haines his way

10/12/2002:
"THE MOVING CURSOR"

Well, dear readers, I finally had a decent nights sleep last night and I feel groggy but ever so much better. And I have the whole glorious weekend to myself (the first I’ve had in three weeks, I think), to be left to my own devices. Have you ever been left to your own devices? Have you ever been right to your own devices? My devices include a widescreen television, my handy-dandy laptop computer and my automobile, at least those will be my devices for this weekend, along with my fancy-shmancy couch. It has finally cooled off her in Los Angeles, California, and the mornings especially have been lovely – a bit gray, a bit chilly and a pleasant change of pace from the unrelenting heat and sun.
What am I, a weatherman? I hadn’t realized that the soundtrack of Flower Drum Song had come out until I read a post by Mr. Ron Pulliam, so I must go out and purchase it this very day, as I love, love, love (that is three loves) it.
Can someone explain to me this: I’ll be sitting here, thinking about the next thing to write, and I’ll look at the screen and suddenly the little cursor sitting where I stopped typing just moves somewhere else on the page? That is disobedience from that fershluganah cursor and I won’t have it. That cursor must be punished and made aware of what will happen if it continues to behave in such a manner. I mean, it just moves somewhere else on the page, and if I haven’t seen it do so and I start typing I get confused because I’m suddenly typing within a sentence I’ve already written. Then I have to press “edit undo” or whatever the hell it is and all because of the bad bad cursor.
Just prior to the cursor moving of its own accord, I had something to write, but it has completely gone out of my head now that I’ve been sidetracked by the moving cursor. I shall now curse the cursor by saying “pshaw”. Can you all join me please, in cursing the cursor by saying “pshaw”? On the count of three please: One, two, three – “pshaw”. There, maybe that will teach the cursor a lesson it won’t forget. What the hell am I talking about?
In any case, I have questions to answer and by gum and by golly I shall answer them, so let’s all click on the Unseemly Button below so I can get to it.

So far, in this section, the cursor is behaving, so maybe our well-done “pshaw” is working. Because if it moves on its own accord one more time, it’s going to be a group bitch-slap, let me tell you that. Well, now on to your excellent questions, and hopefully the cursor will stay where it is supposed to, damn it's eyes.
S.Woody White asks what five DVDs would I say are absolute musts for any DVD collection? Well, my absolute musts might not be anyone else’s absolute musts, but for me five that I could not do without (simply because I love the films, and the transfers are lovely): Rosemary’s Baby, Chinatown, The Court Jester (all three Paramount), the amazing transfer of 8½ (Criterion), and maybe Black Narcissus (also Criterion). However, the list of must haves might be totally different tomorrow. However, all five above are wonderful DVDs – the first three have no extras at all, just lovely transfers and great films, the latter two have many extras. Can I mention the five DVDs that people should avoid? Well, anything on the Madacy label should be avoided. There’s a cheap version of Polanski’s Repulsion, which should be avoided at all costs, on the Koch label.
Ron Pulliam asks when you dear readers will learn what my “movie deal” is all about? Where will it be shooting and will I allow Hainsies/Kimlets to visit the set? Is the “movie deal” a comedy, a drama, a musical? I revealed (under penalty of expulsion and death) the theme of the film at our New York gathering. I will reveal it here within the next two weeks. It will shoot in New York and Los Angeles. It has elements of comedy, drama, and music. And I should think Hainsies/Kimlets who are in the area would be most welcome to visit the set.
George asks how I became involved with the Tourette Syndrome cause and asks if it’s one that I’ve supported for years or if this particular event is the first I’ve organized for this cause. First off, I’m not organizing it, Miss Cissy Wechter and TSA (the Tourette Syndrome group) are (with help from other Wechters and myself – it is basically the same benefit I staged last April in Los Angeles, but with New York performers this time). Cissy’s late husband, Julius Wechter (he of the Baja Marimba Band and Spanish Flea) had Tourettes, and I was not only a friend of he and Cissy (and David and the rest of the large family) I also produced his last album, New Deal for Bay Cities. The Wechters told me they were planning a tribute concert in honor of Julius, and I said count me in – and they asked me to direct it, which I was honored and thrilled to do. Have I ever been involved with other causes or benefits, and which ones have been the most fun and which have been the most moving? Well, I’ve recorded several AIDS benefits, and I organized a wonderful Equity Fights Aids benefit, an Unsung Musicals concert, way back in 1995, I think. The most fun was probably that one, the most moving, the Wechter event.
Tom from Oz asks if I have any favorite Rod McKuen songs? I like Mr. McKuen, and my all-time favorite of his is the beautiful I’ll Catch the Sun from the abomination known as Joanna. I also like his music for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Craig has a few (but less than a plethora) questions: What did I eat whilst at Joe Allen’s? Well, I was there quite a few times – I had the tostada with chorizo, eggs and beans one night, I had a steak, and I had a large Caesar Salad. Was I able to catch any other shows beside Say Goodnight, Gracie? No, sadly. Todd Ellison offered to get me into Amour, but I simply couldn’t get to the theater in time from one of my meetings. Any opinions about Dreamworks bringing Shrek to the stage? Yawn? Will there be Hainsies/Kimlets used as extras in my upcoming film? I’ve been thinking about that, and we may have a contest with several winners, who would get to be extras. Do we like that idea? Do I intend to create bonus materials for the film that would appear on the DVD release? Absoulutely. We’ll have a Behind The Scenes documentary, and because of the nature of the film, there will be lots of outtakes included.
Sandra asks if I can mention any interesting items I’ve purchased on eBay. I’ve bought much great stuff on eBay. Some of the best: several fantastic paintings, all illustration art. I bought a Godzilla bubble bath dispenser. I’ve gotten menus from most of the LA restaurants I frequented as a child. Many excellent first editions. An official Civil Defense Geiger Counter. A French Monopoly game, an English Monopoly game, a Japanese Monopoly game, a Franklin Mint Monopoly game, a Franklin Mint Scrabble Game, many rare CDs, a few 16mm prints, the extremely rare LP of Evening Primrose (pressed by Sondheim for friends), Pacific Ocean Park memorabilia, and on and on.
Jose asks if I would like to produce an album which contained one piece of music done by different artists. This has been done a few times – Jose mentions Pachelbel’s Canon in D, and I have a CD called Round Midnight which is all different versions of that classic jazz ballad. I think it’s an interesting idea which doesn’t really work with songs. But I wouldn’t mind a CD which had different interpretations of Albinoni’s Adagio on it, because I love that piece, and it could be interpreted in a variety of ways which would make for a wonderful listening experience – a slow jazz version, a traditional version, a vocalese, a big-band (not uptempo, more Stan Kenton), in the style of Mahler, etc. I wouldn’t mind producing that myself.
We haven’t had a handy-dandy Unseemly Trivia Contest in ages, so I have devised a difficult one for today (which means everyone will probably figure it out). Here it is:
In the late 60s, a novelist and playwright had a hit comedy playing in New York, but he also wrote a notorious flop musical the same season that his hit comedy closed. In the hit comedy cast was an actor who who’d done several musicals, and who has recently been in a hit TV show (and still is, I think). Also in the cast of the hit comedy were two actors who went onto star in two hit TV comedy series. Also in the hit comedy was an actor who would soon star in a classic seventies comedy. The star of the notorious flop musical also went on to star in one of the most beloved TV series ever. Isn’t this convoluted? Of course, knowing you dear readers, you’ll come up with several different things that will work. In any case:
Name the playwright and his hit comedy and flop musical.
Name the actor who’d done several musicals, and who is now (I believe) still in a hit TV series.
Name the two actors who would go on to star in two hit comedy series, and name the series.
Name the actor who would go on to star in a classic seventies comedy.
Name the star of the notorious flop musical and name the beloved TV series they starred in.
Remember – DO NOT POST YOUR ANSWERS ON THE SITE. Send them to me via e-mail at bruce@haineshisway.com or simply use the unseemly Ask BK Button located on our fancy-shmancy home page. I think I still have two count them two sparkling prizes to ship (it’s been impossible to get to the post office, but I shall, I promise). Good luck to one and all and also all and one.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do (which, in the case of this weekend, isn’t much), I must do errands and shop and relax and write. I must eat according to Eileen and Chet Atkins and I must catch up on my CDs and DVDs. Today’s topic of discussion: Tell me your favorite things to do when you were a kid - favorite games to play, favorite TV shows to watch, favorite places to go. Those who’ve read my novel know most of mine, so, your turn. And please, let’s not have the usual Saturday fall-off, it is just too too unseemly. Let us all post until the cows come home, shall we?

Replies: 38 Unseemly Comments

Am I the first to post today? Guess so... although we'll see what happens when I hit the "Post" button.
My favorite thing to do as a kid was playing "adventure" in the woods by my house - well, houses, since I grew up in four different cities. I actually liked getting almost lost so that I could do some exploring, and not once did I ever get truly lost. I also loved field trips to museums, and my mother planted the theatre bug in me early when she took me to the touring production of Fiddler On the Roof as well as other shows. Thankfully, all of those things have carried over to my adulthood, although instead of woods, I like getting lost in cities either on foot or by car.
Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 10/12/2002 10:37 AM PST

Maybe I have a different DVD release of "Rosemary's Baby," (though I think there's only been one), but mine does have one extra--a dated, but fun, documentary made at the time of the film's shoot.
Too many childhood favorites to really post about--though I did pretend I had my own tv network, and created all seven nights' programming for several seasons running! The fascinating/troubling thing is, several of my ideas (as an 8 or 9 year old) were actually later done as real shows! I may have to sue Aaron Sorkin, because one of "my" shows as a kid was called "Take it to the President" and involved the backstage maneuverings of the west wing!
Posted by JMK @ 10/12/2002 11:11 AM PST

Favorite Shows as a Child:
"Howdy Doody Time" (it probably had a different name that included Buffalo Bob, but the theme music went, "It's Howdy Doody Time, It's Howdy Doody Time..." and THAT is how I referred to the show!):
"My Friend Flicka";
"Lassie"
"Fury"
"The Mickey Mouse Club"
"I Love Lucy"
"I Married Joan"
"December Bride"
"Beulah"
"Amos 'n Andy"
"People's Choice" (with Cleo the dachshund!!!)
"The Pinky Lee Show"!!!!!
"Captain Kangaroo"
All the game shows, but especially "Treasure Hunt" with Jan Murray (!!!) and "Concentration."
"Pete and Gladys" (Pete was Harry Morgan and his character was a spinoff from his role on "December Bride"; Gladys was the delightful Cara Williams)
And then there were all the westerns:
Roy Rogers
Wild Bill Hickock
Hopalong Cassidy
Wagon Train
Sugarfoot
Cheyenne
Bronco Layne
Laramie
Lawman
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Have Gun, Will Travel
The Rebel
Oh, yikes, I almost forgot:
Your Hit Parade (Dorothy Collins, Patrice Munsel, Snookie Lansom, et. al.)
Your Show of Shows (Caesar & Coca)
Red Skelton
Milton Berle
Jack Benny
Burns & Allen
And such "adult" shows as
Peter Gunn
Hawaiian Eye
The Roaring 20s
and The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits!
There were more, to be sure, and probably some I'll kick myself for not mentioning!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 12:34 PM PST

Yikes, I forgot:
Your Hit Parade! (Dorothy Collins, Patrice Munsel, Julius LaRosa, Snookie Lansom, et.al.)
Your Show of Shows (Caesar/Coca)
Jack Benny
Milton Berle
Burns & Allen
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 12:36 PM PST

Double yikes, I'm IN the Twilight Zone!
The explanation of that second post above isn't worth the space I'm taking here, nor is this, but for some reason I can't stop myself from typing. I can only stop myself from telling the original story!
I'm going to hit the "post" button now, otherwise, I shall continue typing and other inappropriate and unseemly things shall happen!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 12:40 PM PST

FIVE posts??? Three of them by Mr. Ron Pulliam? Well, I asked for lots of posts, did a good topic (and yes, post long elaborate posts, that's the fun of a topic like this) and THIS is what I get after spending all morning slaving over a hot laptop answering your excellent questions? WELL! If no one is going to give a fig newton about the answers to their questions, perhaps I'll just delete them at the end of the day. What do you think of THAT? Only joking, of course, but let's get cracking here, said the chiropractor to his patient.
Posted by bk @ 10/12/2002 02:13 PM PST

First a note to Mark Bakalour: sometimes if I preview and then hit "back" to correct a typo the whole message is wiped out. This doesn't always happen, just enough so it is annoying. Any solutions?
My God I haven't thought of Pinky Lee (born Pincus Leif) in years. Some people I know who knew him did not have kind things to say about the man.
I just saw AMOUR. Those of you who like "Umbrellas" and "Young Girls" should also like AMOUR although I don't know if it will appeal to the theatregoing tourist. Despite two faults, it's good points --- the Michel Legrand music, a wonderful ensemble cast of 9, the physical production --- make it a delightful show. The faults: a minor one is the overpowering sound at the tiny Music Box theatre which sometimes picked up sounds that weren't meant to be heard. It's major fault will be obvious to anyone who saw the awful English-dubbed print of "Umbrellas". This is meant to be sung in French with supertitles. Some of the lyrics are amateurish but I am sure that in French they are a lot better. AMOUR will get a lot of Tony nominations, but I don't think HAIRSPRAY has anything to worry about.
Posted by William E. Lurie @ 10/12/2002 02:39 PM PST

I seem to be one of the unseemly few today. Ah, well.
One of those memories that stick comes from early on. My mother was involved with a volunteer support agency for placing adpotable children in good homes. One of her jobs was to help with fundraising, by finding Christmas cards and other items to sell, and there was a little doo-dad store in Glendale that had a very nice selection of...well, doo-dads. So at certain times we'd go driving over to the doo-dad shop from our home in Burbank, and for some reason Mom always liked to drive along this one street that was very shady and residential, and lined with Jacaranda trees.
I don't know how many out there know about Jacarandas, but they are very lush, green trees that bloom two or three times a year with the most amazing clouds of lavender blossoms. They're absolutely gorgeous, especially when there are lots of the Jacarandas lining the street. They're also messy and sappy as hell, but I couldn't care less about that at the time. (We had a Magnolia next to the street in front of our house, not sappy but our yard was constantly littered with the leathery leaves that would never leave, constantly requiring raking. I'd have much preferred a Jacaranda.)
I wonder now if my mother timed her trips to the doo-dad store, just to take in those lavender clouds on the way and back. I wouldn't blame her one bit.
Posted by S. Woody White @ 10/12/2002 03:09 PM PST

Poor dear BK; I must post away, to lessen the chances of him having an aneurysm over non-participation issues.
JMK, I never pretended to run my own network, but my younger (by three years) brother and I would while away many an hour making audio recordings of TV shows starring...(fanfare) US! We would adlib a newscast, episodes of The Love Boat and The Brady Bunch (I'm afraid we weren't always terribly original...the Brady Bunch episode we pretended to be Bobby and Cindy, lost in the Grand Canyon), commercials, etc. I wish we'd kept some of them, they'd be wonderful to have now; but of course, we'd just tape over our old shows when we made new ones. :(
Ron, that is one hellacious list of fave TV shows. I thought I was a couch potato! I like a lot of the shows you mentioned, but the only ones I watched as a small child were re-runs of Mickey Mouse Club and Howdy Doody. Some shows I watched (in first-run) and loved as a child were:
Donny and Marie (and thus the wee Lulu was unknowingly exposed for the first time to the might and majesty of our own BK).
Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley (ditto) (I wore my screenprinted Fonzie "Aaaaaaay!" knee socks to a Brownie meeting once.)
Mork and Mindy
Love Boat and Fantasy Island
The Dukes of Hazzard
Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life
Welcome Back, Kotter
In looking back at this list, there isn't a one that I could watch today without shuddering, while the list of '50s shows has largely stood the test of time -- no fair! Of course, there were good '70s shows -- Mary Tyler Moore, Barney Miller, et. al -- yet I must honestly say that as child, I much preferred the boneheaded ones.
Favorite games: SPUD, freeze tag, TV tag (have to sit down and yell the name of a TV show in order to not get tagged...gets increasingly difficult, as you can't repeat titles), mother may I, red light / green light, "Monster" (weird game my dad made up, played by him, my brother and I), The Floor is a River Full of Crocodiles! (great excuse for walking all over the furniture), etc.
Posted by Lulu @ 10/12/2002 03:19 PM PST

Not even 9.00am and I feel guilty for not posting. What am I Jewish or Catholic? Guilt is not me.
Favourite things as a child. I used to ride my bicycle for miles (10 or so) to swim in a pool in the river. My best friend (mate)Gavin and I used to ride everywhere on our delightful second-hand bikes. We stayed at each other's house each weekend and went to the movies every Friday night and sat in the same seats. (M 21 & M 22). We were friends through most of our scholl years bu5t drifted when he wnr on to Art School and I went to Melbourne university. Arts and Economics students did not mix much! Gavin now runs a museum in Nothern New South Wales and were are email each other sometimes after meeting at a School Reunion about 5 years ago.
TV shows: Mickey Mouse Club of course. I was not as addicted as Ron (but then Australia did not have TV until I was 11 and we did not ahve a set until I was 13 or 14. I was certainly a radio addict (the wireless) and used to listen to the late afternoon serials such as Superman, Hop Harrigan, Biggles etc. I was an avid book reader. I was never "in to" toys. I used to read all the Enid Blyton books and I had 20+ of the Bobsie Twins book. (They always seemed to have a Birthday and Chistmas in each novel but did not age). I discovered the world of top 40 in about 1957 and wa addicted to that for the next decade.
Friendships are interesting to look back on aren't they. My closest friend in Grade School was Kevin and we lost contact when we went ot different High schools. I am no longer in frequent contact with anyone I knew at School (except my Dentist) but my sister has kept her closest friends all this time. I suspect it is gender related and the inability of boys (in most cases) to nurture friendships.
Thanks Ron for shaming everyone today. No time check needed for you today.
Great news from Jason.
I watched a wonderful DVd last night. Australian movie "Rabbit Proof Fence". All Australians should see it and maybe they would at last realise the "damage done". I am pleased we are at last facing up to truth and showing the world that the "lucky country" has made some horrific mistakes. Please see it if you can. i an also recommend "The Dish" as a real slice of late 60's Australiana.
Enjoy your weekend everyone.
Posted by Tom from OZ @ 10/12/2002 04:08 PM PST

I'm just back from picking up my laundry and going to my fave video store where I picked up the BK-acclaimed "Shop Around the Corner" and the 2-DVD "Beauty and the Beast" (claims to have 3 count 'em 3 versions of the film). Ads say that it's available for a "limited time" and will be withdrawn for 10 years. In Disney years, however, 10 years always seems more like 5.
Lulu...I've seen a lot of TV in my time. Most of the shows you listed were on when I was in my late 20s (the late 1970s). I did manage to miss several years of TV without ill effects. When I was in Italy from 1973 to 1977, I had no TV and -- BIG surprise -- I never missed it. I had my LPs and community theater...and all of Italy at my disposal. Every now and again I'll hear a trivia question that doesn't register with me...and it's always about some TV event during those years, although know about "Roots" and all.
There was a movie aired during those years called "Time After Time" starring Sir John Gielgud as a man with three sisters who were named April, May and Baby June. Maltin's guide gives it a very high rating and the "one" person I know who saw it would KILL to see it again. Perhaps someone here has seen it? It doesn't appear to have been ever released on video!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 04:09 PM PST

Well, Tom, what a trip down memory lane.
I can just see you and Gavin peddling madly down some lonesome road that stretches for miles and miles just to get to that pool in the river (and I can just hear how "pool in the river" sounds with an Aussie accent, too, mate!)
"The Bobbsie Twins" you say???? Hah! I never read 20 volumes, but I read a few of 'em myself, I reckon!
When I was a wee lad, up to the age of 6, I had a playmate across the street from my house named Jane. Jane was a year older than I was and my mom didn't want me playing with her as much as I did. Today, Jane is still in that town where I lived as a lad and she still remembers me vividly...as that 6-year-old boy. She has grown, but is mentally about 7 years old. She does retain her childlike spark and I can see still see in her what intrigued me as a child. It wasn't until I was about 13 that I had another close friend. Jim was his name and we discovered man things together, mainly films and film music and a passion for them. He turned his passion into a career via public television with an Atlanta-based show on which he interviewed anyone and everyone involved in film and theater. He remained my closest and dearest friend, with whom I would speak for an hour or more each month no matter where in the world we were, for more than 35 years. He died of a coronary in 1992. Until I discovered the internet discussion group "Filmus-L" in 1995, I felt quite alone. Now, the whole world is open to me and I've met some incredible people, none moreso than the folks who post here.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 04:21 PM PST

Ron: Yes, the first Beauty and the Beast disc contains all three versions of the film, only two of which are worth the time, IMO. The added number in the IMAX Special Edition is so seamlessly included that the original release is just repetitious. On the other hand, the Work In Progress version, while jarring at first, is a facinating viewing, genuinely giving the sense of what putting an animated film together takes.
Warning on some of the bonus stuff on disc two: again, some of it is repetitious. And some of the goodies are strictly for the kiddies. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
Oh, part of what made "Disney Time" was the introduction of the DVD format. Kinda reset all the clocks. I wasn't expecting to see the original Fantasia released again, after getting it on LaserDisc, but I'm glad it was.
Posted by S. Woody White @ 10/12/2002 04:22 PM PST

"Freudian" slip or typo???
With my friend Jim "we discovered many" things together.
Not "man" things. We were never "that" kind of friends!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 04:22 PM PST

Thanks, S. Woody, for the heads up! I have the original on VHS and was hoping this would include the IMAX version. That's the one I'll tackle first.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 04:25 PM PST

Ron,
Why do you have to move us
on a night like this ? :- )
BK,
Is your back giving you a break
at last ?
I was 21 when my parents
bought their first TV set, and
since this is France, I won't
mention shows to which you
won't and can't relate.
Aren't you relieved ?..........
Saw reruns of Mickey Mouse
Club in the seventies when in
Canada, and always thought
that Darlene was mighty
talented..........
Used to like Donny & Marie.
Does anybody remember
FAMILY with Matthew
Broderick's father and Christie
McNichols ? Loved that show...
Posted by Francois @ 10/12/2002 04:48 PM PST

Francois, YES, I remember Family! Wish they'd show it again. Why doesn't TV Land pick it up? The '70s are really a popular time to revisit right now. Really a nicely done show, considering its inherent limitations (stricter standards and practices policies, combined with the convention of the time that each episode had to be self-contained, rather than having a "story arc" spanning several episodes or even seasons). Kristy McNichol was really an incredibly talented young actress. I'd like to see it again.
BTW, I didn't watch it when it was originally on, because it was on from 10-11 pm (way past my bedtime). But I knew about it because my babysitter had a huge crush on Leif Garrett, who was on a couple of episodes as Kristy's boyfriend. :)
Posted by Lulu @ 10/12/2002 05:12 PM PST

I've blocked out most of my childhood. But i do remember likeing HR Puffenstuff and Scooby Doo. Also sort of remember Captain Kangaroo.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/12/2002 05:41 PM PST

Favorite TV show as a child -- it had to be Beanie & Cecil. Hmm, I wonder if the helicopter hat is still in my parent's attic......
Posted by Angela D. @ 10/12/2002 07:13 PM PST

Where are you all?
As a teenager I really enjoyed "The Rocky & Bullwinkle" show. Sort of camp funny. Loved fractured fairytales and of course "Tom Terrific".
Suspect I've written this in the past but here goes! I went to see the Mouseketers when they toured Australia in the late 50's. Cubby, Karen & Darlene. (or maybe Doreen)Jimmy & Roy too of course. for a few years afterwards I told people I really went to see "The Diamonds" who were the support act. I think Cubby O'Brien played the drums.
Posted by Tom Guest @ 10/12/2002 07:49 PM PST

I really didn't appreciate Rocky and Bullwinkle until i was much older.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/12/2002 08:03 PM PST

I remember playing a very quaint little game called Siamese Twins Joined at the Thumbs with my brother when I was a wee sprig of a twig of a sprout of a tad of a youth. We also played Finger Ponies, Sock Ball, and Point at the Fly.
Posted by Sandra @ 10/12/2002 08:56 PM PST

Except for being in Girl Scouts, I was pretty much a loner in my school days. I used to roller skate and ride my bike a lot.
We mostly watched sit-coms and Carol Burnett at my house. I guess TV never really was a big thing in my life.
Posted by Laura @ 10/12/2002 10:22 PM PST

Err...ummm...oh, yeah..."Sea Hunt" was also a huge favorite.
I watched "Rocky and Bullwinkle," too.
And "Dobie Gillis"!!!!!!!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/12/2002 10:23 PM PST

All right, I'm guessing it's around 7:35 p.m. in Oz where Tom lives. You guys are just coming out of winter, aren't you? Having a springtime, with lengthening days????
I'm betting there's a doozy of a sunset in that eden where you live!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 10/13/2002 12:35 AM PST

Francois - where's your cedilla gone??? I usually copy it from your post, but I can't today!
Anyway, I won't bore y'all with a list of English TV shows from which you've never heard. But I do remember when we first got colour TV - it was so exciting! And the first thing they showed was Wimbledon - that, I believe, was when tennis balls changed from white to yellow so they'd show up better on colour TV.
I also remember Rowan & Martin's Laugh In as one of the first colour shows I watched.
I used to play out in our street all the time with my friends and it was very rare that we had to stop to let a car go by (and I'm not THAT old - 49 - which I suppose is ancient for you young high school whippersnappers). My mother lived in the same street until she died last year and there's no way any kids could play in the street now. Cars go up and down constantly. Such is the way of the world.
Posted by Allan @ 10/13/2002 02:01 AM PST

I was errant and truant yesterday, so I've just gone back and read yesterday's posts. So glad to see so many of you are 'blubbers' - I too get teary-eyed at a number of songs.
Does anyone know 'Weird Romance' by Alan Menken? It's a double bill of two shows and the second one 'Her Pilgrim Soul' has me in floods of tears every time I listen to it. It's all about reincarnation and I won't tell you the story as it would look daft in print, but many's the time I've had it on my car CD player and been driving along with tears streaming down my face - not very safe methinks.
I've also been 'educating' one of my young colleagues at work about musicals by giving her cast CDs to listen to. She loved Carousel so I told her the story and had to stop twice as I was recounting it as I was overcome! (the bit where Billy slaps his daughter and the bit where he tells her to 'believe' when she's listening to the speech at her graduation) - how pathetic is that?
Posted by Allan @ 10/13/2002 02:30 AM PST

I am not into weeping at movies but the one that does it every time for me is Carousel. And yes Allan it is where Billy slaps his daughter and she tells her mother that it id not hurt. How many times have I seen the movie or the stage show - and it still get to me. I find the end of Sunday In The Park to be especially moving as well. Pathetic. NO.
Posted by Tom Guest (from OZ) @ 10/13/2002 02:38 AM PST

I hope somebody reads these early-morning posts of mine, I really do.
Well, Tom of Oz mentioned radio, and I was lucky to be born early enough to catch the tail end of the heyday of radio, before TV thrashed it to death.
Anyone here remember radio? (Stan Freberg reference.)
My brother and I were allowed to leave the radio on when we went to bed. Nightly we listened to "The Great Gildersleeve" and "Fibber McGee and Molly". The next day, the one who stayed awake longest had to tell the other what happened after he fell asleep. But I never fell asleep during the enthralling "Who is Citizen X" stories on Fibber and Molly.
And we listened to "Gunsmoke" with William Conrad and his amazingly deep voice. Of course, when it was turned into a TV show, he was too fat for the part, and didn't resurface until he got his own series, "Caonon" many years later and even later "Nero Wolfe" and "Jake and the Fat Man". Did you know he also narrated "Rock and Bulwinkle?".
And of course, "Father Knows Best" and "The Eve Arden Show" and "Jack Benny" and "Red Skelton" all eventually went to TV too.
But I even vaguely remember Fanny Brice as Baby Snooks from when I was a wee twig of a sprig of a lad.
And "The Inner Sanctum"--scary! Scripts by Ray Bradbury and the like. And "Johnny Dollar, the Insurance Investigator with the Action-Packed Expense Account". Every scene would open with something like, "Item: Two dollars for coffee and lunch", and follows lunch with a suspect. That was my introduction
to the Hard-Boiled Detective Genre.
And what was that show that would have radio versions of recent movie releases, starring different actors but still major stars?
The day my parents first bought a television they had a bridge party in the living room, while my brother and I were allowed to stay up late watching TV in the den. It was "Schlitz Playhouse of Stars". For years all I remembered was that it was about a lady who got something in her eye at the train station. I only realized decades later that it was Noel Coward's Brief Encounter. How shocked my parents would have been if they had known our first television show was a story of adultery!
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/13/2002 03:08 AM PST

Allan:
You can make your own cedilla by typing ampersand folled by "ccedil" without the quotes, follwed by a semi-colon, all with no spaces. If I can do this right (not guarrantees) it should look like this:
ç
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/13/2002 03:11 AM PST

Well, that's the final product. But what you type is:
ç
Posted by William F. Orr @ 10/13/2002 03:13 AM PST

William - thanks, but when I type ç it just looks like ç - what am I doing wrong?
And you can be sure that the European and Australian contingent at least read your early morning postings, as it's not early morning for us (I'm just about to go and cook the Sunday lunch).
Posted by Allan @ 10/13/2002 03:34 AM PST

Oh look - magic! When I typed what you told me to, it just looked like "ç" before I posted. I'll just slink back into my hole now.
Posted by Allan @ 10/13/2002 03:36 AM PST

OK I give up - I can't now NOT type a c with a cedilla. That last post should have said 'it looked like ampersand ccedil semi-colon before I posted'. Let's see what happens now ...
Posted by Allan @ 10/13/2002 03:39 AM PST

Allan,
I might know a couple of the shows you watched in England growing up...in the '50s and '60s, right? Did you listen to The Goon Show? Or watch Dr. Who?
"Her Pilgrim Soul" is a very touching story. It was originally -- brace yourself -- a 1985 episode of the TV show "The New Twilight Zone." I know...strange, eh?
Wm. F. Orr: I read your early morning post, I did, I did! I love those radio shows; enjoy listening to them even today. RE: film adaptations, you perhaps thinking of The Lux Radio Theater? Sometimes DVDs (usually Criterion) include the radio adaptation of the movie as an extra -- "Rebecca" has no less than three radio adaptations included! Yippee!
Time for turkey bacon. Ciao.
Posted by Lulu @ 10/13/2002 04:52 AM PST

Lulu - The Goon Show was just before my time, but I was certainly an avid watcher of the first series of Dr Who. On radio there was a show called "I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again" and I remember they did a sketch called The Julie Andrews Dirty Songbook where they bleeped out certain words in her songs - eg "I could have *bleep* all night and still have begged for more" and "The hills are alive with the sound of *bleep*" and "All I want is a *bleep* somewhere, far away from the cold night air, warm *bleep*, warm *bleep*, warm *bleep*, oh wouldn't it be luvverly".
We laughed!
Posted by Allan @ 10/13/2002 07:01 AM PST

Allan: I think I've heard of I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again. Didn't John Cleese work on it? Or maybe it was one of the other Pythons. The Julie Andrews sketch, as described, sounds hilarious.
My husband's a big fan of Dr. Who, particularly Wm. Hartnell (the first doctor). Did you watch the Gerry and Sylvia Anderson shows? We've got Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet released to DVD here (finally!). Also their later live-action shows UFO and Space 1999. Now all we need is Stingray and our lives will be complete. I've been longing to hear the closing credits theme "Marina" for simply ages...
Posted by Lulu @ 10/13/2002 07:10 AM PST

Just want to thank BK for a cracker jack trivia question. Unfortunately I am unable to eat cracker jacks as I am on the Atkins diet.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 10/13/2002 07:33 AM PST

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