Groundhog Day

Will you see your shadow

From your little hill?'

Will you see your shadow

Punxsutawney Phil?

(Being married to an elementary school music teacher means I have a song for just about every occasion.)

My Favorite Bixby

Bill Bixby would have been 79 today.  Sadly, the talented actor, director and (by all accounts), genuinely nice guy, died in 1993 at the too-young age of 59.  Bill starred in some of my favorite TV shows and my formative years were spent "hanging out" with many of his incarnations.  In honor of his birthday, let's look at a few of them:           

     

 

My Favorite Martian - Bill starred as reporter Tim O'Hara in this mid 60's sci-fi comedy.  The great Ray Walston co-starred as Uncle Martin, the Martian.  How cool would it be to have a real-live martian as a roommate?

 

 

 

The Courtship of Eddie's Father - as widowed magazine publisher Tom Corbett, Bill was the hippest dad on TV in the early 70's.   

 

 The Magician -At one point during my early adolescence I wanted to be a crime-solving stage magician/playboy/philanthropist like Anthony Blake, the character Bill played on this crime drama that aired during the 1973-1974 season.  

 

 

The Incredible Hulk - Bill is probably best remembered for his starring role as David Bruce Banner, a guy who suffered from anger management issues in this long running drama.  "Don't make me angry.  You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

 

Happy Birthday Little Ricky (and Desi Jr. Too!)

Here's something I didn't know...

60 year ago today, on Monday, January 19, 1953, 44 million viewers (72% of all homes with televisions at the time) tuned into I Love Lucy to watch everyone's favorite redhead give birth.  On the same day in the real world, comedienne Lucille Ball (who played Lucy Ricardo of course) gave birth to Desi Arnaz Jr.  The real birth occurred  twelve hours before the TV show aired.  This was no coincidence;  in a move that would impress Don Draper,  Lucy and hubby Desi scheduled the cesarean delivery to coincide with the broadcast.  The episode, "Lucy Goes To The Hospital" was actually filmed on November 14, 1952.  America really did love Lucy and the sex of the Ricardos' baby was the subject of much speculation, but  remained a secret until the episode aired. 

 

 

Today We Ask The Musical Questions...

What's Going On?

 

What's It All About, Alfie?

 

 

 

 

What's New Pussycat?

 

 

 

 

What's So Funny 'Bout Peace Love And Understanding?

 

 

 

 

What's Love Got To Do With It?

 

 

 

 

What's New?

 

 

 

 

What's Up?

 

 

 

 

 

 What Kind of Fool Am I?

 

 

 

 

 What'll  I Do?

 

 

Meet the Missus

A while ago (OK, it was September 2008) I did a couple of posts titled Mr. Mike’s Guide to Misters.  You can find them Here 1  and Here 2. We're all about equality of the sexes here at Mr. Mike's Museum, so now, a mere four years and four months later, we proudly present Mr. Mike’s Guide to Mrs. (the wheels of equality move slowly here, but at least they move).

Mrs. Beasley – Creepy doll belonging to little Buffy Davis (actress Anissa Jones) on the TV series Family Affair.   Look at the photo above – notice Buffy’s blank stare – you know Mrs. Beasley’s has complete control over her. 

Mrs. Brown – she’s got a lovely daughter (don’t believe me? Check out the link below).

Mrs. Butterworth – Words cannot express the love I have for a lady made of artificially flavored syrup.

Mrs. C. – Marion Cunningham – 1950’s mother and housewife portrayed by Marion Ross on the long-running period comedy Happy Days.  Mrs. C. is also the nickname my wife's students have bestowed upon here every year since she married me.

Mrs. Calabash – Wife of the great Jimmy Durante, 20^th century singer, actor, pianist, and comedian. Durante would end his 1940’s radio show with the cryptic tag line “Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.” He continued the practice when his show moved to television in 1950.  In 1966 Durante finally revealed that it was a tribute to his late wife Jean, who died in 1943.  “Calabash” was his pet name for her.  That is probably one of the sweetest show biz stories I’ve ever heard.

Mrs. Claus – She keeps the home fires burning while Santa’s delivering toys to all the good boys and girls. 

Mrs. Columbo – Title character of the short-lived TV spin-off series of the same name.  As played by actress Kate Mulgrew, the Mr. to her Mrs. was Peter Faulk’s famous police lieutenant.

Mrs. Doubtfire – Lovable cross-dressing nanny played by Robin Williams in the 1994 film of the same name.

Mrs. Fields – Refers to both the cookie company and its founder Debbi Fields, who sold the company in the early 90’s.  Mmm chocolate chip cookies.

Mrs. Howell – Aka Lovey, the socialite wife of Thurston Howell III the “millionaire” on the classic 60’s sitcom Gilligan’s Island, played by actress Natalie Schafer. Note: in the 1966 episode “Mr. and Mrs.??” it is revealed her maiden name was Eunice Wentworth.  Go ahead and check.  I’ll wait.

Mrs. King – Amanda King, a divorced housewife whose life gets tangled up with a spy in the 80’s series The Scarecrow and Mrs. King.  Former Charlie’s Angel Kate Jackson (she played the “smart” one) starred along with Bruce Boxleitner who played the Scarecrow of the title). Confession time – I’ve never seen a single episode of this show.

Mrs. Miniver – Academy award winning (Best Picture, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress) 1942 film starring Greer Garson as the title character.  Mrs. Miniver started life in 1937 in a series of columns published by The Times of London.  The film was followed by a radio series, sequel (The Miniver Story) and television adaptation.

Mrs. Muir – Young widow who falls in love with a ghost (whatever floats your boat) in the 1947 film The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.  She was portrayed by the absolutely stunning Gene Tierney in the film (co-starring Rex Harrison as Captain Daniel Gregg aka the ghost).  Hope Lange (opposite Edward Mulhare) portrayed her on the television series that followed twenty years later.  

Mrs. O’Leary – Catherine O’Leary, Chicago resident whose cow was wrongfully accused of starting the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.  In 1893 the reporter for the Chicago Republican who started the rumor admitted he made it up because it made for colorful copy.  Although the O’Leary barn was the first to be consumed, the exact cause of the fire remains a mystery.

Mrs. Paul – Purveyor of frozen seafood.  Yes, there really was a Mrs. Paul –she was the mother of John Paul who founded the company in 1946 with partner Ed Piszek (just think;   you could have been eating Mrs. Piszek’s fish sticks all these years). 

Mrs. Potato Head – wife of Mr. Potato Head of course (where do you think little spuds come from?)

Mrs. Potts – Anthropomorphic teapot as voiced by Angela Lansbury in Disney’s Academy Award winning Beauty and the Beast.

Mrs. Right – Some guys spend their whole lives looking for her.  I’m one of the lucky ones who found her (isn’t that right honey?)

Mrs. Robinson – The original cougar (“Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me”) as portrayed by Anne Bancroft in Mike Nichol’s brilliant 1967 coming of age film, The Graduate.  Mr. Mike Fun Fact:  In real life (as opposed to reel life) Anne Bancroft at 36, was only 6 years older than Dustin Hoffmann who portrayed the 21-year old object of her seduction.

Mrs. Smith – Amanda Smith, a widow with nine children, started baking pies in the 1920’s to support her family.  From those humble beginnings grew one of the largest frozen pie companies in the world.

Happy Birthday in TV Heaven

January 14 marks a number of television-related birthdays

 

 Hal Roach (1892-1992) – American Film Producer best remembered for Laurel and Hardy and Our Gang shorts. As a young vidiot growing up on suburban Long Island, I spent countless hours in front of the tube watching reruns of the Our Gang comedies which had been packaged for television as The Little Rascals.    Roach remained active late in life, appearing on Letterman when he was 90, and the Academy Awards at 92 and again shortly after his 100th birthday.  He died in 1992 two months short of his 101st birthday, outliving most of the children who starred in  his Our Gang shorts.  I can still hear Alfalfa crooning “I’m in the mood for love" (so can you if you click on the link below).

 

 

 

Mark Goodson (1915-1992) – Pioneering Game Show Producer.  Along with partner Bill Todman, Goodson was responsible for the most famous and longest running game shows in TV History including What’s My Line, To Tell the Truth, The Price is Right, Password, Beat the Clock, Concentration, Family Feud, and Match Game (my all time favorite).   I can still hear the announcer’s closing tag line “This has been a Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Production”

 

Andy Rooney (1919-2011) – Journalist and author best known for "A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney" his long-running feature on 60 Minutes.  For 33 years the curmudgeonly commentator held forth on a series of diverse and mostly mundane subjects such as coffee cans, mixed nuts and pill bottles.  Andy could take the most prosaic topic and make it interesting and amusing. In addition to his talent as a writer and commentator, Andy is best remembered for having the bushiest eyebrows in broadcasting (rivaling Pierre Salinger).  He died at the age of 92 in November 2011, one month after his final broadcast.

Guy Williams (1924-1989) – American actor.  Another favorite of young Mr. Mike was Lost in Space which starred Williams as Professor John Robinson - father, husband, pilot, space explorer, astrophysicist and all around great guy (he even looked terrific in velour).   In addition to LIS Williams had the title role in Zorro for Disney.  This role made Williams especially popular in Argentina where he spent the last 17 years of his life living in retirement.   He died in 1989 of a brain aneurysm at the age of 65.

 

Mr. Sandman

I came up with the idea for today's entry around 3 AM this morning.  And so I proudly present Mr. Mike's Comparative Musicology; the Insomniac's Edition... 

Chet Atkins
 

The Dapper Dans
 

Direct from Your Hit Parade Snooky Lanson

 

The Chordettes

The Four Aces

 

 

 

Emmylou Harris
 

Today's Birthdays

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Bond Girls, Boxers, Bar Babes and Blowhards

Shirley Eaton - The English actress best known as Bond girl Jill Masterson turns 76.  Her death by skin suffocation from gold paint in 1964's Goldfinger is iconic film moment.

 

 

 

Joe Frazier - The one-time undisputed Heavyweight World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist, who died in 2011, would have turned 69 today.  Smokin' Joe's professional career lasted an impressive 21 years (32 wins, 4 loses and 1 draw). 

 

 

Kirstie Alley - The Emmy award winning actress who made her film debut playing the galaxy's most adorable Vulcan-Romulan, turns 62 today. Her post Star Trek career includes a starring role on the long-running sitcom Cheers. 

 

 

 

Rush Limbaugh - The right-wing radio talk show host, author , hate monger and poster child for Oxycodone turns 62 today.

 



Father's Day in TV-Land

Happy Father's Day

As a child, television provided me with countless and diverse images of fatherhood; stern but loving family men, widowers, bachelor uncles, hapless but lovable dads etc. So many role models to chose from, and all as far removed from real life as my little house in the suburbs of Long Island was to the Hollywood sound stages where these shows were filmed. My father wasn't quite like any of these men; quiet by nature, he wasn't an overflowing font of fatherly advice and I don't recall having many heart to heart talks with him. This is not to say he wasn't a good and loving father; he definitely was. He just wasn't particularly good at expressing emotions. Also, unlike most TV dads, who seemed to lounge around the house in a tie (except on weekends when cardigan sweaters were the norm), my Dad was a blue collar worker and the only time he wore a suit was to attend a wedding or funeral.

Still, unrealistic representations of fatherhood aside, these two-dimensional (in more ways than one) men present us with iconic images that are hard to forget. Today is Father's Day and in celebration thereof, I present some of my favorite TV Dads...

Being a dad is the single greatest joy in my life. It is also the most nerve-wracking, stress inducing and ulcer-forming part of my life (and I wouldn't trade it for anything). Happy Father's Day!

Musings on Mortality

Happy Birthday To Me...

Seems like it rolls around faster every year, and here it is again; September 10th - my birthday. Pictured below is one of my all-time favorite birthday presents. Back in 1994, Adam West wrote Back to the Batcave, his memoirs about the classic, campy 1960's Batman TV show. My then- girl friend Pookie was friends with someone who was related to Adam's agent. She gave me a copy of the book which was inscribed with the following birthday greeting:

This is undoubtedly one of the coolest birthday presents I've ever received; even cooler than my Barry Williams autographed edition of Growing Up Brady. For the record, I received my coolest birthday present in the late 1960's; a complete line of Major Matt Mason toys including the Moon Base, Space Crawler, Moon Suit and Star Seeker. How cool was Major Matt Mason? Check out this commercial:

Damn, I wish I had those toys today (not that I'd sell them, I just want to play with them!)

Thoughts on growing up

Birthdays are a time of reflection, self-evaluation and depending on your age, feeling that you're getting old. But at what point does this feeling of getting old start? Not so old that The Grim Reaper is waiting outside your door, but definitely that you're not a kid anymore (or even a young adult). When you get married? Purchase your first house? Have a child? For me the epiphany occurred sometime in 1990 around the age of 29. It was then that I realized that Shirley Jones was hot.

Yes, Shirley Jones, aka Shirley Partridge; single mom and matriarch of The Partridge Family. For most of my life she was a mother figure, mom to Keith and Laurie and the rest of the brood. One night I was watching a rerun of The Partridge Family and I suddenly realized Shirley was a hottie. Not just attractive but hot. Had the term been around back then, I would have called her a MILF! At the time Shirley starred in the Partridge Family, she was in her mid 30's - which is younger than I am now, but older than I was at the time of my epiphany. Back then, it occurred to me that this was as good a sign as any that I was getting old.

I looked back at other TV moms to see if this attraction to Momma Partridge was an anomaly of mine and found that yes indeed, many of the mom's I grew up with were hot, hot, hot! Let's look at few of my favorites, shall we?

Donna Reed - archetypal TV mom and stereotype of a whole generation of pearl-wearing mothers. Donna is in fact HOT. Check her out in From Here To Eternity where she plays a dance hall girl who wins Montgomery Cliff's heart. Poor Monty never stood a chance.

June Lockhart - Mom to Timmy of Timmy and Lassie fame as well as Judy and Will Robinson on Lost in Space. I just checked and as I suspected, June is Hot! Maybe it's the red hair or perhaps the form-fitting space outfit, whatever it is, June is definitely someone I'd like to get Lost in Space with.

Mary Tyler Moore - before she was throw-her-hat-in-the-air-Mary Richards, she was Laura Petrie, wife and mother on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Whether she was lounging around the house in those Capri slacks, or dolled up in an evening gown and hosting one of those sophisticated cocktail parties, all I can say is "Mmmmm Mary!"

Elizabeth Montgomery - Samantha Stephens - without a doubt, Tabitha and Adam's mom is supernaturally hot. What did she ever see in Darren?

Whitney Blake - she played Dorothy Baxter, wife and mother on the 60's TV show Hazel. Whitney's real life daughter, Meredith Baxter, was a hot TV mom herself a couple of decades later on Family Ties. Hotness definitely runs in that family.



Lest you get the impression that I lust after every woman I grew up watching on the tube, two famous TV moms who I never found attractive are Carol Brady (Florence Henderson) and June Cleaver (Barbara Billingsly). They're both pleasant looking, and I'm sure they kept Mike and Ward quite happy, but they just don't come close to the cuties pictured above.


Some People Who Share My Birthday

Robert Wise -Academy Award-winning film producer and director whose works include The Day the Earth Stood Still, West Side Story, Star Trek the Motion Picture, and The Sound of Music (we like him anyway).

Rin Tin Tin -First in a line of German Shepherd actors.

Charles Kuralt -Award-winning American journalist.

Roger Maris - Baseball player best remembered for being the first to break Babe Ruth's single season home run record (and he did it without steroids).

Jose Feliciano -Blind singer, songwriter and guitarist (that's him performing the theme from Chico and the Man).

Bill O'Reilly - Talk show/radio host, author, syndicated columnist and blowhard.

Amy Irving - Actress and former Mrs. Steven Spielberg.

Joe Perry - Guitarist, singer and songwriter with Aerosmith. Rolling Stone ranked him 48 on their list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of all Time.

Colin Firth - English film actor (or is he a British film actor? or both?)

Randy Johnson - Five time Cy Young Award-winning pitcher. The 6'10" Johnson is nicknamed "the Big Unit". Re-read that last sentence and tell me that I'm not the only one who thinks there's something not quite right with it.

Big Daddy Kane - American Rapper (in 1992 he appeared in some pretty racy photos in Madonna's controversial Sex book)

Guy Ritchie -British film director (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch are my favorites) and former Mr. Madonna.

Madonna being mentioned twice in one blog seems like a good sign that it's time to go have some cake.