In this our second Elvis and the Press episode, we’re joined once again by our leading contributor, Gary Wells (soulrideblog.com), to take a deep dive into the coverage of Elvis’ New Year’s Eve performance in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the end of 1976. This was the second consecutive New Year’s Eve Elvis had worked, with touring now continuing throughout winter by financial necessity. Elvis’ Pittsburgh show, concluding a very well-received, high energy tour over just five nights, proved to be a remarkable moment in time, and was widely considered one of the best performances of his later career.

Gary takes us through some of the show’s highlights, and we consider in detail a thoughtfully compiled review in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette by music columnist, Mike Kalina, who observed that Elvis ‘had perhaps the most captive audience since Johnny Cash played Folsom Prison, and rarely did he lose his iron grip on the crowd during his 90 minutes on stage’.

We also go on to look at Mike Kalina’s eventful and very successful career as a food writer and cooking personality, and his sad passing in the midst of a professional scandal to which there appears to be much more than meets the eye.

And in our post-credits segment right at the end, Gary recalls his most recent visit to Memphis, and what can only be described as an 'interesting' stay at Days Inn, Elvis Presley Boulevard.

Podcast webpage, including additional background, research notes and links to our sources, with some suggestions for further reference;

https://dec4podcast.com/2024/11/11/elvis-and-the-press-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-new-year-1976-77/

Actor, writer and music artist Andrew Mackintosh carved his own special niche in British television history as Detective Sergeant Alistair Greig, a key character in over 300 episodes of The Bill, one of the most successful and influential television dramas of all time.

In this clip from our recent conversation, Andrew remembers his friend and colleague Kevin Lloyd (DC Tosh Lines), recalls the consistently high quality scripts in The Bill, the careful selection of guest artists, and the art of ensemble acting.

In the full episode, Andrew talks more about The Bill and his remarkable career beyond, including his long-term musical collaboration with Joe Dooley, and his latest creation, the hit fiction podcast, Letter From Helvetica.

Our companion webpage for this episode has the complete conversation as well as some additional career details, images, links and recommendations for further reading, viewing and listening:

https://dec4podcast.com/2024/09/17/a-conversation-with-andrew-mackintosh/

Oliver Crocker is a filmmaker, podcaster, publisher, and leading writer and historian on classic British television. In this clip from a two-part podcast recorded in 2021, we discuss Oliver's friend and mentor, BAFTA nominated television director Mervyn Cumming (1943-2021), including his extensive CV and brush with the BBC's ill-fated soap, Eldorado. We also talk a little more about Ian Cullen in terms of his career beyond Z-Cars, along with his co-star in When The Boat Comes In, Roger Avon.

Find the full episode here, with additional background, links, and suggestions for further viewing, reading and listening;

https://dec4podcast.com/2023/01/29/in-conversation-with-author-filmmaker-and-podcaster-oliver-crocker-a-two-part-podcast/

In this clip from our previous Winter Dance Party (supplement) episode, our leading contributor, Gary Wells (soulrideblog.com), joins us to discuss some press coverage of a dispute within the family of the late JP Richardson (The Big Bopper), over the allocation of royalties.

Find the original episodes, additional background, as well as detailed research notes and links to our sources, with some suggestions for further reference, at a dedicated page at our podcast website;

https://dec4podcast.com/2024/02/23/gary-wells-the-winter-dance-party/

It's a great thrill and privilege this episode to welcome multi-talented actor, writer and music artist, Andrew Mackintosh, who carved his own special niche in British television history as Detective Sergeant Alistair Greig, a key character in over 300 episodes of one of the most successful and influential television dramas of all time, The Bill.

But as we discover, there's so much more to his varied career, encompassing acting, music and writing. We learn about Andrew's current project, the hit fiction podcast, Letter From Helvetica, talk about his early life and how his professional journey in music and acting began, and he shares with us some of his creative influences.

We explore his continuing musical collaboration with Joe Dooley, and get to grips with some general acting and career matters, including authenticity in casting, accents, received pronunciation and the art of speech, and the mixed blessing of being in a long-running series. We also discuss opportunities for mature actors and, inspired by an unstoppable generation of rock and roll performers, if perceptions of age are evolving in a positive way within the arts and beyond.

Our companion webpage for this episode has some additional career details, images, links and recommendations for further reading, viewing and listening:

https://dec4podcast.com/2024/09/17/a-conversation-with-andrew-mackintosh/

Selected content guide for fans of The Bill:

(24:07) Casting – (29:39) DS Greig’s accent – (34:02) Main segment: Remembering Kevin Lloyd, script quality, cast and character dynamic, notable guest artists and production anecdotes – (57:30) Social and political awareness and activity – (1:21:18) Effect on career

Special thanks to Andrew, and to Oliver Crocker for making this episode possible.

In this clip from our 2022 episode, From Memphis to Vegas: A Vintage Leisure Tour, our leading contributor, Gary Wells (https://soulrideblog.com), talks about the serenity of an early morning visit to Graceland's Meditation Garden. He also takes us inside the mansion itself and to other significant areas including the racquetball court.

Find the full episode here (website embed with images, links, background and additional local information);

https://dec4podcast.com/2023/02/26/gary-wells-from-memphis-to-vegas-a-vintage-leisure-tour/

Oliver Crocker is a filmmaker, podcaster, publisher, and leading writer and historian on classic British television. In this clip from a two-part podcast recorded in 2021, prior to the passing of Frank Williams (Vicar Timothy Farthing), Oliver shares some personal encounters with Dad's Army legends.

Find the complete episode with some additional background, images and links, here:

https://dec4podcast.com/2023/01/29/in-conversation-with-author-filmmaker-and-podcaster-oliver-crocker-a-two-part-podcast/

In this clip from our 2022 episode, From Memphis to Vegas: A Vintage Leisure Tour, our leading contributor, Gary Wells (soulrideblog.com), recounts his joyous experiences at the Stax museum, and a memorable visit to Al Green's Full Gospel Tabernacle Church.

Find the full episode here (website embed with images, links, background and additional local information);

https://dec4podcast.com/2023/02/26/gary-wells-from-memphis-to-vegas-a-vintage-leisure-tour/

(Information and commentary about destinations and city conditions generally are correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of the original episode's publication. We understand that personal experiences will vary, and everyone should consider information from a wide variety of credible sources before making a decision on personal safety when travelling).