My 3rd Anniversary, Mary's 40th

Yes - I began blogging 4 years ago on September 19, 2007 and (THE) MARY TYLER MOORE (SHOW) premiered 40 years ago on September 19, 1970. To celebrate both occasions, here's a re-edited re-post of a very early blog. In fact, it was the first DOUGSPLOITATION post.

Let's just say that (THE) MARY TYLER MOORE (SHOW) is the all-time best sitcom ever. No argument there. Despite the terribly awkward 2008 OPRAH reunion (which, I must admit, skillfully recreated sets from the show) and the horrendous MARY & RHODA TV-movie (which skillfully created a constant feeling of nausea), nothing can ever erase the warm memories of Mary's office life at WJM, and her cozy apartment in the snow-covered Lindstrom house at 119 N. Weatherly in Minneapolis.

We have the first six seasons on DVD to remind us how great television can be. Hopefully Fox will  be releasing the final season soon.

For a great guide to the MTM show, seek out LOVE IS ALL AROUND: THE MAKING OF THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW (1989) by Robert S. Alley & Irby B. Brown. This book has been in my collection since it was published, and I cherish it almost as much as the show itself.

Also, another great resource for Mary info is MTM: QUALITY TELEVISION published in 1984 by the British Film Institute, which looks at the entire MTM Studio production history, including other great classic shows like THE BOB NEWHART SHOW, RHODA, PHYLLIS, LOU GRANT, WKRP IN CINNCINNATI, NEWHART, THE WHITE SHADOW, HILL STREET BLUES, ST. ELSEWHERE and REMINGTON STEELE. 

Plus forgotten gems like THE BETTY WHITE SHOW (remember UNDERCOVER WOMAN? the show-within-a-show starring Betty as a 'Pepper Anderson' knock-off), THE TONY RANDALL SHOW and THE DUCK FACTORY. The book also covers pilots and TV-movies made by the company as well, as flops like Mary's two variety shows. 

Sitcoms come and go. Some are good, some are great but none will ever match the magic that was the world of Mary Richards.

AS THE WORLD TURNS 1956-2010

Rima, the Jungle Girl

BACK ISSUE magazine just ran a great article on RIMA, THE JUNGLE GIRL, similar to this piece I posted back in March. Here it is again, cause I did it first. 

Comic book fans were treated to a one-page reappearance of Rima, the Jungle Girl in the pages of THE FIRST WAVE a six-issue DC Comics miniseries. THE FIRST WAVE by writer Brian Azzarello and artist Rags Morales is set in an alternate universe that brings together "the first wave" of pulp fiction heroes (Doc Savage, The Avenger and The Spirit) with such DC stalwarts as Batman, The Black Canary and The Blackhawks. Coming along for the ride is the aforementioned Rima, the Jungle Girl.

But who EXACTLY is this Jungle Girl and where did she come from?

Look no further than the 1904 romantic novel, The Green Mansions by W.H. Hudson based on a South American legend about a lost tribe of mountain-dwelling caucasians.

In the novel, Rima is called "the Daughter of the Didi" and considered an evil spirit who has magical powers. She is eventually burned alive by the tribesmen. Yikes! Luckily the character lived on after the novel.

Rima first came back to life in a 1951 CLASSICS ILLUSTRATED adaptation of the novel.

The character was depicted as a beautiful blonde. Not sure if she made it out alive.

A MGM film adaptation of GREEN MANSIONS followed in 1959.

The film was directed by Mel Ferrar.

Beautiful, dark-haired screen goddess Audrey Hepburn was cast as Rima in the film.

Anthony Perkins was cast as her lover.

The film is not as fondly remembered as Hepburn's other work.

Though it was translated into French.

 

Out of print for many years, the film is now available on dvd through the Warner Archive Collection.

Rima turned up next as the star of her own DC Comics series, RIMA THE JUNGLE GIRL in the 1970s.

The series ran for only seven issues, but is well-remembered by fans of the jungle adventure genre.

The series began in May 1974.

The book featured art by the talented Nestor Redodno.

And was graced with gorgeous covers by legendary Joe Kubert.

Rima never interacted with any other characters in the DC Universe in comics.

The series ended in May of 1975, and we thought we saw the last of Rima.

That was until 1977, when Rima showed up on TV!

Yes, Rima joined the cast of Hanna-Barbera's ALL-NEW SUPERFRIENDS HOUR!

Rima appeared alongside new created-for-TV and much-maligned heroes like Apache Chief and Black Vulcan.

But Rima also got to co-star with some of the A-Listers in various episodes - like Wonder Woman and Batman!

And, now over 20 years later Rima will once again be part of a storyline involving Batman!

I'm truly looking forward to the next exciting issue of THE FIRST WAVE and the further exploits of Rima, the Jungle Girl!

TV GUIDE September 1984

Every September I get a little nostalgic for the old TV GUIDE magazine, you know the one that came in digest size and had good, intelligent articles in the two color sections and exhaustively complete TV listings and crazy black & white display advertising sandwiched in between. Supposedly there is still some sort of weekly entertainment magazine that goes by the name "TV GUIDE", but strangely it is very hard to find in Los Angeles. Go figure. Anyways, in celebration of 25 years since September 1984, I ran this smattering of unusual print ads from my collection last year at this time. And now I run them again. Who better to host an important Special Report about heart disease, cancer and auto accidents than Tony Randall, star of THE ODD COUPLE, THE TONY RANDALL SHOW and LOVE, SIDNEY? Tony sure looks serious in the ad, he must have just lost a round on PASSWORD or some other game show where he was known to be a very competitive player.
Peter Popoff was a popular TV evangelist minister and "faith healer" in the 1980s, until he went bankrupt in 1987 after he was exposed as a fraud. How can that be, when that lady in the ad looks so, um, healed.
The 1st Annual MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS - when the music industry was all about white folks over 40 (and Tina Turner). And nobody wore a disgusting dress made outta meat back then.
"Miss Continental" wasn't even a TV show, but yet they took out this ad - making me wish it was a TV show!!! I wonder if it's still around? I just did a Google search for "Miss Continental" and all that came up were websites for drag competitions. Oh well.
This ad freaks me out - it's like the who's who of conservative America gathered in one place to celebrate liberty??? What the fuck? If you cared about your family, country, financial future and religious liberties you'd have watched this.
A SALUTE TO LIBERACE with David Bowie and Elton John. Nuff said.
Oh no, WELCOME TO THE FAMILY sounds like some sort of cult recruiting program, but it's really about "love, laughter and trust–cementing the bonds between parents and their children." You know, family values. Host Gary Collins has been charged with three counts of "driving under the influence" since 2002. Performer Barbara Mandrell later became an unwelcome stranger in a town where corruption ran deep and tempers burned hot!
Then she co-stared with DUKES OF HAZZARD star Tom Wopat in this TV-movie about the whole sordid experience.

Betty White is a Liar!

I want this on a tee-shirt.

Kevin McCarthy 1914-2010, Harold Gould 1923-2010

Baptism of Fire!

Before ARCHER, before ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, heck before BARE ESSENCE (the series, not the miniseries) Jessica Walter was AMY PRENTISS - a woman chief of police with "her own special problems"...one of which was probably guest star William Shatner. I'd love to see an episode of this rare and mostly forgotten NBC MYSTERY MOVIE segment. Funny how McCLOUD, COLUMBO and MacMILLIAN & WIFE always seemed to get renewed, but others like poor AMY, BANACEK, COOL MILLION, HEC RAMSEY, LANNIGAN'S RABBI, MADIGAN, McCOY, THE SNOOP SISTERS and TENAFLY just seemed to fade into oblivion. QUINCY, M.E. was the only "4th wheel" to survive past the MYSTERY MOVIE concept and only COLUMBO lived on in spin-offs and revivals until 2003, when ABC aired the final TV-movie.

There once was a blind hermit named Burl...

Ah, if I could only write a limerick worthy of this amazing Michael Landon double-feature! First up, on a special 90-minute LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE - heavyset character actor Burl Ives guest stars a blind hermit who saves Pa's life! I think he keeps him warm in a cave. Then at 9:30 - Pa runs for his life as THE LONELIEST RUNNER - the moving story of a bedwetter - yes BEDWETTER who grows up to be a star athlete! That's right, he's dripping with sweat and he gets showered with golden medals...when just to think he used to pee the bed! I remember watching both these shows and wondering what if the bedwetter grew up to be a blind hermit instead?

PRETTY SEASON 2 TEASER 1

Even More Special!

More ABC variety specials from the past. Here at 9PM we have Barry Manilow's ONE VOICE from Dr. Pepper featuring another voice, SOLID GOLD hostess Dionne Warwick. This is prior to the Psychic Friends Network and her role as a politician in RENT-A-COP. At 10PM, CHARLIE'S ANGELS star Cheryl Ladd is looking back (see her back is turned towards us) with her SOUVENIRS special. Joining her are two more ABC stars: future drunk-driver Joyce DeWitt and future CELEBRITY REHAB stalwart Jeff Conaway...plus former Jimmy Carter supporters and future flag-waving redneck right-wing creationist storytellers The Charlie Daniels Band. What an diverse line-up. Interesting that it was a "GE Theater Presentation," since a few years later GE would own rival NBC.

Three Specials Back to Back!

Where do I begin? At 8PM - short & sassy Olympic skater DOROTHY HAMILL with Gene ("Xanadu") Kelly brought to you by MetLife and Clairol! At 9PM - short & simple JOHN DENVER with The Starland Vocal Band, Joanne ("Three Faces of Eve") Woodward and the shark from "Jaws", sponsored by Timex. What the fuck? And at 10PM, short & Aussie OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN with Elliot ("M*A*S*H") Gould, Rona Barett, Lynda ("Wonder Woman") Carter, Lee ("Six Million Dollar Man") Majors and Nancy (director of "Can't Stop the Music") Walker!!! This is the most insane trio of variety specials...ever.

Super Saturday on ABC

Remember when September meant two things: the horror of going back to school and the sheer delight of all the new Saturday morning cartoons? One of my earliest TV memories was watching Casper & Wendy on THE NEW ADVENTURES OF CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST. This was 1969 and I was only 5 years old, but SMOKEY BEAR, CATTANOOGA CATS, HOT WHEELS, THE HARDY BOYS, THE ADVENTURES OF GULLIVER and FANTASTIC VOYAGE all live on in my memories. I have no clue to what SKY HAWKS was. Most of these animated shows only lasted one or two seasons and were never heard from again. This same season CBS premiered DASTARDLY & MUTTLEY, PENELOPE PITSTOP and a little something called SCOOBY-DOO, WHERE ARE YOU? (which still lives on in a new incarnation now airing on The Cartoon Network). Holdovers from past seasons included BUGS BUNNY/ROADRUNNER, THE ARCHIES and WACKY RACES. NBC meanwhile welcomed THE PINK PANTHER and H.R. PUFNSTUF, joining THE BANANA SPLITS on their line-up. I still get a warm feeling when I think of the Saturday morning shows I watched throughout the 1970s. Badly drawn shows from Hanna-Barbera and Filmation, creepy live-action shows from Sid & Marty Krofft and everything in between. Ah, these kids today have no idea what they're missing. They can keep their SPONGEBOBs and their DORA THE EXPLORERs - give me my HARDY BOYS.