The Mikado

[linda Profile]

That was certainly a smart avenue to pursue back then. I can't imagine just what the cast members were probably thinking about some of their fellow players... or the band members!

[Zsearcher Profile]

The Lamplighters theater group was (and still is) performing the Mikado in San Francisco in 1969. Last year I spoke with one of the original main cast members as well as the archivist.

The cast member recalled that they were more than aware of the Zodiac and the Mikado reference, and were wondering who amongst them might be Z. They thought about everyone, stagehands, volunteers, etc. and came up empty.

The archivist has a database of names of the "Friends of the Lamplighters" contributors, I don't remember how far back it went. I had her check the usual Z suspects, no matches.

bently

http://www.lamplighters.org/season.html

Hmm, interesting idea, bently. Can you get in contact with her again?

Are you saying she doesn't remember gyke running the lights? Oh well another Voigt dead end.

BTW, since your new nick is bently, I'm assuming that you were a metric Wrench before. Zs

[Bently Profile]

Zs,

Yes, I believe it was both Joanne and Diana from the Lamplighter link above that helped me out, via email. I had them check Gaik, Gyke and Gaikowski, nothing. Again I also had them check the usual suspects, including TJK, which gave them a bit of excitement.

The old cast member I spoke to on the phone. He also mentioned SFPD paying them a few visits to ask questions at the time.

It's Whitworth Wrench mostly...

[smithy Profile]

I've convinced myself that Z was a fan of Groucho Marx's particular performance as Koko in the Mikado, since I've been playing this audio. The letter section "the singurly abnomily (sic) the girl who never kissed..." matches the audio very well, unlike the "usual" lyric I found in Wiki which refers to lady novelists, as does the one on http://math.boisestate.edu/GaS/mikado/w ... k105a.html and http://lyrics.wikia.com/Gilbert_And_Sul ... May_Happen
(Not those sites are definitive of course. I'd need to look a little further).

He had a copy of the record then, huh? If everyone's already said that - and how very obvious it is - many apologies.
I've seen references to the Groucho performance, and even to this web site as links, before, but never played the audio or realised that the shot of the album cover wasn't a theatre poster. Doh!

http://www.marx-brothers.org/audio/index.htm

Groucho was often not recognised when he went without his trademark "discise" of glasses, greasepaint eyebrows and moustache, of course. Ho ho.

[Zsearcher Profile]

Smithy, I looked into the Groucho connection a bit, and THE SECRET WORD has 13 letters, as in "Say the secret word and win a prize" from You Bet Your Life, Groucho's long running TV show. It doesn't fit the cipher pefectly symbol wise but it is interesting, as the show's title and phrase are similar to Z's phrases like "How much do I have on my head now", "My name is__", etc. Now back to: The Mikado thread. Zs

[smithy Profile]

Smithy, I looked into the Groucho connection a bit, and THE SECRET WORD has 13 letters, as in "Say the secret word and win a prize" from You Bet Your Life, Groucho's long running TV show. It doesn't fit the cipher pefectly symbol wise but it is interesting, as the show's title and phrase are similar to Z's phrases like "How much do I have on my head now", "My name is__", etc. Now back to: The Mikado thread. Zs

Interesting huh?
I've also just noticed the symbol on the Axe Koko/Groucho is holding. Nice one.

Edit: Here's a better picture of the album cover:

[b_a Profile]

Strangely, I was in an antique store yesterday and noticed an original framed poster for sale which was advertising none other than the Lamplighters production of "The Mikado" in San Francisco 1969.

The poster read:
Lamplighters present "The Mikado"
April 20th, continuing Fri and Sat nights
Harding Theatre
Divisadero at Hayes
San Francisco

I would have bought it except the price was $165.
It seems to me quite likely that Z may have attended these productions.
I say this, because I know when I quote movies or am into a movie theme,
it's something I've recently seen. You know, like you sort of are "into it" for a while until it sort of fades away.

[Paul_Averly Profile]

It's worth noting that the Harding Theatre (near Divisadero at Hayes) is in the same neighborhood that Sgt. Richard Radetich was shot and killed (by Waller and Carmelita).

Did Z live in the neighborhood?

[b_a Profile]

It's worth noting that the Harding Theatre (near Divisadero at Hayes) is in the same neighborhood that Sgt. Richard Radetich was shot and killed (by Waller and Carmelita).

Good observation. I hadn't thought of that. Also, I went back to the antique store and took a photo of the poster: