TV Confidential with Ed Robertson

TVC 705.5: Entertainment legend Ruta Lee talks to Ed about why live theatre has always been near and dear to her heart. The Thalians, the charitable organization to which Ruta has dedicated much of her life over the past seventy years, will present Neil Sedaka with its annual Mr. Wonderful award at this year's Thalians Christmas gala, which will take place at the Bel Air Country Club Saturday, Dec. 6. The evening will also include a special appearance by the one and only Ann Jillian. For tickets and more information, Thalians.org.

TVC 704.1: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with award-winning producer, director, and author Joseph Wallenstein (Knots Landing, Hotel, Seventh Heaven, Flynn vs. Miranda, Nothing Dies for Film), longtime director of physical production for the USC School of Cinematic Arts and the host of the new podcast Whatcha Know Joe? Topics this segment include Joe's experience working with Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins in American Hot Wax; working with Alex Karras, Garo Yepremian, Mike Lucci, and other NFL players in Paper Lion; and how Joe singlehandedly "nearly ruined" The Godfather (according to director Francis Ford Coppola). Whatcha Know Joe? is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you find podcasts.

TVC 704.2: Ed welcomes retired U.S. Army Airborne Ranger Barry Todd. Barry is the author of Stand Your Ground: One Man's Self-Defense Nightmare, a firsthand look at the emotional and financial toll of defending oneself within a flawed judicial system, which Barry had to do in 2014 after he was wrongfully incarcerated on charges of attempted murder and aggravated assault—despite overwhelming video security camera evidence to the contrary—and how the ordeal ultimately fueled Barry's determination to help others through the Defense Resources Foundation, a nonprofit organization that Barry founded to make sure other people receive a fair chance in the justice system. Stand Your Ground is available at Amazon, BarnesandNoble.com, StandYourGroundBook.com. All proceeds from sales of the book will support the efforts of the Defense Resources Foundation.

TVC 704.3: TV Confidential commemorates August 29, The Day The Running Stopped, the date on which the famous final episode of The Fugitive originally aired in 1967, by bringing you encore presentations of some of our interviews with actors who appeared on The Fugitive, beginning with a clip from a conversation that originally aired on Talking Television in which Barry Morse shares a few memories with Dave White and Ed Robertson about his career in stage and television, including insight into how he approached playing Gerard on The Fugitive. This interview originally aired in May 2007, about nine months before Barry's death in February 2008. The accompanying photo of Barry with Ed Robertson was taken in November 1995.

TVC 704.4: TV Confidential commemorates August 29, The Day The Running Stopped, by bringing you encore presentations of some of our interviews with actors who appeared on The Fugitive, including this clip from August 2015 in which Richard Anderson (The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Perry Mason, Dan August) talks to Ed and guest co-host Alan Doshna about meeting Gary Cooper and Clark Gable early in his career at M-G-M; working with Rock Hudson and John Frankenheimer in Seconds; and playing Lt. Steve Drumm in the final season of Perry Mason.

TVC 704.5: TV Confidential commemorates August 29, The Day The Running Stopped, with an encore presentation of our January 2012 conversation with actress Jacqueline Scott (The Fugitive, Duel). Among other topics in this segment, Jacqui answers email questions from listeners about working with David Janssen and Barry Morse on The Fugitive.

TVC 704.6: TV Confidential commemorates August 29, The Day The Running Stopped, with an encore presentation of our July 2014 conversation with actress Diane Baker. Television writer Paul Robert Coyle co-hosts.

TVC 703.1: Part 2 of a conversation that began last week with Joseph Atkins, author of Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen Rebel, a deep dive into the life and times of the angular-faced character actor who became a leading man in the 1980s (most notably, with Paris, Texas and Repo Man). Topics this segment include how the success of Paris, Texas paved the way for Stanton's singing career (even though his music background stemmed from his upbringing in Kentucky); the back story of how Stanton came to play Roman Grant in Big Love; how Sam Shepard was instrumental in director Wim Wenders casting Stanton in Paris, Texas; and how the word "Zen" came to be associated with Stanton. Harry Dean Stanton: Hollywood's Zen Rebel is available through University Press of Kentucky as well as Amazon.com.

TVC 703.3: From August 2018: Chuck Harter joins Ed for Part 2 of our look at the era of pop music TV shows from the mid to late 1960s. Topics this segment include The Lloyd Thaxton Show, a popular weekday afternoon show featuring teenagers dancing to hit records, plus guest appearances by such top artists as The Byrds, The Turtles, Jan and Dean, and Sonny and Cher. Originally produced for local television in Los Angeles, The Lloyd Thaxton Show became nationally syndicated in 1964.

TVC 703.4: From August 2018: Chuck Harter and Ed continue their look at nationally syndicated pop music TV shows from the mid to late 1960s. In this segment, we focus on Shebang (hosted by Casey Kasem), Hollywood a Go Go (aka Ninth Street West), Shivaree, and Groovy.