Bonanza - Walter and the Outlaws

From Season 5, the season's final episode "Walter and The Outlaws".  Aired on NBC May 24th 1964
Bonanza aired on Sunday nights 9-10pm and was the #2 show for the 1963-64 season.  It was sandwiched in the ratings by CBS' Wednesday 9-10pm power house combo of the Beverly Hillbillies at #1 and the Dick Van Dyke Show at #3.

In this episode the dog Walter is the same dog from the first episode of the 1964-65 season of the Andy Griffith Show "Barney's Bloodhound".  He was named "Blue" in that episode.

This episode is probably the best example of just how fun and funny Bonanza could be and how everyone on the show interacted so good to make it a hilarious episode.

Sanford and Son - Grady and His Lady

This episode of Sanford and Son aired on NBC Tv October 4th 1974
 (Season 4)

Fred fears wedding bells will break up his beautiful friendship after Grady announces he's engaged to Dolly, so Fred plots to puncture the romance

Sanford and Son - Superflyer

From Season 3 originally aired November 2nd 1973


Fred finds out he had an uncle Leotis who died and left him 1500.00 dollars.  Of course Fred has to fly to St Louis to get the money and Fred don't fly.

Golden Age of Radio - Duffy's Tavern

Today I have an episode of the great OTR comedy Duffy's Tavern
thanks to Bob Carmardella's podcast.

Duffy was never heard on the show, we have the tavern manager Archie, played by show creator and head writer Ed Gardner, (who speaks to Mr. Duffy on the phone each episode....but this one)

There was Miss Duffy, daughter of Duffy,  played by different actress' in the 10 run of the show, including Shirley Booth (of Hazel fame and then wife of Ed Gardner) and Selma Diamond who was better know to younger audiences as Selma the baliff on the great 80s sitcom "Night Court".
Eddie the Waiter played by Eddie Green until his passing 1950 and Clifton Finnegan played by Charlie Cantor and later by Sid Raymond.

Archie was the brainchild of series creator Ed Gardner, but when he couldnt find an actor with the right accent he stepped and became Archie.   Famous for his get rich quick schemes and malapropism this was one of the funniest shows on radio and ran on CBS 1941-42 then moved to NBC until the shows end in 1951.
A brief stint on TV did not prove successful in the 50s.

Top 5

The Top 5 shows of the 1973-74 television season


5 - Hawaii Five-O  24.0 rating (CBS Tues 830-930)



4 - M*A*S*H  25.7 rating (CBS Sat 830-9)



3 - Sanford and Son  27.5 rating (NBC Fri 8-830)


2 - The Waltons  28.1 rating (CBS Thurs 8-9)


1 - All In The Family  31.2 rating (CBS Sat 8-830)

Bonanza - The Blood Line

From Season 2, episode 15, aired December 31st 1960

The Blood Line
(missing original Bonanza theme)

Sanford and Son

Tonight just for a change of pace here is an episode from one of my favorite Sitcoms of all time, Sanford and Son.
This is called "My Fair Esther" from Season 5, aired November 14th 1975

Kentucky Derby - 2009

The 2009 Kentucky Derby saw the biggest upset since 1913, as Mine That Bird, a 50-1 shot slid past all the major contenders on the home stretch to take the win.
In 1913 Donerail was a 91-1 shot winner who set what was then the track record at 2mins 4seconds.  Donerail still holds the record for biggest upset in Derby history.  Sadly the smaller Mine That Bird would not win again on the track before retiring in 2010.  He did finish 2nd in the Preakness to the filly
Rachel Alexandra and was closing fast at the line.  In the Belmont Stakes he had the lead before slowing and finishing 3rd to Summer Bird and Dunkirk.

Fibber McGee and Molly on TV

I am big fan of Fibber McGee and Molly the classic old time radio show that ran on NBC radio from 1935 until 1959.
With the demise of radio in the late 1950s, NBC wanted to move it to television for the 1959-60 season but the original Fibber and Molly(Jim and Marion Jordan) were very reluctant to make the jump so NBC which owned the show by now recast the roles.
With the failing health of Marion Jordan the tv show wasnt really an option for them,but without them the flavor of the radio version was really lost and the new Fibber and Molly didn't gain any traction with television audiences. The show was canceled by the end of January 1960.