Lloyd Thaxton

LEFT AT THE POST

2008-07-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

I realized today that I am falling behind again on my blog posts. I felt awful. Then I saw this cartoon in today's LA Times. It made me feel better. Hope it makes you laugh because it is so TRUE.

CLICK ON THE CARTOON TO MAKE IT LARGER

I hope that Stephan Pastis doesn't mind my using my blog to make his funny and clever point.
I love his sense of humor and the way he can say so much in just six frames.

Stay cool. Stay tuned.

HOW TO GET YOUR OWN NATIONAL TV SHOW

2008-07-03T16:19:00.000-07:00

CHAPTER 3

In Chapter one I told you how blown away I was by the new console radio my sister bought just as TV was coming on the horizon (Scroll down if you missed it). It had neat little push buttons on the front for tuning in radio stations. But, the most fascinating thing about it was that weird push-button labeled “TV.” The company wanted to give the impression that when TV arrived, this console could be converted. Sure fooled me. As I told you earlier, as a kid I used to sit in front of this console imagining that a screen was on the front and I could actually see singers and dancers in our own living room (lip-synchers?).

Of course the console was never converted. However, something better happened. In 1948, my sister Betty did it again. She got one of the first TV’s on the market, a Hallicrafter model 505.

The whole family went crazy. But that tiny 5-inch screen sure posed a problem, not unique in the 40s. How do mom, dad, two sisters, two brother-in -laws, three nieces and nephews and I all watch TV at the same time? Well, you see there was this magnifying bubble you could put in front of the screen and it made the picture larger. However, it also distorted the picture unless you were looking straight on to it. I wish I had pictures of all of us sitting on dining room chairs all one behind the other, a real comedy routine with heads bobbing back and forth to see over the shoulder of the person in front. With today’s huge flat screens, it almost seems impossible that we could actually enjoy watching TV at all. But we gathered every night, lined up the chairs, and had the time of our lives. My eyes were on the future. It made me even more determined to be a part of this exciting new media.

Ok, back to “How To Get Your Own National TV Show.” After my daring exploits in the U.S. Navy keeping the enemy out of the Great Lakes at Chicago, I headed for Northwestern University (1946-1950). The above picture is living proof of how hard I studied.

That’s me on the far right with my SAE fraternity brothers entertaining at a party. On my left is David Barnhizer. He was also a communications student. David and I became the party entertainment gurus. We, along with our other talented brothers, built Northwestern’s first radio station in the basement of the fraternity house. The signal reached the entire campus through, first the electrical system and, when that didn’t reach enough students, we used the central heating system as our antenna. We named it WSAE.

In those days, if a radio signal reached more than 100 feet from an antenna, you had to have a license to operate the radio station. Because the student’s radios were always closer than 100-feet to our heating system antenna, we got away with operating without a license. What fun. I did a nightly show with David Barnhizer called, “The Plumber’s Friends.” I have no remembrance of why we picked that name. Maybe it had something to do with the heating system sometimes failing us.

The best part of my relationship with David is that he has remained a best friend all of these years. He produced and directed many great shows on the Chicago NBC station and in 1965, came to Hollywood and joined me to co-produce The Lloyd Thaxton Show. It was like old times. When the LT show went off the air, David went to New York to direct The Dick Cavett Show. He is now retired and living in a beautiful 200-year old house in Connecticut and we email everyday.

I made every effort to be a part of the university’s radio, television and theater offerings. And, I looked for every other area that I could find, learn and showcase my desires.

Another source of learning one’s trade at Northwestern was the annual musical, “The WaaMu Show.” Many Hollywood stars came out of this student written show and I was thrilled when I passed my first audition to become a member of the sketch comic group. Paul Lynd was the star of the first show I appeared in, and we also became friends. He was a regular star on a game show “Funny You Should Ask,” that I hosted in the 70s.

Here is a picture of me with another campus friend, Claude Akins. It is from one of the sketches we did together on the WaaMu Show. Claude went on to Hollywood to appear in nearly 100 films and 180+ TV episodes in a career spanning over 40 years.

So, what’s the botton line here? Have loving parents? Imagine yourself on TV. Join the Navy. Go to college? Have Talent? Persistence? Luck?

Chapter 4 coming up.

Stay cool. Stay tuned.

HOW TO GET YOUR OWN NATIONAL TV SHOW

2008-06-21T11:54:00.000-07:00

Let me take a moment to apologize to my readers for my negligence of adding to my blog. I know that too much time goes by between posts and one shouldn’t promise interesting stories and than not deliver. My reason is a good one (or a bad one according to how one might look at it.)

I’ve had some health problems which I will discuss when and if it ever becomes an important topic (I’m writing a book about it). Please be aware that I’m still the guy who used to act silly in front of millions of people on TV.

And now, back to, “How to Get Your Own National TV Show.”

CHAPTER TWO

Speaking of acting silly, here I am in my very first appearance in front of an audience (that’s me in the back). It was 1944 and the stage setting was The Devilbiss Deviltries, a student musical show at my high school in Toledo, Ohio. This was the beginning of Lloyd Thaxton, the entertainer. The act was called the flying Fools and my partner was Dick Weinberg. He was my friend then and he is still my friend today. He moved to Hollywood before I did and was a big help in getting me settled in when I came to the land of dreams.

Dick Weinberg was a Network Television director and was responsible for many of the first Bob Hope Shows and The Colgate Comedy Hours starring Martin and Lewis. He introduced me to Jerry Lewis, who was also a big help in my career. Dick Weinberg still lives about a mile and a half from my home. To think that we started our careers as “The Flying Fools,” part of the act of the comedy team “Thaxton and Weinberg,” is quite amazing to me. The second most amazing thing is that I still have the above picture.

One clue I offer here for those wanting your own TV show, is that you have to discover how you want to spend your life as early as possible. I’ve always considered myself to be blessed. I discovered my goal very early, worked hard at it and for the rest of my life I went to work with a smile on my face. Work was not work. Work became my life. Only a few enjoy life through their careers, but, it is worth devoting your young life finding your niche and dedicating all your energy in that direction. Too many students in high school don’t even think about their future. The making of a loser.

On graduating from high school, I was sucked (slurp) right into the Navy. Actually, I enlisted barely hours before I would have been drafted (the war was still on but drawing to a close). Above, you see me (front row) and the choir I organized (I was making the navy work for me).

There was a famous Navy choir called “The Blue Jacket Choir.” We put together our own version of this famous group and we called it “The Blue Jack O#f Choir.” While The Blue Jacket Choir was singing patriotic inspiring songs, we were singing dirty limericks. The guys in the barracks loved it, and laughed and applauded our efforts so much, that this experience cemented my desire to be an entertainer.

My first real stroke of luck came in a package called “The GI Bill.” The greatest legislation congress ever passed. I was now entitled to four years of college on my release from the navy.

I picked Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. I did so because it had the best media communications school in the country. Without the GI Bill, my parents would never been able to afford such an expensive college for me. Thank you Uncle Sam. Now do the same thing for the G.I.s coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

I call all this luck. But remember, it was my choice. I followed up on my good fortune by carefully planning and acting on my future. I was only 19 years old.

If I seem to give the impression that I did this all alone, forgive me. I have to take a moment and say that I had the best parents anybody could ever possibly hope for. They were always totally supportive of where I wanted my life to go. They were always there to support me all through my school days. They came to all my events, joined the PTA, and devoted time to all my schools. Unfortunately, too many students or schools do not have this support and, to me, it is vital to ensure that kids not only get a good education, but that they get support from mom AND dad for their goals in life.

I got it and I will be forever thankful to my family. Without them, it would never have happened.

I’ll talk about this picture in Chapter Three (that’s me on the right). Looking back, I think this picture represents the most fun I ever had in my entire life.

Stay hip ... Stay tuned.

HOW TO GET YOUR OWN NATIONAL TV SHOW

2008-05-29T10:41:00.000-07:00

INTRODUCTION

The above picture is of ten year-old me looking into the future (circa 1937). I may look like a future don for the Toledo Mafia, but to me, my neat attire was merely a costume for some future role in TV (possibly lip-syncing a Frank Sinatra record?). One thing I did know at the time; I was meant to perform on TV. All I had to do was wait for it to be invented.

I title this effort, “How To Get Your Own National TV Show” because that is the main question I have been asked over the years from fans, students, audiences and emailers. For the next series of blogs I will outline a life driven by the sole desire (main ingredient for success) to be able to someday stand up in front of a TV camera and announce, “Welcome to The Lloyd Thaxton Show.”

In the process I also hope to dig intro some interesting history of my life (at the least, it was interesting to me). Perhaps this could even be inspirational to young people who have the same desires as to a career in show business. I did it and I can’t even sing, dance or act. I would be a joke on American Idol. But I persevered. And, I have to admit, got just a little bit lucky.

I would hope, as I write this that you give me comments along the way by asking questions about what you personally would like know. Your input, like any observer, during any performance, is invaluable.

This is the introduction and first chapter. I will keep writing until I run out of things to say, or – just run out. Hey, this could be the do-it-yourself obituary I promised to write. The filling in of that dash between the dates on a tombstone that represents a person’s whole life.

Think of it as me getting my shit together.

CHAPTER ONE

If you have been reading this blog, you already know that I grew up in Toledo, Ohio, “The Glass Capital of the World.” Toledo was the home of the Owens Corning Glass Company. At one time they even changed the name of their baseball team from “The Toledo Mud Hens” to “The Toledo Glass Sox.” I’ll tell you how bad that decision went over. As bad a name as it was, Mud Hens was preferred over Glass Sox and after a couple of seasons they went back to “The Toledo Mud Hens.”

I had two older sisters, Georgia and Betty. They were wonderful sisters, more like second and third mothers. It was through Betty that I learned that TV would soon be coming to Toledo. How did I know that? In 1940 Betty bought a brand new beautiful all wood Zenith Model 12-S-471 Console Radio.

Picture from Phils Old Radios - http://antiqueradio.org/welcome.htm

With its sleek styling and black "robot" dial, this large Zenith console typified a great design period in radio history.

But more important, this new beauty had seven buttons to set for your favorite radio stations.

AND ... IT EVEN HAD A BUTTON FOR "TV!"

That’s right. A button for watching (?) TV.

The promotion went like this, “

“Your 1945 Radio Here Now! Television Sound Connection—which means you can buy Zenith for the future with confidence. When television comes . . . you will be ready for it.”

But, where was the screen? Were they kidding us?

No, not at all. You see TV was on it’s way and this was a hedge against obsolescence.

Fearing that customers would quit buying radios while waiting for TV to arrive "any day now," manufacturers provided an audio connector in the back that would, in theory, permit you to connect a TV receiver which used your radio for audio amplification. In practice, this never happened. When TVs arrived in the late 1940s, they naturally included their own audio amplifiers. It was the "TV" button that was obsolete.

The “TV” button may have been a useless come-on, but I have to tell you, that button was magic to me. I used to sit in front of that console, push the TV button and dream. I imagined a screen on the front of this radio with singers and dancers coming right out at you. I had seen some experimental TV at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, but, this was real. A “TV” button right in my own living room.

That was when I made the decision. I had to be on TV.

It took awhile but I got there. How, will be coming up in the next chapters.

As I said in the Introduction, I need your comments along the way. Give me some stories of your first brush with television. Or what you would like to read about re: How To Get Your Own National TV Show.

Stay tuned.

MY LAST CHANCE TO MEET BARRY BONDS

2008-05-24T15:27:00.000-07:00

Seeing the picture of Barry Bonds wax body in the LA Times being removed from a San Francisco wax museum, I just had to visit my Hollywood Heads of Fame suggestion one more time. HHF was my idea of how to use the discarded heads of celebrities once they were removed from their bodies and stored on wax museum’ shelves.

Several years ago while shooting a story for a Fight Back! with David Horowitz story for NBC, our crew happened to be in front of the Hollywood Wax Museum. One of my producers went inside to ask if they still had my figure that was formerly displayed in the museum in the 60s. It seems they didn’t have the whole figure, but, like all discarded celebrities (discarded? Ugh), they had my head stored in a special room.

My HHF idea was to take all discarded heads and put them on lampposts along Hollywood Blvd. and call it the Hollywood Heads of Fame. Good idea? Well, so far no one from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has called.

However, how can they ignore this? Barry Bonds, baseball's all-time home-run king with 762 swats, has joined the ranks of the headless and his head is being put away forever to sit on a shelf basking in has-been celebritydom (sic); allegations of steroid use and perjury still hanging over his head.

In the 70s, I created along with Shelly Saltman, a TV sports game show called Pro-Fan. Each program featured a top sports pro as a teammate to a sports fan. Over the run of the show we had dozens of the top pros of the game. I got to know these guys and gals and I can tell you that stress is their main complaint. Trying to stay on top of the game. Some were taking pain pills or some other prescription drug for game ending pain all the time. Wouldn’t that pass as some kind of enhancement over the pros not taking any drugs at all? One thing that impressed me the most was the fact that all of the pros I met had great attitudes and loved their fans.

Then, there was Babe Ruth. His home run record was surpassed years ago but he remains the #1 icon for home run hitting. Why? Didn’t he also take a few enhanced drugs now and then? His choice might have been alcohol, but a drug none the less. His main attribute? The Babe was a jolly fellow. He always had a smile for his fans.

Alas, there belies Barry Bonds. Ever see Barry Bonds point to left field (or was it right field) and hit a homerun for the Gipper (different story?). Babe Ruth was a drinker. Barry Bonds was a doper. He was also a smart ass. He used a different finger when he pointed at right field. So, “off with his head!”

What do I think. I think we should never forget his record. He did it. Even though he had to become the incredible hulk each time he smacked a ball into bleacher heaven, he did it. You can’t just take it away by cutting off his head.

Bottom Line: I elect Barry Bonds to be part of the Lloyd Thaxton Hollywood Heads of Fame.

What do you think?

Stay tuned.

THE DO-IT-YOURSELF-OBIT

2008-05-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

Wonder what the picture above has to do with obits? Well, “stay tuned.”

I apologize for becoming such a procrastinator as far as my blog is concerned. The fault lies with deadlines. Or, more correct, the lack of deadlines. When a person works full time, deadlines are what drives us. As for me, I used to have to have a TV show ready (or not) to go at a the will of the clock on the wall. This “deadline” does not exist when you are writing a blog (You can write anytime you like, or not at all, if you like). You can let a blog just sit there and no one cancels your show. Although, it really makes for a dull clique.

The picture was taken about 30 years ago when Barbara and I were on vacation in one of the most beautiful spots in the world, Bora Bora. It was like I was on my own deserted island in the south pacific. Glorious! If you could back up a bit, you would be able to see Barbara taking the picture.

But, even then the deadline loomed. In two weeks, Barbara and I would be heading back to the real world of deadlines and our Marlon Brando experience would be a thing of the past. But I will always have this picture.

I was 50 years old and looked great. Advice: when you know you are lookin’ good, make sure someone is around to take your picture so you can not only seize the day, but hold on to the moment.

Have you noticed that deadline has the word “dead” in it? Also, it draws a line that signifies, “Stop, you have reached the end.” Time has run out.

In 2003, I wrote the book “Stuff Happens” with my dear friend, John Alston. Every now and then I take my own dog-eared copy out and review what one is expected to do when stuff happens. I first review the motto of the book? “It isn’t what happens to you that is important, it is how you respond to what happens. And, how you respond depends on how you live your life.” Words to face deadlines with.

Here’s an exercise for you:

Go to a cemetery (in the daytime please and skip the dead cat). Note that on the gravestones they have a name and a couple of dates. For example “Charles Swindoll, 1840-1932” and between those two dates there’s that tiny little dash. That dash (-) is supposed to represent Charles Swindle’s entire life. 92 years. What a put-down. That infinitesimal dash says nothing about the people he helped and nurtured. It says nothing about the children Mr. Swindoll might have raised or sired. It tells nothing about how he lived his life; the kind of person he was. Here’s the big question:

WHAT WILL YOUR DASH STAND FOR?

That brings me to the subject of this blog, “Deadlines.” Do you read the obituaries in the paper? Of course you do. Obits are interesting and sometimes very enlightening to read. What some people have accomplished in their lives is fascinating copy. Don’t you find it kind of sad when you read a tiny little obit about someone? That’s telling you that this person’s “dash” meant so little no one wrote anything down.

Don’t let this happen to you. How you ask? Easy. We call it

THE DO-IT-YOURSELF-OBIT

Yes, that’s right. You write your own obituary. NOW!

Come on. This is going to be fun. Take out a piece of paper and start right now. Gruesome? No way. This is life we’re talking about here. Not death (however there is a deadline of sorts). Start out by listing the people you love and who love you. Note the accomplishments you’ve made in your life no matter how small. Married? Raised kids? Job’s you’ve held. Charities you’ve worked on. Anything. Do you consider yourself a good person, a kind person? Write it down. If you feel your list is too short, add the things you want to accomplish in the rest of your life. Write it as if you have already done it. That’s OK. That is if you start doing it. If you want your dash to mean something, you have to start now. Then all during your life, take out your Do-It-Yourself-Obit and check how you are doing. Got the idea?

Start it now. Today. This minute. Do it whether you are young or old. What you are doing is writing about what you wish to be, and than doing it so it will become the true you. What you want your life to be, and then “living” that life. You are just filling in your “dash.” It’s in the book!

Had I done this earlier, I would have written stuff like. “Lloyd always wanted to go to Bora Bora and he did. I would have written that he (me) was asked to be a guest host on The Tonight Show, with Johnny Carson. Now, don’t laugh. That one really come true. I never was a guest host, but, I was ASKED.

Would you believe that I never saw this telegram? I found it years later in my agents file, unanswered. Am I kidding you? No. Stuff happens.

Now, writing you own obituary mean you must pick out the picture to go with it. Pick it now or someone might use your driver’s license picture, or your latest mug shot. Another exercise for you (no pun intended). Work on keeping yourself in the same shape as your picture. And work to stay as happy as you look in the picture for the rest of your life. Pictures don’t lie.

I’m just starting my own Do-It-Yourself Obit. OK, so I don’t practice what I preach. You can help me. I’m working on a very funny, but life long obit which will include a lot yet to happen in the future. I need your input.

First help me pick the picture. I will then write my obit in a future blog and just like the Wikipedia, you can make any changes you like. YOU CAN CHANGE MY FUTURE. You just might make me a better person.

Pick the picture you like and tell me why you picked it.

(1)
I like this one because, it is the most recent picture. It is from a clip of a new soon-to-be- released surfing documentary by film maker Tom Duncan.

(2)
This was taken for the back cover of Stuff Happens in 2003. I like it because it is kind of rakish. The photographer was Tama Rothchild.

(3)
This is the thumb of former Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn doing an impression of me. My favorite, but for an Obit? You be the judge.

Hey, what are blogs for?

Incidentally, there is a deadline for this.

Stay tuned

BE TRUE TO YOUR AGE

2008-04-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

I’m bahhhck! Sorry if you kept tuning in and finding the same oh, same oh, each time. Important stuff loomed and I had to take care of it. One of the things I did was read a book by Bob Green titled, Be True To Your School. The book was recommended to me by my good friend, famous TV comedy writer, producer, director and baseball announcer, Ken Levine.

Be True To Your School is an actual diary of a high school student during the entire year of 1964. I found it fascinating because that was the year The Lloyd Thaxton Show was really zapping along. The kids in this book were the same kids that were on my show and it really took me back into a wonderful time.

Bob Green lived just outside Columbus, Ohio and he mentions hearing the Beatles for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show, listening to The Beach Boys and all the other great music groups of that year. Here is this teen-ager, way across the country from me, and he mentions watching The Lloyd Thaxton Show. Wow! Unreal! That really hit me. He was, like most of you who bother to read this blog, one of my fans. It was almost like being there, again.

It was also a reminder of how much times have changed. Oh, how your grandchildren would have loved to have lived in those times. Remember when your mother told you to go out and have fun, “but be back before the streetlights come on?” How you cruised in your car with your friends and if you got into trouble, the police told you to go home?

When I was directing segments for America’s Funniest People on ABC, I was in Detroit with a black cameraman sighting locations for a shoot. He was a teen-ager in Detroit in the 60s and he told how he lived in this great middle class neighborhood (his father worked for the Ford Motor Company). He and his friends would jump on their bikes in the morning, ride all the way into the city. They didn’t return home until just before dark (before-the-street-lights-come-on). I remember how he lamented the fact that all those middle class families were now gone. No more middle class jobs did everybody in.

It was amazing. I grew up in a white neighborhood not 40 miles away in Toledo, Ohio. It was like he was telling my story.

There was an article in the LA Times a couple of days ago that lamented the fact that the ratings for this season’s “American Idol” were dropping fast. The problem, according to the article, “children and young adults are the first to bail on a show that’s getting crow’s feet.” They mentioned how difficult it is just to keep their treasured 18 to 49 year old audience on board.

Nowhere in the article, do they mention anyone over 49. Don’t they know that you are the most loyal audience out there? When you were running things, the airplanes ran on time, you’re kids could go out alone, people had middle class jobs that put their kids through college without student loans, and … and … well, the list is too long to list here. I’m sure you can add to it.

You baby boomers were the greatest. Yet no body seems to want your advice on what is wrong with the world today. But, you can be thankful that you were there and done that. No one can take that away. You can be proud that you ran a good ship. Hopefully, the young people of the world will wake up and be true to their age, as much as you are being true to yours. You are still the greatest.

Congratulations!

Stay tuned.

HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD

2008-03-31T16:16:00.000-07:00

The relatives came to visit. They arrived with questions. Can we see the star’s homes? How about the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Where can we go to see the Hollywood Sign? What else can you show us?

The problem is that when you have lived in Hollywood most of your life, it is rather hard to figure out what it is people from Toledo, Ohio (my original home town) would find exciting.

For the purpose of this story, I’ll call my visitors Brynn and Carly. The fact that this is their real names is coincidental. Brynn is my sister’s son’s daughter (Great niece?) and Carly is her daughter (great great niece?)

Carly kind of set the stage (pun intended) for the day. She wanted to see the Hollywood Sign. I can understand that. The sign is Hollywood's Eifel Tower. Actually Hollywood's Eye-full Tower. And, it has a great Hollywood story.

I remember years ago when I used to ride my horse from Griffith Park right up to the sign. It was in disrepair in those days not famous at all. I used to ride up with friends and point out where Peg Entwistle plunged to her death from atop the “H.”

This was a suicide filled with ironies. According to the story, Peg was depressed because she was failing to get parts as an aspiring actor. At her lowest point, she scratched and clawed her way up the slope to the base of the sign, took off her coat and folded it neatly. She then climbed up the workman’s ladder on the back of the 50 foot “H.”

Peg then performed a perfect Swan dive into the ground. She was only 24 years old.

Editor’s note: If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"

Editor’s second note: If a women dives from a Hollywood sign and no one is around to see it, does she really make a swan dive?

One irony here is that Peg left a note for her favorite kin, Uncle Harold (“H”) The second irony is that shortly after her death a letter arrived from the Beverly Hills Playhouse offering her a starring role in their next production. Third irony: The play was about a young girl who commits suicide.

Now that alone, put the Hollywood Sign on Brynn and Carly’s must-see list. Especially, the “H.”

Next!

Brynn and Carly were very disappointed in Hollywood Boulevard and the, “Hollywood Walk of the Stars,” Carly wanted to see real stars and all she saw were a lot of names on the sidewalk that she didn’t recognize plus a lot of live performers dressed like stars asking for money. They found it all kind of seedy. Carly, being a teen-ager, was looking for someone she had heard of under 25 (at the least). Another irony: Carly will most likely come back in twenty years or so to see her favorites on the walk of fame and then HER kids won’t know who they are.

Next!

The obvious thing to do was to take them on my own version of the “Homes of the Stars” tour. First we started in my own neighborhood. I pointed out Alex Trebec’s house, which is just down the street. Carly said, “Who’s he?”

Next: I drove them a little further up the street to Gene Autry’s house with the big Flying “A” on his gate. That always impressed me. But, to Carly, nothing. However when we got to George Clooney’s house, there was instant success. The real winner was when I pulled into the gated community at the top of the hill and announced, “This is where Britney Spears lives.” When I saw Carly glancing around for the paparazzi, I knew I had scored one for the home team.

I did discover one trick that I will pass on to all you future visitor tour guides. Take your guests through Beverly Hills and just keep pointing at houses and announcing, “This is where Brad Pitt lives,” or “This is the home of Lindsey Lohan.” In other words, just make up names to fit addresses. Who would know. Even the tour buses use that routine. Their maps are many times out of date.

For example, this map I found on the Internet gives MY celebrity bus tour address. Problem is, I moved out of that address over 50 years ago (I whited-out the house number to keep the neighborhood free of paparazzi).

To make my point, I pulled up behind a tour bus. You know, the kind that has people sitting up on a top deck? The tour driver pointed to a house and everyone started taking pictures. Now I don’t know who the bus driver was referring to, but I happen to know who lives in that house. Nice people, but they have nothing to do with Hollywood show business. But, so what? Everyone on the bus was thrilled and they were all having a great time.

After my tour was over I really felt that Hollywood needs some truly extravagant displays of our famous town. A little more showbiz pazazz. Especially Hollywood Boulevard. The Hollywood Walk of Stars could be made so much more exciting if they just made a few changes.

I've said this before. Supplement the Hollywood Walk of Fame with the Hollywood Heads of Fame. In the 60s I was honored to have my wax figure in the Hollywood Wax Museum (on Hollywood Blvd).

Years later while shooting a segment for “Fight Back! with David Horowitz,’ in front of the museum, one of my crew members went inside to see if they still had my figure.

He came out with my head. You see, when a star’s light dims, they remove the figure, keeping the head in The Hollywood Museum head shop.

Here's the deal. Rescue all those heads on a shelf and put them on lamp poles along the Hollywood Walk of Fame and call it “The Hollywood Heads of Fame.” Think of the possibilities. When each head is raised to the lamp-post, mobs carrying flaming torches could gather. They would chant, “Hooray For Hollywood.” Now this would be the real Hollywood for tourists to see.

Don’t like that idea? Well, I’m going to throw it right back at all you future tourists and tour guides.

WHEN YOU COME TO HOLLYWOOD, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SEE?

Let me know and I’ll work on it.

Don’t leave out the Hollywood Sign. It’s one “H” of a Hollywood icon.

Stay tuned.

THE ATTACK OF THE MEAN CYBERBULLY

2008-03-07T22:47:00.000-08:00

There is one thing that upsets me everytime I listen to talk radio (one thing?). The hosts are always putting down “mainstream media,” A.K.A, the newspaper. They do this while obviously quoting from their local newspaper in order to get the facts for their story. Local radio shows don’t have the money to staff a large research or investigative department, so they let the mainstreamers do the work.

As for myself, I couldn’t face the day without my Los Angeles Times. The headline above is from a story I read in this morning’s edition (March 7, 2008). It was written by Times Staff Writer Seema Mehta, and is about a new form of human tantalizer, the “Cyberbully.” The meanie who posts bully-like comments on the Internet.

This article rang a bell in my head (a very loud bell). I had just posted a new blog which mentioned one of my earlier shows, Lloyd Thaxton’s Record Shop. And I posted a picture of me interviewing Stan Freberg.

The next day after my posting went up, I got my first cyberbully comment.

-------------------------------------------------------

10:58 AM

Anonymous said...

A great post and a lesson for the ages. If you could only spell Stan Freberg's name, it would be perfect.

----------------------------------------------------------

Now, I’m not really serious about calling this anonymous person a cyberbully. However, the use of the pseudonym “anonymous” could have been a really big mistake.

The second I saw this comment, I flashed back 43 years to another such subtle attack. It was 1965 and I had decided to change my show’s theme song, So What by Bill Black and his combo. I asked my friend Herb Alpert if he would record a new one for me. Being the great guy he is, Herb never missed a beat. The next day he was in the recording studio and the new theme, So What’s New, was born.

When I received the “Stan Freeberg-Stan Freberg” cyberbully comment, I asked Dan Schaarschmidt, Research Video’s ace video editor, to dig into my show archives and find the famous Herb Alpert end-credit. Remember this?

This credit was posted after every show for six months. That is until we got a letter from a listener (TV bully?) who wrote and said …. What?

Take a closer read. What’s wrong with this picture?

You got it. We spelled Herb Alpert’s name wrong. For six months (180 shows) we didn’t hear one complaint. That is until our TV bully (a woman fan) called and informed us of our mistake.

We were, to put it mildly, extremely flabbergasted. However, we bounced back and decided to make a big deal out of it. We invited our bully viewer to join us on the very next show. Then we told a lie (albeit, a tongue-in-cheek kind of lie). We told her it had been a contest all along and that she, being the first one to catch the mistake, had won a TV set. We presented the prize amidst much applause, corrected our mistake, and the beat went on.

There’s no Business like Show Business!!

That’s why I said that the bully who posted the Stan Freberg-Stan Freeberg comment made a big mistake. By using “anonymous” as their moniker, there is no way I can respond. Think about it. There was always the chance that I was having another contest and that maybe an iPhone, or an iPod, or a plasma HD TV might have been the prize for discovery.

Suggestion: next time anyone wants to be a cyberbully on this blog, add your email address and use the name “anonymouse” instead of “anonymous. “That way I will know you are a Mouse Cliquer and eligible for any prizes that just might be for the taking.

No more lies. I loved the comment. It made me smile.

Stay tuned.

WHY LLOYD THAXTON DISAPPEARED - AGAIN?

2008-03-01T12:46:00.000-08:00

LLOYD'S DOG TUCKER'S FAVORITE POST

I was looking over some of my previous posts and was surprised to discover that I have been doing this for over 2 years (This is my 100th posting). According to the amount of comments my past posting, “WHY LLOYD THAXTON DISAPPEARED,” generated, it would make it the most popular one I’ve written so far. Because it was posted so long ago, I realized that many of our newer Mouse Cliquers might have missed it. So, here it is again.

Sub Title
I LET THEM ADD THE BRASS

In 1959 I was hosting The Lloyd Thaxton Record Shop on channel 13, Los Angeles. I sat all by myself behind a desk in front of a stage flat painted to look like record shop album shelves.

Like a radio disk jockey, I played records. This, however, was TV and the audience had to watch something while the records were playing. So, among a host of others gimmicks, I lip-synced, faked musical instruments and created finger people to perform this task. Even though it was a morning show with a low rating, I did manage to get some great musical artists as guest.

By 1961, just before the debut of The Lloyd Thaxton Show, which added teen-agers to the mix, the Record Shop had built up quite a sizable audience.

One morning I had country singer Jimmy Dean as a guest. Most people today know Jimmy Dean as the frozen sausage king.

But in the late 50’s, Jimmy not only made hit records, he was also the star of a highly rated country music TV show in New York City. That is, until, according to Jimmy; “I let them add the brass.”

Though The Jimmy Dean Show was already a hit in the New York suburbs, no one expected the show to make it in the Big City itself. But, according to the ratings, the show was, in fact, becoming a big city hit. Because of this, the wise men at the New York station came to Jimmy and said he would have to make some major changes in the show. “Why?” asked Jimmy. “The show is a hit.”

According to these wise men, THAT was the very reason for the changes. They told Jimmy the viewers in the city are too sophisticated to watch a country music show. The show now has to be more sophisticated. “But the show is already a hit with the big city slickers. They like it as it is,” complained Jimmy.

The wise men won out and added all kinds of changes. Out went the country humor and all those fiddles. In their place they put a big band with lots of trombones and trumpets (they added the brass). The format was totally changed from “A Little Bit of Country” to “Big Brassy New York City.”

You guessed it. The ratings went in the toilet and the show was canceled. Jimmy was telling me this story as a friendly warning. He said that I should not change anything in my show just because the ratings showed that more and more Los Angeles people were starting to watch it.

When Jimmy left the studio, his parting words were, “Remember, Lloyd, don’t let them add the brass.”

In 1966, I forgot.

The Lloyd Thaxton Show was designed from the beginning as a low budget local show. It had one host (me), an average of 30 teens dancing to records in a small TV studio in front of an inexpensive set. There were several innovative elements that separated it from other dance shows at the time. Everyone (myself and the kids) lip-synced records and performed other wild and crazy production numbers in order to make the music visual and more entertaining to watch. Some have referred to these bits as “the beginning of the Music Video.” The show held on to its classic local show look.

In just 10 months, The Lloyd Thaxton Show zoomed to the top in Los Angeles. Not only was it a hit with teens, it was number one with 18-39 year-old viewers. This is the audience demographic most coveted by advertisers and in 1964 the show went into national syndication. And, guess what. The wise men showed up.

I was advised that because the show would now be seen in cities like New York, Chicago and San Francisco, we had to make changes. At the time, I remembered Jimmy Dean’s advice and refused to change or “add the brass.” The show continued its rating success in every city it played, big and small. It looked so local that many people thought that it was telecast live from their own city’s station.

Reality Fact #1: The only reason the show was in syndication was because it was rated number one in the 18-39 demographics. Advertisers drool over this coveted bracket and the Lloyd Thaxton show was getting the winning numbers.

Reality Fact #2: Very few corporate executives, the ones who make the ad buying decisions, really watch the shows they advertise in on a regular basis, if at all. They make their ad buy decisions based on the rating books.

Then one day it all changed.

One of the Lloyd Thaxton Show’s biggest advertisers was Colgate-Palmolive. Colgate placed a lot of ads in the show. One afternoon the president of Colgate just happened to tune in and watched for about five minutes. What did he see? According to him, he saw nothing but teen-agers DANCING! He immediately called his ad department and asked, “Why are we advertising in that show? It’s a teen show! They don’t buy toothpaste!” The advertising department could not convince the president of the company that the rating books , not only showed teens were watching, but, adults 18-39, were also watching, so Colgate pulled their ads. On some TV stations this represented about 50% of their advertising and they panicked.

In marched the wise men again. “Change the show. Make it look older,” they said. This time I didn’t listen to Jimmy Dean. I could have held on. There were enough other advertisers aboard to get us through this short-term emergency. But, I gave in and agreed to make changes.

I made what I now consider to be my biggest mistake. I changed the age limit for the kids on the show. They now had to be over 18. Instead of always using high school groups, I intermingled them with college students. “Ok,” I said, “If any of the wise men tune in now, they will see 18 to 23 year-olds on the show.

Was this a fantastically shrewd move or not? NOT! I had broken the Jimmy Dean rule. I had “added the brass.”

Though it was still a very entertaining show, I slowly started to lose some of my faithful teen audience. This was the show’s core. The overall ratings dropped. I could have still held on (and sometimes I wish I had) but I had been doing the Record Shop, plus The Lloyd Thaxton Show five days a week, 52 weeks a year for over nine years and felt I should move on. The final straw, of course, was the 60s itself. The Vietnam War, the teen-age draft, the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, his brother Robert, plus Martin Luther King, Civil Rights Demonstrations, riots, Rock & Roll’s morphing into “Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll,” was taking a heavy toll on teen-agers. This was the beginning of the end of the fabulous 60s.

I cancelled the show.

I sometimes wonder that if I hadn’t given in to the wise men (There were definitely more than three), some version of The Lloyd Thaxton Show would still be around today.

We’ve all heard the saying, “What works, works. What doesn't work, doesn't work. Working hard at what doesn't work will never make it work” (Stuff Happens)

Adding the brass doesn't work.

Stay tuned

WE GET LETTERS, STACKS AND STACKS ...

2008-02-28T12:35:00.000-08:00

MY WIFE BARBARA READING COMMENTS

Perry Como used to sing: "Letters, we get letters. We get stacks and stacks of letters. Dear Perry, would you be so kind, and fulfill our request, and sing the song we like best. " If you have to ask, "Who's Perry Como?" then ... don't ask.

It was 1956, almost a decade before The Lloyd Thaxton Show, but I remember those words so clearly. They announced the segment on the Perry Como Show that acknowledged the many letters he received for requests. I always looked forward to this segment.

As a matter of fact, I remember saying to myself at the time, "If ever I get a blog on the Internet, I'm going to have a letter acknowledgement section of my own." That shows you how foresighted I was back in the 50s.

It's a known fact that more people read blogs than take the time to write a comment. But when they do, it means a lot to me. On one past blog, I had asked the question, "Who would want to buy a Lloyd Thaxton Show DVD?" Here are just a few of the many comments I received. You have no idea how great they made me feel.

Are you ready? Everybody sing: "Comments, we get comments. We get stacks and stacks of comments. Dear Lloydie, would you be so kind and fulfill our requests and lip-sync the song we like the best."

5:21 PM
Blogger Gary said...

Trust me, Lloyd, there ARE enough fans out there still! I'm a serious collector of old footage and I know MANY that are like me PLUS I know plenty of casual collectors as well and then there's the average joe who would buy the dvd because they just plain remember you and have fond memories of the show! They would buy a dvd just to see if they could see themselves on it or somebody they know. The musical guest would just be frosting on the cake. The time is NOW, Lloyd, before the baby boomers are gone!

Gary

9:49 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi, Lloyd! Really enjoy your website and your very entertaining anecdotes. Count me in as someone would love to own a Lloyd Thaxton DVD. Why not advertise on Classmates.com? I'm sure 1960's grads would snatch it up. Sue

9:46 AM
Blogger Robert V. said...

hey lloyd. I'm there with my $$ to buy a lloyd thaxton DVD.

7:07 PM
Anonymous said...

I remember many bits from the show: "Swami Says", "Don't Lose Your Marbles", L-O-N-E-L-Y, Lip-sync greeting cards, "Summer Wind" with all kinds of garbage blowing at you, marvelous! How did you ever think up those things?

I can't wait to buy the DVD!

8:54 AM
Anonymous said...

I hope you do put out a DVD I would like to have one, it would go with one of my favourite sites reelradio.

11:46 PM
Blogger Ol'Rocker said...

Hey Lloyd, listen to these boomers- get your DVD on the market NOW. Make the old ad men eat brass...

7:55 AM
Anonymous zmudville said...

Funny how it all works. I would bet that "Lloyd Thaxton" never, ever, not one time entered my mind from about 1969 till just the other day. All of a sudden for whatever reason I'm googling the name and whaddayaknow: you're not dead yet! (And I mean that in a good way.)

Even before I started reading your blog I remembered parts of your show: cool guests (who cared if they were lip-synching), the lip-synch contests, your "instrument-synching" (when you were banging on piano keys to someone else's record you never missed a note). I was 15 in '65, growing up in Chicago. Your afternoon show was a little after-school party for me every day.

But I had totally forgotten Dawk, fergodsake! And I used to draw him in my school notebooks, writing "Dawk rules!" in his little sign!

Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for still being alive, keep up the blog and count me as someone interested in your CD if that project comes together.

8:32 AM
Anonymous Josh Jacobs said...

I was born in 1972 and have read Bill Earl's book Dream House and am currently reading Ben Fong Torres' book on Top 40 radio. I loved the characters you created on Fight Back with David Horowitz. The one I best remember is Dr. Webly Frion (I probably didn't spell it right). I'd love to buy the DVD of the Lloyd Thaxton show.

5:04 AM
Anonymous Frank Monzo said...

Lloyd, I would buy the DVD for sure. I was 15 in 1965 (56 now) and would watch the show just about every day. I lived in Philly and knew some of the American Bandstand regulars, but I always enjoyed the unique humor you brought to the show. I remember seeing Sonny and Cher. I also remember Al Martino not showing up. (Is Al here?)Glad I found your site and hope we'll be hearing about a DVD release soon.

11:15 AM
Anonymous Peter Dhanes said...

I too would like to request a performance that you did on your show if you ever do release something. You lip synched and trumpet synched The point of no return, I still think about it and I am 54 this past Sept.

2:29 PM
Blogger Fred said...

Growing up in SoCal, I remember very clearly being 10 years old in 1966 and watching your show. I would definitely buy your DVD.

1:59 PM
Anonymous Fat Chuck said...

I'm looking for the "On my back, I want Wilson." routine. And also "They got no right, to push and shove us little kids around" - I think that's how it went. So yeah, make SOMETHING available! Please.

7:34 PM
Anonymous Fat Chuck said...

I'm remembering when Sonny Bono gave Lloyd "the vest off his back". I think it was leopard-skin or something. That might have been when Sonny debuted "Laugh At Me" on the show.

7:41 PM
Anonymous Trish Rozhon said...

Lloyd, I would DEFINITELY buy a DVD of your shows. I spent many enjoyable hours watching! By the way, didn't Sonny & Cher first appear on your show as Anthony & Cleopatra?

7:04 PM
Anonymous Sandy said...

How cool to stumble onto this site. I was born in 1955, and in the early 60s as a little kid I remember my teen-age sister dancing in the family room and lip-synching along to the Lloyd Thaxton show.
Constantly.
One specific memory is Lloyd and the crowd started cheering--in 1962 obviously--when Lloyd announced the Dodgers had won the pennant. Of course, they lost that heartbreaking playoff to the Giants, and then Lloyd had to take it back. Remember that?
Count me in as a DVD buyer. For me and my big sister.

6:33 PM
Anonymous Anonymouse said...

I'm glad I Googled your name, Lloyd. That's how I found this site. My youth was spent in L.A. and your show and Mike Bloggett's show from the beach were two vivid memories that live on.
I listened to 93-KHJ and my favorite dj wasn't Humble Harv, but Sam Riddle. Does anyone remember him?
Now, years later, radio and even TV hardly exist. Life has become one long - lying - informercial.
But they can't molest my memories of Lloyd Thaxton! ... "Keep on dan-cin', dan-cin' and a pran-cin, do the jerk now . . . c'ma, c'ma, baby, c'ma on watch me work."
- Dusty Nathan
www.writesight.com/writers/misterwriter111

11:01 AM
Anonymous Dan Fiebiger said...

From: Portland, Oregon

It was in the early 60s, pre-Beatles, when your show was aired on a local Portland, Oregon station for a time (don't remember which one), and I tuned in regularly. I was about 10-11-12 years old.

The most memorable bit for me that you did was "guitar"-synking an instrumental tune called SCRATCHY by Travis Wammack on something that I vaguely recall looked like a souped-up tennis racket combined with the bow of a bow-and-arrow set. An odd looking thing that wasn't intended to fool anyone into thinking it was a real guitar, but was "played" just for visual fun of it.

Lloyd, do you remember that song and "guitar" thing? 1962 or 1963 or so.

You did a pretty precise job of it, too, as I remember. Fun show. Never knew why the local station dropped it, and I missed it when it disappaeared. Am glad a possible DVD might be available. Hope you find the SCRATCHY "guitar" bit on tape and include it on the DVD.

E-mail me when the DVD ever becomes available.

6:48 AM
Blogger suezz said...

I Would definitly buy your DVD!! I loved your show, I was 13...Everyday I watched it.. i remember one in particular for some reason; a skit you were doing: You were wrapping your arms around yourself as you had your back to the camera.lol It looked so real...i don't know why that one sticks in my head..
Suezz

12:00 AM
Blogger suezz said...

oh i forgot, e-mail me when its available at suzie03@adelphia.net

7:13 PM
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Lloyd! Hearing you on Rollye James Show tonight brought back memories of watching your show in the 60's! I have sorely missed it for years. I grew up in St. Pete, Florida and if I remember right you were on WFLA Channel 8?
Anyway, if you put out a DVD, I definitely will buy it!
Hope there are thousands of other "boomers" who will too!

Phil Colaianni - playasong@comcast.net
(Sunshine Internet Radio)

8:58 PM
Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember the name of the contest where teens sat in chairs and danced? The silliness of it has always stayed with me. Still makes me laugh.

7:39 AM
Anonymous Frank said...

I remember Lloyd opening one show with a lip-synch of "Cara Mia" by Jay and The Americans. He was wearing a Viking opera singer's outfit,complete with spear and sword -typical Fat Lady outfit belting out Cara Mia- he was hilarious ---

10:46 AM
Blogger Karen said...

the image I have in my head, is you on a swing, on your knees with shoes at your knees, like a little kid. can't recall the song, but you were my favorite show! Watched in Tampa...born in '52...Karen

3:25 PM
Anonymous said...

Lloyd! I'm 55 years old & would love to have DVDs of the show to view with my grandkids! Thank you for being there to entertain me! I truly loved your show! "So what" ;-)

8:50 AM
Anonymous said...

I loved your show! You were a funny guy. I enjoyed your lip-synching. I remembered one time in 1964 you played a Beatles song from "The Music Man" with music only from TV & a local radio station played the words only ("Till They Was You")

5:08 PM
Anonymous Terry Mac said...

Hi Lloyd,Your show may have changed but I started watching in 1968 in the D.C. market and I thought it and you were great. Unlike a lot of shows at the time...it felt "real". I also fell in love with one of your audience girls who lip synched to Vicki Carr's "It Must Be Him"! Sigh. I wouldn't mind another day back there Lloyd! All the best.

8:31 PM
Blogger Nantar said...

I was on your show 3 times in the 60's. It was so funny because my grandmother (at home) was watching the show when I was chosen to lip sync to Petula Clark's song "Round Every Corner". She thought I was really singing! I've told my husband and twin daughters about my experiences on Lloyd Thaxton Show and they would love to see a DVD of some of the shows. Of course, they'd love to see me lip syncing but that show may not be available. Anyway, such great memories from those "dancing" days. I'll keep checking this site to see if a DVD comes out. Thank you for putting up this blog.
Bye for now.

5:40 AM
Blogger jasmyme said...

Hi Lloyd,
I was a dancer on your dance show in the 60's. Me and my high school classmates had a great time. And I was on your show 3 times. My children and grandchildren would really enjoy seeing those tapes. Please put them on DVD.It's a lot of us that want to buy them. Thanks for that time in my life.

6:02 PM
Anonymous said...

Hi Lloyd,

Both my brother and I were on your show several times in 1964 and 1965. My brother even won a pair of "Saturday-Nighters" Please bring back the your shows on DVD!

Steve (Long Beach CA back then)

4:07 PM
Anonymous said...

I'd buy your DVD in a heartbeat.

6:08 PM
Blogger Melissa M said...

Loved the reference to MR. BASSMAN and I also remember The Bird Is the Word being really funny, many appearances of the Righteous Brothers, one with you pretending (?) to goose Bobby Hatfield (RIP) to get those high notes, and for some reason April Stevens and Nino??? singing Deep Purple. I also remember Sonny Bono's fuzzy vest on you. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned Famous Hooks. Was he one of the proposed "co-hosts"? I was in San Diego watching the LA station and never realized there was a national show. Thanks for lots of fun and for giving me the feeling I was part of a bigger teenage experience, not to mention showing me some really cool dance moves.

3:54 PM
Blogger Diane said...

Lloyd, I'm so glad I found you!I've been wanting to see re-runs of The Lloyd Thaxton Show for years...Since it was done live does that mean there are no re-runs available?
I was a faithful watcher of your show from 1965 on. My high school class from Santa Ana Valley was on there in 1966 I believe.
I loved the sit down dancers, lip sinking and finger people! What a great show!
Please let me know where I can purchase a DVD of your show. I would love to see it.

Julie

11:51 AM
Anonymous said...

I can't believe that I found you, I have missed you so much. You were such a big part of my teenage life, and for you to just not be there anymore, was really sad. I loved when you would have the kids lip sync, and of course, your lip syncing as well. What great memories. I'd buy a dvd in a heart beat!!

6:46 PM
Anonymous zackzelmo said...

Hi Lloyd,
I was 10 in 1965. I loved your show. The finger puppets were great (we all tried to get the coordination but somehow couldn't quite do it) However the BEST bit that we used to laugh at was your beat up trumpet. Thanks fro so many wonderful memories of growing up. Yes I would buy the DVD!!!!!!!!!!

2:28 AM
Anonymous The King said...

I was born in 1947 and grew up in So Cal. I watched your show regularly and had some high school friends who appeared on the show once. I hope you put out the DVD...it would be a great gift for one 'boomer to give to another. And I have a saying for you. One I use alot. "The older I get, the more I need to be around people who remember me when I was young". And I just downloaded the 'Go Go's' song 'Bikini Beach' which, of course, pays homage to The LT Show. ROCK ON!

John

10:47 PM
Anonymous The King said...

Oops...that's 'Beatnik Beach'...sorry for the wrong info.

John

10:49 PM
Anonymous said...

Dear Lloyd: I watched your show on a New Bedford and a Boston Station. I got to see yesterdays show again. I thought you & the format were low-budget sensational. I looked forward to watching every day after school. I was 15 in '64. As far as wanting to see reruns. I would definately. If I could not get them thru Netflix, I would buy them. Oh hell, I'd buy them if you released them.
Jim, Austin, Texas

6:32 PM
Anonymous JUDYCATS said...

DEAR LLOYD
I WAS ON THE SHOW EVERY WEEK FOR A LONG TIME. WE WERE FROM MARK KEPPEL HIGH SCHOOL. I REMEMBER LIP SYNCING ON A LADDER TO THE KINGSTON TRIO. I WOULD LOVE TO BUY YOUR DVD FOR MY FAMILY. THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS.
JUDY

2:10 PM
Anonymous Larry said...

Hi lloyd
I talk about your show anytime someone brings up music videos.
I loved it --- my favorite was when you had the cardboard cutout of a car for the song "Last Exit to Brooklyn" by Gene pitney. I too would buy a copy!
We miss you!!!!

6:56 PM
Anonymous Edgar F. said...

Hey LLoyd:
Oh I'd love to buy your DVD's. It brings me back great memories of my childhood. Boy did I have fun.
I was in my early teens in those days, I come from a numerous latino family out in Pasadena,CA I had to sneak out
to a neighbor's house in order to watch your show since no one was interested in my family. We barely
spoke English then!
Please le met know when I can purchase your DVD's.
Edgar

3:43 PM
Anonymous Arnold Faber said...

You were a huge part of us in Toronto Canada in those days. I went on to become a pro musician and your show was a big influence. I loved the way you lip-synced Roger Miller's "Trailers For Sale Or Rent"(amongst many others). You exposed us to so much great music!

Why don't you give us a few utube gems to test the waters for DVD interest.

Keep well, all the best!

5:12 AM
Anonymous said...

We miss you Lloyd, I grew laughing at your antics as I was a funny kid that was became a comedy actor and then evolved into becoming a highly sought after comedy Casting Director (department head). In High School the kids said I looked like you which would prompt me doing you. Thanks for the laughs and what you taught us, we remember....stay well.

Mike Hanks
W. Los Angeles

1:58 PM
Anonymous Pete said...

Lloyd, you have to release that DVD! There are thousands of fans who would love to see your show again. I believe in NYC You and Clay Cole had the top two teen shows! Thanks

6:11 PM
Anonymous lordueno37 said...

Hi Lloyd,

I was on your show approximately 5 times during the 60's. One of the things that stands out in my mind was having Donovan sing live. He did Universal Soldier and Catch the Wind. Bo Diddly was on the same show. It was the "Gidget Era"
and So Cal was the place to be. I went to reunion show a few years ago and it sure brought back great memories. Please get that DVD out. It would be super popular. I'd buy a box set. Wayne from Taft High

11:00 AM
OpenID aikenjf said...

Dear Lloyd,

Like another writer in this queue, I too, was wondering what happened to you. Thank God for Google.
What a great story about the brass. So true.
I grew up in Philly, and KYW, then a Westinghouse station, aired your show at 5p every day. As a kid whose sister used to dance on American Bandstand when it was a local show, I can appreciate the story you told about Jimmy Dean.
My brothers and i used to watch your show and really enjoyed the lip-synchs, and I recall you were a big hit in our High School.
No offense to the folks from SOCAL, but Bandstand went downhill when it left Philly, for the same reasons you outlined about your own show. Your show became a replacement for Bandstand for us a a lot of our friends.
I think these comment should tell you -- there's a market for you on DVD. Thanks for the memories and all the laughs/
Jonathan

9:14 AM
Blogger jamingram said...

Hi Lloyd -
Thank you for this web site!!! Your show was a "trail blazer". I would love it if you had DVD's available. I danced on your show many times. A group of us from Mark Keppel High School in Alhambra used to go frequently. My grandkids would love to see the good ol' days. Please make them available. Forever grateful for those days.
Luv to you,
Betty

Stay tuned

MY VISIT TO FLORENCE

2008-02-26T09:29:00.000-08:00

I keep moving this up on my list. Why? Ain't it obvious? Florence was a real (reel?) trip.

If you haven't seen this, click on the arrow and enjoy.
If you have seen it, just scroll down ... and ...

Stay tuned.

THE YouTube GENERATION GAP (UP-DATE)

2008-02-15T17:46:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, February 19th, I lectured before the “Music, Television and American Culture” class at the University of Southern California (USC). It was my third appearance in an equal amount of years and, as before, it was a great experience. I learned how wonderful students can be when I did my show in the 60s. This talk was no different, enforcing my theory that if you give respect, you get respect back. These students were awesome (to borrow their own phrase).

The class is taught by Jon Burlingame, the nation’s leading writer on the subject of music for films and television. Jon writes regularly for The New York Times and Daily Variety and has written several best selling books on the subject. He is also the owner of 5 Lloyd Thaxton Dawks. What a guy.

My lecture was “Making Recorded Music Visual For Television.” One thing that fascinates me about this class is that the average age is 21 years, which means that the oldest student in the class was born 20 YEARS AFTER my show went off the air. They had no idea who I was (unless their parents mentioned me) and it was great fun trying to win them over. My favorite comment from a student after my first talk was, “I hope when I graduate I will get a job as fun as yours.” There is a comment below, left by a student who was at the lecture, that made my day. The reason why, just like the Energizer bunny, I keep going and going.

This is the Internet generation we’re talking about (and talking to) here. The same kids who kick-started YouTube’s success with their amateurish lip-syncing to records. Not unlike the amateurish lip-syncing I started out with on my show. The difference is these YouTube performances were viewed by more people than any of my attempts on my first show. However, lucky for me, videotape was invented (Al Gore?), national syndication followed and television career opportunities, including mine, grew to enormous proportions.

And, lucky for these students, the Internet is going to do the same thing for them, opening up an exciting future for all in the communication arts. I loved being able to discuss these future possibilities with these young show business entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

Actually, when you come to think about it, there is no generation gap here at all.

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