1967, News: Tornado Oostmalle

On Sunday 25 June 1967 at 4:15 pm the Belgian village Oostmalle was hit by a tornado which destroyed the church and the centre of the village. The tornado entered Belgium via northern France causing light damage in the Belgium villages Dikkebus and Boezinge. It struck four times with severe strenght: at 4:15 pm in Oostmalle, at 4:27 pm and 4:40 pm in the Dutch village Chaam, and at 5:17 pm in the Dutch village Tricht.

The devastating natural phenomenon came through the Renesse park and then crossed the center of Oostmalle. The tornado threw trees out of the ground, destroyed the church tower, damaged dozens of houses, threw cars around. More than half of the 900 houses in the village were damaged, 135 houses were completely destroyed. Miraculously no-one got killed. There were about 100 injured, of whom 43 were serious.

Arial view of the devastation

Arial view of the devastation

Oostmalle, Dorpsplaats after the tornado

Oostmalle, Dorpsplaats after the tornado (arial view)

1966, Belgian Comics: “Suske en Wiske”, “De Dulle Griet”

In 1966 a new "Suske en Wiske" (UK: "Bob & Bobette" or "Spike and Suzy", US: "Willy and Wanda") album is published: "De Dulle Griet" (English title: "Dull Gret” aka “Mad Meg”). The series “Suske en Wiske” was created by Willy Vandersteen in 1945.

No 66: “ De Dulle Griet”

- two-coloured

- never published in English

- story and drawings by Willy Vandersteen

- published in French ("Bob et Bobette") as "Margot la Folle"

No 66 De Dulle Griet

The story was pre-published in the newspapers "De Standaard" and "Het Nieuwsblad" from 22 February 1966 until 1 July 1966. The main characters are Suske (Spike), Wiske (Suzy), Schanulleke, aunt Sidonia, Lambik (Ambrose), Jerom (Jethro), professor Barabas, Dulle Griet (Mad Meg), Lowie, and Dulle Grietjes (little Mad Meg's). The locations for this story are Antwerp and Bokrijk with the Mol-Sluis barn. The album was reedited in 1967 as No 78 in the coloured series.

Dulle Griet (Mad Meg) and Lambik (Ambrose)

Jerom (Jethro), Lambik (Ambrose) and Wiske (Suzy)

Lambik (Ambrose) and Dulle Grietjes (little Mad Meg's)

Synopsis

Professor Barabas visits Wiske (Suzy) and shows her a fragment of the painting "De Dulle Griet" (“Dull Gret”) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder. He wants to bring a person from the painting to life with his new invention, the teletransfor...

Lowie and Dulle Griet (Mad Meg)

Schanulleke

Suske (Spike), Professor Barabas, Sidonia and Wiske (Suzy)

Trivia

• reference to “De Dulle Griet” (“Dull Grett”) painting by Pieter Breugel the Elder (1561), the personification of the horrors of war
• three references to the Vietnam War: Dulle Griet: “Rechten van de Mens? Waar verkopen ze dat? In Vietnam?” (translation: “Human rights? Where do they sell it? In Vietnam?”), Suske (Spike): "Ik wel, maar in Vietnam zijn ze aan de linkerzijde doof en aan de rechterkant horen ze niet goed!" (translation: "I do, but in Vietnam they are deaf to the left and on the right they hear not well!"), and the two last drawings
• reference to the stir around the Leuven University in May 1966. The Belgian episcopate decided to continue to maintain the French language department at the University of Leuven. One little Dull Gret says "Zit er in Leuven een vuiltje aan de lucht?" (translation: “Is there a problem in Leuven?”)
• reference to Joan Baez, Little Dull Gret misunderstands: “Gaat ze zingen als Joan Baas?” (translation: “Is she going to song like Joan Baez?”)
• reference to Belgian television series “Johan en de Alverman” (1965), little Dull Gret: “Nee, hij is groter dan het Alvermannetje!” (translation: No, he is bigger than the “Alvermannetje”!”)
• reference to Belgian prime minister Théo Lefèvre (1961 – 1965), Sidonia: "Alsof mijn neus een T.Jomodel zou zijn!" (translation: "As if my nose would be a T.Jomodel!")

Reference to “De Dulle Griet” (“Dull Grett”) painting by Pieter Breugel the Elder (1561),
the personification of the horrors of war

Reference to the "Vietnam War": “Rechten van de Mens? Waar verkopen ze dat? In Vietnam?”
(translation: “Human rights? Where do they sell it? In Vietnam?”)

Reference to the "Vietnam War", Suske (Spike): "Ik wel, maar in Vietnam zijn ze aan de
linkerzijde doof en aan de rechterkant horen ze niet goed!"
(translation: "I do, but in Vietnam they are deaf to the left and on the right they hear not well!")

Reference to the "Vietnam War", closing credits

Reference "Leuven University"

Reference "Joan Baez"

Reference “Johan en de Alverman”

Refence Belgian prime minister Théo Lefèvre

Reference "Mol-Sluis"

Cars

• Ford Fairlane 500 (1965)
• unidentified police car

Cars: Ford Fairlane 500 (1965)

Cars: unidentified police car

1965, Best selling cars: United Kingdom

Top 10 of the best sold car models in the UK. There are no foreign models in the top 10, as imports accounted for only five per cent of sales. (source: Auto Express, UK)

N° 10: Ford Zephyr/Zodiac Mk III

(Ford Zephyr 4, Ford Zephyr 6, Ford Zodiac) 43,204 units sold

Ford Zephyr 6 Estate (Mk III)

Ford Zodiac (Mk III)

N° 9: BMC Morris Minor 1000

(2-door saloon, 4-door saloon, 2-door convertible, 2-door estate) 44,905 units sold

Morris Minor 1000

N° 8: Ford Consul Corsair / Ford Corsair V4

(4-door saloon, 2-door saloon, 2-door cabriolet, 5-door estate) 44,943 units sold

Ford Corsair V4

N° 7: BMC Farina

(Austin A60 Cambridge, MG Magnette Mark IV, Morris Oxford series VI, Riley 4 / Seventy Two, Wolseley 16/60) 52,503 units sold

Austin A60 Cambridge

Riley 4 / Seventy Two

N° 6: Vauxhall Viva HA

58,884 units sold

Vauxhall Viva HA

N° 5: Vauxhall Victor FC

(4-door saloon, 5-door estate) 69,854 units sold

Vauxhall Victor FC

N° 4: Ford Anglia 105E/123E

(2-door saloon, 3-door estate, 3-door van) 84,589 units sold

Ford Anglia (123E)

N° 3: BMC Mini (Mk I)

(Austin 850, Austin Mini, Morris 850, Morris Mini, Riley Elf, Wolseley Hornet) 104,477 units sold

Austin Mini

N° 2: Ford Cortina Mk I

(2-door saloon, 4-door saloon, 5-door estate) 116,637 units sold

Ford Cortina (Mk I)

N° 1: BMC ADO16

(Austin 1100, MG 1100, Morris 1100, Riley Kestrel, Vanden Plas Princess 1100, Wolseley 1100) 157,679 units sold

MG 1100

Morris 1100

1964, Television: “Karen”

On October 5, 1964, the American sitcom "Karen" premieres on NBC. The series, produced by Kayro-Vue and Universal Television, was created by Joe Connelly and Bob Mosher. The title role Karen Scott was played by Debbie Watson. From October 5, 1964 to August 30, 1965, a total of 27 black-and-white half-hour episodes were produced. The series theme was sung by The Beach Boys.

Plot

Karen Scott (Debbie Watson) is a 16 year old girl whose activities constantly confounds her tolerant parents, Steve Scott (Richard Denning) and Barbara Scott (Mary LaRoche). Karen's tomboyish younger sister Mimi (Gina Gillespie), creates a different set of problems for the elder Scotts...

Debbie Watson as Karen Scott

Richard Denning as Steve Scott

Mary LaRoche as Barbara Scott

Main cast

• Debbie Watson as Karen Scott
• Richard Denning as Steve Scott
• Mary LaRoche as Barbara Scott
• Gina Gillespie as Mimi Scott

Debbie Watson as Karen Scott

Gina Gillespie as Mimi Scott and Debbie Watson as Karen Scott

Trivia

Hollywood star Richard Dreyfuss made his filmed acting debut in the episode "Karen's Simplicity Complex".

"Karen", opening credits

1963, Car spotting: Netherlands, Arnhem, Velperweg-Tivolilaan

First row, left to right:

Renault Dauphine, Austin/Morris 1100 (BMC ADO16), Renault Dauphine, Ford Taunus 17M Turnier (P3), Volvo PV544, Triumph Herald, Volkswagen 1200 (Type 1, Beetle), Opel (Olympia) Rekord (P1), Ford Anglia/Prefect/Popular (100E), Opel Rekord (P2), unidentified dark coloured car, Volkswagen 1500 Notchback (Type 3), Volkswagen 1200 (Type 1, Beetle), three unidentified cars.

Second row, left to right:

Fiat 600 Multipla, unidentified light coloured car, Ford Anglia/Prefect/Popular (100E), Renault Dauphine, Volkswagen 1200 (Type 1, Beetle), unidentified light coloured car probably Simca 1000, DAF Daffodil/600/750, unidentified light coloured car probably Borgward Isabella, unidentified light coloured car probably Fiat 1300/1500, Opel Rekord (P2), Simca Aronde (P60), Volkswagen 1200 (Type 1, Beetle), Volkswagen 1200 (Type 1, Beetle). Behind the dark coloured Beetle is a Citroën Ami6 and probably a NSU Prinz 4.

Third row, left to right:

Ford Anglia Sportsman (123E), unidentified car behind the tree, Ford Taunus 12M (P4), Citroën 2CV, unidentified car behind the tree, Volkswagen 1200 (Type 1, Beetle), BMW 700.