Perry Como, The Perry Como Show
Question: When I was a kid, my family used to always watch Perry Como Christmas specials. We loved them every year. But one thing I was never able to figure out: Who was he? Did he have his own show or something?
Answer: Not only did he have his own show, Kenny, he had several (both radio and TV), not to mention a long, successful music career. Matter of fact, Como's life in the biz was remarkable for precisely the reason you give: Like the Energizer bunny, he kept going, and going, and going — well into the rock-and-roll era, when many other crooners like him had long faded into obscurity.
Como started out, interestingly enough, as a barber when he was still in high school, but was already singing at weddings even then. In 1933 he began singing in bands and built enough of a following (and enough hit records) that NBC hired him to cohost The Chesterfield Supper Club radio show, which moved to TV in 1
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Question: When Adam 12 aired from 1968 to 1975, which shows was it competing with?Answer: You want the full rundown for the NBC series, huh? Fair enough — I must use my powers for good, after all. OK, here goes: fall 1968 — The Dating Game (ABC) and The Jackie Gleason Show (CBS); fall 1969-70 — The Lawrence Welk Show (ABC) and My Three Sons (CBS); fall 1971 — Bewitched (ABC) and The Carol Burnett Show (CBS); fall 1972 — The Paul Lynde Show (ABC) and The Carol Burnett Show (CBS); fall 1973 — Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (ABC) and The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (CBS); fall 1974 —
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Not to sound glib, but Nicole Kidman is nuts about psychiatry. Unlike her crazy-talkin' ex, the Oscar winner says she's a big proponent of shrinkdom. "I have a father who is a psychologist," she told AP Radio. "I think people choose things that they need that are going to help them. And obviously, I've seen my father do some magnificent work." Is there no way we can get Tommy a referral? If not, how about the psychopath who greenlit Bewitched?
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Remember when there was a new Darren on Bewitched? How about when Chris on The Partridge Family changed? Then there was a new Steven on Dynasty and, of course, a new Becky on Roseanne (and then back to the old). Now we have a new Alex on ER. Alex, just to remind you, is Samantha's diabetic son, and he's now being played by Dominic Janes. Maybe Oliver Davis had to do full-time work on Rodney? Anyway, I noticed it right away, even though at first they were using clever camera work so he was only seen from far away. I laughed when the detective told Sam (after Alex's photo was distributed): "Nobody recognized your son." Of course they didn't; he's being played by someone else. Glad for Sam's sake that she finally found him and that he's OK. But her journey getting to the missing Alex included a scene that brought back nasty memories for me. I must admit that I once fell asleep at the wheel — not a pretty time in my history.
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Original Dukes of Hazzard cast member Ben Jones — he played wisecracking mechanic "Crazy Cooter" — is urging fans of the classic TV series to steer clear of the forthcoming movie version. "Basically, they trashed our show," he wrote on his personal website. Jones claims the film is rife with sexual innuendo and profanity — although he hasn't actually seen it for himself. "From all I have heard, [it's] a sleazy insult to all of us who have cared about The Dukes of Hazzard for so long." You think that's bad, you should see what they did to Bewitched.
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Hollywood is currently crazy for adapting cult-classic television series into movies. Here's the scoop on a few small-screen favorites bound for the big screen in the near future.
The HoneymoonersIn theaters Cedric the Entertainer as Ralph Kramden and
Mike Epps as his pal Norton.
What to expect It's an ethnic twist on the classic comedy, but we're holding out for at least one commemorative "Hamina, hamina, hamina!"
In theaters Spring 2005
Bewitched
Stars Nicole Kidman as Samantha, Will Ferrell as hubby Darrin and Shirley MacLaine as Endora. What to expect Utter zaniness when a real nose-twitching witch is hired to play Samantha in a movie adaptation of Bewitched. It's a show within a movie about a show (got that?) in Nora Ephron's take on the hit series. In theaters July 8, 2005
The Dukes of Hazzard
Stars Sea
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