"Anti-Summersong" by The Decemberists

As many of you know, I hate summer. About the only things good about it are flowers, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Other than that, it is a hot, miserable, muggy time of year when there's way too much daylight and far too many allergens. Of course, it doesn't help that many of the people who meant the most to me died in the summer. Anyway, this summer has been worse than most. So many of my favourite actors and musicians have died this summer that I swear the vast of majority of my posts since June have been eulogies. And then this summer there have been far too many days with heat indices of over 100. Anyway, for those of you who also hate summer, here's a song for you. "Anti-Summersong" by The Decemberists. 

Godspeed Louis Lasser

Louise Lasser, best known as the star of the show Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, died on July 6, 2026, at the age of 87.

Louise Lasser was born on April 11, 1939, in New York City. Her father, S. Jay Lasser was a tax expert who wrote the book Everybody's Income Tax Guide. Louise Lasser studied political science at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. While there she took part in the school's musicals. She left college after three years and went back to New York City. She then began studying acting under Sanford Meisner and stared performing in Greenwich Village bars and coffee shops, as well as taking part in improvisational revues.

Louise Lasser understudied Barbara Streisand on Broadway in I Can Get It for You Wholesale. In the production, she was also the replacement for Rosaline (originally played by Marion Fels) and later Miss Marmelstein (originally played by Barbara Streisand). In the Sixties, she appeared on Broadway in Henry, Sweet Henry and The Chinese and Dr. Fish. In 1962, she appeared in an unaired pilot The Laughmakers starring Alan Alda. She made her television debut in an episode of the daily soap opera The Doctors in 1965. She made her movie debut in 1965 in What's New Pussycat. She appeared in the movie Take the Money and Run (1969). She was the voice of tiger lily in What's Up, Tiger Lily?, a comic redub by Woody Allen of the 1965 Japanese spy movie International Secret Police: Key of Keys.

It was in 1976 that Louise Lasser began her run as the title character on the soap opera parody Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. In the Seventies, she guest starred on the shows Love, American Style; The Bob Newhart Show; The Mary Tyler Moore Show; Love Story; McCloud; and Medical Center. She appeared in several TV movies, including Class of '55 and Coffee, Tea or Me?. She appeared in the movies Bananas (1971), Such Good Friends (1971), Everything You Want to Know About Sex*But Were Afraid to Ask (1972), Slither (1973), Stardust Memories (1980), and In God We Tru$t (1980). In 1974, she appeared on Broadway in Thieves.

In the Eighties, Louise Lasser was a regular on the sitcom It's a Living in its second season. She guest starred on the shows Taxi; Laverne & Shirley; and St. Elsewhere. She appeared in the movies Crimewave (1985), The Perils of P.K. (1986), Blood Rage (1987), Surrender (1987), Sing (1989), Rude Awakening (1989), Modern Love (1990), and Frakenhooker (1990).

In the Nineties, she appeared in the movies The Night We Never Met (1993), Layin' Low (1996), Sudden Manhattan (1996), Happiness (1998), Mystery Men (1999), Requiem for a Dream (1990), and Fast Food Fast Women (1990). She guest starred on the show Empty Nest.

In the Naughts, Louise Lasser guest starred on the show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She appeared in the movies Queenie in Love (2001), Wolves of Wall Street (2002), and Lady Killers (2003). In the Teens, she guest starred on three episodes of Girls.  Her last films were Driving Me Crazy: Proof of Concept (2012) and Funny Pages (2022). 

Louise Lasser was a very talented actress.She was perfect as Mary Hartman, the stereotypical housewife who was obsessed with keeping her floors clean and TV dinners. She was also brilliant as Nancy, the aloof social activist in the movie Bananas. Over the years, she played a number of roles, both large and small, in movies. In Happiness, she played the mother of three sisters who finds herself going through a divorce. In Mystery Men, she played Violet, the doting other of The Blue Raja (Hank Azaria). Over the years, she appeared in a wide variety of roles, and gave a good performance every time. 

TCM Summer Under the Stars 2026

TCM Summer Under the Stars returns to Turner Classic Movies next month. Like many TCM fans, I always look forward to it, my only caveat being that Noir Alley is off for a whole month. Regardles, this year has some of my favourite stars and there are also several days devoted to stars who are entirely new to Summer Under the Stars. These include Diane Keaton, George Hamilton, Marie Windsor, Bonita Granville, and Brock Peters. TCM's hosts also got to pick stars to whom days would be devoted to. Eddie Muller picked Joan Bennett, Jacqueline Stewart picked Hattie McDaniel. Alicia Malone picked Barbara Stanwyck. And Dave Karger picked Dana Andrews.

One problem I do have with this year's Summer Under the Stars is some odd scheduling in my mind. While I love The Blob (1958), I would have probably scheduled one of the movies more representative of Steve McQueen's work, like The Magnificent Seven (1960) or The Great Esxape (1963), in prime time. With regards to Jack Lemmon's movies, I would have scheduled The Great Race (1965) later in the day. It's one of my all-time favourite movies, but I don't want to get up at 5:00 AM to watch it! And I honestly don't know what Turner Classic Movies was thinking with regards to the schedule for Robert Redford. They aren't showing Barefoot in the Park (1967) or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), yet we get Out of Africa (1985) in prime time. It may have won several Academy Awards, but is both one of my least favourite Robert Redford moives and my least favourite Sydney Pollack movies. Anyway, I will stop complaining. I guess we should be thankful we have Summer Under the Stars at all.

As is my custom here at A Shroud of Thoughts, I have picked out my favourite movies airing this Summer Under the Stars. Here is a when they air. As usual, all times are Central.

August 1, Doris Day:
10:30 AM Calamity Jane (1953)
2:45 PM Teacher's Pet (1958)
5:00 PM Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1960)
7:00 PM Love Came Back (1962)

August 2, Humphrey Bogart:
7:00 AM Dark Victory (1939)
11L00 AM Casablanca (1942)
1:00 PM Beat the Devil (1954)
3:00 PM We're No Angels (1955)
5:00 PM The Big Sleep (1946)
1:00 AM Dark Passage (1947)

August 4, Glenn Ford:
3:00 PM The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
7:00 PM The Big Heat (1954)
10:45 PM The Blackboard Jungle (1955)

August 5, Joan Bennett:
12:30 PM The Woman on the Beach (1954)
3:15 PM The Woman in the Window (1944)
5:00 PM Scarlet Street (1945)
7:00 PM Man Hunt (1941)
9:00 PM Father of the Bride (1950)
11:00 PM Suspira (1977)
1:00 AM House of Dark Shadows (1970)

August 6, Diane Keaton:
11:00 AM Baby Boom (1987)
7:00 PM Shoot the Moon (1982)
9:15 PM Annie Hall (1977)
12:45 AM Sleeper (1973)

August 7, Basil Rathbone:
10:30 AM A Tale of Two Cities (1935)
12:45 PM Captain Blood (1935)
4:30 PM The Woman in Green (1945)
5:45 PM Dressed to Kill (1946)
7:00 PM The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
11:00 PM Tower of London (1939)

August 8, Steve McQueen:
7:15 AM The Getaway (1972)
11:45 PM The Magnificent Seven (1960)
2:00 PM The Great Escape (1963)
5:00 PM The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
7:00 PM The Blob (1958)
8:30 PM Bullitt (1968)
10:30 PM Papillon (1973)

August 9, Gene Tierney:
11:00 PM The Ghost & Mrs. Muir (1947)
1:00 PM Dragonwyck (1946)
5:00 PM Heaven Can Wait (1943)
7:00 PM Leave Her to Heaven (1945)
9:00 PM Night and the City (1950)
11:00 PM The Razor's Edge (1946)

August 10, George Hamilton:
1:00 PM Two Weeks in Another Town (1962)
3:00 PM Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding (1967)
9:00 PM  Where the Boys Are (1960)

August 11, Barbara Stanwyck:
9:30 AM The Mad Mrs. Manton (1938)
7:00 PM The Lady Eve (1941)
9:00 PM Ball of Fire (1941)
11:00 PM Sorry, Wrong Number (1948)
12:45 AM The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

August 12, Groucho Marx:
2:00 PM A Day at the Races (1937)
4:00 PM A Night at the Opera (1935)
5:45 PM Horse Feathers (1932)
7:00 PM Duck Soup (1933)
8:30 PM Animal Crackers (1930)
10:30 PM Monkey Busines (1931)

August 13, Susan Hayward:
5:00 AM Tulsa (1949)
7:00 PM Valley of the Dolls (1967)
11:30 PM I'l Cry Tomorrow (1955)
3:30 AM Deadline at Dawn (1946)

August 14, Jack Lemmon:
5:00 AM The Great Race (1965)
7:45 AM Mister Roberts (1955)
10:00 AM Irma La Douce (1963)
12:30 PM How to Murder Your Wife (1965)
2:30 PM The Fortune Cookie (1966)
4:45 PM The Apartment (1960)
10:45 PM Some Like It Hot (1959)

August 15, Natalie Wood:
2:45 PM Splendor in the Grass (1961)
5:00 PM Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
7:00 PM West Side Story (1960)
11:45 PM Penelope (1966)
1:30 AM Cash McCall (1960)

August 16, Cary Grant:
7:00 AM Mr. Lucky (1943)
11:00 AM My Favorite Wife (1940)
12:45 PM His Girl Friday (1940)
4:30 PM North by Northwest (1959)
7:00 PM Gunga Din (1939)

August 17, Rosalind Russell:
10:00 AM Night Must Fall (1937)
12:00 PM Design for Scandal (1941)
5:15 PM The Velvet Touch (1948)
7:00 PM Auntie Mame (1958)
9:30 PM Gypsy (1962)
12:00 AM The Trouble with Angels (1966)

August 18, Robert Redford:
9:00 AM The Canidate (1972)
12:45 PM The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)
5:00 PM The Way We Were (1973)
10:00 PM The Sting (1973)

August 20, Marlon Brando:
12:00 PM Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
5:30 PM The Wild One (1953)
7:00 PM A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

August 21, Marie Windsor:
5:00 AM Song of the Thin Man (1947)
2:15 PM Abbott & Costello Meet the Mummy (1955)
7:00 PM The Narrow Margin (1952)
8:30 PM Force of Evil (1948)
10:00 PM The Killing (1956)
1:!5 AM The Outfit (1973)
3:15 AM Hearts of the West (1975)

August 22, John Wayne:
9:30 AM 3 Godfathers (1948)
7:00 PM The High and Mighty (1954)
1:45 AM Stagecoach (1939)

August 23, Katharine Hepburn:
9:15 AM Stage Door (1937)
11:00 AM Woman of the Year (1942)
3:00 PM Bringing Up Baby (1938)
5:00 PM The Philadelphia Story (1940)
1:00 AM Rooster Cogburn (1975)

August 24, Dana Andrews:
7:00 AM A Walk in the Sun (1945)
11:00 AM While the City Sleeps (1956)
5:00 PM Brainstorm (1965)
7:00 PM Laura (1944)
10:15 PM The Loved One (1965)
12:30 PM The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

August 25, Bonita Granville:
8:00 AM Merrily We Live (1938)
11:00 AM Angels Wash Their Faces (1939)
7:00 PM These Three (1936)
10:00 PM Nancy Drew...Detective (1938)
11:15 PM Nancy Drew...Reporter (1939)
12:30 AM Nancy Drew...Trouble Shooter (1939)
1:45 AM Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939)

August 26, James Stewart:
8:45 AM You Can't Take It With You (1938)
11:00 AM The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
3:00 PM Carbine Williams (1952)
5:00 PM Bell, Book and Candle (1958)
7:00 PM Vertigo (1958)
9:15 PM Rear Window (1954)
11:15 PM Rope (1952)

August 27, Bette Davis:
8:00 AM Of Human Bondage (1934)
3:00 PM Now, Voyager (1942)
7:00 PM All About Eve (1950)
9:30 PM The Catered Affair (1956)
11:30 PM The Little Foxes (1941)

August 28, Brock Peters:
5:00 AM Carmen Jones (1954)
8:45 AM Sergeant Dundee (1965)
1:15 PM Soylent Green (1973)
7:00 PM To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
11:00 PM The Pawnbroker (1964)

August 29, Rita Hayworth:
7:00 AM The Strawberry Blonde (1941)
9:00 AM Miss Sadie Thompson (1953)
3:00 PM Pal Joey (1957)
7:00 PM Gilda (1944)
9:00 PM Cover Girl (1944)

August 30, Joel McCrea:
11:00 AM Sullivan's Travels (1941)
1:00 PM The Palm Beach Story (1942)
2:45 PM Foreign Correspondent (1940)
5:00 PM The More the Merrier (1943)
7:00 PM Ride the High Country (1962)
3:45 PM The Most Dangerous Game (1932)

August 31, Ava Gardner:
6:30 AM Lone Star (1952)
2:30 PM Seven Days in May (1962)
4:45 PM The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972)
9:15 PM Night of the Iguana (1964)
11:30 PM The Barefoot Contessa (1954)

Godspeed Freddy Cannon

Freddy Cannon, best known for such songs as "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans," "Palisades Park," and "Action," died on July 17, 2026, at the age of 89. He also appeared on Svengoolie and wrote the songs "Svengoolie Stomp" and "Hey, Svengoolie" for the show.

Freddy Cannon was born Frederick Anthony Picariello, Jr. on December 4, 1936, in Revere, Massachusetts. He grew up in Lynn, Massachusetts. His father was a truck driver, but also sang and played the trumpet in local bands. Exposed to music early in life, Freddy Cannon listened to such music artists as Big Joe Turner and Buddy Johnson on the radio. He was very young when he learned to play guitar. He made his recording debut playing guitar on the single "Cha-Cha-Do" by The Spindrifts, which proved to be a local hit in the Lynn, Massachusetts area. He also played guitar on The G-Clefs' single "Ka-Ding Dong," which peaked at no. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Freddy Cannon formed his own band, Freddy Karmon & The Hurricanes, which achieved popularity in the Greater Boston Area. About the same time, he became a regular on the local TV program Boston Ballroom. It was an early recording of the song Tallahassee Lassie" that drew the attention of Dick Clark, who at the time owned part of Swan Records. The song was eventually released by Swan Records, and it was Swan Records president Bernie Binnick who suggested the stage name "Freddy Cannon."

"Tallahassee Lassie" peaked at no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959, becoming Freddy Cannon's first hit. It was followed by such hits as "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" in 1959, "Jump Over" in 1960, "Palisades Park' in 1962, "Abigail Beecher' in 1964, and "Action" in 1965. His first album, "The Explosive Freddy Cannon," was released in 1960. It was followed by several more albums.

Although his last major hits were in the 1960s, he continued to record singles into the Eighties. He recorded the Boston Red Sox anthem "The Sox Are Rockin'" in 2013. He later recorded the songs "Svengoolie Stomp" and 'Hey Svengoolie" for the TV show Svengoolie, on which he also appeared.

Freddy Cannon appeared on such shows as Shindig!, Shivaree, Hollywood Discotheque, Hollywood a Go Go, Where the Action Is, and American Bandstand at the height of his career. He later appeared on such shows as The Midnight Special and Hollywood Squares. He also guest starred on the shows No Time for Sergeants and Never Too Young, and the movie Village of the Giants (1965).

Freddy Cannon was nicknamed "Boom Boom," and it was a fitting nickname for him. His songs were the equivalent of a good, adrenaline-driven, popcorn. movie. Freddy Cannon's vocals were high-energy and belted out raw and raspy. He definitely was not a crooner. Adding more energy to his songs were booming bass drums and handclaps, hard-driving guitars, and conspicuous saxophones and pianos. In the end, his songs were high-energy fun. He never was one for ballads.And he would have an impact on music artists from The Rolling Stones to Alex Chilton of The Box Tops and Big Star to The Ramones.

"Palisades Park" by Freddy Cannon

It has been another long, hot day and I don't feel up to a full-fledged post today. I plan to eulogize Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon tomorrow. He died on July 17, 2026 at the age of 89 after a brief fight with cancer. I've enjoyed his songs since childhood, when I would hear them on oldies programs and oldies radio stations. More recently, I enjoyed his appearances on Svengoolie, for which he wrote the songs "Hey Svengoolie" and "The Svengoolie Stomp." What was so wonderful about Freddy Cannon's music is that it was always fun and upbeat. I don't think he ever did a broken-hearted ballad. His songs were the equivalent of a good popcorn movie. No matter how bad your day was, they let you escape your troubles for a time. 

His biggest hit was probably "Palisades Park," written by Chuck Barris (yes, that Chuck Barris). In 1962, it went to no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would later be covered by everyone from Jan & Dean to The Beach Boys to The Ramones. Like most of Freddy Cannon's song, it is a lot of fun and lists a lot of actual rides at Palisades Park. Anyhow, for now I will leave you with "Palisades Park" by the late, great Freddy Cannon.

"Yellow Submarine" by The Beatles

Today has been a long, hot day, so I don't feel up to a full blog post. It was today in 1968 that the animated movie Yellow Submarine, based on music of The Beatles, premiered at the London Pavilion at Piccadilly Circus. I  will then leave you with the song from which the movie takes its name and which inspired much of its plot.

Godspeed Hal Williams

Hal Williams, who played Officer Smitty on Sanford and Son, Lester Jenkins on 227, and Harley Foster on The Waltons died on July 15, 2026, at the age of 91. 

Hal Williams was born on December 14, 1934 in Columbus, Ohio. He worked as a corrections officer and then a postal worker before deciding to go into acting. He made his television debut in a bit part in the special Swing Out, Sweet Land in 1970. that same year he guest starred on Dan August and That Girl.

The Seventies would be a busy decade for Hal Williams. He had a recurring role on Sanford and Son as Officer "Smitty" Smith, the local beat cop. His partner for six episodes was  Officer “Swanny” Swanhauser (Noam Pitlik) and then for the rest of the run Officer “Hoppy” Hopkins (Howard Platt), who constantly mangled Black slang. While he was appearing on Sanford and Son, Hal Williams also had a recurring role on The Waltons as Harley Foster, a mechanic and farmer worked married to Verdie Foster, who was played by another Sanford and Son alumnus, Lynn Hamilton. He was also a regular on the short-lived sitcom On the Rocks. During the Seventies, he guest starred on such shows as The Jimmy Stewart Show; The New Dick Van Dyke Show; Temperatures Rising; The Magician; Cannon; Police Woman; Harry O; Gunsmoke; Caribe; Kung Fu; S.W.A.T.; Police Story; The Jeffersons; Most Wanted; Quincy, M.E.; Good Times; What's Happening!; The White Shadow; Palmerstown, U.S.A.; and Knot's Landing. He appeared in the movies Cool Breeze (1972), Herbie Rides Again (1974), Hardcore (1979), On the Nickel (1980), and Private Benjamin (1980). He appeared in the mini-series Roots: The Next Generation.

In the Eighties, Hal Williams reprised his role as Smitty on the Sanford and Son continuation Sanford and his role as Sgt. Ross on Private Benjamin, the sitcom based on the movie of the same name. He played Lester Jenkins, construction company owner and husband of lead character Mary Jenkins (Marla Gibbs) on the hit sitcom 227. He guest stared on the shows T.J. Hooker; ABC Weekend Specials; ABC Afternoon Specials; The Young Landlords; The Dukes of Hazzard; Webster; The Jeffersons; Gimme a Break!; Hill Street Blues; and Magnum, P.I.. He appeared in the movies The Escape Artist (1982) and The Rookie (1990).

In the Nineties, he had a recurring role as Sinbad's father on The Sinbad Show. He guest starred on the shows Night Court; L.A. Law; Tales form the Crypt; Minor Adjustments; Suddenly Susan; and Moesha. In the Naughts, Hal Williams guest starred on Moonlight. He appeared in the movie Guess Who (2005). In the Teens, he guest starred on the shows The First Family; Parks and Recreation; and The Mayor. He appeared in the movies Night Club (2011) and Flight (2012). In the 2020s, he guest starred on shows Mr. Mayor and Matlock (2024).

When I was a kid, my family faithfully viewed both Sanford and Son and The Waltons, and both shows still number among my favourites. Hal Williams was then a familiar face to me even then, and the fact that he appeared on both shows demonstrated his versatility as an actor. As Officer Smitty, he showed a gift for comedy and was pioneering in playing an intelligent, compassionate Black man in a position of authority. Many times Hal Williams and Howard Platt were allowed to think of the Black slang that Hoppy would inevitably get wrong ("cold" instead of "cool," for example). Harley Foster on The Waltons was a much more serious role, and gave Hal Williams the chance to play a Black manual worker in a place and time where racism was still virulent. That he played both roles so well showed that he had a great deal of range.

Of course, for many he will be remembered as Lester on 227, the calm, level-headed, and compassionate husband to his sharp-tongued, yet warm hearted wife Mary. He will also be remembered as Sgt. Ross, the no-nonsense drill sergeant who was strict, but at the same time fair, in both the movie and the TV show Private Benjamin. Over the years, Hal Williams played a wide variety of roles, from a cook in a mine in the Gumsmoke episode "Hard Labor" to a former slave protecting a secret well on behalf of his community in the Kung Fu episode "The Well." Hal Williams was a talented actor who had a gift for both comedy and drama. 

The Late Great Sam Neill

Sam Neill, known for playing Dr. Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park movies and appearing in movies from The Hunt for Red October (1990) to Event Horizon (1997), died on July 13, 2026, at the age of 78.

Sam Neill was born Nigel John Dermot Neill on September 14, 1947, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. His father was a New Zealander stationed with the Royal Irish Fusiliers. His mother was English. The family moved to New Zealand in 1955, where they operated a wine and spirits business. He went to boarding school at Medbury School and Christ’s College in Christchurch. Because several boys at his school were named "Nigel," he took to calling himself "Sam" at school. It was while he was attending the University of Canterbury in Christchurch that he became interested in acting. He appeared in plays while at the university. Following his graduation, he toured with the Players’ Drama Quartet, performing Shakespeare. He spent six years as a director of documentaries with the New Zealand National Film Unit.

Sam Neill made his television debut in 1971 in the TV movie City of No. In the Seventies, he appeared in the mini-series The Governor and the mini-series Lucinda Brayford. He guest starred on the TV series Young Ramsay. He had a recurring role on the Australian series The Sullivans. He made his feature film debut in Landfall in 1975. He appeared in the movies Sleeping Dogs (1977), My Brilliant Career (1978), The Journalist (1979), and Just Out of Reach (1979).

In the Eighties, he appeared in his first major international role, playing Damien Thorn in Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981). He appeared in the movies Attack Force Z (1981), Possession (1981), From a Far Country (1981), Enigma (1982), Plenty (1985), For Love Alone (1986), The Good Wife (1987), Evil Angels (1988), Dead Calm (1989), La révolution française (1989), Shadow of China (1989), The Hunt for Red October (1990), and Death in Bismark (1990). On television he stared in the mini-series Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983). He also appeared in the mini-series Amerika and Kane and Abel. He appeared in such TV movies as Ivanhoe, The Blood of Others, Robbery Under Arms, and Strong Medicine.

In the Nineties, Sam Neill appeared in the movies Bis ans Ende der Welt (1991), Memoirs of an Invisible Man (1992), Hostage (1992), The Piano (1993), Jurassic Park (1993), Sirens (1994), Country Life (1994), In the Mouth of Madness (1994), The Jungle Book (1994), Restoration (1995), Children of the Revolution (1996),, Victory (1996), Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997), Event Horizon (1997), The Horse Whisperer (1998), The Revengers' Comedies (1998), Molokai: The Story of Father Damien (1999), Bicentennial Man (1999), My Mother Frank (2000), and The Dish (2000). He was a voice in The Magic Pudding (2000). On television, he played the title role in the mini-series Merlin. He appeared in the mini-series Family Pictures, In Cold Blood, and Sally Hemmings: An American Scandal. He guest starred on the shows The Simpsons and The Games.

In the Naughts, Sam Neill appeared in the movies Jurassic Park III (2001), The Zookeeper (2001), Dirty Deeds (2002), Perfect Strangers (2003), Yes (2004), Wimbledon (2004), Little Fish (2005), Irresistible (2006), Angel (2007), Dean Spanley (2008), Skin (2008), In Her Skin (2009), Under the Mountain (2009), and Daybreakers (2009). He was a voice in Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole (2010). On television he had recurring roles on the series The Tudors, Crusoe, and Happy Town. He appeared in the mini-series Doctor Zhivago, To the Ends of the Earth, The Triangle, Mary Bryant, Two Twisted, Merlin's Apprentice, and Iron Road. He guest starred on the show Rake.

In the Teens, Sam Neill appeared in the movies The Dragon Pearl (2011), The Hunter (2011), The Vow (2012), Escape Plan (2013), The Adventures: The Curse of the Midas Box (2013), A Long Way Down (2014), United Passions (2014), Backtrack (2015), The Daughter (2015), MindGamers (2015), Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016), Tommy's Honour (2016), Sweet Country (2017), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), The Commuter (2018), Palmer Beach (2019), Blackbird (2019), Ride Like a Girl (2019), and Rams (2020). He provided voices for the animated movies Peter Rabbit (2018) and Daisy Quokka: World's Scariest Animal (2020). On television, he was a regular on the shows Alcataz, Harry, and Peaky Blinders. He appeared in the mini-series Old School, The Dovekeepers, House of Hancock, And Then There Were None, Tutankhamun, and House of Bond. He was a guest voice on Rick and Morty. He guest starred on the shows Short Poppies and Flack.

In the 2020s, Sam Neill appeared on the TV shows Invasion and Untamed. He appeared in the mini-series Apples Never Fall and The Twelve. He appeared in the movies Jurassic World: Dominion (2022), Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), Assassin Club (2023), The Portable Door (2023), and Bring Him to Me (2023). He was a voice in the animated movies Scarygirl (2023) and The Fox(2023).

Some actors make a career of playing only a few sorts of roles. That was not the case with Sam Neill, who truly had range. He could play heroes as easily as villains and everything in between. Given how many times he played the role and the popularity of the movies, chances are good that many will remember him best as Dr. Alan Grant, the cynical and introverted paleontologist who nonetheless has a deep respect for nature. Chances are good that he will also always be remembered for the series Reilly: Ace of Spies, playing a fictionalized version of Russian born, British spy Sidney Reilly. In the mini-series Merlin and Merlin's Apprentice, he played Merlin himself. Another heroic role for Sam Neill was Captain Vasily Borodin in The Hunt for Red October, the quiet second in command who longs for freedom as much as his commander does.

As good as Sam Neill was at playing heroic figures, he could also play villainous ones. Among his best known roles is that of Alisdair Stewart in The Piano. Alidair is strict, possessive, controlling, and even violent. In Event Horizon, he played Dr. William S. Weir, the man who developed the ship of the title who goes from a scientist grieving his wife to a sadistic tool of malevolent forces. On Peaky Blinders, he played Inspector Chester Campbell, who was as obsessive as he was cold and calculating. And, of course, he played the Anti-Christ himself, Damien Thorn, in Omen III: The Final Conflict. While Sam Neill played many heroic and villainous roles over the years, many of his roles fell somewhere in between. He gave a bravura performance as John Trent in In the Mouth of Madness, who finds himself at the mercy of forces beyond his control. 

Sam Neill had considerable range as an actor and, if he ever gave a bad performance, I don't remember it. He was well-respected by his cast mates not just for his talent, but also because he was one of the nicest, most charming people around. In the end, Sam Neill  was not only a rare talent, but an exceptional human being as well. 

The Late Great Randolph Mantooth

Randolph Mantooth, best known for playing paramedic Johnny Gage on the classic television show Emergency!, died on July 9, 2026, at the age of 80. The cause was complications from pneumonia.

Randolph Mantooth was born Randy Mantooth on September 19, 1945, in Sacramento, California. His father was of Cherokee and Seminole descent. By the time he turned 18, Randolph Mantooth had lived in 24 different states. His father was a pipeline construction engineer, so his family moved frequently. He acted in school plays at Santa Marcos High School in Santa Barbara, California. He attended Santa Barbara City College, and then studied acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. It was at this point that he began using "Randolph" as a stage name,

He played Gar in the play Philadelphia, Here I Come in New York City. Eleanor Kilgallen, a talent scout for Universal, took notice of him in the play, and he signed with Universal. He made his television debut in an episode of Matt Lincoln in 1970. He guest starred on The Bold Ones: The Senator and McCloud.

Randolph Mantooth began the Seventies with a guest appearance on The Virginian. He also guest starred on the shows Alias Smith and Jones; Night Gallery; The Bold Ones: The Lawyers; Sarge; McCloud; Marcus Welby, M.D.; Adam-12; and Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law. It was in 1972 that he began playing paramedic Johnny Gage on the hit TV series Emergency!. He also appeared as Johnny Gage on  episodes of Adam-12 and Sierra, and provided the voice of Johnny Gage on the Saturday morning cartoon Emergency +4. After Emergency! ended, it was followed by several TV movies, in which Randolph Mantooth reprised his role as Johnny Gage. For the remainder of the Seventies, he guest starred on the shows Cos; Project U.F.O.;The Love Boat; Vega$; Battlestar Galactica; and Charlie's Angels. He was a regular on the second and final season of the sitcom Operation Petticoat and a regular on the short-lived sitcom Detective School. In the Seventies, he appeared on the mini-series Vanished, Testimony of Two Men, and The Seekers. 

In the Eighties, Randolph Mantooth began a stint on the soap opera Loving. He also guest-starred on the shows Aloha Paradise; Fantasy Island; Vega$; Insight; Dallas; Scene of the Crime; Murder, She Wrote; The Fall Guy; and L.A. Law. In the Nineties, he was again a regular on the soap opera Loving and a regular on the soap opera The City. He guest starred on the shows Under Cover; China Beach; MacGyver; CBS Schoolbreak Special; Baywatch; General Hospital; JAG; Walker, Texas Ranger; Promised Land; Diagnosis Murder; and ER. He appeared in the movies Enemy Action (1999), Time Share (2000), and Agent Red (2000). 

In the Naughts, Randolph Mantooth had recurring roles on As the World Turns and One Life to Live. He guest starred on Criminal Minds and Ghost Whisperer. He appeared in the movies Price to Pay (2006), He Was a Quiet Man (2007), Scream of the Bikini (2009), and Bold Native (2010). In the Teens, he guest starred on Sons of Anarchy and appeared in the movie Killer Holiday (2013).

Randolph Mantooth will always be best known as Johnny Gage on Emergency!, and it is because of Emergency! that his impact went well beyond his acting. When he was cast as Johnny Gage, he didn't even know what a paramedic was. There comes as no surprise when it is considered that when Emergency! debuted, there were only 12 paramedic units in the entire continent of North America. Within three years of the show's debut, 48 states enacted laws creating paramedic units. Ten years after the show's debut, more than half of all Americans lived only ten minutes away from a paramedic unit. 

Not only did Randolph Mantooth play a paramedic on an influential show, but he was a tireless advocate on the behalf of paramedics, and other emergency medical service providers. He served as a spokesman for the International Association of Firefighters on Health and Safety. He was a lifetime member of Advocates for EMS and the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. He was a spokesman and honorary chairman for the Los Angeles County Fire Museum Association. He was a co-producer on the documentary Into the Unknown: The Paramedics' Journey with Emergency! co-star Kevin Tighe and actor Steve Buscemi (who had been a New York City firefighter). Randolph Mantooth also raised funds for burn centres, first responder memorials, and charities, and advocated for funding for EMS services throughout the country. For his work on behalf of firefighters, paramedics and EMS providers, he received several accolades, but in accepting them he always deferred to the firefighters paramedics, and other EMS personnel he considered to be the true heroes. He always acknowledged the debut he owed to firefighters and paramedics.

Another way in which Randolph Mantooth had an impact is that he was Native American in descent. This was acknowledged in early episodes of Emergency!, although it was later dropped. In 1984,  for the American Indian Theatre Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he appeared in a stage production of Black Elk Speaks. He later played a Native American character on Sons of Anarchy, as well as the off-Broadway play Rain Dance in 2003. He also advocated for Native Americans playing Native American characters. At a time when Native Americans only appeared on television in Westerns, Randolph Mantooth appeared in a drama set in a present day.

Of course, Randolph Mantooth played other roles. In the China Beach episode "100 Kicks Out," he played a bar owner. He had a regular role on the second season of Operation Petticoat as Lt. Mike Bender and was a regular on Detective School as enterprising salesman Eddie Dawkins. In the Battlestar Galactica episode "Greetings from Earth," he played Michael, a computer specialist from the planet Terra. Randolph Mantooth was a talented actor and a tireless advocate for Emergency Medical Services. 

The Late Great Joanna Pettet

I never had the honour of knowing actress Joanna Pettet, who appeared in the movies The Group (1966) and Casino Royale (1967) and several guest appearances on television, but I had many friends who were also friends with her. It is for that reason that I know that she was not only a beautiful and talented actress, but a warm, sweet, and approachable human being. She truly cared about her friends and appreciated her fans. When Sir Alan Bates was dying from pancreatic cancer in 2003, it was Miss Pettet who cared for him and provided him with companionship. I know of at least one person to whom she sent a warm and comforting letter upon the death of his mother. She was truly a great lady. Sadly, Joanna Pettet died on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at the age of 83. Her death occurred exactly 31 years after that of her son Damien Zachary Cord.

Joanna Pettit was born Joanna Jane Salmon in London on November 16, 1942. Her father, Harold Salmon, served in the Royal Air Force and died in combat during World War II. After the war, her mother remarried and settled with her family in Montreal. Joanna Salmon took her stepfather's surname, Pettet. She was 16 years old when she moved to New York City with $1000 in her pocket.

Joanna Pettit studied acting at the Neighbourhood Playhouse. She made her debut on Broadway in Take Her, She's Mine in 1961. She appeared again on Broadway in 1964 in The Chinese Prime Minister opposite Alan Bates and in Poor Richard, for which she one a Theatre World Award. She made her television debut in 1964 in an episode of Route 66. In 1964, she also began a brief stint as a recurring character on the soap opera The Doctors. During the Sixties, she guest starred on the TV shows The Nurses; The Trials of O'Brien; The Fugitive; A Man Called Shenandoah; and Dr. Kildare. She made her film debut in Sidney Lumet's movie The Group in 1966. She appeared in the movies The Night of the Generals (1967), Casino Royale (1967), Robbery (1967), Blue (1968), and The Best House in London (1969).

In the Seventies, Joanna Pettet appeared in the movies Welcome to Arrow Beach (1974), To Catch a Pebble (1975), the television version of Two-Minute Warning (1976), and The Evil (1978). She guest starred on the shows Mannix; The Delphi Bureau; Banacek; Night Gallery; McCloud; Medical Center; Police Story; Caribe; Thriller (1974); Harry O; Police Woman; Tales of the Unexpected; The Love Boat; and Charlie's Angels. She appeared in the mini-series Captain and the Kings, as well as such TV movies as The Weekend Nun, Pioneer Woman, and A Cry in the Wilderness.

In the Eighties, Joanna Petter appeared in a story arc of Knot's Landing. She guest starred on the shows Aloha Paradise; Tales of the Unexpected; The Littlest Hobo; The Love Boat; Seven Brides for Seven Brothers; Fantasy Island; The Fall Guy; The Yellow Rose; Knight Rider; Finder of Lost Loves; Hotel; Murder, She Wrote; and ABC Afterschool Specials. She appeared in the movies Double Exposure (1982), Otelo (Comando negro) (1982), and Sweet Country (1987). She made her last appearance on film in Terror in Paradise in 1991. She then retired from acting.

Joanna Pettet was an immensely talented and versatile actress. This can be seen in what may be her two most best known movies. In The Group, she played Kay Strong Peterson, the poorest member of eight freinds who becomes the wife of an abusive and alcoholic playwright. While The Group was a serious drama, Casino Royale was an outright spoof. As Mata Bond, the daughter of James Bond by Mata Hari, who is charged by her father to infiltrate International Mother's Help, which was little more than a SMERSH front. In her films, Joanna Pettet played a wide variety of roles, from a pioneer woman in Blue to a medical doctor in The Evil, and she did well in all of them even if the movies were not always the best.

Joanna Pettet was impressive in her television roles as well. In the Fugitive episode "Shadow of the Swan," she played a troubled young woman who is involved with a dodgy carnival worker and lives in a fantasy world. She appeared in multiple episodes of Dr. Kildare, playing a dancer afflicted with a rare neuromuscular disease. On Knots Landing, she played a homicide detective investigating the murder of Ciji Dunne (Lisa Hartman). One of her most amusing television roles was playing herself in the episode of The Fall Guy, "Always Say Always." She appeared alongside Britt Ekland and Lana Wood. Joanna Pettet was an amazing actress who leaves behind a wealth of great performances. From those who knew her, I know she was also a sweet, warm, and loving human being, the epitome of a lady.

U.S. Cellular R.I.P.

Yesterday I ceased being a customer of U.S. Cellular after twenty years and five months. It was in May 2024 that T-Mobile announced a plan to acquire both U.S. Cellular's customers and its stores, as well as 30% of the company's spectrum wireless licences. The deal would be closed over a year later, in May 2025. The plan was to transition U.S. Cellular customers over to T-Mobile. That happened yesterday.

U.S. Cellular was founded in 1983 as a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems Inc. as United States Cellular. It was in 1999 that the company shortened its name to U.S. Cellular. The year 2002 saw some big changes for U.S. Cellular. It bought  PrimeCo Wireless Communications. On November 2002, it launched in the Chicago area. It also hired native Chicagoan Joan Cusack as their spokesman.  That year it also exchanged wireless assets with Cingular and as a result got new spectrum in 13 states. From 2003 to 2016,  Comiskey Park in Chicago was known as U.S. Cellular Field, the company having bought the naming rights.  It entered the St. Louis market in 2005. 

Over time, U.S. Cellular would make some major changes. In 2010, it sold several of its markets to Sprint, including what had been its long-time home, Chicago. In 2020, it rebranded itself again as USCellular. Of course, as mentioned before, it was in 2024 that T-Mobile announced plans to acquire most of USCellular's mobile operations. In the wake of the acquisition, USCellular rebranded itself Array Digital Infrastructure and maintains operations of wireless towers across the nation. It is no longer in the business of consumer wireless networks.

U.S. Cellular had expanded into the Columbia, Missouri market in December 1988, so it was well established in the area years before I got my first cell phone in February 2006. As for why I went with U.S. Cellular, at the time it was more reliable in the area than most of the major companies and more affordable as well. Our service from U.S. Cellular has remained fairly good over the years, with almost no dropped calls and very few places where we couldn't get service.

That's not to say that U.S. Cellular was perfect. Prices for their service crept up over the years, to the point that the past few years my sister and I (she's on my account) considered switching companies. Indeed, we asked about getting unlimited data about three years ago only to find it was cost prohibitive for our budget. After T-Mobile bought out U.S. Cellular, we seriously considered switching to T-Mobile, but never did.

As it is, I wish we had done so sooner. After setting up my account with T-Mobile yesterday, I switched to one of T-Mobile's plans that is not only less than what we were paying U.S. Cellular, but gives us unlimited data as well. Unlimited data U.S. Cellular would have been forty dollars more than it would have been on T-Mobile! We also get various perks, such as special deals on various products and services on T-Mobile Tuesdays and possibly even free streaming services (such as Netflix). As to reliability, so far I haven't noticed any problems.

That's not to say I don't feel a bit sad that U.S. Cellular is gone. They were my first cellular phone company and they always were reliable. I can't say they did too badly towards us. And, while I don't know about now, they were certainly better than some of the major companies around here (particularly Verizon), whose coverage could be spotty at best. At any rate, I am looking forward to what T-Mobile has to offer. 

Godspeed Joby Baker

Joby Baker, who appeared in the three Gidget movies and starred on the short-lived sitcom Good Morning World, died on June 22, 2026, at the age of 92. His Good Morning World costar Ronnie Schell died ten days before him.

Joby Baker was born on March 26, 1934, in Montreal,Quebec. His mother died when he was very young, and the family moved to Oahu, Hawaii. Following the attack on Pearl Harbour, he and his stepmother were evacuated to San Francisco. He attended school in New York City and then served in the United States Army, where he entertained the troops. Among the men he served with was Lou Costello's son-in-law. He convinced Mr. Costello to do a show at his camp. As a result, the comic became both Joby Baker's friend and manager. He sometimes stayed at Lou Costello's home.

It was while he was working as a page at NBC that he made his television debut on The Red Skelton Show in 1952. During the Fifties, he guest starred on the shows Studio One, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Dragnet, and Surfside 6. He made his movie debut in Target Zero in 1955. He appeared in the movies Gidget (1959), The Last Angry Man (1960), Key Wtiness (1960), and The Wackiest Ship in the Army (1960).

In the Sixties, he starred on the single-season sitcom Good Morning World. He guest starred on the shows The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Cain's Hundred, Dr. Kildare, The Roaring 20's, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Wagon Train, Bachelor Father, Frontier Circus, Gunsmoke, Sam Benedict, Combat!, The Greatest Show on Earth,. Ben Casey, 12 O' Clock High, The Loner, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Mannix. He appeared in the movies Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961), Gidget Goes to Rome (1963), Hootenanny Hoot (1963), Looking for Love (1964), Girl Happy (1965), When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965), The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (1967), and Blackbeard's Ghost (1968).

In the Seventies, Joby Baker had regular roles on the shows Stone and The Six O' Clock Follies. He appeared in the shows Love, American Style; The Streets of San Francisco; Assignment: Vienna; A Touch of Grace; Run, Joe, Run; Barnaby Jones; Police Story; Kate McShane; Medical Center; Bronk; Gemini Man; Most Wanted; and Nobody's Perfect. He appeared in the movies Self-Portrait (1973), which he also wrote, Superdad (1973), and Avalanche (1978).

In the Eighties, Joby Baker guest starred on the shows Simon and Simon; Quincy, M.E.; McClain's Law; Tucker's Witch; and The Paper Chase. He retired from acting in 1984 to concentrate on his career as a painter, sculptor, and jeweller. His artwork has been displayed at galleries in Los Angeles and have sold for thousands of dollars.

While Joby Baker considered himself a painter rather than an actor, he had considerable talent as an actor. In particular, he had a gift for comedy, that was on display on Good Morning World and elsewhere. In the Dick Van Dyke Show episode "Love Thy Other Neighbour," he played the husband of an old school pal of Millie, who creates jealousy in Laura when she thinks Millie is spending more time with her. In the F Troop episode "La Dolce Courage," he played a spurned lover who pursues the object of his affection when she and her father visit Fort Courage. While it isn't necessarily a good movie, he was funny as supermarket stockman and part-time bass player in Looking for Love. He could play dramatic roles as well. In the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode "Madame Mystery," he played a smarmy publicist seeks to exploit the death of an actress. Joby Baker had considerable talent both as an actor and as an artist.

Happy 4th of July 2026

It was 250 years ago on this date that the Declaration of Independence was signed, marking the founding of the United States of America. I know that many people aren't particularly in the mood to celebrate today. Much of the country is suffering from extreme heat. The economy is not particularly good. There is widespread political division. And a certain individual who shall not be named has insisted about making the 250th anniversary of the United States of America all about himself. And I do have to admit that the United States has not always lived up to its ideal that all men are created equal. Native Americans (including my Cherokee ancestors) suffered greatly because of the US. For the first 87 years of the country's existence, slavery existed in the US. Still, it is the idea that all people were created equal, that we all have certain unalienable Rights, including those to  Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, is one worth celebrating and one worth working towards, no matter what others might think or try to force upon us. For that reason, I am celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America today.

Of course, here at A Shroud of Thoughts, celebrating means posting vintage pinups. I hope that you appreciate them whether you are celebrating today or not.

First up is Vera-Ellen, who is celebrating the 4th of July with a patriotic version of hopscotch.

And here's another Vera, Vera Miles, getting ready for a loud boom.

The lovely Angela Greene is celebrating the 4th of July on the beach.

Jane Russell is getting ready to light off a rather large firecracker. Or maybe dynamite...

Gloria Grahame not looking too happy after what looks like the aftermath of a fireworks display.

And here's the lovely, leggy Ann Miller with some really big fireworks. 

Happy 4th of July!

David Sheiner Passes On

David Sheiner, who had a recurring role on the short-lived sitcom Diana, guest starred on shows from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. to Murder, She Wrote, and appeared in such movies as The Odd Couple (1968) and Blue Thunder (1983), died on June 5, 2026, at the age of 98.

David Sheiner was born on January 13, 1928, in the Bronx. He graduated from DeWitt High School and then served in U.S. Army Air Forces. After his service, he took acting lessons for eight years on a scholarship from Lee Strasberg.

Early in his career he toured with a production of The Country Girl by Clifford Odets. He made his television debut in an episode of Studio One. During the Fifties, he guest starred on the shows Tom Corbett, Space Cadet; The Big Story; The Best of Broadway; The Phil Silvers Show; and Perry Mason. He made his movie debut in an uncredited role in The Mugger (1958). He appeared on Broadway in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?.

In the Sixties, David Sheiner guest-starred on the shows The Defenders; The Detectives; Sam Benedict; The Twilight Zone; The Eleventh Hour; The Rogues; Dr. Kildare; Kraft Suspense Theatre; Mr. Novak; A Man Called Shenandoah; Burke's Law; Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea; Blue Light; The F.B.I.; The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; I Spy; The Fugitive; Combat!; Mission: Impossible; The Invaders; Iron Horse; Ironside; Dundee and the Culhane; The Big Valley; Judd for the Defense; Hawaii Five-O; Then Came Bronson; The Name of the Game; The Virginian; and The Young Lawyers. He appeared in the movies The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), A Man Called Gannon (1968), The Odd Couple (1968), Winning (1969), Halls of Anger (1970), and They Call Me Mr. Tibbs! (1970).

In the Seventies, David Sheiner had a recurring role as the title character's boss on the short-lived sitcom Diana, starring Diana Rigg. He guest starred on the shows Mission: Impossible; The Bold Ones: Senator; Gunsmoke; Mannix; Sarge; Bonanza; The Delphi Bureau; Cannon; Hawkins; Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law; Columbo; Planet of the Apes; S.W.A.T.; Bronk; Kate McShane; Medical Center; Switch; Lanigan's Rabbi; Baretta; Rich Man, Poor Man Book II; Police Story; Westside Medical; Lucan; The Six Million Dollar Man; The Amazing Spider-Man; How the West Was Won; The Wonderful World of Disney; and Vega$. He appeared in the movies The Stone Killer (1973), The Gong Show Movie (1980), and Battle Creek Brawl (1983).

In the Eighties, David Sheiner appeared in the movie Blue Thunder (1983). He guest starred on the shows Charlie's Angels; Quincy, M.E.; Manimal; Automan; Trapper John, M.D.; Fantasy Island; Matt Houston; The Fall Guy; and Murder, She Wrote. He retired from acting in 1988.

David Sheiner is one of those actors whose name they might not recognize, but whose face they certainly would. He appeared in several hours of television over the years, including several movies. What is more, he could play a wide variety of roles. His versatility can be demonstrated by his two guest appearances on Combat!. In the first episode, "The Steeple," he played a U.S. Army paratrooper captain trapped in a steeple with German soldiers on the ground below him. In "Gadjo," he played a major in the German S.S. He played a prime minister in an episode of The Man From U.N.C.L.E., Oscar's accountant Roy in The Odd Couple, a preacher turned outlaw on Gunsmoke, and a somewhat skeptical police captain in The Stone Killer. David Sheiner was nothing if not versatile, and he always gave good performances.

A Shroud of Thoughts Store on Zazzle

In an effort to increase my income in these difficult times, I have opened a store for A Shroud of Thoughts on Zazzle. Like the blog, it is dedicated to popular culture. Of course, due to copyright restrictions, I really can't have any times based on movies, TV shows, or books that are not in the public domain. Fortunately, there are a lot of popular books that are in the public domain, so I have created a series of products such as T-shirts, key chains, and coffee mugs using quotes from popular books, including The Sign of Four, Wuthering Heights, and The Great Gatsby. I do plan to add more products as I go along, and I might even include products based on silent movies in the public domain (most talkies aren't for now).

Anyway, if you're interested in taking a look, you can click the link here. 

The Late Great James Burrows

James Burrows, who co-created the classic sitcom Cheers and directed shows from The Mary Tyler Moore Show to Fraiser, died on June 19, 2026, at the age of 85.

James Burrows was born on December 30, 1940 in Los Angeles. His father was composer, director, and writer Abe Burrows. He was fairly young when his family moved to the West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Given his father's profession, as a boy, he got to spend time backstage of such Broadway shows as Guys and Dolls and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. In grade school, he was a member of the Metropolitan Boy's Choir. He attended the High School of Music & Art. He attended Oberlin College and then the Yale School of Drama.

After college, James Burrows moved to California where he became a dialogue coach on the short-lived sitcom O.K. Crackerby. He then worked as an assistant manager on Holly Golightly, a musical version of Breakfast at Tiffany's, during its pre-Broadway tryouts. While the musical was scrapped before making it to Broadway, James Burrows did get to meet its star, Mary Tyler Moore.

It was meeting to Mary Tyler Moore that would lead to James Burrows's first work as a television director, directing episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1974. In the Seventies, he also directed episodes of Fay; Phyllis; The Bob Newhart Show; The Tony Randall Show; Laverne & Shirley; Busting Loose; Szysznyk; Lou Grant; We've Got Each Other; The Betty White Show; Rhoda, On Our Own; Husbands, Wives & Lovers; Free Country; A New Kind of Family; The Associates; The Stockard Channing Show; and Good Time Harry.

It was in the 1980s that James Burrows co-created Cheers with Glen and Les Charles, and co-created its spinoff The Tortellis with Glen and Les Charles and Ken Estin. He directed the vast majority of the 275 episodes of Cheers, as well as episodes of the shows Best of the West; Taxi; Night Court; Valerie; All is Forgiven; The Tortellis; CBS Summer Playhouse; Dear John; The Marshall Chronicles; Wings; Down Home; and The Fanelli Boys,

He continued working on Cheers into the early Nineties. In 1998, he began work on Will & Grace and directed every episode of the show's original run. He also directed episodes of the shows Roc; Pacific Station; Flesh 'n' Blood; Flying Blind; Cafe Americain; Monty; The Boys Are Back; Madman of the People; The Preston Episodes; Hudson Street; Partners; NewsRadio; 3rd Rock from the Sun; Frasier; Men Behaving Badly; Chicago Sons; Fired Up; Veronica's Closet; George & Leo; Caroline in the City; Union Square; Dharma & Greg; Friends; Jesse; Conrad Bloom; The Secret Lives of Men; In the Loop; Stark Raving Mad; Madigan Men; and Cursed.

In the Naughts, James Burrows continued work on Will & Grace. He also directed episodes of the shows Cursed; Good Morning, Miami; Bram and Alice; The Stones; Four Kings; Teachers; Two and a Half Men; Courting Alex; The Class; The Big Bang Theory; Back to You; Gary Unmarried; Better with You; and S#*! My Dad Says,

In the Teens, James Burrows directed episodes of Up All Night; Partners; Sean Saves the World; Friends with Better Lives; The Millers; 2 Broke Girls; Mike & Molly; Crowded; Man with a Plan; Superior Donuts; Disjointed; The Neighborhood;Our House; B Positive; and Romantically Challenged. In the 2020s, he directed episodes of Mid-Century Modern and the revival of Frasier.

While James Burrows directed hundreds of hours of television, he only directed on feature film, Partners in 1982.

James Burrows also served as a producer on several shows, including All is Forgiven; Cheers; The Tortellis; The Secret Lives of Men; The Class; Back to You; Gary Unmarried; Romantically Challenged; Mike & Molly; Partners; The Millers; Crowded; Superior Donuts; Man with a Plan; Will & Grace; and Mid-Century Modern.

James Burrows occasionally made cameos on shows. He was an agent on Rhoda, a telephone man on Phyllis, a maintenance man on The Bob Newhart Show, a director on Friends, and James Burrows on Will & Grace and The Comeback.

Over the years, James Burrows was nominated for several awards. He won Emmy Awards for episodes of Taxi, Cheers, and Will & Grace.. He also won Directors Guild of America awards for Cheers, Frasier, and Will & Grace.

James Burrows was definitely one of the greatest directors of all time. Even though the majority of his work was in multi-camera sitcoms, he used lighting that was a bit more advanced than that of the average sitcom. He was also a genius when it came to comic timing, able to milk the most out of the humor already in a script and in the performances of his actors. Indeed, more so than other directors, he concentrated on the characters, emphasizing the dialogue and using often complicated blocking. James Burrows could often get the best out of his performers, and it is little wonder that many of the episodes he directed are considered among the greatest television episodes of all time.

The Late Great Ann Blyth

I have no idea who said it first, but there is a saying, "Live your life so that even if you die at 100 years old, people will say you died too soon." For many of us that holds true of legendary actress Ann Blyth, who died on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at the age of 98. She was best known for playing spoiled daughter Veda in the classic Mildred Pierce, but appeared in movies from Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948) to Kismet (1955) and TV shows from The Twilight Zone to Murder, She Wrote. If ever a film star was adored by classic movie fans, it was Miss Blyth. As for myself, I have had a crush on Miss Blyth since childhood, to the point that she was possibly the only woman Vanessa was even a little bit jealous of. Ann Blyth was beautiful, talented, and, I know from those who met her or knew her personally, sweet, kind, and gracious. The perfect woman may not exist, but Ann Blyth was as close to perfect as any human being could ever come.

Ann Marie Blythe was born on August 16, 1927, in Mount Kisco, New York. She grew up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Her father left the family when she was very young, and her mother raised Ann Blyth and her older sister alone. Ann Blyth displayed talent as a singer while she was still very young. She both sang and recited poetry on the radio from when she was only 6 years old. She performed as part of the San Carlos Opera Company. She appeared on Broadway in Watch on the Rhine from 1941 to 1942, turning 13 during the play's run. After it closed on Broadway, she toured around the country with the play.

Ann Blyth was signed by Universal in 1943 to provide Deanna Durbin, who was increasingly unhappy with the studio, with some competition. She made her film debut in 1944 in Chip Off the Old Block. She was loaned to Warner Bros. for Mildred Pierce (1945), in which she was cast against type as spoiled daughter Veda Pierce, for which she was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She also played the mermaid, Lenore, of the title in Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid (1948), a role which required that she be unable to speak. During the Forties, Miss Blyth also appeared in the movies The Merry Monahans (1944), Babes on Swing Street (1944), Bowery to Broadway (1944), Swell Guy (1946), Brute Force (1947), Killer McCoy (1947), A Woman's Vengeance (1948), Another Part of the Forest (1948), Red Canyon (1949), Top o' the Morning (1949), Once More, My Darling (1949), Free for All (1949), Our Very Own (1950), and Katie Did It (1950).

In the Fifties, Ann Blyth appeared in the movies The Great Caruso (1951), Thunder on the Hill (1951), The House on the Square (1951), The Golden Horde (1951), The World in His Arms (1952), Sally and Saint Anne (1952), One Minute to Zero (1952), All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953), Rose Marie (1954), The Student Prince (1954), The King's Thief (1955), Kismet (1955), Slander (1956), and The Buster Keaton Story (1957). Her final feature film was The Helen Morgan Story (1957), in which she played singer and actress Helen Morgan. Despite the fact that Ann Blyth had a lovely singing voice that was actually close to that of Helen Morgan, her vocals were dubbed by singer Gogi Grant. She made her television debut on an episode of Family Theatre in 1952. During the Fifties, she guest starred on the shows Lux Video Theatre, Wagon Train, and The DuPont Show with June Allyson.

In the Sixties, she guest starred on the shows The Dick Powell Show, Wagon Train, Saints and Sinners, The Christophers, The Twilight Zone, Burke's Law, Kraft Suspense Theatre, Insight, and The Name of the Game. Starting in the late Fifties, throughout the Sixties, and into the Seventies, Ann Blyth played in dinner theatre and summer stock. In the Seventies, Ann Blyth guest starred on Switch and Quincy, M.E. She made her final appearance on a scripted television series in an episode of Murder, She Wrote in 1985.

Ann Blyth was a guest at multiple TCM Classic Film Festivals and also a guest on the TCM cruise. She was a guest host on Turner Classic Movies multiple times over the years.

Words cannot express how beloved Ann Blyth was by many classic movie buffs. It wasn't simply that she was one of the last links to the Golden Age of Hollywood. It wasn't even that she was a beautiful and talented actress. She was a gracious, kind, and intelligent woman who appreciated her fans and was eager to share her stories of movie history. There was no better ambassador for classic movies than Ann Blyth.

Of course, she was enormously talented as an actress and a singer. She gave a tour de force performance as Veda in Mildred Pierce, not only holding her own with the formidable Joan Crawford, but arguably even surpassing her. Using only facial expressions and body language, Ann Blyth was totally convincing as a mermaid in Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid. Even when she appeared only briefly on screen, as in the classic noir Brute Force, she could give an impressive performance. Her role as Ruth Collins, the cancer stricken wife of convict Joe Collins (Burt Lancaster), only gave her minutes in screen time, but she was utterly convincing. She gave great performances in films as diverse as I'll Never Forget You and The Helen Morgan Story (on which she really should have been allowed to sing). She gave great performances on television as well. In the Wagon Train episode "The Jenny Tannen Story," she played a dual role as Jenny, a young woman who was going blind, and her mother, the embittered former singer Phoebe Tannen. Both performances were incredible, and she got to display her mellifluous singing voice as well. In the Twilight Zone episode "Queen of the Nile," she played beautiful, immortal, and utterly evil movie star Pamela Morris, While she was nothing like Pamela Morris in real life, she was utterly convincing in the role.

In the end, Ann Blyth was very special to many of us. She was beautiful. She was talented. She possessed an incredible singing voice. And as I said earlier, I know from those who met her and those who knew her personally, Miss Blyth was one of the sweetest, kindest, most gracious women one could ever meet. It is little wonder that many of us believe that at age 98 she died much too soon.

Godspeed Ronnie Schell

Ronnie Schell, best known for playing Duke Slater on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., died on June 12, 2026, at the age of 94. He was also a voice actor on several cartons.

Ronnie Schell was born on December 23, 1931, in Richmond, California. He attended Richmond Union High School. As a baseball player, he played first base for both American Legion and semipro teams in th San Francisco Bay Area. He served in the United States Air Force for four years, at which point he began doing comedy. He graduated with a degree in Liberal Studies from San Francisco State in 1958.

It was while he was a senior in college that he began performing standup comedy at The Purple Onion in the North Beach area of San Francisco. Also on the bill were Phyllis Diller and the Kingston Trio. George Fenneman, the announcer on You Bet Your Life, was scouting Phyllis Diller when he saw Ronnie Schell perform. He asked both of them to appear on You Bet Your Life. Ronnie Schell won $600 and also mentioned the secret word (a randomly chosen word on the show each day, the mention of which would win the contestant a prize).

Ronnie Schell made his television debut in a guest appearance on the show Harbor Command in 1958. It was in 1964 that he began playing Duke Slater on Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. He left the show for the 1967-1968 season to star on his own show Good Morning, World. When that show was cancelled, he returned to Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., at which point he was promoted from private to corporal. He had a recurring role on That Girl as the agent, Harvey Peck, of Ann Maire (Marlo Thomas). After Jim Nabors ended Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Ronnie Schell was a regular on The Jim Nabors Hour. During the Sixties ; he also guest-starred on the shows Valentine's Day; The Patty Duke Show; The Andy Griffith Show; and Love, American Style.

In the Seventies, Ronnie Schell began his long career as a voice actor proving additional voice on the Saturday morning cartoon Butch Cassidy as well as voices on the cartoons Goober and the Ghost Chasers, Wait Till Your Father Gets Home, Yogi's Space Race, Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels, and Battle of the Planets (the American adaptation of the anime series Science Ninja Team Gatchaman). He was also the voice of Peter Puck, the animated, anthropomorphic puck who explained the rules of the National Hockey League on both NBC's Hockey Game of the Week and CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. He guest starred on the shows Arnie; Love, American Style; The New Dick Van Dyke Show; The Little People; Here We Go Again; Temperatures Rising; The Girl with Something Extra; Diana; Lotsa Luck!; Adam-12; Happy Days; Karen; Big Eddie; Emergency!; Sanford and Son; Forever Fernwood; The Wonderful World of Disney;The Practice; The Dukes of Hazzard; Charlie's Angels; Turnabout; One Day at a Time; Mork & Mindy; California Fever; and Alice. He appeared in the movies The Strongest Man in the World (1975), Gus (1976), The Shaggy D.A. (1976), The Cat from Outer Space (1978), Love at First Bite (1979), and How to Beat the High Cost of Living (1980).

In the Eighties, Ronnie Schell was a regular on the sitcom Down to Earth and had a recurring role on the soap opera Santa Barbara. He guest starred on the shows The Love Boat; Too Close for Comfort; Strike Force; Madame's Place; Trapper John, M.D.; ABC Weekend Specials; New Love, American Style; Shadow Chasers; Sledge Hammer!; 1st and Ten; She's the Sheriff; Mathnet; Square One TV; Mr. Belvedere; The New Gidget; Hard Time on Planet Earth, Saved by the Bell; Empty Nest; 227; The Golden Girls; and Shades of LA. He was a voice on the animated shows Shirt Tales, Smurfs, Potsworth & Co., and the others. He appeared on the movies He appeared in the movies The Devil and Max Devlin (1981), The Check is in the Mail... (1987), and Dutch Treat (1987). He was a voice in the animated movie The Jetsons: The Movie (1990).

In the Nineties, Ronnie Schell appeared in the movies Fatal Instinct (1993), Revenge of the Red Baron (1994), Killer per caso (1997), Venus Enby (1997), Family Jewels (2000), and The View from the Swing (200). He was voice in the animated movie Rover Dangerfield (1991). He guest starred on the shows Good & Evil; Family Album; Coach; Step by Step; and The Wayan Bros. He was a voice on the television cartoons Yo Yogi!, The Legend of Prince Valiant, The Elvis and Jack Nichlaus Mysteries, and Recess.

In the Naughts, he appeared in the movies The Biggest Fan (2005) and Soupernatural (2010). He guest starred on the shows Yes, Dear; Phil of the Future; and Easy to Assemble. He was a voice on the animated shows Lloyd in Space, Megas XLR, and The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. In the Teens, he guest starred on the shows Jessie, Retired at 35, You'll Be Fine, Heaven's Waiting Room, See Ya, Kaplan's Korner, and Beyond Hope 2020.

Chances are good that Ronnie Schell will always be remembered as Duke Slater, the streetwise, fast-talking, clever Marine who was a sharp contrast to the naive and innocent Gomer Pyle (Jim Nabors). Of course, he played a wide variety of roles, On That Girl, he played Ann Marie's fast talking, cynical, and pragmatic agent Harvey Peck. He starred as disc jockey Larry Clarke on Good Morning, World. He played a variety of roles in guest appearances on other shows and appearances in movies, from a furrier on The Andy Griffith Show to sports scout Joe Barnsdale in the movie Gus to the angel Lester Luster on the sitcom Down to Earth. Ronnie Schell had perfect comic timing and could create memorable characters with only very little screen time. He also had a versatile voice. He may always be best remembered as Duke Slater, but he did much more.