My niece just sent me an image about which I'd nearly forgotten, but I am so glad to have it back, now in digital-forever form; how could I not display it proudly here at the pub?
Yes. My parents, dressed for their big costume party just a few days before Hallowe'en, 1969 (you can read my sister Julie's memories of that night in the Comments section).Look at them. How could I not turn out the way I did?
(Note to family: Dad was only a year older than Jules, and Mom was younger than Betsy!)
I remember, as a child, seeing this picture often in our photo albums and thinking how weird it was to see Dad wearing a costume (I was only a year and some months old when this was taken, so I have no recollection of it at all). He wasn't a boring man (far from it) but he wasn't a costume kinda fellow.
As to how my Mom looks here?
Who would have thought that Lily Munster looked anything like Phyllis Diller (or that either of them looked anything like my mother!)? Still, I always see a bit of them, and a little Betty White (who does remind me of Mom) when I see this image.
I flashed on this picture some years ago when, during a Google pursuit of B-list actresses of the 50's and 60's, I found this image of Susan Cabot:
The difference is mainly that Mom meant it to be scary; I'm pretty certain the tragic Ms. Cabot was oblivious.Another major difference is that I'm fairly certain the picture of Susan Cabot with her arm around my Hunchback'ed Dad's shoulders does not exist.
At any rate THANK YOU Miss Manderoony for the picture!
Spending some serious quality Hallowe'en time tomorrow (very excited!) so more prop pics soon.
Fang! --
Mom and Dad had a HUGE Halloween party in our just-finished Braemar house. All of the family came (even Uncle Jack and Aunt Helga) - and this is when Uncle Mahlon famously walked up Tarrybrae Terrace dressed as Lawrence Welk/Hitler. We were brand new to the neighborhood, and I'm pretty sure this set the tone for the next few years. Keep in mind we were the only house with colored lights at Christmas... not just blue and white.
ReplyDeleteI remember driving with Mom and Carrie to find orange light bulbs and Dad's creepy eye thing. The purple gauzy dress was one of 4 that were real dresses used on the show that season, and I think we all wore them at some point until they all fell apart. It was the one and only time I bobbed for apples...yuck. I was a witch, wearing a skirt straight from the ABC wardrobe department. Aunt Kath was Snoopy. Dad's hump was some t-shirts wrapped in pantyhose. Mom's actually holding pjs and a diaper- probably yours. The pic is taken in the entry way- Carrie or John took it.
It was an awesome party, and may have set the stage for the Harding Avenue bash just a few days later.
ps- Dad's wearing tights. I distinctly remember Chris screeching with delight, "Daddy wears PANTY HOSE!" I'm sure Dad loved that.
Juli and Mike~
ReplyDeleteThanks for the stories and pictures. Although I have heard MOST of it before, I had not heard it all....and I love sharing this kind of stuff with Galen. xoxoxoxo
This is cool!
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