Conrack (1974)

Today many people probably have not heard of the movie Conrack (1974), directed by Martin Ritt. It received mixed to positive reviews upon its release, and it did somewhat poorly at the box office. Regardless, it is significant for its portrayal of life on Daufuskie Island (fictionalized in the film as Yamacraw Island), as well as one of the earlier portrayals of trick-or-treating in a feature film.

Conrack (1974) was based on the book The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy, which was based on his experience as  teacher on Daufauskie Island in the late Sixties. Daufuskie Island  is an island located between Hilton Head Island and Savannah, George, and is part of the state of South Carolina. At the time that Pat Conroy taught school there and even now, it is only assessable by ferry. In the late Sixties, most of the inhabitants were descended from slaves and spoke the Gullah language. Most had little to no contact with the mainland, and many knew very little about the outside world.

Like the book, Pat Conroy (Jon Voight) is assigned to teach grades five through eight on Yamacraw Island. Initially he has difficulty getting through to his students, many of who cannot read or even count. Unable to pronounce his name, the children refer to him as "Conrack." Conrack's teaching methods are unconventional, which brings him into conflict with the principal Mrs. Scott (Madge Sinclair), who was called Mrs. Brown in the book. It also puts him into conflict with the superintendent Mr. Skeffington (Hume Cronyn). The children Conrack teaches no little about the outside world, and have never even heard of Halloween, let alone celebrated it. Conrack then decides to take the children trick-or-treating in Beaufort, South Carolina, which proves to be a source of controversy. 

As a director Martin Ritt was well-established at directing literary adaptations and socially aware dramas. He had already directed such films as Edge of the City (1957), The Long Hot Summer (1958), Hud (1963), and Sounder(1972). It was written by wife and husband team Harriet Frank Jr. and Irving Ravetch, who had already written the screenplays for Martin Ritt's movies The Long Hot Summer (1958), The Sound and the Fury (1959), Hud (1963), and  Hombre (1967). 

In the mid-Seventies, John Voight was at the top of his career, having appeared in such movies as Midnight Cowboy (1969), Catch-22 (1970), and Deliverance (1972), and had been nominated for the Oscar for Best Actor for Midnight Cowboy (1969). Paul Winfield, who played Mad Billy (one of the adults on the island) had already worked with Martin Ritt before, playing Nathan Lee Morgan in Sounder. In her role as principal Mrs. Scott, Madge Sinclair made her feature film debut, having previously on stage. Of course, Hume Cronyn had a career in stage and screen going back to the 1930s. Conrack's pupils were mostly drawn from students at C.B. Greer Elementary School in Brunswick, Georgia.

Although set on a fictionalized version of Daufuskie Island, Conrack was mostly filmed on St. Simons Island, Georgia. Similarly, Brunswick, Georgia doubled for Beaufort, South Carolina. Although the plot was filmed throughout the year, the film was shot from May 8, 1973, to July 23, 1973. This means the trick-or-treating scenes were shot during the summer.

Conrack (1974) premiered on March 15, 1974 in Los Angeles. It did not do well at the box office. With a budget of $2.37 million, it only made $2 million. Its reviews were also mixed to positive. Cora Sayre in The New York Times as "...relentlessly idealistic in tone and uplifting in intent...," but also criticized it as overly sentimental. John Raisbeck in The Monthly Film Bulletin gave Conrack (1974) a largely positive review, but described it as seemingly like, "... conscious turning aside from the complexities of modern cinema to the simpler alternatives of yesteryear. Indeed, with underprivileged white children instead of black and Greer Garson substituting for Jon Voight, the film might have been made all of thirty years ago." Gene Siskel of The Chicago Tribune truly liked the film and gave it three-and-a-half stars. He described it as "...a nice family picture."

As to the inhabitants of Daufuskie Island, their reactions to Conrack (1974) were mixed. Some of the inhabitants saw the reality of their situation in the movie, while others criticized it for the usual Hollywood embellishment of the truth. Dr. Walter Trammell, the real-life school superintendent under whom Pat Conroy worked, criticized the film as a misleading "Hollywood stereotype." Following the publication of The Water is Wide and the release of Conrack (1974), Dr. Trammell faced increased scrutiny and the school board ultimately fired him.

Criticisms that Conrack (1974) is overly sentimental are to a degree justified. Indeed, in many ways the film plays out like a Hallmark Hall of Fame Presentation. It should then come as no surprise that The Water is Wide would be adapted by Hallmark Hall of Fame under its original title in 2006 with Jeff Hephner as Pat Conroy and Alfre Woodward as Mrs. Brown.

Sentimental through Conrack (1974) may be, it is still an enjoyable film. It is largely powered by its cast, who give strong performances that easily overcome any weakness in the script. In some respects, it is hard to disagree with John Raisbeck's review mentioned earlier. In some ways Conrack (1974) seems less than a product of the 1970s than a product of an earlier time. And for those of us who love Halloween, it is a good look at trick-or-treating as it was observed in 1969 (or at least 1969 as seen through the lens of movie shot in 1973).

Love and Halloween

When people think of romance and holidays today, Valentine's Day or even Christmas probably come to mind. They probably do not think of Halloween. In the days of yore, however, this was not the case. There were several romantic superstitions associated with the holiday in which one could divine who they would marry, when they might marry, and so on. 

For those familiar with the customs associated with Halloween, it might come as no surprise that one of these divination rituals involved cabbages. The cabbage has long been associated with Halloween. One of the many names of Mischief Night, the night before, on, or around Halloween when boys would play pranks was "Cabbage Night." The name apparently came from the custom of young boys raiding cabbage patches and then hurling them at houses or doorways. Regardless of what young boys did with cabbages, young women had other uses for them. The October 25, 1902 edition of The Democratic Advocate from Westminster, Maryland lists various romantic superstitions dealing with the cabbage. The first was that if a young woman went to a cabbage patch at midnight on Halloween and steals a cabbage, on her way home she would meet the man she was to marry. A more complicated version of this superstition was that if a young woman walked backwards to a cabbage patch in her nightgown and pulled up a cabbage, then she would see the man she will marry over her shoulder. Another romantic superstition commonly mentioned in old newspapers and books was that both young women and men could determine the physique and finances of whom they would marry. A long, straight stalk would indicate that their spouse would be tall. A short stalk indicated the opposite. The amount of dirt clinging to the roots indicated how wealthy they would be. A lot of dirt meant they would be very wealthy, only a little meant they would be poor. The stalk could indicate everything from the age to the temperament of one's future spouse.

Cabbages weren't the only plants use in romantic divination. Apples, long associated with Halloween, were also used. Apple bobbing is a game strongly associated with Halloween and autumn in general. Among the variations on the game is one that also doubles as a form of romantic divination. According to the  October 8, 1905 edition of the Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois, initials would be carved into apples, which were then placed in a tub of water. The guests would then bob for the apples, and the initials carved in the apple would be that of their future mate. Another superstition mentioned in the same source involved apple paring. Each guest was given an apple and a knife. The apple was to be pared in one continuous strip. The paring would then be swung above one's head and the following lines would be repeated: "Apple I pare and swing to know whom I soon shall marry. From my hand I now thee throw, mystic letter carry." The paring was then thrown to the floor and whatever initials it formed would be those of one's future spouse. Another superstition associated with apples at Halloween was that if one placed an apple under their pillow on Halloween, then one would dream of their future spouse. 

Various sorts of nuts also played a role in romantic divination on Halloween. According to various sources, young women would name hazelnuts after various suitors and then place them on the fire grate. If a nut burned brightly, it meant his heart was true. If it cracked or jumped, it meant his heart was untrue. Chestnuts also played a role in Halloween superstitions. Finding a burr on a chestnut while hunting for the nuts in a group meant that one would be the next to marry.

Not every means of romantic divination at Halloween involved only plants. One superstition was that if one ate an apple while looking in a mirror on Halloween, then a vision of one's future spouse would appear in the glass. A similar superstition involved no apples. If a young woman stood in a dark room holding a candle and gazing into a mirror at midnight on Halloween, then she might catch the reflection of her future husband looking over her shoulder. 

Baked goods also played a role in Halloween superstitions. Brambrack is a bread with added sultanas and raisins made in Ireland. It is associated with both Halloween and New Year's Eve. In the case of Halloween, Bramback contained various objects inside. If one received a piece with a ring, it meant one would marry in the coming year. If one got a piece with a stick or a thimble, then one would never marry. If one got a piece with a silver sixpence, then they would be wealthy. A similar custom involved what is known as a "dumb cake" and was practised in Scotland and England. Young women would bake the cake in total silence, hence its name. It was believed one spoken word would ruin the cake. If the young women successfully baked the cake while saying nothing, then they would see visions of their future husbands.

Today it might seem surprising to some that divination about one's love life played such a large role in Halloween, but then Halloween marked a transition when nights were growing longer and the weather was becoming cooler. The veils between worlds was believed by many to be at its thinnest. This made it an ideal time to foretell the future. Of course, young people would naturally want to know if love was in their future and whom they would marry. Many today, largely became of the Hallmark Channel's many movies, might tend to think of Christmas when they think of romance, but there was a time when it seemed romance was on the minds of many at Halloween.

The Late Great Tom Skerritt

 

Actor Tom Skerritt died on October 21, 2026, at the age of 93. He appeared in such movies as MASH (1970), Alien (1979), Steel Magnolias (1989), and A River Runs Through It (1992). On television, he starred on the show Picket Fences and guest starred on shows from Gunsmoke to Chicago Hope.

Tom Skerritt was born on August 25, 1933 in Detroit, Michigan. He graduated from Mackenzie High School in Detroit, then enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served as a classifications specialist. Following his service, he attended Wayne State University in Detroit where he studied English. He transferred to UCLA where he acted in school productions. It was because of his appearance in a production of The Rainmaker that he was cast in the low budget Korean War movie War Hunt (1962). He left UCLA to pursue a career in acting.

In the Sixties, Tom Skerritt appeared in the movies One Man's Way (1964), Those Calloways (1965), MASH (1970),  and The Moonshine War (1970).. He made his television debut in an episode of The Virginian in 1962. During the decade, he guest starred on the shows Laramie, The Real McCoys, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Temple Houston, My Three Sons, Bonanza, Wagon Train, My Favorite Martian, Gunsmoke, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, The Fugitive, The Time Tunnel, 12 O' Clock High, Combat!, The FBI, Mannix, Cimarron Strip, Run for Your Life, The Felony Squad, The Outsider, Lancer, Hawaii Five-O, Medical Center, The Name of the Game, and Bracken's World. 

In the Seventies, Tom Skerritt appeared in the movies The Wild Rovers (1971), Harold and Maude (1971), Fuzz (1972), Thieves Like Us (1974), Run, Run, Joe (1974), Big Bad Mama (1974), The Devil's Rain (1975), La Madama (1976), Plot of Fear (1976), The Turning Point (1978), Up in Smoke (1978), Ice Castles (1978), and Alien (1979). He appeared on the TV shows The Virginian; Storefront Lawyers; Nichols; The FBI; Gunsoke; Bonanza; Get Christie Love!; Kolchak: The Night Stalker; The Manhunter; Cannon; Barnaby Jones; S.W.A.T.; Sara; and Baretta. He appeared in the mini-series Origins of the Mafia. 

In the Eighties, Tom Skerritt had the recurring role of Evan Drake on Cheers and starred in the short-lived show Ryan's Four. He guest starred on the shows The Hitchhiker, The Twilight Zone, Danger Bay, and ABC Afternoon Specials. He appeared in the movies Savage Harvest (1981), Silence of the North (1981), Fighting Back (1982), A Dangerous Summer (1982), The Dead Zone (1983), Top Gun (1986), Spacecamp (1986), Opposing Force (1986), Wisdom (1986), Maid to Order (1987), The Big Town (1987), Poltergeist III (1988), Honor Bound (1988), Big Man on Campus (1989), Steel Magnolias (1989), and The Rookie (1990). 

In the Nineties, he starred as Sheriff Jimmy Brock on Picket Fences. He guest starred on the TV shows Chicago Hope and Hallmark Hall of Fame. He appeared in the movies Wild Orchid II: Two Shades of Blue (1991), Knight Movies (1992), Poison Ivy (1992), Singles (1992), A River Runs Through It (1992), Contact (1997), Smoke Signals (1998), and The Other Sister (1999).

In the Naughts, Tom Skerritt appeared in the movies Texas Rangers (2001), Tuscaloosa (2001), Changing Hearts (2002), Tears of the Sun (2003), Swing (2003), Bonneville (2006), Beer for My Horses (2008), Whiteout (2009), For Sale by Owner (2009), and Redemption Road (2010). On television, he guest starred on the shows Will & Grace, The West Wing, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Huff, The Dead Zone, Brothers & Sisters, and The Closer. He appeared in the mini-series Category 7: The End of the World, Fallen, Killer Wave, and The Trojan Horse. He made the first two guest appearance on Leverage as Jimmy Ford, father of lead character Nate Ford.

In the Teens, he made a second guest appearance as Jimmy Ford on Leverage and also guest starred on the shows White Collar, The Good Wife, and Madame Secretary. He appeared in the movies Soda Springs (2012), Ted (2012), Redwood Highway (2013), At Middleton (2013), Field of Lost Shoes (2015), A Hologram for the King (2016), Lucy (2017), and Day of Days (2017). In the 2020s, he appeared in the movies East of the Mountains (2021), Catch the Bullet (2021), and Broke (2025).

Tom Skerritt was a remarkable actor. so much so it's hard to remember what role he will be best remembered for. He played many memorable roles in both movies and on television. In MASH, he played the laid-back, amiable surgeon Duke. As dancer Wayne Rodgers in The Turning Point, he was the supportive and grounded anchor in his family. As Captain Dallas in Alien he was world-weary and somewhat detached. Drum in Steel Magnolias was far from Dallas in Alien, displaying a sense of humour and warmth. In A River Runs Through It, he played the strict Reverend McLean, who nonetheless loves fly fishing. His television roles were diverse as well. He is probably best remembered as Sheriff Jimmy Brock on Picket Fences, but he also played the villainous and vengeful Fred Garth in the Gunsmoke episode "The Noose" and appeared as villains on other shows (especially Westerns). Tom Skerritt had a good deal of talent and a great deal of range, and gave many good performances throughout his career. 

"You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes

It was sixty years ago today, on October 22, 1966, that the album The Supremes A Go-Go hit no. 1 on the Billboard album chart. It was historic as the first album by a girl group to hit no. 1 on the chart. Included on the album was the no. 1 single "You Can't Hurry Love." It was written and produced by the team  Holland–Dozier–Holland, who wrote hits for several Motown acts as well as The Supremes. 

Godspeed Michael Forest

Actor Michael Forest, who played Apollo in the Star Trek episode "Who Mourns for Adonais?" and guest starred on shows from The Twilight Zone to The Dick Van Dyke Show. died on October 14, 2026, at the age of 97. He also appeared in several Roger Coman movies and dubbed voices on several anime projects (including Alex Rosewater on The Big O).

Michael Forest was born Gerald Michael Charlebois on April 27, 1929, in Harvey, North Dakota. He moved with his family to Seattle while very young. He decided to become an actor after he saw a friend in a play at the Seattle Rep Playhouse. He attended the University of Washington and then San Jose State, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Drama.

In 1955, he moved to Los Angeles. He made his television debut in episodes of Lux Video Theatre, being credited under his given name Gerald Charlebois. In the Fifties, he guest starred on the shows Highway Patrol; Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre; Cheyenne; Tombstone Territory; The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin; Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok; Zorro; Have Gun-Will Travel; Zane Grey Theatre; Yancy Derringer; Lawman; The Texan; The Rifleman; Bronco; Death Valley Days; The Dennis O'Keefe Show; One Step Beyond; Bat Masterson; The Alaskans; First Person; General Motors Presents; and The Westerner. He appeared in the movies The Deadly Mantis (1957), Shoot-Out at Medicine Bend (1957), The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage to the Waters of the Great Sea Serpent (1958), Beast from Haunted Cave (1959), Ski Troop Attack (1960), and Valley of the Redwoods (1960).

In the Sixties, Michael Forest guest starred on the shows Adventures in Paradise; Michael Shayne; Maverick; The Tall Man; Bachelor Father; Cheyenne' Festival; The Detectives; 87th Precinct; Frontier Circus; Tales of Wells Fargo; Wagon Train; Room for One More; Laramie; Ben Casey; Dr. Kildare; The Outer Limits; The Dick Van Dyke Show; The Twilight Zone; Perry Mason; The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; Rawhide; Gunsmoke; Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C.; 12 O' Clock High; I Spy; Branded; Combat!; The Virginian; Mission: Impossible; Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color; Laredo; Gilligan's Island'; Mr. Terrific; Star Trek; Bonanza; Ironside; Daniel Boone; Get Smart; Garrison's Gorillas; It Takes a Thief; The Doris Day Show; Here Comes the Brides; and Lassie. He appeared in the movies Atlas (1961), A House is Not a Home (1964), The Glory Guys (1965), Deathwatch (1965), Mosby's Marauders (1967), The Money Jungle (1967), The Sweet Ride (1968), and 100 Rifles (1969).

In the Seventies, Michael Forest guest starred on the TV shows The Rookies; As the World Turns; and The Young and the Restless. He was a guest voice on the anime series Lupin the III Part II and Back to the Forest. He appeared in the movies The Last Rebel (1971), Lo ammazzò come un cane... ma lui rideva ancora (1972), Hector the Mighty (1972), The Assassination of Trotsky (1972), Racconti proibiti... di niente vestiti (1972), The Dirt Gang (1972), Now They Call Him Sacramento (1972), Cotter (1973), The Magnificent Dare Devil (1973), Elena sì... ma di Troia (1973), The Loves and Times of Scaramouche (1976), The Message (1976), and Icacciatore di squali (1979). He provided voices for the English versions of the animated movie The Adventures of Manxmouse (1979).

In the Eighties, Michael Forest appeared in the television mini-series Mussolini: The Untold Story. He guest starred on the TV shows Simon & Simon; Who's the Boss; and Days of Our Lives. He provided voices for the English version of the anime series Red Spark Zillion, Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: A War in the Pocket, Crying Freeman, and Gundam 0083. He appeared in the movies King Kong Lives (1986), Deep Space (19988), and Border Shootout (1990). He provided voices for the English versions of the anime movies Fist of the North Star (1986), The Story of Fifteen Boys (1987), and Doomed Megalopolis: The Last Megalopolis (1988).

In the Nineties, he was the voice of villain Alex Rainwater on the anime series The Big O. He also provided voices for the English versions of the anime series Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory, Orguss 02, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman, Armitage III, Street Fighter II V, Space Knight Tekkaman Blade, Tokyo Revelation, El Hazard: The Magnificent World 2, Saber Marionette J Again, Giant Robo: The Animation: The Day the Earth Stood Still, Trigun, Black Jack, Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure, and Carried by the Wind: Tsukikage Ran. He provided voices for the English version of the Italian anime Detective Extralarge, Casshan, He also provided voices in the English versions of the live-action Power Rangers shows. He guest starred on the shows Silk Stalkings and Seven Days. He provided voices for the English versions of the Jackie Chan movie Operation Condor (1991) and the Chinese TV movies Romance of the Three Kingdoms Part 1. He appeared in the movies Body of Evidence (1993) and Cast Away (2000).

In the Naughts Michael Forest provided voices for the anime movies Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2001) and Naruto the Movie 3: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2006). He provided voices for the English version of the movie Izo (2004). He provided voices for the English versions of the anime series Witch Hunter Robin, Overman King Gainer, Heat Guy J, The Twelve Kingdoms, I'll/CKBC, Someday's Dreamers, Last Exile, Rumic Theatre, R.O.D. the TV, Scrapped Princess, Texhnolyze, Gungrave, Paanoia Agent, Mars Daybreak, Planetes, Samurai Champloo, Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Otogi Zoshi, IPGX: Immortal Grand Prix, Gun X Sword, Ghost Slayers Ayashi, Aika R-16: Virgin Mission, and Nyoron Churuya-san. He guest starred on Cold Case and Alias,. He provided voices for the English version of the French film Replay (2001) and the anime movie Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom (2006).

In the Teens,he appeared in the movies The Scarlet Worm (2011) and Unbelievable!!! (2020). He reprised his role as Apollo in the fan TV series Star Trek Continues. He provided a voice for the anime series The Disapperance of Nagato Yuki-chan.

Michael Forest was a remarkable actor. He had a voice perfect for both live-action and animation. It was deep and resonant, and also versatile. Between his height (he was 6 foot 3) and his voice, he was the perfect actor to play the god Apollo on Star Trek. And while he played the role of the haughty Apollo well, he was adept at other roles as well. He did a fine job as Joe Coogan, the former flame of Laura who has become a priest, in the Dick Van Dyke Show episode "The Live and Love of Joe Coogan." With regards to anime, he did a great job as the voice of Alex Rosewater, the ruthless and power-hungry chairman of the Paradigm Corporation, in the English dub of The Big O. Throughout his career he played a number of diverse roles and played all of them well.

"Day Tripper" by The Beatles

Today in 1965, at  EMI Studios (now known as Abbey Road Studios), The Beatles recorded "Day Tripper." It has always been one of my favourite Beatles songs. John Lennon wrote the music and the majority of lyrics, with Paul McCartney contributing some of them. As to the topic of the song, in 1970 John Lennon described it as "a drug song," while in 2004 Paul McCartney said it was "about acid." "Day Tripper" is then a play on words. "Day tripper" is generally used of people who take day trips, short recreational trips made in one day. In "Day Tripper," it's apparently being used about acid trips. 

"Day Tripper" was released in the United Kingdom on December 3, 1965 as a double A-side with "We Can Work It Out." It hit no. 1 on the UK singles chart and "Day Tripper"/"We Can Work It Out" was the Christmas single for 1965. Surprisingly, it only went to no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, even though "We Can Work It Out" went to no. 1. Regardless, I think "Day Tripper" may be the more important of the two songs. Indeed, I think it is an early example of power pop.. It has been covered multiple times by such artists as Otis Redding, José Feliciano, and Cheap Trick. 

The Original Opening of I Love Lucy

It was 75 years ago on this date that I Love Lucy debuted on CBS. Most of us are familiar with the "heart on satin" opening we saw in syndicated reruns of the show, but that wasn't its original opening. The original opening included animation that referenced the show's sponsor (Philip Morris was its first sponsor). 

The animation was created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who refused credit as they were still under contract to MGM. The bellhop at the beginning was Johnny Roventini, who represented Philip Morris for decades. Several variations of the animated opening were made, each one referencing one of  I Love Lucy's sponsors. Besides Philip Morris, these included Proctor & Gamble (for Cheer laundry detergent and Lit Home Permanent), General Foods (for Sanka), and Ford Motor Company. 

The "the heart on satin" opening was created for the reruns CBS started airing in the daytime in the 1959-1960 season and was then subsequently used in syndication.  The reason for this was that the reruns on CBS and later in syndication would naturally have different sponsors, making references to the original sponsors irrelevant. The heat design and its typography were created by Verdun Philip Cook, who was a typographer and animator who did work for Desilu Productions. The post-production on the "heart on satin" opening was done by Howard Anderson Jr.'s studio. Howard Anderson Jr. was a visual effects artist who later worked on another Desilu show, Star Trek.

I Love Lucy was one of the earliest TV shows to have animated opening credits and possibly the first sitcom to do so. In that respect, it was yet another way in which I Love Lucy would prove influential. Animated openings to shows would prove popular during the Fifties and well into the Sixties, with such shows as Dobie Gillis (during its first season), Bachelor Father, My Three Sons, Bewitched, The Wild West West, and I Dream of Jeannie among those with animated credit sequences. 

Below is a video of the original opening from the debut episode of I Love Lucy  and the "heart on satin" opening used in reruns.