CBS
Saturday Night Live and TV Icons
May 19, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live has been and continues to be a launching pad for actors to break into the movies.
Chevy Chase and Foul Play.
John Belushi and Animal House.
Eddie Murphy and 48 Hours.
Mike Myers and Wayne’s World.
Tina Fey and Mean Girls.
But Saturday Night Live is also the launching pad for television icons beyond Saturday nights in Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center.
In 1993, SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels took over NBC’s Late Night franchise after David Letterman bolted for CBS. Michaels tapped Conan O’Brien to succeed Letterman. O’Brien was a writer on Saturday Night Live in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. He hosted Late Night for sixteen years, from 1993 to 2009.
Again, Michaels need to find a Late Night host. He went to the ultimately likable Jimmy Fallon, an SNL icon who had the keystone role of a Weekend Update co-anchor with Tina Fey.
Fey created and stars in the comedy 30 Rock airing Thursday nights on NBC. Michaels’ company Broadway Video produces 30 Rock.
30 Rock, a multiple Emmy Award winner, concerns the behind-the-scenes antics of the staff at TGS or The Girlie Show, an NBC comedy-variety show, like Saturday Night Live. Fey plays Liz Lemon, the head writer. Alec Baldwin, a longtime guest host of SNL, also stars on 30 Rock. He plays NBC executive Jack Donaghy. Donaghy retools TGS by bringing in Tracy Jordan, played by Tracy Morgan in a thinly veiled depiction of his bombastic, hilarious, and affable public persona.
Another former Weekend Update anchor has a Thursday night comedy on NBC. From the team that brought you The Office, you now have Parks and Recreation starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a dedicated public servant in the fictional Pawnee, Indiana. Though idealistic about Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department, she encounters apathy, bureaucracy, and ignorance among her staff, the town, and other public servants.
david@davidkrell.com
Saturday Night Live has been and continues to be a launching pad for actors to break into the movies.
Chevy Chase and Foul Play.
John Belushi and Animal House.
Eddie Murphy and 48 Hours.
Mike Myers and Wayne’s World.
Tina Fey and Mean Girls.
But Saturday Night Live is also the launching pad for television icons beyond Saturday nights in Studio 8H in Rockefeller Center.
In 1993, SNL creator and executive producer Lorne Michaels took over NBC’s Late Night franchise after David Letterman bolted for CBS. Michaels tapped Conan O’Brien to succeed Letterman. O’Brien was a writer on Saturday Night Live in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. He hosted Late Night for sixteen years, from 1993 to 2009.
Again, Michaels need to find a Late Night host. He went to the ultimately likable Jimmy Fallon, an SNL icon who had the keystone role of a Weekend Update co-anchor with Tina Fey.
Fey created and stars in the comedy 30 Rock airing Thursday nights on NBC. Michaels’ company Broadway Video produces 30 Rock.
30 Rock, a multiple Emmy Award winner, concerns the behind-the-scenes antics of the staff at TGS or The Girlie Show, an NBC comedy-variety show, like Saturday Night Live. Fey plays Liz Lemon, the head writer. Alec Baldwin, a longtime guest host of SNL, also stars on 30 Rock. He plays NBC executive Jack Donaghy. Donaghy retools TGS by bringing in Tracy Jordan, played by Tracy Morgan in a thinly veiled depiction of his bombastic, hilarious, and affable public persona.
Another former Weekend Update anchor has a Thursday night comedy on NBC. From the team that brought you The Office, you now have Parks and Recreation starring Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, a dedicated public servant in the fictional Pawnee, Indiana. Though idealistic about Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation Department, she encounters apathy, bureaucracy, and ignorance among her staff, the town, and other public servants.
The Larry Sanders Show
May 14, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
With all of the talk about the late night talk show wars during the past few months, one name has been left out of the discussion.
Larry Sanders.
From 1992 to 1998, The Larry Sanders Show aired on HBO. It was a look at a fictional late night talk show hosted by Larry Sanders, played by Garry Shandling.
Occasionally, episodes featured scenes from the actual talk show hosted by Sanders in front of a television audience.
Stars played themselves.
Dana Delany. Sharon Stone. Dana Carvey.
For advice about navigating the shark-infested waters of the entertainment industry and his own staff, Larry frequently turned to veteran producer Artie for advice. Rip Torn played Artie while Jeffrey Tambor played sidekick announcer Hank Kingsley.
Jeremy Piven played Jerry, a young writer on Larry’s staff. Years later, a mini-reunion occurred when Jeffrey Tambor played himself on an episode of Entourage while Piven played his agent, Ari Gold.
The Larry Sanders Show debuted in the firestorm of the early 1990’s when Johhny Carson left The Tonight Show, David Letterman started a late night franchise at CBS, and the audience split its loyalties between Jay Leno and David Letterman.
The area was ripe for exploration as the public became more aware of the business side of show business.
But The Larry Sanders Show explored another side beyond advertisers, demographics, and ratings. This side features topics familiar to every industry -- insecurity, office politics, and the high pressure of job performance in an increasingly competitive atmosphere.
david@davidkrell.com
With all of the talk about the late night talk show wars during the past few months, one name has been left out of the discussion.
Larry Sanders.
From 1992 to 1998, The Larry Sanders Show aired on HBO. It was a look at a fictional late night talk show hosted by Larry Sanders, played by Garry Shandling.
Occasionally, episodes featured scenes from the actual talk show hosted by Sanders in front of a television audience.
Stars played themselves.
Dana Delany. Sharon Stone. Dana Carvey.
For advice about navigating the shark-infested waters of the entertainment industry and his own staff, Larry frequently turned to veteran producer Artie for advice. Rip Torn played Artie while Jeffrey Tambor played sidekick announcer Hank Kingsley.
Jeremy Piven played Jerry, a young writer on Larry’s staff. Years later, a mini-reunion occurred when Jeffrey Tambor played himself on an episode of Entourage while Piven played his agent, Ari Gold.
The Larry Sanders Show debuted in the firestorm of the early 1990’s when Johhny Carson left The Tonight Show, David Letterman started a late night franchise at CBS, and the audience split its loyalties between Jay Leno and David Letterman.
The area was ripe for exploration as the public became more aware of the business side of show business.
But The Larry Sanders Show explored another side beyond advertisers, demographics, and ratings. This side features topics familiar to every industry -- insecurity, office politics, and the high pressure of job performance in an increasingly competitive atmosphere.
Wiseguy
February 27, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Wiseguy aired on CBS for four seasons, from 1987 to 1990.
Ken Wahl stars as Vinnie Terranova, a federal government agent in the Organized Crime Bureau who went deep undercover to capture criminals.
In the beginning of the show, he has just completed a year-and-a-half prison stint. It’s a set-up to give Vinnie a viable criminal background cover. To the outside world, he’s a wiseguy, a term applied to organized crime figures.
Jonathan Banks plays Frank McPike, Vinnie’s government handler who coordinates strategy with Vinnie. Banks appears in Beverly Hills Cop as one of the henchman of Victor Maitlin, the nemesis of Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley character.
Daniel Burroughs plays Jim Burroughs. Nickname: Lifeguard. Essentially, he is Vinnie’s communications link to McPike. His nickname is appropriate -- if Vinnie gets in danger, he calls Lifeguard with appropriate codes to send backup.
Wiseguy rarely contained self-contained episodes. Rather, it used story arcs comprised of multiple episodes.
The first story arc sees Vinnie become a trusted member of the crime family of mob boss Sonny Steelgrave, played by Ray Sharkey. Steelgrave electrocutes himself in front of Vinnie when he discovers Vinnie’s true identity.
The second story arc showcases Kevin Spacey as Mel Profitt, an international criminal with roots in arms dealing.
Other story arcs focus on white supremacy, the garment district in New York City, the record industry, a Japanese Yen counterfeiting conspiracy, mafia wars, a small town in the Pacific Northwest rooted in corruption, a Cuban-American crime lord, and the drug trade in the New York City school system.
ABC aired a reunion tv-movie in 1996. The canon is questionable.
In the fourth season of Wiseguy, Vinnie is killed.
The 1996 tv-movie stars Wahl as Vinnie. So either the fourth season story line did not occur in official Wiseguy canon or the events in the tv-movie occurred before his death.
david@davidkrell.com
Wiseguy aired on CBS for four seasons, from 1987 to 1990.
Ken Wahl stars as Vinnie Terranova, a federal government agent in the Organized Crime Bureau who went deep undercover to capture criminals.
In the beginning of the show, he has just completed a year-and-a-half prison stint. It’s a set-up to give Vinnie a viable criminal background cover. To the outside world, he’s a wiseguy, a term applied to organized crime figures.
Jonathan Banks plays Frank McPike, Vinnie’s government handler who coordinates strategy with Vinnie. Banks appears in Beverly Hills Cop as one of the henchman of Victor Maitlin, the nemesis of Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley character.
Daniel Burroughs plays Jim Burroughs. Nickname: Lifeguard. Essentially, he is Vinnie’s communications link to McPike. His nickname is appropriate -- if Vinnie gets in danger, he calls Lifeguard with appropriate codes to send backup.
Wiseguy rarely contained self-contained episodes. Rather, it used story arcs comprised of multiple episodes.
The first story arc sees Vinnie become a trusted member of the crime family of mob boss Sonny Steelgrave, played by Ray Sharkey. Steelgrave electrocutes himself in front of Vinnie when he discovers Vinnie’s true identity.
The second story arc showcases Kevin Spacey as Mel Profitt, an international criminal with roots in arms dealing.
Other story arcs focus on white supremacy, the garment district in New York City, the record industry, a Japanese Yen counterfeiting conspiracy, mafia wars, a small town in the Pacific Northwest rooted in corruption, a Cuban-American crime lord, and the drug trade in the New York City school system.
ABC aired a reunion tv-movie in 1996. The canon is questionable.
In the fourth season of Wiseguy, Vinnie is killed.
The 1996 tv-movie stars Wahl as Vinnie. So either the fourth season story line did not occur in official Wiseguy canon or the events in the tv-movie occurred before his death.
Double Rush
February 18, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Double Rush was a short-lived sitcom on CBS that aired from January to April 1995.
Stephen Nathan and Diane English created the show.
Its setting was familiar -- the workplace.
Cheers had the bar in Boston where everybody knows your name.
WKRP in Cincinnati had a rock and roll radio station in the Queen City.
And Double Rush had a bicycle messenger service in Manhattan named Double Rush.
The owner is would-be rock musician Johnny Verona, played by Robert Pastorelli.
Pastorelli earned the respect, laughter, and loyalty of fans of Murphy Brown as Eldin Bernecky, the house painter who constantly created new projects for Murphy’s home.
Corinne Bohrer plays the practical-minded Harvard Business School grad Zoe Fuller, a good complement and potential love interest for Johnny.
There is a dynamic between dreamer Johnny and intellectual yet unfulfilled Zoe that is reminiscent of Sam and Diane on Cheers.
Double Rush was funny. Its characters were well-defined. And its supporting cast was solid.
D.L. Hughley, Adam Goldberg, and David Arquette play bike messengers.
Sam Lloyd plays dispatcher Barkley. You may know him as Ted Buckland, the attorney for Sacred Heart Hospital on Scrubs.
Veteran comedic character actor Phil Leeds plays veteran bike messenger The Kid.
In the pilot, we learn that Johnny won’t sell Double Rush to a competitor because if he does, the competitor will lay off the messengers.
We also learn that Johnny’s loyalty is inherent. Twenty-five years prior, Johnny had the opportunity to sign with a record label. But the label only wanted Johnny, not his band mates.
Johnny wouldn’t sign without them, so he continued his bike messenger job to pay the bills. Eventually, he bought Double Rush.
Despite the cast and writing, Double Rush did not live to see the Fall 1995 lineup.
david@davidkrell.com
Double Rush was a short-lived sitcom on CBS that aired from January to April 1995.
Stephen Nathan and Diane English created the show.
Its setting was familiar -- the workplace.
Cheers had the bar in Boston where everybody knows your name.
WKRP in Cincinnati had a rock and roll radio station in the Queen City.
And Double Rush had a bicycle messenger service in Manhattan named Double Rush.
The owner is would-be rock musician Johnny Verona, played by Robert Pastorelli.
Pastorelli earned the respect, laughter, and loyalty of fans of Murphy Brown as Eldin Bernecky, the house painter who constantly created new projects for Murphy’s home.
Corinne Bohrer plays the practical-minded Harvard Business School grad Zoe Fuller, a good complement and potential love interest for Johnny.
There is a dynamic between dreamer Johnny and intellectual yet unfulfilled Zoe that is reminiscent of Sam and Diane on Cheers.
Double Rush was funny. Its characters were well-defined. And its supporting cast was solid.
D.L. Hughley, Adam Goldberg, and David Arquette play bike messengers.
Sam Lloyd plays dispatcher Barkley. You may know him as Ted Buckland, the attorney for Sacred Heart Hospital on Scrubs.
Veteran comedic character actor Phil Leeds plays veteran bike messenger The Kid.
In the pilot, we learn that Johnny won’t sell Double Rush to a competitor because if he does, the competitor will lay off the messengers.
We also learn that Johnny’s loyalty is inherent. Twenty-five years prior, Johnny had the opportunity to sign with a record label. But the label only wanted Johnny, not his band mates.
Johnny wouldn’t sign without them, so he continued his bike messenger job to pay the bills. Eventually, he bought Double Rush.
Despite the cast and writing, Double Rush did not live to see the Fall 1995 lineup.
Rescue From Gilligan's Island
November 27, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale.
One of the most successful television series -- Gilligan’s Island -- starts with those words.
More successful in syndication than its initial three-year run on CBS from 1964 to 1967, Gilligan’s Island charmed us.
It didn’t ask anything of us.
It didn’t make us think.
It didn’t make us analyze.
But it did use hallmark elements.
Ginger’s sexy walk. Mary Ann’s girl-next-door appeal. The Professor’s valiant attempts to create inventions with coconuts, palm trees, and other natural items.
About ten years after the show left CBS, Gilligan’s Island creator Sherwood Schwartz had an idea -- Whatever happened to those castaways from the S.S. Minnow?
In 1978, Schwartz answered the question in Rescue from Gilligan’s Island, a tv-movie.
Budget constraints at the network level forced Schwartz to finance part of the production if he wanted to realize his vision.
The story depicted the castaways on a raft after a vicious storm sets them out to sea. The Coast Guard rescues them. An espionage plot adds intrigue.
A year after their rescue, the castaways gather for a reunion on the Minnow II. Another vicious storm puts them out at sea. Ultimately, they find themselves at the same island.
Rescue from Gilligan’s Island aired in two parts -- one hour at 9:00 to 10:00 pm on consecutive Saturdays.
It inspired two additional tv-movies -- The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island, The Castaways on Gilligan’s Island.
david@davidkrell.com
Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale.
One of the most successful television series -- Gilligan’s Island -- starts with those words.
More successful in syndication than its initial three-year run on CBS from 1964 to 1967, Gilligan’s Island charmed us.
It didn’t ask anything of us.
It didn’t make us think.
It didn’t make us analyze.
But it did use hallmark elements.
Ginger’s sexy walk. Mary Ann’s girl-next-door appeal. The Professor’s valiant attempts to create inventions with coconuts, palm trees, and other natural items.
About ten years after the show left CBS, Gilligan’s Island creator Sherwood Schwartz had an idea -- Whatever happened to those castaways from the S.S. Minnow?
In 1978, Schwartz answered the question in Rescue from Gilligan’s Island, a tv-movie.
Budget constraints at the network level forced Schwartz to finance part of the production if he wanted to realize his vision.
The story depicted the castaways on a raft after a vicious storm sets them out to sea. The Coast Guard rescues them. An espionage plot adds intrigue.
A year after their rescue, the castaways gather for a reunion on the Minnow II. Another vicious storm puts them out at sea. Ultimately, they find themselves at the same island.
Rescue from Gilligan’s Island aired in two parts -- one hour at 9:00 to 10:00 pm on consecutive Saturdays.
It inspired two additional tv-movies -- The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island, The Castaways on Gilligan’s Island.
Jimmy Smits
November 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Prime time soap operas dominated the 1980’s. In the 2000’s, not so much, except for the teenage version of the genre on the CW television network.
Jimmy Smits was part of an effort to reignite the genre with Cane, a short-lived offering on CBS in 2007. Cane revolved around a Cuban-American family and its power, wealth, and dynasty stemming from its rum and sugar business interests.
This is the third consecutive decade where Jimmy Smits has been a focal point of a prime time television series.
In the 1980’s, he played Victor Sifuentes on L.A. Law. Sifuentes worked in the Public Defender’s office before Michael Kuzak recruited him to the private law firm sector.
While Victor began as the ‘cleanup’ attorney for McKenzie Brackman, Chaney & Kuzak, handling the firm’s pro bono cases and other matters that burdened the firm’s workload, he ventured into other legal territories.
In the episode Victor Sifuentes confronted legendary attorney August Redding, played by legendary actor Ralph Bellamy. Victor’s client sues Redding for legal malpractice. In the episode’s climactic scene, Victor puts Redding on the witness stand. He reveals Redding’s deep loss of memory when the aging lawyer cannot remember Victor’s name.
Victor confronted another legendary attorney in Hamilton Schuyler, a dwarf attorney who specializes in products liability cases.
Nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Actor six times during his L.A. Law tenure, Smits won once.
In the 1990’s, Smits took over the lead position in NYPD Blue after the sudden departure of David Caruso. Smits’ Bobby Simone character is suave, sophisticated, and strong. With quiet confidence, he gains the respect of his partner, Andy Sipowicz. He also wins the love of fellow detective Diane Russell.
NYPD Blue eased out Bobby Simone in a story arc centering on a terrific heart problem. In the episode where Bobby dies, the last scene shows him flatlining and then we see the Executive Producer credits in black against a white background. It’s a direct contrast to the usual format -- white lettering against a black background.
Smits returns as Bobby Simone in an episode near the show’s end. Andy has a waking dream where he talks to Bobby.
Smits also hosted the retrospective that aired near the end of the show’s successful twelve-year run.
Smits did not win an Emmy Award for his work on NYPD Blue, though he received five nominations.
In the 2000’s, Smits appeared on The West Wing as Matthew Santos, a three-term congressman from Texas and former Mayor of Houston who wants to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman convinces Santos that he has a legitimate shot at the presidency. Initially an also-ran candidate, Santos slowly gains recognition during the primaries. The Democratic National Convention occurs with the delegates still unsure of a nominee. Santos gives an inspiring speech concerning the voters’ freedom to choose a nominee without the pressure of power brokers making the decision for them.
The speech inspires many delegates to vote for Santos. He also gets a little help from President Bartlet who convinces an influential New York delegate to cast the Empire State’s delegate votes for Santos.
Santos’ choice for the VP nominee slot -- Leo McGarry, President Bartlet’s Chief of Staff.
In a narrow election, Santos beats a veteran politician, Senator Arnold Vinick from Santa Paula, California.
Jimmy Smits’ contributions to television have been significant, enjoyable, and challenging. Making a name for himself while part of an ensemble on L.A. Law. Taking over a lead position on a hit show from an actor who made a notorious exit from success on NYPD Blue. Joining a team that’s played together for several years while adding to the chemistry of the cast on The West Wing.
Bringing interest, enthusiasm, and novelty is a difficult challenge for any actor. Smits met the challenge directly.
By the way, Jimmy Smits also deserves a place in television trivia history. Smits plays Eddie Rivera, the partner of Detective Sonny Crockett in the pilot of Miami Vice. Rivera died in a car bomb explosion triggered by Crockett’s nemesis.
david@davidkrell.com
Prime time soap operas dominated the 1980’s. In the 2000’s, not so much, except for the teenage version of the genre on the CW television network.
Jimmy Smits was part of an effort to reignite the genre with Cane, a short-lived offering on CBS in 2007. Cane revolved around a Cuban-American family and its power, wealth, and dynasty stemming from its rum and sugar business interests.
This is the third consecutive decade where Jimmy Smits has been a focal point of a prime time television series.
In the 1980’s, he played Victor Sifuentes on L.A. Law. Sifuentes worked in the Public Defender’s office before Michael Kuzak recruited him to the private law firm sector.
While Victor began as the ‘cleanup’ attorney for McKenzie Brackman, Chaney & Kuzak, handling the firm’s pro bono cases and other matters that burdened the firm’s workload, he ventured into other legal territories.
In the episode Victor Sifuentes confronted legendary attorney August Redding, played by legendary actor Ralph Bellamy. Victor’s client sues Redding for legal malpractice. In the episode’s climactic scene, Victor puts Redding on the witness stand. He reveals Redding’s deep loss of memory when the aging lawyer cannot remember Victor’s name.
Victor confronted another legendary attorney in Hamilton Schuyler, a dwarf attorney who specializes in products liability cases.
Nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Actor six times during his L.A. Law tenure, Smits won once.
In the 1990’s, Smits took over the lead position in NYPD Blue after the sudden departure of David Caruso. Smits’ Bobby Simone character is suave, sophisticated, and strong. With quiet confidence, he gains the respect of his partner, Andy Sipowicz. He also wins the love of fellow detective Diane Russell.
NYPD Blue eased out Bobby Simone in a story arc centering on a terrific heart problem. In the episode where Bobby dies, the last scene shows him flatlining and then we see the Executive Producer credits in black against a white background. It’s a direct contrast to the usual format -- white lettering against a black background.
Smits returns as Bobby Simone in an episode near the show’s end. Andy has a waking dream where he talks to Bobby.
Smits also hosted the retrospective that aired near the end of the show’s successful twelve-year run.
Smits did not win an Emmy Award for his work on NYPD Blue, though he received five nominations.
In the 2000’s, Smits appeared on The West Wing as Matthew Santos, a three-term congressman from Texas and former Mayor of Houston who wants to be the Democratic Party’s nominee for president.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Joshua Lyman convinces Santos that he has a legitimate shot at the presidency. Initially an also-ran candidate, Santos slowly gains recognition during the primaries. The Democratic National Convention occurs with the delegates still unsure of a nominee. Santos gives an inspiring speech concerning the voters’ freedom to choose a nominee without the pressure of power brokers making the decision for them.
The speech inspires many delegates to vote for Santos. He also gets a little help from President Bartlet who convinces an influential New York delegate to cast the Empire State’s delegate votes for Santos.
Santos’ choice for the VP nominee slot -- Leo McGarry, President Bartlet’s Chief of Staff.
In a narrow election, Santos beats a veteran politician, Senator Arnold Vinick from Santa Paula, California.
Jimmy Smits’ contributions to television have been significant, enjoyable, and challenging. Making a name for himself while part of an ensemble on L.A. Law. Taking over a lead position on a hit show from an actor who made a notorious exit from success on NYPD Blue. Joining a team that’s played together for several years while adding to the chemistry of the cast on The West Wing.
Bringing interest, enthusiasm, and novelty is a difficult challenge for any actor. Smits met the challenge directly.
By the way, Jimmy Smits also deserves a place in television trivia history. Smits plays Eddie Rivera, the partner of Detective Sonny Crockett in the pilot of Miami Vice. Rivera died in a car bomb explosion triggered by Crockett’s nemesis.
ER
November 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
An emergency room in a Chicago hospital.
A multi-racial cast.
Humor covering up the pain of working in a trauma situation.
Sounds like ER.
It is ER. But it’s not the one that immediately comes to mind.
Not the one that debuted in 1994.
Not the one that was a cornerstone of NBC’s Thursday night lineup for fifteen years.
This ER lasted only one season.
It was a sitcom based on a 1982 play. It was a nicely written, nicely acted, nicely produced show that aired on CBS during the 1984-85 season.
Elliott Gould plays Dr. Howard Sheinfeld, a twice divorced doctor who moonlights at Clark Street Hospital’s Emergency Room to pay his alimony bills. With Gould’s veteran comedy instincts, ER seems like a good idea for a sitcom. And it was, particularly in hindsight considering
the show’s talent, star power, and ensemble performances.
Conchatta Ferrell plays veteran nurse Thor. She later appeared on L.A. Law as entertainment attorney Susan Bloom. Currently, she stars as Berta, the wisecracking maid on Two and a Half Men.
Mary McDonnell took over the role of Dr. Eve Sheridan, Sheinfeld’s boss and potential love interest. Five years after ER, McDonnell captured America’s attention in Dances With Wolves. Marcia Strassman, Julie Kotter in Welcome Back, Kotter, plays Sheridan in the ER pilot.
Pamela Adlon plays Jenny Sheinfeld, the daughter of Dr. Sheinfeld. She voiced Bobby Hill on the long-running cartoon series King of the Hill.
Before he found fame, accolades, and notoriety as Larry David’s alter ego on Seinfeld -- George Costanza -- Jason Alexander played hospital administrator Harold Stickley on ER.
Lynne Moody plays young, love-seeking, good-natured nurse Julie Williams. In a bit of inspired crossover casting, Sherman Helmsley brought his George Jefferson character to ER as Julie’s uncle in a guest appearance.
Luis Avalos plays Dr. Tomas Esquivel. Avalos is probably best known to Generation Xers from The Electric Company.
And, of course, George Clooney. He appears on both ER shows. In the sitcom, he is Ace -- a heart-throbbing, pulse pounding, personality plus paramedic with rock and roll dreams. The name of his band is The Body Fluids.
Ace’s nickname reinforces his reputation as a ladies man -- My Place Ace. Coincidentally, Tomas reminisces about his younger days with a corresponding nickname -- Mi Casa Tomasa.
Like Night Court, Barney Miller, or Taxi, ER revolved around the workplace. But the potential romance between Sheinfeld and Sheridan, the wonderful acting and writing, and the quirky patients who populated the emergency room at Clark Street Hospital were not enough to keep ER from flatlining.
ER holds a special significance for me. In one episode, a guest character named Dr. Krell makes an appearance. Dr. Sheinfeld remarks on the name. He says, If I wasn’t a Sheinfeld, I’d like to be a Krell.
david@davidkrell.com
An emergency room in a Chicago hospital.
A multi-racial cast.
Humor covering up the pain of working in a trauma situation.
Sounds like ER.
It is ER. But it’s not the one that immediately comes to mind.
Not the one that debuted in 1994.
Not the one that was a cornerstone of NBC’s Thursday night lineup for fifteen years.
This ER lasted only one season.
It was a sitcom based on a 1982 play. It was a nicely written, nicely acted, nicely produced show that aired on CBS during the 1984-85 season.
Elliott Gould plays Dr. Howard Sheinfeld, a twice divorced doctor who moonlights at Clark Street Hospital’s Emergency Room to pay his alimony bills. With Gould’s veteran comedy instincts, ER seems like a good idea for a sitcom. And it was, particularly in hindsight considering
the show’s talent, star power, and ensemble performances.
Conchatta Ferrell plays veteran nurse Thor. She later appeared on L.A. Law as entertainment attorney Susan Bloom. Currently, she stars as Berta, the wisecracking maid on Two and a Half Men.
Mary McDonnell took over the role of Dr. Eve Sheridan, Sheinfeld’s boss and potential love interest. Five years after ER, McDonnell captured America’s attention in Dances With Wolves. Marcia Strassman, Julie Kotter in Welcome Back, Kotter, plays Sheridan in the ER pilot.
Pamela Adlon plays Jenny Sheinfeld, the daughter of Dr. Sheinfeld. She voiced Bobby Hill on the long-running cartoon series King of the Hill.
Before he found fame, accolades, and notoriety as Larry David’s alter ego on Seinfeld -- George Costanza -- Jason Alexander played hospital administrator Harold Stickley on ER.
Lynne Moody plays young, love-seeking, good-natured nurse Julie Williams. In a bit of inspired crossover casting, Sherman Helmsley brought his George Jefferson character to ER as Julie’s uncle in a guest appearance.
Luis Avalos plays Dr. Tomas Esquivel. Avalos is probably best known to Generation Xers from The Electric Company.
And, of course, George Clooney. He appears on both ER shows. In the sitcom, he is Ace -- a heart-throbbing, pulse pounding, personality plus paramedic with rock and roll dreams. The name of his band is The Body Fluids.
Ace’s nickname reinforces his reputation as a ladies man -- My Place Ace. Coincidentally, Tomas reminisces about his younger days with a corresponding nickname -- Mi Casa Tomasa.
Like Night Court, Barney Miller, or Taxi, ER revolved around the workplace. But the potential romance between Sheinfeld and Sheridan, the wonderful acting and writing, and the quirky patients who populated the emergency room at Clark Street Hospital were not enough to keep ER from flatlining.
ER holds a special significance for me. In one episode, a guest character named Dr. Krell makes an appearance. Dr. Sheinfeld remarks on the name. He says, If I wasn’t a Sheinfeld, I’d like to be a Krell.
1970's Saturday Morning Music Toons
November 22, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Between the hard rock sounds of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the Doors and the disco beat of the Bee Gees, bubble gum music thrived in the early 1970’s, specifically on Saturday morning cartoons.
Whether used as literary devices to complement the story line or merchandising tools to promote record sales, songs added a dimension to the cartoons. They provided another example of the inevitable connection between music and television.
Kid Power is a show that may be described as Peanuts meeting the Rainbow Coalition. The late 1960’s and early 1970’s messages of peace, friendship, love, and harmony filled the series. Based on Morrie Turner’s Wee Pals comic strip, Kid Power revolved around a melting pot of kids in a group called Rainbow Club. Different colors, nationalities, and backgrounds did not stop the kids from joining forces to accomplish their goals.
Music giant Mike Curb was the show’s Music Consultant. The song for each episode illustrated that episode’s lesson.
Kid Power aired on ABC during the 1972-73 season with seventeen episodes. The following season consisted of reruns.
The Partridge Family went off the air in 1974 after four seasons. In the fall of 1974, Partridge Family, 2200 A.D. showed us a futuristic view of America’s favorite singing family.
Except for Shirley Jones and David Cassidy, the cast voiced their cartoon counterparts.
The Brady Kids capitalized on the popularity of Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby, and Cindy from The Brady Bunch.
Music was a natural fit for the cartoon because the child actors released albums, toured in concert, and performed on The Brady Bunch. Unlike Partridge Family, 2200 A.D., however, The Brady Kids broadcast history coincided with its parent show. The Brady Kids aired 22 episodes and debuted in the fall of 1972.
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show depicted Bedrock’s favorite boy and girl as teenagers. Sally Struthers (All in the Family) and Jay North (Dennis the Menace) voiced the title characters.
Pebbles, Bamm-Bamm and their friends -- Moonrock, Penny, and Wiggy -- formed The Bedrock Rollers, a stone age rock and roll group.
Plots in The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show focused on Pebbles’ outrageous ideas that often recalled Lucy Ricardo. Pebbles and Lucy shared enthusiasm, optimism, and inspiration. But their plans often went awry, aside, and down the tubes.
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show first aired in September of 1971.
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids showed stories that were universal to growing up. Bill Cosby’s stand up comedy routines about his childhood in Philadelphia laid the groundwork for this animated version of Fat Albert, Weird Harold, Cosby and his brother Russell, and the rest of the gang.
Cosby addressed the audience about the lesson in the story and the kids sang a song corresponding with the lesson learned.
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids debuted in September of 1972.
Rankin-Bass produced two shows about family singing groups at the pinnacle of their respective successes -- The Osmonds and Jackson Five.
Jackson Five debuted in September of 1971 on the heels of their four number-one hits in 1970 -- I Want You Back, The Love You Save, ABC, and I’ll Be There.
The Jacksons voiced their animated likenesses for the show’s twenty-three episodes.
The Osmond brothers from Utah who got their big break on The Andy Williams Show got their shot at cartoon fame a year later. Debuting in September of 1972, The Osmonds featured the boys with big smiles, harmonious sounds, and innocence.
The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan featured a cartoon version of Charlie Chan with ten kids. Chan led his children in solving crimes. The older kids had a rock band -- The Chan Clan. Ron Dante, the lead singer for The Archies, filled the same role here.
Josie and the Pussycats also enjoy a connection to the Archieverse. The title character first appeared under the Archie comics banner in 1963. In Television Cartoon Shows, Hal Erickson writes, It was at the suggestion of CBS executive Fred Silverman that Hanna-Barbera (taking over from The Archies’ home studio Filmation, then overloaded with product) reshape Josie into the lead singer of a rock group -- hoping no doubt for a reprise of the success that greeted the Archies’ hit single Sugar Sugar.
After the show aired during the 1970-71 season, Hanna-Barbera retooled it with a space theme. Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space aired for two seasons -- 1972-74.
Josie’s comic book cousins from Riverdale, Archie et. al., inspired the music-cartoon nexus. The Archie Show is the first show in the Saturday morning music toon genre. It debuted in September of 1968 and lasted one season. Sugar, Sugar launched during The Archie Show tenure in 1969. It became a #1 song.
The Archie characters continued in different shows and formats between 1969 and 1978 -- The Archie Comedy Hour, Archie’s Fun House Featuring the Giant Juke Box, Archie’s TV Funnies, Everything’s Archie, U.S. of Archie, The New Archie / Sabrina Hour, Archie’s Bang-Shang Lalapalooza Show.
Although Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids aired for several years on television (1972-84), the other programs did not fare as well. But they were still enjoyable to watch, listen to, and learn from, especially during a time where real-life events increasingly challenged innocence -- assassinations, riots, Vietnam War.
On those sleepy Saturday mornings in the early 1970’s, children woke up to these shows that gave entertainment, optimism, and hope.
david@davidkrell.com
Between the hard rock sounds of Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and the Doors and the disco beat of the Bee Gees, bubble gum music thrived in the early 1970’s, specifically on Saturday morning cartoons.
Whether used as literary devices to complement the story line or merchandising tools to promote record sales, songs added a dimension to the cartoons. They provided another example of the inevitable connection between music and television.
Kid Power is a show that may be described as Peanuts meeting the Rainbow Coalition. The late 1960’s and early 1970’s messages of peace, friendship, love, and harmony filled the series. Based on Morrie Turner’s Wee Pals comic strip, Kid Power revolved around a melting pot of kids in a group called Rainbow Club. Different colors, nationalities, and backgrounds did not stop the kids from joining forces to accomplish their goals.
Music giant Mike Curb was the show’s Music Consultant. The song for each episode illustrated that episode’s lesson.
Kid Power aired on ABC during the 1972-73 season with seventeen episodes. The following season consisted of reruns.
The Partridge Family went off the air in 1974 after four seasons. In the fall of 1974, Partridge Family, 2200 A.D. showed us a futuristic view of America’s favorite singing family.
Except for Shirley Jones and David Cassidy, the cast voiced their cartoon counterparts.
The Brady Kids capitalized on the popularity of Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby, and Cindy from The Brady Bunch.
Music was a natural fit for the cartoon because the child actors released albums, toured in concert, and performed on The Brady Bunch. Unlike Partridge Family, 2200 A.D., however, The Brady Kids broadcast history coincided with its parent show. The Brady Kids aired 22 episodes and debuted in the fall of 1972.
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show depicted Bedrock’s favorite boy and girl as teenagers. Sally Struthers (All in the Family) and Jay North (Dennis the Menace) voiced the title characters.
Pebbles, Bamm-Bamm and their friends -- Moonrock, Penny, and Wiggy -- formed The Bedrock Rollers, a stone age rock and roll group.
Plots in The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show focused on Pebbles’ outrageous ideas that often recalled Lucy Ricardo. Pebbles and Lucy shared enthusiasm, optimism, and inspiration. But their plans often went awry, aside, and down the tubes.
The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show first aired in September of 1971.
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids showed stories that were universal to growing up. Bill Cosby’s stand up comedy routines about his childhood in Philadelphia laid the groundwork for this animated version of Fat Albert, Weird Harold, Cosby and his brother Russell, and the rest of the gang.
Cosby addressed the audience about the lesson in the story and the kids sang a song corresponding with the lesson learned.
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids debuted in September of 1972.
Rankin-Bass produced two shows about family singing groups at the pinnacle of their respective successes -- The Osmonds and Jackson Five.
Jackson Five debuted in September of 1971 on the heels of their four number-one hits in 1970 -- I Want You Back, The Love You Save, ABC, and I’ll Be There.
The Jacksons voiced their animated likenesses for the show’s twenty-three episodes.
The Osmond brothers from Utah who got their big break on The Andy Williams Show got their shot at cartoon fame a year later. Debuting in September of 1972, The Osmonds featured the boys with big smiles, harmonious sounds, and innocence.
The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan featured a cartoon version of Charlie Chan with ten kids. Chan led his children in solving crimes. The older kids had a rock band -- The Chan Clan. Ron Dante, the lead singer for The Archies, filled the same role here.
Josie and the Pussycats also enjoy a connection to the Archieverse. The title character first appeared under the Archie comics banner in 1963. In Television Cartoon Shows, Hal Erickson writes, It was at the suggestion of CBS executive Fred Silverman that Hanna-Barbera (taking over from The Archies’ home studio Filmation, then overloaded with product) reshape Josie into the lead singer of a rock group -- hoping no doubt for a reprise of the success that greeted the Archies’ hit single Sugar Sugar.
After the show aired during the 1970-71 season, Hanna-Barbera retooled it with a space theme. Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space aired for two seasons -- 1972-74.
Josie’s comic book cousins from Riverdale, Archie et. al., inspired the music-cartoon nexus. The Archie Show is the first show in the Saturday morning music toon genre. It debuted in September of 1968 and lasted one season. Sugar, Sugar launched during The Archie Show tenure in 1969. It became a #1 song.
The Archie characters continued in different shows and formats between 1969 and 1978 -- The Archie Comedy Hour, Archie’s Fun House Featuring the Giant Juke Box, Archie’s TV Funnies, Everything’s Archie, U.S. of Archie, The New Archie / Sabrina Hour, Archie’s Bang-Shang Lalapalooza Show.
Although Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids aired for several years on television (1972-84), the other programs did not fare as well. But they were still enjoyable to watch, listen to, and learn from, especially during a time where real-life events increasingly challenged innocence -- assassinations, riots, Vietnam War.
On those sleepy Saturday mornings in the early 1970’s, children woke up to these shows that gave entertainment, optimism, and hope.
Three Blind Mice
October 02, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, America’s three television networks changed hands.
ABC to Capital Cities.
NBC to General Electric.
CBS to Loews.
Ken Auletta’s 1991 book Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way chronicles the takeovers, trials and travails of the players involved.
In a ratings game dominated by numbers, the 1980’s saw the rise of the Video Cassette Recorder and the increased attention paid to demographics.
Auletta goes through a tremendously detailed approach to bring the reader the thoughts, strategies, and fears of the media moguls in television’s executive suites.
In the chapter NBC: Tartikoff In His Sandbox, 1987, Auletta writes about a favorite son of the television industry -- NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff. Auletta zeroes in on the programming wunderkind’s observations of the obstacles for network television.
Nor was Tartikoff sure that with the explosion of buyers -- from cable, Fox, and first-run syndication, among others -- there was sufficient talent to stock a twenty-two hour prime-time schedule. Tartikoff knew that success in network television often came when a producer believed passionately in a project -- be it Norman Lear with All in the Family, James Brooks with The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Steven Bochco with Hill Street Blues. But Tartikoff also knew the network television production system was a sausage factory.
In addition, the Big Three also faced the VCR, an affordable device by the mid-1980’s that allowed viewers to tape shows off the air and watch them at their leisure. No longer viewers tied to air times.
If viewers could shift the viewing times of their favorite shows, they would probably fast forward through the commercials. Consequently, advertisers become unhappy. Networks become worrisome about the prospect of ad dollars decreasing or disappearing.
In a world where viewers are no longer captive, advertisements can lose their impact.
The Big Three faced another challenge in the upstart FOX network. In its nascent days in the mid-1980’s, FOX did not have seven nights of programming each week. It did not have a network news division. And it did not have recognizable stars, save for one.
Its first programming attempt was The Late Show starring Joan Rivers in November 1986 followed by Sunday night programming in Spring 1987.
But it did have sister companies in other areas of media. A movie studio. A publishing house. Newspapers.
This synergy was attractive. And great ideas have to start somewhere. With the edgy sitcom Married With Children, the innovative cartoon show The Simpsons, and the funny sketch comedy program The Tracey Ullman Show, FOX began to make pinpricks in the armor of the Big Three. Their invulnerability proved to be a fallacy in the 1990’s when FOX attracted the highly valuable younger demographic of teenagers and twentysomethings with nighttime soap operas -- Beverly Hills 92010 and Melrose Place.
In the chapter ABC: More Sancho Panza Than Machiavelli, September to December, 1986, Auletta summarizes the impact of FOX chieftain Rupert Murdoch’s initial foray into network television.
The future also belonged, some feared, to Rupert Murdoch’s scheme to make Fox a fourth network by acquiring stations in six of the top ten markets, lining up affiliated stations, and setting up a programming department, just as the three networks did.
Auletta delves deeply beneath the surface to get to the heart of the matter for television networks. Really, it is the heart of the matter for business. Money.
Auletta frequently writes about the costs of contracts and programming. He shows that programs may be part creativity, part talent, and part instinct. But it is part dollars and cents, too.
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, America’s three television networks changed hands.
ABC to Capital Cities.
NBC to General Electric.
CBS to Loews.
Ken Auletta’s 1991 book Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way chronicles the takeovers, trials and travails of the players involved.
In a ratings game dominated by numbers, the 1980’s saw the rise of the Video Cassette Recorder and the increased attention paid to demographics.
Auletta goes through a tremendously detailed approach to bring the reader the thoughts, strategies, and fears of the media moguls in television’s executive suites.
In the chapter NBC: Tartikoff In His Sandbox, 1987, Auletta writes about a favorite son of the television industry -- NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff. Auletta zeroes in on the programming wunderkind’s observations of the obstacles for network television.
Nor was Tartikoff sure that with the explosion of buyers -- from cable, Fox, and first-run syndication, among others -- there was sufficient talent to stock a twenty-two hour prime-time schedule. Tartikoff knew that success in network television often came when a producer believed passionately in a project -- be it Norman Lear with All in the Family, James Brooks with The Mary Tyler Moore Show, or Steven Bochco with Hill Street Blues. But Tartikoff also knew the network television production system was a sausage factory.
In addition, the Big Three also faced the VCR, an affordable device by the mid-1980’s that allowed viewers to tape shows off the air and watch them at their leisure. No longer viewers tied to air times.
If viewers could shift the viewing times of their favorite shows, they would probably fast forward through the commercials. Consequently, advertisers become unhappy. Networks become worrisome about the prospect of ad dollars decreasing or disappearing.
In a world where viewers are no longer captive, advertisements can lose their impact.
The Big Three faced another challenge in the upstart FOX network. In its nascent days in the mid-1980’s, FOX did not have seven nights of programming each week. It did not have a network news division. And it did not have recognizable stars, save for one.
Its first programming attempt was The Late Show starring Joan Rivers in November 1986 followed by Sunday night programming in Spring 1987.
But it did have sister companies in other areas of media. A movie studio. A publishing house. Newspapers.
This synergy was attractive. And great ideas have to start somewhere. With the edgy sitcom Married With Children, the innovative cartoon show The Simpsons, and the funny sketch comedy program The Tracey Ullman Show, FOX began to make pinpricks in the armor of the Big Three. Their invulnerability proved to be a fallacy in the 1990’s when FOX attracted the highly valuable younger demographic of teenagers and twentysomethings with nighttime soap operas -- Beverly Hills 92010 and Melrose Place.
In the chapter ABC: More Sancho Panza Than Machiavelli, September to December, 1986, Auletta summarizes the impact of FOX chieftain Rupert Murdoch’s initial foray into network television.
The future also belonged, some feared, to Rupert Murdoch’s scheme to make Fox a fourth network by acquiring stations in six of the top ten markets, lining up affiliated stations, and setting up a programming department, just as the three networks did.
Auletta delves deeply beneath the surface to get to the heart of the matter for television networks. Really, it is the heart of the matter for business. Money.
Auletta frequently writes about the costs of contracts and programming. He shows that programs may be part creativity, part talent, and part instinct. But it is part dollars and cents, too.
Leonard Goldenson
October 02, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Leader. Visionary. Gentleman.
Leonard Goldenson. The founder of ABC.
In the early years of television, NBC and CBS had glamor, prestige, and history.
ABC had Leonard Goldenson.
NBC and CBS had marquee A-list talent.
ABC had Leonard Goldenson.
NBC and CBS had their blueprints for running a television network based on their predecessor radio networks.
ABC had Leonard Goldenson.
A leader who gained the trust of his business partners, the loyalty of his staff, and the admiration of his competitors.
A visionary who took a struggling, unstable, third-rate television network and shaped, built, and transformed it into a massive media force.
A gentleman who knew everyone’s name in the building, from the executive suite to the janitorial staff.
Leonard Goldenson could see around corners where his competitors could not even see the corners.
But this commentary is not about Leonard Goldenson’s business instincts.
It is not about ABC’s groundbreaking programming during his reign -- Wide World of Sports, Monday Night Football, Roots.
It is not even about television.
It is about one man’s dream to make the world better for those in need.
Leonard Goldenson’s oldest daughter, Genise, was born in 1943 with cerebral palsy. Soon, Leonard and Isabelle Goldenson met Jack and Ethel Hausmann. The Hausmanns faced a similar circumstance.
As he did so often in building ABC into a media colossus, Leonard Goldenson saw opportunity where others saw obstacles. While Leonard Goldenson’s power opened doors to the political, cultural, and business elite, other doors remained closed, unanswered, or slammed in the face.
People were ignorant, cruel, or just plain unknowing about treating the disabled both medically and personally.
The Goldensons and the Hausmanns joined to form United Cerebral Palsy in 1948. They formed the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation in 1955. Because of the framework established by the Goldenson and Hausmann families, researchers developed the first fetal heart monitor, isolated the rubella virus, and took the first steps towards conquering neonatal jaundice.
Behind every great man, there’s a woman. And Isabelle Weinstein Goldenson was no ordinary woman. Concerning the lives of the disabled, she was a force to be reckoned with. Her passion for improving the conditions, treatment, and access regarding disabled people led to new laws that seem simple in retrospect, but revolutionary at the time of their respective creations.
Buses allowing wheelchair access with special steps.
Ramps at crosswalks and public buildings.
Handicapped Only parking spaces.
This commentary does not begin to scratch the surface of the societal contributions of Leonard Goldenson and his wife, nor does it pretend to.
These are just the headlines.
david@davidkrell.com
Leader. Visionary. Gentleman.
Leonard Goldenson. The founder of ABC.
In the early years of television, NBC and CBS had glamor, prestige, and history.
ABC had Leonard Goldenson.
NBC and CBS had marquee A-list talent.
ABC had Leonard Goldenson.
NBC and CBS had their blueprints for running a television network based on their predecessor radio networks.
ABC had Leonard Goldenson.
A leader who gained the trust of his business partners, the loyalty of his staff, and the admiration of his competitors.
A visionary who took a struggling, unstable, third-rate television network and shaped, built, and transformed it into a massive media force.
A gentleman who knew everyone’s name in the building, from the executive suite to the janitorial staff.
Leonard Goldenson could see around corners where his competitors could not even see the corners.
But this commentary is not about Leonard Goldenson’s business instincts.
It is not about ABC’s groundbreaking programming during his reign -- Wide World of Sports, Monday Night Football, Roots.
It is not even about television.
It is about one man’s dream to make the world better for those in need.
Leonard Goldenson’s oldest daughter, Genise, was born in 1943 with cerebral palsy. Soon, Leonard and Isabelle Goldenson met Jack and Ethel Hausmann. The Hausmanns faced a similar circumstance.
As he did so often in building ABC into a media colossus, Leonard Goldenson saw opportunity where others saw obstacles. While Leonard Goldenson’s power opened doors to the political, cultural, and business elite, other doors remained closed, unanswered, or slammed in the face.
People were ignorant, cruel, or just plain unknowing about treating the disabled both medically and personally.
The Goldensons and the Hausmanns joined to form United Cerebral Palsy in 1948. They formed the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Educational Foundation in 1955. Because of the framework established by the Goldenson and Hausmann families, researchers developed the first fetal heart monitor, isolated the rubella virus, and took the first steps towards conquering neonatal jaundice.
Behind every great man, there’s a woman. And Isabelle Weinstein Goldenson was no ordinary woman. Concerning the lives of the disabled, she was a force to be reckoned with. Her passion for improving the conditions, treatment, and access regarding disabled people led to new laws that seem simple in retrospect, but revolutionary at the time of their respective creations.
Buses allowing wheelchair access with special steps.
Ramps at crosswalks and public buildings.
Handicapped Only parking spaces.
This commentary does not begin to scratch the surface of the societal contributions of Leonard Goldenson and his wife, nor does it pretend to.
These are just the headlines.
MASH Guest Stars
September 21, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
The list of guest stars on M*A*S*H is an entertainment hall of fame list.
From 1972 to 1983, this powerhouse show on CBS boasted actors and actresses who later became fixtures on America’s favorite television shows on the Eye Network.
Joan Van Ark and Knots Landing.
Gregory Harrison and Trapper John, M.D.
Vic Tayback and Alice.
Sorrell Booke and The Dukes of Hazzard.
Linda Kelsey and Lou Grant.
Susan Saint James and Kate and Allie.
Some actors and actresses became fixtures on America’s favorite television shows on other networks.
Ed Flanders and St. Elsewhere.
Ed Begley, Jr. and St. Elsewhere.
Shelley Long and Cheers.
George Wendt and Cheers.
John Ritter and Three’s Company.
Robert Ito and Quincy.
Jack Soo and Barney Miller.
Larry Wilcox and CHiPs.
And some actors and actresses became movie stars.
Laurence Fishburne.
Patrick Swayze.
Teri Garr.
Some guest stars on M*A*S*H played roles that helped peel back the layers of the regular staff of the 4077th.
In the episode The More I See You, Blythe Danner plays Carlye, a nurse and long-lost flame of Hawkeye.
We learned that Hawkeye and Carlye actually lived together.
But timing is everything.
The relationship couldn’t go further because Hawkeye was in residency and work was his priority.
Now assigned to the 4077th, Carlye is married. Hawkeye tries to reignite the flame.
And he succeeds.
Until he gives a rambling monologue about commitment while walking around his tent, a.k.a. the Swamp. Carlye shows him that he cannot have a relationship because he’s literally talked himself into a corner while talking about long-term commitment.
Dennis Dugan appears in two M*A*S*H episodes -- Love and Marriage and Strange Bedfellows.
In Strange Bedfellows, he plays Potter’s son-in-law.
And Potter learns about the son-in-law’s betrayal to his wife, Potter’s daughter. Though angry, Potter reveals that he himself got a little friendlier than he should have with a nurse early in his career.
Ron Howard guest stars in the first episode that showed M*A*S*H could go beyond the antics of draftee doctors to places of deep emotion, pathos, and sobriety.
In the landmark episode Sometimes You Hear the Bullet, Hawkeye’s friend, Tommy Gillis, is researching a book about war.
James Callahan plays Gillis.
He theorizes that a soldier never hears the bullet that kills him. Gillis’ theory directly contrasts the depiction of combat in the movies. He wants to call his book You Never Hear the Bullet.
During his research on the front lines, Gillis gets shot and winds up on Hawkeye’s operating table. Gillis tells Hawkeye that he heard the bullet and dies before Hawkeye can operate.
Meanwhile, an underage soldier named Wendell Peterson is in post-op.
Played by Howard, the 15-year-old Wendell stole his brother Walter’s identity to become a soldier only to impress a girl.
Hawkeye initially tells him that the secret will not be revealed.
But after seeing his friend die, Hawkeye gets a speech from Colonel Henry Blake.
There are certain rules about a war. Rule Number One is ‘Young men die.’ Rule number two is ‘Doctors can’t change Rule Number One.’
Hawkeye’s response is to keep one young man from dying in one war.
He reports Peterson to Major Houlihan, thus saving Peterson from future harm, at least on the battle field.
david@davidkrell.com
The list of guest stars on M*A*S*H is an entertainment hall of fame list.
From 1972 to 1983, this powerhouse show on CBS boasted actors and actresses who later became fixtures on America’s favorite television shows on the Eye Network.
Joan Van Ark and Knots Landing.
Gregory Harrison and Trapper John, M.D.
Vic Tayback and Alice.
Sorrell Booke and The Dukes of Hazzard.
Linda Kelsey and Lou Grant.
Susan Saint James and Kate and Allie.
Some actors and actresses became fixtures on America’s favorite television shows on other networks.
Ed Flanders and St. Elsewhere.
Ed Begley, Jr. and St. Elsewhere.
Shelley Long and Cheers.
George Wendt and Cheers.
John Ritter and Three’s Company.
Robert Ito and Quincy.
Jack Soo and Barney Miller.
Larry Wilcox and CHiPs.
And some actors and actresses became movie stars.
Laurence Fishburne.
Patrick Swayze.
Teri Garr.
Some guest stars on M*A*S*H played roles that helped peel back the layers of the regular staff of the 4077th.
In the episode The More I See You, Blythe Danner plays Carlye, a nurse and long-lost flame of Hawkeye.
We learned that Hawkeye and Carlye actually lived together.
But timing is everything.
The relationship couldn’t go further because Hawkeye was in residency and work was his priority.
Now assigned to the 4077th, Carlye is married. Hawkeye tries to reignite the flame.
And he succeeds.
Until he gives a rambling monologue about commitment while walking around his tent, a.k.a. the Swamp. Carlye shows him that he cannot have a relationship because he’s literally talked himself into a corner while talking about long-term commitment.
Dennis Dugan appears in two M*A*S*H episodes -- Love and Marriage and Strange Bedfellows.
In Strange Bedfellows, he plays Potter’s son-in-law.
And Potter learns about the son-in-law’s betrayal to his wife, Potter’s daughter. Though angry, Potter reveals that he himself got a little friendlier than he should have with a nurse early in his career.
Ron Howard guest stars in the first episode that showed M*A*S*H could go beyond the antics of draftee doctors to places of deep emotion, pathos, and sobriety.
In the landmark episode Sometimes You Hear the Bullet, Hawkeye’s friend, Tommy Gillis, is researching a book about war.
James Callahan plays Gillis.
He theorizes that a soldier never hears the bullet that kills him. Gillis’ theory directly contrasts the depiction of combat in the movies. He wants to call his book You Never Hear the Bullet.
During his research on the front lines, Gillis gets shot and winds up on Hawkeye’s operating table. Gillis tells Hawkeye that he heard the bullet and dies before Hawkeye can operate.
Meanwhile, an underage soldier named Wendell Peterson is in post-op.
Played by Howard, the 15-year-old Wendell stole his brother Walter’s identity to become a soldier only to impress a girl.
Hawkeye initially tells him that the secret will not be revealed.
But after seeing his friend die, Hawkeye gets a speech from Colonel Henry Blake.
There are certain rules about a war. Rule Number One is ‘Young men die.’ Rule number two is ‘Doctors can’t change Rule Number One.’
Hawkeye’s response is to keep one young man from dying in one war.
He reports Peterson to Major Houlihan, thus saving Peterson from future harm, at least on the battle field.
George Clooney
August 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
For the first time in fifteen years, ER will not be a part of the NBC Thursday night lineup.
When the show aired its last episode in April of 2009, it left a legacy of excellence that network television will be hard pressed to match.
When the show aired its first episode in September of 1994, it nicely filled the 10:00 pm cleanup hitter spot in Thursday night prime time with sheer dominance. ER steamrolled every program that competed.
And a familiar face found his breakout role.
Not yet a star, but on his way.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, George Clooney's steady work makes his breakout role of pediatrician Doug Ross on ER seem inevitable in retrospect.
He had a nice run as Falconer, a cop and love interest of Sela Ward's character on Sisters -- Teddy.
He was part of the ensemble cast on the short-lived CBS detective show Bodies of Evidence with Lee Horsley of Matt Houston fame.
And in early episodes of Roseanne, he played Booker Brooks, the boss of Roseanne and Jackie.
When we first meet George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross in the pilot of ER, the setting is Saint Patrick's Day 1994 in Chicago.
And he is drunk with a shift starting in a few hours.
Dr. Mark Greene, Chief Resident and Doug's friend, treats Doug with an IV to sober him.
Beyond a drinking problem, Doug Ross is a womanizer.
He cheats on his girlfriend, Nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Julianna Marguiles.
She attempts suicide in the pilot with a drug overdose. Unclear is the motive, though the fractured relationship with Doug could be a contender.
Also debuting on NBC in September of 1994, Friends immediately captured the hearts and minds of America.
Three commonalities exist between the two shows.
First, a cross-promotion of sorts took place that inaugural year with George Clooney and co-star Noah Wyle guest starring on an episode of Friends as New York City hospital doctors.
Second, besides airing on NBC, Friends and ER had another production factor in common. Warner Brothers produced both shows.
And third, both shows featured a character with similar names. Dr. Mark Greene's daughter was Rachel Greene. She was a recurring character on ER while Jennifer Aniston starred on Friends as Rachel Green.
In 1999, Doug Ross leaves County General in Chicago for Seattle, not knowing that Carol is pregnant by him with twin girls.
The real-life reason was George Clooney's pursuit of a full-time film career after starring in films including One Fine Day and Batman and Robin.
Carol later realizes that Doug is her soul mate and she leaves for Seattle to be with him.
In this pivotal episode, George Clooney makes a cameo at the end, welcoming Carol.
Warner Brothers kept the guest appearance a secret, so NBC was unable to promote it.
Clooney shot the cameo appearance on location in Massachusetts where he was shooting The Perfect Storm.
Clooney and Marguiles reprised their ER roles in an episode towards the end of the series. Still happily married, they were unwittingly involved in the donation of a kidney that went to a former colleague -- Dr. John Carter, played by Noah Wyle.
david@davidkrell.com
For the first time in fifteen years, ER will not be a part of the NBC Thursday night lineup.
When the show aired its last episode in April of 2009, it left a legacy of excellence that network television will be hard pressed to match.
When the show aired its first episode in September of 1994, it nicely filled the 10:00 pm cleanup hitter spot in Thursday night prime time with sheer dominance. ER steamrolled every program that competed.
And a familiar face found his breakout role.
Not yet a star, but on his way.
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, George Clooney's steady work makes his breakout role of pediatrician Doug Ross on ER seem inevitable in retrospect.
He had a nice run as Falconer, a cop and love interest of Sela Ward's character on Sisters -- Teddy.
He was part of the ensemble cast on the short-lived CBS detective show Bodies of Evidence with Lee Horsley of Matt Houston fame.
And in early episodes of Roseanne, he played Booker Brooks, the boss of Roseanne and Jackie.
When we first meet George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross in the pilot of ER, the setting is Saint Patrick's Day 1994 in Chicago.
And he is drunk with a shift starting in a few hours.
Dr. Mark Greene, Chief Resident and Doug's friend, treats Doug with an IV to sober him.
Beyond a drinking problem, Doug Ross is a womanizer.
He cheats on his girlfriend, Nurse Carol Hathaway, played by Julianna Marguiles.
She attempts suicide in the pilot with a drug overdose. Unclear is the motive, though the fractured relationship with Doug could be a contender.
Also debuting on NBC in September of 1994, Friends immediately captured the hearts and minds of America.
Three commonalities exist between the two shows.
First, a cross-promotion of sorts took place that inaugural year with George Clooney and co-star Noah Wyle guest starring on an episode of Friends as New York City hospital doctors.
Second, besides airing on NBC, Friends and ER had another production factor in common. Warner Brothers produced both shows.
And third, both shows featured a character with similar names. Dr. Mark Greene's daughter was Rachel Greene. She was a recurring character on ER while Jennifer Aniston starred on Friends as Rachel Green.
In 1999, Doug Ross leaves County General in Chicago for Seattle, not knowing that Carol is pregnant by him with twin girls.
The real-life reason was George Clooney's pursuit of a full-time film career after starring in films including One Fine Day and Batman and Robin.
Carol later realizes that Doug is her soul mate and she leaves for Seattle to be with him.
In this pivotal episode, George Clooney makes a cameo at the end, welcoming Carol.
Warner Brothers kept the guest appearance a secret, so NBC was unable to promote it.
Clooney shot the cameo appearance on location in Massachusetts where he was shooting The Perfect Storm.
Clooney and Marguiles reprised their ER roles in an episode towards the end of the series. Still happily married, they were unwittingly involved in the donation of a kidney that went to a former colleague -- Dr. John Carter, played by Noah Wyle.
Hogan's Heroes and Christmas
July 17, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
During the month of December, television shows enjoy holiday themes.
The Hollywood Palace was no exception in 1965.
With the Christmas season as a backdrop for one particular episode in December of '65, host Bing Crosby mentions that this time of year means people traveling to see families.
He then references a group of men far from home.
And we see the Allied POW's of Hogan's Heroes climbing down the ladder into their escape tunnel.
Moments later, the soldiers emerge from a huge staircase prop on stage, climb down the staircase, and engage in some light banter with Bing Crosby.
Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane reveals to his comrades in arms that Bing Crosby is the boss, the owner of Hogan's Heroes.
Mere coincidence? Highly unlikely.
Indeed, the crooner was a formidable businessman, owning stakes in real estate, oil wells, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Minute Maid, and a television production company bearing his name.
Debuting in September of 1965, Hogan's Heroes became a rookie hit on CBS, showcasing the fictional exploits of the Allied POW's of Stalag 13 during World War II.
It became a home run for Bing Crosby and a natural tie-in for this installment of The Hollywood Palace.
Soon, Sergeant Schultz arrives on stage. Colonel Klink follows.
The exchange between the Hogan's Heroes cast and Crosby is enjoyable, even topical.
Werner Klemperer, as Klink, mentions that he learned how to drop out because he came to the studio by way of Berkeley.
The cast appears in later segments of the episode.
Shedding their usual dumbkopf images of Klink and Schultz, Werner Klemperer and John Banner perform what might be the highlight of the program -- a somber, sentimental, and gripping rendition of Silent Night in German -- Stille Nacht.
Robert Clary, who played LeBeau, also shows his singing talents with a performance of Le Divine Enfant.
And the cast joins with more songs.
The appearance of the Hogan's Heroes cast on the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace in 1965 brings some buzz phrases to mind.
Stunt casting.
Synergy.
Cross-promotion.
But the scheme works because it doesn't overwhelm the audience and it doesn't shy away from the fact of a cross-interest of Mr. Crosby.
Some might say that Bing Crosby used The Hollywood Palace to promote one of his programs.
But that program just happened to be one of the hits of the television season.
Why wouldn't he want the Hogan's Heroes cast to be a part of the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace.
Again, the cast appears in more than just the one segment exchanging punch lines with Crosby. It wasn't a self-serving cameo.
david@davidkrell.com
During the month of December, television shows enjoy holiday themes.
The Hollywood Palace was no exception in 1965.
With the Christmas season as a backdrop for one particular episode in December of '65, host Bing Crosby mentions that this time of year means people traveling to see families.
He then references a group of men far from home.
And we see the Allied POW's of Hogan's Heroes climbing down the ladder into their escape tunnel.
Moments later, the soldiers emerge from a huge staircase prop on stage, climb down the staircase, and engage in some light banter with Bing Crosby.
Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane reveals to his comrades in arms that Bing Crosby is the boss, the owner of Hogan's Heroes.
Mere coincidence? Highly unlikely.
Indeed, the crooner was a formidable businessman, owning stakes in real estate, oil wells, the Pittsburgh Pirates, Minute Maid, and a television production company bearing his name.
Debuting in September of 1965, Hogan's Heroes became a rookie hit on CBS, showcasing the fictional exploits of the Allied POW's of Stalag 13 during World War II.
It became a home run for Bing Crosby and a natural tie-in for this installment of The Hollywood Palace.
Soon, Sergeant Schultz arrives on stage. Colonel Klink follows.
The exchange between the Hogan's Heroes cast and Crosby is enjoyable, even topical.
Werner Klemperer, as Klink, mentions that he learned how to drop out because he came to the studio by way of Berkeley.
The cast appears in later segments of the episode.
Shedding their usual dumbkopf images of Klink and Schultz, Werner Klemperer and John Banner perform what might be the highlight of the program -- a somber, sentimental, and gripping rendition of Silent Night in German -- Stille Nacht.
Robert Clary, who played LeBeau, also shows his singing talents with a performance of Le Divine Enfant.
And the cast joins with more songs.
The appearance of the Hogan's Heroes cast on the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace in 1965 brings some buzz phrases to mind.
Stunt casting.
Synergy.
Cross-promotion.
But the scheme works because it doesn't overwhelm the audience and it doesn't shy away from the fact of a cross-interest of Mr. Crosby.
Some might say that Bing Crosby used The Hollywood Palace to promote one of his programs.
But that program just happened to be one of the hits of the television season.
Why wouldn't he want the Hogan's Heroes cast to be a part of the Christmas episode of The Hollywood Palace.
Again, the cast appears in more than just the one segment exchanging punch lines with Crosby. It wasn't a self-serving cameo.
The General Flipped At Dawn
July 14, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
M*A*S*H had a terrific roster of guest stars during its eleven-year run on CBS.
Ron Howard.
Laurence Fishburne.
And Harry Morgan, to name just three.
Harry Morgan?
Didn't he play Colonel Potter?
Yes, but he also appeared as a guest star in the third-season episode The General Flipped At Dawn in 1974.
In this episode, Morgan plays General Hamilton Steele, a no-nonsense, Regular Army, military disciplinarian who inspects the 4077th.
Steele quotes great generals to inspire Colonel Blake.
Of course, the quotes are fictional and sometimes ridiculous.
Indeed, General Steele is in his own world.
While reviewing the troops, he tells Father Mulcahy that he'd like to see a shine on the cross that the 4077th's chaplain wears.
And when Klinger comes to the lineup dressed like a woman to convince the general that he's a candidate for a Section 8 discharge, General Steele dismissed him by saying, Not now Marjorie, I'm inspecting the troops.
It leaves Klinger with a terribly confused look on his face. Where Klinger usually gets wisecracks upon being dismissed, the general actually thinks Klinger is someone named Marjorie, perhaps his wife.
The conflict in the episode stems from Steele's order to move the M*A*S*H 4077th unit to a location closer to the front.
You do your best business on Main Street, says Steele.
He also says, MASH means Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and mobile you shall be.
Unfortunately, General Steele needs a helicopter to view the move at the same time that Dr. Hawkeye Pierce needs a helicopter to transport a patient to Tokyo for further medical treatment.
A shouting match leads to Hawkeye telling the general that he's nuts.
And a court martial of Hawkeye ensues with disastrous results for the general after he makes inappropriate comments to the black helicopter pilot during the hearing.
But that doesn't stop General Steele. He gets a promotion.
Teddy Wilson played the helicopter pilot. He reunited with Harry Morgan in 1987 for the short-lived television series You Can't Take It With You.
The General Flipped At Dawn is an interesting episode.
It shows the great range of Harry Morgan.
Where he plays Potter as wise, compassionate, and avuncular, he plays Steele as single-minded -- his way or the highway.
But instead of making him a caricature, Morgan makes him a realistic character unafraid to use his authority, befuddled and clueless though he may be.
For M*A*S*H fans, The General Flipped At Dawn has historical importance because of Morgan's pre-Potter appearance. And it has entertainment value that puts the episode among the most noteworthy M*A*S*H episodes.
david@davidkrell.com
M*A*S*H had a terrific roster of guest stars during its eleven-year run on CBS.
Ron Howard.
Laurence Fishburne.
And Harry Morgan, to name just three.
Harry Morgan?
Didn't he play Colonel Potter?
Yes, but he also appeared as a guest star in the third-season episode The General Flipped At Dawn in 1974.
In this episode, Morgan plays General Hamilton Steele, a no-nonsense, Regular Army, military disciplinarian who inspects the 4077th.
Steele quotes great generals to inspire Colonel Blake.
Of course, the quotes are fictional and sometimes ridiculous.
Indeed, General Steele is in his own world.
While reviewing the troops, he tells Father Mulcahy that he'd like to see a shine on the cross that the 4077th's chaplain wears.
And when Klinger comes to the lineup dressed like a woman to convince the general that he's a candidate for a Section 8 discharge, General Steele dismissed him by saying, Not now Marjorie, I'm inspecting the troops.
It leaves Klinger with a terribly confused look on his face. Where Klinger usually gets wisecracks upon being dismissed, the general actually thinks Klinger is someone named Marjorie, perhaps his wife.
The conflict in the episode stems from Steele's order to move the M*A*S*H 4077th unit to a location closer to the front.
You do your best business on Main Street, says Steele.
He also says, MASH means Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and mobile you shall be.
Unfortunately, General Steele needs a helicopter to view the move at the same time that Dr. Hawkeye Pierce needs a helicopter to transport a patient to Tokyo for further medical treatment.
A shouting match leads to Hawkeye telling the general that he's nuts.
And a court martial of Hawkeye ensues with disastrous results for the general after he makes inappropriate comments to the black helicopter pilot during the hearing.
But that doesn't stop General Steele. He gets a promotion.
Teddy Wilson played the helicopter pilot. He reunited with Harry Morgan in 1987 for the short-lived television series You Can't Take It With You.
The General Flipped At Dawn is an interesting episode.
It shows the great range of Harry Morgan.
Where he plays Potter as wise, compassionate, and avuncular, he plays Steele as single-minded -- his way or the highway.
But instead of making him a caricature, Morgan makes him a realistic character unafraid to use his authority, befuddled and clueless though he may be.
For M*A*S*H fans, The General Flipped At Dawn has historical importance because of Morgan's pre-Potter appearance. And it has entertainment value that puts the episode among the most noteworthy M*A*S*H episodes.
Michael Jackson
June 25, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980's, three revolutions took place in the entertainment industry.
Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll changed a major production techniques of television drama with their show Hill Street Blues. They favored story arcs instead of self-contained episodes. Producers continued that technique with Hall of Fame television dramas -- St. Elsewhere, L.A. Law, thirtysomething, ER, The Shield, The Sopranos, and Rescue Me.
Television networks went the conglomerate route. Loews, GE, and Capital Cities took over Network Row as they incorporated CBS, NBC, and ABC respectively into their massive corporate families. Gone were the days of network chiefs like William Paley, David Sarnoff, and Leonard Goldenson being synonymous with the networks they founded.
And Michael Jackson, for all intents and purposes, made the marriage of music and television complete with his numerous music video plays on MTV. Before he danced on a car and made a mockery of court proceedings concerning child molestation allegations, before he underwent massive plastic surgery that drastically altered his appearance, and before his deep money troubles, Michael Jackson had it all -- fame, money, adoration of fans.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller gave him terrific fodder for music videos. He defined the genre by creating visual stories to match the songs. He set the bar higher for bands and singers who wanted rotation on MTV. And he formed the center for USA For Africa's We Are the World in 1985 by singing the first chorus. Forty-five singers comprised an inspirational unit to sing this song that raised money for Ethiopian famine sufferers, but Michael Jackson was arguably a keystone to the song's success.
It all happened back in the day described eloquently by Bowling For Soup in its song 1985: Way before Nirvana, there was U2 and Blondie and music still on MTV.
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980's, three revolutions took place in the entertainment industry.
Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll changed a major production techniques of television drama with their show Hill Street Blues. They favored story arcs instead of self-contained episodes. Producers continued that technique with Hall of Fame television dramas -- St. Elsewhere, L.A. Law, thirtysomething, ER, The Shield, The Sopranos, and Rescue Me.
Television networks went the conglomerate route. Loews, GE, and Capital Cities took over Network Row as they incorporated CBS, NBC, and ABC respectively into their massive corporate families. Gone were the days of network chiefs like William Paley, David Sarnoff, and Leonard Goldenson being synonymous with the networks they founded.
And Michael Jackson, for all intents and purposes, made the marriage of music and television complete with his numerous music video plays on MTV. Before he danced on a car and made a mockery of court proceedings concerning child molestation allegations, before he underwent massive plastic surgery that drastically altered his appearance, and before his deep money troubles, Michael Jackson had it all -- fame, money, adoration of fans.
Jackson's 1982 album Thriller gave him terrific fodder for music videos. He defined the genre by creating visual stories to match the songs. He set the bar higher for bands and singers who wanted rotation on MTV. And he formed the center for USA For Africa's We Are the World in 1985 by singing the first chorus. Forty-five singers comprised an inspirational unit to sing this song that raised money for Ethiopian famine sufferers, but Michael Jackson was arguably a keystone to the song's success.
It all happened back in the day described eloquently by Bowling For Soup in its song 1985: Way before Nirvana, there was U2 and Blondie and music still on MTV.
Late Night
June 24, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the late night television arena was a free-for-all.
With Johnny Carson leaning toward the exit, Jay Leno and David Letterman battled for the dream job of any comedian -- host of The Tonight Show.
Bill Carter captures the behind-the-scenes action in his excellent book -- The Late Shift.
Arsenio Hall attracted younger viewers when he debuted the first-run syndicated The Arsenio Hall Show in 1989.
With friends including Magic Johnson and Eddie Murphy, Arsenio redefined 'hip' in the era of Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli and the first George Bush.
As Jimmy Durante used to say, Everybody wants to get into the act.
CBS attempted to bring a powerhouse game show host into its nighttime galaxy.
Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak got the 11:30 pm job on the Eye Network. He competed with Johnny Carson for a little more than a year from January 1989 to April 1990.
It was a standard talk show format.
Pat Sajak performed a monologue.
Dan Miller was the announcer.
Couch for guests on the left, desk for host on the right.
Miller and Sajak worked together on WSM-TV newscasts in Nashville back in the day.
Tom Scott was the band leader.
Scott was also the band leader for another short-lived offering -- The Chevy Chase Show. It debuted in the Fall of 1993 concurrently with Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Radio DJ Rick Dees gave late night a try on ABC with Into the Night. It debuted in 1990.
Like Sajak, Dees' tenure could be measured in months, Chase's in weeks.
The Arsenio Hall Show ended in 1994 after a five-year run.
During this era, television entered a transition phase with a passing of the baton to the future custodians of late night television.
Why didn't these shows work?
Perhaps Sajak was overexposed because of his daily air time on Wheel of Fortune.
Perhaps Dees simply couldn't compete with Arsenio for the younger viewers.
Perhaps Arsenio Hall got too political during the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots in 1992.
And, of course, the Johnny factor.
America could always revert to Johnny for familiarity, which breeds comfort.
At least the decision makers tried to take on the late night Goliath. In the cases of Dees and Sajak, the networks jumped into the fray. For Arsenio Hall, the strength of a network was absent.
Now, late night is dominated by the next generation -- Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, and the new eminence grise, David Letterman.
david@davidkrell.com
In the late 1980's and early 1990's, the late night television arena was a free-for-all.
With Johnny Carson leaning toward the exit, Jay Leno and David Letterman battled for the dream job of any comedian -- host of The Tonight Show.
Bill Carter captures the behind-the-scenes action in his excellent book -- The Late Shift.
Arsenio Hall attracted younger viewers when he debuted the first-run syndicated The Arsenio Hall Show in 1989.
With friends including Magic Johnson and Eddie Murphy, Arsenio redefined 'hip' in the era of Vanilla Ice, Milli Vanilli and the first George Bush.
As Jimmy Durante used to say, Everybody wants to get into the act.
CBS attempted to bring a powerhouse game show host into its nighttime galaxy.
Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak got the 11:30 pm job on the Eye Network. He competed with Johnny Carson for a little more than a year from January 1989 to April 1990.
It was a standard talk show format.
Pat Sajak performed a monologue.
Dan Miller was the announcer.
Couch for guests on the left, desk for host on the right.
Miller and Sajak worked together on WSM-TV newscasts in Nashville back in the day.
Tom Scott was the band leader.
Scott was also the band leader for another short-lived offering -- The Chevy Chase Show. It debuted in the Fall of 1993 concurrently with Late Night with Conan O'Brien.
Radio DJ Rick Dees gave late night a try on ABC with Into the Night. It debuted in 1990.
Like Sajak, Dees' tenure could be measured in months, Chase's in weeks.
The Arsenio Hall Show ended in 1994 after a five-year run.
During this era, television entered a transition phase with a passing of the baton to the future custodians of late night television.
Why didn't these shows work?
Perhaps Sajak was overexposed because of his daily air time on Wheel of Fortune.
Perhaps Dees simply couldn't compete with Arsenio for the younger viewers.
Perhaps Arsenio Hall got too political during the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots in 1992.
And, of course, the Johnny factor.
America could always revert to Johnny for familiarity, which breeds comfort.
At least the decision makers tried to take on the late night Goliath. In the cases of Dees and Sajak, the networks jumped into the fray. For Arsenio Hall, the strength of a network was absent.
Now, late night is dominated by the next generation -- Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Craig Ferguson, and the new eminence grise, David Letterman.
Cesar Romero
June 16, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Heath Ledger's chilling, sinister, and violent portrayal of the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture and a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Ledger continued the standard of excellence in portraying the character.
Jack Nicholson owned the role in 1989's Batman.
And Cesar Romero owned it in the 1960's camp version of the Batman franchise on ABC's Batman.
With his maniacal laugh, wide smile, and refusal to shave his mustache, Cesar Romero lit up the screen when he was the Special Guest Villain. White makeup somewhat covered up the mustache, but we could still see it. It added to the character's bizarre qualities.
But Cesar Romero did much more than embody the Joker, the character with the most guest appearances on Batman.
He was a serious dramatic actor with credits forming a terrific body of work, including the movie The Thin Man. He plays a villain opposite William Powell.
And he plays Duke Santos, a highly significant role in the 1960 Rat Pack movie Ocean's 11.
Santos is the fiancé of the mother of Jimmy Foster, played by Peter Lawford.
Santos is also a reformed gangster who figures out that Foster and his buddies pulled a New Year's Eve heist on five Las Vegas casinos. He becomes a thorn in their side as he pledges to the casino owners that he will get the money returned, provided he gets a percentage.
Besides Batman, Romero guest starred on several iconic television programs.
In an episode from the 1960's spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., he plays the head of U.N.C.L.E.'s rival spy agency T.H.R.U.S.H.
He played Gilberto, Chico's absentee father, in the Chico and the Man episode Chico's Padre.
He also guest starred on The Golden Girls, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Magnum p.i., The Love Boat, and Ironside.
In addition, Romero had recurring roles on Alias Smith and Jones and in Disney's Medfield College starring Kurt Russell.
He also played Peter Stavros for a few seasons of the 1980's CBS nighttime soap opera Falcon Crest.
But for baby boomers who saw the original 1960's television show Batman in its initial run and the Generation Xers who saw it in reruns, Romero's defining role is the Dark Knight's greatest villain -- the Joker.
david@davidkrell.com
Heath Ledger's chilling, sinister, and violent portrayal of the Joker in 2008's The Dark Knight earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor -- Motion Picture and a posthumous Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Ledger continued the standard of excellence in portraying the character.
Jack Nicholson owned the role in 1989's Batman.
And Cesar Romero owned it in the 1960's camp version of the Batman franchise on ABC's Batman.
With his maniacal laugh, wide smile, and refusal to shave his mustache, Cesar Romero lit up the screen when he was the Special Guest Villain. White makeup somewhat covered up the mustache, but we could still see it. It added to the character's bizarre qualities.
But Cesar Romero did much more than embody the Joker, the character with the most guest appearances on Batman.
He was a serious dramatic actor with credits forming a terrific body of work, including the movie The Thin Man. He plays a villain opposite William Powell.
And he plays Duke Santos, a highly significant role in the 1960 Rat Pack movie Ocean's 11.
Santos is the fiancé of the mother of Jimmy Foster, played by Peter Lawford.
Santos is also a reformed gangster who figures out that Foster and his buddies pulled a New Year's Eve heist on five Las Vegas casinos. He becomes a thorn in their side as he pledges to the casino owners that he will get the money returned, provided he gets a percentage.
Besides Batman, Romero guest starred on several iconic television programs.
In an episode from the 1960's spy series The Man From U.N.C.L.E., he plays the head of U.N.C.L.E.'s rival spy agency T.H.R.U.S.H.
He played Gilberto, Chico's absentee father, in the Chico and the Man episode Chico's Padre.
He also guest starred on The Golden Girls, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, Magnum p.i., The Love Boat, and Ironside.
In addition, Romero had recurring roles on Alias Smith and Jones and in Disney's Medfield College starring Kurt Russell.
He also played Peter Stavros for a few seasons of the 1980's CBS nighttime soap opera Falcon Crest.
But for baby boomers who saw the original 1960's television show Batman in its initial run and the Generation Xers who saw it in reruns, Romero's defining role is the Dark Knight's greatest villain -- the Joker.
Get Smart
June 04, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
For those who missed it by "that much," the 2008 film Get Smart comes to cable television this summer.
Perfect casting -- Steve Carrell as Maxwell Smart, Anne Hathaway as Agent 99, and Alan Arkin as the Chief.
The roots of Get Smart date back four decades when it parodied the spy genre in 1960's television. The show countered more serious offerings -- The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Saint.
Created by comedy giants Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, Get Smart gave America a humorous view of the espionage world.
Don Adams masters the role of Maxwell Smart, a well-meaning, sometimes befuddled, and gadget-dependent spy for C.O.N.T.R.O.L.
Sexy sidekick Barbara Feldon plays Agent 99, always ready to steer Max back on track after a mishap.
Feldon plays a send-up of her spy actress position in the Mad About You episode The Spy Who Loved Me. Feldon's Diane Caldwell is a somewhat airy actress whose high career point was Spy Girl, a 1960's television series.
Once the object of boyhood fantasies for cousins Ira and Paul, she becomes the reality for adult Ira. But one night of fantasy realized with a bubble-headed actress does not go further as Caldwell dispassionately dismisses any thought of a future with Ira.
Edward Platt plays the Chief on Get Smart. The boss of Max and 99 never loses faith in his espionage duo.
Dick Gautier plays Hymie the Robot.
David Ketchum plays Agent 13.
And Bernie Kopell plays Siegfried, a nemesis of Max and Agent 99 from rival agency K.A.O.S.
Get Smart begins each episode with an ominous sounding brass theme and Max pulling up to C.O.N.T.R.O.L. Headquarters in a sports car. Max must go through an elaborate set of doors to get to his ultimate destination, presumably a meeting with the Chief.
Probably the most recognizable props of Get Smart are Max's shoe phone and the constantly malfunctioning Cone of Silence.
Get Smart inspired the 1980 farce The Nude Bomb, a film that sums up the plot in its title. The bomb at the heart of the film has the capability to remove people's clothing.
In 1989, Adams and Feldon returned to their signature roles in Get Smart Again, a tv-movie. Just a few years later in 1995, Get Smart returned as a television series for a post-Cold War incarnation. Andy Dick plays the son of the now long-married spy couple. Max and 99 also have daughter. Like her mother, she does not have a name.
Get Smart holds a tremendous distinction in the annals of television. Its versions have appeared on four major networks.
The original 1960's series first aired on NBC and then switched to CBS. Get Smart Again aired on ABC and the 1995 version of Get Smart aired on FOX.
Echoes of The Brady Bunch.
The original Brady Bunch show aired on ABC as did The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
The Brady Brides, an early 1980's sitcom aired on NBC as did its progenitor the tv-movie The Brady Girls Get Married.
The 1988 tv-movie A Very Brady Christmas aired on CBS. And the more somber drama series The Bradys followed suit a couple of years later.
The 2002 tv-movie The Brady Bunch in the White House aired on FOX.
But these nostalgic icons are not the only shows to achieve the feat of four incarnations on four television networks.
Tom Corbett, Space Cadet aired in the 1950's on CBS, ABC, NBC, and Dumont.
david@davidkrell.com
For those who missed it by "that much," the 2008 film Get Smart comes to cable television this summer.
Perfect casting -- Steve Carrell as Maxwell Smart, Anne Hathaway as Agent 99, and Alan Arkin as the Chief.
The roots of Get Smart date back four decades when it parodied the spy genre in 1960's television. The show countered more serious offerings -- The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Saint.
Created by comedy giants Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, Get Smart gave America a humorous view of the espionage world.
Don Adams masters the role of Maxwell Smart, a well-meaning, sometimes befuddled, and gadget-dependent spy for C.O.N.T.R.O.L.
Sexy sidekick Barbara Feldon plays Agent 99, always ready to steer Max back on track after a mishap.
Feldon plays a send-up of her spy actress position in the Mad About You episode The Spy Who Loved Me. Feldon's Diane Caldwell is a somewhat airy actress whose high career point was Spy Girl, a 1960's television series.
Once the object of boyhood fantasies for cousins Ira and Paul, she becomes the reality for adult Ira. But one night of fantasy realized with a bubble-headed actress does not go further as Caldwell dispassionately dismisses any thought of a future with Ira.
Edward Platt plays the Chief on Get Smart. The boss of Max and 99 never loses faith in his espionage duo.
Dick Gautier plays Hymie the Robot.
David Ketchum plays Agent 13.
And Bernie Kopell plays Siegfried, a nemesis of Max and Agent 99 from rival agency K.A.O.S.
Get Smart begins each episode with an ominous sounding brass theme and Max pulling up to C.O.N.T.R.O.L. Headquarters in a sports car. Max must go through an elaborate set of doors to get to his ultimate destination, presumably a meeting with the Chief.
Probably the most recognizable props of Get Smart are Max's shoe phone and the constantly malfunctioning Cone of Silence.
Get Smart inspired the 1980 farce The Nude Bomb, a film that sums up the plot in its title. The bomb at the heart of the film has the capability to remove people's clothing.
In 1989, Adams and Feldon returned to their signature roles in Get Smart Again, a tv-movie. Just a few years later in 1995, Get Smart returned as a television series for a post-Cold War incarnation. Andy Dick plays the son of the now long-married spy couple. Max and 99 also have daughter. Like her mother, she does not have a name.
Get Smart holds a tremendous distinction in the annals of television. Its versions have appeared on four major networks.
The original 1960's series first aired on NBC and then switched to CBS. Get Smart Again aired on ABC and the 1995 version of Get Smart aired on FOX.
Echoes of The Brady Bunch.
The original Brady Bunch show aired on ABC as did The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
The Brady Brides, an early 1980's sitcom aired on NBC as did its progenitor the tv-movie The Brady Girls Get Married.
The 1988 tv-movie A Very Brady Christmas aired on CBS. And the more somber drama series The Bradys followed suit a couple of years later.
The 2002 tv-movie The Brady Bunch in the White House aired on FOX.
But these nostalgic icons are not the only shows to achieve the feat of four incarnations on four television networks.
Tom Corbett, Space Cadet aired in the 1950's on CBS, ABC, NBC, and Dumont.
John Stamos
May 28, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
John Stamos has a deep television resume indicative of an actor destined for television icon status enjoyed by the likes of Robert Urich and Tony Danza.
Starting in daytime television, Stamos earned his heartthrob stripes in the early 1980's as Blackie Parrish on General Hospital.
In 1984, Stamos tackled prime time with Dreams, a short-lived CBS show about a rock and roll group trying to get its big break.
Later in the Reagan decade, Stamos partnered with veteran television actor Jack Klugman in You Again?, an NBC sitcom about a teenager who moves into his father's home after a long estrangement.
You Again? lasted one season.
The third prime time's a charm.
Stamos struck gold with Full House, an ABC sitcom that served as an anchor for the alphabet network's TGIF lineup.
The three father figures on Full House present distinct personalities. Bob Saget plays Danny Tanner, the actual father of the three daughters on the show.
Danny is the practical one.
Dave Coulier plays Joey Gladstone.
Joey is the childlike one.
Stamos plays Uncle Jesse.
Jesse is the creative one. Following his musical background, Stamos infused his character with a musical bent.
Full House lasted eight years, from 1987 to 1995.
Stamos' post-Full House television work includes the short-lived 2001 entry Thieves and Jake In Progress, a one hour drama with strong comedy elements that debuted in 2005.
Jake In Progress stars Stamos in the title role as a successful New York City publicist who reexamines his approach to women, that is to say, his womanizing.
Even a terrific supporting cast did not provide enough fuel to let Jake progress on his journey of finding his other half, his soulmate, his counterpart. Wendie Malick of Just Shoot Me and Dream On plays Stamos' boss.
After a guest spot on Friends in 2003, Stamos joined the cast of NBC's long-running drama ER as Tony Gates, Initially a recurring character, Gates became a fixture at Cook County General Hospital. Initially a paramedic, Gates became a doctor.
Stamos also appears in the 2007 HBO documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project. He joins a roster of legendary interviewees, including the Smothers Brothers, Robin Williams, Bob Newhart, Martin Scorsese, Regis Philbin, Jay Leno, Debbie Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, and Carl Reiner.
Stamos talks kindly about Rickles' impact on younger entertainers. He expands his comments to include others of Rickles' generation.
In a separate interview, Stamos' Full House co-star Bob Saget also appears on the documentary. And the two separately square off with some choice comments about each other. In essence, Saget claims that Stamos simply kisses the ring of Rickles, to put the phrase euphemestically.
John Stamos has a resume that is synonymous with television. One major hit in the form of Full House has not made him a one-hit wonder. Although his characters don't always know how to go about doing the right thing, they always want to do the right thing. They try. Which is just about all you can ask for.
david@davidkrell.com
John Stamos has a deep television resume indicative of an actor destined for television icon status enjoyed by the likes of Robert Urich and Tony Danza.
Starting in daytime television, Stamos earned his heartthrob stripes in the early 1980's as Blackie Parrish on General Hospital.
In 1984, Stamos tackled prime time with Dreams, a short-lived CBS show about a rock and roll group trying to get its big break.
Later in the Reagan decade, Stamos partnered with veteran television actor Jack Klugman in You Again?, an NBC sitcom about a teenager who moves into his father's home after a long estrangement.
You Again? lasted one season.
The third prime time's a charm.
Stamos struck gold with Full House, an ABC sitcom that served as an anchor for the alphabet network's TGIF lineup.
The three father figures on Full House present distinct personalities. Bob Saget plays Danny Tanner, the actual father of the three daughters on the show.
Danny is the practical one.
Dave Coulier plays Joey Gladstone.
Joey is the childlike one.
Stamos plays Uncle Jesse.
Jesse is the creative one. Following his musical background, Stamos infused his character with a musical bent.
Full House lasted eight years, from 1987 to 1995.
Stamos' post-Full House television work includes the short-lived 2001 entry Thieves and Jake In Progress, a one hour drama with strong comedy elements that debuted in 2005.
Jake In Progress stars Stamos in the title role as a successful New York City publicist who reexamines his approach to women, that is to say, his womanizing.
Even a terrific supporting cast did not provide enough fuel to let Jake progress on his journey of finding his other half, his soulmate, his counterpart. Wendie Malick of Just Shoot Me and Dream On plays Stamos' boss.
After a guest spot on Friends in 2003, Stamos joined the cast of NBC's long-running drama ER as Tony Gates, Initially a recurring character, Gates became a fixture at Cook County General Hospital. Initially a paramedic, Gates became a doctor.
Stamos also appears in the 2007 HBO documentary Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project. He joins a roster of legendary interviewees, including the Smothers Brothers, Robin Williams, Bob Newhart, Martin Scorsese, Regis Philbin, Jay Leno, Debbie Reynolds, Clint Eastwood, and Carl Reiner.
Stamos talks kindly about Rickles' impact on younger entertainers. He expands his comments to include others of Rickles' generation.
In a separate interview, Stamos' Full House co-star Bob Saget also appears on the documentary. And the two separately square off with some choice comments about each other. In essence, Saget claims that Stamos simply kisses the ring of Rickles, to put the phrase euphemestically.
John Stamos has a resume that is synonymous with television. One major hit in the form of Full House has not made him a one-hit wonder. Although his characters don't always know how to go about doing the right thing, they always want to do the right thing. They try. Which is just about all you can ask for.
Major League
May 27, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
This year marks the 20th anniversary of a movie with a classic early set up and climactic payoff, romance in the B-storyline incorporated into the main plot, and an underdog theme against a baseball backdrop.
Major League.
In this 1989 movie, Charlie Sheen plays Cleveland Indians pitcher Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn, his nickname stemming from his wild pitching. Corrective lenses easily solve this problem.
Sheen later parlayed his movie stardom for small screen success. He took over the lead position in Spin City after Michael J. Fox left the show. Sheen now stars in Two and a Half Men, the successor to the crown of CBS' Monday night comedy lineup previously worn by Everybody Loves Raymond.
Corbin Bernsen plays cocky, skilled, and fast-talking third baseman Roger Dorn. His performance in Major League coincided with the height of his success in L.A. Law where he played cocky, skilled, and fast-talking matrimonial attorney Arnie Becker.
Tom Berenger plays veteran catcher Jake Taylor. Berenger's television work is plentiful.
In guest appearances on Cheers, Berenger plays plumber Don Santry, the man who finally wins the love of Rebecca Howe, played by Kirstie Alley.
Berenger plays real-life icons Teddy Roosevelt and Paul 'Bear' Bryant respectively in the tv-movies Rough Riders and The Junction Boys.
In October Road, Berenger plays the Commander, a.k.a. the father of lead character Nick Garrett.
Berenger made another noteworthy contribution to prime time. Sort of.
In The Big Chill, Berenger plays Sam Weber, the star of the action-packed television show, J.T. Lancer.
James Gammon plays Indians manager Lou Brown. He also plays Nick Bridges, father of Don Johnson's title character in Nash Bridges.
Dennis Haysbert captures attention as Pedro Cerrano, a voodoo-friendly power slugger. A little more than a decade after Major League, he captured attention on a weekly basis as presidential candidate and then President David Palmer on 24.
Bob Uecker provides comic relief as Indians radio announcer Harry Doyle, a boozy play-by-play man who does his best to shade the Indians' pathetic playing at the beginning of the movie with not so accurate descriptions.
Uecker graced the small screen in the 1980's ABC Friday night sitcom Mr. Belvedere, based on the 1947 novel Belvedere by Gwen Davenport.
Major League will inspire you to root for the home team, infuse you with faith even if the odds are against success, and encourage you to keep moving forward even when something goes awry no matter how valiant the effort.
david@davidkrell.com
This year marks the 20th anniversary of a movie with a classic early set up and climactic payoff, romance in the B-storyline incorporated into the main plot, and an underdog theme against a baseball backdrop.
Major League.
In this 1989 movie, Charlie Sheen plays Cleveland Indians pitcher Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn, his nickname stemming from his wild pitching. Corrective lenses easily solve this problem.
Sheen later parlayed his movie stardom for small screen success. He took over the lead position in Spin City after Michael J. Fox left the show. Sheen now stars in Two and a Half Men, the successor to the crown of CBS' Monday night comedy lineup previously worn by Everybody Loves Raymond.
Corbin Bernsen plays cocky, skilled, and fast-talking third baseman Roger Dorn. His performance in Major League coincided with the height of his success in L.A. Law where he played cocky, skilled, and fast-talking matrimonial attorney Arnie Becker.
Tom Berenger plays veteran catcher Jake Taylor. Berenger's television work is plentiful.
In guest appearances on Cheers, Berenger plays plumber Don Santry, the man who finally wins the love of Rebecca Howe, played by Kirstie Alley.
Berenger plays real-life icons Teddy Roosevelt and Paul 'Bear' Bryant respectively in the tv-movies Rough Riders and The Junction Boys.
In October Road, Berenger plays the Commander, a.k.a. the father of lead character Nick Garrett.
Berenger made another noteworthy contribution to prime time. Sort of.
In The Big Chill, Berenger plays Sam Weber, the star of the action-packed television show, J.T. Lancer.
James Gammon plays Indians manager Lou Brown. He also plays Nick Bridges, father of Don Johnson's title character in Nash Bridges.
Dennis Haysbert captures attention as Pedro Cerrano, a voodoo-friendly power slugger. A little more than a decade after Major League, he captured attention on a weekly basis as presidential candidate and then President David Palmer on 24.
Bob Uecker provides comic relief as Indians radio announcer Harry Doyle, a boozy play-by-play man who does his best to shade the Indians' pathetic playing at the beginning of the movie with not so accurate descriptions.
Uecker graced the small screen in the 1980's ABC Friday night sitcom Mr. Belvedere, based on the 1947 novel Belvedere by Gwen Davenport.
Major League will inspire you to root for the home team, infuse you with faith even if the odds are against success, and encourage you to keep moving forward even when something goes awry no matter how valiant the effort.