Godspeed Hal Williams

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Late Great Sam Neill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Late Great Randolph Mantooth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Late Great Joanna Pettet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

U.S. Cellular R.I.P.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Godspeed Joby Baker

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy 4th of July 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy 4th of July!

David Sheiner Passes On

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A Shroud of Thoughts Store on Zazzle

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

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

The Late Great James Burrows

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Late Great Ann Blyth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Godspeed Ronnie Schell

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Godspeed Gene Shalit

Gene Shalit, best known as the resident movie and book critic on Today on NBC, died on June 12 at the age of 100. 

Gene Shalit was born in New York City on on March 25, 1926. He grew up in Morristown, New Jersey. In grammar school he ws responsible for the school's first newspaper, The Spotlight. He attended Morristown High School, where he wrote the humour column for the school newspaper. He attended the University of Illinois, where he was the sports editor of The Daily Illini and also wrote the columns "What Shalit Be?" and "Campus Scout" for the newspaper. He also wrote for The Champaign-Urbana Courier and was a stringer for the Associated Press, writing about the Big Ten conference. 

He began his career as a PR agent and was a partner in the firm Barkas, Shalit and Schiller. Among his clients was Dick Clark. It was in the early Sixties that he became an entertainment columnist for McCall's, and wrote primarily book reviews. In 1968, he became the senior movie critic at Look. He also wrote the “What’s Happening” column for Ladies’ Home Journal and the "Sports Talk" column for Sport. He did movie reviews for KNBC in Los Angeles and WNBC in New York City. It was NBC News president Reuven Frank who brought Gene Shalit to Today. He joined the show in 1969, occasionally doing book reviews. It was in 1973 that he became the full-time movie critic on Today. His segment, called Critic's Corner, would remain a part of Today until he retired from the show in November 2010.

While on Today, he continued to write a column for Ladies Home Journal and also wrote for Cosmopolitan, TV Guide, Seventeen, and The New York Times. His "Man About Anything" segment was broadcast each day on the NBC radio network. Over the years, he appeared on several TV shows, including Jeopardy, What's My Line? (on which he was a panellist), The Mike Douglas Show, To Tell the Truth, Mystery! (on which he was briefly the host), and The New Hollywood Squares, among others. He hosted the TV special Sesame Street at Night?. He had a cameo in Tootsie (1982) and provided his voice for episodes of the animated series The Critic and SpongeBob Squarepants. He also hosted a video cassette and laserdisc series on MCA Home Video called Gene Shalit's Critic's Choice Video.

Gene Shalit also authored books, including Somehow It Works; A Candid Portrait of the 1964 Presidential Election (1965), Laughing Matters: A Celebration of American Humor (1987), Great Hollywood Wit (2002), and, with artist Jack Davis,  Khrushchev's Top Secret Coloring Book (2016).

I was very young when Gene Shalit began regularly appearing on the Today Show, and he have little doubt that he was the first movie critic to whom I was exposed. With his bushy hair, handlebar moustache, glasses, and bow ties, he looked less like a film critic than he did an absent-minded professor or an old-time comic just fresh from touring the Catskills. Indeed, his reviews were always filled with one-liners and often outrageous puns. Not only was he clearly having fun in his reviews in the Critic's Corner, but it was clear he loved movies. What is more, even when he might dislike a movie that you liked (1980's Flash Gordon stand out for me),  you understood where he was coming from. He was approachable as a critic, and never arbitrary.

Of course, Gene Shalit not only did book and movie reviews on Today, but he also interviewed many celebrities, including Richard Burton, Mel Brooks, Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, Burt Reynolds, and Steven Spielberg. Gene Shalit was an excellent interviewer, not only obtaining some deep insights into his subjects, but often bringing out the best of them. Among his most famous interview is one he had with Carol Channing, in which she told a hilarious  story about Sir Benjamin and Lady Astor that left Gene Shalit unable to stop laughing.

Gene Shalit remains a fond memory for me from my early childhood into my adulthood. I have to admit that Gene Shalit may have been responsible for my love of movies, and I think he may have been for others as well. He certainly had an enthusiasm for movies and books that was absolutely contagious. 

Announcing the 13th Annual Rule, Britannia Blogathon

A lot of people think of the number 13 as bad luck, but in this case it is good luck. Namely, I am announcing the 13th Annual Rule, Britannia Blogathon. I am setting it for September 18 to September 20, 2026. 

While many people think of Hollywood when it comes to movies, the fact is that the United Kingdom made many significant contributions to film over the years. From the Gainsborough melodramas to Hammer Films to the British New Wave, cinema would be much poorer without the British.

Here are the ground rules for this year's blogathon:

1. Posts can be about any British film or any topic related to British films. For the sake of simplicity, I am using "British" here to refer to any film made by a company based in the United Kingdom or British Crown dependencies. If you want to write about a film made in Northern Ireland or the Isle of Man, then, you can do so. Also for the sake of simplicity, people can write about co-productions made with companies from outside the United Kingdom. For example, since 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is a British-American co-production, someone could write about it if they chose.

2. There is no limit on subject matter. You can write about any film in any genre you want. Posts can be on everything from the British New Wave to the Gainsborough bodice rippers to the Hammer Horrors. I am also making no limit on the format posts can take. You could review a classic British film, make an in-depth analysis of a series of British films, or even simply do a pictorial tribute to a film. That having been said, since this is a classic film blogathon,  I only ask that you write about films made before 2016. I generally don't think of a film as a classic until it has been around for thirty years, but to give bloggers more options I am setting the cut-off point at ten years ago.

3. I am asking that there please be no duplicates. That having been said, if someone has already chosen to cover From Russia with Love (1963), someone else could write about the James Bond series as a whole.

4. I am not going to schedule days for individual posts. All I ask is that the posts be made on or between September 18, 19, and 20, 2026.

If you want to participate in the Rule, Britannia Blogathon, you can simply comment below or get hold of me on Bleusky at mercurie80 or my email:  mercurie80 at gmail.com

Below is a roster of the participants:

Liberal England:  Sammy Going South (1963--retitled A Boy Ten Foot Tall in the US). 

A Shroud of Thoughts: A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

Films From Beyond the Time Barrier:  Four Sided Triangle (1953)

Moon in Gemini: Walking Ned Devine (1998)

Below are graphics you can use for the blogathon or you can always make your own!

Liberace's Open Secret

For a good part of the 20th Century, homosexual performers and actors in the United States went to great pains to hide their true sexuality. Homosexuality was frowned upon in American society, to the point that it was included in the first edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as a sociopathic personality disturbance, and sex between two people of the same sex was banned under the sodomy laws of the time. It should then come as no surprise that famed pianist, singer, and actor Liberace spent his entire life denying that he was gay. What makes Liberace's case unusual is that his costumes, style, and manner were so flamboyant that many at the time probably at least thought he was gay. Indeed, throughout his life scandal sheets and gossip magazines, both in the United States and United Kingdom, often implied he was gay.

Władziu Valentino Liberace was born on May 16, 1919, in West Allis, Wisconsin. He came from a musical family. His father played French horn, while his mother had been a concert pianist. Liberace was only four years old when he began playing piano. In high school, he played jazz piano with a group called The Mixers. He played at cabarets and even burlesque palaces, even though his father disapproved. It was from about 1942 to 1944 that he moved from performing straight classical pieces to what he called "pop with a bit of classics." Billed as "Walter Liberace," he appeared in two Soundies, "Tiger Rag" and "Twelfth Street Rag." Throughout the Forties, his act became more flamboyant, including the addition of a candelabra and performing in white tie and tails. 

It would be television that would really place Liberace on the map. After having made appearances on such shows as The Arthur Murray Party, Cavalcade of Stars, and Four Star Revue, he received his own show. The Liberace Show debuted in 1953  in syndication and proved to be very popular. Following The Liberace Show, Liberace continued to appear on television, on everything from The Perry Como Show to I've Got a Secret to Batman to The Monkees. He had his own show again in 1969, a summer replacement show that ran on CBS in the time-slot usually occupied by The Red Skelton Show. He didn't slow down in the Seventies, appearing in everything from The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour to The Muppet Show. Liberace appeared in movies as well, including Sincerely Yours (1955), When the Boys Meet the Girls (1965), and The Loved One (1965). 

At the height of his career in the Fifties, it was not unusual for the aforementioned scandal sheets and gossip magazines to intimate that Liberace was gay, something that he always denied. It was in 1956 that Daily Mirror columnist Cassandra (in reality William Connor) strong suggested that Liberace was a homosexual, writing that Liberace was "...the summit of sex - the pinnacle of masculine, feminine and neuter. Everything that he, she and it can ever want... a deadly, winking, sniggering, snuggling, chromium-plated, scent-impregnated, luminous, quivering, giggling, fruit-flavoured, mincing, ice-covered heap of mother love." Liberace sued the Daily Mirror for libel. The trial lasted for three weeks, during which Liberace testified that he was not gay and had never taken part in homosexual acts. In the end, Liberace won the case and was awarded £8,000 in damages. It was because of this case that Liberace coined his catchphrase, "I cried all the way to the bank!"

If the Daily Mirror had intimated that Liberace was gay, the notorious gossip magazine Confidential very nearly came out and said it. The July 2, 1957 issue of the magazine featured a story titled "Why Liberace's Theme Song Should Be 'Mad About the Boy." The story dealt with an anonymous press agent who claimed that Liberace had made a play for him while the two were alone in a hotel room. Liberace  filed a $20-million libel suit against Confidential. Ultimately, the case was settled out of court.

Liberace would continue to deny that he was gay even after homosexuality had become more acceptable in American society and even after it became fairly obvious that he was, in fact, gay. In 1982 Liberace's 22-year old former chauffeur Scott Thorson,who claimed to be the pianist's lover for five years, filed a $113 million palimony suit against him after Mr. Thorson had been fired.  The case was eventually settled out of court and Liberace continued to deny that he was gay. 

Liberace died on February 4, 1987 at the age of 67. It was on February 10, 1987, that the Riverside County coroner revealed the cause of his death to be cytomegalovirus pneumonia caused by AIDS. Although it had not been made public at the time, he had been diagnosed as HIV-positive in August 1985. In an interview on The Joy Behar Show, actress Betty White, who had been friends with Liberace, revealed that he was gay and his managers often used her as a beard to rejoin the rumours that he was a homosexual. 

Today it might seem odd that Liberace denied he was gay his entire life, even after the 1982 palimony suit by Scott Thorson. It might seem even more odd given Liberace was so flamboyant that his act is a prime example of high camp. While it might seem odd now, it must be taken into account that the height of Liberace's career took place during the Lavender Scare, a moral panic over homosexuality that even resulted in people working for the government losing their jobs. It was fully possible that if irrefutable evidence got out that Liberace was gay, it could have meant the end of his career. As to why he continued to deny he was gay, one has to suspect that this was due to habit. Even after homosexuality was no longer the bugbear it had been, Liberace may have feared that if the public knew of his sexuality, he might no longer be able to work. What makes this sad is that much of Liberace's appeal is that he was so flamboyant, so campy. While being gay may have proven to be a detriment to his career during the Lavender Scare, it may actually have proven to be a blessing later on. As it is, despite his denials during his lifetime, Liberace remains an icon in the LGBTQ+ community. 

Happy Juneteenth 2026

On June 19, 1865 that Major General Gordon Granger  of the United States Army arrived in Galveston, Texas where he was to take command of the Union troops there to enforce the emancipation of the slaves there. Juneteenth is then also known as Emancipation Day or Freedom Day for that reason. It has been celebrated in Texas since 1866 and in 2021 it was made a Federal holiday. I want to wish everyone a happy Juneteenth!

Happy Juneteenth!

A Valentine for Karen Valentine

(This post is part of the 2026 Luso World Blogathon hosted by Crítica Retrô and Spellbound with Beth Ann)

The title "America's Sweetheart" has been applied to a number of actresses over the years. For a brief time in the late Sixties and early Seventies, it could have easily been applied to actress Karen Valentine, who played student teacher Alice Johnson on the comedy-drama TV series Room 222. If you ask many younger male Baby Boomers (who may have seen Room 222 in its first run) or older Gen Xers (who may have seen it in reruns) about their boyhood crushes, chances are good Karen Valentine numbers among them. What separates Miss Valentine from many actresses who have borne the title "America's Sweetheart" is that she was not of Northern European descent.

Karen Valentine was born on May 25, 1947, in  Sebastopol, California. Her father was Portuguese in descent. It was her paternal grandfather who Anglicised the Portuguese surname "Valentin" to the English surname "Valentine." Her paternal grandmother's name was "Avellar." Her mother was of Italian descent, her maiden name being "Casassa." Miss Valentine grew up on a chicken farm in Sonoma County, California.

At age 16, Karen Valentine competed in the Miss Teenage America pageant. While she did not win the pageant, she did win the talent portion of the pageant for her comedic lip-sync routine to "Blame it on the Bossa Nova" by  Eydie Gormé. A talent scout was backstage and told her that she was going to get a very big surprise. It was then as the ceremony was taking place that host Bud Collyer (best known as the voice of Superman on radio and the original host of Beat the Clock and To Tell the Truth) announced that Ed Sullivan had been watching the show and wanted it announced that Karen Valentine would be on his show in two weeks." Karen Valentine then made her television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show on November 10, 1963, performing her "Blame It On the Bossa Nova" routine. She would appear on The Ed Sullivan Show one more time, this time performing "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun" from Annie Get Your Gun. Her second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was a bigger production than her first, complete with dancers and a full orchestra.

Following her appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, Karen Valentine was the resident Dream Girl on the short-lived daytime beauty pageant television series Dream Girl of '67. She also appeared on The Dating Game, which didn't prove to be a particularly good experience. She later referred to the whole ordeal as "sleazy." 

She would have a much better experience on the television movie Gidget Grows Up in 1969, on which she became the fifth actress to play Frances Elizabeth "Gidget" Lawrence. Her father was played by Bob Cummings and the rest of the cast was filled by such big names as Edward Mulhare, Nina Foch, and Paul Lynde. The movie was loosely based on the novel Gidget Goes to New York by Frederick Kohner. In Gidget Grows Up, Gidget leaves college after two years and becomes a guide at the United Nations in New York City. The show was meant to be a pilot for a new Gidget series. Given it was produced by Harry Ackerman, it may have also been meant as a sequel to the 1965 sitcom, Gidget, although in my humble opinion Karen Valentine looks nothing like Sally Field beyond both being petite and brunette.

While Gidget Grows Up did not result in a new series, Karen Valentine would find herself cast as a regular on a TV series in 1969, Room 222. Initially it must have seemed unlikely to Miss Valentine that she would get a part on the show. She met with a casting director who simply noted her height, the colour of her hair and the colour of her eyes, and nothing more. She did not hear anything for several months when she was called back to audition with producer Gene Reynolds for the role of student teacher Alice Johnson. Miss Valentine thought the audition went wrong from the beginning. She had her sunglasses on top of her head, so that when she went to set her purse down, her sunglasses fell on the floor. When she went to pick her sunglasses up, the pages of her script went flying everywhere. The entire situation actually impressed Gene Reynolds, who saw in her attempt to handle it a good deal of comedic timing, as well as the fact that Karen Valentine's bumbling matched that of Alice Johnson.

Room 222 debuted on September 17, 1969 on ABC. While its ratings were middling at best, the show received critical acclaim and developed a loyal following. As to Karen Valentine, she won an Emmy Award for her role as Alice Johnson on Room 222 for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Comedy in 1970 and was nominated again for an Emmy in 1971. 

It was while Karen Valentine was on Room 222 that she made guest appearances on The Bold One: The New Doctors; Laugh In; Love, American Style; and Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law. ABC was eager to capitalize on Karen Valentine's popularity, and as a result a pilot for the prospective series The Karen Valentine Show was shot. The pilot featured Miss Valentine as the assistant to Buddy Loudon (Charles Nelson Reilly) of the Buddy Loudon Public Relations Firm. While ABC did not pick up the pilot, Karen Valentine did receive her own show in the form of the short-lived sitcom Karen. On Karen, she played Karen Angelo, an employee of the liberal citizen's lobby Open America in Washington, DC. The show debuted on January 30, 1975 and lasted only 13 episodes. 

Karen Valentine would never again be a regular on a TV show, but she was hardly absent from the small screen. Through the years she did several TV movies, some of which are remembered to this day. She starred in the comedy Western The Daughters of Joshua Cable, playing the pickpocket Charity, who along with a prostitute and a thief are hired by a fur trapper (the Joshua Cable of the title, played by Buddy Ebsen) to pose as his daughters in order to keep his land. She played a stewardess in the TV movie Coffee, Tea, or Me?, based on the book of the same name. Among her best known TV movies is The Girl Who Came Gif-Wrapped. Karen Valentine played the girl of the title, a small-town beauty queen who is sent to the publisher of a men's magazine as a gift as a joke. Despite the title, it was a rather sweet-natured romantic comedy rather than anything salacious. In Muggable Mary, Street Cop, she played the police officer of the title. Notably, she appeared in the original movie pilot for The Love Boat.

Of course, Karen Valentine would also continue to make several guest appearances over the years. On the Starsky & Hutch episode "Fatal Charm," she played an obsessive stalker. After having appeared in the pilot, she later guest-starred on two episodes of The Love Boat. She played a nun on an episode of Mike Hammer. In the Murder, She Wrote episode "Murder Through the Looking Glass," she played a Department of Special Security (a fictional spy agency) operative. She also guest starred on such shows as The Twilight Zone (1985), Monsters, The Untouchables (1993), Cybill, and Family Law.

Amazingly enough given her popularity on the small screen, Karen Valentine only appeared in three feature films. She was the female lead in the 1975 film Forever Young, Forever Free, She may be better remembered for two Walt Disney comedies in which she appeared. She played the female lead, school marm Jenny, in the Western comedy Hot Lead and Cold Feet. She also appeared in The North Avenue Irregulars, playing one of the ladies of a church who decide to combat the mob. 

While Karen Valentine was Portuguese in descent, for most of her career she played characters who were Northern European in descent (Gidget and Alice Johnson on Room 222 being prime examples) or Italian in descent (Karen Angelo on Karen and several guest appearances). Sadly, this is not unusual, as it is rare to see characters of Lusitanic descent on television shows or movies unless they are from Portugal or Brazil. Character actor Nestor Pavia, whose parents were from Portugal, spent his career mostly playing Hispanic characters, with only a few roles in which he played characters of Portuguese descent.

Regardless, Karen Valentine still maintains a legion of fans who never quite got over their boyhood crushes on her. For many she will always be remembered as Alice Johnson on Room 222, the perky, clumsy, and absolutely adorable student teacher. Throughout her career, she also played many other roles, from a deranged stalker on Starsky & Hutch to a street cop in the TV movie Muggalbe Mary, Street Cop to a government agent on Murder, She Wrote. While she will always be remembered as Alice, she played a wide array of other roles as well.