John Wesley Shipp takes on the "Karma Police"

It's been quite a few years since he shared scenes with Kristen (Victoria Lane) Meadows as tennis hunk Martin Ellis on "Santa Barbara," but John Wesley Shipp is still looking good. At least that's what we read from anybody who's seen the latest film of "Dawson's dad," who is also quite well-known as ABC's '90s "The Flash."

"Karma Police" is a crime drama that's been making the rounds at film festivals in the past few months. The movie, directed by John Venable and written by Greg Beauchamp and Jay Gormley, is about "the world's largest secret organization, the Karma Police," which recruits all-around good guy Charles West as their newest agent, giving him the power to reward good and punish evil. Shipp plays Barrington Freeman in the movie.

The movie comes out on DVD in February. Learn more, and watch Shipp in the trailer at the movie's site, or visit the MySpace page.

Shipp is also involved in "Port City," scheduled for release next year: "Several stories interweave, chronicling the lives, loves and adventures of a group of diverse, inter-related characters in and around the port city of Wilmington, NC." Shipp is George in the film and shares the screen with former "Full House"-r Jodie Sweetin. It was shooting in Wilmington this summer; the local paper, the Star-News, covered it.

Finally, Shipp will be starring in the action-thriller movie "The Ninja," which will be filming in Geelong, Victoria, by Film Source Australia director Rob Baard. The local paper also has this one covered.

For Patrick Duffy, "Love Takes Wing"

Seeing our perennial "Dallas" hottie Patrick Duffy in this latest project is certainly incentive enough, but the fact that fellow hottie Lou Diamond Phillips is directing it -- and starring in it? Mega-hottie-wattage!

Based on a book by Janette Oke, "Love Takes Wing" also features Cloris Leachman and the quite-yummy Dale Midkiff, who played Jock Ewing in "Dallas: The Early Years."

Duffy is Mayor Evans in the TV movie, scheduled for release next year. The story revolves around a lonely, restless prairie girl, Belinda, who moves to the big city of Boston.

BRBTV News Blog Blip: We always knew that blazin' orange General Lee could do a lot of stuff, but can the unofficial star of "The Dukes of Hazzard" solve a crime, too? Evidently. The (Cookeville, Tennessee) Herald-Citizen has the story.

Joan Collins appears in Miss Marple mystery

Alexis Colby and Miss Marple may seem like rather mutually exclusive terms, but Joan Collins' latest project indeed centers around the famous detective created by British author Agatha Christie. We mentioned it briefly in September, but now we'll tell you a little more about this new TV movie.

Scheduled for 2009 release, "Marple: They Do It with Mirrors" casts our "Dynasty" grand dame as Miss Maple's friend, Ruth van Rydock. The 1952 book the movie is based on also was adapted as a TV movie in 1985, then as part of a BBC series in 1991.

The plotline from the IMDb: "Miss Marple is requested to help her old friend Carrie-Louise, the loving wife of benign philanthropist Lewis Serrocold. Carrie-Louise is slowly poisoned by an unknown hand, and her husband and her sister Ruth want absolutely to save her from this dark menace."

"Joan still feels very young at heart, and she’s determined that she should still be taken as a serious actress," the UK's Daily Mail quoted from someone "close" to the actress. "She may be 75, but her acting days are far from over. Getting Miss Marple is a major coup for her – it’s primetime with a huge following and Joan is understandably thrilled."

BRBTV birthdays for December

- Forry Smith, the dashing Reese Walker on "SB," turned 56 yesterday, on December 1.
- Charlene Tilton, little Lucy Ewing of "Dallas," turned 50 yesterday, December 1, though reports sometimes conflict on her age.
- Nicolas Coster, the unforgettable Lionel Lockridge on "SB," as well as Lyle Sloan and Joe Morris on "Dallas," and even Ezra Bushmaster in "The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood" TV movie, turns 75 tomorrow, December 3.
- Morgan Brittany, who also was unforgettable as the Bobby-stalking Katherine Wentworth on "Dallas," and who played Mary Lou Pringle on a 1980 episode of "The Dukes of Hazzard," "The Hazzardville Horror," celebrates her birthday on December 5, this year turning 57.
- Gunnar Hellström, who not only played Rolf Brundin on "Dallas" but also directed some episodes, was born on December 6, 1928 and died on November 28, 2001.
- Tom Fuccello, who was Sen. Dave Culver on "Dallas," was born on December 11, 1936, and died on August 16, 1993.
- Sheree J. Wilson, our own April Stevens Ewing of "Dallas," is the same age as our little Lucy (apparently!), turning 50 on December 12.
- Thaao Penghlis, who was Dr. Micah De Angelis in the tail-end of the run of "Santa Barbara," turns 63 on December 15.
- Helen Slater, who voiced Talia on "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 45 on December 15.
- Christopher Cazenove, rugged and angry bro to Blake Carrington as Ben Carrington on "Dynasty," turns 65 on December 17.
- Brad Pitt, who was a very youthful Randy, boyfriend to Charlie, in one of his very first roles, on "Dallas," turns 45 on December 18.
- Karen Moncrieff, who played Cassandra Benedict on "Santa Barbara," turns 45 on December 20.
- Jared Martin, our own Dusty Farlow of "Dallas," turns 67 on December 21, according to the IMDb, although sources are conflicting.
- John Callahan, who was Craig Hunt on "SB," turns 55 on December 23.
- Susan Lucci, the evil Hillary Taylor in the latter years of "Dallas," has a birthday on Saturday, December 23, as well, turning 62 (although one of our sources says 59).
- Dane Witherspoon, who originated the role of Joe Perkins on "Santa Barbara," turns 51 on December 27.
- Terri Garber, who was the feisty Leslie Carrington on "Dynasty," as well as Suzanne Collier on "SB," turns 48 on December 28.
- Barbara Carrera, who played the evil Angelica Nero on "Dallas," turns 63 on New Year's Eve, December 31, although sources have conflicted on that one, too!

Happy birthday to all, whatever age ya are!!!!! (It IS good to be alive, after all, isn't it???)

Catherine Bach and Ben Jones, out and about

Two of our "Dukes of Hazzard" stars have some dates coming soon on their appearances calendar.

Ben (Cooter Davenport) Jones will be in Lebanon, Tennessee, on December 11 for the Mature Lifestyles and MTEMC (Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Cooperative) Senior Extravaganza 2008. The event takes place at The Mill, 300 North Maple Street in Lebanon.

Hours of the event are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Jones will be signing autographs from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. For more info, call 615-444-6008.

Catherine (Daisy Duke) Bach, meanwhile, will travel to the 10th Annual Canton (Ohio) Hot Rod & Custom Bike Show, on January 23-25. Show hours are Friday 4-10 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Bach signs Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 7 -9:30 p.m.

Find out more at CantonHotRodShow.com.

Tom Wopat, meanwhile, continues to reap the rewards of a successful Broadway career. The Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer pays tribute to our own Luke Duke.

Gotta love it: Fandom certainly has its quirks

OK, we weren't going to post again until Monday, but how can you not pass this along? The worlds of "Dallas" and "The Dukes of Hazzard" couldn't seem more far apart, on the surface, but from BRBTV's perspective, they seem to cross quite often. At various "Dukes" events we attend, we meet lots of "Dallas" fans, since the shows once aired on the same night on CBS. And the two shows do seem to share a certain appeal to a certain kind of fan. That down-home country thing. Yea, there's a little of that.

Well, when we first learned that there would be a 30th anniversary reunion event at Southfork Ranch for the fans of "Dallas," a chance to meet and greet with the cast, we couldn't help but draw a parallel with the wildly popular DukesFest event. And NOW ... after years of seeing people worship and collect the famous blazin' orange kingpin car of "The Dukes of Hazzard," the General Lee, along with Rosco's sheriff's vehicle, Daisy's Dixie Jeep and Cooter's tow truck, we come across this little item ...

Charles Halt of Florida owns the 1980 Mercedes-Benz 450SL convertible that was driven by Patrick Duffy, our Bobby Ewing, on "Dallas." He went out of his way to snag it, as his wife is an avid "Dallas" fan. And pay attention, when you read the St. Petersburg Times' story on it, to that little bit at the end about fans of the show wanting to pose for pictures with it ...

Ummmm-hmmmmm .... Could Jock's Lincoln be far behind?????

Signy Coleman: Reminiscing about "Santa Barbara" and "Dallas"

Last Friday, we let you in on some highlights of BRBTV's interview with Signy Coleman, whom we remember so well as Celeste DiNapoli of "Santa Barbara," and who also did a 1987 episode of "Dallas." Today we take a look at a few of the things she has to say about her time on those shows.

"I was fortunate to be working with some great people," she tells us of "Santa Barbara." "Like working with Vincent (Irizarry), and that turned out pretty well, because we got married and had a beautiful daughter, Siena. Jill Farren Phelps was just tremendous, as well. She was just an amazing person to work with. In terms of cutting my teeth in the business, it was a beautiful experience. I feel very fortunate."

The role of Celeste struck a certain chord with her.

"I liked her in her strength," she says. "She was definitely a survivor. The circumstances that she found herself in -- I related to it on a very personal level, because when I was doing the modeling circuit and flew to Paris, there were so many girls in one room. The amount of girls that are brought in -- and to see who's going to stick and who's going to fall by the wayside. To see who's going to get eaten by the monster machinery. I saw a lot of girls very chewed up and spit out, and in circumstances that they never thought they'd be in. Fortunately, for whatever reasons, it didn't happen to me."

But the role of Celeste -- the former hooker with a heart of gold -- wasn't always a piece of cake.

"It was very difficult to play at times. There were times that I would leave the studio very uncomfortable, like I needed to go home and take a shower. But at the same time, what a great thing, to be able to experience the circumstances of that life without really experiencing the circumstances of that life. That's one of the great parts of being an actor -- you get to step into the life of the character without suffering the consequences."

There are similiaries between the role of Celeste DiNapoli and the one-shot role that Coleman stepped into for the "Tick-Tock" episode of "Dallas," where she was part of a cattle-call (for lack of a better word -- this is Texas we're talking about!) to find the new Valentine Girl for Sue Ellen Ewing's company, Valentine Lingerie.

"'Dallas' was one of my favorite shows at the time, and it was a tremendous treat to be in the company of actors like Larry Hagman, Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy," she says. "It was wonderful. I think I held my own. 'Dallas' was such a spicy show. I loved the diversity of the characters. Of course, what draws a person to a show? Conflict. They always had such great conflict to the show."

And to be spotted on-screen amid a line of girls, and remembered so many years later? As with the two Huey Lewis and the News music videos she appeared in, that's chick power!

Moving forward in her screen work, because even though she's been writing lately she still certainly wants to keep on acting ... Coleman did take a meeting a couple weeks ago with execs of a certain TV show we're quite familiar with. And that's all we can say about that!

You'll see the full interview with Signy Coleman (including how she got that unique name -- and it's pronounced "sig-ny," by the way) in the next edition of the BRBTV reference book "Send Me to Santa Barbara," the fourth edition, which we hope to publish in the next few months. (Keep in mind that the purchase of any e-edition of a BRBTV reference guide entitles you to all free future updates!)

Happy Thanksgiving from BRBTV, by the way!

And stay tuned ... we've got another "Santa Barbara" star on our radar ... He's wigglin' around a lot, but we're gonna pin him down, we swear we will ...

Morgan Fairchild on "Chuck"? That is so fun!

Morgan Fairchild, whom we know as one of the Jenna Wades on "Dallas," is hitting the spy circuit with a one-shot on NBC's "Chuck." Fairchild has a fun role -- mom to the wonderfully hunky-yet-ditzy fiance, Captain Awesome (believe it) of Chuck's sister Ellie. Another '80s fave, Bruce Boxleitner, joins her as the dad. The episode, "Chuck Versus the Sensei," is set to air on December 1. We'll be there!

Fairchild is also following in the footsteps of her "Dallas" costar Larry Hagman by guesting on this coming season of FX's "Nip/Tuck," premiering in January 2009.

Meanwhile, in the interest of keeping up with little Lucy, Charlene Tilton:
- See some photos on her site from the Southfork 30th anniversary reunion a few weeks ago.
- Buy tickets to see her on stage in "Cinderella" next month in Southsea, England.

BRBTV News Blog Blip: Fresh off the dance floor, Stephanie Beacham has lined up her next gig. Our own Sable Colby of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys" will be heading to the UK's "Coronation Street," The Daily Mail reports.

Tracy Scoggins splashes out a new website

For years, http://www.tracyscoggins.com/ took you to a simple merchandising page, run by someone else, where you could buy autographed photos. That was basically it. But not now! Now Scoggins has a cute new site that's more uniquely her.

Front and center on the page is some news for our former Monica Colby of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys" as well as Anita Smithfield and Dianne Kelly of the "Dallas" realm. She's appearing on an episode of CBS' "NCIS," airing next month, she's working on a reality series, and she's beginning the fourth-season shooting of the Here! Networks' "Dante's Cove" in January.

Scoggins also will be appearing at the Super Mega Show and Comic Fest in New Jersey next month.

The new site offers a good-sized bio, list of her credits, gallery and more.

(Oh, and you can still buy those autographed photos!)

Signy Coleman is cookin' up a lot of great stuff these days

You might have first spotted the beautiful Signy Coleman in the 1980s Huey Lewis and the News videos "Heart and Soul" or "I Want a New Drug." Or you might have caught her as one of the new Valentine Girl prospects Sue Ellen Ewing was checking out on our beloved "Dallas" in 1987. Or you might have first seen her as Celeste DiNapoli on our beloved "Santa Barbara." Heck, you might have even first spotted her as Hope on "The Young and the Restless," a longtime character that was only killed off earlier this year.

Well, BRBTV had the lovely Ms. Coleman on the phone a week or two back, and she filled us in on a whole lot of great stuff she's got going on in her life. In the next installment of a sort of "SB" series, following in the path of our interviews with David Baker and Anthony De Longis, we'll tell you a few of the thoughts she expressed to us about what she's got going on now.

Primary on Coleman's agenda at the moment is "Snaggin' the Stag: A Culinary Agenda," a cookbook she and her sister Bethany have been collaborating on. Wrapped up in that particular project, it's evident when you talk to Signy, are great recipes, some fab continental adventuring, and a whole lot of love. The extended title is "Luring the Hart from Forest to Table, A Book of Cookery," and the writing is rich in imagery and emotional as well as culinary connection. Coleman and her sister traveled to exotic locales like Morocco to secure the inspiration and the research in great taste.

"It's sort of memoirs of food and love and the chase that's involved," she tells us. "We tested all the recipes. We dressed, we photographed, everything is ours. We researched. There's a lot of historical information, as well. It's just really sexy and interesting and funny. My sister is as passionate about food as I am. There are so many good stories about food and love. ... Everybody's got a good story about food."

It's a subject matter for which Coleman truly has a passion.

"I pore through cookbooks and Bon Appetit magazines," she says. "I read cookbooks like people read novels. When you write something and step back from it objectively and think, omigosh, I would want to read this, you get very excited about it."

Also on Coleman's agenda right now is the completion of the official Signy Coleman website, which she and her sister have been working on. Coleman says she found a need for it after reading some less-than-true stuff about herself around the Internet.

"No, I am not married," she laughs. "And I haven't been for years! And yes, I am actively pursuing George Clooney!" (OK, that was a joke! Read: Joke!)

But besides that great stuff, Coleman also does volunteering work and cares for her daughter Isabella, who's still at home (her older daughter Siena, whose dad is Coleman's "SB" costar Vincent Irizarry, is at college).

That's a pretty full **plate**, so to speak! We'll have another excerpt of our interview next Wednesday, when we'll talk a little about her time on "Dallas" and "SB."

You'll see the full interview with Signy Coleman in the next edition of the BRBTV reference book "Send Me to Santa Barbara," the fourth edition, which we hope to publish in the next few months. (Keep in mind that the purchase of any e-edition of a BRBTV reference guide entitles you to all free future updates!)

Photo by Lesley Bohm and used by permission; copy at your own risk

New for the holidays: The Archies Christmas Album

From Archie Comics

One of the most important and successful garage bands of all time, the Archies return for the Christmas season with "The Archies Christmas Album featuring Betty & Veronica"! The Riverdale High quintet scored several top 40 hits, with "Sugar, Sugar" becoming the No. 1 song of the year. The Archies have been named one of the top ten Coolest Cartoon Rockers by AOL Music. Just in time for the Holiday season, band members Archie Andrews, Reggie Mantle, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge and Jughead Jones are pleased to release their new album. The Archies Christmas Party combines the best of their trademark sound with the radio sensibilities of today.

Featuring...
Archie Andrews - Lead Guitar, Vocals
Reggie Mantle - Bass Guitar
Jughead Jones - Drums
Betty Cooper - Vocals, Tambourine, Percussion, Guitar
Veronica Lodge - Vocals, Organ, Keyboard
Hot Dog - mascot

With,
Danielle van Zyl - Vocals
Kelly-Lynn - Vocals
Ron Dante - Vocals
Ted Perlman - Programmer, Keys, Guitar
Scott Erickson - Programmer, Keys
Tim Pierce - Guitar
Bo Donaldson - Keyboards
George Eisaman - Guitar
Rick Thibodeau - Bass
Billy Haarbauer - Drums

New and classic Christmas songs include...

1. Here Comes Santa Claus
2. Up on the Housetop
3. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
4. Holly Jolly Christmas
5. Jingle Bell Rock
6. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
7. Run Rudolph Run
8. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
10. Sleigh Ride
11. Archies Christmas Party
12. Christmas in Riverdale

Get your CD today at ArchieComics.Stores.Yahoo.net

As a special just for Christmas, ArchieComics.com is offering THE ARCHIES CHRISTMAS ALBUM FEATURING BETTY & VERONICA, ARCHIE'S CLASSIC CHRISTMAS STORIES VOLUME ONE and THE ARCHIES: GREATEST HITS VOLUME ONE at a low price of $29.99 (That price includes the $7.90 shipping and handling), which represents a savings of $10.90. That's more than 25 percent OFF! Hurry; this offer is valid only while supplies last and will expire on December 15, 2008. Available only in the United States and Canada.

The CD on its own is $11.99.



ARCHIE'S CLASSIC CHRISTMAS STORIES VOLUME ONE
It's been on fans' wish lists for years, and now it's finally here: the ultimate Christmas gift! Since their inception, Archie and his friends have delighted readers with scores of yuletide tales. These stories proved so popular that in 1954, an entire series devoted to stories of holiday cheer and good will to men premiered: Archie's Christmas Stocking! Now you can relive the magic, warmth, and hilarity as Archie and his friends show their holiday spirit in this special collection of classic tales from the first decade of Archie's Christmas Stocking. It's a grab-bag of goodies just for you! Featuring a festive foreword by Santa Claus himself!
96-page, full-color square bound paperback
ISBN #:978-1-879794-10-8
$10.95 U.S.



THE ARCHIES: GREATEST HITS VOLUME ONE
Everyone’s heard the hit song “Sugar Sugar” and children of the 1970s remember The Archies band from Saturday morning cartoons, but did you know the band actually started in comic books? Inspired by the runaway success of guitar-and-vocal groups like the Beatles, Byrds and Beach Boys, The Archies made their debut in a 1967 issue of “Life with Archie.” But that was only the beginning. Looking for a group to follow-up his mega-successful singing group and TV comedy sensations The Monkees, music producer Don Kirschner found the answer when he spotted The Archies in his child’s comic book. It wasn’t long before a group of studio musicians became The Archies “for real,” and began recording music that would become bubblegum pop standards. Simultaneously, the first series of Saturday morning Archie cartoons was developed and it was decided to have The Archies band in the animation as well. THE ARCHIE SHOW premiered on the CBS network on September 14, 1968. An ARCHIES album followed shortly thereafter and the hit single, "Sugar Sugar," became the top-selling single of 1969. The rest, as they say, is musical history! Now fans can relive that history with some of The Archies’ most tuneful tales. Features painstaking restoration from original publishing elements, and a special foreword by Ron Dante, the famed singing voice of Archie and a successful singer-songwriter, musician and producer of such multi-platinum acts as Barry Manilow, Cher and Pat Benatar.
96-page, full-color square bound paperback
ISBN #: 978-1-879794-37-5
$9.95 U.S.

BRBTV News Blog Note: LOVE IT!!!!! Thanks to the Archies for helping us celebrate the Christmas season!!!!

More Bits 'n' Pieces: "Dallas" reunion, plus some "Santa Barbara" stuff

Thanks to Garry of DallasFanzine.com for passing along this quality shot of the "Dallas" 30th anniversary reunion at Southfork Ranch in great-ole Parker, Texas, earlier this month. Garry's got a whole big album on his site, so check that out. Lots of good closeups of the gang. Click on "Gallery" on the left-hand menu.

"Santa Barbara" is also much on our minds right now. Melissa of the Single Gal in the City blog reports having dinner the other night with our own Cruz Castillo, known to the rest of the world as A Martinez. He'll evidently be returning to "One Life to Live" at the end of next month. And Lonnie Quinn, who played Rich Landers on our show, and who has been enjoying a successful career in TV newscasting, and was featured in a story in the New Haven (Conn.) Register.

AND ....! (and, and, and!!!!) ... Have we got a treat for you! Guess who we talked to on the phone a couple weeks ago? None other than Ms. Signy Coleman, the lovely Celeste DiNapoli of our beloved "SB." It's an interview for the next edition of BRBTV's "Send Me to Santa Barbara" reference guide, but you'll find excerpts on this blog this Friday and next Wednesday. "Dallas" fans, by the way, might recall Ms. Coleman in the mix when Sue Ellen Ewing was seeking a new Valentine Girl in 1987! She was a big "Dallas" fan, she tells us!

Bits 'n' Pieces: Heather Locklear's new TV movie is coming up

- You knew it had to happen, especially since you saw literally every sneeze during the filming, on the various news outlets around the web ... Heather Locklear's new Lifetime movie is about to air! It's on the cable channel's holiday schedule:
"Flirting with Forty"
Lifetime
Saturday, December 6
9 p.m. EST
Read a little more about the movie at Lifetime's site.

- A brand-new Dodge Charger with a classic touch? What can it be but a modern General Lee? AutomobileMag has the image.

- Us "Dukes of Hazzard" fans remember how Bo and Luke idolized racecar driver Cale Yarborough, who appeared in a couple episodes. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel gives a sort of appreciation for the NASCAR legend.

John Schneider status check, part 3,564 or something like that

Ahhh ... time to do another John Schneider status check. If we don't keep up with it now and then, the sheer force that is our buddy Bo Duke's career will just plum run us over!

"Collier & Co. 2: High Octane" is the sequel to Schneider's own beloved 2006 movie project, and a major motivation behind selling his equally beloved General Lee car. Due out next year, the film will include his wife Elly and daughter Karis as the original did, but will take J.R. Collier on more "Dukes of Hazzard"-like adventures involving a 1969 Charger.

"Bleachers," classified as in production, casts Schneider as "Mr. Simmons, the 'hard a**' school administrator" to six students who are on suspension and missing spring break. It's written and directed by Derek J. Hartman.

"The Rebound" stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sam Robards. Schneider is Trevor in the movie, which comes from writer and director Bart Freundlich.

The last three projects are a collection of interesting references to God, angels, hell, the devil ... ya know, stuff like that:
- The tagline for "The Gods of Circumstance" is "Two desolate angels on the highway to hell." The movie casts Schneider in the lead role as Mick Jeremiah. The plotline: "Michael Lewis Mick Jeremiah, 49 and a half years old, former Kennedy Cold Warrior, single father and bankrupt homebuilder, on his way from California to Colorado to get a fresh start, stops by Nevada's infamous Chicken Ranch brothel on an impulse to look up an old girlfriend." Brian Krause of "Charmed" plays a psycho who chases him.
- In "Set Apart," Schneider portrays a pastor and shares the flick with Richard Roundtree. Directed by Ralph E. Portillo, the screenplay is from George Flynn.
- Finally, "Holyman Undercover" departs a little bit. Here, our wholesome Bo Duke is the bad guy ... as in the bad guy, Mephistopheles, Beelzebub, whatever ya wanna call him. This one also stars David A.R. White, one of BRBTV's favorite actors since we saw him do an amazing job in the Christiano Brothers' "End of the Harvest." Clint Howard, Edie McClurg and Fred Willard are thrown in, along with Staci Keanan, whom we loved on ABC's "Step by Step."

OK, you can take a breath now.

You've gotta love those holiday Archies

From Archie Comics

'Tis the season to be jolly as Archie and his friends celebrate in true holiday style! Since November 1941 Archie and his friends have delighted readers both young and old with their wholesome brand of family entertainment! For nearly as long, they have upheld the family traditions of the holiday season.

The first Archie Christmas stories appeared in such flagship titles as ARCHIE, PEP and LAUGH throughout the 1940s. Response to these stories was so great that soon an entire title was devoted to stories of holiday cheer and good will toward men: ARCHIE'S CHRISTMAS STOCKING #1, released in 1954! This title not only became a holiday tradition, but was joined by such others as ARCHIE'S CHRISTMAS LOVE-IN, ARCHIE'S CHRISTMAS STOCKING and BETTY & VERONICA CHRISTMAS SPECTACULAR.

Yes, Archie and crew have long displayed their holiday spirit throughout the years, and this year is no different. Be sure to stock up these perfect stocking stuffers!

BETTY #177
“The Big Battle”: Betty and her friends compare their energy conserving dates… and how their boyfriends did or didn’t comply!
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
“ Down Memory Lane ”: Thumbing through her diary takes Betty back to Christmas when she was 9 years old.
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
“Secret Shopper”: Tired of all the attention Veronica draws when they go shopping together, Betty decides to make a solo shopping trip… and has all the sales clerks competing to sell something to “Veronica’s friend!”
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
“The Dilemma”: Can Betty find a way to get her boyfriends Archie and Adam to see eye-to-eye?
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
On sale at comic specialty shops: December 3, 2008
On sale on newsstands: December 16, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

BETTY & VERONICA SPECTACULAR #86
SPECIAL HOLIDAY ISSUE!
“Jingles All the Way”: The Sugar Plum fairy is convinced that Betty and Veronica are being manipulated by Archie; while Jingles the Elf thinks Archie would be better off without the girls. They each decide to take matters into their diminutive hands – by adopting human forms to distract the teens! Will their diversions dismantle the love triangle for good, or will there be a merry… and romantic… Christmas for everyone after all?
SCRIPT AND ART: Dan Parent.
On sale at comic specialty shops: November 19, 2008
On sale on newsstands: December 2, 2008
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #189
“The Present”: Betty tries to live for the “here and now,” but Veronica is only interested in it “every now and then!”
SCRIPT: Barbara Slate.
ART: Pat Kennedy.
“The Party”: After accidentally gobbling up goodies meant for the Orphanage Christmas party, Jughead finds a way to redeem himself and keep the Christmas spirit alive.
SCRIPT: George Gladir.
ART: Jeff Shultz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale at comic specialty shops: November 12, 2008
On sale on newsstands: November 25, 2008
88-page, full-color digest
$2.49 U.S.


JUGHEAD’S DOUBLE DIGEST #145
“Pizza and Good Cheer!”: Take Jughead, some pizza pies, a giving heart, mix it up with good cheer and what have you got? A yuletide tale that will warm your heart… and your belly!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Fernando Ruiz.
“Tree Fortified”: Archie searches for the perfect Christmas tree, but the only problem is the perfect Christmas tree is also the perfect cover for woodland creatures!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski.
ART: Stan Goldberg.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales!
SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale at comic specialty shops: November 12, 2008
On sale on newsstands: November 25, 2008
176-page, full-color digest
$3.69 U.S.

BRBTV News Blog Blip: It's been a few weeks since we checked in on John Schneider, our own Bo Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard," so he must have a dozen or two new roles by now ... One we know about is a new Hallmark movie, titled "Wedding Dance" and set to air next year. Reuters has more.

Glad to see we're not the only ones clinging to the '80s

Yes, we love the '80s around here, at the BRBTV News Blog. That fine, fine decade of Reagan economics, Def Leppard, the Rubik's Cube, shoulder pads and jelly sandals .... and, of course, our beloved "Dynasty," "Dallas," "The Dukes of Hazzard" and "Santa Barbara." They haven't made shows like that since then, we know, as we blithely ignore all reality television ...

We came across a website that we just had to tell ya about, if you haven't already stumbled across it yourself. It's called The Great 80s, and it celebrates all that crazy stuff we love (much of which is still in BRB's closet, along with all of her mother's vintage fashions!). At the site, you can find clips of TV shows and movies, a listing of all the great '80s TV shows by year (including lists of top-rated ones -- and our beloved shows certainly figure in there, don't they?), links to watching '80s TV episodes online, a crazy montage of '80s cartoon openings (wow, talk about stepping back in time!) and much more. You'll also see pages on '80s pop culture, music and clothing.

It's like one, big zany tribute to the very reason BRB just can't bear to part with those oxford shirts, crewneck pullover sweaters, classic Gloria Vanderbilts (well, truth be told, she never parts with any of her GV garments) and even that navy blue prairie skirt she got for her freshman year of high school (yes, believe it) ... Sigh ...

BRBTV News Blog Blip: There's a little sprinkling of '80s fashion -- that aforementioned oxford cloth shirt -- in this week's installment of the yearlong My Mother's Clothing project ... but you're not supposed to notice, really! This project is all about the fab '50s and '60s, and this brown wool skirt and yellow mohair sweater show that sometimes you can still believe in what's good and right!

Archie Comics creators hit the road this weekend

Bob Bolling
Festival of Arts Luau
North Port Art Center
5950 Sam Shapos Way
North Port, FL 34287
(941) 423-6460
NorthPortartCenter.com
Saturday, November 15
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

North Port Art Center will be presenting their first fundraising arts and crafts festival featuring art displays, demonstrations, and a children's art activity tent. Artists will be showing and selling their works outside in tents or on tables inside the gallery. Bob Bolling will be featured as the Archie Comic cartoonist drawing sketches of Archie and the gang for the public and autographing Archie comic books.



Bob Smith & Stan Goldberg
Big Apple Convention
Penn Plaza Pavilion
401 Seventh Avenue at 33rd St.
New York, N.Y. 10001-2062
(510) 220-6314
BigAppleCon.com
Friday–Sunday, November 14, 15, 16
Friday 1 p.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Bob Smith will be at a table signing on the 15th and 16th. Stan Goldberg will be there for all the three days, but not for the entire day. He will be signing and selling art, but will do not do any personal drawings while he is there. He prefers talking to the fans and signing their Archie comics.

BRBTV News Blog Blip: It's always good to report when something good happens. Sonny Shroyer showed the spirit of "The Dukes of Hazzard" when he made an appearance for a 7-year-old boy, Clay Dixon, who has inoperable brain cancer. The Anderson, S.C., Independent Mail has the story.

Reports from Southfork, and a new way to get Batty

Those "Dallas" fans who traveled to the 30th anniversary reunion event at Southfork Ranch in Parker, Texas, are no doubt still coming up for air from the weekend. Various news outlets around the Net have the goods for those of us who couldn't make the journey, however ...

- The (U.K.) Sun has what appears to be somebody's cell-phone photo, along with a quickie report.
- United Press International has a much better quality photo, and adds just a little more info to the mix.
- You can count on the Dallas Morning News, however, to kick it up a notch.
- The (U.K.) Daily Mail adds some photos and details.
- And finally, the best of the bunch is local Channel 33, which has a video.

Fans who attended, however, did not post reports quite so glowing. Read more at SoapChat's "Dallas" forum.

Meanwhile, takin' the train from Dallas to Gotham City ... Fans of "Batman: The Animated Series" who maybe-kinda were holding off on buying the DVDs over the past few years have a fabulous reward. Warner Bros. has released the whole series in one big honkin' set. It's 2,379 minutes of sheer Batpleasure, and FilmThreat.com has more.

"Dallas" got some fresh looks over the weekend

You know, you go and throw some big-ole splashly reunion event at Southfork Ranch, and suddenly there's a whole new crop of "Dallas" cast interviews -- and we dig it! In fact, here are a couple we did dig up over the weekend ...

- The Dallas Morning News checked in with that rascally J.R., Larry Hagman, at his hotel on Friday, the day before the event. He had some fun stuff to say, including his experiences with the show's notoriety overseas and his perspective on his very famous character years later.

"I was the only one from Texas on the show," he told the paper. "I brought credence to the role and an understanding of the mindset that the writers didn't have any idea about. ... I always thought J.R. was a cartoon, and I played him as a cartoon. That's how I always thought of him, as a cartoon, and a damn funny one at that."

- Charlene Tilton, meanwhile, took a different slant -- so to speak -- in talking to another local paper, the gay / lesbian-oriented Dallas Voice, about the Kit Mainwaring storyline.

“I loved the way the writers handled it," Tilton said. "She protected Kit’s privacy and didn’t try to out him. When she found out that J.R. knew Kip was gay, Lucy told Kip not to worry: She’d handle J.R. This was like the first time someone had come out on TV. Those are my all-time favorite episodes on ‘Dallas.’"

Tilton also mentioned a couple upcoming projects: a sitcom pilot about a cooking show that just got picked up for 13 episodes, and the U.K.'s stage version of “Cinderella.” Plus, there's the Tammy Faye Bakker story she mentioned to BRBTV last year.

BRBTV couldn't be there at the "Dallas" reunion at Southfork because of the 2008 travel schedule bein' all used up (can you say, "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!"), but we did live vicariously at the event through the postings of Garry of DallasFanzine.com on the "Dallas" SoapChat forum. Check that if you want to read about the event.

The Archies rock the house in first comic book retrospective

From Archie Comics

Back in the 1960s, renowned record producer Don Kirschner was one of the driving forces behind the band The Monkees. The Monkees were put together as a response to the popularity of The Beatles, and were given a TV show whose style was a combination of Beatles' movies like "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help," with the madcap lunacy of such Marx Brothers' classics as "Duck Soup" and "A Night at the Opera." The Monkees' TV show was a big hit, and they naturally spun off a successful recording career as well, placing many songs into the Top 10.

Originally, Kirschner presented The Monkees with songs written by other writers to record. However, little by little, they started to write and record their own songs, and eventually wanted to do original material altogether. When Kirschner asked them to record a song from one of his stable of writers called "Sugar Sugar," The Monkees refused, and parted ways with Kirschner.

Meanwhile, inspired by the runaway success of guitar-and-vocal groups like the Beatles, Byrds, Beach Boys and yes, The Monkees, The Archies band made their comic book debut in a 1967 issue of “Life with Archie.” But that was only the beginning.

As Kirschner's search for a band to replace The Monkees continued, he noticed his child reading a comic book featuring "The Archies" band. It struck Kirschner that comic book characters couldn't give him a hard time by refusing to record the songs of others, so he made a deal with the publishers of Archie Comics and put together a band of studio musicians and dubbed them "The Archies."

Simultaneously, Archie Comics was in negotiations with the Filmation animation studio to start a series of Saturday morning Archie cartoons. It was decided to have The Archies band in the cartoons as well. THE ARCHIE SHOW premiered on the CBS network on September 14, 1968. An ARCHIES album followed shortly thereafter and the hit single, "Sugar Sugar," became the top-selling single of 1969. The rest, as they say, is musical history!

Now fans can relive that history with some of The Archies' most tuneful tales with THE ARCHIES: GREATEST HITS, VOLUME ONE. This handsome edition features painstaking restoration from original publishing elements, and a special foreword by Ron Dante, the famed singing voice of Archie and a successful singer-songwriter, musician and producer of such multi-platinum acts as Barry Manilow, Cher and Pat Benatar. It's music to any Archie fan's ears!

THE ARCHIES: GREATEST HITS VOLUME ONE
On sale at comic specialty shops: December 10, 2008
On sale on newsstands: December 23, 2008
96-page, full-color squarebound paperback
ISBN #: 978-1-879794-37-5
Old ISBN #: 1-879-794-37-3
$9.95 U.S.

Kate Mulgrew heads to the Big Apple later this month

Kate Mulgrew had a career before she boarded Voyager in the "Star Trek" universe, ya know. For one thing, she was on our beloved "Dallas," playing Garnet McGee, the country music star who caused Ray Krebbs to go ga-ga and spurred yet another one of J.R. Ewing's schemes.

On Friday, November 14, Mulgrew will be meeting and greeting at the Big Apple Con in New York City. She'll be at the event from 3 to 6 p.m. that day.

The con, which will also feature George Lazenby, Jamie Luner and several other pop-culture stars, runs all weekend. Read more at BigAppleCon.com.

"Dallas" fans -- can you stand it????

It's a very special week for us fans of "Dallas." It's the week when we're hanging on the edge of our seats -- whether it's plane seats, car seats, or even just our living room seats at home, barely able to stand the waning seconds until this Saturday's 30th anniversary reunion event at Southfork Ranch in Texas. With the cast biggies in attendance, this first-ever "Dallas"-fest promises to be a monumental pop-culture event.

The Ultimate Dallas site has a few ways to get your Ewing geek on as the event approaches. At the site's shop, you can choose from a special commemorative "Dallas" button, tote bag and all manner of T-shirt.

The site is also hosting the launch of Bryan J. Kinnaird's new online graphic novel "Dallas: The Gathering."

For more information about the reunion, visit dr30.com.

Frank Runyeon heads back to daytime, and Jon Lindstrom gets a new gig

It's election day, and if you haven't voted yet, you better get your little behind out there.

Here at the BRBTV News Blog, we would probably vote Frank Runyeon as one of the most handsome of the "Santa Barbara" cast. We might vote him best of character, as well, for his moral standing as Father Michael Donnelly, later police officer Michael Donnelly. Heck, maybe he'd even make a good president.

But all that political stuff aside, we've reported on this news blog about Runyeon's evangelistic activities in recent years, performing his Biblical one-man show at churches and other venues around the country. Now, it seems, Runyeon is going back to the daytime soaps world. The We Love Soaps blog reports that he's reporting for duty on ABC's "All My Children." He'll play the father of the Reese character (just filled on Friday by Tamara Braun, a former Carly of "General Hospital"), beginning next month.

Runyeon knows a thing or two about soaps. Besides "SB," he's done stints on "Another World," "Melrose Place" and "Falcon Crest," as well as his classic turn with Meg Ryan on CBS' "As the World Turns" in the early '80s.

Runyeon's "SB" castmate, meanwhile, has a new daytime gig, himself. Jon Lindstrom, whom we know as the creepazoid Mark McCormack, has been cast as the new Craig Montgomery on the aforementioned "As the World Turns." He begins that role on December 3. Lindstrom previously had a longtime role on "GH" in the evil-twin vein as Ryan Chamberlain / Kevin Collins.

BRBTV News Blog Blip: Batfans are waiting with Bat-ted breath for this month's premiere of the new animated series "Batman: The Brave and the Bold." In anticipation of that, Animation World Magazine offers a look at the different Batman interpretations over the decades.

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 49 on November 4.
- Todd McKee, our own original Ted Capwell on "Santa Barbara," turns 45 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 84 on November 10.
- Jack Scalia, the mysterious Nicholas Pearce / Joey Lombardi on "Dallas," has a birthday on November 10, as well, turning 58.
- Vincent Irizarry, a bigtime soaper who was Scott Clark on "SB," turns 49 on November 12.
- Dack Rambo, the hunky Jack Ewing of "Dallas," was born on November 13, 1941 and died of AIDS 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 55 on November 13.
- Edward Asner, the voice of Roland Daggett in "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 79 on November 15.
- Tricia Cast, who was Christy Duvall on "Santa Barbara," turns 40 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 32 on November 17.
- Rock Hudson, who played Daniel Reece on "Dynasty," was born on November 17, 1925 and, like Dack Rambo, died of AIDS, on October 2, 1985.
- Linda Evans, Hudson's on-screen love interest for a time, as Krystle on "Dynasty," turns 66 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 81 on November 21.
- Deborah Shelton, the stunning Mandy Winger on "Dallas," turns 60 on November 21.
- Maxwell Caulfield, our own Miles Colby of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys," turns 49 on November 23.
- Michael Brainard, our final Ted Capwell on "Santa Barbara," turns 43 on November 23.
- Roscoe Born, our "SB" evil-twin actor as Robert Barr and Quinn Armitage, turns 58 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, will turn 88 on November 25.
- Marcy Walker, our own Eden Capwell of "SB" who since has settled into work for God's Kingdom, turns 47 on November 26.
- Joshua Harris, our darling little Christopher Ewing of "Dallas," is a big boy now, turning 30 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 57.
- Efrem Zimbalist Jr., who voiced Alfred the butler in "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 90 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 53 on November 30.


Happy birthday to all!

In honor of Halloween, the "Archie's Weird Mysteries" team reunites

Our beloved "Archie's Weird Mysteries" animated TV series was once accompanied by a great comic. Now, in a special Halloween event, the creative team behind that title is doing a signing this afternoon in New Jersey.

Visit the Comic Book Market for reunion of Archie's Weird Mysteries writer Paul Castiglia and artist Fernando Ruiz, who will appear from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Comic Book Market
28 Washington St.
Bloomfield, NJ 07003
(973) 680-0006
www.thecomicbookmarket.com

The Comic Book Market also will be announcing the winners of their drawing contest:
$250 grand prize
$100 second grand prize
$50 third grand prize

Two runners-up will be given $20 in store credit. There will be special discounts as well as Halloween candy! Plus, the special Archie comics "The Mystery of the Museum Sleep-In" will be given free to customers, while supplies last.

In "The Mystery of the Museum Sleep-in," the museum is a scream for Archie and Jughead! Inspired by a favorite film, the pals decide to spend a night at the museum to experience maximum spookage. And experience it they do, as statues suddenly come toward them! Are these artifacts coming to life for real, or is somebody playing the ultimate Halloween "trick" on our unsuspecting teens? The answer will leave you scared silly!

BRBTV News Blog Blip: It's a rumor at the moment, but Entertainment Weekly has John Schneider pegged to do a three-episode arc of ABC's primetime soap "Dirty Sexy Money." Between that and all the comparisons being made to our beloved "Dynasty," it's enough to make a body want to actually watch the show!