1981

One of the best years of my brother's life - if not THE BEST - was 1981, the year "Comin' At Ya" was released. He was just 29 years old and he seemed to be standing on the top of the world.

Since the movie was released in August, starting on the first and running everyday in August, I will celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its release. I was 19 when the movie came out and my memories of the event are limited to having seen it and the excitement that was felt within the family, but I will share what I can. I'm sure several of you have more vivid memories of the time and I hope you will share them.

I hope you enjoy the month long celebration and that it brings back happy memories from what was a really good time in Bill's life.

If you would like to see the movie again, it is available on DVD and comes with two pairs of 3D glasses. It can be purchased from:

Amazon

Deep Discount DVD

DVD Empire

Family Video

Overstock

SENSE OF HUMOR

I a peculiar way, this photo of Bill cooking reminds me of an occasion - Thanksgiving dinner, 1984 - that provides a very good example of his sense of humor. I was living in L.A. at the time and Bill hosted dinner for several people, at his place on Vista Del Mar Avenue. After dinner, Bill asked everyone to come into his TV room. On the table he had a box of thin mints. He put on a Monte Python movie (unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the movie - Bill was the movie buff, I'm the music buff). In the scene a very large man is in a restaurant and orders a very large meal which they mix up in a bucket. As he is eating he is also vomiting food all over the restaurant, which of course, is making everyone in the restaurant sick. At the end of the meal it is clear that the man cannot eat anymore, but the waiter offers him a "wafer thin mint". When the man refuses, the waiter continues to temp him into having the mint. When the man finally agrees and eats the mint, he explodes. My memory of the situation was that while everyone was somewhat grossed out, we all laughed - making the incident a perfect example of Bill's sense of humor.

NYC 2001

Bill decided that he wanted to see the remains of the Twin Towers after 9/11. Since I knew he watched the completion of the Towers while living in lower Manhattan, I provided the frequent flyer miles for the ticket. Here he is during the trip. From the background I would guess he was on or near Broadway in the theater district. The picture was taken on October 5, 2001.

ROCK AND ROLL

When it came to the arts, Bill's first love was movies. But music played an important part in his life as well. For several years we exchanged cassettes of all of our new music. Recently, my end of the exchange had changed to CDs. And of course, Bill not only enjoyed listening to music, he also enjoyed playing guitar. Here's a picture of him with his Dan Armstrong clear body guitar.

THE GODFATHER

While Bill always seemed to try keeping up a tough exterior around adults, he could be a totally different person around children. Here he is playing with his Godson and nephew, Joey. The photo was taken around Christmas of 1981.

BOB THE DUCK

Bill had a great love for animals - especially birds. Not only did he have parrots for many years, but he also had a duck. (Bill also had a collection of things duck related: napkins, napkin rings, decanter, shirts, etc.)

As a little chick, Bob the duck lived in Bill's bathrobe pocket. Bill loved Bob so much that he took him to Donald Duck's 50th Birthday Party in Hollywood in 1984. They are both seen on the television special for the event with the announcer saying, "even a Hollywood duck named Bob came to celebrate Donald's birthday."

Here's a picture of the two of them together sometime in late 1983 or early 1984.

THE FAMILY

I realized that I had not yet posted a family portrait so here is the first. The photo (from the early 90s) features from left to right: Phil (a), Joe (b), Rob (c), Fred (d), Bill, John (e), Louise (f), Jason (g) and Suzie (h).



Here is the key for the identifying letters used above along with the persons' relation to Bill:

a = brother
b = nephew
c = nephew
d = father
e = brother-in-law
f = mother
g = nephew
h = sister

A HINT OF THINGS TO COME

This appears to be the earliest photo in existence featuring Bill and a movie camera. Although there is no timestamp on the image, I would guess that this photo was taken in 1970 or 1971.

BILL AND FRIENDS

He are a couple of pictures of Bill with two of his long time friends. Bill and Rob Ewing are seen seated on an unknown date. Below, Bill greets Dave Danziger in 1988.

CATHOLIC BOY

When I found this ID card, I couldn't help but think of the Jim Carroll song "Catholic Boy". I remembered how much Bill loved the album when it came out. So, here is William Bukowski's General Organization Membership Card from 1965-66 and the lyrics to a song he loved.



I was born in a pool, they made my mother stand
And I spat on that surgeon and his trembling hand
When I felt the light I was worse than bored
I stole the doctor's scalpel and I slit the cord

I was a Catholic boy,
Redeemed through pain,
Not through joy

I was two months early they put me under glass
I screamed and cursed their children when the nurses passed
Was convicted of theft when I slipped from the womb
They led me straight from my mother to a cell in the Tombs

I was a Catholic boy,
Redeemed through pain,
Not through joy

They starved me for weeks, they thought they'd teach me fear
I fed on cellmates' dreams, it gave me fine ideas
When they cut me loose, the time had served me well
I made allies in heaven, I made comrades in Hell

I was a Catholic child
The blood ran red
The blood ran wild

I make angels dance and drop to their knees
When I enter a church the feet of statues bleed
I understand the fate of all my enemies
Just like Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane

I was a Catholic child
The blood ran red
The blood ran wild

I watched the sweetest psalm stolen by the choir
I dreamed of martyrs' bones hanging from a wire
I make a contribution, I get absolution
I make a resolution to purify my soul

I was a Catholic child
The blood ran red
The blood ran wild

They can't touch me now
I got every sacrament behind me:
I got baptism,
I got communion,
I got penance,
I got extreme unction
I've got confirmation
'Cause I'm a Catholic child
The blood ran red
The blood ran wild!

Now I'm a Catholic man
I put my tongue to the rail whenever I can.

MORE BLOG INFO DISCOVERED IN N.Y.C.

Last night, Cindy, the girls and I returned from a week long trip to New York. While I was walking around the city a lot of memories returned. In a previous posting I listed the streets where Bill lived in Manhattan. You can add Thompson Street to that list. There are more items that I will share in future posts.

During our stay I also secured more photographs and other Bill memorabilia for posting, so check back frequently.

Finally, here are a couple of pictures of Bill with "the kids" - Boris and Natasha.