A Laff In The Dark exclusive interview with John Jackson, former owner of the Old King Cole Papier Mache Co. conducted by Dennis Atkinson in 1994
|
|
Part 1
| Note: At the time of this interview, Mr. Jackson was at an advanced age and not all of his recollections were strictly accurate. For example, his statement that a man had performed the voice of Laffing Sal on the original record is questionable and unconfirmed. Also, the claim that the same recording was used for both Laffing Sal and Laffing Sam is clearly not the case. |
|
|
|
|
Sal
in a Zippy comic strip, probably inspired by a visit to Cliff
House in San Francisco. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Above:
Host Jack Palance enjoys a laugh with Sal in an
episode of 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not' which was
filmed at the antique arcade machine collection
of Dr. James Smith in Greenwich, CT.
Left:
The same Sal at the Sotheby's auction in 1994 of
Dr. Smith's collection. This Sal was claimed to
have been from Palisades Park.
|
|
|
| Above:
Scene from video with Christine Aguilera 'What A Girl
Wants'. A Laffing Sam painted and dressed as a clown
can be seen in the background. |
|
|
|
Scenes
from 1953 film "Man In The Dark", filmed near
Pacific Ocean Pier in Venice, CA. Laffing Sal plays a prominent
role as the catalyst for an amnesiac's memory.
Lower right frame: Stars Audrey Totter and Edmond O'Brien
stand in front of another PTC funhouse in the Venice amusement
area.
|
| |
|
|
|
The
author and 'extended family' Sal and Sam |
| |
I
would like to express my gratitude to the following:
Tom
Rebbie, Bill Dauphinee and Laura Grauer - Philadelphia Toboggan
Co.
Warren Crandall
Bret Malone
George LaCross
Dennis Atkinson
Pete Szikura
Joel GAzis-SAx and Emperor
Norton's Web Frontier
The author may be reached here
|
