SATURDAY MORNING SUPERHEROES - BY THE BOOK

I can't recall if it was in a DC or Marvel comic book, but there was a story about the man who made his ill-gotten gains from hiring out the henchmen who worked for various super-villains.  I'd like to think this same character had a televersion who had business dealings with all of the colorful villains who plagued Gotham City back in the 1960s.

And there is another character who was never seen on 'Batman', as well as a few other TV series*, but whose work was evident in almost every episode.  I'm talking about the inventor who created all of the deadly traps and other dangerous props used by the villains in their attempts to subdue and kill the Dynamic Duo.

One such prop can be found in the 'Batman' episode "Death In Slow Motion" - a giant book that had been made for the Bookworm.

Astute readers and avid fans of 'Batman' must think they found an error in that statement above.  After all, it was a prop used by the Riddler which contained two riddles for Batman & Robin.  

This is true; however, I said it was made for Bookworm.  But at the time, the Bookworm couldn't take possession of it from the avaricious artisan who built it.  He may have been in prison, perhaps short on the funds needed to pay for it.  Whatever the case may have been, the Riddler bought it for his own use in his silent film caper.

BCnU!

THEORY OF RELATEEVEETY - THE TIMSONS/TIMPSONS, A DOUBLE SHOT OF BAILEYS

It's not unusual for a member of a family to alter the spelling of their last name. Sometimes it was done for them by the government upon arrival into the country at Ellis Island. President Ronald Reagan had cousins who spelled the family name "Regan".

Den Timson
'Rumpole Of The Bailey'

 

Micky Timpson
'Scott & Bailey'

Fred Timson (Rumpole of the Bailey (1978))
Cyril Timson (Rumpole of the Bailey (1978))
Den Timson (Rumpole of the Bailey (1978))

Scott & Bailey
Micky Timpson
- Episode #2.7 (2012)

 

So making the claim that a character named Micky Timpson in an episode of 'Scott & Bailey' could be related to the notorious Timson clan who basically kept the roof over the head of Horace Rumpole and his wife "She Who Must Not Be Named" is not much of a stretch. Toobworld Central declares it a perfectly valid theory of relateeveety.

BCnU!

PS:
It provides no validity to my argument at all, but it amuses me that both shows used for this theory of relateeveety have "Bailey" in their titles.....

 

 

LITTLE BIG SCREEN: "KING KONG VS. MIGHTY JOE YOUNG"

'MacMillan & Wife'

"Point Of Law'

When Mac was finally home from two weeks with the Naval Reserve where he had worked hard to save a young woman in the Navy from being convicted of murder, Sally decided to tease him by denying him her sexual favors.  She professed an interest in watching a late night movie instead and while looking through the TV Guide, she found the perfect one - "King Kong Vs. Mighty Joe Young".

There are two ways to look at this.  Sally could have just made that title up as part of her teasing.  Or there really was a movie in Toobworld by that title and she really did see it listed in the Guide.

I think you know where I stand on this.....

If it was a real movie in Toobworld, it was probably made in the 1950s.  Mainly because the original "Mighty Joe Young" film came out in 1949, but also because it had to be around long enough to be relegated to the late night lineups.

This could be one of those movies directed overseas by Cortland Evans when he was blacklisted in America.  As for actors in it (besides the guys in the ape suits), maybe it was one of Dash Riprock's first leading roles, with Quirt Manly as the already established main actor.

"Point Of Order" was the last episode of 'MacMillan & Wife'.  Susan Saint James left the series and it continued on as just 'MacMillan'.  Apparently, Sally died in a plane crash at some point between the two iterations of the series.

I've always held on to the belief that it was a small plane and that Mac had somehow fixed it so that it would crash, killing all those on board.  (Hopefully just Sally and the pilot.)

Yes... I'm declaring Stuart MacMillan to have been a murderer who got away with it.

SHOWS CITED:

'Marcus Welby, MD'

'The Beverly Hillbillies'

BCnU!

PEOPLE - PEOPLE WHO READ PEOPLE

"You know what I love about this country? 

Its amazingly short memory. 

We're a nation of amnesiacs. We forget everything: 

Where we came from, what we did to get here. 

History is last week's People magazine."

Miles Drentell

'THIRTYsomething'

When TV characters talk about People magazine in Toobworld, they are not referring to the publication to be found in the real world.  It's to the magazine from Howard Publications that could be found in 'The Name Of The Game'.  Its publication was overseen by Glenn Howard and Jeff Dillon was one of its main writers.  

As we can see, using that premise, Howard Publications was still publishing People in 1991 and with every mention of the magazine since then in dialogue from many TV shows, both dramas and sitcoms, it will always be considered the fictional magazine found on Earth Prime-Time.

BCnU!

TUESDAY NEWS DAY - THE RETURN OF UNCLE BUCK

It appears that the greater TV Universe will be getting another version of the John Hughes movie "Uncle Buck".  It already has a televersion in Earth Prime-Time which starred Kevin Meaney in the John Candy title role.  So this new version would need to be placed in an alternate TV dimension and the casting of the lead character has made the choice out of multiple Toobworlds easy.

ABC has signed Mike Epps of the "Friday" movies and who is currently in 'Survivor's Remorse' to play Buck Russell.  Buck is described as “a childish man who learns how to be an adult by taking care of his brother Will’s kids in a very childish way.”  Another major cast member who has been announced is Nia Long as Buck's sister-in-law

The article pointed out that ABC might have a publicity nightmare on its hands if they stick with the name "Buck" for a black man.  But even if they change it (which would mean losing the publicity cache of the movie tie-in), I think it should still be left in the alternate TV dimension of Black Toobworld.

Should this sitcom make it to air, it would join the likes of the black versions of 'Kojak', 'The Odd Couple', 'Ironside', and the cinematic adaptation of "The Honeymooners".

BCnU!

THE TOOBITS AWARDS - A LOOK AT THE CANDIDATES

The annual Toobits Awards at the end of the year aren't just slapped together.  I collect pozz'ble candidates all through the year.  (And sometimes I know I have a clear winner the moment I see the entry.)

So I thought maybe I'd share some of the candidates as I find them, and add a splainin as to why I think they're eligible.

Today it's my first candidate for Best Performance by a League of Themselves Member in Toobworld.  (There are other options in the Tooniverse, Skitlandia, and in commercials.)

CINDY CRAWFORD in 'COUGAR TOWN'

Super model and actress Cindy Crawford is a patient of Dr. Tom Gazelion at Gulfhaven Memorial Hospital.  Tom is the chief neurosurgeon at Gulfhaven Memorial, so the question is: Why was Cindy Crawford seeing him?

From Google:

A neurosurgeon is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system including congenital anomalies, trauma, tumors, vascular disorders, infections of the brain or spine, stroke, or degenerative diseases of the spine.

I hope her televersion gets better!

BCnU!

VIDEO SUNDAY - DEATH COMES TO CENTRAL CITY

This was probably the most powerful scene in all of the Toobworlds last week, no matter what may come in that series........

SATURDAY MORNING SUPERHEROES REBOOT

So I've had to toss out my theory that Gotham City must be in the California of Toobworld because of that TV van.

'Batman'

"Batman Sets The Pace"

At the end of the episode, once the Joker had been vanquished, Commissioner Gordon urgently called Batman on the hotline.  Turns out he had heard a rumor that Batman had been asked to move to California so that he could run for governor.

Luckily for me, Gordon Long came along with some Trueniverse info:

KDKA-TV, ch. 2, is the CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh. So it could still be back east....

Wikipedia splains away how KDKA could have call letters beginning with "K":

KDKA enjoys grandfathered status as one of six remaining stations east of the Mississippi River that have call letters beginning with K. Three of them are in Pittsburgh, the other two being KDKA-FM (KDKA's sister station) and KQV, as well as KDKA's longtime sister station KYW in Philadelphia (though the KYW call sign has in the past been used in Chicago and Cleveland); KFIZ in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin; and KTGG Spring Arbor, Michigan (though in that instance, it was due to a clerical error at the FCC).

So in Toobworld we'll just add in KGC as the seventh station to be grandfathered as an exception.

So where does that put Gotham City on the Toobworld map now?

It still needs to be on the ocean, so we should be looking to the Eastern seaboard now.  After all, Gordon said "out to California", not "down to" or "up to" (which could have placed Texas in the running as well as the states to be found along the shore of the Gulf of Mexico.)  

I'm also drawn to the style of architecture found in Gotham City, which strongly suggests New York.  Even back in 1966 it felt as though the infrastructure was aging which - rightly or wrongly - makes me think New Jersey is the most viable candidate for the location of Gotham City.

And I don't have to just rely on my own wish-craft for that.  The atlas of the DC Universe shows Gotham City in New Jersey.  (However, it also shows Metropolis in Delaware and I have issues with that.)  

Hopefully this will be the last time I have to relocate Gotham City on the Toobworld map......

BCnU!

LEAGUE OF THEMSELVES - FUN WITH DICK (AND CHARLIE)

'COUGAR TOWN'

"CLIMB THAT HILL"

During the episode, Laurie revealed that in the past she had sex with Richard Grieco and Charlie Sheen (as far as I know, not at the same time.)  In order to cover up the truth to protect Travis' feelings, she claimed that the Richard who was still pestering her in e-mails was her Uncle Dick.  (Jules revealed that Travis was so convinced that he was sending money to Uncle Dick.)

At one time, Richard Grieco looked to be the big breakout star from '21 Jump Street', but that was before Johnny Depp blasted into the stratosphere.  However, his character of Dennis Booker from that show is eligible to one day be inducted into the TV Crossover Hall of Fame.  

Charlie Sheen on the other hand will probably land in the TVXOHOF as a member of the League of Themselves, and just this mention of his interaction (nudge nudge wink wink) with a fictional TV character counts toward his final tally of qualifications.

They weren't the first televersions of real people to have had sex with TV characters.  They join a somewhat exclusive club that also includes Roseanne, Ellen DeGeneres, and Mandy Moore.

BCnU!

CROSSING ZONE - REMEMBERING NANCY MALONE

Eighty years ago today, Nancy Malone was born.  (We lost her last year on May 8.)

For those who only know people from their on-screen appearances, Ms. Malone might just be recognizable for her many roles in television, especially 'Naked City', 'The Long, Hot Summer' and 'Guiding Light'.  (Although as the third recastaway to assay the role of Robin Lang Bauer Bowden Fletcher, she might have been overshadowed by the other three actresses who held the role.)

But she was a true pioneer in the television field because she turned her attentions to becoming a director.  As such, she directed episodes of powerhouse shows like 'Dynasty', 'Melrose Place', 'Diagnosis Murder', 'Star Trek: Voyager', 'Dawson's Creek', and 'Picket Fences'.  She was nominated for an Emmy Award as a director for episodes of 'Sisters' and 'The Trials Of Rosie O'Neil'.  She won an Emmy for producing a Bob Hope special celebrating his 90th birthday and she produced a particular favorite TV movie "Sherlock Holmes In New York" (which takes place in an alternate TV dimension.)

On top of all that, she became the first vice-president of television at 20th Century Fox in 1976.  

As our tip o' the hat to Nancy Malone, I'd like to offer up this theory of relateeveety.

The theories of relateeveety work best when only one of the characters involved had been a long-running role.  And even then it's preferable if the show has already been cancelled so the character's history is basically locked in.  The other role should be a guest starring appearance so that there isn't so much history/baggage to deal with.

And that's why I'm taking Ms. Malone's best known role of Libby Kingston in fifty one episodes of 'Naked City' and connecting her to Millie Frazier, who is only known for her one-way trip into 'The Twilight Zone'.

Aside from her life as an actress - appearing in small projects, auditioning, taking classes - about all we knew about Libby's personal life was that she was romantically involved with Detective Adam Flint of the 65th Precinct.  That I believe she had a sister named Millie may not be backed up by evidence from the series, but that's not so surprising.  In real life, how often do we talk about our siblings in everyday life?  

This sister, who was practically an identical twin, was Millie Frazier.  The difference in their last names is easy to splain away: Millie was married to Bob Frazier.  Even if it turned out that she acted alone in that episode of 'The Twilight Zone' as Millie Frazier, there still wouldn't have been a Zonk.  After all, being an aspiring actress, Libby might have changed her name to Kingston so that it had more potential on a marquee, or because there was already a Libby Frazier in AFTRA and SAG.

Bob and Millie Frazier made a "Stopover In A Quiet Town" which turned out to be a toy model village on board a spaceship, taking giants back to their home planet.  Millie and Bob were now to be the "pets" of a giant "little" girl.  (These giants are from the same planet as those to be found in the 'T-Zone' episodes "The Little People" and "The Invaders".  And their home planet would be 'The Land Of The Giants'.  The name of that world?  Brobdingnag of Swiftian fame, which was only accessible for humans of Earth Prime-Time via a dimensional vortex.)

Had this bizarre turn of events happened while the Trueniverse audience was still able to see Libby Kingston's life play out on their TV screens, we might have finally seen Libby mention her sister Millie; perhaps she would have asked Adam to look into the disappearance of her and her husband.  But Toobworld stopped following Libby's life one year before we saw what happened to the Fraziers.  And that's a big boon for this theory of relateeveety......

Remembering Nancy Malone on her birthday......

As Red Skelton would often say, "Good night and may God bless."

PS:

The pictures I chose to represent Nancy Malone's role of Libby Kingston are of a personal nature for me.  In the background you can see my place employment and which has since been inducted into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame for its use in 'Seinfeld', 'Becker', 'Sex And The City', and going back to 'The George Burns And Gracie Allen Show'.