tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post8240267646944180918..comments2024-03-27T22:27:16.556-04:00Comments on It's About TV: What's on TV? Wednesday, July 6, 1960Mitchell Hadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08695771505209080030noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post-36245964259130793802015-06-30T01:52:07.023-04:002015-06-30T01:52:07.023-04:00Some while back, I believe I might have mentioned ...Some while back, I believe I might have mentioned a popular Chicago radio personality named Roy Leonard, who was a mainstay at WGN radio and TV from the '60s through the early 2000's.<br />Sugar Roy (as he was called because of his easy-going on-air manner) came to Chicago circa 1966, after starting out in Boston - which is how I know that WNAC's 6:15 newscaster is the same guy.<br />I'll guess that Roy Leonard was pretty popular in Boston back in '60, but in Chicago he became a local institution - and even now, several years after his passing, he still evokes fond memories.<br />His son, Kelly Leonard, has been creative director at The Second City, the legendary Chicago comedy improve theater, for many years now.<br /><br />Because I'm too lazy to start this twice, here's a comment about your Ernie Kovacs post from Saturday:<br /><br /><i>Take A Good Look</i> was an example of <i>quid pro quo</i>: in exchange for doing this "panel quiz", the Consolidated Cigar Company gave Ernie Kovacs one week per month to do his own specials, with no interference by either themselves or the ABC network.<br />Each week, Kovacs got to do one of his silent commercials for Dutch Masters cigars, which Consolidated's boss, Jack Mogulescu, loved.<br />As part of the same deal, Edie Adams became the singing spokeswoman for Muriel, another Consolidated brand (after Kovacs's death, that deal continued for several more years).<br /><br />I noted that TAGL aired in Boston on Saturday; its regular network timeslot was Thursday at 10:30, after <i>The Untouchables</i> but many ABC affiliates delayed TAGL to other nights, as was the case here. In many of the surviving TAGL shows, Kovacs makes mocking reference to when (or if) viewers might be seeing whatever show he was doing that night.<br /><br />The sad fact, as verified by several biographies, is that Kovacs simply couldn't handle money.<br />What he didn't spend, he gambled away... mainly to friends, who didn't sweat him for repayment, but the IRS wasn't nearly as accommodating.<br />That he didn't get to do his own feature film, as opposed to taking acting jobs in other people's movies - well, if he hadn't been killed ...<br /><br /><br /><br />.Mike Dorannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post-10655518031105663452015-06-29T22:34:09.240-04:002015-06-29T22:34:09.240-04:00It is true that Lowell Thomas took a dim view of t...It is true that Lowell Thomas took a dim view of the proceedings on THIS IS YOUR LIFE. Ralph Edwards said years later that Thomas called it a "sinister conspiracy" on the air! I remember reading about Thomas' reaction in one of Kermit Schafer's blooper books too. "Lowell Thomas, you're going to enjoy seeing all of your friends we have gathered here tonight." Thomas: "I doubt it!"Halhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09291930694234773688noreply@blogger.com