Did My Gran Introduce Me To Zorro?
In which I try to figure out when I first encountered The Fox, discover a cold war nugget, and learn about a forgotten armada.
The day after this edition of the newsletter drops I am scheduled to guest on a podcast to discuss the 1937 Republic movie serial Zorro Rides Again. It’s an odd entry in the Zorro cannon as it features the original Zorro’s great-grandson taking up the mantle in a fairly contemporary setting that alongside bad guys on horses also includes trains, planes, and automobiles, as well as telephones and electric lights. This later-day man-in-the-mask also eschews the traditional cape and sword in favor of a whip and six-shooters.
I won’t go into too much more detail as to the plot and my reactions to it as I’ll save them for the podcast.
But in preparing for the discussion it got me thinking about when I first became aware of Zorro. - My initial reaction would have been the Filmation-produced cartoon series, which I thought I recalled watching on Saturday mornings as part of The Banana Splits TV show alongside other cartoons such as The Three Musketeers and Journey to the Center of the Earth.
But it seems memory plays tricks on you. For The Banana Splits ran from 1968 to 1970 while the New Adventures of Zorro animated series was produced in 1981.
A quick bit of research revealed that when I was growing up the BBC showed reruns of the the 1950s Disney Zorro TV show starring Guy Williams, but I have no particular memory of it.
Maybe it was my grandmother who introduced me to Zorro? Once I was old enough, most Sundays I’d walk the ten minutes or so to her house and we’d spend the afternoon watching what she termed ‘adventure movies,’ it was through these afternoons that I grew to know Trazan, Allan Quatermain, and many other adventure heroes. So maybe Guy Williams was my first Zorro, but not from the TV show but in one of the spin-off movies such as 1958’s Sign of Zorro running on TV on a wet Sunday afternoon?
But it was definitely the 1981 cartoon (which in retrospect must have been a college days Saturday morning watch) that sparked my interest in the character - and let’s face it if you have any interest in the history of a certain other masked playboy vigilante from Gotham, then how can you not be fascinated by the similarities?
Since then I’ve dug a little deeper into the history of the character, for which I highly recommend the book Zorro Unmasked by Sandar Curtis, and watched many of the different onscreen interpretations from Douglas Fairbank’s iconic take of the character in 1920 through to the latest Spanish produced TV series now streaming on Amazon.
Of all these, I would say my personal favorite remains the two Antonio Banderas movies Mask of Zorro (1998) and The Legend of Zorro (2005) which capture the swashbuckling nature of the hero while presenting entertaining action that also respects the history of the period in which they are set.
-Z-
Other Stuff
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Brabazon Bits
This week’s on the Brabazon book project I have moved on to the chapters outlining the project's legacy. First up is a section on the lasting impact left by the Brabazon’s infrastructure, namely the long strengthened runway, and the gigantic Brabazon hanger.
One piece of history I was unaware of was that during the events surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 Filton’s airfield took on a military footing as its long runway and its closed-to-passengers status meant it was selected as a dispersion site for the RAF’s Vulcan nuclear bombers, who were stationed at the airfield on short-notice stand-by.
Word Slinging
I’ve had a story idea bouncing around in my head for a couple of years not going anywhere. This week I was invited to contribute to an anthology where that idea is a perfect fit for the theme… now I will actually have to write the thing! - But first, a little research is needed to get things rolling.
Pages and Screens
Books Read in 2024 - “The Last Armada” by Des Ekin
I’m ashamed to say I was blissfully unaware of the story of how in December 1601 the Spanish landed a small force on the west coast of Ireland with the intention of establishing a foothold from which to launch an eventual invasion of England.
Things didn’t go to plan and the Spanish force found themselves besieged for 100 days waiting for reinforcements that never arrived and aid from Irish insurgents who were eventually out-maneuvered by the English troops.
As a journalist rather than a historian, Ekin tells a compelling story while balancing the actions and aims of all three sides of the conflict. He also lays out the long-term legacy of an event that literally changed the political and cultural landscape of a country for centuries to follow.
If you enjoy the books I review here, you may want to check out my Instagram account where every book I read gets a quick review as I finish it.
We’ve also updated our online bookstore at Bookshop.org with a list of the books read in 2024 to date, so you can pick up copies of any that interest you, while also helping out local independent bookstores
Bond Briefings
In the latest edition of our bi-weekly James Bond Lexicon newsletter we reflect on initial Bond encounters, say farewell to a Moneypenny, and recommend some Bond-related podcasts I’m not on!
If you enjoy the worlds of 007 and haven’t subscribed, you can join us at the link below
Before They Were Beatles Updates
The next episode of THE FORGOTTEN BEATLES podcast now live and available on your podcast platform of choice or directly at the link HERE.
In this episode, we cover the 3 Cs - George’s stand in Vince Calandra, acapella group The Chants, and drummer Norman Chapman.
Writing on the March issue of the Before They Were Beatles newsletter is underway in which we will formally introduce one James Paul McCartney to our story. If you don’t want to miss out on the expanded story of the early Beatles history when they are published, you can sign up for a subscription below.
Weekly Web Round-Up
Forest Comics - Gill has been busy again loading up another batch of graphic novels, and they are selling fast. If you're looking to add some top-notch comics storytelling to your shelves I’d recommend that you check out what we have in store right HERE
Batman On The Cover - The journey through Batman’s comics publishing history continues this week we look at the latest Batman newspaper strip adventure as well as reprint comics published in December 1968 in Australia.
The Batman newspaper strips are always a fun read with often quirky storylines, such as this example’s “I Want Bruce Wayne’s Identity.” The drawn-out storytelling, (this story runs from December 1968 to May 1969) also means an opportunity for the occasional cameo or guest star, in this case Batgirl will play a significant role in the action.
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See you next time
Alan J. Porter
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