While schools in other parts of the country are already in session, classes begin in the 518 next week. A fitting time to bring on Fillmore!.
In "A Wurm in Our Midst", we learn just how Fillmore (Orlando Brown) became a member of the safety patrol, while handling two cases at the same time.
Next week marks 38 years since the World Wrestling Federation (now WWE) rebranded their syndicated programming. Championship Wrestling was rebooted as Superstars of Wrestling. All Star Wrestling, which had been using Michael Jackson's "Thriller" as its theme music for 2+ years, now would go by Wrestling Challenge. Both series would last until the 90's.
Gorilla Monsoon was entrusted with the play-by-play, and, for the opener, was partnered with Ernie Ladd and Johnny Valiant, himself rebranded as Johnny V, likely because kayfabe brother Jimmy had trademarked the Valiant name in the South, or something.
Six years after "Who Done It?" (previously reviewed), The Three Stooges revisited the plot in "For Crimin' Out Loud". "Flagpole Jitters", shot the day after "Crimin'", was released first, so "Crimin'" ended up being Shemp Howard's farewell.
Following is a collection of bumpers from The Porky Pig Show, some of which made their way to syndication, while others were left out of the mix.
It's clear that WB recycled some footage from some of Porky's shorts, with Mel Blanc dubbing in new dialogue. In addition, newer bumpers produced by Hal Seeger including Porky interacting with Elmer Fudd, who sounds like it's either Blanc or Hal Smith (Davey & Goliath, The Andy Griffith Show). The open & close, sans closing credits, close the video.
We had this next item up before, but it got taken down a ways back. Now, it's back.
"It" is Hanna-Barbera's musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, adding the subtitle, Or, What's a Nice Kid Like You Doing in a Place Like This?, just to show how loose an adaptation it is.
Sponsored by Coca-Cola & Rexall, this primetime special, produced for ABC, features Janet Waldo in the title role, plus Sammy Davis, Jr., Bill Dana (who co-wrote it), Howard Morris, Alan Reed, Mel Blanc, and much more.
From Paula Abdul's debut CD, "Forever Your Girl", comes this amusing little number that pays tribute to Gene Kelly's legendary dance partnership with Jerry (as in, Tom & Jerry, of course), as Paula Abdul is paired with MC Skat Kat, who seems very interested in Paula.
Here's "Opposites Attract":
This was an era where Captain Kangaroo expanded to six days a week, so CBS could program a full 6 hour schedule, mostly with reruns.
For example, Jonny Quest was acquired from ABC to help fill out the lineup. The Road Runner Show was dropped down to the bottom of the schedule. It would expand to an hour the next year, moving to an earlier time as The Bugs Bunny-Road Runner Hour, with a portion of the open left intact.
Here's an ad:
He took his ring name from the late punk rocker from the Sex Pistols, and made his own legend.
Sid Vicious (Sid Eudy), or, in WWE, Sid Justice or Sycho Sid, made his debut in 1987 on the independent circuit, including a stint in Memphis, before signing with the NWA and World Championship Wrestling.
At first, Vicious was part of a tag team, the Skyscrapers, with former football player Dan Spivey. managed by Teddy Long. However, after a few months, Vicious left, with Mean Mark Callous (Mark Calaway, aka The Undertaker) replacing Vicious. By the time Vicious returned, the Skyscrapers were no more, and Vicious instead joined the Four Horsemen.
In the summer of 1991, however, Vicious came to the then-World Wrestling Federation as Sid Justice, enabling Vince McMahon to copyright the new persona. Sid started as a babyface, and in one of his last matches in that role, took on Big Bully Busick (Nick Busick) in the latter's final match.
What the title of Dennis Marks' tale refers to isn't so much Mark Twain's iconic juvenile, but, rather, a manuscript for the book, stolen by a fortune hunting outlaw while Twain, nee Samuel Clemens, is back home in Hannibal, Missouri, for a sort of homecoming.
Enter The Lone Ranger (William Conrad).
Sylvester goes it alone, and is silent for most of the picture, in "A Kiddies Kitty".
In it, we're introduced to Suzanne (Lucille Bliss), who has some, ah, issues with her toys. So, when Sylvester needs to escape a bulldog, he ends up showered with more affection and care than he'd expected....
Tom & Jerry are sharing house space with Spike (Don Messick), who ends up as "The Kitten Sitter", when one orange kitten shows up at the door, and there's more where that came from.
Canada's Rush released the epic album, "Moving Pictures", in 1981. The instrumental track, "YYZ", earned a Grammy nomination, and, one would assume, was considered for a Juno in Canada.
41 years later, an anniversary reissue of the album led to the following animated video:
For fans of the Road Runner, this is the one that started it all. "Fast & Furryous" carries a 1948 copyright, but was not released until September 1949, and, this is a Blue Ribbon issue.
All Sylvester wants to do is capture and consume Tweety. However, when he sees that Tweety is being held prisoner for ransom by Rocky, the gangster, enter a reluctant hero in "Catty Cornered":
This was posted over at The Land of Whatever earlier this week, but merits inclusion here, too.
Well before being cast as Marge on The Simpsons, and, before that, The Tracey Ullman Show, Julie Kavner was best known for her role as Brenda on Rhoda. During a break between seasons 1 & 2 of that series, Julie decided to try some drama, playing a blind woman accused of murder on Petrocelli. Listen close, and there's a wee hint of her future role as Marge.
Michael Bell appeared in 4 episodes of season 2 of Petrocelli as prosecuting attorney Frank Kaiser, who was also a friend of the title defense lawyer (Barry Newman). One wonders if Michael had auditioned for The New Perry Mason two years earlier, a role that went to Monte Markham, because he seems so natural playing a lawyer.
Check it.
As the original Electric Company taught kids to read in the 70's, PBS decided to revisit lessons in reading, but for older kids and adults, in the late 80's.
Learn to Read was produced at a PBS affiliate in Kentucky in 1987, with some of the talent based in Michigan. Wally "Famous" Amos, a former talent agent turned cookie mogul, served as host.
What is uncertain is how long Learn to Read remained in production. What we do know is the series ended in 2009 after 22 years.
Following is a short sample clip:
By 1972, classic Warner Bros. shorts were plentiful in syndication. Here in the 518, WTEN held the rights, rotating the Looney Tunes & Merrie Melodies with Popeye and Mr. Magoo.
Meanwhile, WB decided to try a syndicated package of their own, showcasing Daffy Duck, Speedy Gonzales, & Sylvester in The Merrie Melodies Show. This package, however, was created for international markets.
This series didn't air in the 518 for that reason, so there's no rating. Here, though, is the intro, and our announcer is Casey Kasem (American Top 40, The New Scooby-Doo Movies, etc.).
REO Speedwagon started gaining mainstream attention well before 1980's "Hi Infidelity" took them to the next level.
For example, the group appeared on The Midnight Special in September 1978 to perform "Roll With The Changes", which is still an FM radio anthem nearly 50 years later.
Spider-Woman, the TV series, turns 45 this year. As previously discussed this was the last series produced by DePatie-Freleng before being bought by Marvel. The studio brought in Jeffrey Scott as a writer, which might've been a big reason why the series lasted just one season.
Anyway, Spider-Woman (Joan Van Ark, Knots Landing) locks horns with Dr. Strange's enemy, Dormammu, who wants to plunge earth into a "Realm of Darkness":
Night Ranger may be best known for "Sister Christian", but it was 1982's "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" that actually introduced them to America. Here they are from an episode of American Bandstand, one week before Christmas.
Many thanks to fellow blogger G. Jack Urso for the tip to this next item.
Locally produced children's programs, sadly, have a short shelf life. WRGB had the Laugh-a-Lot Club, for example. Future Emmy winner Ted Knight was a morning host (and maybe afternoons, too) on WTEN. WAST (now WNYT) had singer Betty George and her pet, Moo, hosting a mid-morning movie program meant for the whole family.
But channel 13 had something else that, until I ran across Mr. Urso's blog this morning, I didn't know about.
In November 1974, the station launched Up, Up, & Away, and, yes, the title was taken from the 5th Dimension's hit of the same name, as well as a catchphrase associated with Superman.\
As you could probably tell, I never saw the show, so there's no rating. My folks would watch the 4 pm movie on WOR on Fridays, and, while they were out bowling on Saturdays, my bro & I would also watch something on cable.
Marshal Moo and the Wild West C. O. W.-boys of Moo Mesa are now on YouTube. From season 1, here's "The Legend of Skull Duggery":
There's a reason I've dug up this episode of Biker Mice From Mars from the 1st season. Tell ya about it after we look at "The Masked Motorcyclist":
The Robonic Stooges head to Africa to shut down a poacher who's stealing elephants. Here's "Curly of The Apes":
The Three Stooges must've been Western fans.
How else to explain yet another short set in the Old West, in this case, 1954's "Shot in The Frontier". As per usual, the boys have to save their maidens fair from some unsavory would be suitors. Joe Palma, who'd otherwise be a body double for Shemp, is one of the Noonan brothers.
From the ABC Afterschool Special:
If you thought Hanna-Barbera only made animated episodes of this anthology series, you'd be mistaken. H-B served up this item from October 1980, "The Gymnast", about a teen (Holly Gagnier) looking to take her first steps toward becoming a world class athlete.
With Olympic gymnastics competition all but concluded in Paris as we write, we thought this would be a perfect complement. The grainy tape comes from a Showtime rebroadcast.
Here's another Three Stooges adventure that is a remake.
1954's "Knutzy Knights" is a re-do of "Squareheads of The Round Table", released six years earlier. The boys help a blacksmith win the love of his lady fair, and thwart the Black Prince.
