I believe the tradition of "world television premieres" of theatrical films on HBO started in the Nineties, but it feels like it has been even longer than that. It amuses me, then, to see the hype for the week's big movie debut in May 1984. It begins with this ad on Sunday:
May was only a couple days away! The actual premiere for the acclaimed flick Tootsie is not on the following Saturday, but on Thursday, May 3, and HBO has a big ad for that day, too.
In her column previewing the week's movies, Judith Crist says "hoorahs are in order" for Tootsie, calling it a delight. "It's not only a delicious comedic perception of bisexual humanism," (Note: I am not sure I know what that means) "but also a knockout farce that made Dustin Hoffman, in the title role, a prime candidate for Best Actor Oscar and Best Actress."
1) The Rockford Files: Mike was on the great 200 Dollars a Day Plus Expenses podcast with Friend of the Show Steve and Dave. I listen to a lot of podcasts at double speed to save time, but for this one, I listened at one-quarter speed to prolong the experience.
2) 300: Hey, what a nice round number! I set my goals big, so my next milestone is gonna be 305. I think I can make it! Maybe we can match Knots Landing's number of episodes (344).
4) The New Fred and Barney Show: I recently discovered the From Pencils to Pixels podcast, and I was delighted last week to discover the hosts just released a tribute--including an audio commentary--to this NBC "modern" Flintstones series.
5) National Cartoonists Day: May you not be interrupted by your daughters' annoying friend Monroe today so that you can get a few strips done.
6) Free Comic Book Day/Star Wars Day: Hope you got something cool yesterday and maybe spent some money supporting a local business.
7) Frankenstein: The True Story: This 1973 British TV movie with Jane Seymour (not as the Monster), James Mason, David McCallum, and Leonard Whiting is the subject of a book by Sam Irvin, who just won a Rondo Award for Best Writer!
8) Goldfinger: 50 years ago tonight, ABC reran this classic James Bond flick. I believe it would be on ABC and TBS approximately 00700 times over the next 20 years.
9) The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp: The series was added to FreeVee this week, and it was also announced as joining FETV's lineup. Why mention a 1955 TV series here? Well, because we love Fifties TV, too, but also because it stars BOTNS legend Hugh O'Brian!
10) Cinco de Mayo: OK, some say it's a not a real holiday. I don't care if it gives Sony an excuse to post another episode of Viva Valdez.
You know what happened on May 1, 1984. The NFL Draft. Yes, it was televised, but it was only on ESPN, and it was on TUESDAY, May 1, 1984, in the daytime.
It was not the big TV event (and ratings-grabber) it is today!
By the way, I always loved it when something went on so long that TV Guide decided it had to put in another listing. "1984 NFL Draft Continues." "We gotta put something there, or people will think ESPN went off the air."
Rolling on with this Albany edition of the Guide from 40 years ago this week!
Monday is dominated by reruns, but I enjoyed a few of the ads. I can't help but admire this low-key local ad for daily Love Boat reruns. No official art, no photos, just a list of the guests. Was this done with any involvement with the syndicator?
Then look at this striking ad for a show I don't remember seeing: First-run syndie Video Hits.
I think people forget that music videos were not just the domain of MTV. There were shows like this all over the place, plus Radio 1990 on USA, Friday Night Videos on NBC, and occasional filler blocks of music like HBO's Video Jukebox.
Let's close on a serious note with this ad and close-up based on a re-air of Adam, the movie based on John Walsh's efforts to find his kidnapped son.
We had a good time recently looking at the classic TV schedule Christian Broadcasting Network presented on a weekday in 1984, so today let's look at what it offered on a Saturday 40 years ago. No, today is not Saturday, but, er, just go with it. This is the lineup for May 5, 1984, and afterwards we'll throw in the Sunday schedule, too. There is a distinct Western theme to the CBN weekend!
10:00 saw The Cisco Kid, followed by a Edgar Buchanan movie, 1955's Silver Star.
Noon brought an episode of The Westerners. What exactly was that? Hard to say. TV Guide and The New York Times have no specifics for this day. The Westerners was the umbrella title given to a batch of old Four-Star Westerns, including the great one-season wonder starring Brian Keith called...The Westerner. Also included are Johnny Ringo, Law of the Plainsman, and Black Saddle.
At 12:30, CBN aired The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickock with Guy Madison in the title role and Andy Devine as sidekick Jingles P. Jones.
This program has an interesting history. Produced by William F. Broidy for first-run syndication, it moved to CBS and then ABC over its 8-year run. I was surprised to learn it ran 8 seasons, but I note it did mostly 13-episode seasons, meaning it accumulated "only" 113 episodes. Screen Gems bought out the Broidy company and got rights to the series, which ran in color its last season.
Another film was next, 1942's American Empire at 1:00. This Paramount Western stars Richard Dix, Preston Foster, and Leo Carrillo.
At 2:30, Call of the West is on, and I don't remember watching it, but I am 99% sure this is one of the rerun packages carved out of the massive 450+ episode library of Death Valley Days. New host segments with John Payne were shot for old installments.
It was back to films at 3:00 with 1936's Avenging Waters with Ken Maynard.
Next up, Wyatt Earp with BOTNS fave Hugh O'Brian in the title role, followed by Wagon Train at 4:30. I wasn't watching a lot of Westerns in 1984, but I don't remember anyone else showing these programs in that era.
The Monroes came next at 6:00. I don't remember anyone else showing this one anywhere in my day. It's another one-season (1966-67) wonder, with Barbara Hershey as one of 5 orphans experiencing frontier life. The show got a DVD release from Shout!
Alias Smith and Jones followed at 7:00.
8:00 was Carole Lombard in Made for Each Other. It's not a Western, but it's an acclaimed picture co-starring James Stewart and Charles Coburn. It's also public domain, which may be one reason why CBN was showing it!
10:00, it was back to vintage TV with I Spy, a show it aired during the week as well. Of course I have to remember that in 1984, the series was not even 20 years old!
CBN ended the night with religious programming.
On Sunday, May 6, CBN began with more spiritual programming before offering a block of Flipper and Gentle Ben at 1:00.
2:00 was Abeline Town with Randolph Scott, another public domain oater.
Wagon Train was next at 4:00, followed by a Roy Rogers flick at 5:00: 1940's The Ranger and the Lady. After that it was religious programming the rest of the day, kicking off with The Flying House, a Japanese Bible-themed animated show.
