April 30 - May 6:

77 Sunset Strip (1961) (Episode: "Open and Close in One")
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Edd "Kookie" Byrnes
Buddy Ebsen guest stars as an old vaudeville comedian who's lost his lucky charm and is afraid he'll die, both literally and figuratively, onstage without it, so he hires Bailey to recover it. Joel Grey (as his pathetically unfunny comedian nephew) and Dawn Wells also guest star.

Surfside 6 (1961) (Episode: "Black Orange Blossoms")
Troy Donahue, Margarita Sierra, Van Williams
A Troy Donahue episode! Acting ability-challenged (in a lovable way) Donahue flies to Jamaica to visit a girlfriend and is called upon to solve a murder while he's there. So much for his vacation!

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) (Episode: "The Dove Affair")
Robert Vaughn, Leo G. Carroll
Ricardo Montalban guest stars as the bad or good guy (it's really hard to tell right up until the end) who is after the same jeweled dove pin, which Solo rips from the military uniform of a dead eastern bloc leader, as U.N.C.L.E. Having grown up with Fantasy Island, a show I'm not ashamed to admit I loved, I can't see Ricardo Montalban without saying "My dear guests, I am Mr. Roarke, your host. Welcome to Fantasy Island." Love him.

Wendy and Me (1964 or 1965) (not sure of the episode title)
Connie Stevens, George Burns
Viewed at the Museum of Television and Radio, NYC. It is really difficult to find information about this show and MT&R didn't even have the episode title! Former flight attendant Wendy, who quit her job when she married her pilot husband, is jealous that he's flying to Rome without her, so she takes another flight attendant's place and tags along. She speaks no Italian (required on this flight) and is led to believe her husband is having an affair, but after those little kinks get ironed out she has a great time.

The Odd Couple (1971) (Episode: "And Leave the Greyhound to Us?")
Tony Randall, Jack Klugman
Viewed at MT&R. Why is this show not on DVD? Oscar wins a racing dog named Golden Earrings in a poker game and Felix is determined that he will never enter it in a race and further exploit it. Naturally Oscar ignores this, but comes to realize the dog is a lemon. You'll be relieved to learn all ends happily, even for Golden Earrings.

April 23 - April 29:

Mr Adams & Eve (1957) (Episode: "Typical")
Ida Lupino, Howard Duff
Viewed at the Museum of Television and Radio, NYC. This quickly went from being a show I'd never heard of to one of my all-time favorites! Real-life married couple Lupino and Duff play movie star couple Howard Adams and Eve Drake (incidentally the first TV couple to sleep in the same bed) and they are amazing, particularly Lupino, one of my new favorite people. In this episode they're offered the chance to star in a TV series about a typical American couple, but their agent, Hayden (Dr. Bellows on I Dream of Jeannie) Rorke, says they shouldn't bother because they're not "typical" and wouldn't be able to pull it off. They take great offense and set out to prove just how typical they really are, leading to all kinds of zany mayhem. Let's just say they really aren't cut out to make coffee and hang laundry. Best quote: "I'm as typical as any jerk in Beverly Hills!"

Mr Adams & Eve (1958) (Episode: "Howard and Eve and Ida")
Ida Lupino, Howard Duff
Viewed at MT&R. The amazing Ms. Lupino plays two roles in this one: herself and her regular character Eve. Ida Lupino, as you may know, was one of Hollywood's pioneering female directors, and in this episode she's hired to direct Howard and Eve's latest picture, which makes Eve cranky and jealous, both because she was called "the road company Ida Lupino" early in her career and because Howard and Lupino briefly dated years before. It's hysterical to see Lupino, as Eve, say horrible things about her real-life self.

77 Sunset Strip (1960) (Episode: "Condor's Lair")
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Louis Quinn
This FABULOUS episode guest stars Troy Donahue as a very earnest acting student named Star Bright, who fills in for Kookie as the valet parker while Kookie visits his mother. Tuesday Weld also guest stars as Kitten Lang, a pretentious seventeen-year-old novelist who dates much older men, drinks martinis and is being blackmailed. Naturally Star and Kitten bond and it's sublime to watch Troy Donahue and Tuesday Weld discuss existentialism. Andrea King plays her evil aunt.

Hawaiian Eye (1961) (Episode: "The Pretty People")
Robert Conrad, Connie Stevens, Poncie Ponce
I mentioned Andrea King playing the villain on 77 Sunset Strip above because she also plays the villain in this one. Cricket (Stevens) falls for the most obnoxious movie star ever, who is in Hawaii to make a film (and make life hell for all who cross his path). You're cheering when he finally gets killed. Cricket, as one of the many parties wronged by him and as the one who discovers the body, is naturally accused, although we all know she just doesn't have it in her to kill.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1966) (Episode: "The Off-Broadway Affair")
Robert Vaughn, David McCallum
THRUSH is hacking into U.N.C.L.E.'s computer by way of an off-Broadway theater where a hilariously pretentious musical is playing (picture the entire cast in black leotards, with ladders as the set). While Napoleon dates the leading lady's understudy to get inside the theater, Illya gets cast as a turban-wearing musician, who performs a little ditty called "A Man is a Horn." Of course they crack the case, but not before improving the show by engaging in an U.N.C.L.E/THRUSH melee onstage, during a performance.

April 16 - April 22:

77 Sunset Strip (1961) (Episode: "The Space Caper")
Roger Smith, Jacqueline Beer
A college buddy of Jeff's is fired from his top secret government job and suspected of espionage. Or is he? Jeff goes undercover as a top-level scientist to discover who's really selling secrets to the Russkies.

Bourbon Street Beat (1960) (Episode: "The 10% Blues")
Richard Long, Andrew Duggan, Nita Talbot
Rex and Cal hit the New Orleans streets to break up a particularly sinister gang (headed by guest star Marie Windsor, who carries a lap dog right up until she's shot) that's strong-arming all the performing artists in town, forcing them to sign with their corrupt talent agency. I love the way the detectives in this series get right the point and start punching or shooting. I guess there's time for questions later in the Big Easy! I also love that Nita Talbot's nightclub singer character is named Lusti Weather.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) (Episode: "The Neptune Affair")
Robert Vaughn, Leo G. Carroll
First season episode, in which Solo poses as a tourist from Kansas on a sailing trip off the southern California coast to find a missing scientist and discover why fish are turning up stiff and dead (a lot of stiff and dead animals turn up on this show). What is THRUSH up to this time?

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1967) (Episode: "The Carpathian Killer Affair")
Stefanie Powers, Noel Harrison
The goofiest episode of this show I've seen yet (this is high praise coming from me). April and Mark have to get their hands on a tape filled with THRUSH code and a newlywed bride hides it in her cleavage, refusing to give it up because she thinks her father-in-law hired detectives to make the tape because he doesn't like her. While Mark tries to get the tape from her, April and the groom (guest star Stan Freberg, whom you might remember from the song "John & Marsha") are held captive in a giant toaster, right next to a giant vat of soup being prepared by evil domestic goddess Aunt Magda (Ann Sothern, in a turn reminiscent of an eastern European Martha Stewart).

April 9 - April 15:

77 Sunset Strip (1960) (Episode: "Who Killed Cock Robin?")
Roger Smith, Jacqueline Beer
Jeff is hired to help a blind man in a treasure hunt for $1 million, as stipulated by a recently deceased film director's will. Should have been a pleasant couple of days in the country, but naturally it turned sinister. The director's house, which was the site of the treasure hunt, had fabulous theme rooms and Fay Wray was a guest star.

It's About Time (1967) (Episode: "The Stowaway")
Imogene Coca, Joe E. Ross, Frank Aletter, Jack Mullaney
Viewed at the Museum of Television and Radio, NYC. Not-well-remembered show, created and executive produced by Sherwood Schwartz. Two astronauts break the time barrier and end up one million years in the past. They hook up with a cave family (Coca and Ross are the parents, Shad and Gronk) and manage to dodge dinosaurs and other ancient hazards. In this episode the astronauts blast off for the present, but their space capsule is too heavy, since Mlor, Gronk and Shad's leopard skin clad daughter has stowed away in order to avoid marriage to egotistical Brak. Zany mayhem ensues when Hector, one of our astronauts, fights Brak while hopped up on pills. It's About Time makes Schwartz's Gilligan's Island look like significant television and his other creation, The Brady Bunch, look like a masterpiece. However, you can't go too far wrong with Imogene Coca and a castful of folks in leopard!

It's About Time (1967) (Episode: "20th Century Here We Come")
Imogene Coca, Joe E. Ross, Frank Aletter, Jack Mullaney
Viewed at MT&R. In this episode our astronauts head back to the present with Gronk and family in tow, since an angry mob wants to kill them. I really enjoyed this episode, both because it featured LA in 1967 and because the cave people destroyed Mac and Hector's apartment in an attempt to get water out of a faucet. Gronk came thisclose to spearing a bear at the LA Zoo for dinner. Good, solid entertainment.

Wendy and Me (1964) (Episode: "Molehills to Mountains")
Connie Stevens, George Burns
Viewed at MT&R. I loved this show, which I'd never even heard about until I read about it in TV Party (the book, but visit the fabulous website) yesterday. Newlywed Wendy (Stevens) and her husband live in Burns's apartment building. He doesn't interact with them really, but he is fascinated by cute-as-a-button Wendy and the zany mayhem she creates. Also set in LA, with great shots of cars, mid-century pads and a nightclub scene. Ginchy! Produced by Wm. T. Orr, who also brought us 77 Sunset Strip, Hawaiian Eye (also starring Connie Stevens), Surfside 6 and many more!

Laverne & Shirley (1976) (Episode: "Fakeout at the Stakeout")
Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams
Laverne and Shirley are the victims of a burglary, but all that's missing is clothing. Could it be the Milwaukee Masher, whose M.O. is stealing women's clothes to wear while snatching purses in the park? Our gals act as decoys and are alarmed to find themselves being mugged by a crook in their sweater and poodle skirt.

Laverne & Shirley (1976) (Episode: "Hi, Neighbor")
Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams
The episode where Lenny and Squiggy move into the girls' building. I'd probably move out after that!

Laverne & Shirley (1976) (Episode: "How do you say 'Are you dead' in German?")
Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams
The girls are up to their ears in zany mayhem when the non-English-speaking delivery guy from the dry cleaners passes out in their apartment. No, he's not really dead.

Surfside 6 (1961) (Episode: "Yesterday's Hero")
Lee Patterson, Margarita Sierra
Merry Anders, who guest starred repeatedly on all these shows, guest stars as the widow of an army buddy of Dave's. Dave hates her for ruining his friend's life, but, after he heaps abuse on her for about half the episode, he realizes his friend was really the scoundrel and, oh, yeah, he's not even really dead. And he's in love with his wife.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1966) (Episode: "The Come with Me to the Casbah Affair")
Robert Vaughn, David McCallum
Solo and Kuryakin are in Algiers to get their hands on a THRUSH code book. Pat Harrington guest stars as the nebbish in possession of the book, who won't give it up until U.N.C.L.E. brings him the woman he loves. I especially loved all the fezzes worn in this episode. People don't wear enough fezzes these days.

April 2 - April 8:

Harry O (1975) (Episode: "The Acolyte")
David Janssen, Anthony Zerbe
Harry is out to catch a killer and stop a vulnerable, hard-partying young heiress from signing her fortune over to a religious cult. Have you ever noticed how lots of shows in the '70s had episodes centering on cults? I love it.

Hawaiian Eye (1961) (Episode: "The Manchu Formula")
Anthony Eisley, Robert Conrad, Connie Stevens
Hawaiian Eye is hired to protect a miraculously youthful-looking 60-year-old, who is bringing her ancient family secret beauty formula to Hawaii to sell to a corporation. Should be a no-brainer security job for our guys, until the shooting starts. George Takei guest stars.

77 Sunset Strip (1961) (Episode: "Tiger by the Tail")
Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Edd "Kookie" Byrnes, Louis Quinn
Another security-job-gone-awry episode. In this one the guys of Bailey & Spencer are hired to protect the Padi Shah of Benar. Again, it should be easy money. Who knew someone wanted to kill him?

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (1964) (Episode: "The Finny Foot Affair")
Robert Vaughn, David McCallum
Both U.N.C.L.E. and a nefarious doctor are searching for a secret formula that ages people a lifetime in a matter of hours. Thirteen-year-old guest star Kurt Russell inadvertently gets mixed up in the mayhem and ends up helping Solo nail the bad guys.

The Doris Day Show (1972) (Episode: "Doris and the Doctor")
Doris Day, John Dehner
Viewed at the Museum of Television and Radio, NYC. This late-in-the-series episode, after Doris has ditched her kids and the farm and moved to SF to work full-time writing for "Today's World" magazine, has Doris dating a doctor (guest star Peter Lawford) she meets while he's making a house call on her hypochondriac boss. Naturally they have a big fight, but make up in the end.

Queen for a Day (1956)
Jack Bailey (emcee)
Viewed at MT&R. If you've never seen this show I might not be able to do it justice, but I'll try: female contestants, with sad stories of their hard luck, went before the cameras to tell the studio audience what prize they'd want if they were to be chosen Queen for a Day. This episode featured a woman whose father-in-law had suffered a heart attack, who wanted power tools for him, a full-blooded Pima Indian (they made a very big deal of this fact) who wanted a washer and dryer, a woman who'd been put up for adoption as an infant, who wanted a secret meeting with her birth mother, since the birth mother didn't want her new husband to know, a mother who wanted a new bicycle for her hard-working paperboy son, since his got wrecked, and the winner: a dismal wife and mother, whose husband had been in the hospital after an accident and with two cases of pneumonia, who wanted a house and food for her family, since they were about to be thrown out of their trailer, in which they'd all been sleeping on the floor. She HAD to win. Not only did she get food, beds, and the rent paid on a house for six months, but she also got dinner at the House of Murphy, tickets to see Gracie Field at the Terrace Room, a tour of the Max Factor factory, a makeup kit, a wardrobe, lunch in the Paramount commissary, where she could gawk at stars, and tickets to the General Motors Motorama. The others got a Dominion fry skillet and "a generous supply of Dash detergent." I'm sure they were whelmed. Actually, come to think of it, what was the one with no washer going to do with all that Dash detergent? Hmm...

The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1967) (Episode: "The Drublegratz Affair")
Stefanie Powers, Noel Harrison
April and Mark get sent to the Tyrolean Alps to prevent a prince's murder at the hands of his aunt and THRUSH. April's cover is that of a go-go dancer in a silver dress, stockings and shoes and Mark is posing as a scuzzy musician, so you know I was in '60s heaven with this one!

Laverne & Shirley (1976) (Episode: "One Flew Over Milwaukee")
Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams
For my money this is the funniest episode of Laverne & Shirley. Shirley buys a doomed canary named Dwayne and becomes distraught when he flies away. Zany mayhem ensues and she vigilantly awaits his return in the snow.

Laverne & Shirley (1976) (Episode: "Dating Slump")
Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams
Shirley has to deal with her reality when Carmine finds a girlfriend (who's not her). She finally comes to peace with this fact, but not before completely letting herself go to pot, suffering a bit of hysteria and dating a thug.

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