TGIF Toys: Nipping at his heels, indeed

Leave it to the hunky Nightwing to keep that rascally Harley Quinn in order; if only her hyenas would stop nipping at the heels! In the late 1990s, with the evolution of "Batman: The Animated Series" into "The New Batman Adventures," Hasbro released a set of 12-inch high figures / dolls:
Nightwing, Harley Quinn, Batgirl, Batman and Joker (who came with a bazooka!).

Photo by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Spotted: Kerry Sherman and Russell Johnson

We have to admit -- we recognized her smile immediately, though her hair was a bit fluffier and her voice a little higher and sweeter. Six years before she came to "Santa Barbara" as big sis Amy Perkins, Kerry Sherman guested on an episode of the classic "Wonder Woman." All decked out in blousey attire befitting the '70s (a peasantlike top that's back around now, for sure), Sherman plays a con in the episode, titled "Disco Devil." She lures a hapless victim to a mysterious mirrored room at the disco, then later pulls the old broken-down-car routine on another (in a hot floral dress).

That would be enough, certainly, but then up pops Russell Johnson in the episode, as well. In addition to being the "Gilligan's Island" castaway BRBTV would most like to be stranded with, Johnson was Sheriff Wyatt Mansfield on "Dallas," Earl Thompson on "Dynasty," and Roger Wainwright on "SB." Here, he has brief airtime as a nicely uniformed colonel at a military facility researching nuclear equipment.

See it for yourself at the WB, and read the BRBTV synopsis to this and the other "Wonder Woman" episodes at the IMDb.

TGIF Toys: Sighted at the Mattel booth ...

... at Comic-Con International in San Diego a few months back, a glorious assortment of new DC heroes figures coming out, including this array of Bat-themed goodies and other finery. Bring it on!


Photo by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Spotted: Dack Rambo

He doesn't seem much younger, because he was still quite hunky on "Dallas," but it's definitely a different spin for Dack Rambo. Composed, learned gentleman in a silver suit. A tough military leader at the same time. He travels to Earth and enlists the aid of a special friend as he tracks down a notorious band of aliens he's been fighting elsewhere in space.

The show is "Wonder Woman," more specifically the December 1977 two-parter, "Mind Stealers from Outer Space." A decade or so before he landed in Dallas as long-lost Ewing cousin Jack, Rambo portrayed Andros, a highly evolved friend to our Amazon princess. Together they work to take down the alien threat, and at the end Andros even tries to woo Wonder Woman to more stellar aspirations.

See it for yourself at the WB, and catch the full BRBTV synopsis of this and other "Wonder Woman" episodes at the IMDb.

TGIF Toys: Don't you dare oversleep!

"Gotham City is in trouble! Call for Batman!" That's what this supercool alarm clock says when the alarm deploys (and if you're not that patient, you can just hit the deploy button on the left!). Made in this 1993 by Top Banana, this clock will surely keep you safe at night.

Photo by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

BRBTV birthdays for October

- Alan Rachins, memorable as the wound-up Temple Fugate / Clock King on "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 68 on October 3.
- Jack Wagner, who was our final Warren Lockridge on "Santa Barbara," along with a host of other soap opera roles in the '80s and '90s, turns 51 on October 3.
- Christopher Stone, who was Dave Stratton on "Dallas," was born on October 4, 1942, and died on October 20, 1995.
- Charlton Heston, our giant Jason Colby on "Dynasty" and "The Colbys," was born on October 4, 1923, and died on April 5, 2008.
- Christopher Norris, who was the demented Laura Asher on "SB," will turn 57 on October 7.
- John O’Hurley, who was the second Stephen Slade on "Santa Barbara" and so many other things over the years, including a fabulous "Seinfeld" role and that "Dancing With the Stars" gig, turns 56 on October 9.
- J. Eddie Peck, who's a BRBTV double-shot with his roles on our two primetime biggies, Tommy McKay on "Dallas" and Roger Grimes on "Dynasty," turns 52 on October 10.
- Jim McMullan, who was Sen. Andrew Dowling on "Dallas," turns 74 on October 13.
- Greg Evigan, who was Willie Gust on "Dallas" but is better known for "B.J. and the Bear," turns 57 on October 14.
- Arleen Sorkin, the unforgettable voice of Harley Quinn on "Batman: The Animated Series," as well as the person who inspired the character, turns 54 on October 14.
- Barry Corbin, who was the stalwart Sheriff Fenton Washburn on "Dallas," as well as Pullman in the 2005 "Dukes of Hazzard" movie, turns 70 on October 16.
- John Anderson, who was Kimberly Cryder's father Dr. Styles on "Dallas," was born on October 20, 1922, and died on August 7, 1992.
- John Zaremba, who played Dr. Harlan Danvers on "Dallas," was born on October 22, 1908, and died on December 15, 1986.
- Wolf Muser, who was the sinister Marcello Armonti on "Santa Barbara," terrorizing C.C. Capwell for his supposed wrongs in the second World War, turns 60 on October 23.
- Scott Jaeck, another "SB" alum as Cain Garver who was spotted more recently as a hired gun on Fox's "Prison Boys" (er, we mean "Prison Break"), turns 56 on October 29.
- The talented and well-regarded (and ever patient) Barbara Bel Geddes, who for so many years portrayed Miss Ellie Ewing on "Dallas," was born on Halloween in 1922 in New York City. She died on August 8, 2005, of lung cancer.


Happy birthday to all!

TGIF Toys: Burger-dog

To promote the release of the “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island” video in 1998 (the first of a
successful string of straight-to-video Scooby movies), Wendy’s featured a set of Kids’ Meal toys, including this guy. His pull-string is a little pulled out, these days (sorry -- the toys at the BRBTV headquarters get played-with; we're not familiar with the term "mint in box"!), but he's still shiny and snappy. And the movie that goes with 'im isn't bad, either.




Photo by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV