See My .... Batmobile!

It's Photo Friday here at the BRBTV News Blog! Last Friday, we showed you some shots of a 1969 Dodge Charger -- a General Lee -- used in the 2005 "Dukes of Hazzard" movie and recently purchased by an avid car collector in Michigan. Today, we show you some of this same collector's other beauties.

And in honor of the fact that the BRBTV family does include Batman (at least in his animated series form of the '90s), we're showing you not one but two Batmobiles -- from the 1960s Adam West series and from the 1989 and 1992 Michael Keaton movies.

Thanks to Dustin, once again, for sharing these photos with us. (That's him in these shots, by the way!) His friend Jim also owns some screen-used cars from "The Fast and the Furious" movie series, as well as an E.T.! Crazy, we're tellin' ya!

Photos courtesy of Dustin Edsall

A look at our new "Dallas" and "Dynasty"-type shows this season

As we mentioned earlier on the BRBTV News Blog, comparisons are flying for the new fall TV season between our beloved classic soaps "Dallas" and "Dynasty" and a couple shows just hitting the airwaves. "Cane" is a CBS drama centering around a wealthy South Florida Cuban family in the sugar-cane business and stars Jimmy Smits, as well as Ken Howard, our own Garrett Boydston of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys." "Dirty Sexy Money" is an ABC soap focusing on a lawyer who succeeds his father as the attorney for a wealthy but really troubled family.

Here's a look at what everybody's saying about these two shows, and how they relate to the our classic soaps ...

The San Jose Mercury News says "It's like 'Dynasty' all over again, but much edgier."
http://www.mercurynews.com/tv/ci_6992294

The Palm Beach (Fla.) Post notes that "Cane" raised some Cain locally when a high-powered real-life family wondered if the story was based on them.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/content/accent/epaper/2007/09/25/a1e_cane_0925.html

Ain't It Cool News doesn't care for "Cane" very much.
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34169

The Deseret Morning (Utah) News talks about the different tones of the two shows.
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695212842,00.html

The Chicago Sun-Times says "Sleazy 'Money' will make you feel dirty."
http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/elfman/572689,CST-FTR-elf25.article

Join BRB's Yahoo discussion group!

It's a fine Wednesday, midweek and all, and since it's such a fine Wednesday, it's a fine day to tell you about a brand-new Yahoo group that's out there in cyberspace. It was set up for BRB by Paul Harrington of the Canadian Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club, who has a lot of great discussion groups on a variety of topics and people:
http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Billie_Rae_Bates/

Feel free to sign up and join in! The fun is just getting started from the group's inception a week and a half ago. There are some polls to weigh in on, some goofy photos to view of BRB and others at the recent Hair Dare Dukes Days in Ontario, Canada (and more photos will be added in the following weeks), and there's all kinds of opportunity to post your own videos, photos, fave links, polls and more. The discussion group is about anything, really, not just "The Dukes of Hazzard" and not just BRB! (Though this is probably where you'll hear first about BRB's latest projects, including the upcoming print edition of the reference book "Destination: Dallas.")

And while you're out in cyberspace, be sure to catch the continuation of a special two-week fall TV preview at Congoo -- today's it's ABC and the Cavemen ...

"Batman" writer gets a new movie gig, and Batman gets a new candy!

Paul Dini, known to us as one of the masterminds behind "Batman: The Animated Series" and "Batman Beyond," as well as the other recent animated stuff in the Warner Bros. realm, has gotten a new writing gig. He'll be collaborating on the screenplay for Animation Studios’ upcoming CG-animated motion picture, “Gatchaman.”

“Gatchaman” is based on the successful Japanese franchise created in the early 1970s by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, according to TheMovieScorecard.com. The show aired in the U.S. as “Battle of the Planets” and “G-Force.”

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Batworld, hold onto your cape and cowl, because next year one of the treats you'll be seeing in the candy aisle is bat-shaped chocolate and peanut butter pieces by Reese's! Hershey has signed on to license some special candy for the release of the next Batfilm, "The Dark Knight" (a continuation of the most recent franchise featuring Christian Bale, releasing July 2008). You'll also see Kit Kat wafers bars stamped with the Batsignal! Holy Cocoa Bean, we are sooooo there!

Read more about the interesting new candy that will be popping off the shelves at the BrandWeek.com coverage of the National Confectioners Association All Candy Expo held in Chicago a week or two ago. There'll be all kinds of great new stuff -- even sugar-free Peeps!

Some bits and pieces from around the web ...

Jack Coleman compares his role on NBC's hot "Heroes," which has its season premiere tonight, to his role as the second Steven Carrington on our beloved "Dynasty":
http://www.buffalonews.com/entertainment/story/166753.html

Did "The Colbys" kill off the beloved aforementioned "Dynasty"? One blogger speculates, and he offers some nice, lush photos of the spinoff and some fun videos:
http://televisionista.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-colbys-killed-dynasty.html

(Of course, "Dynasty" is coming up in conversation a great deal right now around the web, with the launch of soaps "Dirty Sexy Money" and "Cane" this month. The comparisons are inevitable.)

Lesley-Anne Down, our own Stephanie Rogers of "Dallas," who also appeared on "Dynasty" as Nurse Ellena Corey, is highlighted in a special feature on The Soap Dispenser:
http://www.thesoapdispenser.com/2007/09/in-the-soap-opera-spotlight-lesley-anne-down/

By the way, be sure to catch the two-week series of fall TV previews in BRB's entertainment blog at Congoo:
http://www.congoo.com/Entertainment
Today the topic is CBS.

See My Lee -- the 2005 movie edition!

Looks like it's yet another first for our occasional See My Lee feature. We've highlighted Lees from England, a Lee on two wheels, the restored Lee 1, some dual Lees for one particular owner, even a Chick Lee! But this is the first time we've featured a Lee from the 2005 "Dukes of Hazzard" movie.

Thanks to Dustin Edsall of Muskegon, Michigan, who sent in the photos for this baby. His buddy Jim just acquired it about three weeks ago.

Now, Jim, you'll understand, is an avid car collector. He's already got a Batmobile from the '60s TV show, a Batmobile from the Michael Keaton movies, a "2 Fast 2 Furious" movie car, one of Al Capone's cars, a personal car of Mary Kay of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Evel Knievel's bike, and more. Dustin said he even owned John Lennon's Bentley -- before he sold it to Sean "Puffy" Combs, that is.

But back to the Lee at hand, because that is what this post is about, after all! This baby has a 360 engine. It is the real deal from the movie, Dustin says. "The VIN number matches up." (Dustin also sent BRBTV a copy of the sales receipt, with notations on its movie role.) He says it was used in the scene where Seann William Scott (who played Bo Duke) was blindfolded, and it was also used at the Duke farm.

Jim is going to start restoring it in a few months. "It's gonna take a lot of work," Dustin says. "It's going to be a winter project."


He continues, "It needs taillights; it needs a push guard. I just hooked him up with the rims. ... He can't drive it. It doesn't have any brakes in it right now."

(But hey, it's so cool!)

Photos courtesy of Dustin Edsall

That green Charger in the photo above, by the way, is for sale at $18,000! Jim's car lot and business is called the Trading Post Car Co. and is located in Muskegon. His business line is (231) 773-4106.

We'll do a second part of this post next week, with photos of Jim's other movie cars, including one of his Batmobiles ...

Camille Marchetta releases third novel

Camille Marchetta's name should sound familiar to "Dallas" fans -- even "Dynasty" fans. Not only is her last name the same as the last name of one of the "Dallas" characters (remember Jenna's evil ex, Naldo?), but she's one of the talented writers who created the "Dallas" action in the earlier years. She did the same for "Dynasty" a few years later.

These days, Camille Marchetta is still writing -- but novels instead of TV scenes. She just published her third novel, "The River, By Moonlight."

In New York City in 1917, the wealthy and beautiful Lily Canning is only 25 years old and is a promising artist. But when she ends up dead in the Hudson River, suicide seems an unlikely possibility. In "The River, By Moonlight," Marchetta reveals Lily's intriguing life in layers. It's "a deeply moving study of grief and despair, of the resilience of human nature, and the triumph of determination and hope," the book's description says.

The book joins 1998's "The Wives of Frankie Ferraro" and 1991's "Lovers and Friends" in Marchetta's collection.

You can learn more about Camille Marchetta at her official website, and you'll catch a special BRBTV interview with her in the upcoming print edition of the BRBTV fact book "Destination: Dallas."

More on Tilton's Tammy Faye Bakker movie

We reported last year on the BRBTV News Blog (May 23 post) that Charlene Tilton's latest project was the story of Tammy Faye Bakker. She told us she was producing and starring in it, and she told us that rather happily! Our own Lucy Ewing of "Dallas" evidently lobbied for the right to do the movie, as she had became close friends with the former wife of televangelist Jim Bakker before Tammy Faye's death in July.

Read a little more about it here: http://janetcharltonshollywood.com/gossip/charlene_tilton/charlene_tilton_to_play_tammy_faye_bakker_20070828.php http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_6791624 http://au.blogs.yahoo.com/nelsonaspen/116/perfect-casting

Also in the "Dallas" realm ... We don't normally keep up with Brad Pitt's busy Hollywood life, even though he had a role on "Dallas" in his younger years, as Randy, the hayloft boy-pal of Charlie Wade. But we'll make an exception this time, as we happened to come across this item, and just happened to have the space to share it ... Pitt has nabbed himself an interesting new role as Jesse James:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/17/AR2007091701454.html?nav=rss_artsandliving/entertainmentnews?hpid=entnews

Stephanie Beacham takes to dancing

Our stunning Sable Colby of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys" has gotten herself a new gig -- dancing the jig, or maybe something a lot like it! Beacham has signed on to the BBC 1 dance series "Strictly Come Dancing." With professional partner Vincent Simone, she'll be up against a host of U.K. celebrities, including TV presenter Gabby Logan and her husband, rugby star Kenny Logan.

Read more, including Beacham talking about sensible footwear (!), here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/14/ndance114.xml

http://www.myparkmag.co.uk/articles/celebs/tv-news/strictly-come-dancing-announces-14-new-contestants.jsp

And speaking of "Dynasty," check out this gem of a find. It's a vintage TV book cover from back in the day, featuring our own Linda Evans, a "dynamic 'Dynasty' darling," indeed. And it also promos a feature on Larry Hagman from competitor show "Dallas." Thanks to BRB's buddy Paul for sending it in ...

By the way, did you catch our own "D&D" couple -- "Dynasty" and "Dallas" -- at Sunday night's Emmy Awards? Jack Coleman (our own second Steven Carrington of "Dynasty") and wife Beth Toussaint (Tracy Lawton of "Dallas"), the epitome of cute, her with her sparkly mini number!

How's-about a "Dukes" cruise?

If you know Mr. Wayne Wooten, then you know that he's the man who was able to secure the 17 screen-used General Lee cars from Warner Bros. a few years after "The Dukes of Hazzard" went off the airwaves in the '80s. He's also the man behind the Dodge Charger Registry. Well, Wayne is putting together a fun "Dukes" event for next month. It's a cruise that begins in North Carolina and ends in Georgia, in the birthplace of the "The Dukes," the fair town of Covington.

Check out all the info at Wayne's Dukes of Hazzard General Lee Truth website. The Hillbilly Woodstick 2 Dukes of Hazzard Cruise begins on Friday, October 5 in Conover, North Carolina. The sites you'll see along the way include Dollywood, Biltmore Estate in Asheville, the Hickory Motor Speedway and more, all ending, appropriately enough, at the Town Square in Covington on Saturday, October 13. See the full itinerary for the 470 miles at Wayne's website.

Special guests for the event will include Byron (Coy Duke) Cherry and Jerry Rushing, the man whose moonshinin' life the TV series was originally based on. Joining them will be some guys who helped out behind the scenes on the original show: Tony Kelly, Don Schisler, Henry Holman, Tom Sarmento, Cliff Shaw, Bob Shelley.

If you'd like to attend, email Wayne to let him know, so he can get a count for the event. The event is free (now, isn't that cool?) and sure to be a great gathering of "Dukes" fans!

Bojangles' spins "The Dukes," Morgan gets a new role, and more

Some bits and pieces of fun stuff found here and there ...

- The Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n' Biscuits restaurant chain has spun out their own take on "The Dukes of Hazzard" with some local North Carolina talent. WCNC and the Charlotte Observer offer a sneak peek at the new TV spot, which will be released on October 1, featuring Panthers players Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith in a Bo and Luke Duke takeoff, complete with chicken details on the hood and trunk of the General Lee-type car. Check it out here:
http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-091207-krg-bojangles.ca4724cb.html

- Morgan Fairchild is known to us for her one-episode stint as Jenna Wade early on in the "Dallas" run, but she's certainly well-known in the rest of the soaps world for her roles on numerous other things over the years. TV Guide reports that she's nabbed a new role on "Men in Trees" in an episode that will air in February.

- And another note from "Dukes" land: Las Vegas-based performer and avid "Dukes" fan Paul Casey will appear in a free concert in Henderson, Nevada, today and tomorrow. The fun is at 7 p.m. on Water Street in downtown, and it's the Super Run Car Show that also will feature "Dukes" stunt expert Tom Sarmento. (Yes, the General Lee will be there, too!) Find a map at http://maps.google.com/maps?q=200+S+Water+St,+Henderson,+NV+89015,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=image.

Betty and Veronica have "Bad Boy Trouble"

From Archie Comics

MAMARONECK, N.Y. – This spring, the world of Archie Comics was rocked by the publication of BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #151, featuring the first installment of “Bad Boy Trouble,” an epic tale spanning four issues that found Riverdale’s favorite teens rendered in a realistic style! Not since the comic book adaptation of the TV-movie, ARCHIE: TO RIVERDALE AND BACK AGAIN, has the gang looked so real you could touch them!

When news of this ground-breaking story broke, it caused quite a stir … imagine, Riverdale's teens with a whole new look! The news of Archie Comics’ flagship characters getting an extreme makeover caused a deafening buzz. From TV news reports to newspaper stories, magazine articles and internet blogs, everyone weighed in with their opinions on the change. The excitement reached a fever pitch at this year’s second annual blockbuster New York City Comic-Con, where both fans and media alike swarmed the Archie Comics booth, hoping to learn more about this major event!

The “new look,” while it inspired months and months of debate over and media coverage surrounding Betty and Veronica’s new looks, was only half the story. The other factor that caused great excitement and anticipation was the intriguing story that brought a new “edge” to Riverdale. When Nick St. Clair rides into Riverdale on his motorcycle, Veronica is smitten. She likes Nick's air of assurance and his knack for getting noticed. The only problem, is Nick gets noticed for all the wrong things! Nick quickly alienates all of Ronnie's friends, especially Betty. Is this handsome rebel the boy of Veronica's dreams, or just plain trouble? Will Betty and Veronica's friendship come to an end over the new boy in town?

Now, all four installments of this heralded tale from BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST issues #151 through #154 are available in one convenient, affordable edition. The special 5-by-7 ½ inch format contains 112 full-color, thrill-packed pages, with a low cover price of only $7.49 U.S.! Whether reading it again or discovering it for the first time, don’t miss the most talked about Archie story of the year!


BETTY & VERONICA: BAD BOY TROUBLE
SCRIPT: Melanie J. Morgan.
ART: Steven Butler.
On sale newsstand October 2, 2007
112-page, full-color paperback
$7.49 U.S.

Elsewhere in Archie Comics ...





ARCHIE & FRIENDS #113
BETTY COOPER PUTS THE PEDAL TO THE METAL IN ANOTHER FULL-THROTTLE RACING ADVENTURE!
"Dangerous Curves": After showing just what a girl can do behind the wheel of a racecar in ARCHIE #572 and ARCHIE & FRIENDS #112, Betty is ready to take on the guys again… except this time, she finds herself pitted against another female race driver! Can Betty defeat both super-slick Carla Bonita and favored champion Speedy Spencer in the same race? It’s more full-throttle thrills designed to rev your engine!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski. ART: Stan Goldberg.
On sale newsstand October 16, 2007
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.


ARCHIE DIGEST #238
"Nerd is The Word": Archie implores Dilton to be less nerdy – until he reflects upon his own career prospects as a klutzy snowboarder and mediocre rock star! Of course, it doesn’t hurt to see all the girls asking Dilton to tutor them in science!
SCRIPT AND ART: Fernando Ruiz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales! SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents. BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale newsstand October 9, 2007
Full-color digest format
$2.49 U.S.




BETTY #168
"Drawing on Experience": When Betty enters a teen horror story contest, she reaches into her memory bank for a terrifying tale of a foreboding mansion and eerie tiki keychain!
SCRIPT: Kathleen Webb. ART: Stan Goldberg.
"The Problem": So many love triangles, so little time… such is the dance of high school dating!
SCRIPT: George Gladir. ART: Stan Goldberg.
"Who Knows Best?": Betty’s attempts to learn more about healthy snacking give her a lot of "food for thought!"
SCRIPT: George Gladir. ART: Stan Goldberg.
"Friday Night Fever": Move over, Dillon, Texas – Riverdale has its own "Friday Night Lights" action with plenty of football fever!
SCRIPT: George Gladir. ART: Stan Goldberg.
On sale newsstand September 25, 2007
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.





BETTY & VERONICA #230
"What’s in Store?": For a change of pace, Mr. Lodge suggests that Veronica do the grocery shopping instead of the servants… and he sends Betty along to make sure she does it right!
SCRIPT: Angelo DeCesare. ART: Jeff Shultz.
"The King & Us": A trip to the museum inspires Veronica and Betty to imagine what it would be like to rule ancient Egypt!
SCRIPT: Mike Pellowski. ART: Jeff Shultz.
"What’s in a Name?": Veronica swoons over the new hunk in school… until she learns his last name!
SCRIPT: Kathleen Webb. ART: Jeff Shultz.
"Unexpected Results": As they await the results of their career day tests, Veronica insists Betty and Midge won’t qualify for the glamour jobs. Wait until she sees her own results!
SCRIPT: Kathleen Webb. ART: Jeff Shultz.
On sale newsstand October 9, 2007
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.




BETTY & VERONICA DIGEST #178
"The Big Secret": Veronica is harboring a deep, dark secret… and it’s in her shoe cabinet! Can Betty help her get back on the "right foot?"
SCRIPT: George Gladir. ART: Pat Kennedy.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales! SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents.
BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale newsstand October 9, 2007
Full-color digest format
$2.49 U.S.




BETTY & VERONICA DOUBLE DIGEST #155
IT’S A HALLOWEEN SPOOOKTACULAR!
"Lodge of Terror": Mr. Lodge buys a run-down ski lodge in hopes of renovating it… but not before Veronica can hold a mega-Halloween party there! But is it possible that the spooky old building is haunted for real? The gang’s all here for a horrifically fun time – and don’t miss the special pin-up pages with all their creepy, creative costumes!
SCRIPT AND ART: Dan Parent.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales! SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents. BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale newsstand October 16, 2007
Full-color digest format
$3.69 U.S.




JUGHEAD & FRIENDS DIGEST #23
"The Real World?": Finally, a scientific invention that can truly aid the entire free world: Dilton’s "infinite closet!" Once Jughead sees it, the possibilities his mind conjures are infinite, too… and inevitably, he falls right in before Dilton’s warnings reach his ears! Hurtling through the void, Jughead lands smack dab in the middle of a comic book company – Archie Comic Publications, to be exact! What will all the writers and artists do when they find their 2-D creation has literally broken through the "fourth wall" and entered their 3-dimensional world? It’s a story that could only be told in… you guessed it… a comic book!
SCRIPT AND ART: Fernando Ruiz.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales! SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents. BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale newsstand September 25, 2007
Full-color digest format
$2.49 U.S.




JUGHEAD’S DOUBLE DIGEST #134
"Wheel Deal": Do you think you know the perfect vehicle for Jughead and Jellybean to motor around town in? Read all about Jughead’s search for the perfect set of wheels and find out for yourself!
SCRIPT: Bill Golliher. ART: Randy Elliott.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales! SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents. BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale newsstand October 2, 2007
Full-color digest format
$3.69 U.S.




PALS-N-GALS DOUBLE DIGEST #115
"Fright Sight": It’s frightful fun when the Archies play a benefit gig for the town’s orphans… decked out in festive Halloween garb. Mr. Lodge can’t decide what’s scarier – the band’s costumes or their music!
SCRIPT: George Gladir. ART: Pat Kennedy.
PLUS: Other new and classic tales! SCRIPT AND ART: Various talents. BONUS: Puzzles, games and pin-ups!
On sale newsstand September 25, 2007
Full-color digest format
$3.69 U.S.




SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH #88
A SPELL-BINDING HALLOWEEN ISSUE WITH A SHOCKING TWIST ENDING!
"A Frightful Night": It’s Halloween once again, the one night of the year that magical beings are allowed to use their powers in public. Gathering for a party at the same "Haunted House" as last year, the mortals are amazed at all the "special effects" that are really magic! Pleased to learn that Sabrina completed her mission retrieving the fallen Mana Tree leaf (last issue), Shinji’s delight soon turns to displeasure… and disbelief… as Sabrina recounts the suspicious activities of Shinji’s girlfriend, Hemlock. Hemlock quickly turns the tables on Sabrina in a way that will affect Sabrina’s relationships with those she loves the most… including Harvey, Shinji, and perhaps most shocking of all, Aunt Hilda! You simply cannot miss the stunning conclusion to this tale, the ramifications of which will be felt for issues to come!
SCRIPT AND ART: Tania del Rio.
On sale newsstand October 2, 2007
32-page, full-color comic
$2.25 U.S.

Sheree J. Wilson takes the "Trail of Tears"

In 1838, many Native American people were removed from their homelands in the Southeast United States to Oklahoma. Every year since 1994, a group started by Bill Cason marks that part of our history with the Trail of Tears Remembrance Motorcycle Ride. It's a cause that's near and dear to the heart of one of our BRBTV stars, Sheree J. Wilson of "Dallas."

Wilson, whom we all know and love as April Stevens Ewing in the latter part of the series, is participating in the 2007 ride, which begins this weekend.

The annual Trail of Tears Remembrance Motorcycle Ride departs Riverfront Parkway in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at 8 a.m. EST on Saturday, September 15. The one-day ride travels approximately 200 miles to Florence, Alabama. You can stop by and say hello to Wilson on Saturday at the festivities at McFarland Park in Florence. She'll be personally autographing the Trail of Tears Remembrance Motorcycle Ride Official DVD at the official booth.

For more information, visit: http://www.trailoftears-remembrance.org/.

Say hello to CoyDuke.com!

Well, goodness gracious, it's about time those Duke boys had their own corner of the World Wide Web! One avid "Dukes of Hazzard" fan and webmaster has constructed a brand-new site honoring Mr. Byron Cherry and the Duke he portrayed, known to us as the lovable Coy in the 1982-83 season of the series.

Click on over to CoyDuke.com and read more about Cherry, right from his own mouth! He assisted in the building of this site, giving firsthand accounts of his life as well as photos from his own personal collection (which you can buy autographed copies of, by the way). You'll find a link and information to Cherry's upcoming appearance at the Hillbilly Woodstock 2 Dukes of Hazzard Cruise next month (more on that later, for sure!). You'll read all about Cherry's family (info you won't find anywhere else on the web), including his closeness to his brothers and the heartbreaking story of the day he found his mother murdered.

A bit of the site is still under construction, so stay tuned for updates and more on the life of Byron Cherry!

"Star Trek," by way of BRBTV!

You know, "Star Trek" isn't actually part of the BRBTV world, but we love it so much that we couldn't help but follow up this past weekend's post with another "Star Trek"-related item. But this particular film project is such a bevy of "Trek"ness and BRBTVness, it's like a yummy smorgasbord ...

"InAlienable" is a sci-fi flick written by none other than Walter Koenig, our beloved Chekov of the original "Trek." Not only does Koenig also star in the film, but his son Andrew does, too. They're joined by Marina Sirtis (the lovely Deanna Troi), Gary Graham (the Vulcan ambassador on "Enterprise"), Richard Herd (that Karl Malden lookalike who played the stern Admiral Owen Paris in "Star Trek: Voyager"), Judy Levitt (who appeared in three "Trek" movies), Erick Avari (who had roles in "Enterprise," "Deep Space Nine" and "The Next Generation" and was more than memorable last season as Mohinder's dad in NBC's "Heroes") and several others who have "Trek" connections.

And the BRBTV tie-ins? Read onward ...

- The aforementioned Gary Graham, who was heckin' near typecast as the sibling crook on "Dukes of Hazzard" episodes
- The aforementioned Richard Herd, who was Jim Ellison on "Dynasty" and detective John Mackey on "Dallas"
- The aforementioned Judy Levitt, who was Marion in the "Dynasty" pilot
- Jay Acovone, who starred in the 2000 "Dukes" reunion movie, "Hazzard in Hollywood"
- Richard Hatch, who played Dean Caldwell on "Dynasty" as well as one of the Stephen Slades on "Santa Barbara"

You can keep up with the film's progress on Walter Koenig's official website.

"Star Trek," by way of "Dallas" ...

When you find something this fun, you've just gotta pass it on, even though you don't normally post on the weekend ... Special thanks to Mikey for the heads-up ...

Watch for A Martinez in "Viva Laughlin"

A Martinez, our own Cruz Castillo of "Santa Barbara," has got some fall TV action in not only "Born in the USA," as previously reported on this news blog, but also in an episode of the new series "Viva Laughlin."

Martinez will play Armando in the third episode of the series, airing on CBS on October 28. Based on the BBC murder-mystery-musical series, "Blackpool," the show is about a small-time casino owner, Ripley Holden, who dreams of opening up a snazzy resort on the Laughlin Strip.

The series also stars "Twin Peaks" star Madchen Amick, Melanie Griffith and Hugh Jackman. The series premieres on October 14.

Catching up with John Schneider, again ...

If you haven't been to John Schneider's official website, http://www.johnschneider.tv/, lately, then go check it out. It's been updated recently to reflect some of the mass volume of projects Schneider's got going on.

For one thing, he's dishing out another one of those fabbo creature-features that sounds suspiciously like a Sci Fi Channel Saturday-night movie. This one is called "Shark Swarm," and it also stars Daryl Hannah, Armand Assante and F. Murray Abraham. Schneider plays a character called Daniel Wilder in the film, scheduled for release next year. The plotline from the IMDb: "A fisherman and his family look to take down a greedy real estate developer who has released toxins into the ocean, turning the area's sharks into bloodthirsty hunters."

Schneider also notes on his official site that "Collier & Co. -- Hot Pursuit" comes out on DVD this month, on the 18th. He's going to be doing five episodes of the f/X series "Nip / Tuck" ("a serious departure for me because of the content") and he's also been appearing on the Wednesday-night ABC "NASCAR in Primetime" specials. Whew! OK ... I think we're caught up again for a while ...

Elsewhere in "The Dukes of Hazzard" realm ... and from someone who has been involved in doing the music for Schneider's movie "Collier & Co.," Paul Casey, Vegas performer and avid "Dukes" fan, has a new signature guitar model made by Guitar & Things of Madison, Tennesee.

"They are the finest in leather work and have made several items for Waylon Jennings and other country-rock artist," Casey tells fans in a recent email announcement. "It will be featured on the new CD 'American Outlaw,' due out late September 2007."

http://a315.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/102/m_b55bb2bfb48a80f055d7f795dae6d272.jpg
(OK, is that "Hoss" as in our beloved "Bonanza" character???? Because we really loved him!)
http://www.paulcaseyproductions.com/

Fans have spoken: Archie & Friends has a new name

In the August 23 post of this news blog we reported that Archie Comics was taking your votes to rename their longtime title Archie & Friends. Well, the results are in ...

"Archie Comics has always listened to our fans," the press release says. "When planning to replace Archie & Friends with a new anthology title featuring both new characters and some of our best loved classic characters, we went to our fans for help to pick the title. Fans were given 10 proposed titles that were placed on the http://www.archiecomics.com/ website and they voted for the title they liked best."

With 14,629 votes cast, Archie All-Stars is the winner with 51 percent of the votes. Fans can look forward to this new title to debut in the second quarter of 2008.

Also, in the Archies world:

ARCHIE COMICS IS OFFERING THE SOLD OUT ARCHIE DIGEST #236 DIRECTLY TO FANS

Archie Comics has offered collector set and subscriptions to fans for years, but never single collector issues. As part of the 65th anniversary celebration of ARCHIE COMICS #1, they published ARCHIE DIGEST #236. When ARCHIE DIGEST #236 sold out across the country, fans wrote in and emailed that they could not find this comic in stores.

ARCHIE DIGEST #236 is a special issue paying tribute to Archie’s illustrious past by reprinting Archie’s very first adventures from PEP COMICS #22 and ARCHIE COMICS #1! From Archie being a hapless showoff when Betty moves into town, to Archie being a tongue-tied, discombobulated wreck when Veronica moves into town, these early stories written by Vic Bloom and others reflect the free-wheeling fun of the popular screwball comedy movies of the day. Not to mention the charmingly exaggerated cartooning styles of Bob Montana and others so popular in the 1940s. As if that weren’t enough, the original “funny animal” supporting features like Squoimy the Woim, Cubby the Bear and Bumbie the Bee-tective, from the legendary Joe Edwards are also included!

If you’ve never seen Archie and his friends as they originally appeared, you’re in for a treat with these milestone tales … The entire contents of ARCHIE COMICS #1 have not been available since 1942, so this is a very significant issue in Archie history. Keep in mind that the values and comedic traditions in 1942 are not the same as they are in 2007; some stories, although historically significant, do not reflect the culture and values of Archie Comics Publications and are only presented for their historical value.

In addition to re-presenting the first appearance of Archie and the first Archie Comic, they have a brand new story created in homage to the 1940s gang ...
“When Archie Meets Archie”: On the eve of his 65th anniversary, Archie Andrews meets … himself! At least, the version of himself that appeared in Archie’s first story! After Archie gets used to calling his other self “Chic,” he ends up meeting the vintage Jughead and Betty, too – also drawn 1940s style! The space-time continuum has never seen anything like this!

ARCHIE DIGEST #236
SCRIPTS AND ART: Vic Bloom, Bob Montana, Joe Edwards, Fernando Ruiz, Rex Lindsey and more!
Full-color digest format
$2.49 U.S.
http://stuffshop.archiecomics.com/spsiis.html

Emma Samms appears in UK police drama

Emma Samms, our lovely second Fallon Carrington of "Dynasty" and "The Colbys," has a new role coming up. She's appearing in the UK police drama "The Bill" on ITV1. By all accounts it's quite a departure from her role as Blake Carrington's spoiled daughter:

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5iUpKUcDob5sP_KCldevZaxgpbRHw

Meanwhile, as you're gearing up for the new fall TV season here in the U.S., check out this commentary on the new season, mentioning "Dynasty" and "Dallas" and soaps about the rich:

http://parishiltongossip.blogsavy.com/2007/08/30/doesnt-get-the-rich-right/

BRBTV News Blog Blip: Crystal Chappell, who had a brief stint as Jane Kingsley on "Santa Barbara" in 1990, just signed on to at least one more year with a new contract on CBS' "Guiding Light," where she's been playing the evil Olivia Spencer. Ooops ... make that Olivia Spencer Lewis Spaulding Spaulding Lewis ...

Spotted: Have you seen Eva LaRue in her role on "CSI: Miami"? This "Santa Barbara" alum (Margot Collins) and "Dallas" alum (DeeDee, the big-haired chick that Michelle Beaumont pushes into the Southfork pool!) is sure playing cute and young. Her character is the ex-girlfriend of Eric, the young'un who's at David Caruso's side. Go, girl!

BRBTV birthdays for September

- Leonard Katzman, the mastermind behind the Ewings of "Dallas," was born on September 2, 1927 and died on September 5, 1996.
- Annabel Schofield, who played Laurel Ellis on "Dallas," turns 44 tomorrow, September 4.
- Roberta Weiss, the too-hot-to-handle Flame Beaufort of "Santa Barbara," turns 49 on September 5.
- Sarah Cunningham, our stalwart Maggie Monahan on "Dallas," was born on September 8, 1918 and died on March 24, 1986.
- Tom Wopat, our own Luke Duke of "The Dukes of Hazzard," turns 56 on September 9.
- Constance Marie, who played Nikki Alvarez on "SB," has a birthday on September 9, as well, turning 42.
- Linda Gray, the unforgettable Sue Ellen Ewing of "Dallas," turns 67 on September 12.
- Mary Crosby, Gray's on-screen baby sister Kristin Shepard, turns 48 on September 14.
- Michael Reaves, writer for "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 57 on September 14.
- Henry Darrow, who played Cruz Castillo's father Rafael on "Santa Barbara," and even showed up on an episode of "Dynasty" and the "Dukes of Hazzard" spinoff "Enos," turns 74 on September 15.
- Janis Paige, the lovely second Minx Lockridge on "SB," turns 85 on September 16.
- Kimberly McArthur, who was the second Kelly Capwell on "SB," turns 45 on September 16.
- Morgan Woodward, who was Punk Anderson on "Dallas" and also made a couple guest appearances on "The Dukes of Hazzard," has a birthday on September 16, as well, turning 82.
- Shalane McCall, our young Charlie Wade on "Dallas," is our final September 16 birthday, remaining so young at just 35.
- Roddy McDowall, who voiced Dr. Jervis Tetch / the Mad Hatter on "Batman: The Animated Series," was born on September 17, 1928 and died on October 3, 1998.
- Ross Kettle, the quite European Jeffrey Conrad on "Santa Barbara," turns 46 on September 19.
- Paul Williams, who voiced Penguin on "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 67 on September 19.
- Don Starr, our own Jordan Lee of "Dallas," was born on September 20, 1917 and died on July 11, 1995.
- The unstoppable Larry Hagman, who was, of course, the unstoppable J.R. Ewing on "Dallas," turns 76 on September 21.
- Catherine Oxenberg, who played long-lost daughter Amanda Carrington on "Dynasty," turns 46 on September 22.
- Martha Scott, memorable as Patricia Shepard on "Dallas," was born on September 22, 1912 and died on May 28, 2003.
- Heather Locklear, our own Sammy Jo of "Dynasty," and so many other things over the years, turns 46 on September 25.
- Shell Danielson, who was the later Laken Lockridge on "Santa Barbara," also has a birthday on September 25, turning 45.
- Beth Toussaint, our own Tracy Lawton on "Dallas" who's married to Jack Coleman of "Dynasty," is yet another September 25 birthday, turning 45, as well.
- Bridgette Wilson, who was Lisa Fenimore on "SB," is our fourth birthday for September 25, turning such a young 34.
- Mark Hamill, the well-loved voice of the Joker in "Batman: The Animated Series," turns 56 on September 25.
- A Martinez, who was Cruz Castillo on "SB," will turn 59 on September 27.
- Joel Fabiani, the dashing Alex Ward on "Dallas," turns 71 on September 28.
- Steve Forrest, who was Ben Stivers / Wes Parmalee on "Dallas," turns 83 on September 29.
- Ian McShane, the handsome Don Lockwood on "Dallas," was also born on September 29, turning 65 this year.

Happy birthday to all!

See My Lee!

Ahhh ... it's another great day for our occasional "See My Lee!" feature, where we give you a glimpse of the many "Dukes of Hazzard" fans out there who own their own General Lee car ... Up today is Derrick, who lives just south of Lexington, Kentucky.

A couple things are special about Derrick and his Lee. For one thing ... well, it's not just one thing -- it's two! Derrick actually has two General Lees, which he calls "Lee 1" and "Lee 2." Shown here with Derrick is Lee 1, and these shots were taken in a theater parking lot on a very hot day in Lexington a week ago, while Lee 2 was at home (hopefully where it was cooler!). Derrick had both of his Lees at the Hair Dare Dukes Days in Ontario a couple weeks before, and he was offering folks rides in them. He also had the cars' trunk lids signed by Byron Cherry and Don Pedro Colley at the event, to add to the many other cast autographs he has.

The other special thing about this Lee owner? Well, you're lookin' at it! (That is, if you're lookin' at the photo above!) Derrick has installed a video camera in his Lee 1 to capture some great "motion pictures," so to speak. The camera was rolling at Hair Dare. Derrick filmed some great stuff with Cousin Don at the event. Here are some links:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ZOYW64w8oRA

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8csYjwXmv_w

http://youtube.com/watch?v=A-b8UlPdwpo

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5aar5mytJPM

Armed with the U.S. flag and the U.S. Marine Corps seal, this Lee is certainly a "Charger"! In fact, Derrick calls his Lees the "HARDCHARGERS."

Derrick's beautiful, blazin' orange Lees are available for parties and other special events. Just give 'im a call at (859) 329-9282, or email hrdchgr69@aol.com.

Photos by Billie Rae Bates / BRBTV

Joanna Cassidy: From "Anderson's Cross" to "American Standards"

On "Dallas," Sally Bullock, wife of Mr. Eugene Bullock, was smart, shrewd and sexy as she cut a deal or two with the dastardly J.R. Ewing. Sally Bullock also was Ms. Joanna Cassidy, a prolific TV actress of many years. Her gigs have included CBS' "Dallas" follower "Falcon Crest," as well as the short-lived "Dukes of Hazzard" spinoff "Enos." She even did a voice (Maggie Sawyer) on the "Superman" animated series.

Now, Cassidy has several projects going on this year.

"Anderson's Cross," from Illumination Pictures, is written and directed by Jerome E. Scott. Cassidy plays Mrs. McCarthy in the film, which has been making the rounds this summer. The story revolves around the close friendship of three people. Kimmy Robertson of "Twin Peaks" pops up, as a teacher; she was also the memorable voice of Alice in the "Mad as a Hatter" episode of "Batman: The Animated Series," plus a "Batman Beyond" voice.

"Kiss the Bride," scheduled for release next March, has some other big names in it. Tori Spelling, for one, as well as Tess Harper and Robert Foxworth (who reportedly once turned down the role of J.R. Ewing). Cassidy portrays Evelyn in the movie, directed by C. Jay Cox and written by Tyler Lieberman. This one is also a comedy and deals with a longtime friendship / gay relationship.

In "The American Standards," Cassidy is front and center as Ann Jennings, with a nice shot on the film's promo poster. She's joined by James Brolin and Corin Nemec. And when is the last time you saw France Nuyen of that well-known vintage "Star Trek" episode, "Elaan of Troyius"? (And if you say, "As Dr. Chen in 'Santa Barbara,' " you get a gold star! She was the one who helped Cruz escape San Sebastian!) Anyhow, we do digress ... Written and directed by Joe Wehinger, the movie centers around the darker secrets of a seemingly perfect family. The flick was filming a couple years ago in Louisiana, though a release date is not clear. Learn more about the movie at the Skinny Giraffe Films site.

Slater does L.A. con, and a JLA flick in the works?

Helen Slater may have been the lovely blond Supergirl on the big screen, but to us fans of "Batman: The Animated Series," she's the voice of Talia, daughter of the sinister egomaniac Ra's Al Ghul.

Slater will be appearing at the Los Angeles Comic Book and SciFi Convention on September 23:
http://www.supermanhomepage.com/news.php?readmore=3827 http://www.comicbookscifi.com/

Slater, who's kept up some roles here and there in the past few years, starred earlier this year in an episode of "Crossing Jordan."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the "B: TAS" realm ... is there a JLA film in the works? No, we're not talking about a larger movie take on the fabbo animated series brought to you by some of the same folks who did "B: TAS," in keeping with the recent "Superman: Doomsday" production. We're talking live-action here. Are you cringing, because you're thinking about the hideous and lowly regarded Justice League TV movie of a few years back? Well, consider the recent Batman and Superman big-screen incarnations ... that should help. And read more about it at SyFiPortal.com:
http://www.syfyportal.com/news424077.html

Billy Dee Williams, Jack Coleman do the interview circuit

Life can be good in the post-"Dynasty" world, many of the primetime hit's cast members are showing us. Beyond the highly publicized "Legends" stage romp of two of The Big Three, Joan Collins and Linda Evans, you also have the steady careers of their costars, Jack Coleman and Billy Dee Williams.

The fall TV schedule is going to be starting soon, and that means the opportunity to watch Jack Coleman, once again, in his role as Noah Bennett, father to the invincible Claire, on NBC's highly imaginative "Heroes." Coleman discusses his character, still affectionately known as Horn Rimmed Glasses, in a recent interview with Kyle Braun:

http://www.ugo.com/ugo/html/article/?id=17728&sectionId=7

Williams, meanwhile, landed a great gig on the recently launched "General Hospital" spinoff "Night Shift," airing on SoapNet. Williams talks about his career, which has been varied and robust, with interviewer Kam Williams:

http://newsblaze.com/story/20070827135553tsop.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/Top-Stories.html

BRBTV News Blog Blip: The BRBTV News Blog is pleased to announce that BRB has been named an entertainment community leader on the new Congoo.com networking site. In her new role, BRB posts on entertainment-related topics several times a week for Congoo's entertainment channel: http://www.congoo.com/Entertainment. Check it out, and comment at will! And consider joining this network, yourself; it's a great professional forum and source of up-to-the-minute information.