The Late Great Sheldon Moldoff

Golden Age comic book artist Sheldon Moldoff, who drew superheroes from the original Green Lantern to Batman, passed on 29 February 2012 at the age of 91. The cause was complications from kidney failure.

Mr. Moldoff was born on 14 April 1920 in New York City, New York. He took to drawing early and was fortunate enough to live in the same apartment as fellow future comic book artist Bernard Baily (co-creator of The Spectre). One day Sheldon Moldoff was drawing with chalk on the sidewalk when the slightly older Mr. Baily came upon him. He asked the young Mr. Moldoff if he would like to learn to draw cartoons. Sheldon Moldoff took Bernard Baily up on his offer. By the time that Sheldon Moldoff was 17 he was already contributing freelance work to Detective Comics Inc. (one of the three related companies, along with National Comics Inc. and All-American Comics Inc., that would evolve into DC Comics). In fact, his first work appeared in the historic Action Comics #1 (June 1938), which featured the first appearance of Superman. Mr. Moldoff's contribution to the historic magazine was a sport filler on the inside back cover.

Sheldon Moldoff would go onto contribute not only to Detective Comics Inc., but also to All-American Comics Inc. and National Comics Inc. as well. In fact, he would create the iconic cover of Flash Comics #1 (January 1940) for All American Comics Inc., featuring the original Flash catching a bullet. He would also draw the first cover to feature the original Green Lantern, All-American Comics (April 1940). At Detective Comics Inc. he created the character of The Black Pirate, who first appeared in Action Comics #23 (April 1940).  One of Mr. Moldoff's greatest claims to fame would begin with Flash Comics#4 (April 1940). It was with that issue that he became the primary artist on the "Hawkman" feature. Drawing the character in the style of "Flash Gordon" cartoonist Alex Raymond, he became so identified with the character that many thought he co-created Hawkman with Gardner Fox rather than Dennis Neville.  For rival comic book company Quality Comics, Mr. Moldoff worked on Kid Eternity.

In 1944 Sheldon Moldoff was drafted in the United States Army. He was demobilised in 1946. Unfortunately, he was unable to find any work at National Periodical Publications (essentially the modern day DC Comics), so he sought work elsewhere. At Fawcett he worked on Captain Midnight, Tex Ritter, and Don Winslow of the Navy. It would also be for Fawcett that he would create one of the earliest horror comic books, This Magazine is Haunted. At E. C. Comics he once more worked with Gardner Fox, this time on the "Moon Girl" feature. At Pines he worked on "The Black Terror" feature. 

After he was demobilised in 1946, Mr. Moldoff went to work for Fawcett (where he did Captain Midnight, Tex Ritter,  Don Winslow of the Navy,and This Magzine is Haunted), Pines (where he worked on Tigra), and E. C. Comics (Moon Girl). In 1953 he became one of Bob Kane's ghost artists on "Batman." Working on the "Batman" feature when it was at its most bizarre in the Fifties, Mr. Moldoff would take part in the creation of such characters as Mr. Freeze (originally Mr. Zero--he was renamed for the TV series), Bat-Mite, and Ace the Bat Hound. In addition to working on the "Batman" feature, he would also do storyboards for Bob Kane's syndicated animated series Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse. With writer Robert Kanigher he created the supervillain Poison Ivy. Mr. Moldoff worked on "Batman" until 1967. In the process he became one of the artists most identified with the character (along with Dick Sprang), although because he was a ghost no one would know about his work on the character until much later.

Mr. Moldoff also did work on the "Sea Devils," "Superboy," and "the Legion of Superheroes" for National Periodical Publications. He created the syndicated animated series Marco Polo Jr. in 1972 and served as its producer and storyboard director. Mr. Moldoff also did work for the Big Boy restaurant chain, the Red Lobster restaurant chain, and Blockbuster Video.

Although he now best known as one of Bob Kane's many ghost artists on "Batman," Sheldon Moldoff's best work was arguably at All-American Comics Inc. On the "Hawkman" feature he created art that was very much like that of Alex Raymond. Mr. Moldoff's Hawman was fluid and dynamic, with plenty of detail. He brought the same sensibility to his covers for All-American Comics and Flash Comics. Some of the most memorable images of the original Green Lantern and the original Flash were created by Sheldon Moldoff. For "Batman" Mr. Moldoff had to emulate Bob Kane's somewhat cartoony style and he did so admirably. Like fellow "Batman" ghost artist Dick Sprang, Sheldon Moldoff's work could be seen even when it was signed "Bob Kane." There was a simple elegance to Mr. Moldoff's Batman, a charm that was sometimes lacking Bob Kane's early work on the character (which was rather brief).

Here I must also say that Sheldon Moldoff was more than a great artist. He was also a consummate gentleman. While I never got to meet Mr. Moldoff, from everyone who did meet him I have heard that he was one of the nicest men one could meet. He always had time for his fans, who knew him by his nickname "Shelly." Sheldon Moldoff was a great artist who created the image of Batman that many Baby Boomers still carry in their heads to this day. He was also one of the nicest men to ever work in the comic book business.

TV Writer Richard Carpenter R.I.P.

Richard "Kip" Carpenter, who created the cult shows Catweazle and Robin of Sherwood, passed on 26 February 2012 at the age of 78. The cause was a pulmonary embolism.

Richard Carpenter was born 14 August 1933 in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. As a child Mr. Carpenter was interested in both the works of Shakespeare and Greek mythology. He studied the history of art at an art school in Cambridge. He did his national service in the British Army. After his national service, Richard Carpenter attended the Old Vic Theatre School in London. He worked in repertory theatre before making his television debut in an episode of The Silver Sword in 1957. In the late Fifties he appeared in such shows as Big Guns, The Black Arrow, Armchair Theatre, The Lost King, and BBC Sunday Night Theatre. He was a regular on Knight Errant Limited as Peter Parker (not to be confused with the Marvel Comics character of the same name) and on The Citadel as Dr. Philip Hope.

In the Sixties Mr. Carpenter appeared in such shows as Hancock, ITV Television Playhouse, Suspense (the BBC series), Espionage, ITV Play of the Week, Gideon C.I.D., ITV Play of the Week, The Baron, Out of the Unknown, Dixon of Dock Green, and Z Cars. He appeared in such films as Damn the Defiant (1962), Tarnished Heroes (1962), The Password is Courage (1962), Wings of Mystery (1963), Escape by Night (1964), and The Terrornauts (1967).

It was in 1970 that Richard Carpenter created the children's show Catweazle. Catweazle followed the misadventures of an 11th Century magician (the title character) who finds himself transported to the 20th Century. Catweazle received critical acclaim and became a popular success, so much that Mr. Carpenter would retire from acting to write full time. There were two series of Catweazle. Following Catweazle, Richard Carpenter became the lead writer on the ITV series The Adventures of Black Beauty. For the remainder of the Seventies he would write for such series as The Ghosts of Motley Hall and Famous Five. In 1979 he created the series Dick Turpin, very loosely based the historical highwayman of the same name. Dick Turpin had two series.

Richard Carpenter followed Dick Turpn with another swashbuckling series, Smuggler. Set in 1802, it followed the adventures of a former British naval officer turned smuggler. There was one series of Smuggler,, which aired in 1981. Following Smuggler Richard Carpenter wrote for the series The Baker Street Boys, about a group of street urchins who helped Sherlock Holmes. There was one series of The Baker Street Boys. It was in 1984 that Richard Carpenter created what was his greatest international success. Robin of Sherwood would not only become a hit series in the United Kingdom, but in the United States and Canada as well. Starring Michael Praed and later Jason Connery, the series blended the Robin Hood legend with paganism and real life history. Robin of Sherwood ran for three series and ended only because Goldcrest (who produced the show with HTV) had a slump in their feature film productions arm.

For the rest of the Eighties Richard Carpenter wrote for the shows Adventurer (a follow up to Smuggler), Hannay, and Pulaski: The TV Detective. In the Nineties, Mr.Carpenter wrote the series The Borrowers, The Return of the Borrowers, a revival of The Famous Five, and The Scarlet Pimpernel.

I do not think it would be an exaggeration to say that Richard "Kip" Carpenter was one of the greatest television writers and producers of all time. He created television shows that were intelligent yet at the same time exciting. His speciality was in focusing on outsiders, individuals who must largely lead their lives outside society. Examples are not hard to find in his series: Catweazle (tossed into a time not his own), Dick Turpin (an outlaw), Robin Hood (another outlaw), and the Borrowers (the six inch high Clock family driven from their own home). While Mr. Carpenter's series at times involved fantastic elements (the magic of Catweazle and Robin of Sherwood, as well as the six inch Borrowers themselves), they were very often set in worlds that were all too real. In the end Richard Carpenter created intelligent shows that would last and would appeal to in people of all ages, even if in some cases they had been written for children. To this day and I have no doubt in the future people will be watching Catweazle and Robin of Sherwood.

The Late Great Robert B. Sherman

Robert B. Sherman, who with his brother Richard M. Sherman wrote songs for movies ranging from Mary Poppins to The Tigger Movie, died on 6 March 2012 at the age of 86.

Robert B. Sherman was born in Brooklyn, New York on 19 December 1925. His father was songwriter Al Sherman. His mother was Rosa Dancis, who appeared in silent films. His brother Richard was born two years later. While Mr. Sherman was still young the family moved to Southern California. He attended high school in Beverly Hills, California. During World War II he enlisted in the United States Army at the age of 17.  He received several medals, including two Battle Stars, a Combat Infantryman Badge, an American Campaign Medal, a World War II Victory Medal, a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, a Good Conduct Medal, and a Purple Heart. The Purple Heart he received when he was shot in the knee. He recuperated in Taunton, Somerset and Bournemounth, Dorset. It was during this period that he became fascinated with English culture.

Following World War II both Robert and Richard Sherman attended Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. Robert majored in English Literature, while his brother Richard majored in Music. After graduation the two brothers shared an apartment in Los Angeles Robert wrote stories and novels (in fact, he completed two novels--The Best Estate and Music and Candy & Painted Eggs). Richard wrote songs. It was their father who bet them that they could not team up and write a song that a kid would buy. The two brothers then teamed up to write a song. That song, "Gold Can Buy Anything (but Love)" was recorded by Gene Autry.

In 1958 Robert Sherman founded a music publishing company, Music World Corporation. It was also in 1958 that the Sherman Brothers would have their first real hit, "Tall Paul," sung by Annette Funicello. Their success brought them to the attention of Walt Disney. The Sherman Brothers composed additional music for the Disney series Zorro and then songs for The Parent Trap (1961), Big Red (1962), Summer Magic (1963), and The Sword in the Stone (1963). They composed the song "It's a Small World (After All)" for the Disney exhibit at the 1964 New York World's Fair in 1964. It would later be used for the attraction "It's a Small World" at Dinseyland, Disney World, and other Disney resorts.  It would also become one of their most famous songs.

Nineteen sixty four would also see the release of what was perhaps their greatest accomplishment, the music and lyrics for Mary Poppins (1964). The movie included some of their most famous compositions, "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious", and "Chim Chim Cher-ee (which won the Oscar for Best Song).  They also won the Oscar for Best Score for Mary Poppins. Released the same year, The Misadventures of Merlin Jones also included songs by the Sherman Brothers.

The Sherman Brothers would go onto write songs for the "Winnie the Pooh" shorts, The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967), The Jungle Book (1967), and The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968). The first movie not produced by Disney for which they provided music and lyrics was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 1968. They went onto write songs for Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971), Snoopy Come Home (1972), Charlotte's Web (1973), Tom Sawyer (1973), Huckleberry Finn (1974), The Slipper and the Rose: The Story of Cinderella (1976--Margaret Lockwood's final movie appearance), The Magic of Lassie (1978), Little Nemo: Adventures in Slumberland (1989), and The Tigger Movie (2000).

The Sherman Brothers also wrote songs outside of films. They composed the music and lyrics for the Broadway play Over Here (1974). They also composed several pop songs, including the hit "You're Sixteen." 

With his brother Richard, Robert B. Sherman had a gift for creating lively songs that stuck easily in the mind. Indeed, several of their songs have become standards over the years, including nearly everything from Mary Poppins, "The Bare Necessities" from The Jungle Book, the "Winnie the Pooh" theme, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" from the movie of the same name, "Let's Get Together" from The Parent Trap, and many more. It is very doubtful that anyone born in the second half of the Twentieth Century did not hear several of the Sherman Brothers' songs as children. In fact, while Rogers and Hammerstein may be better known, I rather suspect will be Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman who will have the more lasting success.

Jan Berenstain R.I.P.

Jan Berenstain, who with her husband Stan created the popular series of "Berenstain Bears" children's books, passed on 24 February 2012 at the age of 88.

Jan Berenstain was born Jan Grant on 26 July 1923. It was on her first day at the Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Art that she met Stan Berenstain. At the time they were both 18.  During World War II Miss Grant served as a draftsman in the Army Corps of Engineers and as an aircraft riverter. Mr. Berenstain served as a medical illustrator in an Army hospital. Following World War II they married in 1946. It was also following World War II that the Berenstains started submitting gag cartoons to such publications as Colliers and The Saturday Evening Post. Eventually they would illustrate covers for Colliers.

The Berenstains published their first book in 1951. The Berenstain's Baby Book was written for parents who were either expecting or already had a baby. From 1953 to 1956 they produced the comic strip Sister. From 1956 to 1989 the Berenstains produced the cartoon It's All in the Family for McCall's. Both It's All in the Family and their earlier cartoons would be collected into books. It was in 1962 that they published their first "Berenstain Bears" book, The Big Honey Hunt.  Their first editor at Random House was none other than Dr. Seuss himself, Theodore Geisel. The Berenstains credited him with achieving the style of the books, which consisted of simple language and simple illustrations. In all over 300 "Berenstain Bears" books would be published.

The Berenstain Bears would expand beyond the printed page. In 1985 a Christmas special was produced, The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree. This would be followed by four more specials and two regular television series. A feature film is still in pre-production.

There can be no argument that with her husband Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain created one of the most successful children's book franchises of all time. With over 300 copies in print, the "Berenstain Bears" books have sold literally in the millions. Their success is perhaps threefold. First, as Theodore Geisel directed the Berenstains, the text and illustrations are very simple. This made the "Berenstain Bears" books very easy to read for beginning readers. Second, each book dealt with basic life lessons, such as being kind to others or keeping one's room clean. There can be no doubt that this made the books popular with parents. Third, the stories in the books are all told with a very gentle sense of humour. I have to confess, both as a child and as an adult I have never found any of the "Berenstain Bears" books to be overly preachy.

While best known for the "Berenstain Bears," it must be kept in mind that Jan and Stan Berenstain were not only children's books authors. They were also  very prolific cartoonists. Indeed, It's All in the Family ran in McCalls  for decades. Jan and Stan Berenstain's cartoons were very funny. They often possessed a wry sense of humour and plenty of wordplay. I have to wonder that if the Berenstain Bears had no become a phenomenon that they would not have become better known as cartoonists. They actually did some of the best work in cartooning in the mid-20th Century. Regardless, as both children's author and a cartoonist for adults, Jan Berenstain will be remembered.

A Blog You Must Read: Culture in a Cold Climate

There are probably no more ardent readers of blogs than we bloggers ourselves. This all means that it is usually up to we bloggers to point out blogs of note that people should read. That's what I am taking time to do now. If you are not already following Culture in a Cold Climate, then I really think you should be.

Culture in a Cold Climate is written by my friend Lyndsy. Lyndsy has an intelligent and witty, yet brisk and very readable writing style. In Culture in a Cold Climate she explores the beauty of Northern Ireland in its natural surrounding and the many old structures there. Her posts are detail the various places around Northern Ireland, often going into the history of those places.  Her post are also usually accompanied by numerous photographs of these places. If you love the beauty of nature and love such architecture as churches, castles, and manor houses, you'll enjoy Culture in a Cold Climate very much.

The Late Great Davy Jones

Yesterday, 29 February 2012, the inconceivable for many Monkees fans (including myself) happened. Davy Jones died at the age of 66 from a massive heart attack. The outpouring of grief over Davy's passing has been incredible. According to NME, the plays of Monkees songs increased 3000% following Davy's death. On Google, Yahoo, and Twitter "Davy Jones" was one of the top trending topics, often the number one topic, for much of yesterday into today. Google+, Facebook, Tumblr, and numerable blogs have been filled with tributes to Davy. I know that I spent most of yesterday posting about him to various social media sites. And like many Monkees fans I spent much of yesterday and even today crying.

David Thomas Jones was born in Openshaw, Manchester, Lancashire, England on 30 December 1945. His father was a fan of horse races and often took young Davy to the Manchester racecourse. It was then perhaps natural that Davy would consider a career as a jockey. Before Davy would become a jockey, however, he entered the world of acting. In 1960 he made his television debut on an episode of  BBC Sunday Night Play. He went onto appear on both Coronation Street and Z Cars.

Although he had taken up acting, Davy still dreamed of becoming a jockey. He and his father approached The Manchester Evening News, who then sent them to trainer Basil Foster. Davy left school early to serve as an apprentice to Mr. Foster in December 1961. Davy enjoyed his time as a jockey, even participating in the stable lads' boxing championship. Despite his love of the sport, Davy would find himself drawn back into acting. One of Basil Foster's acquaintances who was a theatrical agent visited him one day in early 1962. Mr. Foster let it slip that Davy had done some acting.

It was only a matter of days before the theatrical agent contacted Mr. Foster to let him know that a production of Oliver! was being mounted on the West End and they needed someone to play the Artful Dodger. Basil Foster urged Davy Jones to audition for the part, although Davy was resistant to the idea as he wanted to remain a jockey. In the end Davy did try out for and won the role of the Artful Doger in Oliver! The musical proved to be an immediate hit. In early 1963 Oliver! moved from the West End in London to Broadway in New York City. On Broadway it repeated the same phenomenal success that it had on the West End.

Like the cast of many popular Broadway musicals, the cast of Oliver! was scheduled to perform a number from the play on The Ed Sullivan Show. As it turned out, Davy and other cast members of Oliver! appeared on what was probably the most historic episode of The Ed Sullivan Show ever, that night on 9 February 1964 when The Beatles made their first appearance on the show. Davy Jones watched The Beatles perform from the wings of CBS-TV Studio 50 (now known as The Ed Sullivan Theatre). Watching the reaction of the crowd to the Fab Four, Davy thought to himself that he wanted to be a part of that.

Davy's chance to become part of a rock band would not be long in coming. His work on Broadway and his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show would lead him to being signed to a contract to Screen Gems (the television wing of Columbia Pictures at the time) by Columbia executive Ward Sylvester. He made guest appearances on both Ben Casey and The Farmer's Daughter (on which he performed "I'm Going to Buy Me a Dog" a full year before it was recorded by The Monkees). He also recorded an album, David Jones, and three singles that were released on Columbia's Colpix label.  He performed on the shows Shindig and Where the Action Is.

Already signed to both Screen Gems and Colpix, it was natural that Davy Jones would be recognised as one of the possible stars of a situation comedy about a down on their luck rock band. Davy would compete for a place on the show against 436 other actors and musicians, including Danny Hutton (later of Three Dog Night), Paul Petersen (of The Donna Reed Show), Stephen Stills (later of Crosby, Stills, & Nash), and Paul Williams. In the end Davy, along with former child actor Micky Dolenz, musician and songwriter Mike Nesmith, and folk musician Peter Tork, was cast in the series The Monkees about a rock group of the same name.

The Monkees would not be an enormous success in the Nielsen ratings, but then it would appear that the Nielsens never reflected the true level of the show's popularity. Indeed, in addition to starring in the TV show, The Monkees were expected to record and perform songs. This would result in the release of five albums while the show was still in its first run, all of which saw phenomenal sales. Indeed, in 1967 The Monkees outsold The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined. Monkeemania did not end with the TV show or the records, as there was an extraordinarily large amount of Monkee merchandise on the market in the mid to late Sixties, everything from a lunch box to books to games.  Davy Jones figured prominently in the popularity of The Monkees. He was the most popular Monkee with young women and widely considered by most girls to be "the cutest Monkee."

Sadly, the success of The Monkees would not last long. NBC cancelled The Monkees towards the end of its second season.  Creator and producer of The Monkees, Bob Rafelson, and Bert Schneider produced the film Head, starring The Monkees and released November 1968 (two months after The Monkees left the air). Unfortunately, Head bombed at the box office, although it is now regarded as a cult classic. It was in early 1968 that NBC negotiated a deal in which The Monkees would appear in three specials that would be broadcast in 1969. Unfortunately, the special 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee proved so catastrophic both in the ratings and the response of critics that NBC cancelled the two further specials.

Through it all The Monkees continued to record and appeared on such television shows as The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, and The Johnny Cash Show. Unfortunately, their album sales started to decline after the cancellation of their television show. Citing exhaustion, Peter Tork left the band in early 1968. The Monkees continued with Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Mike Nesmith. In April 1970 Mike Nesmith left The Monkees to form his own band. Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz recorded what would be the last Monkees album for years, Changes, in 1970. A final single, "Do It in the Name of Love"/Lady Jane," was released in some countries as being by "The Monkees," although in the United States it was credited to Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones. The Monkees then disbanded for a time in 1971.

Following the break up of The Monkees, Davy Jones continued to perform. In 1971 Davy released a solo album, Davy Jones, as well as several singles. He made guest appearances as himself on the shows Get Together, Make Room For Granddaddy, and, most famously, The Brady Bunch. He also guest starred on Love American Style. It was during this period that something unexpected happen. The Monkees once more started to grow in popularity. From September 1969 to September 1972 CBS aired reruns of The Monkees on Saturday mornings.  ABC aired reruns of The Monkees on Saturday mornings during the 1972-1973 season. In September 1975 The Monkees finally entered syndication, where it became extremely popular. With a whole new generation of Monkees fans having emerged since the show's cancellation in 1968, it should be little surprise that in 1976 the compilation album The Monkees' Greatest Hits actually charted.

To capitalise on the renewed success of The Monkees, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz joined forces with Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart (who had written many of the band's biggest hits, including "Last Train to Clarksville") to form Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart. Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart.toured throughout the United States in the mid-Seventies. They also appeared on the shows as American Bandstand, Don Kirschner's Rock Concert, The Mike Douglas Show, and Dinah!  They also released an eponymous album in 1976. In mid-1976 a special featuring Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart called The Great Golden Hits of the Monkees Show aired in syndication. Despite having a album of all new material out, they performed no new songs on the special.

With little recording success, Dolenz, Jones, Boyce, & Hart disbanded in the late Seventies. Davy guest starred on the show Horse in the House and he continued to perform on stage. It was in the late Eighties that The Monkees would re-enter his life. It was on 23 February 1986 that MTV (which still showed videos and music oriented programming at the time) aired a marathon of The Monkees. The response was so great to the Monkees marathon that not only did MTV add The Monkees to its regular schedule for a time, but Monkeemania re-emerged across the world. Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork then reunited for a "20th Anniversary Tour," with Michael Nesmith joining them for some dates (he could not do the whole tour because of his business commitments). A new compilation album, Then & Now....The Best of The Monkees, combining old material with new songs was released and actually charted, as did the single "That Was Then, This is Now." In 1987  a new Monkees album, Pool It!, was released, in which Mike Nesmith did not participate.

Davy continued to make guest appearances on TV shows, appearing on both My Two Dads, Sledge Hammer, and Boy Meets World. The Monkees reunited in 1996 for their thirtieth anniversary, recording the album Justus. Justus was the first Monkees album since Head in 1968 to feature all four Monkees. In early 1997 the special Hey, Hey We're The Monkees aired on the American Broadcasting Company. The concept of the special is that television shows do not end simply because they are cancelled and, having reached "Episode 781," The Monkees must find a plot that they had not done before.  From 1996 to 1997 The Monkees toured both the United Kingdom and the United States.

Davy continued to appear on television. From the late Nineties into the Naughts he appeared on such shows as Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Lush Life, Meet the Royals, and Spongebob Squarepants. He appeared in the B-movie Sexina: Popstar P.I. (2007) alongside fellow Sixties icon Adam West. His last work in television was in 2011 as a guest voice on the animated series Phineas & Ferb. His last appearance on film was in the B movie Jackie Goldberg, Private Dick, which starred comic Jackie Mason.

Sadly, Davy's career came to an end yesterday, 29 February 2012. He had a massive heart attack while tending his horses at a ranch near his home in Florida.  He is survived by his wife Jessica Pacheco; his daughters Talia Jones, Sarah McFadden,Jessica Cramar, and Annabel Jones; three sisters, Hazel Wilkinson, Lynda Moore, and Beryl Leigh; his fellow Monkees Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork; and literally millions of fans.

As in the case of others who have had an enormous impact on my life, I believe any words I write are going to be inadequate with regards to my feelings about Davy Jones, his impact on me, or his impact on Anglophonic pop culture. As for myself, I have never known a world without Davy Jones. From as far back as I can remember I was a Monkees fan. It was the first show I watched faithfully. My sister, who was several years older than me, had the original LPs from the mid to late-Sixties. Throughout my childhood into my teens I played them so much it is a wonder I did not wear them out. The first cassette tape I ever bought was The Monkees Greatest Hits. The first show I ever bought on DVD was The Monkees.

While Mike Nesmith has been my favourite Monkee since childhood, I have always loved all of The Monkees. And I must confess I could identify with Davy Jones quite easily We were both short, brown haired, and slender (although even I was taller than Davy). We both grew up with and loved horses. And while I never had the luck with girls that Davy had on the TV show, I must confess like his character on The Monkees I was always a little bit of flirt. It should be little wonder that I would love Davy Jones. In him I could see something of myself.

 Indeed, I must confess I owe a good deal to Davy Jones beyond enjoying the shows and songs he made. On The Monkees Davy Jones generally conducted himself with an air of confidence, with only the occasional "short joke" to indicate that he was aware of his height at all. What is more, on The Monkees he always got the girl. In real life the girls were crazy about him too (indeed, yesterday when news of his death broke women from 16 to 64 were all saying, "He was my first crush..."). Davy Jones proved to me that one should not let his identity be determined by one's height. One could be short and still get the girl. Maybe that doesn't sound very important to many, but to a young man who is slightly below average in height it was a very important message to see and hear.

As to Davy Jones' impact on pop culture in the English speaking world and beyond, I think the reaction to his death both today and yesterday proves it cannot be adequately calculated. On every social media website or service I frequent Davy Jones was the number one topic of conversation. People posted videos. They posted pictures. They discussed what Davy and The Monkees meant to them. Indeed, as I said at the start of this article, I spent much of yesterday posting videos and posts related to Davy Jones on the various social media sites. That and crying.

In the end I do not think it is enough to say that Davy Jones was a great singer. It is not enough to point out that he was a star of a revolutionary show that was the first regular exposure Americans received to rock video. It is not enough to say that he was the teen heartthrob of both Baby Boomers and Gen Xers. Somehow he transcended all of these things. He became not only an icon, but a family member, a friend. For many of us guys he was the cool older brother we never had, the one with a great sense of humour who got all the girls. For many girls he was the cute guy they fancied, someone whose wit and charm made him much more appealing and approachable than other teen idols. Ultimately, I think Davy Jones was simply the ideal nice guy, the sort who always had a kind word and a joke for everyone.

Indeed, from the various Monkees fans I know who were lucky enough to meet him and the reports of various celebrities who worked with him, Davy Jones was the nicest person one could ever want to meet. According to Bobby Hart, in the Sixties when they were recording it was not unusual for Davy Jones to pay for the meals of Boyce and Hart and their band, as he knew they made less than he did.  Despite starring in one of the most popular sitcoms of all time and being a member of one of the biggest rock groups of all time, Davy Jones had no pretension. He was known to eat in the stable kitchens along with everyone else at the various racecourses he frequented. He  always had time for his fans and never talked down to them or treated them badly. Quite simply, he was the perfect English gentleman.

Given the many lives that Davy Jones touched, the way he comported himself with both his fellow performers and his fans, it should be little wonder that  his death has seen an outpouring of grief that is but rarely seen. It was not simply that he was a star of one of the most successful shows of all time. It was not simply that he was one of the most successful rock stars of all time. It was not even that he may have been the biggest teen heartthrob of any decade. It was that he was all of these things and yet he insisted on treating everyone, from movie stars to Monkees fans, with equal dignity. Davy Jones was a man who could have been forgiven if he had some arrogance. He was all the more admirable that he did not.

Hard to Believe: The Death of Davy Jones

For only the second time in the history of A Shroud of Thoughts (the first was when Doug Fieger of The Knack died), I am too upset to write a proper eulogy. It was today that Davy Jones of The Monkees died at the young age of 66. I have never known a world without Davy Jones. He and The Monkees have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Is it any wonder then that I feel as if I have lost a beloved friend or cousin?

In fact, I cannot remember the first time I ever watched The Monkees. I know from my earliest memories that it was the first TV show I watched loyally. The Monkees was in reruns for much of my childhood and it was a rare thing indeed that I ever missed an episode. I also cannot remember the first time I ever heard a Monkees song. When I was very young The Monkees' songs were still frequently played on the radio. What is more, my sister is much older than me and owned the original LPs from the mid to late Sixties. My brother and I played them so often it is a wonder that they had not worn out.  The Monkees was in many respects the perfect show for me, a show set in a fantasy world where a struggling rock group could fight gangsters and aliens and win. The Monkees' music was also perfect for me. It was some of the earliest and most sophisticated power pop, easily on par with that of The Beatles or The Who.

While Mike Nesmith was always my favourite Monkee, I have to say I always identified with Davy. Like myself he was short and slender. Indeed, in many respects he was the perfect role model for me. Despite being below average in height, he was always confident and charming. And on The Monkees it was always Davy who got the girl. To some that might not seem important, but to a young man who was slightly shorter than most people (and I must point out even I was taller than Davy), it was very important to see someone who did not let his height determine who he was.

Of course, Davy was a role model in more ways than one. From my fellow Monkees fans who were lucky enough to meet him and from reports from various celebrities who had the opportunity to interact with him, Davy was always kind and soft spoken. Quite simply, he was the perfect English gentleman. One could do so much worse than behave in his life as Davy did in his.

Tomorrow I will write a proper eulogy, but for now I will leave you with two of my favourite Monkees songs on which Davy Jones sang lead. The first is "Valleri," written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. The second is "Forget That Girl," written by Chip Douglas.