Some "Dynasty" tidbits: DVDs, directors, Fallon, an appreciation of the great Jason Colby

- We've reported before on the BRBTV News Blog about the corrected release date for the Season 3 DVD set of "Dynasty." Here are fuller details on the "Dynasty" third-season DVD, which is splitting the season into more than one release:
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releases/Dynasty-3rd-Season-Volume-1/7615
http://www.amazon.com/Dynasty-Season-Three-Vol-1/dp/B0015I2S7E/ref=rcx_ser_title?ie=UTF8&s=dvd
The three-disc set arrives on June 17.

- Longtime actress Nancy Malone directed the 100th episode of "Dynasty." She also directed some "Colbys," too, along with a host of other TV stuff. Malone will be speaking at the Plimoth Plantation’s Gainsborough Hall in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on April 30. See more here.

- So how much do celebs visit the sites that honor them? That's a good question, but at least we can say that Emma Samms, our own second Fallon Carrington of "Dynasty," is not above chatting directly to the fans. The lovely actress posted on the guestbook of her fan site, http://www.emma-samms.com/. Click here to go right to it.

- The remembrances of Charlton Heston continue to make their way across the web. Here's a nicely illustrated look at our Jason Colby's starried career, in The Sun in the U.K.

Paul Johansson stars in new web sci-fi series

Paul Johansson hasn't done too badly since his days as Greg Hughes on "Santa Barbara." He's dabbled in the "Highlander" world and in the "Lonesome Dove" world, and he's had a great regular gig on "One Tree Hill." Now he's starring in the web-based science fiction series "IQ-145."

"IQ-145" comes from "One Tree Hill" director Billy Dickson (Johansson has directed some episodes of the latter, himself, by the way). The title refers to the genius level of IQ. The story revolves around a high-school guy with that IQ who's struggling with the (supposed?) death of his father.

"We wanted to give the audience something to piece together week to week in a nonlinear fashion," the show's site says. "Shot almost entirely in front of a green screen, we built a world of our own where reality is only in one's mind."

BRBTV News Blog Blip: Speaking of "SB," you can catch a photo of Justin Deas, our original Keith Timmons, with his wife, Margaret Colin at TheaterMania.com.

BRBTV News Blog Blip 2: And speaking of "SB," again (because we did ... again), check out the roster of the celebrity golf tourney of Jack Wagner, our final Warren Lockridge, and you'll spot another BRBTV name, that lovely Heather Locklear, who's been generating so much HTML lately over suicide calls and whatnot that she might as well be her own search engine.

John Schneider gets a new TV series, and Hair Dare "Dukes" event turns a page!

Thanks to Renee of the All-John blog for giving us the tip-off on this one. John Schneider, our own Bo Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard" who also starred as Pa Kent in "Smallville," is heading back into regular series television once again. He's been cast in ABC Family's new "Untitled Brenda Hampton Project."

Schneider shares the small screen this time with female brat-packer (and our fellow redhead and 40-year-old!!!!) Molly Ringwald. The one-hour drama is set to premiere this summer. Schneider plays Dr. Marshall Johnson.

Read more in ABC Family's press release:
http://www.abcfamilymedianet.com/docs/2008/04/Cast_Announcement_Release.pdf

Also from Hazzard County ... And you'll be hearing a lot more about this "Dukes" event, as it's one near and dear to BRB. It's the Hair Dare Dukes Weekend in August in the Great White North, as in Ontario, Canada. This is a charity event produced by Paul Harrington and his Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club. BRB was a guest of the event last year, signin' copies of "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" and havin' lots of fun meetin' folks. We're looking forward to another great event this year.

To keep us all informed, Paul has set up a special info page right here on Blogger:
http://hairdaredukesweekend.blogspot.com/

Start with the first post, from April 2, which will give you a general run-down of the event, then progress on to photos of last year's event, then a map of this year's location (which changes from last year -- this year Hair Dare will be at the Leamington Fairgrounds).

We're tellin' ya ... just listening to voice impersonator extraordinaire Will Rodgers (who helped BRB in editing the "Destination: Dallas" book, by the way) alone is worth the trip. But throw in some "Dukes" stars like Byron ("Coy Duke") Cherry and Don Pedro ("Sheriff Little") Colley? Yowza! Er, we mean ... yeeeeee-haaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Look for more information on the Hair Dare Dukes Weekend as the months progress, and also check out Paul's other page on Blogger:
http://canadiandukesofhazzard.blogspot.com/

Announcing the new BillieRae.com, and a very special photo project

It's a special day here in BRBland, and a special day calls for a special announcement. Tell me, how do you finish the following sentence ... "Life begins at ________"?????

Yes, that's right. Today, I officially mark "Year 40." And in honor of that (!), and all that entails (!!!!!), I'm launching not only a brand-new look for my site BillieRae.com, but also a photo project that I began in January and will continue rolling out all year long.

The new BillieRae.com features some original art by longtime Archie Comics artist Dan DeCarlo, as well as a new feature on my very first "books" and "newspapers" of the '70s, and a glimpse at my third novel, due next year:
http://billierae.com/

"Year 40 -- The Photo Shoots: My Mother's Clothing" is a very long name for a very simple tribute to the legacy of garments -- all reflecting a magnificent zest for life -- that my mother stuck away in boxes for years:
http://mymothersclothing.billierae.com/

Read the official press release for "My Mother's Clothing" here:
http://www.prlog.org/10062663-author-launches-daring-photo-essay-on-her-40th-birthday.html

My fondest wishes to you, in whatever year you're in ...

-- Billie Rae

Charlton Heston dies at age 84

Generally, Sunday is an off-computer day here at the BRBTV headquarters -- a day of rest that we spend out in the Florida room sipping tea and reading Harper's Bazaar or Entertainment Weekly, or parked in front of some cheesy somebody-stole-my-baby-or-my-husband-has-amnesia Lifetime movies. But today we felt it appropriate, since we're doing a lot of setup online for a big announcement tomorrow, anyway, to bop into the blog and post the sad news that's right now making big ripples in papers and on websites across the world ...

Our handsome and commanding Jason Colby of both "Dynasty" and "The Colbys," Mr. Charlton Heston, has died. The screen legend and gun-rights advocate, for whom our beloved "The Colbys" was such a small part of his career, died last night with his wife by his side, the Associated Press reports.

On "The Colbys," launched, of course, from episodes of "Dynasty" in 1985, Heston shared the small screen with Stephanie Beacham and Katharine Ross, as well as fellow big-screen legend Barbara Stanwyck. BRBTV just loved him, also, in the original "Planet of the Apes" movie of 1968. He's well-known for his roles as Moses in 1956's "The Ten Commandments" and as the title character in 1959's "Ben-Hur."

We'll let these sources tell the rest of the story:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIhnqF6LygGpQ54CQdntp6c74tTwD8VS6A580
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080406/world-news/us-actor-charlton-heston-dies-at-84-family
http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=aa4385c6-8e8b-4cf7-9492-1f687e21f1f1

Meanwhile, stay tuned for a big announcement tomorrow ... BRB is excited ...

"Batman: The Brave and the Bold" gets its official announcement

We reported in the March 17 post of this news blog some rumblings (and we tend to stay away from "rumblings," truth be told!) about a new Batman animated series. Well now that series, "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," has received its official announcement from the folks at Warner Bros.

The show, premiering on Cartoon Network later this year, will feature the Caped Crusader fighting crime, as he does so well, with a hand from buddies such as Blue Beetle, Green Arrow and Aquaman. This broader spectrum will sometimes take the Dark Knight far out of the Gotham surrounds. The art released with the announcement is certainly comic-book-classic but rather catchy.

Interestingly enough, we don't see any of the usual ("Batman: The Animated Series") players among the production staff listed in the official information:
http://www.animationinsider.net/article.php?articleID=1686
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/moving-forward-the-force-is-with-cartoon-network,338803.shtml
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Star-Wars-Batman/800036792

We'll be there!!!!

Coming up in Archie Comics

BRB's fave Archie character, the beautiful and vivacious redhead Cheryl Blossom, gets some good airtime in the next crop of issues ....

ARCHIE #584
"Two Ring Circus": Talk about a bad connection -- Veronica gives Archie one of her father’s prototype phones, even though the matching phone is Mr. Lodge’s! How long before Hiram calls 911?
SCRIPT: Angelo DeCesare. ART: Stan Goldberg.
"The Blame Game": To get out of a jam with Veronica, Archie asks Jughead to take the blame. And in return, he’ll do the same for Jughead. Need we mention this is one deal doomed to failure?!
SCRIPT: Craig Boldman. ART: Stan Goldberg.
"Outside the Box": Mr. Lodge learns rule #1 of the toy biz: kids almost always love the box the toys comes in best!
SCRIPT: Craig Boldman. ART: Stan Goldberg.
"The Blob": Dilton tries to give Archie the ink blot test, but when his cards are replaced with photos of Veronica, he thinks Archie is certifiably obsessed!
SCRIPT: Craig Boldman. ART: Stan Goldberg.
On sale on newsstands: May 13, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #118
"Archie World Tour Part 2 of 4": Having barely escaped with their lives in the previous issue’s trip to London, Archie and his friends are looking for a more traditional vacation spot … a place filled with history and romance … and Madrid, Spain is just the place! The key word is romance, as Veronica and Betty are wooed by their teen guide, leaving Archie feeling whoa-ed. Even Ms. Grundy becomes the object of someone’s affection! But mystery and danger make a handsome couple too, as the villain they’ve been evading continues to pursue them from the city to the country. A meeting with a beautiful mystery woman provides Archie with his first clue … and a "first date" with a herd of angry bulls! The mystery continues to deepen and Archie must figure out what is going on before things get really dangerous! Acclaimed writer, children’s art advocate, and organizer of the world’s only "Kids Comics" convention, Alex Simmons, returns to handle the script chores, while fan-favorite Rex Lindsey is back with some of the best art of his career. It all adds up to one world tour you won’t want to miss!
SCRIPT: Alex Simmons. ART: Rex Lindsey.
On sale on newsstands: April 29, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

ARCHIE DIGEST #243
"No Worries": Archie doesn’t have a single worry – he has a double worry, namely whether to choose Betty or Veronica! The "eternal love triangle" lives up its billing as an ad infinitum entanglement!
SCRIPT: Barbara Slate. ART: Jeff Shultz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale on newsstands: April 29, 2008
Full-color digest format
$2.49 U.S.

ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #188
"Catch Phrase": Archie tries to be the "early bird" at the fishing hole, but as the fish are biting, it’s sleep Archie’s fighting!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski. ART: Randy Elliott.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale on newsstands: May 13, 2008
Full-color digest format
$3.69 U.S.

BETTY & VERONICA #235
A POIGNANT TALE DESTINED TO TURN THE TOWN OF RIVERDALE UPSIDE DOWN!
"Runaway Ronnie": In serious trouble with her parents for blowing a curfew and other responsibilities, Veronica longs for freedom … and gets it, when she leaves home to live in an apartment and takes on an … egads … part-time job! Will Veronica’s bid for independence truly give her the "freedom" she seeks, or will she learn that nothing comes free? Will the love of her parents win out as they miss their only daughter? How will Veronica’s friends react to the news?
SCRIPT: Angelo DeCesare. ART: Jeff Shultz.
On sale on newsstands: May 6, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #183
"Double Take": Veronica is wearing a brand-new, exclusive, "original" designer dress … wait until she notices Betty is wearing the exact same thing!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski. ART: Jeff Shultz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale on newsstands: April 29, 2008
Full-color digest format
$2.49 U.S.

BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #160
"Who is Cheryl Blossom?": Intrepid reporter Tomoko doesn’t know what she’s getting into when she sets out to interview Cheryl Blossom for the school newspaper! Once Cheryl gets going, it’s apparent to Tomoko that this is one newspaper article that is going to have to appear over the course of several consecutive editions! Don’t miss the fun in this entertaining recap of Cheryl’s appearances in Archie Comics, including the milestone "Love Showdown" series!
SCRIPT AND ART: Dan Parent.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale on newsstands: May 6, 2008
Full-color digest format
$3.69 U.S.

JUGHEAD’S DOUBLE DIGEST #139
A FOLLOW-UP TO LAST YEAR’S MOST TALKED-ABOUT BETTY & VERONICA STORY, "BAD BOY TROUBLE" – FEATURING RIVERDALE’S FAMOUS TEENS IN A REALISTIC STYLE!
"The Matchmakers Part 1": It’s another tale of the teens from Riverdale High, done in a realistic style! This time, the romantic entanglements are reserved for Jughead, whom Archie, Betty, Reggie and Veronica agree needs a break from his "fifth wheel" status! Can the cunning matchmakers actually find a girl who will interest Jughead more than food and sleep? Another pillar of Archie Comics mythology hangs in the balance in this first installment of a 4-part epic, set to play out over the next few issues! Last year’s "Bad Boy Trouble" set the comics world on its ear as the teens were depicted in a realistic style. Comic book legends Joe Staton and Al Milgrom carry on that look, handling pencils and inks respectively, in what is sure to be one of the most intriguing Archie stories of the year!
SCRIPT: Melanie Morgan.
ART: Joe Staton.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale on newsstands: April 29, 2008
Full-color digest format
$3.69 U.S.

PALS-N-GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #121
"Sunny Daze": When it comes to keeping the students’ attention spans from wandering, the faculty is no match for a beautiful day!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Jeff Shultz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale on newsstands: May 20, 2008
Full-color digest format
$3.69 U.S.

SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH #93
"Salem’s Secret Part 1": Sabrina’s loyal cat Salem is more than you might realize. Salem was a warlock who once tried to take over that the Magic Realm. His punishment was to spend the rest of his life as a cat. For the first time ever we will learn just what Salem did to earn this unique magical punishment …. and what he did in the aftermath that affects Sabrina to this day, especially after her recent battle to become good again! For the first time in the history of the manga Sabrina series, a guest artist is featured: Chad Thomas takes on the penciling chores to tell the story of Salem’s hidden past!
SCRIPT: Tania Del Rio. ART: Chad Thomas (pencils) & Jim Amash (inks).
Cat-scratch fever cover by Tania Del Rio & Jim Amash!
On sale on newsstands: April 29, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

TALES FROM RIVERDALE DIGEST #28
"The Real Problem": When Mr. Lodge goes to a resort to de-stress, Archie decides to get a job there to "get on his good side." Yeah, that’ll work! And in a way, it actually does … but you’ll have to read the story to find out how!
SCRIPT: George Gladir. ART: Fernando Ruiz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale on newsstands: May 13, 2008
Full-color digest format
$2.49 U.S.

VERONICA #188
"Prom Showdown!": Remembering all the lumps he’s taken over the years by choosing one girl over another, Archie decides to cut his losses by asking Betty, Veronica AND Cheryl to the prom all at once! Of course, with two deviously determined rich girls in the mix, this will be one prom Archie and Betty will never forget!
SCRIPT AND ART: Dan Parent.
"That Takes the Cake": Veronica decides to bake her mother a cake for her birthday. At least the gesture is "sweet!"
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski. ART: Dan Parent.
"Keen Competition": To lure Archie over, Veronica ramps up her home theater with the latest movies (before they hit the theaters) and automated treats… but that just leaves Archie with more of his allowance to spend on Betty!
SCRIPT: George Gladir. ART: Dan Parent.
On sale on newsstands: May 20, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

BACKLIST
NOTE: All backlist titles on sale on newsstands: April 29, 2008

GIMME A BREAK! IN FACT, MAKE IT A SPRING BREAK!
Archie has decided to give everyone a break yet again, by offering these great SPRING BREAK specials once more!
ARCHIE’S SPRING BREAK #3, 48-page full-color comic, $2.25 U.S.
ARCHIE’S SPRING BREAK #4, 48-page full-color comic, $2.29 U.S.
ARCHIE’S SPRING BREAK #5, 48-page full-color comic, $2.49 U.S.

BRBTV birthdays for April

- Jordan Charney, who is a BRBTV triple-shot as Lt. Sutton on "Dallas," Bill Cochran on "Dynasty" and Dr. Renfro on "Santa Barbara," turned 71 yesterday, April 1.
- Hunter von Leer, who was B.D. Calhoun on "Dallas," turns 64 tomorrow, April 3.
- Billy Dee Williams, our own Brady Lloyd of "Dynasty," turns 71 on April 6.
- Judith McConnell, second and longtime Sophia Capwell on "Santa Barbara," turns 64 on April 6.
- Jane Rogers, the lovely Heather Donnelly on "SB," turns 48 on April 6.
- Marilu Henner, who voiced vivacious redheaded socialite Veronica Vreeland on "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 56 on April 6.
- John Schneider, the unstoppable Bo Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard," turns 48 on April 8.
- Robin Wright Penn, the lovely original Kelly Capwell on "SB," is still such a young'un at 42, also with an April 8 birthday.
- Lee Bergere, the long-suffering and perhaps twisted Joseph Aynders of "Dynasty," was born April 10, 1918 and died on January 31, 2007.
- Joel Grey, the unforgettable Adam who taunted J.R. in the series finale of "Dallas," turns 76 on April 11.
- Michele Scarabelli, who was the menacing and highly psycho Connie Hall on "Dallas," turns 53 on April 11.
- Buck Young, who was Seth Stone and Sen. Cawley on "Dallas," was born on April 12, 1920 and died February 9, 2000.
- Howard Keel, the ever-responsible Clayton Farlow of "Dallas," was born on April 13, 1919 and died on November 7, 2004.
- Terry Lester, who was the second Mason Capwell on "Santa Barbara," was born on April 13, 1950 and died on November 28, 2003.
- Ron Perlman, voice of Clayface on "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 58 on April 13.
- Loretta Lynn, who gets some credit with BRBTV even though her time on "The Dukes of Hazzard" was brief, turns 73 on April 14.
- Randolph Powell, who portrayed Alan Beam on "Dallas," turns 58 on April 14.
- Lois Chiles, that slinky ole Holly Harwood on "Dallas" (we always wanted her hair; it was so fluffy and cool), turns 61 on April 15.
- Michael Ansara, the voice of Dr. Victor Fries / Mr. Freeze on "Batman: The Animated Series, turns 86 on April 15.
- Peter Mark Richman, one of our favorites and certainly an amazing BRBTV quadruple-shot for his time as Andrew Laird on "Dynasty," Maynard Anderson on "Dallas," the first C.C. Capwell on "SB" and even the voice of Charles Baxter on "Batman: TAS," turns 81 on April 16.
- Byron Cherry, who stepped in as Coy Duke in the fifth season of "The Dukes of Hazzard," turns a very nice-lookin' 53 on April 17.
- Timothy Gibbs, our own Dash Nichols of "Santa Barbara, turns a very young 41 on April 17.
- John James, our Jeff Colby of "Dynasty," turns 52 on April 18.
- Bob Hastings, who voiced Commissioner James Gordon in "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 83 on April 18.
- Dick Sargent, who stepped in as Sheriff Grady Byrd on "The Dukes," filling in for Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, was born on April 19, 1930 and died on July 8, 1994.
- Christopher Mayer, our other replacement Duke as Vance in "The Dukes," and a BRBTV double-shot as T.J. Daniels on "SB," turns 53 on April 21.
- Steve Bond, our own Mack Blake on "SB," turns 55 on April 22.
- Ryan O'Donohue, the voice of Terry's little bro Matt on "Batman Beyond," turns 24 April 26.
- Hilary Bader, writer for "The New Batman Adventures" and "Batman Beyond," was born on April 27, 1952 and died on November 7, 2002.
- Nancy Lee Grahn, our own Julia Wainwright of "Santa Barbara" who's now turning in good time as Alexis Davis on ABC's "General Hospital," turns 52 on April 28.

Happy birthday!

Love Fallon's red glittery dress? The gavel is rising ...

Wowzers, and it's even in BRB's size ... The latest celebrity goods to grace the pages of auction powerhouse eBay is a selection of original wardrobe pieces from our beloved "Dynasty." Thanks to the "Dynasty" forum on SoapChat for the head's-up:

Fallon's red glittery dress from the opening credits
Now this one is a true icon. Who could forget that shot of Pamela Sue Martin in the opening credits, the one that Emma Samms could never really duplicate? Yes, this is the dress ... the dress. (And red is BRB's favorite color? Have we mentioned that????? Major-heckin'-meow!) Who knew those were tiny little bugle beads! Beware; there's some loss of beading -- don't worry, Ms. Martin, we'll let ya keep 'em. The auction closes Saturday. Can you believe there's only been one bid, as of post time? Oh, the humanity!!!!!!
http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/31296-Nolan-Miller-Dynasty-Gown-Pamela-Sue-Martin_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ28269QQihZ007QQitemZ170204836533QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Alexis' negligee and nightgown from episode 161, January 1987, worn in a scene with Ben Carrington
We're fine with not commenting any further on this one; we're still rather verklempt about the red sequined dress.
http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/31303-Nolan-Miller-Joan-Collins-Dynasty-Nightgown_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem170204836612QQitemZ170204836612

Krystle's gown for the Black and White Ball, December 1986
http://cgi.liveauctions.ebay.com/31297-Nolan-Miller-Linda-Evans-Dynasty-Gown-Cape-G_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem170204836545QQitemZ170204836545

Heritage Auction Galleries, which deals in a whole mess-a celebrity stuff, is behind all of this debauchery. To see just their "Dynasty" items, click here:
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/heritageauctiongalleries?_rkw=Dynasty


BRBTV News Blog Blip: Tomorrow marks 30 years since "Dallas" first hit the airwaves. The Daily Record in the U.K. is taking note of that fact with an appreciation and 30 fun facts about the series.

John Schneider wants to mark 30 years of "The Dukes" in a big way

John Schneider's publicist issued an online push over the weekend in the name of "The Dukes of Hazzard." In anticipation of the show's 30th anniversary (it first filmed in late 1978 and launched on the airwaves in January 1979), Schneider is calling for fans to support re-airing the show on ABC Family, which recently purchased the rights to the series from CMT. Despite the wild success CMT enjoyed by bringing the series back a couple-a years back, ABC Family has no plans, currently, to air it.

BRBTV caught up with Schneider's publicist, Michael Barnard, on Saturday. He gave us a little more info on the cause, which directs fans to write to Tom Zappala, senior vice-president of program acquisitions and scheduling at ABC Family.

"The letter-writing request has been sent out via email to a few 'friends,'" Barnard says, "about 100, with the hope that they will forward it to their friends. It's been posted in a few forums, such as the chatroom on the http://www.dukesfest.com/ site."

He tells us, "The 30th anniversary will be celebrated at DukesFest on June 28-29; it's the theme of this fest. We are holding it in Atlanta for the first time because the show was originally shot in Georgia."

And what is Schneider up to, at this very moment, we had to ask? (He's been so busy that we can't just ask what he's been up to lately, ya know!)

"John just finished starring in 'Chicago' on Broadway, and has a film for the Hallmark Channel called 'Shark Swarm,'" Barnard says. "He stars with Daryl Hannah. We are working on raising funds for a couple feature film projects: 'Collier & Co. 2 -- High Octane,' the sequel to the original family comedy; and 'Seven Ways from Sunday,' a powerful Western."

If you'd like to read more on the push to our friendly neighborhood ABC Family, click here:
http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2008/03/28/dukes_of_hazzard_fans_told_to_act_now_fo
http://www.pr-inside.com/hazzard-fans-told-to-act-now-r506339.htm

And here's the ABC Family contact page:
http://abcfamily.go.com/abcfamily/path/section_Global/page_Contactus

Elsewhere in Hazzard County ...

Thanks to Barry, as well as to Renee of the All-John blog, for the tipoff on this nice write-up in yesterday's New York Times (we just love that Sunday paper):
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/fashion/30nite.html

Over fettucine with shrimp and other accoutrements, our two good-ole'-boys-turned-Broadway talked about drag-racing to the set and lotsa fun stuff from their Hazzard days.

And speaking of fast-drivin', just take a gander at these words from Tom Wopat on Bo and Luke's fair cousin Daisy's expertise behind the wheel, as reported in the Scottish Sunday Mail:
http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/tv-showbiz-news/music-news/music-reviews/2008/03/30/real-duke-of-hazzard-78057-20366958/

James Best heads to the ballpark, and DukesFest, of course

Our own Rosco P. Coltrane, James Best, is returning to the ballpark this summer. He will be throwing out the first pitch for the Southern Illinois Miners Baseball Team on May 29. He'll have photos for sale and will sign your memorabilia for $5 per item.

It all happens at Rent One Park, 1000 Miners Drive, Marion, IL 62959. Check at http://www.southernillinoisminers.com/ for more information.

Best is, of course, among the "Dukes" cast scheduled to appear at this year's DukesFest, making its debut in Hot-lanta. Indeed, John Schneider and his wife Elly are expecting all of the cast biggies to appear this year. DukesFest will also be your opportunity to nab a copy of a couple fun new products: Best's own DVD, "Rosco's Hazzardous Roadtrip," and Ben Jones new memoir, "Redneck Boy in the Promised Land." Yes, Jones has released his own book now to add to the fine collection of "Dukes"-related books we have out there, publishing it through Harmony Books.

Keep your eye on that DukesFest site, because they've had some fun stuff going on with the design (and the videos!).

Joan Collins talks about the influence of legend Bette Davis

Convincing screen legend Bette Davis to help her adjust her revealing silver lame gown (designed by Nolan Miller, of course) is just one of the fun reminisces that Joan Collins offers in a new story in The Times in London.

Collins, our amazing Alexis Carrington Whatever of "Dynasty," talks about the influence that Davis had on her own career, as Turner Classic Movies celebrates "The Bette Davis Centenary season," 100 years since the actress' birth.

"When I first read the role of Alexis Carrington on 'Dynasty' I considered how Davis would have approached this character," Collins says. "The part was described to me by my agent as 'a real juicy b-tch, the kind of gal Bette Davis would have played in her prime.' "

Collins writes on: "So much of Alexis seemed to emulate so many of Davis’ roles. Conniving, glamorous, sly, the epitome of the woman scorned, she wasn’t afraid to use her sexual charms to get her own way. Whenever I had thoughts about how to play a scene I’d think: 'How would Bette do it?' and the rest was easy."

Davis, who was born on April 5, 1908, died on October 6, 1989. You can learn more about the celebration of her centenary at TCM's site.

Eileen Davidson chats on BlogTalkRadio

Eileen Davidson talks soaps, more specifically, she talks her current soap, CBS' "The Young and the Restless," on the Internet-based Buzzworthy Radio. The interview, airing last night, is available for your listening pleasure at Buzzworthy's site at BlogTalkRadio.

Davidson is currently immersed in her role as Ashley on "Y&R," but we, of course, remember her as the fourth and final Kelly Capwell on "Santa Barbara."

"It's a whole different ballgame out there," she said of the soaps business, saying that some of the shows are scrambling to try to figure out how to stay on the air. "I've seen it in its heyday." Davidson, in the context of her firing from "Days of Our Lives," added that she doesn't take anything too seriously.

"I was on 'Santa Barbara' the last year of its life," she said, "and it was an interesting time then, because Paul (Rauch) just -- he was getting the heavy hitters from every show ever known to mankind. ... I was on the show at the same time as A Martinez, Kim Zimmer, Jack Wagner, Gordon Thomson, who was just amazing, Nancy Grahn, just like these terrific people. The unfortunate thing is that we didn't have that much to do. We had some storylines, but ... it was not working out that well."

She added that "A is an exceptional human being" and was wonderful to work with. "It was a really, really great working experience," she said of the show, where she remarked that morale was even good at the time. "I was probably going to leave anyway, if it hadn't been canceled."

Davidson was frank in the interview, noting that it was very difficult to play the role of Kelly after other people had, and that her own personal history on the show was not long, so she didn't have as much of a feeling of loyalty toward it.

(We must say, it's nice to see a star taking time out of their schedule to chat with an Internet fan site / radio channel -- it truly shows the growing power of the Internet.)

BRBTV News Blog Blip: We know what a huge pop-cultural influence our beloved "Dallas" was. MentalFloss.com knows it, too, naming it the first of their "10 TV Shows that Changed the World." The post at their site discusses, in particular, the show's influence on communist Romania.

BRBTV News Blog Blip, Too: Look, they can criticize her face all they want, but we just dig the fact that she's on the show! Track the progress of Priscilla Presley, our third and final Jenna Wade of "Dallas," on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars," at ABC's official site for the show. (Didya see her on last night's show? She's still alive!)

A couple new students are coming to Riverdale High

From Archie Comics

MAMARONECK, NY – Jesús Gil Holguín is one of the best-known comic book professionals in Mexico, where he has been translating American comics into Spanish and editing the Mexican editions of American comics for the past 25 years. He started at Editorial Novaro, the most important comic book publishing company in Latin America. He was a regular collaborator in a weekly radio show about comics, and has given a series of conferences about comics throughout Mexico. In 2005, Holguín started publishing Spanish editions of Archie Comics in Mexico. Now Holguín is writing his first script for Archie Comics. The story will feature the first Mexican addition to Riverdale High: Toño Diaz.

Born in Mexico, Toño assists his parents, Adrián and Rosa, in their party-planning business. Rosa handles public relations and the administrative part of the business, while Adrián is responsible for the creative and labor portions of the family business. Toño enjoys helping them with gardening and decoration, but the part he likes the most is cooking. He wants to become a great chef when he grows up. The Diaz family has been hired by Mr. Lodge to plan events for the city of Riverdale. As a result, the family has relocated to Riverdale.

Join Toño and his entire family for their first Riverdale adventure in Pals ‘n’ Gals #123 on sale in July 2008. Toño’s first appearance will be released simultaneously in the United States and in Mexico.



Misako Takashima, meanwhile, developed a love for comics and manga at an early age and drew her first comic at the age of 13. She moved to New York in 2001 and worked as a puppeteer, face painter, animal balloon maker and art teacher, while still developing her own work. She's been featured in many magazines and newspapers, including Elle Girl and the New York Times, and the BBC recently featured her in a documentary about comic book creators. Takashima currently lives in Brooklyn.

Takashima works with Archie's other new character, Kumi Tamura, a shy, cute and goofy Japanese girl. She doesn't think she's goofy or funny. However, when Archie, Betty and the others meet her, they think she is very funny. She wants to be taller, so every morning she drinks a lot of milk, believing this will help her grow. She likes reading Japanese girls’ comics and believes that someday she will meet a gorgeous boy in America. She arrives in Riverdale with her younger sister, Ami Tamura. Compared to Kumi, Ami is outgoing, fun and a positive girl. Ami and Kumi often have fights and usually Ami wins. Ami goes crazy for cute boys, and she is excited to meet a lot of tall American boys! When she finds something / somebody who she really likes, she usually doesn't give up until she gets it, or them! Oh, boy ...

Kumi’s mom is very kind and sweet … but she's obsessed with keeping their home clean. Therefore, when the kids have fights or make a mess, she gets crazy and loses her mind!! Kumi’s dad is an engineer. Even though he's busy, he tries to make time for his girls as much as he can. When mom gets crazy, he's really good at calming her down.

Kumi and her family will be moving to Riverdale shortly.

Bits 'n' Pieces: A couple "SB" hunks, and a car that's truly an icon

- His character on "Santa Barbara" might have gotten iced early on, but Eric Stromer has recovered quite nicely, years later. This actor, who portrayed Michael Adams in the 1984 earthquake storyline of "SB," then went on to a few other TV roles, wields a hammer and saw these days. He's the host of HGTV's "Over Your Head," and now he's written a new home-improvement book: "Do It Yourself Family." CBS' Showbuzz has more on the hunky Stromer and his current projects.

- And speaking of "SB," we've been reporting here on the BRBTV News Blog on Frank Runyeon, our own Father Michael Donnelly, and his modern-day more real-life evangelistic efforts. The News-Enterprise in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, has a neat feature story on Runyeon that sheds a little more light on that fun thing he does.

- We, of course, know just how much of a TV icon our beautiful, blazin'-orange General Lee is, besides being the star of "The Dukes of Hazzard." Well, the Trib knows it, too. The General Lee came in nicely on their list of the top TV icons, according to reader votes. Among the write-in candidates was the Batphone from "Batman." Coolness. Check it out at the Chicago Tribune's website.

Ken Farmer, a tough guy of many talents

Texas-born Ken Farmer moved effortlessly through several roles on our beloved "Dallas," particularly one where he almost started a brawl at the annual Ewing Barbecue over J.R.'s machinations with gas prices. Farmer, who is a seasoned actor, turns his attention these days to mentoring the younger ones coming up behind him. He's an author and workshop leader who has some skillful advice on being in front of the camera.

While researching the BRBTV reference book "Destination: Dallas," we had the opportunity to get to know Ken Farmer. He's a guy with a tough persona who's quite nice to talk with! During our lively January 2007 interview, he told us about a screenplay he was working on, "Damn You, Bone!" It's the story of a 6-foot-7, 300-pound cop in north Texas who has an interesting way of doing business.

Farmer has also written "Rockabilly Baby," a story on the birth of rock 'n' roll that was shot in Texas last year. Farmer directs this one and takes on a role as an announcer, too. You can read the official press release and see photos of the cast at the movie's site.

To keep an eye on Farmer and his work, which includes the book "Acting is Storytelling," check out his website.

Tori loves "Dynasty" too, and full "Bat"-cast announced

So tell us, Ms. Tori Spelling, of all the various TV shows your father worked on in his time, was there one that was a particular guilty pleasure for you?

"Oh, 'Dynasty'!" she gushed. "I love 'Dynasty.'"

So went a phone interview between actress, daughter of TV icon Aaron Spelling, and new author Tori Spelling, with Star 94 FM of Atlanta between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. this afternoon. So fun!

"Batman: Gotham Knight" fully cast

Warner Bros. made a nice ripple of news across the Internet today by officially announcing further details on its upcoming DVD / Blu-Ray release of the animated "Batman: Gotham Knight." Besides hottie Gary Dourdan of "CSI" (sorry, just gotta keep saying that), Will Friedle of the animated offshoot "Batman Beyond" will be part of the cast. Read more here:
http://www.comicmix.com/news/2008/03/19/full-cast-revealed-for-batman-gotham-knight/
http://www.superherohype.com/news/topnews.php?id=6953

A visit to Southfork

Catch this blog for a brief little bit of fun. It includes a fresh photo of the Southfork pool of our beloved "Dallas":
http://buena-dallas.blogspot.com/2008/03/longest-running-soap.html

Acclaimed children's writer Alex Simmons takes Archie and the gang to Nairobi

From Archie Comics

MAMARONECK , NY -- In the last two issues of ARCHIE & FRIENDS, Archie and his friends were taken on a journey reminiscent of the classic LIFE WITH ARCHIE and AROUND THE WORLD WITH ARCHIE tales of yore. Epic in scope, these stories often involved the gang getting involved in some sort of intrigue that needed to be solved before they could return home to good ‘ol Riverdale U.S.A. Famed writer Alex Simmons has brought the mystery back to the pages of Archie Comics, and in ARCHIE & FRIENDS #119 the teens’ whirlwind adventure continues with a trip to Nairobi !

In “Archie World Tour Part 2 of 4,” Archie and his friends continue their quest to see five cities in 10 days. They barely have time to reminisce about London and Madrid before arriving in Nairobi , Kenya! Everyone is excited as they visit one local landmark after another, including the state museum and zoo. Of course, no trip would be complete without some suspenseful intrigue, and this one is no different as Archie and Jughead find themselves being trailed by two mysterious men. Who are they, and what are they up to?

In a career spanning more than 20 years, Alex Simmons has proven himself to be a real renaissance man. With a particular love for children’s literature, Simmons has taken on several projects for the younger set. Among them are several juvenile mystery novels for a variety of well-known publishers (and in the great tradition of children’s mysteries, he keeps his real name mysterious by using a pseudonym).

But he doesn’t just write mysteries for children. He’s also a playwright. His “Sherlock Holmes & the Hands of Othello” received critical praise and was published in "Black Thunder: An Anthology of Contemporary African American Drama," by Signet/Mentor Books. And that’s just one of several plays Simmons has written.

From fiction to fact, Simmons has also made major contributions by penning two educational documentaries and three biographies for Steck-Vaughn. Among these biographies is a look at the life and career of Oscar®-winning movie actor Denzel Washington.

Speaking of movies and other similar forms of entertainment arena, Simmons has had a hand there, as well. To date, he’s written three movie novelizations for Disney. And as a voiceover talent, Simmons can be heard on a wide range of projects from O'Henry candy bars to financial podcasts for DeLoitte and Touche.

With all of his accomplishments, educating children remains Simmons’ No. 1 passion. As a guest speaking and teaching artist, he travels the country conducting creative writing workshops, and is also the educational outreach director for New York City ’s Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art. In 2007, he launched the now-annual family-friendly Kids Comic Con, a celebration of children’s comics and their creators that is both entertaining and educational. He is also a board member on the New York State Alliance for Arts and Education, and a member of the New York Writer's Workshop.

ARCHIE & FRIENDS #119
“Archie World Tour Part 3 of 4
SCRIPT: Alex Simmons. ART: Rex Lindsey.
On sale at comic specialty shops: May 14, 2008
On sale on newsstands: May 27, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

These soap supercouples sound quite familiar

Bobby and Pam and Blake and Krystle ... It sounds like some '60s swinger movie, but us "Dallas" and "Dynasty" fans know these are the names of two of our supercouples. EW magazine recognizes that, too, naming them among their 17 Great Soap Supercouples.

A few other BRBTV stars factored in: Kim Zimmer (Jodie Walker of "Santa Barbara") for her role as Reva on "Guiding Light," and Michael Nader (Dex Dexter of "Dynasty") for his supercoupling with Susan Lucci (Hillary Taylor on "Dallas").

And speaking of "Dallas" ... Are you tuned in to "Dancing With the Stars," where the former flame who came between Bobby and Pam, aka Jenna Wade, aka Priscilla Presley, will be competing for this sixth season? Last night the live competition show featured the first performances of the six male stars, and tonight Presley and her five female co-stars have the floor with their respective partners. It happens on ABC at 9 p.m. EST.

Tina Louise shines on, and a new Bat-take?

Didya ever know that Tina Louise is an author? Sure enough, she has two books, a children's book titled "When I Grow Up" and the autobiographical "Sunday: A Memoir." Beyond that, Louise's daughter Caprice Crane (by Les Crane) is a novelist.

Those fun little tidbits and more (including lovely black-and-white photos) can be found at a blog tribute to the actress, whom we fondly recall as Julie Grey on "Dallas." Click on over to The Most Beautiful Women 2 Blog.

On a completely different subject (!), Toon Zone is reporting some rumblings about a new Bat-animated series. Tentatively titled "Batman: The Brave and The Bold," the series apparently would be the next project for our favorite Bat-crew after the "Legion of Super Heroes" animated series soft-lands at the end of this season on the Kids WB!.

Spotted: Joanna Cassidy, Wanda DeJesus and Rosemary Forsyth

... All in the same movie; can you believe it? John Carpenter's "Ghosts of Mars," airing as the creature feature of the week on our beloved Sci Fi this past Saturday night, featured a nice bevy of classic TV stars. Joanna Cassidy, who was the sweet blond Sally Bullock on "Dallas," was Dr. Arlene Whitlock here. Wanda DeJesus, who was one of the Santana Andrades on "Santa Barbara," portrayed Akooshay. And Rosemary Forsyth, the original Dominick / Sophia Capwell on "SB," before Judith McConnell took over, as well as Ann McFadden on "Dallas," portrayed the Inquisitor.

Dallas Fanzine interviews writer / producer Howard Lakin

The J.R. Ewing - Cally Harper wedding as a screwball comedy? "I still don't know why they let me get away with it," writer / producer Howard Lakin says in a new interview now posted on DallasFanzine.com.

But, Lakin tells the "Dallas" fan site, the technique of trapping all the characters in one setting for some heavy-duty drama in an episode such as the two-part "Country Girl"-"Wedding Bell Blues" has been used for decades.

Lakin chats about all kinds of other things from his "Dallas" days -- Sue Ellen's growing independence on the show, the fact that his own daughter served as the flowergirl at April's wedding to Bobby, the new "Dallas" feature film -- in the interview.

Lakin also wrote and produced for CBS' "Falcon Crest" (just one timeslot over from "Dallas" on Friday nights), as well as "Flamingo Road."

"Santa Barbara" writer dishes ... a little

Soaps writer Jane Atkins may have been talking about her work on shows such as our beloved "Santa Barbara," but she wasn't naming many names. Take this little tidbit, for example, as she spoke to students recently at Florida's Chipola College:

"In 'Santa Barbara' we had a super couple who ended up hating each other in real life. The actor refused to say anything nice to her."

Hmmm ...

Atkins and other writers (who, incidentally, won a Daytime Emmy in 1989 for their work on "SB") had to come up with different ways for the character to express his love, the Jackson County Floridian says, including shots of "him" typing loving messages on a computer screen, or the actress reading his love letters out loud. OK! The wheels are a-turnin' ...

Atkins, who also wrote for "Days of Our Lives" and "General Hospital," had some kinder things to say about Joe Marinelli, who played cross-dressing mobster Bunny Tagliatti (a time period now being featured, by the way, on the Mason Chronicles on Lane Davies' official website).

Eric Radomski's new job, a fab Bat-promo ... and a meow!!!

Eric Radomski, a name that's familiar to us fans of "Batman: The Animated Series," has gotten a new gig. He's serving as the chief creative officer of the Canadian-based Throwback Entertainment. Radomski has directed, produced and done visual effects for not just "B: TAS" but also its 1993 theatrical offshoot, "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm."

You can read more at the Wired Blog Network:
http://blog.wired.com/games/2008/03/batman-animania.html

Also in Batnews ... Wanna get a glimpse inside the new Warner Bros. animated feature, "Batman: Gotham Knight"? The official site is up and running:
http://warnervideo.com/batmangothamknight/

In the smashing video at the site, you'll hear from a few DC / Warner Bros. execs, including Bruce Timm, one of the masterminds behind the original animated series. From our own Bat-perspective, we're thinkin' if you weren't motivated to get the DVD or Blu-Ray (due on July 7), you will be, after checking this out. You can certainly see the Anime influence in the film, and the promo video speaks heavily to that, but when we watched it we couldn't help thinking ... This is no cartoon -- this is comic-book panels come to life! Fab!

(And is that Gary Dourdan of "CSI" we see in the voice credits? We had no idea! Major meow!!!!! Welcome to the Batworld, Handsome!!!!!!! Stay as long as you like!)

John O'Hurley continues to butter us up

Maybe we knew, when we saw John O'Hurley play the oh-so serious and cinematical Stephen Slade on "Santa Barbara," that he wasn't truly in his element. Comedy is evidently his calling, we saw when he went on to star as the wildly popular J. Peterman on "Seinfeld." He's continued that comedic thang as a pitchman for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter." And now he's gettin' all crazy in I Can't Believe It's Not Butter's latest web fun: the game "Now You Know Better."

Head over to http://www.nowyouknowbetter.com/ and you'll find the zany O'Hurley, so charming, welcoming you to this interactive trivia game where you compete with other players from who-knows-where to accumulate points as well as entries in a sweepstakes for a high-dollar annuity. He's a little more gray, and a little differently shaped, since his days as the filmmaker who wooed Sophia Capwell, but he's all O'Hurley, that's for sure.

You can make up to five entries per day in the online game, which picks your brain on all sorts of quirky little pop-culture elements.

BRBTV News Blog Blip: Run, don't walk, over to the May 26, 2006 post of the BRBTV News Blog, where you'll find (are you ready???) a ****celebrity comment**** (cue blinking lights!). Ms. Lydia Cornell speaks up to thank us and defend the honor of her lovely and delightful "Too Close for Comfort" costar! That is so fun! Thanks, Ms. Cornell. We appreciate it.

Joan chats, Cazenove returns to the stage, and it's unmistakably John Forsythe

Joan Collins chats with Toronto's Globe and Mail about a few assorted fun things: her skin-care regimen, plastic surgery (she says no, she hasn't), even how much she weighs now compared to when she starred as Alexis Colby on "Dynasty."

And fashion, too. For instance, her favorite fashion of the myriad imaginative creations she had the good fortune to wear on the show.

"It was a grey silk jersey dress with long sleeves like a 1940s dress, and I wore it with a grey cloche hat and a grey cape trimmed with fake fur," she says.

Ahhhhhh. Indeed, we remember that one.

Read the interview at TheGlobeandMail.com.

Collins is also generating some ink for her purchase of a condo in Sierra Towers in West Hollywood. The San Francisco Chronicle has more.

Collins' "Dynasty" castmate Christopher Cazenove, meanwhile, who played her ex-brother-in-law Ben Carrington, is in the news for his role as Henry Higgins in "My Fair Lady." The stage production is stopping in Philadelphia, and PhillyBurbs.com tells the story.

And ... to make this a full "Dynasty" day ... how about a fun little "Spotted" feature on our favorite patriarch?

Spotted: John Forsythe

Our "Dynasty" patriarch was such a young'un in this one: the first-season "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" episode, "Premonition." In it, he played a young man returning from overseas to his small peaceful town, only to learn that his father died years earlier and no one told him. His hair is dark, his gait is steady, but his voice -- so unmistakable. You can view it yourself on MSN's TV site.