Keith Coogan Sings "Fifty Nifty United States"

In case you have been missing out, Keith Coogan has been posting his "Monologue a Day" project on Youtube. Each day, he posts up a new monologue. Some great stuff.

A couple days ago he posted this one.



Anyone else remember singing this in school? We sure did.

Although, growing up in Massachusetts, the ending was always "Massachusetts is the best".

Check out his Youtube page for more.

Andrew Koenig (1968-2010)

This is such a sad story.

Andrew Koenig, who played Mike Seaver's best friend, Richard "Boner" Stabone, on GROWING PAINS was found dead yesterday in Vancouver's Stanley Park after being missing for over a week.

Koenig had been suffering depression and had been off his medication for a year. From the statement on his father's website "Andrew died in his favorite city, filled with friends, in a park he loved."

As a regular watcher of GROWING PAINS back in the 80's, Koenig was the ideal "best friend". After the show ended, he did occasional guest work on other series, but moved behind the camera. He had been the video producer on the NEVER NOT FUNNY podcast.

By all accounts, this wasn't a tragic "former child star" story. Koenig was well liked and many who worked with him claimed they went a long time before even realizing his former career. On CNN, one person claimed he didn't drink or use drugs, or even use profanity.

He worked as an animal and human rights activist, especially for the people of Burma.  He was even arrested at the Rose Bowl Parade for one such protest .



Here is a video he posted of the arrest.

But, he suffered from depression which can effect anyone, whether they acted on GROWING PAINS or not.

In all my years of watching him though, I was unaware of the fact that his father was Walter Koenig, Chekov from STAR TREK. His father released the following statement on his site.

“My son took his own life. If you're one of those people who feel they can’t handle it any more, if you can learn anything from this: it’s that there are people out there who really care. You might not think so…but there are people who really, really care. And before you take that final decision, check it out again…talk to somebody. And for those families who have members who they fear are susceptible to this kind of behavior, don’t ignore it, don’t rationalize it. Extend a hand."

You can see more of Andrew's work on his YouTube channel

FORGOTTEN TV: SPOTLIGHT (Early 1980's)

Like HTN, Spotlight was a channel that was around in the early days of cable.  They were a bit more popular than HTN and remained for a few years longer.

Spotlight was an HBO like channel that aired movies 24 hours a day.  Their slogan was "Spotlight, shining bright, day and night, we light up the stars for you!"

On my cable system, it went off the cable system around 1984, replaced by Cinemax.  At the time, I thought it was just a name change as they were similar.  But they were different channels. 



Here is a bumper for the channel.

FORGOTTEN TV: HOME THEATER NETWORK (Early 1980's)

Back in the earliest days of cable TV, which in my case was 1981 and 1982, one of the first movie channels was something called HTN, or Home Theater Network.

HTN only cost $5 a month.  It also only aired two movies a day, both after 8 pm.  The films they showed were always PG rated.  They did occasionally show R rated films, but they were edited to a PG rating.  I remember them showing FIRST MONDAY IN OCTOBER and EXCALIBUR in this way.

Each month, they would have a little color guide of all the films they showed that month, something that many of the cable channels did. 

The channel wasn’t around for long.  They could get away with 2 movies a night in the early days, when even HBO wasn’t on 24 hours a day.  But, soon after, they were off my cable system.

FORGOTTEN FILM: ONLY WHEN I LAUGH (1981)

In 1981’s ONLY WHEN I LAUGH, Marsha Mason plays Georgia, an alcoholic.  As the film opens she is just leaving rehab after twelve weeks, hoping this time it will stick.  Her friend Toby (Joan Hackett), drives her back to Manhattan.  Arriving home, another friend,  Jimmy (James Coco), is there to greet her.   All three are actors, and all three of the actors were nominated for an Academy Award for this film.

Hoping that she is in a stronger place, Georgia allows her daughter Polly (Kristy McNichol) to come to live with her.  She is in high school and has been living with her father.  Georgia was in such a state that she never even fought to try and keep her, something that Polly has never forgiven her for.

Written by Neil Simon, and adapted from his play “The Gingerbread Lady” that starred Maureen Stapleton, the film has a lot of great lines.  The first twenty minutes are just about perfect.  Not having seen this since the 90’s, I thought I had underrated it quite a bit.

But, the second half becomes a bit unfocused.  There is an incident that happens to Georgia that is handled way too lightly, enough that it takes you out of the film.  In the play, this was done a bit differently and isn’t quite as unsettling. 

That said, there is a party sequence where there is as much tension created with Mason holding a glass of champagne that it is as suspense filled as any Hitchcock film.  Mason is flat out terrific in this film.

Everyone is fine, though.  Coco is one of those 70’s / 80’s actors that every time I see, I still miss.  Same with McNichol.  She was the main reason I wanted to see this when it came out in 1981, but due to it being R-rated (for one use of the F word), I wasn’t able to. 

This was director Glenn Jordan’s first theatrical feature.  He is still primarily a TV director.  He would go on to direct THE BUDDY SYSTEM, MASS APPEAL, SARAH PLAIN AND TALL, and the brilliant BARBARIANS AT THE GATE among many other films.  He also later adapted Simon’s JAKE’S WOMEN.

Released by Columbia, the rights are with Sony which means that it is doubtful this will turn up on DVD any time soon.  Seeing it at all in recent years has been difficult. The VHS has been out of print since the early days of video.  In the 90’s, I found a used laserdisc of the film.  It does show up on TV, although rarely.  It recently played on TCM in a letterboxed print.

FORGOTTEN FILM: IT'S MY TURN (1980)

The 1980 film IT’S MY TURN may be best known for its theme song. Sung by Diana Ross, and written by Carole Bayer Sager and Michael Masser, the song can still be heard today while the film it is from has been forgotten



Here is the song.

In the film, Jill Clayburgh is a mathematics professor in Chicago. She lives with Charles Grodin. It isn’t an exciting life. She heads off to an interview in New York, which coincides with her father’s wedding. Steven Hill plays her father.

At the wedding, she meets her father’s bride’s son (a bearded Michael Douglas). Douglas is a former baseball player who injured his shoulder and has retired. The two develop a relationship.

IT’S MY TURN is a film that could have only been released in the late 70’s, early 80’s. It is a character driven story. I think I have given away the entire plot of the film. Once Clayburgh gets to New York, she and Douglas walk around and talk. That just doesn’t go on in films anymore. Characters don’t matter any more.

It also works as a look at turn of the decade New York. There is a lengthy scene set in the hotel game room. This is a fascinating time capsule of an arcade pre-Pac Man that I loved to see again.

There is another trip to an Old timers game at Yankee Stadium where former baseball greats Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford and more are shown playing the game.

Sadly, while little happens in the film, the film isn’t all that interesting as it goes on. Douglas’ character undergoes several odd and rather unbelievable personality switches. You never really buy his character.

Still, Clayburgh more than carries the film. Of all the actresses of the era, she was one of the most reliable. She is wonderful here as she usually is.

The theme song is present in instrumental throughout the film, only to kick in with the Diana Ross version at the end. Also present is a very peppy Patrick Williams score that has the feel of other Columbia Pictures films of the time period (and judging by the fact he did the scores for HOT STUFF, USED CARS, THE TOY, and several other films, that makes sense)

This was the first screenplay by Eleanor Bergstein. Her next film would be even bigger, DIRTY DANCING. Director Claudia Weill had more success in TV, directing episodes of some of the best series of the 90’s including thirtysomething, MY SO-CALLED LIFE, and ONCE AND AGAIN.

As it is a Columbia Picture, rights are with Sony. Sony has given up on library titles so this will probably remain on the shelf.

I recently saw it on Universal HD. It was good looking print, only with some of the language edited and the ending theme sped up for time!! Through it, there were ads in the middle saying “Universal HD. Uncut movies”.

Kind of false advertising.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO: Glenn Scarpelli

Glenn Scarpelli was all over the TV in the 80’s. He was one of the big 80's "teen heartthrobs".  Glenn was even in comic books.

He began acting in films such as 1975’s FORCED ENTRY, with Tanya Roberts, and 1978’s NUNZIO. He also appeared on Broadway opposite Anne Bancroft in GOLDA and Al Pacino in a 1979 production of RICHARD III.

Where many people first saw him was as one of THE BLOODHOUND GANG in segments on 3-2-1 CONTACT. A favorite show of many (including myself) the mini mysteries were one of the most memorable parts of the show.



And now that I have watched that clip, I’m going to have the theme song stuck in my head again.

There were more movies, ONE TRICK PONY with Paul Simon, and Peter Bogdanovich’s THEY ALL LAUGHED where he played Audrey Hepburn’s son. A highly underrated film.



For those that didn’t watch 3-2-1 CONTACT, Glenn may be best remembered as Alex on ONE DAY AT A TIME. He joined the cast later in the run.

One of the most interesting parts of his celebrity, that I actually remember, was his appearing in Archie Comics!! Strange crossover, an actor on ONE DAY AT A TIME in Archie Comics? But there was a reason. His father, Henry Scarpelli, was one of the Archie Comics artists.



He followed up that with a supporting role on the sitcom JENNIFER SLEPT HERE. This sitcom, that I watched regularly, was recently referred to on 30 ROCK by Kenneth the page as "the show where Ann Jillian played a ghost of a Hollywood starlet who gave advice to teenagers".

Through the rest of the decade, he would appear in a few films and TV shows. There was an episode of AMAZING STORIES (directed by Martin Scorsese), he had three trips on THE LOVE BOAT, a film with F. Murray Abraham called THE FAVORITE in 1989, and an episode of MACGYVER. His final role was a 1995 ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL.

So What Ever Happened To Him?

I'm happy to say that Glenn is doing well.

I was able to contact him and find out directly from him what he is up to.

I left acting 20 years ago (or so) because, at that time, I wasn't able to be out and honest about who I am. The entertainment industry wasn't able to encourage that..... we've come a long way. I am grateful to have found peace in my heart.... living a healthy and happy life in Sedona.

I have been living in Sedona, Az for over a decade. I co-own a TV Station here with my husband, Jude Belanger. It's called Sedona NOW, channel 18. Jude and I have been together for 12 years but had the opportunity to get married in LA in 2008 before the Prop 8 debacle. we are still legally married there.

I had to ask him about his time on The Bloodhound Gang.

I think it's too cool that The Bloodhound Gang is a blog favorite. Right on!!!! It was a great experience in my childhood. 321 Contact left an impression with many children and the Bloodhound gang was a special part of it!!!

If you check out the Sedona Now website you can see parts of Glenn’s interview show.

He still looks the same.

Glenn was a favorite of many during the 80's. It is great to see that he is still out there happy with his life today.

"Walt Disney And You": Walt Disney Home Video in the 1980's

Back in the earliest days of video, Walt Disney Home Video had the above promo on all of their home video releases. I saw it so often, I still know the song that went along with it.

It still stands as a great way to learn about the studio and their films. I still love the final minute, the montage of all the title sequences from the films.

The Griswold's Super Bowl Commercial

Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo are teaming up again for a new VACATION themed Super Bowl commercial.

Here is a preview



It is for HomeAway.com a vacation rentals company.

EDIT: Here is the full version of the ad.

FORGOTTEN FILM: ON THE RIGHT TRACK (1981)

With DIFF’RENT STROKES, Gary Coleman became one of the most popular actors on TV. After a few TV movies, he made his feature film debut with 1981’s ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

A staple of the early days of pay cable, where I must have seen it 20 times at least, the film stars Gary as Lester, a shoeshine boy with a special power. When he is shining shoes, he can predict who wins various horse races. If I remember correctly, he lives underground in a train station and is afraid to go into the outside world.

The supporting cast included Maureen Stapleton, Norman Fell, Michael Lemberck and Lisa Eilbacher. Jami Gertz is billed in the credits as “Big Girl”. This was a year before SQUARE PEGS and her first feature film.

There were four credited writers on the film. Of those four, for two (Avery Buddy and Richard Moses if those are their real names) it is still their only credit. It was the final credit for Lester Pine, who had written mainly in TV (PETER GUNN, DOBIE GILLIS, BEN CASEY) who wrote with his wife and frequent collaborator Tina.

Director Lee Philips was another TV veteran, having worked on PEYTON PLACE, THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, THE DONNA REED SHOW, GIDGET, THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, ROOM 222, THE DORIS DAY SHOW and several TV movies. It appears this was his only feature film.

As for the quality of the film, I haven’t seen it in 25 years so couldn’t tell you. While it was always on cable, it has rarely been seen since.

Released by Twentieth Century Fox, the film hasn’t been released on video since the days of CBS/Fox Home Video. Copies are going for $60 on Amazon.