Reggie Roby: Talented trailblazing punter

Reggie Roby was an outstanding punter with the Miami Dolphins in the '80s.

Source: Facebook/NFL Retro

(May be subject to copyright)

Blazing a trail, and being a role model doesn’t mean you have to use your hands or your words.

Reggie Roby used his leg.

Playing a position that is more maligned than celebrated, Reggie Roby was one of the best punters of the ‘80s. He has the stats and the awards to prove it.

Yet what made Reggie Roby stand out, literally, was that he played a position reserved almost exclusively for white players.

Reggie Roby was one of the first black punters in the NFL, the second one ever actually, of a total of six – and a darn good one at that.

It was his birthday today, offering an opportunity to look back at a trailblazer few know.

College days
The first time I saw Reggie Roby was playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes in the 1982 Rose Bowl after the 1981 season. What I saw was something I would see for close to the next 20 years. Roby held the ball really high before kicking, and punted it without jumping.

The announcers pointed out several times that Roby was a consensus All-American punter. He also set a college football season record with an average of 49.8 yards.

Incidentally, the Hawkeyes lost that Rose Bowl to the Washington Huskies.

One other odd note about that game. In the “TV Guide” preview, the story kept referring to the Cyclones, and I had no idea why. Only later did I discover the Iowa State football team is the Cyclones. An interesting error.

Roby, who was actually from Iowa, played for the Hawkeyes from 1979 to 1982. In his senior year in 1982, a year after that trip to the Rose Bowl, he led the country with an average of 48.1 yards, and was a Second Team All-American. Wikipedia reveals his career average of 45.4 yards is still a school record, and ranks as one of the best in college football.

The next step for Reggie Roby was turning pro.

Go pro
The Miami Dolphins selected Roby in the sixth round of the 1983 NFL Draft, 167th overall. He would go on to play the next 10 years for the Dolphins. He wore number four and a watch on his left wrist, which was really noticeable, so he could check his own hang time on punts.

In his 1983 rookie season, he appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 74 times for 3,189 yards; an average of 43.1 yards; a net of 36.5 yards; 26 kicks inside the 20-yard line, for a career high; and 11 touchbacks. He was also named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team.

In the 1984 season, Roby appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 51 times for 2,281 yards; an average of 44.7 yards; a net of 38.1 yards to lead the league; 15 kicks inside the 20-yard line and 10 touchbacks. He was named a First Team All-Pro and named to his first Pro Bowl, where he set a Pro Bowl record with 10 punts in that game. The Dolphins made the Super Bowl that season, losing to San Francisco, as Roby had an average of 39.3 yards but no punts inside the 20-yard line.

In the 1985 season, he appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 59 times for 2,576 yards; an average of 43.7 yards; a net of 34.7 yards; 19 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and eight touchbacks.

In the 1986 season, Roby appeared in 15 games, punting the ball 56 times for 2,476 yards; an average of 44.2 yards; a net of 37.4 yards to lead the league; 13 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and nine touchbacks. That season he set the Dolphins single-game record with an average of 58.5 yards. He also had the NFL’s longest punt that season of 73 yards.

In the 1987 season, he appeared in 10 games in that strike-shortened season, punting the ball 32 times for 1,371 yards; an average of 42.8 yards; a net of 38.2 yards for a career high; eight kicks inside the 20-yard line; and three touchbacks. He also had a team record 77-yard punt that season at Rich Stadium where the Buffalo Bills play.

In the 1988 season, Roby appeared in 15 games, punting the ball 64 times for 2,754 yards; an average of 43 yards; a net of 35.2 yards; 18 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and nine touchbacks.

In the 1989 season, he appeared in 16 games, punting the ball 58 times for 2,458 yards; an average of 42.4 yards; a net of 35.3 yards; 18 kicks inside the 20-yard line; and six touchbacks. He was also named to his second Pro Bowl.

By the end of the ‘80s, Reggie Roby had established himself as one of the premiere punters in the Nationl Football League, and showed no signs of slowing down.

In fact, he was named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team.

The years after
Reggie Roby played with the Dolphins through the 1992 season. He led the league with an average of 45.7 yards in 1991 and was named a Second Team All-Pro that same season.

He moved on to Washington for the 1993 and 1994 seasons. In 1994 he had career bests of 82 punts and 3,639 yards. He was also named a First Team All-Pro and named to his third Pro Bowl in 1994.

Roby would play for Tampa Bay in 1995; Houston in 1996 and for Tennessee when Houston moved there in 1997; and San Francisco in 1998, retiring at the end of that season.

He finished his career with totals of 238 games, 992 punts, 42,951 yards, an average of 43.3 yards, a net of 36.2 yards, 298 punts inside the 20-yard line, and 112 touchbacks.

On February 22, 2005, Reggie Roby died of a heart attack.

He was 43 years old.

Trailblazer
Reggie Roby is also one of the few Black punters or kickers to play in the NFL. The next successful Black punter was Marquette King, who came along in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders. It was noted in part, very few kids growing up aspire to be punters. They usually want to be runningbacks, receivers or quarterbacks. Reggie Roby opened the door for any Black athlete who wants to kick in the NFL.

Parting thoughts
What made Reggie Roby stand out, especially in college at Iowa, was that he could change the trajectory of a game. If the Hawkeyes were backed up deep in their own territory and forced to punt, Roby would trot out, unleash one of his high, booming punts and flip the field, pinning the opponent in their own end.

As I read about his career at Iowa, there were several statements that he was the best player on that 1981 team the went to the Rose Bowl. That is high praise for a position that is often barely tolerated by some, and rarely mentioned by most – unless something goes wrong like a blocked kick, shanked punt, or kick returned for a touchdown.

Yet, it is a vitally important position that few can do well.

Reggie Roby was one of the best. He showed that it didn’t matter what you looked like. All that mattered was that he could pin the other team deep in their own end with his kicks.

He was a talented trail blazer.

Lloyd Bochner: From the "Twilight Zone" to "Dynasty" and beyond

Canadian actor Lloyd Bochner in "Dynasty".

Source: Facebook/Denver Carrington Files

(May be subject to copyright)

The scene is burned in my memory.

Aliens have come to Earth in peace, offering their advanced technology to solve the world’s problems. At an international event, one of them leaves a book behind. Linguists are able to decipher the title – “To Serve Man”. Everyone thought that was just in line with all the good they were doing.

One of the linguists decides to take the aliens up on their offer of a trip to their home world. As he is boarding the space ship, his friend breaks through a throng of people yelling they deciphered the rest of the book.

“It’s a cook book,” she yells.

He tries to break free but is restrained and taken aboard the ship.

That man is played by Canadian actor Lloyd Bochner in a 1962 episode of “The Twilight Zone”.

It was part of a “Twilight Zone” marathon that aired on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial. I watched it when I was staying at my sister’s in Lethbridge one Saturday in junior high.

Bochner had a lot of interesting roles from a guest spot as a Nazi-like commander in an episode of the original “Battlestar Galactica” to the villainous Cecil Colby in the night-time soap opera “Dynasty”.

He is another one of those Canadian actors who seems to be disappearing into the mists of time.

It’s his birthday today, and a great reason to look at the mark he left not only in Hollywood, but his native Canada.

Oil baron
The first time I saw Lloyd Bochner was as Cecil Colby in the night-time soap opera “Dynasty”. He ran Colbyco, a massive oil company, much bigger than Denver-Carrington, the company run by the series main character Blake Carrington, played by John Forsythe.

At one point, this mysterious character named Logan Rhinewwod, who is not seen on-screen but only seated, begins buying up blocks of stock in Denver-Carrington. This begins to alarm Blake because he fears a hostile take over and losing his company.

Then, in one episode, Rhinewood turns to face the camera and – it’s Cecil Colby. What makes it more devastating is that Colby has begun to date the equally villainous Alexis Carrington, Blake’s ex-wife, played by Joan Collins. They marry, and Cecil dies soon after. We saw he was already having heart difficulties while masquerading as Logan Rhinewood.

His death meant his new bride now inherited all those shares in Denver-Carrington.

Let the games begin.

Lloyd Bochner played Cecil Colby in the first three seasons of “Dynasty” from 1981 to 1982.

The years before
Lloyd Bochner’s first movie role was in 1963 in “Drums of Africa”. He would go on to appear in “The Night Walker”; “Sylvia”; “Harlow”; “Point Blank”; “Tony Rome”; “The Detective”; “The Young Runaways”; “The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit”; “Tiger by the Tail”; “The Dunwich Horror”; “Ulzana’s Raid”; “The Man in the Glass Booth”; “It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time”; and “Mr. No Legs”.

His first television role was on “One Man’s Family” in 1952, before he went on to a multitude of television roles that included playing Michael Chambers in that episode of “The Twilight Zone” in 1962.

He would go on to guest roles in the ’60s in shows such as “Dr. Kildare”; “The Lieutenant”; “Perry Mason”; “For the People”; “The Legend of Jesse James”; “Honey West”; “Combat”; “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea”; “Branded”; “A Man Called Shenandoah”; “The Wild Wild West”; “The Whackiest Ship in the Army”; “The Green Hornet”; “Iron Horse”; “12 O’Clock High”; “Occasional Wife”; “T.H.E. Cat”; “The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.”;”Death Valley Days”; “Tarzan”; “Bonanza”; “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”; “The Big Valley”; “Custer”; “Judd for the Defense”; “The Name of the Game”; “Bewitched”; “The Outsider”; and “The F.B.I.”

In the ’70s he was in “Daniel Boone”; “It Takes a Thief”; “The Virginian”; “The D.A.”; “The Bold Ones: The New Doctors”; “Emergency”; “Hogan’s Heroes”; “Mission Impossible”; “Hec Ramsey”; “Ironside”; “Columbo: The Most Dangerous Match”; “Mannix”; “The Starlost”; “The Magician”; “The New Perry Mason”; “Gunsmoke”; “Cannon”; “Police Story”; “Medical Center”; “The Rookies”; “Barbary Coast”; “Ellery Queen”; “Barnaby Jones”; “Switch”; “Bronk”; “McCloud”; “Executive Suite”; “The Bionic Woman”; “McMillan and Wife”; “The Feather and Father Gang”; “The Six Million Dollar Man”; “The San Pedro Beach Bums”; “The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries”; “For the Record”; “The Amazing Spider Man”; “Charlie’s Angels”; “The Littlest Hobo”; several television movies, including “Riel” in 1979, and much more.

In 1979, he also appeared in the original “Battlestar Galactica”, as Commandant Leiter in a two-parter called “Greetings from Earth”

The rest of the decade
Lloyd Bochner had roles in shows in the 1980s such as “”Trapper John M.D.”; “B.J. and the Bear”; “Hawaii Five-O”; “Hart to Hart”; “Vega$”; “Darkroom”; the TV movie “Mazes and Monsters”; “Manimal”; “Fantasy Island”; “Matt Houston”; “Masquerade”; “The A-Team”; “Crazy Like a Fox”; “The Fall Guy”; “Danger Bay”; “The Love Boat”; “Hotel”; “The Highwayman”; “The Golden Girls”; “Highway to Heaven”; and much more

The years after
Bochner kept on acting, with roles in “Designing Women”; “Who’s the Boss?”; “Road to Avonlea”; “The Young Riders”; “Murder, She Wrote”; “Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman”; and much more.

He would also appear in movies such as “The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear”; “Morning Glory”; “Legend of the Mummy”; and more. His final role was in “The Commission” in 2003.

Lloyd Bochner died on October 29, 2005 of cancer.

He was 81.

Parting thoughts
To say Lloyd Bochner was a prolific actor would be an understatement. The Internet Movie Data Base lists 219 appearances on screen for Bochner.

What I found interesting was that, unlike many Canadian actors who move to the States and never look back, he continued to appear in Canadian productions even after acting in one of the most popular night-time soap operas on television.

The reason he got so many roles was that he was a very good actor, with a strong screen presence.

Whenever I see his name though, I will always recall two performances – him being taken away by aliens to be served a la carte, and as an oil baron bent on destroying Blake Carrington.

Re-visiting “The Great Escape”

Several actors from the 1963 film "The Great Escape". In top row from left are Richard Attenborough; Steve McQueen and James Coburn; while in bottom row from left are James Garner; Charles Bronson; and David McCallum.

Source: Facebook/Killer Cosmonaut

(May be subject to copyright)

Everybody talks about that climactic motorcycle chase on the Swiss border. But for me, the best scene in “The Great Escape” is when the prisoners of war figure out how to get rid of all that dirt produced as they were digging three long tunnels to freedom.

It symbolized the ingenuity, determination, and drive of Allied prisoners of war to escape from their German captors.

There is so much more to “The Great Escape” though. I was able to re-visit it all when I tripped over the movie, being shown on PBS this past Saturday night commercial-free.

It was way back in the ‘80s, on a Sunday afternoon, when the same thing happened.

I was flipping channels and “The Great Escape” was just starting.

War effort
The first thing I recall is Hilts, the character played by Steve McQueen, who had been caught trying to escape. He was sentenced to 30 days in the cooler, and passed the time by throwing a baseball against the wall and catching it over and over and over.

The next thing was seeing Roger Bartlett, played by Richard Attenborough, being sent to the camp. He had masterminded escapes and was such a thorn in the side of the Germans, he was essentially told if he tried to escape again, he would be shot.

However, his mission, as was the mission of all prisoners of war, was not only to escape. It was also to disrupt the German war effort as much as possible.

Consequently, Roger hatches a plot to disrupt the war effort. The prisoners will simultaneously dig three tunnels, code named Tom, Dick, and Harry, which will enable hundreds of prisoners to escape. That will force the Germans to divert a massive amount of resources from the war to recapturing these escaped prisoners.

The prisoners then went to work.

Tunnelling and more
The whole process of digging the tunnels fascinated me. Not only was there digging, but shoring up the tunnels from collapsing as they got longer and longer; forcing air in so the diggers could breathe; and the disposal of the tons of dirt from the tunnels.

While that was going on, there was also all the work that went into helping prisoners once they escaped. That meant forging documents and creating the clothes and accessories for them to blend in and pass through Germany back to neutral Switzerland.

“The Great Escape” spent much of the first three-quarters of the movie detailing all of these efforts, as different prisoners had different roles.

The prisoners
One of the things that struck me about “The Great Escape” was how many famous actors were in the movie, and how young they looked.

Steve McQueen played Hilts, an American, who just never stopped trying to escape. Later on, Roger used that to throw the Germans off. He deduced if all escape efforts stopped, the Germans might suspect something big was up. Later, he also convinces Hilts to map out the area beyond the prison camp and get captured on purpose to provide the necessary intelligence. Hilts reluctantly agrees.

Charles Bronson is brilliant as Danny Welinski, a Polish pilot in the Royal Air Force, who is a master digger. In fact, when they start digging, he draws “17” on the concrete before they start chiseling. It represents the 17th tunnel he will be digging. We soon discover how courageous he truly is because, as much as he digs, he battles claustrophobia.

James Garner, one of my favourite actors, played Hendley, a master scrounger. Whenever, the prisoners needed something, Hendley somehow found a way to get it – usually by bribing the guards. The best example was when a camera was needed to forge identity documents. The prisoners donated all the chocolate, cookies and treats they received in care packages, and Hendley got them a camera by bribing a guard.

Donald Pleasance, played Colin Blythe, who was a master forger. He led the efforts to manufacture all the necessary documents needed for the escapees to make their way through Germany undetected. Sadly, he was going blind rather quickly. He and Hendley were good friends. When Rogers deduces Colin is going blind, and tells him he cannot go out with the rest of the prisoners, Hendley vouches for Colin, and will take responsibility for him.

James Coburn, plays Sedgwick, an Australian who makes the tools for escape. Unfortunately, Coburn did the worst Australian accent.

David McCallum, suave and dignified as always, played Eric Ashley-Pitt, whose major contribution was finding a way to dispose of the dirt produced by the tunneling. He creates a system of bags that go inside a prisoner’s pants. There are strings in the pockets so, when these bags are filled with dirt, the prisoner pulls them as he is walking in the yard. The dirt slowly, imperceptibly runs down the prisoner’s legs, and is kicked in with the topsoil as he walks.

Richard Attenborough, best known as a director, goes in front of the camera to play Roger Bartlett, the mastermind of the operation.

The escape
After some setbacks, including “Tom” being discovered, a date is set for the escape. When Hilts emerges from the tunnel, he discovers they are about 30 feet short. Instead of being in the trees beyond the camp, they emerge in the open space between the fence and the trees. This hampers the escape effort. Ultimately, it leads to detection, but a lot of prisoners do get out.

Roger is captured and seemingly will be returned to the camp. As he talks to other re-captured prisoners, he says the whole effort was a success, because the Germans were forced to divert resources to find the prisoners. Suddenly, the truck stops, the prisoners are all told to get out to stretch their legs. A machine gun is set up, and they are all shot. Just as the Germans warned Roger would happen if he tried to escape again.

It is quite sobering.

Eric Ashley-Pitt is at a train station, and sees a guard from the camp who will surely recognize the prisoners in disguise at the station. He shoots the guard and is gunned down as he tries to flee afterwards.

As promised, Hendley looks after Colin. They commandeer a plane and it looks as if Hendley will fly them to freedom. Then the plane suffers mechanical difficulties and Hendley is forced to crash land. The Germans see this and, as they approach, Colin stumbles into the open and is shot. As Colin lies dying, and Hendley surrenders, Colin tells him he should have stayed behind. Hendley is later returned to the camp.

Sedgwick inadvertently stumbles into an ambush by the French Resistance of some German officers on a restaurant patio. Once the Germans are cut down by gunfire, they take the escaped Australian with them to freedom.

Danny also escapes. He, and another prisoner who helped him overcome his claustrophobia, find a boat and row their way to freedom.

Hilts is also re-captured, in that iconic motorcycle chase. The movie ends with him going back into the cooler, getting his ball and glove, and passing the time throwing the ball against the wall.

The book
I only saw “The Great Escape” that one time back in the '80s. In a time before streaming and on-demand services, there were not a lot of ways to watch an old movie.

I contented myself with finding the books of movies I liked. Often, they were novelizations of the scripts.

That was not the case with “The Great Escape”. I actually acquired two copies of the actual book the movie was based on, written by Paul Brickhill. One, I am pretty sure I ordered through scholastic books. The other was in the shelf of my class room for German 10. After some convincing, I got the teacher to let me take it.

I read the book, and it is much different than the movie, as is always the case. In particular, it goes into detail on what happens to the prisoners after they escape, and it is different. For example, Hendley ends up not back in the same camp, but in a concentration camp.

Parting thoughts
When I stumbled on “The Great Escape” on that Sunday afternoon in the ‘80s, at first it reminded me of the comedy “Hogan’s Heroes”, which was also set in a German prisoner-of-war camp.

It had the same look, because they were made at roughly the same time.

However, “The Great Escape” was anything but funny as the movie progressed.

It was a great, sprawling movie, that has drawn some criticism for not being true to the original book.

I appreciate that but, as the years pass, and any memory of the Second World War seems to be disappearing, a movie that shines a lot on that part of our history is important.

Given I am embarking on writing my own family history, with a large part of it set in this same period, I am glad I stumbled on this movie.

I am glad I re-visited “The Great Escape”.

Gary Gygax: The original dungeon master

The cover of the Dungeons & Dragons rules I bought in the mid '80s.

Source: https://www.retroist.com/p/dungeons-dragons-monster-cards-red-dragon

(May be subject to copyright)

You could take on the greatest adventure and, with the roll of the dice, defeat a terrible enemy, find a grand treasure, or die a cruel death.

That was the magic of “Dungeons and Dragons”, the original role-playing game that electrified nerds as far back as the ‘70s.

When I was in junior high in 1982, a group of friends of mine started playing “Dungeons and Dragons” at lunch time, as well as after school and weekends.

I too would get in on the fun a little bit later.

It was an interesting part of the ‘80s that came to mind when I saw it was Gary Gygax’s birthday today.

He, along with Dave Arneson, co-created “Dungeons and Dragons”, making him the original dungeon master.

Starting out
The first time I heard of “Dungeons and Dragons” was in junior high at St. Joseph’s School in Coaldale. It was Grade 7, so the last part of 1982 or the early part of 1983.

Some guys at school were playing at lunch hour, most notably Shawn Kingston and Joe Darveau. I recall Shawn had a scribbler, like one of those exercise books we used in school, where he wrote down everything. Joe was the dungeon master, and I can’t recall who else played.

I was interested and played for the first time when I went on a sleep over to Joe’s place. Shawn came over, and they showed me how to create a character. I recall rolling the dice, and based on what I got, chose to be a cleric. I thought that was a pretty cool name. Only later did I put together that a cleric was a holy man or a priest. That is likely one of the reasons I could not carry bladed weapons.

The next time I played, again it was at Joe’s on a weekend sleep over. However, I think I was staying at Shawn’s this time. My character was a thief, who had another unique characteristic – the strongest armour a thief could wear was leather.

Reality
Soon after that, I was in Lethbridge and bought a “Dungeons and Dragons” box, intending to play more, but then the reality of living on a farm set in.

I had no one to play with.

One of the attractions of video games, and computer games, was that I could play by myself. Ironiclly, one of my favourite games on the Intellivision was “Advanced Dungeons and Dragons”.

So after that, “Dungeons and Dragons” kind of passed me by. I also started getting into those aforementioned video games and computers, then going out with my friends, and so much more.

I did play one more time, on a Sunday afternoon, in Grade 11 or 12. After church, my Dad dropped me off at Mike Kozbial’s place in Coaldale, where he had written an adventure. Mike was a really creative guy, drawing cartoons, writing stories, playing guitar, and writing songs. When he wrote that adventure, he made some props including a mask that was being worn by one of the first things I encountered.

Yet, that would be the last time I played, and we both admitted it was not as much fun with just two people.

The devil you say?
It was like a scene out of “Footloose”, but instead of music it was a game. Those guys who played “Dungeons and Dragons” at lunch hour, were joined by a few more guys when we went to high school, including my neighbour and very good friend Mat.

They wanted to start a “Dungeons and Dragons” club in the community. When one of the ministers in tows caught wind of it, he wanted to have the game banned. It was the work of the devil, he claimed.

Even then, the guys pointed out that “Dungeons and Dragons” used J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” as source material. Tolkien was a Catholic priest who used as his source material – the Bible.

The guys, I do believe, were even interviewed by the local newspaper.

In the end, it was not worth the the hassle and, they too, had found other interests.

Still, the notion of censorship, especially based on ignorance and assumption, offended me then and offends me now.

Parting thoughts
The challenge I have had my entire life is that I am a dabbler, and that was especially the case when I was a child and teenager. Whether it was a microscope, electronics, model rockets, calligraphy, or a host of other things, I got into it then moved on when the next shiny toy appeared.

“Dungeons and Dragons” is yet another thing that I dabbled in. I got excited about it, even bought it, and even played it. Yet, I would move on to other things.

Over the years, I occasionally encountered the game here and there. When I was in university living in res, some of the guys I lived with, who all grew up together in Central Alberta, played it a couple times.

Then, of course, it was a part of “The Big Bang Theory”, and one of the hallmarks of nerd-dom.

A few years ago, I needed some work done on my house. The contractor came to give me an estimate. His named looked familiar, but I waited until the business was done.

Then I asked him if he was from Coaldale. At first he said no, but then added he lived there as a kid. His name was Mike Darveau. In fact, he was Joe’s younger brother, and someone who hung out with us when I did stay at their place for sleep overs.

That was Thanksgiving weekend, showing Mike’s dedication to his job and customers. When he came back the next week to set up, he said he had Thanksgiving dinner with his brother. Joe said hi, and they went down memory lane.

“We reminisced about old times – and the ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ club,” he said.

Leo Burke: Stampede Wrestling sensation

Pro wrestler Leo Burke in his hey day on Stampede Wrestling.

Source: https://cpwhof.cwnonline.ca/2025/06/29/happy-birthday-leo-burke/

(May be subject to copyright)

Wrestling was the greatest soap opera going. You could tell the good guys from the bad guys. It was so easy to cheer for the heroes, and against the heels.

When I started watching, David Schultz held the North American Heavyweight title belt and was the biggest bad guy of them all, cheating any time the ref’s back was turned. His biggest challenger of the time was Leo Burke, a wrestler with many moves including a devastating sleeper.

Yet, every time it looked like he had Schultz, the champ or his nefarious manager J.R. Foley, would cheat, and Schultz’s hand would be raised in victory.

Then, one Saturday night, everything changed. Foley managed other wrestlers too, including the tag team champions Kerry Brown and Duke Meyers. They too benefitted from dirty tricks to stay on top. On this Saturday night, Meyers and Brown turned on Schultz. They double-teamed him and were beating him to a pulp. No one would come to Schultz’ defence, because he had been the biggest bad guy of them all, with a mouth to match.

Then the crowd, almost in disbelief, began to cheer.

Leo Burke ran into the ring, and chased off Brown and Meyers. Suddenly, the ring was empty as Burke stood guard as Schultz rose to his feet.

He demanded a match with Brown and Meyers, and asked if Burke would team up with him.

Burke said, he did not trust Schultz, or even like him, but what had happened wasn’t right.

So he agreed to team up with his biggest enemy.

We could not wait for the next week.

When it arrived, that tag team match was the main event.

As they did battle, Burke would reluctantly tag Schultz and vice versa. They began to gel as a team, and were hanging a bit of a beating on Brown and Meyers. Then Foley interfered again. They returned to the ring the next week, and became partners – and friends – after that.

Schultz became a good guy and a popular wrestler.

Burke was there beside him for much of that.

I was sad to hear the news today that Leo Burke had died a couple days ago, because I have such fond memories of watching him on Stampede Wrestling.

Must-see viewing
Stampede Wrestling was on every Saturday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial. The matches were actually on Friday night, but broadcast the next afternoon. It was hosted by Ed Whalen who was renowned for his turn of phrase – “Malfunction at the junction”; “He’s gonna do a little noggin’ knockin’”; and “It’s a real ring-a-ding-dong-dandy”; and more. Interestingly, when he started broadcasting NHL games when the Flames came to Calgary, it took a little getting used to – for him and listeners.

He also challenged the wrestlers, especially when they cheated. Sometimes he would be so blunt as to say “You won because you cheated.”

It was that cheating, in large part, that made watching Stampede Wrestling so compelling for me. Just when I gave up hope the good guy would win. After seeing him lose sometimes because the bad guys cheated, he would win. Or, a really bad guy would be double-crossed and become a good guy.

It really was a soap opera in a squared circle.

That’s what made it must see viewing.

History
Wikipedia reveals Leo Burke made his professional wrestling debut in 1966 in Central States Wrestling, which held shows in Kansas and Nebraska. His real name is actually Léonce Cormier, but he wrestled under the name Tommy Martin in Central States Wrestling.

He was from New Brunswick and wrestled in the Maritimes for much of the 1970s. This was also where he assumed the name Leo Burke. He wrestled in his brother's promotion and did not want to use name recognition to further his own career. So he took the last name from his friend, boxer Jackie Burke

In 1977, Burke moved to Calgary to compete for Stu Hart’s Stampede Wrestling. He would wrestle as part of a tag team, with various partners, and as a singles wrestler. He would win a variety of titles as well.

Burke would wrestle in Atlantic Canada, return to Calgary, compete for Maple Leaf Wrestling in Toronto, wrestle in New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and more.

He retired from wrestling and went to Calgary in 1992. His old friend Bret Hart arranged for Burke to train wrestlers in the World Wrestling Federation, then World Championship Wrestling. He would also appear occasionally in wrestling events. After retirement he worked at Calgary’s Cecil Hotel, and operated a mobile coffee and sandwich shop.

He was inducted into the Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2009, and has been described by Bret Hart as one of the greatest Canadian wrestlers ever.

Leo Burke died on July 24, 2024.

He was 76.

Parting thoughts
I got so into Stampede Wrestling when I was a kid. After an episode ended at 4:30 p.m., usually with my favourite wrestler losing by some nefarious means and vowing revenge, I dreaded the fact I had to wait a whole week to see what happened next.

Eventually, I got away from Stampede Wrestling as I got older and into my friends, video games, computers, and more

However, in the years I watched Stampede Wrestling, there was no story line more compelling for me than Leo Burke and David Schultz. I can still remember it so clearly.

Now that makes it good writing, and great entertainment.

Dave Stieb: Toronto’s first ace

Dave Stieb was the ace of the Toronto Blue Jays pitching staff in the '80s.

Source: https://cooperstownexpert.com/player/dave-stieb/

(May be subject to copyright)

I still remember it clearly. It was a pitch that looked like it went around the bat as it was being swung. Or through it. It was a wicked slider that confounded American League hitters for a good chunk of the ‘80s.

That slider may have been Dave Stieb’s best pitch, but he had others that made him a force to be reckoned with. They propelled him to start two all-star games, throw a no-hitter, flirt with many more, and become the first real ace of the Toronto Blue Jays pitching staff.

It was his birthday a couple days ago, reminding me of the greatness that was Dave Stieb.

In the beginning
Dave Stieb made his major-league debut with the Blue Jays on June 29, 1979, and would make 18 starts, pitching seven complete games, recording one shut out, 52 strike outs, a 4.31 earned run average, 129.1 innings pitched, and finished with an 8-8 record, for the best winning percentage on the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays were terrible that year, finishing with a major-league worst record of 53-109.

At the start of the ‘80s, Dave Stieb was on the verge of becoming one of the best pitchers of the decade.

Dawn of the decade
Dave Stieb played his first full season with Toronto in 1980. He started 32 games, with a 12-15 record, a 3.71 earned run average, four shutouts, 242.1 innings pitched, 108 strike outs, and 14 complete games. He was named the American League Pitcher of the Month for April, on the strength of a 1.06 earned run average in four games, including three complete games. Stieb was also named to his first all-star game, and received votes for league most valuable player, finishing 27th.

The Jays finished with a 67-95 record, much better than the previous season, but still last in the American League East Division.

Strike season
In 1981, Stieb started 25 games, finishing with an 11-10 record, his first winning record, along with a 3.19 earned run average, two shut outs, 183.2 innings pitched, 89 strike outs, and 11 complete games. Stieb also played in his second all-star game.

The season was disrupted by a strike, splitting the season into halves. In the first half Toronto had a 16-42 record, finishing last in the American League East Division. The second half was not much better as the Jays finished with a 21-27 record, once again finishing last in the American League East Division.

Star season
Dave Stieb had a stellar 1982 season. He started 38 games, going 17-14, with a 3.25 earned run average, five shut outs, 288.1 innings pitched, 141 strike outs, and 19 complete games. He led the league in complete games, shut outs, innings pitched, and hits. Stieb finished fourth in Cy Young voting behind Pete Vuckovich, and was was named the Sporting News Pitcher of the Year.

The Blue Jays finished with a 78-84 record, their best in franchise history, but still finished last in the American League East Division, although last place came because they lost a tie-breaker to Cleveland.

Contenders
The Blue Jays turned a corner in 1983, finishing 89-73, their first winning record in team history. They even led their division at the all-star break before fading from contention in the latter part of the season to end up in fourth place.

Stieb became the ace of the Blue Jays staff, starting 36 games, going 17-12; with a 3.04 earned run average, third best in the American League; four shut outs; 278 innings pitched, second in the American League; 187 strike outs; and 14 complete games. He also started the all-star game.

Wire to wire
In 1984, the Detroit Tigers became the first team in major league history to go wire to wire in first place, that is first place on Opening Day right through to first place on Closing Day. The Blue Jays became the first team in major league history to go wire to wire in second place, finishing the season with an 89-73 record.

Stieb started 35 games, going 16-8 with a 2.83 earned run average, two shut outs, 267 innings pitched to lead the American League, 198 strike outs, and 11 complete games. He also started his second consecutive all-star game, finished seventh in Cy Young voting, and garnered some votes for most valuable player, finishing 22nd.

Playoff bound
The Blue Jays got over the hump in 1985, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time in their history by finishing first in the American League East Division with a 99-62 record. However, they lost to eventual World Series Champion Kansas City in seven games in the American League Championship season. Stieb started three games – Game 1, earning the win; Game 4, earning no decision although the Jays did win; and Game 7, taking the loss.

Stieb had yet another excellent season, leading the American League with a 2.48 earned run average. He started 36 games, going 14-13, with two shut outs, 265 innings pitched, 167 strike outs, and eight complete games. He was named to his fifth all-star team and again finished seventh in Cy Young voting.

Back to earth
The Blue jays could not repeat as American League East Division champions in 1986, falling to fourth place with a 86-76 record.

Dave Stieb also had a difficult season. He started 34 games, going 7-12 with a 4.74 earned run average, one shut out, 205 innings pitched, 127 strike outs, and one complete game.

So close
The Blue Jays contended again in 1987, with a 96-66 record. They went down to the last weekend of the season with Detroit, where the Tigers swept the Jays to take the American League East Division title by two games.

Dave Stieb rebounded from his 1986 season. He started 31 games, going 13-9, with a 4.09 earned run average, one shut out, 185 innings pitched, 115 strike outs, and three complete games.

Stellar season
The Jays again showed sparks of brilliance in 1988, challenging the Boston Red Sox, the eventual American League East Division champions, but finished third with an 87-75 record.

Stieb started 31 games, going 16-8, with a 3.04 earned run average, four shut outs, 207.1 innings pitched, 147 strike outs, and eight complete games. He also played in his sixth all-star game.

Back to the playoffs
The Blue Jays returned to the post-season in 1989, winning their second American League East Division title with an 89-73 record. Unfortunately they ran into a juggernaut in the Oakland A’s who beat the Jays in five games in the American League Championship Series then beat the San Francisco Giants to win the World Series.

Stieb was the ace of the Blue Jays staff again. He started 33 games, going 17-8 with a 3.35 earned run average, two shut outs, 206.2 innings pitched, 101 strike outs, and three complete games. He started two games in the American League Championship Series, but lost both decisions.

Dave Stieb won 140 games in the 1980s, the second highest total among all pitchers behind Jack Morris.

The years after
Dave Stieb continued on, having one last great season in 1990. He started 33 games, going 18-6, the most wins of his career; with a 2.93 earned run average, two shut outs, 208.2 innings pitched, 125 strike outs, and two complete games. He was selected for his seventh and final all-star game; finished fifth in Cy Young voting; and earned votes for league most valuable player, finishing 25th.

Injuries would hamper the remainder of Dave Stieb’s career. He started just nine games in 1991, going 4-3, with a 3.17 earned run average, 59. 2 innings pitched, 29 strike outs, and one complete game. In 1992, he started 14 games, going 4-6, with a 5.04 earned run average, 96.1 innings pitched, 45 strike outs, and one complete game.

He was released after the 1992 season, but was still awarded a World Series ring although he did not pitch in the post season due to injuries.

Stieb moved on to the Chicago White Sox in 1993, starting just four games, going 1-3, with a 6.04 earned run average, 22.1 innings pitched, and 11 strike outs. He then retired due to lingering injuries.

In 1998, Stieb started out as a pitching coach with the Jays, but mounted a comeback, going 1-2 in three starts, with a 4.83 earned run average, 50.1 innings pitched, and 27 strike outs.

He retired for good after that.

Dave Stieb still holds the Blue Jays’ record for complete games with 103, strike outs with 1,658, and innings pitched with 2,873.

Parting thoughts
Dave Stieb was, and remains my all-time favourite Blue Jays pitcher. Every time he went out on the mound, anything was possible. Several times Stieb flirted with no-hitters and perfect games. In fact, he took a no-hitter into the ninth inning four times in five years, before accomplishing that feat in Sept. 2, 1990 against Cleveland, according to Wikipedia. It remains the only no-hitter in Blue Jays history.

Dave Stieb was one of the best pitchers in the ‘80s, giving the Jays a strong chance to win every time he took to the mound.

He led the league in earned run average, complete games, innings pitched, and finished with the second highest number of wins in the ‘80s.

Dave Stieb truly was the first ace the Blue Jays ever had.

Billy Sims: What could have been

Billy Sims of the Detroit Lions electrified crowds in the '80s.

Source: https://www.vintagedetroit.com/weve-got-sims-lions-got-man-1980-nfl-draft/?srsltid=AfmBOopwuPnbq8No2dXQJH82DsPVeRMmlR0pEPvw-cr8IYb0uYFyqUcY

(May be subject to copyright)

He was so good in college, he won the Heisman Trophy as top player, in his junior year. He could have won it again the next year, but it took a super human effort by another runningback to beat him out for the trophy.

Billy Sims had to settle for going first overall in the NFL Draft.

He would transform his new team, the lowly Detroit Lions, into a playoff team, but injuries would cut short his burgeoning football career.

It was 38 years ago today that Billy Sims retired, leaving many fans, including myself left to wonder:

“What could have been?”

College phenom
The first time I saw Billy Sims was New Year’s Day 1980. However, it was not when his Oklahoma Sooners were playing. Instead, it was in the Rose Bowl where the USC Trojans were playing the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Trojans had Heisman Trophy winning runningback Charles White. In the pre-game, they compared him to another runningback, Billy Sims, who had won the Heisman the previous year as a junior and was the runner-up to White that year.

Interestingly for me, who was just watching his fist ever college football games, I found it fitting that Sims’ Oklahoma Sooners played that night in the Orange Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles. What really stands out about that game is the cameras went inside the dressing room before the game. Oklahoma Coach Barry Switzer was addressing the team, and he referred to this very special player who was playing his last game.

That was Billy Sims.

In has last college game, Sims went out and rushed for 164 yards as the Sooners beat the Seminoles by a score of 24-7.

It capped off a stellar college career that did not start out so great. After playing briefly in 1975, his freshman year, where he carried the ball 15 times for 95 yards, he was hampered by injuries in 1976, his sophomore season. He carried the ball just three times for 44 yards. Due to that injury-plagued year, he was allowed to red-shirt, and came back in 1977 as his actual sophomore year. Again injuries hampered Sims, as he carried the ball 71 times for 413 yards and six touchdowns.

In his junior season, 1978, Sims had a breakout year. He rushed 224 times for 1,762 yards to lead the Big-8 Conference, and 20 touchdowns to lead the nation. He had another 134 yards rushing in the Orange Bowl where he led the Sooners to a 31-24 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. For his efforts, Sims was awarded the Heisman Trophy, becoming only the sixth junior to win the award.

Sims’ senior year, 1979, was another stellar season, as he rushed 224 times for 1,506 yards, to lead the Big-8 Conference in both categories, and had 22 touchdowns and a 6.7-yard average to lead the nation in both those categories. He finished as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, as Charles White had an even better season, rushing for 2,050 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Billy Sims finished his college career rushing 544 times for 3,820 yards, 48 touchdowns, and a 7.0-yard average.

The future looked bright as the pros came calling.

Turning in pro
The Detroit Lions held the number one pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, by virtue of their 2-14 record the year before, and selected Billy Sims. He immediately restored order and brought respect back to the Lions.

In 1980, his rookie season, Sims appeared in all 16 games for Detroit, rushing 313 times for 1,303 yards, 13 touchdowns and an average of 4.2 yards. He also caught 51 passes for 621 yards, three touchdowns and a 12.2-yard average. He was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year; UPI NFL-NFC Rookie of the Year; and the Associated Press Rookie of the Year. He also made the Pro Bowl and was named a Second Team All-Pro.

Sims returned the Lions to respectability, leading them to a 9-7 record, and a tie for the NFC Central Division title. However, the Minnesota Vikings owned the tiebreaker, winning the division and advancing to the playoffs. Detroit did not qualify as a wildcard.

Sophomore season
The Lions finished 8-8 in the 1981 season, finishing second in the NFC Central again, and again not making the playoffs.

Sims continued his strong play. In 14 games, he rushed 296 times for 1,437 yards, 13 touchdowns and an average of 4.9 yards. He also caught 28 passes for 451 yards, two touchdowns and an average of 16.1 yards. He was named to his second Pro Bowl, and named a Second Team All-Pro for the second time.

Playoff bound
The 1982 season was shortened to nine games by a players strike. The Lions finished with a 4-5 record. That season, the teams were ranked by conference and not division. In the NFC Central, they would have finished fourth and out of the playoffs, but in 1982 they finished eighth in the NFC.

That gave them a berth in the playoffs as the eighth seed. That meant they played Washington, who was seeded first. The Redskins won that game by a score of 31-7 and would go on to win the Super Bowl.

Sims played in all nine games for the Lions, rushing 172 times for 639 yards, four touchdowns and an average of 3.7 yards. He caught 34 passes for 342 yards and an average of 10.1 yards. Sims was also named to his third Pro Bowl.

Playoff heartbreak
The 1983 season looked like a turning point for the Lions. They again finished with a 9-7 record, but it was good enough to win the NFC Central Division title, their first division championship since 1957, and their first playoff berth in a non-strike season since 1970.

Looming in their NFC Divisional Playoff Game were the ever dangerous San Francisco 49ers. The Lions led the game late, but San Francisco Quarterback Joe Montana drove the 49ers down the field for a go-ahead touchdown and a 24-23 lead. Detroit had one last chance as they drove down into field goal range only to miss a 44-yard, game-winning field goal attempt with five seconds to play.

This game was re-visited in last year’s NFC Championship game because it was the first time the Lions played the 49ers in the playoffs since that 1983 game.

Billy Sims appeared in 13 games, rushing for 1,040 yards on 220 carries for an average of 4.7 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 42 passes for 419 yards, and an average of 10 yards.

Contract controversy
The United States Football League was set to begin operations in 1983, and teams built their teams, often by pursuing proven NFL talent. Sims’ agent took control of the Houston Gamblers, an expansion team. Sims secretly signed a contract with the Gamblers, and re-signed with the Lions. Ultimately, a judge voided the Houston contract and Sims returned to the Lions.

What I will always remember was hearing about this on the news. At school a few days later, my classmate Mike Kozbial asked me if I heard about the new licence plate sticker in Detroit. I said no, I hadn’t.

“Honk if you’ve signed a contract with Billy Sims,” Kozbial said.

Mike always had an amazing sense of humour.

Tragedy strikes
Halfway through the 1984 season, tragedy struck Billy Sims. In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, he suffered a catastrophic knee injury and never played again.

He appeared in eight games in 1984, rushing 130 times for 687 yards, an average of 5.3 yards, and five touchdowns. He also had 31 receptions for 239 yards, and an average of 7.7 yards.

Billy Sims finished his career as the Lions all-time rushing leader to that point with 5,106 yards on 1,131 carries for an average of 4.5 yards and 42 touchdowns. He also had 186 receptions for 2,072 yards, an average of 11.1 yards, and five touchdowns.

He spent two years trying to rehabilitate that knee, ultimately announcing his retirement on this day in 1986.

In 1995, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Parting thoughts
If you ever saw Billy Sims play, it was something to behold. He was a very special athlete and runningback, who had strength, moves and breakaway speed.

The reason I liked him so much was that he epitomized the value of the NFL Draft, and its goal of making the weak teams better.

Almost instantly, Billy Sims restored the Lions to respectability, by becoming the first player to score three touchdowns in his first NFL game.

Unlike a lot of backs who wear down, developing nagging injuries that become serious over time, or backs who get hurt, come back, get hurt and go on this injured-healthy carousel, Billy Sims was there, then he was gone. One play ended his career without any warning.

There would be no comeback, although he expressed an interest in doing so in 1988 for the 1989 season. I am glad there was no attempt because I am content with my memories of that exciting runningback, who could break a long run at any moment.

When I think of Billy Sims though, as I did today, I still wonder, “What could have been.”

Don Henley: Going solo

During the ‘80s, the Eagles were an idea more than a band. By the time I started listening to music in 1984, they had been broken up four years, only to reunite “when hell freezes over”.

At the time, I was coming back from seeing a movie with my sister and she flipped on the radio.

This amazing song was playing, belting out “I can see you, your brown skin shining in the sun…”

It had just been released, because I did not hear much about it again for a few weeks.

That was the first time I heard this singer named Don Henley, and it was awesome. He would go on to a string of hits from his album “Building the Perfect Beast” and beyond.

It was only then that not only did I learn he had been a crucial part of the Eagles, but he had a solo career before “Building the Perfect Beast”.

These songs were top of mind when I heard it was his birthday yesterday.

In the beginning
The Eagles is one of the greatest bands of all time, and Don Henley was their drummer. Yet, at the dawn of the decade, the Eagles disbanded in 1980.

Henley, would embark on a solo career. His first effort is one of my all-time favourite ballads. He teamed up with his former girlfriend Stevie Nicks, lead singer of Fleetwood Mac, on “Leather and Lace”. It’s a song that just melts my heart.

A lot of other people must have thought so too, because “Leather and Lace” went all the way to number six on the Billboard Hot 100.

He released his first studio album, “I Can’t Stand Still” in 1982. The debut single “Johnny Can’t Read” charted, going to number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100, but it was the next single that showed Henley was a solid solo singer.

“Dirty Laundry” peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100, and went all the way to number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. The song would also earn Henley a Grammy nomination for Rock Male Vocalist.

The album’s title track, “I Can’t Stand Still”, also charted, going to number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Two years later, Don Henley would release his second solo studio album.

It was one for the ages.

Fabulous follow up
Don Henley released “Building the Perfect Beast” in 1984. The title refers to his concern over genetic engineering and where that could lead.

The first single would become an iconic song for the decade.

“The Boys of Summer” was the song that introduced me to Don Henley on the radio when my sister and I were driving back from a movie. The lyrics and the music are just amazing. “The Boys of Summer” would go all the way to number five on the Billboard Hot 100 and peak at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart.

Henley would win a Grammy for Rock Male Vocalist for “The Boys of Summer”, and earn nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for it as well. Along with Danny Kortchmar and Greg Ladanyi, they would also be nominated for Producer of the Year.

The next single was “All She Wants to do is Dance”, which was another great song. It peaked at number nine on the Billboard Hot 100, and went all the way to number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart, his third number one single on that chart.

Henley was not done yet, slowing things down with the ballad “Not Enough Love in the World”. Although it did not hit the top 20, it had significant air play and went to number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 17 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. It also went to number one inI Canada on the adult contemporary chart, which may explain why I heard it a great deal.

The final single he released from the album was “Sunset Grill”, which went to number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number seven on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart.

“Building the Perfect Beast” would also peak at number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart.


The album
When I really got into music that Fall of 1984, I started listening to LA-107 FM, an album oriented radio station broadcasting from Lethbridge. It format meant it focused on albums more than singles, meaning the announcers often played more than one song at a time from an album, and sometimes singles that had not been officially released yet.

They did a lot of that on a Monday night top-20 album countdown show. That’s where I heard most of these songs.

Soon after, I also joined Columbia House, and got those 12 tapes for like $12. One of the albums I bought was “Building the Perfect Beast”.

Listening to it proves why I believe you have to buy the whole album, and listen to all the songs, because there may be something new and interesting that never gets released.

That was the case with “Building the Perfect Beast”. It had two songs that never hit the air waves. One was the title track, that was kind of cool. There is the chant of “building, building, building”, while Henley sings “Building the perfect beast.”

The other song, was only available on the tape. It was a powerful ballad telling a story of someone growing up in a small town, and the plight of Rural America. It was called “A Month of Sundays”, and I am pretty sure Henley performed it at Farm Aid, a fundraising concert to raise money to battle the plight of the farmer in America.

“A Month of Sundays” also came to mind when I heard the next single Henley released.

End of the Innocence
It remains one of my favourite songs of all time. In 1989, Henley released his third studio album, “End of the Innocence”. The first single was the title track “End of the Innocence”, and it is a beautifully written song. Adding depth and richness is Bruce Hornsby playing piano.

The song went all the way to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, peaked at number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart, and hit number three in Canada. Henley would win his second Grammy for Rock Male Vocalist, and earn nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for the single “End of the Innocence”. The album would also be nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year.

The album produced a number of other hit songs over the next year as well.

“The Last Worthless Evening” peaked at number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart; “The Heart of the Matter” went to number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart; and “New York Minute” peaked at number 48 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 24 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

The years after
Don Henley keeps on writing, recording and performing to this day.

In 1992, he teamed up with Patty Smyth, front person for Scandal, on the single “Sometimes Love Just Ain’t Enough”. The song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Chart. They were also nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo.

In fact, Henley would earn a lot of Grammy nominations over the next few decades.

In 2001, he was nominated for Male Pop Vocal Performance for “Taking You Home”; Rock Male Vocalist for “Workin’ It”; and Pop Vocal Album for “Inside Job”.

In 2002, he was nominated with Trisha Yearwood for Country Collaboration with Vocals for “Inside Out”. In 2003, he was nominated with Sheryl Crow for Pop Collaboration with Vocals for “It’s So Easy”.

In 2007, he won MusiCares Person of the Year; and was nominated with Kenny Rogers for Country Collaboration with Vocals for “Calling Me”.

In 2016, he was nominated with Stan Lynch for American Roots Song for “The Cost of Living”.

Don Henley was inducted as part of the Eagles into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Parting thoughts
There are just certain songs that resonate with every music listener. It could be the melody, beat, lyrics, the combination of these elements or anything else.

Two songs that resonate with me are “The Boys of Summer” and “End of the Innocence”. It is the combination of Henley’s voice and the stories those two songs tell.

Interestingly, they came at different times in my musical journey through the ‘80s, and are kind of like book ends. One came when I was just getting into music, while the other came out after my music knowledge and taste had aged, cured, and maybe matured.

When Don Henley embarked on his solo career it was the end of one thing, and the beginning of something else.

Kind of like my own musical journey through the ‘80s with his music.

Danny Glover: Making it right

Danny Glover as Malachi Johnson in the film "Silverado" in 1985.

Source: https://onceuponatimeinawestern.com/silverado-1985/

(May be subject to copyright)

“That ain’t right”.

Those were the words muttered by Malachi Johnson when his daddy was run off his land by a crooked sheriff and land baron. Malachi vowed to make things right and, with the help of his newfound friends Paden, Jake and Emmett, he did just that, restoring order to a town called “Silverado”.

Malachi Johnson was my first exposure to the talents of Danny Glover.

He would go on to “Lethal Weapon”, where he played a detective who was the calming force and kept his wits about him when his partner was losing his. I will always remember Danny Glover as Detective Roger Murtaugh and how he somehow managed to keep alive his partner Martin Riggs, played by Mel Gibson.

That was just some of Danny Glover’s movie magic, but there is much more for a man who celebrated his birthday yesterday.

In the beginning
Danny Glover’s career began in 1979 just as the ‘80s were about to approach, when he had a role in “Escape from Alcatraz” opposite Clint Eastwood. That same year he had guest roles in “Lou Grant” and “Paris”.

He continued on TV with guest roles in 1981 in “Palmerstown, U.S.A.”; “The Greatest American Hero”; “Hill Street Blues”; and “Gimme a Break”; as well as the movie “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash” starring Alan Arkin, Carol Burnett, and Jack Warden.

Glover went on to the movies “Out” in 1982, and “The Face of Rage” in 1983.

Chiefs
He also appeared in the gripping miniseries “Chiefs” in 1983. I have seen it in its entirety twice and it is excellent. Set in the small southern town of Delano, it traces the lives of three chiefs of police through the decades from the 1940s to the 1980s, while a child killer lives among them. It starred Charlton Heston, Wayne Rogers, Billy Dee Williams and a host of others. It is excellent.

More movies
Glover appeared in the TV movie “Memorial Day” also in 1983, before he was back on the big screen in 1984 with two movies.

In 1984, he was in “Iceman”, a movie that holds an odd but special place in my heart. During the summer of 1984, I went to go visit my cousins in Brooks. I met a girl there, and for a few days we dated, seeing each other every day. We met at a drive-in movie showing of “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock”. A few days later, the movie had flipped and we went to see “Iceman”. More than the movie, I remember sitting in the front seat of my cousin’s car holding hands with the girl. She had broken her finger when she was younger, so her finger was an odd width. The ring she wore was made to fit this odd shape, so it looked like any other ring on any other finger when she wore it. When she took it off, as she did to hold hands, it looked oblong, almost like a trapezoid.

Anyway, Glover next appeared in “Places in the Heart”. He was an itinerant black handyman helping a widow, played by Sally Field, with two small children in north Texas in the 1930s trying to save her 40-acre farm.

Early in 1985, he was in the TV movie “And the Children Shall Lead”.

That was before the year became a watershed for Danny Glover as he appeared in three major motion pictures.

Three times lucky
Danny Glover began 1985 as a villain. In “Witness”, he plays a dirty cop who kills someone in cold blood. A young Amish boy sees him, and is the only witness. Harrison Ford plays a cop who, in the process of protecting the boy, hides out in the Amish community when his own life is in danger. I sometimes forget Glover is in “Witness”.

He followed that up as Mal Johnson in “Silverado”, playing a cowboy who just wants to go work cows with his father, only to discover his father has been run off his land. Mal, with the assistance of his new friends, rights that wrong.

Next was “The Color Purple”, a movie I heard a lot about but never actually saw. Glover plays the abusive husband of an African-American woman in the South for over 40 years.

Glover was actually in a fourth movie in 1985 I had never heard of called “The Stand-In”, where he plays a low budget film producer whose life is falling apart.

Lethal Weapon
Danny Glover had a role in an episode of “Tall Tales and Legends” in 1986, then appeared in two TV movies in 1987, including the title role in “Mandela”, playing the South African human rights leader. Glover’s role in “Mandela” garnered him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor Miniseries or Movie.

Then, he took on the role that may have been his most successful and recognizable. In 1987, Glover played Sergeant Roger Murtaugh opposite Mel Gibson, who played Martin Riggs, in “Lethal Weapon”. They are detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department. Riggs is a former Green Beret who has become suicidal following the death of his wife, while Murtaugh is a family man.

“Lethal Weapon 2” would follow in 1989, then “Lethal Weapon 3” in 1992, and “Lethal Weapon 4” in 1998.

End of the decade
Glover kept on putting out quality projects to end the ‘80s. In 1988, he was in the movie “Bat*21”. The movie is set in the Vietnam War, focusing on the rescue of a downed pilot behind enemy lines.

He would also have a busy 1989 on television, appearing in the TV movies “A Raisin in the Sun” and “Dead Man Out”.

He would also play Joshua Deets in the miniseries “Lonesome Dove”, where he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor Miniseries or movie.

The years after
Danny Glover continues acting to this day.

He has appeared in movies such as “Flight of the Intruder”; “Grand Canyon”; “Pure Luck”; “Angels in the Outfield”; “Operation Dumbo Drop”; “Gone Fishin’”; “Switchback”; “Beloved”; “The Royal Tenenbaums”; “Saw”; “Missing in America”; ”The Shaggy Dog”;”Dreamgirls”; “2012”; and so much more, as well as lending his voice to movies such as “The Prince of Egypt” and “Antz”.

Glover has also been on TV in an episode of “Fallen Angels” where he played detective Philip Marlowe, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor Drama Series; in the movie “Freedom Song”, where he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor Miniseries or Movie; four episodes of “ER”; six episodes of “Brothers and Sisters”; “My Name is Earl”; “Human Target”; “Psych”; “Touch”; “Criminal Minds”; “Black-ish”; and much more.

Glover also won the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2021.

Parting thoughts
Danny Glover has done so much in his career, including earning four Emmy nominations, and being honoured for his humanitarian efforts.

Yet, the role that will always come to mind when I hear his name is a man fighting for what was right, battling injustice, and being loyal to some men who put their life on the line to protect his.

Through it all he mutters those famous words:

“That ain’t right”.

Don Knotts: Mr. Furley and much more

Don Knotts as Ralph Furley in the sitcom "Three's Company".

Source: https://threescompany.fandom.com/wiki/Ralph_Furley

(May be subject to copyright)

How could he not have known? How was it possible that Ralph Furley could never see that Jack Tripper was not gay? That it was just a ruse so he could go on living with two female roommates? No matter how often Jack seemed to slip up, Mr. Furley never caught on.

That actually was part of Ralph Furley’s charm on the sitcom “Three’s Compant”. As the years went on, he became more than just another obtuse landlord, but a multi-layered character.

I attribute that to the acting of Don Knotts, who brought a lot of experience with him to that role.

It is his birthday today, and a good chance to look back.

The years before
Don Knotts got his start on TV on the soap opera “Search for Tomorrow”, but really got rolling with his turn as Barney Fife in “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1960 to 1968. He appeared in 162 episodes and won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1961, 1962, 1963, 1966, and 1967.

He would also appear in “McHale’s Navy”; “Mayberry R.F.D.” and “The New Andy Griffith Show”, reprising the role of Barney Fife; “Here’s Lucy”; “The Girl With Something Extra”; “Fantasy Island”; “The Muppets Go Hollywood”; and much more.

Knotts was also in a lot of movies including “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”; “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken”; “The Reluctant Astronaut”; “The Shakiest Gun in the West”; “The Love God?”; “How to Frame a Figg”; “The Apple Dumpling Gang”; “Gus”; “Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo”; “Hot Lead and Cold Feet”; “The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again”; “The Prize Fighter”; and more.

Stray thoughts

I have some odd memories about some of these movies.

“It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World” is about a cross-country treasure hunt that had Jimmy Durante literally kick the bucket to start the movie, and touch off the hunt for treasure. I started watching the movie one weekday afternoon in the summer, on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial, when I had no school, but never saw the end.

“The Apple Dumpling Gang” and its sequel were both on TV, and I am pretty sure I have seen them, but when I read up on them I just don’t have any memory. The thing is, every Sunday we would usually have company. These movies would air on the “Wide World of Disney” on Channel 9 of the peasant vision dial, usually in two parts of an hour each over two successive Sundays. Often our company would stay until 8 p.m., so even if we wanted to watch the movie, the adults would be talking through it. With it hard to understand, I am not surprised I formed few memories about some movies.

One I do remember well is “Gus”, about a donkey recruited by the California Atoms, a professional football team, to kick field goals. Knotts plays Coach Venner, the hapless coach of the Atoms. In the end, the farm boy who holds the ball for Gus and yells the word that makes him kick, himself becomes the hero by scoring the championship winning touchdown.

“Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo” is another installment in the series of movies about a Volkswagen Beatle who comes to life. Knotts plays the mechanic to driver Jim Douglas, played by Dean Jones, who take Herbie in a road race from Paris to Monte Carlo. I actually bought the novelization of this movie through Scholastic Books.

“Hot Lead and Cold Feet” is a movie I wanted to see, and have faint recollection that I may have, in a matinee at the Paramount Theatre in Lethbridge. It is another novelization that I bought through Scholastic Books.

It may not have been as big a role as Barney Fife, but in 1979, Don Knotts landed another memorable role.

Three’s Company
In 1979, Don Knotts, who was already an established star, joined the cast of “Three’s Company” as landlord Ralph Furley. He replaced Stanley and Helen Roper, played by Norman Fell and Audra Lindley, who had left for their own sitcom “The Ropers”.

Over time he would turn in some great scenes. In one episode, he comes upon a dog and, when by himself, tells the dog he will call him “Patches”. He then recounts the story of a dog he lost when he was a boy. It was a touching scene. In another episode, Jack Tripper, played by John Ritter, is the victim of harassment. Jack’s roommate Janet Wood, played by Joyce DeWitt, and Jack go back and forth in this passionate discussion. Furley notes they are each pronouncing harassment differently and blurts out, “Which is it?” It was the perfect comic relief.

Knotts would stay on until the show ended in 1984, for a total of 115 episodes.

The years after
Knotts appeared in movies such as “Cannonball Run II”; “Big Bully”; “Pleasantville”; “Tom Sawyer”; “Chicken Little”; a number of short films; and more.

He appeared on television in “The Love Boat”; lent his voice to “Inspector Gadget”; reprised his role as Barney Fife in the television movie “Return to Mayberry” in 1986; had a recurring role for 11 episodes in “What a Country!” in 1987; and was in “She’s the Sheriff” in 1988 with former “Three’s Company” star Suzanne Somers.

Knotts played Les Calhoun, Matlock’s pesky neighbour in 17 episodes of “Matlock” from 1988 to 1992, reuniting with his old co-star Andy Griffith.

There were also appearances in “Newhart”; “Step by Step”, again appearing with Suzanne Somers; “Burke’s Law”; “8 Simple Rules (to Dating my Teenage Daughter)”; “That ‘70s Show”; “Fatherhood”; “Las Vegas”; and more.

Don Knotts would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2000.

He died on February 24, 2006.

He was 81 years old.

Parting thoughts
Don Knotts was an actor who seemed to transcend time. I never once saw him play Barney Fife in “The Andy Griffith Show”, but it is obviously an iconic role, validated by the five Emmys he won for the part.

I did see him in a lot of Disney and Disney-type comedies, and he was very effective.

Initially, he brought that same sensibility to his role as Ralph Furley on “Three’s Company”. Wikipedia revealed many of the slapstick lines intended for Suzanne Somers were given to Knotts when she departed the show. Yet, over time, as he became more familiar with Jack, Janet and the others, the role deepened, and he brought new dimensions to it. He was no longer their landlord, he was their friend, and they were all part of a family.

Wikipedia says that in 2004 “TV Guide” named Don Knotts number 27 on their list of “50 Greatest TV Actors of All Time”.

I can see why.

But I still have one question:

How could he not have known?

Kim Carnes: “Remembering Bette Davis Eyes” and more

She told us all about the eyes of a movie star, but the raspy voice of Kim Carnes was much more than that one hit single “Bette Davis Eyes”.

She would produce a variety of other songs, a duet with a legend, and much more.

It is Kim Carnes birthday today, and a good chance to look back.

In the beginning
Kim Carnes started her career in 1962, signing her first publishing deal. She released her first solo album in 1971, and her second one in 1975. That album yielded her first chart single, “You’re A Part of Me”, which peaked at number 32 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Her third album came out in 1976. In 1978, she recorded “You’re A Part of Me” as a duet with Gene Cotton, and it went all the way to number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Her career would take off just as a new decade was starting.

Dawn of the decade
In 1980, Kim Carnes teamed up with country music super star Kenny Rogers on “Don’t Fall in Love With a Dreamer”. It was a duet written by Carnes and her husband Dave Ellingson for Rogers’ 1980 album “Gideon”.

The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100; number two on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart; and number three on the Billboard Hot Country chart. The song also garnered a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus

Later in 1980, Carnes recorded a cover of “More Love” by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. That song was Carnes’ first top 10 single as a solo artist, peaking at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number six on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

The next year Kim Carnes’ career would explode.

Smash hit
“Bette Davis Eyes” was originally written and composed by Jackie DeShannon and Donna Weiss in 1974.

Kim Carnes recorded “Bette Davis Eyes” in 1981, releasing it in March. The song went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, and spent nine weeks there. It was the first single from the album “Mistaken Identity”, which also hit number one on the Billboard 200 album chart, staying there for four weeks.

Wikipedia reveals “Bette Davis Eyes” was the biggest hit of 1981 and, according to Billboard, is the second biggest hit of the 1980s, after “Physical” by Olivia Newton-John.

“Bette Davis Eyes” won the Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, while Carnes was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance Female. “Mistaken Identity” was also nominated for Album of the Year.

It would be next to impossible to top that, but Carnes kept on recording and performing through the rest of the ‘80s.

Best of the rest
Kim Carnes would chart several singles over the next few years. In 1981, “Draw of the Cards” peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1982, “Voyeur” peaked at number 29, and earned Carnes a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance Female, while “Does it Make You Remember” peaked at number 36.

In 1983, “Invisible Hands” went all the way to number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it earned Carnes another Grammy nomination for Best Rock Vocal Performance Female.

In 1984, “You Make My Heart Beat Faster (And That’s All That Matters)” went to number 54 on the Billboard Hot 100.

That summer of 1984, I was working in the sugar beat fields and listened to a pocket radio while I worked. A song I kept hearing was “I Pretend” by Kim Carnes, and I really liked it. It peaked at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number nine on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Last hurrah
Kim Carnes would find her final chart success in 1984 and 1985.

She recorded “What About Me?” in 1984 with Kenny Rogers and James Ingram. The song went all the way to number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Then, in 1985, she recorded another great solo song in “Crazy in the Night (Barking at Airplanes)”. It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and is still one of my favourite Kim Carnes songs. It is also Kim Carnes’ last top 20 single to date.

It was the debut single from the album “Barking at Airplanes”, which went all the way to number 48 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

We Are the World

In 1985, drought and famine struck Africa in the 1980s, hitting Ethiopia particularly hard. After a group of British artists banded together at Christmas of 1984 to record a charity single called “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”, artists around the world began to raise money and awareness.

A group of American artists called USA for Africa recorded a single called “We Are the World”, co-written by Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson. Carnes has a part in the song singing “While we stand together as one” with Cyndi Lauper and Huey Lewis.

Kim Carnes continues to record and produce to this day.

Parting thoughts
“Bette Davis Eyes” truly is an anthem of the ‘80s. It is no surprise it was the top song of 1981 and the number two song for the entire decade, because it was always on the radio. I had heard it several times long before I really got into music.

Not only popular, it was a much decorated song as well. I recall seeing Carnes accept the award for Record of the Year on the Grammy broadcast that year, wondering what “Bette Davis Eyes” meant.

Kim Carnes would go on to have moderate chart success after “Bette Davis Eyes”, proving she was not a one-hit wonder.

“Bette Davis Eyes” is a big part of the soundtrack of the ‘80s.

Even if Kim Carnes was, what a one-hit wonder, what a hit it is.

Earl Hamner Jr.: From “The Waltons” to “Falcon Crest”

Earl Hamner, Jr., creator of "The Waltons" and "Falcon Crest".

Source: https://goldenglobes.com/articles/earl-hamner-jr-creator-golden-globe-winner-waltons-1923-2016/

(May be subject to copyright)

Although the character narrating “The Waltons” is John-Boy Walton, the eldest son and aspiring writer in the family, this man is the actual voice.

Creator Earl Hamner based “The Waltons” on his experiences growing up in the mountains of Virginia.

Ultimately, like all good shows, “The Waltons” ran its course and ended.

The next year, Earl Hamner was back, with a show nothing like “The Waltons”. In fact, in so many ways “Falcon Crest” was the exact opposite of “The Waltons”.

It was Earl Hamner’s birthday recently, and I thought that a good opportunity to look back at the interesting and diverse work he contributed to pop culture in the ‘80s.

The years before
Earl Hamner Jr. got his big break in Hollywood as a writer in 1962 with “The Hunt”, an episode of “The Twilight Zone”. He would go on to write seven more episodes of the show between 1962 and 1964 – “A Piano in the House”; “Jess-Belle”; “Ring-a-Ding Girl”; “You Drive”; “Black Leather Jackets”; “Stopover in a Quiet Town”; and “The Bewitchin’ Pool”.

He would write eight episodes of the series “Gentle Ben” from 1967 to 1969, and four episodes of the sitcom “Nanny and the Professor” in 1970.

Hamner also wrote the TV movie “Heidi” in 1968 and “Appalachian Autumn” in 1969, the first television play episode of the third season of “CBS Playhouse”.

In 1971, he wrote the script for a television movie, based on a novel he wrote, that served as the pilot for what became a long-running television series

The Waltons
In 1961, Earl Hamner Jr. wrote “Spencer’s Mountain”, a novel based on his life growing up in Schuyler, Virginia in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was subsequently made into a movie of the same name in 1963, starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Hara.

The “Spencer’s Mountain” novel and movie served as the basis for the 1971 television movie “The Homecoming:A Christmas Story”.

That, in turn, was the pilot for “The Waltons”.

The show, set during the 1930s, Great Depression and Second World War, is about a family living in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia on Walton’s Mountain operating a sawmill.

John and Olivia Walton, played by Ralph Waite and Michael Learned, are the parents of seven children.

The show is narrated by John-Boy Walton, played by Richard Thomas. He is the eldest child of the family and wants to be a writer. The voice is provided by Earl Hamner, who based the show on his own experiences growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

The rest of the Walton children are Jason, played by Jon Walmsley, who aspired to be a musician and performed often in the Dew Drop Inn in Rockfish; Mary Ellen, the eldest daughter, played by Judy Norton-Taylor, who was independent-minded and became a nurse; Erin, played by Mary McDonough, who was a telephone operator and supervisor at a factory; Ben, played by Eric Scott, who had red hair and was a bit of an entrepreneur; James Robert, or Jim-Bob, played by David W. Harper, who aspired to be a pilot; and Elizabeth, the youngest, played by Kami Cotler.

John’s parents, played by Will Geer and Ellen Corby, lived with the family as well.

There were also all sorts of friends and acquaintances. The Waltons shopped at the general store operated by Ike Godsey and his wife Corabeth; they hung out with the Baldwin sisters, who were seniors, and made moonshine they called “Papa’s Recipe”; their church pastor was played by a very young John Ritter; and there were so many more.

The “Waltons” would run nine seasons from 1972 to 1981 for 221 episodes. There were also six reunion movies,

Falcon Crest
Just as “The Waltons” went off the air, Hamner’s next great show was going into production

In the 1981 “TV Guide” fall preview edition, Hamner was described as “coming off his mountain” and going to the vineyards of California.

His new show was called “Falcon Crest”, debuting in December of 1981 and spanning the rest of the decade. The show focused on Falcon Crest, a vineyard in the fictional Tuscany Valley, owned by the Gioberti family. As the show began, Falcon Crest was owned and operated by Angela Channing and her brother Jason Gioberti. In the series opener, Jason dies a suspicious death that is covered up by Angela. Jason’s death brings son Chase Gioberti, a pilot, home to grieve his father. However, in the process Chase inherits a small piece of Falcon Crest and a house, so he decides to move his wife and two children to Southern California. Over the course of the first season, Chase settles in, and tries to figure out the cause of his father’s death. Meanwhile, Angela tries to keep it covered up. You see, if the death turns out to be suspicious, Chase stands to inherit half of Falcon Crest, and Angela does not want that.

Over time there would be more characters and conflict, much of it over Falcon Crest.

In so many ways, “Falcon Crest” was the exact opposite of “The Waltons”. Where the Walton family was poor, hard-working, and honest, with its members always pulling together to survive, the Giobertis were rich and bursting at the seams with intrigue and betrayal.

I recall distinctly where I was when I saw the premiere of “Falcon Crest”. I was staying over night with my sister in this apartment she had on Mayor Magrath Drive in Lethbridge that has long since been torn down. It had hardwood floors and the woman living above my sister walked around her apartment in high heels. I remember really enjoying the show, and wanting more.

I ended up watching it religiously until 1985. I was in Grade 11 and started going out on Friday nights, with my friends when “Falcon Crest” aired.

“Falcon Crest” ran for nine seasons, from 1981 to 1990, for a total of 227 episodes.

Prolific writer
Earl Hamner wrote a lot of other shows. He created “Apple’s Way” for the 1973-1974 and 1974-1975 seasons, featuring a family relocating from Los Angeles to a small town in Iowa, and the culture shock that resulted.

Hamner wrote the screenplay for the classic “Heidi” in 1968; “Appalachian Autumn” in 1969; the children’s classic “Charlotte’s Web” in 1973; and “Where the Lilies Bloom” in 1974.

He wrote “Boone” for the 1983-1984 season, featuring Boone Sawyer, played by Tom Byrd, a teenage boy who wants to make it big in music. The show was cancelled after 13 episodes. Hamner also wrote “The Gift of Love: A Christmas Story” in 1983, starring Lee Remick, Angela Lansbury and Polly Holliday.

Earl Hamner died on March 24, 2016.

He was 92.

Parting thoughts
Digging deeper into the work of Earl Hamner, Jr., reveals much of his work was based on the area he grew up in. Many of the stories are in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Virginia, and Appalachia.

That’s why “Falcon Crest” is such an intriguing creation. It is such a grave departure from everything else he wrote.

“The Waltons” was a straight up drama, set in a real times, particularly the Great Depression and the Second World War. Its characters were everyday people struggling to survive. “Falcon Crest” was a soap opera, with characters who were rich, living opulent lives, and dealing with melodramatic challenges. At times, “Falcon Crest” was a prime time fairy tale.

I think Earl Hamner’s ability to move from “The Waltons” to “Falcon Crest” illustrates just how good a writer he was.