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77 Sunset Strip / Hawaiian Eye, etc. (1 Viewer)

Rustifer

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TIDBIT

If you were wondering what Edd Byrnes was doing on May 26, 2007 (and who isn't?), then this article in the Waterloo Courier should slake your interest.

Edd appeared at the Dan Grable International Wrestling Institute and Museum to participate in the Fourth Street Cruise today. Talking with him is like shaking hands with the past, as he evokes instant nostalgia for simpler days. After taking part in the cruise today, Byrnes will meet with fans, auction off a signed "Grease" poster and sell his biography and other memorabilia. His book, titled "Edd Byrnes: 'Kookie' No More" and published in 1996, is the story of Byrnes' rise to stardom and the famous faces he met along the way, including Robert Mitchum and Kirk Douglas.



"What I hear a lot when I do shows is, 'You haven't changed that much at all!" Byrnes, 73, visits multiple car shows each year and this is his first visit to Waterloo. "You know what I've noticed? How friendly people are," he confesses.

Car shows are a natural tie-in for Edd, as he is synonymous with classic cars and his character "Kookie" was the ultimate cool person. Though he is a car lover, Byrnes doesn't really know why so many people associate him with classic cars--maybe it was the T-bucket hot rod he used to drive on 77 Sunset Strip.

Though he still takes the occasional acting job, Byrnes fills his time with different adventures, including recording an audio book about a casino caper and traveling as much as he can. He even continued his car education with a tour of the Porsche plant in Germany a few years ago with his son, who owns one of the prized vehicles. "I've had about 35 cars in my life, " said Byrnes. "But when I find one I like, I tend to keep it."

His favorite? A black 1962 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud."That was something that when I was driving around town I felt important," he said wistfully.

NOTE: Edd turns 85 on July 30th.
 
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criblecoblis

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77.Sunset.Strip.S01E31.Downbeat.mp4_002507305.png
I have stuff to post when I get back to my main PC, but until then, for grist for discussion, allow me to post this capture of what I call the Bad Guy Car. It's one of the rare non-FoMoCo products seen regularly on the show. It's a Cadillac Sedan DeVille. The precise year I will leave to GM specialists, but I have placed it somewhere between 1949 and 1954. This still is from Downbeat, and the car is also in Upbeat, but you can see this car in any of the generally-disliked European episodes, as well as any of the Third World episodes.

I hope that in the foregoing I did not use any disturbing words.
 
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Rustifer

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View attachment 47353 I have stuff to post when I get back to my main PC, but until then, for grist for discussion, allow me to post this capture of what I call the Bad Guy Car. It's one of the rare non-FoMoCo products seen regularly on the show. It's a Cadillac Sedan DeVille. The precise year I will leave to GM specialists, but I have placed it somewhere between 1949 and 1954. This still is from Downbeat, and the car is also in Upbeat, but you can see this car in any of the generally-disliked European episodes, as well as any of the Third World episodes.

I hope that in the foregoing I did not use any disturbing words.
Hey! I like your "disturbing words! I learn from them...

I think you posted this photo once before--mostly in response to my inquiry as to why so many dirt roads still in the area around the 1960's.
 

criblecoblis

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Hey! I like your "disturbing words! I learn from them...

I think you posted this photo once before--mostly in response to my inquiry as to why so many dirt roads still in the area around the 1960's.
Oops! Sorry about that. Chief. I didn't realize I'd posted a photo of this car before. In my defense, it is a fresh capture of the car, taken for this post. I was just trying to generate some discussion.
 

Mysto

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Oops! Sorry about that. Chief. I didn't realize I'd posted a photo of this car before. In my defense, it is a fresh capture of the car, taken for this post. I was just trying to generate some discussion.
Well it worked.:P
I find the amount of discussion you guys get on just one TV show amazing. Carry on the good work.
 

Rustifer

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Okay, Marv...you asked for it.

I started to do notes on the "Heartbeat Caper" when partway through I realized I had already done it several posts back. Dementia must be setting in. So I turned to "Tarnished Idol" instead. The story begins with a brother and sister tennis doubles team Wade and Marlene (Van Williams, Dara Howard) playing a tournament match with around 17 people watching. Van's role is to remind us what we should look like in white tennis togs if young, slim and tan as an air-dried elk hide. At the end of the match, Marlene takes a nasty tumble down the stairs while tying her shoe and is paralyzed by the fall. This is an important factor in the story--so hold onto it.

Next we see Suzanne (Jacqueline Beer) checking into a ritzy hotel all gussied up like a million bucks with two white poodle companions in tow. Our immediate assumption is either 1.) She's undercover, or 2.) she's a dog walker to supplement her meager salary, or 3.) she leads a secret life about which we know nothing. Working as a bellboy (and rounding out the pre-Surfside Six cast) is Mousie Garner. Lurking in the lobby is Alan Hale, Jr. (the "Skipper" himself), cast as a scurrilous blackmailer to Wade and his sister.

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Van Williams with Jacqueline Beer, Alan Hale, Jr., Paul "Mousie" Garner

We learn that Jeff Spencer had been hired by the Insurance company to investigate the claim as to whether Sis is actually paralyzed and can collect on a lawsuit. Suzanne has been enlisted into appearing as a rich single ingénue in order to lure in shifty Wade and get close to Sis.
In less than a New York second, she and Wade are dancing to "As Time Goes By". It becomes immediately apparent that our Suzanne gets the vapors whenever she's near Wade. It can only be deep and unending love. Jeff confides in Kookie, "I think she's falling for him". To which Kookie sagely observes, "It's not the fall that hurts, it's the sudden stop".

After devising a trick to see if Sis is really paralyzed backfires, it's decided that Suzanne is no longer needed to hang around on the case, much to her regret. Even Sis tries to warn Suzanne about Wade and his past, what with accidently killing Alan Hale's wife in a boating accident while drunk. But Suzanne will have none of that, by golly, 'cause after maybe just two days of knowing him, she declares Wade is her forever soulmate. Love is blind, so it's said. Tight tennis shorts can do that to a girl.
Wade and Suz decide to rendezvous at a remote lodge, presumably to consummate their relationship by fishing and roasting marshmallows together. Sis accompanies the duo--for whatever inexplicable reason. But Wade seemingly turns ugly one night, and Suzanne must now escape his clutches. The chase is on! So just when you think you've got it all sorted out, there's an unexpected and surprising twist at the end.

To be sure, I have mixed thoughts about this episode. On one hand, the romance between Suzanne and Wade seems a bit forced and somewhat out of character for her--falling in love so easily. Especially since we can assume she's always carried a torch for both Stu and Jeff but stoically kept it at arm's length. But I liked seeing Van, Alan Hale and Mousie--as well as the whole B&S gang--working the story. And it's always unique when Jacqueline Beer is the featured star. The plot is clever even if the writing is a bit thin, but once I mixed a second martini halfway through the episode, I pretty much forgot my objections.
 
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Rustifer

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TINY TIDBIT

Dara Howard, who guested on "Tarnished Idol" in my above observation of the 77 SS episode, seems to be quite the mystery woman. Almost no information exist of this actress. IMDb lists only four or five series episodes in which she appeared over a short period of 2 years. The Internet and Wikipedia are practically barren of any facts. Who the heck was she? Why was she so scarce on TV? What happened to her? There's gotta be a story in here somewhere.

These are the only known pics I could find (all from the "Tarnished Idol" episode):

upload_2018-7-3_10-22-54.jpeg
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images


Anybody who can dig up some info, have at it! I surely would be interested.
 

Gary16

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73DC7E9C-45A9-4EF1-AF72-8BDA2FFC4D61.jpeg
73DC7E9C-45A9-4EF1-AF72-8BDA2FFC4D61.jpeg
TINY TIDBIT

Dara Howard, who guested on "Tarnished Idol" in my above observation of the 77 SS episode, seems to be quite the mystery woman. Almost no information exist of this actress. IMDb lists only four or five series episodes in which she appeared over a short period of 2 years. The Internet and Wikipedia are practically barren of any facts. Who the heck was she? Why was she so scarce on TV? What happened to her? There's gotta be a story in here somewhere.

These are the only known pics I could find (all from the "Tarnished Idol" episode):

View attachment 47376 View attachment 47377
images


Anybody who can dig up some info, have at it! I surely would be interested.
I’m equally baffled but before I saw the credits I thought she was Joyce Meadows. I’m still not convinced that she’s not but why would she use a different name?
 

Rustifer

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Rustifer

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View attachment 47378 View attachment 47378
I’m equally baffled but before I saw the credits I thought she was Joyce Meadows. I’m still not convinced that she’s not but why would she use a different name?
Joyce was in 2 episodes of 77 SS, in 1959 and 1960. Dara was in only one, (Tarnished Idol) in 1963. Sure wouldn't make sense that she changed her name.
 

Gary16

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Joyce was in 2 episodes of 77 SS, in 1959 and 1960. Dara was in only one, (Tarnished Idol) in 1963. Sure wouldn't make sense that she changed her name.

MYSTERY SOLVED! I looked to see if Joyce has a website. She does. Selling autographed photos and other things. There was a contact address so I took a chance and wrote to her and asked her about the Dara Howard mystery.
To my pleasant surprise I received a reply from her in less than two hours. Her response is below. I’m now going to order a couple of her items just to show my gratitude for answering so quickly.
——————-
Joyce’s response:
Hi Gary, Yes! that is me, Joyce Meadows. It was one of the "stupid things" I got talked into, to change my name because of the other Meadows Sisters. I found out quickly that it was the wrong thing to do.

Thank you for going to my new Web Page.

Best wishes to you
Joyce

———-
How about that? What a great lady!!
 

Rustifer

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MYSTERY SOLVED! I looked to see if Joyce has a website. She does. Selling autographed photos and other things. There was a contact address so I took a chance and wrote to her and asked her about the Dara Howard mystery.
To my pleasant surprise I received a reply from her in less than two hours. Her response is below. I’m now going to order a couple of her items just to show my gratitude for answering so quickly.
——————-
Joyce’s response:
Hi Gary, Yes! that is me, Joyce Meadows. It was one of the "stupid things" I got talked into, to change my name because of the other Meadows Sisters. I found out quickly that it was the wrong thing to do.

Thank you for going to my new Web Page.

Best wishes to you
Joyce

———-
How about that? What a great lady!!
Jeez, Gary! What a great mystery solve! You de man!
 

Rustifer

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Jeez, Gary! What a great mystery solve! You de man!
I’m now wondering, now that you’ve established contact with Joyce, if she’d be willing to discuss her experiences on the 77 SS episodes she appeared?
What a great boon to actually hear from someone who was on the show. Your charm and knowledge might entice her to do so. What say, old chum?
 
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Mysto

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MYSTERY SOLVED! I looked to see if Joyce has a website. She does. Selling autographed photos and other things. There was a contact address so I took a chance and wrote to her and asked her about the Dara Howard mystery.
To my pleasant surprise I received a reply from her in less than two hours. Her response is below. I’m now going to order a couple of her items just to show my gratitude for answering so quickly.
——————-
Joyce’s response:
Hi Gary, Yes! that is me, Joyce Meadows. It was one of the "stupid things" I got talked into, to change my name because of the other Meadows Sisters. I found out quickly that it was the wrong thing to do.

Thank you for going to my new Web Page.

Best wishes to you
Joyce

———-
How about that? What a great lady!!
That's lovely - what a pleasant surprise and a bit of history - now you have to ask your new friend about the episode.
 

Gary16

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I
I’m now wondering, now that you’ve established contact with Joyce, if she’d be willing to discuss her experiences on the two 77 SS episodes she appeared?
What a great boon to actually hear from someone who was on the show. Your charm and knowledge might entice her to do so. What say, old chum?
I plan to do that as soon as the items I ordered arrive. Then I can thank her and slip in some more questions. Stay tuned.
 

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