In the decades following World War II, the population of the United States underwent a massive migration to the suburbs. The society which became the “Patio Culture” of the 1950’s and 1960’s has been the subject of much criticism from intellectuals and social scientists both then and now. Much of the criticism can be attributed to the mind set of the critics themselves, which could be considered apathetic to the conditions of the middle class. While many of the social problems that the critics so poignantly singled out did, in fact, exist, they often did not manifest themselves to the extent that was claimed, and they were also simultaneously taking place outside of suburbia as well.

When undergoing an examination of the charges against suburban culture, one must take into account the mind set of the intellectual elite of the 1950’s. It must be understood that the conclusions they reached were usually based on a cosmopolitan world view; a view which included such urban facilities as museums and ethnic districts, most of which were lacking in suburbia. What they perceived as blandness and conformity were really only the home-centeredness that is characteristic of the lower middle class culture. Suburbanites were viewed by critics as outsiders who saw their community from a “tourist perspective”. The tourist mind set required excitement and a sense of the exotic, and this conflicted with the mind set of the homeowner which required a comfortable and secure place to live. This discrepancy in views created an intellectual disappointment by critics since their expectations were not met.¹

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The 1960’s Patio Culture coincided with one of the most prosperous times in American history. Despite the expenditures involved in running a Cold War globally, and a hot one in Vietnam, the U.S. provided ample opportunity for a prosperous middle class to thrive. Couples could build families on blue-collar wages, and as often the case, spoil them. Kids reared during the Patio Culture Era were often showered with materialistic goods usually in the form of toys. However, this newfound materialism was often tempered with the traditional childhood imagination exhibited by their parents from the Depression Era. A shiny new toy was often supplemented by a homemade one, and plain old sticks were always perennial favorites. The play was still a creative endeavor and the mind-numbing sedentariness that Xbox and other modern video games would produce had not been realized. Just like their parents, kids embarked on exciting, and sometimes dangerous, outdoor adventures in and around the neighborhood…only they were better equipped!

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The Slam Bang Theatre Orchestra featuring Icky Twerp (with umbrella)

Listen to the Slam Bang Theatre theme music!

Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Peppermint, Icky Twerp…screech!!! Icky Twerp? Icky was different. Slam Bang Theatre was different. Not better, not worse just…different! Gone was the candy sweetness which typified the live kid shows of the era. Instead, SBT portrayed an almost Vaudvillian brand of slapstick reminiscent of the Three Stooges.

Icky Twerp (a.k.a. Bill Camfield) wore a rumpled black suit, had black horn-rim glasses, and a small cowboy hat that was curled up on the sides with his wild black hair protruding from beneath it. We knew this was the guy who embodied real childhood values and would take on pervasive suburban conformity!

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Exotica! Just the name invokes thoughts of mystical tropical islands with lush rain forests! This musical genre was popular during the late 1950s to mid-1960s typically with the middle-aged suburban set who came of age during World War II.

Exotica offered its listeners a safe and acceptable release from the rigid mores of the time. Recording artists such as Martin Denny, Les Baxter, and Yma Sumac, just to name a few, created rich aural imagery of jungle paradises populated with colorful birds, tranquil lagoons, and happy natives. Beautiful women like “The Exotica Girl” (Sandy Warner) would languorously bekon from lush album covers for the listening public to experience the call of the wild.

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