Around the dial

It's a good week for retrospectives here at the old homestead. Let's start at The Last Drive-In with a comprehensive look back at the career of Piper Laurie, featuring some wonderful pictures. We think of her in movies, but she's done a lot of TV during her long and glorious career.

Next up is James Garner, who claims his share of movie and TV credits as well. He's the subject of the James Garner Blogathon at Reelweegiemidget, and you'll want to click through to a week's worth of enjoyable essays on this most enjoyable actor.

William Holden is an actor I've always liked, and of course, he features in one of the greatest of all time movies about television, Network. But at Classic Film and TV Café, Rick reminds us of a movie that's not nearly as heavy, and has a lot of action besides: The Devil's Brigade.

Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) is one of those shows I read about and hear about all the time, but I've never checked it out, sad to say. But if anyone can talk me into it, it's Fire-Breathing Dimetrodon Time; see what's what with "The Glorious Butranekh."

Gene Reynolds, whose credits as a television creator and developer include M*A*S*H and Lou Grant, died this week at the age of 96, and at A Shroud of Thoughts Terence has a retrospective on the many, many series that he was involved in over the years. What a career.

Speaking of careers, what a career Kirk Douglas had. What a life! I always think of him as a dangerous actor, full of fire and energy and capable of anything at a moment's notice. He mostly appeared on television as himself, promoting or spoofing his movies, which themselves are on TV all the time. At The Lucky Strike Papers, Andrew has a short but sweet appreciation that ends with a quote on death that we should all keep in mind.

Short but sweet this week, but you know what that means: even more to look at next week. And, of course, a TV Guide to keep you entertained tomorrow. TV