Author Archives: balladeer

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About balladeer

I am passionately interested in college sports, ancient Greek comedies, bad/weird movies, mythology, the American Revolution, Puck Magazine, World War I, U.S. Presidential history, silent movies, the English Civil War, epic, lyric and comic poetry, U.S. Supreme Court history, the Revolutions of 1848, the Philippine War and old pulp heroes like The Moon Man, Pilot G8, Silver John and The Rio Kid.

THE BLUE PALACE (1974-1976) FORGOTTEN TELEVISION

DAS BLAUE PALAIS (1972-1974) – This German science fiction series is criminally neglected. The title building is where scientists led by Louis Palm (Silvano Tranquilli) conduct interdisciplinary research and investigate unusual phenomena.

The Blue Palace reminded me of the 1972 German television series Alpha Alpha but on a much higher production budget. The Blue Palace resembled old British shows like Doomwatch or the even older Quatermass tv serials. It was also a forerunner of The X-Files, Fringe and similar programs, but hewed closer to reality like Doomwatch rather than use the more fantastic approach of those other shows.

Additional regulars included Lyne Chardonnet as Yvonne Boucher, Jean-Henri Chambois as Professor Manzini, Luminata Iacobescu as Sibilla Jacopescu and Dieter Laser as Enrico Polazzo. Rainer Erler wrote and directed every installment.

The Blue Palace was a series of five 90-minute telefilms. The individual stories are below.

ONE: THE GENIUS (October 15th, 1974) – The international group of scientists at the Blue Palace are pursuing their usual boundary-pushing research while periodically debating the ethics of various projects.

One of their current experiments involves attempts at transferring memory cells from one living organism to another. At present the Blue Palace team is still testing the process on rats but they’re soon faced with evidence that another organization has already been conducting similar experiments on human subjects.  Continue reading

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NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS ROUNDUP: MARCH TWENTY-SIXTH

 Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog presents another current events roundup from an America where it’s deja vu as anti-Trump loons are again pretending every day is the apocalypse.

CONGRESSMAN BURGESS OWENS PRAISES TRUMP AND POINTS OUT “THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY WILL HAVE TO CHANGE.”

PRESIDENT TRUMP AND HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN ANNOUNCE HYUNDAI INVESTING TWENTY-ONE BILLION DOLLARS IN THE U.S. OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. Another of these mega-deals from Trump. Quite a change from career criminal Joe Biden, when deals made tended to benefit China and the Biden Crime Family, not the U.S. More HERE.

TRUMP EFFECT: NEW HOME SALES JUMP AS HE REPEATS HIS FIRST TERM ACCOMPLISHMENT OF SAVING THE ECONOMY.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION NEGOTIATES BLACK SEA CEASEFIRE BETWEEN UKRAINE AND RUSSIA.

FMR TARGET EXECUTIVE STORCH POINTS OUT THE HYSTERICAL OVERREACTION TO TRUMP’S TARIFF PLANS. “Grossly exaggerated” were his words.

DEMOCRAT CONGRESSWOMAN MAXINE WATERS INSANELY CALLS FOR FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP TO BE DEPORTED EVEN THOUGH SHE IS IN THE U.S. LEGALLY. Perpetually dishonest Democrats love to pretend they don’t understand the difference between LEGAL immigration and ILLEGAL immigration. Continue reading

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Filed under Anti-Donald Trump hysteria, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

MARIE WALCAMP: THE DAREDEVIL OF SILENT MOVIES

MARIE WALCAMP (1894-1936) – Like her fellow silent film icons Douglas Fairbanks and Buster Keaton, Marie Walcamp did most of her own stunts. This earned her the nickname “the daredevil of the movies” as she dazzled audiences in serials, westerns and other action films.

Walcamp also appeared in other types of productions, of course. Among her earliest roles she played the younger version of the female lycanthrope in the 1913 horror film The Werewolf, reviewed previously here at Balladeer’s Blog.

Marie’s final appearance came in a supporting role in the movie In a Moment of Temptation (1927). The talented figure became prone to depression over the years and when her husband was out of town one day in 1936, she committed suicide by turning on the gas in their residence. Her ashes were scattered on the Universal Studios back lot per her request.   

Below are some of Marie Walcamp’s milestone films and serials.

TEMPEST CODY – Marie was already getting above the title billing by the time her two-reel Tempest Cody western shorts came along in 1919. Tempest was a hard-riding, two-fisted, straight-shooting woman of the old west who was always on the side of right.

TEMPEST CODY HITS THE TRAIL (September 1st, 1919) – One of the many, many silent films which has not survived, this kicked off Universal’s Spur and Saddle package of westerns.

TEMPEST CODY FLIRTS WITH DEATH (September 8th, 1919) Continue reading

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BALLADEER’S BLOG: NAIA, NCCAA AND NCAA DIV TWO BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS

NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) DIVISION ONE

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The 2nd seeded WARRIORS from NELSON UNIVERSITY AT ARIZONA (formerly Nelson American Indian College) fought it out with the top seeds – the COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY RAMS. Come Halftime things were knotted up at 43-43, but after the break the Warriors asserted themselves, pulling away from CIU for an 89-74 triumph. Harley Upton’s 24 points led NU-Arizona, while teammate Rob Jenkins logged a Double Double of 20 points & 11 rebounds.

NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics)

FAB FOUR: FIRST BERTH – In this game the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM took the court against the GRACE COLLEGE LANCERS in what may have been the game of the day. Stellar defense put the Firestorm on top 32-27 at the Half, but from there they had to hang on tight against the Lancers. ACU won out 73-71. Fifteen points from Lorenzo Wright led the Firestorm.  Continue reading

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ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION: OMEGON (1915-1916)

OMEGON (1915-1916) – Written by George Frederick Stratton, this serialized story dealt with a fictional war of super-scientific weaponry between the United States on one side and China, Japan and Mexico on the other.

Omegon (Electrical Experimenter Sep 1915) is the title of the opening installment of five total, all of which I will review in this blog post. The main character of the entire work is Fred Cawthorne, a millionaire inventor and manufacturer in the electronics field.

With World War One raging, Cawthorne is exasperated at America’s failure to modernize its armed forces in case our nation gets caught up in the war, as of course, we did in 1917. Fred has proposed futuristic weapons himself and been rejected by the War Department.

Cawthorne seeks out other geniuses whose projects have been turned down by the short-sighted government and finances them himself. When America’s West Coast panics at the sight of a combined Japo-Chinese fleet approaching San Francisco, President Wilson is unprepared. Continue reading

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MARCH TWENTY-FOURTH ROUNDUP OF NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS

Another current events roundup from Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog.

ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI SPELLS OUT HOW OUT OF LINE “JUDGE” (LOL) BOASBERG IS.

TRUMP ALLIES IN CONGRESS WORKING TO SHUT DOWN THE CHINESE POLICE STATIONS THAT BOUGHT AND PAID-FOR JOE BIDEN PERMITTED TO FLOURISH IN THE U.S. Well, they did own Joe lock, stock and barrel.

SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS ADMITS THAT WHEN DEMOCRATS WERE IN CONTROL “THEY DID VIRTUALLY NOTHING FOR WORKING PEOPLE.” And that’s part of why the working class and the poor shifted their support to Donald Trump.

DEMOCRAT MEDIA OUTLET MSNBC FORCED TO ISSUE ANOTHER APOLOGY FOR LYING ABOUT DNI TULSI GABBARD.

PRESIDENT TRUMP OFFERS TO PERSONALLY PAY THE OVERTIME OWED TO THE NOW-FREE STRANDED ASTRONAUTS HE SAVED. More HERE.

USHA VANCE ANNOUNCES TRIP TO GREENLAND.

FEEL-GOOD VIDEO AS PRIVILEGED, WHITE ANTI-TRUMP FASCIST GETS HER COMEUPPANCE FOR ATTACKING TRUMP SUPPORTER OF COLOR. More HERE.

TRUMP POLICIES PROMPT ROLLS-ROYCE TO PLAN SHIFTING PRODUCTION TO THE UNITED STATES. Continue reading

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Filed under Anti-Donald Trump hysteria, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

RETURN OF THE FLY (1959) ON THE TEXAS 27 FILM VAULT

*** FEATURING A MAJOR MILESTONE IN THE SHOW’S HISTORY ***

In the middle 1980s The Texas 27 Film Vault was the show to watch on Saturday nights to see “Film Vault Technicians First Class” Randy Clower and Richard Malmos show and mock bad and campy movies preceded by episodes of old serials. Machine-gun toting Randy and Richard would also have comedic sci-fi adventures before and after commercial breaks. 

For the program’s FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY YEAR Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of this neglected cult series via my research into really old newspapers, my 2011 interview with Randy Clower and recollections from my fellow fans of this show. Here’s another review of the movie shown by Randy and Richard when a date can be verified. 

EPISODE ORIGINALLY BROADCAST: Saturday August 9th, 1986 from 10:30pm to 1am. Broadcast throughout Texas and Oklahoma.  * Special thanks to my fellow T27FV fan Spearman for the date.

SERIAL: Before the movie an episode of the 1950 Columbia serial Atom Man vs Superman was shown. Kirk Alyn starred as Superman with Lyle Talbot as his archenemy Lex Luthor. Lex has his own secret identity in this serial – each episode he dons a lead mask and oversees the villainy as “Atom Man”. 

This was one of the liveliest and most campily watchable serials of the 50s. Especially laughable are the bits when Superman “flies” – an effect achieved by switching from live footage of Kirk Alyn to INSERTED CARTOON FOOTAGE of Superman flying. Think of the ‘Toons in Roger Rabbit interacting with the live backgrounds and you have the idea.   

Richard (left) and Randy interviewing Vincent Price

FILM VAULT LORE: Our boys of the Film Vault Corps (“the few … the proud … the sarcastic”) interviewed Vincent Price, one of the stars of this week’s movie. Like the showing of Return of the Fly it was used to promote Randy and Richard’s upcoming public appearance at the Dallas debut of David Cronenberg’s remake of The Fly(More on that public appearance after the movie review.)

THE MOVIE: Return of the Fly is a black and white sequel to the technicolor original film. Brett Halsey, who played driven and tormented teens in a few films back then plays the driven and tormented Philippe DeLambre, the son of Andre DeLambre from the original film The Fly. It’s supposed to be 15 years later, but Vincent Price, reprising his role as Francois Delambre, Andre’s brother, hasn’t aged a bit! Continue reading

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Filed under Bad and weird movies, Movie Hosts

BALLADEER’S BLOG COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NCCAA AND NAIA NATIONAL TOURNAMENTS

NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) DIVISION ONE

FIRST QUARTERFINAL – The 3 seeds – the OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS – played the 6th seeded HOUGHTON UNIVERSITY HIGHLANDERS. Come Halftime the Trailblazers were on top 35-32, but after the break the Highlanders forced Overtime with a 68-68 tie. In the extra session OCU triumphed 84-76 led by Caleb Schmelzer’s 24 points.

SECOND QUARTERFINAL – Up next the 2nd seeded NELSON UNIVERSITY (AZ) WARRIORS got almost more than they could handle from the 7 seeds – the COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS BOBCATS. An intense opening Half ended with the Bobcats holding a mere 40-39 edge. From there the Warriors tied things up 80-80 and won in OT 93-92. Zavelon Bineyard and Rob Jenkins led NU-Arizona with 24 points each. Continue reading

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GIANT-MAN AND THE WASP: 1960s STORIES

This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero post here at Balladeer’s Blog will look at early adventures of Giant-Man and the Wasp.

TALES TO ASTONISH Vol 1 #49 (Nov 1963)

Title: The Birth of Giant-Man

NOTE: Previously I covered Hank Pym’s solo adventures as Ant-Man, then the adventures of Ant-Man and the Wasp. This issue marked the 1st adventure with Hank as Giant-Man.

Villain: The Eraser

Synopsis: After last issue’s run-in with the armored villain the Porcupine and then helping form the Avengers over at Avengers #1, Dr. Pym wanted to improve his powers. While still retaining the power to shrink and control ants, he now used his Pym Particles to grow to enormous size as well.

Meanwhile, an interdimensional villain called the Eraser has been abducting Earth’s greatest scientists via his hand-weapons that teleport them to his home dimension. Because the process looks like he’s erasing them bit by bit the media dubs him “the Eraser.” 

When this new villain targets Hank Pym next, Giant-Man and the Wasp (Janet Van Dyne) thwart the plans of the Eraser’s people in Dimension Z to replicate Earth’s nuclear weapons, rescue the abducted scientists and defeat the Eraser in combat.  Continue reading

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NEWS, MEMES AND POLITICAL CARTOONS ROUNDUP: MARCH TWENTY-FIRST

Independent Voter Site Balladeer’s Blog presents another current events roundup from an America where 2025 Democrats become more and more violent the more the rest of us reject their fascistic thuggery.

TRUMP IS STILL DRIVING DOWN EGG AND GASOLINE PRICES, PROMPTING ABSURD DEMOCRAT LIES. More HERE.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SECURES THE RELEASE OF ANOTHER AMERICAN HOSTAGE. More HERE.

UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP, U.S. INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION SURGES IN FEBRUARY TO RECORD LEVELS LED BY AUTOS AND MANUFACTURING.

ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI ANNOUNCES THE DOMESTIC TERRORISM CHARGES AGAINST THREE CHARGED IN ATTACKS ON TESLA FACILITIES. More HERE.

CONGRESSMAN BYRON DONALDS ADDS HIS VOICE TO OTHERS IN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH ABOUT THE NEED TO REIN IN JUDICIAL ABUSE AND OVERREACH.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY JANITORS WHO WERE ABUSED AND HELD HOSTAGE BY HAMAS-SUPPORTING DEMOCRATS ARE FIGHTING BACK.

ILLINOIS DEMOCRAT REPRESENTATIVE ATTACKS TEEN GIRLS WHO COMPLAINED ABOUT BEING FORCED TO CHANGE IN FRONT OF A MALE PRETENDING TO BE FEMALE IN THEIR LOCKER ROOM. Continue reading

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Filed under Anti-Donald Trump hysteria, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion