Welcome to the latest BearManor Newsletter! We would like to wish you all a very Happy Holiday Season!

Congratulations to Rob Reynolds who knew that the name of the coffee shop in the hit sitcom Friends, was Central Perk.

This week’s question is: In which film do Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis play a couple determined to skip Christmas?

Please have your answers to me by 1st January 2014 and the first person out of my Mistletoe hat will be the winner. My email is [email protected] Good Luck!!

Chaplin's Vintage Year

CHAPLIN'S VINTAGE YEAR: THE HISTORY OF THE MUTUAL CHAPLIN SPECIALS by Michael J Hayde has been featured on Leonard Maltin's column.

You can read the review here: http://blogs.indiewire.com/leonardmaltin/more-new-and-notable-film-books

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And you can order the book here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=chaplin&product_id=699 News From Down Under The wonderful Koop Kooper, author and BearManor friend, has featured two of our books on his radio show recently:

FROZEN IN ICE: THE STORY OF WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS, 1966-1985 by Mark Arnold

And

AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL PICTURES: THE GOLDEN YEARS by Gary A. Smith

For more information, please visit: www.cocktailnation.net

And you can order the books here:

Frozen in Ice: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=frozen%in%ice&product_i d=695

American International Pictures: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=american%int&product_i d=696

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Cathy (Fitzgibbon) Rudolph Cathy (Fitzgibbon) Rudolph, author of PAUL LYNDE: A BIOGRAPHY - HIS LIFE, HIS LOVE(S) AND HIS LAUGHTER will be doing a book signing at Book Revue in New York, on 18th January 2014 at 7 pm.

Here are all the details you need to know:

BOOK REVUE 313 New York Avenue, Huntington NY 11743

Tel: (631) 271-1442 Fax: (631) 271-5890 Email: [email protected] | Website: http://www.bookrevue.com/CathyRudolph.html

If you are unable to attend the signing, but would like a copy of the book, please head to our website: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=721 Audio Books We have a variety of Audio Books coming out at the moment. Here is all you need to know:

MEL BLANC: THE MAN OF A THOUSAND VOICES (AUDIOBOOK) by Ben Ohmart

Mel Blanc needs no introduction to cartoon and radio fans. He was The Master of the funny voice. For the first time ever, here is the ultimate biography, encompassing Noel Blanc's unpublished biography, with an introduction by Bugs Bunny, plus a complete (and Huge) credit list and discography. Over 700 pages. Indexed.

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You can order the audio here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=725

QUIZMASTER: THE LIFE AND TIMES AND FUN AND GAMES OF BILL CULLEN (AUDIOBOOK) by Adam Nedeff

Question: What do Bob Barker, Dick Clark, Pat Sajak, and Alex Trebek have in common?

Answer: Bill Cullen hosted more game shows than all of them combined. And all of them have referred to Bill as the best game show host of all time.

Quizmaster: The Life & Times & Fun & Games of Bill Cullen is the remarkable story of a “a kid with polio” who became a mechanic, truck driver, photographer, pilot, disc jockey, and the finest master of ceremonies that a game show could ever have.

You can order the audio here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=726

WONDERFUL WORLD OF PERCUSSION: MY LIFE BEHIND BARS (AUDIOBOOK) by Emil Richards with Tom Di Nardo

During a span of 55 years, Emil Richards has been a renowned presence in Hollywood soundstages, recording studios, clubs and international touring venues. Considered a supreme artist on the , and , as well as a master of his world-famous collection of percussion instruments, Richards is renowned throughout the world for his versatility.

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This book’s lifetime of insightful and hilarious experiences include years with and , as well as many anecdotes involving Burt Bacharach, Elvis Presley and , as well as most major recording artists.

Richards’ chronology roughly categories the book’s chapters into decades, with the 1960s mainly involving album recording, television shows in the ‘70s and films in the ‘80s and ‘90s. A parallel career means stories emanating through playing with , , and , as well as Igor Stravinsky and Richards’ own group Calamari.

There are warm recollections of the great film composers, including , , and John Williams, who all collaborated at finding a unique sound at Richards’ warehouse before composing. Salad bowls used in “Planet Of The Apes,” gongs lowered into fluid for space movies and many other unusual sonic effects will flash readers back to decades of favorite movies.

From an astonishing family history and grim days growing up in Hartford, Connecticut, through wild tours with Sinatra to Europe, Japan and Egypt, and visits to the Maharishi in India, Richards’ entertaining, direct style perfectly complements this wealth of inside experiences.

You can order the audio here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=727

HAVE YOU SEEN THE WIND? SELECTED STORIES AND POEMS (AUDIOBOOK) by William F. Nolan

With 75 books and over 300 anthology appearances to his credit, William F. Nolan (author of Logan's Run) is twice winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Special Award. Most recently, he accepted the International Guilds Living Legend Award for 2002.

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This is the first collection of Nolan's horror fiction and verse to share a single volume. Four chilling tales of murder and madness, guns and obsession steam the pages of this haunting book, including "In Real Life," chosen for The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror.

Delve into Nolan's darkest worlds as he assembles tales of an ex-wife claiming revenge from beyond the grave... of an insane mind justifying the murder of his mate through the tall glass of a cold one... of a husband who refuses and refuses and refuses to stay dead. And top it all off with a celebration of this master's widely-praised poems, on topics ranging from Bradbury to Vienna, from Hammett to Hemingway.

You can order the audio here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=728

New Book - ARCHAEOLOGY IN FICTION

We are pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of ARCHAEOLOGY IN FICTION by Dr. Scott Viguié.

Popular fiction is filled with images of archaeologists as daring adventurers who constantly risk life and limb in the pursuit of fabulous antiquities of immense historical and monetary value. There are evil villains, great romances, and unknown perils lurking around every corner. That's the view many people have of archaeology. What is the truth, though, behind the myth and why have the myths persisted for so long? In this book you'll explore:

The fictions surrounding archaeology.

Why we as people love and perpetuate those fictions.

What the truth behind the fiction really is.

Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. Come along and explore both.

Dr. Scott Viguié holds two doctorate degrees and is an archaeologist and an attorney who has done extensive research on myths and their impact on modern archaeology and storytelling. He is routinely a guest at various science fiction and fantasy conventions, where he contrasts the depiction of archaeology in fiction with reality. He is the creator of Dr. Geek's Laboratory of Applied Geekdom, The Science From Fiction Podcast; where the audience is brought closer to those who are attempting to bring about the world of tomorrow.

You can order the book here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=724

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New Book - Making of the Hitch-Hiker MAKING OF THE HITCH-HIKER, ILLUSTRATED, THE by Mary Ann Anderson will be published very soon.

The Hitch-Hiker is regarded as the first American mainstream film Noir directed by a woman. This film parallels a manhunt, for spree killer William Cook, which occupied the Nation's headlines in 1950 with two men who set out on a vacation, wind up as hostages of the hitch-hiker murderer.

This is the 5th picture directed by Ida Lupino and establishes her as a truly competent director.

"To heighten the films suspense, I shot scenes in the claustrophobic confines of the car and to intensify the grit outside on hot, lost barren expanses of the desert." - Ida Lupino

In 1998, The Hitch-Hiker was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.

March 21, 2013 marked the 60th anniversary of the premiere of the original film.

"The movie is notable not only because it's a better-than-average Noir film but because it's one of the first films ever made in Hollywood that was quite clearly based on a killer whose crimes were still fresh in the minds of the film goers." - Allan Grant, Life magazine December 2012.

You can order the book here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=723

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New Book - Soap

Available to pre-order now: SOAP: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE SITCOM THAT BROKE ALL THE RULES by A.S. Berman.

This is the story of two sisters, Jessica Tate and Mary Campbell, and the world that their two families made…

From its tumultuous beginnings in 1977 to its end by firing squad – onscreen and off -- Soap was as passionate and controversial as the times in which it was made. During its four year run, it tackled the subjects of sex, death, depression, infidelity, family and the absurdities of the human condition, all with a wit and gentleness never before seen on American screens. Throughout that time, a vocal minority hounded the sitcom and its parent network, ABC, over its perceived irreverence toward the mores of a declining generation, even as the real world was convulsed by terrorism, energy crises and fallout from the Vietnam conflict and Watergate. Though continued pressures from these groups would bring about an early end to the series, its cast and crew would go on to change the face of American entertainment, earning Soap an enduring place in American culture.

For the first time ever, Soap: The Inside Story of the Sitcom that Broke all the Rules takes you behind the scenes of the making of this classic show, from the producers’ battles with network censors over an earlier series to the creation of enduring story lines such as the death of Peter Campbell and Corinne and Tim’s devil baby. Based on interviews with nearly 30 members of the cast and crew, including creator Susan Harris, Katherine Helmond (Jessica) and directors Jay Sandrich and JD Lobue, Soap: The Inside Story… offers an extensive examination of every episode, and may even finally answer the question of what really led to the series’ premature demise. Confused? You won’t be after reading ‘Soap: The Inside Story of the Sitcom that Broke all the Rules.”

You can pre-order the book here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=722 Todd Tarbox ORSON WELLES AND ROGER HILL: A FRIENDSHIP IN THREE ACTS by Todd Tarbox has been reviewed in Sight & Sound magazine. Please go to our blog, to read the review: www.BearManorBlog.blogspot.com

Please head to our website to order the book: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=todd%tarbox& product_id=634

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New Book - Paul Lynde We are pleased to announce that PAUL LYNDE: A BIOGRAPHY — HIS LIFE, HIS LOVE(S) AND HIS LAUGHTER by Cathy (Fitzgibbon) Rudolph will soon be published.

This book will let you into the heart and soul of Paul Lynde.

Best remembered for outrageous jokes on The Hollywood Squares, as Uncle Arthur from Bewitched, and as the frantic father in Bye Bye Birdie, Paul was never satisfied with his career - or his personal life. But even as he suffered through some of the cruelest of times, Paul continued to make us forget our troubles, and was forever gracious to his fans. This is the book those fans have been waiting for.

Though he was one of the most original, hilarious, and private actor-comedians of all time, author Cathy Rudolph, his trusted friend, reveals her adventures with Paul - along with his turbulent life story. Here for the first time are interviews with his relatives, personal notes, and never-before-published photos. Also included are memories from his friends and peers including Cloris Leachman, Chita Rivera, Florence Henderson, Kaye Ballard, Peter Marshall, Les Roberts, Betty White, and many more.

I've been saying for forty years that Paul Lynde could deliver a punch line better than any other comedian. I look forward to having the book on my library shelf. - Les Roberts, novelist and first producer and head writer of the original Hollywood Squares

You can order the book from our website: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=721 Charles Tranberg

FREDRIC MARCH: A CONSUMMATE ACTOR by Charles Tranberg has been given a lovely review on the following website: http://jjhohn.com/theater-and-drama/fredric-march-consummate-actor-charles-tranberg-reviewed-john-j- hohn/

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When you've read the review, why not head to our website to buy the book... http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=charles%tranberg&produ ct_id=682 News from Greg Ehrbar

Greg Ehrbar has told us that he recently did a feature about FROZEN IN ICE: THE STORY OF WALT DISNEY PRODUCTIONS, 1966-1985 by Mark Arnold.

You can read the article here: http://cartoonresearch.com/index.php/underdog-saves-thanksgiving/#comment-15547

And the book can be bought here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=mark%arnold&product_i d=695

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Also, Greg tells us that the TV Confidential podcast with David Frankham, talking about his book WHICH ONE WAS DAVID? is available on iTunes now.

You can order the book here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=david%frank&product_id =543

To find out more about Greg, please visit the following websites: www.mousetracksonline.com/blog.php www.animationscoop.com www.cartoonresearch.com www.tvconfidential.net

Mel Simons I have just heard from Andrew Fielding, who presents a show on Radio Once More. He has shared the following news with us:

"I wanted to let you know that Mel Simons--who has of course written so many popular BearManor Media books--recently made a return visit to my weekly talk show on "Radio Once More," the Internet radio station. Mel has appeared on the program several times.

We spoke about his recently-published second volume of radio-related trivia--The Old-Time Radio Trivia Book II.

We also spent a lot of time talking about certain legendary entertainers, entertainers Mel knows a great deal about--such as Al Jolson, Jimmy Durante, and Frank Sinatra.

For your reference: the radio station--which presents Old-Time Radio broadcasts and nostalgia-oriented programming--can be heard at this address: www.radiooncemore.com. My program, which began airing in the spring of 2011, is heard Thursday nights from 9 to midnight, Eastern time (although I'll be off for the next few weeks). The station, based in Maryland, went on the air in 2010, and is run by radio veteran Neal Ellis.

Here, too, is Mel's website: www.melsimons.net."

We would like to thank Andrew for keeping us up-to-date with news. You can order Mel's books here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/search&filter_name=mel%20simons

And Andrew's book, 'The Lucky Strike Papers' is here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&filter_name=fielding&product_id=264

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New Audio Book - Vamp 'till Ready We are pleased to announce that VAMP 'TIL READY: , AND THE STORIES OF ENTERTAINMENT LEGENDS by Al Lerner, has been released as an audiobook.

He is a composer, arranger and consummate musician. His repertoire of songs - classical, jazz and show times - have delighted audiences for over five decades. His performances have spanned the globe, accompanying some of the greatest artists of the era and the musical world: Harry James, , Dick Haymes, , , Rosemary Clooney, and Pat Boone! They've all benefited from the talent of the one world-class pianist and conductor, a man for all occasions, who knows how to entertain. He is Al Lerner.

Al Lerner is a musical wonder. For decades, he has been writing and performing songs for people of all ages. His delightful melodies have captured the fancy of music lovers, performing the classic songs people remember: Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, and classic show tunes from Broadway to the movies.

A show business veteran, Al has played in every major concert hall coast-to-coast, and then some. He has entertained at Carnegie Hall and even conducted a Royal Command Performance for the Queen of England. As a composer, he is just as prolific. He is the author of over 200 songs, among them, the closing theme song ("So Until I See You") for Jack Paar's Tonight Show, and for several classic motion pictures.

Today, Al remains ever the showman. He performs at benefits, Big Band concerts, nightclubs and special engagements. He has been a featured act for several major cruise lines; including three Princess cruises, Sitmar, and Royal Viking, and continues to entertain audiences overseas.

For music that entertains. For an evening of entertainment worth repeating, nobody does it like Al Lerner.

This is his book of memories: working with Harry James, Allan Sherman, Martha Tilton, George Gobel, , and everyone else in the music industry.

You can order the audio here: http://www.bearmanormedia.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=720

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We’ve come to the end of the newsletter for this week, but please remember to check out our blog for regular updates: www.BearManorBlog.blogspot.com

If you are a member of the press; own a blog; review books etc. etc. please feel free to get in touch regards interviewing our authors and featuring our books. Also, if you are a reader who has something to say about our books, please get in touch and we will print your review in the newsletter. My email address is: [email protected]

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