Started off my St. Patrick's Day with Colliers Harvest of Holidays. They only have one story for the holiday, but it's a biography of Patrick himself. I didn't really know much about him until I read this, other than he drove the snakes out of Ireland. He started on the Scottish coast as a slave, but fell in love with Ireland and its people and returned there after he studied to be a bishop. Patrick not only drove out snakes, but the druids and their magic as well. I also did the short version of Darby O'Gill from the Disney Stories from Other Lands anthology, which is really just his encounter with the leprechauns.
Switched to the fourth season of Happy Days while having breakfast. "Joanie's Weird Boyfriend" is a member of a tough local gang she's hoping to join after a St. Patrick's Day party at Arnold's in an attempt to prove to her parents she's not a child anymore. Turns out their initiation is not only more than she can handle, it doesn't thrill Richie or Fonzie, either. Fonzie calls in Carmine "Big Ragu" Ragusa from Laverne & Shirley to help them deal with the jerks.
Joanie's not the only one who spent her St. Patrick's Day trying to prove how adult she is. The Care Bears are called to Earth when a cloud of uncaring spreads across Earth. Grumpy is tired of only helping people in bad moods and wishes he could help, too. After he finds a wish-granting four leaf clover, he uses it to defend Care-a-Lot from No Heart, until he runs out of wishes. He then has to prove to No-Heart and a little boy named Alvin that "Grumpy's Three Wishes" aren't all it takes to be a hero.
Headed off to work after that. Other than watching a short presentation on the computer late in the day and sweeping spilled cherry tomatoes outside, I spent almost the entire shift sweeping or pushing carts outside. At least it's still a nice day for it at this point. It was warm and sunny, though not warm to the point that it was earlier in the week, probably in the lower 60's. I was in and out with no real problems.
Tonight's Match Game marathon started almost as soon as I got home. Ate dinner while watching "The Ladies of Hollywood," which I suspect was his Women's History Month theme. It kicked off with effervescent legend Rita Moreno hosting a question on a 1980 episode. Country comedy favorite Minnie Pearl is probably the best lady who only played one week. I really wish they got her back from the Grand Ol' Opry again. She was charming, funny, and a darn good player. I'm not sure beloved Broadway star Ethel Merman really got the humor, but she played very well.
Glamorous Eva Gabor, on the other hand, usually got the humor, but didn't always have the best answers. She was such a sweetheart, and a real trooper, too. The episode they have for her refers to the time she hit her toe on a guy's foot and took the nail off, and she still played. Suzanne Somers was at the height of her popularity on Three's Company in 1977 when she became the only person from that show to appear on the original 70's-80's run. Cuban bombshell Louisa Moritz is best-known for starring in the Oscar-winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and her appearances on Match Game (and her very brief tops) could be equally wild.
Oscar winner Patty Duke was mostly doing TV shows when she appeared on Match Game, including the syndicated episode here. Though her battle with bipolar disorder sometimes showed in her lackluster or manic performances, she looks like she's having a lot of fun here. Likewise, Connie Stevens was another sweetie from the 60's who made frequent appearances in syndication and also battled bipolar. Phyllis Diller would remain a favorite in comedy clubs and on TV until well into the 90's. She did a few weeks in syndication, and I wish she'd come earlier in the 70's. She's an absolute riot, probably one of the funniest ladies to sit in the fourth "ingenue" seat. TV favorites Arlene Francis and Lee Merriweather also did well in the fourth seat.
Celebrate Women's History Month with some of the finest ladies of Hollywood in the 1970's and early 80's!
And here's hoping you also had a bright and sunny St. Patrick's Day, lads and lasses!
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