Saturday Night Live

“Saturday Night Live” (SNL) celebrated its 35thanniversary this past May, and is now in the 36th season. The live late-night televisionsketch comedy developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol, premiered on NBC in October, 1975, originally under the title “NBC's Saturday Night.” The show became known as “Saturday Night Live,” a year later after an ABC program named “Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell” was cancelled.



George Carlin was the very first host of a show, which has become a cultural phenomenon. The long-running sketch comedy has featured a great number of comedians, many who have gone on to be quite successful. The program has become a parody of cultural and political news, deliberately poking fun at news worthy events. A host always opens the show with a monologue, the SNL band and a musical guest every week. Since its inception, SNL has been in the same night – Saturday – and the same time slot – 11:30pm. On three separate occasions the show was forced by the network to run on a five-second delay; Richard Pryor, Sam Kinison, and Andrew Dice Clay were the host. Although it seems the line, “Live from New York, it’s Saturday night!” has always been a part of the show, this line did not begin until 1982.

The first cast of comedians included: Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, George Coe, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Michael O'Donoghue, and Gilda Radner. They became known as the “Not Ready For Prime Time Players.” SNL is well-known for finding new comedians, many of whom have gone on to become very successful, not only in comedy, but also acting. Chase left the show during the second season and was replaced by comedianBill Murray.Aykroyd and Belushi left the show after season four and went on to become the “Blues Brothers.” Other comedians made famous by the show include: Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Billy Crystal, Martin Short, and Harry Shearer.



My favorite segment of the program has always been the news sketch “Weekend Update,” originally created and anchored by Chase. Many different people have hosted the “Weekend Update,” but my favorite was Dennis Miller from 1985-1991. His sign-off catch phrase was, “That’s the news, and I am outta here!” He would then scribble something on his script and toss it into the air. In May 1976, the students from Harrodsburg High School did an imitation of SNL on the stage at the Old Fort Harrod Amphitheatre for “senior night,” and my husband, Keith did an imitation of “Weekend Update.” He had a desk on stage, where he sat to read the news and he had a lit candle in one of the open drawers. One of his jokes was to set a page from the script on fire and say, “And now breaking news about that fire in Salvisa.”

With the exception of season six through ten, the show has been overseen by its creator and executive producer, Michaels, who is often seen at some point during the show. “Saturday Night Live” is one of the longest-running network television programs in the United States with over 700 episodes during the past 35 years. Many of the show's sketches have been developed into feature films. SNL has received many awards, including 21 Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and three Writers Guild of America Awards. During the recent 2010 Emmy season, SNL received 13 nominations, making history for having the television program with the most Emmy nominations (126) in television history.

To date, Alex Baldwin and Steve Martin have been the host of SNL 15 times each. Comedians, actors, musicians, sports figures, political leaders, even past cast members, have all been the host of SNL. The oldest host has been Betty White, age 88, this past May. The youngest host was Drew Barrymore, age 7 in 1982.

“Gerald Ford Assassination Attempts – 35 years ago”

“Helter Skelter” is a true crime book by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry, which was published in 1974. The book is about the 1969 murders committed by Charlie Manson and his followers, the Manson Family. This Super 70s is about the aftermath of being brain-washed by a cult.



Lynette Alice "Squeaky" Fromme was a member of the Manson Family. She was born in Santa Monica, California; her father was an aeronautical engineer and her mother a homemaker. As a child, Fromme was a performer with the Westchester Lariats, a popular local dance group, which began touring the United States and Europe in the late 1950s. The dance group even appeared on “The Lawrence Welk Show” and performed at the White House. Fromme was in the 1959 touring group.

By 1963, Fromme was into heavy drug and alcohol use and even though her grades were poor, she managed to graduate high school and go on to college, but her college life only lasted two months, before an argument with her father left her homeless.

In 1967, Fromme met Charles Manson in Venice Beach, California. She was suffering from severe depression and he had just been released from federal prison. A unexpected meeting lead to a conversation that would change Fromme’s life forever.

Fast-forward five years to September 5, 1975, according to Fromme (in a later interview) she went to Sacramento's Capitol Park to talk with President Gerald Ford about the plight of the California redwoods. She was dressed in a red robe and armed with a Colt semi-automatic pistol loaded with four bullets. She pointed the gun at Ford, but there was not a bullet in the firing chamber. Secret Service agent, Larry Bender, immediately restrained and handcuffed Fromme. She was able to scream a few sentences to the on-scene cameras, emphasizing that the gun "didn't go off". In a later interview with “The Sacramento Bee,” Fromme said she deliberately ejected the cartridge in her weapon's chamber before leaving home that morning - investigators later found a bullet to fit the gun in her bathroom.



She was convicted of the attempted assassination of President Ford and under a 1965 law was sentenced to life imprisonment for her attempted assassination. She was released from prison in August 2009 after serving only 34 years, but will remain on parole for the rest of her life.

Seventeen days after the first assassination attempt on President Ford, a second attempt was made on September 22, 1975, this time by Sara Jane Moore. Moore was a native of West Virginia, and was a former nursing school student and an accountant. She had married and divorced five times and had four children before she turned to revolutionary politics in 1975.

Moore worked at the organization People in Need (PIN), created by Randolph Hearst to help feed the poor. He is the father of Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) kidnapped victim, Patty Hearst. She was recruited by the FBI to infiltrate certain political groups to collect information.

In early 1975, Moore had been evaluated by the Secret Service and declared not a threat to the President. The day before the attempted assassination, police arrested her by on an illegal handgun charge and the police confiscated her .44 caliber pistol and 113 rounds of pistol ammunition. She was released the same day and immediately went to buy another gun.

When Moore attempted to assassinate President Ford outside the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, she was only about 40 feet away. A bystander, Oliver Sipple, who was a decorated veteran, quickly subdued her but not before she was able to fire a single shot. This bullet hit missed Ford's head by six inches, but slightly injured a taxi driver who was standing inside the hotel.

Moore pleaded guilty to attempted assassination and was sentenced to life in prison. In 1979, Moore escaped from the Alderson Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, West Virginia, but was recaptured only hours later. She spent the remainder of her term at a federal women’s prison in Dublin, California.



On December 31, 2007, at the age of 77, Moore was released from prison on parole after serving 32 years of her life sentence. Ford had died from natural causes on December 26, 2006, one year and five days before her release. During an interview immediately after her release, Moore stated, "I am very glad I did not succeed. I know now that I was wrong to try." But in a 2009 interview with Matt Lauer of NBC’s “Today” she said, "I am glad that I didn't kill [Ford], but I don't regret trying." She will be under supervised parole until 2013.

For more information on Sara Jane Moore, check out Geri Spieler's book "Taking Aim at the President: The Remarkable Story of the Woman Who Shot at Gerald Ford."

Elvis Presley

This Super 70s is dedicated to my Momma, who loved Elvis. Miss you Momma ....

Elvis Presley


Elvis Presley fans will be paying tribute to the 33th anniversary of the “King of Rock and Roll’s” death on August 16. Born January 8, 1935, Elvis was only 42 years old when he died on August 16, 1977.



Elvis began his career in Memphis, Tennessee in 1954 when Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records, wanted to bring “rockabilly” music to a wider audition. Rockabilly was a mixture of country, rhythm and blues with an upbeat tempo. In 1955, RCA Victor bought out Elvis’ contract in a deal made by Colonel Tom Parker, who would go on to manage Elvis’ career for over 20 years.

Elvis’ first RCA single, “Heartbreak Hotel”, was released in January 1956 and was a number one hit. He soon became the face of rock and roll, appearing in a series of network television appearances and more chart-topping records. He made his first movie, “Love Me Tender” was released in November 1956.



In 1958, Elvis was inducted into the U.S. Army at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas. The Army was not prepared for the onslaught of people descending upon Elvis as he stepped off the bus at the Army base. He was soon sent to Fort Hood, Texas to begin his basic training. In August, Elvis received word his mother had been diagnosed with hepatitis, and he was granted an emergency leave to visit her. She died on August 14 from heart failure – she was only 46 years old. Elvis took her passing very hard because he had always been close to his mother.

In October 1958, Elvis joined the 3rd Armored Division in Friedberg, Germany. It was here that he first met 14-year old Priscilla Beaulieu. After a seven and a half year romance, they finally married.


Elvis returned to the United States in March, 1960, and was honorably discharged with the rank of sergeant. Once back in Memphis, Elvis jumped right into the recording studio. Sessions in March and April produced two of his best-selling singles, the ballads “It’s Now or Never” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”



From 1960 to 1967, Colonel Parker pushed Elvis more in the direction of movie making than producing albums. “G.I. Blues” was the first movie Elvis made after leaving the Army and the soundtrack album went to number one. Of Elvis’ movies in the 1960s, 15 were accompanied by bestselling soundtrack albums.

Elvis’ only child, Lisa Marie, was born in February, 1968. This was during a period of his life when he was very depressed and unhappy with his career. Singles released between January 1967 and May 1968 never made it past 40 on the top chart lists and his album “Speedway” never made it past number 82.


Elvis and his young wife were having increasing martial problems and eventually separated in February, 1972. In January 1973, Elvis performed the groundbreaking TV special, “Aloha from Hawaii.” “Aloha from Hawaii” was the first global concert satellite broadcast, reaching approximately 1.5 billion viewers live and on tape delay. His elaborate concert costumers were so elaborate, that Kentucky author Bobbie Ann Mason is quoted as saying, “At the end of the show, when he spreads out his American Eagle cap, with the full stretched wings of the eagle studded on the back, he becomes a god figure.” The accompanying double album was released the next month and went straight to number one, eventually selling over 5 million copies in the United States.

After his divorce, Elvis became heavily dependent on barbiturates, resulting in several hospital admissions. He began missing concerts and many times when he did appear on stage, he was incoherent and kept his performances short.



Elvis was scheduled to fly out of Memphis on the evening of August 16, 1977, to start another tour, but that afternoon he was discovered unresponsive on his bathroom floor. All attempts to revive him failed, and he was officially pronounced dead at 3:30 pm at Baptist Memorial Hospital. President Jimmy Carter issued a statement that credited Presley with having "permanently changed the face of American popular culture".

During his recording career, Elvis made a total of 20 number one albums and 37 number one singles. He was always my Momma’s favorite singer and she loved collecting anything that had to do with Elvis.

This Super 70s is dedicated to you, Momma.

The Super 70s - Jim Morrison

James Douglas "Jim" Morrison was an American singer, songwriter, poet, writer and filmmaker born on December 8, 1943. He was best known as the lead singer and lyricist of “The Doors.” He was also the author of two volumes poetry, self-published in 1969, “The Lords / Notes on Vision” and “The New Creatures” (one of my personal favorites), as well as the director of a documentary and short film – “HWY: An American Pastoral” (1969) and “A Feast of Friends” (1970). Although Morrison was known for his baritone vocals, many fans, scholars, and journalists have discussed his theatrical stage persona, his self-destructiveness, and his work as a poet. He was ranked number 47 on Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Singers of All Time".

“The Doors” took their name from the title of Aldous Huxley's “The Doors of Perception,” and Huxley's own title was a quotation from William Blake's “The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.” Blake wrote, "If the doors of perception were cleansed everything would appear to man as it is, infinite."



In June 1966, Morrison and “The Doors” were the opening act at the Whisky a Go Go, a nightclub in West Hollywood, California, during the last week of the residency of Van Morrison's band “Them.” Van's influence on Morrison’s developing stage performance was very evident and he learned quickly from his namesake's stagecraft - his apparent recklessness, his air of subdued menace, the way he would improvise poetry to a rock beat, even his habit of crouching down by the bass drum during instrumental breaks.

“The Doors” achieved national recognition when they signed with Elektra Records in 1967. The single "Light My Fire" reached number one on the Billboard Pop Singles chart. Just as “The Beatles” had done earlier, “The Doors” appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Sullivan requested two songs from “The Doors,” “People Are Strange” and “Light My Fire.” The censors insisted that they change the lyrics of “Light My Fire” from “… Girl we couldn't get much higher …” to “… Girl we couldn't get much finer …” This was reportedly done because the censors thought the original lyrics referred to drugs. Giving assurances of compliance to Sullivan, Morrison – ever the rebel - then proceeded to sing the song with the original lyrics anyway. He later claimed he had simply forgotten to make the change, but Sullivan was so mad, he refused to shake Morrison’s hand and “The Doors” were never invited back to the show.

Morrison met his long-term companion, Pamela Courson many years before he gained any fame or fortune, and she was the main influence for Morrison writing poetry. At times, Courson used the surname "Morrison" - with his consent - and after Courson's death in 1974 the probate court in California decided she and Morrison qualified as “common law marriage partners.”

In March 1971, Morrison and Courson flew to Paris and took up residence in a rented apartment, and went for long walks through the city to admire the city's architecture. It was in Paris where Morrison produced his last studio recording with two American street musicians. This session was dismissed by Ray Manzarek - co-founder and keyboardist of “The Doors” - as "drunken gibberish". The session included a version of a song-in-progress, "Orange County Suite", which can be heard on the bootleg, “The Lost Paris Tapes.”

Morrison died on July 3, 1971, 39 years ago this month. The official report of his death stated he was found in his Paris apartment bathtub by Courson. Pursuant to French law, no autopsy was performed because the medical examiner claimed to have found no evidence of foul play. The absence of an official autopsy has left many questions regarding Morrison's cause of death.


One of my favorite quotes from a poem out of “The New Creatures:”

Resident Mockery Give Us An Hour For Magic

“… You've seen your birth, your
life and death; you might recall
all of the rest — (did you
have a good world when you
died?) — enough to base
a movie on?”

Super 70s - Garfield the Cat

Since I was a little girl, I have loved comic books – “Planet of the Apes,” “Wonder Woman,” “Cat Woman” and “Iron Man” were my favorites. As I’ve grown older, I still enjoy comics, only in the form of graphic novels. It seems like everywhere you turn today, another bestselling book is being turned into a graphic novel – “Twilight,” “The Stand,” “The Gunslinger,” “The Vampire Lestat” and “Anita Blake Vampire Hunter.”

One of mine and Christine’s favorite comics is “Garfield,” that fat orange cat with a huge appetite for lasagna. This month marks the 32nd anniversary of the first “Garfield” comic strip. Created by Jim Davis - Garfield is named after Davis’s grandfather – “Garfield” debuted on June 19, 1978, and chronicles the life of the feisty cat; his owner, Jon Arbuckle; and Arbuckle’s dog, Odie.

As of 2007, the “Garfield” comic strip is syndicated in over 2,580 newspapers and journals and holds the Guinness World Record for being the world’s most widely syndicated comic strip.

Garfield has such mass appeal, that the characters have leaped off the newspaper print and into other arenas of media. From 1982 to 1991, 12 primetime “Garfield” cartoon specials and one hour-long primetime documentary were marketed to television audiences. For seven seasons, from 1988 to 1994, a television cartoon show – “Garfield and Friends” – was popular with the under 12 years old crowd. Garfield also entered the world of video games in 1987 with “Garfield: Big Fat Hairy Deal.” There are two Garfield movies: “Garfield: The Move” (2004) and “Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties” (2006). Although neither of these movies were major successes, they have developed a DVD following by many children – and some adults.

Currently, there are 50 “pure” Garfield books on the market, with the 51st one due out in 2011. I call these books pure because they contain reprints of the comic as it appears in newspapers daily, so if you missed a few papers, this is the perfect place to get your laughs. Beginning in 2001, “The Garfield Classics” imprint was introduced. These are reprints of earlier Garfield books in a “remastered” format with increased page size, bolder lines, and each strip in full-color format. The 20th “new” book was just released this past April and two more are scheduled for release next month. This is by no means is this the limit of the Garfield books on the market. There are children’s picture books, early reader books, new graphic novels and television series adaptations.


As a kid at heart, Garfield just makes me laugh. My favorite Garfield quote from “Garfield At Large: His First Book” (1980):

“I’m not overweight; I’m undertall!”

Here’s to 32 more years of enjoyable comics.

Triple Crown Winners

You can't be a true Kentuckian and not love the Kentucky Derby. As a child, I had “Derby Fever” just like everyone else, even if I know nothing about horses. I did some horseback riding with my good friend, Lisa Lewis, in the mid-1970s and had lots of fun, but it has been years since I've been on a horse.

I always said I wanted to go to the Kentucky Derby one time in my life, and that one time has come and gone. Because the Derby calls for all day media coverage, my hubby always has to work on Derby Day, so in 1998, I was able to make an appearance at the Derby. I enjoyed the experience, but I don't want to be in that large of a crowd again.

The Kentucky Derby is the first leg of the Triple Crown Races, with the other two races being the Preakness and the Belmont. It is a very special three-year-old who can win all three of these golden races. The 1970s could be called the golden decade of horse racing because it produced three triple-crown winners - 1973 Secretariat, 1977 Seattle Slew, and 1978 Affirmed.

Secretariat on the cover of Sports Illustrated

In 1973, Secretariat became the first Triple Crown champion in 25 years, setting new race records in two of the three races – the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes – and those records still stand today.

Nicknamed "Big Red," Secretariat stood approximately 16 hands and 2 inches in his racing prime. Altogether, Secretariat won 16 of his 21 career races. When he was retired to stud, Secretariat sired as many as 600 foals. In the fall of 1989, Secretariat was afflicted with laminitis and euthanized on October 4 at the age of 19.
He is buried at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky, and was given the rare honor of being buried whole; usually only the head, heart and hooves of a winning race horse are buried, the rest cremated.

Seattle Slew on the cover of Sports Illustrated

In 1977, Seattle Slew was the favorite in the Kentucky Derby. He was a speed horse who normally broke well and went right to the lead, but in the Derby, he had problems in the beginning and it took some time for him to gain the lead. Seattle Slew was able to pull off a win by 1¾ lengths. Seattle Slew became the first undefeated Triple Crown winner.

During his retirement, Seattle Slew stood in stud at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky and is the only Belmont Stakes winner to sire a Belmont winner, A. P. Indy, who in turn sired a Belmont winner, Rags to Riches. When he was 28 years old, and on the 25th anniversary of his Kentucky Derby win, Seattle Slew died in his sleep; he is buried at Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington.

Affirmed on the cover of Sports Illustrated

Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978. He was the great-great-grandson of Triple Crown winner War Admiral through damsire Crafty Admiral, and thereby the great-great-great grandson of Man o' War who won two of the three Triple Crown races himself. Affirmed is also known for his famous rivalry with Alydar, whom he met ten times, including in all three Triple Crown races, and who became the first racehorse to finish second in all three Triple Crown races.

As a stud horse, Affirmed sired over 80 stakes winners and 9 champions and was the second Triple Crown winner to sire a second generation Triple Crown champion. In 2001, Affirmed developed laminitis, just like Secretariat, and had to be euthanized.

As an interesting side note, all three of these great horses had the honor of gracing the cover of “Sports Illustrated.”

EARTH DAY

Earth Day was founded to help inspire awareness of the Earth's environment. The first Earth Day in the United States was April 22, 1970, so this year will mark the 40th anniversary. This year, a project called Earth Day 40 will give people, corporations and governments the opportunity to join together and create a global green economy.



Founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (D) of Wisconsin, approximately 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day, marking the beginning of the modern environmental movement. Senator Nelson conceived the idea for Earth Day after viewing a horrible oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara in late 1969. He credits the success of the first Earth Day activities to a powerful grassroots effort that swept through the country. The main goal of the movement was to provide a healthy, clean environment for future generations.

Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of environmental resources. Some of these protest were against oil spills, factory and power plant pollution, raw sewage, toxic dumps, dangerous pesticides and the extinction of wildlife.

Earth Day is now observed in over 175 countries and is coordinated by the nonprofit group, Earth Day Network. According to the Earth Day Network, more than a half billion people participate in some form of Earth Day activity every year.

Today, many cities extend the Earth Day celebration into an entire week of events, usually starting on April 16 and ending on Earth Day, April 22. All of the events are designed to highlight environmentally aware behaviors, such as recycling, reducing and reusing – the main mantra for most recycling efforts.

Earth Day 1970 achieved rare political ramifications by enlisting support from Republicans and Democrats, but it also united rich and poor, city dwellers and farmers, and big business and labor leaders. The first Earth Day also led to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species acts.



As we approach the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the world is in greater danger than ever, but there is still opportunity to build a new future. Earth Day has the power to bring about historic advances in climate policy, renewable energy and green jobs. An offshoot of Earth Day 40 is “A Billion Acts of Green™” - an act for people to create change by taking small steps in their own homes, schools and businesses. These small steps add up to an enormous change in the environment.

Earth Day 40 is a great time for people corporations and governments to join together and create a global green economy. If you can't join a local group, just think about making small changes in your own life. Plant trees and shrubs in your yard to help decrease air pollution, buy “green” products or products in “green” packages to help decrease waste, and recycle as much as possible. It is up to our generation to help save the Earth for future generations.

This Earth Day our family is starting a new tradition – planting a tree for a family member. Our first tree – an Oak – will be planted in honor of our impending first grandchild. Although my granddaughter isn't due until June, our “Devon Oak” will soon be gracing the yard.

Wonderful World of Disney

Although the “Wonderful World of Disney” premiered in 1954, the television series was going strong in the 1970s and was a time slot for great family films on the weekends. I can remember my family gathering around the television set on Sunday evenings to enjoy the weekly installment of Disney features. Originally hosted by Walt Disney himself, the series presented all types of programing from the studio library, including animated cartoons, documentaries, and educational shorts. Because Walt Disney was such an iconic figure for the Disney Studios, after his death in 1966, the decision was made to drop the hosting segment from the weekly series.

During its heyday, the key to succes for “Wonderful World of Disney” was the variety of programing. The show was continually changing its image to provide fresh, multi-cultural entertainment. I always enjoyed the colorful opening sequence of the show with flashes of different programs and then Tinkerbell tapping her wand on top of the castle. I will always have a fondness in my heart for Tinkerbell.



I can still remember in 1976 when Disney showed the 1961 film “The Parent Trap” on television for the first time, as a two-hour special. I was 13 years old and fascinated by identical twins, I think mainly because my dad has a twin sister. I couldn’t figure out how the film was made using only one girl, Hayley Mills, to play both twins; to me, it was like magic. Of course, in today’s movie world, CGI is a mainstay of productions, but when this film was made, it relied on changing camera angles and splicing films segments to achieve the right look.

Because of falling ratings and stiff competition from “60 Minutes,” the name of the show was changed to “Disney's Wonderful World” in 1979. Eventually, the NBC network canceled the show in 1982, but it did not stay out of the public eye for long. The CBS network picked up the show and changed the time slot to Saturday nights. These changes only kept the series in production for a few years before it was canceled yet again.

Then, in 1983, Walt Disney Productions and Westinghouse Broadcasting launched The Disney Channel, a cable network created to showcase the large library of Disney cartoons, movies, and TV shows. For the first time in television history, there was one cable network to view all things Disney.

In 1986, the Disney studio underwent a change in management and the series was revived on ABC, with new CEO Michael Eisner hosting. His presence couldn't compare with Walt Disney’s and the show moved again to NBC in 1988 before ending in 1990. The series was revived again on ABC in 1997 after Disney purchased ABC where it ran on Sundays until 2003.

For more information on this Disney classic series, check out the book “The Wonderful World of Disney Television” by Bill Cotter.

Stephen King

I have been an avid reader for most of my life. I can remember spending many hours at the library picking out new adventures to read, both the school libraries and the public library. I was also a library assistant during elementary school and on into high school, loving the fact I had first hand knowledge of all new books the library received.

I can vividly remember the first Stephen King book I read. It was "Carrie" and the book was published in 1974; I was 12 years old. Although I enjoyed the book very much, it would be the publication of "'Salem's Lot" in 1975 before I became hooked on King's horror books. "'Salem's Lot," originally titled, "Jerusalem's Lot," was a great book and it began a resurgence of my fascination with vampires. Where Barnabas Collins was a sympathetic vampire, much like the "Twilight" vampires in current pop culture, Kurt Barlow was a vampire in true Dracula form. "'Salem's Lot" was the first book I couldn't read at night because it scared the bejezzus out of me!

Many people feel the 1970s was the greatest decade for Stephen King, and I must admit many of my favorites were written during this time. My very favorite is "The Stand," first published in 1978 in an edited form demanded by his publisher, then re-released in 1990 with 350+ original pages reinserted. This latter form has become my favorite.



Other classic works by King from the 1970s include: "The Shining", "Night Shift", and "The Dead Zone." He also release several short stories under the pen name of Richard Bachman: "Rage" and "The Long Walk." I can still remember reading "Rage" and thinking to myself, "This guys writes like Stephen King." It would be several years later before I realized this was actually King's work.

King also had many bestsellers during the 1980s: "Firestarter," "Cujo," "Christine," "Pet Cemetery," "Misery," and "It." I think my favorite works from the 80s were the beginning of "The Dark Tower" series. The first book "The Gunslinger" was released in 1982, the same year my first daughter was born. This story centers around "the gunslinger", who has been chasing after his adversary, "the man in black", for many years and follows the gunslinger's quest in search of the man. It would take King until 2004 to finish the 7th book in this long running series. Not a true work of horror, "The Dark Tower" series has more of a science-fiction/cowboy feel to it, but it is still written in true King fashion.

Recently, King has entered the fast growing world of graphic novels. His current works transformed into this media include "The Dark Tower," "The Talisman," and "The Stand." His newest addition to the graphic novel line is "N" and will be released next month. "N" is a short story that appeared in the short story collection "Just After Sunset" in 2008.

King is still hard at work writing, with his newest release, "Under the Dome," hitting the bestsellers list this past fall. His next book will be the short story collection, "The Secretary of Dreams," to be released sometime in 2010. This year will mark 37 years of horror books by Stephen King, and he still remains one of my favorite writers.

All My Children

All My Children (AMC) turns 40 this year with plenty of anniversary surprises. AMC is a soap opera that has been broadcast Monday through Friday on the ABC TV network since January 5, 1970. Created by Agnes Nixon, the show is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. Since its inception, the show has featured Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most popular characters.

When Nixon developed the soap opera, she wanted something that was topical, everyday life and would also illustrate social issues combined with humor. To keep the action more real, she allowed the audience to locate her fictional "Pine Valley" on a map: situated just outside of Philadelphia, it was a mere hour-long train ride from New York City.

From 1970 and into the 1980s, the show was either written by Nixon herself or by her protégé, Wisner Washam. Washam was groomed by Nixon to take the reins in the 1980s while she focused on other endeavors.

Many of the shows first characters have become endearing legends in television history. One of my favorite characters was the “Queen of Pine Valley” herself, Phoebe Tyler, played by Ruth Warrick. She started out as a rich snob, but turned into a prestigious member of the community. Another favorite was Mona Kane, played by Frances Heflin, was a single mother to her prima donna daughter, Erica, who has always been played by Susan Lucci. To balance out these over-the-top characters, there was the stable Martin Family, headed by patriarch Joe – always played by Ray MacDonnell - and his wife, Ruth - played now by Lee Meriwether. Although the Martin’s have several son’s, it is their adoptive son, Tad the Cad – played currently by Michael E. Knight – who has always been my favorite.

Erica Kane at her first wedding

Since the inception of the Daytime Emmy Awards in 1972, AMC and its performers have been nominated in excess of 250 times. One of the most elusive winners of an individual acting award was the character of Erica Kane. Finally in 1999, after being nominated 19 times in a row as "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series," Susan Lucci finally had her day in the sun. She was greeted with a standing ovation when her name was called as the year’s winner.

Although I did not start watching this show from the beginning, after all I was only 7 years old when it premiered, I must admit I played hooky from school many times as a teenager to watch certain episodes of this soap opera. Since the addition of VCR into our lives, and now the DVR, I have missed very few episodes since 1984. AMC remains my guilty afternoon obsession and I run home from work every afternoon to unwind with all my friends in Pine Valley.

Here’s to another 40 years of All My Children.

Some of the current cast of AMC