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

[The 1960's]

Dragnet 1967 (1967-1970)

S01E01 The LSD Story (Jan.12.1967)

Directed by
Jack Webb
Writing Credits
Jack Webb Written under name John Randolph
Jack Webb Creator

Stars
Jack Webb - Sgt. Joe Friday
Harry Morgan - Officer Bill Gannon
Michael Burns - Benjie 'Blue Boy' Carver
Art Balinger - Capt. Lou Richey
Olan Soule - Ray Murray
Robert Knapp - Mr. Eugene Carver
Eve Brent - Mrs. Carver
Jerry Douglas - Sgt. Eugene Zappey
Alfred Shelly - Sgt. Dominic Carr
Johnny Aladdin - The Painter
Shari Lee Bernath - Sandra Quillan
Heather Menzies-Urich - Edna Mae Dixon
George Fenneman - Main Title Announcer
James Oliver - Teddy Carstairs
Lillian Powell - Landlady
Don Ross - Ben Riddle
John Stephenson - Narrator
Bruce Watson - Philip Jamison

Produced by
Robert A. Cinader Associate Producer
Jack Webb Producer
Music by
Lyn Murray
Cinematography by
Andrew Jackson Director of Photography
Editing by
William Stark
Art Direction by
Russell Kimball
Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr.
Ralph Sylos
Makeup Department
Larry Germain Hair Stylist
Bud Westmore Makeup Artist​

No doubt Michael Burns’ most famous appearance had to be as Blue Boy in Jack Webb’s Dragnet 1967 with the episode entitled The LSD Story (Jan.12.1967) where he skillfully portrayed Benjamin (Benjie) “Blue Boy” Carver, a young man who is pretty high and far out, on, among other things, Acid.

Although surely Jack Webb was serious about his condemnation of drug abuse this episode and many others were hailed as a superb comedy and in fact aroused curiousity about drug experimentation even causing some to participate rather than avoid. It was the pained look on the faces of Friday and Gannon that sent us into hysterics as they lectured us about the dangers of drug abuse through their eyes and their world. (Some of the commentary below originates from Wikipedia.)

This episode is perhaps the most definitive episode of Dragnet. People who knew about Dragnet, knew about this episode which revived the series after an eight year absence. It showed how those who are in charge of enforcing the law are often frustrated by it. It was also cutting edge in dealing with the issue of LSD in 1967. For some, this represented a hard hit back against the emerging counterculture. Not likely. This episode pumped new life into the Joe Friday Hero persona. For many advocates of legalized drugs, this episode began a lifelong hate affair with Webb and Dragnet that continues to this day. It has always been considered one of the greatest single classic tv episodes of all-time defining the counterculture of the mid to late 1960’s!

Intro & Theme

​

Opening Narration

This is the city — Los Angeles, California. It's a fine place to enjoy life. There are places reserved just for kids... when they're young and feel young. Places they go when they're young and feel old... beginning the big search for something that often doesn't exist in the places they look for it. They might find it here or here or maybe here. They could try looking here. Their search might end with a college degree. One thing's sure — whatever they're looking for — it cannot be found inside a number five capsule. When they try, that's where I come in. I carry a badge.

It was Tuesday, March fifteenth [1966]. It was fair in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Juvenile Narcotics. My partner's Bill Gannon, the boss is Captain Richey. My name is Friday. A powerful new drug capable of producing weird and dangerous hallucinations had found its way onto the streets of the city. It had fallen into the hands of juvenile experimenters. We had to try and stop it.

The story you are about to see is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Our story begins when a woman calls comes into the Los Angeles Police Department Juvenile Narcotics Division complaining about a juvenile painted up like an Indian. She said she never saw anyone doing what he was doing, chewing the bark off a tree. When detectives Joe Friday and Bill Gannon arrive at MacArthur Park, they find a boy with his head buried in the ground.

Gannon: Stand still
Blue Boy: Reality man reality. I can see the center of the Earth. Purple flame down there, a pilot light. All the way down, purple flame and a pilot light. Pilot light of a creation, a reality.
Gannon: He’s clean Joe except for these.
Friday: What’s your name son?
Blue Boy: You can seee my name if you look hard enough.
Friday: C’mon now what’s your name?
Blue Boy: Don’t you know my name? My name’s Blue Boy.
Gannon: What do you think Joe, Cartwheels?
Friday: Or Sugar Cubes, I’ll make you a book he’s been dropping that Acid we’ve been hearing about. Alright son, you’re under arrest. It’s our duty to advise you of your constitutional rights. You have the right to remain silent and any statements you make may be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to the presence of an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed before any questioning. Do you understand that?
Blue Boy: There I am. I’m over there now. I’m not here anymore. My hair’s green and I’m a tree!
Gannon: You ever seen anybody this torn up?
Friday: Unless a sense he’s not strung out on Sugar Cubes.
Gannon: Yeah
Friday: Alright let’s take him to central receiving.
Gannon: C’mon son
Blue Boy: Even if your body does die your mind will live on.
Friday: Yeah, we know, c’mon
Blue Boy: You’re the dirty disbelievers, the evil disbelievers, EVIL EVIL EVIL!!
Friday: C’mon son settle down.
Blue Boy: Brown blue yellow green green orange, red, red red, red, I can hear them I can hear them all!
Friday: Yeah sure you can kid. Let’s go back to the office, we’ll all listen.

Blue Boy

​

A doctor determines the boy is under the influence of an unknown drug. He's taken to the Narcotics Unit of Juvenile Division where he's questioned. The boy is found with several sugar cubes and states there's no law against the drugs he has taken.

At the scientific investigation division, forensic chemist Ray Murray states that the drug is Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Tartrate, commonly known as LSD-25, that it was developed by a Swiss Biochemist named Albert Hofmann, and it causes hallucinations, severe nausea along with aches and pains as well as anxiety and depression. Sergeant Friday states there are no laws to cover the use or sale of LSD.

Back at Juvenile Division, the boy is identified as Benjamin John "Benjie" Carver. Benjie's parents are briefed about the situation, but they don't feel there's cause for concern and they don't want their son arrested.

Two days later, Friday and Gannon join Sergeants Zappey and Carr in questioning two juveniles, Sandra Quillen and Edna Mae Dixon, who are high on LSD. The girls mention that they got the drugs from Blue Boy and then got sick.

Captain Richey informs Friday and Gannon that a new State and Federal law have been passed, listing LSD as a dangerous drug.

A youth, Teddy Carstairs, is brought in for possession of LSD. He says he got the drugs from Blue Boy and is willing to testify to it.

Two months later and the detectives find Sandra and Edna Mae on Sunset Strip and find out that Blue Boy is having an acid party. They get the address and find several people high on acid including a painter eating paint off a paintbrush who tells them Benjie left.

At the party Friday and Gannon locate a stash of Acid tabs and what clearly appears to be a few joints. Friday takes a whiff and declares it’s Marijuana!

Way Out

Friday and Gannon arrive at Benjie's apartment. Inside they find Benjie's friend, Phillip Jameson (Brian Watson). Benjie is on the other side of the room motionless, having been that way for about an hour.

Friday: Police officer, what’s your name?
Phillip Jameson: Phillip Jameson
Friday: How old are ya?
Phillip Jameson: 18. Poor Benjie. Look at him. What’s the matter with him? He’s been like for over an hour and then he got quiet.
Gannon: Look at this Joe. Acid reds yelllows rainbows.
Phillip Jameson: Those are Benji’s, been taking them all day. Kept saying he wanted to get further out, further out, further out.
Friday: Well he made it, he’s dead!

No More Blue Boy / Closing Credits

Closing Narration

"The story you have just seen is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On December 15, a Coroner's inquest was held at the County Morgue, Hall of Justice, City and County of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that inquest." "At the inquest, the coroner's jury ruled that the 18-year-old suspect had administered himself an overdose of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in combination with various barbiturates and had thus taken his own life." Text: "BENJAMIN JOHN CARVER - - Deceased."

Actor Notes:

1. Retired in 2002 from his faculty position at Mount Holyoke College, completing a 22-year teaching career. He and his wife moved to Kentucky and restored a historic horse farm that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

2. Retired from teaching at Mount Holyoke College in 2002. He now resides in Kentucky with his wife, former Mount Holyoke president Elizabeth Topham Kennan, raising thoroughbred horses.

3. Son of NBC pioneer turned director Frank Burns.

4. He has abandoned acting to become a college professor. According to the dust jacket of his book "Dreyfus", he "teaches Modern European History at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. He holds degrees from the University of California and Yale University."

5. Considered for the television series, The Monkees (1965) as one of the band members. He can be seen in improvisational screen tests with Micky Dolenz.

Episode Notes:

1. While the episode centers on the dangers of LSD, the climax shows that Benjie died not of an LSD overdose (which is nearly physically impossible), but rather a barbiturate overdose, which another character says was brought on by Benjie's desire to get "farther out."

2. The plot in this episode was inspired by a real life acid test in Watts. That event was chronicled by Tom Wolfe in his book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. The band was the newly formed Grateful Dead. Merry Prankster Paul Foster, face painted half silver and half black, was arrested.

3. It is sometimes called "Blue Boy" after a character appearing on it. This was the first color episode broadcast of Dragnet.

4. The plot in this episode was inspired by an life acid test in Watts. That event was chronicled by Tom Wolfe in his book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. A

5. At the time this episode originally aired, 12 January 1967, LSD was not an illegal drug in the United States. Possession of LSD was made illegal in the United States on 24 October 1968, and it was listed as a Schedule I controlled substance by the United Nations in 1971.

6. When Friday uses a match to light up his cigarette outside the courthouse, he strikes the match on the front of the matchbook. In 1973 matchbooks were federally mandated to put the strikers on the back.

7. When Ted Carstairs is brought into Joe and Bill's office, he is wearing an orange coat and orange shirt. Orange was Jack Webb's favorite color.

You can stream it here

 

[Desslar]

Barney Miller (NYC, Greenwich Village; shot at ABC Television Center in Hollywood)

Well... yes, but that is a studiobound sitcom, so it would look the same no matter where they filmed it.

 

[Desslar]

Dragnet 1967 (1967-1970)

S01E01 The LSD Story (Jan.12.1967)

Directed by
Jack Webb
Writing Credits
Jack Webb Written under name John Randolph
Jack Webb Creator

Stars
Jack Webb - Sgt. Joe Friday
Harry Morgan - Officer Bill Gannon
Michael Burns - Benjie 'Blue Boy' Carver
Art Balinger - Capt. Lou Richey
Olan Soule - Ray Murray
Robert Knapp - Mr. Eugene Carver
Eve Brent - Mrs. Carver
Jerry Douglas - Sgt. Eugene Zappey
Alfred Shelly - Sgt. Dominic Carr
Johnny Aladdin - The Painter
Shari Lee Bernath - Sandra Quillan
Heather Menzies-Urich - Edna Mae Dixon
George Fenneman - Main Title Announcer
James Oliver - Teddy Carstairs
Lillian Powell - Landlady
Don Ross - Ben Riddle
John Stephenson - Narrator
Bruce Watson - Philip Jamison

Produced by
Robert A. Cinader Associate Producer
Jack Webb Producer
Music by
Lyn Murray
Cinematography by
Andrew Jackson Director of Photography
Editing by
William Stark
Art Direction by
Russell Kimball
Set Decoration by
John McCarthy Jr.
Ralph Sylos
Makeup Department
Larry Germain Hair Stylist
Bud Westmore Makeup Artist​

No doubt Michael Burns’ most famous appearance had to be as Blue Boy in Jack Webb’s Dragnet 1967 with the episode entitled The LSD Story (Jan.12.1967) where he skillfully portrayed Benjamin (Benjie) “Blue Boy” Carver, a young man who is pretty high and far out, on, among other things, Acid.

Although surely Jack Webb was serious about his condemnation of drug abuse this episode and many others were hailed as a superb comedy and in fact aroused curiousity about drug experimentation even causing some to participate rather than avoid. It was the pained look on the faces of Friday and Gannon that sent us into hysterics as they lectured us about the dangers of drug abuse through their eyes and their world. (Some of the commentary below originates from Wikipedia.)

This episode is perhaps the most definitive episode of Dragnet. People who knew about Dragnet, knew about this episode which revived the series after an eight year absence. It showed how those who are in charge of enforcing the law are often frustrated by it. It was also cutting edge in dealing with the issue of LSD in 1967. For some, this represented a hard hit back against the emerging counterculture. Not likely. This episode pumped new life into the Joe Friday Hero persona. For many advocates of legalized drugs, this episode began a lifelong hate affair with Webb and Dragnet that continues to this day. It has always been considered one of the greatest single classic tv episodes of all-time defining the counterculture of the mid to late 1960’s!

Intro & Theme

View attachment 222551
​

Opening Narration

This is the city — Los Angeles, California. It's a fine place to enjoy life. There are places reserved just for kids... when they're young and feel young. Places they go when they're young and feel old... beginning the big search for something that often doesn't exist in the places they look for it. They might find it here or here or maybe here. They could try looking here. Their search might end with a college degree. One thing's sure — whatever they're looking for — it cannot be found inside a number five capsule. When they try, that's where I come in. I carry a badge.

It was Tuesday, March fifteenth [1966]. It was fair in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of Juvenile Narcotics. My partner's Bill Gannon, the boss is Captain Richey. My name is Friday. A powerful new drug capable of producing weird and dangerous hallucinations had found its way onto the streets of the city. It had fallen into the hands of juvenile experimenters. We had to try and stop it.

The story you are about to see is true. The names hve been changed to protect the innocent.

Our story begins when a woman calls comes into the Los Angeles Police Department Juvenile Narcotics Division complaining about a juvenile painted up like an Indian. She said she never saw anyone doing what he was doing, chewing the bark off a tree. When detectives Joe Friday and Bill Gannon arrive at MacArthur Park, they find a boy with his head buried in the ground.

Gannon: Stand still
Blue Boy: Reality man reality. I can see the center of the Earth. Purple flame down there, a pilot light. All the way down, purple flame and a pilot light. Pilot light of a creation, a reality.
Gannon: He’s clean Joe except for these.
Friday: What’s your name son?
Blue Boy: You can seee my name if you look hard enough.
Friday: C’mon now what’s your name?
Blue Boy: Don’t you know my name? My name’s Blue Boy.
Gannon: What do you think Joe, Cartwheels?
Friday: Or Sugar Cubes, I’ll make you a book he’s been dropping that Acid we’ve been hearing about. Alright son, you’re under arrest. It’s our duty to advise you of your constitutional rights. You have the right to remain silent and any statements you make may be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to the presence of an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed before any questioning. Do you understand that?
Blue Boy: There I am. I’m over there now. I’m not here anymore. My hair’s green and I’m a tree!
Gannon: You ever seen anybody this torn up?
Friday: Unless a sense he’s not strung out on Sugar Cubes.
Gannon: Yeah
Friday: Alright let’s take him to central receiving.
Gannon: C’mon son
Blue Boy: Even if your body does die your mind will live on.
Friday: Yeah, we know, c’mon
Blue Boy: You’re the dirty disbelievers, the evil disbelievers, EVIL EVIL EVIL!!
Friday: C’mon son settle down.
Blue Boy: Brown blue yellow green green orange, red, red red, red, I can hear them I can hear them all!
Friday: Yeah sure you can kid. Let’s go back to the office, we’ll all listen.

Blue Boy

View attachment 222552 ​

A doctor determines the boy is under the influence of an unknown drug. He's taken to the Narcotics Unit of Juvenile Division where he's questioned. The boy is found with several sugar cubes and states there's no law against the drugs he has taken.

At the scientific investigation division, forensic chemist Ray Murray states that the drug is Lysergic Acid Diethylamide Tartrate, commonly known as LSD-25, that it was developed by a Swiss Biochemist named Albert Hofmann, and it causes hallucinations, severe nausea along with aches and pains as well as anxiety and depression. Sergeant Friday states there are no laws to cover the use or sale of LSD.

Back at Juvenile Division, the boy is identified as Benjamin John "Benjie" Carver. Benjie's parents are briefed about the situation, but they don't feel there's cause for concern and they don't want their son arrested.

Two days later, Friday and Gannon join Sergeants Zappey and Carr in questioning two juveniles, Sandra Quillen and Edna Mae Dixon, who are high on LSD. The girls mention that they got the drugs from Blue Boy and then got sick.

Captain Richey informs Friday and Gannon that a new State and Federal law have been passed, listing LSD as a dangerous drug.

A youth, Teddy Carstairs, is brought in for possession of LSD. He says he got the drugs from Blue Boy and is willing to testify to it.

Two months later and the detectives find Sandra and Edna Mae on Sunset Strip and find out that Blue Boy is having an acid party. They get the address and find several people high on acid including a painter eating paint off a paintbrush who tells them Benjie left.

At the party Friday and Gannon locate a stash of Acid tabs and what clearly appears to be a few joints. Friday takes a whiff and declares it’s Marijuana!

Way Out

View attachment 222553​

Friday and Gannon arrive at Benjie's apartment. Inside they find Benjie's friend, Phillip Jameson (Brian Watson). Benjie is on the other side of the room motionless, having been that way for about an hour.

Friday: Police officer, what’s your name?
Phillip Jameson: Phillip Jameson
Friday: How old are ya?
Phillip Jameson: 18. Poor Benjie. Look at him. What’s the matter with him? He’s been like for over an hour and then he got quiet.
Gannon: Look at this Joe. Acid reds yelllows rainbows.
Phillip Jameson: Those are Benji’s, been taking them all day. Kept saying he wanted to get further out, further out, further out.
Friday: Well he made it, he’s dead!

View attachment 222545
View attachment 222549
View attachment 222546 View attachment 222547 View attachment 222548
View attachment 222550

No More Blue Boy / Closing Credits

View attachment 222554​

Closing Narration

"The story you have just seen is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On December 15, a Coroner's inquest was held at the County Morgue, Hall of Justice, City and County of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that inquest." "At the inquest, the coroner's jury ruled that the 18-year-old suspect had administered himself an overdose of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide in combination with various barbiturates and had thus taken his own life." Text: "BENJAMIN JOHN CARVER - - Deceased."

Actor Notes:

1. Retired in 2002 from his faculty position at Mount Holyoke College, completing a 22-year teaching career. He and his wife moved to Kentucky and restored a historic horse farm that is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

2. Retired from teaching at Mount Holyoke College in 2002. He now resides in Kentucky with his wife, former Mount Holyoke president Elizabeth Topham Kennan, raising thoroughbred horses.

3. Son of NBC pioneer turned director Frank Burns.

4. He has abandoned acting to become a college professor. According to the dust jacket of his book "Dreyfus", he "teaches Modern European History at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. He holds degrees from the University of California and Yale University."

5. Considered for the television series, The Monkees (1965) as one of the band members. He can be seen in improvisational screen tests with Micky Dolenz.

Episode Notes:

1. While the episode centers on the dangers of LSD, the climax shows that Benjie died not of an LSD overdose (which is nearly physically impossible), but rather a barbiturate overdose, which another character says was brought on by Benjie's desire to get "farther out."

2. The plot in this episode was inspired by a real life acid test in Watts. That event was chronicled by Tom Wolfe in his book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. The band was the newly formed Grateful Dead. Merry Prankster Paul Foster, face painted half silver and half black, was arrested.

3. It is sometimes called "Blue Boy" after a character appearing on it. This was the first color episode broadcast of Dragnet.

4. The plot in this episode was inspired by an life acid test in Watts. That event was chronicled by Tom Wolfe in his book The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test. A

5. At the time this episode originally aired, 12 January 1967, LSD was not an illegal drug in the United States. Possession of LSD was made illegal in the United States on 24 October 1968, and it was listed as a Schedule I controlled substance by the United Nations in 1971.

6. When Friday uses a match to light up his cigarette outside the courthouse, he strikes the match on the front of the matchbook. In 1973 matchbooks were federally mandated to put the strikers on the back.

7. When Ted Carstairs is brought into Joe and Bill's office, he is wearing an orange coat and orange shirt. Orange was Jack Webb's favorite color.

You can stream it here



View attachment 222558​

My favorite part of the episode is the 30 seconds they spent on the Sunset Strip. Wish they would get out and pound the pavement more often.

 

[ScottRE]

Yes, there were multiple series around that time filmed primarily in/around LA (but supposedly set in):
Dallas (Dallas)
Dukes of Hazzard (Georgia)
Dynasty (Denver)
Simon & Simon (San Diego)
Hill Street Blues (Chicago, although setting is somewhat ambiguous)
Scarecrow and Mrs. King (Washington DC)

Dallas did shoot in Texas, both at the ranch and the city of Dallas. Mostly during the start of the season when the weather was better. The interiors were all LA and a lot of pool and driveway scenes were in the studio during the latter part of the season, but they did a lot of actual Texas location shooting.

 

[Desslar]

Dallas did shoot in Texas, both at the ranch and the city of Dallas. Mostly during the start of the season when the weather was better. The interiors were all LA and a lot of pool and driveway scenes were in the studio during the latter part of the season, but they did a lot of actual Texas location shooting.

That's true. However, as I understand it, they moved almost everything to LA about midway through the series, and recreated the family home there.

 

[ScottRE]

That's true. However, as I understand it, they moved almost everything to LA about midway through the series, and recreated the family home there.

Maybe in the latter few years, but I'm fairly certain there were still some exteriors at Southfork which were done on the ranch in Texas.

 

[Desslar]

Maybe in the latter few years, but I'm fairly certain there were still some exteriors at Southfork which were done on the ranch in Texas.

I must admit I'm no expert on this series and have only seen the first couple seasons. So I defer to your knowledge. I was referring to the somewhat confusing Wikipedia entry. It makes the claim that less than half the episodes in any season had scenes shot in Texas, but I couldn't say if that is true. That of course cannot include the first mini-series/season, which was short entirely in location in Texas.

 

[JohnHopper]

---

Just for the fun. Let’s have a good spin and a nice day!

SUPERCUT Every Transformation in Wonder Woman (1975-1979)

 

[Jeff Flugel]

The Master – 1.11 “Failure to Communicate”
Ninja master McAllister (Lee Van Cleef) and his hotheaded young protégé Max (Timothy Van Patten) stop off at Max’s hometown to check in on his estranged father, Patrick (Doug McClure), a former respected lawyer but now an alcoholic, after an accident claimed the lives of Max’s mother and brother. While there, they thwart a scheme to kidnap the daughter (Ashley Ferrare) of a wealthy banker (J.D. Cannon), assisted by Patrick’s loyal, blind assistant, Laura Crane (Knight Rider's Rebecca Holden). Meanwhile, McAllister is dogged by his vengeful former student, ninja assassin Okasa (Sho Kosugi). Lots of action, a bit of character backstory for Max and a pretty incredible (and eclectic) guest cast - which also includes a pre-Deep Space Nine Marc Alaimo, a post-Lost in Space Marc Goddard and Edd “Kookie” Byrnes (as sympathetic cop) - makes this one a typically fun watch.

Spenser: For Hire”
1.4 “Children of a Tempest Storm”
A hired killer (on roller skates, no less) attacks Spenser (Robert Urich), forcing the tough but tender Boston P.I. to blow him away. When he learns that he has now left the dead man’s children orphans, Spenser takes them under his wing until he can find them a suitable home, all the while fending off further attempts on his life from a pack of out-of-town hitmen, hired by mobster King Powers (Chuck Connors), who Spenser helped put away in the show’s pilot, “Promised Land.” Meanwhile, Spenser’s lady love Susan Silverman (Barbara Stock) watches Spenser bond with the kids and struggles with telling him that she’s pregnant and doesn’t intend on keeping the child. Avery Brooks is on hand as Spenser’s sometime’s associate, Hawk, who he asks to guard Susan and the kids at one stage. (Hawk: “You just hired yourself the most expensive babysitter in Boston.”) A lot going on in this episode, obviously…perhaps little of it new, plot-wise, but all of it well-handled by the capable main cast. And Spenser puts at least five scumbag killers under the ground by episode’s end.

1.5 “Original Sin”
Spenser’s planned holiday with Susan is interrupted when a priest (Jay O. Sanders) hires him to prove that a young novitiate nun did not commit suicide. Despite the hostility of the girl’s grieving parents (Eddie Jones and Elizabeth Franz), Spenser soon discovers that the dead girl was pregnant, and was also involved in a civil rights group opposed to the development of a mostly-black residential neighborhood by slick hood Tom Flaherty (David O’Brien) – who Spenser’s lethal frenemy, Hawk (Avery Brooks, perfectly cast), happens to be working for. Spenser and Hawk’s relationship is frosty in this one, but that doesn’t stop Hawk from stepping in to save his bacon at a crucial moment.

Minder – 2.11 “The Old School Tie”
Fabulous episode, this, as tough but big-hearted ex-con and former boxer, Terry McCann (Dennis Waterman), helps out an old school friend, petty burglar George Palmer (Paul Copley), who’s broken out of prison with only three months to go on his sentence, claiming that he is innocent of the diamond robbery for which he was convicted. While Terry works with a journalist pal to help clear George's name, two hardcase henchman who were actually involved in the heist menace Terry’s friends, beating up his stripper lady friend Debbie (Diana Malin) and pub landlord Jack (Glynn Edwards), as well as threatening Terry’s shifty sometimes-boss, Arthur (George Cole). Terry ain’t having none of that, son. Ends with a bang-up action sequence set in a scrapyard, with Terry handing out a right pasting to the creeps responsible, ably assisted by recurring copper Roycott (Peter Childs). Also with Sherri Hewson (as George’s fed-up wife) and Derek Thompson (as George’s brother-in-law).

Bless this House – 6.1 “The Frozen Limit”
Sid (former Carry On… star Sid James) and his wife Jean (Diana Coupland) acquire a new chest freezer on the cheap, courtesy of daughter Sally’s (Sally Geeson) current boyfriend. Jean is overjoyed with the huge beast of a thing, but its presence soon leads to a whole heap of trouble for Sid. Reliably funny sitcom, propelled by the amiable presence and adept comic timing of the pleasantly ugly James (who a critic once described as “having a face like a wrinkled kneecap”).

The A-Team – 2.9 “There’s Always a Catch”
With Col. Decker (Lance LeGault) and his men hot on their heels, the A-Team crew come to the aid of a fisherman’s daughter (ubiquitous ‘80s babe Tracy Scoggins, rockin’ a tight tank-top), who’s being strong-armed by local jerkoff Garber (played with typical meanness by pig-faced character actor John Quaid). Garber has all the other fishermen under his thumb, but not for long, as Hannibal has a plan. “Howling Mad” Murdoch (Dwight Schultz) gets to swoop in to rescue his buddies more than once in this typically entertaining action romp, enlivened by the undeniable chemistry between the four leads. This was one of the last episodes co-starring perky Melinda Culea (playing journalist Amy Amanda Allen) before she was written out of the show.

Here's some Tracy Scoggins cheesecake to brighten up your day:

Colonel March of Scotland Yard – 1.2 “The Abominable Snowman”
The premiere of film footage shot by Mary Grey (Doris Nolan), previously refused membership in the all-male Himalayan Mountaineers’ Club in London, purporting to show new evidence about the existence of the Abominable Snowman, sets off a series of events which seem to indicate that the club’s members have been marked for death by the titular creature. Luckily, Col. March (the great Boris Karloff, on fine avuncular form) is on hand to get to the bottom of the mystery. I watched this episode via YouTube, my curiosity piqued by Randall’s championing of Film Chest’s recent DVD release of this series, which was filmed in England in the early-to-mid 1950s by Associated Television and aired on ITV in the U.K. as well as the U.S. Judging by this early episode, it appears to be a modest but quite entertaining crime drama, and I’ll be picking up the aforementioned DVD set sometime this summer.

 

[The 1960's]

The A-Team – 2.9 “There’s Always a Catch”
With Col. Decker (Lance LeGault) and his men hot on their heels, the A-Team crew come to the aid of a fisherman’s daughter (ubiquitous ‘80s babe Tracy Scoggins, rockin’ a tight tank-top), who’s being strong-armed by local jerkoff Garber (played with typical meanness by pig-faced character actor John Quaid). Garber has all the other fishermen under his thumb, but not for long, as Hannibal has a plan. “Howling Mad” Murdoch (Dwight Schultz) gets to swoop in to rescue his buddies more than once in this typically entertaining action romp, enlivened by the undeniable chemistry between the four leads. This was one of the last episodes co-starring perky Melinda Culea (playing journalist Amy Amanda Allen) before she was written out of the show.

Here's some Tracy Scoggins cheesecake to brighten up your day:

 

[Jasper70]

Watched disc two of Quincy. One episode of Burn Notice, I’m not super enthralled with this show but I have the entire series so giving it a shot.
also one episode of Magnum PI, the original and as far as I’m concerned the only.

 

[morasp]

Home Improvement S1E16 Jill's Birthday

Eureka S1E11 H.O.U.S.E. Rules

Family Matters S2E6 Boxcar Blues
wasn't having a great day and for some reason this episode cheered me up

The Middle S1E24 Average Rules

Star Trek Voyager S3E7 Sacred Ground
Favorite episode, explores the boundary between things that science can and can't explain. It provided plenty of food for thought and I especially appreciated that it stopped short of drawing a conclusion allowing me to form my own opinion.

Brisco County Jr. S1E3 No Mans Land
Clever play on words, No mans land is the name of a town of only women.

Marcus Welby M.D. S1E3 Don't Ignore the Miracles

Hawaii Five-0 S3E13 The Payoff

Petticoat Junction S1E8 Kate's Recipe for Hot Rhubarb
I enjoy the introductions by Linda Henning on this set.

Maverick S1E11 The Wrecker

Mike Hammer (1958) S1E7 Letter Edged in Blackmail

Sugarfoot S1E4 Bunch Quitter

Alfred Hitchcock Presents S2E6 Toby

The Wild Wild West S2E4 The Night of the Big Blast

Star Trek The Next Generation S3E12 The High Ground

Daniel Boone S2E14 The Christmas Story
Parallels to the Nativity

My Three Sons S3E17 How to Impress a Woman

Dr Who Classic S24E1 Time and the Rani Part one
First episode with the last Doctor. These Blu ray sets are nice, especially when you consider the average price of a single Dr Who story on DVD and the expanded special features which are among the best I've seen.

Family Affair S1E14 Think Deep

The Doris Day Show S1E22 The Musical

Hogan's Heroes S1E11 Happiness Is a Warm Sergeant

Wonder Woman S2E15 Dianna's Disappearing Act

Perry Mason S5E6 The Case of the Meddling Medium

White Collar S2E1 Withdrawal

Leave it to Beaver S4E23 Mother's Helper
Candy Moore captures Wally's attention

Murder She Wrote S5E12 Smooth Operators

Avonlea S3E10 After the Honeymoon
Shortly after his marriage to Olivia a fellow female scientist has designs on Jasper.

The West Wing S1E5 The Crackpots and These Women
The presidents speech in the final scene was especially good

Father Knows Best S3E1 No Apron Strings
Bud's girlfriend who isn't well to do finds out that to the Andersons people are people.

Hawaii Five-O (2010) S3E7 Ohuna

Sea Hunt S3E8 Missile Watch

The Partridge Family S1E10 Go Directly to Jail

The Six Million Dollar Man S2E9 Act of Piracy

Night Court S3E12 Dan's Escort

 

[Desslar]

Watched disc two of Quincy. One episode of Burn Notice, I’m not super enthralled with this show but I have the entire series so giving it a shot.
also one episode of Magnum PI, the original and as far as I’m concerned the only.

I like Burn Notice. I would say that the first episode is not very representative of the series, so it's worth hanging on for a few more to get the feel of it.

The series really has two distinct phases:

1) Fun in the sun episodic 80s detective show - Seasons 1 to 4 (roughly) - I loved this phase of the show - a refreshing lighthearted throwback to Magnum PI/A-Team at a time when most crime shows were uber serious. There is a serious ongoing spy storyline in the background, but most of the focus is on conning the villain of the week in creative ways, with a fair bit of joking around.

2) Tense "24" style spy serial - Seasons 5 to 7 (roughly) - Maybe fearing the formula was getting a little stale, the show introduces big changes with that overarching spy story taking center stage and lots of cliffhangers. Also the team mostly drops the jovial camaraderie and instead plays up internal tensions/suspicions. It's still a decent show, but the suddenly dead serious atmosphere feels a bit contrived to me, and it just isn't as fun as before.

 

[JohnHopper]

The Wild Wild West S2E4 The Night of the Big Blast

Amongst the very best season 2 episodes and the best of Michael Garrison’s era. Highly recommended!
Michael Garrison's original concept of fabulous fantasy is at its peak here!
The doppelgänger and Mary Shelly’s The Creature of Dr. Frankenstein through menbots meet The Wild Wild West!
There’s even a connection with Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: see the season 2 “Cyborg”!

 

[morasp]

Amongst the very best season 2 episodes and the best of Michael Garrison’s era. Highly recommended!
Michael Garrison's original concept of fabulous fantasy is at its peak here!
The doppelgänger and Mary Shelly’s The Creature of Dr. Frankenstein through menbots meet The Wild Wild West!
There’s even a connection with Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea: see the season 2 “Cyborg”!

I enjoyed it. It was fun to see Artie take the lead for an episode.

 

[The 1960's]

Happy 94th Birthday Clint Eastwood!!

Rawhide (1959-1965)
S01E15 Incident of the Calico Gun (Apr.24.1959) Via Vision HD BluRay

​

Gil Favor: You run into a lot of things on a cattle drive before you get where you're going. Stampedes, floods, sickness, drought. But one thing's with you all the time. You can't get away from it; you can't lick it. The same faces day after day, week after week. You look at each other or you look at the cattle. After a while, you can't tell the difference. I'm getting that way myself. My name's Gil Favor, Trail Boss.

Stars
Eric Fleming … Gil Favor
Clint Eastwood … Rowdy Yates
Sheb Wooley … Pete Nolan
Paul Brinegar … George Washington Wishbone
James Murdock … Harkness 'Mushy' Mushgro
Steve Raines … Jim Quince
Rocky Shahan … Joe Scarlet
Jack Lord … Blake
Gloria Talbott … Jenny Watson
Myron Healey … Jeb
Gene Collins … Kid
Steve Mitchell … Dave
Damian O'Flynn … Paymaster
Rest of cast:
Rick Arnold … Arnold (uncredited)
John Cole … Bailey (uncredited)
Clem Fuller … Drover (uncredited)
Milan Smith … Kyle (uncredited)
Directed by … Jesse Hibbs
Writing Credits
Story … Winston Miller
Teleplay … Fred Freiberger
Created by, uncredited) ... Charles Marquis Warren
Produced by
Associate Producer … A.C. Lyles
Producer … Charles Marquis
Cinematography… Philip H. Lathrop
Film Editing by … Roland Gross

Rowdy Meets Jenny Watson

​

Gil Favor: Now, that's her story, that's what's happened to her. I don't think anybody needs to ask any questions. Her name is Jenny Watson. She'll be riding along with us until we hit Silver Junction. That is providin’ nobody has any objections. Well?
Rowdy Yates: Nice to know you.
Gil Favor: Now, it just so happens we have some cows that could stand a little looking at, too. So let's get moving! Say, Rowdy. Keep an eye on her, will you?
Rowdy Yates: Oh, sure thing.
Gil Favor: And I'll have Wishbone keep an eye on you.

​

Gil Favor (Eric Fleming) and Pete Nolan (Sheb Wooley) come across a burned out house and a young woman named Jenny Watson (Gloria Talbott). She explains she just lost her parents who died of a mysterious sickness. In order to prevent the spread of that illness she cremated them within the house. Gil Favor invites Jenny to ride along with the crew to Silver Junction, which is where all the men are to pick up their pay.

When she is introduced to the crew Rowdy falls head over heels and is fumbling over himself trying to get Jenny’s attention, even pleading with Gil to get him to get her to notice him, but alas she tells Favor he is nothing more than a boy.

Rowdy Falling

​

Listen up all you JASPERS! Most of the following images will focus on Clint Eastwood as Rowdy Yates, from the VIA VISION HIGH DEFINITION BLURAY! Happy 94th Birthday Clint!!

---

Rowdy’s First Kiss

This was Jack Lord’s first of two Rawhide appearances (S03E21 Incident of His Brother's Keeper (Mar.31.1961) the subsequent), and Gloria Talbott’s first of three Rawhide appearances (S03E11 Incident of the Broken Word (Jan.20.1961) and S04E08 The Prairie Elephant (Nov.17.1961) the other two. Gloria Talbott was born February 7, 1931 in Glendale, California. She won the Miss Glendale beauty contest in 1947. She was in dozens of TV shows but never had a signature role. Myron Healey as Jeb made his second of four Rawhide appearances here. Healey was usually cast as a sardonic bad guy, (see S02E14 Incident of the Big Blowout (Feb.10.1061). Blake’s brother, “Kid” is played by Gene Collins best known for his role in Kelly's Heroes (1970), a signature Eastwood film.

Head ‘Em Up, Closing

You can stream it here in standard definition.



Clint Eastwood (Early 1970's) Bobbie Wygant Archive



Clint Eastwood "Midnight in the Garden Of Good And Evil" (1997) Bobbie Wygant Archive

​

 

[JohnHopper]

TELEFILM
Cinema Center 100 Presents
A Step Out of Line (CBS/1971)
producer: Steve Shagan
writers: Steve Shagan and S.S. Schweitzer
story: Albert Ruben
director: Bernard McEveety
director of photography: James Crabe
composer: Jerry Goldsmith
music supervisor: Morton Stevens
cast: Peter Falk, Vic Morrow, Peter Lawford, Jo Ann Pflug, Lynn Carlin, Tom Bosley, John Randolph, Willard Sage, George Neise, Charles Macaulay, Susan Adams, Russ Hodges, Bill Riddle, Leonard Stone

summary:
Three financially down-and-out buddies plot to pull a bank robbery to cure their financial woes.

comments:
Director Bernard McEveety used to work with Vic Morrow on the WWII series Combat!. The same year, Peter Lawford plays another hipster in the murder mystery telefilm Ellery Queen: Don’t Look Behind You.

review:
It’s an engrossing, solid and bitter sweet existential social drama with a fine trio of actors (Peter Falk, Vic Morrow, Peter Lawford) whose characters enjoy the ball game and a strong and ambitious score by Jerry Goldsmith and that takes place in San Francisco. Peter Falk wears his trade mark overcoat and acts like Columbo. Peter Lawford plays a laid-back hipster-ad director and it includes a nightclub scene with Jo Ann Pflug. Vic Morrow plays against his type and as an uptight engineer that poses as a hip cinematographer for a bogus film shooting and, later on, at the end of the heist, fails to loose his nerds inside a car. In a way, it plays like a television version of John Cassavetes’ Husbands (1970) but with a burglar orientation.

genre:
drama, family, husband, buddy, caper, heist


A Step Out of Line | The Nightclub Scene

 

[Kaskade1309]

From

 

[GMBurns]

The Rebel 1.34 "Night on a Rainbow". Johnny visits an old Civil War friend who has become addicted to pain meds after surgery for a wound during combat. The visit is complicated by the fact that his friend's wife was an old flame of Johnny's. Great acting by James Best as the tortured friend and Gail Kobe as the woman who chose him over Johnny. An intense struggle of heart and mind ensues as Johnny tries to help his old friend clean up and become sober. The Rebel is a cut above the average western because of the heart-felt performances by Nick Adams as Johnny Yuma. And it was one of the last official releases under the gone-but-never-forgotten Timeless Media Group label.

 

[Jeff Flugel]

Nice tribute to good ol' Clint Eastwood, Neal!

Gloria Talbot looks so much like Suzanne Lloyd that it's not even funny. It's no wonder I get them both confused.

Suzanne Lloyd in Gunsmoke:

Ms. Lloyd, from the S5 episode of The Saint, "Simon and Delilah":