He served as a lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps during World War II, where he wrote and performed music for morale-boosting shows.
Bobby Troup, born Robert Wesley Troup Jr., October 18, 1918, was an American jazz pianist, singer, songwriter, actor, and composer best known for writing the iconic song “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” as well as “Daddy,” which became a hit for Sammy Kaye, and “The Girl Can’t Help It,” made famous by Little Richard; he was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
This “Stand Out Single” was the first for The Monkees!
“Last Train to Clarksville” / “Take a Giant Step” was the debut single by The Monkees, released on August 16, 1966, just weeks before their television show premiered on NBC. The single was issued by Colgems Records (catalog number 1001), with “Last Train to Clarksville” as the A-side and “Take a Giant Step” as the B-side.
I watched every episode that I could, at least through the monologue if nothing else.
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a groundbreaking late-night talk show that aired on NBC from 1962 to 1992, with Johnny Carson as its legendary host. Known for its sharp monologues, iconic characters like Carnac the Magnificent, and classic interviews with celebrities, the show set the standard for late-night television.
Four more memorable people passed away in early 2025.
This group starred in most of the episodes of M*A*S*H; played the rememberable “NORM” on the TV show Cheers; was one of the engineers responsible for saving the astronauts on Apollo 13; and played memorable characters such as Chucky, Howard the Duck, and the dinosaur Tasha in Land of the Lost.
Spring of 2025 has taken some more musicians, actors and producers.
These artists have recorded country #1 hits like “You Always Come Back to Hurting Me,” “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico,” and “That’s the Way Love Goes”; performed comedy and TV on Laugh-In, Sesame Street, The Monkees; sang for bands such as Hairy Hippie, The Toilets, Seventeen and The Alarm; and produced over 1000 episodes of TV like Saved By The Bell.
Trachtenberg began her acting career at the tender age of three.
Michelle Christine Trachtenberg was born on October 11, 1985, in New York City to Jewish immigrant parents; her father hailed from Germany, and her mother from Russia. Her mother Lana was a bank manager, and her father, Michael Trachtenberg, was a fiber-optics technician.
These are some of my favorite sitcom Christmas episodes.
“Guess Who’s Coming to Christmas” is the twelfth episode of the first season of the American TV show Happy Days. It originally aired on ABC on December 17, 1974. Written by Bill Idelson, the episode features the main cast of the series, including Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham,
Airing on NBC for two seasons (58 episodes), the show chronicled the fictional misadventures of a struggling rock band.
The Monkees was my favorite sitcom as a child. Before video recording, I would use my Radio Shack Cassette Recorder to capture the audio of each episode. I didn’t have an external microphone, so I would stack up books and place the recorder by the TV speaker. I would then re-play the tape over and over and sing along to each episode’s songs.
Have you seen these? What are your favorites?
“A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a beloved animated TV special based on Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts comic strip. It premiered on December 9, 1965, on CBS and was written by Schulz, with direction by Bill Melendez. The special features the voices of Peter Robbins as Charlie Brown, Christopher Shea as Linus, and Tracy Stratford as Lucy.
Her striking beauty and Southern charm made her a prominent figure in television westerns.
Patricia Blair, born Patsy Lou Blake on January 15, 1933, in Fort Worth, Texas, was an American actress best known for her roles in popular television series during the 1960s. Her striking beauty and Southern charm made her a prominent figure in television westerns. Though her career in Hollywood wasn’t extensive in terms of volume, she made a lasting impression in several key roles.
