NBC News announced this morning that Ed McMahon, 86, has died after a battle with cancer. Some of my earliest memories of television are of Ed McMahon and Johnny Carson. These lovable, funny men were in our living room 5 nights a week and they seemed like family somehow. They were right up there with Bozo and Huckleberry Hound! I can remember looking forward to “Heeeeeeere’s Johnny!” each night. I’d make sure I was back from the kitchen (with my snack of choice) and perched in my favorite chair in plenty of time for this infamous introduction.

Ed McMahon, who was born in Detroit, spent a great deal of his childhood moivng around. He once said, “I changed towns more often than a pickpocket. I went to some 15 schools before high school. Nobody ever knew my name, and I was painfully shy.”

He served in the Marines from 1941-1946 but dreamed of a career in radio broadcasting. In 1949, Ed McMahon worked at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia. Nine years later, after a second tour with the Marines in Korea, he hosted his own local show. It was during this time that he was invited to New York to meet Johnny Carson, then starring on ABC’s Who Do You Trust?

The rest, as they say, is history.

The video at the top is one of the funniest moments ever between Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon – Johnny’s reactions are absolutely priceless.

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Post tags: Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson

The Man with No Name Art Print

One of the greatest movies of all time, as well as Clint Eastwood’s best work to date (Gran Torino) is now out on dvd. If you haven’t seen this great movie, buy a copy asap. If you have seen the movie, buy a copy asap.

In honor of the movie hitting stores, here’s a little trivia about one of the coolest of all cats and baddest of all asses, Clint Eastwood.

• The future living legend was born on May 31, 1930 in San Francisco, California. He weighed 11 pounds, 6 ounces at birth.

• James Cagney is Clint Eastwood’s favorite film actor.

• Clint Eastwood has 7 children and, unlike a large number of celebrity’s kids, all of his children have beautiful names: Kimber, Kyle, Alison, Scott, Kathryn, Francesca, and Morgan.

• Is a partial owner of the Pebble Beach Golf Country Club in Monterey Peninsula, California.

• As an actor, Clint Eastwood has made a living from perceived violence. However, as a man, he absolutely despises violence and has shown its horrors in recent films such as Unforgiven (1992), A Perfect World (1993), Absolute Power (1997), Mystic River (2003) Million Dollar Baby (2004) and Gran Torino (2008).

• When directing, he simply says “okay” instead of “action” and “cut.”

• In 2004 – at the age 74 – Clint Eastwood became the oldest person to win the Best Director Oscar for Million Dollar Baby.

• Gran Torino grossed $30 million during its opening weekend in 2009, making Clint Eastwood the oldest leading man to reach #1 at the box office.

• He wore the same poncho, without ever having washed it, in all three of his “Man with No Name” Westerns.

• Clint Eastwood’s mother lived to be 97 years old.

• He’s an avid collector of western art.

• Ironically, although he often smokes onscreen, he is a lifelong non-smoker off screen.

• He was not nominated for an Academy Award, either as an actor or as a director, until age 62.

• Speaks Italian fluently.

• Clint Eastwood’s first really big break was the television series Rawhide. He got his role on Rawhide while visiting a friend at the CBS lot He caught a studio executive’s eye because he “looked like a cowboy.”

• In the 1990s, he named the following as his favorite Clint Eastwood films: Play Misty for Me (1971), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Bronco Billy (1980), Honkytonk Man (1982), Unforgiven (1992) and A Perfect World (1993).

• 1950-1954:  Drafted and served in the United States Army, assigned to Special Services.

• Clint Eastwood names racism as the trait he most despises in others.

• He lived with actress Sondra Locke for 14 years although they never married. The made six films together: Any Which Way You Can (1980), Bronco Billy (1980), Every Which Way But Loose (1978), The Gauntlet (1977), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) and Sudden Impact (1983).

A few trademarks of Clint Eastwood-directed movies:

• He frequently uses shadow lighting.

• At the end, during the credits the camera will move around the location it was filmed in. The scene will then freezeframe for the rest of the credits.

• Most of his movies begin and end with the death of a character.

• Often plays characters who are consumed by regrets over past mistakesand are given one chance to redeem themselves (Unforgiven, In the Line of Fire, Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino)

• He refuses to test screen his films before their release. He’s done this with all of the films he’s directed.

• Clint Eastwood has directed 9 different actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Gene Hackman, Meryl Streep, Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Marcia Gay Harden, Morgan Freeman, Hilary Swank, Angelina Jolie, and himself – in Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004). Hackman, Penn, Robbins, Freeman and Swank won Oscars for their performances in one of Eastwood’s movies.

A Couple of Favorite Clint Eastwood Quotes:
“I like the libertarian view, which is to leave everyone alone. Even as a kid, I was annoyed by people who wanted to tell everyone how to live.”

“I liked the Million Dollar Baby script a lot. Warner Bros said the project had been submitted to them and they’d passed on it. I said, ‘But I like it. They said, ‘Well, it’s a boxing movie.’ And I said, ‘It’s not a boxing movie in my opinion. It’s a father-daughter love story, and it’s a lot of other things besides a boxing movie.’ They hemmed and hawed and finally said that if I wanted to take it, maybe they’d pay for the domestic rights only. After that, I’d be on my own. We took it to a couple of other studios, and they turned it down, much like Mystic River was turned down, the exact same pattern. People who kept calling and saying, ‘Come on, work with us on stuff.’ I’d give it to them, and they’d go, ‘Uh, we were thinking more in terms of Dirty Harry coming out of retirement.’ They might have been a little more interested if I said I wanted to do “Dirty Harry 9″ or something.”

“None of the pictures I take a risk in cost a lot, so it doesn’t take much for them to turn a profit. We don’t deal in big budgets. We know what we want and we shoot it and we don’t waste anything. I never understand these films that cost twenty, thirty million dollars when they could be made for half that. Maybe it’s because no one cares. We care.”

“There’s a rebel lying deep in my soul. Anytime anybody tells me the trend is such and such, I go the opposite direction. I hate the idea of trends. I hate imitation; I have a reverence for individuality. I got where I am by coming off the wall. I’ve always considered myself too individualistic to be either right-wing or left-wing.”

“I don’t believe in pessimism. If something doesn’t come up the way you want, forge ahead.”

“Maybe I’m getting to the age when I’m starting to be senile or nostalgic or both, but people are so angry now. You used to be able to disagree with people and still be friends. Now you hear these talk shows, and everyone who believes differently from you is a moron and an idiot – both on the Right and the Left.”

“If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.”

Pale Rider Framed Art Print

“Macho was a fashionable word in the 1980s. Everybody was kind of into it, what’s macho and what isn’t macho. I really don’t know what macho is. I never have understood. Does it mean somebody who swaggers around exuding testosterone? And kicks the gate open and runs sprints up and down the street? Or does handsprings or whatever? Or is macho a quiet thing based on your security. I remember shaking hands with Rocky Marciano. He was gentle, he didn’t squeeze your hand. And he had a high voice. But he could knock people around, it was a given. That’s macho. Muhammad Ali is the same. If you talked with him in his younger years, he spoke gently. He wasn’t kicking over chairs. I think some of the most macho people are the gentlest.”

“The Americans who went to Iwo Jima knew it would be a tough fight, but they always believed they’d win. The Japanese were told they wouldn’t come home – they were being sent to die for the Emperor. People have made a lot out of that very different cultural approach. But as I got into the storytelling for the two movie – Flags of Our Fathers (2006) and Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) – I realised that the 19-year-olds from both sides had the same fears. They all wrote poignant letters home saying: “I don’t want to die.” They were all going through the same thing, despite the cultural differences.”

(About President George W. Bush) “You’ve got to admire somebody who stands up for what they believe regardless of how the polls go. A lot of presidents do everything by the polls. They do a focus group then all of a sudden they say, “OK, that’s what I’m going to be for because that’s where focus group is leading me.”

“At this particular time in my life, I’m not doing anything as a moneymaker. It’s like I’m pushing the envelope the other way to see how far we can go to be noncommercial. But I’m definitely not going for the demographics of 13- to 15-year-olds. I didn’t know if Mystic River would go over at all. I had a hard time getting it financed, to tell you the truth. But I just told Warners the same thing I did with Million Dollar Baby: ‘I don’t know if this is going to make any money. But I think I can make a picture that you’d be proud to have in your library.’”

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Patsy Cline was born Virginia Patterson Hensley on September 8, 1932 in Winchester, Virginia. Her mother, Hilda, was only 16 years old when Patsy was born. Patsy, the oldest of three children, always knew she’d one day be a star. . Their father deserted the family when the children were young, leaving them with lots of love but very little of anything else.

Patsy Cline’s first husband was Gerald Cline. Their marriage ended due in part to her infidelity, with her manager, and to Cline’s lack of interest in her career (kind of explains wandering heart). They divorced in 1957. It was her second husband, Bill Peer, who “gave” her the name Patsy – from her middle name, “Patterson.”

Her third husband, Charlie Dick, was the one Patsy would go on to call the love of her life. Charlie Dick, who was known for his good looks and charismatic personality, captured Patsy’s heart. They’d remain married for the remainder of her life.

One of the songs chosen for Patsy Cline’s first album was Walkin’ After Midnight, written by Don Hecht and Alan Block. Cline initially did not like the song because it was, according to her, “just a little old pop song.” However, the song’s writers and record label insisted that she record the song.

Around this time, Patsy Cline auditioned for Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts in New York City on CBS, and was given a chance to sing on the show. Patsy’s appearance on the show on January 21, 1957 is often referred to as her “discovery.” Her mother, Hilda Hensley, presented Patsy. She sang her recent recording “Walkin’ After Midnight,” the little old pop song. Godfrey’s staff insisted that Patsy Cline not wear one of her mother’s handmade cowgirl outfits for the performance. Instead, she wore a cocktail dress.

The audience’s ovations stopped the meter at its apex! For several months Patsy Cline appeared regularly on Godfrey’s radio program.

Walkin’ After Midnight was released in early 1957, and before long it was a hit, reaching #2 on the country charts and #12 on the pop charts. Cline became one of the first country singers to have a crossover pop hit.

After the birth of their daughter, Julie, in 1958, Patsy and Charlie moved to Nashville, Tennessee.

In 1959, Cline met Randy Hughes, who became her manager. With Randy’s promotion and a new contract with Decca Records-Nashville, Cline would begin her amazing ascent to the top of country music, and to her rightful place in music history.

Patsy Cline released another hit in 1961 called “I Fall to Pieces.” This song was written by Hank Cochran and Harlan Howard and was promoted on both country and pop music stations across the country, leading to success on both country and pop charts.

I Fall to Pieces hit No. 1 on the country charts and became Patsy Cline’s first No. 1 song. This song made Patsy Cline a household name.

Also in 1961, Patsy Cline realized a lifelong dream when she joined the cast of the Grand Ole Opry. She became one of the Opry’s greatest stars, and is believed to be the only person granted Opry membership merely by asking for it!

Patsy Cline is known for her remarkable singing voice, but those who had the good fortune of knowing her always seemed to be more impressed with who she was as a person. She was apparently one of the most generous, fun-loving, and warm individuals you could hope to meet. Patsy Cline loved to help others who were trying to make their own dreams come true. Loretta Lynn, Dottie West, Barbara Mandrell, Jan Howard, and Brenda Lee are just some of the artists she reached out to.

According to Loretta Lynn and Dottie West, Patsy Cline was always extremely generous with her friends. She bought them groceries and new furniture when they were hard up. On occasion, she would even pay their rent, enabling them to stay in Nashville and continue their quest for stardom.

In Ellis Nassour’s 1980 biography Patsy Cline, Cline’s friend, honky tonk pianist and Opry star Del Wood, was quoted as follows: “Even when she didn’t have it, she’d spend it — and not always on herself. She’d give anyone the skirt off her backside if they needed it.”

In the 1986 documentary The Real Patsy Cline, singer George Riddle said of her, “It wasn’t unusual for her to sit down and have a beer and tell a joke. She’d never be offended at the guys’ jokes, because most of the time she’d tell a joke better than you! Patsy was full of life, as I remember“.

Patsy Cline used the term of endearment “Hoss” to refer to her friends, and referred to herself as “The Cline.” Though she never met Elvis Presley, she admired his music, and called him “The Big Hoss.”

Patsy gave birth to a son in 1961 (Randy), but the year didn’t bring ALL sunshine. She had a nearly fatal car wreck on June 14. Patsy and her brother, Sam, were involved in a head-on car collision on Old Hickory Boulevard in Nashville. The impact of the accident threw Patsy into the windshield, nearly killing her. Upon her arrival at the scene, singer Dottie West picked glass from Patsy’s hair, while Patsy insisted that the other car’s driver be treated first. Patsy later stated that she saw the female driver of the other car die right before her eyes at the hospital.

Ironically, Dottie West would be involved in a serious car accident in 1991. She also insisted that the driver be given first treatment. She did not survive the surgeries afterward.

Patsy suffered from a jagged cut across her forehead that required stitches, a broken wrist, and a dislocated hip. During her month long hospitalization, Patsy rededicated herself to the Lord and to her Christian faith. She received, literally, thousands of cards and flowers sent by fans.

When she left the hospital, her forehead was still visibly scarred. For the remainder of her career, she wore wigs and careful makeup to hide the scars and headbands to relieve pressure on her forehead.

“Crazy”, written by Willie Nelson, would become Patsy’s next hit. Oddly enough, she originally hated this song! Her first attempt at recording “Crazy” turned out to be a total disaster, with her maintaining that the song was too difficult to sing. The high notes were hard, and even painful, for Patsy becaue of her injuries from the wreck. For an entire day, she and her manager went head to head in all out war!

Patsy Cline recorded the song the following week in one take. Her version was completely different from the demo, which is why it became such a classic. It also became Patsy Cline’s signature song – the one for which she remains best known.

In late 1961, the song was an immediate country pop crossover hit, and was also her biggest pop hit, making the Top 10. Friend Loretta Lynn later reported that the night Cline premiered “Crazy” at the Grand Ole Opry, she received three standing ovations.

What amazes me the most about Patsy Cline is the two distinct sides to the lady: On one side, you have a woman who was as tough as nails. She had the guts to stand up to men during a time when most women wouldn’t even consider it. She fought for what was fair for herself, her friends, and her band members. Her good friend Dottie West stated, “It was common knowledge around town that you didn’t mess with ‘The Cline!‘”

On the flip side, you have a woman who was as kind and gracious as anyone I’ve ever read about or researched. Her family, friends, and fans meant the world to her. She even became very close friends with some of her fans. She would stay for hours after concerts to chat with her fans and sign autographs.

Her success allowed Patsy Cline to buy her dream home in Nashville’s Goodlettsville community. She personally decorated her home and had real gold dust sprinkled into the bathroom tiles. Now that’s Class! Loretta Lynn stated in a 1986 documentary interview, “She called me into the front yard and said, ‘Isn’t this pretty? Now I’ll never be happy until I have my Mama one just like it.’”

In the Ellis Nassour biography, Patsy Cline, Patsy’s friends Dottie West and June Carter Cash both recalled Cline telling them that she felt a sense of impending doom and didn’t expect to live much longer in the months leading up to her death. Cline also told Loretta Lynn of this sense of doom.

She even began giving away personal items to friends, writing out her own last will on Delta Air Lines stationery and asking close friends to care for her children if anything should happen to her. She reportedly told Jordanaire back up singer Ray Walker as she exited the Grand Ole Opry a week before her death: “Honey, I’ve had two bad ones (accidents). The third one will either be a charm or it’ll kill me.”

Although very sick with the flu, on March 3, 1963, Patsy performed a benefit show at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas, for the family of a disc jockey, Cactus Jack Call, who had recently died in an automobile accident. Also performing on the show were George Jones, George Riddle and The Jones Boys, Billy Walker, Dottie West, Cowboy Copas, Hawkshaw Hawkins, Wilma Lee and Stoney Cooper, and George McCormick and the Clinch Mountain Clan. Patsy Cline closed the show with “I’ll Sail My Ship Alone” to a thunderous ovation.

Dottie West was afraid for Patsy to fly and pleaded with her to ride back in the car with her and her husband, Bill. However, Patsy was anxious to get home to her children and refused West’s offer, saying, “Don’t worry about me, Hoss. When it’s my time to go, it’s my time.”

She called her mother from the airport and then boarded a Piper Comanche bound for Nashville, flown by her manager Randy Hughes, along with Cowboy Copas and Hawkshaw Hawkins. After stopping to refuel in Dyersburg, Tennessee, the plane took off at 6:07 pm. According to revelations by the airfield manager in the Nassour biography, he suggested that they stay the night after advising of high winds and inclement weather on the flight path, but Hughes responded, “I’ve already come this far. We’ll be there before you know it.”

They never made it to Nashville. The plane flew into severe weather and crashed at 6:20 p.m., according to Patsy’s wristwatch, in a forest just outside of Camden, Tennessee, only 90 miles from the destination. There were no survivors.

Patsy Cline was just 30 years old.

Patsy was buried in her hometown of Winchester, Virginia. With the help of Loretta Lynn and Dottie West a bell tower, erected in her memory at the cemetery, plays hymns daily at 6:00 p.m., the hour of her death.

Quotes About Patsy Cline:

“Patsy Cline belongs shoulder-to-shoulder with Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.” – Elvis Costello

“It’s wonderful that whenever Patsy Cline’s name is mentioned, people’s voices fall and they become right sentimental. And, rightly so.” – Maya Angelou

“All Patsy Cline had to do was sing somebody else’s song and her version would outsell theirs because it would be so good!” – George Jones

“When I was a kid my Dad never let me sing Patsy Cline songs for one simple reason: they’ve already been done.” – Tanya Tucker

“She could sing country, she could sing pop, she could sing jazz — she could sing anything! She had the style and the voice and the charisma.” – Eddy Arnold

“If it had not been for people like Patsy, it wouldn’t be possible for women like me to do what I do today.” – k.d. lang

“There was a lot of hurt in Patsy’s voice. A lot of deep love in her voice. And I think she portrayed that.” – June Carter Cash

“Patsy Cline? Larger than life! She taught me emotion: raw, sincere, unashamed.” – Reba McEntire

“She was a lady, but when it came to her career, she had people (in the industry) right in the palm of her hand.” – Barbara Mandrell

“I think Patsy Cline made country music classy. She just opens her mouth, and it’s just heavenly.” – Melissa Etheridge

“I guess you could say that I’m the luckiest girl because I got to meet my true hero. She was a precious person. She made me a better singer, a better person. She was the consummate artist and human being.” – Dottie West

“She probably had the best pipes ever.” – Toby Keith

“There’s never going to be another Patsy Cline. Without her, I don’t think I would have lasted.” – Loretta Lynn

“I was a Patsy Cline fan long before we ever met. I loved her for the person she was, good-hearted and loyal. She loved her family, she loved to laugh, and she loved to sing. I’m so glad her music is timeless.” – Jan Howard

“Its a magic that’s indescribable. She just absolutely knew how to sing a song. Just made you believe every word. There’s never been another artist like her.” – Trisha Yearwood

“Undoubtedly, Patsy Cline was a trailblazer and in that respect, all women who are singular in a man’s field have a special power.” – Carly Simon

“There is no one who can touch Patsy Cline. Hell – I hang on every line!” – Jimmy Buffett

“Her delivery was so special that people that maybe didn’t like country music started listening to it because she had this mighty voice that was just heavenly! She didn’t care what anybody thought about her. She was just out there saying, ‘Hey, I can sing, and I‘m a girl. I love it, so don’t get in my way. Just let me sing and do my thing!’” – Dolly Parton

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Best. Movie. Ever.
Everything I hoped it’d be.
Actually, MORE than I hoped it’d be.
Why in the name of all that’s right didn’t JJ Abrams do the Planet of the Apes movie?

That’s an inventory of the first thoughts I had as the credits rolled after Star Trek. If you read this blog regularly (or any of my sites), you know that I see a LOT of movies – new and old. I see so many that I always hold back on the three worded phrase of praise (Best movie ever.)

In fact, there have been movies that I loved to absolute distraction (Grand Torino, Wanted, X Men Origins, Pride and Prejudice, all of the POTC movies, Secret Window, the Bourne movies, Kung Fu Panda, the Ocean movies, Sweeney Todd, Fracture, State of Play, 3:10 to Yuma…) – but when I left the theater, I was simply thinking, “That was one of the best movies I’ve ever seen..” or even, “That was the best movie this year…” But Star Trek broke out the big one.

Best. Movie. Ever.

This movie has everything it needs and nothing it doesn’t. Now, I loved the series – I’ve seen them all a gazillion times and can practically tell you what Spock and Kirk will say at any given time. I’ll also be quick to point out that William Shatner, along with Charlton Heston, doesn’t get nearly enough attention for being the man beast that he was. Go back and watch Star Trek episodes sometimes and tell me Kirk wasn’t simply beautiful!

My husband, our youngest daughter, and her boyfriend, saw the movie together. We represented 4 completely different audience members:

1. I loved the series.
2. My husband hated the series.
3. My daughter never saw a single episode.
4. Her boyfriend has seen some episodes.

I couldn’t have been more thrilled with the way JJ Abrams treated the franchise. He was completely true to the show’s history as well as its characters.   He did a flawless, even breathtaking, job.  I was worried about my daughter – I didn’t know if the show would make enough sense to her, since she’d never seen as much as a scene from the original series, but following the movie, we said the SAME thing at the SAME time:  “Best movie ever.”

She got it.

So did the guys, they absolutely loved it, too.  I can’t imagine anyone NOT loving this movie.  There’s lots of humor, an insane amount of action, drama, suspense, and special effects that’ll make you nearly choke on your over-priced popcorn.

The leads – Chris Pine (James Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock) – are headed for HUGE success and, hopefully, a sequel.  Then another, then another, then another…. all crafted by the brilliant JJ Abrams. Chris Pine made the perfect Kirk and they couldn’t have created a better Spock if they built him.  Each actor gave depth and believability to their roles and never (not even for a moment) tried to one up the story or character by over acting or resorting to cheese.  Their performances are hugely responsible for this movie’s success.  Even JJ Abrams and his ridiculously talented crew couldn’t have compensated for weak casting.  Fortunately, this is one of the strongest casts you could hope for.

The rest of the stellar cast includes:

Bruce Greenwood as one of the most likable characters in the movie, Capt. Christopher Pike.  You may remember him as the President in National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007). He was also in I, Robot, Double Jeopardy, Deja Vu among many other movies and television appearances.

Karl Urban gave new meaning to the word scenstealer as Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy. Brilliant casting! I would have never thought of Karl Urban as Bones – but now I can’t imagine anyone else being the great doctor. He brought so much life to the screen and a great deal of humor. I can’t imagine the movie without him, and that’s the mark of a truly great actor. Karl Urban is probably best known for his role in The Lord of the Rings movies (Eomer). He was also excellent in The Bourne Supremacy (Kirill – he was evil), Pathfinder, The Chronicles of Riddick (Vaako), and Doom (with The Rock).

Gorgeous Zoe Saldana plays Nyota Uhura. She’s relatively new to me, but she has been in Blackout, Six Degrees, and Vantage Point. She makes a perfect leading lady – she’s as talented as she is beautiful – and the movie wouldn’t have been the same without her.

In another great casting move, Eric Bana was cast as the villain, Nero. He was brilliant. Like Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, he could have gone too far with the role – but, also like them – he helped make the movie extra special by allowing the action, the story, and the dialogue to be the star.

I don’t want to give away anything else, because the characters and story are best when they’re allowed to unfold before your very eyes. Suffice to say, the cast is as flawless as the movie, itself.

I seldom see a movie more than once in a theater (Iron Man and Wanted are two rare exceptions), but I can’t wait to see Star Trek again. And again. And again. I’ve got it planned out, I’ll just keep watching it over and over (in the theater, then on dvd) until they come out with the sequel. A gal has to have a plan in place, right?

I just can’t say enough good things about this movie, about JJ Abrams (Seriously, can you imagine how amazing Planet of the Apes would be if he did it?!), or this incredible cast. All I can say is….

Best movie ever.

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We all know a more beautiful actress has never graced the earth than Audrey Hepburn.  We might as well enjoy a video tribute that supports this fact, right?  After you’ve watched the video, be sure to check out the other articles, pictures, and featured stories on one of Hollywood Yesterday’s  favorite actresses, Audrey Hepburn.  You’ll find all of these and more in the Audrey Hepburn category.

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As much as I love TV Land, they let me down big time when they removed Lucy, Ricky, Ethel, and Fred from their daily lineup. Fortunately they still provide a home for other favorites like Beverly Hillbillies, Good Times, and Andy Griffith. But no Lucy?!?!

No wonder dvds are so incredibly popular, eh? But, even so, I have to be honest – there’s a certain something special about watching our favorite episodes the way they were meant to be watched, as a television program. For one thing, I love the unexpected reveal of which episode it is. I’ve seen these shows so often, I love to test myself and see how fast I can identify the episode. With I Love Lucy and Andy Griffith, I’m so quick I usually get it right off the bat.

I also love the effect of commercials – they provide an opportunity to refill your coffee, grab more snacks, do a little housework, etc. For many shows, it builds the suspense before the next scenes and provides a small “cliffhanger.” Like the powerful scene in Little House on the Prairie where Mary realizes she can’t see. D.R.A.M.A!

I also wish the Dick Van Dyke Show were on television. I think TV Land could actually have TWO networks – one with the shows we love from the 70s and 80s, and with TV Land’s original new shows (High School Reunion is simply brilliant) and one for shows and movies prior to the 70s. They could show Lucy (!!!), Dick Van Dyke, Dobie Gillis (a new generation could fall head over heals in love with Maynard G. Krebbs, Dobie, and Zelda – the original hipsters), Father Knows Best, The Patty Duke Show, Leave it to Beaver, and so on.

Did I mention they could show Lucy?

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The Leonard  Nimoy news was fantastic, but now for Fox News that’ll upset a lot of fans, Prison Break has been canceled.  I’ve never watched the series, myself, but its many fans are pretty outraged.

I keep searching for information about a series I love, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles – so far, no news yet.   I was a little nervous, but now that I’ve seen that FOX just ditched Prison Break, I”m verging on frightened DANGED nervous.  My fingers are crossed like mad.  Makes it hard to type.

These shows have been canceled:

ABC
Dirty Sexy Money
Eli Stone
Life on Mars
Pushing Daisies

CBS
The Ex List

Fox
Prison Break

NBC
Crusoe
Lipstick Jungle
My Own Worst Enemy
Knight Rider – Not officially confirmed
Kings – Not officially confirmed

ABC Family
Kyle XY

FX Network
The Riches

USA Network
The Starter Wife

On the Bubble Shows
Chuck
Dollhouse
Eleventh Hour
Law & Order
Life
Medium
Privileged
Reaper
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (worry, worry, worry… I love this show!)

Terminator started the season out a little bit weak but promptly got rid of characters that were dragging it down.  Toward the middle of the season, and certainly during the last, it found its incredible heart again and I’m not sure I even blinked during many of the episodes.  The final two were two of the best television episodes I’ve ever seen, and let’s be honest, I’ve seen my share AND your’s!

Hopefully Cameron, John, Sarah, Derek, and the rest will be back next season.  If a show has to go, might I humbly suggest Dollhouse take the hit?  Spare the metal!

UPDATE: Althouth Ausiello Files is reporting that Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will not be renewed for a third season, a rep for Fox says no decisions have been made, and that their official fall schedule won’t be announced until May 18.

Ack, more waiting!

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According to EW.com, Leonard Nimoy, known to all as Spock on the legendary series (and movies) ‘Star Trek’ is joining the cast of a show I love too much for my own good, J.J. Abrams’ Fox series Fringe.

JJ Abrams recently worked with Leonard Nimoy on the ‘Trek’ movie that’ll be coming out in a matter of weeks. The charismatic actor will play William Bell, Walter Bishop’s former lab partner. William Bell is also the millionaire founder of Massive Dynamic. He’ll first appear in May’s season finale and then return for an extended arc next season.

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Today I read yet another negative movie review for Fast & Furious.   This critic tore it up pretty good. The most positive thing they said was that Paul Walker (Brian) looked blankly cute.  I guess that’s good, right?

The thing is, I saw Fast & Furious Saturday night and liked it a lot.  I’ve said it before and I guess I’m about to say it again.  Too many peoople expect too much from movies, especially critics.

I’ve read at least 5 reviews that criticized the dialogue.  Hello?! Did they not see Vin Diesel on the movie poster?  Vin Diesel’s fans don’t go to movies for dialogue, we go for the action, the fun, and the excitement  – and once again we got what we wanted.

My only criticisms are minor:

1. I would have liked more “Letty” (Michelle Rodriguez) in the movie, I’m a fan of the actress and the character.   She brings a great deal of energy to her roles and would have brought more energy to the film, if she’d been allowed the luxury.   I hope to see Michelle in more movies. She’s woefully underused.
2. For whatever reasons, when movie makers want to flavor a film with  a taste of Latin, they do so without much tastefulness.      I’m not against sexiness, but come on.   A few scenes looked like they’d walked onto the set of a music video and were obviously thrown in for shock value.   They weren’t much of either.

But back to the positive.  The action in this movie is the kind that makes you lean forward and dash your eyes all over the screen, trying to take it all in.  I can only imagine how excited “automobile fanatics” get during this movie.  There are some pretty incredible cars in this movie.  I’m not a “car person” but even I was impressed.

Fun Fast & Furious Trivia:

• When Jordana Brewster and Michelle Rodriguez were hired for first movie in the series, The Fast and the Furious, neither even had a driver’s license!
• Jordana Brewster once dated Mark Wahlberg.
• Gal Gadot (Giselle) was Miss Israel while serving in the Israeli military.  That has to be a first.

If you want to have a fun time at the movies, see Fast & Furious.  If you want your brain to feel stimulated, see Duplicity (another movie I liked a lot).

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