Welcome
to TVparty.com, the internet's premier classic TV
Web site
featuring your favorite television
shows from the golden age of entertainment!
New
in the TVparty TV Blog!
I guess this shouldn't be too much of a surprise in a way - Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors Thursday. I can't think of anyone who reached such heights in his career and made more of a mess of things. Only Elvis comes close.
Remember The Jackson's 1970's variety series? Not many people do, it debuted in the summer of 1976 and did well enough to return in the spring of 1977. It fizzled in the ratings and was soon gone for good. (Here's the opening for a second year show.) Michael wasn't sorry to see the series go, he didn't want to do it in the first place. It wasn't long after that his phenomenal solo album with Quincy Jones Off The Wall was released and the era of Michael Jackson was underway. Read
and watch more...
Remember Gale Storm These past few weeks' bizarre, coincidental hecatomb of celebrity deaths (Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon), and the media’s ongoing coverage of them, no doubt means that the passing of TV, film and recording star Gale Storm (who died June 26 at age 87) will not receive near the coverage and attention that it deserves. Granted, of course, though Storm was a successful recording artist, she’s wasn’t Michael Jackson and even she freely admitted that some of her body of work (like her film career) was rather minor and scattershot. But, nevertheless, she was, in her time, a major TV star and, in retrospect, she’s an often under-remembered, under-appreciated small screen icon. Read
more...
New TV Show Reviews Shouting Fire: Stories From the Edge of Free Speech debuts on Monday June 29th, another brilliant but ultimately disturbing HBO documentary that may have you rethinking what being an American means today. The documentary takes a balanced approach. It's not just left-wingers that are being marginalized in this nationwide assault on our freedoms, this revealing film looks at several examples across the spectrum - like the egregious crackdown on protesters at the 2004 Republican convention and a conservative high schooler's battle with teachers and administrators over a controversial T-shirt he felt he had a right to wear. Read
and watch more...
LOOK FOR IT HERE!
Mystery Science Theater 3000 - Collection 15 The release of a new set of episodes of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” (MST 3K) is always a bigger treat for MSTies than a plateful of hamdingers. The DVD set, which will be released on July 7, of the 15th collection of four episodes is no exception but is less strong than some prior sets.
This entertaining series was an early import from a Minneapolis UHF station to Comedy Central, nee the Comedy Channel, in the mid-1980s and aired later on the SciFi Channel.
MST 3K involves amiable goofy human host Joel, succeeded by slightly less amiable goofy human host Mike, and two robot puppets making sarcastic remarks during truly awful movies that mad scientists force them to watch to determine their tolerance level for the worst that Hollywood produced. Read
more...
TV SHOWS ON DVD REVIEW Entourage: The Complete Fifth Season Entourage is one of my all time favorite television shows, the way the writers torture these emotionally retarded characters is what keeps me watching, it's soap opera in the best sense. Entourage has been described as Sex In The City for guys but I don't think that's a fair assessment; there's more meat on these bones if you'll excuse the pun. As someone who used to work in the industry, Entourage (along with Curb Your Enthusiasm) is in some ways one of the more realistic shows on TV. That's key to why so many people don't like the show, I'm guessing. On the surface this is a collection of mostly unlikable characters, it's perhaps not so easy for many viewers to find the redeeming qualities that lie below the surface. That's a skill you develop living in Los Angeles surrounded by feckless, overly-ambitious, narcissistic individuals. Read and watch more...
New TV Show Review Jesse James Is A Dead Man Notorious Chopperhead Jesse James returns with a new series that has him engaging in death defying stunts that would surpass Evel Knievel's most vivid nightmare. His first challenge - attempt to ride the Nitro Bike, a top fuel, two-wheeled rocket that unleashes 1,000 horsepower to propel the rider to speeds of up to 132 mph. That's a lot of G-force; basically a nitrogen bomb strapped between the guy's legs, a fireball in search of a errant spark. Read and watch more...
Movies on DVD Reviews:
Star Trek Motion Picture Trilogy The newly released remastered DVD collection of the “Spock Saga,” which consists of “Star Trek II,” “Star Trek III,” and “Star Trek IV” from the 1980s with their wonderfully campy big-haired and broad-shouldered ‘80s look are another example of incredible enhancement of “Star Trek” productions. The remastering is particularly spectacular regarding the placement shots that has the Enterprise orbiting a planet or that depicts the planet itself. The only drawback to this incredible improvement is that rare scenes that have not been remastered seem worse in comparison than they appeared when they were released originally. Fortunately, such instances are few and far between. Read more...
Ric
Flair, Dusty Rhodes &
the Legend of Baby Doll!
They
called her "Nicola, the Lady Giant." She cut an impressive figure
at almost six feet tall, clad all in leather with a punk haircut and a
saucy reputation for destroying people in the ring; she was Chyna before
Chyna. In 1984, Nicole turned up down south with a new identity and a
brand new dream. She realized if she couldn't be champion herself, she
could be the girlfriend of the champion. Read
and watch more...
History
of the Tabloids On
August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley died suddenly. Like tapping a rich
vein of crude oil, tabloid sales went through the roof, spiking at
seven million when Elvis appeared on the cover of the National
Enquirer - lying embalmed in his coffin. In
the ensuing media circus surrounding Elvis' death, the Enquirer herded so many reporters into Nashville they had to buy a $100,000
fully furnished home for them all to camp out. Read
and watch more...
Lancelot
Link, Secret Chimp
'I
Created Lance Link' takes you behind the minds behind the show, it's a
fascinating look into the makings of a classic show and an intimate glimpse
into the lives of two of TV's greatest comedy writers. The film was shot
at the home of Stan Burns, where he and Mike Marmer relate one funny anecdote
after another about the chimp series. Read
and watch more...
Saturday
Mornings 1977 There
were lots of 'new' shows for kids to choose from in 1977, but they failed
to click and most of them were gone by February. After almost a decade
of the same-old, same-old from the big three electronic sausage factories,
seventies' kids were growing restless on Saturday mornings. That restlessness
translated into a record number of Saturday AM shows being cancelled mid-season. Read
and watch more..
Saturday
Morning Shows 1971
1970
was a very good year for network Saturday morning revenues, so 1971
brought a continuation of the shows that were working - along with remakes
of proven series from the past. All three networks started giving in
to pressure from parent groups to offer more educational, and less violent
programs. For the most part, they were all flops. Read
and watch more...
Great TV Commercials of the Early-1970s
Some
of the most memorable commercial jingles and catch phrases of all
time! "Does
she or doesn't she (only her hairdresser knows for sure)," "You're
not getting older, you're getting better," "No cat ever
walked away from Friskies Buffet," "Kawasaki lets the good
times roll," "I don't use soap anymore," "Who's
behind those Foster Grants?" ...and so many more! Read
and watch more...
Game Shows 1974 A
rundown of all the daytime network game shows from the summer of 1974,
along with audio clips from actual 1974 airchecks, when they could
be found. Sadly, many of these series were erased by the networks
(especially the NBC shows) and no longer exist in any form - except
right here. Read
and watch more...
Cher's
Lost Recordings
The
timing of the release was lousy, that's for sure. Cher and Greg were on
the cover of High Times magazine in 1977 billed as the 'Narc Couple of
the Year' because Allman ratted out some of his best buddies and band
mates to avoid going to prison on drug possession charges (and it was
all Cher's fault, the story went). Not all publicity is good publicity, Allman and Woman was D.O.A. in record stores. Read
and hear more...
Sandy
Becker's 50th Anniversary "Anyone
who grew up in New York in the 50's and 60's had to know Sandy Becker.
He shaped a lot of our personalities. Along with Hambone, Norton Nork,
and The Old Professor, I remember his lovable puppets, Geeba Geeba and
Marvin Mouse. Sandy
Becker was one of a kind. He really seemed to care about his audience
and about the welfare of the younger generation. We could sure use a Sandy
Becker today." Read
and watch more...
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!" Read
and watch more...
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. Read
and watch more...
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!" Read and watch more...
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. Read
and watch more...
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. Read and watch
more...
Then
Came Bronson Easy
Rider was a hit in 1969, a movie about two young counter-culture
cyclists looking for the "real" America. Perhaps Middle America was
not quite ready for that story on the small screen, but Then Came
Bronson expressed some of the themes of that movie in a way more
palatable to the mass audience (interestingly, the pilot movie was
completed before Easy Rider hit the screen, so TCB was not a knockoff.) Read and
see more...
Family
Affair: Every Parent's Dream? The
apartment was not only enormous and luxurious, but contained the only
kids' rooms in history which invariably looked like magazine layouts.
Jody's carefully displayed tools and toys were never used, unless
one counts the time when he and Buffy created Uncle Bill's trophy
from contraband modeling clay. Read and
see more...
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! Read
and see more...
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. Read
and watch more...
STOP
CABLE TV!
An
aggressive campaign against cable TV was waged 40 years ago by
local TV broadcasters and movie theater owners who felt threatened
by the idea of multiple channels and clear reception. There was
even an ad that ran with the previews before the movies that warned
of the slippery slope that would come with the dreaded wire.
Dick
Kallman as Hank "Dick
was stabbed to death in 1980 during
a 'drug induced' robbery - while most of the articles mention he
was murdered in his apartment, it is my belief that he was abducted
by someone on drugs looking for money and forced him back to the
apartment... clearly it was a robbery and a very violent one. I
never sat foot in our apartment again. I left everything I owned
in it to be sold. I could not bare to see it ripped and stained
with Dick's blood." Read
and watch more...
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!" Read
and watch more...
"Plunk
Your Magic Twanger, Froggy!" "I
am looking for a newspaper editorial - it could've been in a magazine
- written about the kid's show 'Andy's Gang' in which the writer
blames Froggy for causing the protest movement of the '60s. He said
Froggy's disrespectful behavior towards adults, which he demonstrated
every show, influenced the kids who were watching him and those
kids grew up to become the protesting college students of the sixties
who likewise showed disrespect towards their elders."
Read
and watch more...
Saturday
Mornings 1988
Just
as the networks gave in to years of lobbying from parental groups
and put an end to all violence on Saturday morning programs, syndicated
cartoons came along offering up violence galore. 1988-89 marked the
beginning of the end for the golden age of Saturday morning programming.
Read
and watch more..
It's
About Time This
was one of network TV's most beloved sitcoms and it only aired for
one year.
The series itself may not have been successful, but the show's theme
song is one of the most memorable of all time. People who never saw
the show became familiar with it! Like many Sherwood Schwartz productions,
the theme gives you the entire premise of the show in hummable fashion.
But will
we ever see this classic on DVD? Read
and watch more...
Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling 20
years ago, the women of GLOW took to the ring and were slammed by
those people who always criticize wrestling for lowering TV standards
to new depths. But it was a very popular show - and no wonder! Read
and watch more...
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! Read
more...
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!
1980's
TV Wrestling - Greats and Near Greats! NOW WITH ADDED RARE VIDEO!
John
Hitchcock's look back at the heart of Mid-Atlantic Wrestling - with
grapplers known and unknown. Wahoo McDaniel! Ric Flair! Dusty Rhodes!
Jim Cornette! Magnum TA! Buddy "Killer" Austin! Johnny Weaver!
Johnny Valentine! Harley Race! Dick Murdock! Jimmy Garvin! Nikita Koloff!
Have you ever heard of these guys?!? Read
and watch more...
1980's
PUNK ROCK
In the early-eighties, young people in Los Angeles were flocking to
makeshift clubs in droves to see new, up and coming bands. Live new
music, not DJs, was what they craved. These writings provide a sketchy
look at the underground club scene in Los Angeles during the time
that groups like X, Missing Persons, The Go-Go's, The Minutemen and
Wall of Voodoo entered the public consciousness. Read
and see more...
BONUS
FOR COMIC BOOK FANS:
Alex
Toth Interview "As
all manner of artists, writers, composers, actors, directors, photographers,
designers, sculptors and graphics specialists will admit, they all
seek to strip away all the superfluous embellishments of style and
technique in order to get to their own concept of truth." Read
more...
"A
twisted walk
down memory lane!"
- Sharon Edry, TV Guide
"Top
Five Sites! Interviews and articles... are must reads."
- London Sunday Times
"It's
too good to be true. Put together by Billy Ingram, TVparty.com has gossip,
scandal, sex, singing, dancing, action, drama and celebrities with their
'original parts.''
- LA Times
"An ingenious tribute that elevates the TV past to artlike proportions.
Site guru Billy Ingram has compiled features both over-the-top and museum
worthy, blissful nostalgia for those born in the '40s or the '80s."
A+
- Entertainment Weekly
"Get
the inside scoop on all your favorite classic TV shows at TVParty."
- USA Today
"Plunk
Your Magic Twanger, Froggy!"
Classic
TV on DVD - Archived Reviews!
1980's
TV Wrestling - Greats and Near Greats!
BONUS
FOR COMIC BOOK FANS:
Dick
Kallman as Hank
Sea
Hunt
