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By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer
Published on Thursday, Aug 28, 2008
If it's Thursday, this must be the mailbag. . . .
Q: How many minutes of advertising in one hour of TV?
A: If you are talking about prime-time, commercial broadcast television, an hour usually includes about 42 minutes of program and 18 minutes of commercials and promotional items. The number can vary in other parts of the day and on other program services; I've seen cable shows with about 20 minutes of commercials in an hour.
And I am not counting a couple of other forms of advertising: graphics promoting other shows that fill part of the screen while you're watching a program, and product placement, in which items are included in a program itself in exchange for a fee.
Q: I remember a version of ''Cinderella'' coming on television when I was young (probably around the early 1970s). It seems like it came on once a year, and I'd like to find out which version of ''Cinderella'' that was. I looked online but I don't remember who starred in it — there is one with Lesley Ann Warren and another with Julie Andrews and I don't know if it was either of these.
A: There have been many, many versions of Cinderella, including three based on the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical: a 1957 production with Julie Andrews, a 1965 one with Lesley Ann Warren and a 1997 telecast with Brandy. The Warren one was often repeated, so I suspect that is the one you saw. And it is on DVD, if you want to see it again.
Q: I recall a sitcom called ''Mother & Sons.'' I believe it was on TV about 1978-80. The mother was supposedly senile but not. She had two sons. One was a dentist and her favorite. The other son lived with her and took care of her. It seems they had an English accent. Is it available on DVD or VHS? It was a riot.
A: Mother & Son was an Australian comedy starring Garry McDonald as a 40-something man taking care of his aging mother (Ruth Cracknell) while his brother (Henri Szeps) only cares about her money. According to the Internet Movie Database, 42 episodes were made between 1984 and 1994. The seven-episode first season has been released on a U.S. DVD; if your local retailer cannot get it, I have seen it for sale on Amazon.com.
Correction and clarification: A reader noted that a Web site address for information about Tarzan and Edgar Rice Burroughs was incorrect. The right address is http://www.erbzine.com. My apologies.
Another reader noted that my discussion of the low profile of Navarone Garibaldi, the son of Priscilla Presley and half brother of Lisa Marie Presley, did not mention reports alleging his drug use. A big National Enquirer story about the issue appeared after my item was published.
•
Do you have a question or comment about movies, TV and other popular culture? Write to rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com or the Akron Beacon Journal, 44 E. Exchange St., Akron, OH 44309. Please mark the note for Mailbag and do not phone in questions.
Letters may be edited. Individual replies cannot be guaranteed.
Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in a blog at http://www.ohio.com. You can find more columns, questions and answers at http://www.ohio.com/entertainment/heldenfels.
If it's Thursday, this must be the mailbag. . . .
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