TV CONFIDENTIAL: A radio talk show about television

TVC 700.1: From August 2016: Ed welcomes Steve Binder, Emmy Award-winning producer and director (Diana Ross: Live in Central Park, Elvis: The 1968 Comeback Special, The T.A.M.I. Show) and the co-author, along with Mary Beth Liedman, of Fade Up 26: The Movers and Shakers of Variety Television, an oral history of variety television, as told through the voices of the men and women who were and are responsible for bringing these shows into our homes for the past sixty-five years.

TVC 700.2: From August 2016: Steve Binder, Emmy Award-winning producer and director and the co-author, along with Mary Beth Leidman, of Fade Up 26: The Movers and Shakers of Variety Television, talks to Ed about working with Dwight Hemion on the pop music series Hullabaloo (NBC, 1965-1966). Gary Smith, Hemion's longtime producing partner, passed away on Saturday, July 19 at the age of ninety.

TVC 700.3: Via remote from Las Vegas: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Morgan White, Jr., longtime late night radio personality for WBZ AM-FM/Boston, author of many books on a variety of subjects, and the Undisputed King of Trivia. Topics this segment include the back story of Morgan came to wear his trademark black leather cowboy hat; how he came to be immortalized in two of the works of artist John Wilson, including the statue Father and Child Reading on the campus of Roxbury Community College; and how he was once considered to audition for the role of Hawk in Spenser: For Hire. You can listen to Morgan every Saturday at 10pm ET on WBZ AM-FM/Boston.

TVC 700.4: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Kathleen Bradley, the first African-American model to join ranks with Barker's Beauties on The Price is Right, and the actress known around the world as Mrs. Parker in Friday. Topics this segment include Kathleen's years traveling the world as a member of the female soul and disco group The Love Machine; the time when director Oliver Stone met with Kathleen to discuss her playing a role in one of his films; and why, in many respects, Kathleen can be considered “the Jackie Robinson of The Price is Right.” Kathleen's memoir, Backstage at The Price is Right, is available both at Amazon and at KathleenBradley.tv.

TVC 700.5: Ed back welcomes actor, author, playwright, and Emmy Award-winning producer Laurence Luckinbill (The Boys in the Band, The Delphi Bureau, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Lyndon, Hemingway, Teddy Tonight!, Clarence Darrow Tonight!). Topics this segment include why both the original stage production and the original theatrical release of The Boys in the Band are literature in the truest sense of the word; Larry's detailed recall of many of the events he depicts in his autobiography, Affective Memories: How Chance and The Theater Saved My Life; and why Larry, by his own admission, was a “bad boy” for most of his formative years, until he was finally given direction. Affective Memories is available wherever books are sold through Sunbury Press.

TVC 700.6: Actor and author Laurence Luckinbill (The Boys in the Band, The Delphi Bureau, Star Trek V, Affective Memories: How Chance and The Theater Saved My Life) talks to Ed about the many times in which providence has played a role in his life, including a pivotal night at the end of his first year as a pre-med student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Larry's autobiography, Affective Memories, is available wherever books are sold through Sunbury Press.

Please enjoy this special bonus edition of the TV Confidential podcast honoring the memory of Loni Anderson, the actress known around the world as Jennifer Marlowe on WKRP in Cincinnati. Loni Anderson passed away Sunday, Aug. 3 at age seventy-nine. While we never had the opportunity to interview her directly on TV Confidential, Loni Anderson did appear on our program—kinda sorta—in September 2019, when we brought you remote coverage of the Opening Night ceremonies of a special exhibit at the Hollywood Museum honoring Barbara Eden. Loni Anderson was one of the guest speakers that night. She not only shared a few memories of her forty-plus-year friendship with Barbara Eden (which began when the two of them appeared as guests on a Bob Hope special), but—as you're about to hear—she described Barbara Eden as "the real bombshell in the audience." Photo of Loni Anderson courtesy Hanson & Schwam PR

TVC 699.1: An encore presentation of a conversation from May 2015 with Mick Martin, the longtime blues artist and radio host who enjoyed a parallel successful career as film critic for The Sacramento Union and other newspapers. Mick Martin passed away on Sunday, July 13 at age seventy-six. Mick interviewed hundreds of actors and musicians, including Clint Walker, Jack Kelly and Christopher Lee, while his books included Video Movie Guide, a guide to movies and TV shows available on home entertainment that Mick published annually for many years, and Them Ornery Mitchum Boys, a joint biography of actors Robert Mitchum and John Mitchum.

TVC 699.2: From May 2015: Blues artist, radio host, and film historian Mick Martin and Ed discuss why John Mitchum, the younger brother of Robert Mitchum, was something of a “Hard Luck Harry” until his memorable role opposite Clint Eastwood in the original Dirty Harry. Other topics this segment include a look at such other notable character actors as Andrew Robinson, Richard Farnsworth, and Wilford Brimley; why Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones are really “character actors” at heart; and why Lonesome Dove remains one of Mick's favorite movies. Mick Martin passed away on Sunday, July 13 at age seventy-six.

TVC 699.3: Via remote from Las Vegas: Ed welcomes Morgan White, Jr., longtime late night radio personality for WBZ AM-FM/Boston, author of many books on a variety of subjects, and the Undisputed King of Trivia. Besides his deep roots in radio, Morgan has hosted live improv trivia shows, both in Boston and in other parts of the country, for more than forty-five years—and, as you're able to hear, no one else approaches the subject of trivia quite like he does. You can listen to Morgan every Saturday at 10pm ET on WBZ AM-FM/Boston.

TVC 699.4: Via remote from Las Vegas: Longtime Boston radio personality Morgan White, Jr. talks to Ed about meeting some of his animation heroes, including Daws Butler, Jay Ward, Bill Scott, and June Foray; how both Matt Damon and Ben Affeck were regular listeners of his late night show, before they became stars; and how Morgan became dear friends with one of his TV heroes, David McCallum. You can listen to Morgan every Saturday at 10pm ET on WBZ AM-FM/Boston.

TVC 699.5: Ed welcomes Kathleen Bradley, the first African-American model to join ranks with Barker's Beauties on The Price is Right, and the actress known around the world as the as the voluptuous Mrs. Parker in the 1995 cult comedy Friday. Kathleen recently reunited with Ice Cube, one of her co-stars in Friday, on the set of Ice Cube's music video for “It's My Ego.” (Kathleen appears prominently in several scenes of the video; she is the stylishly dressed churchgoer in the blue dress and blue wide-brimmed hat.) Topics this segment include how Ice Cube personally requested that Kathleen play Mrs. Parker in Friday; why it was something of a miracle that Kathleen landed the role of Mrs. Parker, considering that the producers of The Price is Right made it difficult for her and other Barker's Beauties to audition for parts in movies and other TV shows; and why making Friday itself was also something of a miracle. Kathleen's memoir, Backstage at The Price is Right, is available both at Amazon and at KathleenBradley.tv.

TVC 699.6: Actress, supermodel, speaker, and author Kathleen Bradley talks to Ed about working with some of the other cast members of Friday, including Bernie Mac, Regina King, Tiny Lister, and John Witherspoon. Calendar year 2025 marks the thirtieth anniversary of the release of Friday. Kathleen's memoir, Backstage at The Price is Right: Memoirs of a Barker Beauty, is available both at Amazon and at KathleenBradley.tv.

TVC 698.1: Ed welcomes Taylor Blackwell, the writer, director, and star of It Happened, the award-winning short biopic about legendary comedienne Judy Tenuta. It Happened was made with the cooperation and financial support of the Judy Tenuta Legacy, which also allowed Taylor to use Judy's actual accordion in the film, as well as wear Judy's jewelry, accessories, flowers, feather boas, and wardrobe. Topics this segment include how Taylor came to make the film, how she channeled Judy's voice in the course of her performance, and how she was mentored by Burt Reynolds early in her acting career. If you run a film festival, or know someone who does, and may be interested in including It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story, contact Taylor Blackwell at tayblackwell@gmail.com. 

TVC 698.5: Ed welcomes Kiki Ebsen, youngest daughter of Buddy Ebsen, and an accomplished singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist in her own right. Kiki will perform her Joni Mitchell Tribute show at the Festival of Arts/Pagent of the Masters in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, July 26. She'll also be part of the Al Jarreau Band Reunion Show at Southcoast Winery in Temecula, CA on Sunday, Sept. 14 beginning at 7pm. For more details on these and other events on Kiki's calendar, go to the Calendar page at KikiEbsen.com. Topics this segment include how Kiki's independent spirit stems from her father; Kiki's approach to songwriting; why being an artist is a lifelong experience. Photo of Kiki Ebsen by Cliff Lipson. Photo courtesy KikiEbsen.com

TVC 698.6: Singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist Kiki Ebsen talks to Ed about the tapestry of stories available in The Great American Songbook; how Kiki's lifelong passion for horses led her to start The Healing Equine Ranch, a nonprofit organization whose equine-assisted services integrates yoga philosophy, natural horsemanship principles, and trauma-informed science to create a profound connection between humans and horses; and how Kiki was once nearly strangled to death by the reins of a horse while taking Lee Meriwether's daughters out for a ride. Kiki will perform at the Festival of Arts/Pagent of the Masters in Laguna Beach, CA on Saturday, July 26 and at Southcoast Winery in Temecula, CA on Sunday, Sept. 14. For details on these and other events on Kiki's calendar, go to the Calendar page at KikiEbsen.com.   Photo of Kiki Ebsen by Cliff Lipson. Photo courtesy KikiEbsen.com

A special preview of our upcoming conversation with actress, supermodel, author, and speaker Kathleen Bradley (The Price is Right, Friday, Backstage at The Price is Right). Our complete interview with Kathleen will air coast to coast on our AM/FM stations during the weekend of July 25, then will become available for listening on demand as a podcast beginning Monday, July 28.

Via remote from Las Vegas: A special preview of our upcoming conversation with Morgan White Jr., longtime late night radio personality for WBZ AM-FM/Boston, author of many books, and the Undisputed King of Trivia. Besides his deep roots in radio, Morgan has hosted live trivia shows, both in Boston and in other parts of the country, for more forty-five years---and, as you're able to hear, no one else approaches trivia like he does. Our complete conversation with Morgan will air coast to coast during the weekend of July 25, then will become available for listening on demand as a podcast beginning Monday, July 28. 

A special preview of our upcoming conversation with Taylor Blackwell, the writer, director, and star of It Happened, the award-winning short biopic about legendary comedienne Judy Tenuta. Our complete conversation with Taylor will air during the weekend of July 18, then becomes available as a podcast on Monday, July 21. If you run a film festival, or know someone who does, and may be interested in including It Happened: The Judy Tenuta Story, contact Taylor Blackwell at tayblackwell@gmail.com.  

TVC 697.1: Ed welcomes back Rich Manley, world-renowned “adventure illusionist” and the writer, producer, director, and host of Culture Shock: Bridging Cultures Through Magic, the popular series on Tubi that communicates the energy, humility, and compassion of people coming together through the shared experience of magic. The first season of Culture Shock is available for viewing on demand on Tubi, while the series was also recently renewed for a second season. Rich's live stage show, Journal of Mystery, comes to The Wiggle Room at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Hollywood, California on Saturday, July 12, with performances at other venues to follow. Keep up with Rich at ExpeditionRich.com.

From June 2023: Ed and Greg Ehrbar look back at the music and television career of Bobby Sherman as part of a conversation about the home entertainment release of Here Come the Brides (ABC, 1968-1970). Though Sherman first came into prominence as the house singer on Shindig (ABC, 1964-1966), the success of Here Come the Brides made him a teen idol, not to mention a gold-selling recording artist. Bobby Sherman passed away on Tuesday, June 24 at the age of eighty-one. 

We'll be back with a brand new edition of TV Confidential later in July. In the meantime, please enjoy this clip from Lune 2011 in which Tony, Donna, and Ed remember The Bicentennial Minutes (CBS, 1974-1976), a series of one-minute educational television segments, produced by CBS News, that every night aired in prime time (usually at the end of the 8pm hour) to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution. The series premiered on July 4, 1974 and was originally scheduled to end on July 4, 1976, but continued to run until the end of the bicentennial year, 1976.

TVC 696.4: Via remote from Davenport's Restaurant in Encino, California: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Robert Crane, co-author, along with Christopher Fryer, of Three-Cornered Circle, is a screen play released in book form that is also an adaptation of one of the most poignant stories of Bob and Chris' book Crane: Sex, Celebrity, and My Father's Unsolved Murder: the period in Bob's life when he had to juggle the biggest break of his career at the time—being hired as right-hand man for movie superstar John Candy—with the tragic news that Bob's wife at the time, artist and landscape designer Kari Hildegrand, has been diagnosed with cancer.  Joining Bob and Ed at Davenport's are commercial artist John Cerney, who did the cover art and other illustrations that appear in Three-Cornered Circle, and Meagan Bejar, the managing editor of the book. Topics this segment include how Bob first met John Candy while interviewing him and the other cast members of SCTV for Playboy magazine, how Candy embodied the Second City philosophy of “Yes, and…,” and how Candy was a sweet man with a huge heart who always did his best to take care of his family and the people who were closest to him. Three-Cornered Circle is available through Kill Fee Publishing.

TVC 696.5: Via remote from the back patio of Davenport's Restaurant in Encino, California: Robert Crane, John Cerney, and Meagan Bejar talk to Ed about Bob's experience with dealing with tragedy and loss; why “closure” is a media term; how John Candy came from a humble background, after losing his father when he was five; and how Candy once lobbied NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana to play for the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL when Candy co-owned that team. Bob's latest book, Three-Cornered Circle, which he co-authored with Christopher Fryer, is available through Kill Fee Publishing.

TVC 696.6: Christopher Fryer, co-author, along with Robert Crane, of Three-Cornered Circle, shares a few of his favorite stories about his encounters with John Candy, including the time when he, Bob, Candy, and then-NBC broadcaster Bob Costas were all stuck in the same car together along the Garden State Parkway while heading for a concert in New Jersey. Three-Cornered Circle is available through Kill Fee Publishing.

A special preview of our upcoming interview with Kiki Ebsen, youngest daughter of Buddy Ebsen, and an accomplished singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist in her own right. Kiki will perform an evening of jazz standards at the G Spot jazz venue in Los Angeles on Sunday, July 6 beginning at 7pm. Our complete conversation with Kiki will air during the weekend of July 18 on TV Confidential, then will become available for listening on demand as a podcast on Monday, July 21.  Photo of Kiki Ebsen by Cliff Lipson. Photo courtesy KikiEbsen.com

TVC 695.1: Ed welcomes Academy Award-nominated director and animator Bill Kroyer (FernGully: The Last Rainforest, Tron, Technological Threat). The title of Bill's memoir, Mr. In-Between: My Life in the Middle of the Animation Revolution, is a play on words: He began his career in animation drawing something known as “in-betweens,” while the story arc of his career in animation happens to coincide with the many changes in the landscape of animation that have occurred over the past five decades. Mr. In-Between is available wherever books are sold through CRC Press. Topics this segment why working in animation is a “God-like” profession; the generosity in spirit among animators in general; how a chance meeting with legendary Warner Bros. animator Chuck Jones in Chicago circa 1974 inspired Bill to try his luck in Hollywood; plus Bill's early experiences in television working with producer Glen Larson and Stephen J. Cannell.

TVC 695.2: Academy Award-nominated director and animator Bill Kroyer talks to Ed about what an “in-between” is in animation; why it took more than the success of Tron, the first feature motion picture to integrate computer-generated imagery, for CGI to take off; what led Bill into directing; and how he came to work with Mick Jagger on the music video for “Hard Woman,” one of the first videos to use CGI software that implemented movement. Bill's memoir, Mr. In-Between: My Life in the Middle of the Animation Revolution, is available wherever books are sold through CRC Press.

TVC 695.4: Via remote from the back patio of Davenport's Restaurant in Encino, California: Ed welcomes back Robert Crane, eldest son of Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane, and the author or co-author of several books on movies and television, including My UnHollywood Family, Hollywood Plateau, Jack Nicholson: The Early Years, Bruce Dern: Things I've Said, But Probably Shouldn't Have: An Unrepentant Memoir, and Crane: Sex, Celebrity, and My Father's Unsolved Murder (the last three of which were collaborations with Bob's longtime writing partner,  Christopher Fryer). Bob and Chris' latest book, Three-Cornered Circle, is a screen play released in book form that is also an adaptation of one of the most poignant stories of the Crane book: the period in Bob's life when he had to juggle the biggest break of his career at the time—being hired as right-hand man for movie superstar John Candy—with the tragic news that Bob's wife at the time, artist and landscape designer Kari Hildegrand, has been diagnosed with cancer. Three-Cornered Circle is available through Kill Fee Publishing. Also joining Bob and Ed at Davenport's are commercial artist John Cerney, who did the cover art and other illustrations that appear in Three-Cornered Circle, and Meagan Bejar, the managing editor of the book.

TVC 695.5: Ed welcomes back Christopher Fryer, co-author, along with Robert Crane, of Three-Cornered Circle and other books on movies and television. Topics this segment include how Chris and Bob worked together on Crane: Sex, Celebrity, and My Father's Unsolved Murder (and, to some degree, on Three-Cornered Circle); the importance of using dialogue to conveying the emotion necessary to drive the story when writing for the screen; and why there can never any “closure” when someone you truly love suddenly dies. Three-Cornered Circle is available through Kill Fee Publishing.

TVC 694.1: Ed welcomes back Tom Lisanti, renowned historian of sixties cinema, and the author of such books as Carol Lynley: Her Film & TV Career in Thrillers, Fantasy and Suspense and Ryan's Hope: An Oral History of Daytime's Groundbreaking Soap. Tom's recent books include Dueling Harlows: The Race to Bring the Actress's Life to the Silver Screen, everything you wanted to know about the two major motion pictures released in 1965 about screen legend Jean Harlow—both of which happened to be named Harlow—and the highly publicized efforts by rival producers Bill Sargent and Joseph Levine to out-do each other. Sargent's Harlow, a quickly made independent movie starring Carol Lynley, was filmed in black and white, using Sargent's patented technology Electronovision. Levine's Harlow, a big budget biopic starring Carroll Baker, was filmed in color for Paramount Pictures. Both Harlows were originally released within a few weeks of each other in 1965; both are available now on home entertainment. Dueling Harlows is available from McFarlandPub.com. Topics this segment include why the Lynley/Sargent Harlow is much better than what the original reviews would suggest; how Lynley originally signed on because Judy Garland was attached to the project, only to remain stuck on it once Garland quit; and why the real-life story of Harlow herself generated such interest in movie makers. 

TVC 694.2: Tom Lisanti, author of Dueling Harlows: The Race to Bring the Actress's Life to the Silver Screen, talks to Ed about his forthcoming oral history of the brief period in which the daytime soap Another World (NBC, 1964-1999) expanded from sixty minutes in length to ninety minutes.

TVC 694.5: Part 2 of a conversation that began two programs ago with Steve Aldous and Gary Gillies, co-authors of The Harry O Viewing Companion: History and Episodes of the Classic Detective Series, a deep dive into the making of Harry O (ABC, 1974-1976), the short-lived but fondly remembered private eye series starring David Janssen, Henry Darrow, and Anthony Zerbe, that also offers insight into what made Harry O so special. Topics this segment include Janssen's mounting frustration with ABC once each of the qualities that had made Harry O stand out from other private eye shows on television were slowly taken away once production of the series moved from San Diego to Los Angeles. The Harry O Viewing Companion is available wherever books are sold through McFarland Books.

TVC 694.6: Steve Aldous and Gary Gillies, co-authors of The Harry O Viewing Companion: History and Episodes of the Classic Detective Series, talk to Ed about the various reasons why Harry O was canceled in the spring of 1976, despite holding its own in the ratings; the contributions of producer Jerry Thorpe and director Richard Lang; and why part of the allure of Harry O stems from the fact that it only ran for two seasons. The Harry O Viewing Companion is available wherever books are sold through McFarland Books.

TVC 693.1: From January 2017: Emmy Award-winning actress Loretta Swit joins Ed for a conversation about her lifelong interest in watercolor painting, her “proprietary relationship” with wildlife, her vast stage career (including her then-recent portrayal of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt), and, of course, a few questions about M*A*S*H. Loretta Swit passed away on Friday, May 30 at the age of eighty-seven. At the time we spoke to Loretta in 2017, she had just released SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit, a collection of sixty-four full-color paintings and drawings, all done by Loretta herself, and all accompanied by anecdotes and stories about Loretta's life, career, and work on behalf of animals. All proceeds from sales of SwitHeart will continue to support various animal rights organizations as part of Loretta's endless campaign to end animal suffering and cruelty.

TVC 693.2: Part 2 of our January 2017 conversation with Loretta Swit about her lifelong interest in watercolor painting, her “proprietary relationship” with wildlife, her vast stage career (including her then-recent portrayal of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt), and a few questions about M*A*S*H, including Loretta's deep respect for real-life nurses; "The Nurses," the famous episode, written by Linda Bloodworth-Thompson and directed by Joan Darling, that forever changed the trajectory of the character of Major Margaret Houlihan; and the woman on whom Loretta based her portrayal of Margaret. Loretta Swit passed away on Friday, May 30 at the age of eighty-seven. All proceeds from sales of Loretta's book, SwitHeart, her SwitHeart greeting cards, and her signature perfume, SwitHeart, will continue to support various animal rights organizations as part of Loretta's endless campaign to end animal suffering and cruelty.

TVC 693.3: Part 3 of our January 2017 conversation with Loretta Swit, including questions about her vast stage career (including her then-recent portrayal of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt) and the close-knit, almost theatre-like camaraderie between Loretta and her fellow cast members on M*A*S*H. Also in this segment: A quote from actor Jamie Farr, courtesy of B. Harlan Boll. Loretta Swit passed away on Friday, May 30 at the age of eighty-seven. All proceeds from sales of Loretta's book, SwitHeart, her SwitHeart greeting cards, and her signature perfume, SwitHeart, will continue to support various animal rights organizations as part of Loretta's endless campaign to end animal suffering and cruelty.

TVC 693.4: From February 2019: Ed, Tony, and Donna accompany Emmy Award-winning actress, artist and animal rights activist Loretta Swit (M*A*S*H, SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit) on a walk through Central Park as she discusses her efforts on behalf of all animals; her support of our veterans; how she keeps herself in shape; and why she will never retire. All proceeds from sales of Loretta's book, SwitHeart, her SwitHeart greeting cards, and her signature perfume, SwitHeart, will continue to support various animal rights organizations as part of Loretta's endless campaign to end animal suffering and cruelty. Loretta Swit passed away on Friday, May 30 at the age of eighty-seven.

TVC 693.5: Part 2 of a conversation that originally aired in February 2019 in which Ed, Tony, and Donna accompany Loretta Swit (M*A*S*H, SwitHeart: The Watercolour Artistry & Animal Activism of Loretta Swit) on a walk through Central Park. Also in this segment: A quote from JoAnne Worley, president of Actors and Others for Animals, that lauds Loretta's efforts on behalf of all animals (quote courtesy B. Harlan Boll), plus Ed shares a brief story about the two times in which he met Loretta in person. Loretta Swit passed away on Friday, May 30 at the age of eighty-seven.   All proceeds from sales of Loretta's book, SwitHeart, her SwitHeart greeting cards, and her signature perfume, SwitHeart, will continue to support various animal rights organizations as part of Loretta's endless campaign to end animal suffering and cruelty. 

TVC 692.1: Ed welcomes Steve Aldous and Gary Gillies, co-authors of The Harry O Viewing Companion: History and Episodes of the Classic Detective Series, a new book that not only takes a deep dive into the making of Harry O (ABC, 1974-1976), the short-lived but fondly remembered private eye series starring David Janssen, Henry Darrow, and Anthony Zerbe, but offers insight into what made Harry O so special. Topics this segment include a clarification of some of the details pertaining to the early development of the Harry Orwell character; why series creator Howard Rodman originally aimed to make the series a character-driven crime drama, versus one that was plot-driven; and why the eleven episodes of Harry O that were filmed in San Diego during the summer of 1974 are almost a series unto itself. The Harry O Viewing Companion is available wherever books are sold through McFarland Books.

TVC 692.2: Steve Aldous and Gary Gillies, co-authors of The Harry O Viewing Companion: History and Episodes of the Classic Detective Series, talk to Ed about why Harry O has more in common with the Lew Archer novels by Russ MacDonald than the Raymond Chandler novels featuring Philip Marlowe or the Dashiell Hammett novels with Sam Spade; how David Janssen's skill at performing voice-overs was one of the ways in which he fully inhabited the Harry Orwell character; and how the onscreen rapport between Janssen and Anthony Zerbe changed the dynamics of Harry O for the better. The Harry O Viewing Companion is available wherever books are sold through McFarland Books.

TVC 692.4: A return visit by Dean Butler, the actor known around the world to three generations to television viewers as Almanzo Wilder, Laura Ingalls' husband on Little House on the Prairie. Among other topics this segment, Dean and Ed discuss the forthcoming Netflix reimaging of Little House; Dean's early experiences working as an extra (then, later, as an actor) on The Streets of San Francisco, including sharing screen time with Michael Douglas in the famous Streets episode “The Thrill Killers,” featuring Patty Duke and Susan Dey; and the difference between having a craft for acting and having a facility for it. Dean's memoir, Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond, is available wherever books are sold through Kensington Books, an imprint of Citadel Press. Dean Butler and other cast members from Little House on the Prairie are scheduled to appear at the Little House cast reunion at Columbia State Historic Park in Tuolumne County, California on June 6-7-8, 2025. Go to LittleHouseGoldCountry.com for tickets and more information.

TVC 692.5: Dean Butler talks to Ed about how the documentary films of Ken Burns served as a major inspiration when Dean transitioned from acting to production; how Dean's connection with producer/director Keith Allo led to Dean producing the award-winning NBC Golf Channel talk show Feherty, hosted by former golf professional David Feherty; and the back story behind Feherty's interview with comedian Larry David. Dean's memoir, Prairie Man: My Little House Life & Beyond, is available wherever books are sold through Kensington Books, an imprint of Citadel Press. Dean Butler is scheduled to appear at the Little House cast reunion at Columbia State Historic Park in Tuolumne County, California on June 6-7-8, 2025. Go to LittleHouseGoldCountry.com for tickets and more information.

TVC 691.1: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik, co-authors of Watching TV: American Television Season by Season, a sweeping look at the history of television, from its early inception in 1944 through the present day, that not only takes you behind the scenes of every prime time season and prime time schedule over the past nine decades, but tells you what was actually on TV each year; what was happening behind the scenes in television at the times those shows were made; and how the shows we saw from year to year often reflected various events that were happening in the world at large. Watching TV: Revised Fourth Edition is available wherever books are sold through Syracuse University Press. Topics this segment include how the final episode of The Fugitive (originally broadcast on ABC on Aug. 29, 1967) ushered in the era of series finales that attempt to wrap up all the loose ends of a show's characters and storylines; how even an unsatisfactory finale shows how much we care about the characters of our favorite shows (and why that's an integral part of the story of American television); and whether physical media such as Blu-rays and DVDs still have a place in television today. 

TVC 691.2: Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik, co-authors of Watching TV: American Television Season by Season, talk to Ed about the 1965-1966 television season, a landmark year that not only saw the premiere of many series that are still considered classics (including Get Smart, I Dream of Jeannie, Green Acres, and The FBI), but the start of the now-common network practice of midseason replacements—a phenomenon that came about by accident. Other topics this segment include why network TV schedules used to always begin in September; and the evolution of single sponsor shows during the first decade of network to the now-standard practice of participating sponsors. Watching TV: Revised Fourth Edition is available wherever books are sold through Syracuse University Press.

TVC 691.3: Ed welcomes Tim Gray, award-winning documentary filmmaker, founder of The World War II Foundation, and the producer and director of Miles, Morale and Memories: Bob Hope and World War II, a new documentary about Bob Hope and his dedication to entertaining the troops of World War II. Narrated by Gary Sinise, the documentary features insight and commentary from Linda Hope, Bob Hope's daughter; Joe Colonna, grandson of Jerry Colonna, Hope's aide de camp during the World War II years; many World War II historians and World War II veterans; plus some of the many letters written to Hope by our service men and women and/or their families. Miles, Morale and Memories: Bob Hope and World War II is scheduled to air on more than three hundred PBS stations over the next few weeks. Check your local listings for time and channel. You can also enjoy it on demand at PBS.org or by downloading the PBS app. For more on the World War II Foundation, go to wwiifoundation.org. For more on the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation and the Bob Hope Legacy, go to BobHope.org.

TVC 691.4: Tim Gray, producer and director of Miles, Morale and Memories: Bob Hope and World War II, talks to Ed about the many ways in which Gary Sinise can be considered the “Bob Hope of our generation”; how Hope often ran through his monologue with his wife, Dolores, before he performed it in front of our troops; and why, in many respects, Hope was the first comedian ever to perform stand-up in front of a live audience. Miles, Morale and Memories: Bob Hope and World War II is available for viewing on demand at PBS.org or by downloading the PBS app. For more on the World War II Foundation, go to wwiifoundation.org. For more on the Bob and Dolores Hope Foundation and the Bob Hope Legacy, go to BobHope.org.

TVC 690.1: Ed welcomes back film and television actor James DuMont (The Righteous Gemstones, American Sports Story, The Butler). One of the busiest performers in and out of Hollywood, James can currently be seen opposite Don Johnson, Isabelle Fuhrman, and Jack Huston in Unit 234, the new thriller directed by Andy Tennant that is currently available for viewing on demand after a limited theatrical release in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and other select U.S. cities. Topics this segment include a discussion on the difference between “fortune” and “luck,” and why every actor must continue to work on getting better at their craft if they wish to enjoy a long and successful career.

TVC 690.2: James DuMont talks to Ed about working opposite Don Johnson in the new action thriller Unit 234; his approach to playing the detective who prosecuted fallen NFL superstar Aaron Hernandez in American Sports Story; and the joy of working alongside his son, actor Kelton DuMont, on The Righteous Gemstones. Unit 234 is now available for viewing on demand on Amazon Prime and other steaming platforms.

TVC 690.3: Ed welcomes back Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik, co-authors of Watching TV: American Television Season by Season, a sweeping look at the history of television from 1944 through the present day, from its early inception as a passive activity to its current form as a multi-tiered experience. Recently updated and re-released as a fourth edition, Watching TV not only takes you behind the scenes of every prime time season and prime time schedule over the past nine decades, but includes an ongoing timeline of the major personalities, trends, and breakout shows that comprise the individual stories of each television season. Watching TV: Revised Fourth Edition is available wherever books are sold through Syracuse University Press. Topics this segment include how, despite the many ways in which television has changed since 1944, two things have remained constant: (1) networks want to control the content we watch, while viewers want as many choices as possible, and (2) viewers want to pay as little as possible for the content they watch.

TVC 690.4: Harry Castleman and Walter J. Podrazik, co-authors of Watching TV: American Television Season by Season, talk to Ed about how the phenomenon of “time shifting” for TV viewers began long before the era of streaming; why Jack Gould, television critic for the New York Times during the 1950s and '60s, can be considered one of the first “influencers” of television (and why Gould was particularly enamored of the many live dramatic anthology series that dominated the first decade of network TV); and why Michael Nesmith (The Monkees, Elephant Parts) was proud to be one of the influencers of television during the mid-to-late 1960s—an era that Nesmith once described to Wally as the “teen age” years of the medium. Watching TV: Revised Fourth Edition is available wherever books are sold through Syracuse University Press.