Friday, October 31, 2008

THE HALLOWEEN COUNTDOWN IS OVER


Thanks to everyone who took the time to stop by and look around during Neato Coolville's third Halloween countdown. After a busy month of posts and a new record of 350 kids at our front door for trick or treating tonight, I'm going to collaspe and watch some horror movies. The mayor will be taking a break and organize the big after Halloween clean-up. The streets are kind of a mess.


Also, thanks goes to Major Pepperidge, John Rozum, Richie, Glenda Campbell, Jeff, Scary Larry, Whit and Tim who helped with contributions to the countdown. If I'm missing anyone, well thanks to you too!

HAVE A KEEN HALLOWEEN!

SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU?


That's my nephew in a 1970's time warp wearing a vintage Scooby-Doo Halloween costume and holding a vintage Hanna-Barbera trick or treat bag. I took the photo just a few weeks ago.

DARTH DAVID & STORMTROOPER STEVE 1978


The force is strong with these two trick or treaters and I'm sure they got a huge haul of candy back in 1978. They probably got so much sweets that they're basketball shaped pumpkin buckets bursted.

You know, Stormtrooper Steve is looking sporty in his blue trunks and Darth David looks to be prepared for a long trek of candy hunting in his brand new Addidas.

Naturally this is my favorite Halloween slide sent in by Major Pepperidge. If you want to see more Star Wars Halloween photos travel over to the flickr group Growing Up Star Wars. If you have some of your own then add 'em to the group. You must join flickr and then the GUSW group first and it's free.

Also, everyone give the good Major a round of applause for sharing some of his slides with us and be sure to visit his amazing Disneyland blog, Gorillas Don't Blog!

HALLOWEEN IS DYNAMITE


This was taken from Dynamite Magazine #76.

ILLUSTRATED JACKS #11


This last Jack comes from Oct. 1972 Children's Playmate Magazine and illustrated by Earl Handy.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

THE TELEVISION POLTERGEIST


One word sums up this 1986 (the year Poltergeist II came out) slide that Major Pepperidge sent in and that word is SPOOKY!

Unlike my fake Photoshop ghost photos that I posted on Weird Hollow, this slide has been untouched. No Photoshop, no tricks and no tomfoolery as it’s just like the Major found it. It looks like a ghost is springing out of that television set. Click on the above photo for a closer look.

My first thought was that the photographer moved a bit as he snapped the photo. Only thing you would think that the rest of the photo should be a bit off and blurry.

Could this be the ghost of the man’s photo that sits atop the TV set?


I don’t think so, because when you take a closer look, you can make out that our ghost is merely the local weatherman's map. You can see multiple Hs and Ls (highs and lows) along with those jet stream swirly things.


Still, I can’t explain how and why this “glitch” happened and who knows maybe it really is a poltergeist caught on camera.

SPOOKY!

1971 BRACHS HALLOWEEN CANDY AD


ILLUSTRATED JACKS #10


I guess this Jack is the King of all Jack O'Lanterns. From the book Space Witch with art by Don Freeman.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

COUNT, FRANK & BOO INVADE STORES THIS HALLOWEEN

My pal Scary Larry owns this swell 1987 General Mills sales folder for the Monster Cereals and since I wasn’t able to trade him out of it, he was nice enough to let me share the images.



Tuesday, October 28, 2008

LITTLE TONTO LOOKS FOR HIS KEMO SABE


First he saw two masked trick or treaters and he asked, "Are you my Kemo Sabe?” “No, we are not,” said the trick or treaters. They asked Little Tonto, “Would you like to go trick or treating with us? We’ll let you have one of our snazzy Cracker Jack trick or treat bags.”


“No thank you. I need to find my Kemo Sabe,” said Little Tonto. So Little Tonto went on his way in search of his Kemo Sabe.


Next, he entered a room with another masked trick or treater who was wearing a big hat. Little Tonto asked, “Are you my Kemo Sabe?” The big hat trick or treater said, “No, I’m not. But, if you see my pal Cisco, tell him I’m looking for him.”


Before Little Tonto left the room he was given some candy shrimp to eat by a faceless grown-up.

By now Little Tonto was worried that he wasn’t going to find his Kemo Sabe before Halloween was over. After eating the candy shrimp he decided he better go to the bathroom and brush his teeth. Afterwards he would carry on looking for his Kemo Sabe.

Before he could brush his teeth he was mesmerized by the keen fish curtains that hung on the wall.


As underwater designs danced in his head, something grabbed him from behind.


Scared, he looked into the mirror to discover that the monster that snatched him up turned out to be his daddy. At last Little Tonto finally found his Kemo Sabe.

Thanks again to Major Pepperidge for supplying some more amazing Halloween slides. This set is from the 1950's

Monday, October 27, 2008

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN TRICK OR TREAT BUCKET



Forget the Jack O’Lantern buckets, skip the trick or treat bags and ditch those tacky pillow cases ‘cause I’m going trick or treating with my vintage 1980's Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket!

Now I just need to make myself a Colonel Sanders costume.


I can picture some little trick or treater holding out this Kentucky Fried Chicken bucket and instead of candy they get a bunch of greasy fried chicken! It's finger lickin' good!

LAMEST HALLOWEEN COSTUME EVER


This cover from the Oct. 1954 issue of Kitchen-Klatter Magazine cracks me up!

ILLUSTRATED JACKS #9


This pipe smoking Jack is my favorite Illustrated Jack during the countdown. It comes from the 1971 Whitman Happy Helper Preschool Read-Color-Play workbook. Illustrated by Ruth Ruhman.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

TRICK OR TREATING WAS FUN IN THE FIFTIES

Neato reader, Glenda Cambpell emailed me these Halloween snaps of her husband in his Halloween costumes back when he was kid. The first one is from 1953, the second is from 1954 and my favorite a classic cardboard robot costume from 1955.




Thanks a bunch Glenda for sharing these swell snaps with all the neato readers out there.

1950'S BEN COOPER BOX ART MASKS









These scans were taken from an old Ben Cooper Halloween costume box from the 1950's. The last mask is for all of you Donnie Darko fans out there.

ILLUSTRATED JACKS #8


Wow, you get three Jacks for the price of one! Taken from the 1971 Whitman Happy Helper Preschool Read-Color-Play workbook. Ilustrated by Ruth Ruhman

Thursday, October 23, 2008

DON'T FORGET TO WATCH VLAD'S SHOW- ASK VLAD


Be sure to catch KRYP-TV's Ask Vlad Show over on Weird Hollow. You'll have a bloody good time!

1959 GOOD HOUSEKEEPING PUMPKIN COSTUME



I hope this kid didn't get knocked over because I don't think he would've been able to get back up. Click on the clippings to view larger.

ILLUSTRATED JACKS #6


This Jack comes from a 1948 Cracker Jack comic book ad. Artist unknown. See the full sized ad by clicking here.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

JEFF'S SPOOKY FRONT YARD


My old pal Jeff has always been a talented prop guy and every Halloween he turns his front lawn into something spooky.


This year he made a coffin car prop, which is very cool!



Here's a short grainy video clip of one of Jeff's early homemade props. It's a mummy that he made back in 1987 when we were in high school.