British Classic Television A to Z

A - The Avengers. Could there be a better way to start this list? This lighthearted spy series starred Patrick Macnee as the well-tailored, unflappable, and charming John Steed. He was the anchor of the series, even if his fermale co-stars grabbed the headlines: Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Linda Thorson, and Joanna Lumley (in The New Avengers). Of course, I suspect some of Ms. Lumley's fans might lobby for Absolutely Fabulous in this spot.

Rowan Atkinson as the Prince.

B - The Black Adder. "Black Adder, Black Adder, he rides a pitch black steed / Black Adder, Black Adder, he's very bad indeed." As these lyrics suggest, Prince Edmund the Black Adder was up to no good in this Medieval comedy series starring Rowan Atkinson as the man who wanted to be king. Atkinson played descendants of the original Black Adder in several follow-up specials.

C - Coronation Street. It's the longest-running soap opera currently on the airwaves anywhere in the world. Set in a fictional working class community, Coronation Street debuted in 1960 and quickly built a loyal fan base. A Christmas Day episode in 1987 was seen by over 28 million viewers!

McGoohan as John Drake.

D - Danger Man. It was broadcast in the U.S. as Secret Agent and Johnny Rivers scored a huge hit with his song "Secret Agent Man." But under any title, this first-rate spy show, starring Patrick McGoohan as the resourceful John Drake, was a welcome change from the gadget-laden James Bond clones. The show's fans still argue over whether John Drake was No. 6 in McGoohan's The Prisoner.

E - Elizabeth R. This 1971 six-part saga starring Glenda Jackson as Elizabeth I of England garnered plenty of awards. In fact, it was the first British TV program to win an Emmy for Best Dramatic Series. Jackson won an Oscar as Best Actress for Women in Love that same year.

F - The Forsyte Saga. I have relatives who would lobby for Fawlty Towers in this spot. However, it's hard to dismiss the first TV version of James Galsworthy’s three novels about the Forsytes, a nouveau riche Victorian family. When originally broadcast, this series was a huge hit in Britain and was picked up by local PBS stations in the U.S. In fact, its success in America is generally believed to have led to the creation of Masterpiece Theatre.

Grigson as Gideon.

G - Gideon's Way. John Grigson, a regular cast member in many Ealing comedies, played Commander George Gideon of Scotland Yard in this single-season series. It was shot in the same studio as Roger Moore's The Saint. John Creasey wrote 26 Gideon novels and Jack Hawkins portrayed the detective in the 1958 John Ford film Gideon's Day (aka Gideon of Scotland Yard).

H - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Douglas Adams' popular radio series and novel were transformed into a six-part television show in 1981. Simon Jones starred as Arthur Dent, who travels the universe after the end of the world. And remember, the answer is 42.

I - I, Claudius. Politics and devious plots (wait, am I being redundant?) made this tale of Roman rulers appointment television for millions of viewers on both sides of the Atlantic. However, it's best remembered for giving the marvelous Derek Jacobi one of his first leading roles.

J - The Jewel in the Crown. The final days of Britain's rule in India formed the basis of this engrossing 1984 miniseries based on the novels by Paul Scott. Peggy Ashcroft won the British Academy of Film & Television Arts award for best supporting actress. Interestingly, she won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar that same year for A Passage to India.

Hyacinth in a flower print dress.

K - Keeping Up Appearances. Patricia Routledge created one of British TV's most memorable characters in Hyacinth Bucket (that's pronounced "bouquet"!). The snobby Hyacinth tried very hard to climb the social ladder, but her challenges in doing so made this show a huge hit--it seems to play in perpetuity on local PBS stations in the U.S.

L - Lovejoy. Ian McShane played the charming title rogue, an antiques dealer with a talent for uncovering hidden treasures. Supporting cast members included Phyllis Logan (now best known as Mrs. Hughes on Downton Abbey). The series lasted for six years, although there was a big gap between the first and second seasons.

M - Monty Python's Flying Circus. The comedy troupe's groundbreaking sketch comedy series debuted in 1969. Forty-five episodes were broadcast over the next five years before the gang graduated to films (Monty Python and the Holy Grail) and other projects. Every fan has their favorite sketch; mine is "The Funniest Joke in the World."

Carmichael and Houston.

N - The Nine Tailors. Ian Carmichael starred in five adaptations of Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. This one is the best, a clever puzzler about two connected crimes—involving the theft of an emerald necklace and a mutilated corpse—committed over a decade apart. As usual, Carmichael is fabulous as Wimsey and Glyn Houston a delight as his valet Bunter (though he has a smaller role in this outing).

O - The Omega Factor. This short-lived 1979 science fiction series was about a journalist with psychic powers who became a member of the mysterious Department 7, a government agency that investigates paranormal activities.

P - Poldark. There are several fine choices for "P", such as The Prisoner, The Pallisers, and later Prime Suspect. However, we'll go with Winston Graham's addictive historical drama about two Cornish families in the 18th century. We're not picking Poldark just because Robin Ellis is the friend of the Cafe...we loved the show when we first watched it on Masterpiece Theatre in the 1970s.

Q - The Quatermass Experiment. The first of Nigel Kneale's four science fiction miniseries about Professor Bernard Quatermass made quite a splash in 1953. In Halliwell's Television Companion, film critic Leslie Halliwell wrote that "the Quatermass Experiment became the first TV serial to have the whole country (or such parts as could receive television) agog." Hammer Films made feature film versions of three of Kneale's miniseries, starting with 1955's The Quatermass Experiment.

Rumpole at the Bailey.

R - Rumpole of the Bailey. British barrister and author John Mortimer wrote Rumpole of the Bailey as an original play for the BBC anthology series Play for Today in 1975. It was popular enough to warrant discussion of a series, but it wasn't until 1978 that the Rumpole of the Bailey TV series appeared on Thames Television (and later in the U.S. on Mystery!). Leo McKern played the gruff, middle-aged Rumpole and perfectly captures the character's complexities, from his willingness to defend anybody (“I never plead guilty”) to his relationship with his wife (whom Rumpole referred to as “she who must be obeyed”).

S - Sapphire & Steel.  Although originally intended as a kid's sci fi show (think Doctor Who), this saga of two time-traveling agents (David McCallum and Joanna Lumley) morphed into something totally different. Using a small budget to its advantage, this slowly-paced series was sometimes baffling, sometimes disturbing, but always interesting.

T - Till Death Do Us Part. This 1965-75 sitcom chronicled the working-class Garnett family and its bigoted patriarch Alf (Warren Mitchell). If the premise sounds familiar, that's because it was adapted for U.S. television as the equally successful All in the Family.

The Upstairs cast.

U - Upstairs, Downstairs. There might not be a Downton Abbey if not for this impeccable period drama about the upper-class Bellamy family and their servants at 165 Eaton Place in London. Excellent writing and acting made it a hit in Britain and the U.S., but it was also noted for weaving history into its storylines. The characters' lives were impacted by real-life events such as World War I, the suffragette movement, and the sinking of the Titanic.

V - A Very Pecular Practice. Peter Davison (Doctor Who, All Creatures Great and Small) starred as an idealistic physician working with a group of misfits at a university medical center. This sporadic series, which aired 15 episodes between 1986 and 1992, was created by Andrew Davies (best known for adapting the Pride & Prejudice miniseries with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle).

W - Whoops Apocalypse. A pending apocalypse provides the background for this offbeat 1982 cult series that poked fun at world politics. To provide a sample of its humor: The Soviet Premier is actually a series of clones--as each clone dies, it has to be replaced by another. The series, which was just six episodes, was later adapted into a 1986 film with Loretta Swit and Peter Cook.

X - The XYY Man. William "Spider" Scott is an ex-con who can't leave his cat burglar past behind. Part of the reason is that he possesses an extra "Y" chromosome which predisposes him toward criminal activity. Stephen Yardley played the title character for all 13 episodes.

Y - Yes Minister. This immensely popular political comedy followed the career of the Right Honourable Jim Hacker (Paul Eddington) in the fictitious Department of Administrative Affairs. Its fans included Margaret Thatcher. The first three seasons were broadcast over 1980-84. Yes, Prime Minister, a sequel series with the same cast, ran from 1986 to 1988.

Z - Z Cars. This long-running drama chronicled the exploits of uniformed police officers who patrolled in Ford Zephyrs (then considered rapid response vehicles) in a Lancashire town. The series produced an amazing 803 episodes over a 16-year period. The cast changed over the years with the exception of James Ellis as Sergeant Lynch.

Classic Movie Pirates A to Z

Aargh, maties! We're back with a new A to Z list and this time, the subject is those men--and women--who sail the seas beneath the jolly roger flag. Don't look for any of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies in this list. Our focus is strictly classic cinema.

Jean Peters means business!

A - Anne of the Indies. Jean Peters played Anne Providence, a female pirate, who falls for the charms of Louis Jourdan (who turns out to be married to Debra Paget!). Blackbeard appears as Anne's mentor; the story was inspired by the life of pirate Anne Bonny.

B - The Black Pirate. Douglas Fairbanks starred in this lively 1926 adventure about a young man seeking vengeance against the pirates responsible for his father's death. It was shot in two-strip Technicolor.

C - Captain Blood. There have been several films based on Rafael Sabatini's best-selling pirate yarn and its sequels. The best, of course, is 1935's Captain Blood, in which a then-unknown named Errol Flynn took over the lead role when Robert Donat turned it down. By the way, Sean Flynn--Errol's son--starred in The Son of Captain Blood.

D - The Devil-Ship Pirates. This is one of three pirate films made in the 1960s by Hammer Films (better known for their Dracula and Frankenstein series). Both Devil-Ship Pirates and Pirates of Blood River take place primarily on land! The former film is the better of the two with Christopher Lee as a nasty pirate captain. (For the record, Peter Cushing was a retired pirate in Hammer's Captain Clegg.)

Flynn looking dashing in
The Sea Hawk.

E - Errol Flynn. He played a pirate in Captain Blood, a privateer (i.e., a pirate for the Queen) in The Sea Hawk, and posed as a pirate in Against All Flags.

F - Frenchman's Creek. Joan Fontaine starred in this 1944 adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's novel about an aristocratic woman who falls in love with a French pirate.

G - Ghosts in Blackbeard's Ghost. Long before Pirates of the Caribbean, ghostly pirates haunted the screen in movies like Blackbeard's Ghost. It starred Peter Ustinov as a curmudgeonly pirate anxious to be reunited with his ghost ship.

Disney's colorful Hook.

H - Captain Hook. Peter Pan's archnemesis was delightfully voiced by Hans Conried in Disney's animated Peter Pan. My favorite Hook, though, was the one played by Cyril Ritchard in the Broadway musical (adapted for TV) with Mary Martin as Peter.

I - The Ice Pirates. Robert Ulrich and Mary Crosby teamed for this futuristic yarn about buccaneers searching for treasure--in the form of water! It's the best we could do for "I."

J - Jamaica. This Caribbean country serves as home base for many real-life and movie pirates, notably Captain Blood, The Black Swan, and A High Wind in Jamaica.

K - Captain Kidd. Some historians think William Kidd was more of a privateer than a pirate--though he was found guilty of piracy and hanged. Charles Laughton played him twice on films, in Captain Kidd (1945) and Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952).

L - The Lost Continent. Hammer Films' third pirate picture is a wacky, entertaining fantasy-adventure with a modern-day tramp steamer going off course and docking near an island populated by the descendants of Conquistadors and buccaneers.

M - Moonfleet. The distinction between pirates and smugglers can be a bit blurry at times and this 1955 adaptation of the classic children's novel is a perfect example. Since the film involves the legend of someone named Blackbeard--even though he wasn't the Blackbeard--I'm counting it as a pirate movie!

N - Naughty Marietta. Jeanette MacDonald flees to New Orleans to avoid an arranged marriage, but her ship is captured by pirates. Never fear. Nelson Eddy is there rescue her and, yes, there is much singing!

Maureen looking pensive for
a pirate.

O - Maureen O'Hara. Was there a better a female pirate than Maureen in Against All Flags? You agree? I thought so!

P - The Pirate. Yes, there several possible picks for "P", so we'll stick with the obvious and go with this Gene Kelly-Judy Garland musical. Quick now, who played the real (retired) pirate?

Q - Anthony Quinn.  He, Errol, and Robert Newton may have played more pirates than any other actors. Quinn's pirate pics include: The Black Swan, A High Wind in Jamaica, and Against All Flags.

R - Raiders of the Seven Seas. John Payne played the real-life Barbarossa in this fictional tale in which he falls in love with Spanish countess Donna Reed. (Apparently, that thing about shipboard romances applies to pirate ships as well.)

S - The Sea Hawk. Well, Errol Flynn is technically a privateer working for the Queen in this loose adaptation of Rafael Sabatini's novel. Still, it's Errol on a ship, plundering other ships--close enough to a pirate for me!

Newton in his most famous role.

T - Treasure Island. There have been numerous film versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel, but the best remembered is probably the Disney version with a wild-eyed Robert Newton as Long John Silver. Newton reprised the role in a non-Disney sequel called Long John Silver and in a short-lived TV series.

U - Undercover Agents. Surprisingly, there have been several movies about undercover agents posing as buccaneers in order to infiltrate a pirate stronghold. Examples include Against All Flags, Yankee Buccaneer, and The King's Pirate (with Doug McClure in the Errol Flynn role!).

V - Captain Vallo from The Crimson Pirate. You knew the most acrobatic of all pirates--played by Burt Lancaster--would be on this list somewhere!

W - The Walrus, Captain Flint's ship in various film versions of Treasure Island. Typically, we only hear about Flint's ship since that notorious pirate is dead at the start of the story...and his treasure is buried.

X - is the "X" formed by crossbones beneath the skull on the Jolly Roger flag.

Jeff Chandler prior to posing
as a pirate.

Y - Yankee Buccaneer.  Jeff Chandler plays a Naval lieutenant who goes undercover to nab some pirates in this 1952 adventure. Two years later, in Yankee Pasha, Jeff would have to rescue his love (Rhonda Fleming) when pirates kidnap her and sell her to a sultan. (Yes, Yellowbeard would work for "Y", but it's just not very good.)

Z - Zaca. Yes, we are really stretching it by listing the name of Errol Flynn's real-life yacht. But Errol played several pirates--so we can legally make connection from pirate movies to Flynn to Zaca.

The Beach Party Movies: A to Z

A – It’s for Annette, of course! (Though Avalon is a fine choice, too.)

B – Beach Party, the 1963 movie that started it all. Or, it can also be for Bonehead, Frankie’s dimwitted pal played by Jody McCrea (Joel’s son).

Candy Johnson.

C – Candy Johnson, the fringe-dressed dancer who shimmies through most of the closing credits.

D – Dick Dale, the “King of the Surf Guitar,” who appeared in Beach Party and Muscle Beach Party with his band The Del-Tones. Quentin Tarantino used Dale’s “Misirlou” as the theme to Pulp Fiction.

E – Eva Six, the Hungarian bombshell who tries to lure Frankie from Annette in Beach Party.

F – “The Finger,” a self-defensive maneuver, also known as the Himalayan Time Suspension Technique, employed originally by Professor Sutwell (Robert Cummings) in Beach Party. Sutwell would place his index finger on a “complex pressure point” on his opponent’s temple. The victim’s body would then go into a state of “time suspension” for several hours. The most frequent victim was Eric Von Zipper.

G – Go Go (Tommy Kirk), a Martian teen who falls in love with Connie (Annette) instead of preparing for the Mars invasion of Earth in Pajama Party.

H – Dwayne Hickman, TV’s Dobie Gillis, who wooed Annette in How to Stuff a Wild Bikini. Or, it could be Susan Hart, the beauty who starred as The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini after an earlier appearance in Pajama Party.

Harvey Lembeck as
Eric Von Zipper.

I – “I Am My Ideal” a reprise of Eric Von Zipper’s “Follow Your Leader” music number that first appeared in Beach Blanket Bingo and then How to Stuff a Wild Bikini.

J – Jack Fanny, the bodybuilding trainer played by Don Rickles in Muscle Beach Party.

K – Sugar Kane, a singer played by Linda Evans in Beach Blanket Bingo (the song vocals are by Jackie Ward). Or, it can be for Buster Keaton, who appeared in Beach Blanket Bingo, Pajama Party, and How to Stuff a Wild Bikini.

L – Lorelei (Marta Kristen), Bonehead’s mermaid girlfriend in Beach Blanket Bingo. It could also be for Donna Loren, who sings some of the best songs in the series, including “It Only Hurts When I Cry” (from Bingo).

M – Flex Martian, the bodybuilder played by Mission: Impossible's Peter Lupus (shown on right) in Muscle Beach Party. Or, it could be Dorothy Malone, the only Oscar winner in a BP movie (Beach Party).

N – The Nooney Rickett Four, an L.A. rock band that appeared in Pajama Party.

O – “O Dio Mio” a pre-Beach Party hit song for Annette.

P – The Potato Bug, a British rock singer played by Frankie Avalon in Bikini Beach (in addition to his regular role of Frankie).

Q – Quinn O’Hara, Scottish redhead who played Basil Rathbone’s homicidal daughter in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini.

R – The Ratz, the name of Eric Von Zipper’s motorcycle gang. (The female members were known as the Mice.)

South Dakota Slim.

S – South Dakota Slim (Timothy Carey), the creepy pool shark from Bikini Beach and Bingo (where he kidnaps Sugar Kane). Or, it can for Bobbi Shaw, the curvaceous blonde with a fondness for taking baths in the final four Beach Party movies.

T – Toni Basil, one of the singer-dancers in Pajama Party. In 1982, she had a No. 1 hit song with "Mickey."

U – Gary Usher, the influential 1960s composer, who wrote tunes for four Beach Party movies when not collaborating with Brian Wilson, The Byrds, and others.

V – Vivian Clements, a teacher played by Martha Hyer in Bikini Beach.

Dick Dale and Stevie Wonder.

W – Little Stevie Wonder, who performed in Muscle Beach Party and Bikini Beach.

X - Francis X. Bushman, famous silent film actor and the first star labeled "King of the Movies." He had a supporting role in The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini.

Y – “Yoots,” which is how Eric Von Zipper pronounces “youths” as in the Ratz being a bunch of “good clean American yoots.”

Z – Eric Von Zipper (a bit of cheat to make it to “Z”). Eric’s most famous quote: “I like you. And when Eric Von Zipper likes someone, they stay liked.”

Classic TV Science Fiction A to Z

Astro Boy originated in a 1952 manga.

A - Astro Boy. This Japanese 1960s import about a boy robot was a favorite of mine as a youth. I thought it was cool how his feet turned into jets when he flew! A new version of the series appeared in 2003 and a theatrical film in 2009.

B - Blake's 7. This 1978-81 British cult series about space rebels still has a strong following. I mentioned it on Twitter recently and the comments came flying in.

A lethal blow from a Cybernaut!

C - The Cybernauts from The Avengers. These karate-chopping, killer androids appeared in two episodes with Mrs. Peel & Steed and then popped up a third time in an episode of The New Avengers.

D - The Daleks from Doctor Who. Super-villain Davros created this race of cyborgs, which were introduced in 1963 and have made periodic appearances ever since (to include the theatrical films Dr. Who and the Daleks and Daleks: Invasion Earth 2150 A.D.).

E - The USS Enterprise (of course!). Note that there have been multiple spaceships with that name in the Star Trek universe.

The Great Gazoo.

G - The Great Gazoo, the troublesome alien from Zetox, who appeared in the last season of The Flintstones; he was voiced by Harvey Korman.  (In case you're not a Gazoo fan, there's also Gemini Man, a revamped version of 1975's The Invisible Man with Ben Murphy taking over for David McCallum.)

H - Hymie, the literally-minded robot played by Dick Gautier on Get Smart. If Maxwell Smart told Hymie to "get hold of himself," Hymie would literally take hold of himself. Hymie was originally created by KAOS, but was reprogrammed into a CONTROL agent.

I - The Invaders. No one believed former architect David Vincent (Roy Thinnes) when he told them about these crafty human-looking aliens bent on taking over the Earth. It didn't help that dead aliens glowed orange and disappeared (in one memorable episode, two aliens swallow cyanide pills to avoid capture). Also worthy of a mention for "I" is the sitcom It's About Time--if only for the catchy song.

J - The Jetsons. After Hanna-Barbera scored a big hit with an animated, prehistoric variation of The Honeymooners, they launched this futuristic take. I always enjoyed it, but its original run only lasted one season.

K - Khan from the original Star Trek. Hey, how many television villains--who appeared in just one episode--were successful enough to be the subject of their own theatrical motion picture? Yep, Khan (as played by Ricardo Montalban) was in a class by himself!

Marta Kristen as Judy Robinson.

L - Lost in Space. The first of three Irwin Allen sci fi series on this list, Lost in Space is probably the mostly fondly remembered. It did feature a spiffy robot with a classic phrase ("Danger, Will Robinson!")--plus Marta Kristen!

M - My Favorite Martian (a slight favorite over My Living Doll). Ray Walston was a delight as Uncle Martin, an anthropologist from Mars who crash lands on Earth and who moves in with the newspaper reporter (Bill Bixby) who discovered him. It lasted for three seasons. As for My Living Doll, it starred curvy Julie Newmar as an android named Rhoda.

N - "Nanu nanu," Mork's famous greeting from Mork & Mindy. Need we say more?

Robert Culp listens to his hand.

O - The Outer Limits. This acclaimed anthology series featured some classic sci fi episodes (check out our post of the The Five Best Outer Limits Episodes). Our favorite was "Demon With a Glass Hand" starring Robert Culp and a prosthetic electronic hand that provides timely guidance as he battles aliens.

P - Captain Christopher Pike, the commander of the Enterprise prior to Captain Kirk. He was played by Jeffrey Hunter in the episode "The Menagerie" (which was actually revamped footage from an earlier Star Trek pilot).

Q - Quark. Richard Benjamin starred in this quirky 1978 series about an outer space garbage collector worked for the United Galaxy Sanitation Patrol). (Another nice choice for "Q" is The Questor Tapes, an intriguing made-for-TV film from Gene Roddenberry.)

R - Red Dwarf. A radiation leak aboard a small mining spaceship killed everyone aboard except Dave, a low-ranking technician, and a cat. Dave emerges from suspended animation three million years later...as the last human in the universe. Oh, and this cult British series is a comedy!

Bain and Landau look concerned.

S - Space: 1999. Originally intended as the second season of UFO (see below), this expensive series never found an audience despite "stealing" stars Martin Landau and Barbara Bain from the hit show Mission: Impossible. Sci fi fans remain mixed towards it, though it has slowly been gaining in popularity.

T - Time Tunnel. As the narrator reminded us weekly: "Two American scientists are lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages, during the first experiments on America's greatest and most secret project, the Time Tunnel. Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly toward a new fantastic adventure, somewhere along the infinite corridors of time."

U - UFO (it's pronounced "u-foe"). Unbeknownst to most of Earth's population, a full-blown alien assault is underway. Thank goodness, we're protected by the Supreme Headquarters, Alien Defence Organisation in Gerry Anderson's imaginative, funky British series.

The Seaview.

V - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. My favorite TV show as a kid, these exploits of the submarine Seaview were based on a 1961 theatrical film produced by Irwin Allen. While the plots became repetitious during the show's four-year run, the first two years were Allen's best TV work.

W - Doctor Who (could it be anything else?).

X - XL-5, the model of the spaceship in Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's "supermarionation" series Fireball XL-5. Its pilot was Colonel Steve Zodiac of the World Space Patrol. By the way, all the character were marionettes!

Y - Yogi's Space Race. Someone come up with another "Y"--please! I like Yogi, but there must be a better choice.

A Zanti convict.

Z - "The Zanti Misfits" episode of The Outer Limits. Were there any aliens on television in the 1960s that were creepier than the insect-like Zantians?

Additions and corrections to our "A to Z" lists are always welcomed!

TV Westerns A to Z

Robert Horton, as Flint on Wagon
Train, and Ward Bond.

A - Amnesia. Robert Horton left Wagon Train at the peak of his popularity to pursue movie stardom--but eventually returned to television as an amnesiac trying to discover his identity in A Man Called Shenandoah.

B - The Barkley family in The Big Valley (hey, that should really count as two B's).

C - Cheyenne, which debuted in 1955 and became a huge hit for Warner Bros. television. Some sources claim it's the first hour-long, dramatic TV series to last longer than a season (although it was originally part of an umbrella series).

D - Death Valley Days, the long-running half-hour anthology hosted by (in order) Stanley Andrews, Ronald Reagan, Robert Taylor, and Dale Robertson. Sponsored by 20 Mule Team Borax!

Hoss says: "Don't call me Eric!"

E - Eric Cartwright...yep, that was Hoss's actual first name in Bonanza.

F - F Troop. The antics of Sergeant O'Rourke (Forrest Tucker) and Corporal Agarn (Larry Storch) made life interesting for the somewhat-clumsy Captain Parmenter, who commanded Fort Courage.

G - Gunsmoke, the granddaddy of them all. 'Nuff said!

H - The High Chapparal, the name of the ranch in the other Western family saga created by David Dortort (see "P"). Incidentally, the ranch was named after a bush--you probably knew that already, but I didn't until recently watching the pilot episode again.

I - The Iron Horse, the 1966-68 series with Dale Robertson as a railroad owner. Dale fared better in the earlier Tales of Wells Fargo.

J - Jesse James, who was turned into a good-looking nice guy in The Legend of Jesse James starring Christopher Jones.

K - The knight chess piece that appeared on the card of Paladin on Have Gun--Will Travel.

L - The Loner, an offbeat Western created by Rod Serling and starring Lloyd Bridges as a former Union officer trying to figure out the meaning of life.

M - Maverick, the lighthearted series about poker-playing brother Bret (James Garner) and Bart (Jack Kelly). After Garner's departure, cousin Beau (Roger Moore) and later brother Brent (Robert Colbert) joined the cast.

N - Nichols was James Garner's ill-fated return to the TV Western genre. Although the title character was similar to one he played in the hit film Support Your Local Sheriff, the TV show flopped. The producers tried to save the series by killing off Nichols and having Garner plays his more likable twin brother.

Hugh O'Brian as Marshal Earp.

O - Hugh O'Brian, who became one of the big TV Western stars when he headlined The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955-61).

P - Ponderosa, the name of the Cartwrights' ranch in Bonanza (which was also created by David Dortort).

Q - Quest. Several Westerns revolved around characters on a quest, such as Will Sonnett (Walter Brennan) and his grandson Jeff (Dack Rambo) searching for Jeff's father in The Guns of Will Sonnett. A more traditional choice for "Q" is Quint, the blacksmith on Gunsmoke played by Burt Reynolds.

R - The Rifleman, the popular series about a widowed father (Chuck Connors) and his young son (Johnny Crawford). Crawford was popular enough to score five Top Ten hit songs on the Billboard charts.

Silver...with his sidekick The
Lone Ranger.

S - Silver, the Lone Ranger's white stallion. Also, the Lone Ranger used silver bullets to always remind him that life is precious.

T - Trampas, the ranch hand played by Doug McClure in The Virginian. McClure and James Drury (see below) were the only actors to remain with the 90-minute series through its nine-year run.

U - Uncle Buck (Cameron Mitchell), Billy Blue's surrogate father on The High Chapparal; Blue's actual dad, Big John, showed only tough love for his son. (Really, if you can think of a better "U", please leave a comment).

V - The Virginian, as played by James Drury. Just as in Owen Wister's novel, we never learn the ranch foreman's name.

W - Johnny Western (great name, huh?), the singer who croons "The Ballad of Paladin" at the end of many Have Gun--Will Travel episodes. There are a lot of good "W" choices, to include Wagon Train, Wishbone from Rawhide, and James T. West.

Yancy and sidekick Pahoo (played by X. Brands).

Y - Yancy Derringer (played by Jock Mahoney), a dandy who owned a riverboat and sometimes worked as a sort of secret agent. I thought he was cool because of the four-barreled derringer up his sleeve. Another choice for "Y" might be Johnny Yuma (Nick Adams) from The Rebel.

X - I'm sure there were cattle in some Westerns that had "X" branded on their butts. Yes, that's lame, but I'm claiming it for this tough letter.

Z - Zorro, as played by Guy Williams. Annette Funicello had a crush on him, so for her birthday, Walt Disney cast her as a guest star opposite Guy in an episode of Zorro.

Hammer Horrors: An A to Z Appreciation

In my house, watching a Hammer movie every Halloween is a tradition. While I love the Universal monster flicks, too, I grew up on Hammer's colorful, lively, gothic fright classics. With special thanks to my Cafe collaborators Toto and Sark, here's my A to Z tribute to the British House of Horror.

The Abominable Snowman (aka The Abominable Snowman of the Himalayas). Don't look for scary monsters in Nigel Kneale's surprising spin on the search for the Yeti.

David Peel as Baron Meinster.

The Brides of Dracula. My favorite Hammer Dracula film and Drac isn't even in it! Instead, we get the devious Baron Meinster, an innocent French lass, Peter Cushing's second appearance as a dynamic Van Helsing, and--yes--that shadow from the windmill!

Cushing, Peter. When Hammer launched its Frankenstein franchise, it made a brilliant decision to focus on the doctor and not the Monster. But it wouldn't have worked without the remarkable Peter Cushing, who evolves his characters subtly from film to film.

Charles Gray, looking more suave
than sinister here.

The Devil Rides Out (aka The Devil's Bride). Expecting a Dracula film here? Well, I'll plug the underrated Dracula Has Risen from the Grave quickly, but then move on to The Devil Rides Out. It's a creepy tale of a Satanic cult set in the 1920s with Christopher Lee as the intelligent hero and Charles Gray as the downright disturbing cult leader.

Elder, John. This was the pseudonym used by producer Anthony Hinds when writing screenplays for some of Hammer's finest films: The Kiss of the Vampire; Curse of the Werewolf; Frankenstein Created Woman; and many others.

Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed. Arguably, the best of the Frankenstein series, showing how fully Victor Frankenstein (Peter Cushing) has transformed into a monster himself.

The Gorgon. Something is turning residents of a small German village into stone in this wonderfully atmospheric tale helmed by Hammer's top director, Terence Fisher.

Cushing as Holmes.

The Hound of the Baskervilles. This brisk adaptation of Conan Doyle's classic has aged remarkably well, with Cushing making his case as one of the best Sherlock Holmes and Andre Morell ideally cast as a serious Watson.

I Only Arsked. This comedy, adapted from the British TV series The Army Game, is not a horror movie at all. But I still find its title kinda frightening and, since I couldn't think of another "I", it gets an entry on this list!

Jekyll, Henry. Hammer mounted two serious versions of Robert Louis Stevenson's famous story. In The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll, Henry is portrayed as a bore while Hyde is handsome, charming--and evil. In the later gender-bender Dr. Jekyll and Sister Hyde...well, the title tells all.

The Kiss of the Vampire (aka Kiss of Evil). A honeymooning couple encounter an aristocratic vampire family in a small Bavarian town. A near-perfect vampire film, with some critics claiming it inspired Roman Polanski's delightful The Fearless Vampire Killers.

Lee in his most famous role.

Lee, Christopher. He redefined Count Dracula for a generation of horror film fans--but also excelled at playing other monsters (Frankenstein Monster, The Mummy), villainous pirates, and unlikely heroes. A less likely choice for "L" is Legend of the Seven Golden Vampires, a bizarre mix of kung fu and vampires which is way more fun that one would expect.

The Mummy. This lively remake of Karloff's film presents a more physically imposing--and quicker moving--Mummy. Its smashing entrance through the glass doors of a study is an iconic scene and evidence that maybe the French critics were right when they proclaimed director Fisher an "auteur."

Never Take Sweets from a Stranger (aka Never Take Candy from a Stranger). Forget about the "B" movie title and prepare yourself for a gripping, very well-acted tale about a case of possible child molestation in a small Canadian town. The monsters in this film are all of the human variety.

One Million Years, B.C. It probably cemented Raquel Welch as the premiere sex symbol of the 1960s, especially with the poster featuring her in an animal-hide bikini. But let's not forget about Ray Harryhausen's incredible dinosaurs either.

The Phantom of the Opera. I almost opted for Ingrid Pitt due to pressure from my Hammer friends. Instead, we'll go with Phantom of the Opera, an under-appreciated version of the Gaston Leroux novel, with an excellent Herbert Lom as a sympathetic Phantom.

Quatermass and the Pit. Nigel Kneale, who adapted his own television serial, uses science fiction to explain the supernatural in a one-of-a-kind tale about an unusual craft uncovered during a subway excavation. Andrew Keir proves to be the definitive Professor Bernard Quatermass.

The Reptile. Cornish villagers are dying from what the locals call the Black Death. But why does one of the victims have a snake bite on the neck? And what's going on up at the sinister Dr. Franklyn's house? This well-made effort wisely unfolds as a mystery and hold attention even after the culprit is revealed.

The Snorkel. This clever suspense film boasts one of my all-time favorite opening scenes and, yes, it does involve a snorkel. It loses a little steam along the way, but nevertheless will keep you guessing about the outcome.

Both twins look innocent in this picture.

Twins of Evil. Two pretty lasses relocate to a Puritan village to live with their uncle and aunt. One of them falls under the influence of the evil Count Karnstein and becomes a vampire. But with one good twin and one bad one, things quickly become complicated. This was the last of the Karnstein Trilogy, which also included The Vampire Lovers and Lust for a Vampire.

The Ugly Duckling. Hammer's first take on Jekyll/Hyde was this 1959 comedy about a meek pharmacist who takes a drug and becomes dashing Teddy Hyde. The same twist was used again, in a serious vain, in The Two Faces of Dr. Jekyll.

Vampire Circus. One of Hammer's later vampire pictures, this tale about a traveling carnival of bloodsuckers has become a minor cult film. Definitely worth checking out if you haven't seen it, though it's bloodier than Lee's Dracula films.

When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth. Hoping to duplicate the success of One Million Years, B.C., Hammer cast Victoria Vetri (aka Angela Dorian, a former Playboy Playmate) as a damsel amid the dinosaurs. When I saw it at the movie theatre, you could pick up a flyer that provided translations of some of the cave people's words. Useful!

X: The Unknown. Before The Blob, Hammer released this entertaining yarn about a radioactive glob that emerges from the Earth. The unlikely cast includes Dean Jagger, Leo McKern (Rumpole of the Bailey), and Anthony Newley.

Yvonne Monlaur.

Yvonne Monlaur. Yes, it's a bit of cheat, because I used her first name, but this French actress is a favorite among Hammer fans with her performances in The Brides of Dracula and The Terror of the Tongs.

Zombies. Hammer's only zombie outing was a good one, Plague of the Zombies, in which another small Cornish village becomes the site of a voodoo-practicing squire who turns the locals into the walking dead.

Film Noir A to Z

One of the most popular features at the Cafe is our "A to Z" list. This month, we tackle film noir--a daunting task because there so many good ones. For example, for "D", we could have gone with any of the following:  The Dark Corner, Dark City, Detour, Desperate Hours, or Drive a Crooked Road. So, if we omitted one of your favorites, please leave a comment!

Sterling Hayden gets tough in
The Asphalt Jungle.

A - The Asphalt Jungle.  A sense of doom permeates John Huston's taut suspense film in which a "perfect caper" goes awry.

B - The Big Heat. A homicide detective (Glenn Ford) takes on a crime syndicate when his wife is murdered. Favorite line is when Gloria Grahame tells the hero: "You're about as romantic as a pair of handcuffs."

C - Cornered. Dick Powell tracks post-World War II Nazis to Argentina to avenge the murder of his French Resistance wife. Powell is terrific, Walter Slezak slimy, and the ending brutal.

Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in
Double Indemnity.

D - Double Indemnity. Billy Wilder's classic noir ensured Barbara Stanwyck's admission into the Femme Fatale Hall of Fame (if there was one).

E - Edge of Doom. Following the death of his mother, a mentally unbalanced young man (Farley Granger), with a grudge against the church, murders a priest in this grim noir.

F - Force of Evil. "If you need a broken man to love, break your husband," says John Garfield's tough-talking lawyer to Marie Windsor's femme fatale in this poetic picture. Director Abraham Polonsky was subsequently blacklisted and wouldn't direct again for over 20 years.

Peggy Cummins as a sideshow
sharpshooter in Gun Crazy.

G - Gun Crazy. Peggy Cummins and John Dall love guns...and each other. Unfortunately, she loves money, too, and leads them on a lethal crime spree.

H - Human Desire. Gloria Grahame sizzles as a sexpot with an abusive husband who lures Glenn Ford into a torrid affair. Now, if she only get rid of her husband (Broderick Crawford).... French director Jean Renoir earlier adapted the same Emile Zola novel, The Human Beast, to great effect.

I - In a Lonely Place. Noir favorite Gloria Grahame plays a starlet and Humphrey Bogart a screenwriter suspected of murder in this dark tale set against cynical Hollywood.

J - Johnny O'Clock. A casino provides an interesting backdrop for the typical plot about a basically good guy (Dick Powell) who gets mixed up with murder and crooked cops. With Evelyn Keyes and Lee J. Cobb.

K - Kiss Me Deadly. Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker) pummels bad guys, gets beat up a lot, and looks for the "great whatsit" in Robert Aldrich's one-of-a-kind cult noir.

Preminger's moody direction on Laura.

L - Laura. Clifton Webb created one of the great characters in American cinema with his portrayal of Waldo Lydecker. Of course, the rest of the film ain't bad either with Otto Preminger's stylish direction, David  Raksin's haunting music, and the stunning Gene Tierney.

M - The Maltese Falcon. John Huston's classic is "the stuff that dreams are made of." You knew that as soon as you saw that opening shot of the office windows with the letters reversed, right?

N - Nightmare Alley. Tyrone Power gives perhaps his finest performance as a seedy carnival hustler who hits the big time--briefly--with a mind-reading act.

Robert Mitchum in Out of the Past.

O - Out of the Past. With its contrasts of bright lights and dark shadows, Out of the Past is a visual feast. It's also a compelling tale of a man pulled back into the shadows of his past--no matter how hard he tries to escape them. Perhaps, my favorite film noir.

P - Pickup on South Street. A pickpocket steals a woman's wallet. What neither of them know is that it contains microfilm with government secrets coveted by her communist spy ex-boyfriend.

Q - Quicksand. A petty crime snowballs into a heap of trouble for garage mechanic Mickey Rooney. It doesn't help that Peter Lorre is on hand as the shady owner of a penny arcade.

Dennis O'Keefe and female
companions in Raw Deal.

R - Raw Deal. An unexpected love triangle highlights Anthony Mann's sharp tale of an escaped convict trying to elude the police and a crime boss trying to kill him.

S - Sunset Blvd. Are you ready for your close-up? Of course, you are!

T - The Third Man. There's this guy named Harry Lime in post-World War II Vienna....

U - Underworld U.S.A. A youth grows into a vicious criminal so that he avenge his father's death at the hands of mobsters. A relentless look at corruption by Samuel Fuller.

V - Vicki. Why is detective Richard Boone so zealous about solving model Jean Peters' murder? This moody variation of Laura is actually a remake of 1941's I Wake Up Screaming.

W - The Web. After a memorable supporting turn in Laura, Vincent Price plays a smooth villain in this seldom-shown noir co-starring Edmond O'Brien (who would later star in an even better noir, D.O.A.).

A through-the-window tracking shot
in The Amazing Mr. X.

X - The Amazing Mr. X (well, this one is a bit of a cheat). Also known as The Spiritualist, this "B" film shares similarities with the bigger-budgeted Nightmare Alley. In this one, Turhan Bey plays a con artist who becomes an unwilling accomplice in a murder plot.

Y - You Only Live Once. Fritz Lang's 1937 classic is considered an early noir, largely due to its bleak outlook in telling the story of an ex-con who seems unable to escape his tragic fate.

Z - The Zither music in The Third Man.