Band Wagon Angels

Started off the morning with breakfast and Archie's Weird Mysteries at Tubi. The current soap opera Riverdale wasn't the first time someone attempted to go a darker route with Archie Andrews and his Riverdale High pals. This DIC cartoon from 1999 has Archie, Veronica, Betty, Jughead, and Reggie involved with genuinely spooky supernatural goings-on in and around their town. 

They often had a topical angle, like "Mega-Mall of Horrors." All the kids adore the new mall that just opened and its generous owner Mr. Arcetti. Everyone that is, except Jughead, who would rather get burgers at their usual hang-out. Jughead is the only one who notices when kids keep disappearing and the mall puts local stores out of business. Those unlimited credit cards Mr. Arcetti gives the kids are a lot more harmful than just maxing their accounts...and the new mannequins around the mall seem strangely familiar...

I originally had counseling today...but when I checked my e-mail, I learned it was canceled. Mrs. Stahl had a family emergency. Oh well. I'd just do today what I originally planned for tomorrow. I saw several thrift shops listed in the little town of Merchantville, just a few minutes outside of Cherry Hill. Thought they would be worth checking out. I couldn't really hang around anyway, even if I wanted to. They were attaching solar panels to the roof, and the banging was incredibly loud. 

It would have taken me two busses to get to Merchantville, so I took Uber. They arrived within 7 minutes. There was no traffic anywhere, not even in Cherry Hill. The lady pulled up on Park Avenue, Merchantville's main street, in less than 20 minutes. 

Merchantville's downtown is a bit run down compared to Collingswood or Audubon. Many of the Edwardian-era storefronts seemed to be closed or in the midst of remodeling. I did run across Irrina's Closet turning down Center Street. The little consignment shop was stuffed from top to bottom with designer clothes, shoes, handbags, and costume jewelry. Irrina herself kept pointing out where things were, even when I didn't need the help...but she also directed me to a half-price rack in the tiny back room. Dug up a really nice black suede skirt that would be great for interviews in colder weather and was only $14.

The Blue Monkey Tavern was a block from Irrina's. The heavy entrance door made me wonder if it was a speakeasy at one time. A church bell had just clanged noon as I arrived, so I was surprised it wasn't busier. There was no one at the dark wood bar, and only a few couples and groups of older ladies enjoying lunch at the booths. Too bad. They were missing out. My chicken prosciutto mozzarella sandwich was amazing, with perfectly cooked chicken topped with fresh cheese and sauteed sweet red pepper. The slender, crispy fries were almost as good as the ones from Crown Chicken and Gyro.

Alas, I had no more luck in Merchantville after lunch. I forgot today is Tuesday. Most thrift shops and local stores tend to close on Mondays and Tuesdays. I did check out a toy and collectibles store, but their collection of vintage and new action figures held no interest for me. I finally gave up and called Uber again from a bus stop. I wanted to check out the Goodwill in near-by Maple Shade. The driver was there in 8 minutes again

I must have pushed the wrong button, because I somehow ended up back at the Audubon Crossings shopping center. No matter. I directed the young man to the Goodwill in the back of the mall. Not the Goodwill I had in mind, but at least I made some finds. Picked up the original cast LP for the Sondheim 80's show Sunday In the Park With George and the full season seat for Super Friends: The Legendary Super Powers Show. Rose and I loved the show and the corresponding toy line in the mid-80's, and it's the incarnation of Super Friends I still remember best. (Sunday In the Park wound up being half-price.)

Made a brief stop at Five Below for water, then at Marshals to use the bathroom and look around. Picked up a huge and adorable sunflower-print bag for 70 cents and more of those yummy coconut strips I found at Trader Joe's. Took the long way home down Nicholson and the White Horse Pike so I could stop at WaWa and pick up a cool (and overly sweet) Tropical Smoothie.

At least the weather was perfect for a long walk. Yes, we were hot, in the mid-upper 80's. We were also sunny, without a cloud in the pale blue sky...and more importantly, we were dry. Not a bit of humidity today, which went a long way to making it seem less warm than it was.

Worked on writing for a while after I got in. Brett wonders where her marriage went. She misses Jack...but she also wants to prove to him that she can make it on her own. She has a good, steady job and friends who can help her out. 

Broke for dinner at 6:30. Watched The Band Wagon while I ate. I go further into one of Fred Astaire's best movies, about a washed-up dancer looking to make a comeback on Broadway, at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

The Band Wagon 

Finished the night at The Roku Channel with the first-season Charlie's Angels episode "To Kill an Angel." Kelly takes a little autistic boy on an outing to an amusement park. He runs into two murderers who drop their gun. Kelly's shocked when the boy, not realizing it's dangerous, shoots the gun at her. Horrified, Kelly and Jill track down the owners of the gun and the little boy's real mother in the hope of finding out where he is now, who used that gun originally, and why he had it. 

Sunshine Games

Slept in again this morning. Got started with breakfast and The Pink Panther Show on The Roku Channel. "Little Beaux Pink" wants to let his sheep graze on Texas cattle land, but the Texas cowboys try to drive him off. "Bear de Guerre" has the Inspector hunting in the woods, to the annoyance of a bear who is trying to hibernate. "The Pink Package Plot" has Pink trying to get a box to its recipient and past a very nasty guard dog!

Worked on writing after I took the laundry downstairs. Betty assures her friend that it's not her fault things went south with Jack. Brett claims they'd tried working things out for a while, but even her getting a role on The Odd Couple didn't improve their relationship. She knew he spent his money on gambling; he knew she was bored watching the boys and didn't like her drinking so much.

Tried job hunting for a while. I wouldn't mind working in one of the many local schools if it was a year-round job. Most schools here only need someone for the actual school year. It would be too much of a pain to try to find something temporary during the summer. Copywriting seems to require more experience than I have.

Broke for a very quick lunch and to finally get the laundry in the dryer around quarter after 2. Watched Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood while I ate and got ready for work. "Daniel Gets a Shot" which he's very nervous about. His mother and Doctor Anna encourage him to think about something happy while it's happening. Dan and O the Owl are happy to enjoy "A Stormy Day" outside, until the thunder rolls in! Mrs. Tiger tells them to think about things that cheer them up and play inside until the rain passes.

Went straight to work even before the cartoon ended. They were preparing to clean the floors up front and in the back room tonight, which meant every candy and magazine shelf up front and all the displays that weren't on a large shelf had to be moved and shoved into aisles. I spent most of the afternoon wiping down parts of the registers that were usually behind coolers and shelves and were a sticky mess. It wasn't really busy until rush hour, and even then, it could have been worse. 

Of course, when I tried to shut down, there was only one other person open. One guy ducked in after I'd already turned the light off. Another lady and her brood came in with a pile of gift cards she hemmed and hawed over before finally buying all but one. Yeah, thanks to all that, I was almost late getting out. 

At least I was able to take my bike this time. It was sunny and humid all day, but windy and not hot to the degree that it has been. There were a few fat clouds in the sky, but nothing threatening. 

Rushed straight home after that. Ate dinner while watching Match Game '79. Grand Ol' Opry cowboy Guich Kotch gets to read a question about what big fruit they put in a drink in Texas, while Charles teases Brett about her answer. Debralee Scott is more nervous about answering "Very __" in the Audience Match.

Finished up the night on YouTube after I brought up my laundry, watching game shows that flopped in one way or another. Take Mad Libs on The Disney Channel, for instance. Apparently, Disney tried a lot of game shows when they revamped the channel around 1997, but none of them stuck around for more than a year, including this one. This version of the famous books that have people slotting words into silly stories has more in common with the Nickelodeon Double Dare than Match Game. Two groups of kids first slot words into a story sent in by a kid viewer, then shove a ball back and forth while naming words that fit a category. In between, the kids do stunts that involve looking for words or going through obstacles to grab words and make Mad Libs. 

This is cute, but it doesn't have much to distinguish it from other Double Dare imitations like Full House other than the word theme. It is one of the only stunt shows that doesn't end on a huge, messy free-for-all obstacle chase. Instead, the kids have to describe a word and get their partner to say it, more like Junior Password. Otherwise, the word theme tends to get drowned in all the goop.

Kids and grown ups playing together goes back further on the networks than most people might suspect. The Generation Gap was the first show to pit adults against kids and teens to see who knew more about the other's culture. I'm a little disappointed this didn't do better on ABC's prime-time schedule in 1969. Not many game shows can boast appearances by the Ohio Express singing their hit song "Yummy, Yummy," Bill Kenny beautifully crooning "If Didn't Care," or a question revolving around a segment from Yellow Submarine. (Incidentally, this is a rare glimpse of the show's first host Dennis Wholey. Producer Jack Barry replaced him after the tenth show.)

Finders Keepers, one of the last game shows on the failed DuMont network before they shut down, has a few things in common with the later Nickelodeon show of the same name. Here, it's adults who call in and have to search a full, messy set for their entry forms, with the help of someone chosen from the audience. Host Fred Robbins came off as annoying and smarmy, but they did give out some nice prizes, including a darling puppy to one of the little girls from the audience who helped find the entry form.

The Celebrity Game would also inspire a later show. Two contestants have to guess whether nine panelists answered a question with yes or no. The panelists then toss out quips as they explain their answer. If all this sounds familiar, this is Merrill-Heater's less-elaborate precursor to Hollywood Squares. The show only lasted a year and a half on CBS in 1964-'65, but Merrill and Heater would keep tinkering with it, including an unsold pilot with Bert Parks in 1968.

Chuck Barris' wacky pageants and romance shows inspired their own imitations. The Cheap Show from 1978 crosses Barris' savage sensibilities with Double Dare stunts. The panelists, here Rita Moreno and David Doyle, ask the questions, and the two pairs of contestants have to guess which one is right. (There's always a chair for a third panelist who never appears.) If they're wrong, their partner gets slimed or has pies thrown at them. The winner gets the honor of spinning the wheel for a real prize, selected by "Oscar the Wonder Rodent." Um, yeah. Dick Martin seems to be having a great time as the host, but this show is weird even by the standards of Barris' programs. By far my favorite thing about it is the hilarious satirical credits, where even they admit the show is pretty darn strange. 

Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak may also have been inspired by other shows, in this case Family Feud and the Pyramid franchise. We have two teams here, one male, one female. One player from each team selects a word, while the others wear headphones so they can't hear it. The first player describes the word to the second player, the second to the third, and so on. This continues until they either finish the line, time runs out, repeats a clue already given, or gives too much pantomime. Neat idea, but I'm surprised anyone ever finished a line. It was too easy to give illegal clues or use hands. Forsyth's charming presence does manage to give this a lift and makes this fairly popular with the game show community.

Forsyth was far from the last British host to appear on a flop American game show. Cat Deely hosted 20Q, which was briefly part of a syndicated game block during the summer of 2009. In this version of the kids' game, audience members compete against a computer known as "Mr. Q." Those who can answer his question make their way up front, where they have to guess whether a series of clues is about a certain subject. They played two rounds in an episode. After the second round, the two winners compete against each other. The champ competes against Mr. Q to see who can figure out what something is in the least questions. An obvious Who Wants to Be a Millionaire clone is livened up by a brighter-than-usual set and Mr. Q's very funny wisecracks.

Celebrate these lost pieces of broadcast history with these rare flops! (Most of these shows even come with the commercials from their original runs. There's numbers on the copy of Finders Keepers, but DuMont shows tend to be very hard to find.)

Finders Keepers (1955)

The Celebrity Game (1964)

The Generation Gap Premiere (1969)

The Cheap Show (1978)

Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak (1986)

Mad Libs (1997)

20Q (2009)

Rainy Day Matches

I was up so late last night, I slept until 11 today. Put on CDs during breakfast. By the Beautiful Sea is a 1954 stage vehicle for comedienne Shirley Booth. The story of a vaudeville performer who saves her father's boarding house and falls for a Shakespearean actor (Wilbur Evans) was no great shakes then, let alone now. The actor's daughter, a teenager who is put in children's clothes to keep her playing child roles, is supposed to object to their relationship. I don't think they ever figured out what to do with her, She doesn't even get a song. 

Of the songs, Booth's comic lament "I'd Rather Wake Up By Myself" is my favorite. I also like "Happy Habit" for her maid (Mae Barnes) and the lovely ballad "Alone Too Long" for Evans. Most of the chorus numbers really have nothing to do with the story, but the lovely "Sea Song" and "Coney Island Boat," both featuring Booth, are fun. I've had this CD for almost 25 years, since I bought it from a (now defunct) music store in North Cape May around 1996. CD and original cast LP are pretty rare now; if you want to hear this, you'd likely be better off looking for it online.

Took a quick walk after breakfast. Wanted to drop off a bunch of books at the kiosk on the other end of the block. The book kiosks are brightly painted wooden cabinets on poles that function as mini-libraries and free book centers. You can donate books, or take them to keep, or take them and bring them back. There's a lot of these scattered throughout Oaklyn, including four less than a five-minute walk from me. 

Went home and tried to concentrate online while listening to Hello Dolly! Pearl Bailey's all-black cast from 1968 is by far my favorite version of this beloved show. Bailey's a hilarious Dolly; her "I Put My Hand In" and "Before the Parade Passes By" are especially strong. Cab Calloway apparently wasn't in the show for long, but he did manage to record the cast album, including one of my favorite versions of "It Takes a Woman."

Though the ground and road were largely dry and it wasn't raining by 2:30, the weather reports weren't promising. I called Uber to get me to work again. The one taking me to work arrived in three minutes; the one going home got there in 8, not bad for 7 PM on an evening with nasty weather. 

Work was off-and-on steady for most of the afternoon. We're still getting some pretty grouchy folks. People, I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do about inflation or bad weather, or if your cards don't work. It continued to be steady even after dark clouds moved in and it started showering heavily. The rain finally cleared everyone out around 6 PM. I spent the last half-hour shelving unwanted items.

(Incidentally, it continued to rain when I called Uber going home, though not quite as hard. It ended shortly after I got in, and I don't think it's done anything since.)

Took a shower, then grabbed dinner and finished off the night with the other Match Game Leading Lady marathon on YouTube. I missed the first two leading ladies, Michael Lerned of The Waltons and Lynda Day George. Arrived in time for war drama darling Denise DuBarry. Other leading ladies this go-around included Roz Kelly from Happy Days, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jennilee Harrison and Suzanne Sommers from Three's Company, Eva Gabor, Loni Anderson, Helaine Lembeck and Debralee Scott from Welcome Back Kotter, Dolly Martin, Jonnelle Allen, and Barbara Rhodes. 

Come out and meet some of the brightest stars to ever make a match in this delightful marathon!

Match Game Sunday Night Classics: Leadies Ladies from 1977-1982

Tangled Harvest

Got a quick start this morning with breakfast and Charlie & Lola. "I Wish I Could Draw Exactly More Like You," laments Lola's best friend Lotta when she can't draw her house as well as Lola can. Charlie and his best buddy Marv explain that everyone has their own art style and shows off the work of different artists to give them ideas.

Hurried out after the cartoon ended. Arrived at the Collingswood Farm Market around 11. Even at that late date, there were still people wandering around, buying produce for their barbecues and parties that were rained out on the Fourth. I saw peppers, raspberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, and cucumbers for the first time this year. They keep running out of cherries too fast. I ended up with blueberries, blackberries, peaches, a block of cheddar cheese to snack on, a just-sweet-enough strawberry rhubarb scone, and a bag of zeppole, a very moist kind of fried Italian pastry, for breakfast. (I wonder how they'd taste with a bit of honey inside?)

Went across the street to WaWa for a treat. Pineapple seems to be their big flavor this summer. I ended up with a tasty, if sweet. Pineapple Pina Colada Smoothie. It felt wonderful going home in the ongoing heat and humidity. Stopped at the A&A Pretzel shop for a can of Diet Coke and a twist pretzel to go with my lunch.

Put on Tangled when I got home and settled down with lunch. I go further into Disney's animated musical version of Rapunzel at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Animation Celebration Saturday - Tangled

Worked a little bit on writing after lunch. Brett claims she's not upset by the woman's insinuations...but then admits to Betty that it did sting. She feels like Jack threw her over for someone else already. Betty encourages her to move on.

Dark clouds moved in as I was riding home from the farm market. After the deluge on Tuesday, I wasn't taking chances. I called Uber for a ride. Both drivers arrived within three minutes, got me where I was going in five, and were fairly pleasant. 

The Acme was busy when I arrived. It cleared out when the rain finally started, but it did continue to be steady up until the last half-hour. We did have some really obnoxious customers. One couple loudly cursed each other out and threw a fit over who would pay their bill. Even the older couple behind them said their fussing was unnecessary and a bit childish. 

Later, a woman complained about her bill, claiming she could't be bothered to look at tags...and then saying to the teen boy who came in after me that she did look at them, but they weren't like she wanted. Lady, if you read the tags, you know what you're getting. If you can't afford to buy expensive items, don't. She ended up putting back all her non-food items because she said she couldn't afford them. I was very happy when it slowed down enough for me to head out without a relief or a need for one.

(Oh, and it looked like it rained earlier. The ground was pretty wet when I came out. To my knowledge, it hasn't rained since then, though.)

Had dinner while watching The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour. A very young Butch Hartman, creator of The Fairly Oddparents, among others, wound up being one of their biggest winners. He was finally taken down in this episode by a young woman with a charming braces smile. Arsenio Hall, Allison Arngrin, and David Ruprecht were among those tossing out quips and answers to goofy questions.

Moved to Tubi for The New Scooby Doo Movies. It's a Hanna-Barbara in-house crossover as the gang are stranded near "The Haunted Showboat." Josie and the Pussycats want to hold a gig to restore it. The captain does't seem very eager for the show to go on, especially after his partner vanishes and the ghosts of Injun Joe and Captain Scavenger wreck havoc. Velma, Josie, and Valerie think there's a lot more to this mystery than what's on the surface, especially after a southern businessman wants to buy the showboat. 

Tonight's Match Game marathon revolved around "leading ladies." From Broadway stars Ethel Merman and Nanette Fabray to soap opera beauties Brenda Dickson and Jamie Lynn Bower, many a talented female star answered wacky questions and fended off Gene Rayburn and Richard Dawson's advances on this show. There were also bombshells Lee Meredith and Louisa Moritz and two of "Barker's Beauties," early Price Is Right models Anitra Ford and Janice Pennington, along with teeny-tiny Laugh In comedienne Sarah Kennedy.

My favorite of these episodes is one of the ones I watched last week, featuring soap opera sweetheart Trish Stewart. Gene accidentally wrapped his cord around the poor girl's legs and yanked her off her seat! She was unharmed, but Brett and Kaye Stevens chewed Gene out for not being careful. Richard asked Gene to bring up a girl for him, while Charles pointed out that the Santa Monica Pier was better for fishing.

Stay on your seat for these hilarious episodes featuring favorite leading ladies of stage, screen, and television!

Match Game Saturday Night Classics: Leading Ladies from 1973 - 1976

Finished out the night with Lawrence Welk as he and his musical family celebrated the US, from Dallas to Charleston to Spanish Harlem. Given Welk was a born midwesterner, it's only natural both these episodes featured the band playing "Chicago." Guy and Ralna sing about that "Moon Over Miami" in 1971, while Guy alone shimmied up a pole in '81 to be the "Wichita Lineman." Bobby Burgess joins Cissy King for "Chicago" in '71 and Elaine Niverson and several others for a lively "Charleston" in 1981. (Check out Bob Ralsten's solo there!) 

Tom Netherton joins a bevy of wahinis for "This Is the Moment," while Anacani gets "Rose In Spanish Harlem." Arthur Duncan gives his salute to "Avalon" in '81 and says to "Meet Me In St. Louis" in '71. In 1981, little girl Kathie Sullivan gushes how "Everything's Up to Date In Kansas City" to reporter Ken Delo.

Celebrate American from sea to shining sea with Lawrence Welk and his musical travelers!

Salute to the USA - 1971

Salute to the USA - 1981

Run In the Sun

I was so tired, I slept until past 10:30. It was noon before I was up and about. Watched Match Game '77 while eating breakfast and getting organized. Comedian David Landsburg joins in as everyone tries to figure out "Portland __" in the Audience Match and Gene tells Marcia Wallace she needs to tame her copper curls. Real-life Brit Richard is more interested when he hears that the current champ intends to use part of her winnings to send her mother home to England. Richard speaks with his actual British accent for the rest of the episode. In the next episode, they all try to figure out "__ Softly."

Checked my schedule after I ate. Simplest schedule I've had in weeks, if not months. I work 3 to 7 the entire week but next Saturday, when I'm 1 to 6. Tuesday and Wednesday off, Tuesday for counseling. On one hand, I won't be making the greatest paycheck, but I will be able to rest a bit after this week.

Headed out to run errands next. Started off with a short stop at Family Dollar. I needed underwear. Some of mine have holes. I bought it, grabbed a bottle of water for the warm day, and got out. 

It was sunny and hot as heck, but a stiff wind kept it from feeling worse. I figured I could get away with going a little further afield. I hadn't been to Cacia's Bakery on the corner of King's Highway and the White Horse Pike for a while. They're a small Italian bakery and deli that mainly sells pizza, stromboli, and deli meats and cheeses. They also have containers of cookies and some cakes. I went for two containers of cookies, one oatmeal, one chocolate chip, for later and an iced butter cookie for right then.

There's a little hole-in-the-wall pizzeria, Toscana's, on the other end of the block from Cacia's. They're a pretty basic pizza place that barely fits into the long, narrow building. Their pizza was pretty basic, too. I went with a slice of cheese and a slice of broccoli-tomato. They were ok, but there are better pizzerias in this area, with better prices. 

I thought of riding down to Westmont to check out more stores there, but first of all, I've done a lot of that lately. Second, it was still too hot and getting hotter by the minute. Ended up ducking across Audubon and down Cuthbert to the Westmont Acme...and even then, I didn't really need much there. Just picked up yogurt and coconut milk, along with another bottle of water. They were both on good sales, though. I had so many online coupons for the yogurt, one came off as free.

Cut across Newton Lake Park on my way home. Took a shortcut up a hill past the Haddon Township Environmental and Historical Center. All of the rain we've had recently may be driving humans crazy, but it did wonders for the local flora. The trees and grass are far less brittle and greener than they have been since late May, and the Queen Anne's Lace and tiny daisies smell wonderful and look bright and peppy. 

Went online for a while to do some job research, but I just couldn't keep my eyes open. I almost fell asleep chatting with Lauren last night. I went down for a nap around 4:30. Got up at 6 and couldn't concentrate on writing, either. 

Watched Match Game '79 while eating leftovers for dinner. A tall, handsome young contestant from Maine certainly turned Brett and Barbara Rhodes' heads during these episodes. The first episode had a few jokes when Gene referred to the woman who checks men's zippers before they go out. The second had Barbara taking over briefly to show how tall she is and admire the very cute gentleman.

Finished out the night with this week's Pick & Play marathon on Buzzr. They kicked off with an episode of former baseball player Joe Gargiola's only week on Match Game '78. After that, it was what I believed to be a syndicated episode of Sale of the Century. The gentleman at the end has to choose whether to take that day's prize, or keep accumulating cash and get a better one. 

The episode of Press Your Luck was an early one from 1983. The Whammy ran fast and furious here, especially in the second half. I'd seen the Tom Kennedy all-star week of Password Plus and the 1980 season premiere of the Richard Dawson Family Feud before on Buzzr, but not the Bill Cullen Plus episode with Debralee Scott and Bill Anderson. 

The Heat Is On

Awoke around 7 to noisy banging. There was a roof being repaired. Tried to ignore it for two hours, then gave up around 9 and had breakfast. Watched Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while I ate. This is probably the last series you'd expect to have an Indiana Jones spoof, but they actually did two during the fourth season. I went with the first, "Quest for the Crystal Mickey." Kansas City Mickey and his friends have to rescue the title crystal statue from Bungling Pete and return it to the clubhouse before their beloved home disappears for good.

The banging got louder...and I got more and more annoyed. I finally gave up any ideas of getting any work done, packed my uniform, and headed out early. Had lunch at a much quieter Common Grounds Coffee House instead. Ordered a very sweet "Manor Mixer" - fruit juice and coconut milk - with slices of asparagus quiche and blueberry lemon loaf bread.

Work was mostly quiet. Most people are likely on vacation or are recovering from the 4th, and it was a sunny, breezy day, hot and humid day. There were some really obnoxious or annoying customers, including one older man who ranted for almost ten minutes about why he didn't want to buy more bags and why they shouldn't have been making people buy bags and how horrible it was that they took plastic bags away from people. 

I am so tired of hearing about that subject. First of all, the New Jersey government announced more than three years ago that they intended to ban bags, but put it off due to the Pandemic. Second, people are making mountains out of mole hills. If you don't want to buy more bags, don't buy more bags. Pack your items in the car. I think a lot of people forgot that the plastic bags weren't much better. They were too small, ripped too easily, and often got clingy and wouldn't open. Yes, you could use them to pick up after your pooch or as a small trash bag, but they were still just as likely to end up in a landfill. It's not my fault people keep leaving them in their cars. Thankfully, it was so dead by 6 PM, I was able to shut down and put away some cold items with no one the wiser. 

Went straight home after work. Watched Match Game '74 as I changed and got organized. Gene spent most of the episode ogling Louisa Moritz and her tight halter top. It was Betty White, though, who came up with the best answer as to what you get when you pour a lot of coins into one of those vibrating beds. Gene's also wondering why Richard has a beard. (In real life, it was apparently for a role that never materialized.)

Had dinner during Match Game '79. Barbara Rhodes discusses the show she was supposed to appear on called Mr. Dooley...which later became Mr. Dugan before it was yanked from the schedule and never did air. Bart Braveman has more luck with "__ of Salt" in the Head-to-Head.

Finished the night on YouTube with Delicious. I go further into the third Janet Gaynor-Charles Farrell musical romance with Gershwin songs at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.

Delicious (1931)

Adventure Harts

Slept in, but that left me with time for reading and writing in my journal and not much else. Dressed, grabbed a very quick breakfast, and headed out the door. Karen was waiting when I got out there. I realized how lucky we got yesterday when she showed me photos of her daughter's home in Haddonfield surrounded by water and huge downed trees. All I saw today in Oaklyn were a few puddles and some downed limbs. 

Our session in Haddon Township went much better than it has the previous couple of times we got together. We actually applied to a library assistant job in Voorhees. I didn't realize until later that the jobs require having a car and a driver's license as a back-up delivery person, so I doubt I'll get this. I really wish I could find something I would get. There has to be something out there for me I'm just not seeing.

I didn't even go inside when I got home. Since I didn't have a big breakfast, I thought I'd have brunch at Somerdale before I went to the movies. The Starview Diner is four blocks from the movie theater. Basically the same idea as the Westmont, but slightly cheaper and with a less diverse menu. Their scrambled eggs were bland without cheese, but they did make a delicious, crisp waffle. I should have sprung for the fruit cup; the blueberry topping was gloppy stuff probably taken from a can. There was a basket of huge soft cookies on a display as you entered. I bought one for later.

Walked the four blocks back down to the WalMart/movie theater shopping center. It was sunny and hot as heck today, in the 90's, but not quite as humid. The only evidence on the White Horse Pike of yesterday's deluge were some downed branches and dirt eroded from weedy plots. That part of the White Horse Pike isn't especially pretty anyway. It's mainly old offices, 70's-era shopping centers and diners, new liquor stores and pharmacy chains, and trash-strewn lots. I made a quick stop at one of those new businesses, a big WaWa, for a Propel on my way there.

Arrived at the Cinemark and ducked into the theater for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny with literally no time to spare. The ads were starting just as I sat down an empty middle row. Of the ads I saw, Mission Impossible 7 was by far the most interesting. I'm debating seeing that in a theater, given how impressive the previous films in the series were...but it's also a two-parter. I had no idea they were releasing another Big Fat Greek Wedding movie. I thought the first one was cute, but really had no interest in the second. I can wait for that one on streaming. No idea what Oppenheimer is, other than something they're pushing as a must-be-seen on the big screen. 

I'm not going heavily into the plot because of spoilers, but I did enjoy it. I liked it much better than the previous Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, and maybe even more than the badly dated Temple of Doom. Is it a masterpiece? Not at all. There's still the plot inconsistencies and wonky history that plague all of the Indy films, though at least the action set pieces seem somewhat more realistic than the ones in Crystal Skull. For all the excellent work in making Harrison Ford look younger early in the prologue, some of the green-screen effects are painfully obvious. Ford still makes a great Indy, no matter how battered he is, and Phoebe Waller-Bridge plays wonderfully off him as the daughter of an old friend who drags him into one last adventure.

That said, I can understand why this isn't doing what Disney had hoped for at the box office. While I loved it and have been a fan of this franchise since Temple of Doom came out, I wonder if this might have done better on streaming. There's no star names or obvious draws besides Ford, and though the Indy movies do have their fans, I don't think they're quite as popular as the Marvel or Star Wars franchises. 

On the other hand, I appreciate the chance to see an Indy movie in the theater. I was way too young when Raiders and Temple of Doom came out, saw Ghostbusters II instead in 1989, and had neither the money, nor the time for trips to the movies during the debut of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull in 2008. Once again, I think the critics are being kind of harsh. It's not up to Crusades or Raiders, but it's miles ahead of Crystal Skull and Temple of Doom. I'm going to say your mileage may vary. If you really love Indy like I do, you'll have a fine time with his final adventure...but I do recommend seeing at least Raiders and Crystal Skull first to get an idea of the characters and situations. 

Hiked up the hill to the massive WalMart after the movie ended. I wanted to find the soundtrack for Dial of Destiny, but apparently, it's not going to come out on physical media until August. Ended up with the full Murder She Baked Hannah Swenson mysteries (I can tolerate Hallmark films if they focus on mysteries rather than teeth-itchingly sweet romance) and two cartoon sets, the infamous Gene Deistch Tom & Jerry shorts of the 60's and a collection of Looney Tunes spoofs of Warners films and other beloved movies and Hollywood figures. This is one of the few places I can find Sunbelt Granola Bars, so I grabbed two boxes of those on my way out, too.

Got out with plenty of time to catch the bus on the White Horse Pike. The bus was on time, and though there was traffic, it moved pretty well. Dark clouds gathered in the distance, but they weren't as ominous as the ones that dropped that deluge yesterday. I felt a few heavy raindrops as I hurried home, but I don't think it did anything worse than that.

Went straight into writing when I got home. Re-wrote the opening so Betty now joins Brett at a table in the Green Room rather than in the dressing room. Brett doesn't want to admit the idea of Jack seeing another woman upsets her, but Betty knows it does. It's the reason she threw him out. Betty reminds her that she's better than him, and he isn't worthy of her.

Broke for dinner and Match Game '79 at 7. In the first episode, there's several jokes about bosoms as they comment on how Barbara Rhodes and Fannie Flagg most certainly do not look like Twiggy. They opened the second show with Gene Rayburn giving Dick Martin a kiss and discussing the Love Boat episode he did with Fannie Flagg. Another question prompts a full performance of "You are My Sunshine" by the panelists. 

Took down the patriotic decorations after I ate. Put up a heart-shaped wooden plaque with a sunflower in the center on my door and a pretty card with artwork of sunflowers on the front. Sunflowers are my favorite flower, so that's my theme for summer decorations. I likely won't put up any holiday decorations again until October. 

Finished the night on The Roku Channel with Hart to Hart. It's a "Passport to Murder" when the Harts take a yacht trip down to South America, only to discover one of their guests has been using the yacht to smuggle drugs. The corrupt sheriff thinks they're in on it and has them arrested. They escape while handcuffed and make their way across the countryside, searching for the real mastermind behind the drug ring. 

Rainbow Connections

Started off the morning with stories about 4th of July celebrations and America's independence from the Colliers Harvest of Holidays anthology book. The longer pieces here are a chapter from Little Town on the Prairie about Pa Ingalls taking Laura and Carrie to the new town's small Independence Day party and the full Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. We also get several shorter patriotic poems. The last chapter of the coffee-table history book Summer In America covers 4th of July and Juneteenth through the years.

Headed out after eating a very quick breakfast. Oaklyn's 4th of July Parade was at 10 AM...or it was supposed to be. I left at 9:45 and arrived at West Clinton about 8 minutes later to see families still lining up on the sidewalks in their nylon deck chairs and wagons and strollers. The Oaklyn Civic Association gave away free pretzels and small bottles of water in a tent at the municipal parking lot. I picked up a pretzel and a bottle of water and hiked up and down the street for a while.

Ran into Rose and her family about ten minutes later. I was able to give Finley her birthday presents. Her birthday was yesterday, but I didn't have the chance to give it to bring it over then. As much as she liked the stuffed dog in a hog dog roll, she really loved gray-striped Kiki the Cat in her sparkly pink bow. She and her dad Craig played with her for the next ten minutes.

The kids were starting to get a little antsy just as a Mr. Softee truck rolled into the parking lot. Turns out they were giving out free ice cream and water ice in honor of the Fourth. Finley, Rose, and me hurried across the street and into a long line. I liked the look of the chocolate soft-serve with chocolate sprinkles the mom in front of me got so much, I ended up with a cup of that.

The parade began while I was in line. Oaklyn's 4th of July Parade mainly consists of one brass band, a few local Armed Services troops, kids on decorated bikes, a motorcycle team on huge Harleys, and a lot of softball teams and civic services on flatbed trucks. One of the softball teams had by far the best theme. They were on a "Flaming Hot" orange-decorated truck and threw Flaming Hot Cheetos to the kids in the crowd. They ended up winning the float contest. Oaklyn's food pantry came in second, followed by the motorcyclists. A young man in a Philadelphia Eagles shirt did a not bad rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" after the parade ended. 

Though it was sunny and breezy at that point, it was also hot and murderously humid. I wanted to get something cold to drink at the Common Grounds Coffee House. It was packed before the parade, but it wasn't as bad later. I got in just ahead of the crowd. By the time I was waiting for my Frozen Hot Chocolate, there was a line going out the door.

Walked straight home after that. Spent the next hour and half eating lunch and watching the early talkie musical Sunny Side Up, which begins at a 4th of July block party in New York. Had just enough time to change, grab a snack, and head out.

Work was a mess when I got in. We had plenty of help, and there were still long lines. In addition to the holiday and it being the beginning of the month, Tuesday is our Senior Citizen Discount Day. Once dark clouds moved in, it cleared out in a hurry. A noisy thunder storm, complete with torrential rain and loud thunder, arrived around 5:30-6 PM. It died so quickly, I spent the last half-hour putting away cold items and had maybe three customers in the hour before that. 

I kept telling the managers that the storm wouldn't last until 9 PM, like the weather reports claimed. Storms that big never last long. Indeed, the sun was out as I rode home, even as the last of the rain continued to fall. I took the long way down Nicholson Road to dodge flooded areas on the Black Horse Pike, the rode down to the White Horse Pike to get around flooding in Oaklyn. By that point, the rain and clouds had blown away, and it was back to being sunny and humid. I even saw a beautiful, clear rainbow arching over Oaklyn as I crossed the Pike and pointed out to a family walking down the street.

Had dinner while finishing Sunny Side Up. I go further into this charming early talkie romantic comedy at my Musical Dreams Musical Reviews blog.

Happy 4th of July! - Sunny Side Up 

A friend told me the fireworks were still on, so I went out around 8:30 to find somewhere dry to sit in the park. Stopped at Dollar General on the way for a Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi. Strolled down to the park, which was busy...but no one seemed to know if the fireworks were on or not. People sat on lawn chairs and oversaw barbecues, and I could even hear amateur fireworks being set off in the distance.

Collingswood's fireworks were supposed to be set off at the high school. There were plenty of cars there, but no one on the grandstand or in the fields. I finally looked it up on the Collingswood Facebook page. Yes, it was postponed until tomorrow. Thanks for telling everyone an hour before it was supposed to happen. They should have canceled it when the deluge started, instead of waiting for the last second. There were people and cars all over the place, waiting for a show that wasn't going on. At least I did get to see some rather nice red and gold fireworks set off by families in the neighborhood on the way back.

I wasn't happy at all when I got home. Tried to cheer myself up with a few more holiday-related cartoons. The "me" in Ben & Me is Amos Mouse, who befriends Benjamin Franklin and helps him with his newspaper The Pennsylvania Gazette. He's fed up after Ben uses him for his infamous kite-flying electrical experiment, but it's their make-up agreement that eventually becomes the Declaration of Independence.

Amos isn't the only mouse who claims to have significantly shaped American history. In Yankee Doodle Cricket, Tucker the Mouse insists his ancestor helped Paul Revere with his midnight ride and created the first American flag. Harry the cat supposedly gave Tucker's agreement for all animals to live in harmony to Thomas Jefferson to re-write into the Declaration of Independence, while Chester Cricket wrote "Yankee Doodle" and recruited his animal friends to spread it to the humans.

Daisy Duck asks Donald to set up a picnic in front of the fireworks. "Donald's Failed Fourth" seems to be a disaster when the chairs and blanket won't cooperate, but Daisy appreciates his effort anyway. "Hysterical History" is Harvey Films' spoof of historical events, from the arrival of the Pilgrims to Alexander Graham Bell inventing the telephone. The short ends with a "follow the bouncing ball" sing along to "Yankee Doodle Dandy." 

The 1988 version of Family Feud with Ray Combs as host debuted on July 4th. I loved this show as a kid. It was on during a very difficult time in my life. Ray and his wacky families never failed to make me laugh with their often-crazy answers to silly survey questions. The show even kicked off strong with a great game and a really nice Fast Money win. 

And here's hoping you had a 4th of July that was equally fun...and much drier. 

Long Day's Journey Into Matches

Got a quick start this morning with two patriotic shorts on YouTube. "Patriotic Popeye" insists that his nephews stay safe on the 4th and avoid fireworks. The boys keep trying to sneak them behind their uncle's back...until one goes too far, and Popeye needs spinach to rescue them. "Yankee Doodle Pink" tries to ride a Redcoat horse to help Paul Revere deliver the news about the British, but the horse keeps finding ways to get rid of him.

Hurried out to work after that. It showered hard but briefly on my way there. I was slightly damp when I got there just in time. Good thing, too. We were insanely busy almost the entire day long. Even when we had enough help, we were still busy. Didn't help that we had cards that didn't work and held up long lines and people who were just rude, in bad moods, or gave me a lot of attitude. Thankfully, it emptied out later as the sun emerged and people went to barbecues and down to the Shore for the week. I was able to shut down at 4:30 with no complaints after the new cashier came and took over in front of me.

Went straight home and into the shower and doing the laundry, then had dinner while watching the final Match Game 50th Anniversary marathon. Some of the funniest incidents ever on daytime made it into the top 15 episodes. There was my personal favorite daytime episode from 1977, the one where Fannie, Richard, and Jo Ann Pflug on the lower tier played Charles, Brett, and Dick Gautier above them, to hilarious effect. My favorite night time show in 1975 had Richard guessing "Admiral Color Television" for "Admiral __" in the Audience Match. Gene bet him his answer wasn't on top...but Richard, as always, knows best. 

There were other shows, too. Steve Allen made his only appearance on a 1974 episode that had everyone walking off after a lady gave an especially racy answer to a question. Another infamous walkout occurred late in 1979, when the audience gave a better answer to "__ Balsam" than the panel in the Audience Match. McLean Stevenson turned up in late 1973 wearing nothing from the torso up but a bow tie, at least until Gene gave him a jacket. (And another one when McLean complained the first was itchy.) Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Jim Nabors, and Vicki Lawrence literally wandered in from filming the final season of The Carol Burnett Show in 1978 and stayed to play a round. 

Some of the most famous contestants on the show were seen here. Sweet Janet Finn nearly had a heart attack waiting for Charles to finally give his answer to "Russian ___" in 1974. Bertha was a dear older lady who never expected to win in 1977. Everyone was so kind to her when she did. They got a chair and tissues for her, and Johnny Olsen even brought her water. 

New Year's Eve 1976 featured balloons, streamers, an extremely ugly paper-mache bird dropping a 1977 egg, and two charming contestants, George of the sweet smile and a twinkly-eyed older lady who was obviously having the time of her life.  One of the best weeks of 1975 had Allen Ludden and Betty White on the same panel. A contestant was supposed to belly dance, but Brett and Betty had fewer problems with them playing "The Star Spangled Banner" instead!

Of course, it wasn't always fun and games. Things could occasionally get very ugly on this show, like during the notorious "School Riot" in mid-1977. The contestant answered the question as to where Dumb Dora sent her pearls with "school." Brett and Ed Asner said "college," which was accepted. Charles had to fight for his "scuba diving school." Debralee Scott said "finishing school," which was passed, then changed. Richard's "finishing school" was outright buzzed, as was a terrified Patti Deustch's "night school." Richard and Debralee angrily argued the ruling, the contestant drummed up the crowd, and even Gene couldn't keep order. Charles turned up on Gene's entrance steps as "the first victim of the School Riot," but the damage was done. The lower tier kept their answers up in protest for what little remained of the episode. 

Trading roles turned up in the top episode, another night time show. Richard once again played Brett, but Betty was Charles...and they were even funnier. Betty went in for a much deeper voice than Charles himself ever possessed (as he pointed out), making Charles' "macho" jokes. Richard, on the other hand, sounded a little higher than Brett, but he was hilarious in her glasses, using multiple cards to write an answer and drinking "club soda." 

Celebrate Match Game's 50th Anniversary with the best the series has to offer!

Match Game 50 Year Celebration - 15-1 and Honorable Mentions

After the marathon ended, I brought my laundry upstairs, the watched some of my favorite episodes that didn't make it into any of the marathons, including the series finale of the original 1973-1982 run. Hope you find them just as enjoyable as I did!

1973 - Gene's Wild Plaid Suit

1974 - Gene Goes Fishing

1974 - Burt Reynolds Cameos

1975 - Take It Off, Fannie!

1976 - The Brett, Brett Song

1977 - Richard's "Sat On" Mistake

1979 - Gene and the Excited Contestant

1982 - McLean's Big Kiss/Charles and the Dummy (Series Finale)

Fifty Years of Matches

Overlslept this morning! I had just enough time for reading Johnny Tremain, writing, eating breakfast, and hurrying off. At least I dashed into a sunny day. It remains smoky, hot, and killer humid, but a stiff breeze does help a bit. 

Work was busy almost the entire day. It's the beginning of the month, two days before the biggest holiday of the summer, and Sundays tend to be crazy even when there's nothing going on. It's the only day a lot of people can shop. Most people were in decent moods, probably due to the holiday, but we had the usual people who couldn't pay for a quarter of what was in their carts and had trouble with their cards. I was just glad when it slowed down enough by 6:30 for me to rush out with no relief. 

(Oh, and it looked like it may have rained earlier in the afternoon. There were a few puddles left in the parking lot, but everything else was dry. It just started storming again about an hour ago.)

Hurried straight home, changed, had a late dinner, and spent the rest of the night watching the next Match Game 50th Anniversary marathon. It kicked off with Richard taking notes on two pretty contestants and Charles handing one a card for his "acting agency." In the next one, Ann Elder shows off her neat sequined star shirt, Bert Convy nearly runs off with the contestant, and head boss Mark Goodson shows up to give Gene a needlepoint bag in honor of Match Game being the top show in daytime. 

There was the second episode where Gene climbed on top of the audience to get to a camera. McLean Stevenson chased Gene around the studio after starting off the show in the contestant's seat in mid-1974. Carolyn was the last major winner on Match Game in 1979; she went home with over $30,000, thanks to Brett. One poor contestant got so nervous on a PM episode, she forgot her husband's name. Gene and the others helped ease her into things. 

McLean and Charles hosted the show on two separate occasions in the Syndicated episodes. In 1976, country singer Bill Anderson performed a song for Debralee Scott on his guitar. Brett and Charles joined him dressed as cowpokes. One of the best early Syndicated episodes had Joyce turn up in a bright orange fright wig and declare herself to be "the new kid on the block," while a nice contestant named Ginger gives an extremely peculiar answer to what a jock centipede needs for his feet.

This one ended with my favorite syndicated episode. Betty White turns up in the very beginning sporting a flaming scarlet minidress that showed off every bit of her still-excellent legs. After McLean gives his answer as to what type of wrestling a farmer thought should be an Olympic event, Sharon Farrell and Richard Paul end up on the floor to demonstrate the answer. There's also the contestant who shows up near the end claiming that he laughs his kids awake...but his shriek is more likely to give them nightmares than sweet dreams!

Oh, and today is the actual 50th anniversary of the day Match Game debuted. I didn't get to see it, but MGP repeated the first episode at 3:30, as it would have been seen in 1973. Here's the link to that, the marathon, and an interview with Sharon Farrell, so you can celebrate the start of one of the most beloved game show franchises ever, too!

Match Game 50 Year Celebration Countdown - Top Episodes (30 - 16)

Match Game '73 Premiere Episode

Sharon Farrell Interview - Panelist on Match Game

Harvests and Matches

Started off the morning with breakfast and Liberty's Kids. This PBS series revolved around three kids - a printer's apprentice, a young French immigrant, and a wealthy girl - who witness the events of the American Revolution. In this case, the young lady, Sarah, helps Thomas Jefferson with the Declaration of Independence, while the boys round up the delegates from New Jersey and Delaware to join the debate on the declaration. They're all around to see the evens of "The First Fourth of July."

Dashed out shortly after that. I got up later than planned and didn't get to the Collingswood Farm Market until quarter after 11. Even that late in the morning, they were still overwhelmed with people buying produce for their holiday weekend barbecues and family get-togethers. Strawberries are done, but I was able to get blueberries and peaches. Bought six crusty rolls from the Italian bakery booth...and since it was late, an older gentleman with a heavy and charming Italian accent threw in four more. 

I wanted cherries, but they weren't to be found anywhere. They were all sold out. There's a little produce shop on Haddon Avenue, just a few blocks from the farm market and across from WaWa. They're owned by a pleasant Hispanic family who stuffed the little storefront with just about every fruit and vegetable that ever existed. Not only did I find cherries in the back, but they were in containers that were twice the size of the ones sold at the farm market, and they looked just as beautiful. They were only five dollars too, which wasn't bad for the size.

Stopped at WaWa for a drink. Turns out they have Propel now. I grabbed Strawberry Kiwi and got out quickly as I could.

At least it was a decent day for running around. It's still smoky and it was hot, in the mid-80's, but it was also sunny and windy. Much nicer than the killer heat we're supposed to get next week!

Went straight home after that. Put everything away, then had lunch while watching Uncle Sam Magoo. I go further into the second and last Mr. Magoo holiday at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog. 

Animation Celebration Saturday - Uncle Sam Magoo

Spent the rest of the morning writing the review. Literally hurried out with no time to spare. The traffic wasn't bad on either Pike, and I got to work just a minute or two late.

Work started out busy, with no help and several people in bad moods or with cards that didn't work. I got the manager to help with them. It thankfully died down as everyone headed to those barbecues and family reunions. It was so dead by the time I left, I got out with no relief and no need for one.

Hurried home and into dinner and this week's Match Game Saturday Classics Marathon. Match Game turns 50 tomorrow, so Match Game Productions is running the show's top 50 episodes throughout the weekend and on Monday. The marathon kicked off with the very first episode of the show, featuring its first one-time-only celebrity Michael Landon and its first memorable contestant, a beautiful woman named Stanley. Charles, Brett, Betty White, and Bert Convy made their first appearances on the third week, marking the first time Brett commented on Charles' lack of socks. 

There was the time announcer Johnny Olsen sat in for Gary Burghoff when he was late (and did very well, too!). Or the nighttime episode where Marcia Wallace gave an answer that was so sexually charged, it was censored. Or the syndicated episode where future talk show hostess Jenny Jones appeared as a contestant and won her first game. Other memorable contestants included sweet Carol Bartos, who would go on to win over $20,000, and cop CB Farnsworth, whom Charles and Richard made up a song about. The 1977 episode from yesterday where Polly Holliday's microphone died and Gene and Richard gave it a funeral turned up here, too, as did the first day of the Star Wheel seen on the Mary Wickes marathon last week. 

Two more night time shows were among the best syndicated offerings. Episode #11 vanished after its premiere and wouldn't be seen again until Buzzr unearthed it last October. After the contestant struck out, Richard finishes the episode reading a hilarious letter by a bricklayer who has a hard time keeping control of his wares. A much later episode from 1980 featured a gentleman in blue who hears Charles gives "Code of Arms" for "Code of__" and once again tear his name off the Star Wheel. 

Celebrate 50 years of wacky matches with this long and delightful marathon!

Match Game 50 Year Celebration Countdown: Episodes 50 through 30

And after you've seen the lunacy, check out this interview with head Match Game writer Dick DiBartolo on what it was like writing for the show!

Dick DiBartolo Interview - Match Game Writer