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Cleveland R&B vocalist to make Akron debut
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Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
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Retired firefighter who broke color barrier among those being honored
Angel Food Ministries helps stretch grocery dollars
Blogs:
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Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
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Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Two blowouts, one night
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Singletary update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Indiana Pacers – Here’s to LBJ and Free Throws
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Bowling season starts today
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Federal Judge Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer
Published on Thursday, Oct 22, 2009
If it's Thursday, this must be the mailbag . . .
Q: Will ''Chuck'' with Zachary Levi ever return to NBC? It was the only show we looked forward to watching during the week. We LOVED ''Chuck,'' it was totally campy and fun.
A: The network renewed the series for a third season, thanks especially to a sponsorship deal with the Subway sandwich chain. The network has planned to bring it back in March 2010, after Winter Olympics coverage. When NBC dumped Southland before that drama began its second season, there was some hope that Chuck would return sooner. But at this writing, the only official return date is the one in 2010.
Q: I've become a faithful fan of ''The Sopranos'' on A&E. (I never watched it on HBO.) I would love to match up the actors' names with their characters on the show. Do you know of a Web site where this is available?
A: A&E's Web site, http://www.aetv.com, has a cast list, with photos. Go to the site, click on ''shows,'' then ''The Sopranos,'' then ''the family.'' That will give you a photo array of the characters, which you can click on to get a description and a link to the actor's name and bio. HBO also still has a cast list; go to http://www.hbo.com, click on ''series'' at the top of the page, then ''The Sopranos,'' then ''cast and crew.''
And you should really try to see the show as it aired on HBO. The entire series is available on DVD, and the edited-down A&E cut is just not the same.
Q: Some years ago, my husband and I enjoyed a series on TV about two little boys, one black and one white. They lived in a little town, called Palmerstown, and I think that was the name of the series. It was set in the '20s or '30s, and was a wholesome family program. It did have racism in some of the themes. But good, thinking people prevailed.
A: The series you remember was at first called Palmerstown, U.S.A., and later just Palmerstown. Roots author Alex Haley was involved, and the series was inspired by his childhood friendship with a white boy in the Depression-era South. The boys were played by Jermain Hodge Johnson and Brian Godfrey Wilson; the cast also included Michael J. Fox, Bill Duke and Jonelle Allen. It had short runs on CBS in the spring of 1980 and 1981. I do not know of an authorized release on home video.
Q: Is Christian Bale any relation to James Brolin? There are times when I see a striking resemblance to the young Brolin, circa ''Marcus Welby.''
A: As far as I can determine, they are not related.
Q: I remember watching a movie about the life of Judy Garland. Also remember Aileen Quinn from ''Annie'' playing the part. Could be wrong though. Was such a good movie. I thought it was called ''Over the Rainbow.'' I've no luck in tracking anything down.
A: You are most likely remembering Rainbow, a 1978 TV movie about the young Garland, with Andrea McArdle — who starred in Annie on Broadway. I do not know of an authorized DVD release. It did come out on VHS, and I saw some high-priced copies on Amazon.com and eBay. You would have an easier time finding Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows, a more recent TV production based on the memoir by Garland's daughter Lorna Luft. It is available on DVD.
Q: I have a question about the movie that goes with the ''Unchained Melody'' song. There was a movie made in 1954 called ''Unchained,'' starring Crazy-Legs Hirsch and Barbara Bain. I have looked everywhere on the Web and can find reviews of the movie and the song, but cannot find a source for the movie. Can you help?
A: The song, later famous in a version by the Righteous Brothers and in the movie Ghost, did indeed appear in the prison drama, which starred Hirsch and Barbara Hale. Unfortunately, I do not know of an authorized release of the movie on 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: Will ''Chuck'' with Zachary Levi ever return to NBC? It was the only show we looked forward to watching during the week. We LOVED ''Chuck,'' it was totally campy and fun.
A: The network renewed the series for a third season, thanks especially to a sponsorship deal with the Subway sandwich chain. The network has planned to bring it back in March 2010, after Winter Olympics coverage. When NBC dumped Southland before that drama began its second season, there was some hope that Chuck would return sooner. But at this writing, the only official return date is the one in 2010.
Q: I've become a faithful fan of ''The Sopranos'' on A&E. (I never watched it on HBO.) I would love to match up the actors' names with their characters on the show. Do you know of a Web site where this is available?
A: A&E's Web site, http://www.aetv.com, has a cast list, with photos. Go to the site, click on ''shows,'' then ''The Sopranos,'' then ''the family.'' That will give you a photo array of the characters, which you can click on to get a description and a link to the actor's name and bio. HBO also still has a cast list; go to http://www.hbo.com, click on ''series'' at the top of the page, then ''The Sopranos,'' then ''cast and crew.''
And you should really try to see the show as it aired on HBO. The entire series is available on DVD, and the edited-down A&E cut is just not the same.
Q: Some years ago, my husband and I enjoyed a series on TV about two little boys, one black and one white. They lived in a little town, called Palmerstown, and I think that was the name of the series. It was set in the '20s or '30s, and was a wholesome family program. It did have racism in some of the themes. But good, thinking people prevailed.
A: The series you remember was at first called Palmerstown, U.S.A., and later just Palmerstown. Roots author Alex Haley was involved, and the series was inspired by his childhood friendship with a white boy in the Depression-era South. The boys were played by Jermain Hodge Johnson and Brian Godfrey Wilson; the cast also included Michael J. Fox, Bill Duke and Jonelle Allen. It had short runs on CBS in the spring of 1980 and 1981. I do not know of an authorized release on home video.
Q: Is Christian Bale any relation to James Brolin? There are times when I see a striking resemblance to the young Brolin, circa ''Marcus Welby.''
A: As far as I can determine, they are not related.
Q: I remember watching a movie about the life of Judy Garland. Also remember Aileen Quinn from ''Annie'' playing the part. Could be wrong though. Was such a good movie. I thought it was called ''Over the Rainbow.'' I've no luck in tracking anything down.
A: You are most likely remembering Rainbow, a 1978 TV movie about the young Garland, with Andrea McArdle — who starred in Annie on Broadway. I do not know of an authorized DVD release. It did come out on VHS, and I saw some high-priced copies on Amazon.com and eBay. You would have an easier time finding Life With Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows, a more recent TV production based on the memoir by Garland's daughter Lorna Luft. It is available on DVD.
Q: I have a question about the movie that goes with the ''Unchained Melody'' song. There was a movie made in 1954 called ''Unchained,'' starring Crazy-Legs Hirsch and Barbara Bain. I have looked everywhere on the Web and can find reviews of the movie and the song, but cannot find a source for the movie. Can you help?
A: The song, later famous in a version by the Righteous Brothers and in the movie Ghost, did indeed appear in the prison drama, which starred Hirsch and Barbara Hale. Unfortunately, I do not know of an authorized release of the movie on 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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