AS SEEN ON TV: POCAHONTAS

Not exactly a Thanksgiving leftover....

POCAHONTAS

AS SEEN IN:
"Pocahontas and Captain John Smith - Love and Survival in Jamestown"

AS PLAYED BY:
Jessica May Foss

Pocahontas (c.1595 – March 21, 1617) was a Virginia Indian woman notable for having assisted colonial settlers at Jamestown in present-day Virginia. She was converted to Christianity and married the English settler John Rolfe. After they traveled to London, she became famous in the last year of her life. She was a daughter of Wahunsunacawh, better known as Chief or Emperor Powhatan (to indicate his primacy), who headed a network of tributary tribal nations in the Tidewater region of Virginia (called Tenakomakah by the Powhatan). These tribes made up what is known as the Powhatan Chiefdom and were part of the Algonquian language family.
(from Wikipedia)

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: SQUANTO

Here's another entry for Thanksgiving, remembering that the Pilgrims were not the only ones to come to the table....

SQUANTO

AS SEEN IN:
'Thanks'

AS PLAYED BY:
Michael Horse

Tisquantum (better known as Squanto) (c. 1580s – November 1622) was a Patuxet Native American who assisted the Pilgrims after their first winter in the New World and was integral to their survival. The Patuxet tribe was a tributary of the Wampanoag Confederacy.

Tisquantum first came in contact with English explorers in 1605, when he and other Patuxet: Manida, Skidwarres/Skettawarroes, Nahanada/Dehanada, and Assacumet, were captured by the party of George Weymouth. Exploring present-day Maine, Weymouth thought to take indigenous people back to England to show his sponsor as proof of his work. He returned with the Patuxet and turned them over to Sir Ferdinando Gorges. Tisquantum is believed to have been taught English to serve as a translator in New England. In 1612 he returned to North America with Captain John Smith, who after some service time released him to return to his village.

On his way back to the Patuxet in 1614, Tisquantum was kidnapped by another Englishman, Thomas Hunt. Hunt was one of John Smith's lieutenants. Hunt was planning to sell fish, corn, and captured natives in Málaga, Spain. There Hunt attempted to sell Tisquantum and a number of other Native Americans into slavery in Spain for £20 apiece.

Some local friars discovered what Hunt was attempting and took the remaining Native Americans – Tisquantum included – in order to instruct them in the Christian faith. Tisquantum convinced the friars to let him try to return home. He managed to get to London, where he lived with and worked for a few years with John Slany, a shipbuilder who apparently taught Tisquantum more English. Slany took Tisquantum with him when he sailed to Cuper's Cove, Newfoundland. To get to New England, Tisquantum tried to take part in an expedition to that part of the North American east coast. When that plan fell through, he returned to England in 1618.

At last in 1619 Tisquantum returned to his homeland, having joined an exploratory expedition along the New England coast. He soon discovered that the Patuxet, as well as a majority of coastal New England tribes (mostly Wampanoag and Massachusett), had been decimated the year before by an epidemic plague, possibly smallpox.

Native Americans had no natural immunity to European infectious diseases.

Tisquantum finally settled with Pilgrims at the site of his former village, which the English named Plymouth. He helped them recover from an extremely hard first winter by teaching them techniques to increase food production: by fertilizing crops. He also showed them the best places to catch fish and eels. He was critical to their survival.

In 1621, Squanto was the guide and translator for settlers Stephen Hopkins and Edward Winslow as they traveled upland on a diplomatic mission to the Wampanoag sachem, known today as Massasoit. In a subsequent mission for Governor William Bradford that summer, Squanto was captured by Wampanoag while gathering intelligence on the renegade sagamore, Corbitant, at the village of Nemasket (site of present-day Middleborough, Massachusetts.) Myles Standish led a 10-man team of settlers from Plymouth to rescue Squanto if he was alive or, if he had been killed, to avenge him. Squanto was found alive and well. He was welcomed back by the Pilgrims at Plymouth, where he continued in his vital role as assistant to the colony.
(from Wikipedia)

I just wish I had a better picture of Michael Horse in the role. It's not a matter of the Native Americans being slighted when it comes to thinking about Thanksgiving, just that 'Thanks' only lasted for six episodes and any pictures are rare....

BCnU!

TVXOHOF, 11/2009-D: THE WHITE HOUSE

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, we're running late with our last induction into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame for November. (In fact, I've snuck upstairs at my cousins' house to post this, while they're all downstairs preparing the feast! And I've been celebrating the season, so excuse any mis-spellings you find....)

This whole year we've been celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Hall, and with each month there's been an induction for each week on a special theme: League of Themselves, As Seen On TV, The Tooniverse, and for this final week: Location, Location, Location!

Traditionally, November has always had a political tone for the induction - either a politician or a newscaster. So for the location, what better choice than the White House?

Like the OK Corral and the Playboy Mansion, (both inducted earlier this year), the White House is a real place. Duh. But it has been the setting for many a fictional scene in TV series, tele-flicks, comedy sketches, cartoons, and I think even in commercials.

The TV White House is spread out across several TV dimensions including the Tooniverse, Skitlandia, and the Toobworld where Stupidity reigns ('The Secret Files of Desmond Pfeiffer' and 'That's My Bush!'). And in some TV shows it's the main setting for most of the action:

'24'

'The West Wing'

'Capiton Critters'

'Commander-In-Chief'

'Hail To The Chief'

'Mr. President'

'Backstairs At The White House'

'Corey In The House'

O'Bviously any tele-biography of our Presidents would probably include scenes set in the White House:

'Kennedy'

'John Adams'

'The Adams Chronicles'

'Gore Vidal's Lincoln'

'Path To War'

'Blind Ambition'

And there are those shows that have had characters visit the White House including 'The Lucy Show', 'The Twilight Zone', 'The Wild, Wild West', 'The Unit', 'The Agency', and 'Nancy' (well, her Dad lived there anyway.)

And in a blend of reality and tele-reality, there's the White House tour conducted by Jackie Kennedy.....

So now that the White House is celebrating its 209th year of Presidential residency this month (John Adams moved in there on November 1st, 1800), I think this is a proper Toobworld tribute for the joint.....

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV 2: THE MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE

Here's how the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade looked back in the mid-1960's, during an episode of 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'......

Enjoy the 2009 parade, and have a festive day, Toobworlders!

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: MISTER MACY

MISTER MACY
In the background: Illya Kuryakin
[Played by David McCallum]

AS SEEN IN:
'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'

AS PLAYED BY:
Kent Smith

As with the movie "Miracle On 34th Street", Macy is not supposed to be the founder of the famous department store chain (especially since Rowland H. Macy died in 1877). As to whether he's supposed to be an actual member of the Macy family is unclear, but all that matters is that within the "reality" of Toobworld, he is an actual Macy. I imagine at this point in the Toobworld timeline, the Macy family still had direct involvement in how the store was run......

With Chairman Georgi Koz

[Played by Akim Tamiroff]

Happy Thanksgiving!

FROM ALL OF ME.....

GETTING STUFFED: A TOOBWORLD THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and by now everybody should be preparing their Thanksgiving turkey with their favorite type of stuffing.

In the 1950's, Mrs. Emma Dunlighter appeared on KNXT-TV in Los Angeles to show her own method for preparing a turkey.....
And who played the woman?

JOHNNY CARSON
(seen here with Jack Bailey)
'Carson's Cellar'

HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING TOMORROW!

BCnU!

THE TRUE STORY OF JOHN ALDEN (TOON-STYLE)

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: JOHN ALDEN

Something a little different for Thanksgiving....

JOHN ALDEN

AS SEEN IN:
'Wishbone'

AS PLAYED BY:
Wishbone (played by Soccer)

John Alden (1599–September 22, 1687) is said to be the first person from the The Mayflower to set foot on Plymouth Rock in 1620. He was a ship-carpenter by trade and a cooper for The Mayflower, which was usually docked at Southampton. He was also one of the founders of the Plymouth Colony and the seventh signer of the Mayflower Compact. Distinguished for practical wisdom, integrity and decision, he acquired and retained a commanding influence over his associates. Employed in public business he became the Governor's Assistant, the Duxbury Deputy to the General Court of Plymouth, a member under arms of Capt. Miles Standish's Duxbury Company, a member of Council of War, Treasurer of Plymouth Colony, and Commissioner to Yarmouth.
(from Wikipedia)

BCnU!

REMEMBERING FERRANTE & TEICHER

While I was on semi-hiatus, Art Ferrante passed away at the age of 88. He was half of the piano duo Ferrante & Teicher, whom I discovered after picking up the soundtrack CD for 'The Ernie Kovacs Show'.

Here's a video for one of their songs, which was featured on that CD and which has become one of my favorite songs in my personal soundtrack.....



BCnU.....

WORST ZONK OF THE YEAR! HAVING SAID THAT....

I never met a meta that I didn't like....

Expand your experience of seeing the year's biggest Zonk: the 'Seinfeld' reunion on 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', with Larry playing George playing Larry......

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: MILES STANDISH (2+ FOR TUESDAY)

For this week of Thanksgiving....

MILES STANDISH

AS SEEN IN:
"We Shall Remain"

AS PLAYED BY:
Duncan Putney

Captain Myles Standish (c. 1584 – October 3, 1656), (sometimes spelled Miles Standish) was an English military officer hired by the Pilgrims as military advisor for Plymouth Colony. Arriving on the Mayflower, he worked on colonial defense. On February 17, 1621, he was appointed the first commander of Plymouth Colony. Later, he served as Plymouth's representative in England, and served as assistant governor and as the colony's treasurer. He was also one of the founders of the town of Duxbury, Massachusetts (named after his ancestral seat at Duxbury Woods, Chorley) in 1632.

Standish is often remembered for his bravery in battle and his reputation as the military captain of the Pilgrims, as well as a character in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's fictitious poem "The Courtship of Miles Standish".
(from Wikipedia)

AS SEEN IN:
"Leap Into The Unknown: William Bradford And The Pilgrim Fathers"

AS PLAYED BY:
Luke Knowlton

For some reason, his nickname was "Captain Shrimp"....

And as an added bonus from the tele-cornucopia:

AS SEEN IN:
'Bewitched'

AS PLAYED BY:
Peter Canon

BCnU!

"DOCTOR WHO": FORTY-SIX YEARS LATER.....

Today marks the anniversary of 'Doctor Who', which premiered on this date in 1963. (It's amazing that anybody in the world was watching anything but the news on that day!)

So here's Toobworld Central's salute to the Doctor. The first eight incarnations, plus the one from the Cineverse. And to Benny Hill, while we're at it......



BCnU!

"MERLOTTE'S": THE SITCOM

Somebody has taken scenes from 'True Blood' and transformed them into a sitcom, thanks to a laugh track to sweeten the deal......



BCnU!

THE TOOBWORLD TIMELINE: THE KIDNAPPING OF JOHN ADAMS

In the 'Daniel Boone' episode "Take The Southland Stage", President John Adams was kidnapped in Philadelphia and held for ransom. First Lady Abigail Adams asked Boone to handle the ransom demands, but he was able to rescue the President, subdue the kidnappers, and keep hold of the money.

This is one of those "historical events" that never happened in the real world, but can easily be accepted in Toobworld - because of national security, all of the details were kept secret.

Adams had already been in Philadelphia where the first Presidential mansion was located. But he had gone to the Hotel Adelphia to give an old friend of his some bad news: Congress refused to hear Colonel Anthony Bedlow's claim to keep his plantation, which had been taken away from him due to some legal technicality. Colonel Bedlow claimed that he would have gone to see the President, but he had allegedly broken his leg in a fall from a horse. (Actually, this was a ruse and Bedlow turned out to be the mastermind behind the abduction.)

As he was taking his leave of Bedlow, President Adams (played by Torin Thatcher) mentioned that he had to be back in Washington for the dedication of the new White House. (He was the first resident President.)

Now, John Adams didn't move into the White House until November 1st, 1800, a Saturday. He only lived there until March 4th, 1801, when Jefferson became the third President of the United States. As the weather seems pleasant enough in the episode, I'm going to assume that the events of the kidnapping took place in the last week of October, and that the dedication of the White House would be highlighted by Adams taking up residence there. (Although apparently there was no ceremony upon his moving in, according to historical accounts.)

Boone was told to take the stage that was leaving for Baltimore on a Thursday. I think that means he left on October 23rd, and that the actual kidnapping probably happened on Monday the 20th. This would give Abigail Adams enough time to make the arrangements to meet with Daniel Boone, most likely on Wednesday the 22nd. (The First Lady would not move into the White House until a few weeks after her husband had already settled in.) Here's another historical twist: Adams refers to the new residence in Washington as "the White House" (with an odd inflection, as if the term was not yet common usage). However, the public didn't start calling it by that name until 1811, according to historical records. So there's yet another difference that separates Toobworld from the Trueniverse.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: MEYER LANSKY

Recently, Joseph Wiseman, best known for playing "Dr. No", passed away. One of his major roles in Toobworld was that of Manny Weisbrod on 'Crime Story'. The character of Manny was based on Meyer Lansky.....

MEYER LANSKY

AS SEEN IN:
"Lansky"

AS PLAYED BY:
Richard Dreyfuss
Meyer Lansky (born Meyer Suchomlanski) (July 4, 1902 – January 15, 1983; known as the "Mob's Accountant") was a Jewish-American organized crime figure who, along with his associate Charles "Lucky" Luciano, was instrumental in the development of the "National Crime Syndicate" in the United States. Lansky developed a gambling empire which stretched from Saratoga, New York to Miami and Las Vegas; it is also said that he oversaw gambling concessions in Cuba. He was appointed by Fulgencio Batista y Zaldívar. Although a member of the Jewish Mafia, Lansky undoubtedly had strong influence with the Italian Mafia and played a large role in the consolidation of the criminal underworld (although the full extent of this role has been the subject of some debate).
[from Wikipedia]
BCnU!

LIFE DURING PRIME-TIME: HESSIAN SUGGESTION

In Toobworld, everybody has a story not seen on screen - and that includes the extras.

I thought of this while watching "Take The Southland Stage", an episode of 'Daniel Boone'. The clerk at the Hotel Adelphia in Philadelphia had a Germanic accent, which could be heard distinctly as he asked President John Adams (travelling incognito) if he needed a cab.

Because of events within the episode, it had to be taking place in October of 1800. (More on that in a future post.) So I'm thinking that it's possible that nearly thirty years before, the clerk arrived in America as a member of the Hessian troops that came to fight in the Revolutionary War. After the United States gained their freedom, this soldier must have stayed behind in the New World and eventually found employ at the hotel. It could even be that he was working at the very establishment that he owned.....

This is all conjecture, of course.

BCnU!

NUMBERS RUNNING: "THE MURDOCH MYSTERIES"

There's no time limit on the use of "The Numbers" from 'Lost'; in Toobworld, they existed as portentous integers long before the series started and they are to be found outside of the series as well.

In "Child's Play", one of 'The Murdoch Mysteries', Detective William Murdoch and Constable George Crabtree called upon one of the suspects in their murder investigation. This would have taken place in Toronto around 1895.

And the suspect happened to live in Apartment #23.....

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: LEE HARVEY OSWALD

LEE HARVEY OSWALD

AS SEEN IN:
'Red Dwarf'

AS PLAYED BY:
Toby Aspin

We're not celebrating nor honoring him here. Just marking his involvement in one of the most polarizing events of the 20th Century......
BCnU!