Lookwell

Sadly, last week I eulogised Adam West, best known as Batman on the Sixties series of the same name and Mayor West on the animated series Family Guy. In the course of my eulogy I mentioned a pilot in which Mr. West starred in the Nineties entitled Lookwell. It is regarded as one of the best pilots never to have been picked up by a network. Indeed, over the years it has developed a cult following.

Lookwell was created by Conan O'Brien (who would later gain fame as a late night talk show host) and Robert Smigel (who would later be the voice behind Triumph the Insult Dog and would write the screenplays for Hotel Transylvania) It starred Adam West as Ty Lookwell, a has-been TV star who had been honourably deputised at the height of his fame and now believes that he can actually solve crimes.

Brandon Tartikoff, then chairman of NBC, was enthusiastic about Lookwell. Unfortunately, the leadership at NBC changed; even Brandon Tartikoff left in 1991. The new regime at the network was not enthusiastic about Lookwell. They aired the pilot in July 1991. It received absolutely miserable Nielsen ratings, coming in 92nd out of 92 shows aired during the week of July 22-28.  Lookwell would then remain an unsold pilot, albeit one that would come to be loved by many.

For those of you who have never seen Lookwell, it is available on YouTube. I have embedded it below. This particular version is from a rebroadcast on the now defunct cable channel Trio.

Summertime by The Zombies

I have to admit that I have always loved the song "Summertime" by George Gershwin. The song originated in his musical Porgy and Bess in 1935. Ira Gershwin was credited as co-writer on the song by ASCAP, although its lyrics were actually written by DuBose Heyward, who wrote the novel Porgy (upon which the musical was based).

While I do love the song, that's not to say that I don't have some problems with it. As many of you know, summer is my absolute least favourite time of year. To me the livin' is definitely not easy in summertime, at least not summertime where I live. It's hot. It's muggy. It's absolutely unbearable. Regardless, I still enjoy the song, even if I think it is more descriptive of spring or autumn (times when the livin' can truly be said to be easy).

Over the years several artists have recorded the song, including Billie Holiday (who was the first artist to have a hit with the song), Sam Cooke, and Al Martino. British band The Zombies recorded their own version of their song for their debut album, Begin Here (which was released in 1965). It also appears on the American version of Begin Here, which was retitled The Zombies. Although never released as a single, it would appear on various "Greatest Hits" albums, including Time of The Zombies and Zombie Heaven.

Without further ado, here is Gershwin's "Summertime" performed by The Zombies.

Glenne Headly R.I.P.

Actress Glenne Headly died on June 8 2017 at the age of 62. The cause was a pulmonary embolism.

Glenne Headly was born on March 13 1955 in New London, Connecticut. She spent most of her childhood with her mother in Greenwich Village in New York City. She had decided to become an actress by the time she was in second grade. She graduated from both the School of Performing Arts in Manhattan and the American College of Switzerland.  After various stage roles she joined the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago.

Glenne Headly made her film debut in the short "Bowery Dawn" in 1972. She made her feature film debut in 1981 in Four Friends. In the Eighties she appeared in such films as Doctor Detroit (1983), Fandango (1985), The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985), Making Mr. Right (1987), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988), and Dick Tracy (1990). On television she appeared in the mini-series Lonesome Dove. She made her Broadway debut in Arms and the Man in 1985.

In the Nineties she played Dr. Abby Keaton on ER during the 1996-1997 season. She was also a regular on the short-lived TV show Encore! Encore!. She guest starred on the shows Fraiser, Hotel Room and The X-Files. She appeared in the films Mortal Thoughts (1991), Ordinary Magic (1993), Mr. Holland's Opus (1995), Sgt. Bilko (1996), Breakfast of Champions (1999), and Timecode (2000).

In the Naughts Miss Headly had a recurring role on the TV show Monk. She guest starred on the shows The Fugitive (2001), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Grey's Anatomy, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. She was a guest voice on Rugrats. She appeared in such films as Bartleby (2001), Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen (2004), The Amateurs (2005), Comeback Season (2006), Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008), and The Joneses (2009).

In the Teens Glenne Headly guest starred on the show Psych, Parks and Recreation, and The League. She appeared in three episodes of The Night Of. She is set to appear in episodes of the Hulu series Future Man. She appeared on Broadway in Fish in the Dark. She appeared in the films Don Jon (2013), Dial a Prayer (2015), Merry Xmas (2015), Strange Weather (2016), and The Circle (2017).

Glenne Headly was certainly a talented actress. She could go from drama to comedy with ease (and on ER she often did). She had a gift for various accents, to the point that she could convincingly do a thick New York accent in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and then convincingly do an Arkansas accent in Lonesome Dove. Quite simply, Glenne Headly as a bit of a chameleon, able to play many different roles and play all of them well.

The Late Great Adam West

Over the years many actors have had a significant impact on my life, so many that I probably could not name all of them at once. Perhaps no actor had as large an impact on my life as Adam West did. He was not necessarily my favourite actor of all time (although he certainly numbered among them), but I cannot think of any other actor who had quite the same effect on my life. Quite simply, Batman was the first show of which I was ever a fan. It debuted when I was only three years old and, after a little over two years on the air, it aired in reruns across the nation throughout my childhood. As a fan of the TV show Batman I quite naturally started reading comic books as soon as I could read. In fact, I loved comic books so much I decided I wanted to write them. Eventually I would shift from wanting to write comic books to writing fiction and still later non-fiction. Ultimately, I think it is safe to say that it is because of Adam West as Batman that I became a writer. What is more, I know of other men my age who can tell the same story. Sadly, Adam West died yesterday at the age of 88 after a short battle with leukaemia.

Of course, Adam West was much more than just Batman. Fans of classic television will remember him from the many guest appearances he made on Warner Bros.' various shows in the late Fifties and early Sixties. He appeared on nearly all of them, from 77 Sunset Strip to Maverick. Older fans might remember him as Sgt. Steve Nelson on the TV show The Detectives. Younger fans might remember him as Mayor Adam West on the animated series Family Guy. While Mr. West will always be remembered best as the Caped Crusader, he actually did much more in his career.

Adam West was born William West Anderson on September 19 1928 in Walla Walla, Washington. His father was a wheat farmer, while his mother was a pianist and opera singer. He attended Walla Walla High School and then Lakeside School, a private school in Seattle. When he was a senior in high school he worked for a local radio station, where he handled everything from being a disc jockey to reading the news to Sunday morning religious shows. At the same time he appeared in plays at a local theatre. Mr.West attended Whitman College in Walla Walla, from which he graduated with a bachelor's degree in literature. He did postgraduate work in communications at Stanford University. While at Stanford University he worked at the university radio station.

In the early Fifties Adam West entered the United States Army and served in the Signal Corps. He helped set up TV stations at bases in San Luis Obispo, California, and Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, and he also served as an announcer on the Armed Forces Network. After his service in the Army, Adam West took a job at a radio station in Sacramento, California before moving to Hawaii. There he was the co-host of the children's TV show The El Kini Popo Show with a chimp named Peaches. Among the highlights of his time on the show was getting to interview actor William Holden.

After several years in Hawaii, Adam West moved to Hollywood. It was there that he chose the stage name "Adam West". He took the name "West" because it was a family name and he simply liked the sound of the name "Adam". Hollywood agent Lew Sherrell spotted Mr. West in a production of Picnic at a community theatre. He set up a screen test for Mr. West and as a result he was signed to a contract by Warner Bros.

Adam West made his network television debut in an episode of The Philco-Goodyear Television Playhouse in 1954 (curiously enough, it was titled "The Joker"). He made his film debut in an uncredited role in Voodoo Island in 1957. Signed to Warner Bros. in the late Fifties and early Sixties he appeared in several of their films and TV shows. He appeared in the film The Young Philadelphians (1959) alongside Robert Vaughn, who would eventually play Napoleon Solo on The Man From U.N.C.L.E. He appeared on several of Warner Bros.' television shows, including Lawman, Sugarfoot, Cheyenne, Bronco, Colt .45, 77 Sunset Strip, Maverick, Hawaiian Eye, and Bourbon Street Beat. He seemed to be Warner Bros.' choice for playing legendary gunfighter and dentist Doc Holliday, as he guest starred in the role on no less than three of their Westerns: Lawman, Sugarfoot, and Colt .45.

Adam West eventually left Warner Bros. after which he continued to make frequent guest appearances on such TV shows as Johnny Midnight, Overland Trail, Goodyear Theatre, and Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse. He began the Sixties with guest appearances on such shows as Tales of Wells Fargo, Bonanza, Michael Shayne, and The Rifleman. In 1961 he received his first regular role on a television series, playing Sgt. Steve Nelson on the final season of The Detectives. Following The Detectives Mr. West guest starred on several shows, including such shows as Perry Mason, The Real McCoys, Laramie, Gunsmoke, Petticoat Junction, The Outer Limits, Bewitched, and The Virginian. He starred in the legendary TV pilot Alexander the Great opposite William Shatner. He also appeared in feature films, including Geronimo (1962), Tammy and the Doctor (1963), Soldier in the Rain (1963), Robinson Crusoe on Mars (1964), The Outlaws Is Coming (1965), and I 4 inesorabili (1965).

In addition to making frequent guest appearances on TV shows and appearing in feature films in the early to mid-Sixties, Adam West also appeared in television commercials. In 1964 he appeared as a father of a little girl in a commercial for Kellogg's Sugar Frosted Flakes. More significant would be a commercial for Nestlé Quik in which he appeared in 1965. The commercial was a sly parody of James Bond with Adam West playing the dry-witted Captain Q. The advertisement attracted the attention of producer William Dozier, who was then in the process of putting together a TV show based on the long running comic book feature "Batman". After a screen test with newcomer Burt Ward as Robin, Adam West won the role of Bruce Wayne and his alter ego Batman.

Batman proved to be the smash hit of the 1965-1966 season.  Airing twice a week, the debut episode on Wednesday, January 12 1966, received a phenomenal  27.3/49 rating in the Nielsens. The Thursday night episode performed even better, getting a  29.6/59 rating. The show was still doing phenomenally well a month after its debut. For the week ending February 13 1965 it received a  28.5 rating. To give one an idea of just how large the audience for Batman was, today's top rated drama, NCIS, only managed a still respectable rating of 21.34 during its peak in the 2012-2014 season.

Batman not only proved to be one of the biggest television successes of the Sixties, but it also became an outright fad. There was so much Batman merchandise on store shelves that both Sears and Montgomery Ward had to dedicate multiple pages of their catalogues to Bat-paraphernalia. An exclusive soundtrack album for the TV show was released, and "The Batman Theme" by the Neal Hefti Orchestra was released as a single. The theme was also covered by such diverse acts as The Marketts, The Standells, and The Who. Adam West also appeared as Batman on other ABC shows. He appeared as Batman on The Milton Berle Show. Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin hosted ABC's preview special for their 1966-1967 season as well. A feature film was even spun off from the series. Batman was released on July 30 1966.

Unfortunately Batman would not maintain such impressively high ratings for long. When it returned for the 1966-1967 season its ratings were still respectable, but not nearly as high as they were. It lost its time slot to The Virginian on NBC. Worse yet, its ratings would continue to slide throughout the season. In attempt to save the show, the producers introduced a new character, Batgirl (played by Yvonne Craig), even shooting a presentation film for her. ABC renewed Batman on the strength of that presentation film, although it was cut back to once a week. Sadly, even Batgirl could not save Batman. ABC cancelled the show in the wake of still falling ratings. Its last original episode aired on March 14 1968.

Following the cancellation of Batman, Adam West found himself typecast.  He guest starred on The Big Valley in 1968. In 1969 he appeared in the film The Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969). Reportedly Mr. West was offered the role of James Bond in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), but turned it down because he thought Bond should be British.

The Seventies would not be a pleasant time for Adam West. He appeared in the films The Marriage of a Young Stockbroker (1971), Curse of the Moon Child (1972), Partizani (1974), The Specialist (1975), Hooper (1978), and The Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood (1980). He also appeared in several TV movies, including The Eyes of Charles Sand (1972), Poor Devil (1973), and Nevada Smith (1975). He guest starred on such TV shows as Night Gallery, Alias Smith and Jones, Alice, Police Woman, Operation Petticoat, and The American Girls. He would return to the role of Batman during the decade was well. He provided the voice of the character in the Saturday morning cartoon The New Adventures of Batman and played the character in two TV specials titled Legends of the Superheroes. While Batman had proven to be a hit as a syndicated rerun, Adam West got little in the way of residuals. To make ends meet he often appeared in the Batman costume at county fairs, rodeos, and store openings. Perhaps the lowest point of his career came when he was shot out of a cannon in costume at the  Hadi Shrine Circus in Evansville, Indiana in November 1977.

To a degree the Eighties would be better for Adam West. During the 1985-1986 season he starred as Capt. Rick Wright in the short-lived sitcom The Last Precinct. He also starred in the title role of the unsold pilot Ace Diamond Private Eye. He voiced Batman on the "SuperFriends" Saturday morning cartoons SuperFriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show and The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians. He guest starred on the TV shows Laverne & Shirley; The Love Boat; Hart to Hart; Fantasy Island; Murder, She Wrote; Zorro; and The Flash.  He appeared in the films One Dark Night (1982), Hell Riders (1984), Yellow Pages (1995), Young Lady Chatterley II (1985), Zombie Nightmare (1987), Night of the Kickfighters (1988), Doin' Time on Planet Earth (1988), Return Fire (1988), Mad About You (1989), and Omega Cop (1990).

The Nineties would see Adam West's career revitalised. He starred in the 1991 television pilot Lookwell, often counted among the best unsold pilots ever. In 2000 he began his long run on Family Guy as the voice of Mayor Adam West. He had a recurring role on the short lived comedy anthology Danger Theatre. He was a regular voice on the animated series The Secret Files of the SpyDogs. He was also a guest voice on Batman: The Animated Series, playing actor Simon Trent and the hero he had played on television, The Grey Ghost. He was also a guest voice on the animated shows Rugrats, The Critic, Johnny Bravo, Animaniacs, and Histeria!. Mr. West starred in the Comedy Central soap opera spoof The Clinic. He guest starred on such TV shows as Tales from the Crypt, The Good Life, Nurses, Space Ghost Coast to Coast, Hope & Gloria, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Burke's Law, Pauly, The Wayan Brothers, Murphy Brown, Diagnosis Murder, NewsRadio, and Pacific Blue. He appeared in the films Maxim Xul (1991), The New Age (1994), Run for Cover (1995), The Size of Watermelons (1996), An American Vampire Story (1997), Joyride (1997), and Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999). He provided the voice of Leonard Fox in the animated short "Redux Riding Hood".

The Naughts may well have seen Adam West at his busiest since the Sixties. He continued as the voice of Mayor West on Family Guy. He had a recurring role as Breathtaker on the TV series Black Scorpion. He had a recurring role as the voice of Mayor George on the animated series The Batman. He was a recurring voice (as himself, no less) on the animated series The Fairly OddParents. He guest starred on the TV shows The Drew Carey Show, The Mullets, The King of Queens, George Lopez, and 30 Rock.  Alongside Burt Ward he starred in the TV movie Return to the Batcave. He was a guest voice on the animated shows The Simpsons, Kim Possible, The Boondocks, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. He appeared in the films Seance (2001), "From Heaven to Hell" (2002), Baadasssss! (2003), Tales from Beyond (2004), Buckaroo: The Movie (2005), Angels with Angles (2005), Sexina (2007), and Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion (2009). He provided voices for the animated films Chicken Little (2005) and Meet the Robinsons (2007).

In the Teens Adam West continued on Family Guy. He guest starred on the shows The Big Bang Theory and Powerless. He was a guest voice on the animated shows Jake and the Never Land Pirates, Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero. and Moonbeam City. He was the voice of Batman in the animated film Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016). The film reunited him with Burt Ward. He also provided the voice of Batman in the upcoming film Batman vs. Two-Face (2017), which again reunited him with Burt Ward.

I think there can be no doubt that Adam West will always be identified with Batman. It has often been said that the Sixties were dominated by Three Bs: The Beatles, Bond, and Batman. The show was certainly one of the biggest fads of the decade. And while Batman only lasted a little over two years, it would have continued success in syndication. To this day it still airs on TV stations and cable channels around the world. Much of the show's success rests with Adam West's performance as the Caped Crusader. The show was meant to be high comedy for adults and high adventure for children. To that end Adam West played Bruce Wayne and his alter ego Batman completely straight. Viewers of the show might find its situations totally absurd, but Adam West as Batman took them entirely seriously. In this regard it was one of the most brilliant comedies of all time, and its lead played his role brilliantly.

Of course, Adam West was much more than the Caped Crusader. Before his stint on Batman he made numerous guest appearances on television. He even played villains from time to time. In the Laramie episode "The Betrayers" he played cold-hearted outlaw Kett Darby, about as far from Batman as one could get. The Big Valley episode "In Silent Battle", made after Adam West had donned the cape and cowl, was even further from the Caped Crusader. Mr. West played Major Jonathan Eliot, a Civil War veteran who is an outright psychopath. And while Adam West may forever be known as the extremely straight-laced Batman, he could be charming and debonair in other roles. After all, he played the very Bondish Captain Q in that famous commercial for Nestlé Quik. In the 77 Sunset Strip episode "Thanks for Tomorrow" he played gambler Lonnie Drew. On Petticoat Junction he guest starred as Dr. Depew's handsome assistant Dr. Clayton Harris.

 Arguably Adam West was at his best playing comedy. Indeed, what may be his two most famous roles were in comedies: the extremely square Batman in Batman and the eccentric, often corrupt Mayor West on Family Guy. Lookwell numbers among the funniest unsold pilots ever made, in a large part due to Mr. West. While it did not run long, The Last Precinct was also a very fine comedy. Adam West definitely had a gift for comedy. His delivery was often perfect and his timing impeccable. Even in interviews Mr. West could be a very funny man, delivering one-liners that would make many experienced comics envious.

In the end Adam West will always be known best as Batman. And it was largely that role that shaped his career after 1966. That having been said, over the years he played many more roles and he played them well. He may always be best known as Batman, but he did much more.

Roger Smith R.I.P.

Roger Smith, who starred as Jeff Spencer on 77 Sunset Strip, died on June 4 2017 at the age of 84.

Roger Smith was born on December 18 1932 in South Gate, California. He was only six years old when his parents enrolled him in school for singing, dancing, and elocution. He was 12 years old when his family moved to Nogales, Arizona. There he took part in school plays and played on the football team. He went to the University of Arizona on a football scholarship, then served in the United States Navy.

It was when he was stationed in Honolulu while in the Navy that he met James Cagney, who was then filming Mister Roberts (1955). Mr. Cagney encouraged Roger Smith to go to Hollywood after he was discharged from the Navy.

Mr. Smith made his television debut on Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour in 1948, competing as a singer. He made his acting debut on television in an episode of Damon Runyon Theatre in 1956. He made his film debut in an uncredited role as a reporter in Over-Exposed that same year. Over the next few years he appeared in such films as Man of a Thousand Faces (1957), Operation Mad Ball (1957), No Time to Be Young (1957), Crash Landing (1958), Auntie Mame (1958), and Never Steal Anything Small (1959). He guest starred on such shows as The Ford Television Theatre, The Sheriff of Cochise, The George Sanders Mystery Theatre, Father Knows Best, Wagon Train, and Sugarfoot. It was in 1958 that he began a five season run as Jeff Spencer on 77 Sunset Strip. He also guest starred as Jeff Spencer on Hawaiian Eye and Surfside Six. He left 77 Sunset Strip when a blood clot was discovered in his brain.

In the Sixties Roger Smith played the lead role in the sitcom Mister Roberts, which was based on the play and the movie of the same name. He guest starred on the TV shows Kraft Suspense Theatre and The Farmer's Daughter. He appeared in the films For Those Who Think Young (1964), Rogue's Gallery (1968), and 7 uomini e un cervello (1968).

It was in 1965 that Roger Smith was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disease that causes  skeletal muscle weakness. In 1967 he married actress Ann-Margret. Given his condition, Mr.Smith retired from acting to manage his wife's career.

Mr. Smith also wrote as well as acted. He wrote several episodes of 77 Sunset Strip, as well as episodes of Surfside 6 and Mister Roberts and the feature films The First Time (1969) and C.C. & Company (1970). In 1960 he recorded an album titled Beach Romance, on which he sung 11 songs. He also produced several of Ann-Margret's television specials.

Roger Smith seemed to be born to play Jeff Spencer, the suave, wisecracking, non-practising attorney who worked alongside Stu Bailey (played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) as detectives at the address 77 Sunset Strip. He played the role perfectly. That having been said, he could play other roles. The more serious-minded Lt. Doug Roberts of Mister Roberts was in some ways a far cry from Jeff. In the Wagon Train episode "The Daniel Barrister Story" he played a doctor dealing with a smallpox epidemic. Mr. Smith was also a very good television writer. He penned one of the best 77 Sunset Strip episodes, "The Silent Caper", which unfolded with absolutely no dialogue. Married to Ann-Margret for a little over 50 years, he proved very adept at managing her career. Roger Smith's career as an actor may have been brief, but due to his talent both in front and behind the camera it remains memorable.

Peter Sallis Passes On

Peter Sallis, who played Clegg on Last of the Summer Wine and First of the Summer Wine, and who provided the voice of Wallace in the "Wallace and Gromit" films, died on June 2 2017 at the age of 96.

Peter Sallis was born on February 1 1921 in Twickenham, Middlesex. He attended Minchenden Grammar School in Southgate, North London before going to work as a bank clerk. During World War II he joined the Royal Air Force and served as an instructor at the radio school at Lincolnshire's Royal Air Force Station. It was a student there who asked Mr. Sallis to play the lead in a local production of Hay Fever by Noël Coward. He liked the experience so much that he decided to take up acting.

After the war Peter Sallis attended and graduated from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He made his professional acting debut in London in September 1946 in a walk-on part in The Scheming Lieutenant by Richard Brinsley Sheridan. He made his television debut in 1947 as Quince in a production of A Midsummer's Night Dream. In the Fifties he appeared on the television series The Heir of Skipton and The Widow of Bath. He played the lead in the series The Diary of Samuel Pepys. He guest starred on the shows The March of the Peasants, Strange Experiences, The Black Arrow, The Invisible Man, and BBC Sunday-Night Theatre. He made his film debut in Stranger from Venus in 1954. He appeared in the films Child's Play (1954), Anastasia (1956), The Doctor's Dilemma (1958), The Scapegoat (1959), Doctor in Love (1960), and Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960).

In the Sixties Mr. Sallis appeared on the TV shows Ameilia, A Chance of Thunder, Crying Down the Lane, and The Chem. Lab. Mystery. He guest starred on such shows as ITV Television Playhouse, Danger Man, Maigret, BBC Sunday-Night Play, It Happened Like This, The Avengers, Sergeant Cork, Z Cars, Doctor Who, and Catweazle. He appeared in such films as The Curse of the Werewolf (1961), The Mouse on the Moon (1963), The Third Secret (1964), Clash by Night (1964), Inadmissible Evidence (1968), Scream and Scream Again (1970), and Wuthering Heights (1970).

It was in 1973 that Peter Sallis first played Clegg in Last of the Summer Wine. Last of the Summer Wine ran until 2010, and he would continue to play Clegg for the entirety of its run. In the Seventies he also appeared on Bel Ami, The Moonstone, The Pallisers, The Capone Investment, Yanks Go Home, The Ghosts of Motley Hall, and Leave It to Charlie. He guest starred on the shows Paul Temple, Public Eye, Justice, The Persuaders!, Callan, The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes, Raffles, Crown Court, and Tales of the Unexpected. He appeared in the films The Night Digger (1971), The Reprieve (1972), The Incredible Sarah (1976), The Haunting of Julia (1977), and Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978).

It was in 1989 that Peter Sallis first voiced Wallace in the "Wallace and Gromit" short "A Grand Day Out". He would voice Wallace in three more shorts ("The Wrong Trousers" in 1993, "A Close Shave" in 1995, and "A Matter of Loaf and Death" in 2008), as well as the feature film Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005). In the Eighties he continued to appear as Clegg on Last of the Summer Wine and also played the role in the prequel series First of the Summer Wine. He provided the voice of Rat in the animated series The Wind and The Willows and Oh! Mr. Toad. He appeared in the shows Strangers and Brothers, The New Statesman, and The Bretts. He appeared in the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation of Witness for the Prosecution.

In the Nineties he continued to appear as Clegg on Last of the Summer Wine and he continued as the voice of Wallace in the "Wallace and Gromit" shorts. He guest starred on Rumpole of the Bailey. In the Naughts he continued as Clegg on Last of the Summer Wine and voiced Wallace in The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and "A Matter of Loaf and Death". He guest starred on Doctors and Kingdom. He appeared in the film Colour Me Kubrick (2005).

Peter Sallis was a great talent with a particular gift for comedy. As Norman Clegg on Last of the Summer Wine he was a bit of cynic and also a bit neurotic. He always wore several layers of clothing and, even though he had a driver's licence, the thought of driving would send him into a panic attack. He longed for a nice, peaceful retirement, only to find himself dragged into one of  Foggy and Compo's schemes more often than not. Wallace of the "Wallace and Gromit" films was in many respects far from Clegg. Wallace is kind-hearted and an eternal optimist. He also has a love of cheese, crackers, and tea. Although constantly inventing things, his inventions are generally overly complex devices of the Rube Goldberg type. Peter Sallis played both characters perfectly, to the point that it is very difficult to picture anyone else in the roles.

Of course, Peter Sallis played other roles besides Clegg and Wallace, often roles that were very different. In the Avengers episode "The Wringer" he played  Hal Anderson, John Steed's friend and fellow agent who is suffering from both shock and amnesia. In the Doctor Who serial "The Ice Warriors" he played scientist Penley. Over the years Peter Sallis played a wide variety of roles, from solicitors to preachers to military officers. Some were comic, while others were dramatic. Regardless of the role, he played all of them well.

The 100th Anniversary of Dean Martin's Birth

I think it is safe to say that my family were Dean Martin fans. When I was little every Thursday night my father would pop popcorn, we would open sodas, and we would gather around the television set to watch The Dean Martin Show. We watched his movies as well, everything from the films he made with former partner Jerry Lewis to the ones he made with such stars as Frank Sinatra and John Wayne. My family may not have agreed on everything, but we were united in our love for Dean Martin. Indeed, Dean Martin has remained one of my favourite performers to this day. It was 100 years ago today that Dino was born.

Dean Martin was born Dino Paul Crocetti in Steubenville, Ohio on June 7 1917. His parents were Italian immigrants, and young Dino did not speak English until he began attending school when he was 5 years old. As a teenager he began playing drums. When he was in 10th grade he dropped out of Stebenville High School and worked a variety of jobs, from being a croupier in a speakeasy to working in a steel mill. He also sang with local bands, billing himself as "Dino Martini". He got his big break when he began singing with  the Ernie McKay Orchestra. In the early 1940s he started singing with Sammy Watikins's band. It was Mr. Watkins who suggested he change his stage name to "Dean Martin".

Dean Martin's singing career would be interrupted in 1944 when he was drafted into the United States Army. He served for a year in Akron, Ohio, but was eventually given a medical discharge because of a double hernia. After leaving the Army Dean Martin returned to singing. He was doing well enough performing in clubs on the East Coast that he attracted the attention of both MGM and Columbia Pictures, although neither signed him to a contract at the time. It was in 1945 that Dean Martin met comedian Jerry Lewis at the Glass Hat Club in New York City, where they were both performing. The two made their debut as a comedy team at the 500 Club in Atlantic City on July 25 1946.

Martin and Lewis's first performance was not particularly well received. The two then threw out their scripted gags in favour of improvisation. They soon proved to be very popular at the 500 Club, so much so that they were in demand all along the East Coast. It was not long before  the team began appearing on television and radio. Martin and Lewis appeared on the very first edition of Toast of the Town, later retitled The Ed Sullivan Show. They got their own radio show on NBC, The Martin and Lewis Show, which ran from April 1949 to July 1953. They appeared on such television shows as Texaco Star Theatre, The Saturday Night Revue, and The Colgate Comedy Hour. Naturally, Hollywood took notice of the team. In 1949, the same year that their radio show debuted, Paramount signed Martin and Lewis to a contract. Making their film debut in My Friend Irma in 1949, Martin and Lewis appeared in several movies until 1956, including At War With the Army (1950), Scared Stiff (1953), and Artists and Models (1955).

Even while he was working with Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin had a successful recording career. His 1949 single  "Powder Your Face with Sunshine (Smile, Smile, Smile)" went to no. 10 on the Billboard chart. His 1950 single "I'll Always Love You" went to no. 11. His 1953 recording of "That's Amore" went all the way to no. 2. In 1955 he hit no. 1 with his single "Memories Are Made of This".

While Martin and Lewis had proven successful as a team on television, on radio, and in films, their relationship gradually began to fall apart as the Fifties progressed. Dean Martin left the team ten years exactly after they had first performed together, on July 25 1956. Sadly, the two would not speak to each other privately for another twenty years.

If anything, Dean Martin would prove even more successful on his own than he had with Jerry Lewis. While his first film without Mr. Lewis, Ten Thousand Bedrooms (1957), failed at the box office, he would appear in a number of successful movies from the late Fifties into the Sixties. He had a box office success as one of the co-stars of The Young Lions (1958). He appeared in his first movie with fellow crooner Frank Sinatra, Some Came Running, in 1958. Mr. Martin even appeared in Westerns. One of his most successful films was opposite John Wayne, Rio Bravo, in 1958. He would co-star with John Wayne again in The Sons of Katie Elder (1965). From the late Fifties into the Sixties he would appear in such films as Ocean's 11 (1960), Sergeants 3 (1962), Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964), Kiss Me, Stupid (1964), Bandolero! (1968), and Airport (1970). Starting with The Silencers in 1966 Dean Martin appeared as superspy Matt Helm in four movies (in addition to The Silencers, they were Murderers' Row in 1966, The Ambushers in 1967, and The Wrecking Crew in 1969).

Dean Martin's recording career also continued to be strong throughout the late Fifties and Sixties. The year 1958 gave him two of his biggest hits, "Return to Me" and "Volare". In 1964 what may be his best remembered song (at least for Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who can remember his TV show) "Everybody Loves Somebody" was released.  He finished out the Sixties with such hits as "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You" and "I Will".

Of course, Dean Martin had great success on television in the Sixties. He made a rare guest appearance on the Western Rawhide, in the episode "Canliss" in 1964. He also guest starred on several Bob Hope specials, and appeared on The Tonight Show several times. By far his biggest success on television would be The Dean Martin Show. Debuting in 1965, The Dean Martin Show ran until 1974. During the show's final season it featured celebrity roasts as a regular segment. The Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts would continue as a series of specials after The Dean Martin Show left the air.  In the Seventies he also guest starred on Charlie's Angels, The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, The Big Show, and Vega$. He appeared in the films Something Big (1971), Showdown (1973),  and Mr. Ricco (1975). He did a Christmas special on NBC in 1980.

After the Seventies Dean Martin's career slowed a bit. He continued to record, and even had a minor hit, "Since I Met You Baby", in the Eighties. He appeared in the movies The Cannonball Run (1981) and Cannonball Run II (1984).  He was a regular, playing himself, on the short-live comedy TV series Half-Nelson. He did a stadium tour with Sammy Davis Jr. and Frank Sinatra in 1988. He performed in Las Vegas for one last time  Bally's Hotel in 1990.

It was in 1993 that Dean Martin was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died on Christmas in 1995 at the age of 78.

Dean Martin has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. In fact, last night I even dreamed I met Mr. Martin, dressed in a tuxedo as he would be in a night club act. I told him I was writing a tribute for him on my blog for his 100th birthday and that pleased him. I almost never dream of celebrities, so the fact that I dreamed of Dean Martin on the eve of his 100th birthday demonstrates just how significant he has been in my life. Dean Martin was the first crooner of which I was a fan, even before Bing Crosby. I always thought he was the coolest member of the Rat Pack (although I will confess Sammy Davis Jr. gives him a run for his money on that score). Quite simply, Dean Martin was always one of my favourite singers, comedians, and actors.

Of course, I am not alone in my admiration for Dino. Ever since Martin and Lewis emerged on the scene in the late Forties, Dean Martin has had a huge number of fans. To me, at least, the appeal of Dean Martin is not hard to figure out. He had an easy-going, amiable style that made him instantly likeable. He also had a wry sense of humour, and could deliver absolutely hilarious lines with a fairly straight face. He was also one of the greatest crooners around. He had a rich baritone that could be very smooth or bouncy depending upon the song. Dean Martin's style was also very unique. When Dino sang a song, you knew it was Dino.

While Dean Martin began his career as a singer, he would also become an actor. Often his characters were much like his stage persona, that of a slightly drunken, relaxed playboy. That having been said, Dean Martin played a wider variety of roles in film than simply Dean Martin. In Rio Bravo he played Dude, the deputy sheriff who goes from being a drunk to being a competent lawman. In Toys in the Attic he played Julian Berniers, a young man who runs afoul of his spinster sister when he returns to New Orleans. In Airport he played Vernon Demarest, the checkride captain for TGA Flight Two. Surprisingly enough for someone who grew up far from the West, he appeared in several Westerns over the years, including 4 for Texas, The Sons of Katie Elder, Rough Night in Jericho, and others. In fact, aside from Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin may have been the only member of the Rat Pack who was entirely convincing as a Western hero.

Dean Martin has often been called "the King of Cool", a title he shares with Steve McQueen. As big a fan of Steve McQueen as I am, I have to confess that the title might rightfully belong to Dino. Steve McQueen was primarily an action star. On the other hand, Dean Martin could do it all. He could sing. He could do comedy. He could do drama. He could be an action star. And he could do all of these things while he was impeccably dressed. If Dean Martin is still immensely popular on what would have been his 100th birthday, it is perhaps because he was an extremely versatile performer with an easygoing style that pleased audiences. There simply wasn't anyone else quite like him.