Stop It With the Big Ads

A few months ago I noticed a distressing phenomenon on both IMDB and TV Guide. Both sites began featuring gigantic ads at the top of their pages. What is more, particularly in the case of TV Guide, these huge ads caused more problems than simply forcing the reader to scroll down to get the credits or listings.

Indeed, on TV Guide there are times the ads will actually cover the search bar. As a result, I have to reload the page. This isn't a problem on IMDB, but the ads do make both sites slower to load and sometimes even affect the performance of whatever browser I am using at the time. 

Now I suspect the reason for these gigantic ads is that they think they will draw the reader's attention more than an old-fashioned, modest banner ad would, but I do not think that is the case. Usually I am so irritated by the sheer size of these ads that I don't even notice what is being advertised. I might well notice whatever product is being advertised if they had used a simple banner ad.

Anyway, I am hoping this is something that other sites won't adopt and that TV Guide and IMDB will soon do away with them. The goal of advertising is to convince users to buy a product or use a service. That isn't accomplished if the ads irritate them to no end.

Godspeed Mariclare Costello

Mariclare Costello, best known for playing teacher Rosemary Hunter on the hit TV series The Waltons, died on April 17, 2026 at the age of 90.

Mariclare Costello was born on February 3, 1936, in Peoria, Illinois. Her father, Dallas, worked as a civil engineer for the Illinois Department of Transportation and her mother, Margaret, was a secretary to the Illinois Speaker of the House. Mariclare Costello went to St. Mark School and the Academy of Our Lady in Peoria. She then attended Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa. During her junior year, she spent time at the University of Vienna. She received a Master's degree in Theatre and Education from Catholic University in Washington.

She was one of the 30 actors selected from literally hundreds to be chosen for the original Lincoln Center Repertory Company. In 1964 she made her Broadway debut, originated the role of Louise in the Arthur Miller play After the Fall. In the Sixties, she appeared on Broadway in But for Whom Charlie, The Changeling, Tartuffe, Danton's Death, The Country Wife, Lovers and Other Strangers, and Harvey. She made her movie debut in The Tiger Makes Out in 1967. She appeared in the movie Pound (1970). She made her television debut in an episode of N.Y.P.D. in 1969. She also guest starred on Storefront Lawyers.

It was in 1972 that she began a five year run playing Miss Rosemary Hunter, the teacher at the school on Walton's Mountain, on The Waltons. In 1977 she left the show to play the matriarch Maggie Fitzpatrick on the short-lived drama The Fitzpatricks.She was a regular on the shot-lived Western Sara. She guest starred on the shows Ironside, Kojak, Amy Prentiss, Harry O, Sunshine, Barnaby Jones, This is the Life, The Incredible Hulk, Insight, NBC Special Treat, Visions, Lou Grant, and Little House on the Prairie. She appeared in such TV movies as The Execution of Private Slovik and After the Fall (based on the play and on which she reprised her role as Louise). She appeared in the movies Let's Scare Jessica to Death (1971), Raid on Entebbee (1976), and Ordinary People (1980).

In the Eighties, she guest starred on Lou Grant; Fame; Murder, She Wrote; The Disney Sunday Movie; CBS Schoolbreak Special, CBS Summer Playhouse, In the Heat of the Night, and Santa Barbara. She appeared in the movie The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984). 

In the Nineties, Mariclare Costello appeared in the movie Indecent Proposal (1983). She guest starred on the shows High Tide, Chicago Hope, and Judging Amy. Her last guest appear on a TV show was on Providence in 2002.

Mariclare Costello taught acting at Loyola Marymount University, and headed the drama program at St. Paul the Apostle Elementary School in Westwood. She directed plays at Loyola High School. 

That Mariclare Costello was a talented actress can be seen in what may be two best known roles. As teacher Rosemary Hunter on The Waltons, she was both compassionate and strong-willed, always an advocate for her students. In Let's Scare Jessica to Death, she played a role as far from Rosemary Hunter as one can get, the rather menacing and vampiric Emily. In the Murder, She Wrote episode "Powder Keg" she played hotel owner Cassie Burns. On the Incredible Hulk episode "No Escape" she played the wife of a mental patient who escaped after David Banner hulked out in the van in which they were being transported. Mariclare Costello could play a variety of roles and play them all well. 

The Late Great Gerry Conway

Comic book writer and screenwriter Gerry Conway, who worked for both DC and Marvel and who created such characters as Firestorm, Jason Todd, Power Girl, Ms. Marvel, and The Punisher, died on April 27, 2026, at the age of 73. He had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2022. Gerry Conway also wrote for such TV shows as Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. 

Gerry Conway was born on September 10, 1952, in Brooklyn, New York City. He was a fan of comic books from an early age and even had a letter published in the letter column of Fantastic Four no. 50 (May 1966). As a teenager, he would sneak into the DC Comics offices and talk with the editors. He was only 16 when his first comic book story, "Aaron Philips' Photo Finish," was published in House of Secrets no. 81 (September 1969). At DC Comics, he also had work published in  All-Star Western no. 1, Hoouse of Mystery, Super DC Giant,The Phantom Stranger, and The Witching Hour. During the same period, he wrote stories for Marvel's Chamber of Darkness and Tower of Shadows. During this period, he also wrote for the Warren titles Creepy and Eerie and Skywald's Nightmare.

It was Roy Thomas who offered Gerry Conway the chance to write superhero comic books at Marvel. He took Marvel's "writing test," and while Stan Lee was not impressed with his work, Roy Thomas was. He wrote a script for Ka-Zar for Astonishing Tales no. 3 (December 1970) and then began writing Daredevil with no. 72 (January 1971).  At Marvel, he went onto write for Adventure into Fear, Amazing Adventures, Astonishing Tales, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Creatures on the Loose, Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, Dracula Lives, Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Kull the Conqueror, Marvel Team-Up, Our Love Story, Savage Tales, Sub-Mariner, Thor, Werewolf By Night. The Defender, Ghost Rider, Haunt of Horror, Legion of Monsters, Ka-Zar.Planet of the Apes, The Spectacular Spider-Man, Tales of the Zombie, and other titles. His most notable work in the early Seventies at Marvel was on The Amazing Spider-Man. 

After leaving Marvel, Gerry Conway wrote for the short-lived Atlas/Seaboard line on such titles as Destructor, Targitt, and Tiger-Man. He then returned to DC comics, where he remained for the next decade. During this period he created such characters as Power Girl, Firestorm, Vixen, Jason Todd, and Killer Croc, and others. He wrote on such titles as Action Comics, All-Star Comics, All-Star Squadron, Arak, Batman. Batman Family, The Brave and the Bold, Challengers of the Unknown, DC Comics Presents, Doorway to Nightmare, Firestorm, The Flash, Freedom Fighters, The Fury of Firestorm, Hercules Unbound, House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Jonah Hex, Justice League of America, Kamandi, Kong the Untamed, Legion of Super-Heroes, Man-Bat, Metal Men, Mystery in Space, New Gods. Secret Society of Super Villains, Star-Spangled War Stories, Steel the Indestructible Man, Sun Devils, Super-Team Family, Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superman, The Superman Family, Swamp Thing. Sword Quest, Tarzan, The Unexpected. Weird Western Tales, The Witching Hour, Wonder Woman, World's Finest Comics, Young Love, and other titles. He also wrote the DC/Marvel crossover Superman vs. the Amazing Spider-Man. 

Gerry Conway also wrote comic books for Eclipse Comics' The Unknown Worlds of Frank Brunner, First Comcs' Hawkmoon: The Jewel in the Skull and Hawkmoon: The Mad God's Amulet, Topp Comics' Nightglider, and Disney Comics' Disney Adventures.

In addition to comics books, Gerry Conway also did substantial work in film and television. He co-wrote the screen play for the Ralph Bakshi animated feature Fire and Ice (1983) with fellow comic book writer Roy Thomas. They also wrote the story Conan the Destroyer (1984). In 1985, he broke into television with scripts for the animated series G.I. Joe. He wrote scripts for the animated television series Transformers, Centurions, My Little Pony 'n Friends, Spiral Zone, Dino-Saucers, and Dino-Riders. He broke into live-action television with a script for Monsters in 1990.

In the Nineties, he wrote for the TV shows Father Dowling Mysteries, Jake and the Fatman, Matlock, Batman: The Animated Series, Under Suspicion, Two, Pacific Blue, Baywatch Nights, Diagnosis Murder, Players, Silk Stalkings, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Law & Order, and The Huntress. He wrote some of the Perry Mason TV movies.

In the Naughts, Gerry Conway wrote for the show Law & Order and Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

In my humble opinion, Gerry Conway was one of the greatest comic book writers of all time. He created several characters who are still pertinent to this day, including Atomic Skull, Firestorm, Jason Todd, Killer Croc, Killer Frost, Man-Thing, Power Girl, and The Punisher, among others. And while I don't particularly like the story (Gwen Stacy is one of my favourite comic book characters, he wrote one of the most revolutionary comic book stories of all time, "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" from Amazing Spider-Man no. 121 (June 1973). While I am not fond of the story, I have to admit it was well-written and it certainly changed the industry forever. 

He was also an excellent television writer and wrote some of my favourite episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, including "Con-Text" and "Probability." For Batman: The Animated Series, he wrote "Appointment in Crime Alley." During his television career, he wrote stellar scripts for everything from Monsters to Matlock.

Above all else, I have to say Gerry Conway seemed like an incredibly nice guy. I followed him on Twitter when that was still a thing, and asked him a few questions about his television work. He always responded and did so politely and with a good deal of humour. He was a great writer and apparently a kind person as well. He will definitely be missed. 

"Dream Police" by Cheap Trick

It has already been a hectic week and I am preparing my eulogy for the late, great Gerry Conway, so I will leave you with one of my favourite songs of all time, "Dream Police" by Cheap Trick. 

Mary Beth Hurt Passes On

Mary Beth Hurt, who appeared in such films as Interiors (1978) and The World According to Garp (1982), died on March 28, 2026, at the age of 79. She had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2015.

Mary Beth Hurt was born Mary Beth Supinger on September 26, 1946, in Marshalltown, Iowa. As a child she was babysat by future film star Jean Seberg, who lived only a street over from her family. She graduated from Marshalltown High School and then enrolled in the University of Iowa to study drama. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree, she continued post-graduate work at New York University's Tisch School. She met and married actor William Hurt during this period. They divorced in 1982. 

Mary Beth Hurt moved to Ealing, West London, where she became part of the theatre troupe The Questors. She made her Broadway debut in 1974 in Love for Love. In the Seventies, she appeared on Broadway in the productions The Rules of the Game, The Member of the Wedding, Trelawny of the "Wells",  Secret Service, and The Cherry Orchard. She made her television debut in the TV movie Ann in Blue in 1974. She guest starred on the shows Kojak, Great Performances, and Visions. She appeared in the mini-series 3 By Cheever. She made her movie debut in 1978 in Interiors. She appeared in the films Head Over Heels (1979) and A Change of Seasons (1980).

In the Eighties, Mary Beth Hurt appeared on Broadway in Twyla Tharp Dance, Crimes of the Heart, The Misanthrope, Benefactors, and The Secret Rapture. She appeared in the movies The World According to Garp (1982), D.A.R.Y.L. (1985), Compromising Positions (1985), Parents (1989), and Slaves of New York (1989). She was a regular on the shows Tattingers and Working It Out. She guest starred on Thirtysomething.

In the Nineties, she appeared on Broadway in A Delicate Balance. On television, she guest starred on Saturday Night Live, Monty, and The Beat. She appeared in the mini-series The Wild West. She appeared in the movies. She appeared in the movies Defenseless (1991), Light Sleeper (1992), My Boyfriend's Back (1993), The Age of Innocence (1993), Shimmer (1993), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Affliction (1997), Bringing Out the Dead (1999), Autumn in New York (2000), and The Family Man (2000).

In the Naughts, Mary Beth Hurt appeared in Top Girls. She appeared in the movies Red Dragon (2002), The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), Perception (2005), The Dead Girl (2006), Lady in the Water (2006), The Walker (2006), Untraceable (2008), and Lebanon, Pa. (2010). She guest starred on the TV shows Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order. In the Teens, she appeared on Broadway in The House of Blue Leaves. She appeared in the movies Young Adult (2011), The Volunteer (2013), and Change in the Air (2018).

Mary Beth Hurt was extremely talented and very versatile, able to play a wide variety of roles. She displayed that talent in her film debut as Joey in Interiors, who is uncertain as to her career and takes her family's troubles to heart. Helen Holm in The World According to Garp is a strong, independent, and  brilliant English professor who provides some stability to her husband Garp's life. In The Age of Innocence, she played the somewhat passive Regina Beautfort, the wife of Julius Beautfort. Throughout her career she played a wide variety of roles, from a Massachusetts housewife with a dark secret to a doctor to judges, and she did all of them well. 

Patrick Muldoon Passes On

Patrick Muldoon, who played Richard Hart on the night time soap opera Melrose Place and was a regular on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives, died on April 19, 2026, at the age of 57. The cause was a heart attack.

Patrick Muldoon was born on September 27, 1968. He went to Loyola High School in Los Angeles and then the University of Southern California. His major was English and communications, and he graduated in 1991. He played football in both high school and college. He did some modelling.

Patrick Muldoon was discovered by a talent agent, who got him a guest appearance on the sitcom Who's the Boss? in 1990. It was in 1992 that he began his run as Austin Reed on Days of Our Lives. In 1995, he was cast in the recurring role of Richard Hart on Melrose Place. He guest starred on the shows Saved by the Bell and Silk Stalkings. He also appeared in several TV movies. He appeared in the movies Rage and Honor II (1993), Starship Troopers (1997), Wicked (1998), The Second Arrival (1998), Stigmata (1999), Red Team (1999), and Chain of Command (2000).

In the Naughts, he appeared in the movies Blackwoods (2001), Bad Karma (2001), Whacked! (2002), Heart of America (2002), Military Intelligence and You! (2006), Broken Angel (2008), Japan (2009), The Steam Experiment (2009), and Repo (2010). He also appeared in several television movies.

In 2011, he returned to Days of Our Lives as Austin Reed. He appeared on the TV series The Bay and several more TV movies. He appeared in the movies Last Will (2011), Born to Ride (2011), Spiders 3D (2013), The Dog Who Saved Easter (2014), Patient Killer (2014), Christmas in Palm Springs (2014), Badge of Honor (2015), The Dog Who Saved Summer (2015), Robo-Dog (2015), The Wicked Within (2015), Little Dead Rotting Hood (2016), Fishes 'n' Loaves: Heaven Sent (2016), A Horse's Tail (2016), Robo-Dog: Airborne (2017), American Satan (2017), Saving Christmas (2017), A Dog & Pony Show (2016), Runnin' from My Roots (2018), Alpha Wolf (2018), Bernie the Dolphin (2018), My Adventures with Santa (2019), Bernie the Dolphin 2 (2019), The Comeback Trail (2020), and Timecrafters: The Treasure of Pirate's Cove (2020).

In the 2020s, he guest starred on the TV show Second Chances and appeared in the TV movie Double Scoop. He appeared in the movies Vanquish (2021), Magic in Mount Holly (2021), Deadlock (2021), Dakota (2022), The Junkyard Dogs (2022), Marlowe (2022), Kids Can (2023), The Quest for Tom Sawyer's Gold (2023), Pray for Me: Key To Freedom (2023), Murder at Hollow Creek (2024), and The Corner (2025).

"Wild Thing" by The Troggs

It was sixty years ago today that The Troggs hit no. 1 on the Billboard  Hot 100 with "Wild Thing." The song would become the band's signature tune, and would have a lasting impact on rock music. It is a prime example of proto-punk and I think a good argument could be made that it is outright punk. It would be covered by artists from The Jimi Hendrix Experience to The Runaways to Cheap Trick to X. 

Given the song is the signature song of The Troggs, it may surprise many that it was not written for them. The first band to record the song was The Wild Ones, who recorded it in 1965. The Wild Ones was the house band of the New York City nightclub Arthur, which was owned by socialite Sybil Christopher, who was the wife of Wild Ones lead singer Jordan Christopher. Sybil Christopher asked songwriter Chip Taylor to write a song for the band. Chip Taylor composed the song in only a few minutes. Their version of "Wild Thing" was released on November 1, 1965, but failed to chart. 

Precisely who suggested that The Troggs record "Wild Thing" is a matter of dispute. Larry Page who was The Troggs' manager at the time, always claimed that he was the one who suggested that they record "Wild Thing." Reg Presley claimed that Larry Page wanted them to record a cover of a Lovin' Spoonful tune instead. Regardless of whoever came up with the idea of The Troggs recording "Wild Thing," it turned out to be a great idea. "Wild Thing" not only reached no. 1 in the United States, but peaked at no. 2 in The Troggs' native Britain. It reached no.1 in Australia and no. 2 in Canada. Strangely enough, the song was released on two different labels in the United States due to a distribution dispute. It was released on both Fontana and Atco Records. A settlement would eventually be reached so that Fontana would have exclusive distribution rights to all Troggs records. 

A promotional clip for "Wild Thing" was filmed at the Odenplan Metro station in Stockholm, Sweden.

A Few Songs About Superman

It was today in 1938 that Action Comics no. 1 (June 1938) hit newsstands. Of course, it marked the debut of Superman. While Superman was not the first superhero, he proved to be a phenomenon and as a result cemented the superhero genre. Not long after Superman's debut, there would be many more superheroes to follow. Some, like Batman and Captain Marvel are still significant today. As might be expected, Superman would inspire several songs. Here are a few of them.


Here is "Superman" by Dale Hawkins from 1958. I am not sure, but it may bet the first rock 'n' roll song to reference the Man of Steel.

Despite its title "Sunshine Superman' by Donovan from 1966 is not a song about Superman, although it does reference not only Superman, but Green Lantern as well (although I don't know if it is Alan Scott or Hal Jordan that Donovan is referencing).

The 1969 song "Superman" by The Clique is perhaps better known for the fact that it was covered in 1986 by R.E.M. Regardless, it is one of my favourite songs about the Man of Steel.

"(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman," from The Kinks' 1979 album Low Budget isn't about Superman, but rather about a mere mortal with a drab life who longs to be the Man of Tomorrow. It was inspired by the movie Superman (1978), which had come out the previous year.

"Superman's Dead," the 1997 song by Our Lady Peace, isn't really about Superman, but instead about how television had evolved from the simple honesty of the 1950s television show The Adventures of Superman to darker material like Beavis and Butthead.

More so than the other songs here, the 2000 song by Three Doors Down "Kryptonite" is about Superman. Indeed, the song appears to be sung from the point of view of the Man of Steel himself to Lois Lane, asking if she will still stay by him if he fails.

Wiliam Holden in Stalag 17 (1953)

(This post is part of the 7th Golden Boy Blogathon: A William Holden Celebration, hosted by The Flapper Dame and The Wonderful World of Cinema)

Harvey Lemeck, William Holden
and Robert Strauss 

William Holden was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actor, but only won once. As great as he was as Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard (1950) and as he would be as Max Schumacher in Network (1976), it was for his role as J.J. Sefton in Stalag 17 (1953) that he won his only Oscar for Best Actor.

Stalag 17 (1950) centres on American airmen being held as prisoners-of-war in the came called Stalag 17. In particular, the film focus on the men of Barracks 4. The barracks chief Sgt. "Hoffy" Hoffman (Richard Erdman) and security officer Sgt. Frank Price (Peter Graves) set up an escape of two men. Unfortunately, both men are shot in the escape attempt. Afterwards, the barracks' black marketeer, Sgt. J.J. Sefton, is suspected of having informed the Germans of the escape attempt. Sefton is very intelligent and individualistic, and something of a cynic.

Stalag 17 was based on the 1951 Broadway play of the same name by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski. Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski drew inspiration for the play from their own experiences as prisoners in Stalag 17B in Austria. The play opened on Broadway on May 8, 1951,  at the 48th Street Theatre. It ran for 472 performances. The play was produced by the legendary Jose Ferrer and featured some notable actors in its cast including Frank Campanella, John Ericson, Eric Fleming, Harvey Lembeck (who would reprise his role in the film), and Allan Melvin. 

It was while Stalag 17 was still running on Broadway that Paramount bought the film rights to the play. Billy Wilder, fresh from Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Ace in the Hole (1951), was set to direct. Billy Wilder suggested Charlton Heston for the role of J.J. Sefton, but he was no longer considered once the character evolved to become less heroic and more cynical. The role was then offered to Kirk Douglas, who turned down the part, something he later regretted. It was then that William Holden, who had worked with Billy Wilder on Sunset Boulevard (1950), was cast as J.J. Sefton.

With Edwin Blum, Billy Wilder would make substantial changes from the play Stalag 17. This was particularly true of its tone, which not only became more cynical but also more infused with dark humour. The film version of Stalag 17 became more firmly focused on Sefton. While the stage play was fairly straight-forward, Billy Wilder's film version would be something closer to a suspense thriller with touches of comedy. Indeed, some people have even counted Stalag 17 (1951) as film noir. 

One change requested by a Paramount executive would be resisted by Billy Wilder. The executive worried about the film's success in West Germany, and so he suggested that the guards in the prison camp be changed from Germans to Poles. Billy Wilder was both Polish and Jewish and had lost family in the Nazi concentration camps. He not only refused to change the nationality of the guards, but demanded that the executive apologize. 

Stalag 17 had a remarkable cast beyond William Holden. Four actors reprised their roles from the play: Harvey Lembeck as Sgt. Harry Shapiro, Robert Strauss as Stanislas "Animal" Kuzawa, William Pierson as Marko the Mailman, and Robert Shawley as Blondie Peterson. Edmund Trzcinski, who co-wrote the play with Donald Bevan, has a cameo in the film as a POW who gets a rather interesting letter from home. Gil Stratton, who plays Clarence "Cookie" Cook, the film's narrator and Sefton's aide, would later become a noted sportscaster with CBS. Of course, Otto Preminger who plays Stalag 17's commandant Colonel von Scherbach, was a renowned director. Don Taylor, who played Lieutenant James Dunbar (who is staying at Barracks 4 until he can be sent to an officer's camp), would later become a director himself , directing such films as Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971) and The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977). Peter Graves, who played security officer Frank Price, would later become best known as Jim Phelps on Misson: Impossible. Also in the cast were Richard Erdman, Sig Ruman, and William Pierson. In an uncredited role as a singing POW was singer and songwriter Ross Bagdasarian, who in a few years would become famous as David Seville, the manager of The Chipmunks. 

The prison camp Stalag 17 was built at the John Show Ranch in Woodland Hills in Los Angels County. Interiors were filmed at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. The weather actually cooperated with Billy Wilder and his plans for Stalag 17 (1953). He had wanted the camp to be muddy. Filming began on February 4, 1952, and lasted until March 29, 1952. This is generally the rainy season in Los Angeles, so Mother Nature provided the cast and crew with plenty of mud. In fact, it rained for days. Because his cast and crew had to work in the mud for days, Billy Wilder then chose to wear an expensive pair of custom made, English shoes, thinking it was the only fair thing to do. Of course, the shoes were ruined.

Most movies are shot out of sequence because shooting movies in chronological order is not only time-consuming, but more expensive. Despite this, Stalag 17 (1953) was shot in chronological order. This was to keep the identity of the informant in the movie secret for as long as possible. In fact, it was only in the last three days of shooting that the identity of the informant was made known.

Stalag 17 (1953) premiered in London on May 29, 1953. It premiered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on June 6, 1953. The movie picked up a good deal of critical acclaim. Clyde Gilmour in the Vancouver Sun appreciated the black humour of the film, writing, "Hollywood after Stalag 17 can no longer be accused of falsely idealizing Uncle Sam's warriors by portraying most them in the movies as boyish, wholesome, stainless-steel defenders of truth and beauty and apple pie and the American Way of Life." The critic at Harrison Reports noted "Thanks to the brilliant handling of the subject matter by producer-director Billy Wilder, and to the fine acting of the entire cast, the picture has been fashioned into a first-rate entertainment."Even the typically curmudgeonly Bosley Crowther of The New York Times referred to it as ""cracker-jack movie entertainment.

Audiences loved Stalag 17 (1953) as well. By January 1954, Stalag 17 (1953) had made $3.3 million. It would ultimately make $10 million. Unfortunately for Billy Wilder, he would not see his fair share of the profits from Stalag 17 (1953). Because his previous movie Ace in the Hole (1951) had lost a good deal of money, Paramount deducted the money it had lost from Billy Wilder's profits for Stalag 17 (1953). This would ultimately be one of the reasons Billy Wilder left Paramount.

Stalag 17 (1953) would receive its share of accolades. As mentioned earlier, William Holden won the Oscar for Best Actor for the film. Over the years, some have speculated that William Holden may have won the Oscar for Stalag 17 (1953) because he did not win the Oscar for Sunset Boulevard (1950). William Holden himself thought that Burt Lancaster should have won the Academy Award for Best Actor for From Here to Eternity (1953) instead. Of course, some would argue that William Holden should have won for both Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Stalag 17 (1953). Billy Wilder was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for Stalag 17 (1953) and Robert Strauss for Best Supporting Actor. 

Stalag 17 (1953) would have a lasting impact on popular culture. Indeed, it seems likely that every single prisoner-of-war movie made since, from The Great Escape (1963) to King Rat (1965) has been influenced by it. There was one television show set in a POW camp that playwrights Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski outright plagiarized their work.  In  January 1967, Messrs. Bevan and Trzcinski filed a lawsuit against CBS and Bing Crosby Productions alleging that the TV show Hogan's Heroes plagiarized Stalag 17. They claimed that in 1963 they had wrritten a one hour script based on Stalag 17 that CBS rejected. They further claimed that CBS then hired other writers to create a similar series, saving the network money. The case would not go to trial until after Hogan's Heroes ended its original network run. The jury actually decided in favour of Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski, only to have the judge reverse their decision. Quite simply, the judge found "striking differences in the dramatic mood of the two works."

Like many of Billy Wilder's films, Stalag 17 (1953) is a complex blend of drama, suspense, and comedy featuring often complicated characters. As Sefton, William Holden plays one of his most interesting characters, a self-serving cynic who at the same time is capable of both courage and loyalty. The rest of the cast, from Gil Stratton as the somewhat naive Cookie to Robert Strauss as the boisterous Animal, also give impressive performances. Not only did William Holden deserve to win the Oscar for Best Actor in Stalag 17 (1953), but the film itself should have been nominated for and won Best Picture, as well as other Oscars. From a director and a lead actor who made many classics, Stalag 17 (1953) numbers among the best films Billy Wilder and William Holden ever made. 

Seventy Years of "Roll Over Beethoven"

It was seventy years ago today, on April 16, 1956, that Chuck Berry recorded the song "Roll Over Beethoven" at the Universal Recording Corp. studio in Chicago. Supposedly the song was inspired by Chuck Berry's real life. His sister Lucy was trained in classical music, while Chuck Berry was a self-taught rhythm-and-blues/rock 'n' roll performer. 

"Roll Over Beethoven" proved to be a hit for Chuck Berry. It went to no. 2 on the Billboard rhythm and blues chart and no. 29 on the pop chart. It has also been covered multiple times. Even before The Beatles became The Beatles, "Roll Over Beethoven" was one of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrision's favourite songs. They would record it for their second album, With The Beatles, in 1963. Another famous cover of the song was by the Electric Light Orchestra, who recorded it for their 1973 album ELO 2. This version opened with notes from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and included material from the symphony withing the song itself. Released as a single, it went to no. 6 on the UK singles chart. The song has also been covered by such artists as The Flairs, The Vanguards, The Astronauts, The Sonics, Mountain, Climax, Uriah Heep, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Flamin' Groovies, and others.

Without further ado, here is the one and only original "Roll Over Beethoven" by Chuck Berry.

John Nolan Passes On

John Nolan, who played Geoff Hardcastle on Doomwatch, antagonist John Greer on Person of Interest and Wayne Enterprises board member Douglas Fredericks in Batman Begins (2005) and The Dark Knight Rises (2012), died on April 11, 2026, at the age of 87.

John Nolan was born on May 22, 1938 in Westminster, London. His nephews were director Christopher Nolan and screenwriter Jonathan Nolan. In the 1960s John Nolan toured Ireland with a "Fit Up" company. He studied acting at the Drama Centre in London. He was part of the Royal Court Company before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company. He had roles in Julius Caesar, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and other productions. He would later become part of Trevor Nunn’s innovative National Theatre ensemble company.

John Nolan made his television debut in an episode of The Prisoner in 1967. In the late Sixties, he guest starred on Hadleigh and Strange Report. He starred in the mini-series Daniel Deronda and played Geoff Hardcastle on Doomwatch, In the Seventies, he appeared in the mini-series Shabby Tiger and guest starred on Thriller, Marked Personal, The Sweeney, Six Days of Justice, General Hospital, The Sunday Drama, The Rag Trade, 1990, Target,, Return of the Saint, Crown Court, Enemy at the Door, and ITV Playhouse. He appeared in the movie Shabby Tiger. He appeared in the movies Bequest to the Nation (1973), Terror (1979), and The World is Full of Married Men (1980). In 1998, he appeared in the movie Following.

In the Naughts, John Nolan appeared on the shows Victoria and Silent Witness. He appeared in Batman Begins (2005). In the Teens, he appeared as John Greer on the show Person of Interest and the movie The Dark Knight Rises (2012). In 2017, he appeared in the movie Dunkirk.  In 2024, he appeared on the show Dune:Prophecy. 

John Nolan was an incredible talent who could play a wide variety of roles. He was the somewhat irritable, but intellectually curious scientist Geoff Hardcastle on Doomwatch. In Batman Begins and The Dark Knight Returns, he played Douglas Fredericks, the Wayne Enterprises board member who was loyal to the memory of Thomas Wayne and to his son Bruce Wayne. On Person of Interest, he played John Greer, the MI^ officer who comes to serve Samaritan, a super-intelligent but amoral computer system. John Nolan could play any number of roles and play all of them well. 

Actress Jessie Jones Passes On

Actress Jessie Jones, who guest starred on shows from Newhart to Murphy Brown, died on March 20, 2026, at the age of 75 following a long illness. 

Jessie Jones was born on August 21, 1950 in the Texas Panhandle. She attended the University of Texas and began her acting career at a local theatre in Austin. She met Nicholas Hope, who cast her in a play. She moved to New York City to act in the theatre, and then went to Hollywood.

Jessie Jones made her television debut in an episode of Hooperman . In the late Eighties, she guest starred on the shows Newhart, Night Court, Murphy Brown, Designing Women, and Perfect Strangers. In the Nineties, she guest starred on the shows Who's the Boss?, Fudge, Grace Under Fire, The Crew, Caroline in the City, Weird Science, Melrose Place, Unhappily Ever After, and You're the One. She appeared in the movies Switch (1991) and Ed and His Dead Mother (1993). In the Naughts, she appeared on the shows Judging Amy and Cold Case. 

Jessie Jones also wrote plays with Jamie Wooten and Nicholas Hope, including The Sweet Delilah Swim Club, Christmas Belles, and Dearly Beloved. She also wrote episodes of the shows Teacher's Pet and For Your Love. The movie Kingdom Come (2001) was based on the Jones Hope Wooten play Dearly Departed

Godspeed James Tolkan

Character actor James Tolkan, who played Mr. Strickland in the Back to the Future movies and appeared in yet other movies from Wolfen (1981) to Dick Tracy (1990), died on March 26, 2026, at the age of 94.

James Tolkan was born on June 20, 1931 in Calumet, Michigan. He graduated from Amphitheatre High School in Tucson, Arizona in 1949. He served in the United States Navy, but was discharged in under a year due to a heart condition. He attended Coe College and then graduated from the University of Iowa in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts. He then moved to New York City where he studied acting under Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg at The Actors Studio. A classmate was Warren Beatty.

James Tolkan made his television debut in 1960 in an episode of Naked City. In the Sixties, he guest starred on the TV shows Armstrong Circle Theatre and N.Y.P.D. He made his debut on Broadway in 1964 in The Three Sisters. He also appeared on Broadway in Wait Until Dark in 1966. He made his movie debut in the film adaptation of The Three Sisters (1966) and appeared in the movie Stiletto (1969).

In the Seventies, James Tolkan appeared on Broadway in the productions Mary Stuart, Narrow Road to the Deep North, 42 Seconds from Broadway, Full Circle, Golda, and Wings. He appeared in the movies They Might Be Giants (1971), The Werewolf of Washington (1973), The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973), Serpico (1973), Love and Death (1975), Abduction (1975), and The Amityville Horror (1979). He guest starred on the TV show Ourstory.

In the Eighties, James Tolkan played Mr. Strickland in Back to the Future (1985) and Back to the Future Part II (1989), and Mr. Strickland's ancestor Marshal Strickland in Back to the Future Part III (1990). He also appeared in the movies Wolfen (1981), Prince of the City (1981), Hanky Panky (1982), Author! Author! (1982), WarGames (1983), Nightmares (1983), Iceman (1984), The River (1984), Turk 182 (1985), Walls of Glass (1985), Off Beat (1986), Top Gun (1986), Armed and Dangerous (1986), Masters of the Universe (1987), Made in Heaven (1987), Split Decisions (1988), Viper (1988), True Blood (1989), Second Sight (1989), Ministry of Vengeance (1989), Family Business (1989), Opportunity Knocks (1990), and Dick Tracy (1990). He appeared on Broadway in Glengarry Glenn Ross. On television, he was a regular on the short-lived show Mary, starring Mary Tyler Moore. He had a recurring role on Remington Steele. He guest starred on the shows American Playhouse, Hill Street Blues, The Disney Sunday Movie, Miami Vice, The Equalizer, Sunset Beat, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

In the Nineties, James Tolkan had regular roles on the short-lived shows The Hat Squad and Cobra. He guest starred no the shows Tales from the Crypt, Tequila and Bonetti, The Wonder Years, Nowhere Man, Early Edition, and The Pretender. He appeared in the movies Hangfire (1991), Driving Me Crazy (1991), Problem Child 2 (1991), Boiling Point (1993), River of Stone (1994), Underworld (1996), and Robo Warriors (1996).

In the Naughts, James Tolkan was part of the repertory cast of the TV series A Nero Wolfe Mystery. He appeared in the movies Seven Times Lucky (2004) and Heavens Fall (2006). In the Teens, he appeared in the movie Bone Tomahawk (2015).

James Tolkan was best known for playing forceful, often intimidating characters, of which Mr. Strickland may be the best example. They were the sort of roles at which he excelled, but he could play other sorts of roles as well. On A Nero Wolfe Mystery alone, he played everything from  FBI Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office Richard Wragg in "The Doorbell Rang" to president of a holding company Avery Ballou in "Death of a Doxy." In Leverage he played evil millionaire Dean Chesney, who actually steals a heart from a young boy desperately in need of a transplant. He could so comedy, and played Napoleon Bonaparte in Love and Death (1975). James Tolkan was an enormous talent and could play a large array of roles. 

"Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" from Jesus Christ Superstar

I am feeling under the weather due to my seasonal allergies, so I don't feel up to a full post. With Easter Sunday just past and it still being Easter season, I thought I would share my favourite song from one of my favourite Easter movies. "Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" from Jesus Christ Superstar dramatises the Agony in the Garden of Gethsamane thst Jesus Christ experienced after the Last Supper according to the Gospels. This clip is from the 1973 movie directed by Norman Jewison.

Happy Easter 2026

For many of those who celebrate it, Easter means chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs. Here at a Shroud of Thoughts, we realize there are many who would appreciate cheesecake with their usual Easter goodies. Here, then, are this year's vintage Easter pinups.

First up is Jeff Donnel who is making friends with an Easter bunny.

Here is Phyllis Davis and another Easter Bunny.

Elke Sommer loves her toy Easter Bunny.

Here is Mary Brodel with a little bunny and a really big egg.

And here is Dorothy Hart with a really big bunny and a really big egg.

And here is Ann Miller on an Easter egg hunt! 

Happy Easter!!!!!

"Easter Parade" by Judy Garland and Fred Astaire

Today has been something of a hectic day, so I will leave you with a tune befitting the season. From the 1948 movie of the same name, here is Judy Garland and Fred Astaire's rendition of "Easter Parade" by "Irving Berlin." The song made its first appearance in the 1933 Broadway musical revue As Thousands Cheer.

Nicholas Brendon Passes On

Nicholas Brendon, who played Xander Harris on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Kevin Lynch on Criminal Minds, died on March 20, 2026, at the age of 54 from natural causes. According to the coroner, Mr. Brendon had a history of cardiac issues.

Nicholas Brendon was born Nicholas Brendon Schultz on April 12, 1971, in Los Angeles. He had an identical twin brother, actor Kelly Donovan. He had wanted to become ba baseball player, but eventually lost interest in playing the sport. He attended Chatsworth High School in Chatsworth, Los Angeles. Starting when he was about seven or eight, Nicholas Brendon stuttered. He took up acting in an effort to control his stutter. 

Nicholas Brendon made his television debut in a guest appearance on Married with Children in 1993. He also guest starred on Dave's World. It was in 1997 that he began playing Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He remained with the show for its entire run. He reprised the role on Buffy the Vampire Slayer video games. He made his movie debut in 1995 in Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest. He appeared in the movie Psycho Beach Party (2000).

In the Naughts, Nicholas Brendon continued to appear on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He was a regular on the short-lived sitcom Kitchen Confidential. In 2007, he joined the cast of Criminal Minds as Kevin Lynch. He remained with the show until 2014. He was a regular voice on American Dragon: Jake Long. He guest starred on the shows Turbo Dates; Without a Trace; Robot, Ninja & Gay Guy; and Private Practice. He appeared in the movies Survival Island (2002), Unholy (2007), Blood on the Highway (2008), and The Portal (2010). 

In the Teens, he continued to appear on Criminal Minds. He guest starred on Private Practice, Hollywood Heights, Faking It, and Dark/Web. He appeared in the movies Hard Love (2011), Big Gay Love (2013), Cohenrence (2013), The Morningside Monster (2014), Indigo (2014), Redwood (2017), The Nanny (2018), and King of Crime (2018). In the 2020s, he appeared in the movies Wanton Want (2021), Dawn (2022), On a Dark and Bloody Ground (2024), and Yesterday is Almost Here (2024).

Nicholas Brendon had more than his fair share of health problems. He suffered from cauda equina syndrome and underwent more than one spinal surgery. He also had a congenital heart defect. He also suffered from severe depression, and became addicted to alcohol and other substances. It was perhaps due to his various struggles that he was arrested multiple times.

Chances are good that Nicholas Brendon will always be remembered as Xander on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and to a lesser degree Kevin on Criminal Minds. Indeed, Xander was perhaps the first time a pop culture geek was portrayed accurately. He was not some socially awkward nerd with Coke bottle glasses, but a decent looking fellow who was actually cool.. He was a sharp contrast to the sort of stereotypes one saw in the Revenge of the Nerds movies and the TV show Big Bang Theory. Nicholas Brendon played the role perfectly. Of course, he also played Kevin on Criminal Minds perfectly. Nicholas Brendon had a good deal of talent. 

Chip Taylor Passes On

Chip Taylor, the songwriter who wrote both "Wild Thing" by The Troggs and "Angel of the Morning" by  Merrilee Rush, died on March 23, 2026, at the age of 86.

Chip Taylor was born James Wesley Voight on March 21, 1940 in Yonkers, New York. His brothers were actor Jon Voight and geologist Barry Voight. His father, Elmer, was a golfer who had played in the U.S. Open in 1928 and 1929. It was after his parents took him to see My Wild Irish Rose when he was 7 or 8 that he took an interest in music. It was listening late nights to a radio station out of Wheeling, West Virginia that made him a fan of Southern blues and country music. He was still a student at Archbishop Stepinac High School in White Plains, New York when he was writing songs at the Brill Building.

In 1957 his band West Voight and the Town and Country Brothers were signed to King Records. It was during this period that he took the pen name "Chip Taylor," as executives at King Records were worried that DJs might have problems pronouncing "Voight." On the King label, he recorded such songs as "I'm Movin' On" and "I'm Ready to Go Steady," but none of them charted. He later moved to Warner Bros., where his single "Here I Am" actually made the Billboard Hot 100.

While Chip Taylor would see only some success as a performer, he saw considerable success as a songwriter. His song "Wild Thing" was originally recorded by Jordan Christopher and the Wild Ones in 1965, but it would The Troggs' version of the song that would become Chip Taylor's first big hit when it went no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966. His song "Angel in the Morning" was originally recorded by Evie Sands in 1967, but it was the version by Merrilee Rush that went to no. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. Among other notable songs written by Chip Taylor were "I Can't Let Go" (covered by The Hollies), "Any Way That You Want Me" (recorded by The Troggs), "On My Word" (recorded by Cliff Richard), "Step Out of Your Mind" (recorded by The American Breed), and yet others. His songs were covered by such diverse artists as Lita Ford, The Fleetwoods, The Bobby Fuller Four, Janis Joplin, Willie Nelson, and others.

In the Seventies, Chip Taylor recorded several albums, starting with Gotta Get Back to Cisco as part of orgoni, Martin & Taylor. After a break of many years, he would record several more albums starting with Hit Man in 1996. His last album, The Truth and Other Things, was released last year.  

Even if Chip Taylor had only written "Wild Thing" and "Angel in the Morning," he would have had a huge impact on popular music. As it is, he wrote several other songs that saw some success and also left behind his own oeuvre of singles and albums that maintain a following to this day. 

Godspeed Matt Clark

Matt Clark, who appeared in many Westerns, including The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972) and The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976),  over the years, died on March 15, 2026, at the age of 89. 

Matt Clark was born on November 25, 1936 in Washington, DC. His father was a carpenter who built cabinets and boats. His mother taught school. He served for two years in the United States Army and then attended George Washington University where he studied business administration. He left George Washington University to pursue acting. He studied acting at the HB Studio with Herbert Berghof and Hickey in New York City. He became part of the Living Theatre Company in New York City and appeared in off-Broadway productions. He was an understudy for Martin Sheen in the original Broadway production of The Subject Was Roses from 1964-66.

Matt Clark made his film debut in a smal part in Black Like Me (1964). In the Sixties, he appeared in the movies In the Heat of the Night (1967), Will Penny (1967), The Bridge at Remagen (1969), Monte Walsh (1980), and Macho Callahan (1970). He guest strarred on the shows Ben Casey, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, T.H.E. Cat, Dundee and the Culhane, The Rat Patrol, Death Valley Days, N.Y.P.D., Bonanza, and The Name of the Game. 

In the Seventies, Matt Clark appeared  in the movies The Beguiled (1971), The Grissom Gang (1971), Honky (1971), The Cowboys (1971), Pocket Money (1972), The Culpepper Cattle Col (1972), The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid  (1972),. Jeremiah Johnson (1972), The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), (1973), Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973), Emperor of the North (1973), White Lightning (1973), The Laughing Policeman (1973), The Terminal Man (1974), Hearts of the West (1975), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Kid Vengeance (1976), Outlaw Blues (1977), The Driver (1978), The Driver (1978), Dreamer (1979) Brubaker (1980), and Ruckus (1980). On television, he was a regular on the show Dog and Cat.  He guest stared on the shows Funny Face, The Waltons, Kung Fu, The Rookies, Lucan, and Little House on the Prairie. He appeard in the TV movies The Execution of Private Slovik. The Great Ice Rip-Off, This Is the West That Was, The Kansas City Massacre, Lacy and the Mississippi Queen, and The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang.

In the Eighties, he apppeared in the movies The Legend of the Lone Ranger (1981), Some Kind of Hero (1982), Love Letters (1983), The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984), Country (1984), Tuff Turf (1985), Return to Oz (1985), Let's Get Harry (1986), The Horror Shwo (1989), Back to the Future Part III (1990), and Cadence (1990). He guest starred on the shows Dynasty; ABC Afternoon Specials; Magnum, P.I.; Hardcastle and McCormick; CBS Summer Playhouse; CBS Schoolbreak Special,  and Midnight Caller. He appeared in the minii-series The Winds of the War and War and Remembrance. He appeared in several TV movies, including The Children Nobody Wanted, The Big Easy, The Quick and the Dead, and Kenny Rogers as The Gambler.

In the Nineties, Matt Clark had recurring roles on the TV sitcoms Grace Under Fire and The Jeff Foxworthy Show. He guest starred on the shows Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Screen Two, Lonesome Dove: The Series, The Visitor Touched by an Angel, The Pretender, The Practice, Chicago Hope. and Walker Texas Ranger. He appeared in the movies Class Action (1991), Frozen Asssets (1992), The Harvest (1993) Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), Hacks (1997),. Homegrown (1998), Claudine's Return (1998),. Five Aces (1999), A Stranger in the Kingdom (1999), and South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000). In the Naughts, he appeared in the movies Killer Diller (2004) and The Way (2013). In the Teens, he appeared in the movies 42 (2015) and  A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014).

Matt Clark also directed episodes of CBS Schoolbreak Special and Midnight Caller, as well as the movie DA (1994).

Matt Clark was an extremely talented actor. Of course, he was best known for Westerns, and he appeared in a number of them. He played his share of outlaws, including Bob Younger in The Great Northfield Minnesota Raid and George Newcomb in the TV movie The Last Ride of the Dalton Gang. He also played lawmen, such as his role as a sheriff in the The Legend of the Lone Rangers, ranch hands (Smiley in The Cowboys), cowboys (Pete in the Culpepper Cattle Co.), and even an old prospector (his final role in the movie A Million Ways to Die in the West). Of course, he appeared in much more than Westerns. He made a brief appearance as the Secretary of Defence in The Adventures of Bucakaroo Banzai in the 8th Dimension. He played a modern day police lieutenant on the TV show Dog and Cat. In Return to Oz, he played Uncle Henry, Dorothy Gale's uncle and Aunt Em's husband. Matt Clark could play a wide array of roles and play all of them well. 

"Summer Breeze" by Seals & Crofts

Dash Crofts, famous as one half of the soft rock duo Seals & Crofts with Jim Seals, died on March 25, 2026, at age 87. The cause was complications from heart surgery. I cannot say that I am a huge fan of Seals & Croft, although I have always liked their music. They were very successful throughout the Seventies and into the Eighties. Their self-titled debut album was released in 1969 and was followed by eleven more albums. They had considerable success with singles, with "Summer Breeze," "Diamond Girl," and  "Get Closer" all  going to no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. They took a hiatus from music in 1981 and reunited from time to time afterwards. 

Here is what may be their best known song, "Summer Breeze.' As mentioned earlier, it was a hit on the Billboard Hot 100. It would later be covered by The Isley Brothers and Type O Negative, as well as other artists.

Sixty Years Ago The Avengers Arrived in the United States

As my long-time readers know, my favourite TV show of all time is The Avengers, starring Patrick Macnee as John Steed and his various partners over the years (Honor Blackman as Cathy Gale, Diana Rigg as Emma Peel, and so on). It was sixty years ago, on March 28, 1966, that The Avengers made its American debut on ABC. At the time I was a baby and even if I hadn't been, in 1966 the Columbia-Jefferson City market did not have a full-time ABC affiliate. I wouldn't see it until one rainy Sunday afternoon when one of the Kansas City stations was showing its reruns in syndication. I think the fist episode I was probably "The House That Jack Built", although it could have been "From Venus with Love". Either way I was hooked.

The Avengers had debuted in the United Kingdom on January 7, 1961. At that time, it starred Ian Hendry as Dr. David Keel, who became partners in fighting crime with a mysterious figure named John Steed (Patrick Macnee). When I an Hendry left the show, Patrick Macnee became its star and the show would centre on John Steed and his partner of the moment: Venus Smith (Julie Stevens), Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman), Emma Peel (Diana Rigg), and Tara King (Linda Thorson).

The show proved to be a smash hit in the United Kingdom, so much so that television networks in the United States even took notice. As early as December 15 1963, when Cathy Gale was John Steed's partner, The New York Times devoted an article to the show. NBC expressed some interest in The Avengers, but expressed its doubts that such an outré series, especially on so British, could succeed in the United States. The producers finally secured a deal with the American Broadcasting Company, consistently the third rated network, to begin showing The Avengers starting on March 28, 1966. The fourth series of The Avengers would be the first to air in the United States and the first to star Diana Rigg as John Steed's partner, Emma Peel.

Since American audiences were unfamiliar with the idea behind The Avengers, a prologue was added to the opening of the show with John Steed, Emma Peel, and a murder victim on a chessboard. The prologue explained precisely who John Steed ("top professional") and Emma Peel ("talented amateur") were and what they did: "Extraordinary crimes against the people and the state have to be avenged by agents extraordinary. Two such people are John Steed, top professional, and his partner, Emma Peel, talented amateur - otherwise known as The Avengers"

The Avengers was not necessarily a hit in the Nielsen ratings in the United States, but it received positive notices from American critics and developed a cult following. It received a good deal of coverage in the American press, with a Newsweek, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, and other publications all publishing articles on the show. The Avengers was also featured on the cover of TV Guide, and the magazine would devote articles to the series during its run. The Avengers was nominated for Emmy Awards during both the 1965-1966 and 1966-1967 seasons: the Emmy for Outstanding Dramatic Series and Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series for Diana Rigg as Emma Peel.

The fourth season of The Avengers was in black-and-white. Its fifth season would be in colour. It was one of the condition of ABC in the United States that The Avengers make the change from colour. While it would be a few years before British broadcasters would make the shift to colour, the change to colour was already well underway in the United States when The Avengers debuted here. Indeed, the 1966-1967 season would be the first in which ABC's entire primetime schedule would be in colour.

Unfortunately, the sixth series of The Avengers would be its last, and it was this largely the fault of ABC in the United States. For the 1968-1969 season ABC placed The Avengers in what was possibly the worst time slot of the 1968-1969 season. The Avengers aired opposite two top rated shows: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In on NBC (the no. 1 show for the season) and Gunsmoke on CBS (the no. 6 show for the season). As a result ratings for The Avengers plunged and ABC cancelled it in February 1969. Without the funding from ABC in the United States, Thames Television (the ITV franchise holder that produced The Avengers) simply could not afford to continue with it. The show then ended its original run in 1969.

Of course, it would go onto a fairly healthy run as a syndicated rerun in the United States, which is where I first saw it, and presumably many other younger Baby Boomers and older Gen Xers like me first saw it. Since then it aired on CBS Late Night in the Eighties and then on Encore Mystery in the Nineties. In the United States, The Avengers is currently on several streaming services, including Tubi, Pluto TV, Plex, Amazon Prime Video, and Fandango at Home. Every surviving episode has also been released on DVD.

The Avengers has remained my favourite TV show ever since that rainy Sunday afternoon when I was a child. I am currently re-watching it and I still love it as much as I did then. I really don't know the extent of its impact on me. In addition to growing up known I was English in descent and being a fan of The Beatles and other British Invasion bands since childhood, it is probably much of the reason I am an Anglophile and why I love British television so much. Without The Avengers, I might never have discovered Danger Man, The Saint, Adam Adamant Lives!, The Prisoner,, Red Dwarf, Midsomer Murders, and many of the other British shows I love. At any rate, I know I am not the only American who still loves The Avengers. It remains a very popular show sixty years since its arrival here.

The Changes to MeTV's Schedule

Many people don't like change. I have to confess that I am one of them. It then came as no surprise to me that some people have complained about the recent changes to MeTV's schedule, despite the fact that the network hasn't really made too many major changes to its schedule in years.

To wit, it was last October that MeTV added Everybody Loves Raymond to their prime time schedule. While some people were happy to see the show join the schedule, others were not, and they expressed their displeasure on such social media services as Facebook, Instagram and Reddit. Some thought the show was too new to be on MeTV, despite the fact that it debuted 30 years ago. Others complained that the show had already aired everywhere else, with many pointing out it is still on TV Land. Yet others just plain did not like the show.

More recently, The Golden Girls replaced Hogan's Heroes on weeknights at 10:00 Eastern/9:00 Central. While it seems to me that there was not nearly as much outcry over The Golden Girls as Everybody Loves Raymond, there were some people who did grouse about it. A good number of people simply did not like Hogan's Heroes being removed from MeTV's schedule. This rather surprised me as a common complaint I have seen on MeTV's Facebook page was that Hogan's Heroes had occupied the 10:00 PM Eastern/9:00 PM Central weekday time slot for literally years (don't quote me, but I think it had been there since 2017). Fortunately, for fans of Hogan's Heroes, the show has returned to the MeTV schedule. The show has been temporarily airing on Sunday night since this past Sunday, March 22 and starting Monday, March 30, 2026, it will air at 6:00 PM Eastern/5:00 PM Central weekdays. I am not sure if MeTV had planned this all along or if the outcry of Hogan's Heroes fans was so great that MeTV restored it to the schedule.

Of course, like Everybody Loves Raymond, many complained that The Golden Girls has already aired "everywhere." Indeed, The Golden Girls has had a healthy run in syndication. It has aired on such cable channels as Lifetime and We TV, It has long been a fixture on the Hallmark Channel, where it still airs. Now I am a huge fan of The Golden Girls, so I may be biased, but I don't buy the argument that it has aired "everywhere.' It only aired as a syndicated rerun on local stations from 1990 to 1996, after which it was exclusive to the cable channel Lifetime. After being on Lifetime, it would air on We TV, the Hallmark Channel (where it still airs), and Logo.  Right now it airs on CMT about twice a week and on some weekends on TV Land, as well as the Hallmark Channel.  And while it still airs on the Hallmark Channel, it is pre-empted for the many months during the year (it seems like they start in June these days....) that the Hallmark Channel shows non-stop Christmas movies. In the end, I don' think The Golden Girls is quite as ubiquitous as its critics seem to think it is. 

While I don't buy some MeTV viewers' complaint that The Golden Girls has aired "everywhere," I find the complaint that the show is too "new" truly ludicrous. The Golden Girls debuted on NBC in 1985. That makes the show nearly 41 years old. Indeed, it is older than Matlock, which has aired on MeTV weekday mornings for years, and older than In the Heat of the Night, which had aired on MeTV on weekday mornings for years until recently. I haven't heard people complaining about those shows being "too new." I also have to point out that Cheers aired on MeTV from 2010 to 2018. When Cheers first aired on MeTV, it was only 28 years old, making it younger than either Everybody Loves Raymond or The Golden Girls when they first started airing on the network.

Of course, the changes did not stop there. As I pointed out, Hogan's Heroes started airing on Sunday night. As a result, Ed Sullivan, Carol Burnett, The Dick Van Dyke Show, and The Honeymooners were booted from Sunday night. This upset many fans of The Dick Van Dyke Show, including myself, but fortunately it appears to be temporary. Both The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Honeymooners return to Sunday night on April 5, although Carol Burnett and Ed Sullivan will no longer air on that night. My only real complain now is that I preferred the old 10:00 Central Sunday night time slot of The Dick Van Dyke Show to the new 11:00 Central Sunday night time slot.

Except for that brief period before I found out that The Dick Van Dyke Show was not being permanently removed from MeTV's schedule, I can't say I am overly angry about many of these changes. While I would have preferred MeTV had picked up a less frequently seen show of late than Everybody Loves Raymond (I would love to see The Phil Silvers Show on weeknights), I ultimately don't mind the show airing on MeTV. As to The Golden Girls, I am actually happy about it. It is one of my favourite shows of all time and I am glad I won't have to worry about it being preempted for Christmas movies. While I think complaints about certain shows being available elsewhere hold some validity (Everybody Loves Raymond is not only on TV Land, but still on local channels as well), I don't consider any of the shows recently added to MeTV to be "too new." The simple fact is that many shows that some of us may consider "recent" are no longer that young. I think when a show is over 25 years old, it has been around long enough to air on MeTV. Regardless, I suspect that when the time comes when MeTV removes Everybody Loves Raymond from their schedule people will complain about it.

Happy 100th Birthday, Gene Shalit

Before Leonard Maltin, before Siskel and Ebert, Gene Shalit was the movie critic with whom I was most familiar. In fact, he was the first movie critic to whom I was ever exposed. Gene Shalit joined Today in 1969, where he occasionally did book reviews. It was in 1973 that he became the full-time movie critic on Today. His segment, called Critic's Corner, would remain a part of The Today Show until he retired from the show in November 2010. Today Gene Shalit turned 100 years old.

My family were loyal viewers of The Today Show for as long as I can remember, so I  encountered Gene Shalit when I was very young. His appearance would certainly appeal to a youngster. With his curly hair, handlebar moustache, glasses and bow ties, he looked more like a comic from the days of vaudeville or an absent-minded college professor than a movie critic. 

What is more, Gene Shalit's style as a critic was very approachable. He clearly loved movies, and was more concerned with letting Today's viewers know if they would enjoy a movie than any intellectual analysis of said movie. His reviews were often peppered with one-liners and often ridiculous puns. Gene Shalit was clearly having fun in reviewing movies. Indeed, in Critic's Corner on The Today Show, he seemed less like a movie critic than an affable uncle letting you know which movies to watch and which to avoid.

Of course, even as a kid, I didn't always agree with Gene Shalit's reviews. I disagreed with him on both The Shining (1980) and Flash Gordon (1980). That having been said, I agreed with him more often than not. Chances are that if Gene Shalit liked a movie, I probably would too. Regardless, even when Gene Shalit disliked a film I turned out to love, I could understand his reasons for disliking the movie. 

Beyond providing movie and book reviews on The Today Show, Gene Shalit also conducted interviews. As might be expected, he was a very good interviewer. He was both warm and curious, and was very good at putting his subjects at ease. An example at how comfortable he was interviewing celebrities is his famous interview with Carol Channing, Miss Channing told a hilarious story of Sir Benjamin and Lady Astor that left Gene Shalit unable to stop laughing.

Gene Shalit has always had an enthusiasm for movies which showed through his many reviews on The Today Show. I think it's quite possible that much of my love for the movies stem from the love he showed for the medium to which I was exposed as a kid. Gene Shalit isn't simply a movie critic. He is a movie fan.