Switched to Moonlighting after breakfast. "I See London, I See France, I See Maddie's Netherworld" from the fifth season has Dave and Maddie thinking about their mortality after a man dies of a heart attack in their office. A friend of his sends them looking for the other half of his lottery ticket, but there's a lot more to this case than two guys who might win big bucks. Meanwhile, the two detectives argue over the idea of there being something on the "other side."
Took advantage of the empty house to wash as much laundry as I could in the basement. My comforter and winter blankets desperately needed to be cleaned, but I didn't want to drag them to the laundromat or spend the money on extra washing machines for them. Changed the sheets while I was at it, too. It suddenly dropped into the upper 40's today! Turned on the heat and put on the flannel sheets.
Switched to Match Game '77 while eating lunch and putting my clothes away. Eva Gabor, country star Bill Anderson, and Betty White joined Gene and the regulars in the first episode for jokes about where pirates throw their darts and the Audience Match "___ Orange." White sticks around for the next episode, where she's joined by Susan Sullivan and Scoey Mitchilll. For once, Richard is the only person who didn't match, giving Gene a chance to sit under him and read him a question of his own.
Moved on to The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters as I made pumpkin cookies. Slip and Sach visit the Gravesend family in order to persuade them to allow neighborhood kids to play on their vacant lot. Turns out there's a reason the Gravesends keep to themselves. The male members of the family are mad scientists who want brains for their gorilla and robot, the dumber, the better. Auntie owns a man-eating tree she's hoping to feed Slip to, while cousin Francine is a vampire who wants a man, any man. The duo have to figure out how to escape this house of horrors, with what little brains they have intact!
Rose called as I was preparing to run errands. She and Craig are taking their kids to Hershey Park's Halloween festivities. I told them I'd feed their cats tomorrow. She finally showed up with the spare key to her house as I made the bed. I gave her bags of candy and cookies for her and her family. She gave me a box with mini-bags of Goldfish crackers, chips, and large cereal bars to give to trick-or-treaters.
Did a few shorts as I got organized. Olive Oyl and Popeye are "Spooky Swabs" when they have to clear ghosts out of a ship. Halloween has Olive spooked, and she thinks it's Popeye who's been playing pranks. Popeye doesn't need spinach to make it a "Fright to the Finish," just a little vanishing cream. Mickey Mouse tries to rescue Pluto from "The Mad Doctor," but may need rescuing himself when he ends up in the insane scientist's lab, too.
Headed out shortly after Mickey ended. Though it remained cloudy, windy, and cold, the rain vanished by 2 PM. I really did need to get some grocery shopping done. Had an online coupon for free Acme generic butter, along with more normal online coupons for broccoli, yogurt, whipped topping, bananas, and a cucumber. Generic toothbrushes were buy one, get one. Dug dark agave syrup, a can of mustard powder, and a dented can of crushed pineapple off the clearance rack and packs of crusted tilapia and spice-rubbed salmon out of the seafood coolers. Restocked jam, honey, cereal, white flour, milk, cheese, parchment paper, deodorant, and black tea.
Not a bad schedule next week. I do have more hours, but with the exception of another late day on Thursday, they're all in the morning. I'm a little concerned about that late day and a long day on Sunday, but I also have Election Day off (as well as next Saturday). At least I won't have to deal with politics-crazed crowds. I'll spend that day inside, cleaning and doing chores.
Watched Press Your Luck as I put everything away. It came down to the two women by the end of the show. The man had one turn in the second round and got hit by a Whammy. Both women won piles of cash, but one picked up a trip to San Diego that put her over the top and won her the game.
Worked on writing for the next few hours. Captain Gene Rayburn pilots his ship The Marauder back from a lucrative raid off the coast of Jamaica in the late 1700's. Among his crew are its only female officer Brett Somers, who directs storing the loot, and First Mate Richard Dawson, who drives and navigates the ship. Gene considers Richard to be his protégé and trusts him, but third mate Charles and cabin boy Gary Burghoff aren't certain he's worthy of that trust...
Broke for dinner at 6:30. Threw together ratatouille from the various vegetables laying around in my refrigerator to go with my barbecue-spiced salmon for dinner while watching Match Game '74. Richard nominates Charles for "___ Riley" on the Audience Match, even though it's not how his name's spelled. As it turns out, he was up there, regardless of spelling. Towards the end of the episode, a lovely young contestant who would eventually turn a lot of heads made her first appearance.
Cleaned up from dinner while Match Game PM was on. This 1979 episode was the first I caught on Buzzr when I started watching it last April. I'd recognize Elaine Joyce's leopard-print dress anywhere (when I wasn't ogling hot Lou Grant reporter Robert Walden). Meanwhile, Bill Daily tries to get his bad answers past the audience and Joyce Bulifant continues her matching and good answer streak.
Made apple crisp to go with that whipped topping during Sale of the Century. They're still on the "End of the Summer Bash." This time, we had a Glee club member, an academically-minded young lady, and a kid who was so short, I thought he might have been a junior high schooler. All of the kids got something, but the singer forged ahead in the Speed Round and ended up getting a Hawaiian vacation and the Bonus Round money.
TCM for White Zombie after a shower. Madelaine Short (Madge Bellamy) and Neil Parker (John Harron) are getting married in a plantation in Haiti owned by rich Charles Beaumont (Robert W. Frazer). Beaumont loves Madelaine too and goes to voodoo master Murder Legendre (Bela Lugosi) in order to win her. Murder encourages Beaumont to give his love a potion after her wedding that will "kill" her, so he can bring her back as a zombie. Murder's turned many of his rivals into zombies...and Charles ends up slowly becoming one, too. Neil and a local missionary (Joseph Cawthorn) have to figure out how to bring Madelaine back to life, without ending up becoming one of the undead themselves.
Weird little independent horror flick is one of the first to seriously discuss the walking dead. Those expecting the gruesome zombies of later films may be a little disappointed. These don't do much besides shuffle around until they attempt to push Neil off the castle walls in the finale. Critics at the time were a little rough on the acting. It's not great, but it's far from horrible, either, especially from Lugosi and Cawthorn as the evil voodoo magician and the missionary who will do anything to bring him down. If you love Lugosi or want to see where several zombie tropes got their start, look up this odd thriller.
Finished the night at Disney Plus for the classic Donald Duck short "Trick or Treat." Donald plays a mean trick on Huey, Dewey, and Louie, ruining their candy bags. Kindly Witch Hazel takes pity on them and casts a spell on Donald that'll make him give up those goodies...even if he has to dance all night!
Donald and the boys aren't the only ones enjoying Halloween frolics. Here's more spooky vintage Halloween tales, whether you and your kids trick-or-treat, hold a party, or celebrate at home.
Disney's Haunted Halloween (Educational Short)
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