The Spiral Staircase (Australian Beauty and the Beast zine)
You may be looking for The Spiral Starcase, a Beauty and the Beast (TV) zine published in Canada.
| Zine | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Spiral Staircase |
| Publisher: | Beauty and the Beast Fan Club of Victoria |
| Editor(s): | Liz Czepiel, Pat Putyra. |
| Type: | |
| Date(s): | 1989 |
| Frequency: | |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Beauty and the Beast (TV) |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
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The Spiral Staircase is a Beauty and the Beast (TV) newsletter published by the Beauty and the Beast Fan Club of Victoria, Australia.
The club was founded by Liz Czepiel in Melbourne, Australia.
Issue 1
The Spiral Staircase 1 was published in August 1989. It was one-and-one-third pages (one A4 page printed on both sides). Editor was Liz Czepiel:
Welcome one and all to the Beauty and the Beast Fan Club of Victoria! I wish to thank everyone who has written or phoned me, offering helpful information which has proved invaluable.My original idea was to unify all fans into one unit - I believe that, in unity, we will ba able to combine our efforts into bringing back Beauty and the Beast so we can see all the episodes not yet screened, or repeated for those who were unfortunate enough to miss the few we've seen.
I am also hoping to have fun-filled meetings for those who wish to meet other fans and make new friends. As it happens, the motto for the club will be 'Let Me Help', so I have been delighted to find members already doing that...
...Take care one and all,
Yours in Vincent
Liz Czepiel
Liz spoke of a campaign to get the series returned to television, and of networking with overseas fans for mutual benefit.
She also spoke of plans to have a meeting on the weekend of 15th/16th October 1989 and invited people to register attendance; car-pooling was potentially available, and maybe even overnight accommodation.
Issue 2
The Spiral Staircase 2 was published in November 1989. Editors appeared to be jointly Liz Czepiel and Pat Putyra. Sixteen pages including copies of press releases. Also contains two pages of advertisements for Vincent clothing items, and black & white prints.
This issue included a separate petition to be signed and returned so that the collated material could be presented to Channel 7. Liz also thanked Pat Putyra for volunteering to become the newsletter editor. Pat reported:
The first meeting of 'The Beauty and the Beast' Fan Club on the 14th and 15th October was enjoyed by all who came.It is always good to make new friends with similar interests and to exchange ideas.
My name is Pat Putyra. I wrote to Liz like everyone else because I am a "Vincent" Fan, and hoped to do my bit in helping to get our show back on Channel 7. But I am sure now we have met we will become firm friends.
She also reported that Liz would be contacting the committee for Danse Macabre, the 29th Australian National Science Fiction Convention (13th to 16th April 1990) for permission to interview GoH George RR Martin about Beauty and the Beast.
A "Stop Press" item reported that due to the non-ratings period commencing on television, the series was returning to Melbourne's Channel 7.
A "Sonnet for Beauty and the Beast" by Betty Neiswender acknowledged Shakespeare's influence and it proclaimed (in part):
When in disgrace with CBS's eyeWe (not alone!) beweep our cancelled state
And trouble deaf network with our outraged cry
And look on mindless shows, we curse our fate...
Haply they'll bring it back, and then our stateLike to the lark at break of day arising...
Then will our cry be "PRAISES! VINCENT LIVES!"
Press Releases from Witt/Thomas Productions (with Republic Pictures) and The Lippin Group (NY) included one featuring information "About Beauty and the Beast", and biographies of Beauty and the Beast actors Ron Perlman and Linda Hamilton.
Advertisements from Beth Blighton in Michigan, USA, reported that she was taking pre-orders for Vincent T-Shirts, night shirts, and stationary.