In Memoriam

Born: October 17, 1913 Died: December 26, 1971 He was the second actor in history to wear the cape and cowl of Gotham City’s caped crusader… The second 15 chapter serial featuring Batman & Robin came to theaters in 1949. Johnny Duncan stepped into the role of Robin (Dick Grayson), Jane Adams played Vicki Vale, Lyle Talbot played Police Commissioner Gordon (the character’s first screen appearance), Eric Wilton played Alfred, the Butler and William Fawcett could be seen as the eccentric scientist Professor Hammil. This time rather than sinister enemy spies the Dynamic Duo battle the scientifically sophisticated criminal known only as The Wizard (Leonard Penn). His career began in 1936 and he appeared in such films as Charlie Chan on Broadway, Big Town Girl, Charlie Chan in Reno, Mr. Moto in Danger Island, Charlie Chan’s Murder Cruise, The Mark of Zorro, The Dalton Gang and The Ballard of Josie. On television he made appearances on such shows as “Schlitz Playhouse of Stars”, “My...

Jack Kelk Born: August 6, 1923 Died: September 5, 2002 Tommy Bond Born: September 16, 1926 Died: September 24, 2005 The first voice of Jimmy Olsen came on “The Adventures of Superman” radio series from Jack Kelk in 1940… The screen’s first Jimmy Olsen came in the 1948 Superman movie serial played by Tommy Bond… As time went on other actors such as Jack Larson, Marc McClure, Michael Landes, Justin Whalen, Aaron Ashmore, David Kaufman and Sam Huntington would all take their turns as the Daily Planet’s best cub reporter. In Memoriam Remembers: Jack Kelk & Tommy Bond

Born: February 29, 1920 Died: January 22, 2010 From 1979 to 2008 he played Palmer Cortlandt, Sr. on the daytime soap opera “All My Children.” Even though he departed the cast almost two years before he was present for the show’s 40th anniversary on January 5, 2010. He also made appearances on such shows as “Lou Grant”, “Charlie’s Angels”, “The Edge of Night” and “Kraft Television Theatre.” In Memoriam Remembers: James Mitchell

He played the role when he himself was only 23 years old and the character itself was only 4 years old. Long before Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Christian Bale there was another man who gave a burst of life to Gotham City's winged avenger. The Dark Knight Detective...The Caped Crusader who made his first appearance in Detective Comics #27 in 1939 came to life in a 15 chapter movie serial in 1943. Along with him was his young sidekick Robin, the Boy Wonder (Douglas Croft), his faithful butler Alfred (William Austin) and his loyal fiancee Miss Linda Page (Shirley Patterson). Together they battled evil genius Dr. Tito Daka (J.Carroll Naish). At the time of course America was heavily involved with WWII and the threat that then rouge Japanese spies posed. Even though he only played Batman once and this project was one of the very few in his short career he still holds a place in the Batman history books... He passed away on August 9, 2000... Today, on what...

Today the star of "The Donna Reed Show" would have turned 89 years old...! She has been mentioned many times in the past on this blog so once again, in honor of her birthday... In Memoriam Remembers: Donna Reed

A great man would've celebrated a birthday today... His career spanned more than 70 years and included hundreds of films and television guest appearances. He died in July 2007 at the age the remarkable age of 102... Today, in honor of what would have been his 105th birthday... In Memoriam Remembers: Charles Lane

Born: May 18, 1928 Died: January 24, 2010 A wonderful character died yesterday... From 1959 to 1965 he played Adam Cartwright on the popular western drama "Bonanza" and from 1979 to 1986 he held the title role on "Trapper John, M.D." His guest starring roles include "77 Sunset Strip", "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.", "The Wild Wild West", "Gunsmoke", "The Big Valley", "Hawaii Five-O", "The Odd Couple", "Vega$" and "The Love Boat." In 1973 he appeared in an episode of "Mannix" - in 1997 that story was revisited on an episode of "Diagnosis Murder" with most of the original cast reprising their roles... In Memoriam Remembers: Pernell Roberts

Born: January 31, 1929 Died: January 22, 2010 A great actress left us yesterday... From screen favorites like Hamlet, Guys and Dolls and Spartacus to television favorites like "Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre", "The Odd Couple", "Hotel" and "Murder, She Wrote" she brought every scene to life with beauty, grace and elegance... In Memoriam Remembers: Jean Simmons

The character of Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's oldest and dearest friend, was first introduced in Batman # 16 in May of 1943. And long before he was brought to the screen by Alan Napier, Michael Gough and Michael Caine there were two other very distinguished actors who started it all... William Austin Born: June 12, 1884 Died: June 15, 1975 In addition to being the screen's very first Alfred in 1943's Batman 15 chapter serial he also appeared in such films as Alice in Wonderland, National Velvet and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Between 1920 and 1947 he appeared in 89 films. As the screen's first Alfred he could be seen driving for Bruce and Dick when they are in and out of costume. In this story, Alfred is used quite a bit. He goes undercover for Batman and Robin a few times and even attempts to aid them during a few fights. Eric Wilton Born: November 6, 1882 Died: February 23, 1957 The screen's second Alfred came in 1949's Batman and Robin ...

Thirty years after her passing... In Memoriam Remembers: Barbara Britton

Born: November 30, 1926 Died: January 17, 2003 This man is one of my personal favorites. He started out with bit parts in films and then went onto a successful career in radio with that hilariously squeaky voice he did. He worked with the greatest and eventually became one of the greatest… On radio he was best known as Walter Denton, the beamy eyed teenager, on “Our Miss Brooks” starting Eve Arden in the title role. He remained with the series during its entire run from 1948 to 1957. He could also be heard on “The Great Gildersleeve” and “A Date with Judy” in regular roles and as a recurring guest star on “My Favorite Husband.” It was his excellent work on “My Favorite Husband” that caught the eye of Lucille Ball and that is why she instructed her staff to contact him about appearing with her in an episode of her television series “I Love Lucy” adapting the script they had done together on radio. According to the actor in a 2001 interview he initially turned the offer down but ...

On this day 24 years America lost a great star… The silver screen saw her in such films as Shadow of the Thin Man, The Picture of Dorian Gray; It’s a Wonderful Life, From Here to Eternity, Three Hours to Kill and The Far Horizons… She brought life to the small screen as the star of “The Donna Reed Show” from 1958 to 1966…she also made appearances on “The Ford Television Theatre”, “General Electric Theater”, “Suspicion”, “The Love Boat” and “Dallas.” After battling a terrible illness she was finally called home to be with the Lord on this day all those years ago… In Memoriam Remembers: Donna Reed

Born: August 1, 1912 This very dapper and serious character actor began in films in 1943. He made a memorable appearance in the Alfred Hitchock film Vertigo in 1958... As far as television goes he was a regular cast member on the series "Channing" from 1963 to 1964. He also co-starred on "Mrs. Columbo" from 1979 to 1980 and on "I Married Dora" from 1987 to 1988... The two characters that I enjoyed the most were the ones on "Phyllis" and "Falcon Crest." On "Phyllis" he played Judge Jonathan Dexter, the second husband of Phyllis Lindstrom's (Cloris Leachman) mother-in-law Audrey (Jane Rose). Jonathan was always the straightman to the crazy and neurotic Phyllis. Jonathan also had an 86-year-old mother named Sally who was constantly driving him crazy. The worst for Jonathan was when she moved in with her 92-year-old boyfriend Arthur Lanson (Burt Mustin). Arthur made an honest woman out of Sally and they wed in 1976 ...

His life began on May 1, 1919... 1947 brought films his way and in 1948 he played Macduff in the Orson Welles production of William Shakespeare's MacBeth. His other film credits include The Blue Veil, Operation Secret, Robinson Crusoe, MacArthur (as FDR) and RoboCop along with RoboCop 2. On television he was featured most notably on "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" from 1963 to 1964 and on "The Long, Hot Summer" in 1966 replacing Edmund O'Brien who left after a brief time on the show. His other credits include "Cavalcade of America", "Climax!", "Lux Video Theatre", "Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre", "Letter to Loretta", "Kraft Television Theatre", "General Electric Theater", "The DuPont Show with June Allyson", "Playhouse 90", "The Untouchables", "The United States Steel Hour", "Bonanza", "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour...

Even though it was on radio from 1928 to 1960 with creators Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll in the lead roles it also had a very brief run on television from 1951 to 1953 producing 78 episodes… The Cast Alvin Childress (1907-1986) -Amos Jones Spencer Williams, Jr. (1893-1969) -Andrew “Andy” Hogg Brown Tim Moore (1887-1958) -George “Kingfish” Stevens Ernestine Wade (1906-1983) -Sapphire Smith Stevens Amanda Randolph (1896-1967) -Ramona Smith, Sapphire’s Mama Johnny Lee (1898-1965) -Algonquin J. Calhoun Nick Stewart (1910-2000) -Lightnin’ Jester Hairston (1901-2000) -Leroy Smith & Henry Van Porter Zelda Cleaver (1912-1990) -Clara Van Porter Lillian Randolph (1898-1980) -Madame Queen In Memoriam Remembers: The Cast of “The Amos ‘n Andy Show”

His life began on the 29th of December in either 1887 or 1889 different sources give different years. He began appearing in films in 1932 and before he appeared in his final film in 1959 he appeared in a remarkable 341 motion pictures and film serials. Some of his more notable film appearances include Stage Door, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Du Barry Was a Lady, The Shadow Returns and Flamingo Road… He first appeared on television in 1950 and went onto appear on such programs as “The Silver Theatre”, “The Cisco Kid”, “Dick Tracy”, “The Amos ‘n Andy Show”, “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show”, “The Gene Autry Show”, “Boston Blackie”, “Fireside Theatre”, “The Roy Rogers Show”, “The Ford Television Theatre”, “Duffy’s Tavern”, “I Love Lucy”, “The Red Skelton Show”, “Schlitz Playhouse of Stars”, “Lux Video Theatre”, “The Lone Ranger”, “Four Star Playhouse”, “December Bride”, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”, “The Gale Storm Show”, “Adventures of Superman”, “The Life of Riley”, “The Jack B...

January 5, 1914 ----A hero is born January 5, 1917----A legend is born Today would have been George Reeves’ 96th birthday. Of course he will always be remembered as the mighty man of steel but he also had a successful film career in the 1930’s and 40’s. He appeared in such films as Gone with the Wind, So Proudly We Hail!, From Here to Eternity and The Blue Gardenia. In 1951 he stepped into the role that would make him world famous. The feature film Superman and the Mole-Men hit theaters across America in November of 1951. Reeves played the dual role of Superman and his mild mannered alter ego Clark Kent and he was joined by Phyllis Coates as Lois Lane. The film was a lead in to a larger project already in production ----a Superman television series for the new kid on the block---television! The show began on September 19, 1952 and would run for six seasons producing 104 episodes before coming to a close on April 28, 1958. The iconic actor set the standards for e...

Today, on what would've been his 105th birthday... In Memoriam Remembers: Sterling Holloway

Her life began on February 7, 1913… She was present on some of television’s earliest soap operas. From 1951 to 1960 she played Sarah Dale on “Love of Life”, from 1970 to 1971 she played Aggie Parsons on “The Secret Storm” and from 1974 to 1975 she played Becky Winkle on “Somerset.” As the daffy Audrey Dexter she drove daughter-in-law Phyllis (Cloris Leachman) crazy on “Phyllis” from 1975 to 1977… In 1954 she appeared in “Hallmark Hall of Fame’s” production of Macbeth…her other television credits include “Goodyear Television Playhouse”, “Schlitz Playhouse of Stars”, “The United States Steel Hour”, “Car 54, Where Are You?”, “Dark Shadows”, “All in the Family”, “The Tony Randall Show”, “Rhoda”, “Lou Grant”, “Co-ed Fever” and “Roots: The Next Generations.” In 1977 she played Grandmama Addams in the TV reunion special “Halloween with the New Addams Family.” She left us on June 29, 1979… In Memoriam Remembers: Jane Rose

Happy New Year! I give a great big warm welcome to 2010!!! This year is going to be filled with a lot of changes I know it…some good and some bad. The first post for In Memoriam in 2010 will be a remembrance of one of animations most beloved female voices... Born September 13, 1908 she began in 1930 in Bubbles which was a Vitaphone Varieties Short. She provided the voice of Betty Boop for the first time in 1930 as well. She would go onto to voice the character in 111 projects. In 1933 she began voicing Popeye’s girlfriend Olive Oyl in the short I Eats My Spinach. She would voice the character in 151 more shorts by 1957. From 1960 to 1961 she voiced Olive Oyl in 143 episodes of “Popeye the Sailor.” She also lent her voice to other characters including Swee’ Pea, Little Bo Peep, Pudgy and Little Lulu… Her television credits include “The Bob Newhart Show” (1960’s version), “77 Sunset Strip”, “Naked City” and “The Corner Bar.” She also appeared in films such as A Majority of One, It’$ O...