Author: Steve

President Wilson Burns Hand On Tank

To help promote a drive for Americans to buy war bonds the British tank Britannia was parked near the White House. This was before TV. Most news was on newsreels played at the movie theaters, a luxury for many. So not many people knew what a tank was. On April 19, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson was wounded in action while posing for photo opp. After inspecting inside the tank, the president exited the hatch of the tank and grabbed the hot exhaust, burning his hand. He smiled and exited to the east gate.

The president wore a bandage and then a white glove for many weeks. Wilson, an avid golfer did have to stop golfing for a couple of weeks, and then just with his left-hand weeks afterward. His wife Edith was quoted as saying “Woodrow is becoming the greatest one-armed champion of the world!

Aladdin School Lunch Boxes

Aladdin Industries was founded in 1908 as a kerosene lamp and stove company as Mantle Lamp Company (now you know why it’s called Aladdin as in Aladdin’s Lamp). In 1914 it diverse to manufacture vacuum bottles and thermal jars. In the 1950’s the company began producing lunch boxes. Their first licensed character was Hopalong Cassidy. Sales went from 50,000 units to 600,000. As a result TV branding was their focus and they dominated the lunchbox market. By 1965 the Aladdin acquired Stanley Bottle which helped them dominate the market.

I always envied the kids at school who had the school bus lunch box. Having four other brothers brown paper bagged lunches would have to do. Which one was your favorite?

Today, metal lunch boxes are not permitted in many schools in fear that they could be used as a weapon. How times have changed.

Lorraine Warren Interview Part 1

Both videos were recorded on October 29, 2009 at their home in Monroe – Stepney home. I don’t know why she had a WV pillow behind her.

Since 1952 the Warrens have been the directors of the New England Society for Psychic Research and they have investigated over 4,000 hauntings. Here is a detailed early history of how they met. Here is Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DJeUcyS82g

Lorrain Interview Part 2

Ed and Lorraine Warren ghost hunters always called Connecticut home. I had the privileged of interviewing Lorraine on October 29, 2009 and posted it right away. I forgot about Part 2 but many have asked for it so here it is. Part 1 can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ow2RgO30lPk

When we left off at the early years interview Ed was in the north Atlantic when the US Navy ship he was onboard collided with another ship and Ed’s strong ability to swim helped save a shipmate who did not know how to swim. Lorraine’s had appendix ruptured and doctors were afraid to operate. In Part 2 we pick up with Ed and Lorraine’s marriage and how they became know as “Artists on the Hill” in Stepney Village in Monroe, Connecticut way before their ghost-busting days.

American Graffiti Trailer

https://www.theretrosite.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/American-Graffiti-Trailer.mp4

Is it just me or is it impossible to find American Graffiti on TV anymore? The 1973 coming of age movie was directed and co-written by George Lucas of the Star Wars fame. American Graffiti is one of the most profitable movies of all time, produced for just $777,000 and has an estimated return of $200 million at the box office, not including TV reruns which we don’t see anymore!

Where were you in ‘62? The movie follows the lives of four friends in 1962 in Modesto, California. Many say this movie launched the TV show, Happy Days but its success renewed an interest in a script ABC already had called Love and the Television Set from their already hit show Love American Style.

American Graffiti star studded line up included Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark, Mackenzie Phillips, Cindy Williams, and Wolfman Jack. There were many cameo appearances like Suzanne Somers as the elusive blonde in the T-bird.

I Wish I Could Go Back To The Future For This Sale!

Early in 1982 Bank of America seized 1,400 DeLorean DMC-12’s because John DeLorean’s company failed to make payments on a loan. If you recall, John DeLorean was charged with cocaine trafficking DeLorean attempted to sell 220 pounds of cocaine worth about $24 million back then. DeLorean was found not guilty due to police entrapment.

Enter Sol A. Shenk, a Russian immigrant to the United States. He started Consolidated International in 1967 selling closeout and overstocked auto parts. Shenk later started a consumer Consolidated Stores which you may recognize his stores like Big Lots and Odd Lots. Shenk was the only distributor of the DeLorean DMC-12’s and parts. Although he had the right to continue manufacturing the car it was determined that the car could not be sold for a profit. He only produced about 100 cars.

John DeLorean managed the development of such muscle cars like the Pontiac GTO muscle car, the Pontiac Firebird, Chevrolet Vega, and the Pontiac Grand Prix. The DeLorean Motors downturn was due to cost overruns, lack of demand and unfavorable exchange rates as the car was manufactured in Ireland. Sammy Davis Jr. and Johnny Carson were initial investors in the company. To this day I remember Johnny Carson said in his monologue on The Tonight Show that the rebate was in the trunk of the DeLorean after DeLorean’s cocaine arrest.

Kiss On Paul Lynde Halloween

https://www.theretrosite.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Kiss-and-Paul-Lynde.mp4
Paul Lynde with Margaret Hamilton and Kiss

Kiss was the musical guest along with Florence Henderson . Here Margaret Hamilton introduces the group while Paul Lynde shares some “dad jokes”.

Crochet Toilet Paper Cover

Whose mother or grandmother had a toilet paper cover in their bathroom? It was like seeing a spare roll of paper was forbidden or taboo. Or, was it they were looking for a new crochet project to do? Some were really ornate with doll heads, others were made for the holidays. The one on the lower right is what i remember my mom would make but her’s had a pom on the top of it. What type do you remember?

Freddie and the Dreamers – Do The Freddie

Do The Freddie was a dance fad in 1965 by the British band  Freddie and the Dreamers.  To do The Freddie, simply stand in place; then, in rhythm with the music first extend the left leg and raise both arms, as if you were doing jumping jacks; then extend the right leg and raise both arms again. Repeat until the song’s conclusion.

Frederick “Freddie” Garrity (14 November 1936 – 19 May 2006 was the frontman/lead singer of Freddie and the Dreamers.  He died of  emphysema.

https://www.yourememberthat.com/files/2f5b03eb9d19522c.mp4
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