LINKS TO THE LEFT UPDATE

Updated my list o' links to the left there, adding three more sites you may like to visit:

eTV Reviewer

Creatively Progressing

TVaholic

As always, there was no sense of priority for the placement of these links. I just put them where they would best fit in with the others.

Check them out and see if they fulfill your Toobworld needs.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

CRIKEY!

For the Halloween episode of 'South Park', Satan is throwing the world's biggest Halloween costume party, and no one is getting in without a blue wrist band. Unfortunately, even Satan can't plan for everything as a religious organization and the antics of the most notorious serial killers of all time might ruin his good time.
(Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy were dressed up as the Three Stooges.)

Also at the party were Princess Diana, Hitler, and Ghandi. Also some priests with little boys on leashes.

[information... information... information from TV.com]

You'd think the viewing public would at least be offended by the presence of Diana, or maybe the priests.

But nooooooo! They saved their scorn for a different target.....

From Radio Telefis Eirann:

A new sketch in the television cartoon 'South Park', which mocks recently deceased television star Steve Irwin, has sparked outrage. The sketch, which is part of the Halloween episode of the show, depicts the entertainer at a party which is being hosted by Satan, with a stingray barb poking from his chest.

Here's the the transcript of that scene:

Satan's minion: Satan, we have a problem. One of the guests has turned up in a crocodile hunter costume, and it's really offending some of the other guests!
Satan: Oh jeez (Walks across the party to a guest in a crocodile hunter outfit) Erm, er, dude, the whole crocodile hunter thing, it's just not cool. He like only died a few weeks ago! You're gonna have to go.
Steve Irwin: But Satan it's me, Steve Irwin! I am the crocodile hunter!
Satan: Oh, oh. Then no costume, man, you gotta leave!
Steve Irwin: (Being dragged away) Wait no! I thought we were friends.

Again from RTE:

The 'Crocodile Hunter' star died last month when he was pierced in the chest with a stingray's barb. He was filming an underwater documentary at the time.

According to ITV, John Beyer of TV watchdog Mediawatch said: "This is such bad taste and the makers of 'South Park' should review their decision to show it. Steve's family are still grieving."

However the show's creators responded to criticisms by saying: "We have offended people in the past and probably will again. We know that regular watchers will not be shocked.''

From the BBC Online:

Comedy Central said: "The South Park guys do inappropriate things all the time...Their goal is to make people laugh, not to offend people."

Tony Fox of Comedy Central said: "We recognise that they [the South Park creators] do a lot of provocative things - is this one of them, probably yes. "They are largely free to do what they like in terms of creativity and kinds of subject matter, and this is perhaps just another example of that."

But Mr Beyer said of the Mr Irwin sketch: "Mr Irwin's family are obviously still grieving about their tragic loss and it seems inappropriate to me that South Park should be trying to make some capital out of it.

"To lampoon somebody's death like that is unacceptable, and so soon after the event is grossly insensitive and shows a great deal of disrespect for his family."

Am I bovvered? Nah. After ten years of 'South Park', I would have been only surprised by the fact that it took them until now to do it, if it weren't timed to be broadcast so close to Halloween.

No matter what I may think of what really happens in the Afterlife, "One Step Beyond", in the Tooniverse, this scene actually took place.

I would think those Steve Irwin defenders would be pleased by the sketch. After all, Satan threw him out, so he's free now to go to Heaven, right?

Some people are never satisfied.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

FOR ANY CHICAGOANS VISITING TOOBWORLD

I would hope that it comes as no surprise to regular visitors to this bastion of Toobworld that I have no great love for network executives, the suits. Quite often I have invoked the traditional curse: "May they be nibbled to death by ducks!" (Thank you, Morley Safer.)

But every so often some grey, faceless drone among those ranks surprises me and shows me that they really do get it when it comes to Television; that it's not just a business.

Chicago Tribune TV columnist Maureen Ryan had this news item the other day:

To honor the passing of actress Jane Wyatt, who played Margaret Anderson on “Father Knows Best” as well as many other memorable roles, WWME-Ch. 23 is airing a two-hour marathon of Margaret-centric “Father Knows Best” episodes starting at 11 a.m. Sunday.

I wish some station here in the NYC area would do something like that. And I would hope that TV Land also paid some sort of tribute to her as well......

There's a WWME suit out there who has the thanks of a grateful Toober.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: ARTHUR HILL [PART TWO]

These are the contributions made by the late Arthur Hill to several dimensions of Toobworld:

TV SERIES
"Glitter" (1984) TV Series .... Charles Hardwick
"Hagen" (1980) TV Series .... Carl Palmer
"Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law" (1971-1974)... Owen Marshall

TV CROSSOVERS
"Marcus Welby, M.D."
- I've Promised You a Father: Part 2 (1974) TV Episode
- I've Promised You a Father: Part 1 (1974) TV Episode .... Owen Marshall
- Men Who Care: Part 1 (1971) TV Episode .... Owen Marshall

TV MINI-SERIES
"Something Ventured" (1977) (mini) TV Series .... Narrator
Vanished (1971) (TV) .... Arnold Greer
[This takes place in the Movie of the Week dimension of the TV Universe, along with 'Washington: Behind Closed Doors' and 'Of Thee I Sing', and several other MOWs with a fictional president.]

TV PILOTS & SEQUELS
The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1984) (TV) .... Preston Giles
[This was the pilot for 'Murder, She Wrote'. Preston Giles holds a distinct place in that series' history because of this role, and he would return to the series as Giles one last time......]
Glitter (1984) (TV) .... Charles Hardwick
The Return of Frank Cannon (1980) (TV) .... Dr. Curtis McDonald
Hagen (1979) (TV)
Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law (1971) (TV) .... Owen Marshall
[Being a TV movie, this pilot marks the first of Owen Marshall's qualifying stats to gain entry into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.]

TV MOVIES
Christmas Eve (1986) (TV) .... Andrew Kingsley
Murder in Space (1985) (TV) .... Vice President
[From what I could find out about this TV movie on Showtime, there's no reason to think that it doesn't take place around the same time it was shown on TV. The fact that the USSR is still around helps bolster that belief. Therefore, it's possible this could have happened during the presidency of Owen Lister in "The West Wing" dimension of the TV Universe. As far as I know - and I could be wrong - Owen Lister's Vice President was never named, nor was he ever shown. At the same time, being a TV movie, it could fit in just as well with the other MOWs in their separate dimension.]
The Guardian (1984) (TV) .... Dr. Phil Julian
Love Leads the Way: A True Story (1984) (TV) .... Mr. Frank
Prototype (1983) (TV) .... Gen. Keating
Intimate Agony (1983) (TV) .... Dr. Holliston
Miss Lonelyhearts (1983) (TV) .... Willy Shrike
Tomorrow's Child (1982) (TV) .... Dr. Glenn Gorham
Angel Dusted (1981) (TV) .... Michael Eaton
Riel (1979) (TV) .... Taylor
Tell Me My Name (1977) (TV) .... Porter McPhail
Death Be Not Proud (1975) (TV) .... John Gunther
Ordeal (1973) (TV) .... Richard Damian
The Other Man (1970) (TV) .... Paul Maitland
Special for Women: Mother and Daughter (1961) (TV) .... Philip Evans
The Stone Boy (1960) (TV) .... Father
The Closing Door (1960) (TV)

CINEVERSE CONNECTIONS
Revenge of the Stepford Wives (1980) (TV) .... Dale 'Diz' Corbett
[This would also connect to the literary universe as well, since "The Stepford Wives" was first a book by Ira Levin. I don't have a code name for that universe though; however it is the basis for novels by L. Sprague deCamp and Fletcher Pratt and by Marvin Kaye.]

TELE-HISTORY
The Ordeal of Dr. Mudd (1980) (TV) .... Gen. Thomas Ewing
Churchill and the Generals (1979) (TV) .... President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Judge Horton and the Scottsboro Boys (1976) (TV) .... Judge James Edwin Horton

GUEST APPEARANCES
"Murder, She Wrote"
- The Return of Preston Giles (1990) TV Episode .... Preston Giles
Columbo: Agenda for Murder (1990) (TV) .... The Governor
[Nothing suggests that "The Governor" was from California. He was merely the leading candidate in the race for the Presidency. But I will have to check on that....]
Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun (1986) (TV) .... Thomas Shea
"Tales of the Unexpected"
- People Don't Do Such Things (1985) TV Episode .... Terence Carter
"Little House on the Prairie"
- Journey in the Spring: Part 2 (1976) TV Episode .... Lansford Ingalls
- Journey in the Spring: Part 1 (1976) TV Episode .... Lansford Ingalls
"Hallmark Hall of Fame"
- The Rivalry (1975) TV Episode .... Abraham Lincoln
- Born Yesterday (1956) TV Episode .... Paul Verrall
"The Name of the Game"
- Aquarius Descending (1970) TV Episode .... Brighton
- Echo of a Nightmare (1970) TV Episode .... Leo Crown
"The Bold Ones: The New Doctors"
- Giants Never Kneel (1970) TV Episode .... Ainsley Walters
"Bracken's World"
- All the Beautiful Young Girls (1969) TV Episode .... Jason Forrest
"The F.B.I."
- The Attorney (1969) TV Episode .... Richard Bender
- By Force and Violence: Part 2 (1967) TV Episode .... Max Griswold
- By Force and Violence: Part 1 (1967) TV Episode .... Max Griswold
- The Plague Merchant (1966) TV Episode .... Edward Lennan
- Flight to Harbin (1966) TV Episode .... Ernest Putnam/Dr. Charles King
"Lancer"
- Warburton's Edge (1969) TV Episode .... Charles Warburton
"Judd for the Defense"
- My Client, the Fool (1968) TV Episode .... Jim Davis
[This was an ABC series, but before the time of Owen Marshall. If only...]
"The Fugitive"
- Death Is a Very Small Killer (1967) TV Episode .... Dr. Howell
"Disneyland"
- Atta Girl, Kelly!: Part 3 (1967) TV Episode
"Run for Your Life"
- The Assassin (1967) TV Episode .... Bill Dagen
"The Invaders"
- The Leeches (1967) TV Episode .... Warren Doneghan
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre"
- The Fatal Mistake (1966) TV Episode .... Donald Hammond
"Mission: Impossible"
- The Carriers (1966) TV Episode .... Janos Passik
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea"
- Monster from the Inferno (1966) TV Episode .... Lindsay
"The Reporter"
- Vote for Murder (1964) TV Episode .... Alan Slater
"The Defenders"
- Go Between (1964) TV Episode .... Matthew J. Ritter
- The Last Six Months (1962) TV Episode .... Fred Braden
- The Boy Between (1961) TV Episode .... Mike Remington
"Slattery's People"
- Question: Remember the Dark Sins of Youth? (1964) TV Episode .... Dr. George Allison
"The Nurses"
- Night Shift (1962) TV Episode
"Route 66"
- Kiss the Maiden All Forlorn (1962) TV Episode .... Howard
"The United States Steel Hour"
- The Big Laugh (1962) TV Episode
- Game of Hearts (1960) TV Episode
- The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1960) TV Episode .... Robert Howell
- The Enemies (1958) TV Episode .... Putnam Bayne Jr.
"The Untouchables"
- The Canada Run (1962) TV Episode .... Fr. Francis Gregory
"Armstrong Circle Theatre"
- The Battle of Hearts (1961) TV Episode
"Ben Casey"
- The Sweet Kiss of Madness (1961) TV Episode .... Alan Reynolds
"Lamp Unto My Feet"
- Episode dated 26 November 1961 (1961) TV Episode .... Walter Matthews
"Great Ghost Tales"
- Who Is the Fairest One of All? (1961) TV Episode .... Horace Kipper
"Play of the Week"
- A Clearing in the Woods (1961) TV Episode
- The Closing Door (1960) TV Episode
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents"
- The Man Who Found the Money (1960) TV Episode .... William Benson
- Human Interest Story (1959) TV Episode .... Howard Wilcox
[Howard Wilcox was a Martian, but not of the same race as was Exigius 12 1/2 of 'My Favorite Martian' and Phobos and Deimos of "Controlled Experiment", an episode of 'The Outer Limits'. Based on his description of what a Martian should look like, apparently the Red Planet had two separate species of sentient beings evolve on its surface.]
"Dow Hour of Great Mysteries"
- The Woman in White (1960) TV Episode .... Walter Hartright
"The DuPont Show of the Month"
- Ethan Frome (1960) TV Episode
"Studio One"
- The Morning After (1957) TV Episode .... Ivory
"Colonel March of Scotland Yard"
- The Silver Curtain (1956) TV Episode .... Jerry Winton
"Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Presents"
- Dreamstuff (1954) TV Episode .... Jim

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE

Here's a transcript from 'The View', presented without comment:

Elizabeth: Last week, S.V.U. had an episode where a 30-year-old woman in New York City was raped twice and then murdered, and her name was Elizabeth Hassenbeck. And I found that disturbing.
Barbara: Not the most common name.
Elizabeth: About as close as you can get to a name that probably only one person in the whole world has: me. Maybe there are two others in Germany somewhere. I was upset by this, just because I thought it was socially irresponsible. So I didn’t know what to do about it, so I called the executive producer of Law & Order: SVU. I’m not gonna say his name.
Rosie: But you can Google it at home.
Elizabeth: He eventually called me back. He was defensive right from the jump. And I said, “Look, someone, I want to let you know I think it’s socially irresponsible to do this nowadays. I have a family and it’s suggestive.” I said “I know what you guys did. It’s essentially my name.” And he said “Well, you can just chalk that up to coincidence.” And I said “Really? That’s funny. Because your show is so not based on coincidence, and pulls things from the headlines and is so focused on headlines, so I’m having a hard time chalking this up to coincidence.”
Barbara: Good for you.
Elizabeth: He got more angry, pulled over, and he said “I’m sorry we hurt your feelings.” And I said “It’s not about feelings, whatsyourface, and I just wanted you to hear from me first before I come out here and vent on The View.” I said “I’m sorry too, because I never want to sit next to anyone on that show, and I think they’re good actors and good people, but I can’t sit next to them without feeling as though I’ve been disrespected and put at risk.” So he said “You know, I don’t have to deal with you… goodbye, Lady!”
Barbara: You have to wonder, who was it that wanted your name. Was it somebody that disagrees with you politcally?
Joy: Could it have been a coincidence?
Rosie: I don’t know, if they had Rosie O’Connell, an overweight lesbian talk show host, I might go “Maybe it’s me!”

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: ARTHUR HILL [PART ONE]

Arthur Hill, who brought engrossing ciomplexity and understated intelligence to hundreds of roles on stage, screen and television, and won a Tony Award for his performance in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” died n Pacific Palisades, Calif. He was 84.

The cause was complications of Alzheimer’s disease, his friend Walter Seltzer said.
Mr. Hill was a well-known face on television for many years. On the television series “Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law,” which ran from 1971 to 1974, he played the title role, a lawyer whose main interest was helping people.

Arthur Edward Spence Hill was born in Melfort, Saskatchewan, on the Canadian prairie. His boyhood ambition was to be a lawyer like his father, who knew each of the town’s 2,000 residents and was eager to help them with their problems. Writers have noted that in many ways Arthur Hill’s “Owen Marshall” character resembled the actor’s father.

He stopped acting after his first wife, Peggy Hassard, died in 1990.

His television work included "Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “The Defenders,” “Ben Casey,” “The Untouchables,” “The F.B.I.,” “Mission: Impossible,” “The Fugitive” and “Marcus Welby, M.D.”, in which he made two crossovers as Owen Marshall. In the beginning of his career in television, Arthur Hill appeared on “The U.S. Steel Hour,” “Hallmark Hall of Fame,” “Studio One” and other shows that emphasized serious drama.

[adapted from the New York Times obituary]

Since the pilot movie for 'Owen Marshall, Counsellor At Law' counts as a separate entry from the series, Mr. Hill's character is deserving of entry into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.

In a book I read about Henry Fonda, Fonda found out that he was offered the role of George in "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?", but that his agent never told him about it before he rejected it.

When he went to see it on Broadway, Fonda realized that this part was something he could have scored big with. But there was Arthur Hill doing a fantastic job of it and making it indelibly his own.

When he got home, Henry Fonda fired that agent.

BCnU....
Tele-Toby

THAT'S SO DHARMA: A RETRO-CROSSOVER

Yesterday afternoon, I sat down to watch my Thursday night's tapes - 'My Name Is Earl' & 'The Office' (sadly, no 'Murder City' this week) - only to find they were very recent repeats.

So with nothing left to watch (I'm finally caught up on my TBVLs - to be viewed later), I started flipping. And I landed on an episode of 'Dharma & Greg' which I missed first time around.

Here's the plot description:

Dharma discovers Greg is really the only man for her when she agrees to attend a dance with a nerdy high school kid, but meets with some serious competition from the younger crowd. Meanwhile, Larry sings his "You guys are okay" song to Edward and Kitty, causing Kitty to fall and hurt herself; this prompts Kitty to sue Larry after she is embarrassed by her donut-cushion in front of the mayor. Larry represents himself, while Pete arbitrates.
[thanks to TV.com]

As Dharma danced with Greg at the close of the show, I saw a banner hanging in the background which identified the school as Bayside High School.

This is the same high school in San Francisco which Raven attends in 'That's So Raven'. So I have a definite link between those two shows. And 'Dharma & Greg' connect to Toobworld thanks to an appearance by Dick Clark as not only a member of the League of Themselves but also as a member in the TV Crossover Hall of Fame (December, 2000).

As the 'D&G' episode aired in November of 1998, and 'That's So Raven' didn't premiere until January of 2003, Donald obviously must have graduated before Raven attended the school. So there was no unseen crossover going on.

Apparently the sets used for Bayside High School in 'That's So Raven' are the same sets used in the 'Saved By The Bell' series. However, they are not the same school; 'Saved By The Bell' took place a little further south along the coast of California in Palisades. More than likely both high schools shared the same architetural firm... probably the one headed by Mike Brady of 'The Brady Bunch'.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

MY SITCOM LIFE: "THE EVIL DEAD" MUSICAL

Do you have any examples of TV sitcoms which mention theatrical musicals based on movies or plays which you'd never think would be adapted as musicals?

I'm confusing you, aren't I?

Here are two examples I came up with, both from 'The Simpsons':

'Planet Of The Apes' - the musical
'Streetcar Named Desire' - the musical

I'm blocked on more examples, but I know there have been others, always good for a laugh.

Last night, I actually went to one of those musicals, adapted from a movie (in this case, 2 1/2 movies) which I never would have guessed to become musical material.

"The Evil Dead"!

It's based on the first two movies, with some great lines (like the speech about the "boomstick") lifted from the third movie, which was also mentioned in the final scene.

It's a big, goofy spoof with plenty of gore spewing out into the audience. Since I wasn't in the splatter zone, I found it hilarious to see that happen to the others in the front rows. I'm scheudenfreude that way......

My only complaint was that too much of the show was played to the audience and the lines punched up - give us some credit, we get the jokes on our own. But any show that gives me a Bullwinkle J. Moose impression is aces in my book!

Nobody can step into Bruce Campbell's blood-soaked shoes as Ash, but Ryan Ward did a good job at it and could definitely play Campbell's ganglier brother.

My favorite song in the show? "What The F*** Was That?" and my favorite lyric was "You F***ing Stabbed Me!".

That's right. That was a lyric, not a line.

It's playing at the New World Stages over on W. 50th Street between 8 and 9th Avenues in New York City. I'm not saying it's fun for the whole family - I know some people walked out. But if you're in the mood for something along the lines of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and "Little Shop Of Horrors", and just ready to laugh, check it out.

Until they make a musical out of the "Saw" trilogy....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: PETER BARKWORTH

Actor Peter Barkworth who was best known for playing Mark Telford in the 1979 television series 'Telford's Change' has died at the age of 77, just 10 days after suffering a stroke.

The Kent-born actor appeared in episodes of cult TV series 'The Avengers' and 'Doctor Who'. And he won two BAFTA awards for his performances in "Professional Foul" and "The Country Party" on 'The Play Of The Week' and 'The Play For Today' respectively.

TV SERIES
"Late Starter" (1985) TV Series .... Edward Brett
Champions (1984) .... Nick Embiricos
"Telford's Change" .... Mark Telford
"Good Girl" (1974) TV Series .... Eustace Morrow
"Manhunt" (1969) TV Series .... Vincent
"The Power Game" (1965) TV Series .... Kenneth Bligh

MINI-SERIES
"London Embassy" (1987) (mini) TV Series .... Sir Charles Smallwood
"The Price" (1985) (mini) TV Series .... Geoffrey Carr
"Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years" (1981) (mini) TV Series .... Stanley Baldwin

TV MOVIES & PLAYS
The Secret Adversary (1982) (TV) .... Mr. Carter
Professional Foul (1977) (TV) .... Anderson
The Country Party (1977) TV Episode
The Saturday Party (1975) TV Episode
The Apple Cart (1975) TV Episode
The Millionairess (1972) TV Episode
Rasputin (1971) TV Episode
Melissa (1974) (TV) .... Guy Foster
The Passenger (1971) (TV) .... Det. Insp. Martin Denson
Special Project Air (1969) (TV) .... Wing Cmdr. Routledge
P. and O. (1969) (TV) .... Mr. Jephson
Dr Atkinson's Daughter (1969) (TV) .... Dr. George Mackintosh

GUEST APPEARANCES
"Heartbeat"
- End of the Line (1993) TV Episode .... Frank Milner
"Maigret"
- Maigret and the Minister (1993) TV Episode .... The Minister
"The Return of Sherlock Holmes"
- Silver Blaze (1988) TV Episode .... Colonel Ross
"Tales of the Unexpected"
- What Have you Been up to Lately? (1982) TV Episode
"Secret Army"
- Guilt (1977) TV Episode .... Hugh Neville
- Lost Sheep (1977) TV Episode .... Hugh Neville
"Colditz"
- The Spirit of Freedom (1972) TV Episode .... Brauner
"Dead of Night"
- Return Flight (1972) TV Episode .... Captain Rolf
"The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes"
- The Case of Laker, Absconded (1971) TV Episode .... Arthur Hewitt
- The Affair of the Tortoise (1971) TV Episode .... Martin Hewitt
"The Guardians"
- The Dirtiest Man in the World (1971) TV Episode .... Quarmby
"Out of the Unknown"
- To Lay a Ghost (1971) TV Episode .... Dr. Philimore
- Get Off My Cloud (1969) TV Episode .... Stephen
"Paul Temple"
- Has Anybody Here Seen Kelly? (1971) TV Episode .... Springett
"Thirty-Minute Theatre"
- Asquith in Orbit. (1971) TV Episode
- A Matter of Principle (1968) TV Episode
- Turn Off If You Know the Ending (1967) TV Episode
"Armchair Theatre"
- The Company Man (1970) TV Episode .... Bob
- The Keys of the Cafe (1965) TV Episode
"ITV Playhouse"
- End of Story (1969) TV Episode .... Acrollyte
"The Avengers"
- The Morning After (1969) TV Episode .... Merlin
- The Correct Way to Kill (1967) TV Episode .... Mr. 'Percy' Percival
- The Medicine Men (1963) TV Episode .... Geoffrey Willis
- Kill the King (1961) TV Episode .... Crichton-Bull
"The First Lady"
- Upset (1968) TV Episode .... Bailey
"A Man of our Times"
- The Name of the Man (1968) TV Episode .... Roberts
"Doctor Who"
- The Ice Warriors: Part 3 (1967) TV Episode .... Leader Clent
- The Ice Warriors: Part 1 (1967) TV Episode .... Leader Clent
"Haunted"
- Many Happy Returns (1967) TV Episode
"Half Hour Story"
- Wedlock (1967) TV Episode .... Jimmy
"Undermind"
- Intent to Destroy (1965) TV Episode .... Victor Liberton
"Public Eye"
- Nobody Kills Santa Claus (1965) TV Episode .... Eric Hart
"Detective"
- The Hungry Spider (1964) TV Episode .... Det. Insp. Christopher Smith
"The Protectors"
- The Deadly Chameleon (1964) TV Episode .... Tilsworth
"Scales of Justice"
- Position of Trust (1963) TV Episode
"Maigret"
- A Man of Quality (1960) TV Episode

THE LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES
"This Is Your Life"
- Peter Barkworth (1979) TV Episode .... Himself

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

2006 SERIES DEBUT REPORT: "TORCHWOOD"

Thanks to my Gallifreyan support team of Mark and Michael, last night I got to see the first two episodes of 'Torchwood'.

By now, most fans of the Time Lord know that 'Torchwood' is an anagram for 'Doctor Who'. They also know that it stars John Barrowman as the charismatic Captain Jack Harkness. Jack is a rogue Time Agent from the 52nd Century who appeared in the last five episodes of Christopher Eccleston's service as the Ninth incarnation of the Doctor.

Several allusions were made to the show's roots in 'Doctor Who': the time/space rift running through Cardiff, as seen in "Boom Town", past invasions by the Cybermen, "The Christmas Invasion" by the Sycorax last year in which the Doctor lost his hand (and which just might be one of Captain Jack's prized possessions back at Torchwood HQ).

Also, Team Torchwood has a pet pterodactyl flitting about its headquarters which apparently is tame enough to be let loose to hunt pigeons in Cardiff during its aerial maneuvers. This could be a descendant of a pterodactyl left behind after the "Invasion Of The Dinosaurs", one of the adventures for the Third Doctor (as played by Jon Pertwee).

Gee, I hope they don't nickname it "Pterry". Been there; done that.

Creator Russell T. Davies, who was responsible for reviving 'Doctor Who' in 2005, is striving to give 'Torchwood' its own identity apart from the Doctor. The themes are going to be more adult in nature, which has earned the show its berth in a post-watershed timeslot.

Based on the first two episodes, the show should succeed in that goal, even without the gratuitous sprinkling of words normally bleeped in Toobworld. (The F-bleep is uttered in just over a minute into the pilot episode, and I know any eventual American audience is never going to hear its many mentions of "shit" when it's broadcast here. Not unless HBO or Showtime or perhaps FX carries the show. But Sci-Fi? Not likely.)

The plotline for the second episode ("Day One") - about a sex-starved alien who kills via orgasm through its human host - isn't really that far off the mark from episodes of 'The X-Files' and the update of 'The Outer Limits'. Again, it will just need some judicious editing of her first kill (as well as of the flashback for the witness) so that it could pass muster with the Gestapo in charge of the FCC. (Not a fan, that.)

The series' premise is general enough so that it can go off in many different directions with the storylines. In that, the show can be considered similar to the American grown 'Eureka'.

'Torchwood' is the name given to an organization that operates outside of the authority of all governments, charged only with the protection of the British Empire from alien forces. As we saw in "Tooth And Claw", an episode from 'Doctor Who' this year, Queen Victoria initiated the project after her encounter with the Tenth Doctor (played by David Tennant).

It's Torchwood's task to not only counter any possible invasion by aliens (if the Doctor and UNIT don't beat them to it), but also - and perhaps more importantly - recover artifacts of any purpose from those aliens.

They're a lot like the American 'Threshold' project in that respect - only not so dour.

The influences for the show are pretty obvious - 'The X-Files', 'Kolchak', 'Men In Black', 'Mission: Impossible', and even "Silence Of The Lambs". One could even point to Gerry Anderson's SuperMarionation for inspiration in the team concept; and I was reminded of 'Babylon 5' at one point. (As with the Babylon project, the fourth version of Torchwood is missing......)

But that's no slam against what Davies has crafted. Toobworld is built upon traditions; it's just a matter of how they're interpreted to make them stand on their own.

The introduction to Team Torchwood is also a classic of tradition: the Outsider who stumbles upon the team in action, and eventually is invited to join.

As I said earlier, the show can encompass all genres, not just be pigeonholed as an alien of the week hunt like 'Threshold' became.

In fact, the first episode ("Everything Changes" - a title that made me think of a Hurley-centric episode of 'Lost' last year) was a good old-fashioned murder mystery, serial killer style. (Last year's 'Doctor Who' episode "The End Of The World" was also a murder mystery in the locked-room, gather all the suspects tradition - Agatha Christie in Outer Space sort of thing.)

It had me guessing right up the Big Reveal, and this was accomplished by the opening credits being used as a cloaking device.

As for our omnisexual action hero, John Barrowman hits all the right notes as Captain Jack. Swashbuckling with the right combination of playfulness and mystery, and a suggestion of sorrow in his possible backstory.
Captain Jack is a hoopy frood.

We don't learn how Captain Jack was able to extricate himself from where we last saw him in "The Parting Of The Ways", the final episode of Christopher Eccleston's work in 'Doctor Who'. But Davies has come up with an interesting consequence to Captain Jack's fate in that season finale; one which could put the Captain on a par with the Doctor himself, as well as with Superman and even two wild and crazy guys from the New Testament.

(And it's something to be found in the theoretical backstory I created for my favorite TV villain, Dr. Miguelito Loveless of 'The Wild, Wild West'.)

Eve Myles plays that Outsider newcomer, PC Gwen Cooper. She appeared in one of my favorite 'Doctor Who' episodes, "The Unquiet Dead". Unfortunately, as seems to be the case with the Companions for the Doctor created by Davies, she's been saddled with a home life storyline complete with its own cast of characters - the lumpish boyfriend and the former partner on the Force. Maybe Davies is setting her up for the big emotional wallop - let's say her work with Torchwood leads to the deaths of those she holds dear sort of thing. We'll see.

Eve Myles as Gwyneth the maid in "The Unquiet Dead" could be somehow related to Gwen Cooper, separated by almost 130 years. But Gwen had no children when she died in 1879, so it's not a direct lineage. Personally, I'd like to think she is Gwyneth's soul reincarnated.

Of the other members of Team Torchwood, we've already met one of them, again in 'Doctor Who': Doctor Toshiko Sato first appeared in the episode "Aliens Of London". At the time, she was a medical intern at hospital, but now she's a computer whiz kid. Not mutually exclusive, but we didn't see any indication of that in 'Doctor Who'. Perhaps her medical skills will come into play eventually while working with 'Torchwood'.

As for Burn Gorman who plays Owen Harper, I'd love to see them finally reveal his character as being the non-human on the team. I don't mean any (okay, not much) disrespect, but his facial bone structure easily lends itself to the idea that he was not born on this Earth.

Not necessarily on another planet; just not on this Earth. Since there is that space/time rift running through Cardiff, he may have slipped (or "slid"?) through from an alternate timeline - one in which the human race didn't evolve into homo sapiens, but some other offshoot. Do you remember the Kro-Mags of 'Sliders'? That was a similar concept.

I'm a baaaad boy for saying this, but while watching him last night, I said to my hosts that he had a better monkey face than even George W. Bush. (And Ethan Phillips, who played Neelix in 'Voyager', could be from that same alternate universe as well!)

So that's what I would add to his characterization to make him a unique member of the team. Probably even give him a vestigial six-inch tail to boot, just like Cromwell claimed that the Irish had!

Gareth David-Lloyd is the reason I thought of 'Mission: Impossible' when it came to shows similar to 'Torchwood'. As Ianto, he's their version of Peter Lupus as Willie Armitage. Not for the muscles, obviously, but for all-around security and transportation needs.

Right now, the character of Ianto is a bit colorless. For all I know, that makes him typically Welsh. (I'm going to get letters......) But I mentioned last night that I would have liked to have seen someone of color in that role.

Had things worked out differently, Mickey Smith could have been brought over from 'Doctor Who' like Dr. Sato, and he could have become Torchwood's "Tin Dog".

But it's not to be.

Okay. So let's get down to the Toobworld notes.

I haven't fully articulated this yet in the "Inner Toob" blog - at least, my poor excuse for a memory tells me I haven't, - but the Ninth and Tenth Incarnations of the Doctor are doppelgangers from a parallel dimension. In the main Toobworld, we lost the opportunity to view his adventures after the FOX TV-movie starring Paul McGann as Doctor Number Eight.

This means that 'Torchwood' should be sent over to that alternate dimension as well. With the inclusion of Dr. Sato and the mention of "The Christmas Invasion" (not to mention the hand!), it's obvious this version of Team Torchwood shares the same dimensional address as RTD's vision of the Doctor.

This would account for why we never saw Team Torchwood make an appearance in any of the episodes over the first 25 years of 'Doctor Who'. Despite such things as the Cybermen invasion and the invasion of the dinosaurs, Torchwood never made their presence known in those instances. (I'm talking about the reality within Toobworld, obviously. I KNOW why they never showed up in those real world instances - they hadn't been created yet by Davies.)

However, there's always a back door strategy. We know from upcoming episodes of 'Doctor Who' that there is an alternate version of Torchwood operating in another dimension. So there could always be one in the Main Toobworld as well.

I think the Doctor is still going full blast in the Main Toobworld and that he even may have gone through the Eccleston and Tennant incarnations. It would be nice to bring that Doctor back, so long as we excise any thought of Harriet Jones as the Prime Minister and Arnold Schwarzenegger as the President. And the same goes for Toobworld; having two different versions of Dr. Sato might explain why Toshiko was a medico in one universe, and a First Contact operative in the other.

So that's my O'Bservations on 'Torchwood'. So long as I can force "Markhael" into letting me come over to watch it, I plan to stick with it. It may even end up on my list of the five best must-see shows of 2006.

And who knows? Maybe some network suit will stumble across this review and decide that they should pick up the rights to the show and broadcast it in America as soon as possible.

If not, then that weevil of a network suit should suffer the same fate as all network suits.

Say it with me, Kids....

"May they be nibbled to death by ducks!"

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

"Sometimes a little technobabble is good for the soul."
Captain Jack Harkness
'Torchwood'

"LOST" IN THOUGHT: "EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF"

One of the neatest theories I ever heard about 'The Prisoner' was that the answer was always there right from the very beginning. In each opening where we hear the dialogue between Number Six and the new Number Two, there's always this exchange:

Number 6: "Who is Number One?"
Number 2: "You are Number Six."

Someone finally suggested putting a comma in there so that now Number Two's reply is:

"You are, Number Six."

With that, the finale doesn't carry as much of a shock anymore.

It's reminiscent of the movie "The Last Of Sheila", when Clinton promised his guests that they could solve the game without ever leaving the boat... if they were smart enough.

I got that same sensation from last night's episode of 'Lost', "Every Man For Himself". In Sawyer's flashback, Cassidy showed up to visit him in prison, even though it was her testimony that put him there. She showed him a picture of a baby and told him that the little girl was his.

Cassidy told him that she named the child "Clementine".

Being such a nerdy televisiologist and a big fan of 'Alias Smith and Jones', I first thought of Clementine Hale. But then I remembered the song lyric which is most closely identified with the name of "Clementine":

"You are lost and gone forever."

"You Are Lost."

Last season it was suggested that the island, its inhabitants and its mysteries might be the product of Hurley's fevered imagination. But what if it's all in Sawyer's head instead?

As he is an avid reader, we know he must have an active imagination; and that certainly comes in handy when pulling cons.

But if that song lyric has full meaning, then Sawyer might just be "gone forever" before the series finishes...
~~~~~~
There was definitely something missing from Sawyer's flashbacks - crossovers or mentions of the other survivors or even of the Others. It's one of the things that can save a flashback even if it goes over the same ground again and again (like Jack's). But this flashback was missing that factor - unless I'm the one that was missing the mention of it.
~~~~~~~
Sawyer was incarcerated in Florida. There's a good reason for setting many of these flashbacks in either Florida or California - the palm trees they can't avoid in almost every shot. (Juliet's flashback in February will be set in Miami.)
~~~~~~
Ben mentioned that the new island was twice the size of Alcatraz. Someone pointed outed at TVSquad.com that 20 acres - the size of the prison island - is tiny in the grand scheme of things. And so forty acres, that's not much real estate either.

But Ben spoke of Alcatraz as though he had been there as well, and not just read up on the facts to be found online.
One image that keeps getting referenced is that of the Golden Gate Bridge. It was upside down on the wall of the Aussie faith healer's home and in posters and ticket folders used for advertising Gannon Travel.

Maybe they can get Joss Whedon to appear in a flashback as a snippy sales rep at Gannon Travel, after doing such a good job as the snippy car rental rep on 'Veronica Mars'.

Or maybe all of these references to San Francisco means that the Dharma Initiative is the foundation for the future organization of Starfleet!
~~~~~~~~
If you listen closely to what "Tom Friendly" had to say about the arrival of Colleen, she was brought back to the island via sub. How soon before we get to take a trip in it with either the Ohters, or with the escaping Sawyer, Kate, and Jack?
~~~~~~
Although Juliet came off as a little more vulnerable this week due to the crisis involving Colleen, I still don't trust her and I think she will be key to great upheavals in the future for the show. For the time being, I'm not buying that she could be so easily played by Jack in the same way Ben played Locke back at the Hatch.
~~~~~~~~~
Next week promises to be a biggie, and the hints are out there that it will mark the end of the line for one of the regulars. This makes sense, as you'd want to close out this Mini-Me of a season with such a big jolt as to make people hunger to come back from the holiday hiatus February 7th.

I have no inside info on this, and I don't think even the spoiler sites were of much help - at least in the formation of my opinion, - but I think we can say "Sayonara" to Sayid......

Just sayin', is all.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

NINE BELZ AND ALL'S WELL

Here's some more crossover news that seems to be more than rumor.....

In an interview with Richard Belzer, Helen Barlow drops this bombshell:

"Belzer, who has a residence in the south of France, is due to break his own record by going to Paris in October to act in an eighth show as Munch.

He guest stars in the new French-language production of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent', opposite Vincent Perez as the top cop."

These are the other shows:

1] 'Homicide: Life On The Street'
2] 'Law & Order'
3] 'The X-Files'
4] 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
5] 'The Beat'
6] 'Law & Order: Trial By Jury'
7] 'Arrested Development'

Technically, "Homicide: The Movie" should count as a separate entry, since it was not presented as part of the 'H:LOTS' TV series, but rather as a reunion movie.

That would bring Munch's show total to eight already. 'Paris Section Criminelle'* would then be the ninth show in which the character of 'Detective John Munch' has appeared.

The ironic thing is that Munch has yet to appear on the American version of 'Law & Order: Criminal Intent'.

I'm hoping that we'll eventually see the Munchkin cross over from 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' to 'Heroes'. All the factors are in place to make it happen: both series are broadcast on NBC; all of the main characters of 'Heroes' wil eventually converge on New York City, base for the SVU; and 'Heroes' has already pulled off one crossover with an NBC show when Ando and Hiro showed up to gamble at the Montecito in 'Las Vegas'.

So why not another? And why not have Munch get involved with Hiro, or with Nathan Petrelli. Even potential congressmen need help sometimes in coping with "opposing counsel". He could always have Munch on standby in his entourage.

Not that Munch would be of much use against that mind-wiper!

But at least it would bring Munch's tally up to ten.....

And then? It's off to '30 Rock', so that he can go mano a mano with Jack Donaghy!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

* As far as I can tell from a French language blog out there, this will be the name of the French version.

MICAH PROCESSING

Now that we know (based on the previews for the next episode of 'Heroes') that Nikki Sanders' husband DL Hawkins has powers as well, it seems clear that their son Micah will prove to be genetically gifted as well.

We already know he's a computer whiz, incredibly smart; before the end of the season, we may learn what else Micah is capable of doing.......

This is just one of my Theories of Relateeveety, but it could be that Nikki chose the name "Micah" for her son from her own family tree. She may have selected that name from the many in her family's background just because she liked the sound of it.

So it could be that far back in her genealogy, Nikki is descended from Micah Torrance, who was the sheriff of North Fork, New Mexico, back in the 1880s.

Micah Torrance might have other branches on his particular family tree; one of which could possibly lead to Dr. Mark Piper, who served on the starship Enterprise before retiring and being replaced by Dr. Leonard McCoy.

['Heroes', 'The Rifleman', 'Star Trek']

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

CROSSOVER NEWS (MORE OF A RUMOR)

Actor Jay Karnes, who plays Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach on 'The Shield', revealed that a proposed spin-off for his character has been championed by Scott Rosenbaum, one of the writer/producers for the FX crime drama. If the spin-off did happen, it would be after the seventh and final season for 'The Shield'.

And who's to say Dutch will even survive that.....?

The fear though is that such a show would end up being similar to 'Beveryly Hills Buntz' which was a comic spin-off from 'Hill Street Blues'.... Luckily for Dennis Franz, 'NYPD Blue' came along to save his ass... and then reveal it.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

IN THE WORDS OF MAHATMA GUMBY....*

David Bianculli, TV critic and columnist for the New York Daily News, is one of my favorites when it comes to professional televisiologists; he coined the phrase "Tele-Literacy".

Every so often he writes a column with the "Extras" submitted by his readers. (Extras are in-jokes found in TV shows.)

I've been published in that column many times in the past for Extras which I submitted; just a fraction of the many I've found and reported.

He's even given me props for being the person who's sent in the most. (Which could be an indication that I should get out more.....)

But once again, he's typoed me out of existence......

Another new series, another new Extra. Both James Geus of Whitestone and Tony O'Brien of Manhattan enjoyed the appearance by Rob Reiner as guest host of the fictional late-night sketch comedy show on NBC's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Why?

"It's no secret that the show within the show is based on 'Saturday Night Live.'" O'Brien notes, adding, "The third episode ever of 'Saturday Night Live' had Rob Reiner as its guest host."

Geus, coming to the same conclusion as O'Brien, writes, "I'm sure this is not an accident."

I'm "Toby", Dammit!

(All apologies, Gumby.)

The full story can be found here:

And out of the four or five I sent in since the last column, that wasn't even the best. My favorite came from "Casanova" on 'Masterpiece Theatre', when the legendary lover was boasting about his new mansion in Paris. Apparently it was so big that they could even use one room only for wrapping presents.

This was an obvious reference to Aaron Spelling, who had a mansion so huge that it also had a room just for wrapping presents.

Oh well. I guess I'll just have to use a larger font the next time I write to Bianculli. All that TV probably ruined his eyesight.......

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

*Leslie Zevo (Robin Williams), "Toys"

ADHERING TO THE MEME

Rob Buckley is a cruel fellow.

He's put up a meme challenge on his blog, "The Medium Is Not Enough" (for the main blog: link to the left), to name three favorite 'Doctor Who' stories, no matter the medium. So this would include not only the TV series and TV movie, but the two theatrical films, the comic books, the audio adventures, the novelizations, and (look away, Lee Goldberg!) fanfic.

The cruelty comes in the limitation to only three. I immediately came up with ten. Don't lists have a time-honored tradition of having ten entries? You're only just getting started with three!

Ah well, it's the "Sophie's Choice" of 'Doctor Who' episodes......

And in whittling down the list to three, I think I ended up making political choices, voting with my head more than with my heart (although they all can be found in whatever I have as a substitute for a heart).

Oh! And they don't have to be in any particular order, so that saves me from making yet another choice.

Okay, so here goes.

"The Five Doctors" - A chance to see the first five incarnations of the Doctor in one story. (A bit of a cheat, as Richard Hurndall stands in for the late William Hartnell, and Tom Baker's involvement was via a clip from "City Of Death" - not sure on that, actually [This just in: Medium Rob has informed me that the clip is from the unaired "Shada", still on my list of must-sees.] - and then he was frozen in a stasis bubble.)

But we also get a great collection of Companions to accompany each Doctor in a story that actually makes sense. So many times in other TV shows, such stunt casting causes the plot to be sacrificed in order to accommodate the characters and actors. (And there's a nice sampling of classic villains and monsters from the series as well.)

Best of all in this storyline was the use of Jamie MacKrimmon and Zoe Herriot in a manner which held fast to their history in the show. Had this been an episode of 'Enterprise', the continuity of the franchise would have been tossed out the window in order to make it work.

So this was a political choice, allowing me the chance to pick plenty of Doctors and their Companions whom I didn't want to leave out.

"The War Games" - Even though so many of his stories are now lost to the short-sighted, penny-pinching ways of the BBC back in the day, Patrick Troughton is still my favorite of the Doctors. There's just something about his sense of play and his off-beat yet familiar look. It's something which endeared me to the Hobbits of Tolkien as well. Alien yet homey, I guess. (Toobworld needs some live-action Hobbits. 's not fair that the Tooniverse, the Cineverse, and the Radio Universe should have some, but not the TV Universe!)

"The War Games" may not be the best representation of Troughton's Doctor, but at ten episodes, you certainly get your money's worth. Plus it brings us to Gallifrey, and then concludes, sadly but satisfyingly, the storylines for Jamie, Zoe, and the Second Doctor.

"The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances" - Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper as the Doctor and Rose take a back seat to everything I enjoyed about this two-part episode. And that list begins with Captain Jack Harkness, who exploded the conventions of a space travelling hero laid down by the staid and stodgy crew of the Enterprise under Picard's leadership. (I suppose the argument could be made that 'Farscape' and 'Firefly', maybe even 'Babylon 5' did it first, but nobody went that extra mile like Jack does. nudge nudge wink wink!)

And it has a cracker of a story that really deserves the title of "behind the sofa viewing". While there were aliens involved, it was nice to have them be so different and without the ho-hum single-mindedness about taking over the Earth. (Although eventually they would have, without meaning to.)

Author Steven Moffatt also did a great job at capturing the feel of the time period. And when you remember that the series began as a novel way of looking at various points in Earth's history more than just being a parade of alien monsters, it makes for a great representative of both traditions in "Who" story-telling.

So those would be my three choices.

The other seven? Thanks for asking!

"The Girl In The Fireplace"
"School Reunion"
"The Talons of Weng Chiang"
"City of Death"
"The Unquiet Dead"
"Dimensions In Time"
(How could I, a caretaker for the TV Universe, not enjoy this crossover between 'Doctor Who' and 'EastEnders'? Not to mention all of the Doctors up to the Seventh and many of their Companions? And because I believe the current series of 'Doctor Who' takes place in an alternate dimension, there is no Zonk involved just because 'EastEnders' is seen as a TV show in "Army Of Ghosts".)

And last but not least.....

'The Simpsons' - "Sideshow Bob's Last Gleaming"
(The Doctor made several appearances on 'The Simpsons' which gives him a presence as an actual character in the Tooniverse. Can't beat that with a stick.)

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: JANE WYATT

Jane Wyatt had a career in movies, theatre, and television that spanned over sixty years. She made about thirty movies, of which the most memorable would be "Lost Horizon", "None But The Lonely Heart", and "Gentlemen's Agreement". (I would have added "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", but I'll have more on that later.)

It will be her role as Margaret Anderson on 'Father Knows Best', however, for which she'll always be remembered by fans of Classic TV. As wife to Jim Anderson in Springfield, Margaret was on equal footing with her husband, unlike many sitcoms of the day. "Father Knows Best", but many times Mother knew better.

The show lived on in syndication. This embedded the characters deeply enough into the collective memory of the Trueniverse audience so that a reunion movie almost twenty years later was a feasible project.

For many TV fans, especially those who are Trekkers, Miss Wyatt will always be remembered for another motherly role, even though she played it only once on television. This would be Amanda, wife of Sarek and mother of Mr. Spock in the 'Star Trek' episode "Journey To Babel". She later returned to this role in the theatrical movie "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home", where she took advantage of Spock's death and rebirth as a second chance to help her son discover his human side.

And for me, there is yet one more TV character in her resume who should be noted - that of Katherine Auchslander, the wife of Dr. Daniel Auchslander, the administrator of St. Eligius Teaching Hospital on 'St. Elsewhere'.

Jane Waddington Wyatt was born Aug. 12, 1910, in Campgaw, N.J. Herancestry was traced to early American statesmen and educators. Her father was an investment banker, and her mother, from the Van Rensselaer family line, wrote drama criticism.

Ms. Wyatt won three Emmy Awards playing Margaret Anderson, the wife of a Midwestern insurance agent, played by Robert Young and the mother of their three children, portrayed by Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray and Lauren Chapin. She was the first consecutive winner of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' Emmy Award.

After its cancellation, she took a variety of television parts, appearing on "Alfred Hitchock Presents," "The Virginian" and "Fantasy Island," among others.

She also accepted a part in "Amityville: The Evil Escapes" (1989), a TV movie that was a chapter in the "Amityville Horror" scare flicks. Unfamiliar with the series, she initially thought the script was about Andersonville, the Civil War prisoner-of-war camp.

However, she said she embraced the role of an embittered crone of a woman who must take in her daughter, played by Patty Duke, and three grandchildren, one of whom is taken over by an evil spirit.

Her character, Alice, "is VERY different," Ms. Wyatt told the Chicago Tribune. "Margaret Anderson would have welcomed her daughter and grandchildren [and had them] stay for a year, two years.

"Alice, on the other hand, didn't exactly roll out the welcome wagon. She had been living alone for a long time. Then suddenly four people move in. You get fussy and a little used to your own ways. Plus the kid's possessed."

After a period in stock, she arrived on Broadway in 1931 at the bottom of the cast in A.A. Milne's "Give Me Yesterday" (1931). She went on to appear in George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber's "Dinner at Eight" as the ingenue Paula, who has an affair with an older, alcoholic matinee idol.

Soon after, Ms. Wyatt made her screen debut as a secondary character in James Whale's "One More River" (1934), followed by Estella in a version of Charles Dickens's "Great Expectations" with Phillips Holmes as Pip.

She later said her work dried up in the early 1950s because of her association with a group of politically liberal actors campaigning against the anti-Communist blacklist, including Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart. She said that she was never a Communist and that the worst label that anyone applied to her was "prematurely anti-fascist."

The offer to appear in "Father Knows Best," long a fixture on radio, came as a surprise. The show ran first on CBS, and that network's decision to cancel the program resulted in loud protests. NBC picked it up from 1955 to 1958 before the show returned to CBS.

Although Ms. Wyatt said in later years that she found aspects of the show dated, she took some comfort in its ability to appeal to audiences across the world.

"When we did it we had no idea it would make such a big splash," she told the Associated Press in 1989. "I went to Peru on a botanical trip last year. The stewardesses on the plane were all over us. In Lima, we were besieged by people. The show's called 'Papa Lo Sabe Todo' there."

Before taking her role in the television series, Wyatt had already established herself as a television pioneer, serving as host of the 'Bell Telephone Hour'.

In addition to acting, Ms. Wyatt spent much of her life raising funds for the March of Dimes.

Survivors include two sons, Christopher Ward of Piedmont, Calif., and Michael Ward of Los Angeles; three grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.

TV SERIES
"Father Knows Best" .... Margaret Anderson
[The Andersons lived in the town of Springfield. This is the same Springfield where 'Guiding Light' takes place - at least as far as this Caretaker is concerned. And although the city of Altoona was mentioned in the series several times, that doesn't necessarily mean that this Springfield was located in Pennsylvania. Also, it is not the Springfield of 'The Simpsons', as that takes place in the Tooniverse.]

RECURRING ROLES
"St. Elsewhere" .... Katherine Auschlander
[Those who follow the Westphallian Splainin of the TV Universe - that it is all connected in the mind of autistic Tommy Westphall on 'St. Elsewhere' - might argue that Katherine was no more than a character based on Tommy's viewing of 'Father Knows Best' repeats. I'm one of those televisiologists who believe that 'St. Elsewhere' actually did take place in the TV Universe, and that it was the show's final scenes that were the fantasy.]

SEQUELS & PREQUELS
Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas (1977) (TV) .... Margaret Anderson

TV MOVIES
Simisola (1996) (TV) .... Newsreader
Amityville: The Evil Escapes (1989) (TV) .... Alice Leacock
Ladies of the Corridor (1986) (TV)
Missing Children: A Mother's Story (1982) (TV) .... Judge Eloise Walker
[It's possible that Judge Walker is the mother of Ellie Walker, the young pharmacist who dated Sheriff Andy Taylor for awhile on 'The Andy Griffith Show'. At the very least, she could be an aunt or other close relative for whom Ellie was named. Of course, it would just be a coincidence that Eloise Walker and Ellie Walker shared the same tele-genetic characteristics as the mother and daughter Margaret and Betty Anderson of 'Father Knows Best'.]
The Millionaire (1978) (TV) .... Mrs. Mathews
The Nativity (1978) (TV) .... Anna
A Love Affair: The Eleanor and Lou Gehrig Story (1978) (TV) .... Eleanor's Mother
Superdome (1978) (TV) .... Fay Bonelli
Amelia Earhart (1976) (TV) .... Amy Earhart
Katherine (1975) (TV) .... Emily Alman
Tom Sawyer (1973) (TV) .... Aunt Polly
You'll Never See Me Again (1973) (TV) .... Mary Alden
Neighbors (1971) (TV)
Weekend of Terror (1970) (TV) .... Sister Frances
See How They Run (1964) (TV) .... Augusta Flanders

TV RELATED MOVIES
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) .... Amanda

TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles"
- London, May 1916 (1992) TV Episode .... Older Vicky
"Hotel"
- Revelations (1987) TV Episode .... Katherine Jenkins
- Christmas (1983) TV Episode .... Agnes Simpson
"Starman"
- The Gift (1986) TV Episode .... Stella Forrester
"Fantasy Island"
- Midnight Waltz/Let Them Eat Cake (1983) TV Episode .... Martha Wilson
- King for a Day/Instant Family (1978) TV Episode .... Mrs. Grayson
[The character of Mrs. Grayson could be part of the same family tree that would eventually bring forth Amanda Grayson, the mother of Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek'. The fact that both women, although separated by centures, bore an amazing likeness to each other suggests that this theory of tele-genetic kinship is likely.]
"The Love Boat"
- Captain's Replacement, The/Sly as a Fox/Here Comes the Bride...Maybe (1983) TV Episode
- Crew Confessions/Haven't I Seen You?/Reunion (1979) TV Episode .... Mrs. Fluro
"Happy Days"
- Empty Nest (1982) TV Episode .... Joan
"Quincy M.E."
- New Blood (1980) TV Episode .... Mrs. Bridges
"Gibbsville"
- How Old, How Young (1976) TV Episode
"Medical Center"
- The Eighth Deadly Sin (1975) TV Episode .... Louise
"Marcus Welby, M.D."
- Designs (1974) TV Episode .... Edwina
"Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law"
- The Break In (1974) TV Episode .... Margaret Wilson
"Alias Smith and Jones"
- The Reformation of Harry Briscoe (1971) TV Episode .... Sister Julia
"The Virginian"
- The Price of the Hanging (1970) TV Episode .... Mrs. Lori Kinkaid
- The Secret of Brynmar Hall (1964) TV Episode .... Mrs. Sarah Brynmar
"Here Come the Brides"
- Two Women (1970) TV Episode
"Love, American Style"
- Love and the Big Leap/Love and the Former Marriage/Love and the Good Deal (1969) TV Episode .... (segment "Love and the Good Deal")
- Love and a Couple of Couples/Love and the Hustler/Love and the Pill (1969) TV Episode .... (segment "Love and the Pill")
"Star Trek"
- Journey to Babel (1967) TV Episode (as Miss Jane Wyatt) .... Amanda
"Insight"
- The Edith Stein Story (1967) TV Episode
- The Thousand-Mile Journey (1967) TV Episode .... Mrs. Daniels
"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour"
- The Monkey's Paw--A Retelling (1965) TV Episode .... Anne White
"Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre"
- Echo of Evil (1964) TV Episode .... Sarah
"The Bell Telephone Hour" .... Hostess
"Alcoa Premiere"
- Blow High, Blow Clear (1963) TV Episode .... Martha Ellison
"Going My Way"
- Don't Forget to Say Goodbye (1963) TV Episode .... Kitty McMullen
"Wagon Train"
- The Heather Mahoney Story (1962) TV Episode .... Heather Mahoney
"The United States Steel Hour"
- Little Lost Sheep (1961) TV Episode .... Phyllis Bannister
"Play of the Week"
- The Wingless Victory (1961) TV Episode
"General Electric Theater"
- Labor of Love (1961) TV Episode .... Beatrice Freeman
"Studio One"
- The Laughing Willow (1958) TV Episode .... Bunny Gates
- The Walsh Girls (1953) TV Episode
- Lovers and Friends (1952) TV Episode
"Playwrights '56"
- Daisy, Daisy (1955) TV Episode .... Glenda Bingham
"The Motorola Television Hour"
- The Family Man (1954) TV Episode .... Ruth Updyke
- Outlaw's Reckoning (1953) TV Episode
"The Philip Morris Playhouse"
- To Love and to Cherish (1953) TV Episode
"Robert Montgomery Presents"
- Betrayed (1953) TV Episode
- The Inward Eye (1952) TV Episode
- The Wall (1952) TV Episode
- The Awful Truth (1950) TV Episode
- Kitty Foyle (1950) TV Episode
"The Ford Television Theatre"
- Protect Her Honor (1952) TV Episode
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars"
- A Southern Lady (1952) TV Episode
"Lights Out"
- The Intruder (1952) TV Episode
"Nash Airflyte Theatre"
- The Lipstick (1951) TV Episode

THE LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES
Frank Capra's American Dream (1997) (TV) .... Herself
The Silent Feminists: America's First Women Directors (1993) (voice) .... Narrator
Legacy of the Hollywood Blacklist (1987) (TV) .... Herself
NBC 60th Anniversary Celebration (1986) (TV) .... Herself
"The Bell Telephone Hour"
- A Trip to Christmas (1961) TV Episode (as Miss Jane Wyatt) .... Herself
"Confidential for Women" (1966) TV Series .... Narrator (1966)
Story of a Family (1960) (TV) .... Narrator
"Your Show of Shows" - Episode dated 8 January 1952 (1952) TV Episode
"This Is Your Life"
- Vincent Price (1973) TV Episode .... Herself
"Password"
- Jane Wyatt vs. Richard Boone (1963) TV Episode .... Panelist
"The Steve Allen Show"
- Episode #5.12 (1959) TV Episode .... Herself - Recipient
"What's My Line?"
- Episode dated 21 September 1958 (1958) TV Episode .... Mystery Guest
"Toast of the Town"
- Episode #12.2 (1958) TV Episode .... Herself

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

MY SITCOM LIFE

I approached one of my co-workers this morning; one who's known for her coarse and salty nature. Holding out the latest issue of "Entertainment Weekly", I said, "I didn't know you joined the Army!"

"What are you talking about?"

I pointed out the headline on the magazine's cover:

"CLINT GOES TO WAR"

After a beat, I then said, "Oh, my mistake. That's an 'LI' in 'Clint'........."

Duck and Cover!

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

A LITTLE CROSSOVER NEWS

Amber Moore will be leaving Los Angeles for a little visit to Genoa City in Wisconsin. As played by Adrienne Frantz on 'The Bold & The Beautiful', Amber will be showing up on 'The Young & The Restless', which has seen several characters cross over back and forth between these two soap operas. (Most significantly, in my opinion, would be Lauren Fenmore.)

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

MAKING THE LIST: POWERFUL YET FICTIONAL

There's a new book out which lists "The 101 Most Influential People (Who Never Lived)". Here at Toobworld Central, we have another book that is similar: "The Encyclopedia Of Fictional People".

This new book's subtitle is "How characters of myth, legends, television, and movies have shaped our society, changed our behavior, and set the course of history."

The number one choice has been banished from the TV Universe, but he still makes appearances in print ads: The Marlboro Man, whom the authors claim is the greatest killer of all time.

Other characters have solid presences in Earth Prime-Time, but they are better known, or were first seen, in other venues. These would include Sherlock Holmes, Santa Claus, and Frankenstein's Monster.

From the top fifty chosen by a trio of "rowdy philosophers", here are some other characters who came out of Toobworld:

21. Smokey Bear
32. Archie Bunker
39. Mary Richards
44. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
50. Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock

True, Buffy Summers first appeared in a theatrically released movie, but it's her Toobworld incarnation who had more influence.

Just from that small list, I'd be interested in seeing the arguments made by the authors for their inclusion. (I agree they should be on the list, just not sure about their placement in it.) And I'd like to find out why other characters might have been excluded from the list.

The book has been published by Harper and retails for about fourteen bucks.

The authors have also created a website where you can leave comments and suggestions as to who should have been on the list.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: ROSS DAVIDSON

Former 'EastEnders' star Ross Davidson has died from a brain tumor. He was 57.

Davidson was part of the original cast of 'EastEnders', playing nurse Andy O'Brien opposite Shirley Cheriton, who played his girlfriend Debbie Wilkins.

Born in Airdrie, Scotland, Davidson was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour in February 2005 and married his wife Barbara three months later. His agent, Keith Bishop, said Davidson died at his home in Frinton-on-Sea, Essex.

TV SERIES
"Hollyoaks" (1995) TV Series .... Andy Morgan (1999-2002)
"EastEnders" (1985-1986).... Andy O'Brien

TV MINI-SERIES
"Widows 2" (1985) (mini) TV Series .... Photographer

TV CLASSICS
The Comedy of Errors (1983) (TV) .... Mime Troupe Member

TOOBWORLD RELATED MOVIES
Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) .... (segment "The Crimson Permanent Assurance")

THE LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES
It Shouldn't Happen to a... Soapstar (2001) (TV) .... Himself
"Roland Rat, the Series" - Episode #1.6 (1986) TV Episode .... Himself
"Pob's Programme" (1985) TV Series .... Himself

BCnU......
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: PHYLLIS KIRK

Actress Phyllis Kirk was probably best known for her role of Sue Allen in the 3D horror movie "House Of Wax" from 1953. But in Toobworld, she will be the personification of Nora Charles in the mystery-comedy series 'The Thin Man', based on the book by Dashiell Hammett.

Ms. Kirk died on Friday from a post-cerebral aneurysm at the Motion Picture & Television Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, publicist Dale Olson said.

During the 1950s, Ms. Kirk often appeared in television anthologies before being cast opposite Peter Lawford in 'The Thin Man', which aired on NBC from 1957 to 1959.

The pair played sophisticated married sleuths Nick and Nora Charles in the series based on the book as well as the MGM movies that had starred William Powell and Myrna Loy. (Overall, Powell and Ms. Loy will always be THE Nick and Nora in the Multiverse, but it's hard to imagine a lovelier embodiment of Nora's televersion in the 1950s than Ms. Kirk.)

"The Thin Man," which brought Kirk an Emmy nomination in 1959, "was the most happy and interesting work experience I ever had as an actress," she told the Associated Press in 1984.

For me, she is also memorable in an episode of 'The Twilight Zone' - "A World Of His Own". As Victoria West, she is a perfect example of the power of the imagination, which is a gift as well as a curse handed down to the descendants of the demi-god Evander ('Hercules, The Legendary Journeys').

I don't want to give away anything more than that in case you've never seen the episode......

Known for being outspoken, Kirk worked with the American Civil Liberties Union to campaign against capital punishment in the late 1950s.

Before the California Assembly, she spoke against the death sentence of Caryl Chessman — convicted on 17 counts of kidnapping, robbery and sexual assault — and visited him in prison several times before he was executed in 1960. (His story was made into a TV movie, "Kill Me If You Can", which starred Alan Alda as Chessman. Looking at the cast list, I can't tell if Ms. Kirk was personified by a roman a clef character or not.)

"It made headlines, but it hurt her career too," Olson said. "She was very opinionated and very passionate about her beliefs."

After the Watts riots in 1965, Kirk helped establish and fund two preschool programs in the area.

She was born Phyllis Kirkegaard in Plainfield, N.J., and moved to New York in her late teens to study with the legendary acting teacher Sanford Meisner.

After appearing in several New York plays, she made her movie debut in "Our Very Own" (1950) with Farley Granger and Ann Blyth. Kirk went on to appear in nearly 20 other films.

As her acting career waned in the 1960s, Kirk took stage roles and appeared as a celebrity contestant on game shows.

In the 1970s, she quit acting when she began having trouble walking, a problem she linked to a childhood bout with polio and meningitis.

Her second career — in public relations, mainly at CBS — provided "by far and away the best work relationship" she ever had, Kirk later recalled.

She is survived by a sister, Megan Kirk Flax of Santa Rosa, Calif.; two stepdaughters; and a step-granddaughter.

Kirk was cremated and her remains will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery next to her husband, Warren Bush, a television producer she married in the 1960s. He died in 1991.

TV SERIES
"The Thin Man" (1957-1959) .... Nora Charles
"The Red Buttons Show" (1952) TV Series .... Regular performer (1955)

TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"The F.B.I."
- The Impersonator (1970) TV Episode .... Nora Tobin
"The Name of the Game"
- Give Till It Hurts (1969) TV Episode .... Edith
"The Twilight Zone"
- A World of his Own (1960) TV Episode .... Victoria West
"Zane Grey Theater"
- Set-Up (1960) TV Episode .... Ann Bagley
"The 20th Century-Fox Hour"
- Men in Her Life (1957) TV Episode .... Barbara Sherwood
"The Ford Television Theatre"
- Exclusive (1957) TV Episode .... Sarah Caine
- Mrs. Wane Comes to Call (1957) TV Episode .... Laura Chandler
- Duffy's Man (1956) TV Episode .... Julie
- Tin Can Skipper (1956) TV Episode .... Nora Corliss
"Robert Montgomery Presents"
- The Clay Pigeon (1957) TV Episode
- The Great Gatsby (1955) TV Episode .... Daisy Buchanan
- Richard Said No (1954) TV Episode
- World by the Tail (1953) TV Episode
"Errol Flynn Theater"
- Rustle of Silk (1957) TV Episode
- Declassee (????) TV Episode
"Playhouse 90"
- Made in Heaven (1956) TV Episode .... Nancy Tennant
"Climax!"
- Faceless Adversary (1956) TV Episode .... Barbara Phillips
- Gamble on a Thief (1956) TV Episode .... Amy Connor
- Edge of Terror (1955) TV Episode .... Mrs. Evans
"Celebrity Playhouse"
- Home Is the Soldier (1956) TV Episode
- Bachelor Husband (1956) TV Episode
"Schlitz Playhouse of Stars"
- The Waiting House (1956) TV Episode .... Barbara Hunter
"Studio One"
- Johnny August (1956) TV Episode .... Samantha Dolan
- Heart Song (1955) TV Episode .... April
- Prelude to Murder (1954) TV Episode .... Carol Chandler
- The Devil in Velvet (1952) TV Episode
"Letter to Loretta"
- Tropical Secretary (1955) TV Episode .... Jess Blackston
"Playwrights '56"
- The Battler (1955) TV Episode .... Girl Friend
"Appointment with Adventure"
- Forbidden Holiday (1955) TV Episode
"The Web"
- Crackpot (1954) TV Episode .... Meg Loomis
- The Closing Net (1953) TV Episode
"Goodyear Television Playhouse"
- The Power of Suggestion (1954) TV Episode
- The Inward Eye (1954) TV Episode
- Wish on the Moon (1953) TV Episode
"Justice"
- Keith's Case (1954) TV Episode
"Your Show of Shows"
- Episode dated 3 April 1954 (1954) TV Episode
"Suspense"
- The Moonstone (1954) TV Episode
"Lux Video Theatre"
- All Dressed in White (1954) TV Episode
- Listen, He's Proposing! (1953) TV Episode
"The United States Steel Hour"
- P.O.W. (1953) TV Episode
"Armstrong Circle Theatre"
- Candle in a Bottle (1953) TV Episode
"Tales of Tomorrow"
- Age of Peril (1952) TV Episode
"The Philco Television Playhouse"
- Rich Boy (1952) TV Episode .... Dolly

THE LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES
"Mantrap" (1971) TV Series .... Herself/panelist

BCnU......
Tele-Toby

[thanks to the IMDb.com]

THE LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES: DONNY & SMOKEY

Here are a few items of interest about celebrities who appear as fictionalized versions of themselves ("televersions") in upcoming shows.

In both cases, the venue will be soap operas....

First up, Donny Osmond will play himself on 'All My Children' in scenes with Erica Kane on Nov. 3. Osmond will be plugging his Real World appearance on Broadway in "Beauty And The Beast" when he guests on Erica's Pine Valley TV talk show, 'New Beginnings'.

And then Smokey Robinson, who sings one of my top ten favorite songs, appears on 'Days of Our Lives' on Nov. 15th to serenade John and Marlena.

It's just a shame he won't be getting the chance to meet Dr. Drake Ramoray......

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

HEY, GRANDPA! WHAT'S FOR SUPPER?

I have to give credit to the writers of 'My Name Is Earl' for being the cheeky little monkeys that they are. I'm always amazed by the stuff they get away with in the characters' dialogue (usually Joy's).

With last week's episode "Van Hickey", I knew they were at it again once I saw the flyer for "Phish Tahko", which was the name of Earl's band. They may have changed the spelling, but there was no way they could change the pronunciation.

Well, that's just the way my mind works; I can find the dirty in just about anything.......

But that's only when my mind does work at all. I kept forgetting to check out "Phish Tahko" online until today.......

1990s
fish taco
vulgar slang for labia/vagina
an unshaven vagina, usually with the distinct tang of tuna
"When I was over at Susie's last night, I ate her furry fish taco"
(googled from a variety of online sources)

Now that's a term I don't mind looking up, nudge nudge wink wink!

Noah Webster (as voiced by Rob Campbell in the 'Liberty! The American Revolution' mini-series) would have been so proud......

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

SPECULATIN' RHYTHMS

I caught the hint of a rumor online yesterday and did a Google search to track it down. Apparently, 'Grey's Anatomy' will do more than just provide a strong lead-in for 'Six Degrees' on the ABC Thursday night schedule. It looks like there will be a crossover episode coming soon.

There was nothing definite in any of the sources I found for this rumor; the best one said that it came from a well-placed source in the 'Six Degrees' camp. (But then I guess they're the ones who have the most to gain from such a rumor.)

In most of the versions I found, it looks like Izzy (with money she inherited) treats her roomies to a trip to NYC. And while there, they all have six degrees of separation encounters with various of the characters in the show that follows them on the sked.

There was another version of the rumor, in that one of the characters from 'Six Degrees' goes to Seattle Grace to apply for a job. As I don't know anything about the dramatis personae of 'Six Degrees', other than that one of them is a photographer, I can't say whether or not this is a credible rumor.

Personally, I'd like to see a crossover in minor details between 'Lost' and 'The Nine'. Maybe Nick, the detective with a gambling problem, has to report to Captain Cortez of the LAPD. (She's the mother of the late Ana Lucia.) Or in a flashback, Kim Raver's ADA is bringing Sawyer up on larceny charges. Maybe Malcolm, the bank manager, could be seen opening a safe deposit box for somebody and it's numbered 4216 or some other combination of "the Numbers".

I'm still hoping for more NBC support for 'Heroes' by subtly touting it in other shows. The appearance of the Montecito in last week's episode was a good start, but it was during 'Heroes'; it needs to have the scope widened to other shows where it can be played up.

For instance, and I've mentioned this once before, I think, but there should be Nathan Petrelli campaign posters seen in the background of the various 'Law & Order' series leading up to November 7th. Probably too late for that now.....

But the creepy guy who has been hounding the "heroes" and is Claire's adopted dad..... He could be seen hanging about a crime scene and then slipping away before the detectives notice him, perhaps.

Maybe Bug of 'Crossing Jordan' is a distant relative to Mohinder Suresh of 'Heroes'?

Or the heroes could just be seen enjoying an episode of 'Studio 60' on TV. (And for all of the other dramas, they could show an NBS logo down in the corner of the screen on their TV shows within a TV show.)

Is that too much to ask?

BCnU!
Tele-Toby