Mad Men and GSD&M – An Inconvenient History

Update 27 May 2012: When I first posted this in 2007, I asked the question “Where are all the Mad Women?” and tonight’s episode of Mad Men, “The Other Woman” answered that. “Finally, someone beautiful, with talent and a caring heart, takes an almost impossible step toward a career, and a life well lived.”

Here’s is the original post from October 25, 2007:

This TV series from the producers of The Sopranos has certainly succeeded in providing an opportunity for one former Austin ad man to reflect on what was happening in our little part of the advertising pond in 1971 (which is like 1960 in Austin years). Ed. Note: This was originally posted in the Reader Forum of the Daily Texan, student newspaper of UT Austin. More about Mad Men at Mad Men Mad.

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Marvin Argyle Everett

On this Father’s Day 2011:

On this day, observing the most amazing times and events in our history, two things strike me as important: The legacy of my father, and the 24nd annual cycle since we started our Fantastic Journey.

Dad’s Day

A note here about Marvin Argyle (1909-1990). He instilled in me the burning curiosity that got me here, and taught me the most important lesson in my life: “You don’t have to know all the answers. But you do have to know how and where to find them. Look it up.” He was a crossword puzzle freak, knowing at least 17 different 3 letter words for a river in India. Here’s a picture of him from a half a century ago. He would have loved the Internet, since he was the living analog predecessor of Google. I’ve often thought that if I had invented a gozillion dollar search engine, I would have named it marvinargyle.com ’cause he knew something about everything. Happy Father’s Day.

Originally posted June 21, 2009

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Words Define Our Shared Experience

As I have gone about my journey of exploration into Social Networking during the past year or so, the tools associated with this new community of new and old friends have provided some quite astounding revelations. About a year ago, I made contact with a college mate of mine from the 70′s. We were in a group that I have blogged about here and in other venues. We constructed slide/music/film presentations at UT Austin from 1968-1971.

In some of our email swapping sessions, another friend of ours from that era mentioned that she wishes we had ‘marvaloned’ rocker Patty Smith for our slide/music shows. ‘Maravlon?’ What is that? We went on to discuss in various stages of memory, how the verb got penned or voiced, in that frenzy of activity that led up to the debut of our Media 70 shows.

To that end, I offer a Webster 2.0 (sic) version of the Media 70 Dictionary.

marvalon – verb, origin unknown, perhaps from the Tralfamadorian, or Venusian. Probably not Latin, from marvalonus.

1. To capture, by image on vinyl, mylar, or other transparent material, either photographically or other method of transfer, with mounting in card board holders, which are heat sealed with a heated iron appliance. These 2 x 2 slides are suitable for projecting using slide projectors, as with regular 35mm transparencies.
2. The method of capturing, encapsulating, or incorporating the music, philosophy, political thought or psychological construct of an individual, a group or a cultural movement, for use in the presentation or display of complex theatrical expositions intended to stimulate intense discussion, emotion, or individual thoughts within a group of students, researchers or amateur explorers.
3. To simulate the physical, emotional and mental effects of experimental herbal ingestion, using sounds and images juxtaposed in a pleasing or disturbing manner.
4. To provoke thought or incite epiphany. Slang, to grok.

Also. Marvaloning: noun. the act of gazing with wonder. Often associated with an inspired or mind altered state.

Tools and Appliances.

Marvalon Coated Heat Sealing Iron

This is a perfect hand iron for sealing your heat seal stereo mounts. It has an adjustable temperature control and a non-stick Marvalon coating. It also will handle many other dry-mounting chores. It’s temperature range goes from 150^oF (65^oC) up to 410^oF (210^oC). It comes with a stand. Don’t forget to turn it off when you go to the Toddle House!

Hope this helps…

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Media 70 in Austin and the Age of McLuhan

History of Media 70 and Timeline

(Note: This is a work in progress. There may be memory lapses. After all, we are becoming part of the new ’60s Generation’. Additions and corrections welcome.) Media 70 was organized in the Summer of 1968 to produce a multi-media show for the Freshman Summer Orientation Program at University of Texas in Austin. The show was designed to stimulate evening ‘rap’ sessions among incoming freshman–discussions were a key part of the orientation experience. The initial production, called Values was highly successful. Media 70 lasted until the Summer of 1971, and would produce 4 major productions and several message themed shows. At it’s peak, Media 70 included as many as dozen talented contributors.

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Multi-Media Shows at UT Austin – Media 70

OK, here’s some ancient history, to mix in with the future history. In the late 60′s a group of UT Student Orientation Advisers put together a ‘multi-media’ show for new students arriving in the summer before their entry into life on the Austin campus. The show was designed to be entertainment after dinner in the dormitory, at the new Academic Center Auditorium (AC 21). AC 21 was a wonderful gallery type lecture hall with 4 giant rear projection screens, a center stage level film screen, and clear walls above the stage for more front projection from the booth. People filed into the darkened room tentatively, wondering what was going on, here?

With the room still dark, a rock and roll sound track started off with the raucous voices of the Stones (She’s a Rainbow) and ended with the sweet tones of Judy Collins (Who Knows Where the Time Goes), and for 30-40 minutes the kiddies were pounded with multiple screen images (35mm slides, film, TV) of campus life, anti-war protests, football (Go, ‘Horns), parties, and oh yeah, classrooms. The sons and daughters of Texas and the world got a dazzling taste of life in the new world of 1968-70 in Austin.

… Not in Kansas Anymore, Toto. The times were definitely changing, and for the group calling itself Media 70, it was like a prehistoric version of Second Life, with mind expanding ‘stuff’, music, images, issues, people. The group went on to do other shows for different venues, on and off campus. The most ambitious was a theatrical show that brought live actors on stage (and on film) into the AC 21 for a psychedelic Moog version of the Wizard of Oz, called The Wozard of Iz (written by Jacques Wilson with music composed and performed by Mort Garson). Students being what they are, very little survived of the images, sound track or script for this and other shows, but here is replicated the flier produced to handout all over campus to fill the house for the 8 night, 24 performances of The Wozard. Wow.

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