Pets on Television Shows: Fred the Cockatoo, Arnold the Pig and others

There has been a variety of pets on television shows through the years.  Some of them have made a stronger impression than others.  TV Banter has selected some of the more notable ones.   In no particular order, here is a rundown of some of the most memorable television pets. 

FRED THE COCKATOO ON BARETTA

Fred the Cockatoo with Blake

Baretta, starring Robert Blake, was a detective drama.  The series ran from 1975 until 1978 on the ABC network.  Blake played Detective Anthony “Tony” Baretta, a plainclothes cop who lived in an apartment at a decrepit hotel with Fred, his pet cockatoo.

In real life, Fred was called LaLa (or Lalah).  He was given that name because of his tendency to repeat the phrase ``La-la-la-la-la.``  LaLa  was born in Hong Kong and owned by an animal trainer named Ray Berwick.

LaLa originally spoke Chinese, but learned English quickly.  Berwick taught his bird several clever tricks including pedalling a bicycle and imitating the sound of a dog or cat.  During the 1980, the feisty cockatoo was featured in Ray Berwick’s animal show at the Universal Studio’s Tour in southern California and at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.  LaLa is now deceased, but lived until about the age of 70.


EDDIE THE DOG ON FRASIER

Grammer with Moose a.k.a. Eddie

Frasier was a comedy series about the life of a Seattle psychiatrist and radio talk show host named Dr. Frasier Crane (played by Kelsey Grammer).  It aired on NBC from 1993 until 2004.  Frasier’s father, Martin Crane (John Mahoney), was a retired detective from the Seattle Police Department.  Martin owned a Jack Russell terrier named Eddie. 

The part of Eddie was shared by a dog named named Moose and Moose’s son, Enzo.  Moose died in June of 2006 at the Los Angeles home of his trainer, Mathilde Halberg.  According to Halberg, Moose was 16 at the time of his death.  She described the dog as having “incredible charisma” and as a “free spirit.”  During the show’s heyday, Moose was so popular that he received more mail than any of his human counterparts.

Moose appeared in 192 episodes of Frasier from 1993 until his retirement in 2003, a year before the show ended.  His fictional owner, Martin Krane, declared that the dog’s full name was “Eddie Spaghetti” because “he has worms.”  In 1994 interview with Animal Press magazine, John Mahoney lauded the Jack Russell as a “consummate professional who works hard learning his tricks.”  A running gag on the series was Moose’s tendency to stare at Kelsey Grammer for long periods.

Here are the names of some other television dogs:

On the adventure series Hart to Hart, Jonathan and Jennifer Hart (Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers) owned a pooch named Freeway.  The Harts’ pet was named Freeway because he was a stray they had discovered wandering on the freeway.  The part of Freeway was played by a Lowchen (German for “Little Lion”) called Charlie.  Charlie originally discovered in a dog pound.



Wagner, Powers & "Freeway"

  

On the long-running family comedy, My Three Sons (1960-1972), the Douglas family owned a sheepdog named Tramp.  Tramp, played by Spud the Dog, was a shaggy, off-white mutt.  Spud was trained by well known breeder and animal trainer Frank Inn.

My Three Son's cast with "Tramp"

ARNOLD THE PIG ON GREEN ACRES



GA's Eb Dawson (Tom Lester) & Arnold

Arnold the Pig was featured on the CBS sitcom Green Acres.  Green Acres, starring Eddie Albert and Eva Gabor, ran from 1965 until 1971.  Arnold, an American Yorkshire, was extremely talented.  He could write his name, play the piano, and change the channels on the television (He was a fan of The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite).  Arnold was treated as a son by Fred Ziffel and his wife Doris, farmers in the small town of Hooterville.

Several different pigs filled the roll of Arnold Ziffel during Green Acres’ six-year run.  The number is uncertain, but it is estimated that there were about a dozen.  Frank Inn was their trainer.   In fact, Inn trained almost all the animals on the popular rural-based sitcoms of the era, including Petticoat Junction and The Beverly Hillbillies.  Frank, who passed away in 2002, requested that the ashes of Arnold the Pig and Higgins, who played “Dog” on Petticoat Junction be buried with him.

There is an urban myth that the cast and crew of Green Acres feasted on Arnold at the show’s farewell party.  This is simply not true.  Frank Inn stated that none of the animals was eaten.  According to Inn, they were all allowed to live out their natural lives on a farm.  Feel better now, animal lovers?

Note:  There will be future postings about television animals in TV Banter.  

- Joanne

Bobby Sherman: Teen Idol and Television Star

Bobby Sherman was one of the most popular teen idols of the late 1960s and early 1970s.  Although he was recognized as a singer, Bobby did not really achieve stardom until he appeared in the popular television show Here Come the Brides.  With the immediate success of Brides and the television exposure it provided, Sherman’s career skyrocketed.  He became a highly popular recording artist and a teen idol.  With his shaggy hair and megawatt smile, he appeared on the cover of gossip and teen magazines such as Tiger Beat, 16 and Fave. 

"Peace, love and Bobby Sherman" was a trendy expression during Bobby's heyday.  “Bobby Sherman Chokers” became a fad and the heartthrob's grinning face adorned poster and lunch boxes everywhere.  His photograph could even be found on the back of Honeycomb cereal boxes.  It was part of a promotion by which fans who bought the cereal received free cut-out Bobby Sherman mini-albums.

Here Come the Brides was a comedy/adventure series.  It ran from 1968 until 1970 on the ABC network.  The series was set in the Seattle of the 1870s and chronicled the lives of logging camp operator Jason Bolt (Robert Brown) and his family.  Bobby Sherman played the role of Jeremy Bolt, Jason’s younger brother.  David Soul, of Starsky and Hutch fame, portrayed Jason’s other younger brother, Joshua Bolt.

The Bolts were in jeopardy of losing their timberland at Bridal Veil Mountain.  Their logging crew was threatening to revolt due to a lack of women in Seattle.  To solve the problem, Jason devised a scheme by which he sailed to New Bedford, Massachusetts and persuaded 100 prospective brides to return to the frontier with him.  If any of the 100 women left before the duration of a year, Jason would have to forfeit his land to a rival saw-mill operator from whom he had borrowed money to finance the scheme.

Bobby with David Soul and Robert Brown in Brides

After appearing on a March 1971 episode of The Partridge Family entitled “A Knight in Shining Armor,” Bobby Sherman was given his own spin off series on ABC.  It was a sitcom called Getting Together.  Bobby played Bobby Conway, a songwriter struggling to succeed in the music business.  Unfortunately for Sherman, Getting Together faced formidable competition from All in the Family on Saturday nights.  It didn’t really have a chance and was cancelled after only 14 episodes. 

Robert Cabot “Bobby” Sherman, Jr. was born in Santa Monica, California on July 22, 1943.  He and his older sister Darlene grew up in Van Nuys, California. Bobby’s interest in music began when he took trumpet lessons as a child.  He attended Birmingham High School in Van Nuys where he was a member of a dance band.  In 1964, he had an opportunity to sing with his old band at a Hollywood party and performed so well that he found himself an agent and eventually a role on Shindig as a house singer.  Shindig was a prime time rock ‘n roll show.  It ran from 1964 until 1966.  A fast-paced program, it featured popular musical performers singing their most recent hits, and glossy dance production numbers. 

During his time on Shindig, Bobby Sherman made several recordings, but was unable to come up with that elusive big hit.  In 1967, he appeared on an episode of The Monkees entitled “Monkees at the Movies.”  Bobby played the role of Frankie Catalina, a pompous surfer.  In the episode, he performed a song called “New Girl in School.”  The song was co-written by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Jan Berry of Jan and Dean.

Bobby’s vocal career had been stagnating until he won the role of the shy, stammering Jeremy Bolt on Here Come the Brides.  While Brides was on the air, he had a string of well-produced pop hits such as “Little Woman,” “La La La (If I Had You),” and “Julie Do Ya Love Me.”  By 1972, however, the hits had stopped coming and Sheman’s career went into a tailspin.

To view a video of Bobby Sherman singing "Julie Do Ya Love Me," click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsMONykezJM

With his show business career on the decline, Bobby’s life took a different direction.  After appearing in a 1974 episode of the Jack Webb television series Emergency!, he developed an acute interest in emergency medical services.  It became his passion.  He moved away from the public spotlight and became an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).  He volunteered with the Los Angeles Police Department, assisting paramedics and giving instruction in first aid.  In the 1990s, he officially became a technical reserve officer with the L.A. police.  Sherman also founded the Bobby Sherman Volunteer EMT Foundation, a non-profit organization that coordinates medical services at community and charity events in southern California.

In 1986, Bobby became a regular cast member of the cable TV sitcom Sanchez of Bel Air.  He portrayed Frankie Rondell, a former teen idol living off the royalties of his one big hit.  The series focused on the lives of a Latino family who had achieved success in the fashion industry.  Bobby’s character was their next-door-neighbour.

 Bobby performed in concert as part of the “Teen Idol Tour” of 1998.  He was joined by Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits and Davy Jones of The Monkees.  Fellow Monkee Mickey Dolenz replaced Jones on the 1999 tour.  Sherman’s last solo performance took place in Lincoln, Rhode Island on August 25, 2001.

Bobby Sherman is now 67 years old.  He married Patti Carnel in 1971.  The couple had two sons, Christopher and Tyler, and divorced in 1979.  Christopher (born 1972) and Tyler(born 1974) have children of their own, making Bobby a grandfather. 

Patti Carnel later married David Soul, Bobby Sherman's co-star on Here Come the Brides.  Carnel was Soul's third wife and in October of 1982 he was arrested for assaulting her.  The story broke three days later and it made ugly headlines.  Soul was ordered by a judge to attend psychotherapy sessions and to undergo alcoholism counselling.

Bobby runs his Volunteer EMT Foundation along with his wife, Brigitte Poublon, whom he married in Las Vegas on July 18, 2010.  According to the foundation's website, Poublon came to the United States as a political refugee from Jakarta, Indonesia in the 1960s and settled in Los Angeles.  After graduating from high school, she procured her real estate licence and was employed as a real estate developer with Norton Development Inc. and Homestead Group.  A self-made millionaire, she retired from the real estate business in 1996.  She devotes herself to philanthropy and is the President of Bobby Sherman’s EMT foundation.



Brigitte Poublon


Bobby Sherman co-wrote his autobiography, Still Remembering You, with Dena Hill.  It was published in 1996.  To promote the book, Bobby appeared on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and A.M. L.A.    

- Joanne

EDITOR'S UPDATE: Bobby Sherman died of kidney cancer on June 24, 2025.  He was 81 at the time of his passing.

My Mother the Car: One of the Worst Shows or Cult Classic?

Everybody knows in the second life
We all come back sooner or later
As anything from a pussycat
To a man eating alligator
Well you all may think my story
Is more fiction than it’s fact
But believe it or not my mother dear
Decided she’d come back

As a car . . .

She's my very own guiding star
A 1928 Porter, that’s my mother dear
‘Cause she helps me through everything I do
And I’m so glad she’s near

My mother the car
My mother the car

- My Mother the Car theme song,
Lyrics by Paul Hampton

To watch a video of the opening and closing themes of My Mother the Car, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siOZDZ1A0OM

Prime television has seen its share of quirky shows.  There has been a TV comedy about a man who talks to a horse (Mr. Ed).  There has also been a series about a nun who uses her starched white cornette to soar through the air (The Flying Nun).  The strangest premise for a show in TV history, however, may have been a show about a talking automobile.  It was not just any car.  Oh no, it was a 1928 Porter.  The car’s voice was not just any voice either.  It was the voice of the car owner’s deceased mother. 

My Mother the Car was a short-lived series which aired from 1965 until 1966 on the NBC network. Only thirty episodes of the show were ever produced. Jerry Van Dyke played the hapless Dave Crabtree, a small-town lawyer with two children (Cindy and Randy).  Crabtree’s wife, Barbara, was played by Maggie Pierce.  On a visit to a used-car lot to purchase an inexpensive second-hand car, Dave is inexplicably drawn to an antique 1928 Porter.  When he takes the wheel, the car speaks to him and informs him that it is the reincarnation of his departed mother, Gladys Crabtree.  Although discouraged by family and friends, Dave buys the car because he doesn’t want to lose “Mother.”  It turns out that Dave is the only who can communicate with the car and hear what it has to say.

1928 Poter

In one of her most offbeat roles, Ann Sothern, who died in 2001, provided the voice for the talking car.  Sothern had been a big star for many years when My Mother the Car appeared on television.  She played private secretary Susan McNamera on Private Secretary from 1953 to 1957.  From 1958 until 1961, she starred in her owned titled series, The Ann Sothern Show, in which portrayed Katy O’Connor, the assistant manager of an upscale New York hotel.

My Mother the Car had a resident villain.  He was Dave Crabtree's nemesis, Captain Bernard Mancini.  Mancini was an antique car collector who coveted Dave’s Porter and was always attempting to procure it from him.  The role of Mancini was played by Avery Schreiber who died in 2002.

Jerry Van Dyke was originally offered the part of Gilligan on Gilligan’s Island.  When he turned it down in favour of the starring role in My Mother the Car, Bob Denver was given the part instead.  Both shows were rather silly, but for some reason, Gilligan’s Island became a huge hit.  It ran from 1964 until 1967.  My Mother the Car, on the other hand, was ridiculed and panned savagely by critics and viewers.  It was cancelled after one season. 

In 2002, TV Guide named My Mother the Car the second worst program of all time (The Jerry Springer Show won top honours).  Nevertheless, My Mother the Car has not been forgotten and has become a veritable cult classic.   Some have even argued that the show was ahead of its time and was unable to exploit the youth market.

I can’t help but wonder how Jerry Van Dyke feels about his decision to forgo Gilligan’s Island.  He may have become as famous as his older brother, Dick.  Well, at least he went on to play the role of assistant coach Luther Van Dam on the hit sitcom Coach. That’s not too shabby.

It’s interesting to note that the creators of My Mother the Car, Allan Burns and Chris Hayward, also collaborated on Get Smart, The Munsters and Rocky and Bullwinkle.  In the 1970s, Burns went on to become the co-creator of The Mary Tyler Moore Show.  Chris Hayward died of cancer in 2006 at the age of 81.

The Crabtree Family

END NOTE

Just in case you were wondering, the 1928 Porter’s California licence plate number was PZR 317.

- Joanne

Kristy McNichol : Why she gave up her career

Kristy McNichol is a name we seldom hear anymore.  She certainly has turned away from the spotlight.  In fact, she hasn’t been seen on the screen since 1995.  Kristy retired from acting after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the early 1990s.  In the 1970s, however, she was one of the biggest stars on American television.  From 1976 until 1980, Kristy starred in the popular prime time drama Family.  She played Leticia “Buddy” Lawrence, the youngest member of the Lawrence family of Pasadena, California.  The late James Broderick played lawyer Doug Lawrence, the father of the family.  Broderick, who died of cancer in 1982, was the real-life dad of actor Matthew Broderick (Matthew and his wife, Sarah Jessica Parker, named their son James after him).  Sada Thompson portrayed the matriarch of the family, Doug’s stalwart wife, Kate.  Sada is now 83 years old. 

There were three Lawrence siblings.  Gary Frank played Willie, the middle child, and two actresses portrayed the divorced older sister, Nancy Lawrence Maitland.  Elayne Heilveil initiated the role of Nancy in 1976.  She was soon replaced by Meredith Baxter-Birney who would later shoot to fame on Family Ties in the 1980s.  Quinn Cummings joined the cast in 1978 as Annie Cooper, the Lawrences’ adopted daughter.

During the four-year run of the series, the characters faced several kinds of challenges and difficulties.  The show dealt with such issues as cancer, alcoholism and many teen-related problems.  For her performance in the role of Buddy Lawrence, Kristy McNichol received four Emmy Award nominations and earned two Emmys (1977 and 1979) for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic Series.

Kristy was born Christina Ann McNichol on September 11, 1962 in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Jim McNichol, a carpenter, and Carollyne, an actress and business manager.  Her parents divorced when she was a young child.  At an early age, Kristy and her older brother Jimmy appeared in television commercials.  In 1973 she appeared in a segment of Love American Style entitled “Love and the Unsteady Steady.”

By the age of 12, Kristy was a regular on the short-lived CBS TV series Apples Way.  This drama focused on the lives of architect George Apple and his clan.  George, his wife Barbara and their four children decide to leave the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and move to George’s hometown of Appleton, Iowa where the city-bred children must adapt to life in a small rural community.  The show only ran for 13 episodes, but from 1974 to 1975, Kristy played the role of Patricia Apple, one of the four siblings. 

After the demise of Apple’s Way, Kristy was cast as the introspective teenager, Buddy Lawrence, in Family.  The show debuted in 1976 and was warmly received by fans and critics.  Kristy became a fixture on the cover of teen magazines and a genuine star.  In 1978, at the pinnacle of her stardom in Family, Kristy recorded an album with her brother Jimmy.  The album was titled Kristy & Jimmy McNichol and featured the Chiffons' 1963 hit single "He So Fine."  To promote the album, Kristy appeared on The Merv Griffin Show and The Carpenters Christmas Special. 

To listen to Kristy and Jimmy McNichol singing "He's So Fine," click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSVMVvKV0OY&NR=1

During the 1970s, Kristy also made appearances on Starsky and Hutch, The Love Boat and The Bionic Woman.  In 1978, she won acclaim for her role as Patty Bergen in the television movie The Summer of My German Solder.  Kristy played a young Jewish girl living in Arkansas during World War II who befriends a German prisoner of war.

When Family ended, McNichol set her sights on a movie career.  She had already appeared in the 1978 dark comedy The End with Burt Reynolds.  In 1980, Little Darlings, a coming-of-age story, was realeased in which she starred with Academy Award winner Tatum O’Neal and an up-and-coming young actor named Matt Dillon.  

Kristy's  big screen career really began to blossom with the role of Polly in Only When I Laugh (1981) alongside Marsha Mason, for which she won a Golden Globe nomination.  In 1981, at the height of her movie stardom, 19 year-old Kristy received over a $1 million dollars for her appearance in the film The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia with Mark Hamill and Dennis Quaid.  This was an unprecedented amount for an actress of her age at that time.

In the late 1980s, with her film career in severe decline, Kristy McNichol found a new occupation – hairdressing.  She attended beauty school and worked at a friend’s Beverly Hills salon.  In 1988, however, she returned to television in the family comedy Empty Nest.  Kristy portrayed police detective Barbara Weston in the series.  Although Empty Nest was a success, Kristy left the show in 1992 after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  The stress of acting was not conducive to her emotional well-being and she realized she had to give it up.  She did, however, appear in the final two episodes of the series in 1995. That was her last screen appearance, although she voiced characters in the animated series Extreme Ghostbusters (1997) and Invasion America (1998).

In 2001, Kristy McNichol issued a public statement explaining her decision to relinquish her acting career.  She said, “A lot  of people have wondered what I’ve been up to.  I retired from my career after 24 years.  My feeling was that it was time to play my biggest part – MYSELF.  I must say that it has been the best thing that ever happened to me.  So many fans are disappointed that I’m not currently acting, however some may not realize that the process I’m in at this time is necessary and vital for my personal happiness and well-being."

Now 48 years old, Kristy McNichol has never married and lives a very private life in Los Angeles.  She has taught acting at a private school and devotes time to charitable endeavours.

Jimmy McNichol, now 49, gave up acting sometime in the 1990s.  In 1996, he recorded as a singer under the name Jimmy James. Jimmy married his wife Renee in 1997 and is the father of two children, a son named Nash and a daughter named Ellis.

Editor's Update (January 25, 2013):

* Sada Thompson died on May 4, 2011 of lung disease at the age of 83.

* Kristy McNichol "came out" as a lesbian on January 6, 2011.  She stated that she had been living with her partner, Martie Allen, for 20 years.


- Joanne

Bewitched Quiz



TV Banter Quiz #5

All right, Bewitched fans.  It’s time to test your knowledge of the show with TV Banter’s 18-question quiz. 

What was the name of the advertising agency that employed Darrin Stephens?

A.  MacDonald and Tate

B.  Tate and Johnson

C.  McMann and Tate

D.  Wilson and Tate

E.  Tate and Evans

2.  What was the name of Samantha’s warlock physician?

A.  Dr. Vienna

B.  Dr. Incantation

C.  Dr. Ballantyne

D.  Dr. Bombay

E.  Dr. Brewster

Aunt Clara

3.  What was Aunt Clara’s hobby?

A.  Collecting broomsticks

B.  Collecting doorknobs

C.  Writing books of magic spells

D.  Making witch hats

E.   Making a special brew for witches

4.  Larry and Louise Tate had a son.  What was his name?

A.  Jonathan

B.  Robert

C. Daniel

D.  Arnold

E.  Geoffrey

5.  What was the name of Darrin’s conniving ex-fiancee?

A.  Margaret Ashbury

B.  Jane Milton

C.  Donna Wilson

D.  Sheila Summers

E.  Maggie Walton

6.  Which actor portrayed Samantha’s father?

A.  Peter Grey

B.  Maurice Evans

C.  William Windom

D.  David White

E.  Carl Betz

7.  In the 1964 Christmas episode, “A Vision of Sugar Plums," Samantha and Darrin . . .

A.  help Santa Claus deliver presents

B.  receive an unusual gift from Endora

C.  invite Abner and Gladys Kravitz over for Christmas dinner

D.  discover a magic Christmas tree

E.  invite an orphan into their home

8.  How many episodes of Bewitched were made?  (This is your bonus question.  Give yourself an extra point if you answer it correctly)

A.  356

B.  212

C.  254

D.  312

E.  244

9.  Darren and Samantha’s daughter Tabitha was born on an episode titled “And Then There Were Three”.  What date was that episode aired?

A.   January 13, 1966

B.  January 14, 1965

C.  February 14, 1966

D.  February 13, 1967

E.  March 13, 1965

10.  Samantha’s Uncle Arthur, played by Paul Lynde, was the prankster of the family.  Was he related to Endora?

A.  He was not related to Endora.

B.  He was actually Endora’s cousin.

C.  He was Endora’s brother.

D.  He was the brother of Samantha’s father, Maurice.

E.  He was Endora’s brother-in-law.

11.  Who was Esmerelda?

A.  An old school friend of Samantha

B.  Samantha and Darrin’s housekeeper

C.  An employee at the advertising firm where Darrin worked

D.  Tabitha’s babysitter

E.  Endora’s best friend

12.  In 1961, Agnes Moorhead (Endora) played the role of a farm woman who faces mysterious invaders on which television series?

A.  Alfred Hitchcock Presents

B.  The Outer Limits

C.  Amazing Stories

D.  Bold Venture

E.  The Twilight Zone

13.  Samantha had a mischievous look-alike cousin named Serena, also played by Elizabeth Montgomery.  Montgomery’s performance as Serena was credited to a fictional character.  What was the name of that fictional character?

A.  Pandora Spocks

B.  Samantha Twin

C.  Samantha Double

D.  Liz Two

E.  Anne Other

14.  Which member of the Bewitched cast had a son who died in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Scottish town of Lockerbie, just before Christmas of 1988?

A.  Agnes Moorhead (Endora)

B.  Dick York (Darrin)

C.  Marion Lorne (Aunt Clara)

D.  George Tobias (Abner Kravitz)

E.  David White (Larry Tate)

Dick York with Montgomery

15.  Why was Dick York replaced as Darrin on the show?

A.  He had a heart condition.

B.  He quit because he was tired of playing the part.

C.  .  He had a severe back condition.

D.  He wanted to spend more time with his real-life family.

E.  He was not getting along with his co-star Elizabeth Montgomery.

16.  What happened to Darrin’s mother, Phyllis Stephens, whenever she witnessed a witch’s spell or strange happenings at her son’s home.

A.  She fainted

B.  She developed a headache.

C.  She coughed uncontrollably.

D.  She covered her eyes.

E.  She laughed nervously.

17.  Which famous baseball player appeared as himself on an episode of Bewitched?

A.  Mickey Mantle

B.  Whitey Ford

C.  Don Drysdale

D.  Willie Mays

E.  Hank Aaron

18.  Endora is known for her trademark heavy eyeshadow.  What colour was her eyeshadow?

A.  purple

B.  green

C.  blue

D.  brown

E.  pink

ANSWERS

1.  C

The agency that employed Darrin Stephens was McMann and 
Tate.


2.  D

The name of Samantha's warlock physician was Dr. Bombay.  Bernard Fox played the role of Dr. Bombay   Samantha always summoned him with the words, "Calling Dr. Bombay, calling Dr. Bombay.  Emergency!  Come right away!"  Bombay showed up in various costumes, offering dubious cures and making trite jokes.

3.  B.

Aunt Clara collected doorknobs.  Marion Lorne, the actress who portrayed Aunt Clara, had a collection of antique doorknobs in real life.

4.  A

The son of Larry and Louise Tate was named Jonathan, after David White’s (Larry) real-life.

5.  D.  Sheila Summers

The name of Darrin’s former girlfriend was Sheila Summers.  The role of Sheila Summers was played by Nancy Kovack.

6.  B.

Maurice Evans played Samantha’s father. 

7.  E. 

Samantha and Darrin invite an orphan into their home.  The orphan’s name is Michael and he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus.  Samantha takes him to the North Pole to visit the real Santa Claus.  By the way, the role of Michael was played by Billy Mumy who went on to portray Will Robinson in Lost in Space.

8.  C.  254

There were 254 episodes in the series and Elizabeth Montgomery is the only one who appeared in all 254 episodes.

9.  A.

Tabitha was born on an episode that aired on January 13, 1966.  Elizabeth Montgomery was expecting her second child at the time and the pregnancy was written into the script.

10.  C.

Uncle Arthur was Endora’s younger brother.

11.  B. 

Esmerelda, played by Alice Ghostly, was the timid housekeeper of the Stephens family.  When Marion Lorne (Aunt Clara) died in 1968, rather than cast another actress in the role of Clara, it was decided to add another character to the series.  Ghostly joined the cast as Esmerelda in 1969.

12.  E.

Agnes Moorhead appeared in “Invaders”, a 1961 episode of The Twilight Zone.

13.  A. 

It was Elizabeth Montgomery’s idea to use the pseudonym “Pandora Spocks” for her role as Serena.  “Pandora Spocks” is a play on “Pandora’s Box”.

14.  E.

David White’s 33-year-old son Jonathan White was killed in the terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103.

15.  C

Dick York was forced to leave the series due to a severe back condition caused by an accident he had had in 1959.  It was a degenerative spinal condition and he was in constant pain.  He left the show in 1969 and was replaced by Dick Sargent.

16.  B.

She developed a headache.

17.  D

Willie Mays appeared as himself in a 1966 episode of Bewitched called “Twitch or Treat”.

18.  C.

Endora’s trademark eyeshadow was blue.

Endora

To watch a video tribute to Endora, just click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqFGTspYGxQ   

Some notes on Bewitched

* Bewitched aired on ABC from 1964 until 1972.

* For those wondering about Samantha's maiden name, it was never mentioned in the series.  In Al Hines' novel Bewitched, her maiden name was referred to as "Dobson."

* Endora and Maurice were not divorced.  They were separated and did not get along particulary well.

- Joanne

Lee Majors: What is the Six Million Dollar Man up to these days?

Steve Austin, astronaut, a man barely alive.  Gentlemen, we can rebuild him.  We have the technology.  We have the capability to make the world’s first bionic man.  Steve Austin will be that man, better than he was before.  Better, stronger, faster.

- From the introduction to The Six Million Dollar Man
To view the opening sequence of The Six Million Dollar Man, click on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HofoK_QQxGc

Lee Majors became famous for his portrayal of Colonel Steve Austin, the bionic man on the hit series The Six Million Dollar Man.  The Six Million Dollar Man ran from 1974 until 1979 and sparked a succession of superheroes on television in the mid 1970s.  Lee's character was an astronaut who had been severely injured when his experimental moon-landing craft crashed in a desert.  In an attempt to save his life, government doctors performed a new kind of operation in which certain human parts were replaced by atomic-powered electromechanical devices. 

Steve Austin survived as a cyborg, part human and part machine.  He could run at an incredible speed.  He possessed superhuman vision and he had outstanding strength in his right arm.  With these abilities, Austin went on dangerous crime-fighting missions for the Office of Scientific Information

After The Six Million Dollar Man, Majors starred in another hit ABC series, The Fall Guy.   He played Colt Seavers, a Hollywood stuntman who moonlighted as a bounty hunter.  The Fall Guy ran from November of 1981 until May of 1986.

In the early 1990s, Lee moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida and resided there for about ten years.  In 2001, he hosted Forbidden Secrets on Pax TV, a one-hour series that focused on little-known secrets such as where to purchase cheap diamonds or how to change your identity.

 Majors made a guest appearance on William Shatner’s CBS comedy $#*! My Dad Says.  The episode aired on February 3, 2011 and it marked the first time he and Shatner had worked together in 36 years (Shatner guest starred on The Six Million Dollar Man back in 1974).

Some interesting facts about Lee Majors

* Lee Majors’ real name is Harvey Lee Yeary.  He was born on April 23, 1939 in Wyandotte, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit.  His father, Carl Yeary, died in a work-related accident before he was born.  His mother, Alice Yeary, was killed in an automobile crash before his second birthday.  The child was then adopted by his paternal aunt and uncle, Harvey and Mildred Yeary, and brought to their home in Middlesboro, Kentucky.

* His first television series was The Big Valley in 1965.  He played the role of Heath Barkley, the illegitimate son of Victoria Barkley’s (played by Barbara Stanwyck) deceased husband, Tom.  Lee beat out scores of young actors, including Burt Reynolds, for the part of Heath.

* Majors has been married four times.  His first marriage was to Kathy Robinson in 1961.  They had one child, Lee Marjors, Jr. (born in 1962) and divorced in 1964.  Lee then wed actress Farrah Fawcett on July 28, 1973.  During Farrah’s Charlie’s Angels days, they were one of Hollywood’s most-watched couples, each starring in a hit television series.  They eventually split up and were divorced on February 16, 1982.

Lere married for a third time in 1988 to Playboy Playmate of 1985, Karen Valez.  Lee had three children with Valez; a daughter, Nikki Loren Majors (born 1988) and twin sons, Dane Luke Majors and Trey Kulle Majors (born 1992).  The marriage ended with a bitter divorce in 1994.  On November 1, 2002, Lee wed actress/model Faith Noelle Cross in Positano, Italy.  They settled in Las Vegas, Nevada.  At 71 years old, Lee Majors is 35 years older than 36-year-old Faith. 

* Lee reconnected with his ex-wife Farrah Fawcett shortly before her death from anal cancer in 2009.  They hadn’t spoken to each other for many years.  When she died on June 25, 2009, his issued a statement which read, “She fought a tremendous battle against a terrible disease.  She was an angel on earth and now an angel forever.

* Lee’s first screen appearance was in the 1964 movie Strait-Jacket with Joan Crawford and Diane Baker. 

* In 2003, Lee had single heart bypass surgery.

* All the running and jumping on The Six Million Dollar ravaged his knees.  In a 2001 story by Kevin D. Thompson for Cox Newspapers, Lee is quoted as saying, “When I would jump into a scene, I always had to land stiff-legged and couldn’t go down on my hands because I was bionic.  I had to absorb it all in my knees, and all that sudden impact really killed them.”

- Joanne