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VINTAGRAPH • WPA • WWII • YOU MEAN A WOMAN CAN OPEN IT?

I Go Pogo: 1963

May 1963. This is a gag shot; the "gag," such as it is, being that I'm supposedly baffled by a comic strip character. I'd been a Pogo fan for as long as I could remember (note how worn that copy is) and by then I was, of course, well aware that Walt Kelly's strip had meanings on more than one level. I still have all our books, Dell comics and even the original "I Go Pogo" campaign button that I vaguely remember picking up at the San Francisco Chronicle building in 1952, when I was 6. But seriously, I posted this because of the nifty clock radio. And I want to assure all the Shorpy skeptics out there that, in the interests of historical authenticity, I did not Photoshop out any of my zits. Ektachrome-X slide.

May 1963. This is a gag shot; the "gag," such as it is, being that I'm supposedly baffled by a comic strip character. I'd been a Pogo fan for as long as I could remember (note how worn that copy is) and by then I was, of course, well aware that Walt Kelly's strip had meanings on more than one level. I still have all our books, Dell comics and even the original "I Go Pogo" campaign button that I vaguely remember picking up at the San Francisco Chronicle building in 1952, when I was 6. But seriously, I posted this because of the nifty clock radio. And I want to assure all the Shorpy skeptics out there that, in the interests of historical authenticity, I did not Photoshop out any of my zits. Ektachrome-X slide.

On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5

Vroman's Survives

Luckily for those of us in the area or that visit the area Vroman's Bookstore still survives. It is probably the oldest and largest independent bookstore in the area, maybe even in the state. Vroman was a photographer of note in the southwest in the late 19th and early 20th century. Back in those days Pasadena was the epicenter of the Los Angeles wealth and cultural elite. It is not and has never been just a bookstore which has probably one of the major reasons it survives today.

Popular Photography

I just now noticed, on the back corner of the table at the left, a stack of Popular Photography magazines. How appropriate. At this point, they're probably mine, but my brother's collection from the mid-50s was still around. The annuals had a generous sampling of "art" photos and were something of an inspiration to me. Sort of in the same way certain National Geographic photos were to my then-age group. If you get my drift.

We have met the enemy and he is us

Somewhere around here, I have photos of my family visiting the Okefenokee Swamp Park. My dad was a huge Pogo fan, as my sister and I would later become.

As a teenager, I once returned home very upset for having hit a possum in the road on my drive home. I was trying desperately hard to appear calm as I asked Dad to check the bumper for damaged critter. My sister, kidding me, said, "You killed Pogo!" I burst into tears and ran from the room. Darn her!

M3S

You played Robbie on "My Three Sons," right?

Pogo Christmas Carol

Good Kind Wence the slob went out
On his feets uneven,
When the snoo lay round about
All kerchoo achievin'.

"What's snoo?"
"I don't know, what's snoo with you?"

"Nora's freezin' on the trolley

Swaller dollar cauliflower alleygaroo!"

Certainly not to be confused with the obviously fake "Bark Us All Bow-Wows of Folly"!

Other book titles

On the side table standing up I recognize the Thorndike Junior Dictionary. Required at parochial schools. On the shelf below, "The Story of Jesus", and "The Golden Geography".

Note the neat metal wall lamp, pointing up instead of down. A relic of the era.

Pogo

Yes Yes
It was a big treat to go to Vroman's in Pasadena to get the latest Pogo, which awas all of 50 cents {$37.50 in today's dollars). I memorized several pages at the time, and I discovered that a couple years ago when I dug out the books and leafed thru them.

Ever watch the Disney fullish-length cartoon Dumbo? Walt Kelley was credited as one of the principal animators.

TT O'Clock

Cool radio. What kind was it? The numerals seem to have been personalized especially for you.

Back when Bill the Cat was running for president...

I actually wrote in Bill the Cat, but with Pogo for VP (I didn't think Opus would cut it).

Now I want an I Go Pogo button *sigh*

I grew up in the sixties with a savvy, sharp, political mother. Pogo was something like required reading at our house. I'm not sure I would have been allowed out of first grade without it.

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

I adored Pogo when I was a kid. Much as with Bullwinkle, I didn't get all of the political humor until later. But even as a child, I enjoyed the absurdity of "Deck Us All With Boston Charlie, Walla Walla Wash, and Kalamazoo." I always sang it when I went caroling.

C.B.

I was a "Peanuts" man myself.

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