THE HAT SQUAD: BILL BEUTEL

Bill Beutel, who helped bring about a sea change in the nature of local television news as the dapper and unruffled anchor of "Eyewitness News" at WABC-TV in New York for more than 30 years, died at his home in Pinehurst, N.C. He was 75.

The cause was complications from a progressive neurological disorder, his wife, Adair, said.

Though Mr. Beutel's tenure at "Eyewitness News" stretched from 1970 to 2001, his on-air personality was most strongly defined in the first 16 years, during which he was anchor opposite the wry and sometimes acerbic Roger Grimsby, who died in 1995.

Their innovative style of presenting the news, often called "happy talk" to Mr. Beutel's annoyance, led to imitations in local news broadcasts all over the country.

WABC-TV created the format in 1968 while Mr. Beutel was the London bureau chief for ABC News. Several anchors were tried opposite Mr. Grimsby, but all were consumed by his overpowering personality, said Albert T. Primo, who was then the director of news and public affairs for WABC-TV.

Mr. Beutel, who had been a local anchor before going to London, was brought to New York for a tryout. The two clicked immediately.

"I needed somebody who had confidence in himself and could keep his own style," Mr. Primo said yesterday in an interview. "Sure enough, his experience, his confidence, his presence and his humor came through."

"He was everyman and you could identify with him," Mr. Primo added.

Mr. Beutel's everyman quality was in line with the humanized, man-on-the-street approach of "Eyewitness News." The result was described in February 1972 by John J. O'Connor, the television critic for The New York Times, as "the freshest, brightest and liveliest example of local news coverage on commercial TV."

In keeping with the program's focus on covering stories from the perspective of everyday people, Mr. Beutel also traveled to Vietnam, Israel and Uganda, reporting the New York angle on international stories.

On January 6, 1975, Mr. Beutel joined Stephanie Edwards as host of a new morning show, "AM America," which was created by ABC to compete with the successful "Today" show on NBC and "The CBS Morning News."

The show struggled and on Nov. 3 of that year was replaced by "Good Morning America."

But Mr. Beutel never left "Eyewitness," staying on for another 15 years after Mr. Grimsby left in 1986.

In 1962, he joined ABC as a reporter for the national news broadcast and as an anchor on the local New York news program "The Big News." Up to then his name had been pronounced "BOY-tel," but at the beginning of his first live broadcast on WABC-TV, the narrator pronounced it, "Byoo-TEL." The new pronunciation stuck.

He became the London bureau chief for ABC News in 1968.

Mr. Beutel retired as anchor of "Eyewitness News" in 2001 but continued to work as a correspondent until 2003, including a stint reporting on the civil war in Sierra Leone.

For me, even though I was raised in a CBS family in Connecticut, the team of Roger Grimsby and Bill Beutel on the local ABC affiliate in New York made me feel like I was finally in that New York state of mind when it came to watching TV news. (Followed closely by Bill Jorgenson on the old WNEW and the CBS2 team of Dave Marash and Rolland Smith.)

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

[Thanks to the New York Times for the obit.]

THE HAT SQUAD: DAN CURTIS

Dan Curtis, a prolific television producer and director who was best known for shepherding two of the most ambitious mini-series ever made, "The Winds of War," and "War and Remembrance," onto ABC in the 1980's, died in Los Angeles. He was 78.

The cause was brain cancer, his family said. His wife passed away from heart disease little more than a week before him.

Mr. Curtis worked in television for more than four decades on a variety of projects, including westerns, horror movies and golf coverage. He also produced or directed an unusual number of cult television classics, ranging from the memorable, like the original "Dark Shadows" soap opera in the 1960's and the film "The Night Stalker," to the forgettable, like one of the most infamous flops of all time, the 1979 NBC series "Supertrain."

Mr. Curtis's most recent work came just last year, when he produced and directed two movies: "Saving Milly," based on the columnist Morton Kondracke's memoir about his wife's battle with Parkinson's disease, and "Our Fathers," which examined the sexual abuse scandal among priests in the Boston Archdiocese.

He began his career in television in 1950 as a salesman for syndicated shows. A golf lover, he created "Challenge Golf" with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player in the early 1960's, and later "The CBS Match Play Golf Classic," which ran for a decade. He moved into the creative side of television in 1966, when he came up with the idea for "Dark Shadows," a daytime soap opera on ABC featuring vampires and other gothic characters.

The show became an enormous hit, and in the early 1970's Mr. Curtis directed two feature films based on the characters. He continued working in the horror genre by often teaming up with the "Twilight Zone" writer Richard Matheson. The two men collaborated on the original "Night Stalker" movie with Darren McGavin.

Mr. Curtis and Mr. Matheson also worked together on a project for ABC called "Trilogy of Terror," which was remembered by a generation of fans for the Zuni Fetish doll that left viewers limp with fright.

Barry Diller, then running the Paramount Studio, brought him in to direct and produce an 18-hour adaptation of the Herman Wouk bestseller "The Winds of War," starring Robert Mitchum and Ali McGraw. The film, which traced the origins of World War II, set ratings records for ABC. "He was full-throated, full-bodied, sure of himself, commanding — a great general," Mr. Diller said.

Mr. Curtis followed that success with an even bigger mini-series, an adaptation of Mr. Wouk's sequel, "War and Remembrance." Lasting 30 hours, it remains the longest mini-series ever made for network television. Mr. Curtis won an Emmy Award for the production.

[Thanks to the New York Times for that obit.]

Here is a list of Dan Curtis' work as a director and/or producer in TV:

Our Fathers (2005) (TV)
Saving Milly (2005) (TV)
The Love Letter (1998) (TV)
Trilogy of Terror II (1996) (TV)
Me and the Kid (1993)
Intruders (1992) (TV)
"Dark Shadows" (1991) TV Series
Dark Shadows (1990) (TV)
"War and Remembrance" (1988) (mini) TV Series
"The Winds of War" (1983) (mini) TV Series
The Long Days of Summer (1980) (TV)
The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang (1979) (TV)
Mrs. R's Daughter (1979) (TV)
"Supertrain" (1979) TV Series
Express to Terror (1979) (TV)
When Every Day Was the Fourth of July (1978) (TV)
Curse of the Black Widow (1977) (TV)
The Great Ice Rip-Off (1976) (TV)
The Kansas City Massacre (1975) (TV)
Trilogy of Terror (1975) (TV)
The Turn of the Screw (1974/I) (TV)
Melvin Purvis G-MAN (1974) (TV)
Scream of the Wolf (1974) (TV)
The Norliss Tapes (1973) (TV)
The Night Strangler (1973) (TV)
Dracula (1973/I) (TV)
The Invasion of Carol Enders (1973) (TV) (uncredited)
Dead of Night: A Darkness at Blaisedon (1969) (TV)
"Dark Shadows" (1966) TV Series

TV RELATED THEATRICAL FILMS
Night of Dark Shadows (1971)
House of Dark Shadows (1970)

[Thanks to the IMDb.com]

BCnU......
Tele-Toby

CABLE READY ACID TRIP?

It seems the readers of Maureen Ryan's column, "The Watcher", are a little too into the whole TV Universe concept.

And here I thought such a thing was impossible!

THE ESSAY QUESTION

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Tele-Toby

FOOL'S VIEW

A day late, but what're ya gonna do?

TEEVEEPEDIA

[Thanks to TV Barn - see the link on the left - for pointing this out!]

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Tele-Toby

"LOST" IN THOUGHT

Hands down, the best reason to finally get a TiVo, or to at least sign up for my cable company's DVR service:

THE BLAST DOOR MAP

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Tele-Toby

THE HAT SQUAD: BRITT LOMOND

(AP) -- Britt Lomond, who played the dastardly Capitan Monastario in the 1950s TV series "Zorro" and was a staple on other Western series including "Death Valley Days" and "Rawhide," has died. He was 80.

Lomond died of kidney failure at a Huntington Beach nursing home, according to Tyler St. Mark, his friend and former publicist.

Lomond later turned to directing and production work, but his fame stemmed from playing opposite Guy Williams' Zorro from 1957-58. A postage stamp depicting Lomond as Monastario was issued by the Netherlands in 2004.

"He has a huge following in Europe," his widow, Diane Lomond, told the Orange County Register. "It's amazing how something like that can live on."

"Chasing After Zorro" is the title of Lomond's 2004 memoir.

TV SERIES
"The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp" (1955) TV Series .... Johnny Ringo (1960-1961)
"Zorro" .... Capt. Monastario (1957-1958)

TV GUEST APPEARANCES
"Simon & Simon"
- Murder Between the Lines (1983) TV Episode .... Jerry Gelson
"Mission: Impossible"
- The Widow (1967) TV Episode .... Thornton
"I Spy"
- A Room with a Rack (1967) TV Episode .... Psychologist
"The Virginian"
- If You Have Tears (1963) TV Episode .... Kyle Lawson
"Rawhide"
- The Prairie Elephant (1961) TV Episode .... Dario
"Perry Mason"
- The Case of the Posthumous Painter (1961) TV Episode .... Jack Culross
"Peter Gunn"
- Deadly Intrusion (1961) TV Episode .... Gil Manson
"The Case of the Dangerous Robin"
- Falling Star (1961) TV Episode
- The Heartbreak Gang (1961) TV Episode
"Thriller"
- A Good Imagination (1961) TV Episode .... Arnold Chase
"Zane Grey Theater"
- The Atoner (1961) TV Episode .... Logan Drew
"Lock Up"
- His Brother's Keeper (1961) TV Episode .... Patrolman Larry Wade
"Klondike"
- Bathhouse Justice (1960) TV Episode .... Clete Slade
"The Brothers Brannagan"
- Her Brother's Keeper (1960) TV Episode
"Tales of Wells Fargo"
- The Journey (1960) TV Episode .... Haggerty
"Tombstone Territory"
- The Legend (1959) TV Episode .... Jay Pelf
"Men Into Space"
- Moonquake! (1959) TV Episode
"Colt .45"
- A Legend of Buffalo Bill (1959) TV Episode .... Buffalo Bill Cody
"Death Valley Days"
- A Piano Goes West (1959) TV Episode
- Faro Bill's Layout (1956) TV Episode .... Faro Bill
"26 Men"
- Slaughter Trail (1958) TV Episode
"Disneyland" . - The Saga of Andy Burnett: Andy's Love Affair (1957) TV Episode .... Captain Paco Reyes
"Cheyenne"
- Test of Courage (1957) TV Episode .... Lieutenant Poole
"Annie Oakley"
- Annie Rings the Bell (1956) TV Episode .... Gentleman Jim Corbett
"Navy Log"
- A Day for a Stingray (1956) TV Episode .... Lieutenant Fraser
- The First Shot (1956) TV Episode .... Executive
- The Pollywog of Yosu (1955) TV Episode .... Garrigio
"The Count of Monte Cristo"
- Victor Hugo (1956) TV Episode .... De Crissac

[thanks to the IMDb.com]

BCnU.....
Tele-Toby

BLIPVERTS GOING BOOM BOOM BOOM

I realize that with the passing of my Mom last week, my mind would automatically pick up on any mentions of funerals and mortuaries and Death in general.

But now it's getting spooky with the specifics.

There's a new blipvert for Cingular which is using Peter Gabriel's "Solsbury Hill" as its theme as it extols its abilities to provide more bars. (As someone who doesn't buy into the cell phone culture, I'm like Dr. Temperance Brennan on that topic: "I don't know what that means.")

I've already made the arrangements for this song to be playing at my own funeral....

"Today I don't need a replacement
I'll tell them what the smile on my face meant
My heart going boom boom boom
"Hey" I said "You can keep my things,
they've come to take me home."

Guess I'm next.....

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

SKITWORLD: WHO'S ABFIC

While hanging out with the Brokeback Boys (Mark's from Wyoming, Michael's a human 'Mr. Ed'.), they showed me a couple of episodes of 'Absolutely Fabulous' so that I could catch up on the adventures of Patsy and Edina. (I last saw them in the "wrap-up" movie, "The Last Shout".)

One of these was a Christmas-themed episode with a guest appearance by Kate O'Mara.

And it reminded me of my idea about fanfic writers finding inspiration for crossover stories with pictures from unrelated sources. It occurred to me that they might make use of a particular frame grab from this episode.

At one point, Patsy Stone is in the hospital and she's visited by her evil sister as played by O'Mara.

Freeze frame!

For a lot of people like me, Kate O'Mara is best known as The Rani, one of the Doctor's best adversaries in 'Doctor Who'. And Joanna Lumley, who plays Patsy, played the "Ultimate Doctor" in "Curse Of Fatal Death", a sketch for a Comic Relief telethon.

So for Skitworld, a dimension of the TV Universe which comprises the comedy sketches from such shows as 'Laugh-In', 'Saturday Night Live', 'MAD-TV', and 'In Living Color', this screen capture could inspire a 'Doctor Who' fanfic writer to come up with a tale about the Doctor - now a woman - trapped in hospital and at the mercy of The Rani!

Just sayin' is all. I just toss the ideas out there; not my problem what others end up doing with them......

BCnU!
Tele-Toby

"SERENITY" NOT

If you see news blips that the 200th episode of 'Stargate SG-1' was going to tip its hat to 'Firefly' and "Serenity", don't let it trip you into arrhythmia. It's not going to be like the inside joke homage seen in a quick cameo on 'Battlestar Galactica'; there will be no crossover possibility.

Instead, it's the situation of the plotline that seems to echo the Real World history of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series, which was untimely ripped from the schedule, only to be reborn as a theatrical released sequel.

As such, it provides more fodder for the entertainment folder of Toobworld trivia:

From SCI Fi Wire:

The 200th episode will bring back the character of Martin Lloyd (Willy Garson) and his fictional TV show 'Wormhole X-treme', which was the subject of the 100th episode, "Wormhole X-treme," and is a parody of SG-1 itself.

This time around, the SG-1 team helps Lloyd turn 'Wormhole X-treme' into a movie. "Even though the series was canceled after three episodes, it did well on DVD."

Thus, the 'Firefly'/"Serenity" reference.

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Tele-Toby

DON'T SPANK THAT MONKEY; RE-SKED IT!

'Love Monkey' lives!

After only three episodes, CBS cancelled the series with five hours left hanging. I never got the chance to see it because I was taping 'Boston Legal' during that Michael J. Fox arc, which was going to include an appearance by my friend Shirley Jordan.

I really wanted to see 'Love Monkey', though. I figured that its look at the recording industry in NYC through the eyes of a cynical music scout would provide plenty of TV trivia to expand Toobworld. And as I have a friend who used to be a veep in the Bertelsmann Group before grabbing the golden chute, I'd like to compare tele-version to what I know about the Real World version.

So now VH1, which (I think) is owned by the same parent company as CBS, will pick up the show and run that monkey to its conclusion. It will air the three previously seen shows back-to-back on April 11, starting at 7 p.m. EDT. The remaining five installments will air weekly on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. beginning April 18.

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Tele-Toby