If you're teaching a novel with classic setting in the 1950's and 1960's then this is an opportunity you won't want to miss. This educational enrichment packet contains pertinent information concerning TV shows that were produced during this era. This reinforcement contains actual YouTube footage of many televisions shows that were produced during this time period. It is a wonderful teaching aid to open up your next novel. Students are able to first become immersed in the time period therefore understanding author's theme and voice as an interactive unit. This document comes complete with links and is easily emailed to a student data base. Students can they easily peruse material becoming accustomed to some of the area's favorite TV past times. Other FABULOUS Historical Fiction Novels Teachers that purchased this were also interested in: Lyddie by Karen Paterson - Vocabulary, Questions, Final EssayFarewell to Manzanar by Houston and Houston - Enrichment PacketThe Fighting Ground by Avi - Questions, Worksheets, Hessian ResearchThe Endless Steppe by Hautzig - Novel Questions and Map Unit or Book ReportThe Moved-Outers by Florence Crannel MeansVoices From Vietnam by Barry Denenberg - Questions and Research, or BookreportChildren of the River by Linda Crew - Enrichment Packet or Book ReportOne Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn - Book ReportThe Story of the Peace Corps by Zachary Kent - Questions, Worksheet, Book ReportThe Story of Jonas Salk and the Discovery of the Polio Vaccine by Jim HargroveThe Crucible by Arthur Miller - Preliminary Activity - Summarizing Non FictionSoft Rain - (Cherokee Trail of Tears) Novel Packet - Questions-Vocab.-Worksheets Outsiders - Opening Speech Project Utilizing Newspapers/Online NewspapersThe Witch of Blackbird Pond - Preliminary 5 Paragraph Essay Internet ActivityThe Light in the Forest - Internet Indian Medicine ActivityChariot of the Sun God - Guided Question Response or Book ReportRomeo and Juliet - Teacher's Background GuideImportance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde - Guided Question WorksheetTelevision Shows of the 50's and 60'sSongs of the 50's and 60's for Teaching LiteratureInteresting Facts About Shakespeare's Globe TheatreProper Etiquette During the Victorian EraBram Stoker's Dracula Guided QuestionsAcross Five Aprils Project ChoicesCivil War Poetry AssignmentOur Town Guided Question Response

The Best of Warner Bros.: Hanna-Barbera 25 Cartoon Collection (Released May 21, 2013 by Warner Home Video) Another Looong DVD Review by Joe Torcivia SUMMARY: The most inexplicably confusing DVD I’ve ever reviewed! Yes, really! I’m almost at a loss as to what I can say about this collection, so bear with me, should this review ramble a bit. HERE is my original post on the coming of this set. It WILL help explain my confusion a bit, if you would be kind enough to read both my post and the linked announcement found therein. As best I can figure, Warner Bros., on the occasion of its turning 90, is celebrating its “centennial minus ten” with a series of special collections of the film, animation, television, and comic book properties that have made the studio my favorite of all creative entities. Hear! Hear! I second that emotion! Now, one doesn’t just become a monolithic presence in the field of entertainment without a few acquisitions along the way and so, sometime in the 1990s (like DC Comics before it), the Hanna-Barbera cartoon studio became a part of the vast Time Warner Communications empire. That acquisition would explain the existence of a special Hanna-Barbera collection to mark the 90th anniversary of Warner Bros. However, it doesn’t explain why “The Best of Warner Bros.: Hanna-Barbera 25 Cartoon Collection” looks as if it WERE ASSEMBLED BY a nonagenarian! I’m sorry, I should really take that back… Most nonagenarians would probably do a better – or at least a more LOGICAL – job of assembling this package! Honestly… I DON’T UNDERSTAND what this set is trying to accomplish – beyond creating a great big Hanna-Barbera goulash in a stewpot! Goulash is only good when you can EAT IT, Boo Boo! I get the distinct impression that no one tasked with the creation of this set has any historical knowledge of the glory days of Hanna-Barbera. A period I was privileged to witness first hand, and which probably accounts for the high regard in which I hold the first 10-12 years of the studio’s output, even today. Just "pick up whatever you find"! It looks as if they just picked up whatever they found lying around the Warner Vaults, adding just enough oddball, or other first time releases, to prevent it from completely becoming a double-dip affair, slapped a “Best of Warner Bros.” cover on it (…and even THAT COVER underwent revisions to replace a NON-Hanna-Barbera character inadvertently included in the character mélange. Touché Turtle now replaces Very-Late-Period-Looney-Tunes-Character “Rapid Rabbit”, between Yogi Bear and Quick Draw McGraw on the package) – and threw it out there to an unsuspecting public.   Look Between Yogi and Quick Draw... A late '60s Looney Tunes character! Sloppy! But, WHAT IS IT? Is it a celebration and historical survey of the glory days of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon studio? If so, why are Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear omitted from the set? If not for the success of that iconic pair, I doubt that H-B would have progressed much further!  I thought I was more "iconic" than the a-ver-age bear! Here’s the list of contents from the announcement. Compare it with the list of what we ACTUALLY GOT, and you will see that the collection appears to have had a very rough journey to completion… that is, if you can call ANYTHING like this without Huck and Yogi “complete”! For ease of comparison, that which was announced, but does not appear, is highlighted in RED. (Make note of ALL the RED, folks!) 1950s The Ruff & Reddy Show (1957) "Planet Pirates" (episode 1) Huckleberry Hound (1958) "Spud Dud" Yogi Bear (1958) "Snow White Bear" Hokey Wolf (1961) "Castle Hassle" Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks (1958) "A Wise Quack," The Quick Draw McGraw Show (1959) "Masking for Trouble" Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy (1959) "Gone to the Ducks" Snooper and Blabber (1959) "The Lion is Busy" with Snagglepuss Loopy De Loop (1959) "Wolf Hounded" 1960s The Flintstones (1960) "Love Letters on the Rocks" 30 mins. The Yogi Bear Show (1961) Snagglepuss "The Roaring Lion" Yakky Doodle "Hasty Tasty" Top Cat (1961) "T.C. Minds the Baby" 30 mins. Wally Gator "Gator-Napper" Touché Turtle and Dum Dum "Rapid Rabbit" with Ricochet Rabbit Lippy the Lion & Hardy Har Har "Hick Hikers" The Jetsons (1962) "Rosie the Robot" 30 mins The Magilla Gorilla Show (1964) "Makin' with the Magilla" Punkin' Puss & Mushmouse "Callin' All Kin" Ricochet Rabbit & Droop-a-Long "Will 'O the Whip" Jonny Quest (1964) "The Robot Spy" 30 mins. Peter Potamus (1964) "Cleo Trio" Breezly and Sneezly "Stars and Gripes" Yippee, Yappee and Yahooey "Black Bart" 1960s Atom Ant "The Big Gimmick" Secret Squirrel "Cuckoo Clock Cuckoo" Squiddly Diddly "Way Out Squiddly" Precious Pupp "Precious Jewels" The Hillbilly Bears "Do The Bear" Winsome Witch "Have Broom will Travel" Frankenstein, Jr. "The Shocking Electrical Monster' The Impossibles (1966) "The Spinner" Space Ghost "The Heat Thing" Dino Boy "The Sacrifice" Space Kidettes (1966) "Moleman Menace' The Abbott and Costello Cartoon Show "Gadzooka" Birdman (1967) "Birdman Meets Birdboy" The Galaxy Trio (1967) "Revolt of the Robots" The Herculoids (1967) "Attack from Space" Cattanooga Cats (1969) "Witch Whacky" It's The Wolf (1969) "Slumber Jacks" Motormouse and Autocat (1969) "Wheelin' and Dealin'" 1970s The Funky Phantom (1971) "The Liberty Bell Caper" 30 mins. Jabberjaw (1976) "Dr. Lo has Got to Go" 30 mins. Additionally, the documentary "Here Comes a Star" is included on this set. And, here’s what we got: That which appears, but was not previously announced, is highlighted in GREEN. Disc One: (NEW or DD = “Double-Dip”) Quick Draw McGraw Show Opening Theme (Slightly Edited) Quick Draw McGraw: “Dynamite Fright” DD Quick Draw McGraw Show Closing Theme (Severely Edited) . Quick Draw McGraw Show Opening Theme (Slightly Edited) Snooper and Blabber: “Outer Space Case” DD Quick Draw McGraw Show Closing Theme (Severely Edited) . Quick Draw McGraw Show Opening Theme (Slightly Edited) Augie Doggie: “Growing, Growing, Gone!” DD Quick Draw McGraw Show Closing Theme (Severely Edited) . Hokey Wolf: “Castle Hassle” NEW . Quick Draw McGraw Show Opening Theme (Slightly Edited) Quick Draw McGraw: “The Mark of El Kabong” DD Quick Draw McGraw Show Closing Theme (Severely Edited) . Quick Draw McGraw Show Opening Theme (Slightly Edited) Augie Doggie: “Party Pooper Pop!” DD Quick Draw McGraw Show Closing Theme (Severely Edited) . Quick Draw McGraw Show Opening Theme (Slightly Edited) Snooper and Blabber: “Chilly Chiller” DD Quick Draw McGraw Show Closing Theme (Severely Edited) . Loopy De Loop: “Wolf Hounded” NEW Hokey Wolf: “Tricks and Treats” NEW The Flintstones: “Love Letters on the Rocks” DD . Yogi Bear Show Opening Theme (Slightly Edited) Snagglepuss: “The Roaring Lion” DD Yogi Bear Show Closing Theme (Post 60’s / Pre 1988 version, with odd sound effects) . Top Cat: “TC Minds the Baby” DD The Jetsons: “Rosie the Robot” DD Disc Two: (NEW or DD = “Double-Dip”) Magilla Gorilla Show Opening Theme (Post Ideal Toys Version) Magilla Gorilla: “Makin’ with the Magilla” DD Magilla Gorilla Show Closing Theme (Post Ideal Toys Version ) . Jonny Quest: “The Robot Spy” DD . Peter Potamus Show Opening Theme (Post Ideal Toys Version) Peter Potamus: “Cleo Trio” NEW Peter Potamus Show Closing Theme (Abbreviated Post Ideal Toys Version) . Touché Turtle: “Rapid Rabbit” NEW . Peter Potamus Show Opening Theme (Post Ideal Toys Version) Yippee, Yappee, and Yahooie: “Black Bart” DD Peter Potamus Show Closing Interstitial (“We Really Hate to Tell You, But We Have to be Off”) Peter Potamus Show Closing Theme (Abbreviated Post Ideal Toys Version) . Atom Ant Show Opening Theme Atom Ant “The Big Gimmick” NEW Atom Ant Show Closing Theme . Secret Squirrel Show Opening Theme Secret Squirrel “Cuckoo Clock Cuckoo” NEW Secret Squirrel Show Closing Theme . Atom Ant Show Opening Theme Hillbilly Bears “Do The Bear” NEW Atom Ant Show Closing Theme . Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles Opening Theme Frankenstein Jr.: “The Shocking Electrical Monster” DD Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles Closing Theme . Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles Opening Theme The Impossibles.: “The Spinner” DD Frankenstein Jr. and The Impossibles Closing Theme . Space Ghost Opening Theme Space Ghost: “The Heat Thing” DD Space Ghost Closing Theme . Abbott and Costello: “Gadzooka” NEW (Abbott and Costello opening theme sequence plays again, once the cartoon is over!) Now, I expected some inevitable changes in content between the original announcement and the actual release. I even said so in my earlier post. But, I ask you… How does that former list emerge as the latter one? I’d sure like to know the story behind THAT! How, in the name of Holy-Hanna, do you omit Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear? Honestly, I can see dispensing with Ruff and Reddy, if one chooses to discount or minimize its “historical value” (especially as it would only have been Part One of a continuity)… but HUCK and YOGI? Really? And who, in the name of Equally-Holy-Barbera, edited those QUICK DRAW shows to play the opening and closing theme sequences SIX TIMES?! Not to mention surrounding the Snagglepuss cartoon with the Yogi Bear theme sequences – yet leave out Yogi himself? No Yogi... but even J. Evil Scientist appears on the set, in a Snooper and Blabber "Double-Dip"! Indeed, why must a short cartoon even need to be surrounded by the overall theme of its “larger show”, if the show itself is not presented as such? For instance, does the “Atom Ant theme” need to surround the Atom Ant cartoon – and once again encircle the Hillbilly Bears cartoon? Do we really need this TWICE...  ...When we don't have the full show? Why not just add Precious Pupp and present an ENTIRE “Atom Ant Show” – complete with the opening and closing themes ONLY ONCE? This may very well be the sloppiest editing I’ve ever seen in a “professionally assembled” DVD! As if that isn’t enough sloppy editing for any DVD set, the familiar “Meet the Flintstones” theme plays over each disc’s Main Menu – but it is an “extended version” that is made so by the abrupt and outright JARRING insertion of repeat passages into the theme! You’ve got to hear this to believe it! I honestly thought the soundtrack was skipping, until I realized what it was! Yes, it was more JARRING than even THIS! Why does this need to be? Isn’t the Flintstones theme long enough to play over a menu as-is without additional passages, ripped from its innards, that sound as if they were GRAFTED ON with all the finesse of Dr. Frankenstein… or would that be Dr. Franken-STONE? We have TWO Quick Draw McGraw shows! That SOULD be great news, because only FOUR such shows have been previously released on authorized DVD (Saturday Morning Cartoons 1960s Volumes One and Two) – but BOTH shows here are repeat-releases of THOSE SAME SHOWS! None of the vast amount of unreleased Quick Draw material, which COULD have appeared for this special occasion, did! The Peter Potamus cartoon is new to DVD, but the Yippee, Yappee, and Yahooie (a component part of the original “Potamus” show) is not! And, only TWO of those shows were previously released. Double-dips are unavoidable, especially if you’re trying to create an overall survey of H-B’s peak period. I expect that. You can’t do something of this nature without The Flintstones, Top Cat, or Magilla Gorilla – and they’ve already been released in their entirety. Okay to Double-Dip. Where double-dips should NOT occur are series where there is still a wealth of unreleased material, such as Huckleberry Hound, Quick Draw McGraw, Peter Potamus, Atom Ant, and Secret Squirrel. (That’s still a LOT of unreleased stuff, isn’t it?) NOT okay to Double-Dip! Especially TWICE on one set! The ONLY Extra Feature, on what should have been a very special collection, is a repeat of the “Here Comes a Star” tele-promotion piece to herald the coming of THE MAGILLA GORILLA SHOW in early 1964. Admittedly, it’s a nice look at the studio at its creative and professional height, with Bill and Joe getting lots of air time, hosting announcer George Fenniman, and promoting Magilla. Maybe I should "promote" SAFETY, instead! We'll do the PROMOTING around here... And do-oon't you for-get it! While it has already appeared on the MAGILLA GORILLA set of 2006, I suppose it’s worth including just for the visit with Bill and Joe! It WOULD have been nice to see something new, created or uncovered for this supposedly special occasion, though. Ah, but, here's a plus... a tre-men-dous plus! ...Take this down, Ding! Okey-dokey, Hokey! That Hokey's the greatest at.. at... whatever it is he does!! On the Plus Side, we have the DVD debut of Hokey Wolf – with not one, but two cartoons featuring the Phil Silvers-inspired character. And, speaking of wolves, we are treated to the first authorized DVD appearance of Loopy De Loop, as well. The Flintstones episode, “Love Letters on the Rocks”, was an unexpected – but excellent – choice to represent the series, plucked from the more adult-oriented First Season, and with “presumed marital infidelity” as its subject matter. The dialogue was particularly enjoyable throughout, and Jean Vander Pyl may have turned in one of her best performances as Wilma. “Love Letters on the Rocks” is the episode that introduced private-eye “Perry Gunnite” – a clever name-melding of then-TV icons “Perry Mason” and “Peter Gunn”, with the character of Gunnite coming across as a superb send-up of Craig Stevens’ “stony” (pardon) portrayal of Peter Gunn. Craig Stevens as "Peter Gunn" Raymond Burr as "Perry Mason"... Let's put their names together... ...And you get PERRY GUNNITE! Even the intrigue-style music, when Gunnite first enters the scene, is a right-on tribute to Henry Mancini’s underscore to PETER GUNN, which was used to open many episodes of that series. (I never realized how great a homage it was until seeing PETER GUNN more recently!) Kudos to composer Hoyt Curtin for that! Ya think Hoyt Curtin had this album? Though his TV career was “not such a much”, Perry Gunnite would remain a mainstay of the Flintstones comic books throughout the sixties – and even find his way into the ‘90s Flintstones run, published by Archie Comics. Does this ever happen to Peter Gunn? Actually, it HAS! The Touché Turtle cartoon was a true highlight of the set. Alas, only two of these have been released to DVD. Though there were never any on-screen credits, this series has Michael Maltese written all over it. It also introduces (if only in NAME) “Ricochet Rabbit” – not the Western character that would appear two years hence, but a super-fast varmint, the type of which Maltese would have plagued Quick Draw McGraw with a year or so prior. This is strictly my opinion but, wisely, the announced ‘70s material bit the dust, along with some of the more questionably chosen very late sixties stuff. Oddly, Scooby-Doo (from today’s perspective, perhaps the most famous H-B toon of them all) is not represented. I commend Warner’s uncharacteristic restraint in not reflexively shoehorning Scooby into this set, as he is available in SOOOO many other video venues. Finally, if there was one thing I was certain would be omitted – but, miraculously, was not – it would be the Abbott and Costello cartoon! …Though it is misattributed on the menu as a 1968 production, when the cartoon itself says 1967. The animated Abbott and Costello series, having debuted in 1967, was one of the very last of its breed… a five-minute cartoon short, designed to be “plugged-into” an afternoon, locally-hosted “kiddie-show”. Not unlike THESE made-for-TV Popeye cartoons. The once-popular after-school “host” format was in its own “last-gasps” by 1967, and I’m hard-pressed to think of any “plug-in” toons that might have come later. Batfink, perhaps? "Move over, Mel Blanc and Daws Butler -- Bud's on First!" A definite highlight to this series was Bud Abbott providing his own voice. This entry, “Gadzooka”, plays as if it may have been written by the great Michael Maltese (in sort of a Snooper and Blabber mode), whose own career at H-B was winding down, as the studio moved away from short gag cartoons, and is appropriate considering all the monsters the pair “met” in their later theatrical films! H-B also did “Laurel and Hardy” in a similar format, one season prior. H-B's Laurel and Hardy OVERALL: As I said in my earlier post: “This looks to be the most significant Hanna-Barbera DVD release in years!” Yet, somehow, Warner Home Video found a way to make this package (…to be kind) “less significant”. What should have been a celebration of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon studio at its best, was less a “celebration” and more of the kind of party planned by a butcher with eight thumbs, that was given on the wrong day, and where not all of the invitations were sent out. It's like no party I had before - that's for sure! I’ll end the review the way I began it, and say I’m still at a loss as to what to say about this collection. Despite all this “written analysis”, I still don’t know what I’ve got here! It’s not even a comprehensive survey of Hanna-Barbera cartoons and, thus, good for those who are less-steeped in H-B lore than I. Not, with some of the staggering omissions exhibited. I’ve never reviewed a DVD where I was honestly unable to recommend it to SOME segment of the population – but this may finally be it. ...Even though there are still many things to like about it. Okay, I’ll recommend this to zany Hanna-Barbera completists, like myself, who will enjoy the debut appearances of Hokey Wolf, Loopy De Loop, and Abbott and Costello – and the handful of other New-to-DVD installments, while pondering the collection that might have been. The rest of you can remain as confused as I am! Yeah, Huck... I agree. Let's turn the page on this, and get the rest of your cartoons released!

After 'That Girl' proved a comedy success for the actress who played the title role, TV executives suggested the series be called 'The Marlo Thomas Show.'

This Reinhold Weege-created sitcom takes place in a Manhattan courtroom, covering the nightly happenings and the personal lives of those who work there. Judge Harry Stone (Harry Anderson) is a young, hip judge with a good sense of humor. That's a good thing, considering the often bizarre cases that he has to rule on during his nightly court sessions.

Do you know all the 1950s TV shows? From 'I Love Lucy' to 'The Honeymooners' and 'Leave It to Beaver,' here's a guide to 101 Classic TV shows of the decade.

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In one of the stranger television concepts in history, Sally Field played the title role of The Flying Nun - the 90-pound Sister Bertrille, who could use her starched cornette to take to the skies if the wind was just right.

ST. HELENS - Before TVs, iPods and cell phones, nightly entertainment consisted of a radio and your imagination. This was a time known as the 'Golden Age of Radio,' and the jewel of broadcasting was the western drama 'Gunsmoke.'

The archetypal sixties secret agent show, The Avengers has the unique distinction of being the only British programme ever to get a prime time slot on American network television. The overwhelming international success of its later years tends to overshadow its relatively humble beginnings as a largely studio-bound show shot on videotape, at which point the storylines were confined to the conventional TV thriller-fodder of the time. The lead character from the beginning was John Steed, a government agent, who was partnered on a rotating basis by one of a group of sidekicks; David Keel, a young doctor, Venus Smith, a nightclub singer, Martin King, another medic, and Cathy Gale, a widowed academic martial arts expert. Pretty soon Cathy Gale became Steed’s full-time partner and the others were dropped. During this era the distinctive look of The Avengers began to evolve. Steed’s clothing shifted gradually from the stereotype trenchcoat of the TV spy to the immaculate tailoring which would become his hallmark, and Cathy’s penchant for leather catsuits mirrored her self-confident, assertive personality, making her a true partner for Steed rather than the ineffectual sidekick the female lead would have been in most television programmes of the time. For most aficionados, however, The Avengers was at its height in the two seasons that paired Steed with Emma Peel, the widow of a test pilot believed killed in a plane crash. The bantering relationship between the characters hinted at a greater affection, and, more importantly, a partnership of true equals; hardly surprising that Emma Peel became an early feminist icon. The stories became more quirky and surreal, taking full advantage of the move from videotape to film; as well as improbable cold-war espionage plots, like a parrot being taught to recite top secret missile plans, the pair tangled with killer robots, mind-swapping devices, shrinking rays, and a deranged cartoonist who took on the persona of his superhero creation. When Emma left, after being reunited with her husband who had been discovered alive and well in the jungle, Steed was partnered with Tara King, a young, novice agent fresh out of training school. The relationship was now more that of a mentor and student; although Tara was just as capable of taking care of herself as her predecessors, Steed’s obvious affection for her was more avuncular than before. This final season also introduced Steed’s boss, an irascible overweight paraplegic, codenamed Mother, who provided extra comedy relief. The stories continued to be as inventive and bizarre as ever, including a toxin which induced fatal sneezing fits, a drug which made its victims say the opposite of whatever they meant, and a device which could rot wood to dust in seconds. The format was revived in the seventies as The New Avengers, of which more shortly. The show continues to be celebrated in books and with the release of restored DVDs and it seems likely to continue in the near future as the 50th anniversary of the shows debut is almost upon us: the first episode was first broadcast on 7 January 1961 and already 50th anniversary spin-offs (such as Marcus Hearn's The Avengers: A Celebration) are already hitting the bookstore shelves. Here, we'll have to contend ourselves with a celebration of the 48th anniversary of the release of the first Avengers spin-off novel. The Avengers by Douglas Enefer Consul Books 787, 1963, 126pp, 3/6. Cover design by Sam Sulliman [FC: Patrick Macnee, Honor Blackman] Britain's most highly successful television thriller series—The Avengers (A.B.C. Television). Based on the television series which has thrilled millions, Douglas Enefer's new novel, presenting those same characters you have come to know on the television screen, brings the kind of reading pleasure that is only rarely available. Those characters who have thrilled millions on television, now between the covers of a thrill-a-page novel. Deadline by Patrick Macnee (ghosted by Peter Leslie) Hodder 757, (Nov) 1965, 188pp, 3/6. Cover: photo [FC: Patrick Macnee] Titan Books 1852-86561-X, Aug 1994, 188pp, £3.99. Cover: photo [FC: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg] Someone is tampering with speeches reported in the continental editions of British newspapers: antagonising other nations and causing anti-British riots abroad. John Steed and Emma Peel are called in to go undercover at The Courier newspaper in Fleet Street. Their mission: to identify and track down the Brotherhood, a band of neo-fascist ruthless criminals who will stop at nothing—not even murder—to bring down the Government and seize power. Dead Duck by Patrick Macnee (ghosted by Peter Leslie) London, Hodder 826, (May) 1966, 160pp, 3/6. Cover: photo [FC: Patrick Macnee] Titan Books 1852-86572-8, Oct 1994, 160pp, £3.99. Cover: photo [FC: Diana Rigg, Patrick Macnee] When Steed and Mrs Peel witness a sudden death at a neighbouring table in a five star restaurant, they become involved in a bizarre puzzle: why are people dropping dead after eating duck? And what is the connection between a doctor, a gamekeeper and a painter? Their investigation leads them to a ruthless conspiracy, and a plot being hatched in the wilds of the East Anglian marshes. The Floating Game by John Garforth Panther Books 2175, (Jan) 1967, 127pp, 3/6. Cover: photo [FC: Diana Rigg, Patrick Macnee] The American Mafia moves in on Britain—using a mocked-up 'Russian' spy ring as a front. Very clever. Emma and Steed rush around after Soviet operators who simply don't exist! But the best laid schemes of mice and men and Mafia... Russian agents, the real thing, move in on the Mafia's fake set-up... The Laugh was on Lazarus by John Garforth Panther Books 2176, (Jan) 1967, 128pp, 3/6. Cover: photo [FC: Patrick Macnee, Diana Rigg] Emma mixes it by night with zombies in a famous London cemetery, while Steed is given his come-uppance by three exquisite Oriental dollies who know all the vicious tricks. The fun is fast and furious. And very lethal. The Passing of Gloria Munday by John Garforth Panther Books 2203, (Mar) 1967, 128pp, 3/6. Cover: photo [FC: Diana Rigg] A siren in distress rescued by Steed in his vintage Bentley is taken to Blackpool and murdered by a tycoon in electronics whose posse of pop pirates threaten to clamber aboard the ship of state; whereupon Emma Peel sings falsetto and George Washington sweeps the floor... and the battle against the pop dictators is on! Heil Harris! by John Garforth Panther Books 2204, (Mar) 1967, 124pp, 3/6. Cover: photo [FC: Patrick Macnee] Did Hitler die in a bunker or is he celebrating his 78th birthday today and living in exile in Hertfordshire...? That's the question worrying Steed after meeting a certain 78-year-old Herr Harris who dreams of catastrophe and is clearly connected with mystic rites being practiced in the Herts countryside. But Steed soon finds the world facing a far graver danger... Emma Peel—elected dictator of Great Britain!In the US, the Panther novels were reprinted by Berkeley Medallion, who continued to publish further novels which were not published in the UK. The US Berkeley series ran as follows: 1 The Floating Game by John Garforth (Apr 1967) 2 The Laugh was on Lazarus by John Garforth (May 1967) 3 The Passing of Gloria Munday by John Garforth (Jul 1967) 4 Heil Harris! by John Garforth (Sep 1967) 5 The Afrit Affir by Keith Laumer (Apr 1968) 6 The Drowned Queen by Keith Laumer (Jun 1968) 7 The Gold Bomb by Keith Laumer (Sep 1968) 8 The Magnetic Man by Norman Daniels (Dec 1968) 9 Moon Express by Norman Daniels (Feb 1969) A further novel, The Saga of Happy Valley by Geoff Barlow (Albion Press, 1980), published in Australia, was a unlicensed and featured the characters John Steade and Emma Peale.

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Stars: 5 out of 5 Pros: Laughs with lovable characters Cons: Picture quality could be better The Bottom Line: Show hitting its stride Means plenty of laughs for us Thirty years later "You Called the Police Because You Thought We Had Ghosts?" "Well, Who Are You Going to Call?" It took them three seasons, but they finally found the perfect mix of fun for Bob Newhart’s second sitcom. How can you tell? Because season four of Newhart is the first season of the show that didn’t include a cast change for one of the main characters or even the supporting cast. And the writers were able to build on the fun of the previous season and create even more laughs. As fun as season three is, this season is even better. For those who have missed this wonderful comedy, Bob Newhart stars as Dick Loudon, a how-to writer who, along with his wife Joanna (Mary Frann), runs a bed and breakfast in Vermont. They run it on a small staff made up of handyman George Utley (Tom Poston) and maid Stephanie Vanderkellen (Julia Duffy). Rounding out the main cast is Michael Harris (Peter Scolari), the shallow yuppie producer of Dick’s local TV show. Michael is also dating Stephanie, who just happens to be an heiress who was cut off by her family and forced to work as a maid, not that she’s very good at it. (She’s sense reconciled with her family, but she’s kept her job.) Of course, those are the main characters. The show is filled with a great collection of recurring characters – villagers and co-workers at the TV station. However, the most famous would be Larry (William Sanderson), his brother Darryl (Tony Papenfuss), and his other brother Darryl (John Voldstad). This trio of backwoodsmen run the café next door to the Loudon’s inn and pop in quite regularly. They even get some of their own storylines. These were fan favorite characters, and they are always so funny. So just what do these characters deal with over the course of the season? When Dick tells Michael to stand up to Stephanie, the results spill over onto his TV show. Joanna and Stephanie open an aerobic studio and the resulting power struggle spills over back to the inn. George quits his lodge, The Beavers, and tries to set up his own. Larry goes back to get his GED, leaving Dick to explain his nightly absences to Darryl. The inn suddenly appears to be haunted when strange things start happening. An unseasonably warm February leaves the town relying on Larry, Darryl, and Darryl to save their ice carnival. And when Dick decides to submit his latest book under an old pen name, he is surprised when it is rejected. I was actually surprised just how many of these episodes I remembered when I sat down to watch them. Mind you, it’s been years since I watch any reruns on TV, but sometimes by the second scene, I could remember exactly how an episode evolved. That shows you just how great this season truly is. I’d argue these are some of my favorite episodes ever. The characters are perfectly developed to be funny, especially Stephanie and Michael. They have softened some from previous seasons but aren’t quite the caricatures they’d be late in the show’s run. And even though I remembered some of these stories, I still laughed hard at them. The jokes are still funny no matter how many times you’ve seen an episode. Heck, there were times even knowing the ultimate punchline of an episode didn’t keep me from laughing. The show is 30 years old, and that shows in the fashions, especially in the aerobics episode. That one screams mid-80’s, but even in the rest of the season, the hairstyles and sweaters are pretty obvious. But that doesn’t keep the show from being extremely funny. Outside one or two jokes (like the one I used as the title of my episode), the humor is timeless since it comes from the characters and situations themselves. Even better, it is clean. This is the kind of show you can watch with your entire family. Everyone will laugh and no one will be embarrassed. What more could you want? With no cast changes, the cast has a change to grow stronger. There were never any bad performances in the past, and that continues here. Everyone hits the notes perfectly for maximum comedy. From Julia Duffy’s variety of ‘Oohs” to Michael’s cheesy nicknames, the cast makes you believe the characters would say it. And I will once again praise the two Darryls. They are completely silent, and most of the time that isn’t an issue since they are behind Larry, who does the talking for the group. However, this season requires them to fly solo a couple of times, and between the writing and their acting, they are still hilarious. Like the last two seasons, the DVD set is fairly simple. We get all 24 episodes on three discs, and that’s it. There’s nothing in the way of extras. The episodes themselves are in full frame and stereo, which is in keeping with their mid-80’s production. There’s nothing that will challenge your system here, but this is a show from the 80’s, so it is appropriate. The picture does have some grain and dust in it, but it is still very watchable. I can only speak for me, but given a choice between having this season on DVD or not, I will take this set just as it is. And frankly, I hope we get the rest of the seasons to follow soon. Newhart was truly hitting its stride with season four. The laughs and characters are at their peak. Any fan of the show will be thrilled to have this set in their collection. Season 4 Episodes: 1. Pirate Pete 2. The Way We Ought to Be 3. Summa Cum Larry 4. Oh, That Morocco 5. Candidate Larry 6. Locks, Stocks, and Noodlehead 7. The Geezers in the Band 8. The Shape of Things 9. Write to Privacy 10. Still the Beavers 11. Much Ado About Mitch 12. Look Ma, No Talent 13. Larry’s Dead, Long Live Larry 14. Stephanie Nightingale 15. The Stratford Horror Picture Show 16. I Do, Okay 17. The Snowmen Cometh 18. Will the Real Dick Loudon Please Shut Up? 19. He Ain’t Human, He’s My Cousin 20. Dwight Schmidlapp is Not a Quitter 21. Torn Between Three Brothers 22. Baby, I’m Your Handyman 23. Replaceable You 24. Pre-Nups

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