TV BANTER : April 2014

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Y&R Report (April 27, 2014): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

Your predictions are quite interesting.

I do not like the new Kelly. She reminds me of a young Tonya Harding, the figure skater, in looks. So I am hoping that other viewers feel the same way and that her character won't be sticking around for too long.

Already, I get the feeling that Dr. Stitch likes Ashley better than he likes Victoria.

Isn't Ashley bold in her old age?

Everyone was showing off their tan at the engagement party, sleeveless sundresses and all. I guess it is already summer in Genoa City?

Or did they all just return from the Soap Opera Hawaiian cruise?

Actually they probably all had spray tanning with the Kardashians.

Finally Nick has put his brain into action again! He and Victor will really be on the outs now. 

You may be right about the Cassie twin thing.

Do you think they will pair up Chelsea and Billy.  I hope not.

Don't you think that: - the camera guy is too young for Avery?

- Summer/Hunter is really blah and no longer fits into the ensemble?

- that both she and the actress who plays Courtney are significantly older than their characters are supposed to be?

- that Tyler has an agenda and plans to marry Abby will soon blow up?

- that Stitch is a bit of a lady's man?

- that there are really too many story lines hanging in the air?

Yes, CC, I'm not not overly impressed with the new Kelly either.  I was really starting to enjoy the chemistry between the old Kelly and Jack Abbott.  However, I have to admit that in the last few episodes, the new Kelly (Cady McClain) has grown on me a bit. She seems softer and sweeter than the first Kelly but she'll have to toughen up for the inevitable clash with Phyllis (Yes, I think Phyllis will finally come out of her coma.  It has to happen fairly soon). 

The old Kelly was more believable as someone who was involved in a dirty deed with Dr. Stitch.  She had more of an edge to her.

The Y&R female characters do wear a lot of sleeveless dresses, even in the winter.  I think that sometimes they forget that they are supposed to be in Genoa City, Wisconsin, not Los Angeles.  Last November, I saw Melody Thomas Scott(Nikki Newman) at the National Women's Show here in Toronto.  Melody told the crowd that as someone from California, she found the November weather here cold. I can't fathom how she could ever survive January and February here. 

In my last Y&R Report, I speculated that the fake Cassie may be Cassie's identical twin.  Somehow, Sharon was not aware that she had given birth to a second child.  The other twin was hidden from her for some reason.  I still think that may be true because Sharon really seems to have a maternal connection with the Cassie look-alike. 

The identical twin storyline has been used on the show before, although in a different context.  Remember William Bardwell, Gloria's late husband?  When he died, his twin brother, Jeffrey Bardwell suddenly appeared on the scene.  This provided an opportunity for Ted Shackelford to remain on the show.

I think that the writers may decide to pair Billy and Chelsea temporarily for storyline purposes.  I hope not but it seems to be happening.  It appears that Kelly has been taken out of Billy's orbit and moved into Jack's.  The Princess has rejected Billy Boy and he seems lost and lonely.  Chelsea is also alone and vulnerable.  She thinks Adam is dead. The situation will definitely change when Adam returns, as expected, after having plastic surgery.

I agree with you that there is a spark between Dr. Stich 'em Up and Ashley. It's unfortunate for Y&R that Eileen Davidson chose to return to Days of Our Lives rather than Y&R.  Since she only makes occasional visits to Genoa City, it's hard to include her in a storyline with the not-so-good doctor.

Yes, Summer is having trouble fitting in right now. Her character has seemed out of place ever since it was revealed that she and her best friend, Courtney, were not the same age.   Since Courtney turned out to be older than Summer, and a police officer to boot, their relationship has been awkward.  Their friendship has changed somehow.  They are not as close.  I don't think it's helped that Courtney is now the girlfriend of Summer's brother, Noah.  Young Ms. Newman needs to have more friends her own age.  Hey, where has Fen been lately?  He hasn't been around.

By the way, CC, Hunter King is 20 years old and her Summer character is 19. Kelli Goss, the actress who portrays Courtney Sloan, was born on February 1, 1992. That makes her 22 years old.  Courtney was revealed to be closer to Noah's age on the show, which is 23.  Neither actress is significantly older than the characters they play on the show.

Yes, I think the cameraman, Austin, is somewhat young for Avery.  As I stated in my last Y&R Report, however, the writers are going to create problems for Avery and Dylan because, on the soaps, there must always be trouble in paradise.

I'm not sure if Tyler has an agenda but I do think his wedding plans with Abby will blow up.  That stoyline has been moving far too slowly. We should know a lot more about Tyler's weird ex-fiancee, Mariah, by now.

Yes, Dr. Stitch'em Up is a lady's man. I really want to know about the skeletons in this medical man's closet.  I wish the writers would hurry up and reveal more about his past, especially since Princess Victoria is beginning to get curious about his background.  When they were chomping down hot dogs in the park, she remarked about how little she really knew about him as compared to what he knew about her.

Yes, there are certainly too many storylines hanging in the air.  As you've pointed out before, CC, sometimes the writers seem to be making things up as they go along. 

Patsy in Sarasota, Florida wrote:

Did u know that Jessica Collins (Avery) is a professionally trained chef. She had asked the producers to put a gourmet kitchen into her Genoa City apartment so cooking would be part of her ongoing storyline  . . .  I believe her Key Lime Pie recipe is on YouTube.

 I really dislike the new Billy. He creeps me out  . . . so intense. I LOVED Billy Miller so much as he always had a twinkle in his eye. So believable. This new/old Billy is just awful. Am sorry to see Adam disappear also... of course he comes back from the accident with a new face, new actor.  I do like Chelsea. Chloe is just nuts... her storyline is stupid.

The writers had a real chance to a proper storyline on parental grief. Missed that one. But Chloe is leaving. Now Nick has seen Cassie . . . How will Victor get out of this jam? Victor is so sneaky and needs to pay for this story twist.

No, Patsy, I did not know that Jessica Collins is a professionally trained chef. Her cooking show storyline makes a lot more sense to me now. Thanks for the information. Avery's latest recipe is chocolate soufflé

The new Billy (David Tom) doesn't creep me out but I miss Billy Miller and the twinkle in his eyes too. I am not a fan of Chloe but I think her character has been written into a corner. She needs extensive therapy for her grief and anger. I'd prefer that she leave town and I hope that Elizabeth Hendrickson is not replaced by another actress.

Victor is the ultimate escape artist. He always gets out of his jams by going on the offensive and accusing someone else of something. Ian Ward is an expert at doing the same thing. That's why Ian may turn out to be Newman's toughest adversary. He will not be able to defeat Ian as easily as he has defeated Jack.

The Big Man (Victor) reminds me of The Road Runner in that he never really gets caught. He also never really pays for his misdeeds. His latest antics - hiring the fake Cassie - has caused Nick to be angry with him but "my boy" will eventually make amends The Big Man. Nikki is upset with Victor too (Isn't she always?). Yet she and Nick and Princess Victoria will never be able cut him out of their lives.

CAST NEWS

Another reason I think that there are going to be some future births in Genoa City is that the show has cast Helen Slater in the role of Dr. Chiverton, an obstetrician/gynecologist. Slater will be making her first appearance as Chiverton on May 2 on CBS and May 1 on Global in Canada.

Slater has appeared in films such as Supergirl, (1984), The Legend of Billie Jean (1985), Ruthless People (1986), The Secret of My Success (1987), No Way Back (1996) and Seeing Other People (2004). For two years (2011-2013), she was a regular on the ABC TV drama series The Lying Game,

Helen Slater

MELODY THOMAS SCOTT TO APPEAR IN TORONTO ON MAY 11TH

Melody Thomas Scott is scheduled to appear at the Woodbine Racetrack casino on Mother's Day, May 11, 2014 from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

Y&R REPORT READER'S POLL

That's all for now. Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, May 10, 2014. Yes, the May sweeps are coming up.

- Joanne

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Mickey Rooney on Television

Mickey Rooney, who died on April 6, 2014 at the age of 93, was a show business legend. He was not a Hollywood leading man like Clark Gable or Cary Grant. He was not tall, dark and handsome. In fact, Rooney was fair-haired and stood only about 1.57 centimetres tall (5 feet, 2 inches). Nevertheless, he was an extremely talented and versatile entertainer. He began as a child actor in a career that spanned over 90 years, from the silent film era until the 21st century.

Born Joseph Yule, Jr. on September 23, 1920 in Brooklyn, New York, Rooney performed in vaudeville as a youngster. His first film role was in the 1926 silent comedy short called Not to Be Trusted in which he played "The Nephew." He was six years old at the time and he went by the name of Mickey McBan. From 1927 until 1934, he called himself Mickey McGuire. It wasn't until the 1934 film Beloved that he was billed as Mickey Rooney.

Rooney went on to appear in a prodigious number of stage productions and motion pictures. At the age of 19, he was nominated for an Oscar for his lead role in Babes in Arms (1939), alongside Judy Garland. He also starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor as a former jockey in National Velvet (1944) and he achieved stardom on the silver screen with the popular Andy Hardy movies he made with Garland in the late 1930s and into the 1940s. For many years, Mickey Rooney was one of MGM's most celebrated actors.

By the end of World War II, Rooney was no longer able to play the teenage roles that had made him such a big box office star. As an adult, his short stature prevented him from being cast in romantic leading roles. That didn't stop Mickey, though. He was tenacious and determined. He adapted to the situation and achieved success by taking on many supporting roles. When the new medium of television came along, he found new opportunities.

Although Mickey Rooney was primarily known as a movie and stage actor, he certainly made his mark on TV, mainly in guest roles and TV movies. His own television shows were not particularly successful and they did not last long. From 1954 to 1955, Rooney starred in The Mickey Rooney Show: Hey, Mulligan, a situation comedy on NBC. He played Mickey Mulligan, a young Irish-American.actor who takes a job as a page at a fictional television studio in Hollywood. The series chronicled Mulligan's misadventures as he tried to break into show business.

According to The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network TV Shows: 1946 - Pressent, Mulligan's aspirations "went far beyond his lowly position. He really wanted to be a serious dramatic actor, and was using the page job as springboard to bigger things." He went to drama school at night and he received encouragement from his father, Joe Mulligan (Regis Toomey), a longtime Los Angeles officer, and from his girlfriend, Pat Harding (Carla Balenda), a studio secretary. Mickey's mother, Nell Mulligan (Claire Carleton), was a former burlesque star who met her husband when he arrested her.

The cast of The Mickey Rooney Show was rounded out by comedian Joey Forman, who played Freddy Devlin, Mickey's best friend and fellow page; English actor Alan Mowbray, who played his drama coach, Mr. Swift, and John Hubbard, who portrayed his boss, Charles Brown. The series aired for one season and only 33 episodes were broadcast. It was co-created by director, producer and screenwriter Blake Edwards, the late husband of Julie Andrews.

Rooney in first episode of The Mickey Rooney Show,

From 1961 to 1963, Mickey appeared in four episodes of The Dick Powell Show, an hour-long dramatic anthology hosted by Powell. In 1963, he appeared in one of my favourite Twilight Zone episodes, "The Last Night of a Jockey" (Season 5, Episode 5, Air Date: October 25, 1963).

In "Last Night of a Jockey," Rooney played the part of Grady, a one-time champion jockey who has been been barred from riding due to his involvement in fixing races and drugging horses. Grady has declared his innocence and launched an appeal with the racing commission. His agent, however, is not optimistic about his chances of winning the appeal. As the washed-up jockey writhes in anger over his predicament, he starts to hear his own voice speaking to him. Unexpectedly, he is granted his greatest wish.

Rooney was the sole actor in "Last Night of a Jockey" and his performance in the episode was a one-man tour de force. It is interesting to note that in real life, Mickey was an avid horse racing fan and throughout his career, he appeared in many horse-related movies and television shows.

Mickey Rooney in Twilight Zone episode

From 1964 to 1965, Mickey Rooney starred in another television comedy, this time on NBC. It was entitled Mickey and it was also short-lived. Only 17 episodes of the show were produced. In Mickey, Rooney was cast as Mickey Grady, a Coast Guard recruiter in landlocked Omaha, Nebraska, who yearns for a life at sea. Mickey and his family relocate to Newport Harbor, California when he inherits the Marina Palms, a beachfront hotel there.

Emmaline Henry played Grady's wife, Nora, the mother of their two children. Mickey Rooney's real-life son, Tim Rooney, portrayed their eldest son, 16-year-old Timmy Grady, while Brian Nash was cast in the role of the younger son, eight-year old Buddy Grady. The part of hotel manager Sammy Ling, was played by character actor Sammee Tong.

Tim Rooney (real name: Timothy Hayes Yule), died on September 23, 2006 (his father's 86th birthday) at the age of 59. Sadly, Tim suffered from a muscle disease known as dermatomyositis. He was born on January 4, 1947 in Birmingham Alabama and his mother was singer Betty Jane Baker (known as B.J. Baker). Baker, who passed away in 2002 at the age of 74, was married to Mickey Rooney from 1944 to 1949. She and Rooney had another son, Mickey Rooney, Jr., born on January 3, 1945. Rooney, Jr., a former actor and musician, is now a Christian evangelist with a ministry in Hemet, California.

Emmaline Henry, who died in 1979, went on to play Amanda Bellows, wife of Dr. Bellows, on the hit 1960s comedy series, I Dream of Jeannie, starring Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman. Sammee Tong, who died of an overdose of barbiturates, is best remembered for his portrayal of Peter Tong on Bachelor Father (1957-1962). He played Bentley Gregg's (John Forsythe) house servant on the series. At the time of his passing on October 27, 1964, Sammee Tong was appearing in Mickey. He was 63 years old.

In 1964, Mickey Rooney made guest appearances on Rawhide and Burke's Law. In 1966, he had roles in episodes of The Fugitive ("This'll Kill You," Season 3, Episode 18, Air Date: January 18, 1966) and the very first episode of the Jean Arthur Show, entitled "Lament of a Horseplayer" (Season 1, Episode 1, Air Date: September 12, 1966). In "Lament of a Horseplayer," Rooney played Eddie Julian, an elevator operator with a gambling problem. Eddie is accused of murder and retains attorney Patricia Marshall (Jean Arthur) as his lawyer. He takes the Jean Arthur character to the horse races in search of a defence witness.

In 1966, Rooney appeared on television with another show business legend - Lucille Ball. He was a guest star on The Lucy Show in an episode entitled "Lucy Meets Mickey Rooney" (Season 4, Episode 18, Air Date: January 24, 1966). In the episode, Mickey wishes to obtain a bank loan in order to purchase an acting school. He ends up getting Lucy and her boss, banker Theodore J. Mooney (Gale Gordon), as his students and they do a take-off on silent movie comedies. Lucy imitates Charlie Chaplin while Rooney plays "a kid."

Mickey with Lucy on The Lucy Show

Mickey with Gale Gordon and Lucy on The Lucy Show

During the 1970s, Mickey's TV appearances were less frequent and his career seemed to be stagnating. In 1971, he had a guest role in the Burt Reynolds detective series, Dan August. He played a character named Kenny O'Malley in an episode entitled "The Manufactured Man" (Season 1, Episode 22, Air Date: March 11, 1971). The cast list for that episode is quite impressive. Besides Rooney, it includes Harrison Ford, David Soul, Billy Dee Williams, Gary Busey (as a hippie) and Norman Fell of Three's Company and The Ropers.

In 1972, almost a decade after his memorable performance on The Twilight Zone, Mickey made an appearance in another Rod Serling series, Rod Serling's Night Gallery. He played a mobster named August Kolodney in an episode entitled "Rare Objects" (Season 3, Episode 4, Air Date: October 22, 1972). Kolodney, a target for other criminals, visits a man, Dr. Glendon (Raymond Massey), who offers him peace and a security - at a price.

Rooney in Night Gallery episode (1972)

Mickey's career rebounded in the 1980s when he won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for his portrayal of a mentally disabled man in the 1981 TV movie Bill. Bill was based on the real life story of William "Bill" Sackter of Minnesota who spent 44 years in of life in in the Faribault State School for the Feeble-Minded and Epileptic (That odious name was changed to the Faribault State School and Hospital in 1955 and The Fairbault Regional Center n 1985. The institution closed in 1998).

Sackter, who was born in 1913, was placed in the hospital at the age of seven and didn't venture out into the world until he was in his fifties. In 1964, he was placed in a halfway house and found employment as a handyman at a country club. He was befriended by filmmaker Barry Morrow. Morrow, who was played by actor Dennis Quaid in the TV movie, helped Bill adjust and became his guardian. When Morrow took a post at the University of Iowa, Bill followed him there and became the owner of Wild Bill's Coffee Shop on campus.

Bill Sackter died on June 16, 1983 at the age of 70. Mickey Rooney portrayed him a second time in a sequel to the original TV movie. The sequel, Bill: On His Own, aired on November 9, 1983. It dealt with Bill's struggles after Barry Morrow (again played by Dennis Quaid) and his wife move away.

In 1982, Rooney starred in yet another short-lived television series called One of the Boys. In the series, Mickey played Oliver Nugent, an energetic senior who leaves his retirement home and moves in with his grandson, Adam Shields (Dana Carvey), a student at Sheffield College in New Jersey. Nathan Lane played Adam's roommate, Jonathan Burns, and Meg Ryan portrayed Adam's girlfriend, Jane.

One of the Boys was shunned by television audiences. In 2002, TV Guide ranked the series Number 24 on its list of "The 50 Worst Shows of All Time." That same year, Dana Carvey appeared on David Letterman's talk show and told Letterman that he did "some of the worst TV you've ever seen." When he mentioned One of the Boys and the TV Guide list, Letterman asked, "Could it really have been that bad?" Carvey replied, "It sucked!" He then went on to describe Mickey Rooney as "eccentric" and carefully added, "I don't want to meet his lawyers." Letterman offered the description "high strung" as an alternative and Carvey went on to parody Rooney saying, "I was the Number One star in the world."

Left to Right: Dana Carvey, Nathan Lane and Mickey

In 1988, Mickey Rooney had guest role on The Golden Girls in an episode entitled "Larceny and Old Lace." (Season 3, Episode 21, Air Date: February 27, 1988). He played Sophia's (Estelle Getty) boyfriend, Rocco, who tries to impress her by claiming to be a retired Gangster. From 1990 to 1993, Mickey Rooney starred in another horse-themed show called The Adventures of the Black Stallion and it ran on The Family Channel. Black Stallion was a Canada/France/New Zealand co-production and was filmed on location in those three countries and in the United States. The Canadian portions were shot in British Columbia.

The series was loosely based on the stories of Walter Farley, who wrote a series of horse novels, primarily for children. The Adventures of the Black Stallion chronicled the lives of an Arabian stallion named "Black" and his teenage rider, Alec Ramsay (Richard Ian Cox) as they became teammates in the horse racing circuit. Mickey Rooney played the role of Black's trainer, a retired jockey named Henry Dailey. Rooney had previously portrayed Dailey in the 1979 motion picture The Black Stallion.

Mickey worked steadily throughout the 1990s. In 1993, had a role on Murder, She Wrote in an episode called "Bloodlines" (Season 10, Episode 6, Air Date: November 9, 1993). He played a retired horse trainer Matt Cleveland, whom Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) visits at a stud ranch in Virginia. In 1998, he made guest appearances on such series as E.R., as Dr. George Bikel in an episode entitled "Exodus" (Season 4, Episode 15, Air Date: February 26, 1998) and on Mike Hammer, Private Eye, in "Lucky in Love" (Season 2, Episode 11, May 3, 1998).

Mickey Rooney led a tumultuous personal life and he was married eight times. His last days were quite difficult as he was a victim of alleged elder abuse and a family feud between his estranged wife and his stepsons. At the time of his death, Mickey was separated from Jan Chamberlin Rooney, his wife of 35 years. Jan, 74. a former nightclub singer, learned of his passing from the media. She was quoted by Scott Feinberg of The Hollywood Reporter as saying that she hadn't seen her husband since April of 2013. "Someone from TMZ called me," she stated.

November 30, 2000 photo of Mickey Rooney and Jan

When he died, Rooney left an estate of only $18,000 to Mark Rooney, his stepson and caretaker. He apparently disinherited his wife, Jan, and his eight surviving children. Much of his fortune was dwindled away due to alleged elder abuse and financial mismanagement by another one of his stepsons, Christopher "Chris" Aber. Chris Aber and Mark Rooney are brothers, although Mark goes by the name "Rooney" rather than "Aber." They are Jan's sons by a previous marriage to Lynn Aber.

Despite his personal problems, Mickey Rooney was a consummate entertainer and he always carried on. In March 2008, he told The Associated Press, "I always say, 'Don't retire - inspire." and he declared, "There's a lot to be done." That was his philosophy and he lived it until the end. He continued to work into his 90s and appeared alongside another veteran performer, Dick Van Dyke, in Night at the Museum (2006), staring Ben Stiller. In fact, when Mickey passed away, Night at the Museum 3 was in production. This past February, the 93-year-old was was pushed through Vancouver International Airport in a wheelchair to prepare shooting the movie. He was cheerful and enthusiastic about reprising his role as Gus, one of the night security guards at the museum.

The feisty nonagenarian was as busy as ever. He loved entertaining. It was in his bones and in his blood. At the time of his death, he was also working on another film entitled Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This retelling of the classic Robert Louis Stevenson tale is due for release in the United States in October of 2014. Mickey Rooney never stopped working. He left a legacy of quality films and distinguished television performances for generations to come.

- Joanne

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Y&R Report (April 12, 2014): 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.

Well fans, I've just got to try some of attorney Avery's key lime pie. It must be so mmm mmm delicious! What a great cook she is! First, she made the famous cupcakes that Nicholas Newman couldn't resist. Then she whipped up her mouth-watering pie. Boyfriend Dylan was so enraptured that he entered her recipe in a contest. She also made a video and now she' been asked to audition for her own cooking show, just like that. The woman is amazing! She makes everything look so easy. She even has time to keep an eye on Ian Ward and on top of all of that, she helps the wrongly convicted get out of prison - on a pro bono basis. (For those who need to brush up on their Latin, it means she doesn't accept any money for that work). I hereby declare Avery to be Superwoman!

So the not-so-good Dr.Stitch has an enormous skeleton in his closet. According to Kelly, he is a murderer. He killed a man. We do not know the circumstances and we probably won't for awhile. Why do the writers have to take such an excruciatingly long time to reveal some dirty secrets from the past. Yes, I know that everything can't be revealed right away. However, in some instances, they take so long that by the time the truth comes out, viewers don't care anymore.

Is Princess Victoria Newman in danger if she continues to cozy up to "Ben." She doesn't have to worry because Daddy Victor will always protect her. Stitch's supposed best friend, Dylan, doesn't seem to know much about his good buddy's past. Kelly knows more about the cookie-eating doctor than anyone else.

Whom did Dr. Stitch kill anyway? We know he killed a male. Was it Kelly's husband? Did Kel's husband find out about her affair with the doctor? Did he confront Stitch? Did they have a fight and did Stitch unintentionally kill him? Did Kelly help her lover cover up what happened? What do you think, fans?

What a surprise for Lauren and Michael! At a rather advanced child- bearing age, department store fashion queen Lauren is gong to have another baby - her third child after Scotty Grainger (born in 1991 from her marriage to Dr. Scott Grainger) and Fenmore Baldwin (born October 13, 2006). It's a good thing creepy Carmine Basco is not the father.

Although Lauren has been taken to hospital emergency with some kind of complication, I doubt she will have a miscarriage. The storyline would end right there and we all know that doesn't happen on soaps. By the way, it's interesting to note that Michael Baldwin and Lauren Fenmore wed in 2005, nine years ago. That's quite a long marriage for a soap opera couple.

There has been some speculation online that the Cassie look-alike will turn out to be the dead Cassies's identical twin. Some Y&R viewers think that the bogus Cassie is Sharon's real daughter who was taken away somehow when Sharon gave birth. Until now, the fake Cassie has deftly managed never to be seen by anyone except Sharon. That has changed. Although she recently avoided being seen by Nick and Noah, she injured herself running away from them. Somebody saw her, though - the not-so-good Dr. Stitch 'em up. He noticed her cut and persuaded her to go to the hospital for a tetanus shot. Of course, she gave her name as "Jane Doe," which is bound to arouse Stitch's suspicions. By the way, is he the only doctor in Genoa City?

I don't know about you but I don't like the pairing of Neil and Hilary. He's much better suited to Leslie, although neither of them can hold a candle to Drucilla. It seems that the writers are pairing Neil with Hilary to create a conflict between him and Devon. It is obvious that wimpy Devon is attracted to Hilary but is having difficulty extricating himself from the clutches of that gold digging hussy, Esmeralda.

Do the writers really expect us to believe that Leslie, who was so adamantly against marrying Neil, would suddenly wed a doctor she had only known for weeks? She informed Neil that she and the doc had had a quickie ceremony in Las Vegas and she displayed her shiny new wedding ring. Are you buying that or do you think lawyer Leslie is just pretending she's married for some reason? Perhaps she actually got married because she's hiding a pregnancy and doesn't want Neil to know he's the father. Leslie doesn't seem the reckless, impulsive type. I suspect that there's a method to her madness.

How do you like that Aussie cad, Colin Atkinson? He's going to break poor Jill's heart for sure. I knew he was a scoundrel but I thought he actually had some genuine feelings for Jill.

What's going to happen to the character of Chloe now that Elizabeth Hendrickson, the actress who portrays her, has announced that she has decided to leave the show? I'm not a fan of Chloe so I won't miss her when she departs. I don't think EH will be replaced. My guess is that Chloe will leave town and her marriage to Kevin will be annulled.

VIEWER FORUM

Regular commentator, CC from Etobicoke, Ontario, has a tease for Y&R viewers. She wonders how far the writers will go with the relationship between Victor and Chelsea. They are getting awfully chummy, although Victor is using her for his own purposes. Now that she believes Adam is dead (which of course, he isn't), Chelsea is very vulnerable.

Another viewer, Fifi from Collingwood, Ontario, picked up on a comment by Victoria Newman. When Stitch asked Vicki if he was interfering with anything, she replied that "it's just Johnny's birthday." Huh? What kind of a mother says that about her toddler son's birthday? Victoria has her faults but she loves Johnny and would never just brush off his birthday as something insignificant. The writers put words in her mouth that don't ring true. Either that, or she's been mesmerized by the dubious charms of Dr. Stich'em Up - oops - I mean Dr. Ben Rayburn.

CAST NEWS

Matthew Atkinson

A newcomer to daytime, Matthew Atkinson, has been cast in the recurring role of Austin, a cameraman working with Avery, presumably on her cooking show. He will make his first appearance on April 17th on CBS and April 16th on Global. The actor has had guest roles on such television series as Drop Dead Diva, CSI and One Tree Hill. He also had a part in the Academy Award-nominated movie The Blind Side.

Will this new Austin character create problems for happy couple Dylan and Avery? After all, once he tastes Avery's yummy cooking, how can he resist the awesome blonde - especially when she removes her spectacles? Will Handyman Dylan rue the day he urged her to do a television cooking show? Will there be trouble in paradise?

Perhaps The Young and the Restless realizes it need more staff at Memorial Hospital than Dr. Stitch. The show has sent out a casting call for the recurring role of Dr. Barton, "an African-American doctor in his late 30s to early 40s, handsome, intelligent, and a highly capable surgeon." Could he be possibly be Leslie's new husband?

That's all for now. Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, April 27. 2014.

- Joanne

Friday, April 4, 2014

Television Game Shows Quiz

TV BANTER QUIZ #20

This is a quiz about quiz shows. Yes, game shows have been a staple of daytime television and to a much lesser extent, prime time. TV viewers enjoy matching wits with contestants or just making the right guess. TV Banter presents a challenge for game show fans and trivia buffs alike. Test your knowledge of game shows, game show hosts and game show history. So, as they say on The Price is Right, come on down and try this 15-question quiz. Good luck!

TV GAME SHOWS QUIZ

1. The late Allen Ludden, who hosted various versions of daytime and prime time Password beginning in 1961, was married to a well known actress. Who is Allen Ludden's widow?

A. Shirley Jones

B. Florence Henderson

C. Betty White

D. Marjorie Lord

E. June Lockhart

2. Bob Barker hosted The Price is Right for 35 years, from 1972 until 2007. What game show did Bob host prior to The Price is Right?

A. Beat the Clock

B. Concentration

C. Treasure Hunt

D. Truth or Consequences

E. The $64,000 Question

3. Before he rose to fame on The Tonight Show, Johnny Carson hosted a game show. What was the name of the game show that Johnny Carson hosted?

A. Who Do You Trust?

B. Double Dare

C. Win, Lose or Draw

D. You Don't Say!

E. Whose Line Is It Anyway?

4. Dick Clark hosted the original Pyramid game show from 1973 to 1988. It was called the $10,000 Pyramid when it debuted on March 26, 1973 on CBS. Which of the following did not host a version of Pyramid?

A. Bill Cullen

B. John Davidson

C. Richard Dawson

D. Donny Osmond

E. John Davidson

5. For most of the original run of The Hollywood Squares (from 1966 until 1981), who was the regular "centre square?"

A. Roddy McDowell

B. Jonathan Winters

C. Joan Rivers

D. Vincent Price

E. Paul Lynde

6. What is the real name of Peter Marshall, the host of The Hollywood Squares from 1966 to 1981?

Peter Marshall in 1965 photo

A. Peter MacKenzie

B. Robert Vine

C. Stuart Corrigan

D. Ralph Pierre LaCock

E. Ambrose Jones

7. Alex Trebek began hosting Jeopardy! in 1984. Who was the original host of Jeopardy! when it premiered on NBC on March 30, 1964?

A. Bill Cullen

B. Art Fleming

C. Bert Convy

D. Gene Rayburn

E, Garry Moore

8. Who composed the Jeopardy theme song?

A. Merv Griffin

B. Paul Anka

C. Marvin Hamlisch

D. Henry Mancini

E. Burt Bacharach

9. What U.S. game show did Pete Best, the original drummer of The Beatles appear on?

A. What's My Line?

B. I've Got a Secret

C. Name That Tune

D. The Dating Game

E.. Pete Best has never appeared on a U.S. game show.

10. Which of the following game show hosts was not born in Canada?

A. Alex Trebek

B. Monty Hall

C. Richard Dawson

D Art Linkletter

E. Howie Mandel

11. When What's My Line? premiered on February 2, 1950, the first mystery guest was a well-known baseball player. Who was he?

A. Joe DiMaggio

B. Yogi Berra

C. Ted Williams

D. Willie Mays

E, Phil Rizzuto

12. Another major league baseball player, Joe Garagiola, became a broadcaster and television host. Which of the following game shows was not hosted by Garagiola?

A. Blockbusters

B. Sale of the Century

C. To Tell the Truth

D. He Said, She Said

E. Joe Garagiola's Memory Game

ANSWERS

1. C

Allen Ludden and Betty White in June 1968

Allen Ludden married Betty White on June 19, 1963. She was his second wife. His first wife, Margaret McGloin, died of cancer on October 30, 1961. He met Betty on Password and they remained together until Allen's death of stomach cancer at the age of 63 on June 9, 1981. Prior to Password, Allen hosted the G.E. College Bowl, a quiz show competition featuring teams of students from colleges and university students and primarily sponsored by General Electric.

2. D

Bob Barker's first day hosting Truth or Consequences in Decenber 1956

Prior to The Price is Right, Bob Barker hosted Truth or Consequences. from 1956 until 1975. He began hosting The Price is Right on September 4, 1975, while still hosting Truth or Consequences.

3. A.

From 1957 until 1962, Johnny Carson hosted the grammatically incorrect Who Do You Trust? (It should be Whom Do You Trust?). In 1958, Ed McMahon, (Carson's future Tonight Show sidekick), joined the show as the announcer. The premise of Who Do You Trust was that three couples competed on each show. The couples were introduced one at a time and Carson interviewed them. In the quiz portion, Carson informed the male contestant of the category of the question. The man would then have to choose whether to answer the question himself or "trust" the woman to do it for him.

When Jack Parr left The Tonight Show in 1962, Johnny Carson stepped down as host of Who Do You Trust in order to replace Parr on light night television. Johnny hosted The Tonight Show for thirty seasons, from the autumn of 1962 until the spring of 1992. By the way, comedian Woody Woodbury replaced Carson as host of Who Do You Trust? and the show ended its run in 1963.

4. C

Richard Dawson never hosted a version of Pyramid.

From 1974 to 1979, Bill Cullen hosted a syndicated version called the $25,000 Pyramid. In 1991, John David hosted the $100,000 Pyramid. Donny Osmond hosted Pyramid from 2002 until 2004. In 2012, a version of Pyramid showed up on The Game Show Network (GSN). It was hosted by Mike Richards and cancelled after only one season due to low ratings.

5. E

For most of the original run of The Hollywood Squares, comedian Paul Lynde was the "centre square." Lynde, who died of a heart attack on January 10, 1982 at the age of 55, was the subject of a 2005 biography titled Center Square: The Paul Lynde Story, by Steve Wilson and Joe Florenski. Since The Hollywood Squares is a tic-tac-toe game, the centre square is the most important square for tactical reasons. By the way, the very first "cenre square" was Ernest Borgnine.

6. D

Peter Marshall was born Ralph Pierre LaCock on March 30, 1926 in Huntington, West Virginia, U.S.A.

7. B

Art Fleming hosting Jeopardy!

Actor and television personality Art Fleming was the original host of Jeopardy!. Fleming passed away on April 25, 1995 at the age of 70. (Note the prize money amounts in the photo above).

8. A

Merv Griffin, the creator of Jeopardy!, also composed its theme song, "Think." Griffin originally composed the song as a lullaby for his son, Tony.

9. B

Drummer Pete Best left The Beatles in 1962 and was replaced by Ringo Starr. Best appeared on I've Got A Secret in 1964. When host Garry Moore asked him why he left the band, he replied, "I thought I'd like to start of group of my own and I thought at that time they weren't going to go as big as they are now."

10. C

Richard Dawson, the original host of Family Feud, was born in Gosport, England, U.K.. Dawson passed away on June 2, 2012 at the age of 79 from esophageal cancer.

The others were all born in Canada. Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek was born in Subury, Ontario. Monty Hall, who hosted Let's Make A Deal, was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Art Linkletter, who died on May 26, 2010, was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (Art lived until the ripe old age of 97). Howie Mandel, the host of Deal or No Deal, was born in Toronto, Ontario.

11. E

Phil Rizzuto in 1950 picture

The first mystery guest on What's My Line? was renowned New York Yankee shortstop Phil Rizzuto. Nicknamed "The Scooter," Rizzzuto was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown in 1994. He died on August 13, 2007 at the age of 89. (Above is a photo of Phil (left) with host John Daly on What's My Line? in 1950).

12. A

Joe Garagiola in 1951

Joe Garagiola

Joe Garagiola did not host Blockbusters. Bill Cullen hosted the 1980-1982 version of Blockbusters and comedian Bill Rafferty hosted the 1987 version. Both versions were aired on NBC.

Garagiola, a native of St. Louis Missouri, was a catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals (1946-1951), the Pittsburgh Pirates (1951-1953), the Chicago Cubs (1953-1954) and the New York Giants (1954). He hosted He Said, She Said from 1969 to 1970, Joe Garagiola's Memory Game from February to July of 1971, Sale of the Century from 1971 to 1974 and To Tell the Truth from 1977 to 1978.

- Joanne

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