Recreated "Munsters" mansion casts a creepy-cool shadow over Texas

From one classic TV house to another! On Saturday, you saw some fresh photos from Southfork Ranch, home of classic and even-not-so-classic "Dallas" TV action. Now, that same photog, author Brian Lombard, sends more photos of a TV variety, this time from an earlier decade. It's a recreated "Munsters" mansion, also located in Texas. You can learn more at the site's Facebook page. Looks like a whole lotta ghoulish fun ...
................

Waxahachie, Texas, just outside of Dallas, is home to a unique piece of pop culture history. The Munster Mansion, a meticulously re-created shrine to 1313 Mockingbird Lane, and the '60s TV series "The Munsters."

Created by mega-fan Sandy McKee and her husband Charles, the house revisits every room depicted on the series, which only ran for two seasons. 

Unlike the recent "Brady Bunch" house renovation, which relied on actual Hollywood blueprints, the McKees created their dream house by simply watching the series, building the house from the ground up, and furnishing it to exacting standards. 

A number of "Munsters" stars have visited the house since it was built more than 20 years ago, including "Grandpa" Al Lewis, Butch Patrick, and Marilyn #2, Pat Priest. The McKees hold regular charity events, which the stars have donated their time to. 

For any "Munsters" fan, or fans of classic TV, it's well worth the detour on your next Texas road trip.

Photos by Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission

Thanks to Brian for the fresh photos from Southfork Ranch

My fellow author Brian Lombard of the "Six Feet Under" blog did something a couple days ago that is on my own to-do list ... He visited Southfork Ranch, home of J.R. Ewing and fam. The staff of this beloved "Dallas" location was so kind to me in the production of the "Destination: Dallas" book, and one of these days I'm going to make it there, I just know it! In the meantime, Brian has fresh photos from that trip, which he kindly offers here ...

Photos by Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission

Trimming the tree in a TV lover's way ... some fun stuff from the Hallmark store

Earlier this month on the Terrific TV Toys series, you saw a brand-new Batgirl Hallmark ornament, one of a trio released this year celebrating the 1960s "Batman" live-action TV series. While this author was at the friendly neighborhood Hallmark store purchasing that lovely limited-edition gal, there was a nice assortment of other stuff on display for the TV nut, or perhaps the pop-culture nut in general. Let's look at a few photos, shall we ...

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

Happy holidays! How about some "Super Friends" fun?

Will Rodgers, the author of "The Ultimate Super Friends Companion" (in Volume 1 and Volume 2!) has loved the "Super Friends" series since he was a kid, and he also is very fond of creating his own "SF" art, which he shares on social media. Here we take a look at some of the "SF" frivolity he's created lately ...

"I don't believe it! Defeated by a teenage tin man!". Lex Luthor. Seeds of Doom 1985.

"It's a shame," Will says, "that Lex Luthor had only a cameo appearance on the 'Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians.' The top drawing came from the premiere episode. The bottom drawing I made wanting to see what Luthor would have looked like with the power suit on. ... Yes, I know Firestorm changed it into a prison uniform in 'No Honor Among Thieves,' but that was SuperFriends, which was never big on continuity. So am I alone, or did anybody else wish that Luthor could have worn his power suit? After all, the power suit version of Lex is what Kenner had made and was marketing at that time. Also, does anybody else wish that the 'Super Powers Team ' could have had more episodes and a longer season?"

"My customized title card for the SuperFriends lost season 1982-1983 complete with Batman's cowl error," Will says.

"My attempt at drawing the Luis Jose Garcia Lopez designs of the DC Super Heroes in the style of the late Alex Toth. I call it The Super Powers of the Super Friends."

Enjoy more Super Friends fun with fellow fans in the SUPERFRIENDS and The Ultimate Super Friends Companion groups in Facebook.

.........................

Photos courtesy of Will Rodgers; please do not copy without permission. 

Six Feet Under: The Odd Couple: Six Feet Under

Six Feet Under: The Odd Couple: Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. The Odd Couple premiered on September 24, 1970.  It ran for five seasons on the ABC network, and was th...

Six Feet Under: I Grok Spock!

A look at the life of "Star Trek"'s Leonard Nimoy, as well as his final resting place at Hillside Memorial Gardens, from blogger and author Brian Lombard ...

Six Feet Under: I Grok Spock!: Leonard Nimoy was born on March 26, 1931 in Boston.  He was the son of Jewish immigrants who had fled their native Ukraine, resettling in ...

Terrific non-TV Toys: Batman Hallmark Ornament 2004

This time on Terrific non-TV Toys, we continue and conclude our special December cross-over event of Hallmark Christmas ornaments of a Batty theme. Earlier this month, you saw the brand-new for 2019 Batgirl ornament from the "Batman" '66 series. Now we turn to the Caped Crusader himself for, appropriately enough, an ornament titled just that. This one is from 2004 ...

Catch some video snippets from A Hazzard County Christmas with Tom Wopat

Whether you were there and want to relive the moments, or just couldn't make it out to the event, check out the BRBTV video coverage of A Hazzard County Christmas at the Corunna United Methodist Church in Michigan this past weekend. We gave you some snapshots of the event yesterday, but now you can see Tom Wopat, longtime performing artist, Broadway star and Luke Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard," in action for this special holiday concert.

It was a wonderful show. Wopat took a couple questions from the audience, relating how he first started singing and what were some of his earliest roles on the stage. Thanks to Pastor Steve Rau, as well as the church's own Pastor Steve, for hosting this event.

Hazzard County spirit shines bright at Tom Wopat's Christmas concert

It was such a nice time with friends, and a wonderful mix of Christmas music and original songs by Tom Wopat, longtime performing artist, Broadway star and our own Luke Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard." Wopat presented a thoroughly festive concert last night for "A Hazzard County Christmas" at the Corunna United Methodist Church in Corunna, Michigan.

This holiday event was hosted by two Pastor Steves -- one who's actually the pastor of this church, and the other who pastors another church locally and was marking his third "Dukes of Hazzard"-themed event with Wopat in the past 12 months. In fact, the Luke Duke of his childhood is becoming quite a friend to this avid "Dukes" fan, Steve Rau, so much so that he's rather determined to make Shiawassee County into Hazzard County. And hey, this author will go with that; I dreamed of living in Hazzard when I was a kid growing up in this area. I've been joking on this blog (see the coverage from last year's Christmas concert, as well as the summer racetrack concert) about how Michigan seems to be becoming "Hazzard North," with these wonderful events popping up from Pastor Steve.

And just like last year's Christmas concert, fans were treated to a more-intimate setting for this event. We "Dukes" fans know that typical events can draw thousands, and you might be waiting in line a long time to get that photo or diecast car signed by a cast member. Here, though, the church pews were pretty full, but as Wopat signed items for fans at his table in the great hall before and after the concert, you had nice access and lots of time with this Duke cousin.

Wopat brought a couple different 8-by-10 photos with him -- one with his "Dukes" co-star John Schneider, and another of just himself with the General Lee -- along with two albums, a recent Christmas CD he cut with Schneider and the "Wopat" release.

Replicas of the General Lee and Hazzard County Sheriff's car were on hand again for this event, brought by Brian and T.J., as well as a yellow Road Runner like Daisy drove early on in the series, a monster truck and a Blues Brothers-inspired car.

 

They came from near and far to enjoy this concert; one fan drove eight hours from eastern Ontario, and another came from a block away! Thanks so much, Mr. Tom Wopat, as well as both Pastor Steves and everyone else who helped put this event together.

Merry Christmas!!!

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

Terrific TV Toys: Batgirl Hallmark Ornament 2019

If it's the last episode of the calendar year, it has to be a Christmas episode, right? That's kinda how we roll here at BRBTV. And we're doing a cross-over event this month, with Hallmark ornaments of a beautifully Batty variety on both Terrific TV Toys and Terrific non-TV Toys.

This week, she's brand-new, fresh off the shelves this year at your friendly neighborhood Hallmark shop. This author waited in line, even. (It was totally fun; I'd do it again!) It's the Yvonne Craig Batgirl of the Adam West "Batman" series of the 1960s. She's got her purple sparkly outfit on, all ready to kick the tail of the bad guys this Christmas season. Or at least to save your Christmas tree from any villains or other miscreants. And she's got a partner, too -- you'll be seeing him on non-T3 in a week or two ...

Mego, Corgi, Ideal and anything in-between, the annual Kalamazoo toy show covers it all

The selection was so robust this past weekend at the annual toy show at the Kalamazoo, Michigan, fairgrounds that this author spent the whole morning texting photos of goodies to this person and that person. "Have you seen this?" "Do you want this?" Buddies Mike, Brian and Rob, my Bro -- there was just something for everyone this time around at this amazing and huge show that happens every Saturday after Thanksgiving. I always look forward to it. And I kept the economy alive, believe-you-me, between the purchases I made here and at the mall later that afternoon! Gotta love it. Anyway, here's the customary glance-in-pictures of what they had ...

Some of this stuff you'll see on future episodes of the BRBTV YouTube series Terrific TV Toys and Terrific non-TV Toys (and a couple items you've seen on past episodes). One particular item I now officially regret leaving behind (there's always something) because it represents one of my past places of employment. We've got Mego, Corgi, Ideal, other manufacturers represented here, a nice diverse assortment ...

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand