Sunday Fun: Doctor Who Opening (Pertwee) - Repeat

OECA (Ontario Educational Communications Authority), now referred to as TV Ontario, ran adverts in the summer of 1976 announcing their Fall scheduling of a British programme from my childhood, Doctor Who -- which at that point had not yet stopped production, eventually wrapping in 1989; a twenty-six year run.

As a very young child living at RCAF Station Greenwood, Nova Scotia, I saw the first "Dalek" story; its affect on me was profound enough that I never forgot kneeling in front of the Admiral monochrome television set and being: scared!....by the BBC via the CBC. (Those panning eyestalk cameras lining the Dalek city's hallways gave me the creeps.)

Back to OECA.

Starting that September I was there in front of the tube every Saturday evening. That was my introduction to the third doctor, Jon Pertwee, and because of the network's two-year Who run featuring the time and space "dandy", he was, and remains, my favourite of all the actors to play and interpret "the Doctor". (In September of 1978, OECA switched to the Tom Baker Whos.)

Of special note is the classic theme tune composed by Ron Grainer; what must be noted is Dalia Derbyshire's "arrangement", an electronic transcription, really, from the composer's score paper. This theme burns into one's electronics.

While the original Doctor Who's production crews lacked today's wonderful technologies, they somehow managed to tell some terrifically entertaining stories.

Joke for the Day: Name that Toon

I'm really bad with names, so much so that when I get up every morning I give myself a new name, as I can't remember the one I had the day before.

Carroll O'Connor on The Reality

"Some people thought we were presenting Archie as a false character. President Nixon thought we were making a fool out of a good man."

All too real. Yes: "Richard E. Nixon."

Voltaire on Canada

"quelques arpents de neige."

Back off, garçon!

Voltaire on Believing the Absurd

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

He continues to speak the truth.

Carroll O'Connor on Being Proud

"I hate pride, but if I were going to be proud of anything it would have to be something I'd done myself. Race pride is kind of stupid."

From the man.

My First Jollibee - It Had to Happen, Eventually

It was a matter of time -- four years -- but I finally had my first order of Jollibee. While the portion was small, it tasted mighty fine. I'm not a big eater-outer, but now I know why this company is so successful -- and now here in Toronto, Canada.

"Palabok Fiesta!"

A Forever Question: Follow that Edsel

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question.

Sir. Has there ever been a car called an "Essbocks"?

Sunday Fun: Gemini Man Intro

September of 1976 revealed the Gemini Man television series. It was the second stab by NBC at the 'invisible man' concept, as the television season before, they broadcast The Invisible Man -- a series which barely made it to the half season mark.

I was one of those viewers who made a point to tune in week after week to catch the limited-time, in more ways than one, adventures of secret agent Gemini man Sam Casey (played by Ben Murphy). Casey could nip out of the visible light spectrum, but for only 15 minutes in total per day -- or he would perish.

Capping the amount of time the show's protagonist could cloak to invisibility definitely made plotting and jeopardy more interesting, but once the network realized Sam Casey wasn't making television ratings more visible, the series disappeared forever -- after just half a dozen episodes.

But I enjoyed it.

Picturing: TTC "Sheppard West" Subway Station

DVD: Eraserhead

Eraserhead

Directed by

David Lynch

Criterion Collection

2014

Something I Must Say Today, Because of This Day

This Platinum Card-carrying atheist must say: "Yes, God Bless America."

Lost In Space Cardboard Clip - Displaced to Space?

The above 4cm-square card came, as I remember it, with a VHS tape I bought years ago of a single episode from the old and very bad television series Lost In Space (CBS). Before online video streaming services like YouTube materialized and provided sample clips, if not whole episodes, one had to sometimes buy old television programs on tape if one could not find a given show on the airwaves -- in my case, this was also just before DVD's came out. My excuse for buying LIS on VHS was I was designing a short film, and the script at times called for an "Irwin Allen Look". Look for: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964 - 1968); Lost In Space (1965 - 1968); The Time Tunnel (1966 - 1967); and Land of the Giants (1968 - 1970). Pick your poison, although Voyage is by far the best of the bunch.

With this being Donald J. Trump's last day in office, rumours are swirling about that the displaced U.S. president and his immediate family have volunteered to pilot the Jupiter 2 on a one-way flight to a planet orbiting the star Alpha Centauri. Of course, while the Trumps are frozen in acrylic tubes for the long trip, their frisbee-like ship will be knocked off course by a stowaway, an enemy agent. Who that person will be, we can only guess....

It sounds like a show with low ratings.

A Forever Question: In Stock?

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

Sir. In a supermarket, can one buy canned bads?

Rod Serling's Twilight Zone Intro on Trump Might Be

"This is a cheap man, a nickel-and-dime man, with a cheapness that goes past the suit and the shirt; a cheapness of mind, a cheapness of taste, a tawdry little shine on the seat of his conscience, and a dark-room squint at a world whose sunlight has never gotten through to him."

Sunday Fun: The Shulman File - Outro

"Look at you. You're a bunch of weirdos!"

So explained Dr Morton Shulman to his crowd of guests as he rocked back and forth in his comfy office chair. In that week's case his invited targets were into fetishes. One mustached guy in particular wore a half-face masquerade mask and expressed himself by answering the show host's questions with a simple question: "In what context?"

"Morty" was not afraid to stick it to his special guests, be they politicians, labour union leaders, or an assortment of the offbeat.

The embedded video clip above is from a show titled: "UFO's and Psychics. Fact or Fraud?"

When it premiered in 1977, I caught The Shulman File on a regular basis. It did not matter to me what any given week's theme was. After all, there was that great theme tune to get one in the mood for some television fireworks.

Then Toronto-based CITY-TV was a great station at one time. In its mix of creative programming sat a controversial presenter. Morton Shulman, politician, physician and coroner, stirred things up, but did so from an intellectual platform -- not sensationalism for the sake of sensationalism, and ratings (as in Bill O'Reilly).

It would be nice to see complete episodes; there are bits and pieces to enjoy on YouTube.

We need a show like The Shulman File today to grill our surfeit of "weirdos".

DVD: Night Gallery - The Complete Series

Night Gallery

- The Complete Series -

Directed by

Various

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

2017

In Today's Junk Mail Box - Some Eeepoch Times

China, Communism, Socialism, China, Chinese, Socialism, Communist, China, China, China.

That, folks, just about sums up editorial content in the newest issue of The Epoch Times, a fresh copy of which showed up in my mailbox yesterday here in The Annex, Toronto. (My guess is they're trying to spread their right-wings.)

I'll put it to good use, even if Wilhelm insists I put a layer of litter between him and that rag.

Editorial: My cat's all about "Truth & Tradition".

No Articles of Impeachment News at the Toronto Sun

Surprised? I'm not. The Toronto Sun will not publish anything that goes against their beliefs, and those of their most dedicated readers and believers.

Minutes ago, as part of my morning newspaper rounds, I went to Toronto's stellar rag and found absolutely no press on what's happening in Washington, DC: the push to push-out Donald Trump. This city's dedicated Trump believer in print will be plated on Inauguration Day, January 20th.

Here's a paper that those folks at and for the Sun would have no use for, unless they want to pick-up anything by "sympathetic" columnist J.J. McCullough: The Washington Post

They can give the impression there's credibility at the Rundown Sun: "J.J. McCullough, Washington Post"

www.washingtonpost.com

A Forever Question: Sans Gavel

“Since before your sun burned hot in space and before your race was born, I have awaited a question."

Sir. Why is it so easy for some people to get away with illegalities?