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William Bliss: Mid-Fifties
This is William Bliss, son of Bill Bliss who is the photographer of most of these new pictures ... so this time I cooked him!! Stylin' Young Bill certainly is dressed for a big family get-together with his wool pants ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/18/2011 - 10:11pm -

This is William Bliss, son of Bill Bliss who is the photographer of most of these new pictures I'm submitting. They lived in San Diego. I'm going to say this is in the mid-fifties. Scanned from the 2.5 x 3.5" negative. View full size Guardian of the supper"Now young Will, make sure no one touches this before mealtime." Roast beastThe cooked object on the platter is difficult to identify. [Trussed turkey! - Dave] Cheep EatsMom I got tired of that dumb bird getting out of the cage by the window so this time I cooked him!! Stylin'Young Bill certainly is dressed for a big family get-together with his wool pants held up by a nifty looking belt and a two-tone polo shirt. Must have been some cute girl cousins in town. I'm also impressed by the TV antenna wire draped from the window to the water heater in the background. Bill Sr. must not have been much of a handyman. Mmm, pet supply condimentsNice, an open box of flea powder on the window sill above the turkey dinner. (The Hartz Mountain box on the left, and the cylindrical can with the dog on it looks like flea powder.) Young BillWait'll you see the one of him on the roof with his pal, the American flag and the TV antenna. Hint, hint. And re: TV antenna installation. At least Bill's dad had the wire going through the back porch window; ours came through the front living room window, down the wall (at which point we had it elegantly stuffed under the carpet) and thence to the TV. That was from 1952 until we got cable in 1965; my mother wasn't all that thrilled with the hole drilled through the hardwood floor for it, though. [Ours came up through a hole in the floor, both to the TV and my dad's new stereo. He sent me and my sister into the crawlspace under the house with a flashlight and a roll of twin-lead. I was very excited to find a circa 1957 Dairy Queen waxed paper cup that had been left there when the house was built. Memories! - Dave] Ours was only house I knew of that had an external radio antenna, sort of like a car radio antenna, but about 6-8 feet tall, complete with button at the tip. This dated from the late-1940s, when my brother was a radio nut - commercial broadcast-type, not ham. It remained mounted outside our (later my) upstairs bedroom window for years after he'd stopped using it. Coincidental ResemblanceHey tterrace, is it just me or do you see a similar resemblance? Love that LinoThe pattern on that linoleum is truly something to behold. I'd love to see it in colour. Don't staple twinleadTV twinlead should never be stapled directly to a wall- or anything. This causes an impedance imbalance which causes signal attenuation and ghosting. Proper method is to use stand-off insulators. Now a days twinlead has been replaced by coaxial cable which is not so fussy. Linoleum tableclothBefore I went off half-cocked on WayneJohnston's use of the term "linoleum" I decided to do some online research, and find that it in British English it can refer to what's more commonly called oilcloth. In fact, the two do share some common history. And I note Mr. Johnston's use of "colour." Anyway, my default impression when I see a heavily-patterned period tablecloth like this is that it may be oilcloth, having grown up with them. But this one doesn't show the characteristic sheen, so I don't know. Linoleum: A Closer LookAh, sorry Mr. Johnston. That whole area looked dark to me, but I lightened it up in Photoshop (below) and now I see what you mean. Word-usage-wise, "linoleum" for my generation was something like Kleenex, Scotch tape and Frigidaire: a general term for anything similar. To this day, my first impulse is still to call floor coverings like that "linoleum." And the pattern is indeed awesome. I remember seeing something like it at someone's house somewhere when I was a kid. LinoleumActually, tterrace, I was referring to the flooring. You can just see a bit of it by the boy's foot. Your comment makes me think there's a meaning to linoleum that I don't know. Or do you just mean that one shouldn't call modern vinyl flooring by that name? It was a common usage in Canada when I grew up in the 1970s. You still hear it used, but less so. I still love the pattern. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kitchens etc., Tonypix)
Bliss: 1901
... caption here is just like a watermelon, short and sweet: "Bliss." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... title "Bliss" I thought it was going to be the now-famous Bill Bliss of Shorpy fame, but he was not around in 1901. This photo takes us ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2011 - 2:59pm -

Circa 1901. The caption here is just like a watermelon, short and sweet: "Bliss." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. I've been a faithfulI've been a faithful follower of Shorpy for over a year, but the repeated selection of these images with anti-Black stereotypes is making me reconsider that decision. I'm a trained archivist and researcher, and am fully aware of the history and meanings of such images. I'm also a Black American and each time I see one of these images on what used to be a favorite photo site, I feel slightly ill. Black people may have posed for these photographs and participated in the making of negative images, but there have always been people who opposed them (for example, organized protests in response to D. W. Griffiths' 'Birth of a Nation' and Oscar Micheaux' creation of a film in response). Censorship isn't what I'm advocating here, but I do wonder: what is the purpose? When such images are presented without context or additional historical information, the stereotypes are revived and the cycle starts all over again. It's hard not to feel a bit betrayed. I've commented before on some of the more dignified images presented here, such as Black Americans participating in the war effort, or pictured in the daily life of towns and industries. Even when the photos are painful to see (that image of French performer Polaire with her 'slave' servant, for example), we can learn from them. However, these were/are vicious, persistent stereotypes: dice playing, watermelon. Surely the editors of Shorpy have seen the widely circulated Internet meme with an image depicting an 'Obama White House' with watermelons on the lawn? This type of racism isn't dead. I used to recommend Shorpy to all sorts of people. I may take a break and just go straight to the LoC Prints & Photographs Division for my personal browsing instead of making my daily visit here -- at least there's a bit more context. I really would appreciate it if someone at Shorpy would address the question of why the dice and watermelon images were selected. Yes, they are part of our history, but they are not at all benign. [I thought they were interesting. This one in particular because we're having a heat wave. Below: More craps-shooting and watermelon-eating on Shorpy. - Dave] Spittin' happyYou know, there's not much that cools you down quicker on a hot day than eating watermelon. I wonder what those kids would think of today's seedless watermelons? Why a duck?Maybe the barrel was the duck's evening quarters. When I was a kid we had neighbors who kept a chicken in a bushel basket at night. And the little duck too. Stereotypical or not, these boys are enjoying themselves. One eating the melon; the other runnning up to see what the other (brother?) is doing? Perhaps it was staged. But there seems no exploitation. These kids are average looking kids of the American South, and are happy. It is refreshing to see. I also like the little duck waddling up, as if he too wants to get a slice of that juicy melon. Please People: It’s 1901.Those fellows are not "stereotypes," they are REAL! (and enjoying reality too) WatermelonYecch, hated it as a kid and I never did develop a taste for it. The seeds are a pain in the neck too. Summertime joyWhat a beautiful, natural smile on the face of the standing boy, he looks like a young and beaming Michael Jackson. As for the lad engrossed in his snack sitting on the crate, he reminds me of the commercial saying "Don't bother me, I'm eating." When I saw the title "Bliss" I thought it was going to be the now-famous Bill Bliss of Shorpy fame, but he was not around in 1901. This photo takes us all back, I'm lovin' it. Just a guessThis photo "op" was set up by the photographer. I'm StumpedI've been puzzling over what the one dozen cast iron items that were in the crate that one of the boys is sitting on, might have been. They began with the letter F. [Feeders. - Dave] StereotypicalWe saw in another picture black kids playing dice for money, and now we see them eating watermelon. What is next? Dancing a jig? These pictures seem to show the stereotypes of the age in which they were taken. Same day (or week), different boysI was hoping this was going to be of the same boys as the one from the other day, but these little boys are cute, too. They are certainly much more ragged than the other boys, but I am happy to be able to share in a happy moment in their lives. P.S. I believe the old adage,"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Pictures like this are a reminder of how far we've come, and evidence that we can continue to make progress. Those four little boys were photographed doing things that, granted, could be construed as perpetuating stereotypes, but have been taken part in and enjoyed by Americans everywhere. I don't deny that the photographer may have brought the watermelon to the boys and set up the photo, but I agree with Caseyshebascott, that it doesn't look like they were being exploited. Because of their race, we know that their lives were going to be hard. One of the main things I love about photographs is that it is an opportunity to remember people who lived before us. Looking at pictures of moments in their lives is, I think, a tribute to them. I think the boys in this and the other picture would be thrilled to know that there are people remembering and caring about them, 110 years later! The intent of the photographer for the pictures does not change the fact that those pictures are a gift to us, now. One last thing; this is not the picture that I expected this kind of discussion from. This https://www.shorpy.com/node/10653 was. I cried over that one, to see that man, whose life we know, for sure, was very hard, treated like that, and for that reason! It reminded me of the horrible lynchings that used to take place, as recently as 50 years ago, and how thankful I am that my two black sons, and my biracial grandson, are not in danger of such a thing. Raggedy clothesI know people have commented on some of the raggedy clothes in this picture and others. As the mother of an active boy about the same age, I just have to say healthy boys play rough. Even in this day where buying new clothes is easy and cheaper, my son will come home filthy and have ripped his clothes. When I know he is going to play rough, I ask him to wear old stuff to spare the relatively useful outfits. Come to think of it, I was pretty rough and tumbled as a little girl too! ThxI will admit I cringed a little when I first saw this picture. Thanks for posting those white pics and putting things into perspective. Lighten upThese are archival photos. I seriously doubt the photog at the time was wondering thru his viewfinder, "Geez, I bet this is will somehow be construed as a negative stereotypical image that I'm creating and in 100 years I will be lambasted for such by overly sensitive types in USA." Like Sgt. Hulka once said, "Lighten up" Heat index is 115 right nowI would be delighted if someone would offer me a nice slice of watermelon right now. And that would be equally true whatever my skin color happened to be. Some people are much too quick to seek offense where none is intended. JeezThank God someone asked about the "cast iron feeders." At least some people aren't ticked off about black folks enjoying watermelon. Acquired by artLooks to me that the watermelon belongs to the boy that's seated, eating, and that the other boy is helping himself. Made me think of lines from Twain's autobiography: I know how a prize watermelon looks when it is sunning its fat rotundity among pumpkin vines and "simblins"; I know how to tell when it is ripe without "plugging" it; I know how inviting it looks when it is cooling itself in a tub of water under the bed, waiting; I know how it looks when it lies on the table in the sheltered great floor space between house and kitchen, and the children gathered for the sacrifice and their mouths watering; I know the crackling sound it makes when the carving knife enters its end, and I can see the split fly along in front if the blade as the knife cleaves its way to the other end; I can see its halves fall apart and display the rich red meat and the black seeds, and the heart standing up, a luxury fit for the elect; I know how a boy looks behind a yard-long slice of that melon, and I know how he feels; for I have been there. I know the taste of the watermelon which has been honestly come by, and I know the taste of the watermelon which has been acquired by art. Both taste good, but the experienced know which tastes best. I Disagree With GumbogirlYes the image is stereotypic but it is also interesting, and as historically significant as any other image on this site. We understand the context and the times of the image. Thanks and keep'em coming. StereotypesI've also enjoyed this website for a long time, but presenting this picture as if it is just any other picture is not right. A picture of black people with watermelons is never an innocent picture. Along with numerous other racist images, from at least the mid-nineteenth century to the present day it's signified that African Americans are inherently lazy, child-like, improvident, and ultimately morally deficient in order to dehumanize them so that they can be denied political rights. That image isn't somehow balanced by showing pictures of raggedy white boys playing dice or white farm families enjoying watermelon because white people have never been denied political rights because of their race. Pictures of white boys eating watermelon aren't equivalent to pictures of black boys eating watermelon. It also doesn't matter if someone claims to see this image in a "positive" way because that history is always present and has meaning in society, whether or not any one individual chooses to recognize it. Presenting this kind of image without somehow dealing with its history just ends up perpetuating the stereotype and shoring up its purposes. This website isn't set up to be critical or analytical--it's a place where people can look at miscellaneous pictures of buildings and people and whatever from the past, make the pictures big and look for interesting details. To put that picture in this setting without discussion or comment is erasing its history, which is a bad idea considering how widespread this kind of stereotyping of African Americans and other groups still is in our society. Tempest in a TeapotI've been looking at this blog with great interest and affection for quite some time, but never felt the need to comment until now. What I love about this blog is that it is a look at the American Century: it is a view of our past. To look at a 1901 image and declaim racism with 2011 eyes is not only ridiculous sophistry, but flummery as well. These images are part of the American experience and, in that context, these children certainly look very happy. Certainly happier than many inner-city children of today look. As for slavery-guilt, I feel none. I am English, so my ancestors were enslaved by the Romans, denied the same rights in the political process as American blacks were here at home. However, I have somehow managed forgive Italians, and quite enjoy myself whenever visiting Rome. Grow up, people. [There's a bit of a difference between 2,000 years ago and one great-grandma ago. - Dave] Should have enlarged it firstI concede. It's a duck, not a chicken. Hang in there, GumbogirlIt's so subtle, I would bet that the photographer was oblivious to the stereotype, as most white people are today. I would argue that it is even more subtle now, since so much racist art has been systematically destroyed. It bothered me too, a little, and I'm white, for whatever that's worth. Check here and here for some shots of an integrated 1890s US Navy, before Klan sympathizer Woodrow Wilson segregated all branches of the service. Those are just the shots that come to my mind at the moment. Shorpy gives us history unfiltered. It's up to the community to provide the context. Don't perpetuate the stereotypes!Don't form your opinions from 110 year old photos. Instead, form your opinions based on the condition of most of America's inner-cities. Aw nuts...Here I was enjoying the memory of how my brother used to somehow manage to snatch up half of all my treats (watermelon, candy, cupcakes) when we were youn'uns. Then I started reading the comments and remembered there's supposed to be something inherently evil and racsist about 2 black kids eating watermelon on a hot summer day. Welp... so much for nostalgia. Back to the real world. WahI would give a lot to be as happy and content as these fellows look. I believe it to be genuine. This photo struck me as life in a less complicated time. Stereotype? Possibly, but so what. I guess crybabies gonna cry. Right on, LectrogeekI like the comment about Shorpy giving us "history unfiltered." Trying to ignore the subject matter of a particular photo, regardless of whether it offends our 21st century sensibilities, isn't going to change what happened back in the day. Let's hope, however, that we can all learn from that history and therefore ensure that it doesn't repeat itself. As far as this being a part of our history we'd rather forget, how about the photos of dead Civil War soldiers in the trenches around Petersburg (also to be found here on Shorpy)? Is a photo of a dead Confederate soldier, lying in the mud with half his head blown off, any less disturbing? Even as an avid Civil War buff, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of Americans killing Americans, even if it did happen 150 years ago. But it's history, and we move on, and learn as we go. StereotypesTo not show photos such as this and have reasoned discussions about them would be "erasing the history." When I worked at a certain children's museum and we were preparing for the opening, I was asked to put together a range of stereoscopic photos so that the children could view them. I carefully eliminated the obviously racist ones - like series of views "Mrs. Newlywed's new French Cook" where the wife catches her husband messing with the French cook and replaces her with Amongst the ones I selected was a photo of a Japanese woman in her kimono looking at the devastation of the San Francisco earthquake. This was eliminated by the curator because of its "racist content". Firstly, I felt that it wasn't "racist" it showed someone who lived in San Francisco wearing, as many Japanese people in San Francisco of the day did, her normal clothes. Secondly, I felt that it revealed to children that there were people other than white people in San Francisco at that time. As it happened, in order to "not present ethnic stereotypes" NONE of the images in the children's museum depicted any but white people... The powers that be decided that in order to prevent any inadvertent "racist depictions", they would completely eliminate images of people of colour entirely. If Dave starts eliminating historical photos which accurately depict attitudes, even what people in the day didn't overtly see as "racist" or "stereotypical" we'd have photos which exclusively present white males, buildings, and landscapes. The fact is that many of the images of women seen here, especially in the 1920s and 1930s depict stereotypical images of scantily-clad women which were taken basically to titillate men. I would no more, as a woman, expect that they be removed because they might be seen as raising an "uncomfortable" discussion. As it happens, the great number of collectors of artifacts and ephemera with "stereotypical" depictions of African Americans from bygone days is African Americans. In collecting these items, they are making a concerted effort to ensure that the attitudes of the past, as offensive as they may be, are not whitewashed over. --- Later... I would like to add that I understand that there are varying viewpoints on whether the image posted by Dave is "offensive". The point I would like to make is that, as has been shown by some of the comments, many people are unaware that depictions of African Americans eating watermelon might have stereotypical connotations. Seeing such images and understanding that, however subtle, such imagery was the result of more overt and widespread racial attitudes. I should also point out that the image I posted above was one of a number of "alternative endings" for the "Mrs. Newlywed's new French Cook". The last image was photographed with at least two other characters in place of the "lazy black cook" image - A fat "ethnic (possibly Italian) woman, for instance - to cater to the buyer's taste (or prejudice). I am in no way suggesting that someone who finds the images offensive is wrong. My view is that people who come to Shorpy do so because we want to see the past through the eyes of our parents and grandparents, even when that view makes us uncomfortable. Chill outI think there's a lot of misplaced guilt on parade here. Until I read all the remarks, the old stereotypes never even occurred to me. I just thought it looked like two kids having fun. [Different people will have different perspectives. If your ancestors were brought to this country against their will as slaves, and their descendants objectified as "cute" (mammies and "pickaninnies" lumped in the same category as puppies and kittens, in a sort of racist kitsch that's become "collectible" on eBay), you might understandably have some opinions about pictures like this. - Dave] Regardless of the eraYou never wear the cap with the bill straight ahead! Aw GeezSome people here need to get a life. Just Sayin'. Great discussionThere is a great dialog here and a good illustration of why it's so important to study history and understand context. Thanks, Dave, for posting all the pictures you do, but mostly for also posting the comments--pro and con--about the content on this excellent site. What is so racist about watermelon?I can't say I've ever seen a black person eating one. Dave?What makes you think my ancestors weren't bought and sold as slaves? [Nothing does. - Dave] I get such a laugh from allI get such a laugh from all of this. Especially from all of you self righteous people who feel that this is a derogatory photo. First of all, do you know where stereotypes come from? ….well, they’re formed from observations. And as far as the political repression of minorities…do you really think that this photo has anything to do with that? I mean really…..where does that even come from? I think that you look at this photo and you are feeling something that doesn’t really exist. “You” are making this into some crazy statement….and no-one else. Do you feel that we should get rid of any photo that may be offensive to someone? Or only the ones that “you” feel are negative? If you erase or deny the past, you will loose the link to how we got to where we are today. There were an awful lot of white people who risked everything that they had, including their lives, to make sure that blacks would get an even shake in this world, and now 150 years later there are still people standing up for you. Somewhere along the line this fact seems to be forgotten. Every chance that you get…you call foul. Just knock it off already, it’s a photo, not a political statement. [It might be instructive to scroll down and read Gumbogirl's comment first, then this one, and weigh them separately on the Reasonableness Scale. I am not getting a reading up here. Tap tap tap. - Dave] Thank youThank you to Dave for a charming photo and to Mudhooks for your eloquent comment. Revisionist history is a dangerous thing. White Washing HistoryI've been reading the comments on this issue, and I can see both sides. The image does have racist overtones. You can bet that the photographer knew exactly what he was shooting when he took this picture of two Black kids and the watermelon, and I have no doubt that he might have used terms a lot more offensive than Black, Negro or even "colored." And it's not something that went away easily. I have a National Geographic from the 1930s that shows a raggedly dressed African American youth sitting on a wagon load of watermelons having a slice and wearing a big grin on his face. Eddie Anderson whose character of Rochester was, at the time, considered a major step forward in portrayal of Blacks in the media was regularly portrayed as shooting dice, partying non-stop on Central Avenue (in Los Angeles), stealing chickens and wanting to grown nothing but watermelon. But the fact is that photos like these are a documentation of their times and those times were a prejudiced period. And not just towards African-Americans. Native Americans, Mexicans, Asians (usually defined generically as Chinese) and whatever the current wave of immigrants might have been were also subjected to a prejudiced portrayal. Look at some of Hine's tenement photos and the descriptions he provides for them and you will not get a very negative view of new Italian immigrants. My view is that you can't set aside pictures like these to see only the "comfortable" vision of history that shows only positive images. You need to approach it "warts and all" and part of that is seeing the warts. Most importantly you have to talk about it and put it into context. That's the only way that things advance. Surprisingly thought provokingAlthough Dave's intent to simply post a light-hearted summer scene was clear, at first I was slightly uncomfortable with the stereotypes portrayed in the staging of this photo. Fortunately, the way commenters brought up and discussed the racial context reminded me what a educational resource this site is, thanks to the engaged community Dave has attracted. Years ago, seeing the simple minded racism of blackface and mammy figures etc. with descriptions of their historical context forever changed my views on race in America. As awful as the racist ideas and caricatures of our grandparents' time were, doesn't pretending they never existed make it harder for modern people to put current racial problems into proper perspective? The Mark Twain quote was a perfect fit with both the scene as well as the problem of presenting America's racial history honestly and sensitively, given the recent debates over the dialects and characters in some of his books. Would we be better off today if we banned Huckleberry Finn because we cringe at its period language and imagery? We know African Americans of this time were subject to incredibly stupid racist ideas and behaviors. That shouldn't make us erase people like these kids from our national memory. The children in this picture lived in an unjust time, but they deserve to be remembered today as much as any white kids on Shorpy. The alternative - banning another period picture because racism was so prevalent - doesn't serve history or modernity well. I think Dave and the community here did well by these kids and the issues this photo raised. Shorpy UnfilteredI'm new to Shorpy but I'm now hooked, even going backwards in the archive from the first post to catch up! I enjoy the unfiltered view of the past that we get on this site. We get to see photos taken through contemporary eyes of the day, like we're stepping through a time machine. Of course, those eyes may have been accustomed to things being a way that they aren't necessarily anymore, or are now deemed unacceptable by many. If someone is overly sensitive to these things, which Gumbogirl or bmore may be, then a site full of old photos may not be for them. You can count me in to the group that never thought of any racial stereotyping when I saw this photo. I can see how some might, but again... even IF the photo was composed with racism in mind (which we will never know), the era the photo was taken in must be considered. Myself, all I see is two kids enjoying watermelon on a hot day. Finally, I fully agree with Dave that each picture is interpreted differently by each person... and that's what makes them special and causes them to invoke discussion. I get disgusted by things like racist WWII propaganda posters but hey, it is what it is. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigarAnd sometimes, when you've typed the subject line, you discover there isn't much more to say. One of the things I really love about Shorpyis that although there are clearly 2 different schools of thought on this picture all the comments are clearly thought out, reasonable and respectful. Maybe a couple little pokes here and there, but no personal attacks or hatred. That's exceedingly rare for anything on this topic on the web. [That's partly because we don't publish those comments. - Dave] Maybe it's 'cause I'm Canadianbut I completely missed the stereotype that is so upsetting to some. I had no idea that associating black people with watermelon could be offensive. When I looked at the picture of boys and their snack, it was a picture of joy. When my eye first caught mudhooks' picture of "the new French cook" (before reading the captions) it was a picture of a woman playing a mandolin. Like I say, maybe it's because I'm not American and our experience around slavery is different, or maybe it's because the world has changed and is closer to a time when people are just people, but I just don't get what the problem is. As someone has said, if you're looking for trouble, look at how things are in the inner-cities today and do something about it. re: "One of the things I really love about Shorpy"Then that's one of the things I really love about YOU, Dave. I guess it was naive of me to assume no one submits such comments here. Thank you for culling those out; that's mighty refreshing. One of the many, MANY reasons I make time to visit this site at LEAST once a day. You are appreciated. Slice of LifeI love these old photographs, thanks Dave for sharing them with us. I can see how a boy eating watermelon could push someone's buttons, but honestly, how much poorer would we all be if we could not see this photo, this brief window of this era and these two kids? ReliefI haven't visited for a while and pictures like this and the seaside pics help take away some of the opressive heat that's all around. Boy, do love watermelon! No bad intentI doubt if there was any bad intent from posting this photo. It just is what it is. It is a part of the culture at the time. Being a historian, no one should try to squelch any part of history, bad or good. It all teaches us. On top of that, this a a nice photo! Two kids just enjoying summer's bounty! For anyone to read any more into it is racist in itself. Watermelon daysWell this calls for a story. When I was a child in the District, we still had watermelon carts with horses. It would come down our street once maybe twice a week. My grandmother usually couldn't afford one, but every now and again she would surprise us. If we saw her at the watermelon truck we would wait patiently, until we saw the watermelon man hand her the goods. Then we would jump up and down, sing with glee and dance. There would be all kinds of carryins on. We would follow Grandma to the back of the house, our camp ground in the alley, "Grandma can I have a big piece" please? When we were done, we would play until dark. Then we would go to bed with sweet dreams of that beautiful fruit. Our hearts would swell because we knew Grandma loved us more that anything in the world. Just a simple watermelon story for y'all! PostcardPostcard version: (The Gallery, DPC, Kids)
Yosemite Visitors: Mid-Fifties
... Here we are in Yosemite National Park again, with Bill Bliss standing there on the left. View full size. Billy Bliss How ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/18/2011 - 9:48pm -

Here we are in Yosemite National Park again, with Bill Bliss standing there on the left. View full size. Billy BlissHow could you NOT be happy with a name like that? Looks very 1954-1955 to me. What year was Bill born? Love the lady lighting up behind him. Inspiring NameYes, "The Saga of Billy Bliss" would make a great title for a book, a movie or a song. Although Billy looks carefree and uninhibited on the outside, much like the "Opie" character in "The Andy Griffith Show," there is an unmistakable inner sadness coming through his eyes, as though all the troubles of the world rest upon his child's small shoulders. I cannot help but notice the turned up cuffs about a foot high at his ankles which may have hindered his ability to walk quickly. My father used to call this method, which we all used, "Polish alterations" and he could do this because he and we were all Polish and do laugh at ourselves. Sleeves often got the same treatment (just turned up) because our clothes had to last a few years before we could buy new ones. Can anyone identify the car? My neighbor had a very similar one, but hers was a brown Hudson with whitewall tires and I do not think this is that. [1954 Chevrolet Bel Air. - Dave] Dating BillAnother of Tony's Bliss-ful Yosemite shots has a 1954 Ford in the background. I have to wonder if those jeans lasted long enough for Bill's growth spurt to take care of those cuffs. In a strange quirk of fate, Bill and I seem to be almost exact contemporaries, first wave Baby Boomers. My best friend at the time was also tow-headed Cub Scout. The other car The car on the left side of the picture, what might it be? My money says a 41-48 Nash, the model being up for grabs. The high, trailing edge line of the front fender which suddenly drops straight down betrays the identity, I believe. The car at leftis a little hard to identify since much of it is hidden, but I'm guessing a 1948 Nash judging from the front fender shape and the side-by-side door handles. The image is a bit fuzzy, but I can't detect a chrome strip running along the side between the windows and door handles that Nash had in 1946 and 1947. Lighting upwhile she walks. Old pro. Fifties fashionCapri pants, cateye glasses, cigarettes. I used to smokeBut I was never able to light up from a match while walking, especially without using a hand to cover. My mother could do it, my father could do it, but I could never get that down. A side note, I am pretty sure the camera over the shoulder of the woman in from of the smoker is an Argus Seventy-Five, just in case it comes up. Self assuredness is a good thingTOO CUTE! Water FallPretty sure this is Bridalveil Fall. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, Tonypix)
Bill Bliss: Mid-1950s
Here is Bill Bliss with an unknown girl in Yosemite, mid-fifties. Scanned from the 2½ x ... As cute as the young lady is, I can understand why Bill is smiling. The hills are alive With the sound of music! That ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/18/2011 - 10:02pm -

Here is Bill Bliss with an unknown girl in Yosemite, mid-fifties. Scanned from the 2½ x 3½ inch negative. View full size. On top of the worldAs cute as the young lady is, I can understand why Bill is smiling. The hills are aliveWith the sound of music! That GirlThe young lady's name was Gloria Matlock and she lived next door and sometimes traveled with the Blisses on vacation. I am her sister. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, Tonypix)
Grandpa Bill: 1918
My Grandfather, Cpl William Henry Verhoeks at Ft. Bliss, Texas, in 1918. He was a courier for the post veterinarian. I copied ... 
 
Posted by thunder94 - 04/20/2020 - 9:23am -

My Grandfather, Cpl William Henry Verhoeks at Ft. Bliss, Texas, in 1918. He was a courier for the post veterinarian. I copied this from a 3x3 image in my Grandmother's photo album. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Yosemite Park: c. 1950s
... recent cars are from 1954, so there you go. Gloria and Bill This is Gloria Matlock and Bill Bliss. They lived next door to each other. Gloria is my sister and currently ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/19/2011 - 1:24pm -

At the request of tterrace and with his help, I'm going to start uploading some pictures that a family friend has let me borrow for scanning purposes. The negatives range from 2 1/2 X 4 inches to 2 1/4 X 3 1/4. The trunk these negatives were found in was sealed in 1964 and was only recently opened. They belonged to the friend's uncle who was a land surveyor in San Diego. That's as much as I know. This picture was probably taken in the early '50s. View full size re: Yosemite Park c.1950sThis was taken at Tunnel View, possibly the most popular photo vista in Yosemite. In the distance at left, Half Dome; in the center, the Three Brothers; Bridal Veil Fall is hidden behind the gal in the Oxfords. In other shots from this series, the most recent cars are from 1954, so there you go. Gloria and BillThis is Gloria Matlock and Bill Bliss. They lived next door to each other. Gloria is my sister and currently lives in Minnesota. Gorgeous shot; one small correctionReally wonderful shot, but - the description from tterrace isn't quite correct: that IS Half Dome in the distance and Bridalveil Fall obscured, but the trio of monoliths between is Cathedral Rocks. Three Brothers is/are on the NORTH Valley wall, adjacent to Yosemite Falls - nowhere near the view from Tunnel View. It's a somewhat common mistake! Tunnel ViewThis absolutely is Tunnel View. I worked in Yosemite for ten years. [The comment below does not deny this being Tunnel View, but rather that previously mis-identified Three Brothers are not visible from Tunnel View. -tterrace] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Karl the Karrot: 1955
... Local Kids Shows The Lincoln, Nebraska area had Sheriff Bill and Silent Orv (who was silent because they'd have to pay him more if he ... lady who voiced Crusader Rabbit Her name was Lucille Bliss, and she also did Smurfette. But legendary to me is the fact she waited ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/22/2011 - 4:52pm -

This button was a promotional piece about 1-3/4" in diameter, given out by shoe stores on the purchase of a pair of Keds, one of the sponsors of the daily kids' show "Fireman Frank" broadcast by KRON-TV in San Francisco during the mid-50s. Fireman Frank was George Lemont, a hip SF deejay who stepped into the role after the original Fireman, a roly-poly avuncular gent more in the style of a kids' TV host, dropped dead. Lemont's humor appealed as much to adults as well as kids; you could hear the studio crew guffawing off-camera at things that went over our heads. Between cartoons, Lemont brought out his cast of puppets, including robot Dynamo Dudley, the beret-wearing, bop-talking Scat the Cat and best of all, Karl the Karrot. Karl, as you can see, was a sort of proto-beatnik, literally a carrot with a pair of shades. His dialog consisted entirely of "blubble-lubble-lubble" while he thrashed about, chlorophyl topknot flailing. At home, we were all in convulsions on the floor. Original Fireman FrankI remember watching the jolly chubby Fireman Frank. One day he was gone. I wondered what happen to him. Does anyone know his name? Fireman Frank FanThis is cool. I loved afternoons and Saturdays with Fireman Frank on the tube. It killed me how Fireman Frank broke himself up waving around a limp Karl the Karrot - where Karl would stare out blankly, bobbling up and down as Frank tried to contain his hysterics below while snorting in a vain attempt to conceal his own amusement. Fireman FrankHey, my cousin, best friend and I were on that show. We just loved it. When he interviewed the peanut galery (that was on Firman Frank I think) He asked my cousin, who had swiped her mom's hat to wear there, to show her profile so that the audience could see her hat. She of course did not know what that meant, so she took it off and gave it to him. It was funny to me because when she got home she got into trouble for taking the hat. I of course was happy she had gotten scolded as she was a very pretty girl and was always the center of attention. I was just a messy little tomboy that just went along for the ride. Thanks for the memories. Local live kid showsmust have been a national staple. In Texas, we had Mr. Peppermint in Fort Worth, Uncle Jay and his sidekick Packer Jack, an old prospector, in Austin and Cap'n Jack (I think) in San Antonio. Even tiny KCEN in Temple had their own guy, who could draw a picture from a kid's scrawl. We went for my brother's birthday, ca. 1959/1960. Local Kids ShowsThe Lincoln, Nebraska area had Sheriff Bill and Silent Orv (who was silent because they'd have to pay him more if he spoke). Later on, I learned television directing on the last live "Romper Room" in the country - never knew what might happen with a roomful of pre-schoolers on live TV. Fireman Frank FanTo add to the Fireman Frank archive: Dynamo Dudley's mother (or mother-in-law) was a can of nails that would be grabbed and rattled whenever it seemed necessary. Yahoo! At Last...he's alive!!!I have vivid memories of Karl the Karrot...one of my all time favorite TV characters. I have been asking people "Do you ever remember watching a show in the 50's with Karl the Karrot who just bobbled his head around and went...blblblblblblblbl blblblblb blblbl?" No one remembered and I was beginning to think I'd made it up! Thank you for bringing Karl (and that cool button) back to me...I shall forward this page to the zillion people who thought I was just having another acid flash!! Holy Karrot juice!Never thought I'd find a person who had seen that show. I remember the carrot losing his "vigor" over the week and being pretty limp on Friday to be revitalized on Monday. I have the button also. (After 50-some years) Fireman FrankI was on Fireman Frank with the greatest young comedienne of her time, Westlake Stephie, age 7. It was a fun show. Fireman Frank againWatched it everyday it with on. The thing I remember most was, Fireman Frank said "we don't like Lima beans," and I still don't like them. Rhode Island RedI, too, loved Fireman Frank. Wasn't Rhode Island Red one of his characters, too? The limp Karl the Karrot, wobbling around by Friday afternoon, was something we all looked forward to. Thanks for bringing back these wonderful memories. Too bad there aren't any witty kids' shows today. And I think the Peanut Gallery was Howdy Doody (with Buffalo Bob Smith) and not part of Fireman Frank. Karlotta Karrot During those years of childhood in San Francisco there were truly great kids' shows. Fireman Frank was without question the best. I remember Karl's girlfriend Karlotta, who spoke in the same type of oogle pattern that Karl used. By the way does anybody remember during Christmas time when Happy Holly of the Whitehouse department store called Santa? Love Karl the KarrotKids' shows in the '50s were great. I loved Fireman Frank and Karl the Karrot. My absolute favorite though was the Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo! Banana ManI never saw Karl the Karrot (we had The Old Rebel and Cowboy Fred and Captain Five at various times), but The Banana Man was my absolute, all-time favorite too. If you never saw his act, it's hard to imagine what it was like. Here is a website, somewhat disorganized, with a lot of info: http://facweb.furman.edu/~rbryson/BananaMan/index.html The "Sam Levine" and "History" links are the best, but it's all interesting (to absolute fans anyway). Py-O-My was the sponsorI remember having to put up with Frank while babysitting my little sister after school before the folks got home (I was a teenager then) and the sponsor for a while was Py-O-My (kind of like Betty Crocker) dessert and pudding mix. Rumor was that the original Fireman Frank partook too much of Py-O-My and dropped dead of blocked arteries. I remember a couple of guys in our neighborhood and I set up a FF-like puppet show one summer to earn money to buy Superman and other comics by charging a nickel to the little kids who wanted to watch. One guy's older sister made a "Scat the Cat"-type sock puppet while I had fun cutting and pasting pieces of cardboard together to make a Dynamo Dudley. I remember one kid's mom getting upset because he has swiped the only two carrots in the house to make Karl (In those days two carrots went into the stew). We made enough to make our local grocer happy to sell those horrible old comic books. Fond RekollektionsI remember the Karl the Karrot episode where he had a fight with Rocky Mashed Potato. I loved Scat the Cat,with his band-aid on one of his cheeks. Rhode Island Red the giant rooster puppet, with a wing that would pop up like it was pointing while he said, "He went thataway!" then break into a silly laugh while his head went up & down. Wish someone can find the name of the original Fireman Frank...just for memories and recognition for him. Fireman Frank ShowThat was a great show; a classic 50's kids show. Can't forget Skipper Sedley who became "Sir Sedley" for whatever reason. Also "Mayor Art"; "Bozo The Clown"; "Captain Satellite" and on a national level, "Howdy Doody" and "The Micky Mouse Club" These were all basically afternoon and Saturday shows. The essential 50's morning children's show was of course, "Captain Kangaroo" with the classic serial Cartoon "Tom Terrific".. Frank and Karl! Oh yeah!Great memories. Loved Fireman Frank and Karl too. I remember Karl getting more wilted every day. And I do remember Happy Holly at Xmas time. This is the first time I have heard anyone else mention Happy. Those were great days for kids' shows. I had the TV pretty much to myself as my parents and older sisters had not acquired the habit of watching very much. I have been trying to find video snips of some of those old shows but they are rare. Loved Fireman Frank!Fireman Frank used to show "The Little Rascals" as well as cartoons. Plus he demonstrated how to make chocolate milk with Bosco. His puppets were hilarious. Scat the Cat had been in fights and had a rough voice. I think robot Dynamo Dudley talked in gibberish like Karl the Karrot. I had a Dynamo Dudley Club Card at one time. The funniest puppet was Rhode Island Red, the rooster. My mother would come into the room and laugh. I would love to see photos or kinescopes of that show. Where is this stuff? THE DAY KARL "DIED" !The "Fireman Frank Show" with Lemont was the best kids program ever and Karl The Karrot was special. Karl was a real carrot and noticably "age" or wilt every day due to the hot studio lights. I clearly remember Karl breaking off in Lemont's hand during their dialogue and Lemont saying something like: "Ah kids; Karl is hurt but will be back like new soon. And of course Karl returned as a fresh new carrot for the next show. I'll never forget the shock of Karl's "accident" and "relief" at seeing him back better than ever for the next show! My kids thought I was making this story up when shared during their youth. Thanks for the super comments. Fireman FrankSeveral commenters have asked about the first Fireman Frank, the one who George Lemont took over from. I just came across a post on a forum from someone who remembers, and the guy's name was apparently Frank Smith. So now we also know where the Frank came from. Fireman Frank 1955-57Coming to the SF Bay Area and getting our first TV in April 1955 I only recall the latter (thin) Fireman Frank (with his weekday nightly KRON show after the early evening news and a longer one on Saturday afternoons with a drawing contest that I submitted to a few times). Captain Fortune had an early Sat morn one on KPIX, with the stock intro showing a bunch of kids running up to a large Victorian-looking house on a hill. One of CF's standard features was to have one of the guests make some scrawl on a large drawing pad and then ask him to turn it into a specific item. KPIX also had a late afternoon (pre-news) Deputy Dave featuring, of course, western films (vs cartoons). It seemed like that they all had Bosco as a sponsor (using a milk carton that had its brand obscured). He once had a contest for an (outboard) power boat - awarded for the best name for it. An acquaintance of my father won with "DD5" for Deputy Dave (Channel) 5! The arrival of the Mickey Mouse Club on ABC (KGO) in October 1955 provided some stiff competition for some of these locally-originated afternoon kid shows. The San Antonio show mentioned earlier was Captain Gus on KENS in the afternoons http://www.dmd52.net/blast.html feauring mostly Popeye and Three Stooges fare, at least during the few seasons of its 2-decade + run that it had my attention. Before Fireman FrankGeorge Lemont was to kids as Don Sherwood was to the adults. I remember his predecessor, Frank Smith, but George had a show before Fireman Frank. He was called Uncle George and would draw caricatures and cartoon pictures. He used clever cross-hatch shading on his drawings and would call them "the downtown treatment." I loved his puppets, but he reached a new height with the introduction of Karl the Karrot! Great days of kids' TV back then: Kris Kuts (the felt shapes), Deputy Dave Allen, Captain Fortune (Who's that knocking on my barrel?), Mayor Art, Crusader Rabbit (voice done by a lady from Petaluma, I'm told)and Captain Satellite (I remember seeing his first telecast on that NEW channel, KTVU). Del Courtney and Tony Petucci (Ralph Manza), Sandy (The moon belongs to everyone, the best things in life are free) Spellman, Fran O'Brien, Sherwood's minions, Bobby Troop, George Cerutti, Julie London, and Ronnie Schell. Great times. Rad CarrotThat is a mighty rad carrot with a hairy nose and wild hair. No wonder why he had some major kid appeal. The 50's Bay Area Christmas While reminiscing about Fireman Frank and Captain Fortune, each Christmas, I always recall with grand fondness those early television trips to the North Pole escorted by the magic elf, Happy Hollie. "Happy Hollie calling Santa Claus at the North Pole... come in, Santa!" I believe it was brought to you by either "The White House", or "City of Paris". You could always be assured there'd be one commercial by "Mission Pac"... fruit packages for mail delivery to east coast friends. "No gift so bright, so gay, so right, send a Mission Pac on its way" Fireman FrankI'm so happy to learn there are others that have fond memories of Fireman Frank / Uncle George! Remember how he'd have the puppets refer to him as "skinny-in-the pit"? I would crack up when he'd tell the kids to be sure to send in for his one-way yoyo while just dropping a stringless yoyo. The lady who voiced Crusader RabbitHer name was Lucille Bliss, and she also did Smurfette. But legendary to me is the fact she waited tables on the side, and a deejay from KSAN recognized her voice, and asked her to come into the station and record the doomsday alerts. "This is a test - this is only a test. In the event of an actual alert, " etc. In the voice of Crusader Rabbit! This included (I assume) the real kiss your butt goodbye warning, in the event of nuclear war! Man- would I love to hear a copy of this. Jay Ward with Art Alexander created the Rabbit here in Berkeley, eventually moving to LA for production. You can read all about it in The Moose That Roared, by Keith Scott. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Curiosities, tterrapix)
Cooks on Wheels: 1950s
Bill Bliss and his family again, enjoying a little outdoor cooking sometime in the ... kitchen, this one stocked with Ritz crackers, no less. Bill Bliss and I could have shared wardrobes. Meow I see two Dogs, a Boy ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 03/30/2012 - 3:02pm -

Bill Bliss and his family again, enjoying a little outdoor cooking sometime in the mid-fifties. I'm not sure where this is but I'm guessing somewhere up the Pacific coast. 35mm Anscochrome color slide. Here's another photo of their trip. View full size. I never got it.I'm talking about the "craving to go camping" gene; apparently my physiology deleted permanently the instinct to want to live in the wild. I don't mind an occasional one-meal picnic or an afternoon at a civilized park facility with all the amenities but I could never understand bringing half of one's possessions on a trip to attempt to cook, eat, sleep, bathe and evacuate in the woods, especially when you have all the comforts of home (at home) and don't really need to live with wild critters, insects, nasty weather, lack of hot water and all sorts of possible unknown hazards such as being stranded alone in a primitive setting. Call me an old grouch, and there is no disrespect intended for those whe love it, but I still don't get why people do it. Happy CampersIt's not cheating to bring the comforts of home with you camping. Still go camping all the time with my neighbor's VW Bus with kitchen built in and pop out tent (similar to what's pictured) and it's a blast. Oh, and new guy here. Been following this site for a week now, always one of my morning stops. Cat food?Tell us more about your selections for camping "eats." Meals on wheelsI had no idea those kinds of trailers housed a traveling kitchen, this one stocked with Ritz crackers, no less. Bill Bliss and I could have shared wardrobes. MeowI see two Dogs, a Boy and two Women, no Cats though. I'm guessing the box was just being used as a container for other stuff? CatfoodI'm pretty sure it's just a box for holding stuff. Eating at the "Ritz"Actually, the teardrop style camper (so named because of its shape) was quite popular in the day. In recent years, it has made a comeback. Just do a search for the phrase "teardrop camper" and you can find hundreds of websites that offer everything from basic construction plans to fully macked out designs that are fit for a king. As for the Ritz crackers; from using them for mini-s'mores to crumbling them into my tomato soup to feeding the stale ones to the critters, they will always have a place in my camping supplies. Gray GhostThe gray dog is a Weimaraner, originally a hunting dog owned by German royalty. They were first brought to the US in the 1930s and became quite popular by the 1960s. I have owned two and helped train many. Their nickname as noted above is "the gray ghost." [Also noted as the sweater-wearing models of William Wegman. - Dave] Kitchen on wheelsA decade or so later we crossed to country in an Impala wagon with a massive kitchen box in the back, more or less like this except that the Coleman stove had to find someplace else to sit when cooking. And our tent was, well, a bit more ship-shape (to mix a metaphor). Other than that, camping had hardly changed. The weight of all this plus parents-and-four-kids was enough that my father installed helper spring on the back, and even then on the road to Mogollon he bottomed out so hard that he stopped to make sure we still had a rear axle. A decade after that, and nylon had conquered all, and then came Gore-tex. Simple joysNoting the lantern, it looks like a Coleman dual fuel or could be a kerosene type. I've just recently purchased a North Star dual fuel. It provides as much light as my two LPG lamps combined. Sometimes old technology is better than you expect. We still holiday like this as a family just as I did in the 60s. Canvas has given way to poly tarps & nylon tents; the ice boxes hold ice for 10 days; other than that it's still the same simple fun & we have no bears to worry about in Australia. We had a English made kerosene Tilly lamp when I was a kid, you had to preheat the mantle with methylated spirits & pump the pressure tank up, the best thing about these kind of liquid fueled lamps is they are less noisy then the high pressure LPG lanterns I want that lantern!I'm pretty sure the Coleman is a Model 220. The nickel-plated tank indicates that it is probably a Canadian model. It also rules out dual fuel, as that technology was then reserved for the military, and those lanterns were all green. If it is a kerosene model, there will be a metal cup affixed to the base of the generator tube. You fill that with alcohol to preheat the kerosene to vaporization temperature. This is not necessary with the more volatile white gas. Another use for Ritz CrackersMaking an apple pie. Well, more like an "apple" pie, as it doesn't actually contain apples, instead using crumbled Ritz Crackers as the main filling. But it *does* taste almost the same as a real apple pie. That's because when you eat apple pie you mainly taste the lemon and cinnamon, and the Ritz version has these in abundance. Billy has a boo-booOr at least what appears to be a bandaid on his temple. Reply to: I never got it.I don't think camping is a genetic trait, but it may have something to do with your past. Can I assume you didn't go camping much as a child? Or perhaps you went, and had a bad experience? I didn't get a lot of chances to go camping as a child, but I cherished the opportunities I had. There's something special about sitting around a campfire on a starry night; singing songs, often with people you just met, listening to the kids laughing, smelling the wood smoke, and eating s'mores. Peace and relaxation come differently to different people. Many of my friends enjoy camping, and for different reasons: some want to get away from "civilization" and kick back and just relax with friends; some enjoy "roughing it", and the challenges that nature brings; and still some feel they are working out the kinks in their preparation for a future world holocaust. Camping out can be fun, if you choose to let it be. I even have friends whose kids like "camping out" in a tent set up in the living room. Little black ghostThe grey ghost is lovely, but the little black dog is the spitting image of my little dog Patsy, a Schipperke mix who lived to the ripe old age of 17 and enjoyed many a camping trip with me and my boys and many friends. This dog is even curled up like Patsy would, taking a snooze before somebody said, hey! Let's go for a walk! and then she would wag herself from top to bottom and head off for an adventure. Camping, and kids, and dogs. Nothing like it. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Now Pleying: 1956
... Two movies sure to attract young boys plus also on the bill two cartoons and of course a serial where you were sure that Flash Gordon ... get for 25 cents that was any good, old man?" "Heavenly bliss every Saturday afternoon.", says I. Spelling is not what it seems ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2022 - 4:51pm -

October 1956. Phenix City, Alabama. "Remodeled Palace Theatre." Me Tarzen, you Jene. (Also: "Praire.") 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. No surpriseThey can't even spell 'Phoenix' Spelling?Or, it just goes with "Phenix" ... Reminds me of todayNothing worst then when ur local theater cant even spell the name of the movies heros. Both Sides NowCorrect on the other side of the marquee, so maybe they were running short on vowels: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/26792/photos/242743 Marquee Too-FerWell, at least they spelled "Praire" correctly. I mean, it's not like they could have looked down from the ladder at the movie poster in the window for a guide (and squeezed an "I" in without running out of room). The '47 Chevysays "Me too!" No need for parking meters nowDave's comment includes the address of 1513 Fifth Ave for the Palace Theater. Here's that address today on Google Street view. Shades Of Great Saturday MatineesI spent many a Saturday with my friends at a similar Palace on Gay and Hoffman Streets in Baltimore. Two movies sure to attract young boys plus also on the bill two cartoons and of course a serial where you were sure that Flash Gordon or Superman or Zorro or Dick Tracy were in a death trap they could not escape. Our admission price was 12 cents and penny candy and 5 and 10 cent candy boxes and bars at the concession stand. One usually got at least one Good and Plenty since they lasted longer than a Hershey bar and there were enough of them you could throw a couple at the screen when the hero and the girl started to get mushy. If you had eaten all of your G&Ps you could always blow into the box and a beautiful high pitch Bronx Jeer would meet the kiss on the screen. On the way home we always stopped at a corner candy store to get a humongous jaw breakers and suck our way down to the hot tasting center core. We got all that that entertainment, candy, friendship and grand memories for a thin quarter. Times long gone never to be repeated except in the fond reminisces of a senior who smiles when a youngster asks," 25 cents? What and when could you ever get for 25 cents that was any good, old man?" "Heavenly bliss every Saturday afternoon.", says I. Spelling is not what it seemsSorry, geniuses, but Phenix City, Alabama is spelled without an "o". Of course, I can offer no excuse for the other misspellings. [That was a joke! One that a lot of you evidently didn't get. - Dave] >> They can't even spell 'Phoenix' LettersWhen I was a little kid, I thought putting letters on a movie marquee was one of the greatest jobs in the world. As it turned out, not so much ... but I did do a lot of typesetting in the '70s before the Mac came out and killed the profession. (I love Macs! I'm writing this on one! Don't fuss at me!) CHEAP RENTALSSmart theatre owner -- booking two low rentals, a 1942 "B" western paired with a recent 1955 "B". Probably shown for a couple of days over the weekend. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Movies, News Photo Archive)
48-Star Salute: 1950s
Bill Bliss and friend playing on the roof in the mid-1950s in Southern California. I ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:15pm -

Bill Bliss and friend playing on the roof in the mid-1950s in Southern California. I don't know for sure if this was actually taken on the Fourth of July but it's patriotic nonetheless. View full size. Fourth of July ParadeHere's a Fourth of July parade in Woodside Park, Maryland, in 1928. Woodside Park was then a 5 year old "home colony" just north of Washington, D.C. Most of its lots were still unsold. Stacked ArrayIn the background is a nice view of a quad stack of TV antennas, a high gain configuration for deep-fringe reception, with 'X' shaped reflectors behind the conic-configured dipole elements. Not DigitalThat's a very impressive stack of two bay clipper TV antennas looming over the little patriots. Works For MeHope everyone in the Shorpy family has a great Day! Old GloryThis flag appeared in an ad in todays NY Times. It is from an interesting Website, www.1stdibs.com, which called it a "Rare 39 Star American National Flag, Circa 1879-1896". I thought Shorpy readers would enjoy seeing it this Independence Day. Question for DaveDave I am wondering which photo got the most responses ... what you may call a Shorpy Record. Thanks again for all your wonderful photos. [Most comments: Our Lady of Lourdes. Most views: The Beaver Letter. Thank you, and I hope we all realize that these photos come from many different sources. Tony W. posted this one. Look above the photo where it says "Submitted by" to see who contributed it. - Dave] Two-fingered saluteLooks like someone was a Cub Scout. Stacked conicalsThose stacked conicals sure bring back memories of the '50s when if you didn't live in a big city you had to have a pretty impressive antenna on the roof to get stations from neighboring towns. Now a days people think they're ugly but back then a big TV antenna was a status symbol. They always fascinated me and as teen I began putting them up for people and eventually got into TV repair and then spend 28 years maintaining a transmitter that fed those antennas. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, July 4, Kids, Tonypix)
Mirror Lake in Yosemite: Mid-Fifties
One can see Bill Bliss and the girl from this photo on the other side. As guessed by ... who lived next door. She was about 5 1/2 years older than Bill. She now lives in Minnesota. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:19pm -

One can see Bill Bliss and the girl from this photo on the other side. As guessed by tterrace, this is probably Mirror Lake in Yosemite. View full size Girl in the photoThe girl in the photo is Gloria Matlock who lived next door. She was about 5 1/2 years older than Bill. She now lives in Minnesota. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Oregon: 1950s
Here we see Bill Bliss and his family camping in what I've deduced is probably Oregon in the ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:24pm -

Here we see Bill Bliss and his family camping in what I've deduced is probably Oregon in the 1950s as the plate on the right is an Oregon plate and the surrounding terrain in other photos suggest a north coast vacation. Scanned from the Anscochrome slide. View full size Nope.That's Northern California vegetation, not Oregon. Somewhere in the Coast Range within a hundred miles or so of the Bay Area. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Simple Pleasures: 1940s
... this photo over quite a few times, I'll say that this is Bill Bliss (it's in the eyes ) and that this is the mid to late '40s somewhere in ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 10/05/2011 - 4:43pm -

After looking this photo over quite a few times, I'll say that this is Bill Bliss (it's in the eyes) and that this is the mid to late '40s somewhere in San Diego. View full size (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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