77 Sunset Strip
(The Magazine)
July 1960, Great American Publications
Okay, so it wasn’t the greatest cover. It looks like it was cobblers together during somebody’s lunch break. Also, this tie-in “digest” was actually closer in size to a pulp, which no doubt annoyed newsstand employees who weren’t sure where to shelve it.
Still, I’m sure the publishers, some outfit called Great American Publications, had high hopes, hoping into tap the market for the hit television show and its “More than 35 Million TV Viewers.” But it only lasted one issue.
Still, that one issue featured an original 77 Sunset Strip story, “Elephant Blues” — the only one I’m aware of that features the television version of private eye Stuart Bailey and his partner, Jeff Spenser. Even better is that it was written by Ben Christopher, who was actually Donald Westlake, and there were stories by Talmage Powell and John Jakes.
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- My Scrapbook
A Cornucopia of Tear Sheets, Illustrations, Photos, Cartoons, Scribbles & Other Crap That I Think is Cool - 77 Sunset Strip
Hey, Kookie, lend me your comb!
Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
Kevin,
Thank you so much for sharing this, it’s the ginchiest, nervous, you’re the acme, as Kookie would say.
77 Sunset Strip would sneak in sly references to other Warner Brothers series: Bronco, Maverick, even Bugs Bunny. And of course there were the many crossover episodes with Hawaiian Eye, Surfside 6, Bourbon Street Beat.
In one episode south of the border, the police chief had a photo of a sombrero-wearing Lou Costello on the wall, from “Mexican Hayride”, a Universal film.
Keep up the good work Kevin, and to again quote Kookie — “Sit tight, live right and keep the lamp in the window”
Love this kind of pop culture deep dive! The cover might be a mess, but there’s definitely a charm to these short-lived tie-ins they’re like little time capsules of TV history. It’s fascinating how quickly publishers tried to cash in on a hit show, even if the execution didn’t quite land. Thanks for digging this up and sharing it one-issue wonders like this are gold for collectors and nostalgia fans alike!