Entertainment [cont]

Talks about rock and roll, Chuck Berry, Elvis, Little Richard, bands just as popular as singers. A lot of jazz and dance music,

"A song would become popular if you personally could sing it"

Took guitars and piano accordions on picnics, portable gramophones. Magazines very cheap. Mentions comics-The Phantom, Captain Marvel,

"Comics actually taught a lot of kids to read"

Very keen on reading.

Went to the movies a lot because mother worked for theatre,

"We used to have to go and wait for her at the theatre `til she finished so we would sit in the back seats and literally doze off, we saw so many films"

Used to deliver `picture calendars' for the theatre,

"I always knew what was coming ahead so I'd try and time my waiting for mother when there was something decent on to watch"

Talks about various actors- James Dean, Elvis,

"...and to be honest I wasn't all that desperately keen on rock and roll as music"

Mentions concerts, amateur theatricals, symphony orchestras,

"The whole school would also go to rugby matches"

Remembers sitting up very late listening to the radio, the All Blacks playing the Springboks in South Africa.

Recalls `It's in the Bag', John Maybury, `Dr Paul'; children's programmes.

Talks about milkbars and motorbike gangs, `bodgies' and `widgies',

"There was quite a bit of trouble, they used to go on the railway line that crossed Victoria Street in Hamilton and play chicken with the train. It was regarded as quite a social problem"

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