It has occurred to the KC Matchgirl that there's really nothing horrifying about "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". No chainsaw massacres, no exorcisms, no ax murders- just a bizarre tale rampant with sexual silliness.
Written as a stage musical by Richard O'Brien, who played the part of Riff Raff, the show debuted in 1973. A moderate success, O'Brien then wrote the script for the movie version that was released in the fall of 1975. The film was considered a flop until it got a second chance at a midnight showing at the Waverly Theater in NYC. College students looking for some late-night frivolity latched on to the film. By 1979, the film's underground popularity had expanded to weekend late shows at 230 theaters across the country, where audience participation- costumes, retorts, and throwing of props- was all part of the Rocky Horror experience.
As the longest-running release in film history, the movie was selected for the U.S. National Film registry by the Library of Congress in 2005.
On the back of the matchbook for the film is an advertisement for the local theater where the film was shown. The Varsity in St. Louis (at 6810 Delmar) was built in 1935; the theater has since closed and the building has housed a drug store and used record store in recent years.
The saddle of the book features the logo for St. Louis rock station K-SHE 95, and their "Midnight Flicks" promotion.
And while the KC Matchgirl is aware that "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" is often shown on television, it occurs to her that the movie is horrifyingly bad- unless you go see the midnight show.
Matchbook Date: Late 1970's, at the height of the Rocky Horror craze.
Sing it out loud, "Jim Dandy to the rescue!" Even if you're familiar with this song, it's really not about the hamburger-holding tyke on the cover of this matchbook.
But because the KC Matchgirl has done the research, for those only familiar with the 1973 recording of the song by Black Oak Arkansas, the song was actually written in 1956. Composed by Lincoln Chase, it was recorded by LaVern Baker and went to the top of the R & B charts that same year. "Jim Dandy" is a name attached to a thing or person of outstanding nature, as in, "Isn't that just Jim Dandy?", and found in written accounts as early as 1844.
Now back to the tyke- one would probably think his name is Jim Dandy. But my research was inconclusive about that assumption. However, the hamburger he's holding is probably the trademarked "Jim Dandy", first introduced to burger-lovers in 1958.
Back in 1950, Harry Reasner purchased a small frozen custard stand in Tipton, Indiana named Polar Bear. In a few years, he had bought a few other drive-ins in nearby towns, all operating under different names. In 1964, he decided to build a new drive-in, named after the popular Jim Dandy burger in Tipton. One by one, the other locations changed to Jim Dandy. Currently there are 7 locations in middle Indiana operating under the Jim Dandy moniker. The tyke has been subjected to some different color schemes, such as this 1970's blue & green, but he's maintained his Dennis The Menace similarities.
Now, the KC Matchgirl has actually been to Tipton, IN and did not see a Jim Dandy restaurant- which would have prompted her to say, "Hey, I have that matchbook!" No, when we were driving north of Indianapolis and stopped to eat, we pulled into the other restaurant fronted by a mop-topped-burger-toting-tyke.... Big Boy.
They say you pay more for a room with a view, so let's check into the Ahwahnee lodge in Yosemite National Park.
Built by the National Park Service in 1927, the style of this historic lodge is a mash-up of Art Deco, Native American, Middle Eastern, and Craftsman styles and decor. With 123 rooms available ( 99 in the lodge proper and 24 adjacent cabins) the Ahwahnee has amenities galore (ATM/bank, children's programs, transportation, concierge, gift shop, sweet shop, dining room, outdoor pool, and more). The upscale dining room enforces a dress code and has a specially designed service pattern that features the Ahwahnee "logo".
The "three-legged Indian" ( as in he's running so fast it appears he has 3 legs) was designed by Jeanette Dyer Spencer in 1927, based on a symbol found in native American basketweaving patterns. "Ahwahnee", however, is an actual Indian name of the village
( meaning "large mouth") in the Yosemite valley. The valley was the "large mouth" and Yosemite (English spelling ) was the Native American tribe that lived in the valley before the land became a national park in 1890.
So the Yosemite tribe chose the Ahwahnee name correctly because the KC Matchgirl had a jaw-dropping "large mouth" when she learned the price, $471 to $1229 a night, for a room with a view at the Ahwahnee.
Note: Due to the simple design, this matchbook is hard to date- a wide guess is late 1920's to early 1950's.
Count the KC Matchgirl as a member of the "I never went to Disneyland" club. While cousins and neighbors made the trek across America to the No. 1 vacation spot, I had to console my childhood dream by latching onto the postcards they sent in the mail and their cast-off souvenirs.
So when I had the chance to purchase a Disneyland matchbook for a mere 25 cents, it was just like wishing upon a star. Finally, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy would be joining my collection, all decked out in their Bicentennial costumery.
It was only later that I noticed the small detail on the back- "Tobacco Shop".
Wait, a tobacco shop at Disneyland?
The Tobacconist was once located located on Main Street, wedged between the Magic Shop and the Cinema. One of the original shops that opened in 1955, the Tobacconist carried hand-crafted pipes and fine tobacco from around the world. A traditional wooden "Cigar Store Indian" stood sentry out front. While the tobacco shop closed in 1991, the wooden Indian has remained in the same spot. The shop is now called 20th Century Music Co.
Epilog: The KC Matchgirl knows it's never too late for a trip to Disneyland, but she would have rather gone in 1969- which IS no longer possible.
And she also hopes that everyone knows that the American Bicentennial was back in 1976.
Usually, a matchcover doesn't question you, it tells you: the place, the address, the phone number. It wants you to know exactly where you picked it up from.
Then there are the matchcovers that brazenly ask just where you got it- then make you look inside for the answer- each time you need a match.
Needless to say, there's a novelty to it though sometimes it's worded a little differently. "Now Where Did I Get This?" is the G-rated version, and readers may recall the KC Matchgirl featured the PG- rated version for her blog premiere titled "Where The Hell Did I Get This?" (July 2013). The answer inside is also G-rated: from Clay Widener of Moore Reality Co. in Denver, CO, who has probably gone to that real estate listing in the sky by now.
The flipside of this stylish punctuation mark asks "Why Not?" then just gets silly by stating "We Never Close, Open 24 days a week, 7 hours a day" across the saddle. "Why Not" what? When are they open? When do they close?
Well, let's flip it open and find out! "It's Top's for HOT APPLE PIE", "Denver's Quality Drive-In Restaurants", 2 addresses listed... So "Why Not?" eat at Top's? or "Why Not?" eat HOT APPLE PIE?
The KC Matchgirl just doesn't know-
Are they open 24/7 or 7/24? Are customers expected to eat HOT APPLE PIE in their cars? Because the KC Matchgirl remembers the drive-ins of the 1960's (where you ordered your food then ate it in the car) and her parents constant harping about spilling ketchup, soda, or ice cream inside the car, much less HOT APPLE PIE!
They would be sure to tell you "Why Not?"
Come on, kids! Hop in the car! We're going on a road trip to search for the cutest matchbook EVER. And, if we're lucky, it will have a petting zoo, pony cart rides, a candy shop, AND a toy shop, for a full day of family fun.
Here's the place, Honey Bear Farm, at the shore of Powers Lake, Wisconsin. Once a bucolic family farm, it was purchased by Julia Kraft, founder of Mrs. Steven's Candies, in 1953. The original farm buildings were converted into shops and a restaurant, featuring "grandma-style" cooking with signature menu items: honey bread and honey salad dressing. The Honey Bear mascot appeared on mugs, T-shirts, and other gift items.
After nearly 20 successful years, the 18-acre spread was sold to Carson Pirie Scott, better known as the big Chicago department store founded in 1858.
Of course, changes were made and not always for the better, then the popular restaurant burned down in 1977. Even though it was re-built, business continued to falter and the whole operation eventually was shuttered.
The farm where Honey Bear and the children of Wisconsin used to frolic and play is no more. The only trace of what used to be is a place on the lake called "Honey Bear Bay".
Matchbook Circa 1974
The Inside Story: Honey Bear Beckons You Spend a dozy day of leisure at Honey Bear Farm. 18 acres of rolling meadows on the shore of Powers Lake. Fun for the whole family...pony-cart rides to penny candy for the kids...luncheon (or dinner) like grandmother used to serve...gift cottages filled to brimming with home-made bread and pastries, hostess whimsies, countrified casual-wear and more. Carson Pirie Scott & Co. credit cards honored.
The early collection of the KC Matchgirl centered solely on the local places she had been. All that changed when an uncle gave her The Sack. This plain brown paper grocery sack, which was found in the trash pile, had wondrous items inside- matchbooks from other places! From hotels, motels, restaurants, bowling alleys, to lounges & coffee shops. All used, from a man who obviously smoked everywhere he went, from city to city, especially in Denver.
Sorting through the contents was like an archaeological dig, discovering the unknown smoker's life through matchbooks: where he ate, had a few beers, cashed his paycheck, even where he worked- United States Air Force.
After a visit to the SAC Museum in Ashland, NE, it finally dawned on the KC Matchgirl there was a matchbook from that sack with the same logo displayed there...
The Strategic Air Command shield logo features an armored fist gripping lightening bolts, which represent speed and power, and olive branches to symbolize peace. The shield was designed by Airman 2nd Class Robert T. Barnes during a contest in 1951, which netted him a $100 savings bond for the winning design.
Using the personnel and facilities developed during World War II, it was first established as the Continental Air Force in 1944. 2 years later the unit was re-designated as the Strategic Air Command. Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, CO was home to the 703rd Strategic Missile Wing and the 451st Strategic Missile Wing Titan 1 units from 1958 to 1965, when the Titan ICBMs were removed.
In 1992, a united command was renamed US Strategic Command and the shield logo was retired.
This 40- count matchbook dates to the late 1950's to early 1960's.
