Friday, October 4, 2019

FRIDAY HALL OF FAME, 10/04/19 - WITCHIEPOO


So if you’re inducting TV characters into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame and it’s October, who should you consider?

How about a witch?

To be specific:

WILHELMINA W. WITCHIEPOO

From Wikipedia:
[‘H.R. Pufnstuf’] centered on a shipwrecked boy named Jimmy, played by teenage actor Jack Wild. He is 11 years old when he arrives on the island and turns 12 in the episode called "The Birthday Party". Jimmy and a talking flute named Freddy take a ride on a mysterious boat, but the boat was actually owned by a wicked witch named Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (played by Billie Hayes) who rode on a broomstick-vehicle called the Vroom Broom. She used the boat to lure Jimmy and Freddy to her castle on Living Island, where she was going to take Jimmy prisoner and steal Freddy for her own purposes.



The Mayor of Living Island was a friendly and helpful anthropomorphic dragon named H.R. Pufnstuf, performed by Roberto Gamonet and voiced by the show's writer Lennie Weinrib, who also voices many of the other characters.


The dragon rescued Jimmy and protects him from Witchiepoo, as his cave was the only place where her magic had no effect.



Wilhelmina W. Witchiepoo (portrayed by Billie Hayes) – The primary antagonist of the series; a wicked but ineffective witch who has been targeting Freddy the Flute to use him in her own agendas. She rides a large rocket-powered broom with a steering wheel called the Vroom Broom.


She is mean to everyone around her, even her henchmen, whom she constantly whacks with her wand. Yet when faced with failure, she usually starts to pity herself, by asking "Why me?"


Here are Witchiepoo’s credits, including a movie which has been absorbed into the TV universe of Earth Prime-Time.


H.R. Pufnstuf
17 episodes


Pufnstuf
[1970 movie]


Bewitched
- Hansel and Gretel in Samanthaland
(1971)
... Witch


O’Bservation: She looks different, but I think it’s still Witchiepoo.  She is probably wearing a glamour to hide her true looks in order to lure Hansel and Gretel into her clutches.


Lidsville
- Have I Got a Girl for Hoodoo
(1971) .
.. Weenie the Genie & Witchiepoo

The citizens of Lidsville are in for double trouble when Hoodoo starts dating Witchipoo.


O’Bservation:
 Weenie the Genie is Billie Hayes’ regular role on this series.


The Bay City Rollers Show
- Episode #1.1
(1978)
... Witchiepoo / Weenie the Genie

O’Bservation: This should probably be in Skitlandia.



The Bay City Rollers Meet the Saturday Superstars
(TV Movie)

O’Bservation: From the Promoverse?  Skitlandia definitely. But it could be both.

Welcome to the Hall, Witchiepoo!



Tuesday, October 1, 2019

TVXOHOF, OCTOBER, 2019 - CONSTANTINE


We’re down to our last three monthly showcases for the Television Crossover Hall of Fame in this 20th anniversary year in which the overall theme has been superheroes and super-villains.  As this is October, who better to salute than….

JOHN CONSTANTINE

From Wikipedia:
John Constantine is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics and its alternative imprint Vertigo. The character first appeared in “The Saga of Swamp Thing #37” (June 1985), and was created by Alan Moore, Rick Veitch, Steve Bissette, John Totleben, Jamie Delano and John Ridgway. He serves as the lead character of the comic books “Hellblazer” (1988–2013), “Constantine” (2013–2015), “Constantine: The Hellblazer” (2015–2016), and “The Hellblazer” (2016–2018).


The titular Hellblazer, Constantine is a working class warlock, occult detective and con man stationed in London. He is known for his endless cynicism, deadpan snarking, ruthless cunning and constant chain smoking, but he's also a passionate humanitarian driven by a heartfelt desire to do some good in his life.


Originally a supporting character who played a pivotal role in the "American Gothic" Swamp Thing storyline, Constantine received his own comic in 1988. The musician Sting was visual inspiration for the character.

A live-action film was released in 2005, in which an Americanized version of the character was played by actor Keanu Reeves. Welsh actor Matt Ryan was cast in the role of Constantine for the 2014 NBC television series, a role he reprises on The CW series ‘Arrow’ and ‘Legends of Tomorrow’, and voicing the character in the animated film “Justice League Dark”, and again in the ‘Constantine: City of Demons’ series on CW Seed.


The “Hellblazer” series was the longest-running and most successful title of DC's Vertigo imprint. Empire ranked Constantine third in their 50 Greatest Comic Characters of All Time, while IGN ranked him No. 29 in their Top 100 Comic Book Heroes, and the character ranked No. 10 in Wizard's Top 200 Comic Book Characters of All Time.


A live-action ‘Constantine’ TV series was developed for NBC with Daniel Cerone and David S. Goyer writing and executive producing the series. Welsh actor Matt Ryan was cast in the title role, for which he adopted Constantine's blond hair. The show, which lasted thirteen episodes before cancellation, followed John's journeys across America alongside his friend Chas and a young woman named Zed who is being hunted down by a demon. Along the way, he solves supernatural mysteries, vanquishes demons, and clashes with officious angels sent to watch over him.


Despite a positive reaction from fans, poor ratings led to the show not being renewed. A decision not to explore Constantine's bisexuality in the show caused some consternation with fans, although the character continued to be portrayed as bisexual in the comics.


Following the cancellation of ‘Constantine’, a crossover episode with The CW's TV series ‘Arrow’ aired, with Matt Ryan reprising his role as John Constantine in the episode "Haunted" as a guest star. In flashbacks, he first meets Oliver Queen on the island Lian Yu where he introduces Oliver to magic and gives him a tattoo for magical protection after Oliver saves his life. In the present-day narrative, set five years later, Oliver calls in a favor from John, who helps him restore the soul of his friend Sara Lance after she is resurrected by the Lazarus Pit. Constantine's off-screen adventures are subsequently referred to in the episodes "Taken" and "Genesis" including Oliver's announcement that Constantine is in Hell.


Matt Ryan reprises his role in the third season of ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ in a recurring capacity. Aboard the Waverider, John Constantine requests Sara Lance's help in performing an exorcism on a young girl possessed by what turns out to be Mallus, the Legends' current demonic adversary, and offers the Legends advice on how they might be able to overcome their enemy.


Constantine's bisexuality is acknowledged in the episode "Daddy Darhkest" when he flirts with Leo Snart / Captain Cold and sleeps with Sara Lance. The episode "Necromancing the Stone" sees Constantine spontaneously kiss Time Agent Gary Green. In season 4, Constantine joined the Legends with Ryan as a series regular.



As with several other superheroes in this year-long celebration, Constantine is a resident of an alternate Toobworld, not the main Earth Prime-Time.  Being a multiversal, he has looked different in various universes (and in the case of the Tooniverse, sounded differently.)  But so far, it’s possible to assume that he remains looking the same in various TV dimensions.


I like to consider his NBC incarnation is separate from his CW character.  Why should Earth Prime-Time be denied its own John Constantine?  Therefore we’re inducting Constantine as a multidimensional.

Welcome to the Hall, Mage….



Image result for john constantine legends of tomorrow

Sunday, September 29, 2019

TVXOHOF BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE - NANCY SOSHA



Ally McBeal
- Blowin' in the Wind
(2002)
... Nancy Sosha

A wayward wind blows Ally's hat, causing it to land on a post with a "For Sale" sign. The house is in probate and the bank is anxious to sell it, so Ally buys it. 


A gust of wind blows Ally's hat off her head and onto a for sale sign. Seeing this beautiful, but neglected and lonely house, Ally buys it. Ally wants to fix it up herself and Richard wants to strip, or paint, or do things with his hands. 



Boston Legal
- Too Much Information
(2006)
... Foreperson

Denise and Alan represent a young girl whose father killed her mother after finding her whereabouts on her HMO's website. Alan also has to defend Catherine Piper, who started robbing convenience stores. 


UnitedHealthcare
'Health Entourage: Walk in the Park'
(2019)


UnitedHealthcare says its Medicare Complete Plan users have a lot to take advantage of, including $0 copays on primary care and rewards for preventive care.


In 2002, Nancy Sosha was a real estate broker in Boston who sold an old house to lawyer Ally McBeal on the first day it was available while in probate.


Four years later, Ms. Sosha was called to jury duty where she was seated as the foreperson on a case being argued by Denise Bauer and Alan Shore.


And now in the summer of 2019, thirteen years since we last saw her, Nancy Sosha enjoys brisk walks in the park, protected by her team of medical specialists thanks to United Healthcare.

Nancy Sosha joins Eloise Martin, a nurse who may be her identical cousin, in the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.  Both characters were played by my “twin sister” Shirley Jordan.

But wait!  There's more!


The Deadliest Season (1977)
Hockey Fan

Gerry Miller, a professional hockey player, gives in to internal and outside pressures and adopts a more aggressive style on the ice. During one particularly violent game a player on an opposing team dies, and the authorities charge Miller with manslaughter.

As we are both members of the Toobworld Dynamic, and now both members of the TVXOHOF as well, our paths crossed in 1977 when we attended a hockey game.  We sat next to each other.  (Seated next to Nancy Sosha is Robin Douglas.  Like me, Robin is another member of the League of Themselves.)

Today is Shirley Jordan’s mumphle-mumphle birthday.  This induction of Nancy Sosha is her birthday present.

Happy birthday, Shirley.  Love you….