Catch book signings with Gavin MacLeod, Stacy Keach and more

Thanks to James for passing along this listing of upcoming book signings and appearances with the stars, including some TV greats ...

J.J. Abrams, director of "Star Trek" and creator of "Lost", signing copies of S: A Novel  

• 11/23/13 6:00 PM at Symphony Space - Braodway & 95th. New York, NY. 

Buzz Aldrin, 2nd man to walk on the Moon, signing copies of Mission To Mars

• 12/2/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble – Edinger Avenue. Huntington Beach, CA.

Frank Beamer, head coach at Virgina Tech, signing copies of Let Me Be Frank

• 11/19/13 7:00 PM at Gourmet Pantry - South Main Street. Blacksburg, VA.
• 12/8/13 2:00 PM at Barnes & Noble – Conston Avenue. Christianburg, VA.

LeRoy Butler, former Green Bay Packers star, signing copies of Packers Pride

• 12/5/13 11:00 AM at Shopko - Bay Park Square. Green Bay, WI.
• 12/12/13 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - South Oneida Street. Green Bay, WI. 

Bryan Cranston, Dean Norris, & Bob Odenkirk, stars of "Breaking Bad", will be signing copies of Breaking Bad: The Final Season

• 11/25/13 9:30 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA.

Ken Dryden, former Montreal Canadiens star, signing copies of The Game

• 12/1/13 3:00 PM at Bookends – East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.

David Ellefson, founder of Megadeth, signing copies of My Life With Deth

• 11/29/13 Noon at Bookends – East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.

Julius "Dr. J, Erving, NBA Hall of Famer, signing copies of Dr. J

• 12/19/13 2:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA. 

Peter Facinelli, star of "Twilight" and "Nurse Jackie", signing copies of Protocol Orphans

• 11/20/13 7:30 PM at Midtown Comics - Fulton Street. New York, NY.

Will Ferrell (as Ron Burgandy), signing copies of Let Me Off at the Top! My Classy Life

• 11/20/13 6:30 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA. 

Fannie Flagg, former "Match Game" regular, signing copies of The All-Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion

• 12/4/13 Noon at Costco - Palomar Airport Road. Carlsbad, CA.
• 12/5/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Edinger Avenue. Huntington Beach, CA.

Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House, signing copies of Breakout

• 11/30/13 Noon at Barnes & Noble – Tamiami Trail. Naples, FL.
• 12/17/13 7:00 PM at Book Revue – New York Avenue. Huntington, NY. 

Bud Grant, former Minnesota Vikings head coach, signing copies of I Did It My Way

• 12/14/13 1:00 PM in the Rotunda - Mall of America. Bloomington, MN.

Dallas Green, former Phillies, Yankees, and Mets manager, signing copies of The Mouth That Roared 

• 11/23/13 11:00 AM at Barnes & Noble – Christiana Mall. Newark, DE.
• 11/24/13 Noon at Barnes & Noble – Neshaminy Mall. Bensalem, PA.
• 11/30/13 Noon at Barnes & Noble – Main Street. Exton, PA. 

Chris Hadfield, shuttle astronaut, signing copies of An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

• 11/23/13 1:00 PM at Degroots Nurseries Greenhouse - London Line. Sarnia, Ontario.
• 11/27/13 7:00 PM at Indigo Books - McGill College Avenue. Montreal, Quebec.
• 11/29/13 7:00 PM at Chapters Books - Chain Lake Drive. Halifax, Nova Scotia. 

John Hannah, NFL Hall of Famer, signing copies of Offensive Conduct

• 12/7/13 3:30 PM at Barnes & Noble – Providence Highway. Walpole, MA.

Mark Howe, former NHL star, signing copies of Gordie Howe's Son

• 11/20/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Commerce Blvd. Fairless Hills, PA. 
• 12/1/13 1:00 PM at Bookends – East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.
• 12/9/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - West Route 70. Marlton, NJ. 

Anjelica Huston, Oscar winning actress, will be signing copies of A Story Lately Told

• 11/19/13 7:30 PM at Symphony Space - Braodway & 95th. New York, NY.
• 11/21/13 Noon at the Philadekphia Free Library - Vine Street. Philadelphia, PA.
• 11/25/13 7:30 at the Nourse Theater - Hayes Street. San Francisco, CA.   

Il Volo, Italian musical trio, signing copies of Buon Natale

• 11/29/13 2:00 PM in the Rotunda - Mall of America. Bloomington, MN

Stacy Keach, star of "Mike Hammer" and "Up In Smoke", signing copies of All In All

• 11/22/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Commons Way. Calabasas, CA. 

Artie Lange, fomer Howard Stern sidekick, signing copies of Crash and Burn

• 11/19/13 7:00 PM at the Apple Store - Prince Street. New York, NY.
• 11/21/13 7:00 PM at Book Revue – New York Avenue. Huntington, NY.
• 11/29/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Eton Chagrin Blvd. Woodmere, PA.
• 12/7/13 1:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Settlers Ridge Center Drive. Pittsburgh, PA.

Kenny Loggins, rock & roller, signing copies of Frosty the Snowman

• 11/19/13 6:30 PM at Books & Greetings – Livingston Street. Northvale, NJ.
• 11/20/13 7:00 PM at Book Revue – New York Avenue. Huntington, NY.
• 11/25/13 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Third Street Promenade. Santa Monica, CA.

Demi Lovato, singer and actress, signing copies of Staying Strong

• 11/19/13 2:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA.

Gavin MacLeod, star of "The Love Boat", signing copies of This Is Your Captain Speaking

• 11/22/13 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Rosencrans Avenue. Manhattan Beach, CA.

Darren McCarty, former Detroit Red Wings star, signing copies of My Last Fight

• 12/3/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Fairlane Drive. Allen Park, MI.
• 12/4/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Washtenaw Avenue. Ann Arbor, MI.
• 12/5/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Haggerty Road. Northville, MI.
• 12/14/13 1:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - John R. Road. Troy, MI.

Joe Manganiello, star of "True Blood", signing copies of Evolution

• 12/2/13 7:00 PM at Book Revue – New York Avenue. Huntington, NY.
• 12/3/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble – Union Square. New York, NY.
• 12/6/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble – Old Orchard Center. Skokie, IL.
• 12/7/13 4:00 PM at Barnes & Noble – Settlers Ridge Center Drive, Pittsburgh, PA.

Peter Max, Pop Art icon, signing copies of The Universe of Peter Max

• 11/19/13 7:00 PM at Book Revue – New York Avenue. Huntington, NY.
• 12/3/13 7:00 PM at Bookends – East Ridgewood Avenue. Ridgewood, NJ.

Stevie Nicks, member of Fleetwood Mac, signing copies of In Your Dreams    

• 12/4/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA.

B.J. Novak, star of "The Office", signing copies of One More Thing

• 2/7/14 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble – Union Square. New York, NY.

Bobby Orr, hockey legend, signing copies of Orr: My Story

• 11/20/13 6:00 PM at the Harvard Coop - Massachusetts Avenue. Cambridge, MA.
• 11/22/13 12:30 PM at Barnes & Noble - Northshore Mall. Peabody, MA.

Sarah Palin, former Governor of Alaska, signing copies of Good Tidings and Great Joy

• 11/19/13 10:30 AM at Costco - Dallas Parkway. Plano, TX.
• 11/20/13 10:00 AM at Sam's Club - SW Loop 323. Tyler, TX.
• 11/20/13 6:00 PM at Mardel Christian - South Boulevard Street. Edmond, OK.
• 11/21/13 10:00 AM at Sam's Club - North Highway 112. Fayetteville, AR.
• 11/21/13 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Oak Park Mall. Overland Park, KS.
• 11/22/13 10:30 AM at Costco - West Dodge Road. Omaha, NE.
• 11/22/13 6:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Mall of America. Bloomington, MN. 

Jane Pauley, former host of "Today", signing copies of Your Life Calling

• 1/7/14 7:00 PM at Book Revue – New York Avenue. Huntington, NY.

Jerry Ross, space shuttle astronaut, signing copies of Spacewalker 

• 12/6/13 11:00 AM at Annette's Emporium - East Main Street. League City, TX.  

John Stockton, NBA Hall of Famer, signing copies of Assisted

• 12/8/13 Noon at Auntie's Bookstore - West Main Street. Spokane, WA

Mike Tyson, former heavyweight champion, siging copies of Undisputed Truth

• 11/26/13 7:30 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA.

Jesse Ventura, former wrestler and Governor, signing copies of They Killed Our President

• 11/22/13 7:00 PM at Barnes & Noble - Grove Drive. Los Angeles, CA.

Rob Zombie, rocker and director, signing copies of The Lords of Salem

• 11/22/13 Noon at Barnes & Noble – Woodland Mall. Grand Rapids, MI.
• 11/24/13 Noon at Barnes & Noble – Mallory Lane. Brentwood, TN.

Spotted: Jack Scalia

Is anyone else finding it ironic that, in this day and age, with each Christmas season becoming more and more commercialized, with retailers encouraging earlier and earlier shopping since the economy's been tanked, that the one holiday that's being pushed to the side -- all but becoming extinct, we're thinking -- is the holiday where we give thanks for what we've been given? Yea, that's the one we mean. Frankly, we here at BRBTV are going to keep both Thanksgiving and Black Friday sacred, so to speak -- we're going to celebrate each one on its true designated day! We shall not shop on Thanksgiving!!!! But enough of all that! What does that have to do with Jack Scalia?

We were so delighted to curl up with the 8 p.m. Eastern Hallmark Channel movie last night, because golly, somebody actually made a Thanksgiving movie. You just don't see that very often! And we adored it, really. We also adored the fact that Hallmark interrupted its regular schedule of Christmas movies to show it! Yes! There is another holiday mixed in there, between Halloween and Christmas!

This was called "The Thanksgiving House," and it's a brand-new movie. Boy, were there some goodies mixed in there. Bruce Boxleitner, a staple of Lifetime and Hallmark stuff. The onetime "Bionic Woman," Lindsay Wagner. Together those two were playing the parents of Justin Bruening of the short-lived "Knight Rider" reboot. Bruening was adorable and livelier than we'd ever seen him (including at the first-ever Knight Rider Fest in Vegas in 2009 -- see the videos on our YouTube channel). Perhaps he was just trying to make up for his costar Emily Rose, who was a stone. But then, nestled among that fab cast, was Jack Scalia, our own Nicholas Pearce / Joey-the-Mobster's-Kid of "Dallas."

Scalia was a seasoned dad in this one, most specifically, the reserved, suit-wearing, busy-exec-type dad of Rose's character, who's fighting to prevent her house from being designated a historic landmark (and a very significant one -- the site of the very first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts). There was a bit of Brooklyn in Scalia's speech (like the old days), and he was playing it detached -- rather estranged from his darling daughter. And of course, he looked great.

We've seen Scalia in a Syfy thing or two and here or there over the years. He's got another new project going on now, we see, "Becker's Farm." It was great to see him amid this fabulous cast!

"The Thanksgiving House" airs again on Hallmark this Saturday afternoon, if you want to catch it yourself.

Lynda Carter indulges Jenny McCarthy's love of "Wonder Woman" on "The View"

We've always liked Jenny McCarthy. We can't help ourselves. Ever since reviewing her quite-candid book "Jen-X" for The Detroit News way back when, BRB has had a lot of respect for this goofy sexpot. So we enjoyed it immensely when McCarthy celebrated her birthday on today's episode of ABC's "The View" by chatting with Lynda Carter of our beloved '70s "Wonder Woman" show.

McCarthy started the episode with a magical WW spin and really rocked out the WW outfit (!!! seriously, the chick doesn't age), then later, as Carter came onto the set, they chatted about that very outfit.

"I just felt so comfortable in that stupid thing!" Carter enthused."There's just such a thrill about being one of the first women to hold your own show." Then, joking about McCarthy's earlier comments on the show, "I heard you say it was a pushup bra. There was nooooo pushup bra."

The outfit evolved over the course of the show, as we know. "As a matter of fact, I asked them to take the belt out because it looked like too little -- can you believe it?" Carter said. "The sound guy, he thought it was a headband, it was the belt, he put it around his head. It was ridiculous."

Carter talked about her infamous helicopter stunt that got the show's execs peeved, and since Olivia Newton-John was also a guest on this "View" episode, a clip was shown of Carter guesting as WW on Newton-John's 1976 TV special. Precious.

"It's a phenomenon, and I love it," Carter said of the show and the icon. "It's great. I've always embraced the character. I would be miserable if I hadn't embrace her."

Carter gifted McCarthy with an authentic vintage 12" Mego Wonder Woman doll, in the box (the same doll this author still owns from her childhood! love it!).

Carter is guesting on an upcoming episode of "Two and a Half Men." "The writing is great, but boy, it was a little bit shocking to me what they wanted me to do on that show. I don't want to give it away, but there's a little cougar in there." The episode is slated to air next Thursday.

You can watch today's episode yourself on ABC's "The View" website.

Happy Halloween from BRBTV!

From our home to yours, and in honor of one of our favorite TV shows, the Scoobies of BRBTV wish you a Happy Halloween!!!!

Gavin MacLeod talks about his faith and his time on the "Love Boat"

We just love it when these fresh interviews pop up with the stars we love from classic TV. Gavin MacLeod, aka Captain Merrill Stubing of "The Love Boat," did an interview this week on Detroit's Fox 2. Jason Carr talked with MacLeod about his faith and how that related to the antics on "The Love Boat" and what kinds of roles he's chosen over the years.

MacLeod did the interview live via satellite from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, wearing his typical captain's hat and appearing to be on a boat. So in context! When asked by Carr how he has reconciled Hollywood debauchery with his faith, MacLeod said:

“I was never involved in any debauchery. That word is so repulsive to me, and I was never involved in that. Whatever kind of debauchery is seen on the ‘Love Boat,’ it was all make-believe, you know. That’s one of the few shows in Hollywood, if anybody was messing around, anybody, they weren’t doing it on the ‘Love Boat.’ For one, the guest stars were too old. We were happy they could walk. (Cut to a scene of Joan Collins of "Dynasty" walking with him on the Love Boat deck as she guest-starred in an episode!!!) You know, that’s the way that was. And, I don’t know. I thought the captain was above debauchery. I thought all the regulars, we tried to keep it a very wholesome show, as much as we could. I mean, when you compare with what’s on television today, I mean, it was innocence personified.”

Did MacLeod realize what a cultural institution "Mary Tyler Moore" was becoming when he was playing Murray on the show?

“I don’t think any of us ever realized that. We just went to work every week, and we knew we had wonderful ratings after a while, and all those Emmys coming in and things like that. But I don’t think we ever thought, even Mary, way back then, that we would have … I know we had a great deal to do with women’s lib, because she was really good for women’s liberation and everything. One of the lines, you know, ‘If I’m going to do the same job that he’s doing, why shouldn’t I make the same money that he’s making?’ Which is great. It makes sense. I think she was probably the first one to say anything like that on television. The show was written so well, you know, you had messages but you didn’t even think they were messages, you know?”

Carr also asked, with MacLeod's faith, would he consider a role with some hard-core themes?

“Let some young actor working his way up, or some older actor that hasn’t worked (do it). No, I don’t do that anymore. I’ve reached the point where I’m not really even interested in that anymore. What I’m interested in is getting the word of God out there, to get people saved. To let people know they’ve got a great choice out there, to think about eternity, not about this life we’re going through right now.”

MacLeod has a new book: “This Is Your Captain Speaking: My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith and Life.” We love MacLeod not only for "The Love Boat" but also for his episode of "Wonder Woman," 1978's "The Fine Art of Crime." And we love him even more for speaking out about his faith!

Detroit Fanfare '13: Some bits and pieces and odds and ends

We had a great time at Detroit Fanfare on Saturday, talking to folks here and there and hanging out with our friends at Big Dog Ink, home of Penny for Your Soul and the amazing "Legend of Oz: The Wicked West" series. Thanks, Tom, for the hospitality! And thanks very much to Maurice LaMarche, whom you've heard as the Brain on "Animaniacs" and "Pinky and the Brain," as well as Egon on the various "Ghostbusters" cartoons. Mr. LaMarche was kind enough to sign the beautiful replica of the Ecto car owned by Mike of Motor City Reel Rides. So super cool.

See the action below, as well as some other stuff we encountered as we walked around the show, including the convergence of two of our favorite things in the world, Batman and "The Walking Dead." We've seen Pimp Banes at these shows, we've seen Black Lantern Batmans, we've seen all kinds of character blending, and we thought we'd seen it all ...

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

Lynda Carter and others talk about the enduring legacy of "Superheroes"

It's been sitting in our DVR, and we finally took a crack at it last night -- PBS' new documentary series, "Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle." The three-episode series examines the powerful superhero genre and its legacy, as PBS' description says, and we weren't disappointed with episodes 1 and 2 that we viewed last night. Several comics industry professionals, including titans like Carmine Infantino and Stan Lee, discuss the advent of the superhero with Superman in 1938 and Batman in 1939, then the others that followed through the decades, and how their creation and their action reflected what was happening in the world around them. Lynda Carter talks about her own portrayal of Wonder Woman in the 1970s, with clips of the show. There's Joe Simon, Walt Simonson, Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Mark Waid, and many others, with actor Liev Schreiber of "Wolverine" hosting it all.

If it's too late for you to watch it on your own PBS affiliate, run, don't walk, over to PBS' website, where you can now view the three eps (for only a few days, though). Episode 3 for us tonight!

RIP, Lou Scheimer

BRBTV offers condolences to the family and friends of Lou Scheimer, who died at age 84 on Thursday. We have this Filmation Studios leader to thank for our beloved "Isis," as we'll as the fab series that preceded it on Saturday mornings in the mid-'70s, "Shazam." Deadline and the Animation Guild blog have good sum-ups on this man's impressive contributions to our pop culture.

It's a mini "Dukes" reunion in "Return of the Killer Shrews"

John ("Bo Duke") Schneider, James ("Rosco P. Coltrane") Best and Rick ("Cletus Hogg") Hurst share some good old-fashioned "Dukes of Hazzard" humor in their new movie, "Return of the Killer Shrews," from Best's company Best Friends Films.

Learn more about the film at JamesBest.com.

Check out this amazing win for a "Wonder Woman" fan!

It's truly an amazing Wonder Woman costume inspired by the first season of the 1970s TV series starring Lynda Carter, and it was won by a guy who has a vested interest, for sure. He's the artist who crafted the cover of BRBTV's "Superchicks" book on the "Wonder Woman" and "Isis" TV series, and he's an avid "Wonder Woman" fan. Yep, it's Dale Cuthbertson who won this lovely item ...

This Wonder-ful outfit is by costume-maker Gregory Maraio. He's also done replicas of the duds worn by all three Catwomen of the 1960s "Batman" series, as well as Yvonne Craig's Batgirl outfit and others in the DC Universe like Debra Winger's Wonder Girl and Alicia Silverstone's (unfortunately blond) Batgirl from the '90s Batman movie franchise. We're very impressed by them all.

The Wonder Woman costume giveaway was part of the effort to get Lynda Carter on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars. See the Facebook page for more info.

Cuthbertson, meanwhile, has designed not only the "Superchicks" book cover but also the recently re-released "Dynasty High" cover, and others to come! This guy's got talent! And he says that Maraio also made for him the Wonder Woman bracelets, tiara and belt that go with this outfit.

The cape was not included in the above prize, so it's just down to that and the boots and he's got something very rare and cool!!!!

Who's working in soaps these days

We've blogged here before about how the modern TV soaps are keeping the stars of our beloved classic TV shows employed.  Right now, for instance, we're thoroughly enjoying what "General Hospital" is serving up for its 50th anniversary. They're bringing everybody out of the woodwork and back onto the set. Take Emma Samms, who was the second Fallon Carrington of "Dynasty," but before that was the one and only Holly Sutton/Scorpio of "GH." She looks just lovely reprising her role. Nancy Lee Grahn, our own Julia Wainwright of "Santa Barbara," is holding steady as Alexis Davis, a "GH" role she's had for quite a few years, since 1996 (just a few years after "SB" went off the air). Robin Mattson, whom we know as Gina Capwell on "SB," is wonderfully unstable back in her "GH" role as Heather Webber, looking good also. Then there's Kin Shriner, Tony Geary, Genie Francis, John J. York, Finola Hughes, Kristina Wagner ... wow, what a reunion they've been serving up. We miss the "real" Franco, though. Meow!!! But we're loving the intrigue right now with Maxie's baby and Spinelli.

Hop on over to "Days of Our Lives," and there's Eileen Davidson, whom we know as the last Kelly Capwell on "SB" and who we swear hasn't aged a day. How do they do that??? She's as biting as ever as Kristen. We love seeing Ralph Waite of "The Waltons" as a priest (loved him as Booth's dad on "Bones," too!!!!).

Then, on "The Young and the Restless," we have sweet Daisy Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard," Catherine Bach. She's playing Anita Lawson, Chelsea's mom who's trying to make up for being a not-so-good mom. Daisy not a good mom? We can't picture it. We're still liking seeing her in daytime, though. And we have to admit we're all-signed-on to Nikki's search for her lost baby. While we don't usually cotton to the whole bring-an-unknown-baby-out-of-the-woodwork ploy, it's been interesting ... And since we're a big fan of continuity, we love that Nikki and Victor are still played by the actors who had those roles for so many years.

Meanwhile, in primetime, you can look for Jack Coleman, our own second Steven Carrington of "Dynasty," in "Scandal" this season. TV Guide says Coleman has been cast in a recurring role for which few details are being released right now. "Scandal" returns Thursday, October 3 at 10 p.m. Eastern on ABC.

An avid "Dynasty" collector shares his story -- and his photos!

When you love classic TV shows like we do, it can certainly add to the love to collect items that celebrate the show. Take "The Dukes of Hazzard," for instance, and the zillions of items lining store shelves over the years celebrating that show. For a show like, "Dynasty," though, the licensed collectibles have been not quite so abundant. Perhaps that makes them even more of a treasure. And the wonderfully rare items that were actually used in the production of the series that pop up on sites such as eBay? Precious!

As an avid “Dynasty” fan, Bjørn Erik, 43, of Norway has quite the dream collection. BRBTV recently quizzed him a bit via email about his treasures, and here's what we learned ...

When did you first start collecting “Dynasty” items?
“It was in 1983, after the show started airing here. It was mostly clippings, a paperback came out in Norwegian, then the Carrington biography in an international bookstore. I also got a nice letter and signed photos from John Forsythe and Linda Evans, it was a huge deal; brought it to school, as well. ;) That was about it. Then in later years I was offered some props and costumes on eBay, nothing major, but I bought what I found, and never really thought I’d end up with any of the good stuff.”

“Now, of course, I own a stunning Nolan Miller gown Alexis wore in several episodes, a nightgown worn by both Krystle and Sable on ‘The Colbys,’ stationery from Colbyco, a magazine Alexis throws on the fire when Blake is running for governor, etc. ... I have a PSM version of Fallon’s oil painting, hats and tons of jewelry and other costumes from the show. My favourite piece is the emerald necklace Dex gives Alexis, featured in several episodes. I like to collect the stuff that was important storywise as well as being beautiful items. My latest find is the earrings Amanda wears in the Moldavian royal wedding massacre. Cool to have. ;)”

How do you find your “Dynasty” collectibles, typically?
“I found stuff on eBay, but the best stuff comes from other collectors. Have come in touch with some personal assistants that were very helpful, and now I even chat with some of the show’s cast on Facebook. All of this is keeping the magic alive for me. ;)”

What item from the show are you on the lookout for, that you haven’t found yet?
“Alexis’ ruby necklace from when she is arrested, (I have the earrings ), Fallon’s red dress (outbid at auction a few years back when several Nolan Miller gowns went for next to nothing on an online auction. Guess they didn’t see the DVD sales coming ...) I’d like Alexis’ mirror Rashid Ahmed gave her, several outfits and props. But I got my favourite Alexis dress, some amazing props and jewelry, so even if I don’t find anything else, I have a stunning collection that gives me lots of joy. Some collect stamps; I collect ‘Dynasty.’”

Do you have other “Dynasty”-themed items that aren’t actually screen-used (collector plates, etc.)?
“Well, it’s easier to list what I don't have. ;) I have the dolls, the plates, the lunchbox, all the autographs, photos, posters, the calendars, the board games, the pens, the mugs, the puzzles, the books, etc., etc. Of course, most of this has been bought in later years; there was nothing available to us when it was actually on the air.”

Did you watch the show when it originally aired?
“Yes, I did. The show started airing in Norway in 1983. I was 13. The country had one national TV station, and ‘Dynasty’ was the first ever soap opera aired in Norway. We had, of course, series on television, usually gritty BBC series about Welsh coalminers. There was no glamour on TV; the most we had was the yearly 50-minute edit of the Academy Awards. Soon ‘Dynasty’ would be there once a week, giving glam-starved Norwegians a luxury overdose. At the time, Norway was a rather poor country, just starting to drill for oil in the North Sea. Today, the country is one of the richest in the world. A survey in August 1983 showed that 45 percent of the Norwegian population was following the series regularly, while 31 percent saw it once in a while. 24 percent responded that they used to watch. The same survey showed that those who used to watch the series were largely people who normally don’t watch TV much.”

“Fun fact: The scenes from Moldavia were actually preceded by a stock photo image from Ulvik in Hardanger.

“What the Norwegian wikipedia says about ‘Dynasty’ in Norway, in my slight rewrite and some added facts (from http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynastiet):
“’”Dynasty” was in the early years very controversial in Norway. Stein-Roger Bull, who was the entertainment manager at NRK, the country’s only television station at the time, said that “there was a fierce dispute within the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation after the film department refused to buy “Dallas.” He describes the process as a painful generational battle and further describes that “when NRK was offered ‘Dynasty’ I said clearly that my department was going to buy the series if they did not do it.” “Dynasty” helped to make the Norwegian broadcasting ready for the competitive situation that may arise with more channels, says Bull.

“’On the evening news TV boss Otto Nes had to defend that he had yielded to “the people” to show the series. It was Jon Michelet who was the strongest opponent of the series. He was at the time a member of the Broadcasting Council and wanted the series, which he described as “smooth, speculative and cynical,” off the air. After a debate with magazine editor Knut Haavik, he was accused of being worse than Hitler. Despite his opposition to the series, it didn’t stop Michelet from traveling to the United States in 1985 to interview Pamela Sue Martin, who played the character Fallon. Michelet was at that time known as the leading “Dynasty”-hater. Rolf Wesenlund, a well-known actor, defended the series with a full-page article in the biggest newspaper. Featured politicians stamped Krystle as designing and Blake as a psychopath. Christian people were deeply concerned, as support for churches and chapels sank. The TV station's switchboard almost melted, recalls Berit Rinnan, who worked at NRK as “Dynasty” went on the air. Such a debate has never seen its equal in any other country, says Rinnan.'"

“’The series also received tremendous popularity in Christian circles, says media researcher Jostein Gripsrud. Gripsrud thinks this was because the series was chock-full of moral dilemmas. Gripsrud released a book about the series called “The Dynasty Years.” The fan club “Dynasty friends” was formed by father of three and driving school teacher Freddy Andersen from Haugesund. And on March 16, 1984, there was a crisis when a local TV transmitter fell out after a power failure. The broadcasting company had no choice but to rerun the episode, an unprecedented move by strong demand from the people. It was unpopular to work evening shifts on Wednesdays in Norway when the series was at its most popular. Few wanted to miss an episode and video recorders were few at the time. Some dressed up in formal wear to watch an episode. It was also claimed that some chapels had to reschedule their meetings from Wednesday to another day , simply because people did not come. All the fuss about “Dynasty” has been called the century’s biggest cultural debate in Norway, and the series is considered to be the TV program that has affected the Norwegian society the most. The series was also helping to usher the yuppie era in Norway.’

“The series was taken off the air, to give room for ‘Falcon Crest’ in its slot, and the two series would alternate. A shrewd business man bought the rights to ‘Dynasty’ and made it available to subscribe to video rental. I did this, and it was the direct reason I bought my first VCR player, at 15 years old. It also brought Gordon Thompson to Norway, to make an appearance he thought would be quite standard. Instead, he met an audience of over 2,000 people gathered to see him basically say hello. He seemed stunned, and I was there of course. ;)”

  
Who’s your favorite “Dynasty” character?
“Alexis, of course. The show wasn’t really anything until she came aboard. But I liked Dex, Dominique, all the characters with some bite. The goodie-two-shoes was never my thing.”

Is there a certain storyline on “Dynasty” that you would’ve changed if you would’ve been one of the show’s writers?
“Several! The whole Moldavia aftermath, Krystle’s double Rita, the UFO, new Fallon’s entrance to the show should have been written better, and the departure of Amanda, Dominique and other key characters. The show was actually getting better in its last season storywise, but by then it was too late for the ratings, I guess. And the ‘Reunion’ was horrible! Whoever wrote that couldn’t have been watching the show in the past. It was all let down terribly in the end, but when it was good, it was REALLY good. ;)”

Many thanks to Bjørn for sharing his story!

Photos courtesy of Bjørn Erik; please do not copy without permission.

Second Amazicon set for April

The dates are April 4, 5 and 6, 2014. And the thing is the return of Amazicon.

"For those who supported us, we thank you and we are looking forward to your return," the email reads. "For those who missed our first convention, we would love for you to be part of Amazicon Strikes Back 2. Tickets and vendor tables are now on sale."

There are some classic TV goodies, such as star car replicas from "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Starsky and Hutch" and "Knight Rider," as well as other actors from classic TV and film. Coolness. And hey, we recognize that Jeremy Ambler of "The Walking Dead" -- we had the pleasure of meeting him at a "Dukes" event a few years back, Jon Holland's tour of "Dukes" filming sites in Georgia. So fab that he's on the "Dead"! Best wishes to him!