The Hall of Heroes Museum covers every angle of the classic American superhero

Elkhart, Indiana, a small town near the state's northern border, provides the setting for a museum of all things superhero. It is an unsuspecting place, for sure, amid the snow of a Midwestern winter and the quiet of a Sunday afternoon, but full of all kinds of comic book delights. From the Batman costume Adam West (really) wore for personal appearances in the '70s to the familiar red costume worn by William Katt of "The Greatest American Hero" to any kind of action figure you can possibly name, the Hall of Heroes Museum has quite a collection. Even a couple star vehicles -- the actual motorcycle used in "Ghost Rider," and the "Iron Man" 1965 Shelby Cobra donated by Richard Rawlings of "Fast N' Loud."

Allen Stewart is the proprietor of this fine establishment, and he's more than happy to chat as you visit. He's been featured on several TV shows, besides "Fast N' Loud." The outside of the building, as you can see below, is a tribute to the Hall of Justice on "The Super Friends." There's all kinds of other TV-related stuff here. We just couldn't help but share, after a nice drive there yesterday ...

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

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Terrific TV Toys: Christmas episode, part 2 -- Snoopy UNO card set

Skip, Reverse, Draw Two ... We know the familiar trappings of the all-American UNO game. And in recent years, there are tons of themed UNO sets out there, everything from "Frozen" to "Star Trek" to Barbie and beyond. This week on Terrific TV Toys, we look at a themed UNO deck in a very special case that serves as the second part of a two-part Christmas episode this year. It's a delightful doghouse, decorated for Christmas, of course, with cards bearing Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the whole gang. Adorable!

Terrific TV Toys: Batgirl figures from "The Batman" by Mattel

It was a jazzy new take on Batman for its time, a further evolution stemming from "Batman: The Animated Series" of the '90s. It was "The Batman," even flavored with an anime feel as it aired for five seasons beginning in fall 2004. This series introduced the Batgirl character before it even introduced Robin, and here Babsy was a cute little teeny-bopper, ever the idealist, determined to fight crime like the Batman. Can you believe she was pals with Pammie Isley, aka Poison Ivy?

Mattel released a rather large line of figures and accessories for "The Batman" while it was originally airing, and from that two versions of Batgirl arose. We look at those two figures, along with an accessory or two dug out of a storage box, in this week's episode of Terrific TV Toys. It's a fitting end to a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Barbara Gordon Batgirl, as it's the most modern version that we've taken a look at on the show.

John Schneider's appearance schedule includes a "Yee-haa" and an Extravaganza

Thanks to Phyllis for the update on John Schneider, our own Bo Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard" ...

BLACK FRIDAY sale at John's Studio Store! Type cnh320 in the coupon code box and receive 15% off your order!

January 9 - "The Haves and the Have Nots" returns to OWN at 9 p.m. Eastern / 8 Central.

Here is John's updated appearance list:

December 9 - YEEHAA event at John Schneider Studios in Holden, Louisiana. Ruth Buzzi will be the special guest. Get your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/yee-haa-tickets-39879419417?aff=efbeventtix&utm_term=eventurl_text.

January 6 - Opry at the Ryman John will be in concert at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. Get your tickets at https://www.opry.com/calendar/opry-ryman-sat-6-jan.

April 7-8 - Bo's Extravaganza at John Schneider Studios in Holden, Louisiana. Get your early bird tickets now as prices will increase closer to the date of the event. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bos-extravaganza-tickets-39164299474?aff=erelpanelorg.

Please remember if you want to give John a Christmas present this year do one of these two things:

1. Mail items from John's career to John, as they will be put on display in a museum to be made in the house where his mom lived on the studio grounds:

John Schneider
8322 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, LA 70809

2. Go to John's Studio Store and purchase at least one item. Your support of John will be your gift to him. www.johnschneiderstudios.com. Remember if you do that now you can get 15% off your order by typing cnh320 in the coupon code box.

Terrific TV Toys: Christmas episode, part 1 -- Snoopy Hallmark ornament

Christmas time is here ... happiness and cheer ... We've got not one but two Christmas episodes comin' at ya on Terrific TV Toys -- or is that two parts of the same Christmas episode? At any rate, one part is below, dropped today on the BRBTV channel, then you'll see the second part in a couple weeks.

Didn't you just love that moment in the classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas" TV special when the kids realize that Charlie Brown's crazy beagle won the decorating contest with his garish doghouse????

TV-related toys abound at Kalamazoo toy show

It was the fourth year in a row for this author to attend the annual Thanksgiving weekend toy show at the fairgrounds in Kalamazoo, Michigan. And amid the fun time spent with friends, this big, big show did not disappoint. I always like to note the stuff related to great classic television shows, so here goes ... this time "The Flintstones," "The Monkees," "Starsky and Hutch," "Mork and Mindy" and much more ...

And just how often would you ever see a board game for the short-lived but still well-remembered Saturday-morning "Electra Woman and DynaGirl" show????

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

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Terrific TV Toys: "Charlie's Angels" doll fashion tote by Hasbro

I can't help it -- when I think 1970s, I think great (and sometimes crazy) fashion. And "Charlie's Angels" had it all -- bell bottoms, turtlenecks, sharp three-piece suits all points and all (that was Kate Jackson), and so much more. But just where did the gals keep all those great fashions? That's the question we seek to answer on this week's episode of Terrific TV Toys. Just check out this cool plastic fashion tote -- holding a couple dolls and a couple great '70s fashions, perhaps? You saw a lot of those fashions on a prior episode of T3.

And BTW, the purchase of these three "Charlie's Angels" dolls and fashion doll was precipitated by the purchase of a certain other item of a vehicular nature ... see the October 13 post ...


 

Still living in the "Land of the Lost"

By Brian Lombard

In 1974, producers Sid and Marty Krofft launched their latest Saturday morning live-action TV series “Land of the Lost.” Unlike their earlier shows, including “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Lidsville,” the series employed a stable of professional science-fiction writers, creating a series that was often deemed too smart for Saturday morning. Helmed by David Gerrold, the writer who cut his teeth on “Star Trek,” the team included such notables as Ben Bova, Larry Niven, and D.C. Fontana.

This level of care and attention that was given to the series has contributed to its longevity. Forty years later, the series continues to be popular, with weekly airings on MeTV, DVD and video releases, and a 2009 movie adaptation starring Will Ferrell (which original fans steered clear of). Not bad for a mere 43 half-hour episodes.

During its first two seasons, the series starred Spencer Milligan as Rick Marshall, a park ranger from California. Rick’s two children were played by Wesley Eure as Will and Kathy Coleman as Holly.  There were also a series of recurring characters, including Cha-Ka, a pakuni “ape boy” played by Philip Paley, and Enik the Altrusian, played by veteran character actor Walker Edmiston. 

Wesley Eure, Brian Lombard, Kathy Coleman, and Philip Paley at Chiller, spring 2015.

Before the third and final season began, however, Milligan quit the series when a dispute over merchandising royalties could not be resolved. He was replaced in the cast by “Planet of the Apes” actor Ron Harper as Will and Holly’s Uncle Jack.

Today, Eure, Coleman, and Paley are regulars on the convention circuit, frequenting the annual "Star Trek" convention in Las Vegas and the bi-annual Chiller Theatre convention in New Jersey, among others. The three have remained very close through the years, which becomes clear during their panel discussions.

Cha-Ka, Will and Holly sing the “Land of the Lost” theme song in a panel discussion.

They’ve also gone all-out to please their fans. Eure commissioned an artist to create a replica of one of the show’s more famous props – a Sleestak skull. As “Land of the Lost” fans know, the Sleestaks were the lizard-like humanoid adversaries of the Marshall family, who gained wisdom and knowledge in their library of skulls. The Sleestaks were in fact the barbaric descendants of Enik’s Altrusian race.

Sleestak skull replicas on display at Chiller, October 2017.

The first time I got to meet them was at Chiller’s spring 2015 event. The trio were very approachable and appreciative of their fans. 

For 2017, the trio had two new additions to their presentation. The first is a yellow, inflatable raft in which they invite fans to sit and pose for photos. It pays tribute to the show’s opening credits, which depicts the Marshall family on a less-than routine expedition.

The Marshall Family as shown during the opening credits.

The other addition is much more significant to die-hard fans: the original Enik costume as worn on the show. The piece was bought by private collector Keir Neubauer in 1998, who later had it restored and refurbished. Neubauer takes great delight in discussing the piece with fans, and allowing them to take photos for a nominal fee.

Brian Lombard poses with the restored Enik costume at Chiller, October 2017.

Beyond conventions, the trio have taken other avenues to capitalize on their success. In 2014, Coleman released her autobiography “Lost Girl,” which has since been rebranded as “Run, Holly,Run!: A Memoir by Holly from 1970s TV Classic Land of the Lost.” The book talks of her early rise to fame, her even earlier marriage and subsequent divorce, and the pain of substance abuse.  Fans looking for inside info on the series itself may not get what they’re looking for here, so your best bet for series gossip is to attend a convention.

While filming “Land of the Lost,” Eure was simultaneously starring on the NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” appearing as the original Mike Horton. He spent nine years on the series before being let go in 1981, when rumors of his sexual orientation overshadowed his success on the show.  Remember, this was 1981.

Wesley Eure as Dr. Michael Horton, 1981.

Since then, Eure has co-created a children’s series for PBS entitled “Dragon Tales,” and also published two children’s novels, “A Fish Out of Water” and “The Red Wings of Christmas.”

Paley went to law school, later served with a firm in Santa Monica, and now runs his own litigation and technology firm in L.A. These traits served him well in the late 1990s, when Rodney Shepperd, guitarist for the band Sugar Ray, publicly claimed that he had played the young pakuni. Paley took litigation against the band, who later issued a public apology.

Spencer Milligan, the show’s original patriarch, found modest work in the industry before leaving Hollywood for good. He now resides in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where he's active in directing local theatre and shuns the Hollywood spotlight. In 2009, he gave a rare interview preceding the Universal theatrical release, declaring that while he enjoyed working with the kids, for him, the series is deeply set in his past.

Walker Edmiston (below) continued to do voice-over work and guest star spots throughout the 1970s and up until the early 2000s. The next time you happen across the 1977 classic “Smokey and the Bandit,” pay attention every time you hear a police officer speaking on a CB. No matter which state, no matter which character, they were all done by Edmiston, except of course, for Jackie Gleason. 

His notable cartoon work during these years included “The Transformers,” “Adventures of the Gummi Bears” and “Jem.”  Edmiston died in 2007, and was interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Walker Edmiston, 1926-2007.

 

Interested in owning your own Sleestak prop replica?  Visit www.lucasfrancisstudio.com for ordering information.

 
An avid fan of classic television, Brian Lombard is the author of "Bradypalooza: The Unauthorized Guide to TV's Favorite Family." See his other BRBTV News Blog posts on film site Franklin Canyon Park, the grave of Esther Rolle of "Good Times," Charles Cyphers, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Haskins, and several other "Dukes of Hazzard" costars.

Terrific TV Toys: Batgirl figures by Mattel

They're small slim girls, ready to knock out the bad guys! They're two Batgirl figures from Mattel's collection celebrating "Batman: The Animated Series" and "The New Batman Adventures." One is donned in the traditional black leotard of "TNBA," and the other has a silver twist. Annnnddddd ... there's a special bonus figure thrown into this week's episode of Terrific TV Toys -- can you guess who that is? We'll give you a hint ... she's female ...

More TV-related toys show up at your friendly neighborhood Elks Hall

Every time you go to one of those little toy shows at the neighborhood Elks Hall, you can find treasures related to great classic TV shows. This past weekend's show in Royal Oak, Michigan, was no exception. What it lacked in volume it made up for, for the most part, in intrigue. Take the "Welcome Back, Kotter" goodie below. If only it were the 25 cents marked on the box! Evidently that one was a nice little garage sale find the vendor was trying to turn around.

Then we go and spot a Cher dressing room just like what you got to see in the S2E10 of Terrific TV Toys, as well as a Sonny doll and Cher doll, below.

"Dukes of Hazzard" wallet? Precious!

We've been talking a lot on the Terrific TV Toys series about "Batman: The Animated Series," especially since the popular '90s show just had a silver anniversary. There are a ton of figures out there from the series, and above is a couple of carrying cases for them.

Not TV, but still so cool: I've seen this Emerald City playset by Mego a few times at local toy shows, and I'm always tempted by it. I have the set of Wizard of Oz figures, except for the Wicked Witch and the Wizard. The vendor was asking $140 for the whole set, including the four figures in box (the top two were Dorothys). The playset was just missing the yellow brick road, but did have the crystal ball / globe, which is evidently pretty rare.

And here are a couple more dolls this author also has from her childhood ... Mego's 12-inch Farrah Fawcett (wearing a vintage '70s Barbie dress), as well as the Darci doll by Kenner. They were marked $55 each.

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

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Terrific TV Toys: "Star Trek" claw-game plush, part 2

Last week you saw five "Star Trek" plush crew members from the original 1960s series, part of a set by Toy Factory from 2013, and rescued out of the claw games at the grocery store or mall in that same year. This week we continue that story with the other four members of that crew, including two characters from "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Remember this star car on classic TV?

Behold the latest acquisition, arriving just last weekend, to a large collection of star cars located in particular place in Metro Detroit ... Do you perchance recall seeing this beauty on 1970s television? And do you remember the beauty driving it? There's a big hint in the photos below, in a doll that you've seen on a previous episode of the Terrific TV Toys web series ...

 

 

Yes, it's the 1976 Ford Mustang Cobra II that Farrah Fawcett drove as Jill Munroe on "Charlie's Angels," first airing in 1976. You'll see that it's in pretty good condition and has some nice touches throughout, particular in its Cobra imagery ...

 

This car is going to get a little TLC, then you'll be seeing it at car shows in Metro Detroit soon, along with other star cars like the General Lee, KITT, Monkeemobile, A-Team van and all that jazz!

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV, and Mike

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Does the new "Dynasty" delight? Dare I say ... sure.

Say what you want -- I'm signed on. The CW's "Dynasty" remake premiered last night, and in the first few minutes, the word that came to this author's mind was sassy. It's a sassier, smoother version of the original, with all the updated production values you'd expect from the three additional decades of technological advancement. And that sass -- did we mention that sass? Is it a parody? Hmmm. So then the kicker line of Blake's, at the tail end of the opening, brought another word to mind ... outrageous. It's a bit outrageous. It doesn't care if it's funny. It doesn't care if it's serious. It doesn't freakin' care what it is and how you take it. It just is. That's the impression I was left with.

Elizabeth Gillies as Fallon is in full command, as we would expect and hope. No disappointment there. My favorite thing, though, by far, was seeing Nick Wechsler as Matthew Blaisdel. He rocked big and wide on "Revenge," which some have compared to a modern "Dynasty," and I loved him on "Roswell" back in the early 2000s. Great actor who's a fine match to the original Matthew, Bo Hopkins. Grant Show is quite a different brand of Blake, but we'll see how that goes. Just being a "Melrose" alum rates him high in this soap fan's book. He's getting on in years now, but still so smokin' hot. And then they throw in a new but still much-put-upon Joseph. Nice, and nicely played by Alan Dale. The new Jeff Colby, Sam Adegoke, and his sis on the show provide a fine addition of color. Much needed.

Last night's pilot basically recreated the events of the original "Dynasty" pilot, with some twisting. I'm assuming there will be divergence in plot lines as the episodes progress? I really didn't read much of anything at all online about this series, because I wanted to discover it as it went along, just like with the original. And yes, you'll eventually be seeing an update to the Kindle version of "Dynasty High," because I'm just plain addicted to this stuff.

So yea ... now we just await ... ALEXIS. Bring 'er on.

Terrific TV Toys: "Star Trek" claw-game plush, part 1

Ever play those crane games, or claw games, at the grocery store or mall? You know, where you put a couple quarters in and guide the mechanical claw over to the toy of your choice? You've seen quite a few claw-game prizes on past episodes of Terrific TV Toys (namely, stuffed Scoobies!), but this week, we turn our focus to one half of a full set of larger "Star Trek" plush. The set of nine was released into the claw games in 2013 by Toy Factory. In this episode and next week's episode, you'll even get some fun shots of their captures (and attempted captures)!



Stay tuned next week, when you'll see the other four plush in the set.

Terrific TV Toys: Batgirl 1960s figure by Funko

The merchandise for the 1966 "Batman" TV series keeps streaming onto store shelves and into online carts, and this summer Funko released yet another Batgirl figure celebrating Yvonne Craig's portrayal of the iconic character. This one is small -- only 3 or 4 inches high. Looking at it, though, I love to think about the influence of that purple sparkly Batgirl costume in other incarnations of the character in comics and TV shows over the decades, so let's talk about that a bit, shall we?

"Star Trek," "A-Team," Fonzie and more at the Flat Rock Speedway yesterday

It's a show so big it's quite overwhelming, and it happens once a year around the track. It's the Flat Rock Speedway flea market, just downriver from Detroit, and it was yesterday. It's friggin' hard to leave that place without some kind of purchase, and we really didn't see anybody who did so. In fact, a lot of the items carried out were bigger in size. Anyway, this author found a few treasures, including a metal '80s "A-Team" copter with three figures inside for Mike, honorary procurement chief at BRBTV (nice to procure something for him once in a while). We saw some other stuff related to great classic TV shows that was just as tempting ...

These photos were all from the same booth, and believe me, this vendor loved "Star Trek." There were all kinds of great "Trek" things, as well as a nice overall Mego collection.

Until next year!

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand