LIFE IMITATES ART

 

DC comics predicted the Trump presidency.  Well, kind of.

Superman’s arch-nemesis Lex Luthor first appeared, as just Luthor, in April of 1940 in Action Comics #23.  He was a middle-aged diabolical genius with a full head of red hair.  An artist’s error in a newspaper strip less than a year later resulted in Luthor’s first appearance as completely bald.

The “Silver Age” (when I was growing up) Luthor, now given the first name Lex so he could be an “LL”, was introduced in April of 1960 in Adventure Comics #271.  Teen-aged Luthor, like Clark Kent from Smallville, originally hero-worshipped Superboy.  Determined to prove he was Earth’s greatest scientist by creating artificial life, his recklessness and inexperience caused a fire in his laboratory.  Superboy arrived and put out the fire, but accidentally destroyed the artificial life form and all of Luthor’s notes, and the fumes from the chemical fire caused Luthor’s hair to fall out.  Unwilling to admit he was responsible for the fire, Luthor believed Superboy was jealous of his intellect and caused the fire and he swore revenge.

It was in the recreation of the DC Universe after the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” that Lex Luthor was changed from an evil genius scientist to an evil genius corporate executive – a billionaire businessman who was actually partially based on Trump.  This is the Luthor portrayed on TV series over the last three decades.  In the comics Luthor became the 43^rd President of the United States.

There are two main differences between DC’s President Luthor and Trump.  Luthor was an evil genius – Trump is certainly not a genius (stable or otherwise), just evil.  And Luthor was surprisingly portrayed as competent during his time in office – unlike Trump, who was the most incompetent President in US history.

And, of course, Luthor was bald, while Trump is merely “tonsorially challenged”.

One major similarity.  Superman was the symbol of “truth, justice and the American way”.  So, as Superman’s enemy Luthor was the enemy of truth, justice and the American way.  Just like Trump.

TAFN

A COUPLE OF THINGS NO ONE EVER TOLD YOU

 

HOLY TURN DOWN, BATMAN!

The camp 1960s BATMAN television series was known for casting famous movie actors (and actresses), often from an earlier generation, as the weekly villain.  The list included Cesar Romero, Vincent Price, Eli Wallach, Van Johnson, Michael Rennie, George Sanders, Walter Slezak, Cliff Robertson, and Howard Duff (with wife Ida Lupino), and Talluluah Bankhead, Shelly Winters and Anne Baxter.

Iconic movie star Spencer Tracy was originally approached by the show’s producer to play Penguin, but he turned the role down.

Spencer explained in an interview how he responded to the request -

“My reply cited what Maggie Sullivan said when she was offered an Andy Hardy family picture. She said, 'I'll do it when it is titled 'Death Comes to Andy Hardy.' I'll do a Batman when it's called 'Death Comes to Batman.'" 

I guess he was not a fan of the show.

SCHOOL DAYS

Over the years the success of the iconic 1955 movie THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, adapted from the semi-autographical novel by Evan Hunter (perhaps better known as Ed McBain, author of the 87^th Precinct police procedural series of novels), has inspired a genre of classroom-based movies about sensitive and sympathetic teachers dealing with the problems of teen-aged urban youth – up to my generation’s TO SIR WITH LOVE (Sidney Poitier was a student in THE BLACKBOARD JUNGLE and the teacher in TO SIR WITH LOVE) and UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE.

{Aside – I met Evan Hunter, and his beautiful wife, twice.  Once on a murder mystery themed cruise on the QE II and later at a murder mystery week-end at the Mohonk Mountain House resort hotel in New Paltz, NY.}

Three little known movies from the early 1960’s set in classrooms, two in high school and one in college, that I came across a few years ago on the TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES (TCM) cable station had some interesting choices cast in the role of the teacher – the equivalent of Glenn Ford in TBJ.

BECAUSE THEY’RE YOUNG, released in April of 1960, starred Dick Clark as a High School history teacher who becomes involved with the lives of his students (among them Tuesday Weld, Doug McClure and Michael Callan).

COLLEGE CONFIDENTIAL, released in August of 1960, cast Steve Allen as a college Sociology professor who conducts a survey about the lifestyles and sexual urges of the younger generation.  The cast also included Allen’s wife Jayne Meadows, Mamie Van Doren and rockabilly singer Conway Twitty (whose name inspired that of BYE BYE BIRDIE’s Conrad Birdie).

THE EXPLOSIVE GENERATION, released in October of 1961, was William Shatner’s first starring movie role – a High School teacher who assigns his students to write anonymous essays about sex.  The students include Billy Gray (Bud on FATHER KNOWS BEST) and Beau Bridges.

TAFN

YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT

 

Here is perhaps the most important of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s songs, from SOUTH PACIFIC –
 
You’ve got to be taught to hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’s got to be drummed in your dear little ear—
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
 
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a different shade—
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
 
You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate—
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
 

SOUTH PACIFIC was having a bit of trouble during its out of town try-outs. It appears the show was running a bit long.  Consideration was given to how to trim a few minutes from the production.  Several individuals suggested that this song be cut from the show. But Richard and Oscar would not have it – they were adamant in their support of this song. Their response was - if the song is cut, they might as well close the show out of town. Since R+H were the producers the song remained.

 

The song relevant again today in light of the current political situation.  We must NEVER allow radical fundamental Christians or Republican fascists to be able to censor or control what is taught in our public schools!

 
TAFN