HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1975-01-23, Page 19PAGE 3
ALVIN'S TV
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Whatever became of one of
my favorite TV shows —
`Starlost'? It was great! —
H.G., Montreal, Que.
The •CTV-Twentieth Cen-
tury Fox science fiction
series 'The Star}ost' ap-
peared for the very first time
in the fall of 1973 and after a
short run was dropped by the
network. The .costly hourlong
production •(a reported
$100,000 per episode) based
its entire success on a
number of important U.S.
sales which never really.
materialized. Without that
necessary U.S. dollar the
series was doomed. `Starlost'
was to capture those many
danglitg,; 'Star Trek' fans
eagerly awaiting • the rein-
- carnation of the 'Star Trek'
crew. The story of `Starlost'
centered around an agrarian
society housed in a gigantic
space dome and, surrounded
by very advanced peoples.
The series starred Keir
Dullea Tof `2001, A' Space
Odyssey' and 'David and
Lisa' fame), Canadians Gay
Rowan as the beautifuj
Rachel and Robin Ward as
Devon. The ambitious project
was recorded on video tape
(contrary to the filmed 'Star
Trek' series) in CTV's CFTO
, studios. Not since the CBC's
'The Whiteoaks of Jalna' had
a Canadian network un-
dertaken a project of this
tature. We can only hope the
ilures will not shy
n producers away
ch productions in the
two
Canad
from
future.
I can remember a tv show
.. can you come to my help?
— Mr. F.J.D., , Winnipeg,
Man.
James Arness' `Gunsmoke'
series made its debut in 1955
and started a small stampede
of tv westerns — some good,
some bad. One of the more
interesting ones was in fact a
southern mid -western!
Yancy Derringer' was set in
New Orleans' in the 1880's.
The smooth talking riverboat
gentleman and his Indian
friend, Pah9o, were a popular
part of the herd of tv western
heros of the late 50's. The
lead role was played by Jock
Mahoney while actor X'
Brands portrayed the
Pawnee Indian. Ex -stuntman
Jock Mahoney starred in still
another tv western called
'The, Range Rider' with actor
Dick West as his young side-
kick. Mahoney appeared in
several Hollywood -produced
movies including 'Away All
Boats' and `Battle Hymn' and
two Tarzan films in the early
sixties. Mahoney's step-
daughter, Sally Field,
became a star in her own
right with three- successful
television series — 'Gidget',
'The )~'lying Nun' and 'The
Girl With Something Extra'.
How long has the `Mannix'
show been on the television —
my wife says over ten y ars!
Right or wrong? — Mr.F.S.,
Ottawa, Ont.
The 'Mannix'
started his tv life in 1967'in
the employment of a com-
puterized detective agency.
Agency boss -man was actor
character
called"Yancy Derringer' but J"Campanella ('Toe Bold
can't remember when it Ones). Mike Connors'
played and who was the star . •'Mannix' is into its eighth
with Jerry Appleton
year with definite signs of and over, viewing audiences
nearing the end of what have grown beyond ad -
turned out to be a highly vertisers wildest dreams and
profitable run for both programs, despite the opinion
Connors and the CBS of certain critics, have
Television Network. Connors matured • greatly since the
has proven himself a tv star early days or even since the.
and will most probably be 'golden years' of television.
given another series. . When did the old television
Please can you answer a show 'The Millionaire' play
question no one has ever on tv and who was the man
asked and I'm dying to know who handed out the money?
so I thought I'd write in.4How — Mrs. R.D., Kingston, Ont.
old is tv? K.V., Brandon, Billionaire John Beresford
Man. Tipton gave the first fictiouS
When was television born? million dollar cheque in '1955.
A fair question! And here are The never -seen philanthropist
several dates to pick and •was aided by his executive
choose from. In 1925, two secretary Michael Anthony
American gentlemen, John Portrayed by Marvin Miller.
Logie Baird and Charles Television producer Irwin
Francis Jenkins according to Allen (`Voyage to the Bottom
history, managed to produce of the Sea', 'Lost in Space',
a blurry but definite image 'Land of the, Giants' and
on a screen. Or how about 'Time Tunnel') has teamed
these dates: 1928 when WGY, up with Robert Stack (`The
Shenectady, N.Y., went on Name of the Game' and 'The
the air. three times a week or Untouchables' for an up
NBC's first experimental coming two-hour tv-movie.
transmitter in New York City 'Adventures of the Queen'
in 1930 or 1932 for CBS's went into production in
report to some 7,500 sets on December aboard the an -
the Presidential election or .. chored Queen Mary and will
• But commercial television air on CBS later this year.
as we've come to know and The tv-movie will double as a
love it :was born on July 1, pilot for a possible series
1941 when WNBT televised a next season.
Dodges -Pirates baseball In Canada, the top shows
game from Ebbets Field. The remain for the most part
very first commercial on American products — 'The
television was a Bulova sales Streets of San Francisco',
pitch for which the Bulova 'The Rookies', 'All In The
company paid $9.00 — that's Family', 'The Waltons', etc..
right nine dollars compared • Apart from NHL Hockey
to the $250,000 per sixty coverage, which has dropped
second commercial NBC considerably in the over-all
asked for and received the audience appeal, the only two
night they aired 'The God-anadian-produced shows to
father'. Times have indeed make the top ten list are 'The
changed, production budgets Irish»• Rovers' and 'The
have been multiplied over Beachcombers'.