Top Ten #379

1) The Heights: We had a departure from the usual format and talked TV star heights this week--not career heights, but "actual" heights. I say "actual" because when it comes to celebrity info, can we really trust any of it? I'm pretty sure the dog from Here's Boomer was fudging his vitals to get roles.

By the way, since I mentioned her on the show but she wasn't in the book, Farrah Fawcett's listed height was 5'6" (including her hair, I guess)?

2) TV Superstars '81: Our thanks again to this fine book from Weekly Reader publications for providing the impetus for this week's episode! In a world of cheap tie-in paperbacks geared to the scholastic market, this one stood tall. 

Too much?

3) Saturday Night Live: 40 years ago tonight, Saturday Night Live started a new era with guest Madonna and a new cast. The era did not last.

4) Good Morning America: The ABC show celebrated its 50th anniversary this past week, including visits with the likes of OG hosts David Hartman and Nancy Dussault.

5) Doug Henning Project: After last week's World of Magic episode, we received a kind message from Neil at that great website, and we appreciate the shout-out and the link. Keep up the good work in maintaining that legacy!

6) Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Congratulations to the inductees next week, including former WWF manager Cyndi Lauper!

7) Darkroom: I have not been able to listen yet, but Chris Cooling's Forgotten TV podcast is always a treat, and the latest installment explores short-lived anthology Darkroom. I'll just remind everyone that if you haven't yet done so, you can hear Mike and I focus on a specific episode right here.

8) Night of 100 Stars: I also didn't hear Ian Talks Comedy's latest episode, but he does a watchalong of this awesome special that we talk about on the pod here. Can't wait to hear Ian's thoughts!

9) Risky Business: 40 years ago tonight, CBS aired this popular Tom Cruise movie, which seems like a total mismatch for CBS--now, 1985, ever.

10) R.I.P. Diane Ladd, Bob Trumpy:

Celebrity Heights Game: TV Superstars '81!

Here's a closer look at the original paperback that spawned our game on this week's podcast! It's TV Superstars '81 by Ronald W. Lackmann from Weekly Reader Books. I got this one for a few books at a great used books store.

The Celebrity Height Game

New from the BOTNS Games Lab: The Celebrity Height Game! Mike has to guess if the celebrity heights listed in one Rick's vintage books match the "official" heights listed on IMDB! Can you get this kind of action anywhere else?

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Check out this episode!

Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

Top Ten #378

1) Doug Henning: This week on the podcast, we discussed the magician and his popular NBC specials. As we say, he was huge in the BOTNS era, and it was cool to remember him and check out some of those programs.

2) Daylight Savings Time: It's the good one, as we all gain an extra hour, almost as if by...magic. Hey, you don't suppose this is the handiwork of...

3) Joey Heatherton and Michael Landon: We salute the guest stars on Henning's second World of Magic special. Joey could have guested on Little House, maybe as a substitute teacher who catches the eye of all the men in Walnut Grove (except Charles, who of course treats her with dignity and acts normally) and the ire of their jealous wives.

4) Candy: Maybe you have a lot sitting around the house after Halloween. Maybe you don't. Either way, wouldn't some candy taste good right about now?

5) It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown: If you didn't get candy, hopefully you at least didn't get a rock. During my annual viewing this weekend, I reflected that when I watched it on CBS growing up, I don't think I noticed that you could see the rock go into Charlie's bag with such clarity at each house they visited.

6) The Six Million Dollar Man: Check out the description, courtesy of Ultimate70s.com, of "One of Our Running Backs Is Missing" from 50 years ago tonight: Steve Austin is caught in the middle when a star football player is kidnapped as part of a betting swindle

Plus it has Larry Csonka, Dick Butkus, and Carl Weathers! I gotta see this one.

7) Puzzlers: Laurie and I watched this Sajak-hosted rarity courtesy of the awesome Game Show Vault. It's a very young Sajak with a rather airy contestant.

8) Stefanie Powers: Happy birthday to the Hart to Hart star!

9) Saturday Night's Main Event: 40 years ago tonight (aired but taped earlier), Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant faced King Kong Bundy and Big John Studd at Hersheypark Arena in Pennsylvania.

10) Sammy and Company: I get a kick out of Sammy's guest list in this episode that ran in syndication 50 years ago: Carroll O'Connor, Waylon Jennings, Vicki Lawrence, Willie Tyler & Lester. I'm sure they all got together for regular bridge games after this.

YouTube Spotlight: Mandrake the Magician!

This week, we talk about Doug Henning's World of Magic specials on NBC. Our video playlist has all kinds of ads and promos, but today let's look at this clip:

I believe this is an extract taken from a special talking about unsold pilots. That is indeed what this Mandrake is. The 1979 production from Universal aired on NBC January 24, 1979.

Anthony Herrara plays the titular magician, who dates back to 1934's King Features comic strip. This somewhat snide clip doesn't highlight the rest of the cast: BOTNS favorite Gretchen Corbett, James Hong, Robert Reed, and Harry Blackstone!

The full movie is available on YouTube if you are interested.

Happy Halloween, friends!

YouTube Spotlight will not be seen today so that we can bring you this special post.

From all of us at BOTNS to all of you, Happy Halloween!

On this holiday we like to post Batty winner Solomon Grundy celebrating his favorite adult beverage, and we like to suggest some past episodes that might fit the mood this weekend. So we're going to do it again!

Our magic-themed episode this week with Doug Henning could fit the bill, but here are selections from our archives for your Halloween listening pleasure:

In Season 1, we looked at In Search Of...'s "comprehensive" analysis of the Loch Ness Monster.

Our Season 4 exploration of Buck Rogers involved not just a vampire, but a SPACE VAMPIRE!

Later in Season 4, we talked about "Werewolf" on Barney Miller.

Early in Season 5, we had our first direct Halloween episode with a show about Halloween Is Grinch Night.

It may be a stretch, but we followed that one up with Dr. Strange, which does feature Halloween-adjacent elements like a cool purple costume, not to mention supernatural elements.

Also in Season 5, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries met Dracula!

Who can forget our Season 8 combo of Poor Devil...

...followed by Tucker's Witch?

And then there was Darkroom!

And in season 9 we looked at The Munsters...

...and Mr. Roarke against Satan on Fantasy Island!

In season 10, we discussed another 'Werewolf" episode--Kolchak the Night Stalker!

If you're stuck looking for a last-minute costume, we suggest Exo-Man from our Season 11 TV movie! Just remember to get it right, or you may be accused of a...