Exciting News

Our favorite Tinsletown starlet, FelixInHollywood, has some Very Exciting News over at his home on the web!

Back in the Day

Norma and Felix, on the prowl in the park. Yes, they may seem a wee bit overdressed, but there was a method to their madness: they flatly refused to be photographed for their mug shots in the same outfit twice.

Hooray for Hollywood

What can we tell you about Our Man on the West Coast, the darling FelixInHollywood, that most of you don't already know? We could tell you that he's witty and charming and fabulous, but that's old news. We could tell you that he has an ex-teen idol TV star as a BFF, but those of you who follow his blog (and if you don't, why don't you?) already know that, too! Did you also know that Felix hawks his wares? (No, not on Sunset after dark. Anymore.) You did? Well... all that's left to tell you is that Felix, a.k.a. Philip, is a sweetheart of a guy, a loyal supporter of SSUWAT, and one of our favorite people in the blogosphere. He also works a mean minidress and vinyl boots and has gorgeous hair - but you all knew that already, too, didn't you?

How'd We Forget These?!

The Quiet One and The Skinny One in the Middle share a supremely fabulous birthday today - we're speaking, of course, of Florence "Buttered Popcorn" Ballard (June 30, 1943 - February 22, 1976) and our own breathtaking, first-sight soul-shaking, one-night-lovemaking, next-day-heartbreaking guy, FelixInHollywood! Flo would have been 67 today; Felix is ageless.

If the Avanti is a-Rockin'...

As Cookie and Felix stumble out of ElMo with their dates, the Sardelli twins, only one question is on their giddy lips: which couple gets the back seat first?

Hats Off to You, Darlings!

Norma, Cookie and Felix take a day trip from the home and wish you all a Marvy Weekend! And our favorite expatriate scamp makes a cameo appearance as we all play "Where's Muscato?"






From WHAT MAKES THE PIE SHOP TICK?

While We're Away

Felix, Cookie and Norma are helping us celebrate Our Birthday today.

Don't mess with 'em - they'd rather fight than give up that beehive switch.

Update

No matter how harmless they may look, do not - we repeat, do not - give Felix, Cookie and Norma a lift.

Latest Sighting...

...of Felix, Cookie and Norma:

going undercover at the Dissatisfied Dipsomaniacal Republican Housewives Convention.

Update!

FelixInHollywood, Ask The Cool Cookie, and normadesmond have kidnapped Dorothy Kilgallen, Steve Allen and Arlene Francis, and have permanently ensconced themselves on the award-winning What's My Line? panel (keeping Bennett Cerf around to play dominatrix games with). They have also, unfortunately, taken possession of Jayne Meadows's wardrobe.

Life Got You Down?

Are you feeling tired, rundown, listless? Does your complexion make the Rocky Mountains look like chiffon velvet? Do you get no kick from champagne?


If so, our highly trained staff is ready, willing and able to help you.


No challenge is too difficult for our beauty and charm professionals; and your privacy and discretion during your treatment is assured. Why, we wouldn't dream of telling anyone that FelixInHollywood, askthecoolcookie and normadesmond recently were here for what we call "The Works."


Only six months and who knows how many gallons of spackle later, and just look at the splendid results!


You, too, can benefit from our specialized treatments, including the popular Golddigers of 1933 Makeup Application Tutorial, guaranteed to land you a bank president bearing an uncanny resemblance to Adolphe Menjou.


And, of course, our graduation ceremony is the event of the season.


So why wait another minute? Sign up for the Stirred, Straight Up Beauty Treatment today. And, who knows? You may emerge such an alluring, poised, charming beauty, that you'll have eligible bachelors falling in line to wine and dine you.

And So We're Back From Outer Space...

...and not a moment too soon! The flight was murder, although we did have a faboo traveling outfit, n'est-ce pas? We hurried back - FelixInHollywood, askthecoolcookie and normadesmond, as much as we love the darlings, have a tendency to run up the phone bill with late night calls to 1-800-Manmate, empty out our good liquor, and utterly exhaust the houseboys. Paolo and Sven are patient souls, but wouldn't your patience be taxed by normadesmond ringing the buzzer at two in the morning, every morning, demanding to be bathed in asses' milk? And poor Paolo's English isn't the best, so the sweet thing thought - well, let's just say that he tried.

While TJB's away, Felix, Cookie and Norma will play!

Confidentially, we'll have to have the entire place redecorated - we're sure that the old dear meant well, but normadesmond's "taste" in artwork doesn't entirely mesh with our decor; although we'll probably have to dig the damn thing out of the closet every time the bitch comes to visit.

He IS big: normadesmond adds his inimitable stamp to our humble abode.

We're also going to have a word with askthecoolcookie about surreptiously using the car to cruise the train depots. And, waaaait a minute... that bitch stole our headscarf, too!

He can do a few tricks, some old and then some new tricks: askthecoolcookie is very versatile.

Still, when all is said and done, they kept this place running like clockwork - which is no mean feat, considering that they were basically running on cylcamate and dolls, judging by the pile of empty Tab bottles outside of FelixInHollywood's guest bedroom. Not to mention the pile of houseboys.

After rummaging through our jewelry box, FelixInHollywood helps himself to a drinkie.

And, so, we bid a fond adieu to our Guest Editors; since we're still emptying out ashtrays, throwing out empty vodka bottles, and reviving houseboys, we asked Thombeau to escort our trio out. So long, girls! Thanks for everything. We'll send you the doctor's bill for the houseboys shots.

FelixInHollywood, askthecoolcookie, normadesmond and Thombeau: girls about town, and on the lam.

* Of course, we jest! We're thrilled that FelixInHollywood, askthecoolcookie and normadesmond not only agreed to be our guests, but also did such a fabulous job of it! We hope that this inspires you to visit their blogs daily, as well - after you visit Stirred, Straight Up, with a Twist, of course. Thank you, boys!

She WORKS!!!

Our year, 1962 also contained the loss of Marilyn Monroe. A Hollywood latchkey kid who became a Sex Goddess, and who wrested some sanity by making a move to New York to study an art that in many ways, she could have been teaching.

The amazing thing about Monroe for me is that, in her work and in her public persona, she seemed able to play both flighty sex sprite and grounded earth mother simultaneously.

I've discovered a beautiful clip that was assembled from many shots of the famous Bert Stern fashion shoot that was done for Vogue just weeks before her death. Unfortunately, embedding of it is prohibited. So I'm going to include the link to it and hope you'll venture over. It's less than two minutes long and you'll be glad you did.

***WARNING*** There is jewelry biting involved!

Click here to see it

What you will see is that she is also an accomplished model who knew, not only her body, but also how to work and sell a garment!



Posted by FELIX!

148 Bonnie Meadow Road

It is difficult to make any examination of the time frame centered around 1962 without falling prey to the cliche, "The Era of Camelot". This idea, of course being patented by President and Mrs. Kennedy. And frankly I for one, am happy to take the bait. Everywhere you look on the cultural landscape, you can see this 'land of happy ever-aftering' in play. It's simplicity, elegance, optimism and overall sense of welcoming. The First Family's effect was inescapable.

So, from 1961-1966 we regularly dropped in on a couple with a slightly more than passing resemblance to the Kennedy's, albeit younger, more suburban, more accessible. Their names were Rob and Laura Petrie.

Since the theme song is already going through your head anyway, here is a triple screen of it showing three of the variations that were used in the opening credits.

One of the greatest comedic gifts to the late 20th century, Carl Reiner, created the show based on his life as a comedy writer for the Sid Caesar program, "Your Show of Shows". He claims that the Alan Brady character is less Caesar, and more of an amalgam of Milton Berle and Jackie Gleason. Apart from that, biographical it is. All the way down to the Petrie's address of 148 Bonnie Meadow Road, New Rochelle, NY. Evidently it was one digit off of Reiner's home address!

It's hard not to like Rob Petrie and even harder not to love the way Dick Van Dyke played him. A big career risk at the time, Van Dyke was doing "Bye Bye Birdie" on Broadway which looked like it would run forever. So should he leave the musical to go out to Hollywood and shoot a pilot that might never go anywhere? For almost 50 years, audiences are awfully glad he did.

But one brilliant creator and one terrific actor does not a legendary sitcom make. The supporting cast was, in a word, PERFECT! Rose Marie (nee Baby Rose Marie) and Morey Amsterdam (who, incidentally wrote the lyrics to "Rum and Coca Cola for the Andrews Sisters) were two Vaudeville veterans who were lightning quick and could steal a scene with the best. And Richard Deacon as the poor, long suffering (gay) Mel Cooley was at his put-upon best.

But the real surprise was young Mary Tyler Moore, who's resume was not especially, how shall we say, vast. Van Dyke was initially reticent about her because of their age difference. But to this day, whenever I think of love, it's easy to think of Rob and Laura. And as for her chops around such seasoned performers, well the kid did just fine.



It may very well be the first sitcom that would handle topical issues such as race relations and, the then relatively new, anti smoking campaign. (Impressive considering Kent cigarettes was a sponsor.) Reiner has also said that the enduring longevity of the show was due to his policy not to include any early 60's slang or fads. However, I did catch him in one slip up there:



Alright already, I admit it, that clip is here so I could drool over Jerry Lanning who played Randy Twizzle (makes my checker chubby!)

It was also the first sitcom to have a conclusion in which Rob writes a book about his experiences as a writer for the Alan Brady Show. The publisher rejects the manuscript but Alan Brady (played by Reiner) says that he will produce it as a sitcom and play the role of Rob Petrie!

If you find my comparison of the Petrie's to the Kennedy's a bit of a tough sell, well all I can tell you is this: In my three year old mind I thought they were the same people. You know, like he was President all week and had a TV show too. And on that horrible day in Nov. of '63, I was crying right along with my parents because I thought I'd never see the show again.



Posted by FELIX!

Happy New Year, Yves.

In 1962 the entire world was given a gift that would last for many years to come, in the form of the first Yves Saint Laurent collection.

Below is a fascinating look at both the runway show and backstage. Though without sound, the clip is spectacular and even features a brief sit down with the Princess Lee Radziwill who was there on editorial assignment. Feast on it's deliciousness!

YSL Fashion Show in 1962 - - -
Uploaded by accent. - Independent web videos.

Posted by FELIX!

Don't Knock-The Night-Clock-Peppermint

If you were successful in deciphering the odd title, than you already know that the subject of this entry is the song(s) and the dance craze that absolutely consumed America and England in 1962: The Twist. The year end top 100 singles list in Cashbox shows The Twist at the number one position and what's more, there are a total of eight songs on that list with the word 'twist' in the title! And so far as Billboard magazine is concerned, The Twist is the only single in history to reach the number one spot in two separate runs (1960 & 1962)!

Ernest Evans was born in South Carolina and raised in South Philly. Having an innate talent for impersonation, he turned an otherwise boring job at a local butcher shop into fun by doing imitations of pop starts for the customers. During his first recording session, it was Dick Clark's wife who gave him the stage name, Chubby Checker; a humorous take on 'Fats Domino' whom Evans had just been imitating.

To add to it's impressive list of credits, music historians claim that The Twist was the dance to bring adults onto the floor to dance to teenage music, thus bridging a generation gap. To a degree. For a short time.

So put on your 'slippy shoes' and let's Twist, times three!









Posted by FELIX!

Let's Kick It Off, Shall We?

Now let's begin by setting the record straight. Don't ever let it be said that I don't know my New York City. Not only did I happen to live in New York City, but it just happened to be in the year of our focus, 1962!

Okay, so it was actually Governor's Island, but we did have a lovely view.

Oh alright, it was only for the first half of the year, for on my third birthday, June 30, 1962, we moved to a lovely shocking pink stucco bungalow in Jackson Township, NJ. (Now the proud home of Great Adventure theme park)

However on that very day, Mrs. Kennedy was seen all dressed up to celebrate the fact that I was moving 45 miles closer to the White House.

June 30, 1962

Never mind that she was actually in Mexico City for some silly reception that day.

The point here is that New York and I go way back.

Stay tuned....




Posted by FELIX!

SSUWAT Endores

Full disclosure: we're thoughtful, charming, and concerned citizens, but we're also covetous, materialistic, and like pretty things. At the moment, many of the things we're coveting come from FelixInHollywood's Etsy Store. Felix, of course, has been a loyal friend to SSUWAT for some time - and his good taste in blogs extends to every other area of his life. The treasures he's offering for sale are always delightful and sometimes remarkable. Since it's really always all about us (see above disclosure), you can kill two birds with one stone by patronizing Felix's absolutely fabulous site, and gifting us with your purchase. Thanks ever so.


The Moderne Chrome and Bakelite Canape Tray (above, $26) would be the perfect thing to put into service at our next Arlene Francis- and MC-inspired dinner party.


Feast your eyes on this amazing Late 30's Schaiparelli Silk Scarf (below, $26).


It might look rather spiffy tucked into a certain someone's camel's hair sport coat, n'est-ce pas? We've never dabbled in drag before, but we'd consider it for Schiap. And Felix.


Do you know what's missing from our ensemble below?



While we're dipping our toes in the waters of travesti, we would use one of these lovely, Dazzling Two Toned Weiss Earrings (below, $29) as a lapel pin in the springtime. Just to be sprightly and gay.


This is just the tip of the iceberg, darlings. Felix has a well-curated selection of goodies for you to peruse and covet. Just keep us in mind when you do.