Zsa Zsa Gabor in Car Crash

[November 27, 2002]

The actress-socialite, who is believed to be in her mid-80s, was admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in serious condition on Wednesday after a car driven by her hairstylist struck a light pole on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman said.  Full Details 

Meanwhile... Back in Collinsport

[November 27, 2002]

"Dark Shadows" fans will also want to mark their calendar, next year's festival has been re-scheduled for August 29-31, 2003, at the Brooklyn Marriott Hotel.  The festival will also sponsor a special Monday (Labor Day) Sept. 1 bus trip to Newport, RI, to visit the TV sites of Collinwood and the Blue Whale. 

Related Links:  Dark Shadows Showcase  Dark Shadows Festival  Sci-Fi Channel

Hunter:  NBC has Ordered Eight More

Knight Rider Comes to Sci-Fi January 13th & More

[November 27, 2002]

And if you want to experience "Knight Rider," Davilex Software announced that the PlayStation2 and PC versions of the TV-inspired driving game are finished and will hit stores soon. 

Jethro's New Slot Machine's and Elly May's Buns

Jackie Gayle Stand-Up and Character Actor

[November 27, 2002] 

Gayle died Saturday at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach of complications after open heart surgery, publicist Warren Cowan announced in Los Angeles.  He was 76.

Schedules

TNN now has it's own page, although I admit my interest in their programs is limited so it may not continue.

So Much to Watch...

Parley Baer, Mayor Stoner of 'Mayberry' Has Died

[November 24, 2002] 

Baer's name never became a household word, a fact that was heralded in a TV Land tribute song, but his face and voice were familiar to millions of listeners and viewers over several generations. On television, Baer most recently had a role in a segment of "Star Trek: Voyager" shown in 1996. He played authority figures such as judges, lawmen and mayors -- he was Mayor Stoner of Mayberry on "The Andy Griffith Show," the voice of Ernie the Keebler cookie elf,  Ozzie Nelson's neighbor Darby in "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet,"   Arthur J. Henson on "The Addams Family," several of Darrin's clients on "Bewitched,"  Miles Dugan on "The Young and the Restless," and I guess that leaves about 1595 roles I won't mention.

Baer brought a depth to mundane characters.  He never had to look for work because he was a quick study and well liked by everyone he worked with.

Hey, Hey, Hey is Christmas, Fat Albert

Bravo to be Sold to NBC

NBC doesn't plan on using Bravo as an outlet for "repurposing" -- TV industry-speak for quickly rerunning a show on cable -- its series. Instead, it will likely develop original programming that can cross over both networks.  Bravo's line-up currently includes: "Hill Street Blues," "Moonlighting," "The Larry Sanders Show," "Twin Peaks," "Columbo," and "Encore! Encore!"

Passings

Bert Granet, television writer and producer who helped bring us such classic TV as "Twilight Zone" and "The Untouchables," has died at a convalescent home in Santa Monica of injuries suffered in a fall. He was 92.   Granet was an executive for Desilu Studios, and the producer of the "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse."  The weekly anthology series featured one show -- the most popular -- starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz one week out of four and other plays for the remaining three weeks.  When CBS turned down Desi on the idea of "Twilight Zone,"  he bought a script from Rod Serling, "The Time Element" about a bartender returning to Pearl Harbor the day before the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack,  and aired it on "Desilu Playhouse," it was a hit, and CBS bought the series. 

Classic Christmas on ABC Family

The Rankin/Bass marathon is part of ABC Family's "25 Days of Christmas" programming event,  featuring over 220 hours of holiday-themed entertainment from Sunday, December 1 through Wednesday, December 25.  There will be encore presentations of the Rankin/Bass shows throughout December, and will be listed in the Viewer's Guide.

If you just can't wait to see all those  really great animated Christmas shows from Rankin/Bass, now you can own them on DVD!    You can get "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,"  "The Little Drummer Boy," "Frosty the Snowman" and "Frosty the Snowman Returns," "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town,"  and more!  I've put together a special page for these great DVDs in Morty's Mall.  Please excuse this blatant self-promotion, but it's the sales from Morty's Mall that help keep things going,  and it is a good deal I thought you'd like to know about.  CLICK HERE

Update November 24, 2002:  CBS will air "Frosty the Snowman" and "Frosty the Snowman Returns," on December 14th starting at 8:00PM.  Hallmark will air "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town,"  on December 1st at 1:00PM, December 8th at 6:00PM, and December 20th at 7:00PM. 

'Brilliant But Cancelled' on Trio

"East Side/West Side" will premiere on Trio Monday, December 2nd at 10:00PM. The show, starring George C. Scott and Cicely Tyson (in the first recurring dramatic  television role for an African American), features stories that depict urban squalor, child abuse and racism.

"United States," created by comedy legend Larry Gelbart (M*A*S*H; Tootsie) and starring Beau Bridges and Helen Shaver, premieres December 9th at 7:30PM.   One of television's first "dramedies," this series takes on  the subject of marriage and was critically acclaimed for dealing realistically with relationships and  refraining from tying up loose ends in a neat sitcom bow.  Previously announced acquired series for "Brilliant,  But Cancelled" are "Action," "The Ernie Kovacs Show," "The Famous Teddy Z," "Gun," "Kolchak: The Night  Stalker," "Now and Again" and "Profit."

For more information, check out www.triotv.com.

Before they were Stars

Also featured are some of the first appearances of: Mel Gibson, Whoopi Goldberg, Sharon Stone, John Travolta, Tim Allen, Meg Ryan, Jay Leno, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, Adam Sandler, Billy Joel, Jerry Seinfeld, Keifer Sutherland, Courtney Thorne-Smith and even the Simpsons family “little rough around the edges” from their previous incarnation as animated shorts on “The Tracy Ullman Show.”

TNN: Doin' the Sit-Com Thing

"Blind Date"  hosted by "Big Brother 2" winner Dr. Will Kirby, is expected to join the lineup in January.  All times are Eastern Daylight Time.

James Coburn Dies at 74

E! 'Star Dates' Features Classic TV Stars

[November 18, 2002]

Sure, it's easy to find romance on the Love Boat, but what happens when these stars are left to their own defenses and completely unscripted. Are celebrities as completely forlorn as the average Joe when it comes to meeting someone that their sister Suzie's boyfriend's college roommate sets them up with? All cameras-and eyes--are on the stars as they reveal all the pre-date trepidation, sweaty palms and pounding hearts as they, just like us, ponder whether the signal has been given to kiss their dates goodnight! Produced in association with Fox TV Studios and George Verschoor ("Real World/Murder in Smalltown X/Fear"), the half-hour series has a six episode commitment on E!.

Eddie Bracken, 87; Comedic Actor

Eddie Bracken, circa 1942

In addition to his work in film, and Tony winning Broadway performances, Bracken started appearing in guest roles on TV in 1955 with a role on "Goodyear Television Playhouse." His numerous guest roles continued with parts on "Murder, She Wrote," "The Golden Girls," "Wiseguy," "Empty Nest," and most recently on "Ed" playing "Stuckeyville Stan" in episode: The World of Possibility on October 15 2000. 

Among Bracken's 35 films are "Caught in the Draft" (1941), with Bob Hope; "The Fleet's In" (1942), with Betty Hutton; "The Star Spangled Rhythm" (1942), with Bing Crosby and Hutton; "The Girl from Jones Beach" (1949), with Ronald Reagan; "Summer Stock" (1950), with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly; and "We're Not Married" (1952), with Mitzi Gaynor and Marilyn Monroe.  My generation knows him best as Wally of Wally World in 1983's "National Lampoon's Vacation."

December Grids

The biggest news the the Merry-Thon line-up.  Most of it is the same ol' stuff.  But look for these extra treats:  "Chico and the Man," "Perfect Strangers,"  "Square Pegs,"  "Just the Ten of Us," "S.W.A.T.," and few other visiting favorites.  They also snuck in an oddity in the New Year's Eve line-up, "I Married Dora."  I had forgotten about this show from the 80's, about a white collar professional, Peter Farrell,  who marries his Hispanic housekeeper so she will not be deported.  So check out the schedules and maybe you'll find a favorite or two.

Game Show Network presents 'Snow Days'

[November 12, 2002]

How will you remember to watch?  It'll be added to our Viewer's Guide when the December listings are posted later this month.

Northern Exposure's Peg Phillips Dies

[November 12, 2002]

CBS issued a statement saying, "Peg Phillips' memorable portrayal of Ruth-Anne Miller on 'Northern Exposure' left an indelible imprint with the millions of loyal fans of this groundbreaking series, as well as with everyone at the network who had the opportunity to know and work with her."

Scorning pretension, she wore blue jeans, a red and white checked blouse, blue suspenders and brown sandals to the Emmy award ceremony when she was nominated for best supporting actress in 1993. When asked who designed her outfit, she replied, "Me."

Phillips appeared in at least eight movies, a number of television commercials and made guest appearances in such TV series as "Seventh Heaven," "Touched By An Angel" and "E.R."

She appeared with Shirley MacLaine in "Waiting for the Light" (1990) and in the made-for-TV movies "How the West Was Fun" (1994) and "Chase" (1985).

Well, I Guess They All Can't Be Winners

Kathy Garver, Original Cissy to Appear on 'Family Affair'

Kathy Garver as Cissy Patterson circa 1967

The new "Family Affair" isn't what you could call a hit, but it's ratings are consistent and high enough that the WB picked up the series for a full season, with hopes for a second.

Since "Family Affair" ended its original run, Garver has done mostly voice-over work, providing voices to animated "Spider-Man" series in the 1980s and '90s. She's also made numerous TV guest appearances, on shows ranging from "Matlock" to "Nash Bridges."  Her most recent credits include appearances in "Sweet November" and "The Princess Diaries."  Visit the Kathy Garver Web Site

'Magic Garden' Returns On Thanksgiving

"The Magic Garden" was an instant hit. During the February 1975 sweep, for example, "The Magic Garden," then seen weekdays 10 am to 10:30 am, was watched by an estimated 240,000 children aged 2 to 11 locally according to Nielsen. When WPIX became a superstation, carried on cable systems nationwide, "The Magic Garden" attracted a national following. Hosted by Carole Demas and Paula Janis,  Demas sang and Janis sang and played guitar in original music and songs based on traditional melodies.  While it entertained, "The Magic Garden" also taught. Lessons in language, culture, and the arts were woven so seamlessly into scripts that children who watched may have had no idea they were learning something until many years later.

The WPIX retrospective, "The Magic Garden: Still Growing," reunites Demas and Janis in their original roles as hosts. The one-hour program will feature clips from the original shows and recollections by the hosts, as well as an update on what "The Magic Garden" means to a generation of viewers now raising their own children.

"'The Magic Garden' defies the passage of time," said WPIX program director Julie O'Neil. "Twenty- six years after the last episode was shot, it is still as modern as tomorrow."

Passings

Barbara Berjer, 82; Popular Soap Opera Star. Berjer, who had lived for the last year in her native Seattle, died October 20 of pneumonia while on a trip to New York City.  For four decades Berjer appeared in memorable soap roles on "As the World Turns" as the much-married Claire English Lowell Cassen Shea from 1965 until that character was killed off in 1971.   Her other indelible role was as Barbara Norris Thorpe on "The Guiding Light" from 1971 to 1981, with more appearances in 1989 and 1995-96.

For more than 12 years on "Another World,"  Berjer was the elderly wisdom-dispensing Bridget Connell.  She became so popular that, when writers had her character die in 1996, fans became enraged, forcing "Bridget" to reappear on subsequent episodes as a ghost.

Berjer also worked in the soaps "From These Roots" in the late 1960s and "The Edge of Night" in the mid-1960s.  Berjer, who changed the original spelling of her name, Berger, to indicate the correct pronunciation, studied drama at the University of Washington and then worked briefly in Seattle children's theater.  In her later years, Berjer coached other actors, including Anne Heche, and had roles on such television series as "Law and Order."

She was married to the late choreographer Lee Foley and is survived by their son, Thomas Michael Foley of Manhattan.

Morty to Get His Question Answered

At last my questions will be answered, my mystery solved when "Inside TV Land" looks at the "The Top 40 Theme Songs"  on TV Land  this Sunday at 9:00PM.  We'll get to see what the other Ray Charles looks like, and hear how singer-songwriter John Sebastian, took a bad song, and turned it into a great theme for "Welcome Back Kotter."   You'll hear how music genius, Vic Mizzy, used a metronome to get the cast of "The Addams Family" to snap their fingers in time to one of the greatest themes of all time, and how Sherwood Schwartz wrote themes that explained the premises of "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch."
Related links:  TV Guide 50 Greatest TV Themes  Jack's Bistro, a 'Three's Company' Fan Site  Download themes from SoundAmerica.com  80's TV Themes Super Site,  buy TV Themes on CD at Morty's Mall.

Neil Simon to Write for TV Again

The new project will revolve around two separated couples. Rather than divorce, the husbands move into one house while the wives move into another house -- next door to the guys.  He's also currently working on an update of "The Goodbye Girl" for TNT.

Tim Conway & Harvey Korman Among New Hall of Famers

Conway is a four-time Emmy winner and also appeared in "McHale's Navy," "The Tim Conway Show," and the "Dorf" home video series. Korman, who has four Emmys of his own, also appeared in "The Danny Kaye Show" and "Mama's Family," and films, including "Blazing Saddles" and "History of the World, Part I."

The late John Frankenheimer also was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame for directing shows in TV's Golden Age.  Frankenheimer directed over 150 live episodes for shows such as "You Are There," "Danger," and "Playhouse 90."  His widow, Evans, accepted the award for Frankenheimer, who died in July at 72.

Other who were inducted into the Hall of Fame were actress Jean Stapleton, who played Edith Bunker on "All in the Family," and producer-director Bud Yorkin, who started directing with shows such as "The Colgate Comedy Hour" with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis and later teamed with producer Norman Lear to create hit shows including "All in the Family," "Maude," "Good Times," and "Sanford and Son."

TV Land Revels in the Ratings

TV Land Schedule Adjustments

Character Actor/Director Larry Dobkin

[November 5, 2002]

In addition to "I Love Lucy, " Dobkin appeared in "The Adventures of Superman,"  "Gunsmoke," "77 Sunset Strip," "Lawman," "The Rifleman," "The Untouchables," "Have Gun Will Travel" and "Rawhide" and more recently, from "NYPD Blue" to "Judging Amy.." Dobkin also appeared in more than 65 feature films, including "The Ten Commandments," "Julius Caesar," "Sweet Smell of Success," "The Defiant Ones," "North by Northwest," "Patton" and "Angels in the Outfield." 

As a television director, he gathered credits from the '50s through the '80s, including "The Donna Reed Show," "Dr. Kildare," "The Waltons," "Barnaby Jones," "Charlie's Angels," "Dallas," "Dynasty" and "The Fall Guy."   Dobkin, received an Emmy nomination for his supporting role in the 1967 "CBS Playhouse" production of "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night," also wrote the 1976 film "The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams."

CBS Looking for Real Hillbillies

Does this look like your family? CBS could want you...

There are three independent casting directors on the project.  One of them headed to the mountain town of Franklin North Carolina last Saturday, while another team was searching Bristol, Tennessee, on Monday.    The casting directors have not been welcomed with open arms, and there's been a lot of negative press about the project.  Casting director Marty Keener Cherrix, who was  born and raised in Canton, west of Asheville, N.C., said that a bumpkin's demeanor is not required. "I'm not looking to perpetuate that stereotypical mountain image," she said. "If I were doing that, I would be disrespecting myself, because I am one of those people."

Marty told The Charlotte Observer  "The perception of the general public and mountain people in particular is that we're looking for that stereotypical hillbilly family, with someone sitting on a cabin porch smoking a pipe. What we're really looking for are mountain people with good mountain values to have this once-in-a-lifetime chance."

Families that might be interested in auditioning for "The Real Beverly Hillbillies" can contact casting director Marty Keener Cherrix at (828) 350-0330.

'Lost in Space ' Dr. Smith Dies at 87

[November 5, 2002] 

Harris' character, Dr. Smith, was a saboteur who caused the Robinson family's ship, Jupiter II, to fly off course but he also found himself trapped with them in the craft.  The role started out as a dark, evil character, and Harris gradually added his own comic touch to the role.  He felt that if he continued to play the role as just an evil villain, he would be written out when the audience grew tired of his continued sabotage. In 1998, Harris reprised the smarmy Smith in a one-hour television special, "Lost in Space Forever." At the time of his death, he was working on a new television movie for NBC -- "Lost in Space: The Journey Home" -- that finally might bring the Robinsons back.

As early as 1948 Harris was making guest guest appearances on numerous TV shows, including:  "Colgate Theatre," "Zorro,"  The Twilight Zone," "Bewitched," and "Fantasy Island." Harris also worked with Pixar Animation Studios in recent years, supplying the voice of Manny the preying-mantis magician in "A Bug's Life" and the elderly doll repairman in "Toy Story 2."

He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Gertrude, one son and two granddaughters. "Lost in Space," which ran on CBS from 1965 to 1968 and is a featured series in Morty's Mall.

Yabba Dabba Doo, Flintstones All Week!

[November 1, 2002] 

Covering nearly 35 years of Hanna-Barbera motion picture and television production, "The Flintstones: A Week in Bedrock" will showcase a mammoth 240 hours of cave-dwelling comedy, from the 1960 original series, The Flintstones, to the 1994 holiday special, "A Flintstones Christmas Carol." To launch the month-long celebration, Boomerang will devote every Friday in December (Friday, 8 a.m. - Saturday, 8 a.m.) to favorite episodes of the original TV series, The Flintstones, as well as two of its popular series spin-offs:  "Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm" and "The Flintstone Kids." Then from December 16-22, Boomerang will pre-empt its entire schedule to present a pre-historic plethora of Flintstones animation, from best-loved TV episodes, to multiple one-hour specials and feature-length TV films, to the 1966 theatrical motion picture release, "A Man Called Flintstone," from Columbia Pictures.

Boomerang is yet another cable channel I don't get.  If you're in the same boat, you can find Flintstones tapes and collectible in Morty's Mall and on November 29th The Cartoon Network will air the three Flintstones Christmas specials starting at 7:00PM. 

Passings

[November 1, 2002] 

Born Kam Ton Chun, his first teacher misunderstood his name and made him write Kam Fong Chun. He later made it his legal name.  He lost his first wife and two young children in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1944, when two American bombers collided and crashed into his house.  Fong was a Honolulu police officer from 1946-1962, when he retired and went into business as a real estate agent.  A colleague made an appointment for him to audition for a role in "Hawaii Five-O." Fong played the part for 10 seasons before he tired of it and was written out by having his character killed in the final episode of the 1977-78 season.  

Nathan Juran, director  who won an Academy Award for art direction on John Ford's "How Green Was My Valley" and later  as a director of science fiction and fantasy films in the 1950s and '60s,  died on October 23rd. Juran, who is best known as a director of the 1958 adventure-fantasy films "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad,"  "20 Million Miles to Earth" and "First Men in the Moon," which all featured the work of special-effects wizard Ray Harryhausen.  Juran went into TV in the '50s and '60s, directing episodes of "My Friend Flicka" and "Daniel Boone" -- as well as producer Irwin Allen's science fiction series "The Time Tunnel," "Lost in Space," "Land of the Giants" and "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." Juran died of natural causes, he was 95.

Andre de Toth;  Director Known for 3-D "House of Wax" He began his career in Hungary in the early 1930s and rose to the position of director before fleeing on the eve of World War II. In England, he was given the job of second unit director on "Jungle Boy." De Toth made his debut as a in American films in 1944. He was known for his tough, hard-edged films, whether westerns or urban crime dramas.  In television he directed the series:  "Maverick" and  "77 Sunset Strip"  He was believed to be 89, although references to his birth year vary from 1910 to 1913.

John Lucas,  Writer, director for 1950s-'70s TV shows died on October 19th, he was 83.   He wrote and directed several episodes of the pioneering television show "Medic," which starred Richard Boone as Dr. Konrad Styner, and aired from 1954 to 1956. The series was filmed in hospitals with actual doctors and nurses treating patients, and was based on case histories from the files of the Los Angeles County Medical Association.  In the 1960s, Lucas went on to write and produce the popular fictional medical series "Ben Casey" and followed with the long-running "Medical Center."  Among the mystery television series Lucas worked on were "The Fugitive," "Mannix" and "Quincy."  Science fiction series for Lucas included:  "Star Trek," Rod Serling's "Night Gallery," the TV version of "Planet of the Apes" and "The Six Million Dollar Man." Lucas also teamed up with producer Irwin Allen to do the television movie "City Beneath the Sea".