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OVERHEARD CONVERSATION
bob einstein - classic tv shows & stars If you asked me for a list of people working in television that I'd most like to talk to, at the top of that list would be Bob Einstein. I've been a long-time fan, since The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour where he played Officer Judy. Since that time he's been a television variety show writer / producer and is today best known for two roles - Super Dave Osborne and Larry David's nemesis Marty Funkhauser on Curb Your Enthusiasm. Listen to the interview.
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The Star Wars
Holiday Special?!?
The London Sunday Times calls this article by L. Wayne Hicks a "must read." George Lucas would like to forget about the first time he brought Star Wars to television. The occasion was something called The Star Wars Holiday Special, which aired on CBS only once, on Nov. 17, 1978. Although CBS hailed it as a two-hour "visual and audio delight," the made-for-TV mess was anything but.
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Kevin “Servo” Murphy discusses new MST 3K release
The upcoming release of the sixteenth volume of collections of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” (MST 3K) episodes excited me even more than the prior 15 collections because it provided a chance to interview series star Kevin Murphy. This was the equivalent of a Trekker getting to speak with Shatner.
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How Blacks were virtually banned from primetime TV for nearly 20 years!
The Hollywood establishment was eager to perpetuate the myth of the maternal Negro domestic - pleasantly overweight, cheerful, safe and eager to protect and serve.
Because of this long-standing practice, Hattie McDaniel found herself on the receiving end of a great deal of criticism from civil rights organizations. They urged her specifically, and other African-American actors in general, to avoid playing these types of demeaning roles.
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How John Wayne used TV
A longing look at the legend's last years. His TV appearances, battles with cancer, the last great films and how the Duke faced death head on. "On location in Durango, Mexico, he amazed me," film producer Hal Wallis stated. "Even though he was functioning on one lung and had a terrible scar running down his back, he showed no sign of illness or weakness. He did this own riding, roped in steers, rounded up cattle, and handled the fight scenes without a double. Only occasionally, in high country, was he short of breath."
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Christmas Specials of the 60s & 70s
TVparty-ers reflect on their favorite Christmas TV memories - from the Norelco Santa, Hardrock, Cocoa and Joe, Mr. Magoo, Bing Crosby and all the rest. What were your favorite holiday specials?
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Saturday Morning
Commercials (1960-1970)
"The only thing more existentially disturbing than the Trix Rabbit is the way kids used to torment Sonny the Cuckoo Bird with his obvious psychological addiction to Cocoa Puffs."
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Batman's Batmania!
Together with screenwriter Lorenzo Semple, Jr., executive producer William Dozier crafted a show that could be enjoyed by adults as well as kids. Batman debuted on January 12, 1966 on ABC and within the first few weeks, the telecast was attracting fifty-five percent of the viewing audience, with a surprising two-thirds over the age of eighteen.
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Hootenanny!
Picture this: about two hundred 18-23 year olds sitting in a semi-circle on the floor, digging the latest tunes by artists who sing and play acoustic instruments, while cameras tape the whole shebang for home viewers.
"MTV Unplugged?" Nope, it's Hootenanny, the ABC-TV series that capitalized on the popularity of folk music during the early 1960's. If it's remembered at all today, it's as the show that blacklisted Pete Seeger, a last gasp of McCarthyism that led to a boycott by Bob Dylan; Joan Baez; Peter, Paul & Mary; The Kingston Trio - practically every folk act that meant anything to the masses.
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Sandy Becker
"At eight years old, I thought Sandy was pretty hip. Now, since I've seen him off camera, it's been confirmed for me. I had the pleasure of meeting Sandy on the street in the late-1980s and it was a trill. He was very warm and knew right off where I was coming from as a fan of the show. I've met Robert Deniro, Carl Sagan, Bill Irwin, Mel Brooks... but before I approached Sandy Becker I was shaking like a leaf if you can believe it. It was not necessary because he was a great guy!"
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TV's First Angry Conservative!
Joe Pyne was the first outraged, outspoken, right-wing voice on national television, the father of modern conservative talk shows; blazing a path for Morton Downey, Jr., Wally George, Jerry Springer, Bill O'Reilly, Chris Matthews, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage and the rest. Never one to avoid controversy, Pyne claimed to keep a loaded gun in his desk drawer - and no wonder with the kooks he (or more accurately, the TV cameras) attracted.
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Philly Local Kid Shows
Bertie the Bunyip! Chief Halftown! Sally Starr! Pete Boyle! Gene London! Pixanne! Happy the Clown! Dickery Doc! Captain Noah! Our long and longing look at a golden era of local television, with dozens of rare photos and recordings.
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Poker On Television
Poker television grew huge around 2004 when the hole card cameras were introduced to make the game more enjoyable to watch. Both major tournament circuits, the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker, are covered pretty much in detail and then there are a number of smaller poker shows with or without celebrities. Check out ESPN2, ESPNC, Fox Sports or NBC for more poker TV. You may also watch poker on the internet. Sites like Youtube and PokerListings.com have a pretty good range of poker TV in their video archives.

Babylon's Baddest Boy?
Eight years ago, Robert Blake was living in relative obscurity, his life as a weekly TV star far behind him. Tragically, on the evening of May 4, 2001, Robert Blake made headlines when his new bride was brutally murdered in an alleyway. Soon he was on trial for his life. We have the whole sordid story of Robert Blake's dramatic rise and fall.
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Mack & Myer For Hire
In 1963, Trans-Lux Television of Norwalk, Connecticut, produced a series of live-action comedy films entitled Mack & Myer For Hire. The films centered around two bumbling yet lovable handymen, who shared an office/loft in Manhattan. They try and fail countless times to make a living, and more often than not end up making things worse, while helping others they hadn't even counted on. Although they always screw up, somehow, things usually end up right.
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Classic TV Kiddie Shows /Captain Kangaroo

Remembering Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo was the longest-running network children's show of all time - from 1955 until 1984, the good Captain could be seen mornings on CBS. Hugh "Lumpy" Brannum played sidekick Mr. Green Jeans, joining Cosmo Allegretti's hand-puppets Mr. Moose and Bunny Rabbit in the Captain's Treasure House.
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Enola Gay's In The Military
FROM 1950: The next time you're watching Jackass or Fear Factor or some sports stunt show, and you see a guy jump a car, set himself on fire, eat a bucket of worms or whatever, think about Col. Paul Tibbetts - who took off in a 1940's era airplane, flew it over the ocean with the biggest bomb ever made shoved up his ***, dropped that mega-bomb on target and - here's the best part - made it back alive! And by doing so, he ended a World War.
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The Redd Foxx Comedy Hour
"I remember it well because it was my first national television debut and I truly loved Redd. We had some real good talks and I met some really super artists. This was a huge springboard for me. I got a holding contract from ABC and a costarring role in a pilot at Paramount Studios. I was 27 years old then and I am a happy 52 now."
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1964 - Year in Review
After years of trial and error, the networks finally became somewhat adept at creating entertainment that appealed to the masses. Look at all of the familiar, iconic shows in the top 25 in 1964 and judge for yourself. But keep in mind, former FCC chairman Newton Minow referred to this era as a "vast wasteland." And while color TV was rapidly catching on, most of these programs were broadcast in black-and-white.
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One of Duke Ellington's Final TV Appearances
In the spring of 1970, former Ellington vocalist Joya Sherrill became the first African/American female to host a kid's TV show. Until now, no tapes of those shows were known to exist, but we uncovered two rare examples - including an episode of 'Time For Joya' featuring Sir Duke.
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Origin of the TV-Movie
Not only was the animated opening sequence to the ABC Movie of the Week a magnificent graphic achievement (and precursor to modern computer animation) but the 30-second teasers forever redefined motion picture advertising. We'll show you some of the best examples from the seventies.
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Winky Dink and You
"I used to watch Winky Dink... I had the kit, but I would intentionally draw the wrong things. When Winky needed a ladder to get out of a hole, I would draw a cover on the hole. When he needed a parachute, I would draw an anvil to pull him down, etc. I would tease my younger sister and tell her that I was making Winky die! Whenever she left the room crying, I would laugh and laugh. Winky was cool!"
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The Bette Davis Show?
Television's early years are one long blur of dizzy dames. The very idea of women in the workplace was usually met with belly-laughs or outright contempt on TV shows. Bette Davis would have none of this! On her program, the women wouldn't be played for laughs - they would be the players.
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Lucy Battles With Her Co-Stars
Most everyone loved Lucy but there were times when things got pretty heated on the set, especially when Tallulah Bankhead, Richard Burton and Joan Crawford appeared with the queen of comedy. After one taping, Crawford was quoted as saying, "My God, they tell me I'm a bitch - Lucy can outbitch me any day of the week!"
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Playboy After Dark
There were two remarkable attempts by Hefner to create a television spin-off of his famous magazine. While neither caught on in a big way, both were critical and audience hits with unique formats that presented timeless performances by some of the greatest comedians, jazz, soul, folk and be-bop artists of all time.
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Kids, Guns and TVs
Long before technology gave us realistic video games that allowed kids to simulate predatory gun fighting, America's children took to their backyards with toy guns to battle it out amongst themselves. We look at classic war toys sold during the Vietnam war era.
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Lucy's Tragic Last Series
"All of us 'little people' who worked on the show knew it was a complete train wreck, but the executive producers and writers insisted from the very beginning that Life With Lucy would zoom to the top of the ratings and be on the air for years. Sadly, this didn't prove to be the case. I can tell you the best shows were the ones that aired; the others were reaaalllly bad."
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Sky King
"Sky King was kind of a cowboy type that would fly around in a twin engine plane. I watched that show religiously. Every time the opening sequence was shown I had to be sitting directly in front of the TV set. The final shot while the opening credits were rolling was of the plane coming straight at you, very low to the ground, and zooming right over your head. I would always time it so that I rolled onto my back, as though the plane had come out of the set and just barely missed the top of my head." PLUS: one TVparty-er discovers the original Sky King hacienda!
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New York City Local Kid Shows
The most comprehensive look at local children's programs ever attempted. More than 75 pages with hundreds of photos. If you grew up in NYC you'll find all your favorites - The Merry Mailman, Sandy Becker, Bob McAllister, Wonderama, and dozens more along with rare video, audio and outtakes.
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Sea Hunt
"I have been looking for re-runs of a fabulous show that I'd like to request. Sea Hunt - the Lloyd Bridges (pre-comedy) underwater classic. My afternoon staple diet in the early to mid-sixties and it shaped my life since then. If you have anything about Sea Hunt, I'd be one happy '60's TV junkie!"
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Classic TV on DVD - Archived Reviews!
NEW: Tom Jones, Twin Peaks, Stargate Atlantis, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Dallas, Men Behaving Badly, Captain N, Hootenanny, ER, Wanda Sykes, Adventures of Superman, Battlestar Galactica, F Troop, and so many more hot DVD releases. And they're all deep discounted - for you!
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Classic TV Shows on DVD?
An extensive catalogue of every classic program available on DVD! See what's available today - with big discounts for you!