Two years ago today, I lost my best friend to a heart attack.  Woody was a year younger than me, so it really hit home.  Woody and I had grown up together on the south side of Indianapolis.  We first met in 1965, so in reality, it was a friendship that lasted nearly 43...
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Bummer!  I just learned that Carl Ballentine passed away last Tuesday.   Many of you won’t remember Carl by name, but anyone who has watched episodes of “McHale’s Navy” would immediately recognize the friendly face of the actor/magician who played the role of Seaman Lester Gruber – PT 73′s resident con artist. Born Meyer Kessler...
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I just learned that legendary songwriter Vic Mizzy passed away on Oct. 17. Right now several of you are saying “Vic who?” Trust me, even if you don’t know the name, you know Vic Mizzy’s work – especially if you ever watched certain shows from the 1960s – either during a first run –...
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Kids from my generation well remember what served as good clean fun for children.  We had Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, Buffalo Bob Smith, and Shari Lewis to name a few.  But the one who would always go all out for the big laugh was Soupy Sales. Born Milton Supman in North Carolina, Sales loved...
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Growing up in the ’60s I was part of the target audience for shows like I Spy, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., and even – or especially – Get Smart.  But the phenomenon that started the spy craze for me were the James Bond films.  After my parents divorced, the only time my father ever...
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