Tuesday, January 8, 2008

FLYING SUZY BLUE PART 7 - Bank Commercial

I can hardly believe it's been over 3 months since I did a blog on Suzy Blue. The last one was here. Others were posted on 7/9, 7/21, 7/28, 9/3 and 9/4.


(click to enlarge)

In September, 1982 Mickey and Suzy Blue were hired by Bank of Tulsa do a TV commercial for them. When he accepted we truly had no idea what an adventure this would turn out to be. I'll endeavor to tell the story step by step with the pictures and narrative.


They dress Mickey up as a Limo Driver. The first scene is his driving up in this black limo.

The next scene shows him exiting the limo.


He goes to the waiting balloon basket.



This is the young man who was in the limo. I failed to get a picture of Mickey opening the back door of the limo, and this young man getting out with his briefcase in hand and walking to the balloon.


Suzy Blue has been inflated and they are flying off to go to the bank.


In actuality they fly only a short way and land, but you don't see this part.


This is what is now taking place. Mickey is laying out the balloon for a second flight. Notice the two parachute jumpers to the left. One of these is actually the young man in the business suit before. The other is a photographer.


By now Mickey has taken off the limo jacket and cap and is firing the hot air burner for another flight.


One of the jumpers is now in the balloon with the other about to get in.

Here Mickey and both jumpers are getting ready and positioned. Our 13 year old son, Marc, is holding down the basket


They are now beginning to lift off. Notice the one jumper is sitting on the edge of the balloon rim facing the inside of the basket. This jumper is actually the photographer.

Here is Suzy Blue as she is up-up and away.


Here I am, with one of our crew members, watching as they float away and we are getting ready for the chase. Notice the fan has been picked up off the ground and placed in the pickup bed.


The story, at this point, must be told by narrative only because we do not have pictures. The balloon flew away out of the city area where these snapshots were taken. When they were out far enough and high enough it was time for the next step of the commercial. The photographer who was sitting on the edge of the balloon as pictured in the previous picture now stands, still facing with his back to the ground. The second jumper, the young man who had been in the business suit, climbs up on the rim straddling the photographer and facing him. The photographer has the camera on his helmet. When they are positioned properly and ready the photographer goes first, falling out backward and then the second jumper following shortly thereafter. The photographer is filming the 2nd jumper all the way down.


With the basket loosing the weight of two men it has shot up very high and very fast and Mickey must maintain control of the balloon at this point. He does so and begins to fly away. In a "normal" balloon flight the chase crew (me and others) would be following the balloon, as we have been to this point, and watching for it to land and be there to help with the landing and packing up of the balloon. In this "abnormal" flight the crew is having to locate and pick up the two jumpers who are now stranded in a field. In the meantime the balloon is flying away.


Here is one of the jumpers as we arrive to pick him and his gear up. In the meantime the balloon is flying further away. The crew cannot be in two places at one time. By the time we have located and picked up both jumpers the balloon is out of our sight and no where to be seen!!! We finally had to contact the local sheriff to help us locate and pick up the balloon and pilot. This is only one of two times that I ever "lost" Suzy Blue.


Now for the rest of the story. Since a hot air balloon cannot be flown on a designated route, but only by the wind direction, this commercial is taken in several different segments and then spliced together for the TV commercial.


The "customer" jumper is placed in a helicopter and jumps out and lands in the bank parking lot. The helicopter is never "shown" and the illusion is he is being dropped out of the balloon. The young man, once again dressed in the suit and carrying the briefcase walks into the bank to make his deposit.


This is the last shot with Mickey returning to his limo after dropping off his customer.


This commercial ran on all three TV channels 2-6-8 at various times, from October 1 through 31, 1982.


This was truly an interesting and exciting adventure and learning process for all of us with Suzy Blue that were involved. The moral of the story, as if we didn't all already know this, don't believe everything you see on TV!!!! Multiple filming and a lot of splicing can do a lot.

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32 comments:

someone else said...

Fascinating! I'm not sure I could go up in one, though.

Michelle-ozark crafter said...

Wow, how interesting!

Knit-Wit said...

I love your balloon stories!

You are right about not believing commercials. My kids were in a commercial recently for a new Christian school in town. They were there to make the attendance seem larger than it really was - we homeschool and they don't attend there for even one class.

Frazzled Farm Wife said...

Wow...what a great story!

Susie said...

Great story and I love how you've illustrated this with all your old photos.
xo

Cjdusse said...

Great post. I agree ... do NOT believe what you see on TV or in films. I once signed up to be part of the background for a movie and is was such an eye opener!

Barbara said...

What fun and I wonder if the bank got any more customers.

Carole Burant said...

Hello dear Susan,

I SO enjoyed reading this post...how awesome that Mickey and Suzy Blue actually got to be part of a commercial! Loved seeing all the pictures to go with your story...truly fascinating stuff! xox

Annie said...

What fun you had with Suzy Blue!!!

Susan said...

This is amazing...I love these stories you share, Susan.

Blessings,

Susan

... said...

another interesting and exciting adventure of suzy blue. thanks for continuing to share her story with us.

Momma Roar said...

Oh fun!! Wouldn't it be awesome if there was a copy of that somewhere?

Susan Skitt said...

How do you like that, Mickey and Suzy Blue, TV stars! Wow, what adventures you all have had! Just love it Susan. God bless today as you continue on the adventure of life that God has prepared for you. He will be with you every step of the way!

Nadine said...

Wow what an interesting story. A commerical...what fun.

Tammy said...

Wow...this was very fun to read, and I bet even more exciting to experience! Maybe just a bit too exciting when Mickey and the balloon starting flying away!

Jen said...

How exciting! I have always wanted to go for a hot air balloon ride! If I ever make it to Tulsa, could we go for a ride?

Jen said...

SHOOT! I would still come to visit anyways! Hope you are having a good day!

Ms. Kathleen said...

I have always wanted to do that. I have always that it would be a blast.
Wonderful story! Keep them coming!

Hugs and Blessings!

Melissa in Mel's World said...

Wow...that is really cool! I have never heard of your Suzy Blue stories, so this has been a real treat for me. Thanks for sharing a part of you with all of us!

Melissa

TO BECOME said...

Dear Susan, great post as usual. I want to wish you and your family a very happy new Year.

My main reason for visiting you at this time was to thank you so much for the prayers you prayed for me and my family in the loss of our sister. Truly, we thank you. connie from Texas

michelle said...

Very cool! You were quite the adventureous one! :-)

Praise and Coffee said...

You're a winner, come see me!

Sue

retha said...

Pleasant to have read about Suzy Blue again.

I read some where else there was a tornado in Oklahoma.(8 Jan)
I hope you and your family are all well!yy

Angie said...

What a hoot! Very interesting. Flying in a hot air balloon is something I hope to do before going on to glory.

Kimmie said...

How very fun...great memories to have and to hold ;-)

When my oldest was little one Sunday she came screaming through the house...'a loon, a loon...Mama it's a LOON!'

We were a bit baffled, as we didn't know she knew what a loon looked like. Imagine our surprise when we found a huge hot air balloon in our backyard! We lived in the country and it was the one and only loon...that ever used our yard.

Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted

MightyMom said...

way cool!

too bad you don't have a clip of the commercial!!

Jenileigh said...

Stopping by to say I love you....

Anita said...

Dear Susan, I very much enjoyed reading this story on your Suzy Blue! And I still remember the very first post I read on your blog and my very first visit here. It was on Suzy Blue, too!

Take care dear friend had enjoy your week-end!

Yours, Anita

Unknown said...

I found this fascinating! And Susan, what a figure, girlfriend! Whoo-hoo!

Charity Grace said...

What an interesting story!

Thanks for visiting my blog. :)

groovyoldlady said...

You lost Suzy Blue? That must have been scary!

What an exciting adventure for you guys!

Justabeachkat said...

Wow...loved seeing the photos and reading the story. Quite exciting and informative too.

I haven't been by in awhile (I know...bad me!), but I've sure had fun tonight catching up on all the posts I've missed.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Hugs!
Kat