How I Spent My Summer Vacation...

Growing up in the 60’s & 70’s, the world was still ‘small’ – no internet, no cellular devices, no cable television - for the common man, anyway. There was no such thing as ‘surfing’ or hundreds of other choices from which to watch. We had 7 or 8 basic channels that came through on our televisions, so we were at the mercy of the broadcasters for what was airing on any given channel.   So why does another weekly blog open by mentioning television?  Television was the medium with which I soaked up as many movies as I could.  We had the “Early Show” on CBS, there was a late-night movie on virtually every network, not to mention the local station; there was a movie of the week for almost every night of the week and sometimes even two!  Why television rejuvenated the television careers of many former movie stars, and even inspired films such as Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? 

Print ads for "The Early Show" on the local Los Angeles CBS affiliate

My "Early Show" ads are from my
John Wayne scrapbooks

But it was these summer nights that I have special memories of television movie nights.  School seasons were different and from the middle of June to the middle of September, we had 3 full months of ‘nothing to do.’  This is when I was able to take advantage of the late show and as many as I could talk my mother into letting me view.  I would pop out the hide-a-bed from the family room sofa, get a blanket & pillow and get as close to that television as possible. With the sound down low, I could see the likes of Showboat, On the Town, The Seven Little Foys, and The Paleface.  These movies increased my 'film-viewing-ography,' if you will, and formed the foundation of what has become my life-long obsession with this storytelling medium.

Life is different these days, I still stay up late, but for different reasons.  I am thankful that television has expanded and the choices are many.  However, on a sleepless night, there still is nothing better than finding an old movie on the air.  It’s like having slumber party with an old friend.