Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Spotted: Jordan Charney

His screen time is brief in the episode we saw, but it's not hard to spot the distinguished veteran actor Jordan Charney as Judge Donald Karan in "Law & Order." It was a recurring role for Charney over a 14-year stretch of the popular crime drama, actually.

Years after he terrorized Robin Wright's poor Kelly Capwell on "Santa Barbara," he's fuller of cheek and highly appropriate as the cranky judge on "L&O." In this particular episode, 2005's "Life Line," he hears the case of a penitent perp who cuts a deal to get his son out of prison. (The perp, by the way, is William Sadler, whom we recall very fondly as the sheriff on "Roswell.")

Charney, who is a BRBTV triple-shot as Lt. Sutton on the earliest "Dallas" and Bill Cochran on "Dynasty" in addition to the evil Dr. Renfro on "SB," has also done guest appearances on the other two "Law & Order" shows, "Criminal Intent" (sharing time with Vincent D'onofrio -- yummy!) and "Special Victims Unit."

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

Spotted: Jared Martin

As soap opera ploys go, Jared Martin made good use of the ole return-from-the-dead routine on "Dallas." On "Wonder Woman," however, Martin got to play out a different soapy twist -- the long-lost twin.

Well, OK, truth be told, the two characters he played on the two-parter, "Phantom of the Roller Coaster," weren't actually twins. They were two years apart (just to extend that "two" thing a little further!). But they looked just alike, except for the scarring brother David Gurney suffered from a napalm blast in Vietnam. With that disfigurement, and a limp, Martin differentiated David from little bro Leon, as if the latter's moustache and tie-clashing polyester suits weren't enough. The two are partners in the Fun Universe amusement park, which sees mystery and sabotage as part of this September 1979 "Wonder Woman" outing, just two months before Martin made his first appearance as Dusty Farlow on "Dallas."

Read the whole story at the IMDb, where you'll find meaty BRBTV synopses for this and all the other "Wonder Woman" episodes.

Monday, November 01, 2010

BRBTV birthdays for November

- Timothy Patrick Murphy, who was Mickey Trotter on "Dallas," was born on November 3, 1959 and died December 6, 1988.
- Kate Reid, who was Mickey's mom Lil on "Dallas," was born on November 4, 1930 and died March 27, 1993.
- Deborah Rennard, our own Sly Lovegren on "Dallas," turns 51 on November 4.
- Todd McKee, our own original Ted Capwell on "Santa Barbara," turns 47 on November 7.
- Russell Johnson, who is a BRBTV triple-shot for playing Sheriff Wyatt Mansfield on "Dallas," Earl Thompson on "Dynasty" and the third Roger Wainwright (Julia's dad) on "SB," turns 86 on November 10.
- Jack Scalia, the mysterious Nicholas Pearce / Joey Lombardi on "Dallas," has a birthday on November 10, as well, turning 60.
- Vincent Irizarry, a bigtime soaper who was Scott Clark on "SB," turns 51 on November 12.
- Dack Rambo, the hunky Jack Ewing of "Dallas," was born on November 13, 1941 and died on March 21, 1994.
- Tracy Scoggins, our Monica Colby of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys," as well as Anita Smithfield on "Dallas: War of the Ewings," turns 57 on November 13.
- Edward Asner, the voice of Roland Daggett in "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 81 on November 15.
- Tricia Cast, who was Christy Duvall on "Santa Barbara," turns 42 on November 16.
- George O. Petrie, who played Harv Smithfield on "Dallas," was born on November 16, 1912 and died November 16, 1997.
- Brandon Call, the third Brandon DeMott Capwell on "SB," who was also notable as J.T. Lambert on ABC's sitcom "Step By Step" (side-by-side with Sasha Mitchell and Patrick Duffy of "Dallas"), as well as Hobie Buchanon in the syndicated "Baywatch," turns a so-young 34 on November 17.
- Rock Hudson, who played Daniel Reece on "Dynasty," was born on November 17, 1925 and died on October 2, 1985.
- Linda Evans, Hudson's on-screen love interest for a time, as Krystle on "Dynasty," turns 68 on November 18.
- Jocelyn Brando, who was John Ross' nanny Mrs. Reeves on "Dallas," was born on November 18, 1919 and died November 27, 2005.
- Joseph Campanella, a true classic actor who is a BRBTV triple-shot for his roles as mobster Joseph Lombardi Sr. on "Dallas" and Hutch Corrigan on "The Colbys," as well as Dr. Matthew Thorne on "Batman: TAS," turns 83 on November 21.
- Deborah Shelton, the stunning Mandy Winger on "Dallas," turns 62 on November 21.
- Maxwell Caulfield, our own Miles Colby of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys," turns 51 on November 23.
- Michael Brainard, our final Ted Capwell on "Santa Barbara," turns 45 on November 23.
- Roscoe Born, our "SB" evil-twin actor as Robert Barr and Quinn Armitage, turns 60 on November 24.
- Howard Duff, who was Sen. Henry Harrison O'Dell on "Dallas," then Paul Galveston on the spinoff, "Knots Landing," was born on November 24, 1913 and died July 8, 1990.
- And ... sigh ... one of BRBTV's very favorite actors ... the wonderful, the great, the accomplished, the amazing (!) Ricardo Montalban, who was Zach Powers on "The Colbys" among so many other things, was born on November 25, 1920, and died on January 14, 2009.
- Marcy Walker, our own Eden Capwell of "SB" who since has settled into work for God's Kingdom, turns 49 on November 26.
- Joshua Harris, our darling little Christopher Ewing of "Dallas," is a big boy now, turning 32 on November 27.
- Stephen Elliott, who was Scotty Demarest on "Dallas," was born on November 27, 1918 and died May 21, 2005.
- Sherilyn Wolter, the evil Elena Nikolas / Capwell on "SB," has a birthday on November 30, turning 59.
- Efrem Zimbalist Jr., who voiced Alfred the butler in "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 92 on November 30.
- Kevin Conroy, who voiced Batman in "Batman: The Animated Series" and all the other series that spun off from it, as well as playing Bart Fallmont on "Dynasty," turns 55 on November 30.


Happy birthday to all!