The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 77

gcgflngtlrg'Sfmtg Thurr, Feb. 25,1 971 -nrtf ft ZZZZZZr Sleeper on the Phone Continued from First Page leader. "We like humor that doesn't point a finger at anyone or insult anyone." grew out of a whim. Bilkiss, a student at Santa Monica City College, decided to spin himself a daydream. Wouldn't it be neat, he mused, to have the first and last listings In the phone book? Getting the listings wasn't quite that simple.

There was already an A for the first listing and a ZZZZZ Wake-Up Service for the last listing. "What could make me first," wondered Bilkiss. He found out that when two names are the same, the street with alphabetic cal precedence goes first. That took care of A because his street started with B. But what about ZZZZZ? Add another Z.

"I had a hard time convincing the phone company that ZZZZZZ was my nickname. I told them I earned it by always falling asleep in class. "They agreed to OK it but I would have to produce a notarized statement confirming my unusual nickname. A friend stepped in as a witness and made it official." At that time Bilkiss was still living with his parents. Arriving home from school one afternoon (the day after the phone books were out) Bilkiss was met at the door by his father.

He had a "mean look" on hi3 face. "What's the matter, Dad?" asked the son. Off The Hook Your damn phone' been ringing off the hook all day long." Total strangers were calling. For no reason at all. What is this ZZZZZZ, anyway? "What do you want it to be?" groaned Bilkiss.

He knew then he'd gotten more than he'd bargained for. Bilkiss called his friend Dave Friedman for an emergency pow-wow. Within the next few days Bilkiss and Friedman taped a series of humorous take-offs on people asking questions about Z. "I don't understand this. What is ZZZZZZ, anjnvay? (Another voice) Like everyone else you'll have to wait and see.

Because ZZZZZZ is coming to Los Angeles." "Each week we worked on new recordings building the suspense on the coming of informed Bilkiss. "We set up a counter and began logging the calls, listing the title of the recording, the day it came on, time and number of calls it got. From February of 70 when we started, to last December we logged more than 100,000 calls." Word Spreads The word about kept spreading. One recording (Mission: Impossible) got 1,040 calls in one day. As things began getting out of hand Bilkiss summoned the help of friend Jeff Robbins who became a part of last March.

Jeff was particularly adept at Impersonations and it was fun again writing around his characters. By June the trio was running out of ideas and Jerry Leibowitz added fresh talent to the group with Ideas and art work. was now going on "live" for about an hour at a time twice a week. "We'd get so many callers offering to help us that we decided to get a P.O. Box so they could drop us a card with suggestions," said Bilkiss.

"One day this guy John Shannon called and said he'd like to help. We liked his voice and we liked his ideas. He had had a lot of experience in production work. He is responsible for Z's new format which came on In September." What's happened to is unbelievable most of all to its conceivers. How long will It go on? Indefinitely.

Why not, when they're having time of their lives. A It 1 I II 1 I ii I A 0 nr0 OUR TAKE-ME-ALONG COATS, 46.00 THSY SHED RAIN. REFUSE TO BS STAINED. OUR WASHABLE POLYESTER TRAVEL COATS BY ITEM HOUSE. THE CLASSIC SIX-BJTTON IN NAVY, CREAM OR RED CHEVRON TEXTURE.

I(H8. THREE-BUTTON RIB-KNIT IN NAVY, CELERY, CREAM. 8-18. MAILPHONE. ROBINAIRE COATssUITS.

SPRING BRINGS THE STRIPES OUT, IT'S HARD TO SAY JUST WHY. MAYBE BECAUSE THEY'RE AS BRIGHT AND BOLD AS SPRING ITSELF. HERE THEY STREAK AROUND DOUBLE ACRYLIC KNITS BY ROGER FASHIONS. THE STRIFE-BRIGHTENED TUNIC WITH SOLID PANTS, IN PIMENTOVHITENAVY OR AQUAyVHITELlME. SOLID PANTS IT STRIPED AT THE COLLAR AND POCKET, IN AQUA WITH BROWN WHITE OR PIMENTO WITH NAVYvHITE.

8 MAILPHONE CAREER DRESSES. Awards Luncheon Writer-lecturer Mrs. J. Simon Fluor will speak at the annual awards luncheon of the Southern California Woman's Press Club Tuesday in the Assistance League Clubhouse. SHOP AT- AKAKE1U PANORAMA CITY, CIES0 BEVERLY HILIS, 6LEX3ALE, 101 AXCEIES.

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