The Diggers on To Tell the Truth: Emmett Grogan tells it like it is (1972)

A first edition copy of an astounding book, copyright 1972, with art by Larry Rivers

Leave it to Paul Gorman to dig this up. Ringolevio, A Life Played For Keeps has long been one of my favorite counterculture memoirs. Its author, Emmett Grogan, has often been under-credited, or just plain written out of the history of "the movement" when it comes to the story of San Francisco, and bridging the gap between the beats and the hippies. Read this book, however, and you'll understand that Emmett was the man. He really had it sussed.

Anyway, not only does Paul have some great things to say about the book & its author, he also dug up the incredible clip below of a guest appearance by Grogan on that 70's game show staple, To Tell the Truth. Man, the internet has everything, doesn't it? It even includes Joe Garagiola. This is golden.

Movie of the Week: The Diggers of San Francisco

The Diggers movement began in San Francisco in the mid 60's. Post-beat, running parallel to the hippies but not really of them, leaderless & anarchic, somewhat formless & unorganized, its perhaps because of this they've never really gotten the attention they deserve. 

For more on the Diggers, check out The Digger Archives, and read Emmett Grogan's amazing memoir, Ringolevio: A Life Played for Keeps (I've read it twice).

Hat tip to the mighty Joe Nolan.