What did you watch this week in classic TV on DVD(or Blu)? (3 Viewers)

[JoshuaB.]

Last night, I convinced my partner to let me watch an episode of The Outer Limits, so I played “Fun and Games”, which I realized I hadn’t watched since buying Kino’s fabulous Season 1 Blu-ray set! It’s quite the feat to get her to put her phone down, but a quarter of the way through the episode, she did!

 

[ScottRE]

I definitely want that Hulk Blu ray set. Hopefully it looks great.

Does anyone recommend The Courtship of Eddie’s Father? Probably not too interested if it is all in studio.

The Hulk set does look pretty nice. Not a huge upgrade from the DVDs but noticeable. Other than the stuff related to the Edward Norton film, all of the bonus features from the DVDs are ported over. Well worth the purchase if you're a fan.

 

[Purple Wig]

Sad news…one of the greats.

James Olson Obituary (1930 - 2022) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times

View James R. Olson's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

www.legacy.com

 

[Flashgear]

Sad news…one of the greats.

James Olson Obituary (1930 - 2022) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times

View James R. Olson's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

www.legacy.com

Alan, even though he was 91, still sad to see that news! James Olson could bring real depth to villains (which he often played, especially in TV, with Hawaii 5-0, The FBI, Mannix and Ironside coming to mind), but real and rich layers to all of his characterizations on film, sympathetic or not, as with a S1 episode of Movin' On that Jeff featured not long ago. Or his memorable appearance in one of the all-time great Route 66 episodes, What a Shining Young Man was our Gallant Lieutenant.

For me, the absolute first thing that comes to mind in thinking about him is Robert Wise's great SF thriller The Andromeda Strain (1971), one of my favorite Science Fiction films.

 

[Purple Wig]

Alan, even though he was 91, still sad to see that news! James Olson could bring real depth to villains (which he often played, especially in TV, with Hawaii 5-0, The FBI, Mannix and Ironside coming to mind), but real and rich layers to all of his characterizations on film, sympathetic or not, as with a S1 episode of Movin' On that Jeff featured not long ago. Or his memorable appearance in one of the all-time great Route 66 episodes, What a Gallant Young Man was our Shining Lieutenant.

For me, the absolute first thing that comes to mind in thinking about him is Robert Wise's great SF thriller The Andromeda Strain (1971), one of my favorite Science Fiction films.

He was fantastic in that. I was lucky enough to see it on the big screen 5 or 6 years ago at a revival house, great print, excellent film.

In the last few years, enjoyed him in Mannix, Hawaii Five-0, Most Wanted….

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Very sorry to hear about James Olson's passing. He was indeed terrific in The Andromeda Strain, a truly outstanding science fiction movie that actually had some honest-to-God science in it. Not to mention all his other fine work in films and various TV shows. May he R.I.P.

This week is doubly sad, as we also lost a British TV great with the sudden passing of Dennis Waterman, at the comparatively young age of 74. This came as a bit of a surprise, as he seemed relatively hale and hearty throughout all 12 seasons of the BBC "oldies" crime drama, New Tricks (which ended in 2015, with Waterman the only original cast member still involved with the show). His most recent work was in the Australian-set comedy, Never Too Late, in 2020.

Of course, Waterman was best known for two legendary and extremely popular U.K. TV series, co-starring with John Thaw for all four seasons of the hard-hitting London cop drama The Sweeney (as well as the two spinoff films based on the series), and especially for taking the lead in the comedy/drama Minder (alongside George Cole) for the first 7 of its 11 seasons.

Both series come highly recommended. And to pay tribute to the man, I watched a very good episode of Minder the other night, and will be reviewing it here soon.

Here's the link to The Guardian's obit for Waterman.

 

[Rustifer]

This week is doubly sad, as we also lost a British TV legend with the sudden passing of Dennis Waterman, at the comparatively young age of 74. This came as a bit of a surprise, as he seemed relatively hale and hearty throughout all 12 seasons of the BBC "oldies" crime drama, New Tricks (which ended in 2015, with Waterma the only original cast member still involved with the show).

Agreed, Jeff. New Tricks was one of my binge-worthy favorites, with Waterman a joy to watch. He and co-star Amanda Redman were a romantic "thing" some 20 years before the show began airing.

Also, I do appreciate you identifying age 74 as "comparatively young".

 

[Rustifer]

Episode Commentary
Leave It To Beaver
"Lumpy's Scholarship" (S6E24)

Wally (Tony Dow) eagerly rips open the envelope from State University where he's applied for a sports scholarship--only to learn he's lost out to his Pillsbury Doughboy buddy, Lumpy Rutherford (Frank Bank). Apparently the University coach thought Wally was a touch too light for the football team, whereas Lumpy--at 435 lbs.--would be a perfect offensive guard as well as freak show attraction in the school's annual carnival festival.

Wally holds no grudge against his friend as parents Ward and June (Hugh Beaumont, Barbara Billingsley) assure their son they have plenty of money to send him to college even without a scholarship. June's part time job at the Mayfield Adult Novelty Center has afforded them sufficient discretionary income. Lumpy, heretofore suffering from the status of a Molokai leper, suddenly becomes a BMOC, even attracting the attention of class bombshell Cinda (Ahna Capri)--who plans to show him some of her own athletic moves.

Cinda dresses to attract Lumpy; Fred Rutherford bursts with pride over son; Lumpy receives some bad news...

Magnanimous by nature, Wally throws a celebration party for Lumpy at the Cleaver house. Eddie Haskell (Ken Osmond), ever the soul of prevaricate civility, compliments June: "Nothing like a small residence to make a party so nicely intimate", he coos. But during the soiree, Lumpy learns his scholarship has been revoked due to his poor grade in Home Economics. Seems he never could get his biscuits to rise properly. Well, this news is about as welcome as a spider in Grandma's bloomers. Lumpy keeps the news to himself in favor of giving way to June serving up treats to the gang--Hostess cupcakes with shots of Silver tequila. Mrs. Cleaver knows how to get a party started.

Ward learns of Lumpy's failure from his business colleague / Lumpy's Dad, Fred (Richard Deacon), who's ego is far more injured than his son's. Lumpy fesses up to Wally as well. "Gee, even I feel sorry for him", Beaver confesses... "Just like when the zoo hippopotamus died". In the end, Ward pulls some strings with a few of his high level university pals to get Lumpy reinstated. Fred, not realizing his son's good fortune is entirely due to Ward, pompously crows loudly about the college "coming to its senses" over his "soon-to-be" all-star son.

Ever the diplomat, Ward refrains from telling Fred to stick it up his pencil sharpener.

 

[Purple Wig]

 

[Flashgear]

(as a comic book guy, and just off the top of my head) I think that 'Action Comics' issue has the cover date of January 1966, with art by the great Curtis Swan.

Believe it or not, Allen Funt's Candid Camera was a top ten show on CBS for 4 years straight in it's later incarnation that went from 1960-67, with Funt co-hosting with good ol' Durward Kirby of The Garry Moore Show. In 1962-63, Candid Camera was number 2 in the Nielsen's, only behind the new smash hit The Beverly Hillbillies! I remember watching it with my family back then, including Allen Funt's daring October 1961 episode filmed surreptitiously in Moscow, posing as tourists! Funt himself staged the hilarious newspaper gag where he leans in over the shoulder of a stranger on a bus, taking obsessive interest in the guy's newspaper, turning the pages and eventually taking physical possession of it, much to the guy's astonishment! This trip to Moscow was unauthorized (including CBS being clued out), and could have easily resulted in Allen Funt and his crew being imprisoned for espionage by the KGB. Especially as all of this took place at the height of the Berlin wall crisis with American and Soviet tanks squaring off at Check-Point Charlie, during which time the Kennedy cabinet ('Excom') actually discussed a possible nuclear first strike in a White House briefing on Halloween!

Here are some good details on Candid Camera in Nikita Kruschev's Moscow...

How Candid Camera Spied On Muscovites At The Height Of The Cold War

In 1961, Candid Camera ruled American television.

www.atlasobscura.com

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Alan!

 

[Purple Wig]

(as a comic book guy, and just off the top of my head) I think that 'Action Comics' issue has the cover date of January 1966, with art by the great Curtis Swan.

Jan 67, very close. I would have thought earlier too, wonder how long the go go check motif lasted on the covers. I bet Neal knows.

I think Curt Swan was still drawing Superman into the 1980's, I remember still reading the occasional issue before they somehow revamped him with John Byrne in an unfortunate bid to modernize him.

Fascinating tale about Funt and the Iron Curtain....I need to revisit Candid Camera, been a long time, probably haven't seen since the 70's syndicated version, or the risque HBO early 80's take on it.

 

[ScottRE]

I think Curt Swan was still drawing Superman into the 1980's, I remember still reading the occasional issue before they somehow revamped him with John Byrne in an unfortunate bid to modernize him.

"Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" two parter, written by Alan Moore. I have it in hardcover and it was Curt's Swan Song (see what I did there) and was an incredible conclusion to a the "first" version of Superman. It's both tragic and heartwarming with a number of surprises.

I didn't mind Byrne's take on Supes at all. It was actually pretty well done, especially in regards to Lois and Clark's relationship. But it was different.

 

[The 1960's]

Jan 67, very close. I would have thought earlier too, wonder how long the go go check motif lasted on the covers. I bet Neal knows.

I think Curt Swan was still drawing Superman into the 1980's, I remember still reading the occasional issue before they somehow revamped him with John Byrne in an unfortunate bid to modernize him.

Fascinating tale about Funt and the Iron Curtain....I need to revisit Candid Camera, been a long time, probably haven't seen since the 70's syndicated version, or the risque HBO early 80's take on it.

Here's an article about the "Go-Go Checks" on the covers of mid-1960's DC books. I certainly loved that cornball cover but never owned a copy myself.

(as a comic book guy, and just off the top of my head) I think that 'Action Comics' issue has the cover date of January 1966, with art by the great Curtis Swan.

Believe it or not, Allen Funt's Candid Camera was a top ten show on CBS for 4 years straight in it's later incarnation that went from 1960-67, with Funt co-hosting with good ol' Durward Kirby of The Garry Moore Show. In 1962-63, Candid Camera was number 2 in the Nielsen's, only behind the new smash hit The Beverly Hillbillies! I remember watching it with my family back then, including Allen Funt's daring October 1961 episode filmed surreptitiously in Moscow, posing as tourists! Funt himself staged the hilarious newspaper gag where he leans in over the shoulder of a stranger on a bus, taking obsessive interest in the guy's newspaper, turning the pages and eventually taking physical possession of it, much to the guy's astonishment! This trip to Moscow was unauthorized (including CBS being clued out), and could have easily resulted in Allen Funt and his crew being imprisoned for espionage by the KGB. Especially as all of this took place at the height of the Berlin wall crisis with American and Soviet tanks squaring off at Check-Point Charlie, during which time the Kennedy cabinet ('Excom') actually discussed a possible nuclear first strike in a White House briefing on Halloween!

Here are some good details on Candid Camera in Nikita Kruschev's Moscow...

How Candid Camera Spied On Muscovites At The Height Of The Cold War

In 1961, Candid Camera ruled American television.

www.atlasobscura.com

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Alan!

Always loved Candid Camera and annoyed to this day that it's never receive anything better than the chopped salad Time-Life treatment.

 

[Purple Wig]

Always loved Candid Camera and annoyed to this day that it's never receive anything better than the chopped salad Time-Life treatment.

Surprised the Candid Candid Camera hasn’t seen a DVD release either. There were at least 6 vhs volumes.

This quote by Infantino doesn’t hold much water, If people weren’t buying the books because they were bad, the lack of gogo checks wouldn’t somehow fool them into buying it. Plus those comics were great. Infantino did draw a great Grodd.

 

[The 1960's]

Surprised the Candid Candid Camera hasn’t seen a DVD release either. There were at least 6 vhs volumes.

I didn’t know about that VHS collection Alan. I’m guessing his son Peter Funt both holds the rights and holds it captive. Found a stray episode here and there but few and far between.

View attachment 138133
This quote by Infantino doesn’t hold much water, If people weren’t buying the books because they were bad, the lack of gogo checks wouldn’t somehow fool them into buying it. Plus those comics were great. Infantino did draw a great Grodd.

Can't believe you said Grodd because I remember back in those days whenever they put a monkey or an Ape or a Gorilla on any cover sales would soar. I always found that to be hysterical!

 

[Flashgear]

Not to go too off-topic, but...

Hoo-boy, you guys are pushing a lot of my buttons in my deep-recess memories of my mid-'60s nine and ten year old self! Loved the Silver Age FLASH, and I still have the 'General Grodd' origin issue from (off the top of my head once again) August 1962. I found the secret technological city of super-intelligent apes in darkest Africa a fascinating concept. This issue only in good condition, but originally bought second hand for 5 cents! I still have most of the 1958-63 issues. I'll never forget learning about the then-new science of 'plate tectonics' (continental drift) in a 1961 issue of FLASH comics! I also learned about the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter in a 1961 BATMAN. A kid could learn science and history from these great old comics. Of course, I also bought Classics Illustrated and the Dell and Gold Key movie and TV tie-in books too. As you can see from my avatar, I've always had a sentimental affection for BLACKHAWK (Reed Crandall's art!), both in the older Quality and later DC eras. I was a dedicated DC Silver and Golden Age collector (neglected Marvel for the most part, stupidly), but with escalating prices, I haven't bought any collector comics in a long time. I collected broadly across the whole DC line, BATMAN/DETECTIVE, SUPERMAN/ACTION/ADVENTURE/SUPERBOY, GREEN LANTERN, all of the DC science fiction line, MYSTERY in SPACE, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE, HOUSE of SECRETS, HOUSE of MYSTERY, STRANGE ADVENTURES etc., but sold some/most of them to make a balloon payment on my mortgage years ago. I even had a number of The Flash and Challengers of the Unknown 'Showcase' trial issues (loved Jack Kirby!). Out of my own personal tastes (as a 8 to 12 year old), I stopped collecting BATMAN (loved Dick Sprang's art of the '40s and '50s) and CHALLENGERS of the UNKNOWN after 1964, as I didn't care for the 'new look' or the Challengers change of uniforms. A lot of my collection came from used book stores where I paid a nickel each, but I did buy mail order from good ol' dealers like the Grand Book Center and Robert Bell in the NYC, NJ. areas, who were straight shooters with me for many years. Neal probably knew these guys!

I'm still intent on continuing my Nehemiah Persoff odyssey, but in the meantime and in deference to his also recent passing, I think I'll revisit two great James Olsen appearances in season 5 of The FBI (Conspiracy of Corruption, one of the absolute best in that series, and one of the most eye-popping episodes, beautifully filmed in the high desert at Palm Springs) and season 3 of McMillan & Wife (Freefall to Terror, nice mystery with an incredible cast)...I'll try to post screen caps and synopsis from both soon.

 

[The 1960's]

Not to go too off-topic, but...

Hoo-boy, you guys are pushing a lot of my buttons in my deep-recess memories of my mid-'60s nine and ten year old self! Loved the Silver Age FLASH, and I still have the 'General Grodd' origin issue from (off the top of my head once again) August 1962. I found the secret technological city of super-intelligent apes in darkest Africa a fascinating concept. This issue only in good condition, but originally bought second hand for 5 cents! I still have most of the 1958-63 issues. I'll never forget learning about the then-new science of 'plate tectonics' (continental drift) in a 1961 issue of FLASH comics! I also learned about the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter in a 1961 BATMAN. A kid could learn science and history from these great old comics. Of course, I also bought Classics Illustrated and the Dell and Gold Key movie and TV tie-in books too. As you can see from my avatar, I've always had a sentimental affection for BLACKHAWK (Reed Crandall's art!), both in the older Quality and later DC eras. I was a dedicated DC Silver and Golden Age collector (neglected Marvel for the most part, stupidly), but with escalating prices, I haven't bought any collector comics in a long time. I collected broadly across the whole DC line, BATMAN/DETECTIVE, SUPERMAN/ACTION/ADVENTURE/SUPERBOY, GREEN LANTERN, all of the DC science fiction line, MYSTERY in SPACE, MY GREATEST ADVENTURE, HOUSE of SECRETS, HOUSE of MYSTERY, STRANGE ADVENTURES etc., but sold some/most of them to make a balloon payment on my mortgage years ago. I even had a number of The Flash and Challengers of the Unknown 'Showcase' trial issues (loved Jack Kirby!). Out of my own personal tastes (as a 8 to 12 year old), I stopped collecting BATMAN (loved Dick Sprang's art of the '40s and '50s) and CHALLENGERS of the UNKNOWN after 1964, as I didn't care for the 'new look' or the Challengers change of uniforms. A lot of my collection came from used book stores where I paid a nickel each, but I did buy mail order from good ol' dealers like the Grand Book Center and Robert Bell in the NYC, NJ. areas, who were straight shooters with me for many years. Neal probably knew these guys!

I'm still intent on continuing my Nehemiah Persoff odyssey, but in the meantime and in deference to his also recent passing, I think I'll revisit two great James Olsen appearances in season 5 of The FBI (Conspiracy of Corruption, one of the absolute best in that series, and one of the most eye-popping episodes, beautifully filmed in the high desert at Palm Springs) and season 3 of McMillan & Wife (Freefall to Terror, nice mystery with an incredible cast)...I'll try to post screen caps and synopsis from both soon.

Oh, you shouldn't be tempting me to post comic book covers. Too late here they come!

---

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[The 1960's]

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That's all the comic books there is. ​

 

[JohnHopper]

Sad news…one of the greats.

James Olson Obituary (1930 - 2022) - Los Angeles, CA - Los Angeles Times

View James R. Olson's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

www.legacy.com

Actor James Olson was so good on the three episodes of The Streets of San Francisco, especially in the very first: “The First Day of Forever” as the puritan killer Loren Graham. Besides, the majority of his Seventies episodic parts were engaging.

PS : Before playing in the notorious realistic science fiction film The Andromeda Strain, he was cast in a British cheapo Pop Art space opera entitled Moon Zero Two (1969).

 

[Rustifer]

Oh, you shouldn't be tempting me to post comic book covers. Too late here they come!

NOOooooooooooo