Mary Wells, the great Motown singer of such smashes as "My Guy" and "Two Lovers," would have turned 65 today.
Ms. Wells passed way too young, dying July 26, 1992, from larynx cancer.
Here's a terrific clip of Mary singing her No. 1 hit from 44 years ago this month:
You know what I wish I could do this weekend? Head over the GWB to Joisey and spend a fun day at Palisades Amusement Park. Alas, ther park has been gone since the end of the summer of 1971, replaced by high-rise condos.
If you went to Palisades Park (or listened to the radio in the 1960s), then surely you know the words to their song.
It's a beautiful spring day today, and I really want to escape the office. Unfortunately, all I can do is time-travel in my mind. For some reason, I keep focusing on a place where I spent many great spring days back in 1964 and 1965 -- the New York World's Fair.Here's a video that brought back many memories of those days in Flushing Meadows:
Louis Armstrong had his only chart-topper with his version of the theme from the then-hot Broadway musical, "Hello, Dolly!" It broke a three-month run at the top by the Beatles, but remained No. 1 for just one week, yielding the following week to Mary Wells' "My Guy."
Here's Satchmo belting it out in a live performance.
Marvin Gaye gets some big-time props Wednesday night when PBS' "American Masters" series turns its attention on him. (You'll be able to read a review by my colleague Verne Gay, Marv's long-lost bro, in Wednesday's paper. Verne changed his last name to avoid cashing in on the singer's fame.)
Here's a clip of the master himself -- Marv, not Verne performing his signature 1971 hit live.
The Godfather of Soul. The Hardest Working Man in Show Business. Mr. Dynamite.
No matter what you called him James Brown was one singular sensation. Tomorrow he would have turned 75 and in his honor, here's a clip of JB at his absolute insanest, performing "Night Train" from the classic 1964 "TAMI Show." Dig it!
Today marks the 61st anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color line.
Here's an extremely rare clip of the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers star reading the alphabet on a 1969 episode of "Sesame Street," just three years before his untimely death.
CBS announced its summer schedule today, filled with the usual mishmash of reality (more "Big Brother," something called "Greatest American Dog"), game shows as well as a couple of dramas.
The one program we're jazzed about is "Million Dollar Password," an update of the venerable game show. It'll premiere Sunday, June 1, and will be hosted by none other than the ubiquitous Regis Philbin, a 21st century heir to Allen Ludden, if ever there was one.
Like the old show, contestants will team up with big-name stars, including Rosie O'Donnell, Rachael Ray, Neil Patrick Harris, "High School Musical's" Monique Coleman and Betty White (Ludden's widow and a regular on the original show -- ups to you, CBS). The winner can take home $1 million clams.
The dramas include the much-delayed "Swingtown," about swingers in the '70s (we'll take that 1972 "All in the Family" episode with Rue McClanahan and Vincent Gardenia as swingers, thank you) and "Flashpoint," a Canadian-made cop drama.
Don Knotts may be best known for his role as Barney Fife on "The Andy Griffith Show," but he also carved out a movie career of sorts, in the mid-1960s, starring in several kooky, kid-friendly comedies. Two of them, "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken" and "The Reluctant Astronaut," air tonight on AMC at 8 and 10 p.m., respectively.
(As for me, I'm still waiting to again catch "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," in which Knotts dreams about becoming a fish (what the heck does that mean, Dr. Freud?) and then -- becomes one.
Anyway, here's the trailer from 1966's "Ghost and Mr. Chicken," in which Knotts plays a reporter who spends a night in a haunted house. The cast also includes Dick (Darrin, Too) Sargent and the world's grouchiest character actor, Charles Lane.
You can't make this stuff up.
Today is International 'Louie Louie' Day. It's actually the birthday of the song's composer, Richard Berry, but lovers of the all-time great party song have decided to take that occasion and make a real party of it. Togas are optional.
And who are we to deny a party?
Anyway, here's a rare 1965 clip of The Kingsmen performing their No. 1 hit from two years earlier. And when you've figured out the words, drop me a comment and let me know. I've been trying to decipher them for more than half my life.
Thank heavens, "30 Rock" is back and just as good as ever. Here's what cracked me up last night:
1. Kenneth telling a freaked-out Liz: "Your eyes look like my uncle's after he'd drink from the air conditioner."
2. Nice plug for SoyJoy.
3. "Stay tuned for “Dog Swap!”
4. The “MILF Island” host’s elimination catchphrase: “Get off MILF Island,” followed by the banished mom throwing her bikini on the fire (breasts digitally covered, of course).
5. Jerry Seinfeld getting co-executive producer credit for “MILF Island.”
Louise Lasser, best known as Woody Allen's real-life and on-screen romantic interest in "Bananas" and "Take the Money and Run," turns 69 today. (How can that be?)
The fine comic actress may be best known, though, for her starring role in the syndicated soap parody "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." We watched it avidly at 11 p.m. weeknights on Ch.5 back in the day when the Bicentennial and Peter Frampton dominated our dinner conversation.
Enjoy this clip, showing Mary at her ditziest.
That ol' scamp, Hugh Hefner, turns 82 today. And while we still read Playboy for the articles, we watch (ed) "Playboy After Dark" for that late '60s/early 70s groovefest's sheer awesome audaciousness.
Take, for instance, this episode on which a dapper Hef introduces (the, as he calls them) Iron Butterfly performing their psycho-acid signature hit, "In A Gadda Da Vida."We couldn't make this stuff up.
"Secret Talents of the Stars," which premieres tonight at 10 on CBS, is the real deal: 100% Velveeta! The cheese includes George Takei singing country music, Danny Bonaduce riding a unicycle and Joe Frazier singing r&b.
But we've been down this road before many times. Take, for instance, this amazing clip of Brooke Shields showing off her gymnastic ability from a 1983 version of "Circus of the Stars" and pass the Gorgonzola!
Charlton Heston, the towering actor who died Saturday, was of course best-known for his film portrayals, ranging from Moses in "The Ten Commandments" to a simian-imprisoned astronaut in "Planet of the Apes."
But later in his career, when the movie gigs began drying up, Heston turned to TV, notably a stint on the "Dynasty" spinoff, "The Colbys," where he played millionaire businessman Jason Colby. Here's a clip from one of that 1985-87 series' most dramatic scenes, in which it's revealed that Jason is actually the father of Jeff Colby (John James, son of legendary New York morning deejay Herb Oscar Anderson).
Today marks the 40th anniversary of the murder of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis.
Here's how the tragedy was covered the night of April 4, 1968 by Walter Cronkite on "The CBS Evening News." This was how many Americans first heard the news in those primitive, pre-Internet, pre-cable news days. And as always, Cronkite did a comprehensive, professional job.
The people at "The Office" need help! The people at NBC need help! They've gone ahead and ordered a spinoff of the show and - as best as the press could tell - don't have the slightest damn idea what it's going to be about.
Or do they? Some unnamed source - not saying who - got a copy of this top-secret memo from Ben Silverman, which he/she has sent to my colleague Andy Edelstein and me. Personally, I think some of these ideas are idiotic - others, not so bad. You be the judge.
MEMO: To Jeff Zucker, Greg Daniels, et al.
RE: Office Spin-Off
FROM: Silverman
We need a plan, gang. Need it fast.Super Bowl's fast approaching. I've cooked up these thoughts for a spin-off. Need reax pronto. B.S.
"Dwight Schrute: The Beet Generation:" It turns out that Dwight's twin brother WASN'T reabsorbed in the wound, but was actually born, grew up, and lived in the farmhouse antic. He's a weirder version of Dwight - watches re-runs of "Good Times!" over and over - and his name is Dwight too. Anyway, Dwight returns to run the farm full time with Dwight and Moses; they grow beets and pot.
"Jan's Plan:" After the lawsuit, etc. Jan moves out - the thing with Michael just wasn't gonna work out and she needed to restart her life. She moves to Altoona to start her own paper company - direct competitor to Dunder Mifflin - and many hilarious scenes whereby Jan and Michael compete, eventually get back together again, etc. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.
"Michael: After Dark:" With his love life back in the toilet, Michael's a swinging bachelor again. This spin-off explores what he does at night - hitting Scranton's many hot-spots, occasionally getting to Altoona where he runs into Jan...
"Touched by an Angela:" Angela's hot! That's right. You heard me. She's hot - a lusty, luscious lovely babe in the after-hours. Plus, she gets pregnant - a shocker! Front page coverage in the NY papers, or at least PA papers, is guaranteed. Angela Lansbury promises to do a cameo. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.
"Love Booze Cruise:" Captain Jack is back! And this time, they're having a rockin' great time on Lake Wallenpaupak, where the booze runs freely and so does the love. Michael and gang return for another office party and...Sorry, not sure where this goes from here.
"Andy and Angela:" You've always wanted to know "what if...?" What IF Andy and Angela "get it on." What IF they're a couple. Here's the show! They get married, have a nice home life, have baby ("little Andy"), start new jobs in different offices...HILL-arious situational comedy ensues. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.
"Missus...Missuss Jones:" Rashida Jones is back. She's the manager of a new office paper supply company in Scranton, and does everything in her power to scuttle the Jim/Pam thing. (Plus, I think R's tight with Foo Fighters, Maroon 5 in real life - cameos! cameos! cameos!) Plus, Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.
"Creed:" Agreed, it's a tough sell to advertisers. We do a whole show based on Creed! There's so much possibility here. Who really is Creed? What does he do in his off-hours? Does he really live in Toronto (so he can stay on the dole in the Canada?) What really happened to his missing toe? Did he really run cults? Has he been in jail? There are many possibilities here, though still working out love interest angle . (Meredith? Not sure. Just spit-balling here. Open to ideas) Plus have already talked with Creed Bratton's agent; think we can get him cheap. Endless cross-promotion/product placement possibilities.
[Note to reader: We can't vouch for authenticity of this memo; may be another one of those hoaxes that are perpetrated on the Internets. But we had to share anyway.]
One of our favorite '70s icons has a birthday today.
To celebrate the 64th birthday of the man born Michael Orlando Cassivitis, here's a great clip from his awesome variety show, "Tony Orlando & Dawn." Of course, Tony and the girls are singing "Tie a Yellow Ribbon (Round the Old Oak Tree").
Well, wheee doggies, as Jed Clampett might've said, today marks the 100th anniversary of Buddy Ebsen's birth.
He had a long show-biz career (Barnaby Jones, anyone?), but we'll always love him best as the patriarch of the family that packed up and moved to Bever-ley.
To celebrate April Fool's Day, we thought we'd recall one of the most "foolish" songs of all time.
We speak of course of "Why Do Fools Fall In Love," performed by the legendary Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers. Check out this rare clip from 1956 that originally aired live on "The Frankie Laine Show."
It's hard to believe that Frankie -- Lymon that is -- died 40 years ago this February of a drug overdose. He was just 26.
On last night's "Lost" (smartly recapped as usual by my colleague Verne Gay), in the scene where Michael tried to kill himself, he turns on his car radio and hears Mama Cass' minor 1969 song "It's Getting Better."
"Lost" fans with long memories probably recall another minor Mama Cass song ("Make Your Own Kind of Music") being used in an earlier episode that took place the first time we saw Desmond in the infamous hatch (what that coincidence means, I'll leave up to "Lost" deconstruction experts such as VGay).
Anyway, now that you've heard the song, here's an extremely rare clip of Mama Cass performing it.
Ivan Dixon, a fine actor who was best known for portraying the levelheaded Kinchloe on
“Hogan’s Heroes,” has died. He was 76.
Here's a clip of Dixon and his POW pals from that funny, but highly controversial '60s sitcom:
Soul superstar Otis Redding's posthumous "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was the No. 1 song on the Billboard charts 40 years ago this week.
Check out this tribute video to Redding, who died in a plane crash on December 10, 1967:
It's St. Patrick's Day today, but it also marks the 113th birthday of Shemp Howard, who for many folks is their Stooge of choice.
Let's toast Shemp here with a clip from the 1947 short, "Sing a Song of Six Pants." (Sorry, but it's the colorized version.)
Let's give the end of the working week an appropriate sendoff today with a song that's been playing in my head since, oh, 9 a.m. Monday morning. (And maybe it's been playing in yours, too.)
From the spring of 1967, check out The Easybeats, one of the coolest bands to come out of Down Under, and their biggest hit, "Friday on My Mind."
On Tuesday night's "American Idol," presumptive front-runner David Archuleta butchered the Beatles' 1965 hit (via Stevie Wonder's 1971 version) "We Can Work It Out".
Wednesday night, he was -- not surprisingly -- rewarded for his puerile efforts by being voted safe for another week.
As Randy might say, check it out, dawg, here's the way the song really should be performed:
Steve Guttenberg will be very much with us again soon. Starting Monday, he's one of the celebs making fools of themselves on the new season of "Dancing with the Stars."
The North Massapequa native may be best known for his movie work, but he's done some TV as well.
Dig this clip of "No Soap, Radio," Guttenberg's short-lived (very short lived, like one month) 1982 series set at a seedy hotel in Atlantic City. And be prepared for a scene with Jerry Stiller in drag! -- that's even better than the time he was caught wearing the mansier on "Seinfeld"!
And, no, I don't know what language this clip's subtitles are in. German? Dutch? Danish? Any thoughts? Bueller? Bueller?
Gov. Eliot Spitzer's new-found identity as "Client 9" inspired this post today.
When we first heard "Client 9," what came to our heads immediately was "number 9... number 9... number 9..." from the Beatles' "Revolution 9," easily the weirdest and most annoying song on the 1968 "White Album."
We can't get you a clip of the Fab 4 performing that song (it's unlikely they ever did it live, anyway), but here's a really cool tribute to "Rev 9" re-imagined as a flat-out rocker, circa 1963.
Remember "The Saint?"
Of course you do. That was the '60s Brit series that gave U.S. viewers their first look at Roger Moore, who played the title character, a dapper adventurer named Simon Templar.
Well, "Saint" fans out there, here's some good news: The show is coming back, thanks to producers Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson. The Hollywood Repoter says the duo is cooking up a pilot with James Purefoy (not to be confused with soul singer James Purify, half of the brother duo who sang the 1966 hit "I'm Your Puppet") in the title role.
While we're waiting for that show to materialize, check out the opening credits from the '60s "Saint."
To get you ready for the massive rainfall we're about to experience this weekend, here's a clip of B.J. Thomas singing (actually lip-syncing) his No. 1 hit from 1970, "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" (from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," but you knew that).
I wish I knew on which TV show this was first shown -- dig the faux-psychedelic, proto-"Teletubbies" backdrop and those umbrella-wielding dancers, who no doubt were rejected from "The Lawrence Welk Show" for not being hip enough.
TV Land's new version of "High School Reunion" (airing tonight at 9) made me think of some of TV's classic shows set at those esteemed institutions of learning.
Like "Mr. Novak", which starred James Franciscus as idealistic teacher John Novak and aired from 1963-65. Here's a clip from a 1963 episode starring a young Walter Koenig, who four years later, would of course, go on to play Chekov on "Star Trek."
And appropos of nothing, my seventh-grade math teacher at H. Frank Carey High School was named Mr. Novak. As a 13-year-old, I thought that was unbelievably cool.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its Class of 2008 on Monday night, with the ceremony airing live on VH1 Classic at 8:30.
Inductees include Leonard Cohen, Madonna, the Dave Clark Five, John Mellencamp and the Ventures.
Check out this late-'60s clip of The Ventures -- amazingly playing their instruments on a beach (were they powered by off-shore windmills, perhaps?) -- with their extremely cool version of the theme song from "Hawaii Five-O."
We love cavemen movies and there's a new one, "10,000 BC" coming out Friday that's getting lots of buzz.
To get you in the mood, here's the opening to one of TV's most memorable cavemen series. Not "The Flintstones" and certainly not that silly pseudo-Geico sitcom that ABC foisted on us last fall.
We're talking about "It's About Time," which ran for just one season (1966-67). Created by the legendary Sherwood Schwartz ("The Brady Bunch," "Gilligan's Island"), it starred two TV greats -- Joe E. Ross ("Car 54") and Imogene Coca ("Your Show of Shows") -- as a cave couple whose lives were interrupted by two modern-day astronauts (played by the not-so-great Jack Mullaney and Frank Aletter) who smashed through the time barrier and ended up in the prehistoric era.
Check it out here.
Did you watch "Oprah's Big Give" last night? Ms. O might deny it, but "Queen for a Day," that wondrous weepie from the 1950s, clearly was the show that inspired it.
Check out this clip and form your own opinion.
But what I really wanna know is this: Why don't men today have moustaches like host Jack Bailey?
Today's video is a tribute to Mike Smith, the lead singer of the Dave Clark 5, who passed away yesterday -- just two weeks shy of seeing his British Invasion band being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Here's a rare newsreel from the band's first U.S. visit in 1964, including knockout performances of "Glad All Over" and "Because."
Every weekday at lunchtime, Boomer TV will post a video that we hope will amuse you while you're scarfing down your sandwich.
This morning, the local oldies radio station played "Get a Job" by the Silhouettes, which was the No. 1 song in the USA 50 years and one month ago, although I haven't heard it in years It's one of the funniest rock and roll songs ever and also spawned the immortal debate: Did these one-hit wonders from Philly sing "sha da da da" or "sha na na na" (from which the '50s revival band reportedly took its name)?
(Of course, if you're old enough to remember this song, you'd probably be considered too old to actually get a job today. But I digress.)
Here's a TV performance of the group, although I'm unclear of what show this was taken from.
When you wake up the morning of March 20, make sure you put on a sweater.
That's because March 20 would have been Fred Rogers' 80th birthday. So to mark the occasion, the day is being promoted as “Sweater Day” to honor the kids' TV pioneer's tradermark apparel.
“Sweater Day” will cap a six-day celebration planned by Family Communications Inc. of Pittsburgh. Rogers created the company to produce "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood."
David Newell, who played speedy deliveryman Mr. McFeely on the
show, appears in this video that touts the event:
.
"30 Rock" fans have to wait until April 10 -- that's 44 more days, darn it -- until we get to see a fresh episode.
However, fans of Kenneth (Jack McBrayer), the page who's all the rage, can get a chance now to see him strut his stuff -- in a snippet of "Touch My Body," the new video from Harborfields' own Mariah Carey.
Thanks to the amy's robot blog for tipping us off.
If you're a fan of "The Honeymooners" (and who isn't?), we have some good news and less good news about the Greatest Sitcom of Them All.
WPIX/11 announced today that it will begin airing every "Hooneymooners" episode (108 of 'em, not just the classic 39) based on a viewers' choice poll, starting Sunday, March 16.
That's the good news (although for diehard Mooner Maniacs, the classic 39 are all that matter).
Now the less-good news: The episodes will air from 1-2 a.m. late Sunday/early Monday. So that means unless you're a sleepwalking insominiac like Ed Norton, you're gonna have to fire up the DVR. (Or maybe this hour is homage to "The Late Late Late Show" that Ralph and Ed watched during the classic "TV or Not TV" episode.)
Starting on March 7, you can go to CW11.com to vote for your favorite episodes. Each week, the two episodes with the most votes will air in the Viewer’s Choice Hour. If you can’t remember the title, CW11.com will feature a short clip from all 108 episodes (with title, cast and summary information) on the voting page.
Each week, viewers can log on and vote for the two episodes they want to see on air that weekend. On Sunday nights, back-to-back-episodes of the top two vote-getters will air. Once an episode has aired it will be removed from the polls and all episodes will air only once.
We'll take Ralph, Ed, Alice and Trixie where we can (and we are grateful for Ch.11's "Honeymooners" marathons). But there are still some of us out there who remember when Ch. 11 aired "The Honeymooners" every weeknight at 11:30.
How about you? Which two "Hooneymooners" would you vote for?
As for our favorites, we'll take the aforementioned "TV or Not TV" and "The $99,000 Answer."
One of TV's classic episodes airs tonight at 8:30 on TV Land.
It's the "I Love Lucy" episode in which Lucy and Ethel go to work making chocolates. The episode first aired on Sept. 15, 1952 and kicked off the show's second season.
The plot is mega-'50s sexist: Ricky and Fred think doing housework is much easier than earning money. Lucy and Ethel feel the opposite. So the guys try doing the housework while the girls attempt to hold down a job working on a candy factory's assembly line
Speed it up, ladies!
The funniest insult comic to come out of Jackson Heights may be 81, but Don Rickles is still going strong.
And you should never miss an opportunity to see him.
The Merchant of Venom drops by to zap Craig Ferguson on tonight’s “Late Late Show” (CBS/2 at 12:35 a.m.)
The DVD of his great John Landis-directed doc, "Mr. Warmth," hit shelves Tuesday.
And looking forward, Rickles plays North Fork Theatre at Westbury on May 31. (That’s a make-up date from an earlier scheduled show that he canceled due to an injury.)
In the meantime, check out Rickles mixing it up with Johnny Carson in one of the funniest moments in “Tonight Show” history.
Here’s a real gen-u-ine treat for tv-obsessed boomers.
On May 6, Shout Factory is releasing “HiYa Kids!! A ‘50s Saturday Morning,” a 4-DVD set (retailing for $34.99) featuring 21 shows that we still remember well (even if we have no idea where we placed our reading glasses 15 minutes ago).
Just to name five: “Kukla, Fran & Ollie,” "Howdy Doody,” "Ding Dong School,” "Winky Dink & You” and “The Pinky Lee Show.” For a complete list shows, click here.
The set takes its name, of course, from Froggy the Gremlin’s greeting to Andy Devine each week on “Andy’s Gang" (which is another of the 21 shows in the collection).
While you’re waiting for the DVD to come out, check out this clip from this truly surrealistic kids’ show.
Former “Tonight Show” sidekick Ed McMahon has just been booked at the North Fork Theatre at Westbury.
He’s set for an April 27th date at 3 p.m. Tix are $45 and $55.
Now, we dig Ed as much as the next guy and he helped us get through many late nights with Johnny Carson.
But we’re wondering what exactly will Ed do at Westbury, besides reprising, we’re sure, his trademark “heeere's Johnny.” Will he show never-before-seen footage from “TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes?” Analyze his old Budweiser commercials (those Clydesdales rock!)?
Speaking of the King O'Beers, check out Ed pushing the brew back in 1978:
Adios, Fidel.
With the news that the Cuban dictator is bowing out, many folks’ thoughts surely turned to such memorable moments as the Cuban Missile Crisis.
I thought about “Seinfeld.”
Specifically the episode in which George Steinbrenner sends his flunky George Costanza to Cuba to look for baseball talent. As luck, would have it -- the episode airs tonight at 7:30 on WNYW/Ch.5
In Havana George ends up being invited to a party thrown by Castro (a nod here to Woody Allen attending the San Marcos’ dictator’s bash in “Bananas").
Fidel (played by Michael Sorich) is in a chatty mood and tells George why he doesn’t like parties:
“The problem with parties is that you have to eat standing up. Once at a party, I put my plate on someone’s piano. I assure you if I had not been the dictator, I could not have gotten away with that one.”
Fidel continues to rant and it’s even too much for George, who backs out of El Jefe’s office.
... What can I say, this is how my mind works.
What’s the big whoop with Fox’s “The Moment of Truth?” I don’t get it. It’s mean-spirited and not even original.
Check out this much more amusing (and much less sadistic) moment of truth from a 1966 episode of the classic quiz show “I’ve Got a Secret.”
On the show, panelists Betsy Palmer, Bess Myerson, Henry Morgan and Bill Cullen get hooked up to an “emotion-reading machine” to gauge how they really feel when the special guest, insult comic Jack E. Leonard, zings them.
And by the way, “Fat Jack” (as he was known quite benignly in those pre-PC days) is one comic who is long overdue to be rediscovered. His barbed remarks paved the way for the much more acerbic Don Rickles, as well as the legions of putdown artists who followed.
Ray Davies, longtime frontman for the one and only Kinks, will perform on tonight’s “Late Show with David Letterman" (11:35 p.m. on CBS).
The 63-year-old Davies is sure to perform a song from his new CD, “Working Man’s Cafe,” which drops today and has been getting some very good buzz.
Watch Davies perform the title song here.
"
John Wayne may not usually be thought of as a TV star. But he he did make a bunch of guest appearances on sitcoms over the years, most notably the two-episode “I Love Lucy” in 1955 in which Lucy discovers that the cement slab with Wayne's footprints in front of Grauman's Chinese Theater has come loose.
But who out there remembers when Wayne cameod on “The Beverly Hillbillies”? (The Duke should not be confused with Duke, the Clampetts’ hound). You’ll get your chance to see Tuesday night at 9 when TV Land airs the 1967 episode, “The Indians Are Coming.”
This mega-politically incorrect plot has something to do with Indians (or “Injuns” as Granny says) taking over the Clampetts' land back in Bug Tussle. Turns out it’s just a lil’ ol’ boundary dispute. Nevertheless, Chief Running Wolf and Little Fox travel to Beverly Hills to settle the problem, but Granny is alarmed and she prepares to take on the Injuns by herself. Wayne visits Granny at the end after the Indians “attack.”
According to several sources, Wayne asked for only a bottle of bourbon as payment for the episode.
By the way, an excellent recap of Wayne’s TV career can be found on the TV Party website.
And if you want a great Clampett fix, check out this commercial in which they shill for Kellogg's Corn Flakes!
It’s Valentine’s Day, so the folks at digital cable’s Biography Channel (Ch. 160 for Cablevision viewers) have cooked up a sort-of appropriate show.
At 11 p.m., it’ll air a bio of the late Barry White, the deep-voiced, over-the-top soul singer whose songs (“Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe,” “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Baby”) provided the soundtrack for many rolls across many water beds in the 1970s.
On the other hand, maybe you should set your DVR. If you’re around to watch a cable show at 11 p.m., then one would assume you’re probably having a pretty rotten V-Day. (If you're really desperate, the show repeats at 3 a.m. early Friday.)
To get in the mood, you can watch the Great One sing one of his biggest hits here.
Roy Scheider was best known, of course, for his intense movie roles (“Jaws,” “All that Jazz”).
But the actor, who died over the weekend, also gets his tube props, most notably starring in the 1993-95 NBC sci-fi series “Seaquest DSV,” whose executive producers included Steven Spielberg.
The show was clearly Spielberg’s homage to that mid-‘60s underwater classic, “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea,” a fact not lost on many critics who knocked “Seaquest” with such barbs as “Voyage to the Bottom of the Ratings.”
Scheider played Capt. Nathan Hale Bridger, who commanded (and designed) the 1,000-foot long
