Afternoon Western Heroes: Ken Maynard

Ken Maynard in Tombstone Canyon a 1932 western that was released 78 years ago. This movie is typical of the western movies we used to see in the afternoons back in the 1950′s.

Maynard along with Bob Steele, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Jimmy Wakely and many other western stars kept us entertained after coming home from school.

I saw Jimmy Wakely in person while serving in the Army in Hawaii in the middle 1960′s when he put on a show at the service club. He was not only a movie star but also sang with Margaret Whiting on Slippin’ Around which went to No. 1.

He also had two No.1 hits in One Has My Name the Other Has My Heart and I Love You So Much It Hurts Me as a solo country and western artist.

Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Bobby Rydell 25 Years Ago

Frankie Avalon, Fabian and Bobby Rydell speak to Jane Pauley on Today show in 1985 about an upcoming concert in Philadelphia with all three of the Philadelphians on the same stage.

Carpenters: We’ve Only Just Begun

Karen Carpenter of the Carpenters singing We’ve Only Just Begun

Joan Rivers on Ed Sullivan 43 Years Ago

A young Joan Rivers (born Joan Alexandra Molinsky) at the age of 34 on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1967.

Ann Sothern: My Mother the Car

The 1928 Porter featured in My Mother the Car.

My Mother the Car was named by TV Guide in 2002 as the second worst show in television history with Jerry Springer being the very worst show.

Ann Sothern portrays the mother in the series but is never seen and for good reason. She probably didn’t want to be seen in such an inane show and the show was definitely the lowlight of her career.

Jerry Van Dyke plays the son of Ann Sothern’s character and in an unbelievable plot line buys a car when his mother’s voice is heard from a 1928 Porter automobile in the car lot.

Surprisingly the co-creator of the series was Allan Burns who went on to create the Mary Tyler Moore Show.

The first three episodes of the series had titles that had a car connection:

Come Honk Your Horn

The De-Fenders

What Makes Auntie Freeze

The last episode is a play on Desperate Hours movie with this show being titled Desperate Minutes.

http://www.slashcontrol.com/free-tv-shows/my-mother-the-car/129684986-desperate-minutes

The Desperate Minutes episode was better than I expected.