Variety Shows: The Captain and Tennille

Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery according to an old saying. If that is true then CBS was about to be flattered by ABC. CBS had success with Sonny and Cher and they were still having some success with Tony Orlando and Dawn. So ABC signed The Captain and Tennille to star in their own variety show. The Captain was the stage name of Daryl Dragon. He played keyboards while Toni Tennille, his wife, sang. Mr. Dragon was either a former Beach Boy or was a former member of their back up band. It depends on how you look at it and who is telling the story. I remember a punch line to a joke on the show had him dump sand from his shoe showing he had worked with the Beach Boys. The duo had their biggest hit at that time in 1975 with Love Will Keep Us Together. That was the song they used as their theme. The show started on September 20, 1976.
Tennille was a white bread version of Cher and the Captain was a very quiet version of Sonny. I think you can count the number of words he said on the show on your fingers. For awhile it became a running gag on the show as to how quiet he was. An example of how this ran was when Dick Clark was on the show. Mr. Clark was depressed with the quality of music on the pop charts. They started talking about the good songs on the charts that year and Dick Clark’s mood started to improve. Then the Captain mentioned the song Disco Duck. Mr. Clark became depressed again and then we understood why the Captain should keep quiet. It was better to let him show off how well he could play the piano.
The show was not the answer to Sonny and Cher like ABC had hoped. It was cancelled in March of 1977. The duo kept the hits coming on the record charts for a few more years. In the 80’s Tennille tried her hand at a daytime talk show but it didn’t last very long.

Variety Shows: Tony Orlando and Dawn

In order to fill the hole in the schedule that Sonny and Cher were leaving in the prime time line up CBS enlisted the help of another singing group. They got Tony Orlando and Dawn. They were given a summer series on July 3, 1974. This unlikely pop group, we’ll get into why they are unlikely some other day, had a string of hits in the early 70’s. With the emphasis mostly on music the summer series was a hit. It was brought back in December of 1974 as a midseason replacement. The success continued and the show was renewed for the fall.
In the fall changes were made. The title changed from Tony Orlando and Dawn to The Tony Orlando and Dawn Rainbow Hour. Why Rainbow hour? There were cast changes as well with the addition of name comedians like George Carlin and Edie McClurg. The emphasis changed from music to comedy.
For some reason the ratings started to slip. The show may have been funny but I guess that the show’s audience was in the mood for music. By December 28, 1976 the show was given its notice and aired its last episode.
The group Dawn only consisted of two women Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson. Almost all the speaking parts were given to Mr. Orlando and Miss. Hopkins. For some reason Miss Wilson didn’t say much. Mostly she sang and that was it. After the show ended Mr. Orlando did try to continue a singing career and showed up from time to time on other shows usually playing himself. On one episode of Chico and the Man he played a former boyfriend of the woman that Freddie Prinze Sr. (Chico) was dating. Miss. Hopkins however got a wonderful acting career out of the variety series. She has been on Bosom Buddies, Family Matters and Gimme A Break! I have also heard that she is the woman on the Shaft theme who says “Shut Your Mouth!” In the 70’s and 80’s this woman was all over pop culture. 

Rhino Reissues the Monkees

Thanks to my cousin Steve for pointing this out to me.
Rhino Records continues its long association with the Monkees, and reissues the bands yet again in new packages, this summer with expanded remasterings of the group's first two records.Out Aug. 15, The Monkees and More of the Monkees are two-disk collections featuring the original albums in both mono and stero, plus loads of outtakes and assorted bonus tracks. You can click the links to pre-order the albums from Amazon.
The MonkeesOriginally released in 1966, THE MONKEES scored an amazing 78-week run on the Billboard album chart, with 13 weeks at #1. Includes the #1 smash "Last Train To Clarksville" and the infectious "(Theme From) The Monkees," both written for the band by hit songwriting team Boyce & Hart. Also features Goffin & King’s "Take A Giant Step" and David Gates’ "Saturday’s Child. "
Disc 1’s nine bonus tracks include previously unreleased alternate mixes of "The Kind Of Girl I Could Love" and "Papa Gene’s Blues" plus a take of "I Don’t Think You Know Me" featuring Micky Dolenz on vocals.
Disc 2’s eight bonus cuts include a previously unreleased demo version of "Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun To Care)" and a rare Kellogg’s jingle. Each 2-CD Deluxe Limited EDITION features the original stereo album with bonus rarities on Disc 1, and the original mono album with even more rare treasures on Disc 2.
Disc: 1
1. (Theme From) The Monkees
2. Saturday’s Child
3. I Wanna Be Free
4. Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day
5. Papa Gene’s Blues
6. Take A Giant Step
7. Last Train To Clarksville
8. This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day
9. Let’s Dance On
10. I’ll Be True To You
11. Sweet Young Thing
12. Gonna Buy Me A Dog
13. The Kind Of Girl I Could Love (Alternate Mix)†
14. I Don’t Think You Know Me (Micky’s Vocal)
15. (Theme From) The Monkees(Second Recorded Version)
16. So Goes Love
17. Papa Gene’s Blues (Alternate Mix)†
18. I Can’t Get Her Off My Mind
19. Of You
20. (I Prithee) Do Not Ask For Love (Alternate Mix)†
21. Gonna Buy Me A Dog (Backing Track)†
Disc: 2 1. (Theme From) The Monkees 2. Saturday’s Child 3. I Wanna Be Free 4. Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day 5. Papa Gene’s Blues 6. Take A Giant Step 7. Last Train To Clarksville 8. This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day 9. Let’s Dance On 10. I’ll Be True To You 11. Sweet Young Thing 12. Gonna Buy Me A Dog 13. (Theme From) The Monkees(Third Recorded Version) 14. Kellogg’s Jingle 15. All The King’s Horses 16. You Just May Be The One (TV Version) 17. I Wanna Be Free (Fast Version) 18. I Don’t Think You Know Me (Mike’s Vocal) 19. Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun To Care)(Demo Version)† 20. Jokes (Backing Track)† More of the Monkees 1967’s MORE OF THE MONKEES was the band’s top seller, racking up 70 weeks on Billboard®’s album chart, including 18 weeks at #1, becoming the 3rd best-selling LP of the ’60s (ranking higher than any Beatles album). The Monkees topped the pop singles charts again with the Neil Diamond-penned "I’m A Believer." Album also features the Top 20 hit "(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone" and the classic cut "She," both composed by Boyce & Hart. Twelve bonus tracks on Disc 1 include "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" with Peter’s narration, an alternate mix of "I’m A Believer" and the previously unissued "Whatever’s Right." Disc 2’s six bonus cuts include the first recorded version of Valleri" and a previously unreleased alternate version of "Tear Drop City." Each 2-CD Deluxe Limited EDITION features the original stereo album with bonus rarities on Disc 1, and the original mono album with even more rare treasures on Disc 2. Disc: 1 1. When Love Comes Knockin’ (At Your Door) 2. Mary, Mary 3. Hold On Girl 4. Your Auntie Grizelda 5. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone 6. Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) 7. The Kind Of Girl I Could Love 8. The Day We Fall In Love 9. Sometime In The Morning 10. Laugh 11. I’m A Believer 12. (I Prithee) Do Not Ask For Love 13. Kicking Stones 14. Mr. Webster (First Recorded Version) 15. Hold On Girl (First Recorded Version) 16. 17. Through The Looking Glass(First Recorded Version) 17. I’ll Spend My Life With You(First Recorded Version) 18. Apples, Peaches, Bananas And Pears 19. Don’t Listen To Linda (First Recorded Version) 20. Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)(with Peter’s Narration) 21. I’m A Believer (Alternate Mix) 22. Ladies Aid Society (Original Mono Mix)† Disc: 2 1. She 2. When Love Comes Knockin’ (At Your Door) 3. Mary, Mary 4. Hold On Girl 5. Your Auntie Grizelda 6. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone 7. Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) 8. The Kind Of Girl I Could Love 9. The Day We Fall In Love 10. Sometime In The Morning 11. Laugh 12. I’m A Believer 13. Valleri (First Recorded Version) 14. Words (First Recorded Version) 15. Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) (TV Version) 16. I’ll Be Back Up On My Feet (First Recorded Version) 17. Tear Drop City (Alternate Mix)† 18. Of You (Mono Mix) 

Our Prayers Bring Us Into God's Presence

How can I make my prayers effective?
I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and all others who are in authority, so that we can live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT
Praying effectivelyPaul urges Timothy to lift up requests, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving. A request is a need, a deep desire for something we don't have—something only God can supply. A prayer is a word of praise and adoration. A more accurate translation of this word from the original Greek might be to "worship in earnest."
Intercession is praying on behalf of others. Our prayers should regularly reflect this kind of selfless lifestyle.
Thanksgiving involved remembering those past prayers that have already been answered, acknowledging that we not only trust God's supremacy and involvement in our life but also how his hand has moved and guided us in the past. When we pray effectively, we do more than communicate with God—we commune with him. We become one in mind and spirit and purpose. Today, let the focus of your prayer time be to connect with God in a very real and personal way, not as a slave would petition his master, but as a son would enjoy the company of a loving and gracious father.
Adapted from a devotional by Frank M. Martin in Embracing Eternity (Tyndale House) p 36

Variety Shows: The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour

On August 1, 1971 CBS aired the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. Glenn Campbell and Johnny Cash were on their way out but this pop music duo were about to have one of the biggest hits of the early 70’s. Now I had never heard of them till they got this show. They did have a couple of hits with the songs The Beat Goes On and I’ve Got You Babe. Of course those were the opening and closing theme songs to the show. Apparently in the 1970’s all you needed to get your own show was a hit song. The two were married to each other and were pretty good actors in the comedy sketches. Cher of course proved to be very good as she won an Oscar years later for her acting in the movie Moonstruck. Before he was on the Smothers Brothers and Johnny Cash Steve Martin was a regular on Sonny and Cher from 1972 to 1973. Terri Garr was also a regular cast member from 1973 to 1974. Cher showed off her excellent vocals and Sonny, well at least he was funny and a good songwriter. One of their most popular segments was called Vamp. Sonny played a piano player and Cher the singer. She sang a song that bridged the comedy segments that she starred in as famous women in history. Another favorite part was the opening with Cher making fun of Sonny. It didn’t matter really because we knew underneath it all that they loved each other. (At least we thought so.) I also remember a segment when a couple of the guest that week did a take on Batman and Robin. Bruce and Dick change clothes to fight crime when they see the Bat signal. Robin jumped out the window. Batman yelled to him “Robin! Superman flies! We use ropes!” It was funny at the time. I guess you had to see it. The closing had them with their daughter Chastity in their arms as they sang the closing theme I’ve Got You Babe. Sometimes they had her in the opening. One that they used her on was a Halloween episode. Instead of coming out to talk to the audience it opened with them taking their daughter trick or treating. The house they went to was scary looking and who answered the door? It was that week’s guest Jerry Lewis dressed as an odd looking butler. I don’t remember much after that but the feeling I remember is that it was one of their best episodes.
In the last year their marital problems made the papers and it was announced that they were not going to stay with the show. Sonny tried with his own show on ABC and Cher with her own solo show on CBS. While Cher’s lasted longer neither one got the ratings that their networks wanted and both were not renewed for a second season.
In 1976 they reconciled professionally on CBS with the Sonny and Cher Show. However, the show failed as the happily married couple element was missing. The whole world knew they were divorced and Cher was married to Greg Allman and just gave birth to Greg’s son. When ever Cher put Sonny down it was not funny anymore as you thought that she just might mean it.
The first series ran from August 1, 1971 to May of 1974. The second series ran from February 1976 to August 29, 1977. As we all know Sonny did remarry and after trying for an acting career he entered politics. He was a successful politician and died tragically in a skiing accident.
The above TV Guide I remember from my "career" with TV Guide. It was for the date of March 18, 1972. I also rememer them making the cover of TV Guide less then a month after the series was canceled in 1974 and the last episode aired. What show can say they made the Cover of TV guide and they weren't even on the air at that time? Very few.

Variety Shows: The Johnny Cash Show

A few months after Glenn Campbell got his own show his fellow country musician Johnny Cash got his own show also. The first episode aired on June 7, 1969. He had more hits at this time then Glenn did. He had Folsom Prison Blues as his opening theme and I Walk The Line as his closing theme. Carl Perkins, The Carter Family (easy to get since this legendary family were his in-laws) and the Statler Brothers were among the shows regulars. Johnny bridged many musical gaps and was able to get guest ranging from Louis Armstrong to Minnie Pearl to the Monkees on his show.
One of the highlights of the series was when for two episodes it became a documentary. It did a two part series on the history of country music and included everyone from Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams Sr., Jim Reeves and live performances from many others including Roy Acuff and Tammy Wynette.
At this time the Monkees were guest on both Cash and Campbell’s shows. I think they were hoping to get their own variety show. For those who aren’t aware the Monkees sit-com was renewed for a third season. The Monkees told the network that they didn’t want a new sit-com season they wanted to do a variety series. Perhaps fearing a take over like they did with Don Kirshner the network said it was a sit-com or no show. You know the results. I think it would have been pretty good. They could have gotten guest from all their various backgrounds from country to folk to rock and soul to Broadway. We already know they could do comedy. With NBC saying no they guest stared on shows on the other networks probably hoping ABC or CBS would make an offer. Neither one did.
Johnny’s first series was canceled in May of 1971 by ABC. However, he was back in the summer of 1976 on CBS with a similar type of series for 5 weeks. The regular comedic actors on the show were Steve Martin and the late Jim Varney. Musical guest were more country then pop rock. Unlike the previous series that included all forms of music of the day.

Variety Shows: The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour

A format that has not been seen on prime-time television since the 1970’s is the variety show. Again I think that economics plays a big part. The cost to produce a show is so huge now with just one star that to pay big name acts to appear on the show every week could bankrupt any production. Still there was a time when the variety show was king.
Now I can understand why an actor or a comedian would be asked to host a show. It has often puzzled me why get a singer to host. While Perry Como and Nat King Cole hosted shows in the 50’s the singer as host really boomed in the late 60’s and early 70’s. On January 29, 1969 CBS aired the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. Glen Campbell had a string of hits on the pop and country charts. His two biggest at that time were Gentle On My Mind and Wichita Lineman. He was a frequent guest on the Smothers Brothers Show. He is a first rate guitarist and made a living as a studio musician. He has played on many other artist hit songs. Like the Beach Boys and the Monkees. He also had filled in for Brian Wilson when Brian didn’t want to tour with the Beach Boys anymore. I believe I even remember them introducing the first episode of the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. The show became an instant hit. It was due to Mr. Campbell’s laid back southern charm. He set the tone of the show. The music was very good as you would expect. Having been taken under the wings of the Smothers Brothers he learned how to deliver a joke very well. I am too young to have seen the Perry Como show but I have heard that the show was a lot like an updated country version of Mr. Como’s show. What I have seen of Mr. Como is that he must have been the most laidback entertainer ever and still remain entertaining.
The theme song of the show was his hit Gentle On My Mind. Many of the guests were first rate country musicians and comedians. Many of his friends were like John Hartford, who wrote Gentle On My Mind, Jerry Reed and Dom DeLuise was on the show so often that even though they were not regular cast members they might as well have been.
In 1970 the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was canceled from CBS. Their show was always testing the networks patience with comedy monologues, songs and sketches based around religion and politics. Usually an on air apology smoothed everything out. This time the network had enough and cancelled the show.
Now what did this have to do with the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour? Well it is a bit ironic. You see the reason Glen Campbell was on the Smothers Brothers Show was because he was under contract to them. CBS may have canceled the Smothers Brothers in 1970 but until Glen Campbell’s show left the air with it’s last broadcast on June 13, 1972 CBS still had to pay the Smothers Brothers to air Glen’s family friendly show. Meanwhile CBS replaced the Smothers Brothers Show with Hee Haw. CBS at that time was starting to look like it stood for the Country Broadcasting System.
Glen Campbell still continued as a musical force with #1 hits Rhinestone Cowboy and Southern Nights a few years later. In 1982 he tried a half hour syndicated music show with guest ranging from Willie Nelson to Chuck Mangione. It only lasted 24 episodes.

It was 45 Years Ago Today...

It was 45 years ago this week, actually it started back on July 10, that Bobby Lewis had the #1 hit with Tossin’ and Turnin’. It is one of the most successful hits ever on the Billboard charts. It was #1 for 7 weeks in a row. Mr. Lewis was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. He moved to Detroit when he was adopted by a family there. As he got older he got into the music business by singing in local nightclubs. He became friends with Jackie Wilson and Mr. Wilson’s manager got him in touch with a record label in Chicago called Parrott Records. They signed him and he recorded some songs for them. Later back in Detroit he appeared on Soupy Sales local variety show. HE became a regular guest on the show. His friend Jackie Wilson was having great success in New York. Mr. Wilson and Bobby’s wife both urged him to go to New York. He did.
In New York many record companies turned him down. He met a group of white singers at the Apollo called the Fireflies. He gave them some encouragement to help calm their nerves. Three weeks later he went to Beltone Records. He liked the name because he once sang in a Gospel group called the Belltones. He asked for an audition and got one. When he sat down to play the piano he recognized one of the people there. Ritchie Adams the lead singer of the Fireflies. He found out that Ritchie had just been signed to the label. He sang some songs for Ritchie and Joe Rene the labels owner. Then Ritchie took out a song that he and Joe Rene had written. The song was Tossin’ and Turnin’. When he sang they knew that they found the right singer for the song. He was signed to the label and had a huge hit. He had two more hits with One Track Mind and I’m Tossin’ and Turnin’ Again when they made the lower part of the Hot 100 charts. After that Bobby disappeared from the charts forever. 

Aquaman #49 1970

Today I am talking about Aquaman #49 dated February 1970. It is titled “As The Seas Die” It is written by Steve Skeates and edited by Dick Giordano and it is a mystery so while it is easy to figure out I will not reveal the identity of the saboteur in case you want to get it from your local comic book store. What caught my attention is the wonderful artwork on the cover. At first I thought it was by Neal Adams but after I bought it I saw that it was signed by Nick Cardy. The art on the inside by Jim Apro is just as beautiful. I have never quite understood why if you have a great artist like Mr. Apro then why not have him do the cover also. Or have the cover artist like Mr. Cardy do the story inside the book. It seems like false advertising when I buy a book based on the cover art and the art inside is not the same or if the cover has nothing to do with the storyline. Anyway, back to Aquaman.
Someone is blowing up factories that are dumping chemicals into the ocean. The chemicals are causing the local fish to go insane and become aggressive. Luckily it is also making them weaker. Aquaman’s friend Professor Davidson has been looking into the problem and has asked that Aquaman and Aqualad look into the problem.
While Aquaman is away from Atlantis his enemy Ocean Master comes to Atlantis under a white flag. Mera goes out to see what he wants but he will only talk to Aquaman. Mera tries to stall him as she doesn’t want to tell him that Aquaman is away from his kingdom.
During his investigation Aquaman finds that the owner of the last factory destroyed is saying that it was an accident even though Aquaman was there and saw the saboteur escape. Like the other owners he was illegally dumping chemicals and is afraid that the police would find out and arrest him instead. Aquaman later sees the saboteur and follows him to where he returns to the scene of the last crime. The owner is waiting for him. The saboteur gains the upperhand in the battle and looks like he is about to kill him when Aquaman intervenes. Even though Aquaman saved his life the owner knocks him out and leaves him to die because he doesn’t want a witness to him killing the saboteur. The factory owner and the saboteur both die when they fall off a cliff during their fight.
Aquaman meets up with Aqualad who had been working on another part of the investigation. Now that it is all over they decide to go home to get some rest. That of course won’t happen when they meet Ocean Master next issue.
I really enjoyed this story and recommend that you rush to your local comic book shop to buy this book. 

Aquaman trailer

This is trailer for the proposed Aquaman series that would be a spin off from Smallville. CW decided not to do it but I hope they change their mind. Also, I hope they don't use it to replace Smallville or 7th Heaven. With them having Green Arrow on Smallville this season maybe they will spin him off too.

Kudzu and For Heaven Sakes

 

Captain America and the Falcon #173

I just bought this old issue of Captain American and the Falcon #173 at my local comic book shop. It is from 1974. It seems to be the 2nd part of at least a 3 part story line. The Committee of Regain America’s Principles has formed and for some reason has decided that Captain America and the Falcon are dangerous to the country and a warrant has been issued for their arrest. Professor Xavier and his X-Men have found out that a group called the Secret Empire, a mutant hating group, is behind all of it. They are trying to get rid of all mutants as well as Cap and Falcon. Most of the X-Men are missing. The only ones left are the Professor, Cyclops and Marvel Girl AKA Jean Grey (later called Phoenix). This part of the story begins with Nick Fury and Shield agents on another assignment when they see Captain America and Falcon with Cyclops and Marvel Girl. The agents have to at least try to arrest them since they are wanted by the government and they are government agents. They all escape. What puzzles me about this scene is when Furry is thinking he thinks “I admit I don’t like that cornball Avenger—but arrestin’ him is somethin’ else.” He doesn’t like him!! I always that he and Cap were friends. I guess they were just friendly co-workers. Cap and his friends escape to a cave where the Professor explains how the Committee and the Secret Empire are working together and how he suspects that Hank “Beast” McCoy’s girlfriend might be connected. They make a plan. Cyclops acts like he is trying to kidnap McCoy’s girlfriend but Cap and Falcon disguised as the neatest and clean shaven bums I have ever seen rescue her. Hearing them say they are looking for work she has the Secret Empire contact them. They are given a job as a test of loyalty to steal an electron-gyro from the Brand Corporation. Dressed as Captain America and the Falcon they succeed. The Guards try to stop them but Mr. Black, the factory boss, finds a note Cap left that explains everything. Despite the guards insistence Mr. Black lets them escape. Dressed again as Roger Stevens and Willie Samuels they deliver the gyro to the Secret Empire. Proving they are loyal to the cause they are taken to the underground headquarters of the Empire. Professor X, Cyclops and Marvel Girl have followed them. Professor X says now all they can do is wait. Wait for two mortal men to try and deceive an entire empire on its home territory…risking exposure and annihilation every second they spend in that mammoth tomb they’ve willingly entered! Yes we wait perhaps forever because Captain America and the Falcon may never come out of there alive!!!
WOW! In 1974 that would have had me going to the drug store next month to get the next issue. I wonder if they came out alive?
This was actually a pretty good story by Steve Englehart. I don’t always like what he writes but this is one of the good ones. The art for Sal Buscema seemed a bit rushed to me but it was great to see his work again. Roy Thomas loves these types of stories and did a wonderful job of editing I am sure. I am not sure who did the cover art. It looks like it was either Gil Kane or Terry Austin. If you have any idea or if you know for sure please tell me. If you see this issue and want to read all of it and not just an overview I recommend that you buy it. 

Those who trust in God are no longer guilty

On the Sabbath [Paul and Barnabas] went to the synagogue for the services. After the usual readings from the books of Moses and from the Prophets, those in charge of the service sent them this message: "Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for us, come and give it."

[After recounting God's plan from Moses to Jesus, Paul said] "Brothers, listen! In this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. Everyone who believes in him is freed from all guilt and declared right with God—something the Jewish law could never do. Be careful! Don't let the prophets' words apply to you. For they said, 'Look you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn't believe even if someone told you about it.'"

Acts 14:13-41 NLT

About this promise

Have you ever had a guilty feeling about something? Perhaps you did something wrong and felt guilty about it. Perhaps you have magnified the feeling of guilt beyond the "wrongness" of the act that precipitated the guilty feeling. Or perhaps you feel justly guilty for a sin, and you don't know what to do about it. The best way to relieve justifiable guilt is to confess the sin to God and ask him to forgive you. Forgiveness is the only cleansing agent that can remove both guilt and a guilty feeling about a sin.

The Stars On TV Conclusion: Prime Time Soap Operas

The 1980’s seemed to open the flood gates on bringing back old movie stars to television. As mentioned in this series before you had Barbara Stanwyck and Charlton Heston on Dynasty II: The Colbys. Late1981 saw the first episode of Falcon Crest that starred Jane Wyman and years later Kim Novak for a season. In 1983 Anne Baxter was one of the stars of the drama Hotel. Apparently many of the movie stars who wanted TV stardom found the key to success. Now I know that some of them weren’t looking to be TV stars. Some did it for the money or to jump start their careers. But the ones that did want to star in a series found that there was strength in numbers. So they joined the cast of prime time soap operas. Soap operas, nighttime and daytime, came of age in the 1980’s. Now I never did get into the soaps. So I don’t have much to say about them. Believe it or not when I was in college I had a class called Broadcast Criticism. We had to watch shows and compare them to each other and tell which show was the better one and defend our position. One show that I was required to watch was Dallas. I forgot which show I had to compare it against. At that time I also worked at Bakers Shoes in Florence Mall. The Manager there, Rick Harkness, was a big fan of Dallas. He kept trying to get me interested in the show. I told him how I had to watch the show that week for a class. A few weeks passed and I had written my paper and got my grade. Rick was talking to someone about Dallas and since he had missed the last episode he asked me what happened. I said to him "Why are you asking me? You know I don’t watch the show." He looked at me and asked “You mean you didn’t get interested when you had to watch it for school?” I said "No I just don’t like the show." The 80’s was a haven for soap operas. So if you are fans of those types of shows buy the DVD’s and enjoy the show. I hope you have enjoyed this series of overviews of movie stars on TV. Television is littered with the failures of many movie stars who could not make the transition. However, Barbara Stanwyck, Rock Hudson and Doris Day did succeed. Tony Curtis was a successful co-star on Vegas. Currently James Caan is a hit on Las Vegas. Hmmm! I guess it isn’t just an ensemble cast that helps succeed but location too. James Woods is the next to try and others will follow. So raise a glass to their never say die spirit and wish them well.

The above TV Guide cover is dated June 9,1983 and from this site.

Ringo Starr & The Monkees - Pizza Hut Commercial 1995

Here is a commercial that some of you may have forgotten about.

The Stars On TV: McCoy

On October 5, 1975 NBC aired a new show as part of its NBC Mystery Movie series. It was McCoy and it starred Tony Curtis. Mr. Curtis had tried for TV stardom before with British produced program The Persuaders. While that show was a hit in England it didn’t do well in America and was too expensive to be produced. Economics canceled that series.

NBC must have had some faith in McCoy to add it to the line up of the NBC Mystery Movie series. Mr. Curtis played McCoy, a professional gambler who had a very expensive lifestyle. He had hit an unlucky streak and was having a hard time maintaining that lifestyle. He decided he had to find another way to make a living in order to maintain the way he liked to live. He became a professional con man. He was hired by people, who had been taken by criminals, to set up sting operations to get all or most of their money back. McCoy’s fee was so huge that he was able to get the money back, pay other people that he hired to help him and still keep a large amount for himself. One of his main helpers was a nightclub comedian named Gideon Gibbs played by Roscoe Lee Browne. Roscoe Lee Browne as a nightclub comedian??? The show had a very brief run. You would never know by its air dates that it ran only four episodes. The last show was broadcast on March 28, 1976.

After this Mr. Curtis found some success on TV as a co-star when he joined the cast of Vegas as Philip Roth in 1978. The real star of the series was Robert Urich as detective Dan Tanna and, as Mr. Roth, Tony Curtis was his boss. After that series ended in 1981 MR. Curtis pretty much retired and kept busy with his favorite hobby of painting.

The Stars On TV: The Doris Day Show

When I started doing this stars on TV series I thought it would show that movie stars don’t make the transition very well. However, I have seen in my research and writings that there are just as many successes as there are failures.
It was just a coincidence that Henry Fonda followed his good friend James Stewart in this series. It is also a coincidence that Doris Day follows her friend Rock Hudson in today’s posting.
Many people credit Mary Tyler Moore to show what life is like for the single professional woman. It is true that her show was the most popular of that type of show. However, she was really beat to the punch by Marlo Thomas on That Girl in 1966 and Doris Day in The Doris Day Show in 1968. Now Miss Moore and Miss Thomas played never married career women. Miss. Day played Doris Martin a widow with two young sons. In the first season of the series she had to move back to the farm from the city where she had been raising her sons. Her Dad, played by Denver Pyle, and his farm hand Leroy, played by James Hampton, tried to help her to adjust to life back on the farm. In the second season Doris decided to commute back to the city as she took a job working as a secretary at a magazine publisher. Rose Marie, MacLean Stevenson and Paul Smith joined the cast as her friends and co-workers.
Why make changes to bring people from the city onto the show? Since CBS was the network that broadcast the series that might be the reason. CBS at that time was trying to get rid of all series with a rural setting. While most of their popular shows were based in the country those shows didn’t attract advertisers. Most of the people who lived in the country didn’t have the big money to spend that advertisers were looking for. Perhaps the producers of the series saw this coming and tried to get their viewers use to the stories taking place in the city.
Another change took place in the fourth season. The Mary Tyler Moore Show was a huge hit and changes were made to make it look more like that series. Miss. Marie, Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Smith were gone. John Dehner and Jackie Joseph were brought in to replace them. Doris Martin still worked for the magazine but was now a writer. However, her sons had magically disappeared. If her name had not been in the title Miss Day might be gone as well.
The series can be considered a hit since it lasted from September 24, 1968 to September 10, 1973. However, so many changes occurred that in the end it didn’t remotely look like the series that it started out to be. Like most shows the first season was the best. In trying to look like another show the series lost the appeal that it had to begin with. Even the popular Doris Day could not save the series.
I have read that Miss. Day really didn’t want to do the series to begin with. Her husband was her manager and he tried to convince his wife that she should do a TV series. Miss Day said she wanted to continue to do movies. He still tired to get her to do a series telling her that the movies she wanted to do were on the way out and TV was the best way for her to continue acting. She still said no. Not too long after this her husband passed away. While gathering his things together Miss. Day came across some paperwork that showed he had committed her to a sit-com called The Doris Day Show and had not been able to tell her before his death. Since the series was set to shoot in a few days it was too late to back out. She also needed the work to keep her mind off her husband’s death. Ironically, just as she played a widow on her show, she had just become one in real life.

It seems odd to me that the older covers of TV Guide seemed to just jump out and capture your attention like this one did to me. The new TV Guide covers don't do that to me today. Oh well it is just an observation. 

The Stars On TV: McMillan and Wife

The early 70’s really saw a lot of movie stars trying for Television stardom. On September 29, 1971 Rock Hudson threw his hat into the ring with what was to become a successful run on McMillan and Wife. To a generation of people Mr. Hudson became better known for his TV series then his movies.
On the show Rock played Stewart McMillan. He was a San Francisco lawyer who was appointed to be the Police Commissioner. His wife Sally was a fan of mystery novels. The new Commissioner became directly involved in the cases and his wife, no matter how hard he tried to stop her, would help. It isn’t too amazing that this was a hit as part of the NBC Mystery Movie. Rock Hudson is a good actor but the supporting cast is even better. The lead actress was Susan Saint James as his wife. John Schuck was Sgt. Enright and Nancy Walker was Mildred his maid who also helped solve some of the crimes. At the time I had never seen the William Powel movies of the Thin Man but in hindsight the series played like the TV version of the Thin Man. Another successful attempt at this would be made with the TV series Hart To Hart.
McMillan and Wife was only on once a month as part of a revolving mystery wheel on NBC. The others, McCloud and Columbo, were spun off into weekly series. For some reason McMillan and Wife was not. Perhaps they kept it in rotation in order to be the anchor of the mystery series while they introduced other new series. This might give any other series that replaced McCloud or Columbo a chance to build up loyal viewers.
In 1976 Susan Saint James and Nancy Walker didn’t renew their contracts to the series. Normally this would have been the end of the series. However, Rock Hudson stayed with the show. Martha Raye was introduced as Mildred’s sister Agatha. Susan Saint James was not replaced. They killed her character off in a plane crash. The series name changed to McMillan. The last episode of the series aired August 21, 1977.
The series actually was over when Miss. Saint James quit. What the producers seemed to fail to realize is that her character was the audience. Through her we were able to be part of they show. Through her we followed the police investigation from beginning to the end.
Rock Hudson did make the transition from movie star to television star with this show. He tried for television stardom again. None of them matched the success he had with McMillan and Wife.
Instead of using a TV Guide cover as the photo I used a copy of the DVD box set of the series first season. Just thought I would give loyal readers of this blog a break from all the TV Guide photos. 

The Stars On TV Continued: The Family Holvak

On September 7, 1975 Glenn Ford tried for television stardom again when NBC broadcast the first episode of The Family Holvak. I guess with the success of The Waltons NBC wanted to see if they might have some similar success with a depression era family drama. Mr. Ford was Reverend Tom Holvak and Julie Harris was his wife Elizabeth. Preachers don’t usually make a lot of money and during the depression it was even worse. In order to make ends meet the church allowed the preacher to have a garden sell the produce from the garden. Ratings were not very good and NBC canceled the series in December of that year. For some reason CBS, the network that aired The Waltons, aired the repeats of The Family Holvak in the summer of 1977. Perhaps they were looking for a companion show to The Waltons. More likely they were looking for a possible replacement for that show since its main star, Richard Thomas, left the show in 1977. CBS didn’t have to worry. While Mr. Thomas was the main star up to that point, The Waltons was more of an ensemble drama and was able to continue till 1981. The Family Holvak was officially out of luck and canceled by CBS when they aired the last repeat episode on June 28, 1977. 

The Stars On TV Continued: Cade's County

In 1971 Glenn Ford tried for his own television series. It was Cade’s County a police drama set in a small desert town of Madrid, California. Mr. Ford played Sheriff Sam Cade and was in charge of law enforcement through out the county. Of course that is what gave the show its name. He had many deputies to help in enforce the law. The role of the young deputy named Pete was played by Peter Ford. He was the son of Glenn Ford. It was broadcast on Sunday nights starting on September 19, 1971 from 9:30pm to 10:30pm. When it first started my family watched it if we were home at that time. Later I found my self wanting to play with my toys or with my cousin Rachel then rather watch TV. Now family shows weren’t too hard to come by in the early 70’s. However, the taste for entertainment by person in the family could differ. For example as a 10 year old I liked watching the Brady Bunch, the Partridge Family, Alias Smith and Jones etc. I sometimes felt that Mom and Dad watched my shows only because they were family friendly. While I liked watching the comedies like Here’s Lucy, My Three Sons, Bewitched etc. with my parents they also liked to watch shows like The F.B.I., Gunsmoke and Mission Impossible. While I have grown to appreciate those shows and would like to see them again they were boring to my 10 year old senses. One Sunday night I was playing a game with my cousin. My Mom called to me that Cade’s County was on. I told her that I didn’t want to watch it anymore. To this day I feel like I hurt her feelings when I heard her say “But I thought we all found a show that we like to watch!” The truth is we did for awhile. I just got bored with it. Just like I got bored with The F.B.I. and Mission Impossible. I suppose I should have gone into the living room to watch the show with them but I was having too much fun playing that game. The show must have been a hit early on. As evidence the above TV Guide cover talks about how movie stars don’t shine on TV but Glenn Ford does. It must have had a big drop in viewers because it was canceled. Its last broadcast was September 4, 1972.
It was in September of 1972 that my Mom’s prayer for a show we all enjoyed together was answered. It was at that time that The Walton’s came on. It was instantly the family favorite. 

The Stars On TV Continued: The Smith Family

By the 1970’s the half hour drama was becoming rare. If you were a drama you were an hour long. Only sit-coms were a half an hour. In 1971 on Wednesday nights ABC aired the Smith Family. It was one of those rare half hour dramas. It did have some minor success mainly because it stared Henry Fonda as Det. Sgt. Chad Smith. He was a 25 year veteran of the police force and worked on everything from robberies to runaway children to homicides. His police work was not the focus of the series. It was centered mostly on his family life. Janet Blair played his wife Betty. His children were played by Darlene Carr as Cindy Smith, Michael-Kames Wixted played Brian Smith and a post Opie pre Ritchie Cunningham Ron Howard played 15 year old Bob Smith. I am sure that Rance Howard was a good father since he did most of the fatherly work. However, with help from Andy Griffith, Henry Fonda and Tom Bosley it is no wonder that Ron Howard turned out to be pretty levelheaded. Of course I don’t remember ever episode of the series but I do remember one where son Bob got to ride along with some police for a report from school. Nothing was supposed to happen so Dad wasn’t worried but Mom was. When it turned out that something happened on ride along they both were worried till Bob got home. Another episode was probably their Christmas episode. Mr. Fonda was hanging up a sign on the house that said Merry Xmas. I asked my Dad what that meant. He told me it meant Merry Christmas. He said they took Christ out of Christmas and we should not do that. Except for this example I have always written it as Christmas.
To the best of my knowledge this is the only TV series that Henry Fonda was in unless he was he guest star on a show. He did host a special tribute to All In The Family but was never officially on the show. In 1963 he was the star of Spencer’s Mountain. It was based on a novel by Earl Hamner Jr. Eventually the TV networks asked Mr. Hamner to create a TV movie. He based his TV Movie on the same characters but made a few changes and titled the movie The Homecoming. That movie did so well it became a series. Perhaps you have heard of it. It was called The Waltons. Till very recently it was the longest running family dramas on TV. So in around about way Mr. Fonda stared in the movie that the Waltons was based on. So he was involved with two family dramas. However, The Smith Family didn’t come close to being competition to the long run of the Waltons. The Smith family only ran from January 20, 1971 to June 14, 1972. Only a year and a half run, The Waltons ran for 9 years. The Smith Family was a pretty good show and should have run longer. I hope there will be a DVD release soon of the series. The above TV Guide cover is for The Smith Family and it is the May 8, 1971 issue.
I just saw an ad for the new series Shark Starring James Woods this fall on TV. Let's hope, in this day of what seems like a million channels demanding our attention, that Mr. Woods can bet the odds and become part of a rare breed. A movie star that can transition to become a television star. 

The Stars On TV Continued: The Big Valley

On September 15, 1965 Barbara Stanwyck, as usual, defied the rule that movie stars didn’t become TV stars. She was the star of the western The Big Valley. She was Victoria Barkley the head of the Barkley family ranch in the San Joaquin Valley of California in the 1870’s. She ran the family business with her sons Jarrod (Richard Long), Nick (Peter Breck) and daughter Audra (Linda Evans). The early episodes introduced Heath Barkley (Lee Majors). He was the illegitimate son of Victoria’s late husband Tom. This story line gave the series a soap opera feel till Heath was accepted as part of the family. Mr. Majors had to be one of the luckiest men on the planet at that time. This was his first acting job. No small roles in plays, movies or other TV shows for him. He started at the top. The only other actor I have heard that happened to back then was Burt Ward when he was cast as Robin on Batman. The similarities end there as Mr. Ward was not on any other series. Mr. Majors has since starred in other shows. Most of them were big hit shows that helped to define that decade of television. As a matter of fact most of this cast had that type of luck with their careers. Richard Long’s next TV series was a minor hit comedy called Nanny and the Professor. It was a mid-season replacement in January of 1970. It got renewed for the fall of 1970 but was canceled by December of 1971. Mr. Long died not too long after that. Linda Evans took decades off from her TV acting career. During part of that time she married and divorced John Derek. She emerged on TV again in January of 1981 as Krystle Carrington in one of the biggest hits of the 1980’s. It was Dynasty. Like I said about Mr. Majors post Big Valley series this series also defined the decade it was produced in. It ran until May of 1989. Dynasty also brought Miss Barbara Stanwyck back to TV. It had a spin off series called Dynasty II: The Colbys. Like The Big Valley she ran the family business. She also had the help of Charlton Heston. It was a hit but not as big as the show that spun it off.
I said earlier that Barbara Stanwyck as usual defied the rule. I said that because it seemed to be an unwritten rule that only men could become big stars. Very few women became screen legends. Those women were Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn and Barbara Stanwyck. During the credits of the Big Valley she showed who the big gun was on the series. It seemed like an event each week when she was introduced as Miss. Barbara Stanwyck. None of the men on this or any series at that time were called Mr. Also, unlike many of her male counterparts, her show was a hit. It’s last broadcast was on May 19, 1969. Pictured above is the TV Guide cover from July 20, 1968. On the cover are Miss. Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Long and Linda Evans.

The Stars On TV: The Jimmy Stewart Show/ Hawkins

Television has made many stars out of actors. Many of them went on to be become movie stars like Michael Douglas, Tom Hanks, Goldie Hawn, etc. Some actors who were already movie stars have tried their hand at becoming TV stars. For some reason that doesn’t turn out as well as you would think. Perhaps it is because the actor is so well known from his or her movies that they are bigger then the role on the show. In other words the audience can’t believe them in the part.
My all time favorite actor is Jimmy Stewart. He has made at least two attempts at a television series. His first attempt was the well named Jimmy Stewart Show. It aired Sunday nights on NBC at 8:30pm from September 19, 1971 to August 27, 1972. This show should have been a big hit for Jimmy but wasn’t since it only lasted one season. Jimmy played Professor James Howard a teacher at a small town college. Most of the comedy in this sit-com revolved around his home life. At home the Professor’s married son Peter moved back in bringing his wife and 8 year old son Teddy with him. To make things more confusing the Professor and his wife had another son named Jake who was also 8 years old. Teddy was a little embarrassed when he had to tell people that Jake was his Uncle. Another fine actor on the show was character actor John McGiver who played Dr. Luther Quince. He was the Professors boss and best friend. While never a big movie star the movies were also kinder to Mr. McGiver. Almost any TV show he co-stared in got canceled. As I said before the show should have been a big hit for Mr. Stewart. He gained fame by playing the small town man fighting the good fight. This was the type of character that he played on his TV show. I guess that he had just grown too big for the role.
A little over a year later on October 2, 1973 he tried again when he starred in Hawkins on CBS on Tuesday nights at 9:30pm to 11pm. It was a legal drama which he played Billy Jim Hawkins a lawyer in rural West Virginia. Much like Matlock years later Hawkins fame as a lawyer preceded him and many wealthy clients came to West Virginia to ask his help. His slow taking and country ways made him sound dumb to big city attorneys and police officials. He used this to his advantage to disguise the sharp investigative mind that he had. His cousin R. J. Hawkins, played by Strother Martin, traveled with him and helped him investigate and solve the crime.
This show was part of CBS's attempt to start a revolving wheel of crime series. One week it was Hawkins, then Shaft and the next week it was the Tuesday movie of the week. It was actually a fun series to watch. However, it seemed that only NBC with McCloud, Columbo and McMillan and Wife could get a revolving crime wheel going. The other networks could never seem to get one going. Shaft was pretty good too. Perhaps if they had been on each week both series would have lasted longer. As it was this series ended on September 3, 1974. Since Mr. Stewart is no longer with us I hope that they release both series on DVD real soon.

A Show That Should Be Released On DVD...The Good Guys

Well here is one of the best comedies that Bob Denver ever did. At least that is what I have heard. I never got to see it and it has never been rerun anytime. He did it fresh off his success from Gilligan’s Island. Bob was Rufus s single Cabdriver and was best friends since high school with Bert (Herb Edelman) who ran his own diner with his wife Claudia (Joyce Van Patten). Rufus was not only a cabdriver but he worked part time at the diner if Bert needed help. Rufus was always coming up with get rich quick schemes that never worked but always got them into trouble. One story that I read about was really ahead of it’s time. Claudia wanted to beautify the highways of the city by planting flowers. Bert was going to help her and they left Rufus to handle the crowd at the diner. The police stop Bert and Claudia thinking they are planting marijuana. They are arrested. At the station the police hear them talking about Rufus. They ask where he is. Bert innocently tells them he is at the diner making hash. I am sure that it got worse from there but it sounds like it was pretty funny to me.
The show aired on CBS from September 25, 1968 to January 23, 1970. It couldn’t have done too badly since it was renewed for a second season. However, it didn’t get to run the full second season. Seen on occasion were Gilligan’s …ahem! I mean Bob’s Gilligan’s Island co-horts Alan Hale Jr. and Jim Backus.
During the second season Rufus gave up the cab driving business and became a full partner in the Diner. He should have kept driving as the diner closed down at the time the series was canceled. Perhaps the show will be released on DVD someday.

Rest In Peace Jack Warden

I just read on Mark Evanier’s site that Jack Warden died. According to other sites I read he basically died of old age. He stared in many fine films like All The President’s Men, Heaven Can Wait, Used Cars, Problem Child and more. He was a fine actor and I will best remember him for his role on the TV show Crazy Like A Fox. It was a favorite show in my home. My Dad said Harry Fox played by Jack Warden and Harrison Fox, Harry’s son played by John Rubinstein reminded him of us the way they solved crimes together. He was right. I had hoped to see another reunion with the two. Maybe one day John Rubinstein can play Harrison as a lawyer who solves cases the way his detective Dad did and his own son works with him in the law firm. This makes me feel like I have lost another part of my Dad again. I just had to write about it in honor of my Dad. 

It Was 30 Years Ago Today

The week of July 24, 1976 the #1 hit in America was Kiss And Say Goodbye by The Manhattans. Winfred “Blue” Lovett said that they didn’t name themselves after the city as you might think. They were named after the cocktail drink. He said they were named the Dulcets. It meant they sang melodic tones but if someone in the audience didn’t know that then the name didn’t make sense. He didn’t fully explain why they named themselves after the drink.
Most of the group was from New Jersey. But when the Air Force sent some of them overseas they returned with 2 new members. At a contest at the Apollo Theatre in 1964 they came in third. However, it was a turning point in the groups’ career as an executive for Carnival Records was there and signed then to a contract. In March 1965 they had their debut single on the pop charts. The song I Wanna Be (Your Everything) peaked at 68. Later, they changed to King Records and had some R & B hits but failed to crack the pop charts.
In 1972 they were signed to Columbia Records. With a major label behind them they were allowed to get more involved with the production of their music. Blue Lovett wrote many of their songs. He said that sometimes they would come to him while he was sleeping but none of them were good enough to make him get out of bed in the middle of the night. Then came one that he just couldn’t get out of his head. So he dragged himself to his piano in the middle of the night and wrote the song. It was Kiss And Say Goodbye. Lovett says that he liked his songs to tell a story and this one was about a love triangle. Something that we have all been through at one time or another. It entered the charts on April 17, 1976 and was #1 the week of July 24, 1976. Their next big hit came in 1980 with Shining Star. It went to #5 on the pop charts and in 1985 had a hit with a Sam Cooke remake You Send Me on the adult contemporary charts. 

Dave Berry On Hurricanes

Just got this from my friend Chuck who lives in Florida. Thought you might like to read it if you have not yet. I don't have a picture of Dave Berry but I did have one of Harry Anderson who played Dave Berry on Dave's World. The series was based on one of his books that, like most of what he writes, was based on his life.


Dave Barry on Hurricane Season
To: Ex-Floridians, present Floridians, and future Floridians or those who know a Floridian. We're about to enter the peak of the hurricane season. Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Gulf of Mexico and making two basic meteorological points. (1) There is no need to panic (2) We could all be killed Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Florida. If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by "the big one.'' Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan: STEP 1. Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days. STEP 2. Put these supplies into your car. STEP 3. Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here in Florida. We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items: HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE: If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic requirements: (1) It is reasonably well-built, and (2) It is located in Nebraska. Unfortunately, if your home is located in Florida, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place. So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house. At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss. Since Hurricane Andrew, I have had an estimated 27 different home-insurance companies. This week, I'm covered by the "Bob and Big Stan Insurance Company", under a policy which states that, in addition to my premium, Bob and Big Stan are entitled, on demand, to my kidneys. SHUTTERS: Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and -- if it's a major hurricane -- all the toilets. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages: PLYWOOD SHUTTERS: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap. The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off. SHEET-METAL SHUTTERS: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up. The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December. ROLL-DOWN SHUTTERS: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house. The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them. HURRICANE-PROOF'' WINDOWS: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection. They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska. HURRICANE PROOFING YOUR PROPERTY: As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc.; you should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately). Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles. EVACUATION ROUTE: If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out. (To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says "Florida" you live in a low-lying area.) The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits. Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees. So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely. HURRICANE SUPPLIES: If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies. Do not buy them now! Florida tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM. In addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies: 23 flashlights and at least $167 worth of batteries that turn out, when the power goes out, to be the wrong size for the flashlights.
Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for. NOBODY knows what the bleach is for. But it's traditional, so GET some!)
A 55-gallon drum of underarm deodorant.
A big knife that you can strap to your leg. (This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.)
A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators. (Ask anybody who went through Andrew; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.)
$35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.
Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the ocean and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the ocean. Good luck and remember: it's great living in paradise! Those of you who aren't here yet, you should come. Really! 

A prayer to ask Jesus into your heart

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever, believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.John 3:16 and 17king james version
If you know in your heart that you need Jesus Christ in your life. Then pray this simple prayer.

Dear God,
I know that I am a sinner and need forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ shed His precious blood and died for my sin. I am willing to turn from sin. I invite Christ into my heart and life as my personal Saviour. Amen!
If you have done this then you now need to find a Bible believing and preaching church. The links section at the right or below depending on your browser has links to some local churches in my area. You can e-mail them if they are not in your area. They may be able to help you find one in your area. 

The Television Family

The posting yesterday on reunion movies along with TV Land airing the Brady Bunch this week end got me to thinking. They say that the only time the cast of a TV show became what they played on the show only happened with the Monkees. They were only suppose to play a rock band but eventually became a rock band. Well when the Brady Bunch went on the air in September of 1969 it was about to happen again. Over time the core cast, without realizing it, became a family. Robert Reed was famous for hating the quality of the scripts. In the last episode he was cut out of the script. He was told to leave the set but refused. Sherwood Schwartz could have had security drag him away but Mr. Reed and the kids were so close and viewed him as a father figure that he didn’t have the heart to have the kids see Dad taken away by security. If the show had been renewed for another season there were plans to write Mr. Reed out of the show. He was to have died in a car accident over the summer. It is a good thing he was kept alive. When the show spun off the Brady Brides Mr. Reed was asked to appear in the first episode since it was the wedding episode. The producers asked out of kindness and were ready to recast the part since he was busy on a Broadway play and really hated the show. They were surprised when he said he would make the time to do it because “No one else marries off my daughters!” He took time off from the play and flew to LA to shoot the pilot.
Now Peter, Christopher Knight, is getting married. Greg, Barry Williams, sang at the wedding and Bobby, Mike Lookinland, and Cindy, Susan Olsen, attended. Mike Lookinland said it wasn’t like a former cast member got married. He said “My brother’s getting married.”
I have known all my life that TV was powerful. I never realized that it actually created a family.