Somewhere in Hair: Bob Dylan by Lem

Roger Miller and Johnny Cash

Mick Jagger 1965

Tricky Dick and Ike 1956

I believe I drew this characture in 1956 when Eisenhower was running for a second term and there was pressure to drop Richard Nixon from the ticket, thus the question mark above Ike's head. You can read a history of the Drop Nixon campaign of 1956 by clicking on the title of this post.

Ike and Nixon in 1959.

Singers: Leslie Uggams

Leslie Uggams has been in show business almost all her life. She began at the age of six in the TV show Beulah. At fifteen she was a contestant on Name that Tune and not long after that became a regular on Mitch Miller's Sing Along with Mitch. She was one of those people who you instantly liked, cute and perky. She went on to win a Broadway Tony in 1968, then the Critic Circle and nominations for an Emmy and the Golden Globe for her acting in Roots. She also had her own TV show for awhile.

Since then she has had great success on Broadway and she is still trodding the boards, although her's is a name you seldom hear mentioned anymore.

Kingston Trio: Both Eras

I was a big fan of the Kingston Trio, who first came to prominence when I was in high school and were the front runners of the Folk Era in popular music. Although Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds and Bob Shane began singing together in California bars, the formal origin of the group began as Dave Guard, Nick Reynolds, Joe Gannon and Barbara Bogue performing as Dave Guard and the Calypsonians. Nick Reynolds left shortly after and was replaced by Don McArthur and the group became known as The Kingston Quartet. When a publicist took an interest in the group, he suggested they get rid of the bass player and Gannon was let go. Barbara quit when that happened. But then both Shane and Reynolds came back and they became The Kingston Trio and an album was released under that name. "Tom Dooley", a song on that album was released as a single, went to the Billboard Top Ten and sold three millions copies. This was in July 1958.

In 1961, Dave Guard wanted to take the group in a different direction. Bob and Nick weren't happy with the idea and the group broke up. Shane and Reynolds continued as The Kingston Trio with Jon Stewart replacing Guard. They continued to have hits and popular albums for the next six years.

Dave Guard formed a new group called Dave Guard & the Whiskeyhill Singers, which consisted of Guard, Judy Henske, Cyrus Faryar and Dave Wheat. They did not do so well.

I guess my portrait of the Trio old and new is showing Dave Guard thupping his head saying, "what have I done?"

Actor: George C. Scott

Comedians of my Youth: Bob Hope

Comedians of my Youth: Red Skelton as Red Skelton

As a boy I was very fond of the Red Skelton Show. It was live in those days and one never knew what might happen. Skelton could go off joking on anything and he walked a thin line between what was acceptable in the highly censored and naive TV of the 'fifties. But it wasn't just the surprise moments and not just his pantomime and clownishness, things even a young child could grasp and giggle at, it was the warmth and gentleness that came from this man. Despite the mischief often in his eyes and the devil in his dimpled grin, he seemed shy and sometimes almost embarrassed that people would applaud him. I recall each December he would do a Freddy the Freeloader skit based on an O. Henry short story about a down and out man trying to get himself arrested so he has a warm place to spend Christmas. Of course, there was a twist, this being O. Henry, but the nature of the sketch encapsulated the humor amd humanity of Red.

President Dwight David Eisenhower

Judy When it Wasn't Oz Anymore Either

Bobby Darin 1965

Beatles in Simple Style

Deliberance 1958

Jean O'Heaney 1961

Comedians of my Youth: ???

I can't not recall who this is. It was a comedian popular in the early 1960s, I am certain, but no name comes to mind with the face. Take a guess.

Comedians of my Youth: Garry Moore

Strictly speaking, I suppose Garry Moore wasn't a comedian. He was a TV personality. he hosted game shows and his own afternoon show ala Art Linkletter. he had a successful prime time variety show for several years and he introduced Carol Burnett to the public.

Comedians of my Youth: Jonathan Winters and some comments

Jonathan Winters was one of my favorite comics. He was overweight with a rubbery face and a quick and innovative wit. I have read he was an inspiration to Robin Williams. He was someone who could be handed a broom and sweep the audience away with a stream-of-consciousness improvisation that went from one application of a broom to another. He was a true comic genius. His personal life was not always so funny and he had many troubles.

Another genius in those days that I never missed watching was Ernie Kovaks. He died young in a car crash. These two guys were different than the other comedians of the time, doing the unexpected, experimenting, going out on a thin limb that they sometimes sawed off behind them, but they were great.

Comedians of my Youth: Red Skelton as "Clem Kiddlehopper"

    

Comedians of my Youth: Sid Caesar