We have a remarkable ability to see patterns where there are none, to see pictures in clouds, smoke, and rocks.  We’re particularly prone to see faces, perhaps because facial recognition is such an important survival skill.

“Images d’Epinal,” an old French firm that provided popular prints for generations, has long published pictures with hidden images, especially faces.  One of the curious effects of these pictures is that our pareidolia kicks in, and we see more faces than the artist intended.  To solve the puzzle, we have to pick the most convincing one.  I can only assume that this develops skills that will increase our enjoyment of blobsquatch photos, miraculous images of Biblical personalities, Shaver rocks, huge sculptures on Mars, and other works of art.

Dolmens, in the time of the Celts, were the altars where the Druids officiated.  Find the Druid?

Seek and you shall find!  I hear the Genie of the forest menacing me.  I am afraid!  Where is he?  For, without seeing him, I don’t know which way to run.

Seek and you shall find!  Where are the six comedians?

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

Parker Brothers published “The Game of States and Cities” in 1946.  Each card shows one of the states; and players compete to “Name the State.”  For some reason, the cards all have one corner cut; perhaps to make them look less like Colorado.  I must admit that Michigan doesn’t look quite right to me here.

The other side has six questions about the state; these allow you to play another game, “Questions and Answers.”

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

Anthology Film Archives will show some of the videos I made with Michael Smith, on Monday, November 14, at 7 pm.  We’re part of a series about comedy; videos by Eric Bogosian will also be on the bill.

I’ve been working lately at the Public Theater, as Ukulele Coach for their production of “King Lear,”  now in previews.  My old colleague Bill Irwin is cast as the Fool, and a pocket uke is involved.  Do pay a visit and soak up some Shakespeare.

Starting November 11, I’ll be starting the next round of classes in Uke 1 and Uke 2 at the exemplary Jalopy Theater.  Each course is eight weeks.  I’ll also be offering eight weeks of music fundamentals, under the title of “Nuts and Bolts,” starting November 10.  If you enroll in any of these, you’ll learn things. And I’ll mark my birthday there as well, with a show on January 7; details will follow, probably.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

This horror movie themed deck carries no date or publisher; a sticker identifies it, though, as distributed by “Oriental Trading Co.”  It’s a standard 52-card deck, but the suits are cartoony versions of Frankenstein, Dracula, a mummy, and a witch.  The unusual shape is dictated by the reverse, which shows a haunted house.  For good measure, the box is also molded into this shape.  What would Mary Shelley have thought of this?

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

The “Little Blue Books” were published by Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, of Girard, Kansas, from about 1919 to 1947.  They were small, cheaply made, and sold for a nickel or dime.  The covers were originally blue, but other colors were pressed into service if the card stock was cheaper.  By the time the company crumbled, they had released over 2000 titles.

There were Little Blue Books on every possible subject: short stories, poetry, plays, literary essays, recipes, how-to books, biographies, histories.  Haldeman-Julius had a distinctly progressive agenda; and printed many titles on socialism, atheism, evolution, contraception, and civil rights.

I have a particular fondness for those about NYC.  Many sprang from the industrious Clement Wood, who also, in the course of his career, produced poetry, song lyrics, smutty stories, advice columns, a sequel to Tom Sawyer, and a rhyming dictionary.

This title (1926) is a bit misleading: it’s mostly about the ethnic neighborhoods, with a particular emphasis on debunking ethnic stereotypes.  Among other things, we learn about wine-making in Little Italy during prohibition.

This one (also from 1926), unfortunately, doesn’t stint on the stereotypes.  It’s a bit of a hodgepodge, with descriptions of shops and restaurants, light verse about Chinatown (a ditty in praise of chop suey, for example), and three pulpy short stories set in the area.

Wood pulls out the stops on this one (1926, too), with seamy tales of scandals, swindles, seductions, prostitution, and other compelling subjects along Broadway.

A miscellany of jokes and light verse, much of it spicy for 1927, some of it about New York, some of it about the theater, most of it jokebook boilerplate.  There is also some rather snarky mockery of rival poets Maxwell Bodenheim and Eli Siegel.

And, of course, two dissertations on Wood’s own neighborhood, then in its full flower of Bohemia: the first from 1926, the second from 1929.  Free love!  Poetry!  Strip poker!  Bobby Edwards!  Anarchists!

I believe this is the Samuel Marx who went on to a busy career in Hollywood.  There is much 1929 scandal here, including the antics of Peggy Hopkins Joyce, Mae West, Fanny Brice, and several anonymous chorus girls.

Wallace Thurman was a prominent (although short-lived) contributor to the Harlem Renaissance.  His pamphlet is a fascinating look at Harlem in 1927: the clientele at different churches and theaters, the ownership of businesses, the tension with the West Indian community, and much more.

In 1929, Straton was the outspoken minister at Calvary Baptist Church; and is here ridiculed for his pulpit-thumping against social dancing, evolution, coffee, tobacco, ice cream, theater, and other Baptist bugaboos.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

Here’s another “Old Maid”: our 25th, if you’re counting (I just did).  It was published in 1985, by Hoyle Products.  I’m presenting Artie here, suspecting he may be a self-portrait by the anonymous artiste.  And here’s the Old Maid.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

People like strange things; and publishers in the ’50s and ’60s were happy to provide an apparently endless string of strange paperbacks.  Some of the following are reprints from Fate magazine; some are from Ace Books’ “Strange Facts” series.  Many seem to have had the same cover design (please click for enlargements).  For less than a dollar, you could feast upon strangeness.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

The Jalopy Theater has kindly given us the space to watch a few of George Kuchar’s videos, and to remember him.  We’re doing this without much notice, and quite informally, and without charging admission.  We’ll be there, at 315 Columbia Street, in Brooklyn, this Sunday, October 2, at 2 pm.  Join us if you can.  Instructions to Jalopy are here.

The above photo was taken by John Keel when George was shooting Secrets of the Shadow World.  Below is another Keel photo: that’s George, me, and Dr. Mamie Caton.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

A sad and surprising piece of news was reported in the Kokomo Daily Tribune, October 21, 1926.  Bobby Edwards, the avatar of Bohemia, got a job.  I only hope it didn’t last.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)

“The House That Jack Built” has long been a dependable bit of children’s entertainment. It’s also been the basis for a number of games, including this one. There’s no date to be found, but it looks to be from sometime around 1900. I like the cat’s quizzical expression and dignified posture: somewhat cartoony, but not too anthropomorphized. And the colors are dashing.

(Posted by Doug Skinner)