Greetings, Keel fans! I’m away from John’s papers at the moment, so I thought I’d give you a better picture of his worm painting. I posted about it a while ago, here. John used 35 earthworms to create this painting for an episode of the game show Play Your Hunch back in 1960; it also made an appearance in his novel Three Women. Here it is!
And here’s the explanation on the back..
Here I am examining that explanation with the composer Dary John Mizelle, photographed by Tyler Maxin.
Ad hnere it is hanging in my library. Below it is a cabinet stocked with stereo cards and magic lantern slides, topped by a stuffed Mothman from Point Pleasant. Beside it is a vintage Edison Diamond Disk player. Animation fans might recognize a cel from Sally Cruikshank’s immortal cartoon Quasi at the Quackadero on the wall above it.
Happy Summer!
So that’s the famous worm painting. As my kids would have said, it’s “kinda cool”. Thanks for the update.
Comment by Clarence Carlson — July 2, 2025 @ 3:51 pm
I’m fond of it, especially since John used to talk about it and wonder where it was. We found it on a high shelf in his apartment after he died.
Comment by Doug — July 3, 2025 @ 8:56 am