Under the Christmas Tree - Batteries Not Included

The Mid-Century was the real beginning of the battery-operated age for children's toys: Toy robots and vehicles, radios, walkie-talkies, and all types of imaginative electronically advanced gadgetry to equip the average All-American kid. Remco would have to be, without a doubt, one of my favorite manufacturers, for all the attention the toy company paid to that all-important imaginative ingredient. Plus their products from this time-period just scream the age they were made in!

Remco's Electronic Radio Station was manufactured in a number of versions and colors over the years between the 50's through the 60's, including a colorful and spacey Dan Dare version aimed at the fans of the British comic strip. The station comes with an operational searchlight that you can manually rotate (just who or what you were expected to aimg it at is unclear) , a telegraph buzzer with a handy built-in note pad for taking down those secret coded messages, and a set of the futuristic Remco hand-held walkie-talkies that could be plugged into the station's advanced communication center. Add to this the multiple dials and spiffy twin signal towers, and you have an almost guaranteed ticket for hours of kid-entertainment!

And in my case it would have meant Dad would have been bumping around in the dark at night since I would have quietly borrowed the batteries out of his flashlight so I could operate my new toy... hmmm, maybe that's what the searchlight was used for?

Under the Christmas Tree - Atomic Science for Fun

In Atomic Age America, EVERYTHING was about Science. So naturally parents and toy companies lost no time in addressing the needs of that mid-century mindset.



This sweet chemistry set (#12066) in an all metal cabinet was made by the long-time premier name of science designed for the budding scientist, the A. C. Gilbert Company. Besides the long line of chemistry sets, the company also produced Erector sets, microscopes, and American Flyer trains.

The kit shown above are the remains of a set given to Brother Dear back when he was keen on science as many other kids back in the 50's and 60's. I got my little mitts on it when I found it in the family attic, forgotten for who knows how many years.

There used to be a experiment manual that fit in the left compartment, a complete set of test tubes, glass rods, chemicals and a little tube you were supposed to look through to discover the thrills and mysteries of the atom. I was old enough to be a bit wary of handling that tube since I didn't want to get any radiation on me. Sure, it said that the expirements were safe, but I knew better than to let an 8-year old mess around with atomic energy, even if that 8-year old was me... Such a smart kid, I was!

For a brief history of these sets, go to: The Chemestry Set Generation

Under the Christmas Tree - Toy Robots

What kid could have resisted Robert the Robot and Electric Robot (aka E. Robot and Son) who has a nifty little drawer in his chest to store his tools. These were the first two examples of all-plastic molded body parts to be used in toy robots, which were always constructed of lithographed tin plate before.

In the 1950's Electric Robot and Son were manufactured in the U.S.A. by Louis Marx in response to the immensely popular Robert the Robot by rival manufacturer Ideal Toys. Electric was just different enough from Robert to avoid copyright infringement, yet the strong similarities undoubtedly appealed to young buyers with smaller budgets.

This toy robot was molded with a black plastic body (there was also a rare silver-brown version) with movable red head and arms was electrically powered by two batteries, allowing Electric to illuminate his bulb eyes, run along on manually steerable rubber wheels (forward and reverse), and make loud buzzings through a Morse code button on his back (a nifty code guide was inscribed on the back of his head). Also on his head is an extendible antenna with an adjustment knob, knobs for right and left arm movement and from his chest opens a small drawer with tools (aka the tool chest for a hammer, wrench & screwdriver).

Completing Electric's gadgetry is a smaller "baby" version of himself, all red, and clad in a silvery diaper who the proud Father could swing from one of his silver clawed graspers.

Christmas All Over the Place

It's that time once again, children - time for the Space Commander to march out with some snappy tunes to help put you (hopefully) in that once-a-year Christmassy mood leaving you all warm, fuzzy and all that good stuff.

Now go get yourself a hot cup of cocoa, with a side order of margaritas, then sit back, relax and let the ol' Commander shoo those nasty old holiday blues away.

"Take it away, Myrone... And a-one-ah, and a-two-ah..."

The Playlist:

1. Outer Space Santa - Lennon Sisters
2. Hot Christmas - Squirrel Nut Zippers
3. I'm Coming Home for Christmas - Squirrel Nut Zippers
4. Here Comes Santa Claus - Gene Autry
5. Oh Christmas Tree - Vince Guaraldi Trio & the Peanuts Gang
6. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
   
7. The Chipmunk Song - Alvin & the Chipmunks
8. 'Zat You Santa Claus? - Louis Armstrong
9. Little Saint Nick - Beach Boys
10. Sleigh Ride - Mitch Miller
11. Christmas Time is Here - Vince Guaraldi Trio
12. Jingle Bells - Bing Crosby
13. One Foot in Front of the Other - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
14. Dancing Snowmen - the Blenders
15. Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Burl Ives
16. Santa's Beard - Beach Boys
17. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - the Ronnets
18. It Must've Been Ol Santa Claus - Harry Connick Jr.
19. Hooray for Santa Claus - Milton DeLugg & the Little Eskimos
20. Snow Miser - Year Without a Santa Claus
21. Santa's Too Fat for the Hula Hoop - the Pixies w/ Thurl Ravenscroft
22. Shake Hands With Santa Claus - Louis Prima
23. Oh Christmas Tree - Vince Guaraldi Trio
24. Skating - Vince Guaraldi Trio
25. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gayla Peevey
26. Christmas Time is Here - Vince Guaraldi Trio & the Peanuts Gang
27. Hark the Herald Angel Sing - Vince Guaraldi Trio & the Peanuts Gang
28. I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus - Brenda Lee
29. All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth - Spike Jones & His City Slickers
30. I'm Gettin' Nuttin' For Christmas - Billy Gilman
31. Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
32. Rock 'n' Roll Santa - Little Joey Farr
33. Run Run Rudolph - Chuck Berry
34. Christmas is Coming - Vince Guaraldi Trio
35. Sleigh Ride - Squirrel Nut Zippers
36. Carolina Christmas - Squirrel Nut Zippers
37. Hanging Up My Stocking - Squirrel Nut Zippers

It's a Blizzard Out There, but Inside it's Cool

Yep, it definitely is getting wintry outdoors now. Today the temp dipped from a grand high of 11 degrees (and plummeting), the blizzard winds are making the house creak, and the snow is whipping across the landscape in wispy white torrents trying to snake it's way into every crack and corner. But it's not getting into my home sweet home... Especially not after an emergency call to the furnace man to kick my heater a few times and getting it to work again!


As suddenly as if waking from a dream I realized that Mr. Winter has indeed arrived and Christmas is tagging inevitably along, not too far behind. Maybe I should start throwing a few decorations on the house?

It had all started a week ago with an unplanned visit to a Christmas tree stand and being uncontrollably drawn by a tree which beckoned me to please take it home. From that point on, there was no turning back.


Yes indeedy. Christmas has definitely arrived at the atomic man cave :)

I've clung to my Grandma's genuine aluminum tinsel Christmas year after year (and have incurred some unfair ridicule from friends over it!) Oh the memories of setting it up with her in the corner of the living room and hanging those really old decorations. But this holiday for some inexplicable reason I had a craving to go traditional and trim the real deal. There's nothing in the world like the smell of a real Scotch pine living inside your home, after all...

And Grandma's decorations look just as much at home on a traditional tree, don't ya think?


Oh, and here's the Sputnik lamp, decked out in an appropriately colorful attire of Christmas lights.



I've been waiting almost the whole year to fire up the electric fireplace...


Keep warm and toasty out there. Wear those wool socks and the long underwear, 'cuz Summer's a whole 4 months off yet. Until then, Ho ho ho ...and pass on down another margarita!

The Powers of 10

On this historic date (10/10/10) I'd like to share with you a short work created by the Eames (Eameses?), namely the Powers of 10.

Basically, the Powers of Ten is a 1968 American documentary short film written and directed by Ray Eames and her husband, Charles Eames, depicting the relative scale of the Universe in factors of ten.

This film has been stuck in my mind since being wowed by it in my junior high school science class. Believe me, most of the filmfare we got in school was pretty dry stuff!

I'd planned to share a YouTube link with you today... unfortunately the video has since been removed... booo. Hopefully this new link below will remain active through today (crossing my fingers). If not, you can still visit the official website to learn more. I'm pretty sure it won't be removed anytime soon ;)

Today's Future - Yesterday

I confess, being a longtime user of the internet and the Big Three social networks I've often thought how lost I'd be if I were thrown back in time before these techie luxuries ever existed. Now thanks to a little imagination from an ad agency, Moma Propaganda, we can all witness what life would have been like if Facebook was part of the mid-century daily routine -


If Mad Men Pitched Twitter, Facebook and YouTube / Lushpad.com

Who I'm Watching: Peter Gunn

He was suave. He was sophisticated. And he was "like coolio-daddyo to all you cats!"

I only have a couple too few episodes that I picked up in one of those value-priced DVD tv collections. And I never was lucky enough to catch the series in syndication, though I've heard plenty of the series and the unforgettably suave yet danger-ladden theme music by Henry Mancini (Best Arrangement, Grammy Awards, 1958; Album of the Year). But I think I'd really like to see more this stylish private eye detective show. It's left me with a hungry appetite for more each time I've gotten to follow Gunn on a case.

Peter Gunn may have been the coolest gentleman private eye to be seen since the Thin Man series with William Powell. The epitome of cool as envisioned by the mid century, the original suave and sophisticated man's man. Remember, Peter Gunn was happening even before Agent 007 burst onto the big screens with the first Bond movie, Dr. No.

"Hot on the case, cool under fire," Peter Gunn originally aired 114 1/2 hour episodes from September 22, 1958 to September 18, 1961, preluding the years that brought us many classic spy and crime dramas such as The Avengers and The Saint. The show was the creation of Blake Edwards, the same mastermind behind the Pink Panther movies, starring Craig Stevens, Herschel Bernardi, Lola Albright. Stevens portrays the stylishly hip and ultra cool Mr. Gunn with an ample helping of wry humor thrown in for good measure. The cases takes him through an assortment of moody imagery: mod hangouts, avant-garde artists pads and film noir-esque back alley ways, always with the swanky sax, bass and drums setting the cool mood through it all.

Hmmm.... wonder if a cool cat wannabee can locate a copy of the complete soundtrack from the series?

Vintage Tourist Traps

I posted a little about the old Sioux Trading Post earlier and got to do a little of my own research about the history. Here's a bit I found on the Ogallala, Nebraska store, not to be confused with the Sioux Trading Post in Rapid City, South Dakota (a native craft supply & dealer, which incidentally I've been to before) as well as some other facts about the colorful family-run operation:

In all three souvenir stores "Out West" have been owned by the Henline family over the years along the old Lincoln Highway. The Buffalo Bill Trading Post was on the west end of North Platte on Hwy 30, and was opened for business in 1950 and sold in 1954. The Sioux Trading Post (above) was in Ogallala, Nebraska, also on Hwy 30, was opened in 1952 and closed permantly in 1969. Fort Cody Trading Post of North Platte was first opened on Hwy 30 from 1963-1969 then relocated to be close to the new Interstate I-80 in 1968 where it continues to operate to this day.

First the Sioux Trading Post and later the Fort Cody Trading Post were the summer homes for the Whitecalf family of Pine Ridge South Dakota. (some members pictured above) The family lived in the back towers (at Ft. Cody) and performed their Native American Dances during the day for our customers. They also presented a half hour evening performance which featured traditional dances including the Hoop Dance. Their final summer in North Platte was in 1977, when they returned to live year 'round in South Dakota.

The Henline family also operated the Wigwam in Atlanta, Nebraska, and the Seminole Trading Post and Indian Village near Miami. They also ran the Dunlap-Henline Company that published postcards out of Omaha during the 1950's through 60's.

Great photos seen on the following two sites:

• Fortcody.com

• Fort Cody History

Tourist Traps

Ugggh! Looks like they broke Flickr while I was gone. Don't you just love it when you PAY for a service and they decide to change everything so that you can no longer use it for the purposes you bought it for? Hopefully they will get the photo sharing options working for everyone again soon, otherwise this blog is going to be getting mighty boring fast with no piccies to show off!

Anyway, during our trip I kept my eyes open and camera lens focused to bring you some classic Old West American tourist traps. Yippee! I love tourist traps!

The first one is a diorama reconstruction of classic from the mid-century, the Sioux Trading Post once located in Ogallala, Nebraska.



This diorama is a new attraction added to the Fort Cody Trading Post (offshoot of the old Sioux Trading Post since the early 70's) located at North Platte, Nebraska. Part novelty shop, part museum, the Post is worth stopping for... especially on those long drives heading west on I-80!

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There'll be more to come in a future post - stay tuned!