ClassicFlix - Only the Classics

TV Time: Before They Were Legends

One of the great joys of watching vintage television is spotting the familiar faces who populate a given episode of just about any show that was around for any length of time. Serious fans enjoy the character actors who crop up again and again, but you can often see young actors who would go on to become superstars. Sometimes you even encounter in their earliest roles those who would not just be greats, but those who would become legends. This month, TV Time looks at four such appear...

TV Time: Doctors in the House

While watching Dr. Kildare, I've been thinking about TV doctors, and more precisely, who the best is. Who would I most want as my doctor? After disqualifying Kildare himself for being too pretty and young (I'm only on season 3), I looked at some ClassicFlix-era TV doctors (meaning I did not consider legendary small screen medical types like Dr. Quincy, Dr. Shrinker, and Dr. Johnny Fever).Richard Kimble, The Fugitive: There is a bit ...

TV TIME: Get in the Ring for Classic TV Mania

Each year the extravaganza known as WrestleMania revives the old myth that Vince McMahon "invented" sports entertainment by taking "rasslin'" out of dingy, dark, smoke-filled dives and making a family-friendly product suitable for large "respectable" arenas. In reality, professional wrestling did just fine as a regional, territorial product for years. It had a national presence, as well, and while McMahon did expand his business by seizing on cable television's reach, arena grappling was a fi...

TV TIME: Cartoons Go to the Circus

The announcement that Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey is shutting down inspired a lot of discussion about the demise of the circus. While it's true that Ringling was, for years, the most iconic big top operation, the American institution will continue.Of course, it also survives in classic television. In a previous column, I recommended Woody Allen boxing a kangaroo. Besides that memorable variety program, many sitcom and dramatic episodes centered on traveling circus troupe...

TV TIME: Celebrating Ed Asner

Long before he became America's unofficial grandfather by playing lovable if gruff characters like Carl Fredricksen in Up and Santa himself in Elf, Ed Asner had a long and storied television career. Prior to his breakthrough role of grizzled newsman Lou Grant, Asner guested in a wide variety of series in the 1960s, often playing characters that were nasty, mean, or downright evil. Let's go back to the days when this legendary performer had more hair on his head, more letters...

TV Time: Abraham Lincoln in Sci-Fi Television

Trivia lovers often point out the eerie similarities between two acclaimed United States presidents who were both struck down by assassins. While an amusing number of coincidences do indeed connect Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, there is at least one huge difference: While Honest Abe is all over classic TV, it's hard to find JFK.We all have a vague collective false memory of Kennedy guesting on The Dick Van Dyke Show, but alas, it never happened. Fo...

TV Time: Bizarre Sci-Fi Episodes

You'll see many strange things in science fiction and fantasy television: space aliens, interstellar travel, super powers, and more. Yet even within the fantastic realm of genre entertainment, you sometimes encounter episodes that are just...bizarre. This month, let's look at some of the strangest episodes of popular sci-fi series. They may have their detractors, but I guarantee each is worth watching at least once.The Adventures of Superman, 'The...

TV Time: Underrated Feel-Good Christmas Episodes

After examining classic Christmas television episodes a few years ago in this column, then looking at family-oriented specials last year, I'd like to present some lesser-known but still potent examples of heartwarming holiday entertainment. So let's dive into the ClassicFlix catalog for some feel-good shows you might not have seen.(As always, spoilers ahead, but I will tell you now, all of these shows will make you feel warm and Christmas-y.)The Twilight Zo...

TV TIME: A Classic Television Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy with family and other loved ones, so it seems like a shame that so many American households spend the day huddled in front of a TV set watching football. I think we should spend halftime huddled in front of a TV set watching classic Thanksgiving-themed episodes, at least.The 'Special Thanksgiving Episode' is not nearly as established as the 'Special Christmas Episode,' but plenty of classic shows commemorated the November holiday once. Let's take a ...

TV TIME: Celebrate the season with The Munsters!

Halloween is an ideal time to revisit one of television's greatest sitcom families, The Munsters. Though it ran only two seasons on CBS, the comedy about the unusual inhabitants of 1313 Mockingbird Lane is one of the most fondly remembered shows of its era and continues to thrive in reruns, streaming and DVD.At first glance a show about equivalents of Frankenstein's monster and Dracula living in suburbia, oblivious to their own status as 'monsters' to everyone else, seems like a k...

Author: Rick Brooks