Goodbye, 2023

In many ways 2023 was not a good year from me. Earlier this year I had health problems ranging from my blood pressure medication ceasing to lower my blood pressure to problems with thermoregulation, probably due to what I had thought was the flu last December, but I am now convinced was COVID-19. From April into June I was then somewhat miserable. Fortunately, I  have been feeling much better since then, although there was one event this year that put me in a foul mood, not to mention every other Turner Classics Movie fan.

Quite simply, in June, Warner Bros. Discovery seemed intent on gutting TCM, with massive layoffs at the channel. Among those who were laid off were people who had been with Turner Classic Movies for literally years, including Pola Changnon, general manager of TCM (who had been with the channel for 25 years), Charles Tabesh, senior vice president in charge of content and programming (who had been with TCM from the beginning), Genevieve McGillicuddy, vice president of enterprises and strategic partnerships (who organized the annual TCM Classic Film Festival), and Anne Wilson, vice president of studio production. To TCM fans it seemed as if for the first time in the channel's 29 years of existence that it was under threat. The backlash was swift, immediate, and massive. And it wasn't simply TCM fans who were outraged, but celebrities ranging from actor Ryan Reynolds to such legendary directors as Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg.

Fortunately, the outrage on the part of TCM fans would have some effect. Charlie Tabesh was restored to his post, and Genevieve McGillicuddy returned to Turner Classic Movies as well. Actor Brian Cox, a long time Turner Classic Movies fan, recently said that "the guy who runs Warner Bros. Discovery now" (David Zaslav, CEO of the company) doesn't understand the value of TCM, and added that he will defend it to the death. Sadly, I think Mr. Cox is right about Zaslav not understanding the value of Turner Classic Movies, so that many TCM fans, myself included, are still concerned about the future of the channel.

Of course, 2023 was also a sad year insofar as the many beloved celebrities who have died this year. Sadly, among them was one who was a friend of many classic movie fans, myself included. Bobby Rivers, film critic and celebrity interviewer who had his own show on VH-1, died only a few days ago. I had first started interacting with Bobby through social media around 2012 or 2013, and I remember many wonderful discussions with him on subjects related to classic movies and classic television.  Bobby was an original participant in TCMParty, the group of fans who live tweet movies on Turner Classic Movies using that hashtag and he was friends with many TCM fans, so that he was and still is heavily mourned. Here I want to stress, Bobby wasn't the only well-known person who had taken part in TCMParty to die this year. Film historian, author, editor, and filmmaker Cari Beauchamp died earlier this month. Cari was a close friend with many of my close friends and even a mentor to some of them. Cari was both well-respected and well-loved by TCM fandom, so that her death sent shock waves through the community. Earlier in the year Newton Minow, who was Chairman of the FCC during the Kennedy administration, died at the age of 97. I never knew Mr. Minow, but he has always been one of my heroes. Like many classic movie fans, I have had the privilege of interacting with his daughter Nell Minow on various social media services over the years.

The year 2023 saw the passings of several beloved stars from film and television. To list them all would take the better part of this post and I apologize for leaving some people out, but among them were: Cindy Williams, who starred in American Graffiti (1973) and played Shirley on the classic sitcom Laverne & Shirley; Lisa Loring, the original Wednesday Addams on The Addams Family; Italian sex symbol Gina Lollobrigida; Melinda Dillon of A Christmas Story (1983) fame; the legendary Raquel Welch; Stella Stevens; Richard Belzer of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fame; legendary producer Walter Mirisch; stuntman and filmmaker Ricou Browning; B-movie producer Bert I. Gordon; legendary actor Topol; Lance Reddick, Charon in the "John Wick" movies and other films; legendary singer and actor Harry Belafonte; George Maharis, forever Buz Murdock on Route 66; Barry Newman, who starred in the movie Vanishing Point (1971) and the TV series Petrocelli; the legendary Glenda Jackson; Alan Arkin, who appeared in films from The Russians Are Coming the Russians Are Coming (1966) to The In-Laws (1979); Bob Barker, host of Truth or Consequences and The Price is Right; Arleen Sorkin, legendary soap opera star who also inspired DC comics character Harley Quinn; David McCaullum, who played Ashley-Pitt  in The Great Escape (1963) and cool Russian agent Illya Kuryakin on The Man From U.N.C.L.E.; Phyllis Coates, popular pinup and the first Lois Lane on the TV series The Adventures of Superman; Mark Goddard, who starred in the shows Johnny Ringo, The Detectives, and Lost in Space; Lara Parker, forever Angelique on Dark Shadows; Richard Roundtree, best known as private eye John Shaft; Richard Moll of Night Court fame; Matthew Perry, forever Chandler Bing on Friends; television director Robert Butler; movie and TV star Marisa Pavan; legendary television producer and writer Norman Lear; legendary actor Ryan O'Neil; Andre Braugher, who appears in such films as Glory (1989) and The Tuskegee Airman (1995) and starred on the TV shows Homicide: Life in the Streets and Brooklyn Nine-Nine; and legendary comedian and folk singer Tom Smothers.

The year 2023 also saw several legendary music talents pass on, including: guitarist Jeff Beck; folk singer and songwriter Gordon Lightfoot; music legend Tina Turner; Ed Ames of the Ames Brothers; legendary crooner Tony Bennett; Robbie Robertson of The Band; Gary Wright, known for his work with Spooky Tooth and his solo career; power pop legend Dwight Twilley; Denny Laine of The Moody Blues and Wings; and The Pogues' front man Shane MacGowan. Several legends in the field of comic books and cartooning also died this year, including: Joe Giella, the legendary artist known for his work at DC Comics during the Silver Age; comic book writer Steve Skeates, known for his work on Aquaman; the legendary Al Jaffee, the longest running contributor to Mad; John Romita Sr., well-known for his work on The Amazing Spider-Man; and comic book artist and writer Keith Giffen, who created Ambush Bug and co-created Rocket Raccoon and Jaime "Blue Beetle" Reyes.

Of course, entertainment news in 2023 was dominated by both the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) going on strike at very nearly the same time. It was the first time that both writers and actors were on strike since 1960. Central to the concerns of both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA were residuals from streaming and the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The writers were concerned that Hollywood might employ AI to write whole scripts. The actors were concerned that AI could be used to replicate their likenesses without any compensation. The WGA's strike began on May 2 and ended on September 27, making it the union's second longest strike, tied with the 1960 strike, after their strike in 1988. In the case of SAG-AFTRA, it was the longest strike in the union's history.

As might be expected, the reactions of studio executives were unreasonable, to say the least. For example, Bob Iger, the CEO of the Walt Disney Company, claimed the actors' demands were "not realistic." I hate to tell Mr. Iger, but from my standpoint as a consumer, the idea that he deserves to be paid $27 million is not realistic. I watch movies and TV shows because of the people who write them, the people who direct them, and the people who act in them, not because of who the CEO of the studio is. Indeed, I agree with John Cleese, who said on Twitter, "I keep reading that film studios are contemplating replacing writers and actors by using Artificial Intelligence to mimic their talents. Surely it would be easier and more efficient to replace executives, since they have no talent at all."  It would certainly save the studios a lot of money, money that could be used to pay directors, writers, and actors.

Another big news story in movie news this year is the idea that "superhero fatigue" has set in after over a decade of superheroes dominating the box office. The fact is that several superhero movies did fail at the box office this year, including Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and The Marvels. That having been said, there were some successful superhero movies this year as well. Of the top five highest grossing movies of 2023, two were superhero movies, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and the animated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. I am undecided as to whether audiences are actually tired of superheroes or if they are being choosier about which superhero movies they want to see at the theatre. Indeed, of the superhero movies released this year there are only two I would have liked to have seen at the theatre Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Blue Beetle (which, sadly, did not do well at the box office despite being a good movie). Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is still in theatres, and so far it seems to be falling short of expectations.

Of course, superheroes aren't faring well on television either. The CW, long-time home to various DC Comics superheroes, has pretty much cancelled all of their superhero shows with the exception of Superman & Lois, whose fourth season will be its last. Streaming service Max cancelled both Titans and Doom Patrol. While The CW and Max were cancelling superhero shows, Disney+ seems to have a full slate of them for next year, including Echo, Ironheart, X-Men '97, Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, Daredevil: Born Again; and Spider-Man: Freshman Year. I guess 2023 was a bad year for those of us who are DC fans, but a bit better for Marvel fans.

Regardless of whether superheroes will continue to be popular, it is certain that Barbie is. Barbie was the big movie this year, raking in a whopping $636 million. I can fully understand why. Aside from being based on an iconic and still popular property, Barbie is also one of the best movies to come out this year. Among the other top grossing films of this year were The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Oppenheimer, The Little Mermaid, Avatar: The Way of Water, and John Wick: Chapter 4. Despite the phenomenal success of Barbie, at the moment it seems a sequel is unlikely. I think that may be just as well, as the film's story is pretty much wrapped up by the end of the movie.

As far as television goes, this year saw The CW continued to do away with superhero properties, as the long-running The Flash ended and it was revealed that the fourth season would be the last for Superman & Lois. One of my favourite show, Reservation Dogs, ended in its run on Hulu after three seasons. Another one of my favourite shows, Doom Patrol, also ended its run. Of the new shows to debut this year, only Lawmen: Bass Reeves really grabbed me. Other than that, my favourite new shows were ones that have been on a while: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Lower Decks, and Our Flag Means Death.

While for others the biggest movie news of the year may have been the  WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the phenomenal success of Barbie, or the failure of various superhero movies at the box office, for me the biggest news this year was the premier of Ninety Minutes Later at the SAFILM-San Antonio Film Festival in August. Ninety Minutes Later is a documentary on my dearest Vanessa Marquez's life, career, and tragic death. It is directed by Cyndy Fujikawa and produced by Daniel Villareal, one of Vanessa's Stand and Deliver co-stars (he played Chuco in the movie). It has since played at the OC Film Fiesta, the Pembroke Taparelli Arts Festival, the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, and  the Vail Film Festival. I am hoping that a distributor will pick it up. As I see it, the more people who see Ninety Minutes Later, the greater the possibility that Vanessa will finally get justice.

I have no idea what 2024 will bring. I should have another book out next month. And I hope to get another book out later in the year. I am also considering creating a Substack newsletter (I am debating that). As to A Shroud of Thoughts, it will turn 20 on June 4 2024. Regardless, I hope 2024 is a better year for me and I hope it is a better year for you as well.

TCM Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of Columbia Pictures in January

On June 19 1918 brothers Jack and Harry Cohn with their partner Joe Brandt founded Cohn-Brandt-Cohn Film Sales Corporation, better known as CBC. It was on January 10 1924 that the Cohn brothers and Joe Brandt reorganized CBC and renamed it Columbia Pictures Corporation. Next month Turner Classic Movies is celebrating the reorganization of the studio with films from its history each Wednesday. It begins on Wednesday, January 3 2024 at 7:00 PM with one of Columbia's best known movies, It Happened One Night (1934).

Below is the schedule for TCM Spotlight: Columbia Pictures 100th Anniversary. All times are Central. 

Wednesday, January 3
Night One – the 1920s and 1930s
7:00 PM – It Happened One Night (1934)
9:00 PM – "Woman Haters" (1934) (Three Stooges Short)
9:30 PM – The Awful Truth (1937)
11:15 PM – You Can’t Take it With You (1938)  
1:30 AM – Man’s Castle (1933)  
3:00 AM – The Belle of Broadway (1926)  

Wednesday, January 10
Night Two – the 1940s and 1950s
7:00 PM – Gilda (1946)  
9:00 PM – Born Yesterday (1950)  
11:00 PM – "You Natzy Spy" (1940) (Three Stooges Short)
11:30 PM – On the Waterfront (1954)  
1:30 AM – Ride Lonesome (1959)  
3:00 AM – The Caine Mutiny (1954)

Wednesday, January 17
Night Three – the 1960s and 1970s
7:00 PM – Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
11:00 PM – Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)  
1:30 AM – Taxi Driver (1976)  
3:30 AM – Funny Girl (1968)
6:00 AM – The China Syndrome (1979)

Wednesday, January 24
Night Four – the 1980s and 1990s
7:00 PM – Gandhi (1982)  
10:30 PM – Philadelphia (1993) – (TriStar film)
1:00 AM – One False Move (1992)  
3:00 AM – The Last Emperor (1987)  

Wednesday, January 31
Night Five – the 2000s and 2010s
7:00 PM – Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) – (Sony Pictures Classics)
9:15 PM – Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
11:30 PM – Punch Drunk Love (2002)  
 1:15 AM – Whiplash (2014)  – (Sony Pictures Classics)
 3:15 AM – Marie Antoinette (2006)

The Wonderful Bobby Rivers, TV Personality and Friend to Many TCM Fans

This will be one of the most difficult posts for me to write. Bobby Rivers was a celebrity interviewer and film critic. He was a veejay on VH1 in the Eighties and even had his own primetime celebrity talk show on the channel, Watch Bobby Rivers. He later hosted Top 5 on the Food Network. Bobby Rivers was also a huge fan of classic movies, and one of the original members of TCMParty, the group of Turner Classic Movies fans who live tweet movies on the channel using that hashtag. He was a friend and acquaintance to many TCM fans, including myself. Bobby Rivers died on Tuesday, December 26 2023 at the age of 70. His sister Betsy Rivers told The Hollywood Reporter that he had a series of mini-strokes and a recurrence of lung cancer.

Bobby Rivers was born on September 20 1953 in Los Angeles. He was the oldest of three children, with a younger sister Betsy and a younger brother Tony. His parents were both fans of classic movies, and they encouraged a love of classic movies in him. Bobby was still a teenager when he made his first appearance on television. It was on The Movie Game, a daily syndicated game show on which contestants answered questions about movie trivia with the help of two celebrities. Bobby's teammates were comedian Phyllis Diller and Hugh O'Brien (then as now best known as Wyatt Earp on The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp). Bobby was both the youngest contestant on The Movie Game and the show's first Black contestant. He won a  Kimball spinet piano.

Bobby graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with a degree in broadcasting. He began his career writing newscasts at radio station WRIT-FM in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He later had a morning show on Milwaukee radio station WQFM (now WLDB). Bobby moved from radio into television, becoming the film critic at ABC affiliate WISN-TV, the first Black film critic in Milwaukee. There he hosted and produced the local talk show More. He also reviewed movies for the syndicated news and entertainment show PM Magazine.

Bobby moved from Milwaukee to New York City where he went to work as an entertainment reporter for WPIX. Afterwards he became a veejay for VH1. On VH1 he was given his own show, Watch Bobby Rivers, on which he interviewed such celebrities as Mel Blanc, Michael Caine, Kirk Douglas, Sally Field, Mel Gibson, Paul McCartney, Marlo Thomas, and yet others. On VH1 he also hosted Sunday Brunch with Bobby Rivers. He moved from VH1 to WNBC, where he served as an entertainment reporter and part of the cast of Weekend Today. He also hosted the short-lived syndicated game show Bedroom Buddies, on which people who were married, engaged, or living together answered questions about their lives.

Bobby moved from WNBC to WNYW where he was an entertainment reporter and a host on Good Day New York. He later served as the entertainment editor on the ABC News/Lifetime weekday magazine Lifetime Live. He then hosted Top 5 on the Food Network and then served as the film critic and entertainment reporter on Whoopi Goldberg's radio show Wake Up with Whoopi. In the late Naughts he appeared as Professor Robert Haige on the In the Know segment of the Onion News Network video podcast.

Bobby did a little acting beyond his appearances on the Onion New Network. He appeared in The Equalizer episode "Making of a Martyr" in 1985. He also appeared in the movie Identity Crisis (1989) and two episodes of The Sopranos, as well as the short subject "Hello Korea Goodbye" (2006).

Since 2011 Bobby maintained his blog Bobby Rivers TV. He also wrote scripts for the intros and outros on Turner Classic Movies. As mentioned earlier, Bobby was one of the original participants in TCMParty, from its earliest years. His last tweet for TCMParty was on December 17 2023, only nine days before his death.

Bobby Rivers was a true pioneer. At the time he was reviewing movies on WISN in Milwaukee, Black film critics were virtually unknown. For that matter,openly gay television personalities were also virtually unknown.  As the host of Watch Bobby Rivers he was one of the first African Americans to host his own show. Bobby paved the way for both Black people and members of the LGBTQ community on television. Of course, Bobby was also very good at what he did. He had an in-depth knowledge of film history and could offer insights into classic movies that others had never considered before. As an interviewer he was able to come up with questions that his subjects might never have been asked previously. Bobby was warm and friendly, and able to put his interview subjects at ease, getting them to open up to him in a way that they might not to someone else.

As might be expected, Bobby supported diversity, often addressing it on his blog. He wrote multiple times about Latino representation in the entertainment industry. He argued for the need for Black faces on Turner Classic Movies in those days before they hired Professor Jacqueline Stewart. He is one of the few bloggers I know who has written about the need for more representation of Native Americans in Hollywood. Bobby grew up during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, and so he wanted to make sure the voices of all peoples were heard.

Beyond being a great film critic and celebrity interviewer, Bobby was simply a wonderful person. Bobby had faced both racism and homophobia throughout his life and career. His partner died from AIDS at a point when it was still a stigma. Bobby could easily have been bitter, but he never was. Instead, Bobby was warm and friendly and funny. And he was always supportive, wishing his friends success in whatever they did. He had a real love of classic movies and it was wonderful discussing them with him. He was both intelligent and insightful, and had a way of making one see any given movie in a new light. I remember a wonderful post he wrote on his blog about Black representation in Frank Capra's classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946).

Bobby was an active part of TCMParty from its earliest days, and along with my dearest Vanessa Marquez and songbird Monica Lewis, he was one of the first celebrities to take part. As a result Bobby was friends with many TCM fans, myself included. I remember discussing Eddie "Rochester" Anderson and Theresa Harris with him, of whom both Bobby and I were huge fans. I also remember Bobby and I telling another fan about how popular Nat King Cole was. Like many of my fellow TCMParty participants, I had many wonderful discussions with Bobby. Bobby was famous. He had interviewed Paul McCartney and had cocktails with Lucille Ball in her home, but as far as Bobby was concerned, he was simply one of us, another classic movie fan. Indeed, Bobby was the perfect gentleman. He was sweet, warm, supportive, intelligent, and insightful, and he possessed an impeccable wit and a great sense of humour. I know many of my fellow TCM fans are very sad at his passing. And I know that I will miss him very, very much.

The Late Great Tom Smothers

Tom Smothers, one half (with his brother Dick Smothers) of the legendary comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, died yesterday, December 26 2023, at the age of 86. The cause was lung cancer.

Tom Smothers was born on February 2 1937 in in a U.S. Army hospital on Governors Island  in New York City. His father was Major Thomas B. Smothers of the United States Army. The family moved to the Philippines in 1941 when his father was stationed there. During World War II his mother moved the family to Southern California. Sadly, his father died in a Japanese POW camp in 1945. While attending Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, California, Tom Smothers was on the gymnastics team and won the state championship on the parallel bars. He attended San Jose State College, where he competed both in gymnastics and pole vaulting.

Tom Smothers and his younger Dick Smothers set out to become folk singers, and played in a group called the Casual Quartet. In 1959 they left that group to form their own act. The two played at the Purple Onion in San Francisco. By 1961 the Smothers Brothers were regulars on The New Steve Allen Show. Although they had set out to become folk musicians, the banter between Tom and Dick Smothers eventually became the focal point of their act. Tom played the scatter-brained brother, something of a male Gracie Allen, while Dick played the straight man. In truth, Tom Smothers was very intelligent and was the driving force behind the act. Their first album, The Smothers Brothers at the Purple Onion, was released in 1961. It was followed by The Two Sides of the Smothers Brothers in 1962. The Smothers Brothers released nine more albums in the Sixties, that sold very well. Their biggest selling album was Curb Your Tongue, Knave! from 1964.

The continued popularity of the Smothers Brothers would insure that they would be frequent guests on television. They appeared on such talk shows, comedy sketch shows, game shows, and variety shows in the Sixties as Tonight Starring Jack Paar, The Steve Allen Playhouse, The Mike Douglas Show, Hootenany, The Judy Garland Show. The Garry Moore Show, I've Got a Secret, The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Jack Paar Program, The Jack Benny Program, Password, Hollywood Talent Scouts, Gypsy, The Andy Williams Show, The Val Doonican Show, The Eamon Andrews Show, What's My Line, Pat Boone in Hollywood, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Dee Time, Laugh-In, Celebrity Billiards, The Rosey Grier Show, 60 Minutes. The Jonathan Winters Show, Della, The Joey Bishop Show, Laugh-In, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, The Andy Williams Show, The David Frost Show, The Irv Kupcinet Show, The Dean Martin Show, and Playboy After Dark. The Smothers Brothers also guest starred on the sitcom The Danny Thomas Show and the mystery series Burke's Law.

Given the popularity of the Smothers Brothers in the Sixties, it was inevitable that they would have their own television show. Their first TV series was the fantasy comedy The Smothers Brothers Show, which aired on CBS from 1965 to 1966. On the show Tom played an apprentice angel who returns to his brother Dick and is charged with helping others. Of course, Tom usually made a mess that Dick would have to straightened out. The Smothers Brothers started strong in the ratings, but soon faltered and was cancelled at the end of the 1965-1966 season. Tom Smothers blamed the failure of the series on the fact that the Smothers Brothers lacked creative control over the show and it did not play to their strengths.

It was then on February 5 1967 that The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour debuted on CBS. Unlike The Smothers Brothers Show, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was a comedy and variety show. The show began as a hipper version of the typical variety show, with such musical guests as Buffalo Springfield, Cream, Donovan, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and The Who. It was not long before The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour evolved into a show that referenced the youth counterculture and addressed political topics of importance to young people. The socially relevant humour made The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour very successful, so successful that it was the first show to challenge the top-rated Bonanza in the ratings in years. The socially relevant humour also brought the Smothers Brothers into conflict with CBS. Ultimately CBS cancelled The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour while it was still popular in 1969. The Smothers Brothers sued CBS for breach of contract and ultimately won. Following the cancellation of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, the Smothers Brothers appeared on the summer replacement series The Smothers Brothers Summer Show on ABC. In 1969 Tom Smothers played acoustic guitar on John Lennon's single "Give Peace a Chance."

Tom Smothers began the Seventies hosting his own syndicated show without his brother, Tom Smothers' Organic Prime Time Space Ride. Later in the decade the Smothers Brothers starred in their own short-lived variety show on NBC titled The Smothers Brothers Show. Tom Smothers guest starred on the shows Love, American Style. He provided voices for the animated specials The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas and Betty Boop for President. He was a guest on the talk shows, variety shows, and game shows The Glenn Campbell Goodtime Hour,. The Flip Wilson Show, The Dick Cavett Show, The Julie Andrews Hour, NBC Follies, The Carol Burnett Show, Cher, Dinah!, The Sonny and Cher Show,  The Merv Griffin Show, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. At the end of the decade the Smothers Brothers guest starred in their own TV specials, The Tom and Dick Smothers Special I and The Tom and Dick Comedy Special II. Tom Smothers appeared in the movies Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972), Silver Bears (1977), A Pleasure Doing Business (1979), and There Goes the Bride (1980).

In the Eighties the Smothers Brothers hosted a new, but short-lived incarnation of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour that aired on CBS. At the start of the decade they starred in the short-lived adventure comedy series Fitz and Bones (Dick Smothers was Fitz, while Tom Smothers was Bones). Tom Smothers guest starred on The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Hotel, Tales of the Unexpected, Benson, and Cinemax Comedy Experiment. He was a voice on the animated special The Great Bear Scare. He appeared on such variety shows, talk shows, and games shows as Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters, The Glenn Campbell Music Show, Saturday Night Live, The New Hollywood Squares, Dolly, Super Dave, and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He appeared in the movies Pandemonium (1982) and Speed Zone (1989).

In the Nineties Tom Smothers guest starred on the TV shows Dream On; Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist; Suddenly Susan; and Maggie. He appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Martin Short Show, and Hollywood Squares. He appeared as himself in the movie The Vegas Connection (1999).

In the Naughts he guest starred as himself on the sitcom Life with Bonnie and the animated series The Simpsons, as well as on the series The Norm Show and The Wonderful World of Disney. He appeared on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. He appeared in the movie The Informant! (2009). His last appearance was this year, on CBS Sunday Morning.

Ever since childhood I have thought of the Smothers Brothers as one of the funniest comedy teams of all time. And Tom Smothers was one of the best gag men in the business. The character he played was not particularly bright, and had a sibling rivalry with his brother Dick, always throwing out his catchphrase, "Mom always liked him best." Of course, Dick Smothers was always the perfect straight man, the perfect foil, to his brother Tom. The two were a perfect team. Of course, in reality Tom Smothers was not only very intelligent, but a comic genius. Indeed, Tom Smothers was such an entertainer that he even brought his skill at the yo-yo into the act. As the Yo-Yo Man he would perform numerous tricks with the yo-yo. He was so good that the Smothers Brothers even released an instructional video, Yo-Yo Man.

Of course, Tom Smothers was not only funny. He was also revolutionary. The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was the first variety show to address civil rights, the Vietnam War, the counterculture, drugs, and many political topics. It broke new ground on television and paved the way for such shows as All in the Family and Maude. He fought many battles with CBS' Broadcast and Standards department in the years The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour was on the air. He was nothing if not outspoken. A truly funny man and a champion for free speech, Tom Smothers was a very remarkable human being.

Richard Franklin Passes On

Richard Franklin, who played Captain Mike Yates on Doctor Who, and had recurring roles on the TV shows Crossroads and Emmerdale Farm, died yesterday, December 25 2023, at the age of 87.

Richard Franklin was born on January 15 1936 in Marleybone, London. His father was renowned surgeon Richard Hampton Franklin, CBE. His mother was Helen Margaret,  daughter of Sir Henry Dixon Kimber, 2nd Baronet. He attended Westminster School. He received a Master of Arts degree in Modern History at Christ Church at the University of Oxford. His National Service was in the Royal Green Jackets (Rifle Brigade and he served as a captain in Queen Victoria's Rifles. He worked at the Hobson and Grey advertising agency as an assistant account executive, assistant producer, and scriptwriter for three years before going into acting.  He attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).

It was following his graduation from RADA that he spent six years in repertory theatre, spending time at the Century Theatre in Snibston, Ravenstone, the Birmingham Rep, and at the Bristol Old Vic. Afterwards he appeared in a number of productions on the West End in London.

Richard Franklin made his television debut in an episode of Dixon of Dock Green in 1966. In the late Sixties he guest starred on the shows The Saint, The Doctors, and From a Bird's Eye View. He appeared in the mini-series Little Women. He was a regular on the soap opera Crossroads.

In the Seventies Richard Franklin played Captain Mike Yates, a British adjutant of UNIT,  on Doctor Who. He guest starred on the shows The Pathfinders and Blake's 7. In the Eighties he was a regular on Emmerdale Farm. He appeared in the mini-series The Borgias. He appeared in the TV movie Waving to a Train. In the Nineties he reprised his role as Mike Yates in the thirtieth anniversary Doctor Who special Dimensions in Time that was also a crossover with EastEnders and was  produced for the charity Children in Need. It was historic as the final appearance of Jon Pertwee as the Third Doctor. He also appeared in the mini-series The Gambling Man. He guest starred on the show Harry and Heartbeat.

In the Naughts Richard Franklin appeared in the movies Feedback (2004), Chemical Wedding (2008) and The First Days of Spring (2009). In the Teens he appeared as Richard Wagner in Twilight of the Gods (2013) and one of the Death Star engineers in Star Wars movie Rouge One.

Richard Franklin was a very talented actor. He was remarkable as Mike Yates on Doctor Who, the cool and efficient British officer working with UNIT. Although he worked for UNIT and was never actually a companion of The Doctor, the character is so beloved by fans and worked with The Doctor so often that he is often counted as one of The Doctor's companions. Of course, he was also a regular on Emmerdale Farm, playing Denis Rigg, the villains businessman who terrorizes the villagers of Beckindale. In the film Twilight of the Gods (2013), he played the ghost of composer Richard Wagner, who haunts philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche while he is in Turin Lunatic Asylum. Richard Franklin was a remarkable talent who could play a wide variety of roles, from the heroic Mike Yates to the villainous Denis Rigg.

Merry Christmas 2023

Here at A Shroud of Thoughts, we know that some people appreciate some cheesecake with their candy canes and eggnog. Here then are this year's Christmas pinups.

First up is Virginia Mayo, who is waiting for Santa on the roof with some presents.

Next is Cyd Charisse, who is calling to wish people "Merry Christmas."

Yvonne De Carlo made a new friend for Christmas.

The Supremes are spending the holidays listening to records.

Olga San Juan has grown to giant size to deliver presents.

And Yvonne Craig has a present from an admirer!

Merry Christmas!

The Bing Crosby Show: Bing Crosby's first "Christmas" Television Special

Perhaps no other celebrity was associated as much with Christmas as Bing Crosby. Among his string of hits were several Christmas songs, including "I'll Be Home for Christmas," "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day," and, the biggest one of them all, "White Christmas." He began a long tradition of hosting Christmas themed radio programs in 1935 when he co-hosted the Christmas edition of The Kraft Music Hall with Paul Whiteman. Afterwards he would host a Christmas edition of a regularly scheduled program or a Christmas special on radio until 1962. Curiously, Bing Crosby would be a bit of a latecomer when it came to hosting Christmas-themed programs on television. His first Christmas television special would not be until 1961. Even then, The Bing Crosby Show, also known informally as The Big Crosby Christmas Show, barely touched upon the holiday.

The Bing Crosby Show was recorded on November 12 1961 at the Associated-Rediffusion Television Studio 5 in Wembley, London. It was shot while Bing Crosby was making the movie The Road to Hong Kong (1962) in Britain with Bob Hope.  It was directed by Peter Croft, a British director who had directed such British TV shows as Here and Now and Rush Hour, and would go onto direct episodes of Ready, Steady, Go!; Sexton Blake, and The Black Arrow. The guests on The Bing Crosby Show were almost exclusively British. Among them are names that are still recognizable to people world-wide today. Singer Shirley Bassey was just a few years away from world-wide fame with her rendition of the theme song to the James Bond movie Goldfinger (1964). Comedian and actor Terry-Thomas had already appeared in such films as Tom Thumb (1958), I'm All Right Jack (1959), and Make Mine Mink (1960). In an uncredited role as a bobby was Ron Moody, who had already appeared in an uncredited role in Make Mine Mink and would go onto appear in such films as Summer Holiday (1963) and The Mouse on the Moon (1963), as well as TV shows from The Avengers to Gunsmoke. Bob Hope had a cameo in The Bing Crosby Show. Miles Malleson had a career going back to the Thirties, and had appeared in such films as Brewster's Millions (1935), The 39 Steps (1935), The Thief of Bagdad (1940), Dead of Night (1946), and The Brides of Dracula (1960). While he was an American citizen, he was born in Eltham, London, his family immigrating to the United States when he was about five years old.

The other guests on The Bing Crosby Show may be recognizable to connoisseurs of British film and television. Dick Hills and Sid Green were British comedy writers who had written the British TV series  The Strange World of Gurney Slade and Winning Widows, and would go onto work with the comedy team of Morecambe and Wise. Miriam Karlin was a British actress who starred on the British sitcom The Rag Trade and had appeared in the film The Entertainer (1960). Dave King was an English comedian, actor , and singer who had an uncredited role in The Road to Hong Kong, and would go onto play Clifford Duckworth on the British soap opera Coronation Street. Lennie Mayme was an actor who would become a TV director, directing such shows as Vendetta, Z Cars, The Troubleshooters, and Doomwatch. Marion Ryan was a popular British singer who appeared frequently on British television. Two rather obscure British vocal groups were also on the show, The Buskers and The Happy Wanderers.

The idea behind The Bing Crosby Show was that Bing Crosby was in England researching his family tree. Of course, this was primarily an excuse for appearances by British actors and singers. While there is some acknowledgement of Christmas at the start of the special, it is largely forgotten until the very end. In fact, Bing Crosby would sing only one Christmas song in the entire special. The special began with Bing Crosby performing "Great Day!," "That's Amore," and "Learn to Croon." Afterwards it would shift to a sketch in a tea shop, where Mr. Crosby, Marion Ryan, and Dave King performed such tea-themed songs as "Tea for Two" and " When I Take Sugar in My Tea." During the special Bing Crosby would find himself arrested for performing on the street without a licence by a policeman played by Ron Moody. There was then a courtroom sketch in which he performed Fats Waller's "My Fate is in Your Hands." Later Shirley Bassey performed "Lucky Day (This is My)," "I'm Shooting High," and 'As I Love You." Towards the end of the special there would be a medley of such songs as "Make Yourself at Home", "Any Old Iron," and "Knees Up Mother Brown." Bing's performance of "Knees Up Mother Brown" was interrupted by a cameo by Bob Hope in drag as Bing Crosby's long-lost Aunt May. The Bing Crosby Show ended with Bing singing the only Christmas song in the special, "White Christmas."

The Bing Crosby Show aired on the American Broadcasting Company on December 11 1961. The December 13 1961 review of the special in Variety was somewhat mixed, with the critic writing "The first two of Bing Crosby specials for ABC-TV may have been thin and tired in theme and some of its comedy but the hour managed to present some easy-going and bright musical moments." Jack Gould in The New York Times on December 12 1961 gave a more negative review, writing, "It was time last night for Bing Crosby's occasional television special on channel 7; this one was taped in England and used a number of British artists in an outing that was to prove very thin."

The Bing Crosby Show would not air in Britain until February 27 1963, when it aired on ITV. The reason for this was an ongoing dispute between ITV and the Equity Union. The special was then delayed until after the dispute was settled. This could possibly explain why, despite airing in the United States in December, The Bing Crosby Show features only one Christmas song, the aforementioned "White Christmas." They realized it wouldn't air in Britain until later.

While American critics may not have been impressed by Bing Crosby's initial Christmas television special, he would continue to appear in his own Christmas specials or host the Christmas editions of regularly scheduled programs until 1977. Although it was not done on purpose, Bing Crosby's first Christmas special, The Bing Crosby Show, and his final Christmas special Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas, bookend each other rather well. Both specials were filmed in England and feature almost entirely British guests. Ron Moody appeared in both specials, playing a policeman in The Bing Crosby Show and multiple roles (including Bing Crosby's cousin Sir Percy Crosby and Charles Dickens) in Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas. Of course, at the time no one expected Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas to be Bing Crosby's last Christmas special. He died on October 13 1977 of a massive heart attack, only a little over a month since he had filmed the special.

The Bing Crosby Show is currently unavailable on streaming, not even YouTube. It was released on DVD in November 2010 as part of the set Bing Crosby: The Television Specials--Volume 2--The Christmas Specials. It was also included in the Time-Life DVD set The Best of the Bing Crosby Specials in 2018. Festival Films has also released the special on DVD. Since it first aired The Bing Crosby Show has not aired regularly, although the Nostalgia Channel showed a shortened version of the special in November 1995. Portions of the special have appeared on yet other DVDs, as well as special aired on television over the years.

I rather suspect many modern viewers, accustomed to the later Bing Crosby specials filled with Christmas songs, would be disappointed by The Bing Crosby Show. Regardless, it was Bing Crosby's first Christmas special of many. It would lead to his regular appearances on television during the holiday season, whether as the host of his own special or the host of a regularly scheduled show such as The Hollywood Palace.