Sunday, November 2, 2008

1982-Herbie, The Love Bug


Ok, you must be thinking the same thing I am. There was a SERIES of this?? Apparently so.
Also known as Herbie The Matchmaker, the series lasted an entire five episodes.
Dean Jones reprised his role as Jim Douglas who fell in love with Susan, played by Patricia Harty, the mother of three (including a 12 year-old Nicky Katt.) Episodes revolved around...comic situations no doubt, as Larry Linville tried to break up the couple until they finally got married in the fourth episode.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

1987-Out Of This World



This was a syndicated comedy typically shown on Saturday afternoons that was aimed at young girls. The show revolved around Edie Garland, a teenage girl who was half alien. Naturally, being half alien gave her the ability to freeze time, teleport, and bring objects into and out of existence.
The show reused shots from Buck Rogers In The 25th Century the few times that Edie's father's planet was shown.
This show inexplicably ran for 96 episodes over four seasons.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

1973-The Magician


The Magician starred Bill Bixby as Anthony Blake, a playboy philanthropist and professional stage magician who used his skills to solve crimes and help the helpless.
Blake had been unjustly imprisoned in an unnamed South American country years before the events of the series. He discovered a way to escape with his cellmate, which began his interest in escapology.
The cellmate died and left him a fortune. The escape led to a career in stage magic which made him famous. Never forgetting his imprisonment, it motivates him to seek justice for others.
What was cool about this show was that during the series, Bill Bixby did all the magic on camera as seen. Trick photography and post production special effects were not used.
This show makes me think of CBS's upcoming new series, The Mentalist.

Friday, August 22, 2008

1975-Space: 1999



Space: 1999 was a British import that was syndicated on American television. Martin Landau and Barbara Bain were married at the time and coasting on their popularity from Mission: Impossible. In the second season, the alien Maya was added to the cast as sort of a female shape-shifting version of Spock. The Moonbase Alpha crew was on a traveling moon and faced aliens and weird situations every week.
Lots of behind the scenes production problems plagued season two. Cast members would come and go with no explanation. Episodes were often shown out of order, especially in the syndicated foreign markets, which added to viewer confusion. 48 episodes were produced in all; the series abruptly ended with the final episode of season two and did not return.
The series has had several packaged media releases that are currently available. 
Space:1999 on Amazon

Saturday, August 9, 2008

1967-Spider-Man



The first animated Spider-Man series aired on ABC Saturday morning TV in 1967. Particularly remembered by many for it's funky 60's theme song and repeated use of stock footage, the series ran for 52 episodes and was endlessly rerun in the 70s on afternoon TV syndication.
It's popularity paved the way for several additional animated series, including one currently airing on Saturday mornings on the CW network.
There was a DVD set released in 2004 which is now incredibly expensive on the secondary market.

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Tribute To Harvey Korman


Departing from the usual format for this tribute to a great comedian. I remember him and Tim Conway always trying to crack each other up on the Carol Burnett Show.
Harvey Korman has 95 credits on IMDB and was a constant face on TV throughout the 60s and 70s. Harvey Korman was 81.

Monday, March 17, 2008

1967-Birdman


In the late 60s, Hanna Barbera came up with a slew of original superhero and action hero characters for TV broadcast. Atom Ant, Space Ghost, Shazzan, The Galaxy Trio, Moby Dick and the Mighty Mightor, Young Samson and Goliath, The Herculoids, and so on.
These were endlessly rerun and became more popular throughout the 70s in afternoon syndication, where most people probably remember seeing them.
With only a vague and somewhat generic origin, Birdman was somehow endowed by the sun god Ra with the ability to shoot solar rays from his fists and project “solar shields” to defend himself. He also has a huge pair of wings that enable him to fly. I don't think the wings were ever explained. Assisted by Avenger, his eagle sidekick, and thankfully only occasionally by Birdboy, Birdman works for Inter-Nation Security, and fights crime from his secret volcano base that has a sliding door on the crater.
Birdman segments were originally aired as part of Birdman and the Galaxy Trio.
The Birdman character was revived earlier this decade for Cartoon Network as Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

1970-UFO


This British series set in the futuristic year of 1980 sports the same funky fashions and look as Space:1999. The reason is they were both created and produced by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson; the husband/wife creative TV team behind Supercar, Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, and Terrahawks.
In 1970 UFO interest was still high and there were a number of TV series and documentaries based on them. Believed to be a threat to Earth, world governments unite and form SHADO (Supreme Headquarters, Alien Defense Organization)! Establishing bases and the Earth and the Moon, SHADO wages a secret battle against alien invaders as it attempts to discover who they are, where they come from, and what they want.