The 5 Best TV Series Finales

There was a time when the final episode of a TV series was nothing special--it was literally just the last episode of the last season. That changed when The Fugitive ended with its four-season run in 1967 with a finale in which wrongly accused Richard Kimble was finally vindicated. Surprisingly, it would be a decade before another TV series closed with a memorable conclusion. Here are my picks for the five best TV series finales in the classic era (shows must have begun no later than the 1980s):

1. M*A*S*H. The exploits of the the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War spanned eleven seasons. This acclaimed comedy/drama was still a ratings hit when its producers and cast decided to end the series on a high note. The episode "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" was broadcast in February 1983 and showed its beloved characters finally going home. Nearly 106 million viewers watched it, a ratings record that wasn't eclipsed until the Super Bowl in 2010--when there were many more TV sets in use.

2. The Mary Tyler Moore Show. After six successful seasons, this popular series (and critics' darling) had tailed off substantially in the ratings. That undoubtedly influenced the decision to end the series with a seventh season in 1977. In "The Last Show," the entire staff of WJM-TV is fired--except for the incompetent news anchor Ted Baxter. The closing shot of the characters (and the cast) hugging each other is a classic television image. When originally broadcast, the cast returned for a curtain call. That clip was omitted when the series was syndicated, but restored when it was released on DVD.

3. The Fugitive. When David Janssen balked at doing a fifth year of The Fugitive, executive producer Quinn Martin decided to end the series with a two-part finale in which Kimble confronted the one-armed man who murdered his wife. As Mel Proctor points out in his book The Official Fan's Guide to The Fugitive, the idea of giving the show closure originated in series creator Roy Huggins' original treatment. The final episode, "The Judgment" was broadcast in August 1967. For many years, it held the record as the most watched TV episode. It was so anticipated that Proctor notes that a scoreboard during a Twin-Orioles baseball game that night flashed the message: "The one-armed man did it."

4. The Prisoner. It's unclear whether Patrick McGoohan intended to end his cult series after 17 episodes. According to some sources, the original intent was to film more episodes and the conclusion was hastily written. Whether that's true or not, one can safely say that The Prisoner boasted the most bizarre series finale to date. The show's premise concerned a former spy, known only as No. 6, who is held captive in a quaint village. He will not be allowed to leave until he tells his captors the reason he retired as a spy. The villain of each episode is No. 2 (though not always the same one). No. 6 never gets to meet No. 1 until the final episode--and that encounter is a puzzler for the ages!

5. Newhart. After eight years, Bob Newhart ended his second sitcom in 1990 on a memorably quirky note. The episode "The Last Newhart" has a Japanese millionaire buy the entire town where Dick and Joanna Loudon live. Jumping ahead five years, we learn what has happened to each character. Then, Dick is struck in the head by a golf ball and wakes up beside his wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette) from the earlier The Bob Newhart Show. It turns out that Newhart was just a dream!

Honorable Mentions:  Cheers and St. Elsewhere. 

The 5 Best Smart and Sexy Female TV Characters

Good TV shows have strong female characters. The greatest shows have women who steal the series and leave lasting impressions. This is a list of my personal favorite of all those wonderful ladies who have graced the television screen.

1. Mrs. Emma Peel (Diana Rigg/The Avengers). The Avengers was the first British series to be broadcast for a fall schedule in the U.S., but that wasn’t until 1965 with the fourth season (or fourth series, as they say in the UK). That particular year was the introduction to the beguiling Emma Peel, her name derived from a condensed version of “Man Appeal” in the original script. An agile fighter and skilled agent, Emma was most often adorned in a variety of attire, with, particularly in her second series, a predilection for jumpsuits. Her presence literally made the series glow, as The Avengers moved from black-and-white to full, radiant color, and audiences were treated to the resplendence of Mrs. Peel’s red hair. Her physical attributes were pronounced, but one of Emma’s most prominent qualities was her above-average intelligence, most amply displayed in “The Master Minds”, when she takes an IQ test on behalf of her partner, John Steed, for admittance into a school of intellectuals. She also aces her own test and later, working at the school as a secretary, must “fix” a test Steed takes on his own, even with some answers provided for him (“And now you’re brilliant,” Emma tells him, “genius level”). It is fitting that Mr. Peel is never shown (he can be seen only from afar in Emma’s final episode, “The Forget-Me-Not”), as no man seems worthy of such a woman. Rigg was irresistible in the role that made her a star: delightful, charming and undeniably beautiful.

2. Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn/Twin Peaks). Twin Peaks was a small town in Washington with a brooding, underlining evil that began exposing itself following the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. But the town did have a pleasant side, and nothing shone more brightly than Audrey Horne. When Audrey walked into a room, everyone noticed, like in the pilot when she turned the heads of a roomful of investors. She even had her own theme, “Freshly Squeezed” (as named on the show’s soundtrack), a reference to Audrey’s breakfast encounters with Special Agent Dale Cooper at her father’s hotel. She set her eyes solely upon Special Agent Cooper, and she used her wits to conduct her own investigation (simply to help the object of her affection). Though she’s halted by being held captive, Audrey was actually a few steps ahead of the cops. The consummate professional, Cooper never reciprocated Audrey’s advances, but because Audrey craved a relationship that seemed unattainable, it’s an indication of her unfaltering determination and independence. Fenn is classically beautiful, as if she’s stepped off a film lot in Old Hollywood (and aided in Twin Peaks with Audrey’s retro wardrobe). And like a softly-lit movie star on a giant theatre screen, Audrey remains forever graceful and poetic. Special Agent Cooper dreams of Laura and the Black Lodge, but the viewers’ dreams are filled with Audrey Horne.

3. Laura Holt (Stephanie Zimbalist/Remington Steele). In a male-dominated world, gumshoe Laura Holt creates a non-existing male detective for her agency, hoping to earn clients who are confounded by a female sleuth. With some actresses given little to do, Remington Steele is a refreshing change of pace by making a male the eye candy (in this case, the Irish Pierce Brosnan). The unnamed conman, assuming the role of Remington Steele, was the front, as Laura did the majority of the crime solving. But while having a capable, smart female character in the lead is noteworthy, the show’s most commendable trait is helping an audience see that the attractive characters in the past were more than their external beauty. Laura’s expertise and proficiency are unprecedented, but with Zimbalist portraying the detective, she was also alluring, a vision in a fedora (allowing other fedora-donning sleuths such as Sam Spade to fall into obscurity). The series title is an allusion to the agency’s name, not the man. And the responsibility of running the agency, as well as the true source of all that romance, fell at the rather adept feet of Laura Holt.

4. Amy Allen (Melinda Culea/The A-Team) It takes quite a woman to stand out among a cast full of testosterone, but reporter Amy Allen did just that with minimal effort. It was her newspaper article (which she was researching) that introduced audiences to the A-Team. She was a good fit with the men: not constantly barraged by Face’s flirtatious ways, never the victim of B.A.’s infamous bad attitude, and respected by Hannibal as if she were a soldier under his command. Amy could even understand the sometimes incomprehensible (and legally insane) Murdock. Culea played the character as resilient and flexible in largely unfamiliar circumstances, and her girl-next-door appeal was a way that young male viewers could, perhaps ironically, relate to stories involving Vietnam War vets. Unfortunately, Amy was gone halfway through the sophomore season, but Culea’s female replacement wasn’t genuinely a replacement, as she only appeared sporadically and was dropped early in the subsequent season. Reportedly, Tia Carrere, a guest star in the Season 4 finale, was meant to join the cast in the fifth season but was unable to do so (due to her role in General Hospital). In short, there was no one equivalent to Amy, as she is not remembered as a cohort, but rather a former member of the A-Team.

5. Colonel Wilma Deering (Erin Gray/Buck Rogers in the 25th Century). In the 30+ years since its debut on television (the pilot actually premiered in theatres months before), Buck Rogers in the 25th Century has aged considerably, its more derivative features all the more noticeable with the growing popularity of 1977’s Star Wars (an obvious source of, let’s say, “inspiration”). Colonel Wilma Deering, however, was a character all her own, and her skintight uniforms and corresponding outfits made it easy to forget that she was a high-ranking officer. More significant was the fact that the presumably dashing titular character, who caught the fancy of the villainous Princess Ardala and somehow managed to bed a new woman each week, had to earn any respect and potential affection from Col. Deering. Romance between the two was not a focus of the series, which seems to suggest that even the writers did not believe Buck Rogers was a worthwhile partner for Wilma. Gray’s bright eyes and warm smile (with those impossible-to-miss dimples), along with her rank, gave her a commanding presence. Producers reportedly asked her to lighten her hair for the show, but as the series progressed, she returned to her natural brunette hue, because, behind all the spaceships and lasers, the real reason to watch Buck Rogers had not a thing to do with Buck What’s-his-face and everything to do with a certain Colonel in snug apparel.

Honorable mentions: Cinnamon (Barbara Bain/Mission: Impossible) -- The sole female IMF member (for the first three seasons), she was more than just the female agent, as she was often pitted in dangerous situations like the men. Cinnamon also had the distinction of retrieving the mission details in Season 1’s “Action!”, the only other person aside from team leaders Dan and Jim to do so. Kelly Garrett (Jaclyn Smith/Charlie’s Angels) -- A seemingly ever-changing cast did not deter from the draw of Smith or her portrayal of Kelly. She was the only actress who starred in all five seasons of the series, a beautiful constant and an incentive to continue watching. Morticia Addams (Carolyn Jones/The Addams Family) -- With her perpetual smirk and her arms generally crossed, the Addams Family matriarch evidently believes that running a household filled with eccentric characters is a cakewalk. A precursory look at promotional shots for the series is telling: Morticia, surrounded by her family, is sitting in her famous chair, the center of everything.

The 5 Best Movie Death Scenes That Made Me Cry

Just trying to choose the 5 best scenes almost had me in tears.  I made my final agonizing choice of the 5th scene mere moments before posting this article.  Everyone has a death scene that moves them - these are my personal picks for scenes that moved me the most, all of which do so because of the actor's performance, the quality of the film, and the music that captures the moment.
*For obvious reasons, there are spoilers.*

A Tale of Two Cities (1935).  Ronald Colman's incredible performance breathed life into Dickens' tragic hero, Sidney Carton, an intelligent, disillusioned man living a purposeless life. Sydney finds his purpose in sacrificing that life for the love and friends he found too late.  He goes to his death on the guillotine at the savage time of the French revolution knowing that he will be cherished in death as he never was in life.

"It's a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done.

It's a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known."



The Ox-Bow Incident (1943).  An unusual western, this is the only truly great movie that had such an effect on me, I cannot watch it over and over as I do with other greats.  Henry Fonda plays Gil, a just and caring man.  Gil finds himself involved with a vengeful posse which takes the law into its own hands.  The group of men capture and decide the fate of three innocent men whom they believe to be rustlers, and Gil watches in horror as the posse evolves into a lynch mob. In the final scene, set in a saloon to which the posse has returned, Gil reads aloud a letter written by one of the hanged men (Dana Andrews) to his wife and children.  The scene is movie-making at its most powerful.



"This is only slightly any of your business my friend."
"Hangin' is any man's business that's around!"

Titanic (1953).  Out of many movies made about the Titanic, this is my favorite. Casting is superb, headed by Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck as Richard and Julia, a wealthy estranged couple, bitterly divided over their lifestyle and that of their children.  Strong writing and wonderful actors create a group of memorable characters, including feisty Molly Brown (Thelma Ritter), the Captain who mourns the fate of his ship and passengers (Brian Aherne), an immigrant family saved by Richard, a young defrocked priest (Richard Basehart) who risks his life to save workers below decks, a college student (Robert Wagner) who loves Richard and Julia's daughter.  As the ship sinks, Richard's young son Norman climbs out of the lifeboat as it is lowered, and goes to find his father.  Julia discovers his absence too late, and is inconsolable.  To the tune of "Nearer My God To Thee", Richard and Norman stand together.


"I thought I should stay with the men, sir,

I'm wearing long trousers now."

"I guess that makes you a man.  I've been proud of you

every day of your life.  I feel tall as a mountain."

Midnight Cowboy (1969).  John Voight as Joe Buck and Dustin Hoffman as Ratso Rizzo are two of life's outcasts, one a true country innocent lost in New York, with ambitions of which he has no real understanding, the other a street-wise, lonely and very sick little man invisible to the uncaring crowds around him.  They find each other and their need begins a friendship.  But Joe's naive idea of seducing rich women and living high is a failure.  The men are eventually homeless, cold and hungry.  Rizzo has advanced tuberculosis, and his one dream is Florida, where it is always warm and sunny, and his damaged lungs would heal.  Desperation and fear for his friend drives Joe to beat a man and steal his money.  He and Rizzo, full of hope, board a bus to Florida.  But Rizzo doesn't make it.  As the bus draws closer to their dream home, Rizzo seems to be sleeping in the seat next to Joe.  The bus driver stops and comes to the back of the bus.  He sees that Rizzo is not just sick, but has died.  He kindly tells Joe that they are close to Miami and will finish the last couple of miles.  Joe holds Rizzo close as the bus reaches their promised land.

Driver:  "Do you want to close his eyes?"

Joe:  "What?"

Driver:  "Close his eyes."

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. (1975).  R.P. McMurphy (brilliantly played by Jack Nicholson) believes acting crazy will get him into a hospital psych ward, which sounds much better than jail.  He is crazy, but not insane.  He is charming, immoral, in and out of jail for petty crime, and loves to live his life as a free spirit.  He finds himself in a ward with neurotic men who voluntarily stay in the hospital.  It doesn't take Mac long to stir up the men who are just hiding from the world, encourage them to get out and take life by the throat, live as men.  But the ward is run by a cruel, controlling  woman, every patient's nightmare, Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher).  She is determined to break Mac's spirit, and he is equally determined to break her iron grasp.  Mac becomes close friends with the Chief, a giant of a man who pretends to be mute and tells no one of his soul-destroyed life, except McMurphy.  "What are doing in here, Chief? Huh? What's us two guys doing in this ... place.  Let's get out of here. Out."  But after Nurse Ratched's cruel treatment causes the suicide of Mac's young friend Billy (Brad Dourif), she finally gets her wish.  Enraged, Mac tries to kill her, and is dragged out of the ward.  He is gone for weeks, and the men have created a legend about him escaping the bonds and being free.  One night, he is brought back to the sleeping ward and put into a bed.  The Chief is overjoyed and goes to McMurphy's bed.

"Mac, they said you escaped.  I knew you wouldn't leave

without me.  I was waiting for you.  Now we can make it Mac. 

I feel big as a damn mountain."  He embraces Mac,

but Mac's head lolls side to side, his eyes dead, his mind destroyed. 

The Chief sees the scars of lobotomy on his forehead.  "Oh no. 

I'm not going without you, Mac.  I wouldn't leave you this way.

You're coming with me."  The Chief smothers Mac with a pillow

and gently lays him down.  "Let's go."  The powerful man

then breaks a barred window and runs to freedom.

I had runner-up scenes to mention, but I'd rather hear what has moved you in the movies you have seen.

The 5 Best TV Series Star Replacements

When a regular leaves a TV series, the producers are left with three options: (1) write the character out of the show; (2) recast the same character with a new performer; or (3) cast a new performer as a new character. All three options have been tried—some with great success and other with disastrous results. When Dick York left Bewitched, the role of Darren was recast with Dick Sargent and the show hardly skipped a beat. In contrast, Dallas viewers never accepted Donna Reed when she replaced Barbara Bel Geddes as Miss Ellie. After a year away from Dallas, Reed was out and Bel Geddes rejoined the show. Below are the five most successful replacements of a TV series star:

1. Diana Rigg, The Avengers. British audiences loved Honor Blackman as Dr. Cathy Gale, the high-kicking partner to Patrick Macnee’s dapper gentleman investigator. When she left in 1964 after two seasons, Rigg joined the show as Mrs. Emma Peel and her chemistry with Macnee was even better. The Rigg episodes were the first ones shown in the U.S., so for many years, most American viewers didn’t even know Steed had an earlier partner (actually several…he worked with others before Cathy).

2. Peter Graves, Mission: Impossible. During the series’ first season, Steven Hill played the Impossible Mission Force’s (IMF) intense leader Dan Briggs. Hill, who was an Orthodox Jew, experienced challenges with the show’s demanding shooting schedule. He left the series and was replaced by Peter Graves, whose Jim Phelps was a more laidback IMF leader. Although the transition from Briggs to Phelps was never explained, audiences accepted Phelps immediately and Mission: Impossible continued to be a ratings hit. During its initial seven-year run, Mission: Impossible replaced numerous stars, proving that the format was what appealed most to viewers—a lesson learned later by Law and Order.

3. Harry Morgan, M*A*S*H. The role of Henry Blake, the easygoing commander of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, propelled MacLean Stevenson to TV stardom. However, during the third season of M*A*S*H, he became dissatisfied with his amount of screen time and asked to leave the series. As a result, Henry Blake was shot down in a helicopter and eventually replaced by the much more rigid, but fatherly, Colonel Sherman T. Potter. Viewers embraced Morgan’s character quickly and M*A*S*H continued for eight more seasons. Stevenson starred in four sitcoms between 1976 and 1983, with none of them lasting longer than a season.

4. Ken Curtis, Gunsmoke. For nine years, Dennis Weaver played Marshal Matt Dillon’s trusty sidekick, Chester, who walked with a stiff right leg (the reason was never given). Though still very popular, Weaver left his most famous role after the 1964 season to star in his own series, Kentucky Jones. It only lasted one season, but Weaver had a moderate hit in the 1970s with McCloud. Ken Curtis first appeared as Festus Haggen in a 1962 episode of Gunsmoke. He joined the cast as a full-time regular in 1964 and subsequently became Matt’s only official deputy (Chester was never deputized!). He appeared on Gunsmoke for 11 years.

5. Dick Sargent, Bewitched. After five years of playing Darrin Stephens, husband to the charming witch Samantha, Dick York had to leave to the show due to a severe back condition. Dick Sargent, who actually bore a slight resemblance to York, stepped in quickly and went on to play Darrin for the final three seasons of Bewitched.

Trivia Time - Part 89

Here are the answers to the unanswered (or partially answered) questions from TT88:

Who Said This In Which Film? "You know, snow tastes just as bad as water." Who Said This In Which Film?

Answer: Helen Broderick (playing wise-cracking Mabel Anderson) said this after being smacked in the face by a snowball in the classic Fred-and-Ginger film, Swing Time.

Who Are We and Which Film is This? A very young Christopher Lee (uncredited) sustained a permanent injury to his hand during a fight scene with me in this mid-'50s film. The actor playing my father in the same film was more than two years my junior at the time; he made a career of frequently playing confused, stuffy British officials. He appeared briefly in the 1982 film Gandhi. Who Are We and Which Film is This?

Answer: Errol Flynn and Michael Hordern in The Dark Avenger (1955).

2. The television show The White Shadow featured 2 future directors; name them.

Answer: Thomas Carter and Kevin Hooks.

5. Name these three films: (a) a movie directed by John Huston featuring Andy Devine (b) a movie featuring Mary Wickes that was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song by Irving Berlin (c) a film nominated for two Oscars featuring Billy DeWolfe and Joan Caulfield.

Answers: (a) The Red Badge of Courage, (b) White Christmas, (c) Blue Skies (NOTE: Becks got part (c)). Since TT88 was posted on the 4th of July, this was a "red, white, and blue" question, LOL!

6. Who (besides Bill Cosby) played Scotty in one second-season episode of I Spy? Free pass for the rest of the month if you can name the episode!


Answer: Hari Rhodes in Will the Real Good Guys Please Stand Up?

7. The actor in the previous question was also a co-star of a popular '70s TV show. Name the show and the star.

Answer: Most Wanted; I would have also accepted Daktari, although that was late '60s.

And here is the highly anticipated Trivia Time #89! To celebrate summer, JoAnn has decided to post a picture of Errol Flynn in swim trunks. I keep reminding her that this is a family blog, LOL! But I'm sure Becks won't mind...


Who Am I? I was a top model for the John Robert Powers agency before I began acting. I was nominated for an Oscar for my very first movie, and was also nominated as the Most Promising Newcomer to Film by BAFTA. Despite this impressive start to my career, and appearing in a number of movies and television shows in the '50s and '60s, in my later years I ended up supporting myself by working as a typist. I took my own life with an overdose of sleeping pills at the age of 49. Who Am I?


Who Said This In Which Film? "Look, I probably should have told you this before but, you see, well... insanity runs in my family... it practically gallops!" Who Said This In Which Film?



1. What do these three films have in common: The Searchers, Key Largo, and The Glass Menagerie?

2. Beulah Bondi and Troy Donahue both appeared in this film. Name the film, the director, and the stars.

3. Claudette Colbert originally turned down her part in this Oscar-winning film because she would be playing the mother of teenagers. Hedda Hopper helped the producer to persuade her to appear in the movie. Name the film, the producer and the actors and/or actresses who played her children.

4. Name the stars of the only film to feature both Anthony Quinn and Mildred Natwick.

5. Anthony Quinn directed this film's remake. Name the star and the director of the original film.

6. Bette Davis had one issue with the final version of the film, Now Voyager. What was it?

7. Name the film in which Edward Everett Horton's character dies a hero's death.


8. Name the film that Montgomery Clift made with Myrna Loy.

9. Name three films that Robert Ryan and Lee Marvin made together.

The 5 Best James Stewart Performances

The problem with listing the 5 best James Stewart films is that there are many more than five. But this month’s theme is the “5 Best” and I’ll stick to it. I don’t like it, though. One of my all-time favorite movies, Anatomy of a Murder (which features a superb Stewart performance), wound up as an honorable mention. And I am ready to incur the wrath of fans of The Philadelphia Story.

1. Vertigo – Stewart did his best work in the 1950s, often playing down his natural charm to portray obsessive, driven characters. His finest acting came in Hitchcock’s masterpiece, where we watch a typical Stewart “nice guy” evolve into a man obsessed with an illusion. Contrast Scotty’s (Stewart) playful banter early on with Midge with his climactic confrontation with Judy—his eyes ablaze with confusion, hate, and something akin to love. It’s a brilliant and chilling transition.

2. Rear Window – As injured photographer “Jeff” Jeffries, Stewart played a character that seems like a natural progression to Vertigo’s Scotty. Jeff is charming and likable, but his “hobby” of spying on his neighbors masks a subtle obsession with voyeurism. Stewart explores the shadows of Jeff’s personality, but never goes too far. We may question Jeff’s motives, but we always root for him.

3. It’s a Wonderful Life – Its frequent showings may have diluted its impact and Stewart’s brilliant acting job as George Bailey. However, Stewart’s post-World War II performance revealed a new maturity and depth that enable him to capture George’s desperation and passion. Those elements were present in earlier Stewart films, in particular Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, but not to the extent that the actor channels them here.

4. Winchester ’73 – Any of the five Anthony Mann-James Stewart Westerns could fall into this slot, but I opted for Winchester ’73 simply because it was the pair’s first collaboration. In all of his Mann films, Stewart plays a loner with a dark past who is redeemed by love, friendship, and/or community acceptance. These grim, hard men are a stark contrast to the easygoing Tom Destry from Destry Rides Again and proof again of Stewart’s acting versatility.

5. Harvey – Playing a much older character, Stewart shines as the eccentric Elwood P. Dowd, whose best friend is a 6’ 3.5” invisible rabbit (well, technically a pooka). As evidence of Stewart’s mastery of the role, I ask if you imagine anyone else saying this line: “Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, ‘In this world, Elwood, you must be’—she always called me Elwood—‘in this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.’ Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.”

Honorable mentions: Anatomy of a Murder, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Destry Rides Again, and The Shop Around the Corner.

Judge Priest (1934)

I suspect a lot of people would be surprised to learn that this little-known 1934 film was director John Ford’s favorite of his countless cinematic endeavors.  Some have argued that the title character, Judge Billy Priest (Will Rogers), was really a facsimile of Ford himself, just played by a more amiable personality in Will Rogers. This might explain why it was his favorite, especially when you consider he made many more highly regarded films like Stagecoach (1939), How Green Was My Valley (1941), and The Quiet Man (1952)—just to name a few. And, when you think about it, who wouldn’t prefer the film that most represents them?

All that said, Judge Priest is just a mildly amusing film, and far from my favorite Ford Film—that place is reserved for The Quiet Man. Still, it is a somewhat interesting film to watch because Will Rogers does a nice job playing a home-spun, down-to-earth Kentucky judge who has to step aside when a legal client of his nephew is brought before his court.  What makes Judge Priest so likable is his overall irreverence for proper courtroom decorum. His outright hilarious interactions with his would-be nemesis Senator “Yankee” Maydew (Berton Churchill) are also a delight to watch. Most critics believe that Rogers didn’t really have to stretch himself in the role, because he was just playing a fictional representation of his commonsensical self. This is probably an accurate assessment, but it doesn’t lessen the fact that Rogers plays the role to the hilt.

There is one element of the film that many viewers do not like—the shamelessly stereotypical role that black comedian Stepin Fetchit plays as Jeff Poindexter. Some critics have said that Fetchit plays nothing more than a human lawn jockey in the film.  It is true that he comes off as a shiftless trickster. Yet, it is also true that his conversations with Judge Priest are the most enjoyable parts of the movie. And, when you take a minute to think about it you might ask yourself what the film was saying about a judge in 1890s Kentucky who would go fishing with a grown black man. Still, the fact the the Judge jokingly tells Jeff that he might join a lynch-mob if Jeff plays “Marching Through Georgia” is not necessarily politically correct either.  Oddly enough, Fetchit would play Jeff Poindexter again in Ford’s, The Sun Shines Bright (1953)—another installment of the Judge Priest story, this time played by Charles Winninger. 

Not the greatest John Ford film, but still worth a watch.

The 5 Best Movies to Watch on a Snowy Day

Yesterday, I listed what I consider the five best movies to watch on a summer day. In case that left you with some perspiration on your brow, chill out and check out my picks below for the five best movies to watch on a snowy day:

1. The Thing – Either the 1951 original or the 1982 remake will do nicely, though—over time—I’ve come to prefer the John Carpenter version. It plays out like a scarier, gorier variation of Agatha Christie’s Ten Little Indians set in sub-zero temperatures in an Arctic research station. The nifty twist here is that the “killer” can move from one person to another, which makes identifying it rather difficult. It’s a real chiller—in more ways than one.

Alfred assists Professor Abronsius.

2. The Fearless Vampire Killers – Roman Polanski’s delightful mix of comedy and horror has all the ingredients of a traditional horror film: a snowy Transylvanian setting, attractive women in low-cut attire, a Gothic castle, garlic hanging from the ceiling of a tavern, and a well-prepared vampire hunter. To this mix, Polanski adds a dash of the unexpected: a bumbling lovestruck assistant, a Jewish vampire, a gay vampire, and a darkly humorous ending.

3. Where Eagles Dare – Set in the white-covered mountains of Austria, Where Eagles Dare sends seven special forces soldiers to rescue a U.S. general being held captive by the Nazis. But this is no routine mission: the soldiers must break into an impregnable mountaintop castle, there appears to be a traitor among them, and their squad leader seems to trust no one—except Mary, the blonde agent hiding in the barn. Who would have thought that Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood would’ve made such a good team?

4. Ten Little Indians – Most film buffs prefer the earlier version of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None…but it didn’t trap the murder suspects with the killer in a chateau atop a snowy mountain. Yes, there are distractions, including the dreadful theme music and an over-the-top performance by then-popular singer Fabian (at least, his screen time is brief). On the plus side, the rest of the cast—including Shirley Eaton and Wilfred Hyde-White—does a fine job. Plus, there’s a “murder minute” at the climax, in which an onscreen clock counts down from 60 seconds as key clues are shown again.

5. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service – This 007 film might rate higher, except that it’s only partially set in Blofeld’s mountaintop fortress. Yes, fans quibbles about George Lazenby’s performance as Bond (personally, I think he’s decent), but OHMSS boasts a spectacular setting, the marvelous Diana Rigg, and the first of many thrilling James Bond ski chases.

Honorable mentions: the Eli Wallach-Robert Culp sci fi film A Cold Night’s Death; Rock Hudson as a sub commander headed to Ice Station Zebra; and the documentary Conquest of Everest.

What would be on your best list for movies to watch on a snowy day?

The 5 Best Movies to Watch on a Summer Day

Looking for that perfect movie to watch on a hot, leisurely summer day? Here are my picks for your five best bets (click on blue titles to read a film review):

Paul woos Joanne.

1. The Long, Hot Summer – Everyone speaks in a slow Southern drawl, sips ice-cold lemonade, and wipes perspiration from their foreheads (well, the ladies dab it with a hankie). Plus, Orson Welles does a fine “Big Daddy” imitation, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward generate real-life sparks, Richard Anderson plays a wussy “gentleman,” Angela Lansbury wants boiled icing, and Jimmie Rodgers sings the lovely title song. Want more? Some of the townsfolk think Paul’s handsome drifter is a barn burner!

Marta Kristen as a mermaid.

2. Beach Blanket Bingo - Well, it’s the name of the game! Go to the beach with Frankie, Annette, and the gang and catch some big waves. Donna Loren sings her best song. Frankie tries to make Annette jealous with Deborah Walley, while Annette tries to make Frankie jealous with John Ashley. Bonehead dates a pretty mermaid while Linda Evans’s Sugar Kane calls him Boney. Paul Lynde cracks jokes while South Dakota Slim just acts creepy. And, best of all, there’s Eric Von Zipper, who tells Sugar that he likes her—and when Eric Von Zipper likes someone, they stay liked!

3. Picnic – Another handsome drifter—this time played by William Holden—wanders into a small town to see old chum Cliff Robertson…and inadvertently steals his girlfriend Kim Novak. Kim’s Mom is mad because Cliff is rich. Rosalind Russell’s desperate spinster wants to get married. Kim and William slow dance at an eventful picnic to the rapturous “Love Theme from Picnic.” Oh, and did I mention it was based on a play by the fabulous William Inge?

Troy and Sandra discover young love.

4. A Summer Place – Former lovers Richard Egan and Dorothy McGuire rekindle their love during a vacation at a summer retreat. It’s too bad they’re both married to other people…a situation that worsens when their teen children (Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue) develop an attraction. The stunning locales and rich Max Steiner music bring Delmer Daves’ first-rate soap opera to life. As a bonus, Constance Ford plays one of the worst mothers in screen history!

5. Body Heat – It’s the sweatiest movie ever made. Kathleen Turner wants her husband dead. Third-rate lawyer William Hurt wants Kathleen. Can you say Double Indemnity…with Ted Danson and Mickey Rourke tag-teaming in the Edward G. Robinson role? Lawrence Kasdan’s modern film noir hits all the right notes, with musical ones being provided by John Barry’s slinky, haunting music score.

Honorable mentions: The Parent Trap, Dirty Dancing, and State Fair.

What would be on your best list for movies to watch on a summer day?

Trivia Time - Part 88

Sorry to have skipped a week and to be posting on Monday again. Happy (and safe!) Fourth of July to all!

Here are the answers to the unanswered or partially-answered questions from TT87:

Who Are We? I was known as one of the most athletic actors of my day, yet when I tried to enter the military in WWII I was found to be physically unfit. One of my closest friends (also an actor) made a scathing comment to the press about people who play heroes in the movies but won't fight in real life, not knowing about my health problems. Who Are We?


Answer: Becks already mentioned Errol Flynn, who was indeed the "athletic actor" I had in mind. He was 4F due to an enlarged heart with a murmur, a previous heart attack, recurrent malaria, chronic back pain, chronic tuberculosis, and numerous venereal diseases. The rest of the answer, i.e., his pal who threw him under the bus to the press, is David Niven.

Who Said This In Which Film? Person #1 "Wings? I don't have wings!" Person #2: "Of course not. You're a boy." Who Said This In Which Film?

Answer: Person #1 is Jim Henson (as Jen the Gelfling), Person #2 is Kathryn Mullen (Kira) in The Dark Crystal.

Who Am I? I'm an actress who made two films for John Cromwell, and I was also in one of Elvis' first films. Who Am I?

Answer: Lizabeth Scott

1. Name the two films Who Am I? made for John Cromwell.

Answer: Turns out that Lizabeth Scott actually made three for Cromwell: Dead Reckoning, The Company She Keeps, and The Racket.

And here is TT88....since today is the 4th of July, we hope that none of these questions will be "duds", LOL!

Who Said This In Which Film? "You know, snow tastes just as bad as water." Who Said This In Which Film?

Who Are We and Which Film is This? A very young Christopher Lee (uncredited) sustained a permanent injury to his hand during a fight scene with me in this mid-'50s film. The actor playing my father in the same film was more than two years my junior at the time; he made a career of frequently playing confused, stuffy British officials. He appeared briefly in the 1982 film Gandhi. Who Are We and Which Film is This?

1. Name three TV series featuring Roger Moore.

2. The television show The White Shadow featured 2 future directors; name them.

3. Name a director who began his career doing montages at Warner Brothers.

4. Name two films Paul Newman and Steve McQueen made together.

5. Name these three films: (a) a movie directed by John Huston featuring Andy Devine (b) a movie featuring Mary Wickes that was nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song by Irving Berlin (c) a film nominated for two Oscars featuring Billy DeWolfe and Joan Caulfield.

6. Who (besides Bill Cosby) played Scotty in one second-season episode of I Spy? Free pass for the rest of the month if you can name the episode!

7. The actor in the previous question was also a co-star of a popular '70s TV show. Name the show and the star.

8. What do the TV shows Dr. Kildare, Barnaby Jones, and Room 222 have in common?

9. Before he got his gig on Star Trek, this actor had a part on one episode of I Spy as a Vegas lounge singer. Name him. Free pass for next TT if you can name the episode!

The 5 Best Western Songs

The following list represents one fan's rankings of the five best Western songs. I'm excluding pop songs that appeared in Westerns (Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head as well as Western musicals (Annie Oakley, Gene Autry). I'm sure there will be some dissenting opinions, especially since perhaps the most famous of Western songs comes in at No. 4. But hey, a little lively disagreement is a good thing on a classic movie blog!

The iconic closing shot.

1. The Hanging Tree (Max David & Jerry Livington) - Easily my favorite of the Western "story songs" (it also summarizes the film's theme). After I saw the Gary Cooper movie, the song stuck in my head to the point that I had to special-order the Marty Robbins recording on a vinyl 45 (yes, that was before MP3 downloads). The song was a minor hit for Robbins on the charts, but it has aged beautifully.


Glenn Ford and Van Heflin.

 2. 3:10 to Yuma (George Duning and Ned Washington) -  I'll differ from the majority who site Gunfight at the OK Corral as the best of the Frankie Laine-sung Western themes. Yuma is a moody, almost sad piece...a stark contrast to the usual uptempo Western song.

3. Gunfight at the OK Corral (Dimitri Tiomkin & Ned Washington) - I can just hear Frankie Laine crooning: "O-K...Cor-ral...O-K...Cor-ral..." As much as I love the music, I feel compelled to shed the spotlight on Ned Washington, who penned the lyrics for several great Western tunes. The following deceptively simple lyric is a fine example of his talent:

Boot hill, Boot hill

So cold, so still

There they lay side by side

The killers that died

In the gunfight at OK Corral



Cooper readies for the showdown.

4. The Ballad of High Noon (aka Do Not Foresake Me, Oh My Darlin') - Probably the most influential song on this list, it won an Oscar and turned into a big hit for the already-popular Tex Ritter. In fact, Ritter sang it on the first Academy Awards telecast in 1953. It ranked No. 25 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs.

5. Friendly Persuasion (Dimitri Tiomkin & Paul Francis Webster) - An untraditional song for an untraditional Western (some may argue it's not a Western, but the Civil War subplot is central to the story). Pat Boone recorded the song in 1956 for one of his biggest hits.

Honorable mentions:  How the West Was Won, Blazing Saddles, and True Grit.