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 costume 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, Kukia 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 Las 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:
Rap next year! EV.
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Last changed: Mon Jul 18 23:42:33 EDT 2005