Classic TV

[killersmom]

I thought Stephanie Zimbalist was cute. I wonder whatever became of her?

By the 90s Stephanie had taken to acting mostly in TV films, but the fact remains that she was still around, and she’s still around today. Despite being listed as active she doesn’t seem to have done much of anything since about 2015-2016, but that means very little since actors tend to take personal time now and again to move towards other projects or simply to relax. The chances seem good that she’ll continue to show up or at least continue doing something behind the scenes as she chooses.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I have a very negative opinion of Pierce Brosnan.

[morrobay]

details, Lyle!

[Lyle (Mooska)]

There was always something about him that I didn't like, but I never dwelled on it, I just didn't gravitate toward watching anything he was in. Then I saw some talk show appearances and found him to be rather arrogant. One appearance, in particular, solidified my feelings about him. He was on Jay Leno, when other guests used to stay and move onto the couch, and he pulls out a cigar, lights it up and starts smoking it, clearly annoying at least one person. No one mentioned it particularly, but I thought "What kind of a person does that?" People used to light up cigarettes on talk shows all the time, but not by then, and certainly not cigars.

I just found a photo (1996) of that online, but won't post it, as I believe a photo from this place got the forum in trouble once, but here's a link to the page: HERE.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I have a very negative opinion of Pierce Brosnan.

But that didn't keep him from becoming a very big star. 

[Jeff Wrangler]

It still amazes me, the people who turn up in these old shows on MeTV. This morning it was Suzanne Pleshette on an episode of Have Gun, Will Travel. She was playing a Mexican woman.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Today's Wagon Train episode was the Marjorie Main episode. She does her usual tough-cookie thing, but I don't mind. I always enjoy watching her.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Decades ago I bought the first two seasons of Bewitched! and the first season of Remington Steele on DVD. Somehow I've never unwrapped and watched either of them. I have no idea why. 

Now's a good time!

This evening I finally watched the first two episodes of Remington Steele. It kind of depresses me to think that the show premiered 38 years ago this coming fall. It is funny to be reminded of the technology of 1982 (car phones that you had to dial, computers that were positively primitive), and also men's haircuts from back then. Really, I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the show.

Here's something else that's funny: Even after nearly four decades, I never forgot the theme music. What I had forgotten was that it was composed by Henry Mancini.

I did remember how cute James Read was in 1982. I looked him up at IMDb. I'm pleased to know he's still very much a working actor. What I did not learn was how he got a broken nose.

Remington Steele was another of those shows that I think were best in their freshman year and began to go slowly down hill after that.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

 Good that you're watching those DVD's!

[Jeff Wrangler]

Good that you're watching those DVD's!

And I need to start shopping around again for a player or players. The one I'm using now seems to be developing issues. It was fine last weekend but didn't want to work last night. No surprise here, DVD players are getting hard to find. Maybe some day DVDs will come back as a niche kind of thing, like vinyl records.

If I don't watch the whole series, I definitely want to watch the episode with Beverly Garland as Laura's  mother. I seem to remember enjoying that one a lot. I need to check for the episode with Cassandra Harris, Pierce Brosnan's wife, who died of ovarian cancer in 1991.

Speaking of Beverly Garland, I think I should look around to see if Scarecrow and Mrs. King was ever released on DVD. I liked that little bit of fluff, too. I've always adored Kate Jackson. I think I'd have been straight for her.    SAMK was another of the few shows I predicted would be a success. I don't recall it registering with me at the time that apparently Bruce Boxleitner's character was named for a brand of jeans and a brand of hat. 

My other successful prediction was CHiPs. Back in the day, when TV had actual seasons, and during the summer they ran commercials for new series coming in the fall, all it took me was one commercial view of Erik Estrada in that painted-on highway patrol uniform and I knew that show would be a hit! (I guess everybody knows Jon and Ponch's commanding officer was played by Robert Pine, father of Chris.)

[Jeff Wrangler]

If I don't watch the whole series, I definitely want to watch the episode with Beverly Garland as Laura's  mother. I seem to remember enjoying that one a lot. I need to check for the episode with Cassandra Harris, Pierce Brosnan's wife, who died of ovarian cancer in 1991.

Actually, that was the same episode of Remington Steele. They were both in it. It was only the fifth episode of the show, and for me it was probably the best episode of the whole series.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

And I need to start shopping around again for a player or players. The one I'm using now seems to be developing issues. It was fine last weekend but didn't want to work last night. No surprise here, DVD players are getting hard to find. Maybe some day DVDs will come back as a niche kind of thing, like vinyl records.

DVD's are still a thing, there's new releases all the time, I've just gotten some. But Blu-Ray players are definitely a thing and they
also play DVD's.

My other successful prediction was CHiPs. Back in the day, when TV had actual seasons, and during the summer they ran commercials for new series coming in the fall, all it took me was one commercial view of Erik Estrada in that painted-on highway patrol uniform and I knew that show would be a hit! (I guess everybody knows Jon and Ponch's commanding officer was played by Robert Pine, father of Chris.)[/font][/size]

CHiP's premiered the season after I came to California and I used to like to watch it Saturday nights to see if I could recognize any of the places they filmed. And from watching it I learned that TV shows didn't always use accurate places. They'd often tell the officers to go, say, the intersection of Lankershim and Sepulveda Blvd. for example - two streets that aren't anywhere near each other. Or they'd say to go a certain park, but they filmed it somewhere else.

When I worked in Culver City, one day they filmed a scene for CHiP's on the corner right near where I worked. But we weren't allowed to see much of it as the boss wanted us to work. 

But, one night in December of 81, after work I went to a small card shop in Studio City and while I was in there someone came in the back entrance and I heard the lady behind the counter say "Hi, Mr. Pine." I looked up and it was Robert Pine! He had a child with him and the woman remarked on his cute son.

So a couple decades later when I found out who "Chris Pine" was I looked up info about Robert Pine and discovered he has two children, Chris and Katharine. Chris was born in 1980, so, since he has only one son, I actually saw him when he was a year and three months old! Unbelievably really, on August 26th of this month, Chris Pine will be 40 years old. 

[fritzkep]

I enjoy watching NCIS New Orleans for much the same reasons. Sometimes they pass through a time warp, getting from one place to another in an impossibly short time, but most of the places portrayed are reasonably correct.

In the first episode of Season One, the characters were in a cemetery with a view of the Mississippi River Bridge in the distance. The cemetery (St Bartholomew's) happens to be where my maternal grandparents are buried.

One real howler in another series was a Murder She Wrote that supposedly took place in New Orleans. It really looked off, and I eventually realized it was filmed at New Orleans Square in Disneyland!

[CellarDweller115]

CHiP's premiered the season after I came to California and I used to like to watch it Saturday nights to see if I could recognize any of the places they filmed. And from watching it I learned that TV shows didn't always use accurate places. They'd often tell the officers to go, say, the intersection of Lankershim and Sepulveda Blvd. for example - two streets that aren't anywhere near each other. Or they'd say to go a certain park, but they filmed it somewhere else.

I can remembering watching CHiPs with my younger brothers when it was on, we watched it for the car accidents.  LOL

[Jeff Wrangler]

DVD's are still a thing, there's new releases all the time, I've just gotten some. But Blu-Ray players are definitely a thing and they
also play DVD's.

I did not know Blu-Ray players also played "ordinary" DVDs. That's useful information. Thank you, Lyle.

(A couple of years ago a friend pointed out to me that my DVD player also played music CDs. I hadn't known that.)

Maybe I shouldn't completely give up hope for Season 2 of 9-1-1? Do things ever stop being available on Amazon Prime? If they do, then maybe they'll issue the season on DVD?

So a couple decades later when I found out who "Chris Pine" was I looked up info about Robert Pine and discovered he has two children, Chris and Katharine. Chris was born in 1980, so, since he has only one son, I actually saw him when he was a year and three months old! Unbelievably really, on August 26th of this month, Chris Pine will be 40 years old. 

That's not possible. It can't be.