The family was on summer vacation in Wisconsin (Tom’s home state, and home to a big chunk of relatives — Hi Koeppens and Fossums!). Delores, TC, Christina, Stacy Manolakas, and a babysitter (who I’m sorry I don’t remember) traveled out by the Cessna push-pull prop plane. Way to go, girls!
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There weren’t many photo shoots, because, believe it or not, there wasn’t much (normal) publicity for the films. But there were a few photo shoots, some of which I’ve posted here on the blog. This is one I actually don’t remember. I’m not sure what this was for. I also don’t think these pictures were ever used. Pity. Austin Powers, eat your heart out.
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As I mentioned in the previous posts about the re-release of Billy Jack in 1972-1973, the promotion of the film was a blitzkrieg of publicity. Radio, TV, newspapers, news reports, live bands, karate demonstrations, girls with lettered cards, it literally never ended. For weeks before the film…
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Tom was one of the best friends newspapers (and radio and TV) ever had. He placed ads constantly… everywhere. But his favorites were the show business journals Hollywood Reporter and Variety. The combination of the overwhelming success of Billy Jack (and later the Trial of Billy Jack) and the lack of industry acknowledgment…
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Leading up to the premiere in each city, was the same Billy Jack circus: karate demonstrations, live bands, and the girls holding the cards that spelled B-I-L-L-Y-J-A-C-K. Below the circus is staged out front of the Glenwood Theaters outside Kansas City, Kansas. The picture on the bottom shows some of the incredible turnout.
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Here is Julie Webb at some kind of tennis event (don’t know if the event had any other tie-in to Billy Jack other than Julie’s appearance). Interestingly, tennis great Alex Olmedo (’59 Wimbledon champion, and tennis pro at the famed Beverly Hills Hotel for 30 years) is there, which makes me suspicious…
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When Tom re-released Billy Jack across the country in 1972 and 1973 (after it had already been the 2nd highest grossing film of the year behind Fiddler on the Roof in 1972), he staged a series of…
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Okay, I admit it. This post has almost nothing to do with Billy Jack. But when I scanned the photo I posted yesterday (11/30/2010) of Tom, Delores, Christina and guests, I was blown away by the back cover. Two things caught my attention…
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Tom Laughlin and Delores Taylor, with daughter Christina, at the Roy Clark and Minnie Pearl performance in the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. They are joined by…
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Tom and Delores rarely attended any Hollywood events, but on at least this occasion they were caught by paparazzi snaps, and the magazine thought it appropo to…
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