"As Seen On TV": Rare, Weird and Wonderful May 22, 2009

Event: “As Seen On TV”. Guest curator Pete Gowdy and Oddball Films present an evening of rare, weird and wonderful vintage TV on 16mm, dredged from the massive Oddball film archive. Specials, primetime, Saturday morning, documentary, commercials and interviews will all be represented- highlights include: “A Date With Debbie” (b+w, 1960), a Debbie Reynolds special; “My Favorite Martian” (b+w, 1966), the full episode entitled “My Nutcup Runneth Over”; “Television Land” (color/b+w, 1971), a brilliant narration-free TV history utilizing all original footage; clips from “You Asked For It” (b+w, 1950s); “Hot Dog” (color, 1970-71), a rare TV interview with Bela Lugosi, plus 1950s commercials, promos and more!
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009 at 8:30PM
Venue: Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street, San Francisco 94110
Admission: $10.00 RSVP Only to: 415-558-8117 or [email protected]
Web: http://www.flarerecord.com

"As Seen On TV”
Rare, Weird and Wonderful
Vintage Television

On Friday, May 22, Guest Curator Pete Gowdy and Oddball Films present an evening of rare, weird and wonderful vintage television on 16mm. The archive is full of film originally intended for transmission to the masses- most of it hasn’t seen the light of day (or the twilight of the rumpus room) for decades. Showtime is 8:30PM and admission is $10.00. Seating is limited so RSVP is preferred to: [email protected] or 415-558-8117.

Highlights Include:

“A Date With Debbie” (b+w, 1960)
In 1960, the multi-talented Debbie Reynolds signed a 3-year contract with ABC to produce a yearly TV special. The debut features the brilliant Carl Reiner, a sensational performance of “This Here” by the Cannonball Adderley Quintet, and some fine singing, dancing and formidable comedy from Ms. Reynolds. Note: The first half of the special will be screened.

“My Favorite Martian” (b+w, 1966)
Idiotic and hilarious series featuring a young Bill Bixby (who went on to further cheese-o-rama stardom in The Incredible Hulk) as Tim O’Hara and future Fast Times at Ridgemont High’s “Mr. Hand”- Ray Whalston as “Uncle Martin”, the sarcastic Martian. Entitled “My Nutcup Runneth Over”, this episode from April, 1966 features Hal England as a squirrel who’s been changed into a human being (dubbed Red Squirrelton) by Uncle Martin’s malfunctioning molecular reassembler. Hijinks ensue.

“Television Land” (color/b+w, 1971)
Brilliant, impressionistic, narration-free history of Television utilizing original clips, similar to the Oddball Films favorite “The Car of Your Dreams”. Directed by Charles Braverman, the snappy montage is divided into three sections: entertainment, news and commercials.

PLUS! snippets from “You Asked For It”, the 1950s series that explored and explained questions sent in by viewers and “Hot Dog”- the 1970s humorous version made for the Saturday morning crowd, a rare TV interview with Bela Lugosi, promos for the early 1960s show “Thriller” (hosted by Boris Karloff) and pre-1970s TV commercials.

Curator Biography:
Pete Gowdy (aka DJ Chas Gaudi) is host of San Francisco’s Shellac Shack, a weekly 78 rpm listening party and a DJ specializing in vintage sounds: soul, jazz, country, punk and new wave. A graduate of the Vassar College Film Program, he is an associate producer of Marc Huestis Presents, the long-running movie legend tributes at the Castro Theatre.

Official Website: http://www.flarerecord.com