TV Spot Tuesday: All That Glitters (1977)

Perhaps it was somewhat meant to be when I ran across the above scan I took for the short-lived series All That Glitters. I remember scanning it because I thought it was for a mini-series. Seriously, does that not sound like a great title for a shoulder padded drama? Indeed. However, I saw that it was a comedy produced by Normal Lear that featured the incomparable Eileen Brennan, among many other great talents. Sadly, Miss Brennan passed away last week at the age of 80. How I adored her smoky voice and red locks. She was stunningly unique, and a great talent. So, although I've never seen All That Glitters, I thought it might be nice to spotlight it on TV Spot Tuesday.

Newspaper promo for All That Glitters

As previously mentioned, the series was created by Norman Lear and it aired in syndication. In some ways it was much like Lear's other satire, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman in respects to the approach to humor and because it ran nightly. It garnered a lot of controversy when it was released because the premise regarded women in positions of power in the corporate world while men were the subservient party, working as secretaries, etc. The company was called Globotron Corporation and was run by L.W. Carruthers (Barbara Baxley), and apparently she was a bit of a man eater (if you know what I mean).

The ridiculously awesome Lois Nettleton!

Linda Gray took on the controversial role as a transsexual. In an interview she noted that playing that character was instrumental in securing her role as Sue Ellen on Dallas! Gary Sandy played the secretary with "the cutest little buns in the corporation" (thank you for that tidbit, Total Television)! All I could find about Brennan is that she played an important recurring character who was named Ma Packer.

The series, which lasted for 65 episodes between April and July of 1977, is probably best remembered for spawning the song You Don't Bring Me Flowers, which was originally intended to be the theme song for the series. The tune was written by Neil Diamond with Alan and Marilyn Bergman. When Lear decided the song wasn't right for the show, Diamond expanded it and you can listen to him sing it with Barbara Streisand below.

Holy cow, so much interesting history in a series that seems to have all but disappeared! I'm curious if any of you remember this groundbreaking comedy? And what can you tell my about Brennan and Gray's roles?

Here is a promo for All That Glitters

Here is a clip of Neil Diamond and Babs belting out You Don't Bring Me Flowers 

(Re)Construction Worker Wanted: Reconsidering Joe Gerard on Rhoda

This post is part of Me-TV's Summer of Classic TV Blogathon hosted by the Classic TV Blog Association. Please visit the Classic TV Blog Association's website to view more posts in this blogathon. You can also go here to learn more about Me-TV and view its summer line-up of classic TV shows.

After the first two successful and extremely hilarious seasons of Rhoda, the writers decided that a complacent and married Rho was not in the makings for sitcom-bliss. In a December 1976 issue of TV Guide, one of Rhoda's producers, Charlotte Brown spoke about the difficulty they were having with creating storylines. She said, “Sometimes we’d sit around for days to think up a single story with some conflict that could focus on Rhoda.” This led to the third season separation storyline where Joe decides to tell Rhoda that he’s been "feeling restless" and wants the couple to live apart. At the time, David Groh, the actor who played Rhoda’s husband Joe Gerard, thought it was a great avenue to explore. In the same TV Guide article, Groh commented, “At first I thought there would be a divorce and I’d be out of the show altogether. As it is now, with just the separation, I’m getting a chance to do some real acting for a change. There were times last year when I was reduced to the role of the wife in the old situation comedies, just walking in and saying, ‘Hi, babe’.”

However, Groh’s contentment with the change in the series was short-lived. In a March 1977 interview with the Associated Press he was asked if the divorce story was a mistake. Groh replied, “Without a doubt. They’re tampering with something the public went for.” He even received letters from fans of the series who wanted to see the couple reconcile, because the separation was a “big downer.” Groh was told he was being written out because if appeared in an episode, the ratings would go down.

Rhoda had ranked in the 6th and 7th place in the Nielsen's for the first two seasons, but fell to #32 during the third season. While it bounced back a bit in the next season, the show was cancelled mid-way through their fifth year because of the horrible ratings. Losing Joe was an obvious mistake. Of course, Rhoda, the series and the character, was successful and continues to resonate with audiences because of Valerie Harper’s chaotic but pitch-perfect portrayal of the self-deprecating beauty who always felt like she landed in second place. I could watch Rhoda eat a sandwich for an hour and feel entertained (granted, her relationship with food only adds to my viewing pleasure). But the series also featured a bevvy of delightful supporting characters, Joe being one of my favorites. It doesn’t hurt that I have a pretty big crush on the actor, who embodies everything I love about 1970s machismo (also, he reminds me of my husband, whose look is also comprised of 70s finest). But aside from drooling every time he appeared on screen, David Groh made Joe charming, even when he was frustrating.

Me-TV Promo for Rhoda: 

The couple met in the very first episode, and sparks immediately flew. In one of the promos for Me-TV, Rhoda tells Joe she’s from Minneapolis and he playfully replies, “Oh yeah, I could tell from the accent.” This sets up the fun, if impulsive, courtship the couple would enjoy. Joe was all to often the straight guy, but his deadpan delivery made for some chuckle worthy moments, such as the one I just mentioned.

Joe owned the New York Wrecking Company, and often collected pieces of the buildings he tore down. He gave Billy Glass (Jack Gilford) a piece of the men’s room from the original Madison Square Garden, and once gave Rhoda bingo balls from a church he demolished. I found that small character trait to correspond perfectly with Rhoda's visual flair. They both seemed to be attracted to stuff and things (for lack of a better phrase). He lived modestly until he married Rhoda and they rented out a gorgeous apartment in Brenda’s building. He was divorced and had a young son, and his failed marriage made him antsy when it came to popping the question.

Rhoda and Joe were married in the eighth episode, which was aptly titled Rhoda's Wedding (OAD: 10/28/74) This episode was, at the time, the second most watched moment on television (surpassed only by the birth of Ricky Jr. on I Love Lucy). It was an incredible episode, probably best remembered for Rhoda running through the streets of New York in her wedding dress because Phyllis had forgotten to pick her up! The joke was repeated when Phyllis (Cloris Leachman) also neglected to pick up Mother Dexter for her wedding on Phyllis’own series.

One of the most progressive aspects of their marriage was that they were complete equals. Both were business owners (Rhoda started Windows by Rhoda at the end of season one), and the couple shared different problems but worked them out in a surprisingly mature, and sometimes perhaps in a little un-Rhoda-like fashion. Well, not so much in Mucho Macho (OAD: 9/25/1975) when the couple squared off in an adorable nerf-club match. Underneath the talks about how to make the marriage work, there were always doses of passion and humor, which of course, is totally Rhoda!

For the most part, Rhoda had settled into wedded bliss, but the show kept up with her insecurities as the couple faced various challenges. In Rhoda Meets the Ex-Wife (OAD: 9/15/1975), Rhoda handles the encounter with style and grace. Marian (Joan Van Ark looking stunning) is everything Rhoda is afraid of. It may be no mistake that Marian is close to the name Mary, as she is also uber-chic, if a lot more removed than Rhoda’s old Minneapolis BFF. Through her usual self-deprecating wit, Rhoda is able to warm Marian up a bit, but in the end, she realizes that what the ex has to offer isn’t what Joe is looking for. When Marian asks Rhoda to give Joe her best, Rhoda quips, “I’ll do better than that, I’ll give him my best!”

The tables are turned in Strained Interlude (OAD: 1/20/75) when Rhoda’s old boyfriend asks her to meet him for a date. Joe asks Rhoda if she would be uncomfortable if he met up with someone from his past and she reminds him that she is indeed uncomfortable every time he sees Marian. In this episode, both Rhoda and Joe work through these issues, and Joe is able to begin letting go of his jealousy. Rhoda, of course, continues to struggle with her insecurities and delivers a knockout monologue about the woman Joe might be with in the episode A Night with the Girls (OAD: 12/1/75). It turns out Joe was running late because of a flat tire. Oh Rhoda! We love you because we understand you. 

Yet, underneath all that vulnerability was a pretty strong marriage. In the episode The Party (OAD: 10/6/1975), the couple host a gathering. The set-up is very realistic – a bunch of people who have little in common end up at a party where nothing seems to go right. Each couple is revealed to be suffering from their own issues, but Rhoda and Joe have this chemistry that you can practically peel off the walls! The episode takes a shocking turn when Susan (Beverly Sanders), Rhoda’s old high school chum, reveals that she thinks her husband has turned her into a baby making machine. Conversely, Rhoda and Joe show off their unbridled passion for each other during a group-encounter session. To me, this is an episode that really defines Rhoda and Joe’s marriage. It feels solid and secure and sexy as hell!

However, the seeds had already been planted in the second season opener, Everything I Have is Yours, Almost (OAD: 1/27/75), where Joe reveals he has been seeking professional help because he has a hard time dealing openly with his emotions. This issue will arise in the sad separation episode from season three, simply titled The Separation (OAD 9/20/76). Joe admits that something doesn't feel right (a recurring theme throughout his run on the show) and wants to live separately. Groh only appeared in eight more episodes and the couple quietly divorced, leaving Rhoda to spend the next couple of years shooting zingers at the many new cast additions.

All these years later, and I still can’t get over the fact that Joe and Rhoda didn’t make it. In terms of reflecting the culture of the 1970s, it would be hard to deny divorce rates weren’t rising, and the series captured that. Certainly, Joe and Rhoda had a fast, whirlwind romance before jumping into marriage. But it just doesn’t sit right. In my Rhoda-luvin’ eyes, I see her romance with Joe as lovely, real and wonderful to watch. As daring as television was in the 1970s, I personally think it would have been more radical to have them work through their issues and get back together. Maybe I’m just a romantic at heart, or maybe I just see a lot of myself in Rhoda (and some of my husband in Joe) and I am blinded by their chemistry. I recently watched the Mary and Rhoda reunion movie and remember my heart breaking a little when I found out that Rhoda had a baby with another husband. Ah, what could have been.

After Rhoda, Groh starred a comedy series in 1978 with Joan Hackett called Another Day. The show was short-lived however, and Groh admits that he received mail from bitter fans who wondered why he left Rhoda! Afterwards, he continued to work steadily as a character actor. My second favorite role of his would have to be his scary turn as D.L. Brock on General Hospital from 1983 - 85. I remember thinking, "That's Joe?!?" 

Promo for Another Day: 

I haven't seen the full run of Rhoda in a very long time, but I remember enjoying the series after Joe left, although it took some adjustment. I'm thrilled that Me-TV is running Rhoda, so I can relive all the happiness and heartbreak again. Maybe Joe got tired of saying it, but every time Rhoda graces the screen I am tempted to say, "Hi, babe." 











Rhoda Trivia: Did you know that when Rhoda and Joe moved into Brenda's building in 9-E is Available (OAD: 11/11/74), they were renting from the guy who would go on to chase Harper around the desert in the creepy made for TV movie Night Terror?

I hosted a Valerie Harper Blogathon a couple of months ago. If you are interested in reading more about Harper or Rhoda please click here.

Must See Streaming Movie of the Week: Goodbye, Supermom

Network: CBS 
Original Air Date: January 1st, 1988

Valerie Harper stars in a tele-film that attempts to speak to the tug of war women had with deciding whether or not they should become corporate powerhouses or impossibly perfect housewives. It’s a comedy, and the film makes fun of several issues, including an outdated, but cute, joke about punk rock hair! But the heart of the film is about a successful executive named Nora (Harper) who dreams of giving up her career in exchange for the suburbs and PTA meetings. She’s married to an equally successful exec named Jack (Wayne Rogers) and the two struggle with how to raise their children in a world of late 80s problems.

Well, sorta late 80s. While Goodbye, Supermom (aka Drop-Out Mom) seeks to address a then-very modern issue, it relies on the superficial black and white dreams made from 1950s sitcoms. That Nora meets her mother in a classic TV themed diner must have been purposeful, as it captures the old school fantasy world of conservative ideology. And yes, that’s as deep as I’m gonna get.

While Goodbye, Supermom comments on these fairly heavy-duty issues, they do so with tongue in cheek. Harper was actually worried that the film would not connect with viewers, and in an interview she said, “I was more afraid the movie was elitist, since the husband and the wife were both making $100,000 a year. But they both hated what they were doing. She’s a corporate flack for a really piggy defense contractor. It’s about finding a balance in one’s life.”


The facile world of living life as a corporate shilling takes on cartoonish proportions. Nora is a PR executive who handles a female musician client named Virgin (hello, Madonna!) and Jack attempts to aid a crooked evangelist who wants to become governor. Both sides are exaggerated and silly, elevating those moments to social satire. Nora’s BFFs are just as superficial, looking to have nose jobs called “The Lee Remick” and dating any and every man who looks at them twice. It makes suburban domesticity look rather attractive, but the problems encompassed in the space of home life are tame, and not as engaging.

However, what does work is Jack and Nora’s marriage. I loved how they fought but no one came off as the enemy. Jack is really well written and it was nice to see the husband not turn out to be a louse. His biggest problem is that he seems to be allergic to life in the suburbs! Likewise, Nora really wants to do right by her family, even if she’s no good at cooking (and what was up with the veal theme?). In an interview with Rogers he talked about how his character wants to support her decisions but worries that he’s losing the woman he loves. He said, “The drop in our family income isn’t something that figures in his reaction… The essence is that he doesn’t like the change in her.” I love when Jack consoles Nora by telling her that it’s OK that she’s not a great housewife – He always wanted to be a great ball player but that didn’t happen either. That he equated his sports ambitions with her desire to be Mrs. Cleaver showed a lot of respect and I loved it.

Overall though, the film is too uneven. It’s elevated by the charm of both Harper and Rogers, and the flat out satire is a hoot, but it doesn’t seem to know where to place the humor in some scenes. However, if late 80s tele-films are your bag (and really, they must be or you wouldn’t be here), Goodbye, Supermom is a great trip back in time. It's currently streaming on Netflix! And please, could someone really open up that TV themed restaurant?

TV Spot Tuesday: NBC Friday Night March 14th, 1980

Ad courtesy of the Here's Boomer website

I'm not saying that March 14th, 1980 was the best night for television in the history of the world, but you know, I'm not saying it wasn't either.

Check it: You start out your night with an adorable episode of Here's Boomer. He's America's new Benji... sorta. Anyway, he's adorable and looking to win your heart. Done. This was actually an airing of the first episode of the series, which lasted from 1980 - 1982. It was a spinoff of the popular TV movie, A Christmas for Boomer, and I remember watching the show, although I recall so little about it now. I have a feeling at that time in my young life I was trying to be Miz Cool and pretended that Boomer wasn't completely adorable. What a fool I was. In this episode, titled Molly, Boomer helps a little girl with some sort of mental disability. He does that cuz he's adorable. Did I mention he was adorable?

Ad courtesy of Vintage Toledo TV

Then, Blair gets into all kinds of hijinks on an episode of The Facts of Life titled Emily Dickinson. In the episode that aired on this night she steals a - you guessed it - Emily Dickinson poem, and of course, gets caught. I guess Mrs. Garrett needs to give our favorite Breck shampoo girl a good talking too. I really love the very early episodes of Facts of Life where all the girls were hanging out. I loved Molly's spunk and Tootie's skates.

Image courtesy of Vinnie Rattolle's Cult Oddities

The evening wraps up with Pink Lady and Jeff, which is the infamous short lived television series featuring stand up comedian Jeff Altman and the Japanese disco duo Pink Lady. It's disco galore and a lot of weirdness in between. I just guested on The Movies About Girls podcast this past weekend and Pink Lady and Jeff was the topic of the day! This episode featured Larry Hagman, which makes it totally amazing (even though I haven't seen it...yet).

What can I say, NBC you really had your stuff together in 1980! Here is the promo spot:

Mary and Rhoda (2000)

Network: ABC
Air Date: February 7th, 2000
 
I’m just going to put it out there for everyone… I liked the Mary and Rhoda reunion movie. Did I love it? No, but I did enjoy it quite a bit. I’m sure some of it comes from the fact that Mary and Rhoda are simply creatures of comfort. For as long as I can remember I’ve loved Rhoda. I actually didn’t get into the Mary Tyler Moore Show until later, but I remember being a big fan of Rhoda when her show first went into syndication in the 70s. I loved her apartment, I loved her sister, and boy, did I love Joe (David Groh). OK, I didn’t love him right off the bat, I liked him, and was sad when their marriage didn’t work out. Then I was terrified by him when he played D.L. Brock on General Hospital. Then I fell in love with him as an adult when I had a chance to watch Smash-Up on Interstate 5. It took 30 years for me to realize how incredibly gorgeous he was, but once I did I never looked back! As an aside, I saw David Groh about a year or so before he passed away eating lunch at the restaurant next to my work. He was in a heated conversation with his friend and after I got about 10 feet away from him, both my friend I looked at each other very excitedly and squealed “That was David Groh!!!” which was kind of awesome since my friend is a guy and doesn’t really squeal. But that’s the effect David had on us. Wait, that wasn’t just an aside, that whole opening was an aside… Back to work…

Mary and Rhoda was intended to be a television series, but because the pilot was not well received by the ol’ ABC execs the show was eventually turned into a TV reunion movie. Moore, who served as executive producer stated during filming that she saw Mary and Rhoda as the first of a series of movies where she could bring back people like Lou Grant. Moore said in an interview, “My feeling at the time was, since we had so many new people to introduce, we should stick with our new family.” Moore also revealed that working as a producer on this project was stressful and that she longed for her old buddies on the set. "It would have made me feel a lot comfier,” she said in the same interview, “to have some of those pals around, but that’s something for future projects, maybe.” That maybe was of course never to be, because despite the fact that it was an enormous success in terms of the numbers of viewers (somewhere around 18 million!), it was considered tepid at best by the critics (and many of the fans). I would imagine the biggest complaints were that the humor was a lot more sentimental and sweet and less laugh out loud, and omitting the old Minneapolis crew was a let down.

Mary and Rhoda picks up about two decades later as both the of the women find themselves in New York City. Mary’s senator husband has just died in a rock climbing accident (!) and Rhoda is divorced from some French guy that she apparently really hates! They both have daughters that are the same age, and each one has been named in tribute of mother’s BFF. Rhoda’s daughter is named Meredith (Marisa Ryan) and Mary’s daughter is named Rose (Bethany Joy Lenz) after, you guessed it, Rhoda! Although the movie doesn’t really delve into the daughter’s characters, it looks like they could have been switched at birth. Meredith is pragmatic and smart and Rose uses every situation to make a joke. In fact, she wants to leave school to become a comedian. Too bad she’s not so good at it. Hey, we can’t all be Rhoda. But the crux of the movie, and a reason I really enjoyed it, was that it made a strong statement about women and ageism in the workplace. Both Mary and Rhoda want to get back to their old career women lives, but neither is taken seriously. There’s a humorous interview montage where Mary begins lying about her age and it ends with her asking, “How old do you think I look?” as she peeks out behind dark sunglasses. In the end, Mary is only hired for a news show because the boss is worried that he’s going to be sued by another disgruntled employee for age discrimination. Mary sets out to prove herself to the station with a rather schmaltzy news story involving white gangs! I kid you not. It’s silly, it’s heavy-handed, it’s overly sentimental and it’s probably the weakest part of the movie (definitely expect to groan a little), but it works in the story, since Mary is still portrayed as the girl who likes to let her heart get in the way of sensationalism.

Rhoda’s story isn’t as strong, but it’s more fun, as she ends up being an assistant to a fashion photographer. Of course, humor always gets her on people’s good side, and this time is no different. Honestly, I’m a Rhoda-phile, so I would have preferred more Rhoda, but overall I thought the film was sweet. Does it compare to either Mary or Rhoda’s phenomenal shows? No, it doesn’t even come close, but it’s so innocuous, I can’t really complain much. I just loved seeing these two lovely ladies reunited. While I won’t recommend the movie, I will say if you are a TV movie softie like me, you will probably enjoy it.

Just had to throw in one pic of Joe! Rawr!

Celebrating Freddie Prinze

Today marks the 35th anniversary of the day we lost Freddie, but rather than feeling sad (although it's really hard not to, even now), I'd like celebrate Freddie's short but fantastic career. Last summer I dedicated a week to his fabulous talent and in my retrospective I looked at Chico and the Man, his sole TV movie Million Dollar Ripoff (by the way, it's still streaming on Netflix and Hulu, so check out the links in the review) and the TVM biopic about his life titled Can You Hear the Laughter.

Freddie was a one of a kind talent, and someone I have adored for as long as I can remember. I'll be spending a little more time thinking about his smile today and I hope you do too.

Bernard and the Genie (1991)

Network: BBC
Original Airdate: November 23rd, 1991

I have a long history with Lenny Henry. I first discovered him in high school when The Lenny Henry Show used to air on Bravo (hey, anyone else remember when Bravo used to show nothing but uncut, commercial-free foreign films and British comedies? Good times). I was going through one of my typical teen angst moments, which lasted from ages 14 – 19 (and then some) when I caught an episode of the show and did something I never did in those bygone goth days… I laughed. Henry’s humor sometimes borders on the silly but it’s always effective, and dammit, he’s just so friggin’ lovable. I was instantly smitten and followed his career as best I could in those pre-internet days. A few years later, when I realized I didn’t have to wear black on the outside because black was how I felt on the inside, Bernard and the Genie was released on video. At this point I was working at a video store, and I’m certain the second the film shipped to our store, I checked it out. It was the very first time I saw Alan Cummings and like Henry, I instantly feel in love. The combo was perfect for this sweet little Christmas film.


Cummings is Bernard Bottle, an up and coming art dealer who gets dealt a bad hand of fate, thanks to his greedy boss, Charles Pinkworth (Rowan Atkinson being appropriately sleazy). In one day, Bernard is blacklisted from the art world and dumped by his girlfriend, who has left him for his best friend. And right before Christmas! Thank goodness when the ex cleared out his place, she left this weird little bottle which produces a big black genie named Josephus (soooooo Just Our Luck)! Of course, not every one of Bernard's wishes turns out perfect, but a wonderful friendship is formed between goofy djinn and man!


This is one of those zinger movies you either love or hate. The jokes fly faster than the speed of light, and it helps if you are familiar with some of the British references such as Melvyn Bragg (Bragg was also a fixture on Bravo as the host of the excellent South Bank Show), and if you love the 80s the way I do, you will love the Bob Geldof cameo! Regardless, Bernard and the Genie works because of the chemistry between the forever likable Henry and uber-adorable Cummings. I had not watched this film for many years when I decided on a whim to give it a go earlier this week. I can’t even tell you how much I still enjoy it. It’s so sweet natured and genuinely funny that I still find myself laughing out loud at many of the jokes. I would say it’s the perfect holiday film for those who tend to get blue around Christmas. I don’t mean to quote Bernard, but it will make you as happy as Michelle Pfieffer’s underpants! Now, that’s fab!


For more Christmas on TV Mayhem, click on the following links:

Terror on the 40th Floor
A Mouse, A Mystery and Me
The Gathering (written by guest blogger Joanna Wilson)
Ebbie
Nestor, the Long Eared Christmas Donkey

Freddie Prinze Week!

Freddie Prinze was a television staple for anyone who remembers the 70s. A young, vibrant comedian, Prinze stole many hearts as the lovable Chico in the hit sitcom Chico and the Man. By the time he was 19 years old, he was a bona fide superstar, but he burned too brightly and, sadly, burned out by the time he was 22 when he took his own life. Chico and the Man attempted to survive without him, but of course, no one could replace the undeniable charm and instant likability that Prinze held. I don’t remember when I came to know of Prinze’s death, but I think it happened a little after the fact, when the show was in syndication. I was still in my single digit years and I was fairly unaware of the circumstances. I think my parents just mentioned his death in passing while we were watching an episode. I recently picked up his bio, The Freddie Prinze Story which was written by his mother Maria Pruetzel. This biography skips over many of Prinze’s darker qualities and concentrates on his mother’s memory of her beautiful and fun-loving son who couldn’t take the bright lights of Hollywood. Prinze was apparently a tornado of charisma, stealing hearts well before he became a household name.

Pam Grier’s new biography, Foxy: My Life in Three Acts dedicates two short chapters to Prinze, whom she considers to be one of the great loves of her life. She tells a different, slightly darker story and she paints a fuller picture of what Freddie was like when his mother wasn’t around. He was fun and a bit controlling and in the end, Grier walked away from him because of drugs and because she wanted to focus on her career.


I remember watching the TV movie docudrama about his life, Can You Hear the Laughter and I may have actually seen the original airing. But I had not seen his only TV movie, Million Dollar Ripoff, nor had I seen much of his work on Carson or at the Dean Martin Roasts - he was always Chico to me. After reading Prinze’s bio, I felt like his life and work was worth re-discovering and I thought since his birthday would have been on June 22nd, I’d dedicate the week to him. So here we are at Freddie Prinze week, where I will look at Ripoff, Laughter and Chico and the Man. It’s astonishing to think about all the years that have passed since his untimely death in 1977, yet watching him now, he still remains a vivacious presence. I still laugh at his Hungarican jokes and I came across this rare clip taken from The Dinah Shore Show where it looks like Prinze was either the co-host or a guest-host on August 27th, 1976. You will see Cindy Williams and Geraldo Rivera along with Florence Henderson sitting on the couch as Prinze introduces comedian George Miller. The majority of the clip is of the comic, but check out Prinze who bookends it. He lights up the screen. And he will never be forgotten.

Remakes Schremakes!

With the news that Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark is being remade, I realize not even made for television movies are safe from the recycle machine in tinsel town. I informed some fellow bloggers of this and it turns out Don’t isn’t the only film being fitted for a new look. Check out some of the movies we found heading into production.

I came across these:

Shattered Innocence: Lindsay Lohan (re) recreates the days of Shauna Grant's life in adult films. Her coke dealer/boyfriend is played by Alec Baldwin, only he cleans up his act and she ends up being cast in the next Steven Soderbergh film.

This House Possessed: Tom Welling plays straight laced musician Gary Stralhorn who hires a beautiful nurse named Sheila (played by Thora Birch) and they fall in love while investigating his haunted iPhone.

Gargoyles: Daman Wayans plays the head of a gargolyle cult, who fears being exploited by Jason Lee and his daughter played by Jamie Pressley.

The Babysitter: Anna Lynne McCord plays the enigmatic new housekeeper for a family consisting of the Octomom and her 14 babies (all played by Dakota Fanning). Turns out the babysitter isn’t evil (leave that up to mom), she’s just a crappy housekeeper.

Dr. Cook’s Garden: Mathew Broderick replaces Bing Crosby as the evil doctor. Instead of “euthanizing” patients he deems immoral, he makes them look at Sarah Jessica Parker (played by Michael Bolton) in a bikini!



Aunt John at Kindertrauma knew of some others:

Home for the Holidays (2009): In ailing health, Benjamin Morgan (Joel Higgens of Silver Spoons fame) summons his four estranged adult daughters (Shannen Doherty, Tiffani Amber Thiessen, Tara Reid, and Soleil Moon Frye) home for one final Christmas to bury the hatchet. Since his daughters hold him responsible for the bizarre suicide death of their mother (Dallas & Models Inc.’s Linda Gray seen only in a flashback guzzling from a box of wine and riding a donkey perilously close to a wood chipper), the elder Morgan further alienates his daughters by telling them that his second wife (Tracey Nelson) is plotting to kill him. One by one, as Christmas draws near, the daughters are pitch forked to death, which begs the question, who is behind the killings? The second wife with a body count in her past? The town doctor (played with aplomb by Ted McGinley)?

Fallen Angel (2009): In this gender-reversed, Univision-produced, update of the 1981 Emmy Award-wining T.V. movie of the week Fallen Angel (starring Dana Hill, Richard Masur, and Melinda Dillon), twelve-year-old Juan (Ugly Betty’s Mark Indelicato) is unhappy with his widower father's relationship with a family friend. Feeling lonely, Juan readily accepts the friendship of an adult woman named Hortence (Will & Grace and Devil Times Five star Shelley Morrison) and joins the after school, interpretative dance school she owns. Soon, Hortence is convincing Juan pose for photographs that become more and more revealing. Hortence turns out to be one of those not-often seen on television lady pedophiles that works in child pornography and she plans to make Juan a "star." Will Juan's father (funny man, and we use that term loosely, Paul Rodriguez) be able to help his son before it's too late?

Michael Ferrari at Cinema du Meep informed me of these films:

A remake of Sybil with Hilary Duff: When she's mean and ugly she turns into Haylie Duff. Tina Fey plays the psychiatrist role because she wears glasses and looks smart.

Sooner or Later: Now starring Gossip Girl's Blake Lively as the 13 year old girl who falls for rock star/music teacher Justin Timberlake.

Brian’s Song: A reboot with The Rock and Chad Michael Murray, now set against the world of competitive male cheerleaders. Instead of one of them dying of cancer, this time he'll have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Duel: Now set in the future with Jason Statham playing everyman David Mann who after just getting out of jail (wrongly accused of killing his wife) is now being chased by a hybrid Mack Truck/Prius. There will be many illusions to the oil crisis. One scene involves Statham lighting oil on the road so he can later escape a fireball in his souped up Mercedes.

The Boy in the Plastic Bubble: It's about time this gets a redo. But because it's the future, he won't need a bubble anymore. He is implanted with a mechanism within that allows all germs and bacteria to be retracted and sent in any direction he chooses. The government finds out about this breakthrough technology that his renegade doctor gave him and decides to use him as a weapon to fight against the war on terror. Shia Lebouf could play the boy and Miley Cyrus as the love interest.

I could also remake Bad Ronald with all 3 of the Jonas Brothers playing him. One could be good Ronald. One can be Bad Ronald and the other can be Prince Norbit of Atrantra.

For my next screenplay, I'm going to write a remake of Dark Night Of The Scarecrow. I envision Jamie Foxx and Zach Efron in the Charles Durning and Larry Drake roles, respectively. Oh, and it's going to be set in modern day L.A.



Unkle Lancifer at Kindertrauma told me about these:

Crow-Raven Farm: Raven Simone stars as a typical housewife who slowly comes to the realization that her dream home is over run with pilgrim ghosts.

The Bermuda Debts: Connie Selleca finds herself facing bankruptcy due to the high cost of trying to raise her beloved pet, a giant turtle.

Mother May I Sleep with Dana Carvey?: Tori Spelling stars in this horror thriller about an aspiring actress who will do just about anything to star in a proposed "Church Lady" movie.

Rob Zombie’s Don’t Go to Sleep 2: Double Cheese, Hold the Obituaries: A now adult Kristen Cumming returns to the role that made her famous in this highly anticipated sequel to the 1982 television classic. Cumming, as Mary, has just been released from a mental hospital and soon finds work managing a local pizza joint. Spurred on by the ghost of her dead sister Jennifer, Mary in a misguided effort to resurrect Ruth Gordon takes pizza cutter in hand and begins to slice up both customer and employee alike.

And even across the pond it’s remakes-a-go-go, just ask Ross at Anchorwoman in Peril!:

OMG! You mean you haven't heard about the upcoming "reimagining" of Everybody's Baby: The Rescue Of Jessica McClure??! It stars Miley Cyrus as "Jess" McClure, a hot 17-year-old heiress who tragically falls down a 50ft sewer pipe whilst leaving a hip Miami nightclub. Can her hot young friends, together with some misunderstood Latino street punks, manage to rescue her (and find love) before time runs out and she misses her audition for America's Got Talent? I can't wait!!! Apparently, there's even gonna be a cameo from Sharon Osbourne... as a bag lady who shows Jess how to catch rats for food at the bottom of the hole.

Finally, my boyfriend David Cohen told me about this one:

Crawlspace: Stars Dane Cook as an extraordinarily annoying drifter who suffers flashbacks from his USO tour . He moves into the crawlspace of a home owned by a troubled elderly couple played by Bill Murray and Lily Tomlin. Their common hatred of the drifter draws the couple back together. Tentative title: Crawlspace-gasm.

*Thanks everyone for helping me out with this and special thanks to Michael for the idea and to Aunt John for the Home for the Holidays and Fallen Angel art!!! You all rule!!!