Branson offers up some great '80s TV-related toys

This author's friend Patrick Shawn Bennett, creator, along with Lisa Everetts, of the Pop Ninja podcast you've seen highlighted on this very blog, took a trip to Branson, Missouri, during the holidays and saw all kinds of '80s goodies (we bet it will lead to material on the '80s-themed podcast!) and a lot of it was related to the TV shows we know and love from that era and beyond. He shares these cool photos with us -- thanks, Patrick! He visited the toy store "80s World" that you see pictured first below, and a Hollywood wax museum (the "Star Trek" transporter room, with one photo of Patrick himself!), and a toy museum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are a few items shown above that you have seen on the Terrific TV Toys series, and there's one particular item (a set, if that's a clue) that you will see on an upcoming episode!

 

On New Year's Day, Patrick was at Cooter's Garage in Nashville, and he snapped this photo for us while he was standing at the register. Thanks so much, Patrick, and thanks, Cooter's, for continuing to carry "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" along with these other great "Dukes" books. This author really appreciates it.

 

 

 

Photos by Patrick Shawn Bennett; please do not copy without permission.

Canadian artist Jim Wilson crafts Mr. Dressup's treehouse for a good friend

For any of the Canadian readers out there (like you, Wendy! :) ), you might have grown up with "Mr. Dressup," a Canadian children's television series that originally ran on CBC from 1967 to 1996. As Mr. Dressup, actor Ernie Coombs would lead children through a series of songs, stories, arts, crafts and imagination games, with the help of his puppet friends Casey and Finnegan, Wikipedia says. This author's good friend Jim Wilson of Canada, whose fine art you've seen on this blog before -- art of "The Dukes of Hazzard," "Green Hornet" and more -- has now turned his creative eye to the beloved TV icon of his youth. He has crafted a replica of the treehouse featured on "Mr. Dressup" for his friend, Rob. 

This is the treehouse where those puppets Casey and Finnegan lived, on the show. How fun! If you're sensing some "Mr. Rogers" vibes, those of you in the U.S., it might be because Coombs and Fred Rogers once knew each other as colleagues, and yes, they took very similar career paths.

Here's the real thing as seen on the show:

And here are shots of Jim's work on the replica:

 

 

Thanks, Jim, for sharing these photos with us! And congratulations, Rob (that's him below), on a one-of-a-kind piece! By the way, be sure to like Jim's new Facebook page to see more of his work!

 

Photos courtesy of Jim Wilson; please do not copy without permission.

Terrific TV Toys: Curious George plush by Gund, 1990s

Let's start out the new year on a bright note, for the series! What can be brighter than the adorable Curious George and his pal the Man With the Yellow Hat? That little monkey loves to get into trouble, and did you know he's a world traveler? Well, find out more in this week's episode, examining a plush toy from Gund that was purchased new in the 1990s ... 

A channel showing just "Three's Company" 'round the clock? How can that be?

Yea, that's what this author thought, when her pal Brian gave her the heads-up on Pluto TV, which, truth be told, I'd heard of but just hadn't really watched. Maybe I even added the app to my Amazon Firestick. But nonetheless, now I have checked it out more fully, and it is a veritable smorgasbord where classic television is concerned. "Happy Days," "The Love Boat," "Family Ties," "One Day at a Time" ... too many to mention, really. Even the "Dark Shadows" episodes I've been watching on Tubi! Just oodles of classic TV shows there at your fingertips, 24-7, and free! No subscriptions! You can watch on your laptop, phone or tablet. So crazy. Somebody get these guys some revenue, because we don't want this to stop!!! Gives a whole new mechanism for binge-watching, for sure. (Oh, and there are movies there, too, along with documentaries, reality TV, and other assorted goodies.)

Happy new year! Here's your updated episode guide for the two BRBTV collectibles series

Congratulations! If you're reading this, you just survived a difficult year. And it's all about survival, right? Time marches on here at BRBTV, thank the Lord, and the two collectibles series on YouTube, Terrific TV Toys and Terrific non-TV Toys, have marched on, as well. As is our custom, we present the updated episode guide for the two series, as we look forward to highlighting many more great toys in the 2021. We've got a packed schedule! And the plan is to continue one episode per month for each series on the BRBTV YouTube channel. Until then, here's your recap ...

Terrific TV Toys

Season 7

150. Batgirl figures from "DC Super Hero Girls," Part 1 

151. Batgirl figures from "DC Super Hero Girls," Part 2 

152. "DC Super Hero Girls" book and Pez 

153. Wonder Woman Hallmark ornament, 2020 

154. Scooby-Doo playsets by Playmobil, Part 1: Mystery Machine 

155. Scooby-Doo playsets by Playmobil, Part 2: Mystery Machine cont'd, plus Scooby and Shaggy

 
Season 6
Season 5
Season 4
Season 3
Season 1 and 2  

Terrific non-TV Toys

Season 3

25. Batman Black and White blind bags, Series 1-3 

Backlog of Batgirls Series:

26. Batgirl "DC Bombshells" statue 

27. Batgirl DC Core statue 

28. Batgirl on scooter, DC Artists Alley series, 2019 

29. Batgirl figure by Funko / 5 Star, 2018 

30. Batgirl and Donatello from DC Collectibles, 2020 

31. Batgirl Multiverse figure by McFarlane Toys, 2020

Season 2

Season 1

May 2021 be blessed for you and your family!

It's collage time again! How about a few Angels and some "Trek" ...

"A few angels in your corner is always a plus," says C.J., whose creative collages you have seen on this blog. How about a few more? This time we'll start with the lovely ladies of "Charlie's Angels" then go into more and more original "Star Trek"! Thanks again, C.J.

 

 

(These images are arranged in a certain order -- did you catch on yet?)

In case you didn't notice, each one of these collages is a spotlight on a particular "Trek" episode, and they're arranged in alphabetical order by title (including the "The" at the beginning of the title, if there was one!)

Yes, as with the other collages by C.J. posted on this blog, you are free to copy and share!

 

Images courtesy of and crafted by C.J.

Terrific non-TV Toys: Batgirl Multiverse figure by McFarlane Toys, 2020

We're rounding out the year here at the BRBTV collectibles series, Terrific TV Toys and Terrific non-TV Toys. Earlier this month you saw a two-parter on the Playmobil "Scooby-Doo" playsets of  the Mystery Machine and Shaggy and Scooby figure set. Now, we turn our attention (back) to the Backlog of Batgirls, and we're just not done yet! We're trying to be done with this looooooonnnnngggg series, but they've been multiplying since we began. That's a great thing, yes, just a bit tough to get caught up!

This may be the first appearance of McFarlane Toys on the BRBTV series. The brainchild of Todd McFarlane, who made a name for himself in the comic book industry at a young age in the '80s, this toy line has been known by collectors over the years as being highly detailed. McFarlane has taken on quite a few licenses for its toys over the years, beyond the Spawn figures that really caught people's attention. "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter," to name a couple other biggies. But this year, amid the pandemic, McFarlane released a line of Batman-themed figures in a line called the Multiverse. This Batgirl figure was nabbed at Target as part of that series.

Stay tuned, because we've got great stuff planned for the new year. We've got just one last installment of the Backlog of Batgirls, then there shall be no more Batgirl or Batman on the series for the rest of 2021, as we turn instead to a very diverse assortment of other great collectibles!

Reminisce with Patrick, Lisa and BRB in a special Christmas episode of "Pop Ninja"

 

 

Lite-Brite, Malibu Barbie, Farrah Fawcett and Evel Knievel and the Bionic Woman ... Oh, and Atari and the Odyssey game console, too! This has to be my favorite of the Pop Ninja podcasts I've sat in on so far ... reminiscing about Christmases of the '70s and '80s and the cool toys you got ... Join me, Patrick and Lisa for this week's episode, and trip back in time with us as we eagerly check out what's under the Christmas tree!

 

Listen in!

 

Check out the new Scooby-Doo playlist from the Terrific TV Toys series

Many thanks to Nate for the great suggestion of making a playlist of Scooby-Doo items from the Terrific TV Toys series -- it's created! Now there's one central locale for all the Scoobilicious stuff from the BRBTV collecibles series, including the two latest episodes this month on the Playmobil playsets.

Six Feet Under Hollywood: #100: Robert Reed

He's written a book about "The Brady Bunch," so who better to profile Brady dad Robert Reed than our good pal Brian Lombard. And it's the momentous 100th post of the Six Feet Under Hollywood blog ...

__________

 Six Feet Under Hollywood: #100: Robert Reed:   John Robert Rietz, Jr. was born in Highland Park, Illinois on October 19, 1932.  He was an only child, born to a pair of high school sweethearts.  His father, John, Sr., worked for the government while his mother ran the household.

During his formative years, his family moved around a lot, settling in Texas and then later Oklahoma.  While there, he worked on the family farm and joined the local 4-H club, but was more interested in being a performer.  As a teenager, he wrote and produced dramas for the local radio stations and appeared in stage productions at Central High School.  [read on] ...

Terrific TV Toys: Scooby-Doo playsets by Playmobil, Part 2: Mystery Machine continued, plus Scooby and Shaggy

Last week on Terrific TV Toys we embarked on a looooonnnngggg mission to put together a Scooby-Doo-themed Mystery Machine playset by Playmobil. We got about halfway through the on-camera assembly and decided to finish it this week, so detailed is this set. So, picking right up where we left off (literally, with placing the decals on the clear image slides that go into that odd little box that goes into the back of the van), it's the conclusion of the "Mystery of the Playmobil Playsets" ... (got your coffee or tea, parents????) ...

Terrific TV Toys: Scooby-Doo playsets by Playmobil, Part 1: Mystery Machine

A flashlight, some stuff to eat, a light-up case viewer, all kinds of crazy things to help solve mysteries are included in this Mystery Machine playset by Playmobil, released earlier this year. And if you're a parent looking for a Christmas gift for your little Shaggy or Daphne (age 5 and up), this could be just the thing. In this week's episode of the Terrific TV Toys series, which borders on ridiculously long but we'll just call it very long, you'll see the blow-by-blow of a silly gal trying to put this thing together. And it's only part 1 -- we'll continue it (and conclude it; you're welcome) next week.

A couple Duke cousins queue up for December benefit event

What's this? A Hazzard County Christmas featuring a couple Duke boys? Well, golly, if it ain't a pandemic-era "Dukes of Hazzard" event popping up on the calendar. Byron ("Coy Duke") Cherry and Chris ("Jeb Stuart Duke") Hensel will appear at the family-friendly show on December 12 at the Cusseta Event Center in Cusseta, Alabama. And best of all, this event raises money for toys for kids in need, sponsored by the Missiles for Christ Ministries. Very cool.

Patrick, Lisa and BRB chat about the beloved, long-past Saturday morning era of television in the latest Pop Ninja podcast

The latest Pop Ninja Podcast episode is up and ready for your enjoyment! Episode 14 is all about Saturday mornings in the '70s and '80s ... Join Lisa, Patrick, and this author (BRB!) as we reminisce about breakfast cereals, cartoons, and live-action shows from those glorious Saturday mornings in the greatest decades ever!

Listen to this episode (14) and all the others so far at https://www.buzzsprout.com/1265612

 

 

Terrific non-TV Toys: Batgirl and Donatello figures from DC Collectibles, 2020

It's a marvelous mashup of two different pop-culture universes. Batgirl of the comics teams up with Donatello of the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" to fight some crime, or maybe just eat some pizza. This two-pack of figures (and lots of accessories) takes the spotlight for the latest episode of the Terrific non-TV Toys web series. This set is part of a larger set based on the comics cross-over of these two universes, and it was just released earlier this year.

Happy Friday!!!

Next up: A ride in the Mystery Machine with Scooby and the gang, in December's episode of "Terrific TV Toys"!

Watch last night's broadcast of "Live with Vince Eliot" featuring BRB

Well, it was a really nice time last night, and I want to thank my hosts, Vince and Erika, along with Deidra in production, for having me on as a guest on the weekly "Live with Vince Eliot" show. This is a relatively new show, launching earlier this year, and these folks have their production down to a science, and things went really smoothly for this episode airing live on both Facebook and YouTube. We talked about all kinds of geeky things. I was the only geek in the room -- can you believe that? Often I am surrounded by other geeks. But they were very patient with me, LOL. 

Anyway, you can watch last night's broadcast in the Facebook video or in the YouTube embed below, and you can hear all the chatter about Motor City Comic Con, San Diego's Comic-Con, the BRBTV book series, and much more ...

Check out "Live with Vince Eliot" tonight at 8 as BRB guests!

Many thanks to Vince Eliot, who produces an hourlong web series each week, on Tuesday nights. He asked this author to do a guest shot, and I can't wait to see what kind of craziness ensues. It's the "Live with Vince Eliot" show, and it airs live on both YouTube and Facebook. So tune in at 8 p.m. Eastern today!

Six Feet Under Hollywood Blog: John Ritter

John Ritter will forever be known as Jack Tripper on the 70s hit "Three's Company," a series that redefined the American sitcom.

 

This week at Six Feet Under Hollywood, read about his early foray into politics, his transition to comedy, and the roles that defined his career. Then travel to Hollywood Hills and visit his final resting place.

.................

Six Feet Under Hollywood: Blog #97: John Ritter:   Jonathan Southworth Ritter was born in Burbank, California on September 17, 1948.  Yeah, that's his real name.  His father was of cou ...

Terrific TV Toys: Wonder Woman Hallmark ornament, 2020

The fact that it features that luscious cape really makes the piece -- don't you think? It even looks like satin despite the hard plastic / resin material of this 2020 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament all set to deck your Christmas tree this season. This one was released this past summer, not during the fall release you read about on this very blog a few weeks ago. And she is really a beauty, capturing the beauty of the beauty queen who stepped into this iconic role back in the 1970s. She would become the standard we would forever measure Wonder Woman against.