood event. (And, poor JK has a bandage on his hand!)

Please post your answer in the "comments" section. (And, to be fair, please don't post the correct answer on Facebook until after I've announced the winner here--thanks!)

The first person to correctly identify JK's mystery date will be my guest blogger. I'll contact you to confirm you're the winner. Then you can send me your Jack Kelly-related write-up--including photo(s), if you wish--and I'll post it here instead of my usual nattering. ;->

So, take a good look--and good luck! :)

Jack Kelly - Bundle From Britain :)

Hi Again!

Wow, it seems like we were just talking about Summer starting, and now it's practically August! Where does the time go...

Lately, I've been passing the time by reading an enchanting little book titled Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley. It's a novel about a lady who's launched on an adventure by an amazing collection of books. So, I thought we could enjoy a little adventure of our own with a couple of books which recently joined my Kellection. They're both from England and both have our boy Bart Maverick on the front.

The first book from across the pond is Maverick - Boss of the Rocking H Ranch. And, by "Maverick", they mean Bret Maverick. You see, this is the British edition of the Whitman Maverick book by Charles I. Coombs and Bart isn't in it at all. But, at least we get Bart (in his grey suit!) on the British cover:

A bookplate from the Flintshire Education Committee reveals that a previous owner was awarded this book because they displayed "commendable industry in school work during the school year ended July 31, 1962". Wow! Almost 48 years ago to the day. (And, I think the only end-of-school year award I ever won was a free cheeseburger from McDonald's for getting all A's on my report card in 6th grade! :->)

Our next bookish bundle from Britain is another Maverick "Television Story Book", or annual:

I have several of these annuals, and poor Bart is only partially shown on all the covers. I guess that's better than no Bart at all, but I think the way he's drawn here makes him also look like he's half-asleep. :-(

Anyway, this annual is filled with nifty stories like "Showdown at Powder Springs" (starring Bart, shown below; the caption reads, "They were at the coffee stage before she finished relating the story"):

It also has factual articles about riverboats ("Agents for opening the west") and luxury sternwheelers ("Just as Bart and Bret Maverick traveled aboard the 'river queens', so did thousands of people who desired comfortable transportation to western adventure, without the bump and roll of the stagecoach"). Funny, I don't remember American comic books being so educational. ;->

There are also comic strips starring the Maverick boys, including one where they help a newspaperman get elected mayor of a small town. (Hmm, why does that sound familiar?)

Incidentally, I recently stumbled upon another old book which is now in the Kellection. It's not from Britain, but it's about a famous (and infamous) figure from America's wild western days. The strange thing is, I found interesting facts about another "legend of the west" by reading it. Like, a family tree often has deep roots which influence how some of the branches grow. And, that's all I'm gonna say about it for now. ;->

Jack Kelly - This "Way" For JK! :)

Hello Everyone!

Hope you're ready to do some time travelin'. And, be sure to dress warmly, because the Wayback Machine is set for December 1964. Location: The historic Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, PA.

A new comedy is having a try-out in Philly before heading on to Broadway. It stars an erstwhile TV gambler and a young actress who had recently played an important role in a now-legendary film.

As we take our seats, we glance at the cover of the Playbill we were handed as we entered the theater. Wow! :)


It's Jack Kelly and Collin Wilcox in The Family Way. (Well, that's the name of the play, anyway. ;->)

Our tickets were a bargain:

(The highest ticket price listed is $6.50, for New Year's Eve. )

The Playbill has a nice biography of JK, and to pass the time before the curtain rises, we read all about our favorite Maverick. Hmm...he's no stranger to the stage, that's for sure. JK debuted on Broadway at age nine in Swing Your Lady, then went on to School House on the Lot, Stopover, St. Helena, and Ghost of Yankee Doodle. As a grownup with five seasons of Maverick under his belt in 1962, he performed in summer stock and on Broadway in Sidney Kingsley's Night Life.

There's lots more interesting info in JK's bio, but the play is starting...

A couple of hours pass and it's time to go back to 2010. I'm sure we enjoyed watching JK on stage as "Phil Brennan", an agent who becomes romantically involved with a widowed actress (Willcox) whose precocious young son wants his mommy to be in "the family way" so she'll get a new husband and he'll get a new daddy.

Unfortunately, though, the play wasn't exactly Neil Simon, and, not surprisingly, the critics didn't think much of The Family Way.The production made it to Broadway in early 1965. However, it lasted a mere five performances at the Lyceum Theater. The New York Times attributed its swift demise to "negative reviews".

One of those reviews came from the Times itself. It begins:
"The story of The Family Way takes place in Los Angeles, and it's a pity it didn't stay there."

But, a review in the Los Angeles Times was scathing as well. It described The Family Way as "a sniggering attempt at comedy" and "a dim-witted, blatant and tasteless charade". (Ouch!)

In an interview years later, Ms. Wilcox (who passed away in 2009) described The Family Way as "an awful play".

Which is mystifying, because it involved a lot of talent. Besides Jack Kelly and Collin Wilcox, there was playwright Ben Starr (whose curriculum vitae includes episodes of just about every classic TV show) and director Michael Gordon, who'd helmed successful film comedies such as Pillow Talk with Doris Day.

Well, sometimes plays just don't gel, no matter how skilled the personnel.
 
And while The Family Way was stinkeroo, the Playbill is still boffo for JK fans. It's full of wonderful, quirky little details. A credit reads, "Mr. Kelly's accessories from Countess Mara and Arden for Men". Another credit states, "Scotch courtesy of J & B Rare Scotch. Gin courtesy of Old Mr. Boston Gin. Bourbon courtesy of Heaven Hill Bourbon. Champagne courtesy of Eugene Cliquot." (I wonder if these potent potables were used on-stage, or off-stage to help cast and crew forget the bad reviews? ;->)

There's also a lengthy article in the Playbill titled "The Insiders Speak Out", which presents "some fundamental facts about the day-to-day economics of Broadway." One of the industry "insiders" quoted in the article says, "Since World War II, the audience for serious plays has diminished to a considerable extent in New York." His name? Warren Caro, who was the Executive Director of the Theatre Guild-American Theatre Society--and Jack Kelly's brother-in-law at the time.

Lots of photos from The Family Way here--enjoy! :)

Jack Kelly - Coming Attactions! :)

Hi All!

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. Actually, I'm hard at work on some nifty Jack Kelly photo features that I hope you'll enjoy. Stay tuned for:

• Bart Maverick goes on the town!


• The play was a flop--but the Playbill is boffo! ;->


• Next stop: King's Row, where JK meets
  an easy rider
  
• Who's the boss of Rocking H Ranch?

Jack Kelly - Have a GREYt Fourth of July! :)

Hi Everyone!

We usually associate the Fourth of July with the colors red, white and blue. However, I noticed that someone on the JK Facebook page said they wanted to see more photos of Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick wearing the grey coat he sometimes donned instead of his customary black jacket. Well, it just so happens that some pictures of a grey-coated Bart have recently joined the Kellection. I hope these "suit" you. ;->

Have a GREYt and safe 4th! :)

JK, ready to start the day! :)

Hey, big spender! ;->


"What happened to my money?"

Jack Kelly - Road Trip! :)

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday, I made like Willie Nelson and went on the road again. This time, the Bartistamobile breezed down rustic two-lane roads flanked by cornfields to reach historic Hardin County, OH.

My destination? The 17th annual Gene Autry Days festival, which took place at the Hardin County Fairgrounds. It honors the legendary singing cowboy who was namesake to cast iron cap guns which helped Kenton, OH, survive the tough economic times of the Depression.

This good-natured gathering seemed slightly more "homey" and intimate than the Hopalong Cassidy Festival I recently attended. Housed in the Community Building, Gene Autry Days featured dozens of tables spread with vintage western collectibles and festival souvenirs. I bought a commemorative mug and another Maverick jigsaw puzzle.

I also chatted with some of the very nice memorabilia vendors. I was wearing a t-shirt with the Maverick logo and the man from whom I bought the puzzle asked me if I collected only Maverick memorabilia or James Garner items in general.

"Actually, I collect Jack Kelly."

"Jack Kelly? Hmm...I don't think I have much with him. He's not worth as much as Garner." [!]

I answered gently, "To some people Jack Kelly is worth quite a lot." (And I didn't mean in just the monetary sense.)

I explained that I maintained a blog about JK. The seller seemed genuinely interested and said he would look it up. So, if he sees this: Howdy! :)

I spoke with another vendor who had attended a western film festival in Memphis, TN, earlier this month which included a panel discussion with Clint "Cheyenne" Walker, Will "Sugarfoot" Hutchins, and Ty "Bronco" Hardin. (Wow, wish I could have gone to that festival, too!) He said Clint Walker was very nice and Will Hutchins was hilarious. He also showed me a leather Maverick toy holster he'd just bought. It was etched with a portrait of Bret Maverick. I wondered if it had Bart's likeness, too. Nope. But, the vendor did say he appreciated JK and had just seen him in a "space movie" (Forbidden Planet).

Another vendor saw me strolling by and said he liked my shirt. :)

At one end of the building was a makeshift stage. Entertainers performed as visitors milled about the tables. I was privileged to arrive at the festival just in time to hear Johnny Western sing. He was in Gene Autry's band for a while. And, if you don't recognize Johnny Western's name, I guarantee you recognize his signature song--The Ballad Of Paladin from the immortal TV western Have Gun--Will Travel.

Mr. Western, resplendent in his silver-spangled black cowboy clothes, finished his set with The Ballad of Paladin in a voice that was as full and firm as ever.

A cowboy look-a-like contest then took over the stage, emceed by an affable "Gabby Hayes" who I thought looked a bit more like Arthur Hunicutt (another grizzled actor). There was also a Roy Rogers, an Annie Oakley, a Cat Ballou, a Lash LaRue, a James Arness/Marshal Dillon, a John Wayne (plus "a John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn"), and, of course, a Gene Autry. The plain John Wayne looked eerily like the real deal and won hands down.

After enjoying a home-cooked chicken sandwich and a piece of the best pecan pie I've ever tasted, I bid this fun festival "Adios" and visited more sights in Kenton, including the Hardin County Historical Museum and the striking Gene Autry mural and monument: Then, I moseyed over to nearby Mt. Victory and visited a few antiques stores. Before leaving Mt. Victory and heading home, I ate supper at the famous and friendly Plaza Inn. In addition to a scrumptious buffet, they also have an airstrip out back in case you drive a Cessna instead of a Chevy! :)

Jack Kelly - Bart Maverick's Greatest Hits! :)

Wow! Look what I just found on YouTube--an original Maverick commercial starring "that rambling gambling man BART MAVERICK"!!! :->