K.A.C. 2019 - T - 16 ...

     Radio is the medium of sound - sound effects, music and voices. An actor or actress with a quality voice always found work in the Golden Age of Radio. One who could do a few different voices was an even better find. One who could literally do HUNDREDS of voices, and sound effects to boot, was a keeper! Luckily for you, we have just such a fellow, in today's edition of Christmas For Your Ears, a man whose voice you are intimately familiar with if you watched Warner Brothers cartoons while growing up - I'm referring, of course, to Mel Blanc.

     Mel (1908 - 1989) had a MUCH longer career than people realize; known as 'The Man Of A Thousand Voices', his career stretched from the early days of radio in 1927 all the way to his death in 1989. He was on a variety of shows, radio as well as TV, and had his own sitcom on the air where he would use his many voices in ridiculous situations, such as this holiday show from December 24th, 1946, entitled Mel Plays Santa Claus:

   https://archive.org/details/500OTRChristmasShows/1946-12-24_CBS_The_Mel_Blanc_Show_-_Mel_Plays_Santa_Claus.mp3

     Mel was also Jack Benny's favorite guest, both on his long-running radio AND TV series. He could always bring the house down and leave the audience in tears of laughter. Case in point, this Christmas shopping sketch where Mel plays the hapless store clerk going up against Benny's notorious stinginess at Christmas - the slow burn and suffering of Mel's character cracks Jack Benny up - a rare occasion! Enjoy!

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4Dw3vvXGUg&list=RDr4Dw3vvXGUg&index=1 

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     Over the years here at the K.A.C., we've highlighted a number of different variations on traditional Christmas trees ... from Dalek trees to beer kegs, from chocolate trees to teddy bear trees - well, this year is up to the challenge! For all you eternal optimists out there, may I present the Unicorn Tree! Want to know how to make one yourself? Here you go!

   
     https://www.bestproducts.com/lifestyle/a29351949/diy-unicorn-christmas-trees/





      Too happy for you? Want something darker, more expressive of your whole, "Bah, Humbug!" approach to the season? Never fear, we've got you covered, as well ... presenting the basic BLACK Christmas tree - NOT to be confused with the Black Cat tree we featured in an earlier blog! Read more about these monochromatic marvels here:

           https://www.bestproducts.com/lifestyle/a29463145/black-christmas-tree-trend/

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           Last but not least, if you want to give your tree the 'freshly fallen snow' look as seen in our black tree at right, here's a handy and inexpensive way to do it! Consider it yet another public service from the K.A.C.!

      https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/10321240/mums-fake-snow-bottom-christmas-trees-fluffy-white-rugs-amazon/

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      More tomorrow!