tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11308710728301360092024-03-16T11:52:48.444-07:00Comfort TVdescriptionDavid Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.comBlogger429125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-61912655086770336212024-03-13T09:56:00.000-07:002024-03-13T09:56:37.624-07:00My Journey Through 1970s TV; Friday Nights, 1973<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Anyone
else have happy memories of Friday nights in the 1970s? Television certainly
played a role in those fond recollections, as evidenced by a closer look at the
1973 prime time schedule. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Some old
favorites were back for one final season, along with a couple of promising
newcomers that may have disappeared before they found their groove. As always,
the goal is to find out if I can watch at least one episode from every show –
but – spoiler alert – for this night it’s not looking good. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Friday, 1973</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Brady Bunch</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Odd Couple</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Room 222</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Adam’s Rib</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Love American Style</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Four of
these five shows would be gone the following year, beginning with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Brady Bunch</i>, arguably the decade’s
most iconic family situation comedy. Its last batch of episodes were a mixed
bag, with the unnecessary addition of Cousin Oliver offset by such memorable efforts
as “Adios, Johnny Bravo,” “Mail Order Hero” (with Joe Namath), “The Cincinnati
Kids” (shot at King’s Island Amusement Park) and “Getting Greg’s Goat.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The show’s
last episode, “The Hair-brained Scheme,” was so famously despised by Robert
Reed that he refused to appear in it. Thus, when the family returns home after
celebrating Greg’s high school graduation, Carol laments how Mike was out of
town and had to miss an important milestone in his oldest son’s life. All these
years later that’s still a bit sad, and I wonder if Reed had to do it
over again, given how much this fictional family has come to mean to generations
of viewers, he would reconsider. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6ZVx5YM-aFOBzsiVa1FKQ5jiL1tyFWhIzIzrtXavFw_fEZT408vhW5W3gB6QBM99sGnQFNO-bTVgP7sSIpva3e8gH1cIYIlBL7l-jHDRIaHkvUQM4ObYv2X_zDAjoxu1oLE6SjX6m_TcV1Q2Atno6Os_l1HdQRnnrn4tgUX6mX72_HtOZ98VnMj92UlI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="695" data-original-width="881" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6ZVx5YM-aFOBzsiVa1FKQ5jiL1tyFWhIzIzrtXavFw_fEZT408vhW5W3gB6QBM99sGnQFNO-bTVgP7sSIpva3e8gH1cIYIlBL7l-jHDRIaHkvUQM4ObYv2X_zDAjoxu1oLE6SjX6m_TcV1Q2Atno6Os_l1HdQRnnrn4tgUX6mX72_HtOZ98VnMj92UlI=w400-h316" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">No one ever
graduated from Walt Whitman High on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Room
222</i>, which also now wrapped up a five-season run, all with the same
students in the same classroom. Stuff like that wasn’t as important back then –
viewers had come to know and like Bernie and Helen and Jason, and would have
missed them if they were not around. That’s a lesson later shows like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fame</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Glee </i>failed to learn. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Love American Style</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">, another Friday night staple on
ABC, would also be gone at the end of this season. As would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Adam’s Rib</i>, an adaptation of the classic
film about lawyers in love starring Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. Tough
act to follow, obviously, but Ken Howard and Blythe Danner made a better go of
it than you might expect. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF5OwJEIowtG0JyDZd0vFs6_poGMi6zSRdi7Fsax33BJo38dXSA1gUwJKZJL434FRt1xdQhY2ezp4W-rsETk1Rb2-yZlVGoKGeSKXXbu6uL-taK9lFEiqvjPFrfjS38EuWhlck_FAAKapVLN8-6NSva3kvw1S8tkrlEeI55nm96KvKfDS_wMVMso6J3fY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhF5OwJEIowtG0JyDZd0vFs6_poGMi6zSRdi7Fsax33BJo38dXSA1gUwJKZJL434FRt1xdQhY2ezp4W-rsETk1Rb2-yZlVGoKGeSKXXbu6uL-taK9lFEiqvjPFrfjS38EuWhlck_FAAKapVLN8-6NSva3kvw1S8tkrlEeI55nm96KvKfDS_wMVMso6J3fY=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">So what
new shows would join <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Odd Couple </i>on
Fridays next year? Stay tuned…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Sanford and Son</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Girl With Something Extra</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Needles & Pins</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Brian Keith Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Dean Martin Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Sanford and Son</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> was the night’s top-rated series
at #3, but its strong lead-in audience couldn’t save <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Girl With Something Extra</i>, about a young married couple (John
Davidson and Sally Field) whose relationship is complicated by a wife with ESP.
Field’s subsequent stardom would revive this short-lived series in syndication
for decades. I enjoyed it for what it was, a half-hour spent with effortlessly
likable leads, ably supported by a quirky supporting cast: Jack (“Conjunction
Junction”) Sheldon, Zohra Lampert and Teri Garr. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2ayJfXDAUbxyyzCKF3LdxmFG6wBD6pQbWQzddeIclTvmqEOap67l7qN3iUh1Lzf1JNSiSgJzAftjO3ZVK9vsdKfMPLiTO3f_jWoN71UZdKyQzfEHhwIYOR-IJAKq8vqP6co_8sx5SEOIT9lm2ytb-_j9wHWujWLKPo7QMxRPabkC5jB8F_4csxjhStyM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="440" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2ayJfXDAUbxyyzCKF3LdxmFG6wBD6pQbWQzddeIclTvmqEOap67l7qN3iUh1Lzf1JNSiSgJzAftjO3ZVK9vsdKfMPLiTO3f_jWoN71UZdKyQzfEHhwIYOR-IJAKq8vqP6co_8sx5SEOIT9lm2ytb-_j9wHWujWLKPo7QMxRPabkC5jB8F_4csxjhStyM=w400-h255" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Set in a
clothing manufacturer warehouse in New York’s Garment District, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Needles & Pins</i> was gone after just
ten episodes. Having never watched it I can’t presume to know why it failed,
but perhaps it was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>because the cast was
comprised of veteran second bananas – Norman Fell, Louis Nye, and Bernie Kopell,
who I am now convinced must have appeared in every television show ever made. There’s
an extended clip on YouTube that suggests there may have been something
there with a few modest tweaks. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OJXPNO2lz0I" width="320" youtube-src-id="OJXPNO2lz0I"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I covered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Brian Keith Show</i> in a previous piece
under its original title of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Little
People</i>. And this would be the final year for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dean Martin Show</i> after nine successful seasons. Martin would
remain prominent on NBC as the host of a series of now-legendary roasts, in
which comics like Foster Brooks, Don Rickles and Red Buttons would skewer the
guest of honor with material that would now get them canceled in a heartbeat. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZZpC562HVM4" width="320" youtube-src-id="ZZpC562HVM4"></iframe></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Calucci’s Department</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Roll Out</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">CBS Friday Night Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Any
television show that gets “worst series ever” notices is one I’m automatically
curious to see. It’s hard to tell if <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Calucci’s
Department</i> earned that status from the few clips available online, but it
certainly doesn’t look like something anyone would miss. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">From what
I’ve read and the footage I’ve watched, it’s set at a New York City
unemployment office, where the beleaguered staff deal with a different set of
out-of-work visitors every week. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Top-billed
as the office supervisor was James Coco, one of those actors who never found the
kind of signature role that, when viewers saw him in other projects, they could
say “Oh, that’s the guy from…” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What I
saw of the show reminded me of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lotsa Luck</i>,
another failed 1973 series where the comedy emerged mainly from how miserable
everyone felt about their lives. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoOJS_paw7QsJekLZcEXchzGFf6mFYtTsZFxjxhiyBRwJn86mTWAGbT5U_DjVsDXU_SY_b4xY7vGMlG2SN9lz-TL7i-4LfWE_3bq_tBWr9Rua7G0jTWuhGR87OTkOb8ygnWHJcqn-xnFYZGj49ypH2v8ciCjjwbt1MIPJURe6jQ-2hv7yTFGAG_n_KNHw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="362" data-original-width="454" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoOJS_paw7QsJekLZcEXchzGFf6mFYtTsZFxjxhiyBRwJn86mTWAGbT5U_DjVsDXU_SY_b4xY7vGMlG2SN9lz-TL7i-4LfWE_3bq_tBWr9Rua7G0jTWuhGR87OTkOb8ygnWHJcqn-xnFYZGj49ypH2v8ciCjjwbt1MIPJURe6jQ-2hv7yTFGAG_n_KNHw=w400-h319" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">It was
followed by an equally short-lived series in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roll Out</i>, a military sitcom created by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">MASH</i> producers Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds. Set in France
during World War II, the stories revolved around the lives and adventures of an
Army transportation unit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>The mostly
African-American cast was led by Stu Gilliam, Hilly Hicks and Mel Stewart. The
comedy was much broader than what viewers enjoyed in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">MASH,</i> even in its early seasons, but was rarely actually funny
despite the amped-up laugh track responses. It was canceled midseason, and
replaced by another sitcom with an African-American cast – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Good Times</i>. That one was a keeper. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Shows Missed:</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">San Francisco International Airport
(1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Little People</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Sixth Sense</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Tenafly</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Faraday & Company</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Love Story</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Needles & Pins</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Calucci’s Department </span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">(1973)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-50576036363250010112024-02-27T09:49:00.000-08:002024-02-27T09:49:20.841-08:00How Classic Television Still Inspires People – Every Day<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">As I’ve
acknowledged before, outside of news and sports I pay very little attention to
the current TV landscape. But every so often a current series references the
classic TV era in a way that merits notice. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">Such a
moment happened last week when there was a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Facts
of Life</i> cast reunion on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Drew
Barrymore Show</i>. That alone would not be worth mentioning here, were it not
for how Drew paid homage to guests Lisa Whelchel, Nancy McKeon and Mindy Cohn. She
didn’t just share fond memories of watching the show – she described how much Blair,
Jo and Natalie meant to her, and how they helped to shape her own character. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCtyOXNAgvU4d9j-457usz3-XFO1niiJWoxDWdywvC5tU174NyDKcegvx0INQSunawqwCcnYsuxQjLLpX2Mer_mgnI3UbNY-eaCyMEKdCgT-JxEIIjb-05t-HHo1RkjI_aU54Q1w4SnNFXdpxLD7FhSXWU7QGHUjCzpptfy6fd9imFNIMAuMqxVKbfIdY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="474" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCtyOXNAgvU4d9j-457usz3-XFO1niiJWoxDWdywvC5tU174NyDKcegvx0INQSunawqwCcnYsuxQjLLpX2Mer_mgnI3UbNY-eaCyMEKdCgT-JxEIIjb-05t-HHo1RkjI_aU54Q1w4SnNFXdpxLD7FhSXWU7QGHUjCzpptfy6fd9imFNIMAuMqxVKbfIdY=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">Jo, she
said, “showed that girls could be strong and tough, and (she) helped take a lot
of intimidation away for females." Blair taught her about empathy: "Because
you know how popular, beautiful people can scare you sometimes? Blair was like,
'It's not about the outside, it's about the human inside.'” Natalie became a
“moral compass” and “a voice of reason.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">She also
commented on the impact the series had on young people who didn’t come from a
traditional two-parent household, as it depicted four young women growing up
with a beloved teacher in a de facto parent role: “You gave me a blueprint that
made my life feel better to me in every sense of the word."</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">They were
nice sentiments, and if she felt that way you can be sure other young viewers
did as well. We don’t know who they are because they don’t have their own talk
shows. But this was a disclosure that summarizes why the shows of the past
still maintain such an affectionate hold over us. I think it’s something that
can’t be celebrated often enough, so let’s talk about it again.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">“If you want to send
a message, call Western Union.” </span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">That quote
has been attributed in various forms to Humphrey Bogart, Bob Hope and movie
producer Sam Goldwyn, all titans of American pop culture from a bygone era. It
refers to material that overtly attempts to sway public opinion (or impose that
of the writer) on an audience – and why that approach never prospered back
then. They didn’t care about sending messages – they wanted stories and
characters that would interest the largest possible audience, and put some
profits in the studio’s account. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">There were
certainly “message” episodes in the classic TV era as well. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Facts of Life</i> had several of them,
often affectionately mocked by fans as another “very special episode.” Perhaps
they did some good, but I’ve always thought that the most blatant messages are
rarely the most persuasive. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg66ppjm8C0Ye7YVY7nVmQ6ft1GLCPBVGpGAKRDssDjvxDUYBRsfP7KLmoFJAQZqcYexox3QkkmLCIuA4J4d5QSMiqh-_jTJL-EQ2Zm-EcWBZsyERh0PN0w6Td79CRytcofLRjd9ZfMCDGXiN_vkqyru665KvioZ3Fj4mFgc4KxyjCWmGEyVz_QOUFkCDc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg66ppjm8C0Ye7YVY7nVmQ6ft1GLCPBVGpGAKRDssDjvxDUYBRsfP7KLmoFJAQZqcYexox3QkkmLCIuA4J4d5QSMiqh-_jTJL-EQ2Zm-EcWBZsyERh0PN0w6Td79CRytcofLRjd9ZfMCDGXiN_vkqyru665KvioZ3Fj4mFgc4KxyjCWmGEyVz_QOUFkCDc=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">That is
some comfort in this current and very different era of pop culture, one that
engages in what essayist Robert Royal described as “wholesale dismissals of the
past as irretrievably evil.” When the message is the fulcrum from which every
aspect of the project derives, and is wielded like a blunt force instrument, it
risks preaching only to the already converted. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">Goldwyn,
Hope and Bogie knew that was not a recipe for success. For proof one need only
observe how one entertainment brand, once revered and synonymous with the best
in family entertainment, switched from fantasy to advocacy, and hasn’t had a
hit in years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">But Drew Barrymore's reflections on <i>The Facts of Life </i>illustrates how messages are still being sent by every movie and
every episode of every television show. They’re not the colorful tasty frosting
on top of the cake, the first thing everyone notices. Instead they’re baked
deep inside, awakening our senses to their profundity only after several bites.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was
these kinds of messages that inspired countless young men and women to go to
law school because of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perry Mason</i>. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> that set
youngsters on paths to become doctors and scientists, and allowed Mae
Jemison to believe she could one day reach the stars herself. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-tFBKjfDMczYnzkQL0yz0S1BoCC7DTcvNVrYtZpi_j91TInKOyxnMvLc_aNV4cCAbFo3OIzL8OpRynM0Rbb6bGK0qZSPQ6U9A-PO3F3Y_kQbLPTaeKaf40PPlgPZFmgpX0Md_PxLjdq0cK0A5MF5lIG_yxvQYfxYtPzY-zVf4xEetKvGjfevNaMW3NdI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="714" data-original-width="1140" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj-tFBKjfDMczYnzkQL0yz0S1BoCC7DTcvNVrYtZpi_j91TInKOyxnMvLc_aNV4cCAbFo3OIzL8OpRynM0Rbb6bGK0qZSPQ6U9A-PO3F3Y_kQbLPTaeKaf40PPlgPZFmgpX0Md_PxLjdq0cK0A5MF5lIG_yxvQYfxYtPzY-zVf4xEetKvGjfevNaMW3NdI=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s the
wholesome family shows, so often ridiculed now, that nudged stressed fathers
and mothers into being better parents, and that helped sensitive teenagers
realize that if the boy or girl you loved didn’t love you back, it wasn’t the
end of the world. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">Such implications
were so intrinsic in who the characters of these shows were and how they lived,
that they didn’t have to be acknowledged to be effective. They were just…there.
And that is not something that should be cavalierly dismissed. What if these shows
never existed? Would these people still have entered new professions or
listened to their better angels without that inspiration, or would they have
gone in another direction that may not have resulted in a happier life?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiRd1FpklN-f-kktDq2wx7beI4KGjim772ZyMhroSb4cfqFpgFPPTgRXhh__wX3PnmsunCQoeijWNLjZYOnun1Dyj7qg6SMT501Jhf01A-dG6LOD6q-0KHC2X1VaC2SDVv5jgELXZ6V4R0W7ZPWwaMAPVXgTUzbKraGSRSnRFipl5JOMscW9RmfOIjx2k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1170" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiiRd1FpklN-f-kktDq2wx7beI4KGjim772ZyMhroSb4cfqFpgFPPTgRXhh__wX3PnmsunCQoeijWNLjZYOnun1Dyj7qg6SMT501Jhf01A-dG6LOD6q-0KHC2X1VaC2SDVv5jgELXZ6V4R0W7ZPWwaMAPVXgTUzbKraGSRSnRFipl5JOMscW9RmfOIjx2k=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">Shows from the
Comfort TV era no longer air in prime time on networks that count their
viewership in the tens of millions, but mercifully they haven’t disappeared
from the pop culture landscape. They
play daily on retro channels like MeTV and on demand from streaming services.
Full episodes can be watched on YouTube and other online sources, which may
result in a DVD purchase. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14.0pt;">The world
has changed, but their messages have not, and they are still going out. They’re
not as loud or prominent as they used to be, and they may sometimes get lost amidst
a larger wave of dubious counter-signals. But like that still, small voice that
Elijah heard in the Book of Kings, they can still reach those with ears to
listen. Through all the noise and the nonsense. And thank heaven for that. <br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-47278724014305657142024-02-15T10:30:00.000-08:002024-02-15T10:30:33.107-08:00Can Professional Wrestling Be Comfort TV?<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">If TV Land
were a real place, professional wrestling would be located in one of the
sketchier parts of town. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">It’s a
violent place full of tough men and women striving for gold and prepared to
beat up anyone who gets in their way. It’s a neighborhood populated by masked
men from parts unknown, who at any moment might hit you from behind with a
steel chair. It’s home to some heroes as well, but don’t get too attached to
them, as they can turn on you when you least expect it. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA50Xtq99hbynQMQ4zTeFHHLBnTf7tqSID9PjxtaF5hdQnFoZd45IebGUG_vKXAHm5xcp0PcX5MBcfWPI6Vh8mXu_bOziZvSYw9SBWgbZtB2uLgCNqCa6DgmpVokYv0dZqlYK81HKJke5HLvqXm0anfcA7TVXjgdgxKNHuz3tyHRu7c2gsDkiRGpOZV28" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="474" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiA50Xtq99hbynQMQ4zTeFHHLBnTf7tqSID9PjxtaF5hdQnFoZd45IebGUG_vKXAHm5xcp0PcX5MBcfWPI6Vh8mXu_bOziZvSYw9SBWgbZtB2uLgCNqCa6DgmpVokYv0dZqlYK81HKJke5HLvqXm0anfcA7TVXjgdgxKNHuz3tyHRu7c2gsDkiRGpOZV28=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">If you’re
wondering why wrestling even claims any real estate in this otherwise wholesome
place, then you don’t know much about the history of television. In the 1950s,
the first decade when TV evolved into a major entertainment medium, the wrestling
shows that aired on all four networks (the fourth was Dumont back then) were as
popular as Lucy and Howdy Doody and Milton Berle. Guys like Dick the Bruiser,
Gorgeous George and Killer Kowalski were household names, and fans of all ages would
gather around the set to watch the action from Chicago’s Marigold Arena, the
Grand Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, and the Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St.
Louis. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6yHua2Au8VmN1Fik-iRFbzRPqAMRZgVz_4PHoayIPMtychrabekORGNpsHBthKuwEBqI_nXH6Fj94iNQRRNAjUP0Y96x5YgDYk8saNcAoaV5hItbVA5ndNL4V1PcOB2-YJit4VNoOUDfPOVsr3P5uPbuZJ1MegylrMuuMczfyj3m9cEVifLT0NHmS6UE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="773" data-original-width="840" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6yHua2Au8VmN1Fik-iRFbzRPqAMRZgVz_4PHoayIPMtychrabekORGNpsHBthKuwEBqI_nXH6Fj94iNQRRNAjUP0Y96x5YgDYk8saNcAoaV5hItbVA5ndNL4V1PcOB2-YJit4VNoOUDfPOVsr3P5uPbuZJ1MegylrMuuMczfyj3m9cEVifLT0NHmS6UE=w400-h368" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Professional
wrestling is at the moment getting renewed mainstream media attention, but for
all the wrong reasons. A 60-page civil lawsuit was filed against World
Wrestling Entertainment CEO Vince McMahon, arguably the most significant figure
in the business over the last 50 years, and the allegations against him levied
by one young woman are as unsavory as one can imagine. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgjMG-S_ZdMF9pzMHu4J22ieBnmkec4NhyfD4VrOyZaxr2kA3DNW1VNy2VV15TKCA1YtSSMqMCz1adfVD2boZid5XuFFSDVb1otj8k2FDm0lf9ESYgLifU3msdRRA07QlmwLWlQjaXsRb6Az8jg0oUUXqSZAy6N1PVaZZ6sgHC86WzavoGQ5WpiKzCtbQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1400" data-original-width="1400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgjMG-S_ZdMF9pzMHu4J22ieBnmkec4NhyfD4VrOyZaxr2kA3DNW1VNy2VV15TKCA1YtSSMqMCz1adfVD2boZid5XuFFSDVb1otj8k2FDm0lf9ESYgLifU3msdRRA07QlmwLWlQjaXsRb6Az8jg0oUUXqSZAy6N1PVaZZ6sgHC86WzavoGQ5WpiKzCtbQ=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">So this is
probably not the best time to devote a blog to this subject, but even its more
ardent fans surely recognize that there has always been a seedy underside to
the whole enterprise. Its entire existence is based on a lie – that you are
watching a real match between two opponents, and not a choreographed
performance with a pre-determined outcome. Its roots lay in the carny circuit,
where conning the suckers out of their cash is the name of the game.
Championship belts are not awarded to the best wrestlers, but to those who
could pack the biggest houses and sell the most merchandise. At the end of the
day, it’s all about money.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">But when
it worked, they made you believe it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By
the time I was in my 20s and still a weekly viewer of the Monday night wars
between the World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling, I was
no longer the mark (slang for a gullible fan) I was when Hulk Hogan had finally
met his match in The Undertaker. I knew it was just a show, and the wrestlers
were “calling” their matches with whispered words and hand signals that were
imperceptible to all but the smartest fans. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Still, when
a feud was built property over weeks or months, culminating in a pay-per-view
match in front of 60,000 fans, we suspended our disbelief, just as we did when
George Reeves flew as Superman, and Samantha Stevens redecorated her living
room with a twitch of her nose. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">One reason
it once seemed so convincing is the lack of distinction between actor and role that
is obvious on any other scripted series. Many wrestlers incorporated details
from their own lives into their characters; others created entirely different
altar-egos. No one did it better than Ric Flair, who came from humble
beginnings but fashioned the persona of an arrogant self-aggrandizer who
flaunted his success and the lifestyle that came with it. Flair had the perfect
combination of skill in the ring and skill on the microphone – the promos he
cut are legendary among fans. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b5DIjKEAnXQ" width="320" youtube-src-id="b5DIjKEAnXQ"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Did most
of those fans realize they were just watching a show, or did they really buy
into it? Ask the heels – the bad guys who did everything they could to get
people angry enough to buy a ticket to watch them lose. Some were stabbed on
the way to the ring; others found their tires slashed when they left the arena.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“Kayfabe”
is the term and the objective that defined professional wrestling from its
first TV heyday up until about the turn of this last century. It means to
preserve the illusion that the fights and feuds were real. It’s pretty much
disappeared now – the artifice was impossible to maintain in the Internet era.
Those of us who were once drawn to the characters and the stories miss that
time when we were as excited about Hulk Hogan pinning Sergeant Slaughter as we
were when our favorite baseball team won the pennant. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I have so
many happy memories of those times, just as I do of the other classic TV shows
celebrated in this blog. I cheered for Hogan like any mark, but my first favorite
wrestler was Rowdy Roddy Piper, Hogan’s nemesis in the first Wrestlemania event
in 1985. The intensity in his promos could make you seriously doubt his sanity. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjECy9py74J2R5nso16bI98orecwijvWCgTrALW4HoublV89mP53LZftln-D02fDyT_eYOHP5YEvn84Mix57K90lfakq2Hc7PYVVEfGl-im0QXjawR1C0l2GJmo4e_2uC48CMHTPmyVh7iM8IzJ1M7KXEqYokyDhGTN6Mh5wcYBXrJ8w20bACG7pPFd2F8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="372" data-original-width="300" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjECy9py74J2R5nso16bI98orecwijvWCgTrALW4HoublV89mP53LZftln-D02fDyT_eYOHP5YEvn84Mix57K90lfakq2Hc7PYVVEfGl-im0QXjawR1C0l2GJmo4e_2uC48CMHTPmyVh7iM8IzJ1M7KXEqYokyDhGTN6Mh5wcYBXrJ8w20bACG7pPFd2F8=w323-h400" width="323" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Beneath
the spectacle and the fantasy, just as with any other successful series,
wrestling is a business, one that demands much of its stars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The travel, the nightly wear and tear of 300
matches a year, the schedule that demands you perform despite ruptured tendons
and fractured bones – no wonder far too many wrestlers die young, and those
that reach retirement age do so with broken bodies and substance abuse issues. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">But they
did it willingly because, for reasons most of us will never understand, they
loved what they did. It won out over family and relationships and personal safety.
And still after all of the tragedies and scandals, there is no shortage of
young men and women who are paying their dues right now hoping to become the
next superstar. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">That is
why every time you think wrestling has run its course, someone new emerges to
revive the entire business. In the 1990s, just as I began to lose interest,
along came the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin, and just like that I reverted
to the mark I was at age 14, and couldn’t wait to see what they were going to
do next. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMj8wMfUyEq4u2EHmVeksGlGjX7zdNarTDHyIAV52OiHtGgwbljKYYdLH9yNGSBpT-LinYBK9uRgJ17qtXeV5SSaKdh1qCgnDpKP6gnh0ZBa8DLiGf8_Bb_qhGqgEZP2LnYNb1TcGWCyfhbfbO6cB-xS0xi_fGVT3ZB0L9G1tNXXIYb-NSKNE42qGRdys" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhMj8wMfUyEq4u2EHmVeksGlGjX7zdNarTDHyIAV52OiHtGgwbljKYYdLH9yNGSBpT-LinYBK9uRgJ17qtXeV5SSaKdh1qCgnDpKP6gnh0ZBa8DLiGf8_Bb_qhGqgEZP2LnYNb1TcGWCyfhbfbO6cB-xS0xi_fGVT3ZB0L9G1tNXXIYb-NSKNE42qGRdys=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">But even
that is a long time ago now. I don’t watch the current stuff anymore,
but I will still spend an evening watching old matches on YouTube. And as much
as I can still be impressed by the spectacle of the huge main events, I appreciate just as much the clips from the old territory
days, where there were maybe 500 people in attendance, and some of the hopefuls
on the lower part of the card probably earned $20 for getting tossed
around by one of that territory’s stars. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Is there
something almost, I don’t know, noble in that? Something admirable about that
dedication to this odd mix of sports and theater, and how much it meant to the
fans that went on that ride with them? I think so – but don’t ask me to get more
analytical than that. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Instead,
let me list three of the best matches I’ve ever seen. If you’re among the
uninitiated, maybe they’ll make you a fan as well. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">1. Macho Man Randy Savage vs. Ricky
“the Dragon” Steamboat</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Wrestlemania III (1987)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The main event
was Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant, in front of 90,000 fans at Detroit’s
Pontiac Silverdome. This was the match that happened right before the
much-publicized headliner, and it stole the show. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGt5oBCdZq5-kniA_mCKyWgC8qFjb8Bj31PsjnEDVo7mX-VX5UuydxI4i62SiZ52JjlBXml491-kU9viFTODR0rgXd6FidOjaOYRYM3pYINsU7vqe5IASWbcP_CwuTo2LTTfS48if31pi8bpW_yC0ld_RvnGg7uJ1fM6bC6IiidQl1KTe8p2LqKjYRVlQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1199" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiGt5oBCdZq5-kniA_mCKyWgC8qFjb8Bj31PsjnEDVo7mX-VX5UuydxI4i62SiZ52JjlBXml491-kU9viFTODR0rgXd6FidOjaOYRYM3pYINsU7vqe5IASWbcP_CwuTo2LTTfS48if31pi8bpW_yC0ld_RvnGg7uJ1fM6bC6IiidQl1KTe8p2LqKjYRVlQ=w400-h271" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Every spot in the match –
every hold, every reversal, every fall, had been laid out and choreographed
beforehand. The action was non-stop, with 19 two-counts in under 15 minutes,
each one generating a huge crowd response. When Steamboat finally covered
Savage for the pin, he heard Randy whisper, ‘We got ‘em, Dragon.” Yes, they
did.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">2. Shawn Michaels vs. Razor Ramon</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Wrestlemania X (1994)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">New York’s
Madison Square Garden had been home to countless famous matches over the
decades, but none perhaps as exciting as this one. It was a ladder match,
meaning that the title belt was suspended above the ring, and an eight-foot
ladder was placed outside. The first man to climb the ladder and retrieve the
belt would win. For nearly 20 minutes, Shawn and Razor used that ladder in ways
that Bob Vila could never have imagined. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7GtXnS3Ml9fGszrHqJ-AXCn4niDPrhygCHHzdjxj4TztmkJ_bDe9Z-NrJ_GcuKsn-7a6T1f0Dw6EWGvvHuUzWIB5miWIQsN_mH0pbdnanHgqhcKZWLjlBe2bm5FKC1qOKG1otHa-kC3G62ypGRdeUgUtTulaX3h02nD0m_o91P2yNxxrV1MeT1Hu5GjI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7GtXnS3Ml9fGszrHqJ-AXCn4niDPrhygCHHzdjxj4TztmkJ_bDe9Z-NrJ_GcuKsn-7a6T1f0Dw6EWGvvHuUzWIB5miWIQsN_mH0pbdnanHgqhcKZWLjlBe2bm5FKC1qOKG1otHa-kC3G62ypGRdeUgUtTulaX3h02nD0m_o91P2yNxxrV1MeT1Hu5GjI=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">3. The Undertaker vs. Mankind</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">King of the Ring (1998)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Outside of
the insane hardcore matches from Japan, which incorporated barbed wire and C-4
explosives into the clashes, this “Hell in the Cell” match from The Igloo in
Pittsburgh is likely the most brutal contest ever staged. The ring was covered
by a 15-foot steel cage, but much of the action took place on the top of the
structure, culminating in…well, see for yourself. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cez80PVkeLM" width="320" youtube-src-id="Cez80PVkeLM"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Perhaps the most amazing
thing about that spot was not that it was even attempted, but that the match
continued after it happened, with more carnage to follow. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-43653104184251607032024-02-08T10:00:00.000-08:002024-02-08T10:00:49.963-08:00My Journey Through 1970s TV; Thursday Nights, 1973<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Here we go
again – another look at one evening’s prime-time schedule from my favorite
decade of television. The objective, beyond sharing memories about some great
shows, is to discover whether there are any I missed then and still have not
had a chance to enjoy. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Thursday, 1973</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Toma</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Kung Fu</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Streets of San Francisco</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">ABC gives
us the most interesting lineup for this night, featuring two new shows – one
was a hit, the other would likely have become one if its star had not quit
after the first season.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Toma</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> was based on the career of David
Toma, a real New Jersey police detective (and relentless self-promoter), who
was among the founders of that generation of cops to be celebrated on
television for, as the marketing pitch goes, playing by their own rules. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br />
Tony Musante played Toma, supported by Simon Oakland as his frequently
exasperated boss, and the always-intriguing Susan Strasberg as his loving wife.
Stories typically had Toma donning disguises and accents to infiltrate illegal
activity and take down the bad guys. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4WSpBaNWMYCLORju9YzasPelh0XxEDpNrYn5MFEUw6dqP31469cTkOwuBdDgLEGJvE5-vqoBgtgnZiltjtYHmEZsxvFvn0xz0ye3ORDrgdKkS4nQ1eSdsU9Ly83_ThxM3H-xCuSc5TyhvX3ENDdmLhj0ytP4lo0hSw9v5wnBYaVmAm6SCVcN2KIY9GyU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="844" data-original-width="1118" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4WSpBaNWMYCLORju9YzasPelh0XxEDpNrYn5MFEUw6dqP31469cTkOwuBdDgLEGJvE5-vqoBgtgnZiltjtYHmEZsxvFvn0xz0ye3ORDrgdKkS4nQ1eSdsU9Ly83_ThxM3H-xCuSc5TyhvX3ENDdmLhj0ytP4lo0hSw9v5wnBYaVmAm6SCVcN2KIY9GyU=w400-h302" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">If you
search “Toma” on YouTube you’ll find more videos of the real Toma than the
series. But I do recall the show and watched the one episode available to
refresh my memory. Tony Musante stuck to his vow to shoot only one season, so
the series was retooled and returned with Robert Blake as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baretta</i>. The roots of the Toma character were still recognizable
after the change, but where Toma had a wife and kids, all Baretta had was a
cockatoo named Fred. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">While <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kung Fu</i> debuted strong in the top 30 and
enjoyed a successful three-season run, there will always be a
what-might-have-been question over how the series would have fared if it had
starred Bruce Lee instead of David Carradine. Accounts vary over how involved
Lee was in the concept and his casting status – and whether the studio rejected
him because they didn’t think an Asian lead could carry a series. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-RB6xJSi_FJyoTxvmDZMOj6mHmJstYOIpGfO2P0PFKBXtmVff2oWmsQSibqTIRkvcjnT8LsmNYeneRjFJ2D_-kFg7ag3AJCAIqrzAnauBLqLJsABKzoCB4BsT6k2guEq4Jnql31hB51b2LiZ0gTk7gVYtuDXhDPBYhqM8CXERM9C6B7kG_ZoXq46Jmds" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="700" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-RB6xJSi_FJyoTxvmDZMOj6mHmJstYOIpGfO2P0PFKBXtmVff2oWmsQSibqTIRkvcjnT8LsmNYeneRjFJ2D_-kFg7ag3AJCAIqrzAnauBLqLJsABKzoCB4BsT6k2guEq4Jnql31hB51b2LiZ0gTk7gVYtuDXhDPBYhqM8CXERM9C6B7kG_ZoXq46Jmds=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">It still
found in audience, though the action scenes were somnambulant compared to the
speed and brutality of those in Bruce Lee’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enter
the Dragon</i>, or even in the low-budget Shaw Brothers films, imported from
Hong Kong and filling the urban grindhouses. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Waltons</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The CBS Thursday Night Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">In its
second season <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Waltons</i> leaped to
#2 in the ratings, and stars Michael Learned and Richard Thomas both deservedly
won Emmys. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAObj9lTTlynJR8VeQNhu5-U1Uz7z2QVT2bICV3yXWPHjEQU8bR4HWj7ak-8cAQyV7snsN0jrU1WckIdgfXqmWN0HueHTR0R-8SNwEWLve9DGsj7s2Z_haXVLI-zlDOe3lLBRa1OXJExVCsf1fhY_DdFjZUp4XttAffiuw9O0ojK8R8AZoSDB-W8qCtOU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="473" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhAObj9lTTlynJR8VeQNhu5-U1Uz7z2QVT2bICV3yXWPHjEQU8bR4HWj7ak-8cAQyV7snsN0jrU1WckIdgfXqmWN0HueHTR0R-8SNwEWLve9DGsj7s2Z_haXVLI-zlDOe3lLBRa1OXJExVCsf1fhY_DdFjZUp4XttAffiuw9O0ojK8R8AZoSDB-W8qCtOU=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Flip Wilson Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Ironside</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">NBC Follies</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">This was
the final season for Flip, whose variety show ranked among television’s most
popular but like most series built around one star, couldn’t sustain that
success beyond a handful of seasons. The track record for such shows makes
Carol Burnett’s 11-season run even more impressive.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg4uZblOIIVJUXWCnOeS3j1k-310NAiyxlYZ4plSXHp6GxwFJeUQl2moeWM0O5q7-Ea0aI0n96iWp7FhzKfcRKKTSa-AFwaWqvYDVN56fgVKKdTlSoU0Js42FA7HFQElcf7TDiI5DBpOSjMJpyOj7N4sUHoQBDnbrGcafTu8IYBD1fOkiGqjftsEsCvAg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="900" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjg4uZblOIIVJUXWCnOeS3j1k-310NAiyxlYZ4plSXHp6GxwFJeUQl2moeWM0O5q7-Ea0aI0n96iWp7FhzKfcRKKTSa-AFwaWqvYDVN56fgVKKdTlSoU0Js42FA7HFQElcf7TDiI5DBpOSjMJpyOj7N4sUHoQBDnbrGcafTu8IYBD1fOkiGqjftsEsCvAg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Ironside</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> still had some legs (I know, poor
choice of words), as Raymond Burr’s wheelchair-bound inspector rolled into its
seventh season, and would return for one more before cancelation. One of the
more intriguing episodes from that year was “Riddle at 24,000 Feet” a pilot for
a proposed series that would have starred Desi Arnaz as a crime-solving doctor.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDcCcyKcjwzx9eRl-tCt-zc_-rnZTah7ZBexFI2ZjMmZD59Im3h1TD3rmijoawnbd7yzFLueVAyW1E4yneuVxbHlx57h0gXmu15Lnp4BS14Xz7Mt0jKLFycMOT2YLDJg12xviYvzvV8pEWEeljZXiYTpR2bUyQ1VJc2hjiUJYbj0d8H-yX95xfvjzDRQQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="451" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDcCcyKcjwzx9eRl-tCt-zc_-rnZTah7ZBexFI2ZjMmZD59Im3h1TD3rmijoawnbd7yzFLueVAyW1E4yneuVxbHlx57h0gXmu15Lnp4BS14Xz7Mt0jKLFycMOT2YLDJg12xviYvzvV8pEWEeljZXiYTpR2bUyQ1VJc2hjiUJYbj0d8H-yX95xfvjzDRQQ=w400-h317" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">You can read more about that episode in this <u><a href="https://www.itsabouttv.com/2022/10/over-transom-wishing-upon-stars.html">It’s About TV blog</a></u>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">It was 13
episodes and out for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NBC Follies</i>, a
series I presumed was so obscure I almost added it to the missed shows list
before even trying to find an episode. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBfnCiuVgYKAbPWdlcqVG0tPY0FiGZdozD59KtNqDBxA8kzADVlEzh4zJ46b1d9MbPTXveoxqHxy_dWkgAeWUkRdwIJLrTSRPfiY_KwUtRxXpMPUPK9IdgN-KKuqe8vZc9A3zkqnx-sEMMx_Vz7rlm-SnQq2a1zsXqNCxDcVplUC7w9R_SA2kTlBguUjg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBfnCiuVgYKAbPWdlcqVG0tPY0FiGZdozD59KtNqDBxA8kzADVlEzh4zJ46b1d9MbPTXveoxqHxy_dWkgAeWUkRdwIJLrTSRPfiY_KwUtRxXpMPUPK9IdgN-KKuqe8vZc9A3zkqnx-sEMMx_Vz7rlm-SnQq2a1zsXqNCxDcVplUC7w9R_SA2kTlBguUjg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">But surprisingly, one did exist on
YouTube – the first one as it happens, starring Sammy Davis Jr., Jerry Lewis,
Diahann Carroll, Mickey Rooney, the Smothers Brothers, and a whole gaggle of
dancers and showgirls. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vfhVUEveBeU" width="320" youtube-src-id="vfhVUEveBeU"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">It was part
Vegas, part vaudeville, part ‘60s old-school variety show, filmed before a live
audience. It seemed retro for 1973 and close to Paleolithic now, but part of me
wishes there was still a place on television for shows like this – and enough
multitalented celebrities to give 110% on stage to help us forget our troubles for
a while. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Shows Missed:</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">San Francisco International Airport
(1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Little People</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Sixth Sense</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Tenafly</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Faraday & Company</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Love Story</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> (1973)</span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-83273375532415316332024-01-29T11:10:00.000-08:002024-01-29T11:10:09.350-08:00Rainy Day TV<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">As I’ve
written here before, winter has its pleasures up to around Christmas, but in
January it languishes into a long and dreary slog toward spring. It’s when we
all spend more time indoors, which is why I still regard settling in for an evening
of classic TV as more of a winter pursuit. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The
winters are milder where I live in Southern Nevada, but the temperature still
drops and the days are still shorter, and if we’re going to get lots of rain,
this is when we get it. And for the last few days that’s about all we’ve had. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Do you
have some go-to shows to lift your spirits when it is gloomy outside? I do –
it’s a list that gets updated from time to time but I know instinctively which
shows to select, and which are best avoided until the weather picks up. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW-ckXRusJrFOnlndDtSXCN_T55InIywgIdIBZHvDxksEuQhKbhKlNTletpoVA_p9rGXuWeWNyqxo4LsCf52O1b4I1r3RTBZFnXUqk5mFtzJd0dqATdfvEOeBCVEvEfL5PRt_nnrud2RZv_Ry7V70-bmTHaYh0bFOQA8DrBackvGPivmEoBw3VtNW8sE/s720/b4b50ef96713c809554471597f7a5026.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="543" data-original-width="720" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEW-ckXRusJrFOnlndDtSXCN_T55InIywgIdIBZHvDxksEuQhKbhKlNTletpoVA_p9rGXuWeWNyqxo4LsCf52O1b4I1r3RTBZFnXUqk5mFtzJd0dqATdfvEOeBCVEvEfL5PRt_nnrud2RZv_Ry7V70-bmTHaYh0bFOQA8DrBackvGPivmEoBw3VtNW8sE/w400-h301/b4b50ef96713c809554471597f7a5026.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I’m
sure a lot of classic TV fans do this – Ranker even compiled a list of the <u><a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-rainy-day-tv-shows/ranker-tv">Best Rainy Day Shows to Watch</a></u>. With a couple of exceptions I think
it’s a lousy list – but people cope with inclement weather in different ways.
Perhaps for some <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Witcher</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Disenchantment</i> hit the spot. But if your
tastes run more toward the classics (and if you’re here I assume they do) you
may prefer these shows instead. I also find them equally therapeutic when, to
paraphrase Buddy Holly, the sun may be shining but it’s raining in your heart.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Lucy Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Lucy is
for many of us a personification of the era of television that we love. She was
a near constant presence on TV from the 1950s through the early 1970s, on three
different sitcoms that all ran forever in syndication, which is where I got to
know them on sick days from school and summer mornings and eventually on Nick
at Nite. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SkaH3ZcsgKp7-oux2Q5TRj3xHvHNgvjEY5YyPssz8qd7nZRca7g0t6zw5An5fmCna2syikDMijaH52MIDXFO4G8LZl8ufDPqo-svBlzqMXVswzP8sUM4qcIKAYYYPA48A2vI1FyB3rq57r72YLGO8euRRCo1iI2sv5HZ4e4yB0F1fMlFhBiLhyphenhypheny-hWA/s1280/maxresdefault.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4SkaH3ZcsgKp7-oux2Q5TRj3xHvHNgvjEY5YyPssz8qd7nZRca7g0t6zw5An5fmCna2syikDMijaH52MIDXFO4G8LZl8ufDPqo-svBlzqMXVswzP8sUM4qcIKAYYYPA48A2vI1FyB3rq57r72YLGO8euRRCo1iI2sv5HZ4e4yB0F1fMlFhBiLhyphenhypheny-hWA/w400-h225/maxresdefault.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I Love Lucy</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> needs no explanation of its place
in the medium’s history, but when all you see are shades of gray outside, I
want color from my comfort TV, which is why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Lucy Show</i> is my first choice. Even though the early black-and-white episodes
with Vivian Vance are the best, the later seasons also have their moments given
the array of iconic guest stars that made their way into Mr. Mooney’s office. Every
time I see that generation of performers – Jack Benny, Dean
Martin, Danny Kaye, Milton Berle, Danny Thomas – I am thankful for so many
hours of recorded material from an era that is gone, but also wistful in the knowledge
that we will never see its like again. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCCam2_Qakyu0BQTafVRDwwft6NTjHEmFbmM5ScPvihS6gqAzHQzB1_YmrXKgxwSH5TsWzd2ctYK71ga-XdpZgAZt4cjVlRdj9BGoGSwF-HrrpDD8ltyx4fUDSfdhA-L_Yw5jEyLAO3ddsFaPxR8Z7NDVkhoZ6QSxCNJwypo0U4VnO3WZv0RHqD0scew/s391/940ab482b0ce37e61079eea9fe2c8f27.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="391" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCCam2_Qakyu0BQTafVRDwwft6NTjHEmFbmM5ScPvihS6gqAzHQzB1_YmrXKgxwSH5TsWzd2ctYK71ga-XdpZgAZt4cjVlRdj9BGoGSwF-HrrpDD8ltyx4fUDSfdhA-L_Yw5jEyLAO3ddsFaPxR8Z7NDVkhoZ6QSxCNJwypo0U4VnO3WZv0RHqD0scew/w400-h364/940ab482b0ce37e61079eea9fe2c8f27.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Columbo</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I enjoy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Columbo</i> for the same reason I enjoy
shows like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mission: Impossible</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Veronica Mars</i>: It celebrates the
triumph of the intelligent over the corrupt. I like watching smart people at
work. I feel a kinship with them. Maybe no one has ever considered me a genius,
but I’m smart enough to recognize stupid when I see it, and these days that
puts me ahead of numerous elected officials. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">With
Columbo there is always that one moment when he figures it out – sometimes it’s
so subtle in the way Peter Falk plays it, but viewers always know when he
switches from putting the pieces together to seeing the whole puzzle. Then it’s
just a matter of time before he steers his prime suspect into a confession. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffO8tSn436hP-Slb472wUS_MZFka1WaUHKHEYk24Aazyy28j3Pnacpauiyp1kRBatLMs9mmNBaOl0_rEr_zoxT35GYKZi_V1uYgRh-EjT_ezM4FB45F_N_6FCMfnGiZ6AF09MsI3aHUtBtFhkA-1JzNABnOpbItNMNWziLqx1vBc7iT6UtTZiI6Ped5Y/s474/OIP-1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="422" data-original-width="474" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhffO8tSn436hP-Slb472wUS_MZFka1WaUHKHEYk24Aazyy28j3Pnacpauiyp1kRBatLMs9mmNBaOl0_rEr_zoxT35GYKZi_V1uYgRh-EjT_ezM4FB45F_N_6FCMfnGiZ6AF09MsI3aHUtBtFhkA-1JzNABnOpbItNMNWziLqx1vBc7iT6UtTZiI6Ped5Y/w400-h356/OIP-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Courtship of Eddie’s Father</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Every time
I return to this show I am struck once again by how quiet it is. Tom Corbett
shares his fatherly wisdom with young Eddie in the most soothing of tones, and
Mrs. Livingston speaks so softly you almost need closed captioning to pick up
every word. Most of the stories are likewise gentle and reassuring. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5YuKLAGrfiuF1jJtN8_NO5ysSPKv_xHGBZIV-lTvNKc0BYfcgEzu4miFc3e9fUBSeWOGESkrkm-9cxaHDnybXWLxNu_RrSmrW8h477HpWEbnB2v5jxVtfbbs66BiQhmcxYsGGi23xjLH-qNQdhWI7t_V8Oon0D_h8hvYz9QlEl_6bkhoohFbTqh5Tgw/s480/Courtship%20of%20Eddies%20father%20-%20Bill%20Bixby%20-%2093396885_0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="390" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5YuKLAGrfiuF1jJtN8_NO5ysSPKv_xHGBZIV-lTvNKc0BYfcgEzu4miFc3e9fUBSeWOGESkrkm-9cxaHDnybXWLxNu_RrSmrW8h477HpWEbnB2v5jxVtfbbs66BiQhmcxYsGGi23xjLH-qNQdhWI7t_V8Oon0D_h8hvYz9QlEl_6bkhoohFbTqh5Tgw/w325-h400/Courtship%20of%20Eddies%20father%20-%20Bill%20Bixby%20-%2093396885_0.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">With this
show, though, you really need to know your episodes, as the series often
brought in loud, obnoxious guest characters to play up the contrast with the
serene Corbett home. Avoid these entries and stick with those that focus on the
main cast.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Bob Newhart Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">If you
feel like going stir crazy after too many rainy days inside, visiting a
psychologist may be just what you need. Dr. Bob Hartley can always be relied
upon for direction and advice, along with a few well-worn clichés. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLf8kZISo5SGOxxtq8AWug1TXEsNC7LxjstlIBFlB9mDrhvM36xS8kOoCddUY1-wMSAXPRCH5iSZaB7nJbCHYbp1CFRgFxVAEHvQ8YXA9ZdA1CFkdjj5WzbjkwtCn02FhMZh0wQGR0v10J7yMsPz8fCBx7Ks4Bybzo3cIoxHl-JsAX1q2-sib2f5Xv_Q/s474/OIP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdLf8kZISo5SGOxxtq8AWug1TXEsNC7LxjstlIBFlB9mDrhvM36xS8kOoCddUY1-wMSAXPRCH5iSZaB7nJbCHYbp1CFRgFxVAEHvQ8YXA9ZdA1CFkdjj5WzbjkwtCn02FhMZh0wQGR0v10J7yMsPz8fCBx7Ks4Bybzo3cIoxHl-JsAX1q2-sib2f5Xv_Q/w400-h225/OIP.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">This is
one of those shows that, to me, seems to get better every year. That’s not true
of every show in my collection, though I have yet to tire of watching any of
them. But outside of Howard becoming a little more ridiculous with each passing
season, the ensemble on this series is one of the most appealing ever assembled
for television. From the loving marriage of Bob and Emily to the group of
recurring patients at Dr. Hartley’s office, to the interactions with Carol and
Jerry, it all just seems to work. And on a rainy day this is an ideal group of
folks to help you pass the time. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Avengers</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">England is
synonymous with rain, But John Steed and Emma Peel remind us that it’s still
possible to have fun – and save the world occasionally – if the weather doesn’t
cooperate, not to mention how it’s
always wise to keep an umbrella handy. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8g-qZKjZEDI50NkKIKl5L59DGUG5EnfYtkCsoSZB7aHHsdfeZPKhw8BsdcazkEykhykaW0QrjaWZEGLLwzQ5PIvrELMOCZer5GZseuZwYqkcN8o__zh76Yz7O5Dc1bM53YwSBlUPcwxW7W9R9EIVQX-ctKq2vetl0J3v0qreFy-sxCF3y_u1KmHjE7M/s957/091.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="957" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb8g-qZKjZEDI50NkKIKl5L59DGUG5EnfYtkCsoSZB7aHHsdfeZPKhw8BsdcazkEykhykaW0QrjaWZEGLLwzQ5PIvrELMOCZer5GZseuZwYqkcN8o__zh76Yz7O5Dc1bM53YwSBlUPcwxW7W9R9EIVQX-ctKq2vetl0J3v0qreFy-sxCF3y_u1KmHjE7M/w400-h286/091.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Your turn
– what are your favorite rainy day shows, and why?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-52725795506507893422024-01-18T11:19:00.000-08:002024-01-18T11:19:26.950-08:00My 50 Favorite Classic TV Characters: Lindsay Wagner as Jaime Sommers<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">In 1977, Lindsay
Wagner received the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Dramatic Role,
causing many eyebrows to be raised – especially among her fellow nominees. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family </i>star Sada Thompson in particular
did not hide her umbrage over the selection.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9L70OSU2238cEySItZZGtXCpxo3o0x7xWSbLAdjZsZSFv89f9HodBUYWPX_ufR7SilF8gdnqVMdwW1HMIwR19Up-2ZBzcAzkTrHsSjWx3LjDA2EGEtyI5oZOsH0B747TMOFBIPUYwoU7AKbCFrDPgd2a8DTax5NJcQK18hYm_Xu6u4T-2A3aJSGckmHo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="629" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9L70OSU2238cEySItZZGtXCpxo3o0x7xWSbLAdjZsZSFv89f9HodBUYWPX_ufR7SilF8gdnqVMdwW1HMIwR19Up-2ZBzcAzkTrHsSjWx3LjDA2EGEtyI5oZOsH0B747TMOFBIPUYwoU7AKbCFrDPgd2a8DTax5NJcQK18hYm_Xu6u4T-2A3aJSGckmHo=w400-h305" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Did Wagner
deserve to win? How should one answer that? Emmy categories will always be
apples-to-oranges comparisons, even within the same genre. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">On <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family</i>, Thompson’s Kate Lawrence coped
with a cancer scare, an ailing parent, a daughter with a broken marriage and a
son who dropped out of high school – all rich dramatic material, which she
navigated brilliantly. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Meanwhile,
elsewhere on the same network, Jaime was chasing </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Bigfoot, going
undercover as a lady wrestler, and fighting Fembots. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXK73iiosyKaueLR6AwBpfKlImFL2-udohxXi7zgdhSnqNebTk1vlcFKvyTiIv2XNKtd8aaudtcgEuKo8AnV655fPHwzz-Lq0x3Kd4auud5QeknIhTRBxM7A1z3jMLOwYw8AB9w4p7aqYFisMDy60opzF1GPQsPKzTSBm8rYaUQDQBv5Yok9XRfAxyJ5E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="444" data-original-width="588" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhXK73iiosyKaueLR6AwBpfKlImFL2-udohxXi7zgdhSnqNebTk1vlcFKvyTiIv2XNKtd8aaudtcgEuKo8AnV655fPHwzz-Lq0x3Kd4auud5QeknIhTRBxM7A1z3jMLOwYw8AB9w4p7aqYFisMDy60opzF1GPQsPKzTSBm8rYaUQDQBv5Yok9XRfAxyJ5E=w400-h302" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">What’s worse, the <i>Bionic Woman</i> episode
that won her the Emmy (“Deadly Ringer”) revived the hackneyed soap opera trope
of an evil twin. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">So if we
were assessing based only on IMDB plot synopses, you can perhaps understand
Thompson’s resentment. Thankfully, she would take home the Emmy in the same
category the following year. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Personally,
I’m fine with Wagner’s win. Television shows with a sci-fi or fantasy element are
typically overlooked completely in the major award categories. This was the
first time an actress won for a series in this genre, and would be the last
time until Gillian Anderson’s win for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
X-Files</i> in 1997. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">And if you
watched and enjoyed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bionic Woman</i>,
as I did, you know this was not a series that leaned on Jaime’s superhuman
abilities to tell good stories. That was fine for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Wonder Woman</i> over on CBS – viewers (especially males) counted the
minutes until Lynda Carter twirled into a costume that was super in more ways
than one. But she was Diana Prince for more than half of most episodes, and
let’s face it – Diana was kind of boring. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Not so
Jaime Sommers. She was a captivating character and a woman of accomplishment
even before the skydiving accident that changed her life. Her status as a top-ranked
professional tennis player allowed her to travel the world, though it left
little time for romance with Col. Steve Austin. But after the accident it was
Austin who persuaded the Office of Scientific Intelligence (OSI) to give her the
same bionic makeover that saved his life. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The procedure
gave Jaime two bionic legs that allowed her to run 100 miles per hour and jump
hundreds of feet. Her bionic right arm had super-strength, and her right ear
could pick up sounds at great distances – but only, apparently, if she first moved
her hair out of the way. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUAB0M0UJz-iETKe3ZdcIIUX32sU5UMERd0lGLIBFhYz4DWbHAiLIeN_KUyx3YFnOi4pOmuSbUI8yP61YqrxBTFYP3jpzNvANCsJG1gUdERzxspQDKqmWycX7K_6d6FOiOm3txIHq-aVtRSxWz74fJCOpD_GDOAsjjZoXIHcumoK2RUatzmLitRH7pHNw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="762" data-original-width="1019" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhUAB0M0UJz-iETKe3ZdcIIUX32sU5UMERd0lGLIBFhYz4DWbHAiLIeN_KUyx3YFnOi4pOmuSbUI8yP61YqrxBTFYP3jpzNvANCsJG1gUdERzxspQDKqmWycX7K_6d6FOiOm3txIHq-aVtRSxWz74fJCOpD_GDOAsjjZoXIHcumoK2RUatzmLitRH7pHNw=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Seeking
some return on its investment, the OSI sends Jaime on a mission, hoping perhaps
her special abilities would compensate for her lack of espionage training. She
does well – until her bionics began to fail. Surgery is attempted to repair the
damage but it’s too late – Jaime dies. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Wait,
what? That was the original plan, until audience response demanded a different
outcome. When viewers spoke the networks listened, and in a subsequent episode
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Six Million Dollar Man</i>, it was
revealed that Jaime was kept alive in suspended animation until her condition
could be stabilized. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Did she
deserve the Emmy? Imagine creating a character that was so quickly embraced by
millions of fans that they refused to let her die? Does that not speak to
something in Lindsay Wagner’s talent and charisma? That she could put an
audience on her side to the extent that they demanded to see her again and let
ABC know it? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF-H4ZPlPjMCHcGBqAE3v1gpsNbZNjtkjIRV0W_rS4APIpLGAXM8wi0kKrZW8CusPN94ew-eIRRjATT0BxJ4uG35CZkApRhshvbXWxO_pSS5ztQQJOvJzgFkyEufxtp6pA46XgOh1tSp5ZLRxTdu8WTPxxllDNTXDryXGWd_8tkHVpDjC0Y9ifaZ-Xr6s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiF-H4ZPlPjMCHcGBqAE3v1gpsNbZNjtkjIRV0W_rS4APIpLGAXM8wi0kKrZW8CusPN94ew-eIRRjATT0BxJ4uG35CZkApRhshvbXWxO_pSS5ztQQJOvJzgFkyEufxtp6pA46XgOh1tSp5ZLRxTdu8WTPxxllDNTXDryXGWd_8tkHVpDjC0Y9ifaZ-Xr6s=w320-h400" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">That’s
another difference between the classic TV era and whatever we’ve got now. Back
then there wasn’t as big a disparity between what Emmy voters liked and viewers
at home supported. Besides Wagner and Sada Thompson, other nominees in her
category included Angie Dickinson in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Police
Woman</i> and Kate Jackson in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie’s
Angels</i>. If their shows were so popular, surely they had to be doing
something right, and that deserved to be recognized by those that honor
television excellence. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Contrast
that situation with the Emmys just a few days ago, in which the Best Actress –
Drama winner appears on a series watched by about 500,000 people, or 0.15% of the
US population. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">So, yes,
Lindsay Wagner deserved her Emmy Award. Because of the many beguiling,
sympathetic and endearing qualities she brought to Jaime Sommers, she rescued
the character from death and then headlined her own series for three seasons –
two on ABC, one on NBC (even her original network couldn’t shut her down
without a fight). The show was a global hit, and for a time even became the
top-rated series in the United Kingdom. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Most
episodes range from good to excellent, including several mentioned on this blog
before: “Kill Oscar” was an epic three-part story that introduced the Fembots and their
sinister creator, played by John Houseman; <a href="http://comforttv.blogspot.com/2020/10/the-unshakeables-bionic-woman-saves.html"><u>“Doomsday is Tomorrow,</u></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">”</i> covered in detail in my “Unshakeables”
series; “A Thing of the Past,” from early in the first season that sets the
tone for much that follows. This was never an action show centered on Jaime’s
unique abilities, but a character study of a kind, compassionate school teacher
who moonlights as a government agent. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8-POsJq3HZE8jnIXxafkOe2ZFA--CHMgZSKR0F-Neu8kroEZZoQMveLthYNoCPgiLC_7f1n1eFf2nDgTrpINJR5O5UmvFGYC8S3QTqHLi2Ddmp62f2zUvrBlbGpSuCflGkAjHzwvb86aO7cJJTbYLeFINEOsOEo5DrNPtmlxCcv_HadvZmE7Vkqp0rQk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="480" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8-POsJq3HZE8jnIXxafkOe2ZFA--CHMgZSKR0F-Neu8kroEZZoQMveLthYNoCPgiLC_7f1n1eFf2nDgTrpINJR5O5UmvFGYC8S3QTqHLi2Ddmp62f2zUvrBlbGpSuCflGkAjHzwvb86aO7cJJTbYLeFINEOsOEo5DrNPtmlxCcv_HadvZmE7Vkqp0rQk=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“The
Jailing of Jaime” spotlights her resourcefulness, as well as her affectionate
father-daughter-like relationship with Oscar Goldman, wonderfully played by
Richard Anderson. And “Sister Jaime,” in which she goes undercover in a
convent, is delightful from start to finish. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">A few were
not as good – generally any episode with a heavy focus on kids (“Beyond the
Call”) or Indians (“Canyon of Death,” “The Night Demon”) ranked lower with me,
but even here Lindsay Wagner maintained her capability to hold your attention,
not with histrionics or heroics but with a kind of quiet gentleness and class
that has almost disappeared from contemporary television. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">There was
one other issue that had to be addressed before spinning off <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bionic Woman </i>– a side effect of
Jaime’s life-saving surgery was partial amnesia that erased her memories of
being in love with Steve Austin. It was another dumb soap opera cliché, but a
necessary one to free up Jaime for romances on her own series. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">She seemed
to have plenty of those, though given Wagner's chemistry with costars like Ed
Nelson in “Assault on the Princess” and George Maharis in “Jaime’s Shield” it would be easy to see how any of these flings and flirtations might evolve
into something more permanent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She even
coaxed more than one expression out of Evel Knievel in “Motorcycle Boogie.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRsP_gqYfdaSI6krxCkUgsmeolsZBDWNIparZdbkpTlfE2WAIitvDRSbtefC_QxsxiA2C3uX43Oj4aS7YRMXPdo9G3eDx9xRQABOx_FhqVh5m9q_BCiX_6uAis-L-pDScoYaWMASibASBeApE0Kvlmj-hgghR-56ZyqeQK7PBEnEGXderQ0xvd5QxhVpk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRsP_gqYfdaSI6krxCkUgsmeolsZBDWNIparZdbkpTlfE2WAIitvDRSbtefC_QxsxiA2C3uX43Oj4aS7YRMXPdo9G3eDx9xRQABOx_FhqVh5m9q_BCiX_6uAis-L-pDScoYaWMASibASBeApE0Kvlmj-hgghR-56ZyqeQK7PBEnEGXderQ0xvd5QxhVpk=w265-h400" width="265" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">She did,
of course, wind up with Steve Austin, but the marriage would not take place
until 1994, in the TV movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bionic Ever
After</i>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirhfGmUvkERk6S0SrDiZjDdR7cMqTPeMNS6MzxnHP9PmIlK0YRO68Jdfk3SbwY3SZ8Zq9Cr7bG-ERJh2FskXfceL3PAoKsZeqHK4PgFp-urTjY4jkrIIaRN-ewvPwLA4_7Y48dhH7ez-QlNuK88TYsJ0U64stRG_iKOGLYCVFiZzroqVLyusLJGqPlPLU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirhfGmUvkERk6S0SrDiZjDdR7cMqTPeMNS6MzxnHP9PmIlK0YRO68Jdfk3SbwY3SZ8Zq9Cr7bG-ERJh2FskXfceL3PAoKsZeqHK4PgFp-urTjY4jkrIIaRN-ewvPwLA4_7Y48dhH7ez-QlNuK88TYsJ0U64stRG_iKOGLYCVFiZzroqVLyusLJGqPlPLU=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I’ll end
this piece with praise for the show’s final episode, which ventured into some
darker, uncharted territory. “On the Run” begins when Jaime rescues a little
girl, who recoils from her when the wiring in her bionic arm is exposed. Later,
the girl refers to Jaime as “the robot lady.” Already burned out from too many
missions, and questioning her own humanity, she resigns from the OSI. Easier
said than done, when Oscar’s higher-ups worry that her bionics and her
knowledge of OSI missions could make her a security threat. Like Number 6 in
<i>The Prisoner</i>, their plan is to put her into a community where she can live a “normal”
life, as long as she doesn’t stray too far outside the security fence. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjURMHpWT33RDh3wmr0i2Df-kjEmAkotACf-hC5XdisYGmQ8EffoJ_mBBCN0_vCnzdhpu5SPGO-OVZYPOBkPFMOcD2w8C2AIaysYGXHv3uml9uZz5xHslzhLH6bQX69b2boD_4G_e4jHXAbWnwbZwTO5Nr58bJ5rHglNgcvfB3r9MiVGcimXDU79kKySE8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1000" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjURMHpWT33RDh3wmr0i2Df-kjEmAkotACf-hC5XdisYGmQ8EffoJ_mBBCN0_vCnzdhpu5SPGO-OVZYPOBkPFMOcD2w8C2AIaysYGXHv3uml9uZz5xHslzhLH6bQX69b2boD_4G_e4jHXAbWnwbZwTO5Nr58bJ5rHglNgcvfB3r9MiVGcimXDU79kKySE8=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The story
wraps a little too neatly, perhaps necessitating a return to the status quo in
case the series returned for another season, but before that “On the Run” asked
some challenging questions about what makes a person a person, and whether a manufactured
arm, ear and two legs qualifies a woman as government property. It also
pulls powerful performances from Wagner and Richard Anderson. If the series had
to end, it did with remarkable grace – just like its leading lady. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-11223323666968563132024-01-04T10:56:00.000-08:002024-01-04T10:56:51.786-08:00My Journey Through 1970s TV: Wednesday Nights, 1973<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">When I first scanned the
network schedules for Wednesday nights in 1973, what stood out were two unlikely
attempts to adapt popular movies into television series. Neither was
successful, but that’s not surprising with this particular transition. For
every <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">M*A*S*H</i> there are five <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baby</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Boom</i>s.
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Let’s dive into the
schedules and, as always, see if my quest to watch at least one episode from
every 1970s prime time series will be dealt another setback. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Wednesday, 1973</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Cannon</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Kojak</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS delivers another
winning lineup of top ten shows. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sonny
& Cher</i> moved from their previous Friday night slot, replacing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Carol Burnett Show</i>, which at last
moves to Saturdays where, if you’re old enough, you most fondly recall watching
it every week. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Cannon</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;">,
now in its third season, ranked #9 for the year, just behind <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sonny & Cher</i> and newcomer <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kojak</i>, which tied at #7 in the ratings. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtXgS6W9wMa0_4JIrZATbgdvGNzqeLhDUAcKTe59KbIlajsjbizVb-NSkQh6bFFTNzZPhfsCcecJ_fb_H0UZ3xwBidnBe07XV7ezTnqoxg-1k1iqwDBgj7oW7WY8-6exUua3vmwZU4KnGhCW3hb5M5B91L77Qn2nlM8NuKKYILPdJWFTk0UdgLSUYvBno" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="474" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtXgS6W9wMa0_4JIrZATbgdvGNzqeLhDUAcKTe59KbIlajsjbizVb-NSkQh6bFFTNzZPhfsCcecJ_fb_H0UZ3xwBidnBe07XV7ezTnqoxg-1k1iqwDBgj7oW7WY8-6exUua3vmwZU4KnGhCW3hb5M5B91L77Qn2nlM8NuKKYILPdJWFTk0UdgLSUYvBno=w400-h293" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Telly Savales won the Emmy in this, the show’s
inaugural season, which must have been hugely gratifying after a decade of
guest-starring as the heavy on other people’s shows. Like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dragnet</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Kojak</i> won praise
from real law enforcement officers for its no-nonsense depiction of crime and
punishment in south Manhattan, and Telly became the forerunner to Jean-Luc
Picard as television’s first bald sex symbol. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Wednesday Movie of the Week</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Much as I love the 1970s,
there was one aspect of that decade that, looking back now, seems even more
embarrassing than some of the fashions. It began when the sexual revolution
birthed by the counterculture in the 1960s finally reached the suburbs,
ushering in all manner of silliness, from new age spirituality retreats to key
parties to the EST movement. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">These activities were
explored in Paul Mazursky’s 1969 film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bob
& Carol & Ted & Alice</i>,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>best remembered now by the suggestive photo of its two couples in bed
together. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8aHTELrX4NYNKIf-0Ss8FnDQZoVuz2tyYqwkh98eV2yB7GJ_z25sh1zRq3FhBDDECFn9-UBdcq6YtB6P2mTpRExj_lZn1YiKnF6P9UsgSpbl9ZXgoTjJxkyGZUy8WZcubeczw_Mi5ab9Q1K87bvV9ozr673XXQP9mE9YJwQlVijDk_eKq80VZGwJEDr4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="325" data-original-width="474" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8aHTELrX4NYNKIf-0Ss8FnDQZoVuz2tyYqwkh98eV2yB7GJ_z25sh1zRq3FhBDDECFn9-UBdcq6YtB6P2mTpRExj_lZn1YiKnF6P9UsgSpbl9ZXgoTjJxkyGZUy8WZcubeczw_Mi5ab9Q1K87bvV9ozr673XXQP9mE9YJwQlVijDk_eKq80VZGwJEDr4=w400-h274" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">It wasn’t the kind of movie that seemed adaptable to prime time, but
perhaps ABC hoped it would catch the zeitgeist, even if the frankness of the
film would have to be toned down for television. In the roles played by Robert
Culp, Natalie Wood, Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon, the series cast Robert Urich
and Anne Archer as Bob and Carol, the more freewheeling couple, and David
Spielberg and Anita Gillette as Ted and Alice, their older best friends open to
exploring new personal and sexual frontiers. The entire first episode has the
quartet deciding whether to go naked swimming together. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6sUznUXnPFna_uYtprqOR10ZAJQVGFDzFBnaK6lR3PZOQCv2G8XfFqHNP5vfwTwkVquLJOKHdejppjAaH0uqaCwYs_Aw8MsWVIT4-z2jCHgQ25xxFyasdGadQVA5utJIo3R4kkp97UEF7gKofpGLZz80CUQ_f_rD7DSrqYarrqnSkwFWACnMjabdminM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="513" data-original-width="690" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6sUznUXnPFna_uYtprqOR10ZAJQVGFDzFBnaK6lR3PZOQCv2G8XfFqHNP5vfwTwkVquLJOKHdejppjAaH0uqaCwYs_Aw8MsWVIT4-z2jCHgQ25xxFyasdGadQVA5utJIo3R4kkp97UEF7gKofpGLZz80CUQ_f_rD7DSrqYarrqnSkwFWACnMjabdminM=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">These are likable actors
playing likable characters, but that can’t fully offset how the show often
seems more dated than the sitcoms from 20 years earlier. There are episodes on
YouTube if you’re curious. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Owen Marshall</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> moves from Thursday to Tuesday for tis final season. Like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Judd For the Defense</i>, it’s a fine
courtroom drama that deserves to be better remembered. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Adam-12</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie (Madigan, Tenafly,
Faraday & Company, The Snoop Sisters)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Love Story</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Adam-12</i> and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NBC Wednesday
Mystery Movie </i>return in their same time slots, but from the latter only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Madigan</i> earned a second season. New to
the lineup were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tenafly</i>, starring James
McEachin as a Los Angeles cop turned private investigator. It was created by Richard
Levinson and William Link, whose prestigious track record includes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Columbo</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Murder She Wrote</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Faraday & Company</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;">, like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tenafly</i>,
goes on my list of shows I’ve never seen. But from the descriptions and clips
of both online, I think I’d have enjoyed <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tenafly
</i>more. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYq19Cw0DfAfVmSQMNHbWQ71f7ckk9L8nfFejTOc3YXSZYKNMjDBl940md30prX21_KTWD1gQBQ2Q_msiV1bBYazhZOcXtu1sNdER6paCkvVlz8oFcNOME6Cx3hdPLYgTX49b_V7crxQbTn8o0iTTY74FCiSg715Rl4QcBj44mFcz6wC7AyWuhnII8r94" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="480" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYq19Cw0DfAfVmSQMNHbWQ71f7ckk9L8nfFejTOc3YXSZYKNMjDBl940md30prX21_KTWD1gQBQ2Q_msiV1bBYazhZOcXtu1sNdER6paCkvVlz8oFcNOME6Cx3hdPLYgTX49b_V7crxQbTn8o0iTTY74FCiSg715Rl4QcBj44mFcz6wC7AyWuhnII8r94=w400-h329" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Dan Dailey stars in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Faraday</i>,
and he’s such an amiable fellow that it’s hard for me to see him as an
embittered man who serves decades in a South American prison for a crime he did
not commit, who then reunites with his adult son after his release. Of course I
could be wrong and hope to find out for certain if an episode ever becomes
available. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I have seen <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Snoop Sisters</i>, with Helen Hayes and
Mildred Natwick as mystery writer sisters (yes, their actual last name is
Snoop) who solve crimes faster than their police detective nephew (Burt Convy). In
this case two Miss Marples are not better than one, and all of the lineup
changes did not work. While the network’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunday
Mystery Movie</i> was a hit at #14, the Wednesday version still couldn’t crack
the top 30. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRgwHvZUGI69IRGbEvBp3XicMOdAYlHYm9Slc5Pr3RN5mWhZuo4GfbXXj_x3mSnf6Lm6uuSF56ihhCO9gSqsG6UEoTnSdnqrQfm2ADzxf7cJnodauqx8qF5Czgkq2dc0jyF1WzgF5CmzDJFIsswsef9v2RdnmRmSHxk1vnfWqOLglil6g6JbRPXjZnDik" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1079" data-original-width="1412" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiRgwHvZUGI69IRGbEvBp3XicMOdAYlHYm9Slc5Pr3RN5mWhZuo4GfbXXj_x3mSnf6Lm6uuSF56ihhCO9gSqsG6UEoTnSdnqrQfm2ADzxf7cJnodauqx8qF5Czgkq2dc0jyF1WzgF5CmzDJFIsswsef9v2RdnmRmSHxk1vnfWqOLglil6g6JbRPXjZnDik=w400-h306" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Love Story</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;">
was one of the most popular films of 1970, and according to Wikipedia was for a
time the sixth highest-grossing film in history. But if you’ve seen it, or even
heard about it, you understand the chief obstacle in continuing the story it
began. The TV version didn’t even try – it kept the title and the theme
song, while opting for an anthology approach of different stories about couples
in love. Sort of like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Love Boat</i>
without the ship. It was canceled after just 12 episodes. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Shows Missed:</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">San Francisco International Airport (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Little People</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Sixth Sense</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><i>Tenafly</i> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><i>Faraday & Company</i> (1973)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><i>Love Story</i> (1973)</span></b></p>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="break-before: page; mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></b>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-9726218669830789282023-12-27T11:20:00.000-08:002023-12-27T11:20:27.137-08:00Another Year, Another “100 Best Television Shows” List<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">It seems like everyone
enjoys making lists as the end of a year approaches – top ten news stories, predictions
for 2024, etc. Perhaps that’s why <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Variety</i>
chose this month to publish its list of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><a href="https://variety.com/lists/greatest-tv-shows-of-all-time/?fbclid=IwAR20Al1LJPWzwlF1OnCnC1yca0bWgQAyhBIM-YWwlXADmPGQ6Rh4xgKfcy4">100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time</a></u></i>, though the piece could <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just as easily have run in July. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I have no will power when
it comes to “Best of” and “Worst of” selections, even though I know I’m always
going to be frustrated by the results. And any list that ranks <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">RuPaul’s Drag Race</i> as one of
television’s best achievements doesn’t deserve the attention it’s getting here.
But I can’t help myself. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTHUo2Eq1asT_MNu9W9UPeJEmBuA_I3HkQ63h-oDXWyDLwkOLxSCDDsDvjMuwd-KcXzPAu3_TV3lvvJhTjRINQy3mBnzscCWIMYLHAQF_46Plmt8QDv4hAwIvTNj26_Sl3I7zSFqusHVKzliczuRd6zV7CZRR5-ugXxs3YC8HlXfEmcfMmBF1dKWcR_YQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="700" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiTHUo2Eq1asT_MNu9W9UPeJEmBuA_I3HkQ63h-oDXWyDLwkOLxSCDDsDvjMuwd-KcXzPAu3_TV3lvvJhTjRINQy3mBnzscCWIMYLHAQF_46Plmt8QDv4hAwIvTNj26_Sl3I7zSFqusHVKzliczuRd6zV7CZRR5-ugXxs3YC8HlXfEmcfMmBF1dKWcR_YQ=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Of the 100 shows cited, 36
originate from the Comfort TV era. However, that includes those from genres
usually not considered on lists like this: news magazines (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">60 Minutes</i>), soaps (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">General Hospital</i>), talk shows (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Oprah Winfrey Show</i>) and children’s series (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sesame Street</i>). So if we only add up the prime time scripted series
that remain from the 1950s through the 1980s, we’re left with 25 shows – or
one-quarter of the full list. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Are we good with that? To
me, time and enduring eminence and popularity should be among the criteria when
judging the best of all time. If a series continues to impress viewers 50 years
(or even 20 years) after it debuted, it has earned its spot. We cannot say for
certain whether shows like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fleabag</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Watchmen</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Good Place</i> will merit that</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjQYcPHf92sJyyl5_Gf8wd6en2D3JyEh26ziyHdLaK-BE5_hyhAya6fFnwX9rGDKxp8BuyRA7RESILgu8OA5Q_rHxjT3swdAFpUziUI99fcckgYl30Tf7-vp-M0_UkKgXHGV2rgukn6gRYK6aaY0XLC3-bNltbMMdczmBbvuP2ewSyiqj5BDgxcUR40D0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="1014" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjQYcPHf92sJyyl5_Gf8wd6en2D3JyEh26ziyHdLaK-BE5_hyhAya6fFnwX9rGDKxp8BuyRA7RESILgu8OA5Q_rHxjT3swdAFpUziUI99fcckgYl30Tf7-vp-M0_UkKgXHGV2rgukn6gRYK6aaY0XLC3-bNltbMMdczmBbvuP2ewSyiqj5BDgxcUR40D0=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I’m aware that the further
away we get from the first era of television, the lesser it will be represented
when the medium is assessed across its entire history. And with the multitude of
new shows that now emerge from hundreds of potential sources, the competition
for open spots will only become more contentious. Also, if the reassessment of vintage
shows as less diverse and enlightened continues, the number of those still
considered worthy may drop to single digits. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I am likewise resigned to
the likelihood that many of the series that have brought me to the most joy
over the course of my life, that have lifted my spirits and offered positive
examples of venerable societal conduct, lack one or more qualities now deemed
essential to “important” television. And when a show like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sex and the City, </i>featuring the four most annoying women on
television until the arrival of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The View</i>,
ranks at #6, it was not an encouraging sign.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Still, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Variety</i> list did contain some pleasant
surprises, not the least of which was ranking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Love Lucy</i> in the #1 spot. It felt like they meant it, and were
not just trying to assuage rapidly aging Boomers who had never heard of half
the other picks. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxboGiVERmbK6P0l0Yi66z6Lm5G7HhONxcf0EljCit-6YG2R_POdJ0OPl8L55tMG4r7H6_ZHO37G1iT8aUgCQVpDSOOuA0Yv4IudniMWHRsMvBrZYDAklvAAQf5b7VHC1hJP6PzNOJ2hQGDUvqFHdqWxL-K7qIvYzfBGXOfd1R0_Tqsv_G2MUfbl-C_ec" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="2000" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxboGiVERmbK6P0l0Yi66z6Lm5G7HhONxcf0EljCit-6YG2R_POdJ0OPl8L55tMG4r7H6_ZHO37G1iT8aUgCQVpDSOOuA0Yv4IudniMWHRsMvBrZYDAklvAAQf5b7VHC1hJP6PzNOJ2hQGDUvqFHdqWxL-K7qIvYzfBGXOfd1R0_Tqsv_G2MUfbl-C_ec=w400-h200" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">And with top 100 lists it’s
really the top 20 that are singled as the greatest of the greats, and almost
half – nine shows – are of classic TV vintage.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">All in The Family</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> is there, of course (#16), along with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Twilight Zone</i> (#14) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Golden Girls</i> (#18), a show whose stock seems to rise with each passing
year. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix9ubUWo4drySSlx2Prh59P16etx_Medi5pGIRJwIOFBm_wWYtqprU6ezx7HzN3UsJ504ewpOVVYU4n3ktmVRIjMA-QUPfu0TaidYEw1B0kCKRJnm14OYPoZNgi8r8hkOlTU5MaBRWiedT9PTIqoJLKrSeUHdQljqv0Ps6P44MZo8e5YpCkaezDp0fIhk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="474" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEix9ubUWo4drySSlx2Prh59P16etx_Medi5pGIRJwIOFBm_wWYtqprU6ezx7HzN3UsJ504ewpOVVYU4n3ktmVRIjMA-QUPfu0TaidYEw1B0kCKRJnm14OYPoZNgi8r8hkOlTU5MaBRWiedT9PTIqoJLKrSeUHdQljqv0Ps6P44MZo8e5YpCkaezDp0fIhk=w400-h260" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</i>
ranking #9 was well deserved – but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dick
Van Dyke Show</i> placing all the way down at #45 was ludicrous. There have not
been five better sitcoms in the history of the medium than that one. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Playhouse 90</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> at #19 was an admirable choice – I confess I know the series best by
reputation, but the half-dozen or so presentations I’ve watched were all
outstanding. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Cheers</i> at #11? Not sure
it should rank that high, but I’ll allow it. I’m less certain about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roots</i> at #10 – not because it isn’t
deserving of the accolades it has received over the decades, but whether a show with just eight episodes aired over eight nights should qualify as a television series. If a miniseries is fair game, however, then
there should also have been room on the list for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Centennial</i>,
which was arguably the best miniseries ever made. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8OjO98XiiyzdBSAuADyoypNr-5Xh1FZ_SzCS65zEVQwV21E23G4_ZSyACjo4yum6NFacQqaIy915punNlK1LpFunnIt2ZkPkMEwcDdQoST1dXgd8fVjNWwO8vU1MRVKn_5CxhG0L1cq1EooyU8w2Zrclh_tCz9sfSfkpmrkz84TpGjILDo7ARESFpLTU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1957" data-original-width="3000" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi8OjO98XiiyzdBSAuADyoypNr-5Xh1FZ_SzCS65zEVQwV21E23G4_ZSyACjo4yum6NFacQqaIy915punNlK1LpFunnIt2ZkPkMEwcDdQoST1dXgd8fVjNWwO8vU1MRVKn_5CxhG0L1cq1EooyU8w2Zrclh_tCz9sfSfkpmrkz84TpGjILDo7ARESFpLTU=w400-h261" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seinfeld</i> (#8) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Simpsons</i> (#4) debuted in 1989, so I included them among classic contenders,
but both shows are more representative of the post Comfort TV era. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">What else would you
expect to see here? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">M*A*S*H</i>? It’s
there at #24. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hill Street Blues</i>? It’s
there. What about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gunsmoke</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perry Mason</i>, two of television’s
longest-running prime time hits, and shows that defined their genres for many
viewers? Sorry, not this time. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Defenders</i> was overlooked as well – but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Good Fight</i> made it for courtroom drama fans, as did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The People Vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story</i>. It’s hard for me
to believe that many people really wanted to relive that ugly chapter in
American jurisprudence, but there you go. Those ten episodes from 2016 were deemed
superior to 271 episodes of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perry Mason</i>,
featuring a character that inspired more people to become lawyers than Marcia
Clark ever would. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDPXrWYa98WKBf-jSi4c7_e1Wgkawm8qPbbsLYmTTM1ZfERpLzphIipx_t-AUisrHJt8ABQWEcTzHiwytEFRTkEXKKun3B62ZVzvM9XIEdhHY8CjMMQhi-thJ9xAaUW20-CHHoTrazOLwb1NoCAHB0RhDHa4PjibwtgKHLISVFnWYSeOa4NCIEfK_tnWc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="786" data-original-width="1400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDPXrWYa98WKBf-jSi4c7_e1Wgkawm8qPbbsLYmTTM1ZfERpLzphIipx_t-AUisrHJt8ABQWEcTzHiwytEFRTkEXKKun3B62ZVzvM9XIEdhHY8CjMMQhi-thJ9xAaUW20-CHHoTrazOLwb1NoCAHB0RhDHa4PjibwtgKHLISVFnWYSeOa4NCIEfK_tnWc=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">As for westerns, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Deadwood</i> (#74) was the only one to make
the cut. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sigh. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I nodded in agreement with
the selections of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Columbo</i> (#85), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">St. Elsewhere</i> (#92), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bob Newhart Show</i> (#66), and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wonder Years</i> (#72). <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Taxi</i> (#75), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy Days</i> (#87), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thirtysomething</i>
(#81), and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Jeffersons</i> (#64) would
have been borderline calls for me. <i>Variety</i> also chose <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Roseanne</i> (#69) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Cosby
Show</i> (#90), while stressing their admiration was only for the shows and not
the deportment of their respective stars. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHIMQH0rI2LVogjJ0CCAdLSlDJ8YNljszOau7k2PINpbdW_YmD9i60Rx9jv43YgSQYhWl1nsR7uBhhfNqH4Dw3tRPDm6UME-tZOirYPB3k3nx1EAIIZpqFFeByzaduvoYHtPXMOWSuMkPkxPK-aTouetH1RkV4aoMyTmp-5mhj8lO8iOAhDPTSMwN_II4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1240" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjHIMQH0rI2LVogjJ0CCAdLSlDJ8YNljszOau7k2PINpbdW_YmD9i60Rx9jv43YgSQYhWl1nsR7uBhhfNqH4Dw3tRPDm6UME-tZOirYPB3k3nx1EAIIZpqFFeByzaduvoYHtPXMOWSuMkPkxPK-aTouetH1RkV4aoMyTmp-5mhj8lO8iOAhDPTSMwN_II4=w400-h291" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Stat Trek: The Next Generation</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> made the list at #44, but the original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> did not. Explain that one. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I scanned through the list
a second time expecting to find <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Fugitive</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Andy Griffith Show</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mission: Impossible</i>, but none
were there. Granted, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">M:I</i> lost some of
its quality in its later seasons, but so did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dallas</i>, and that one made the list (#87). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I could do this all day,
but you get the idea. “Best of” lists will always be fun, and frustrating.
Maybe one day I’ll give you my top 100 list here, and we’ll kick that around
for a while – as long as you don’t kick the author too hard. </span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-79054613590218230552023-12-18T11:23:00.000-08:002023-12-18T11:23:21.586-08:00Christmas in Peekskill: Ranking the Facts of Life Holiday Episodes<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">It took <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Facts of Life</i> five seasons to air a
Christmas show, but it must have been well received because after that a
holiday episode became an annual tradition until the series ended with season
nine. I know it’s getting close to Christmas so you may not have time for five
visits to Eastland – if that’s the case, I’ve ranked the episodes from worst to
first. It’s my holiday gift to you. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnnwvHO1px7CFQedvJqbK1dgtXq0s9aQkhHy7WDzVGHDp0zrLB0kyEnI8IF0yLj2MzrKusbMmzH9cZe6BONXBMr-x5pgRw6v4hkTcGuwOhyO-9zLB9qoa3IFsNQncP6wM-uPfWjd4A_c4zQ0ufsOx-981AyEuTWOEccKkgzw01nBqlyVVGd-gQrf7Jlwo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjnnwvHO1px7CFQedvJqbK1dgtXq0s9aQkhHy7WDzVGHDp0zrLB0kyEnI8IF0yLj2MzrKusbMmzH9cZe6BONXBMr-x5pgRw6v4hkTcGuwOhyO-9zLB9qoa3IFsNQncP6wM-uPfWjd4A_c4zQ0ufsOx-981AyEuTWOEccKkgzw01nBqlyVVGd-gQrf7Jlwo=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Worst</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“It’s a Wonderful Christmas” </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Season 9</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I never warmed to Cloris
Leachman as Beverly Ann, who replaced Charlotte Rae’s Edna Garrett in Season
eight. And this episode focuses mainly on her character, when she becomes
convinced that she hasn’t made a difference in anyone’s life. “I wish I never came
to Peeksill,” she laments (me too!), and cue the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">It’s a Wonderful Life</i> pastiche. It’s a trope that can work if done
right, as it did on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Laverne & Shirley</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Buffy, the Vampire Slayer</i>. But
here it just feels by the numbers. Not even Pippa’s punk rock makeover can save
it. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Slightly Better</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Post-Christmas Card”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Season 8</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Technically this is an
after-Christmas episode that opens with Blair and Jo un-decorating the
Christmas tree and discussing New Year’s resolutions. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXgY0orNqwXArI2cUHntsFCyQ_-jI48ejCSsqpJxxOGpyoFA2CFxy8NQ6J-GqbtwJX9JW5wbnRneti8bT4J9TdZA6N518uHM7H8rzCRT4BLbyC6h-TiH3Wwv5PcEnFJkTN7ZZ7evVPczyoCE-Zn_y7t6wHHVwBYlbOFhEyEvdx9DFsdpsbFdyQnSDgU8A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="635" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgXgY0orNqwXArI2cUHntsFCyQ_-jI48ejCSsqpJxxOGpyoFA2CFxy8NQ6J-GqbtwJX9JW5wbnRneti8bT4J9TdZA6N518uHM7H8rzCRT4BLbyC6h-TiH3Wwv5PcEnFJkTN7ZZ7evVPczyoCE-Zn_y7t6wHHVwBYlbOFhEyEvdx9DFsdpsbFdyQnSDgU8A=w400-h301" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Then Natalie gets an
unexpected “present” – a pre-approved credit card with $3,000 in available
funds, ready to spend. Blair talks her into charging 50 bucks for a fancy appointment
book, and then the floodgate opens. The holiday references are over after the
first scene, but it’s still a more enjoyable show than the last one.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Worth Watching</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Christmas Baby”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Season 7</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The highlight here is Marj
Dusay in one of her occasional guest appearances as Monica Warner, Blair’s
mother. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitno9l2jDh0gO1WNmox_sCDNVTWmtm3hhOVFiiZY5R7e6NSo6J8sv-TFObfrWuRagulfyKDAcuNTicbjM_jmdLCKo-eCAXS-3jUrzKcBsI1_sgPXS9p-qe-uAFSxFIG0vlN5SYL2Hy5gihFgo3Zbu5VFO0aqHsgTfmew5_7BphEpbTchRR17Y_Kw6T_0E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitno9l2jDh0gO1WNmox_sCDNVTWmtm3hhOVFiiZY5R7e6NSo6J8sv-TFObfrWuRagulfyKDAcuNTicbjM_jmdLCKo-eCAXS-3jUrzKcBsI1_sgPXS9p-qe-uAFSxFIG0vlN5SYL2Hy5gihFgo3Zbu5VFO0aqHsgTfmew5_7BphEpbTchRR17Y_Kw6T_0E=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This is the climax of a story arc that began when Monica discovers
she’s pregnant in her forties, after being recently divorced. She goes into
labor on Christmas Eve, disrupting everyone’s plans but in a most delightful
way. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Adding narration by the
newborn was a bit too cutesy for me, but there are some tender moments along
the way that resonate, including when Blair asks Mrs. Garrett to say a prayer
that everything will turn out all right. She is reluctant to ask herself, she
confesses, because it’s been a while since she last prayed (a line that is noteworthy
from Lisa Whelchel, whose Christian faith is well known). “If you have
something to ask, it’s okay,” Mrs. Garrett responds, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“God’s listening.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I always appreciate when
God gets an occasional shout-out in a Christmas show. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">When viewers spend seven
years with a group of characters, as fans of this series have by the time this
episode aired, there’s something rewarding about sharing a happy milestone in
their lives. Here we get a Christmas celebration and a new baby – that’s 23
minutes well spent. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">A Holiday Tradition</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“The Christmas Show”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Season 5</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Jo plans to visit her
mother on Christmas, but then her mother takes a second job in Florida over the
holidays, leaving Jo, in Tootie’s words, “stuck here with Mrs. Garrett.” Edna
doesn’t take too kindly to that sentiment. The other girls hatch a plan to get
Jo to Florida, in a way that won’t wound her stubborn pride. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This is the most
“Christmas-y” of the show’s five holiday episodes, especially in how Edna’s
Edibles looks charming decked out for the season. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB9slCU-QjJUc9QGqCzNB7JSLCqZJqT4PngSsdU61a5hhuTPlP1SQARfFeS3CapMu-hak5jjtyxZQz8FylaFNSmAp06qDXXsXaBUDdi8m-x1KkJpZWW8WXrKW0aewHHuGD9sd9a_tcJWzZ6b12a1keboLzvf8tgy5Qgk0po1mel82gDeYdFPhIGpFIbRg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="425" data-original-width="640" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB9slCU-QjJUc9QGqCzNB7JSLCqZJqT4PngSsdU61a5hhuTPlP1SQARfFeS3CapMu-hak5jjtyxZQz8FylaFNSmAp06qDXXsXaBUDdi8m-x1KkJpZWW8WXrKW0aewHHuGD9sd9a_tcJWzZ6b12a1keboLzvf8tgy5Qgk0po1mel82gDeYdFPhIGpFIbRg=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">But it’s the always
intriguing Blair-Jo dynamic that makes this one a winner. For me, and I guess
to most fans, their relationship is the show, and the main reason why it lasted
so long. There’s nothing new about the pampered snobby rich girl vs. the tough
kid from the streets bit – but this is as well as it was done in the classic TV
era. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">They are two young women
with nothing in common who started as bitter enemies, then over the course of
nearly a decade found that they had more in common than they knew. The final scene
delivers all the heartwarming feels viewers want in a holiday show. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">A Classic</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Christmas in the Big Hosue”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Season 6</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I probably like this one
more than most, because I’m a sucker for sitcoms that present a musical
episode. Blair and her country club friends decide to help the less fortunate
by putting on a show for the underprivileged boys residing in the Nickleby
House. But on the day of the event Blair discovers that the Nickleby House is
actually the recreation hall at a men’s prison, so when the assistant warden
arrives to pick her up, she refuses to go. After Jo, Tootie, Natalie and Mrs.
Garrett decide to make the trip, Blair reluctantly joins them, but refuses to
perform. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This is the kind of
situation and the kind of impromptu holiday show that could only exist on TV –
Jo and Natalie’s duet on “We Need a Little Christmas” would have real convicts
asking to return to their cells. Mrs. Garrett fares better singing “O Holy
Night,” but Tootie’s shimmying, strutting version of “Jingle Bell Rock” is just
embarrassing. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">After that number the girls
are ready to leave, but the assistant warden says he promised the men more
show, and asks if they can think up an encore. They can’t, until Mrs. Garrett
reminds them that they are the only Christmas those men are going to have this
year. Blair, at last, stands up. “I’ll go….it’s my turn, isn’t it?” And
she walks silently onto the stage and performs a lovely a capella cover of “I’ll
Be Home for Christmas.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgO4qQx2jL32OXYIv_XUySJB5aQB9q8r6yuTVipOjgnbuPn66lZg7DHPep2VYP8OQXhjgT1y0_uqP1X4MpJcopwASsgvtPr5mf4hnYigq3kRlSJkzY6WGaqQMl0tuZ2mjTCV_N9si93haB-cf9ajYmp5_ZjsCFQaWCcrGDf0u6TlrztgfWygWOkHRuIsQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjgO4qQx2jL32OXYIv_XUySJB5aQB9q8r6yuTVipOjgnbuPn66lZg7DHPep2VYP8OQXhjgT1y0_uqP1X4MpJcopwASsgvtPr5mf4hnYigq3kRlSJkzY6WGaqQMl0tuZ2mjTCV_N9si93haB-cf9ajYmp5_ZjsCFQaWCcrGDf0u6TlrztgfWygWOkHRuIsQ=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">And in that moment the episode is transformed into
something special. Maybe those who watched her on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mickey Mouse Club</i> knew Lisa Whelchel could sing, but I didn’t,
so the beauty of that performance was a revelation, and it never fails to put
me in the proper holiday spirit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zUbKmCfnKJg" width="320" youtube-src-id="zUbKmCfnKJg"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-88460527524594674742023-11-30T11:50:00.000-08:002023-11-30T11:50:18.933-08:00My 50 Favorite Classic TV Characters: Hayden Rorke as Dr. Alfred Bellows<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This will be a new
occasional feature here – a closer look at single characters from classic
shows, and what makes them special. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The choice to inaugurate
this series with Dr. Alfred Bellows from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
Dream of Jeannie</i> was not a random one, as it seemed particularly
appropriate to this current age. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj43o6cHUS7IyBFksTcOonFG2mioAhDFY6VVDY9xuDUUnBS94aLHiSri4eXYBLd9hVj1hzDp20XKSXXpxZQK-uVMyMqpnJhEJkdraDAtqeMfB555LOFiDKUVcyY8gciZt63tyOAka6UjvCKntdeyoKVAWUBV26ttVylc-as-MZ1iwvwKvy_Pl0mivQGW4s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="440" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj43o6cHUS7IyBFksTcOonFG2mioAhDFY6VVDY9xuDUUnBS94aLHiSri4eXYBLd9hVj1hzDp20XKSXXpxZQK-uVMyMqpnJhEJkdraDAtqeMfB555LOFiDKUVcyY8gciZt63tyOAka6UjvCKntdeyoKVAWUBV26ttVylc-as-MZ1iwvwKvy_Pl0mivQGW4s=w390-h400" width="390" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">We live in a time when,
like the good doctor, we are regularly presented with situations and moments
that are beyond belief to a rational mind. Yet when we tell others about them,
we are disregarded. Worse, we know something is wrong when we see it, but often
find that it is we who are maligned for speaking truth. The crazy gets a pass,
and we are the troublemakers. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Such is the fate that always
befalls Dr. Alfred Bellows, a respected NASA psychiatrist based in Cocoa Beach,
Florida. He knows there are strange, inexplicable occurrences happening at
Major Nelson’s home; he sees things that shouldn’t be possible, yet every time
he tries to restore the natural order by calling attention to what he rightly
views as madness, it is he who winds up looking foolish. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qKSg4s7o9MM" width="320" youtube-src-id="qKSg4s7o9MM"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">It’s hard not to sympathize
with him. But it’s harder not to treasure those moments, because they are, to
me, the principal reason I still enjoy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
Dream of Jeannie</i>. Barbara Eden’s Jeannie was gorgeous and bubbly and
mischievous, and Bill Daily’s Major Healey was a staunch second banana. But the
scenes that still deliver the biggest laughs on this show are those between
Larry Hagman and Hayden Rorke. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">It’s always the same
set-up: Jeannie will blink Tony into some bizarre costume or surroundings, and
then disappear just before Dr. Bellows enters. He will be appropriately
astonished and then ask what is going on: “I can’t wait to hear your
explanation of what you’re doing with an elephant in your bedroom.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Tony will then stammer out
a lame elucidation that Bellows doesn’t buy for a moment, and then he sets out to find
someone to corroborate his allegations – usually his superior officer (either
General Peterson or General Schaeffer, depending on the season or the episode).
But by the time the General arrives on the scene, Jeannie has blinked
everything back to normal, and a frustrated Bellows is once again thwarted.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgunZb6udAQEIhPhEfzgIL527Wfu6lEs4XAc2eb5jxfZ4z50U82IOsEr_QKlQ-utRwTeEChwLKBU5zlncTbwd7Y4l1F6KV3225YZeipqKIl9Jc2dub2K05R925vX8Q4Tnsirrcq1nfL-GwLvb_bs0pYRcMYkpbaMLnsnmDC9GVrVFgwKo-XNSmo7yWSeYs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgunZb6udAQEIhPhEfzgIL527Wfu6lEs4XAc2eb5jxfZ4z50U82IOsEr_QKlQ-utRwTeEChwLKBU5zlncTbwd7Y4l1F6KV3225YZeipqKIl9Jc2dub2K05R925vX8Q4Tnsirrcq1nfL-GwLvb_bs0pYRcMYkpbaMLnsnmDC9GVrVFgwKo-XNSmo7yWSeYs=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Something like this happens
in at least half of the series’ 139 episodes. That these moments still elicit
a smile to viewers’ faces is a testament to what Hagman and Rorke bring to
their roles. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Though Rorke died in 1987, <u><a href="https://www.haydenrorke.com/about">there is a website that pays tribute to the man</a></u> and his work that describes his
approach to Dr. Bellows this way: “He’s a comedic antagonist who’s never in on
the joke, always a step behind, and consistently being fooled. Play him too
clueless and he’s a Gladys Kravitz. Play him too stern and he’s a Mr. Wilson.
Hayden could thread the needle and make a character who is essentially the
spoilsport into a charming, endearing man.”</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDStw2LC_a-4VclxmyfolzAbOiBMtHyf4Bby0p4IQVG80xvLGMBsdyXQqcHLYH-4sjWAzxrndupiusgTidNx_h-K04SSSDPU1wLNFZWrRHe-4W0IDarWdu10sbxQIFFqZFIYEyAKG42ytxy_tb1qYaIy6OwmFsH1Uheaeo6yu7IzA-mr0dV14R7tcUwdU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="500" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDStw2LC_a-4VclxmyfolzAbOiBMtHyf4Bby0p4IQVG80xvLGMBsdyXQqcHLYH-4sjWAzxrndupiusgTidNx_h-K04SSSDPU1wLNFZWrRHe-4W0IDarWdu10sbxQIFFqZFIYEyAKG42ytxy_tb1qYaIy6OwmFsH1Uheaeo6yu7IzA-mr0dV14R7tcUwdU=w400-h296" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">He was indeed charming,
with his deep melodious voice and dignified professional bearing. One imagines
his military career was one of quiet distinction and steady advancement, until
Major Nelson came into his life. That is when his grip on reality would
gradually begin to unravel, in early season one episodes like “Anybody Here
Seen Jeannie?” That’s when Jeannie sabotages Tony’s medical tests to stop him
from going into space. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtWjeFZ_viZLgFiL5xreC4dxG93ftbnfpJE1yPC1IisHChcSc3E0_RV3aOe0G8_TXUKc1piQtCLSf75Ltkw5FbuNO_s1DeIaFQlC0IkCdhpsWpxKVNwHRipbjqEaoRUc44Ftn-W_-itAmEUrn3TS0IBOBtqcnviVmZaDseAs5-24MStlLqmeLSZHVYOvE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtWjeFZ_viZLgFiL5xreC4dxG93ftbnfpJE1yPC1IisHChcSc3E0_RV3aOe0G8_TXUKc1piQtCLSf75Ltkw5FbuNO_s1DeIaFQlC0IkCdhpsWpxKVNwHRipbjqEaoRUc44Ftn-W_-itAmEUrn3TS0IBOBtqcnviVmZaDseAs5-24MStlLqmeLSZHVYOvE=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“The results are beyond my wildest expectations,” Bellows
says after looking at impossible readings. Later, after a stern lecture from
Tony, Jeannie begins sabotaging Dr. Bellows’ attempt to write up his report,
not to mention his dinner, to the point where he begins to doubt his own
sanity. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Later that season, Dr. Bellows
moves in with Major Nelson (“Permanent House Guest”) and is witness to one
bizarre occurrence after another – it may be the most concentrated mental
torture Jeannie inflicts on him in five seasons. He flees in the middle of the
night, believing the house to be haunted. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC3fkrSRgmo1r_VMPhdWv4APpDv7O3hGSoaQHEgFhF5u0qKnHRSTSDpV2O4Br2iXFXEmm51T3iNJqEKG8VxhdR-FnZyfNt3QUyQtkXgkKaaVf29k3xRtgvzHwIPnAaM8r1xVVKrW2qlsIgzhgJMDU8TxIRDLwDiwZ5N21GZh43V8ErCQ1gzzOSSimtD_w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="646" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiC3fkrSRgmo1r_VMPhdWv4APpDv7O3hGSoaQHEgFhF5u0qKnHRSTSDpV2O4Br2iXFXEmm51T3iNJqEKG8VxhdR-FnZyfNt3QUyQtkXgkKaaVf29k3xRtgvzHwIPnAaM8r1xVVKrW2qlsIgzhgJMDU8TxIRDLwDiwZ5N21GZh43V8ErCQ1gzzOSSimtD_w=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">As the series progressed
Rorke wisely modulated his performance. One can only be astonished by the
inexplicable for so long, before that astonishment turns to bewildered
resignation. By season two’s “My Master, The Rainmaker,” he is no longer amazed
at a snowfall over Tony’s house in Florida, in July. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">By this point he regards
Tony as Captain Ahab regarded the white whale – the bane of his existence, and
one that must be conquered: ““Fine. I’ll accept that. It’s no more ridiculous
than any of your other explanations,” he would say after Jeannie’s latest
stunt. But he’s not going down without a fight. “Some men dedicate their lives
to science, some men dedicate their lives to politics,” he tells Major
Nelson.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m dedicating my life to
understanding you.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">In the season four episode
called “Dr. Bellows Goes Sane” he is ready to make his move. Dr. Bellows
presents a summary of his observations to General Peterson, entitled “A
Clinical Report on Major Anthony Nelson: A Factual Dossier on Every Unexplained
Incident in Which Major Nelson Has Been Involved for the Last Three Years.” It’s all in there – sudden
appearances and disappearances, giraffes, bears and other wildlife in Tony’s
home. But after reading through the more-than-100-page document, Peterson
concludes, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Any man who would turn in a
report like that has got to be a candidate for a padded cell.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Foiled again. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“I feel sorry for Dr.
Bellows. He is a very nice man,” Jeannie once said after driving him to the
brink of a nervous breakdown. I do too. But it’s his close encounters with her
magic that make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Dream of Jeannie</i>
classic television. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-11043403523421064262023-11-20T11:30:00.000-08:002023-11-20T11:30:39.060-08:00My Journey Through 1970s TV; Tuesday Nights, 1973<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Two out of three networks
were confident enough to bring back their previous year’s Tuesday lineups for
1973. For CBS that made sense, with returning hit shows that continued to
dominate in the ratings. For ABC, the move was more an exercise in wishful
thinking – one that did not pay dividends. Eventually that network would own
the decade with a seemingly never-ending string of successes – but that era
would have to wait another couple of years. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Let’s take a look at the night’s
selections – and see if my quest to watch at least one episode from every prime
time series will be dealt yet another setback. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Tuesday, 1973</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Chase</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Magician</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Police Story</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC was the only network to
opt for a fresh slate of programs. Gone were <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bonanza</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bold Ones</i>,
and in their place three new offerings – one hit, one miss, and one that should
have lasted longer. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I confess that I had not
even heard of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chase</i> before watching
an episode online, but after doing so I understand why it was mostly forgotten.
Mitchell Ryan, who I remember fondly from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark
Shadows</i>, plays the no-nonsense head of a Los Angeles police department
division that specialized in taking on the toughest cases. This was Stephen J.
Cannell’s first television creation, but it was produced within the auspices of
Jack Webb’s Mark VII trademark. Webb and Cannell had very different styles when
it came to telling police stories, and the result here was a mix that never
committed fully to either one. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Magician</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> had all the elements that create successful shows: a charismatic lead
in Bill Bixby as magician Tony Blake; a unique premise – Blake uses his skills
of sleight of hand and misdirection to solve crimes; and a talented creative
team, including producers, writers and directors that previously worked on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mission: Impossible</i>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG0h4jf3aBj56swmSUZA2qgMhuSAFvJ3__8uGIjWnpQ7h3WlShpFwAbk7M4sz5bytej5OKCnsxglg_gXEoiEBBhxJip2rYf9CbuX9gZ401wWyc-OAJSRhAb83We2S3hfRy760_GbCC7eyRHW1-hblRDsmW5ZAqeiQbYgo1Zyk9XpE450_u7L0aVlb4grY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgG0h4jf3aBj56swmSUZA2qgMhuSAFvJ3__8uGIjWnpQ7h3WlShpFwAbk7M4sz5bytej5OKCnsxglg_gXEoiEBBhxJip2rYf9CbuX9gZ401wWyc-OAJSRhAb83We2S3hfRy760_GbCC7eyRHW1-hblRDsmW5ZAqeiQbYgo1Zyk9XpE450_u7L0aVlb4grY=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">There was also the
interesting hook of Bixby actually performing all of the illusions shown on the
series without camera tricks or other cheats. I’d have gladly watched more
seasons, but NBC made <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Magician</i>
disappear after just 21 episodes. What a rotten trick.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The network fared better
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Police Story</i>, created by former
police officer Joseph Wambaugh. This 90-minute anthology series presented just
what the title suggests: stories about police officers, from patrolmen to
detectives, all of which delivered a realistic portrayal of the challenges of
police work. Among it’s nearly 100 episodes were pilots for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Police Woman</i> with Angie Dickinson, and
<i>Joe Forrester</i>, with Lloyd Bridges. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiurYm3EOw5x_9ab0mhBq7PRGUG_R3S3DOMfKQ-T5sn2oF7iX7AqFchtfJYIqdQ0NGeovYOBQH-upuJ35qYJxdFtLHDHkHwadtxku7-ZIUiW-kKhA6VJE66PHIhCCATew5AAy8x3fbAy3TYPmquRSjKrDQ1QnHu-B8vYTcQ5-vWikOX5TP8c3UaOSGrY3I" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiurYm3EOw5x_9ab0mhBq7PRGUG_R3S3DOMfKQ-T5sn2oF7iX7AqFchtfJYIqdQ0NGeovYOBQH-upuJ35qYJxdFtLHDHkHwadtxku7-ZIUiW-kKhA6VJE66PHIhCCATew5AAy8x3fbAy3TYPmquRSjKrDQ1QnHu-B8vYTcQ5-vWikOX5TP8c3UaOSGrY3I=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Temperatures Rising</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Tuesday Movie of the Week</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Marcus Welby, MD</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC is still inexplicably
trying to make <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Temperatures Rising</i>
work. But wholesale cast changes (goodbye James Whitmore, hello, Paul Lynde)
would not reverse its fortunes. Once again, an admirable portrayal of doctors
personified by Marcus Welby proved more popular with audiences. Whatever
happened to kindly family practitioners, anyway? Those were the days.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieoaXGpulEjN--dJA72jhbe_kkorDpBKMKoKh_4gJ3ynskx9qfQ1heWwmdHT4EFPgUOxHlkb0KQSZ-Q4CvcZ29Ogr4p1I5Mbr_E7l9TvZDqznAPv2bXFiz0RbUH6XMblbOxUN34BvIlk7qdmez8oGYkIowIfp4H0yJVDwYJFhiQ-kfBLQf9gn35MzA8fg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieoaXGpulEjN--dJA72jhbe_kkorDpBKMKoKh_4gJ3ynskx9qfQ1heWwmdHT4EFPgUOxHlkb0KQSZ-Q4CvcZ29Ogr4p1I5Mbr_E7l9TvZDqznAPv2bXFiz0RbUH6XMblbOxUN34BvIlk7qdmez8oGYkIowIfp4H0yJVDwYJFhiQ-kfBLQf9gn35MzA8fg=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Maude</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Hawaii Five-O</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Tuesday Night CBS Movie (Hawkins, Shaft)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Maude</i> at #6 and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawaii Five-O</i>
at #5 for the season, CBS managed to best its competition on Tuesdays, just as
it had the previous year. They did make one change to their <i>Tuesday Night Movie</i>
by adding films featuring recurring characters, one of which was already
familiar to movie fans. That would be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shaft</i>,
with Richard Roundtree reprising his role as detective John Shaft. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The recent passing of
Richard Roundtree was a reminder of how prominent the character of John Shaft
was in the wave of gritty African-American cinema that peaked in the 1970s. The
movies weren’t great but they were different. They had style; the characters
they presented looked cooler than cool prowling mean streets to some of the
decade’s best soundtracks; they took audiences into places they didn’t usually
visit, and they introduced charismatic stars like Roundtree and Pam Grier that
otherwise would have been saddled with stereotypical roles in mainstream films. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW_WAiKKhbjj5PgKMUYG9M-me0TtMUYgvnwXt0egUtxdbgcz7pZ0GTSHEZozGQdMhG14D-dFHezSdL_2tOhWzpJjO5Y4cwdao9cvHZVbCRLxmO2TPbCOlFTHMx9-zU6ggpZlV1UDQLU0mZTtvHXjnAczPryUEt8J7fnhRKNeENDgACqGm2E0dj6x0z38U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="850" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW_WAiKKhbjj5PgKMUYG9M-me0TtMUYgvnwXt0egUtxdbgcz7pZ0GTSHEZozGQdMhG14D-dFHezSdL_2tOhWzpJjO5Y4cwdao9cvHZVbCRLxmO2TPbCOlFTHMx9-zU6ggpZlV1UDQLU0mZTtvHXjnAczPryUEt8J7fnhRKNeENDgACqGm2E0dj6x0z38U=w400-h235" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Of course, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shaft</i> had to be toned down considerably
(you can’t say “he’s a bad mutha-“ in prime time). No cursing, no nudity, and none
of those shoot-outs that resulted in thugs bleeding Rust-Oleum orange like they
did in the movies. Maybe that’s why these seven episodes are not better known.
But I enjoyed them, even more so than the other recurring feature, in which
Jimmy Stewart played country attorney Billy Jim Hawkins. Reviews were good and
Stewart won a Golden Globe for his work here, but after eight episodes he was
ready to leave, citing concerns about script quality. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shaft </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hawkins</i> earned
DVD releases for those curious to check them out. What a shame they never
thought of filming a crossover case – now that would be a memorable TV movie. Can you dig it?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Shows Missed:</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">San Francisco International Airport (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Little People</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Sixth Sense</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-60957278622830534452023-11-06T11:39:00.001-08:002023-11-06T11:39:13.769-08:00Fill ‘Er Up at the Comfort TV Service Station<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Oh, we're the men of Texaco; </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">We work from Maine to Mexico. </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">There's nothing like this Texaco of ours! </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Tonight we may be showmen</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Tomorrow, we'll be servicing your cars!”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I was born in 1964 so I’m
not old enough to remember when that song, performed by men in matching service
station outfits, introduced the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Texaco
Star Theater</i>, hosted by Milton Berle. But I know it holds a place in
television history. Along with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Howdy
Doody</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I Love Lucy</i>, it was one
of the early can’t miss shows that compelled millions of Americans to buy their
first television set. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHy2QDfL3_qYBW69H61INc5fUbrqzROtI_PETJqmJ1XL45P0MEjypflmzh-43o4pWkx9gioKnoE0I0Vj06dfqNeQLb5j-r2Pkdg2YX2Zd3ZqQNWRiE2rQoWFHXV-5PCLgaGPdoppoEXNr8BbME9M4cK1RqvYd0tbFohaLqJPuYeIOIt3JqqqRyi5Olqp8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="740" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhHy2QDfL3_qYBW69H61INc5fUbrqzROtI_PETJqmJ1XL45P0MEjypflmzh-43o4pWkx9gioKnoE0I0Vj06dfqNeQLb5j-r2Pkdg2YX2Zd3ZqQNWRiE2rQoWFHXV-5PCLgaGPdoppoEXNr8BbME9M4cK1RqvYd0tbFohaLqJPuYeIOIt3JqqqRyi5Olqp8=w400-h186" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Maybe Uncle Milty was
before my time, but I am old enough to remember when every gas station was full
service, because that was the only option provided. The attendants’ uniforms
may not have been as crisp and tidy as they were on TV, but the men who wore
them would pump your gas, clean your windshield, and offer to check your
oil.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I can also still vividly
recall the first time my mother pulled into a station with a self-service
island. Though my age was still in the single digits, I reacted like a 17<sup>th</sup>
century French aristocrat who was told to poach his own truffles. “What? Soil
my hands on such a menial task?” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Now, of course, I pump my
own gas and bag my own groceries, put air in my own tires, and in another few
years I’ll probably have to remove my own gallbladder at the self-service
clinic. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">So yes, I enjoy glimpses into
the classic TV era, when there were still such things as service stations –
like the one owned and operated by Bill Shappard (James Franciscus) on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Father Knows Best</i>. In “Bud, the Willing
Worker,” the usually lethargic Bud gets a job at a station run by his sister
Betty’s boyfriend. It’s a typically strong episode but I confess to being more
taken with the setting than the story. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCeahg17nhpDgpwpkZ_G04vG2kUYulexJjDoirBUMhTo1UBUhSgkOYHS4D7w7OiEs6myHLLAyChEPxx49BRo6dlKbD3gTqOvQhHvZSK4K4M6aNGuZyujkKp_40IdKewqkyw_TuXuzI5zjTFOjiZgO24c-rXCnYpuWH3dxohXcaldQlVPZ7f0UwTohNDNE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgCeahg17nhpDgpwpkZ_G04vG2kUYulexJjDoirBUMhTo1UBUhSgkOYHS4D7w7OiEs6myHLLAyChEPxx49BRo6dlKbD3gTqOvQhHvZSK4K4M6aNGuZyujkKp_40IdKewqkyw_TuXuzI5zjTFOjiZgO24c-rXCnYpuWH3dxohXcaldQlVPZ7f0UwTohNDNE=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I can’t put air in a tire
without my hands getting dirty, yet there is Bill, clean as a
whistle in a white shirt, white pants, black bowtie and the kind of hat you
only see nowadays at In-N-Out Burger. The station building is large enough to
contain the mini-mart that is now standard at many gas stations, but
here it’s filled only with replacement auto parts, tires, tools, and cans of
motor oil neatly stacked in pyramids. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">A service station is also
the main backdrop for an episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet</i> appropriately titled “The Gas Station.”
Mr. Peters, the owner of said station, plans to close for the weekend for a
short vacation. At the same time, Harriet’s woman’s club is looking for a way
to raise money for charity. They decide to take over the gas station when the
owner is away and split the profits with him. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“I can’t see anything wrong
with the idea,” says kindly Mr. Peters – and here we see once again how the
world of Comfort TV differs from our own. Can you imagine the red tape and
union restrictions and liability waivers that </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">would prevent something
like that from happening now? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“How can a bunch of women
run a gas station?” says Ozzie’s neighbor Joe (okay, it was 1959).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But everything runs smoothly – even if Clara
keeps forgetting to replace the dipstick every time she checks the oil. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4FVATcbw1nw7cP6VmEfOhU5cYFo4uRCzIJYbBprmKW2-3TBtnDrXszTI_rJskgULw298xpcJ70pSB82RpovydfDwlVdiAKKyLDUPcB1f0iy5fRGTK6_-rfmInmRamZF6LDBR1zZpMi5JxTSCZwjPIm3NOOeVNz2nAvfyifK01IZ_DIng4Qx3Wid7xdnk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4FVATcbw1nw7cP6VmEfOhU5cYFo4uRCzIJYbBprmKW2-3TBtnDrXszTI_rJskgULw298xpcJ70pSB82RpovydfDwlVdiAKKyLDUPcB1f0iy5fRGTK6_-rfmInmRamZF6LDBR1zZpMi5JxTSCZwjPIm3NOOeVNz2nAvfyifK01IZ_DIng4Qx3Wid7xdnk=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Granted, there’s not much
of life in America that still resembles what the country was like in the 1950s,
when much of classic television was financed by fossil fuels and cigarettes. So
why should gas stations be the exception? But how about the 1970s, which still
don’t seem all that long ago to me, until I’m reminded of how the child starts
from that decade are now on Social Security. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“The Doom Buggy” was a 1974
episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Shazam!</i> in which Don drops
out of high school because he plans to become a mechanic. We get some nice
shots of a rural gas station – just two pumps – and Don’s blue jumpsuit is
appropriately greasy, unlike those sharp-dressed Texaco guys. Billy and Mentor
spent a lot of time around gas stations, which isn’t surprising since that
motorhome they traveled in probably needed a full tank twice a day. They meet
another gas jockey in “The Past is Not Forever,” and Captain Marvel is falsely
accused of robbing a gas station in “Double Trouble.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxmg6OKV-WuZ8fZfMrtqsfTWoqJUglmzC413hUuRpaCVMBSq3PFy1kyquzGjdEbecsMSOfrXnbQkEULdMwbO05vtzhWZ-WVbS-P96R2LJ6HCPSctGRx0DmpnkQ-vIzXwCLBNH0V-6V5ZRR8KsVOBXJOm8eEAWUCQxXPEp4hwYnfD5XfSKn4dBvnJKizHY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="454" data-original-width="614" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxmg6OKV-WuZ8fZfMrtqsfTWoqJUglmzC413hUuRpaCVMBSq3PFy1kyquzGjdEbecsMSOfrXnbQkEULdMwbO05vtzhWZ-WVbS-P96R2LJ6HCPSctGRx0DmpnkQ-vIzXwCLBNH0V-6V5ZRR8KsVOBXJOm8eEAWUCQxXPEp4hwYnfD5XfSKn4dBvnJKizHY=w400-h296" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Anyway, Billy tells Don
that continuing his education is important, because “they’re working on
electric cars,” and he might have to know how to work on them one day. He
mentioned turbine cars too, but those never really took off. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">For a more surreal service
station setting, check out “Assignment VI,” the final episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sapphire and Steel</i>. The time agents
arrive at a gas station that appears to have fallen into a pocket where time
has stopped – and where they meet a couple from the 1940s that were somehow
transported forward in the future. It’s an intriguing mystery with an
unexpectedly bleak ending. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEOR9nV3MP3eWotmDIjJJ_R07OKqh6VWIRMxiSDFqAjepoYYHbG5cddBgOvVS4fluLV5Bj3njRtONosP5_55YnqaKurFIZi12Tl4QYIkY5Ui41J5k5N-TlEu0ArknVuMcLAC7Ho8L5pV5VgYz369xC4UMTNfOin2fKbz-_5l0dzFp71kCf5jnIkrYNHUM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1151" data-original-width="1525" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEOR9nV3MP3eWotmDIjJJ_R07OKqh6VWIRMxiSDFqAjepoYYHbG5cddBgOvVS4fluLV5Bj3njRtONosP5_55YnqaKurFIZi12Tl4QYIkY5Ui41J5k5N-TlEu0ArknVuMcLAC7Ho8L5pV5VgYz369xC4UMTNfOin2fKbz-_5l0dzFp71kCf5jnIkrYNHUM=w400-h302" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">And maybe nothing all that
strange ever happened at Big Ed's Gas Farm, but I wouldn’t trust any business
located in Twin Peaks. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZreF5IhZfIaic4qMfIuqRDlF8-OooqSgm0EJjuMS0KBZKu-fj9pusXpgV0o_mXvhTg-dyaZhjn5QdzMnvkyQ2y-Hz7MtBBVtA66ICOZA7O4ky70q3QY0QNEwPYb0QKM5CrJ5XKH2qojjBt5zCw6SRe8T4dKnMwuruNyq0OsIXaF2I89vkOtL37Dwa2GI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="541" data-original-width="500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZreF5IhZfIaic4qMfIuqRDlF8-OooqSgm0EJjuMS0KBZKu-fj9pusXpgV0o_mXvhTg-dyaZhjn5QdzMnvkyQ2y-Hz7MtBBVtA66ICOZA7O4ky70q3QY0QNEwPYb0QKM5CrJ5XKH2qojjBt5zCw6SRe8T4dKnMwuruNyq0OsIXaF2I89vkOtL37Dwa2GI=w370-h400" width="370" /> </a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">But if you asked for my favorite
classic TV gas station, it would be Murph’s Union 76, as seen in a series of
commercials that aired over 14 years. Murph, the gruff-voiced by kindly owner,
was played veteran character actor Richard X. Slattery. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Commercials are never
really welcome when you’re enjoying a show, but a 30-second visit to Murph’s
was always low-key and pleasant enough that hitting the ‘mute’ button wasn’t
necessary. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIO3VHCIgHljTgN0m4XkVtAIf97y70hthsEuI1QTIHxt24_n9kn3v68-q-0bf8qFIiraJuSHZzVdVqEQ1bJ6HdCSz8ijzPwaVptXdVf-2Se5rj_rQu6fdCgDoGOrg_Rj0xsev3IrkMoGk8BO_xt9R5-EobmehyhkOai5ZAQSznHqWxvZO-PWFnhXNNiOU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIO3VHCIgHljTgN0m4XkVtAIf97y70hthsEuI1QTIHxt24_n9kn3v68-q-0bf8qFIiraJuSHZzVdVqEQ1bJ6HdCSz8ijzPwaVptXdVf-2Se5rj_rQu6fdCgDoGOrg_Rj0xsev3IrkMoGk8BO_xt9R5-EobmehyhkOai5ZAQSznHqWxvZO-PWFnhXNNiOU=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I wish more commercials
played like that now. And I also wish service stations still had someone to put
air in my tires. Bowtie optional. </span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-31690174015905118012023-10-25T23:28:00.002-07:002023-10-26T09:50:47.293-07:00The Ampersands of Comfort TV<p>
</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The word
“ampersand” seems needlessly stuffy for the simple “&” symbol it describes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">But that’s
neither here nor there, and really I don’t want to get too deep on this. It’s
just a fun little exercise in tracing the history of classic television from
its origins to the end of the Comfort TV era through famous pairs of characters, whose names are linked by our friend the ampersand. Fans loved them both
individually, but they were always more fondly recalled together. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">If you
love the Comfort TV era as much as I do, you are already on a first name basis
with all of these iconic duos. And after another week of distressing headlines, hopefully these names and photos will bring back some happy memories. If I missed any, feel free to add to the list.
And no, “Pink Lady & Jeff” and “Mr. T. & Tina” do not count. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Lucy &
Ethel</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZeov1uO6XVtGN4L46wtNmqF9cKW4plqGj3gEmqR3bAPFgO7OLYYM_wKbEeNDRVCT6L0ZaIyOUIAXSSNhbJpBC5GIjbXzmOZgKFcKKsulXeUvxaB6XSllJPSvhRZh1XsaEeHxJbKtQPG8vlS2vUez5vP_u4F6X-cmf8NSOGI0J6N41r2zl5kNC5VSTcJc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="768" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZeov1uO6XVtGN4L46wtNmqF9cKW4plqGj3gEmqR3bAPFgO7OLYYM_wKbEeNDRVCT6L0ZaIyOUIAXSSNhbJpBC5GIjbXzmOZgKFcKKsulXeUvxaB6XSllJPSvhRZh1XsaEeHxJbKtQPG8vlS2vUez5vP_u4F6X-cmf8NSOGI0J6N41r2zl5kNC5VSTcJc=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Kukla,
Fran & Ollie</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjINt1jOj-h4fP8keLX8RZm_x4qgyOcl5RHSAmKKR5cE-cT8VJUhmri1Y80d7qIi81C6UEf9tRnKJ3ZXXjkarfcLmR8aEsrbqP9M83UhyE2bRkkFvi4Y9RGAQf47KQ2zabZ_4PCVGH5VDR3RfTGIloW9YoKaEcKwllc0LEewljTjq-v-SlsabjjhJpIxCE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="593" data-original-width="750" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjINt1jOj-h4fP8keLX8RZm_x4qgyOcl5RHSAmKKR5cE-cT8VJUhmri1Y80d7qIi81C6UEf9tRnKJ3ZXXjkarfcLmR8aEsrbqP9M83UhyE2bRkkFvi4Y9RGAQf47KQ2zabZ_4PCVGH5VDR3RfTGIloW9YoKaEcKwllc0LEewljTjq-v-SlsabjjhJpIxCE=w400-h316" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Amos & Andy</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEialJIfDrVbLGYpkAXE5DugfUeWO9qnNzyEPfpO-4kR1Bn7jmHCKmm7S9Xo4FhkzgVCE4PrhuGfX_3IOFU3m5kH5Yr7xTl7qGTyDHMpIwUYHtNhI_ZOmJISzmfdJPKxZGvhDLU2pS-sGzrC451SZe332aXzo_lq-uNWr0t-jobsWqOc37QkPThjjbiqlxI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="842" data-original-width="1180" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEialJIfDrVbLGYpkAXE5DugfUeWO9qnNzyEPfpO-4kR1Bn7jmHCKmm7S9Xo4FhkzgVCE4PrhuGfX_3IOFU3m5kH5Yr7xTl7qGTyDHMpIwUYHtNhI_ZOmJISzmfdJPKxZGvhDLU2pS-sGzrC451SZe332aXzo_lq-uNWr0t-jobsWqOc37QkPThjjbiqlxI=w400-h285" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Ozzie
& Harriet</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaENl-IQrRMVtUs4Kks-4wBAl0LICO4esxoB-T2cb_j1nzU0SsH7ymJ8z010K6Jgth8oxfRs3VIRV6lrlgHu3_NzVUCyHFFe-ulgw24zCYU7gD6n2KkvGyLmkp09cPdl6iDAqTvybbMp5qElckFCWtbVDQ4FEkJmA1DaEl0UFoC9Xtel01l9oyxL-Lpqk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="882" data-original-width="660" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaENl-IQrRMVtUs4Kks-4wBAl0LICO4esxoB-T2cb_j1nzU0SsH7ymJ8z010K6Jgth8oxfRs3VIRV6lrlgHu3_NzVUCyHFFe-ulgw24zCYU7gD6n2KkvGyLmkp09cPdl6iDAqTvybbMp5qElckFCWtbVDQ4FEkJmA1DaEl0UFoC9Xtel01l9oyxL-Lpqk=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Spin &
Marty</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaxUFYCS-pg_qbiuUHaw3OB4kwY30vvfv7dpnTfxvNnHmHpgwSlxgteNfz4cv5VrV0gxmG7FxGXNqXnhbwQXwfaSQmh0f9ASePOoUgEGj7BtB5hcTA0CWjM3KhL2wnc_weatkIi3OSpNdOVvwvvfAIqX-PRhqaxRttuXW6_ylR5-tk-Y4JYPXDNd55e1c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="414" data-original-width="479" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaxUFYCS-pg_qbiuUHaw3OB4kwY30vvfv7dpnTfxvNnHmHpgwSlxgteNfz4cv5VrV0gxmG7FxGXNqXnhbwQXwfaSQmh0f9ASePOoUgEGj7BtB5hcTA0CWjM3KhL2wnc_weatkIi3OSpNdOVvwvvfAIqX-PRhqaxRttuXW6_ylR5-tk-Y4JYPXDNd55e1c=w400-h345" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Matt &
Miss Kitty</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwv1FTLC0l2jXe4ve2qZznNLy0taiLRsYB0s_XIQ-2V0IxhSsJKCnUGr_UC3-3t3NsmBR8fgV15XVZGFNY56JfgzJqlo0CYpD1wRiDk3Uv8bh0F4Y9Zsbrv75_p7ngtbkuNWViSTHARkBpX_uJ-gvc6pTJL2h1kWAiw3LGdVbWOPER1rEwZYkqFbzUUR0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="348" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwv1FTLC0l2jXe4ve2qZznNLy0taiLRsYB0s_XIQ-2V0IxhSsJKCnUGr_UC3-3t3NsmBR8fgV15XVZGFNY56JfgzJqlo0CYpD1wRiDk3Uv8bh0F4Y9Zsbrv75_p7ngtbkuNWViSTHARkBpX_uJ-gvc6pTJL2h1kWAiw3LGdVbWOPER1rEwZYkqFbzUUR0=w348-h400" width="348" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Buddy
& Sally</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuJZqID_u4pFlBuYTOXrF4jWP1syNi76AlgoEMUn0lUEUNBLoNmXTfwt5qt8EVli7TNvByNymkCFGfDt2qHZjvfbb_KOYfsv-DiwCe3cgGZcmVVjmzlLo5U9Bqhc1RUUmZS5O8BoQ9Oas6QFI3MdkPDwRSxqLJ33DS-1D40TUKUh3PykpZ59Esxrhv0lQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="346" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiuJZqID_u4pFlBuYTOXrF4jWP1syNi76AlgoEMUn0lUEUNBLoNmXTfwt5qt8EVli7TNvByNymkCFGfDt2qHZjvfbb_KOYfsv-DiwCe3cgGZcmVVjmzlLo5U9Bqhc1RUUmZS5O8BoQ9Oas6QFI3MdkPDwRSxqLJ33DS-1D40TUKUh3PykpZ59Esxrhv0lQ=w400-h347" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Andy &
Barney</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaytIP07wWpAnchBGkVEaHNgj2zx_wQRj2g7So45sTdTSvMHrvF5e4EOXaWM4E8lW6cZlbsTqLWGfnvkvrYWjbTvXZcXVb5YJ15PTuV2gWQ-KZRot6KyZv0IewG0-IA8ojidEUM1DRi7E8Ngzer_5xzcq8zpHafB9tGVogIjqaCsQJfaeXVWpb9W_QB1g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaytIP07wWpAnchBGkVEaHNgj2zx_wQRj2g7So45sTdTSvMHrvF5e4EOXaWM4E8lW6cZlbsTqLWGfnvkvrYWjbTvXZcXVb5YJ15PTuV2gWQ-KZRot6KyZv0IewG0-IA8ojidEUM1DRi7E8Ngzer_5xzcq8zpHafB9tGVogIjqaCsQJfaeXVWpb9W_QB1g=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">James
& Artemus</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGuoBHksQDp2MBq44ccxHh_3KbyQj_PFcWaq9F5d8yZ_V95Z3s2JpcpblD95y2yNTPanX1WdDrUDuOm86o8ZOiwobSznm5eu8KGK_mhWpYBC0JSsENZII_ajRNX2FR98dkDfZNjVbmZu9pNSc12VMwWsemutrAVPFuIVotHKYeMkrDpKD0DH0TZBYn9JQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="589" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGuoBHksQDp2MBq44ccxHh_3KbyQj_PFcWaq9F5d8yZ_V95Z3s2JpcpblD95y2yNTPanX1WdDrUDuOm86o8ZOiwobSznm5eu8KGK_mhWpYBC0JSsENZII_ajRNX2FR98dkDfZNjVbmZu9pNSc12VMwWsemutrAVPFuIVotHKYeMkrDpKD0DH0TZBYn9JQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Rocky
& Bullwinkle</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_92tQY_iSvCyz5K-uTUn4q7JxZNrZM79Qp_GLwcUklrN5B8_B7w7ckoMkIaCexJuSofWLDdKPZ4ru-KC5BgFrYxOaElR793Wv_y13ZCcVuxcNPCvqJCYs7V1Oo6YZo6WyAJjVpxkElqerrUVAJukSD6kLh0crMLzJYQpKJDZZ23d672FBeA5SmjiGa_M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1182" data-original-width="1500" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_92tQY_iSvCyz5K-uTUn4q7JxZNrZM79Qp_GLwcUklrN5B8_B7w7ckoMkIaCexJuSofWLDdKPZ4ru-KC5BgFrYxOaElR793Wv_y13ZCcVuxcNPCvqJCYs7V1Oo6YZo6WyAJjVpxkElqerrUVAJukSD6kLh0crMLzJYQpKJDZZ23d672FBeA5SmjiGa_M=w400-h315" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Batman
& Robin</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLqzOw4VOcPFSQsuTlqTi1eqWpxcghZ8ktbB-VgOx3pPuj_TqTWVkax0aJaM2avep8C3oC6gnvDJQnMXhyTDu8E3Xv4MMkocZG3rFUaBfZ7CRSkLIJUVy3d0_Ujp0K67sTvVbAUGjBrM-ax6YzZTnl0VkEheWi51OV9U-xW59a-DQXiV3cu_LjOfvfnyQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiLqzOw4VOcPFSQsuTlqTi1eqWpxcghZ8ktbB-VgOx3pPuj_TqTWVkax0aJaM2avep8C3oC6gnvDJQnMXhyTDu8E3Xv4MMkocZG3rFUaBfZ7CRSkLIJUVy3d0_Ujp0K67sTvVbAUGjBrM-ax6YzZTnl0VkEheWi51OV9U-xW59a-DQXiV3cu_LjOfvfnyQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Rowan
& Martin</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTdSz4jnzpfftDkJhZSVWl-TmFrBkecHlEKJC6KEFHclysMXlfxuxaF3kmHCuDaefqJyI5Xm4N0aY6wQlA-H_fpUG6r6h_97ayre_t8fWy-KyRAdW-dyHqq7VmPJn3PoounLXy8vXgZiRQW1KNOEKVZ0dHgSX70A4RJOdAttTNnsY7Fh0VbH-K7MVn9Ug" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="784" data-original-width="1200" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgTdSz4jnzpfftDkJhZSVWl-TmFrBkecHlEKJC6KEFHclysMXlfxuxaF3kmHCuDaefqJyI5Xm4N0aY6wQlA-H_fpUG6r6h_97ayre_t8fWy-KyRAdW-dyHqq7VmPJn3PoounLXy8vXgZiRQW1KNOEKVZ0dHgSX70A4RJOdAttTNnsY7Fh0VbH-K7MVn9Ug=w400-h261" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Huntley
& Brinkley</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4HAX3X2T5uz8jHNLhjAo0s4_5EZJSnOT-i8TFUYnhwtDiJ6gCrewi35_tzZ4Yl2OOgkZGHNg09RmdTjZampldw3KFxNtMOFYw_3Y1Fh9F2eIvn4sJBPWVwrv8xHiKmLYQoNYC0bHgjMeeHlWGhUoCnQXTC08WZy-8JN1BTlQdvrj3UNOZripD_OjW8ZQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="366" data-original-width="474" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4HAX3X2T5uz8jHNLhjAo0s4_5EZJSnOT-i8TFUYnhwtDiJ6gCrewi35_tzZ4Yl2OOgkZGHNg09RmdTjZampldw3KFxNtMOFYw_3Y1Fh9F2eIvn4sJBPWVwrv8xHiKmLYQoNYC0bHgjMeeHlWGhUoCnQXTC08WZy-8JN1BTlQdvrj3UNOZripD_OjW8ZQ=w400-h309" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Steed
& Mrs. Peel</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkP_o-cF6pcRmdfZoUVQUjjXSG-lORnEU4zWu8UicGsSy-Cq3L759KhMiJlMpxl8UEA4REJ_F1APGBPsM5D8Nq7tVG1iWlMmQ_7tO0qiIvuTfFnHBNLj4ZLOdjgI0FuqE7_ToKBEASjGmn1WuZfiLjCWeqxMX4CunzH6xYvjvHP-YzBFuGevptIycG4x4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkP_o-cF6pcRmdfZoUVQUjjXSG-lORnEU4zWu8UicGsSy-Cq3L759KhMiJlMpxl8UEA4REJ_F1APGBPsM5D8Nq7tVG1iWlMmQ_7tO0qiIvuTfFnHBNLj4ZLOdjgI0FuqE7_ToKBEASjGmn1WuZfiLjCWeqxMX4CunzH6xYvjvHP-YzBFuGevptIycG4x4=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Pebbles
& Bamm-Bamm</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidzh5VLVZl9uMpiao6unX-SXchyDiaXZZaSRMLZ1WFQWeilPQbFz9iIj9eVicgJTYTrNwI1bfsyg7UU23THBHvCNV3ho2D0hgMUIkNI6W5JIvsK8SLECXEtuSB-NetDQ1VRrVlsAUKjUTBmxCH7yqaEScfhavSZWPrfS8UthxI6qT0NO-UkeAU8Bw_o5s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="730" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEidzh5VLVZl9uMpiao6unX-SXchyDiaXZZaSRMLZ1WFQWeilPQbFz9iIj9eVicgJTYTrNwI1bfsyg7UU23THBHvCNV3ho2D0hgMUIkNI6W5JIvsK8SLECXEtuSB-NetDQ1VRrVlsAUKjUTBmxCH7yqaEScfhavSZWPrfS8UthxI6qT0NO-UkeAU8Bw_o5s=w400-h329" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Friday
& Gannon</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZZ9JlZuF0-Ixx05uA_OMQfzJ0j_ked8DZ9sqiIGUkaYcRkt5QNBU5i2hhOa_YLb6IRzuUb_g7dggasv2yQJiOPKus3mkE-dKyC1L_rkRyceA4cd9ZoFVHjAW1R36Ob_GgGgn2_L7Gh4cHLrfiCBikLKF88QTJmRshBw_Gu88Vli8b3QzPf8_ebdTszCM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZZ9JlZuF0-Ixx05uA_OMQfzJ0j_ked8DZ9sqiIGUkaYcRkt5QNBU5i2hhOa_YLb6IRzuUb_g7dggasv2yQJiOPKus3mkE-dKyC1L_rkRyceA4cd9ZoFVHjAW1R36Ob_GgGgn2_L7Gh4cHLrfiCBikLKF88QTJmRshBw_Gu88Vli8b3QzPf8_ebdTszCM=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Max &
99</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDfBtTQLB8BV6Mm1S45-qBkMqpM6dWmKmlo8l1Ctxz6RoiLtTKACANXumeTCA48PB7PjwFyK-v1vGxUSjwojCKJ_OkAQfZVe1pj78IR4L0EPQhgxG0aEj3N1RXqB57S5ioop-tE8LLNTLSTZv5qnILX5co0RBJPiT-Jrliplx_-QrAMWDRt14ueWvm-ZU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="576" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgDfBtTQLB8BV6Mm1S45-qBkMqpM6dWmKmlo8l1Ctxz6RoiLtTKACANXumeTCA48PB7PjwFyK-v1vGxUSjwojCKJ_OkAQfZVe1pj78IR4L0EPQhgxG0aEj3N1RXqB57S5ioop-tE8LLNTLSTZv5qnILX5co0RBJPiT-Jrliplx_-QrAMWDRt14ueWvm-ZU=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Kirk &
Spock</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWoP5ds_7g8XXIFjOrnHkZ0WHHWL2CeIbo_-VdFMEKvGuDTceVlWNh9Oirg3QXDUghP_jaowvwvCsdzYgtnZaaKOMD_5MRfZfnEprs5OJfSzkYTmRKe9EBmhrMHaKPCZIInj0HxwJqIOW_q03oPePvWOOvohRDWV7e3Mt8QStlCn_N5ANuThnemEfIlg8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWoP5ds_7g8XXIFjOrnHkZ0WHHWL2CeIbo_-VdFMEKvGuDTceVlWNh9Oirg3QXDUghP_jaowvwvCsdzYgtnZaaKOMD_5MRfZfnEprs5OJfSzkYTmRKe9EBmhrMHaKPCZIInj0HxwJqIOW_q03oPePvWOOvohRDWV7e3Mt8QStlCn_N5ANuThnemEfIlg8=w400-h320" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Gilligan
& Skipper</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiURnM5bLsh3HoLcDyhOnVrej5fb3JFg2m1xlKnxCQk_EPT0z65Q3hsF0k-tOSImNB2xIqUXB5VcemxJQ4eHYBW3oJwb8NVkgDx6nnqPgrG75-WQRNlkhienyvcJo_7QzrSbwFi3euSeJOPjKo-BEpvyCTyWyR-AH20ZrG9VuaDpw3oJt9rN8a8fvspgOU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="696" data-original-width="930" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiURnM5bLsh3HoLcDyhOnVrej5fb3JFg2m1xlKnxCQk_EPT0z65Q3hsF0k-tOSImNB2xIqUXB5VcemxJQ4eHYBW3oJwb8NVkgDx6nnqPgrG75-WQRNlkhienyvcJo_7QzrSbwFi3euSeJOPjKo-BEpvyCTyWyR-AH20ZrG9VuaDpw3oJt9rN8a8fvspgOU=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Buffy
& Jody</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6rrMJw452PUZ4s4LT7CTd26wSUdfhygQChfF1_Wh0sohVGuFZWsPor1_5YmLFNvZCNof8au9GVNFkCLiqCZNdZ8oQP5D9wX_aapLF5GB5thNr6AA1XYntdzSDIZuJz_Z5402kJIw0jkZyrWCMm_nj2Kp--JxxoPyRK3LkQjKAVFM-7B9heSHG6qzg5X4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi6rrMJw452PUZ4s4LT7CTd26wSUdfhygQChfF1_Wh0sohVGuFZWsPor1_5YmLFNvZCNof8au9GVNFkCLiqCZNdZ8oQP5D9wX_aapLF5GB5thNr6AA1XYntdzSDIZuJz_Z5402kJIw0jkZyrWCMm_nj2Kp--JxxoPyRK3LkQjKAVFM-7B9heSHG6qzg5X4=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Bert &
Ernie</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMcONJ_xJul3ExfU4LZ1w0dhoDw4oNozSjrIlOGj6jz_aTvaEfDnhQBKCv6iwBOqAAbEshbiKmsuWTn558jpnXjQ-WpAY8zLmEL0Fo3udyaDxowfc3YIEPXkHPQOSs5n3pj08CLQoTGsSRZEQMkjVq_euGdkshVMPYP189CF3BhtXzFRVTW0mlUmoKTYo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjMcONJ_xJul3ExfU4LZ1w0dhoDw4oNozSjrIlOGj6jz_aTvaEfDnhQBKCv6iwBOqAAbEshbiKmsuWTn558jpnXjQ-WpAY8zLmEL0Fo3udyaDxowfc3YIEPXkHPQOSs5n3pj08CLQoTGsSRZEQMkjVq_euGdkshVMPYP189CF3BhtXzFRVTW0mlUmoKTYo=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Felix
& Oscar</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2LD8ch_cmnQmXCweNXiwrhMZJgkjKOXLtPPPC2wws_5QrYdm-t5TxjPXDUXkDRDYFCkF46zBPMjuOxpr0pGtg2YBacpbM8_XbT66zk3z7BIWEifnmy0bGwUmZFXCIjoggCKhLbKDnNStu1nJu8FtuRHIfIw1oMuBeVV-PY8qAReyZaATxaYM6HTwEzyo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh2LD8ch_cmnQmXCweNXiwrhMZJgkjKOXLtPPPC2wws_5QrYdm-t5TxjPXDUXkDRDYFCkF46zBPMjuOxpr0pGtg2YBacpbM8_XbT66zk3z7BIWEifnmy0bGwUmZFXCIjoggCKhLbKDnNStu1nJu8FtuRHIfIw1oMuBeVV-PY8qAReyZaATxaYM6HTwEzyo=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Scooby
& Shaggy</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc-DKDk3FW8PpqfCzsdGqJrQ5au90A9JkAlmgZYfnWuyX9C_JbtstpzpHsLVjj8DZHdkIipNgpCl1ZjEpKQ9A2ov1PDdPsqLs3HxdW2HVQMOPNk1YEwfDguWsFMCIsF8zSBTsRFMpY1r9YMagDARKQcH2J1BVwfEPZ9I_3_nce50JvK1EiDKAGmkL7Mlg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjc-DKDk3FW8PpqfCzsdGqJrQ5au90A9JkAlmgZYfnWuyX9C_JbtstpzpHsLVjj8DZHdkIipNgpCl1ZjEpKQ9A2ov1PDdPsqLs3HxdW2HVQMOPNk1YEwfDguWsFMCIsF8zSBTsRFMpY1r9YMagDARKQcH2J1BVwfEPZ9I_3_nce50JvK1EiDKAGmkL7Mlg=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Archie
& Edith</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje17bnBBwXu7xPseFVrDCw5p8MR38WIhfkO-FVaSzU1ne8ClOhpcGEACDQGcPFRlmtHvG8KKn9NCH5EIx-qSBJ8IS5kiBjYyWfhy38uwFXbaLN58X93FrZ_z9DZWZa3IAN9OQw-9AJ5Tij_6Q0zQmPfbAtoGUs6qFzgOwF1JDxL4pgnuK9cokv_vWJKOs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje17bnBBwXu7xPseFVrDCw5p8MR38WIhfkO-FVaSzU1ne8ClOhpcGEACDQGcPFRlmtHvG8KKn9NCH5EIx-qSBJ8IS5kiBjYyWfhy38uwFXbaLN58X93FrZ_z9DZWZa3IAN9OQw-9AJ5Tij_6Q0zQmPfbAtoGUs6qFzgOwF1JDxL4pgnuK9cokv_vWJKOs=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Hawkeye
& Trapper</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgatC29dsiE5OOlk8ECiI2HCz0h1RJnEWptXoUpKz73n9PmxLOXAwhgLUinGW51diE4dtaaxFJ2aE2DX5zjaerJcelXB_XYZHc9dJCRnMuB0CKPyrrjlcXKwuoJbUaTkh-ujw_KZO-ybXBYQPAe6xb5xxW91Xt_U-uhZkB8TWdj0bkBg4CKVxTBMmT2dB4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgatC29dsiE5OOlk8ECiI2HCz0h1RJnEWptXoUpKz73n9PmxLOXAwhgLUinGW51diE4dtaaxFJ2aE2DX5zjaerJcelXB_XYZHc9dJCRnMuB0CKPyrrjlcXKwuoJbUaTkh-ujw_KZO-ybXBYQPAe6xb5xxW91Xt_U-uhZkB8TWdj0bkBg4CKVxTBMmT2dB4=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Luke &
Laura</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPduxFyg4_Is45ehWn12pZz8nzNJ7UcZ7mlPlojoDyD7d4D5WRfEGU6OHtHUD6fjxQ-x6A5rpVBlKmUysx89xmGMhTh_lLJCTYMeDJG-zjC8OJcg_Cg-kbizx-LmO2ITwegJM_tZoco_qiUSZLRZ8t9C6PAhE1oN73pCiH6zJRKlW_HD0zsiIM21iTNq4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="619" data-original-width="1100" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPduxFyg4_Is45ehWn12pZz8nzNJ7UcZ7mlPlojoDyD7d4D5WRfEGU6OHtHUD6fjxQ-x6A5rpVBlKmUysx89xmGMhTh_lLJCTYMeDJG-zjC8OJcg_Cg-kbizx-LmO2ITwegJM_tZoco_qiUSZLRZ8t9C6PAhE1oN73pCiH6zJRKlW_HD0zsiIM21iTNq4=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Sonny
& Cher</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibhK_jKGpjGP5AkhmajsWOTr74Erp8ASphMaI122LnkNG9TxfPzexjuzjgB-yeOtSN56M-q3w0KFkV3nvDNGK8g7OJ_dhJuilpuEA6_bDcXnJV_dxnB3wcpVj_NbtmFf5KW_mGkh6jSZRP7g-2ZXSEvHQc_zybIC9LfXjUvINcDBmIHcul4hW2KQyogP4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="1170" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEibhK_jKGpjGP5AkhmajsWOTr74Erp8ASphMaI122LnkNG9TxfPzexjuzjgB-yeOtSN56M-q3w0KFkV3nvDNGK8g7OJ_dhJuilpuEA6_bDcXnJV_dxnB3wcpVj_NbtmFf5KW_mGkh6jSZRP7g-2ZXSEvHQc_zybIC9LfXjUvINcDBmIHcul4hW2KQyogP4=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Sanford & Son</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbZtkZeFsvfpSxykW1SNmxSHRzGKOwj-Vg3ydk4T-kY8Yr5EeFZkUwuecFTyLa7zHiyFf0G5v9HYa91c7FLoxn87N79J7lbcRhTWE3jY-McNU-vr9o01-n-SwZVkxVpK0u36nu88-fZi-BFmj7tDqokJKMokvVV2Sm5ZMryodo4Y4LlsSr4FObq4lpL6Y" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbZtkZeFsvfpSxykW1SNmxSHRzGKOwj-Vg3ydk4T-kY8Yr5EeFZkUwuecFTyLa7zHiyFf0G5v9HYa91c7FLoxn87N79J7lbcRhTWE3jY-McNU-vr9o01-n-SwZVkxVpK0u36nu88-fZi-BFmj7tDqokJKMokvVV2Sm5ZMryodo4Y4LlsSr4FObq4lpL6Y=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Mary &
Rhoda</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz-IyDmzb8wcQgcN2_VJ-Xb0icVEOoIDO4NfQzpZZ03izrhEgZDkr5wxO8rauiorsrmNV2ichrRlffasQkKRr8HbP9ieIH1UexULZKwy9zfxz-lDBg-aFaRv6TgePjwb16tfay2s2faMfbglov3v8XUazhuo_LtugDI74j0Jn_9vaCEG5M4IjqK5t1Lyw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="920" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgz-IyDmzb8wcQgcN2_VJ-Xb0icVEOoIDO4NfQzpZZ03izrhEgZDkr5wxO8rauiorsrmNV2ichrRlffasQkKRr8HbP9ieIH1UexULZKwy9zfxz-lDBg-aFaRv6TgePjwb16tfay2s2faMfbglov3v8XUazhuo_LtugDI74j0Jn_9vaCEG5M4IjqK5t1Lyw=w400-h271" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Bob &
Emily</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD3JWLp1xHuGl8lIGXO4qC6Kqact65murr8NwNlbNJrzHQD_-XBtM7uehGZuVSkqsr152xi6BDWCmPmlhdWbGXSZhaXJ_ZMOP_djvbS9EfHHJ-V95Gqvq1Js8zO-73KbF8LPS7-8NsNqTkmh1ZVXkuqiTOIvEWWKT7Nr2YfKR6L3Mp_8DAtAdgRw-O4ww" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="750" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhD3JWLp1xHuGl8lIGXO4qC6Kqact65murr8NwNlbNJrzHQD_-XBtM7uehGZuVSkqsr152xi6BDWCmPmlhdWbGXSZhaXJ_ZMOP_djvbS9EfHHJ-V95Gqvq1Js8zO-73KbF8LPS7-8NsNqTkmh1ZVXkuqiTOIvEWWKT7Nr2YfKR6L3Mp_8DAtAdgRw-O4ww=w400-h283" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Laverne
& Shirley</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm4bX_R-B63xWcLl3XRKLkRYTi9Efsd1z4a-azi_1CF7EYdgbKpOUR42Sp9Mp287OMzVS8QidRGd7uTYWTUOoEeP8fvATS4XSeKouE3xQQeY1pWqJ4w_Xuc3pGYqwl-GQdo9TAZIVGm5risiUKRsUiZJcyHLCl35FpsW-7vTGHvmqXPt3ZgEuMq1hPykQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="775" data-original-width="1240" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm4bX_R-B63xWcLl3XRKLkRYTi9Efsd1z4a-azi_1CF7EYdgbKpOUR42Sp9Mp287OMzVS8QidRGd7uTYWTUOoEeP8fvATS4XSeKouE3xQQeY1pWqJ4w_Xuc3pGYqwl-GQdo9TAZIVGm5risiUKRsUiZJcyHLCl35FpsW-7vTGHvmqXPt3ZgEuMq1hPykQ=w400-h250" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Starsky
& Hutch</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitLJS1_kA8nDgp6qD8RFqnm_lPbz4z1DKNAMtT-6QAFAgUsS9dYlZdlucNnsV8REGTJiGl887v_8nTXUw10uC9-JnLK_J7v3spsQ83vvdg0WsYKncN5HjsTbuTCPNYRbyKwjMcrVmn8xCqsi1IdFm0WPUC_wo3wDy0i7ajGIZWJK0-0nTbid4yfYIAlQY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1400" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitLJS1_kA8nDgp6qD8RFqnm_lPbz4z1DKNAMtT-6QAFAgUsS9dYlZdlucNnsV8REGTJiGl887v_8nTXUw10uC9-JnLK_J7v3spsQ83vvdg0WsYKncN5HjsTbuTCPNYRbyKwjMcrVmn8xCqsi1IdFm0WPUC_wo3wDy0i7ajGIZWJK0-0nTbid4yfYIAlQY=w400-h258" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Donny
& Marie</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN7Am2DWVTAwltSEnojkV7IiSEFymMsFryokZotaPjB70Gz3BvivGp6EQj7qN4C21oFkqHxPkobn0Tub29K3ArbMdKSHpFKHYvhCIbWWNQoDZ40RBGVRA_Nsq1uCaigGTgm4_wcVu8Iz3hs1c2kt4XWf5aPcpyWc5_dk5iX3n3c7vcYx1pLThbQLXTUpc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="468" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN7Am2DWVTAwltSEnojkV7IiSEFymMsFryokZotaPjB70Gz3BvivGp6EQj7qN4C21oFkqHxPkobn0Tub29K3ArbMdKSHpFKHYvhCIbWWNQoDZ40RBGVRA_Nsq1uCaigGTgm4_wcVu8Iz3hs1c2kt4XWf5aPcpyWc5_dk5iX3n3c7vcYx1pLThbQLXTUpc=w337-h400" width="337" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Ponch
& Jon</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOSkML7jxWDAdbaDJbl2o4j6_Bz6420EJqKyUIw-8q5pvBGDYfzTcQA-l55BWrVULJoBjgD3r6AG1mVz0imOAa8EULfv7hs4xNuvFde0foEM3xzFLk7-ky91QpGUdjlDLlwLzJYVMZOycIsFy2s3NAjbc-wXMoScS_6fpZdcvcZzKoFt6FItvmxP8tcN8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOSkML7jxWDAdbaDJbl2o4j6_Bz6420EJqKyUIw-8q5pvBGDYfzTcQA-l55BWrVULJoBjgD3r6AG1mVz0imOAa8EULfv7hs4xNuvFde0foEM3xzFLk7-ky91QpGUdjlDLlwLzJYVMZOycIsFy2s3NAjbc-wXMoScS_6fpZdcvcZzKoFt6FItvmxP8tcN8=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">J.R &
Sue Ellen</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs3--2roM25bhhjxmhrExmi23_dMmHPKtgOfSK1I5YkKRBQ18qjztxfGuA4_SrSU3BspJNiMiaq5jkYIAdHMhkavVhXJ0-SiPVI1j9Faz_C4xAIlao95Xl4qWBLLWCE2te05byeaqlnqzhU961eUZRNGUc8n-HBJoaOFzpErfA4Vz9S7uc5tfjEF776ps" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="805" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjs3--2roM25bhhjxmhrExmi23_dMmHPKtgOfSK1I5YkKRBQ18qjztxfGuA4_SrSU3BspJNiMiaq5jkYIAdHMhkavVhXJ0-SiPVI1j9Faz_C4xAIlao95Xl4qWBLLWCE2te05byeaqlnqzhU961eUZRNGUc8n-HBJoaOFzpErfA4Vz9S7uc5tfjEF776ps=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Bo &
Luke</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Shmbog0LgKR3FN9JZd75I56Zdt99txp8Njbr9VQ0VFae-vOjnoiNGvEGzsDGlV8JUwtks9ehB8NVjdgPvMfwxBEhLLKSztM1eAK8c4sBzjSRw4AMO5DtNbDW_AZS-MKh5GGgqvcFNyHBg1q601hUA_VPD5yoHe2n7SBKxzXmUIL7FTZzfmWfqNQrdgE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="653" data-original-width="960" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3Shmbog0LgKR3FN9JZd75I56Zdt99txp8Njbr9VQ0VFae-vOjnoiNGvEGzsDGlV8JUwtks9ehB8NVjdgPvMfwxBEhLLKSztM1eAK8c4sBzjSRw4AMO5DtNbDW_AZS-MKh5GGgqvcFNyHBg1q601hUA_VPD5yoHe2n7SBKxzXmUIL7FTZzfmWfqNQrdgE=w400-h272" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Sam &
Diane</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSoMKaqkMfpUac_hUikFTYWitOKdKttH0-F_d-pG9KA6lPakvCnb0CiPa1kliWRsVs4-W6mMVO-KHxN5JuckKo5ex0uQzt1Lz_Gy7XhVZpkG1vfkzHSvC2cegkVpFUXgHdPBXQfi4rH6Y2pk6zucwW3Qo7P2KtZSt6djG39SfsVQQ2L7MeuClNLdW17r4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="1000" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSoMKaqkMfpUac_hUikFTYWitOKdKttH0-F_d-pG9KA6lPakvCnb0CiPa1kliWRsVs4-W6mMVO-KHxN5JuckKo5ex0uQzt1Lz_Gy7XhVZpkG1vfkzHSvC2cegkVpFUXgHdPBXQfi4rH6Y2pk6zucwW3Qo7P2KtZSt6djG39SfsVQQ2L7MeuClNLdW17r4=w400-h220" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Blair
& Jo</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQHII3aq5eej1nJU3iSPevx9yHCagQ1M3kIEkG9VWsg2rGw9157jTTG9CerpB-CnXHHmvV0STjnfe1SDrEFre2u0XZkxfLb1Vj4WNgNOnOlp76ljJQMxeg5AzVVW8bH8WWv7MdPRmx1c5WxLwVGKUlo7wn-k9l5gVUwZkVZja8cxz2zJELdahyF2ZSXuQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="607" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiQHII3aq5eej1nJU3iSPevx9yHCagQ1M3kIEkG9VWsg2rGw9157jTTG9CerpB-CnXHHmvV0STjnfe1SDrEFre2u0XZkxfLb1Vj4WNgNOnOlp76ljJQMxeg5AzVVW8bH8WWv7MdPRmx1c5WxLwVGKUlo7wn-k9l5gVUwZkVZja8cxz2zJELdahyF2ZSXuQ=w400-h315" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Kate &
Allie</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB4Gy55EfFkG2UkVJ1WunjGT6jhsddUrNvIbIh7qYaJ45JWGRSwibz-4JcBNUJCvgoJ8ABJBPaWj1vMxRn1dzzDdiEXynJAnC9YSvkVEZqzTEeENXvrGPBKy-nltCc-o5M-2VLG1Tsc7gLaw6O0HDup0SVSu3ktDfw9nYL5uuTmoLWys8ok3sNhAR-2Fs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjB4Gy55EfFkG2UkVJ1WunjGT6jhsddUrNvIbIh7qYaJ45JWGRSwibz-4JcBNUJCvgoJ8ABJBPaWj1vMxRn1dzzDdiEXynJAnC9YSvkVEZqzTEeENXvrGPBKy-nltCc-o5M-2VLG1Tsc7gLaw6O0HDup0SVSu3ktDfw9nYL5uuTmoLWys8ok3sNhAR-2Fs=w320-h400" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Ross &
Rachel</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2HW7ijhHdMzUI3NClm76gbSKxsiLiIgQK2OLjXcdxnjFhhORTleMve-J5NGmGg9p3NWCusbUS_urjXWGx9ktT3OtnS8koLnyvKfUDGOfg1zB3GpLH0-GLqzNJF36DRl9ILEEsPJ6HkonxOM7_cg2ghXbVgwdWziEdOLllFX79lcPPeMbZIhbvwKSJ8FE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="979" data-original-width="1080" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2HW7ijhHdMzUI3NClm76gbSKxsiLiIgQK2OLjXcdxnjFhhORTleMve-J5NGmGg9p3NWCusbUS_urjXWGx9ktT3OtnS8koLnyvKfUDGOfg1zB3GpLH0-GLqzNJF36DRl9ILEEsPJ6HkonxOM7_cg2ghXbVgwdWziEdOLllFX79lcPPeMbZIhbvwKSJ8FE=w400-h362" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><br /> </span><p></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-10047403452576281202023-10-19T10:56:00.000-07:002023-10-19T10:56:13.976-07:00My Journey Through 1970s TV: Sunday and Monday Nights, 1973<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">As we’ve sometimes done before in this series, I’m covering two nights instead of one here
because of the high volume of returned shows already discussed in previous
pieces. But it’s still always fun to start a new year in my journey through the
1970s, and to see if there are any more series that need to be added to the
“missed’ list. After a quick scan of the schedules, I like my chances. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Sunday, 1973</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The New Perry Mason</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Mannix</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Barnaby Jones</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mannix</i> remains from last year’s Sunday schedule, as CBS tries two
new shows to cut into NBC’s ratings dominance. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The New Perry Mason</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> was a show that began with, as Ricky Ricardo might
say, a lot of ‘splainin’ to do. The original <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perry Mason</i> series starring Raymond Burr was a prime time fixture
from 1957 to 1966, and is still the definitive television courtroom drama. To
re-introduce the concept and characters with an all-new cast just six years
later seems like a shallow attempt to capitalize on the success of its
predecessor, which was still playing in reruns in most markets. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This same strategy blossomed about 20 years ago, when there was a glut of films based on
old TV shows, that used the same titles and characters, but had little if
anything in common with the shows that audiences still loved. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sgt. Bilko</i> (1996), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Leave It To Beaver</i> (1997), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Avengers</i> (1998), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wild, Wild West</i>
(1999), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bewitched</i> (2005) and so many
others deservedly bombed. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">And so did <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Perry Mason</i>, which was canceled
after 15 episodes. But here’s the thing – the show was actually pretty good,
and I think its odds of success would have risen if it wasn’t trying to
convince viewers that Monte Markham was now Perry Mason, assisted by Sharon
Acker as Della Street and Albert Stratton as Paul Drake. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOj_khXWX3zca8tT8YDmA-ya2vUcnlWI-sEYr9aDpS5jvKorlpwJiYjPO27gPR-0T8xU877M1LqtFY2SxbY0Sr8VQOebfrWWGqbbp1Ci_bJbtcVBV7mH_3_4Otor7KE8qnhlvw4LcjId2c98zGd9oJSB5oUGViB63UGBIZ6KowcP1dg1NxOtzA0wu039k" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOj_khXWX3zca8tT8YDmA-ya2vUcnlWI-sEYr9aDpS5jvKorlpwJiYjPO27gPR-0T8xU877M1LqtFY2SxbY0Sr8VQOebfrWWGqbbp1Ci_bJbtcVBV7mH_3_4Otor7KE8qnhlvw4LcjId2c98zGd9oJSB5oUGViB63UGBIZ6KowcP1dg1NxOtzA0wu039k=w400-h209" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Markham was an
always-welcome guest presence on dozens of classic shows, from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hogan’s Heroes</i> to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</i> to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eight
is Enough</i>. This would be his best shot at steady work for 15 years, until
he wound up on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baywatch</i> of all
places. My guess is most of that show's male viewers never noticed him. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPyFNEA23MkWsGgfCwH7sR_wtMA3_KZRDybLOZmB6cC_B6kuwMO4r1qy8cSq7atm9pNXK9Xn1cQFR03RD_ikHssQpcWKbt_MJDoTog3djmQDazouk23ih6LTL1Cx8s_HV0P_5mKEHIfar62iIbMeC_2MJD7FV6MswgFjscjQuS8Fq3jHi2Z8PKjEuIzfQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiPyFNEA23MkWsGgfCwH7sR_wtMA3_KZRDybLOZmB6cC_B6kuwMO4r1qy8cSq7atm9pNXK9Xn1cQFR03RD_ikHssQpcWKbt_MJDoTog3djmQDazouk23ih6LTL1Cx8s_HV0P_5mKEHIfar62iIbMeC_2MJD7FV6MswgFjscjQuS8Fq3jHi2Z8PKjEuIzfQ=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Optima;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I bought into his passion and integrity instantly as a crusading
attorney – but Burr cast such a huge shadow, literally and figuratively, that I
could not buy him as Perry Mason. And it wasn’t that viewers tired of the character
– Burr returned to the role for a series of popular TV movies that aired until
1993, the year Burr passed away. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Unlike <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Perry Mason</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Barnaby
Jones</i> found a receptive audience right away, and would run until 1980. What
an impressive second act for Buddy Ebsen after so many years playing Jed
Clampett on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Beverly Hillbillies</i>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2LWIbR6qGIXjtDz0ERVzX47vi7YNFHCbQIklt1cnTH0jDLkPbvtWM79Fqf5MgEGoaN0LdlDfOtwp53hOprPmd_oenyW9nzZzhPcIsZRiImxbzrg1fd_XKA8cgoHfQawBcC2MEt-O1w101Rack_zyNvRoiZkJJkSNqVhd4f-EdSahbEqCei2SFPNrBVp0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="678" data-original-width="982" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2LWIbR6qGIXjtDz0ERVzX47vi7YNFHCbQIklt1cnTH0jDLkPbvtWM79Fqf5MgEGoaN0LdlDfOtwp53hOprPmd_oenyW9nzZzhPcIsZRiImxbzrg1fd_XKA8cgoHfQawBcC2MEt-O1w101Rack_zyNvRoiZkJJkSNqVhd4f-EdSahbEqCei2SFPNrBVp0=w400-h276" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The FBI</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The ABC Sunday Night Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This is the same ABC lineup
as last year’s, though we'll have some new entries to get to in 1974. This was
the final full season for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The FBI</i>
after an impressive run that began back in 1965. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Wonderful World of Disney</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The NBC Sunday Night Mystery Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Another same-as-last-season
lineup, except without <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Nigh Gallery</i>
as a nightcap following the rotating <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mystery
Movie</i> presentations. The selections here also remain unchanged: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Columbo</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">McCloud</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">McMillan and Wife</i>,
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hec Ramsey</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Monday, 1973</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Rookies</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Monday Night Football</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Just as they did on Sunday
nights, ABC stands pat with a successful Monday lineup. That’s what I was
watching, if only to hear Dandy Don Meredith sing “Turn out the lights, the
party’s over” as soon as the Packers scored yet another second-half touchdown
against my beloved Chicago Bears</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeoqQSdBrdt9wRrZIyqB-cvyk8d4KUpIrL3BZifKKvUBcNqcHZGpi5N9Zt0PijS-Tt57b33Im7TxIttZaYKSKK4UFw90F508Ejzne_Apx3y4HkCUYDwmCljz_bqV3gnDbxUK0TP0RRI-GBVDjMc5bvcHtZ_v3rjJAF6nKP0wUyIra44p7rD5Nvz6XZsWQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgeoqQSdBrdt9wRrZIyqB-cvyk8d4KUpIrL3BZifKKvUBcNqcHZGpi5N9Zt0PijS-Tt57b33Im7TxIttZaYKSKK4UFw90F508Ejzne_Apx3y4HkCUYDwmCljz_bqV3gnDbxUK0TP0RRI-GBVDjMc5bvcHtZ_v3rjJAF6nKP0wUyIra44p7rD5Nvz6XZsWQ=w400-h210" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Gunsmoke </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Here’s Lucy</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The New Dick Van Dyke Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Medical Center</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Gunsmoke</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;">
once again gets Mondays on CBS off to a strong start, as it has since 1967.
This was the final year for both <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Here’s
Lucy</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The New Dick Van Dyke Show</i>
– and how many hours of television since then could claim to feature two of the
medium’s most iconic stars? I think this was about the time that my nine
year-old self switched from having a crush on Tina Cole on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Three Sons</i> to Lucie Arnaz. Farrah was
still three years away. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikCCKI01l-bA0w8nIL1DcrjjbtFxrmIC2N0eGjAwPWiBKHQnQLiv9meaiYNXBeS46KPX-zlzn_w66-uZg08mST_FXGUPvlzRYBzv9QMjzVYKJE4p_DPIfpjjea4auLE7jxI0fjbBk7gfZuN3wkgYKCJgv6iTZW1TqRpVKLgxzXDEfuhfxF55cBOc1YKWw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEikCCKI01l-bA0w8nIL1DcrjjbtFxrmIC2N0eGjAwPWiBKHQnQLiv9meaiYNXBeS46KPX-zlzn_w66-uZg08mST_FXGUPvlzRYBzv9QMjzVYKJE4p_DPIfpjjea4auLE7jxI0fjbBk7gfZuN3wkgYKCJgv6iTZW1TqRpVKLgxzXDEfuhfxF55cBOc1YKWw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Medical Center</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> still had a few good years left, which is more than you can say for
some of its patients. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Lotsa Luck</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Diana</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The NBC Monday Night Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC struck out with both of
its new sitcoms this year, though both certainly looked good on paper. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lotsa Luck</i> was created by Carl Reiner,
Bill Persky and Sam Denoff, three of the best writers for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dick Van Dyke Show</i>, which Reiner also created. Persky and
Denoff also created <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That Girl</i>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">There was an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All in the Family</i> vibe about the series,
about a multi-generational working class family in New York. Stanley
worked the lost and found counter at a bus company. He lived with his
domineering mother, his sister Olive, and her unemployed husband Arthur. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VoyF-wnx9cc" width="320" youtube-src-id="VoyF-wnx9cc"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I was amazed when I
reviewed the posts on IMDB and YouTube about this series, most of which were
rave reviews. I thought it was awful, even with its laugh track dialed up to 11
for punch-less punch lines. Hiring Dom DeLuise as Stanley strikes me as one of
the worst examples of miscasting in the history of television. He was a born
second banana, best utilized in over-the-top characters opposite Dean Martin on
the singer’s variety series, or flamboyant nuts in movies with Mel Brooks or
Burt Reynolds. But as an ordinary Joe beaten down by life? It doesn’t work at
all. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">If you’re still curious, go
to YouTube and select the episode “Bummy’s Girl,” as it features Suzanne
Somers, who doesn’t play the material at the same exaggerated volume as
everyone else, and is easily the best thing in the show. <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOt1GJJgzg9F9HhBa2uHmGS3faQDS3uvNX5FDSsYNCogneVYdKLoO6Hr9c0Y-8Kbsah6pqbPp6f4vcmmmN6NJxFzdB6gmpvSNG115FpvYT6f2iA5VxG2HrHwBDTEEpTj91rvZ8b-TyQGtmd9T_fIk60PGkNkSjgizJN4T4ICfhkyzjrqJwoM7sIu3YEfo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="561" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgOt1GJJgzg9F9HhBa2uHmGS3faQDS3uvNX5FDSsYNCogneVYdKLoO6Hr9c0Y-8Kbsah6pqbPp6f4vcmmmN6NJxFzdB6gmpvSNG115FpvYT6f2iA5VxG2HrHwBDTEEpTj91rvZ8b-TyQGtmd9T_fIk60PGkNkSjgizJN4T4ICfhkyzjrqJwoM7sIu3YEfo=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Diana</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;">
didn’t make it either, but that had no impact on my love for Diana Rigg. She is
in that very, very rare class of performers who can take an ordinary line of
dialogue and make it compelling by sheer force of personal magnetism. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Following her transcendent
work in <i>The Avengers</i> (the one without Iron Man) Rigg signed up to star
in this American sitcom (for the paycheck, she later admitted), as a British
divorcee who moves to New York to start a new life and a new career as a
fashion coordinator at Butley’s Department Store. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8J0ka02-MEsvJ08slSYUMiFOcE8XM-qCrqkVLe6h-y4RxpwB0uCAFUbBg02p96jE_6TsAC9i6kkO5ZCHEbLG6iXG2rgOe3G-hc4QQIkSSDZWSkvq3bZVBwoIj3ba3eTQkXDsIcHB5SVDlw4bf1aXkaev-x1g7OazkI4E_kHuZ7EA25oGzyEQxnpxYE7E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="386" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8J0ka02-MEsvJ08slSYUMiFOcE8XM-qCrqkVLe6h-y4RxpwB0uCAFUbBg02p96jE_6TsAC9i6kkO5ZCHEbLG6iXG2rgOe3G-hc4QQIkSSDZWSkvq3bZVBwoIj3ba3eTQkXDsIcHB5SVDlw4bf1aXkaev-x1g7OazkI4E_kHuZ7EA25oGzyEQxnpxYE7E=w387-h400" width="387" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I’ve
seen one episode, and based on that experience I’m not surprised by its
cancelation.<i> </i>It wasn’t as </span><span style="font-family: Optima;">terrible
at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lotsa Luck</i> but it was terribly
conventional and, well, a little boring. A quality I would never associate with
its leading lady. <i></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Shows Missed:</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">San Francisco International Airport (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Little People</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Sixth Sense</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-63831669014911404032023-10-12T12:14:00.000-07:002023-10-12T12:14:30.129-07:00The Haunted Houses of Classic TV<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Before We Begin…</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Today’s blog is about Halloween
scares from the classic TV era. But after the atrocities committed last weekend
in Israel, all of us received a sobering reminder about what genuine fear feels
like, and that pure evil does exist in our real world. </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">There have been other tragic news
stories since Comfort TV was launched in 2011 – too many, really. This was a
place to escape for a few moments from frightening headlines, and the feelings
of rage and sadness they engender. But when a country and a people are attacked
by savages in a way that conjures memories of the 9/11 attacks on New York and
Pennsylvania, it must be acknowledged – even here – if for no other reason than
to pray for those killed, those captured, and those left behind. </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 14pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">“Pray</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Apple Chancery"; font-size: 14pt;"> now for the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">peace</span>
of <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Jerusalem</span>: and let there be
prosperity to them that love thee.”<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span>–
Psalm 122:6. </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Now, back
to Comfort TV.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Colorful
boxes of Halloween candy have been stacked up at the grocery store since the
middle of August, but the season doesn’t really kick in until October, when the
pumpkins arrive as well, along with pumpkin spice candles and lattes and boxes
of Cheerios. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">And
nothing says Halloween like a haunted house. From the serious scares of the
Amityville Horror to comical frights from Abbott and Costello,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>there is always something intriguing about a
spooky old building and what might be lurking inside. No wonder these
mysterious dwellings have appeared in so many classic TV shows. I know I’ve
missed a few but here’s a look at some of the best, some that are just good
enough to sample on a dark and stormy night, and a couple you can skip until
next year. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">HIGHLY RECOMMENDED</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“The Haunted House”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Andy Griffith Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">An errant
baseball lands inside the old Rimshaw place, and ghostly moans scare Opie away
before he can retrieve it. Andy sends Barney and Gomer out to investigate, but
they too run away before crossing the threshold. Andy returns with them and
they finally get inside and find the baseball – along with a mysterious staring
painting, a floating axe and other strange phenomena. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf4ahae9SkROf5n6gxLkaDXes6O0iMXkZmdnVYJw0sRI--DpA5LSMHJ_y-XcwABoRX16KNQeBMxr6Af0m8z56NhVmBKdo7xIWXLryAw_A2d6ZP6kLQSgCtuFTsjM5GauSHIlbyqDFQYls2mWJpAmgB5tp3jiKyL2CnHcQCLHvxyi4ZngIGkGtA8SNUS0s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="674" data-original-width="1024" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgf4ahae9SkROf5n6gxLkaDXes6O0iMXkZmdnVYJw0sRI--DpA5LSMHJ_y-XcwABoRX16KNQeBMxr6Af0m8z56NhVmBKdo7xIWXLryAw_A2d6ZP6kLQSgCtuFTsjM5GauSHIlbyqDFQYls2mWJpAmgB5tp3jiKyL2CnHcQCLHvxyi4ZngIGkGtA8SNUS0s=w400-h264" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Don Knotts
makes this one of the best haunted house sitcom stories. His trembling,
bug-eyed performance led to his being cast in the film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Ghost and Mr. Chicke</i>n, which features a slew of Comfort TV
stars, as well as a great theme from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Addams
Family</i> composer Vic Mizzy. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“The Night of the Man Eating House”</span></b><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Wild, Wild West</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Agents
West and Gordon are assigned to accompany an elderly prisoner accused of
treason. They stop for the night at a house that appears to be abandoned, only
to discover that it was their prisoner’s home – and it won’t let them leave. As
they try to escape, the prisoner regains his youthful appearance, while
evidence is uncovered that he may have been innocent all along. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt2v5jqhivKXOMR-E7lzGlErMH6o0XkdhlmzkxVbxq7d_odQDOPTYz4H5F4-ArsiPFE9cANCMUuUDe4scHQs-GBtGs1zpRBHJBVG4mfLT2ES2AMU67EpCUQNfL-q_N0yA5vEjFc5nXr5IAhuubxecZi1oAm94CW6-H6uJ_c6j1MNyGN2bUxH5n3PY8Ph4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="600" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgt2v5jqhivKXOMR-E7lzGlErMH6o0XkdhlmzkxVbxq7d_odQDOPTYz4H5F4-ArsiPFE9cANCMUuUDe4scHQs-GBtGs1zpRBHJBVG4mfLT2ES2AMU67EpCUQNfL-q_N0yA5vEjFc5nXr5IAhuubxecZi1oAm94CW6-H6uJ_c6j1MNyGN2bUxH5n3PY8Ph4=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Even for a
series that routinely dealt in fantastic happenings, this is one of the most
“out there” episodes of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wild, Wild
West</i>, as it stacks one bizarre occurrence on top of another, leaving
viewers thoroughly confused as to how any of what’s going on could be real. All
is revealed in the final act – whether it’s a cop-out or not is up to you. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“The Ghost of A. Chantz”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Dick Van Dyke Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">If haunted
houses are too cliché, how about a haunted cabin at a remote Catskills fishing
lodge? That’s where Rob, Laura, Buddy and Sally find themselves, where doors
open and fireplaces ignite and rocking chairs rock and menacing faces stare back
from the mirrors. This is a top-tier episode from one of television’s greatest
sitcoms. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFC2SGrlbPrMBsjMaMiN4qhSGH2z6_1ldTTxG5uc_O3-RpMlGbEphuDB8y3EopFVa_F6boSm4vHuNhSutK5HkdARx0mNXNhxGs74BVdx4gBlJEe1ScfPWY3pj0tixtGqHoxkSXSCwTB0esCYw0bXtVciWtVwBhLkFhb9D4hSoPs548xjg7BA46rTzjeAE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjFC2SGrlbPrMBsjMaMiN4qhSGH2z6_1ldTTxG5uc_O3-RpMlGbEphuDB8y3EopFVa_F6boSm4vHuNhSutK5HkdARx0mNXNhxGs74BVdx4gBlJEe1ScfPWY3pj0tixtGqHoxkSXSCwTB0esCYw0bXtVciWtVwBhLkFhb9D4hSoPs548xjg7BA46rTzjeAE=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“Haunted House”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Window on Main Street</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“Every
self-respecting town should have a haunted house,” says Cameron Brooks (Robert
Young) as this episode opens. If you’re not familiar with this series, Brooks
is an author who has returned to his hometown to write a book about its people
and places. He convinces his friend Lloyd to join him in spending a night
inside an abandoned house that has become a magnet for local legends and scary stories. What’s so delightful
about this episode is watching the two grown men being caught up in a little
kid’s adventure. They don’t believe in ghosts but still jump at every strange
noise. During their stay they discover why so many passers-by were convinced
they saw a spirit beckoning to them from an upstairs window. Lloyd, a newspaper
man, can’t wait to publish the story, but Cameron asks him to keep the house’s
secret: “Our prosaic lives could stand a little mystery.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">"Monkee See, Monkee Die"</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Thle Monkees</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">No other
series crossed “haunted house episode” off their standard plot list faster than
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Monkees</i>. <br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEfrqaVYTzRYPVivgdlY-gAzqznZ7siteHkZvRIGvhVh86Q40cvptBYV4FHBBzlTChFol1naCB_elvXSrQ4pZ7dA5ATHaqeY2l0dUu4yp7zHx2MLAx4tC-AQrOA72j-PFOaJodpPlU9GVo7RYsGYs4JAik6PvjnHyBQPA47TsYQPhr4OuWF66aFzOuxdY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEfrqaVYTzRYPVivgdlY-gAzqznZ7siteHkZvRIGvhVh86Q40cvptBYV4FHBBzlTChFol1naCB_elvXSrQ4pZ7dA5ATHaqeY2l0dUu4yp7zHx2MLAx4tC-AQrOA72j-PFOaJodpPlU9GVo7RYsGYs4JAik6PvjnHyBQPA47TsYQPhr4OuWF66aFzOuxdY=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The foursome are invited
to the reading of a millionaire’s will insides his spooky mansion. </span><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">There, they
meet an eccentric band of guests, including a writer who keeps asking everyone
if they’ve ever read any of his books (sample title: “South Dakota: Fact or Fiction”),
a woman who claims to have psychic powers (hilariously played by Lea Marmer)
and a comely young lass who becomes Davy’s latest love. This was the second
episode aired, and the first to feature the band’s first #1 hit, “Last Train to
Clarksville.” The séance scene is a scream –but in a good way. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">MODERATELY RECOMMENDED</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“To Move Or Not To Move”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Brady Bunch</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I had a
choice here between “Fright Night” and “To Move Or Not To Move,” both episodes
in which the Brady kids choose to haunt their own house. Full disclosure: I chose the latter
mostly because I haven’t watched it in a while. It’s a first season show when
the blended family is still adjusting to their new circumstances, among them
six kids with two bedrooms and just one bathroom. “We need to move!” the kids shout.
But as soon as a new home is found they regret their rash demand, and hatch a
plan to scare away any potential buyers. In the early shows the Brady boys and
girls were often at war – we get some of that here, but it’s also nice to see
them join forces in a common cause. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“The Haunted House”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Leave It To Beaver</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Is Mrs.
Cooper a witch who lives in a haunted house? That’s what Beaver thinks, so
imagine his reaction when June gets him a job walking Mrs. Cooper’s dog. If the
Cooper residence looks familiar it’s because it also served as home to the
Munsters. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxR2M72wDIMrhhrWchtfl_QfJdxOtSXzegsOh6lWAmajIoK06j-T_knsJmJZPLsj64VTMBjyYd-eVxNMfFqCVYcDKtC6dZP46btY7MXcEYwsRHgujt34LbOz8uPTgBWDMHz_LiH5gAV4dsyJkimEY4TuaAEPx9r4MicOmE3l84_Kg-_b8ahq3HsPNVTE4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="817" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxR2M72wDIMrhhrWchtfl_QfJdxOtSXzegsOh6lWAmajIoK06j-T_knsJmJZPLsj64VTMBjyYd-eVxNMfFqCVYcDKtC6dZP46btY7MXcEYwsRHgujt34LbOz8uPTgBWDMHz_LiH5gAV4dsyJkimEY4TuaAEPx9r4MicOmE3l84_Kg-_b8ahq3HsPNVTE4=w400-h318" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“The Ghost Next Door”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">My Three Sons</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Surprisingly,
this is the only haunted house show on this list with a Halloween theme. In it,
we learn that the house next to the Douglas residence has been vacant for years
(hard to believe in such a nice neighborhood!). So when Chip sees a strange
light in the window, he is sure the place now has its own ghost. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“The Mystery of the Haunted House”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">This was the
very first Hardy Boys adventure, and probably not the best choice to introduce
viewers to the series. A story that’s too convoluted unfolds amidst what is
basically one long chase scene through foggy graveyards and a “Haunted House”
that is actually a tourist attraction that serves cheesebrugers. Frank and Joe
Hardy are too cool to be scared by any of this, as they try to rescue their
father who gets in over his head with a case that involves traitors and Navy
intelligence. Lisa Eilbacher at her cutest almost pushes this up one notch. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_WuQYbCdgWDPiT0kYRxEVgQZA_nvBUMwboKb7pshAHH6jW2-s0WtKA7rmxOCMpBrTJqNruK6wpmP4pLoUSK1LEl3TZi6g2cJjRwHzc0H7j9tkMc36YwoQQlnaSLxfb8uyqLa3Tbh9edj4c3TLsn0Of--5AJo1Zh4E0OtDp13yKsN2d5yyU0WfiThkyks" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_WuQYbCdgWDPiT0kYRxEVgQZA_nvBUMwboKb7pshAHH6jW2-s0WtKA7rmxOCMpBrTJqNruK6wpmP4pLoUSK1LEl3TZi6g2cJjRwHzc0H7j9tkMc36YwoQQlnaSLxfb8uyqLa3Tbh9edj4c3TLsn0Of--5AJo1Zh4E0OtDp13yKsN2d5yyU0WfiThkyks=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“Haunted House”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Laverne and Shirley </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">A search
for a cheap second-hand couch ends at “the old Ramsdale Manor,” where “no one
who goes there ever returns.” But the show’s best moments happen before that
visit, when Laverne & Shirley both sink into their old couch and can’t get
out. Maybe the whole story should have been about a man-eating sofa. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNrqcRJOuffVtkX9AczI9VpYQSdtAc2zEowZgLhM1Yqf6dGUeQWdBJeTZl-YW8S5smCvQ4uik3sJuN479dRhDvfbD2BRz3GouZukYgGFYF0QM_N8JSZUQFKlP4EN7aGWPfzXd_hyjqkFoyMRHftCz7fxesdydkczgcZ9Nve5X-yKNCIyKtqfpLDV9GujM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="745" data-original-width="1000" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNrqcRJOuffVtkX9AczI9VpYQSdtAc2zEowZgLhM1Yqf6dGUeQWdBJeTZl-YW8S5smCvQ4uik3sJuN479dRhDvfbD2BRz3GouZukYgGFYF0QM_N8JSZUQFKlP4EN7aGWPfzXd_hyjqkFoyMRHftCz7fxesdydkczgcZ9Nve5X-yKNCIyKtqfpLDV9GujM=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“Haunted House”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Dennis the Menace</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Mssrs
Wilson and Mitchell think they’re getting a steal on an old rundown house,
until they find out that place is…well, you know. Turns out the ‘ghost’ is a
squatter living in the basement. All pretty standard stuff as these stories go,
helped along a bit by the usually dapper Harold Gould playing the trespassing
tramp, and Harvey Korman as the real estate agent who sells the house. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">“My Master, the Ghostbreaker”</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">I Dream of Jeannie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;">Major
Nelson inherits a British castle from a distant relative (sure, why not) and
Roger and Jeannie accompany him across the pond to check the place out. This is
quite possibly the worst episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
Dream of Jeannie</i>, and is not helped at all by comic Jack
Carter attempting an English accent that is worse than Dick Van Dyke’s in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mary Poppins</i>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWB3q3AZySHkLQFMUV4qXfxlITKDocwsz2qEOzQ1VOv-akMD88HoWj_Kl-2A9nf7e6NPcdKLFy6gPGC5fLRJ2k-o1dGR2rk6VutKLwsq6z-41uOqAsFSswI9itphEBPxTKh5QZRYun6ZuBaVsZ4HYcnbDT1BKLjJC5lOCWhq7rSxWQZUeOS1BHJUHEl3M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiWB3q3AZySHkLQFMUV4qXfxlITKDocwsz2qEOzQ1VOv-akMD88HoWj_Kl-2A9nf7e6NPcdKLFy6gPGC5fLRJ2k-o1dGR2rk6VutKLwsq6z-41uOqAsFSswI9itphEBPxTKh5QZRYun6ZuBaVsZ4HYcnbDT1BKLjJC5lOCWhq7rSxWQZUeOS1BHJUHEl3M=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-73689761059880683212023-10-05T11:58:00.000-07:002023-10-05T11:58:48.913-07:00Top TV Moments: David McCallum<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">We’ve all
seen the social media posts mourning the passing of actor David McCallum, and
it was easy to surmise the age of the poster by whether McCallum was associated
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Man From U.N.C.L.E.</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">NCIS.</i> Not many stars from the classic TV
era were still turning up on a weekly network series 40 years after a
breakthrough role, so that alone is an impressive achievement. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCuRtXUjbIy1In8pSYUrQ8xMfiBaKtxGQkqmCGWJrjSujKyy1pRbtVxcjKXZ25BknAD0Qzu8qaIk67ydW0BTAExqpF3M1TrGY1e0V4fvMxC9iF3THZ5IPyUSdcVQ6_Sm7pwL--s2YYSZa_YJtbrOEASsAhWiq5kgh0zeJM9mjk02lUegX4LV6G-Zk8jPE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="738" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjCuRtXUjbIy1In8pSYUrQ8xMfiBaKtxGQkqmCGWJrjSujKyy1pRbtVxcjKXZ25BknAD0Qzu8qaIk67ydW0BTAExqpF3M1TrGY1e0V4fvMxC9iF3THZ5IPyUSdcVQ6_Sm7pwL--s2YYSZa_YJtbrOEASsAhWiq5kgh0zeJM9mjk02lUegX4LV6G-Zk8jPE=w400-h223" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Let’s
honor a fine actor with a closer look at more of his memorable TV moments. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The Rose and the Ring (1953)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">McCallum’s
television debut came in this adaptation of a William Thackeray novel that was
produced and aired in Britain. He was fifth billed as Prince Giglio. Getting
top billing was Jacqueline Hill, who ten years later would become one of the
Doctor’s first companions in the first incarnation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Doctor Who</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The Outer Limits (1963)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">David
McCallum appeared in two episodes, one of which ranks among the series’ best. In
“The Sixth Finger” he plays a coal miner who volunteers for a genetic
scientist’s experiment in accelerating human evolution. After the treatment his
brain gets bigger, his hair disappears (so that’s what happened to mine), and
he takes on the appearance of a creature from another planet (in one of the
show’s better makeup jobs).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAQtvDrJEr4lh_2Rn-EgypMjUd_HMxJvIITOnyB21ouX3lepdwYzs1eRbq5-N8IG7Xw7I3gSSXHiZ_aZLVgGUzJRLdfGcaQT3d5H0WC_wq7mlRDoR0ERQCMh8EzJBAfVf5Uy9EjxTrW5rKkrMdfEXT-ydltXqZRRI_wY4OOy3UoEnq1ad-28jYHkbtlyo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1400" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiAQtvDrJEr4lh_2Rn-EgypMjUd_HMxJvIITOnyB21ouX3lepdwYzs1eRbq5-N8IG7Xw7I3gSSXHiZ_aZLVgGUzJRLdfGcaQT3d5H0WC_wq7mlRDoR0ERQCMh8EzJBAfVf5Uy9EjxTrW5rKkrMdfEXT-ydltXqZRRI_wY4OOy3UoEnq1ad-28jYHkbtlyo=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">He also develops
the powers of telepathy and telekinesis, as well as a sixth finger (“for extra
dexterity”). What could possibly go wrong? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Perry Mason (1964)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Phillipe
Bertain (McCallum) loves a married woman. But when her husband dies in a plane
crash with a deadly dose of barbiturates in his system, Phillipe needs a good
attorney to prove he didn’t spike his rival’s coffee. “The Case of the Fifty
Millionth Frenchman” is typical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Perry
Mason</i>, which certainly qualifies as a recommendation. Glasgow, Scotland native
David McCallum would play multiple nationalities throughout his career, but his
French accent here is hit-and-miss. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Profiles in Courage (1964)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">William
Daniels’ iconic performance as John Adams in the musical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">1776</i> is something I treasure every year around the Fourth of July.
So I was certainly intrigued to check out a different take on Adams, as played
by David McCallum, in the historical anthology series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Profiles in Courage</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Its story
takes place before the events of 1776, when Adams reluctantly agrees to serve
as legal counsel for British soldiers accused of murder in what history would
call the Boston Massacre. As drama it is earnest and sincere, but it also
sometimes plays as stiff as a high school play sponsored by the History Club. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The Man From U.N.C.L.E.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(1964)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The 1960s
box-office success of James Bond inspired a wave of secret agent facsimiles,
including this hugely popular series starring the suave Robert Vaughn as
Napoleon Solo. The twist was having Solo partner with a Russian (McCallum) at
the height of the Cold War, inspiring millions of teenage girls to ponder how
Communism could be bad when Illya Kuryakin was so dreamy. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CjmOkqU6Roo" width="320" youtube-src-id="CjmOkqU6Roo"></iframe></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">In its first
season, the only one in black-and-white, the show deftly walked the line between serious
and tongue-in-cheek. Audiences loved watching Solo and Kuryakin foil the
schemes of THRUSH with a droll bemusement, especially when they drafted
bewildered civilians (usually beautiful young women) into their plans. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The series
switched to color for the remainder of its run, and just like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lost in Space</i> the stories became sillier
when that happened, though thankfully never as farcical as Dean Martin’s Matt
Helm. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Vaughn and
McCallum reunited in 1983 for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Return
of the Man From U.N.C.L.E</i>. Like so many classic TV encores it fell short of
expectations, but I liked the scene in which James Bond (George Lazenby, billed
only as “JB” to avoid a lawsuit) comes to Solo’s aid. If only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hart to Hart</i> could have loaned out
Stefanie Powers so she could appear as April Dancer. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqsFSsVQI6aBBMI6lSfMKjV7cI_nKEZcMwm4nL42kutLCeWZtGESCbvZCZ3AiB6ZEG8XdnLvEV0nw4Vv6MQE3aIMUK9ty_Rn5DNOqD-ZDer_zb7QciLQjm6oomy0FKwXFYNxrwT-f5dGX_Ej1Ai8YQGj0ukFlCN8hVhbxXIUcKVrPw9JmD67rg_rP1Y2c" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqsFSsVQI6aBBMI6lSfMKjV7cI_nKEZcMwm4nL42kutLCeWZtGESCbvZCZ3AiB6ZEG8XdnLvEV0nw4Vv6MQE3aIMUK9ty_Rn5DNOqD-ZDer_zb7QciLQjm6oomy0FKwXFYNxrwT-f5dGX_Ej1Ai8YQGj0ukFlCN8hVhbxXIUcKVrPw9JmD67rg_rP1Y2c=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (1964)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The
appearance of Robert Vaughn and David McCallum as their <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Man From U.N.C.L.E.</i> characters in this short-lived sitcom surely
ranks as one of the most bizarre classic TV crossovers. In “Say U.N.C.L.E. ” Jim
Nash’s sons become convinced that their English professor dad is actually a
secret agent. Of course that’s not true, but then why are Napoleon and Illya
visiting their house? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Teacher, Teacher (1969) </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Long
before Hallmark became known for releasing 300 Christmas movies every year, it
bestowed its brand to the Hallmark Hall of Fame, a prestige designation
suggesting quality works that were more distinguished than your standard
made-for-TV movie. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">“Teacher,
Teacher” doesn’t begin like one of their typical tales; as David McCallum drives
up a long, winding road to an isolated estate to the strains of ominous music,
opening credits play over creepy slow motion footage of a boy jumping on a
trampoline. What was I getting myself into? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">But then the
tone shifts completely, as we learn that McCallum’s character, previously a
teacher at prestigious private schools, is six months removed from a nervous
breakdown, and has been hired to teach the retarded teenage son of a man who
will be away for the next month. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgC_RSlzFoboKC_mLqcitiXKFhTkTa-nr2fbfUpkNyQDP7JQAw5BeiB-ucT0KT4kUkaEuuVsMTGhmTOf8moMq3LuYA5DEF-z0Ov5i2sDW1fcFkIt2D11K_-z1Fizj_OqRdddXzJEbXHygaFbrEQfJT7M-Qm-xdkgBnxDFSGkCOpyB2YnG6b5xCftThqp78" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgC_RSlzFoboKC_mLqcitiXKFhTkTa-nr2fbfUpkNyQDP7JQAw5BeiB-ucT0KT4kUkaEuuVsMTGhmTOf8moMq3LuYA5DEF-z0Ov5i2sDW1fcFkIt2D11K_-z1Fizj_OqRdddXzJEbXHygaFbrEQfJT7M-Qm-xdkgBnxDFSGkCOpyB2YnG6b5xCftThqp78=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">While he struggles to reach the boy, he
discovers that the property’s handyman, played by Ossie Davis, has no trouble
communicating with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Normally
this type of story would not be something I’d enjoy, but the conversations
between McCallum and Davis (who frankly steals the show) feature two fine
actors at the top of their games. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The Invisible Man (1975)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">There have
been at least a dozen films and television series inspired by the H.G. Wells
story of a man who finds a formula for becoming invisible. In this version,
McCallum plays Dr. Daniel Westin, whose experiments are successful – until he
discovers he can’t find a way to become visible again. It lasted just 13
episodes but had its moments – though with the haircut they saddled its star
with, he was fortunate to be unseen most of the time. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyKUcoRUqyJsY33YF9dUAdtm5jghayHXDqXDkhHH-Ag1j6LvmFaKNGCpLdSyihV5s4yx9fhYWdugQXHsTolbcfX1WdfydxZK3JVTLrYVis4YTs7iGiW9OcWLlY5QPF1bQGcXxc0OGKVpRP-4C3hoI17RGa17K6uPDzt-o1YJ8RKBZsUjS4zBoKIgsSRS8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="821" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjyKUcoRUqyJsY33YF9dUAdtm5jghayHXDqXDkhHH-Ag1j6LvmFaKNGCpLdSyihV5s4yx9fhYWdugQXHsTolbcfX1WdfydxZK3JVTLrYVis4YTs7iGiW9OcWLlY5QPF1bQGcXxc0OGKVpRP-4C3hoI17RGa17K6uPDzt-o1YJ8RKBZsUjS4zBoKIgsSRS8=w393-h400" width="393" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Sapphire and Steel (1979)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">There were
just six stories (called “assignments”), aired between 1979 and 1982, but this
British sci-fi series still retains a loyal cult following. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">David
McCallum (Steel) and Joanna Lumley (Sapphire) play inter-dimensional agents
assigned to correct unnatural breaks in the timeline. In the atmospheric first
episode, they arrive at a remote 18<sup>th</sup> century farmhouse to help two
children whose parents have disappeared. The story unfolds over six half-hour
episodes in which the two leads remain stubbornly enigmatic, and even brusque
with the frightened kids they are ostensibly there to aid. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieiRoSAhGJQTVVqbXExXQxmgqwkNWrJcTq6wH1RznhiLV8N_FUVaTQkHK42XPz3_184Psh0gKFSyHuKE9OGLMRXbVfv94egt4hlZyd5q8t3kexnOFCQnibUzo3MKQgMFCkCcPXlvqnPliEHXmJFWS48GntPmmf55vG2WFIfWHwjNQRxANOE4CKCr6v4no" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieiRoSAhGJQTVVqbXExXQxmgqwkNWrJcTq6wH1RznhiLV8N_FUVaTQkHK42XPz3_184Psh0gKFSyHuKE9OGLMRXbVfv94egt4hlZyd5q8t3kexnOFCQnibUzo3MKQgMFCkCcPXlvqnPliEHXmJFWS48GntPmmf55vG2WFIfWHwjNQRxANOE4CKCr6v4no=w400-h210" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">It’s a
show that requires focus and patience, but if you allow yourself to sink into
its languid pace it will draw you under its spell. McCallum’s character is
as cold and unyielding as his name – Steel is callous to the fate of humans as
long as the timeline is secured, and he shows not a hint of remorse in their
necessary sacrifice. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gHdseqqdZgo" width="320" youtube-src-id="gHdseqqdZgo"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">The A-Team (1986)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;">Is there
room for one more <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">U.N.C.L.E</i>.-related
appearance on this list? Why not? Especially as it’s the last on-screen pairing
of McCallum with Robert Vaughn, who joined the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A-Team</i> in its fifth and final season as General Stockwell. McCallum
plays Ivan Trigorin, an Oxford professor and Soviet agent. What’s it about? It
doesn’t matter – never really did with this show - but when the two first meet
and embrace in “The Say UNCLE Affair,” viewers of a certain age sighed with
that warm glow of nostalgia that keeps us all coming back to our favorite
shows. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjawFAVAd7cxiuwBvxkKZqF5-DeDjAr8aMPfEafsPFOIEwhI8x07GB7QP2Y92gZbRCDQud4Z-AwlViFzWI376D1v0QlXa5Uj3CvnRN5KZaQzb5_PHJH8RmcqbL7BGTdzANwGhjr7LeGSnNuxzMeZ1Nw0Du1l9qvQVWN-5Wa-5XGJzbhHzAS-X1abC5AqvE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="634" data-original-width="849" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjawFAVAd7cxiuwBvxkKZqF5-DeDjAr8aMPfEafsPFOIEwhI8x07GB7QP2Y92gZbRCDQud4Z-AwlViFzWI376D1v0QlXa5Uj3CvnRN5KZaQzb5_PHJH8RmcqbL7BGTdzANwGhjr7LeGSnNuxzMeZ1Nw0Du1l9qvQVWN-5Wa-5XGJzbhHzAS-X1abC5AqvE=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; font-size: 16pt;"> </span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-20897165711187278492023-09-27T10:38:00.000-07:002023-09-27T10:38:03.221-07:00My Journey Through 1970s TV: Saturday Night, 1972<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">If you’ve noticed what the
networks are serving up on Saturday these days, it’s hard to escape the
conclusion that they’re not even trying anymore. But in the 1970s competition
for viewers was as intense on the weekend as it was during the week. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">As my quest continues to
watch one episode from every prime time series during that decade, I’m
delighted to see so many familiar classics from Saturday night in 1972. But I
sense that one of the shows below is going to be trouble. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">All in the Family</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Bridget Loves Bernie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Bob Newhart Show</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Mission: Impossible</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">In the early 1970s,
Saturday nights belonged to CBS. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All in
the Family</i> was the year’s top rated show, with newcomer <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bridget Loves Bernie</i> ending the season
at #5. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</i>
ranked #7, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bob Newhart Show</i> (also
in its first season) finishing at #16. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaU_XobE0mC934IT4MVR8-YSLqtFKPsZmp30uSQYEKVGUCJknqLKkU83JVxx0MAfquaGivXSG9_G-J5qMal24RSIIC9I8GO4SesF6-AK7vWsEZ4J24IrgqAesLZcCF7UOqgkiSUrTtqqw9d4TXO26DlhHfdg6piGaIeORNz_shesenGlkoj0hKjHQXWzM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="349" data-original-width="620" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgaU_XobE0mC934IT4MVR8-YSLqtFKPsZmp30uSQYEKVGUCJknqLKkU83JVxx0MAfquaGivXSG9_G-J5qMal24RSIIC9I8GO4SesF6-AK7vWsEZ4J24IrgqAesLZcCF7UOqgkiSUrTtqqw9d4TXO26DlhHfdg6piGaIeORNz_shesenGlkoj0hKjHQXWzM=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mission: Impossible</i> failed to crack the top 30, but this was the
last of the show’s seven seasons, and few series maintain viewer interest any
longer than that. Those who stuck with it saw a few episodes that were retreads
of earlier classics (“Two Thousand,” “Cocaine”) and the now obligatory non-mission
episode (”Kidnap”). But even these were entertaining, and Barbara Anderson was
the best female IMF agent to join the team since Barbara Bain. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Bridget Loves Bernie</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> was a series that deserved a better fate, based not
just on its high rating but its overall quality. Meredith Baxter played Bridget
Teresa Mary Colleen Fitzgerald, an Irish Catholic teacher who falls in love at
first sight with cab driver Bernie Steinberg (David Birney). The couple’s
inter-religious marriage and the culture clash of their respective in-laws was
the launching point for many of the episodes, but the topics were not explored
with the frankness and harder edge of <i>All in the Family</i>. Instead, this was
a sweet and gentle sitcom that worked because of the chemistry between Baxter
and Birney, who later married (and even later divorced).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiljlzuhwUzt71ACfQpa-AWuzkJYRUmoNQAmzBplDBTrmRxsVtg0gWD6oz6qW8cq45i0ONzny3OV6VT-6MqgOLFMTSPCKgMPNDDELgXg8XLRKfvPOasrB5zHHewwPaDEh6x-HNWigyhaqM98zmsJGyFc5_j6Qxh8bxoplk3MBUV6BnNQngBgSOp-JtU4dQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="562" data-original-width="736" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiljlzuhwUzt71ACfQpa-AWuzkJYRUmoNQAmzBplDBTrmRxsVtg0gWD6oz6qW8cq45i0ONzny3OV6VT-6MqgOLFMTSPCKgMPNDDELgXg8XLRKfvPOasrB5zHHewwPaDEh6x-HNWigyhaqM98zmsJGyFc5_j6Qxh8bxoplk3MBUV6BnNQngBgSOp-JtU4dQ=w400-h306" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS canceled the series out
of concern over adverse reactions from a vocal minority of intolerant viewers.
More than 40 years later it’s still the highest-rated TV series to be canceled.
Not one of television’s prouder moments. But I’m happy to have the show on my
DVD shelf. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Emergency!</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC Saturday Night Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Rampart, this is Squad 51.” </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Squad 51 this is Rampart, start an IV with ringers
lactate.” </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emergency!</i> producer and top TV cop Jack Webb pays tribute to
another branch of America’s civil servants. As with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dragnet </i>this is a straightforward look at professionals at work,
sometimes at the service of an indifferent or outright hostile public. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Randolph Mantooth and Kevin
Tighe were the breakout stars and got the prime panels on the lunchbox as
paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb-mzwBU-9zauHOGw55sXxEwwEW6QUrXQFNnxpFUagI_UDo8KWGt5TFLNa-HVzHFwZwZ5NIW2soddyMeQxSzL2tm1EZgHFdE5cnlHQASt6zuz1lLOTB4HckYhv_GcjA2okDR2yg3O2wHzS-Hnlr46mc2-Q-CAMPOvyK85YviJsO5TOJKrSPv3BhUAZ9sU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="736" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjb-mzwBU-9zauHOGw55sXxEwwEW6QUrXQFNnxpFUagI_UDo8KWGt5TFLNa-HVzHFwZwZ5NIW2soddyMeQxSzL2tm1EZgHFdE5cnlHQASt6zuz1lLOTB4HckYhv_GcjA2okDR2yg3O2wHzS-Hnlr46mc2-Q-CAMPOvyK85YviJsO5TOJKrSPv3BhUAZ9sU=w400-h294" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">When patients were wheeled into Rampart
General they were then treated by Doctors Brackett and Early, played by Robert
Fuller and Bobby Troup, assisted by Nurse Dixie McCall (Julie London). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDPhfeqJAqREIpzYF2Niw2PiAAHekmgnjqu4HHZ7juEWz9Glth04ywVsLXRweO3rO7LLsBm2LCZKtGQIUs7UXyfQqm97RIV--XZghu_XPxHuUiKroJi45YEkMb9c3iCmTY6e5gQVuLinE3yeP2XS0BzQZhSUdJZv21vOhN4FCj9HG8N3vn436LGhwNwko" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="554" data-original-width="736" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDPhfeqJAqREIpzYF2Niw2PiAAHekmgnjqu4HHZ7juEWz9Glth04ywVsLXRweO3rO7LLsBm2LCZKtGQIUs7UXyfQqm97RIV--XZghu_XPxHuUiKroJi45YEkMb9c3iCmTY6e5gQVuLinE3yeP2XS0BzQZhSUdJZv21vOhN4FCj9HG8N3vn436LGhwNwko=w400-h301" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Pilots can be hit and miss
as series introductions, but <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Emergency!</i>
had one of the very best ever produced. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Wedsworth-Townsend Act</i> was a movie-length, documentary-style look at the
establishment of the Los Angeles Paramedic program, over the objections of some
doctors who argued that firemen should not be trusted with administering
emergency medicine. More than 50 years later, the decision to endorse that
program has saved countless lives. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Alias Smith & Jones</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Streets of San Francisco</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Sixth Sense</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This was the third and
final season for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alias Smith & Jones</i>.
During the previous season costar Pete Duel committed suicide, but rather than
cancel the series ABC recast his role with Roger Davis. Fans didn’t buy it, and
Davis lasted just 17 episodes before the network finally did the right thing. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">However, the network found
a new hit with <i>The Streets of San Francisco</i>, starring Karl Malden as veteran
police homicide detective Mike Stone, and a young Michael Douglas as his new
partner, Steve Keller. The series ran five seasons and some of its more bizarre
episodes took up permanent space in my memory. These include casting teen idol
Ricky Nelson as a flute-playing killer pimp, and equally wholesome John
Davidson as a cross-dressing serial killer. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwL9GAbts1XhtqNVirbVoNs9Gjqx2mpz-hrmcIy_WAN8HOVblw6wuV1PS6XNF2Vqy5889KXL7U-9gHy3hjBALk97IXEMHZxWwOhVrYRjMO9ZwHsqZWhxYWVf9kae7LjJ-o9GK_NchMIgvQsbm8FkKgAW8LU0fmK96tgaB3sN09YR61_quS8lc05KetVGw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="338" data-original-width="600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwL9GAbts1XhtqNVirbVoNs9Gjqx2mpz-hrmcIy_WAN8HOVblw6wuV1PS6XNF2Vqy5889KXL7U-9gHy3hjBALk97IXEMHZxWwOhVrYRjMO9ZwHsqZWhxYWVf9kae7LjJ-o9GK_NchMIgvQsbm8FkKgAW8LU0fmK96tgaB3sN09YR61_quS8lc05KetVGw=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Even back then Frisco was a
little seedy – note the peep show marquee that was a prominent part of the show’s
opening credits – but there’s something inescapably sad about watching one of
America’s most beautiful cities back when it still earned such accolades, and
contrast it to everything that is happening there now. I’m not sure even these
cops could cope with the streets of today’s San Francisco. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKaL9rymDx8h6LE89ij8sdPW_t4HX-ob8L9sp7HZMJ_ImFmFVrIQcm8PeaxyQ24O4CRotqTwJKRrj9XgeaLSEePdleoybff6ZR9D4D7YKXYlNdpbdV0mW9AzQEJBeW14wV6O-4nP6DhD6BpqYGxgNot3AjZIAI7Ke6CaOfNwqPWpX9rpY3yAoIcC2FfAY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="1140" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKaL9rymDx8h6LE89ij8sdPW_t4HX-ob8L9sp7HZMJ_ImFmFVrIQcm8PeaxyQ24O4CRotqTwJKRrj9XgeaLSEePdleoybff6ZR9D4D7YKXYlNdpbdV0mW9AzQEJBeW14wV6O-4nP6DhD6BpqYGxgNot3AjZIAI7Ke6CaOfNwqPWpX9rpY3yAoIcC2FfAY=w400-h230" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Which brings us to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Sixth Sense</i>. It was a series about extra-sensory
perception (ESP), which was a trending topic in the 1970s. Most police and
detective shows devoted an episode to someone with psychic powers, and as we
continue our journey through the 1970s we’ll soon encounter <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Girl With Something Extra</i>, starring
Sally Field as a young bride with ESP.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In
this series, Gary Collins starred as a college professor who specialized in
parapsychology, and Catherine Ferrar as his research assistant. I don’t know
much more about it than that, but according to Wikipedia there were 25 episodes
aired over two seasons, after which this hour-long series was trimmed into
half-hour installments and aired as part of the syndication package for Rod
Serling’s <i>Night Gallery. </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><i> </i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><i></i></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOYHwF90K1DHbaYJyiIQTtOH4ZLWC6QOcGaL5E2qnNb2skoSN5CLbUTqjBSlkw8-tPLK8V--BtFRHIOj6lBqWWGCkxj5tglW_OO3gBPWZtvdSlIRr-4pD3RFeBNDvZFePwb5vi8Hvc0FOW5tnuh7RjJw2tBAsEpq71UiAwT2tWZBZyxQ9xp-i1LxliDaw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="898" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOYHwF90K1DHbaYJyiIQTtOH4ZLWC6QOcGaL5E2qnNb2skoSN5CLbUTqjBSlkw8-tPLK8V--BtFRHIOj6lBqWWGCkxj5tglW_OO3gBPWZtvdSlIRr-4pD3RFeBNDvZFePwb5vi8Hvc0FOW5tnuh7RjJw2tBAsEpq71UiAwT2tWZBZyxQ9xp-i1LxliDaw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></i></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Since
the show was based on a </span><span style="font-family: Optima;">1971 television
movie called <i>Sweet, Sweet Rachel</i> that is available online, I was
tempted to watch that and count it as a win. But unlike the <i>Emergency!</i> pilot,
this was had a different cast, so the show could not be fairly judged by that
movie. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Apparently there was a DVD
release in France, so I may one day be able to cross this one off my missed
shows list. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Shows Missed:</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">San Francisco International Airport (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Little People</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Sixth Sense</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-20196191304773589142023-09-19T10:23:00.000-07:002023-09-19T10:23:23.176-07:00Integrity<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">What does it mean when we
say a television character has “integrity”? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">According to an online
dictionary, it could mean “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The quality of
being honest and having principles that
you refuse to change.”</span></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">That will suffice, yet it’s
more than that. It’s someone you can trust to do the right thing. It’s not just
having principles but how someone expresses them, and how he or she interacts
with those that do not. But even that doesn’t fully capture why those who
personify this trait are held in such high esteem. “I know it when I see it”
was how one Supreme Court justice defined pornography. Integrity is like that
as well. There is no mistaking it. To me it’s always been one of the most admirable qualities a person
can possess. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">It is not a word I hear
much anymore, perhaps because many of the public figures that once personified
that trait no longer do so. But when I was growing up it seemed like all of
television’s most popular shows had at least one character that one could point
to and say with confidence, that’s what integrity looks like. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">So, fellow classic TV fan,
who comes to mind when you hear that word? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIf3I_zgq6L5ilUAdZ4G3bRUE1u59l4Agf84IhuqeaTZjc_1x9m3TcOUGQhmXkM6bN0jLOTObzs5gVftex50vuIRtWB4SCWJNSAnEW2aU5rpjLeue7gPxobsSHCSYdWVMDN3PXGULe6TVw1vzleY-VreLdlxx6UbpMXqqrYQr1mlUs1Ho6pLuEoLRL0qg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIf3I_zgq6L5ilUAdZ4G3bRUE1u59l4Agf84IhuqeaTZjc_1x9m3TcOUGQhmXkM6bN0jLOTObzs5gVftex50vuIRtWB4SCWJNSAnEW2aU5rpjLeue7gPxobsSHCSYdWVMDN3PXGULe6TVw1vzleY-VreLdlxx6UbpMXqqrYQr1mlUs1Ho6pLuEoLRL0qg=w400-h400" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">For ne that path leads
first to law enforcement. Sgt. Joe Friday on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dragnet</i>; Eliot Ness in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Untouchables</i>; Detective Adam Flint on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Naked
City</i>; Officer Pete Malloy on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Adam-12</i>;
Marshal Matt Dillon on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gunsmoke</i>; Detective
Sergeant Chad Smith on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Smith Family</i>
– all of them personified integrity in how they performed a vital societal
function. And when you watched those shows and those characters, you sensed
that this was an intrinsic quality they brought to their profession, rather
than something instilled by their training. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigZWXWpPcLbiey-E8HzofsTTJ-HFpy4D5Vf-rK_SlHZ-PHIDRETtrjfRyABYdpDJJYflJfNwe8A1feVfH9iBsvSjfhLnwjO7nlHpdAtxCGtRNqPyyFS0-H0yBcwUONcmFbubbvzC0AP6Icgjab5QzMkHVA5Wwdzc0j7d-TFEY7VsImVNUSMVWxSmqrrL4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="720" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEigZWXWpPcLbiey-E8HzofsTTJ-HFpy4D5Vf-rK_SlHZ-PHIDRETtrjfRyABYdpDJJYflJfNwe8A1feVfH9iBsvSjfhLnwjO7nlHpdAtxCGtRNqPyyFS0-H0yBcwUONcmFbubbvzC0AP6Icgjab5QzMkHVA5Wwdzc0j7d-TFEY7VsImVNUSMVWxSmqrrL4=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I’ve made this point before
but in this piece it bears repeating – showcasing such characters to an
audience of millions was part of the responsibility once accepted by network
executives that supervised program schedules. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I would not be surprised if
there were creators then who pitched shows about a vigilante with a badge, or
an antihero whose personal character flaws clashed with his effectiveness as a
policeman. But the Code of Practice for Television Broadcasters dictated that, <i>“Criminality shall be presented as
undesirable and unsympathetic. The condoning of crime and the treatment of the
commission of crime in a frivolous, cynical or callous manner is unacceptable.”
</i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Such characters would thus always
either repent or face justice themselves. Not to do so would have sent the
wrong message. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Such guidelines may now seem restrictive, but the shows they shepherded </span><span style="font-family: Optima;">are still watched, still remembered, and are still
being discovered by generations raised on less flattering portrayals of
authority figures. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The next exemplar for me is
Hays Stowe, as portrayed by Hal Holbrook on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Bold Ones: The Senator</i>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglM2EgrU3CaJxiyHm2wjkwLhHbq4KHk5zZNDkAxeReOrS9XW6pq9R6YNWxFD5kMamglHVnqQEzlHidGMWdPkZ-PXrCVDdVVe75jKn9PTgiMh2oG0OZfEawi5P9vWNuYcdpAAedw3IQAEQSutKP-RX5GSWVN6kOwjlrKYsjhOR12g4uspODCdg_kduiWcA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglM2EgrU3CaJxiyHm2wjkwLhHbq4KHk5zZNDkAxeReOrS9XW6pq9R6YNWxFD5kMamglHVnqQEzlHidGMWdPkZ-PXrCVDdVVe75jKn9PTgiMh2oG0OZfEawi5P9vWNuYcdpAAedw3IQAEQSutKP-RX5GSWVN6kOwjlrKYsjhOR12g4uspODCdg_kduiWcA=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">His politics did not always align with mine, yet I
probably would have voted for him, because he was a public servant of profound
integrity who earned and deserved the admiration of those he opposed. This
series of clips shows why. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gb7K6ykWV-c" width="320" youtube-src-id="Gb7K6ykWV-c"></iframe></div><p><br /></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">What attributes come
through from those moments, outside of just how good Holbrook was with smart
material? For me it’s a reminder that real integrity is quiet. Not silent, but
calm and measured. That’s how you present an argument, and it will always be
far more effective that the people you see in protests now on TV, destroying
other people’s property and screaming their outrage with maniacal expressions.
They do nothing to advance their cause. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Integrity is not a trait
limited to authority figures, though that is where it is most often found on
television. Doctors like Marcus Welby, lawyers like Perry Mason and Lawrence
Preston, teachers like John Novak. But Jed Clampett had more integrity than Mr.
Drysdale, and even Jan Brady showed a moment of integrity in “Her Sister’s
Shadow,” when she sacrifices a school award that she did not deserve because of
a grading error. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL1wOHc2iPAT_9eEN9_ON1RfY_fxFJXeEDOZFo-ejBB5uvoZ9wfNddLc6E1Etv9Z-gsya9W4exBm3ptVLIWI8AnNEqSNrANSGpHKO_K7Jtw4Bv0WeDzxQ-4zQX6SM90KIQHSRr4-jn_5vJQxAYzL3HoyyrXD4VQUmO_1jeoh-LLLajOKu2d3I7gAgBj0A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="612" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhL1wOHc2iPAT_9eEN9_ON1RfY_fxFJXeEDOZFo-ejBB5uvoZ9wfNddLc6E1Etv9Z-gsya9W4exBm3ptVLIWI8AnNEqSNrANSGpHKO_K7Jtw4Bv0WeDzxQ-4zQX6SM90KIQHSRr4-jn_5vJQxAYzL3HoyyrXD4VQUmO_1jeoh-LLLajOKu2d3I7gAgBj0A=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Sometimes that quality
shines through but with some characters its suitability could make for an interesting
discussion. One would expect the starship commanders on the various <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> series to have it, but all of
them violated the Prime Directive, their most sacrosanct regulation. Does it
take more integrity to adhere to it, or to ignore it when deemed necessary? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV8ClY3-g91r2qz-TfV4TNOpuETjLT9Hge0W7scYlGdjtLvvu4ISk-GMeBP-i4Ngl8FNfasxgK_bRFFS5nBp7JK_9BxsRgwBiQWvOEJ-uLcXbVDQOrke11pYkxIn_vlNNAyj4GBfcPaS4RS8cZyyU5rGio9mx2VCbtHt7xGVzUGXU2uRzfAmvjM087wBQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="736" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV8ClY3-g91r2qz-TfV4TNOpuETjLT9Hge0W7scYlGdjtLvvu4ISk-GMeBP-i4Ngl8FNfasxgK_bRFFS5nBp7JK_9BxsRgwBiQWvOEJ-uLcXbVDQOrke11pYkxIn_vlNNAyj4GBfcPaS4RS8cZyyU5rGio9mx2VCbtHt7xGVzUGXU2uRzfAmvjM087wBQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I can’t list all of the
characters that brought integrity to the classic TV era, because that would
require a very long piece – and how good that feels recognizing that television
gave us so many positive role models when there were just three networks – far
more, certainly, than are presently available on so many more. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Or am I wrong? Given my
preference for television’s past it would be easy to say that integrity is in
shorter supply now, but I don’t know that for sure because I’m not watching today’s
scripted series. What I do know is that television reflects popular culture,
and culture currently seems to extend its sympathy only to those who lack
the qualities once prized, while those with principles once admired are now
viewed as rigid, intolerant, reactionary. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">History teacher Pete Dixon
on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Room 222</i> was a man with great
integrity – do any of the teachers on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Abbott
Elementary</i> share that trait? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhABl0PgHFFKBQCU0ikxizyH-xmtYvfeTYAmRVczY5Li62sTBN2u4a6GvpFkxDv_rqrRzzaqWT9_bKvJMVL1jOXm50KwssNY3B0ieOy0Fxp7nlz8FG3-L6Gz3hX_SVk8J-z7BvbAKSxTuZqhKNQdFF0PxJtyx97edSM9MhqSp5oRsL4by1KJU5KjQsGYhw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="765" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhABl0PgHFFKBQCU0ikxizyH-xmtYvfeTYAmRVczY5Li62sTBN2u4a6GvpFkxDv_rqrRzzaqWT9_bKvJMVL1jOXm50KwssNY3B0ieOy0Fxp7nlz8FG3-L6Gz3hX_SVk8J-z7BvbAKSxTuZqhKNQdFF0PxJtyx97edSM9MhqSp5oRsL4by1KJU5KjQsGYhw=w400-h234" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Someone else will have to answer that. But I
hope that’s the case, and I’d feel better knowing it was true. Television is
not the mass medium it used to be, but it can still motivate someone onto a better
path through one positive example. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><style>@font-face
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> <br /></span></span></p>
<p><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-58345896423017468842023-09-07T10:21:00.000-07:002023-09-07T10:21:17.082-07:00Wanted: The Electric Company
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Years ago if you had asked
me what TV show not on DVD I’d most like to own, I would have answered <i>The
Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet</i>. But before this month is over I will have
all 14 seasons sitting on my shelf thanks to Sam Nelson, Time-Life and MPI. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I also managed to put
together a full run of <i>Family</i>, by finally finding uncut episodes of its final
three seasons through unofficial sources. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The next show on my list
may surprise you: It’s <i>The Electric Company</i>, the children’s educational series
that aired from 1971 to 1977 on PBS. There were more than 750 episodes, and I
want to own them all.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Indulging my second
childhood? I don’t think that’s it. Besides, I’m already up to my third
childhood now. And I certainly don’t need the remedial education as I’ve
already learned all the sounds of words and letters – in fact even six year-old
me knew all that stuff by the time the series debuted, and I was a fan back
then as well. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: Optima; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> <br /></span><h2><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: Optima; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJD8fBAwQxYhnGLy52aO7idRoJ1V7B0RYiRgXZxUVuk1Tp8QyxgnjpgBa6wOB69eG2vRGnmuCZAt_sUSVOfJXEwarGADpDej9q7RnoNnxvoOPp0OCv_RIUKkqxcwEH63JRfgDK69nEbsWyUjEXWDxRzfea7iedqJs2QWPNwLp31T61_mMOusPPWevq4_s" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="530" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJD8fBAwQxYhnGLy52aO7idRoJ1V7B0RYiRgXZxUVuk1Tp8QyxgnjpgBa6wOB69eG2vRGnmuCZAt_sUSVOfJXEwarGADpDej9q7RnoNnxvoOPp0OCv_RIUKkqxcwEH63JRfgDK69nEbsWyUjEXWDxRzfea7iedqJs2QWPNwLp31T61_mMOusPPWevq4_s=w400-h294" width="400" /></a></div></span></h2><br /><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I want this series for the
same reason I wanted <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mission: Impossible</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hogan’s Heroes</i> and so many others - it
brings back happy memories, and all these years later it is still a very
entertaining show. There were two “Best of” sets issued by Shout Factory many
years ago, and watching any of their combined 40 episodes there isn’t one that
doesn’t still make me laugh out loud at least once.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMGLgOosz-_okPiHt9SzWGjDNgb8wpqOnm-fqDvZjOGIo6IS_LZbHMhR5gzHPd0T8urUSyKjYDvhdTLee_c3F_ojnQIvm5d2V09lva-3vduVIEBIoszP4vo2ceigRTX0wA8jVYaYhllDi9F1hIPNPDLKwNElut7A8invYkxH-RMd5X2pOokAssZ8h7pZI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1351" data-original-width="1000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMGLgOosz-_okPiHt9SzWGjDNgb8wpqOnm-fqDvZjOGIo6IS_LZbHMhR5gzHPd0T8urUSyKjYDvhdTLee_c3F_ojnQIvm5d2V09lva-3vduVIEBIoszP4vo2ceigRTX0wA8jVYaYhllDi9F1hIPNPDLKwNElut7A8invYkxH-RMd5X2pOokAssZ8h7pZI=w297-h400" width="297" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Tell me this isn’t funnier
than anything from the last few seasons of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Saturday
Night Live</i>:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFFPbW1I-Gc"></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFFPbW1I-Gc"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RFFPbW1I-Gc" width="320" youtube-src-id="RFFPbW1I-Gc"></iframe></a></div><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFFPbW1I-Gc"><span color="windowtext" style="font-family: Optima; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS ゴシック"; mso-fareast-theme-font: major-fareast;"><br /></span></a><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The cast is superb. Bill
Cosby and Rita Moreno already had stellar careers when they joined, and Morgan
Freeman and Irene Cara had wonderful careers ahead of them. Skip Hinnant played
Schroeder on stage in the original cast of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You’re
a Good Man, Charlie Brow</i>n. Denise Nickerson was in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dark Shadows</i> and played the girl who turned into a blueberry in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory</i>.
If the remaining cast members never posted equally memorable credits, it was
certainly not for lack of talent. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgREH0LvgRzdQumMDti_QZgu2B79fA67vDwRfkKXuiylW99FZWAA-qjz49tMe9Kj5xEELgtqbGGhhVr1BHNN07lzdv5Tk6KzEaV1UVPHMcNiny-YzItuH-ORZOzXr0YHVcUN4PoU6Yfq3vaMNZkd3zEL0n5MhEExCXVtM1Bv6na0heVJ1cctNRYVPnk24w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="634" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgREH0LvgRzdQumMDti_QZgu2B79fA67vDwRfkKXuiylW99FZWAA-qjz49tMe9Kj5xEELgtqbGGhhVr1BHNN07lzdv5Tk6KzEaV1UVPHMcNiny-YzItuH-ORZOzXr0YHVcUN4PoU6Yfq3vaMNZkd3zEL0n5MhEExCXVtM1Bv6na0heVJ1cctNRYVPnk24w=w400-h310" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The series also featured
animated sequences with the voices of Mel Brooks, Joan Rivers, Gene Wilder and
Zero Mostel, among others. Music was provided by composers like the brilliant
Tom Lehrer and Joe Raposo. And some episodes contain cameos from such Comfort
TV favorites as Barbara Eden, Dean Martin, Carol Burnett, and the cast of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bonanza</i>. </span></p>
<h2>
</h2><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Surprisingly, for being 50
years old the show rarely seems dated. Granted, current generations won’t know
that Skip Hinnant’s portrayal of “Early Gibbons,” who lives in the forest and
eats tree stumps, is a reference to the 1970s Grape Nuts cereal commercials
featuring author Euell Gibbons, but the skit still works on its own. Likewise,
Judy Graubart’s “Here’s Cooking At You” segments as Julia Grownup won’t be any
less entertaining if someone has never heard of Julia Child. Graubart, a Second
City alum, delightfully peppers her spelling lessons with non-scripted asides while
preparing such dishes as “Grilled Dill Pickles with Chilled Vanilla Filling.”</span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Before the DVD releases,
there was for me a gap of at least 20 years between episode views, but when I
picked up a bootleg VHS tape so much of what was on it came back instantly. </span></p><p></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“The Super is having his
supper”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“My name is Kathy…Kathy is
my name”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Hey you guys!”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“And…what about Naomi?”</span></p><p><style>@font-face
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I love the opening credits
to the final seasons, where every cast member’s most popular recurring
character morphs into the actor – Skip Hinnant as Fargo North, Decoder, Judy
Graubart as Jennifer of the Jungle, Hattie Winston as librarian Valerie, Morgan
Freeman as Easy Reader, Rita Moreno as Pandora, Jim Boyd as J. Arthur Crank,
and Luis Avalos as Dr. Doolots. It’s like the cast taking a pre-emptive and well-deserved curtain
call before the learning starts. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TFYMijdQ_sA" width="320" youtube-src-id="TFYMijdQ_sA"></iframe></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I know it’s a children’s
show. But like the best children’s shows it offers fun for adults as well. And
there are segments in there where grammar takes a backseat to other life
lessons that resonate more with parents than kids, like when Vi, owner of Vi’s
Diner (Lee Chamberlin), dreams about a day that doesn’t have to be spent
serving up the day’s specials behind the counter, or when Jim Boyd plays an old
man reminiscing about his life in the poignant song “I Was Young Once Too.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Ah, yes, the songs. As
someone commented on the YouTube posting of the “Punctuation” song, “Haven't
heard this in a half-century, yet I remember every single word.” I did as well.
Neither Cole Porter nor Lennon and McCartney could have written a more clever
way to explain how to use a period, question mark, exclamation point, and
comma. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/up0cMY6_pv4" width="320" youtube-src-id="up0cMY6_pv4"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I have so many favorites
that I did a piece earlier in this blog on <u><a href="http://comforttv.blogspot.com/2016/06/hey-you-guys-its-20-best-songs-from.html">the top 20 songs from the show</a></u>
(for which I need to go back and re-upload some of the missing videos). From
“The Sweet, Sweet Sway” to “N-apostrophe-T” to the hilarious “Ly Song” written
and sung by Tom Lehrer, I can’t think of another series for children or adults
that contained so many wonderful original compositions. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Gn3KnQmBUM" width="320" youtube-src-id="-Gn3KnQmBUM"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Another life lesson was
subtly slipped in as well, when the multiracial cast performed in sketches as
spouses, boyfriends and girlfriends, with no acknowledgment of their
diversity. In the 1970s such couplings weren't unknown to television, but most
would focus on the interracial pairing with all the righteous fervor that a
'very special episode' demands. Here Morgan Freeman could play a guy married to
Judy Graubart or Rita Moreno, and it was a non-issue because it was treated as
such. Isn’t that the way it should be?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I think there’s another
reason why I find <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Electric Company</i>
so special. I’ve worked with words my whole life. I don’t usually think of it
in those terms, but words are the tools of a writer. And when I watch this show
I see how our language’s words are formed, something I obviously know, yet it
instills a deeper appreciation for them, and something like fascination for how
they came to be. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">There’s a scene in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Avengers: Infinity War</i> where Thor
announces his intention to go to a place called “Knowhere.” “That’s a made-up
word,” someone tells him. “All words are made up,” he replies, and he’s right.
A chair wasn’t a chair until we in the English speaking realms decided that’s
what it should be called. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimIKrwgNhhv40JTX1Xl2hk7ogqeyL1_XDvnB0bZmdJiROoB68wz5upyRYvLjs8hNhWrvX_siLqP_8L23ZjWG12aGXJiuWronostb3LymdkjEoOxX3VR0XVg9o5rrPMl0sfiGJ6lAK-nif2GDtMFNKZmPwPhN1Q8PmjjUYxpK314CadG04_-riuWDZQnqo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="691" data-original-width="840" height="329" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEimIKrwgNhhv40JTX1Xl2hk7ogqeyL1_XDvnB0bZmdJiROoB68wz5upyRYvLjs8hNhWrvX_siLqP_8L23ZjWG12aGXJiuWronostb3LymdkjEoOxX3VR0XVg9o5rrPMl0sfiGJ6lAK-nif2GDtMFNKZmPwPhN1Q8PmjjUYxpK314CadG04_-riuWDZQnqo=w400-h329" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">How did we decide what to
name stuff? The show doesn’t answer that, but it does call attention to the
innumerable quirks of our language. Why do ‘heat’ and ‘feet’ rhyme, though one
uses ‘ea’ and one ‘ee’? Boyd’s character of J. Arthur Crank is often heard in
an angry phone call, to represent the voice of the frustrated elementary school student
also trying to figure that out. “Well, just because” is the show’s answer via
kindly Judy Graubart. “I get a lot of ‘just because’ from you, girly” he
protests. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">But yeah, that’s about the
best answer anyone can provide. Most of our words are derivations from other
languages but you can’t tell that to a five year-old still working out why putting a 'p' and an 'h' together sounds like an 'f'. At some
point all of this just clicks in for us and we accept it. The show acknowledges
that, yeah, it won’t make sense to us now (or maybe ever) but sometimes life is
like that. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">When you look at the
plummeting reading levels in public education, you wonder why it wouldn’t
be a public service to make this show available, as there are certainly
thousands (millions?) who still don’t know these basics before they get to junior
high. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I know DVDs are a long shot.
But so was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ozzie and Harriet</i> a few
years ago. Come on, somebody, as the theme song says, it’s time to light up the
dark of night like the brightest day in a whole new way. I want <i>The Electric
Company</i> on my shelf before my time on earth is through (pronounced like “threw”).
Just because. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-33402657932728452122023-08-31T10:14:00.002-07:002023-08-31T10:14:52.489-07:00My Journey Through 1970s TV: Friday Night, 1972<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">At the end of a busy work
week in 1972, what kind of shows were families sitting down together to watch?
Time to take a look at the Friday night prime time lineups and, as always, find
out whether my quest to see at least one episode from every series from the
decade will be dealt yet another setback. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The CBS Friday Night Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The evolution of Sonny Bono
and Cher from long-haired hippie singers to mainstream TV stars did not happen
overnight. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeEkZ_m8YU_DG_eClwidJ3io6R2YCCo-Ftw_AFtlVG_TmxxTNWLSq3qJrng_ffTUmPjJtqXVNmPQ1tfSFWQRqrLwrDHTVHvpcym_hQSL6Ztlqq3_EpLvN9FETFk7gnGnrbbAFTdOPpEq3G4S0OAJZ7AIR5178aSZOXIqbfYSJWPV-jywUJlkfO_9zBuP8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjeEkZ_m8YU_DG_eClwidJ3io6R2YCCo-Ftw_AFtlVG_TmxxTNWLSq3qJrng_ffTUmPjJtqXVNmPQ1tfSFWQRqrLwrDHTVHvpcym_hQSL6Ztlqq3_EpLvN9FETFk7gnGnrbbAFTdOPpEq3G4S0OAJZ7AIR5178aSZOXIqbfYSJWPV-jywUJlkfO_9zBuP8=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">After recording a few hits (most written by Sonny), Bono ditched the
beads and fuzzy vests for a tux, and Cher went glam courtesy of famed designer
Bob Mackie, and they reinvented themselves as America’s favorite young couple,
playfully bickering between slick covers of current pop hits. By the time they
brought out their adorable blond daughter Chastity and reprised “I Got You,
Babe” at the close of every show, the audience was hooked.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">None of it lasted, sadly.
They broke up and failed at hosting separate variety shows, Cher started making
movies, Sonny went to Congress, and Chastity became a dude named “Chaz”. But it
was delightful while it lasted. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XfZ1w5OeUUk" width="320" youtube-src-id="XfZ1w5OeUUk"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Brady Bunch</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Partridge Family</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Room 222</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Odd Couple</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Love, American Style</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This is the same Friday
night lineup that ABC presented the previous year, after it drew good but not
spectacular ratings. This season only <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Partridge Family</i> cracked the top 20 (at #19). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This was season four for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Brady Bunch</i>, and featured many of
the series’ most beloved episodes. After a three-part opener set in Hawaii,
fans watched Marcia anxiously prepare for high school while Peter builds a
volcano (“Today I Am a Freshman”), the debut performance of the Silver Platters
(“Amateur Nite”), Marcia take a football to the nose “(The Subject Was Noses”)
and Greg fall for a teenage temptress who wants to be head cheerleader (“Greg’s
Triangle”). </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjO4-O6rnc9S4_E2ifVr_ZMA_LydZJlgnYW4Dhc1lp1UIg2aPFh_tjIznCAyBc53L4nyCn6lAeawqFZmBkK3ZKzJLZDU2JFs_btYgFoNV0RAtjuwt3w6EuMD8tKGRAOZA3cof1mZRg5H8imttZoYpxy1PQpEFZdm4JgtxlN0R85q57D09LTWET7rAbhkY" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="720" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhjO4-O6rnc9S4_E2ifVr_ZMA_LydZJlgnYW4Dhc1lp1UIg2aPFh_tjIznCAyBc53L4nyCn6lAeawqFZmBkK3ZKzJLZDU2JFs_btYgFoNV0RAtjuwt3w6EuMD8tKGRAOZA3cof1mZRg5H8imttZoYpxy1PQpEFZdm4JgtxlN0R85q57D09LTWET7rAbhkY=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">For me there’s a gap
between the first two <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Partridge Family</i>
seasons, when the musical performances feature great songs from the group’s
first three albums, and the second two seasons, where the music quality drops a
bit with cuts from their final three albums. This is season three, but even
when the songs aren’t as catchy there were some memorable episodes. Highlights include Laurie’s romance with guest star Tony Geary (“Ain’t Loveth
Grand”) and the family’s trip to Cincinnati’s Kings Island amusement park (“I
Left My Heart in Cincinnati”)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_ieKGyHir3U" width="320" youtube-src-id="_ieKGyHir3U"></iframe></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">With <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Room 222</i> the quality remained consistently high from the first
episode to the last. Season three includes stories about censorship battles at
the school’s radio station “KWWH,” and the first appearance of Bruno Kirby as
slick-talking high school huckster Herbie in “Suitable for Framing.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Odd Couple</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> likewise delivered consistent comedy gold in all of its five seasons,
but the show’s most famous scene happened here in season three with the
“Password” episode. It ranked #5 on TV Guide’s 100 Greatest Episodes of All
Time.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgseS_gJI4VGLUHUH2WRILTuobL0Ts1OEurPAtdCP9jEs2DbPJFwXMplA5hMZN8oyqe0ZHS2kqEhvAnvKNNa6lKXIQk_GlRr4oP3ZnOXvvEC2cEi4d1oEZuIPFuvAMf8xbVpjOY5MXryiPx7DEaxAXeDxkdOIWuFwi3_8-scaoqn7A72KLCnZD5HP0THzE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgseS_gJI4VGLUHUH2WRILTuobL0Ts1OEurPAtdCP9jEs2DbPJFwXMplA5hMZN8oyqe0ZHS2kqEhvAnvKNNa6lKXIQk_GlRr4oP3ZnOXvvEC2cEi4d1oEZuIPFuvAMf8xbVpjOY5MXryiPx7DEaxAXeDxkdOIWuFwi3_8-scaoqn7A72KLCnZD5HP0THzE=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Sanford and Son</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Little People</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Ghost Story</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Banyon</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Four new shows debuting on
the same night? That was a bold move for the Peacock network, and one that delivered mixed results. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sanford and
Son</i> was a hit, ending the season at #2 behind another Norman Lear series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">All in the Family</i>. For star Redd Foxx
the transition to prime time was as dramatic as that of Sonny and Cher. He was
still edgy here, with punch lines that would now raise eyebrows in our current
hypersensitive times, but he’s a long way from the X-rated material that filled
his Las Vegas act. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8zZU9T7QFSdDcAT0cvvF1B57Z57ZKHjmIlMYqQZ7uHwZtiS0KF3KAoRTNOTpQ2ShczCCgW5eV9a2u-zens0vFnGJVlW-SIBbbgMwlG_Geb7fLJWbC006UQYii4aBBwJUClM9dL_NK-LgkAZpHBZOm6cwVcpMqwJ4kYBIxpzCX9nHH4xvx8eIhz3Z-sBs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1000" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh8zZU9T7QFSdDcAT0cvvF1B57Z57ZKHjmIlMYqQZ7uHwZtiS0KF3KAoRTNOTpQ2ShczCCgW5eV9a2u-zens0vFnGJVlW-SIBbbgMwlG_Geb7fLJWbC006UQYii4aBBwJUClM9dL_NK-LgkAZpHBZOm6cwVcpMqwJ4kYBIxpzCX9nHH4xvx8eIhz3Z-sBs=w400-h270" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Little People</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> starred Brian Keith as a pediatrician, and Shelley Fabares as his daughter;
together, they operate a medical practice in Hawaii. The series ranked #25 for
the season and would return the following year as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Brian Keith Show</i>. From the clips I’ve seen it looks like a show
I’d enjoy, even with the frequent caterwauling of crying babies in his waiting
room. But I’ve never seen a full episode, so on the list it goes. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6_WKO9nQFhvsw0MXN8_qg_zt0vXEGuLFX7KZerR6y-D5iTYMagxcC45GpaeefvsTSI3Dspgn8m0YGFelleSqkkG43bmgfe-FHL96e7M1-GoLgXsNbaKRmvswskyk4n6e3369RVZ9bkOy3wkd3ry1IwhXT1x79EoZB9iLpocGQWQjC4tt3PSvqtbPqPk0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1266" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6_WKO9nQFhvsw0MXN8_qg_zt0vXEGuLFX7KZerR6y-D5iTYMagxcC45GpaeefvsTSI3Dspgn8m0YGFelleSqkkG43bmgfe-FHL96e7M1-GoLgXsNbaKRmvswskyk4n6e3369RVZ9bkOy3wkd3ry1IwhXT1x79EoZB9iLpocGQWQjC4tt3PSvqtbPqPk0=w317-h400" width="317" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The supernatural anthology
series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ghost Story</i> I’ve seen, and in
fact <a href="http://comforttv.blogspot.com/2019/10/halloween-comfort-tv-ghost-story.html"><u>wrote an entire blog about back in 2019</u></a>. Great stuff, at least
until host Sebastian Cabot was dropped and the series morphed into the less
interesting <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Circle of Fear</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">When I first watched <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Banyon</i> I remembered thinking how the
1970s featured a lot more period pieces in prime time than most decades: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Waltons</i> in the 1930s, this show in
the 1940s, and of course we’ll eventually get to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy Days</i> in the 1950s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
guess they’re out of vogue now as today’s millennials probably don’t want to
see stories form what they dismiss as less enlightened times. Here Robert Forster
plays Miles Banyon, a cop turned private detective taking on gangsters and
dangerous dames in Los Angeles.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIIOnnHVz7ITWlomxTF7e0culEnM9qGgo7poxczwFItMPTrtr1loURRiF6hD1TWIQxorqaM-5FvKv6HIBjJiGnkSpzKLofK4oeIk7paoIfSBLKhxi402VU8j0Y30taURq0qqyEeMRiITzWCSnI1AnISZVYTOlc4KyXb5G25FdGmmTzXARktXbWa2zwFvs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="615" data-original-width="1095" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIIOnnHVz7ITWlomxTF7e0culEnM9qGgo7poxczwFItMPTrtr1loURRiF6hD1TWIQxorqaM-5FvKv6HIBjJiGnkSpzKLofK4oeIk7paoIfSBLKhxi402VU8j0Y30taURq0qqyEeMRiITzWCSnI1AnISZVYTOlc4KyXb5G25FdGmmTzXARktXbWa2zwFvs=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I admit I was surprised
that the handful of comments about this series on IMDB were all positive, as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Banyon</i> struck me as an exercise in style
without much substance. Don’t expect the kind of colorful dialogue detective
story fans love from this period, courtesy of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond
Chandler, because what you’ll get sounds like someone asked ChatGPT to rewrite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Maltese Falcon</i>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Shows Missed:</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">San Francisco International Airport (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Little People</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-69580033703644303642023-08-24T11:59:00.002-07:002023-08-24T11:59:54.745-07:00TV’s Worst Decisions (According to Rolling Stone and Me)<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The once-respected music
mag <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rolling Stone</i> is once again
dabbling into areas where it has no business, this time compiling a list of the
<u><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-lists/worst-tv-network-decisions-1234796350/two-words-cop-rock-1234796811/?fbclid=IwAR1rda-5SwCu2gcHs92rfElRBQZcWTMyvG8MH-aARetltb-En69dqYaL8uc">50 Worst Decisions in TV History</a></u>. Yeah, I couldn’t resist checking it
out. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYy5ynr228IjkFcUp3n83w0g6ENLBW43--huR6QYy17T-dtk_hXLFH0T-9IZE8bhWzkkcP7PkVfb5PRsbelJtjetGRs0I48b3UXcqPEZL9wlj_rMdws1nRSQ8QcHqDcBa2feUCpvTVNx-k5Y7YeLEgNnSiPVfEIGyki8MY6K_zAQat125x71-ND4v6ISQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgYy5ynr228IjkFcUp3n83w0g6ENLBW43--huR6QYy17T-dtk_hXLFH0T-9IZE8bhWzkkcP7PkVfb5PRsbelJtjetGRs0I48b3UXcqPEZL9wlj_rMdws1nRSQ8QcHqDcBa2feUCpvTVNx-k5Y7YeLEgNnSiPVfEIGyki8MY6K_zAQat125x71-ND4v6ISQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">As this blog only covers
television from the 1950s through the 1980s, most of their selections do not
concern us here. In fact, there were just eight entries out of 50 from the
Comfort TV era, which either means television was a lot smarter back then, or
the staffers who compiled this list believe there was nothing worth watching
until <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Game of Thrones</i>.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Let’s review their classic
TV era choices, before I offer some of my own (and, I would humbly add, better)
suggestions:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Mystery of Al Capone’s Vault</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (#41)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">When Geraldo Rivera learned
of a sealed vault underneath Chicago’s Lexington Hotel, then scheduled for
demolition, he saw an opportunity to speculate whether the city’s most famous
mob boss may have left some historical artifacts (or a few dead bodies) inside.
The channels that picked up this special in syndication did not think this was
a poor decision – the special pulled an enormous 57 rating. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Sure, the show itself was
horrible – two hours of filler before the vault finally opened, and all that
was inside was one 60 year-old whiskey bottle. But Geraldo’s career survived –
such as it was – and if viewers felt suckered I’m sure they are over it by now. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-hOl-PdDFyjZFR1LSgdQ5cJ5kmwyNPcIKAoQYSHfiCSlnb4A78qYWcTL83b5RP-ofF5-BUE4T_XlEuGL6MyQq-z7tT84bo2WepKQD_Vm4MvblhfmuLQWTO52yoFR7Id22eLxf1VrdXMqec-0dUCHbjZYKf7kSXhAC_YcxkYJiRKO72kEZtoQyd5wuugc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1407" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-hOl-PdDFyjZFR1LSgdQ5cJ5kmwyNPcIKAoQYSHfiCSlnb4A78qYWcTL83b5RP-ofF5-BUE4T_XlEuGL6MyQq-z7tT84bo2WepKQD_Vm4MvblhfmuLQWTO52yoFR7Id22eLxf1VrdXMqec-0dUCHbjZYKf7kSXhAC_YcxkYJiRKO72kEZtoQyd5wuugc" width="320" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Family Matters</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">
Disappears Judy Winslow (#38)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I was not a fan of this
series, but according to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rolling Stone</i>
it was about the Winslow family, whose youngest daughter, Judy, was played by
Jaimee Foxworth. When the show introduced Steve Urkel, viewers responded so
favorably that it pulled storylines from other characters, and Judy fared the
worst. After four seasons, she just vanished and was never referred to again. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdPx-sP9DRU4LSMLBia6H3-bX69HlK4GLOS6wYvZMcLyasYrHBYfkdxnwceQ9C69rdZKVy81q9pdBIzHvk5abDheF2rNHU429_Fmgjk9bKKnCMACvUMatRJ3W6-b2FaVhkeeQ4pWgyjSL7RilOT0g5mEP-Psu3aCN0joi-VbYXn5dzTsgLCvQ40ab3dmg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="1000" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgdPx-sP9DRU4LSMLBia6H3-bX69HlK4GLOS6wYvZMcLyasYrHBYfkdxnwceQ9C69rdZKVy81q9pdBIzHvk5abDheF2rNHU429_Fmgjk9bKKnCMACvUMatRJ3W6-b2FaVhkeeQ4pWgyjSL7RilOT0g5mEP-Psu3aCN0joi-VbYXn5dzTsgLCvQ40ab3dmg=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Sure, that’s cold, but
hardly unprecedented. The same thing happened to Chuck Cunningham on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Happy Days</i>, and when Michael J. Fox
became the top draw of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family Ties</i>,
it meant fewer episodes devoted to Tina Yothers. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family Matters</i> lasted another five seasons, so it was not a harmful
decision to ABC. Whether Foxworth’s subsequent series of poor life choices can
also be attributed to her dismissal is open for debate. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Canceling <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star
Trek</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gilligan’s Island</i> After
Just Three Seasons (#37)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This one surprised me,
first because you rarely see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gilligan’s Island</i> mentioned in
the same sentence, and second because both shows not only survived but
flourished in non-stop syndication for decades after they were canceled. “By
comparison, <i>According to Jim</i> produced 182 episodes across
eight seasons,” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rolling Stone</i>
observed. “We’d be in a better world if there had been a lot more <i>Star
Trek</i> and a lot less <i>According to Jim.” </i><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Well, when you put it that way…</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Laverne and Shirley</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> Dumps Shirley (#29)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I interviewed David L.
Lander (Squiggy) about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Laverne &
Shirley’s</i> final season, for my book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What
Were They Thinking? The 100 Dumbest Events in Television History</i>. He put
the blame for Shirley’s disappearance on Cindy Williams’ husband, Bill Hudson
(of Hudson Brothers fame), who became such a pain in everyone’s backside that
the network just let her go. I agree with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rolling
Stone</i> here – the decision to move forward without Williams was a terrible
one. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Brady
Bunch Variety Hour</i> Becomes a Thing (#17)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">This
show is in my above-mentioned book as well. Even Barry Williams described it as
“perhaps the single worst television show in the history of the medium.” Sure,
I made fun of it like everyone else –but over the years my perspective has
softened. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfviHQyNxEMY3Hj-W_3d24v6msmvI0LXtP50JObt4yRh0Zp2KVasKk9tFXtfnLwPU_EjqpYJaByltxg8xPFaSPNWFhDQdsKoqtZibc79WX8QLz2N5EwEhCKGgECY57CNioiKRwJSOWb5nl0ZRpso2fR6wW41KIpyLd0tq1YZrhU6dpBTbuc2WPEEVmtwg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="478" data-original-width="619" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgfviHQyNxEMY3Hj-W_3d24v6msmvI0LXtP50JObt4yRh0Zp2KVasKk9tFXtfnLwPU_EjqpYJaByltxg8xPFaSPNWFhDQdsKoqtZibc79WX8QLz2N5EwEhCKGgECY57CNioiKRwJSOWb5nl0ZRpso2fR6wW41KIpyLd0tq1YZrhU6dpBTbuc2WPEEVmtwg=w400-h309" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Give the success of <i>The Brady Bunch</i> in syndication, and the
popularity of musical variety shows in the late 1970s, the decision to take a
chance on this series was hardly outlandish. It only lasted nine episodes and
deservedly so, but I can’t stay mad at the Bradys, even when they’re turning Donna Summer's seductive "Love to Love You Baby" into a wholesome family singalong. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Ropers <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(#16)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Clearly a failed spinoff.
But why was this singled out over <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Enos</i>
or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tabitha</i> or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">AfterMASH? </i>It didn’t kill <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Three’s
Company</i>, which survived even the loss of Suzanne Somers. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguWUV0ZDgKxlZgfu7qzJn2bp4-oUAquojcQDq5J_S16COExT_RNsogUgs5bwRzKDtYQwjd5OdrVqzavJyFVJRmYA3G2kBR-imoFHedElOARxbd7XJCTOyo-WZ4SxCxUVCqGUuUy-UB7Y2YVkalDnMpuiLbQwiQn7_0xXXgQRXnVE9c92SSyXSGl4OD09A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEguWUV0ZDgKxlZgfu7qzJn2bp4-oUAquojcQDq5J_S16COExT_RNsogUgs5bwRzKDtYQwjd5OdrVqzavJyFVJRmYA3G2kBR-imoFHedElOARxbd7XJCTOyo-WZ4SxCxUVCqGUuUy-UB7Y2YVkalDnMpuiLbQwiQn7_0xXXgQRXnVE9c92SSyXSGl4OD09A=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Star Trek: TNG Fires Gates McFadden Before Season
Two (#15)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Was the show better with
Dr. Crusher than with Diana Muldaur as Dr. Pulaski? Sure. Did that decision
destroy the season? Absolutely not. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqhwWiA8P-3IgpYrMHs-El53N2i1FdzJBYn_yeZuVdE0J8JqPt111H7U-DSu6UAYiUYIHbCYtBNWi9XlDNqhJUFGrKJHg8rNb-sjcZZ5w_FWXtJUjLP7pcaDAX8CtiFDHLpBcMdII1WRZ1uiJOijZUdPbOFALsveyGOmAw_-C3ZejjUdSo9OVO-e8SV8U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="694" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqhwWiA8P-3IgpYrMHs-El53N2i1FdzJBYn_yeZuVdE0J8JqPt111H7U-DSu6UAYiUYIHbCYtBNWi9XlDNqhJUFGrKJHg8rNb-sjcZZ5w_FWXtJUjLP7pcaDAX8CtiFDHLpBcMdII1WRZ1uiJOijZUdPbOFALsveyGOmAw_-C3ZejjUdSo9OVO-e8SV8U=w400-h306" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“Elementary, Dear Data,” “The Measure of a
Man,” “”Time Squared,” “Pen Pals,” and “Q Who” were just some of that season’s
excellent entries. Even the episode that focused on Pulaski, “Unnatural
Selection,” has its moments. There were misfires as well, but you can’t blame
“Shades of Gray” on her. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC Cancels ‘Baywatch’
After One Season (#12)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Yes, terrible decision from
a financial standpoint – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Baywatch</i>
generated countless millions in its 11-season run. Maybe if Pamela Anderson had
been there from the beginning, its fate would have been different. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitiL2gDKNAa359FEw6LLlXm1bY8C_Pza41SQn9NDGPjDSK9sVsLA0wkFy65Py5fuUF0pPi1XTagMsklbM-nw311Aa45Oa3lA80ziUOLtAGJuezvGneL60E7WHDOC-4yodmsmbdHjtjI_W09xUssuGZ-FSK-pP-EGQXvSo7YpN6cbqjZfiPQlGDhCV7ew4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="638" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitiL2gDKNAa359FEw6LLlXm1bY8C_Pza41SQn9NDGPjDSK9sVsLA0wkFy65Py5fuUF0pPi1XTagMsklbM-nw311Aa45Oa3lA80ziUOLtAGJuezvGneL60E7WHDOC-4yodmsmbdHjtjI_W09xUssuGZ-FSK-pP-EGQXvSo7YpN6cbqjZfiPQlGDhCV7ew4=w283-h400" width="283" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">If you’re wondering what #1
was, it was NBC’s decision to cancel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Freaks
and Geeks</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">My Choices</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">My criteria for a worst
decision is that it should be one that did serious damage to a good show, or
canceled a series before that series reached its full potential. With that in mind, here
are five more selections.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">#1</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Replacing Bo and Luke with Coy and Vance on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dukes of Hazzard</i></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This tops my list not only
because it tanked the ratings on a top-ten series, it also revealed arrogance
toward the series’ fans that bordered on contempt. When Tom Wopat and John
Schneider left the show (temporarily) over a merchandising royalty dispute, I
can almost hear CBS executives responding, “So what? Hire a couple of
lookalikes and keep the same scripts. As long as the car jumps and Daisy is
wearing shorts, those trailer park rubes in the South and Midwest will keep
watching.” Wrong. But that same attitude toward “flyover country” has only
gotten worse since then, and not just in network boardrooms. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP_Z8iQWCehsFT6ZIuNrvEO2ZKo7D2aZYoyOnA8f8VIDLPOjairQwP4tS2n9QyHpelLHrU9Mb4XT8zFBxdToIGjfrINTs2fKYCOXEepgXBKzyi06qhN1C1jBWzh9iGh4bIjs6VUKcXE0j3-OkjWSgMjAn-iWGyMClvZ-pLXclFBZazPqCPxd4qLVUMzvM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="188" data-original-width="268" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiP_Z8iQWCehsFT6ZIuNrvEO2ZKo7D2aZYoyOnA8f8VIDLPOjairQwP4tS2n9QyHpelLHrU9Mb4XT8zFBxdToIGjfrINTs2fKYCOXEepgXBKzyi06qhN1C1jBWzh9iGh4bIjs6VUKcXE0j3-OkjWSgMjAn-iWGyMClvZ-pLXclFBZazPqCPxd4qLVUMzvM=w400-h280" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">#2</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Nancy Walker on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family
Affair</i></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I like Nancy Walker. I like
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family Affair</i>. But I cannot stand
Nancy Walker on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family Affair</i>. Her
character, housekeeper Emily, arrives in the show’s fifth and final season, and
seems to exist only to mock Mr. French’s stuffy disposition. But there’s nothing
wrong with Mr. French’s stuffy disposition – in fact, given his impeccable manners
and devotion to duty and grace under pressure, he is a character to be admired,
not ridiculed. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">#3</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Last Episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">St. Elsewhere</i></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Television viewers invest
emotionally in the lives of characters, especially those in a quality,
long-running series. So when the final episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">St. Elsewhere</i> revealed that the only place these characters
actually “existed” was inside a snow globe held by an autistic kid, it came off
as a bleak and cynical decision by a writer lifting his middle finger toward
the people that helped to keep him employed. The bitter aftertaste still
lingers. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm5H_iAuyz-34zq1FCq2u7D7Hiy8vHhNwqNcvMT_3mZsrT7mnfCWjZNZQ4_iYtsC31oSAD40X12OjiMkTSKCXqsiFN01WNyjFCxnWsBg9vBjJU2NGfhvwhBq52IdGGkYnPkIrSb2xIsFL8RJECuCT-UPgDI4yPGhxRMA9oKXbvv8aIjEGWr7Z5MPK_PFk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="676" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgm5H_iAuyz-34zq1FCq2u7D7Hiy8vHhNwqNcvMT_3mZsrT7mnfCWjZNZQ4_iYtsC31oSAD40X12OjiMkTSKCXqsiFN01WNyjFCxnWsBg9vBjJU2NGfhvwhBq52IdGGkYnPkIrSb2xIsFL8RJECuCT-UPgDI4yPGhxRMA9oKXbvv8aIjEGWr7Z5MPK_PFk=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">#4. Canceling <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gidget,</i>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ellery Queen</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Apple’s Way</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tenspeed and
Brownshoe</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Fitzpatricks</i>,
all after just one season.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Wonderful shows, all gone
way too soon.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRa8zcZXsZA0MkLqHmbRGJtX2mcTHa8L2o1_YERNFo8eiVzrx4PqN5fU4kvF9mQchTcNPkeJHeENURif5oWJZSm0bvv5MzERfBkB5ury2NZJczgxz72KkaHGPvG5KjwIUgOnU_9eCuGQogDym7OaZ_ttzIOz321vsqWbaABPMbGtq6KJB0qMbmZk5NhMQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="459" data-original-width="594" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRa8zcZXsZA0MkLqHmbRGJtX2mcTHa8L2o1_YERNFo8eiVzrx4PqN5fU4kvF9mQchTcNPkeJHeENURif5oWJZSm0bvv5MzERfBkB5ury2NZJczgxz72KkaHGPvG5KjwIUgOnU_9eCuGQogDym7OaZ_ttzIOz321vsqWbaABPMbGtq6KJB0qMbmZk5NhMQ=w400-h309" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Star Wars Holiday Special</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Spoiler alert: This was #1
in my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">What Were They Thinking?</i> book. If
you’ve seen it, no explanation is necessary. If you haven’t, no explanation could
ever fully encapsulate what makes this special so spectacularly awful. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGGpNPYDaazbF_gVaiS5QxUHKJreARhj9xjkj3oUkX3MkrnEQNk7gg99ylT6g4_gvC15AbX6dFCFtSgqIvMu6mHCRpD43G835bGSB1md6cxBURRxpp-4RnEiFLeYZWfKNBOMdhmBrvqj35AL686Pf6BZr6EbEalOjzrYnco-GSCizXmwBPlL9rGHh9Bvk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGGpNPYDaazbF_gVaiS5QxUHKJreARhj9xjkj3oUkX3MkrnEQNk7gg99ylT6g4_gvC15AbX6dFCFtSgqIvMu6mHCRpD43G835bGSB1md6cxBURRxpp-4RnEiFLeYZWfKNBOMdhmBrvqj35AL686Pf6BZr6EbEalOjzrYnco-GSCizXmwBPlL9rGHh9Bvk=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-42945479790448880222023-08-14T10:52:00.000-07:002023-08-14T10:52:06.527-07:00Random Facts, Opinions and Observations About Classic TV<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">If you’re old enough to
remember the shows we talk about here, you’re also old enough to remember when
Larry King had a column in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">USA Today</i>
in which he shared random thoughts on whatever was on his mind that week. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Over the years of doing
this blog I’ve collected a few of these myself, none of which merit a full blog
but I hope all of them are still worth sharing (at least until I think of
something better to write about). So here, with apologies to Larry, are a few
rarely told stories and hot takes from my corner of TV land. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">1. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">As much as I love my
favorite TV classics, I’ve never had any interest in reading the paperback
novels based on these shows, though such books were incredibly popular in the
1960s and ‘70s. How popular? The first <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Partridge
Family</i> novel, released in 1970, sold 2.5 million copies. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiONjAIRHK99tZ0kPRmaAz0YwPavX4SOkljp_yhbRbAHqhm34p7AST1OgHyN8iiZ0ZgJZSKsRk5Os1MrVAZeVh49n_AN9ks3SdpBt5u9vCQt1IVwupsTaxpbNonDGvcnZ5sjsZign_PXGn85J24ohKCT-9CWWhqUTt-ExLhU6pnZ4LBFgbNiiLthUp2XM8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="736" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiONjAIRHK99tZ0kPRmaAz0YwPavX4SOkljp_yhbRbAHqhm34p7AST1OgHyN8iiZ0ZgJZSKsRk5Os1MrVAZeVh49n_AN9ks3SdpBt5u9vCQt1IVwupsTaxpbNonDGvcnZ5sjsZign_PXGn85J24ohKCT-9CWWhqUTt-ExLhU6pnZ4LBFgbNiiLthUp2XM8=w247-h400" width="247" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">For that
achievement, author Michael Avellone received $30,000 in royalties. That is
especially impressive when you consider that Avellone, once known as “the
fastest typewriter in the west,” could churn out a manuscript in about seven
days. However, that also figures out to less than one penny per book sale. If
you wonder why writers get disgusted with publishers (among other reasons),
this is why. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">2. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">What, in your view, was
classic TV’s most memorable train? I’d say it’s a toss-up between the base of
operations for Jim West and Artemus Gordon on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Wild, Wild West</i>, which was more luxurious, and the Cannonball
on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Petticoat Junction</i>, which had more
personality. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkHP8O9xfdnpxmL8fqQ2j3POyqD-TwihYURbH6KzYJ1wty_pbF4igmfajJm4UOGkGgKDp9ct_1dMHiv8ASH54qx8eTEnqfmsBA3YWt1pVlz07knh2mkGDt6KocuArnCCZlgJZ6IkpQGQVr9HSobjaEmHJDHF47zRIojWKmaVvp0keb9U3iCgAMj9vfdEc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjkHP8O9xfdnpxmL8fqQ2j3POyqD-TwihYURbH6KzYJ1wty_pbF4igmfajJm4UOGkGgKDp9ct_1dMHiv8ASH54qx8eTEnqfmsBA3YWt1pVlz07knh2mkGDt6KocuArnCCZlgJZ6IkpQGQVr9HSobjaEmHJDHF47zRIojWKmaVvp0keb9U3iCgAMj9vfdEc=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">My vote is with the latter, especially when it’s decorated for
Christmas. And if you voted for Supertrain, shame on you. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">3. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">In the fifth and final
season of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That Girl</i>, someone decided
to add lyrics to the show’s theme song. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipUPWOW3rYVgkUExu3A11b0mYIVo9ziYz4SAcdt7ogkt7ajmRtXnSKAg2XlqkkOG0EvzG_sHiiAPjmYtRHfUjWELH_JJmdw4EqCZFfbOQ16_niMO1HChU2etdlNDYTKd_rmrVIGxweQmHsuHqN0c5Oo70BrLwDwLPloVU8-NrfaAHszisZDs3BLVaJGao" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEipUPWOW3rYVgkUExu3A11b0mYIVo9ziYz4SAcdt7ogkt7ajmRtXnSKAg2XlqkkOG0EvzG_sHiiAPjmYtRHfUjWELH_JJmdw4EqCZFfbOQ16_niMO1HChU2etdlNDYTKd_rmrVIGxweQmHsuHqN0c5Oo70BrLwDwLPloVU8-NrfaAHszisZDs3BLVaJGao=w400-h268" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">That was not a good idea (“She’s tinsel
on a tree”? Really?), but it’s just another chapter in the dubious history of
theme songs with lyrics that thankfully became more popular as instrumentals.
Gene Roddenberry added terrible words to Alexander Courage’s soaring <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Star Trek</i> theme. Morey Amsterdam wrote
lyrics to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Dick Van Dyke Show</i>
theme, which were not as awful but were still unnecessary. And when the cast of
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hogan’s Heroes</i> recorded an album (responding
to absolutely no popular demand) they “sang” that show’s theme, including the
lyric “We’re all heroes, up to our ear-oes.” </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jnqJHorpOkk" width="320" youtube-src-id="jnqJHorpOkk"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">4. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Speaking of music, we all
know Shelley Fabares had the #1 hit (with “Johnny Angel”) when the young stars
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Donna Reed Show</i> went into the
recording studio. But for me it’s a mystery to this day why Paul Petersen
didn’t have an equally successful single with “She Rides With Me.” The song was
co-written and produced by The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, and sounds a lot like
one of that group’s classic summer anthems. Check it out:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u6RxoH3QVtY" width="320" youtube-src-id="u6RxoH3QVtY"></iframe></div><br /><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">5. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I don’t watch <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Price is Right</i> much anymore, but it
was one of my favorite game shows back when Bob Barker was the host, Johnny
Olson was the announcer, and Janice, Dian and Holly were presenting the next
item up for bids. <u><a href="http://comforttv.blogspot.com/2015/01/mornings-with-price-is-right.html">I celebrated that era of the show in this piece</a></u>. What
I didn’t mention then is how irritated I always got when a contestant lost the
Clock Game. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUl7E64ukSHk97fNypFkzCAvUMoySypzjbfgiMKGYnKYT5wuw_zgnUqmWQa78LFDtw3kA7TkmyyCHzY3mQZbIC5jRwtnZmMmj4vHjb_kUvAXD3biV0bZ1ReTdLs374reQy1FQXOpqZ-9GSCJ0PR0LJMLrwQD5rtzyH-yq-PczhbJ-WwTSLJMM6SyZeo7M" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUl7E64ukSHk97fNypFkzCAvUMoySypzjbfgiMKGYnKYT5wuw_zgnUqmWQa78LFDtw3kA7TkmyyCHzY3mQZbIC5jRwtnZmMmj4vHjb_kUvAXD3biV0bZ1ReTdLs374reQy1FQXOpqZ-9GSCJ0PR0LJMLrwQD5rtzyH-yq-PczhbJ-WwTSLJMM6SyZeo7M=w400-h224" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">With some pricing games you could do everything right and still
lose, which delivered a valuable life lesson even if you don’t go home with the
rotisserie. But there was never a reason for anyone to not win the Clock Game.
Ever. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">6. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">We all have our causes
about which we are passionate – ideas we support and ideas we reject. That was
true in the Comfort TV era just as its true now. The difference is that when we
watch the classic shows of the past, we only see those crusades emerge in the
places where we’d expect to find them – government chambers, candidate debates,
Board of Education meetings, and sometimes around the family dinner table. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">But elementary school
classrooms and department stores and restaurants and sporting events were, for
the most part, neutral territory – places everyone could go without being
bludgeoned by the demands of any one group. Regardless of your views on any
number of topics, I’m always disappointed now when one of these places that
should be welcome to everyone allows itself to be hijacked to advance an
agenda. In the shows of the past we get to visit communities where the old
rules still applied. That’s just another reason why I love them.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">7. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This is very embarrassing.
Years ago, someone emailed me to ask if I would mention a book they published
about Mary Wickes, entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mary Wickes:
I Know I've Seen That Face Before</i>. I said sure, because Mary Wickes was
awesome. She was a ubiquitous face on '60s and '70s television, including in my
favorite <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mickey Mouse Club</i> serial
“Annette,” and several memorable appearances opposite Lucille Ball. But then
that note was saved in a file that got buried where it was promptly forgotten.
I will try to do a “Top TV Moments” piece on her in the near future and I hope
the author, wherever he is, will accept my apology.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I imagine this is the look I would get from
Mary regarding my absentmindedness. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioz5RolRfXocNwjVumHCEwpJoYEKGvmSALtTP8neT_VwFXqr6h0OVj41YpI-ctWBFGxZbdbnUfSNadisuE7BNKMDUORljizZ8cHl1I8qkXalOsoeP07SEylrVpoubOBZRxGBZShNfuy36HnKcyVXD-8_RHsMsevqy4MUUg1VXQYdD1F5yeSUxKy0L6hRM" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="740" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEioz5RolRfXocNwjVumHCEwpJoYEKGvmSALtTP8neT_VwFXqr6h0OVj41YpI-ctWBFGxZbdbnUfSNadisuE7BNKMDUORljizZ8cHl1I8qkXalOsoeP07SEylrVpoubOBZRxGBZShNfuy36HnKcyVXD-8_RHsMsevqy4MUUg1VXQYdD1F5yeSUxKy0L6hRM=w323-h400" width="323" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">8. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Shelley Smith passed away
recently, and when I read the news the first thought that popped into my mind
was her walking onto the set of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
$25,000 Pyramid</i> with Nipsey Russell or Charles Siebert or whomever would be
teamed against her. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSzRdIIwvnfzPXNYgJY03D3e1GdOt_mrKD6o1wquC5uTjftqpaE5msU0z3jk-iatJda6BmYdd2NsxDgmiXyt1_ZJqkJvjjtQlqQ5XWHjPeUPr6WcgHxqcKd8EJ8Ya0f9FEqcy_Ee6O1baXK0KxdOrEe4EgFnIcmGorVTVWXQgsqYyS86FEQscGRdsFLhg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="629" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhSzRdIIwvnfzPXNYgJY03D3e1GdOt_mrKD6o1wquC5uTjftqpaE5msU0z3jk-iatJda6BmYdd2NsxDgmiXyt1_ZJqkJvjjtQlqQ5XWHjPeUPr6WcgHxqcKd8EJ8Ya0f9FEqcy_Ee6O1baXK0KxdOrEe4EgFnIcmGorVTVWXQgsqYyS86FEQscGRdsFLhg=w315-h400" width="315" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">And when that happened I
knew that if the contestant paired with her played the game as well as she did,
he or she was about to come into serious money. I wish I remembered her from
something else – but outside of game shows she only worked steadily on two
short-lived series that no one remembers now – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Associates</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For Love
and Honor</i>. And when I say “nobody remembers” I realize that some people who
read my blog remember everything, but they did not fare well with the general
public. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Outside of those her IMDB
listing shows appearances on the prime time series where everyone with a SAG
card popped up eventually – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Love Boat</i>,
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fantasy Island</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hotel</i> – and a few other guest spots on shows good and bad. I think
she could have made a better Tiffany Welles on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Charlie’s Angels</i> than Shelley Hack, though to my knowledge she
never auditioned for the part. But when assessing her contribution to pop
culture, I do know there are a few dozen people out there who were able to buy
a new car or maybe put their kid through college thanks to the money Shelley
Smith helped them win, and maybe that’s a better legacy anyway. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">9.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">“We live in a world of structured behavior.
Civilized society calls for it, and rightly so. However, while the debatable
virtues of “political correctness” could be perpetually argued, new behavioral
trip wires sprout like wild mushrooms as special interest groups ram dubious
demands down the media-fed throats of every day USA.”</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Wall Street Journal</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> editorial from last week? Earlier blog of mine? No,
and no. That was the opening paragraph to a magazine article by Tim Ferrante
about the classic animated series <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jonny
Quest</i>. And here’s the kicker – the article was written back in 1996!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The magazine in which it
appeared was one for which I was also a regular contributor, and reading that
piece again revealed (I admit, somewhat to my surprise) just how long these
battles have been going on. “Woke” has largely supplanted “politically correct”
as the label applied to those that want to stop us from enjoying the shows we
loved because they find them offensive, but I didn’t think there were that many
of these insufferable crusaders nearly 30 years ago. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">What was their beef against
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jonny Quest</i>? Ferrante doesn’t go into
great detail, but suggests it had something to do with white characters killing
non-white characters in foreign lands. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4PU_KJDgMCzBdlsrLbRmGFK1BgaHqIzraEf_dvsAs0ZUaJHL6AhERR4NzNdJpYciw0XAynyK_fsvhOaGndJ3YSiZm-nkwiVm4oRWDYaS5hznaK47rY024Mv2dS2QvLhrgKRJut4f1xlk2L9qZTD0xwPhmYVXQNxHCRfpfg5Q6inMe7YYA44afXqFV0LU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="474" height="271" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4PU_KJDgMCzBdlsrLbRmGFK1BgaHqIzraEf_dvsAs0ZUaJHL6AhERR4NzNdJpYciw0XAynyK_fsvhOaGndJ3YSiZm-nkwiVm4oRWDYaS5hznaK47rY024Mv2dS2QvLhrgKRJut4f1xlk2L9qZTD0xwPhmYVXQNxHCRfpfg5Q6inMe7YYA44afXqFV0LU=w400-h271" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The fact that the non-white characters
were engaged in kidnapping, murder, pillaging and attempted world domination
was not viewed as a mitigating factor. He didn’t dwell on their objections
beyond that, preferring to focus on the positive aspects of a great show from
the past - something I’m sure some of my readers would prefer I do as well. I’ll
try. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-2630576127445762582023-08-03T10:54:00.000-07:002023-08-03T10:54:55.608-07:00My Journey Through 1970s TV: Thursday Night, 1972<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">On we go in my quest to
watch at least one episode from every network prime time series in the 1970s.
Hopefully these pieces are bringing back some happy memories of shows that
became classics, as well as jogging long-forgotten recollections of a few that
didn’t last. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Thursday nights in 1972
introduced audiences to one of TV’s most beloved families, brought back two of
the decade’s most popular variety series hosts, and launched a trio of
ambitious adventure shows, that were all gone by the following season. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAX-QLZ06-l5wJRvsgpRySEBwGHbdkz0udMnOUYlSG1tufWiDwJigfpm39q3a6wTxfQdChKhHcW9mu5ySiA-oLvyowDpthMVrvBM2N3X_18iyzBSrnMGCXpNlPUaiNo-lYTtjjfYe1VsYpQIPhHJURClH4JyaBEL-NqDd4QYxSKR4btqYHZnFIziDoKNo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="884" data-original-width="1165" height="304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAX-QLZ06-l5wJRvsgpRySEBwGHbdkz0udMnOUYlSG1tufWiDwJigfpm39q3a6wTxfQdChKhHcW9mu5ySiA-oLvyowDpthMVrvBM2N3X_18iyzBSrnMGCXpNlPUaiNo-lYTtjjfYe1VsYpQIPhHJURClH4JyaBEL-NqDd4QYxSKR4btqYHZnFIziDoKNo=w400-h304" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">CBS</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Waltons</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The CBS Thursday Night Movie</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Viewers first met the
Walton family in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Homecoming: A
Christmas Story</i> (1971), a TV movie that became so popular it was repeated
several times over the next decade, and is still a beloved holiday tradition for
many families more than 50 years later. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlqDkbV6SNE7KTKVqJ_dD22z9site3zhPGa3ervGPtNuEqPfjHYUo058XO4eWHO5BLqMsIudB7cPmdzi4uBTyUBaHYyc-kBJ9LHZqySPsNZbQHgwqXJJl_s2U9tFn8ivU7RgnN9CQJn3uJSU4gvhinKYqPdnNQJhMuQdNt2p1PWc1bDC9kplTlw5fEi2g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="800" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlqDkbV6SNE7KTKVqJ_dD22z9site3zhPGa3ervGPtNuEqPfjHYUo058XO4eWHO5BLqMsIudB7cPmdzi4uBTyUBaHYyc-kBJ9LHZqySPsNZbQHgwqXJJl_s2U9tFn8ivU7RgnN9CQJn3uJSU4gvhinKYqPdnNQJhMuQdNt2p1PWc1bDC9kplTlw5fEi2g=w400-h265" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Despite that success, a
series based on Earl Hamner’s reflections about his youth in rural Virginia might
have seemed an unlikely contender to draw viewers away from Flip Wilson on NBC
and those with-it cops in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mod Squad</i>.
But that’s exactly what happened, as these gentle, loving stories of country
folk in the Depression became a welcome escape from headlines about Watergate
and Vietnam. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">These were not entirely the
same Waltons viewers met in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Homecoming</i> – and for once all of the cast changes were not just beneficial
but inspired. They would never have gotten Patricia Neal (Olivia) to agree to
the grind of a weekly series anyway, and found a very fortunate replacement in
Michael Learned. She was always billed as “Miss Michael Learned,” because of
her unique first name - this is what constituted gender confusion in the 1970s. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijDt2UcnIuXgkSyQmMpXblhtekJ4SMVWbsA3wYxjSF1FtsjDOYun58LdVuAT0ydO7ottWNm0uafd9dCUEY8BDXvk2MmTOjP7mRecG4zeZHPgdr4jHSrHuOSFWMio9895ZNMJnid7TlTqOTKlLpSCOyWPVIKRyxak8l2mfhSQk8EUiEoclDao6A4MyZw4E" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="439" data-original-width="588" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijDt2UcnIuXgkSyQmMpXblhtekJ4SMVWbsA3wYxjSF1FtsjDOYun58LdVuAT0ydO7ottWNm0uafd9dCUEY8BDXvk2MmTOjP7mRecG4zeZHPgdr4jHSrHuOSFWMio9895ZNMJnid7TlTqOTKlLpSCOyWPVIKRyxak8l2mfhSQk8EUiEoclDao6A4MyZw4E=w400-h299" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Ralph Waite stepped in for
Andrew Duggan as patriarch John Walton, and Edgar Bergen, who played the
grandfather, was replaced by veteran scene-stealer Will Geer. Of course they
kept Richard Thomas as John Boy, and he deservedly became the series’ breakout
star. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjumzsLRb_MxOpM6VUmb9zfnHmjqeeAghov7wAYaI57ntQ9AJzVAtYwHM-f9_XVHla6jeOMB_Ow3NG0JOyEDSy3jRXyoG_tJ5p0pUWCdzZcvQ6psHDVBKo0l1iOJnAiTwBGueX_yO1yptkKlJryuo0kIZJTiom5PyZnkIHqI0nUwpN8vutU3NK2hYfzk6w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="920" data-original-width="1226" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjumzsLRb_MxOpM6VUmb9zfnHmjqeeAghov7wAYaI57ntQ9AJzVAtYwHM-f9_XVHla6jeOMB_Ow3NG0JOyEDSy3jRXyoG_tJ5p0pUWCdzZcvQ6psHDVBKo0l1iOJnAiTwBGueX_yO1yptkKlJryuo0kIZJTiom5PyZnkIHqI0nUwpN8vutU3NK2hYfzk6w=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Those “good night” scenes
at the end of each episode came in for their share of send-ups by those who
excelled at that sort of thing, but how pleasant it is to look back at those
moments now, and remember a time when families like this were still welcome on
television. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cp7_u0kcQRo" width="320" youtube-src-id="cp7_u0kcQRo"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">NBC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Flip Wilson Show </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Ironside</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Dean Martin Show</span></b><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">We’ve covered all of these
shows in previous pieces. Flip Wilson was still near the top of the ratings,
but this would his final year of time slot victory, as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Waltons</i> ascended to #2 the following season, while Wilson’s
show dropped to #50 and was canceled. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">For<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Ironside</i> it was season six, which opened with a two-part crossover
episode featuring E.G. Marshall and David Hartman from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Bold Ones: The New Doctors. </i>It wasn’t the only such
cross-promotion this series tried – in other seasons George Kennedy turned up as
cop-turned-priest Samuel Cavanaugh from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sarge</i>,
and Jessica Walter guest starred in a spin-off episode for her new series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Amy Prentiss</i>. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Dean Martin Show</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> was also winding down and would be gone after one
more season. But it was a heck of a run – nine years and more than 260 episodes
in all. Once again Dean welcomed a top-tier array of guests, from show business
legends like Gene Kelly to newcomers like Olivia Newton-John. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_UzZ8HEW7w39oo1_glELn1sfkM80k-qQG9ctM8ffYFaubKd1l4aPsHQAoMT12CtniLpZXdcoRRf-_xYlO6wBHNX7kj4L0SLo35pYRugDwPsTLp2WGk-X16NpIjaC92-OLQOLv5JNqiG-ey-c-qqY6TMVJkeFuWhWQ1ucHH1wBa1wllRf9OGv5K7d4T7U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="302" data-original-width="390" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj_UzZ8HEW7w39oo1_glELn1sfkM80k-qQG9ctM8ffYFaubKd1l4aPsHQAoMT12CtniLpZXdcoRRf-_xYlO6wBHNX7kj4L0SLo35pYRugDwPsTLp2WGk-X16NpIjaC92-OLQOLv5JNqiG-ey-c-qqY6TMVJkeFuWhWQ1ucHH1wBa1wllRf9OGv5K7d4T7U=w400-h310" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Country stars
Lynn Anderson and Charley Pride might be singing with Dean one week, and the
following week he’d be crooning with Steve Lawrence or just listening to opera star
Anna Moffo. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">ABC</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Mod Squad</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Men (Assignment: Vienna, The Delphi Bureau,
Jigsaw)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Owen Marshall</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mod Squad</i> are
carryovers, but ABC has delivered a major setback to my quest with the debut of
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Men</i>, which may have been an
attempt to emulate NBC’s umbrella series, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Bold Ones</i>. Three different shows took turns in the time slot, all about
manly men on a mission. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i><span style="font-family: Optima;"> was yet another attempt by Robert Conrad to follow up his earlier
series success. More of these will follow as we make our way through the decade. Here he
played Jake Webster, bar owner by day and undercover spy by night. Several
episodes of the series, which was filmed in Vienna, have turned up on YouTube,
but they are dubbed into French and without subtitles. Unlike Gomez Addams,
French does nothing for me, so this one goes on the “missed” list. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MUYdj5FNjk8" width="320" youtube-src-id="MUYdj5FNjk8"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">As does <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Delphi Bureau</i>, starring Lawrence
Luckinbill as the head of a covert US government agency that carries out secret
missions for the President. And in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jigsaw</i>,
James Wainwright was a special investigator for the California State Police
Missing Persons Bureau. In the Brooks/Marsh <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Directory
to Prime Time Shows</i> he is described as “a rebel who broke the rules when
necessary.” In other words, like just about every other cop on TV except Joe
Friday. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFTG6ViKbaRktTVzIOY2aeuloF-xkJcurk9MB-s2J3eSBby8UBqXBVxSDLlmf2NIAmEcAmicqJ2-6jt_zTPhS8Re4Pqtm1vu1uTPAuxtaIyoWYPQhtLRmxEUulzEA_pxisMIfd3qUSL68XsHvBZvahJ3YTN7kxjfsz8gXbBcIKN-Hq1iKyQrDwI3t5haA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="384" data-original-width="512" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhFTG6ViKbaRktTVzIOY2aeuloF-xkJcurk9MB-s2J3eSBby8UBqXBVxSDLlmf2NIAmEcAmicqJ2-6jt_zTPhS8Re4Pqtm1vu1uTPAuxtaIyoWYPQhtLRmxEUulzEA_pxisMIfd3qUSL68XsHvBZvahJ3YTN7kxjfsz8gXbBcIKN-Hq1iKyQrDwI3t5haA=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I can’t say that any of
these shows sound like lost treasures, but how I hate to add three more entries to the list below. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Shows Missed:</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Don Knotts Show (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">San Francisco International Airport (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">Nancy (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Headmaster (1970)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Man and the City (1971)</span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Chicago Teddy Bears (1971)</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Search</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Assignment: Vienna</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">The Delphi Bureau</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Jigsaw</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> (1972)<br clear="all" style="break-before: page; mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></b></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-86726815154332649102023-07-25T10:19:00.001-07:002023-07-25T10:19:48.891-07:00When Ted Baxter Outsmarted Lou Grant - Or, Nobody Loses All the Time<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">One of the reasons I’ve
never embraced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gilligan’s Island</i> like
so many fellow classic TV fans is that the end of every story is clear before
the episode begins. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">That’s fine if you just enjoy
spending time with its seven castaways, but for me it became too repetitious. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">1.They want to get off the
island.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">2. Something happens that
makes them think they’re going to get off the island.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">3. Something goes wrong and
they’re still on the island. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">If losing is baked into the
DNA of any television character, that character risks becoming less interesting.
Lucy Ricardo would never win rave reviews for appearing in Ricky’s show. Bus
driver Ralph Kramden’s latest get-rich-quick scheme was always doomed to fail.
*</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">These are classic shows
despite the inevitable futility of outlandish schemes, but for those of us who
wish that Charlie Brown had finally been able to kick that football, we can’t
help occasionally rooting for a different outcome. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">That’s why some of my
favorite TV episodes are those in which the perpetual loser becomes, for once,
a winner. It can never last, of course, but even a fleeting moment of triumph
is enough to upturn a routine story and explore new territory. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Which brings us to “Farmer
Ted and the News,” a season three episode of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mary Tyler Moore Show</i>. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4cD8A7L1Ni-kTHqALBfpmol_kJG-nifRQPYJY-u_Lrh2mhQbVS3VkKpkVDP6d2H2FkhwhJA1Pd0Sy6X5dmCHuD5zW9cn6qnhtpWz3LY4MdgfXBWUEJenL_fkMrX5jTdVHXa1mBJ00ctMgBY_cPIoVq_xMOT1XSIzwrA3twrRkExjw6thduE18nltTLjo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="447" data-original-width="600" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj4cD8A7L1Ni-kTHqALBfpmol_kJG-nifRQPYJY-u_Lrh2mhQbVS3VkKpkVDP6d2H2FkhwhJA1Pd0Sy6X5dmCHuD5zW9cn6qnhtpWz3LY4MdgfXBWUEJenL_fkMrX5jTdVHXa1mBJ00ctMgBY_cPIoVq_xMOT1XSIzwrA3twrRkExjw6thduE18nltTLjo=w400-h297" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">By then the character of
Ted Baxter had been well established and defined – pompous, egotistical, often
incompetent at his job as anchorman for WJM News. In the show’s workplace
scenes, if someone was going to be the butt of a joke, it was always Ted.
Murray and Lou demeaned him at every opportunity, and usually not without good
reason. It was not in Mary’s nature to be as aggressively harsh, but she shared
their disdain. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">In this episode Ted’s
contract is up for renewal, and Murray is seething at the thought that Ted
might get a raise when he is already the highest-paid but least-qualified
member of the news team. Lou is adamant – no raise – but he agrees to meet with
Ted’s agent, and is surprised when into his office walks Bella, a sweet older
lady who immediately puts him at ease. She reassures Lou that Ted doesn’t want
more money – all he asks is that the exclusivity clause from his contract be
stricken, so Ted would be free to pursue other opportunities, such as movie
roles or Broadway engagements. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Lou happily deletes that
clause, and later shares a laugh with Mary and Murray over the thought of
anyone casting Ted in a film or Broadway show. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">He’s not even worried when Ted
tells him, “You fell right into our trap.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">He should have worried.
Just days later Mary is shocked to see Ted doing a Ron Popeil-like commercial
for a tomato slicer. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiptUJXixnIj0N8YfqYZmCti7uEaV9TKTh-6g_xSr9mjteFAeKah9PI1PsWdFjFu7HCo_hlAEepjOpbObrXfv36HRLt8iTQ1tbd33ARimqL1iZR1DySZxkaVHyAS_CBMc9zC0mKg2t8iq2h6KOeAt2z6FCgko_2gCQz72uUnuutLNJobxUUjjOy-04bmqk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="400" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiptUJXixnIj0N8YfqYZmCti7uEaV9TKTh-6g_xSr9mjteFAeKah9PI1PsWdFjFu7HCo_hlAEepjOpbObrXfv36HRLt8iTQ1tbd33ARimqL1iZR1DySZxkaVHyAS_CBMc9zC0mKg2t8iq2h6KOeAt2z6FCgko_2gCQz72uUnuutLNJobxUUjjOy-04bmqk=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Rhoda thinks it’s hilarious; Mary (and Lou) realize that
what little credibility their news show has is now quickly dissolving. More
commercials follow – Ted gladly barks like a dog to sell dog food and cashes
another check. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Lou has no choice but to
admit defeat. “I think Baxter's finally got me. I've gone over his contract, a
dozen times. There's nothing I can do to stop him. First it was that tomato
slicer. Then it was that commercial for that woman's product. I didn't even
know what it was.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Sure, the idea was probably
Bella’s, or money-hungry Ted would have thought of it sooner. But he
recognized its potential and gave up on another token raise for something with
greater profit possibilities, while leveraging the newsroom’s derision of his
limited outside opportunities into something they couldn’t see past their own condescension. That's a win - and an impressive one at that. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">How does it end? I won’t
reveal it here, but the last straw comes after one of Ted’s commercials (for Ma
and Pa’s Country Pork Sausage) airs between segments during his newscast. After
the spot the camera cuts back to a smiling Ted as he admires his pitchman
skills, before solemnly dropping back into his anchorman voice – “And now, the
news.” Ted Knight was so brilliant in this part – makes me laugh out loud every
time. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">After the broadcast he reluctantly
reports to Lou’s office where the situation is resolved in a way that would not
pass muster with any HR department. But it works. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">In these challenging times
of unequal justice, indifferent customer service, unmerited outrage over movies
and songs and anything else that can place another wedge between people who
just want to be left alone, it’s enough to make many of us feel like we too are
surrounded by hostility on all sides. Maybe that’s another reason why
it is sometimes satisfying to watch a loser come out on top – at least until
next week’s episode. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;">* I wouldn’t have even minded if, just once, Dick
Dastardly won a Wacky Race. </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje7GbVSw9UVKSdODzUzIxMx3QSOgTrskhRIXa3g-OF_bv_AgVDETlrwTjVBnqffJY4z_22tSbgO8aqIOVXSOCSUDtcCRbIjZHSmRyyRtNM2azD4WyWbadJmIq0faxRnwCiddHa9lYG6RoDeL2NsBKMfF3kRTHD3ZguhSEOkHxO1TbElTgQbOu5YZdUs_U" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="908" data-original-width="1211" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEje7GbVSw9UVKSdODzUzIxMx3QSOgTrskhRIXa3g-OF_bv_AgVDETlrwTjVBnqffJY4z_22tSbgO8aqIOVXSOCSUDtcCRbIjZHSmRyyRtNM2azD4WyWbadJmIq0faxRnwCiddHa9lYG6RoDeL2NsBKMfF3kRTHD3ZguhSEOkHxO1TbElTgQbOu5YZdUs_U=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></i></div><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br /> </i><p></p>
<p><style>@font-face
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1130871072830136009.post-91607991928914802522023-07-13T12:00:00.001-07:002023-08-16T11:00:24.156-07:00Here’s to Good Friends – And Great Commercials<p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">This entire piece pays
homage to one 30-second commercial from 1977. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh22TuRP790VQVKXVVsiP_-bDCdTWUZC6XgdEneoAqJCo1VcSkiEfdWwyy0jdC6KlcZwVSTxOnFm3FMukN1Xn2olrZB10CiC2ZrZk1ARbGatEhQ5XtDg4PBYDTHQuatohMRp33cCALk90noWXiSGWmHCGmqPfH2gvABfpOMr69pJFPj9eh6Cqln5tI4BiQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh22TuRP790VQVKXVVsiP_-bDCdTWUZC6XgdEneoAqJCo1VcSkiEfdWwyy0jdC6KlcZwVSTxOnFm3FMukN1Xn2olrZB10CiC2ZrZk1ARbGatEhQ5XtDg4PBYDTHQuatohMRp33cCALk90noWXiSGWmHCGmqPfH2gvABfpOMr69pJFPj9eh6Cqln5tI4BiQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">It’s not a famous commercial,
like the one with Mikey enjoying Life Cereal, or one that introduced a catchphrase like “ring around the collar.” It wasn’t funny or sexy or
sentimental or controversial. But I’ve never forgotten it, and when I watch it
I feel a cozy nostalgia in how it recalls some of the happier times and places
and people that were part of my life. <br /></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Here is the commercial. If
you’re around my age it may be familiar to you as well. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RwnAaDGn6JY" width="320" youtube-src-id="RwnAaDGn6JY"></iframe></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Perhaps now you’re thinking,
“What’s the big deal?” But even if you’re otherwise unmoved you should
appreciate the music, which is too classy to be relegated to mere “jingle”
status. That song played over many Löwenbräu commercials back then, performed
by the soulful voice of Arthur Prysock (though many were convinced it was Lou
Rawls). And it contributes immeasurably to the ad’s appeal. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">But let me tell you what
else I see. It’s a Friday evening in Chicago, in autumn. I say autumn because
Dolan, our protagonist, slips off an overcoat as he enters the restaurant, but
there’s no snow to shake off his shoulders. And I think it’s Friday because we
have four friends meeting after work, and from their relaxed and upbeat mood
one can presume they’re not just glad to be off the daily clock, but also
looking forward to the weekend ahead of them. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Why Chicago? Obviously it’s
a packed restaurant in a big city. I suppose it could be New York or Boston,
but I did not hear a trace of accent from either of the two gentlemen with
speaking parts. Some people think us Midwesterners have accents as well, but
I’ve always dismissed that as an unfounded rumor. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI-PLNII7qoqqex5Btq2ZZrfBJWKY5J4mq0DrHD-tx2TW3frs0XIqwAP4kaZX86tVij14SRLhiMZSux4pjBuzKpOgSsuJSsSO0vdWgJMAz-9GXglVmQaqQgFnwDd3DhXdeNI6l4fGXaDajjPNTLDtJ8ocdAmuUTq-rJ1sH_KXapITB2u3RgxpOXM1xZvE" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="461" data-original-width="820" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgI-PLNII7qoqqex5Btq2ZZrfBJWKY5J4mq0DrHD-tx2TW3frs0XIqwAP4kaZX86tVij14SRLhiMZSux4pjBuzKpOgSsuJSsSO0vdWgJMAz-9GXglVmQaqQgFnwDd3DhXdeNI6l4fGXaDajjPNTLDtJ8ocdAmuUTq-rJ1sH_KXapITB2u3RgxpOXM1xZvE=w400-h225" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">I grew up near Chicago, and
I think I recognize a Windy City steakhouse when I see one. I’ve slid into a
red leather booth like that and been handed a menu from a tuxedoed waiter. I’d
say it’s located somewhere on the near North side where you didn’t have to
worry about your hubcaps disappearing while you eat. Just from those few brief glimpses we get
I know they serve Caesar salads tableside, and twice-baked potatoes stuffed
with a huge dollop of butter. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Dolan (played by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">CHiPs</i> star Robert Pine) joins his
buddies as “Here’s to good friends” is played. They chastise him for being late
but he says “It wasn’t easy getting tickets for this game.” What type of game?
They’re not dressed to sit outdoors so it wouldn’t be football in Chicago. I’d
say basketball is a more likely option than hockey. Usually a better-dressed
crowd, even in the era before Michael Jordan made the Bulls the city’s biggest
attraction.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Who are these guys? Stock
traders, maybe? The one who says “Dolan, you’re a genius” definitely has the
look of a wheeler-dealer. Though with that sport coat he might just as well be
a used-car salesman. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu6r2WK7QnDFzoDyGk16SvwSzAdKHvR5j7pSln_B5vV7Wa-KTmQ4D4IzKwBIPRANfXX9ywsD85igwjn1VZf4tzap71I9M1o-_SIDlCcaorWdqsRRSDszBRKsJbw1yb1dsM3h75IJ3F-Tn3gpyQwZLiZCMeB4tOusSoeJUemjbT6SKLqrrGf3Iytc7eFkI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="474" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiu6r2WK7QnDFzoDyGk16SvwSzAdKHvR5j7pSln_B5vV7Wa-KTmQ4D4IzKwBIPRANfXX9ywsD85igwjn1VZf4tzap71I9M1o-_SIDlCcaorWdqsRRSDszBRKsJbw1yb1dsM3h75IJ3F-Tn3gpyQwZLiZCMeB4tOusSoeJUemjbT6SKLqrrGf3Iytc7eFkI=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">They are regulars at this
particular restaurant – as evidenced by Dolan addressing the waiter by name. No
need for that menu – he knows exactly what he wants: “The biggest steak you got
and a bottle of Löwenbräu." That’s right, the biggest one. No wonder three other
menus close in unison, because what could possibly be better than that? </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHRv8mMaSjClxqgiKRjXeU1xUkvYOoJlYqBA3InHzeMyCa7aESHteWIK3TQjAErOaLsqEYFvk0q5WMW7GTXmnz3X2FL3lE1D1q5xmtLHy-Ul_rAV2VxVOqcSTQBAMW7FWFd6x94Bw4T7rmjQkkMwwy8EAd5gZpE9XfM1uLnAS0U3OP_Y8tsz0vFNY4-VI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHRv8mMaSjClxqgiKRjXeU1xUkvYOoJlYqBA3InHzeMyCa7aESHteWIK3TQjAErOaLsqEYFvk0q5WMW7GTXmnz3X2FL3lE1D1q5xmtLHy-Ul_rAV2VxVOqcSTQBAMW7FWFd6x94Bw4T7rmjQkkMwwy8EAd5gZpE9XfM1uLnAS0U3OP_Y8tsz0vFNY4-VI=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div> <p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Four huge Porterhouse cuts
of prime beef are headed for that table, because this was a snapshot of better
days – of a proud and headstrong America when we didn’t do anything halfway –
before so many tried to run it down or turn it into something it’s not and
hopefully never will be. Back then if someone suggested we shouldn’t order
steak because cows are bad for the environment, we’d have told them to shut up
and get back to their hippie commune. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">And to wash down those aged, seasoned and
grilled gifts from Heaven – it’s Löwenbräu, proudly American but with deep
roots in the old country, a reminder of the great melting pot of the United
States, when Immigrants from Europe brought their best achievements into our
nation and made it even better – no effete Bud Light for these guys. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Yes, tonight is kind of
special. And I hope Dolan and his pals hear the message in the music that
plays over their night on the town. If you’ve had those nights in your life
you likely treasure the memories they can bring – and if you now live thousands
of miles away from your old compatriots, or some of them are no longer with us,
a commercial like this can bring it all back. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgYw0M9aFLBzMeNf8HLLQ841LmSOvxOTHPIuEOES6U134PqT9ZRIxsmx0YlN-LxLVABQtXEGgGZu-Sy35LrrvIHZfe3eDd7iNhtnPBZ0emFgwzJBKmRpCDm3EchnOwwnZt-H6ObAdxE920s-OoDiJLcV6SiB_k7cLbyqSrqZXWopPVuPbGWA1IG5uBn-A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgYw0M9aFLBzMeNf8HLLQ841LmSOvxOTHPIuEOES6U134PqT9ZRIxsmx0YlN-LxLVABQtXEGgGZu-Sy35LrrvIHZfe3eDd7iNhtnPBZ0emFgwzJBKmRpCDm3EchnOwwnZt-H6ObAdxE920s-OoDiJLcV6SiB_k7cLbyqSrqZXWopPVuPbGWA1IG5uBn-A=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">If moments like this are
part of your life now, be sure to acknowledge how wonderful they are, as these
are the times you’ll look back on and smile about in 25 years. As Carly Simon
once sang, “These are the good old days.” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Optima;">Here’s to good friends,
indeed. </span></p>
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{page:WordSection1;}</style></p>David Hofstedehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288510542472710879noreply@blogger.com8