The 60th Anniversary of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

If someone wanted an example of epic comedy, they could do no better than the movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). The movie had a huge cast, to the point that it holds the record for the largest number of speaking parts in a film, with over 50 major parts and over 300 minor parts. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World also featured more big names in comedy than any other film, ranging from Silent movie star Buster Keaton to currently popular comedian Jonathan Winters. Even its running time was epic. The original cut ran 202 minutes, which was trimmed down to 192 minutes for its premiere. The theatrical release still clocked in at over 2 hours, running 161 minutes. Regardless of its length, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World proved to be a success, and has been popular ever since. It was sixty years ago today, on November 7, 1963, that It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World premiered in Los Angeles.

In It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, convict Smiler Grogan (Jimmy Durante) crashes his car on California State Route 74. Several people rush to investigate the crash, including dentist Melville Crump (Sid Caesar) and his wife Monica (Edie Adams); Ding Bell (Mickey Rooney) and Benjy Benjamin (Buddy Hackett), two friends travelling to Las Vegas; Lennie Pike (Jonathan Winters), a furniture mover; and J. Russell Finch (Milton Berle), a businessman who has his wife Emmeline (Dorothy Provine) and his mother-in-law Mrs. Marcus (Ethel Merman) with him. With his dying breath, Smiler tells this group of a stash of $350,000 he buried in Santa Rosita State Park under "a big W." The group then begins a mad dash to reach Santa Rosita State Park to retrieve the money. Along the way, others join in the search for the money. This brings the group of treasure hunters to the attention of  Santa Rosita Police Captain T. G. Culpepper (Spencer Tracy), who had been investigating the Smiler Grogan case.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World originated with screenwriter William Rose, an American expatriate living in the United Kingdom. He had written the screenplays for the movie Genevieve (1953), which dealt with the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, and the classic caper comedy The Ladykillers (1955). He had an idea for a film, which he initially called So Many Thieves, which centred on a chase through Scotland. While he had written several successful films for Ealing Studios in the Fifties, by the early Sixties he found it difficult to find work. He then went to California and pitched So Many Thieves to producer and director Stanley Kramer, along with four other ideas. At the time Stanley Kramer was best known for his various "message" films, including The Defiant Ones (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), and Judgement at Nuremberg (1961). Nonetheless, Stanley Kramer agreed to direct the movie. In fact, his goal became to make "...a comedy to end all comedies."

The title of the film would also change as William Rose and Stanley Kramer worked on the project. Initially called Something a Little Less Serious, it was then titled Where, But in America? and then One Damn Thing After Another. At last, it received the title It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. The plot of the film was also moved from Scotland to the United States.

Of course, to make a comedy to end all comedies, Stanley Kramer would need a cast of comic legends. Various actors were considered for lead roles. In the October 30 1962 issue of Daily Variety it was reported that Jack Benny had turned down the role of Captain Culpepper as filming would conflict with production of his weekly television show, although he did consent to a cameo. According to an article in the January 27 1962 issue of The Los Angeles Times, Carol Channing was cast to play opposite Sid Caesar, a role ultimately played by Edie Adams in the film. Both Martha Raye and Cara Williams were considered for roles, but neither ultimately appeared in the movie. Stan Laurel was offered the cameo of a man driving through the desert, but he turned it down as he did not want to work without his late partner Oliver Hardy, who had died in 1957. The role then went to Jack Benny. According to the the August 20 1962 issue of Daily Variety, Frank Faylen had accepted a role in the film, but had to back out due to conflicts with production of his show Dobie Gillis.

Befitting the epic it was intended to be, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was shot using a wide-screen process. It was filmed in  Ultra Panavision 70 and shown in Cinerama. In fact, it was promoted as the first movie to be made in "one-projector" Cinerama. Originally, Cinerama required three different cameras and the reels would be shown using three projectors. The movie was filmed on location throughout a wide part of California. The start of film was shot on California State Route 74, near Palm Desert, in the extreme southern part of the sate. A good portion of the film was shot in Long Beach, including the exterior of the Santa Rosita Police Department, a hardware store, the Harbor Pontoon Bridge, and various other parts of the city through which the chase proceeded. Airport terminal scenes were shot at  Rancho Conejo Airport in Newbury Park, California, which is no longer open. Both  Sonoma County Airport and the Palm Springs International Airport were used for various airplane scenes. The fictional Santa Rosita Park was actually Portuguese Point in Palo Verdes, California. A set was constructed there for the movie, complete with flowers, shrubbery, and the palm trees forming "the big W." Filming began on April 16 1962 and ended on December 6 1962.

Given the number of stunts in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, it should come as no surprise that around thirty-nine stuntmen were hired for the film and it actually had an action budget of $252,000. The stunt supervisor on It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World was Carey Loftin, whose career as a stuntman went back to the Thirties. He had worked on such films as House of Dracula (1945), Raw Deal (1948), Mighty Joe Young (1949), and Thunder Road (1958). He later served as a stunt coordinator on such films as Point Blank (1967), Bullitt (1968), and Vanishing Point (1971).

The animated opening credits for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World were designed by the legendary Saul Bass. He was already known for designing titles for several movies, among them Carmen Jones (1954), North by Northwest (1959), Ocean's 11 (1960), and West Side Story (1961). At a little over four minutes, it was the longest credits sequence he ever designed. The animation was directed by William T Hurtz, who had previously worked for UPA and Jay Ward Productions. Among the animators who worked on the credits was Bill Melendez, who would soon become famous for the "Charlie Brown" specials.

The movie's score was composed by Ernest Gold, who had also composed the scores of Stanley Kramer's movies On the Beach (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), and Judgement at Nurembert (1961). Ernest Gold's theme for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World had lyrics composed by Mack David. The vocal version of the theme served as the entrance music for the movie. Ernest Gold's score was not the only original music to be heard in It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. The film had a cross-promotion deal with both Baskin-Robbins and The Shirelles, whose song "31 Flavors" can be heard on a radio in one scene. The Shirelles also covered the theme to It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Both their cover of the theme and "31 Flavors" appeared on their album The Shirelles-Sing Their Songs in the Movie It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World premiered at the Cinerama Dome in Los Angeles on November 7 1963. The premiere was extra-special as it was also the opening of the Cinerama Dome, making It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World the first movie ever shown at the theatre. The Cinerama Dome was the first new movie theatre built in Hollywood in 33 years.

While it is now regarded as a classic, reviews for It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World were mixed upon its initial release. Bosley Crowther gave the film a positive review, writing, "They have put them together in a story that has eruptive energy and speed; and they have got a bunch of actors to perform it with the fervor of demented geniuses." His only real problems with the movie were that "..it runs too long" and "There is simply too much wild confusion, too much repetition of similar things." Variety also gave It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World a good review, noting, "It's a mad, mad, mad, mad picture. Being a picture of extravagant proportions, even its few flaws are king-sized, but the plusses far outweigh the minuses." Richard L. Coe in his review in The Washington Post was more modest in his review of the film, writing, "Yes, it is furious, fast and funny and it is also vast, vulgar and vexatious because Kramer has not given us one sympathetic character and because it is shown in Cinerama." Philip K. Scheuer's review in The Los Angeles Times tended to be largely negative. He wrote the movie "...really bugged me..." and called it "...a savage morality play in the guise of comedy."

While critics may have disagreed over It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, audiences appeared to be united in their love for the film going by its box office. The movie grossed $46,332,858 domestically and $60,000,000 worldwide. Ultimately, it was the 3rd highest grossing film of 1963, after Cleopatra and How the West Was Won. Unfortunately, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World cost so much to make that it only made a profit of $1.25 million.

As a result of the enduring popularity of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, it would be shown on all three broadcast networks in the Seventies. It made its broadcast network debut on NBC Saturday Night at the Movies on October 28 1972. It aired again on NBC Saturday Night at the Movies on March 9 1974. After being shown on NBC, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World aired on CBS. The Tiffany Network aired the movie on New Year's Eve, December 31 1976 on The CBS Friday Night Movie. CBS showed it again on The CBS Tuesday Night Movie on May 16 1978. Finally, ABC aired It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World on July 16 1979, the last time it was shown on a broadcast network. After being shown on all three broadcast networks, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World began airing on HBO in October 1980 and was also shown on such cable channels as WTBS. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World also proved popular on Canadian television. In fact, it became something of a New Year's Eve tradition. CTV aired the film every year on New Year's Eve from the late Seventies into the Eighties.

As might be expected, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World has seen multiple releases on home media. A 1991 VHS and LaserDisc release ran 183 minutes, using elements that had been stored in a Los Angeles warehouse. According to film preservationist Robert A. Harris in a 2002 interview with Home Theater Forum, this version included footage not meant to ever be shown in any version and thus did not represent the original roadshow version of the film. Robert A. Harris later restored It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World to as close to the original roadshow cut as possible. This version was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on January 21 2014.

Prior to It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Stanley Kramer was best known for his often weighty "message" films. He had tackled such subjects as  racism (The Defiant Ones), nuclear war (On the Beach), and Nazism (Judgement at Nuremerg). On the surface, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World would appear to depart from Mr. Kramer's earlier oeuvre. That having been said, it does not take a very close examination of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World to realize that the movie deals with the dangers of greed. After all, it centres on a group of ordinary people who, upon learning of a buried treasure, leave a path of destruction across a good section of California. In this respect, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World fits in perfectly with Stanley Kramer's heavy dramas. It just happens to be much less serious in tone.

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World would have a lasting influence. The film's success would lead to other epic comedies in the Sixties, including Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines; Or, How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and 11 Minutes (1965), The Great Race (1965), The Loved One (1965), Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon (1967), and Monte Carlo or Bust! (1969).  It would also lead to other comedies featuring large ensemble casts searching for treasure, including Scavenger Hunt (1979), Million Dollar Mystery (1987), and Rat Race (2001).

Perhaps the most lasting impact of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is that, through its continued popularity, it has introduced generations to many comedy greats. For many Gen Xers, Millennials, and Zoomers, the movie might well be the first time they ever saw such legends as Eddie Anderson, Sid Caesar, Buster Keaton, Phil Silvers, and yet others. Many may have sought out other movies starring these greats of comedy, so that ultimately they may well become classic movie buffs.

Even with the many epic comedies that have been made since It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, it still stands as a singular achievement. It featured more comedy legends than any other movie before or since. It also proved to be somewhat of a pioneering film, insofar as it was one of the earliest comedies to feature extensive stunts and several action sequences. Since then comedies from The Blues Brothers (1980) to Rat Race (2001) have featured impressive stunts and a good deal of action. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World might not have been the first epic comedy, but it was certainly the one that put the genre on the map.

Burt Young, Joan Evans, and Matthew Perry Pass On

October saw the deaths of several beloved actors, so many that it has been difficult to keep up. Each one of these performers deserves their own eulogy, but I really do not want my blog to be dominated by posts on celebrity deaths. For that reason, I am addressing each one of these actors in a single post.

Burt Young died on October 8 2023 at the age of 83. He was perhaps best known for playing Rocky's best friend and brother-in-law Paulie in the "Rocky" movies. He also appeared in the movies Chinatown (1974)  and Once Upon a Time in America (1984).

Burt Young was born Gerald DeLouise on April 30 1940 in New York City. He grew up in Queens. From 1957 to 1959 he served in the United States Marine Corps. While in the Marine Corps he boxed, winning 32 out of 34 bouts. After his service continued as a boxer. He worked as a  carpet cleaner, salesman, and installer while studying acting at the Actors Studio with Lee Strasberg.

Burt Young made his television debut in an episode of the soap opera The Doctors in 1969. He made his movie debut in Carnival of Blood in 1970. During his career he appeared in such films as The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight (1971), Cinderella Liberty (1973), Chinatown (1974), Rocky (1976), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), and Betsy's Wedding (1990). His last appearance in a film during his lifetime was The Final Code (2021). On television she starred on the sitcom Roomies and the mini-series Vendetta: Secrets of a Mafia Bride and The Last Don. He guest starred on such shows as M*A*S*H, Little House on the Prairie, Baretta, The Rockford Files, Miami Vice, The Equalizer, Tales from the Crypt, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Sopranos, and Kevin Can Wait.

Burt Young may always be remembered best for playing tough guys, but he could play other sorts of roles as well. In Roomies he played a former Marine drill sergeant who becomes friends with his 14 year old boy genius room mate, the two helping each other navigate college. In the M*A*S*H episode "L.I.P." he played Lt. Willis, a by-the-book C.I.D. officer investigating the application of the unit's corporals to marry a Korean woman. Of course, he did play many tough guy roles. In Chinatown he played Curly, who does not take his wife's infidelity at all well. Of course, in the "Rocky" movies Paulie is both an alcoholic and a cynic who nonetheless cares for Rocky and Rocky's sister. Burt Young was a very talented actor who consistently gave good performances.

Joan Evans died on October 21 2023 at the age of 89. She appeared in such movies as On the Loose (1951) and It Grows on Trees (1952).

Joan Evans was born Joan Eunson on July 18 1934 in New York City. Her father was author Dale Eunson. Her mother was screenwriter Katharine Albert. She was named for actress Joan Crawford, who was her godmother.

Joan Evans was only 14 when she appeared in her first film, playing the title role in Roseanna McCoy. She appeared in such movies as On the Loose (1951), Skirts Ahoy! (1952), It Grows on Trees (1952), A Strange Adventure (1956), and The Walking Target (1960). On television she guest starred on the shows General Electric Theatre, Climax!, The Millionaire, Cheyenne, 77 Sunset Strip, Wagon Train, Zorro, Tales of Wells Fargo and Laramie. In the early Sixties she retired from acting to care for her family. She was later an editor at Hollywood Studio Magazine and taught at  the Carden Academy in Van Nuys.

Joan Evans played a variety of roles in her career. In her movie debut as Roseanna McCoy she played a young member of the McCoy clan involved in a forbidden romance with a Hatfield. In Skirts Ahoy! she played a Midwestern girl-next-door who had been dumped by her boyfriend and, as a result, joined the WAVES. In the Laramie episode "The Killer Legend" she played the wife of an ex-convict who maintained his innocence. Joan Evans's acting career was not terribly long, but she left behind several good performances.

Matthew Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on all ten seasons of Friends, died on October 28 2023 at the age of 54.

Matthew Perry was born on August 19 1969 in Williamstown, Massachusetts. His father was John Bennett Perry who starred in the TV shows 240-Robert and Falcon Crest. His mother was Canadian journalist Suzanne Marie. His parents divorced not long after he was born, and he was raised by his mother in Ottawa, Ontario. He was 15 years old when he moved to Los Angeles to live with his father.

Matthew Perry made his television debut in 1979 when he had a guest appearance on 240-Robert. He studied acting at  The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California. While in high school he studied improv at L.A. Connection. Prior to Friends, he starred in the short-lived shows Second Chance,  Sydney and.Home Free. He guest starred on such shows as Charles in Charge, Silver Spoons, The Tracy Ullman Show, Highway to Heaven. Growing Pains and Beverly Hills 90120. It was in 1994 that he began a ten year stint playing Chandler Bing on the sitcom Friends. He would be nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy in 2002 for the role.

Following Friends, Matthew Perry starred on the shows Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Mr. Sunshine, Go On, and The Odd Couple. He guest starred on such shows as The Simpsons, Ally McBeal, The West Wing, Scrubs, and The Good Wife. He also appeared in movies, including She's Out of Control (1989), Fools Rush In (1997), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), and 17 Again (2009). Matthew Perry created the show Mr. Sunshine and developed the show The Odd Couple for television.

I think it is safe to say Matthew Perry will always be best remembered as the sardonic Chandler Bing on Friends, and it is with good reason. While I think Friends declined in quality in its later seasons, Matthew Perry was always good as Chandler. Of course, it must be kept in mind he also played many other roles. On Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip he played Matt Able, a former writer who takes over the production of the fictional sketch comedy show Studio 60. On The West Wing he played Joe Quincy, a Republican lawyer who became Associate White House Counsel for President Bartlett (Martin Sheen). In The Whole Nine Yards, Matthew Perry played Oz Oseransky, a dentist who realizes his neighbour is a contract killer. Matthew Perry could play drama and comedy equally well, although he had a real gift comedy. His timing was perfect and he could deliver a line better than anyone else. He made any show or movie better with his performances.

Godspeed Richard Moll

Richard Moll, who played Bull Shannon on the classic sitcom Night Court and was the voice of Two-Face on Batman: The Animated Series, died on October 26 2023 at the age of 80.

Richard Moll was born on January 13 1943 in Pasadena, California. He majored in history and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He graduated in 1964 and served as a deputy probation officer in Alameda County and later in a ladies hosiery store in San Francisco. He moved to Los Angeles in 1968 to pursue an acting career. He made his film debut in 1977 in Brigham. He made his television debut in a guest appearance on Welcome Back, Kotter in 1978. In the late Seventies he guest starred on the shows The Rockford Files, How the West Was Won, Happy Days, Bigfoot and Wildboy, B.J. and the Bear, The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, The Bad News Bears, and Nobody's Perfect. He appeared in the movie Cataclysm.

It was in 1984 that he began playing Bull on Night Court. He remained on the show for all of its nine seasons. He guest starred on the shows Best of the West, Here's Boomer, Laverne & Shirley, Code Red, Bret Maverick, Mork & Mindy, The Fall Guy, T.J. Hooker, Remington Steele, Fantasy Island, Alice, Just Our Luck, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, Santa Barbara, The Facts of Life, Sledge Hammer!, My Two Dads, Monsters, 227, The Munsters Today, and Out of This World. He provided a voice for the movie American Pop (1981). He appeared in the movies Caveman (1981), Liar's Moon (1981), Hard Country (1981), Evilspeak (1981), The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982), Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn (1983), Under Arrest (1983), Ragewar (1984), Night Train to Terror (1985), House (1985), Survivor (1987), Pulse Pounders (1988), Wicked Stepmother (1989), and Think Big (1989).

In the early Nineties he continued to appear as Bull on Night Court. He provided the voice of Two-Face on Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures, the voice of Norman on Mighty Max, and The Scorpion on Spider-Man. He provided additional voices for The Legend of Calamity Jane.  He was a regular on the shows Getting By and 100 Deeds for Eddie McDowd. He guest starred on the shows Highlander; Martin; CBS Schoolbreak Special; Due South; Hercules: The Legendary Journeys; Babylon 5; Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman; Baywatch; Weird Science; Married with Children; 7th Heaven; Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and The Parent Hood. He was a guest voice on the animated shows Freakazoid!, Aaahhh!!! Real Monsters, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child; Superman: The Animated Series; The Incredible Hulk; and Cow and Chicken. He appeared in the movies Driving Miss Crazy (1991), Let's Kill All Lawyers (1992), Sidekicks (1992), Marilyn Alive and Behind Bars (1992), Loaded Weapon 1 (1993), Storybook (1994), The Flintstones (1994), No Dessert, Dad, Till You Mow the Lawn (1994), Beanstalk (1994), Galaxis (1995), The Secret Agent Club (1996), The Glass Cage (1996), Jingle All the Way (1996), The Elevator (1996), Little Cobras: Operation Dalmatian (1997), Living in Peril (1997), Snide and Prejudice (1997), Me and the Gods (1997), The Survivor (1998), Monkey Business (1998), Foreign Correspondents (1998), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), Shadow Hours (2000), Big Monster on Campus (2000), That Summer in L.A. (2000), and Flamingo Dreams (2000).

In the Naughts Richard Moll guest starred on the shows Smallville and Cold Case. He was a guest voice on the animated series The Zeta Project, Justice League, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. He appeared in the movies Dumb Luck (2001), Spiders II: Breeding Ground (2001), Evolution (2001), Scary Movie 2 (2001), Angel Blade (2002), No Place Like Home (2002), The Work and the Story (2003), Cats and Mice (2003), Uh Oh! (2004), The Biggest Fan (2005), Diamond Zero (2005), Angels with Angles (2005), Nightmare Man (2006), Headless Horsman (2007), Christmas Cottage (2008), and Love at First Hiccup (2009).

In the Teens he appeared in the movies Assassin's Code (2011), DisOrientation (2012), Sorority Party Massacre (2012), Hemingway (2012), Jurassic: Stone Age (2013), Bffs (2014), Kids vs. Monsters (2015), Razor (2016), DaZe: Vol. Too (sic) - NonSeNse (2016), Circus Kane (2017), and Slay Belles (2018). He guest starred on the shows Anger Management.

Richard Moll also provided voices for several video games, including The Adventures of Batman & Robin Activity Center, Fallout: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game, Outlaws, and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction.

It is safe to say Richard Moll will be best remembered as Bull on Night Court. He was perfect in the roll of the gentle giant who was very protective of Judge Harry Stone (Harry Anderson). As great as he was as Bull, it must be kept in mind that Mr. Moll played many other roles in his career. Aside from Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hammill as The Joker, he gave arguably the best performance on Batman: The Animated Series, portraying prosecutor Harvey Dent, who becomes the supervillain Two-Face. In the horror comedy movie House he played Big Ben, a soldier who died in Vietnam and returns from the dead. In The Sword and the Sorcerer he played the sorcerer Xusia. One of his best performances was in the comedy But I'm a Cheerleader, in which he played Larry Morgan-Gordon, a gay man who with his partner Lloyd (Wesley Mann) helps teenagers escape from a conversion therapy camp. Of course, he had a gift for voice acting, and he played a wide range of characters in animation, from Spider-Man's enemy The Scorpion to The Hulk's opponent The Abomination. Richard Boll was a wonderful actor who played wide array of roles throughout this role, and played all of them well.

The Late Great Richard Roundtree

Richard Roundtree, who played detective John Shaft in five movies and a TV series, as well as Sam Bennett on the TV mini-series Roots, died on October 24 2023 at the age of 81. The cause was pancreatic cancer.

Richard Roundtree was born on July 9 1942 in New Rochelle, New York. He attended New Rochelle High School and played on their football team. After graduating from high school in 1961, he attended Southern Illinois University on a football scholarship. He left Southern Illinois University in 1963 to pursue a career as a male model. He appeared in ads for Salem cigarettes and Duke hair products. It was in 1967 that he moved to New York City to study acting. He joined the Negro Ensemble Company. In 1971 he played the role of boxer Jack Johnson in the company's production of The Great White Hope. It was while he was in that production that he learned of auditions for the movie Shaft.

Richard Roundtree made his film debut in Shaft (1971), playing the lead role of private eye John Shaft. The movie proved to be a success and led to two sequels in the Seventies, Shaft's Big Score! (1972) and Shaft in Africa (1973). It also spurred a cycle of movies known rightly or wrongly as Blaxpoloitation. He starred in the TV series Shaft, based on the movies, which ran on CBS during the 1973-1974 season. In the Seventies he appeared in the movies Embassy (1972), Charley-One-Eye (1973), Earthquake (1974), Man Friday (1975), Diamonds (1975), Portrait of a Hitman (1979), Escape to Athena (1979), Game for Vultures (1979), and Day of the Assassin (1979). In addition to the Shaft TV series, Mr. Roundtree appeared on television in the TV movies Parachute to Paradise and Firehouse. He appeared in the mini-series Roots and guest starred on the TV show Love Boat.

In the Eighties Richard Roundtree appeared in the movies Inchon (1981), An Eye for an Eye (1981), Q (1982), One Down, Two to Go (1982), Young Warriors (1983), The Big Score (1983), Killpoint (1984), City Heat (1984), Opposing Force (1986), Jocks (1986), Maniac Cop (1988), Party Line (1988), Angel III: The Final Chapter (1988), Miami Cops (1989), La vendetta (1989), Night Visitor (1989), Crack House (1989), The Banker (1989), Bad Jim (1989), and Gypsy Angels (1989). On television he starred on the TV shows Outlaws and Generations. He appeared in the mini-series A.D. He guest starred on the shows CHiPs; Magnum, P.I.; Masquerade; Hollywood Beat; ABC Afterschool Specials; Murder, She Wrote; A Different World; Amen; Beauty and the Beast; and MacGyver.

In 2000 Richard Roundtree reprised his role as John Shaft, the uncle of the protagonist (also named John Shaft) in the movie Shaft (2000). In the Nineties he also appeared in the movies A Time to Die (1991), Bloodfist III: Forced to Fight (1991), Sins of the Night (1993), Deadly Rivals (1993), Mind Twister (1993), Ballistic (1995), Se7en (1995), Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored (1995), Theodore Rex (1995), Original Gangstas (1996), George of the Jungle (1997) and Steel (1997). On television he starred on the shows Buddies, 413 Hope St. and Rescue 77. He had recurring roles on the show Roc and and Soul Food. He guest starred on the shows The Young Riders; Beverly Hills, 90120; Hearts are Wild; L.A. Law; Hangin' with Mr. Cooper;  Renegade; The Wayans Bros.; Dream On; Touched by an Angel; The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air; Profiler; Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman; and Linc's.

In the Naughts Mr. Roundtree was a regular on the series Diary of a Single Mom. He had recurring roles in the TV shows Desperate Housewives, Heroes, and Lincoln Heights. He guest starred on the shows Resurrection Blvd., Alias, The Closer; Blade: The Series; Grey's Anatomy; Close to Home; Knight Rider; and Meet the Browns. He appeared in the movies Antitrust (2001), Hawaiian Gardens (2001), Corky Romano (2001), Al's Lads (2002), Boat Trip (2002), Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon (2004), Brick (2005), Wild Seven (2006), All the Days Before Tomorrow (2007), Vegas Vampires (2007), Speed Racer (2008), Set Apart (2009), and The Confidant (2010).

In 2019 Richard Roundtree reprised his role as John Shaft one last time, playing the father of John Shaft, Jr. and the grandfather of J. J. Shaft. He appeared in the movies This Bitter Earth (2012), Collar (2015), Retreat! (2016), What Men Want (2019), Duke (2020), and Haunting of the Mary Celeste (2020). He was a regular on the shows Being Mary Jane, Family Reunion, and Cherish the Day. He had recurring roles on the shows Chicago Fire, The Player, and Star. He guest starred on the shows Private Practice, Lethal Weapon, and Sacrifice.

It is safe to say that Richard Roundtree will always be best remembered as John Shaft. He was perfect in the role, widely considered the first Black action hero. That having been said, he played many other roles and he played them well. He played the charming carriage driver Sam Bennett in Roots. In Once Upon a Time...When We Were Colored, he played the iceman Cleve. In Man Friday he played the character of the title, who challenges Robinson Crusoe's notions of white supremacy. On the TV series he played the none too honest grocery store co-owner Hardy Lester. Throughout his career he played a wide variety of characters. While Richard Roundtree will always be best remembered as John Shaft, he did so much more.

Happy Halloween 2023

Here at A Shroud of Thoughts we realize many like a bit of cheesecake with their Halloween candy. I then have this year's Halloween pinups for you.

Ellen Drew is relaxing in the hay with her jack o' lanterns and Halloween masks.

Donna Reed dressed for Halloween, complete with her jack o' lantern.

Esther Williams carving her jack o' lantern for Halloween

Olga San Juan relaxing on a giant jack o' lantern

Clara Bow posing beside a giant jack o' lantern.

And it's always a treat to see Ann Miller on Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Our Miss Brooks : "Mr. Conklin's Halloween Breakdown"

Many older people, as well as Gen Xers like me who got to see it in reruns, have fond memories of Our Miss Brooks. It was a popular sitcom in the Fifties, and one of the earliest television shows to be adapted as a motion picture (Our Miss Brooks in 1956). While Our Miss Brooks was a popular television show, it had originated on radio. And like many radios shows, it had a Halloween episode. Its title was "Mr. Conklin's Halloween Breakdown."

Our Miss Brooks starred Eve Arden as Constance "Connie" brooks, a much put-upon, very much single English teacher at Madison High School. The principal at Madison High School was the gruff and often demanding Osgood Conklin (Gale Gordon). Philip Boynton (Jeff Chandler) was the shy biology teacher at Madison High School, and the object of Miss Brooks's affection, although he had absolutely no clue how she felt. Walter Dention (Richard Crenna) was one of Miss Brooks's students who had a high-pitched voice. He usually had good intentions, although his sheer clumsiness sometimes got in the way. Fabian "Stretch" Davis (Leonard Smith) was the none-too-bright star athlete at Madison High School and Walter's best friend. Margaret Davis (Jane Morgan) was Miss Brooks's landlady, who tended to be a bit absentminded and loved to cook exotic breakfasts that were more often than not inedible.

In  "Mr. Conklin's Halloween Breakdown" Walter Dention and some of the other Madison High students are planning a Halloween Party. What is more, they plan to have it at Connie Brooks's apartment, Miss Davis having already agreed. Miss Brooks is opposed to having the party at her apartment, until she learns Mr. Boynton will be attending. While Miss Brooks and the students are getting ready for Halloween, Mr. Conklin is under a great deal of stress and is told by his doctor that he is on the verge of a nervous collapse. When Miss Brooks and the students learn of Mr. Conklin's condition, they decide to hold the party at his house as a way of cheering him up. As it turns out, Miss Brooks slips up and tells Mr. Conklin about the party, thinking that he had already learned of it. Mr. Conklin really doesn't want to be around a large group of people, and so Miss Brooks tells him that he can just relax at her apartment while the party is taking place. Unfortunately, Mr. Boynton and the students have decided to show up at Miss Brooks' apartment to surprise her in their costumes. After Miss Brooks and Mr. Conklin arrive at her apartment, he then sees Mr. Boynton in his skeleton costume, Walter as a ghost, and Stretch as Hopalong Cassidy, leading him to think he has had his nervous breakdown and is now seeing things. Of course, everything is straightened out in the end.

 "Mr. Conklin's Halloween Breakdown" aired on October 30 1949. It was sponsored by Colgate and featured ads for Colgate's Dental Cream and Lustre-Creme shampoo. It would be the only Halloween episode of Our Miss Brooks on either radio or television. While many shows that made the transition from radio to television would adapt old radio scripts to the new medium, "Mr. Conklin's Halloween Breakdown"was never re-made as an episode of the television show. This is sad, as it is one of the funniest episode of the radio show Our Miss Brooks, and it would have lent itself quite well to television. The premise is original, particularly for a Halloween episode, and the cast is in top form. While Gale Gordon is known as one of the masters of the "slow burn," he also had a talent for playing a man on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

The radio show Our Miss Brooks ran on CBS from 1948 to 1957. It made the transition to television in 1952 and it would run until 1956. The television show would be successful in syndication. In the Eighties it aired on various cable channels, and it still resurfaces on nostalgia channels such as MeTV from time to time. Episodes can now be found on the streaming service Tubi. As to the radio version, it is widely available on CD, and can be found streaming on sites from YouTube to the various Old Time Radio sites. Fans of Old Time Radio and sitcoms really should check out  "Mr. Conklin's Halloween Breakdown," which is one of the funniest Halloween radio episodes ever made.

Tales from the Darkside: "Trick or Treat" (The Pilot)

Tale from the Darkside remains one of the best remembered horror anthologies of all time. Most episodes were morality plays or cautionary tales in which some individual or individuals got what was coming to them. Tales from the Darkside aired in syndication and proved to be rather popular in its time. It ultimately ran for four seasons. It was forty years ago today, on October 29 1983, that the show's pilot episode first aired. Fittingly enough given when it debuted, it was a Halloween tale called "Trick or Treat."

In "Trick or Treat," Gideon Hackles (Barnard Hughes) is a local storekeeper and the richest man in town. Almost everyone in town and the surrounding rural area is in debt to him. He also happens to be an absolute miser and an absolutely spiteful one at that. Every Halloween he gives trick-or-treaters the chance to find their parents' IOUs. If an individual child finds their parents' IOU, their debts are entirely cancelled. Unfortunately, no child has ever found an IOU, as Mr. Hackles has his house rigged with animatronic ghosts and goblins of the sort one would find in a carnival fright house or a haunted house attraction with which he scares the kids away. As might be expected, in the end Mr. Hackles gets a rather Hellish comeuppance for his spitefulness and greed.

Tales from the Darkside grew out of the movie Creepshow (1982), directed by George Romero and Stephen King. Creepshow was a portmanteau movie featuring four tales of horror, not unlike the British classic Dead of Night (1945) or such Amicus portmanteau horror movies as Dr. Terror's House of Horrors (1965) and The House That Dripped Blood (1970). Creepshow drew inspiration from such EC Comics horror titles as Tales from the Crypt and Vault of Horror, which also offered up morality plays in a horror setting.

Creepshow proved moderately successful at the box office. It occurred to George Romero and the producers of Creepshow that the movie could provide the basis for a horror anthology television series. Unfortunately, Warner Bros.who distributed Creepshow, owned certain intellectual properties in relation to the movie. George Romero then created Tales from the Darkside. The comic book trappings of Creepshow were jettisoned for Tales from the Darkside, but like the movie it drew inspiration from EC Comics. As mentioned above, like EC Comics and Creepshow before it, Tales from the Darkside featured morality plays in which some character got their comeuppance.

In this way the pilot episode, "Trick or Treat," was truly representative of the series that was to come. Barnard Jones brought the greedy, spiteful, and downright sadistic Gideon Hackles to life, and made for a memorable episode. The episode's effects are also impressive for the era, when the use of CGI was virtually unknown. The fact that the debut of "Trick or Treat" coincided with Halloween and the pilot had a Halloween theme probably helped it draw in more viewers than it would have had otherwise. The success of "Trick or Treat" in syndication led Tribune Entertainment to go forward with Tales from the Darkside. The regular series debuted on September 30 1984 and ran for four seasons. The show's continued success would result in the theatrical release Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990), a portmanteau horror film featuring three tales of terror. It was released two years after Tales from the Darkside had ended its run.

"Trick or Treat" would not be the only episode of Tales from the Darkside set at Halloween. The show's second Halloween episode, "Halloween Candy," aired in its second season. In "Halloween Candy," another grumpy old man gets his comeuppance when refusing to give a trick-or-treater candy. The third and final Halloween episode of Tales from the Darkside was "The Cutty Black Sow," which dealt with a demon from Celtic lore that steals the souls of all who die on Halloween.

Tales from the Darkside was released on VHS and later on DVD. Sadly, it is not available on streaming, but Tales from the Darkside is still remembered and maintains a cult following to this day. It was on the strength of that pilot, "Trick or Treat," which would turn out to be one of the show's best episodes, that Tales from the Darkside came into being as a series.