1964 (May) Conventions, Hollywood Movies and Game Shows!

You'd think that supplying the equipment for two international trampoline competitions would be enough for any trampoline factory...but that's not how 1964 rolled out 

for the employees of the Nissen Trampoline Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 

     One full-size Spaceball unit plus additional gymnastics apparatus were sent to Washington D.C., for the 79th annual National Convention of the American Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (AAHPER), May 8-12th. 

     Nissen's National Sales Director "Bus" Charles Klinge and Dick Zuber, who handled Nissen sales on the East coast, were both on hand to greet attendees at the Nissen booth. An iconic photo below captures a number of gymnastics coaches who gave presentations at the special Gymnastics Section of which Coach George Szypula served as moderator.              

Upper Left: Bus Klinge and Dick Zuber at the Nissen booth
Bottom: A gathering of gymnastic coaching greats. L-R:  Unknown, Lou Bordu, Newt Loken, Dick Clausen, Carl Patterson, George Szypula, Paul Romeo, Tom Darling, Bruce Fredrick, Pat Bird.    Photos: Glenn Sundby

      Back at the factory, employees were all "abuzz" about the special delivery to the Chicago movie set of "Mickey One." The movie scene staged at Chicago's Ohio Street Beach called for 18 trampolines to be set up near and even in the water. Although the movie was a disaster at the box office when it was finally released in 1965, it did produce some great trampoline photos. 
(Check below for photos plus a link to the movie trailer)                                                                                                                                              
Looks like a number of the women in the office were vying to help drive the truck for a chance to see the then-movie heart throb: Warren Beatty!

"Micky One" photos:

LINK here to the movie trailer where at the 1:15 minute mark, Warren Beatty makes a daring window escape landing on a 

Nissen trampoline.

     Near the end of the month, my father George Nissen, was invited to be a guest on an episode of T.V.'s game show, "Missing Links," hosted by Ed McMahon and filmed at the Elysee Theater in New York. 
     According to the description, "A panel of three celebrities face a studio contestant who comes with an unusual story. He/she gives a statement with a blank at the end or near the end, and each panelist tries to guess the missing word. A correct answer from one celebrity wins the contestant $50, but an incorrect answer passes the turn to the next star. If all three missed, the host gave hints with a correct guess earning $25." (My father's unusual story? Why, HE invented the trampoline!)  

     Unfortunately, the series was cancelled after only one year and all footage destroyed. But back in 1964, T.V. sets were brought in to the factory and all enjoyed a little time off from making trampolines to watch the fun. 

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"Nissen's - - it's a great place to work!"