Thursday, November 30, 2023
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Happy 9th Birthday, Lorenzo!
It is always a joyful occasion when one of my grandkids celebrates his or her birthday...
and today, it's Lorenzo's turn to have his birthday cake topped with nine candles! Congratulations, kid!
Thursday, November 23, 2023
Thursday, November 16, 2023
Saturday, November 11, 2023
VETERAN'S DAY, 2023!
Today is Veteran's Day! In observation of this day, I'm watching episodes of the only four World War series I used to follow as a youngster back in the 1960s.
My top Number One favorite was COMBAT!
Starring Vic Morrow as Sgt. Chip Saunders and Rick Jason as Lt. Gil Hanley it also featured as regular members of their squad, Jack Hogan as Kirby, Dick Peabody as Little John, Pierre Jalbert as Caje, Tom Lowell as Billy, Steven Rogers as Doc # 1 and Conlan Carter as Doc # 2.
Who can forget the immortal phrase: "Checkmate King 2, This Is White Rook, Over"?
THE RAT PATROL was another great favorite of mine, and since each episode was only half an hour long, you could be sure the action was going to be non-stop! The show starred Christopher George, Gary Raymond, Lawrence Casey, Justin Tarr and Hans Gudegast (later known as Eric Braeden) as German Captain Dietrich, who never won a battle against these four soldiers.
GARRISON'S GORILLAS was inspired by the successful 1967 Lee Marvin movie, THE DIRTY DOZEN and starred Ron Harper and Cesare Danova along with Rudy Solari, Brendon Boone and Christopher Cary.
The misadventures of a PT Boat crew in the South Pacific, McHALE'S NAVY was a very funny comedy show with a distinguished cast of performers headed by Ernest Borgnine and featuring newcomer Tim Conway along with Joe Flynn, Carl Ballantine, Gavin MacLeod, Yoshio Yoda, Edson Stroll, Billy Sands, Gay Vinson, John Wright and (not pictured) Bob Hastings.
These are the only war themed shows I enjoyed watching during those years although, of course, there were a few others more like TWELVE O'CLOCK HIGH, COURT MARTIAL, CONVOY, JERICHO, NO TIME FOR SERGEANTS, HOGAN'S HEROES and THE GALLANT MEN but I didn't care much for those.
Whatever the case may be, war TV shows generally speaking, were never as popular as Westerns, Sitcoms, Private Detectives, Crime or Sci-Fi series so it seems to me that the usually moderate ratings explain why these type of programs were so scarce during those days.
Thursday, November 9, 2023
Tuesday, October 31, 2023
Sunday, October 29, 2023
REBECCA'S 9TH BIRTHDAY!
Happy 9th birthday to my beautiful little granddaughter, Rebecca! 🥰😘😍😄😄🤗🍰🎂🎁🎈🎈🎈🎈🎀🎉
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Sunday, October 22, 2023
IT'S ALMUDENA'S 5th BIRTHDAY!
My little princess turns 5 years old today! Happy birthday, you beautiful and sweet girl!
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Friday, October 13, 2023
THE RETURN OF THE CLARINET!
After more than 30 years of having abandoned it, I finally got another chance to play the clarinet thanks to a much welcome recent birthday gift. But of course, it has been so long, I have to remember how to play the instrument, so I'm back to my beginner's days and dusting off those old clarinet courses, charts and tutorials. I'm back to square one with embouchure, fingering, tone and reed control.
Will I ever attain professional status? Of course not! Will I become the next Benny Goodman? Never!
But the point here is to just have fun and play to myself trying not to squeak much and flub as less as possible. Music, maestro, please!
My first year trying to get some decent sound out of the instrument!
After much practice, I was proficient enough to get a gig on stage at a small dinner theater, playing
"As Time Goes By" and "St. Louis Blues" in a musical show!
The day I got my new clarinet, 30 plus years after I had abandoned the instrument.
Back to the Clarinet Player Starter Kit!
Hopefully, this won't ever happen...but you never can tell!
Sunday, October 8, 2023
Saturday, October 7, 2023
My Funko Pop! Vinyl figure!
I have never understood the appeal of the Pop! Vinyl line of figurines. They all look basically the same, and only the clothes, headwear and a few additional details clue you in about what popular character they're trying to resemble. However, their appeal seems irrefutable. The company that manufactures them has made millions of dollars with these toys. Pictured above is a Pop! figurine of yours truly. It could be anyone else with gray hair and sneakers for all I can tell but anyway, this is sorta fun. Right?
Thursday, October 5, 2023
THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING PANTS!
It is no mystery your body goes through many changes during your lifetime...but that doesn't mean you have to understand what's going on there!
Saturday, September 30, 2023
THE NEW LAUREL & HARDY BLU-RAY!
FROM AMAZON:
A world premiere for all the Laurel and Hardy fans!
Deluxe 2-disc Blu-ray Edition
Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy first appeared on film together in 1921, after an initial period in their careers spent apart. The two would formally team up in 1927 and found success by following a simple comic formula that displayed the hilariously ambitious and anarchic qualities of their joint personality. Laurel & Hardy: Year One, The Newly Restored 1927 Silents, as proudly presented by Flicker Alley and Blackhawk Films, offers fans new and old the rare opportunity to observe the evolving partnership of the slapstick comedy team that would reach enormous popularity. Featuring all new restorations sourced from
best available materials contributed by archives and collectors around the world restored by Blackhawk Films and Lobster Films in Paris, this comprehensive deluxe Blu-ray 2-disc collection features thirteen extant films produced in 1927 and two additional films from before they were officially a team.
It includes new scores from some of the best silent film composers working today, such as Neil Brand, Antonio Coppola, Eric le Guen, and Donald Sosin. Arthur Stanley Jefferson for a time understudied Chaplin in England and the US, meanwhile Oliver Norvell Hardy was a talented actor in comedies and melodramas, yet neither had reached the status of movie star.
It became clear upon their merging together that their contradictory physiques and personalities complimented each other perfectly. The team would go on to produce numerous projects together that reached wide acclaim, eventually becoming nearly unanimously considered by film critics, scholars, and movie fans alike, the funniest comedy duo in film history.
Friday, September 29, 2023
THE HUCKLEBERRY HOUND SHOW!
On this day in 1958, The Huckleberry Hound Show premiered in syndication! It's what put Hanna Barbera on the map creating characters we all know and love like Yogi Bear, Hokey Wolf, Pixie & Dixie & Mr. Jinx, and of course Huckleberry Hound lasting 3 seasons ending in 1961.
I remember the excitement and anticipation at the news of The Huckleberry Hound Show premiering back in 1958. I was 7 years old when I first saw the inimitable Huck Hound coming out of the circus door after the Kellogg's rooster knocked. The cartoons were quite different from all the others I had seen up until then, when the regular cartoon TV fare consisted of full animation cartoons from the 20s, 30s, and 40s. To me, the look, design, stories, music and overall atmosphere was something else and I became hooked watching every cartoon show churned out by the Hanna-Barbera animation factory. Up until Jonny Quest started the downhill fall into formulaic, unfunny shows and non descript characters, that is.
Ah, but the Huckleberry Hound Show was something else! My childhood was so much happier with this
old hound and his pals coming at my screen every week! Delightful memories I will always treasure!
With Wee Willie.
The complete Season One of The Huckleberry Hound Show was released on a DVD set several years ago but the Second and Third Seasons are yet to see the light of day! Why? Big mystery that probably has to do with copyright holders and, um, like that type of things, yuh know.
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