OJ Simpson – Did he do it?

June 11, 2016 Alan Royle 16

  I wonder how many people outside American football fans know what the ‘O.J.’ stands for in Simpson’s name? He was born ‘Orenthal James’ in San Francisco in July 1947. His father was a well-known drag queen in San Francisco who separated from the boy’s mother in 1952. Mr. Simpson […]

Johnny Stompanato – Stud to the Stars.

June 9, 2016 Alan Royle 14

    The quaint little town of Woodstock, Illinois has produced several interesting individuals, prominent among them actors Orson Welles and Jessica Biel, cartoonist Chester Gould the creator of Dick Tracy, and gangster, mob enforcer Johnny Stompanato. It was also the location for the 1993 film Groundhog Day that starred […]

Nostalgia TV – Sitcoms, comedies & family shows – Pt 8.

June 7, 2016 Alan Royle 0

    1979-80 #2        THREE’S COMPANY #4        ALICE #7        FLO (1980-1). Polly Holliday’s popularity as a waitress in Alice for four seasons was acknowledged in 1980 when she was given her own show portraying the same character; relocated to a bar in Cowtown, Texas. The series climbed to #7 on […]

Nostalgia TV – Sitcoms, comedies & family shows Pt 6.

June 6, 2016 Alan Royle 2

  1975-6 #1        ALL IN THE FAMILY #3        LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY (1976-83). Laverne De Fazio and Shirley Feeney are single working girls in 1950s Milwaukee and later in 1960s Los Angeles. Cindy Williams (Shirley) actually walked off the show in 1976, complaining that Penny Marshall (Laverne) was getting all the […]

Nostalgia TV – Comedies, sitcoms & family shows – Pt.7

June 5, 2016 Alan Royle 2

  1977-8 #1        LAVERNE AND SHIRLEY #2        HAPPY DAYS #3        THREE’S COMPANY #5        ALL IN THE FAMILY #8        ALICE #10      ONE DAY AT A TIME #12      EIGHT IS ENOUGH #13      SOAP (1977-81). This was possibly the first American series to feature an openly gay character (in this instance played by Billy […]

Nostalgia TV – Sitcoms, Comedies & Family Shows Pt. 5

June 1, 2016 Alan Royle 4

    1972-3 #1        ALL IN THE FAMILY #2        SANFORD & SON #4        MAUDE (1972-80). A spin-off from the iconic All in the Family series, Maude was classed as a sitcom but it also dealt with a number of controversial issues of the day, none more so than abortion. A […]

NOSTALGIA TV – Sitcoms, comedies & family shows Pt 4.

May 30, 2016 Alan Royle 5

  1967-8 #1        THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW #2        THE LUCY SHOW #3        GOMER PYLE U.S.M.C. #5        FAMILY AFFAIR #11      BEWITCHED #12      THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES #16      GREEN ACRES #19      GENTLE BEN (1967-9). A series about the adventures of a family living in the Everglades. Dad, played by Dennis Weaver of Gunsmoke […]

TV NOSTALGIA – Comedies, sitcoms, family shows Pt 2.

May 26, 2016 Alan Royle 0

  1960-1 #5        THE REAL MCCOYS   #11      DENNIS THE MENACE   #13      MY THREE SONS (1960-72). Fred MacMurray is widower Steve Douglas who raises his three sons with the help of his housekeeper ‘Uncle Charlie’. The irascible William Frawley (above right) developed health issues and was replaced in 1965 […]