November 1, 2019

Around the dial

As you may recall, we skipped this feature last week due to my secret out-of-town mission; the nice thing about that is that we always have plenty to look at when we come back, and this week is no exception. Let's get started!

At Classic Film and TV CafĂ©, Rick has an interview with television and movie star Constance Towers, who has some wonderful stories about working with Raymond Burr on Perry Mason, being directed by John Ford and Samuel Fuller, and more.

Jack's Hitchcock Project continues at bare•bones e-zine with part three of Bill S. Ballinger's contributions; this one is the fifth-season episode "The Hero," with Eric Portman and Oscar Homolka in a sinister story of a guilty conscience.

The Last Drive In features a look at Gary Gerani, who's written a number of classic horror movies (Pumpkinhead), but I remember him for having written the book Fantastic Television: A Pictorial History of Sci-Fi, the Unusual and Fantastic From Captain Video to the Star Trek Phenomenon and Beyond..., which I read around the time I was just getting into Doctor Who. Great fun!

Fire-Breathing Dimetrodon Time reviews "Bounty Hunters' Convention," an episode of the beloved Western comedy-fantasy The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., which I've mentioned before as a show that was perhaps ahead of its time. In today's age of smaller television audiences, I wonder if this series wouldn't have continued for a few years.

Apropos of Halloween, Inner Toob looks at the four actresses who've played Marilyn Munster, the black sheep of the Munster family. Is it possible this character has appeared in other series? I love the weird twists that that Inner Toob takes with questions like this.

Sticking with that theme, at Comfort TV, David talks about a Halloween Comfort TV classic: Ghost Story, the 1972 anthology series hosted by Sebastian Cabot (at least until it changed its title and format). I don't know why I remember this series, but I do; it may have something to do with it being on NBC, the only station we could get in the World's Worst Town™.

At Garroway at Large, Jodie plugs her new book, which is not about Dave Garroway; it's Ben Robertson: South Carolina Journalist and Author, and you ought to buy it. For that matter, so should I.

This week, Cult TV Blog is back in the world of Gideon's Way with the episode "The Nightlifers," and I have to admit becoming more curious about this series the more John talks about it. It's a show that really depicts the time in which it was made, which is one reason why I recommend watching shows from the time rather than modern shows that try to show it like it was. TV  

4 comments:

  1. Thanks, Mitchell! Hope your trip went well.

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    1. Thank you, Jack! Yes, the trip was a success, but it sure was good to get back home!

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  2. Your “Around the Dial” posts are always informative and fun!

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    1. Thanks, Rick - I really appreciate that! Of course, it's the Classic TV Blog Association that deserves the credit!

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Thanks for writing! Drive safely!