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Sit back and enjoy tales of television long ago -
this blog covers current and classic TV shows
and reviews of upcoming television programs
along with the latest TV on DVD releases!
CAN THEY PULL IT OFF?
With Two & a Half Men on the verge of premiering sans the star of the show I'm reminded of another instance where a star walked away from the hottest program in the nation. That star was Redd Foxx, the show was Sanford & Son and the year was 1974.
Sanford & Son was a ratings powerhouse driving NBC's phenomenal success in primetime during the mid-1970s; NBC even scheduled reruns during weekday mornings and the ratings were boffo. Redd left NBC for ABC to star in a one-hour variety series from the same folks who made The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour a hit.
Redd's variety show only lasted thirteen weeks in spite of being one of the funniest and freshest shows on the air at the time. Over at NBC they decided, naturally, to keep the Sanford & Son franchise going but without Redd Foxx or co-star Demon Wilson. The network retooled the show from top to bottom.
They had set up the premise during the penultimate season of Sanford & Son when Fred opened a boarding house in Julio's house next door, calling it the Sanford Arms. Janet Culp (The Beverly Hillbillies) could be seen occasionally that season as a stuffy tenant.
Read more about Sanford Arms here!
Sunday, September 11, 2011 - 11:34am
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BLASTS FROM THE PAST
Two legends of Broadway and Las Vegas came together for a remarkable TV special in 1969. What was it that brought both of these talented ladies together? Well, they both had something in common, a role they shared - the lead in Hello Dolly on Broadway.
In the 1960s and again in 1975 Pearl Bailey starred in an all Black production of Hello Dolly. Someone has posted one of the big splashy numbers from that production, this is what big time Broadway looked like forty or so years ago. Don't know but I'm guessing this is the 1975 version; the 1968 production co-starred Cab Calloway. How great would that have been?
Saturday, August 27, 2011 - 9:50am
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ROMPER ROOM
We've
heard from another Romper Room teacher: "I was Miss
Linda on Romper Room in Charlotte for a short stint in 1970. The
reason for my early retirement was born in September of that year. I think
the person who followed me was the last Charlotte Romper Room teacher.
I substituted some for her before WCCB cancelled the show. The only
name I can remember from those days is a cameraman, Art Norman.
He went on to become a news anchorman in Charlotte and Chicago.
The cameramen were real jokesters. They put masking tape all over
my magic mirror. They put Crisco in the do-bee puppet. Of
course, I didn't know they had done these things until I was live
on air and tried to use my magic mirror or stick my hand in the do-bee
puppet!" - Linda Hamel, formerly "Miss Linda"
Friday, August 19, 2011 - 8:00am
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RAT PACK GOLDDIGGERS?
Some time ago I shared excerpts from interviews for the book, mostly stuff I couldn't use for my new book but thought you might find interesting anyway. Here's a talk with musician extraordinary Tim Fowlar who conducted for Donald O'Connor and Robert Goulet for years and years.
Back in 1976 and 1977 Tim and The Golddiggers spent 6 weeks touring the East coast in the crazy Roy Radin Vaudeville revue. In this clip he reminisces about "the girls" (meaning Maria & Linda and The Golddiggers), Frank Fontaine aka Crazy Guggenheim, and Ronny Spector. I swear if this book is considered to be any good I'm going to Tim to do his story.
Fascinating guy!
Here's a funny 10 minutes with The Honeymooners. Alice, TV's first liberated woman.
Friday, July 21, 2011 - 8:38am
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READ PAST TELEVISION BLOG ENTRIES
TELEVISION BLOG
:The Best of TV Blog:
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This Television Blog is hosted by Billy Ingram, one of the nation's top Pop Culture Gurus and expert on classic TV. Seen on VH1, These TV Blog entries are from the TVparty! website. (I'm not normally this smug - this photo was shot for a film where I played a villain.) |
More Television Blog Highlights:
Rat Pack Golddiggers / Joe E. Ross (Ooh Ooh!) / Sanford & Son meets Two and a Half Men / Ed Asner Interview / Super Circus / Celebrity Fast Food Joints / Eydie Gorme / Carol Burnett Show / Knight Rider Car / 1969 Fall Previews / Groucho! / Crazy Bloopers / Patty Duke Show / 1957 TV set restoration / The Goldbergs on DVD / Wonderama / O. J. Simpson Ads / 1977 TV Shows / Andy Griffith / Three Stooges / Selling Smokes on TV
Actors in North Carolina
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