PASSAGES: PATSY RAMSEY

The use of the regular feature's title, "The Hat Squad", didn't seem at all appropriate.....

Patsy Ramsey, the mother of the little girl murdered in Boulder, Colorado, a decade ago, has passed away at the age of 49 due to cancer.

Her presence was marked in Toobworld by two televersions: Marg Helgenberger, who played her in "Perfect Murder, Perfect Town: JonBenet And The City Of Boulder", and in "Getting Away With Murder: The JonBenet Ramsey Mystery" in which Judi Evans Luciano portayed JonBenet's mother.

If the case is ever solved, I would expect we will see yet one more televersion of everyone involved in that case. And should the mystery ever be conclusively resolved, then the first TV production to portray the whole sordid affair should be designated the version of the main Toobworld.

It's just a shame that this tragedy happened in the first place and has to sully the landscape of the TV Universe, but that's life as seen on TV.....

BCnU....
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: MOOSE

One of the stars of 'Frasier' has passed away... at the age of sixteen and a half.

Real fans of the series will automatically realize that I'm referring to Moose, the Jack Russell Terrier who played Eddie on the show. But I can't help but wonder how many might see the age listed and think it might have been the kid actor who played Frederick Crane?

Mathilde Halberg, who trained Moose for his role on 'Frasier', told People Magazine that "He was extremely mischievious, always escaping, chewing up things and running off" before she got him. Apparently acting gave him an outlet to channel his energies.

And as he had killed a neighborhood cat before he became an actor, it could be said that Moose was the Charles S. Dutton of the show biz animal world.

Moose got his name because of his size; the youngest of a litter of four, but the biggest of the bunch. But everyone will always know him as Eddie.

Or as Skip, as he played the older version of the title character in the movie "My Dog Skip" with Frankie Muniz. If you haven't seen this film, rent it; I highly recommend it.

His son Enzo portrayed the younger version of Skip in the movie and Enzo also went on to assume the role of Eddie after Moose finally retired. Moose played Martin Crane's best friend on the show for over 200 performances and Enzo took care of the remaining 98.

And this little tidbit of information.... information.... information.... reminds me of the situation Rowlf found himself in when he was a cast member on 'The Jimmy Dean Show':

For playing Eddie, Moose received more fan mail than any of the human cast members on 'Frasier'.

My favorite moment for Eddie on the show? The Feydeau Farce-like episode in which everybody was caught in Daphne's room for one reason or another: during the end credits, when she finally thinks she has regained control of her small corner of the Crane apartment, Daphne realizes that Eddie is in there, hiding under a pile of clothes.

Thanks for your contributions to Toobworld, Moose. Like Neil on 'Topper', I hope there's an afterlife for you as well.

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

PS:
As I was writing up this tribute, I was in IM with one of the "Iddiots", Eliot With One L. We were wondering if the trainers of Moose would still collect on his residuals from the show now that he was gone, and whether or not his son Enzo still gets money as well.

And I said, "If they had appeared on an Aaron Spelling show, Enzo's step-mother would inherit all the money, the bitch!"

Sorry, but you know there is humor in Death, as Don Rickles once pointed out.

Just ask Chuckles the Clown.......

“The dog is a gentleman;
I hope to go to his heaven, not man's.”
Mark Twain

CROSSOVER OF THE WEEK (6/26/06)

One aspect which separates Toobworld from other visions of a TV Universe is that Toobworld accepts appearances by real-life celebrities as themselves in fictional situations to be valid crossovers if they appear in other shows as themselves as well. Even though they are "reality" in our world (and let's face it, even then they are sometimes beyond belief!), they are as much fictional characters as those they appear with in TV shows.

And we call the collection of these characters the League of Themselves.

This week's big crossover was due to such a character. Reverend Al Sharpton appeared as himself in an episode of 'Rescue Me' ("Sparks"). And as much of a blowhard as I think he is, I have to give him credit that he agreed to do it since he didn't come off in the best of lights for his showcase.

Sharpton appeared on the news to castigate the firehouse crew for ignoring the community. They had been out on a call to help an elderly black man in the neighborhood who had gone into cardiac arrest when they saw a school bus which had overturned. The firemen stopped to help, making sure that somebody else could answer the cardiac call, and were able to rescue the children (some of them injured) before the bus blew up.

Okay, sure, the old man ended up dying, but all the kids were saved. Reverend Al's problem was that they were all white kids. (The firemen would tell you that there was at least one Egyptian kid on board.)

C'mon, Al. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, y'know? You'll never get on any 'Star Trek' revival if you take that attitude.

Reverend Al Sharpton has appeared on a good handful of TV series as himself over the last ten years or so, and thus his appearance on 'Rescue Me' puts this Denis Leary production into that official version of "The Great Link".

'New York Undercover' - "Smoking Section"
'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' - "Sophomore Jinx"
'Girlfriends' - "The Rabbit Died"
'Tanner On Tanner'
'Boston Legal' - "Head Cases" & "Loose Lips"
'My Wife And Kids' - "Fantasy Camp" (Parts One & Two)

Also of note, he hosted 'Saturday Night Live' once, so he's made his mark in Earth Not Ready For Prime-Time as well as in Earth Prime-Time as himself and also as Johnnie Cochran among other roles he played that night.

And not that he needed it for his stats to gain inclusion into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame someday, but he also hosted his own talk show called "Sharp Talk".

It's a shame the Westphallians don't recognize the League of Themselves when constructing their vision of the TV Universe. Since 'Boston Legal', 'New York Undercover', and 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' are already part of Tommy Westphall's fantasy land, Reverend Al brings in the other four shows.

Ah well, to each his own.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: AARON SPELLING (PART TWO)

Aaron Spelling's huge contributions to the expanse of Toobworld's geography was strengthened by the interconnections between several of his series via crossovers.

'Burke's Law' & 'Honey West'
'The Love Boat'/'Charlie's Angels'/'Fantasy Island'
'Beverly Hills 90210' & 'Melrose Place'
'Melrose Place' & 'Models, Inc.'
'Dynasty' & 'The Colbys'

And then there are the many TV movie sequels to some of his past hits, like 'T.J. Hooker' and 'Hart To Hart'.

TV SERIES
"Charmed" (executive producer) (1998-)
"Clubhouse" (2004) TV Series (executive producer)
"Summerland" (executive producer)
"10-8: Officers on Duty" (2003) TV Series (executive producer)
"Queens Supreme" (2003) TV Series (executive producer)
"Deep Cover" (2002) TV Series (executive producer)
"All Souls" (2001) TV Series (executive producer)
"Titans" (2000) TV Series (executive producer)
"Rescue 77" (1999) TV Series (executive producer)
"Safe Harbor" (1999) TV Series (executive producer)
"Buddy Faro" (1998) TV Series (executive producer)
"Pacific Palisades" (1997) TV Series (executive producer)
"Sunset Beach" (1997) TV Series (producer)
"Malibu Shores" (1996) TV Series (executive producer) (1996)
"7th Heaven" (1996) TV Series (executive producer)
"Kindred: The Embraced" (1996) TV Series (executive producer)
"Savannah" (1996) TV Series (executive producer)
"University Hospital" (1995) TV Series (producer)
"Robin's Hoods" (1994) TV Series (producer)
"Burke's Law" (1994) TV Series (producer)
"The Round Table" (1992) TV Series (executive producer)
"The Heights" (1992) TV Series (producer)
"2000 Malibu Road" (1992) TV Series (executive producer)
"Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990) TV Series (executive producer)
"Nightingales" (1989) TV Series (producer)
"Life with Lucy" (1986) TV Series (executive producer)
"Finder of Lost Loves" (1984) TV Series (producer)
"Glitter" (1984) TV Series (producer)
"Hotel" (1983) TV Series (executive producer)
"At Ease" (1983) TV Series (producer)
"T.J. Hooker" (1982) TV Series (executive producer)
"Strike Force" (1981) TV Series (producer)
"Dynasty" (1981) TV Series (executive producer) (producer)
"B.A.D. Cats" (1980) TV Series (executive producer)
"Hart to Hart" (1979) TV Series (executive producer)
"Friends" (1979) TV Series (executive producer)
"The San Pedro Beach Bums"
"Vega$"
"Fantasy Island" (1978) TV Series (executive producer)
"The Love Boat" (1977) TV Series (executive producer)
"Charlie's Angels" (executive producer)
"Family" (1976) TV Series (executive producer)
"The Rookies" (executive producer)
"Starsky and Hutch" (executive producer)
"S.W.A.T." (1975) TV Series (executive producer)
"Firehouse" (1974) TV Series (executive producer)
"Chopper One" (1974) TV Series (executive producer)
"The Most Deadly Game" (1970) TV Series (executive producer)
"The Young Rebels" (1970) TV Series (executive producer)
"The New People" (1969) TV Series (producer)
"The Mod Squad" (1968) TV Series (producer)
"Off to See the Wizard"
"The Guns of Will Sonnett" (1967) TV Series (producer)
"Daniel Boone" (1964) TV Series (executive producer)
"Burke's Law" (1963) TV Series (producer)
"The Dick Powell Show" (producer)
"Johnny Ringo" (1959) TV Series (producer)
"Zane Grey Theater" (1956) TV Series (producer)

TV SPINOFFS
"The Love Boat: The Next Wave" (1998) TV Series (executive producer)
"Models, Inc." (1994) TV Series (executive producer)
"Melrose Place" (1992) TV Series (executive producer)
"The Colbys" (1985) TV Series (executive producer)
"Honey West" (executive producer)

TV MINI-SERIES
"Kingpin" (2003) (mini) TV Series (executive producer)
"Crossings" (1986) (mini) TV Series (executive producer)
"Hollywood Wives" (1985) (mini) TV Series (executive producer)
"The French Atlantic Affair" (1979) (mini) TV Series (executive producer)

TV SEQUELS & PREQUELS
Titans (2000) (TV) (executive producer)
Hart to Hart: Till Death Do Us Hart (1996) (TV) (executive producer) (uncredited)
Hart to Hart: Harts in High Season (1996) (TV) (executive producer) (uncredited)
Hart to Hart: Two Harts in Three-Quarters Time (1995) (TV) (executive producer)
Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart (1995) (TV) (executive producer)
Hart to Hart: Old Friends Never Die (1994) (TV) (executive producer)
Hart to Hart: Crimes of the Hart (1994) (TV) (executive producer)
Hart to Hart: Home Is Where the Hart Is (1994) (TV) (executive producer)
Hart to Hart: Hart to Hart Returns (1993) (TV) (executive producer)
Back to the Streets of San Francisco (1992) (TV) (executive producer)
The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage (1990) (TV) (executive producer)
T.J. Hooker: Blood Sport (1986) (TV) (executive producer)
Glitter (1984) (TV) (executive producer)
T.J. Hooker (1982) (TV) (executive producer)
Hart to Hart (1979) (TV) (executive producer)
Return of the Mod Squad (1979) (TV) (executive producer)
Return to Fantasy Island (1978) (TV) (executive producer)
The San Pedro Bums (1977) (TV) (executive producer)
The Love Boat II (1977) (TV) (executive producer)
Fantasy Island (1977) (TV) (producer)
The Rookies (1972) (TV) (producer)

TV RELATED FILMS
Charlie's Angels (2000) (executive producer)
The Mod Squad (1999) (executive producer)

"Charlie's Angels" (and its sequel, "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle") is one of those rare movies that are actually a part of the TV Universe. Charlie Townsend was once again played by the voice of John Forsythe, but everything else had changed.

It was the movie's conceit that since the demise of the TV series, several other young women had come along to work for the Townsend Detective Agency. (And besides Demi Moore as Madison Lee, who eventually turned villainous, there were also the Angels of the unsold pilot 'Angels '88'.)

And as for the recasting of Bosley, there is a splainin for that. Bill Murray and Bernie Mac were half-brothers and their father was the original Bosley, as played by David Doyle.

As for "The Mod Squad", that is a separate entity that belongs in the Cineverse and has no connection to Toobworld. It is a remake and at best can be looked upon as the mirror counterpart to the original TV series.... if the mirror crack'd: different actors, different time period.

To these theatrical releases one could also add "SWAT", although I don't think Spelling was involved in its production. In fact, because the characters mockingly "sing" the show's theme song, they recognize it as a TV show about their profession. And so the movie can't be seen as either a continuation of the TV show nor a remake.

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: AARON SPELLING (PART THREE)

Usually when I divvy up the credits culled from the IMDb.com for a Hat Squad tribute, I add a category of "TV Pilots".

To have gone through this list of TV movies in search of those which probably served as pilots for unsold series would have taken more time than even I with no life to speak of had.

But I think it safe to say that Aaron Spelling produced many of his TV movies with an eye toward eventual sale as TV series.

Just look at the titles for some of the following offerings, and you can see that there's something of a generic quality that suggests more of a blueprint for a future show:

Internation Airport
Waikiki
The Law And Mr. Lee
Gulf City
Grass Roots
Massarati And The Brain
Mr. And Mrs. Ryan

Perusing the list, it appears Spelling built his power base on the concept of the TV Movie during its heyday in the early 1970s, especially those for ABC's Tuesday Movie of the Week showcase. And some of those tele-flicks definitely served the mantra "Give the people what they want":

Love On The Run
Making of a Male Model
The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch
Sizzle
The Best Little Girl in the World

As well as the two versions of "Satan's School For Girls".

But they weren't all throwaway examples of what Spelling would call "mind candy". He was also the executive producer for "And The Band Played On", and deserves a tip o' the hat for bringing that to the general public.

And he wasn't above giving the okay to a project that needled his contributions to the TV Universe. "Murder Can Hurt You" was the Toobworld version of Neil Simon's "Murder By Death". But in this case, the detectives were spoofs of various TV detectives, including two who were obvious parodies of 'Starsky & Hutch'.

TV MOVIES
Split Decision (2006) (TV) (pre-production) (producer)
Wanted (2005) (TV) (executive producer)
Bounty Hunters (2005) (TV) (executive producer)
Silver Lake (2004) (TV) (executive producer)
The Law and Mr. Lee (2003) (TV) (executive producer)
Hotel (2003) (TV) (executive producer)
Home of the Brave (2002) (TV) (executive producer)
Satan's School for Girls (2000) (TV) (executive producer)
Odd Jobs (1997) (TV) (producer)
After Jimmy (1996) (TV) (executive producer)
A Season in Purgatory (1996) (TV) (executive producer)
Cross Town Traffic (1995) (TV) (executive producer)
Green Dolphin Beat (1994) (TV) (producer)
Love on the Run (1994) (TV) (executive producer)
Jane's House (1994) (TV) (executive producer)
A Stranger in the Mirror (1993) (TV) (executive producer)
And the Band Played On (1993) (TV) (executive producer)
Gulf City (1993) (TV) (executive producer) (producer)
Grass Roots (1992) (TV) (executive producer)
Jailbirds (1991) (TV) (executive producer)
Rich Men, Single Women (1990) (TV) (executive producer)
Day One (1989) (TV) (executive producer)
Divided We Stand (1988) (TV) (executive producer)
Cracked Up (1987) (TV) (executive producer)
Dark Mansions (1986) (TV) (executive producer)
Mr. and Mrs. Ryan (1986) (TV) (executive producer)
International Airport (1985) (TV) (executive producer)
Velvet (1984) (TV) (producer)
Dark Mirror (1984) (TV) (executive producer)
Making of a Male Model (1983) (TV) (executive producer)
Shooting Stars (1983) (TV) (executive producer)
Don't Go to Sleep (1982) (TV) (executive producer)
The Wild Women of Chastity Gulch (1982) (TV) (executive producer)
Massarati and the Brain (1982) (TV) (executive producer)
Sizzle (1981) (TV) (executive producer)
The Best Little Girl in the World (1981) (TV) (executive producer)
Casino (1980) (TV) (executive producer)
Murder Can Hurt You (1980) (TV) (executive producer)
Waikiki (1980) (TV) (executive producer)
Love's Savage Fury (1979) (TV) (executive producer)
The Power Within (1979) (TV) (executive producer)
Beach Patrol (1979) (TV) (executive producer)
The Users (1978) (TV) (executive producer)
Kate Bliss and the Ticker Tape Kid (1978) (TV) (executive producer)
Wild and Wooly (1978) (TV) (executive producer)
Cruise Into Terror (1978) (TV) (producer)
Little Ladies of the Night (1977) (TV) (executive producer)
The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976) (TV) (executive producer)
Death at Love House (1976) (TV) (executive producer)
The New Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1976) (TV) (executive producer)
One of My Wives Is Missing (1976) (TV) (executive producer)
The Legend of Valentino (1975) (TV) (producer)
Murder on Flight 502 (1975) (TV) (executive producer)
The Fireman's Ball (1975) (TV) (executive producer)
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe Return (1975) (TV) (executive producer)
Only with Married Men (1974) (TV) (executive producer)
Death Cruise (1974) (TV) (producer)
Hit Lady (1974) (TV) (producer)
Death Sentence (1974) (TV) (producer)
Savages (1974) (TV) (producer)
Cry Panic (1974) (TV) (producer)
The Girl Who Came Gift-Wrapped (1974) (TV) (producer)
The Death Squad (1974) (TV) (producer)
The Affair (1973) (TV) (executive producer)
Letters from Three Lovers (1973) (TV) (producer)
Hijack (1973) (TV) (producer)
Satan's School for Girls (1973) (TV) (producer)
The Bait (1973) (TV) (executive producer)
The Letters (1973) (TV) (executive producer)
The Great American Beauty Contest (1973) (TV) (executive producer)
Snatched (1973) (TV) (producer)
The Chill Factor (1973) (TV) (executive producer)
Every Man Needs One (1972) (TV) (executive producer)
Home for the Holidays (1972) (TV) (executive producer)
The Bounty Man (1972) (TV) (producer)
Rolling Man (1972) (TV) (executive producer)
Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole (1972) (TV) (producer)
No Place to Run (1972) (TV) (producer)
The Daughters of Joshua Cabe (1972) (TV) (executive producer)
Two for the Money (1972) (TV) (executive producer)
The Trackers (1971) (TV) (executive producer) (producer)
If Tomorrow Comes (1971) (TV) (executive producer)
The Reluctant Heroes (1971) (TV) (executive producer)
The Death of Me Yet (1971) (TV) (producer)
In Broad Daylight (1971) (TV) (executive producer)
A Taste of Evil (1971) (TV) (producer)
The Last Child (1971) (TV) (executive producer)
Five Desperate Women (1971) (TV) (executive producer)
Congratulations, It's a Boy! (1971) (TV) (producer)
River of Gold (1971) (TV) (executive producer)
Yuma (1971) (TV) (producer)
Love Hate Love (1971) (TV) (executive producer)
Run, Simon, Run (1970) (TV) (producer)
Crowhaven Farm (1970) (TV) (executive producer)
The Over-the-Hill Gang Rides Again (1970) (TV) (executive producer)
The House That Would Not Die (1970) (TV) (producer)
Wild Women (1970) (TV) (executive producer)
The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970) (TV) (executive producer)
But I Don't Want to Get Married! (1970) (TV) (producer)
How Awful About Allan (1970) (TV) (executive producer)
The Love War (1970) (TV) (producer)
Carter's Army (1970) (TV) (executive producer) (producer)
The Ballad of Andy Crocker (1969) (TV) (executive producer) (producer)
The Pigeon (1969) (TV) (executive producer)
The Monk (1969) (TV) (executive producer) (producer)
Wake Me When the War Is Over (1969) (TV) (executive producer)
The Over-the-Hill Gang (1969) (TV) (executive producer)
Cricket on the Hearth (1967) (TV) (executive producer)
My Daddy Can Lick Your Daddy (1962) (executive producer)
A Pair of Boots (1962) (executive producer)
Guns of the Timberland (1960) (producer)

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: AARON SPELLING (PART FOUR)

Aaron Spelling didn't just contribute to the TV Universe with all of the TV shows he produced, but he also added to the Toobworld census with several characters as he started out in the business as an actor.

"Beverly Hills, 90210"
- You Gotta Have Heart (1995) TV Episode (uncredited) .... Executive in Limo
"Burke's Law"
- Who Killed Julian Buck? (1963) TV Episode .... Harry Penn
"Studio 57"
- Nailed Down (1957) TV Episode .... Olaf
- The Rarest Stamp (1956) TV Episode .... Docker
"The Millionaire"
- The Joey Diamond Story (1956) TV Episode .... Max
"Gunsmoke"
- The Guitar (1956) TV Episode .... Weed Pindle
"Crusader"
- The Camp (1956) TV Episode .... Andrew Hock
- The Sharks (1956) TV Episode
"TV Reader's Digest"
- The General's Escape (1956) TV Episode
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents"
- Breakdown (1955) TV Episode .... Road Worker
"Dragnet"
- The Big Confession (1955) TV Episode .... Bruce Marcus
- The Big Bindle (1954) TV Episode
- The Big New Year (1954) TV Episode .... Donaldson
- The Big Pug (1954) TV Episode .... Charlie Coleman
- The Big Fire (1953) TV Episode .... Ollie
- The Big Safe (29 January 1953) - Charles Boyd
"Soldiers of Fortune"
- Cut Charlie In (1955) TV Episode
"I Love Lucy"
- Tennessee Bound (1955) TV Episode .... Gas Station Man
"Treasury Men in Action"
- The Case of the Desperate Men (1954) TV Episode

When he appeared on 'Beverly Hills 90210', a show he produced and which starred his daughter Tori, Spelling was simply "Executive In Limo". But nothing about that character forbids us from thinking that he appeared as his own televersion. And that would put Aaron Spelling into Toobworld's League of Themselves, one of the building blocks for this particular concept of the TV Universe.

This could be linked to his daughter's VH1 sitcom 'So NoTORIous', in which Spelling was never seen but only heard over the speaker-phone a la Charlie Townsend of 'Charlie's Angels'. However, the voice of "Aaron Spelling" was provided by Mark Capri.

Every so often, the general board governors for Toobworld holds meetings inside my head to make rulings on certain details about the TV Universe. When it comes to casting and recasting, there are two general rules by which we let some discrepancies slide.

One is age differences. If characters, such as the Cartwrights of 'Bonanza', are shown as much younger in the prequel 'Ponderosa', it's okay to consider them to be the same characters in the same dimension of Toobworld.

The other free pass is given to performances of characters which are vocal only. And "Aaron Spelling" as a voice-over coming from a speaker-phone is acceptable as being the real Aaron Spelling.

However, there are two other portrayals of Aaron Spelling that have to be shipped off to another TV dimension; perhaps even to two different dimensions as two different actors played Spelling in them.

Dan Castellaneta, the voice of Homer Simpson, portrayed the man behind the curtain for "Behind The Camera: The Unauthorized Story Of 'Charlie's Angels'" in 2004; while Nicholas Hammond, who played the Spiderman of the main Toobworld back in the 1970s, was seen on TV as the uber-producer in 2005's "Dynasty': The Making Of A Guilty Pleasure".

It's just as well we'd have to move them both to a different TV dimension. Let's face it, they're nothing but big ol' Zonks to the basic foundation of Toobworld.

Roger Catlin of The Hartford Courant had this to say in his blog "TV Eye" (link to the left) yesterday about the portrayals of Aaron Spelling on television:

Aaron Spelling, the prolific television producer who died Friday at 83, lived long enough to see himself as a character in movies.

When TV started to celebrate some of his hit series by starting to produce “making-of” movies of them, from “Three’s Company” to “Charlie’s Angels,” there’d be a character named Aaron Spelling done in a most exaggerated way, with a funny voice and odd scarecrow demeanor. His own daughter Tori cast him as a voice on the telephone – like the Charlie he had concocted for the Angels – for her self-deprecating recent VH1 series, “So NoTORIous.”

But not the voice nor any of the TV movie actors – even the talented Dan Castellaneta, no less than the voice of Homer Simpson – could do justice to just how unique the flesh and blood Spelling actually was.

I'd only point out that Spelling wasn't portrayed in the back-stabbing backstage look at 'Three's Company', but otherwise it's a nice tip o' the hat.

Spelling was only an ancillary character in those productions about 'Charlie's Angels' and 'Dynasty', not the main character. But I'd hate to suggest that a TV movie should be made which focuses solely on his life, although others who have contributed to the TV Universe have been given such treatment who were far less deserving.

The reason I'm reticent about the idea when it comes to Mr. Spelling is that I'm afraid that it would focus more on his relationship to his daughter Tori and her strained relationship with her mother, Candy.

And then there's always that massive mansion in which there was a room just for wrapping gifts.....

But if they ever do decide to pay homage to Aaron Spelling with the TV biopic treatment, then I do have a suggestion for an actor to play the role - at least for the early years in the business.

Lucas Haas.

Just sayin' is all.

BCnU...
Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: AARON SPELLING (PART ONE)

In his blog "I Am A Child Of Television" (link to the left), Brent McKee said it best today:

In an industry where the phrase "industry giant" is used as commonly as balloons at political conventions, Aaron Spelling truly deserved that description.

In fact, considering how much of the Toobworld landscape was created and shaped by Aaron Spelling, I might be tempted to call him a god of the TV Universe... if I wasn't afraid of the consequences.

It's almost hard to believe that he never produced a science fiction series, although the TV movie "The Last Child" could be considered his contribution to the genre. ('The Kindred: The Embraced', "Crowhaven Farm" and "Satan's School For Girls" are his contributions to the sub-genre of horror.)

But primetime soaps, family dramas, medical shows, cop shows, Westerns, and even a sitcom ('At Ease') all bore the Spelling stamp over the years.

It's always easy and popular to throw the brickbats at the high and the mighty. With many of his productions, the targets became easier as the years passed and we saw how ridiculous and camp some of the plotlines and characters were in those shows. But there's no denying how popular they were in their time, giving pop culture some of its enduring touchstones.

Sure there have been people in real life who have been confined to "plastic bubbles" because they needed a sterile environment in which to survive. But would there have been the Jake Gyllenhaal movie and a popular guest character on 'Seinfeld' had there not been the TV movie with John Travolta to inspire them?

Use the phrase "Donna Martin Graduates!" and people will know what the reference is.

And then there's his invaluable contributions to "Jiggle TV", especially those fleeting few seconds from the 'Charlie's Angels' episode "Angels In Chains".

Thank you, sir..

I see Aaron Spelling as a combination of P.T. Barnum, for giving the people what they wanted, and Isaac Asimov, for his incredible output.

It's such a massive list of credits, that I've had to break it down into several posts. The others will follow tomorrow when I have more time.....

BCnU......
Tele-Toby

"All that remains is recognition of a man."
The President
"The Prisoner"

THE HAT SQUAD: RICHARD STAHL

It could be that Richard Stahl was that kind of character actor whom many knew when they saw him, but never knew his name. I find that hard to believe as I know the first time I ever saw him in anything, I made sure I found out who he was. (I'm a great fan of character actors.)

That probably happened with an episode of 'The Odd Couple'; he appeared in about nine of them.

He had this dry delivery, almost a monotone, that always seemed to imply that he was disdainful of all around him. And many of his best characters held this attitude like a weapon, especially when found behind a position of power like a desk or a business counter.

Richard Stahl passed away last Sunday at the age of 74, after a ten year battle with Parkinson's disease. The news was released by his wife, Katherine Ish, an actress whom he married in 1959. The two of them joined the San Francisco improv group "The Committee" during the 1960s.

My personal favorite memory of his many roles in Toobworld would be that of Brother Ralph in an episode of 'The Odd Couple', when Felix and Oscar spent a weekend retreat in a monastery.

TV SERIES
"It's a Living" (1985) TV Series .... Howard Miller
"Struck by Lightning" (1979) TV Series .... Walt Calvin
"Turnabout" (1979) TV Series .... Jack Overmeyer

RECURRING ROLES
"The Tom Show" - Vice Principal Koontz
- The Centerfold (1998) TV Episode
- Kenlon's New Clothes (1997) TV Episode
"Empty Nest" - Fred Dietz
- Love a la Mode (1994) TV Episode
- The Unimportance of Being Charley (1992) TV Episode
"Harry O" - Dr. Samuelson
- Death Certificate (1976) TV Episode
- The Mysterious Case of Lester and Dr. Fong (1976) TV Episode
- APB Harry Orwell (1975) TV Episode
- Tender Killing Care (1975) TV Episode

TV MINI-SERIES
The President's Plane Is Missing (1973) (TV) .... Dentist

TV MOVIES
Hi Honey - I'm Dead (1991) (TV)
Cindy (1978) (TV) (uncredited) .... Recruiter
The Death of Richie (1977) (TV) .... Arthur Edmunds
Good Against Evil (1977) (TV) .... Brown
The Boys (1974) (TV) .... Dr. Ferguson
Honky Tonk (1974) (TV) .... Mr. Arnold
Nightmare at 43 Hillcrest (1974) .... Richard 'Dick' Estabrook
Lisa, Bright and Dark (1973) (TV)
Savage (1973) (TV) .... Photographer
Thief (1971) (TV) .... Bob Rifleman
Sheriff Who (1967) (TV) (as Dick Stahl) .... Whittler

TV PILOT MOVIES
Rosetti and Ryan: Men Who Love Women (1977) (TV) .... Medical Examiner
The Love Boat (1976) (TV) .... Danny DiMarco, the Lounge Performer

GUEST APPEARANCES
"Hudson Street"
- The Retreat (1996) TV Episode .... Mr. Spoon
"Platypus Man"
- 9 1/2 Days (1995) TV Episode .... Priest
"Diagnosis Murder"
- A Very Fatal Funeral (1994) TV Episode .... Preacher
"Married with Children"
- Shoeway to Heaven (1994) TV Episode .... Shoemaker
"Empty Nest"
- The Fracas in Vegas (1993) TV Episode .... Bellman
"Living Single"
- Full Court Press (1993) TV Episode .... Judge Richard Patterson
"The Golden Girls"
- That's for Me to Know (1991) TV Episode .... Don
"Good Grief"
- The Big Bang Theory (1991) TV Episode .... District Attorney
- Cub Scouts and Horses & Whiskers on Kittens (1990) TV Episode .... Chief Boom Boom
"Night Court"
- Attack of the Mac Snacks (1989) TV Episode .... Uncle Floyd
- Santa Goes Downtown (1984) TV Episode .... Doctor Peter Green
"Murder, She Wrote"
- If a Body Meet a Body (1986) TV Episode .... Rev. Matthews
"You Again?"
- Small Change (1986) TV Episode .... Mr. Wilson
"Newhart"
- What Makes Dick Run (1985) TV Episode
- You're Nobody 'til Somebody Hires You (1985) TV Episode .... Len
- Kirk Pops the Question (1984) TV Episode .... Waiter
"Highway to Heaven"
- The Banker and the Bum (1985) TV Episode .... Mr. Fisk
"Who's the Boss?"
- Protecting the President (1985) TV Episode .... Mr. McKenna
"Family Ties"
- Auntie Up (1985) TV Episode .... Stu Devin
"The Facts of Life"
- Summer of '84 (1984) TV Episode .... Drunk
"Hill Street Blues"
- Nichols from Heaven (1984) TV Episode .... James Thaddeus
"Archie Bunker's Place"
- From the Waldorf to Astoria (1982) TV Episode .... Mr. Sanborn
"Laverne & Shirley"
- The Mummy's Bride (1982) TV Episode .... The Chaplain
- The Right to Light (1980) TV Episode .... Clerk
- Anniversary Show (1977) TV Episode .... Marshall Stewart in flashbacks
- The Society Party (1976) TV Episode .... Marshall Stewart
"Barney Miller"
- Obituary (1982) TV Episode .... Lund
- The Indian (1979) TV Episode .... Philip Owens
- Snow Job (1975) TV Episode
"Love, Sidney"
- Laurie's First Date, A.D. (1982) TV Episode
"House Calls"
- Bombing Out (1981) TV Episode
- Beast of Kensington (1980) TV Episode
"Benson"
- Bugging the Governor (1980) TV Episode .... Miles Gordon
"What's Happening!!"
- Food Poisoning (1979) TV Episode .... Doctor
"Soap"
- Episode #2.14 (1979) TV Episode .... Officer Hickey
"WKRP in Cincinnati"
- Pilot: Part 2 (1978) TV Episode .... Wayne R. Coe
"James at 15"
- Unrequited Love... Twice (1978) TV Episode .... Mr. Oberlander
"The Bob Newhart Show"
- A Day in the Life (1977) TV Episode .... Mel
- The Separation Story (1974) TV Episode .... Bellboy
"McMillan and Wife"
- All Bets Off (1976) TV Episode .... Desk Clerk
"Happy Days"
- Fonzie the Salesman (1975) TV Episode .... Berkeley 'Bronco' Van Alden
"The Rookies"
- A Time to Mourn (1975) TV Episode .... Quinlan
"On the Rocks"
- Pilot (1975) TV Episode .... Doctor
"That's My Mama"
- The Ambulance Chaser (1975) TV Episode .... Mr. Barr
"Maude"
- The Telethon (1975) TV Episode .... Ray Moser
"The Odd Couple"
I Do, I Don't (5 November 1970) - The Minister
Engrave Trouble (5 February 1971) - Flourist
Murray the Fink (29 October 1971) - Cop
Being Divorced Is Never Having to Say I Do (10 December 1971) - Minister
Odd Monks (13 October 1972) - Brother Ralph
That is the Army Mrs. Madison (26 October 1973) - Justice of the peace
Cleanliness Is Next to Impossible (11 January 1974) - Dr. Bates
The Frog (26 September 1974) - Buck
Oscar's in Love (12 December 1974) - Minister
"Good Times"
- The Gang: Part 2 (1974) TV Episode .... Judge Daniels
"All in the Family"
- Archie Eats and Runs (1974) TV Episode .... Doctor
- Archie's Aching Back (1971) TV Episode .... Clarence V. Marshall
Columbo: Double Exposure (1973) (TV) .... Ballistics man
"Shaft"
- The Kidnapping (1973) TV Episode .... Father
"Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice"
- The Bare Truth Hurts (1973) TV Episode .... Wendell
Columbo: Lovely But Lethal (1973) (TV) (as Dick Stahl) .... Burton
Columbo: The Most Crucial Game (1972) (TV) .... Mr. Fremont
"Search"
- The Murrow Disappearance (1972) TV Episode .... Dr. Behrens
"Bonanza"
- A Visit to Upright (1972) TV Episode .... Snedaker
- The Big Jackpot (1970) TV Episode .... Howard Fiber
"Love, American Style"
- Love and the Advice Column/Love and the Bathtub/Love and the Fullback/Love and the Guru/Love and the Physical (1972) TV Episode .... (segment "Love and the Bathtub")
"The Partridge Family"
- Fellini, Bergman, and Partridge (1972) TV Episode (as Dick Stahl) .... Fenster
"That Girl"
- Hearing Today, Gone Tomorrow (1969) TV Episode .... Director
"Hey, Landlord"
- The Daring Duo vs. the Incredible Captain Kill (1966) TV Episode .... Swacky

BCnU....
Tele-Toby

[Thanks to the IMDb.com]

NEW @ TOOBWORLD CENTRAL [6/22]

While picking up a b'day present for one of my good friends, here's what I got for myself to further strain the bounds of my bookcase.

Gotta get me a TARDIS to live in.....

'PETTICOAT JUNCTION'
Four episodes of the series with Dennis Hopper guesting in one as "The Beatnik". A nice sampler for four bucks.

'UNDERDOG: NEMESIS'
Another disc to prepare for any possible rainy days while I'm on vacation at the Lake with my nephew who's a year and a half.

"JUNE MOON"
I was just getting into Stephen Sondheim at UConn when this showed up on PBS. It's only connection to him is that he appears in it as a piano player and has a funny little scene closer. That's about all I remember of it, although it stars a few fave ladies of Toobworld - Susan Sarandon, Lee Meredith, Estelle Parsons, as well as two absolute greats in my pantheon of actors: Kevin McCarthy and Jack Cassidy.

'CODENAME: ICARUS'
This is from 1981, an English thriller from the Thatcher era. A fifteen year old is recruited for a very exclusive academy where he finds himself working for the Icarus Foundation which is plotting to take over the world.

'THE YOUNG VISITERS'
No, that's not a misprint. This sounds like a real oddity. In 1890, a nine year old girl wrote a book in twelve days and it hasn't been out of print since it first came out in 1919. Her naive look at the world (The main character is elderly at the age of 42!) is considered social satire by accident. The stars are Jim Broadbent and Hugh Laurie, so you can't beat that with a stick!

Still haven't picked up "Bad Twin", but I really should get that before I go on vacation, although I am also planning on Mary Norton's complete collection about "The Borrowers" to be my main lakeside reading material.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

COSMIC "TOPPER"

There have been two attempts to bring the concept of 'Topper' and his trio of ghosts (Mustn't forget Neil!) back to our TV screens. And both of them must be relegated to TV dimensions other than Earth Prime-Time, because there can only be one 'Topper' in the main Toobworld. And that would be the original TV series starring Leo G. Carroll, Anne Jeffreys, and Robert Sterling.

As usual in the case of remakes, the splainin lies in the casting. If you're not using the original actors in the roles, then this can't be considered the same people without massive amounts of splainin. (Exceptions to the rule would include 'The New Munsters', 'Mrs. Columbo', and 'Ponderosa' for splainins that would easily envelope the whole casts.)

The first remake of 'Topper' ('Topper Returns') tried to get around this problem of multiple Cosmoes in the TV Cosmos by having Roddy McDowall portray the nephew of Cosmo Topper. This would have been acceptable; in fact, I think it's a great idea, as McDowall was believable as a blood relative to Leo G. Carroll as his Uncle Cosmo.

But it all goes up in a puff of ectoplasmic smoke with the casting of John Fink and Sephanie Powers as George and Marian Kerby.

The Kerbys must always be seen in the main Toobworld as Robert Sterling and Anne Jeffreys, the actors who played them in the TV series.

There are a few rules about portraying a ghost in Toobworld that should always be followed. But the Kerbys broke quite a few of them, like being bound to one particular place.

According to the episode "Henrietta Sells The House", they were supposedly condemned to haunt the house they lived in, no matter who bought it. Yet they accompanied the Toppers on their "Trip To Las Vegas", and on their "Second Honeymoon".

Ghosts should always be dressed in the clothes they were wearing when they died (a la Thelma Bates on 'Hex'), or in the outfits chosen for their burial (as was the case in 'Randall And Hopkirk, [Deceased]').

But George and Marian Kerby have more wardrobe changes than Ginger and the Howells had for their three hour tour to 'Gilligan's Island'!

There is one rule that should never be broken - the physical appearance of a ghost should be a constant; frozen in Time as he or she looked in the moments just before Death.

(I suppose when they look as they did after or because of Death, that's more likely a style choice to aid in their hauntings.)

If there is to be some kind of alteration, it should be a massively traumatic ectoplasmic scale. This must be what happened to Slimer of 'The Real Ghostbusters' to cause him to look so inhuman. (However, I like to think that as far as his cartoon version is concerned, Slimer is the ghost of some 'Doctor Who' alien. Thanks to 'The Simpsons', the Gallifreyan Time Lord exists in the Tooniverse.

As for 'Ghostbusters', the movie, if there is some sort of unified Cineverse, I support that Slimer could be linked to Peter Cushing's portrayal of the Doctor.)

Where was I? Oh yeah.....

So anyway, George and Marian Kerby should always look like Robert and Anne (who were married in Real Life). Obviously, seventeen years on from the original series, this would have been a problem for them. Time marched on, marking its passage in their appearance.

This is why TV shows about ghosts have a built-in expiration date. The same holds true for shows featuring androids and vampires.

At least 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' was able to extend Data's shelf life in regards to his appearance by leaving Data's head buried under San Francisco for five hundred years.

David Boreanaz understood there was a limit to his portrayal of 'Angel'; and if Joss Whedon is going to make a TV movie about Spike, they better do so soon. I could see the signs of age in James Marters when he played Brainiac this past season on 'Smallville'.

But even if there had been some kind of ectoplasmic trauma to alter the ghostly appearance of the Kerbys, there's no way it could lead to the Kerbys looking like John Fink and Stephanie Powers.

(I have to admit at this point that quite frankly, I can't even picture who John Fink is!)

There's another reason to dismiss them as being the same ghosts from the original series. The reason for their untimely deaths was altered - from a landslide in Switzerland to a car accident. Not nearly as interesting, is it?

So it's off to another TV Universe for that version of 'Topper'. But it is nice to know that Cosmo and his wife Henrietta would have been seen as Leo G. Carroll and Lee Patrick in that other dimension. We don't even get that with the next incarnation of 'Topper' six years later.

This time out, we got Jack Warden and Rue McLanahan as a thoroughly American Cosmo Topper. And for George and Marian Kerby, we got Andrew Stevens and Kate Jackson, who were married in real life at that time.

I couldn't even believe in their real-life marriage, let alone accept them as the Kerbys.

Since the willing suspension of disbelief is already strained by the show's premise, trying to force a splainin on why even the human characters have altered their appearances isn't worth the effort. (Honestly, why would quantum leapers from the future want to willingly become Cosmo Topper?)

Better to just chuck this whole version straight into the dustbin which is the TV dimension of remakes.

As for the other version? Since there was nothing about it to discredit or contradict what happened in the seven years of 'The West Wing', then I don't see why it couldn't have taken place in the same TV dimension where Josiah Bartlet was the President of the United States.

There's an idea for a spin-off: retired President Jed Bartlet is saddled with two ghosts, who pester him during his attempts to set up his Library. "The POTUS & The Poltergeists".

At least with the ghost of Neil, one could accept some slack in casting a different St. Bernard to play the role.

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

[This entry was in memory of Robert Sterilng, who recently passed away.......]