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Saturday, December 21, 2013

Y&R Report (Dec. 21, 2013): The Latest on The Young and the Restless






Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama.  Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT:  Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Y&R fans.

1.  Let's get right to some shocking news for Y&R viewers.  Michael Muhney (Adam Newman) announced on Twitter that he was "let go" (a euphemism for "fired") from the show.  In an exclusive interview with the Huffington Post Canada TV, Michael said that he was called into executive producer Jill Farren Phelps' office and that it was explained to him that "CBS and Sony want to give Adam a break for 3-6 months and then they'll bring him back with a different actor."  Okay, so why does a "different actor" have to play the role of Adam when he returns from his break?  Is the character going to undergo plastic surgery to disguise his appearance?

Frankly, fans, the firing of Michael Muhney makes no sense to me.  It is a regrettable move.  You'd think the producers are trying to alienate viewers and kill off the show. The loss of Muhney is a great disappointment for Y&R fans who have recently been rocked by the death of Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor) and the departures of Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Newman) and Billy J. Miller (Billy Abbott)). At a time when soaps are struggling, The Young and the Restless can ill afford to lose popular and talented actors such as Michael Muhney..

In his Huffington Post interview, Michael stated that his firing "could be financial or story."  If it were a cost-cutting measure, then CBS and Sony are being absolutely penny wise and pound foolish.  In the long run, they will lose viewers and even more money.  If you read the online message boards, you will discover how upset the fans are over what happened to Muhney.

Take note that Michael's last appearance on Y&R will be aired at the end of January 2014.  By the way, Muhney is not the only Y&R actor to be axed.  According to the Huffington Post article, Hartley Sawyer, who plays Kyle Abbott, has also been fired.

2.  Well fans, it's the holiday season in Genoa City and there will be a festive Christmas celebration at Katherine Chancellor Park.  Eileen Davidson will be returning as Ashley Abbott to ring in the New Year along with the other Abbotts.  I hope Traci will persuade her to remain in town.

Readers, I have a prediction to make.  It came into my mind and it makes sense to me.  I think that Kelly is the wife of Dr. Stitch.  They are not together because of the death of their son, Sam.  That would explain why Stitch is so mysterious about his wife and child.  When Victoria asked him if he had a family, he replied, "It's complicated."  We later learned that his wife and son will not be joining him for Christmas.

I realize that the names of Stitch's wife and son have been mentioned and they are not Kelly and Sam. Remember, though, if those names were used, viewers would know immediately that there was a connection between the characters.  Kelly's last name is Andrews but that could be her maiden name.  It is possible that the couple have a surviving son and that Sam is the one who died.  Even if I'm wrong about this, I think it would make a good storyline.

Unless, I've missed something I haven't seen Kelly and Stitch in the same scene together.

3.  It appears that Teen Queen Super Model Summer is going to get hooked on "energy pills."

4  I received some comments and questions from CC from Etobicoke.  Here they are.

Judging from the adoration and easy manner with which Michael Muhney handles baby 'Peanut' Connor Newman I have been wondering if Connor is in fact played by the actor's recently born (summer 2013) son?

I've felt from the beginning of the storyline that Adam was not the hit and run driver who hit Delia.
Logically it is too severe of an offence to allow him to be guilty of without facing the consequences.
Instead perhaps the writers' purposes were to use his involvement in this storyline to present the more sensitive and caring side of Adam...to mellow him.  
Time will tell...and soon.

Does everyone believe that Dylan is Nikki's long lost son?  I'm still not a full believer.  I'm expecting a twist and maybe a turn too!  Other options might include Dr. Stitch.



My reply to CC

Well, CC, I agree with you that Michael Muhney (Adam Newman) does have a good rapport with baby "Peanut" Connor.  They appear to have a strong connection.  On Internet message boards, fans have commented on the resemblance between Michael and his TV son (They do look alike, don't they?).  There is, however, no relation to Michael Mushney.  Connor is actually played by twins, Brady and Cooper Friedman.

The "adoration and easy manner" with which Michael relates to Connor is indicative of Michael's skill as an actor.  The fact that Connor is the spitting image of Adam is a tribute to the casting director's skill.

Baby Connor

Michael Muhney


As for Adam being the driver who ran over Delia with the infamous black SUV, I wonder about that too. Since Michael Muhney revealed that his character will not be shown for 3-6 months, that could mean that Adam will be in prison until the real hit-and-run driver is discovered.  It could also mean that he will be hiding out and on-the-run until the true culprit is identified.

As for your doubts that Dylan is really Nikki's long-lost son, I tend to disagree.  I don't think that Dr. Stitch is Nikki's offspring.  Due to Nick's animosity toward Dylan, there's much more conflict with him as Nikki's son.  The DNA test confirmed the truth and I don't really think the writers would give us another DNA-switching storyline. They wouldn't be that crazy, would they?

On Sunday, December 8th, CC and friends saw some Y&R stars at a charity event for the March of Dimes. The event included high tea at Toronto's Royal York Hotel.  Four actors from the show were in attendance. They were Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin), Jess Walton (Jill Abbott), Marco Dapper (ex-Carmine Basco) and Kate Linder (Esther Valentine).  CC informed me that Jess Walton (Jill Abblott) suggested that the whodunnit regarding Carmine's murder will be solved soon.  Sadly, Kate Linder's father had just passed away.  A real trooper, she told fans that her dad would have wanted her to participate in this charity event. Kate also said that fans should email their suggestions, comments and complaints about the show to CBS. She said that the opinion of viewers is taken into consideration.  For example, the character of Chloe, played by Elizabeth Hendrickson, was written into the show because fans kept asking for an explanation as to what had happened to Esther's daughter.

Here are some photos of the March of Dimes tea at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto.


Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin)



Marco Dapper (Carmine Basco)



Jess Walton (Jill Abbott)




Jess auctioning off Y&R item for charity


5.  I really don't think Fen shot Carmine Basco.  Yes, I know Chief Clueless Williams thinks he has the evidence against Fen - blood on the clothes Fen wore that night - but I'm not convinced that Fen is guilty. That's seems too simple a solution to the mystery.  As I mentioned in a previous Y&R Report, I think Womack, who was in prison with Fen, is involved in Carmine's death.

6.  You can see that Devon and Hilary Curtis are going to get together.  As for Nicholas and Sharon, that kiss between them has been coming for a long time.  It seems certain that they will reunite, at least for awhile. Then Phyllis will probably awaken from her coma and tell Nick what Sharon has done, just in time to prevent them from remarrying.  Will Victor's boy have to cancel two weddings in a row?

That's all for now.  My next Y&R Report will be published on Saturday, January 4, 2014.  See you next year and all the best of the season to you.

Merry Christmas,

Joanne

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Queen's Christmas Message on Television





The tradition of a Christmas broadcast by a British monarch began with George V, Queen Elizabeth's grandfather.  In 1932, George delivered his first Christmas message by radio.  The original idea for a Yuletide speech from the King came from Sir John Reith, founder of the  British Broadcasting Company.(BBC).  Although George V had reservations about speaking on the relatively new medium of radio, the BBC addressed his misgivings and persuaded him to make the broadcast to inaugurate the Empire Service (now known as BBC World News).  A recording of the broadcast was also sold as a 72 rpm. record.


George V

On Christmas Day 1932  King George V spoke the following words over the radio, or as the British would say, "the wireless."  His message was short, less than 300 words, and it lasted about two-and-a half minutes. It is also important to note that it was written by Rudyard Kipling, famed English short-story author and poet, whom fellow writer George Orwell once described as "a prophet of British imperialism."

Through one of the marvels of modern science, I am enabled, this Christmas Day, to speak to all my people throughout the Empire.  I take it is a good omen that Wireless should have reached its present perfection at a time when the Empire was linked in closer union,  For it offers us immense possibilities to make that union closer still..  It may be that our future will lay upon us more than one stern test.  Our past will have taught us how to meet it unshaken.  For the present, the work to which we are all equally bound  is to arrive at a reasoned tranquility within our borders; to regain prosperity without self-seeking; and to carry with us those whom the burden of past years has disheartened or overborne.  My life's aim has been to serve as I might, towards those ends.  Your loyalty, your confidence in me, has been my abundant reward.  I speak now from my home and from my heart to you all. To men and women so cut off by the snows, the desert or the sea, that only voices out of the air can reach them, to those cut off from fuller life by blindness, sickness, or infirmity; and to those who are celebrating this day with their children and grandchildren. To all - to each - I wish a happy Christmas.  God Bless You!

King George V giving the 1934 Christmas broadcast

George V continued to broadcast his Christmas messages until the end of his reign. He delivered his last speech in December of 1935, about a month before his death on January 20, 1936.

In 1937, Queen Elizabeth's father, George VI (who had a speech impediment) delivered his first Christmas message as king, thanking the Empire for its support during the first year of his reign.  In 1939, with the outbreak of World War II, George used his Christmas broadcast as a means to offer solace and encouragement. Dressed in his uniform of Admiral of the Fleet, the King reassured his people in a time of uncertainty. He stated, "A new year is at hand.  We cannot tell what it will bring. If it brings peace, how thankful we shall all be.  If it brings us continued struggle, we shall remain undaunted.  He also read an excerpt from the poem God Knows by Minnie Louise Haskins, a professor of sociology and philosophy at the London School of Economics.




King George VI's final Christmas broadcast occurred in 1951 and was pre-recorded due to his illness. Although he paused at intervals, his voice remained strong as he thanked his subjects for their goodwill and support.  He died of lung cancer on February 6, 1952 and his daughter, then Princess Elizabeth, ascended to the throne. For her first Yuletide message, the new queen used the same desk and chair as her father and grandfather and spoke of continuing their tradition.  She declared, "My father and my grandfather before him, worked hard all their lives to unite our peoples ever more closely, and to maintain its ideals which were so near to their hearts. I shall strive to carry on their work.”

The Queen's 1953 message was broadcast from Auckland, New Zealand during her 1953-1954 tour of the Commonwealth.  She expressed sympathy for the victims of the Tangiwai disaster, New Zealand's worse rail mishap.   On Christmas Eve, a bridge had collapsed between an express passenger train at Tangiwai, on the Northern Island of the country.  The death toll from the accident was 151.

Queen Elizabeth II delivered the first televised Christmas broadcast by a British sovereign in 1957, when she was 31 years old.  It was filmed at Sandringham House at Norfolk, England.  Here is how the Queen began her message to Britain and the Commonwealth 56 years ago, at a time when television was still fairly new and fresh, especially outside of North America.

Happy Christmas.  25 years ago, my grandfather broadcast the first of these messages. Today is another landmark because television has made it possible for many of you to see me in your homes on Christmas Day.  My own family often gather round to watch television as they are at this moment, and that is how I imagine you now.  I very much hope that this new medium will make my Christmas message more personal and direct.  It's inevitable that I should seem a rather remote figure to many of you.  A successor to the kings and queens of history; someone whose face may be familiar in newspapers and films but who never really touches your personal lives.  But now, at least for a few minutes, I welcome you to the peace of my own home.  That it's possible for some of you to see me today, is just another example of the speed at which things are changing all around us.

The Queen's 1967 Christmas broadcast was the first to be shown in colour.  She spoke of the centennial  of Canada's Confederation and her five week tour of the country to celebrate the event.  Her 1968 message was filmed at Buckingham Palace and its theme was brotherhood.  She talked about civil rights and the assassination of Martin Luther King in April of that year.  In 1984, her theme was lessons adults could learn from children.and footage was shown of the christening of her fourth grandchild, Prince Harry.

2002 marked the 50th anniversary of the Royal Christmas Message and Elizabeth II spoke about joy and sadness, reflecting on the loss of both her mother, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and her sister Princess Margaret, that same year.

The Royal Christmas message is prepared well in advance now because it often includes archival footage and new footage.  The Queen frequently mentions special events and significant anniversaries.  In 1976, she talked of her visit to the United States to mark the bicentennial of England's former colony and she focused on the theme of reconciliation. In 1990, the Queen recalled the celebration of her mother's 90th birthday and through the years, there has been discussion and footage of various royal weddings and christenings.

Elizabeth's Christmas broadcasts usually take place at Buckingham Palace now but in 2003 she spoke from the Household Calvary Barracks in Windsor.  She paid homage to the military, stating that "“I want to draw attention to the many servicemen and women who are stationed far from home this Christmas. I’m thinking about their wives and children and about their parents and friends.”

Times have certainly changed since George V delivered the first Royal Christmas Message on radio back in 1932.  King George, impressed as he was by the new medium, could never have envisioned that, in addition to radio and television, his granddaughter's speech would be shown over the Internet.

The Queen's Christmas message remains exceedingly popular with British television viewers.  According to a recent poll in the United Kingdom, commissioned by Samsung Smart TV, almost a fifth of the people (18%) indicated that the Queen's message was the ultimate in holiday viewing, followed by the Coronation Street special (10%) and the James Stewart film classic, It's A Wonderful Life.  Only 3% of those polled chose the Christmas Day Downton Abbey episode.


END NOTES

* Sir David Attenborough, British broadcaster and naturalist, produced the first of his six Royal Christmas Messages beginning in 1986 and ending in 1991.

* There was no Royal Christmas Message broadcast in December of 1936 because King Edward VIII (Elizabeth II's uncle) abdicated the throne just before Christmas in order to marry Wallis Simpson.  Neither was there a Christmas message in 1938 as it was not yet a royal tradition.  Another probable reason for the lack of a 1938 message was George VI's. stammer.  Making speeches was difficult for him and he was forced to use a slow and deliberate method of delivery in order to fulfill his royal duties.  The outbreak of World War II, however, changed everything and the Christmas broadcast became both a necessity and a tradition.

* Queen Elizabeth's 1959 Christmas broadcast was pre-recorded as she was pregnant with Prince Andrew.

* There was no Christmas broadcast in 1969, the only year during Elizabeth's reign to date that it has not been done. The Queen felt that the Royal Family had had enough exposure on television that year due to the investiture of her son, Prince Charles, as the Prince of Wales and the release of a documentary film entitled Royal Family. Instead, she released a written message and disappointed viewers complained to the BBC. She then felt obliged to reassure a concerned public that the broadcast would return in 1970.  Here is the text of her 1969 message.

I have received a great number of kind letters and messages of regard and concern about this year's break with the usual broadcast at Christmas and I want you all to know that my good wishes are no less warm and personal because they come to you in a different form.  
In a short time the 1960s will be over but not out of our memories. Historians will record them as the decade in which men first reached out beyond our own planet and set foot on the moon, but each one of us will have our own special triumphs or tragedies to look back on.
My own thoughts are with my older children who are entering the service of the people of this country and the Commonwealth. It is a great satisfaction and comfort to me and my husband to know that they have won a place in your affections.
We are all looking forward to our visit to Australia and New Zealand for the Cook Bi-centenary celebrations, and also to Fiji and Tonga. Later next year we hope to see something of the fascinating development of Northern Canada.
It is only natural that we should all be dazzled and impressed by the triumphs of technology, but Christmas is a festival of the spirit. At this time our concern is particularly for the lonely, the sick and the elderly. I hope they will all feel the warmth and comfort of companionship and that all of you will enjoy a very happy Christmas with your families and friends.
God bless you all.

* The Queen's 1975 speech marked the first time the message was recorded outdoors.  It was broadcast from the gardens of Buckingham Palace.

* In 1998, the Queen's speech appeared on the Internet for the first time.

* In 2008, the Queen's Christmas Message was broadcast in high definition.  Last year, on December 25, 2012, it was broadcast in 3-D for the first time.

* Elizabeth II's annual Christmas broadcasts are written by the Queen herself.  Today the message is recorded a few days prior to Christmas and it lasts about 10 minutes, much longer than George V's original speech.


- Joanne

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Dorothy Kilgallen of What's My Line?: Why was her death linked to the JFK assassination?



 
Dorothy Kilgallen died 48 years ago, on November 8, 1965.  Her death has been regarded with suspicion and some believe it was associated with the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  Kilgallen claimed she interviewed Jack Ruby, the killer of accused Kennedy assassin Lee Harvery Oswald.  The interview apparently took place in March of 1964 in the privacy of the judge's chambers during a recess at Ruby's trial in Dallas.  The subject of their conversation has never been revealed.

Dorothy was an outspoken critic of the Warren Commission's report on the JFK assassination. According to a 2007 article in Midwest Today by Sara Jordan ("Who Killed Dorothy Kilgallen?"), "One of the biggest scoops of Kilgallen's career (as a journalist) occurred when she obtained the 102-page transcript of Ruby's testimony to the Warren Commission.  Readers were shocked at the hopelessly inept questioning of Ruby by Chief Justice Warren, and by Warren's failure to follow up on the leads Ruby was feeding him.  Attorney Melvin Belli, (who represented Ruby pro bono), called Dorothy's scoop "the ruin of the Warren Commission."

In her syndicated newspaper column of October 4, 1964, Kilgallen wrote:

. . . at any rate, the whole thing smells a bit fishy.  It's a mite too simple that a chap kills the President of the United States, escapes from that bother, kills a policeman, eventually is apprehended in a movie theater under circumstances that defy every law of police procedure, and subsequently is murdered under extraordinary circumstances. 

Dorothy's associate, Mark Lane, a lawyer, author and conspiracy theorist, stated that Dorothy told him, "They've killed the President, [and] the government is not prepared to tell us the truth . . . " and that she planned to "break the case."

Dorothy Mae Kilgallen was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 3, 1913.  She was the daughter of Hearst newspaperman James Lawrence Kilgallen and his wife, Mae Ahearn.  Her younger sister, Eleanor, became a casting agent for movies and television.  Below is a photo of Dorothy and her Eleanor in 1942.




The Kilgallen family left Chicago and moved to Wyoming, Indiana.  After returning to Chicago for a time, they finally set down roots in New York City.  In 1930, Dorothy graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn.  She then enrolled at the College of New Rochelle, a private Catholic college in New Rochelle, New York. She dropped out after two semesters, however, to take a job as a journalist with the New York Evening Journal, a newspaper owned by William Randolph Hearst.

At the age of 17, Dorothy became a crime reporter at a time when there weren't many female crime reporters. She covered the 1935 trial of Bruno Hauptmann.  Hauptmann, a carpenter from Germany, was convicted of the abduction and murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr., the 20-month old child of aviation hero Charles Lindbergh and his wife, author Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

In September of 1936, Dorothy Kilgallen participated in "a race around the world" against fellow journalists Bud Ekins of the New York World-Telegram and Leo Kieran of the New York Times. The contestants were only permitted to use transportation available to the public and Dorothy completed her journey in 24 days.  She finished second to Ekins in the competition and published a book about her experience, Girl Around the World.

In 1936, Dorothy also appeared in a film called Sinner Take All, an MGM murder mystery, playing the role of a reporter. When she returned to New York in November of 1937, she was given her own column, "Hollywood Scene."   In 1938, Kilgallen began writing for the New York Journal-American, a newspaper formed by the Hearst Corporation when the Evening Journal merged with another of its publications, the New York American. She had a column titled "Voice of Broadway" which she continued to write until her death.  It consisted mostly of business news and gossip but also dealt with such topics as politics and organized crime.

Through the years, Dorothy wrote about some the most high-profile criminal trials in America.  In 1954, she covered the trial of Dr. Sam Sheppard, an American osteopathic physician who was convicted and then acquitted of the murder of his pregnant wife, Marilyn, in the couple's Cleveland-area home.  Kilgallen was instrumental in helping Sheppard get a second trial because her deposition established judicial bias at the first trial.  (Prior to the original trial, the judge had told Dorothy that the defendant was "as guilty as hell.")  In 1966, Sam Sheppard was retried and found not guilty.

On April 6, 1940, Dorothy Kilgallen married actor, singer and Broadway producer Richard Tompkins "Dick" Kollmar. (born December 31, 1910).  Kollmar made his Broadway debut in 1938 in the musical Knickerbocker Holiday, followed by a role in another musical, Too Many Girls, with Van Johnson, Desi Arnaz and Eddie Bracken.  He later became a producer of such stage musicals as Dream with Music and Plain and Fancy.

From 1945 until 1949, Kollmar played the title role in a syndicated radio show called Black Birdie.  Starting in April of 1945, he and Dorothy co-hosted a live radio talk show on WOR-AM called Breakfast With Dorothy and Dick.  The show originated from the dining room of the couples's 16-room Park Avenue apartment in Manhattan. In 1952, when they moved to a brownstone on East 68th Street, the program was broadcast from their new home.  Breakfast With Dorothy and Dick remained on the air until 1963.

In 1959, Richard Killmar owned and operated a New York City nightclub called The Left Bank, located on West 50th Street.  He displayed models of hands, which he collected as a hobby, in his restaurant.  Dorothy and Dick had three children, Jill Kollmar, Richard Kollmar Jr. (known as Dickie), and Kerry Arden Kollmar (born March 19, 1954).

Richard Kollmar


In 1950, Dorothy Kilgallen became a panellist on a new U.S. television quiz show called What's My Line?. It was a program on the CBS network and it became the longest-running game show on American prime time television.  The premise of the show was that a contestant would appear before a panel which regularly included Dorothy, actress Arlene Francis, Radom House founder Bennett Cerf and a fourth guest panellist. Contestants were asked simple yes and no questions so that the panel would be able ascertain their interesting or out-of-the-ordinary occupations.  Every time a contestant responded no to a question, he or she would receive $5.  A maximum total of ten negative replies signalled the end of the game.

What's My Line? had a great deal of fun with celebrity and VIP contestants.  The panel was blindfolded and the celebrity guests were told to "enter and sign in please?" Each guest would place his or her autograph on a chalk board. The enthusiasm of the audience's response sometimes provided a hint as to identity of the guest.  The guest, however, would then attempt to disguise his or her voice while answering yes or no questions from the panel. Trivia Note: A list of some of the show's most distinguished Mystery Guests (originally called Mystery Challengers) includes Alfred Hitchcock, Frank LLoyd Wright, Salvador Dali , Eleanor Roosevelt. Carl Sandburg, Cecil B. DeMille, Billy Graham and Sir Edmund Hillary.  Dorothy Gilgallen's two oldest children, Jill and Richard Jr., appeared as Mystery Guests after the birth of her third child, Kerry.

So, what was the secret to What's My Line's success.  Here's the answer according the the he Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946-Present

That little game, by itself, hardly warranted an 18-year run, when other panel shows of the early 1950s came and went every month.  But What's My Line was something special, both for the witty and engaging panel, and for a certain elan which few other shows have ever captured.  There were no flashy celebrities-of-the-moment or empty-headed pretty faces on this panel: they were obviously very intelligent people all, out to have some genteel fun with an amusing parlour game.

What's My Line? was hosted by John Daly, a journalist and radio and television personality.  It was known for its manners and the formal attire of its host and panellists. When the show began, the women wore street dressses and the men wore business suits.  From 1953 on, however, the female panellists wore fancy gowns, jewels and sometimes gloves.  The men wore black suits and bow ties. Host John Daly referred to the panelists as "Miss Kilgallen," "Mr. Cerf" and "Miss Francis. The sign of his desk read "Mr. Daly".




What's My Line? was highly popular and remained on the air until 1967.  Dorothy was still a panellist at the time of her death.  In fact, she had appeared on the show before returning home on the night of her passing. Below is a photo of the What's My Line? panel.  Dorthy Kilgallen in  in the back row with comedian and legendary radio personality Fred Allen to her left and host John Daly to her right.  Allen was a panellist on the show from 1954 until his death in March of 1956.




Although Dorothy and Richard Kollman never divorced, they eventually led, for the most part, separate lives. Dorothy became involved in a relationship with troubled singer Johnnie Ray (some sources say it was a romance).  The two were definitely good friends and Dorothy was one of his most loyal supporters.  Ray, whose biggest hit was "Cry," was arrested twice for soliciting men for sex. Both incidents occurred in the city of Detroit.  The first time, in 1951, he pleaded guilty and paid a fine.  The second time, in 1959, he went on trial before a jury of a dozen women.  Dorothy stood by him throughout the trial and he was found not guilty.


Dorothy with Johnnie Ray


Dorothy also became involved in a long-distance relationship with Ron Pataky, a film and drama critic for the Columbus Citizen-Journal (Pataky has steadfastly insisted that the relationship was platonic). They first met in June of 1964, on a trip paid by Twentieth Century Fox to publicize three of its films: The Sound of Music, The Agony and The Ecstasy and Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines.  Pataky, born May 21, 1935, was over 20 years younger than Dorothy and they kept their relationship secret.  In her 1979 biography titled Kilgallen, author Lee Israel referred to Pataky as "Out-of-Towner" in order to avoid legal problems.  Another author, John Simkin, founder of the Spartacus Educational website, has suggested that Dorothy suspected "Out-of-Tower" of being a CIA agent.




Some conspiracy theorists allege that Pataky was involved in Dorothy Kilgallen's death.  Cassie Parnau, author of The Kilgallen Files, conducted an extensive investigation into the circumstances of Dorothy's demise, probing her FBI and CIA files (the results appear on The Kilgallen Files website).  Parnau interviewed Pataky and asked him the following questions point-blank: Was he with Dorothy the night of his death?  Was he, as reported on some websites, a hired CIA assassin?  According to Parnau, Pataky told her that Dorothy "was his best friend in the entire world."  He vehemently denied any involvement in her death.

Do they think for a moment the police didn’t investigate these matters? It was clear to all but a few truly dumb asses that I was in Columbus (Ohio) - in my office — at eight the following morning! THAT’S WHERE I WAS HORRIFIED TO RECEIVE THE NEWS OF DOROTHY’S DEATH … WITH A NEWSPAPER CITY ROOM UTTERLY JAMMED WITH WITNESSES, ALL OF WHOM KNEW DOROTHY FROM HER VISITS TO MY OFFICE! Moreover, phone records - FROM Columbus — placed me here until well past midnight that night!”

On the morning of November 8, 1965, Dorothy Killgallen was found dead in her New York City apartment. Her hairdresser and confidant, Marc Sinclaire, discovered her body when he arrived to style her hair. Strangely she was not in the bedroom where she usually slept.  She was found sitting upright and fully clothed on a bed in another room.  Her notes from her interview with Ruby had vanished as had the article she was writing about the case. Dorothy's husband, Richard, her youngest child, 11-year-old Kerry and Kerry's tutor, were sleeping in other rooms when she died.

Although it was initially reported that Dorothy died of a heart attack, the cause of her death was an overdose of alcohol and barbiturates.  On November 15, 1965, a week after Dorothy's body was discovered, her own paper, the Journal-American quoted Assistant Medical Examiner James Luke on the cause of her death:
The death of Dorothy Kilgallen, Journal-American columnist and famed TV personality, was contributed to by a combination of moderate quantities of alcohol and barbiturates, a medical examiner's report stated today. 

It has never been categorically determined whether Dorothy Kilgallen's death was an accident, suicide or murder.  The cause of her death was ruled "undetermined."  In her last column item about the JFK assassination, published on September 3, 1965, she wrote: "This story isn't going to die as long as there's a real reporter alive - and there are a lot of them."

After Dorothy's death, Richard Kollmar remarried.  His second wife was American fashion designer Anne Fogarty.  Ironically, Fogarty designed the dress that Dorothy wore on her last appearance on What's My Line?.  She and Kollmar wed in 1967.  Kollmar had problems with alcoholism and his last years were very troubled. He committed suicide in New York City on January 7. 1971. Just like Dorothy, he was found dead in his bed of an overdose of drugs, although Richard's was a massive overdose.  He was 60 years old at the time of his passing.


END NOTES

* Dorothy Kilgallen's friends called her Dolly Mae.

* Below is a clip of a 1959 article by Dorothy on the subject of Elvis Presley being released from the Army.




* Arlene Francis, Dorothy's fellow panellist on What's My Line? died in San Francisco on May 31, 2001. She was 93 years old and had suffered from cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

* John Daly, the amiable host of What's My Line?, married Virginia Warren, daughter of then-Chief Justice Earl Warren (yes, the man who headed the investigation into JFK's assassination).  The wedding took place on December 22, 1960, in San Francisco, California.  It was Daly's second marriage and it lasted until his death of cardiac arrest on February 24, 1991.  He passed away in Chevy Chase, Maryland at the age of 77.

Below is a photo of John Daly on the television panel show It's News to Me in June of 1952.



* The New York Journal-American ceased publication in 1966, the year after Dorothy Kilgallen's death.

* Johnnie Ray suffered from alcoholism.  He was treated for tuberculosis in 1960 and recovered.  He didn't stop drinking, though, and was diagnosed with cirrhosis when he was 50 years old.  On February 24, 1990, he died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles of liver failure.  Johnnie Ray was 63 at the time of his passing.

Ron Pataky, now 78 years old, left his job at the Columbus Citizen-Journal in 1980.  He later became a Christian councillor in Columbus, Ohio.  In 2005, Lee Israel admitted to author John Simkin that Pataky was the "Out-of-Towner" and she also claimed that he "had something to do with it.(the death of Kilgallen)."

* Dorothy's father, James Killgallen, passed away in New York City on December 21, 1982.  A news reporter for over 75 years, he was 94 years old at the time of his passing.  Dorothy's sister, Eleanor Kilgallen, is still alive.

On July 12, 2012, film and television historian Stephen Bowen, posted an interview with actor Robert Pine on his website, Classic TV History Blog http://classictvhistory.wordpress.com/tag/quinn-martin.  In the interview, Pine discusses how he did a scene in front of Eleanor in February of 1964, when he was trying to beak into acting.  Eleanor was then a representative for Universal Studios in New York for new talent. "Eleanor is still with us, at age 94," he tells Bowen, "and I still keep in contact with her."

There is a listing in the White Pages for an Eleanor E. Killgallen, born March 1919, who resides in New Jersey. I think that is Dorothy's sister.

* Dorothy's youngest child, Kerry Kollmar, now 59 years old, is a self-defence instructor.  He is the President and founder of Martial Hearts Inc.  Based in  Roswell, Georgia, Martial Hearts is a self-defence organization dedicated to preventing violence against women and children.  It is interesting to note that Kerry was a child actor and had a small role in the 1964 film Pajama Party starring Annette Funicello. Dorothy, too, had a cameo in the film, in which she landed on a motorcycle.


Kerry Kollmar

* Dorothy Kilgallen made an appearance of Edward R. Murrow popular interview program, Person to Person, in the winter of 1956 (Season 3, Episode 21, Air Date: January 20, 1956).

* In 1965, just months before her death, Dorothy was a guest on Merv Griffin's popular talk show twice (Season  2, Episode 29, Air Date: June 17, 1965) and Season 2, Episode 51, Air Date: July 19, 1965).

* Dorothy appeared on other television game shows besides What's My Line?.  In 1961, she was
a celebrity contestant on Password.  That same year, on September 25, she made an appearance on I've Got a Secret along with the rest of the What's My Line? panel. From 1963 until 1964 she was a guest celebrity on 10 episodes of The Match Game.  On November 2, 1965, she and Arlene Francis taped an episode of the daytime version of To Tell The Truth in which they portrayed Joan Crawford impostors.  Six days later, the episode was broadcast at the same time as Dorothy's death was making news.

* At the suggestion of fellow What's My Line? panellist and Random House publisher Bennett Cerf, Dorothy Killgallen wrote a book about some of the famous murder trials she had covered during her career as journalist.  Radom House published the book, Murder One, after Dorothy's death.




- Joanne

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Y&R Report (Dec. 7, 2013): The Latest on the Young and the Restless




Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama.  Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT:  Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.


1.  Eileen Davidson was back again as Ashley Abbott.  This time, she returned for Thanksgiving.  It was great to see her, but just as we were enjoying her visit, we learned that she had to catch a plane to Tokyo. She did find time to have her sprained ankle examined by Dr. Stitch (Is he the only doctor around?). Encouraged by Abby, she even flirted with the good doctor - and did you notice the chemistry there?  (What is Stitch hiding, though?  Any ideas, fans?  What happened to his wife and son?  Do they even exist?).  Oh, yes, for someone with an ankle injury, Ashley was wearing some pretty fancy boots.  They must be very easy to walk in, right?

After visiting Dr. Stitch, A.A. called on her ex-husband, The Great Victor Newman, for a chat.  Then she was gone.  Although it's great to see Eileen again in the role of Ashley, I'm disappointed that's it's only been hello and goodbye.  I wish she'd return to the show as a regular.  The writers could easily create a storyline involving her and Dr. Stitch.

3.  I'm not surprised about Adam and Chelsea making music together again.  That's been coming for awhile now.  Will Chelesea stand by him,  however, when she learns that he was the one whose car struck Delia and that he never stepped forward?  By the way, how do you like Adam's "Peanut" moniker for baby Connor?  Didn't Connor look sweet in his Thankgiving turkey outfit?  The poor kid is going to have look at himself dressed up like that someday.

4.  Who is this pesky Mariah from Tyler's past?  Perhaps she's going to make an appearance in Genoa City to shake things up between Abby and him.  Otherwise, why would Tyler's ex-fiance be mentioned other than to cause problems for the blissfully happy couple.

5.  If you are an Abbott or a Newman, you don't have to worry about facing the prospect of unemployment. There's always a job at your father's company if you have the right last name  I think the word for it is Nepotism with a capital N.  If you rebel against working for your family, you can always open a restaurant such as Nick and Billy did.

6.  Is there a more inept police force then Geoa City's finest, headed by Chief Paul Williams?   GCPD still has not caught up with Adam and it has not solved the murder of Carmine Basco.  Still, Paul Williams was able to spare some time helping Nikki trace her long-lost son, who turned out to be Handyman Dylan.  At least, Paul was able to solve that mystery.

7.  So Fenmore "Mouse" Baldwin will be released from prison in a couple of days.  The news made Michael and Lauren very happy as they celebrated their anniversary. How interesting that his prison buddy, Womack, is getting released soon too.  Could it be that Womack is the mysterious "Zach" whom Courtney has been texting?  She told Summer that Zach is a family member and that the situation is embarrassing. Could "Zach" be her father?  Remember that Womack believes that Fen owes him a favour for saving him from the wrath of the other prisoners.

We saw Courtney picking up some drugs from Raven.  I wonder if she's been obtaining the drugs for Daddy Womack. Wait a minute!  Could it be that Womack actually killed Carmine because of something related to the drug dealing?

8.  I hope that Lily's cancer has not returned.  Please spare us from that storyline! It's too depressing after Delia's recent death.  I hope Lily's situation turns out to be a false alarm or something entirely different from cancer. Speaking of Delia, isn't it possible that someone other than Adam actually struck her, or is that too far-fetched?  I don't think so, at least not on a daytime soap.


HAIR AND FASHION

My contact, Helen from Scarborough, Ontario, was not impressed with Nicholas Newman's track suit, the one he wore while jogging in Chancellor Park.


BEST LINE

Nick Newman: "Growing up, I always wanted a brother.  Now I have two and I don't want anything to do with either one of them."


IS GENOA CITY, WISCONSIN A REAL PLACE?

Did you ever wonder if Genoa City is a real place.  Here's the answer.  There is a village in the state of Wisconsin called Genoa City.  It is located about 69.2 kilometres (43 miles) south-southwest of the city of Milwaukee.  It has a small population of just over 3,000 people (2010 census).  However, here's where it gets a bit complicated.  The Young and the Restless is not set there.  Genoa City, as portrayed on Y&R, is much larger and is not related to the Wisconsin village. Y&R's Genoa City a fictional place that seems to located somewhere in the same vicinity as the village.


GENOA CITY TRIVIA

Sharon originally came to Geona City from Madison, the state capital of Wisconsin.

The late William Joseph "Bill," Bell, who creator of Y&R. along with his wife, Lee Phillip Bell, is a native of Chicago, Illinois, located near the fictional Genoa City on the soap and the actual village.  That's why the the Y&R characters always make references to visiting Chicago and cheering for the Chicago Cubs.

To make things clearer, here are some major places of interest in the fictional Genoa City, followed by a list of the residences of some of its most prominent citizens.

Places of Interest in Genoa City

Genoa City Athletic Club - This is a major hangout in town.  Almost everyone goes to the gym there to work out frustrations or to dine there.  Many take up temporary residence in one of the rooms available there.

Crimson Lights - Originally, Crimson Lights was a campus coffee shop.  It is the place where Nick Newman got down on his knees and proposed to Sharon.  Nick and Sharon owned Crimson Lights for quite awhile and then sold it to Kevin Fisher. Fisher started losing money on the venture and sold it to Afghanistan vet and handyman Dylan McAvoy.

Fenmore's Boutique - This popular fashion boutique is run by department store heiress Lauren Fenmore Baldwin,  For some reason, it is no longer being shown on the show.  What has happened to Fenmore's Boutique?

Chancellor Park - This is the latest new hangout in Genoa City.  It was dedicated to the memory of wealthy Genoa City businesswoman and socialite Katherine Chancellor. Nick and Dylan and Avery seem to be running into each other quite frequently there.  What a coincidence!

The Underground - This is a fairly new restaurant in town.  It's another one of Nick's attempts to make it on his own without the support of his father, Moneybags Victor. 

On the Boulevard - This restaurant is owned by Billy Abbott who won it in a poker game.  Billy Boy seems to be neglecting it lately as he is still grieving over the loss of his daughter, Delia.

Genoa City Residences

Apartments/Loft/Penthouses
  • 345 Ashland, Apt. #321 - Residence of Neil Winters
  • 196 E. Chestnut Street, Apt. #632 - Residence of Michael Baldwin, Lauren Fenmore Baldwin and Fenmore Baldwin (although Fen is currently in prison).  The Baldwin condo is my favourite Genoa City apartments.
  • Paul's Apartment - Residence of Paul "Clueless"Williams, Genoa City Chief of Police and Christine (alias Cricket) Williams, Genoa City District Attorney
  • Avery's Apartment - Residence of Avery Bailey Clark, attorney, torn between the brooding Dylan and the brooding Nick.  Maybe she should find someone new.  Anyway, her apartment is bright and modern and she enjoys making cupcakes.
  • Noah and Tyler's Apartment - Residence of Noah Newman and Tyler Michaelson
  • The McAvoy Loft - Residence of Dylan McAvoy
  • Phyllis' Penthouse (680 Maple Street, Apt. #1054) - Residence of Summer Newman, model and ultimate teen queen.
  • Newman Penthouse (7900 Melrose) - Residence of Adam Newman, Chelsea Lawson and Connor "Peanut" Newman
Estates
  • The Abbott Mansion (603 Glenwood Drive) – Residence of Jack Abbott, Kyle Abbott, Abby Newman, Traci Abbott and The Ghost of John Abbott
  • The Chancellor Estate (12 Foothill Road) - Residence of Jill Abbott Fenmore, Esther Valentine and Chloe Fisher.  Jill has always described the Chancellor Estate as a "mausoleum."  It's not that bad but it does remind me of a museum, not a home.  I wouldn't want to live there.
  • The Newman Ranch (421 Larkspur Trail, Highway B) - Residence of Victor Newman, Nikki Newman, Nick Newman, Sharon Newman and Faith Newman.  The Newman estates has many servants who are seldom shown.  Mrs. Martinez makes an appearance once in a blue moon.  Don't you miss former butler Miguel?  He had some great lines such as "Yes, Mr. Newman" and "Right away, Mrs. Newman."
  • Son Nick, although a multi-millionaire (He was awarded $500 million dollars in the lawsuit against his father, Victor), lives modestly in the ranch's tackhouse.  Sharon and Faith live in a cottage on the Newman Ranch, with daughter Faith.  It has a cosy fireplace.and is one of my favourite GC homes.
Houses
  • The Ashby Home (1101 Lavetta Terrace) - Residence of Cane Ashby, Lily Winters Ashby and their rambunctious twins, Charlie and Mattie Ashby.  Sugar Cane sometimes dresses up in a super hero costume with a cape to entertain his children.  They have a dog named Humphrey after Humphrey Bogart.
  • The Abbott Home (416 Orchard Road) - Residence of Victoria Newman Abbott, Billy Boy Abbott and Johnny Abbott.  This home is a retro of the Father Knows Best Home in the old television series.
  • The Hamilton Home - Residence of reluctant billionaire Devon Hamilton
  • The Fisher Home - Residence of Kevin Fisher

Others
  • Abbott Cabin - Owned by The Abbot Family

That's all for now.  Don't forget to check out the next Y&R Report on Saturday, December 21.  As Christmas approaches, there should be some good seasonal stories coming up on the show.  I'll leave you with a Readers' Poll below.

- Joanne


Y&R Report: Readers' Poll


Who is your favourite male actor on Y&R?
  
pollcode.com free polls 

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Leonardo DiCaprio on Television


                             Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported
                                                                                     
Leonardo DiCaprio, born November 11, 1974, celebrated his 39th birthday this month. A three-time Academy Award nominee, DiCaprio is now one of Hollywood's foremost film stars. Although Leo is primarily known for his movie roles (especially his portrayal of Jack Dawson in the 1997 blockbuster film Titanic), it is interesting to look back at his early career in television.  The actor's road to stardom really began when he joined the cast of the ABC sitcom Growing Pains.

Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio was born in Hollywood, California, the son of comic book artist George DiCaprio and his wife Imelin.  When Leo was a child, his parents signed him with a talent agent and he appeared on several television commercials and educational programs.  In 1989, he appeared in two episodes of the family/adventure series entitled The New Lassie as a character named Glen.  The episodes are entitled "New Generation" (Season 1, Episode 10) and "Snake Pit." (Season 1, Episode 22).

Leo then had a role as Kid Fighting Scout in 1990 pilot for the TV drama The Outsiders (Season 1, Episode 1, Air Date: March 25, 1990).  That same year, the teenager was cast as young Mason Capwell in five episodes of the daytime soap opera Santa Barbara.  In 1991, he had an uncredited part as Darrlene's classmate on Roseanne in an episode entitled "Home-Ec" (Season 3, Episode 16, Air Date: February 5, 1991).  In the episode, Rosanne Connor (Roseanne Barr) speaks to her daughter Darlene's (Sara Gilbert) class on career day about being a homemaker.

From 1990 to 1991, Leonardo DiCaprio played Garry Buckman in the short-lived NBC comedy/drama Parenthood.  The television series, starring Ed Begley Jr., had six executive producers, including Ron Howard.  It was loosely based on a 1989 Ron Howard film about raising children.  The film, also titled Parenthood, was well received by critics and it featured an ensemble cast which included Steve Martin, Dianne Wiest, Jason Robards, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves and Mary Steenburgen.

The 1990-1991 television version of Parenthood lasted for one season and only 21 episodes of the series were produced.  Leonardo DiCaprio, however, earned recognition for his portrayal of Garry Buckman.  He was nominated for the 1991 Young Artist Award for Best Young Actor Starring in a New Television Series. In 2010, a second version of Parenthood began airing on NBC.  The second adaptation, created by Ron Howard, has proven to be more successful than the first. On April 26, 2013, the NBC network renewed it for a fifth season.

From 1991 to 1992, Leo had a regular role in the popular comedy Growing Pains.  For the seventh and final season of the series, he was cast as a troubled teen named Luke Brower.  DiCaprio was just 16 years old when he won the part.  The headline in a November 11, 2011 article in The Hollywood Reporter by Bill Higgins describes it as his "breakout role."  Higgins writes that it was the actor's "23 episodes on Pains as Luke Brower, a homeless boy, taken in by the Seaver family, that really put him in the public eye."

In 2011, Joanna Kearns, who played Growing Pains matriarch Maggie Seaver, told Entertainment Weekly that she knew that young DiCaprio would become a superstar. According to Kearns, the actor was great fun and he could imitate anybody.  She described how impressed she was with Leo's talent.  "I never knew a kid that had that wit and intelligence and that ability to capture a room," she stated.  Kearns also remembered how Leo would often hang around the set of Growing Pains with Tobey Maguire, his future co-star in The Great Gatsby (2013).  She recalled that "they always looked like they were in trouble or had been in trouble and were talking about it."


DiCaprio on Growing Pains


DiCaprio, far right, in scene from Growing Pains


Leonardo DiCaprio's portrayal of Luke on Growing Pains remains his last television role. During the next few years, he would begin to make his mark in big screen movies such as This Boy's Life (1993), What's Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993), for which he received an Oscar nomination, and Romeo and Juliet (1996).


- Joanne

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Y&R Report (Nov. 23, 2013): The Latest on The Young and the Restless




Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama.  Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT:  Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.

1.  Well folks, I have some disappointing news to report for fans of Billy J. Miller, the actor who plays Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless.  Billy has reached an impasse in his contract negotiations with the show and he is leaving his role.  He will be replaced in the New Year by David Tom, who played Billy from 1999 to 2002. David is the brother of Heather Tom who portrayed Victoria Newman from 1991 to 2003, before Amelia Heinle took over.  Heather is now on The Bold and the Beautiful where she plays Katie Logan. Meanwhile, Amelia Heinle has extended her Y&R contract and will continue in the role of Victoria Newman.  She, at least, will be sticking around for awhile.

I am quite disappointed that Billy Miller is departing but if I had to choose anyone to replace him, it world be David Tom.  David did a great job when he had the part before. Note: In my last Y&R Report, I mentioned that there was a casting call for a character named "Josh Williams."  I thought that "Josh" was a new character related to Paul Willams.  Instead, "Josh Williams" was really a code name for the part of Billy Abbott.

In other contract news, you'll be seeing more of Dr. Ben Rayburn, also known as Stitch.  He's signed a contract with the show.  Of course, Dr. Stitch is hiding something too - the real reason that his wife and child aren't with him in Genoa City.

2.  Gee, it must be nice to be Neil Winters.  Neil's girlfriend, Leslie, burned some meatloaf that she had cooked up from one of her mother's recipes, No problem!  Neil just emailed the recipe to the chefs at the Athletic Club restaurant and, voila, they whipped up the meatloaf for the couple in no time.  Imagine if you or I contacted a restaurant and requested that they prepare a dish from one of our recipes.  What do you think would happen?

3.  Here's some good news if you are a fan of Tristan Rogers.  According to soap writer Dan J. Kroll, Tristan will be returning to his Y&R role as Australian mobster Colin Atkinson early in 2014.  The suave Aussie is best known for his portrayal of Robert Scorpio on General Hospital.  In 2010, he left General Hospital to play Colin on The Young and the Restless, only to return to General Hospital in 2012.  Now Y&R has him back and I am quite pleased.  His return will spice up the storyline of his TV son and fellow Australian Daniel Goddard, also known as Sugar Cane Ashby.  It will also mean that he will interact with Jill Abbott (Jess Walton).  I used to enjoy the chemistry between Colin and Jill and I'm sure that Tristan's second coming will also add some badly needed flavour to Jill's storyline.

I only wish that Genie Francis would reprise her role as Genevieve Atkinson, Colin's ex-wife and Sugar Cane's mother.  That would really be the icing on the cake.  One can't have everything, though.

4. Poor Devon!  What's a billionaire to do!  All that money is causing him nothing but misery. Why, he even broke up with his girlfriend, Roxanne (She finally showed up). They had an argument and she told him that all that moolah had changed him.   Fans, here's the real reason he broke up with Roxy.  He's going to get involved with the newly reformed Hilary.  He certainly doesn't like Hilary right now, nor does he trust her. That, I predict, will change.  Those two are headed for romance.

5.  Handyman Dylan McAvoy is at it again!  Now he wants to build a doll house for Faith.  Remember the cradle he made for Connor and the bookshelf he built for Billy and Victoria.  Hey, whatever happened to that bookshelf?

Nick Newman does have a point.  Dylan always seems to be in his face.  He shows up all the time.  It really bothered Nick when Fabulous Faith declared, "I want Dylan!" and gave him the cold shoulder.

6.  Who is the mysterious Womack, the guy in prison with Fen?  Some people online have suggested that he's Courtney's father.  That's possible.  After all, he did offer to get drugs for Fen, and Courtney is somehow mixed up with drugs too.  That girl is definitely hiding something and that might be the answer. Could it also be possible that Womack was the one who killed Carmine?  Once thing is certain.  Courtney is trouble with a capital T and Noah is playing with fire.  Boy, does he ever choose the wrong women!

7.  What do you think about Lily and Sugar Cane and their new property?  I think I know why they found a homeless person there.  Perhaps it will provide the impetus for them to turn the place into a homeless shelter with the help of Devon's largesse. That way, Devon can use his wealth for a good purpose.


FEEDBACK

Here's some feedback from readers and fans:

CC from Etobicoke, Ontario asks:

Do you think Billy will be hooking up with the blond (Kelly) from the support group?
Will Adam confess?
Will Nikki tell everyone about Dylan or will something prevent her from doing that right now?
Can Sharon become any more despicable? How would they ever be able to make her likeable again?

I guess the next few weeks will provide the answers for some of these questions!


Well, CC, let me address your questions.

Billy may hook up with Kelly for storyline purposes.  He and Victoria are one of my favourite couples on the show and I really like them together.  Until Delia's death, they were very happy. The writers have probably decided that they need some problems in order to create conflict.  I haven't really enjoyed Billy Boy's character very much lately. Yes, I know he's suffered the loss of his daughter. I understand his grief and anger and guilt.  I initially had a great deal of sympathy for him but now the writers have turned him into a vindictive jerk ready to take the law into his own hands.  Of course, as a gun-loving American, he keeps a revolver in his closet and he's ready to hand out vigilante justice.  The police take much too long to enforce the law in Geoa City.  (Hey, with Paul Williams as police chief, it'a no wonder Adam has not been caught yet!).

Anyway, I miss the fun-loving, witty, humorous Billy Boy.

You ask whether Adam will confess.  Remember that he did make a video of himself admitting to being the one who ran over Delia with his black SUV.  Avery has the video in her possession so I think it is very likely that someone will see it.  One thing is for certain.  The truth about Adam will eventually come to the surface. Victor has so little confidence in the Genoa City Police that  he conducted his own investigation into the matter.  Not surprisingly, The Big Man has been more successful in uncovering information about the SUV's licence plate than the police.  He is zeroing in on Adam. 

Nikki blurted out the truth about Dylan at a special family dinner.  As you may have guessed, it didn't over very well. Nicholas was not pleased to discover that Dylan is his half brother and Victor certainly did not take the news either.

Yes, Sharon's character has not been very likeable for a long time.  The writers have chosen to make her behave that way in order to create conflict.  Yet, they have also tried to make her character more sympathetic by having her diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  Actually, though, if you look at the past, Nick's conduct has been pretty despicable too.  I think that he was more responsible for the breakup of their marriage than Sharon. He completely shut her out when Cassie died and then he dumped her for Phyllis. The real reason for their breakup, however, was that they'd been married for 10 years and that's an eternity in soap opera land.  As I discussed in my last Y&R Report, couples are seldom happy for long on daytime dramas.  


HAIR AND FASHION

Well fans, Kyle cut his hair - at Victor's suggestion, of course.  What do you think of his shorter style?  I think it's an improvement.  Helen from Scarborough, however, says, "Try another makeover, Kyle.  It's still not happening."


BEST LINE OF THE WEEK

Jill to Victor:  "I've got some advice for you, Victor.  Don't count your empires before they're hatched."


That's all for now.  There is much more excitement ahead in Genoa City.  We're still in the November sweeps and things are really going to heat up with American Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner. Please remember that my next Y&R Report will appear on Saturday, December 7, 2013.


- Joanne

Sunday, November 10, 2013

All in the Family Quiz




TV BANTER QUIZ #18

All in the Family change the course of television comedy.  It brought a sense of harsh reality to a TV world which previously had been populated by homogenized, inoffensive characters and stories that seemed to have been laundered before they ever got on the air.

- The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946-Present

All in the Family was a groundbreaking American television series that aired on CBS from 1971 until 1979 on CBS.  The show ran for nine seasons and It was based on the hit British comedy Till Death Us Do Part about a London working class bigot named Alf Ganett, played by Warren Mitchell.  His American counterpart, Archie Bunker (Caroll O'Connor) was a blue collar worker, a dock foreman for the Prendergast Tool and Dye Company.  He resided in Queens, New York with his wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton).  They shared their home at 704 Hauser Street with their daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers) and her husband, liberal college student Mike Stivic (Rob Reiner).

The series dealt with issues that had been previously taboo on American network television - issues such as racism, breast cancer, homosexuality, miscarriage and menopause.  It was produced by Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin and was originally created for ABC which developed the original pilot And Justice For All about a family named Justice. A second pilot was made entitled Those Were the Days.  When ABC rejected the second pilot, CBS, which had originally wanted to buy the rights to Till Death Us Do Part as a vehicle for comedian Jackie Gleason who was under contract to them, produced a third pilot entitled All in the Family.  The family's name was changed to Bunker and Sally Struthers and Rob Reiner, who did not appear in the first two pilots, took over the roles of Gloria and Mike.

Are you ready to test your knowledge of All in the Family with this 15-question quiz? Ready, set go!

All in the Family Quiz


1.  Archie and Edith's son-in-law, Michael Stivic, was of what ethnic background?

A.  Russian

B.  Irish

C.  German

D.  Ukrainian

E.  Polish



2.  Who raised Mike Stivic?


Rob Reiner as Mike Stivic

A.  Mike was raised by his paternal grandparents.

B.  He was raised by his older brother.

C.  Mike was raised by his uncle.

D.  He was raised in an orphanage.

E.  He was raised by his stepmother.



3.  Who was Stretch Cunningham?

A.  Stretch was Edith's cousin.

B.  He was Archie's army buddy.

C.  He was Archie's friend and co-worker from the loading dock.

D.  He was a taxi driver and a long-time friend of the Bunker family.

E.  Stretch was Mike's college friend.



4.  What was Edith Bunker's maiden name?

A.  Bell

B.  Blake

C.  Barton

D.  Baines

E.  Brown



5.  Who was All in the Family producer Norman Lear's first choice to play the role of Archie?

A.  Mickey Rooney

B.   Hal Holbrook

C.  Jack Klugman

D.  Ted Knight

E.  Walter Matthau



6.  Why did Archie Bunker call his son-in-law Mike "Meathead?"

A.  Mike's father was a butcher.

B.  The nickname was associated with Mike's Polish background (Polish sausage).

C.  It was Archie's way of saying that Mike ate too much while living under his roof, especially expensive food items such as meat.

D.  Mike was a vegetarian and Archie thought giving him a nickname with the word "meat" would annoy him.

E.  It was a derogatory nickname meaning that Mike was stupid or as Archie put it "dead from the neck up."



7.  Archie always got the middle initial in the name of an American president wrong.  Which president was it?

A.  Dwight Eisenhower

B. Gerald Ford

C.  Richard Nixon

D.  Jimmy Carter

E.  Lyndon Johnson



8.  Why did Carroll O'Connor miss the taping of four episodes of All in the Family?

A,  He missed the episodes due to a contract hold out.

B.  He was ill with mononucleosis

C.  He missed the episodes due to the death of his brother in a car accident.

D.  His doctors ordered him to rest because he was run down.

E.  He missed the episodes because his contract provided him with some time off.



9.  Where did Archie and Edith's daughter, Gloria, work?


Sally Struthers as Gloria Stivic

A.  Gloria worked as a receptionist at a dental office.

B.  She worked at the cosmetics counter at Kressler's department store.

C.  She served food at a Donnelly's Diner.

D.  Gloria was employed as a grocery store cashier.

E.  She worked at a daycare centre.



10.  Which of these actors was offered the role of Mike Stivic?

A.  Al Pacino

B.  Michael Douglas

C.  Harrison Ford

D.  Tim Allen

E.   Kevin Costner



11.  What was the name of the Bunkers' Irish-American neighbour whose husband enjoyed cooking?

A.  Molly O'Rourke

B.  Jane Connelly

C.  Margaret Russo

D.  Irene Lorenzo

E.   Milly Wilde



12.  The Bunkers' next-door-neighbours were an African-Americans couple named George and Louise Jefferson (Sherman Hemsley and Isabel Sanford).  What was the name of George Jefferson's brother?  (This is your bonus question.  Give yourself a bonus point if you answer it correctly.)

A.  George Jefferson's brother was Henry Jefferson.

B.  His brother was Albert Jefferson.

C.  His brother's name was James Jefferson.

D,  The name of George Jefferson's brother was Tom Jefferson.

E.  His brother was Sam Jefferson.



13.  In a 1973 episode of All in the Family, Gloria does something that Mike really finds alluring.  What does she do?

A.  Gloria loses a great deal of weight.

B.  She wears an attractive red dress.

C.  She wears a dark wig.

D. She tries a new French perfume.

E.  She changes her hairstyle.



14.  In a classic 1972 episode of All in the Family, Archie Bunker meets Sammy Davis Jr. who pays a visit to  the Bunker home.  How did Archie meet Sammy?

A.  Sammy left his briefcase in Archie's taxicab.

B.  Archie and Edith attended a performance of the singer in Manhattan.

C.  Archie bumped into Sammy at LaGuardia Airport.

D.  Archie's car was hit by a limousine in which Sammy Davis was a passenger.

E.  Lionel Jefferson (son of George and Louise) asked Sammy to give a speech at his college and introduced the entertainer to Archie.



15.  After the departure of Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers, Archie and Edith took in a 9-year-old child named Stephanie Mills.  Who was Stephanie Mills?


Danielle Brisebois as Stephanie Mills

A.  Stephanie Mills was the daughter of Archie and Edith's neighbours, Jack and Fiona Mills.  Her parents had been tragically killed in a car crash.

B.  Stephanie was the daughter of Archie's cousin, Ralph Mills, who had been sent to prison for assault and robbery.  Her mother had died of a drug overdose.

C.  She was an orphan whose parents had died in a fire in the Bunkers' Queens neighbourhood.

D.  Stephanie was the daughter of Edith's step cousin Floyd Mills (from her aunt's second marriage). The child had been abandoned by her alcoholic father and her mother had died in an automobile accident.

E.  She was the granddaughter of a friend of Archie's who had died of cancer.  Her parents were both severely ill and could no longer take care of her.



ANSWERS

1.  E

Mike was of Polish-American background and was born in Chicago.  Interestingly, in the original pilot, Gloria's husband was named Richard and was portrayed as an Irish American by Tim McIntire while Kelly Jean Peters played the role of Gloria.

2.  C

Mike was raised by his uncle because his parents died in a car accident when he was quite young.


3.  C

James Cromwell as Stretch Cunningham

Jerome "Stretch" Cunningham was Archie's friend and co-worker from the loading dock.  Archie thought of Stretch as "the funniest man in the world" and described him as the Bob Hope of the loading platform. Stretch was Jewish. a fact that Archie did not know until Stretch died of a heart attack and he attended his friend's funeral. In one memorable scene, Archie delivers a eulogy for Stretch.  Note:  The episode about Stretch Cunningham's death is entitled "Stretch Cunningham, Goodbye (Season 7, Episode 19, Air Date: January 29, 1977).

Actor James Cromwell portrayed Stretch Cunningham.  Cromwell, now 73, was arrested last February for disturbing a meeting of the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents while protesting the alleged mistreatment of animals on campus.


4.  D

Edith Bunker was born Edith Baines.


5.  A

Norman Lear's first choice to play Archie was Mickey Rooney.  Rooney was offered the part but turned it down when told he would be playing a bigot.  According to Lear, the actor told him, "They're going to kill you dead on the street.  Norm, they're gonna kill you.  They're gonna shoot you dead on the street."  Rooney wanted to do a show about a blind Vietnam veteran who was a private eye.


6.  E.

Archie constantly referred to his son-law Mike as "Meathead" in a derogatory fashion, meaning that Mike was "dead from the neck up."


7.  C

Archie Bunker often flubbed names.  For some reason, Archie never get Richard Milhous Nixon's middle initial right.  He always referred to him as Richard E. Nixon rather than Richard M. Nixon.  It's an interesting bit of trivia that at the 1960 Republican National Convention, Nelson Rockefeller mistakenly introduced Nixon as Richard A. Nixon.  Could there be connection there?


8.  A

In the summer of 1974, Carroll O'Connor missed the taping of four episodes of All in the Family due to a contract dispute with Tandem Productions, owner of the popular CBS sitcom.  His contract dispute disrupted the beginning of the shows's fifth season.  At the time, according to Associated Press, O'Connor's weekly salary was between $25,000 and $35,000.  The actor claimed that money was not the real issue, although he did want "certain back money due me."  He said that he was holding out for "different working conditions."  He desired a Monday-through-Friday work week rather than a Wednesday-through-Tuesday week and at least 12 weeks off during his 24-week-a-year schedule.

The dispute was resolved, of course, and  Caroll O'Connor returned to the show. During O'Connor's absence, three episodes were filmed about Archie's failure to return home from a convention.  A fourth episode, not shown in sequence, made no mention of Archie at all.   The producers warned O'Connor that the story could end with Edith discovering that Archie had been murdered if an agreement were not reached.


9.  B

Gloria worked at the cosmetics counter at Kressler's department store.  She was fired from her job, however, when she became pregnant.  In December 1975, Gloria gave birth to baby boy named Joseph Michael "Joey" Stivic.  Mike and Gloria, both agnostics, wanted their baby to choose decide his own religious beliefs.  In an episode entitled "Joey's Baptism" (Season 6, Episode 22, Air Date: February 23, 1976), Archie is determined to have his grandson baptized.  Without Mike and Gloria's approval or knowledge, he sneaks little Joey to the church, takes him to the baptistry and sprinkles him with water.

When Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers left the show, Mike and Gloria were written out. At the end of the 1977-78 season, Mike accepts a position as a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).  The Stivics move to Santa Barbara with son Joey but their marriage becomes troubled.  Mike eventually leaves Gloria and Joey and moved to a California commune with one of his students.

Sally Struthers reprised the role of Gloria Stivic in her own sitcom entitled Gloria.  In the short-lived series, Struthers portrayed Gloria as a single mother employed as a veterinarian's assistant in Fox Ridge, New York. Burgess Meredith co-starred as veterinarian, Dr. Willard Adams, Gloria's boss and her landlord. Christian Jacobs.played her young son Joey.  Gloria lasted for only one season from September of 1982 until April of 1983.  A pilot and 21 episodes of the show were produced .


10.   C

Harrison Ford was offered the role of Mike Stivic but turned it down because he felt that Archie's bigotry was too offensive.


11.  D

Betty Garrett as Irene Lorenzo

The Bunkers' feisty Irish-American neighbour was named Irene Lorenzo.  Irene and her Italian-American husband, Frank, did not fit the stereotypical male-female role models.  Frank enjoyed cooking and made all the meals while Irene was more comfortable doing household repairs and other traditional "male chores."
Frank, meanwhile, wore an apron and cleaned.  Not surprisingly, this really annoyed Archie.  In one classic exchange between Archie and Irene, Archie asks how she feels about her husband doing all the cooking.  He inquires if she is worried that people will think Frank is gay.  "Is that what you think?" asks Irene.  Archie replies, "Oh no, I don't think that 'cause he's Eye-talian and Eye-talians are always bothering women."  Irene retorts, "Then there must be a little Italian in you."


Vincent Gardenia as Frank Lorenzo

Irene Lorenzo was played by Betty Garrett who passed away on February 12, 2011 at the age of 91.  She died in Los Angeles of an aortic aneurysm.  After All on the Family, Betty had a role in another popular shows.  She portrayed landlady Edna Babish on Laverne & Shirley.  She later made TV appearances on Grey's Anatomy, Boston Public and Becker.  Vincent Gardenia portrayed Frank Lorenzo.  Gardenia died in Philadelphia of a heart attack on December 9, 1992.  He was 72.


12.  A

Mel Stewart as Henry Jefferson

George Jefferson's brother was named Henry Jefferson.  The Jefferson family was introduced on All in the Family in 1971.  Henry's character actually appeared on the show before his brother George.  George was not seen by viewers until 1973 because Sherman Hemsley, Norman Lear's first choice for the part, was performing in a Broadway musical and refused to break his commitment to the show.  Lear kept the part open for him until he had finished with the musical.  George Jefferson's on screen absence was explained by the fact that he would not set foot in the home of a white person.  He was, in effect, a black version of the bigoted Archie.

Mel Stewart, who played the role of Henry Jefferson, left the show when Hemsley joined the cast as George.  Thus, the Jefferson brothers only appear together once, in an episode in which the Bunkers host a party for Henry who is  moving away to start his own business.  The episode is entitled "Henry's Farewell" (Season 4, Episode 6, Air Date: October 20, 1973).

From 1983 to 1987, Mel Stewart had a recurring role as Billy Melrose in the Kate Jackson/Bruce Boxleitner series Scarecrow and Mrs. King.  Stewart died on February 24, 2002 in Pacifica, California. He was 72 years old and had suffered from Alzheimer's disease.


13.   C.

In an episode entitled "Black is the Color of My True Love's Wig" (Season 4, Episode 11, Air Date: November 24, 1973), Gloria purchases a brunette wig and models it for husband Mike.  He really likes her new look but they end up having a fight about it.


14.  A.

In a memorable 1972 episode of All in the Family, Sammy Davis Jr. leaves his briefcase in Archie's cab (Archie was moonlighting as taxi driver).  The episode, "Sammy's Visit," (Season 2, Episode 21, Air Date: February 19, 1972), ends in a famous scene in which Sammy plants a kiss on Archie, much to Archie's horror.

Sammy Davis Jr. kisses Archie Bunker

15.  D

Although Stephanie Mills referred to Archie and Edith as her aunt and uncle, she was actually the daughter of Edith's step cousin Floyd Mills (from her aunt's second marriage).  Floyd, an alcoholic, had abandoned her, His wife, Marilyn, had been killed in a car accident.

Stephanie was portrayed by Danielle Brisbois.  Brisebois is now 44 years old.  In the 1990s she began to pursue a career as a singer/songwriter and became a member of the New Radicals, an alternative rock band. The New Radicals, who had a hit single called "You Get What You Give," were active between 1997 and 1999.  In 2012, Danielle achieved success with a song she co-wrote for the female-fronted band Halestrom. The song, "Here's to Us," was highlighted on the television series Glee.


END NOTES

* The Jefferson family proved so popular that Norman Lear decided to spin the characters into their own television series. When George Jefferson's dry cleaning business flourished, the family left Queens and moved on up to a luxury apartment on Manhattan's East Side.  In 1975, The Jeffersons premiered on CBS and was so successful that it remained on the air for 11 seasons, until 1985.

Sherman Hemsley died of lung cancer on July 24, 2012 in El Paso Tesas.  He was 74. His television wife, Isabel Sanford, passed away on July 9, 2004 in Los Angeles at the age of 86.  Below is a photo of Hemley and Sanford as the Jeffersons with their television son Lionel Jefferson, played by Mike Evans.




* On September 12, 2012, Sally Struthers was arrested in Ogunquit, Maine where she was appearing in a local production of 9 to 5: The Musical.  She was charge with driving under the influence and jury selection for her trial was scheduled for September 23, 2013.  According to the Portland Press Harold, the drunk driving charge was dropped when Struthers, now 66, pleaded no contest to the lesser charge of driving to endanger.  She was fined $1,218, which she has paid, and her driver's licence was suspended for 30 days.

* In the fall of 1979, All in the Family was retooled and retitled Archie Bunker's Place. It centred around the bar that Archie now owned.  When Jean Stapleton decided to leave the show, her character, Edith, died of a stroke in 1980.  Archie Bunker's Place ran for four years, until 1983.

* Archie often referred to Edith as a "dingbat" and told her to "stifle herself."  The father of Norman Lear, the creator of All in Family, treated Lear's mother in the same manner.

* In 1976 the Ideal Toy Company produced a "Joey Stivic doll" (called "Archie Bunker's Grandson"), which was advertised as the "first anatomically correct male doll."  Although slightly controversial then, the doll is a collector's item now.  It is available on ebay for $69.99 U.S.




*  Caroll O'Connor died in Culver City, California on June 21, 2001.  He was 76.  Jean Stapleton passed away at the age of 90 in New York City on May 31, 2013.


- Joanne