Week of Feb. 26: The Rockford Files: The Other Show That Doesn't Need a Remake

It may be the most famous answering machine in television history:

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

That, of course, was the beginning of "The Rockford Files," which ran on NBC from 1974-80 and was the definitive television role (even more than Maverick) for James Garner. Each week, the answering machine had a new - and funny - message.

Garner played private eye Jim Rockford, and if it can be said that a role looked comfortable on an actor, this one did. The supporting cast was excellent, including Noah Beery, Jr. as "Rocky," his father; Joe Santos as Police Sgt. Dennis Becker; Gretchen Corbett as Beth Davenport, Rockford's lawyer and sometime girlfriend; Stuart Margolin as con artist Angel and Isaac Hayes as former prisonmate Gandolph Fitch, who referred to Rockford as "Rockfish."

The trailer where Rockford lived and the Pontiac he drove could also be considered supporting characters.

All six seasons have been released on DVD. The first three are available at Hulu.com.

After all that success, NBC wants to remake "Rockford," just as CBS will try with "Hawaii Five-O," (which sounds worse and worse the more information comes out).

The question is the same for both remakes:

Why?

Just enjoy the originals. And until next week, Happy Viewing!

Week of Feb. 19: Hail Betty White

It's nice to see Betty White received deserved accolades for almost a lifetime of television work.

White is one of the rare people who has performed in a television program of some sort each decade since the medium became a national touchstone.

Her first series was a brief one, called "Life With Elizabeth:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miPyaWgrn2w


She appeared in a number of guest-starring roles from the 1950s through the early 1970s.

Her first truly successful chapter came during the 1960s and 70s, as a game show panelist. She could be seen on "To Tell the Truth," "Match Game" and, in particular, "Password." That's where she met the love of her life, host Alan Ludden, whom she married:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDjeaChO7YE&feature=PlayList&p=6F1A15CEE23D19B9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=20

Sadly, he died in 1981.

Then came 1973 - and White's turn in "The Lars Affair," an episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." The snarky "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Nivens, played so well by White, has an affair with Lars Lindstrom, the unseen husband of Phyllis (Cloris Leachman):

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

White would become a series regular and play Sue Ann through the rest of its run.

She would continue the guest-starring roles, including a significant part on NBC's "Mama's Family," and game shows until 1984. Then came a second transformational role.

Originally, the producers of "The Golden Girls" sought to have White play Blanche, the widow with a very active (to say the least) social life. They had planned for Rue McClanahan to play the sweet, naive Rose. White asked for a reversal, playing Rose while McClanahan played Blanche. The result was magic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHz8mn3mm_o&feature=related

Long may you work, Ms. White.

See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!

Week Of Feb. 12: Greatest TV Winter Olympic Moments and Inspiration For Garry Marshall

The Winter Olympics in Vancouver begin tonight, and it's a good time to review those heart-stopping great televised moments in Winter Olympics history:

-Grenoble, France, 1968: The first Winter Olympics to be televised in color had two made-for-television heroes. The first was French skier Jean-Claude Killy, who won three golds. The second was figure skater Peggy Fleming, who won the United States' only gold and many hearts.

-Innsbruck, 1976: Another American figure skater captured the imagination: This time it was Dorothy Hamill, with her camel spin and her wedge haircut that sent a lot of young women and girls (including me) to the beauty salon.

-Lake Placid, 1980: No contest for the greatest Winter Olympics moment ever, called on ABC by the great Al Michaels: "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" as hockey Team USA defeated the Soviets.

-Sarajevo, 1984: Queen Elizabeth may have been the only Brit to receive more respect than ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who received perfect scores for their exquisite routine to Ravel's "Bolero." Perfection, indeed.

-Calgary, 1988: The last Winter Olympics that took place in Canada was a feast for figure skating fans, highlighted by the "Battle of the Brians," in which the USA's Brian Boitano took gold and Canada's Brian Orser took silver in a marvelous duel of athleticism and artistry. British ski jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards won hearts, if not medals. So did the Jamaican bobsled team, mon.

-Lillehammer, 1994: Hello Daehlie......Bjorn Daehlie, the cross-country skier and hometown hero in these Norwegian Olympics, showed what a true sportsman was in this Tonya-and-Nancy saturated event. So did American speed skater Dan Jansen, who finally won gold after three heartbreaking Olympics.

-Nagano, 1998: The Czechs made me a hockey fan with their amazing win over powerhouse Russia for the gold.




-Salt Lake City, 2002: The somber moment during the opening ceremony when the American flag that flew at the devestated World Trade Center in New York was carried into the stadium was a fitting tribute to 9/11. A much happier moment occurred almost two weeks later, when a joyous Sarah Hughes learned she had won gold in women's figure skating.

What will make the list at these Olympics? Stay tuned.......


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The release of the Garry Marshall-directed movie "Valentine's Day" generates recollections of "Love, American Style." The ABC show, which ran from 1969-74, seems to have had a similar, vignette-style form of storytelling - as well as a cool theme song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNHuI0Pw0m8

Marshall wrote two of the vignettes for "Love, American Style." One of them, of course, was "Love and the Happy Days," which featured Ron (still known as Ronny) Howard and Anson Williams. Of course, it went on to become the long-running series "Happy Days."

Only Season 1 has been released on DVD so far (in that annoying multi-volume method).

Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Viewing!

Week of Feb. 5: The Most Super Ad Of Them All

There was nothing high-tech about it. It was an injured football player, a little boy and a bottle of Coca-Cola.

It didn't even make its debut during the Super Bowl.

But the commercial featuring Pittsburgh Steeler star "Mean" Joe Greene being offered the soda by little Tommy Okon and then throwing the boy his jersey is normally cited among the top Super Bowl commercials of all time. (It was shown during the Super Bowl in 1980, after having made its debut the previous fall.)

The commercial was honored with a Clio award in 1980. Greene, who is now a Pro Football Hall of Famer, and Okon, who is married and the father of four, were honored before last year's Super Bowl.

Here's a link to the classic ad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xffOCZYX6F8

See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!