Terrific TV Toys: '66 Egghead figure by Figures Toy Co.

It's a most egg-citing week here at Terrific TV Toys. We have egg-cellent subject matter: the rather egg-centric Egghead, as portrayed by the egg-ceptional Vincent Price on the 1960s "Batman" TV series!!! Join BRB as she egg-xamines this egg-white-and-egg-yellow-clad action figure from Figures Toy Co,, the final figure in their Series 2 for the beloved Bat-show. Egghead was such an interesting villainous role for this late master of the horror genre! Such a strange egg! Does the face of this figure look like Mr. Price? We'll leave that to your egg-le eye to decide ...



After this, we'll take a break from the '66 "Batman" figures for a couple episodes, then return in full force! We've still got quite a few to feature!

Dennis Haskins talks "Dukes of Hazzard" at New Jersey appearance

Special thanks to fellow author Brian Lombard, once again, for this great report from the field ..
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This past weekend saw the return of the Chiller Convention to Parsippany, New Jersey. The stars always come out in full force for this event, and this weekend was no exception.

As with most Chillers, I always look for actors who might have spent some time in Hazzard County. This go-round there was only one to be found, Dennis Haskins. Haskins will always be known primarily for his role as Mr. Belding in the long-running NBC series "Saved by the Bell," a role that he admits would not have been possible were it not for "The Dukes of Hazzard," a show he became involved with during its initial production in Conyers, Georgia. Eagle-eyed fans will remember Haskins from the premiere episode “One Armed Bandits,” in which he played Moss, a customer at the Boar’s Nest who got a little too friendly with barmaid Daisy.

A native of nearby Chattanooga, Haskins (shown above left, with Brian Lombard) was heavily involved in music promotion and management prior to becoming an actor.

“I was working for Greg Allman at the time and somebody suggested that I go audition for the part,” Haskins said of his first entry into the "Dukes" universe. “After doing the pilot, I decided to move to Hollywood and become an actor full-time.”

After moving west, Haskins would make two additional appearances on the series, which itself had just relocated from Georgia. He played a barbershop customer whose car is stolen in “The Late J.D. Hogg,” then later played one of the visiting heavies in “Cale Yarborough Comes to Hazzard” (shown below, with fellow actor Al White).

“That was fun, chasing Cale around. Being from the South, I was a big fan of his.”

Those parts would lead to others, which would eventually lead to his being cast as Mr. Belding, in "Saved by the Bell"’s first incarnation, "Good Morning, Miss Bliss."  Though it would be retooled into "Saved by the Bell," Haskins remained the only adult actor in the cast to survive the transition. And once the cast of teens graduated fictitious Bayside High, Haskins would remain as principal for several seasons of "Saved by the Bell: The New Class."

“All possible because of Dukes,” Haskins admits.

***

Brian Lombard is an avid fan of classic TV, and the author of the "Bradypalooza" guide to "The Brady Bunch."

Photos courtesy of Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission.

John Schneider travels to New Mexico and Tennessee to meet fans in the coming months

Thanks to Phyllis for passing along the latest appearances for John ("Bo Duke") Schneider of "The Dukes of Hazzard" ...

Personal Appearances

• John will be meeting fans at the Galactic Sushi at 4311 N. Main St., Ste C, in Roswell, NM, on May 21 at 3 p.m.
• John will meet fans at the FanBoy Expo Comic Con in Knoxville, TN, on June 24-26. He'll be joined by "Dukes" castmates Tom Wopat and Catherine Bach (thanks, Jason!). For more information go to http://fanboyexpo.com/knoxville/.

TV

• "The Have and the Have Nots" will air the second half of Season 4 beginning June 21 on OWN at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central. Schneider plays Judge Cryer on the series.

(Frankly, BRBTV will be tuned in to "The Haves and the Have Nots" as usual, because the Hanna character is simply one of the best characters on television right now, hands-down!)

Terrific TV Toys: '66 Penguin figure by Figures Toy Co.

That Penguin sure was a dastardly one, on the 1966 "Batman" TV series, as played by the amazing Burgess Meredith. With his "wat-wat-wat" and his thin cigarette holder, he really defined how we thought of this mainstay Batman villain. This week's episode of the Terrific TV Toys series continues the Bat-Blitz of 2016 with the seventh figure released by Figures Toy Co. commemorating the '60s series ...



And as a special bonus, you'll see not one but two Penguin figures in this episode -- check out the Hasbro figure from several years ago, as a portly contrast!

Terrific TV Toys: '66 Dick Grayson figure by Figures Toy Co.

Next up on the Terrific TV Toys series, it's the alter ego of Robin, that youthful ward, Dick Grayson, as played by Burt Ward on the 1960s "Batman" TV series. Clad in his cute little Robin-red sweater, he's a nice addition to the set by Figures Toy Co.

Terrific TV Toys: '66 Bruce Wayne figure by Figures Toy Co.

Clad is a nice, sedated, dark-blue business suit, it's Bruce Wayne in this week's episode of Terrific TV Toys. As played by Adam West in the 1966 "Batman" live-action TV series, Bruce Wayne was the more reserved (and a bit playboy, we guess, in this incarnation) version of our Caped Crusader. The Bat-Blitz of 2016 continues with part 5 ...



Next week: Dick Grayson!

It's the best of Bat-reunions at this year's Motor City Comic Con

BRBTV passes along this press release from the folks at the Motor City Comic Con, listing out everybody who's anybody on the guest list. We always love covering this fab show ....

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NOVI, MI – “C’mon Batman – There’s not a moment to lose…”. The excitement has been building and Motor City Comic Con 2016 is announcing a new cast of comic and media guests for its 27th annual, three-day comic con and has opened ticket sales online. Michigan’s number one pop culture event will toast the 50th anniversary of "Batman" with stars from the original cast in their last year of appearances before they hang up their capes. The weekend event will feature stars from popular television series and films like "Doctor Who," "Game of Thrones," "The Walking Dead," "Gotham," "The X-Files," "Monty Python," "The Hobbit," and many more. “Holy smokes, Batman.” This year’s Motor City Comic Con will take place Friday, May 13 (12:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.), Saturday, May 14 (10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and Sunday, May 15 (10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the Suburban Collection Showplace, located at 46100 Grand River Avenue in Novi. Complete information about the event, tickets, panels and VIP passes is available at http://www.motorcitycomiccon.com/.

The weekend event features more than 300 creators, writers, illustrators and actors who will greet the fans, sign autographs, take pictures, and provide panels and Q and A discussions, while many super fans are dressed in their pop culture best. A popular event is Saturday’s cosplay contest where a mix of celebrity judges determine the best costume winners, presenting prizes and gift packages. Motor City Comic Con’s annual Saturday night bash celebrates comic con weekend with entertainment and refreshments for the public. Sunday is Kid’s Day featuring kid-friendly activities.

Hot off the Gotham Globe press, some of this year’s Motor City Comic Con guest announcements:

• Adam West: Known as the original Batman from the classic television series, his film, television, character, voice, and stage actor career spans over six decades, making nearly 50 movies. West is the author of "Back to the Batcave" and "Climbing the Walls."
• Burt Ward: Known as the original Robin from the classic television series and "Batman: The Movie" (1966), Ward wrote the tell-all autobiography "Boy Wonder: My Life in Tights," and continues to appear in numerous reunions with co-star Adam West.
• Lena Headey: The English actress is best known for her role as Cersei Lannister on HBO’s "Game of Thrones." Other appearances include: "The Purge," "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," "Dredd," "300," and more.
• Billie Piper: The UK singer, dancer and television star is best known for her role as Rose Tyler in "Doctor Who." Piper can also be seen on "Penny Dreadful." Other television film roles include "The Ruby in the Smoke," and "The Shadow in the North," and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl."
• Holland Roden: Known as Lydia Martin on MTV’s "Teen Wolf" and as Emily Locke on "Lost." Other appearances include "Weeds," "Bring It On: Fight to the Finish," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Cold Case," "Community," and "Criminal Minds."
• Tara Reid: Best known for her roles in "American Pie," "The Big Lebowski," "Josie and the Pussycats," "National Lampoon’s Van Wilder," "My Boss’s Daughter," and SyFy’s "Sharknado."
• Elden Henson: Actor best known for playing Matt Murdock’s partner and best friend, Foggy Nelson, in Marvel’s "Daredevil" Netflix series, Fulton Reed in the Mighty Ducks trilogy, and Pollux in "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay" Part 1 and 2.
• The Four Horsemen: A rare reunion after 15 years of the greatest wrestling faction of all time. Professional wrestlers Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Tully Blanchard, Barry Windham and manager JJ Dillion were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2012.
• Michael Nesmith: An American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, Nesmith is best known as a member of the pop rock band The Monkees and co-star of the TV series "The Monkees" (1966-1968). This year marks the 50th anniversary of the show.
• Michael Cudlitz: Known as Abraham Ford on AMC’s "The Walking Dead." He played John Cooper in series "Southland," and has appeared in more than 20 films and television series such as "Prison Break," "Lost," "The Dark Tourist," "Surrogates," "Tenure," "Six Feet Under," and more.
• Robin Lord Taylor: Dubbed as “favorite breakout star of television,” Taylor is best known as Oswald Cobblepot or the Penguin on "Gotham." Known for his role as Sam on "The Walking Dead," and as Abernathy Darwin Dunlap in "Accepted."
• Dean O’Gorman: A New Zealand actor, artist and photographer, he is best known as Fili in The Hobbit trilogy, and as Kirk Douglas in "Trumbo." Other appearances include: "Shortland Street," "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys," "Young Hercules," "Xena: Warrior Princess," and "McLeod’s Daughters."
• Josh McDermitt: Comedian and star of AMC’s "The Walking Dead," he made his television debut on NBC’s "Last Comic Standing" in 2006. He was cast in the TV movie "Rehab for Rejects" and as Brandon on "Retired at 35." McDermitt can also be seen in "Middle Man" and "Odious."
• Sonequa Martin-Green: An actress and producer, she is known for her role as Sasha in "The Walking Dead," and as Tamara in "Once Upon a Time."
• Mitch Pileggi: An Italian-American actor best known for his role as Walter Skinner on "The X-Files." He later reprised the role in the show’s feature film "The X-Files" (1998) and "The X-Files: I Want to Believe" (2008).
• Michael Trevino: Known as Tyler Lockwood in the CW series "The Vampire Diaries," Lockwood also appeared in the spin-off series "The Originals."
• Alan Davis: UK artist known for drawing the revamped Captain Britain story in The Mighty World of Marvel, he has also created D.R. and Quinch for 2000AD. Other recognizable works include The Uncanny X-Men, Excalibur, JLA: The Nail, and JLA: Another Nail.
• Kevin O’Neill: British comic artist is best known for his work on 2000AD, Marshal Law, and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Other works include Omega Men, Tales of the Green Lantern Corps, Metalzoic, and Avatar’s Cinema Purgatorio.
• Neal Adams: Known for transforming Batman’s realistic incarnation seen in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Other legendary comic book work includes X-Men, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, and Deadman. Adams is preparing to release his graphic novel Blood, and a Harley Quinn book.
• Bob Layton: A comic visionary, creator, writer, artist, designer, and entrepreneur, known for reinventing Iron Man in the '70s, turning it into an all-time best-selling comic series. Layton launched the first miniseries in comics history, Hercules: Prince of Power.
• Darwyn Cooke: Eisner award-winning comic book writer, artist, cartoonist, and animator known for his work for Catwoman, The New Frontier, The Spirit, and Parker: The Hunter.
• Terry Jones: Best known as a member of the Monty Python comedy troupe, Jones co-directed "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." Other directing credits include "The Life of Brian," "The Meaning of Life," "Personal Services," "Erik the Viking," "Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride," "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," and "Absolutely Everything."
• Ian Ziering: Known for his array of acting including "Beverly Hills 90210," "No Way Back," "What I Like About You," "Melrose Place," and "Happily Divorced," Ziering became the most in-demand actor for various animated films and television shows, "Spider-Man," "Mighty Ducks," "Batman Beyond," and "Biker Mice from Mars."

Additional media and comic guest announcements are coming soon. For more information regarding Motor City Comic Con guests and events, visit www.motorcitycomiccon.com. 

Kids' Comic Con features new guests and programming, set for April 23 in New York

A press release passed along by our friend Paul Castiglia, writer of the "Archie's Weird Mysteries" comic book series that accompanied the great animated show of the late '90s / early 2000s, as well as a wealth of other work in the comics industry ...

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NEW YORK – Kids Comic Con (KCC), the annual children’s outreach event celebrating its 10^th anniversary, returns on Saturday, April 23 at the Bronx Community College from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Organizers are happy to announce the latest guests who have agreed to appear, as well as some exciting new programming and activities.

Joining the roster of noted comics creators and children’s entertainers:

• Louis Henry Mitchell (Sesame Street artist and creative director)
• Alitha Martinez (artist, New Crusaders, Batgirl, My Boyfriend is a Monster)
• Tim Fielder (creator/animator of Matty’s Rocket)Dave Roman (writer/artist, Astronaut Academy, Teen Boat!, Goosebumps, SpongeBob Comics)
• Jim Salicrup (artist/publisher, Papercutz)
• ECBACC (East Coast Black Age of Comics)
• Danny Fingeroth (writer/editor, Spider-Man, Superman)
• Jorge Aquirre (comics and animation writer, Dora and Friends, Martha Speaks, Chronicles of Claudette)
• Joe Endres (writer/artist/co-creator, Space Scamps, Colossians)

Roman and Aquirre (below) will bring interactive excitement to KCC10 with creative presentations that make children part of the fun. Roman will team with audience members to create completely improvised comics full of unique characters, hilarious stories and unexpected twists and turns. Aquirre will do a reading from one of his graphic novels with an assist from the crowd, as kids are invited to provide their own voices and sound effects.

Mitchell and Fielder will take the mystery out of creativity to reveal what goes on “behind the curtain.” Mitchell’s colorful and exciting presentation, DREAM BIG: My Life and Work at Sesame Street takes attendees “backstage” to learn just how the magic happens. Fielder invites his audience to experience his 30-year journey in the arts as he demonstrates how to draw and animate on the computer. Both presentations are as entertaining as they are inspiring, and not to be missed!

Also added to the fun-filled line-up is The Bronx Community College (BCC) CAMEO Club. This student club is dedicated to the visual arts and interactive media including anime, gaming and cosplay.

These latest special presentations join already-scheduled programming, including:

• The University Heights High School’s Archery Club will offer presentations in how archery works, including the role applied mathematics and physics takes in shooting bows and arrows. The students will “cosplay” as popular bow-wielding heroes including Hawkeye, Green Arrow, Legalos from Lord of the Rings and Katniss from The Hunger Games.
• The BCC Step Program’s staff will work with middle school and high school students to explore the world of Star Wars’ Jedi Knights. The students will perform a presentation about creating light sabers and being a Jedi.
• Middle school and high school students will join the BCC Drone Academy to operate a camera-equipped drone to film and photograph the day’s activities at KCC. They will also man a table highlighting drones and drone technology in comic books.

Autograph signings by a variety of comics industry and children’s entertainment professionals will also once again be a big part of the KCC fun. In addition to our added guests mentioned above, also scheduled to appear:

• Alex Simmons (comics writer-playwright-educator, Archie, Scooby Doo, Tarzan)
• Franco Aureliani (writer-artist, DC’s Superman Family Adventures and Tiny Titans; Aw, Yeah – Comics!)
• Marc Hammond (writer, Aw, Yeah – Comics!)
• Caseen Gaines (pop culture author, We Don’t Need Roads: the Making of the Back to the Future Trilogy, A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic)
• Toney Jackson (poet, author, illustrator, performer)
• Chris Giarusso (author-illustrator, G-Man, Mini-Marvels)
• Jamal Igle (artist, Molly Danger, Supergirl, Nightwing)
• Diana Leto (artist on Cave Girl, My Little Pony, artist/co-creator of Halloween Legion)
• Shawn Atkinson (artist-creator, Bombshells, Powersmith Studios)
• Paul Castiglia (comic writer and editor, Archie, DC, Dark Horse)
• Mark Mariano (Happyloo, Flabbergast creator-artist)
• Nadia Burgess (painter, illustrator, cartoonist, cake artist, Tough Spirits Creations)
• Emilio Velez Jr. (artist/creator of The Dodgeball Teens)
• Jeremy Kahn (comics writer/colorist, Blue Water Productions, Viper Comics)
• Mike Lopez (educator, kids’ comics advocate)

… and many more!

Also joining the fun at KCC 10 will be several cosplaying heroes from the East Coast Avengers group, on-hand to help everyone connect with their inner hero.

The Lair, the Bronx’s premiere comics and gaming store will also be back again this year with role-playing card game tournaments featuring Yu-Gi-Oh!, Pokemon and Magic, the Gathering.  The fun-for-all-ages competition is open to various player levels. The Lair will also have plenty of supplies on hand for KCC attendees to stock up on all their gaming needs.

KCC is still accepting applications for guests and vendors for its April 23^rd show. There is a small registration fee for those wishing to exhibit at KCC. Secure your table space by going to our web site’s Registration Page:
http://kidscomiccon.com/artist-vendor-registration/

Exhibitors interested in leading workshops, panels or lectures can submit their ideas to KCC founder, Alex Simmons for his review at Alex@KidsComicCon.com.

Up-to-the-moment updates on additional programming and guests for KCC10 can be found on our main site (www.KidsComicCon.con) as well as our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/KidsComicCon.

The 2016 KIDS COMIC CON is set for April 23 at Bronx Community College, 181^st Street and University Avenue, Bronx, NY from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For additional information and up-to-the-minute programming updates, please visit www.facebook.com/KidsComiCon .

All images courtesy of Kids' Comic Con.

From Archie Bunker to the Fonz to J.R. -- the latest toy show classic TV goodies

Oooohhhh, you know how we just love to show you what we find at the various toy shows we attend. Last weekend, it was a show at the Elks Hall in Livonia, Michigan, a relatively small affair but still ripe with classic TV goodies. "All in the Family," "Happy Days," "Charlie's Angels" and the like, we enjoyed what we saw ...

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

Terrific TV Toys: "Dynasty" Barbie dolls -- Part 2, Krystle

This week, let's take a walk on the light side, shall we? Last week on the Terrific TV Toys series, we saw the "Dynasty" Barbie doll of the scheming Alexis Carrington Colby, so now we turn to the other doll manufactured by Mattel a few years ago ... the sweet Krystle. Catch the latest installment, as Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV shows you the Krystle Barbie doll she snagged at a toy show in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a few months ago. Krystle was the character played by Linda Evans on the classic primetime soap, and she tended to do the right thing -- the female powerhouse with morals. Until she was pushed too far, that is. Where does that dialogue quote on the box come from? You'll find out in this T3 episode ...

Terrific TV Toys: "Dynasty" Barbie dolls -- Part 1, Alexis

Those delightful dames of "Dynasty" -- who didn't adore them? Someone at Mattel must have, because the company issued a pair of "Dynasty" Barbie dolls out of the blue a few years back. Alexis and Krystle, our two headlining females of the show, are given the illustrious Barbie treatment in this collector set. Very nice.

As we take a break from the '66 "Batman" series on Terrific TV Toys, we turn our attention to this set of rare "Dynasty" toy merchandise. This week, it's the dark, scheming, calculating Alexis. Next week, we'll balance it out with the considerably lighter Krystle!



This is our longest episode yet -- 22 minutes -- because frankly, BRB had a lot to say!

Learn more about the Museum of Science Fiction with Billie Rae Bates' latest interview

The Museum of Science Fiction had a great display -- complete with a little virtual reality -- at D.C.'s Awesome Con. Billie Rae Bates chats with Mandy Sweeney, vice-president of operations for the museum, in this new interview for the "Fantastic Forum" TV show ...



Look for more Awesome Con location episodes of the show in the weeks to come. And here's your guide on where to catch the show if you're on the East Coast:

• Manhattan Neighborhood Network, New York, NY; Time Warner Cable MNN Lifestyle channel 2
• PhillyCam,  Philadelphia, PA; Comcast channel 66/966; Verizon FiOS channel 29/30.
• MCM  Montgomery County, MD; Comcast channel 21; RCN channel 21; Verizon FiOS channel 21.
• Arlington Independent Media (AIM), Arlington County, VA; Comcast channel 69; Verizon FiOS channel 38.
• FPA-TV,  Fairfax County, VA; Cox channel 10.
• DCTV, Washington, DC; Comcast channel 95; RCN channel 10; Verizon FiOS channel 10.
• Prince George’s Community Television (CTV), Prince George’s County, MD; COMCAST channel 76; Verizon FiOS channel 42.
• Community Media of Baltimore City (CMBC), Baltimore, MD; Comcast channel 75.
• Herndon Community Television, Cox channel 23, Verizon FIOS channel 28.

If there were a live-action "Super Friends," check out this dream team!

"I just acquired an Alex Ross Aquaman figure," author Will Rodgers says, "since his artwork looks like real people and since we never had a live-action Aquaman in the '70s, I thought he'd fill in nicely for my imaginary pic of the live-action 'Super Friends.' Too bad the figures all couldn't have been one size. But here in this great pic are the most powerful iconic actors in action figure form ever assembled. Christopher Reeve, Lynda Carter, Adam West and Burt Ward. I would have loved to have seen Ted McGinley as Aquaman and Donny and Marie Osmond as the Wonder Twins. That's a drawing I'd like to make someday."

Will has posted this photo and many other fun goodies on his DC Comics Classic Animation page on Facebook.

Photo by Will Rodgers; please do not copy without permission

Ben Jones, Miss Alma and Catherine Bach invite you to a Cooter's Place grand opening

From a Cooter's Place email ...
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You are invited to the following event: GRAND OPENING DAISY COUNTRY /BRUNCH WITH COOTER & DAISY / GENERAL LEE LEGO CLASS Event to be held at the following time, date, and location: Saturday, April 16, 2016 at 9:00 AM - to - Sunday, April 17, 2016 at 8:00 PM (CDT) Cooter's Placei 2613-B McGavock Pike Nashville, TN 37214 View Map Attend Event Share this event: Join good ol'Cooter and Miss Alma as they welcome their great friend Catherine Bach "Daisy Duke" officially into The Cooter's Place Family. Together they are opening DAISY COUNTRY which will feature mementos from Catherine's personal collection and her inspired designs of clothing and jewelry and a collection of vintage memorabilia for sale. Events will include: Meet &Greet with Catherine Bach, Door Prizes, Car Show, Photo Ops with Daisy and "Dixie" Yummy Goodies--both days-- All Free Lego classes $35..two hours of training and prizes and build your own 1/64 Gen Lee Sat only 10am 1pm Brunch with Q&A featuring Catherine and Ben $30 /kids (2-12)$15..Sun 10:30am next door at The Nashville Palace  Hands on Hips line privileges and store discounts will be honored!!  Tickets are NONREFUNDABLE  Share this event on Facebook and Twitter We hope you can make it! Cheers, Ben Jones,Miss Alma & Catherine Bach

Terrific TV Toys: '66 Joker figure by Figures Toy Co.

Oh, that toy company we've had our eye on for a couple years now has churned out a marvelous line in tribute to the 1966 "Batman" TV series. We're focusing on a whole mess of those Figures Toy Co. figures in the latest series on Terrific TV Toys, and this week it's the Joker!

That completes Series 1 of our Bat-Blitz! We'll take a look at some other stuff for a couple weeks, then we'll be back for Series 2.

Stay at a Hilton, stumble across some Joan Collins gowns!

In our November 24 post we told you about the December auction of gorgeous belongings of "Dynasty" diva Joan Collins. Julien's has on its website the results of the auction, if you're curious to see what stuff went for, but imagine our surprise when a friend said he was staying at a Hilton in L.A. that had a bunch of Joan Collins gowns on display! Yes, items from the auction, and he snapped these shots for us to show. This is the Beverly Hilton, where the Golden Globes are held, and the hotel displays other famous pieces like a Superman costume worn by Christopher Reeve and the pink satin dress worn by Madonna in her "Material Girl" music video. The items below, however, are so deliciously "Dynasty." Special thanks to Grigg for these ...

Photos by Grigg; please do not copy without permission.

"Batman v. Superman" with a taste of "Super Friends" -- collector Will Rodgers is at it again!

Well, that Will Rodgers, author of the recently released BRBTV guide to the "Super Friends," has got "Super Friends" on the brain, even when we're talking about the "Batman v. Superman" movie coming out later this month!

"I was in Wal-Mart and found the regular figure of Aquaman in the 'Batman v. Superman' line," Will says, "so I thought I'd snap a few pics, and I got out my Robin figure from 'Batman Forever' to make it 'Super Friends'-like."

"I also took one with the Ryan Reynolds Green Lantern, so now I must find that Flash figure from the TV series to make Justice League pics."

The Super Friends get all edgy and cinematic -- yea, that's what you could call this!

You can keep up with Will and his action figure fun -- as well as discuss that great era of television history called Saturday morning -- at his DC Comics Classic Animation: The Saturday Morning Era Fan Page on Facebook!

Photos by Will Rodgers

Please do not copy without permission

Terrific TV Toys: '66 Riddler figure by Figures Toy Co.

March is upon us, and is spring in the air? Well, not quite, but we're still hopeful! What is marching on, however, is our series on the 1966 "Batman" figures by Figures Toy Co. on the Terrific TV Toys show. This week's it's Riddler, as played by the incomparable Frank Gorshin. While another man did don the question-mark leotard (John Astin of "The Addams Family"), it's Gorshin that fans and FTC recognize as the riddling villain. Join Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV once again as she shows you up-close and personal this cool toy commemorating a beloved classic TV show.



Next week, we round out this wave of our '66 "Batman" series with Joker, then we're going to take a little break before we look at some more figures by this same company!

Detroit's Autorama offers some TV-related goodies

We took in a great Autorama show at Detroit's Cobo Hall today, and we were delighted that in this sea of cool classic and custom cars there was a touch of television. The famed Farmtruck and its owners from the Discovery Channel's "Street Outlaws" were there, for one thing, and they drew quite a crowd. Gene Winfield, longtime car customizer who designed vehicles for shows like "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." and "Bewitched" and even the Galileo 7 shuttlecraft from the original "Star Trek" show, was talking to fans, as well ...

What kid wouldn't like his own Mystery Machine????

And this .... can you believe it? Though the signage was careful not to word it so, it looks suspiciously like a very famous TV star car ...

Then there was a nice assortment of toy vendors (lots of Hot Wheels, of course). We saw a few things of interest ...

A John Travolta doll! Only $18, but his body was lightweight plastic. Maybe switched from another doll? Same thing with the Jaime Sommers doll, which we know Kenner made pretty solid originally -- see our Terrific TV Toys episode on it!

This author loves those vintage TV show novelizations!!!! Wow, just a buck for this one. What a deal.

Have you ever seen a poster like this? Barbies through the ages! So cool. Brings back memories.

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand 

Calling all General Lee owners: New Facebook page celebrates the replicas of Hazzard County

Our buddy Chad Fullerton of Georgia, such a big-time fan of "The Dukes of Hazzard," has launched a new Facebook page to showcase fellow fans and their own replicas of the General Lee and other cars featured on the classic '80s TV show.

The just-born Dukes of Georgia Auto Club serves as a sort of registry of General Lees, Hazzard County sheriff's cars, maybe the occasional Dixie Jeep for Daisy, and anything else you saw on the show and decided to build for yourself or purchase built by someone else.

"As you probably know, I have more or less had an unofficial local club of Hazzard replicas for several years now," Chad tells BRBTV. "I have always tried to help local owners book their cars whenever someone is looking for a Hazzard replica to participate in an event. With this page that I have finally started, I will have a registry of Hazzard replicas located within the state of Georgia."

But this is not just Georgia cars, Chad says. "I have also decided to have a registry for replicas located in other U.S. states as well as other countries. I am interested in knowing how many legitimate replicas are out there. Also, with 'The Dukes of Hazzard' being ousted from cable television several months back, I want the page to not only be for replica owners, I want it to be for all fans of 'The Dukes of Hazzard.'  If people want to discuss the cars from the show, that's great. If people want to discuss the series, that's great, as well. With the 'Dukes' falling victim to political correctness, it not only hurt the brand, it hurt the hobby. Hopefully, the page will be a positive experience and will be something that fans (young and old) will enjoy."

Thanks, Chad, for building another comfy online home for "Dukes" fans! We need it, in this day and age!

Ain't we lucky we've got 'em ... From "Good Times" to hard times for grave of beloved late actress

BRBTV welcomes guest blogger Brian Lombard once again for this special report from the field on a beloved actress from one of our favorite classic TV shows ...

Pompano Beach, Florida might not sound like somewhere you’d expect to discover a TV star’s final resting place. But its where you’ll find Westview Community Cemetery and its most famous resident, Esther Rolle. Rolle, who rose to fame in the 1970s as Florida, the matriarch of the Evans family on “Good Times,” passed in 1998, and was interred with her family, which had connections to both the community and to Westview itself.

Westview was founded in response to the segregation of the 1950s. It is considered to be an historically black cemetery, though cemetery officials have downplayed that moniker. One former board member (and Rolle family member) said “``there are some whites out there. It`s not many, two or three, I think, but there are some.”

A few years before Rolle’s passing, a community organization sought to revitalize Westview. After 40 years in service, it needed an upgrade. Tricky roads, outdated burial equipment, and a lack of greenery were all issues to be addressed. More than 20 years later, they’ve yet to be resolved.

As a result, visitors coming to pay their respects to “Florida Evans” don’t have any trouble finding her grave. Rolle’s grave is the only one that bears a headstone, and a recognizable one at that. It stands alone atop a sea of burial vaults, the likes of which this author has never seen (see second photo below). I’ve visited the final resting places of more than 200 celebrities in 17 states, and I’ve never seen vaults like this above ground.

The proposed repairs never took place, and eventually, the cemetery was closed by the city. Two entrances remain closed 24/7, while a third is kept open for family and loved ones of those already interred. In fact, as I was leaving that day, a man who identified himself as Westview’s business manager asked why I had been taking pictures. After explaining my interest in Rolle and “Good Times,” that seemed to satisfy him.

Just last month, the Sun-Sentinel published a story on the cemetery’s fate.

It’s a case of life imitating art. While you might expect to find Florida Evans in Westview, you would never expect to see Esther Rolle, who delighted and continues to delight fans to this day.

Rest in peace.

Brian Lombard is an avid fan of classic TV, and the author of the "Bradypalooza" guide to "The Brady Bunch."

Photos by Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission.

Terrific TV Toys: '66 Robin figure by Figures Toy Co.

Last week, another big blitz began on the Terrific TV Toys series: To follow up the great Bionic Blitz of 2016, we now have the Bat-Blitz. And it could be called the 50th anniversary Bat-Blitz, since we just saw the half-century anniversary of the 1966 "Batman" TV show a few short weeks ago. Now, this week, we continue the Bat-Blitz with part 2, focusing on the Robin figure of the ever-growing set of action figures by Figures Toy Co.

Right down to his satin cape and stitched vest, he's all there, this representation of Burt Ward's iconic role. These figures are nicely detailed and in great abundance -- so stay tuned, because we're going to show a whole lot of them!

TGIF! Time for some more figures fun ....

Well, we made it to Friday once again, so how about a couple more shots of the ever-growing action figure collection of Will Rodgers, author of the new BRBTV guide to the "Super Friends." He just snagged a few more goodies from the Figures Toy Co. line, including some rather familiar staff members of the Daily Planet ...

Will says one photo is a nod to the 1950s World's Finest comics, while the other a tribute to the "Batman v. Superman" movie poster.

Photos by Will Rodgers; please do not copy without permission.

Terrific TV Toys: '66 Batman figure by Figures Toy Co.

If you haven't been living in a (Bat)cave, you no doubt have been hearing about the plethora of merchandise that's been released the past couple years celebrating the 1966 "Batman" live-action TV show starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Finally, after years of legal discussions, the floodgates were opened and the merchandise is flowing into stores. We've shown a bit of it already on the Terrific TV Toys series, but we're about to open our own floodgates on some more of it.

This author is a huge fan of Mego figures and Mego-like figures, and a little company that seemed to come out of nowhere in the past couple years, Figures Toy Co., has delighted fans with all kinds of Mego repros and Mego-like stuff. I've indulged in it, to say the least. And one line I've been collecting is the 1966 "Batman" series, which is so prolific I can hardly keep up.

The T3 series is going to be offering up a bunch of these, in four-part segments, over Season 3 of the show. First up, it can be none other than Batman himself! As a follow-up to the just-concluded Bionic Blitz, T3 now gives you a Bat-blitz!!!

Terrific TV Toys: Bionic Transport and Repair Station by Kenner

As you've seen previously on the Terrific TV Toys series, Andrea Melchiori loved the Bionic shows as a kid: "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "The Bionic Woman." In Episode 24 of Season 2 you saw the Bionic Action Club Kit she mailed away for as a child, along with the Bionic Woman beach towel her parents got her, and a couple others things. This time, on the latest episode of the series, Andrea shows you a very cool accessory for the Kenner Bionic action figures of the 1970s: the Bionic Transport and Repair Station. Andrea has a few of these, and she tells you when she got each in this installment ...



This completes our Bionic Blitz 2016! What a way to start the new year!!! Stay tuned, because next up, we launch a larger series on a big heckin' set of (new) action figures on another vintage TV show so many of us love!