From: ndr@tazboy.jpl.nasa.gov (Niles D. Ritter)
Followup-To: poster
Reply-To: ndr@tazboy.jpl.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre,alt.fan.firesign-theatre,alt.answers,news.answers
Subject: Firesign Theatre: Introduction and Table of Contents
Organization: Jet Propulsion Labs
Distribution: world
Keywords: firesign,comedy,faq,bozo
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
Summary: This posting contains an introduction to the Firesign
Theatre comedy group, including a table of contents,
and should be read by anyone who wishes to post to the
alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre newsgroup.
Archive-name: firesign-theatre/intro
Last-modified: 1994/7/7
Version: 1.15
About This Archive
------------------
This archive is posted monthly to alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre,
alt.fan.firesign-theatre, alt.answers, and news.answers. It is
also available via anonymous ftp to rtfm.mit.edu in the
directory /pub/usenet/alt.answers/firesign-theatre/*, or by
sending e-mail to mail-server@rtfm.mit.edu with the message
"send usenet/alt.answers/firesign-theatre/*". Include the line
"help" in the message for more information on the server.
Changes:
1. Updated video/sources entries.
The Firesign Theatre: Introduction & Table of Contents
======================================================
This series of files is intended to provide a general information base
for discussion, and answer some frequently-asked questions posted on
alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre and its mirror-clone alt.fan.firesign-theatre.
For the rest of this document "alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre" will be used
to refer to both groups.
Additions and corrections to this file should be directed to the FAQ
editor (###-a fancy title for ndr@tazboy.jpl.nasa.gov (Niles Ritter).
Some portions of this document are copyrighted by the members of the
Firesign Theatre; you may want to get permission before using parts
of this document in *for-profit* publication -- we are their
fans, after all!
###-Editor's remarks are denoted by three #'s
Table Of Contents
=================
(Each "Side" is a separate file.)
Side 1) Firesign Theatre: Introduction
1.1) Who Am Us, Anyway?
1.1.1) The Four or Five Crazy Guys
1.1.2) A Forward Into the Past History
1.1.3) The newsgroups and fan clubs
1.2) Published Works
1.2.1) Radio/TV/Stage production
1.2.2) Vinyl
1.2.3) Video
1.2.4) Books
1.2.5) CD's
1.2.6) Cassettes
1.2.7) LD's
1.3) References
1.3.1) Interviews/articles on FT
1.3.2) Literary References/Background
Side 2) Firesign Theatre: Frequently Asked questions
2.0) I've just Discovered the F.T! How should I get started?
2.1) How Can I Get Copies of these FAQs?
2.2) How can I contact the NewsGroup with E-mail?
2.3) Who Did Which Roles?
2.4) Any Reunions going on ?
2.5) Where are they now ?
2.6) Common FT Phrases
2.7) Who is Doctor Memory?
2.8) Is it "Back T0 the Shadows" or "..FROM the Shadows" ?
2.9) FT Questions posed to the Usenet Oracle
Side 3) Firesign Theatre: Lyrics to Songs
Side 4) Firesign Theatre: Lexicon
--------------------------------------------------------------
Side 1) Introduction to Firesign Theatricum
Creating an FAQ for the Firesign Theatre is something analogous to
"The complete works of Shakespeare, FAQ", so be aware that the
world of FT is as vast and deep as the ocean and the azure sky.
1.1) Who Am Us, Anyway?
Here is a description of the Firesign Theatre:
A group of four gifted improvisational comedians and satirists, perhaps
best known for several record albums they produced in the 1970s. These
were famous for their depth of interaction among the characters, their
range of literary allusion and references to popular culture, history
and science, and the incomparable surreal quality of their pacing.
Different listeners would each find different significance in the work
and make different connections between themes within them. Much of
their work anticipated developments in video, interactive media,
computer technology and virtual reality by some 20 years.
Their initial work began on radio in Los Angeles in the mid 60's, but
their James-Joycean style of dramatic satire quickly expanded to
include phonograph recordings, live stage productions, movies,
books, and one of the first interactive video productions produced.
More than one fan has noted the complexity of their recordings, which
derived from their use of dense layering of sound tracks, as well as
their ingenious use of puns, metaphor, and other literary allusions.
The FT wove intricate stories which flowed, not so much like a river,
but like a rapidly evolving organism, projecting pseudopods out this
way, and then that. And yet the stories always seemed to maintain its
own internal logic.
None of this begins to do them any justice: we encourage you to buy one
of their CDs (or old phonos) and hear for yourself. This is in fact,
about the only way to really understand what the Firesign Theatre was
and IS about! We're not insane!
Phil Proctor adds the following regarding their comedic influences:
Mr NOISE asked about influences on us -- Well,they would be --
including but not limited,too, Bob & Ray (who's CLASSIC B&R
volume 4 actually include selections i gave to Larry Josephson
from my private NYC collection), Stan the man Freberg, Ernie
Kovacs,Steve Allen,Olsen & Johnson, old radio, new radio,
anything on television, Spike Jones, Ish Kabibble, the Amish,
Laurel&Hardy, silent comedies,cartoons,Blooper records, The Great
Crepitation Contest,Johnathan and Darlene Edwards, the Goons and
any english comedians living or still living,the writings of
Ogden Nash and Robert Benchley, folk comedians Herb Shriner and
George Goeble (sp), Charlie Weaver and uncle dave, the Marxist
Bros, Harold Lloyd, anybody who ever made a comedy album -- my
god, the list could go on forever. After all, if you're into
comedy, you can never get enough of it!
1.1.1) The Four or Five Crazy Guys:
Name -- Aliases, roles
-----------------------------------
Philip Austin -- Nick Danger, Hemlock Stones, etc,
Philip Proctor -- Clem, Ralph Spoilsport, the Poop, etc
David Ossman -- Porgie, Catherwood, etc
Peter Bergman -- Babe, Mudhead, Nancy...
We should also acknowledge the oft-ignored but ubiquitous female
members:
Annalee Austin -- Operator in "Don't crush that Dwarf"
Tiny Ossman -- Announcerettes in "Bozos"
Laura Quinn -- Hawkmoth in "Eat or Be Eaten"
Others appearing in FT productions include
Diane Davisson, Rodger Bumpass, Jerry Houser, Christie Houser,
Susan Tanner, Cyrus Faryar, and casts of thousands.
For updates on where they are now, see the "Frequently Asked
Questions" file.
A series of quotes from the {BBOP} book:
Philip Austin:
-------------
"I always wanted to be a part of something. Annalee and I used to
secretly, separately, dream of rock and roll bands. I hadn't even
*thought* yet that rock and roll could save me.
"So I was in Hollywood in 1966, starving on all levels. I got a job in
a radio station because I could always do that with my voice -- could
make you believe that I was committed to the words coming out of my
mouth. I mistakenly believed, therefore that I was an Actor. I'm not.
I'm a musician. Interesting that it was the *sounds* of the words that
got to me the most. The Firesign Theatre was the vehicle that allowed
me to make that discovery.
"The Firesign Theatre is a *Technique*.
"These were the people who faced me across the microphones on the radio
and this is what I think of them:
"David Ossman is the first I met. The two of us are not what you'd
think of right off as comedians. I was producing all these plays by
dead authors -- acting, directing; got David to act, looked at the
amazing books of poetry that he'd produced -- as if he had hand-printed
every page. We had wonderful conversations about the Indians. Hopi.
"Peter Bergman was the Voice that Wouldn't Die. What a talker! The
Champ. I engineered _Radio Free Oz_ and appeared in a variety of stoned
disguises. (This was fun. Not like acting, which is not real to me,
therefore not fun.) Unlike most performers, Peter becomes *more* candid
when he performs. Set him in front of a microphone and you have an
angel. With most people, it's the opposite.
"Philip Proctor *is* an actor. He is also not exactly a comedian. He is
not so much trying to make you laugh as he is trying to explain
something to you. I have always been his friend because I admire that
so much. He can go places I can't. He was a friend of Peter's who was
"funny". God, ain't dat de trufe!
"So there we were, *four friends*. You see, we had no ambitions. It was
a pure jam and the instrument we each played was verbal glibness or
*radio*. We still continue that first conversation. This book, those
recordings, are records of that conversation, a minute-book of the
meeting.
"Quickly, Ambition walked in the door. I thought we were good. I'd
heard some pretty fast, funny cats in my time, but these three were as
good as Spike Milligan. We started hanging out with each other, gave up
our jobs, found more and more ways to earn livings using each other. I
got my Globe Theatre, Phil P. got a Movie Company, David got a Great
Work of Literature and Peter got the Forever Radio Show.
"RECORDS ARE RECORDS (recordings of something). THEY ARE MEANT TO
INCLUDE YOU IN OUR CONVERSATION.
"Yes, we take it seriously. Read [in the Big Book of Plays] Hideo
Gump Sr.'s intro to each script. Laughter and Dancing, Singing and
Love. We love the Firesign Theatre. How do you get along with people?
What do you have to show for it? Our work is, to me, my answer to those
questions.
"What does it mean?
"1. The Firesign Theatre writes communally. Every word goes through
four heads for approval. We therefore write very slowly. Our energy
level is intense. Grown men leave the room when we fight with each
other. Nothing is sacred.
"2. Therefore, there are considerable areas of chance (*chance*) in
our work since no overall motive is possible. All communal endeavors
learn one thing, I think. *Only real things can be agreed upon*. The
future is not real, therefore *motives* cannot be agreed upon. *Chance
becomes the motive*.
"What do we mean? We mean whatever's happening. ?Que paso, hombre?
*Our records are records of what happened to us during the period
we made them.
*Our records are a continuous story that will last as long as our
friendship.
*May we be friends forever.
--Phil Austin (Signature)
Philip Proctor:
" I was born in a trunk in the Princess Theatre, Pocatello, Idaho. No,
I was born in Goshen, Indiana. I really have spent some time analyzing
it. I grew up in an essentially schizophrenic existence. I was schooled
on the East Coast, because I moved there when I was five. I went to
Riverdale Country School and Yale University, but during my formative
years of growth -- the pubic years -- I grew up in Goshen, Indiana,
with my grand parents and my neighborhood friends. Radio and comic
books had a lot to do with my youth. The comic books supplied the
visual element. I finally became a professional actor after college.
Acting led me to The Firesign Theatre because I found New York theatre
to be dumb and limited. Silly. I wanted to create my own theatre.
--Philip Proctor (Signature)
David Ossman:
"I'm a writer, a poet, which is to say I always did that. My life was
totally in my head, and I wrote about it. I developed a historical
sense of things and then I went into radio. Because that's what I
always wanted to do.It was one of those childhood fantasies like
growing up to be a fireman. I wanted to be a radio announcer, and in
1959 I became a radio announcer. I did that for quite a while. I worked
in New York at WBAI for two years and then went back to the West Coast
and worked for KPFK for four years. They laid everybody off, including
me, so I got a job in television, which I hated, so I dropped out of
that. The Firesign Theatre appeared at the same time.
--David Ossman (Signature)
Peter Bergman:
"I owe everything I do tho my normal childhood. I had a very
unrepressed childhood and I lived in the Midwest, and there were very
few things to amuse myself, except softball, so I would do routines to
myself, like "Why Isn't Everybody Happy?" was one of my routines, so
they kept me indoors a lot. A kid named Bruce Berger and I opened up a
parking lot one night in an empty lot across from an Emporium show. We
made $50 wearing Cleveland Indians baseball caps, yelling, "*Park and
Lock it! Not Responsible!*"
"My honest idea of The Firesign Theatre is four artists getting
together and grouping to create some new art form, some multi-art that
comes our of all four of their minds. It's an interesting choice, and
that's one of the things that fascinates me. It's not a loss of
identity, really. It's more a gaining of a double identity. I'm Peter
Bergman and I'm one-quarter of The Firesign Theatre. And when I have
those two things together, in harmony, one feeds off the other.
--Peter Bergman (A very Floral Signature)
1.1.2) A Forward Into the Past History
Another excerpt from the "Big Book of Plays":
Mark Time's True Chronology of The Firesign Theatre
---------------------------------------------------
1966:
July 24 -- The first broadcast of Radio Free Oz over KPFK-FM (*)
(Peter and various collaborators are on the air five nights a week
until March).
November 17 -- The Firesign Theatre's first performance, "The Oz
Film Festival," a three-hour improvisation on Radio Free Oz.
December -- Peter, David, and Phil and Annalee Austin attend the
Soyal Ceremony in Hopiland. (Phil P. is On Tour in Florida).
1967:
March -- The first broadcast of a four-hour radio documentary on the
American Indian, written and produced by Peter, David, and Phil A.,
followed by a weekend Colloquium, followed by the first Love-In,
organized by Radio Free Oz, which moved to KRLA (AM) the same
day (March 26).
April-May -- After Phil Proctor's return from the East, The Firesign
Theatre writes and records Waiting For The Electrician or Someone
Like Him.
April 29 -- The Firesign Theatre performs their Bulgarian play called
"Waiting for the Electrician" at a UCLA Experimental Arts Festival.
June-July -- David and Phil P. conduct Oz during Peter's return trip
to Turkey.
September 14 -- Peter and David begin broadcasting Oz for three hours
every Sunday night from a Studio city club called The Magic Mushroom.
October 29 -- Bridey Murphy Eve on Oz begins a series of weekly radio
plays written and performed live by the FT at the Mushroom. Among the
scripts are "Exorcism in Your Daily Life," "The Last Tunnel To Fresno,"
"20 Years Behind The Whale," "The Giant Rat of Sumatra," "The Sword and
the Stoned," "Sesame Mucho," "The Armenian's Paw," and "Tile it Like
It Is."
December 9 -- The Firesign Theatre performs its first stage piece,
"Freak For A Week," for a KPFK benefit at the Santa Monica Civic
Auditorium.
1968:
*(All locations in Los Angeles, unless otherwise mentioned)
###-More to Follow (really ! I promise!).
Lynn Gustafson writes:
In the mid-sixties the Renaissance Pleasure Faire in So.Cal. was a
fund raiser for KPFK. They did live broadcasts from the fairesite.
The Flying Karamazov Brothers were also working at the faire at that
time.
When the Living History Centre was first incorporated, their motto was
"Forward Into the Past." LHC and RPF are still around, in our 31st year
Some of the guys still show up occasionally.
1.1.3) The newsgroups and fan clubs
There are two newsgroups: alt.fan.firesign-theatre, and
alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre. The first group causes some news servers
problems due to its name having >14 chars. Most people seem to be
gravitating towards the "comedy" group these days.
For the rest of this document, "alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre" will assume to
refer to both of these groups.
As near as anyone can figure, alt.comedy.firesgn-thtre is
composed of a bunch of the old guard, sitting around and exchanging
FT lines with each other ("What about my pickle?" "You're lucky you
still have your brown paper bag, small-change!"), together with
neophytes who might have just run across the newsgroup, discussions
about where the FT members are now, reunion announcements, the deep
philosophical and metaphysical implications of Bozos, and other such
musings.
The Firesign Theatre used to have a fan newsletter called, "It's just
this little Chromium Switch, Here!", but is now defunct.
See the FAQ file, item 2.5, for addresses of newsletters for fans.
1.2) Published Works
1.2.1) Radio/TV/Stage production
There is/was a new special on PBS radio: M. Packer writes:
1. "The Firesign Theatre -- Back From The Shadows Again"
hosted by Steve Allen was "officially" announced to
Public Radio affiliates today. There is no current
scheduled time for the program, and its feed will be
based on the number of stations interested in it. The
special consists of three one-hour modules, each of
which is self-contained and can be carried seperately.
Check with Public Radio stations in your area to see if
they plan to air this three part special on the
Firesign Theatre.
David Ossman's 1988 remake of "War of the Worlds":
Both versions, 1938 and 1988, are available on cassette, as a
package, for $14.95, from:
The Mind's Eye
P.O. Box 1060
Petaluma, California 94953
Tel: 1-800-227-2020
FAX: 1.415-883-1849
In addition to old-time radio, The Mind's Eye carries lots of
other good stuff from BBC radio (including "The Hitchhiker's
Guide to the Galaxy") to the up-to-date "Bradbury 13."
The following are the entries from the complete movie/TV credit
databases (portions of which are on refuge.colorado.edu) for the FT
members:
All 4 wrote the 1971 movie Zachariah (along with Joe Massot).
Details from David Miller:
The "original" FST movie is 1971's (?) _Zachariah_. That is, they wrote
the first version and have small parts in it, but it was rewritten by
its producers, and shows only occasional FST touches. They now refer to
it in very unkind terms, and boy does it look dated--wild west rock 'n
roll starring an unbelievably young Don Johnson. The movie "foundered on
the glistening rocks of cocaine...and the breakup of MGM". It's still
available from Playhouse Video, 39000 Seven Mile Road, Livonia,
MI 48152. It turns up sometimes *real* late at night..."
Acting credits for Peter Bergman:
Fantasies (1980) (TV)
Money, Power, Murder (1989) (TV) [Brant]
Woman on the Ledge (1993) (TV) [Bob]
"All My Children" (????)
Acting credits for Phil Proctor:
Lobster Man from Mars (1990)
Bad Attitudes (1991) (TV)
Tunnel Vision (1976)
A Safe Place (1971)
Diana Rigg Show -- played fashion designer "Mr. Vincent" who
was Diana Rigg's boss.
also appeared as Archie Bunker's
nephew on "All In The Family" and is a Smurf.
...often appears elsewhere on TV
Other:
Americathon (writing credits for Proctor & Bergman)
Thomas M. Niccum writes of yet another (dare we call it?) credit:
In about 1976 I was present at a lunch with a few friends and Phil
Proctor was there - my friend was a reporter for the U of Minnesota
Daily, and had volunteered to do a piece on Proctor and Bergman who were
in town to open for (get ready) Sha Na Na (ook). Anyway, he told us
that he had met up with the Starland Vocal Band (who had a hit entitled
"Afternoon Delight" if I'm not mistaken). The band had been offered a
summer replacement show, and Proctor and Bergman had volunteered to
write.
Thus forewarned, I looked for it the next year, and managed to catch
one episode. It was pretty normal "variety" show type TV. I'm pretty
sure they did the "Shoplifters" supermarket commercial, which shows up
in their Eat or be Eaten CD and Video.
1.2.2) Vinyl
---------------
Firesign Theatre:
-----------------
1968 - Waiting for the Electrician or Someone like him Columbia CS 9518
1969 - How Can you be in two places at once, when you're not
anywhere at all? Columbia CS 9884
1970 - Don't Crush that Dwarf, hand me the pliers: Columbia C 30102
1971 - I think we're all Bozos on this bus: Columbia C 30737
1972 - Dear Friends: Columbia PG 31099
1972 - Not Insane or Anything You Want To: Columbia KC 31585
1974 - Everything you know is Wrong!: Columbia KC 33141
1974 - The Tale of the Giant Rat of Sumatra: Columbia C 32730
1975 - In the next world you're on your own: Columbia PC-33475
1976 - Forward into the Past: Columbia PG-34391
1977 - Just Folks ... A Firesign Chat: Butterfly FLY 001
1979 - Fighting Clowns: Rhino (###-same as Carter/Reagan ?)
Lawyer's Hospital
1985 - Eat or be eaten (PB,PP,PA)
???? - Shakespeare's Lost Comedie (Rhino Records)
Quadrophonic Albums:
--------------------
1971 - I think we're all Bozos on this bus: Columbia CQ 30737
1974 - Everything you know is Wrong!: Columbia KC? 33141
Proctor & Bergman :
-------------------
1973 - TV OR NOT TV: Columbia KC-32199
1975 - What this Country Needs: Columbia PC-33687
1978 - The Comedy of Proctor and Bergman / Give Us A Break:
Mercury SRM-3719
Solo/Subgroup Albums:
---------------------
1974 - Roller Maidens from outer Space: Epic (Phil Austin)
???? - The Three Faces of Al (PB,PP,DO)
1973 - How Time Flys: Columbia C 32411 -- David Ossman
1979 - Nick Danger and the Case of the Missing Shoe
(Rhino - RNEP506)
45 Singles:
-----------
1980 - Firesign Theater Presents "Fighting Clowns"
(Rhino # RNPD 904) "Special Limited Edition 7"
Picture Disc From Their New LP"
Soundtrack:
-----------
A Head Of His Time (Zachariah Soundtrack)
See For Miles Records, Ltd. SEE 91 (British)
Bootleg:
--------
According to the Hot Wacks Press Book XV (probably the most complete
bootleg guide around), there is one FST bootleg LP. Called _Firesign
World_, it was released by Wizardo Records, WRMB 512, and consisted of,
on side one, "Firesign World", and "Thanksgiving Or Pass The Indian
Please" on the other side. The only other info given is that the
recording is supposed to be in excellent stereo and is a live recording.
Syndicated Radio Pressings and other stuff:
------------------------------------------
Carl M Stone writes:
An apparently promo-only 12" single was released by Polygram from the
"Eat Or Be Eaten" LP in 1985. Titled _Bites from "EAT OR BE EATEN"_,
it featured on side one, "National Toliet/Dylan At The Met/Shoplifters
Market/Neighboorhood Survival Gunstore" (3:52) and "Art Snob/Tonto's
First Cowboy Bank/Wimpy's Software/Kamikaze Recall" (4:06) on
side two.
In some copies of the _Nick Danger Case Of The Missing Shoe_ there
came a flyer/order form for "two fabulous offers:" 1)_The Firesign
Theatre Cassette Chronicles_, a six cassette series, delivered one
every two months, begining in January of 1980, for the subscription
price of $30. Is this the item listed in the FAQ as "Carter Reagan"?
2)A Nick Danger T-Shirt, "a suitable-period brown shirt with Bill
Stout's Nick Danger drawing, as depicted on..'Nick Danger in the Case
of the Missing Shoe'". It sold for the price of "$5.95, plus $1.05
postage and handling" (which conveniently comes out to $7.00), and was
available in Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large.
Howard Landman writes:
In the booklet of the Mobile Fidelity CD of DEAR FRIENDS, it says
that there was a 12 hour syndicated version released to radio stations
(on 12 vinyl records, of which only 100 copies were pressed.
John Leving writes:
FYI, when Proctor and Bergman were at Yale, they did a lot of goofing
around on WYBC-FM, the student radio station. There may still be old
airchecks of theirs lying around on tape cartridges.
Michael Packer writes:
re: syndicated Radio Shows; "Let's Eat" was also
syndicated (on tape) and in 1983 a pilot program, called
"Firesign Radio" was syndicated by the Global Satellite
Network (it featured "Nick Danger Meets ET - Or Is It
Ghandi?"). It was distributed on VINYL.
Here's a list of of the "Dear Friends" syndication albums:
Dear Friends Volume 01 "Live At The Ash Grove"
Dear Friends Volume 02 "Power Is Trouble & Trouble's Not Funny!"
Dear Friends Volume 03 "... I Could Always Shoot Him With A Camera"
Dear Friends Volume 04 "Somebody Put A Mickey In The Ground Zero!"
Dear Friends Volume 05 "All We Have To Fear Is Me"
Dear Friends Volume 06 "Deputy Dan Will Find Us No Matter Where We Go"
Dear Friends Volume 07 "Was There A Cow On the Moon?"
Dear Friends Volume 08 "Being On Radio Is More Fun Than Watching T.V."
Dear Friends Volume 09 "Dr. Memory's Laff-A-While News"
Dear Friends Volume 10 "All Nite Images"
Dear Friends Volume 11 "Welcome To Microorganism State Park"
Dear Friends Volume 12 "Is This the Machine That Registers No 'n' Yes?"
Cassette versions of these are available through Sparks Media,
mentioned elsewhere in this file.
1.2.3) Video
----------------
1970 - Zachariah (co-written by TFT) 92 mins.
1972 - Martian Space Party (TFT, Campoon workers) 27 mins.
1973 - Love is Hard to Get (Bergman) 26 mins.
1976 - Six Dreams (PB [exec. producer], PP) 13 mins.
1976 - Tunnelvision (featuring PP) 70 mins.
1978 - Everything You Know Is Wrong 40 mins.
1978 - TV Or Not TV (Proctor & Bergman) 33 mins.
1979 - J-Men Forever (TFT featuring P&B) 75 mins.
1979 - The Madhouse of Dr. Fear (TFT) 60 mins.
1983 - Nick Danger... Missing Yolk 60 mins.
Originally an Interactive Video (SelectaVision).
1985 - Eat or Be Eaten (A,B,P) 30 mins.
1985 - Hot Shorts (A,B,P) 73 mins.
Many of these can still be had; see the FAQ file (item 2.5):
1.2.4) Books
---------------
1.2.4.1 Big book of plays:
Type of Material: Book
LC Call Number: PN6120.R2 F47
Author: Firesign Theatre (Performing group)
Title: The Firesign Theatre's big book of plays.
Publication Info: [San Francisco] Straight Arrow Books [1972]
Phys. Description: 143 p. illus. 26 cm.
Subjects: Radio plays, American.
Other Names: Big book of plays.
LC Card Number: 72079024 //r82
ISBN: 0-87932-028-1 0-87932-027-3 (pbk)
There are at least two different versions of
"The Firesign Theatre's Big Book of Plays". The first printing (so
marked) has a red cover, with white and gold outlining the shape of
an old-time radio; the knobs are a little kid and a man in a sad-face
mask, and has two scantily clad women in silhouette, with a cover
price of $4.00.
The other version has a yellow border, an old-time radio at the top
of the page segues into a window at the bottom, through which a road
runs. A guy is waving through the window at four guys on the other
side, who are playing leap frog. The cover price is $5.95.
The first printing makes reference to a hardbound edition.
The SBN for the case bound in my book says 0/87932/028/1,
whereas the paperbound is 0/87932/027/3.
1.2.4.2 Big mystery joke book:
Type of Material: Book
LC Call Number: PN6120.R2 F48 1974
Author: Firesign Theatre (Performing group)
Generic Title: Big mystery joke book
Title: The Firesign Theatre's Big mystery joke book.
Publication Info: San Francisco : Straight Arrow Books;[New York]:
distributed by Simon and Schuster, [1974]
Phys. Description: 150 p. : ill. ; 26 cm.
Notes:
Money song.--An invocation from the Book of Punter.--The
mysterious history of the Firesign Theatre.--The tale of
the giant rat of Sumatra.--The further adventures of Nick
Danger, third eye.--Temporarily Humboldt County.--The
adventures of Mark Time.--Hundred Dollar Ben.--Young Guy,
motor detective.--The year of the rat.--Gramps'
world.--Rubbergon dumn Toyko.--Le trente-huit
cunegonde.--The dream play.
Subjects: Radio plays, American.
Other Names: Big mystery joke book.
LC Card Number: 74076601 //r832
ISBN: 0-87932-078-8 : $5.95
1.2.4.3 The Bozobook
------------
Source: Yale Catalog:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Author: Firesign Theatre (Performing group)
Title: Bozobook : or, clam calendar & book of ours : excerpts from
the notebooks of the Firesign Theatre, volume '71.
Published: Isla Vista, Calif. : Turkey Press, 1981.
Description: [48] p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
Notes: Paper wrappers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
LOCATION: CALL NUMBER: STATUS:
SML, Stacks, LC PS3556 I73 B6
Joe LoCicero writes further:
So how many people have ever heard of the Bozobook? I have it sitting
right here in front of me... and it says:
400 copies were letterpressed in the Spring of 1981 from a
variety of hand-set types and found art. Twenty-six copies
have been hardbound, lettered A-Z, and signed by The Fire-
sign Theatre. Design, printing, and binding by Harry and
Sandra Reese at TURKEY PRESS, 6746 SUENO ROAD, ISLA VISTA,
CA 93317. This project was supported, in part, by a grant
from the National Endowment for the Arts, our federal
agency, in Washington, D.C.
It also says:
Material in this book is from THE NOTEBOOKS OF THE FIRESIGN
THEATRE, August 1970-August 1971, the original scripts and
research for the album, I Think We're All Bozos On This Bus.
It is presented as part of The Firesign Theatre's 15th Birth-
day Celebration, and on the 10th anniversary of the release
of the "Bozos" album.
Edited for The Firesign Theatre by David Ossman, in asso-
ciation with Harry Reese and Turkey Press, March 1981.
Your 'OUR 12 CENTERFOLD' could be a page from the produc-
tion script of "Bozos," xeroxed for this edition, or an origi-
nal mimeographed page from one of several version of the
script to the ABC Films production of Zachariah by Joe Mas-
sot and The Firesign Theatre.
1.2.4.4 The apoca[l]ypse papers
Andrey Yeatts found this at the Univ. of Arizona:
CALL # PZ2001.F523 A6
LOCATIONS Special Coll
AUTHOR Firesign Theatre (Performing Group)
TITLE The apoca[l]ypse papers : a fiction.
SERIES Famous science fiction chapbook series ; v. 1.
PUBLISHER Topeka, Kan. : Apocalypse Press, 1976.
SUBJECTS Science fiction.
NOTE "This is book no. 267 in a series of 500 unsigned copies."
Includes bibliographical references.
DESCRIPTION [32] p. : ill. ; 22 cm. --
1.2.4.5 Other Works by David Ossman
Source: Univ. Calif. Berkeley (GLADYS) Library:
Title List
----------
1. The day-book of the city / David Ossman. <1982>
2. Hopi set : 12 poems for chance reading / David Ossman. <1985>
3. The Moon-sign book : Los Angeles/San Juan / David Ossman. <1984>
4. The Rainbow Cafe, Hollywood, 1967 / David Ossman. <1982>
5. The sullen art; interviews by David Ossman with modern American
poets. <1963>
6. The sullen art; interviews by David Ossman with modern American
poets. <1963>
7. Third mesa. <198->
1. Ossman, David.
The day-book of the city / David Ossman.
[Isla Vista, CA] : Turkey Press, 1982.
Bancroft pPS3565.S7.D3
Non-circulating; may be used only in The Bancroft Library.
2. Ossman, David.
Hopi set : 12 poems for chance reading / David Ossman.
[Isla Vista, Calif. : Turkey Press] c1985.
Bancroft pPS3565.S77.H67 1985
Non-circulating; may be used only in The Bancroft Library.
3. Ossman, David.
The Moon-sign book : Los Angeles/San Juan / David Ossman.
Isla Vista, CA : Turkey Press, 1984.
Bancroft pPS3565.S77.M66 1984
Non-circulating; may be used only in The Bancroft Library.
Note: Blue paper wrappers.
4. Ossman, David.
The Rainbow Cafe, Hollywood, 1967 / David Ossman.
[s.l.] : Turkey Press, 1982.
Bancroft pPS3565.S77.R39
Non-circulating; may be used only in The Bancroft Library.
5. Ossman, David.
The sullen art; interviews by David Ossman with modern American
poets.
New York, Corinth Books, 1963.
Moffitt PS324.O8
Main Stack 905 O84 sul
6. Ossman, David.
The sullen art; interviews by David Ossman with modern American
poets.
New York, Corinth Books, 1963.
Bancroft A6.O75S9 1963
Non-circulating; may be used only in The Bancroft Library.
Note: Black cloth; dust jacket.
Note: Tram Combs collection
STORAGE #: W 74 821
7. Ossman, David.
Third mesa.
[Isla Vista, CA : Turkey Press, 198-?]
Bancroft pffPS3565.S77.T55 1980z
Non-circulating; may be used only in The Bancroft Library.
Note: Signed copy.
1.2.5) CD's
The following FT albums are currently available on CD:
Mobile Fidelity:
----------------
Bozos (MFCD 785)
Don't Crush That Dwarf (MFCD 880)
Waiting for the Electrician (MFCD ???)
How Can you be in two places at once... (MFCD 834)
Dear Friends (MFCD 758);
Fighting Clowns (MFCD 748);
The Firesign Theatre's 25th Anniversary Reunion Tour
Back From the Shadows(MFCD 2-747)
Rhino
------
The Three Faces Of Al (out of print).
Mercury (Columbia):
-------------------------------------
Shoes for Industry! (double CD Collection) (C2K 52736)
Eat or Be Eaten (Mercury 826 452-2 M-1; released 1986).
Regarding this CD, Dave Lucas informs us that more than just sound
is found on this CD:
I read in a technical book (sorry, can't remember which) that
'Eat Or Be Eaten' was the first CD+G disc published in the US.
[actually, this was some time ago, and the book said that it
was the *only* CD+G disc published in the US]
So I popped it in a CDTV box, and sure enough...
The screen gets refreshed every 2-3 seconds, and it does
add a dimension to the fun.
Upcoming:
---------
A new CD based on the upcoming "Illusion of Unity Tour" may
be in the works.
1.2.6) Cassettes
---------------------
Firesign Theatre Cassette Chronicles, six cassette tapes from 1980.
Sparks Media has many cassette versions of FT albums, including
the "Dear Friends" 12-album set, and the following:
_ Let's Eat Volume 01 "Hey, Banana Nose!"
_ Let's Eat Volume 02 "Radio Prison In Peace & War"
_ Let's Eat Volume 03 "The Dr. Beanbag Show"
_ Let's Eat Volume 04 "The Filipino Cheese-Ball War"
_ Let's Eat Volume 05 "The New China Revue"
_ Let's Eat Volume 06 "The Underworld Olympics"
_ Let's Eat Volume 07 "X-mas in Rat Land"
_ Let's Eat Volume 08 "New Years In Mixville"
_ Let's Eat Volume 09 "The Hilario Spacepipe Show"
_ Let's Eat Volume 10 "Assorted Cold Cuts"
See also the FAQ for sources.
1.2.7) LD'S
The following FT movies were printed on LaserDisk:
Hot Shorts
(any more?)
1.3) References
----------------
1.3.1) Interviews, by interviewer
David Reitman, Rock Magazine
Tony Vellela, Go Magazine
Michael Ross, Creme
Ernest Leogrand, N.Y. Daily News
John Carpenter L.A. Free Press
-- San Diego Door
Richard Hill, Rolling Stone
Terry Gross "Fresh Air" Radio Show Interview, 17 Nov, 1993
(inquire at FRESHAIR@HSLC.ORG)
Peter Stenshoel and Jay Kinney Gnosis issue 32 (summer 94)
"Audio Magicians"
Steve Allen Nat'l Public Radio Interview "Back From the
Shadows Again" 1993
New York Times, May 3 1993: a review of the '93 Seattle reunion show
LA Times, Nov 20. 1993: Calendar Section: Interview w/ FT.
1.3.2) Literary References/Background
[### This is just a start. Other ref's appreciated!]
Books:
Discography:
THE ROLLING STONE RECORD GUIDE, ed. D.Marsh and J.Swenson
Random House/Rolling Stone Press, 1979, ISBN 0-394-73535-8
and THE NEW ROLLING STONE RECORD GUIDE, ed. D.Marsh and J.Swenson
Random House/Rolling Stone Press, 1983, ISBN 0-394-72107-1
Samuel Becket:
Waiting for Godot -- "Waiting for the Electrician"
Krapp's Last Tape -- "Dont Crush that Dwarf"
James Joyce:
Ulysses -- Molly Bloom's Soliloquy in {TWO PLACES}
Isaac Asimov:
I, Robot -- Robot's Rules of Order in {BOZOS}
William Shakespeare:
Twelfth Night
As You Like it
William S. Boroughs:
The Naked Lunch -- "Returned for Regrooving"
The Bible, Book of Revelations -- "Roller Maidens from Outer Space"
Book of the Hopi, (Published 1963)
Hopi/Moqui Indian Folklore & Mythology -- "Temporarily Humboldt County"
Ghost Dance religion -- James Mooney, "The Ghost Dance Religion and the
Sioux Uprising of 1890" (Univ. of Chicago). Referred to in {ITNWYOYO},
and mentioned elsewhere in the canon.
TOPS-10 SAILON LISP Programmer's Manual -- "Dr. Memory"
"If At All Possible, Involve A Cow": A history of college pranks.
Documents the USC mascot in the 40's, a dog by the name of George Leroy
{TIREBITER} (see the Lexicon)!
Movies:
"The World of Tomorrow"
An excellent documentary on the 1939 World's Fair, one of the
motivations for the "Future Fair" on {BOZOS}. With Jason Robarts
as the Narrator.
1.3.3) Other References
Albums with FT references:
Antelope Freeway (Howard Roberts, homage) Impulse AS-9207
Zachariah (movie soundtrack) ABC ABCS-OC-13
25 Years of Recorded Comedy Warner Bros. 3BX 3131
(Three-record set, includes High School Madness, 6:42)
THE ASTROLOGY ALBUM(Columbia - CS 9489) (Writing and
narration by Austin. Also features Gary Usher & Ron
Budnick. 1966? 1968?)
A CHILD'S GARDEN OF GRASS(Elektra - EKS 75012) (Peter
wrote and performed "The Dirty Dog". It is also
rumored that other FT members appear on this lp. 1971)
OF CABBAGES AND KINGS by Chad & Jeremy(Columbia CS 9471)
(FT wrote bits and is featured on "The Progress Suite"
1966?)
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S SEX , DRUGS, ROCK 'N' ROLL AND THE END
OF THE WORLD(Passport - PB 6018)(Proctor featured on
"Jane Fonda Speaks Out" 1982)
THE HIGHER THEY CLIMB THE HARDER THEY FALL by David Cassidy
(RCA - APL1 1066) (Yes, THAT David Cassidy. Phil
Austin wrote and is featured on "Massacre at Park
Bench", 1975)
THE ILLINOIS SPEED PRESS(Columbia CS 9792) (Inner newspaper
parody written by FT
TV Shows which have made FT references:
Mystery Science Theatre 3000 (MST3K)
Space Ghost Coast to Coast (cartoon)
The Real Ghostbusters (cartoon)
Comments? e-mail ndr@tazboy.jpl.nasa.gov (Niles Ritter)