Jack Soo: Pioneering Actor and Comedian

Today Jack Soo is probably best remembered as Detective Nick Yemana on the classic sitcom Barney Miller and Frankie Wing in Flower Drum Song (1961). Even so, he played many more roles throughout his career. In fact,  Jack Soo would be a pioneer among East Asian actors in that most of his roles, like Detective Yemana and Frankie Wing, broke from the stereotypes of East Asians that had persisted in American cinema and television since their beginnings.

Jack Soo was born Goro Suzuki on October 28 1917 on a ship crossing the Pacific Ocean. His parents, who lived in Oakland, California, decided that they wanted him to be born in their native Japan, but he arrived sooner than they thought. He grew up in Oakland and received a degree in English at the University of California, Berkeley. It was while he was a student at Berkeley that his entertainment career began. He played in nightclubs in the evening, like Andy Wong's Sky Room in San Francisco. He also got small parts in plays. During World War II, like other Japanese Americans, he was interned. He was sent to the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah. To help with morale he put together shows and entertained the internees.

It was following World War II that Goro Suzuki adopted the stage name "Jack Soo" to avoid any anti-Japanese prejudice that persisted. He performed in nightclubs in Cleveland, Chicago, Akron, and other Midwestern cities. Eventually, Jack Soo played at the famed Chinese American nightclub Forbidden City in San Francisco. It was there that he was discovered by famed dancer, actor, singer, director, and choreographer Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly was directing the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Flower Drum Song and cast him in the role of Frankie Wing, the emcee at the Celestial Gardens, in the musical.

It was after Flower Drum Song had been running on Broadway for a year, that Jack Soo took over the role of Sammy Fong, the owner of the Celestial Gardens, originated by Larry Blyden. Jack Soo continued in the role of Sammy Fong on Broadway until May 1960 and then toured in the role from May 1960 to October 1961. Of course, he also reprised his role as Sammy Fong in the 1961 movie adaptation of Flower Drum Song. Sammy Fong was a sharp break from earlier Chinese American characters. He was a smooth-talking, rakish, but ultimately decent businessman 

The movie Flower Drum Song (1961) proved to be a disappointment at the box office, but it was instrumental in launching Jack Soo's film and television career. Among the roles he played following Flower Drum Song was Rockwell "Rocky" Sin on the sitcom Valentine's Day. While Rocky was the valet to publishing executive Valentine Farrow (Tony Franciosa), he was a sharp break from such earlier East Asian characters as Hey Boy and Hey Girl on Have Gun, Will Travel, and Hop Sing on Bonanza. Indeed, there was nothing stereotypical about Rocky. He was a smooth-talking, wisecracking, womanizing con man who was in many ways brighter than his employer. Valentine's Day is then historic not only for being one of the earliest shows to feature an  East Asian character who was not a stereotype but for being the first American television show since The Gallery of Madame Liu-Tsong starring Anna May Wong and the very first sitcom to feature an East Asian American in a lead role.

Unfortunately, Valentine's Day only ran for one season. Regardless, Jack Soo would still have a healthy career. He guest starred on several television shows in the Sixties, including The Jack Benny Program, The Wackiest Ship in the Army, Julia, and Hawaii Five-O. He appeared in m such movies as Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? (1963) and The Oscar. Although known for comedic roles, Jack Soo appeared as Colonel Cai in the controversial film The Green Berets (1968). Jack Soo was known for being critical of East Asian stereotypes, although he did play a stereotype at least once. In Thoroughly Modern Millie he played one of Mrs. Meers's two Chinese henchmen. To make matters worse, he was credited as "Oriental #1." "Oriental #2" was played by another well-known Japanese American actor, Pat Morita. 

Of course, in the Sixties, it was very hard for any East Asian American actor to avoid playing at least a few stereotypes during their career. The fact that Jack Soo played so few is remarkable. The Seventies would see Jack Soo continue to play roles that broke with stereotypes, as well as a combination of comedic and dramatic roles. He appeared one last time in movies playing Mr. Yokomoto in Return from Witch Mountain (1978). He guest-starred on such dramas as The Name of the Game, Ironside, Police Story, and Police Woman. He played a doctor in the 1973 TV movie She Lives! (the same TV movie that turned Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle" into a posthumous hit). He guest starred on the sitcoms as The Jimmy Stewart Show, The Odd Couple, M*A*S*H, and Busting Loose.

It was in 1975 that Jack Soo began playing Detective Sergeant Nick Yemana. Sgt. Yemana was good-natured and even-tempered. He was known for his deadpan sense of humour, often making humorous remarks about the sometimes bizarre goings on in the squad room. While he always saw cases through, he constantly had a pile of paperwork to complete. He was also known for making the worst coffee known to man. Along with Sgt. Fish (Abe Vigoda), Sgt. Yemana proved to be one of the most popular characters on the show, and the role brought Jack Soo a level of fame he hadn't known since the early to mid-Sixties.

Unfortunately, Jack Soo would not get to remain with Barney Miller until the end of its run. It was towards the end of the fourth season that he was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer. Due to receiving treatment for the disease, he missed the last five episodes of the season. Jack Soo returned to the show at the start of the fifth season, but the cancer had already metastasized. Worse yet, it also had spread quickly. He only completed nine episodes for the season before having to quit due to his illness. He last appeared in the episode "The Vandal" on November 9 1978. He died only two months later, on January 11 1979. He was only 61 years old. The fifth season finale of Barney Miller was a tribute to Jack Soo titled "Jack Soo: A Retrospective." At the end of the episode, the cast raised their coffee mugs in tribute to him.

While Jack Soo's career was tragically cut short, in that short time he proved to be a true pioneer with regards to East Asian American actors. He played a major role in the first mainstream Hollywood movie with a primarily East Asian cast, Flower Drum Song. He was the first East Asian to play a lead role in an American television show, Rocky Sin in Valentine's Day. Throughout his career, he played roles that defied stereotypes and he refused to play stereotypes. Indeed, Jack Soo saw his career as a means of fighting stereotypes. Certainly Rocky Sin and Sgt. Yemana were a far cry from Hey Boy on Have Gun--Will Travel or Hop Sing on Bonanza. In a career on Broadway, in film, on television that only spanned about twenty-one years, Jack Soo made a difference.

"Maybellene" by Chuck Berry

It was seventy years ago today, on May 21 1955, at Universal Recording Studios in Chicago, that Chuck Berry recorded "Maybellene." The song would become Chuck Berry's first hit, going to no. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and peaking at no. 1 on the Billboard singles chart.

Chuck Berry adapted "Maybellene" from the song "Ida Red," which had been recorded by y Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys in 1938. It was the legendary Muddy Waters who urged Chuck Berry to take a recording of the song to Chess Records, renamed "Ida May" by Mr. Berry. Leonard Chess thought both the names "Ida Red" and "Ida May" were "too rural." The song then became "Maybellene" after Chuck Berry noticed a box of Maybelline mascara in the studio. Chuck Berry also reworked the lyrics under the direction of Leonard Chess, who wanted a song about kids, cars, and young love. Leonard Chess also wanted the song to have a bigger beat, so a bass and maraca player were added to Chuck Berry's band in the studio. As shown by history, the combination of ta big beat, hot rods, and young romance clicked with American teenagers and "Maybellene" became Chuck Berry's first success.

The Late Great George Wendt

George Wendt, best known as beer-loving accountant Norm Peterson on the classic sitcom Cheers, died today in his sleep at the age of 76. Coincidentally, today is also the 32nd anniversary of the series finale of Cheers.

George Wendt was born on October 17 1948, in Chicago. He attended Campion High School in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. He attended Notre Dame University until his junior year. As he told the Kansas City Star in 2016, "I basically quit and didn't inform the university." He worked for his father for a time before he received a Bachelor of Arts from  Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri. He travelled through Europe for around two years before returning to the United States and deciding to become an actor.

In 1975, George Wendt joined Second City, the famous Chicago improvisational comedy troupe. He was with them for six years before. He made his film debut in an uncredited role in The Wedding in 1978. He appeared in bit parts in Bronco Billy (1980), My Bodyguard (1980), and Somewhere in Time (1980).

George Wendt made his television debut in an episode of Hart to Hart in 1981. He guest-starred on the shows Soap, Taxi, Alice, and M*A*S*H. He was a regular on the short-lived sitcom Making the Grade before he was cast as Norm Peterson on the sitcom Cheers. Norm easily proved to be one of the show's most popular characters, and he remained with the sitcom for all of its eleven seasons. In the Eighties, George Wendt was one of the voices in TV specials based on the comic strip Garfield. He guest-starred on the shows of M*A*S*H, The Twilight Zone, Saturday Night Live, and Day by Day. Beyond Cheers, he made appearances as Norm on St. Elsewhere. The  Tortellis, the TV special Mickey's 60th Birthday, and The Earth Day Special. He appeared in the movies Jekyll and Hyde...Together Again (1982), Airplane II: The Sequel (1982), Young Lust (1984), Dreamscape (1984), Thief of Hearts (1984), No Small Affair (1984), Fletch (1985), House  (1985), Gung Ho (1986),  Plain Clothes  (1988), Never Say Die (1988), and Masters of Menace (1990).

In the Nineties, George Wendt continued to appear on Cheers. He was the star of the short-lived The George Wendt Show, and he had a regular role on the short-lived sitcom The Naked Truth. He had a recurring role on Madigan Men.  He appeared as Norm Petersen on The Simpsons and as himself on Seinfeld, Bob, and The Larry Sanders Show. He guest-starred on the shows Tales from the Crypt, Roc, The Edge, The Building, Columbo, Spin City, Whose Line Is It Anyway, and The List. George Wendt also appeared in the TV movies Bye Bye Birdie and Alice in Wonderland. He appeared in the movies Guilty by Suspicion (1991), Forever Young (1992), Hostage for a Day (1994), The Little Rascals (1994), Man of the House (1995), Space Truckers (1996), The Lovemaster (1997), Spice World (1997), Anarchy TV (1998), Dennis the Menace Strikes Again (!998), Rupert's Land (1998), Outside Providence (1999), Garage: A Rock Saga (2000), Lakeboat (2000), The Prime Gig (2000), and Wild About Harry. He appeared on Broadway in Art.

In the Naughts, George Wendt had a recurring role on Sabrina the Teenage Witch. He was a regular on the short-lived sitcom Modern Men. He appeared as Norm on Frasier and in two episodes of Family Guy. He guest-starred on the shows Becker, Rock Me Baby, George Lopez, Masters of Horror, The Green Green Grass, Cubed, Less Than Kind, and Ghost Whisperer. He appeared in the movies Teddy Bears' Picnic (2002), My Dinner with Jimi (2003), King of the Ants (2003), Edmond (2005), Kids in America (2005), The Life Coach (2005), LA Blues (2007), Saturday Morning (2007), Clean Break (2008), Bryan Loves You (2008), Unnatural Causes (2008), Opposite Day (2009), and Santa Buddies (2009). He appeared on Broadway in Hairspray and Elf.

In the Teens, George Wendt had a recurring role on the sitcom Clipped. He appeared as himself on several episodes of the adult puppet show Let's Be Real. He was the voice of Grandpa Frank on the animated show Fancy Nancy. He guest-starred on the shows Hot in Cleveland, Harry's Law, Kickin' It, Portlandia, Kristie, Verdene and Gleneda, Franklin & Bash, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Childrens Hospital, Bill Nye Saves the World, Fresh Off the Boat, Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell, Peyton's Places, and The Goldbergs. He appeared in the movies Sandy Wexler (2017), The Independents (2018), Grand-Daddy Day Care (2019), Bliss (2019), The Climb (2019), VFW (2019), Aliens, Clowns & Geeks (2019), and Stealing a Survivor (2020). In the Twenties, he was a regular on the series What the Elf?. He appeared in the movies Americanish (2021) and Christmas with the Campbells (2022).

In my humble opinion, Norm Petersen is one of the all-time greatest characters in the history of American television. Norm was known for his one-liners, and no one could have delivered them better than George Wendt. Norm was a clever, self-deprecating everyman, and George Wendt was perfect in the role, so much so that it is impossible to think of Norm as being played by anyone else. Of course, George Wendt played many other characters beyond Norm. In a series of sketches on Saturday Night Live, he played Chicago Bears superfan Bob Swerski. In the movie Dreamscape he played horror novelist Charlie Prince, who has the bad luck of stumbling upon the dreamscape project. In the movie Fletch he played the drug dealer Fat Sam. In the horror comedy House he played Harold Gorton, the neighbor and fan of author Roger Cobb (William Katt). In No Small Affair he played a role about as far from Norm as one could get, the lecherous rock club owner Jake. George Wendt was an incredible talent who played one of the greatest characters in television history as well as a number of great roles. Everybody will always know his name.

The Late Great Joe Don Baker

Joe Don Baker, who starred in Walking Tall (1973) and appeared in three James Bond movies, died on May 7 at the age of 89.

Joe Don Baker was born on February 12 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas. His mother died when he was 12 years old and he was subsequently raised by an aunt. He played football in high school. He attended North Texas State College in Denton on a football scholarship. It was in his senior year that he had his first acting experience, playing a small role in a play. He graduated with a business degree in 1958 and then served two years in the United States Army. After he was discharged, Joe Don Baker studied acting at The Actor's Studio. He appeared on Broadway in their productions Marathon '66 in 1963 and Blue for Mister Charlie in 1964.

In the mid-Sixties Joe Don Baker moved to Los Angeles. It was in 1965 that he made his television debut in an episode of Honey West. He made his film debut in an uncredited role in Cool Hand Luke in 1967. In the Sixties he guest starred on the shows Iron Horse, Judd for the Defense, The Felony Squad, Bonanza, The Outsider, Gunsmoke, Lancer, The Big Valley, Mod Squad, Bracken's World, The F.B.I., and The Most Dangerous Game. He appeared in the movies Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969) and Adam at Six A.M. (1970).

In 1972 Joe Don Baker had what may be called his breakthrough role in Junior Bonner, playing the title character's younger brother, entrepreneur Curly. In 1973 he played Sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall. The movie proved to be a hit and produced two sequels in which Bo Svenson played Sheriff Pusser. Durin the Seventies he also appeared in the movies Wild Rovers (1971), Welcome Home Soldier Boys (1971), The Valachi Papers (1972), Charley Varrick (1973), The Outfit (1973), Golden Needles (1974), Framed (1975), Mitchell (1975), Checkered Flag or Crash (1977), The Shadow of Chikara (1977), Speedtrap (1977), and The Pack (1977).  On television he played the lead in the short-lived show Eischied. He guest starred on the shows The High Chaparral, Mission: Impossible, Ironside, Doc Elliot, and The Streets of San Francisco.

In the Eighties Joe Don Baker played the villain Brad Whitaker in the James Bond movie The Living Daylights (1987). He appeared in the movies Wacko (1982), Joysticks (1983), The Natural (1984), Final Justice (1984), Fletch (1985), Getting Even (1986), The Killing Time (1987), Leonard Part 6 (1987), Criminal Law (1988),  and The Children (1990). On television he played Tom Dugan in four episodes of the show In the Heat of the Night. He guest starred on Screen Two.

In the Nineties Joe Don Baker played Senator Joe McCarthy in the HBO TV movie Citizen Cohn. He appeared in the mini-series George Wallace (playing Big Jim Folsom) and Too Rich: The Secret Life of Doris Duke. He played James Bond's CIA contact Jack Wade in the movies GoldenEye (1995) and Tomorrow Never Dies (1997).  He appeared in the movies Cape Fear (1991), The Distinguished Gentleman (1992), Ring of Steel (1994), Reality Bites (1994), Felony (1994), The Underneath (1995),  Panther (1995), Congo (1995),  The Grass Harp (1995), and Mars Attacks! (1996).

In the Naughts Joe Don Baker guest starred on the show The Cleaner. He appeared in the movies Vegas, City of Dreams (2001), The Commission (2003), The Dukes of Hazzard (2005), and Strange Wilderness (2008). In 2012 he appeared in the movie Mud.

I think it will be safe to say that Joe Don Baker will always be best remembered as Sheriff Pusser in Walking Tall and Jack Wade in The Living Daylights and Tomorrow Never Dies. He was impressive as Sheriff Pusser, the honest but at times brutal lawman. And as Jack Wade, the wise-cracking, down-to earth CIA contact for 007,  he was one of the best things about The Living Daylights and Tomorrow Never Dies. While he may be best remembered for these roles, Joe Don Baker played a large variety of characters throughout his career. Indeed, he played historical figures more than once, including hit man Mad Dog Coll in The Valachi Papers,  the blustering Senator Joe McCarthy in Citizen Cohn and Alabama politician Big Jim Folsom.  In Junior Bonner, Curly Bonner was a very different character from those for which Joe Don Baker was best known, a business-oriented real estate developer. Although best known for his work in film, Joe Don Baker gave good performances on television as well. He was the primary villain in the pilot for the TV show Lancer, "The High Riders," Day Pardee. On episodes of In the Heat of the Night he played Tom Dugan, who substitutes for Chief Gillespie. Joe Don Baker was extremely talented and could play many different roles.

It's Too Soon for Summer

For much of this week it has been in the upper eighties, near ninety, with high humidity. This is why I haven't made much in the way of posts this week. I am hot and miserable and I really don't feel like doing much of anything. To make matter worse, this is unusual for May, when our highs are usually in the seventies with relatively low humidity. Fortunately, next week we will have less tropical temperatures. For now I will leave you with The Who's cover of Eddie Cochran's 'Summertime Blues."

Denise Alexander Passes On

Denise Alexander, who appeared for years on the soap operas Days of Our Lives and General Hospital, and guest starred on many TV shows in the Sixties and Seventies, died on March 5 2025 at the age of 85.

Denise Alexander was born on November 11 1939 in New York City. Her father was a talent agent whose clients would include Frank Gorshin and Sal Mineo. Denise Alexander began acting on radio shows when she was only six years old. She was a regular on the show The Marriage. She also appeared on such radio shows as The Big Guy, Cavalcade of America, Dimension X. and It's Higgins Sir. She ultimately appeared on more than 2500 radio shows. She made her television debut in 1949 on Kraft Music Hall. That same year she appeared on Ford Television Theatre.

In the early Fifties she appeared on Broadway in The Children's Hour. On television in the Fifties she was a regular on Tom Corbett, Space Cadet and late in the decade on the daytime soap opera The Clear Horizon. She guest starred on the shows Armstrong Circle Theatre, The Web, The Philco Television Playhouse, Schlitz Playhouse of Stars, Mama, Kraft Television Theatre, Robert Montgomery Presents, Climax!, Father Knows Best, The Life of Riley, The Walter Winchell File, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, The Danny Thomas Show, The Ann Sothern Show, The DuPont Show with June Allyson, The Twilight Zone, The Loretta Young Show, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, The Blue Angels, and The Detectives. She appeared in the movies Crime in the Streets (1956) and Teenage Conflict (1960).

In the Sixties she continued as a regular on The Clear Horizon and the short-lived Ben Jerrod..  She became a regular on the daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives in 1966. She guest starred on The Detectives, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Angel, Sea Hunt, Ben Casey, Stoney Burke, The Virginian, Combat!, General Hospital, and This is the Life. She appeared in the movie That Funny Feeling (1965).

In the Seventies Denise Alexander continued to appear on Days of Our Lives until 1973. It was in 1973 that she began her long run on General Hospital. In the Seventies she also guest starred on The ABC Afternoon Playbreak. In the Eighties she became a regular on the daytime soap opera Another World. She guest starred on the TV show Hotel. In the Nineties she became a regular on the daytime soap opera Sunset Beach. She returned to General Hospital in a recurring role. he guest starred on the soap opera Port Charles. In the Teens she was a regular on the short-lived shows The Inn and Pretty the Series.

While I am unfamiliar with Denise Alexander's work in soap operas, which admittedly made up most of her career, I know from her guest appearances on prime time shows she was a good actress. On The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, she played Ginny Metzger, a girlfriend determined to turn Dobie into a success by taking a baby sitting job. In the Combat! episode "No Time for Pity," she played the librarian of a town where German paratroopers have set up an observation post. In the Ben Casey episode "A Memory of Candy Stripes," she played a candy striper who is getting too attached to a patient. Denise Alexander was a wonderful actress who gave many good performances.

Seventy Years Ago the Muppets Made Their Television Debut

Jim Henson with Kermit, Sam, and others

Seventy years ago today, on May 9 1955, a local television show called Sam and Friends debuted on Washington, DC's NBC station WRC-TV. If it had been any of a number of other local television programs, this might not be particularly significant, but Sam and Friends was created by Jim Henson and his future wife Jane Nebel and introduced the world to what would become known as Muppets. Indeed, among the puppet characters was a lizard-like one called Kermit, who would become Kermit the Frog.

Sam and Friends was a live-action, puppet show, but like Jim Henson's future projects, it was made for adults rather than children. In fact, it aired as a lead-in to The Tonight Show on WRC-TV. The series centred on Sam (played by Jim Henson) , a human puppet with big ears and an active imagination. Sam had a number of imaginary friends who represented various parts of his psyche, including Kermit (played by Jim Henson), the beatnik Harry the Hpster (played by Jim Henson), the rock-like Yorick (played by Jim Henson), Professor Madlcliffe (played by Jim Henson), and yet others. Other puppeteers on the show beyond Jim Henson included Jane Nebel, Jerry Juhl, and Bob Payne. The puppets would take part in various sketches and lip-sync to various songs.

Sam and Friends would air in various time slots throughout its run, and at one point aired before NBC's news program at the time, The Huntley–Brinkley Report. It last aired on December 15 1961. Unfortunately, very little survives of Sam and Friends. The show was produced on a low budget and as a result it was not preserved on kinescope or videotape. Out of the clips that have survived, almost none of them feature Sam, despite the fact that he was the main character.

It was while Sam and Friends was still on the air that Jim Henson and Jane Nebel founded Muppets, Inc., which would later be named the Jim Henson Company. It was also while Sam and Friends as still on the air that the Muppets began to get national exposure. Kermit appeared on The Steve Allen Show in 1956 In 1958 the Muppets appeared on Tonight Starring Jack Paar. The Sixties, after Sam and Friends ended, would see the Muppets appear frequently on The Ed Sullivan Show. The decade would also see Rowlf as a regular on The Jimmy Dean Show and several Muppets, including Kermit, become regulars on Sesame Street.

Of course, all of it began with Sam and Friends. Indeed, in the few remaining episodes of the show one can easily see the origins of The Muppet Show, from the pop culture parodies to the use of popular music. While it may not have been seen beyond the Washington, DC area, it would certainly have a lasting impact.

"Subterranean Homesick Blues" by Bob Dylan

Sixty years ago today a clip for Bob Dylan's song "Subterranean Homesick Blues"was filmed in an alley near the Savoy Hotel in London. The clip consists of Bob Dylan flipping cue cards as the song plays, while  Allen Ginsberg and Bob Neuwirth are occasionally seen in the background. The cue cards were written by Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, and Bob Neuwirth. Although the clip is often referred to as a promotional film or promotional clip, it was actually filmed as the opening of the documentary Don't Look Back, directed by D. A. Pennebaker. It covered Bob Dylan's 1965 tour of England.

Two alternate clips for "Subterranean Homesick Blues" were also filmed. One was shot in Embankment Gardens near the Savoy. In addition to Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, and Bob Neuwirth, Bob Dylan's producer Tom Wilson also appeared in that clip. Another clip was shot a building that has yet to be identified. Martin Scosese included a montage of all three clips in his 2005 documentary No Direction Home.

The clip for "Subterranean Homesick Blues" from Don't Look Back was one of the earliest conceptual music films and would prove influential on music videos to come.

Without further ado, here is the promo clip for "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

How to Disable Tab Groups on Firefox

Chances are good that if you use Firefox, you now known that it has tab groups. For those of you who don't know what tab groups are, they are a browser feature that allows users to organize tabs into groups. In theory, at least this makes it easier to keep track of manage tabs. Chrome had had tab groups for about five years now, and other browsers have had them for a few years as well. As to Firefox, according to Mozilla, it was the most requested idea on Mozilla Connect.

Of course, while some people find tab groups a convenient way to organize and manage tabs, others of us don't.This can be a particularly problem for those of us who sometimes like to move tabs around, as Firefox will automatically assume that we want to create a tab group. Fortunately, Firefox has a means of disabling tab groups, unlike some other browsers (*cough* Chrome for Android *cough*).

If you are one of the many Firefox users who dislike and you want to disable them, simply type about:config in the address bar. You'll then want to click the button that reads "Accept the Risk and Continue." You'll then search for " browser.tabs.groups" and mark all of them "false."

This should disable tab groups, although some have found them re-enabled if they close and then re-open their browser. In my case this was caused by a study related to tab groups. I fixed it by simply going into setting and unchecking "Install and run studies," although you could also type about:studies in the address bar and disable any studies related to tab groups.

With regards to tab groups on Firefox, I have two recommendations for Mozilla. The first is that they should have a place in Settings (I figure "Brower Layout" might b a good place) where one can disable tab groups. This would be more obvious and thus easier than disabling tab groups in about:config would be. The second is that they should always allow users to disable tab groups and never force them upon users. Tab groups may be the most requested feature in Mozilla Central, but there are also a number of us who absolutely hate them.

The Rocketeer (1991)

(This post is part of the Adventure-a-Thon hosted by Cinematic Catharsis and Realweedgiemidget Reviews)

Today superhero films are a dime a dozen, but there was a time when they were much less common. The phenomenal success of  Batman in 1989 would spur the production of more superhero movies, but even then they were less common than they are today. One of those superhero movies produced in the wake of Batman (1989) was The Rocketeer (1991). What further set The Rocketeer (1991) apart from other movies made in the Nineties was that it was also a period piece set in the 1930s.

The Rocketeer centred on Cliff Secord (Billy Campbell), a stunt pilot who stumbles upon a prototype rocket pack developed by Howard Hughes that had been stolen by Eddie Valentine's (Paul Sorvino) gang. Unfortunately, others want the jet pack and ultimately Cliff, his girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Connelly), and his mechanic Peevy (Alan Arkin) find themselves tangled up not only with gangsters and Howard Hughes but Nazis as well. Cliff must then use the rocket pack

The Rocketeer was based on the comic book character of the same name, created by artist Dave Stevens. The character came about when Dave Stevens was Steve and Bill Schanes of independent publisher Pacific Comics asked him to come up with a backup feature for Starslayer, the comic book series created by Mike Grell. Dave Stevens drew upon the Republic serials King of the Rocket Men (1949), Radar Men from the Moon (1952), and Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe (1953) to create The Rocketeer. Further inspiration came from pulp heroes such as Doc Savage and The Shadow. As in the movie, The Rocketeer was stunt pilot Cliff Secord, who stumbles upon an experimental jet pack.

The Rocketeer first appeared in a back-up story in Starslayer no. 2 April (1982). After Pacific Comics folded in 1984, The Rocketeer would be published by Eclipse and Comico, and still later Dark Horse and, following Dave Stevens's death,  IDW Publishing. For a feature published by independent comics publishers, The Rocketeer proved to be fairly successful.

It was this success that would lead to a film adaptation. It was in 1983 that Steve Milner, who had directed Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) and Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982), bought the film rights to The Rocketeer. No Rocketeer movie came from Steve Milner as he strayed too far from Dave Stevens's original concept and ultimately his option on The Rocketeer expired. It was in 1985 that Dave Stevens gave writers Danny Bloom and Paul De Meo the option to do a Rocketeer movie, The two writers were much more in sync with Dave Stevens's ideas about The Rocketeer, and the three shared a love of the movie serials of old.

Initially, they meant for The Rocketeer to be a low-budget homage to movie serials of old, even shot in black-and-white. This idea was dropped not long after they asked William Dear to direct and co-write The Rocketeer. For the most part, they stayed faithful to the plot of the original comic books, although the movie would be largely set in Hollywood. One major change was in Cliff's girlfriend. In the comics her name was Betty and she was a nude model. Her appearance was clearly inspired by Bettie Page. Wishing to avoid comparisons to Bettie Page, they changed the character's name to Jenny and made her an aspiring movie actress. Another change was made as to who had designed the rocket pack. In the original comics, it was strongly hinted that the designer was Doc Savage. For copyright reasons, in the movie, the designer is Howard Hughes. One more change is that in the earliest comics, a submarine played a major role. In the movie, it would be a Zeppelin instead.

It was in 1986 that Dave Stevens, Danny Bloom, Paul De Meo, and William Dear began pitching The Rocketeer to various studios. This being before the release of Batman (1989), a time when comic book movies, were not in fashion, they were met with several rejections. Eventually, the Walt Disney Company picked up the property. Initially, the play was to release the film through Touchstone Pictures, Disney's arm for producing more adult movies than the typical Walt Disney product. It was then Disney chairman Jeffrey Katzenberg who moved The Rocketeer over to Walt Disney Pictures. According to Dave Stevens, the studio saw "hey really tried to shoehorn it into a kiddie property so they could sell toys. All they really wanted at the end of the day, was the name"

It would take some time before The Rocketeer would make it to the screen Danny Bloom and Paul De Meo submitted a seven-page treatment, although the script would be rewritten repeatedly. The studio fired the two writers on three different occasions. Because of the many delays, William Dear had to drop out as the film's prospective director. Fortunately, Joe Johnston, who was a fan of the comic books, offered to be the movie's director. He had directed the Disney film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989). It was after Joe Johnston was signed as the director and Danny Bloom and Paul De Meo would go through a third rewrite of the screenplay that Disney finally gave The Rocketeer the go-ahead.

The Rocketeer's troubles would not end there. Casting the all-important role of Cliff Secord/The Rocketeer proved difficult. Johnny Depp was Disney's favourite for the role, but he turned it down. Vincent D'Onofrio also refused the role. Kevin Costner and Matthew Modine were both considered for the role, but they proved to be unavailable. Actors as diverse as Dennis Quaid, Kurt Russell, and Emilio Estevez all auditioned for the role. Bill Paxton apparently came very close to getting the role. Dave Stevens and Joe Johnston were both happy with actor Billy Campbell, who at the time may have been best known for playing Detective Joey Indelli on the TV show Crime Story, but Disney was wanting an A-lister. It was Joe Johnston who convinced Disney to finally cast Billy Campbell as Cliff.

Several different actresses were also considered for the role of Jenny. , Sherilyn Fenn, Kelly Preston, Diane Lane, and Elizabeth McGovern were all considered. Ultimately, Jennifer Connelly, then as now known for Labyrinth (1986), was cast in the role. Dave Stevens had wanted Lloyd Bridges to play Cliff's mechanic and friend Peevy, but he turned the role down. Nonetheless, he would be played by a legend, as Alan Arkin was cast in the role. The role of gangster Eddie Valentine had been written for Joe Pesci, but he turned down the part and it went to Paul Sorvino. The all-important role of the Errol Flynn-like movie star Neville Sinclair was offered to both Jeremy Irons and Charles Dance, who declined the role. The role would ultimately go to Timothy Dalton, fresh from his stint as James Bond.

According to Dave Stevens, for the most part, production designer Jim Bissell utilized his own reference library he had used for the comics in the designs for the movie. As shocking as it might seem now, Walt Disney Pictures wanted to change The Rocketeer's helmet from the comic books. Michael Eisner, then president of Disney, wanted something closer to a NASA astronaut's helmet. This did not set well with director Joe Johnston, who told the studio that if they changed the helmet it would no longer be The Rocketeer and he would no longer be interested in directing it. The studio backed off and tried creating their own prototype helmets, none of which were satisfactory. It was ultimately Dave Stevens and a sculptor who came up with the helmet design used for the movie, one that looked like the one from the comic books.

Filming on The Rocketeer would not always go smoothly. It ultimately went over schedule by fifty days, due to "weather and mechanical problems" according to executive producer Larry Franco. The movie would see its budget increase as time passed. Walt Disney Pictures was pleased with the dailies, and so the film's budget went from $25 million to $35 million.

The Rocketeer premiered on June 19 1991 at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. It went into wide release on June 21 1991. For the most part, it received mixed to positive reviews at the time. Perhaps the best review came from Peter Travers of Rolling Stone, who wrote, "The Rocketeer is more than one of the best films of the summer; it's the kind of movie magic that we don't see much anymore—the kind that charms us, rather than bullying us, into suspending disbelief." Unfortunately, audiences at the time were not in agreement with critics. It ultimately grossed only $46.6 million in the United States, making it a disappointment at the box office. To make matters worse, it also bombed in the United Kingdom.

The Rocketeer was released on VHS on February 5 1992. It was released on DVD on August 17 1999. It aired on the Disney Channel in 1993, and it made its broadcast network television debut on ABC in 1994. After years of being on television and home video, The Rocketeer would develop a cult following. This would eventually lead to a children's animated TV series that aired on Disney Junior from 2019 to 2020. The series followed  Cliff's great-granddaughter who became the new Rocketeer. Billy Campbell provided the voice of the father of the new Rocketeer. While the series was well-received by critics, it ultimately lasted only one season. Ever since the release of The Rocketeer in 1991, there have been calls for a sequel, and since the Teens remakes and reboots have been announced.

I grew up reading reprints of old Doc Savage and Shadow pulp novels, listening to old radio shows on cassette tape, and watching old movie serials on television. I was quite naturally a fan of Dave Stevens's The Rocketeer comic books. Because the film does such a great job of capturing the feel of the comics, I am also a huge fan of it. Of course, one does not have to be familiar with the comic books or even old movie serials to love The Rocketeer. It is quite simply a fun adventure movie. There is a wide range of excitement to be found in the movie, from both The Rocketeer and aeroplanes racing across the sky to gun battles to old-fashioned swashbuckling. In many ways The Rocketeer is not simply a superhero movie, but also a love letter to the media of the Thirties, drawing upon pulp novels, radio shows, movie serials, and swashbuckler movies.

Today The Rocketeer may be more popular than it was upon its initial release. It certainly has a loyal following. And while it failed at the box office, along with other comic strip movies released in the wake of Batman (1989), such as Dick Tracy (1990) and The Crow (1994), it would lead to the superhero boom that began in the Naughts. Indeed, it would have a direct impact on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Joe Johnston directed Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), a movie also rooted in the media of the past. The Rocketeer may have underperformed at the box office in 1991, but it has proven to be a lasting success.

(Here I want to acknowledge the debut I owe to the coverage of The Rocketeer in Cinefantastique vol. 22 no. 1 (August 1991) and Jon B. Cooke's interview with Dave Stevens at TwoMorrows.)

The Late Great Ruth Buzzi

Ruth Buzzi, the actress and comedian perhaps best known for her work on Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, died yesterday, May 1 2025, at the age of 88. The cause was complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

Ruth Ann Buzzi was born on July 24 1936 in Westerly, Rhode Island. She grew up in Stonington, Connecticut. She was 18 when she moved from the East Coast to the West Coast to attend the Pasadena Playhouse College of Theatre Arts. Her classmates included the late Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman. She appeared in a San Francisco production of Jenny Kissed Me with Rudy Vallee and later the Broadway revue Misguided Tour. In 1961 in Pennsylvania, she played Agnes Gooch in a production of Auntie Mame. It was her portrayal of Agnes in the play that would lead Ruth Buzzi to create her character Gladys Ormphby, made famous by appearances on Laugh-In.

In the Sixties she was the voice of Granny Goodwitch on the Saturday morning cartoon Linus the Lionhearted. She was part of the cast of the television special Laugh-In that aired on September 9 1967. The special proved successful enough that it led to the TV series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, which debuted on January 22 1968. Ruth Buzzi remained on the show for its entire run. In many sketches she played Gladys Ormphby opposite Tyrone F. Horneigh, played by Arte Johnson. She was a regular on both The Entertainers and The Steve Allen Comedy Hour (the latter of which led to her being cast on Laugh-In). For one season she played a recurring character on That Girl. She also guest starred on the talk shows and variety shows The Garry Moore Show, The Steve Allen Show., The John Davidson Show, The Leslie Uggams Show, Life with Linkletter, The Bob Hope Show, The Glen Campbell Gootime Hour, and This is Your Life. She also guest starred on the scripted shows The Monkees, That's Life, In Name Only,. and The Wonderful World of Disney. She was the singing voice of Frou-Frou in the Disney animated feature film The AristoCats. She appeared in Broadway as part of the original cast of Sweet Charity.

In the Seventies Ruth Buzzi continued to appear on Laugh-In. She was the only cast member to appear in the entire run of the show besides Dan Rowan, Dick Martin, and Gary Owens. She voiced Gladys and Arte Johnson voiced Tyrone on the Saturday morning cartoon Baggy Pants & the Nitwits later in the decade. She also starred on the Saturday morning, live-action sitcom The Lost Saucer opposite Jim Nabors. She played various roles on Whatever Turns You On and provided additional voices on The Plastic Man Comedy Adventure Show.  She guest starred on The Dean Martin Show, Night Gallery; Here's Lucy; Love, American Style; Losta Luck!; ABC Afternoon Specials; Emergency!; Medical Center; You Can't Do That on Television;  and CHiPs. She appeared in the movies Freaky Friday (1976), Record City (1977), The North Avenue Irregulars (1979), The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again (1979), The Villain (1979), and Skatetown USA (1979). She provided for the animated feature films The Rescuers (1977) and I Go Pogo (1980).

In the Eighties she provided voices for the animated TV shows Alvin & the Chipmunks, Paw Paws, The Berenstain Bears, and Pound Puppies. She guest starred on the shows Alice; Aloha Paradise; Trapper John, M.D.; Gun Shy; Days of Our Lives; Masquerade; George Burns Comedy Week; Down to Earth; Check It Out; Life with Lucy; The Love Boat; Kids Incorporated; Saved by the Bell; and The Munsters Today. She appeared in the movies The Being (1981), Chu Chu and the Philly Flash (1981), Surf II (1983), Bad Guys (1986), Dixie Lanes (1988), Up Your Alley (1989), My Mom's a Werewolf (1989), Wishful Thinking (1990), and Diggin' Up Business (1990).

In 1993 Ruth Buzzi began appearing on Sesame Street as Ruthie the shopkeeper. She was a regular voice on the animated series Cro, The Pink Panther, and The Savage Dragon. She provided additional voices on the animated show The Addams Family. She guest starred on the shows They Came from Outer Space, The New Adam-12, Out of This World, Lucky Luke, Major Dad, The Jamie Foxx Show, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Diagnosis Murder, and 7th Heaven. She appeared in the movies Botte di Natale (1994), The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland (1999), and Nothing But the Truth (2000).

In the Naughts she continued to appear on Sesame Street. She guest starred on the shows Passions and Come on Over. She appeared in the movie Fallen Angels (2006). She would later appear in the movies Glenn's Gotta Go (2020) and One Month Out (2021).

Ruth Buzzi was very funny woman who possessed an incredible amount of talent. On Laugh-In alone she played a wide array of character. In addition to the frumpy, old lady Gladys, she also played silent film star Laverne Blossom, gossip columnist Busy Buzzi, the overly friendly prostitute Kim Hither, and drunkard Doris Swizzle (the wife of drunkard Leonard Swizzle, played by Dick Martin). As much of an impact as she had on the show, Ruth Buzzi's career went much further than Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. In The Monkees episode "A Coffin Too Frequent"she played  the wealthy, elderly Mrs. Weatherspoon. On That Girl she played Pete Peterson, a friend of main character Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) who was also trying to break into show business. Over the years she was a voice on many animated series, both as a regular and as a guest. On Linus the Lionhearted she voiced the occasional opponent of Sugar Bear, Granny Goodwitch. She was Mama Bear on The Bearenstain Bears. Ruth Buzzi brought joy to her many fans, playing a wide variety of roles throughout her careers. She will not be forgotten.

The Season Finale of Wild Cards Preempted Last Night

Wild Cards is a CBC series that airs in the United States. It stars Vanessa Morgan as con artist Max Mitchell, who through circumstances I won't go into here must work with police officer Cole Ellis (Giacomo Gianniotti). The show has proven popular in Canada and has gotten better ratings for The CW than most of its shows. While Wild Cards isn't particularly original, it is a fun show with interesting characters and I have enjoyed it since it debuted in 2024. Last night the finale of its second season was set to air on The CW. Unfortunately it was preempted by a NewsNation special, Cuomo Town Hall: The First 100 Days. As to the Wild Cards season finale, it will now air next week, on May 7.

At any rate, I was not exactly happy. Here in the Columbia/Jefferson City market, the season finale of Wild Cards was still being advertised as airing on April 30 as of yesterday. From an internet search it would seem that the decision to delay the season finale of Wild Cards was made only about two days ago or so. Apparently Nexstar, the parent company of both The CW and NewsNation, made the decision to delay the Wild Cards season finale on the spur of the moment.

As to their motivation for doing so, that is anybody's guess. Cuomo Town Hall: The First 100 Days also aired on NewsNation, so it was not as if The CW was the only venue available for the special. For that matter, I do no think the special comes under the heading of news so important or pressing that they had to change The CW's schedule at the last minute. As to the Neilsen ratings, Wild Cards is one of The CW's higher rated shows, so it's not like they had to prop up their ratings for the night and I seriously doubt that they thought Cuomo Town Hall: The First 100 Days would get higher ratings than Wild Cards. And it is not as if the season finale of Wild Cards has not yet been completed. It already aired on CBC on April 2 of this year! It is then a total mystery to me as to why Nexstar decided to preempt the season finale of one of The CW's most popular shows.

Of course, Wild Cards is not the only show affected by the decision to air a TV special in lieu of regularly scheduled programming last night. The third season of Sullivan's Crossing, another Canadian import, was set to begin on The CW on May 7. Now, it will not start on The CW until May 14. Sullivan's Crossing is apparently another one of The CW's more popular shows. 

Now I don't know if other viewers were unhappy with The CW last night. I haven't run onto any viewers complaining about the preemption on social media. It may be that while they were unhappy about not seeing the season finale last night, they were not so unhappy as to complain about it on social media. As for myself, I thought what The CW did was disrespectful to their viewers. They preempted Wild Cards last night for a special that was airing on NewsNation and hence there was no great need for it to air on The CW as well. There are certainly legitimate reasons broadcast networks have to preempt regularly scheduled programming. I don't think anyone believes that the networks should never preempt television shows. Historic examples of times the broadcast networks had to preempt their regular schedules include the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the Challenger disaster, and 9/11. The first 100 days of a presidency is not one of those reasons.

By sheer coincidence, today CBC renewed Wild Cards for two more seasons. A search on the various social media services shows that many, presumably Canadian fans are happy about this. Unfortunately, there has been no word yet from The CW whether they will renew the show.

The Wonderful Cora Sue Collins Passes On

Cora Sue Collins, the child actress who appeared in movies from Queen Christina (1933) to Blood and Sand (1941), died yesterday, April 27 2025, at the age of 98 from complications from a stroke. She was a fixture in the classic film community and friends with many classic movie buffs.

Cora Sue Collins was born on April 19 1927 in Beckley, West Virginia. Her mother moved to Los Angeles when Cora Sue Collins was just shy of four years old, along with her older sister.  In an interview with Danny Miller from 2015 she explained how she was discovered. When she accompanied her mother to enroll her sister in school, a woman asked her mother, "Excuse me, would you like to put your little girl in pictures?" Her mother said that she would. It was then that Cora Sue Collins made her film debut playing Pudge in The Unexpected Father (1932).

Cora Sue Collins would have an incredible career as a child actress in the Thirties, often playing the younger version of some of Hollywood's best known actresses or the daughter of those actress. In the early Thirties she appeared in the films The Strange Case of Clara Deane (1932), Smilin' Through (1932), Silver Dollar (1932), They Just Had to Get Married (1932), The Mysterious Rider (1933), Picture Snatcher (1933), Jennie Gerhardt (1933), Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933), Torch Singer (1933), The Prize Fighter's and the Lady (1933), The Sin of Nora Moran (1933), Queen Christina (1933), Caravan (1934), As the Earth Turns (1934), Black Moon (1934), Treasure Island (1934), The Scarlet Letter (1934), Elinor Norton (1934), Evelyn Prentice (1934), The World Accuses (1934), and Little Men (1934). In the late Thirties she appeared in the films Without Children (1935), Naughty Marieta (1935), Public Hero Number 1 (1935), Mad Love (1935), Anna Karenina (1935), The Dark Angel (1935), Harmony Lane (1935), Two Sinners (1935), Mary Burns, Fugitive (1935), Magnificent Obsession (1935), The Harvester (1936),. Devil's Squadron (1936), Three Married Men (1936), The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938), Stop, Look and Love (1939), and All This and Heaven Too (1940).

In the Forties Cora Sue Collins appeared in the films Blood and Sand (1941), Get Hep to Love (1942), Johnny Doughboy (1942), Youth on Trial (1945), Roughly Speaking (1945), and Week-End at the Waldorf (1945). She appeared on Broadway in Junior Miss. She retired from acting when she was only 18.

Cora Sue Collins would later study architecture and she was active in various charities. She was active in the classic film community, and she attended the TCM Classic Film Festival multiple times. She appeared at last year's festival and had to cancel a planned appearance there this year. Not only have many of my classic film buff friends met Miss Collins, but some were also friend with her. In some ways, her death seems as much like the death of a friend's beloved aunt whom I had never met, but about whom I had heard many stories. Cora Sue Collins was sweet and kind, and always eager to tell stories about the Golden Age of Hollywood.

While Cora Sue Collins is not nearly as famous today as Shirley Temple is, in the Thirties she was a serous rival to the child megastar. And there was no doubt that Cora Sue Collins was talented. When she made her film debut at age 4 in The Unexpected Father (1932), she received praise from critics. While many child stars were stuck in one particular sort of role, she could play a wide array of roles. She often played the younger version of famous actresses in various films. She played the younger Christina to Greta Garbo's older Christina in Queen Christina (1933). for which Miss Garbo chose her herself. She and Greta Garbo would remain friends until Greta Garbo's death in 1990. She also played the younger versions of Norma Shearer in Smilin' Through (1932),  Frances Dee in Keep Them Rolling (1934), Dorothy Lee in Without Children (1935), and Lynn Bari in Blood and Sand (1941).

Cora Sue Collins didn't just play the younger versions of characters played by well known actresses, but other roles as well. She was Becky Thatcher's rival Amy in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (she was supposed to play Amy, but grew taller than star Tom Kelly). She was Anna's daughter Tania in Anna Karenina. In Get Hep to Love she played the manipulative, none-too-nice Elaine. In Youth on Trial She played Carn Chandler, the delinquent daughter of a juvenile court judge. At a young age she held her own with such heavyweights as Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Irene Dunne, Greta Garbo,Myrna Loy, Merle Oberon, and William Powell. She may not be among the most famous actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood, but she was most certainly a star.

Patrick Adiarte Passes On

Patrick Adiarte, who played Ho Jon in the first season of M*A*S*H and appeared in both The King and I and Flower Drum Song, died on April 15 2025 at the age of 81. The cause was pneumonia.

Patrick Adiarte was born on August 2 1942 in Manila, Philippines. During World War II, he, his mother, and his sister were imprisoned by the Japanese on the island of Cebu in February 1945. His father, who was working for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a month later. It was in June 1946 that the family migrated to the United States so that Patrick Adriarte's sister could have surgery to repair scars she had incurred from a Japanese grenade. 

Both Patrick Adiarte and his mother appeared in small parts on Broadway in The King and I. Afterwards he attended the Professional Children’s School in New York City. Later in the decade he played Wang San in the Broadway production of Flower Drum Song. In the Fifties he appeared in the movie adaptation of The King and I (1956) as Prince Chulalongkorn as well as the movie High Time (1960). During this period he was mentored by dancer Gene Kelly. He appeared with Mr. Kelly on the NBC TV show Omnibus, demonstrating the evolution of tap dancing through the years.

In the Sixties Patrick Adiarte reprised his role as Want San in the movie adaptation of Flower Drum Song (1961). He also appeared in the movies John Goldfarb, Pease Come Home! (1965) and Step Out of Your Mind (1966). On television he was one of the dancers on Hullabaloo. He guest starred on the TV shows CBS Playhouse, Look Up and Live, It Takes a Thief, and Ironside. He also had a brief singing career with the songs "Five Different Girls," "Don't Let This Room Become Your World," and "Where You Gettin' Your Kicks Now."

In the Seventies he appeared as Ho Jon, the orphan who assists Hawkeye and Trapper John, in the first season of M*A*S*H. On television he guest starred on the shows Bonanza, The Brady Bunch, Hawaii Five-O, Temperatures Rising, and Kojak.

Later Patrick Adiarte taught dancing at Santa Monica College, among other places.

Patrick Adiarte was certainly talented. He was a gifted singer and dancer, as demonstrated in Flower Drum Song. And he was also certainly a gifted actor. He did a great job as the thoroughly American, thoroughly non-traditional Wang San in Flower Drum Song. He played college student T.J. Padmanagham  in Blake Edwards's High Time, and had the admittedly politically incorrect role of an Arabic prince in the spoof John Goldfarb, Please Come Home! Of course, many will always remember him as Ho Jon on M*A*S*H, a role for which he will probably always be remembered. While he may not have had a long career, Patrick Adiarte certainly made an impact.

The Late Great Will Hutchins

Will Hutchins, best known for playing Tom "Sugarfoot" Brewster on the TV show Sugarfoot, died on April 21 2025 at the age of 94. He also appeared in the movie No Time for Sergeants (1958) and played Dagwood in the short-lived Sixties sitcom Blondie.

Will Hutchins was born Marshall Lowell Hutchason on May 5 1930 in Los Angeles. When he was a boy he visited a film shoot and wound up in a crowd scene in the W.C. Fields movie Never Give a Sucker an Even Break (1941). He attended  John Marshall High School in the Los Feliz in Los Angeles and then Pomona College. During the Korean War he served for two years in the United States Army Signal Corps as a cryptographer in Paris He attended the UCLA film school on the G.I. Bill following his service.

Wil Hutchins was in a play with fellow Pomona College alumnus Richard Chamberlain at the Ivar Theater in Hollywood, Mr. Chamberlain's agent, Dick Clayton, took notice of  Will Hutchins and signed him a contract with him as a client. Because he resembled Will Rogers Jr., Marshall Hutcason took the stage name "Will Hutchins." He made his debut in an episode of Conflict in 1956. He made his film debut in a bit part in Bombers B-52 (1957).

Will Hutchins was cast int the role of Tom Brewster, who was nicknamed "Sugarfoot," who earned the name int the show's first episode because he was "...someone who’s trying to work his way up to tenderfoot." The show was loosely based on 1954 Will Rogers Jr. movie The Boy from Oklahoma., which starred Will Rogers Jr. "Sugarfoot" Brewster didn't care for firearms in general and never carried a gun. When all else failed, he took out villains through his skill with a lasso. He drank nothing stronger than  sarsaparilla "with a dash of cherry." On Sugarfoot Will Huthcins also played Tom's evil lookalike cousin, The Canary Kid, one of the earliest evil twins on television. Warner Bros.' Western TV shows of the time existed in a shared universe, so that Brewster also appeared in episodes of Maverick, Cheyenne, and Bronco.

In the late Fifties Will Hutchins guest starred on such shows as Warner Bros. Conflicts, Matinee Theatre, and 77 Sunset Strip. In movies he played B-24 pilot Lt. Bridges, who has the misfortune of having a hangover, in No Time for Sergeants (1958). He also appeared in the movie Lafayette Escadrille (1958).

In the Sixties Will Hutchins played the lead in the short-lived sitcom Hey, Landlord and Dagwood Bumstead in the short-lived, but notorious sitcom Blondie. He guest starred on the shows The Roaring 20s, Surfside 6, Gunsmoke, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, and Perry Mason. He appeared in the movies Claudelle Inglish (1961), Merrill's Marauders (1962), The Shooting (1966), Spinout  (1966), Clambake (1967), and Shanghai Patrol (1970). He also appeared on Broadway in Never Too Late.

In the Seventies Will Hutchins appeared in the movies Magnum Force (1973), Slumber Party '57 (1976), and The Happy Hooker Goes to Washington (1977). He guest starred on the shows Love, American Style; The Nw Perry Mason; Emergency!; Chase; Movin' On; The Streets of San Francisco; and The Quest.

Will Hutchins appeared in the movie Roar (1981) before leaving Hollywood and joining the circus. At various times he served as a ringmaster and was a member of a troop of clowns in Los Angeles. He spent three years travelling throughout Australia as Patches the Clown in the Ashton Family Circus. He also appeared in the movies The Gunfighter (1999) and The Romantics (2010).

Will Hutchins was a very talented actor. He certainly had a gift for comedy, and that gift was certainly on display on Sugarfoot, which was television's first comedic Western (it beat Maverick to the air by five days). On the show not only did Will Hutchins do well as would-be lawyer Tom Brewster, but as Brewster's evil cousin, The Canary Kid. Of course, Will Hutchins's career went beyond Sugarfoot. While Blondie was not a particularly good show, Will Hutchins was ideal as Dagwood and did well as the classic cartoon character. Over the years he played many good roles from store owner's on Dennis Peasley in Clauelle Inglish to clumsy police officer Lt. Tracy Richards in Spinout to real-life scout  Frederick Russell Burnham in Shanghai Patrol. Will Hutchins had a great deal of talent and always gave a good performance.

TCM's Two for One Returns This May

Turner Classic Movies' programming block Two for One returns on Saturday, May 3 2025. For those unfamiliar with Two for Onem, it features double features curated by influential filmmakers. Indeed, I prefer to call it "TCM Double Feature." This time around Two for Runs will run through July, winding up on July 19.

This time out Two for One will include such notables as Lin Manueal Miranda, John Carpenter, Paul Giamatti, and Joe Dante. Like most TCM fans I am looking forward to Two for One, although I do wish they would move it to Friday. Too often it runs over and pushes Noir Alley back past 11:00 PM Central.

Anyway, here the schedule below. The fun kicks off at 7:00 PM Central on Saturdays.

May3: Lin Manual Miranda-The Band Wagon (1953) and All That Jazz (1979)
May 10: Jamie Lee Curtis-The Manchurian Candidate (1962) and Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
May 17: John Carpenter-Frankenstein (1931) and The Curse of Frankenstein (1957)
May 31: Kathy Bates-Bringing Up Baby (1938) and Stage Door (1937)

June 7: Paul Giamatti, Carnival of Souls (1962) and Rosemary's Baby (1968)
June 14: Brian Tyree Henry, Imitation of Life and The Learning Tree (1969)
June 28: Nathan Lane-Double Indemnity (1944) and Chinatown (1974)

July 5: Joe Dante-The Night of the Hunter (1955) and The Fool Killer (1965)
July 19: Rosie Perez- Killer's Kiss (1955) and The Harder They  Fall (1956)

Sian Barbara Allen Passes On

Sian Barbara Allen, who guest starred in two episodes of The Waltons as Jenny Pendleton, died on Mach 31 2025 at the age of 78. She had Alzheimer's.

Sian Barbara Allenw was born on Reading, Pennsylvania on July 12 1946. After she graduated from high school, she studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse on a scholarship and studied acting as a member of the Journeyman program at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles under Peggy Feury.

She made her television debut on an episode of O'Hara, U.S. Treasury in 1971. She made her movie debut in You'll Like My Mother in 1972. Sian Barbara Allen appeared frequently on television in the Seventies. In addition to her guest appearances on The Waltons, she also guest starred on the shows Alias Smith and Jones; Gunsmoke; The Bold Ones: The Lawyers; Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law; The F.B.I.; Bonanza; Love, American Style; Columbo; Kojak; Marcus Welby, M.D.; Ironside;The Rockford Files; Lucas Tanner; Adam-12; Kate McShane; Police Story; Kingston Confidential; Hawaii Five-O; Baretta; W.E.B.; Sword of Justice; and The Incredible Hulk/ She appeared in the movie Billy Two Hats (1974). She also  wrote an episode of Baretta.

Sian Barbara Allen's career slowed after 1980. She guest starred in the shows Darkroom, Falcon Crest, Cagney & Lacey; and L.A. Law. After retiring from acting she devoted much of her time to politics, supporting Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers. She also wrote poetry.

Like many I will always think of Sian Barbara Allen as John Boy's romantic interest Jenny on The Waltons. She and Richard Thomas were dating in real life at the time, and their rapport translated well to the small screen. John Boy would date other girls, but for me Jenny remained his most memorable love interest. Of course, Sian Barbra Allen appeared in many other roles. I remember her also from the Bonanza  episode "Ambush at Rio Lobo," on which she played a staunch, but caring pregnant who is held hostage along with Ben Cartwright by a bunch of outlaws. In the horror movie You'll Like My Mother, she played Kathleen, the intellectually disabled, non-verbal sister of lead character Francesca (Patty Duke). She was nominated for the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer for the role. Sian Barbara Allen had a gift for bringing characters to life and she always made an impression.

Happy Easter 2025

Here at A Shroud of Thoughts we realize there are those who might appreciate some cheesecake along with their Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies. Here then is this year's batch of Easter pinups.

First up is Phyllis Elizabeth Davis, who is gathering Easter eggs with help from two Easter bunnies.

And here's Pat Crowley with some rather large eggs!

Here is Mary Tyler Moore and a friend.

Loretta Young is dressed for the holiday.

Elaine Riley is dyeing her eggs.

And last but no least, the lovely Ann Miller is gathering eggs.

Happy Easter!!!!!

Some Thoughts on the 90th Anniversary of Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Most everyone who knows me knows that I love the Hammer horrors. When I think of Dracula, it's Sir Christopher Lee who comes to my mind. I have seen most of the classic Hammer horror movies multiple times. It might then surprise some to discover that my favourite horror movie of all time was made by Universal. It is Bride of Frankenstein (1935), and it's not only my favourite horror movie, but I consider it the greatest horror movie ever made. It opened on this day in Chicago, New York City, and Portland, Oregon.

I wrote an in-depth post on Bride of Frankenstein ten years ago, which you can read here, but I thought I would discuss the impact the film has had upon me. Like most Gen Xers I saw it when I was young. It would be the movie that cemented my love for the old Universal horror movies. I enjoyed Frankenstein (1931) a good deal, but I found Dracula (1930) a bit dull (my apologies to the movie's fans). Bride of Frankenstein impressed me in a way that Frankenstein and Dracula hadn't. It seemed much more modern in both its attitudes and its execution that the other Universal monster movies I had seen.

Indeed, even though it was released after the Pre-Code Era had ended, it seemed as if director James Whale got way with more in Bride of Frankenstein than he had in the first movie or Tod Browning had in Dracula. I was not very old when I realized that Dr. Pretorius could be a coded homosexual, a feat made easy by Ernest Thesiger's overly camp performance. There is also a good deal of religious symbolism in the movie, including one point in the movie where the villagers capture Frankenstein's creature and tied him to a pole in a cruciform pose. It honestly seems to me that there is more violence in Bride of Frankenstein than some of Universal's Pre-Code movies.

As grim as Bride of Frankenstein can be, it also has a good deal of humour. Much of this comes through Dr. Pretorius's wit, although there is outright comedy to be found in Una O' Connor and E. E. Clive. The presence of humour alongside horror in Bride of Frankenstein put it more in line with later horror movies than earlier ones, this even as it dealt with themes which even the Pre-Code horrors rarely bothered to touch.

Ultimately, it would be Bride of Frankenstein that would lead me to seek out other Universal horrors, from James Whale's The Dark Old House (1932) to The Black Cat (1934). Along with the soap opera Dark Shadows and the Hammer horror movies, the Universal monster movies would make me a fan of the horror genre. It was Bride of Frankenstein that helped me along a path that would lead me to such authors as Stephen King, Ramsey Campbell, and Clive Barker and directors such as John Carpenter, David Cronenberg, and Wes Craven. To me it's still the greatest horror movie of all time.

Godspeed Jean Marsh

Jean Marsh, who co-created the classic TV show Upstairs, Downstairs and played parlourmaid Rose Buck on the show, died on April 13 at the age of 90 from complications from dementia.

Jean Marsh was born on July 1 1934 in London. As  a child she had Bell's palsy. Her mother sent her to dance school in the hope that it would strengthen her. As a young girl Miss Marsh also spent much of her time reading books. She attended the Aida Foster Theatre School. She made her acting debut in Pardon My Claws opposite Sonnie Hale.

/Jean Marsh made her film debut in a bit part in The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby in 1947. In the Fifties she appeared in the movies Will Any Gentleman...? (1953), The Limping Man (1953), and The Love Lottery (1954). She appeared in television shows on both sides of the Atlantic. She guest starred on the shows ITV Television Playhouse, Omnibus, The Third Man, and The Twilight Zone. She made her Broadway debut in 1959 in Much Ado About Nothing.

In the Sixties she played Joanna in the Doctor Who serial "The Crusade" and Sara Kingdom in the Doctor Who serial "The Daleks' Master Plan" she was a regular on the British show The Informer. She guest starred on the shows Danger Man, Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color, ITV Play of the Week, The Edgar Wallace Mystery Theatre, The Saint, ITV Sunday Night Drama, Gideon's Way, I Spy, Adam Adamant Lives!, Detective, The Wednesday Play, Thirty-Minute Theatre, The Expert, Department S, The Root of All Evil?, UFOm, and ITV Saturday Night Theatre. She appeared in the films Call Me Genius (1961), The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone (1961), Cleopatra (1963), Unearthly Stranger (1963), Face of a Stranger (1964), Charles Bubbles (1967), The Limbo Line (1968), and Jane Eyre (1970). She appeared on stage in The Bird of Time at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool and the Savoy Theatre in Westminster, London.

Jean Marsh and her best friend, fellow actress Eileen Atkins, co-created Upstairs, Downstairs. She appeared in all five series of the show as Rose Buck. She guest starred on the TV shows ITV Saturday Night Theatre, The Persuaders!, Play for Today, The Befrienders, The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Camera Three, The Waltons,and  Hawaii Five-O. She appeared in the movies Frenzy (1972), Dark Places (1974), The Eagle Has Landed (1976)), and The Changeling (1980). She appeared on Broadway in Habeas Corpus and Whose Life is It Anyway?.

In the Eighties Jean Marsh was a regular on the sitcom 9 to 5, based on the movie of the same name. She guest starred on the shows Trapper John, M.D.; The Love Boat; Tales from the Darkside; and Doctor Who. She appeared in the mini-series Goliath Awaits, Master of the Game, and Act of Will. She appeared in the movies Return to Oz (1985) and Willow (1988). She appeared on stage in Let Us Go Then You and I at the Lyric Theatre in Westminster, London.

In the Nineties Jean Marsh co-created the TV series The House of Elliott with Eileen Atkins. She was a semi-regular on The All New Alexei Sayle Show and a regular on The Ghost Hunter. She guest starred on the shows Screen One; Murder, She Wrote; The Tomorrow People; Dangerfield; and Kavanagh QC. She appeared on stage in The Chalk Garden at the King's Head Theatre in London.

In the Naughts Jean Marsh continue to appear on The Ghost Hunter. She reprised her role as Rose Buck on the revival of Upstairs, Downstairs. She appeared in the mini-series Sensitive Skin and Sense and Sensibility. She guest starred on the shows Holby City, Doctors, Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder, and Crooked House. She appeared in the movie The Heavy (2009).  She appeared on stage in The Old Country at various locations, Boeing, Boeing in the Comedy Theatre in Westminster, London, and The Portrait of a Lady at the Theatre Royal, Bath and the Rose Theatre Kingston.

In the Teens she continued to appear in the revival of Upstairs, Downstairs. She guest starred on the show Grantchester.

I am guessing Jean Marsh will always be best remembered as the prim, proper, pragmatic, and yet ultimately cheerful Rose Buck on Upstairs, Downstairs, as well as one of the show's creators. The show itself would have a lasting influence, inspiring such shows as The Duchess of Duke Street,; m You Rang, M'Lord?; Beacon Hill; and on down to Downton Abbey. Of course, Jean Marsh also had close ties to Doctor Who, appearing in three different serials. In "The Crusade" she played Princess Joanna, the sister of King Richard the Lionheart. In "The Daleks' Master Plan" she played Sara Kingdom, a Space Security Agent helping the Doctor in his fight against the Daleks. In "Battlefield" she played a role well removed form either Princess Joanna or Sara Kingdom, Morgaine, better known as Morgan le Fay.

Beyond Upstairs, Downstairs and Doctor Who she appeared in a number of shows on both sides of the Atlantic. She was an android created as a companion for a man exiled to an asteroid in the Twilight Zone episode "The Lonely." On The Waltons she played the Baldwin sisters' cousin who had married a German citizen and is now worried about the Nazi regime given her husband is Jewish. In movies she played everything from Octavia in the film Cleopatra to Queen Bavmorda in Willow. As a television show creator Jean Marsh was brilliant and she was brilliant as an actress as well. She played a number of different roles throughout her career.