Kris Kristofferson: Renaissance man

Kris Kristofferson in the 1987 television miniseries "Amerika".

Source: https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/09/30/appreciation-music-great-kris-kristofferson-dead-at-88-i-was-a-janitor-for-a-couple-of-years/

(May be subject to copyright)

My earliest memory of Kris Kristofferson is that iconic album cover of him, shirt off and looking hot, with Barbra Streisand for “A Star is Born”. However, the first time I really saw him was in an epic and chilling miniseries in 1987.

He died two days ago and, although he initially made his mark as a singer and songwriter, I knew him best as an actor. I only came to his music in the ‘80s when he teamed up with a number of other country singers.

The early years
Wikipedia reveals he was a pioneer in the outlaw country movement of the 1970s, moving away from the polished Nashville sound to a more raw, introspective style.

He wrote a lot of hits songs for others including “Me and Bobby McGee”. Kristofferson started releasing his own singles in 1967 and albums in 1970.

However, I did not know him as a singer, I really came to know him as an actor.

His first role was in “The Last Movie” in 1971. He would go on to movies such as “Cisco Pike”; “The Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus’; “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid”; “Blume in Love”; “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia”; “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”; “The Sailor Who Fell from Grace with the Sea”; and “Vigilante Force”.

I pick up his trail in 1976 where he played an established rock star who falls in love with an unknown singer played by Barbra Streisand. My Mom owned the soundtrack album on vinyl, and the cover is one of the most memorable images of the 1970s. It has Kristofferson and Streisand in each other’s arms kissing.

For his efforts, Kristofferson was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical.

He followed that up with the football comedy “Semi-Tough” in 1977; and “Convoy” in 1978, about truckers battling a corrupt sheriff in Arizona.

Dawn of the decade
Kristofferson opened the decade in 1980 with a starring role in the sprawling western “Heaven’s Gate.” The movie was a box office disappointment, but has since, in retrospect, been seen as a much better film than critics gave it credit for in 1980.

However, that seemed to adversely affect Kristofferson’s film career.

He did keep working, appearing in the films “Rollover”; “Flashpoint”; “Songwriter”, where he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Score; and “Trouble in Mind”. He also appeared in the television movies “Freedom Road”; “The Lost Honor of Kathryn Beck”; “The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James”; “Blood and Orchids”; and “Stagecoach”.

Kristofferson would then appear in a major television event that again took him into living rooms across the continent.

The Russians are coming
In 1987, Kristofferson played a major role in “Amerika”. It was a miniseries that looked at the the United States 10 years in the future, when the Soviet Union has engineered a successful coup of the United States and has occupied the country. The show examines what the country has become 10 years into the Soviet occupation through the eyes of various people.

One of those people is Devin Milford, played by Kristofferson, who was a former presidential candidate and resistor to the Soviet occupation.

I only saw the first two or three parts before I got busy with other things, but I recall Kristofferson was amazing as Devin Milford.

Rest of the decade
Kristofferson closed out the ‘80s by appearing in the movies “Big Top Peewee”; “Millennium”; and “Welcome Home”; and the television movie “The Tracker”.

Supergroup
In 1985, Kristofferson joined Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Willie Nelson to create the supergroup The Highwaymen. Their first album was “The Highwayman”. The first single was the title track which went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.

The Highwaymen went on to release three albums from 1985 to 1995.

The years after
Kris Kristofferson kept on appearing in movies and television. His movies included “Lone Star”; “Blade”; “Payback”; “Planet of the Apes”; “Blade II”: “Where the Red Fern Grows”; “Silver City”; “Fast Food Nation”; “Requiem for Billy the Kid”; “He’s Just Not that into You”; “Deadfall”; and much more. His final role was in “Blaze” in 2018.

His television work included a lot of television movies such as “Christmas in Connecticut”; “Tad”; “Blue Rodeo”; “Two for Texas”; “Perfect Murder, Perfect Town”; and much more; and the miniseries “Lives of the Saints”. Kristofferson also was the narrator for 41 episodes of “Dead Man’s Gun”. His last role was in 2015 in the miniseries “Texas Rising”.

Kris Kristofferson won three Grammys and was nominated a total of 13 times; was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2004; and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

He died on September 28, 2024.

He was 88 years old.

Parting thoughts
I find it funny that Kris Kristofferson was such a country music icon, but I am hard pressed to name one song he performed. After he died, I went on to YouTube and found a compilation of his songs. I played it, and again was hard pressed to recognize even one song.

I liked what I heard and realized I was just never around his music growing up.

Yet, I was around his acting, and I found him to be an imposing, intense presence on screen.

I remember him best in “Amerika” and he was just awesome.

What this all says to me is that he really was a bit of a renaissance man – singer, songwriter, performer, actor.

Tom Cochrane: When I was 17…

It was the summer of 1986 and I was staying at my sister’s place in Lethbridge for a couple weeks while I took driver’s education. I was in heaven – I was within walking distance of the Lethbridge Public Library, and a 7-11 where I could rent movies to play in my sister’s VCR, and she had cable TV.

One day I was flipping channels and I heard this really cool intro to a song. It led into some amazing lyrics about a man looking back on his life.

I quickly discovered the song was “Boy Inside the Man” by Tom Cochrane and Red Rider.

By that time, I was about a year and a half into my musical journey and I had heard of Red Rider, but didn’t know much about them or their music.

“Boy Inside the Man” was really my introduction to an artist who is another icon of Canadian music.

I recently learned Tom Cochrane was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He deserves it for a body of work that spans the late ‘70s to the modern day.

Starting out
Tom Cochrane released his first solo single “You’re Driving Me Crazy (Faith Healers)” in 1973 and, of the six solo singles he released between 1973 and 1976, it was the only one that charted, reaching number 71 in Canada. He released his first solo album “Hang On to Your Resistance” in 1974. He joined Red Rider in Toronto in 1978. According to his website, he then started his career in the pubs, roughneck bars, and coffeehouses of Ontario then Canada and the rest of the world.

Red Rider released their first album, “Don’t Fight it”, in 1979, and it produced their first top 20 single.

“White Hot” was their debut single, going all the way to number 20 in Canada and number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. “White Hot” is a classic Canadian rock song and it surprises me it did not chart higher, given how much air play it received.

The first time I heard it, well at least part of it, was as the music for the CFCN Channel 13 late-night news. They utilized the intro of “White Hot” which is very distinctive.

Red Rider released one other single from “Don’t Fight it”, the title track, and it peaked at number 75 in Canada and number 103 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1980.

As the ‘80s dawned, Red Rider had begun to establish themselves, and would see their popularity increase through the decade.

Going crazy
Red Rider released their second album, “As Far as Siam”, in 1981. The first single was “What Have You Got to Do”, and it peaked at number 42 in Canada, but did not chart in the States.

The second single, has become another Canadian classic. With its haunting opening, “Lunatic Fringe” did not chart in Canada, which amazes me, but did go all the way to number 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. Wikipedia reveals Cochrane wrote the song after becoming concerned about a resurgence of anti-Semitism in the 1970s. He was also inspired after reading about Raoul Wallenberg, who rescued Jews from the Holocaust during the Second World War.

The song was part of the soundtrack for the 1985 movie “Vision Quest”, and appeared in the opening scene of the “Smuggler’s Blues” episode of “Miami Vice” in 1985.

In fact, the first time I ever heard “Lunatic Fringe” was on an album countdown on LA-107 FM when they played it as part of the “Vision Quest Soundtrack”.

Two more albums
Red Rider released “Neruda”, their third album, in 1983. It is named after Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. Their first single, “Human Race”, is another song I heard quite a lot that is reminiscent of the sound of “White Hot” and “Lunatic Fringe”. It went all the way to number 29 in Canada, and also peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, just like “Lunatic Fringe”. The next two singles did not chart in Canada or on the Billboard Hot 100. However, “Power (Strength in Numbers)” peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, and “Crack the Sky (Breakaway)” hit number 39 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

Red Rider’s fourth album, “Breaking Curfew”, came out in 1984. The first single, “Young Thing, Wild Dreams (Rock Me)”, got a lot of play and is part of that same sound as “White Hot”, “Lunatic Fringe”, and “Human Race”. “Young Thing, Wild Dreams (Rock Me)” charted on the Billboatd Hot 100, peaking at number 71. It also went all the way to number 13 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and number 44 in Canada. It was the last Red Rider single to crack the Billboard Hot 100.

They released one more single, the title track “Breaking Curfew”, which peaked at number 93 in Canada but did not chart in the States.

About a year later, I would hear my first new Red Rider song, and it remains my favourite Red Rider and Tom Cochrane song.

A life lived
In May of 1986, the band changed slightly. They released their fifth album, “Tom Cochrane and Red Rider” and the title reflects that change. The album would go on to earn Junos for Group of the Year and Composer of the Year for Cochrane. The album also peaked at number 116 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

The first single was “Boy Inside the Man’, and that intro still takes me right back to that Summer of 1986. The song chronicles a man looking back on his life lived. Tom Cochrane and Red Rider consider it their signature song, and end every show with it.

It represents an evolution in their sound, marking a departure from their previous successes. However, “Boy Inside the Man”, peaked at number 25 in Canada and number 17 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. That charting surprised me as much as it did for “Lunatic Fringe”, which are two Canadian classics.

The next single, “The Untouchable One”, is another fabulous song. It peaked at number 70 in Canada and number 48 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

There would be two more singles, “One More Time (Some Old Habits)”, which peaked at number 85 in Canada, and “Ocean Blues (Emotion Blue)”, which peaked at number 88 in Canada.

I also recall hearing these songs on radio.

Tom Cochrane and Red Rider had entered a new phase in their career as their popularity increased.

The big leagues
The band was back in 1988 with their sixth album, “Victory Day.” It came out in September of 1988, just when I was starting my second year of university and a job as a residence student leader. I didn’t even know it had come out. When I was visiting my friend Kim McDonald, this song I had never heard but sounded like Red Rider was playing on MuchMusic in the lounge. Kim told me it was a new song about a man talking about his son. The boy died, and had strived to make the pros after earning a college hockey scholarship.

“Big League” was Red Rider’s most popular song to date. It went all the way to number four in Canada and number nine on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

The next single “Good Times”, peaked at number two in Canada. It was followed by the title track “Victory Day”, which hit number 32 in Canada, and “Different Drummer”, which hit number 67 in Canada.

“Victory Day”, the album, would go on to earn three Juno nominations.

The years after
Cochrane once again struck out on his own, achieving his greatest success. In 1991, he released his second solo album “Mad Mad World”. It would go on to sell more than one million copies in Canada, sell more than 500,000 copies in the States, peak at number one on the Canadian album chart and go to number 46 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album also won four Junos for Album of the Year, Single of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year.

The first single, “Life is a Highway”, became Cochrane’s biggest hit and is an iconic Canadian song of the ‘90s. It peaked at number one in Canada and went all the way to number six on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

The album went on to yield a number of great singles that occupied the charts and radio waves for the next year. The second single “No Regrets” peaked at number three in Canada and number seven on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart; “Sinking Like a Sunset”, peaked at number two in Canada ; the title track “Mad Mad World” peaked at number 25; “Washed Away” peaked at number seven in Canada and went to number 88 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart; and “Bigger Man” peaked at number 45 in Canada.

He released his third solo album “Ragged Ass Road” in 1995, and it just continued producing hits. The first single was “I Wish You Well” which peaked at number one in Canada; “Wildest Dreams”, which peaked at number five in Canada; and “Dreamer’s Dream” which peaked at number four in Canada.

“Crawl” was the final single released from “Ragged Ass Road”, peaking at number 11 in Canada. That is Cochrane’s last top 20 hit to date.

Tom Cochrane was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003; invested as an officer in the Order of Canada in 2008; inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2009; and was recently inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Parting thoughts
What can you really say about Tom Cochrane that hasn’t been said? He's an incredible singer and songwriter. He is a storyteller who, I know, resonates with me, especially with “Boy Inside the Man”.

'Due in part to Canadian Content regulations, Cochrane and Red Rider were on radio a lot, but that’s because between the two of them they produced a lot of music.

They really are part of the tapestry of Canadian music, and a part of the soundtrack of growing up in the ‘80s for me.

Whenever I hear “Boy Inside the Man”, I am taken back to the Summer of 1986, taking driver’s ed, staying at my sister’s place, going to Bonanza for all you can eat shrimp with my friend Randy Skiba, and so much more.

“Krull”: A movie on a quest

The movie poster for the 1983 movie "Krull".

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krull_%28film%29

(May be subject to copyright)

A few days ago I reflected back on a time in junior high. I had this idea I wanted to pursue, and planned to use it to write a novel. I was the going to enter it in a contest my teacher told my class about.

It was about a space adventurer named Johnny Hawk who had a spaceship called the “Hawkeye”. He was kind of patterned after Han Solo, who has always been my favourite character in the “Star Wars” universe. Even the “Hawkeye” was a homage to Han Solo’s ship the “Millennium Falcon”.

He would become involved with a race of people being oppressed, assemble a team, and organize a revolt that would lead them to freedom.

Yet, there were other influences on my writing. I had read about this movie in “Starlog” magazine, called “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” that seemed to have a character like the one I wanted to write. I also read about another movie, called “Krull”, which came out in 1983. It is about a prince whose planet is invaded by an evil force. He organizes a rebellion and drives out his planet’s oppressor.

I never did see “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” or “Krull” back then. Maybe that is why I never pursued Johnny Hawk or the crusade he led. Not even to this day, when I have developed a lot of my other ideas from that period into full-blown novels during National Novel Writing Month.

Awhile back, I saw “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” and “Krull” were going to air on this ‘80s movie channel, so I set the PVR. A few days ago I watched “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone”, and tonight I watched “Krull”, approximately 40 years after it came out,

I was not at all disappointed by either movie.

The movie
Krull is a planet that is invaded by an alien called The Beast who destroys the army and kidnaps a princess. Her beau, Prince Colwyn, played by a young Ken Marshall, sets out to rescue her. He assembles a rag tag band, but they face insurmountable odds. The Beast has superior technology and weapons that will easily overpower the medieval swords and shields Colwyn’s band has.

However, there is an ancient, mythical weapon called “The Glave”. It could be the great equalizer in facing The Beast.

Colwyn ultimately finds “The Glave”, uses it to defeat The Beast and rescues the beautiful princess.

Worth the wait
Reviews were mixed about “Krull” when it came out in 1983. It was called derivative with a nonsensical plot, and was a box office bomb at the time. It has since developed a cult following.

I really liked “Krull”. The special effects are campy, as they tended to be back in 1983, but the plot ticks all the boxes for me. It has a likable hero on a quest. He assembles a diverse group of warriors with different skills and motivations, many of whom die on the quest, and they ultimately rescue the princess and restore order.

If memory serves, I saw this movie one summer when I was home from university, but did not remember it at all. This was definitely the first time I saw it uncut.

Like ”Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone”, “Krull” was worth the wait.

Parting thoughts
After seeing first “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” and now “Krull”, I am starting to think about resurrecting Johnny Hawk and finally sending him on that quest after 40 years.

Given that the first four novels I completed during various National Novel Writing Months were ideas I had back in the ‘80s when I was in my teens, this just seems like the next logical step.

Heather Locklear: Pulling double duty

She seemed to be on TV all the time in the ‘80s. One minute she was a vamp, stealing the heart of a gay man. At the same time, she was a police officer and the daughter of the commanding officer.

Such was the life of Heather Locklear, who just used the ‘80s as a jumping off point to a prosperous career that continues to this day.

Earliest roles
Heather Locklear studied at UCLA where Wikipedia reveals she began modeling and working in commercials for the school store.

Her earliest on-screen roles were in the series “CHiPs”; “240-Robert”; “Eight is Enough”; and the movie “Twirl.”

Her career took off in the next two years with not one, but two recurring roles, in long-running TV series.

Dynasty
“Dynasty” was a night-time drama about Denver oil man Blake Carrrington and his wife Crystal. In 1981, Locklear joined the cast of “Dynasty” as Sammy-Jo Dean, Crystal’s scheming, conniving niece. She soon hooks up with Blake’s son Steven, who is closeted, and they ultimately marry and have a child together. It becomes clear quickly she is a gold digger, and their relationship remains on and off throughout the run of the series as they struggle with each other and their shared son.

Locklear appeared in “Dynasty” from 1981 to 1989, for 127 episodes from seasons two through nine, as well as “Dynasty: The Reunion” in 1991.

I distinctly recall how duplicitous, and outright evil, Sammy-Jo could be. She would act sweet and innocent to someone’s face, then stab them in the back. Locklear had this ability to put an angelic look on her face, which quickly turned sly and scheming.

T.J Hooker
Locklear’s role on “Dynasty” began a long association with producer Aaron Spelling, that lasted decades.

“T.J. Hooker”, aired as a mid-season replacement in mid-March of 1982. William Shatner played the title character, a police detective whose partner was killed in the line of duty. Hooker returns to duty as a patrol officer to rid the streets of crime. In the pilot, he also returns to the police academy as an instructor.

He is teamed with a younger officer, Vince Romano, played by Adrian Zmed. Much is made about their age gap, but they become an effective pair. Of course, he has a commanding officer Dennis Sheridan, played by Richard Herd, who Hooker comes into conflict with. In the second season, Heather Locklear joined the cast for the remainder of the show’s run as Stacey Sheridan, another rookie police officer, and the commanding officer’s daughter.

Locklear appeared in “T.J. Hooker” from 1982 to 1986, for 84 episodes from seasons two through five.

Locklear’s portrayal of Stacey Sheridan was so striking, because it was such a stark contrast to Sammy-Jo. Stacey would have the same angelic look on her face – but it was genuine and sincere.

That was my first indication of just how great an actor Heather Locklear is.

However, she kept demonstrating that throughout the rest of the ‘80s.

Rest of the decade
Heather Locklear appeared in a lot of shows in addition to her recurring roles. Those included “The Fall Guy”; “Fantasy Island”; “Matt Houston”; “Tales of the Unexpected”; “Hotel”; “The Love Boat”; “The Fall Guy” again; and the television movies “City Killer” and “Rock ‘n’ Roll Mom”.

She also appeared in the movies “Firestarter” in 1984 and “The Return of the Swamp Thing” in 1989.

The years after
Heather Locklear would go on to have more prominent recurring roles in television series in the 1990s and beyond.

After several more television movies, and a 19-episode stint in a series called “Going Places”, Locklear landed the role of Amanda Woodward in “Melrose Place”, another Aaron Spelling production. She would appear in 199 episodes from 1993 to 1999 and be nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Drama in 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997.

After she finished “Melrose Place”, later in 1999 she joined the cast of “Spin City” opposite Michael J. Fox then Charlie Sheen. She would appear in 71 episodes in seasons four, five and six of the series. She was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2000 and 2002.

Locklear would appear in episodes of “Ally McBeal”; “Scrubs”; “Two and a Half Men”; “LAX”; “Boston Legal”; “Hannah Montana”; “Rules of Engagement”; an update of “Melrose Place” in the 2009-2010 season; “Hot in Cleveland”; “Franklin and Bash”; “Too Close to Home” for eight episodes; “Fresh Off the Boat”; and much more.

She appeared in movies such as “The First Wives Club”; “Money Talks”; “The Perfect Man”; “Game of Life”; “Scary Movie 5”; and much more.

Locklear was also known for high-profile marriages to musicians Tommy Lee of Motley Crue, from 1986 to 1993, and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi from 1994 to 2007.

Heather Locklear continues to act to this day.

Parting thoughts
Although Heather Locklear had her greatest success in the ‘90s with “Melrose Place” and “Spin City”, her career really got rolling in the ‘80s.

I still think it is really impressive she was able to pull off two very different roles on two different shows at the same time. I recall when she left “Dynasty” and joined “T.J. Hooker” soon after. That was not uncommon for an actor to leave one show then join another shortly after. I was surprised when she was back on “Dynasty” but stayed on “T.J. Hooker”.

That was a pretty unique thing to see, and must have taken a lot of work.

It also increased her profile and led to, essentially, continuous work for the next decade – and award winning work at that.

Her pulling double duty really paid off.

Tommy Lasorda: Dodger legend

Los Angeles Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda celebrating his team's World Series win in 1988.

Source: https://metsmerizedonline.com/dodgers-legend-tommy-lasorda-hospitalized/

(May be subject to copyright)

The memory is still clear in my mind – a silver-haired, middle-aged man in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform jumping for joy and rushing the field, his arms raised in triumph, celebrating as his team just won the 1988 World Series. In my lifetime and, especially growing up in the ‘80s, nothing so embodied the heart, history and legacy of the Los Angeles Dodgers more than its manager Tommy Lasorda.

Although he retired in 1996, and has been gone for three years now, his legacy lives on as the Dodgers attempt to win another World Series.

It’s his birthday today, and a great opportunity to look back at his most successful time – the 1980s.

Starting out
Tommy Lasorda played major league baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1954 to 1955, and the Kansas City Athletics in 1956. However, he played in the minors until 1960, when he was released in July from the Montreal Royals, the Dodgers top affiliate.

The Dodgers hired Lasorda as a scout in 1960. In 1965, he was named manager of the Pocatello Chiefs of the Pioneer League, a rookie league team in the Dodgers organization. The Chiefs moved to Ogden and became the Dodgers, and Lasorda managed them from 1966 to 1968. They won the Pioneer League championship all three years Lasorda managed them. In 1969, he was promoted to AAA to manage the Dodgers’ top affiliate the Spokane Indians of the Pacific Coast League. They won the league championship in 1970, moved to Albuquerque and became the Dukes in 1972, and won the league championship that same year.

Lasorda was promoted to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1973 when he was named third-base coach under legendary manager Walter Alston. Lasorda occupied the third-base box for four seasons, from 1973 to 1976. He was considered the logical successor to Alston, and turned down several major league managing jobs to stay with Dodgers.

Alston retired with four games left in 1976, and Lasorda assumed control of the team as interim manager. He managed the club those final four games, winning two and losing two, as the Dodgers finished second in the National League West Division.

Playoff bound
Lasorda became the full-time manager before the 1977 season. His first full season was a memorable one.

The major league playoff format was much different in the ‘70s, ‘80s, and into the ‘90s. There were four divisions – the National League and American League East and West – and only the regular season division champions made the playoffs. The East and West champions in each league played in the league championship series with the two winners advancing to the World Series.

In 1977, Tommy Lasorda’s first full year as manager, the Los Angeles Dodgers finished first in the National League West, with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses. They faced the National East Champion Philadelphia Phillies, dropping the first game but winning the next three straight to win the best-of-five National League Championship Series. They advanced to the World Series, where they were defeated by the New York Yankees in six games.

It was around this time I first heard of the Dodgers and Yankees in the World Series. I was in Grade 3 at St. Joseph’s School in Coaldale, and heard the score of a game on the radio, when I was on my way to school. I was reminded of it later on when I started watching baseball, and saw a highlight of Lasorda arguing a call in the 1977 World Series.

In 1978, the Dodgers repeated as National League West champions, with a record of 95 wins and 67 losses. The Dodgers again defeated the Phillies three games to one in the National League Championship Series, and again lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series in six games.

The Dodgers ended the decade with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses, good enough for third in the National League West in the 1979 season, and out of the playoffs.

As the ‘80s dawned, the Dodgers would rebound from that sub-.500 season and experience their greatest period of success under Tommy Lasorda.

Work stoppage to World Series
The Dodgers improved vastly in 1980, over the 1979 season, with a record of 92 wins and 71 losses, finishing second in the National League West, one game behind the division champion Houston Astros, who defeated the Dodgers in a one-game playoff.

The 1981 season would be like none other in Major League Baseball. A work stoppage halted play part way through the season. When it resumed, the league decided to do something different with the playoffs. The four teams that lead their divisions when play stopped, were declared first-half champions. Everyone then started with a new record. The leaders of each division would be declared second-half champions and play their first-half counterparts in a divisional best-of-five series. If the same team won both halves, the second-place team in the second half would play in the divisional series.

The Dodgers finished the first half with a record of 36 wins and 21 losses, good enough for first place in the National League West. Their record was 27 wins and 26 losses in the second half, but they had already locked up a spot in the divisional series. They again faced the Astros, but this time the Dodgers prevailed, going the distance and winning the series in five tough games.

Awaiting them in the National League Championship Series was my beloved Montreal Expos. The teams went back and forth, with everything coming down to a fifth and final game in Montreal. The Dodgers won it on a game-winning home run by Rick Monday, although the Expos did have their chances to tie the game.

Once more, the Dodgers would face their old nemesis the New York Yankees in the World Series. This time, the Dodgers prevailed, winning their first world championship since 1965, defeating the Yankees in six games.

Lasorda had taken his team to a world Series title in just his fifth season as manager.

Sporadic success
The Dodgers did not repeat as world champions in 1982, but still finished with a solid record of 88 wins and 74 losses, second in the National League West, one game back of the division champion Atlanta Braves.

Lasorda had the Dodgers back on top in 1983, going 91-71, and winning the National League West by three games over Atlanta. However, they ran into a rejuvenated Philadelphia Phillies team who defeated Los Angeles in four games in the National League Championship Series.

However, Lasorda was rewarded for the job he did with the 1983 National League Manager of the Year award.

In 1984, the Dodgers plummeted to fourth place in the National League West, and out of the playoffs, with a record of 79 wins and 83 losses.

Yet, in 1985, Lasorda had the Dodgers back on top again, going 95-67 to win the National League West, but falling in six games to the St. Louis Cardinals after jumping out to a 2-0 series lead. This was the first season the National League Championship Series expanded to a best-of-seven format.

The up and down performance of the Dodgers continued in 1986, as they dropped to fifth place in the National League West with 73 wins and 89 losses.

Things weren’t much better in 1987, as Los Angeles finished with the same record of 73 wins and 80 losses, but this time it was good enough for fourth in the National League West.

Things would then change dramatically for Tommy Lasorda and the Dodgers in a season that was memorable for one dramatic play.

I can’t believe what I just saw…
The Dodgers were again the best in the National League West in 1988 with a record of 94 wins and 67 losses. They faced the New York Mets, who were two years removed from winning the World Series. The teams went the distance before the Dodgers defeated the Mets in seven tough games in the National League Championship Series.

They were heavy underdogs in the World Series, playing an Oakland A’s that had won 104 games in the regular season and swept the Boston Red Sox four straight in the American League Championship Series. The A’s had everything – hitting; defence; power; and Dennis Eckersley, the best reliever in baseball.

The World Series pivoted on Game 1. The A’s led going into the bottom of the ninth, and brought in Eckersley to close the game. He easily got out the first two batters, but then the Dodgers sprang to life. They worked a walk, then Lasorda made perhaps the most famous move in his career.

He brought in pinch hitter Kirk Gibson, who was battling injury, and barely able to walk. After fouling off a number of pitches, including one off his injured leg, he launched a home run into the seats.

Announcer Jack Buck described the situation best when he said, “I can’t believe what I just saw…;”

Improbably, the Dodgers won the game and deflated the A’s. Los Angeles would go on to win the World Series in five games. It was Lasorda’s fourth World Series appearance as manager, and second win. He also won his second National League Manager of the Year award in 1988.

The Dodgers would close out the decade, falling to fourth in the National League West in 1989 with a record of 77 wins and 83 losses.

The years after
Tommy Lasorda would keep on managing the Dodgers until 1996, resigning part way through the season. He took the Dodgers to two more National League West first place finishes. In 1994 Los Angeles finished first but the season was cancelled because of a players’ strike. In 1995, the divisions realigned from two to three and the playoffs were expanded to four teams, with the three division champions joined by a wild card. The Dodgers finished first again in the National League West, but lost in the new divisional series to the Cincinnati Reds.

Lasorda ended his career with a record of 1,599 wins and 1,439 losses. He also won 31 games and lost 30 in the postseason.

He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

Memories
There are a few interesting memories of Tommy Lasorda. Wikipedia reminded me of something I actually recall from his time as manager. The Dodgers for generations have had a deep farm system to develop players. I knew this in part because I regularly took in games of their rookie league team the Lethbridge Dodgers, who sent several players to the major leagues. Lasorda managed nine players who were named National League Rookie of the Year – Rick Sutcliffe in 1979; Steve Howe in 1980; Fernando Valenzuela in 1981; and Steve Sax in 1982. He then had another string with Eric Karros in 1992; Mike Piazza in 1993; Raul Mondesi in 1994; Hideo Nomo in 1995; and Todd Hollandsworth in 1996.

I had always heard Lasorda was a players’ manager. They liked him because he took an interest in their lives, learned the names of their wives and children, asked about them regularly, and socialized with his players.

He also spoke Spanish, which enabled him to communicate with the Latin American players. That was an area the Dodgers had developed a lot of players from. It was also a big part in the ascendance of Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. Lasorda routinely talked to him in Spanish, interpreting for him with the media too.

Another interesting thing about Lasorda was the way he seemed to be the unofficial spokesman for fallen Dodgers. Whenever a Dodger great died, the media always seemed to ask Lasorda for comment, and he gave some good ones.

When pitcher Don Drysdale died, Lasorda shared this story. The manager instructed Drysdale to intentionally walk a batter. Drysdale responded, “Why don’t I just hit him instead and save three pitches.”

Catcher Roy Campanella had been paralyzed from the waist down in a car accident. When he died, Lasorda said, “I know Roy is up there now, walking with the Lord.”

Parting thoughts
Tommy Lasorda will always be one of my favourite characters in baseball. He was a manager who could not only get the most out of his players, but they wanted to play for him.

I can still hear Vin Scully’s voice when Lasorda chose to send in an injured Kirk Gibson to pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth inning, with two out in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.

“Lasorda is choosing to roll the dice…”

Yes, he did, and the result was one of the most iconic moments in baseball history.

That’s the kind of manager Tommy Lasorda was.

Christopher Reeve: A super man more than Superman

Christopher Reeve as Superman in the '80s.

Source: https://www.aruma.com.au/resources/blog/christopher-reeve-the-life-of-the-man-of-steel/

(May be subject to copyright)

There may be no greater irony. The man who played Superman, a hero who could withstand burning buildings, speeding bullets and colliding with speeding trains, being paralyzed from the neck down in a horseback riding accident.

However, no matter what Christopher Reeve did before his accident, it was eclipsed by everything he did after his accident right up to his untimely death.

Celebrating his birth 72 years ago today is a good way to commemorate an acting career that was short, but turned into a life of philanthropy.

Faster than a speeding a bullet…
Since I can remember, Superman was part of my life. Growing up, my older brother and sister had collected Superman comics. When I got old enough I read them too.

So, I was really excited when I heard Superman was coming to life.

“Superman: The Movie” came out in December of 1978. I remember it well because my family had gathered to celebrate Christmas in Lethbridge, and my cousins had all decided to go see “Superman” at the Paramount Theatre in downtown Lethbridge. My cousin Doris was running late, so we had to get going to make the movie. We had just settled into our seats, and the previews had started, when Doris joined us. Her older brother Vern was heading back to Calgary, and dropped her at the theatre.

When the movie began, I remember thinking how weird it was to see all these images I had seen drawn up in comic books, now coming to life. It really was not what I had expected, but that is usually the case.

It all kind of seemed surreal, but it was good.

Probably 15 minutes into the movie, Clark Kent and Superman made their first appearance.

They were played by Christopher Reeve, an actor who just had one movie acting credit to that point, a movie called “Gray Lady Down.”

Reeve looked like the Superman of comic books, and acted pretty much as he was written by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Clark was a bumbling, stumbling, and stammering but endearing nebbish, while Superman was understated, letting his heroic deeds do his speaking for him.

It would be the first of four movies in which Reeve played the Man of Steel.

The sequels and beyond
I had read the producers shot “Superman: The Movie” and “Superman II” at the same time. That may have been why “Superman II” came out just two years later, in 1980. In the meantime, Reeve made another movie.

In “Somewhere in Time”, which also came out in 1980, Reeve plays a man who falls in love with a woman he sees in a photo from 1912, played by Jane Seymour. He hypnotizes himself into believing he is back in 1912 to find love with her. I recall seeing the first part of this movie in Grade 11, up to when he hypnotizes himself. I found out how it ended at school the next day when my friend David Perlich explained it to me.

Reeve was also in “Deathtrap” opposite Michael Caine and Dyan Cannon, and “Monsignor” with Genevieve Bujold, both in 1982.

The third installment of the superhero series, “Superman III”, came out in 1983 with Richard Pryor joining the party as a new bad guy. I recall my Mom taking me to a matinee of this movie.

Reeve was then in “The Bostonians” opposite Vanessa Redgrave in 1984, and “The Aviator” in 1985, opposite Rosanna Arquette.

In 1987, Reeve was in “Street Smart” with Morgan Freeman, and the final super hero movie, “Superman IV: The Quest for Peace”.

His final movie of the decade was “Switching Cannels” in 1988, opposite Kathleen Turner and Burt Reynolds.

TV time
Christopher Reeve also appeared on TV. He actually got his start on the soap opera “Love of Life” from 1974 to 1976. In the ‘80s, he was in the television film “Anna Karenina” and the documentary “Dinosaur!” in 1985; and “The Great Escape II: The Untold Story” in 1988. He was also in episodes of “The Muppet Show”, “Saturday Night Live”, and “Faerie Tale Theatre.”

The years after
Reeve would keep on acting through the first part of the 1990s, until tragedy struck.

He appeared in the movies “Noises Off”; “Morning Glory”; “The Remains of the Day”; “Speechless”; and “Village of the Damned”.

On television, he made appearances in episodes of “Carol and Company”; “Road to Avonlea”; “Tales from the Crypt”; lent his voice to an episode of “Frasier”; and was in the miniseries western “Black Fox”. He was in TV movies such as “The Rose and the Jackal’; “Bump in the Night”; “Death Dreams’; “Nightmare in the Daylight”; “Mortal Sins”; “The Sea Wolf”; and “Above Suspicion”.

In 1995, he was paralyzed from the neck down after falling from a horse.

After his accident, Reeve did work in TV movies, narrating “Without Pity: A Film About Abilities”; made a cameo in “A Step Toward Tomorrow”; and directed “In the Gloaming”, where he was nominated in 1997 for an Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special. He directed and starred in “Rear Window”, where he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor Miniseries or Television Film, and won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie. He directed “The Brooke Ellison Story” as well.

Reeve was also in the series “Sesame Street”; “The Practice”; and the Superman-based series “Smallville” for two episodes, which were just awesome.

He was given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997.

Philanthropy
Christopher Reeve had been an activist before his accident but, after his accident, he lobbied for spinal injury research, better insurance coverage for people with disabilities and, with his wife, started the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Sadly, in 2004 he died in hospital from heart failure.

He was 52 years old.

Parting thoughts
Christopher Reeve has written two books, “Still Me” and “Nothing is Impossible”. I read them both, and I was struck by how positive and hopeful he was in both of them.

It reflects the same hope and positivity embodied by the Superman ideal.

That’s why Christopher Reeve is a super man more than Superman to me.

“Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone”: worth the wait for me

From left are Peter Strauss and Molly Ringwald in the 1983 film "Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone".

Source: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/spacehunter_adventures_in_the_forbidden_zone

(May be subject to copyright)

When I was in junior high, I loved science fiction and always wanted to be a writer. I wrote some science fiction, mostly in tandem with David Perlich, a close friend and partner. We published a weekly serial called “Space Search”, which was a cheap knock-off of “Star Trek”, that we sold to our classmates and friends.

Then, in Grade 7, one of our teachers told us about a novel writing contest by Avon Books.

I had this idea I wanted to pursue and planned to use it to write a novel to enter in that contest.

It was about a space adventurer named Johnny Hawk who had a spaceship called the “Hawkeye”. He was kind of patterned after Han Solo, who has always been my favourite character in the “Star Wars” universe. Even the “Hawkeye” was a homage to Han Solo’s ship the “Millennium Falcon”.

Yet, there was another influence on my writing. I had read about this movie in “Starlog” magazine that seemed to have a character like the one I wanted to write.

I never did see “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone”, which came out in 1983, and maybe that is why I never pursued Johnny Hawk. Not even to this day when I have developed a lot of my other ideas from that period into full-blown novels during National Novel Writing Month.

Awhile back, I saw “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” was going to air on this ‘80s movie channel, so I set the PVR. Tonight, approximately 40 years after it came out, I finally watched “Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone”.

I was not at all disappointed.

The movie
A space cruise ship is damaged and three women from Earth, fleeing the ship in an escape pod, land on the nearest planet. They are soon taken prisoner by pirates.

An alert is sent offering a reward for the safe return of the three women. Wolff, played by Peter Strauss, is a former soldier of fortune who now supports himself by doing salvage operations. He hears the message, identifies the planet the women have landed on, and pursues them. After all, he needs the money to pay off some debt and fix his ship.

He goes to the planet and, using his land cruiser called a scrambler, finds a fight going on between the pirates and zoners, who are bandits from an area called the Forbidden Zone. The zoners flee with the women, and take them to the Forbidden Zone. It is an area now ruled by Overdog McNabb, played by Canadian Michael Ironside, who turns out to be an old enemy of Wolff’s.

Wolff enters the Forbidden Zone, and the adventure begins. He happens upon a young waif named Niki, played by a very young Molly Ringwald, who is also from Earth and claims to know where to go. Against his better judgement, Wolff takes Niki with him.

Soon, they encounter someone else, also looking to rescue the women and claim the reward. His name is Washington, played by Ernie Hudson, who previously served with Wolff in the military. Initially, they are rivals, but eventually decide to work together.

They sneak into Overdog McNabb’s fortress, rescue the women, and destroy the fortress, getting out just in time.

In the end, Wolff has Niki, the three women and Washington back in his spaceship. He invites them all to Earth.

Niki agrees, but only if they are actual partners.

Wolff agrees.

Worth the wait
“Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone” was pretty much what I expected it to be. It was a quest, made by a leader, who assembled a bit of a ragtag team to rescue some trapped women.

Critics may say the movie has not aged well. However, that is only when you look at the special effects which are vintage for 1983.

I liked the story, and especially the performances. I noticed it has developed a cult following and I can see why. It is a solid story, and Peter Strauss in particular is a charismatic main character. Wolff is tough, resourceful, fair, and sensitive – a lot like Han Solo. Molly Ringwald and Ernie Hudson are also engaging, especially with Strauss. They all have good on-screen chemistry.

Michael Ironside is a bit of a cartoon villain, but the movie is campy anyway, and doesn’t try to take itself too seriously.

The word that keeps coming to mind is romp.

“Spacehunter” is a romp through the Forbidden Zone.

It took 41 years, but it was worth the wait.

Parting thoughts
I have built up quite a large collection of ‘80s movies on my PVR, taking up about 50 per cent of the total space.

There are so many I wanted to see, but for a variety of reasons, never could. I have recorded them as I have seen them being aired, and slowly am working through the list.

“Spacehunter: Adventures through the Forbidden Zone” was one such movie.

Now that I have seen it, something has come to mind. I am inspired to maybe pick up the adventures of Johnny Hawk and the “Hawkeye” once more.

However, before I do that, there is another movie I read about, but did not see, that may provide some inspiration.

It is called “Krull”, and it sits on my PVR as we speak.

Rosalind Chao: TV wife to the stars and more

Rosalind Chao, at left, as Soon-lee in "M*A*S*H", with co-star Jamie Farr, playing Max Klinger.

Source: https://www4.fusionmovies.to/character/YEaz0kmVyv/soon-lee-soon-lee-klinger

(May be subject to copyright)

Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger was an American soldier during the Korean War who desperately wanted to get home to his beloved Toledo and his wife Laverne. An uncle had earned a discharge from the army by dressing as a woman until he was given a Section 8. That meant he was deemed mentally unfit for service and was sent home.

Klinger tried to do the same thing, and even had some of his uncle’s old dresses. As hard as he tried, he never got the Section 8. However, he never stopped longing to go home, even after Laverne ran off with another man.

This was the story line through to the final episode of the legendary sitcom “M*A*S*H”. Yet, when everyone else actually was headed home, Maxwell Q. Klinger stayed behind in Korea.

What an Earth could keep a man so desperate to go home, from doing so?

Why it was a woman, a very special woman at that.

Klinger had met Soon-Lee, a local Korean girl who he fell madly in love with. They would marry, eventually go home, and star in the sequel to the series, called “AfterMASH”.

Rosalind Chao played Soon-Lee, and would go on to a long, productive acting career that would include another turn as the strong wife of another dynamic character.

It is her birthday today, reminding me of the woman who, improbably, kept Maxwell Q. Klinger from going home when the Korean War ended.

BeforeMASH
Rosalind Chao began acting at the age of five. Her first role was, at the age of 13, on an episode of “Here’s Lucy” in 1970. She was the daughter of a laundry owner.

Chao would also have guest roles in TV shows such as “Anna and the King”; “Kung Fu”; “ABC Afterschool Specials”; “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries”; “Kojak”; “The Incredible Hulk”; “How the West Was Won”; “Emergency! The Convention”; “The Amazing Spider-Man”; “A Man Called Sloane”; “The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo”; “One Day at a Time”; “Diff’rent Strokes” for eight episodes; “Bring ‘em Back Alive”; and TV movies such as “Mysterious Island of Beautiful Women”; “The Harlem Globe Trotters on Gilligan’s Island”; “Twirl”; and “The Terry Fox Story”.

Her first film role was in 1980 in “The Big Brawl”; followed in 1981 by both “Spider-Man: The Dragon’s Challenge” and the Chuck Norris film “An Eye for an Eye”; and in 1983 by “Going Berserk”.

Then, in 1983, she had her breakthrough role.

The marrying woman
Chao played Soon-Lee in the final episodes of “M*A*S*H”, capturing the heart of Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger. They were married on February 28, 1983 in the show’s series finale “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen”. It was the most watched American sitcom television episode of all time.

Now Soon-Lee Klinger, she moved back to the United States with her new husband Max in the sequel to “M*A*S*H”, fittingly called “AfterMASH”. They would also have a child.

The show ran two seasons, from 1983 to 1985, for 30 episodes when it was cancelled.

Yet, that was just the beginning for Rosalind Chao.

The rest of the decade
Rosalind Chao stayed busy through the rest of the decade, appearing in movies such as “Slam Dance”; “The Tribulations of a Chinese Gentleman”; and “White Ghost.”

She was much more popular in TV shows such as “Riptide”; “Falcon Crest” for four episodes; “Jack and Me”; “St. Elsewhere”; “The A-Team”; “American Playhouse”; “Spies”; “Stingray”; “Max Headroom”; “Private Eye”; “Beauty and the Beast”; “Tour of Duty”; the TV movie “Shooter”; “Miami Vice”; and “Jake and the Fatman”.

Chao would stay just as busy in the ensuing decades, and came upon another role that made her part of the canon of one of the most popular series on the planet.

Bound for space
After a role in the TV movie “Drug Wars: The Camarena Story”; guest roles in the series “Against the Law”and “Thirtysomething”; and movie roles in “Denial”, “Thousand Pieces of Gold”, and “Memoirs of an Invisible Man” with Chevy Chase; Rosalind Chao got her next big role.

She was cast as Keiko O’Brien, botanist and wife of Miles O’Brien, chief engineer of the United Star Ship Enterprise in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. In some ways she was like Soon-Lee, strong and supportive of her husband.

Chao appeared in eight episodes of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” in 1991-1992; then moved over to “Star Trek Deep Space Nine” when O’Brien transferred to the space station. She appeared in 19 episodes of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” from 1993 to 1999 over the seven seasons of the show.

The years after
Rosalind Chao continues acting to this day in both film and television.

She had a major role in the movie “Joy Luck Club”; as well as roles in “North”; “Love Affair”; “The End of Violence”; “What Dreams May Come”; “Enemies of Laughter”; “The Man from Elysian Fields”; “I Am Sam”; “Freaky Friday”; “Life of the Party”; “Just Like Heaven”; “Nanking”; Mulan”; and much more. She is also set to appear in the sequel “Freakier Friday” in 2025.

Chao also has done a lot of TV work in shows such as “Murder, She Wrote: “Chicago Hope”; “The Magic School Bus”; “Brimstone”; “Get Real”; “ER”; “Family Law”; “Gideon’s Crossing”; “The West Wing”; “Arliss”; “Citizen Baines”;”Once and Again”; “Dharma & Greg”; “MDs”; “The OC”; “Without a Trace”; “Monk”; “Six Feet Under”; “According to Jim”; “Grey’s Anatomy”; “Private Practice”; “CSI”; “Law and Order: Criminal Intent”; “Don’t Trus the B---- in Apartment 23”; “Bones”; “Intelligence”; “Shameless”; “The Neighbors”; “Forever”; “Castle”; “Hawaii Five-O”; “Black-ish”; “This is Us”; “Better Things”; and most recently this year in “3 Body Problem”.

Parting thoughts
When I hear the name Rosalind Chao I immediately think of two roles. One was Soon-Lee Klinger, the person who did what no one else could – give Max Klinger a reason to stay in Korea when he desperately wanted to go home. The other was Keiko O’Brien, the wife of the chief engineer of the U.S.S. Enterprise then the space station Deep Space Nine.

In both cases she was an Asian woman married to a white military man; a strong, supportive wife who also held her husband to account; and a wife who bore her husband children.

The interesting thing is, I don’t see Rosalind Chao as typecast, because as much as the roles have in common, they were very different. Soon-Lee was a refugee in a war-torn country struggling to survive. Keiko O’Brien was an educated professional in a time where poverty had been eliminated and there was more time for intellectual pursuits.

Rosalind Chao’s talent showed in her portrayal of these two iconic characters. They were not one and the same but uniquely distinct, and interesting on their own merits.

Toni Basil: Oh Mickey, you don’t understand

It was the darkened gymnasium at St. Joseph’s School in Coaldale, I was in Grade 7, and a Grade 8er named Raelene asked me to dance.

We were out in front of the stage, the strobe lights from Sounds Unlimited flashing all around, and she was belting out the words…

“Oh Mickey, what a pity you don’t understand…”

It was one of my first junior high dances, and one of the first times a girl older than me asked me to dance.

It was 1982, and the song was “Mickey” by Toni Basil.

It is her birthday today, reminding me of that dance and much more.

The song
“Mickey” may be one of the biggest one hit wonders of the ‘80s. Wikipedia reveals it was actually a cover of the song “Kitty”, released in 1979 by the band Racey. Basil added the chant “Oh Mickey, you’re so fine”, something the original song did not contain.

The song was released on January 3, 1982 and went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart as well as Canada and Australia.

It was later spoofed in 1983 by Weird Al Yankovic, with his parody “Ricky”. It was a homage to Lucy and Ricky Ricardo from the 1950s comedy “I Love Lucy”.

Words get in the way
One night, my parents and I were visiting at my sister’s, and my cousin Doris was also there. I had the “Mickey” ear worm in my head, and was singing it over and over. My cousin kept correcting me because I was getting the words wrong.

I often did.

The artist
Although Toni Basil may have been a one-hit wonder as a singer, she has had a prolific career in dance and acting as well.

Her dance career started in 1964 when she was an assistant choreographer as well as dancer on “Shindig!” Later that year she was a lead dancer in “Pajama Party” and a dancer in the Elvis Presley movie “Viva Las Vegas”. Basil choreographed films in the 1960s such as “Village of the Giants”; “The Cool Ones”; and the Monkees’ 1968 film “Head”. She also choreographed some episodes of “The Carol Burnett Show”.

Basil would go on to choreograph music videos by the Talking Heads such as “Once in a Lifetime”; tours for David Bowie including his “Glass Spider Tour” in 1987; and work with Bette Midler and Tina Turner. Basil would also be a guest judge on “So You Think You Can Dance?”

She did film choreography for movies such as “American Graffiti”; “The Rose”; “Peggy Sue Got Married”; “Something to Talk About”; “That Thing You Do”; “My Best Friend’s Wedding”; “Legally Blonde”; and “Charlie Wilson’s War”.

Basil also had an acting career, appearing in movies such as “Easy Rider”; “Five Easy Pieces”; “The Last Movie”; “Mother, Jugs & Speed”; and others; and television shows such as “Laverne & Shirley”; “Dark Justice”; and “Baywatch Nights”.

Parting thoughts
“Mickey” is an ear worm that takes me back to that junior high dance every time I hear it, and to that moment in my sister’s kitchen when my cousin corrected me on the song’s words.

What I did not know was just how interesting and long a career Toni Basil had as a dancer, choreographer and actor.

It’s ironic, because I have never seen the video for “Mickey”.

Remembering John Houseman: Much more than Professor Kingsfield

John Houseman as Professor Charles Kingsfield in "The Paper Chase".

Source: https://www.tvinsider.com/people/john-houseman/

(May be subject to copyright)

The overriding image many people have of John Houseman is the serious, straight-faced law professor he played in the movie “The Paper Chase” and the subsequent TV series.

A few years ago, I read Houseman’s autobiography, expecting to read all about “The Paper Chase” and beyond. However, that made up a small part of the entire story.

In fact, he said something very interesting about that role. Houseman said he played that part, and it became the same role he played for the next decade – but it was just a role.

It was not the actual John Houseman.

Although he died in 1988, John Houseman was born 122 years ago today.

It reminded me of that comment he made about not being Professor Charles Kingsfield, just playing him.

The early years
John Houseman’s career dates back to 1930. It is highlighted by a lot of work in theatre, some movies, and finally in television.

Early on his career featured a collaboration with Orson Welles, which started when Houseman convinced Welles to star in a play Houseman was staging called “Panic”. That forged a partnership between the two.

In 1936, Houseman headed the Federal Theatre Project, which was part of the Works Progress Administration. It put unemployed theatre performers and employees to work. Houseman immediately hired Welles, assigning him to direct a production of “Macbeth”. They would collaborate on another production, “The Cradle Will Rock”, but controversy led to Houseman being fired and Welles resigning.

That in turn led to their formation of the Mercury Theatre in 1937. They staged productions such as “Julius Caesar”; “The Shoemaker’s Holiday”; and “Danton’s Death”. The Mercury Theatre moved to radio in the summer of 1938 with a weekly dramatic radio program. The most famous production was the adaptation of H.G. Wells’ “The War of the Worlds”, which panicked much of the country.

The collaboration of Houseman and Welles continued onto the big screen. They began work on a production that evolved into “Citizen Kane”, but Houseman was the businessman and Welles the artist. When faced with financial issues, they parted company. Houseman did return to oversee screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, and ended up having an influence on shaping the story.

Houseman returned to theatre, directing “The Devil and Daniel Webster”; and “Liberty Jones”. He also produced the Mercury Theatre’s “Native Son”, directed by Welles.

Houseman returned to Hollywood, producing movies such as “Jane Eyre” in 1943. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Houseman quit his job and became head of the overseas division of the Office of War Information, working for the Voice of America.

In 1945, he returned to Hollywood producing movies for a number of different studios. Those productions included the classic “The Blue Dahlia”; “Letter from an Unknown Woman”; “They Live by Night”; “The Company She Keeps”; “On Dangerous Ground”; “The Bad and the Beautiful”; “Julius Caesar”, for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Picture; “Executive Suite”; “Lust for Life”; and more.

He also kept returning to Broadway to produce shows such as “Lute Song”; “Joy to the World”; “King Lear”; “Measure for Measure”; “The Duchess of Malfi”; and more.

Houseman began producing television shows as well, such as “Playhouse 90”; “Dillinger”; and “The Great Adventure”, and he taught acting at both the Juilliard School and the Acting Company.

However, I came to know John Houseman through his acting, which began in the latter part of his career.

Moving in front of the camera
John Houseman’s first movie role was in 1938 in “Too Much Johnson”, directed by Orson Welles. His next role was 26 years later in “Seven Days in May” in 1964.

His acting career took a different trajectory in 1973 when he played law professor Charles Kingsfield in “The Paper Chase”. He is absolutely amazing in this role as a tough, demanding, but fair contract law professor. For his efforts, he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor Motion Picture.

He followed that up with roles in “Rollerball” and “Three Days of the Condor” both in 1975; “St. Ives” in 1976; “The Cheap Detective” in 1978; and “Old Boyfriends” in 1979.

Houseman also started appearing on television, starting with an episode of “Great Performances” in 1975, then the TV movie “Fear on Trial”; the miniseries “The Adams Chronicles”; and more TV movies.

In 1976, he appeared as the villain in one of my all-time favourite episodes of “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Bionic Woman”. “Kill Oscar” is a three-part crossover story where Houseman plays Dr. Lee Franklin, a disaffected scientist. He creates a fleet of female robots called fembots, and intends to use them to take over the world through an experimental weather machine.

As Houseman said in his autobiography, Dr. Franklin is just an evil version of Professor Kingsfield. Still, it is an awesome performance and story line.

Houseman kept on appearing in miniseries such as “Captains and the Kings”, “Washington: Behind Closed Doors”, “Aspen”, “The French Atlantic Affair”, and more.

In 1978, he reprised the role of Professor Kingsfield for the TV adaptation of “The Paper Chase”, which ran until 1986. The role earned him Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor Television Series Drama in 1978 and 1979.

The 1980s were about to start, and it would be the last decade of Houseman’s life.

Through it, he kept on working.

In the movies
Houseman continued appearing in movies such as “The Fog”; “Wholly Moses!”, opposite Dudley Moore; “My Bodyguard”, with Canadian Chris Makepeace; “Ghost Story”; “Murder by Phone”; “Bright Lights, Big City”, with Michael J. Fox and Kiefer Sutherland; “Another Woman”; “Scrooged”; and his final film role in 1988 in “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!”.

His television work was prolific, including TV movies such as “Gideon’s Trumpet”, “The Babysitter”, and “A Christmas Without Snow”; miniseries such as “Marco Polo”, “A.D.”, “Noble House”, and “Lincoln”; and TV shows such as “The Associates”, “Mork and Mindy”, and “227”.

He was also in two productions I dearly remember and loved.

Grandfather dearest
“Silver Spoons”, which debuted in 1982, focuses on Edward Stratton III, played by Joel Higgins. He is a wealthy playboy, but also a man who never grew up. Suddenly, he is forced to grow up in a hurry. Edward is confronted by Ricky Stratton, played by Ricky Schroder. He is Edward’s son from a brief marriage who now comes to live with him.

John Houseman plays Edward’s father. It is another version of Professor Kingsfield, only with a comedic twist at times. He is serious and straight-laced most of the time, but he is brilliant when he cracks a joke or has to deal with some unforeseen situation.

“Silver Spoons” ran from 1982 to 1987 for five seasons and 116 episodes.

In war time
“Winds of War”, which aired in 1983, was based on the 1,000-plus-page novel by Herman Wouk. It centered on Victor “Pug” Henry and his family. Henry was an envoy for the United States government in the late 1930s, and he toured the world, providing the perfect opportunity to see what was happening in Washington, London, Berlin, Rome and Moscow.

His middle child is Byron Henry, played by Jan-Michael Vincent. He falls in love with a Jewish woman, Natalie Jastrow, played by Ali McGaw,. Byron ends up in the navy, serving in battle, while Natalie is trapped in Poland with her grandfather Aaron, and ends up in a concentration camp.

Houseman played Aaron and was absolutely brilliant as the stubborn old man who refuses to leave his home simply because of his religion. He wants to stay and fight that anti-Semitism. For his efforts Houseman was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor Series, Miniseries or Television Film.

“Winds of War” remains one of my favourite books and miniseries.

Sadly, John Houseman died on October 31, 1988 of spinal cancer.

He was 86 years old.

Parting thoughts
When I was young, I saw Rich Little doing an impression of John Houseman – and it was Professor Kingsfield.

I have to admit, to me, John Houseman is Professor Kingsfield. It was the first role I saw him in. The next one was Dr. Franklin in “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “The Bionic Woman”, and the one after that was Ricky’s grandfather in “Silver Spoons”. All of them resemble Kingsfield in manner and tone.

His turn as Aaron Jastrow was similar, but the subject material was so much more serious and dramatic. Aaron Jastrow was a Jew suffering persecution and facing the possibility of going to a concentration camp. The role demanded a different kind of performance, and Houseman gave it.

However, as Houseman said in his book “Unfinished Business”, that role of Professor Kingsfield and its variations on a theme were only part of his career.

He did so much more, from theatre and teaching to radio, movies and that memorable collaboration with Orson Welles.

It was a large, productive life – much more than Professor Kingsfield.

Jim Croce: Time in a bottle

When my niece Jessica was born in 1986, my sister-in-law Candius used to sing to her to help her go to sleep. They would come to the farm regularly so Jessica could spend time with her grandparents and her uncle.

One Saturday morning, Jessica was crying and her mother started to sing to her.

“If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do…”

That song rang a bell.

Before that, I had heard it in a commercial for a greatest hits record.

It was “The Very Best of Jim Croce”. Candius told me she sang a few of his songs to Jessica, either to calm her down or help her sleep.

Sadly, Jim Croce died 51 years ago today in a plane crash at the age of 30. When I saw that, I was reminded of my first exposure to Croce and how, over the years, I have come to know his music well.

History
Jim Croce was born in Philaelphia, grew up in a town west of the city where he went to high school, and enrolled at Villanova University. Wikipedia reveals it was there he became a leader of the Villanova Singers, formed bands, and performed at frat parties, coffee houses, and universities around Philadelphia.

He released his first album in 1966, financed by a $500 wedding gift from his parents. They told him he had to use the money to record an album. Their hope was the failure would compel Croce to use his education to get a “real job”.

Unfortunately, for Mama and Papa Croce, their plan failed. Their son sold all 500 copies that were made of his album.

Croce initially performed cover songs with his wife Ingrid, but soon they started writing their own. In 1968, they recorded their first album, “Jim & Ingrid Croce”. They would return to Pennsylvania. Jim took a job playing for $25, worked odd jobs, and continued writing songs.

They eventually returned to Philadelphia and Jim took a job at a radio station. In 1970, he met some people who helped him record his songs. Ingrid got pregnant in 1970 and Jim resolved to make music his profession. He sent a tape of his songs to a friend and producer in New York, hoping to get a record deal. In 1972, he did, signing a three-record contract with ABC Records.

He released two albums – “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” and “Life and Times” – and his songs began to get air play. He also toured and appeared on television to promote these records.

Croce just finished recording his third album, “I Got a Name”. About a week later, he was killed in an airplane crash on September 20, 1973. The next day the single “I Got a Name” was released.

He was just 30 years old.

The music
My first exposure to his music was a commercial promoting the record “The Very Best of Jim Croce”. I was immediately taken by the names of some of the songs such as “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim”; “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”; “Roller Derby Queen”; and “Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues”. There were also ballads such as “Time in a Bottle”; “Operator”; “I Got a Name”; and “I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song”.

As famous as these songs are, Jim Croce released a total of 12 singles in total between 1972 and 1976.

His first single was “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” in 1972 It peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, and number four in Canada. “Operator (That’s Not the Way it Feels)” went to number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 11 in Canada.

“Bad, Bad Leroy Brown” became Croce’s first number one song in 1973 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in Canada.

The rest of the singles were released after Croce’s death. “I Got a Name” peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number eight in Canada. “Time in a Bottle” became Croce’s second number one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and in Canada; and “I’ll Have to Say I Love You in a Song” peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four in Canada.

“Workin’ at the Car Wash Blues” peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 18 in Canada. “Chain Gang Melody” was his last charting single, going to number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 29 in Canada.

His last single, released in 1976, was “Mississippi Lady”, but it did not chart.

Musical memories
Over the years, Jim Croce’s music appeared in various places for me.

I was watching an episode of the police show “Hunter” in the 1984 to 1986 period, and there was this criminal wreaking havoc. As he stopped to commit each violent act, a little more of “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” played.

A few years later, in 1994, I had season tickets to the Edmonton Eskimos. At the time they had a defensive lineman, who I loved, named Leroy Blugh. Sure enough, when he recorded a tackle or a quarterback sack, the stadium announcedr would say, “Tackle by Bad, Bad Leroy Blugh”. You had to see that coming.

Parting thoughts
In 1973, I was just three years old when Jim Croce died. It would be another decade before I came into contact with his music through that commercial for “The Very Best of Jim Croce”. The songs instantly stuck with me, especially “You Don’t Mess Around with Jim” and “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”. They seemed to be telling stories about people.

I read that when Croce was working odd jobs, he came across a lot of people and experiences that he ended up writing songs about.

As interesting as those songs were, his ballads just melt my heart.

That’s why it makes sense my sister-in-law sang those sweet songs to her baby girl to help her sleep.

That’s the power of Jim Croce.

Neil Lumsden: From gridiron to legislature

Neil Lumsden was a bruising fullback with the Edmonton Eskimos in the '80s.

Source: https://teamlumsden.ca/neils-story/

(May be subject to copyright)

Before he entered the bruising world of Ontario politics, Neil Lumsden was a bruising fullback in the Canadian Football League.

The current minister of sport initially came to public attention running the football for the Toronto Argonauts, Hamilton Tiger Cats and Edmonton Eskimos.

His name came across my newsfeed today, reminding of that fullback you could count on to get the tough yards.

College days
Neil Lumsden played his college football with the University of Ottawa from 1972 to 1975. He was Ontario University Athletics most valuable player in 1972, 1973 and 1975; All-Canadian in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975; and set national records for points scored, rushing yards, and touchdowns.

In 1975, he helped the Gee Gees to an undefeated 11-0 season, scoring 14 touchdowns, including five in one game against Queen’s University, and a total of 148 points. The Gee Gees went on to a victory in the Yates Cup then beat the University of Calgary Dinosaurs by a score of 14-9 in the 11th Vanier Cup. In the College Bowl, he was named most valuable player, after carrying the ball 27 times for 169 yards and kicked two converts, although ironically he did not score a touchdown.

Turning pro
Lumsden was drafted by the Toronto Argonauts as a territorial exemption in the 1976 CFL Draft.

In 1976, he rushed the ball 85 times for 412 yards, an average of 4.8 yards, and three touchdowns with a long run of 36 yards. Lumsden also had eight receptions for 98 yards and a touchdown. The Argonauts finished with a record of seven wins, eight losses and a tie, and missed the playoffs. For his efforts, he was named the 1976 Eastern Conference Most Outstanding Rookie.

He would go on to have a stellar career in the CFL.

Eastern time
In 1977, his second season with the Argonauts, Lumsden had 145 carries for 677 yards, an average of 4.7 yards, and three touchdowns. He also caught 20 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. The Argos made the playoffs, finishing third with a record of six wins and 10 losses, but lost to Ottawa in the East Semi-Final.

Lumsden started 1978 with Toronto where he had 12 carries for 48 yards and a touchdown, as well as three receptions for seven yards. He was traded to Hamilton where he recorded 47 rushes for 268 yards and 15 receptions for 158 yards. The Tiger-Cats finished third in the East Division with a record of five wins, 10 losses and one tie, good enough for third and a trip to the Eastern Semi-Final, which they lost 35-20 to Montreal.

The 1979 season was Lumsden’s only full year with the Tiger-Cats and where I first saw him play. I recall him being a bruising fullback, who would rather run through tacklers rather than around them. He rushed for 438 yards and five touchdowns on 99 carries, and caught 21 passes for 142 yards and three touchdowns.

That year, I rooted for the Tiger-Cats because they had been bad. Then traded for quarterback Tom Clements, who turned the team around and took them to the playoffs, and ended up leading the league in passing. The Tiger-Cats ended up third in the East with a record of six wins and 10 losses, advancing to the East Semi-Final, which they lost 29-26 to Ottawa. I recall Lumsden being a major contributor to that team too.

As a new decade dawned, Lumsden would move west where he would finish his years, and experience the most success of his career.

Go west young man
By 1980, I was not an Edmonton Eskimo fan. They seemed to be a juggernaut that was unbeatable, winning the past two Grey Cups and going on to win the next three.

One day, I heard the rich just get richer. Before the 1980 season, Edmonton traded quarterback Bruce Lemmerman to the Tiger-Cats for Lumsden. It seemed kind of weird, because Lemmerman had not played the previous season. In fact, I had only heard about him from my friend and neighbour Mike. He explained a lot about football to me on the school bus when I first started watching.

Lemmerman wouldn’t even finish the season, while Lumsden thrived in Edmonton.

Lumsden rushed for 566 yards and four touchdowns on 114 carries, and caught 17 passes for 252 yards and another touchdown The Eskimos finished first in the West with a record of 13 wins and three losses, defeated Winnipeg in the West Final and advanced to the Grey Cup to play – the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The game was one of the most lop-sided in history as Edmonton dominated from start to finish, winning by a score of 48-10. Lumsden rushed eight times for 85 yards in the game.

The Eskimos were the dominant team in the West again in 1981, finishing with a record of 14-1-1, defeating the B.C. Lions in the West Final then coming back from a 21-1 halftime deficit to beat Ottawa by a score of 26-23 for their fourth straight Grey Cup. Lumsden only had one carry in the Grey Cup for two yards, but had eight receptions for 91 yards. For his hard work, he was named the Most Valuable Canadian of the Grey Cup.

During the regular season, Lumsden carried the ball 58 times for 266 yards and three touchdowns, and caught 21 passes for 185 yards and four more touchdowns.

Edmonton would win their fifth straight Grey Cup in 1982. They finished first in the West again, with a record of 11-5, defeat Winnipeg in the West Final and Toronto in the Grey Cup. Lumsden rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on seven carries, and had two receptions for 29 yards to help the Eskimos win their fifth straight championship.

During the regular season, Lumsden had 223 yards on 56 carries, and 285 yards and four touchdowns on 20 receptions.

The end of the line
All good things must come to an end, and so they did for the Edmonton Eskimos in 1983. They finished third in the West, with a record of 8-8, and lost the West Semi-Final to Winnipeg. Lumsden rushed for 254 yards and five touchdowns on 64 carries during the regular season, and caught 23 passes for 249 yards.

In 1984, Edmonton again finished third in the West with a record of 9-7, and lost in the West Semi-Final to Winnipeg. Lumsden rushed for 402 yards and eight touchdowns on 92 carries, and had 25 receptions for 155 yards.

His last season would be 1985, where he had 201 yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries, and seven receptions for 54 yards and another touchdown.

The Eskimos again finished third in the West with a record of 10-6, losing to Winnipeg in the West Semi-Final.

Neil Lumsden retired at the end of the season.

He finished his CFL career playing 10 seasons and 141 regular season games. He rushed the ball 817 times for 3,755 yards and 36 touchdowns, and had 180 receptions for 1,729 yards and 15 touchdowns.

In 1987, he joined the Canadian Football Network as a colour commentator, staying until 1990 when it went off the air. I remember him being an excellent analyst, and also shamelessly promoting the Ottawa Gee Gees when the opportunity presented itself.

The years after
Lumsden moved into an executive role with the Tiger-Cats then into private business.

He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

In June of 2022, Lumsen was elected as a member of the provincial parliament for the riding of Hamilton East-Stoney Creek in the provincial election, and named minister of tourism, culture and sport.

His son Jesse Lumsden was also a bruising ball carrier who had a try out with the Seattle Seahawks then played in the CFL with Hmilton, Edmonton, and Calgary. He is currently on the Canadian Olympic Bobsled Team.

Parting thoughts
I have vivid memories of watching Neil Lumsden play in 1979, that first year I watched Canadian football. He was part of that renaissance that took the Tiger-Cats from an also-ran to a contender. That season, they won four of their last five games to make the playoffs.

Interestingly, I used to write down in a notebook the names and teams of players. Sometimes, I misheard what they were. Back then, graphics on screen were not as prevalent as they are now. I distinctly remember thinking his name was actually “Leo Lumsden”.

I soon learned differently.

The other thing I remember about Lumsden was just how determined a runner he was. It was never just one tackler who brought him down, but many.

He brought that same determination to life after football. When he was in the front office of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, he helped bring them back from the verge of extinction in the ‘90s to a Grey Cup championship in 1999, their last Grey Cup win. Under his leadership, the number of season tickets sold increased and interest in the team was rejuvenated.

Now, in politics he is likely to show that same determination.

It has been quite a journey for Neil Lumsden from the football field to Queen’s Park.

Roddy McDowall: from the future to the past and back

Roddy McDowall, at left, with Stephen Collins in the 1982-1983 drama "Tales of the Gold Monkey".

Source: https://themindreels.com/2014/05/08/tales-of-the-gold-monkey-19821983-the-late-of-sarah-white-the-sultan-of-swat/

(May be subject to copyright)

Roddy McDowall had a storied acting career that lasted seven decades. However, I remember him best for two roles literally worlds apart – “The Planet of the Apes” movies set in a dystopic future, and “Tales of the Gold Monkey”, set in the Pacific during the Second World War.

Being as prolific as he was, there were many other roles along the way.

Although he died back in 1998, it was his birthday yesterday, offering a good chance to look back to an actor who brought characters as diverse as Apes Cornelius and Caesar and bar owner Bon Chance Louie.

In the movies
Roddy McDowall’s film career dates back to 1938, with his first role in “Murder in the Family”. He was in a larger number of films in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, including “The Longest Day”; “The Greatest Story Ever Told’; “That Darn Cat!”; and so much more.

He was also in “Cleopatra”, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in an Motion Picture;

Then, in 1968, he appeared in “The Planet of the Apes” as the ape Cornelius. Charlton Heston plays an astronaut who is hurtled through time and space, landing on a planet where apes reign supreme. Humans are slaves, to the point some cannot speak. In the big reveal at the end of the movie, we learn Heston has not been transported to another planet, but is on the Earth of the future. He discovers this when he sees the Statute of Liberty half buried by sand and time.

Roddy McDowall was excellent as Cornelius. He would not appear in the sequel to “The Planet of the Apes”, but was in the next three movies – “Escape from the Planet of the Apes” in 1971 as Cornelius; “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” in 1972 as Cornelius’ son Caesar; and “Battle for the Planet of the Apes” in 1973.

It was in the 1970s, that I saw McDowall in a lot more movies, such as “Bedknobs and Broomsticks”; “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean”; “The Poseidon Adventure”; “Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry”; “Funny Lady”; “The Cat from Outer Space”; “The Thief of Baghdad”; and “Scavenger Hunt”.

He also provided the voice for the robot V.I.N.C.E.N.T. in Disney’s “The Black Hole”, a terrifying science fiction story that still kind of bothers me.

TV times
Roddy McDowall was also in a lot of TV shows starting in 1951 with “Family Theatre”. He would go on to have roles in “The Twilight Zone”;  “Naked City”; “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour”; “Combat!”: “Ben Casey’; “Batman’; “The Invaders”; “It Takes a Thief”; “Night Gallery”; “Columbo”; “The Rookies”; “Mission: Impossible”; “Barnaby Jones”; “McMillan and Wife”; “Ellery Queen”; “The Feather and Father Gang”; “Wonder Woman”; “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”; “Fantasy Island”; “Hart to Hart”; “The Love Boat”; provided the voice of Chuck the Robot in “Mork and Mindy”; and was in a number of television movies.

He also won an Emmy for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor or Actress in a Series for “Our American Heritage”; and was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for “Arrest and Trial”.

McDowall put on the ape make-up again for 14 episodes of “Planet of the Apes”, a TV spin-off of the movies. He was also the villain in “The Fantastic journey”, an intriguing science fiction show about a family transported to an island in an alternate reality. I recall seeing the pilot of “The Fantastic journey”, but it fell off the schedule shortly after.

In 1960 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Dawn of the decade
Roddy McDowall was already a prolific actor in both film and TV when the 1980s started.

That is when I remember him best.

Scary
McDowall was in “Fright Night” in 1985. He portrays an actor who plays a vampire hunter on television, only to be enlisted by teenagers needing a real-life vampire hunter. I saw it one Friday night at a house party in Coaldale in the Fall of 1986, when I was in Grade 12. I remember how great McDowall was as someone out of his element, winging and faking it until he made it. There was also a sequel in 1988 called “Fright Night 2”.

He was also in movies such as “Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon Queen”; “Evil Under the Sun”, based on an Agatha Christie Hercule Poirot story; “Class of 1984”; “Dead of Winter”; “Overboard”; “Doin’ Time on Planet Earth”; “The Big Picture”; and “Cutting Class”.

Adventurous
“Tales of the Gold Monkey” debuted in the Fall of 1982. It featured Jake Cutter, a pilot played by Stephen Collins, who ran an air cargo delivery service in 1936 on the fictitious South Seas island of Bora Gora.

Cutter hangs out at an establishment called the “Monkey Bar”, owned and operated by Bon Chance Louie. He was played by Ron Moody in the pilot, but Roddy McDowall in the series. He was good as a man constantly trying to navigate the waters of Nazi spies, Japanese interests, espionage and so much more in the time preceding the Second World War. Sadly, “Tales of the Gold Monkey”, despite heavy promotion and good reviews, just lasted the 1982-1983 season for a total of 22 episodes.

McDowall had opened the decade with a role in the miniseries “The Martian Chronicles” in 1980. He also did two episodes of “Fantasy Island” as Mephistopheles, or the devil. He was chilling in his quest to corrupt Mr. Rourke and turn Fantasy Island into a den of sin and evil.

He was also in the television miniseries “Hollywood Wives” in 1985, a big television event that went behind the scenes to look at the drama and intrigue of the film industry. That same year he was in another television event, the movie “Alice in Wonderland” as the March Hare.

McDowall closed out the decade with some TV movies and guest spots in “Murder, She Wrote” and “Matlock”.

The years after
Roddy McDowall kept on working until his death in 1998. He was in a number of films such as “Going Under”; “Double Trouble”; “The Grass Harp”; “The Alien Within”; “It’s My Party”; and more.

On television I remember him best in an episode of “Quantum Leap” in 1992. Sam Beckett ends up in a leap where he inadvertently erases his guide Al. He is replaced by Edward St. John V momentarily, until Sam can make things right. Edward St. John V is played by Roddy McDowall.

It was kind of fitting because “Quantum Leap” creator Donald Bellisario had a stable of actors who would keep cropping up in various shows he created. Bellisario created “Tales of the Gold Monkey”, so it was no surprise the man who played Bon Chance Louis appeared in “Quantum Leap” too.

McDowall also appeared in the miniseries “The Inconvenient Woman”; the TV movie “Hart to Hart: Home is Where the Heart is”; an episode of “Tracey Takes On…”; some TV movies; and he did a lot of voice work in productions such as “Darkwing Duck”; “Batman: The Animated Series”; “Red Planet’; “Gargoyles”; “Duckman”; “Pinky and the Brain”; and more.

Roddy McDowall was a victim of lung cancer which took his life on October 3, 1998.

He was 70.

Parting thoughts
Roddy McDowall was another one of those prolific actors who made up the tapestry of film and television for seven decades. By the time the 1980s dawned, he was an established actor. He had that characteristic British stiff upper lip that fit Bon Chance Louie as the proprietor of the "Monkey Bar".

It was also perfect to turn on its ear in movies such as “Fright Night”.