MERRY CHRISTMAS (FROM 221-B BAKER STREET)

Here's our Christmas TV episode. A little something out of the ordinary......

And here's a comparison between two versions of "The Blue Carbuncle" - one with Peter Cushing as Holmes and Brett as the Great Detective.

Merry Christmas!

THE JOLLY OLD CHEVY SALESMAN

Probably the best series of Christmas commercials this year comes from Chevrolet. A Chevy salesman named Nick, who has the most fantastic white beard I've seen, is being confused for the real Santa Claus. The things he says and does give that impression, but his actions also seem to indicate he's just a guy named Nick with a white beard.....

That last one is my favorite of the bunch, because the customer reminds me of a guy I used to work with named Ruxton.

As far as I'm concerned, he is just a guy named Nick and this is the type of confusion he's had to face ever since his hair turned white and he decided to grow the beard. And that takes nothing away from how funny these commercials are.

BCnU!

CHRISTMAS IN BEDROCK

Here's a little Christmas story preview from LONG before the Christ Child was even born!  (But things are always different in the Tooniverse.....)

"I WISH IT WAS CHRISTMAS TODAY-AY!"

This group made a most welcome return to 'Saturday Night Live' when Jimmy Fallon hosted the last show of the year......

BCnU!

"THE BOLT WHO SCREWED CHRISTMAS"

In this naughty but nice parody of "How The Grinch Stole Christmas", most of the voices represent a 'Lost In Space' reunion: Jonathan Harris (his final performance), Marta Kristen, Bill Mumy, and Angela Cartwright.  Tress MacNeille tightens the nuts as Cindy Loose Screw.......

HoHoHo!

AS SEEN ON TV: ROD SERLING

Submitted for your approval: Toobworld's greatest serlinguist would have been 87 years old on Christmas Day.....

ROD SERLING

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Norm MacDonald

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

STATUS:
Recastaway

From Wikipedia:
Rodman Edward "Rod" Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, novelist, television producer, and narrator best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his science fiction anthology TV series, The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen and helped form television industry standards. He was known as the "angry young man" of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues including censorship, racism, and anti-war politics.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

On this date in 1970 – The North Tower of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, New York City is topped out at 1,368 feet (417 m), making it the tallest building in the world.

THE WORLD TRADE CENTER

AS SEEN IN:
'Life On Mars' (US)

TV DIMENSION:
Earth Prime-Time
(Induced Dream State in 2035)

From Wikipedia:
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new skyscrapers and a memorial to the casualties of the attacks. As of November 2011, only one skyscraper has been completed, with four more expected to be completed before 2020. One World Trade Center will be the lead building for the new complex and is expected to be finished by 2013. A sixth tower is still awaiting confirmation to be built. At the time of their completion, the original 1 and 2 World Trade Center, known colloquially as the Twin Towers, were the tallest buildings in the world.

Groundbreaking for the World Trade Center took place on August 5, 1966. The North Tower (1) was completed in December 1972 and the South Tower (2) was finished in July 1973.

For Sam Tyler to be able to see the Towers, even though he was having a dream in suspended animation, the storyline that was playing out for him took place after July 1973.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: BARBARA BILLINGSLEY

BARBARA BILLINGSLEY

AS SEEN IN:
'SCTV'

AS PLAYED BY:
Catherine O'Hara

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

From Wikipedia:
Barbara Billingsley (December 22, 1915 – October 16, 2010) was an American film, television, voice and stage actress. She gained prominence in the 1950s movie "The Careless Years", acting opposite Natalie Trundy, followed by her best–known role, that of June Cleaver on the television series 'Leave It to Beaver' (1957–1963) and its sequel 'Still the Beaver '(1985–1988, retitled in season two as The New Leave It to Beaver).

In 1952 Billingsley had her first guest–starring role on an episode of 'The Abbott and Costello Show'. The part led to other roles on 'The Lone Wolf', two episodes of 'City Detective', 'The Pride of the Family', 'Schlitz Playhouse of Stars', 'Letter to Loretta', 'General Electric Summer Originals', 'You Are There', 'Cavalcade of America', 'Panic!', 'Mr. Adams and Eve', 'The Love Boat', 'Silver Spoons', 'Parker Lewis Can't Lose', 'Mike Hammer', 'Empty Nest', among many others. She reprised her June Cleaver role three times, in 'Amazing Stories', 'Baby Boom' and 'Roseanne'. She also guest-starred on an episode of 'Make Room For Daddy', in which Thomas's character is a widower. The producers reportedly considered casting her as his second wife, but later decided against it, and Marjorie Lord eventually got the role.

After an absence of 17 years from the public eye (other than appearing in two episodes of 'The F.B.I.' in 1971), Billingsley spoofed her wholesome image with a brief appearance in the comedy "Airplane!" (1980), as a passenger who could "speak jive". She became the voice of Nanny and The Little Train on 'Muppet Babies' from 1984 to 1991.Billingsley appeared with Robin Williams and Pam Dawber in a 1982 episode of 'Mork & Mindy'. She appeared in a 'Leave It to Beaver' reunion television movie entitled "Still the Beaver" in 1983. Hugh Beaumont had died the year before of a heart attack, so she played his widow.

'SCTV' may have been afraid of lawsuits with this sketch, because all the names of the actors were slightly altered, but they were still supposed to have starred in 'Leave It To Beaver'.  But Toobworld Central doesn't accept onscreen credits to be part of the Toobworld Dynamic.

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: JANE FONDA

JANE FONDA

AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Betty Thomas

From Wikipedia:
Jane Fonda (born Lady Jayne Seymour Fonda; December 21, 1937) is an American actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model, and fitness guru. She rose to fame in the 1960s with films such as "Barbarella" and "Cat Ballou". She has won two Academy Awards and received several other movie awards and nominations during more than 50 years as an actress. After 15 years of retirement, she returned to film in 2005 with "Monster in Law", followed by "Georgia Rule" two years later. She also produced and starred in over 20 exercise videos released between 1982 and 1995, and once again in 2010.

Fonda has been an activist for many political causes; her opposition to the Vietnam War and associated activities were controversial. She has also protested the Iraq War and violence against women. She describes herself as a liberal and a feminist. In 2005 Fonda worked alongside Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem to co-found the Women's Media Center, an organization that works to amplify the voices of women in the media through advocacy, media and leadership training, and the creation of original content. Fonda currently serves on the board of the organization. Since 2001 Fonda has been a Christian. She published an autobiography in 2005, and in 2011, she published a second memoir, "Prime Time".

BCnU!

AS SEEN ON TV: KIM JONG IL

Perfect timing for a "Two For Tuesday!"

KIM JONG IL



AS SEEN ON:
'Saturday Night Live'

AS PLAYED BY:
Amy Poehler

TV DIMENSION:
Skitlandia

AS SEEN IN:
'30 Rock'

AS PLAYED BY:
Margaret Cho

TV DIMENSION:
Earth Prime-Time(?)

From The Los Angeles Times:
REPORTING FROM SEOUL -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the mercurial strongman extolled at home as the “Dear Leader” and reviled abroad as a tyrant, has died at 69, North Korean media reported Monday.

Kim’s death was announced by state television from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. No cause of death was reported, but Kim was believed to have suffered in recent years from diabetes and heart disease.

The diminutive leader was believed to have suffered a stroke in 2008 but nonetheless appeared in numerous photos released by state media as he toured state facilities and in recent months embarked on rare trips outside North Korea -– to China and Russia.
-- Barbara Demick and John M. Glionna

Interesting how both of these portrayals were by women.  Just sayin', is all......

BCnU!