This week is the birthday of the TV and film actress best known (to me, anyway) as one of the cast of the classic TV show Mission:Impossible. Lynda Day George was born on December 11, 1944. She was another of my first crushes as a kid; I was attracted to her beauty and charm, and what I guess now I would call "class." I was not really old enough to "remember" the original Mission:Impossible, but it was one of the shows my dad liked to watch on Saturday nights, and I remember that not only was she beautiful but she was a great spy, which was cool.
I picked up this issue of TV Guide from an antique mall a few years ago. I kept meaning to post the article about her, but then forgot about it. In celebration of Ms. George's birthday, I present the article from January 22, 1972 in its entirety.
Was 1967 the greatest year in US television history?
Well, I guess that depends on what the criteria is for quality. There weren't a whole lot of lead women on TV yet (but it was getting better). THAT GIRL, for example, was on its second year. There weren't a whole lot of minority characters, either, but the ones that *were* there were not maids, such as Uhura on STAR TREK or Barney on MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE. So things were getting better.
I'm sure arguments could be made for more overall quality in different years, but just take a look at the shows that were on the air as of September 1967. See for yourself how many of these shows have stood the test of time and are still beloved, 50 years later!
Today marks the anniversary of the debuts of two iconic television series: Gilligan's Island made its debut on CBS-TV on this date in 1964, and then five years later to the day, The Brady Bunch made *its* debut on ABC-TV.
Sixty-seven years ago today, on September 15, 1949, The Lone Ranger television series premiered. Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels became huge stars, and the series was televised for the next eight years. For the third season Moore was replaced by John Hart, but the fans did not like him as much, so Moore returned for the last two seasons. The show finally went off the air in 1957, and was re-run for decades afterwards.
Last week I asked you to try to remember something from 50 years ago that is still vibrant and
"fresh" today. Star Trek is the obvious answer, but today we celebrate another television series that made its debut 50 years ago. Yes, The Monkees made their debut on NBC-TV on September 12, 1966. The episode was "Royal Flush," with music "videos" of "This Just Doesn't Seem To Be My Day" and "Take a Giant Step."
And while Star Trek conquered TV, film, toys, and other aspects of pop culture, it never had a number one single or number one album. The Monkees were the first to blur TV, acting, and music in a way that still has repercussions today.
I have a pop-culture question for you, and I don't want the title of this post to necessarily affect your answer in any way. Go ahead and name a TV show that is at least 50 years old that you think still has some cultural resonance today. For example, "I Love Lucy" is a good example of what I mean; is there anyone over the age of 12 who doesn't recognize the four leads from that show, and who laughs whenever the show comes on?
Similarly, is there anyone in the United States who would not be able to recognize the classic Starfleet uniform, the USS Enterprise, or maybe even Mr. Spock?
Continuing the story from the past two weeks, when I found this issue of TV Guide for sale at an antique mall I knew I would love it. It was wrapped in plastic, but I knew that at the very least the cover story would be about one of the featured Mission: Impossible stars.
When I took it out of its plastic wrap, I was pleasantly surprised to find an article about rising star Vicki Lawrence, from The Carol Burnett Show. Then after I had read *that* article, I stumbled upon THIS headline:
Continuing the story from last week, when I found this issue of TV Guide for sale at an antique mall, even though it was wrapped in plastic I just knew that I would love it for the promised Mission: Impossible article inside.
What I did not know was that besides the other three "featured" articles as listed on the cover, this issue also featured an un-heralded interview slash profile of rising new star Vicki Lawrence, from The Carol Burnett Show!
My wife loves to go antique shopping. I usually go with her, only because while she is looking for Fire King kitchenware, I am looking for forgotten (or heretofore unknown) popular culture treasures.
One of the great things I have happened upon are old issues of TV Guide. Besides the weekly TV show listings (which are a fun time-capsule in and of themselves), every issue features profiles or interviews with television celebrities.
My heart jumped into my throat when I saw the above issue. I think I bought it for three or four bucks? I don't remember, but it was certainly worth every penny!
To help celebrate the birthday of Mrs. Emma Peel, I thought I would scan cards in the Strictly Ink Avengers Series One collectible card set that feature Diana Rigg. I figured many people hadn't seen these before....
Fifty years ago tonight, the concluding chapter of the first story-arc from BATMAN had its debut. The second episode, "Smack In The Middle," with guest-stars Jill St. John and Frank Gorshin, aired on Thursday, January 13, 1966. What a way to go-go, indeed.
On September 22, 1964 an unknown spy organization made its unheralded debut on network television. The Man From UNCLEwas green-lighted as a series after NBC executives saw the pilot film and thought that they could ride the coat-tails of the then-uber popular James Bond spy trend.
Little did they know that The Man From UNCLE would not only ride those coat-tails, they would expand on them. The series ended up lasting four years, spawning a spin-off series, and creating a merchandise bonanza with toys, books, and games that lasted for years.
Fifty years ago today, on September 15, 1965, the TV series Lost in Space made its debut with their first episode, "The Reluctant Stowaway." Although as a series it was never as good as Star Trek, the first five episodes of this series taken together ranks as one of the greatest science-fiction dramas in TV history.
September 8th is one of those seminal dates in TV history. Like the date that I Love Lucy made its debut (October 16, 1951) , or the date when David Janssen found his wife's murderer on The Fugitive (Aug 29, 1967). In fact, today is an important date for two separate groups of nerds.
Gene Roddenberry was born on August 18, 1921. He served in the Army Air Forces during World War II, then returned to California and worked as a police officer before he broke into screenwriting and then producing.
I like Christmas. The main reason I like it is the embracing of optimism and the recharging of your soul with Good Will Towards Others. So each year I enjoy watching the same classical movies and TV specials to help pump me up for dealing with the same old Evil we have to face everyday...which is probably true of all of you, too, right? In my Christmas circuit, though, I usually don't watch ALL of my choices every year; I usually skip a year. For example, I'll watch Grinch this year but not Frosty, then put Frosty back on the rotation circuit for next year. I'm sure some of you will disagree with my choices, but here in no particular order are My Magnificent Seven Christmas Films.
Was 1964 the greatest year in television history? Well, no. I'm not going to argue that. But I will suggest that it was pretty darn special. Take a look at the following shows that made their debuts in the fall of 1964 right around the same time I made *my* initial curtain call and tell me you don't recognize more than a few of these shows.
NEW in 1964:
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Bewitched
The Munsters
Daniel Boone
Jonny Quest
The Addams Family
Gomer Pyle
Gilligan's Island
Flipper
Underdog
And of course there are these shows which were not brand new that year but were still on the air with first-run episodes:
Wagon Train
My Favorite Martian
Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color
Bonanza
The Fugitive
The Red Skelton Show
The Alfred Hitchcock Show
Peyton Place
The Andy Griffith Show
The Lucy Show Petticoat Junction
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Dick Van Dyke Show
The Patty Duke Show
The Flintstones
The Donna Reed Show
My Three Sons
Perry Mason
Hazel
Rawhide
The Jack Benny Show
The Lawrence Welk Show
Outer Limits
Gunsmoke
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson
So...yeah...the fall of 1964 seems like it was a pretty good time. A bit on the black and white side, but Color TV was just around the corner...!
Guy Williams was born Armand Joseph Catalano on January 14, 1924. He grew up in the Bronx, but instead of wanting to be an insurance broker like his father, he dreamt of being an actor.
After WWII he made his first trip to Hollywood. In 1946 he signed with MGM and changed his name to "Guy Williams." He worked mostly in commercials. When he signed another contract a few years later with Universal-International, he began appearing in supporting roles in several films, most famously as a police officer in I Was A Teen-Aged Werewolf (1957) with Michael Landon.
1957 was also the year Guy answered an open audition for Walt Disney Productions. They were producing a new television series, ZORRO, based on the swashbuckler who had appeared in two motion pictures starring Douglas Fairbanks and Tyrone Power. Guy got the part, not only because of his tall, dark, and handsome looks but also because he had fencing experience. Do you know or remember ZORRO? He's the guy dressed all in black who roams the border between California and Mexico fighting injustice, cutting his initial "Z" into various places around the villages he protects. You may have seen the more recent Antonio Banderas films.
I have to say I have never seen any of the Guy Williams' ZORRO episodes or specials. Because they are owned by Disney, they were never really sold to syndication when I was growing up. They aren't at my local library, and I'm not going to pay $100 to get a complete season. They do LOOK fun, though.
After the series ended in 1961 Guy made a few films in Europe. Then in 1964 he thought he had gotten another big break, as he signed to co-star on one of the most popular television series of the time, BONANZA. Co-star Pernell Roberts had made his intention to leave clear, so the producers signed Guy to be the new "fourth lead." (The other leads were main star Lorne Greene, Dan Blocker, and Guy's former co-star, Michael Landon.) After Guy had appeared a few times, however, Roberts decided to stay on, forcing the producers to let Guy go.
At the time that probably bothered him greatly. However, because he was not tied to BONANZA Guy was able to film a pilot for producer/director Irwin Allen. This series became LOST IN SPACE, which ran from 1965-1968. Guy played the patriarch, Professor John Robinson, co-starring with June Lockhart as his wife, Dr. Maureen Robinson.
LOST IN SPACE is a silly series, but not because of the acting, which is top-notch across the board. Guy did the best he could with episodes about Space Hippies and Space Hill-billies. Even when he is giving water to an evil space carrot, you believe *he* believes in what he is doing.
After LOST IN SPACE ended Guy Williams retired from show business. During a visit to Argentina in 1973, Guy felt a strong attraction to the people and the culture. He moved there soon after, although he did make two final LOST IN SPACE inspired appearances in the US in 1983. One was on a celebrity episode of FAMILY FEUD and one was on an episode of GOOD MORNING AMERICA.
Guy Williams died the last week of April in 1989 of a brain aneurism. He was only 65 years old.
Happy Birthday, Guy Williams!
from the opening credits of BONANZA
in the first season costume for LOST IN SPACE (with June Lockhart)
in the second season costume
in a third season PR shot, with June Lockhart and Jonathan Harris
from their FAMILY FEUD appearance in 1983: Bob May (the Robot), Marta Kristen, Angela Cartwright, Guy, and June
Here's a preview to one of the best John Robinson-centric episodes of LOST IN SPACE,
