TV CONFIDENTIAL: A radio talk show about television

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.

TVC 689.1: Part 2 of a conversation that began two programs ago with Dore Page, author of Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood: Daystar Productions, Kate Manx and the Making of Private Property, a deep dive into the life and career of the maverick television writer and producer best known as the creator of The Outer Limits that particularly focuses on the making of Private Property  (1960), the New Wave-style erotic thriller starring Corey Allen, Warren Oates, and Stevens' wife at the time, Kate Manx. April 2025 marked the 65th anniversary of the release of Private Property. In this segment, Ed, Dore, and guest co-host Chuck Harter discuss the mysterious nature of Manx's death in November 1964, as well as the reasons why Private Property was branded as “indecent” at the time it was originally released—even though the subject matter is quite tame when viewed through a contemporary lens. Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood is available through McFarland Books.

TVC 689.2: Dore Page, author of Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood: Daystar Productions, Kate Manx and the Making of Private Property, talks to Ed and guest co-host Chuck Harter about Stoney Burke (ABC, 1962-1963), the “art house” look at the lives of 20th-century rodeo riders starring Jack Lord, Bruce Dern, and Warren Oates and produced by Leslie Stevens that ABC canceled after one season—despite garnering a 38 share—partly because the show was considered too ethereal for sponsors to get behind. Other topics this segment include how Warren Oates' character on Stoney Burke can be considered a forerunner to Angel Martin (the character that Stuart Margolin later played on The Rockford Files), and how Stevens came to pattern his independent production company, Daystar Productions, after Quinn Martin Productions once Stevens decided to focus on developing projects for television. Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood is available through McFarland Books.

TVC 689.3: Ed welcomes back singer, actress, and philanthropist Ruta Lee (High Rollers, Witness for the Prosecution, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Consider Your Ass Kissed). Ruta will celebrate her ninetieth birthday this coming Friday, May 30 with an evening of song and stories at the Debbie Reynolds Main Stage at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Proceeds for the evening will support The Thalians, the charitable organization to which Ruta has dedicated much of her life over the past sixty years, and which to date has raised has raised more than $50 million for mental health related causes. (NOTE: Though Ruta's performance on May 30 has sold out, you can still make a donation to The Thalians in any amount by going to Thalians.org.) Among other topics this segment, Ruta shares a few memories of co-starring opposite Patrick O'Neal in “A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain,” an episode of The Twilight Zone from 1963 that Ruta considers one of her all-time favorite television performances, not only because of the character she played, but for the opportunity to perform the words of the great Rod Serling. Ruta also tells Ed why her experience filming Sergeants 3 (1962) with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop—and hanging out with the Rat Pack in general—ranks as her “favorite time in life.”

TVC 689.4: Entertainment legend Ruta Lee talks to Ed about how she landed her role in Witness for the Prosecution after producer Arthur Hornblow Jr. spotted her in the audience at a Frank Sinatra concert; why it's important to recognize those moments in life when a benefit happens, and to be grateful for that benefit; the story of Dean Martin's playful nickname for Ruta; and the great compliment that playwright and composer Meredith Willson (The Music Man, The Unsinkable Molly Brown) paid Ruta when he first saw her play Molly Brown on stage at Casa Manana in Texas. Ruta Lee will celebrate her ninetieth birthday on Friday, May 30 with an evening of song and stories at the Debbie Reynolds Main Stage at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Proceeds will support The Thalians, the charitable organization to which Ruta has dedicated much of her life over the past sixty years. Though the May 30 performance has sold out, you can still donate to The Thalians by going to Thalians.org.

TVC 688.1: TV Confidential remembers longtime radio host, author, recording artist, and game show legend Wink Martindale (Gambit, Debt, Tic Tac Dough, Winking at Life, “Deck of Cards”) with a special program-length tribute to the man who became synonymous with the words “emcee” and “host.” Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at the age of ninety-one. In this segment, Steve Beverly, retired professor of broadcast journalism at Union University in Jackson, TN (the hometown of Wink Martindale), game show historian, and the host of Steve Beverly's TV Classics, talks to Ed about Martindale developed his skills as a “quality ad-libber” early in his career by doing play-by-play for high school sports broadcasts; how he was often a de facto producer on the set of his game shows, always adapting to changing conditions in the format of the game (particularly in moments when things when awry); and why, unlike most broadcasters, Martindale was never afraid to take a risk by going to a bigger market. Steve Beverly recently re-aired Wink Comes Home, a 90-minute special that he hosted in November 2007 at Union University in which Wink discussed his life and career and took questions from the studio audience, as part of Steve Beverly's TV Classics. That episode is now available for viewing on demand on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop by going to EPlusTV6.com or, if you have the PBS app, typing in West TN PBS, where you'll find Steve Beverly's TV Classics on the drop-down menu of Local Shows.

TVC 688.2: Steve Beverly, retired professor of broadcast journalism at Union University in Jackson, TN (the hometown of Wink Martindale), game show historian, and the host of Steve Beverly's TV Classics, talks to Ed about how Wink never lost sights of his roots in Jackson, TN; how the success of the Martindale version of Tic Tac Dough in the 1970s forever changed the public perception of that particular game show (because the original Tic Tac Dough had been tarnished by the quiz show scandal of the late 1950s); and how Martindale's Tic Tac Dough really took off in syndication in 1979, becoming the No. 1. syndicated game show (after failing on CBS the year before), with the “Ken Jennings-like” success of contestant Thom McKee. Also in this segment: Steve and Ed discuss the new version of Tic Tac Dough, hosted by Brooke Burns, which premiered on Game Show Network on Apr. 14, 2025. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-nine. Steve Beverly recently re-aired Wink Comes Home, a 90-minute special that he hosted in November 2007 at Union University in which Wink discussed his life and career and took questions from the studio audience, as part of Steve Beverly's TV Classics. That episode is now available for viewing on demand on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop by going to EPlusTV6.com or, if you have the PBS app, typing in West TN PBS, where you'll find Steve Beverly's TV Classics on the drop-down menu of Local Shows.

TVC 688.3: Longtime television announcer Randy West joins Ed as TV Confidential continues its special program-length tribute to game show legend Wink Martindale. Randy was Wink's announcer on five game shows for the Family Channel, including Trivial Pursuit, Boggle, and Jumble. Among other topics in this segment, Randy mentions what he believes are the two reasons for Martindale's great success: his roots in Middle America (which Wink never forgot), and his genuine love for people, which particularly showed during Wink's interactions with the contestants on his various shows. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-nine.

TVC 688.4: Randy West, Wink Martindale's announcer on five game shows for the Family Channel, talks to Ed about Wink's career as a spoken-word recording artists (including “Deck of Cards,” “Heavenly Child,” and “I Stand for Everyone”). He also shares a funny story about Wink and Mary Steck, the cue card lady on Trivial Pursuit, that gives you a window into who Martindale was a person. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-nine.

TV Confidential continues its program-length tribute to Wink Martindale by bringing you an encore presentation of Wink's appearance on our program in December 2018. Topics this segment include how Wink taught himself how to become an announcer when he was a kid by reading ads from Life magazine aloud; the back story of "Deck of Cards," the spoken word recording that Wink first released in 1959 and which has sold than three million copies ever since; the many ways in which providence has played a role in Wink's life; and how Wink learned more about the nuances of hosting a game show from Dan Enright, co-executive producer of Tic Tac Dough, than from anyone else. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-one.

From December 2018: Wink Martindale talks to Ed about why game shows remain a popular form of entertainment on television; the importance of matching the right host with the right game format; how Wink happened to be at radio station WHBQ in Memphis, TN on the night of July 8, 1954, when deejay Dewey Phillips played an Elvis Presley record ("That's All Right, Mama") on the radio for the very first time; and how Wink also met Elvis for the first time that night when the King was summoned to the station, starting a friendship that continued until Presley's death in 1977. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-one.

TVC 687.1: Ed and guest co-host Chuck Harter welcome Dore Page, author of Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood: Daystar Productions, Kate Manx and the Making of Private Property, a deep dive into the life and career of Leslie Stevens—the maverick television writer and producer whom most of us know best as the creator of The Outer Limits—that particularly focuses on Stevens' early career as a playwright (including the Broadway production of The Marriage Go-Round); the back story of Daystar Productions, the production company that Stevens formed with Stanley Colbert, which Stevens intended to be the first truly independent TV and film production company; and the making of Private Property (1960), the New Wave-style erotic thriller that Stevens made for relatively little money, but which went on to gross several million dollars—despite being flagged as indecent at the time it was originally released. Dore's book also explores the tragic life of stage actress Kate Manx, Stevens' wife at the time he made Private Property. Though Manx made a brief splash in Hollywood after the release of Private Property, her film and TV career never got off the ground, while the actress herself died under mysterious circumstances in November 1964. Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood is available through McFarland Books.

TVC 687.2: Dore Page, author of Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood: Daystar Productions, Kate Manx and the Making of Private Property, talks to Ed and guest co-host Chuck Harter about the fragile mix of ambition, frustration, and insecurity that comprised the psyche of actress Kate Manx, and the extent to which depression may have factored into the circumstances leading up to Manx's death in November 1964. Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood is available through McFarland Books.

TVC 687.3: Peter Ford, son of screen legends Glenn Ford  and Eleanor Powell and the author of Glenn Ford: A Life, talks to Ed about how his dad used his star power to hire directors and actors on Cade's County (CBS, 1971-1972) with whom he'd worked before, including George Marshall, Leo Penn, Edgar Buchanan, Barbara Rush, and Broderick Crawford; how James Woods saved Peter's life in 1976 while the two of them filmed a scene together for “Sins of Thy Father,” an episode of Barnaby Jones; and some of the notable people who hired Peter during his twenty-year career as a building contractor, including Don Simpson, Frank Gehry, Blake Edwards, George Clooney, Sally Kellerman, Mary Kay Place, and Steve Tisch. Glenn Ford: A Life is available wherever books are sold through University of Wisconsin Press.

TVC 686.1: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Laurel and Hardy historian Randy Skretvedt. Chuck Harter co-hosts. Topics this segment include what first sparked Randy's interest in Laurel and Hardy; Randy's favorite scene in March of the Wooden Soldiers; and why Wooden Soldiers remains so popular, more than ninety years after its original release. Randy's latest book, March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel & Hardy's Babes in Toyland, is available from Bonaventure Press.

TVC 686.2: Peter Ford, son of screen legends Glenn Ford and Eleanor Powell, helps Ed celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the release of Blackboard Jungle, the iconic film from 1955 that not only starred Glenn Ford as a young English teacher in an inner-city high school, but which prominently featured the song “Rock Around the Clock” in its soundtrack, putting Bill Haley and the Comets on the map while also launching the era of rock 'n' roll music. Peter Ford was just ten years old when Blackboard Jungle was released, yet he played a very prominent role in getting his dad and director Richard Brooks to integrate “Rock Around the Clock” into Blackboard Jungle—indeed, Little Stevie van Zandt once credited Peter as being the catalyst for one of the seminal moments in rock 'n' roll history. Peter Ford is also the author of Glenn Ford: A Life, an intimate look at the life and times of one of our finest screen actors.

TVC 686.3: Peter Ford, son of screen legends Glenn Ford and Eleanor Powell and the author of Glenn Ford: A Life, talks to Ed about working with his dad and Edgar Buchanan on Cade's County (CBS, 1971-1972), including the back story for why the series did not last more than one season; how Peter became a reserve deputy for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department a few years after Cade's County ended; and how both he and Bobby Sherman once appeared together as bachelors (Peter, reluctantly so) on a segment of The Dating Game. Glenn Ford: A Life is available wherever books are sold through University of Wisconsin Press.

From August 2014: Authors Paul Green and Mary Ann Anderson join Ed for a look back at the life and career of Jeffrey Hunter. Paul's book Jeffrey Hunter: The Film, Television, Radio and Stage Performances is a comprehensive look at the actor best known for his starring roles as Martin Pawley in The Searchers, Christopher Pike in the original pilot episode of Star Trek, and Jesus Christ in Nicholas Ray's King of Kings. Mary knew Jeffrey Hunter; her mother, actress Emily McLaughlin, married Hunter just three months before he died in May 1969. By all acccounts, Jeffrey Hunter was not only highly respected as an actor, but a genuinely nice person. His sudden death age at forty-two was a shock to everyone who knew him and left many wondering what direction his life and career would have taken, had he lived.

TVC 685.1: Ed and guest co-host Chuck Harter welcome author, voice artist, radio host, and Laurel and Hardy historian Randy Skretvedt. Randy's latest book, March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel & Hardy's Babes in Toyland, is a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at the making of March of the Wooden Soldiers (1934), the adaptation of the Victor Herbert operetta Babes in Toyland (which, in fact, was the title of Wooden Soldiers when it was originally released) that not only has remained a holiday tradition on television since the early 1950s, but was reportedly Stan Laurel's favorite film of the ones with he did with Oliver Hardy. Topics this segment include how March of the Wooden Soldiers was originally intended as an Eastertime release in 1934, as well as the many delays that plagued the production of the movie. March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel & Hardy's Babes in Toyland is available from Bonaventure Press.

TVC 685.2: Laurel and Hardy historian Randy Skretvedt, author of March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel & Hardy's Babes in Toyland, talks to Ed and guest co-host Chuck Harter about how Stan Laurel not only acted as the de facto director on many of the comedy team's films, but closely oversaw the editing of their films, and how Oliver Hardy was an accomplished actor who was beloved by cast and crew off-camera. March of the Wooden Soldiers: The Amazing Story of Laurel & Hardy's Babes in Toyland is available from Bonaventure Press.

TVC 685.3: Ed welcomes renowned actress, teacher, and independent filmmaker Michelle Danner (Hello Herman, The Runner, Bad Impulse). Michelle's latest film, The Italians, is an ensemble comedy-drama about an idiosyncratic Italian-American family that drive each other crazy, but who pull themselves together upon learning that the matriarch (Michelle's character) has a serious heart condition—a crisis that causes the entire family to reevaluate themselves. Michelle Danner stars in and directs The Italians, which also features Rob Estes, Matthew Daddario, Abigail Breslin, Lainie Kazan, and a lot of scenes with food. Michelle talks to Ed about what attracted her to making The Italians; why the movie represents a change of pace for her; and what it was like to direct Donald Sutherland in Miranda's Victim (2023), a historical drama that turned out to be one of Sutherland's final screen appearances. The Italians is now available for streaming on demand on Amazon Prime. 

TVC 684.1: Ed welcomes Nelson Aspen, award-winning entertainment reporter, one of the leading authorities on the subject of the sinking of the Titanic on Apr. 15, 1912, and the author of Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale. Inspired by Nelson's personal experiences, Kindred Spirits not only spans the time between the night when the Titanic met her tragic fate and the hedonistic party scene of contemporary Manhattan, but is a story of love and redemption that was denied to gay men at the time because of the constraints of Edwardian England. Topics this segment include why the Titanic tragedy has remained a source of fascination for more a century; how Nelson's knowledge of Titanic history helped actress Alexandra Boyd land a role in James Cameron's Titanic; and why moviegoers are drawn to "water stories" such as Titanic and The Poseidon Adventure. Kindred Spirits is available wherever books are sold through Red Sky Presents. Titanic Talk, the podcast co-hosted by Nelson Aspen and Alexandra Boyd, is available wherever you find podcasts. For our listeners in the greater L.A. metro area, Nelson will appear at the Titanic Anniversary Weekend aboard the RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach California on Apr. 12-13-14. For more on that, check out TitanicWeekend.com. He'll also be at the Lobby Lounge at the Four Seasons / Los Angeles on Tuesday, Apr. 15, the actual anniversary date of the sinking of the Titanic. For our listeners in New York, Nelson Aspen will appear at the Clay Restaurant in New York City on Tuesday, Apr. 29 and at Ortomare Ristorante in New York City on Friday, May 2. He also has events coming up in England and in Ireland during the last week of May, and in Baltimore and New York during the month of July. For details and more information, visit NelsonAspen.com

TVC 684.2: Nelson Aspen, author of Kindred Spirits: A Titanic Tale, tells Ed the back story of his decades-long friendship with actress Carol Lynley, plus he recommends some film adaptations of the Titanic story, including A Night to Remember, the 1958 film starring Kenneth More that is based on Walter Lord's book of the same name. (Nelson wrote the foreword to Tom Lisanti's excellent book Carol Lynley: Her Film and TV Career in Thrillers, Fantasy, and Suspense.) Kindred Spirits is available wherever books are sold through Red Sky Presents. Titanic Talk, the podcast co-hosted by Nelson Aspen and Alexandra Boyd, is available wherever you find podcasts. 

TVC 684.2a: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Hank Garrett, the actor known around the world as Officer Nicholson on Car 54, Where Are You? and one of the most accomplished voice artists in the entertainment industry. In this segment Hank shares a few memories of working with Peter Falk on Columbo: Undercover and with Buddy Hackett at one of the nightclubs in the Catskill Mountains of New York early in Hank's career. Hank's memoir, From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight, is available through Briton Publishing, Amazon.com, and other online retailers.

TVC 684.3: Hank Garrett talks to Ed, Tony, and Donna about working with Sophia Loren in the 1979 thriller Firepower; the night Hank once escorted Audrey Hepburn for a Hollywood event; and the generosity that Tony Bennett showed Hank when he opened for Bennett at the Copa Cabana. Hank's memoir, From Harlem Hoodlum to Hollywood Heavyweight, is available through Briton Publishing, Amazon.com, and other online retailers.

TVC 683.1: Ed welcomes back David Arnoff, one of the best music photographers of his generation. David's book Shot in the Dark is a collection of photos featuring Patti Smith, The Clash, Devo, Blondie, Lydia Lunch, The Cramps, The Ramones, David Johanson, Misfits, Nick Cave, Siouxsee and the Banshees, Joan Jett, Elvis Costello, and other music artists—all taken circa 1976 to 1985, and nearly of all which capture these performers in seminal moments in their careers. Shot in the Dark is available at DavidArnoff.com. Topics this segment include how the Beatles and other British bands helped shape the music scene of the 1960s, and how shows like Shindig and Hullabaloo helped influence David's decision to become a photographer.

TVC 683.2: Music photographer David Arnoff discusses some of the photographs that appear in his book Shot in the Dark, including the ones of Lou Reed, Elvis Costello, and The Kramps. Other topics this segment include what first sparked David's interest in photography, why he is particularly drawn to “journalistic photography” (i.e., photos that capture candid moments off-stage, but which do not appear staged because there are usually taken in a more controlled environment), and why black and white photography is much “cleaner” in nature. Shot in the Dark is available at DavidArnoff.com