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Do IT this week: Layering
Crawford specializes in music of the 1920s and ’30s; Connors died in 1992
By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer
POSTED: 07:45 a.m. EDT, Oct 08, 2009
If it's Thursday, this must be the mailbag. . . .
Q: What ever happened to Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford of the ''Rifleman'' series?
A: After The Rifleman ended its five-season run in 1963, Connors made other forays into television, both as a regular and guest star. His series included Branded, which aired on NBC in the 1965-66 season and remains a cult fave, and Werewolf on Fox in 1987-88. He died in 1992. These days, Crawford acts occasionally but puts more energy into leading the Johnny Crawford Dance Orchestra, a band specializing in music of the 1920s and '30s.
Q: I would like to know if the ''Moonlight'' series male star is in a new medical series. If so, when is it on, the time, the station?
A: Alex O'Loughlin is now starring in Three Rivers, a medical drama airing at 9 p.m. Sundays on CBS. It's not a good show, and the ratings for the premiere were so-so. But it got more advance notice than many series because of O'Loughlin's following from Moonlight.
Q: I believe I saw a preview for a new fall series with Craig T. Nelson as one of the actors. If so, can you please identify the new series and when it will start?
A: Nelson — star of Call to Glory, Coach and The District — is a member of the ensemble on Parenthood, a series version of the Ron Howard film, which was originally set for NBC this fall. The pilot looked very good. But the series was postponed until midseason after star Maura Tierney began treatment for breast cancer; she has since left the show entirely and no replacement has been announced.
Q: Do you have any idea as to what or who is holding up the DVD release of the 1974 buddy cop film ''Freebie and the Bean''?
A: The movie, which starred Alan Arkin and James Caan, has been released by Warner Bros. through its online archive series, where you special-order the DVD and a copy is dubbed for you for about $20. It's an intriguing way for the company to make available an array of titles that stores might not want, but some consumers do. I have not tried it but have been tempted. Check it out at http://www.wbshop.com, by clicking on the movies bar and then the Warner Archive line.
Q: I was wondering if there was ever a release of the TV series ''Amerika'' with Kris Kristofferson. I really liked it. Could you let me know if it was ever released?
A: For those of you tuning in late, Amerika was a big-event mini-series on ABC in 1987. It showed what the United States might have been like 10 years after a Soviet takeover. The topic was controversial, but a bigger problem for the production was that it was slow — and stretched out over 141/2 hours, counting commercials. I do not know of an authorized release of it on VHS or DVD.
Q: I am in my 80s, and when I was a young man in a very small Texas town, one day I saw a movie called ''Valiant is the Name for Carrie'' (that's as close as I can come to remembering the exact title). I was so impressed with it that I even named one of my daughters after the title actress in that show. I have tried to find a copy of the movie to see it again and to see what was it that impressed me so much, but I have never been able to find it. Can you help me out?
A: I think you are remembering Valiant Is the Word for Carrie. Based on a novel by Barry Benefield, it starred Gladys George as Carrie, a woman who worked with orphans. George was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, although she did not win. (Luise Rainer won that year for The Great Ziegfeld.) Alas, it does not appear to have found its way to an authorized video.
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, in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://heldenfels.ohio.com, on Facebook and on Twitter.
If it's Thursday, this must be the mailbag. . . .
Q: What ever happened to Chuck Connors and Johnny Crawford of the ''Rifleman'' series?
A: After The Rifleman ended its five-season run in 1963, Connors made other forays into television, both as a regular and guest star. His series included Branded, which aired on NBC in the 1965-66 season and remains a cult fave, and Werewolf on Fox in 1987-88. He died in 1992. These days, Crawford acts occasionally but puts more energy into leading the Johnny Crawford Dance Orchestra, a band specializing in music of the 1920s and '30s.
Q: I would like to know if the ''Moonlight'' series male star is in a new medical series. If so, when is it on, the time, the station?
A: Alex O'Loughlin is now starring in Three Rivers, a medical drama airing at 9 p.m. Sundays on CBS. It's not a good show, and the ratings for the premiere were so-so. But it got more advance notice than many series because of O'Loughlin's following from Moonlight.
Q: I believe I saw a preview for a new fall series with Craig T. Nelson as one of the actors. If so, can you please identify the new series and when it will start?
A: Nelson — star of Call to Glory, Coach and The District — is a member of the ensemble on Parenthood, a series version of the Ron Howard film, which was originally set for NBC this fall. The pilot looked very good. But the series was postponed until midseason after star Maura Tierney began treatment for breast cancer; she has since left the show entirely and no replacement has been announced.
Q: Do you have any idea as to what or who is holding up the DVD release of the 1974 buddy cop film ''Freebie and the Bean''?
A: The movie, which starred Alan Arkin and James Caan, has been released by Warner Bros. through its online archive series, where you special-order the DVD and a copy is dubbed for you for about $20. It's an intriguing way for the company to make available an array of titles that stores might not want, but some consumers do. I have not tried it but have been tempted. Check it out at http://www.wbshop.com, by clicking on the movies bar and then the Warner Archive line.
Q: I was wondering if there was ever a release of the TV series ''Amerika'' with Kris Kristofferson. I really liked it. Could you let me know if it was ever released?
A: For those of you tuning in late, Amerika was a big-event mini-series on ABC in 1987. It showed what the United States might have been like 10 years after a Soviet takeover. The topic was controversial, but a bigger problem for the production was that it was slow — and stretched out over 141/2 hours, counting commercials. I do not know of an authorized release of it on VHS or DVD.
Q: I am in my 80s, and when I was a young man in a very small Texas town, one day I saw a movie called ''Valiant is the Name for Carrie'' (that's as close as I can come to remembering the exact title). I was so impressed with it that I even named one of my daughters after the title actress in that show. I have tried to find a copy of the movie to see it again and to see what was it that impressed me so much, but I have never been able to find it. Can you help me out?
A: I think you are remembering Valiant Is the Word for Carrie. Based on a novel by Barry Benefield, it starred Gladys George as Carrie, a woman who worked with orphans. George was nominated for an Oscar for her performance, although she did not win. (Luise Rainer won that year for The Great Ziegfeld.) Alas, it does not appear to have found its way to an authorized video.
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, in the HeldenFiles Online blog at http://heldenfels.ohio.com, on Facebook and on Twitter.
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