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Charles Phoenix Presents Halloween @ Bob Baker Marionette Theater Thu Oct 29
Charles Phoenix Presents Halloween @ Bob Baker Marionette Theater Fri Oct 30

Celebrate Halloween at LA’s legendary Bob Baker Marionette Theater, now in its 50th year. This Thurs & Fri night I’m thrilled to present … BOB BAKER’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR! … a vintage puppet show extravaganza starring dozens of bizarre one-of-a-kind marionettes…

Get the back story! …with slides and classic TV and film clips I’ll tell the story of Bob’s unparalleled career, which began in 1932…

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: BOB BAKER’S HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR! OCT 29 & 30

Twelve pancakes, about to be flipped, have just been remarkably well poured in a grid on a griddle. The cook, impeccably suited for the matter at hand in bleached whites finished with a snappy bowtie, has a spatula in hand, grin on his face and eyes on the bottle of beer in the hand of his less kempt pancake copilot. He looks to be on batter duty judging by the fact that he is standing before a generous stainless bowl of it. His look is that of a long sleeved paisley sport shirt and conversational apron stenciled with a caricature of himself at the moment.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Breakfast Cheer and Pancakes, Los Angeles, CA, 1958

A giant drive-thru redwood tree trunk provides a perfect perch for a billboard of one of the most bizarre roadside tourist traps I’ve ever discovered in a slide. Not only does this rural wonder claim to be a park of totem poles (and, who, tell me doesn’t like totem poles,) it’s also an aquarium where you can see “Ocean Wonders ALIVE – Like a Walk on the Floor of the Sea – Just Ahead.” Or in the case of this robin’s egg blue 1949 Plymouth, just behind! Judging by the mossy tree trunk this has to be somewhere in Northern California. Does any remember this memorable place???

Speaking of totem poles, I saw one just the other day. Not the traditional carved-out-of-a-tree-trunk type, oh no. It was a totem pole piñata that reminded me of a third grade art project that inspired me to get creative and make a rather stylish, if I do say so myself, totem pole out of five empty five gallon Baskin Robbins ice cream containers taped one on top of the other. Ultimately it was a paper mache affair complete with cutout cardboard wings and traditional colorful faces rendered in tempera, which I always think of when I occasionally enjoy an order of tempura in an exotic restaurant. But we’re not talking about delicious deep fried Japanese taste treat sensations right now, are we? This is about totem poles and paper mache!

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Totem Pole Park & Aquarium, Somewhere, USA, 1956

Twin stacks of oranges give scale to this frightening fruit display leaning diagonally against an exhibit hall wall. Dozens more of the number one juice fruit and marmalade main ingredient are wrapped in turquoise tissue surrounding a soaring bat, perched owl, and startling wicked witch with big hands. Her teeth look like apples, her perfectly placed nose mole, a lime. FAIR FAIR WARNING: if you gaze into her eyes too long you may be cast under her spell. LOOK AWAY NOW!

At least I think this is a tissue and fruit collage craft project extravaganza. What else could it be? Whatever it is it’s workin’ for me! Whoever had the good sense to take this slide just barely let us know that the sponsor of this scary display is Pomona Fruit Exchange. The sign is half cut off on the upper right. Considering the fact that, historically speaking, Pomona is the Roman Goddess of fruit; the wicked witch display is an odd choice of motif. But apparently the judges didn’t think so. A blue ribbon hangs on the witch’s left shoulder. Witchipoo is a winner!

Speaking of the Los Angeles County Fair: yes, its that time of year again, fair time. And if you really want an Americana experience of the HIGHEST order I suggest you attend. But attend with purpose because there is a TON to see.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Witch of Fruit, LA County Fair, Pomona, CA, 1960

Someone’s pride and joy sits proudly posed curbside before a big rock pile, trio of ‘49 Dodge sedans, ‘39 Ford Coupe and ‘20-something model A Ford. If a Jeep and a Ruffles potato chip had a baby this would be it. Clearly someone poured their heart and soul into this highly original garage craft project. And, yes the results are an inspiration to behold in every way. But – fair WARNING: don’t look at it too long because it will hypnotize you.

First of all that lipstick red and buttercup yellow two-toned paint scheme is stunning! Who needs a chrome bumper when you can have a yellow one? The expression on that mustached face-of-a-front-end couldn’t be more honest. That nearly unnoticeable hand cut grill is priceless. The perky pointed front fenders; streamline side panels and sassy, slanted tail end simply define unpretentious poetry in motion even while standing still. And how about the slight curve of the hood and whatever that chrome knob is sticking up through it. Make sure you don’t miss the rake of the frameless windshield; and eye-catching antenna set on the bias where the door should be but isn’t. But who needs doors when you have a car like this. You just jump in and out of it! And don’t mind the fact that it’s topless. So what if it rains. A few refreshing raindrops never hurt anybody.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Homemade Sports Coupe, Irwindale, CA 1951

The optimistic, billboard scale signage marking a prescription drug counter is an unexpected backdrop of a wig bar in a big box discount retail store. A beautiful, bewigletted wigtender (if those aren’t words they are now!) stands by ready for the lovely ladies who may wander by the wigbar and want to try one on for size. Behind her, a big pastel-buttoned cash register divides a sloppy selection of the styles of the day displayed under plastic and uncombed on skin-tone wig heads stenciled with blue eye shadowed blank stares and pale pink lips. Piled beside her across the counter divide are “100% human hair ‘moderate’ wiglets” just waiting to be styled, crowned and bobby pinned high atop the head of every hair hopper in town. The wiglets are bargain priced at .88. I’m not sure “moderate” refers to the price, size or quality.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Prescription Wiglets, West Covina, CA, 1967

A nautical lifesaver hangs centered on an abalone and starfish studded fishing net festooning on a pale brick backyard wall like a giant bat. The draped display is an inspired backdrop for an aqua tile trimmed swimming pool decked in battleship grey and furnished with a wooden diving board, redwood bench, trio of mismatched aluminum chairs and a round table shaded by a fringed umbrella.

Islander wannabees are dressed for party success in hearty Hawaiian shirts, sarongs and muumuus. They sit Japanese restaurant style on white-piped canvas cushions around a blanket. Some of the guests sport festive straw hats and leis. At the head of the blanket a smiling, shirtless man is theme inappropriate in light blue twill trousers and a white terry towel around his neck.

Recognizable among the sweet and sour spread are a red Jell-O mold, a ripe pineapple surrounded by coconuts and bananas, cheese cubes pricked with frizzled toothpicks, white bread rolls, and a casserole dish filled with, what looks to me like, some sort of Spam and hash brown concoction topped with sliced pineapple halves. Some maraschino cherries would be nice! Whatever it is the casserole will contrast nicely when served on the mint green paper plates. I wonder what they are washing all of this down with in those bright green paper cups. Exotic cocktails anyone?

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Luau Party, Los Angeles, CA 1958

I just love the fact that we celebrate the birth of the good ol’ USA by exploding colorful things made in China! Don’t YOU!!!

What are your 4th of July traditions???

Here’s to Chinese fireworks, the USA’s 233rd Birthday and YOU!

Visit Charles’ site or join his Slide of the Week Mailing List.

Broken twigs cleverly placed on a lawn spell out what happened to our beloved Kodachrome this week. Yes, the fine folks at Kodak, in Rochester, NY, announced that the granddaddy and gold standard of all color film has been discontinued. The last roll of Kodachrome film has left the building.

It is the end of yet another Americana icon.

Kodachrome first hit the shelves in 1935 in the form of 16mm movie film. 35mm slide film and 8mm “home” movie film came a year later. Ironically it was two musicians, not photographers that invented the miracle medium. Both had the first name of Leopold. After world war two masses of mom and pop photogs embraced Kodachrome and generously documented the colorful cultural explosion of Americana.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: THE END in Kodachrome, Somewhere, USA, 1969

“Folks” is hand written on this slide. Do these “folks” realize they left their camera on the hood of their car? The camera is the Argus Seventy Five, mass-produced in Ann Arbor, Michigan between 1953 and 1958. The car is a 1961 Plymouth Fury.

Flaring, wrap around front fenders make this the one of the most spectacular designs ever to roll off a Plymouth assembly line. After five years of Plymouths sporting stylish tailfins the ‘61 model year is the first without. But the fashionable front end makes up for it. And this car is parked to show it off! The Plymouth logo, a gold anodized rocket, is centered on the stamped aluminum grille. The black and yellow California license plate gives scale to the delicate wrap around bumper. Among the cars other odd features are the dash mounted mirror and pushbutton transmission. Push “D” for drive or “R” for reverse. His sunshade is up; hers is down.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: The “Folks” and the Fury, Pasadena, CA, 1964

An enormous package of Oreo cookies jumping out of a TV, two giant little girls and white-lined red letters, spelling out what is short for National Biscuit Company, simply dwarf a sideswiped 1940 Dodge.

The giant little girls are properly dressed alike for TV viewing in matching puffed sleeved blouses and powder blue hair bows. One controls the TV while the other controls the Oreos. They are both about to take a bite out of the Americana sweet treat sensation they are suggesting we switch to.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Oreo Billboard, Southern California, 1955

A hot summer sun cooks the breeze as it blows over rolling hills into the valley. Power lines and the proud poles that place them follow the leisure country road on both sides leading to and from Olive Headquarters. It sounds so official! If those lipstick red soft drink logos mounted to this county produce stand don’t attract passing motorists the multi color pennants will. They caught the eye of a brown bag-toting mother of two. Her blouse matches the pennants perfectly. How polite of her to color coordinate! The blazing blue sky is reflected behind her in the chrome-plated bumper of a creamy dreamy, top down 1961 Buick Electra 225 convertible with four sunburned, wind whipped passengers. A hand painted sign states peppers and cucumbers are on sale for a measly one-cent each. Olives are much more valuable. They are .00 per gallon.

Speaking of olives, YOU ARE INVITED to the historic Graber Olive House in my hometown of Ontario, California Saturday, May 9, 2009 from 1 to 3pm. I’m celebrating the 10 year anniversary of my first book, Cruising the Pomona Valley, 1930 -1970. Free tours of the curing and canning facilities will be given; iced tea and cookies (and olive samples) will be served.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Olive Headquarters, Santa Clara Valley, CA, 1962

It’s a quarter past high noon in the very midst of the San Fernando Valley. A futuristic high tech digital clock tells us so. But the clock isn’t as futuristic as the curvaceous creation it marks. This is the Tomorrowland of Van Nuys Boulevard.

A man and a woman pose together beside the flying nun-shaped awning shading the entrance to this outer space-age, science fiction style house of money. By any architectural standards before or since this is extreme. The design is simple. Part igloo and part flying squirrel. Really this giant steel, concrete and glass construction is as much a sculpture as it is a building. The two relaxed arched beams crisscrossing over the top remind me of the icing on a delicious hot cross bun or a cross stitch on a handmade patchwork quilt.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Van Nuys Savings, Panorama City, CA, 1957

Phoenix’s rustic royal residence is all aglow in the late afternoon sun. The legend of this handmade house begins in Seattle in 1929 when Boyce Luther Gulley promised his young daughter, Mary Lou, he would build her a castle. Then after being diagnosed with tuberculosis and told he only had only six months to live he deserted his wife and daughter without a trace. A desolate piece of land in the foothills just south of downtown Phoenix is where he settled and began work on what was to become one of America’s folk art masterpieces of the highest order.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: The Mystery Castle, Phoenix, AZ, 1958

Seven Shriners pose dressed alike before one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Their smart and sensible travel suits are perfectly color coordinated with the grandest canyon of them all.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Shriners Visit Grand Canyon, Arizona, 1957

A young couple poses for their Valentines Day portrait in the garden.

Cupid’s arrow pierces the dahlia-lined home made heart hanging on the clothesline between them. A simple floral bouquet stands before them. The garden hose snakes behind their feet. Her hand is in his. He cracks half a smile. She barely smirks. Their dress for the occasion is simple but smart. His cement colored sport coat, thin blue tie and a white shirt tucked into smart black trouser is timeless. Her shapely linen tweed suit and strappy sandals stand the test of time. But her hat does not. It makes her look like a nurse. Her ears are pearled and her are lips painted.

This is one of the slides that I showed when I was a guest on Martha Stewart’s Valentines Day show last year. I couldn’t believe when Martha saw Audie and Ehme her comment was “She’s not very pretty!” I couldn’t believe it. I might’ve thought it but I would’ve never said it.

Speaking of Martha, when I got the call to be on her show the producer told me that it would be nice if I brought something to give to Martha on the air being that it was Valentines Day and all.

»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Audie and Ehme on Valentines Day, Southern California, 1954

A cool watercolor sky highlights a picture perfect space age suburban shopping center. The spirited sea breeze has blue and yellow plastic pennants swagging and snapping in the wind and a Blue Chip Stamp banner clinging for life on a two-headed lamppost. Red clay brick glows with warmth beside sunshine yellow and snow-white stucco. Flat facades labeled with store names spelled out in fun fonts hover over impressive floor to ceiling plate glass doors and deep-dish display windows. Abandoned shopping carts share the spacious parking lot where colorful, chrome tipped cars parked are on the bias. There is one foreign car in the lot, a British roadster. It doesn’t take up much room. A raised bed of tropical plantings, up front, looks like a feeding trough for vegetarian dinosaurs.
»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Modern Shopping Center, Ventura, CA , 1961

A blue-breasted toucan watches a little pixie girl pose happily while spoon-feeding herself artificially scented, sweetened, and flavored morsels quickly getting soggy in pasteurized, homogenized whole milk. She might as well begin the day with desert. In case her cereal isn’t sweet enough, that’s not a problem; a sugar bowl is close by. If she wants a second cereal course a box of Sugar Smacks is open and waiting to be consumed.

I don’t know her name but I do know his. He’s my favorite spokes-creature-character of all time, Toucan Sam. He must be a big fan of Carmen Miranda because that fruit tower hat he’s wearing looks just like the tutti-frutti headdress that made Ms. Miranda a timeless icon of exotic-Americana. It goes so well with his black-tipped pink, orange and yellow beak. And that box he’s printed on has to be one of the best, if not thee best examples of cereal box graphics ever. That mod black and white positive-negative diagonal divide is nearly hypnotic.
»continue reading Charles Phoenix’s Slide of the Week: Just a Spoonful of Fruit Loops, Somewhere USA, 1966 (Plus Pasadena DooDah Parade Info…This Sunday!)

This slide isn’t about the flocked tabletop tree hung with tinsel and pointy pale pink ornaments that match the curtains. Or the mess of gifts both wrapped and unwrapped, including an ice-o-mat and that very odd-shaped gift doing a balancing act in the corner. This slide is about the guy wearing lipstick and matching high-heeled thongs. Well, he’s at least wearing one high heel shoe. Looks like his other foot is missing or perhaps it’s twisted sideways for dramatic effect. The red goes quite nicely with those teal trousers and black button front short-sleeved shirt with the collar turned up.

The cocktail glass he’s holding in his hand is empty. Either he just drank it all or just spilled it. Either way it’s ok because there’s another one waiting for him on the rug next to his phantom foot. And how about that cuckoo-yet-festive headpiece he has on the top of his head. Clearly it’s hand made but how and out of what I have no idea. Did he learn to weave ribbon in prison or something? And judging by the way his painted lips are open he’s having a ho-ho-ho moment!

Here’s to a high heeled, ho-ho-ho, cuckoo Christmas and YOU!

Visit Charles’ site or join his Slide of the Week Mailing List.

These woman all work in the Whittler High School cafeteria. The jailbird, the cowgirl, the angel, the Nordic princess on her way to a kabuki festival, smoking a corn cob pipe, and Tom Cruise in Top Gun. Together they sit on and before a shapely sofa upholstered in a deep turquoise fabric sparkling with silver metallic threads. And then there?s the lady on the right sporting a football jersey and sweatpants. She stares at a flaming orange taper while moving her hands up and down. What is she supposed to be and what is she doing? And what’s with her very unusual lap display? Everyone knows that russet potatoes don’t have anything to do with Halloween!

Here’s to ladies that work in cafeterias, russet potato lap displays and Halloween!

Visit Charles’ site or join his Slide of the Week Mailing List.