That is a good list Russ. I would have "The Donna Reed Show" in my top five and I would put " The Patty Duke Show" in my honorable mentions even though I know that one is not very popular.
Those old Quick Draw McGraw and Augie Doggie cartoons are favorites of mine Jeff. I have gray market sets of both and enjoy them a lot. I do wish I could see them like they were presented in the shows with alternating episodes and bumpers, but I don't think they will ever come out like that. The same thing goes for Yogi Bear and Huckleberry Hound, but I'm glad to have what I have.Quick Draw McGraw
3.2 "Dynamite Fright" / "Outer Space Case" / "Growing, Growing, Gone"
Watched one of the episodes of this 1959-1962 Hanna-Barbera cartoon series that's on my Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 set. These cartoons really show the transition between the more lush, theatrical animated shorts of the '40s and '50s, and the more minimalist TV cartoons which became the norm in the '60s and '70s. These are short (about 7 minutes), colorful and best of all, funny. The animation and backgrounds are simple but the colors are bright and vivid, and the scripts and voice work are strong. The show was made up of 3 different cartoon series: a Quick Draw McGraw short for the opener, then a Snooper and Blabber, and ending with Augie Doggie and Doggy Daddy. I found all three of these amusing; I especially enjoyed Quick Draw's little burro pal, Baba Louie, and his sarcastic little asides to camera.
Bat Masterson - 3.7 "High Card Loses"
Jack P's recent marathon focusing on curvaceous beauty Joan O'Brien inspired me to give this episode (one of three she appeared in for this series) a spin. When a pair of cold-blooded bank robbers clean out his recent deposit of poker winnings and kill the tellers, Bat, in need of cash, agrees to help escort three (unbelievably good looking for the Old West) mail-order brides to a mining camp. It seems like an easy gig at first, but the robbers have a dastardly ransom plot in mind...
It's a fast-paced ride of an episode, with a really nifty scene that sees Bat pull a sneaky, badass move to turn the tables on the would-be kidnappers. Ms. O'Brien does a fine job as the tough-minded one of the brides-to-be trio. Paul Fierro also gives a memorable turn, as the comanchero leader of the robbers, who's more principled than he at first lets on.
The Avengers - 4.18 "The Thirteenth Hole"
Is there any '60s TV actress sexier than Diana Rigg as cat-suited Emma Peel? I'd venture not. This is one of the few black-and-white Mrs. Peel episodes of the show that I'd not yet seen; many Avengers fans feel the black-and-white season is the show at its peak, just eccentric enough to be charming, but still with a serious edge. While I do enjoy the subsequent, more outre color seasons, I tend to agree that the B & W Riggs are the absolute tippy top this show has to offer. This one revolves around some traitorous baddies (including Patrick Allen) at an exclusive golf club, who are willing to kill to protect their plan to sell secrets to an enemy power. Steed and Mrs. Peel join a golf tournament to investigate. As good as Rigg is as the confident, insouciant Mrs. Peel, she's matched step-for-step by Patrick Macnee as John Steed, the ultimate gentleman adventurer.
Decoy - 1.11 "Two Days to Kill"
Finally dipped into the (very nice) DVD set of this late '50s crime drama. A very young Diane Ladd guest stars as a floozie who witnesses her gangster boyfriend kill a man and is put under police protection. Police woman Casey Jones (Beverly Garland) is assigned as her bodyguard, and the two hole up in a hotel to hide out till the thug is behind bars. Of course, Ladd's floozie decides to reconcile with her slimeball lover, and so sneaks a letter out to him by flirting with (and bribing) a hotel porter. This all leads to a dramatic final showdown between Jones' sensitive yet well-trained cop and the knife-wielding killer. Pretty terrific, hard-boiled stuff. Ladd is very good - and surprisingly sexy - in a showy part, but she can't hold a candle to the luminous Ms. Garland, despite the producers' best efforts at plain Jane deglamorization.
Night Gallery - 2.13 "The Messiah on Mott Street" / "The Painted Mirror"
Somehow it had slipped my mind that "Messiah on Mott Street" was a holiday-themed episode...oh well, guess it's a good time to celebrate Christmas (or Hannukah) in July. Nevertheless, this was a treat - an uplifting 36 minute story, with a meaty part for the great Edward G. Robinson, as an ailing grandfather to a little boy (Ricky Powell) in a Jewish tenement. Tony Roberts (rocking his white man 'fro, as usual) is the old man's cynical but caring doctor. Hearing his grandfather's talk about a promise of the Messiah's visit, the boy runs out into the street in a desperate search...and bumps into a mysterious yet kindly stranger (Yaphet Kotto). Will the Angel of Death claim the old man, or will the Messiah intervene? The optimistic, seasonal flavor of this one goes against the grain of most Night Gallery episodes, and it's a deliberately-paced but powerful piece of work, nicely scripted by Rod Serling.
"The Painted Mirror" is a much slighter tale, but still amusing, with the titular mirror giving gentle antiques restorer Arthur O'Connell the opportunity to remove his domineering, mean-spirited business partner (Zsa Zsa Gabor). As usual with this show, the bright visuals dilute the spooky atmosphere, but the central idea (of a mirror that acts as a portal to a hostile alien environment, adapted from a Donald Wandrei short story) is a sound one.
Quick Draw McGraw
3.2 "Dynamite Fright" / "Outer Space Case" / "Growing, Growing, Gone"
Watched one of the episodes of this 1959-1962 Hanna-Barbera cartoon series that's on my Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 set. These cartoons really show the transition between the more lush, theatrical animated shorts of the '40s and '50s, and the more minimalist TV cartoons which became the norm in the '60s and '70s. These are short (about 7 minutes), colorful and best of all, funny. The animation and backgrounds are simple but the colors are bright and vivid, and the scripts and voice work are strong. The show was made up of 3 different cartoon series: a Quick Draw McGraw short for the opener, then a Snooper and Blabber, and ending with Augie Doggie and Doggy Daddy. I found all three of these amusing; I especially enjoyed Quick Draw's little burro pal, Baba Louie, and his sarcastic little asides to camera.
Bat Masterson - 3.7 "High Card Loses"
Jack P's recent marathon focusing on curvaceous beauty Joan O'Brien inspired me to give this episode (one of three she appeared in for this series) a spin. When a pair of cold-blooded bank robbers clean out his recent deposit of poker winnings and kill the tellers, Bat, in need of cash, agrees to help escort three (unbelievably good looking for the Old West) mail-order brides to a mining camp. It seems like an easy gig at first, but the robbers have a dastardly ransom plot in mind...
It's a fast-paced ride of an episode, with a really nifty scene that sees Bat pull a sneaky, badass move to turn the tables on the would-be kidnappers. Ms. O'Brien does a fine job as the tough-minded one of the brides-to-be trio. Paul Fierro also gives a memorable turn, as the comanchero leader of the robbers, who's more principled than he at first lets on.
The Avengers - 4.18 "The Thirteenth Hole"
Is there any '60s TV actress sexier than Diana Rigg as cat-suited Emma Peel? I'd venture not. This is one of the few black-and-white Mrs. Peel episodes of the show that I'd not yet seen; many Avengers fans feel the black-and-white season is the show at its peak, just eccentric enough to be charming, but still with a serious edge. While I do enjoy the subsequent, more outre color seasons, I tend to agree that the B & W Riggs are the absolute tippy top this show has to offer. This one revolves around some traitorous baddies (including Patrick Allen) at an exclusive golf club, who are willing to kill to protect their plan to sell secrets to an enemy power. Steed and Mrs. Peel join a golf tournament to investigate. As good as Rigg is as the confident, insouciant Mrs. Peel, she's matched step-for-step by Patrick Macnee as John Steed, the ultimate gentleman adventurer.
Decoy - 1.11 "Two Days to Kill"
Finally dipped into the (very nice) DVD set of this late '50s crime drama. A very young Diane Ladd guest stars as a floozie who witnesses her gangster boyfriend kill a man and is put under police protection. Police woman Casey Jones (Beverly Garland) is assigned as her bodyguard, and the two hole up in a hotel to hide out till the thug is behind bars. Of course, Ladd's floozie decides to reconcile with her slimeball lover, and so sneaks a letter out to him by flirting with (and bribing) a hotel porter. This all leads to a dramatic final showdown between Jones' sensitive yet well-trained cop and the knife-wielding killer. Pretty terrific, hard-boiled stuff. Ladd is very good - and surprisingly sexy - in a showy part, but she can't hold a candle to the luminous Ms. Garland, despite the producers' best efforts at plain Jane deglamorization.
Night Gallery - 2.13 "The Messiah on Mott Street" / "The Painted Mirror"
Somehow it had slipped my mind that "Messiah on Mott Street" was a holiday-themed episode...oh well, guess it's a good time to celebrate Christmas (or Hannukah) in July. Nevertheless, this was a treat - an uplifting 36 minute story, with a meaty part for the great Edward G. Robinson, as an ailing grandfather to a little boy (Ricky Powell) in a Jewish tenement. Tony Roberts (rocking his white man 'fro, as usual) is the old man's cynical but caring doctor. Hearing his grandfather's talk about a promise of the Messiah's visit, the boy runs out into the street in a desperate search...and bumps into a mysterious yet kindly stranger (Yaphet Kotto). Will the Angel of Death claim the old man, or will the Messiah intervene? The optimistic, seasonal flavor of this one goes against the grain of most Night Gallery episodes, and it's a deliberately-paced but powerful piece of work, nicely scripted by Rod Serling.
"The Painted Mirror" is a much slighter tale, but still amusing, with the titular mirror giving gentle antiques restorer Arthur O'Connell the opportunity to remove his domineering, mean-spirited business partner (Zsa Zsa Gabor). As usual with this show, the bright visuals dilute the spooky atmosphere, but the central idea (of a mirror that acts as a portal to a hostile alien environment, adapted from a Donald Wandrei short story) is a sound one.
I'm with Tim. I loved the Quck Draw McGraw series as a kid and greatly enjoyed what little was on that Saturday Morning Cartoons: 1960s, Vol. 1 set. It left me wanting more.
Recent talk of redheaded actresses led me to indulge in a little Barbara Rhoades marathon, and I enjoyed the various episodes I watched very much.
Petrocelli – 1.15 “Once Upon a Victim”
Another strong episode of this series, with John Dehner as a dedicated doctor accused of killing the difficult patron of his hospital. Ms. Rhoades only has a small part as a belly dancer here, but it’s a fun bit, as she teaches Maggie (the luminous Susan Howard) how to shake and shimmy like a pro. Barry Nelson is in nearly every scene and brings a welcome intensity and intelligence to Tony Petrocelli.
The Six Million Dollar Man – 3.7 “Target in the Sky”
This show has been one of the big surprises of the year for me. My memories were that it was childish and cheesy. Some of that certainly still holds true when watched today, but I’ve been quite impressed with just how much fun this series is, at least in its first few seasons. This episode was no exception, as Steve Austin goes undercover as a lumberjack (cue lots of footage cribbed from Sometimes a Great Notion.) Barbara Rhoades plays the tough but fair owner of a struggling logging company, and big Denny Miller plays the conflicted foreman who’s up to no good. It’s a testament to Rhoades' Amazonian stature that she stands up well to both of her co-stars. Lots of fun bits of bionic business here, as Steve bends chainsaw blades, chops down trees and all manner of other feats of strength. I just had a total blast watching this.
Kolchak: The Night Stalker – 1.13 “Primal Scream”
Another episode that plays well despite an underwhelming monster-of-the-week, thanks to Darren McGavin’s engaging presence, comic exchanges with various guest stars, and some sly jabs at corporate culture. Ms. Rhoades only has one extended scene, playing the steely secretary of an oil company involved with scientific experiments gone wrong. Kolchak, who isn’t usually phased by feminine wiles (at least as depicted in the TV series), seems unusually taken with the statuesque redhead, sniffing her hair lasciviously and letting out a little “Ooooh” when he gets an eyeful of her cleavage. John Marley plays one of the meaner police antagonists of the series, deliberately stepping on and destroying Carl’s camera, after the reporter snaps some shots of the ape man that has been terrorizing Chicago. Jamie Farr has a delightful scene as a put-upon high school science teacher who fills Kolchak in on the Missing Link, and Playboy Playmate Jeannie Bell has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her cameo as one of the creature’s victims.
Kojak – 1.2 “Web of Death”
There’s some great neo-noir cinematography in this intense episode, which focuses on Hector Elizondo as a cop in Kojak’s squad, who "breaks bad" and kills a lawyer who has been having an affair with his wife (Rhoades). Elizondo does a fine job eliciting sympathy for the wayward cop, as more and more things go pear-shaped and the noose gradually tightens. I’d forgotten just how terrific a 70s cop show Kojak is, with a real gritty, authentic feel for how cops talk and interact. It’s a perfect role for Savalas, who holds center stage with ease (and I see his odd, Continental style of holding a cigarette has been carried over from his role as Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.) The transfers on my Region B season one set look just great.
Ellery Queen – 1.9 “The Adventure of Veronica’s Veils”
Ms. Rhoades’ very impressive physique is on full display here. She’s in full-on brassy dame mode as Veronica, a stripper who is one of the suspects in the death of the producer of a burlesque show. George Burns appears as the murder victim, addressing the audience in a cheeky black-and-white film screened during his funeral, where he lays out the chief suspects, and charges “radio detective” Simon Brimmer (John Hillerman, warming up for Higgins) with solving the case. Of course, it’s Ellery who actually finds out whodunit, and how. As is typical for this series, the guest cast is fabulous; in addition to Burns and Rhoades, we also get Julie Adams, Don Porter, Jack Carter and William Demarest - in one of his last roles, and he does not look well, but delivers his usual feisty performance.
Yeah....definitely an unfortunate name for a female....I once worked with a woman whose last name was Beaver. Yep... of course we called her "Beave". She had no excuse... she married into the name.
