A sad goodbye: The great Larry Hagman, gone at 81

Wow, what news to wake up to. We're a little besides ourselves here at BRBTV, signing on to hear the news about this most beloved star of one of our very most beloved TV shows. Mr. Larry Hagman. We knew he wouldn't live forever. We knew he was mortal like the rest of us. But we've joked over the years, as we've been covering "Dallas" and developing our reference guide to the TV show, "Long live the king" and "Long live J.R., and long live Larry Hagman!" Well, he did live long, he enjoyed a wonderful career, and he had a fabulous last hurrah, doing the thing that he loved most, playing the character that had changed his life, for one last time in the "Dallas" reboot.

It’s not hard to believe that the man who portrayed the unstoppable J.R. Ewing was Texas-born — Fort Worth, as a matter of fact, a town that got lots of mention on “Dallas.” As a young boy, he worked as a ranchhand, according to Wikipedia. And while “Dallas” was still airing, he even hosted a documentary series on the history of Texas, in celebration of its 150th anniversary as an independent republic.

Larry Hagman was born on September 21, 1931. His dad was an attorney and his mom, Mary Martin, was about to embark on a successful career on Broadway. In fact it was his mother, so well-known for her role as Peter Pan, who got Hagman into acting as a teen.

It was the stage where Hagman first got his acting chops. He spent five years in England as part of his mother’s successful production of “South Pacific,” according to his official website. He joined the U.S. Air Force, reportedly as a way to avoid being pulled into the fighting of the Korean War, and produced and directed shows for the military. While there, he met the gal who would become his wife, Maj Axelsson, a Swedish clothing designer. They married in 1954. That Hagman sustained a 50-plus-year marriage in Hollywood is certainly testament to his character and strength.

Along came the small screen for Hagman, back in the U.S. Besides his second-best-known role as Major Tony Nelson on Sidney Sheldon’s wildly popular comedy “I Dream of Jeannie,” he did stints on “The Edge of Night,” “Night Gallery” and “Love, American Style.” But then came the decision that would change his life, in 1977 — a decision to which he credits Maj. A lil’ ole show called “Dallas,” on which his J.R. Ewing wasn’t even planned as the main star but quickly became it. Hagman said the day the “Who Shot J.R.?” episode aired (“Who Done It?”, November 21, 1980) was one of the two dates he would never forget (the other was the day of his well-publicized 1995 liver transplant).

And we won’t forget, either. The man who defined J.R. for us also defined power, corruption, cunning, suaveness ... so many things. How ironic, as psychologist and author Lew Ryder put it, that the man we loved to hate was so well-loved around the country, and world. Wikipedia notes that Hagman was the only “Dallas” actor to appear in almost all of the show’s original 357 episodes (his contract negotiations kept him physically off the set for the fourth-season opener “No More Mister Nice Guy,” Part 1, though his character was present in the storyline).

Known as a hard worker since his days on “Jeannie,” Hagman was nominated for various Emmys, Golden Globes and Soap Opera Digest awards over the years, and he nabbed several of those. But while his career was skyrocketing, Hagman’s personal life was marked by the use of several artificial substances — alcohol, LSD, marijuana — and he spoke out about that very frankly. At the same time, though, Hagman’s life was also marked by some very close Hollywood friendships: co-star Patrick Duffy, Peter Fonda, Carroll O’Connor, the Who drummer Keith Moon.

In 1991, when “Dallas” left its original run on CBS, Hagman kept involved with not only screenwork (the “Dallas” reunion movies, of course, along with roles in big-screen stuff like “Nixon” and “Primary Colors”) but also with more charitable and civic endeavors. He has lent a hand to the American Cancer Society with antismoking campaigns. He has represented the National Kidney Foundation. And he adopted a “Don’t worry, be happy, feel good” way of living at his ranch in Ojai, California.

In October 2011, amid plans for the “Dallas” reboot on TNT, Hagman announced a cancer diagnosis. He told the Associated Press, “As we all know, you can't keep J.R. down!” Yea, we knew it. And Hagman spent the first season on the show, as vital and relevant as ever, basking in the glow that is "Dallas" one more time. We loved it. We ate it up. It wouldn't have been "Dallas" if J.R. wouldn't have been there. And should the show go on, as they say, his spectre will be there, even more sure and strong than the one of Jim Davis as Jock Ewing, who passed on early in the original show's run.

The July 27, 2012 cover of Entertainment Weekly was rather triumphant for a man who announced a cancer diagnosis less than a year earlier. The cover story noted that Hagman was pronounced cancer-free in the spring before the “Dallas” reboot’s premiere. TNT president Michael Wright said, “Larry looked me in the eye and said, ‘Whaddya think, 10 seasons.” So yes, long live Hagman, as BRBTV has always said. 

Magazine covers, diagnoses and show reboots notwithstanding, he will always live on.

BRBTV offers condolences to Hagman's wife, Maj, and his whole family. And we continue to admire this man who was smart, shrewd, wonderfully talented, and exceedingly kind.

First photo courtesy of Josh Eilberg of UltimateDallas.com, depicting Hagman and his wife, Maj, in the midst of appearances for the TNT "Dallas" reboot. Second photo courtesy of Larry Hagman, a photo of his younger days used for the "Destination: Dallas" book. Third photo courtesy of Josh Eilberg, depicting the display of J.R.'s gun at Southfork Ranch. Thanks very much, Josh.

Congratulations to "Fantastic Forum" TV show for another Monty Award

Well, there he goes again, that Ulysses Campbell, nabbing another Monty Award for his "Fantastic Forum" TV show. It was just announced yesterday and posted today on the "FF" Facebook page, and we'll trumpet it here, because Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV is pleased as punch as punch to be a part of something so cool. The show has been awarded a 2012 MCM Monty Award for best program in the Arts and Humanities category for the second consecutive year.

As creator, producer, writer, editor, yes, even occasionally host, plus a whole lot of other stuff, Campbell assembles a great half-hour of Washington, D.C. television that delves into not only comic books but also science fiction, fantasy and pop culture in general. And he assembles a great team to pull that off, because he's a great person to work with.

Many congratulations to Ulie for yet another fine milestone in the life of the show.

A look at "DeVanity," which has Gordon Thomson, Maxwell Caulfield and Charlene Tilton all queued up

It's a show about a jewelry family, and we adore that, because fab jewelry is fairly dripping off every female character. It's quite the farce. And it's all beautiful people, all the time. Yes, the comparisons to our beloved "Dynasty" are inevitable. So don't be surprised that "Dynasty" alum Gordon Thomson shows up here, along with Maxwell Caulfield of "The Colbys" and a brunette Charlene Tilton of "Dallas." We're talking the web series "DeVanity," mentioned previously on this blog but examined a little more in-depth here ...

It starts out clunky in the first episode but gets better, we have to say. Innocent-eyed Michael Caruso as the lead character Jason DeVanity is far from your Hollywood pretty boy -- a welcome change -- and he fairly devours his role. So does his on-screen wife, Alexis Zibolis as the evil Lara. He calls her a crazy scheming b*tch and generally treats her like crap as he untangles some ugly family secrets. Somehow, it works. Doesn't hurt that Caruso is one of the folks producing this shindig.

Katie Caprio as Jason's sister Bianca, with a lean look and a dimple that arrives on the scene a full 30 seconds before her, seems more the Alexis Colby of this show, though she's not going to be wrestling that pleasure away from vixen Zibolis anytime soon. The dialogue is fairly snappy. There are jeggings, tight minis, martinis, violin music and deep solid colors everywhere. What's not to like? Did we mention the catfight in the pool? Not quite the lily pond with Alexis and Krystle, but it'll do.

Things get waaaaay farcical in Season 2. Fantastic necklaces both in bed and in the pool. The ole plastic surgery trick to change actors for a character. The sister who marries her abortionist, and the sisters who seem to keep sleeping with their brother (don't worry -- they're adopted). The sister-in-law's wedding-night body-part revelation. It was better in Season 1 when it seemed it was almost taking itself seriously. Still, we're not afraid to call it: Zibolis is the standout in this group. We'll give Mike Dirksen as Alex an honorable mention for his significant -- ahem -- heat factor.

Alana Stewart is well-cast as the mom of the show's two blondes, Zibolis' Lara and Katie Apicella's Dr. Portia, in the seventh episode of Season 2. But wait -- here come Thomson, Caulfield and Tilton to show 'em how it's done. OK, wait is the operative word. You can see them in the trailer for Season 3 now, but the episodes themselves begin on January 10.

Prep now by watching the first two seasons in one sitting like we did. As with many online-based series, this one has short eps. Six or seven or even 10 minutes is just not enough!

Staying on the radar: Leann Hunley, Diahann Carroll, Joan Collins and more

Leanna Hunley, whom we know as Dana Waring on "Dynasty," coming to "Raising Hope" this month. Nancy Lee Grahn and her onetime "Santa Barbara" costar (on-screen nephew, actually!) Jack Wagner both coming to "Castle" in January. Diahann Carroll of "Dynasty" coming back to "White Collar" in 2013. Wanda De Jesus of "SB" checking in to "Sons of Anarchy." The stars of the classic shows we love are nailing the roles -- guest or recurring -- right and left. We love to see that.

We could go on ... Ray Wise of "Dallas" on "Criminal Minds" (now that sounds like a great matchup for this "Twin Peaks" alum!) as well as "Body of Proof." And Joan Collins, whom we were thrilled to see live and in person at an appearance in New Jersey a couple weeks back, guesting on "Happily Divorced" -- much touted across Facebook right now.

Catch the latest at the listing at We Love Soaps.

'Pioneers of Television' features some of our fave stars of classic TV

It was Lynda Carter who drew our attention to this one in her Facebook post: She's one of many great stars of classic TV who will be featured in PBS' upcoming "Pioneers of Television." Other BRBTV faves who will be interviewed for the series: Larry Hagman, Linda Gray, Joan Van Ark and Patrick Duffy of "Dallas"; Joan Collins, Linda Evans and Diahann Carroll of "Dynasty"; and Carter's "Wonder Woman" costar Cloris Leachman.

Season 3 of the PBS series premieres on Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at 8 p.m. Eastern. The second episode, "Primetime Soaps," is scheduled to air on Tuesday, January 22, 2013, at 8 p.m. Eastern, and that's the one to watch for all us "Dallas" and "Dynasty" fans!

Learn more at the Sitcoms Online blog.

Coming up for John Schneider in 2013: Appearances, concerts, maybe a flick or two!

Special thanks to Phyllis for passing along these upcoming appearances and dates for John ("Bo Duke") Schneider of "The Dukes of Hazzard":

• March 9, 2013: Dukes of Hazzard Georgia Reunion in Byron, Georgia. Event is March 8-10; cast members will be there on March 9 to meet fans. See www.dukesofhazzardgareunion.com
• March 22-24, 2013: John will be meeting fans at Movie Days in Dortmund, Germany; http://www.movie-days.de
• June 1, 2013: John will be meeting fans at the Volo Auto Museum in Volo, Illinois. See http://volocars.com/event.php?evid=572

Concerts

• March 1, 2013 John and Tom Wopat in concert together  Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts in Wickenburg, Arizona; http://events.azcentral.com/wickenburg_az/events/show/276026765-return-of-the-dukes
• March 2, 2013 John and Tom Wopat in concert together at Chandler Center for the Arts in Chandler, Arizona; http://www.ticketmaster.com/John-Schneider-tickets/artist/732925

On screen

• John recently did some taping for the TV show "Mistresses," so watch for that on TV in 2013.
• This coming week, John will be in Wilmington, North Carolina, shooting the movie "Adrenaline."

Spotted: Dack Rambo

Well, now, that's what you get for fishin' through the $5 DVD bin! Some real stinkers! Why do ya think they're in the $5 bin? Yes, we should've known better, but we were just too enticed by the promise of 15 -- count 'em, 15! -- horror movies on one DVD! We love Halloween, and we just love sinking our teeth into a good scary movie. But "Invasion of the Bee Girls" and "She-Beast"? Egads.

But we do digress ... The reason we're posting about this particular 15-horror-movie DVD is that there was one flick on it that rose (just a bit) above the murky abyss, if only for the pleasure of watching one of our BRBTV stars. "Good Against Evil," starring Mr. Dack Rambo, our former Jack Ewing of "Dallas" and Andros of "Wonder Woman." He's young, he's hotter-than-hot as always, and he's got his rather forthright charm on as he falls for the movie's main character, Jessica, played by Elyssa Davalos. In the 1977 movie, Jessica is a young woman born of mysterious circumstances, under the watch of the Devil, meant to fulfill some prophecy or somesuch. Rambo's character teams up with a priest to try to rid the evil in their midst.

Richard Lynch is along for the ride in this story of demon possession, as well as Kim Cattrall, playing a little older than she was at the time (but yes, she's been around for that long! and still so astonishingly lovely in "Sex in the City" in the '90s!).

We were disappointed about the ending, which left things unresolved, then we got on the IMDb and saw that this was not only a TV movie but a pilot! That didn't sell. Yea. Can you believe it?

Right. We've only finished Disc 1. Onward to "Memorial Valley Massacre," "Messiah of Evil" and "Snake People." Sigh. We'll take that SyFy Saturday-night creature feature any day of the week.

Thaao Penglis takes on "The Book of Esther"

He's using his exotic good looks to his advantage again, and we enjoyed them so much when he was Micah DeAngelis on "Santa Barbara," now didn't we? We're talking Thaao Penglis, and in his latest project, "The Book of Esther," he portrays Haman, all handsome and lush in colorful period (and rather Biblical) costumes.

The movie was casting last month and started shooting October 8, with one of our favorite actors as the director, David A.R. White. Jen Lilley, known as the newest Maxie Jones on "General Hospital," is also part of the cast. Keep up with the movie's production on White's fan page on Facebook.

Nicolas Coster joins new web soap "My Synthesized Life"

Web series are popping up all over the place, and they seem to have no problem recruiting our fave stars to join in the action. The other day we told you about Terri Garber's latest role; today it's Nicolas Coster, Garber's former co-star on "Santa Barbara" as the enigmatic Lionel Lockridge, as well as roles on "Dallas," "Wonder Woman" and one of the "The Dukes of Hazzard" reunion movies.

"My Synthesized Life" is a comedy about a young man whose voice naturally synthesizes after he survives a near car crash. Created by Nate Golon, this series follows the 25-year-old office worker as his life is thrown into turmoil after the crash. Coster is playing Hank Bales, father of the lead character. Check out photos on the set at the show's Facebook page.

Terri Garber is up to some "New Tricks" ... with some "Old Dogs," perhaps

Looking lovely with her straight black hair parted straight down the center, Terri Garber was on the set this week for Season 2 of the web series "Old Dogs and New Tricks." Our former Leslie Carrington of "Dynasty" and Suzanne Collier of "Santa Barbara" is playing Dr. Leslie Ashley, Nathan Adler's latest shrink, on the series, which takes you, as its official site notes, "through the friendship and tribulations of four diverse and otherwise successful West Hollywood men – each one located squarely within middle age." The Nathan Adler character is a talent agent approaching his 50th birthday.

Olympic gold-medal-winner Greg Louganis is appearing in the soap as a recurring guest star. Longtime soaps star Ian Buchanan is also featured. Check out the show's first-season episodes at its website, and see albums of production photos that include Garber at the official Facebook page. The second season begins in 2013.

Veronica Cartwright chats with BRBTV about her roles, particularly that fun one with the cherry pits ...

She's starred in a lot of great TV dramas recently -- "CSI," "Cold Case," "The X-Files," "Nip/Tuck," "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," "The Closer" and much more. And her TV work goes all the way back to the classic "Twilight Zone," where she starred as a very young girl not liking her new "electric" grandma all that much on the episode "I Sing the Body Electric." Cool stuff, for sure, and BRBTV got a chance to chat with actress Veronica Cartwright at an appearance in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Saturday.

Cartwright talked with us about her various roles over the years, as well as what she actually watches on TV herself these days, plus what project she has coming out soon.

Special thanks to L. Johnson Promotions, Ltd. for bringing Ms. Cartwright there, thanks to James our man on the camera, and thanks so much to Veronica for the fab trip down memory lane, talkin' shows like "American Gothic" (loved that!) and even her memorable role in the movie "The Witches of Eastwick." Read up on her at her official website.

Check out Saturday's interview in the latest installment of the BRBTV video series ...

Screenshots by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

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Butch Patrick tells BRBTV about his visit to "Mockingbird Lane" -- and his planned return

Butch Patrick is known and loved by fans of classic TV as little Eddie Munster on "The Munsters." This former child star grew up in the limelight, for sure, navigating through numerous roles on TV titans such as "Gunsmoke," "Bonanza," "Mister Ed" and more before he was even 20 years old. Even "The Real McCoys," "General Hospital" and "My Three Sons," as well as seven motion pictures -- Patrick has done a huge variety of roles. Now, he's seeing a remake of the show that made him famous. Titled "Mockingbird Lane," NBC's new take on the beloved classic "Munsters" might surprise some viewers, but it will most definitely delight them, Patrick tells BRBTV.

Patrick recently visited the set of "Mockingbird Lane" and got a chance to spend time with the cast, and he offers the BRBTV News Blog a real treat with these personal photos. And -- best of all -- Patrick will be appearing on the new show, which is scheduled to premiere in early 2013. We talked with him more about that, and about the show's fresh approach. Soooooo .... in honor of the Halloween season (it's always been our second favorite holiday!) we offer up the goods on Butch Patrick and the new "Munsters" reboot ...

"I think this TV show will be hugely successful," Patrick tells BRBTV. "Kids who turn on 'The Munsters' for the first time now just love it. I think they're on to something big. And the characters and the way they've done it. The dynamic and the interactions and the character establishment. It is dead-on, right where it should be, in my opinion."

"Mockingbird Lane" is being developed by "Pushing Daisies" creator Bryan Fuller, with Bryan Singer of "X-Men" fame also on board. The show will explore the origins of the Munster family but in a darker and edgier fashion than the original. The characters will look more human, however, with toned-down costumes and makeup for the characters.

The news about the show broke two years ago, then it sputtered a bit, then about a year ago it headed back into development. NBC gave the green light last November. Was Patrick surprised to see Bryan Fuller's name attached to this project?

"No, I thought he was perfect," he says. "I loved 'Heroes.' 'Pushing Daisies,' I didn't see that often, but it got great reviews. He's attached to 'Hannibal,' too. So, no Bryan's a good guy for it. He seems to have a real feel for these sort of dark dramas. I was more surprised by Bryan Singer doing it, because he's a feature director, dropping down to TV."

But he adds that the industry is changing in that way. "A lot of feature film people are taking on some TV projects, which is great."

The cast for "Mockingbird Lane" has a pretty high wow factor, with Jerry O'Connell as Herman Munster, Portia de Rossi as Lily Munster, Eddie Izzard as Grandpa, Charity Wakefield as Marilyn Munster, and Mason Cook as Eddie Munster. And of course, Patrick got the chance to meet his young counterpart in his time on the set.

"He's a great guy, a great kid. I met him and his mom on the set. And he and I started tweeting back and forth a bit afterward. I said the character's in good hands. He's been working over at Disney. Just a great little guy. Good actor."

What about Jerry O'Connell as Herman? Can he pull it off?

"He can," Patrick says. "In fact, the way this thing is done, it's really sheer genius on Bryan Fuller's part. Fuller and Singer are both big fans of 'The Munsters,' so they want to do it right. They don't want to out-Herman Herman Munster. They want to bring the drama to the screen utilizing the tools we have today, almost 50 years later. What we're doing is we're not going after the makeup aspect. There is one scene with full Bram Stoker, old-school makeup. But as far as Jerry goes, it's all about the love between him and Lily."

He continues, "They all have more of a base of themselves, as five individuals. Eddie is the grandpa and is the strong character of the family. Kinda like in the original. Portia de Rossi -- she's just beautiful. Everyone always talks about Marilyn being so attractive on the original show, but when you think about it, Lily was really the top beauty of the show."

He says, "Grandpa sorta steals the show. Jerry is a little bit more reserved. What they've done, they established that he's been put together by Grandpa's laboratory."

Patrick was impressed by the $10 million sets for the show.

"It takes up two separate soundstages. Big ones. Every room is gigantic," he says. "It looks a little like a feature film staging much more than a TV show staging. For some reason NBC didn't pick it up for the fall, I can't imagine why they didn't. If for some reason they don't pick it up later, I can't imagine it will fall by the wayside, because there's just too much there."

NBC took the pilot for "Mockingbird Lane" out of the fall 2012 schedule, reportedly to give it more attention, indicating that the pilot will air in 2013. And the choice of name won't hurt its chances, Patrick explains.

"What happened was, the last day of shooting, a friend of mine named Kevin Burns, he was asked by Bryan Singer and Bryan Fuller, the director and the writer, his opinion on the 'Munsters' show," Patrick tells BRBTV. "They had trouble with people participating in the casting, because the actors didn't want to be pigeonholed into roles like that. Kevin suggested to them, why don't you change the name to 'Mockingbird Lane'? The 'Munsters' fans will know instantly what it is about, but it will be unique and will appeal to everyone else."

Patrick notes, "The fans today that are watching 'Walking Dead' and 'Twilight' are much different than the fans who were watching 'The Munsters.'"

And since Patrick is the key surviving member of the core "Munsters" cast (besides Pat Priest) ...

"They asked Kevin if I wanted to be in it. He told them, it would be good for you to talk to Butch. Their concerns were, what if he doesn't like it? To be honest with you, I've said Hollywood should leave a lot of those old shows alone, because a lot of the remakes they've done haven't been good and have been no better than the originals."

But, Patrick says, "Kevin told them, 'He will certainly act professionally even if he doesn't like it, but I know he will like it.' The last day of shooting, they invited me out."

Patrick was also asked to introduce a clip of the show at San Diego's Comic-Con in July. He tells BRBTV a little bit about the role he'll have in the series, though he hasn't taped his scenes yet:

"They're going to have me in there as a Scoutmaster for Eddie's troop. There are plans for the character to be further developed. They seem to time these werewolf situations for Eddie around a camping trip. So hopefully I'll have a recurring role."

Could be the start of an exciting "Munsters" resurgence, and why not? Everything old is new again, in Hollywood, and nostalgia is big. For Patrick, though, life is not dull, anyway. He runs the official "Munsters" website and has made a whole lot of convention appearances over the years (BRBTV has been seeing him at shows for the past decade, for sure). Fans will always know and love him, wherever he goes. And he speculates for BRBTV that had the producers of the new show decided to take a different route -- perhaps a continuation of the original storyline similar to what TNT's "Dallas" has done -- Eddie Munster's life these days might mirror his own.

"Back in the '80s, I actually wrote a script where Herman took Grandpa back to Transylvania, and Eddie was left back home and formed a rock band to pay the bills. That's what Eddie was doing, being a punk rocker." Patrick once formed his own band, "Eddie and the Monsters," and put out a single, "Whatever Happened to Eddie?"

And there are other Munster-like pursuits in his life. "I just built my Harley that looks like a two-wheeled Dragula, the car that Grandpa had in the series. The bike is very Marlon Brando 'Wild One'-looking. So Eddie would be tinkering with hot rods and cars and that sort of thing, and maybe music."

A Harley Dragula. Seriously. We wanna see that. Please. And Patrick has appeared at a couple events in Detroit with a replica of the Dragula car from the series, as we've reported on this blog! Below, he signs the Dragula in front of the Redford Theatre at Halloween time last year.

Beyond all the fun and frolic, though, this Eddie Munster has found a sense of peace in recent years. And a cause to firmly believe in.

"Twenty-two months ago, I went into the Oasis Center for a lifelong substance abuse situation, got clean and sober, and the past two years have been the best of my life," he says.

The Oasis Treatment Center, founded by Jim and Kathy Antonowitsch, combines group therapy, one-on-one counseling, exercise, recreation therapy, spiritual and family counseling, and other elements in its recovery program. The facility is half a mile away from Disneyland in California.

"I'm trying to put together a program where people are on vacation at Disneyland, if they want to take a tour with me, I'll educate them on one of the best-kept secrets there is," Patrick says.

"They laid off a couple counselors recently. I told him, give me a week or two, I'm going to put my thinking cap on and come up with an awareness campaign for your program. I'm a Disney kid. Wouldn't it be cool ... Once you're done with Disneyland, you're still here in Southern California -- what are you going to do for a few days?"

It's a cause that keys in even more strongly when you consider the Hollywood in which he was raised.

"I am running into so many quality people in the industry who are 20 years sober, and you don't even know it. But they become allies. All these people rally around a good cause for others," he says.

"It's run like a grandma's house," he says of Oasis. "It's a big old house. It's very much a family situation. It's not sterile like other treatment centers."

Thus, a life remade. Rebooted. Kinda like a beloved classic TV series. We'll be watching, Mr. Patrick.

First three photos courtesy of Butch Patrick; please do not copy without permission

Bottom photo courtesy of Motor City Reel Rides; please do not copy without permission.

A cool lineup of stars awaits you at Chiller Theatre

It'll send chills down your spine, just how many stars of great classic TV shows are scheduled to appear at Chiller Theatre one month from now. Joan Collins and Pamela Sue Martin of "Dynasty." Audrey Landers and Barbara Carrera of "Dallas." Tom Wopat of "The Dukes of Hazzard." Adrienne Barbeau, the voice of Catwoman from of our beloved "Batman: The Animated Series." Virginia Madsen, who's also done voicework on the DC Animated shows. Lee Majors of "The Six Million Dollar Man." Steven Bauer -- we loved him in "Wiseguys." Lee Meriwether of Bat-fame.

It all happens Friday, October 26 through Sunday, October 28 at the Sheraton Parsippany in Parsippany, New Jersey, just in time for Halloween. And BRBTV will be there armed with press pass, scaring up some interviews. Check out the event website, and whopping guest list. We can't wait. But we'll have to.

Phil LaMarr talks about his roles and his work at the Baltimore Comic Con

A veteran of "MADtv" and a memorable role in "Pulp Fiction," Phil LaMarr is a man of many talents -- and many voices. We know him, however, as the stern voice of Green Lantern / John Stewart on the animated "Justice League" and "Justice League Unlimited" series. He's also voiced Aquaman on the "Young Justice" series, a bunch of roles on the "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" series, and so many, many other TV credits. 

LaMarr was in Baltimore a couple weeks back to host the Harvey Awards during the Baltimore Comic Con weekend, and he had a panel discussion with fans on the Saturday afternoon of the con. BRBTV was there, and we've got video of his comments on our YouTube channel, particularly where Green Lantern and "Justice League" are concerned ...





Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV was at the Baltimore Comic Con not only taping the above, but also doing some interviews for the D.C.-based "Fantastic Forum" TV show. Look for more on that soon ...

Photo by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV
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Announcing the "Shazam!" BRBTV Report

Ooooh, boy, do we love a product release day, and 2012 is a four-product-release year, as we've mentioned on this blog. No. 2 in that 2012 lineup is the BRBTV Report on the delicious, live-action, Saturday-morning "Shazam!" TV show of the '70s. The timing for this one is lovely, roughly coinciding with the DVD release for the series, which was originally scheduled for September 18 but rescheduled to September 23.

Jackson Bostwick is the original star of the "Shazam!" series, and we've talked to him a few times over the past couple years, both on camera (see our YouTube channel) and via email. He gave us some great insight about the show, having grown up a fan of Captain Marvel, among other heroes. For Bostwick, this was not just another role -- this was stepping into the shoes of someone he knew about and liked a lot. We appreciate that, just as we do with Lynda Carter and her well-regarded Wonder Woman! And did you know that Butch Patrick of "The Munsters" was considered for the corresponding role of Billy Batson for this TV series? We didn't, until he happened to mention it while we chatted with him at this past year's Motor City Comic Con! We followed up with him for more of the story, and you'll read about that in the Report.

We're keeping the price point for Shazam! A BRBTV Report the same as for many of the other BRBTV Reports -- just a cool buck and a half for this feature-length story and accompanying episode guide (our own synopses!), along with a full cast listing. It's the equivalent of 44 letter-sized pages in Microsoft Word, with photos that will appear in color on your Kindle or other device, if you have that ability.

We love these shows -- we grew up watching 'em, too -- so we want to share the love!

Photo courtesy of Jackson Bostwick; please do not copy without permission.

A "Dukes" event in Georgia in 2013? Great! Meet the man behind it ...

Sakes alive, the dust just settles from Hazzard Homecoming, and there's already a new "Dukes of Hazzard" event to look forward to? (Besides the Louisiana event -- looks good, but a little far for us to drive.) Yes, organizers are now busy planning the Dukes of Hazzard Georgia Reunion for the spring.

The Middle Georgia Speedway in Byron, just south of Macon, will provide the setting for the event on March 8-10, 2013. This classic car show and music fest will feature the core surviving cast members of the show greeting fans and signing autographs: John ("Bo Duke") Schneider, Tom ("Luke Duke") Wopat, Catherine ("Daisy Duke") Bach, James ("Rosco P. Coltrane") Best, Sonny ("Enos Strate") Shroyer, Ben ("Cooter Davenport") Jones and Rick ("Cletus Hogg") Hurst.

BRBTV spoke to the man behind the event, Chris Jennings of Gray, Georgia.

"This event will be huge!" he says. "We have seven of the original cast members of the best television show of all time! On top of that, we are putting together one of the best classic car shows of all time! And the lineup of music artists that we are contracting (to be announced) is absolutely INCREDIBLE!"

And anytime you bring a "Dukes" event to Georgia, it's a big thing, we know, since Georgia is the birthplace of the "Dukes." It affords fans the opportunity to carry on a long tradition of bringing their Generals to photograph at some of the original filming sites of the show. Jennings wouldn't be surprised by that.

"It would be nice to tour the old filming sites," he says. "Don't believe that I personally will have the time to do so until after the event. I am hoping that the attendees of our event will have that opportunity to do so while visiting our beautiful state."

For Jennings, hosting this "Dukes" reunion is definitely a labor of love. We asked him a little about what the "Dukes" means to him, and perhaps who is his favorite character ...

"I have been a 'Dukes' fan since 1979," he tells BRBTV. "I grew up on 'The Dukes of Hazzard.' I have not had the opportunity to meet all of the actors in person. Only Sonny, Rick and James. I would say that in that aspect Sonny is my favorite. We have become close friends over the last few years. We talk on a regular basis. He is just really down to earth. But of course, they are all really nice people."

Jennings, who owned a car dealership, talks about first meeting Shroyer: "I am a member of our hometown classic car club, the Jones County Cruisers in Gray, Georgia. One of our members, Jimmy Edwards, and his son Kyle are huge 'Dukes' fans. They own a General Lee and a Hazzard County Sheriff's car. They invited my family and I to attend and ride with them in the Covington, Georgia, Christmas parade, in which Sonny Shroyer was the Grand Marshall. We had the opportunity to meet Sonny and his wife, Ms. Paula, who is absolutely adorable."

He continues, "My wife and I owned a car lot in Gray. We spoke to Sonny about maybe doing some commercials for us. He really seemed excited. After exchanging phone numbers, Sonny called me about a few weeks later. As a matter of fact, it was New Year's Day. My wife and I were in Pigeon Forge on vacation, and Sonny called to wish us a Happy New Year's. I know that he is a busy man, but for him to just call my family and I out of the blue, it really means a lot."

He says, "It grew from there. And although he never did the commercials for us, my wife and I put together a classic car show to raise money for our church's Road to Hope program. We asked Sonny to make an appearance. During planning and in conversation, I made a statement about, 'I would like to have Sheriff Rosco come, too.' He said, 'I will have him call you.' And he did. We put the show together and we were able to fund the whole program for our church. It was a HUGE success!"

So from there, came another idea, as Jennings explains: "While the actors and their wives were in town, we spent a lot of time together. We ate together, sang together, laughed together. It was great. We talked about another show at that time. My wife said I was crazy! Although it was fun, it was A LOT of work! And as a car dealer, I really have a lot on my plate. But after all, I told myself, that was SOOO much fun, I want to do it again, ONLY BIGGER!!! I love seeing all of the smiles on people's faces when they see those actors and can hug them while getting their picture made. It really makes my day!"

Thus, a fun-filled weekend for "Dukes" fans in March is born. "The event will also include helicopter rides, monster truck rides, military tanks and Humvee exhibits, bounce houses, vendors, food and much much more!" Jennings tells us.

"I guess my wife is right, I might be a little crazy!" he adds.

No, Mr. Jennings ... we fully understand ....

Be sure to "like" the Facebook page for the event and keep an eye on plans as we get closer to March. BRBTV will be there, and is looking forward to being in the beautiful state of Georgia again!


Photo courtesy of Chris Jennings; please do not copy without permission.

Bits 'n' Pieces: Stacy Sullivan, A Martinez, Byron Cherry have stuff goin' on

Stacy Sullivan was the cute little gal named Bitty in the last year of "Santa Barbara." Remember her, in that whole Ballymoor thing? Sullivan went on to some other roles after "SB" but her real love is music, and she just released a new CD on Tuesday: "It's a Good Day: A Tribute to Miss Peggy Lee." She has live shows coming up to accompany the release, at The Metropolitan Room in Manhattan:
Oct. 17, 11:30 p.m., After the Cabaret Convention
Oct. 18, 11:30 p.m., After the Cabaret Convention
Sat., Nov. 10, 11:30 p.m.
Sat., Dec. 8, 11:30 p.m.
See the Facebook event page for the upcoming shows. Sullivan looks just beautiful.

A Martinez, our own Cruz Castillo of "SB" who has done episodes of A&E's "Longmire" recently, is confirmed for a new movie in the "Chucky" series. "Curse of Chucky" is scheduled for a video release next year. "Went to the cast read-through yesterday and then got to spend the evening with the great Brad Dourif ('Lord of the Rings,' 'Dune' -- and the man who plays the psychopathic human behind Chucky)," Martinez said on his Facebook page, in response to a question from "SB" blogger Pier from Italy. "I had just seen Brad the night before in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,' in which his brilliant performance earned him an Oscar nomination. 'Curse of Chucky' is a terribly dark story, but it's also very well-written and cast, and promises to be a fun ride for those with the stomach for flat-out, nerve-wracking horror."

The Hollywood Show is doing it again, driving us crazy with all the wonderful stars of classic TV they're serving up. The next show in Burbank is October 6-7 and features Audrey Landers of "Dallas," John Saxon of "Dynasty," Lauren Tom, who's done many voices in the animated shows we love such as "Justice League," "Batman Beyond" and "Superman." And we rue not being able to meet John Amos of "Good Times"! Rats. Check it. The November show in Vegas will include Jenilee Harrison of "Dallas."

It's great to hear that Byron Cherry of "The Dukes of Hazzard" is back in front of the camera. In our August 9 post, we mentioned some projects Cherry has in the works, and now we have an update. Cherry will play a sheriff in "The Lighthouse," scheduled for this year (Cherry tells fans they're aiming for a late October release). Danny Glover also stars in the film, and Cherry says he was great to work with. He just got back today from filming in Florida. See the plotline on the IMDb; this one sounds good. "I play Sheriff Grady in the movie and had an awesome time hanging out with alligators, big bugs, snakes in Florida," Cherry says.

Remembering Lance LeGault

As Ray Bonning on "Dynasty," he was the henchman of the mysterious Logan Rhinewood, the tall bulldog at the door with the emotionless face, swiftly preventing Blake Carrington from learning more about his powerful adversary. On "Dallas," he was Al Halliday in the latter years of the series. He even guest-starred on an episode of "The Dukes of Hazzard" (1980's "The Runway, as Les Sloane) and "Wonder Woman" (1978's "Hot Wheels," as the swindler Otis Fiskle). Lance LeGault appeared on just about every great classic TV show you can name.

LeGault died at his L.A. home on Monday afternoon, as reported by his daughter Mary to various news agencies. He was 75.

Born William Lance Legault in Chicago, his TV career was prolific. But he got his start in stunts, actually, doubling for Elvis Presley in several movies in the 1960s. He dabbled in singing over the years, and he was a pilot. But TV roles were his game, and he had a military tough guy thing going on with that low voice, playing stern types in many roles. He is known as Col. Roderick Decker on "The A-Team" and Col. Buck Greene on "Magnum, P.I.," for instance. And the myriad other shows he appeared on -- "T.J. Hooker," "Columbo," "MacGyver," "L.A. Law," "Knight Rider," and so many more -- testify to his skill and appeal.

LeGault had another "Dukes of Hazzard" connection, voicing the balladeer in the "The Dukes of Hazzard: Return of the General Lee" video game in 2004.

BRBTV extends condolences to LeGault's loved ones.

Star Wars Celebration VI: Anthony Daniels and other sights and sounds

So why didn't Uncle Owen recognize C-3PO in Episode IV of "Star Wars"? It was little Anakin Skywalker who originally built this protocol droid, after all, and C-3PO spent a lot of time there on Tattooine, with Anakin and his family. Hmmm ... Anthony Daniels and his panel of (audience) experts tackled that question and others at Star Wars Celebration VI in Orlando, Florida, a couple weeks back. BRBTV captured the fun and tomfoolery on video, and you can see it now on the BRBTV YouTube channel ...

We also have a few other fun sights and sounds from the event: Legos galore, a droid race, some Jedi Knights demonstrating their prowess, ya know, that kind of stuff ...

And finally, what's a good con without some cosplay? BRBTV gives you the perspective a cosplayer who's a pal of ours ... So, who is the Fem Vader????

Find out more about Tom Wopat's new album, as well as upcoming appearances

When BRBTV spoke to Tom Wopat, our own Luke Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard," at the Hazzard Homecoming a few weeks back, he mentioned his new album. Here's the latest e-news from Wopat's PR crew, including some more info on that album ...

It's time for an update on what's been going on with Tom this summer! He went into the studio in NYC with a group of fantastic jazz and swing musicians to record a brand-new album, you can see photos HERE. The record will be released in early 2013, but we'll be sharing songs and images from the album soon! 

In fact, Tom had a photoshoot just last weekend for the album packaging, with his talented son Joey behind the camera. Watch a behind-the-scenes video from the photoshoot HERE!

We will have many more updates over the next few months, and in the mean time, take a look at the tour dates below to see if he will be performing near you! And have you ever wondered what a Tom Wopat show is like? Watch THIS video to see him perform "Maybe Someday Baby" live in Niagara Falls.

Sincerely,

Wopat Webcrew

UPCOMING APPEARANCES:Sept 29 - Dukes of Hazzard Family Reunion - Livingston, LA
Oct 14 - Missouri Theater - St. Joseph, MO
Oct 17 - Sharon Lynn Wilson Center For The Arts - Brookfield, WI
Oct 19 - Al Ringling Theater - Baraboo, WI

2013
Jan 8 - Green Valley Recreation Center - Green Valley, AZ
Jan 11 - The Smith Center / Cabaret Jazz - Las Vegas, NV
Jan 12 - Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center - Livermore, CA
Feb 16 - UCO Jazz Lab - Edmond, OK
Mar 1 - Del E Web Center - Wickenburg, AZ*
Mar 2 - Chandler Center for the Arts - Chandler, AZ*
Mar 23 - Palm Springs Art Museum / Annenberg Theater - Palm Springs, CA

*Performing with John Schneider!

Get the news first! Follow Tom on:

Facebook
Twitter
Official Site

Didya catch the jump of the General Lee at Hazzard Homecoming?

Well, if you didn't, you can now. Both the Saturday and Sunday car jumps, actually. BRBTV caught 'em on video, and they're part of our Hazzard Homecoming 2012 playlist. We're concluding our weeklong highlights of the event, held a few weeks back in Washington, Virginia, with a couple action-packed videos -- not only the two jumps, but some sensational stuff on stage ...

See the 'Dukes' cast take to the stage at Hazzard Homecoming

When "Dukes of Hazzard" star John Schneider sings "Country Girls" on stage, those country girls swoon, and when the whole core cast of the show takes to the stage for the "Dukes" theme song, everyone -- male and female! -- loves it all the more. At the second Hazzard Homecoming in Washington, Virginia, a few weeks ago, they did just that. This week, BRBTV is serving up some sights and sounds -- as well as some stars -- in the Hazzard Homecoming 2012 video playlist. In the next couple installments highlighted below you'll see the cast performances on stage, as well as a little slice of the action in the wrestling ring, one of the many activities going on at this weekend event.

Take a trip (back?) to Hazzard Homecoming 2012 with new BRBTV videos

What exactly is a gumbush? Well, one of BRB's friends wondered that while we were all waiting in line to have a General Lee hood signed by "Dukes of Hazzard" star Sonny Shroyer. (And hey, they did drive all the way from Detroit, so it's only right they ask something really meaningful!) You'll see Shroyer's response in the latest videos on the BRBTV YouTube channel, along with Tom Wopat's answer to the possibility he'll appear in more episodes of the TV show "Longmire." It was all part of the fun of the second Hazzard Homecoming in Washington, Virginia, a couple weeks back, as we reported in our August 11 and 14 posts.

BRBTV is serving up some sights and sounds -- as well as some stars -- in the first couple parts of this Hazzard Homecoming 2012 video playlist. You'll see not only those stars, but also some Civil War soldiers, some horses, a whole lot of blazin' orange 01 cars, the inside of a blazin' orange 01 bus, and a great display of "Dukes" memorabilia.

WB calls Confederate flag removal reports 'inaccurate'

In a seeming reversal of an earlier decision to remove the Confederate flag from the General Lee on future toys and other items (such as a rumored new TV series), a Warner Bros. spokesperson told NBC's "Today" show yesterday, "We were not, and are not, planning to change the design of the General Lee on merchandise.  All reports to the contrary have been inaccurate."

In the meantime, of course, since the news broke a few days ago, thousands of fans of "The Dukes of Hazzard" have spoken out, all across the Internet, about the (apparent) earlier decision to remove the flag. It seems the root of this "news" came from a post on the HobbyTalk.com message board, apparently from a toy company spokesman. But as you dig into the details, you have to wonder ... was this all just rumor? Or maybe where there's smoke, there's fire? We'll let y'all decide that for yourselves!

Ben ("Cooter Davenport") Jones, who spoke out about the news a couple days ago (see the full, unedited text of his statement in our Wednesday post), is claiming victory for the Hazzard Nation. "This is not only a victory for those who love the show," he told fans in an email blast early this morning, "but a victory for the voice of the people, and in my opinion, a victory for mutual respect among people of different ethnicities and backgrounds. We should now be gracious and thank the folks at Warner Bros. for changing this misguided policy. Perhaps they will listen to the fans when they produce 'Dukes, The Next Generation'! Wouldn’t that be great?"

Indeed. Jones shared that idea of his with BRBTV in an interview for our reference guide "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!", an idea he pitched to WB years ago. With the reboot and next-generation approach of "Dallas" now so successful, perhaps WB is taking note ...

Ben Jones speaks out on WB's decision to remove the Confederate flag from the General Lee

Ben ("Cooter Davenport") Jones of "The Dukes of Hazzard" has never been afraid to speak his mind over the years about issues pertaining to the TV show that made him a star. And with his subsequent political career, it only makes sense that he voice an opinion about political issues. The latest is the decision by Warner Bros. to remove the Confederate flag from the roof of the beloved General Lee car, which, as he argues, is basically the most famous TV car there is. The decision pertains to future usage of the car, such as in toys, not retro stuff (not the episodes themselves, evidently!).

Many fans have already weighed in at the above ScreenCrush.com link. In an email blast sent out to fans early this morning with the subject line "DUKES OF HAZZARD’S “COOTER” BLASTS 'P.C. IDIOCY' AT WARNER BROS. TV," Jones says this ...

______________

Since 1978, when filming started for “The Dukes of Hazzard” television series, Warner Bros. Television and its licensees have earned hundreds of millions, perhaps billions, of dollars from the ongoing success and enduring popularity of this old fashioned family show. The show’s timeless look and charm continues to find a new audience as youngsters discover the show’s good clean fun and their parents appreciate the wholesome values the show espouses. The good guys win, the bad guys get their comeuppance, nobody gets hurt, and a good time is had by all. And by “all”, I mean “all”, regardless of race, color, religion, or ethnicity. Hazzard County is a “hate-free” zone.

Now, over 33 years since the show premiered on CBS-TV on Friday nights, Warner Bros. has issued a new and terribly insulting attack on the South, a region and a culture which Hollywood has trashed for decades.

“With stupidity,” said Friedrich Schiller, “the Gods themselves struggle in vain.” He must have been talking about the decision makers at WB. In a fit of political correctness, the company has dictated that no longer will the “General Lee” have a Confederate Flag on its roof. (For the culturally deprived, the “General Lee” is a 1969 Dodge Charger, perhaps the most popular car in the history of entertainment.) Some unnamed genius at the company feels that the flag is “offensive to some” and therefore it has no business on a classic t.v. comedy about a bunch of good ol’ boys and girls in the Southern mountains. This is a new level of “P.C.” idiocy. I don’t know about you, but I am tired of being insulted by morons.

Now, here is “the flaw in that slaw”, as Rosco P. Coltrane used to say. First of all, because of seven seasons on prime-time and through countless reruns, syndication, hit cable runs, VHS sets, video games, reunion movies, a feature film, tivo, international viewings, youtube, websites, and a very popular DVD series, the General is always going to have a flag on its top. Tens of millions of earthlings have seen it repeatedly for decades. And when it isn’t there, the obvious question will be “where is it?”, followed by, “that’s not the General!”

Secondly, the presumption that the show’s millions of minority viewers are put off by the flag belies the fact that African Americans, especially in the South, watched (and still watch) the show faithfully. As a producer of Dukes fan events, I can assure you that this is so.

Thirdly, the timing of this announcement is mind boggling. We are now in the Sesquicentennial Commemoration of the American Civil War. It is a time for reflection and reassessment, and I have seen descendants of both sides of that struggle reverently honor the effort and sacrifice of both armies. To insult the lasting symbol of the Southern soldier is itself a divisive and, well, bigoted act. This is not “offensive to some”. It is “offensive to many”, myself included.

I made a decision when I was a kid that I “would live and die in Dixie” and do what I could to end segregation, discrimination, and “white supremacy”. In that effort, I was shot at, sucker punched, threatened repeatedly, and jailed several times. But, just like in the “Dukes of Hazzard”, the good guys won.  Dr. King was a proud Southerner, and he believed that the most important bridge to be built was between working black folks and the working white folks who opposed them. That South is slowly evolving, but it won’t fully become reality as long as corporate types, caving to political pressure, gratuitously insult the descendants of the Confederacy, who are as patriotic as Americans can be.

Symbols have different meanings for different people at different times. Whenever a group of organized bigots get together, mostly up North, they always seem to desecrate the Confederate St. Andrews Cross, the Christian Cross, and Old Glory. They are a pitiful handful of life’s losers, who seem, however, to attract every network camera within miles. Those creeps even give bed sheets a bad name. And as a proud Member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, I am not going to let their actions destroy the reputation of my ancestors. And for the record, I am also an Honorary Life Member of the N.A.A.C.P.

Ben Jones
Washington, VA