Bøger af Tim Hollis

Many Alabamians may not realize how many of their fond memories involve advertising signs. Although these neon spectaculars, billboards and even signs painted directly onto brick walls were created expressly to persuade customers or tourists to patronize businesses, many such signs remained in place for so long that they became landmarks in their own right. From the California-inspired sign for Art's Char House and the ubiquitous signage of Bargain Town USA to Tuscaloosa's famed Moon Winx Motel neon masterpiece, author Tim Hollis guides readers on a hunt for signs that wormed their way into the collective Alabama memory.

"When you think about vacationing in the Ozark Mountains, Li'l Abner comic strip characters at Dogpatch USA or scores of their generic cousins elsewhere probably come to mind. But that would be only the beginning. The Ozarks region has dozens of attractions to offer tourists and locals alike. From the early music theaters of Branson to the kitschy tourist traps of Lake of the Ozarks, it is a unique part of the nation. Author Tim Hollis details the businesses that no longer exist, from abandoned roadside relics along Route 66 to the concrete prehistoric monsters of Arkansas's Dinosaur World." --

In 1966, North Carolina tourism moguls Grover, Harry, and Spencer Robbins began exploring ways to utilize their new ski facilities atop Beech Mountain during the summer. They brought in their associate Jack Pentes to come up with an idea. As a long-time fan of The Wizard of Oz, Pentes planned and developed the Land of Oz theme park, opening in June 1970. The park did not resemble the famous 1939 MGM movie or the Oz as depicted in L. Frank Baum s book. Instead, Pentes interpreted his own vision of Oz, with a comical Wicked Witch and a wizard who did not turn out to be a fake. The Land of Oz closed after its 1980 operating season and was left to deteriorate. Since 1990, however, its remnants have been secured and restored. The property is now available for special events, and a giant Oz celebration takes place each autumn."

Since May 21, 1932, tourists have been making the trip to the top of Lookout Mountain to stroll through what pioneers as far back as the 1820s called the rock city. This collection of huge boulders in a wild array of shapes and sizes was developed as an attraction by Garnet Carter, the inventor of modern miniature golf, and his wife, Frieda, a devotee of European fairy tales. Rock City Gardens quickly became one of the most famous tourist attractions in the Southeast, especially after Carter started a program of painting advertisements on barn roofs. During the post World War II baby-boom era, Rock City became even more of a destination with the additions of Fairyland Caverns and Mother Goose Village."

Chronicles for the first time the fifty-year history of the Disney recording companies launched by Walt Disney and Roy Disney in the mid-1950s. The book provides a perspective on all-time Disney favourites and features anecdotes, reminiscences, and biographies of the artists who brought Disney magic to audio.

Whatever happened to Bozo the Clown, to Aunt Norma, to Solomon C. Whiskers, those television celebrities who hammed it up between cartoons and contests during local kids' shows? In Hi There, Boys and Girls! America's Local Children's TV Programs, Tim Hollis tracks down the story of every known local children's TV show from markets across the United States.

Discover the mermaids, alligators, underwater mountains, and glass-bottom and submarine boats of one of Florida's most fascinating natural wonders! In this visual tour of the state's five largest springs, collector-extraordinaire Tim Hollis brings together postcards, advertisements, brochures, roadside signs, flyers, and souvenirs from the early days of these popular roadside attractions.

There was a time when rural comedians drew most of their humour from tales of farmers' daughters, hogs, hens, and hill country high jinks. Lum and Abner and Ma and Pa Kettle might not have toured happily under the "Redneck" marquee, but they were its precursors. In Ain't That a Knee-Slapper, Tim Hollis traces the evolution of this classic American form of humour in the mass media.