The 1960s were definitely one of TV’s oddest decades! The 1960s began with Westerns dominating the ratings! The old West soap opera Bonanza became the most popular show on the air. One after another competing show was vanquished by the old-time sensibilities of an old-fashioned Western.

All you really need to know about the diverse nature of TV in the 1960s is found in the answer to the question: “What show finally was able to compete with Bonanza in the ratings?” The answer was a liberal, modern, and very controversial challenger: The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. This bastion of the hip, cutting edge liberal comedy gave young viewers quite a stark alternative to the Ponderosa! (Trivia! Bonanza, like Dragnet, had their stars wear the exact same clothes every week. It saved money on costumes and allowed the producers to reuse old shots from previous episodes!

So the 1960s were the era of Gunsmoke and Wagon Train, Gilligan’s Island and The Beverly Hillbillies and Laugh-In and The Smothers Brothers! We will talk about how TV grew and changed as viewers who had enjoyed Combat began tuning in to Hogan’s Heroes. You won’t want to miss this fast-paced multimedia presentation!

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – LIST YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW OF THE 1960s!

NOTE: The cost to attend is $10. You do not need to register in advance – just show up and enjoy the show after paying. Coffee and dessert are provided for free!

The post TV By The Decades: Television in the 1960s appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

The 1960s were definitely one of TV’s oddest decades! The 1960s began with Westerns dominating the ratings! The old West soap opera Bonanza became the most popular show on the air. One after another competing show was vanquished by the old-time sensibilities of an old-fashioned Western.

All you really need to know about the diverse nature of TV in the 1960s is found in the answer to the question: “What show finally was able to compete with Bonanza in the ratings?” The answer was a liberal, modern, and very controversial challenger: The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. This bastion of the hip, cutting edge liberal comedy gave young viewers quite a stark alternative to the Ponderosa! (Trivia! Bonanza, like Dragnet, had their stars wear the exact same clothes every week. It saved money on costumes and allowed the producers to reuse old shots from previous episodes!

So the 1960s were the era of Gunsmoke and Wagon Train, Gilligan’s Island and The Beverly Hillbillies and Laugh-In and The Smothers Brothers! We will talk about how TV grew and changed as viewers who had enjoyed Combat began tuning in to Hogan’s Heroes. You won’t want to miss this fast-paced multimedia presentation!

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – LIST YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW OF THE 1960s!

The post TV By The Decades: Television in the 1960s appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

Frank Sinatra was one of the most charismatic and controversial American entertainers of all time.

He was one of a kind! 

Click here to read about his impressive record on Civil Rights.

In this brand-new multimedia presentation, I will trace the biography of Sinatra’s improbable life. We will look at his odd childhood as a skinny Italian street kid in working-class Hoboken, New Jersey. His father was a prizefighter turned saloon keeper; his mother was a hard-drinking suffragette and political power in Hoboken who also made a living by performing abortions. We will look at Sinatra’s bumpy road to stardom. His career had so many ups and downs! Frank Sinatra seemed unstoppable from singing with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey big bands to being the idol of the Bobby Sox brigades in the early 1940s. But when he avoided serving in World War II and musical tastes began to shift, his career went into a steep decline that was only rescued by the help of the Mafia and his fantastic performance in the movie “From Here To Eternity.”

The rest of the Frank Sinatra story is equally fascinating. Swingin’ Sinatra, the Rat Pack, JFK, Marilyn Monroe,  and an abiding dedication to Israel and civil rights are part of the story. So are Lucky Luciano, Sam Giancana, Skinny D’Amato, Jilly Rizzo and the Mafia. (Click here to read about how Peter Lawford connected Sinatra to JFK!)In this one-of-a-kind presentation filled with video clips, amazing anecdotes, and insightful analysis, we will look at all sides of the one and only Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.

The post The Swinging, Controversial Life Of Frank Sinatra – Part One appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

That unforgettable moment showcases so many things – a brilliant dancer and choreographer at the height of his powers is highlighted on a magnificent set, singing a glorious song that reflects every reason why we love going to the movies in the first place.

Like King Kong atop the Empire State Building, Dorothy clicking her heels, Indiana Jones running from the boulder, or Cary Grant chased by an airplane, that moment is forever etched in the minds of movie lovers.

In this fast-moving and fun multimedia biography, we will look at the life, career, personality, and art of the great Gene Kelly. We will trace his Pittsburgh roots and follow him as a cocky kid determined to conquer dance, Broadway and Hollywood. He redefined dance on the silver screen. Gene Kelly ditched Fred Astaire’s top hot and tails, replacing them with a sweatshirt and loafers. His masculine dancing, emphasis on ballet, inventive use if props and partners all combined to make his films immediately unique and completely unforgettable. We will see clips of him dancing with partners as different as Rita Hayworth, Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, and Jerry the Mouse!

Come prepared to smile – This Program is Free, Live, And In-Person!

The post Gene Kelly appeared first on Speaking For A Change.

Frank Sinatra was one of the most charismatic and controversial American entertainers of all time.

He was one of a kind! 

Click here to read about his impressive record on Civil Rights.

In this brand-new multimedia presentation, I will trace the biography of Sinatra’s improbable life. We will look at his odd childhood as a skinny Italian street kid in working-class Hoboken, New Jersey. His father was a prizefighter turned saloon keeper; his mother was a hard-drinking suffragette and political power in Hoboken who also made a living by performing abortions. We will look at Sinatra’s bumpy road to stardom. His career had so many ups and downs! Frank Sinatra seemed unstoppable from singing with the Harry James and Tommy Dorsey big bands to being the idol of the Bobby Sox brigades in the early 1940s. But when he avoided serving in World War II and musical tastes began to shift, his career went into a steep decline that was only rescued by the help of the Mafia and his fantastic performance in the movie “From Here To Eternity.”

The rest of the Frank Sinatra story is equally fascinating. Swingin’ Sinatra, the Rat Pack, JFK, Marilyn Monroe,  and an abiding dedication to Israel and civil rights are part of the story. So are Lucky Luciano, Sam Giancana, Skinny D’Amato, Jilly Rizzo and the Mafia. (Click here to read about how Peter Lawford connected Sinatra to JFK!)In this one-of-a-kind presentation filled with video clips, amazing anecdotes, and insightful analysis, we will look at all sides of the one and only Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra.

The post The Swinging, Controversial Life Of Frank Sinatra – Part One appeared first on Speaking For A Change.