SEMINARS
There is more to enjoy at the Nostalgia Con than meeting Hollywood celebrities and shopping with vendors. The event room offers slide show seminars hosted by historians, authors, professors, magazine editors, and museum curators. You do not have to attend all of these events but we do recommend you take a moment and look over the schedule and plan to visit the seminar room sometime during your visit. Some of these events are so popular that the room fills pretty quickly!
THURSDAY
9:00 am HOW TO SPOT FAKE PREMIUMS
Larry Zdeb has been collecting premiums from decoder rings to police badges for decades and over the years helped educate collectors to differentiate a legit item versus a counterfeit. Yes, there were unscrupulous people in the 1980s who would produce counterfeits. Larry will present a fascinating slide show presentation on all aspects of this and, more importantly, how you can tell the difference between the real deal and the fake ones.
10:30 am THE LIFE AND MANY CAREERS OF NELL O'DAY
She was a singer, a dancer, a vaudevillian, an actress in four venues [stage, theatrical films, industrial films, television], a model, a daring equestrienne, a scenarist, a playwright, a magazine author and editor, and a ghost writer, all wrapped up in her 5-foot-3-inch 105-pound frame. And for almost four decades, she entertained millions of all ages in all walks of life. For cowboy fans, she was known as Johnny Mack Brown’s unflinching, horse-riding leading lady in his B Westerns of the 1940s. She was the female lead in the 1942 cliffhanger serial, Perils of the Royal Mounted, supposedly ghost wrote The Monster Maker (1944), and was rescued by George O'Brien in Smoke Lightning (1933). Her story has never been told until now. Historian Merrill McCord wrote a book documenting her career and he will present us with a slide show presentation about her.
12:00 noon QUINCY, M.E., A History of the Television Series
4:00 pm THE GOTHAM RADIO PLAYERS
The Gotham Radio Players specialize in performing re-enactments of “lost” radio scripts from the Golden Age of Radio, programs for which no recording exists and which have probably not been heard since their original broadcast more than 60 years ago. This year the group will perform an episode of LIGHTS OUT from March 8, 1939, titled "One Day it Rained Blood," which does not exist in recorded form. A rare treat for those who love the series or love horror radio dramas!
5:00 pm INTERVIEW WITH KATHLEEN BELLER, DONNA PESCOW and JOANNA CASSIDY
Hosted by Tom Doty, three beautiful women who played roles ranging from a princess, a disco dancer to a snake charmer will be on stage to discuss their screen careers of the past.
7:00 pm A HISTORY OF WONDER WOMAN
Hosted by Robert Greenberger, who wrote and edited more than 100 books and anthologies, many within the D.C., Marvel and Star Trek franchises. Robert will deliver a slide show presentation about the origin of Wonder Woman and the character's evolution over the years, from the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, and the modern take as evident in today's comics. The character transitioned to live-action television, animated cartoons, merchandise and even big screen movie renditions. Did you know Wonder Woman once retired from her costumed alias? Did you know Wonder Woman once committed murder? Then you are in for a real treat.
8:30 pm BOND GIRLS INTRODUCE SPECIAL SCREENING
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of OCTOPUSSY (1983), the James Bond classic will be shown on the big screen... with Lynn-Holly Johnson, Mary Stavin and Kristina Wayborn, two of whom played roles in the movie, talking about their careers, their involvement in the Bond franchise and some behind-the-scenes trivia about the film before the movie starts. Not only do you get to see what many claim to be the underrated entry in the Roger Moore adventures, but hear from the Bond girls who appear on screen in the same film!
FRIDAY
9:00 am DARWIN GOES HOLLYWOOD: EVOLUTION IN THE MOVIES
Hosted by Frank Dello Stritto. Movie-makers rush in where others fear to go. Controversy over Darwin’s theories surged in the 1920s with the Scopes Monkey Trial, and then came the first horror movies based on evolution. A rocky start and a long retreat, but Darwin came back strong with the science fiction craze of the 1950s. The movies’ love-hate relationship with evolution is a surprising tale.
10:00 am WHAT'S MY LINE?
Herb Boomhower hosts a panel just like the classic television program of the 1950s. There will be a Mystery Celebrity where the panelists would have to wear masks and answer questions and guess who the mystery celebrity is. Put on your thinking caps and come join in the fun.
11:00 am A HISTORY OF CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT
Larry Zdeb, author of the new two-volume books documenting the history of the children's program, will present a fascinating slide show presentation about CAPTAIN MIDNIGHT. Remember the old-time radio program or television series or cliffhanger serial or comic books? Larry will explore every incarnation so you have a deeper appreciation for the series.
12 noon OLD-TIME RADIO TRY-OUTS
Try your hand at playing a role on stage with script, sound effects and microphones. Open to anyone who attends the tryouts at 12 noon. Win the role and you get to perform on stage!
3:00 pm OLD-TIME RADIO RE-ENACTMENT
Don Ramlow will direct a radio drama complete with microphones, radio scripts and sound effects! This year's presentation will be a "lost" episode of THE CISCO KID, titled "The Phantom Skeleton of Sespe River." Over 800 episodes were produced during the 1950s and only a couple hundred exist. We copied a bunch of original scripts from the 1950s and the title alone warranted a necessity to recreate this one on stage -- a "lost" episode that does not exist in recorded form.
4:00 pm CHARITY AUCTION FOR THE ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL
Have a few things about the house that you want to get rid of? Bring it to the convention on Friday and put them on the auction tables. All items will be accepted and every dollar raised during the sale of the auction items will help benefit children with treatable cancer. Bring your checkbook because you can make payment out to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, should you bid on items. (Please consult a CPA regarding tax deductions.) This year we are asking people NOT to donate audio cassettes or VHS videos, since no one is bidding on them during the auction. Thank you!
5:30 pm INTERVIEW WITH CELEBRITY GUESTS TIM MATHESON, HAL LINDEN AND MAX GAIL
Three television icons and screen legends will discuss their careers on stage, sharing stories with host David Krell.
NOTE: DUE TO THE ACTOR'S STRIKE, CELEBRITIES CANNOT DISCUSS PRESENT-DAY AND FUTURE PROJECTS. They will discuss their past careers from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.
7:00 pm INTERVIEW WITH DIANE BAKER AND GEORGE HAMILTON
Hosted by Bob Tevis, two screen legends who did everything from television to motion-pictures, and worked alongside everyone in Hollywood from Alfred Hitchcock to Boris Karloff, Gregory Peck to Peter Falk, will discuss their careers on stage.
8:00 pm OF MICE AND MEN: 1939's MOST HAUNTING FILM.
1939 was the Greatest Year of the Movies, and no film took on taboos more bravely and moved audiences more emotionally that year than did Of Mice and Men, starring Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. This power-point presentation, based on Greg Mank's recent book Of Mice and Men: Mental Enfeeblement, Racism, and Mercy-Killing in 1939 Hollywood, accesses studio archives untouched for over 80 years to tell the fascinating saga behind the production, shooting, and reception of this 1939 Best Picture Oscar nominee. The presentation provides many rare pictures of the film-in-production. (Greg Mank will also be selling copies of his book on Of Mice and Men, as well as others of his books). After the presentation, there will be a special screening of the movie.
SATURDAY
9:00 am PRIME TIME TELEVISION AND THE 1960s.
Author and cultural historian David Krell takes you on a fun, interactive journey through the 1960s as he uncovers the power of TV and how it impacted and reflected American culture. Audience participation is encouraged. There will be a quiz with prizes!!
10:00 am CLAYTON MOORE AND THE LEGEND OF THE LONE RANGER
In 1978, when Jack Wrather decided to produce a big-screen theatrical movie based on the masked man and his faithful Indian companion, fans of The Lone Ranger launched a boycott because of the unjust treatment to actor Clayton Moore. The actor who played the role on television in the 1950s was order by the courts to stop wearing the black domino mask. Many people remember that boycott (and why it was launched) but it turns out there was another side to the story… and here you will learn the other side.
11:00 am RED SKELTON's COMEDY CENTENNIAL
Mark Kratzner, curator of the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy, will host a slide show presentation featuring all stages of Red Skelton's career from performing as a young boy through his time on stage, radio, film and television. For more information about Mark Kratzner and the museum, visit here: https://redskeltonmuseum.org/team/mark-kratzner/
12 noon METRO WASHINGTON OLD-TIME RADIO CLUB
You do not have to be a member of the old-time radio club to attend their monthly meeting. You do not have to be a member of the old-time radio club to attend their monthly meeting. The group gathers together for a number of festivities. This year the group pays tribute to the late Jack French, a historian and author, with a recreation of his original Lone Ranger radio script, along with video clips of Jack’s work over the years. And, of course, you can sign up to become a member of the club after the meeting and get their bi-monthly newsletter. (Or you can visit the club website and sign up in advance at www.mwotrc.com)
1:30 am A CHRISTMAS CAROL ON RADIO
Craig Wichman will present us with a fascinating history of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol as it was dramatized on radio for almost 100 years. Many know that Lionel Barrymore played the role annually as a tradition but did you know of the other renditions?
7:00 pm SATURDAY NIGHT DINNER BANQUET
(6:30 pm SEATING, 7:00 pm SERVING)
All you can eat buffet with live stage entertainment! Tickets always sell out for this event. This is a great way to close out the weekend. Details of this year’s entertainment to be announced. A great way to close the weekend of excitement. The dinner banquet is the only event that requires a separate fee and is not included with general admission. Tickets can be purchased at the door or in advance, sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. (Which is why we recommend you purchase your tickets in advance.)