the MORRIE TURNER Project

This is MORRIE TURNER creator of the WEE PALS comic strip that ultimately was developed into the RANKIN/BASS Saturday morning series KID POWER. There is a documentary in the works on MORRIE and I am a part of it. I did my interview at Christmas 2005 and looking forward to seeing the final piece. This picture came from a GREAT new book that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND called THE ARTIST WITHIN (Dark Horse) with Photographs by Greg Preston of JACK DAVIS, JOHN ROMITA, SR., ALEX ROSS, JACK KIRBY, MITCH O' CONNELL, etc. etc.

GENE MULLER

Here is someone I thought you should know! Romeo Muller's brother GENE! He has been so helpful with all the RANKIN/BASS Projects I have worked on over the years and he deserves a BIG THANK YOU! Romeo was such an incredible part of the RANKIN/BASS legacy and will never be forgotten. I could have never researched Romeo's work without the kindness of GENE!

TIME & SPACE TOYS Exclusives for the Holidays 2007!

Here are some VERY cool exclusives www.timeandspacetoys.com are offering for the Holidays of 2007! I am especially excited about the GRINCH item, which was done in conjunction with McFARLANE toys. NICE stuff! TIME & SPACE TOYS will also be a part of our BROOKFIELD ZOO weekend, which looks like it will be December 15th and 16th now. Make plans to come out! This may be the last public appearance for the SANTA & RUDOLPH ANIMAGIC figures for a while.

FLEXITOON

Check out my friend Craig Marin's web page http://www.flexitoon.com/ That is legendary Bil Baird and Craig's wife OLGA with WINNIE THE POOH to the right! Check their son's music page too at www.myspace.com/considerthemusic

GIN BLOSSOMS in Chicago!

A couple of GREAT GIN BLOSSOMS shows coming up this weekend! Friday August 24 at the CUBBY BEAR and then Saturday August 25 at the PALATINE STREET FESTIVAL!

Check www.ginblossoms.net or www.myspace.com/ginblossoms for details!

Another SPECIAL EDITION RANKIN/BASS DVD on the way!

Just got word today that WARNER BROTHERS is doing a Special Edition DVD of THE EASTER BUNNY IS COMIN' TO TOWN for next Easter! They want to include some extras and hopefully they will pair it up with the RANKIN/BASS cel animated special THE FIRST EASTER RABBIT starring Burl Ives. That is Maury Laws' signature on the postcard image of SUNNY & KING BRUCE from THE EASTER BUNNY IS COMIN' TO TOWN (right). I issued that Limited Edition postcard to promote the DVD releases of THE DAYDREAMER and THE WACKY WORLD OF MOTHER GOOSE (Anchor Bay).

CROWDED HOUSE!

We had the fortune of seeing CROWDED HOUSE last night at their 2nd SOLD OUT show at the HOUSE OF BLUES in Chicago! One word...AMAZING! I saw them on every tour in the Chicago area and they still have it! Reforming after 11 years...THANK YOU CROWDED HOUSE! They have a new CD out called TIME ON EARTH and I love the tune "Don't Stop Now." Check them out at www.crowdedhouse.com and www.myspace.com/crowdedhouse
Their opening acts were GREAT too! Check www.myspace.com/16frames and www.myspace.com/theliamfinn That is a self portrait of LIAM jumping! He put on a GREAT one man show! While your at it....check my revamped MUSIC MY SPACE at www.myspace.com/rgoldschmidt We have a few GIN BLOSSOMS shows coming up this weekend in Chicago!

BROOKFIELD ZOO'S HOLIDAY MAGIC!

Exciting News! We confirmed an appearance at BROOKFIELD ZOO'S HOLIDAY MAGIC 2007! When I say we...I mean the original RUDOLPH & SANTA Animagic figures ( courtesy of http://www.timeandspacetoys.com/ ) and myself! I will be signing books, talking about RANKIN/BASS and showing some VERY RARE stuff! This will be a VERY nice RANKIN/BASS Holiday event and we may even bring a guest or two! As soon as I confirm the dates, I will post them here!

A R/B CON drawing I did some years back....

Some SUMMER pics around CHICAGO...

Here are a few pics around town. JOSH bought a limited edition LOLLAPALOOZA skateboard by Element and the Hall of Fame statue is of Chicago legendary broadcaster JACK BRICKHOUSE!

The RANKIN/BASS Crew at THE PLAZA in New York!

I came accross this concept art I did for ENESCO on FROSTY THE SNOWMAN!

This was from a series of drawings I did for several different RANKIN/BASS lines of figurines back in 1999! Several concepts were actually produced and were quite successful for the company. I gave direction on many other RANKIN/BASS items over the years at ENESCO CORP.

Another Vintage STARVING ARTISTS picture...

This is a vintage picture of my band THE STARVING ARTISTS by Angelo Di Gangi! That is me on the right, when I had a JAN & DEAN haircut! Check out www.myspace.com/rgoldschmidt

NEW Pizza restaurant open in time for the con!

There is a GREAT new pizza restaurant that just opened up in ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL ...just in time for the WIZARD WORLD CON called 30's PIZZA FACTORY! Ask for the RANKIN/BASS KING KONG Pizza....30" BIG! Continuing a tradition that began in 1967 (Just after the RANKIN/BASS series THE KING KONG SHOW began it's run on ABC-TV and the same year MAD MONSTER PARTY was released, which also starred KONG as "IT"). Tell them WWW.RANKINBASS.COM sent you for an added surprise! Their PIZZA and BEER NUGGETS are the BEST!

With the WIZARD WORLD COMICON coming up this weekend...

In the early 1960's, DELL Comics produced a series of 3 comic books based on the RANKIN/BASS hit TV series THE NEW ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO! Here are a few of the original covers. The first time the COMICON switched to the DONALD H. STEPHENS CONVENTION center...these comics were high on my priority list.

RUDOLPH costume

A few years back I rented this RUDOLPH costume for an ALEX ROSS Halloween party! The nose even lit up. My daughter SARA is seen pictured here with me. I later used it again in a segment WILD CHICAGO did for PBS Television.

1966 KING KONG bendy figure

Here is a cool RANKIN/BASS Collectible from 1966 that didn't make my first book. A KING KONG RUBB'R NIK from MULTIPLE TOYS. KING KONG was one of the few RANKIN/BASS series that had merchandise associated with it. MULTIPLE TOYS and MATTEL made products.

A few exciting projects on the horizon...

Talking with some good people about some exciting RANKIN/BASS projects! Talking with a few ZOOs about a few RANKIN/BASS events this Holiday season. Also talking about doing an ultimate RANKIN/BASS Documentary for 2008 w/ a box set. This coming weekend is WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO! Look for the http://www.timeandspacetoys.com/ booth. I may be there on Saturday BUT say hello to KEVIN and BATTLESTAR GALACTICA'S Richard Hatch! LOLLAPALOOZA was this past weekend in Chicago and was interesting to say the least.

Another revision....

FRANKENSTEIN by Jack Davis!

I have a cool JACK DAVIS print on EBAY under seller ANIMAGIC1.