It happened this way… My first “real” job, one with a regular paycheck, Federal, State and Local Taxes ripped out of that paycheck and a W-2 Form was at a place called Bernard Hodes Advertising.

Bernie, as he forbid us from calling him, was a salesman who had done good. He found a niche in the world of Help Wanted advertising where he would call for professionals and higher-ups in big companies. I began humbly enough, doing minor handy-man stuff in-office, but also going to the legendary “out-of-town” Times Square newsstand, Hotaling’s, to get huge piles of weekend newspapers from around the country. That was the big-buck Sunday ads. The advertisers really wanted to see a real piece of paper with their ad on it for every day we charged them. That’s where I came in, overcoming my dread of cold-calling and sweet-talking the back-issue departments of newspapers from coast to coast so they would send us “tear sheets” so we could get paid.

As regards to this being a stepping stone to Marvel, I also learned to use an antique Photostat camera. When Marvel asked if I knew how to use a stat camera, I could answer with a straight face, yes! In truth, the two cameras could not have been more different. About like a car and a skateboard both having four wheels and carrying people.

711 Fifth Avenue—it was the Coca-Cola Building! No; there was not a soda fountain open to the public or building coke dispensers for free. No. In the luxurious first floor was the Steuben Glass showroom! Super-duper leaded glass crystal and no; there were no “seconds” available to be had for diet cheap. No.
But there was one tenant, above us all. In fact, in the penthouse suite, just above Bernard Hodes Adv. One Otto Preminger!

That Otto Preminger! Academy Award-nominated Otto Preminger! Visual prototype of 1966 TV-Batman’s Mr. Freeze Otto Preminger! Famous director of Laura (1944), The Man With The Golden Arm (starring Frank Sinatra, 1956), Exodus (1960)—on and on! That Otto Preminger!

One has to reflect on living in Midtown Manhattan for a second. Yup, working in the same building as Otto Preminger. I can only guess as to why Mr. P. kept an office right on 55th Street and Fifth Avenue when his prime business, making movies was out West in Hollywood. I never thought to ask. Mr. P. and I shared an elevator many a time and I never even thought to ask for an autograph on a Mr. Freeze picture.

Now, a quick side-step shuffle to Marvel Comics. What was credulity-straining is that office’s proximity to this story. They were on 56th Street and Madison Avenue—a quick 3-minute stroll away (actually, also from where I lived right across the side-street of Marvel…). Perhaps it was an “event” for Coca-Cola that brought this story together. You see, Marvel had these costumes made up for store-openings and super-market appearances. There were a lot of “easy” ones, such as Captain America and his painted-up aluminum snow sled shield. Others, not so easy… like The Incredible Hulk!

Here is my best recollection of the Hulk costume they made in about 1975. The Inflatable Hulk!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was made of fabric, kind’a see-through. I guess that was a side-effect of the thin, stretchy aspect of the material and not intended. I could tell there was a young black fellow inside. Because one could see not only the suit well through it, but there was a green-tinted bit of clear plastic at eye-height in the middle of the chest. I was transfixed by this hilarious, but effective costume. Air inflated! There was a small battery powered fan set into the suit’s butt! The whole thing was easily 7 feet tall. Hand-painted or air-brushed details like the face and some musculature. The “fists” were ball shaped but a painted clenched fist was on each.

Getting in and out remains a mystery, no doubt a zipper at the waist—maybe only in the back. The legs, I think were the performer’s and grease painted on. So that means some kind of knee ties because the waist was loose.

But! The best detail was that it was possible for the performer to grasp the armpits from the inside. Not fit his arms in the “arms.” Yet this way, one was able to actually move the arms and fists.

The purpose of this event premium was to take Polaroid pictures of you and The Hulk. I don’t remember why I did not try to get one of those at the time.

And then, it happened!!! Ding! Whoosh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out stepped the eternally frowning Otto Preminger! A proto Man In Black in his jet-black suit. The Incredible Hulk was standing right at the elevator! Apparently not knowing who Otto Preminger was, the performer inside began to use the mobile arms to whack Mr. Preminger on either side of his head!

No, really! Mr. Preminger’s frown turned into a snarl of rage! He spun around and…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Otto Preminger vs The Inflatable Hulk!

Mr. P. laid into the Hulk with a will! He cracked the costume three or four good, full-body swings with his briefcase. No kidding, he was mad at this transgression! And the kid kept whacking him back! Yes, he did!

Now as real a picture as I am painting of then, I look back from now and tell myself, Mr. Preminger could have kicked this kid right over if he wanted to. This must have been what passed for the humorous side of Otto Preminger.

Alas, it was over in seconds. No pictures were taken as I recall, which is too darn bad. Without so much as a smile of recognition at what a good job he had just done, looking furious, off he strode with all the imperial majesty that Otto Preminger has. Still glowering and then gone into the Manhattan traffic just outside…