The Show Place

That's what our local cable provider calls the network that broadcasts vintage TV shows and series. While a number of them I don't care for I was brought up in the era when westerns were king of the airwaves so I was happy to see a number of old TV "Oaters" being broadcast. This happiness has been expanded by the recognition of "blast from the past" names of directors and actors subsequently recognized for their talents worldwide.

Last year one episode of Bonanza listed the name of Robert Altman (MASH the movie) as the director.

Then late last week yet another BONANZA was broadcast in which a very young Leonard Nimoy played a dastardly saloon owner. Unfortunately errands prevented my viewing the entire episode.
In any case a GUNSMOKE broadcast yesterday had a crew of unsavory villans take over Dodge City while Marshall Dillon was away. Of the 7 bad guys one looked very familiar to me so I hazard a guess as to who it was and the ending credits rewarded my observation. That actor was, indeed, a very young Harrison Ford.

This just emphasizes why some shows or even some particular episodes of series stick with us through the years. Talent. We may not realize just who in a particular episode contributed to our enchantment of that one standout but looking back it was IMHO the talent of the professionals, albeit young, at the time of original broadcast.

I've also seen Lee Marvin in a BONANZA just to drop another well known name.

TVL is TVLand, my husband watches it most of the day. I saw the Leonard Nimoy episode, probably on Monday since I was off then.

Anne, I don't think I could make TVLand a staple of my viewing but some shows like BONANZA & GUNSMOKE do still hold my attention. In fact better than when these shows were new.

I couldn't either, and as much as I complain about my job I don't think I could be home all day without some kind of diversion.

And today's episode of BONANZA had James Coburn guesting. He was the knife thrower in the movie "The Magnificent Seven" which also has shown recently on TCM.

Let's see, retired. Laundry, clean baths, mirrors, toilets, tubs, vacuum get a hobby, shopping, learn how to write stories or poetry or how to play a musical instrument. And don't forget exercise. We got a Wii for the winter months.

Today BONANZA featured Martin Landau of MISSION IMPOSSIBLE the TV show NOT the dopy movies (who played a blue eyed Mexican) and GUNSMOKE featured Richard Dreyfuss of JAWS & CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF A THIRD KIND.

Today's GUNSMOKE cast included Bruce Dern*, Tom Skerritt (Dallas in ALIENS) and some lady by the name of Miss Bette Davis. Name's familiar. I think she made a movie or two at one time.

*"Career
Early in his career he acted in the Philadelphia premier of Waiting for Godot opposite Lyle Kessler and first appeared on screen, for an uncredited role, in the 1960 film Wild River (film).[2] He then appeared, as a guest star, in several popular 1960s television shows, including Route 66, Naked City, Sea Hunt, Surfside 6, 77 Sunset Strip, The Outer Limits, and several others.[2] In 1964, he appeared in a major Alfred Hitchcock film, the psychological thriller Marnie, in a short role as the sailor seen in flashbacks about Marnie's mother.[2] Also in 1964, he had a very small film role in flashbacks in Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte as the spectre of the lover of the young Charlotte (a role played by Bette Davis). During the next 5 years, Dern continued appearing in several popular TV war, crime and western shows, but with multiple episodes per show, as different characters,[2] including: Wagon Train (3), The Virginian (3), Rawhide (1), 12 O'Clock High (4), The Fugitive (5), The F.B.I. (2), The Big Valley (5), Gunsmoke (4) and Bonanza (2), among others. During that period, he also appeared in several films, including The Wild Angels (1966), The War Wagon, The Trip (1967), Psych-Out, Will Penny (1968), and the early Clint Eastwood film, Hang 'Em High (1968) as a rustler/murderer.[2]

Among Dern's first 20 film roles was a part in the Sydney Pollack picture They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, in 1969.[2] In 1972, he played in four films: as the enemy and killer of John Wayne's character in The Cowboys; then, in the dark sci-fi film Silent Running; next with Jack Nicholson in The King of Marvin Gardens; and also in Thumb Tripping, after having been seen in over 90 TV episodes or films.[2] Dern is generally regarded as a character actor. He has a reputation of playing unstable and villainous characters, although his best-known role may be that of Freeman Lowell, the caretaker of Earth's last forests in Silent Running (1972).[2] Other memorable roles include Tom Buchanan in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby;[2] or a psychotic blimp pilot who launches a terrorist attack at the Super Bowl in 1977's Black Sunday, and as Capt. Bob Hyde in 1978's Coming Home,[2] for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In 1976, he appeared in Alfred Hitchcock's final film Family Plot, playing the boy friend of a medium played by Barbara Harris; Dern told an interviewer that, due to Hitchcock's failing health, the director often asked his assistance during the production.

In 1983, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the 33rd Berlin International Film Festival for his role in That Championship Season.[3]

His most recent efforts include the independent movies The Astronaut Farmer and Monster, a recurring role on the HBO series Big Love, and the monster movie Swamp Devil for RHI Films New York and the Sci Fi Channel.

On November 1, 2010 he was presented the 2,419th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His daughter Laura Dern and his wife Diane Ladd received stars on the same date too."

Isn't he also Laura Dern's father? Or am I way off base here?

Yep, he is.....

Iswot be correct again.

Didn't Xjmt already say that?

Xjmt wrote:Iswot be correct again.

HEY! I said it first!

Fight, fight, fight. .......oh, well.....it's just 'semantics'....

I'm sorry but this is the wrong forum for semantics.

Et tu, Xjmt.