Tired of the "same old-same old" that irritates me on the news, we have fallen back on reserve forces-
Our "Roku" device.
Many of the TV offerings that I mentioned in that earlier post have "Classic TV" offerings:
"Twilight Zone". "Alfred Hitchcock", (both his original show and the later hour-long offering of shows that SHOULD have been limited to 30 minutes.) "Thriller". "Route 66". "Naked City". "The Fugitive".
And MORE.
It's such fun to watch these old shows I sometimes watched when I was a kid.
First... incidental cars that pass in the background as the stories unfold. Lots of old Coupes that make me drool. (How wonderful it would be to own one with modern underpinnings!)
A surprising number of Studebakers. And I didn't realize Police Departments used that many "Nash" automobiles back in the 50's. (Wow... those bathtubs were really UGLY!)
Secondly... some of the "bit" players in these old shows are REALLY familiar. I continually find myself asking Sara Jean... "who is that?", then waiting for the credits to roll to reveal it's someone that got famous later.
And sadly-
David Jannsen, playing "Richard Kimble" frequently puts a match to a cigarette during "The Fugitive".
He died at age 48 of lung cancer.
James Franciscus is COOL when he offers nearby actors a cigarette, then lights one up for himself.
He was 57 when he died of emphysema
And the one that really stabs me through the heart:
Rod Serling- (Real name "John Phillips"), a WWII paratrooper, was a chain smoker. Born on Christmas Day of 1924 he collapsed while mowing his lawn in 1975 and died during coronary bypass surgery at age 49.
All of the old stuff we're watching is telecast in black and white. And I am reminded how "normal" smoking was during prior to about 1970. It was the cool, macho thing to do,wasn't it? Just like "Vaping" today!
A couple other things we are noticing:
There are NO new story ideas for dramas. Everything is recycled from back when, and-
Actors are better at their craft today, even though unfortunately, they're regurgitating those old stories.
3 comments:
Can't help but agree... sigh
My dad had emphysema. He smoked but switched to a pipe along the way but would occasionally roll his own cigs I kid you not. I think working in an industrial enviro gave him the emphysema. My mom smoked like a chimney but never got lung cancer. She did die of a stroke at 71 however and I figure that is just another consequence of smoking.
Serling and the others just had the genes for honest to gosh lung cancer, ala.
Col.-
My Dad smoked from his teen years. He tried often to quit but didn't have the discipline to overcome the addiction. He too died of CA. Talking with one of his neighbors after his death I made the comment: "Funny isn't it that after his diagnosis he had the ability to quit?"
That neighbor gave me a strange look then commented, "When he would come over here he'd look for used butts on the ground, pick one up and smoke it."
The image of my Father picking up trash off the ground like some bum in a movie saddens and angers me.
Sigh.
Post a Comment