Retro Hijinks: Boob & Carnal & Tad & Alas…. & The Mad Magazine Spoof of Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice

May I state for the record that I don’t think I’ve ever used that many ampersands in anything. Ever.

Robert Culp was no stranger to the antics of Mad Magazine, having been spoofed at least four times (that I’m aware of), for I Spy, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Columbo and The Greatest American Hero. Previously I featured the 1973 Mad satire on the popular detective series Columbo (called “Clodumbo“) which included Dr. Robert Culpable as the poor unfortunate sap that gets pestered by the lieutenant to the point he confesses to a crime he didn’t commit just to make the lieutenant go away. Now, we go back three years prior, to 1970, and the spoof of the 1969 film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.

May I add that Culp looks cute here as a caricature? All shy and innocent lookin’, holding the blanket up, just like he is in the movie…

Ah, well…ok, maybe not quite!

The same art is not used for the storyboard. Instead the storyboard is drawn by the legendary Mort Drucker (who also did the I Spy spoof for Mad in 1967). Drucker’s drawing of Culp this time around although recognizable, is at times more outrageous than anything.

Square jaw? Check. Big teeth? Got it. Hippie hair? Plenty. In the first panel though, where “Boob” and “Carnal” are being introduced to the Institute, “Boob” looks suspiciously more like Alan Alda.

This is indeed a satire of the movie.  Sometimes searing, other times goofy but a complete and total farce. Take a look for yourself! Keep your eye out for Bill Cosby to appear in a couple of the panels just for the heck of it. Also note the additional names added to the title that run around the whole storyboard.



What? More eBay BCTA photos?

Yes indeedy! No, not the now Holy Grail 33 negatives that I bungled on getting previously, but another set of 27 rare negatives from the SFX Archive. This is now the third such auction on Culp photo negatives from the movie “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice” that I’ve seen on eBay and is the second one that I had the smarts enough to bid or buy now on. (You can read about the first set I purchased and see the photos here.)

I’m indebted Tatia on the I Spy Forum for spotting this auction and posting about it. (You know…information, Kel 🙂 )

Here’s the scan that the SFX Archive had with their auction…

Enticing right? You bet! Especially the ones of Culp in the full leather get up. And the ones in the white shirt and brown cords with the movie camera. And…oh yeah the white swim trunks and red jacket… (SOLD).

Just as before, I had the photos done in 8 x 10 prints and this time also had them put on a CD. Yeah, I’m finally getting the hang of this I think…

Here’s the rundown…

A couple of these are not clear focus which is unfortunate. #3 and #4 are my favorites. That last one…somebody’s getting an opinion or something!

Robert Culp in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" Robert Culp in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" Robert Culp in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice"
Robert Culp in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" Robert Culp in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" Robert Culp in “Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice"
 

I love these with the movie camera. My personal favorite is #2 and #5.


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Heh heh, yeeeah….and gee, they all were clear focus. What luck!


 

Leather!

 

From the dinner scene. Wonder what somebody said in the second photo to get THAT look?

I dunno about y’all but the first pic does not match any scene in the movie that I can recall. The second one is at the “retreat,” third is from the bathroom scene and the fourth is from the Vegas scene.


All in all, another fine addition to the Culp Collection. I’m still keeping my eye out for those 33, but I’m very glad to have these gems in the collection!

Those eBay BCTA Photos…

Earlier this year I posted about finding some photograph negatives on eBay last year of Robert Culp from the movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice…and how I blew it off and didn’t put a bid in on them. (Yeah. Didn’t. No, I still can’t believe I was that stupid!) So far, it’s my biggest eBay regret so when another auction came up for additional negatives, I jumped on it and bid. And won.

I ended up with 12 photos of Culp that I subsequently had developed into some nice 8x10s for my own collection. Here they are…

 

With the exception of adjusting the size and the color due to the scanning, I did no other digital alterations to the photos. I was very pleased with how they came out and am thrilled to have them. I can’t help but wonder what the photo developer thought when they got this order (the negatives had to be sent out to be processed and I waited, patiently, for 3 weeks for them to come back). Did they recognize that this was Robert Culp? Did they wonder how the hell did these negatives ended up in Podunk, USA…?

Whoever it was, I thank them for the fine job they did.

Now if I could just find those other 33 negatives I blew off…