Friday, October 29, 2010

Caroll O'Connor

All In the Family was first broadcast in January of 1971.  Before Carroll O’Connor began playing Archie Bunker, he appeared in a February, 1967 episode of That Girl with Marlo Thomas.  O’Connor played a temperamental Italian opera singer named Giuseppe Casanetti.  His blue Irish eyes betrayed the fact that he wasn’t really Italian.  The name of the episode was “A Tenor’s Loving Care.” 
Carroll O’Connor’s character was a womanizer with a beard and an Italian accent.  To see what he looked like, click on the link below
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/93610

It is interesting that Carroll O’Connor’s co-star on All In the Family
 also appeared on That Girl.  Yes, Rob Reiner, the Meathead
 himself, appeared on three episodes of the Marlo Thomas series.
  A young Reiner played an acting student in a December 1, 1966
 episode entitled “All About Ann.”  H played a character called
 named Carl in “This Little Piggy Had A Ball,” a March 23, 1967
 episode.  On September 14, 1967, he appeared as a hairdresser in
 “The Good Skate.”


Here is a video of an excellent  1999 interview with Carroll
 O’Connor.  Click the link below. 

Monday, October 25, 2010

Let the Banter Begin!

All right, let's get ready to banter!  To start, let's talk about the original version of The Honeymooners with Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph.  I think Ralph Kramden had the starkest and poorest apartment I've ever seen on a television sitcom.  Do you remember that Ralph and Alice didn't even have a telephone or a refrigerator?  If you would like to discuss The Honeymooners or any other program, please contact me.


Goodbye to June and Mr. C.

We lost two of the most famous television parents recenlty - Barbara Billingsley,  June Cleaver of Leave it to Beaver and Tom Bosley, Howard Cunningham of Happy Days.  If you have any thoughts or questions about either of them, please send them to me.


Tribute to Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone


I am a huge fan of Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone.  Rod was so creative and imaginative.  It's also interesting to watch his vision of the future from his vantage point in the 1960s.  One of my favourite Twilight Zone episodes was the one starring Telly Savalis about a murderous doll called Talking Tina.  Do you remember that one?  I'd like to know your favourite Twighlight Zone episodes.


Here is a video of Rob Serling introducing and promoting The Twilight Zone  Just click on the link below and enjoy.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjup0ST2GOM&NR=1


Here is a video of The Twilight Zone opening theme.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzlG28B-R8Y

- Joanne