Warner Should Restore the Classic Looney Tunes to Max Immediately

This morning I awakened to some bad news from Deadline that the classic Warner Bros. theatrical cartoons, collectively called "Looney Tunes" by most people, have been removed by Warner Discovery's streaming service Max. Now I have been subscribed to Max for years without interruption for three reasons: first, classic movies; second, the DC Comics content; and third, the classic Warner Bros. cartoons. To say I am not happy would be an understatement.

Indeed, I am not the only one who is angry. According to the Independent, many Looney Tunes fans have complained about Max's decision to remove the cartoons from the service. I know this to be true myself scrolling through Bluesky, where the posts can be summed up by one person in particular who said, "I hate Max for removing Looney Tunes." Quite a few people have pointed out that this is yet another argument for buying physical media.  Jeremy Smith on Slash Film went so far as to declare in an editorial, "Max Removing The Original Looney Tunes Shorts Is An Act Of Cultural Vandalism."

According to Deadline, the removal of the classic Looney Tunes from Max is part of a plan whereby the streaming service is focusing more on adult and family programming than children's programming. If that is indeed the case, then Max's decision to pull Looney Tunes from the streaming service is, to put it bluntly, stupid. The classic Warner Bros. theatrical shorts, whether they were part of the Looney Tunes series or the Merrie Melodies series, were made for general audiences. In fact, cartoons often contain jokes, innuendos, pop culture references, and even situations that probably go over the heads of many children even today. I daresay that the Looney Tunes probably appeal more to most adults and general audiences than much of the content that remains on Max.

Now it is true that there are Looney Tunes available on Prime Video, but it appears one has to rent them by cartoon, and some can be found on YouTube, but that is not the same as having several hundred Warner Bros cartoons on Max itself. Indeed, it is one of the reasons I have subscribed to Max all these years and I know it is one of the reasons that others have as well. I don't think it would be unreasonable for the average person to expect Warner Bros.' own classic cartoons to be on their own streaming service. In not having Looney Tunes, Max is then falling short of what many people expect of the service and failing its users. Of course, here I must point out that if it were up to me not only would Max have all the Looney Tunes cartoons, but the many classic TV shows Warner produced as well, from Maverick to F Troop.

I think it's safe to say that as far as the general public is concerned,  Warner Bros. is best known for their classic cartoons. Bugs Bunny is probably more famous than the studio's biggest stars. I have to think that much of the reason Warner Bros. has survived over the years is in part because of those cartoons. I have to think that in removing the Looney Tunes from Max they will see an enormous drop in subscriptions, one that could endanger the streaming service's survival. It is then wise for them to restore the classic Warner Bros. shorts as soon as possible. I know I might not continue to subscribe if they don't.

(Postscript: If you want to complain to Max about removing Looney Tunes from the service, the fastest way to do so may be to simply type "Max feedback" on Google or another search engine. The very first result (at least on Google) should be the Max Feedback page. Once there you either choose for your topic Programming Feedback or Programming Request. Programming Feedback actually lets you type in your own comments, so you can complain about Looney Tunes missing from the service there (please do be polite though). On Programming Request you'll want to choose Additional shows/movies, then for the title type in "Looney Tunes" or "Merrie Melodies. Anyway, I urge my fellow Max subscribers to leave feedback. If they get enough of it, it's possible they could return Looney Tunes to the service.

The 11th Annual Favourite TV Show Episode Blogathon is Coming!

This is a reminder that the 11th Annual Favourite TV Show Episode Blogathon is next weekend, starting on Friday, March 21. For those of you unfamiliar with the blogathon, you can read all about it here.

The 85th Anniversary of Road to Singapore (1940)

It was 85 years ago today that Road to Singapore, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, and Dorothy Lamour, premiered in New York City. It was the first of the seven "Road to..." movies, each of which starred Bing Crosby and Bob Hope and most of which starred Dorothy Lamour. While Bing Crosby and Bob Hope played different characters in each movie, the characters were all pretty much the same. They were generally con men who wanted to make a lot of money, and often found themselves getting in trouble doing so. Dorothy Lamour played the love interest in most of the films. The films were known for satirizing various movie genres, as well as their frequent pop culture references.

While Road to Singapore (1940) was the first movie in which Bing Crosby and Bob Hope appeared as a team, they had worked together before. In December 1932 Bob Hope was the master of ceremony at a show held for two weeks at the Capitol Theatre in New York City. Among the performers at the show was Bing Crosby. Bob Hope and Crosby came up with various comedy bits that proved to be a hit with the audience. Bob Hope would later be a guest on Bing Crosby's radio show The Kraft Music Hall. Still later, when Bing Crosby hosted a special Hollywood night at  Del Mar, he and Bob Hope performed some of the bits that they had done at the Capitol many years before. Both men were signed to Paramount, so it was natural that the production chief of Paramount, William Le Barron, who suggested that the two make a movie together.

Given all of this, it might seem like a surprise that Road to Singapore was not originally intended as a movie starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby. The origins of Road to Singapore are obscure, but it apparently originated as a script for Mr. Crosby entitled Follow the Sun. Follow the Sun was redone as a vehicle for George Burns and Gracie Allen called Road to Mandalay. Burns & Allen turned the film down, whereupon it was rewritten for Fred MacMurray and Jack Oakie. The two of them allegedly turned it down, although neither of them could remember doing so. It was after the script was reworked one more time and renamed Road to Singapore that it was offered to Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

Road to Singapore starred Bing Crosby and Bob Hope as ne'er-do-wells Josh Mallon (Bing Crosby) and Ace Lannigan (Bob Hope). Romantic complications in their lives lead the two men to flee for Singapore. As it turns out, before they can reach Singapore their money runs about the time they reach the fictional island  of Kaigoon. They they meet Mima (Dorothy Lamour), with whom they both fall in love.

Although "the Road to..." movies are often referred to as the "Hope-Crosby pictures," they would perhaps be better termed the "Hope-Crosby-Lamour" movies. Even in Road to Singapore, Dorothy Lamour was more than a romantic interest. She was effectively the third member of the team. She became even more a part of the team in the later "Road to..." movies. Dorothy Lamour learned on her first day on the set of Road to Singapore that it was useless to pay any attention to the script, as Bob Hope and Bing Crosby simply extemporised as they saw fit. Fortunately, Dorothy Lamour was a talented actress who was able to keep up with them.

Although today Bob Hope may be the most recognizable name of the three leads, he was billed third on Road to Singapore, beneath Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. It would be the only "Road..." movie on which he received third billing. With Bob Hope's film career taking off, afterwards the billing would always be "Bing Crosby," "Bob Hope", and "Dorothy Lamour".

Road to Singapore proved to be a success. It received generally positive reviews from critics. It also proved to be a hit at the box office. In the end it would make $1.6 million. Quite naturally, the success of Road to Singapore led to a sequel, Road to Zanzibar (1941), which lead to further installments in the series.

Of course, it was Road to Singapore that established the format for the future "Road to... movies." Each of the movies was a musical comedy, with Bing, Dorothy, and even Bob singing various songs. The songs in Road to Singapore included ""The Moon and the Willow Tree (sung by Dorothy Lamour in the film)," "Sweet Potato Piper (sung by Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, and Bob Hope in the movie)," and "Too Romantic (sung by Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour in the film)." Bing Crosby recorded "The Moon and the Willow Tree,' "Sweet Potato Piper," and "Too Romantic" for Decca Records, with both "Too Romantic" and "Sweet Potato Piper" proving to be hits.

Road to Singapore (1940) also established the many in-jokes and pop culture references that populate the movies in the series. The "patty-cake" routine, which Crosby and Hope use as a distraction to the villains, also originated in Road to Singapore. Road to Singapore also established the personalities of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope's characters. Bob Hope's character was high-strung and filled with bravado, even though he was a naturally born coward. Bing Crosby's character was more calm an collective, the smooth one of the two, and it was he who generally came up with their various schemes. Although both were ladies men, it was Bing's characters who usually got the girl. And, of course, both Bob and Bing's characters were con men.

Like the other "Road to..." movies, to a degree Road to Singapore has not aged well. Racist and sexist attitudes that were prevalent during the era are to found in the film. At the same time it is clear that Road to Singapore was not meant to be taken seriously, and they weren't meant to be mean-spirited or hurtful. It must be kept in mind that Road to Singapore and the other "Road to..." movies were very much products of their time.

Road to Singapore would have a lasting influence beyond setting the pace for the other "Road to..." movies. Years before the term metafiction was even coined, Road to Singapore and the other "Road to..." movies were meta. Being metafictional, Road to Snigapore would have an influence on everything from The Monkees to Moonlighting to Airplane! (1980). Over the years there have been many homages to the film, from theatrical cartons like the Popeye short "We're on the Way to Rio" to the Danny Thomas Show episode "The Road to Lebanon" to a segment of Mel Brooks's film History of the World, Part I (1981). Road to Singapore (1940) occupies a place in film history that few comedies do.

"Time Has Come Today" by The Chamber Brothers

Since Sunday I have felt tired every single day. Of course, I know the cause. It is the change to Daylight Saving Time that took place Sunday. For me it's not simply a case of losing an hour of sleep, but the entire shift of the clock hands forward by an hour disrupts my sleep and my entire routine. Oh, I will eventually adapt to it, but I will never be as competent, whole, or happy as I am when we are on Standard Time. I really wish we would do away with Daylight Saving Time entirely and remain on Standard Time all year around.

Anyway, since I feel wore out, I will leave you with a song about time, "Time Has Come Today" by The Chambers Brothers. I do have to warn you, this is the eleven-plus minute album version.

Jan Shepard Passes On

Jan Shepard, who appeared in the Elvis Presley movies King Creole (1958) and Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966), died on January 17 2025 at the age of 96.

Jan Shepard was born Joanna Sorbello on March 19 1928 in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. She acted in plays when she attended Quakertown High School. She was also a cheerleader, a drum majorette, and the valedictorian of her class. She moved to Los Angeles in 1949. She joined the Ben Bard Players. a theatre company that had been founded by actor and comedian Ben Bard. She later trained at the Pasadena Playhouse. To make a living she worked as a secretary at n I. Magnin department store. She shared an apartment with Amanda Blake, who would later become famous as Miss Kitty on Gunsmoke.

Jan Shepard made her television debut on an episode of Fireside Theatre in 1952. In the Fifties she appeared on the shows Death Valley Days, I Married Joan, Big Town, Ford Television Theatre, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Captain Midnight, The Adventures of Kit Carson,The Loretta Young Show, My Little Margie, Public Defender, Stage 7, TV Reader's Digest, The Man Behind the Badge, The Lone Ranger, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Private Secretary, Screen Directors Playhouse, It's a Great Life, Waterfront, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Crossroads, The Man Called X, Sergeant Preston of Yukon, Circus Boy, Science Fiction Theatre, Code 3, Official Detective, The Gray Ghost, The Californians, Target, Trackdown, Highway Patrol, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, Richard Diamond Private Detective, Wichita Town, The Man and the Challenge, Wanted: Dead or Alive, Tombstone Territory,. Philip Marlowe, Grand Jury, and U.S. Marshal. She had a recurring role as Nurse Betty on the syndicated show Dr.Christian. She made her movie debut in Sabre Jet in 1959.  In the Fifties she appeared in the moves Burden of Truth (1957), King Creole (1958), and Attack of the Giant Leeches (1958).

In the Sixties Jan Shepard was a regular on the soap opera The Clear Horizon appeared in the movies Third of a Man (1962), Della (1965), and Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966). She appeared on the TV shows Dante, Rawhide, Bat Masterson, Gunslinger, Assignment: Underwater, Stagecoach West. Lock Up, The Brothers Brannagan, Cain's Hundred, Bus Stop, Lawman, King of Diamonds,  Laramie, The Lloyd Bridges Show, G.E. True, Kraft Suspense Theatre, Perry Mason, Convoy, The Long Hot Summer, Bonanza, A Man Called Shenandoah, Teh Road West, Gunsmoke, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, Ironside, Mannix, The F.B.I., The High Chaparral, Land of the Giants, The Virginian, Then Came Bronson, Marcus Welby M.D., and This is the Life. She appeared in the TV movie The Doomsday Flight.

In the Seventies she appeared in the shows Longstreet and The Rookies. She appeared in the TV movie That Certain Summer.

While Jan Shepard played Elvis's sister in King Creole, I have to think she may be best known for her work in television. She appeared on Perry Mason four times along, from playing a politician's wife accursed of murder in "The Case of the Paper Bullets" to a race car driver's wife in "The Case of the Runaway Racer." She appeared in multiple Western TV shows, including three appearances on Rawhide. In the TV Westerns she played everything a woman working with a band of renegades in the Bat Masterson episode "Bullwhacker's Bounty' to the fiancee of a drover addicted to morphine in the Rawhide episode "Incident at the Top of the World" to a woman coerced into lying about a murder in the Laramie episode "The Jailbreakers." Jan Shepard was certainly versatile.

Godspeed Olive Sturgess

Former actress Olive Sturgess died on February 19 2025 in Ocean Falls, British Columbia at the age of 91. She had lost the home she had owned for 60 years in the Pacific Palisades fire, but died of natural causes. She played Bob's nephew Chuck MacDonald's girlfriend Carol on The Bob Cummings Show and guest starred on many television Westerns. Among her movies roles was .  the daughter of Vincent Price's character in The Raven (1963).

Olive Sturgess was born on October 8 1933 in Ocean Falls, British Columbia. Her father, Leonard Sturgess, hosted his own radio show. As a youngster she took both piano and ballet lessons  She also It was seeing Mary Martin played Peter Pan on stage that convinced her to take up acting. Her family moved to California in 1954.

Olive Sturgess attended Whittier College, and also acted at the Beverly Hills Playhouse. It was at this time that she was discovered by Hank Garson, who wrote radio shows at CBS. She was signed to a contract with Universal-International. At Universal-International not only was she given vice and dancing lessons, but she was also taught fencing, firing guns, and horseback riding Miss Sturgess grew to love horseback riding, and became proficient enough in it to participate in rodeos.

Olive Sturgess made her film debut in the theatrical short "Leave It to Harry" in 1954. She made her television debut in 1955 in an episode of Studio 57. In the Fifties she played the recurring role of  Carol, Chuck's girlfriend, on The Bob Cummings Show. Later in the decade and in the early Sixties, she played twins May and June McBean on the Western TV show The Tall Man. She guest starred on the shows Shower of Stars, The Millionaire, The People's Choice, Front Row Center, The Red Skelton Show, Four Star Jubilee, Telephone Time, Casablanca, Producer's Showcase, Lux Video Theatre, Crusader, Matinee Theatre, West Point. Wire Service, Strange Stories, The Alcoa Hour, Goodyear Television Playhouse, Tales of Wells Fargo, Perry Mason, Cheyenne, Panic!, Sugarfoot, Studio One, The Further Adventures of Ellery Queen, U..S. Marshal, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, The Texan, General Electric Theatre, Rawhide, Have Gun--Will Travel, Lawman, Buckskin, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Laramie, The Donna Reed Show, Philip Marlowe, Johnny Midnight, The Man and the Challenge, Wagon Train, Mr. Garland, Hawaiian Eye, and The Rebel. She appeared in the films Lady Godiva of Coventry (1955) and The Kettles in the Ozarks (1956).

In the Sixties Olive Sturgess continued to appear on the TV show The Tall Man. She appeared in two episodes of the horror/suspense anthology Thriller. This led her being cast as Estelle Craven in The Raven (1963). She guest starred on the TV shows The Rebel, The Jack Benny Program, Bronco, Bringing Up Buddy, Westinghouse Preview Theatre, Whispering Smith, Maverick, Outlaws, Checkmate, The Wide Country, Make Room for Daddy, Destry, Petticoat Junction, The Virginian, Dr. Kildare, Bonanza, The Girl from U.N.C.L.E., and Ironside. She appeared in the movies Requiem for a Gunfighter.

Olive Sturgess's last on-screen appearance was in two episodes of The Rookies, playing a different character in each one.

If Olive Sturgess was prolific in American television in the Fifties and Sixties, it wasn't simply because she was pretty and fresh-faced. It wasn't even because she knew how to ride a horse and shoot a gun. It was because she could play a wide variety of parts convincingly. Carol on The Bob Cumming Show was very much a Mid-Century ingenue, sweet and wholesome, but she also played hillbillies May and June on The Tall Man. In the Thriller episode "The Closed Cabinet" she played a young American woman investigating a mysterious cabinet that may responsible for a curse on a British family. In the Maverick episode "The Golden Fleecing' she played a young Quaker woman. Of course, Miss Sturgess may be best known as Estelle in The Raven, the headstrong daughter of wizard Dr. Erasmus Craven. Olive Sturgess could play a number of roles and she played all of them well.

"Fame" by David Bowie

It was fifty year ago today that David Bowie's alum Young Americans was released. In honour of the anniversary, I thought I would then leave you with the biggest single from the album and one of David Bowie's most popular songs, "Fame."