I was watching THUNDERBIRD 6 on cable Saturday morning and came to think how many of the shows of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson I had watched when I was a child, and have still watched them on and off over the years of my adulthood, that is to say, WAY too many!!!
I loved all the programs I watched from their company, via Lord Lew Grade's ITC.
As a very small boy I watched FIREBALL XL5, then SUPERCAR, STINGRAY, and, a bit later, THUNDERBIRDS and CAPTAIN SCARLETT. When I was older still I watched UFO, with the great American actor, Ed Bishop, starring amongst those "crazy" British gals with the wildly colored hair ***smile***, and SPACE: 1999.
I really enjoyed the second batch of "1999", once Maya was added to the cast of characters. I do like Barry Morse, late of THE FUGITIVE, but I never felt that he "fit" in with SPACE: 1999. Catherine Schell, as Maya, was much more appropriate, and definitely more "futuristic" than Morse was.
I did not think very highly of some of the writing for the series, but I hung in there and kept watching, especially to see my favorite husband and wife acting team of Martin Landau and Barbara Bain.
I never got to watch such Anderson programs as JOE 90 and THE SECRET SERVICE, but I did see TERRAHAWKS, during the 1980's, and I really disliked that one, I am sad to say, the characters were not pleasant in either appearnce or personality-wise, in my opinion.
Some day I will see TWIZZLE and FOUR FEATHER FALLS, the earliest shows in the Anderson ouevre.
I also have to mention DOPPLEGANGER, also known as JOURNEY TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE SUN, with one of my other favorite television men, Roy Thinnes, formerly of THE INVADERS.
One final note, if you get a chance to see a late 1990's film, GIDEON, you can see a great cast that includes Christopher Lambert, Carroll O'Connor, Charlton Heston (in a sympathetic role), _and_ none other than Barbara Bain!!!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Meeting TV Actors
I am including a post from a famous SUPERMAN fan, "Jim", from my Yahoo group "The Adventures Of George Reeves" here, I hope that Jim does not mind:
In a message dated 05/24/2007 12:51:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, "Jim" writes:
I met Claude Akins many years ago while I was publishing "The
Adventures Continue" magazine. When I asked for a snapshot
opportunity, he graciously obliged. But I was so disappointed when
the flash didn't work. Instead of dismissing it, Akins said, "Well
then, Jim, let's go outside for the photo." He was busy, yet he took
the time for me to get that photo. How different he was from some
other celebrities who said, "Sure... you can snap a photo... for 20
bucks."
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When I got to meet Adam West, so this is _almost_ on topic, I had to pay $25.00, and this was back in 1987, so that seemed like a giant amount of money to me then, now it would be considered "cheap".
A person in line about fifteen heads in front of me complained bitterly to Adam about the expense, and Adam responded "Well, talk to my agent, he (she? i don't recall) can't get me these gigs unless we charge that amount and share the proceeds with the venue". Anyway, the person apologized for complaining, paid the money, and the line moved on.
I had my TV GUIDE with Adam as BATMAN on the cover for him to sign, which he did, and he told me he was only supposed to sign the printed sheets he had with him, he enjoyed seeing that someone had this old TV GUIDE ready for his autograph.
I did not tell Adam that I had lost my original copy years before, and had bought this one earlier that year, for, guess what, $25.00!!!
One point of interest is that I told Adam I was a big "Batfan" and loved his 20th CENTURY FOX series, but also that I loved him in THE DETECTIVES. I was only 30 at the time, and Adam did not believe that I was old enough to have ever seen that show, but I replied that I had seen the program on "5 ALL NIGHT", which ran on Boston's WCVB Channel 5, in the mid-1970's. 5 ALL NIGHT was the first after midnight, or 1:00 a.m., maybe, broadcast in my city, that ran from that time right through 5:00.
The station ran classic movies, THE PRISONER, MEDIC, with Richard Boone (another favorite of mine), THE ROGUES (who recalls that one? a great show about a "family" of con-artists), and other programs.
The much missed TV host of the program was "Weird Electric Uncle George", who sat in shadows, wearing a cowboy hat, and talked to the audience on camera, with his magnificent smooth as silk voice, and was really like a friend.
George Fennell, the on camera "Uncle George" got fired for playing bits of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA when it was to early to show them, that is when ABC told the affiliates to wait until August to do so, back in, I guess, 1978. I miss good old George, last I knew he was an announcer on a local "beautiful music" radio station.
Anyway, I still have that TV GUIDE with Adam's signature!!!
Holy Reminiscences!!!
:o)
In a message dated 05/24/2007 12:51:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, "Jim" writes:
I met Claude Akins many years ago while I was publishing "The
Adventures Continue" magazine. When I asked for a snapshot
opportunity, he graciously obliged. But I was so disappointed when
the flash didn't work. Instead of dismissing it, Akins said, "Well
then, Jim, let's go outside for the photo." He was busy, yet he took
the time for me to get that photo. How different he was from some
other celebrities who said, "Sure... you can snap a photo... for 20
bucks."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I got to meet Adam West, so this is _almost_ on topic, I had to pay $25.00, and this was back in 1987, so that seemed like a giant amount of money to me then, now it would be considered "cheap".
A person in line about fifteen heads in front of me complained bitterly to Adam about the expense, and Adam responded "Well, talk to my agent, he (she? i don't recall) can't get me these gigs unless we charge that amount and share the proceeds with the venue". Anyway, the person apologized for complaining, paid the money, and the line moved on.
I had my TV GUIDE with Adam as BATMAN on the cover for him to sign, which he did, and he told me he was only supposed to sign the printed sheets he had with him, he enjoyed seeing that someone had this old TV GUIDE ready for his autograph.
I did not tell Adam that I had lost my original copy years before, and had bought this one earlier that year, for, guess what, $25.00!!!
One point of interest is that I told Adam I was a big "Batfan" and loved his 20th CENTURY FOX series, but also that I loved him in THE DETECTIVES. I was only 30 at the time, and Adam did not believe that I was old enough to have ever seen that show, but I replied that I had seen the program on "5 ALL NIGHT", which ran on Boston's WCVB Channel 5, in the mid-1970's. 5 ALL NIGHT was the first after midnight, or 1:00 a.m., maybe, broadcast in my city, that ran from that time right through 5:00.
The station ran classic movies, THE PRISONER, MEDIC, with Richard Boone (another favorite of mine), THE ROGUES (who recalls that one? a great show about a "family" of con-artists), and other programs.
The much missed TV host of the program was "Weird Electric Uncle George", who sat in shadows, wearing a cowboy hat, and talked to the audience on camera, with his magnificent smooth as silk voice, and was really like a friend.
George Fennell, the on camera "Uncle George" got fired for playing bits of BATTLESTAR GALACTICA when it was to early to show them, that is when ABC told the affiliates to wait until August to do so, back in, I guess, 1978. I miss good old George, last I knew he was an announcer on a local "beautiful music" radio station.
Anyway, I still have that TV GUIDE with Adam's signature!!!
Holy Reminiscences!!!
:o)
Thursday, May 17, 2007
QUIK DRAW McGRAW
One of my earliest memories is of watching this character, shown here with AUGIE DOGGIE, and his show, it was one of "the high-falutin'-est, fastest shootin'-est" programs I "ever saw"!!!
I am just editing in here, long after I made the original entry, that I was delighted to learn, recently, that the DVD set of QUIK DRAW McGRAW is coming out in the near future, along with some other much awaited Hanna-Barbera DVDs, including BIRDMAN & THE GALAXY TRIO, and others.
Thanks to DC History group at Yahoo for this illustration, from a DELL COMICS comic book cover, characters are
(C) COPYRIGHT HANNA-BARBERA PRODUCTIONS!!!
Monday, May 14, 2007
STELLA DALLAS for Mother's Day!!!
What a way to spend the evening, after Mother's Day!!!
I had not seen all of Barbara Stanwyck's movies, but had seen many, except that this was one of the big ones that I had missed, so I watched the TCM airing of STELLA DALLAS last night, following a nice afternnon with my Mum, and my better half, Susan.
I cry from movies very easily, this one _really_ got me almost blubbering.
Anne Shir;ey is so adorable, and what the Stanwyck character did for the Shirley character is unbelievable!!!
Taken out of context I do not care for her actions, and how it affects her daughter's life,but, within the framework of the story, wow, it is amazing.
A beautifully acted film that gor four Oscar noms. too bad it was not a winner, as far as AMPAS was concerned!!!
I had not seen all of Barbara Stanwyck's movies, but had seen many, except that this was one of the big ones that I had missed, so I watched the TCM airing of STELLA DALLAS last night, following a nice afternnon with my Mum, and my better half, Susan.
I cry from movies very easily, this one _really_ got me almost blubbering.
Anne Shir;ey is so adorable, and what the Stanwyck character did for the Shirley character is unbelievable!!!
Taken out of context I do not care for her actions, and how it affects her daughter's life,but, within the framework of the story, wow, it is amazing.
A beautifully acted film that gor four Oscar noms. too bad it was not a winner, as far as AMPAS was concerned!!!
Sunday, May 6, 2007
RADIO & TV CLASSICS LIVE!!!
Friday May 4th and Saturday May 5th, I went, as usual, to these live shows, at Massasoit Community College, in Brockton, MA, for their 18th annual performance.
Beverly Garland was supposed to come, but, sadly had to cancel, I'd have loved to meet the gal who starred in DECOY, and played Steve Douglas' wife at the end of MY THREE SONS' long run, but it was not to be.
Also sadly, Bob Elliot was not able to come to accept his award when he was entered into The Masachusetts Radio & Television Hall Of Fame, but Tom Goulding, son of the late Ray Goulding, was on hand, so that we did get a BOB & RAY live performance, with Tom playing his late Dad, and famed Boston radio personality, Jess Cain, played the Bob Elliot part.
Robert Horton, of WAGON TRAIN and A MAN CALLED SHENANDOAH, came for the first time this year, and he is in fine shape, and still very rugged and handsome.
Another of my childhood heroes, Rex Trailer, who hosted Saturday and Sunday morning kid shows in Boston from 1956 until 1976, came also, and played THE LONE RANGER, in a newly written show where the ranger visits DUFFY'S TAVERN.
A very fun show, as usual!!!
I will be adding a link here later on, for next year's show!!!
Beverly Garland was supposed to come, but, sadly had to cancel, I'd have loved to meet the gal who starred in DECOY, and played Steve Douglas' wife at the end of MY THREE SONS' long run, but it was not to be.
Also sadly, Bob Elliot was not able to come to accept his award when he was entered into The Masachusetts Radio & Television Hall Of Fame, but Tom Goulding, son of the late Ray Goulding, was on hand, so that we did get a BOB & RAY live performance, with Tom playing his late Dad, and famed Boston radio personality, Jess Cain, played the Bob Elliot part.
Robert Horton, of WAGON TRAIN and A MAN CALLED SHENANDOAH, came for the first time this year, and he is in fine shape, and still very rugged and handsome.
Another of my childhood heroes, Rex Trailer, who hosted Saturday and Sunday morning kid shows in Boston from 1956 until 1976, came also, and played THE LONE RANGER, in a newly written show where the ranger visits DUFFY'S TAVERN.
A very fun show, as usual!!!
I will be adding a link here later on, for next year's show!!!
Saturday, May 5, 2007
WKRP IN CINCINNATI is on DVD!!!
As you know, that is, if you have read my list of my favorite television series, this is one of them!!!
I was disappointed at the unfair treatment the series received in it's original run, when it was bounced around the schedule, and, apparently, never got a large enough audience to keep it on the airwaves.
I, however, watched it without fail when it was on, even though I was in college at the time, and should have been studying more.
The antics of Andy, Venus, Herb, Les, Jennifer, Bailey, and Mr. Carlson and his mother are among the best character-driven sitcom doings ever, and I am pleased that they are coming out on DVD.
I did purchase a boxed-set of VHS tapes years ago, but this DVD set has all of Season One, including the classic Thanksgiving show, and, I believe, from the description from the manufacturer, the episode in which Carlson's son runs away from military school, and has an interesting encounter with Venus.
The DVD set also includes the _two_ series pilots, I did not know it had two, and commentaries from some of the cast members.
I believe that WKRP is a must for any fan of good television shows!!!
I want a copy of this really badly, I hope I end up getting one.
Here is an ordering link to click on to order the DVD:
I was disappointed at the unfair treatment the series received in it's original run, when it was bounced around the schedule, and, apparently, never got a large enough audience to keep it on the airwaves.
I, however, watched it without fail when it was on, even though I was in college at the time, and should have been studying more.
The antics of Andy, Venus, Herb, Les, Jennifer, Bailey, and Mr. Carlson and his mother are among the best character-driven sitcom doings ever, and I am pleased that they are coming out on DVD.
I did purchase a boxed-set of VHS tapes years ago, but this DVD set has all of Season One, including the classic Thanksgiving show, and, I believe, from the description from the manufacturer, the episode in which Carlson's son runs away from military school, and has an interesting encounter with Venus.
The DVD set also includes the _two_ series pilots, I did not know it had two, and commentaries from some of the cast members.
I believe that WKRP is a must for any fan of good television shows!!!
I want a copy of this really badly, I hope I end up getting one.
Here is an ordering link to click on to order the DVD:
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
HEROES and BOSTON LEGAL: Insomnia got the better of me this week!!!
AWP!!!
I've been having even worse trouble than usual sleeping lately, so that beat me and I slept through *all* of HEROES on Monday, and most of BOSTON LEGAL on Tuesday!!!
:o(
I've been having even worse trouble than usual sleeping lately, so that beat me and I slept through *all* of HEROES on Monday, and most of BOSTON LEGAL on Tuesday!!!
:o(
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
THE MOST SUPER HERO EVER ON US TELEVISION!!!
Photo for this entry was supplied by "SUPERFAN" Steve Chung, and is (C) COPYRIGHT DC COMICS!!!
I'm talking about the late, great GEORGE REEVES, who played SUPERMAN and CLARK KENT on television for six seasons, from 1953 through 1957 (following the theatrical feature SUPERMAN & THE MOLE MEN in 1951) , and would have played the characters for another season if he was not the victim of an apparent murder plot that ended the actor/director's career in 1959.
Reevs portrayed THE MAN OF STEEL and his be-spectacled alter ego with a great spark of humanity, good-natured humor, and dramatic grit that is absent in the portrayals of most of today's film heroes, even those going as far back as the early 1960's.
The episodes of this series that are the best are often the earliest ones, made in black & white, and these are imbued with dark, mysterious "film noir" type detective plots. This crop of episodes, made by producers Bob Maxwell and Bernard Luber, were thought to be "too violent" by the show's sponsor, Kellogg's Cereals, so Maxwell and Luber were replaced by the well-intentioned Whitney Ellsworth, who had edoted the SUPERMAN family of comic books for some time prior to his entrance into the television industry.
The later episodes of the series still have some wonderful stories, but these, some of which were made in color, were definitely "dumbed down", not showing the show's intended, younger, audience, the respect they deserved.
I love all the shows in the series nonetheless, with the tough as nails Phyllis Coates playing Lois Lane in the first batch, then Coates is replaced by Noel Neill in the subsequent seasons as Coates left to star in a pilot for her own show, which, sadly failed to become a series. The great character actor, John Hamilton, who was seen in many old Warner Bros. films, was wonderful as Perry White, and young Jack Larson made a believable Jimmy Olsen. The character of Police Inspector William J. Henderson was a joy, as played by Robert Shayne, and numerous familiar faces from many years of television programs and movies, including Hugh Beaumont (LEAVE IT TO BEAVER), John Banner (HOGAN'S HEROES) , Chuck Connors (THE RIFLEMAN, BRANDED) and Dabbs Greer (THE GREEN MILE and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE) were among the guest stars, with Greer playing a different character in five episodes.
To get back to George Reeves, his SUPERMAN and CLARK KENT were not all that different from each other, both full of nerve and drive to get to the goal of bringing the unjust to justice.
and always with a "wink to the audience" at the close of the show.
Sadly, Reeves was having difficulty late in his life, due to his being "typecast" as SUPERMAN, and, despite his show of promise as a director, after performing that task for THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, he was still unable to get other work.
Reeves had played one of The Tarleton Twins in GONE WITH THE WIND, and had acted with the great Claudette Colbert in SO PROUDLY WE HAIL, but had lost any kind of following after his service in World War II.
It is a tragedy that the greatest hero the world has ever known lost that "never ending battle" and is not still with us today.
I Miss You, George.
I'm talking about the late, great GEORGE REEVES, who played SUPERMAN and CLARK KENT on television for six seasons, from 1953 through 1957 (following the theatrical feature SUPERMAN & THE MOLE MEN in 1951) , and would have played the characters for another season if he was not the victim of an apparent murder plot that ended the actor/director's career in 1959.
Reevs portrayed THE MAN OF STEEL and his be-spectacled alter ego with a great spark of humanity, good-natured humor, and dramatic grit that is absent in the portrayals of most of today's film heroes, even those going as far back as the early 1960's.
The episodes of this series that are the best are often the earliest ones, made in black & white, and these are imbued with dark, mysterious "film noir" type detective plots. This crop of episodes, made by producers Bob Maxwell and Bernard Luber, were thought to be "too violent" by the show's sponsor, Kellogg's Cereals, so Maxwell and Luber were replaced by the well-intentioned Whitney Ellsworth, who had edoted the SUPERMAN family of comic books for some time prior to his entrance into the television industry.
The later episodes of the series still have some wonderful stories, but these, some of which were made in color, were definitely "dumbed down", not showing the show's intended, younger, audience, the respect they deserved.
I love all the shows in the series nonetheless, with the tough as nails Phyllis Coates playing Lois Lane in the first batch, then Coates is replaced by Noel Neill in the subsequent seasons as Coates left to star in a pilot for her own show, which, sadly failed to become a series. The great character actor, John Hamilton, who was seen in many old Warner Bros. films, was wonderful as Perry White, and young Jack Larson made a believable Jimmy Olsen. The character of Police Inspector William J. Henderson was a joy, as played by Robert Shayne, and numerous familiar faces from many years of television programs and movies, including Hugh Beaumont (LEAVE IT TO BEAVER), John Banner (HOGAN'S HEROES) , Chuck Connors (THE RIFLEMAN, BRANDED) and Dabbs Greer (THE GREEN MILE and LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE) were among the guest stars, with Greer playing a different character in five episodes.
To get back to George Reeves, his SUPERMAN and CLARK KENT were not all that different from each other, both full of nerve and drive to get to the goal of bringing the unjust to justice.
and always with a "wink to the audience" at the close of the show.
Sadly, Reeves was having difficulty late in his life, due to his being "typecast" as SUPERMAN, and, despite his show of promise as a director, after performing that task for THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, he was still unable to get other work.
Reeves had played one of The Tarleton Twins in GONE WITH THE WIND, and had acted with the great Claudette Colbert in SO PROUDLY WE HAIL, but had lost any kind of following after his service in World War II.
It is a tragedy that the greatest hero the world has ever known lost that "never ending battle" and is not still with us today.
I Miss You, George.
LOST SHOCKERS ABOUND!!!
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Well, I don't know about you, but I am stunned, that our islanders may all be dead!!!
What a way to keep a "vidiot in suspense"!!!
The scenes about Sun and her father and father-in-law and mother-in-law are startling enough, but those about Sun and Juliet, and then that Juliet is still working for Ben, apparently being held hostage with a promise to do with Juliet's sister and her child, WOW!!!
Now that Sun knows how to get into the hatch where Juliet examined her I hope this means Doctor Jack will be going down there also.
I'm still waiting to see the fate of Locke, I missed the first ten minutes of the April 25th show, so I hope I did not miss something about John.
Going to ABC.com now to check!!!
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Well, I don't know about you, but I am stunned, that our islanders may all be dead!!!
What a way to keep a "vidiot in suspense"!!!
The scenes about Sun and her father and father-in-law and mother-in-law are startling enough, but those about Sun and Juliet, and then that Juliet is still working for Ben, apparently being held hostage with a promise to do with Juliet's sister and her child, WOW!!!
Now that Sun knows how to get into the hatch where Juliet examined her I hope this means Doctor Jack will be going down there also.
I'm still waiting to see the fate of Locke, I missed the first ten minutes of the April 25th show, so I hope I did not miss something about John.
Going to ABC.com now to check!!!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
HEROES Returns!!!
I love NBC's series HEROES, created by Tim Kring, who had similar chores on CROSSING JORDAN.
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Last night's episode was a real nail-biter, despite the obviousness that Claire was going to bring Peter Petrelli back from the dead.
Someone in TV GUIDE wrote to say that Claire's relationship with her "father" was one of the best on television, but her so-called father is a really bad guy (remember that there are kids reading this), and her birth father may not be any better, but I do give him the benefit of the doubt.
Unfortunately, I dozed off a bit before 9:00, while watching my BOSTON RED SOX, so I missed about the first ten minutes of the program, but it's not as hard to follow as LOST, another big favorite of mine, if you miss a little.
That villain on HEROES, Syler, is another "really bad guy".
I really love the characters on HEROES, but, wow, I am distressed over the kidnapping of Micah, I am on the edge of my chair waiting to see what happens to him.
Another character to dislike is Linderman, played so charmingly rotten by Donald Sutherland.
After his stint on COMMANDER IN CHIEF, a series that got treated unfairly by ABC, I am glad to see Sutherland in another series.
My favorite characters, on the food guys' side, are Peter Petrelli, Hiro and Ando, boy, I hope I got his name correctly, Claire, and the fun-to-watch Greg Grunberg, I don't know why I can't recall his character's name, but HEROES was away too long for my tired old brain to recall all the names.
Anyway, I do still love the show, I can't wait for next Monday!!!
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Last night's episode was a real nail-biter, despite the obviousness that Claire was going to bring Peter Petrelli back from the dead.
Someone in TV GUIDE wrote to say that Claire's relationship with her "father" was one of the best on television, but her so-called father is a really bad guy (remember that there are kids reading this), and her birth father may not be any better, but I do give him the benefit of the doubt.
Unfortunately, I dozed off a bit before 9:00, while watching my BOSTON RED SOX, so I missed about the first ten minutes of the program, but it's not as hard to follow as LOST, another big favorite of mine, if you miss a little.
That villain on HEROES, Syler, is another "really bad guy".
I really love the characters on HEROES, but, wow, I am distressed over the kidnapping of Micah, I am on the edge of my chair waiting to see what happens to him.
Another character to dislike is Linderman, played so charmingly rotten by Donald Sutherland.
After his stint on COMMANDER IN CHIEF, a series that got treated unfairly by ABC, I am glad to see Sutherland in another series.
My favorite characters, on the food guys' side, are Peter Petrelli, Hiro and Ando, boy, I hope I got his name correctly, Claire, and the fun-to-watch Greg Grunberg, I don't know why I can't recall his character's name, but HEROES was away too long for my tired old brain to recall all the names.
Anyway, I do still love the show, I can't wait for next Monday!!!
Friday, April 20, 2007
TRAGEDY IN VIRGINIA
I apologize if this is hurting anyone's feelings, but I believe that NBC should be making the tapes sent to them by this murderer available, in full, to the public.
Perhaps they should wait for a bit, until some of the "dust has settled", but I believe that these tapes would serve cautionary measures and enable people to know when a proper course of action must be taken to prevent similar tragedies from occuring.
I do believe that Cho must have believed that he was "martyring" himself, which is most certainly a misguided idea, and that there is no way anything he did should be celebrated, or have attention called to, but I think people should see what made this individual tick, and I think it is the responsibility of the _journalists_ at NBC and elsewhere to show materials of this kind, as they really may help forestall other potentially dark days in human history.
Perhaps they should wait for a bit, until some of the "dust has settled", but I believe that these tapes would serve cautionary measures and enable people to know when a proper course of action must be taken to prevent similar tragedies from occuring.
I do believe that Cho must have believed that he was "martyring" himself, which is most certainly a misguided idea, and that there is no way anything he did should be celebrated, or have attention called to, but I think people should see what made this individual tick, and I think it is the responsibility of the _journalists_ at NBC and elsewhere to show materials of this kind, as they really may help forestall other potentially dark days in human history.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
DO _YOU_ HAVE A DVR (Digital Video Recorder)???
As I mention in my JACKIE ROBINSON entry, I really want one of these, and, though our budget is pretty tight currently, paying $7.00 a month and being able to dispense with the need for most videotape blanks, as well as buying a new VCR, seems more practical to me.
Also, with a DVR, we would not keep piling up the programs we record, saving space in our small home is a must!!!
Comments are welcome here, please take a moment to do so!!!
I want to show them to my better half!!!
:o)
Also, with a DVR, we would not keep piling up the programs we record, saving space in our small home is a must!!!
Comments are welcome here, please take a moment to do so!!!
I want to show them to my better half!!!
:o)
JACKIE ROBINSON DAY
I usually watch baseball on television _only_ to see my beloved BOSTON RED SOX, but I had to watch the game Sunday night, when the contest was between THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS and THE SAN DIEGO PADRES, as there was a wonderful ceremony to honor the great Jackie Robinson, and how he was the first African-American individual to "break the color barrier" in (American) MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow, the great ballplayers Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson, and baseball commissioner were the speakers, and all the players of THE L.A. DODGERS wore Robinson's number 42 on their uniforms.
It was really a touching piece of both baseball and television history!!!
Our VCR needs to be replaced, so I could not record it, I really have to talk Susan into letting me get a DVR from our cable vendor, as much as I dislike adding to that bill, it would be more practical than buying a new VCR at this point.
Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow, the great ballplayers Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson, and baseball commissioner were the speakers, and all the players of THE L.A. DODGERS wore Robinson's number 42 on their uniforms.
It was really a touching piece of both baseball and television history!!!
Our VCR needs to be replaced, so I could not record it, I really have to talk Susan into letting me get a DVR from our cable vendor, as much as I dislike adding to that bill, it would be more practical than buying a new VCR at this point.
Friday, April 13, 2007
GET SMART, forthcoming theatrical feature!!!
http://www.wouldyoubelieve.com/movie.html
This is from the website of an internet associate of mine, spoilers are there, so, beware!!!
This is from the website of an internet associate of mine, spoilers are there, so, beware!!!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
MARVEL SUPER HEROES WERE ON TV!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGmIKvUjsFs
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In suburban Boston, in the mid-to-late 1960's, I watched MARVEL SUPER HEROES on the local station, WNAC-TV, which ran each character in his own half hour program one weekday afternoon per week.
CAPTAIN AMERICA on Monday, THOR on Tuesday, IRON MAN on Wednesday, HULK on Thursday, and SUB-MARINER on Friday, I believe, though I may have reversed the order on THOR and HULK, I am not positive.
The station had a live-action buffoon dressed as CAP, only from head to waist, so they never had to pay to make the whole uniform up, hosting the shows, popping up at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the half hour.
In one group of shows they had an off-camera voice of SUB-MARINER, taunting Cap about his long-lost love, "Yvette", when they ran "The Girl From Cap's Past", who, as the comic book fans here know, later turned out to be called Sharon Carter, in the comic books.
The programs had ROGER RAMJET cartoons as filler, by the way, and Gary Owens also participated, as the voice of RAMJET, and talked with the guy in the Cap suit.
WNAC packaged the cartoons with their own show intro, dropping this one on You Tube altogether, I got to see those on WPRO-TV, from Providence, RI, which ran all the characters in a two and a half hour block on Saturday morning, complete with this opening shown on YOU Tube.
Thank Good ness that I could get the RI station clearly, on the set in Mum's bedroom, in those pre-cable TV days.
That station is now called WPRI, for those still paying attention.
They had no buffoon hosting the shows, which I love to this day, by the way.
:o)
see also
http://comicshistoryenthusiasts.blogspot.com/
and
ComicsHistoryMistakeHunters
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In suburban Boston, in the mid-to-late 1960's, I watched MARVEL SUPER HEROES on the local station, WNAC-TV, which ran each character in his own half hour program one weekday afternoon per week.
CAPTAIN AMERICA on Monday, THOR on Tuesday, IRON MAN on Wednesday, HULK on Thursday, and SUB-MARINER on Friday, I believe, though I may have reversed the order on THOR and HULK, I am not positive.
The station had a live-action buffoon dressed as CAP, only from head to waist, so they never had to pay to make the whole uniform up, hosting the shows, popping up at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of the half hour.
In one group of shows they had an off-camera voice of SUB-MARINER, taunting Cap about his long-lost love, "Yvette", when they ran "The Girl From Cap's Past", who, as the comic book fans here know, later turned out to be called Sharon Carter, in the comic books.
The programs had ROGER RAMJET cartoons as filler, by the way, and Gary Owens also participated, as the voice of RAMJET, and talked with the guy in the Cap suit.
WNAC packaged the cartoons with their own show intro, dropping this one on You Tube altogether, I got to see those on WPRO-TV, from Providence, RI, which ran all the characters in a two and a half hour block on Saturday morning, complete with this opening shown on YOU Tube.
Thank Good ness that I could get the RI station clearly, on the set in Mum's bedroom, in those pre-cable TV days.
That station is now called WPRI, for those still paying attention.
They had no buffoon hosting the shows, which I love to this day, by the way.
:o)
see also
http://comicshistoryenthusiasts.blogspot.com/
and
ComicsHistoryMistakeHunters
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Whyfore Art Thou, Juliet, in LOST!!!
S
P
O
I
L see photos of Elizabeth Mitchell at:
E
R http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0593310/
S
P
A
C
E
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Stop reading this NOW if you are a LOST fan and have not seen the April 11th episode yet.
This one was devoted to the past of Juliet, who may not be what she seems to be.
According to IMDB.com (the Internet Movie Database), Elizabeth Mitchell, the actress who plays Juliet, would just recently have turned 37 years of age, I believe she wears that age well.
Ms. Mitchell has appeared in a number of CSI shows, in an episode of HOUSE, and played the title role in THE LINDA McCARTNEY STORY, as well as playing the partner of Dr. Carrie Weaver in ER and appearing with Tim Allen in THE SANTA CLAUSE and it's sequels..
Getting on topic, though, Mitchell is luminous as Juliet Burke, but there is a sinister side to her, I believe, though the circumstances of her sinister situation seem to have been caused by the manipulations of the real villain of the series, Ben.
Now that more of Juliet's background has been revealed, I am more anxious than ever to see what happens next with her, and really want to see what "the Others" have done with John Locke.
P
O
I
L see photos of Elizabeth Mitchell at:
E
R http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0593310/
S
P
A
C
E
----------------------------------------------------------
Stop reading this NOW if you are a LOST fan and have not seen the April 11th episode yet.
This one was devoted to the past of Juliet, who may not be what she seems to be.
According to IMDB.com (the Internet Movie Database), Elizabeth Mitchell, the actress who plays Juliet, would just recently have turned 37 years of age, I believe she wears that age well.
Ms. Mitchell has appeared in a number of CSI shows, in an episode of HOUSE, and played the title role in THE LINDA McCARTNEY STORY, as well as playing the partner of Dr. Carrie Weaver in ER and appearing with Tim Allen in THE SANTA CLAUSE and it's sequels..
Getting on topic, though, Mitchell is luminous as Juliet Burke, but there is a sinister side to her, I believe, though the circumstances of her sinister situation seem to have been caused by the manipulations of the real villain of the series, Ben.
Now that more of Juliet's background has been revealed, I am more anxious than ever to see what happens next with her, and really want to see what "the Others" have done with John Locke.
Old Age Sets In: James Garner series added to my list!!!
I am almost 50 years of age and have been ill for some time, so, please excuse me for leaving out three of my favorite programs, all starring the great James Garner.
Hmmm, maybe I should add NICHOLS to my list.
I'd watch footage of James Garner watching grass grow!!!
Hmmm, maybe I should add NICHOLS to my list.
I'd watch footage of James Garner watching grass grow!!!
ADVENTURE IS NOT "LOST" ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS!!!
If it means I live a pretty dull life by my saying that watching LOST every Wednesday night (ABC television, 10:00 p.m. EST), well, so be it.
John Locke, Kate, Jack, Sawyer, Charlie, Jin, Sun, Desmond, "and the rest" make for great viewing as they uncover the secrets of their island "paradise".
Each episode abounds with hidden treasures, if you can spot the titles on the books the characters read, it's great fun, and figuring out how a given song that is played can be also.
And, "Apollo" candy bars? They must mean "Mars" bars, at least, that's what I think.
The newer character Juliet is very magnetic, I want to see what the series has in store for her and Jack, and I look forward to the episode next week, where we get more details about Desmond.
I am anxious to see what has become of Michael and Walt, since Vincent still pops up from time to time, as a reminder that Michael and Walt were once major elements of the program.
I expect that LOST will run for at least a couple of more seasons, I hope that my feeling that the series is to have a finite run, with an ending where more questions are answered than presented, is correct.
John Locke, Kate, Jack, Sawyer, Charlie, Jin, Sun, Desmond, "and the rest" make for great viewing as they uncover the secrets of their island "paradise".
Each episode abounds with hidden treasures, if you can spot the titles on the books the characters read, it's great fun, and figuring out how a given song that is played can be also.
And, "Apollo" candy bars? They must mean "Mars" bars, at least, that's what I think.
The newer character Juliet is very magnetic, I want to see what the series has in store for her and Jack, and I look forward to the episode next week, where we get more details about Desmond.
I am anxious to see what has become of Michael and Walt, since Vincent still pops up from time to time, as a reminder that Michael and Walt were once major elements of the program.
I expect that LOST will run for at least a couple of more seasons, I hope that my feeling that the series is to have a finite run, with an ending where more questions are answered than presented, is correct.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Network Television Program Running Times
I was disgusted recently when I wanted to watch MARLOWE, a movie starring James Garner, on Turner Classic Movies, one of the best cable networks in the US, which began at 10:00 p.m., and HOUSE, one of my favorite network (FOX) programs, began at the ridiculous time of 9:07 and ran until 10:07.
Knowing that HOUSE would most likely re-run the episode at a later date I skipped trying to watch it and not see the ending, so that I could devote my attention to MARLOWE.
I mentioned this to a buddy, and fellow blogger, who said "well, it's their station", but I do not believe that I, as a devoted HOUSE fan who has seen almost every episode of the show as it aired "live" should have to tolerate this because AMERICAN IDOL began at 8:00 and did not finish before 9:00.
This sort of situation has become more and more common with American television in the last few years, but, to me, this is the height, or, rather, the depth, of such programming errors.
Knowing that HOUSE would most likely re-run the episode at a later date I skipped trying to watch it and not see the ending, so that I could devote my attention to MARLOWE.
I mentioned this to a buddy, and fellow blogger, who said "well, it's their station", but I do not believe that I, as a devoted HOUSE fan who has seen almost every episode of the show as it aired "live" should have to tolerate this because AMERICAN IDOL began at 8:00 and did not finish before 9:00.
This sort of situation has become more and more common with American television in the last few years, but, to me, this is the height, or, rather, the depth, of such programming errors.
Monday, April 9, 2007
My Favorite Television Series Past & Present
the 1950's
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Classic MAVERICK comic book cover (C) COPYRIGHT WARNER BROS. TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS
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*THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
*LEAVE IT TO BEAVER
*PERRY MASON
*THE MANY LOVES OF DOBIE GILLIS
*MEDIC
*TOPPER
*THE TWILIGHT ZONE
*MAVERICK
*OUR MISS BROOKS
*LOVE THAT BOB aka THE BOB CUMMINGS SHOW
*HIGHWAY PATROL (Broderick Crawford!)
*SEA HUNT
*THE RIFLEMAN
the 1960's
----------------
*THE FLINTSTONES
*THE YOGI BEAR SHOW
*ROCKY & HIS FRIENDS (later called THE BULLWINKLE SHOW)
*THE ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST
*UNDERDOG
*GET SMART
*STAR TREK
*THE FUGITIVE
*THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
*SECRET AGENT (aka DANGER MAN)
*MR. NOVAK
*I SPY
*THE AVENGERS
*MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE
*THE ADDAMS FAMILY
*BEWITCHED
*LONGSTREET
*THE IMMORTAL
*BEN CASEY
*HAWAII FIVE-O
*MANNIX
*THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS
*THE INTERNS (Broderick Crawford!)
*THE YOUNG LAWYERS (Zalman King and Lee J. Cobb!!!)
the 1970's
------------------
*ALL IN THE FAMILY
*THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW
* M*A*S*H
*THE BOB NEWHART SHOW
*KUNG FU
*THE WALTONS
*THE STREETS OF SAN FRANCISCO
*THE ROCKFORD FILES
*DOC ELLIOT
*HAPPY DAYS (early episodes)
*ROOTS
*LOU GRANT
*THE PAPER CHASE
*WKRP IN CINCINATTI
*BENSON
*SKAG
*THE ASSOCIATES
*THE LAST RESORT
*NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
*THE RICHARD PRYOR SHOW
the 1980's
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*SPENSER: FOR HIRE
*HILL STREET BLUES
*ST. ELSEWHERE
*POLICE SQUAD!
*MAGNUM P.I.
*AMERICAN DREAM
*BRET MAVERICK
*A YEAR IN THE LIFE
*MICKEY SPILLANE'S MIKE HAMMER (first group of shows, with Lindsay Bloom)
*L.A. LAW
*MIGHTY MOUSE: THE NEW ADVENTURES (directed by Ralph Bakshi)
the 1990's
----------------------
*NORTHERN EXPOSURE
*KEY WEST
*THE BEN STILLER SHOW
*PARKER LEWIS CAN'T LOSE
*ROC
*THE PRACTICE
*ER
*NYPD BLUE
*FRASIER
*BOSTON PUBLIC
*HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET
*DANGER THEATER
*SEINFELD
*EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
the 2000's (I can't get used to saying that)
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*BOSTON LEGAL (Denny Crane!!!)
*LOST
*JOAN OF ARCADIA
*GILMORE GIRLS (really belongs in the 1990's, as it began in October 2000, but I did not watch it at first)
*HOUSE, M.D.
to be continued,,,
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