After I called the housing loan broker and left a message, I went to head out...and stepped right back in when I realized rain was coming down in a steady clip. Spent the next hour doing things online and listening to the original cast album for No, No Nanette. The 1971 revival of the seminal 1925 musical was a blockbuster hit in its own right, bringing 20's fashions and fads back into the limelight and giving Ruby Keeler one last chance at glory.
In fact, for all the fun dance routines like "Tea for Two" and Keeler's adorable "Take a Little One Step," my favorite number is a song for Keeler and Jack Gilford as her husband with three ladies on the side. "Only a Moment Ago" was either written for the show and dropped, or pulled out of the trunk and cut right before opening. Either way, though it likely did slow down the first act, on disc it's a charming reminiscence that reminds us why nostalgia is so important for many people.
The rain finally ended by 12:30, giving me the chance to head out on my bike. My first stop was the Audubon Goodwill. I had another bag of donations to drop off in the back. After that, I went around the front to the store. I considered records, but ultimately ended up with two books. My family owned Richard Scarry's Best Storybook Ever for years. For all I know, Mom or one of my sisters may still have our old copy somewhere. And this copy was brand-new and in perfect condition, with the only difference from Mom's copy being a glossy yellow cover instead of a rough pink one. I also found The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, by Sangu Mandanna.
Headed up the Black Horse Pike to the Black Horse Diner for lunch. I wasn't in the mood for Asian or stuffing myself on a buffet, I just had pizza not long ago, and I try to stay away from fast food. Ended up having a very tasty, if very messy, roast beef panini with Swiss cheese, tomatoes, and horseradish. Whew! That horseradish was strong stuff. It cleared my sinuses. The cakes in the display looked so tempting, I had a slice of carrot cake, too. It was wonderful, but too rich to finish.
I took the long way home across Audubon to avoid the traffic on the Pike and work off that cake. At least it wasn't a bad day for a long ride. While still gloomy and killer humid, it was at least much cooler, probably in the mid-70's. I went past Haddon Lake Park and Audubon High School to the train bridge, then went into a quiet Oaklyn. I saw kids riding around on their bike, but not much of anyone else. Most small local businesses are closed on Monday (which is why I did Goodwill today to begin with).
When I got home, I went straight into Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man. Here, the two are newly-minted private eyes whose first case is finding out who set up boxer Tommy Nelson (Arthur Franz) and got him sent to prison for killing his manager. He insists on being injected with an invisibility serum to help the guys figure out who did it...but him getting drunk and the effects of the serum on his mind don't help the situation. Tommy insists that he wouldn't throw a fight between him and Rocky Hanlon (John Daheim), and Morgan (Sheldon Leonard) had his manager beaten to death and him framed. He helps Lou knock out Hanlon and arranges a fight. Lou might not live to get in the ring when Morgan and his goons go after him and Bud, and then when he tries to buy him off.
This was surprisingly fun, more on the lines of Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein. The invisibility made for a lot of great gags, and Lou in particular had a great time with the boxing satire. Look for Leonard as the head gangster who cause the trouble and Adele Jergens as his tough-as-nails girlfriend Boots Malone, too.
Worked on Hilary and the Beasts for most of the afternoon after I got in. Puppy (Enid) help Hilary, Maple, and Betty find gowns in the mansion's attic. They emerge in lacy Victorian splendor, a riot of velvet, silk, and high ruffled collars. They even find a black velvet maid's gown for Mrs. Fox (Gertie) and a cranberry red girl's dress for Enid (based on the first Christmas dress American Girl made for Samantha). Hilary borrows a cape and bonnet for her and Troll's (Jeff's) reading of A Christmas Carol. It's a big success with the others...and Hilary can't help but notice how well they act together. She's almost considering saying "yes" to Troll's constant proposals of marriage.
Switched to Match Game Syndicated during dinner. David Doyle was a good friend and drinking buddy of Brett Somers, which is why he turned up so often during the late 70's and early 80's. He had the most fun this week, explaining his trademark gravelly voice and attempting imitations of Sydney Greenstreet. Gary Crosby and Rita Moreno were a blast, too. I wish Rita appeared on the show more often. She really livened things up whenever she was there.
Finished the night with British versions of American game shows. Game show formats have been traveling around the globe since the radio era. By the 1970's, England was even more likely to adapt our formats than we were theirs. Their version of Hollywood Squares, Celebrity Squares, has turned up three times on what's now ITV Central. I have the first episode of the 1993-1997 version, the longest-running to date, here. Bob Monkhouse was the "Master of the Boxes" in the original 70's run and the 90's version. Play is almost identical to the US version, but the bonus round with the cars is closer to the one for the 1999-2003 Whoopi Goldberg show.
They also had fun with Match Game on the BBC. Known as Blankety Blank in England, I have the first episode of the original 1979-1990 run hosted by Terry Wogan here. While the main game is played largely the same as in the US, instead of ongoing contestants, we have two sets of main games and Super Matches played per show, with the bigger winner coming back at the end for a second Head to Head. The BBC's low-budget prizes apparently became a running gag on the show, including the consolation prize checkbooks and pen.
Even the wild world of Chuck Barris found its way across the pond. Blind Date is the ITV version of The Dating Game. It's played pretty much identical to how it is in the US, with a bacheorette asking three bachelors questions, then choosing one for a date, and then a guy asking ladies questions. Singer Cilla Black is the knowing hostess. This couldn't be more 80's if it tried, from some of the questions to the huge hair on one of the guys.
Play Your Cards Right is the ITV version of Card Sharks. Bruce Forsyth hosted all three of its runs, from 1980 to 1987, 1994 to 1999, and a short-lived 2002-2003 version. In fact, Forsyth was so associated with the show, the 80's run was known as Bruce Forsyth's Play Your Cards Right. By the time of this 1987 episode, the contestants were all newlyweds, turning this into something of a cross between Card Sharks and The Newlywed Game. The front game is identical to the original US shows, but the bonus round involves asking more questions and then turning over cards to win points.
Even Nickelodeon shows traveled to England...and often did better there than they did here. Finders Keepers lasted 7 months on Nick in 1987-1988, but it ran from 1991 to 1996 on ITV's kids morning block and got a brief revival in 2002. Here, the bonus round, with the kids searching the entire huge weird stuff-filled house, was identical, but the main round was different. There was no looking for pictures, no questions, just kids searching the rooms.
Take a summer vacation to jolly old England and see how some American shows were translated across the pond!
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