When the story appeared it was labeled, ‘Ricky’s Wild Ride.’ I wouldn’t live that down for a long time. I bet those FBI Agents were glad they had been recalled.
The rest of the day was anticlimactic. Sign autographs, pose for pictures and sing my song, clowns, and jugglers behind and with me on stage. Midway through my little welcome talk a lady on a trapeze passed over me. You know just another day at work. The sword swallower was distracting.
The audience was cheering, yelling, booing, and awing in all the right places during the movie. The movie had been playing in the DC area for several days and you could tell that the people present had seen it already. Sharon later told me that we were breaking box office records.
I was so glad to be done with that day. I returned to the Willard after the second showing and collapsed.
Chapter 12
By the time I got back to Baltimore from the airport I was almost to Philadelphia. I had clearance to land before I took off. That was something different and would probably become more prevalent in the future as air traffic picked up. There was no doubt in my mind that it would.
Thinking that over I made a decision to invest in the flying industry. Not in airlines because they seemed to come and go, but instead invest in the companies that served airlines. Aircraft builders for one, and there would be a need for maintenance, engines, and catering to name a few.
Airport infrastructure would need expansion. As the airports got bigger the walks got longer, I wondered what could be done about that. I had read that in-flight movies were about to be introduced. It would be neat to watch one of my movies at thirty thousand feet.
It took longer to do the preflight check than to fly to Philadelphia.
Sharon had kept the car I had in Washington and driven it up to Philly. I was to have a marshal accompany me the day of the showing but other than that I was on my own. I was staying at the Bellevue Stratford.
The centerpiece of the Ricky Jackson Circus at The Boyd Theater was to be Dick Clark’s American Bandstand show. The show was going to be on TV so it had been announced in advance. Sharon explained to me that there would be nothing ad hoc about this show. No stampeding elephants allowed!
This was to be a professional presentation, so I had to just show up. Everyone thought what I had made happen to start the tour was wonderful but they were scared as hell about what I might do next.
Well, there goes my appearance with the Flying Wallendas. Just kidding; I’m not that crazy.
I was interviewed by one of the local TV stations. First of all, they wanted to talk about the stampeding elephant.
“Was I scared?”
“Heck yes! I would be stupid not to be scared.”
“What about the other stampede I had been in while doing the movie, ‘Sir Nickalous.’
“That was a little different, there I was trying to save a life, I was too busy to think about being scared and sitting on Jumbo with nothing to do but hang on, gave me time to be scared.”
“What would you like to say to those guys who threw the fireworks? They got away.”
“Jerks.”
“That seems harsh; they were just trying to have fun.”
“Fun doesn’t put people in danger.”
“Aren’t you overreacting? No one was hurt.”
“This interview is over,”
Maybe that was overreacting but I didn’t have to put up with that nonsense.
The other TV channels in town took them to task for tasteless questions and trying to sensationalize the interview. That channel tried to portray me as a spoiled Hollywood actor.
Sharon’s only concern was that they got my name right, Publicity, publicity, and more publicity.
After that, my role was limited to having my picture taken for charitable customers. Everyone would be given a signed publicity picture. I would welcome all to the show, sing my song and turn it over to Dick Clark.
Mr. Clark congratulated me on my new hit song. This was the first I heard it was a hit. I wondered how much it cost the studio. The Payola hearings had just finished and the scandal was rocking the industry. That didn’t mean the industry had rolled over, just gone underground. Yeah, puns intended.
Mr. Clark did make a comment that surprised me. He called me a versatile singing talent. Each of my songs was different from the other. I told him not to expect me to sing opera anytime soon.
After that, I sang to a fiddle accompaniment and left the stage. No doubt it would be a good show, but no fun at all, at least for me.
It went as advertised. After the movie started I left the theater and went to Independence Hall. I was recognized in line and ended up signing many of my ever present publicity photo’s. When I got into the room where the Declaration of Independence was signed it was an awesome feeling. I was surprised by the history of the Liberty Bell; I thought it had been rung on July 4, 1776.
There were frayed edges at the bottom of the bell. When the bell went on national tours people chipped off pieces of the bell. I wondered if any of those pieces were still identified as such or just in someone’s junk drawer.
I walked by the Betsy Ross House and Ben Franklin’s place. The more I learned about Ben Franklin the more I admired him. I wonder how he got to be such a ladies man.
My walk got a little out of hand. I started down Broad Street and ended up in South Philly. I had been warned this area was not
