Was up north painting the unplugged cottage and a bit behind on posting, so missed this milestone from Sunday: the 50th anniversary of the first Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. Carson’s official debut on Oct. 1, 1962 only survives on a short audio clip. As has been noted here before, the first 10 years of
I’ve been up at the unplugged cottage, sanding and painting, so was not in front of my laptop Sept. 28 to do the 40th annual salute to St. Paul. A few catch up musings: Henderson’s goal was, without a doubt, the most electrifying thing I ever saw on TV. It is hard to put in
Have to agree with colleague David Bianculli of TV Worth Watching that the 1969 moon landing was “the best TV show I ever saw in my life.”Neil Armstrong, who died today at 82, was the biggest star on or off the planet that summer. It was July 20, 1969, and–like every July–I was up at
Phyllis Diller, who died Sunday at 95, always struck me as the female Bob Hope. Her delivery and timing were very much patterned off Hope’s confident, straight at you patter. Like Hope the master, how she said things was usually funnier than what she was saying. With Diller, you thought it was all about how
Windom in 1997 William Windom’s death last Thursday brings up another indelible memory from that last stop on the fame machine, the Hollywood Show. Back in 1997, the Emmy-winning actor, who died of heart failure at 88, was among many celebrities from TV’s “Golden Age” taking part in autograph meet-and-greets with fans. At the time
Denny Laine. He was in Wings; I eat them BURBANK, CA–What better way to celebrate the end of another press tour then to go to the place where the stars ultimately wind up–The Hollywood Show. The celebrity autograph exhibition and marketplace takes place a couple of times a year at the Burbank Marriott hotel. Other
“I vowed that I’m going to live to 2013,” Ernest Borgnine told critics gathered at a Hallmark TCA session five years ago. “After that, I don’t give a damn.” Borgnine, who passed away Sunday at 95, missed his target by about six months. He wowed critics five years ago when he appeared at press tour to
OLIPHANT, Ont.–The news that Andy Griffith had died arrived like a dark cloud here at the unplugged cottage. Neighbour Jim got word off his satellite radio while listening to The Dan Patrick Show. It was a perfect place to take it. Sheriff Taylor and Opie would be right at home up here, fishing poles in