Tuesday 29 December 2015

1963, Cars: Simca 1300/1500

In March 1963 French automaker Simca introduces the new Simca 1300/1500 at the Geneva Motor Show. The new car, designed by Mario Revelli di Beaumont and Rudolf Hruska, would be the replacement of the successful Simca Aronde P60 and the aging Simca Ariane. It was the last car developed under de presidency of Henri Théodore Pigozzi, founder of Simca (Société Industrielle de Mécanique et de Carrosserie Automobile) in 1934. In 1963 American car company Chrysler increased their share-holding in Simca to 64% and took control. On 31 May 1963, nine days after the Simca 1300 went on sale, Pigozzi was obliged to reign from the presidency of Simca. He died suddenly, aged 66 from a heart-attack at Neuilly-sur-Seine, Paris, on 18 November 1964, eighteen months later.
Predecessor: Simca Aronde P60 (1958 - 1964)
Predecessor: Simca Ariane (1957 - 1963)
Henri Théodore Pigozzi and Simca 1300
The Simca 1300 went on sale on 22 May 1963. The car was fitted with the 1290 cc engine (38kW) from the Aronde. In January 1964 the Simca 1500 was available, it was fitted with a more powerful 1475 cc (51 kW) engine. Both cars had a fully synchronised 4-speed manual gearbox with column shift. In late 1965 the Simca 1500 was also available with a floor shift or an automatic Borg Warner 3-speed gearbox, with an increased engine power of 53 kW.
Simca 1300
Simca 1300
Optical differences between the 1300 and the 1500 are the front grille, rear bumper and chrome work. The Simca 1300 has a slightly forward pointing front grille with 9 horizontal and 3 vertical bars, whereas the Simca 1500’s grill consists of 11 fine horizontal bars, slight recessed in the middle part. In comparison to the Simca 1300, the rear bumper of the Simca 1500 is extended to the rear wheel arches. The Simca 1500 has chrome work on the door window frames. At first the trim levels are 1300 / 1300 GL and 1500 / 1500 GL. In 1966 trim levels became 1300L / 1300 LS and 1500 GL / 1500 GLS.
Simca 1500
Simca 1500
Simca 1500
The Simca 1500 break became available in 1964, the 1300 break followed in 1965. The station wagons are fitted with three trim levels: break, break familial and break GL (in some countries the name Tourist was used). All station wagons had split tailgates (the rear windscreen cold be wind down into the bottom part, which could be folded down). The 1500 version's cargo floor could be converted into a picnic table.
Simca 1500 break
Production of the Simca 1300/1500 ended with the introduction in September 1966 of the Simca 1301 and Simca 1501. A total of 275626 Simca 1300's and 162183 Simca 1500's were produced.
Successor: Simca 1301/1501 (1966 - 1975)
Brochures:

Sunday 27 December 2015

1962, Belgian comics: Bollie en Billie (original: Boule et Bill)

In 1962 the first Bollie en Billie (original French title: Boule et Bille) "60 gags van Bollie en Billie 1" (original title: "60 gags de Boule et Bill") is published by Dupuis. The comic was created in 1959 by the Belgian writer-artist Jean Roba in collaboration with Maurice Rosy.

The stories center on a typical family: a man and his wife, their young son Bollie and Billie the cocker spaniel. The main character Bollie is based on the son of Jean Roba and the dog Billie is based on his own cocker spaniel.

The main characters are:
  • Bollie, a young boy, always dressed in a blue overalls and a yellow T-shirt.
  • Billie the Cocker Spaniel of the family. He can communicate with other animals.
  • Bollie's mother stays at home and complies with domestic tasks.
  • Bollie's father tries to educate his son, however he fails most of the time.
  • Caroline the green family turtle, living in the garden.
  • Madame Stick, the neighbour and a colonel's widow. She is the owner of Corporal, a cat who is Billie's greatest enemy.
  • Pim (Pouf), Bollie's best friend.
Cover No 1 "60 gags van Bollie en Billie 1"
No 1 "60 gags van Bollie en Billie 1"
  • full-colour
  • never published in English
  • story and drawings by Jean Roba
  • pre-publication in Spirou/Robbedoes
Main characters in this album: Bollie (Boule), Billie (Bill), Bollie's father, Pim (Pouf), Billie's mother, Mister Langelaar, Bollie's teacher, the butcher and Hazelientje.
Bollie (Boule), Billie (Bill) and father
Billie (Bill), butcher, Bollie (Boule) and Pim (Pouf)
Mister Langelaar and father
Bollie (Boule), teacher, father and Billie (Bill)
Mother, Billie (Bill) and Bollie (Boule)
Bollie (Boule), Pim (Pouf) and Billie (Bill)
Pim (Pouf), Bollie (Boule), Hazelientje, Billie (Bill) and father
Cars
  • Peugeot D3/D4 Van
  • Renault Dauphine
  • Ford Taunus 17M (P3)
  • Citroën 2CV
  • unidentified car
  • Peugeot 404
Peugeot D3/D4 Van
Renault Dauphine
Ford Taunus 17M (P3)
Citroën 2CV
unidentified car
Peugeot 404

Friday 25 December 2015

1961, Car Spotting: Saint Tropez

Left row, front to back:
Fiat 1800, Renault 4CV, unidentified dark car probably Lancia Appia series 2, Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint, Sunbeam Alpine Series 1, Volvo 121 Amazon (P120), unidentified dark coloured station wagon probably Mercedes-Benz W120 Binz wagon, unidentified light coloured car with dark roof probably Simca Ariane, Citroën ID/DS, Plymouth Fury Convertible (model 1959), Volkswagen 1200 (Beetle), Peugeot 203 cabriolet, unidentified light coloured cabriolet, Peugeot 403, Citroën 2CV, Peugeot 403 cabriolet, two unidentified light coloured cars, Citroën ID/DS, behind the DS it's getting very blurry...
Middle (on the road), front to back:
Simca Aronde P60, Renault Dauphine, Renault Floride, Renault Floride (left), Citroën ID/DS (right), unidentified car probably Volkswagen 1500 Notchback, Volkswagen 1200 (Beetle), two Citroën 2CV.
Right row, front to back:
Marathon Corsaire, Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet Pininfarina.


Tuesday 22 December 2015

1960, Film: “Le Capitan”

The French-Italian cloak and dagger film "Le Capitan" (English title: "Captain Blood") premieres on 5 October 1960 in France. Directed by André Hunebelle and starring Jean Marais, Bourvil, Elsa Martinelli and Lise Delamare, the film is based on the novel "Le Capitan" (1907) by Michel Zevaco.

Synopsis
France 1616, King Louis XIII (Christian Fourcade) is only 15 and the power-hungry regent Concino Concini (Arnoldo Foà) is trying to take the seat of government right out from underneath him. The king turns to François de Capestang (Jean Marais), a noble swordsman to help him. François gets shot by Concini but he is ultimately saved by Gisèle d'Angoulême (Elsa Martinelli)...
Jean Marais as "Le Capitan" François de Capestang
Elsa Martinelli as Gisèle d'Angoulême and Jean Marais as "Le Capitan" François de Capestang
Jean Marais as "Le Capitan" François de Capestang and Bourvil as Cogolin
Main cast
  • Jean Marais as François de Capestang, aka Le Capitan
  • Bourvil as Cogolin
  • Elsa Martinelli as Gisèle d'Angoulême
  • Arnoldo Foà as Concino Concini
  • Pierrette Bruno as Giuseppa
  • Annie Anderson as Béatrice de Beaufort
  • Guy Delorme as Rinaldo
  • Christian Fourcade as King Louis XIII
  • Jacqueline Porel as Léonora Galigaï
  • Raphaël Patorni as le duc Charles d'Angoulême
  • Robert Porte as le duc de Rohan
  • Lise Delamare as Marie de Médicis
  • Edmond Beauchamp as le gouverneur de la Province
  • Piéral as Lorenzo
  • Jean Berger as Luynes
  • Jean-Paul Coquelin as Monsieur de Vitry
Annie Anderson as Béatrice de Beaufort
and Elsa Martinelli as Gisèle d'Angoulême
Bourvil as Cogolin and Pierrette Bruno as Giuseppa
Lise Delamare as Marie de Médicis and Arnoldo Foà as Concino Concini
Trivia
  • Michel Zevaco's novel was also used in the 1946 film "Le Capitan" by director Robert Vernay starring Pierre Renoir, Jean Tissier, Lise Delamare and Sophie Desmarets.
  • The English title "Captain Blood" was also used for the 1935 film by Michael Curtiz featuring Errol Flynn as Peter Blood.
Piéral as Lorenzo, Jacqueline Porel as Léonora Galigaï and
Arnoldo Foà as Concino Concini

"Le Capitan" Trailer


Saturday 19 December 2015

1977, Music: Julie Covington with “Don't Cry for Me Argentina”

In 1977 the single "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" sung by British singer Julie Covington reached number one in several charts. It was released as a single on 12 November 1976, in the United Kingdom.

The song, written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, was recorded in 1976 for the album and musical, Evita. It tells the life of Argentinian leader, Eva Perón (Eva Maria Duarte de Perón (07/05/1919 – 26/07/1952)), appearing at the opening and end of the show, as the spirit of the dead Eva telling the people of Argentina not to mourn her, and during her final speech from the balcony of Casa Rosada, Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1951).
Eva Perón
Julie Covington was born on 11 September 1946 in London, she attended the girls' grammar school Brondesbury and Kilburn High School in Kilburn, London. In 1967, while studying at Homerton College in Cambridge, she sang on The David Frost television show and was offered a recording contract afterwards. 
Julie Covington in 1977
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" by Julie Covington
"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" reached number-one in the UK, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, New Zealand and the Netherlands. The song has been covered by multiple artists, including The Carpenters, Olivia Newton-John, Tom Jones, Sinéad O'Connor and Madonna.

Videoclip: "Don't Cry for Me Argentina"