* Classic TV Blog *
Your host: Billy Ingram

TV MOMS
Mother's Day is coming up, if you're in LA on Tuesday you will definitely want to check this out.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has just posted information about the event Jim Longworth (author, TV Creators and TVparty contributor) is producing and moderating on May 6, a salute to TV moms. Here's the lineup: Meredith Baxter - Family Ties; Barbara Billingsley - Leave it to Beaver; Diahann Carroll - Julia; Bonnie Franklin - One Day at a Time; Catherine Hicks - 7th Heaven; Vicki Lawrence- Mama’s Family; Cloris Leachman - Phyllis; Marjorie Lord - Make Room for Daddy; Doris Roberts - Everybody Loves Raymond; Marion Ross - Happy Days; Holland Taylor - Two and a Half Men.

What a list! Jim is also bringing in some special surprise guests - I'm not at liberty to say but the names are BIG and should create quite a bit of excitement. The event will be webcast live on Tuesday, May 6 at 7:30 PT 10:30pm ET. Tell him TVparty sent you!

Sunday, May 4, 2008 - 11:00am
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MAE WEST SUNDAY
I'm working on a piece on Mae West and thought I'd share these golden moments with you. Mae made her first TV appearance on the 1958 Academy Awards program singing 'Baby It's Cold Outside' with Rock Hudson creating an instant camp classic.

And this from her 1933 film I'm No Angel, one of my favorite screen moments of all time.

Let's see - Cher in the last post, now Mae West. I'll get off the gay icons next posting...

Sunday, May 4, 2008 - 9:05am
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CHER YOUTUBING
Now that You Tube is back I wanted to share this with you. Someone has posted (audio only) some TV performances by Cher and pointed out this odd fact - Cher sang the same song on the last (taped) episode of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour that she did on the debut of her own series. The tune is 'All in Love is Fair,' a Stevie Wonder cover. First the 1974 performance from her last show with Sonny.

This version from Cher in 1975 has pretty much the same arrangement but sports a slightly fuller orchestrations and Cher is toning down that ersatz southern accent she sings with.

I'm guessing there was about a 6 month period between these performances. Girl had pipes! Cher grew considerably as an artist in the first couple of years away from Sonny and actually recorded at least one fine album, Stars, which has never been released on CD.

This cover of a Velvet Underground tune is from Stars, her first album for Geffen in 1975. The first time I heard it I hated it, despised the entire album in fact, but it grew on me and became one of my favorites, at least for the time.

Of course, the song is a bit absurd, the idea of Cher sitting on cornerstones, "counting time in quarter tones" is a bit of a stretch.

Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 11:43am
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SATURDAY
Jim Hager, who found national fame with twin brother Jon on Hee Haw, died Thursday afternoon (May 1) in Nashville of an apparent heart attack. He was 66. Here's the obit.

Wow - as I write this You Tube is down and has been for some time.

Look what's become a collector's item now that it's out of print - Beany & Cecil on DVD is going for $53.00 to $103 on Amazon - for used copies!

Bob Huggins writes: "I saw your blog posting about Eve Arden. In addition to her more famous shows “Our Miss Brooks” and “The Mothers in Law,” Eve Arden also starred in “The Eve Arden Show.” Alpha Video recently released a four episode, single DVD of this rare to see show. Details here.

"Alpha also offers two public domain episodes of “Our Miss Brooks” along with a couple of PD episodes from “The Life of Riley.”

Considering that Eve Arden was a major television star of the 1950s, it’s disappointing that so little of this comedienne’s television output is available on DVD, especially “Our Miss Brooks” which featured Gale Gordon (The Lucy Show), Richard Crenna (The Real McCoys) and later Gene Barry (Bat Masterson, Burke’s Law) in the cast. Speaking of “Burke’s Law,” the first half of season 1 has just been released on DVD this week by VCI Entertainment. This was one of Aaron Spelling’s first big hits as a television producer."

Saturday, May 3, 2008 - 10:11am
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BAFTA/LA BRITISH COMEDY AWARD WINNERS
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts/Los Angeles (BAFTA/LA)  honored the best of 2007’s British television and theatrical comedies at tonight’s inaugural BAFTA/LA British Comedy Awards Presented by British Airways, held at the Fours Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills.  The idea for a British Comedy Festival and Awards was initiated by Nigel Lythgoe, BAFTA/LA Board Member and Event Chair, and was endorsed unanimously earlier this year by the full Board.  The Awards finalists were selected by a distinguished jury of U.S. based comedy talent and executives working in the entertainment industry.  Final recipients were chosen in a vote by the full BAFTA/LA membership.
 
Billy Connolly, one of the UK’s top comedians, was honored with the BAFTA/LA Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy.  Connolly is a BAFTA Film Award and BAFTA Scotland nominee for his work in John Madden’s Her Majesty, Mrs. Brown, and a BAFTA TV Award nominee for his mini-series “30 Years of Billy Connolly.”
 
Extras was chosen as the Best British Comedy Television Program, beating out Gavin & Stacey, The IT Crowd and Little Britain.  Creator and star Ricky Gervais accepted his award via tape from New York, and his co-star Ashley Jensen was at the gala to accept on his behalf.  Harry Hill, writer and actor in the current series TV Burp, accepted his award via tape from London for Best British Comedy Performer in Television. 
 
Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz received the Best British Comedy Film Award over nominees Magicians and Run, Fatboy, Run.  Wright’s Hot Fuzz star Simon Pegg won the award for Best British Comedy Performer in Film.
 
“BAFTA/LA is delighted to have honored some of Britain’s most beloved comedic luminaries at the first British Comedy Awards Presented by British Airways.  There were a lot of laughs, and we are already looking forward to next year, and having this event become an annual affair that will introduce American audiences to both established and upcoming UK talent,” said BAFTA/LA Board Member Nigel Lythgoe. 
 
Finalists in the film and television categories were screened for the public in Los Angeles earlier this week.  The gala coincided with Los Angeles’ BritWeek 2008 (April 24 to May 10), a series of UK-centric events celebrating the 50th anniversary of the British Consul General’s official residence in Los Angeles’ Hancock Park. 
 
For more information on BAFTA/LA, visit www.baftala.org. 

Friday, May 2, 2008 - 6:10am
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COULD IT BE?
Michael Ackerman writes in regard to the previous post: "I'm pretty good at recognizing voices and I would swear that the voice over on the Dorothy Gray cold cream ad is Janet Leigh (Psycho and mother of Jamie Lee Curtis). No way to verify but I am pretty sure it's her."

I agree, it does sound like her and she wasn't such a big star in the early-1950s.

Speaking of iconic stars, Jay Blotcher alerts me that yesterday would have been Eve Arden's 100th birthday, she the star of two very funny sitcoms, Our Miss Brooks and The Mothers in Law. Here's a scene from The Mothers in Law with co-star Kaye Ballard who's still around and kicking.

Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 11:49am
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UNO DE MAYO
Someone suggested in relation to an earlier post about a particularly bad dog food commercial that this oldie but goodie from the TVparty vault deserves a crack at the title of worst TV commercial ever. If you haven't seen this 1950's cold cream ad, you simply won't believe what they do to this model's face!

Thursday, May 1, 2008 - 10:53am
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LEAPING PARAGRAPHS
Remember the little girl who died from untreated diabetes last month? Her parents prayed over her and refused to take her to a doctor. This paragraph leapt out at me from the news story of the parents being charged with second-degree reckless homicide:

The Neumanns each face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. The couple and their attorney did not immediately return messages left Monday by The Associated Press.

These idiots wouldn't take their child to a doctor but they're more than willing to go to a lawyer now that their sorry asses are in trouble?

And this struck me odd, from the rave movie review by Roger Friedman on Foxnews.com:

Iron Man is really a comic book hero of the '80s and '90s, so he’s not really part of my nostalgia.

Huh?!? Iron Man debuted in 1963 and probably hit his zenith (in sales, anyway) in the mid-1970s.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008 - 1:00pm
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PEARL DIVING ON YOU TUBE
On a lighter note - two of my favorite performers together from a 1963 TV taping - Pearl Bailey and Andy Williams singing 'Give Me The Simple Life.'

Pearl Bailey was a remarkably fluid performer, you can't help but smile when she's on screen and marvel at how far out on a limb she would go without wrecking the routine. Her styled meshed beautifully with Andy Williams' unique ability to stay in the groove and remain on key no matter what's thrown at him.

Speaking of Pearls, here's country comic Minnie Pearl with Dean Martin from the boozy crooner's variety show.

Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 10:30am
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DO YOU FEEL A DRAFT?
I found this to be surprising - in 1969 the U.S. reinstated the lottery for the draft in which birthdays were chosen at random from those rolling cages. If you were a male between the ages of 19 and 29, the higher up the list your birthday was the more likely you were to go. As a result, 850,000 men were called up to fight in Viet Nam in 1970.

And today - when our brave soldiers return home they're possibly faced with accommodations that look as if they've been neglected since the Viet Nam era. You are going to be horrified by the following video. I swear I think I'll just stop paying attention, it's just too much.

If you need to be reunited with a relative or estranged loved one or are looking to fill in missing pieces of your personal history, WE tv wants to help you. From the press release:

WE tv is looking for people nationwide to be profiled on the network’s newest docu-series THE LOCATOR. The series follows Troy Dunn, a professional with over 16 years of experience of connecting people, on intense and emotionally-charged journeys to reunite “half the world with the other half” and bring closure to those seeking it. Thousands of people are in desperate need to find people from their past – lost or estranged family, friends and loved ones. If you are one of those people, WE tv is looking for you. Are you adopted and ready to find your birth mother? Were you separated from your family at a young age and have not been successful in finding them? Do you have a reason to find the missing links from your past? If so, please submit thru either wetv.com/casting or TroyTheLocator.com by June 15th 2008 to be considered for a locate.

In each episode, Troy will select one “angel” case and set out on a quest to locate the individual. Cases featured will include stories of adoption, abducted children, dire medical situations involving terminal illnesses, abandonment and more. Each case will be handled by experienced professionals who include Troy, his team of private investigators, detectives, genealogists, law enforcement officials, and psychics. The series speaks to the power of human connections and brings viewers stories of hope, triumph and healing.

Did you know Milwaukee has its own classic TV station? From the press:

Me-TV (Memorable Entertainment Television) premiered in Milwaukee on March 1, 2008 as a digital service of WDJT-DT, CBS 58, with over the air coverage on digital channel 58.3 and cable coverage on Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications digital cable channel 201

“We are very excited to bring Me-TV to even more homes in Southeastern Wisconsin,” said Jim Hall, General Manager of the Weigel Broadcasting Company television stations in Milwaukee. “In the short time Me-TV has been on the air in Milwaukee, it has developed a very loyal following. Putting Me-TV on Channel 49 makes this family friendly channel available to virtually every household in our viewing area.”

It’s now easier to find Me. Viewers in Southeastern Wisconsin can now watch Me-TV for free over the air on Channel 49 as well as digital channel 58.3. For Time Warner customers, Me-TV can be seen on both standard cable Channel 19 and digital cable channel 201.

Sunday, April 27, 2008 - 9:46am
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SMILE!
This would make a great stunt for Candid Camera - except it's true: Beginning earlier this year, AT&T Wireless began to charge customers who pay their bills in their stores.

Can you imagine the look on people's faces when they find out they have to pay extra to use cash?!?

Friday, April 25, 2008 - 10:26am
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PORTABLE TELEVISION
Classic TV lovers have more shows available to go. From the press release:
Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Inc. and New Video today announced that top series from the vast Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Inc. library of groundbreaking television programs are now available for purchase and download on the iTunes® Store. Beginning today, iTunes customers will be able to purchase compelling character-driven series such as “21 Jump Street,” “Hunter” “The Greatest American Hero” and “Wiseguy,” with other titles to be added in the coming weeks. Representing the worldwide distribution rights to over 1,000 hours of Cannell-produced series and TV movies, Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Inc. controls one of the largest independent libraries of television programming in the world. Stephen J Cannell Productions, Inc. has partnered with New Video, a leading digital aggregator of independent video content, to bring these highly sought after series to the iTunes Store, the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie destination. Individual episodes are available for purchase at $1.99, and full season passes of each series are available at a discount. New Video and Stephen J. Cannell Productions, Inc. look forward to expanding their partnership to make more quality Cannell programming available in digital format on iTunes.

Here are the Cannell shows for download:
21 Jump Street (1986-1991 FOX)
Starring Holly Robinson Peete, Dustin Nguyen, Peter DeLuise, Steven Williams, Johnny Depp and Sal Jenco. They are a new breed of undercover police officers – an elite unit of baby-faced cops who walk their beat down high school hallways. With headquarters in an abandoned chapel located at 21 Jump Street, these rookie cops pose as students to infiltrate the world of teenage crime and they all answer to the hard-nosed, by-the-book Captain Adam Fuller.

The Greatest American Hero (1980-1983 ABC)
Starring William Katt, Robert Culp, Connie Sellecca, Michael Pare and Faye Grant. William Katt plays Ralph Hinkley, an earnest high school teacher who is presented with an unusual red flying suit with super powers. Among the capabilities the suit provides him are to become invisible, have holographic vision and the ability to fly. In spite of the fact that he promptly manages to lose the suit's operations manual, he is reluctantly pressed into service as a crime fighter.

Hunter (1984-1991 NBC)
Starring Fred Dryer and Stepfanie Kramer. He plays by his own rules. He hates the pimps, pushers, creeps and killers that prowl our city streets. And he never fires a warning shot. Fred Dryer stars as the maverick police detective who along with partner Dee Dee 'The Brass Cupcake' McCall (Stepfanie Kramer) brought a tough new attitude to television.

Wiseguy (1987-1990 CBS)
Starring Ken Wahl, Jonathan Banks and Jim Byrnes. Vinnie Terranova (Ken Wahl), a tough, street-wise undercover Federal agent, infiltrates the organized-crime syndicate in Atlantic City where, with one slip of his cover, he could end up a dead man.

Renegade (1992-1997 USA Network)
Starring Lorenzo Lamas, Branscombe Richmond and Kathleen Kinmont. He was a cop, and a good one. But he committed the ultimate sin and testified against other cops gone bad. Cops tried to kill him, but got the woman he loved instead. Framed for murder, he now prowls the badlands. An outlaw hunting outlaws; a bounty hunter; a RENEGADE.

Silk Stalkings (1991-1999 CBS/USA Network)
Starring Rob Estes, Mitzi Kapture, Ben Vereen. This provocative series follows the casework of homicide detectives Chris Lorenzo and Rita Lance with an unusual specialty: high profile crimes of passion. The elite Ocean side community of Palm Beach that they patrol has its fair share of society murders, or as they refer to them, “silk stalkings.”

The Commish will also be available on iTunes in the coming months.

Friday, April 25, 2008 - 8:43am
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THIS 'N' THAT
Fox News reports that Jimmy Fallon will replace Conan O'Brien when O'Brien makes the jump to "The Tonight Show" in 2009.

Speaking of which, ever wonder what going green means to a kid? Jay Leno found out on yesterday's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" when he read "Kid's Letters For Earth Day."

TVparty-er Michael writes: "This website gets you copies of complaints to the FCC about any specific trashy TV show: TVshowComplaints.org." Cool!

Most broadcast shows that have returned in the weeks since the writer's strike have suffered double-digit ratings decreases - ABC's "Desperate Housewives" is down 33 percent, NBC's "ER" is down 24 percent and CBS' "CSI: NY" is down 12 percent, among others.

Watching the promo for the next episode of Kenny vs Spenny I was struck by this too-true quote: "If you're gay and want to be on reality TV -- you'd better be willing to make Paul Lynde look like fucking Lee Marvin." - Chez Pazienza

Thursday, April 24, 2008 - 2:18pm
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TERRIFIC EVENT THIS WEEKEND
Sal Gomez writes about the video of the Carpenter's house in the previous post:

This is so great. Especially after viewing pictures of how the current owners have literally destroyed the home as I had come to know it and allowed the beautiful Oasis that was the backyard to turn into a dump. I understand the owners need for privacy but if they really intended to live in a home that they could enjoy in peace and quiet, they should bought another house or looked to see what they could get for this "historic" piece of pop culture.

Thanks to you other Carpenter fans can see how beautiful the house once was and what it might be again if it can be saved.

BTW... I might have mentioned this to you some time ago but it's worth repeating. Four years ago I co-founded a group of drive-in theater fans that wanted to help spread the work that the drive-in theater is alive and well here in Southern California. Although there is only one open and operating theater in L.A. and Orange County there are a few more around. To make a long story short, we have been arranging and scheduling drive-in tailgate parties every summer since our inception and we've managed to create a small but loyal following. These "events' are great fun and it's a great family friendly night that brings back a lot of fond memories from the past.

Our first party for 2008 will be this Saturday night, April 26th at the Vineland drive-in here in the City of Industry (about 12 miles north of the Carpenter home).

I would so be there if I was in the area! Check out socaldims.com for more info.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 - 12:50pm
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