The Late Great Tim Curry

Legendry actor Tim Curry died on August 24, 2026, at the age of 80. He was best known for playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975). He also played Wadsworth in Clue (1985), Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island (1996), and, on television, Pennywise in the mini-series It, among many other roles.

Tim Curry was born on April 1946, in Grappenhall, Cheshire. When he was twelve years old, his father had a stroke and then died weeks later from complications from pneumonia. Tim Curry went to school at Kingswood School in Bath, Somerset and later graduated from the University of Birmingham in 1968 with a degree in English and drama.

It was not long after graduating from the University of Birmingham that Tim Curry began his professional acting career with a 1968 production of Hair on London's West End. It was while he was appearing in Hair that he met Richard O'Brien, who later go onto write The Rocky Horror Show. In the late Sixties and early Seventies Tim Curry appeared in several stage productions on the West End elsewhere, including Titus Andronicus, The White Devil, Life of Galileo, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. It was in 1973 that Tim Curry originated the role of Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show at the Royal Court Theatre.Tim Curry made his Broadway debut in The Rocky Horror Show in 1975. The Rocky Horror Show was adapted to film as The Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1975 and marked Tim Curry's movie debut. The film became a cult phenomenon and launched Tim Curry's film career.

Tim Curry made his television debut in 1969 in an episode of Television Theatre From... In 1970, he guest starred on episodes of Ace of Wandsand ITV Saturday Night Theatre. In the Seventies, he appeared in the mini-series Napoleon and Love and Will Shakespeare. He guest starred on the shows Stage 2, Armchair Theatre, Play for Today, Rock Follies of '77, and The Sunday Drama. After making his film debut in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), he appeared in the movies The Shout (1978) and Times Square (1980). On both the West End and Broadway, he appeared on stage in Travesties and Amadeus.

In the Eighties, Tim Curry appeared in the movies Annie (1982), The Ploughman's Lunch (1983), Legend (1985), Clue (1985), Pass the Ammo (1987), and The Hunt for Red October (1990). He guest starred on the shows Arena, Long Ago and Far Away, The Tracy Ullman Show, and Wiseguy. He appeared in such TV movies as Blue Money and The Worst Witch. He played Pennywise in the mini-series It. He was a guest voice on the animated series The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible. He appeared on Broadway in Amadeus and in London in The Pirates of Penzance, The Rivals, The Threepenny Opera, and Dalliance.

In the Nineties, Tim Curry starred on the sitcom Over the Top. He had a recurring role on the sitcom Rude Awakening. He provided the voice of Mr. Curry on the animated series Paddington Bear, Captain Hook in the animated series Peter Pan and the Pirates, Sharkster on Fish Police, additional voices on The Adventures of Don Coyote and Sancho Panda, Sir Gawain on The Legend of Prince Valiant, Barney Finkleberg on Wild West C.O.W. Boys of Moo Mesa, Skullmaster on Mighty Max, King Acorn on Sonic the Hedgehog, Kilokah on Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, MAL on Captain Planet and the Planeteers,and Dr. Sevarius on Gargoyles. He was also a guest voice on several more animated shows. He guest starred on the shows Roseanne, Tales from the Crypt, Dinosaurs, Earth 2, The Naked Truth, Lexx, and Bette. He played Gomez Addams in the TV movie Addams Family Reunion. He appeared in the movies Oscar (1991), The Player (1992), Passed Away (1992), Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), The Three Musketeers (1993), The Shadow (1994), Congo (1995), Lover's Knot (1995), Muppet Treasure Island (1996), McHale's Navy (1997), Sorted (2000), and Charlie's Angels (2000). He appeared on Broadway in My Favorite Year.

From 1998 to 2004, Tim Curry was the voice of Nigel Thornberry on the animated show The Wild Thornberrys. He was a guest voice on many more animated shows. He starred on the short-lived reboot of the sitcom Family Affair. He guest starred on the shows Monk, Will & Grace, Psych, Poirot, Cranford, and Criminal Minds. He appeared in the movies Scary Movie 2 (2001), The Scoundrel's Wife (2002), Kinsey (2004), Bailey's Billion$ (2005), Christmas in Wonderland (2007), The Secret of Moonacre (2008), and Burke & Hare (2010). He appeared on Broadway in Spamalot.

In the Teens, Tim Curry was the voice of G. Gordon Godfrey on the animated series Young Justice, the voice of the Sorcerer on Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, and Palpatine on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He was a guest voice on many other animated shows.

News of Tim Curry's death felt like a punch to the gut for me. To me, he wasn't only one of the greatest character actors of the late 20th Century, but one of the greatest character actors of all time. What is more, he appears to have been a true gentleman. Not only have his co-stars spoke of his kindness, generosity, and sense of humour, but so too have ordinary people who had the opportunity to meet him. Tim Curry may have played many villains throughout this career, but in real life, he was one of the good guys.

He was certainly talented. Indeed, he was phenomenally so. He had the ability to disappear completely into his characters. If Frank-N-Furter and The Rocky Horror Picture Show remain iconic, it is largely because of Tim Curry's performance in the role. Tim Curry is probably much of the reason the movie Clue has become a cult classic as well. He shined as the fast-talking butler Wadsworth. Tim Curry played his share of villains during his career, both humorous and otherwise. He was great as the treacherous, egocentric Long John Silver in Muppet Treasure Island. He was fearsome as the demonic Darkness in Legend. He inspired fear as Pennywise in the mini-series It, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King. Tim Curry played so many great roles during his long career, including Dr Petrov in The Hunt for Red October, Cardinal Richelieu in The Three Musketeers, The Grand Wizard in the TV movie The Worst Witch, and so much more. Tim Curry was a chameleon, able to transform himself into any role he played. Few actors ever had the talent that Tim Curry had, and for that talent he will be remembered.

We Will Always Love Dolly Parton

There are very few celebrities as beloved as Dolly Parton. To wit, even people who aren't fans of country music, such as myself, loved Dolly. But then Dolly was much more than a country singer. She was a movie star, who appeared in such movies as 9 to 5 (1980) and Steel Magnolias (1989). She was a comedian, with a razor sharp wit that was often self-effacing. But most of all, she was a humanitarian. Dolly would easily have been a billionaire, but she insisted on using her money to help people, from providing children with books to medical research. I honestly can't think of any celebrity who was as selfless as Dolly Parton. She loved everyone and I don't ever remember her ever saying anything mean-spirited about anyone. It was as if she were an angel placed here on Earth. Indeed, Dolly was so friendly and so familiar to all of us that it only seems right to address her by her first name rather than something more formal. Sadly, Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80.

Dolly Parton was born on January 19, 1946, in a one room cabin on the banks of Little Pigeon River near Pittman Center, Tennessee. She was the 4th of twelve children born to Avie Lee Owens and Robert Lee Parton. Her father was a sharecropper and tobacco farmer who also occasionally worked as a construction worker. The family later moved to a cabin in Locust Ridge, Tennessee.

Her mother sang traditional mountain ballads and recited folklore to her children. By the time she was seven, Dolly had already taught herself to play guitar on a homemade guitar. When she was eight years old, her Bill Owens, her mother's younger brother, gave her a real guitar. Her Uncle Bill was a musician and songwriter who acted as her mentor and later collaborated with her on songs.

Dolly Parton was still a child when she began performing. She sang on local, East Tennessee radio stations. She was only ten yeas old when she appeared on The Cas Walker Show on WIVK Radio and and WBIR out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Her first single, "Puppy Love," was released when she was only 13, on Goldband Records, a Louisiana label. She appeared at the Grand Ole Opey for the first time during this period. She singed with Combine Publishing ans saw some success as a songwriter. She was 19 when she signed with Monument Records, who initially insisted on marketing her as a bubblegum singer. It was not until Monument relented and let her record country music that she had a single chart. That single was "Dumb Blonde," which peaked at no. 24 on the Billboard Country chart.

It was in 1967 that Porter Wagner invited her to join his syndicated TV show The Porter Wagner Show. Porter Wagner convinced the label on which he was on, RCA Victor to sign Dolly Parton. Porter Wagner and Dolly Parton often performed as a duo and released several singles and studio albums together. It was during this period that Dolly also saw success as a solo artist. Her single, "Just Because I'm a Woman" reached no. 17 on the Billboard Country chart. 1970 was her breakthrough year, with her version of "Mule Skinner Blues (Blue Yodel No. 8)" reaching no. 3 on the Billboard Country chart and "Joshua" going all the way to no. 1 on the chart. It was in 1973 that she saw her first crossover success. Her song "Jolene" went to no. 1 on the Billboard Country chart and peaked at no. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100. 1977 saw her first major crossover success. "Here You Come Again' reached no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ultimately, Dolly Parton released 49 solo studio albums and 198 solo singles. She had 25 singles go to no. 1 on the Billboard Country chart. Her last album, Rockstar, was released in 2023, and saw her collaborate with rock artists from John Fogerty to Rob Halford.

Of course, much of Dolly Parton's initial success was due to her appearances on television, and she continued to appear on television throughout her career. She appeared on several talk shows and variety shows, including The Kraft Music Hall, Hee-Haw, The Mike Douglas Show, The David Frost Show, Dinah!, The Tonight Show, and Saturday Night Live. She had two variety shows of her own. Dolly! ran in syndication from 1976 to 1977. Dolly ran on ABC from 1987 to 1988. She guest starred on several TV shows during her career, including Captain Kangaroo, Designing Women, Babes, Heavens to Betsy, The Magic School Bus, The Simpsons, Reba, Hannah Montana, Gracie and Frankie, The Orville, and Call Me Kat. She also appeared in several TV movies, and produced several, including A Smoky Mountain Christmas, Wild Texas Wind, Unlikely Angel, Dolly Parton: Coat of Many Colors, and Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love. It might surprise many to learn that her production company, Sandollar Productions, produced the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Sarah Michelle Gellar said that while Dolly rarely visited the set, she would send personalized Christmas gifts to the cast. Dolly also expressed pride in the show.

In addition to being a country music star, Dolly Parton was also a movie star. She made her movie debut in 9 to 5 in 1980. Over the years, she appeared in the movies The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), Rhinestone (1984), Steel Magnolias (1989), Straight Talk (1992), The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), Smoky Mountain Wilderness Adventure (2002), Frank McCluskey, P.I. (2002), Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous (2005), Joyful Noise (2012), Dollywood's Christmas Carol (2013), and Christmas in the Square (2020). She was a voice in the animated movies Gnomeo & Juliet (2011) and The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom (2011).

Of course, Dolly Parton was also known for her amusement park Dollywood, located near Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The park opened in 1986 and has since become the biggest ticketed tourist attraction in Tennessee.

As famous as Dolly Parton was as a singer, an actress, and an all-around entertainer, she may be well be more famous for her humanitarianism. In fact, I think it may well be impossible to list every single act of charity she did in her life. There was so much that Dolly did without publicity, things that were only made public later by others. Among her most famous works of charity was her literacy program the Imagination Library. Founded in 1995, it sends a book to every child who is enrolled from their birth to when they enter kindergarten. In 2022 it was revealed that for years Dolly Parton had been anonymously buying band uniforms and instruments for low-income and underfunded schools across Tennessee and much of the South.

Dolly also was a huge supporter of healthcare and medical research. She has raised money for both the Red Cross and HIV/AIDS charities. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded, Dolly Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center and as a result funded the early stages of the development of the Moderna vaccine. She also made donations to various hospitals during her life. Her sister Stella Parton revealed that, even if there was no hope that she could survive her cancer, Dolly offered to have experimental drugs used on her in hope that it might help others.

Dolly Parton did so much good in this world. When the Great Smoky Mountains Wildfires in 2016 took place, Dolly's "My People Fund" sent $1000 a month for six months to people affected by the wildfires. After Hurricane Helene in 2024, she donated $2 million to relief efforts. She also supported wildlife conservation and animal welfare and was an advocate for the LGTQ+ community. Following her death, there have been numerous stories of individuals helped by Dolly, as well as her kindness and warmth in general.

Dolly Parton was certainly a most remarkable person. Even someone who doesn't know much about country music as myself knows the impact she had on country music. Her songs changed the genre forever and brought it to a larger audience. I daresay every country music artist has felt her impact every since. And it is little wonder she had such success. She had a gift for songs that told stories, that people relate to, from "Jolene" to "Coat of Many of Colors.' She also had a beautiful high soprano voice. Dolly was known as "the Queen of Country" for a reason.

Of course, Dolly also had a film career and she was a very good actress. She was great right out the gate in her movie debut as secretary Doralee Rhodes in 9 to 5. She also gave an excellent performance as hairdresser Truvy Jones in Steel Magnolias. Even when the movies weren't necessarily that good, such as Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Rhinestone, Dolly was always good. Dolly was perhaps a natural as an actress, particularly when it came to comedy. In both her concerts and in interviews, she often displayed a razor-sharp, self-deprecating humor. Dolly could be funny enough that had she not become a singer, she could have seen success as a comedian.

While Dolly Parton was clearly a great talent, what made her most remarkable was her abundance of love for her fellow human beings. She did so much to help so many, and often did so with no publicity, no fanfare. Dolly once said, "I'm just so proud to have been a part of anything that's good and that's making life a little better for people." The fact is that she made life a whole lot better for a whole lot of people. As I said earlier, it was as if she was an angel placed here on Earth. If Dolly is being mourned so greatly around the world, it isn't because she was a great singer or a great actress, it's because she was a great person.

A Q&A with Christina Solis Caron, Baby Doll from Mi Vida Loca (1993)

Christina Solis Caron played the role of Baby Doll in the cult classic movie Mi Vida Loca (1993). Mi Vida Loca is a groundbreaking film in the history of movies about Chicanos, as it  follows the everyday lives of Chicana gang members in Echo Park in Los Angeles. In addition to Mi Vida Loca, she also made notable guest appearances on such TV shows as Married with Children, Silk Stalkings, Chicago Hope, and 7th Heaven and appeared in such movies as Out for Justice (1991) and Quiet Days in Hollywood (1997). Christina graciously agreed to answer questions about Mi Vida Loca, her career, and the status of Chicanos in Hollywood.

Q:  How did you get into acting and what drew you to it?

A: I actually got into acting through a work-study job with UCLA Early Outreach. We’d go into schools and perform assemblies, and that’s where something clicked for me. It wasn’t about wanting to be famous. I loved connecting with an audience and making somebody feel something.

Once I realized that, I took acting seriously. I trained with Howard Fine and Silvana Gallardo and did Groundlings. My first film was Out for Justice, and I kept working from there.

For me, acting has always been about connection. You step into somebody else’s life for a minute, and if you do it right, you make people understand that person a little differently.

Q: Now as a fan of classic movies I have to ask this. Were there any classic movie stars who inspired you?

A: I grew up loving musicals. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth. I loved that whole era.

My siblings took me to see stage productions like Annie, The Phantom of the Opera, and Cats, and I remember being completely drawn to the stage. I knew I wanted to be up there somehow.

I wasn’t a professional singer or dancer, but in my mind, if I was acting, I could do anything. That was part of the magic for me. Acting gave me permission to imagine myself doing things I never thought I could do in regular life.

Q: How were you cast in Mi Vida Loca?

A: By that point I was already working professionally. Out for Justice had been my first film, and I was training seriously as an actor. Allison Anders was doing something unusual with Mi Vida Loca. She mixed professional actors with actual young people from Echo Park.

I was cast in that mix as Baby Doll. I honestly don’t remember every detail of the audition now. What I do remember is that being part of that film became much bigger than any of us could have known at the time.

Q: Now I know Nélida López was an actual gang member and I do believe her gang name really was "Whisper," but how did they come up with the gang names for the other characters?

A: Nélida really was Whisper, and she played herself. Allison spent a lot of time getting to know the Echo Park Locas before filming. The real homegirls were involved as consultants, so a lot of the language and detail came directly out of that culture.

The movie explains Sad Girl and Mousie. Those names were treated almost like they had been passed down from older generations of homegirls. Mousie got the name because she was little. Sad Girl basically got the name that was left, even though she wasn’t particularly sad at the time.

Some names were connected directly to real people. Joker Bird, for example, was the actual gang name of Rudy Bermudez, and Panchito Gomez played the character based on him.

As far as Baby Doll, Giggles, Big Sleepy and every individual name, I honestly don’t remember who came up with each one. Allison worked so closely with the homegirls that a lot of what was written and what came organically from Echo Park blended together.

Q: I know casts on some films grow so close they regard themselves as family. Was that the case with Mi Vida Loca? Have you stayed in touch with the rest of the cast?

We really did become family in a way, and some of those relationships continued long after the movie ended.

I became especially close with Angel Aviles, who played Sad Girl. We went to each other’s baby showers. She came to my house, I went to hers, and over the years we were in and out of each other’s lives.

Then my husband died, and Angel reached out to me. She said, "Do you realize we’ve become a cult classic? You have fans out there."

I don’t think she even realized what that did for me at the time. I had spent so many years being a wife and raising my children, and after losing my husband, I was trying to figure out who I was again. Angel reminded me of a part of myself I had almost forgotten. She reminded me that I was Christina the actress and that I had been part of something that mattered to people. I will always love her for that. I also stayed connected with a lot of the Echo Park locals through social media. Later I reconnected with Verónica Arellano, who played Stranger, and Angel and I started doing meet-and-greets. We ended up traveling around the country doing them.

It was unbelievable. People came out in droves. I used to joke that it felt like we were The Beatles. We would walk in and people were crying, screaming, wanting pictures and telling us what the movie meant to them.

What surprised me most was how young so many of the fans were. At first I would look at these young girls and think, "Where are your mothers?" Then I realized, no, they’re the fans. They came to see us.

There were babies, mothers, grandmothers, generations of women, but so many young girls. That was when I really understood that Mi Vida Loca hadn’t simply survived as an old movie. It had been passed down.

A mother showed it to her daughter. An older sister showed it to a younger sister. Then that girl found Baby Doll or Sad Girl or Mousie and saw something in one of us that spoke to her.

That has probably been one of the greatest gifts the movie has given me. Thirty years later, I get to meet the women, and now the girls, who made these characters part of their own lives.

Q: Mi Vida Loca remains popular to this day and many consider it a seminal work among films about Chicanos. What do you think its most lasting impact has been?

A: I think its biggest impact is that Chicana women got to be at the center of the story.

We weren’t somebody’s girlfriend in the background. We weren’t there just to explain the male character. These women had friendships, children, jealousy, loyalty, humor, anger, mistakes and dreams. They were complicated. And the film didn’t clean them up to make them acceptable.

That mattered, especially then. For Chicanas, there was something powerful about simply seeing ourselves. Our clothes. Our hair. The way people talked. The friendships. The loyalty. The neighborhood. Things Hollywood either ignored or stereotyped were suddenly taking up the whole screen.

I think that’s why younger generations keep finding it. They may not have lived that exact life, but they recognize something in those women.

To me, that’s the legacy. Mi Vida Loca said these girls were worthy of having their stories told. I’m very proud that Baby Doll is still part of that.

Q: Besides playing Baby Doll in Mi Vida Loca, I think you may be best known for your guest appearance as Esmeralda on Married with Children, but you did guest star on several other shows, including Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, 7th Heaven, and Chicago Hope. Do you have a favorite out of your television guest appearances? What was your best experience on television?

A: I really enjoyed doing the USA Network shows, especially Silk Stalkings and High Tide. They were fun. You’d come into an established cast, work hard for a week and bond with everybody fast.

Television moved quickly. You were shooting an hour of TV in a week instead of spending months on a movie, and I liked that pace. You came in, did your work and became this little family for a week. High Tide was especially fun, and Rick Springfield was honestly one of the sweetest people I ever worked with. Everybody was so welcoming. I have really good memories from those shows. But my television "one that got away" was Buddies. I was cast as Pamela, the neighbor, on the show with Dave Chappelle, and it was incredibly exciting.

Dave was amazing. I remember him telling me, "Girl, we’re going all the way. This is the next Seinfeld. Nine to twelve seasons. I got you."

I was thinking, this is it. I’m not somebody who counts her chickens before they hatch, but this one felt different. The show got picked up. We thought we were going to have a series. Then it went through changes and it just didn’t work out.

That will always be the one I think about and wonder, what if? And the irony is that Dave Chappelle turned out to be Dave Chappelle.

Q: Were there any parts you wish you could have played?

A: I never had one particular role I spent my life thinking should have been mine.

I did always want to do a musical because I grew up loving Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Rita Hayworth, and I loved the stage. I wasn’t a professional singer or dancer, but I had this funny confidence about acting. Put me in the costume, give me the character and somehow I was going to figure it out.

There was also a funny Hollywood milestone for me. Somebody once told me you never really make it in Hollywood until you play a hooker. So when I got cast as Eva in Quiet Days in Hollywood, alongside Hilary Swank, I was actually excited. I thought, okay, I’ve made it now.

One performance I wish more people had seen was a little film called Gut Feeling. It had an incredible cast, including George Lazenby, Susan Blakely, Julie Hagerty, Stephen Root and Bruce Weitz.

Something happened on that film. I did all the work I’d been taught to do, and then it just clicked. I stopped feeling like Christina playing a character. I felt like I was her.

It’s hard to explain unless you’re an actor. You prepare and prepare, and every once in a while you get to that place where you’re not thinking about the lines anymore. You’re just living it.

I remember leaving that experience thinking, that’s why I became an actor. To this day, I think it was some of my best work.

Q: As a Chicana actress, did you encounter any racism or sexism in the film and television industries? Do you think you lost any parts due to your ethnicity?

A: Absolutely there were limitations, but they weren’t always presented to you as, "You’re not getting this because you’re Mexican."

It was more subtle than that. You saw it in the parts that were available to you in the first place. As a young Latina actress, there were certain boxes people knew how to put you in, and not nearly enough roles where you were simply a woman with a full life and a full story.

Did I lose a particular role because of my ethnicity? I can’t honestly point to one part and say I know that for a fact. I wasn’t in those rooms when those decisions were made. But I do believe my ethnicity affected the opportunities I was considered for. Sometimes the door closes before you ever get to audition.

Sexism was part of the business too. You were a young woman in an industry that paid enormous attention to your age, your body, how attractive you were and how marketable somebody thought you were.

At the same time, I never wanted being Chicana to be something I had to overcome. It was part of me. I just wanted the same opportunity to play complicated women that everybody else had.

Q: From the late Eighties into the Nineties, several Mexican American-centered movies were released, including Stand and Deliver, Mi Vida Loca, Mi Familia, and others, and on television there was Mario Lopez on Saved by the Bell and Vanessa Marquez on ER. Do you think Chicano representation was better in the Nineties or is it better now?

A: For me, it was better in the Nineties. That’s part of why Chicanos have such a connection to that time. We were actually being seen.

Stand and Deliver, Blood In Blood Out, Mi Vida Loca, Mi Familia. These weren’t films that just cast a Latino actor. Our culture and our experiences were the story.

Then somewhere along the way, Hollywood lost interest. That’s frustrating because our dollar hasn’t disappeared. Latino audiences are watching, subscribing and buying tickets. So why are our stories still being ignored?

With the temperature of this country right now, I think telling Latino stories matters more than ever. People will look back on this period historically, and you can’t tell that history without telling what Latino families were living through. Not just political or immigration stories. The everyday ones too: family, love, fear, humor, work and identity.

The business has changed so much I don’t even know who "Hollywood" is anymore. Studios, streamers, independent producers, filmmakers doing their own thing. Maybe some of these stories have to come from us. I don’t know if we can do it entirely on our own, but Hollywood doesn’t get to ignore a community this large and still expect our money.

We were seen in the Nineties. I want us to be seen again, but this time with a hand in telling the stories.

Kindly,
Christina Solis Caron

Lalo Rios: Mexican American Movie Pioneer

Lalo Rios may not be a familiar name to many these days, but he was a pioneering Mexican American actor. In the space of two years, he appeared in two movies dealing with the Chicano experience, playing a central role in The Lawless (1950) and, for all extents and purposes, the lead role in The Ring (1952). His career never quite took off, but he remains a truly groundbreaking Chicano actor.

Lalo Rios was born on February 7, 1927, in San Miguelito, Sonora, Mexico. He was nine years old when his family moved to East Los Angeles. He attended Albion Elementary School and Lincoln High School. Following high school, he became a carpenter in the heavy construction industry.

It was through actor Don James that Lalo Rios would find his way into acting. Don James and his wife had been hired to stage a Christmas play with a social club of young Mexican American men and women 18 to 20 years old. One of the young men in the club, Lalo Rios, became close friends with Don James. Don James thought Lalo Rios had real talent, so that when he heard director Joseph Losey was making a film centered on Mexican American, The Lawless (1950), he contacted the director and told him to take a look at Lalo Rios.

The Lawless (1950) centred on a newspaper editor (MacDonald Carey), who finds himself at odds with his small town with regards to the local Mexican American fruit pickers, particularly when one of them, Paul Rodriguez (Lalo Rios), finds himself in trouble. While Lalo Rios was sixth billed in The Lawless (1950), given the amount of screen time he has and how pivotal Paul Rodriguez is to the plot, he could very nearly be considered one of the leads. What is more, while Lalo Rios had never acted in a movie before, he got good notices from critics for his portrayal of Paul Rodriguez.

Following The Lawless (1950), Lalo Rios appeared in minor roles in such films as The Law and the Lady (1951), Untamed Frontier (1952), and One Minute to Zero (1952). It was in 1952 that The Ring was released. While Lalo Rios was billed after Gerald Mohr and Rita Moreno, he was for all extents and purposes the film's star. The movie centred on centred on young Mexican American Tomas Cantanios who takes up boxing in an effort to make something better of himself. The Ring (1952) is notable for its portrayal of racism against Chicanos, including the segregation that existed in Los Angeles at the time and for its utter lack of stereotypes. In his book Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film, author Luis I. Reyes writes of Lalo Rios's character in The Ring (1950), "In The Ring, Rios could be regarded as Hollywood's first Latino working-class rebel, as he expressed postwar concerns that developed into the Chicano (Mexican American) civil rights movement of the 1960s. His character is a progenitor of the teenage antihero that James Dean played in Rebel Without a Cause."

Unfortunately Lalo Rios would never again play a role as big as that of Tomas Cantanios in The Ring (1952). He had minor roles in City Beneath the Sea (1953) Big Leaguer (1953), and Prisoner of War (1954) before appearing as Risto, the hot-headed member of the Grandi crime family who throws a bottle of acid at protagonist Mike Vargas (Charlton Heston) in Touch of Evil (1958). Touch of Evil (1958) would be his last significant appearance in a movie. Afterwards, he appeared in very minor roles in films: one of Calvera's henchmen in The Magnificent Seven (1960), a prisoner in Lonely Are the Brave (1962), and a solder in Villa Rides (1968).

It was during the Fifties that Lalo Rios's acting career turned increasingly to television. He made his television debut in an episode of The Unexpected in 1952. As might be expected. he appeared in several Westerns, including Frontier Doctor, Overland Trail, Tate, Gunsmoke, Laredo, and The High Chaparral. He appeared as gangster Tony Diaz in the two-part Untouchables episode "The Big Train." His final appearance on television was in an episode of Marcus Welby, M.D.

Even as his acting career was unfolding, Lalo Rios continued to work as a carpenter in the construction industry. It was while he was working on a construction job that he was injured in an accident that limited his mobility. As if being a Chicano in Hollywood wasn't hard enough, this made it even more difficult to find acting jobs.

While Lalo Rios only had a few significant roles in movies and on television, he remains an important figure in the history of Chicanos in movies. Years before the Chicano Movement began, he appeared in movies that addressed racism against Mexican Americans and played characters who would have a lasting impact on Mexican Americans on film. There can be no argument on the significance of The Lawless and The Ring in history of Chicano films, and it is largely Lalo Rios's performances in those films that made them what they are.

Godspeed Frank Beard of ZZ Top

Frank Beard, the drummer for rock band ZZ Top, died on August 17, 2026, at the age of 77. 

Frank Beard was born on June 11, 1949, in Frankston, Texas. He grew up in Irving, Texas. He met future ZZ Top bassist Dusty Hill as teens when their bands were both playing in Fort Worth. He later played with Dusty Hill and Dusty Hill's brother Rocky Hill in the band American Blues. It following the release of ZZ Top's debut single, "Salt Lick," that Frank Beard replaced the band's original drummer, Dan Mitchell. Dusty Hill would replace the band's bassist Lanier Grieg not that long afterwards.

It was not long after Dusty Hill joined ZZ Top that they signed with London Records. Their debut album, ZZ Top's First Album, was released in 1971. Their single "Francine," from their second album Rio Grande Mud, became their first to break the Billboard Hot 100. "Tush," from their fourth album Fandango, went to no. 20 on the chart. For many years, it remained their highest charting single.

ZZ Top would reach the peak of their career years after the classic line-up of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard came together. Their album Eliminator went to no. 9 on the Billboard album chart in 1984. The album also produced the hit singles "Gimme All Your Lovin,," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Legs." Their albums continued to perform well throughout the remainder of the Eighties. In all, they released 15 studio albums and four live albums. Their last album was Goin' 50 in 2019. 

ZZ Top is unusual among rock bands in having a very stable lineup for most of its history. The lineup of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard remained in place for over 50 years. n 2010 Dusty Hill summed up the band's stability to Classic Rock by simply saying, "“It’s a cliché and sounds so simplistic, but it’s down to the three of us genuinely enjoying playing together."

There can be no doubt that much of ZZ Top's success was due to Frank Beard. He had perfect timing and his style tended to minimalist, focusing on the song he was playing at the time rather than percussive pyrotechnics. As a result, his drumming complimented Billy Gibbon's guitar and Dusty Hill's bass perfectly. 

The Monkees Is Now on Tubi

Long-time readers of this blog know that The Monkees is my favourite sitcom of all time and The Monkees are one of my favourite bands of all time. I am then very happy to report that for the first time ever The Monkees is on streaming. As of August 15, 2026, the entire run of The Monkees is now on Tubi. The Monkees is also available on the over-the-top streaming service Philo and currently airs on the digital broadcast network Catchy Comedy every Saturday morning.

The Monkees debuted on NBC on September 12, 1966 and aired for two seasons. In September 1969, CBS added reruns of The Monkees to its Saturday morning lineup. It remained there until September 1973, when it moved to ABC's Saturday morning lineup. The show finally went into local syndication in the fall of 1975. In 1986, MTV held a marathon of Monkees episodes. The marathon received such a huge response that MTV began regularly airing The Monkees. This saw an upsurge in local stations picking the series up, as well the show joining the Nick At Nite lineup. Since then it has aired on IFC, MeTV, FeTV, and AXS TV. Rhino Home Entertainment released The Monkees on DVD in May 2001 and the first and second seasons as box sets in November 2003. It was released on Blu-ray in July 2016.

Even though I have owned The Monkees on DVD for years, I am still happy to see it added to Tubi and Philo. Each new exposure of The Monkees has created a new generation of fans, from when it aired on Saturday mornings to when it first entered syndication to when it aired on MTV and so on. I suspect that in streaming on Tubi it will create yet another generation of fans. This is good news for me as a life-long Monkees fan, as successive generations of fans mean that the show will continue to air on television, to stream on various service, and continue to remain in print on DVD and Blu-ray.

"Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top

I don't feel up to a full post today, but I will be writing a eulogy for ZZ Top's drummer Frank Beard, who died on August 17, 2026. With that in mind, I will leave you with what might be ZZ Top's most successful single, "Sharp Dressed Man."

The Culture Clash Sitcom That Never Was

Among the many things for which the legendary comedy troupe Culture Clash (Richard Montoya, Ric Salinas, and Herbert Sigüenza) remained remembered is their 1993 sketch comedy television show that aired on Fox stations. It remains historic as one of the earliest shows to showcase Chicano talent. What isn't as well remembered is that Culture Clash almost had a show before the classic sketch comedy show Culture Clash, only it would have been a sitcom.

It was in 1991 that Cheech Marin saw Culture Clash's stage show A Bowl of Beings at the Los Angeles Theatre Center. He then signed a deal with Culture Clash for them to star in their own sitcom, which would be financed by 20th Television (then the syndication and distribution unit of 20th Century Fox Television). A pilot was ordered by the Fox Television Network. The pilot as based on characters that Culture Clash had created on stage, but was written by other people. 

Fox decided against placing the sitcom on their fall schedule, but went ahead and ordered six more scripts. Like the pilot, these were also written by people other than Culture Clash. These scripts were workshopped at a local theatre before Fox ultimately cancelled the project entirely. As it was, it may have been for the best. At the time, Ric Salinas said that Fox was "definitely smart to kill it." The scripts were apparently consisted of banal material and Latino stereotypes.

Fortunately, Culture Clash would find their way to television. While an initial script for a sketch comedy show was turned down by Fox, it was after executives from Fox Television Stations Productions, which produces shows for Fox owned and operated stations, saw one of Culture Clash's performances in June 1992 that they approached Culture Clash about a sketch comedy show. Fortunately, unlike the sitcom, Culture Clash would have the final say as to the sketch comedy show.

While some might regret that the Culture Clash sitcom never came to be given the paucity of Chicano sitcoms on American television, it must be pointed that if it had gone forward we might not have the classic sketch comedy show. Given the sheer brilliance of the TV show Culture Clash, that would indeed be regrettable. Sadly, the TV show Culture Clash remains unavailable on DVD or on streaming to this day.

Tedde Moore Passes On

Tedde Moore, who played teacher Miss Shields in A Christmas Story (1983), died on August 5, 2026, at the age of 79. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2009.

Tedde Moore was born on April 11, 1947, in Toronto. Her father was actor Mavor Moore. Her mother was Darwina Faessler Moore. She attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and graduated in 1967. Not long after graduating she went back to Canada and appeared opposite Christopher Walken in the Stratford Festival production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Tedde Moore made her television debut in a an episode of General Motors Presents in 1961. She made her film debut in 1971 in Rip-Off. During the Seventies, she appeared in the movies Second Wind (1976) and Murder by Decree (1979). She guest starred on the TV shows Dr. Simon Locke, Sidestreet, The Littlest Hobo, and For the Record.

In the Eighties, she appeared in the movies The Amateur (1981), A Christmas Story (1983), Overnight (1986), and Rolling Vengeance (1987). She guest starred on the shows T&T and Friday the 13th: The Series. In the Nineties, she reprised her role as Miss Shields in It Runs in the Family (1992--also known as A Summer Story). She guest starred on the movies E.N.G., Road to Avonlea, and Psi Factor: Chronicles of the Paranormal.

In the Naughts, Tedde Moore was a voice on the animated TV series Rollie Pollie Ollie. She guest starred on the shows Odyssey 5 and This is Wonderland. She appeared in the movie Focus (2001). In the Teens, she appeared in the movies Down the Road Again (2011), The Anniversary (2014), and High-Rise Rescue (2017). On television, she appeared in the mini-series The Kennedys. She appeared in the TV movies Mistletoe Over Manhattan and Magical Christmas Ornaments.

I have to confess that I am not familiar with Tedde Moore's career. Like many I know her best as Miss Shields from A Christmas Story and to a lesser degree It Runs in the Family. She was marvelous in the role and probably reminded many of teachers they had in school. I also remember her from the mini-series The Kennedys, on which she played the nanny Mrs. Shaw. It was not a big role, but she played it quite well. Regardless, many will remember Tedde Moore warmly for her talent.

Godspeed Reggie Bannister

Reggie Bannister, best known for playing Reggie in the Phantasm movies, died on August 9, 2026, at the age of 80. In 2016, he had been diagnosed with both Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's disease.

Reggie Bannister was born on September 29, 1945 in Long Beach, California. He was only three years old when he sang "If I Knew You Were Coming, I'd Have Baked a Cake" on the Los Angeles area program The Walkin’ Talkin’ Charlie Aldridge Show. He became a folk singer in the Sixties, performing with The Young Americans before joining The Greenwood County Singers. They appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show, Hullabaloo, and other shows, In 1965, he ws drafted into the United States Army. He served as a radio operator and suffered some hearing loss due to exposure to .30- and .50-caliber weapons. He returned to music after his service ended, and would ultimately release six albums.

Reggie Bannister made his film debut in Jim, the World's Greatest in 1975. It as the first film produced, written, and directed by Don Coscarelli, who go onto direct Phantasm (1979). The two would become frequent collaborators, with Reggie Bannister not only appearing in the Phantasm movies, but Don Coscarelli's other movies as well. In the late Seventies, these included Kenny and Company (1976) and Phantasm (1979).

In the Eighties, Reggie Bannister appeared in Phantasm II (1988) and Survival Quest (1989). On television, he appeared on L.A. Law. In the Nineties, he appeared in Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994), That Little Monster (1994), The Demolitionist (1995), Wishmaster (1997), Drop Off (1997), Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998), and Up Against Amanda (2000).

In the Naughts, he appeared in Bubba Ho-Tep (2002), Wolfsbayne (2005), Song of the Dead (2005), Journeyman (2005), Cemetery Gates (2006), Fallen Angels (2006), Interstate (2007), The Final Curtin (2007), The Rage (2007), Sigma Die! (2007), Necronaut (2007), Text (2008), It Came from Trafalgar (2009), Psychic Experiment (2009), Small Town Saturday Night (2010), The Quiet Ones (2010), Satan Hates You (2010), Sawblade (2010), and Not Another B Movie (2010). He provided a voice in an episode of the animated series Transformers Prime.

In the Teens, he guest starred on the show Zombie Family. He appeared in the movies Abolition (2011), Primitive (2011), Red and Blue Marbles (2011), The Ghastly Love of Johnny X (2012), Bloody Bloody Bible Camp (2012), Disaster Wars: Earthquake vs. Tsunami (2013), Doctor Spine (2015), Phantasm: Ravager (2016), The Obsidian Curse (2016), Bonejangles (2017), and Killer Waves 2 (2020).

Chances are good that Reggie Bannister will always be remembered as Reggie in the Phantasm movies. Indeed, Don Coscarelli based on the character on his friendship with Reggie Bannister. The gun-toting ice cream an would prove to be influential as an ordinary man turned action hero. Reggie pre-dated Bruce Campbell's character Ash form the Evil Dead movies by a couple of years. Arguably, he was the first everyman monster fighter in the history of horror movies. Along with Angus Scrimm as the Tall Man, he was the only actor to appear in every Phantasm move (A. Michael Baldwin was replaced as Mike Pearson by James LeGros in Phantasm II and then resumed the role with the third movie).

Of course, Reggie Bannister played other roles beyond Reggie in the Phantasm movies. One of his best roles was also one of his earliest, the somewhat eccentric teacher Mr. Donovan in Kenny & Company. In Buba Ho-Tep, he played the strict rest home administrator who runs afoul of Elvis (Bruce Campbell). In the short 'One for the Road," adapted from the Stephen King story of the same name, he played Herb Tooklander, who finds himself in 'Salems's Lot. Reggie Bannister was a talented actor and very much a horror icon.

Now on TikTok

I finally broke down and created a TikTok account. My brother has been on TikTok for ages and I also have several friends on it. It then made sense for me to get my own account.

So far I have enjoyed TikTok. I was under the impression that one could only post videos to it, but one can post photos as well. Also, unlike Instagram, TikTok allows for a variety of aspect ratios where videos are concerned. That's good, because I prefer the movie aspect ratio of 1.85:1 or the classic television aspect ratio of 4:3 to the phone ratio of 16:9 that Instagram seems to love.

Anyway, if you want to find me on TikTok, just search for Terence Towles Canote.

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982)

Gregorio Cortez is a folk hero among Mexican Americans along the Rio Grande border in Texas. In 1901, he was questioned by Sheriff W. T. (Brack) Morris regarding a reported horse theft.  When asked by Sheriff Morris's interpreter Boone Choate if he had traded a horse, Gregorio Cortez  truthfully told him, "No." Mr. Cortez had traded a mare (in Spanish, yegua), which in Spanish is distinct from a male horse or stallion (in Spanish, caballo). Boone Choate misunderstood this, and as a result Sheriff Morris decided to arrest Gregorio Cortez and drew his gun. He shot Gregorio Cortez's brother Romaldo, after which Gregorio Cortez shot Sheriff Morris in self-defence. Gergorio Cortez then took his brother to Kenedy, Texas to seek medical treatment, after which he fled. He was then pursued by the Texas Rangers and other law enforcement in what was the biggest manhunt in U.S. history up to that time. He was captured on June 22, 1901, and tried for murder. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison for second degree murder. This verdict was overturned and he was ultimately tried five more times, with the final trial resulting in life in prison for the alleged murder of Sheriff Robert M. Glover while he was on the run. In 1913,  Governor Oscar Colquitt issued him a conditional pardon.

Even as Gregorio Cortez was on the run, he was becoming something of a legend. He would become a folklore hero among Mexican Americans, admired for his ability to elude the Texas Rangers. The famous ballad "El Corrido de Gregorio Cortez" dates back even as Gregorio Cortez was on the run and transformed Gregorio Cortez into a legend. A study of the evolution of Gregorio Cortez into a folklore hero, With a Pistol in His Hand by Américo Paredes, was published in 1958. The book would serve as the inspiration for the movie The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982).

The origins of The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) go back to producer  Moctesuma Esparza, who had been active in the Chicano civil rights movement as a teenager in Los Angeles. After receiving his Master of Fine Arts degree at UCLA, he decided to devote himself to making movies that would combat the Latin stereotypes common on film for much of its history. He then brought his idea of producing Mexican American films based on books such as With a Pistol in His Hand to the National Council of La Raza. They helped him raise $1.3 million from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broad­casting. Part of this went to buying the film rights to With a Pistol in His Hand. 

To write the screenplay, Moctesuma Esparza hired Victor Villaseñor, who had written such novels as Macho! and Jury. To play Gregorio Cortez, he hired Edward James Olmos, who had appeared on stage in Zoot Suit (as well as the movie version) and the movie Wolfen (1981). It was Edward James Olmos who suggested Robert M. Young as the director. He had directed such movies as Nothing But a Man (1964) and The Plot Against Harry (1971),  and had directed Alambrista! (1977) in which Edward James Olmos had a bit part. He had also made public affairs programs for the TV program NBC White Paper. 

Ultimately, Moctezuma Esparza had to go to work on another project, so that Robert M. Young and Edward James Olmos would be responsible for much of the production of The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez. For the film's cinematographer, Mexican American Reynaldo Villalobos was hired. He had shot both Urban Cowboy (1980) and 9 to 5 (1980). He would work with Edward James Olmos again on American Me (1992). 

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) was screened at a San Antonio cinema before it aired as the final episode of the first season of the PBS series American Playhouse on June 29, 1982. The film received largely positive reviews. At the 1983 Sundance Film Festival it won a Special Jury Award. It was added to the National Film Registry in 2022.

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez does depart from history in that in the movie Gregorio Cortez does not speak English. However, according to records, Gregorio Cortez did speak English, although his command of the language may have been limited. 

One thing that is historically accurate about The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) is the racism against Mexican Americans that existed in the early part of the 20th Century in Texas. Indeed, the movie challenges the idea of the Texas Rangers as heroic figures devoted to bringing in bad men. Despite their reputation in books, on film, and on television, the Texas Rangers have a history of violence against Mexican Americans. Indeed, it was in 1918 that the Texas Rangers, with local rangers and the U.S. Cavalry, killed 15 unarmed Mexican American boys and men outside Porvenir, Texas, despite having no proof that the villagers of Porvenir were involved in any wrongdoing. 

Although often described as a Western, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) is perhaps best described as a period piece. It is true that it features many elements of the Western, such as horses, sixguns, and trains, but it is also set in 1901. Both automobiles and cars appear. Even if one considers it a Western, it is very different from any Western before it. Gregorio Cortez is not only portrayed sympathetically, but is the protagonist of the film. It is the Anglo lawmen pursuing him who come off as villains. Furthermore, Gregorio Cortez is clearly not a traditional Western hero. Beyond being Mexican American, he is extremely gentle with horses, even petting them, hugging them, and talking to them. In the movie, horses not merely transportation to Gregorio Cortez, but living beings to be treated with dignity and sympathy. Furthermore, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) does not climax with a gunfight, but with a criminal trial. 

In many ways, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) was a pioneering film. Released before such classics as Stand and Deliver (1988) and Mi Vida Loca (1994), The Ballad o Gregorio Cortez pre-dates the films devoted to Chicanos in the late Eighties into the Nineties. It was also one of the earliest independent movies released during the indie boom of the 1980s, pre-dating the Coen Brothers' Blood Simple (1994), Robert Rodriguez's El Mariachi (1993), and Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It (1996). Whether regarded as a Western or not, it turns the Western genre's conventions upon its head, with a heroic Mexican American on the run and villainous Anglo lawmen. Early in the 1980s indie boom and released before the Chicano movie boom of the late Eighties and Nineties, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) is in many ways a remarkable movie. 

The Late Great Abbe Lane

Abbe Lane, the singer and actress who performed with her husband Xavier Cugat and appeared in both movies and on television, died on April 25, 2026 at the age of 93.

Abbe Lane was born Abigail Francine Lassman on December 14, 1932, in Brooklyn. She was raised in Manhattan. Her show business career began when she was only four years old, and a child she appeared on both radio and in the 1938 Vitaphone short "Toyland Casino." She also did some modelling. She attended the High School of Music and Art. In 1947, billed as Abbe Marshal, she appeared on Broadway in Barefoot Boy with Cheek. The following year she appeared on Broadway in As the Girls Do, still billed as Abbe Marshall. In 1949, she was signed as a vocalist on bandleader Vincent Lopez's television show.

Xavier Cugat was looking for a new vocalist when he saw Abbe Lane performing on stage. The following day he was a guest on Vincent Lopez's show, where he met Abbe Lane in person. He then hired her as his new vocalist. Abbe Lane's mother accompanied her for a year as she toured with Xavier Cugat. Abbe Lane and Xavier Cugat married in 1952. The two recorded four albums together, and Abbe Lane appeared on Xavier Cugat's 1957 television show.. The two divorced in 1964. 

While Xavier Cugat once told her words to the effect that she would not be a success without him, Abbe Lane proved to have even more success on her own. She recorded albums with Tito Puente and Sid Ramin, as well as her own solo albums. She proved to be a popular act at nightclubs around the country and toured both the United States and Europe. She proved popular on television the 1950s, and appeared on such variety shows and talk shows as House Party, The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Steve Allen Show, The Tonight Show, The Red Skelton Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Dean Martin Show, Laugh-In, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Mike Douglas Show. She also appeared on game shows such as Password, The Match Game, To Tell the Truth, What's My Line?, and Hollywood Squares.

In addition, Abbe Lane also acted in both films and on television.She made her movie debut in 1949 in the Italian film Al diavolo la celebrità. In the Fifties, she appeared in the films Wings of the Hawk (1953), Ride Clear of Diablo (1954), The Americano (1955), Chicago Syndicate (1955), Lo scapolo (1955), Quando tramonta il sole (1956), Donatella (1956), Tempo di villeggiatura (1956), Parola di ladro (1957), Susana y yo (1957), Totò, Vittorio e la dottoressa (1957), A sud niente di nuovo (1957), Maracaibo (1958), Totò, Eva e il pennello proibito (1959), Mariniai, donna e guai (1959), Roulotte e roulette (1959), I baccanali di Tiberio (1960), and My Friend, Dr. Jekyll (1960). She appeared on Broadway in Oh, Captain! in 1958.

In the Sixties, Abbe Lane continued to appear in films in Europe. During the decade, she appeared in Giulio Cesare contro i pirati (1962), Das Feuerschiff (1963), and Risate all'italiana (1964). She also made guest appearances on television on the shows Naked City, Burke's Law, F Troop, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., The Flying Nun, and The Brady Bunch. She was a voice in the animated television special Cricket on the Hearth. In the Seventies, she guest starred on Love, American Style and Vega$. In the Eighties, she guest starred on Hart to Hart and Amazing Stories. She appeared in the film Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983). 

It's no longer on YouTube, but on the video service there was a clip from The Dean Martin Show in which Dean Martin performed "Real Live Girl" with Abbe Lane and Sid Caesar. Ever since I first saw it, I can't help but think of the song when I think of Abbe Lane, as it certainly fit her. Abbe Lane was gorgeous, talented, intelligent, and blessed with a beautiful voice. She could speak four different languages fluently (English, French, Italian, and Spanish). She could sing. She could dance. She could act. She had a gift for comedy. 

Performers are sometimes described as triple threats. Abbe Lane was even more than that. While I was very young, I do have fond memories of Abbe Lane's appearances on variety shows and talk shows. She was a great singer and all-around performer.. In interviews, she displayed a great sense of humour and an enormous amount of wit. I better remember her guest appearances on scripted television shows, which I have seen in reruns. In the F-Troop episode "Spy, Counterspy, Counter Counterspy," she played Lorelai Duval, a glamorous spy show charms the men of Fort Courage, particularly Captain Parameter (Ken Berry). On Naked City, she played model Estelle Reeves, who is having an affair with Maxwell Ronan (Keenan Wynn), who masterminds a fur heist. On The Brady Bunch, Abbe Lane played a snobbish, picky perfume heiress. Throughout her career a lot of attention was paid to Abbe Lane's looks, and there can be no doubt she was gorgeous, but she was also a gifted singer, a skilled dancer, a brilliant comedian, and a talented actress. She was a consummate performer. 

"Here, There and Everywhere" by The Beatles

Yesterday marked the 60th anniversary of the release of The Beatles' album Revolver. It is my favourite Beatles album and I consider it the greatest album ever made. It is also one of two Beatles albums on which my favourite song is by George Harrison. In the case of Revolver, it is "Taxman." Today I will share with you another song "Here, There and Everywhere." It is my favourite song by Paul McCartney and he also considers it his favourite song. The Beach Boys' song "God Only Knows" served as inspiration for "Here, There and Everywhere." Jane Asher, whom Paul was dating at the time, is also assumed to have been a source of inspiration for the song. 

The video below was made in 2022 by Trunk Animation and portrays The Beatles on tour during the Revolver era. Trunk Animation has also created other videos for The Beatles, including "Back in the U.S.S.R." in 2018, "Glass Onion" in 2018, and "Here Comes the Sun" in 2019.

Godspeed Scott Hylands

Scott Hylands, who starred on the show Night Heat and appeared in the movie Daddy's Gone A-Hunting (1969), died on July 29, 2026, at the age of 83. In October 2021, he had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.

Scott Hyalnds was born Scott Hyalnds Douglas in Lethbridge, Alberta on February 27, 1943. His father was killed in action during World War II. His mother was a public health nurse and later a maths teacher. He grew up in British Columbia and attended Shawnigan Lake Boys School on Vancouver Island. He graduated from the University of British Columbia in 1964.

Following college, Scott Hylands moved to New York. He appeared in an off-Broadway production of Billy Liar in 1965. That same year he was an understudy on Broadway in And Things That Go Bump in the Night. He spent several years in San Francisco with the American Conservatory Theatre, In 1969, he made his film debut in Daddy's Gone A-Hunting, playing the antagonist in the film. He also appeared in the movies Operation Snafu (1970) and Fools (1970).

In 1971, Scott Hylands made his television debut in the unsold pilot Earth II. During the Seventies, he guest starred on the shows The Sixth Sense; The Streets of San Francisco; Owen Marshall, Counsellor at Law; Gfiff; Kung Fu; Ironside; The Magician; Harry O; Medical Story; Police Woman; Joe Forrester; Cannon; Medical Center; Barreta; The Quest; Wonder Woman; Police Story; Baa Baa Black Sheep; For the Record; Project U.F.O.; Insight; and When the Whistle Blows. He appeared in the mini-series The Lives of Benjamin Franklin and Centennial. He appeared in the movies Slipstream (1973), The Visitor (1973), Earthquake (1973), Bittersweet Love (1976), The Boys in Company C (1978), and Coming Out Alive (1980).

It was in 1985 that Scott Hylands began a four season run as Detective Kevin "O.B." O'Brien on the TV series Night Heat. Night Heat was the first Canadian drama to air simultaneously on Canadian and American television. It was also the first original, first run television show to air in a late-night time slot on American television. It aired on CTV in Canada and on CBS Late Night in the United States. During the Eighties, Scott Hylands also guest starred on the shows The Waltons; Today's F.B.I.; Hart to Hart; Cassie & Co.; The Powers of Matthew Star; The Yellow Rose; Airwolf; Blue Thunder; and Street Legal. He appeared in the mini-series Tales of the Klondike and George Washington. He appeared in the movies Death Hunt (1981), Isaac Littlefeathers (1984), and The Oasis (1984). He appeared on Broadway in The Queen and the Rebels.

In the Nineties, Scott Hylands guest starred on the shows Counterstrike; Palace Guard; Beyond Reality; Neon Rider; Top Cops; Street Justice; Sweating Bullets; Scales of Justice; Matrix; Kung Fu: The Legend Continues; Secret Service; Cobra; NYPD Blue; Lonesome Dove: The Series; The X-Files; F/X: The Series; Due South; The Outer Limits; Stargate SG-1; and Cold Squad. He appeared in the mini-series To Catch a Killer and Titanic. He appeared in the movie Decoy (1995).

In the Naughts, Scott Hyland had recurring roles on the shows Falcon Beach and V. He guest starred on the shows The Outer Limits; MythQuest; Mutant X; The Twilight Zone; The Dead Zone; Eureka; Whistler; The Guard; and Shatter. He appeared in the movies Ignition (2001), Pursued (2004), The Hamster Cage (2005), Freezer Burn: The Invasion of Laxdale (2008), and Beyond the Black Rainbow (2010).

In the Teens, Scott Hylands guest starred on the shows Supernatural; Artic Air; Guidestones; The Returned; Once Upon a Time; Heartland; and Wynonna Earp. He appeared in the movies Knockout (2011), Becoming Redwood (2012), Rememory (2017), and Elsewhere (2017).

There is little wonder that Scott Hylands was as prolific as he was. With his talent, he was very much in demand. In his movie debut, he gave a chilling performance as the psychopath Kenneth Daly in Daddy's Gone A-Hunting. Years later he played level-headed, experience police detective Kevin O'Brien. Over the years he played everything from villains to heroes and everything in between. He played John Jacob Astor Iv in the mini-series Titanic. In the mini-series Centennial, he played Mike Lasater, a drover on a cattle drive. In his final appearance, on the show Wynonna Earp, he played Wyatt Earp. During his career, Scott Hyland played everything from police officers to criminals, to military officers and yet other roles. What is more, he always gave a good performance.

The Decline of the Variety Show on American Television

Sonny & Cher

It was on this date that The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour debuted on CBS. In many ways, along with The Flip Wilson Show, it was a last hurrah for variety shows. The format had been popular on American television from their inception in the late 1940s and throughout the 1950s and 1960s, but while the 1970s the majority of variety shows saw only moderate success. Some only lasted a few months or a few weeks.

Variety shows were an old form entertainment even as they made their way to television in the late Forties. They had their origins in the music halls of United Kingdom and vaudeville in the United States during the Victorian Era. Both the music halls of the United Kingdom and vaudeville in the United States often featured a variety of acts on one evening's bill. For instance, a singer might be followed by a magician who might be followed by acrobats and who in turn might be followed by a comedian. The British music halls faded after 1918, while American vaudeville largely vanished from view after 1930.

Of course, the variety format was hardly dead, as it found its way to radio. Many of the early variety shows on radio were hosted by individuals who had honed their craft on the vaudeville circuit. Jack Benny, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Fanny Brice, Edgard Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, and yet others had all started on vaudeville. Of course, radio would eventually produce its own variety show stars who had little or no connection to vaudeville, including Goodman Ace and Arthur Godfrey, among others.

Given their popularity on television, it was inevitable that variety shows would find their way to television. The first regularly scheduled variety show, Hour Glass, debuted on May 9, 1946 on NBC.Hour Glass would not last long, but it paved the way for more successful variety shows. Toast of the Town, hosted by newspaper columnist Ed Sullivan debuted on June 20, 1948 and ran until 1971. It was renamed The Ed Sullivan Show, by which it was informally known, in 1955. The Ed Sullivan Show was a variety show in the truest sense. For example, its most famous episode, aired on February 9, 1964, not only introduced the United States to The Beatles, but featured such diverse acts as the cast of Oliver, comedian and impressionist Frank Gorshin, singer Tessie O'Shea, the comedy team of McCall and Brill, and the acrobats Welly and the Four Fays. Toast of the Town was not the only successful variety show to emerge in the late Forties. Texaco Star Theatre, hosted by Milton Berle, Arthur Godfrey and His Friends The Arthur Murray Party, The Jackie Gleason Show, The Garry Moore Show, and others emerged in the late 1940s and saw a good deal of success.

The variety show would continue to see a good deal of success in the 1950s, with many of the shows that debuted in the late 1940s continuing through the decade. The 1950s also saw the debut of such successful variety shows as The Red Skelton Show, The Dinah Shore Show, The George Gobel Show, and others. An argument can be made the 1960s may have been the height of the variety show on television in the United States. The decade saw the debut of such hits as a new version of The Jackie Gleason Show, a new primetime version of The Garry Moore Show, The Andy Williams Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Dean Martin Show, The Carol Burnett Show,  The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Hee-Haw, and The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.  From the Fifties into the Sixties, variety shows did evolve. More and more as time passed, variety shows began to only feature music and comedy sketches, doing away with such variety acts as acrobats and magicians.

At the start of the Seventies, it must not have seem possible that there would be a time when variety shows weren't airing on American television. While The Ed Sullivan Show and The Red Skelton Show were cancelled due to the Rural Purge (Red Skelton would move to NBC for one last season), there were still plenty of other variety shows on the air, including The Carol Burnett Show and The Dean Martin Show. For many, the success of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour may have signalled that the variety show was here to stay. As it turned out, it was not the case.

While The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour would be a hit, there would be fewer hit variety shows on American television than in previous decades. The Flip Wilson Show and The Muppet Show, proved to be hits, whle Donny & Marie, and Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters saw some success. The Mac Davis Show and Tony Orlando & Dawn both lasted about two seasons. Regardless, there were many more shows that lasted only a season. Some didn't even last that. Even having a big name host might not save a variety show from low ratings in the Seventies. Helen Reddy had topped the charts in the early to mid-Seventies, but The Helen Reddy Show only lasted eight episodes. Van Dyke and Company, starring the legendary Dick Van Dyke, only lasted for three months. Others had even briefer runs. The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour only lasted for five episodes. 

By the early 1980s, the writing was on the wall for variety shows. During the 1981-1982 season, only two variety shows aired. The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour only lasted for five episodes. Barbara Mandell and the Mandrell Sisters was still on the air and lasted the entire season, but it ended its run because of strain on Barbara Mandrell's vocal cords. The 1982-1983 season saw no variety shows on American network television, the first such season since 1948. While variety shows have aired on the American networks since, none have seen any real success.

It is difficult to say why variety shows fell out of vogue, but it seems likely that there were multiple reasons. Among the biggest reasons may have been changing music tastes in the American public. e sort of traditional American pop, sung by artists from Bing Crosby to Andy Williams, began to decline in popularity with the rise of rock 'n' roll in the Fifties. American music would diversify even more as the Sixties became the Seventies. Quite simply, it became increasingly difficult to find a musical performer who would appeal to a wide swathe of the American public the same way that erry Como, Bing Crosby, or Andy Williams had. As to rock and R&B  performers, they might make appearances on variety shows, but the vast majority apparently showed no interest in hosting one. The 1976 summer replacement series The Jacksons was an exception.

Another reason for the fall of the variety show may have been that American television itself began to diversify. It is perhaps no coincidence that the decline of the variety show took place at roughly the same time as the rise of cable television. From the beginning of network broadcasts in the mid to late Forties into the Eighties, many hen many communities in the United States had access to as few as two to three TV channels.  The Seventies and Eighties saw enormous growth for cable television and hence cable channels. Many households went from having access to only a few channels to many channels. This meant the networks had more competition than they ever had before. Through the Eighties, Nineties, and Naughts, the broadcast networks would gradually lose their audience to the numerous cable channels that had emerged. It's possible one of the victims of this phenomenon is that variety shows lost what remaining audience they had.

Yet another possible reason for the decline of variety shows could be considered entirely subjective. Quite simply, many of them were just plain bad. Pink Lady and Jeff is often counted among the worst shows of all time, but it was not alone receiving terrible reviews where variety shows are concerned. The Brady Bunch Variety Hour wasn't nearly as bas as Pink Lady and Jeff, but it didn't receive very good reviews either. The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour, hosted by two life-size puppets, received absolutely wretched reviews. While Jim Stafford had a string of novelty hits in the early to mid-Seventies, The Jim Stafford Show was largely panned. By the time many of these shows aired, the variety show was already going down. It seems possible that they may have actually hastened its demise.

The variety show would have an impact on sketch comedy shows, such as Saturday Night Live, In Living Color, and Culture Clash, as well as late night talk shows, but the format is pretty much extinct on American television. That is a shame, as the variety shows of old gave audiences, well, variety. One could tune into The Ed Sullivan Show and see musicians, comedians, and even acrobats and magicians. Unlike episodic and serial television shows, one could come into the middle of a variety show without worry of having missed something. Variety shows are now  a thing of the past, and it is sad that they became so.

TCM: Films on Film

Longtime Turner Classic Movies viewers may recall that the channel showed documentaries on weekends under the title Films on Film. On September 4, 2026, Films on Film is returning to TCM, although with a slightly different format.  Films on Film will feature a documentary followed by movies dealing with the subject of the documentary. It will be hosted by Ben Mankiewicz and airs at 8:00 PM Eastern/7:00 PM Central on Fridays. 

Films on Film debuts on September 4 with the documentary Charles Grodin: Rebel with a Cause (2025), followed by several of his movies. The following weeks will see documentaries on composer Ennio Morricone, Latino Heritage Month, Anti-Nazi Comedies, Lon Chaney, director John Boorman, Alfred Hitchcock's Blondes, Expressionism in Hollywood, and Vincent Price. You can find a full schedule through October 30, 2026 at the TCM website.

The 60th Anniversary of the Movie Batman (1966)

It was sixty years ago today that the feature film Batman (1966), based on the TV show of the same name and starring Adam West and Burt Ward, premiered at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas. At the time, it was not unusual for television shows to be adapted as movies with most of their original cast intact. Dragnet, The Lineup, Our Miss Brooks, and The Munsters had all seen big screen adaptations. What separated Batman from these movies was that it was the smash hit of the 1965-1966 season. It would have perhaps been more surprising if Batman had not made it to the big screen.

The origins of the movie Batman ;(1966)go back to before the television series debuted. Originally, producer William Dozier wanted to make a feature film to promote the television show. In the end, the movie would be put on hold. Foremost among the reasons for this is that 20th Century Fox would have to shoulder the entire burden for the budget of the feature film, while ABC would help with the costs of the television show. 20th Century Fox wanted to know for certain that they had a hit on their hands before they even considered a Batman movie.

Yet another reason may have been the fact that ABC moved up the debut of the TV series Batman. It was originally set to debut in the fall of 1966. This changed when it became obvious that the start of the fall 1965 season was catastrophic as far as the ratings were concerned. . In the 1964/1965 season ABC closely followed CBS and NBC in the ratings. In the early months of the 1965/1966 season, ABC was a distant third. ABC then did a drastic revamp of their schedule at mid-season, promoting it as "the Second Season." To do this, ABC needed shows. This meant that Batman would have to debut a whole nine months earlier, in either late December or early January. It simply would not have been possible to produce and release a movie in that time.

Batman proved not only to be a smash hit, but an outright fad during the winter and spring of 1966. Batman merchandise filled store shelves across the nation. It probably surprised no one when 20th Century Fox decided to go forward with a Batman movie. Of course, much of the reason 20th Century Fox decided to go forward with the movie was to promote the series overseas. s. While already airing in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, Batman had yet to air in Europe, Japan, or Asia, places where people might not be familiar with the original characters from the comic books. 20th Century Fox then saw the film as a tool with which they could introduce the characters to foreign markets.

The movie Batman (1966) saw four of Batman's archenemies united in a plot involving the kidnapping of dehydrated members of the United World's Security Council. sar Romero, Burgess Meredith, and Frank Gorshin reprised their roles as The Joker, The Penguin, and The Riddler respectively. Julie Newmar had other commitments that prevented her from doing the movie, so Lee Meriwether took over the role of Catwoman.

Like the TV series, the movie Batman featured big name actors beyond the villains. In fact, it would be Reginald Denny's last film. He played Commodore Schmidlapp. Milton Fromme appeared as Vice Admiral Fangschliester. The voice of the President of the United States went uncredited, although it was provided by another big name. Van Williams, set to appear as the Green Hornet in the fall, provided the voice.

The Batman movie was made for a budget of $1, 377, 800, much larger than that of the TV series. Because of the shooting schedule of the show, it had to be filmed in between the end of shooting for the first season and the start of filming for the second season. It introduced the Batcycle, the Batboat, and the Batcopter. An often overlooked fact is that it was the first Batman feature film ever made. It also marked the feature film debut of The Joker, The Penguin, Catwoman, and The Riddler.

Contrary to popular belief, 20th Century Fox did a good deal of promotion for the film in the United States. The studio also took every precaution to insure that viewers knew this was not a compilation of episodes from the series (as was the case with The Man From U.N.C.L.E. movies), but an all original movie. Ads for the film boasted that it was "All New, Made Especially for the Giant Motion Picture Screen!" Unfortunately, the film opened to mixed reviews. And despite the promotion the movie received, it only did moderately well at the box office. For another film, this might be seen as a success, but this was a film based on the hit television series of 1966. That the Batman movie only did moderate business at the box office was perhaps a sign that Batmania was winding down.

The movie Batman (1966) aired on the very network that had cancelled the original series, ABC, on The ABC Sunday Night Movie on July 5, 1971. It aired again on The ABC Sunday Night Movie on September 5, 1971. The movie would enter syndication so that it would show up on local television stations throughout the Seventies and into the Eighties.

The Batman (1966) feature film would prove to have a lasting impact. The Bat Shark Repellent that appears in the movie has become something of a running joke ever since, Curiously, it was not invented for the movie, but first appeared in Batman no. 117 (August, 1958). It has since been referenced in the video game Batman: Arkham City, The Lego Batman Movie (2017), the animated series Harley Quinn, and the animated series Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Another memorable scene, in which Batman tries to get rid of a bomb with the line "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb," has become something of an internet meme.

In the end, while the movie Batman movie saw only modest success upon its release, it has become a lasting part of Batman's history and popular culture. Other movies based on TV shows from Dragnet (1954) to Munster, Go Home! (1966), may only be remembered by TV historians and fans, but the movie Batman (1966) remains popular to his day, even having aired on Turner Classic Movies and having been shown at the TCM Classic Film Festival.