Thinking about the comic strips makes me also think of the newspapers they were in. “Li’l Abner” was in the Atlanta Journal, the evening newspaper, and “Pogo Possum” was in the morning paper, The Atlanta Constitution. They both were printed on the same presses and had the same owner (the Cox family). In recent years the two papers combined into one. But now, with news found so easily on the Internet - who knows what is the future of the newspapers.
“Little Orphan Annie” was in the Constitution. “Buz Sawyer” was in the Journal along with “Dondi”, which I think was an off-shoot of Buz Sawyer – or maybe “Steve Canyon”?
I delivered the Atlanta Journal and got to know it's format well. On the front page was a small two or three paragraph column called ‘Piney Woods Pete’ who delivered somewhat of a open-minded conservative view, which some believed Piney Woods was really Ralph McGill. Also on the cover was “Street Scenes” which was a little blocked off area that told of usually three funny or oddities that happened in the area.
The morning paper, The Atlanta Constitution, had a slogan, “Covering Dixie like the Dew” or something like that.
On Sundays The Atlanta Journal and The Atlanta Constitution combines their publications into one. The Thanksgiving day paper was always the largest (pre-Christmas ads) and Christmas Day was just about the smallest.
Weekly Saturday was the smallest paper. I always enjoyed the Saturday paper because it usually, if not always, had a paid ad for the Pickrick Restaurant – which mostly consisted of the political views of the behind-times nut Lester Maddox, the owner. It was entertainment to me – I didn’t take him seriously… who knew he would be governor some day? And the ad would also tell the special for the upcoming Sunday – Drumsticks 19¢, wings 15¢.
Also, something else in Saturday’s The Atlanta Journal I can’t quiet pull from my weak mind to remember: part of Saturday’s paper was printed on green paper. Maybe it was the TV schedule…. Oh well.
Oh, the Atlanta Constitution brings to mind weeks' worth of material.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had measles, Mama pasted a sheet of newspaper over the glass inserts in the door. I was supposed to be in a darkened room and was forbidden to read. The page she hung had 3 inch letters advertising cigarettes. I lay there reading
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Jean,
ReplyDeleteI know she did for your own good, but if it was me I would feel I was condemned to read boring ads with big letters.
You are a year younger than me - do your remember somebody on the Woody Willow Show or Officer Don's Popeye Club that read the funnies from the Journal every day? I suppose that was the first "on-line" comics.
The only thing from Woody Willow that I can recall is that stupid little jingle, "It's Woody Willow Time."
ReplyDeleteI grew weary of Officer Don from years of own kids watching. The next door neighbor got them onto the show once for one of her kids' birthday. The only thing that impressed them (preadolescents) was some other kids snickering and when Officer Don asked what was going on, one blurted, "Jay-ree fahted!" I think this was off-camera.
Jean,
ReplyDeleteI remember Woody Willow's girlfriend Teresa Termite.
My friend Larry's little brother was to be on The Popeye club for his birthday. Larry and I coached and coached the kid, who was about 4 or 5 to blurt out the F word. But it didn't work out - Officer Don, being the good policeman he was, thwarted our plan - somehow he sensed the kid was going to say something like that and changed directions.
My sister Beverly and I were on the Woody Willow Show in 1956 I believe was the year. I remember the set being colorful and a red ahired girl named Martha pulling my hair. We got paper bags with some candy when the show was over. My Mother and Dad were watching and said they were so proud, I turned around and hit some little girl.
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