Theme: The First Family - Their names can be found at the end of the theme entries.
21A. *1950 Irving Berlin musical : "CALL ME MADAM". It starred Ethel Merman so that should give you an idea about what type of musical it was. Here is the Wikipedia LINK and it is worth a read if you have the time.
48A. *Pretend : MAKE BELIEVE
3D. *Barack Obama's 2008 opponent : JOHN McCAIN
31D. *Tag promoting organized labor : UNION LABEL
42D. Bible book where you can find the ends of the answers to starred clues : GENESIS
Argyle here. No pun intended. A solid Monday puzzle from Jerome but I still wonder if there isn't more to it that I might have missed, like anagrams or puns; some sort of word play I've come to expect from Mr. Gunderson. The names are all part of a larger word that makes them just a little bit harder to suss. Kudos.
Across:
1. Collegian's focus subject : MAJOR
6. Quite a way off : AFAR. Perfunctory 'A' word.
10. "... __ you any wool?" : HAVE. Baa!
14. With no shoulder to cry on : ALONE
15. Dust speck : MOTE
16. "Metamorphoses" poet : OVID. Have they made a movie of it?
17. Pacific salmon : COHOs
18. "Kablooie!" : [BOOM!]
19. TV lover's recording device : TIVO. It is already becoming passé.
20. Hankering : YEN
24. Bea Arthur role : MAUDE
26. Month between avril and juin : MAI. In France.
27. Swayed to and fro, as a cradle : ROCKED
29. Chewy Nestlé candy bar : BABY RUTH
34. Spanish folk hero : EL CID
35. The "thou" in "Wherefore art thou ...?" : ROMEO
36. Modern: Pref. : NEO
37. Custardy dessert : FLAN
38. More despicable : VILER. Is there a reason this follows FLAN?
39. Fraidy-cat : WIMP
40. Square root of IX : III. √9 = 3
41. Anti-wrinkle treatment : BOTOX
42. Feel one's way : GROPE
43. Cheap cigar cost, once : TEN CENTS. Inflation. "What this country really needs is a good five-cent cigar"
45. Tilted : LEANED
46. Stimpy's pal : REN
47. The V in PVC : VINYL. Polyvinyl chloride, what those white plumbing pipes are made of.
53. Nile slitherer : ASP
56. Teenager's bumps along the road of life? : ACNE
57. Taunting remark : GIBE. Is there a reason this follows ACNE?
58. Pricey fur : SABLE. (of the weasel family)
60. Farmer's yield : CROP
61. Icon clicker : USER
62. Perfect in every way : IDEAL
63. Alluring : SEXY
64. Skin ink, for short : TATS
65. Work a crossword puzzle : SOLVE. How have you done so far?
Down:
1. Department store founder R.H. __ : MACY. Love his parade.
2. The Body Shop balm : ALOE. NOT an automotive body shop. Wikipedia LINK
4. Middle name adopted by John Lennon : ONO
5. Saved from harm : RESCUED
6. Stroll along : AMBLE
7. April 1st dupe : FOOL
8. Basic unit of matter : ATOM
9. Keep in mind : REMEMBER
10. A lot of hooey : HOT AIR
11. Raring to go : AVID
12. Brawny rival : VIVA. I'm a Scott paper towel fan, myself.
13. Biblical kingdom near the Dead Sea : EDOM. The Edomites are described as descendants of Esau. The name Edom means "red" in Hebrew, and was given to Esau because he was born, "red all over".
22. Recipe verb : ADD
23. Club sandwich condiment : MAYO. What do you use if you don't like mayo?
25. Related (to) : AKIN One 'A' word fro the Across and one for the Down.
27. Update, as factory equipment : REFIT
28. Stan's slapstick sidekick : OLLIE. And Ethel.
29. Square dancers' neckties : BOLOs. If not a shout out to Yellowrocks, it's at least a nod.
30. Early premium credit card, familiarly : AMEX. (American Express)
32. Arizona city : TEMPE. Also known as Hayden's Ferry during the territorial times. per Wiki.
33. Kept the faith : HOPED
35. "Hud" director Martin : RITT. Starred Paul Newman. IMDb LINK
38. Novelist Kurt : VONNEGUT
39. Fay of "King Kong" : WRAY
41. U.K. network, with "the" : BEEB. (British Broadcasting Corporation)
44. Willies-inducing : CREEPY
45. Actress Ullmann : LIV
47. Changes course : VEERS
48. Apple computers : MACS
49. Back forty unit : ACRE. on the farm.
50. Fort with bullion : KNOX
51. "Mona __" : LISA
52. "As if!" : "I BET!"
54. Czech, e.g. : SLAV
55. Soccer legend : PELÉ
59. Hullabaloo : ADO
Argyle
