Classic 1972 VW King Kong Commercial

 I remember this!

NEW- King Kong Volkswagen Commercial stop-motion animated by David Allen. (1972) The woman is Fay Wray's daughter, Victoria Wray-Riskin. The commercial was aired only once. pic.twitter.com/NXJAtaGyjF

— Classic Horror Films (@HorrorHammer1) April 17, 2025

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist. 

To start off the week, we have a "one hit wonder" song, "Beautiful Sunday" by Daniel Boone. I remember this song playing durng the summer of 1972, immediately following my graduation from high school and before starting college. I was working in the re-election campaign of President Nixon out of the Hawthorne, California headquarters that summer.

From Wikipedia:

Daniel Boone (born Peter Charles Green; 31 July 1942 – 27 January 2023) was an English pop musician who became a one-hit wonder in the United States with the single "Beautiful Sunday" in 1972. The song was written by Boone and Rod McQueen and sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide. It peaked at number 15 on The Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at the end of the summer of 1972, having already reached number 21 on the UK Singles Chart earlier during that same year. In 1972, Boone was the recipient of the "Most Likeable Singer" award from Rolling Stone magazine.

Red Skelton's Autograph

Above, the Red Skelton photo and autograph. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Today was Larry Lucier's physical therapy day in Gallup. 

After driving him into town and dropping him off at his therapist, I went and got myself a haircut and once that was done, I headed over to the picture framer to pick up my Red Skelton autographed card and photo. 

I got Skelton's autograph in 1972 in the lobby of the Century Plaza Hotel where he just arrived to attend a campaign dinner for President Nixon. So, it was about time I had it framed. Hard to believe this took place 50 years ago.

I haven't yet decided where in the den I am going to hang it. I'll do so tomorrow.

I like how it came out with the white frame and the black matte. The photo is of Skelton as "Freddy the Freeloader".

Nixon Meets Mao 47 Years Ago

Above, Mao Zedong greets President Nixon on February 21, 1972.

At the time, I was in my senior year at Hawthorne High School (he high school of the Beach Boys) when President Richard Nixon made his historic trip to China in 1972. 

Today marks 47 years since Nixon met Mao Zedong during the trip. Despite that, I remember it well. I had an Asian studies class at school, so this trip to China couldn't have been more timely. We followed the news as the trip unfolded.

Here's what the Nixon Foundation posted about the sudden meeting:

One of the most incredible moments in the presidency of Richard Nixon was his unanticipated meeting with Chairman Mao Zedong, barely four hours after his arrival in Beijing on February 21st, 1972. President Nixon wrote in his memoirs, “I was getting ready to take a shower when Kissinger burst in with the news that Chairman Mao wanted to meet me.” When White House Press Secretary Ronald Ziegler heard about the sudden meeting, he bit off half of his tangerine, peel and all, in shock. By modern standards, the circumstances of the meeting were somewhat intimidating: only three Americans, the President, Henry Kissinger, and National Security Advisor Winston Lord, were present, while Red Army soldiers stood guard outside. 

Chinese officials were also surprised at Mao’s sudden invitation, since he was in such poor health. According to translator Tang Wensheng, “Chairman Mao had been unconscious nine days before the meeting,” and as soon as the meeting ended, he “sank back feebly in his chair, with a big oxygen mask on his pale face.”  

The conversation, supposed to last only ten minutes, lasted sixty five. 

To read more, go here. 

Red Skelton Autograph

Above, Red Skelton and Lucille Ball.

It is surprising that I haven't posted a blog on one of my favorite comedians of the 20th Centrury: Red Skelton.

A Facebook friend posted the following video of Red Skelton with Johnny Carson in 1983 that I shared. It has garnered a number of comments and likes. Skelton kills it.




I had the honor of meeting Skelton in 1972 at the Century Plaza Hotel where a big Re-Elect The President dinner was being held. I also got his autograph. Thank goodness that I had some business cards with me. I still have it (one of my prized possessions) and here it is:

Nixon Relations

Above, former President Nixon meets "Robocop."

The old saying, "It's a small world" is quite often true in many respects.

A fellow member of my high school's alumni says she is related in some way to former President Richard Nixon's brother Donald. She doesn't specifically how they're related, as her father died at a relatively young age (59), and she was unable to discuss family history with him before he died.

We got into a discussion on the Nixons and I did some digging and found a way to contact President Nixon's surviving brother Edward. She says she'll contact him to see if he can fill in the blanks for her. During our discussion via email, I did send a couple of photos of President Nixon at the Century Plaza Hotel in September 1972. I was in the crowd (marked by an arrow, see photo below).



It will be interesting to see what she turns up. I find this topic to be fascinating.

JFK Death Car At Century Plaza Hotel

Above, the 1961 Lincoln Continental limousine during the Kennedy years.

Here's a little bit of historical trivia for you.

In September 1972, President Richard Nixon was running for re-election. On September 27, Nixon was scheduled to give a fundraising speech at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

I was fortunate to be able to attend the welcoming of the President at the Century Plaza. (I covered this story a while ago on this blog.) Those of us with the Young Voters for the President were bused to the Century Plaza and were herded into roped-off areas in the parking lot for President Nixon's arrival via his Marine One helicopter.

After the Nixons exited Marine One, they were led to a presidential limousine which would then drive along the crowd, allowing them to shake hands with the throngs.

Until last night, it never occurred on me that the limousine Nixon was riding that day was the 1961 Lincoln Continental that President John F. Kennedy was riding in when he was assassinated in Dallas. That is, until I looked at a contact sheet of photos from the National Archives of that day in 1972 and compared them to photos of the car today at the Henry Ford Museum in Greenfield Village in Detroit.

Above, the 1961 Lincoln Presidential limousine at
 the Henry Ford Museum. Note the changes to the top.

After the assassination, the Lincoln was re-fit with armor and had the top modified with a permanent one so that it was no longer a convertible. The 1961 Lincoln, during the Kennedy years, had previously been modified with a 1962 Lincoln Continental grille. The car was equipped with a removable "bubble top" that wasn't used in Dallas. President Lyndon Johnson rarely used the car during his White House years. It was retired during the Carter Administration.

While the 1962 grille is still on the car, the front bumper on the car during the Nixon Administration and today is a different one. Also, the limousine had been repainted black. It was a dark blue during the Kennedy years.

Above, President and Mrs. Nixon greet the crowd in the
 Century Plaza Hotel's parking lot on September 27, 1972.

Below, the Limousine in front of the crowd at the Century Plaza Hotel. I am at the arrow.



When Nixon was first inaugurated as president in 1969, a new presidential Lincoln limousine awaited him. It went into service in the waning months of the Johnson Administration.

It is interesting that the limousine I saw President and Mrs. Nixon riding in was the same one that President Kennedy was killed in.  The limousine had the Secret Service code designation of SS 100 X.

UPDATE (10/18/09): A friend, attorney Tom Cotrel, sent me this photo link of the limousine's display sign:

http://www.geocities.com/tcotrel/im000511.jpg

President Nixon At The Century Plaza Hotel

President Nixon At The Century Plaza Hotel

Thirty-six years ago on September 27, 1972, I had the chance to see in-person a president of the United States.

In 1972, President Richard Nixon was campaigning for re-election. I was a campaign volunteer in the Nixon campaign at our local Hawthorne, California headquarters. In September 1972, it was announced that the President and Mrs. Nixon will be attending a campaign dinner in Los Angeles at the Century Plaza Hotel on September 27th. The notice came from the main California campaign office and it was that the Young Voters for the President (YVP) organization needed some young voters to greet the Nixons upon their arrival at the Century Plaza. Transportation was provided (bus).

It is not too often that one gets the chance to see a president in person, so I signed up to go. I was at the ripe old age of 18 at the time and was attending El Camino College.

On the day of the visit, September 27, we were bused to the Century Plaza's parking lot and were herded into roped-off areas. President Nixon and Mrs. Nixon (Pat) would be helicoptered to the parking lot and then would get into the presidential Lincoln limousine. They would be driven along the crowd of YVPers and shaking hands.

I remember that it was a warm September day and clear out. There was excitement in the crowd when Marine One was seen in the sky on its approach. I remember I was a few feet from the front of the crowd. I didn't get to shake the president's hand as he was driven by, but it was fun to be there and, also, we got a free meal that evening at the Century Plaza courtesy of the Committee To Re-Elect The President!

The photos below were taken from a photo negative contact sheet provided by the National Archives. These are made available to the public for purchase. I made screen captures of two that I'm in. I added arrows to point to where I am at.

Click on photo to view larger.

UPDATE: After posting this, I found that a developer is planning to demolish the Century Plaza and replace it with two 600 foot towers. The Los Angeles Conservancy is trying to stop the wrecking ball with help from actress Diane Keaton. For the story on this, go here.

UPDATE:  The presidential limousine Nixon used at the Century Plaza was the JFK death car, Secret Service Code designation SS-100-X.  The limousine was rebuilt, repainted, armored and modified with a permanent top after President Kennedy's assassination in 1963.  For more, go here.