TV Confidential with Ed Robertson

TVC 722.2: James Bigwood, co-author of Not Just Batman's Butler: The Autobiography of Alan Napier, talks to Ed about what an eloquent writer Alan Napier was; the variety of characters that Napier played in his stage and film career; and how Napier was often cast as older men (even when he was young) because of his height. Not Just Batman's Butler is available through McFarlandPub.com. You can also order it by calling (800) 253-2187. Audio clips of Alan Napier heard in this segment courtesy of Jeffrey Vance.

TVC 722.3: James Bigwood, co-author of Not Just Batman's Butler: The Autobiography of Alan Napier, talks to Ed about how Alan Napier overcame a stammer when he was a child; why he likely enjoyed wearing the Batsuit on Batman when asked to do so; and Napier's various collaborations with John Houseman and Orson Welles for radio, film, and television. Not Just Batman's Butler is available through McFarlandPub.com. You can also order it by calling (800) 253-2187. Audio clips of Alan Napier heard in this segment courtesy of Jeffrey Vance.

TVC 722.4: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Mark Malkoff, host of the award-winning Carson Podcast and the author of Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find The Genius Behind the Legend, a deep dive into Johnny Carson's thirty-year reign as host of The Tonight Show. Topics this segment include why the act of Carson inviting young comedians to join him on the couch after performing their set had a much greater impact in Los Angeles than when the show was based in New York; how Doc Severinsen became Johnny's band leader in 1967; why Ed McMahon's relationship with Carson was "friendly, yet fearful"; and the back story behind the night in December 1976 when Carson barged onto the set of Don Rickles' NBC series C.P.O. Sharkey (which was taping next-door to The Tonight Show) after realizing that Rickles had broken the cigarette box on Carson's Tonight Show desk the night before. Love Johnny Carson is available wherever books are sold through Dutton Books.

TVC 722.5: Ed welcomes Cam Clarke, one of the youngest members of The King Family, and one of the busiest voice actors in the entertainment industry today. Cam's new book, Now They're All Here: The King Family, Over 100 Years of Entertainment From America's First Family of Song is an oral history that not only traces The King Family's imprint on entertainment over the past century (spanning the worlds of vaudeville, radio, record albums, musical films from the 1940s, and live venues all over the world), but, in many respects, also serves as a King family album. Now They're All Here is available through Rare Bird Books as well as Amazon.com. Topics this segment include how the King Family musical act started on a Christmas morning in Utah; the back story behind the title of the book; the connection between The King Family and Alvino Rey, the bandleader who was also one of the inventors of the electric guitar; and the connection between Cam's father, actor Robert Clarke, and actress/director Ida Lupino.

TVC 722.6: Voice actor Cam Clarke, author of Now They're All Here: The King Family, Over 100 Years of Entertainment From America's First Family of Song, talks to Ed about his accidental path to becoming a voice actor; how he was mentored as a voice artist by Michael Bell; and why a voice actor should "never audition with something you can't sustain." Now They're All Here is available through Rare Bird Books as well as Amazon.com.

TVC 720.3: From December 2015: Tony, Donna, and Ed commemorate the premiere of Magnum, p.i. (CBS, 1980-1988) and the birthday of TV talk show legend Phil Donahue as part of This Week in TV History.

TVC 721.2: Ed welcomes Mark Malkoff, host of the award-winning Carson Podcast and the author of Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find The Genius Behind the Legend, a deep dive into Johnny Carson's thirty-year reign as host of The Tonight Show that includes interviews with more than four hundred Tonight Show personnel, including staff members, production people, writers, friends, and such Tonight Show guests as Carol Burnett, Mel Brooks, Bob Saget, Larry King, Michael J. Fox, Paula Poundstone, Loni Anderson, and many, many others. Love Johnny Carson is available wherever books are sold through Dutton Books. Topics this segment include the prominent role that Carson's second wife, Joanne, played in helping Johnny become host of The Tonight Show in 1962; how powerful Joanne was behind the scenes of The Tonight Show, especially during the New York years; and how a surprise appearance by Red Skelton on Carson's Coffee Break, a five-minute show that Carson hosted for Los Angeles station KNXT in the early 1950s, changed the trajectory of Johnny's career

TVC 720.3: Mark Malkoff, host of the award-winning Carson Podcast and the author of Love Johnny Carson, talks to Ed about why Johnny Carson often had a "surprise guest" during the early years of hosting The Tonight Show; how Carson's writers often approached writing the monologue differently whenever a guest host hosted the show in Johnny's absence; Carson's secret philanthropy; and his legendary generosity toward up-and-coming comedians. Love Johnny Carson: One Obsessive Fan's Journey to Find The Genius Behind the Legend is available wherever books are sold through Dutton Books.

TVC 721.4: Ed welcomes back Lindsay Wagner, the Emmy Award-winning actress known around the world as Jaime Sommers, The Bionic Woman. Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the premiere of The Bionic Woman (ABC/NBC, 1976-1978). Topics this segment include how Lindsay accepted the part of Jaime after some prodding from both her mother and her younger sister; how the development of Jaime's character was a true collaboration between Lindsay and series producer Kenneth Johnson; the joy Lindsay gets from hearing fans share their stories about watching The Bionic Woman; how both Jaime and Steve Austin become the mother figure and father figure, respectively, of superheroes in the 1970s; and how Richard Anderson played Oscar Goldman differently on The Bionic Woman than he did on The Six Million Dollar Man. To celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of The Bionic Woman, Lindsay Wagner is making available some special, limited-edition fiftieth anniversary Bionic Woman memorabilia, including newly released signed photos of Lindsay as Jaime; a limited number of autographed, printed copies of "On the Run," the script for the final episode of The Bionic Woman; and a chance to have a one-on-one video chat with Lindsay herself. All of these items are available for pre-order right now at Bionic50.com. Physical items will be mailed out later in January. If you would like to book a video chat with Lindsay, the video chat will be held in February. The deadline for all orders is Feb. 28, 2026. For details and more information, go to Bionic50.com.

TVC 721.5: Lindsay Wagner talks to Ed about working with Academy Award-winning actor John Houseman on both The Paper Chase and The Bionic Woman, working with Academy Award-winning director Robert Wise on Two People, and how she got her first television set with an assist from James Garner. Lindsay is making available special, limited-edition Bionic Woman memorabilia to celebrate the show's fiftieth anniversary, including newly released signed photos of Lindsay as Jaime; a select number of autographed, printed copies of the script for the final episode of The Bionic Woman; and a chance to have a one-on-one video chat with Lindsay herself. All items are available for pre-order right now at Bionic50.com. Physical items will be mailed out later in January. If you'd like to book a video chat with Lindsay, the video chat will be held in February. The deadline for all orders is Feb. 28, 2026. For details and more information, go to Bionic50.com.