'A Christmas Story's' Indiana Connection-- Part 1

Well, 'tis the season of my favorite Christmas movie of all time, "A Christmas Story" and, gosh, TBS is even showing it a couple times tonight ahead of its 24-hour tradional marathon starting Christmas Eve.  I'll try to watch some of it in between all the college football conference chanpionship games.

From the December 24, 2020, Chicago Tribune "Indiana sites a reminder of 'A Christmas Story' " by Philip Potempa.

Cleveland, Ohio, enjoys a holiday claim-to-fame connection with "A Christmas Story," since the 1983 movie was filmed there on location.

However, northwest Indiana still has better bragging rights, since the teller of BB guns, bullies and parental soap-in-mouth punishment, Jean Shepherd, scribe and radio broadcaster, fashioned the story and memorable characters from his own youth on Cleveland Street in Hammond, Indiana.

Ther movie's late director Bob Clark acknowledged in interviews that it was his preference to shoot the film in Shepgerd's all-too-familiar northwest Indiana.  However, studio location scouts preferred the landscape of Cleveland, even though Shepherd's actual childhood home still stands at 2907 Cleveland Street in Hammond.

Remember What Might Happen To Your Eyesight With the Soap Treatment.   --CootStory

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 6: The Simpsons, Seinfeld, Office and Black-Ish

**  THE SIMPSONS

(1989- present)  Fox

Elizabeth Taylor voiced baby Maggie's only spoken word which was "Daddy."

**  SEINFELD

(1989-1998)  NBC

The show about nothing was really something with hilariously interconnected subplots in 180 episodes.

**  THE OFFICE

(2005-2013)  NBC

Everybody recognizes the exaggerated characters in this workplace comedy set in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

**  BLACK-ISH

(2014-2022)  ABC

Who on the show has famous parents in real life?  That would be Tracee Ellis Ross (Diana Ross) and Rashida Jones (Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton), who plays her sister.

--CootHaHa

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 5: The Golden Girls and Friends

**  THE GOLDEN GIRLS

(1985-1992) NBC

Leslie Nielsen guest starred as Lucas Hollingsworth, who married Dorothy (Bea Arthur) in the finale.

**  FRIENDS

(1994-2004) NBC

Best laugh:  the season five episode where Ross yells "Pivot!" while trying to get a counch up the apratment steps.

--Cooter

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 4: The Jeffersons and Cheers

**  THE JEFFERSONS

(1975-1985), CBS

It wasn't until Isabel Sanford (Louise) and Sherman Hemsley (George) reprised their characters on a 1995 episode of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" that Weezy told George that she was sensitive to her nickname because of her asthma.

**CHEERS

(1982-1993), NBC

The comdey shows that anybody can come into this bar and be your family."  Though the bar on the set was functional, the cast drank "near beer" mixed with a bit of salt to keep a sudsy head in the glass.

--Cooter

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 3: Odd Couple and All in the Family

**   THE ODD COUPLE

(1970-1975), ABC

TonyRandall (Felix) wanted Mickey Rooney as Oscar, but producer Gary Marshall opted for Jack Klugman.

**  ALL IN THE FAMILY

(1971-1979), CBS

Who were Dingbat and Meathead?

In Queens, New York, Archie Bunker (Carroll O'Connor) was constantly up in arms over his "Dingbat" wife, Edith (Jean Stapleton), rebellious daughter, Gloria (Sally Struthers) and her husband "Meathead" Mike (Rob Reiner, the son of Carl Reiner, who created the "Dick Van Dyke Show),

Says Struthers:  All the subjects we explored on the show are still relevant today."  When Sammy Davis Jr. planted a big kiss on Archie'scheek, "that moment became the longest laugh in the histoy of the sitcom!" she says.  "Archie was both a flawed and lovable character, and we all have someone like that in out family."

I Sure Launghed at that Kiss.   The Look on Archie's Face.  --CootHaHa

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 2: The Beaver, Andy and Mary

**  LEAVE IT TO BEAVER  

(1957-1963)   CBS

The quintessential wholesome family comedy.  Jerry Mathers the "Beaver" charmed producers when he wore his Cub Scout uniform to his audition.

**   THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW

(1960-1968)  CBS

Among the guest stars on it were Jack Nicholson (twice) and Barbara Eden.

**  THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW

(1970-1977)   CBS

A single woman enjoying her independence and a job.  I still like that scene where Lou Grant says to her on her interview for the job, "You know what?  You've got spunk."  Then Mary smiled and thought she'd scored points when Lou continues, "I HATE spunk."  Talk about a crestfallen Mary.

--CootSpunk

75 Years of Sitcoms-- Part 1: Mary Kate, Lucy and Honeymooners

From the June 26, 2022 Parade Magazine by Mara Reinstein.

"Mary Kate and Johnny is considered to be the very first television sitcom, premiering in 1947 on the DuMont Television Network.  It started as a 15-minute situation comedy and bumped up to 30 minutes eventually.

Wikipedia says the name of it was "Mary Kay and Johnny" and that it premiered on November 18, 1947.

Here are some other sitcom classics:

I LOVE LUCY:  (CBS 1951-1957)   

Lucy and Ricky Ricardo, played by Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.  Lucy could make anything funny, like the episode of her stomping grapes.  Two other of my favorites are Vitameatavegamin and the candy factory.  And, of course, "Lucy, I'm, home," "Honey, I'm home" and"You got some 'splanin' to do."

THE HONEYMOONERS   (CBS   1955-1956)

And, in front of a live audience.  Jackie Gleason originally said Audrey Meadows was too yound and pretty to play the wife.  She went home, removed her makeup and put on a house dress and she got the job.  And, of course, Art Carney and "Hello, Ball" and those poloponies.

--CootHaHa

About 'It's a Wonderful Life'-- Part 2: Becoming a Classic

When it was first released in 1946, as I said earlier, the movie was not intended to be a Christmas movie.  And, it initially flopped at the box office.  The film's copyright was not renewed.

So, in the 1970s, "It's a Wonderful Life" was free for broadcasters to air repeatedly.  And they did and did and did and did.  So much so, that it either became a classic for some or made others, like my wife, gag.  Fortunately, for some reason, I didn't see it that much.

But, for those of us who are fans of it, we began to notice that this less-than-jolly-ho-ho-ho movie was a great one.  And, a Christmas tradition was begun.  I am surprised that we don't have a cable station offering a 24-hour array like TNT and TBS  do for "A Christmas Story."

NBC currently owns the rights to the film and broadcasts it on Christmas Eve every year (and several other times beforehand).  In 2016, Variety reported that the network's  42nd Christmas Eve showing had  4.5 million viewers.

NBC will again rebroadcast the movie this Thursday from 7 to 10 CST.

--DaCootLife

A Brief History of Television-- Part 3

THE TUBE THROUGH TIME

1927  April 7th, first U.S. public broadcast: the voice and image of President Herbert Hoover.

1947  The first TV couple share a bed in Mary Kay and Johnny show.  The next may have been Fred and Wilma Flintstone in the '60s. (Don't let the cat in!!)

1950  Unfortunately, the Laugh Track debuts on NBC's The Hank McCune Show.

1955  Wireless remote control invented.  Earlier versions were attached to TV by a cable.  Or, you used good old get up and foot power.  (First remote for me was 1981 wuth that VCR.)

1972  VCR replaces previous open-reel home video systems.  (We got our first VCR in 1981.)

1983  M*A*S*H airs most-watched TV-show finale in history, viewed by almost 106 million Americans.  (I remember watching it at a local bar as we had a MASH party.)

2009  Contract renewal puts the Simpsons on track to pass CBS' Gunsmoke (1955-75) as the longest-running prime-time scripted series.  (And, it's still going and getting better each year.)

Hey, Pass Me the Remote.  --DaCoot

A Brief History of Television-- Part 2

Back in the 19th century, inventors first began dreaming about devices to let people "see by electricity."  An 1881 article in Nature speculated that transmitting images over distance was possible, but questioned whether is was worth "further expense and trouble."

In 1884, a German inventor created crude moving images by filtering light through a spinning disk punched with holes..  In the early 1920s, US and UK engineers sent still pictures and moving silhouettes using radio waves.  In 1928, General Electric broadcast the first TV drama.

Picture quality steadily improved and audiences grew.  The first widespread color telecast went out in 1954 and regular television broadcasts began in 1939.  From 1945-1948 sales of TVs increased 500%.  Today, there are televisions in some 110 million homes.

And Many of Them, Like Us, Have Many More Than One Set.  --Cooter

A Brief History of Television-- Part 1: Me and My TV

From the June 22, 2009, Time Magazine.

This was brought about because of the switch to digital TV from analog which was delayed because some 3 million Americans were not ready for it, though they had been hearing about it for over a year.

For myself, I'm still an analog guy, but since we have cable, we're ok.  Every set is analog, but I am anxiously anticipating break downs with them so I can get those large, flat screens.  I'm not getting one until that happens, although I'm thinking about moving the downstairs 1983 model Zenith console to another part of the basement to play my VHS cassettes.  Then I can get a 50-55-inch in its place.

Still thinking about it though.

Early 1920s:  It had doors.  TVs were blurry and flickering.

1930s:  Still fuzzy, but technology improved.

TV was still a rarity for most people until after World War II in 1945.

1954:  Color television began taking off  (We didn't get color until the late 60s.  That was due to my parents.)

1960:  87% of US homes had a TV.  And most families just had ONE!!  We have six now.

1972:  Color TVs outsell Black and Whites.

1980s:  Lots and lots of cable channels.  And, I remember saying I WOULD NEVER PAY for my TV.  When we moved out to Spring Grove on '92 and didn't have cable, I was on the phone demanding my MTV, back when I liked it.

Flat Screen:  42% of TV stations were digital as of June 2009.

Still Technologically Impaired.  --Cooter

Watching TV-- Part 2

Continuing with some significant dates in the history of television.

1948-- The US goes from fewer than 200,000 sets to 975,000. The '47 Yankees-Dodgers World Series spurs sales in NYC.

1954-- NBC airs the first national color broadcast: the New Year's Day Tournament of Roses Parade.

1974-- Two-thirds of US homes have color TVs. Even we had one, but only one.

1981-- MTV debuts. The first song: the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star." It quickly became a favorite of mine when we got cable in 1985, back when they played video.

2007-- Flat panels lead the US market. We still do not have one, but will whenever the current ones start breaking down. All of ours are still analog, but we have cable.

PREDICTIONS

2013-- Organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology will create flexible screens as thin as paper.

2020-- Using a keyboard, couch potatoes will rant on a scrolling screen bar, chat with producers of live shows.



TOP MODELS

GE had the first US set in 1928. France's was in 1929. The first colot TV set hit in 1948, rabbit ears in 1956.

Have to Go, A Good TV Show is Coming On. --Da Coot

Watching TV-- Part 1

The National Geographic Magazine had a page devoted to the history of TV, citing February 18, 2009 as being a milestone in its history when all broadcasts went digital. Of course, we know that date was put off until this past summer.

There was a series of pictures of the evolution of the TV set in 1928, 1929, 1948, 1950s, 1957, 1958, 1972, 1979, 1980s and 2008.


A BRIEF HISTORY

1900-- Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi coins the word "television" at the Paris World's Fair to describe the transmission of still photos over electrical wires.

1925-- The silhouette of a moving toy windmill is transmitted over wire circuits.

1936-- First TV news broadcast in London, live from Alexandra Palace.

1939-- RCA leads the launch of TV. By 1941 the US has some 7000 sets.

What's On the Telly? --Da Coot