Each word from the script that is either from the time period or just a word not used every day, I have looked up and defined for you. You will find the word, then the page number it is located on, then the definition. Hope this helps!
Flasher-pg 2 - A person who displays his or her body in a form of indecent exposure
NASA wind tunnel- pg 4 - wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research. It is used to study the effects of air moving past solid objects. NASA owned and used for NASA research.
Pettipants- pg 5 - Pettipants are a type of lingerie worn by women.
Elvis- Pg 8 - (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".
Detroit sound- Pg 8 - in 1968, the Metro Detroit rock scene witnessed an extraordinary transformation into something that was purely raw, rough, and messy. This sound was rock & roll but was also equal parts anger, determination and attitude spawning a unique high-energy rock scene in antithesis to Motown and the more mellow bands popular on the east and west coasts
Connie Francis- Pg 8 - an American pop singer, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. She is best known for her downbeat ballads delivered in her trademark sobbing, emotive style, In addition to her signature song, “Where the Boys Are,” her many hits include “Lipstick on Your Collar,” “Who’s Sorry Now?,” and “Stupid Cupid.”
Jezebel- Pg 11- a Hebrew princess who in some interpretations was associated with prostitutes and called a “painted women” because of her dressing in finery and putting on makeup before her death
Jackie B. Kennedy- Pg 11 - (1929-1994) – the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. She is remembered for her contributions to the arts and preservation of historic architecture, her style, elegance and grace. A fashion icon, her famous pink Chanel suit has become a symbol of her husband’s assassination and one of the lasting images of the 1960s.
Hair-hopper- Pg 11 - one who has very big, high hair, kept up with lots of hairspray
Orange Crush- Pg 12 - a carbonated soft drink brand originally as an orange soda. Nearly all flavors of Crush are caffeine-free.
Race music- Pg 12- a term used in the first half of the 20th century for varieties of African American music of that time, like jazz, boogie-woogie, blues, jump blues, and rhythm and blues. Robert Palmer described it as “urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat.”
“Twist and Shout”- Pg 15- a song originally written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell. Originally titled “Shake It Up, Baby,” and recorded by the Top Notes, then covered by The Isley Brothers. Later it was then covered by The Beatles with John Lennon on the lead vocals and originally released on their first album “Please Please Me.” The Mamas & the Papas,” “The Tremeloes,” and “Chaka Demus and Pliers” have all also covered it. The song turned into a popular dance.
Gidget- Pg 15 - a fictional character created by author Frederick Kohner in his 1957 novel, Gidget, the Little Girl With Big Ideas. The novel follows the adventures of a teenage girl and her surfing friends on the beach at Malibu. Seven sequels were published to this novel including Gidget Goes to Rome.
Rock Hudson -Pg 18 - an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day. Standing 6ft 5in tall, he was one of the most popular and well-known movie stars of the time. He completed nearly 70 motion pictures and starred in several television productions during a career that spanned over four decades. Hudson was also one of the first major Hollywood celebrities to die from an AIDS-related illness.
45’s- Pg 22 - a gramophone record (also known as a phonograph record or a vinyl record or just a record.) is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. They are known as “45s” because of the rotational speed at which they are played.
Shirley Temple- Pg 22 - an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She began her film career in 1932 at the age of 3, and in 1934 skyrocketed to superstardom in “Brigt Eyes,” a feature film designed specifically for her talents. Starred in multiple films including “On the Good Ship Lillipop,” “The Little Colonel,” “Our Little Girl,” “Curly Top,” “The Littlest Rebel,” “The Little Princess,” “Since You Went Away,” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
Aida- Pg 22 - an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Chislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette.
“Candid Camera” - Pg 23 - a hidden camera/practical joke television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on the radio as “Candid Microphone” in 1947. In 1948 it came to television. The television show lasted until 2004.
Integrated pool- Pg 23 - a public pool that would allow African Americans and Whites to swim together in the same pool
New Frontier- Pg 23 - the term “New Frontier” was used in John F. Kennedy’s acceptance speech in the 1960 US presidential election to the Democratic National Convention at the LA Memorial Coliseum as the Democratic slogan to inspire America to support him. The phrase then developed into a label for his administration’s domestic and foreign programs.
“Peyton Place After Midnight”- Pg 26 - a dance that became popular during the 60s. http://www.sixtiescity.com/Culture/dance.shtm
The Madison- Pg 27 - a dance move that consists of a basic step and a series of figures. Each figure occupies a fixed number of beats, but they are all different. Typical music is “The Madison Time” by The Ray Bryant Combo.
Wilt the Stilt- Pg 29 - Wilt Chamberlain, was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Fran Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the LA Lakers. He also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA. Standing 7 foot 1 inch, his nicknames were “Wilt the Stilt” and “Goliath.”
Jackie Gleason- Pg 29 - an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on “The Honeymoonders.” Noted films include “The Hustler” starring Paul Newman and “Smokey and the Bandit.”
Buster Browns- Pg 29 - a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard Felton Outcault which was known for his association with the Brown Shoe Company. (The name “Buster” came either directly or indirectly from the popularity of Buster Keaton, then a child actor in vaudeville.) Buster Brown’s association with shoes began with John Bush, a sales executive with the Brown Shoe Co. He persuaded his company to purchase rights to the Buster Brown name, and the brand was introduced to the public at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The logo is still used on Brown shoes today.
Kruschev has his shoes off again!- Pg 31 – Nikita Khrushchev’s shoe-banging incident allegedly occurred during the 902nd Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly held in New York on October 12, 1960, when the infuriated leader of the Soviet Union was said to have pounded his shoe on his delegated desk in protest of a speech by Philippine delegate Lorenzo Sumulong which accused the Soviet Union of having “swallowed up” Eastern Europe and deprived the population of “the free exercise of their civil and political rights.”
Rockette- Pg 33 – The Rockettes are a precision dance company performing out of Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York City. Perhaps their best-known routine is an eye-high leg kick in perfect unison in a chorus line, which they include at the end of every performance.
Metrecal diet ad- Pg 33 – Metrecal was a brand of diet foods introduced in the early 1960s. Though its products were criticized for their taste, which newer varieties of flavor tried to improve upon later, it attained a niche in the popular culture of the time. It was eventually replaced in the market by competitors such as Slim Fast.
Lancelot had Guinevere- Pg 35 – Lancelot, as King Arthur’s most valued Knight of the Round Table and a paragon of courage and virtue, falls for Guinevere, the bride of Arthur and she fell for him too.
Liz, she has her Dick- Pg 35 – The Vatican condemned Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor’s affair, which began when both were married to others, as “erotic vagrancy.” The press closely followed their relationship before, during, and after their ten years of marriage, due to great public interest in “the most famous film star in the world and the man many believed to be the finest classical actor of his generation.” Taylor wanted to focus on her marriage rather than her career, and gained weight in an unsuccessful attempt to not receive film roles.
Frankie Avalon- Pg 35 – an American actor, singer, and former teen idol.
Mousketeer- Pg 35 – a member of The Mickey Mouse Club, a long-running American variety television show that began in 1955, produced by Walt Disney Productions and televised by the ABC, featuring a regular but ever-changing cast of teenage performers. Created by Walt Disney.
Lassie- Pg 37 – a fictional collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. In 1940 the novel was filmed by MGM with a talented dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage anme “Lassie” in six other MGM feature films through 1951.
Commie (“no talent Commie”)- Pg 37 – derogatory name for a Communist.
Pinko- Pg 38 – a term for a person regarded as sympathetic to communism, though not necessarily a Communist Party member. The term has its origins in the notion that pink is a lighter shade of red, the color associated with communism; thus pink could be thought of as a “lighter form of communism” promoted by supporters of socialism who were not, themselves, “card-carrying” communists.
Mange- Pg 38 – a class of persistent contagious skin diseases caused by parasitic miles. These mites embed themselves either in hair follicles or skin, depending upon their type. Generally infesting domestic animals, including dogs and cats and also other canines, livestock, wild animals and even humans.
Sammy Davis- Pg 38 – an American entertainer. Primarily a dancer and a singer, Davis was a childhood vaudevillian who became known for his performances on Broadway and in Las Vegas, as a recording artist, television and film star, and as a member of Frank Sinatra’s “Rat Pack.”
scuffies- Pg 38 – socks that are worn around the house as slippers
supp hose- Pg 38 – support hose
Miss Debbie Reynolds- Pg 39 – an American actress, singer, and dancer. Has been married three times. First marriage to popular singer, Eddie Fisher, but then shortly ended in divorce when Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor fell in love. Reynolds second and third marriages also ended disastrously, and financially ruining her both times.
effigy- Pg 39 – a representation or image, especially sculptured, as on a monument.
Gabor sisters - Pg 40 – Magda Gabor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eva Gabor- three famous Hungarian actresses/socialites. Their main claim to fame aside from their acting careers, is their marriages: Magda has been married 6 times, Zsa Zsa has been married 8 (with one other illegal marriage), and Eva has been married 5 times.
Mamie Eisenhower -Pg 40 – wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Always wore an interesting hair style. (see picture in the pictures section)
Motherlode- Pg 40 – a rich or important lode. A major or profitable source or supply.
Lollobrigida- Pg 44 – Gina Lollobrigida – an Italian actress, photojournalist, and sculptress. Also an iconic sex symbol of the 1950s.
North Avenue - Pg 51 – north side of town. Sometimes known as the ghetto where most African-American’s resided in Baltimore in the 60s.
cracker boy - Pg 51 – term for a white boy
“What a coup!” - Pg 55 - coup- a quick, brilliant, and highly successful act; a triumph. In this phrase, Motormouth is impressed to see an icon like Link Larkin in her record shop.
North avenue bus - Pg 56 – bus only used to transport those to the upper North side. See also North Avenue.
Rosa Parks - Pg 58 – an African-American civil rights activist, called “the first lady of civil rights” and “mother of the freedom movement” by the U.S. Congress. Known for her refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus.
Parcheesi - Pg 59 – a brand name American adaptation of the Indian Cross and Circle game Pachisi. Also know as Ludo or Sorry!
Blackballed - Pg 59 – is a rejection in a traditional form of a secret ballot, where a white ballot constitutes a vote in support and a black ballot signifies opposition.
Eddie Fisher - Pg 60 – was an American singer and entertainer, who was one of the world’s most famous and successful singers in the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show. First married to Debbie Reynolds, then had an affair with Elizabeth Taylor, ending in a divorce with Reynolds.
Equality - Pg 64 – racial equality- equal regard to all races.
Slammer (referring to jail) - Pg 66 – slang for jail
Cooler - Pg 66 – slang for jail
The Big Dollhouse - Pg 66 – a 1971 film about women in prison. It follows the women throughout daily life in a gritty, unidentified supra-tropical prison.
Boozing - Pg 66 – to drink alcohol in large quantities
Doping - Pg 66 – the use of a drug or blood product to improve athletic performance.
Kugel - Pg 68 – a baked Jewish pudding or casserole, similar to a pie, most commonly made from egg noodles or potatoes, though sometimes made of zucchini, apples, spinach, broccoli, cranberry, or sweet potato. Usually served as a side dish.
From 1st and Main - Pg 68 – implying that Hooker #2 works on 1st and Main street and has seen Velma there.
Shysters - Pg 68 – a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, politics, and business.
Lipshitz - Pg 68 – Rudolf Lipschitz was a German mathematician and professor at the University of Bonn.
Strauss - Pg 68 – Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. Known for his operas. Also a prominent conductor throughout Germany and Austria.
Souse - Pg 69 – slang for a drunkard
Lady Justice - Pg 70 – is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems.
Suffragette - Pg 71 – a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th cenury movement for women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom.
Bonzo - Pg 71 – John Bonham – the lead drummer of Led Zeppelin.
Rabble rouser - Pg 72 – one that stirs up (as to hatred or violence) the masses of people
Mydol - Pg 74 – an over-the-counter drug for menstrual cramping and other effects related to premenstrual syndrome and menstruation.
Sock hop - Pg 75 – an informal sponsored dance at American high schools, typically held in the high school’s own gym or cafeteria. The term sock hop came about because dancers were required to remove their shoes to protect the varnished floor of the gymnasium. These hops were a cultural feature of the 1950s and early rock and roll. The music was usually records, sometimes presented by a disc jockey. Occasionally there were also live bands.
Doozy - Pg 75 – something outstanding or unique of its kind
McCall’s pattern - Pg 75 – McCall’s was a monthly American women’s magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century. Patterns for dresses were also found in the magazines.
Green stamps - Pg 75 – trading stamps popular in the US from the 1930s until the late 1980s. They were distributed as part of a rewards program operated by the Sperry and Hutchinson company (S&H). Customers would receive stamps at the checkout counter of supermarkets, department stores, and gasoline stations among other retailers, which could be redeemed for products in the catalog.
Schmaltz Pg 76 – rendered chicken, goose, or pork fat used for frying or as a spread on bread, especially in German and Jewish cuisine.
Be “old hat” - Pg 76 – repeated too often; over familiar through overuse
Castro’s invading - Pg 76 – Fidel Castro attempted to invade in revolt against the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1956.
Geritol - Pg 77 – is a US trademarked name for various dietary supplements, past and present. It is currently a brand name for several vitamin complexes plus iron or multimineral products in both liquid form and tablets.
Glenn Miller - Pg 77 – Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician (trombone), arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known “Big Bands.” Some of his notable recordings include “In the Mood,” “American Patrol,” “Cattanooga Choo Choo,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Little Brown Jug.”
Chubby Checker’s A gas - Pg 77 – an American singer-songwriter. He also popularized the dance style Twist, which his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard’s R&B hit “The Twist.”
Chevy - Pg 77 – Chevrolet is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company.
Du jour - Pg 78 – popular, fashionable, or prominent at a particular time.
Hot to trot - Pg 78 – eager to begin something
Hindenburg disaster - Pg 78 – the Hindenburg disaster took place in May 1937, as the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, which is located adjacent to the borough of Lakehurst, New Jersey. Of the 97 people on board, 35 people died. There was one additional fatality on the ground.
Mein herr - Pg 79 – German for “my sir” or “my mister”
Shabbot shalom - Pg 79 – a common greeting used on Shabbat. Shalom meaning peace.
Palooka - Pg 80 – a clumsy, dumb, or nosey person.
Wearing my ring - Pg 80 – in the 50s and 60s, to display a relationship between people the girl would sometimes wear the boys class ring to show their status.
“To lose thee were to lose myself” - Pg 81 – quote from John Milton
Bromo - Pg 82 – Bromo-Seltzer is an antacid used to relieve pain occurring together with heartburn, upset stomach, or acid indigestion.
Perry Como - Pg 82 – a very popular American singer and television personality.
Hostess snack - Pg 83 – a brand of Hostess Brands in the US, known for its line of snack foods, such as Twinkies, CupCakes, Chocodiles, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Suzy Q’s, Sno Balls, Zingers, Donettes, Mini Muffins, Hostess Fruit Pies, Pudding Pies, and Doughnuts.
Doris Day at the Apollo - Pg 84 – ironic because Doris Day was a white singer and actress. The Apollo theatre is mostly for black people to perform and show their talents. It would not be a normal thing for Doris Day to just pop in at the Apollo.
zippo lighter - Pg 84 – a refillable, metal lighter manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company of Bradford, Pennsylvania, US. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the seven decades since their introduction including military ones for specific regiments.
E-Z bake oven - Pg 84 – a working toy oven introduced by Kenner in 1963. The original toy used an ordinary incandescent light bulb as a heat source; current versions use a true heating element.
Laryngitis - Pg 85 – an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of the irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords).
Eva Marie is no saint… - Pg 87 – Eva Marie Saint was an American actress who has starred in films, on Broadway, and on television in a career spanning seven decades.
Dough - Pg 92 –term for money
“Hey, baby, you look like you could use a stiff one!” - Pg 94 – a sexual innuendo technically referring to the hairspray being able to hold ones hair very stiff.
Cooties - Pg 96 – in childlore, a kind of infectious disease. The term may have originated with references to lice, fleas, and other parasites. A child is said to “catch” cooties through any form of bodily contact, proximity, or touching an “infected” person or from a person of the opposite sex of the same age.
“Circle, circle, dot, dot, dot, hurry, get your cootie shot!” - Pg 97 – a song that supposedly serves to immunize a child from the affliction of cooties.
Checkerboard chick - Pg 99 – a slang term to define a white girl that is with a black boy.
NAACP - Pg 99 – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – an African-American civil rights organization in the US, formed in 1909. It’s mission is “to ensure the political, education, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.”
Flasher-pg 2 - A person who displays his or her body in a form of indecent exposure
NASA wind tunnel- pg 4 - wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research. It is used to study the effects of air moving past solid objects. NASA owned and used for NASA research.
Pettipants- pg 5 - Pettipants are a type of lingerie worn by women.
Elvis- Pg 8 - (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King".
Detroit sound- Pg 8 - in 1968, the Metro Detroit rock scene witnessed an extraordinary transformation into something that was purely raw, rough, and messy. This sound was rock & roll but was also equal parts anger, determination and attitude spawning a unique high-energy rock scene in antithesis to Motown and the more mellow bands popular on the east and west coasts
Connie Francis- Pg 8 - an American pop singer, and the top-charting female vocalist of the 1950s and 1960s. She is best known for her downbeat ballads delivered in her trademark sobbing, emotive style, In addition to her signature song, “Where the Boys Are,” her many hits include “Lipstick on Your Collar,” “Who’s Sorry Now?,” and “Stupid Cupid.”
Jezebel- Pg 11- a Hebrew princess who in some interpretations was associated with prostitutes and called a “painted women” because of her dressing in finery and putting on makeup before her death
Jackie B. Kennedy- Pg 11 - (1929-1994) – the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. She is remembered for her contributions to the arts and preservation of historic architecture, her style, elegance and grace. A fashion icon, her famous pink Chanel suit has become a symbol of her husband’s assassination and one of the lasting images of the 1960s.
Hair-hopper- Pg 11 - one who has very big, high hair, kept up with lots of hairspray
Orange Crush- Pg 12 - a carbonated soft drink brand originally as an orange soda. Nearly all flavors of Crush are caffeine-free.
Race music- Pg 12- a term used in the first half of the 20th century for varieties of African American music of that time, like jazz, boogie-woogie, blues, jump blues, and rhythm and blues. Robert Palmer described it as “urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat.”
“Twist and Shout”- Pg 15- a song originally written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell. Originally titled “Shake It Up, Baby,” and recorded by the Top Notes, then covered by The Isley Brothers. Later it was then covered by The Beatles with John Lennon on the lead vocals and originally released on their first album “Please Please Me.” The Mamas & the Papas,” “The Tremeloes,” and “Chaka Demus and Pliers” have all also covered it. The song turned into a popular dance.
Gidget- Pg 15 - a fictional character created by author Frederick Kohner in his 1957 novel, Gidget, the Little Girl With Big Ideas. The novel follows the adventures of a teenage girl and her surfing friends on the beach at Malibu. Seven sequels were published to this novel including Gidget Goes to Rome.
Rock Hudson -Pg 18 - an American film and television actor, recognized as a romantic leading man during the 1950s and 1960s, most notably in several romantic comedies with Doris Day. Standing 6ft 5in tall, he was one of the most popular and well-known movie stars of the time. He completed nearly 70 motion pictures and starred in several television productions during a career that spanned over four decades. Hudson was also one of the first major Hollywood celebrities to die from an AIDS-related illness.
45’s- Pg 22 - a gramophone record (also known as a phonograph record or a vinyl record or just a record.) is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove. They are known as “45s” because of the rotational speed at which they are played.
Shirley Temple- Pg 22 - an American film and television actress, singer, dancer, autobiographer, and former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia. She began her film career in 1932 at the age of 3, and in 1934 skyrocketed to superstardom in “Brigt Eyes,” a feature film designed specifically for her talents. Starred in multiple films including “On the Good Ship Lillipop,” “The Little Colonel,” “Our Little Girl,” “Curly Top,” “The Littlest Rebel,” “The Little Princess,” “Since You Went Away,” and “I’ll Be Seeing You.”
Aida- Pg 22 - an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Chislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette.
“Candid Camera” - Pg 23 - a hidden camera/practical joke television series created and produced by Allen Funt, which initially began on the radio as “Candid Microphone” in 1947. In 1948 it came to television. The television show lasted until 2004.
Integrated pool- Pg 23 - a public pool that would allow African Americans and Whites to swim together in the same pool
New Frontier- Pg 23 - the term “New Frontier” was used in John F. Kennedy’s acceptance speech in the 1960 US presidential election to the Democratic National Convention at the LA Memorial Coliseum as the Democratic slogan to inspire America to support him. The phrase then developed into a label for his administration’s domestic and foreign programs.
“Peyton Place After Midnight”- Pg 26 - a dance that became popular during the 60s. http://www.sixtiescity.com/Culture/dance.shtm
The Madison- Pg 27 - a dance move that consists of a basic step and a series of figures. Each figure occupies a fixed number of beats, but they are all different. Typical music is “The Madison Time” by The Ray Bryant Combo.
Wilt the Stilt- Pg 29 - Wilt Chamberlain, was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Fran Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the LA Lakers. He also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA. Standing 7 foot 1 inch, his nicknames were “Wilt the Stilt” and “Goliath.”
Jackie Gleason- Pg 29 - an American comedian, actor and musician. He was known for his brash visual and verbal comedy style, especially by his character Ralph Kramden on “The Honeymoonders.” Noted films include “The Hustler” starring Paul Newman and “Smokey and the Bandit.”
Buster Browns- Pg 29 - a comic strip character created in 1902 by Richard Felton Outcault which was known for his association with the Brown Shoe Company. (The name “Buster” came either directly or indirectly from the popularity of Buster Keaton, then a child actor in vaudeville.) Buster Brown’s association with shoes began with John Bush, a sales executive with the Brown Shoe Co. He persuaded his company to purchase rights to the Buster Brown name, and the brand was introduced to the public at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The logo is still used on Brown shoes today.
Kruschev has his shoes off again!- Pg 31 – Nikita Khrushchev’s shoe-banging incident allegedly occurred during the 902nd Plenary Meeting of the UN General Assembly held in New York on October 12, 1960, when the infuriated leader of the Soviet Union was said to have pounded his shoe on his delegated desk in protest of a speech by Philippine delegate Lorenzo Sumulong which accused the Soviet Union of having “swallowed up” Eastern Europe and deprived the population of “the free exercise of their civil and political rights.”
Rockette- Pg 33 – The Rockettes are a precision dance company performing out of Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York City. Perhaps their best-known routine is an eye-high leg kick in perfect unison in a chorus line, which they include at the end of every performance.
Metrecal diet ad- Pg 33 – Metrecal was a brand of diet foods introduced in the early 1960s. Though its products were criticized for their taste, which newer varieties of flavor tried to improve upon later, it attained a niche in the popular culture of the time. It was eventually replaced in the market by competitors such as Slim Fast.
Lancelot had Guinevere- Pg 35 – Lancelot, as King Arthur’s most valued Knight of the Round Table and a paragon of courage and virtue, falls for Guinevere, the bride of Arthur and she fell for him too.
Liz, she has her Dick- Pg 35 – The Vatican condemned Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor’s affair, which began when both were married to others, as “erotic vagrancy.” The press closely followed their relationship before, during, and after their ten years of marriage, due to great public interest in “the most famous film star in the world and the man many believed to be the finest classical actor of his generation.” Taylor wanted to focus on her marriage rather than her career, and gained weight in an unsuccessful attempt to not receive film roles.
Frankie Avalon- Pg 35 – an American actor, singer, and former teen idol.
Mousketeer- Pg 35 – a member of The Mickey Mouse Club, a long-running American variety television show that began in 1955, produced by Walt Disney Productions and televised by the ABC, featuring a regular but ever-changing cast of teenage performers. Created by Walt Disney.
Lassie- Pg 37 – a fictional collie dog character created by Eric Knight in a short story expanded to novel length called Lassie Come-Home. In 1940 the novel was filmed by MGM with a talented dog named Pal playing Lassie. Pal then appeared with the stage anme “Lassie” in six other MGM feature films through 1951.
Commie (“no talent Commie”)- Pg 37 – derogatory name for a Communist.
Pinko- Pg 38 – a term for a person regarded as sympathetic to communism, though not necessarily a Communist Party member. The term has its origins in the notion that pink is a lighter shade of red, the color associated with communism; thus pink could be thought of as a “lighter form of communism” promoted by supporters of socialism who were not, themselves, “card-carrying” communists.
Mange- Pg 38 – a class of persistent contagious skin diseases caused by parasitic miles. These mites embed themselves either in hair follicles or skin, depending upon their type. Generally infesting domestic animals, including dogs and cats and also other canines, livestock, wild animals and even humans.
Sammy Davis- Pg 38 – an American entertainer. Primarily a dancer and a singer, Davis was a childhood vaudevillian who became known for his performances on Broadway and in Las Vegas, as a recording artist, television and film star, and as a member of Frank Sinatra’s “Rat Pack.”
scuffies- Pg 38 – socks that are worn around the house as slippers
supp hose- Pg 38 – support hose
Miss Debbie Reynolds- Pg 39 – an American actress, singer, and dancer. Has been married three times. First marriage to popular singer, Eddie Fisher, but then shortly ended in divorce when Fisher and Elizabeth Taylor fell in love. Reynolds second and third marriages also ended disastrously, and financially ruining her both times.
effigy- Pg 39 – a representation or image, especially sculptured, as on a monument.
Gabor sisters - Pg 40 – Magda Gabor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Eva Gabor- three famous Hungarian actresses/socialites. Their main claim to fame aside from their acting careers, is their marriages: Magda has been married 6 times, Zsa Zsa has been married 8 (with one other illegal marriage), and Eva has been married 5 times.
Mamie Eisenhower -Pg 40 – wife of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Always wore an interesting hair style. (see picture in the pictures section)
Motherlode- Pg 40 – a rich or important lode. A major or profitable source or supply.
Lollobrigida- Pg 44 – Gina Lollobrigida – an Italian actress, photojournalist, and sculptress. Also an iconic sex symbol of the 1950s.
North Avenue - Pg 51 – north side of town. Sometimes known as the ghetto where most African-American’s resided in Baltimore in the 60s.
cracker boy - Pg 51 – term for a white boy
“What a coup!” - Pg 55 - coup- a quick, brilliant, and highly successful act; a triumph. In this phrase, Motormouth is impressed to see an icon like Link Larkin in her record shop.
North avenue bus - Pg 56 – bus only used to transport those to the upper North side. See also North Avenue.
Rosa Parks - Pg 58 – an African-American civil rights activist, called “the first lady of civil rights” and “mother of the freedom movement” by the U.S. Congress. Known for her refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger on a bus.
Parcheesi - Pg 59 – a brand name American adaptation of the Indian Cross and Circle game Pachisi. Also know as Ludo or Sorry!
Blackballed - Pg 59 – is a rejection in a traditional form of a secret ballot, where a white ballot constitutes a vote in support and a black ballot signifies opposition.
Eddie Fisher - Pg 60 – was an American singer and entertainer, who was one of the world’s most famous and successful singers in the 1950s, selling millions of records and hosting his own TV show. First married to Debbie Reynolds, then had an affair with Elizabeth Taylor, ending in a divorce with Reynolds.
Equality - Pg 64 – racial equality- equal regard to all races.
Slammer (referring to jail) - Pg 66 – slang for jail
Cooler - Pg 66 – slang for jail
The Big Dollhouse - Pg 66 – a 1971 film about women in prison. It follows the women throughout daily life in a gritty, unidentified supra-tropical prison.
Boozing - Pg 66 – to drink alcohol in large quantities
Doping - Pg 66 – the use of a drug or blood product to improve athletic performance.
Kugel - Pg 68 – a baked Jewish pudding or casserole, similar to a pie, most commonly made from egg noodles or potatoes, though sometimes made of zucchini, apples, spinach, broccoli, cranberry, or sweet potato. Usually served as a side dish.
From 1st and Main - Pg 68 – implying that Hooker #2 works on 1st and Main street and has seen Velma there.
Shysters - Pg 68 – a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, politics, and business.
Lipshitz - Pg 68 – Rudolf Lipschitz was a German mathematician and professor at the University of Bonn.
Strauss - Pg 68 – Richard Georg Strauss was a leading German composer of the late Romantic and early modern eras. Known for his operas. Also a prominent conductor throughout Germany and Austria.
Souse - Pg 69 – slang for a drunkard
Lady Justice - Pg 70 – is an allegorical personification of the moral force in judicial systems.
Suffragette - Pg 71 – a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th cenury movement for women’s suffrage in the United Kingdom.
Bonzo - Pg 71 – John Bonham – the lead drummer of Led Zeppelin.
Rabble rouser - Pg 72 – one that stirs up (as to hatred or violence) the masses of people
Mydol - Pg 74 – an over-the-counter drug for menstrual cramping and other effects related to premenstrual syndrome and menstruation.
Sock hop - Pg 75 – an informal sponsored dance at American high schools, typically held in the high school’s own gym or cafeteria. The term sock hop came about because dancers were required to remove their shoes to protect the varnished floor of the gymnasium. These hops were a cultural feature of the 1950s and early rock and roll. The music was usually records, sometimes presented by a disc jockey. Occasionally there were also live bands.
Doozy - Pg 75 – something outstanding or unique of its kind
McCall’s pattern - Pg 75 – McCall’s was a monthly American women’s magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century. Patterns for dresses were also found in the magazines.
Green stamps - Pg 75 – trading stamps popular in the US from the 1930s until the late 1980s. They were distributed as part of a rewards program operated by the Sperry and Hutchinson company (S&H). Customers would receive stamps at the checkout counter of supermarkets, department stores, and gasoline stations among other retailers, which could be redeemed for products in the catalog.
Schmaltz Pg 76 – rendered chicken, goose, or pork fat used for frying or as a spread on bread, especially in German and Jewish cuisine.
Be “old hat” - Pg 76 – repeated too often; over familiar through overuse
Castro’s invading - Pg 76 – Fidel Castro attempted to invade in revolt against the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1956.
Geritol - Pg 77 – is a US trademarked name for various dietary supplements, past and present. It is currently a brand name for several vitamin complexes plus iron or multimineral products in both liquid form and tablets.
Glenn Miller - Pg 77 – Alton Glenn Miller was an American jazz musician (trombone), arranger, composer, and bandleader in the swing era. He was one of the best-selling recording artists from 1939 to 1943, leading one of the best known “Big Bands.” Some of his notable recordings include “In the Mood,” “American Patrol,” “Cattanooga Choo Choo,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Little Brown Jug.”
Chubby Checker’s A gas - Pg 77 – an American singer-songwriter. He also popularized the dance style Twist, which his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard’s R&B hit “The Twist.”
Chevy - Pg 77 – Chevrolet is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company.
Du jour - Pg 78 – popular, fashionable, or prominent at a particular time.
Hot to trot - Pg 78 – eager to begin something
Hindenburg disaster - Pg 78 – the Hindenburg disaster took place in May 1937, as the German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station, which is located adjacent to the borough of Lakehurst, New Jersey. Of the 97 people on board, 35 people died. There was one additional fatality on the ground.
Mein herr - Pg 79 – German for “my sir” or “my mister”
Shabbot shalom - Pg 79 – a common greeting used on Shabbat. Shalom meaning peace.
Palooka - Pg 80 – a clumsy, dumb, or nosey person.
Wearing my ring - Pg 80 – in the 50s and 60s, to display a relationship between people the girl would sometimes wear the boys class ring to show their status.
“To lose thee were to lose myself” - Pg 81 – quote from John Milton
Bromo - Pg 82 – Bromo-Seltzer is an antacid used to relieve pain occurring together with heartburn, upset stomach, or acid indigestion.
Perry Como - Pg 82 – a very popular American singer and television personality.
Hostess snack - Pg 83 – a brand of Hostess Brands in the US, known for its line of snack foods, such as Twinkies, CupCakes, Chocodiles, Ding Dongs, Ho Hos, Suzy Q’s, Sno Balls, Zingers, Donettes, Mini Muffins, Hostess Fruit Pies, Pudding Pies, and Doughnuts.
Doris Day at the Apollo - Pg 84 – ironic because Doris Day was a white singer and actress. The Apollo theatre is mostly for black people to perform and show their talents. It would not be a normal thing for Doris Day to just pop in at the Apollo.
zippo lighter - Pg 84 – a refillable, metal lighter manufactured by Zippo Manufacturing Company of Bradford, Pennsylvania, US. Thousands of different styles and designs have been made in the seven decades since their introduction including military ones for specific regiments.
E-Z bake oven - Pg 84 – a working toy oven introduced by Kenner in 1963. The original toy used an ordinary incandescent light bulb as a heat source; current versions use a true heating element.
Laryngitis - Pg 85 – an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of the irritation to the vocal folds (vocal cords).
Eva Marie is no saint… - Pg 87 – Eva Marie Saint was an American actress who has starred in films, on Broadway, and on television in a career spanning seven decades.
Dough - Pg 92 –term for money
“Hey, baby, you look like you could use a stiff one!” - Pg 94 – a sexual innuendo technically referring to the hairspray being able to hold ones hair very stiff.
Cooties - Pg 96 – in childlore, a kind of infectious disease. The term may have originated with references to lice, fleas, and other parasites. A child is said to “catch” cooties through any form of bodily contact, proximity, or touching an “infected” person or from a person of the opposite sex of the same age.
“Circle, circle, dot, dot, dot, hurry, get your cootie shot!” - Pg 97 – a song that supposedly serves to immunize a child from the affliction of cooties.
Checkerboard chick - Pg 99 – a slang term to define a white girl that is with a black boy.
NAACP - Pg 99 – National Association for the Advancement of Colored People – an African-American civil rights organization in the US, formed in 1909. It’s mission is “to ensure the political, education, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.”