THE HAT SQUAD: BEHIND THE SCENES

Our enjoyment of Toobworld is derived from more than those characters we see on the screen. The TV Universe is enriched by the music which most of those characters can't even hear, for example. And of course, there are the writers, directors, cinematographers...


This week we lost three legends behind the scenes, and one of them was truly a giant in his field.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Earle H. Hagen, who co-wrote the jazz classic "Harlem Nocturne" and composed memorable themes for "The Dick Van Dyke Show," "I Spy," "The Mod Squad" and other TV shows, has died. He was 88.

Hagen, who is heard whistling the folksy tune for "The Andy Griffith Show," died Monday night at his home in Rancho Mirage, his wife, Laura, said Tuesday. He had been in ill health for several months.

TV SERIES
"Eight Is Enough" (1977)
"Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" (1976)
"Big Eddie" (1975)
"Planet of the Apes" (2 episodes, 1974)
"Doc Elliot" (1973)
"The New Perry Mason" (1973)
"The Mod Squad" (1968)
"The Don Rickles Show" (1972)
"Mayberry R.F.D." (1968)
"The Andy Griffith Show" (1960)
"I Spy" (1965)
"That Girl" (1965)
"The Danny Thomas Hour" (1967)
"The Guns of Will Sonnett" (1967)
"The Dick Van Dyke Show" (1961)
"Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." (1964)
"The Bill Dana Show" (1963)
"It's a Man's World" (1962)
"Guestward Ho!" (1960)
"The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis" (1959)
"Love and Marriage" (1959)
"Hey, Jeannie!" (1956)
"It's Always Jan" (1955)
"Where's Raymond?" (1953)
"Make Room for Daddy" (1953)


SELECTED TV MOVIES
The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1986) (TV)
Return to Mayberry (1986) (TV)
Muggable Mary, Street Cop (1982) (TV)
Stand by Your Man (1981) (TV)
Farewell to the Planet of the Apes (1981) (TV)
The Hustler of Muscle Beach (1980) (TV)
Alex and the Doberman Gang (1979) (TV)
Featherstone's Nest (1979) (TV)
True Grit: A Further Adventure (1978)
Having Babies (1976) (TV)


LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alexander "Sandy" Courage, an Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated arranger, orchestrator and composer who created the otherworldly theme for the classic "Star Trek" TV show, has died. He was 88.

TV SERIES
"Star Trek: New Voyages" (2004)
"The Waltons" (1972-1981)
"Eight Is Enough" (1977)
"Apple's Way" (1974)
"Medical Center" (1972)
"Land of the Giants" (1969)
"Star Trek" (1966)
"Lost in Space" (1966)
"Judd for the Defense" (1967)
"Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea" (1964)
"The Loner" (1966)
"Daniel Boone" (1965)
"Bus Stop" (1961)
"National Velvet" (1960)
"Riverboat" (1960)

SELECTED TV MOVIES
A Walton Thanksgiving Reunion (1993) (TV)
A Day for Thanks on Walton's Mountain (1982) (TV)
Mother's Day on Waltons Mountain (1982) (TV)
A Wedding on Walton's Mountain (1982) (TV)
The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons (1980) (TV)


PALM DESERT, Calif. (AP) — Joseph Pevney, who directed some of the best-loved episodes of the original "Star Trek" television series, has died. He was 96.Pevney directed 14 episodes of the 1960s series, including "The City on the Edge of Forever," in which Capt. Kirk and Spock travel back in time to the Depression, and "The Trouble With Tribbles," in which the starship Enterprise is infested with cute, furry creatures.


TV SERIES
"Trapper John, M.D." (1979)
"CBS Schoolbreak Special" ( 1984)
- Contract for Life: The S.A.D.D. Story
"The Rousters" (1983)
"The Paper Chase" (1983)
"Little House on the Prairie" (1982)
"Palmerstown, U.S.A." (1981)
"Hagen" (1980)
"The Rockford Files" (1979)
"How the West Was Won" (1979)
"The Incredible Hulk" (1978)
"The Secret Empire" (1979)
"Grandpa Goes to Washington" (1979)
"Sword of Justice" (1978)
"Fantasy Island" (1978)
"Lucan" (1978)
"The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries" (1977)
"Lanigan's Rabbi" (1977)
"Executive Suite" (1976)
"Petrocelli" (1974)
"Emergency!" (1974)
"Mobile One" (1975)
"Search" (1972)
"Bonanza" (1968)
"The Partners" (1972)
"Cade's County" (1971)
"The High Chaparral" (1968)
"Adam-12" (1969)
"The Virginian" (1969)
"Marcus Welby, M.D." (1969)
"Star Trek" (1967)
"Mission: Impossible" (1967)
"Laredo" (1967)
"T.H.E. Cat" (1966)
"The Fugitive" (1966)
"12 O'Clock High" (1966)
"Pistols 'n' Petticoats" (1966)
"The Legend of Jesse James" (1966)
"The Munsters" (1964)
"The Loner" (1965)
"The Big Valley" (1965)
"Kraft Suspense Theatre" (1965)
"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1962)
"Bewitched" (1965)
"Wagon Train" (1959)
"Going My Way" (1962)
"Ben Casey" (1962)
"The New Breed" (1962)
"Bus Stop" (1961)
"Johnny Staccato" (1959)


TV MOVIES
Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women (1979) (TV)
Who Is the Black Dahlia? (1975) (TV)
My Darling Daughters' Anniversary (1973) (TV)
Destination Space (1959) (TV)

I always find it morbidly interesting to find that in any given year, famous people with connections to each other pass away. This year we've had Abby Mann & Richard Widmark ("Judgement At Nuremberg") within days of each other, for example.

As you can see from above, Joseph Pevney and Alexander Courage had that 'Star Trek' connection. But this year another 'Star Trek' director passed away, Herbert Kenwith. And both composers, Courage and Hagen were 88 when they died...


Thank you, Gentlemen, for your contributions.....


BCnU.....
Toby OB

THE HAT SQUAD: HARVEY KORMAN

I don't know if anybody has ever ranked the top second bananas in Television variety, but I can't see how Harvey Korman could be surpassed as the King. The comedian passed away this week at the age of 81.

After a tour of duty with Danny Kaye, Korman joined Carol Burnett when she launched her series. He created memorable foils to her gallery of comic divas, femme fatales, and other funny ladies. They were at their best when spoofing characters from movies - Harvey as Rhett Butler and Carol as Scarlett O'Hara are perhaps the standard by which movie spoofs should be judged. And their long-running sketches about Ed and Eunice spawned a sitcom spin-off, 'Mama's Family'.
HIs best work on the show may have been with frequent guest star Tim Conway (whom everyone thought was a regular long before he actually became one). Just about every blogger who carried a tribute to Korman on their blogs in the last 24 hours or so imbedded the YouTube clip of the "Dentist Sketch". In it, Korman was the patient and Conway was the inept doctor who numbed his whole body with novocaine. It's a classic not only for Conway's physical comedy, but because it serves as a great example of Korman's inability to control his laughter. I think people watched 'The Carol Burnett Show' each week in anticipation of when Korman would finally lose it.
Like Dick Martin, who passed away last week, Korman was also responsible for creating enough characters in other TV shows to fill the Mayberry phone book - from international villains of the 1870s to elderly patients in emergency rooms.

He also provided the televersion of the legendary comic straight man Bud Abbott, teamed up with Buddy Hackett as Lou Costello in "Bud And Lou".

Harvey Korman's strength and fame came from the world of the Tube, but it's a movie role that will best be remembered for the ages. In 1974, Korman took over the role of Hedy - sorry, that's Hedley! - Lamarr in Mel Brooks' Western spoof "Blazing Saddles". (Gene Wilder replaced Dan Dailey in the role of the Waco Kid, but I've never been able to find out who Korman replaced.)
In the Tooniverse, Korman will be immortalized as the voice of the Great Gazoo on 'The Flintstones. Gazoo was banished back in time to the Stone Age, where he would often befriend/bedevil Fred Flintstone.

And he played several parts in the notorious 1977 holiday special connected to "Star Wars", which George Lucas will forever try to banish from our memories. But it's too late, once broadcast, it has become a fixture in the Toobworld firmament!
As part our tip of the hat to Harvey Korman's memory, here is the list of characters he created for the main Toobworld:

The Tooniverse
"Buzz Lightyear of Star Command" - Gularis
Panic on Bathyos (19 October 2000)

"The Wild Thornberrys" - Earl
No Laughing Matter (24 August 1999)

"Hey Arnold!" - Don Reynolds
Runaway Float/Partners (1 January 1997)
Dino Checks Out (11 December 1999)

"The What a Cartoon Show" - O. Ratz
O. Ratz: Rat in a Hot Tin Can (31 July 1995)

"Garfield and Friends" - Additional Voices
The Legend of Johnny Ragweedseed/Grape Expectations/Catch as Cats Can't (17 September 1994)
The Perfect Match/Temp Trouble/Change of Mind (1 October 1994)

"The Flintstones" - The Great Gazoo
The Great Gazoo (29 October 1965)
The Stonefinger Caper (19 November 1965)
Royal Rubble (10 December 1965)
Seeing Doubles (17 December 1965)
How to Pick a Fight with Your Wife Without Really Trying (7 January 1966)
Two Men on a Dinosaur (4 February 1966)
Curtain Call at Bedrock (18 February 1966)
Boss for a Day (25 February 1966)
Jealousy (11 March 1966)
My Fair Freddy (25 March 1966)

EARTH PRIME-TIME
"ER" (1 episode) - Stan Levy
Stuck on You (5 November 1998)

"Suddenly Susan" - Jimmy
The Old and the Beautiful (24 November 1997)

"Perversions of Science" - The Farmer
Panic (2 July 1997)

"Diagnosis Murder" - Harvey Huckaby
Comedy Is Murder (8 May 1997)

"Ellen" - The Therapist
Harold and Ellen (6 November 1996)

"Burke's Law" - Dr. John Richmond
Who Killed the King of the Country Club? (6 July 1995)

"The Golden Palace" - Bill
Marriage on the Rocks with a Twist (20 November 1992)

"The Nutt House" - Reginald Tarkington

"Leo & Liz In Beverly Hills" (1986) - Leo Green

"George Burns Comedy Week" - Leo Green
The Couch (15 October 1985)

'Mama's Family' - Ed Higgins
The Wedding: Part 2 (12 February 1983)
Cellmates (26 February 1983)
Positive Thinking (30 April 1983)

"The Love Boat" Spoonmaker Diamond, The/Papa Doc/The Role Model/Julie's Tycoon: Part 1&2 (13 November 1982)
Japan Cruise: When Worlds Collide/The Captain and the Geisha/The Lottery Winners/The Emperor's Fortune: Part 2 (5 November 1983)
Roomates/Heartbreaker/Out of Blue (7 December 1985)

"Snavely" (1978) - Henry Snavely

"America 2-Night" - Harvey Korman
Celebrity Night (13 April 1978)

"The Harvey Korman Show" - Harvey A. Kavanaugh
The One Where There's a Hold-Up (1 January 1978)
The One Where Harvey Goes on a Kids' Show (24 June 1978)
The One Where Harvey Won't Change (1 July 1978)

"The Muppet Show" - Harvey Korman
Episode #1.10 (27 May 1976)

"Insight" - Matt Slovak
Crunch on Spruce Street (24 March 1974)

"The Wild Wild West" - Baron Hinterstoisser
The Night of the Big Blackmail (27 September 1968)

"F Troop" - Colonel Heindrich von Zeppel
Bye, Bye, Balloon (22 September 1966)

"The Hero" - Ralph Rayburn
The Big Return of Little Eddie (15 September 1966)

"The John Forsythe Show" - H.H. Hopper
Duty and the Beast (22 November 1965)

"Gidget" - Joe Hanley
Daddy Come Home (6 October 1965)

"Disneyland" - Brownie
The Adventures of Gallegher: Part 1 (24 January 1965)
The Adventures of Gallegher: Part 2 (31 January 1965)
The Adventures of Gallegher: Part 3 (7 February 1965)
The Further Adventures of Gallegher: A Case of Murder (26 September 1965)
The Further Adventures of Gallegher: The Big Swindle (3 October 1965)
The Further Adventures of Gallegher: The Daily Press vs. City Hall (10 October 1965)

"The Munsters"
Family Portrait (17 December 1964) - Lennie Bates
Yes, Galen, There Is a Herman (10 June 1965) - Dr. Leinbach
Prehistoric Munster (10 March 1966) - Prof. Fagenspahen

"The Jack Benny Program"
Jack Loses a Raffle (13 November 1964) - Director
Jack Brings Ed Up from the Vault (5 March 1965) - 1st Sergeant
Jack Has Dog Trouble (9 April 1965) - 2nd Salesman

"The Lucy Show"
Lucy, the Camp Cook (24 October 1964) - Camp Counselor
Lucy the Stockholder (29 March 1965) - Mr. Phillips
Lucy at Marineland (13 September 1965)

"Hazel"
Maid for a Day (23 April 1964)

"The Eleventh Hour" - Blake
Who Chopped Down the Cherry Tree? (29 January 1964)

"Glynis" - as Himself(?)
Three Men in a Tub (25 September 1963)

"Sam Benedict" - Reporter
Of Rusted Cannons and Fallen Sparrows (23 March 1963)

"Empire" - Bunce
Pressure Lock (4 December 1962)

"Perry Mason" - Coleman
The Case of the Unsuitable Uncle (8 November 1962)

"I'm Dickens, He's Fenster" - Mr. Rembar
The Acting Game (2 November 1962)

"The Untouchables" - Resident
Bird in the Hand (30 October 1962)

"Surfside 6" - Prosecutor
Green Bay Riddle (23 April 1962)

"The Detectives Starring Robert Taylor"
The Jagged Edge (9 February 1962)

"Dennis the Menace"
Haunted House (29 October 1961) - Bowers
My Four Boys (17 March 1963) - Mr. Griffin

"Hennesey" - Dr. Don Spright
The Gossip Go-Round (25 September 1961)

"Adventures in Paradise" - Merchant
Flamin' Lady (22 May 1961)

"Route 66"
The Quick and the Dead (13 January 1961) - Len
Suppose I Said I Was the Queen of Spain (8 February 1963) - Mr. Mills

As Red Skelton would say: "May God Bless......"

BCnU!
Toby OB

"You have to have a certain persona to be a star, you know,
and I don't have that.
I'm a banana."
Harvey Korman

TODAY'S TWD: THE FROZEN DONKEY WHEEL

If you haven't seen last night's 4th season finale for 'Lost' yet, you're nuts. So just go away and come back later in the day for other entries here at Inner Toob!

My head is still not re-aligned from last night's mind-bleep! I actually jumped out of my chair at the viewing party I attended when Ben appeared behind Jack at the funeral parlor!

There's no way I can make this a coherent posting, so instead I'll share those thoughts I put out there at various blogs and web-sites this morning. As I have the sad duty of reporting several deaths that would affect Toobworld still to write, this will have to serve........

• Locke will take over as the avatar for the Island, the "Jacob", replacing Christian Shepherd. After all, he'll be returning to the island in the same fashion as Christian first arrived..
  
• I don't think it was Claire (who appeared in Kate's dream). It seems that the ghosts/Whisperers can appear to whomever they want (Charlie/Eko to Hurley, Libby to Michael, Christian to Jack etc); they actually manifest. But Claire had to appear in a dream, and with an American accent.
  
  She was probably something else that took the form of Claire to trick Kate into not going back with Aaron. Something working against the best interests of the Island. Only in assuming Claire's form, it messed up on the details - like the American accent. And it had to manifest in a dream not in "reality".

other version:

• If Claire didn't have an (Australian) accent, maybe it's because someone/something else appeared to Kate in her dream to talk her out of going back to the Island, using Claire's form.
  
  It would seem the real ghosts/Whisperers can actually manifest themselves to certain people and would have no need to go the dream route.
  
• As for Daniel Faraday, I think he and the 7 redshirts travelling with him were outside the sphere of influence for the island. Then Daniel has to track down the now-missing Desmond since he is his constant. And to do so, he allies himself with Ben, not realizing why Ben is looking for Desmond - to kill Penny.
  
• Ben knew what would happen if he turned that wheel - so it had to have been done before. I think Widmore probably did it in the past, and he was banished as well for doing so and now wants to get back.
  
  That may be why Locke killed himself - he had to turn the wheel himself finally, and he couldn't live with the banishment.
  
• I think Juliet and Sawyer will end up being those skeletons of Adam & Eve in the cave (if the island moved back in Time), and that Charlotte is their daughter. That's why she wanted to stay on the island - to get back to where she was born, and actually witness it all! (Although with her accent, maybe she's the daughter of Desmond and Penny!)
  
• And I also think Faraday needs to find Desmond, who is his "Constant". And to do so, he makes an alliance with Ben - not knowing that Ben wants to find Desmond in order to bring him back to the Island and to kill Penny.
  
  My Charlotte theory boils down to this:
  
  The Island went back in Time.
  
  Sawyer & Juliet become "Adam & Eve" from the cave.
  
  Charlotte is their daughter and now grows up in the presence of her adult self.
  
• If Ben eliminated Penny before she could become "Eve", that could mean Charlotte could cease to be!
  
• I think Christian's message to Michael had several meanings:
  
  Your work here is done.
  You can fulfill your desire to die now.
  
  Those are two....
  
  And I think it was implied that Michael would have no place among the Whisperers/ghosts connected to the Island. He may have redeemed himself perhaps, but there was still a price to be paid in the afterlife and he wasn't going to find salvation with the Island in that regard.
  
  Christian was acting like a barkeep - I don't care where you go, but you can't stay here!
  
  BCnU!
  Toby OB
  

THIS PROGRAMMING NOTE.....

Looks like it's going to be a busy day for Toobworld today.......

TODAY'S TWD: 9TH CIRCLE JERKS

"A few too many years spent down in the ninth circle,
if you know what I mean....."
Gladys
'Reaper'

The Demoness of the DMV was referring to Dennis, a demon who worked at a storage container facility and who had access to the vessels used to send souls back to Hell.

I'm not sure how Dennis got out of the Ninth Circle of Hell, but it doesn't sound like it could have been too easy (which is probably why he was a bit squirrelly).

Here's the Wikipedia take on the place:

The Ninth Circle is ringed by classical and Biblical giants. The giants are standing either on, or on a ledge above, the ninth circle of Hell, and are visible from the waist up at the ninth circle of the Malebolge. The giant Antaeus lowers Dante and Virgil into the pit that forms the ninth circle of Hell. (Canto XXXI) Traitors, distinguished from the "merely" fraudulent in that their acts involve betraying one in a special relationship to the betrayer, are frozen in a lake of ice known as Cocytus. Each group of traitors is encased in ice to a different depth, ranging from only the waist down to complete immersion. The circle is divided into four concentric zones:

Zone 1: Caïna, named for Cain, is home to traitors to their kindred. The souls here are immersed in the ice up to their necks. (Canto XXXII)

Zone 2: Antenora is named for Antenor of Troy, who according to medieval tradition betrayed his city to the Greeks. Traitors to political entities, such as party, city, or country, are located here. Count Ugolino pauses from gnawing on the head of his rival Archbishop Ruggieri to describe how Ruggieri imprisoned and starved him and his children. The souls here are immersed at almost the same level as those in Caïna, except they are unable to bend their necks. (Cantos XXXII and XXXIII)

Zone 3: Ptolomæa is probably named for Ptolemy, the captain of Jericho, who invited Simon Maccabaeus and his sons to a banquet and then killed them. Traitors to their guests are punished here. Fra Alberigo explains that sometimes a soul falls here before the time that Atropos (the Fate who cuts the thread of life) should send it. Their bodies on Earth are immediately possessed by a fiend. The souls here are immersed so much that only half of their faces are visible. As they cry, their tears freeze and seal their eyes shut- they are denied even the comfort of tears. (Canto XXXIII)

Zone 4: Judecca, named for Judas the Iscariot, Biblical betrayer of Christ, is for traitors to their lords and benefactors. All of the sinners punished within are completely encapsulated in ice, distorted to all conceivable positions.

I think this would be the place where Satan holds his version of the Ice Capades. I'd say the lead act was "Hitler On Ice", but that's a movie universe event.....

BCnU!
Toby OB

TODAY'S TWD: CROSSED SWORD

A rebel alliance of demons thought they could overthrow Satan by using the sword of the Archangel Michael in "Rebellion", an episode of 'Reaper'. However, the Devil laughed off the threat and showed them all that the sword was just a cheap prop. He couldn't believe they thought he'd just leave Michael's sword laying around.

The Devil made it sound as if he actually had the sword, a weapon never far from Michael's hand in most of the pictures of the Archangel. But I don't think Satan ever had the sword in the first place. I think Michael has it and still wields it.

We've seen Michael the Archangel in 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys', and in 'Xena: Warrior Princess', as well as in the 'Fallen' mini-series (although I could be wrong on that). And I don't think he's loosening his grip on his sword anytime soon....

BCnU!
Toby OB

TODAY'S TWD: OPRY-TAILORED

First off, that has to qualify as the worst pun I ever used as a heading here.....

Over this past weekend, Classical Singer magazine sponsored the 4th annual high school competition and college expo for potential opera singers. Friends of mine flew in from Denver for the event (held at the Marriott at Brooklyn Bridge) with their daughter, who had won her regional championship; and even though Rachel didn't get as far in the competition as we would have liked, her meetings with college reps was fruitful. She even received a few scholarship offers from several schools already, even though she's still just a junior (and 15 years old at that!)

I went to the final round of the competition on Memorial Day with my friends, and as I listened to the ten finalists, an idea for a Tiddlywinkydink came to mind......

How opera figured into the plots of several TV shows, of course!

Here are just a few examples of what I found in my research:

First off, of course, are the two series that dealt with opera singers as their main characters, 'Bonino' and 'Encore! Encore!'. In 1953, Babbo Bonino withdrew from touring at the height of his career after his wife died so that he could raise their six children. And in the other sitcom, after his vocal powers abandoned him in 1998, Joseph Pinino returned to his family's Napa Valley vineyard to restart his life.
But there were other shows with individual episodes dealing with opera. For the most part, if they weren't dramas in which crimes were committed against the backdrop of opera, they seemed to be sitcoms with over-sexed opera stars......

'Murder, She Wrote'
Season 6, Episode 8:

"When the Fat Lady Sings"

Original Air Date: 19 November 1989

Jessica is drawn into an appropriately melodramatic situation when a renowned opera singer is accused of murder in San Francisco.

'The Odd Couple'

Season 3, Episode 18:

"The Hustler"
Original Air Date: 9 February 1973

Felix needs Oscar to win money in a pool game so he can get the money for the costumes for his opera group.
&
Season 4, Episode 17:

"Vocal Girl Makes Good"
Original Air Date: 25 January 1974

Felix's newest opera discovery will only appear if Oscar is also in the production.

'Keen Eddie'

"Achtung Baby"

Episode Number: 3 Season Num: 1
First Aired: Tuesday June 17, 2003

Eddie is assigned to protect Liese Kohl, a German opera singer, from someone who is stalking her. When she professes that she has interest in him, Eddie doesn't seem to mind. But someone else minds that she is falling for Eddie, Fiona.

'Seinfeld'

Season 4, Episode 9:

"The Opera"
Original Air Date: 4 November 1992

"Crazy" Joe leaves Jerry a message saying he will put the "kibosh" on him. Kramer has tickets for the opera, Pagliacci, and everyone is going including Elaine and her boyfriend "Crazy" Joe. Elaine drops in on Joe's apartment and is she surprised by what she discovers, so she maces him with cherry Binaca and ends their relationship. Susan can't attend, so George tries to scalp her ticket. Joe, a big fan of Pagliacci, comes to the opera in clown garb; Elaine and Jerry attend together not realizing their different estranged relationships with Joe.

'That Girl'

Season 1, Episode 24:

"A Tenor's Loving Care"
Original Air Date: 23 February 1967

Ann helps Donald get a story about a famous opera singer, if only he can control his romantic urges.

'The Adventures of Jim Bowie'
"The Select Females" (1956)

Jim Bowie is in a hurry on his way to New Orleans to take a lady to the Opera Ball when he comes upon two women who are having trouble with their pony cart.

'Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond'

"Earthquake" (1960)

In 1906 San Francisco, many famous people gather at a hotel to hear renowned opera singer Enrico Caruso perform. However, a bellboy at the hotel suddenly has visions of impending mass destruction and death, but he can't get anyone to listen to him.

[Due to the historical event, this would be linked to "The Gambler IV: Luck Of The Draw".]

'All Creatures Great and Small'

"The Salt of the Earth" (1988)

Still short-handed with Tristan away in Ireland, Sigfried proudly announces that he has arranged for a vet, Willy Bannister, to assist them for a fortnight. To Calum's dismay, Willie is a "tea-totaler" who is fond of opera, but he brightens somewhat when Willy claims to be a good cook.

'As If'

"Alex's POV" (2004)

After Sooz sneers that Alex has only one gay friend, and Allen encourages his 'gay guru' to try the Gay Dining Club after drooling at their Internet looks, he goes to the opera with older Richard, who seems interested. Alex lures Nicki and Sasha away with opera tickets in order to use Nicki's house, but they get thrown out.

'The Jack Benny Program'

"Jack Hires Opera Singer in Rome" (1957)

This was an episode filmed in Europe. The plot involves Jack staying in a hotel and being frustrated by the loud opera singing coming from the room next door. He starts to complain until he is told that a famous opera singer was discovered and made his agent millions of dollars. This changes Jack's tune, and he offers to start his neighbor in a career as a professional opera star, with Jack naturally as his agent. When Jack asks the neighbor to sing for a crowd of people, he is sickened by the man's awful voice. It turns out that the voice Jack heard was a record of the famous opera singer he had been told about.

'Morse'

"Death of the Self"

Our detectives find themselves overseas again when an Englishwoman dies in mysterious circumstances in Verona. Morse revels in the open-air opera and falls for glamorous singer Nicole Burgess.

&

"Twilight of the Gods"

Morse is called into action when a sniper opens fire on a procession of dignitaries at Oxford University. A world-famous opera singer is left seriously wounded, but was she the intended target?

'Love, American Style'

"Love and the Opera Singer"

Episode Number: 325 Season Num: 5

First Aired: Friday November 2, 1973
An operatic tenor is a ladies' man.

Most of the plot descriptions came from either the IMDb or from TV.com.

We'll be addressing the subject again in a few days....

BCnU!
Toby OB

TODAY'S TWD: MEMORIAL DAY 2008

I'm not sure I'll always be able to do it, but I'd like to pay tribute on Memorial Day and Veterans' Day with salutes to TV characters who have served our country, as stand-ins for those in the real world who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms and many times did so.

This year for Memorial Day I'm honoring the memory of Brigadier General Frank Savage of the Army Air Force, seen in the series '12 O'Clock High'. Savage was in charge of the 918th Heavy Bombardment Group which was part of the 8th Bomber Command of the US Eighth Air Force. (There's one of "The Numbers" from 'Lost' again.) The 918th was situated just outside Archbury, England, and General Savage was asked by General Pritchard to take its command at some point during 1942.

General Savage was tough as nails in his determination to build the 918th into the best bomb group of all the Eighth Air Force. This meant that he could often ride his men hard to produce their best, even if it meant that he wouldn't be popular with them. Many times he was as far from being sympathetic or sentimental as one could be. But Savage was always willing to give a man in his outfit the benefit of the doubt, and they would respond by making sure they gave 100% in return for the faith that he showed in them.

In 1944, Brigadier General Frank Savage was shot down over German-held territory. He had already been severely wounded in a bombing run and they were just hoping to limp home with the plane in one piece. Unfortunately, German infiltrators insinuated themselves into the group with a captured B-17 and once accepted, they proceeded to attack the other planes in the formation. Savage's plane went down with only one survivor.

The Germans considered Savage as an enemy to be treated with respect and admiration for his skills and leadership. When they recovered his body, the Germans made sure that Savage was buried at Verdennes with the highest honors possible.

In February of this year, I posted a Theory of Relateeveety about Frank Savage. It was my belief that he was the grandfather of NASA Commander Chuck Taggart from 'Odyssey 5'. Of course, Savage never got to meet his grandson; he probably was killed in combat before his daughter even married.

All of that about his personal life is speculation, of course, but I don't see any reason why it would be contested.

So here's a tip of the hat to you, Brigadier General Frank Savage. I think many televisiologists would agree that the 918th was never again the same, that it lost something special when they lost you....

BCnU!
Toby OB

THE HAT SQUAD: SAY GOODNIGHT, DICK

I have to figure I won't be alone in using that heading....
Comedian and director Dick Martin has passed away at the age of 86. He had been in ill health for some time, due to his inability to breathe properly. (He lost the use of one lung at the age of 17, which didn't bother him until his later years, when he would need up to 18 hours of oxygen a day. It was said that for the last week of his life, he couldn't even breathe on his own at all.)

There will be plenty of obituaries and heartfelt tributes from fans and friends online that will go into detail about Dick Martin's career as a comic in partnership with Dan Rowan and their rise to stardom as the hosts of 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In' during the late sixties. (Check out Mark Evanier's "News From ME" in my links to the left for a personal remembrance.)

I'd like to tip the Toobworld hat to those characters he created in other shows, TV movies, and specials who populated Earth Prime-Time and some of its alternate dimensions.......
"The Trial Of Old Drum" - Mayor Meyer

"Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" - Grandpa Charlie

Two Guys, a Girl and a Thanksgiving (25 November 1998)

Liver and Learn (1 December 1999)

"The Nanny" - Preston Collier
The Dinner Party (11 March 1998)

"George & Leo" - George's Doctor

The Smokers (8 December 1997)

The Poker Game (26 January 1998)

"Baywatch" - Ed

Memorial Day (13 October 1997) - Ed
[An odd little coincidence he should then die during Memorial Day weekend.....]

"3rd Rock from the Sun" - Ben Littmeyer
Dick Jokes (8 December 1996)

"The John Larroquette Show" - Eggers' Father

A Cult to the System (6 December 1994)

"Dave's World" - Delivery Man

How Long Has This Been Going On? (28 November 1994)

"Diagnosis Murder" - two roles

Murder at the Telethon (12 November 1993) - Hank Mallory

The Roast (23 September 1999) - Lou Summers

"Blossom" - Frosty The Clown

38 Special (25 October 1993)
[Frosty could have been any other Dick Martin character who had an acting background.]

"Coach" (2 episodes) - Peter Plunkett

The Marion Kind: Part 1 (5 February 1991)

The Marion Kind: Part 2 (12 February 1991)

"Ferris Bueller" - Mr. McFarland

Baby You Can't Drive My Car (3 December 1990)

"Sledge Hammer!" - Cowboy Cody

The Death of a Few Salesmen (15 October 1987)

"Fantasy Island" - Dr. R.M Bunk

Baby/Marathon: Battle of the Sexes (5 October 1979)

"The Love Boat" - 5 episodes, perhaps 3 roles

Marooned: Parts 1 & 2 (16 September 1978) - Deputy Captain Cunningham

Stimulation of Stephanie, The/Next Step, The/Life Begins at 40 (1 December 1979) - Prof. Norman Bridges

Lady from Sunshine Gardens/Eye of the Beholder/Bugged (21 February 1981) - George Crichton

Return of the Captain's Lady/Love Ain't Illegal/The Irresistible Man (6 February 1982) - George
[The last two, both named George, could be the same character. Deputy Captain Cunningham might be related to the Cunninghams of Milwaukee from 'Happy Days', and perhaps he gave young Chuck Cunningham the chance to go off to sea.]

Swing Out, Sweet Land (1970) (TV) .... Wilbur Wright
[I think this John Wayne special has to fall into the world of Skitlandia.]

Murder at N.B.C. (19 October 1966) - Skitlandia televersion of himself

"The Lucy Show" - Harry Conners

Lucy Digs Up a Date (8 October 1962)

Lucy Is a Referee (15 October 1962)

Lucy Misplaces $2,000 (22 October 1962)

Lucy Becomes an Astronaut (5 November 1962)

Lucy Builds a Rumpus Room (10 December 1962)

Chris's New Year' Eve Party (31 December 1962)

Lucy's Sister Pays a Visit (7 January 1963)

In 1995, Robin McCulloch portrayed Dick Martin in the TV movie "Sugartime", which was about the affair between Mafia boss Sam Giancana and singer Phyllis McGuire. This tele-flick could be placed into that TV dimension which deals with the depictions of backstage life at real TV shows - like those that looked at 'Mork & Mindy', 'Diff'rent Strokes', 'Charlie's Angels', 'Gilligan's Island', and 'Steptoe & Son'.

And in "We're Off To See The Wizard", Martin voiced the Pieman in the Tooniverse Oz....

I refrained from using any pictures from his game show appearances like on 'Match Game', but I couldn't resist this picture of Dick Martin with Carroll O'Connor and Sammy Davis Jr.......

At first, I thought Sammy was hugging the bowling ball; after all, he'd hug just about anything!

As Red Skelton would say, "May God Bless...."

BCnU.....
Toby OB

TODAY'S TIDDLYWINKYDINK: TOWEL DAY

HAPPY TOWEL DAY!

Here's a picture of me with my towel.

It was a gift bestowed upon me by the folks at Nick at Night in appreciation for the work I did for them back in the mid 1990s.

The only trouble is..... I don't know where my towel is!

From Wikipedia:

Towel Day is celebrated every May 25 as a tribute by fans of the late author Douglas Adams. The commemoration was first held in 2001, two weeks after his death on May 11, 2001. On this day, fans carry a towel with them during the day to demonstrate their participation and mourning of the author. The towel is a reference to Adams's popular science fiction comedy series 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'.

The original article that began Towel Day was posted at "Binary Freedom", a short lived open source forum.

Towel Day:

A Tribute to Douglas Adams

Monday May 14, 2001 06:00am PDT

Douglas Adams will be missed by his fans worldwide. So that all his fans everywhere can pay tribute to this genius, I propose that two weeks after his passing (May 25, 2001) be marked as "Towel Day". All Douglas Adams fans are encouraged to carry a towel with them for the day, and preferably quote the popular books and television series constantly..

So long Douglas, and thanks for all the fish!

– D Clyde Williamson, 2001-05-14

Chris Campbell and his friends registered the website towelday.org to spread the word, reminding people not to forget to bring their towels. Towel Day was an immediate success among the fans and many people sent in pictures to show off themselves with their towels.

The original quote that referenced the greatness of towels is found in Adams' seminal work The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:

A towel, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitch hiker can have. Partly it has great practical value - you can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a mini raft down the slow heavy river Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or to avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mindboggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you - daft as a bush, but very, very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.

More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitch hiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitch hiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have "lost". What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is is clearly a man to be reckoned with.

BCnU!

Toby OB

"Listen. It's a tough universe.
There's all sorts of people and things trying to do you,
kill you, rip you off, everything.
If you're going to survive out there,
you've really got to know where your towel is."
Ford Prefect
'The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy'