Billie Rae Bates's Blog, page 62
May 18, 2016
Motor City Comic Con '16: A chat with Felix Silla
Actor Felix Silla's career spans five decades and includes great classic TV such as "The Addams Family," "Buck Rogers in 25th Century," "Battlestar Galactica" and "Star Trek." He played the alien on a "Dukes of Hazzard" episode that fans remember well -- if not highly: "Strange Visitor to Hazzard." He even was a penguin in the 1990s "Batman Returns" movie. You'd be surprised where this guy has popped up over the years.
At this past weekend's Motor City Comic Con at the Suburban Collection Showplace, Silla talked with Andrea Melchiori, Don Covell Jr. and Billie Rae Bates about his career.
Special thanks to Gary for the camera work!
At this past weekend's Motor City Comic Con at the Suburban Collection Showplace, Silla talked with Andrea Melchiori, Don Covell Jr. and Billie Rae Bates about his career.
Special thanks to Gary for the camera work!
May 13, 2016
Terrific TV Toys: "Dukes of Hazzard" coloring book
We know that little tykes have loved "The Dukes of Hazzard" since it first aired in 1979. And we know there was a ton of merchandise associated with the show back then, especially around 1981 and 1982. One nice little treasure discovered at a toy show recently was a "Dukes" coloring book, one of several styles released in 1981. Billie Rae Bates of BRBTV shows you each and every page this week on Terrific TV Toys ...
May 6, 2016
Terrific TV Toys: Some goodies from "ALF"
You remember that brown furry alien from Melmac? Really partial to cats? Well, BRBTV is happy to welcome back guest host Andrea Melchiori for this week's installment of Terrific TV Toys. Andrea is a big fan of the 1980s TV series "ALF," which ran four seasons on network TV. Andrea shows you the collection of "ALF" stuff she's gathered over the years, including the TV Guide she snagged at an antique mall the day we shot this episode!
Stay tuned, because next week T3 is headin' back to Hazzard County ...
Stay tuned, because next week T3 is headin' back to Hazzard County ...
May 2, 2016
A few photos from Cooter's Place ...
Special thanks to our friend Jason, who had a chance to stop by Cooter's Place in Nashville, Tennessee, the other day and sent us these cool photos ...
We love seeing the dioramas and all the other "Dukes of Hazzard"-related goodies!
Jason told us he spent way too much money there, and we can believe it -- BRBTV went crazy on just the stretch penny machines alone, the last time we were there! His visit included the newly opened Daisy Country next door ...
And here's a quick at-a-glance schedule, in case ya need to do a little trip-plannin' yourself ...
Photos by Jason; please do not copy without permission
We love seeing the dioramas and all the other "Dukes of Hazzard"-related goodies!
Jason told us he spent way too much money there, and we can believe it -- BRBTV went crazy on just the stretch penny machines alone, the last time we were there! His visit included the newly opened Daisy Country next door ...
And here's a quick at-a-glance schedule, in case ya need to do a little trip-plannin' yourself ...
Photos by Jason; please do not copy without permission
April 29, 2016
Terrific TV Toys: '66 Egghead figure by Figures Toy Co.
It's a most egg-citing week here at Terrific TV Toys. We have egg-cellent subject matter: the rather egg-centric Egghead, as portrayed by the egg-ceptional Vincent Price on the 1960s "Batman" TV series!!! Join BRB as she egg-xamines this egg-white-and-egg-yellow-clad action figure from Figures Toy Co,, the final figure in their Series 2 for the beloved Bat-show. Egghead was such an interesting villainous role for this late master of the horror genre! Such a strange egg! Does the face of this figure look like Mr. Price? We'll leave that to your egg-le eye to decide ...
After this, we'll take a break from the '66 "Batman" figures for a couple episodes, then return in full force! We've still got quite a few to feature!
After this, we'll take a break from the '66 "Batman" figures for a couple episodes, then return in full force! We've still got quite a few to feature!
April 27, 2016
Dennis Haskins talks "Dukes of Hazzard" at New Jersey appearance
Special thanks to fellow author Brian Lombard, once again, for this great report from the field ..
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This past weekend saw the return of the Chiller Convention to Parsippany, New Jersey. The stars always come out in full force for this event, and this weekend was no exception.
As with most Chillers, I always look for actors who might have spent some time in Hazzard County. This go-round there was only one to be found, Dennis Haskins. Haskins will always be known primarily for his role as Mr. Belding in the long-running NBC series "Saved by the Bell," a role that he admits would not have been possible were it not for "The Dukes of Hazzard," a show he became involved with during its initial production in Conyers, Georgia. Eagle-eyed fans will remember Haskins from the premiere episode “One Armed Bandits,” in which he played Moss, a customer at the Boar’s Nest who got a little too friendly with barmaid Daisy.
A native of nearby Chattanooga, Haskins (shown above left, with Brian Lombard) was heavily involved in music promotion and management prior to become an actor.
“I was working for Greg Allman at the time and somebody suggested that I go audition for the part,” Haskins said of his first entry into the "Dukes" universe. “After doing the pilot, I decided to move to Hollywood and become an actor full-time.”
After moving west, Haskins would make two additional appearances on the series, which itself had just relocated from Georgia. He played a barbershop customer whose car is stolen in “The Late J.D. Hogg,” then later played one of the visiting heavies in “Cale Yarborough Comes to Hazzard” (shown below, with fellow actor Al White).
“That was fun, chasing Cale around. Being from the South, I was a big fan of his.”
Those parts would lead to others, which would eventually lead to his being cast as Mr. Belding, in "Saved by the Bell"’s first incarnation, "Good Morning, Miss Bliss." Though it would be retooled into "Saved by the Bell," Haskins remained the only adult actor in the cast to survive the transition. And once the cast of teens graduated fictitious Bayside High, Haskins would remain as principal for several seasons of "Saved by the Bell: The New Class."
“All possible because of Dukes,” Haskins admits.
***
Brian Lombard is an avid fan of classic TV, and the author of the "Bradypalooza" guide to "The Brady Bunch."
Photos courtesy of Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission.
.............................
This past weekend saw the return of the Chiller Convention to Parsippany, New Jersey. The stars always come out in full force for this event, and this weekend was no exception.
As with most Chillers, I always look for actors who might have spent some time in Hazzard County. This go-round there was only one to be found, Dennis Haskins. Haskins will always be known primarily for his role as Mr. Belding in the long-running NBC series "Saved by the Bell," a role that he admits would not have been possible were it not for "The Dukes of Hazzard," a show he became involved with during its initial production in Conyers, Georgia. Eagle-eyed fans will remember Haskins from the premiere episode “One Armed Bandits,” in which he played Moss, a customer at the Boar’s Nest who got a little too friendly with barmaid Daisy.
A native of nearby Chattanooga, Haskins (shown above left, with Brian Lombard) was heavily involved in music promotion and management prior to become an actor.
“I was working for Greg Allman at the time and somebody suggested that I go audition for the part,” Haskins said of his first entry into the "Dukes" universe. “After doing the pilot, I decided to move to Hollywood and become an actor full-time.”
After moving west, Haskins would make two additional appearances on the series, which itself had just relocated from Georgia. He played a barbershop customer whose car is stolen in “The Late J.D. Hogg,” then later played one of the visiting heavies in “Cale Yarborough Comes to Hazzard” (shown below, with fellow actor Al White).
“That was fun, chasing Cale around. Being from the South, I was a big fan of his.”
Those parts would lead to others, which would eventually lead to his being cast as Mr. Belding, in "Saved by the Bell"’s first incarnation, "Good Morning, Miss Bliss." Though it would be retooled into "Saved by the Bell," Haskins remained the only adult actor in the cast to survive the transition. And once the cast of teens graduated fictitious Bayside High, Haskins would remain as principal for several seasons of "Saved by the Bell: The New Class."
“All possible because of Dukes,” Haskins admits.
***
Brian Lombard is an avid fan of classic TV, and the author of the "Bradypalooza" guide to "The Brady Bunch."
Photos courtesy of Brian Lombard; please do not copy without permission.
April 25, 2016
John Schneider travels to New Mexico and Tennessee to meet fans in the coming months
Thanks to Phyllis for passing along the latest appearances for John ("Bo Duke") Schneider of "The Dukes of Hazzard" ...
Personal Appearances
John will be meeting fans at the Galactic Sushi at 4311 N. Main St., Ste C, in Roswell, NM, on May 21 at 3 p.m.John will meet fans at the FanBoy Expo Comic Con in Knoxville, TN, on June 24-26. For more information go to http://fanboyexpo.com/knoxville/
TV
"The Have and the Have Nots" will air the second half of Season 4 beginning June 21 on OWN at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central. Schneider plays Judge Cryer on the series.(Frankly, BRBTV will be tuned in to "The Haves and the Have Nots" as usual, because the Hanna character is simply one of the best characters on television right now, hands-down!)
Personal Appearances
John will be meeting fans at the Galactic Sushi at 4311 N. Main St., Ste C, in Roswell, NM, on May 21 at 3 p.m.John will meet fans at the FanBoy Expo Comic Con in Knoxville, TN, on June 24-26. For more information go to http://fanboyexpo.com/knoxville/
TV
"The Have and the Have Nots" will air the second half of Season 4 beginning June 21 on OWN at 9 p.m. Eastern/8 p.m. Central. Schneider plays Judge Cryer on the series.(Frankly, BRBTV will be tuned in to "The Haves and the Have Nots" as usual, because the Hanna character is simply one of the best characters on television right now, hands-down!)
April 20, 2016
Terrific TV Toys: '66 Penguin figure by Figures Toy Co.
That Penguin sure was a dastardly one, on the 1966 "Batman" TV series, as played by the amazing Burgess Meredith. With his "wat-wat-wat" and his thin cigarette holder, he really defined how we thought of this mainstay Batman villain. This week's episode of the Terrific TV Toys series continues the Bat-Blitz of 2016 with the seventh figure released by Figures Toy Co. commemorating the '60s series ...
And as a special bonus, you'll see not one but two Penguin figures in this episode -- check out the Hasbro figure from several years ago, as a portly contrast!
And as a special bonus, you'll see not one but two Penguin figures in this episode -- check out the Hasbro figure from several years ago, as a portly contrast!
April 15, 2016
Terrific TV Toys: '66 Dick Grayson figure by Figures Toy Co.
Next up on the Terrific TV Toys series, it's the alter ego of Robin, that youthful ward, Dick Grayson, as played by Burt Ward on the 1960s "Batman" TV series. Clad in his cute little Robin-red sweater, he's a nice addition to the set by Figures Toy Co.
Terrific TV Toys: Dick Grayson figure by Figures Toy Co.
Next up on the Terrific TV Toys series, it's the alter ego of Robin, that youthful ward, Dick Grayson, as played by Burt Ward on the 1960s "Batman" TV series. Clad in his cute little Robin-red sweater, he's a nice addition to the set by Figures Toy Co.
