The Genuine Articles
Mel Birnkrant's
Footprints in the Sands of Time
CONTENTS
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          In retrospect, I realize that of all the bad decisions I made in my life, one of the stupidest was to shun publicity.  Now, looking back over the years, it’s become clear that every time I succumbed to notoriety, something nice happened to me.  But I was torn between feeling that going public might steer some amazing stuff my way, and fearing it would drive the prices up.  Therefore, I approached offers of publicity reluctantly, and set a rule that I adhered to unfailingly, refusing to be a part of any article, in print or on TV, that mentioned money.  This resulted in my turning down many an opportunity.

Recently, I attempted to contribute a few pages from my newly completed “Greetings from Mouse Heaven” to appropriate categories on Wikipedia.  And I was advised that I did not qualify as an expert.  Even as the creator of “The Outer Space Men,” miraculously still living, 45 years later, I was deemed unqualified.   And the "Outer Space Men Archive" of all the original art and images, along with a first-hand account of their creation, I posted to "The Outer Space Man" page, four years ago, where it has since remained, was suddenly erased.

A few kind Wikipedia editors saw this as a travesty.  One, in particular, who calls himself, "Curly Turkey," felt it would help me qualify if there was a Wikipedia page in my name.  And, to my utter astonishment, he generously created one for me.  In the process, I learned that every scrap of information that appears in Wikipedia must be verified in writing.  Thus, Curly Turkey based his information on the few items he could find on line: a 14 year old story in "The New York Observer," and  an ancient article in "The New York Times."

         
And that is how I came to realize that there is little remaining evidence that I was, in fact, ever alive.  Most of the few articles that were published, in my lifetime, now lie buried in the Sands of Time.  Therefore, compelled by curiosity, I’m embarking on a Treasure Hunt, to see if I can dig them up!  And this little archive, called “The Genuine Articles” is where I’ll save what I can find.
High School Daze, 1954 &1955
Memories of Mumford High
THE NEW YORK TIMES, December 19, 1964
Toymakers Create Toys That Never Were
NBC-TV, NEW YORK ILLUSTRATED, Feb. 14, 1970
The Object of My Affection Is My Collection
NEWSWEEK, December 28, 1970
NOSTALGIA, The Vogue for the Old
THE EVENING NEWS, July 9, 1973
Mickey Mouse Fills His House
THE NEW YORK TIMES, November 18, 1973
MICKEY MOUSE  at Newark BAMBERGERS
THE VILLAGE VOICE, June 1975
MICKEY MOUSE SUPER STAR
AMERICANA, November/December 1978
Happy Birthday, Dear MICKEY MOUSE
THE BEACON FREE PRESS, 1979
Needlepointing the Comics
FORD TIMES, March 1983
WANTED: EVERYTHING MICKEY MOUSE
SO-EN, "new life magazine", January 1986
From New York: Mel & Eunice Birnkrant
MAINE ANTIQUE DIGEST, November 1987
Bil Baird's Puppets Sold
COLLECTOR'S SHOWCASE, August 1991
A Darling New Face in the Crowd
ANTIQUE TOY WORLD, May 1994
Celebrating Celluloid
ANTIQUE TOY WORLD, October & November 1995
Living With Comic Characters, Parts I & II
NEW YORK OBSERVER, October 9, 2000
The Brave Little Collector
DISNEY MAGAZINE, Fall 2003
Mad About The Mouse
"MICKY" DETECTIVES, 2005
A Tale of Two Mickeys
IT'S ALL TRUE, June 7, 2010
Mel Birnkrant Interview Part I
IT'S ALL TRUE, October 11, 2010
Mel Birnkrant Interview Part II
MASSIVE FANTASTIC, May 28, 2013
Studio Visits: Mel Birnkrant Interview
TOR.COM,  October 17, 2013
Things from Another World
Kaiju Korner,  October 19, 2013
New York Comic Con 2013: The Outer Space Men 
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MESSY NESSY CHIC, April 15, 2016
Today I Stumbled upon a Secret Kingdom of Lost Toys
Greetings from MOUSE HEAVEN, September 2017
A Conversation with Mel Birnkrant
ANTIQUE WEEK, Feb. 25th, 2019
"Happy 90th Birthday Mickey Mouse"
To Be Continued: