I would like each of you to write up the theme , which I understand but do not know how to express. First we have a reveal early on with 16A. What each successive starting word of the answers to starred clues is to the starting word that precedes it : SYNONYM (8). We then get our first starred clue/fill, 19A. *Popular clubs : HOT SPOTS (8) but it tells u nothing because first we need a 'successive' clue which we get immediately with 20A. *Ty Cobb specialties : STOLEN BASES (11) and the light bulb goes off because HOT and STOLEN both mean something purloined. But here is the twist, the next pair is STOLEN and TAKEN from 31A. *Dressed down : TAKEN TO TASK (11) with STOLEN now a verb. 38A. *Didn't allow to remain in, as political office : REMOVED FROM (11) gives us TAKEN/REMOVED. We then have REMOVED/DISTANT from 46A. *It's ancient history : DISTANT PAST (11) and we finish with DISTANT/COLD as in the b!@#$ acted so DISTANT. 50A. *They might be knocked down in a bar : COLD ONES (8) And to a second reveal of the brilliant ladder Don Hard G has built we have 56A. What the start of 50-Across is to the start of 19-Across : ANTONYM (8) which reminds us we have gone from the HOT to the COLD and from SYNONYM to ANTONYM. Awesome! 76 letters are theme related! And then he manages to work in AT LEAST, CREATOR. HAIRNET, OVER PAR, PATIENT, PINHEAD, SCIORRA, SEASIDE, ASTINS, CHEAPO, EPILOG, HOOPLA, ON TIME, PANAMA ,SHANTY, SKYLIT, SOBERS, and TOUPEE. I am worn out and have not even begun....
Across:
1. Birdbrain : PINHEAD. Clecho 46D. Birdbrains : DOPES.
8. Crummy : CHEAPO.
14. Annabella of "Jungle Fever" : SCIORRA. This ACTRESS born in Connecticut has had a very successful career in both movies and TV.
15. Producer : CREATOR. Literally true, but I found the connection slow to come to mind.
17. Equestrian's head cover : HAIRNET. There is always something new to LEARN.
18. Newscaster Lindström : PIA.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_7_J1nCf6Q
24. The last Mrs. Chaplin : OONA. 4D. Hullabaloo : HOOPLA. Really fun word and the equally fun. 54D. Hamlin's caveman : OOP.
26. Pros with schedules : CPAS.
30. Save : BUT.
35. Closing words : EPILOG. I never have used this spelling.
37. Hut : SHANTY.
42. Trouble : AIL.
43. Barely come (through) : SEEP.
44. Box "b" on a W-2: Abbr. : EIN. Employer Identification Number.
45. Magazine that published advance excerpts from Stephen King's "Firestarter" : OMNI. This was a fine MAGAZINE.
55. Like bogeys : OVER PAR.
60. Playing the waiting game : PATIENT.
61. Resort site : SEASIDE.
62. Pass : ELAPSE.
63. Minimally : AT LEAST.
Down:
1. Some email enders : PSS. I have never used PS or any variation in an email.
2. Dangerous, in a way : ICY. Cold.
3. Writer who said "The only abnormality is the incapacity to love" : NIN. Anais was born Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell, of Cuban descent. LINK.
5. Els with clubs : ERNIE.
6. Ancient Indo-European : ARYAN. Quite the HISTORY
7. Hydroelectric facility : DAM.
8. Pack up : CRATE. As a verb.
9. Five-time world champion skater Carol : HEISS. More ICE, but I think even Tin allows it for skating. A quick memory of our dear departed Clear Ayes and all our figure skaters who have come and gone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpKNkVpDORs
10. 1994 Costner role : EARP.
11. 5 for B or 6 for C : ATNO. I think the clue needs at least a 'shortly' as neither B nor C as atomic symbols are actually abbreviations.
12. Orpheus, for one : POET.
13. Scraps : ORTS.
15. Elect : CHOSEN. This time not a verb.
19. Leaping critter : HARE.
20. Sleeps it off, with "up" : SOBERS.
21. Theatrical piece? : TOUPEE. Nice misdirection especially near HARE.
22. As scheduled : ONTIME
23. __ choy : BOK
26. Windy City travel org. : CTA
27. Colombia neighbor : PANAMA
28. Actors John and Sean : ASTINS
29. Naturally bright : SKYLIT
31. Good, in Hebrew : TOV
32. Golden __ : AGE
33. Musical org. based in Kawasaki : TSO
34. Electrical measure : OHM
36. __-eared : LOP
39. Much of Nevada : DESERT
40. Emotional spells : FITS
41. Strand under a microscope : RNA
45. Resist : OPPOSE
47. Silly : INANE
48. Good-sized combo : NONET. Nine pieces.
49. Wreck big time : TOTAL. I had one car totaled when I was broadsided.
50. Deal : COPE.
51. Roundish : OVAL. ...ish.
52. "__ Smile Be Your Umbrella" : LET A. Who ever did it better?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdtsCb51T7Q
53. Boring type : DRIP. A 1950s term.
56. Arkansas governor Hutchinson : ASA. How many obscure ASAs are there?
57. Actress Vardalos : NIA.
58. Abbr. near a tee : YDS. Yards, as msot of you read this I am in another tournament.
59. Assembled : MET.
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