FAN CLUB NEWSLETTERS 1977
July - November
July - November
Carpenters Fan Club Newsletter #54 - July, 1977
Hi Fans:
There will be something entirely new on the next Carpenters album to be released soon. It will contain a variety of music, and the highlight will be a score from the Argentina rock opera Evita entitled Don't Cry for Me Argentina.
Karen will solo with a background of 50 singers from the Gregg Smith Chorale, plus the entire Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The famous British conductor Peter Knight was flown from London to conduct the scores, and Richard's buddy Wes Jacobs flew in from Michigan to play tuba.
We were privileged to attend the taping at A & M Studios, and we found the sound stage filled to capacity with musicians. Four t.v. stations had mini-cams there to film footage of the session for the evening news, as it was the largest recording session ever attempted for an album track.
Richard's 1956 Chrysler 300-B was entered in three car shows the week of June 20th at Lake Tahoe, and won an award in each event- Monday the 20th the Chrysler 300 Club awarded it 2nd place, the 21st it won "Best of Show", at the Walter P. Chrysler Show, and the 25th it again won 2nd place at Harrah's Annual Show in Rena, Nevada.
For those of you keeping a list of Richard's collection, here are four more to add. There are two 1953 Studebaker Starliners, one red, one black, a 1962 Studebaker Granturismo, and a 1971 Lincoln Continental. In 1971 Richard sold this same Continental to a friend who sold it to a friend who finally sold it back to Richard. This brings the total of Richard's collection to 54.
There will be a Carpenters T.V. Christmas Special again this year which is scheduled to be taped before they leave for Japan.
Fans in the Philippines and Australia will be happy to learn Carpenters concerts are tentatively scheduled for your countries before the year's end. The schedule for the balance or the year is as follows:
August 2nd-15th, Harrah's Club, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
October 12th-2lst, Tour of Japan.
November 2nd and 3rd, Manila, Philippines.
November 5th-l7th, Tour of Australia.
November 24th and 25th, Sheraton Ballroom. Honolulu, Hawaii.
The charity baseball game played in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend was won by the Celebrities who scored over the Press by 1 point.
I finally pinned Mom and Dad Carpenter down long enough to tape an interview as a basis for the thumbnail biographies you've requested, so will start with Mom.
Agnes was the second or four daughters born to Annie May and George Arthur Tatum of Baltimore, Maryland where they lived on Mulberry Street, until she was 17. Sister Jenny was 9 years old when Agnes was born, and sisters Audrey end Bernice followed 3 1/2 and 7 years later. While attending Western High School on Hilton St, Agnes excelled in sports and won a medal for her excellent participation in basketball. Although her dad was part owner of Tatum, Fritz & Goldsmith wholesale clothing business, she was an excellent seamstress, and made many of the coats and dresses worn by the four girls, also the heavy velour and brocade lined and pleated drapes that hung at the windows of their home. In 1932 the Tatums moved to Catonsville where Agnes met her future husband. She was riding in a wagon near the Brancheau home when Harold stopped by to visit Jack Daisy, a mutual friend who resided at the Brancheau's residence, when Jack introduced them to each other, it was the beginning of a four year courtship.
They were married in Catonsville Methodist Church by Pastor Jay Turnbull Spicknel, April 9th 1935 At 7:00 p.m. For 3 weeks they resided in the Tatum home before moving to Richmond, Virginia where Harold found work at a box printing company. Joanie (Jenny's daughter) became part of their family at 18 months of age when Jenny became ill. They were Richmond residents for 5 years prior to returning to Baltimore where they stayed for a few months before moving to New Haven, Connecticut where Richard and Karen were born.
In 1942, to contribute to the war efforts Agnes worked for Metler Bros. A division of Pratt-Whitney Motor Mounts, where she operated a threadmill machine until the war ended in 1945.
October 15th 1946 son Richard was born, and 3 1/2 years later, March 2nd 1950 Karen made her appearance as the final addition to the Carpenter family. For the next 12 years Mom was busy raising the children, then in 1962 she went to work for the Edal Co. where she again proved to be a top machine operator.
In 1983 the family moved to California to further Richard's musical career, realizing Los Angeles would offer the best opportunities for his talent. To help pay for the new Downey home they purchased, Mom took a job at North American Rockwell Corporation (now known as Rockwell International.) About the time she lost her job there due to the Apollo cut-back, Karen & Richard had signed a recording contract with A & M Record so she was kept busy with new duties for them. This included house hunting with Dad for a larger home. They finally found the type of home Karen and Richard wanted, and the move into the new Downey home was made in Nov. 1971.
Mom had been very fortunate having enjoyed good health all her life. She's had no serious injuries, accidents, illnesses or operations. Her tonsils were removed by cautery in a doctor's office. Her favorite foods are steak, cantaloupe & ice cream. Colors-yellow, orchid & red, music-semi-classical favorite t.v. programs for her & Dad are Columbo, The Rockford Files, Kojak and Hawaii 5-0.
Dad's bio is on tape in preparation for the next newsletter. Thanks for your patience while waiting for this month's issue which I know is quite late, but I didn't want to disappoint you again by not printing this bio. Rap in September. Ev.
Hi Fans:
There will be something entirely new on the next Carpenters album to be released soon. It will contain a variety of music, and the highlight will be a score from the Argentina rock opera Evita entitled Don't Cry for Me Argentina.
Karen will solo with a background of 50 singers from the Gregg Smith Chorale, plus the entire Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. The famous British conductor Peter Knight was flown from London to conduct the scores, and Richard's buddy Wes Jacobs flew in from Michigan to play tuba.
We were privileged to attend the taping at A & M Studios, and we found the sound stage filled to capacity with musicians. Four t.v. stations had mini-cams there to film footage of the session for the evening news, as it was the largest recording session ever attempted for an album track.
Richard's 1956 Chrysler 300-B was entered in three car shows the week of June 20th at Lake Tahoe, and won an award in each event- Monday the 20th the Chrysler 300 Club awarded it 2nd place, the 21st it won "Best of Show", at the Walter P. Chrysler Show, and the 25th it again won 2nd place at Harrah's Annual Show in Rena, Nevada.
For those of you keeping a list of Richard's collection, here are four more to add. There are two 1953 Studebaker Starliners, one red, one black, a 1962 Studebaker Granturismo, and a 1971 Lincoln Continental. In 1971 Richard sold this same Continental to a friend who sold it to a friend who finally sold it back to Richard. This brings the total of Richard's collection to 54.
There will be a Carpenters T.V. Christmas Special again this year which is scheduled to be taped before they leave for Japan.
Fans in the Philippines and Australia will be happy to learn Carpenters concerts are tentatively scheduled for your countries before the year's end. The schedule for the balance or the year is as follows:
August 2nd-15th, Harrah's Club, Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
October 12th-2lst, Tour of Japan.
November 2nd and 3rd, Manila, Philippines.
November 5th-l7th, Tour of Australia.
November 24th and 25th, Sheraton Ballroom. Honolulu, Hawaii.
The charity baseball game played in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend was won by the Celebrities who scored over the Press by 1 point.
I finally pinned Mom and Dad Carpenter down long enough to tape an interview as a basis for the thumbnail biographies you've requested, so will start with Mom.
Agnes was the second or four daughters born to Annie May and George Arthur Tatum of Baltimore, Maryland where they lived on Mulberry Street, until she was 17. Sister Jenny was 9 years old when Agnes was born, and sisters Audrey end Bernice followed 3 1/2 and 7 years later. While attending Western High School on Hilton St, Agnes excelled in sports and won a medal for her excellent participation in basketball. Although her dad was part owner of Tatum, Fritz & Goldsmith wholesale clothing business, she was an excellent seamstress, and made many of the coats and dresses worn by the four girls, also the heavy velour and brocade lined and pleated drapes that hung at the windows of their home. In 1932 the Tatums moved to Catonsville where Agnes met her future husband. She was riding in a wagon near the Brancheau home when Harold stopped by to visit Jack Daisy, a mutual friend who resided at the Brancheau's residence, when Jack introduced them to each other, it was the beginning of a four year courtship.
They were married in Catonsville Methodist Church by Pastor Jay Turnbull Spicknel, April 9th 1935 At 7:00 p.m. For 3 weeks they resided in the Tatum home before moving to Richmond, Virginia where Harold found work at a box printing company. Joanie (Jenny's daughter) became part of their family at 18 months of age when Jenny became ill. They were Richmond residents for 5 years prior to returning to Baltimore where they stayed for a few months before moving to New Haven, Connecticut where Richard and Karen were born.
In 1942, to contribute to the war efforts Agnes worked for Metler Bros. A division of Pratt-Whitney Motor Mounts, where she operated a threadmill machine until the war ended in 1945.
October 15th 1946 son Richard was born, and 3 1/2 years later, March 2nd 1950 Karen made her appearance as the final addition to the Carpenter family. For the next 12 years Mom was busy raising the children, then in 1962 she went to work for the Edal Co. where she again proved to be a top machine operator.
In 1983 the family moved to California to further Richard's musical career, realizing Los Angeles would offer the best opportunities for his talent. To help pay for the new Downey home they purchased, Mom took a job at North American Rockwell Corporation (now known as Rockwell International.) About the time she lost her job there due to the Apollo cut-back, Karen & Richard had signed a recording contract with A & M Record so she was kept busy with new duties for them. This included house hunting with Dad for a larger home. They finally found the type of home Karen and Richard wanted, and the move into the new Downey home was made in Nov. 1971.
Mom had been very fortunate having enjoyed good health all her life. She's had no serious injuries, accidents, illnesses or operations. Her tonsils were removed by cautery in a doctor's office. Her favorite foods are steak, cantaloupe & ice cream. Colors-yellow, orchid & red, music-semi-classical favorite t.v. programs for her & Dad are Columbo, The Rockford Files, Kojak and Hawaii 5-0.
Dad's bio is on tape in preparation for the next newsletter. Thanks for your patience while waiting for this month's issue which I know is quite late, but I didn't want to disappoint you again by not printing this bio. Rap in September. Ev.
Carpenters Fan Club Newsletter #55 - September, 1977
Hi Fans,
Carpenters & staff hope you have all enjoyed beautiful summer and fun vacations. Karen & Richard have had no time off this year and because of this we have some good news for everyone and bad news for Japanese, Philippine & Australian members. First, the bad news: All Japanese, Manila and Australian concerts and the two scheduled for Hawaii have been canceled, due to a much needed rest ordered by their doctor. The good news is: The new album is scheduled to be released September 23 and there's something on it for everyone, including opera lovers. Watch for "Passage" in your music stores. Their new single was released Sept. 9th and it is a very unique space song. Look for "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" in your music stores now.
We have a new keepsake item which will make a perfect Christmas gift or a bright addition to your own wardrobe. We have a limited supply of some very lovely neck scarves, ideal for either fellas or gals. There's a choice of pale blue with white logo and autograph or white with navy blue logo and autograph. Supply is limited to 250 and these will be a collectors item. They are made of 100% nylon and measure l8" X l8" Price per scarf is $X.XX for U.S. members and $X.X for foreign. This includes shipping & handling.
Without further ado, here is a bio of Dad Carpenter:
Harold Bertram Carpenter was born in Wuchou China in 1908. His father, George, a brilliant electrician and top notch salesman, was a British subject. On a visit to the U.S. he met Nellie Jane Lynn at a Methodist prayer meeting in Wellsville, N.Y. where she had been born and raised. After they were married they decided to devote a few years to missionary work and were promptly sent to China, where they were transferred from city to city.
Upon completion of their mission, George returned to his work in electrical sales and they settled in Yunnan, China in a section of the city that had been set aside for foreign dignitaries and professionals. Their home there was a beautiful big house with a huge yard and garden which was well cared for by numerous Chinese servants. Formal parties within the complex were frequent and when the Carpenters entertained, the dinner table was set with fine China and silver. Frequently young Harold with younger sister Esther would sneak downstairs where they could observe the festivities without being seen.
It was the era of the Boxer Rebellion and street fights and killings were frequent. No one walked the streets. All foreigners stayed within the complex and servants were sent out to do the shopping. Supplies of all kinds were limited. Most were ordered from Montgomery Ward, including huge supplies of food. The only available fresh fruit was persimmons. A lovely persimmon tree grew right outside Harold's bedroom window and he thoroughly enjoyed the succulent fruit it bore. Apples and oranges were seen only in the minds of Harold and Esther as their mother described the beauty and taste of these fruits so abundant in the U.S. Meals consisted of rice, vegetables and a little meat. Harold preferred eating in the kitchen with the servants where they prepared real Chinese dishes for themselves, using ginger-root as a basic spice. He loved to scoop out the pieces of ginger-root and eat them, using chopsticks as adeptly as the Chinese servants. The family dressed well in clothes that also had to be imported. Harold's excellent taste in clothes today probably stems from the lovely Eaton suits he wore as a youngster.
Transportation was a Chair on poles, carried on the shoulders of four servants. Each family owned their own chair but public taxi service was via Rickshaw. Toys and games were rare items. Harold's favorite activity was shooting the noisy, bothersome crows that were so plentiful in their garden. His father, an excellent hunter, provided him with a .22 and taught him how to use it correctly; and once each year they would travel to West Mountain to hunt pheasant. Though he and Esther each had their own pony, their rides were limited to roads within the compound. Though a tutor was hired for the youngsters' education, it was a hit and miss affair and they did not receive a formal education until they were placed in schools in England. Harold was eight when plans were made for their trip to England to place them in schools. It was a long, difficult, dangerous journey that had to be made by train because World War I was in progress. They traveled across Siberia and because the Russian Revolution was also going on, the train was Frequently stopped and searched by Russian troops. At each stop the children hid under the tables of the dining car. In Petrovgrad they left the train and were placed in a hotel for a few days where they existed on black bread and water, the only food available to them. Bombings were frequent and the hotel next to theirs was demolished during a bombing. Boarding another train they entered the arctic circle in Finland and traveled to Sweden and then Norway where they were finally put aboard a ship at Bergen, where big ships embarked for England. They skirted the Shetland Island in the North Sea the week that German U-boats sank more passenger ships than any other week of the entire war. At the end of this nightmare voyage they disembarked at Liverpool, then continued on to Margate where Harold and Esther were placed in boarding schools. His mother with younger brother, Richard returned to China where eventually, two more younger sisters would be born. At war's end his mother and dad returned to England and bought a house in Hendon where Harold continued his education by attending Hendon Hall. His father went back to his electrical sales business in China. His mom remained in England until it was near time for her baby to be born, then again joined his father in China. Eventually they disposed of all their possessions in China and they both returned to England where they settled in Golder's Green, where his dad invented a burglar alarm. When business dropped off, his mother with the five children sailed to the U.S. to live with her mother. Harold was 14 and though his education in England was equivalent to a high school education in the U.S., he attended the Wellsville, N.Y. high school for two years. Due to his mother's illness, he left school at 16 to go to work. She had contracted a lung ailment in Singapore and eventually lost the use of one lung.
An uncle in Middletown, Ohio was night superintendent of a paper-box industry and he put Harold to work there, feeding the press, and welcomed him into his home to live. When his uncle took a better job in Indianapolis, Harold moved along with them and again worked with his uncle on a press. His mother, brother and sisters came to Indianapolis for a brief stay then returned to England to be with Harold's father. Harold remained in Indianapolis where he became interested in motorcycles and joined a cycle club. Once again he moved with his aunt and uncle to Maryland to accept still better jobs. He and a friend rode their bikes to Catonsville where he met Agnes, and after a 4 year courtship, they were married. Since then, his life parallels Agnes's which you read about in Newsletter #54.
Harold has enjoyed good health all his life. His only surgery was an ear operation in 1960 which left him slightly hard of hearing in his right ear. Injuries consisted of 3 nasty motorcycle flops in Indiana and a more serious one to his arm when it was accidentally caught under the rollers of a printing press he was working on at the time. He and Mom Carpenter have the same interests in music and T.V. shows but differ in favorite colors. His is red. When asked what his favorite food is, his answer was "The best way to answer that is to ask me what I don't like". The question was asked - "which foods don't you like?" His answer - "Stewed tomatoes. That is all - just stewed tomatoes."
The amazing talent that K & R possess comes partly, perhaps from grandmother Nellie and grandfather George. Both were fine pianists and often played piano for their guests at the formal dinner parties they held when they lived in China. Grandmother Nellie had a fine voice and would also render for her guests, beautiful songs. Harold was given piano lessons for a while (against his will) but was not interested in learning to play the piano and hated practicing. He did enjoy his parents renditions, however, and he also loved listening to lovely classical and semi-classical music from records played on the beautiful Victorola they had in China. His favorite relaxation today is to relax on an easy chair in Richard's huge music room and surround himself with fine music from records played on the turn-table of the fantastic stereo sound system in that room.
Though Dad Carpenter retired from the Container Corp. in 1970, he surely has not retired. He is busier now than at any time of his life. He and Mom are Collection Control Administrators of Richard's car collection and are responsible for bringing all cars purchased to mint condition. This means numerous trips from one car specialist to another and making numberless calls and trips to obtain obsolete parts. Dad also reads numerous ads in search of cars that Richard wishes to add to his collection, and this, at times, takes him and Mom to other states to check out possible purchases. He and Mom have also been Richard's representatives in several car shows and parades.
To your list of Richard's cars, add a 58 Edsel Citation and a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air. This brings his collection to 57.
Rap later. Ev.
Hi Fans,
Carpenters & staff hope you have all enjoyed beautiful summer and fun vacations. Karen & Richard have had no time off this year and because of this we have some good news for everyone and bad news for Japanese, Philippine & Australian members. First, the bad news: All Japanese, Manila and Australian concerts and the two scheduled for Hawaii have been canceled, due to a much needed rest ordered by their doctor. The good news is: The new album is scheduled to be released September 23 and there's something on it for everyone, including opera lovers. Watch for "Passage" in your music stores. Their new single was released Sept. 9th and it is a very unique space song. Look for "Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" in your music stores now.
We have a new keepsake item which will make a perfect Christmas gift or a bright addition to your own wardrobe. We have a limited supply of some very lovely neck scarves, ideal for either fellas or gals. There's a choice of pale blue with white logo and autograph or white with navy blue logo and autograph. Supply is limited to 250 and these will be a collectors item. They are made of 100% nylon and measure l8" X l8" Price per scarf is $X.XX for U.S. members and $X.X for foreign. This includes shipping & handling.
Without further ado, here is a bio of Dad Carpenter:
Harold Bertram Carpenter was born in Wuchou China in 1908. His father, George, a brilliant electrician and top notch salesman, was a British subject. On a visit to the U.S. he met Nellie Jane Lynn at a Methodist prayer meeting in Wellsville, N.Y. where she had been born and raised. After they were married they decided to devote a few years to missionary work and were promptly sent to China, where they were transferred from city to city.
Upon completion of their mission, George returned to his work in electrical sales and they settled in Yunnan, China in a section of the city that had been set aside for foreign dignitaries and professionals. Their home there was a beautiful big house with a huge yard and garden which was well cared for by numerous Chinese servants. Formal parties within the complex were frequent and when the Carpenters entertained, the dinner table was set with fine China and silver. Frequently young Harold with younger sister Esther would sneak downstairs where they could observe the festivities without being seen.
It was the era of the Boxer Rebellion and street fights and killings were frequent. No one walked the streets. All foreigners stayed within the complex and servants were sent out to do the shopping. Supplies of all kinds were limited. Most were ordered from Montgomery Ward, including huge supplies of food. The only available fresh fruit was persimmons. A lovely persimmon tree grew right outside Harold's bedroom window and he thoroughly enjoyed the succulent fruit it bore. Apples and oranges were seen only in the minds of Harold and Esther as their mother described the beauty and taste of these fruits so abundant in the U.S. Meals consisted of rice, vegetables and a little meat. Harold preferred eating in the kitchen with the servants where they prepared real Chinese dishes for themselves, using ginger-root as a basic spice. He loved to scoop out the pieces of ginger-root and eat them, using chopsticks as adeptly as the Chinese servants. The family dressed well in clothes that also had to be imported. Harold's excellent taste in clothes today probably stems from the lovely Eaton suits he wore as a youngster.
Transportation was a Chair on poles, carried on the shoulders of four servants. Each family owned their own chair but public taxi service was via Rickshaw. Toys and games were rare items. Harold's favorite activity was shooting the noisy, bothersome crows that were so plentiful in their garden. His father, an excellent hunter, provided him with a .22 and taught him how to use it correctly; and once each year they would travel to West Mountain to hunt pheasant. Though he and Esther each had their own pony, their rides were limited to roads within the compound. Though a tutor was hired for the youngsters' education, it was a hit and miss affair and they did not receive a formal education until they were placed in schools in England. Harold was eight when plans were made for their trip to England to place them in schools. It was a long, difficult, dangerous journey that had to be made by train because World War I was in progress. They traveled across Siberia and because the Russian Revolution was also going on, the train was Frequently stopped and searched by Russian troops. At each stop the children hid under the tables of the dining car. In Petrovgrad they left the train and were placed in a hotel for a few days where they existed on black bread and water, the only food available to them. Bombings were frequent and the hotel next to theirs was demolished during a bombing. Boarding another train they entered the arctic circle in Finland and traveled to Sweden and then Norway where they were finally put aboard a ship at Bergen, where big ships embarked for England. They skirted the Shetland Island in the North Sea the week that German U-boats sank more passenger ships than any other week of the entire war. At the end of this nightmare voyage they disembarked at Liverpool, then continued on to Margate where Harold and Esther were placed in boarding schools. His mother with younger brother, Richard returned to China where eventually, two more younger sisters would be born. At war's end his mother and dad returned to England and bought a house in Hendon where Harold continued his education by attending Hendon Hall. His father went back to his electrical sales business in China. His mom remained in England until it was near time for her baby to be born, then again joined his father in China. Eventually they disposed of all their possessions in China and they both returned to England where they settled in Golder's Green, where his dad invented a burglar alarm. When business dropped off, his mother with the five children sailed to the U.S. to live with her mother. Harold was 14 and though his education in England was equivalent to a high school education in the U.S., he attended the Wellsville, N.Y. high school for two years. Due to his mother's illness, he left school at 16 to go to work. She had contracted a lung ailment in Singapore and eventually lost the use of one lung.
An uncle in Middletown, Ohio was night superintendent of a paper-box industry and he put Harold to work there, feeding the press, and welcomed him into his home to live. When his uncle took a better job in Indianapolis, Harold moved along with them and again worked with his uncle on a press. His mother, brother and sisters came to Indianapolis for a brief stay then returned to England to be with Harold's father. Harold remained in Indianapolis where he became interested in motorcycles and joined a cycle club. Once again he moved with his aunt and uncle to Maryland to accept still better jobs. He and a friend rode their bikes to Catonsville where he met Agnes, and after a 4 year courtship, they were married. Since then, his life parallels Agnes's which you read about in Newsletter #54.
Harold has enjoyed good health all his life. His only surgery was an ear operation in 1960 which left him slightly hard of hearing in his right ear. Injuries consisted of 3 nasty motorcycle flops in Indiana and a more serious one to his arm when it was accidentally caught under the rollers of a printing press he was working on at the time. He and Mom Carpenter have the same interests in music and T.V. shows but differ in favorite colors. His is red. When asked what his favorite food is, his answer was "The best way to answer that is to ask me what I don't like". The question was asked - "which foods don't you like?" His answer - "Stewed tomatoes. That is all - just stewed tomatoes."
The amazing talent that K & R possess comes partly, perhaps from grandmother Nellie and grandfather George. Both were fine pianists and often played piano for their guests at the formal dinner parties they held when they lived in China. Grandmother Nellie had a fine voice and would also render for her guests, beautiful songs. Harold was given piano lessons for a while (against his will) but was not interested in learning to play the piano and hated practicing. He did enjoy his parents renditions, however, and he also loved listening to lovely classical and semi-classical music from records played on the beautiful Victorola they had in China. His favorite relaxation today is to relax on an easy chair in Richard's huge music room and surround himself with fine music from records played on the turn-table of the fantastic stereo sound system in that room.
Though Dad Carpenter retired from the Container Corp. in 1970, he surely has not retired. He is busier now than at any time of his life. He and Mom are Collection Control Administrators of Richard's car collection and are responsible for bringing all cars purchased to mint condition. This means numerous trips from one car specialist to another and making numberless calls and trips to obtain obsolete parts. Dad also reads numerous ads in search of cars that Richard wishes to add to his collection, and this, at times, takes him and Mom to other states to check out possible purchases. He and Mom have also been Richard's representatives in several car shows and parades.
To your list of Richard's cars, add a 58 Edsel Citation and a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air. This brings his collection to 57.
Rap later. Ev.
Carpenters Fan Club Newsletter #56 - November, 1977
Hi Fans!
Karen and Richard hope that each of you had a happy Halloween. Goblins, witches, ghosts, scarecrows, creatures of all sizes, shapes and colors rang the Carpenters door-bell requesting Halloween treats. By 9:00 p.m. they had dropped, one by one, a Hershey bar into 960 shopping bags, pillow cases, super market bags, tablecloths, aprons and various other containers held forth by these trick-or-treaters. They came in groups of 20s and 30s, arriving on foot and by car. The street was lined bumper to bumper with cars filled with youngsters from other neighborhoods. It was late into the night when the door-bell finally stopped ringing, by which time Mom Carpenter was exhausted.
Though we are enjoying lovely warm fall weather, there are many signs of Christmas in the stores. Those of you who intend to give loved ones some of the Carpenters Keepsakes items, be sure to get your orders in immediately so they can be tilled in time for Christmas. A Postal Money Order rather than a personal check, will help to expedite the order more readily. Don't forget our new item-the lovely scarves with both signatures and Carpenters logo in one corner.
We (Carpenters staff) were given a sneak preview of the Carpenters Christmas TV Special. What a show! If you enjoyed their 1976 TV Special, this one is a triple treat. All the Christmas songs were chosen and arranged by Richard, and he made a terrific selection. The sets and costumes are beautiful, the skits are funny, and Richard's rendition of O Holy Night is truly inspirational. If you ever wondered what Karen's condominium looks like, watch the Christmas party scene closely. The sets for that scene were designed to look like her own living quarters. The pictures she shows and describes, are actual pictures pulled from their family photograph books. You'll see a young Richard holding a Teddy Bear, and a younger Karen (she was 3) holding, of all things, a toy machine gun, and yes, it was hers!
That's what she had asked Santa to bring her for Christmas. You'll hear her sing White Christmas, looking very mature and sophisticated, wearing a floor-length ermine coat; and another scene depicts her as a 14 year old adorable tom-boy dressed in overalls, singing and skipping with Kristy McNichol. Dog lovers will love the park scene as Fran performs a Kukla and Ollie puppet show, and their audience consists of just one large dog who does nothing more than occupy one of the audience chairs to watch the show.(Oh, yes, you'll see Ollie fall in love with Karen, and go completely bananas when she gives him a little kiss.) The Bowling Alley scene is not a set, it's a for real one (The Jefferson Bowl in Culver City) which was rented for the day to film the scene. Richard is a lone customer who converses with Harvey Korman (a waiter) which leads to a duet by the two of them, and you'll even see Richard (and Harvey) do a little dance - and that wasn't easy on the slippery alley floor! Harvey does a hilarious Christmas Carol skit, playing all the parts himself, and changing costumes as he runs out one door, around the back of the set to enter another door across the stage as a different character. You'll feel right at home during Karen's Christmas party, and laugh as Karen, Richard, Kristy, Harvey, Kukla and Ollie each sing their New Year's Resolution. The long Beach State Choir, led by Frank Pooler the school music director, enhances the program with beautiful Christmas carols.
Good news for most foreign members. A terrific short length promotion film was made to promote Karen and Richard's new single Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft. It will be shown in theaters world-wide (except the United States.) Karen, in a lovely green satin jump suit, sings the entire song to Richard's accompaniment. If, like me, you enjoy watching his hands as he plays, you'll be pleased with the close-up shots of his hands on the keyboard. Background setting is, of course, outer space with a galaxy of stars, planets and space-ships. The disc-jockey in the radio station at the opening of the film, is group member Tony Peluso (as on Passage) who mimicks the 5O's DJs so well. Tony is also featured as a d.j. on previous Carpenters albums.
Speaking of albums, we hope you have purchased your copy of Passage. REMIMDER: Buy one for Aunt Jane, Uncle Joe, Cousin Pat and all those hard to please relatives and friends. You may also like to buy them a copy of Karen and Richard's new Christmas single The Christmas Song which is included in the TV Special. The flip side is everyone's favorite Merry Christmas Darling, and should be in all music stores by the time you receive this letter.
The tentative date for the Special to be aired is December 9th, but please be sure to check your TV Guide for confirmation as alterations frequently occur.
For car buffs keeping a list of Richard's cars, here are two more to add; a 1964 Imperial Crown Coupe, and a 70 Dodge Challenger. All care in his collection will eventually be restored to their original condition, so there are always five or six cars out for repairs and restoration. Cars driven most by Richard are his 1976 Jaguar, 1971 and 1972 Lincoln's, 1977 Corvette and 1977 Transam. Karen remains very happy with her 1972 Mercedes, and has no desire to trade it, sell it or even acquire a second car for herself.
Karen and Richard were recent guests of (the real) Don Steel on LA's new radio station 1OQ who frequently play the long version of Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft. Later this week they will be hosted by Wink Martindale on KMPC another great Los Angles radio station. Wink will review Passage. If you read in a recent movie magazine that Karen and Richard were considering doing a Disney movie, sorry to say, the information is incorrect. They have no plans to do a movie in the near future. Richard was asked to write the music for the recently released Disney film The Rescuers, but other commitments at that time resulted in a reluctant negative answer.
Carpenters 1978 itinerary holds no promise for a tour this year. Their only appearances tentatively scheduled will be at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, and Harrahs, Lake Tahoe. The first MGM appearance will be during the Christmas Holidays from December 24 through January 4. Mom and Dad will join them in Las Vegas, so they will enjoy a family Christmas in a different setting. There is TV taping scheduled for March, but no details concerning guest stars etc. are available at this time.
The lovely gifts and greetings cards you sent for Richard's recent birthday were received with gratitude as he sincerely appreciates your thoughtfulness. Both Karen and Richard and Mom and Dad express their thanks for remembering them while you were on vacation.
Their post-card book is getting quite fat with lovely views from throughout the world. Richard, Karen, Mom, Dad, The Group and Roadies, Rosina and Patty wish each one of you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with Happiness, Good Health and Prosperity, and, of course, I do, too. There is a little room for a short question and answer section, so here goes:
Q. Have Karen and Richard ever met Elvis Presley?
A. Yes, in fact one of Karen's most treasured gifts, is the autographed stuffed dog Elvis gave her. It is encased in a Lucite 'dog house' complete with imitation grass! Elvis also gave Karen a personally inscribed copy of his karate black belt certificate which is placed on a perma plaque.
Q. What is the flip side of Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft?
A. A re-cut version of Can't Smile Without You.
Q. What are the definitions of the following; ASCAP, RIAA, BMI and BPI (UK) ?
A. ASCAP: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. RIAA: Recording Industry Association of America. BMI: Broadcast Music Incorporated. BPI (UK): Broadcaster. Photographic Industry (United Kingdom).
Q. Can we expect another track from Passage to be released as a single in the near future?
A. Karen and Richard are considering releasing Sweet, Sweet Smile, but it would not be until after Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft disappears from the charts.
Q. What songs were on the tape conceived in Joe Osborne's garage?
A. Your Wonderful Parade, Invocation and All I Can Do.
Rap next year! EV.
Hi Fans!
Karen and Richard hope that each of you had a happy Halloween. Goblins, witches, ghosts, scarecrows, creatures of all sizes, shapes and colors rang the Carpenters door-bell requesting Halloween treats. By 9:00 p.m. they had dropped, one by one, a Hershey bar into 960 shopping bags, pillow cases, super market bags, tablecloths, aprons and various other containers held forth by these trick-or-treaters. They came in groups of 20s and 30s, arriving on foot and by car. The street was lined bumper to bumper with cars filled with youngsters from other neighborhoods. It was late into the night when the door-bell finally stopped ringing, by which time Mom Carpenter was exhausted.
Though we are enjoying lovely warm fall weather, there are many signs of Christmas in the stores. Those of you who intend to give loved ones some of the Carpenters Keepsakes items, be sure to get your orders in immediately so they can be tilled in time for Christmas. A Postal Money Order rather than a personal check, will help to expedite the order more readily. Don't forget our new item-the lovely scarves with both signatures and Carpenters logo in one corner.
We (Carpenters staff) were given a sneak preview of the Carpenters Christmas TV Special. What a show! If you enjoyed their 1976 TV Special, this one is a triple treat. All the Christmas songs were chosen and arranged by Richard, and he made a terrific selection. The sets and costumes are beautiful, the skits are funny, and Richard's rendition of O Holy Night is truly inspirational. If you ever wondered what Karen's condominium looks like, watch the Christmas party scene closely. The sets for that scene were designed to look like her own living quarters. The pictures she shows and describes, are actual pictures pulled from their family photograph books. You'll see a young Richard holding a Teddy Bear, and a younger Karen (she was 3) holding, of all things, a toy machine gun, and yes, it was hers!
That's what she had asked Santa to bring her for Christmas. You'll hear her sing White Christmas, looking very mature and sophisticated, wearing a floor-length ermine coat; and another scene depicts her as a 14 year old adorable tom-boy dressed in overalls, singing and skipping with Kristy McNichol. Dog lovers will love the park scene as Fran performs a Kukla and Ollie puppet show, and their audience consists of just one large dog who does nothing more than occupy one of the audience chairs to watch the show.(Oh, yes, you'll see Ollie fall in love with Karen, and go completely bananas when she gives him a little kiss.) The Bowling Alley scene is not a set, it's a for real one (The Jefferson Bowl in Culver City) which was rented for the day to film the scene. Richard is a lone customer who converses with Harvey Korman (a waiter) which leads to a duet by the two of them, and you'll even see Richard (and Harvey) do a little dance - and that wasn't easy on the slippery alley floor! Harvey does a hilarious Christmas Carol skit, playing all the parts himself, and changing costumes as he runs out one door, around the back of the set to enter another door across the stage as a different character. You'll feel right at home during Karen's Christmas party, and laugh as Karen, Richard, Kristy, Harvey, Kukla and Ollie each sing their New Year's Resolution. The long Beach State Choir, led by Frank Pooler the school music director, enhances the program with beautiful Christmas carols.
Good news for most foreign members. A terrific short length promotion film was made to promote Karen and Richard's new single Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft. It will be shown in theaters world-wide (except the United States.) Karen, in a lovely green satin jump suit, sings the entire song to Richard's accompaniment. If, like me, you enjoy watching his hands as he plays, you'll be pleased with the close-up shots of his hands on the keyboard. Background setting is, of course, outer space with a galaxy of stars, planets and space-ships. The disc-jockey in the radio station at the opening of the film, is group member Tony Peluso (as on Passage) who mimicks the 5O's DJs so well. Tony is also featured as a d.j. on previous Carpenters albums.
Speaking of albums, we hope you have purchased your copy of Passage. REMIMDER: Buy one for Aunt Jane, Uncle Joe, Cousin Pat and all those hard to please relatives and friends. You may also like to buy them a copy of Karen and Richard's new Christmas single The Christmas Song which is included in the TV Special. The flip side is everyone's favorite Merry Christmas Darling, and should be in all music stores by the time you receive this letter.
The tentative date for the Special to be aired is December 9th, but please be sure to check your TV Guide for confirmation as alterations frequently occur.
For car buffs keeping a list of Richard's cars, here are two more to add; a 1964 Imperial Crown Coupe, and a 70 Dodge Challenger. All care in his collection will eventually be restored to their original condition, so there are always five or six cars out for repairs and restoration. Cars driven most by Richard are his 1976 Jaguar, 1971 and 1972 Lincoln's, 1977 Corvette and 1977 Transam. Karen remains very happy with her 1972 Mercedes, and has no desire to trade it, sell it or even acquire a second car for herself.
Karen and Richard were recent guests of (the real) Don Steel on LA's new radio station 1OQ who frequently play the long version of Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft. Later this week they will be hosted by Wink Martindale on KMPC another great Los Angles radio station. Wink will review Passage. If you read in a recent movie magazine that Karen and Richard were considering doing a Disney movie, sorry to say, the information is incorrect. They have no plans to do a movie in the near future. Richard was asked to write the music for the recently released Disney film The Rescuers, but other commitments at that time resulted in a reluctant negative answer.
Carpenters 1978 itinerary holds no promise for a tour this year. Their only appearances tentatively scheduled will be at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, and Harrahs, Lake Tahoe. The first MGM appearance will be during the Christmas Holidays from December 24 through January 4. Mom and Dad will join them in Las Vegas, so they will enjoy a family Christmas in a different setting. There is TV taping scheduled for March, but no details concerning guest stars etc. are available at this time.
The lovely gifts and greetings cards you sent for Richard's recent birthday were received with gratitude as he sincerely appreciates your thoughtfulness. Both Karen and Richard and Mom and Dad express their thanks for remembering them while you were on vacation.
Their post-card book is getting quite fat with lovely views from throughout the world. Richard, Karen, Mom, Dad, The Group and Roadies, Rosina and Patty wish each one of you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with Happiness, Good Health and Prosperity, and, of course, I do, too. There is a little room for a short question and answer section, so here goes:
Q. Have Karen and Richard ever met Elvis Presley?
A. Yes, in fact one of Karen's most treasured gifts, is the autographed stuffed dog Elvis gave her. It is encased in a Lucite 'dog house' complete with imitation grass! Elvis also gave Karen a personally inscribed copy of his karate black belt certificate which is placed on a perma plaque.
Q. What is the flip side of Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft?
A. A re-cut version of Can't Smile Without You.
Q. What are the definitions of the following; ASCAP, RIAA, BMI and BPI (UK) ?
A. ASCAP: American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. RIAA: Recording Industry Association of America. BMI: Broadcast Music Incorporated. BPI (UK): Broadcaster. Photographic Industry (United Kingdom).
Q. Can we expect another track from Passage to be released as a single in the near future?
A. Karen and Richard are considering releasing Sweet, Sweet Smile, but it would not be until after Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft disappears from the charts.
Q. What songs were on the tape conceived in Joe Osborne's garage?
A. Your Wonderful Parade, Invocation and All I Can Do.
Rap next year! EV.
KarenCarpenter.com is a fan site owned and operated by for the purpose of celebrating the Carpenters and their music. We are not affiliated in any way with "Carpenters", Richard Carpenter or A&M Records. All material is copyright their respective owners.
This page last updated March 2, 2010.