In the early days of television, westerns dominated the schedule. One of the most beloved series of the genre was one that made the transition from radio to television, The Lone Ranger.
Everyone knows the story about how a lone Texas Ranger, John Reid (Clayton Moore) survived an ambush by outlaw Butch Cavendish (Glenn Strange, Gunsmoke) and his gang, and was nursed back to health by Tonto (Jay Silverheels). He let the world at large believe that Reid died that day, too, in order to pursue Cavendish as the Lone Ranger.
The Ranger & Tonto "led the fight for law & order in the early West", as one of the series' introductions declares, read by announcer Fred Foy (later the announcer for Dick Cavett). There is an alternate intro, read by narrator Gerald Mohr, that is prominent in a Platinum video release that I screened last night. Mohr describes the Ranger as both mysterious & fabulous, "striking fear in the lawless, and giving hope" to those hoping to settle.
The series settles into an all-too-familiar pattern. Some folks see the mask, and understandably assume that the Ranger is himself an outlaw. In one story, he pretends to be one in order to trap a gang. Tonto goes into the nearest town on recon, and quickly reports back. That often results in either Tonto being captured by a corrupt lawman or being knocked out by a henchman. Once their job is done, the Ranger & Tonto ride off into the sunset as the grateful citizens finally realize who he is.
In the Platinum video package, 7 of the 8 episodes were in black & white, with the narration by Mohr. There was one color episode from near the end of the series' run, after Moore returned from a sabbatical, during which he'd been replaced by John Hart. I have one other DVD compilation from another packager that I'd screened before, and over the years, I'd seen syndicated reruns of Lone Ranger on cable dating back to the 70's.
Edit: 4/11/14: Here's the episode: "Old Joe's Sister". Fred Foy was the announcer in the open, but the episode is narrated by Gerald Mohr:
The Platinum set also includes an episode of U. S. Marshal, the follow-up series to Sheriff of Cochise. Marshal Frank Morgan (John Bromfield) escorts a convict to the death house, but complications arise. The hook? The convict is played by a young Jack Lord, who'd later star in Stoney Burke and, of course, Hawaii 5-0. Amazingly, Lord looked the same in 1958 as he would when 5-0 bowed 10 years later.
Ratings:
U. S. Marshal--B.
Lone Ranger---A.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
For the true wrestling fan
My home district is clearly WWE country. TNA found that out a couple of years ago when they booked the Times Union Center on a Sunday night, and never came back. They've done two shows in Glens Falls since, because they haven't cultivated enough of a fan base to warrant returning to the cavernous TUC, which on a good night can hold better than 10,000 fans, or twice the size of the Glens Falls Civic Center.
With Friday Night Smackdown taping at the TUC on August 31 for the September 3 show, local fans won't have to wait that long to get their fix. A smaller, independent promotion, Next Era Wrestling, based out of Rochester, is headed this way at the end of this month, making their Capital Region debut at the Troy Boys & Girls Club on July 31. The show was originally booked for tonight, but was pushed back, likely due to scheduling conflicts on either side of the ledger. It is only the 2nd independent show to hit Troy in the last decade. Another promotion, whose name I can't recall at the moment, played the Boys & Girls Club's South Troy location several years back. One of the organizers affiliated with the Boys & Girls Club was in a bowling league with me, and he asked me to work security that night, even though I'd paid my way in. Oh, well, at least I had one of the best seats in the house. I didn't have to do anything, though, which was a good thing.
When you take into account how long it's been since indy shows have played Troy, and unable to land a booking at RPI's Houston Field House, which was WWE's old home before the TUC opened as Knickerbocker Arena 20 years ago, you wonder just what would it take for a promotion like Ring of Honor, which has a TV deal with Mark Cuban's HDNet (no longer available in my area), and a strong internet following, to come here. The Houston Field House would be perfect for ROH, in my view, and so would Albany's Washington Avenue Armory, which also has a past history with WWE. And why don't other start-up promotions give cities like Troy a look? With 5 high schools (including Emma Willard) in the city, plus RPI & Hudson Valley Community College, there's plenty of places to consider for a booking!
Bottom line is, Next Era needs a strong turnout at the Boys & Girls Club in 3 weeks, but to get there, they have to work on promotion. I've seen posters in three places so far, including the Boys & Girls Club. No radio or television advertising. Not yet, anyway. They have the local sports & entertainment field all to themselves, with the Tri-City Valleycats out of town that night, as is the case tonight, by the way. It's a perfect scenario. Word of mouth isn't going to be enough. They need to feed off the positive energy of the people attending the show to decide whether or not to return at a later time, and having a near-full house would be a step in that direction. The ball, then, is in their court. If they succeed in establishing a base in Troy, then we all win.
With Friday Night Smackdown taping at the TUC on August 31 for the September 3 show, local fans won't have to wait that long to get their fix. A smaller, independent promotion, Next Era Wrestling, based out of Rochester, is headed this way at the end of this month, making their Capital Region debut at the Troy Boys & Girls Club on July 31. The show was originally booked for tonight, but was pushed back, likely due to scheduling conflicts on either side of the ledger. It is only the 2nd independent show to hit Troy in the last decade. Another promotion, whose name I can't recall at the moment, played the Boys & Girls Club's South Troy location several years back. One of the organizers affiliated with the Boys & Girls Club was in a bowling league with me, and he asked me to work security that night, even though I'd paid my way in. Oh, well, at least I had one of the best seats in the house. I didn't have to do anything, though, which was a good thing.
When you take into account how long it's been since indy shows have played Troy, and unable to land a booking at RPI's Houston Field House, which was WWE's old home before the TUC opened as Knickerbocker Arena 20 years ago, you wonder just what would it take for a promotion like Ring of Honor, which has a TV deal with Mark Cuban's HDNet (no longer available in my area), and a strong internet following, to come here. The Houston Field House would be perfect for ROH, in my view, and so would Albany's Washington Avenue Armory, which also has a past history with WWE. And why don't other start-up promotions give cities like Troy a look? With 5 high schools (including Emma Willard) in the city, plus RPI & Hudson Valley Community College, there's plenty of places to consider for a booking!
Bottom line is, Next Era needs a strong turnout at the Boys & Girls Club in 3 weeks, but to get there, they have to work on promotion. I've seen posters in three places so far, including the Boys & Girls Club. No radio or television advertising. Not yet, anyway. They have the local sports & entertainment field all to themselves, with the Tri-City Valleycats out of town that night, as is the case tonight, by the way. It's a perfect scenario. Word of mouth isn't going to be enough. They need to feed off the positive energy of the people attending the show to decide whether or not to return at a later time, and having a near-full house would be a step in that direction. The ball, then, is in their court. If they succeed in establishing a base in Troy, then we all win.
Weasel of the Week: Maverick Carter
This one's the mother of all slam dunk picks. In case you missed it, Carter is the poor man's Don King wannabe who's hitched his wagon to NBA superstar LeBron James, and orchestrated the glorified infomercial on ESPN Thursday night, in which James declared he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat.
Until recently, few had even heard of Carter, whom for all we know might have been little more than a used car salesman in Cleveland before signing on as James' "business manager". He is, however, part of James' growing inner circle of friends, hangers-on, bandwagon jumpers, and assorted other leeches feeding the ego of the former high school phenom, convincing James that after 7 years, it was time to "leave the nest", if you will, and take his business elsewhere, to someplace where he conceivably could stand a better chance of winning an NBA title.
ESPN suits, more than willing to do anything on behalf of the NBA, played along with this dog & pony show, knowing, as I said the other day, that it would generate huge off-season ratings numbers, or at least that was the thought. I'm not sure what the final figures were, nor do I really give a rat's butt about it.
Carter attaching himself to James is, in this writer's opinion, on a par with Don King signing Mike Tyson away from his original promoter, Jim Jacobs, in the late 80's. We all know what happened to Tyson's career in the 20-odd years since. Do we really want James going down the same primrose path? Of course not, but for right now, he's still naive enough to buy into the con job Carter has sold him. A triad of James, Dwyane Wade, & Chris Bosh is now under enormous pressure to deliver a NBA title to Miami immediately, but I don't see it happening.
And if the Heat don't win during the course of James' contract with the team, who gets blamed? James will ultimately pass the buck to Carter and finally bum-rush the bum outta town. You don't believe me? Just wait. It will happen.
Until recently, few had even heard of Carter, whom for all we know might have been little more than a used car salesman in Cleveland before signing on as James' "business manager". He is, however, part of James' growing inner circle of friends, hangers-on, bandwagon jumpers, and assorted other leeches feeding the ego of the former high school phenom, convincing James that after 7 years, it was time to "leave the nest", if you will, and take his business elsewhere, to someplace where he conceivably could stand a better chance of winning an NBA title.
ESPN suits, more than willing to do anything on behalf of the NBA, played along with this dog & pony show, knowing, as I said the other day, that it would generate huge off-season ratings numbers, or at least that was the thought. I'm not sure what the final figures were, nor do I really give a rat's butt about it.
Carter attaching himself to James is, in this writer's opinion, on a par with Don King signing Mike Tyson away from his original promoter, Jim Jacobs, in the late 80's. We all know what happened to Tyson's career in the 20-odd years since. Do we really want James going down the same primrose path? Of course not, but for right now, he's still naive enough to buy into the con job Carter has sold him. A triad of James, Dwyane Wade, & Chris Bosh is now under enormous pressure to deliver a NBA title to Miami immediately, but I don't see it happening.
And if the Heat don't win during the course of James' contract with the team, who gets blamed? James will ultimately pass the buck to Carter and finally bum-rush the bum outta town. You don't believe me? Just wait. It will happen.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The extreme height of narcissism
It has just come over the wires that the single most important free agent in the NBA this summer, LeBron James, will finally decide where he'll play next season, but a mere press conference just isn't enough, it seems.
It is being reported that James, or more specifically, so-called representatives of the superstar, asked ESPN to cover the event live in prime time on Thursday night, in order to get the message out to everyone. That translates into ratings points for ESPN, one of the NBA's television partners, of course, but it also creates a perception that James, after 7 years in the league, wants to be treated like he was the President of the United States. He's taking his nickname, "King James", a little bit too seriously, from where I sit. No one has really considered James to be an attention mark, but that's how some people might see this.
On the other hand, there is the matter of charity involved, particularly the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, whom James has worked with for years. Maverick Carter, James' business manager, said that there would be some donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs involved as part of the TV deal. Carter also stated that the national TV announcement was due to the "unprecedented" interest in James as a free agent, interest generated over the course of the last season, which in turn nearly overshadowed the NBA Finals between the Lakers & Celtics.
So, who's really to blame? The NBA & ESPN, for allowing this to happen? The league has fostered an environment where select individual talents are heavily marketed (i.e. James, Kobe Bryant), moreso than the teams they play for. The NBA is the only league that ignores the necessary emphasis on team play. The last two decades have seen a greater influx of players using college as a temporary way station, convinced by talent scouts that they have enough game where they don't need the additional education. Then, once the word gets out, you have an increasing circle of friends, some of whom probably are jumping on the bandwagon to see what they can get out of it.
Some of the greatest players in NBA history, such as Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Cousy, Patrick Ewing, and Jerry West, all played 4 years of college ball before turning pro. Today's kids are listening to people waving big wads of cash in front of them. That covert hypnosis has them making what amounts to a pit stop in college (see this year's #1 pick, John Wall, for an example) before going pro. While some of these kids will tell you that it's about taking care of the families, and that's fine, what happens to the education?
LeBron James entered the NBA directly out of high school in 2003. He's lived up to the hype, but hasn't been able to deliver a championship in Cleveland. He has the requisite endorsement deals with Nike, among others, and has the usual cast of pals and bandwagon jumpers giving him advice, good and bad. A nationally televised press conference to decide where he'll play in the 2010-11 season falls under bad advice, because it changes the perception of James for all the wrong reasons. Sure, James and his inner circle are aware of the media obsession and will exploit it to the maximum, but this is going a wee bit too far. ESPN's a willing enabler, because of their investment in the league, but treating one of the league's top stars like he's a head of state? I don't think that's really the smartest of moves.
Of course, it could've been worse. They could've made a reality show about it.......
It is being reported that James, or more specifically, so-called representatives of the superstar, asked ESPN to cover the event live in prime time on Thursday night, in order to get the message out to everyone. That translates into ratings points for ESPN, one of the NBA's television partners, of course, but it also creates a perception that James, after 7 years in the league, wants to be treated like he was the President of the United States. He's taking his nickname, "King James", a little bit too seriously, from where I sit. No one has really considered James to be an attention mark, but that's how some people might see this.
On the other hand, there is the matter of charity involved, particularly the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, whom James has worked with for years. Maverick Carter, James' business manager, said that there would be some donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs involved as part of the TV deal. Carter also stated that the national TV announcement was due to the "unprecedented" interest in James as a free agent, interest generated over the course of the last season, which in turn nearly overshadowed the NBA Finals between the Lakers & Celtics.
So, who's really to blame? The NBA & ESPN, for allowing this to happen? The league has fostered an environment where select individual talents are heavily marketed (i.e. James, Kobe Bryant), moreso than the teams they play for. The NBA is the only league that ignores the necessary emphasis on team play. The last two decades have seen a greater influx of players using college as a temporary way station, convinced by talent scouts that they have enough game where they don't need the additional education. Then, once the word gets out, you have an increasing circle of friends, some of whom probably are jumping on the bandwagon to see what they can get out of it.
Some of the greatest players in NBA history, such as Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bob Cousy, Patrick Ewing, and Jerry West, all played 4 years of college ball before turning pro. Today's kids are listening to people waving big wads of cash in front of them. That covert hypnosis has them making what amounts to a pit stop in college (see this year's #1 pick, John Wall, for an example) before going pro. While some of these kids will tell you that it's about taking care of the families, and that's fine, what happens to the education?
LeBron James entered the NBA directly out of high school in 2003. He's lived up to the hype, but hasn't been able to deliver a championship in Cleveland. He has the requisite endorsement deals with Nike, among others, and has the usual cast of pals and bandwagon jumpers giving him advice, good and bad. A nationally televised press conference to decide where he'll play in the 2010-11 season falls under bad advice, because it changes the perception of James for all the wrong reasons. Sure, James and his inner circle are aware of the media obsession and will exploit it to the maximum, but this is going a wee bit too far. ESPN's a willing enabler, because of their investment in the league, but treating one of the league's top stars like he's a head of state? I don't think that's really the smartest of moves.
Of course, it could've been worse. They could've made a reality show about it.......
Monday, July 5, 2010
When a new rule is a bad rule
The 2010 MLB All-Star teams were announced on Sunday, and, as expected, some of the usual suspects (i.e. Albert Pujols, Derek Jeter, etc.) were named to their respective teams. The defending World champion Yankees have 6 players, including 2 starters (Jeter & Robinson Cano), which was to be expected with manager Joe Girardi leading the AL team. The Mets, though, have just 2 (David Wright & Jose Reyes), but should have at least one more.
A new rule instituted for this season may screw the Mets in the end. Their best pitcher, Mike Pelfrey, going for his 11th win tonight vs. Cincinnati, is not on the team. His next scheduled start is Saturday, so there's a good chance that he'd still make the team as an injury replacement. However, you know there are some Mets fans that might point at Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel and say he intentionally left Pelfrey out of the mix. However, as the New York Daily News reports this morning, Manuel was a little bit confused over the new rule, and mistakenly thought Pelfrey would next pitch on Sunday. The rule is that a pitcher selected to the All-Star team becomes ineligible to pitch in the game if he pitches the Sunday before the game. That doesn't mean that said hurler couldn't make the trip. That same confusion prevented San Diego's Mat Latos from being named to the team, for another example.
Manuel is also drawing confused looks from the press for selecting Atlanta utility player Omar Infante as a reserve. Another new rule allows for one player to be reinserted into the game in an emergency late in the game (i.e. in extra innings), and the Braves already had one utilityman on the All-Star roster, with Martin Prado, having a breakout season, tapped to replaced fan-appointed starter Chase Utley of Philadelphia at second base. Infante earned Manuel's respect with a key base hit earlier this season vs. the Phillies, such that Manuel, who knows Infante from when both were in the American League, decided to reward Infante with a spot on the All-Star team that otherwise might go to a more recognizable, more deserving player.
MLB's final five ballots for both teams aren't doing any favors, either. Why is Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher getting consideration? Do the Bombers need another All-Star? Of course not. The Mets don't get any love, as the most likely position player who'd fit on the ballot, outfielder Angel Pagan, was snubbed. Pagan has done yeoman's work, holding down center field while the Mets wait for Carlos Beltran to come off the disabled list, and, like Prado, is having a breakout season.
You can end the debate over Washington rookie Stephen Strasburg making the team. Barring any late injuries, it ain't gonna happen. An apparent injury to Milwaukee's Yovanni Gallardo on Sunday opens the door for someone like Pelfrey or another Nationals pitcher, Livan Hernandez, but not Strasburg, who didn't look all that dominant in five innings on Saturday against the Mets. However, ESPN's Karl Ravech, during Baseball Tonight, made it seem like Strasburg had the inside track. As the Daily News' Bob Raissman asserted on Sunday, and as I wrote previously, Strasburg's inclusion is strictly for the benefit of MLB and its television partners, ignoring the risk of burning out the kid too soon. After 6 starts, Strasburg is 2-2, and has gotten 0 offensive support in his last three games. The Nats bailed him out after he was out of the game on Saturday.
I firmly believe that now isn't the time for Strasburg to be an All-Star. Those in the media that believe otherwise are just feeding the beast (MLB hype). Meanwhile, it is the perception of disrespect, with just 2 All-Stars when they could've had more, that might fuel the Mets in the 2nd half. If I'm Manuel, I have reason to worry. The heat will be intense if the AL wins again next week, even more so if the Phillies can't catch the Braves or even the Mets for a playoff spot. The cynics in New York will have a field day, I'm sure, but, as the saying goes, that's why they play the games.
Meanwhile, Girardi has a way to circumvent the pitchers' rule. CC Sabathia, one of two starting pitchers selected for the All-Stars, is on turn to pitch Sunday, which would knock him out of the game, and open the door for teammate Andy Pettite. But would MLB allow that? I'm not sure. The rule doesn't exclude relievers from the game, so Mariano Rivera is safe (naturally). We'll just see how it all plays out in 8 days.
A new rule instituted for this season may screw the Mets in the end. Their best pitcher, Mike Pelfrey, going for his 11th win tonight vs. Cincinnati, is not on the team. His next scheduled start is Saturday, so there's a good chance that he'd still make the team as an injury replacement. However, you know there are some Mets fans that might point at Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel and say he intentionally left Pelfrey out of the mix. However, as the New York Daily News reports this morning, Manuel was a little bit confused over the new rule, and mistakenly thought Pelfrey would next pitch on Sunday. The rule is that a pitcher selected to the All-Star team becomes ineligible to pitch in the game if he pitches the Sunday before the game. That doesn't mean that said hurler couldn't make the trip. That same confusion prevented San Diego's Mat Latos from being named to the team, for another example.
Manuel is also drawing confused looks from the press for selecting Atlanta utility player Omar Infante as a reserve. Another new rule allows for one player to be reinserted into the game in an emergency late in the game (i.e. in extra innings), and the Braves already had one utilityman on the All-Star roster, with Martin Prado, having a breakout season, tapped to replaced fan-appointed starter Chase Utley of Philadelphia at second base. Infante earned Manuel's respect with a key base hit earlier this season vs. the Phillies, such that Manuel, who knows Infante from when both were in the American League, decided to reward Infante with a spot on the All-Star team that otherwise might go to a more recognizable, more deserving player.
MLB's final five ballots for both teams aren't doing any favors, either. Why is Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher getting consideration? Do the Bombers need another All-Star? Of course not. The Mets don't get any love, as the most likely position player who'd fit on the ballot, outfielder Angel Pagan, was snubbed. Pagan has done yeoman's work, holding down center field while the Mets wait for Carlos Beltran to come off the disabled list, and, like Prado, is having a breakout season.
You can end the debate over Washington rookie Stephen Strasburg making the team. Barring any late injuries, it ain't gonna happen. An apparent injury to Milwaukee's Yovanni Gallardo on Sunday opens the door for someone like Pelfrey or another Nationals pitcher, Livan Hernandez, but not Strasburg, who didn't look all that dominant in five innings on Saturday against the Mets. However, ESPN's Karl Ravech, during Baseball Tonight, made it seem like Strasburg had the inside track. As the Daily News' Bob Raissman asserted on Sunday, and as I wrote previously, Strasburg's inclusion is strictly for the benefit of MLB and its television partners, ignoring the risk of burning out the kid too soon. After 6 starts, Strasburg is 2-2, and has gotten 0 offensive support in his last three games. The Nats bailed him out after he was out of the game on Saturday.
I firmly believe that now isn't the time for Strasburg to be an All-Star. Those in the media that believe otherwise are just feeding the beast (MLB hype). Meanwhile, it is the perception of disrespect, with just 2 All-Stars when they could've had more, that might fuel the Mets in the 2nd half. If I'm Manuel, I have reason to worry. The heat will be intense if the AL wins again next week, even more so if the Phillies can't catch the Braves or even the Mets for a playoff spot. The cynics in New York will have a field day, I'm sure, but, as the saying goes, that's why they play the games.
Meanwhile, Girardi has a way to circumvent the pitchers' rule. CC Sabathia, one of two starting pitchers selected for the All-Stars, is on turn to pitch Sunday, which would knock him out of the game, and open the door for teammate Andy Pettite. But would MLB allow that? I'm not sure. The rule doesn't exclude relievers from the game, so Mariano Rivera is safe (naturally). We'll just see how it all plays out in 8 days.
The case of the "missing" detectives
Alpha Video put together a nice compilation of long-missing television crime dramas under the umbrella title, "TV Detectives, Volume 1", available through http://www.oldies.com and Radio Spirits. 5 series are represented here, ranging from 1951-61. To wit:
The Lone Wolf: Louis Hayward, who'd starred in "The Saint in New York", among his many film credits, plays jewel thief-turned-detective Michael Lanyard, aka "The Lone Wolf", in this 1954 syndicated offering. To be honest with you, I'd never previously heard of it, and now I know why it was lost in the mists of time. It just wasn't very good. In the episode presented here, Lanyard runs afoul of duplicitous royalty and an alleged "werewolf". No supernatural elements were actually involved, which proves how pedestrian this really is. If Lanyard is supposed to be a knock-off of Simon Templar (The Saint), he's not doing a good enough job. Hayward comes off as flat and short on emotion. Grade: D.
I'm The Law: Another film veteran, George Raft, top-lines this 1953 offering from producer Jean Yarborough (The Abbott & Costello Show). Like Hayward, Raft narrates the story as the case progresses, but unlike Hayward, Raft is a perfect fit as Lt. Kirby. I'm interested in seeing a stand alone DVD release of this show. Grade: A-.
Treasury Men in Action: This 1955 series is an anthology based on actual cases from the Federal Treasury Dept.'s files. Charles Bronson, in an early role, plays a drug smuggler who has issues with his estranged wife, complicating his latest job. It's a long way from the much tougher, harder-edged characters Bronson would play in the movies later on, but he does give a decent performance. Grade: B.
Checkmate: From 1961, this is the lone one-hour episode in the set. This offering has the detectives trying to determine who'd want to kill a harmless hobo. I remember reading about the show as a youth, and wondering why it wasn't available in syndication. For closing logo fans, this is the only one that has one, as it's from Revue Studios. Sebastian Cabot (pre-Family Affair), Doug McClure (pre-Virginian), & Anthony George are the stars, but (Harry) Dean Stanton nearly steals this episode as a troubadour. Future Academy Award winning composer John Williams composed the series' theme song. I'm begging NBC-Universal, or whomever actually holds the rights, to do a stand alone DVD set, if it hasn't been done already.
Edit: 7/15/15: I've added the open:
Grade: A-.
Mystery Theatre: No specific year is listed for the episode presented from this 1951-54 ABC series spotlighting Inspector Mark Saber (Tom Conway) of Homicide Squad. Saber was another gumshoe making the transition from radio to television. Conway, like Raft & Hayward, made his name in films, particularly as "The Falcon". A fairly decent match, at that. Saber would be given another chance a few years later in another show, The Vise, which didn't last quite as long. It wasn't for lack of trying, that's for certain. Maybe the networks just didn't think that letting Saber be the series' selling point was the best option. Their loss. Conway is okay, but the story plays like a shorter version of his "Falcon" films. Grade: B-.
Overall grade: B.
The Lone Wolf: Louis Hayward, who'd starred in "The Saint in New York", among his many film credits, plays jewel thief-turned-detective Michael Lanyard, aka "The Lone Wolf", in this 1954 syndicated offering. To be honest with you, I'd never previously heard of it, and now I know why it was lost in the mists of time. It just wasn't very good. In the episode presented here, Lanyard runs afoul of duplicitous royalty and an alleged "werewolf". No supernatural elements were actually involved, which proves how pedestrian this really is. If Lanyard is supposed to be a knock-off of Simon Templar (The Saint), he's not doing a good enough job. Hayward comes off as flat and short on emotion. Grade: D.
I'm The Law: Another film veteran, George Raft, top-lines this 1953 offering from producer Jean Yarborough (The Abbott & Costello Show). Like Hayward, Raft narrates the story as the case progresses, but unlike Hayward, Raft is a perfect fit as Lt. Kirby. I'm interested in seeing a stand alone DVD release of this show. Grade: A-.
Treasury Men in Action: This 1955 series is an anthology based on actual cases from the Federal Treasury Dept.'s files. Charles Bronson, in an early role, plays a drug smuggler who has issues with his estranged wife, complicating his latest job. It's a long way from the much tougher, harder-edged characters Bronson would play in the movies later on, but he does give a decent performance. Grade: B.
Checkmate: From 1961, this is the lone one-hour episode in the set. This offering has the detectives trying to determine who'd want to kill a harmless hobo. I remember reading about the show as a youth, and wondering why it wasn't available in syndication. For closing logo fans, this is the only one that has one, as it's from Revue Studios. Sebastian Cabot (pre-Family Affair), Doug McClure (pre-Virginian), & Anthony George are the stars, but (Harry) Dean Stanton nearly steals this episode as a troubadour. Future Academy Award winning composer John Williams composed the series' theme song. I'm begging NBC-Universal, or whomever actually holds the rights, to do a stand alone DVD set, if it hasn't been done already.
Edit: 7/15/15: I've added the open:
Grade: A-.
Mystery Theatre: No specific year is listed for the episode presented from this 1951-54 ABC series spotlighting Inspector Mark Saber (Tom Conway) of Homicide Squad. Saber was another gumshoe making the transition from radio to television. Conway, like Raft & Hayward, made his name in films, particularly as "The Falcon". A fairly decent match, at that. Saber would be given another chance a few years later in another show, The Vise, which didn't last quite as long. It wasn't for lack of trying, that's for certain. Maybe the networks just didn't think that letting Saber be the series' selling point was the best option. Their loss. Conway is okay, but the story plays like a shorter version of his "Falcon" films. Grade: B-.
Overall grade: B.
Friday, July 2, 2010
One fan's opinion: 2010 MLB All-Stars
The 2010 All-Star Game will be played in Anaheim on July 13, and the rosters will be announced sometime in the next few days. Voting ended last night, and this year, I didn't even bother. I try to avoid the sheep mentality and go by who's actually the best at their positions on a year-to-year basis, and not get caught up in the popularity polls.
The biggest controversy this year surrounds Washington rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who will carry a 2-2 record going into Saturday's game vs. the Mets. The debate is over whether or not Strasburg, whose every move up the ladder in the Nationals' chain has been scrutinzed by MLB Network, ESPN, and everyone else, deserves to be in the game after being in the majors less than a month. It's supposed to be up to Philadelphia's Charlie Manuel, the NL manager, to decide, but I'd not be surprised if in fact there's a little nudging coming from MLB suits to add Strasburg in order to juice up ratings for Fox's telecast of the game, not to mention MLB Network's pre-game hype-a-thon. That's really what it comes down to. Ratings, ad revenues. Money in the bank.
Now, don't get me wrong. I've seen Strasburg pitch on TV, both with Washington and in minor-league games for Syracuse (Thank you, Time Warner Cable). I just believe that he doesn't belong in this year's game after just a few weeks in the bigs. I don't think that's ever happened before in the history of the All-Star Game. If you're an MLB suit and you think it's that important, then you're alienating fans of other teams who have players more deserving of a slot on the roster. Then again, that happens every year anyway. Don't you think the kid needs a little vacation instead of being sent to Anaheim as if he's baseball's newest savior? I do. I just can't see him being used like a corporate puppet, his talent exploited for maximum gain. It isn't fair to Strasburg any more than it is for anyone else.
A talent like Stephen Strasburg comes along at least once every generation. It would be nice if the kid actually had a long, healthy, successful, Hall-of-Fame-caliber career, instead of being treated like a circus showpiece.
Now, let me give you my idea of who should be starting for each team on July 13.
American League:
1B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit.
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees.
SS: Derek Jeter, Yankees.
3B: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay.
C: Joe Mauer, Minnesota.
OF: Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle; Vernon Wells, Toronto; Denard Span, Minnesota.
DH (because it's an AL park): David Ortiz, Boston.
Starting pitcher: Phil Hughes, Yankees.
National League:
1B: Albert Pujols, St. Louis.
2B: Kelly Johnson, Arizona.
SS: Jose Reyes, Mets.
3B: David Wright, Mets.
C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis.
OF: Andre Ethier, Los Angeles; Alfonso Soriano, Chicago; Jayson Werth, Philadelphia.
DH: Chipper Jones, Atlanta.
Starting pitcher: Ubaldo Jiminez, Colorado.
Most, if not all, of the above-named players are likely to be in Anaheim anyway, but these would be the most ideal lineups. I have Chipper as the DH because 1) he has been injured more often than not and 2) there are hints that this may be his final season. The sheep don't pay attention to statistics, especially when voting for home team stars. That's understandable, but it also creates boring lineups that repeat year after year. I try to avoid picking players that have been injured, though Chipper & Reyes are exceptions to the rule this year.
Who would you rather see? I'd like to know.
The biggest controversy this year surrounds Washington rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who will carry a 2-2 record going into Saturday's game vs. the Mets. The debate is over whether or not Strasburg, whose every move up the ladder in the Nationals' chain has been scrutinzed by MLB Network, ESPN, and everyone else, deserves to be in the game after being in the majors less than a month. It's supposed to be up to Philadelphia's Charlie Manuel, the NL manager, to decide, but I'd not be surprised if in fact there's a little nudging coming from MLB suits to add Strasburg in order to juice up ratings for Fox's telecast of the game, not to mention MLB Network's pre-game hype-a-thon. That's really what it comes down to. Ratings, ad revenues. Money in the bank.
Now, don't get me wrong. I've seen Strasburg pitch on TV, both with Washington and in minor-league games for Syracuse (Thank you, Time Warner Cable). I just believe that he doesn't belong in this year's game after just a few weeks in the bigs. I don't think that's ever happened before in the history of the All-Star Game. If you're an MLB suit and you think it's that important, then you're alienating fans of other teams who have players more deserving of a slot on the roster. Then again, that happens every year anyway. Don't you think the kid needs a little vacation instead of being sent to Anaheim as if he's baseball's newest savior? I do. I just can't see him being used like a corporate puppet, his talent exploited for maximum gain. It isn't fair to Strasburg any more than it is for anyone else.
A talent like Stephen Strasburg comes along at least once every generation. It would be nice if the kid actually had a long, healthy, successful, Hall-of-Fame-caliber career, instead of being treated like a circus showpiece.
Now, let me give you my idea of who should be starting for each team on July 13.
American League:
1B: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit.
2B: Robinson Cano, Yankees.
SS: Derek Jeter, Yankees.
3B: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay.
C: Joe Mauer, Minnesota.
OF: Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle; Vernon Wells, Toronto; Denard Span, Minnesota.
DH (because it's an AL park): David Ortiz, Boston.
Starting pitcher: Phil Hughes, Yankees.
National League:
1B: Albert Pujols, St. Louis.
2B: Kelly Johnson, Arizona.
SS: Jose Reyes, Mets.
3B: David Wright, Mets.
C: Yadier Molina, St. Louis.
OF: Andre Ethier, Los Angeles; Alfonso Soriano, Chicago; Jayson Werth, Philadelphia.
DH: Chipper Jones, Atlanta.
Starting pitcher: Ubaldo Jiminez, Colorado.
Most, if not all, of the above-named players are likely to be in Anaheim anyway, but these would be the most ideal lineups. I have Chipper as the DH because 1) he has been injured more often than not and 2) there are hints that this may be his final season. The sheep don't pay attention to statistics, especially when voting for home team stars. That's understandable, but it also creates boring lineups that repeat year after year. I try to avoid picking players that have been injured, though Chipper & Reyes are exceptions to the rule this year.
Who would you rather see? I'd like to know.
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