Close Encounter of the Celebrity Kind

As I celebrate my 45th anniversary of living in NYC, I can’t help but reflect on one of my most memorable celebrity sightings. The encounter happened with actress Ruth Gordon, whose indomitable spirit during her career has left an indelible impression on fans like me. One of her closest friends, Helen Hayes, described Gordon as “a total original.” Hayes said, “There was no one else like her, and no one had the courage to try to imitate her.”

The same year I moved to NYC, Ruth Gordon appeared in the 1976 made-for-television film “Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby,” director Sam O’Steen’s sequel to Roman Polanski’s 1968 film “Rosemary’s Baby.” Gordon, the only cast member to return from the original film, reprised her role as Minnie Castevet.

“Look What’s Happened to Rosemary’s Baby” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

After securing a banking job in the World Trade Center and moving to the Upper West Side, I broke the NY Code of Conduct when encountering celebrities (be cool…a smile and a nod will do). One day while walking across Central Park South, I noticed the diminutive but larger-than-life Ruth Gordon approaching. Without thinking I blurted out, “Hello, Ms. Gordon. I’m a big fan of you and your films!” To my surprise she reached out, graciously shook my hand, and replied with a nod and a proud smile, “Thank you.” Made my day! Her 1985 obituary in The New York Times noted: “Yet for all her acclaim and achievement, Miss Gordon still relished being recognized on the street. ‘I don’t care who remembers me, or for what,’ she said in an interview last year. ‘I love it. I never get over it. I never get used to it.’” What a relief to find out she wouldn’t have considered our chance encounter as an invasion of privacy.

I loved the fact that Ruth Gordon was so feisty. She was a trailblazer throughout her career. Even when the president of New York’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts told the 18-year-old, “Don’t come back. You don’t show any promise,” she persevered, making her auspicious Broadway debut at Charles Frohman’s Empire Theatre in the 1915 stage revival of “Peter Pan,” which starred the great stage actress Maude Adams in the title role and featured a 19-year-old Ruth Gordon as Nibs, one of the Lost Boys.

“Peter Pan” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

But return she did in 1968 when The American Academy of Dramatic Arts invited her back 53 years later to receive an Achievement Award and address the graduating class. She didn’t mince words…it was a triumphant speech and a mic drop moment way ahead of its time:

“I think what it takes is don’t give up! DON’T GIVE UP! Just don’t give up and that sounds like a put-down, but it isn’t. And it sounds as though it’s easy and it isn’t. DON’T GIVE UP! I learned that at the Academy and it was all I did learn. It wasn’t what my father paid four hundred dollars [tuition] for, but it may be the best lesson I was ever taught. DON’T GIVE UP! …At the end of the year [Mr. Sargent] said, ‘Don’t come back. You don’t show any promise…’

I was scared. I was scared I wouldn’t find out how to be an actress because in that year the school hadn’t taught me. I’m smart and I can learn, but the school hadn’t given me a clue. Four hundred dollars and all I got for it was fright, because even to myself I didn’t show any promise…  ‘Don’t come back,’ he said. That’s a terrible thing, you could drop dead…You could kill yourself…You could give up…

Or you could learn something. Isn’t that what we came to the Academy for? So I learned something and what I learned here was and is DON’T GIVE UP…When somebody says to you, ‘You’re not pretty enough,’ ‘You’re too tall,’ ‘You’re too short,’ ‘Your personality’s not what we’re looking for,’ ‘You’re no good,’ think of me and DON’T GIVE UP!”

“Rosemary’s Baby” Posters by RDEnochs DESIGN

It was June of 1968 when “Rosemary’s Baby” was released, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, and Ruth Gordon in a psychological horror film about modern-day witches and demons living on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. This film was written and directed by Roman Polanski, based on the bestselling 1967 novel of the same name by Ira Levin. I was always intrigued by the fact that exterior shots were filmed in my neighborhood at the “Dakota” where John Lennon and Yoko Ono had lived since 1973. I was a big fan of Mia Farrow, who had starred in the TV soap opera “Peyton Place,” as well as Ruth Gordon, who had won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar and Golden Globe award at the age of 72 for her performance as the eccentric next-door witch. (Previously, in 1966, Gordon was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe award as Best Supporting Actress playing Natalie Wood’s mentally ill mother in director Robert Mulligan’s film, “Inside Daisy Clover.”) Polanski’s film also received an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. In her acceptance speech Gordon thanked the Academy by saying, “I can’t tell you how encouraging a thing like this is, for a young actress like myself…And thank all of you who voted for me, and to everyone who didn’t: Please, excuse me.” “Inside Daisy Clover” and “Rosemary’s Baby” weren’t her first brushes with Oscar. During a lull in her acting career in the late 1940s, Ruth Gordon collaborated with her second husband, Garson Kanin, to write three Oscar-nominated screenplays for director George Cukor’s films “A Double Life” (1947), “Adam’s Rib” (1949), and “Pat and Mike” (1952).

“Inside Daisy Clover” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

In 1971 Gordon received another Golden Globe nomination, this time as Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, for her role as Maude in the cult classic “Harold and Maude” (co-starring Bud Cort as her love interest). She continued to appear in films in the 1980s, her last film being “The Trouble with Spies” (1987), which was released posthumously. Only two weeks before her death on August 28, 1985, she made her last public appearance at a benefit showing of the film “Harold and Maude.” Helen Hayes remarked, “It’s awfully sad when the lights go out. And this is one more dark spot in American theater, losing Ruth.”

“Harold and Maude” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

To this day Ruth Gordon continues to be an inspiration for me. If I learned anything from her, it is to never get discouraged or let fear control my life. “Most every moment along the way takes courage. Courage is like a strain of yoghurt culture; if you have some you can have some more.” And I’ve also learned to never let anyone tell me that I can’t achieve something in life. You can achieve anything you want. The sky’s the limit. So “DON’T GIVE UP!”

"Dark Shadows" in the Hills of Nebraska

It was the summer of ’69…man’s first walk on the moon had captivated the world, the Manson murders had shocked the City of Angels, Woodstock had rocked a farm in Bethel, New York, Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline” had reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart the week ending August 16, and creator-producer Dan Curtis’s “Dark Shadows” had become ABC’s most popular soap opera TV series.

Like so many other teenagers, I was mesmerized by “Dark Shadows,” which premiered on June 27, 1966, and ran until April 2, 1971. Vampires and witches and ghosts, oh my! Throughout the school year, I used to rush home when my afternoon classes finished to tune in at 3 p.m. to my favorite gothic soap opera. I couldn’t wait to find out what was happening to the wealthy Collins family of Collinsport, Maine. The soap featured classic horror characters (vampire Barnabas Collins, werewolf Quentin Collins, witch Angelique Collins, as well as some warlocks, zombies, and ghosts). The storylines also featured time travel, flashbacks, and alternative dimensions, allowing the same actors to play identical relatives or lookalikes in different time periods and parallel worlds.

“Dark Shadows” TV Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

During the summers I spent time helping my brother on his farm north of Overton, Nebraska…raking alfalfa, painting hogs on his farrowing house, and doing general daily farm chores. Monday through Friday I would try to stop what I was doing to watch “Dark Shadows” in the afternoon. Sometimes I managed to coax my sister-in-law’s sister to take a half-hour break from her housework and watch with me. But if I was working in the fields, I filled the gap of missing “Dark Shadows” by singing along to my favorite songs playing on my brother’s Ford tractor radio. Whenever “Sweet Caroline” would play, I cranked up the volume and shouted out the lyrics at the top of my lungs. I always wondered what the neighbors and animals thought!

Those were the days of “Dark Shadows.” I miss juggling my summer work schedule to watch it. It became another one of my guilty pleasures. No other soap opera was as addictive for me, except maybe “Peyton Place.”

“Dark Shadows” TV Soundtrack Cover by RDEnochs DESIGN

Believe it or not, “Dark Shadows” was the first daytime soap to generate a best-selling soundtrack album. As I created posters to commemorate the 55th anniversary of its premiere, I listened to Robert Cobert’s eerie score again. The album became part of my vinyl collection of film and TV soundtracks. The music included 1.“Shadows of the Night (Quentin’s Theme),” which became a top 10 hit in 1969 and earned a Grammy nomination as Best Instrumental Theme (but lost to John Barry’s theme for “Midnight Cowboy”), 2.“I’ll Be with You, Always,” a specially recorded spoken word track narrated by Jonathan Frid, and 3.“Josette’s Theme,” a haunting music box melody.

“Dark Shadows” TV Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

The ratings for “Dark Shadows” rose tremendously when the show introduced Barnabas Collins 10 months into its run. Jonathan Frid joined the cast in April of 1967 as cousin Barnabas from England, a 175-year-old vampire who had been cursed by witch Angelique when she became jealous of Barnabas’ love for his fiancée, Josette du Pres.

“Dark Shadows” ultimately spawned three films and a re-imagining of the 1966 ABC TV series by Dan Curtis for NBC.

“House of Dark Shadows” Film Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

“House of Dark Shadows,” directed by Dan Curtis, was released on October 28, 1970. This horror film was based on the 1966 TV series and starred Jonathan Frid as Barnabas Collins along with other original cast members from the gothic soap opera.

“Night of Dark Shadows” Film Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

“Night of Dark Shadows,” directed by Dan Curtis, was released on August 4, 1971. This horror film was a sequel to “House of Dark Shadows,” but since Jonathan Frid was not available at the time, the storyline centered around Angelique and Quentin with Lara Parker and David Selby reprising their roles from the TV series. Other returning cast members included Grayson Hall, John Karlen, Nancy Barrett, and Kate Jackson.

“Dark Shadows” Film Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

“Dark Shadows,” directed by Tim Burton, was released on May 11, 2012. This horror comedy film, based on the gothic TV soap opera of the same name, starred Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Bella Heathcote in a dual role. In June of 2011 four cast members from the original TV series (Jonathan Frid, Lara Parker, David Selby, and Kathryn Leigh Scott) all spent three days at Pinewood Studios to film cameo appearances as party guests during a ball held at Collinwood Manor. Frid died in April of 2012 before the film’s release, making this his final film appearance.

“Dark Shadows: The Revival” TV Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

Dan Curtis also created a 1991 TV series remake of his original 1966 “Dark Shadows,” but “Dark Shadows: The Revival” aired on NBC for only one season (January 13 – March 22, 1991) before its cancellation.

“Dark Shadows” TV Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

Epilogue…

It was a sad day for me when the final episode of the original “Dark Shadows” aired in 1971. I still miss tuning in to see what was happening to the Collins family at Collinwood. Yes, I was a “Dark Shadows” junkie who needed a daily fix. And today this once popular soap opera has evolved into a cult classic, still beloved by millions of followers including me. The lyrics from “Shadows of the Night (Quentin’s Theme)” sum up my thoughts and leave me feeling nostalgic.

Shadows of the night
Falling, silently
Echo of the past
Calling you to me

Haunting memory
Veiled in misty glow
Phantom melody
Playing soft, and low

In this world that we know now
Life is here, then gone
But somewhere in the afterglow
Love lives on, and on

Dreams of long ago
Meet in rendezvous
Shadows of the night
Calling me to you
Calling me to you
Calling me to you

Full disclosure: I’m not sure if my brother ever knew that I took those breaks to watch “Dark Shadows.” But no harm, no foul…

A Lighthouse in the Land of Lumberjacks

Maybe all lighthouses are haunted…I don’t know. But Michigan’s Big Bay Point Lighthouse, which was converted into a B&B in 1986, definitely has a ghost or two hanging around. My wife and I can attest to that! Thirty-one years ago Bonita and I stayed there on a trip to Upper Michigan…a place where residents are known as ‘Yoopers’ (from ‘UP-ers’) rather than ‘Michiganders.’ The B&B looms above a 40-foot cliff overlooking the rocky shore of Lake Superior. Built in 1896, it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, still operates as a lighthouse, and offers 360-degree views of landscape and lake. From the top of the 60-foot tower we experienced some of the most dramatic and magnificent sunsets of our lives and reveled in the ghost stories associated with the lighthouse as the sun dipped into Lake Superior.

“Tower Sunset at Big Bay Lighthouse” by RDEnochs DESIGN

It was June of 1990 when we drove north on Route 75 across the 5-mile long Mackinac Bridge to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. We entered a land of lumberjacks where tall tales of the fabled larger-than-life Paul Bunyan and his sidekick, Babe, the Big Blue Ox, still dominated the folklore of the region. It’s also the home of traditional ‘pasties’ (‘PASS-tees’), a sort of meat turnover/pastry not to be confused with strippers’ ‘pasties’ (‘PAY-steeze’), and the location of the 1952 Big Bay murder/trial and subsequent filming of Otto Preminger’s 1959 film, “Anatomy of a Murder.”

As our car drew closer to our final destination, we kept wondering if we would ever reach the B&B. At that time, there were no iPhones with a Google Maps app and no GPS in our rental car…just a handy road map and a travel guide for directions. The travel guide instructions simply stated: “Go through the town of Big Bay and follow the signs that say ‘Lighthouse’” which was kind of like following the yellow brick road to Oz. It was clear that we were no longer in Kansas. We ended up on Lighthouse Road which eventually led to the two-story, late Victorian-style B&B (provided you stayed right at the fork in the road).

That day we were greeted by Norman “Buck” Gotschall and his wife, Marilyn, the owners of the 94-year-old brick lighthouse at the time. They gave us the official tour and shared some of the lighthouse’s history. It had operated with an active keeper until 1941 when the beacon was automated and had been a private residence since 1961. Adjacent to the kitchen was a dining room featuring a long, family-style table. A large living room was furnished with a working fireplace, several couches and reading materials with additional history about the lighthouse. The second floor housed guest rooms and a cozy library with a double window overlooking the lake. From the library there were two eerie flights of spiral stairs leading to the tower where a beacon beams daily and visiting guests can view extraordinary sunsets and sunrises.

A resident ghost, the original red-haired keeper named William Prior, still haunts the lighthouse and roams the grounds. Prior disappeared into the woods near the lighthouse in June of 1901 after becoming depressed and despondent over the death of his son, who had been an assistant keeper for his father. William’s body was discovered over a year later hanging from a tree, most likely a suicide. Although Bonita and I were expecting lights turning off and on, faucets turning on and things going bump in the night, we never woke up to the lighthouse keeper at the foot of our bed or saw his reflection in the mirrors as some guests had experienced through the years. But we did hear a few unexplained noises echoing in our room during the night, perhaps disembodied footsteps making their way across the wooden floor. It must have been the keeper! I’m so glad we had not yet seen the 2019 film, “The Lighthouse,” or we may have been a little less cavalier about our stay there that summer.

“The Lighthouse” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

Although the main goal of our trip was to stay at the B&B, we had also planned to visit the nearby community of Big Bay where Preminger filmed “Anatomy of a Murder,” a courtroom drama based on a 1952 murder that took place at the Lumberjack Tavern. In the 1950’s, before becoming a private residence, the Big Bay Point Lighthouse and land were leased to the U.S. Army, and the soldiers lived in the meadow and woods to the west of the lighthouse. One of the soldiers stationed at the lighthouse, Lt. Coleman A. Peterson, entered the Lumberjack Tavern where he shot and killed the owner, Maurice Chenoweth, for raping his wife. Ultimately, Lt. Peterson was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Some scenes were filmed in the Thunder Bay Inn, just one block from the Lumberjack Tavern.

“Anatomy of a Murder” Collage by RDEnochs DESIGN

Preminger’s classic film, starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, and George C. Scott, was based on the novel of the same name written by John D. Voelker, who had served as defense attorney during the trial. The film received seven Oscar nominations including Best Actor (James Stewart), Best Supporting Actor (Arthur O’Connell), Best Supporting Actor (George C. Scott), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (Sam Leavitt), Best Film Editing (Louis R. Loeffler), Best Picture (Otto Preminger), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Wendell Mayes). The jazz score of the soundtrack was composed by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn.

Bonita and I purchased two VHS tapes of the movie to take home (Bonita was living in Missouri at the time and wanted her own copy). The movie is very long and we tried to watch it on two occasions but fell asleep both times. Maybe we should give it another try 21st century style by streaming it.

“Anatomy of a Murder” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

As I created a 2021 poster to commemorate the 62nd anniversary of “Anatomy of a Murder,” I reminisced about our adventure in Upper Michigan where the true story behind the 1959 film played out. It’s a secluded area…a sort of scenic wilderness wonderland with undertones of mystery, madness, and murder, as well as a mischievous ghost who still haunts a 125-year-old isolated lighthouse. And if you asked my takeaway from the trip? My response would be: “I do believe…I do believe…I do believe in GHOSTS!”

Growing Up with Billy Mumy

Who doesn’t remember Billy Mumy, that iconic child actor who starred in the CBS sci-fi television series “Lost in Space” from 1965 to 1968? I remember him playing the role of heroic boy astronaut Will Robinson, son of Professor John and Dr. Maureen Robinson (played by Guy Williams and June Lockhart respectively). Billy was only a year younger than me when he played the youngest of the three Robinson children, starring opposite Angela Cartwright as Penny and Marta Kristen as Judy. Rounding out the cast were Mark Goddard as Major Don West, Bob May as Robot, and Jonathan Harris as Dr. Zachary Smith, the pompous spaceship stowaway. I never missed an episode!

Billy was a multi-talented child actor of the 1960s whose prolific entertainment career began at the age of five. I have always been a big fan. I’ll never forget his appearance in the March 1961 episode of “The Twilight Zone” titled “Long Distance Call,” in which he plays a boy named Billy Bayles who talks to his dead grandmother through a toy telephone. I can still hear Rod Serling’s closing narration:

‘A toy telephone, an act of faith, a set of improbable circumstances, all combine to probe a mystery, to fathom a depth, to send a facet of light into a dark after-region, to be believed or disbelieved depending on your frame of reference. A fact or fantasy, a substance or a shadow, but all of it very much a part of the “Twilight Zone.”’

“Long Distance Call” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

Who remembers when Billy was cast in October 1961 on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” as pistol-toting protagonist little Jackie in the episode “Bang! You’re Dead,” featuring Marta Kristen, who later played his sister Judy on “Lost in Space?” I do. Hitchcock directed this one and his closing narration as host still echoes in my mind:

‘On rare occasions, we have stories on this program which do not lend themselves to levity. "Bang! You're Dead" is a case in point. We only hope that this play has dramatized for parents the importance of keeping firearms and ammunition out of reach of children. Accidents of this type occur far too frequently nowadays and the tragic fact is that with proper precaution, it could be avoided. That is all for tonight. Please join us next week when we shall return with another story. Until then, good night.’

“Bang! You’re Dead” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

With puberty on the horizon, Billy was cast in the 1965 film “Dear Brigitte” as Erasmus Leaf, a child mathematical genius who develops a crush on Brigitte Bardot (played by herself in the film). Who didn’t have a crush on Bardot?! James Stewart and Glynis Johns starred as his parents in director Henry Koster’s film adaptation of the novel “Erasmus with Freckles.”

“Dear Brigitte” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

So Billy, like me, was growing up. He was one of a few successful child actors who transitioned into an adult career that was less public but perhaps even more successful as he continued to appear in TV shows and movies. After “Lost in Space” ended in 1968, Billy was cast in the sentimental 1969 Disney film, “Rascal,” which was based on Sterling North’s 1963 memoir of the same name. Director Norman Tokar’s film was set in 1918 Wisconsin. Billy portrayed Sterling North, a lonely teenager with a pet raccoon, a ring-tailed rapscallion named Rascal.

“Rascal” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

I was a junior in high school when 17-year-old Billy Mumy starred in the 1971 film “Bless the Beasts and Children.” He played Teft, the leader of a group of misfit teenage boys on a crusade to save a herd of bison from hunters while away at summer camp. I went to see director Stanley Kramer’s film mainly because I loved The Carpenters, who sang the theme song bearing the same name as the film (Oscar nominee for Best Original Song). But I also wanted to see a grown-up Billy Mumy who, with maturity, was now being credited as Bill Mumy.

“Bless the Beasts & Children” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

By the time Bill appeared in 1973’s “Papillon,” starring Steve McQueen as Henri Charrière and Dustin Hoffman as Louis Dega, he was already a young man of 19 and I was attending college. Bill was cast as Lariot, a young and frail prisoner who is shot by a prison guard shortly after arriving in Guiana where he dives from the quay into the sea in a desperate attempt to escape. The screenplay for director Franklin J. Schaffner’s prison drama was based on the 1969 autobiography by the French convict Henri Charrière. The film received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Score.

“Papillon” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

Having graduated from high school, Bill went into early retirement as an actor and pursued a musical career as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and composer. He concentrated on recording and touring with Redwood, one of several rock bands he sang and played with during the 70s and 80s. As Bill matured he acted only occasionally, devoting most of his time in the 90s to voiceovers for cartoons and commercials and performing as one-half of the music duo Barnes and Barnes. Bill received an Emmy nomination in 1991/1992 for his original song composition for “Adventures in Wonderland” for Disney. He wrote 105 songs for 100 episodes. Then between 1994 and 1998, Mumy returned to television and played the role of ambassadorial aide Lennier in all five seasons of the syndicated science fiction series “Babylon 5.” Commenting on his multifaceted career, Bill said, “I’m very lucky to work in so many different arenas of the entertainment industry and I do enjoy them all, but making music – original music – in the studio or live onstage is definitely my favorite thing to do.”

“Babylon 5” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

Through the years Bill has shared my love of comic books and superheroes: ‘From the age of four I was a huge comic fan and still am. When "Lost in Space" came along it was like being in a huge comic, so we jumped at the chance of being part of that project and it proved to be a good choice. It was watching George Reeves as Superman when I was 3 and 4 years old, along with Guy Williams as Zorro that inspired me to "get inside the TV" and drive my parents crazy to make that happen in the first place...’ For me it was such a thrill to see Superman, my favorite superhero, leap from the pages of my comic books to the small screen (and later the big screen). Superman’s words of wisdom inspired me to pursue my artistic dreams: “It’s not about where you were born or the powers you have or what you wear on your chest; it’s about what you do. Do good to others and every man can be a Superman. There is a superhero in all of us, we just need the courage to put on the cape.”

“Supermumy: Homage to Superman” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

In the 60s I remember rushing to the local drug stores and searching frantically through the comic book stands for the latest Superman issues. Spending 10 or 12 cents for each comic was a lot of money to me at the time, but I wanted to start my own comic book collection. At home I spent a lot of time drawing Superman and his family, friends, foes, and fellow superheroes. Bill had been collecting comics since he was 5 years old and in 1986 began writing them. By 2013 he was the co-creator and writer of Bluewater Productions’ “Curse of the Mumy,” a comic book version of Bill Mumy who saves the world one mission at a time by enlisting the services of avatars representing his many past lives from TV, film, and music. Impressive undertaking for Bill…just wish he could have done something about the price inflation.

Original “Curse of the Mumy” Cover from Bluewater Comics

In 2018 Bill Mumy made a cameo at the end of the first episode of the Netflix reboot of “Lost in Space,” which played out like the 1965 pilot episode, “No Place to Hide.” But long gone was the 11-year-old pre-adolescent Mumy who played Will Robinson in the original Irwin Allen series. This time 64-year-old Mumy was cast as a character named Dr. Z. Smith, clearly paying homage to the character played by Jonathan Harris in the 1965 television series. Mumy had come full circle in a reimagining of the space adventure that had made him famous over 50 years ago.

“Lost in Space” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

‘from “Lost in Space” to Mumy Music’ Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

At this point you may be asking yourself, “What’s happening right now with Bill Mumy?” “Good Grief,” that’s what! “Good Grief…the brand new solo album...written, performed, recorded and produced by Bill Mumy...Hard Hitting songs for Hard Hitting times...” was released in December of 2020. The design and layout were done by Angela Cartwright, who played his sister on “Lost in Space,” using a photo taken by Mumy almost 50 years ago and hand-tinted by Cartwright. Released during the 2020 pandemic, Mumy noted: “This is a fully produced ambitious album. I’m grateful to have a recording studio and instruments I can play and I’m especially appreciative that the muse continues to visit and inspire me... Especially during this stressful year where we’ve been pretty much alone at home.” Bill remains very productive these days, and I have to say “Mumy music” is worth checking out.

“Good Grief” Album Cover Design by Angela Cartwright

And if “Good Grief” wasn’t enough to round out 2020, Bill also created “Bill Mumy’s Real Good 2021 Calendar” featuring some of his paintings done during the pandemic. “I painted a lot this year [2020]. My multi-talented iconic pal Angela Cartwright suggested turning some of my artwork into a calendar, so we did. It’s a very limited edition and I’ve signed them. Personally, I’m ready to start a new year!” Mumy’s first batch of calendars sold out quickly, which was a nice way to start off 2021.

“Bill Mumy’s Real Good 2021 Calendar” and 2020 Art

So as Bill Mumy and I ease into our senior years, remember there are more great adventures to come for both of us…mine with RDEnochs DESIGN and Bill with any one of his many talents. It makes me think of how the “Lost in Space” episodes used to conclude in a “live action freeze” or a cliffhanger anticipating the following week, with the ominous promise: “To Be Continued NEXT WEEK! SAME TIME SAME CHANNEL.”

Stay tuned!

“Life Goes On” Poster by RDEnochs DESIGN

If We Could Just Turn Back the Clock...

“Somewhere in Time,” starring Jane Seymour, Christopher Reeve, and Christopher Plummer, has become one of my all-time favorite films. Released in October of 1980, this time-traveling classic was filmed on location at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. As I created a poster to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the film’s release, I listened to the haunting and unforgettable music of John Barry’s soundtrack, which became his best-selling film score. The music brilliantly weaves an emotional link between the present and the past of a love story that transcends time. It continues to echo in your mind long after the credits roll and the screen fades to black. Although Barry’s score did not receive an Oscar nomination, the film was nominated for Best Costume Design.

My future wife, Bonita, had piqued my interest in the history behind the film while she was still living in Columbia, Missouri, between 1983 and 1991. Richard Matheson wrote the film’s screenplay which was based on his 1975 novel “Bid Time Return” about a playwright (Christopher Reeve) who falls in love with the portrait of a beautiful and famous early-20th century stage actress named Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour) and travels back in time to meet her and find love. Seymour’s character was loosely based on Maude Adams, a popular American stage actress who achieved her greatest success playing Peter Pan in the 1905 production of “Peter Pan.” The film served as a catalyst for Bonita and me to further research the life of Maude Adams and her manager Charles Frohman (the basis for the William Fawcett Robinson character portrayed by Plummer). Matheson’s fictional story was clearly art imitating life.

Welcome to a Victorian Summer Retreat

Imagine, if you will, transporting to the late 19th century Grand Hotel…that romantic Victorian getaway on Mackinac Island which opened in 1887. Bonita and I stayed there in June of 1990. It seemed as if we had traveled back in time just like playwright Richard Collier had done in the film.

Too bad we didn’t stay at the Grand Hotel one year later. The first annual Somewhere in Time Weekend was held there in October of 1991. Each year this event has drawn movie lovers and followers of the film known as the International Network of “Somewhere in Time” Enthusiasts (INSITE). The special weekend package includes a screening of the film, discussions of the movie’s production process, and appearances by returning cast and crew. Attending guests are encouraged to wear period costume. What an experience that would be!

At the Ferry Landing on Mackinac Island

To reach the Grand Hotel, Bonita and I rendezvoused at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and then drove to the northern point of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. We parked our rental car in Mackinaw City and boarded a ferry to historic Mackinac Island, which is located in Lake Huron. As we stepped off of the ferry, it truly felt like stepping back in time as the old-world charm of the Victorian architecture flooded our senses. Many of the building structures at the landing dock had undergone extensive preservation and restoration…no chain hotels, just quaint B&Bs, cottages, and shops. There’s also a ban on all motor vehicles except for emergency and service vehicles…no cars allowed, just horse-drawn carriages and bicycles. We packed light so we opted to walk the short distance to the Grand Hotel.

“You have no idea how far I've come to be with you.”

Arriving at the Grand Hotel was like walking onto the set of “Somewhere in Time.” There were rocking chairs lining the world’s longest porch that overlooks a vast Tea Garden and the Esther Williams swimming pool and offers stunning views of the Straits of Mackinac. Truly a perfect setting for the film even though in his book Matheson’s story took place at Hotel del Coronado, an 1888 Victorian beach resort located in San Diego, California. Like so many Grand Hotel visitors before us, we tried to book the rooms (117 and 416) that Elise and Richard had occupied in the film, but we were told those “rooms” only existed on a sound stage. Although no actual rooms from the film exist, the Grand Hotel does offer two suites that are dedicated to the film: a Somewhere in Time Suite (#368) and the Jane Seymour Suite (#392), both rooms decorated with film memorabilia. Our room ended up being one of the less glamorous options, but no less charming.

Arch Rock

Exploring Mackinac Island on Bicycles

One day we decided to explore the rest of the island. We rented a tandem bicycle and rode 8 miles around the circumference of the island, stopping to take in some of the sights like Mission Church and Arch Rock. Later we shopped and tasted some of the famous Mackinac Island Fudge (we, too, became “fudgies,” the endearing nickname given to out-of-towners by locals because no tourist leaves without sampling the island’s famous fudge).

Our Grand Hotel Adventure

As I reflect on our stay at the Grand Hotel, Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle” comes to mind:

If I could save time in a bottle
The first thing that I'd like to do
Is to save every day till eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you

If I could make days last forever
If words could make wishes come true
I'd save every day like a treasure and then
Again, I would spend them with you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do, once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with

If I had a box just for wishes
And dreams that had never come true
The box would be empty, except for the memory of how
They were answered by you

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do, once you find them
I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go through time with

Everyone wants to live forever and find a love that will last for an eternity. But life is too short. When you do fall in love, there never seems to be enough time to spend together. If we could just turn back the clock…

2020: The Year of the Coronavirus Pandemic

As I celebrate the first anniversary of launching my portfolio website, RDEnochs Design, I’m thankful that my fledgling business continues to bring in new commissions in spite of the coronavirus pandemic. As a freelance graphic designer, there was no need to adapt to a work-at-home environment. That was already the norm for me while many others had to adjust.

2020 will be remembered as the ‘Year of the Coronavirus Pandemic.’

…a time of mourning the loss of thousands of loved ones

…a time of self-quarantine and isolation from family and friends

…a time of social distancing in every aspect of life

…a time of virtual graduation ceremonies and celebrations

…a time of education transitioning to homeschooling and online classes

…a time of employees working from home

…a time of virtual gatherings via Zoom and FaceTime

In a year of so many changes in daily life as we know it, it’s been an opportunity for me to promote community awareness of the coronavirus pandemic on social media during a time of social distancing. The intent of my digital posts was to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and highlight precautionary measures.

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It’s also been an opportunity to thank all of the healthcare and essential workers who have risked their lives every day on the front lines while the virus spread and thousands died.

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2020 has been a stressful time for everyone, but we must remain vigilant and practice healthy habits. As we face this pandemic together, it is important to advocate social awareness while practicing social distancing. It’s a time to be part of the solution…to keep calm and stay safe. Complacency is not an option.

We are in this together…though apart. We got this!

Shadows of Yesterday

Our lives are mere shadows of yesterday,

Longing to embrace loved ones far away.

But Angels’ tears have blocked each window’s view

While we still long for the lives we once knew.

As many risk their lives on the front line,

I’m thankful each day they help to save mine.

The road to recovery may be long,

But we got this…we’re New York City strong.

Self-isolation and self-quarantine –

These are the current norm we have all seen.

We long for days when our lives will resume

And all the dark clouds will no longer loom.

Rise up from the shadows of yesterday;

We’re in this together…we’ll find a way.

When the world reopens to a new norm –

We’ll be thankful for weathering the storm.

© RDEnochs Design 2020

Where Have All the Drive-Ins Gone?

Who doesn’t remember summer nights at the drive-in? Who doesn’t remember watching movies under the stars with individual speakers positioned in the car windows? I do, at the Kearney Drive-In Theatre in Kearney, Nebraska. Drive-ins used to be hot spots for outdoor date nights…a place where you could snuggle and make out with a date in your car while watching a romantic movie, not unlike sitting in the balcony of The World Theatre on main street in Kearney. Back in the 70s, spending a weekend night at the local drive-in was also a great place to just hang out for a few hours and socialize…a place where everyone ran into someone they knew, especially at the concession stand while purchasing snacks and drinks.

In the summer of 1974 I remember driving my Ford Fairlane 500 to the Kearney Drive-In with a date to see “The Exorcist.” Horror movies provided the best opportunity to comfort a date or to sneak up on another couple and scare them between trips to the concession stand. I’m pretty sure I frightened at least one carload of unsuspecting moviegoers that night.

My poster of “The Exorcist” being shown at the Kearney Drive-in Theatre

My poster commemorating the 47th anniversary of the film’s release on December 26, 1973

The Kearney Drive-In, which opened in 1950, became a staple of the community for 58 years before it closed in May of 2008 after a tornado damaged the screen. For a long time, the entrance marquee read: “GONE WITH THE WIND.” With no hope of raising funds to repair the screen, it was demolished in July of the same year. So many memories were razed with it.

Flash forward twelve years later…the 2020 coronavirus pandemic has completely changed life as we know it but drive-ins have found a new audience. Safety restrictions have been implemented from state to state…schools and colleges have migrated to online classes, restaurants have stopped in-house dining while still offering pick-up and delivery services, and large group gatherings at museums and indoor movie theaters are no longer allowed as our country struggles to control the virus and develop a vaccine. At the same time, drive-in movie theaters began making a comeback across the country as social distancing became the new norm.

Like many businesses facing the crisis, The World Theatre temporarily closed its doors in March of 2020, but continued to think outside the box by providing curbside concession pickups for those wanting to enhance their movie watching experience at home. Then The World Theatre began thinking about providing a safe venue for moviegoers in spite of the virus. They headed a campaign to fund a temporary pop-up drive-in at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney. The idea was to hang a large screen from a stack of three steel shipping containers so friends and family once again could enjoy a social outing in a safe environment while minimizing the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Voilà: The World Drive-In made its debut on June 18, 2020, with the showing of “Grease.”

My logo design for The World Drive-In as it might appear on a marquee

My poster commemorating the 42nd anniversary of the film’s release on June 16, 1978

“Grease” was a sold-out event. Long gone are the individual speakers hanging in car windows – now audio is transmitted to car radios – but the retro drive-in experience is alive and well in Kearney as The World Drive-In continues to cater to moviegoers with sold-out summer showings of movies including “Grease,” “The Goonies,” “Independence Day,” and “Back to the Future” parts I, II, and III. Leaves me feeling nostalgic for those good old days at the drive-in.