Johnny Crawford was a kid on a real cowboy set back when millions of other youngsters across North America were faking it at home. Difference was, Crawford was getting paid big bucks to live out his fantasy as a child star on the late ’50s, early ’60s TV western The Rifleman. I met him in
On Sunday, CNN premieres The Story of Late Night, a six-part docuseries examining the nearly 70-year history of television’s post-primetime talk shows. The series was produced by Toronto-based Cream Productions. To set it all up, listen to my conversation with Bill Carter (above), the long-time New York Times columnist and bestselling “Late Shift” author who
Felix Silla was one of those actors you likely saw many times on TV or in blockbuster films but you’d never recognize him out of costume. The Italian born actor, for example, was unrecognizable under a body suit of hair as Cousin Itt on The Addams Family (1964-66). Later, he played an Ewok in the
Much of my world view of international politics in the late ’60s, early ’70s was gleaned from the work of the great Toronto Star editorial cartoonist Duncan Macpherson. One example, above, shows HRH Prince Philip, returning home from a royal visit to Canada with multiple cowboy hats. His wife, The Queen, waits with a rolling
The money is no longer in the banana stand. Jessica Walter, who capped off a long and distinguished stage, screen and television career with roles on cutting edge 21st century comedies Arrested Development and the animated FX series Archer passed away Wednesday at home in her native New York. She was 80. She earned her
When I was speaking with Enrico Colantoni for a podcast episode a little over a year ago I momentarily blanked on the name of one of his co-stars from the late ’90s sitcom Just Shoot Me. “Are you really not remembering George Segal?” said an incredulous Colantoni. This was pre-COVID, and we were sitting together
Birthdays — the final frontier. William Shatner turns 90 today, Monday March 22. Time to drag out this horribly awkward shot I ducked into with the actor on the set of Private Eyes in Toronto three seasons ago. He looks like he wants to swat me with the script he is clutching in his hand.
Do you remember Party Game? The saucy little charades-fest aired out of Hamilton, Ont.’s CHCH from 1970 through 1981. “Captain” Jack Duffy, Dinah Christie and Billy Van were the Home Team, an almost unbeatable trio when it came to charades. Al Boliska was the original host, replaced a year later by Bill Walker. It was