It was raining hard when I got up this morning, and it hadn't abated by the time I left for work. Unfortunately, I not only had a hard time finding Uber drivers, they took forever to arrive. The ones going there and home were over 12 minutes, and I was late getting to work.
For all that, work wasn't busy. Many people may have done their shopping over the weekend or were avoiding the weather. It picked up a little later in the afternoon, but was never overwhelming. It helped that the rain slowed down by noon, too. By the time I finished, it had ended all together, though it would remain cloudy and chilly for the rest of the day.
Changed and had a snack when I got home, then opened two early eBay birthday presents to myself. With rumors flying around that the American Girl historical line is going to be revamped again later this year, I figured it was time to finally buy the last item from the previous revamp in 2014 that I wanted and could afford.
When the historical dolls were branded as "BeForever" that August, all but Kaya came in new outfits. I picked up Samantha's and Josefina's when they came out and Felicity's about two years ago. Molly's wasn't around for long and is now hard to find for a decent price, but I wanted Julie's for Ariel. It's a really cute flower-print tank top and bell-bottom jeans with a yellow crocheted vest. I actually like Julie and Samantha's 2014 meet outfits better than their originals.
I wanted the full soundtrack for Easter Parade after the LP version proved to be a disappointment. I poked around eBay and came up with a Judy Garland CD lot that included not only the soundtrack for Easter Parade, but also the ones for For Me and My Gal and A Star Is Born, three Garland pop recording collections (including a rare four-disc set from Japan), and the soundtrack from her Christmas special (which I already have and will be donating to Goodwill). Picked up the entire pile for $28 with shipping. The Japanese import alone probably cost more than that.
After all that excitement, I went down for a nap. I got up early, had a long weekend, and will be having an even longer week. I snuggled under the covers around quarter of three and was woken up by Karen confirming us getting together on Thursday at 1 around quarter after 4.
Next up, I took the laundry downstairs and pulled out my warm-weather clothes. It's going to be chilly this week, but we'll be in the 60's by next week. It'll likely be a while before I need the corduroys or turtlenecks again. I think Mother Nature is done with cold weather until next fall. I still need good summer clothes. I have one skirt and one good blouse. Also want to pick up a few more solid-colored, short-sleeved t-shirts.
Listened to records while I put the laundry in the dryer, then brought it upstairs. The film version of Sweet Charity came out in 1969 as Bob Fosse's first directorial effort. Shirley MacLaine is perfect as the sweet taxi dancer who is ever-hopeful that the right guy is just around the corner. Sammy Kaye is her boss, Chita Rivera is one of her fellow dancers, and Sammy Davis Jr. is the guru for a hippie-esque religious cult Charity's latest boyfriend is involved in. "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" is especially dynamic, and Davis Jr. steals the recording with the otherwise-extraneous "Rhythm of Life."
Rupert Holmes' She Lets Her Hair Down came out in 1981, though it was apparently recorded in 1969. That would explain the different feel on songs like the title number and "The World Doesn't Matter Anymore." I especially liked the "name" songs, "Sandra," "Robin's World," and "I Wonder What Happened to Sally."
Had a quick dinner while watching Match Game '90. It's a tad early for the Halloween episode, but that's probably the single best episode of the entire 90-91 series. You have Charles Nelson Reilly (as Superman with absurd inflatable muscles) sitting next to Brett Somers for the last time, Vicki Lawrence at her most acidic making jokes about her short Little Red Riding Hood outfit, and a close game. Ronn Lucas and his dragon puppet Scorch definitely win for most creative costume, though!
If the Halloween show is the best single episode of the 90-91 run, than the Veteran's Day shows were the best full week. ABC had Marines in the audience and playing the game, and they had a great time either way. They were especially besotted with beautiful soap stars Karen Wittier and Fiona Hutchinson, cheering every answer they gave, good and bad. Charles, Ronn, and Scorch are joined by Jo Anne Worley and Bruce Baum (for once not coming off too annoying).
Finished the night at YouTube after a shower with episodes of Hollywood Squares in honor of April Fool's Day and Peter Marshall's 98th birthday on Saturday. Squares actually dates back to The Celebrity Game, Heatter-Quigley's attempt to imitate the Goodson-Todman panel games. Two contestants have to vote on how nine celebrities will answer a certain question. This version was a little dull and didn't make it out of 1964.
Heatter-Quigley retooled it two years later as The Hollywood Squares. They kept the nine celebrities and two contestants, but now the celebrities are on a giant tic-tac-toe board and have to give an answer to a multiple-choice question. The contestants need to figure out if they're telling the truth, or are bluffing. If they guess correctly, they win the square, If they miss, the other contestant has to guess their own question. If they get it, they can get the square. One celebrity is a "secret square" that has an extra prize. Capturing that square will win the prize.
Bert Parks was the host in the pilot seen here, but he was never seriously considered for the show. Actor and singer Peter Marshall got the job (apparently to spite his rival Dan Rowan), and would pretty much be associated with it for the rest of his career. The freewheeling spirit of fellow comedy show Match Game proved to be a little too unwieldy with nine celebrities, so most of their banter was scripted, or at least prepared beforehand.
That suited its most famous center square occupant Paul Lynde just fine. Lynde wasn't a fan of improv, but he could put across a witty scripted zinger like nobody's business. Other celebrities who made frequent appearances in the late 60's and 70's included folksy Charley Weaver, mild-manned Wally Cox, erudite Vincent Price, sweet Karen Valentine, goofy Morey Amsterdam, and acerbic Rose-Marie. The network version ran until 1980; the syndicated show ended in 1981. It was so popular that in 1969, there was a short-lived Saturday-morning children's version, Storybook Squares, with everyone in costume.
I'm more familiar with the later syndicated Squares. I'm pretty sure I saw the mid-80's John Davidson-hosted Squares on USA as a kid, and I know I watched the 90's-early 2000's Tom Bergeron Squares in college. Joan Rivers was the headliner on the 80's version, which ran until 1989. Whoopi Goldberg started out as the producer and center square of the late 90's show. After she left around 2002, a variety of celebrities filled the center square for the last two years.
I used to love Hollywood Squares in college. It was so much fun to watch all those celebrities in one place, tossing out classic quips. I'd flip back and forth between Jeopardy! and Squares at 7 PM, then would settle on Wheel of Fortune at 7:30. Whoopi's version has frankly dated a bit better (it even has its own streaming channel now), but both are worth checking out for Squares fans.
(The most recent versions of Squares have been more for niche audiences. Two separate runs of Hip-Hop Squares in 2012 and 2015 and Nashville Squares from 2019 seem to be hard to find today. The current version, Celebrity Squares on BET, apparently returns to rap for its celebrity base.)
You won't be square if you spend your April Fool's Day checking out some of the wackiest fools to ever put over a bluff!
Of course, Hollywood Squares is hardly the only comedy game show around. Match Game Productions put out this short marathon of shows filmed on April Fool's Day in 1976 and 1991 tonight as well.
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