Catch the sights and sounds of Hair Dare Dukes Days 2010 at BRBTV's YouTube channel

You know, we really should've started doing this whole video thing years ago -- it's so much easier! In events past, we've brought you coverage on this news blog with photos and quotes and notes. Now, we can just link to the videos on YouTube and let our subjects do the talking -- no wading through our notebooks or processing a bunch of photos! Meow!

At any rate, BRBTV had a delightful time at this past weekend's Hair Dare Dukes Days, the eighth annual benefit event from Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club president Paul Harrington. In two cool, cool days in Comber, Ontario (yes, they thought BRB was crazy for wearin' her dazyduks!) this event served up cars and stars in the name of "The Dukes of Hazzard." It also raised scholarship funds for a student surviving cancer.

Some of the moments you'll see in this new set of three videos on BRBTV's YouTube channel:
- A chat with the owners of the "00" Mustang and the "Twilight" movie replica pickup truck.
- A few words from the amazing Zealand, a dear friend of BRBTV who travels to North America from New Zealand every year for a "Dukes" event.
- Paul Harrington getting his hair cut by Don Pedro Colley, Sheriff Little of "The Dukes of Hazzard." Paul raised $1,010 in pledges for this "hair dare," while Glenn Call of Massachusetts raised $700.
- Billie Rae Bates trying her hand at the smack-a-wreck (yes, you're allowed to laugh), as well as signing the inside of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard traveling museum trailer.

TGIF Toys: Motor City Comic Con!

We're going to round out our full week of coverage of the 2010 Motor City Comic Con by also tying in our regular Friday feature, TGIF Toys. And it's as simple as ending the week where we began, with "The Dukes of Hazzard."

A sprinkling of toys, for your viewing pleasure, from the event's Canadian Dukes of Hazzard museum display, ranging in a variety of "Dukes" incarnations over the years ...

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

Motor City Comic Con: We love us some "Dukes" ...

... At least ... one Duke and a lawman ... Mr. Byron Cherry and Mr. Don Pedro Colley, known respectively (and respectfully) as Coy Duke and Sheriff Ed Little of "The Dukes of Hazzard," were on hand at this past weekend's Motor City Comic Con at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Michigan. We kick off a full week of coverage of the event with this check-in from our beloved "Dukes" realm ...

The "Dukes" has had a presence at this con for many years, but we're pretty sure this is the first time that "Dukes" guests have been featured in a panel discussion. On Friday late afternoon, Colley and Cherry assembled in one of the panel rooms along with Will "The Voice Man" Rodgers, Paul Harrington of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club and BRB herself to talk "Dukes."

Colley told the story of his spin on the classic show "Daktari" that eventually led to his role on "The Dukes," through the Leonard Kaufman connection (see our August 27, 2008 post). He described his strong, stern audition as Sheriff Little, when he could barely be convinced to read from a script, he was so in character:

"Sheriff Little is being told this big lie about Boss Hogg," he said to set the audition scene, "and he has a shotgun, and he cocks his shotgun as emphasis to the lie. Well, you don't have a shotgun in the producer's office. You can't very well walk around ... So I said, if you focus the sound of 'cow chips' just right, it can sound like you're cocking a shotgun. Cow-chips! Cow-chips! So I came up on the line, and I went, 'Cow-chips!' Paul Picard came right up out of his chair about that far. Boom! And he looked at me, and right after that, he's stumbling and fumbling and says, 'Well, thank-you, thank-you for the audition. That'll be enough.' I said, 'Oh, thank-you, Mr. Picard!' I took off my hat. I shook his hand. ...

"I left the office, and I no sooner got outside of his office than the telephone rang for the secretary. She says, 'It's Mr. Leonard. He wants you to come over and talk to him.' So I went over and said thank-you and so forth. And while I'm in Leonard's office, the phone rings again, and they said, 'Be ready to go to work tomorrow morning. The script is on your way. And later this afternoon you'll get a costume, and you'll pick up your costume,' and so forth. And the rest is 'the rest of the story.' "

Cherry, meanwhile, shared the story of his original audition for "The Dukes" (which was for the part of Bo, at the very beginning of the series' production) and how he later nabbed the role of Coy Duke.

Back at the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard museum display, things were hoppin' and fun all weekend. Above, display organizer Paul Harrington goofs around with Byron Cherry and a couple "Dukes" fans who traveled from long distance -- Ken of Denmark and Sabine of Germany, whom BRBTV was delighted to meet after crossing paths so many times on Facebook!

Ken tells us he first saw "The Dukes" in only 2006, but Sabine was able to begin watching the series in Germany in 1989, after satellite TV opened up new possibilities there. She says "The Dukes" aired in the late afternoon, and sometimes repeated the next morning.

"I think they missed a few episodes," she laughs. "I never could figure out why they had two sets of cousins."

The episodes were dubbed, but Sabine now owns all of the seasons on DVD, so she can actually hear the real actors in their real roles, in real English!

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV
Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand!

TGIF Toys: Mego's "Dukes" 8-inchers

Last week for our new feature TGIF Toys, we brought you Mego's smaller figure line from "The Dukes of Hazzard." This week, we take a look at the ever-popular 8-inchers. Above, Will "The Voice Man" Rodgers shows us the cast of Season 3 of the show, while the next photo you'll see below features the characters from Season 5.

But hold the phone, you're thinkin'? There weren't that many "Dukes" Mego 8-inchers! Yes, you are correct (and you must have been reading the extensive information our friends at the Mego Museum have so thoroughly researched on their site!). Well, folks, what we have here is some very loving custom work. Read on, in this articulate explanation from Will ...

The packaging for both the 8-inch and 3.75-inch figures had the illustration of the following: Small shots of the General Lee and the Hazzard Sheriff's squad car, full body shots of Boss Hogg and Sheriff Rosco and big head shots of Bo, Luke, Daisy, and Uncle Jesse. For the 8-inch line, as a little kid, I was led to believe that this is what we would get. Unfortunately, it turned out not to be the case.

Bo and Luke were the easiest to find. Bo had a white/yellow shirt with long sleeves and light blue jeans and black boots. Luke had a long-sleeve bluish shirt that reminded me of the plaid shirts he wore in the first three seasons of the show. He had dark blue jeans and black boots. In 1981, Bo sported a short-sleeved white/yellow shirt and Luke sported a light powder-blue shirt reminiscent of his plain shirt from season two. Daisy Duke was the only other Mego that was made initially. My favorite has the blue top and the Daisy Duke shorts. The other one had a green top and blue Daisy Dukes.

Over the years, I've had each of the variations. Later, Mego added one more character, Boss Hogg in his white suit and hat. Sadly, that was all they made. We never got 8-inch dolls of Uncle Jesse and Sheriff Rosco. Nor did we ever get any vehicles for the upscale Dukes. Even to this day, I would pay well for somebody to custom-make a General Lee for the 8-inch Duke Boys. There was one made for the skits on "Robot Chicken." I wish I knew who made it.

In 1982, when Tom Wopat and John Schneider walked off the show, Mego's final figures were Bo and Luke with slightly altered heads. These two figures are hard to find and worth a lot to collectors. While they are "Bo and Luke" technically, these figures are actually and unofficially "Coy and Vance," even though they do not resemble Byron Cherry and Christopher Mayer.



CUSTOMS

My good friend Mike Barrett in Rifle, Colorado, who's a customizer of Megos, and I had talked for a long time about customizing the rest of the cast who were never made into 8-inch Mego figures. I came up with the recipes for most of the figures. First, I will say the only Megos I did nothing to are Daisy and Boss Hogg.

UNCLE JESSE: What 8-inch Mego "Dukes of Hazzard" collection would be right without the Duke patriarch? I would call it a sin. For his head, I bought an unpainted head of Blackbeard the pirate and he was smiling. His head was perfect for Jesse. Most of what I needed for Uncle Jesse came from the "Waltons" toyline by Mego. The Grandpa Walton Mego had most of what I needed. The body, the overalls and the same style boots worn by Bo and Luke. Mike painted the head and also gave it the twinkle in Denver Pyle's eyes. Mike custom-made the gray overalls with the red longjohn linings as well as the red cap.

SHERIFF ROSCO P. COLTRANE: It's a real shame we did not get a Rosco doll with all accessories! "Shame shame! Everybody knows your name, Mego!" But surprisingly, all the ingredients to make Rosco are available. It's just a matter of finding them and getting your materials together. On Dr. Mego's page, I found repro heads of the Robin Hood characters. The head of Will Scarlett looked to me like an exact replica of James Best along with the sideburns. All he needed was a repainting around the eyebrows. Of course, you need a basic male Mego body. Rosco's black sheriff's hat is available in Mego form. With their Western figures, it was the hat for Wild Bill Hickock. Dr. Mego has it listed as a reporter's hat, despite its Western look. While you could probably get the blue shirt, black tie, and black pants from Dr. Mego, my friend Mike custom-made Rosco's uniform and provided the sticker emblems for the shirt. My Rosco's shirt is a darker shade of blue since I wanted him to have the look of Season 1. My Rosco's hair is black, but maybe I should have had his hair painted salt-and-pepper.



COOTER: "Breaker one! Breaker one! Might be crazy but I am bummed!' That Mego didn't make a figure of Hazzard's number-one mechanic! At first, all I had in mind was Rosco and Uncle Jesse, but then I thought it would be cool to have customs of Cooter and Rosco's two dipstick deputies as well. For Cooter, the head that resembled Ben Jones the most was the head of John Walton (Ralph Waite) from the "Waltons" toyline. Of course, I used a regular male Mego body. For the blue jeans, either Bo or Luke's jeans and the Dukes boots work for Cooter. I'd say he's the easiest to make. Mike custom-made the sleeveless grey shirt and gave it and the jeans a greased look and even put a grease rag in the back of Cooter's pants pocket. Mike also made Cooter's cap. Mike painted the head to resemble Ben Jones and gave him the 5 o'clock shadow since I wanted this Cooter figure to resemble the Season 1 and 2 appearance. Someday, I'll make another Cooter that has him more clean-shaven. Mike also made the denim jacket Cooter wears. (The above photo shows the custom Cooter, along with Bo and Luke, inspired by the pilot episode "One Armed Bandits.")

CLETUS: "Flapjacks on a Ferris wheel! Buzzards on a buzz saw!" Why no Cletus?! Both Hazzard deputies proved to be a challenge for me and Mike. Using a male Mego body and making the clothes was no problem for Mike. For the head, the Mego who resembled Rick Hurst the most was Sgt. Getraer (Robert Pine) from "CHiPs." His hair was painted tan to resemble Cletus. The biggest challenge was the deputy hat. Mike had a real challenge and had to make a big one since the head was big.

ENOS: "Possum on a gum bush!' Mego's "Dukes of Hazzard" 8-inch line really needs an honest cop to keep everything straight. Well, speaking of straight, or should I say Strate, Deputy Enos Strate proved to be the hardest Mego to customize. All I could furnish was the basic male Mego body. Mike made the clothes, but Enos is the only Mego whose head had to be cast. There were no original Megos that resembled Sonny Shroyer. Also, the deputy's hat proved to be a challenge as was Cletus' hat.

HAZZARD LAW: For Rosco, Cletus, and Enos, the "CHiPs" line by Mego proved to be very helpful in that all three figures needed black boots, guns and holsters, and sticker emblems. Luckily, the "CHiPs" figures had all that, so I had to get extra, incomplete "CHiPs" figures to make the Hazzard Law Enforcement team's accessories complete.


COY AND VANCE: Very basic, simple thing. All I did was switch the shirts on the figures. After all, with the exception of the episode, "Dukes Strike it Rich" Coy wore the blue and Vance wore the white/yellow. (The above photo shows Coy and Vance, along with Bo and Luke and the rest of the characters, inspired by the episode "Welcome Back, Bo and Luke.")

THE VARIOUS APPEARANCES OF BO AND LUKE

To me, it was no wonder that there were toy action figures of "The Dukes of Hazzard," especially Bo and Luke since they always wore the same clothes in every episode as if they were uniforms or costumes. I am probably one of the very few people that's paid attention to Bo and Luke's appearances over the years. And I always wanted my Megos to resemble their early appearances, especially Season 1. So I used some extras.

In Season 1, Bo's yellow shirt was a beige yellow color. He also wore it in Season 2 and then on and off in Seasons 6 and 7. I used the beige shirt from the "CHiPs" line. Bo also sported a blue T-shirt underneath his shirt in Seasons 1 and 2 and part of Season 3. My friend Mike custom-made me three T-shirts: two shades of blue and the brown T-shirt John wore in the pilot episode, "One Armed Bandits." In Season 1, Luke sported a light denim jacket over his first plaid shirt. I discovered the Huggy Bear figure from the "Starsky and Hutch" toyline had a blue denim jacket that looked similar to Luke's , so I got a Huggy Bear figure and used the denim jacket for Luke, but sadly, I had to take his plaidish colored shirt and cut off the sleeves for a better fit. Luckily, I have a few more of those plaids.

-- Will Rodgers
Visit Will's "Super Friends" site and experience more of his geeky expertise!




Photos by Will Rodgers, too; please email before copying

Next week: The Mego vehicles!

Come say hello to BRB -- and some good "Dukes" friends -- at the Motor City Comic Con

The Motor City Comic Con is the place to be this mid-May, to find out whether that stern ole Sheriff Little ever did catch them Duke boys -- or at least one of 'em! Byron "Coy Duke" Cherry will be making his first trip to the Novi, Michigan, event, and he'll be joined by Don Pedro Colley, who portrayed the long arm of the law on "The Dukes of Hazzard."

And while you're there, give a holler to Billie Rae Bates, who will be returning to the event (and her highly beloved Detroit!) again this year to sign copies of the BRBTV reference guide, "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!"

Cherry, Colley and Bates will all be a part of Paul Harrington's "Dukes of Hazzard" museum display, a comprehensive trip back in time to the bright-orange hills of Hazzard County. Inside the traveling museum, you'll find all kinds of fab "Dukes" memorabilia, including lotsa props from the filming of the popular '80s CBS series. The display will include a General Lee, a Hazzard County Sheriff's car (maybe two!) and even a very rare Hazzard County Sheriff's boat!

The Motor City Comic con runs Friday, May 14 through Sunday, May 16. The event, jam-packed with comics industry professionals, will also feature a slew of other classic TV stars, such as Mark Goddard, Todd Bridges, Angie Everhart, Jenilee Harrison, Herb Jefferson Jr., Lindsay Wagner and more. Visit the event site for details, and keep your eye on the Events page of BillieRae.com for your guide to BRB's book signings.

See ya in the Motor City!!!! Yeeeee-haaaaa!!!!!!!!!

John Schneider sells TV shows to 2 cable networks

Our own Bo Duke, Mr. John Schneider of "The Dukes of Hazzard," updated fans via email today, noting how he's been workin' some interesting angles on future TV lineups.

"I managed to sell two shows last month based on stunts!" he says. "A reality show, 'Crash Test Dummies,' and a drama, 'The Dead Ringer.' One is to Spike and the other to USA. Right now I am pitching a show about finding the next world-class jockey and also a half-hour sitcom called 'Johnny Black.' 'Johnny Black' is one meeting away from being purchased by CMT! It centers on a world-famous bad-boy singer who is actually quite subdued at home. Me."

OK, well ... further testament to the fact that our John-John's not slowing down anytime soon. And pursuant to that, another note on what's coming up on Schneider's agenda:

Lightning Fest
August 7-8
Dyersville, Iowa
http://collector.johnnylightning.com/?xcid=jlhome

Joining Schneider will be BRBTV's bud Paul Harrington of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club, along with his vast "Dukes of Hazzard" museum and car display.

Get a free fun-filled Archie Comic on Halloween

From Archie Comics

Over the past several years, Archie Comics has delighted comic shop customers with exclusive giveaway comics produced in conjunction with Diamond Distribution. In addition to Archie’s involvement in Diamond’s annual Free Comic Book Day program, Archie has also served up thrills and chills come Halloween-time. These full-color, 16-page, Halloween-themed comics have all-new stories and art and make the perfect “treat” for the goody bags of costumed revelers.

This year, Archie Comics is back with another fun-filled giveaway issue. Archie and Jughead take center-stage in a spooky, kooky spoof of a certain box office smash about museum exhibits coming to life. With a script by veteran writer George Gladir, author of countless Archie classics; and art by famed Little Archie artist Bob Bolling, this is sure to have appeal not just to children but adult collectors as well.

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

Participating Comic Book Shops give a copy of this comic to customers on Halloween. If you would like to give these mini-comics out at your home for Halloween, you need to contact your local comic retailer and order them today. The mini-comics are bundled in groups of 50 and have to be ordered in July.

You can find a comic shop near you at
http://csls.diamondcomics.com/
or by calling toll free 1-888-COMIC BOOK (1-888-266-4226).

BRBTV News Blog Blip: Her foray into the world of BRBTV was brief, merely a role in the 2005 "Dukes of Hazzard" movie, but we like to keep track of Lynda Carter just because she's Wonder Woman. And that's pretty amazing in our book. Carter will be appearing at Feinstein's at Loews Regency at the Regency Hotel in New York on October 21-25. Read more here.

Chip Foose Braselton Bash: Part 2

Marvin Murphy of Florida, shown above with his son, Brian, who serves as the media relations rep for Lee 1, trailered his slice of "Dukes of Hazzard" history a long way to show at the Chip Foose Braselton Bash here in beautiful Georgia over the weekend. The second of our two parts on the Year One show continues with another tidbit from Mr. Murphy.

The famous Dodge Charger, which has changed hands a few times since it was recovered from a northern Georgia junkyard several years ago, also has called a few different cities home. But where does this original General Lee hang his hat nowadays, so to speak? The duPont Registry Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, Marvin tells BRBTV. It's a private museum, he notes, and it contains many other celeb cars.

"They're very protective of it," he says of the museum's display of Lee 1. "There's not a single car around it. They have some pretty famous cars in there."

And speaking of famous cars, and speaking of General Lees, Marvin's car was not the only "01" at the show. Parked just a yard or two away was the beauty below, which bears a sign in the windshield stating it's a "movie car" from the 2005 and 2007 "Dukes" flicks.

You know it wouldn't be a car show without the Gran Torino from "Starsky and Hutch," right?

Also on show at the show was the special Burt Reynolds edition of the "Smokey and the Bandit" Trans Am, built by Year One themselves -- and in a very limited production. We can just picture "Smokey" fans -- which cross over, generally, with "The Dukes" -- goin' crazy over this one.

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

Get ready for the Hair Dare Dukes Weekend

Here on the BRBTV News Blog, we've been telling you all about the Hair Dare Dukes Weekend in Ontario, Canada, a benefit event focused on "The Dukes of Hazzard." BRB was a guest at the event last year, and will be returning this year. For today's post we offer you the full rundown of the event with the text of the official press release ...


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Paul Harrington, 519-975-0056
Canadian Dukes Museum, Ruscom Station, Ontario, Canada
http://www.canadiandukes.com/
cdndukes@mnsi.net
http://hairdaredukesweekend.blogspot.com/
http://canadiandukesofhazzard.blogspot.com/

------------------------------------------------

This year Paul Harrington of Ruscom Station, Ontario, Canada, his wife Cheryl, and son Lance Brown, along with family members and some very close friends, have united to put together one of the best events in Southern Ontario, maybe even one of the best events in Canada.

It's the Hair Dare Dukes Weekend, a car show, swap meet and cut-a-thon cancer benefit, scheduled for Saturday, August 23 and Sunday, August 24 at the Leamington Fairgrounds, with a special dinner event on Friday, August 22 beginning at 3 p.m. This year is the sixth year for the Hair Dare event, which celebrates the classic TV show "The Dukes of Hazzard" as its theme.

"The reason I keep this event going is it is the only way that I know I can help make a little bit of a difference," Harrington says. "We can share our feelings with others about this sickness, because at least 90 percent of the population out there knows someone that has died from cancer."

Though he began the event in 2003 in honour of his mother, a cancer survivor, this year is even more meaningful for Harrington. "In February of this year, we lost another great man, my boss of almost 11 years and close family friend Steve Stowe, to this dreadful disease we call cancer. What hurts me the most, Steve was the only reason I became a licensed automotive technician, and during his short stay in the hospital we talked about a lot of things. I mentioned to Steve what we were planning this year as a charity, and he said 'That's great, Paul.' I will remember those words for as long as I live."

A special memorial will be held for Steve Stowe on the Sunday of the event, at 2 p.m. at the fairgrounds.

The past five years of the Hair Dare event have raised more than $28,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. For this year's event, Harrington and his sister, Debra-Ann Taylor of Tilbury, contacted St. Clair College to start a scholarship fund for a student surviving cancer.

The scholarship will be put into place with the help of Susan Maxwell, executive director of the St. Clair College Foundation, Windsor, and Lynn McGeachy Schultz, director of advancement at Thames Campus, Chatham.

"I think this was a great choice that we made," Harrington says. "At least we can see where the money is going, and it will be helping a local student that is surviving cancer."

Part of the way the event raises money is through pledges for "Hair Dares" -- when participants vow to daringly cut or shave their hair for the cause. Haircuts on Saturday will be provided by Estelle's Affordable Hair Cuts from Chatham, and on Sunday haircuts will be provided by Mastercuts of the Devonshire Mall. "Thanks so much for their time; it is greatly appreciated," Harrington says.

The Saturday morning of the event starts with a "Parade of All Cars." Participants should meet at the Comfort Inn in Leamington at 8 a.m. The parade route is from the Comfort Inn to the Leamington Fairgrounds. "Special thanks to the Leamington Police for their help this year," Harrington says.

There will be several special guests at this year's event. Don Pedro Colley, who portrayed Sheriff Ed Little on "The Dukes," will sign autographs and chat with fans. He'll be joined by Byron Cherry, who played Coy Duke in the series.

Felix Silla, a prolific classic TV actor who portrayed the Alien Visitor in the "Dukes" episode "Strange Visitor to Hazzard," will appear for the first time at the event. Silla also played Cousin Itt on "The Addams Family," and was Twiki on "Buck Rodgers in the 25th Century." He also portrayed an Ewok on "Star Wars," and appeared in "The Planet of the Apes" and "Batman Returns."

All the actors will be signing photos and other items all weekend long, and there will be a lot of photo opportunities for the fans, Harrington says.

Also appearing at the event will be Billie Rae Bates of Atlanta, Georgia, author of the "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" reference guide.

Will Rodgers, aka "THE VOICE MAN," of Chattanooga, Tennessee, will be returning to warm the crowds again. "Will's voice impersonations are just overwhelming, from all of the 'Dukes' casts members to the 'All in the Family' theme song," Harrington says. "Wow, he's just incredible."

Billy Stephenson will be making his way on stage, all the way from Georgia also, just a few hours from where the 'Dukes' started out.

"We have a few extras who were in the 'Dukes of Hazzard' 2005 movie that will be here as well," Harrington says, including himself. He's been a lifelong "Dukes" fan and not only owns his own General Lee, a 1969 Dodge Charger painted orange, but also Hazzard County Sheriff's cars from both the series and the 2005 movie. Currently he is building a Monster 4x4 General Lee, and a Cooter tow truck. He's collected "Dukes" memorabilia -- including genuine props from the filming of the series, and the 2005 "Dukes" movie for many years.

Other features planned for the Hair Dare Dukes Weekend include the Smack-A-Wreck, where participants get a chance to swing a hammer on a clunker car, and a Daisy Duke look-alike contest. A dunk tank also will keep everyone busy, as well as a silent auction.

The Memphis Kings, a band from Essex County, Ontario. will be on stage Saturday, and country singer Traci Kennedy of St. Thomas will be appearing on Sunday.

"A special thanks goes out to all the local newspapers that help us put this out in print so the public can read about this event," Harrington says.

Admission to Saturday and Sunday of the event is only $3 per person. The Leamington Fairgrounds are located at 194 Erie Street North in Leamington. Tickets for Friday night's Dinner With the Stars, at $25 each, are now available: call 519-975-0056 to reserve yours.

Harrington would also like to thank all of the event sponsors, because without their support this event would not take place:
Sign A Rama - Garden City Michigan
Comfort Inn - Leamington
Johnny Lightning - U.S.A.
Chochi's Pizza - Essex / Leamington / Belle River
J & B Auto Recyclers - Windsor
Murphy Bus Lines - Arva
AutoBarn / Car Quest - Essex
Elford & Stowe Ltd. - Essex
Harrington Aviation - Essex
Affordable Family Fun - Essex
Cottam Transmission - Cottam
Car Classica - Leamington
Jay Deeze Lounge & Grille - Leamington
Local printers of Essex & Kent Counties
Country Radio Station 92.7 FM - Leamington

Covington cruises on, plus a few "Dallas" tidbits this time!

Our coverage of the Hazzard County Cruise-In in Covington, Georgia, continues here on the BRBTV News Blog. Last night it rained -- but it wasn't a wash! Lots of fans from all over the place came out to the square in Covington. Kansas, Ohio, Montana, New York -- even Holland and England! And after the sprinkles set in -- then the harder stuff -- many stayed on.

Just look at that sweet Miss Jo McLaney, wouldya? She's got the coolest ride in town, all decked out like the General Lee!


Here, author Jon Holland chats with attendees, accompanied by his wife, Amber.


You might recall, from our coverage of the last October's Hillbilly Woodstick 2 Dukes of Hazzard Cruise, that Judy Bruce starred in the pilot episode, "One Armed Bandits." Here she poses with her co-star in that episode -- sorta! In the episode, Judy is the little girl from the orphanage who climbs into Boss' Cadillac at the end and fiddles with his hat.


We had no idea our friend Jim Fullerton was so creative! This local resident, and dad of hard-core "Dukes" fan Chad Fullerton, actually created this wooden model of the Boar's Nest, complete with Matchbox-style cars. It even features Boss Hogg standing at the door, yelling at Daisy to come in and get to work! Wow! It's certainly a specialty item, a one-of-a-kind, and it's on display at the "Dukes" museum in the back of A Touch of Country on the town square.

Look for a full week's worth of coverage of this weekend's DukesFest, beginning Monday.

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV
Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

In completely unrelated news ...

OK, can all this other juicy stuff just wait until after our weeklong DukesFest coverage? Good grief ... Sigh ... OK, we might be over it ... We've gotta post these goodies when we get 'em, or else they will age too much in the next week and a half ...

- Charlene Tilton, our own little Lucy Ewing of "Dallas," will help host a Fourth of July celebration at the CBS Studio Center in Los Angeles. It begins at 5 p.m. next Friday, if you happen to be in town. Read more: http://journals.aol.com/kdmask20/HollywoodandPAAve/entries/2008/06/25/hey-you-lucky-la-people/2038

- More on Charlene, who certainly has been generating some HTML and CSS lately, with receiving awards and all. “People still want to see me up in the hayloft in a bikini,” Tilton said during an appearance at the Home Media Expo this week. She was there with other classic TV stars, such as Don Most of "Happy Days," discussing their shows and the magic and wonder that is the DVD. Home Media Magazine has more:
http://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=13021

- For the past few weeks, BRBTV has been indulging in "Step By Step" repeats on ABC Family at 9 a.m. each weekday, trying not to drool too much on the laptop as Frank Lambert and the Codeman chew up the screen, so we can only say that there's something about this YouTube classic clip that's strangely yummy ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1X9v9_fjGo

Hello again, Covington! Plus, a few "Santa Barbara" tidbits

Aaaahhhh ... Covington ... birthplace of "The Dukes of Hazzard." It treats us so well, each time we visit it ... Last night's Hazzard County Cruise-In on the historic town square in Covington, Georgia, brought mostly locals around, curious to see this "Dukes" goings-on, as many of the hard-core "Dukes" fans that are traveling from out of state are still, well, traveling from out of state! Like right now, as you read!

But the evening -- amid the sunny Southern heat closing all around and showing us just why Cooter liked to call this Hot-lanta -- was still most enjoyable, with plenty of fun and chatting. Take the two young gentlemen in the top photo, for instance, all gussied up as those Hazzard County lawmen we adored even though we didn't want to, Rosco and Enos -- or was it Rosco and Cletus?! They came in from New Jersey in a modern Hazzard County Sheriff's car that they said was actually pulled over for speeding by the (real) police! The constables warned the guys not to be wearing those uniforms in the vehicle, also. They are rather convincing, ya know?

The Hazzard County Stunt Team was there, and will return tonight, and then Sunday night after DukesFest, along with Jon Holland and BRB herself, signing their "Dukes" books. The sweet, smiling Judy Bruce, who was one of the kids in the orphanage in the pilot episode, "One Armed Bandits," was there, and BRB was delighted to chat with Mr. Wayne Wooten, and JETT and friends all the way from New York. The below display of "Dukes" goodies was from reps of John Schneider.

If you're one of those in town, c'mon out and visit with us awhile tonight, 6 to 10, then on Sunday, same hours! Grab a soda at A Touch of Country and check in with that fab "Dukes" museum in the back. And yes, bring that beautiful car and park it along the square!

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV
Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

In completely unrelated news ...

OK, we've got to run it now, because we plan on jamming this blog up all of next week with lotsa DukesFest coverage, and it's good enough not to keep until after that. A few items related to our beloved soap "Santa Barbara" surfaced on the Net in the past few days.

- Did you know that Dame Judith Anderson, the original Minx Lockridge, actually was a Santa Barbara girl? She lived there many years. See the explanation of that, along with a nice bio of her by the Santa Barbara Historical Society, in the Santa Barbara Independent:
http://www.independent.com/news/2008/jun/24/how-long-did-famous-actress-judith-anderson-live-h/

- Oh, that Lane Davies, at that whole Shakespeare thing again. You just can't keep him away from the Bard. It's his "A Midsummer Night's Dream" set in the U.S. South again, at the Tennessee Shakespeare Festival, and Tennessee's Shelbyville Times-Gazette has more:
http://www.t-g.com/story/1439232.html

- And while we're roaming around in the Times-Gazette, here's another story about a "Santa Barbara" actor. This time it's Sam Dalton, who played a police officer from 1984-1986 and who is friends with Davies. Nowadays, he produces and writes for television. Read more at the paper:
http://www.t-g.com/story/1439554.html
And see more about Dalton at his site:
http://www.boomeradventurestv.com/

Hang out with us in Covington before DukesFest

DukesFest is only a few weeks away, and BRBTV can't wait for that great, great time, especially since the fun is starting early, right there in the birthplace of "The Dukes of Hazzard" -- lovely Covington, Georgia!

Classic car owners, "Dukes" fans and friends alike, c'mon out to the Town Square in Covington on the Wednesday and Thursday before DukesFest, June 25 and 26, then on that Sunday after DukesFest, June 29, beginning at 6 p.m. each day. There you will see an array of fabulous cars, along with Tom Sarmento, lead mechanic for "The Dukes," and his Hazzard County Stunt Team. The Stunt Team has a wealth of information about "The Dukes" and about the stunt world in general! And two "Dukes" authors you know will be there: Jon Holland, who just released his book about the filming of the first five episodes of the show, "The Roads Back to Early Hazzard," and BRB herself, author of "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!," a reference guide to the show. They'll both be signing copies of their books.

It's called the "Hazzard County Cruise-In," and it's sure to be a good time, leading up to (and after) your DukesFest experience! We're sure many folks'll be touring the original film sites in and around the Covington countryside that week, as well as dropping in on Dianne and Harold at A Touch of Country -- home of the fab "Dukes" museum -- so we're really looking forward to a whole blessed week of fun!

- And while we're talking "Dukes," another one of the stunt guys popped up on the radar: James August Smith, who worked on the 2005 flick and has done stunts at DukesFest over the years. Smith just appeared this past weekend at an event in Yakima, Washington, RacingWest.com reports.

- And speaking of the 2005 movie ... We don't know too many fans out there who enjoyed it, for sure, and StarPulse.com addresses that fact, naming it one of the worst movies made from a TV show.

- We've reported on this blog about John Schneider's new TV series on ABC Family. You can see the video promo for the series, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," and catch a nice glimpse of John-John, at the ABC Family site. The series premieres soon, July 1. Thanks to Renee at the All-John blog for the tipoff. We simply adore the fact that our fellow 1968-born redhead Molly Ringwald will also star, as well as Josie Bissett, whom we loved on "Melrose Place."

- Finally, to round out today's "Dukes"-themed post, read a couple fresh quotes from our own Rosco P. Coltrane at Southern Illinois' TheSouthern.com, which talked with him after he threw out the first pitch at a baseball game there late last week.

Motor City Mania: As always, the "Dukes" are abundant! And we like it that way!

You know, BRB has attended the Motor City Comic Con -- as a special guest, as a member of the media, or simply as a geek -- many times in the nearly 20-year history of the show. And to her it just wouldn't be the Motor City Comic Con if Paul Harrington and his Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club display weren't there. She first saw the display in 1999, when the beast we call BRBTV was just a pup, so to speak, and she delighted in photographing Paul's General Lee, a photo later used for the cover of the "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" reference guide.

This year, the "Dukes" display got even bigger and better. Paul gets new "Dukes" memorabilia all the time (just ask his ever-patient wife, Cheryl!), in anticipation of the actual museum building currently in progress on his home property.




Paul was on the set of the 2005 "Dukes of Hazzard" movie (and saw some screen time). His collection of props from the film (above) includes production signs and a rear bumper from a jumpin' General Lee. He also has a collection of props from the TV series, shown below.

Paul has some items from the original Boar's Nest in Georgia, utilized in the first five episodes of the show shot. The building is now rented by a church.

New to the "Dukes" display this year was Will Rodgers, the "voice man," a guy who can perfectly nail just about any classic TV voice you name! And the dialog he memorizes for this stuff? Don't even get us started! Will performed his voice impersonations at last year's Hair Dare Dukes Weekend in Ontario, Canada. He has set a goal to become an in-demand voice performer. When he gets a website up and runnin', we'll post a link here! We'll also note that Will served as an editor for BRBTV's recently released "Destination: Dallas" reference guide, and for that we are thankful!

Every year, females wear that Princess Leia skin-baring outfit to this comic con. This year we counted at least four of 'em. How fun, that Leia and her friendly neighborhood Stormtrooper could pause for a photo op with the General Lee!

Here's BRB's display at the show. Thanks to Paul and Cheryl Harrington for the hospitality and the fun, once again!

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV
Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand!

Motor City Mania: An overview

Whew ... It was a fabulous start to a rockin' weekend at the Motor City Comic Con in Novi, Michigan. We saw thoroughly entertaining things that it wouldn't be right to post here, but we will post what we can, to kick off our full week of coverage of the event.


Mr. Felix Silla of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century," the original "Battlestar Galactica" and many more fun shows, who also played the alien in the "Dukes of Hazzard" episode "Strange Visitor to Hazzard," stopped by our table to chat. He was at the show last year, too.


What would a con (any con?) be without Stormtroopers and the like? Here, they show their weaponry to our friend Krista ...

K.I.T.T. and the General Lee -- how can you go wrong? In fact, there are two Generals in attendance this weekend, plus the first ever appearance of one of the two original Monkeemobiles! Look for photos of that red beauty next week!

As always, BRB enjoyed the warm hospitality of Paul and Cheryl Harrington of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club and their "Dukes" museum display. Cheryl says it's the largest collection of fun "Dukes" stuff they've displayed at the Motor City show (and they've done quite a few of these shows!)


If you can make it to the Rock Financial Showplace this weekend, be sure to stop by BRB's table and say hello! She's signing not only "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" but also the other two print BRBTV books, "Dynasty High" and the newly released "Destination: Dallas." She's also got CDs of all of the BRBTV products for a cool low price (see the BRBTV 10th anniversary page for a rundown of the AniPak and SuperPak). And hey, you can open up a big ole classic TV geek vortex at her table with the mere mention of "The Rockford Files," Erik Estrada, "The Secrets of Isis," Walter Koenig or any such stuff like that ...

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV
Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand!

Join us in the Motor City in May

With all the guest additions posted on the official site in the past few weeks, the Motor City Comic Con is shaping up to be one surefire fabbo classic TV party! Erin Gray and Gil Gerard of "Buck Rogers in the 25th Century" were just added (and hey -- Felix Silla was already there!). Lou Ferrigno of "The Incredible Hulk" and Erik Estrada of "CHiPs" are there. M.C. Gainey of "The Dukes of Hazzard," will be there, as previously reported on this blog. There'll be a good "Star Trek" presence, as usual, with Walter Koenig and Denise Crosby and Avery Brooks. And a buddy of BRB's has even managed to get the proud new owner of one of the two true original Monkeemobiles to bring his lovely crimson prize -- fresh off the Barrett-Jackson auction block -- to the show, to be reunited with one of the show's stars, Micky Dolenz! Meow! (or whatever high-pitched, shrill sound it is that a monkey makes!!!!)

BRB will be at the show for the third year, signing copies of "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" at the display of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club. You'll see the General Lee and a traveling museum of fab "Dukes" memorabilia, along with a host of other fun TV cars. And BRB will be bringing copies of the other BRBTV reference books. So if you can be at the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi on May 16, 17 or 18, you can snag yourself a signed copy of the new "Destination: Dallas," too. She'll also have CDs of the BRBTV anniversary year products such as the AniPak of BRBTV Reports / Shorts. Remember, it's the 10th year of BRBTV, and special anniversary stuff is offered all year long in 2008!

The Motor City Comic Con is always a smokin'-good pop-culture time! See the full guest list for the show here.

Checking in with the "Dukes" museum in Canada

You know we like to keep you up-to-date on what's happening with the "Dukes of Hazzard" museum currently under construction by Paul Harrington and his Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club. Paul sent us a bunch of photos a while back, some of which we're featuring here, to give you more of a glimpse of the building's progress.

Check earlier posts of this blog, too, to see additional photos and information about this fun project, which will house Paul's considerable collection of "Dukes" memorabilia. (That's Paul diggin' the hole below! What an inenviable task!)

It's a labor of love, we know ...

Stay tuned for more updates on the museum as time passes.

Photos courtesy of Paul Harrington

"Dukes" museum gets its floor joists

The "Dukes of Hazzard" museum in Ontario, Canada, continues to take shape. And winter weather is sure not a deterrent for this fine project ...

"We now have 12' feet of floor joists up, and another 8' to go to complete only half of the 40' feet for the overall floor space," says Paul Harrington of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club, who owns the property. "This section is 20' by 24' ."

Paul jokes that in the photo below, he's having his "first cup of tea up in the 'Dukes' room, lol, almost 14' off the ground."

He continues, "Each board is 24' long , and these are a true 9 1/2" by 2" boards, very heavy, and very hard to pull them up. We ended up using a boat winch on the ground with a pulley on a bar in the rafters, 20' in the air."

All in a day's work. Well, we're sure it was more than a day. "It is taking shape," Paul says, "with the help of Lance, and Tonya, and Cheryl making teas for us, and a great supper."

Photos courtesy of Paul Harrington

BRBTV News Blog Blip: Speaking of "The Dukes," Tom Wopat, our own Luke Duke, will fill in for Robert Cuccioli for the Cabaret Pittsburgh Riverview Series show at the Renaissance Hotel on February 15. Read more about it at Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

A "Dukes" museum update

There it is ... like a beacon shining in the distance ... the "Dukes of Hazzard" museum being built by Mr. Paul Harrington of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club. We've been posting photos now and then, to update you on the progress of the museum, and these photos are the latest.

"We have been kind of busy with the east wall," Paul said, "trying to get it all covered before it gets too cold. Well, here it is so far, now it's 40 outside. Last week it was 93; wow, what a difference."

And that was last month. There's a reason they call it the Great White North, ya know ... (of course, maybe now it'll be the Great Orange North!)

Photos courtesy of Paul Harrington