Terrific TV Toys: Episode Guide for Seasons 1 and 2

It's hard to believe it's already been 50 episodes across two seasons of Terrific TV Toys. And while we're loving every minute of examining these toys that celebrate the classic TV shows we love, we also hope you have enjoyed these trips back through time with us! We've had two guest hosts on the series so far (thanks, Brian and Andrea!) and hope to have more guest-hosting in the coming years. Here, for posterity and convenience and whatever else, is your episode guide to the first 50 of T3 ...

1.  Mego Batgirl figure 
2.  Mego Supergirl figure 
3.  Mego 8-inch Wonder Woman figure 
4.  Mego Catwoman figure 
5.  Jaime Sommers doll by Kenner 
6.  Steve Austin doll by Kenner 
7.  Oscar Goldman doll by Kenner 
8.  Fembot doll by Kenner 
9.  Bionic Beauty Salon by Kenner 
10.  Wonder Woman / Diana Prince doll by Mego 
11.  Farrah Fawcett doll by Mego 
12.  "Star Trek" Mego figures 
13.  "Batman: The Animated Series" Colorforms 
14.  Dolly Parton doll by Eegee 
15.  Scooby-Doo kids' meal toys 
16.  Shazam Mego 
17.  Underdog figures and plush 
18.   "Twilight Zone" figures by Bif Bang Pow! 
19.  Scooby-Doo plush, Part 1 
20.  Scooby-Doo plush, Part 2 
21.  Scooby-Doo plush, Part 3 -- the talkies! 
22.  "A Charlie Brown Christmas" figures 
23.  "Brady Bunch" View-Master set 
24.  "Dukes of Hazzard" Hallmark ornament -- an out-of-the-box experience
25.  Batgirl plush doll from 1960s "Batman" series -- an out-of-the-box experience
26.  "Batman Beyond" Kids Meal toys 
27.  Archie Comics dolls by Marx 
28.  Natasha bendie from "Rocky and Bullwinkle" 
29.  "Dallas" card game by Mego 
30.  Scooby-Doo and Daphne Barbie doll by Mattel 
31.  "Star Trek" claw-game plush, 10-inch 
32.  Cher doll and dressing room set by Mego 
33.  Batgirl Cycle by Eaglemoss -- an out-of-the-box experience
34.  "Charlie's Angels" dolls and fashions by Hasbro 
35.  "Batman: TAS" Happy Meal toys 
36.  Superhero bean bag plush from WB Studio Stores 
37.  Motor City Comic Con Special! 
38.  Archie cars from Burger King Kids Meals 
39.  "Star Trek" Andorian figure from Diamond / EMCE  -- an out-of-the-box experience
40.  "Star Trek" Keeper figure from Diamond / EMCE  -- an out-of-the-box experience
41.  "Star Trek" Scotty figure from Diamond / EMCE  -- an out-of-the-box experience
42.  Terrific TV Toys on Wheels: The Batmobile 
43.  Terrific TV Toys on Wheels: Munsters Koach 
44.  Terrific TV Toys on Wheels: The General Lee 
45.  Terrific TV Toys on Wheels: KITT car 
46.  Bionic Action Club Kit 
47.  Halloween special with the Scooby-Doo plush! 
48.  Dusty doll by Kenner 
49.  Nöelle and her merry band of Christmas Scoobies! 
50.  Episode 50 with Snoopy's plush siblings Olaf, Andy and Marbles 

Here's to a great Season 3 in 2016! Look out, we're blasting off with a Bionic Blitz, first thing in January!

In the  meantime, Merry Christmas from BRBTV!

Terrific TV Toys: A special 50th episode for a 50th anniversary ...

Did you know Olaf has a full-time job? And Marbles is the smartest one of the group? How about that Andy -- he plays some mean drums! Yes, each one of Snoopy's beagle siblings has his (or her -- there are two girls) own personality. Meet three of those siblings in the latest installment of the Terrific TV Toys series. These are lovable plush toys nabbed at the gift shop at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio, where a Snoopy theme prevails.

This special 50th episode of T3 commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Peanuts characters' debut on television. It was December 9, 1965, when the world first saw Charlie Brown and the gang animated in primetime on the small screen, and so many other wonderful cartoon specials followed through the years. The one that relates in particular here, for this special 50th episode, is "Snoopy's Reunion," which gave us eight little beagle puppies altogether, including Snoopy, and gave us a wonderful glimpse inside our favorite dog's back story.

Tom Wopat and John Schneider plan December performances

From the Wopat web crew ...

Our good ole boys Tom ("Luke Duke") Wopat and John ("Bo Duke") Schneider of  "The Dukes of Hazzard" are making several appearances this month.

Dec 5: Tom Wopat and John Schneider at John Schneider Studios - Holden, LA
Dec 16: John Schneider and Tom Wopat at Lyric Theatre (Early Show) - Stuart, FL
Dec 16: John Schneider and Tom Wopat at Lyric Theatre (Late Show) - Stuart, FL
Dec 20: Al. Ringling Theatre (Early Show) - Baraboo, WI
Dec 20: Al. Ringling Theatre  (Late Show) - Baraboo, WI
Feb 25: Ellie Caulkins Opera House - Denver, CO


Image courtesy of the Wopat web crew

Terrific TV Toys: Nöelle and her merry band of Christmas Scoobies!

A few weeks ago, you saw BRBTV's Halloween-costumed Scooby-Doo plush toys on our Terrific TV Toys series. Now we turn our attention to that other great holiday, Christmas, with a special episode highlighting several more Scoobies. In fact, with this episode, we are now up-to-date with the Scooby collection -- you now will have seen each and every Scooby housed at the BRBTV headquarters!!! Have you been counting? There have been 95 of them profiled across six episodes of the series. (It seems like more, doesn't it?)

Nöelle, Dancing-Doo, Snowy-Doo, Holly-Jolly-Doo, and the most recent and oh-so-unique Eggnog-Doo bid you a fine Christmas season!



UPDATE!!!
Check out the addendum to this episode -- call it episode 49.5 -- that reveals what Eggnog-Doo has to say!!! Join us as we open up the little guy on camera! It's better than Al Capone's vault -- we actually find something in there!!!!




Stay tuned, because we've got one more episode for Season 2 of Terrific TV Toys. It also happens to be the 50th episode of the series, so we'll be celebrating a very special 50th anniversary ...

Our fave Kalamazoo toy show serves up the good TV-related stuff, once again

Heeeeaaaaa-ven ... we were in heaven ... This past weekend's Circus Maximus Toy Show at the fairgrounds in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was again a big blast for BRBTV, as we saw a whole lot of cool toys related to classic television shows. Behold ...

A J.R. Ewing-themed "Dallas" jigsaw puzzle, above, and a nice assortment of TV show board games below. "The Six Million Dollar Man," "The Flintstones," "The Partridge Family," "Welcome Back, Kotter," "Emergency," "The Fall Guy," "Mork and Mindy" and more ... Did you have any idea there was a "General Hospital" board game????

You see that small Mego Luke Duke figure from "The Dukes of Hazzard"? That sticker in the corner says "80." We didn't ask!

We saw quite a few of the Hasbro "Charlie's Angels" dolls at the show. This is a wonderful set of the first three of the four dolls, for $85. We saw the others loose and reasonably priced. This author showed you her two -- Farrah and Jaclyn -- in Episode 12 of Season 2 of the Terrific TV Toys series.

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

Own a "Dynasty" gown: Joan Collins' property stars in a December auction

It makes us a little nervous when a megastar from one of our beloved classic TV shows decides to auction off her belongings. But Julien's Auctions is featuring a collection next month that you won't want to miss, as it includes an item or two from Collins' time on "Dynasty." The catalog itself is lovely and a great keepsake for fans. Included in the collection are quite a few pieces worn on-screen from "Dynasty," its reunion movie, and other productions -- even her slinky blue number from the Snickers commercial with Stephanie Beacham. For convenience, we're including the official press release for Collins' auction here ...

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

Beverly Hills, California – Julien’s Auctions, auction house to the stars, announces The Collection of Dame Joan Collins, an exquisite collection of fashion, jewelry, decorative arts and personal items representing her life and career. Joan Collins, first and foremost, is an actress but she is also a best-selling author, an accomplished producer and a successful entrepreneur. Nominated for an Emmy Award and winner of a Golden Globe Award and People’s Choice Award, as well as numerous other awards worldwide, Collins has appeared in more than 60 films and dozens of television programs.

When Alexis Carrington appeared on the hit primetime television drama, “Dynasty,” women from all over the world dreamed of being her and living the life of luxury and high stakes as only Carrington could have lived. It was Dame Joan Collins who brought the cunning and beautiful Alexis to life on the screen from 1981 to its end in 1989. The ABC award-winning drama featured Joan Collins alongside John Forsythe, Linda Evans and others.

The tale of Colorado oil tycoon Blake Carrington and the women he loved and wronged captivated America each week for eight years. The show was also nominated every year for a Golden Globe Award for Best TV Drama.

Collins won the Golden Globe in 1983 for her role in the show.

The legendary Collins has worked aside some of Hollywood’s most popular stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Bette Davis, Paul Newman, Gregory Peck, Kirk Douglas and numerous others. Some of her most memorable films include “The Girl in The Red Velvet Swing,” “Rally Round the Flag Boys,” and “The Virgin Queen.”  Her work in television has included TV shows such as “Starsky & Hutch,” “Mission Impossible,” “Love Boat” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” just to name a few. Since Joan made her stage debut at the age of nine and signed her first film contract at the age of 16, she has gone on to become one of the most iconic and recognizable Hollywood stars of our time.

Highlights from The Collection of Dame Joan Collins include outstanding couture dresses from the 1960s, costumes, designer fashions and accessories, jewelry, career memorabilia, decorative art, furniture and personal items. These highlights include two vintage Louis Vuitton steamer trunks, a 1961 beaded event worn couture dress, a couture halter dress worn to the “Doctor Doolittle” premiere, costumes from “Dynasty” including event worn gowns designed by Nolan Miller, a custom made white fox and mink cape designed by furrier Edward Lowell, a collection of costume jewelry dating from the 1960s to present and a gold perfume bottle gifted to Collins from Natalie Wood and Robert Wagner. Other highlights include furnishings and many personal items.

Collins is also a tireless humanitarian and patron of worldwide charities including the International Foundation for Children with Learning Disabilities, The Shooting Star/Chase charity and others. In 1997 Dame Joan Collins was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to the Dramatic Arts and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2015 for her services to charity.

The Collection of Dame Joan Collins will be featured in a full-color collectible catalog. The catalog will be available at www.juliensauctions.com.

People mag features power women of classic TV in its special issue

Yea, they certainly are power females, and People magazine recognizes that in the special thick issue on sale at the newsstand now (yea, the paper copy -- some folks still buy that!!!). It's all a celebration of the "women who rule TV," with plenty of fresh faces from current TV shows, but we just love seeing the classic gals ...

Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman, above, talks about her iconic role and how she did all of her own stunts at first, but then when the show became huge, the producers and crew were much more protective of her. And Joan Collins, below, talks about her just-as-big gig as Alexis Carrington Colby Whatever-Whatever on "Dynasty."

Terrific TV Toys: Dusty doll by Kenner

We're trippin' back through time once again, circa 1974 or 1975, for the latest episode of the Terrific TV Toys series. The lovely Dusty doll -- an alternative to Barbie back then and a bit huskier in her tomboy demeanor -- is the subject this time. She was a golf champ, she was a tennis champ, she rode a horse named Nugget, and she even had her own sports trophy! Come explore with Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV the appeal of the vintage Dusty doll! And what connection does this lovely toy have with television? Tune in and find out ...



This is episode 26 of the show's second season. Stay tuned -- we've got two more episodes to round out this year, one of them being a very special 50th episode overall!!!

Condolences to the family and friends of George Barris

He was a true pioneer -- maybe the pioneer -- where TV star cars were concerned. And now George Barris, creator of the Batmobile and other fabulous cars from classic television shows, has, as our buddy Mike put it, "gone on to that great Batcave in the sky." BRBTV offers condolences to Barris' family and friends. This author had the pleasure of talking with him at this past summer's Fleetwood Country Cruise-In hosted at the Steve Plunkett estate in Ontario, Canada. Barris was friendly and exceedingly sweet, chatting about some of his work over the years, for an upcoming BRBTV project.

Photos by Grigg; please do not copy without permission.

Rita Lakin talks about her writing work on "Dynasty" and more in her new autobiography

Rita Lakin once wrote for our beloved "Dynasty" TV series. She had a longstanding relationship with powerhouse Aaron Spelling, working for him on several of his projects. As she worked her way up in the biz in the 1960s and '70s, she even was offered another little TV show that she didn't think would become much. "This one sounded so dull and cliche'-ridden," she writes in her new autobiography, "The Only Woman in the Room." "I could just imagine my good-old boy heroes riding around in their pickup trucks with a dead buck deer with huge antlers tied on their hoods. Drinking hard liquor, talking about oil as they brought their trophies home to their trophy wives."

Yea. "Dallas" actually wasn't anything like that.

Yes, that's right -- Lakin was offered the chance to help create the "Dallas" TV series in the late '70s. And she muses in her book how she turned down something that became such a smash hit. "Not my cup of tea," she said at the time. "Who would watch? Who would care? Certainly not me."

Ah, the ironies of life.

But hey, Lakin did great, just the same, doing not only that "Dynasty" gig, but also "Peyton Place," "Mod Squad," "Dr. Kildare," some assorted TV movies. She worked her way up in a business dominated by men. She is to be admired for her diligence, despite being that only female in the room, building such a wonderful, successful career.

I got the chance to review Lakin's new book for Foreword Reviews. Catch the review in the next quarterly magazine or online at the Foreword site.

And by the way ... that whole "Dallas" thing? Well, do you recognize the name Howard Lakin from the credits? That is Rita's son -- he's the one who ended up working on "Dallas." Guess they've got their own family "dynasty" going on!

-- BRB

Photo by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Copying with credit is OK; a link would be grand

M.C. Gainey, Noel Guglielmi, Kim Richards reminisce about their time in Hazzard County

Guest blogger and avid "Dukes of Hazzard" fan Brian Lombard may seem to be on a mission to meet each and every one of the folks involved in the "Dukes"! He's making great progress, following up his October 7 report with this one from a show in New Jersey this past weekend.

The Chiller Theatre con is the biggest on the East Coast. Held twice a year in Parsippany, New Jersey, each show offers more than 100 stars and draws thousands of fans. If you go, don’t even bother looking for parking.

With that many stars in attendance, it’s hard to NOT find someone associated with "The Dukes of Hazzard." And this weekend, I found three.

First up was M.C. Gainey. Gainey is a member of a very unique fraternity – one of only two actors to have appeared in both the original television series and the 2005 feature film. So his is a unique perspective. I asked him what he remembered about filming the 1982 episode “Bad Day in Hazzard,” in which he played a hired gun holding the cast hostage at the Boar’s Nest.

Actor M.C. Gainey, left, and author Brian Lombard.

“I was using Daisy as a human shield when Bo and Luke first walked in. I picked her up and swung her around, and the director yelled ‘Cut.’ Catherine Bach ran off the set in a hurry, and I found out that when I was swinging her, her top had come undone! That was one of my first acting jobs ever, and I was afraid that they were going to fire me.”

He needn’t have worried. More than 20 years later, Gainey would be cast in the remake as none other than Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, a character he had tormented in the original series (see Gainey in his original role below).

“Warner Brothers, they wanted me to play him goofy, just like James Best had," Gainey said. "Now, Best was a friend of mine, but I made the decision to play him tough. I modeled him after a police officer who used to pick on me when I was in high school.”

When asked what he remembers about the film, Gainey added, “that dog (Flash). We were shooting the courtroom scene on a Friday. The script called for the dog to yawn, but he just wouldn’t do it. The trainer assured us that when we returned to set on Monday, the dog would yawn on cue, and sure enough he did. I don’t know what he did to make that happen.”

Next up was Noel Guglielmi. In 2000, he appeared in the second made-for-television movie "Hazzard in Hollywood."  It was an early role for the actor, one for which he wasn’t even credited. In fact, he has no lines in the film at all. But he is almost always seen standing side-by-side with Amaury Nolasco’s character of Cypriano, one of the many folks who befriended the wayward Dukes.

Eagle-eyed fans may recall that in the previous film, 1997’s "The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion," all of the General Lee’s jumps were recycled from the original series, due to the unavailability of 1969 Dodge Chargers. By 2000 however, enough had been procured to shoot an original jump for the second film, and Guglielmi (shown below) was on hand for the fun.

“It came down hard!" he said. "It was done. They jumped like 1,500 of those on the TV show, Bro." (Most actually estimate this number at around 300.) "But once it’s jumped, you can’t use it anymore. Ever.”

When asked what it was like working on the film, Guglielmi offered nothing but praise.

“It was the final film with the original cast. It was a great to be a part of that.”

Finally, I got to speak with Kim Richards. These days, she’s most famous for "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" and for being the aunt of Paris Hilton. As a child star, she made a name for herself in the classic Disney film "Escape to Witch Mountain," and was a regular on the television series "Hello, Larry."  But it was her role as Nancy Lou, Cooter’s estranged daughter in “Cooter’s Girl,” that I most wanted to talk to her about. We didn’t have that much time, as an aggressive handler was moving her line along as quickly as possible. She did, however, say that it was a fun experience, and she was surprised that I remembered it. I suspect it’s not a role that people often mention!

Actress Kim Richards with author Brian Lombard.

Brian Lombard is the author of "Bradypalooza: The Unauthorized Guide to TV's Favorite Family."

Images are courtesy Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission.

Lynda Carter dons her "satin tights" again on a lovely printed page

Have you caught DC Comics' new take on the classic "Wonder Woman" TV show yet? The Wonder Woman '77 Special issues 1 and 2 are out and bringing you new tales based on the popular 1970s series. The series follows the successful Batman '66 title based on the Adam West TV show, and the Wonder Woman art is even more amazing -- especially that of Nicola Scott, Annette Kwok and Jason Badower. Sooooo much like a photograph of Lynda Carter.

Each volume collects a couple tales, which were initially released electronically. Issue No. 1 has "Disco Inferno," where Steve and Diana go undercover at Studio 52 to protect a defected Russian scientist who's in danger. The second story is "Who is Wonder Woman?", a lively romp back in time that offers up images of Debra Winger as Drusilla / Wonder Girl and an earlier TV Wonder Woman with blond hair and the red-and-blue skirt costume with leggings who strangely does not actually look like Cathy Lee Crosby. This is an alternate reality that Diana has to figure out.

In the second special issue, "The Cat Came Back" takes place at the "Madisonian" Institute in Washington, D.C., where Dr. Minerva is upset that her work is being shoved aside for a new Wonder Woman exhibit. It's wonderful because it's a Cheetah origin story, going to where the TV show for the most part never did -- with WW battling an actual comic book villain. And it's a supernatural alteration, a mutation for Dr. Barbara Minerva that changes her into Cheetah. Then, in the second story, "Celsia 451," our hero investigates the murder of the CEO of a nuclear energy provider whose plant explosion caused a radioactive disaster in Ohio. A new villain is introduced, named Celsia, a victim of the disaster who now has radioactive powers. And the story makes reference to more villains in WW's "rogues gallery," again taking the printed page where the TV screen did not go. A bonus story in that second special issue, "Wisdom of Solomon," features DC villain Solomon Grundy in a case highlighting domestic abuse.

These tales occur in the continuity of the second and third seasons of the show -- the 1970s seasons, of course, as WW is adorned in her updated costume rather than the '40s version. There is a reference to her battling Hitler, though. (Thanks; we were always partial to the first season.) And Steve Trevor is featured -- now a director at the IADC -- whereas he was being written out of the show as it coasted to its stop at the end of the third season.

See BRB's latest episode of "Fantastic Forum"

This author takes on hosting duties once again in the latest episode of the "Fantastic Forum" TV show airing in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philly and New York! The topic is movie adaptations of comic books, and we had a lot of fun taping this one at Awesome Con in D.C. Thanks to show producer Ulysses Campbell for his great editing job, because you don't see all the fun geeky stuff we're trying to remember and all the out-of-control laughing we're doing as we're taping this one! It turned out quite nice, even though it was recorded after-hours so you couldn't see the day's massive crowds behind us!



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.

Terrific TV Toys: It's the Halloween special with even more Scooby plush!

Nothing says Halloween like Scooby-Doo, so we're marking this great holiday with a whole batch of Scoobies. And it's a magical Scooby week, anyway, with the premiere of a brand-new Scooby-Doo show, "Be Cool, Scooby-Doo," on Cartoon Network!

In Season 1 of the Terrific TV Toys series, you saw a heap of Scooby-Doo plush from the collection at BRBTV headquarters. Checkered, polka-dotted, pink, yellow and what-have-you, one even bigger than this author, they are a varied and wondrous lot. But we weren't done showing you stuffed Scoobs -- we've gotten more since then!

Most of the Scoobies you'll see in this Halloween special were nabbed at a booth at the Taylor Town Trade Center in Metro Detroit last December. Another one was just procured last month at a Goodwill store in Paw Paw, Michigan. (yes, you read that right -- what a great place to find a Scooby!!!!).

Charles Cyphers recalls his time on "Isis," "Wonder Woman" and "The Dukes of Hazzard"

Special thanks to guest blogger Brian Lombard!

Halloween is almost here, and among the many annual traditions is Monster Mania, a horror and sci-fi themed convention In Hunt Valley, Maryland. Last weekend saw the likes of such masters of horror as George Romero, Dee Wallace Stone and Meg Foster, among many others.

 

While horror has never been my go-to genre, the convention always allows for the opportunity to meet with the actors and discuss some of their other roles, the ones that the con organizers don’t necessarily advertise on the flyers. Early roles in television and film, before they made it big.

Dee Wallace Stone was amazed that I brought up her 1977 episode of Sid and Marty Krofft’s TV series "Bigfoot and Wildboy," as most fans were interested in discussing "Cujo" or "E.T." Meg Foster was equally amazed that anyone remembered her trilogy of episodes on the series "Quantum Leap," rather than her role in Rob Zombie’s "Lords of Salem." But inevitably you’ll find a role on their IMDb page that’s just ripe for a BRBTV guide. Enter Charles Cyphers.

 

Most famous for his role as Sheriff Brackett in the "Halloween" movie franchise, Cyphers began his career like any other actor, taking roles in television and film hoping to establish a name for himself.  And fans of BRBTV are sure to have seen his work.

 

Charles Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett in "Halloween" (1978).

 

In 2012, BRBTV released "Superchicks: A Guide to TV’s Wonder Woman and Isis." Cyphers has the distinction of having appeared in both series.  So I asked him to discuss those two early roles.

 

“'Isis,' that was one of my very first roles,” he said. “And I got to play a car thief.” 

Cyphers and I had been discussing his roles and their availability on DVD. He was not aware that "Isis" was released until I mentioned it. 

“That really shocks me. I had no idea that that series was still around. Just the other day, I got a royalty check, a BIG one, for 'The Six Million Dollar Man.' For the DVDs. 'Isis'?  Never saw a thing.  I don’t know who owns it, but we shot it for Filmation.”

 

On "Wonder Woman," Cyphers played Kurt in the first-season episode “Wonder Woman in Hollywood,” one of the episodes in which a very young Debra Winger played Wonder Girl.

 

“That was a great episode for me. The director (Bruce Bilson) was a friend of mine, and while we were shooting that episode, he was also directing me in a play. He would tease me about that for a long, long time. And Lynda Carter, yes, she was great to work with.”

 

A few years later, Cyphers would appear in two different roles on "The Dukes of Hazzard," as chronicled in "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" He appeared in one of the very first shows shot in Hollywood, “Limo One is Missing.” Five years later, he would return to Hazzard in the sixth season’s “Dead and Alive.”

 

When asked about the experiences, Cyphers says that he had a lot of fun filming "The Dukes," but he adds that “those boys were full of themselves. I had more fun on 'Wonder Woman.'”

Brian Lombard is the author of "Bradypalooza: The Unauthorized Guide to TV's Favorite Family."

Some more "Dukes" art to fascinate fans

We told you about the fabulous "Dukes of Hazzard"-themed paintings by Jim Wilson of Ontario, Canada, in not only our May 29, 2013 and January 28, 2015 blog posts but also in the newest edition of the "Them Dukes! Them Dukes!" reference guide to the show. Well, Jim is at it again, just painting another beauty last week ...

It's a General he painted from his 1:18 model car. We asked if this was inspired by an episode, like several of Jim's other paintings, and he said no, and that he painted it with a nighttime scene "because u never see dukes at night." Yea ... might have a point there! Anyhow, here's another painting Jim has done this year ...

AND ... as if that's not enough!!!! Check out this truly special specialty item ... a stool fashioned like a guitar fashioned like a General Lee! When have ya'all ever seen one of those before? Jim made this by hand for his friend, Jason Darling, a fellow artist we've profiled on this blog and in the book! That's Jim and Jason in the photo below.

The stool is made of wood and took Jim about a week to craft. Did he use any kind of model for it? Nope, Jim says, it's all in his head. And aren't we glad it is!!!

Images courtesy of Jim Wilson and Wilson Estate Photography; please do not copy without permission.

Terrific TV Toys: Bionic Action Club Kit

Ahhh, remember those days of youth, when you could mail in like $1.25 or something and receive a membership card and certificate and whatever else to some cool club. This author became a member of the Archie Club that way, ya know! That membership card is still rattling around in some wallet or purse up in the closet (yes, I carried it for a while)! Well, our friend Andrea Melchiori became a member of the Bionic Action Club back in the 1970s, when she loved "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "The Bionic Woman" TV shows. Andrea takes over hosting duties of Terrific TV Toys for this latest episode, where she shows you the precious items she received in the mail for this oh-so exclusive club, as well as some other items in her Bionic collection.

Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con: James Rosin

From in front of the camera to the printed script, to the pages of a book ... James Rosin has experienced all of that -- and sometimes he has experienced all of that centered around the same show! ("Quincy M.E.") Rosin has appeared on several TV shows, from "Love, American Style" through "Sleepers." He has also written books about the shows "Quincy," "Route 66," "Wagon Train" and more. Here, he talks with Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV about his career.

This rounds out our coverage of the 2015 Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con a couple weekends ago in Maryland. What a good time! Special thanks to our fellow author Brian Lombard for the assist with the camera!

Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con: Stanley Livingston

It was our first time at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con, a show brimming with stars of classic TV, a show that we've had our eyes on for years. And what a good day to go to this event, which ran September 17-19 -- this author was there the last day of the show, when things were a little quieter. When I could chat a bit with those said stars, and not keep them from the swarming throngs. Take Stanley Livingston, who played one of "My Three Sons." Loved that show!!!! Livingston talked about what it was like to grow up on the show -- and what little pranks he may have accidentally played with his bro and castmate, Barry ...



Keep tabs on Stanley on his website, StanleyLivingston.com, and watch for a new companion guide to "My Three Sons," which you see a draft of in this interview!

Profiles in History auction offers classic "Dynasty," "Dukes," "Star Trek" goodies and much more

Ever wanted a tunic just like Spock's in the original "Star Trek" series? How about Spock's actual tunic from the original "Star Trek" series? The possibility is even more meaningful since we lost Leonard Nimoy recently. The Profiles in History auction has that tunic, along with some other stuff from classic TV shows. 

The auction, Hollywood Auction 74, starts at 11 a.m. PDT on September 29, and continues September 30 and October 1 and will feature almost 1,900 noteworthy lots. The three-day event has items from a range of TV shows. Invaluable.com is hosting this auction on their website. They are the largest online auction marketplace with several live auctions running daily. If you're interested in other prop or collection auctions be sure to keep your eyes on their collectibles page. 

Behold these two offerings for next week, from the auction's press materials:

Lot 1590: Leonard Nimoy “Spock” tunic from "Star Trek: The Original Series"

Estimated Price - $70,000 - $90,000

This velour science division Starfleet duty uniform tunic was worn by Leonard Nimoy as the mixed human-Vulcan first officer, “Mr. Spock”, in the second season of Star Trek: The Original Series. Complete with original rank braiding on the sleeves and insignia, this incredible piece has been stored in a dark closet since 1968 and the color remains exceptionally vibrant. What is truly remarkable is the iron-clad accompanying provenance. This Nimoy Spock tunic was the first prize in a 1968 “TV Star Parade’s Star Trek--Design-a-Costume Contest.” Never before have we encountered such a prized wardrobe piece from the Original Series with such exceptional documentation. Mr. Spock remains as the overwhelming favorite and most highly desired Star Trek character by collectors. This second season tunic is beyond reproach. Tiny 2 mm. hole on the left breast with slight staining under the arms; very fine overall condition.

Lot 1591: Star Trek: The Original Series script signed by cast and Gene Roddenberry

Estimated Price - $1,000 - $1,500

Star Trek: The Original Series script signed by cast and Gene Roddenberry. (Paramount TV, 1966-1969) Vintage original studio bound and bradded 113-multi-color revision page final draft script written by Jerome Bixby. Originally the personal shooting script of Vic Perrin who guest starred in the episode as “Tharn.” In vintage very good condition. 

The array of "Trek" items on the third day of the auction is quite stunning.

There's also a "General Lee" 1969 Dodge Charger from The Dukes of Hazzard going up for bids.

And if that didn't already float your boat, a "Dynasty" cast-signed script. 

Among the other classic TV offerings:

• An autographed photo of Jay Silverheels from "The Lone Ranger"
• Clayton Moore’s “Lone Ranger” personal appearance outfit
• "The Lone Ranger" episode script 
• Warden Neil vintage original costume sketch of Michael Jackson from "The Jacksons" TV show, 1976-1977
• Lucille Ball as “Marilyn Monroe” mink cuffs from "I Love Lucy" and several other wardrobe pieces for Lucille Ball
• Lassie promotional appearance dog jackets (Jon Provost just told us about those personal appearances in our interview with him from last weekend's Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Con!)
• "Dragnet" and "Adam" 12 (3) miniature badges  
• Bob Keeshan “Captain Kangaroo” signature costume
• "The Outer Limits" advance pilot script with shooting schedule
• Mansion elevation for "The Munsters" and floor plan  
• Dawn Wells signature “Mary Ann” costume for "Gilligan’s Island" (guess that answers one of the questions we asked Dawn Wells at this past year's Motor City Comic Con!)
• Billy Mumy “Will Robinson” tunic and pants for "Lost in Space"
• Bob Crane “Col. Hogan” brown bomber jacket and shirt from "Hogan’s Heroes" 
• Script from "The Green Hornet"
• "Night Gallery" pilot script for Rod Serling premiere trilogy episode
• Henry Winkler Fonzie jacket from"Happy Days"
• Original Sleestak head maquette from "Land of the Lost" 

   

Images courtesy of Profiles in History; please do not copy without permission.