OZIDI – Over the years, Balladeer’s Blog has examined several epic myths from around the world. I’ve reviewed Navajo, Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Greek, Roman and African. Among the African epics I’ve examined were the Mwindo Epic, the Woi Epic, the sagas of Aiwel Longar, Bakaridjan Kone and others.
For today, the subject is the tale of Ozidi of the Ijo/ Ijaw people in what is now Nigeria. It is another African Epic performed in words and music over the course of several days. Every major character has a musical theme of their own which gets repeated throughout the performance of this epic, a wonderful anticipation of modern-day musical scores for movies.
PART ONE: Among the Orua, the nation’s kingship is rotated among each of its royal clans. (In the popular 1990s adaptations this was instead depicted as the rotating series of political candidates who rise to become the head of state.) It is now the turn of the clan of Ozidi the Elder, commander of the army but Ozidi himself is the second-oldest son and therefore not eligible to become king. Continue reading
A midweek current events roundup is here from
BLINDMAN (1971) – Richard Starkey aka Ringo Starr turns 86 years old today. In his younger years he was affiliated with some musical group, but REAL Ringo fans know him as a Master Thespian who appeared in plenty of memorable movies. 
The Frontierado Holiday lands on Friday, August 7th this year. Regular Balladeer’s Blog readers may recall that Frontierado Season celebrates the myth of the Old West, not the grinding reality. To mark the season, I always review Westerns, look at neglected elements of the 1800s west and examine overlooked gunslingers whose lives were at least as exciting as the big-name figures. 
“WHISKEY JIM” GREATHOUSE – He started out by shooting his way to the top of a bootleg whiskey ring in the early 1870s. From there he moved on to stealing horses and mules with his gang, later switching to Buffalo “Hunting” with Pat Garrett. That got Whiskey Jim caught up in the war between buffalo “hunters” and the Comanches. In New Mexico, Jim took on crime lord “Hoodoo” Brown and ultimately moved on to rustling and rubbing shoulders with Billy the Kid. Click 
HARLEM DETECTIVE (1953-1954) – Black actors like THE William Marshall and William Hairston played police detectives in multiple episodes of this short-lived television series set in Harlem. They were partnered with the program’s major white detective, portrayed by Owen Jordan. Other black performers appeared in supporting roles each episode and several scripts were written by African American writer William Attaway (Above left). William’s sister Ruth appeared in the first episode of Harlem Detective. 
Before I delve into the few episodes that I was able to learn details about I’ll point out that William Marshall was forced off the series when he was accused of being a communist. Some online mentions claim the entire series was canceled because of that. 
CYN RENTERIA aka ORIGINAL CYN aka CYNTHIA RENTERIA hosted Cynful Movies from 2019-2022. That show was another movie hosting production from Joel Stephens, whose programs
Best of all, from 2019-2022 Cyn was simultaneously the starring hostess of Cynful Movies, on which series she got to present movies outside of just horror flicks. Original Cyn served up Psychotronic classics from additional genres, including peplums, sci-fi, mysteries and spaghetti westerns. Cynful Movies boasted at least as much of a variety of B-Movies as 
THE DEATH-TRAP (1908) – Written by George Daulton, this story was published in the March, 1908 issue of Pearson’s Magazine. It’s once again Ancient Creature Feature time with this story about a monster from Lake Michigan which sometimes enters the Chicago sewer system to prey on unsuspecting denizens of the Windy City. 
He comes to regret that decision when, on a poorly-lit street, he sees a drunken sailor get dragged down into the sewer and devoured by a slimy, half-glimpsed creature. Our hero flees for his life and doesn’t stop running until he’s reached one of Chicago’s bridges.
HAPPY TWO HUNDRED FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! What happened in early July of 1776 certainly needs no rehashing so in keeping with my blog’s theme of addressing more out of the way subjects this post will examine various events that took place on other July 4ths throughout American history.
JULY 4TH, 1778 – George Rogers Clark led his rebel forces in taking the British stronghold of Kaskaskia, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers. Clark and his Rangers were on a mission for then-Virginia Governor Patrick Henry.
UNCLE SAM
Powers: This hero had Superman-level strength and invulnerability. He could fly in a sense by making enormous Hulk-sized leaps. He had a mystic ability to know where he would be needed. Due to his supernatural nature, Uncle Sam could not be photographed or filmed.
NATIONAL COMICS #1 (July 1940) 
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