What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (2 Viewers)

[ScottRE]

Respectfully, I struggle to get your point. Have you actually seen this episode and know of the twist ending? It might not even be unique and clever in the great body of over a century of SF time travel stories, (and most recently another tangent was acted on again in print and on film by Stephen King with 11-22-63), but with Profile in Silver I find it's resolution memorable, and emotionally effecting because of the power of that long-ago tragedy that is still felt deeply by many. And the implications of that day have colored the years since darkly...the rot and decay of public trust in the nation state, the poison of the conspiracy industry that sprung up (Oswald alone did this), the well meaning Vietnam War disaster and Watergate that followed...America (and the entire Western world) in precipitous decline, toward God knows what...

I remember that day, in remembering it I want to vomit. Yes, I'm one of those "people who couldn't get past it". I think that 1963-65 represent a point of no return, it's implications are grave and felt to this day. I hold a realistic view of JFK, a good and sometimes great president with a terrible and reckless entitlement behind closed doors. His vices even risking national security. I have no illusions in respect to JFK's private and secret life, I have books like The Dark Side of Camelot by Seymour Hersh, Havana Nocturne by T.J. English and Reclaiming History by Vincent Bugliosi...Intellectually, I appreciate this SF Fantasy of Profile in Silver for it's more than just competent and effective execution. It does move me emotionally, as a sort of "wish fulfillment" as you say...and I regard this episode to be in keeping with the spirit of Rod Serling's original Twilight Zone.

At least we have accomplished some discussion of vintage TV programs, but I'm getting a lot of passive-aggressive vibes in this thread, and I wonder it it's worth the effort that I've put into these recent posts. A whole lot of work. I appreciate other members effort here. We're such a small community of old coots discussing TV shows that are 35 to 65 years old that nobody else remembers, it would be nice if we actually encouraged each other here. Just my 2 cents.

Hey Randall,

Let me first say that there was absolutely no offense or aggression (passive or otherwise) intended. If that’s how it came across, then I sincerely apologize. I was just commenting about the way some shows focused on a major tragedy in history (Lincoln, Pearl Harbor, JFK, etc) and had a character do whatever they had to in order to change it. Honestly, it was simply a question about at what point tragedy becomes history and when or if these notions lose relevancy. That’s really it. I was born in 1967, so it didn't happen in my lifetime, which is probably why there's a loss of connection. That's why I made the 9/11 comparison, which DID hit me quite hard since I was able to watch it unfold from my office window.

Nope, I never saw the episode in question and I don’t know the twist. I don’t know if I needed to in order to make my comment, but I apparently rubbed you the wrong way. Honestly again, I never meant to. I really enjoy your posts, and I love reading your takes on the episodes and the generous screen caps. Honestly, I enjoy everyone’s contributions, this is a fun and friendly community and merely wanted to discuss. I hope we’re cool.

 

[JohnHopper]

Columbo - The Complete Series
Prescription:Murder (1968) Gene Barry. Katherine Justice, William Windom, Nina Foch, Virginia Gregg. A psychiatrist uses a patient he is having an affair with to help him kill his wife, but his perfect alibi may come apart at the hands of a seemingly befuddled LAPD lieutenant.

Ransom For A Dead Man (1971) (1.0) Lee Remick, John Fink, Harold Gould, Paul Carr. A brilliant tort attorney gets rid of her boring husband by faking his kidnapping and keeping the ransom. The FBI may be fooled, but not Columbo.

Two fine proto-Columbo telefilms but from two eras. “Ransom” eventually set the final format of the show.

The Wild Wild West - Complete Season 3
The Night Of The Bubbling Death (3.1) Harold Gould, Madlyn Rhue, William Schallert, Val Avery. The United States Constitution is stolen by a revolutionary and agents James West and Artemus Gordon are sent by the government to recover it.

The Night Of The Firebrand (3.2) Pernell Roberts, Lana Wood, Paul Lambert. Sent by President Grant, Jim West travels to Fort Savage and finds outlaw Sean O'Reilley in charge trying to incite a revolution in Canada. Gordon infiltrates the revolutionaries and finds West held captive.

The Night Of The Assassin (3.3) Robert Loggia, Donald Woods, Conlan Carter, Nina Roman. West and Gordon accompany the Ambassador to Mexico who's trying to establish diplomatic ties with them which has not been going so well. They attend a festival wherein the Mexican President makes an appearance while riding in his carriage.

The Night Dr. Loveless Died (3.4) Michael Dunn, Anthony Caruso, Susan Oliver, Robert Ellenstein. Special agents West and Gordon are sent to the mortuary to identify the body of their arch enemy, Dr. Miguelito Loveless. A mourner at the morgue takes a key from the wrist of the corpse and West traces it back to a safe deposit box containing instructions to contact an attorney.

The cream of the crop remain:
“The Night Of The Firebrand”: the episode that paves the way of the hardened action-packed season 3.
Actor Pernell Roberts is excellent as revolutionary Sean O’Reilly posing as blue soldier Major Jason.
James West wears his new costume: the blue corduroy trailer outfit.
Notice the beam of light on sleeping Vixen in the wagon.
“The Night Of The Bubbling Death”: a fun action and adventure entry in which James West introduces his iconic gadget (small gun with a spike and a wire). The sherry on top is the red acid pool that West must cross.

Unfortunately, “The Night Dr. Loveless Died“ is the only Dr. Loveless I don't like.
It doesn't work because of the limited intrigue.

Kung Fu - The Complete Series
Pilot (1.0) Barry Sullivan, Benson Fong, Albert Salmi, Wayne Maunder, Keye Luke, Philip Ahn, Radames Pera. After avenging the death of his teacher, a Shaolin monk flees China to the American West and helps people while being pursued by bounty hunters.

King Of The Mountain (1.1) Brandon Cruz, Lara Parker, Ken Lynch, John Saxon, Mills Watson. Caine looks after a newly orphaned boy and a young, pretty rancher while a bounty hunter atop a nearby mountain silently observes his opportunity to pounce.

Dark Angel (1.2) John Carradine, Robert Carradine, Dean Jagger. I remember this episode since it gave three Carradine's good roles. I have always enjoyed Dean Jagger. Lordsville preacher Serenity Johnson is literally blinded by greed, while Caine locates his paternal grandfather, who has lived a bitter life blinded by prejudice.

Blood Brother (1.3) Clu Gulager, John Anderson, Robert Urich, Robert Emhardt, Benson Fong, Scott Hylands, Kathleen Lloyd. Caine looks for a good friend from his Chinese temple who is missing from town, and there are people determined to stop his search at any cost. Caine fights against pervasive racism toward Lin Wu who was a medicinal herbalist.

The pilot is excellent. Besides, I adore “King of the Mountain” especially the showdown between Caine and the Indian warrior.

 

[BobO'Link]

Being a tremendous "western" fan, I finally bit the bullet for this series since it was $29.99 at Wal-Mart. I waited so long due to the fake widescreen of season 1. I kept waiting for a redo but it doesn't seem likely. At least I was able to get single sided discs. I was 14 when the movie premiered and was anticipating the series in the coming fall. It was different from the other series on in the early 70's. I was mesmerized by everything. I have wanted to revisit this series for a long time and I am pleased to say I was not disappointed. So far it has held up on my viewing of this first disc. Interesting how Asian racism is woven into the various storylines. Seemed accurate then as well as now.

Kung Fu - The Complete Series
...
So happy to have this one in my collection.

I, too, purchased this in spite of the fake WS on S1 - Mine are the original seasons in a box though. A year or so back I repurchased S1 due to a review on Amazon saying the repackaged, SS, discs presented the season in proper 4:3. They were wrong. At least I posted the truth on Amazon for what that's worth. Maybe it'll stop someone else from accidentally purchasing it thinking it had been fixed.

 

[Flashgear]

Hey Randall,

Let me first say that there was absolutely no offense or aggression (passive or otherwise) intended. If that’s how it came across, then I sincerely apologize. I was just commenting about the way some shows focused on a major tragedy in history (Lincoln, Pearl Harbor, JFK, etc) and had a character do whatever they had to in order to change it. Honestly, it was simply a question about at what point tragedy becomes history and when or if these notions lose relevancy. That’s really it. I was born in 1967, so it didn't happen in my lifetime, which is probably why there's a loss of connection. That's why I made the 9/11 comparison, which DID hit me quite hard since I was able to watch it unfold from my office window.

Nope, I never saw the episode in question and I don’t know the twist. I don’t know if I needed to in order to make my comment, but I apparently rubbed you the wrong way. Honestly again, I never meant to. I really enjoy your posts, and I love reading your takes on the episodes and the generous screen caps. Honestly, I enjoy everyone’s contributions, this is a fun and friendly community and merely wanted to discuss. I hope we’re cool.

Thank you Scott for the fine message. I was perhaps a little testy myself. I'm an old coot with feet that hurt, and sometimes get a little heartsick too, at the state of this world, and thus mildly perturbed if not angry. I greatly appreciate your clarifying your intent. All's well, my friend.

I would think that you wouldn't regret buying the 1980s revival of Twilight Zone, as in addition to Profile in Silver, there are a good many excellent episodes, along with a lot of crap to dredge through, but there's enough good and great stuff in it's three year run to justify itself.

You're a young pup compared to me, as I just turned 65 and feel every bone weary year of it. In some ways, as in TV memories, I can remember 1967 like it was yesterday. The Invaders debuting that January, much talked about by excitable snot-nosed kids like me at school, same thing with season two of Star Trek...also Time Tunnel and the ongoing VTTBOTS, which even to this insipid eleven year old, had gone to sh*t...don't even get me started on what they did to my once beloved Lost in Space,...Combat!, in it's fifth and final year was still my favorite show...my dad insisting I watch The FBI with him, probably hoping I'd become a Special Agent at the "Bureau" and help Inspector Erskine battle the subversives and not become one myself...in August that year, one of the all-time biggest TV events in history...the day the running stopped for The Fugitive...good times...but I also remember praying fervently nightly with my Mother and Great Aunt over the phone to keep safe my two Rhode Island cousins in South Vietnam...as with the horrible outrage of 9/11, the ugly of the world has never been too far away.

 

[Flashgear]

Randall, (as an old coot) I appreciate all the work you put into your posts. Please don't stop. I have learned so much background concerning your favorite episodes that enhances my enjoyment of them when I re-"view" them.

Thank you so much Doug! I greatly admire the line-up of diverse shows that you review for us here, often compelling me to pull out an old box-set and revisit an episode you have just posted about. I've learned a great deal from you as well. Glad to see your new reviews of The Rockford Files, an absolute top five show for me, and Kung Fu, which I haven't seen since first run in the early 70s!

 

[Purple Wig]

Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea - S2EP13 The Monster From Outer Space. I’ve only seen a handful of episodes of this show, as I don’t think it was shown in syndication in my area. I do remember watching an episode dealing with dinosaurs, with snowy reception, in my grandparents trailer in the mid-1970s. I would have flipped for it as a kid, but as it is I’ll be watching more.

Next up: The Spy With The Perfect Cover. Happened to notice a listing for “The Man Who Never Was” in a 1966 TV Guide I picked up today, did a quick search and found this feature, assembled from a few episodes.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Great post with great screen caps, Jeff! I need to add these The Saint episodes to my weekend viewings. The reunion of Anthony Quayle and Sylvia Sims is a big draw. I too am a big fan of their excellent 1958 desert war thriller Ice Cold in Alex, which I'm glad to have in the Film Movement 5 British War film Blu-ray set.

Thank you, sir! I'm with you 100% on both the merits of Ice Cold in Alex and of Quayle and Syms. They must've gotten along well in real life, as they co-starred with each other fairly often. Not only in the aforementioned episodes of The Saint and Strange Report, but also the movies East of Sudan (the same year as "The Noble Sportsman"), Woman in a Dressing Gown and Operation Crossbow (also with John Mills). Ms. Syms appeared in The Saint a total of 4 times, plus one episode each of Danger Man, The Baron, Strange Report and The Adventurer.

Randall, (as an old coot) I appreciate all the work you put into your posts. Please don't stop. I have learned so much background concerning your favorite episodes that enhances my enjoyment of them when I re-"view" them.

I really enjoy your posts, and I love reading your takes on the episodes and the generous screen caps. Honestly, I enjoy everyone’s contributions, this is a fun and friendly community and merely wanted to discuss.

Group hug!

Just to echo Doug's and Scott's thoughts, Randall - thanks for all the hard work you do to put together such interesting and informative posts, loaded with excellent and carefully-chosen screen captures! They are always a delight to read (and view). Please don't stop doing them, they are a vital addition to all the other great posts everybody contributes here. As you stated, we old fogies who love classic TV shows need to stick together!

I know I've seen "Profile in Silver" before, most likely when the "new" Twilight Zone premiered in 1985. The first season of the '80s revival had many very interesting episodes, some of them adaptations of seminal works of written science fiction. I seem to recall, when the producers moved from the one-hour multiple story format to a half-hour, that the show seemed to lose a lot of its budget, as well as interest, but my memory may be off there. I do need to grab that show on DVD some day. Like you say, not in the same league as the Rod Serling original, but there were some pretty great stories scattered in there that are worth mining for.

 

[JohnHopper]

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Mr Horn (1979)​

directed by Jack Starret​

music by Jerry Fielding​

starring David Carradine and Richard Widmark and Jack Starret​

​

​

 

[Purple Wig]

The Invaders S2E8 Dark Outpost continued...

David Vincent, with the University Professor killed in the attempt, escapes with an alien regeneration crystal as proof of the Invaders...and is now recaptured along with the geology students and taken hostage at the former Army base where the alien commander threatens to kill them one-by-one until the crystal is returned...
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There's a very effective optical shot...a gradual superimposition transition where what appeared to be the professor (William Sargent), transforms back into the alien masquerading as him via the alien's now destroyed illusion device...
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Inspired by Vincent's selfless heroics, and knowing their own lives are at stake, the students begin the breakout having seized some of the 'soldiers' guns...the alien's energy blaster pistol thingy is not seen at all in this episode...
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Sometime later, Vincent returns with an Airforce Major to the abandoned base in a bid to convince the authorities of the invaders existence...of course, the aliens' clean-up crew have left no evidence behind, much to the disappointed amazement of these two sympathetic students...
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The fight must go on...Vincent will soon find more human allies with the millionaire industrialist Edgar Scovill and the 'Believers'...but an even more malevolent force, the American Broadcasting Company, will cancel the show outright at the end of season two...apparently, more humans were tuning into the Red Skelton Hour and The NBC Tuesday Night Movie...
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Talented screenwriter and producer, the legendary Larry Cohen passed away in 2019 at age 82...
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Dominic Frontiere, composer of innumerable superb scores for feature films and TV, passed away in 2017 at age 86...
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Rest in peace, Dawn Wells...

I appreciate your posts too. Here’s an addendum to this one, a listing from a 1967 Michigan TV Guide

 

[The Obsolete Man]

I appreciate your posts too. Here’s an addendum to this one, a listing from a 1967 Michigan TV Guide View attachment 86730

I wish there were TV guide archives somewhere.

I'd love to waste some time looking through them.

 

[BobO'Link]

Yeah, I *really* miss the old TV guides and constantly wish I'd have those from my "formative years" in the 60s and early 70s as I'd love to pour over them looking at the local TV schedule again, especially the Saturday cartoon ones as the local stations did occasional time shifting and adjusting due to a few highly popular locally produced shows.

Memphis Championship Wrestling, a regular weekly show, interrupted Saturday cartoons in a major, and negative, manner as far as I was concerned as it never failed that the one new cartoon I desperately wanted to see came on that network at that time and rarely got time shifted by the local station. To rub salt in the wound, my maternal grandmother would come over once a month on Saturday to get a perm (my mom was a beautician). She *loved* wrestling and made a point to get to the house before it came on so she wouldn't miss it. That meant I couldn't even watch cartoons on another channel. Of course, those are precious memories these days as I can see her in my mind's eye bouncing on the seat cushion, fists pumping the air, yelling at the TV for the "good guy" to watch out for what the "bad guy" was about to do.

In the run up to the Mid-South Fair one of the other local channels ran "The Mid-South Talent Review" which was a showcase of all the "talent" who were going to compete in the Fair talent contest, and the talent was generally quite bad, especially considering they were the group that made it past initial auditions. That killed another 2-3 months in the fall during cartoon premier month. That same channel would run "Quiz Bowl" on Saturdays in mid-winter, killing another couple of months of cartoons. No good memories, ever, of those two.

We had a TV Guide subscription for as long as I can remember. Ours was *always* a day late, arriving on Saturday instead of Friday. Our town had mailboxes on the house instead of yard poles so I could hear when the mailman dropped the mail in the box. As soon as that happened on Saturday I'd run to the mailbox, get the TV Guide, and pour over it to decide what I wanted to watch the next week.

For years, dad kept old ones in his shop (along with Reader's Digest) which I though was rather silly as once the week was over they weren't much good anymore. Yes, I read the articles - I read it cover to cover - but it never occurred to my young self I'd ever want to reread that stuff (this from a kid who reread comics a dozen times and favorite books several times).

When I moved out of mom and dad's house a TV Guide subscription followed me everywhere I lived. If I moved and my forwarded copy didn't arrive in time I'd pick up a copy off the news stand. It was the one magazine I was never without. I vividly remember the first non-regional issue and how much I disliked the change in format. It was bad enough that I allowed my subscription to lapse and have not purchased an issue since. It really felt weird not getting a TV Guide every week. The last time I picked one up to give it a look/see it was even worse, having devolved into just another Hollywood gossip rag.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

When I moved out of mom and dad's house a TV Guide subscription followed me everywhere I lived. If I moved and my forwarded copy didn't arrive in time I'd pick up a copy off the news stand. It was the one magazine I was never without. I vividly remember the first non-regional issue and how much I disliked the change in format. It was bad enough that I allowed my subscription to lapse and have not purchased an issue since. It really felt weird not getting a TV Guide every week. The last time I picked one up to give it a look/see it was even worse, having devolved into just another Hollywood gossip rag.

Fun memories, Howie...thank for sharing!

Like you, I used to read the TV Guide cover to cover. Lots of good times with that magazine, back when it was worth a damn. Especially remember eagerly awaiting the "Fall TV Preview" issue every year. Wish some website would catalog and host back issues online somewhere, as is done for the BBC Radio Times listings in the U.K. (believe there's one for ITV's TV Times as well). I'd pay a reasonable subscription fee for that.

 

[Flashgear]

I appreciate your posts too. Here’s an addendum to this one, a listing from a 1967 Michigan TV Guide

Thank you Alan! And thanks for posting photos of the 1966-67 TV Guide pages, always interesting!

Next up: The Spy With The Perfect Cover. Happened to notice a listing for “The Man Who Never Was” in a 1966 TV Guide I picked up today, did a quick search and found this feature, assembled from a few episodes.

The Man Who Never Was (1966-67, 21 half-hour episodes, Fox) is a show that I've never seen intact as a 30 minute episode, just this one of the two theatrical films cobbled together from multiple episodes. The series certainly had high production values, being filmed on location in Europe, and the story arc actually had a resolution via a series' finale that was filmed in advance of it leaving the air in January 1967. The series was produced by John Newland of One Step Beyond.


Robert Lansing and Dana Wynter certainly had believable chemistry, as the two episodes they did together in 12 O'clock High season one (The Cry of Fallen Birds and Interlude) are among my favorites in that entire series, especially Interlude, which has got to be among the best things either of them ever did on film.

Alan, you're watching a lot of good and rare vintage TV, Judd For the Defense, East Side/West Side, N.Y.P.D., Richard Boone Show, Sheriff of Cochise, Camp Runamuck and The Ugliest Girl in Town are just a few I recall you posting about...I imagine you're watching this stuff on homemade discs and streaming on Youtube, Uncle Earl's or elsewhere...anyway, congratulations on seeking out little known and nearly forgotten shows...

 

[bmasters9]

I vividly remember the first non-regional issue and how much I disliked the change in format. It was bad enough that I allowed my subscription to lapse and have not purchased an issue since. It really felt weird not getting a TV Guide every week. The last time I picked one up to give it a look/see it was even worse, having devolved into just another Hollywood gossip rag.

And worse, one where the listings are primetime only, and for cable and satellite and broadcast networks only!

 

[Purple Wig]

Thank you Alan! And thanks for posting photos of the 1966-67 TV Guide pages, always interesting!

The Man Who Never Was (1966-67, 21 half-hour episodes, Fox) is a show that I've never seen intact as a 30 minute episode, just this one of the two theatrical films cobbled together from multiple episodes. The series certainly had high production values, being filmed on location in Europe, and the story arc actually had a resolution via a series' finale that was filmed in advance of it leaving the air in January 1967. The series was produced by John Newland of One Step Beyond.


Robert Lansing and Dana Wynter certainly had believable chemistry, as the two episodes they did together in 12 O'clock High season one (The Cry of Fallen Birds and Interlude) are among my favorites in that entire series, especially Interlude, which has got to be among the best things either of them ever did on film.

Alan, you're watching a lot of good and rare vintage TV, Judd For the Defense, East Side/West Side, N.Y.P.D., Richard Boone Show, Sheriff of Cochise, Camp Runamuck and The Ugliest Girl in Town are just a few I recall you posting about...I imagine you're watching this stuff on homemade discs and streaming on Youtube, Uncle Earl's or elsewhere...anyway, congratulations on seeking out little known and nearly forgotten shows...

You’re welcome Randall, and thank you too. I get a bit grumpy about many aspects of the current age but I do appreciate being able to check out series that I’ve previously only been able to read about. Although in many cases it only whets the appetite for more.

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Cannon
"A Well-Remembered Terror" (S3E15)

Betty Wilson (Davey Davidson) is scared. It's Halloween and a number of trick-or-treaters headed for her door are dressed as miniature Trumps. No--that can't be true--it's 1973 and no Trump masks were available then. But the real terror comes from finding the family cat, Mr. Cat (Garfield) killed--a crime, according to my wife--is punishable by torture and death. The death of Mr. Cat is enough for the Wilsons to summon the services of Cannon (William Conrad), who apparently specializes in wrongful cat death investigations. Mr. Wilson (Robert Pine) is ready to put the house up for sale and move away from the repeated incidences to his family and pets. Cannon, whose shirt collar points will not lay flat against his shirt due to the stranglehold of his tie against his torso-wide neck, agrees to investigate. In gratitude, the Wilsons donate their dead cat to Cannon's favorite Chinese eatery.

But Mr. Cat's demise is just the tip of the iceberg of a much more sinister plot against the Wilsons. Seems it involves a grocery store clerk, a sports shop salesman and an airline pilot--all professions well known for their murderous tendencies. It's all connected to Mrs. Wilson, who once was an airline attendant that was held hostage on a plane by a D.B. Cooper-like hijacking incident that involved a million dollars ransom and a parachuted getaway. Cannon immediately draws a connection in this crime to the Wilson's cat mishap. You might say Cannon is a weighty thinker when it comes to connecting malfeasance dots, not to mention the ability to recite every cafe menu within 10 miles of his location.

Cannon looks over Wilsons' dead cat; Engelbert...er...Robert Goulet; Cannon enjoys lunch at his favorite Chinese joint

Enter Capt. Danvers (Robert Goulet in his best Engelbert Humperdinck haircut) as the pilot from the hijacked plane. The crux of the issue lies in the fact that Mrs. Wilson shops in the grocery store where the clerk, a member of the hijack team on her plane, works. Recognition could be fatal. Of course, Capt. Danvers was also involved, but who would think the pilot would be part of such a plot? Mrs. Wilson must be done away with, says team leader Mr. Sports Shop salesman (Michael Strong).

Since most of you guys probably have the complete DVD set of the Cannon series, I won't go into detail how Cannon solves the mystery lest I be a spoil alerter. Needless to say, when one is a detective whose width equals one's height, a certain seriousness must be employed to solve dual cat murders / plane hijackings. Cannon's vanity car plate: Fat is where it's at. Or maybe: I 8 IT

 

[Mysto]

Episode Commentary
Cannon
"A Well-Remembered Terror" (S3E15)

Betty Wilson (Davey Davidson) is scared. It's Halloween and a number of trick-or-treaters headed for her door are dressed as miniature Trumps. No--that can't be true--it's 1973 and no Trump masks were available then. But the real terror comes from finding the family cat, Mr. Cat (Garfield) killed--a crime, according to my wife--is punishable by torture and death. The death of Mr. Cat is enough for the Wilsons to summon the services of Cannon (William Conrad), who apparently specializes in wrongful cat death investigations. Mr. Wilson (Robert Pine) is ready to put the house up for sale and move away from the repeated incidences to his family and pets. Cannon, whose shirt collar points will not lay flat against his shirt due to the stranglehold of his tie against his torso-wide neck, agrees to investigate. In gratitude, the Wilsons donate their dead cat to Cannon's favorite Chinese eatery.

But Mr. Cat's demise is just the tip of the iceberg of a much more sinister plot against the Wilsons. Seems it involves a grocery store clerk, a sports shop salesman and an airline pilot--all professions well known for their murderous tendencies. It's all connected to Mrs. Wilson, who once was an airline attendant that was held hostage on a plane by a D.B. Cooper-like hijacking incident that involved a million dollars ransom and a parachuted getaway. Cannon immediately draws a connection in this crime to the Wilson's cat mishap. You might say Cannon is a weighty thinker when it comes to connecting malfeasance dots, not to mention the ability to recite every cafe menu within 10 miles of his location.

View attachment 86844 View attachment 86845 View attachment 86846
Cannon looks over Wilsons' dead cat; Engelbert...er...Robert Goulet; Cannon enjoys lunch at his Chinese joint

Enter Capt. Danvers (Robert Goulet in his best Engelbert Humperdinck haircut) as the pilot from the hijacked plane. The crux of the issue lies in the fact that Mrs. Wilson shops in the grocery store where the clerk, a member of the hijack team on her plane, works. Recognition could be fatal. Of course, Capt. Danvers was also involved, but who would think the pilot would be part of such a plot? Mrs. Wilson must be done away with, says team leader Mr. Sports Shop salesman (Michael Strong).

Since most of you guys probably have the complete DVD set of the Cannon series, I won't go into detail how Cannon solves the mystery lest I be a spoil alerter. Needless to say, when one is a detective whose height equals one's width, a certain seriousness must be employed to solve cat murders. Cannon's vanity car plate: Fat is where it's at.

Marshall Dillon don't care about no cats - just Miss Kitty. (Obscure radio reference - I specialize in obscure references)
Happy to see your posts. Needed some cheering up.

 

[Rustifer]

We had a TV Guide subscription for as long as I can remember. Ours was *always* a day late, arriving on Saturday instead of Friday.

Yeah, that was our bitch against the publication too, Howie. It always came late after the TV week started. What good is that?!
I do enjoy looking back at the ads in old guides. The simplistic depictions of the TV shows of the era, e.g. Lucy accidently interrupts Desi's floor show! or Aunt Bee makes Opie eat his veggies! are hilarious.

FYI: I was once asked to submit a cover illustration for TV Guide (a caricature of Carol Burnett) during my commercial artist career. My rendition was not chosen, dammit. Would've loved to have that in my portfolio. And to show off here.

 

[Mysto]

Guys - there are a few TV guides on archive.org
Mostly 80's but a few older ones. Here is one with
Tennessee Ernie Ford on the cover. 1958

https://archive.org/details/tvguidev06n1326119580329

 

[Rustifer]

You're a young pup compared to me, as I just turned 65 and feel every bone weary year of it.

Wait'll you hit 71, friend. My joints creak louder than tin bedsprings and my balance is as precarious as a beachball on a seal's nose...