Category Archives: The Little Screen (Television)

Anniversary of the Debut of M*A*S*H

Posted on September 17, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Anniversary of the Debut of M*A*S*H

MASH

The series premiered on September 17, 1972, and ended February 28, 1983, with the finale becoming the most-watched television episode in U.S. television history.

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Little Screen (Television)

Premier of Hogan’s Heroes

Posted on September 17, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Premier of Hogan’s Heroes

Cast of Hogan's Heroes

Hogan’s Heroes premiered on September 17, 1965, and quickly became the most popular new show of the year. In fact, for several seasons it ranked in TV’s top 20 programs …but it never escaped the controversy it premise engendered: Was it immoral to portray history’s most evil killers as bumbling -even lovable- buffoons week after week, just to make a buck?

It ran for 168 episodes from September 17, 1965, to July 4, 1971, on the CBS network. Bob Crane starred as Colonel Robert E. Hogan, coordinating an international crew of Allied prisoners running a Special Operations group from the camp. Werner Klemperer played Colonel Wilhelm Klink, the incompetent commandant of the camp, and John Banner was the inept sergeant-of-the-guard, Hans Schultz.

168 Episodes, America must have decided it was ok… 🙂

Posted in On This Day, The Little Screen (Television)

Happy Birthday, John Ritter!

Posted on September 17, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Happy Birthday, John Ritter!
John Ritter

Jonathan Southworth “John” Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003)

 

John Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three’s Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively. He is also known for being the voice of the title character Clifford in the PBS television series Clifford the Big Red Dog. Don Knotts called him the “Greatest physical comedian on the planet”.

From starring on The Waltons, to 8 Simple Rules, we enjoyed his smile, humor, and style. He even guest starred on M*A*S*H!

Wikipedia Article

Posted in Because I Can, Humor, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP John Ritter

Posted on September 11, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP John Ritter
John Ritter

Jonathan Southworth “John” Ritter (September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003)

 

John Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three’s Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively. He is also known for being the voice of the title character Clifford in the PBS television series Clifford the Big Red Dog. Don Knotts called him the “Greatest physical comedian on the planet”.  Ritter died at the age of 54 from an aortic dissection.

From starring on The Waltons, to 8 Simple Rules, we enjoyed his smile, humor, and style.  He even guest starred on M*A*S*H!

Wikipedia Article

Posted in Because I Can, Humor, The Little Screen (Television)

To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before…

Posted on September 8, 2015 by James| Comments Off on To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before…

Enterprise

On September 8, 1966, “The Man Trap” was first released upon the world. This, the first episode of one of the most famous TV Shows in history, Star Trek.

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP “Crocodile Hunter”

Posted on September 4, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP “Crocodile Hunter”
Stephen Robert Irwin(February 22, 1962 – September 4, 2006)
“The Crocodile Hunter.”

 

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Little Screen (Television)

Soft Dalek

Posted on August 22, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Soft Dalek

soft_dalek

Posted in Humor, The Little Screen (Television)

Star Trex

Posted on August 20, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Star Trex

star_trex

Posted in Humor, The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Merv Griffin

Posted on August 12, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin

The answer is Merv Griffin. The question could be just about anything.

Mervyn Edward “Merv” Griffin, Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American singer, talk-show host, composer, mogul, philanthropist and puzzle fan who created the long-running hit game shows of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Robin Williams (No more nanu nanu)

Posted on August 11, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP Robin Williams (No more nanu nanu)

 

Robin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014)

Robin Williams (July 21, 1951 – August 11, 2014)

Robin McLaurin Williams was an American actor, voice actor, and stand-up comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982), Williams went on to establish a successful career in both stand-up comedy and feature film acting. His film career included such acclaimed films as Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Awakenings (1990), The Fisher King (1991), and Good Will Hunting (1997), as well as financial successes such as Popeye (1980), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), The Birdcage (1996), Night at the Museum (2006), and Happy Feet (2006).

Wikipedia Article

Posted in The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

Miss you already Roddy

Posted on August 9, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Miss you already Roddy

I am here to chew bubblegum and kick ass… and I’m all outta bubblegum.

R.I.P Roddy Piper (April 17, 1954 – July 30, 2015)

Posted in Because I Can, Events, Sports, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Gilligan

Posted on August 2, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP Gilligan

Bob Denver

Robert Osbourne “Bob” Denver (January 9, 1935 – September 2, 2005) was an American comedic actor known for his roles as Gilligan on the television series Gilligan’s Island and the beatnik Maynard G. Krebs on the 1959–1963 TV series The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

Rumor had it that later in life he hated “Gilligan”, the character, and being called “Gilligan.”  After all the great memories I have of the show, the laughter, I’d like to think that he wouldn’t mind me calling him “Gilligan” one more time…

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Little Screen (Television)

RIP James Garner

Posted on July 19, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP James Garner

James Garner as Bret Maverick

James Garner as Jim Rockford

James Garner (born James Scott Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American film and television actor. He starred in several television series over more than five decades, which included such popular roles as Bret Maverick in the 1950s western-comedy series Maverick and Jim Rockford in the 1970s detective drama The Rockford Files.

Garner starred in more than 50 films including The Great Escape (1963), Paddy Chayefsky’s The Americanization of Emily (1964), Grand Prix (1966), Blake Edwards’ Victor Victoria (1982), Murphy’s Romance (1985) for which he received an Academy Award nomination, and The Notebook (2004).

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Ernest Borgnine

Posted on July 8, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP Ernest Borgnine
Ernest Borgnine

Ernest Borgnine (January 24, 1917 – July 8, 2012)

Ernest Borgnine (born Ermes Effron Borgnino) was an American film and television actor whose career spanned more than six decades. He was an unconventional lead in many films of the 1950s, winning an Oscar in 1955 for Marty. On television, he played Quinton McHale in the 1962–1966 series McHale’s Navy and co-starred in the mid-1980s action series Airwolf, in addition to a wide variety of other roles. Borgnine was also known for his role as Mermaid Man in the animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. Borgnine earned an Emmy Award nomination at age 92 for his work on the series ER.

 

Posted in The Big Screen, The Little Screen (Television)

Happy Birthday, Merv Griffin

Posted on July 6, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Merv Griffin

Merv GriffinThe answer is Merv Griffin. The question could be just about anything.

Mervyn Edward “Merv” Griffin, Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American singer, talk-show host, composer, mogul, philanthropist and puzzle fan who created the long-running hit game shows of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Andy Griffith

Posted on July 3, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP Andy Griffith
Andy Griffith

Andrew Samuel “Andy” Griffith (June 1, 1926 – July 3, 2012)

Andy Griffith was an American actor, director, producer, Grammy Award-winning Southern-gospel singer, and writer. He gained prominence in the starring role in director Elia Kazan’s epic film, A Face in the Crowd (1957) before he became better known for his television roles, playing the lead characters in the 1960–68 situation comedy, The Andy Griffith Show, and in the 1986–95 legal drama, Matlock. Griffith was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by US President George W. Bush on November 9, 2005. Griffith died on July 3, 2012 at the age of 86.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in Because I Can, On This Day, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Peter Falk (Farewell Detective Columbo)

Posted on June 23, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP Peter Falk (Farewell Detective Columbo)

Peter Michael Falk was an American actor, best known for his role as Lieutenant Columbo in the television series Columbo. He appeared in numerous films and television guest roles and was nominated for an Academy Award twice (for 1960’s Murder, Inc. and 1961’s Pocketful of Miracles), and won the Emmy Award on five occasions (four for Columbo) and the Golden Globe award once.

Peter Falk

Peter Michael Falk (September 16, 1927 – June 23, 2011)

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Little Screen (Television)

Happy Birthday, Burle Ives

Posted on June 14, 2015 by James| Comments Off on Happy Birthday, Burle Ives

Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives was an acclaimed American folk music singer, author and actor.

Possibly his most remembered role today is as narrator Sam the Snowman in the Rankin-Bass animated television special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964).

Ives’ “A Holly Jolly Christmas” is a very popular tune during the Christmas season, as it’s frequently played on the radio and was featured in the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer special.

Burl Ives

Burl Icle Ivanhoe Ives (June 14, 1909 – April 14, 1995)

Posted in Music, The Little Screen (Television)

RIP David Carradine

Posted on June 3, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP David Carradine
David Carradine

David Carradine in “Kung Fu”

David Carradine (December 8, 1936 – June 3, 2009), born John Arthur Carradine, was an American character actor, best known for his role as Kwai Chang Caine in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu and its 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues. He was a member of a productive acting family dynasty that began with his father, John Carradine. His acting career, which included major and minor roles on stage, television and cinema, spanned over four decades. A prolific “B” movie actor, he appeared in more than 100 feature films and was nominated four times for a Golden Globe Award. The last nomination was for his title role in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Little Screen (Television)

RIP Jean Stapleton

Posted on May 31, 2015 by James| Comments Off on RIP Jean Stapleton

To quote Linda Carter’s Tweet upon her passing:

“Those Were The Days…Rest In Peace Jean Stapleton”

Jean Stapleton (born Jeanne Murray; January 19, 1923 – May 31, 2013)

Jean Stapleton (born Jeanne Murray; January 19, 1923 – May 31, 2013)

Jean Stapleton was an American character actress of stage, television and film.

She was best known for her portrayal of Edith Bunker, the long-suffering, yet devoted wife of Archie Bunker (played by Carroll O’Connor) and mother of Gloria Stivic (played by Sally Struthers), on the 1970s situation comedy All in the Family.

Wikipedia Link

Posted in The Little Screen (Television)