Discussion of the man and his work.

BRAIN MOVIES 3 & 4 - A Correction
Please note that the Birthday Editions of BRAIN MOVIES Volumes Three and Four will be available through Monday, the 27th of MAY 2013.

We apologize for the error in today's e-mail.

A Notice about the new BRAIN MOVIE books
I just read a notice about the NEW BRAIN MOVIE BOOKS, volumes THREE and FOUR. It was sent out by Harlan Books, and reads as follows:

"In five days—on the 27th of April—the Birthday Editions,
featuring more than 90 pages each of bonus material,
will go out of print."

Just a "heads up" for those who haven't ordered yet.

Mr. Dornan,
Your note lacked a formal address, as in "Dear So and So", or "Hi John Doe". And while a first guess would be that it was directed at Harlan Ellison, I'm not sure he -- or whomever the note might be for -- would know that for certain.

UPDATE FOR ROB

As of today, "it" has not surfaced at the HERC mailbox. Herodotus: "Patience is a kind of endless purgatory."

Actually, I made that up, but I enjoy aggrandizing myself with quotes and their sources bearing unarguable gravitas. Do with that what you will.

Yr. pal, Harlan

Harry O., its era -

Recently I started finding old shows from that era on YouTube and DailyMotion.com.

I found the pilot movie to the Six Million Dollar Man (YouTube), which, to my astonishment, I found to be quite good. The cast provided the impact, with the chameleon-like Darren McGavin stealing the show as the officious Oliver Spencer (in lieu of Oscar Goldman). McGavin is completely convincing in every note and gesture.

Martin Balsam (the first Rudy Wells) is ALWAYS good, whatever he does. I was fascinated by the tone of the show, meditative, almost Zen-like emphasis on the psychological ordeal for Austin (he attempts suicide), and relatively little on action. It was the internal story not the over-charged blow-up actioner we see today. I liked the approach a LOT. It would never be done that way now.

Even Lee Majors demonstrated some noteworthy acting skills.

My ONLY regret is the absence of that great music by Oliver Nelson.

Remembering 3 of 3
Let's take a moment to remember cartoonist George Baker (May 22, 1915 – May 7, 1975), who created the Sad Sack during World War II and continued drawing the comic books until his death. I don't remember ever buying Sad Sack comics, but there were always copies around - probably got them in the kind of complicated trades only kids can put together - and I always enjoyed them. You'd be hard-pressed to find more homely comics characters, but Baker made them human and relatable and very funny. Thanks for all the great comics, sir!

Recommendations
I watched the 1998 MASK OF ZORRO on Netflix recently, a film I had not seen since it was in theaters, and boy oh boy did I have fun. ZORRO is exhilarating, it's smart, it's sly, it's funny, and it's romantic as all hell. Recommended, big-time.

And to Harlan: dunno whether this has reached your attention, but Zachary Quinto and Leonard Nimoy teamed up recently for a delightfully funny car commercial called "The Challenge". I think you will enjoy it.

http://youtu.be/WPkByAkAdZs

Misplaced nostalgia
The following is a very silly question about something long in your past.

There's a blog called Mystery*File, run by Steve Lewis, where some of us gather to exchange arcane info on mysteries in prose, on film, and on TV.

There's a fellow named Michael Shonk, who is an enthusiast of early TV (as am I).
His most recent posting has to do with "King Of Diamonds", the Ziv show Broderick Crawford did after "Highway Patrol".
This show's executive producer credited himself with his facsimile signature, which Michael was unable to decipher.
Fortunately(?), I could; the signatory was "Babe" Unger.
I recognized that name from one of your "Glass Teat" essays, wherein you recounted a run-in you had with him at the rushes of "Ripcord" (the Camus affair).
I told that story (very badly, I'm afraid, but I did credit you) just now at Mystery*Scene, but my curiosity was stoked and I went to various sources in the Net to try and find out more.
And found -
- one photo of Mr. Unger on a "Highway Patrol" tribute site.
His real first name was Maurice.
And that's it.
That and your Camus story.
I pass this along by way of inquiring if you could help Mr. Shonk and me with any other information you might have about Maurice "Babe" Unger and his position with Ziv TV.

Well, I told you this was silly ...
All best to you and yours.

Remembering 2 of 3
Let's take a moment to remember Georges Prosper Remi (22 May 1907 – 3 March 1983), or as he is better known to millions of readers throughout the world, Hergé. The Adventures of Tintin was my introduction to comics from outside the United States, a world-expanding experience to be sure. Thanks for Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, and all the rest of your great characters, sir, and for the thrilling and comical stories you told with them.

Remembering 1 of 3
I have three remembrances today, but I'll spread them out over the next few hours...

Let's take a moment to remember the legendary Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930), the creator of the great detective Sherlock Holmes and the lesser-known but equally great scientific adventurer Professor Challenger. Homes is one of the best known characters in all of fiction and a favorite of mine. I also list Professor Challenger among my favorites. In addition to his fiction, Doyle's investigation of criminal cases led to the exoneration of two innocent men. Just one more reason to remember him fondly today. Thank you, Sir Arthur, for all the wonderful stories.

OK; I know this is my second post here in less than 24 hours, but, to tie in the lively discussion earlier on the new Star Trek film, I want to pass along the link for a listing of "Recommended alternatives to STAR TREK: INTO THE DARKNESS, as "The City on the Edge of Forever" was the first one listed.

Of the ones on the list, I would say, hands down, the best musical scores are the ones for STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN ("KHAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNN!!!) and STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT (which Jerry Goldsmith seemed to have recycled for AIR FORCE ONE. The theme he wrote for STAR TREK: VOYAGER is so beautiful and majestic...full of that high-octane Richard Straussian/Wagnerian orchestration....)


http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/news/2013/may/15/recommended-alternatives-star-trek-darkness/


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

OFF TOPIC:

Alex Lifeson's (I love that man!) acceptance speech for Rush's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (not that I care diddly squat for that institution) was one of the greatest things ever...RUSH AND ROLL FOREVER!!!

Jarvis
I, on the other hand, would prefer a troll-free environment. Especially trolls who wear masks.

The hell with that shit.

Chuck

Don't You Lie To Me
In regards to Doug and Shadow and Frank's comments concerning Paul Jarvis:

My first thoughts were "That was a lot of fun" "I wonder if he is for real?"

Sharper minds than mine have answered that question.

Nobody wants to be made the fool, but despite that, I have to admit that I would enjoy hearing his voice again.

My two cents.

jimmy

Late to the game here, but if I may - Both seasons of the very great Harry O have been recently released on DVD by Warner Archives, and are available on Amazon. Highly recommended, as is the great TV movie that served as a pilot, "Smile Jenny, You're Dead," also available on DVD. Worth the money.

Good lookin out Douglas.

Regarding Doug's note about "Paul Jarvis"
I had the same, gut-level, reaction to that post myself. Not just the obvious mis-spellings as regards English versus American, and cliche's like "a fresh cup of tea", "a right pickle", "contraption called 'Twitter'", etc., but also the "passive-aggressive" comments about things like Gay rights.
And, of course, "Jarvis" -- the cliche name for a butler -- seemed bogus in light of all the other things.

Figured it was somebody pretending, again, with sophomoric or even more malicious intent. But after a few people did the welcome greetings, I figured it best not to make a big deal about it. After all, trolls are best ignored.

But I'm glad to learn someone else noticed the fishy smell. I second that olfactory notion.

OFF TOPIC : Hipster Dinosaurs!!!!!!!!!!!



I love the one with the two dinosaurs, where one tells the other, "Don't be an idiot--Vampire Weekend and RaRa Riot sound nothing alike!"

The other one I love shows one holding a can of Pabst Blue Ribbon and saying, "I only smoke American Spirits."

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ihatedinosaurs/hipster-dinosaurs-ppz

Paul Jarvis -- Not

I guess it's on me.

Paul Jarvis is a fabrication, a caricature of an Englishman, a troll's construct. A native of the UK would normally write "laboured," "colour," and "defence;" not "labored," "color," and "defense." As well, he would not face arrest for the sort of comments he claims to have posted online.

Even more telling is the provocation in this passage:

"I visited a page belonging to a person campaigning for gay marriage and posted a few harmless comments. You know, something about 'liberal decadence' and how 'the lady-garden must only be invaded by the trouser-snake'. You know, well-judged statements that all right-thinking people would surely agree with."

That is the work of a baiter and an asshole.

I apologize for any embarrassment caused by this revelation.

D.

Mornin' to ye Harlan,

I'm figuring if you do not find my mail by Thursday I will simply re-send. Let me know if there's another address that might be better.

Apart, I'll watch for your confirmation.

Thanks for the vigilance.

All you webheads should be worried about Tumblr being sold to Yahoo:

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/why_is_tumblr_worth_11_billion_to_yahoo_you_20130521/

Harry O was a classic! He had that boat he was building, named The Answer, outside his place on the beach, but it never got finished. Sort of the dream project we all tend to harbor. I taped every episode off the cable channel when it was rerun. It's my favorite Janssen, although I am also partial to the TV movie Golden Gate Murders(which I also have on tape), because it featured Rege Cordic, who had a very funny morning radio show on KDKA for years when I was a youth, with skits involving alien creatures and movie/TV takeoffs like The Magnificent Several and Gunstroke. Anybody else remember Rege? Maybe Harlan knew him??

Harry O
Janssen's secret service/treasury agent series was called O'Hara US Treasury; it was a Jack Webb production and came before Harry O.

Harry O was a private eye series created by the late great Howard Rodman, who wrote the two pilot films and a couple of the episodes; some of the episodes were written by Stephen Kandel, as I recall. The show was a joy, and is well worth the bucks the Warner Archive is asking for it (and don't skip the pilot film Smile, Jenny, You're Dead which is available separately from the series sets). Believe Anthony Zerbe took an Emmy for his work, and Janssen was never better than he was here.

And I believe Janssen's last tv-movie was called City in Fear with Robert Vaughn and Mickey Rourke. Also well worth digging up.

Thanks to John and Mark
JOHN P: That was "O'Hara" -- I had to look it up. Wrong show. "Harry O" came later.

MARK T: Thanks for the feed-back. I was thinking about buying it on DVD, but I wasn't sure I could trust my early teen memories (and sensibilities). I noticed it got good critical reviews, and was canceled only because the head of the network opted for things like "Charlie's Angels" instead of an aged P.I. with a limp, who often took the bus because he (if I remember right) didn't own a car.

Anyway, I just looking for feedback from folks who might've seen it way back when to see if it was as good as I "remember".

Cheers,
DTS (who will now go into whisper mode for a few days).

United States
DTS,

Sure, I remember Harry-O. I think it was the last or second-to-last thing Jansen did. Retired cop (due to injury---he walked with a limp) working as private detective. Lived near a beach. That was a decade of PI shows, I believe. I vaguely recall it being fairly good.

Harry O
I remember it David played a Secret Service/Treasury Agent I think it was right before his last movie Birds of Prey

Does Anybody Remember...?
Hey, ALL: The early discussions of "Star Trek", etc., got me to remember a few TV shows I kinda dug during the '70s ("Rockford Files", etc.) and I'm now wondering:
Does Anybody remember a show called "Harry O" which starred David Janssen and Anthony Zerbe? I used to enjoy that P.I. show, and I think it was pretty good, but maybe my memories are colored by time and my inexperience and younger age at the time they aired.

Anyway: Anybody remember "Harry O" -- Harlan, Josh Olson, anyone -- and, if so, what'd ya think of it? Better than most, just so-so, or godawful?

Color me curious in oz,
Cheers,
DTS

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