Archie Andrews: The All-American Teenager
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
He doesn’t have superpowers resulting from a yellow sun like Superman or a radioactive spider bit like Spiderman.
He’s not a quasi-vigilante hero avenging the death of loved ones like Batman or the Lone Ranger.
And he never saved the universe like Flash Gordon or Buck Rogers.
His most extraordinary characteristic appears to be his ability to attract a girl-next-door and a rich girl who battle for his affection, attention, and love. Meanwhile, he cannot decide between the two.
He is Archie Andrews, the All-American Teenager and Riverdale’s favorite son.
As American entered World War II, Archie debuted in Pep #22 (December 1941) as a supporting feature with two other mainstay characters also making their respective first appearances -- Jughead and Betty.
Fledgling publisher MLJ Comics produced Pep. At the time, Pep showcased The Shield and other superheroes.
MLJ stands for the initials of the three principals who founded the company in 1939: Maurice Coyne, Louis Silberkleit, John Goldwater.
Each member of the trio held experience in the publishing world. Coyne - Accountant. Silberkleit - Pulp Publisher. Goldwater - Reporter/Editor. The Goldwater and Silberkleit families maintain control over the Archie brand into the 21st century, though the company name shifted to Archie Comics.
Goldwater wanted a comic book character like the popular Andy Hardy. Based on characters from the play Skidding by Aurania Roverol, the Andy Hardy films starred Mickey Rooney as a girl-crazy, slightly mischievous, but basically good-hearted All-American teenage boy.
Artist Bob Montana and writer Vic Bloom delivered a comic book version of a girl-crazy, slightly mischievous, but basically good-hearted All-American teenage boy.
In Archie: The First 50 Years, Charles Phillips credits Montana with being the heart and soul of Archie, conveying his childhood experience through comics, and defining a parallel teenage universe for our fantasies.
A rootless child who loved his high school years, Montana gave more than the statue of The Thinker, the hometown soda shop, and a number of his teenage pals to Riverdale. He gave the strip the emotional strength of his own nostalgia to create an idealized picture of teenage life that we all recognize, but none of us quite lived.
Montana’s vision of teenage life gave readers enjoyable characters in the teen populous of the quaint, fictional, and friendly Riverdale. These characters stand the test of time.
Montana et. al. introduced new characters for the adventures of Riverdale’s red-headed Romeo. Waldo Weatherbee, Riverdale High School’s beloved, bald, benign principal, first appeared in Jackpot #5, (Spring 1942). The story contains the mainstay Archie elements of slapstick, Weatherbee’s rotund shape, and Archie’s penchant for getting in hot water with the ‘Bee.’
Jackpot #5 also introduced Reggie Mantle, albeit briefly.
Pep #26 (April 1942) first showcased rich girl Veronica Lodge. The narrative compares her to Egypt’s Cleopatra and Hollywood’s Hedy Lamarr. Although Pep #26 depicts Veronica’s first appearance, Archie #1 (Winter 1942) revisits her origin in Prom Pranks, a story outlining an Archie hallmark -- the Archie-Veronica-Betty love triangle.
Beautiful, rich Veronica Lodge and sweet girl-next-door Betty Cooper battle for Archie’s affections in an intense rivalry that continues decade after decade. Betty’s feelings for Archie evidenced quite clearly in the characters’ first appearances in Pep #22.
In 1994, a resolution of sorts appeared in a four-part story entitled Love Showdown. In this story, Archie chooses the raven-haired sensually named Cheryl Blossom for his dating partner.
Other characters populating the Archieverse include Archie’s friend/nemesis and wise guy Reggie Mantle, sidekick and human eating-machine-yet-thin-as-a-rail Forsythe P. ‘Jughead’ Jones, bespectacled genius Dilton Doily, and proverbial dumb jock with a heart of gold Moose Mason. In a storyline to clarify Moose’s cerebral shortcomings, Moose suffers from dyslexia, a reading disorder. Through hard work, Moose overcomes this formidable obstacle.
Where familiar themes provide reliability, continuity, and safety, Archie writers continually face challenges to keep pace with an ever-changing world. Signs of the times inhabit Archie stories as they parallel, parody, and inspire popular culture. 1950’s Archie stories use several benchmarks of the decade -- hula hoop, sock hops, beatniks.
The character Purley Gates spoofs Elvis Presley in the story Fan Clubbed in Archie’s Pals ‘n’ Gals (1957-58).
The Man From U.N.C.L.E. inspired The Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.C.L.. Stories during the spy genre craze of the 1960s.
Miniskirt Madness in Betty & Veronica #142 (September 1967) reflects a predominant fashion of the times.
Social conscience factors in Archie stories as well. In particular, the 1970’s story A Matter of Prejudice sends a powerful message about prejudging the views of others. Veronica explains that some of Archie’s friends are not welcome at her party because they ‘simply don’t fit in.’ Archie immediately thinks she is referring to Chuck Clayton, a black student at Riverdale High. In fact, Veronica likes Chuck.
He’s welcome at my house anytime he pleases to come! exclaims Veronica.
On the other hand, Jughead needs to change his slovenly ways for the party. Chuck and Archie tell Jughead that Veronica is prejudiced against slobs.
Expanding the Archieverse into other media was inevitable. It occurred almost from the beginning. Archie and the gang found success on a 1940’s radio program. Thirty years later, Archie brought his friends to live-action television in two ABC specials -- The Archie Situation Comedy Musical Variety Show and Archie (an installment of ABC Saturday Comedy Special).
Archie aired on on December 19, 1976. Dennis Bowen plays Archie in both specials. He had a recurring role as Todd Ludlow on Welcome Back, Kotter. Gordon Jump (WKRP in Cincinnati) plays Mr. Andrews. Audrey Landers (Dallas) plays Betty.
Initially, the producers circulated David Caruso’s name as the actor who would portray Archie. Mark Evanier clarified the misunderstanding over Caruso’s involvement in an article for Comic Buyer’s Guide (August 25, 1995). Evanier states that while Caruso was set to play the title character, a contract dispute occurred the day before rehearsals began and long after the producers distributed press and promotional materials. Evanier was a Story Editor on Kotter and worked on the Archie production staff.
Variety reviewed Archie in its December 22, 1976 issue. The review gave encouraging comments.
Overall, one got the feeling that the special had come close to achieving its original goals and might yet turn up on ABC’s prime-time sked [schedule] -- possibly as a summer skein [series].
Such was not the case, though ABC aired the second special, The Archie Situation Comedy Musical Variety Show, on August 5, 1978.
Perhaps the most prominent of the Archie offerings is the string of cartoon shows in the late 1960s and 1970s beginning with The Archie Show in 1968. Music is a staple of the cartoons with the fictional group The Archies providing songs including Bang-Shang-A-Lang and Sugar Sugar. In 1969, Sugar Sugar earned a sweet success as the #1 pop song. Not bad for a group actually composed of studio musicians, including Ron Dante.
In the 1960’s the popular music arena enjoyed several genres.
The Beatles propelled a British invasion.
The Beach Boys translated the southern California sport of surfing into Top 40 Gold from coast to coast.
Motown’s girl groups sang to teenagers of the female persuasion with relationship problems, issues, and questions.
Folk’s mellow sounds offered an outlet for emotional confusion caused by the decade’s gravity-filled events.
Also prominent was the bubble-gum sound. And not group signified the sugary music better than the Archies, a group that never really existed. Sort of.
With television violence gaining ground as a hot-button issue, rock stars like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin enjoying popularity, and assassinations, riots, and war dominating the headlines, a void opened for children’s programming that could be sanitary, safe, and entertaining.
Enter The Archie Show. Don Kirshner directed the show’s music, also a sound decision (pun intended) as his experience included guiding another ‘fictional’ group -- the Monkees. When The Monkees television show debuted in September of 1966 on NBC, the four members -- Mickey Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, Peter Tork -- had little to do with making the decisions or performing the music. In The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, Fred Bronson explains the back story.
Screen Gems, the Columbia Pictures’ production company that filmed the series, owned a new record label, Colgems, and a publishing company, and put both to good use. Publisher Don Kirshner was asked to find songs for the Monkees to record. Kirshner turned to his roster of talented songwriters for material, which explains why the Monkees recorded songs written by Gerry Goffin - Carole King, Neil Diamond, Neil Sedaka, David Gates, Barry Mann - Cynthia Weil, and Tommy Boyce - Bobby Hart.
Bronson also details the Monkees’ involvement, or lack thereof, with the music. Michael, Peter, Mickey and Davy spent 12 hours a day on a Columbia soundstage filming the series, leaving little time for recording. That, and the production company’s doubts about their musical talent, led to studio musicians being hired to lay down the tracks for the Monkees’ songs.
Eventually, Kirshner and the Monkees parted ways as the group demanded more ‘creative control’ in selecting and performing music. When he took the Archies gig, Kirshner brought along Jeff Barry, the producer of the Monkees’ #1 song I’m A Believer. The song straddled the position atop the charts as 1966 turned into 1067. Barry also co-wrote two #1 songs with Ellie Greenwich. Both songs enjoy nonsensical titles -- Da Doo Ron Ron and Do Wah Diddy Diddy. (Phil Spector also has a songwriting credit on Da Doo Ron Ron. He produced it in 1963 for one of his girl groups -- The Crystals. Shaun Cassidy recorded the song in 1977 and it went to #1. Manfred Mann’s Do Wah Diddy Diddy reached #1 in 1964.
Archie Comics gave an origin or sorts to Don Kirshner’s involvement with the Archies. In Archie #189, the story The Music Man centers on the Archies pounding the proverbial pavement of show business with no luck. Every two bit, fly-by-night operator has turned us down or bounced us out. Archie remarks. Suddenly inspired, Veronica reveals her father’s friendship with Don Kirshner. The band lobbies Mr. Lodge to use his influence for an Archies audition. The story ends appropriately with Kirshner asking the Archies to record for his label, Calendar Records.
Barry’s first Archies single conformed to his titular technique -- Bang-Shang-a-Lang. According to Bronson, this debut song reached #22 on the Hot 100. But the Archies’ second entry, Feelin’ So Good, did not achieve such exalted status. It remained in the lower half of the Hot 100.
As the saying goes, the third time was a charm. Barry paired with Andy Kim to write the sweetly successful Sugar, Sugar. In the Fall of 1969, Sugar, Sugar held the #1 position for four weeks, selling more than three million copies and eventually becoming the #1 single for the year. Kim’s rendition of Rock Me Gently in 1974 would reach #1.
Hal Erickson notes an Archies curiosity surrounding Sugar, Sugar in his 1995 book Television Cartoon Shows, 1949-1993. [T]he first ‘Archies’ record album, advertised in TV Guide at the time of The Archie Show’s premiere, did not include Sugar, Sugar.
Ron Dante’s multi-tracked lead vocals and Toni Wine’s backup gave the impression of a full-fledged singing group. Dante and Wine broke the Top 20 with Leader of the Laundromat, a parody of the Shangri-Las’ #1 song from 1964, Leader of the Pack. Coincidentally, Barry co-wrote and co-produced Leader of the Pack with George ‘Shadow’ Morton and Ellie Greenwich.
Sugar, Sugar remakes include a Wilson Pickett version. It attained #25 on the Hot 100 less than a year after the Archies enjoyed the #1 position, according to Bronson. In addition, a rap version appeared in Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again, an NBC TV-Movie depicting the characters returning to Riverdale for their 15-year high school reunion. To Riverdale and Back Again aired on May 6, 1990.
Michael I. Silberkleit, Chairman and Co-Publisher of Archie Comics (and son of original Co-Founder Louis Silberkleit) recalls the predictability of successful music spinoffs from the cartoon show. In The Archie Show’s first week, it was the highest rated Saturday morning cartoon in TV history up to that point, so we knew we were on to something. At least two other Archies singles, Jingle Jangle and Bang-Shang-a-Lang wound up selling more than 1 million copies each.
Critics reproached the Archies for the bubblegum sound, music with no meaning, distinction, or depth. Archie Comics examined this factor in the story Bubble Trouble in Archie’s Double Digest #96 (December 1997). Upset at music critic Rap McNasty’s comments about the group’s bubblegum rock music in Groaning Stone and the consequent loss of a music video deal with producer Vance Forward, Archie fights fire with fire after seeing Jughead use his bubblegum to blow a bubble.
The Archies return to Vance Forward with their fearless leader persuading the producer while Jughead, Reggie, Veronica, and Betty all blow bubbles. The Archies are the king of good-time bubblegum rock and proud of it.
Forward likes the new concept. You’re right! I can see it now! The Archies appear in a great big, pink bubble! Surrounded by hundreds of fans all chewing bubblegum. As the story ends, the group’s new bubblegum video maintains the #1 slot for the third consecutive week and Rap McNasty visits for another interview. He apologizes for his previous words with action...blowing a bubble!
In the 1969-70 season, CBS gave the Archies prime time exposure with specials -- Archie and His New Friends and The Archie, Sugar Sugar, Jingle Jangle Show. Music also played a prominent role in subsequent Archie cartoon series in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s -- e.g, The Archie Comedy Hour, The U.S. of Archie, Archie’s Bang-Shang Lalapalooza Show.
Conventional wisdom dictates that The Archie Show first merged music into the Archie arena. However, the story Once Upon a Tune! in Life With Archie #60 (April 1967) features the believed debut of the Archies rock group.
To be thorough, The Folk Singers story in Betty & Veronica #101 (May 1964) hints at a musical venture with Archie, Betty, and Veronica showing their appreciation for folk music by writing and singing songs in the folk genre.
In addition, the story Beetlemania in Archie’s Pals ‘n’ Gals #29 (Summer 1964) can also be seen as a precursor to the Archies. Beetlemania parodies the four mop-tops from Liverpool. Archie, Reggie, Jughead, and Moose tire of the Riverdale High girls’ fascination with the Beatles to the point where they don mops as wigs and play at a school dance.
Like its British counterpart, the group consists of three guitar players and one drummer. The boys’ plan to regain the girls’ attention, affection, and focus achieves fruition. A strangely familiar song -- I Want To Hold Your Finger -- receives hails of A real home-grown product, too! and We could call them the Beatles!
After letting their air grow, the Beetles graduate from playing schools in the county to the State University prom to Ed Sulliman’s show. Their popularity mushrooms; its fallout reaches into even the deepest shelters and seeps through the most stubborn skulls. Beetlemania is contagious, incurable, and inescapable!
Alas, worldwide fame, adoration of girls at every turn, and monstrous success are not what they are cracked up to be. The boys want their regular lives back. When a disappearing act creates an even greater demand for the Beetles, we learn the entire story is, in fact, a dream sequence.
Archie’s frustration with the attention given to the real-life Beatles manifested in a dream...or nightmare, as the case may be. In the end, he sympathizes with their lack of privacy, constant pressure of celebrity, and unyielding performance obligations.
The Beatles also provided the fodder for two other Archie Comics stories. The story Bop That Beetle in Betty & Veronica #105 (September 1964) focused on the Beatles’ shaggy hair style. All in the Game in Laugh #162 (September 1964) highlighted a Beatles takeoff. This story shows Archie and Veronica greatly anticipating the Termites Five appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. They nearly miss it because of a short circuit at Veronica’s house.
In 1994, Archie Comics and Marvel Comics teamed up to present the most unlikely of pairings. Frank Castle, a.k.a. The Punisher pursues drug lord ‘Red’ Fever, a.k.a. Montana Bob, an homage to Archie’s original artist. His pursuit leads him to Riverdale. The somewhat sleepy burg receives unwanted excitement because Red bears a striking resemblance to Archie.
Archie stories maintain a strong integrity over the characters. Consequently, the stories have a sameness about them. Like the saying goes, some things never change.
The best things never do.