See below press release for my Indianapolis radio debut this Friday April 7, 2017 on Lakeshore Public Radio. If any one is in the listening area there will be 2 autographed books from me and Arlene Charles aka Charlie Smith to 2 winning random callers.
UPCOMING PROGRAMS & GUESTS:
FRIDAY, APRIL 7 — 1:00pm – “A LOOK AT THE ARTS”
Guest: Book Author TOM LISANTI & Sixties Actress CHARLIE SMITH
A well known name to fans of 1960s Pop Culture — TOM LISANTI — has written several books on the topic and in the process of writing those, has interviewed numerous stars, starlets, models and heartthrobs of the era.

Tom Lisanti has a newly release book “TALKING SIXTIES DRIVE IN MOVIES” of which the title says it all! Were you catching the latest beach movies or Elvis flicks back in the day at your favorite neighborhood Drive-In Theater? Then you will want to check out his book — chock full of some folks you saw up on those silver screens between handfuls of pop corn and backseat smooching. Joining Tom on this program is one of those bikini beauties from back in the day — CHARLIE SMITH — a Northwest Indiana native professionally known in those days as Arlene Charles, while popping up in films alongside stars like Elvis Presley, James Stacy, Frankie Avalon and Vincent Price, to name but a few!

Soft cover edition of my new book Talking Sixties Drive-In Movies is now available on Amazon.

Talking Sixties Drive-in Movies is a collection of profiles, interviews, and tributes about actors and films popular with the drive-in movie crowd during the sixties. Interviewees include Arlene Charles, Nancy Czar, Gail Gerber, Christopher Riordan, and Irene Tsu talking Elvis Presley musicals; Bobbi Shaw and Steven Rogers talking beach party movies; Jan Watson and Diane Bond talking spy spoofs; Nicoletta Machiavelli talking spaghetti westerns; Mimsy Farmer, Lara Lindsay, LAda Edmund, Jr., and Maggie Thrett talking alienated youth movies; and Valerie Starrett talking biker films. Some of the chapters center on one movie or a genre while others are career profiles with a main focus on one or two drive-in movies.

First official review is in from Library Journal (link to full review):

“Recommended for film lovers everywhere.”—Roy Liebman, formerly with California State Univ., Los Angeles/Library Journal

More raves from the interviewees:

“A lovely book…amazing. Quoted me exactly. Not what I am used to.”—Lara Lindsay

“I just love it [and] think it’s great! I am very pleasantly surprised at how detailed, correct, and complimentary.”—Jan Watson

Proud to announce that my latest book Talking Sixties Drive-In Movies from BearManor Media is now available in hard cover through Amazon.

The book is a collection of profiles, interviews, and tributes about actors and films popular with the drive-in movie crowd during the sixties. Interviewees include Arlene Charles, Nancy Czar, Shelley Fabares, Gail Gerber, Christopher Riordan, and Irene Tsu talking Elvis Presley musicals; Bobbi Shaw and Steven Rogers talking beach and beach parties-in-the-snow movies; Slaymate Jan Watson and Flint Girl Diane Bond talking spy spoofs; Nicoletta Machiavelli talking spaghetti westerns; Mimsy Farmer, Lada Edmund, Jr., and Lara Lindsay talking alienated youth movies; Valerie Starrett talking biker films; and Maggie Thrett and screenwriter Stephen Yafa talking about the making of Three in the Attic.

Advanced copies sent to the interviewees and below is what they had to say:

“It’s marvelous. Great job!” Bobbi Shaw Chance

“Informative, amusing, and wonderful. This is definitely a book we all need to read at this time. True entertainment…about entertainment.” Christopher Riordan

This is a perfect time to revisit the 1970 film comedy Viva Max where the Mexicans take back the Alamo! Starring Peter Ustinov, Pamela Tiffin, Jonathan Winters, John Astin and in his film debut Peter Gonzales Falcon.

And you can read about the making of the movie in my book Pamela Tiffin: Hollywood to Rome, 1961-1974.