MARILYN MONROE FOUND DEAD:AUGUST 5 1962

On August 5, 1962 I was just a little second grader when Marilyn died, yet we all knew at school that something large had happened. Teachers were in the hallways whispering about it and questioning how this could happened to such a spectacularly bright and young movie star.

We did not know of Marilyn's connection to the Kennedy brothers at this point. We did not know about barbiturates and the uppers that movies stars we taking everyday. Judy Garland hadn't died yet and neither had JFK or RFK. Marilyn was the first to die of barbiturate "overdose" and to this day not many Americans truly believe that she died from drug overdosing. Most of us beilieve she was silenced... permanently..

BBC 1962: Marilyn Monroe found dead

Screen icon Marilyn Monroe has been found dead in bed at her Los Angeles home. The 36-year-old actress' body was discovered in the early hours of this morning by two doctors who were called to her Brentwood home by a concerned housekeeper.

The doctors were forced to break into Miss Monroe's bedroom after being unable to open the door. She was found lying naked in her bed with an empty bottle of Nembutal sleeping pills by her side.

The local coroner, who visited the scene later, said the circumstances of Miss Monroe's death indicated a "possible suicide".

Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on 1 June 1926 in Los Angeles. Her mother, Gladys Baker, had mental problems which resulted in Norma Jeane spending most of her childhood in foster homes and orphanages.She wed her neighbor, Jimmy Dougherty in 1942, but the marriage failed in 1946 due to Norma Jeane's new-found fame as a photographic model.

In 1944 while her husband was serving in the South Pacific with the Merchant Marines, Norma Jeane was discovered by photographer David Conover.

By 1946 she had signed her first studio contract with 20th Century Fox and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. Since 1947 she has appeared in 30 films, including The Prince and the Showgirl, Bus Stop, The Seven Year Itch, How to Marry a Millionaire and Some Like it Hot, for which she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy.

Her 1954 marriage to baseball star Joe DiMaggio lasted just nine months and on 29 June 1956 the star married playwright Arthur Miller. But that marriage ended in 1961. Miss Monroe's romantic life has long been the subject of speculation and she has been linked with President Kennedy.

Millions of fans around the world will be deeply shocked by the star's premature and tragic death.

Marilyn Monroe was buried in the Corridor of Memories at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.

Two months before she died Monroe had been fired by Fox Productions for repeatedly failing to turn up on the set of the film Something Has Got To Give. The production was never completed even though Monroe was re-hired by the film company on 1 August. During the months before her death she had been seeing Joe DiMaggio and the pair had agreed to re-marry on 8 August 1962.

For 20 years after her death flowers from DiMaggio were delivered weekly to Monroe's crypt.

There has been much speculation about Marilyn Monroe's death and the causes of it. Many have suggested that it was highly unlikely she committed suicide but perhaps accidentally took an overdose of drugs.

Others have suggested that a third party may have administered the drug.

Conspiracy theories abound....

MUSCLE CAR CITY! HOT 1960 CHEVYS!

The NEW LINK for Rick's Cars just came in via email thanks DAVE

The Man behind the Muscle

As a child, cars played a big part of Rick Treworgy's life. Models, pedal cars, any toy with 4 wheels inspired him. Once he was old enough, Rick began collecting GM cars, Chevys in particular.

After nearly 40 years of turning that dream into a reality and stockpiling well over 200 vintage '50s to early '70's muscle cars, he decided to turn this amazing collection into Muscle Car City.

Driving Corvettes and Chevelles played a big part in Kimmer's teen years. I Loved driving a 1969 Cadillac Firemist Blue Vette with 1 to 1 steering, 411 rear end, and the beast 427 engine varooooom. Go ahead and grab that twenty dollar bill off my dashboard honey!

A great friend from Flatrock, MI Jim Randolph sent me an email with the fabulous Chevy Car museum located in Punta Gorda, Fl. Couldn't believe how fantastic these cars look! I just want to drive all the red ones! OOH the red Chevelles and GTOs too!

Opened the first week of March 2009, Rick Treworgy's Muscle Car City features nearly 200 automobiles of every era dating back to the 1920's.

As per its name, the museum's major focus is on the "muscle cars" of the mid 60's to early 70's - the Pontiac GTOs, Chevy Corvettes, Oldsmobile Cutlass 442s, Chevelles, Camaros and high-horsepower Impalas that revved up the imaginations of teens and young adults all over America.

The museum includes a 60's diner themed cafe as well as a memorabilia gift shop carrying everything from T-shirts, posters and jewelry to neon signs and gas pumps.

Admission:
$10 onetime pass
$30 annual pass
Children under 12 free with adult.

Museum Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday 9am to 5pm

Diner Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday 7:30am to 4pm

Please call 941-575-5959 for more information.

See the blog HERE

Muscle Car City is located at 3811 Tamiami Trail, Punta Gorda, FL 33950. What once was a Wal-Mart is now a '60 era Diner, Memorabilia Store, complete Speed Shop and 99,000 sq. ft. of 180+ GM Muscle Car collection.

Since it opened Tuesday, March 3rd 2009, it has become a favorite hangout of everyone that has a love for the automobile. This blog will keep you informed on the many activities at Muscle Car City. Between blogs go to www.musclecarcity.net or call 941 575-5959. You can email Tony at tony@musclecarcity.net.

Happy Labor Day!

MIXED UP SHOOK UP GIRL: PATTY & THE EMBLEMS

As I was posting the Mink Deville RIP story last week I rediscovered one of my biggest favorite long forgotten songs from the Retro vault: Mixed Up Shook Up Girl by Patty & The Emblems. I have been playing it over and over all week, driving my kid and co-workers crazy. But here is the best Philly Bop Dance song ever:

Soul group Patty & the Emblems formed in Camden, NJ, around lead singer Patty Russell; they scored their lone Top 40 hit in 1964 with "Mixed-Up, Shook-Up Girl." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Patty Russell (died Sept, 5, 1998) Not much else is listed online about Patty but I loved her song and will continue playing it forever. Thank you Patty...

CONNIE FRANCIS: WHERE THE BOYS ARE

Connie Francis (born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero, December 12, 1938) is an American pop singer of Italian heritage and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. Although her chart success waned in the second half of the 1960s, Francis remained a top concert draw. Despite several severe interruptions in her career, Francis is still active as a recording and performing artist (as of November 2011).

Where the Boy's Are was a retro fabulously scandalous film for it's time. Sexy and explicit in 1960's terms but really dated (almost laughable) by today's standards.

After her modest success with "(Should I) Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree?" Francis began performing regularly again. While appearing at the Westbury Music Fair in New York, on November 8, 1974, Francis was raped at the Jericho Turnpike Howard Johnson's Lodge and nearly suffocated to death under the weight of a heavy mattress the culprit had thrown upon her. She subsequently sued the motel chain for failing to provide adequate security and reportedly won a $2.5 million judgment, at the time one of the largest such judgments in history, leading to a reform in hotel security. Her rapist was never found.

In 1977, Francis underwent nasal surgery and completely lost her voice. She went through several more operations and even when she got her voice back, she was forced to take vocal lessons, something she had never done before.

In 1978, Francis returned to the recording studio to cut an album entitled "Who's Happy Now?". The leading recording on this album was a disco version of "Where the Boys Are". She would record this song also in Japanese, Italian, and Spanish as she had done before with her original 1960 version. Several songs from the "Who's Happy Now?" sessions were subsequently recorded in Italian, Spanish, Japanese and German.

The Spanish and German recordings became albums of their own in as "Connie Francis en Español" in Spain and as "Was ich bin" in Germany. All three albums and the singles culled from them were released on United Artists Records.

Where the Boys Are (1960) is a American coming-of-age comedy film, written by George Wells based on the novel by Glendon Swarthout, about four Midwestern college co-eds who spend spring break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The title song "Where the Boys Are" was sung by Connie Francis, who also co-starred in a supporting role. The film was aimed at the teen market, featuring sun, sand and romance. Released in the wintertime, it inspired thousands of additional American college students to head to Fort Lauderdale for their annual spring break.

Where the Boys Are was one of the first teen films to explore adolescent sexuality and the changing sexual mores and attitudes among American college youth. Given the censorship of the day, the audience is never sure of exactly what happened to Yvette Mimieux's character, but it is insinuated she was raped.

Here is the cast:

Dolores Hart ... Merritt Andrews

Connie Francis ... Angie

George Hamilton ... Ryder Smith

Yvette Mimieux ... Melanie Tolman

Jim Hutton ... TV Thompson

Barbara Nichols ... Lola Fandango

Paula Prentiss ... Tuggle Carpenter

Chill Wills ... Police Captain

Frank Gorshin ... Basil

Connie Francis ... Angie

From Bobby's Fan Site: Bobby Darin and Connie Francis were sweethearts as they both began there careers in the recording industry. Bobby and Connie met in January of 1956. Connie recorded "My First Real Love " a song written by Bobby and Don Kirshner, and Bobby and his group "The Jaybirds" sang the background vocals. 

In Connie's autobiography, Who's Sorry Now (St. Martin's Press), Connie devotes two chapters to her relationship with Bobby. Connie talks about Bobby HERE "Bobby Darin was different--dynamic, versatile, chock full of energy, with a fierce determination I had never seen before," she writes in the book. "I learned to adore him for all the reasons I always would-his respect for the little guy, his sense of fairness,his intellect,candor,and self confidence, his brashness, toughness and sweet tenderness-all the contrasts that made him so fascinating."

 

Francis has been married four times. She married Dick Kanellis against her father's wishes on August 15, 1964. She divorced him three months later after he abused her. She married hairdresser Izadore "Izzy" Marion on January 16, 1971. They divorced the following year. In September 1973 she married Joseph Garzilli; together they adopted a son, Joseph Garzilli Jr. (Joey), born in 1974. She has stated that it was because of her rape in 1974 that she divorced him. After the marriage ended, she married television producer Bob Parkinson, on June 27, 1985.

 Like the others, this marriage ended in divorce. Nasal surgery to correct previous surgery caused a sensitivity to air conditioning and deprived her of her ability to sing professionally for four years. Her brother George was murdered in 1981.  Read the transcripts HERE Francis was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She has long suffered from continuing mental impairments that developed as a result of her rape, including drug dependencies and suicide attempts. She uses lithium to treat the illness.

  

MANSON GIRL SUSAN ATKINS DIED IN PRISON

The courts decided to keep Susan Atkins in prison today. We agree with the Tate Family...Ms Atkins was sentenced to life in prison and she will die behind bars. She deserves no mercy for the horrific crimes she committed. Neither do Patty or Leslie. They need to both stay right where they are..in prison.

From the News today:

Terminal Manson Follower Denied Freedom
Susan Atkins, 61, Will Now Likely Die of Brain Cancer In Jail for 1969 Killing of Pregnant Actress
Atkins wheeled into the courtroom HERE
(AP) Susan Atkins, the terminally ill Charles Manson follower who admitted stabbing actress Sharon Tate 40 years ago, lost what was likely to be her last bid for freedom.

Atkins, who suffers from brain cancer, slept through most of the four-hour hearing Wednesday during which her husband-lawyer pleaded for her release and families of victims of the Sharon Tate-Labianca killings urged that she be kept behind bars until she dies.

In a dramatic moment — one of the few in which Atkins opened her eyes — Atkins' husband, James Whitehouse, led her through a recitation of the 23rd Psalm, with Atkins concluding in a strong voice, "My God is an amazing God."

Debra Tate, sister of the actress who was 8 months pregnant when she was killed, told the parole commissioners that she would have a 40-year-old nephew if her sister had lived. She said of Atkins, "I will pray for her soul when she draws her last breath, but until then I think she should remain in this controlled situation."

Parole commissioner Tim O'Hara said that he and the other commissioner who presided over the hearing, Jan Enloe, based their decision heavily on the "atrocious nature" of the 1969 killings and said that Atkins never fully understood the magnitude of her crimes.

O'Hara said Atkins would be not be eligible for parole for another three years.

Atkins, 61, had been expected to die of brain cancer over a year ago but continues to cling to life. She also had a leg amputated.

She was denied compassionate release in July 2008 after she was diagnosed and given only months to live. Wednesday's hearing at the Central California Women's Facility at Chowchilla was one of her required periodic parole hearings as a life prisoner. She stands convicted of the seven Tate-LaBianca murders, one of the most notorious mass murders in California history.

The gruesome murders that made the Manson cult infamous were discovered on Aug. 9, 1969, when a maid ran screaming from the home shared by Tate and her husband, director Roman Polanski. Read FULL STORY HERE

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RETRO KIMMER: PEOPLE'S ART FESTIVAL

Kimmer filming Johnny Bee and Machinegun

My friend Richard Peardon called and invited Retro:Kimmer and hoped Machinegun would come along to the ultra cool Detroit People's Art Festival last weekend in the Russell Industrial Center on Clay St.

Most of my favorite Retro fantastic rock artists in attendance. Leni Sinclair, and Gary Grimshaw all had exhibits at PAF. Also Johnny BEE Badanjek had his marvelous art on display as well! Machinegun spent a lot of time interviewing Johnny Bee and it was history in the making watching these 2 Rock Legends sit together and discuss music. See Machinegun's PAF Story HERE
What an opportunity to meet all of these very talented Retro fabulous artists and stars in person. I took three cameras and picked up Machinegun on the way... We thought it would be great fun to interview his many very talented friends from Detroit's classic age of Rock n Roll. They were going to be all in one place!

Here on the left is Richard Peardon the very talented graphic artist whose work with Circus Boy caught my eye a few months ago which led to our meeting. Richard's pal Johnny Bee pictured above setting up their booth for the show Saturday morning.

Of course these are the charming ladies of the jewelry booth where I spent most of my time when not filming. I came home with 6 new pairs of very retro cool earrings. The gold plated fish are my favorites. See on the rack to the right side? They had bottle cap earrings! How retro fab is that?

Love Marc's use of color.

We loved Marc Christy an incredible artist at the PAF: Marcusworx. I knew my artist daughter would love his style so I grabbed 2 postcards for her. She did love his work.

Machinegun loved Exhibitor Elmus and his very eclectic taste in jazz vinyl recordings. We filmed the interview see it HERE. His booth had terrific exotic clothing and perfume oils too. Sadly I left all my money in the jewelry and art booths... MGT really enjoyed talking with Elmus.

Johnny Bee holding Leni Sinclair (right) photographs

What a fabulous way to spend a Saturday in Detroit working with machinegun is a joy and what a learning experience it is following Mr. Thompson around as he spins his unique magic! Loved every minute of this day.

Johnny and Machinegun on the Legacy of the MC5