Sam Pancake as Michael Champagne.
Dee Freeman as Ribina Champagne.
Troy Conrad as Ethan Champagne.
Monday, November 30, 2009
PRETTY Posters
Here's some exclusive teaser posters from PRETTY, a new web series which I was one of the producers of. PRETTY premieres in January on a computer screen near you!
Sam Pancake as Michael Champagne.
Dee Freeman as Ribina Champagne.
Troy Conrad as Ethan Champagne.
Sam Pancake as Michael Champagne.
Dee Freeman as Ribina Champagne.
Troy Conrad as Ethan Champagne.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
What's My Line? (Again)
While I enjoy my holiday, here's a post from last year.
WHAT'S MY LINE is the greatest panel game show on TV ever. 
Sure the two other Goodson-Todman classics were TO TELL THE TRUTH - which had an awesome theme song (and the great Kitty Carlisle) and I'VE GOT A SECRET, which had the future Mrs. Pamela Vorhees (Betsy Palmer) on its panel- but WML?, which ran on CBS in primetime from 1950 through 1967 and in syndication from 1968 to 1975 is the granddaddy of all guessing games. THE MATCH GAME, which I love, is in a different category altogether.
Oddly I only discovered WML? only about 7 years ago when it was airing as part of the Game Show Network's vintage Sunday night line-up. I do kinda recall seeing the syndicated version when I was a kid, but it didn't really leave a great impression on me. Reruns of the B&W classics still air weeknights at 3AM on GSN and have been a fixture on my dvr for the most of the Bush years. I have now seen each episode at least three or times each - and I still cannot stop watching. It's "comfort TV" in a sea of loud, abrasive game shows that populate today's TV landscape.
The original version, for most of its run, aired LIVE weekly on Sunday nights from New York City with filmed playbacks airing a week later on the west coast. Hosted by honored ABC newsman John Charles Daly, the show was low on glitz, but big on smarts.
The game itself was simple - contestants came on and the four panel members tried to determine what they did for a living through a series of "yes" and "no" questions. The big prize of $50 was awarded to players who could stump the panel. A special feature, usually the third round of the evening, was a "mystery guest" who the panel would try to identify while blindfolded. These individuals were usually showbiz folks who had a movie or show to promote, but sometimes were politicians, athletes or newsmakers of the day. Fun!
The panelists changed little over the years. The main players were:
Broadway gossip columnist Dorothy Kilgallen - an uptight old-school conservative with a vicious determination to win the game. Miss Kilgallen was dubbed "the chinless wonder" by her nemesis Frank Sinatra and also co-hosted a radio chat show with her husband Dick Kollmar while carrying on a torrid affair with bisexual crooner Johnny Ray. Dorothy died suddenly of a drug overdose in 1965 while investigating the JFK assassination. Hmmm...
An account of her life and death was published in 1979. A fictional account of her affair with Johnny Ray followed in 2002 and A film based on her story has recently been optioned. 
The lovely Arlene Francis was a Broadway and film actress and a daytime talk-show hostess. 
Her honest sweetness and delightful humor were a direct contrast to Dorothy's seemingly constant discomfort and stern, guarded personality. 
Arlene was also quite a fashionista, often dressed to the nines, while at sixes and sevens was Dorothy. Miss Francis was sheer class - but not a prude. Some of the show's sassiest double entendres came from her lips. Arlene appeared on the syndicated version into the 1970s. 
Miss Francis' memoirs were published in 1978, she passed away in 2001 at the age of 93.
"Is it bigger than a bread box?" came from the tirelessly witty and then uber-liberal Steve Allen, who was an early panelist, though he left to pursue other endeavors (like creating THE TONIGHT SHOW). His replacement was sourpuss comedian Fred Allen (no relation) who sat on the panel from 1953 until his death in 1956.
Steve returned on occasion after Fred's death, and rotating celebs filling this spot included the ever-spiffy Tony Randall, smart-guy Robert Q. Lewis and the likable Martin Gabel (Mr. Arlene Francis). Other memorable guest panelists include the brilliantly insane Groucho Marx, the entertaining Ernie Kovas and the exasperating Victor Borge.
The final regular panelist was Bennett Cerf, who's day job was running the Random House publishing empire. Bennett was always making corny jokes, awkward remarks and odd non-sequitors. 
He was like having a charming, but embarrassing "grandpa" on the panel. He died in 1971. His collection of reminiscences, AT RANDOM, was collected in 1977.
Part of the fun of WHAT'S MY LINE? is watching these people interact. It's as if there was a weekly cocktail party where five friends played a parlor game and the viewer was invited to watch. While the occupations of contestants are sometimes un-PC ("lady lawyer" ,"lady chiropractor", etc.) or downright offensive ("bullfighter") it's very interesting from a historical perspective to see what REAL men and women were like during the 1950s and 60s. Producer Gil Fates wrote a wonderful account of his 25 years with WML? in 1978.
Some recurring popular "mystery guests" include Jack Lemmon (8 appearances),
Jerry Lewis (7), Lucille Ball (6), Joan Crawford (5) and Bette Davis (5).
Other memorable guests include Carol Channing, Judy Garland, Jacqueline Susann, Ethel Merman, Sal Mineo, Doris Day, Phyllis Diller, Barbara Streisand and The Supremes.
The syndicated version was hosted by Wally Bruner and then by Larry Blyden. Just as this edition was coming to a close, a 25th Anniversary Special aired on ABC in 1975. Unfortunately most individuals involved with the show have now passed on, with panelist Martin Gabel passing in 1986. Host John Charles Daly and panelist Robert Q. Lewis both died in 1991. Steve Allen died in 2000, after sadly having become quite conservative in his old age and the ever-classy Tony Randall died in 2004. (Before he died, Tony forbid Bush and Cheney to attend his funeral - gotta love that!)
WHAT'S MY LINE is the greatest panel game show on TV ever. 
Sure the two other Goodson-Todman classics were TO TELL THE TRUTH - which had an awesome theme song (and the great Kitty Carlisle) and I'VE GOT A SECRET, which had the future Mrs. Pamela Vorhees (Betsy Palmer) on its panel- but WML?, which ran on CBS in primetime from 1950 through 1967 and in syndication from 1968 to 1975 is the granddaddy of all guessing games. THE MATCH GAME, which I love, is in a different category altogether.
Oddly I only discovered WML? only about 7 years ago when it was airing as part of the Game Show Network's vintage Sunday night line-up. I do kinda recall seeing the syndicated version when I was a kid, but it didn't really leave a great impression on me. Reruns of the B&W classics still air weeknights at 3AM on GSN and have been a fixture on my dvr for the most of the Bush years. I have now seen each episode at least three or times each - and I still cannot stop watching. It's "comfort TV" in a sea of loud, abrasive game shows that populate today's TV landscape.
The original version, for most of its run, aired LIVE weekly on Sunday nights from New York City with filmed playbacks airing a week later on the west coast. Hosted by honored ABC newsman John Charles Daly, the show was low on glitz, but big on smarts.
The game itself was simple - contestants came on and the four panel members tried to determine what they did for a living through a series of "yes" and "no" questions. The big prize of $50 was awarded to players who could stump the panel. A special feature, usually the third round of the evening, was a "mystery guest" who the panel would try to identify while blindfolded. These individuals were usually showbiz folks who had a movie or show to promote, but sometimes were politicians, athletes or newsmakers of the day. Fun!
The panelists changed little over the years. The main players were:Broadway gossip columnist Dorothy Kilgallen - an uptight old-school conservative with a vicious determination to win the game. Miss Kilgallen was dubbed "the chinless wonder" by her nemesis Frank Sinatra and also co-hosted a radio chat show with her husband Dick Kollmar while carrying on a torrid affair with bisexual crooner Johnny Ray. Dorothy died suddenly of a drug overdose in 1965 while investigating the JFK assassination. Hmmm...
An account of her life and death was published in 1979. A fictional account of her affair with Johnny Ray followed in 2002 and A film based on her story has recently been optioned. 
The lovely Arlene Francis was a Broadway and film actress and a daytime talk-show hostess. 
Her honest sweetness and delightful humor were a direct contrast to Dorothy's seemingly constant discomfort and stern, guarded personality. 
Arlene was also quite a fashionista, often dressed to the nines, while at sixes and sevens was Dorothy. Miss Francis was sheer class - but not a prude. Some of the show's sassiest double entendres came from her lips. Arlene appeared on the syndicated version into the 1970s. 
Miss Francis' memoirs were published in 1978, she passed away in 2001 at the age of 93.
"Is it bigger than a bread box?" came from the tirelessly witty and then uber-liberal Steve Allen, who was an early panelist, though he left to pursue other endeavors (like creating THE TONIGHT SHOW). His replacement was sourpuss comedian Fred Allen (no relation) who sat on the panel from 1953 until his death in 1956.
Steve returned on occasion after Fred's death, and rotating celebs filling this spot included the ever-spiffy Tony Randall, smart-guy Robert Q. Lewis and the likable Martin Gabel (Mr. Arlene Francis). Other memorable guest panelists include the brilliantly insane Groucho Marx, the entertaining Ernie Kovas and the exasperating Victor Borge.
The final regular panelist was Bennett Cerf, who's day job was running the Random House publishing empire. Bennett was always making corny jokes, awkward remarks and odd non-sequitors. 
He was like having a charming, but embarrassing "grandpa" on the panel. He died in 1971. His collection of reminiscences, AT RANDOM, was collected in 1977.
Part of the fun of WHAT'S MY LINE? is watching these people interact. It's as if there was a weekly cocktail party where five friends played a parlor game and the viewer was invited to watch. While the occupations of contestants are sometimes un-PC ("lady lawyer" ,"lady chiropractor", etc.) or downright offensive ("bullfighter") it's very interesting from a historical perspective to see what REAL men and women were like during the 1950s and 60s. Producer Gil Fates wrote a wonderful account of his 25 years with WML? in 1978.
Some recurring popular "mystery guests" include Jack Lemmon (8 appearances),Jerry Lewis (7), Lucille Ball (6), Joan Crawford (5) and Bette Davis (5).
Other memorable guests include Carol Channing, Judy Garland, Jacqueline Susann, Ethel Merman, Sal Mineo, Doris Day, Phyllis Diller, Barbara Streisand and The Supremes.
The syndicated version was hosted by Wally Bruner and then by Larry Blyden. Just as this edition was coming to a close, a 25th Anniversary Special aired on ABC in 1975. Unfortunately most individuals involved with the show have now passed on, with panelist Martin Gabel passing in 1986. Host John Charles Daly and panelist Robert Q. Lewis both died in 1991. Steve Allen died in 2000, after sadly having become quite conservative in his old age and the ever-classy Tony Randall died in 2004. (Before he died, Tony forbid Bush and Cheney to attend his funeral - gotta love that!)A live stage version of WML? hosted by J. Keith Van Straaten ran in LA for a few years, and later in NYC. It was tons of fun, and I was in the audience almost every week. Some cool panelists and mystery guests were featured. I suspect that it will be back one day.
Rumors of a new primetime revival on NBC surfaced earlier this year, with David Hasselhoff attached to host. I think I'd prefer to play a home game like this one:
or even this one:
That's all for now, but there's so much more to the WHAT'S MY LINE story to tell...maybe some day.
Rumors of a new primetime revival on NBC surfaced earlier this year, with David Hasselhoff attached to host. I think I'd prefer to play a home game like this one:
or even this one:
That's all for now, but there's so much more to the WHAT'S MY LINE story to tell...maybe some day.Saturday, November 28, 2009
Creepy Santa Door Panel
I bought a vintage holiday decoration at an antique mall in Arizona last weekend.
It's 6 feet tall and made of waterproof vinyl and is still in its original package. My guess is that it came from the 1970s. The front of the package depicts an actual picture of the entire product, but if you flip it over you see:
ARRRRGGGGHHHH! Ohmygod - Santa what's happened to you? Has your years of hard working and drinking caught up with you? Do you suffer from constant rosacea or are you sun burnt? Can I get you some aloe vera? Poor Saint Nick, I hope you're not in too much pain. The question is - do I keep you in your package or proudly display you in all your redfaced glory this holiday season?
It's 6 feet tall and made of waterproof vinyl and is still in its original package. My guess is that it came from the 1970s. The front of the package depicts an actual picture of the entire product, but if you flip it over you see:
ARRRRGGGGHHHH! Ohmygod - Santa what's happened to you? Has your years of hard working and drinking caught up with you? Do you suffer from constant rosacea or are you sun burnt? Can I get you some aloe vera? Poor Saint Nick, I hope you're not in too much pain. The question is - do I keep you in your package or proudly display you in all your redfaced glory this holiday season?
Friday, November 27, 2009
The Day After Thanks...
When I was a kid, something I always looked forward to on the day after Thanksgiving was when ABC (and later CBS also) filled their Friday schedule with episodes of all their Saturday morning cartoon favorites.
Yeah, they were the same old crappy mix of badly animated shows you could see on any given Saturday, but somehow having them air on a Friday made them seem really special. The local ABC station also added to the fun by show two of my favorite animated features over the holiday weekend...
HEY THERE IT'S YOGI BEAR (1964), which featured Yogi's Southern belle girlfriend Cindy Bear.
and THE MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE which features some great music, including a fun James Bond-like theme song. These two feature-length Hanna-Barbara took our Saturday-morning TV favorites and and gave them some big screen exposure. This tradition seems to have flourished as Nickekodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel favorites now regularly appear in straight-to-dvd features in this mold. 
In fact this morning, I awoke to TWEETY'S HIGH-FLYING ADVENTURE, a cute all-star Warner Bros. musical farce featuring cameos by about two dozen Looney Tunes characters. It's pretty fun to see Sylvester interact with Pepé LePew and Penelope Pussycat, especially when it seems that Pepé is suggesting a three-way with the puddy tats! Boy, times have changed!
Yeah, they were the same old crappy mix of badly animated shows you could see on any given Saturday, but somehow having them air on a Friday made them seem really special. The local ABC station also added to the fun by show two of my favorite animated features over the holiday weekend...
HEY THERE IT'S YOGI BEAR (1964), which featured Yogi's Southern belle girlfriend Cindy Bear.
and THE MAN CALLED FLINTSTONE which features some great music, including a fun James Bond-like theme song. These two feature-length Hanna-Barbara took our Saturday-morning TV favorites and and gave them some big screen exposure. This tradition seems to have flourished as Nickekodeon, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel favorites now regularly appear in straight-to-dvd features in this mold. 
In fact this morning, I awoke to TWEETY'S HIGH-FLYING ADVENTURE, a cute all-star Warner Bros. musical farce featuring cameos by about two dozen Looney Tunes characters. It's pretty fun to see Sylvester interact with Pepé LePew and Penelope Pussycat, especially when it seems that Pepé is suggesting a three-way with the puddy tats! Boy, times have changed!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
King Family Revisited
Here's a rerun of a post from last Easter - including a new Thanksgiving update AND a announcement sure to make King Family fans smile!
When I was a kid I was obsessed with The King Family.The King Family was this humongous group of clean-cut, mostly-blond, well-dressed white folk who sang cover versions of songs made famous by other people. These were mostly showtunes, spirituals and patriotic songs like Climb Every Mountain, He's Got the Whole in His Hands and America the Beautiful. Sometimes they all dressed alike and sometimes they even dressed like royalty!
When I was a kid I was obsessed with The King Family.The King Family was this humongous group of clean-cut, mostly-blond, well-dressed white folk who sang cover versions of songs made famous by other people. These were mostly showtunes, spirituals and patriotic songs like Climb Every Mountain, He's Got the Whole in His Hands and America the Beautiful. Sometimes they all dressed alike and sometimes they even dressed like royalty!The King Sisters (Donna, Yvonne, Louise and Alyce) and their extended musical family had their own ABC prime-time variety series from 1965-66. It was sort of like THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW if Lawrence had fathered everyone.
In all, some thirty-seven members of the King family, ranging in age from seven months to 79 years, were featured on the show. I wanted to be one.
A short-lived 1969 revival, also on ABC, focused on the younger, hipper King Cousins. Don't they look cool? 
Back in 1969, channel 11 in LA ran a special Thanksgiving themed hour featuring the King Family - right after an hour of THE BARBARA McNAIR SHOW! Man, sometimes I wish I had a time machine. Actually, I do - it's called PBS.
After this blog post original ran in April, I received several emails and comments from people who also grew up watching the King Family. additionally, a producer of a NEW King Family Christmas special contacted me. Their holiday special debuts this week on PBS. You can find out where in your area here. Visit their officail website here for more info about the talented clan. Also the DVDs of the shows and specials are available through Cam Clarke, son of Alyce King. Visit his website for more info.
Back in 1969, channel 11 in LA ran a special Thanksgiving themed hour featuring the King Family - right after an hour of THE BARBARA McNAIR SHOW! Man, sometimes I wish I had a time machine. Actually, I do - it's called PBS.
After this blog post original ran in April, I received several emails and comments from people who also grew up watching the King Family. additionally, a producer of a NEW King Family Christmas special contacted me. Their holiday special debuts this week on PBS. You can find out where in your area here. Visit their officail website here for more info about the talented clan. Also the DVDs of the shows and specials are available through Cam Clarke, son of Alyce King. Visit his website for more info.Monday, November 23, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Liza & Rosie Cartoon Show (The Parody Returns)
It's been a year since the much-maligned ROSIE LIVE! TV special aired on NBC. This was a horribly conceived and executed ego trip for hostess Rosie O'Donnell. Our friend Marc over at Deep Dish has already dissected it admirably last year. Rosie's first guest of the evening Liza Minnelli was one of the few bright spots of the hour. Seeing Liza and Rosie together brought back memories of a little-known project these two odd gay icons did a few years back.
The premise of the show is this: Liza gets out of rehab and all her gay ex-husbands and boyfriends have gone on tour with JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS, so she turns up on the steps of her good friend Rosie, the "queen of nice" - who gladly takes in the dynamic diva. Hilarity ensues as the two learn to get along despite Liza's zany antics and Rosie's "niceness".
Episode # 1 "The Puss-Hide-Ing Adventure" - Liza has a gig performing on a cruise ship, and Rosie wants to join her - only she can't afford a ticket cause she was fired from from her latest TV show. Rosie and her conservative kitty Hasselbeck become stowaways, but things get turned upside down when Rosie trips over her pussy and causes the ship to flip over. Liza saves the day by singing "There's Got to Be a Morning After".
Episode #2 "The Flowering Inferno" - Liza plants a poppy garden, but loudmouth Rosie accidentally lights it on fire while practicing fire-eating for her gender-bending stage role as Gene Simmons in a production of "KISS Me Kate".
Episode # 3 "I Dream of Sweeney" - After a freak accident Rosie acquires the powers of a genie, BUT she can only turn things into meat pies. Luckily Liza is having a soiree to honor Stephen Sondheim-only he's allergic to meat! Rosie has a hair-brain scheme to save the day! Will she succeed?
Episode #4 "Rosie's Panic Room" - When Jodie Foster stops by on her way to the Dinah Shore golf tournament, Rosie accidently locks her in a panic room. Who's gonna host the pool party now???
Episode #5 "Liza Gets Her Mountie" - On a visit Canada to purchase over-the-counter drugs, Rosie backs out of her commitment to "mule" and, as a cover-up, Liza has to recruit the locals to perform a rousing number from "The Rink."
Episode # 6 "The Old Soft Shell" - When Liza's tap dance instructor gives her a wicked case of crabs, so she must fumigate the house. Only Rosie's Tom Cruise & Koosh Ball Enthusiasts Society meeting is scheduled for the same afternoon! Could this be the last straw for these mismatched roommates??? I certainly hope not!!!
Yes-THE LIZA AND ROSIE CARTOON SHOW, a hidden gem from the Hanna-Barbera vault. The show only lasted six episodes, so it's not as well-loved as classics like CLUE CLUB or FRED & BARNEY MEET THE SCHMOO, but the show has it's small, loyal cult of fans.
The premise of the show is this: Liza gets out of rehab and all her gay ex-husbands and boyfriends have gone on tour with JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS, so she turns up on the steps of her good friend Rosie, the "queen of nice" - who gladly takes in the dynamic diva. Hilarity ensues as the two learn to get along despite Liza's zany antics and Rosie's "niceness".Episode # 1 "The Puss-Hide-Ing Adventure" - Liza has a gig performing on a cruise ship, and Rosie wants to join her - only she can't afford a ticket cause she was fired from from her latest TV show. Rosie and her conservative kitty Hasselbeck become stowaways, but things get turned upside down when Rosie trips over her pussy and causes the ship to flip over. Liza saves the day by singing "There's Got to Be a Morning After".
Episode #2 "The Flowering Inferno" - Liza plants a poppy garden, but loudmouth Rosie accidentally lights it on fire while practicing fire-eating for her gender-bending stage role as Gene Simmons in a production of "KISS Me Kate".
Episode # 3 "I Dream of Sweeney" - After a freak accident Rosie acquires the powers of a genie, BUT she can only turn things into meat pies. Luckily Liza is having a soiree to honor Stephen Sondheim-only he's allergic to meat! Rosie has a hair-brain scheme to save the day! Will she succeed?
Episode #4 "Rosie's Panic Room" - When Jodie Foster stops by on her way to the Dinah Shore golf tournament, Rosie accidently locks her in a panic room. Who's gonna host the pool party now???
Episode #5 "Liza Gets Her Mountie" - On a visit Canada to purchase over-the-counter drugs, Rosie backs out of her commitment to "mule" and, as a cover-up, Liza has to recruit the locals to perform a rousing number from "The Rink."
Episode # 6 "The Old Soft Shell" - When Liza's tap dance instructor gives her a wicked case of crabs, so she must fumigate the house. Only Rosie's Tom Cruise & Koosh Ball Enthusiasts Society meeting is scheduled for the same afternoon! Could this be the last straw for these mismatched roommates??? I certainly hope not!!!Thursday, November 19, 2009
Rocky & Bullwinkle @ 50
Jay Ward's Rocky the Flying Squirrel first flew into American homes 50 years ago today! Yes, it's been a half-century since Rocket J. Squirrel began outwitting Cold War villains Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale, along with his friend Bullwinkle on ROCKY & FRIENDS and later on THE BULLWINKLE SHOW. For lots more info on Rocky and his Frostbite Falls cohorts, go here.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Johnny Mercer @ 100
John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer was born 100 years ago today. Though he died in 1976, his gorgeous standards have had a life beyond his lifetime. He is best known as a lyricist, but he also composed music and recorded songs as a pop singer. Mercer wrote the lyrics to more than a thousand songs, including some for film and Broadway shows. Some of his most popular tunes were "Too Marvelous for Words", "Hooray for Hollywood", "Jeepers Creepers", "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby", "Fools Rush In","I Remember You" (written about Judy Garland), "Blues in the Night", "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)", "That Old Black Magic", "Come Rain Or Come Shine", "Skylark", "Moon River" and my personal favorite, "Autumn Leaves", based on the French song "Les Feuilles Mortes". Mercer received nineteen Academy Award nominations and was a co-founder of Capitol Records. His music also played an important role in the book and film version of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.Happy Birthday, Johnny.
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