July/August 2011 - Big Little Books

THE
BIG
LITTLE
TIMES
®
__________________________________________________
VOLUME XXX, NUMBER 4
BIG LITTLE BOOK COLLECTOR’S CLUB
P.O. BOX 1242
DANVILLE, CALIFORNIA 94526
JULY/AUGUST 2011
_______________________________________________________________________________________
JANE WITHERS IN “KEEP SMILING”
Better Little Book
Whitman Publishing Co. (1938)
JANE WITHERS IN “THIS IS THE LIFE”
Big Little Book
Whitman Publishing Co. (1935)
Back
Front
Cover
Cover
CLASSIFIED ADS
Things are shaping up nicely for our July 16 Big Little Book
Club
Meeting.isSixty
one Clubcharacter
Members who
have learned
indicatedthe
theysecrets
will of the
Frank Chandler
a fictitious
attend.
That
is
a
larger
number
than
I
expected.
My
home
might
neverball to
Yogi’s in the Far East. He used his special powers and a crystal
be
the
same
after
so
many
people
visit
it.
Quite
a
few
tables
will
be set the
thwart the enemies of mankind. He became well-known as Chandu,
up
with
BLB
items
for
sale.
Other
tables
will
show
very
rare
and
unusual
Magician.
items — the kind that you usually go to a museum to see. Most will be
one-of-a-kind
items. Canada
and thirteen
of our
states will
be on
The
popular juvenile
radio program
Chandu
the50Magician,
began
represented.
I’ll
try
to
get
lots
of
pictures
and
prepare
an
article
for
October 10, 1932 on the West Coast Don Lee Network, radio stationaKHJ,
future
issue oftothe
Big
Little
Los Angeles. It soon
expanded
the
East
onTimes.
Mutual. The 5-day series of
15-minute episodes was sponsored
King Soap in the West and
•
• by White
•
by Beech Nut Gum in the East.
JIM COLLINGS (Member #704) and Merlyn Collings have coauthored a
niftytitle
bookcharacter
on character
novelty clocks
and watches
(see
thelearned
ad in the
The
was and
American-born
Frank
Chandler
who
occult
Classified
Section
of
this
issue).
The
book
has
received
strong
secrets in India. He acquired supernatural skills, including astralpositive
projection,
reviews. One reviewer
“Many
of the clocks
featured
havehimself
not appeared
teleportation,
and thesaid:
ability
to create
illusions.
Calling
Chandu,
in
other
books
on
the
subject.
Each
page
is
full
of
beautifully
he intended to fight any “evil that threatens mankind.” reproduced
color photos with a detailed description and price estimate for each item.”
Jim is
the latest
to join
numerous
Club
MembersMorgan
who have
become
The
original
show
was
created by
Raymond
and
Harryauthors.
Earnshaw.
Vera Oldham who worked for
them,
wrote
several
hundred
episodes
in
•
•
•
which Chandler’s sister, Dorothy Regent, and her two children, Betty and
theRobert
last issue
of the BLT
and
this one, we in a
Bob, try to find Dorothy’sBetween
husband,
Regent,
who
disappeared
lostplay,
Jackie
Cooper,takes
the movie
star who
shipwreck. Suspecting foul
Chandler
the family
toappeared
Egypt where
in adventures
more BLBs than
star. HeChandler
was born has
they encounter dangerous
andany
the other
evil Roxor.
September
15, 1922
and passed
away
on May that
a mild romance with Nadji,
an Egyptian
princess,
and he
discovers
3, holds
2011. Robert
He was prisoner
the first child
to receive
Roxor had kidnapped and
in anactor
attempt
to get his
Academy Award nomination - an honor for his
plans for a powerful ray an
gun.
role as the star of the movie Skippy (1931 and
BLB #761).
Cooper’s
autobiography,
Please
Although the program came
to an end
in 1936,
it was revived
forDon’t
another
ShootThe
My original
Dog, wasscripts
published
in reworked
1982. The title
run beginning June 28, 1948.
were
by Vera
comes
director
Norman
threat
to on
Oldham, and the episodes
werefrom
again
sponsored
by Taurog’s
White King
Soap
shoot
young
if hemusic
couldwas
not cry
in
ABC, Saturday nights at 7:30
p.m.
TheJackie’s
spookydog
theme
provided
Skippy.
longpseudonym,
career included
writing
by organist Juan Rolando
underCooper’s
his Hindu
Korla
Pandit.
as well
as acting.
Then on February 2, 1949,and
thedirecting
serialized
episodes
were dropped, and the
program became a 30-minute, self-contained story each week. The last
broadcast was heard on September 6, 1950.
LARRY LOWERY
Editor
4
FOR SALE
WANTED
Character and Novelty
Clocks and Watches
is a fascinating, comprehensive book
that emphasizes animated cartoon
time pieces - scarce and rare clocks
and watches. Hundreds of colorful
photos and prices. 192 pages. Hard
back $29.95, free shipping.
Phantom BLBs:
Desert Justice (1421)
Return of the Phantom (#1489)
Flash Gordon BLB:
Monsters of Mongo (soft cover)
Also
Zorro, Lone Ranger, Davy Crockett,
Green Hornet, Shadow, and
Crusader Rabbit memorabilia
And
non-sport cards, various board
games.
JEFF KEPLEY (Member #1337)
6956 Westmoreland Way
Sacramento, CA 95831
(916) 421-0921 evenings or weekends
JIM COLLINGS (Member #704)
435 East Main Street
Brevard, NC 28712
Phone: (929) 877-5800
COLLECTION OF BLBs FOR SALE
I have a good size collection of BLBs.
Contact me for details.
CINDI MOYA
720.379.8688
303.941.2589 cell
FOR SALE OR TRADE
Laughing Dragon of OZ
I need: Westward Ho (John Wayne)
Also need Bring Crosby items related
to him. Will buy $$$
ROBERT KIRK (Member #1126)
P.O. Box 38
Quinton, NJ 98972
(856) 935-1934
[email protected]
3
JANE WITHERS
Hollywood’s Good Natured
And Enthusiastic Imp
by
Walt Needham, Member #1102
Dixie Premium Photo
What eight year old girl would attempt to run over five year old Shirley
Temple with her tricycle, destroy a castaway doll that Shirley had found
in the trash, and insist to her that there was no Santa Claus? These honors
belong to Jane Withers in her first credited role, Joy Smythe, in the 1934
film Bright Eyes.
In fact, in the first of three big little
book style volumes in which Jane
Withers makes an appearance, Saalfield’s Little Hollywood Stars, author Dixie
Williams offers assurance to its readers,
writing that Jane is not “naughty” or “cross”
but really “a friendly little person, a stocky,
black-eyed, black-haired, little rascal with
a quick, bright smile.”
Sheet Music Cover
from Withers Film
WILL ROGERS POSTAGE STAMP
WHITMAN: Juvenile Books
4
Whitman Book 1935
“Jane Withers - Her Life Story”
by Eleanor Packer
Jane Withers was a veteran performer by the time she made Bright Eyes.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1926, she learned to sing, dance, and do
imitations while a small child. At age 3 she was on radio, taking the role
of Dixie’s Dainty Dewdrop as part of Aunt Sally’s Kiddie Club (1). She left
for Hollywood shortly thereafter, the move made easier by her father’s
simultaneous transfer to Los Angeles by his company. Her first work there
involved doing voices for the Looney Tunes and Willie Whopper cartoons.
Before Bright Eyes, she had five uncredited film roles, the two most notable
being those of Mary Elizabeth in Tailspin Tommy and a little girl playing
hopscotch in W.C. Fields’ great film, It’s a Gift (2).
Withers had both uncredited and credited roles in 1934 and 1935.
However, in 1935 she was given her first starring role in This is the Life,
a film depicted in the Big Little Book titled This is the Life starring Jane
Withers. The book was illustrated with movie stills and the screen play
adapted by Whitman’s stalwart writer, Eleanor Packer.
5
This is the Life is the story of how a musically talented orphan,
Geraldine “Jerry” Revier, was taken by a ruthless couple from an orphanage
under the guise of providing her with a good home and a family. These
foster parents exploit her talents, make unkept promises and treat her
harshly. A chance meeting with Michael Grant, an unjustly accused man
on the run, provides her with an opportunity to escape. They have a
variety of adventures, adding a traveling merchant, the Professor (played
by Charlie Chan-to-be, Sidney Toler), and his assistant Sticky to their
group. While foraging at a local ranch, Michael is recognized by the
rancher’s daughter, Helen Davis. He offers himself to the police in
order to keep Jerry’s identity secret. Helen and her mother prove
to be kindly people, Jane along with the Professor and Sticky happily
adjusting to rural life. To raise money for Michael’s legal fees, they all
travel to the San Diego Fair where they put on a show headlined by Jerry
with her singing and dancing. However, Jerry is recognized by her foster
parents and forced to resume her unhappy life. In the meantime, now
being able to afford a good attorney, Michael is acquitted and engineers
a situation where Jerry is taken from her exploiters, and she is placed in
Michael’s custody. They return to the Davis’ ranch to enjoy the good life.
This is the Life involves a well-worked theme for the first
appearances of musical stars to the public. It was subsequently used in
1940 to introduce then-child star Jane Powell to movie audiences in The
Song of the Open Road, although this Jane had a misguided mother instead of
exploitive foster parents. This film lacked the drama and emotion of the
Withers’ film but was helped by the humor of W.C. Fields, Edgar Bergen
and Charlie McCarthy – actors who were also big little book characters.
This is the Life has held up well in its more than 75 years. It was
enthusiastically received by movie aficionados at the Cinecon
screening in 2010 which also featured a personal appearance by the then
84 year old Jane Withers. It is considered remarkable not only for Wither’s
performance but because it involved an anthropological tour of an
America that no longer exists as well as an 8-year-old girl’s tender
attachment to a grown man, a topic rather taboo today (3).
THE JANE WITHERS
BIG LITTLE BOOKS
6
Between 1935 and 1938 when the Better Little Book Jane Withers in Keep
Smiling appeared, Withers developed her screen persona more fully – that
of an energetic, optimistic, good hearted, although at times mischievous,
and typically successful, Miss Fix-it. She appeared in films such as Paddy
O’Day, Little Miss Nobody, Pepper, and The Holy Terror. The 1938 Keep Smiling Better Little Book once again consists of movie stills with the film
script retold by Eleanor Packer.
7
Keep Smiling tells of the adventures of Jane Rand, a student at Miss Wesley’s
School for Girls. Theatrically talented but frustrated by the limitations
placed on her by the other students, she manufactures an invitation to visit
her only relative, Uncle Jon Rand, a famed Hollywood director. She hopes
to stay with him permanently. However when she arrives at his home, she
finds that his possessions are being auctioned off. She meets her uncle’s
former secretary, Carol Walters, who is supervising the sale. She learns
that he has impoverished himself and lost his reputation by becoming an
irresponsible alcoholic. This is confirmed by his appearing at the auction
intoxicated. Concealing her identity from her uncle, Jane joins with Carol,
his love interest, in an attempt to rehabilitate him. With some connivance,
Jane, Carol, and Uncle Jon install themselves in Mrs. Willoughby’s boarding
house, a residence which caters to theatrical people. Jon attempts to contact
his movie friends for work but fearful of his drinking and irresponsibility,
they reject him. However, Jane accompanies fellow boarders, consisting of a
would-be child star and her mother to the studio. She hopes to plead with
Mr. Lawson, a former friend and now a studio executive, to give her uncle
a chance. Although unsuccessful in this, she remains at the studio to help
Mr. Travers, an impoverished actor and fellow boarder, attempt a comeback
with a screen test. They hide in the studio overnight so that they can view
the test themselves in the morning. Uncle Jon, concerned about Jane, joins
them. Mr. Lawson is pleased by both Mr. Travers and Jane’s performance.
Unfortunately Mr. Travers passes away moments later but Jane is offered a
contract. Despite difficulties with an incompetent director and interference
by the arrogant child actress who accompanied her to the studio, Jane is
successful. Uncle Jon replaces the fired director. Carol sends away her old
boyfriend who had planned to take her back home. Jane, Uncle Jon and
Carol are set for a happy life
Lobby Card
from the film
“Rascals”
Movie Postcard
of Jane Withers’
Home
Jane Withers’ films were essentially B or second feature offerings which
20th Century Fox Studios produced at that time. Shirley Temple and Will
Rogers made the bigger productions and kept the studio afloat financially
(3). However, Jane had a great many fans and considerable influence
with her studio. Her films were rated sixth among the top ten box-office
attractions in the U.S. theaters (4). One film, Shooting High reflects her
success in borrowing Gene Autry from Republic Studios to co-star with her,
Jane receiving first billing. Jane admired Autry and was able to sing with
him as part of the story. This film is also interesting in that a number of the
actors in Shooting High were involved directly or indirectly with big little
book characters. Besides Withers and Autry, Robert Lowery was Batman in
the serial, Batman and Robin, while Charles Middleton was the incomparable
Ming the Merciless, enemy of Flash Gordon in the three Flash Gordon serials.
8
Title Card
from the film
“Shooting High”
9
Withers’ parents licensed her image and name, and Jane Withers’
products, such as dolls and paper cutouts. She had an extensive
collection of dolls herself, these numbering 8000. They were given
to her primarily by her fans, including Franklin Roosevelt. During the
1940s Withers was featured in Whitman’s Mystery and Adventure Stories
for Girls and Boys. These inexpensive hard-covered books featured both
Hollywood personalities and comic characters in a series of stories. Jane
Withers topped the female movie stars with the number of books in
which she was featured as the heroine, Jane Withers and the Phantom Violin,
Jane Withers and the Hidden Room, and Jane Withers and the Swamp Wizard.
Other women movie stars in the series were Betty Grable, Ann Sheridan,
Bonita Granville, Gene Tierney, Deanna Durbin, Ginger Rogers, Judy
Garland and Shirley Temple. The Withers books were written by Roy J. Snell,
Eleanor Packer, and Kathryn Heisenfelt, respectively. They were all
enhanced by illustrations by Henry Vallely, an artist known to devotees
of big little books.
Jane left 20th Century Fox for Republic Studios after making The Mad
Martindales. She continued with Republic until 1947. At that time she
married William Moss, a wealthy Texan, and had three children by him.
They were divorced after six years. Two years later she married Kenneth
Errair, one of the Four Freshmen, with whom she had two more children. Mr.
Errair was killed in an airplane accident and a son died of cancer. Her
own health was complicated by rheumatoid arthritis. Yet, she was buoyed
up by being offered supporting roles in Giant, The Right Approach, and
Captain Newman M.D.
JANE WITH SHIRLEY
However, television became her forte for most of her later career
(5). She guest-starred in TV series such The G.E. True Theater, Bachelor
Father, The Munsters, The Love Boat, Hart-to-Hart, and Murder She Wrote.
She was especially successful in a decade of commercials beginning
in the mid-1960s in which she was featured as Josephine the Plumber,
spokes-person for Comet Cleanser. Her most recent work has consisted
of voice-overs, particularly for Disney, the last being that of the gargoyle
Laverne in The Hunchback of Notre Dame II in 2002 (6).
Although no longer active professionally, Jane has been enjoying the
recognition for her film career and other enterprises. She has been
given her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Former Child Star
Lifetime Achievement Award, received a Gold Boot Award and has been an
honored guest at the Cinecon Convention in Hollywood
repeatedly. She was also given a Living Legacy Award. A citation given in
conjunction with the latter describes her as “an actress, writer, entrepreneur,
businesswoman, doll and teddy bear collector, humanitarian and an
enthusiastic, eternal optimist. Her talent, faith and love of life bring joy to
others. That’s a wonderful gift to give” (6).
JOSEPHINE THE PLUMBER
10
11
In many ways Jane Withers’ personality is like that of the children and
adolescents she portrayed. She does not acknowledge a “dark side”
although she has had more than her share of tragedy. It seems that it
would be difficult to know her completely although on occasion she
reports that she has been working on an autobiography.
In 2010, she described her current schedule as “spending a few days a
week with friends, haunting local bookstores and thrift shops,” now
using a walker with which to travel. She receives great pleasure in being
acknowledged by her fans (7). She reports that recently when she was
at the dentist, and was recognized as Jane Withers, the woman who had
asked about her identity, started to cry. Touched, Withers commented
“Imagine that, it’s like I’m an old friend people haven’t seen for a while.”
However, her fans can see her at various points in her career on You-Tube
and there remains the possibility of her films being released for collectors.
The many ages and roles of Jane Withers have achieved an immortality of
a sort.
References
1. Author Unknown. (no date). Jane Withers – IMDb. Retrieved 3/10/2011
from http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936730/maindetails
2. Author Unknown. (September 6, 2010). Jane Withers charms CINECON in “This is the Life.” Retrieved 3/21/2011 from http://artsmeme.
com/2010/09/08/jane-withers-charms-cinecon-in-this-is-the-life
3. Thomas, Tony & Solomon, Audrey. (1979). The Films of 20th Century Fox,
A Pictorial History. Secaucus, New Jersey: The Citadel Press.
4. Author Unknown. (no date). Jane Withers Biography. Retrieved
11/2/2010 from http://www.republicpictures75th.com/celebrs/bios/
withers/bio2_jwithers.html
5. Author Unknown. (November 2, 2000.) KODAK: LIVE Events Film
star Jane Withers – Brownie pictures and the stories behind them. Retrieved
4/3/2010
from
http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/magazine/
transcripts/11-12-2000.1.1.shtml
6. Author Unknown. (no date). WIC Biography – Jane Withers Retrieved
3/18/2010 from http://www.wic.org/bio/jwithers.htm
RECENT PHOTOS OF
JANE WITHERS
7. Johnston, Lori. (July 20, 2010). Q&A on the News, What happened to Jane
Withers, a former Atlantan? Retrieved 3/18/11 from http://www.ajc.com/
news/q-a-on-the-574530.html
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BIG LITTLE BOOKS
FOR SALE
LETTERS
I have enjoyed the Big Little Book Times and your books about BLBs. I know
that all your members will miss your efforts and involvement with this part
of our history. It was an age that we shall never experience again. Thank
you for your efforts and do enjoy whatever your future endeavors may be.
BOB SIEDLE
Member #1265
Thanks for all of the many fond memories of years gone by (the 1930s).
JIM GRIFFITH
Member #661
I certainly have enjoyed being a member of the Big Little Book Club all these
years . . . and I have also enjoyed the articles in the Big Little Times. My
very best to you.
GENE KREY
Member #493
I was in a bit of a nostalgia mood the other day and got to thinking about
my childhood BLB adventures. I do remember that my first BLB and the one
that helped me learn to read was the Saalfield edition of The Adventures of
Tim Tyler. I also remember that the local five and dime store (Woolworth’s,
maybe, or perhaps S. S. Kresge’s) sold BLBs at 25 cents each or three for fifty
cents. There were occasional sales when they were 10 cents each or three for
25 cents. I had several dozens at least, but as I grew older I became deeply
involved in stamp collecting and that’s where my paper route earnings went
by the time I was 12 or so. But I still have the Tim Tyler BLB and it’s in pretty
decent shape after all the years. When I came across it, long forgotten, in a
box of other of my childhood books about ten years ago I became hooked
and I began adding others to form what is now a nice little collection. I’ve
enclosed information about a book I am using re my study of 1930s flying
boats. And, as always, thank you for all of your accomplishments in the
BLB world.
Dr. ED SULLIVAN
Member #238
Ed has identified three BLBs that tell about clippers (Flying the Sky Clipper, Hall of
Fame of the Air, and Wings of the USA). If anyone has information or items about
the Clippers (e.g. the China Clipper), he would appreciate your contacting him at
31 South Main St., Centerville, MA 02632
14
15
The FLIP-IT BIG LITTLE BOOKS
Flip-it books are a clever and simple form of animation. They work by
placing a series of pictures (drawings or photographs) that gradually vary
from one page to the next so that when the pages are flipped rapidly, the
pictures simulate motion or other change.
Flip-it books are not always separate books. They may be an added feature
in an ordinary book, usually in the page corners as in the Whitman 1941-43
Better Little Books and the Modern Era 1973-1987 Big Little Books.
The first flip book was patented in September of 1868 by John Barnes
Linnett who called it a kineograph (“moving picture”).
The first Whitman flip-it BLB appeared three years after Whitman, angry over
the logo copyrighted by competitor Saalfield (Little Big Book), decided to
change its logo to suggest a superior book. Whitman called its “new” book a
Better Little Book and soon added the flip-it feature to support its new logo.
Saalfield, in turn, changed its logo to Jumbo Book, implying a “bigger” book
than Whitman’s.
The Whitman Better Little Books are most noted for their
introduction of the flip-it feature added to the BLB format. The feature
first appeared in the third 1400 BLB series, 1940, in Big Chief Wahoo and
the Magic Lamp #1482 and Popeye in a Sock for Susan’s Sake #1485. Each
book gave directions on how to flip its pages. In the upper right-hand corner
of each right-hand page was a set of illustrations which progressively showed
motion as the pages were flipped from front to back. A sample of some Green
Hornet flip-it illustrations was shown on the cover of The Big Little Times,
September/October Issue, 1985.
As a collector, it is interesting to note that the fourth #1400 BLB series
introduced the All Pictures BLB. Each of the All Pictures books published
during the Whitman flip-it years contains TWO flip-it features - the second
being on the left-hand page in the upper left-hand corner. It flips from back
to front.
In 1941 to 1943, Whitman placed flip-it features in many of its Better Little
Books.
Nearly all the titles in the fourth #1400 BLB series contain flip-it features.
After this series, they were discontinued and were not reinstated again
until 1973 when Whitman began to publish paperback editions.
In all, there were 77 flip-it feature BLBs, 8 of them have two flip-it features.
Of the single feature books, 11 of them are left-handed. There are 10 flip-it
features in the modern soft cover editions.
Flip-it Feature Ads on the Backs of Better Little Books
16
17
Air Fighters of America #1445 (1941)
An airplane bombs and sinks a ship
Buck Jones, Tim McCoy, and Raymond Hatton
in The Rough Riders #1486 (1941)
Cowboy does tricks with a twirling lariat.
Allen Pike of the Parachute Squad USA #1481
(1941)
An airplane takes off from an aircraft carrier, flies over an
Buck Rogers and the Overturned World #1474
(1941)
Bambi #1469 (1942)
Captain Midnight and the Secret Squadron
#1488 (1941)
An enemy agent tries to stop Captain Midnight from a
enemy ship and levels out to launch a torpedo at the ship.
The ship blows up and the airplane returns to the
carrier.
Bambi learns to walk
Wokkie, Wilma Deering’s pet midget elephant, is stung
on the tip of his trunk by a bee. At the infirmary his trunk
is bandaged, and he wags his tail.
flying mission, but the Captain knocks him out, then flies
his plane to bomb and blow up an enemy ship.
Big Chief Wahoo and the Magic Lamp #1483
(1940). First flip-it BLB
Captain Midnight vs. The Terror of the Orient
#1458 (1942)
Big Chief Wahoo and the Lost Pioneers #1432
(1942)
Inspector Charlie Chan Villainy on the High
Seas #1424 (1942)
Bad guys lose a fight on the deck of a ship
Blondie, Baby Dumpling, and All! #1437 (1941)
Convoy Patrol #1446 (1942)
Colonel Gusto pretends to be a bear and gets speared by
Wahoo.
Wahoo courts Minnie-Ha-Cha. Later, Minnie is
kidnapped. Wahoo saves Minnie and chases the
kidnapper away. Wahoo comforts Minnie.
Dagwood, late for work, zooms out of the house, hitting
the postman on his way.
Blondie Who’s Boss! #1423 (1941)
Daisy spills a pot of syrup in the kitchen, gets it all over
herself and makes a mess. Dagwood picks her up and
puts her into a tub of suds.
Oh Blondie, The Bumsteads Carry On #1419
(1941)
Daisy has a bad dream and awakens when she falls off a
bed. When called, instead of getting food, she gets a bath.
In the yard she barks at a cat. A thrown shoe hits Daisy.
Grumbling over her bad day, she goes into her dog
house.
18
A pilot comes upon a saboteur placing two bombs in an
airplane. They fight and the pilot subdues the saboteur
and makes him remove the bombs.
Several squadrons of bombers attack and bomb a war
ship but fail to sink it. The flip-it sequence is run twice to
fill the pages.
Dan Dunn and the Underworld Gorillas #1417
(1941) Two Flip-it Features
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): A crook tries to rob a
safe. Dan Dunn stops him. They fight and Dunn knocks
the crook out of his shoes. Left-hand flip-it (back to front):
On a firing range, Dan Dunn fires a machine gun. The
bullets spell out his name on the target.
The Desert Eagle and the Hidden Fortress
#1431 (1941)
The Desert Eagle single-handedly captures an enemy
tank.
19
Dick Tracy and His G-Men #1439 (1941)
A policeman and his dog have an altercation with a
farmer. The farmer wins and puts the cop in the
jailhouse.
Dick Tracy vs Crooks in Disguise #1479 (1941)
Tracy outboxes and KO’s Scardol the gangster.
Don Winslow, Navy IntelligenceAce #1418 (1942)
A sailor saves Don Winslow from drowning.
Donald Duck Headed for Trouble #1430 (1942)
Donald struggles with a long whipsaw.
Donald Duck Off the Beam! #1438 (1943)
Donald battles an inner tube while playing golf
Donald Duck Says Such Luck! #1424 (1941)
Donald does a hula dance.
Donald Duck Sees Stars #1422 (1941)
Donald and Daisy jitterbug
Dumbo of the Circus, Only His Ears Grew
#1400 (1941)
Dumbo flaps his ears and learns to fly
20
Ellery Queen, Adventure of the Murdered
Millionaire #1472 (1942)
A bank robbery goes awray when the getawar car hits a
street lamp. A policeman catches the robber and his bag
of money.
Flash Gordon and the Ice World of Mongo
#1443 (1942)
A one-eyed alien snake-like monster and Flash observe
each other.
Flash Gordon and the Tyrant of Mongo #1484
(1941)
Flash fights Ming in a duel with swords. At the end, Flash
wins.
G-Man vs. The Fifth Column #1470 (1941)
G-Man captures a gunman who has taken a shot at him. A
second gunman appears but is quickly subdued and
taken into custody.
Gene Autry and the Hawk of the Hills #1493
(1942). Directions for flipping are backwards.
Autry on his horse pursues a train commandeered by an
outlaw. He boards the engine and knocks out the
outlaw.
Gene Autry Special Ranger #1428 (1941)
A cowboy successfully rides a bucking bronco.
Ghost Avenger #1462 (1943)
A man with a rocket propulsion backpack fights a
dragon.
The Green Hornet Cracks Down #1480 (1942)
When a killer tries to stab a woman, the Green Hornet
appears and stops him. Using his gas-gun, The Hornet
knocks the man out, then delivers him into the hands of
a policeman.
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The Green Hornet Returns #1486 (1941)
Riding in his Black Beauty car, the Green Hornet returns
to his apartment and takes off his mask.
Maximo, The Amazing Superman
the Super-Machine #1445 (1941)
Maximo saves Ella from two gangsters.
and
Invisible Scarlett ONeil
#1403
(1942).
Two flip-it features.
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): Scarlett becomes
Mickey Mouse and the Dude Ranch Bandit
#1471 (1943)
Keep ‘Em Flying for America’s Defense #1420
(1943)
Mickey Mouse and the Magic Lamp
(1942)
King of the Royal Mounted, The Long Arm of
the Law #1405 (1941). Two flip-it features.
Mickey Mouse in the Treasure Hunt #1401
(1941). A left-handed flip-it (back to front).
Pluto balances and catches cups on his tail
Little Orphan Annie and the Haunted Mansion
#1482 (1941)
Mickey Mouse on Sky Island #1417 (1941)
The Lone Ranger and the Great Western Span
#1477 (1942)
Mr. District Attorney On The Job #1408 (1941)
Mandrake the Magician Mighty Solver of
Mysteries #1454 (1942)
Our Gang on the March #1451 (1942).
A left-handed flip-it (back to front).
Policeman chases Buckwheat but fails to catch him
Maximo and the Crystals of Doom #1444 (1941)
Maximo disarms a bad guy, then rides away on a horse.
Peggy Brown and the Mystery Basket #1411 (1941)
Peggy’s dog, Pepper, gets into trouble with a large dog
invisible to help a policeman catch a criminal. Left-hand flip-it (back to front): A thug holds Scarlett at gunpoint.
She becomes invisible, scares the thug who runs away.
While doing stunts in an airplane, the pilot has to bail out
when the plane begins to crack up. His parachute lands
him safely and at the end he winks at the viewer.
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): Mountie tries to capture
a villain. They fight. Eventually the Mountie wins.
Left-hand flip-it (back to front): Mountie tracks a bear
and because of an accident, captures it.
Moving slowly through the mansion, Annie hears a
sound. As she goes toward the sound a door slams shut.
This frightens Annie and she runs away.
After a shootout, the Lone Ranger captures a gunman
A hand does a sleight of hand card trick
Mickey does a clever dance with a top hat and cane.
Mickey teaches Pluto to point
Mickey performs a vaudeville dance routine
A taxi cab is hit by another car in an intersection. An
ambulance arrives and takes the injured passenger to the
hospital.
when he follows Peggy to the store.
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#1429
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The Phantom and Desert Justice #1421 (1941)
The Phantom appears from a column of smoke at the
Ray Land of the Tank Corps USA #1447 (1942)
The Return of the Phantom #1489 (1941).
A left-hand flip-it (back to front).
The Phantom fights and subdues a criminal.
Red Ryder and the Code of the West #1427
(1941)
Pilot Pete and His Dive Bomber #1466 (1941)
Red Ryder and the Western Border Guns #1450
(1942). A left-handed flip-it feature (flip back to
front).
skull-like entrance to his cave. He then walks toward the
viewer.
Pilot Pete is given instructions to bomb and oil tank. Pete
takes off and successfully bombs the oil tank.
Popeye and Castor Oyl the Detective #1497
(1941)
Popeye asks the jeep questions
Popeye in a Sock for Susan’s Sake #1485 (1940)
Popeye knocks out an opponent
Popeye The Superfighter
Two flip-it features.
#1406
Porky Pig and Petunia
Two flip-it features.
#1408
(1942).
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): Popeye fights a big
bruiser, gets his spinach, and wins the fight. Left-hand
flip-it (back to front): Several quick unrelated episodes
involve Popeye with Swee’pea, Wimpy and Olive.
(1942).
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): Porky is frightened by
Bugs in a lion costume. Flip-its are out of order, so actions
are confusing. Left-hand flip it (back to front): Porky is
carried away by a balloon. A bird pops the balloon, and
Porky tumbles to the ground.
The Range Busters in Saddle Mountain
Roundup #1441 (1942)
Bronco rider successfully stays on a bucking horse until
the end.
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A tank traverses rough terrain, uprooting trees and
smashing fences. At the end, the tank turns and comes
toward the viewer.
A cowboy punches out a bad guy.
Little Beaver shoots an arrow into the air, then runs to see
where it landed. Another Indian comes after Little Beaver
with a tomahawk because the arrow landed in his
headdress. Little Beaver runs into a teepee that has a sign
that reads: “Quarantine - Measles.”
Roy Rogers Robinhood of the Range #1460
(1942)
Roy is shot at as he approaches a wagon abandoned in
the snow. A gunfight ensues. Two outlaws lose the battle
when snow drops on them from the roof of a hotel.
The Shadow and the Ghost Makers
(1942)
#1495
The Shadow and the Master of Evil
(1941)
#1443
Three criminals are shot, one at a time, by The Shadow.
The Shadow chases two criminals
Skeezix on His Own in the Big City #1419
(1941). Two flip-it features.
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): Skeezix rides his
bicycle, does tricks, then crashes while showing off to
a girl. Left-hand flip-it (back to front): Skeezix fills a tire
on his car then tries to crank-start it. The car won’t run, so
Skeezix tries to hitch hike his way home.
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Smilin’ Jack Flying High with Downwind
#1412 (1942)
Tarzan the Terrible #1453 (1942)
Smilin’ Jack Speed Pilot #1473 (1941)
An airman parachutes from an airplane. When he lands,
Tarzan the Untamed #1452 (1941)
A chicken sees an airplane take off and tries to emulate it
- without success.
he collapses the chute and walks away.
Smitty and Herby Lost Among the Indians
#1404 (1941). Two flip-it features.
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): Smitty catches a fish on
his line, but the fish puts up such a fight, the boat is over
turned. Left-hand flip-it (back to front): Herby with a bag
of candy is chased by a dog. Herby hides behind a fence,
but the dog surreptitiously sneaks off with the bag.
Smokey Stover The False Alarm Fireman #1413
(1941). Two flip-it features.
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): Responding to the fire
alarm, Smokey jumps into his car, but crashes into the
garage door that he forgot to open. A second crash
tosses Smokey to the top of a telephone pole. Left-hand
flip-it (back to front): Smokey flies an airplane through
a grove of trees, then loops back for a perfect 3-point
landing.
Speed Douglas and the Mole Gang
(1941)
#1455
Speed Douglas downs several airplanes in an aerial
dog fight
Steve Hunter Under Secret Orders #1426 (1942)
A coast guard patrol boat spots an enemy submarine
periscope. The patrol boat finds the sub and blows it up
with a depth charge.
Tailspin Tommy, The Weasel & His Skywaymen
#1410 (1941). Two flip-it features.
Right-hand flip-it (front to back): An airplane has engine
trouble, producing black smoke. The pilot passes out and
the plane plummets. The pilot awakens in time, straightens
out the plane and parachutes to safety as the plane
crashes in the background. Left-hand flip-it (back to
front): An airman spins a propeller to start a monoplane.
Before take off, a child walks in front of the propeller. The
airman rescues the child from danger.
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Tarzan fights a gorilla on the edge of a cliff.
Tarzan runs and swings through trees to encounter a
jungle cat which he fights and kills.
Terry and the Pirates, The Plantation Mystery
#1436 (1942)
Baron DePlexus threatens Pat with a gun. Pat disarms the
Baron and knocks him out.
Tillie The Toiler and the Wild Man of Desert
Island #1442 (1941)
Tillie’s co-worker, Mac, is on an island armed only with a
spear. He is frightened by a bear. He runs, stumbles, and is
knocked out. He wakes up with the friendly bear licking
his face.
Tom Swift and His Magnetic Silencer
(1941)
#1437
A burglar breaks into the Tom Swift Laboratory while
Koku, the guard sleeps. When he awakens, the guard
takes care of the burglar.
Uncle Sam’s Sky Defenders #1461 (1941)
An enemy machine gun emplacement is strafed,
then bombed, destroying the gun emplacement.
Windy Wayne and His Flying Wing #1433
(1942)
Captain Windy Wayne maneuvers the Flying Wing
(Northrop Model N-1M) through a series of turns and
rolls.
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MODERN AGE BLB FLIP-IT FEATURES
Soft covers; 1973 - 1987
Donald Duck, The Lost Jungle City
#5773 (1975).
Donald is frightened by an alligator
In 1973 Whitman began publishing Big Little Books as inexpensive soft
cover items (called “limpbound books”). The books were 3 5/8” x 4 3/4”
x 5/8” and 256 pages in length. Some content was derived from the
earlier 2000 series titles. Most were new stories with new characters. In an
attempt to improve sales, nine titles included flip-it features. Of the nine,
two reprinted flip-its from the 1940s Better Little Books (Donald Duck in
Volcano Valley, Popeye and Queen Olive Oyl).
Donald Duck in Volcano Valley
#5760 (1973)
The first printing had 12 titles and a 39¢ price on the cover. Several sets
of 12 were published in subsequent years. Some titles in the sets were
reprints of earlier titles, thus some of the nine flip-it feature books underwent several reprintings.
Pink Panther in Z-Land
#5770 (1976)
The Pink Panther rides a roller board.
Donald does a hula dance (same flip-it as in Donald Duck
Says Such Luck! BLB #1424 (1941)
The last BLB was published in 1987.
Popeye and Queen Olive Oyl
#5761 (1973)
Bugs Bunny, Accidental Adventure
#5758 (1973)
Bugs pulls a giant carrot out of the ground.
Bugs Bunny and Klondike Gold
#5766 (1974)
Popeye asks the Jeep questions (same flip-it as in Popeye
and Castor Oyl the Detective BLB #1497 (1941)
Road Runner, The Lost Road Runner Mine
#5767 (1974)
To catch the Road Runner, Wiley Coyote shoots himself
out of a cannon.
Bugs performs magic. He pulls a rabbit out of a hat.
Bugs Bunny, The Last Crusader
#5772 (1975)
Tweety flys over Sylvester as he juggles.
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Road Runner, Super Beep-Catcher
#5759 (1973.).
The Road Runner outruns Wiley Coyote
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BLB FLIP-IT FEATURES IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
Hard cover; 1941 - 1952
In an agreements with the Whitman Publishing Company, the
Editorial Bruguera publisher in Spain (Barcelona) and the
Editorial Abril publisher in Argentina began reprinting translations of
several Whitman Better Little Books in 1941. By 1952, 122 BLBs were
published in Argentina and distributed throughout most of South
America. Information on the Spain editions is sketchy at this time.
Only two are currently identified.
THE ARGENTINA FLIP-IT BLBs
#1156
(1942)
#1112
(1944)
#1114
(1945)
#1117
(1943)
#1116
(1944
#1123
(1943)
#1124
(1943)
#1126
(1942)
Examples of Whitman flip-it books
published in Spain
#1119
(1943)
#1122
(1942)
Among the Argentina books are 24 of Whitman’s Better Little Book
titles with flip-it pages. The complete Argentina listing of flip-it feature
books is presented on the following page.
The Argentina books are slightly smaller than the Whitman BLBs:
3 5/8” x 4 1/2” x 1 1/2”. They are hard covered with glued
bindings. The pagination ranges from 256 to 300 pages. They were called
Pequinos Grandes Libros. The words were placed in a black circle,
similar to the Whitman BLB logo. Some of the books had as many as
seven different press runs (with different cover illustrations on the later
reprintings).
#1130
(1944)
#1134
(1943)
#1139
(1943)
#1140
(1943)
#1148
(1944)
#1149
(1944)
#1143
(1944)
Toward 1950, Argentina began to create its own characters and titles for
these books, and the American BLB titles were gradually phased out.
#1144
(1944)
Example of an Argentina Flip-it Book with Ad
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#1151
(1944)
#1145
(1945)
#1155
(1944)
#1154
(1944)
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#1150
(1944)
#1169
(1946)
COLLECTOR’S CORNER
In the last issue of the BLT, an informative article by Judd Lawson
(Member #1111) was accompanied by scans of BLB ads as they appeared
in the Mickey Mouse Magazines in the 1930s and 40s. Not all the magazines
had been checked by Judd, so he assumed more and different ads might
be discovered.
Long-time Club Member Doug Kendig (Canadian Member #49) checked
several Mickey Mouse Magazines for ads and found the following:
Volume 3 #3
Volume 3 #4
Volume 3 #9
Volume 4 #7
Volume 5 #4
Contains many ads but none for BLBs
The inside of the front cover has a color ad for
Disney books published by the David McKay Co. The inside of the front cover has an ad like the one in
Judd’s BLT article (top of page 17).
The inside of the front cover has an ad similar to the one
in Volume 3 #9, however, the cowboy is facing in the
opposite direction and several new titles are added to the
listing.
Has an ad with Mickey Mouse pointing down.
Finding ads for BLBs is an interesting side bar to our BLB collecting.
Whitman’s semi-annual catalogues always included ads. The
following is from a Whitman 1943 catalogue - a time when Whitman was
beginning to feature All Pictures BLBs (thus saving on paying authors
to write a narrative opposite each page of text). This enabled the books to
still be sold for a dime.
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•
•
•
Larry Johnston (Member #681) recently picked up several Whitmanrelated items in the past few months.
He acquired a couple of titles of the Walt Disney Story Books (the hard
cover books described in the 2011 January/February Issue of The Big
Little Times). The books are translated into Danish and were published
before WWII.
•
•
•
Jim Blackledge (Member #565) has been working with
me to develop a complete listing of Big Little Books that
were translated into Portuguese and printed in Brazil
before WWII. Jim recently came across an interesting set
of Whitman Penny Books - translated and printed around
1940. On this page are shown the 5 titles he discovered. At
the time of this writing, it is not known how many Whitman
Penny Books were translated and printed in Brazil. The few
examples here are from the third set of the Whitman Penny
Books.
SWBp1.3.1 Jim Doyle, Detetive Amador
Translated from Whitman’s SW1.3.9
Jim Doyle, Private Detective
SWBp1.3.2 Detetives Mirins
Translated from Whitman’s SWp1.3.10
Junior G-Men Solve a Crime
SWBp1.3.3 Tutolevos do Oesti
Translated from Whitman’s SWp1.3.6
The Gunmen of Rustlers’ Gulch
SWBp1.3.4 Sandy Gregg, Agente Federal
Translated from Whitman’s SWp1.3.14
Sandy Gregg, Federal Agent, On Special Assignment
SWBp1.3.5 Patrulheiros do Texas
Translated from Whitman’s SWp1.3.15
Tom Beatty, Ace Detective, and the Gorgon Gang
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GUIDELINES FOR PLACING ADVERTISEMENTS IN
THE BIG LITTLE TIMES©
Communication concerning the buying, selling, seeking, and trading of BLBs will be
improved if all advertisers do the following:
1. Grade BLBs according to the criteria in the Collector’s Guide to Big Little Books
and Similar Books or on the Club’s website: biglittlebooks.com
2. Use standard symbols for grading: M (mint); NM (near mint); F (fine);
VG (very good); G (good); FAIR (fair); P (poor).
3. Provide other helpful information such as: “spine missing,” “ink marks on
the cover,” “softcover version.”
4. Use the Collector ’s Numbers from the Collector’ Guide to Big Little Books
and Similar Books in place of or along with the Publisher ’s Numbers.
The Collector’s Numbers help in identifying variations. The copyright
date of the book can be an optional addition.
Copy for advertising must be received by the 15th of the month
prior to the month of publication.
The BIG LITTLE TIMES© is published 6 times per year on a bimonthly
subscription basis by the Educational Research and Applications LLC. It is one
of several publications published for The Big Little Book Club by the ERA, LLC.
The publication is devoted to people who research, collect, or are just
enthusiastic about Big Little Books© and similar books.
Contents ©ERA, LLC 2011, all rights reserved
Subscription rates: 4 remaining issues in 2011 . . . . $12.00 . . . . Single Issues . . . . $4.00
CANADA . . . . $16.00 . . . . Single Issues . . . . $5.00
Advertising Rates for Members . . . Up to 50 words . . . $3.00; Full page . . . $25.00
Advertising Rates for Non-members . . . Up to 50 words . . . $4.00; Full page . . . $$40.00
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