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snowonthebeachftlana · 3 years

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July 2016

Jul 3rd - Taylor's 4th of July festivities kick off at her Rhode Island house. Guests include Tom Hiddleston, Abigail Anderson, Matt Lucier, Claire Winter, Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Karlie Kloss, Josh Kushner, Austin Swift, Ruby Rose, Harley Gusman, Halston Sage, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne, Britany Maack, Ben LaManna, Martha Hunt, Jason McDonald, Uzo Aduba, Chioma Aduba, Jordan Masterson, Kesha, St Vincent, Ed Sheeran, Cherry Seaborn, Rachel Platten, Kennedy Rayé and the Haim sisters. (x) (x) (x) (x)

This is the day Tom wears the infamous 'I <3 TS' tank top while they're all at the beach. (x)

Jul 4th - The online mockery for the 'I <3 TS' shirt is quick to pour in. Daily Mail commenters are yet to shut up about it in 2021.

The party continues with a giant inflatable waterslide, body painting, karaoke, charades and fireworks. (x) And also Kesha and Haim getting tricked by Cara, Uzo and Ruby into thinking they heard scary noises in the night, and trying to call the police but not knowing their own location. (x) (x)

Jul 5th - The day after the party, when all the guests post their photos online.

Britany posts a photo of her & Ben, Blake & Ryan, and Taylor & Tom. (x) The internet has a field day with Ryan's unimpressed facial expression. (x) (Ryan later says that it's just his resting bitch face as he wasn't aware a photo was being taken. (x))

Taylor posts several photos to Instagram of her celebrating the 4th July with friends, but doesn't post any pictures with Tom. (x)

Claire Winter posts a bunch of Polaroids, including one of Taylor and Tom kissing. (x)

Abigail posts a photo to Instagram showing the banners Taylor put up to celebrate her engagement to Matt and the anniversaries of Cara & St Vincent (real name Annie Clark) and Ed & Cherry. (x)

Jul 6th - Taylor and Tom fly out of Rhode Island (x) and arrive at LAX that evening. (x) They then get on a plane to Australia.

Joe attends the Warner Music Group summer party in London. (x)

Rumours are swirling that Tom is no longer in consideration to be the next Bond, due to his relationship with Taylor. (x) (x) (x) (x) (x)

Jul 8th - Taylor and Tom are flying on a commercial Quantas flight so someone is able to take a pic of them on the plane. (x)

According to another passenger on the plane, Taylor plays Scrabble during the flight (presumably on her phone because nobody takes big physical board games on commercial flights and the creepshot of Hiddleswift on the plane suggests she wouldn't have had anywhere to put the board anyway). In hindsight, knowing how Taylor and Joe play lots of Scrabble together including online Scrabble aka Words With Friends, and how they stayed in touch largely via texting that summer, it’s very possible she was playing against Joe.

Taylor and Tom arrive in Sydney, where Tom is about to start filming for Thor: Ragnarok. (x) Aussie media, including daytime TV, goes nuts over Hiddleswift's arrival in the country. (x)

Flying from LA to Australia involves crossing the international dateline, so they would have left the US on the 6th July local time and arrived in Sydney approx 15 hours later on the 8th July local time.

Calvin's new song Olé, written for John Newman, is released. There is speculation that it's a Hiddleswift song, written from Tom's perspective and containing lyrics implying that Taylor cheated on Calvin with Tom. However, sources also told multiple outlets that the song was written and recorded months earlier, and its supposed links to Hiddleswift were just for publicity. (x) (x)

Jul 9th - Tom goes out for a run (x) and avoids answering questions about Taylor. (x)

Jul 10th - Taylor and Tom go out for dinner to Gemelli Italian restaurant in Broadbeach on Australia's Gold Coast. (x)

Jul 11th - Taylor is named as the highest earning celebrity on the 2016 Forbes Celebrity 100 list, with earnings of $170m mostly due to the 1989 World Tour. If she and Calvin had not split up, they would have been the top-earning celebrity couple. (x)

Jul 12th - Taylor visits Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in South Brisbane. (x)

Jul 13th - Us Weekly makes a wild claim that Tom is planning to propose soon, and Taylor is going to say yes. The magazine cover also claims they're already talking about babies. (x)

TMZ claims that Taylor wrote TIWYCF, and that Calvin disrespecting Taylor following its release was the reason for their breakup. (x)

Taylor Swift really is the creative brains behind Calvin Harris' monster hit "This is What You Came For," and their relationship fell apart because he disrespected her when the song was released ... this according to sources connected with Taylor.

It's a fascinating story. We've learned an early fan rumor about the song is true, but to a deeper extent than anyone suspected. During their relationship, Taylor wrote the song, sat down at a piano and did a demo into her iPhone. She sent it to Calvin, who loved it. They both went into a studio and did a full demo with Taylor on vocals and Calvin doing the beat.

They both knew the song would be a hit, but Taylor wrote it for Calvin and both agreed it was a bad idea to let the world know they collaborated as a couple ... it would overshadow the song.

So Taylor, who kept the publishing rights, used the pseudonym Nils Sjoberg on the credits.

The problem in the relationship came the day the song was released. Calvin appeared on Ryan Seacrest's radio show and Ryan asked, "Will you do a collaboration with your girlfriend?" Calvin responded, "You know we haven't even spoken about it. I can't see it happening though."

We're told Taylor was hurt and felt Calvin took it too far.

It was a quick downward spiral from that point. One source called it "the breaking point in the relationship." The Met Gala was several days later, when Taylor danced with Tom Hiddleston.

Tree confirms to People magazine that Taylor did write TIWYCF under the pseudonym Nils Sjöberg. (x)

Calvin also confirms that Taylor wrote TIWYCF and goes on a Twitter rant:

Katy Perry tweets a gif of Hillary Clinton with a smug/'told you so' expression. (x) She also retweets an older tweet from May 2015 which reads, 'Time, the ultimate truth teller.' (x)

#TaylorSwiftIsOverParty trends on Twitter (x) (x) and Taylor's Instagram comments are spammed with the snake emoji. (x)

Following Calvin's tweets, TMZ publishes another article claiming he is downplaying Taylor's involvement in the song as she wrote the melody in addition to the lyrics. (x)

Jul 14th - Taylor goes out shopping in Gold Coast. (x)

Tom mentions Taylor in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter: (x)

You're in the middle of a cultural frenzy right now because you're dating Taylor Swift. How would you respond to people who claim that you're involved in some sort of publicity stunt?

(Laughs.) Well, um. How best to put this? That notion is — look, the truth is that Taylor Swift and I are together, and we're very happy. Thanks for asking. That's the truth. It's not a publicity stunt.

Martha says at a Pepsi/World Emoji Day event that Taylor and Tom are 'both happy and free together. It's amazing, I'm all about people being happy in love.' (x)

Kim talks about Taylor and the Famous controversy in a clip from an upcoming episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. (x)

“I never talk shit about anyone publicly, especially in interviews. But I was just like I had so had it,” Kim says in the clip to her sister Kourtney. “I wanted to defend him in it. She legitimately quote says, ‘As soon as I get on that Grammy red carpet I’m gonna tell all the press. Like I was in on it.’”

“And then she just didn’t like the reaction?” Kourtney says in response.

“Yeah, and you know just another way to play the victim,” Kim replies. She then brings the infamous VMAs moment from 2009 by saying, “It definitely got her a lot of attention the first time… I just don’t think he should be punished for it still to this day.”

Jul 17th - Kim posts an edited recording of Kanye and Taylor's phone call. In it, they discuss the 'I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex' line and Taylor says, 'Go with whatever line you think is better. It’s obviously very tongue in cheek either way. And I really appreciate you telling me about it. That’s really nice.' However, nowhere in the Snapchat video does Kanye consult her about the line, 'I made that bitch famous,' which is the line Taylor insisted she had never approved. (x) The other Kardashian sisters retweet and support Kim. (x)

(The full recording of the call, leaked in 2020, confirms that Kanye never told Taylor he was going to call her a bitch. It also shows her reminding him that she sold 7 million albums before he had even heard of her, in response to him suggesting the lyric, 'I made her famous.')

Kim takes to Twitter to call Taylor a snake.

Taylor posts a statement on Instagram responding to Kim's Snapchat video. (x)

Selena tweets, 'There are more important things to talk about… Why can’t people use their voice for something that fucking matters? This industry is so disappointing yet the most influential smh' (x)

Katy Perry tweets, '#RISE above it all' and links to her new single. People interpret it as a dig at Taylor. (x)

Martha Hunt tweets, 'It's pathetic how quick our culture is to sensationalize a fabricated story...' (x)

Jul 18th - #KimExposedTaylorParty spends the day trending at number one worldwide on Twitter. (x) To the point where 0.8% of all tweets posted in the entire week from the 18th-24th use the hashtag. (x) (Assuming that 1/7th of the week's total tweets were posted on each day, that means more than 1 in every 20 tweets on the 18th used the hashtag.) #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty also returns.

TMZ claims to have a copy of a letter from Taylor's lawyer, dating back to February, demanding that Kanye destroy the recording of their phone conversation and reminding him that it is a felony to secretly record a phone conversation in California. (x)

Taylor changes the name on her writing credits for TIWYCF on the BMI songwriters database. She is now listed as Taylor Swift instead of Nils Sjöberg. (x)

Camilla Belle, the subject of Taylor's 2010 song Better Than Revenge, posts a quote to Instagram which reads, 'No need for revenge. Just sit back & wait. Those who hurt you will eventually screw up themselves & if you’re lucky, God will let you watch.' (x)

Abigail tweets against Kim and Kanye, saying, 'May God forgive you & your wife for doing to others the very things you pray are NEVER done to your daughter.' She deletes the tweets after receiving death threats but leaves a tweet which reads, 'Guys…I will always stand by my best friend. There's no point in fighting over that.' (x)

Joseph Kahn (director of many of Taylor's music videos) defends Taylor on Twitter. (x)

The aunt of Dinah Jane from Fifth Harmony tweets, 'I always knew @/taylorswift13 was a SNAKE! Trying 2 break up my girls & use @/camilacabello97 as her protégé bitch bye you’ve been exposed!’ (x) The tweet is soon deleted and she claims her account was hacked. (x) (Camila quit the band at the end of 2016 and has since said that Taylor had nothing to do with her decision to leave.) (x)

Paula Erickson, Taylor’s former publicist from 2007 until 2014, likes a two-and-a-half-week-old tweet dragging Hiddleswift for being a badly executed bit of PR by Taylor and Tree. (x)

James Corden spoofs the recorded phone call on the Late Late Show. (x)

Calvin is rumoured to be dating Tinashe. (x)

Jul 20th - Todrick Hall defends Taylor, saying, 'She's one of the most genuine people I've ever met in my entire life.' (x)

Uzo Aduba says Taylor is 'a beautiful person and strong' and that she will overcome the Kimye drama. (x)

Paula likes another tweet shading Taylor and Tree. (x)

A graffiti artist creates a mural in Melbourne 'in loving memory of Taylor Swift' (misspelled as Smith). According to the artist, they are then contacted by Taylor's lawyers and threatened with legal action. (x)

Jul 21st - Taylor's Wikipedia page is vandalised with insults. (x)

Taylor and Tom fly back from Australia into a private airport in LA, and are seen out and about. (x) (x)

Jul 22nd - Fergie, who had Kim appear in her M.I.L.F. $ music video, says she thinks the Kimye-Taylor feud was planned and 'they’ll probably all come together at the MTV Awards or something.' (x)

Taylor goes to the gym in LA. It is the first time she has appeared in public since Kim posted the edited video, and her phone screen is now shattered. (x)

She also returns to Instagram to wish Selena a happy birthday. (x)

Jul 23rd - Taylor goes to the gym in LA. (x)

Tom is at Comic Con in San Diego. (x)

Calvin lip-syncs to Kanye's song That Part in a video posted on his Snapchat. (x) He also attends J-Lo's birthday party and is photographed with Kim. Apparently they have a friendly chat. (x) A source claims to E!, 'When Kim walked in Calvin saw her and stood up. He was clearly excited to see her and said 'hi' to Kim backstage.' (x)

Jul 24th - Taylor blocks the snake emoji from her Instagram comments section using a new Instagram feature. (x)

Tom is seen at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills with members of Taylor's security team. (x)

Jul 26th - Tom flies back to LA from NYC, where he has just spent a couple of days. On the same day, Taylor's plane arrives back in LA from Nashville, where she has spent a couple of days. (x)

VMA nominations are announced. Taylor is not nominated in any category, despite Out Of The Woods and Wildest Dreams being eligible, leading some people to think she has been snubbed. Gossip Cop, an outlet widely used by celebrity publicists to quietly squash rumours, says that Taylor did not submit any videos for consideration this year. (x)

Jul 27th - Taylor goes to the gym in LA. (x)

John Newman, singer of Calvin's song Olé, jokes, 'Supposedly we had a holiday where he was movin’ on from his ex-missus,' referring to the trip to Mexico to film the music video, which involved girls and a yacht. He also says he doesn't think it's his place to say what inspired Calvin to write the song. (x)

Taylor and Tom go for dinner at Hillstone restaurant in Santa Monica. One source claims they 'seemed to really be enjoying each others’ company.' (x) It is the last time they are papped together.

Kanye makes a surprise appearance at Drake's concert in Chicago where he responds to Kim's Snapchat video for the first time, saying, 'All I gotta say is, I am so glad my wife has Snapchat. Because now y’all can know the truth. And can’t nobody talk shit about ‘Ye no more.' (x)

Cara appears on James Corden's show and talks about how she, Uzo and Ruby pranked Kesha and Haim at Taylor's 4th of July party. She mentions consulting Taylor and Tom first so that security knew what they were up to. She also says that Taylor and Tom got woken up at one point by all the noise they were making, and came upstairs together to find Cara and Uzo still making ghost noises. (x)

Jul 28th - Taylor goes to the gym in LA. (x)

Jul 29th - Sources close to Calvin deny rumours that he is planning to collaborate on music with Kanye. (x)

Abigail likes E! News' Instagram photo of Tom and Taylor going out for dinner on the 27th, which has a gushing caption about them. (x)

Jul 31st - Taylor is seen entering her gym in LA through the back door. (x)

A fan sees Tom and Taylor at The Church Key restaurant in LA. (x) The outing is not papped.

Intro // February // March // April // May // June // July // August // September // October // November

#taylor swift #hiddleswift #tayvin #swiftwyn #jaylor #toe #taylor swift in 2016 #timeline

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papermoonloveslucy · 4 years

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LUCY & BEDROCK! (TWIST! TWIST!)

Lucille Ball & “The Flintstones”

“The Flintstones” was TV’s first primetime animated sitcom. It was produced by Hannah-Barbara animation and ran on ABC TV from 1960 to 1966. Following the show's cancellation, a film called The Man Called Flintstone, a musical spy caper that parodied James Bond, was released that same year. The show was revived in the early 1970s and several different series and made-for-TV movies. The original show also was adapted into a live-action film in 1994, and a prequel, The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, which followed in 2000.

Although not officially recognized by its creators, the show bears a very strong resemblance to TV’s “The Honeymooners”. Fred and Wilma Flintstone are reminiscent of Ralph and Alice Kramden, and they have best friends and neighbors Betty and Barney Rubble that are very similar to Ed and Trixie Norton. The original “Honeymooners” (1955-56) also was spun-off into future iterations, including musical episodes, just like “The Flintstones.”

Lucille Ball admired “Honeymooners” creator and Jackie Gleason and Gleason even played Ralph Kramden on “Here’s Lucy.” Ball also worked with the show’s other stars: Art Carney (in “Happy Anniversary and Goodbye” and “What Now Catherine Curtis”), Audrey Meadows (in “Mother of the Bride” on “Life With Lucy”) and even Jane Kean, who played Trixie in the color “Honeymooners” (who was seen on a 1966 episode of “The Lucy Show”).

CAST CONNECTIONS

Jean Vander Pyl (Wilma Flintstone / Pebbles) worked with Lucille Ball on several episodes of “My Favorite Husband” radio show in 1948.

Alan Reed (Fred Flintstone) played a train station luncheon counter attendant in “Lucy Visits The White House” (TLS S1;E23) in 1963, while also playing Fred Flintstone on ABC. He later appeared on an episode of Desi Arnaz’s “Mothers-in-Law”.

Bea Benadaret (Betty Rubble) was one of Lucille Ball’s favorite performers. She played Iris Atterbury on “My Favorite Husband” and was Ball’s first choice to play Ethel Mertz. Instead, she played Miss Lewis in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15).

Mel Blanc (Barney Rubble) was a master of voices best known for Bugs Bunny. He also worked extensively with Jack Benny, once with Lucille Ball. He did two films with Lucille Ball: The Fuller Brush Girl (1950) and G.I. Journal (1944). In 1969, Blanc did some ADR (dialogue replacement) work on “Here’s Lucy.”

Hal Smith (Various Voices) is probably best known as Otis the Drunk on “The Andy Griffith Show”. He appeared with Lucille Ball in the 1963 film Critic’s Choice and did three episodes of “The Lucy Show” and one of “Here’s Lucy.”

Howard Morris (Various Voices) played Howard Coe in “Lucy and the Golden Greek” (TLS S4;E2) in 1965.

Allan Melvin (Various Voices) is best remembered as Sam the Butcher on “The Brady Bunch” and Barney Hefner on “All in the Family.” In 1956, as Corporal Henshaw on “Sergeant Bilko,” he did was seen with Ball in “Bilko’s Ape Man.” Melvin and Ball also appeared together on the 8th Anniversary of “The Ed Sullivan Show” In 1954.

Harvey Korman (The Great Gazzoo / Various Voices) is best remembered for his work with Carol Burnett on “The Carol Burnett Show”, several times with Lucille Ball. He also appeared on “The Lucy Show” three times.

Janet Waldo (Mrs. Slaghoople / Hedda Rocker / Various Voices) is best remembered for voicing Judy Jetson on another Hanna-Barbera cartoon series, “The Jetsons” (1962-87). She played Peggy “Keep Jiggling” Dawson on “I Love Lucy” and Lucy Carmichael’s sister Marge on “The Lucy Show.”

Frank Nelson (Rockbind / Rocky Stone / Various Clerks) did two recurring characters on “I Love Lucy” - Freddie Fiillmore and Ralph Ramsey, in addition to other characters. His distinctive voice was heard on “My Favorite Husband” and he made one appearance, as the harried train conductor, on “The Lucy Show.”

June Foray (Granny / Nurses) was one of the most famous voice artists in Hollywood, most famous for Rocket J. Squirrel. Coincidentally, Warner Brothers recruited Foray to replace Bea Benadaret as Granny in their cartoons. On “I Love Lucy” she provided the bark of Fred the dog.

Paula Winslowe (Mrs. Slate / Various Voices) played Mrs. Martha Conklin on “Our Miss Brooks” opposite Gale Gordon. On “I Love Lucy” she was one of the passengers on the S.S. Constitution in “Second Honeymoon” (ILL S5;E14) and a patient (in wheelchair, above) in “Lucy Plays Florence Nightingale” (TLS S2;E14). She was the voice of Bambi’s mother in the 1942 Disney film Bambi.

Verna Felton (Pearl Slaghoople) received two Emmy nominations for her role in the Desilu series “December Bride,” playing Hilda Crocker from 1955 to 1959. She did two episodes of “I Love Lucy,” including playing Lucy’s stern maid, Mrs. Porter. Felton voiced many characters for Disney.

Howard McNear (Doctor) played Mr. Crawford, Little Ricky’s music teacher on “I Love Lucy.” McNear went on to play Floyd the Barber on “The Andy Griffith Show” from 1961 to 1967, filmed on the Desilu backlot. He was also seen in Lucy and Desi’s 1953 film The Long, Long Trailer.

Herb Vigran (Cop) was one of the busiest character actors in Hollywood. He played Jule, Ricky Ricardo’s music agent on two episodes of “I Love Lucy” in addition to playing movie publicist Hal Sparks in “Lucy is Envious” (ILL S3;23). He was seen in the Lucy-Desi film The Long, Long Trailer and six episodes of “The Lucy Show” - all as doctors!

Ginny Tyler (Daisy) voiced Clementine the sheep in “Lucy Buys a Sheep” (TLS S1;E5) and the bird voices in “Lucy Gets the Bird” (TLS S3;E12) and one episode of “Here’s Lucy.” She did the voice of the sheep in Disney’s 1964 hit Mary Poppins. Although she died in 2012, her voice can still be heard in the chorus of birds outside The Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Willard Waterman (Gus Gravel) was a versatile voice actor who appeared on hundreds of radio shows in the 1930s and 40s. He is probably best remembered for playing “The Great Gildersleeve” on both radio and TV. He was seen on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy and The Plumber” (above) and “Lucy the Rain Goddess” (S4;E15).

Jerry Hausner (Clyde) was best remembered for playing Jerry, Ricky’s agent on “I Love Lucy” (including the pilot). He also did one appearance on “The Lucy Show.”

Sam Edwards (Agent) played the star-struck bellboy in “Lucy Meets the Queen” (ILL S5;E15). He was also the voice of the adult Thumper in Bambi (1942).

Sandra Gould (Various Voices) was best remembered as Gladys Kravitz on “Bewitched”. She made two appearances on “I Love Lucy” and one (above) on “The Lucy Show.”

Ann-Margret (Ann Margrock) was one of several celebrity guest stars to be honored with character on “The Flintstones”. She was also a guest star (as herself) on “Here’s Lucy” in 1970 and had appeared on Ann-Margret’s 1969 special.

Elizabeth Taylor (Pearl Slaghoople in The Flintstones live action film, 1994) was one of Hollywood’s most glamorous and popular stars when she guest starred with husband Richard Burton on “Here’s Lucy” in 1970. It is odd, then, that she was cast as Pearl Slaghoople, a character that was previously considered frumpy.

Paul Winchell (Umpire / Thief / Reporter in "Wind Up Wilma” - 1981) was best known as a ventriloquist, but he was also an accomplished character actor who appeared in two episodes of “The Lucy Show” and two of “Here’s Lucy.”

Arte Johnson (”Flintstone Kids” - 1989) was best known as a cast member on “Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In”. He also did an episode of “Here’s Lucy” as an eccentric bird watcher.

George O’Hanlon (”Flintstone Kids” - 1989) was best remembered as the voice of George Jetson on “The Jetsons,” another hit Hanna-Barbera cartoon. On “I Love Lucy” he was one of two actors to play Charlie Appleby.

"I Love Lucy” and “The Flintstones”

First, Lucille Ball bears more than a passing physical resemblance to Wilma Flintstone. In “The Flintstones” it is clear that Fred is the leading character and most stories revolve around Fred and Barney, rather than Lucy and Ethel. The tried and true formula of a leading couple and the best friends / neighbors as the secondary characters is used in “I Love Lucy”, “The Honeymooners” and “The Flintstones”.

Here are a few more tangible connections:

The animated Lucy and Desi that opened pre-syndication airings of “I Love Lucy” were created by the Hanna-Barbera unit at MGM.

And both shows were sponsored by cigarette companies; “I Love Lucy” by Philip Morris and “The Flintstones” by Winston.

Wilma and Betty trying to sneak into the Water Buffalo convention in "Ladies Night at the Lodge" (1964) while disguised as men was very close to Lucy and Ethel disguising themselves as male reporters to infiltrate Ricky’s daddy shower in “Ricky Has Labor Pains” (1953).

The plot of “Operation Switchover” (1964) recycles the premise and many of the same plot elements of “Job Switching” (1952) especially with the domestic disasters on Ricky and Fred's end: scorched clothes while ironing, a fallen cake, and overflowing rice on the stove.

Like Lucy Ricardo, Wilma Flintstone’s pregnancy was incorporated into the storyline. It was originally thought that like Lucy, Wilma would have a boy, but merchandisers pointed out that there were more opportunities for products for girls, so Pebbles was born. Like Lucille Ball, Jean Vander Pyl (who voiced Wilma) was pregnant at the time of recording and gave birth to her son on the day "The Blessed Event" originally aired on February 22, 1963.

Fred and Barney undertake a rehearsal for the big moment, including Betty rehearsing telephoning the doctor, just like Ricky and the Mertz’s do for Lucy when ‘the time has come’.

Wilma seems to get cravings for unusual foods including hot fudge and sardines that Fred dutifully supplies, just like Ricky did for Lucy.

In the father’s waiting room, a man worries his wife might deliver more than one baby, just like Mr. Stanley (Charles Lane) on “I Love Lucy.”

In “Operation Switchover” a character named Hedda Rocker from Good Cavekeeping Magazine is obviously inspired by Hedda Hopper, the famous gossip columnist who appeared on two episodes of “I Love Lucy” as herself.

Arthur Murray, who’s innovate dance instruction method and dance studios became iconic, is parodied on “The Flintstones” as Arthur Quarry. In a 1965 episode, he was named Arthury Murrayrock.

In “Lucy Meets the Mustache” (LDCH S3;E3) Lucy wants to open a sealed letter so she tries a inserting a knitting needle under the flap, a method she says she saw in an Alfred Hitchcock movie. The scene is underscored with “Funeral March of a Marionette” by Charles Gounod, which served as the theme tune of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”. On “The Flintstones” he is parodied as Alvin Brickrock.

Hollyrock star Rock Quarry is a tribute to Rock Hudson, but talks like Gary Cooper. Hudson guest-starred on an episode of “I Love Lucy” set in Palm Springs. Previously, Lucy dressed as Gary Cooper (complete with his trademark ‘yup’) to fool near-sighted Caroline Appleby.

An episode titled “The Soft Touchables” is modeled after Desilu’s hit gangster series “The Untouchables.” “The Lucy Show” parodied their own show in an episode titled “Lucy The Gun Moll” (TLS S4;E25) in 1966 starring “The Untouchables Cast” but using different character names.

Wilma and Betty’s favorite television show “Peek-A-Boo Camera” catches Fred and Barney acting silly in a 1963 episode that is clearly modeled after TV’s “Candid Camera” created by Allen Funt. In 1971, “Lucy and the Candid Camera” (HL S4;E14) also featured Funt in hidden camera shot plot. Lucy Carmichael also get involved in a hidden camera television show in “Lucy and the Beauty Doctor” (TLS S3;E24). In that show, the program was called “The Boiling Point.”

The hit Broadway and movie musical movie My Fair Lady inspired many satires (some in name only) including “My Fair Freddy” (1966) and “My Fair Lucy” (TLS S3;E20) in 1965!

In “Fred Flintstone Woos Again” (1961) Wilma convinces Fred to renew their wedding vows after realizing the official who originally married them wasn’t fully licensed! On “I Love Lucy” Lucy realized that their wedding was also invalid when she found an error on their license. They go to the spot they first wed to renew their vows, just like “The Flintstones”.

In “Dial ‘S’ for Suspicion” (1962) Wilma's devotion to a murder mystery novel causes Fred to wonder if Wilma is trying to away with him. In “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying To Do Away With Her” (ILL S1;E4) Lucy's devotion to a murder mystery novel causes her to wonder if Ricky is trying to do away with her!

When Wilma can’t keep up with the housework, she hires a maid in “Wilma the Maid” (1963). The same situation happened in the Ricardo home in “Lucy Hires a Maid” (ILL S2;E23). While the Flintstone’s maid is an earthy Italian woman named Rockabrigida, the Ricardo’s maid is a humorless woman named Mrs. Porter. Coincidentally, Mrs. Porter was played by Verna Felton, who voices Pearl Slaghoople on “The Flintstones”.

When superhero “Superstone” is hired for a birthday party but can’t make it - Fred takes his place. On “I Love Lucy” when Superman is promised for Little Ricky’s party, but can’t make it, Lucy takes his place - nearly!

In “How To Pick A Fight With Your Wife” (1966) spats between spouses escalate to such a degree that the couples split: Fred and Barney are thrown together as roommates, while Wilma and Betty are bunking together at the other house. In “Vacation from Marriage” (ILL S2;E6) much the same thing occurs between the Ricardos and the Mertzes!

The real comparison with Lucy and Desi is something Joe Barbera could have only hoped for in 1960 — enduring popularity. Lucy is still justifiably loved by hoards of fans and “I Love Lucy” is on the air somewhere. “The Flintstones” remains a part of the popular culture, 60 years after the show’s debut.

#The flintstones #I Love Lucy #Lucille Ball #Jean Vanderpyl #Bea Benadaret #Lucy #Fred Flintstone #Mel Blanc #Hanna-Barbera #Alan Reed #Ann-Margret #Elizabeth Taylor #The Honeymooners #Hedda Hopper #frank nelson #Janet Waldo #Verna Felton #Willard Waterman #paul winchell

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deuterium51614 · 5 years

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I put more effort into this than some essays I’ve done for school/college

There are two confirmed dates we know in the Boueibu timeline.

In LOVE LOVE, March 13th is on a Friday. (Shown on Kinshirou’s omen calendar.)

In Happy Kiss, August 31st is on a Friday 10 years later. (Shown on Rashio’s calendar and a wall calendar in the Kurotama.)

In Robihachi, we know the moon landing happened on July 18, 1969 (in real life it was July 20th), which was marked as Galaxy Century 0001. The current timeline is happening in GC 0051, so sometime after July 18, 2019 (unless the GC is added to on New Year’s, but I’ll get to that).

Let’s start off with when Boueibu can’t take place. (The main timeline, at least. Flashbacks are possible.)

The 70s. The only March 13th that’s on a Friday is in 1970. This would put all of LOVE in 1969, and Happy Kiss in 1979. We know the beginning of LOVE takes place pre-July, so this wouldn’t work because it’s before the first contact. There’s also the case of all the flashbacks – Goura being a hero, the Beppu’s father’s job… Aliens had definitely made contact, so none of that could’ve taken place in the 60s.

The 00s. While March 13, 2009 is on a Friday, it would mean Happy Kiss takes place in 2018. The technology in Robihachi seems too advanced for it to take place the year after Happy Kiss, unless Binan went untouched by the technological advances shown in Neo-Tokyo. Plus, Boueibu LOVE and LOVE LOVE merch and posters were shown on a planet that loves mainly retro anime. It was most likely CIDER rebranded as Boueibu. The 00s is too recent to be retro.

So, there are three possibilities for where Boueibu fits in:

LOVE – 1980-81, HK – 1990

LOVE – 1991-92, HK – 2001

LOVE – 1997-98, HK – 2007

As of now, we can only speculate which option is correct. Under the cut, I’ll explain which of the options I think it is, and why.

We may be able to narrow it down further based on the events that Atsushi asks En if he’s thinking about:

The tax increase – L

The Olympics – L, LL, and LLL

The constitution – LL

Chikuwabu – LL

Toyosu – LLL

Trump - LLL

Chikuwabu being brought up in the second season is a reference to the first season, but it’s also a hint – none of the subjects Atsushi brings up is random. Everything he mentions is something En has talked about in the past in a similar train of thought conversation, though off-screen. So it doesn’t necessarily need to be a current event for Atsushi to bring it up – after all, En ranted about chikuwabu in what was probably April or May, only for Atsushi to guess it in November.

Something to keep in mind for Atsushi’s comments is they were probably meant to be references to current events from when the seasons/OVA came out. However, I still was able to find things relating to them in the 80s and 90s. Their timeline is also split off our own – changes started happening July 18, 1969. So, these could be references to things that never happened in our timeline, or things that could have happened but didn’t. So these points are really in a gray area.

The one constant through LOVE, LOVE LOVE, and LOVE LOVE LOVE is the Olympics, so let’s start with that. I looked up Olympic years to see what the overlap was with the timeline estimates.

1980 – winter was in the US, summer was in the Soviet Union

1992 – winter was in France, summer was in Spain

1996 – summer, in the US

1998 – winter, in Japan

The tax increase – According to Wikipedia, there was a tax increase to 5% in April 1997. For tax-related things in general, “Japan introduced the national consumption tax of three percent in 1989” (Wikipedia).

The constitution – According to Wikipedia, “From the 1960s to the 1980s, Constitutional revision was rarely debated.” There were some suggestions for revisions in the 1990s.

Toyosu –Urban Dock LaLaPort opened in the 1980s – it’s a huge shopping mall with a cinema, restaurants, and cafes.

Trump – It could be referring to anything for these three estimates – financial losses in the 1980s, the Grand Hyatt Hotel was opened in 1980, and in the 90s he was dropped from the Forbes List, had some bankruptcies, got a divorce, and met his current wife. There’s probably more, but that’s really what I could find on Wikipedia.

Now, you may be thinking, “This was supposed to narrow it all down! There’s too many options!” Like I said, these are events that were current for when the anime was airing, but I wanted to prove that they could apply to all three options.

To narrow things down for real, there are a few things we have to look at.

When the twins are watching Maximum Gorar, they have an old TV and a strange looking remote control. Takamatsu tweeted about it back in 2016, and the remote is based on one that actually existed – the Zubacon. He said it came out in the early 1970s, and I found it came out in 1971, to be exact.

The second flashback is in Happy Kiss. In the treasure hunt/time capsule episode, there’s a flashback with a poster of a GameCube-style system with the kanji 新発売 – which translates to “new product/model.” In reality, it came out in 2001, but there were some updated models that were released until it was discontinued in 2007.

According to Yang, Binan Shonen Love-Love was an anime from when he was in grade school – specifically he says 小学生 which is elementary school, so first to sixth grade. He would have been anywhere from six to twelve. The art style doesn’t look like Hizakuriger, so we know it’s not a retro-retro anime, but we don’t have Yang’s official age. We also don’t know if Binan Shonen Love-Love was based off of Boueibu or if Binan was chosen in CIDER due to the anime’s popularity.

Until we get an official age, let’s say Yang’s 30 at the youngest, and 45 at the oldest. If he’s 45, he would have entered first grade in 1980 and left sixth grade in 1986. If he’s 30, he would have entered first grade in 1995 and left sixth grade in 2001. So Binan Shonen aired sometime between 1980 and 2001.

Finally, there’s references to other anime.

In LOVE’s beach episode, Atsushi references Detective Conan. That started in Shonen Jump in 1994.

On the stats screen for the idol battle in LOVE LOVE, Ryuu is making a Sailor Moon pose. Sailor Moon started in 1991.

In Happy Kiss’s beach/vacation episode, Karurusu references the Sazae-san anime, which began airing in 1969 and is the longest running animated television series. (While Sazae-san won’t help us on the timeline, I just want to point out it’s interesting that it started the same year as the moon landing – GC 0001.)

Putting all of this together, from what we know I think it’s safe to say Boueibu took place during the third option – 1997-98, with Happy Kiss in 2007.

Why?

It’s mainly because of the last point – the anime references. However, this shouldn’t be the driving factor of the timeline theory. After all, because of the contact with aliens, these series could have all started sooner. However, let me back up and explain with the other points.

It places the third years’ births in 1979, the second years in 1980, and Yumoto in 1981. With the twins being born in 1980, this would make them start elementary school in 1986. While their remote is from the early 70s, it’s plausible they would still be using it in the 80s to watch Maximum Gorar. Because really, how often do you change your remote?

Now, the GameCube lookalike. Kingo is a first year, so if Happy Kiss takes place in 2007, the flashback could have taken place around 2001, possibly a few years earlier if alien technology sped up the process in which the GameCube was released.

From the glimpse we saw, Binan Shonen Love-Love doesn’t look like an 80s anime. It could have aired in the gap between the OVA and Happy Kiss, based off the popularity of CIDER – sometime between 1998 and 2001, when Yang was still in elementary school. However, if CIDER chose Binan because of the anime, it could have taken place as early as 1980.

Having LOVE take place in 1997-98 makes sense for their current technology – their phones appear to be the model Sony Xperia S, which was released in 2012, but due to alien technology could have been released sooner – especially since the first touchscreen phone was released in 1992.

In the New Year’s episode, the remote control doesn’t look modern – it could pass as one from our 90s or 00s. Plus, Atsushi has a DVD boxed set, not Blu-rays. The first DVDs came out in the late 90s.

In Happy Kiss, the Kurotama now has a flat screen TV that looks like an older model (for us). Yumoto uses an older looking instant Polaroid camera in Ata’s flashback in Happy Kiss. They’re still used today, but they were popular in the 90s.

In conclusion, LOVE takes place in 1997-98, and Happy Kiss takes place in 2007.

Now, to find out what Galaxy Centuries they take place. 1969 is counted as 0001 – which makes the math slightly confusing. It’s not like birthdays, where you count the anniversaries and not the actual birth. This makes 2019 GC 0051.

Assuming that Galaxy Centuries start in July and years are counted separately (because of the New Year episode), LOVE takes place in GC 28-29, and Happy Kiss takes place in GC 38-39.

If the next GC starts on New Year’s, then LOVE takes place in GC 29-30, and Happy Kiss takes place in GC 39.

Anyway, onto how old the LOVE and Happy Kiss boys would be if they appear in Robihachi!

LOVE:

Third years – 40

Second years – 39

Yumoto – 38

Happy Kiss:

Third years – 30

Second years – 29

First years – 28

(Also, if Hatchi really is 18 like his bio says (instead of being older and hiding his age to keep his identity as the moon prince secret) his birth year would be 2001, three years after the OVA, making it possible that Kinshirou could be his father if he had him at 22.)

#boueibu #boueibu love #boueibu happy kiss #robihachi #robihachi spoilers

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sylvieons · 4 years

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End of the year survey, of course

Song of the year? According to last.fm, it's Endless War by Within Temptation which seems pretty accurate. I regret that I skipped out on WT's concert. It was supposed to snow and I felt terrible mental health-wise, but I should have just went because I've been trying to do things even if feel terrible, because staying at home is not going to help and I refuse to be beaten down. But I don't always succeed. I'M FIGHTING AN ENDLESS WAR.

Album of the year? Lover by Taylor Swift. Ever since 1989 was released I go through this thing where I can't listen anything but her new album. It got super bad this year, though, and I haven't really listened to anything but TS since it was released. I thought it was my new favorite album of hers but after sitting in this spiral for long enough, I think Reputation is my favorite followed by Lover. But Lover gave me Death by a Thousand Cuts which NO OTHER ALBUMS DID so. Thanks, Lover.

Favorite musical artist / group you started listening to this year? I don't think I started listening to anyone new this year. The closest I can get is a band called Thy Art is Murder, which is apparently deathcore, which is a genre I've never listened to before, so that's nice, but I haven't listened to them much at all.

Movie of the year? Eh, I looked at the list of movies I watched this year and nothing stood out. The closest I can get to answering this question is recommending the movie Crush the Skull as a much better alternative to Don't Breathe, if you're into horror/home invasion kind of movies

TV show of the year? I haven't really watched much television this year. I just haven't been in the mood. I did rewatch It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and a lot of that was when I was on vacation in London. I'd get back to my room and have my dinner and watch Sunny. Exciting times across the sea. But I guess overall, I'd say Good Girls. It was one of the few drama shows I watched this year and it was amazing. This was also the year I discovered Buzzfeed Unsolved, but that's not really a TV show. But it deserves a mention.

Episode of tv or webisode that defined the year for you? Can't say there is one.

Favorite actor of the year? Tom Hiddleston. Does anyone doubt the answer to this one. I saw him on stage four times, because I'm an excessive bitch. I met him at Comic Con and he winked at me and no, I won't stop talking about that ever. And if I ever dare forget him, I have his autograph on my phone case so I'm reminded of his existence at all times whether I like it or not (I like it).

Game of the year? None. I don't game. Nor do I play board games. Nor do I play games on my phone. I am very much not a game person. OH WAIT. I lied. I picked up Pokemon Go again because my friend is super into it and kept taking me to places to do gym battles and stuff.

Best month for you this year? June. May-Juneish. That's the time I went to London, my mom was doing relatively well, and I just like that time of year. The weather is usually perfect.

Something that made you cry this year? Taylor Swift's song "Soon You'll Get Better". It punched me so hard it broke several ribs. I've never identified with a song before but I did that one and I'd really love to sue Taylor for emotional damage.

Something you want to do again next year? Go to the haunted farm thing I went to this year around Halloween. I love that place. I went two years ago and this year, and it's like a mile long thing set up on a farm that you walk through and it's just so well done. Both times I've enjoyed the hell out of myself and enjoyed the company I was with.

I'd also really love to see Kamelot again, if they decide they want to keep touring, though I'm sure they're going to chill. Them or Avatar, same deal. I've seen Kamelot three times and Avatar twice but is it enough? No.

Talk about a new friend you made this year I have not made any new friends. Do you know how hard it is to make friends. I did, however, meet @phantomdivine in person, so that was a friendship escalation.

How was your birthday this year? It's in February and Februarys are usually a blur of me having mental breakdowns. I have a distinct memory last year of driving home from my friend's house in the middle of night on the anniversary of my father's death, crying like a little bitch and being like "why am I crying" while I was smoking (I don't smoke except for when I smoke) and getting gutpunched every time the line "the good die young" came up on the Within Temptation song I was listening to. That was right around my birthday so that's probably how it was.

Favorite book you read this year? Maybe What Was She Thinking? (Notes on a Scandal) by Zoë Heller. I read 20 books this year and I usually read zero! Go me! I also read Gone Girl finally, because I've read Gillian Flynn's other books, and I always enjoy her and her writing. The quality of writing is important to me, so I will read any plot if the writing intrigues me.

What’s a bad habit you picked up this year? How dare you suggest I have a bad habit

Post a picture from the beginning of the year

A feral kitty that lives in a broken down building near the antique shop I consign with

Post a picture from the end of the year

It Hozier

A memorable meal this year? I'm a big food person but I've been on a diet for a good part of the year. Which has kind of left me...a disinterested in food person.

What’re you excited about for next year? Uhhh. I have nothing planned, so I don't know. Hopefully getting on Social Security Disability, because the whole process is stressing me out and my lawyer said it can take a year and I just really do not have time for this.

What’s something you learned this year? It's not something I -learned-, but something I accomplished. I started running, something I've tried to do in starts and stops over the years. I used to be unable to run 30 seconds without getting out of breath and getting stomach cramps and feeling like I was going to die. Now I can run a 5k. I usually don't run this far, though, because I still have trouble breathing and I need to work on that, so I usually run about 30 minutes when I go out. I've been thwarted lately but it getting dark so early so I haven't been able to go out as much as I did (unless I want to get murdered, I guess).

What’s something new about your place of residence (room, home, or general location) now vs the start of the year? I hung up my signed Only Lovers Left Alive poster :')

Favorite place you visited this year? London, baby. I'm so happy I loved it so much. I was looking at pictures the other day and got a little teary eyed, which is the normal person equivalent of actually crying. I don't know if it's London itself or what it represented to me (probably both), but I love it and want to go back and have vague, tentative plans to stay there for two or three months in the future if I can.

If you could send a message to yourself back on the first day of the year, what would it be? You're gonna meet Tom Hiddleston, bitch, and he's gonna WINK at you.

Did you keep any New Year’s Resolutions? I do not. I reinvent my life whenever I feel like it.

Did you create any characters (in games, art, or writing) this year? Describe one You don't want the answer to this one because I will go off for an hour and no1curr, as they used to say.

#about meme

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dccomicsnews · 5 years

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Jim Lee – DC Publisher, Chief Creative Officer – DC Entertainment

It’s the 80th year of the Batman, and there is plenty that will play out over the course of 2019 to celebrate the iconic character. It was announced this weekend that Batman hit a new milestone and will be the first inductee into the forthcoming Comic-Con Museum’s Character Hall of Fame. The news was delivered by Jim Lee, DC Chief Creative Officer and DC Publisher, at today’s “Happy Birthday Batman!” panel at WonderCon in Anaheim, CA.

Marking 80 years to the day since Batman made his first appearance on the pages of DETECTIVE COMICS #27 in 1939, the panel featured Lee, David Mazouz (Gotham), Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series), Lee Meriwether (Batman), Roger Craig Smith (Batman: Arkham Origins), and Grace Randolph (Beyond the Trailer). The panel brought together fans of all ages to celebrate the world’s most popular Super Hero and share a slice of Bat-cake.

Special highlights to the discussion included Conroy saying how the character is especially important to him because:

“Batman has no powers, but he doesn’t let tragedy overcome him.” Mazouz added “Batman turns tragedy into strength. He turns pain into something positive for everyone around him.” Meriwether also shared her heartfelt memories of working on set of the 1960s Batman film with Adam West.

The panel also exclusively broke details on Batman’s entrance into the Comic-Con Museum Character Hall of Fame. Paying tribute to the timeless characters that have shaped popular culture, the ceremony will honor Batman as the first-ever inductee. The inaugural ceremony will take place opening night of the 50th San Diego Comic-Con on July 17, 2019 at The Comic-Con Museum’s future venue, the Federal Building in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

David Mazouz

Kevin Conroy

Diedrich Bader

Roger Craig Smith

Lee Meriwether

As part of a fundraising event and in celebration of Batman’s 80th Anniversary, the event will feature displays of authentic props and memorabilia, and special appearances by artists, actors and other creative talents who have contributed to making Batman a global icon of popular culture. Tickets for the public will become available on June 3rd. For more information visit ccmgathering.org.

Roger Craig Smith, Grace Randolph, Kevin Conroy, DC Publisher, Jim Lee – DC Publisher, Chief Creative Officer – DC Entertainment, David Mazouz, Lee Meriwether and Diedrich Bader

Diedrich Bader, Kevin Conroy and Roger Craig Smith

Lee Meriwether and David Mazouz

Happy Birthday Batman Cake

The panel also unveiled a spectacular Batman themed cake from Bluprint – a digital lifestyle learning platform – elements included 3D flying bats, a Batmobile and Gotham City. It was designed and created by Bluprint’s cake artist Ashley Holt. The celebration concluded with a photo to commemorate the moment, featuring the all-star Batman panelists, Bat-fan cosplayers and a cake fit for a pop culture icon!

Plus, #LongLiveTheBat also trended online with fans across the globe wishing a happy birthday to the caped crusader, alongside the stars of Gotham, Pennyworth, Supergirl and Krypton.

Batman fans also celebrated today with a special DC UNIVERSE stream free event. For today only DC UNIVERSE opened its digital doors for a day of free Batman live action and animated films, TV series and comics. From Frank Miller’s landmark BATMAN: YEAR ONE to Tim Burton’s 1989 blockbuster to the epic Batman: The Animated Series, users are able to binge hundreds of the greatest superhero stories of all time. And, if 24 hours of Batman binge-watching is not enough, the first month of DC UNIVERSE will cost only $0.80 cents for new members who sign up between March 29, 2019, 12:01 EST and April 4, 2019 11:59pm EST.

For the eight decades since Gotham City millionaire socialite Bruce Wayne donned the cape and cowl, Batman has served as a symbol of determination, bravery and justice to generations of fans across comic books, movies, television, video games and more. DC will honor #LongLiveTheBat throughout 2019 from now until Batman Day on September 21.

Conceived by artist Bob Kane with writer Bill Finger, Batman is humanity’s timeless hero. And he’s just getting started. More details on the global celebration will be released in the coming months.

Fans can join in on social media using the hashtag #Batman80 and #LongLiveTheBat. Visit www.Batman80.com for the latest news and updates.

Batman Announced As Inaugural Inductee In Comic-Con Museum’s Character Hall Of Fame It's the 80th year of the Batman, and there is plenty that will play out over the course of 2019 to celebrate the iconic character.

#Batman #Batman80 #Damian Fasciani #dark knight #DC Comics #DC comics news #jim lee #longlivethebat

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paralleljulieverse · 6 years

Photo

G’day Gertie: Star! debuts Down Under

After its global premiere in London and subsequent release to select international markets such as Japan, the Julie Andrews mega-musical Star! made its way to Australia in early-October 1968, fifty years ago this week. Release patterns for films in this era could be a little idiosyncratic, and the Australian release of Star! was no exception. The film was treated to two lavish “preview” premieres in Sydney and Melbourne on October 4 and 8, respectively, but didn’t open to the general public till October 24 with a premiere roadshow engagement at Melbourne’s Paris Theatre. Even more strangely, Melbourne was the only Australian city to screen Star! for the first six months. The film didn’t open in Sydney till 23 May 1969 with other Australian cities to follow.*

The three previous Julie Andrews film musicals –– Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, and Thoroughly Modern Millie –– had all been major hits in Australia with Millie and Music still in theatrical release when Star! opened in late-1968. In point of fact, The Sound of Music enjoyed longer roadshow runs in Australia than anywhere else in the world: 181 weeks in Sydney (140 at the Mayfair before transferring to the Paris for a further 41 weeks), and 178 weeks in Melbourne (140 at the Paris, then transferring to the Esquire for a final 38 week run). By 1968, it was estimated that just under half the national population had seen The Sound of Music with more to come as the film entered suburban and regional release (Dale: 15; Keavney: 4-5).

As a result, Twentieth Century-Fox had high hopes Star! would do well in Australia and sent director Robert Wise on a special PR trip to the country to help launch the film. Accompanied by his wife, Patricia, Wise touched down in Sydney on 31 September 1968 where he was treated to a round of civic and industry receptions before officiating at a special gala invitation-only premiere of Star! on October 4 at Sydney’s Mayfair Theatre, home to The Sound of Music for so many years (“New Boom”: 18). The following week, Wise flew on to Melbourne for the second Australian premiere at the Paris Theatre, another Sound of Music alma mater, on October 8. While in Melbourne, Wise gave a host of press interviews and even helped the Lord Mayor lay a plaque for a new $4-million cinema complex in the city (Messer: 8; see also, Bennett: 14; Musgrove: 2; Veitch: 18).

As with the UK response, Australian critical reception of Star! was generally very positive. In Melbourne, Howard Palmer of The Sun wrote:

“Star! the Julie Andrews epic is indeed one of those films that a critic sees with relief, because he can let his his hair down and quite safely say it is wonderful in every way...Wise has put theatre on the screen better than anyone else before him...Julie Andrews gives the drama of the Lawrence love affairs so well...Add to this the many comic scenes of her early career....and you have a complete actress...It’s a wonderful film not to be missed” (27).

Alec Martin of the Melbourne Truth was equally enthusiastic:

“[I]f Gertrude Lawrence was alive today she would be the first to whistle and stamp her feet at...Miss Andrews’ brilliant performance in Star!...Miss Andrews sheds her wholesome Mary Poppins and Sound of Music image to play the glamorous, temperamental Gertrude Lawrence with perfection....Star! will be a box-office success, that’s for sure” (39).

Ronald Conway of Melbourne’s The Advocate declared Star! “[a]n agreeable, civilised musical...Julie Andrews sings and acts splendidly and it is a relief to see her in something other than Sound of Music which lasted at the Paris for ever so long...A handsome production to be enjoyed by patrons of all ages” (20). While Kay Mealun of The Australian Women’s Weekly gushed, “I found it rich and big and happy–– could have sat it through, three hours and all, all over again right away” (56).

Not all Australian reviews of Star! were as unreservedly laudatory, though even naysayers conceded the film had charm. Colin Bennett of The Age wrote that Star! “is well set in theatreland and reproduces...a series of splendid old favourites performed to perfection by Julie Andrews who looks fabulous and sings beautifully...But [she] lacks the bite of a Gertrude Lawrence. She is too fundamentally ‘nice’ and tasteful and efficient to be really insolent or bitchy” (6).

In a similar vein, Valda Marshall of The Sun Herald wrote:

“Star! is like an unrealised and long-forgotten musical script of the 30s...a conglomeration of vaudeville numbers, revue material and musical acts...It lacks a central sustaining interest [and] the star herself is without a unified character...Julie Andrews is...in top form. Her voice is as sure and strong as ever. Her acting still has the same unabashed directness and warmth. But the spark of mischievousness and spontaneity are missing” (87).

Charles Higham of the Sydney Morning Herald –– who summarily titled his mixed review, “Julie glitters but she isn’t Gertie Lawrence” –– declared Star! “a carefully made picture...with fine dramatic moments [but] there is something tame and bloodless about it...Julie Andrews in the title role...brings a brittle professionalism and impeccable coldness to a part that demanded vulnerability, anguish, a maddening neurotic edge. Impossible to imagine this athlete of the musical screen missing an appointment or failing to pay a bill, falling hopelessly and foolishly in love or singing out of tune” (6). Still, Higham mused in another column, “[o]ne hopes Sydney audiences will respond warmly to this very well-made film” (Higham: 19).

And, for the most part, Australian audiences did respond with comparative warmth to Star!. While the film didn’t score anywhere near the record-breaking success of The Sound of Music, it enjoyed respectable theatrical runs, playing in roadshow release in Melbourne for just under six months (23 weeks from 24 October 1968-26 March 1969) and in Sydney for five months (20 weeks from 23 May 1969-9 October 1969), two of the longest roadshow runs of Star! anywhere outside London (Davies: 198. 206; Louden: 6).

Star! also went on to a fairly solid theatrical after-life in Australia. The film avoided the debacle of post-release editing that occurred in North America and the full roadshow print screened in residual first release in suburban and regional Australian markets well into the early-70s. Star! even ran as a 70mm double-feature with Hello Dolly at Sydney’s Village Cinema City in late-1974. The film continued to pop up intermittently in subsequent years in repertory screenings. It played several times throughout the 1970s and 80s at Sydney’s Ritz and Mandarin cinemas. The National Library in Canberra hosted a special archival screening of Star! in March 1980, and the film was given a lavish one-week showcase season at Melbourne’s Astor Theatre in November 1998 to celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Star! was also a frequent feature on Australian TV screens. It made its national small screen debut as the Sunday Night Movie of the Week in October 1973 and was rebroadcast every few years thereafter: 1975, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1986 and 1989. As far as can be ascertained, the first two broadcasts were edited for running time, but most later broadcasts appear to have been the 176 min. roadshow release.

Notes:

* In a sign of the times, the delay of the Sydney release of Star! was due to the unexpected success of The Graduate which had been booked in to the Mayfair, Sydney’s “home” of Todd-AO roadshows. The theatre’s previous roadshow offering, Doctor Dolittle, closed earlier than anticipated and The Graduate was scheduled as a “filler” –– it ended up running at the Mayfair for 11 months (Louden, 6).

Sources:

Bennett, Colin. “Box Office Wisdom.” The Age Saturday Magazine. 5 October 1968: 14.

________. “New Films: Star.” The Age. 28 October 1968: 6.

Bishop, Barbara. “Julie Misses the Point.” The Sun. 25 October 1968: 14.

Conway, Ronald. “Star.” The Advocate. 31 October 1968: 20.

Dale, David. “The Tribal Mind: What Australians Love the Most.” The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 February 1999: 15.

Davies, Keith. 50 Years of Cinema and Movie’s in Melbourne’s CBD (1940 – 1989). Melbourne: (n.p.), 2016.

“Films on TV.” The Age Green Guide. 21 December 1978: 8.

Higham, Charles. “Star-Maker.” The Sydney Morning Herald. 5 October 1968: 18.

________. “Turmoil in Film City.” The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 May 1969: 19.

________. “Julie Glitters but she is not Gertrude Lawrence.” The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 May 1969: 6.

________. “Films like Mother Used to Cry Over.” The Sydney Morning Herald. 21 June 1969: 17.

Keavney, Kay. “‘The Sound of Music’ Greatest Film Bonanza.” The Australian Women’s Weekly. 36: 1, 5 June 1968: 4-5.

Louden, Doug. Sydney in 70mm. Sydney: (n.p.), 2016.

MacDonald, Dougal. “Julie Never Stops Being Julie.” The Canberra Times. 28 September 1969: 30.

Marshall, Valda. “It’s a Happening World: Star!” The Sun-Herald. 25 May 1969: 87.

Martin, Alec. “She is the True Star.” The Melbourne Truth. 2 November 1968: 39.

Melaun, Kay. “Julie as Gertrude.” The Australian Women’s Weekly. 36: 20, 4 December 1968: 56.

Messer, John. “From Horror to the Sound of Music––That’s Wise.” The Age. 8 October 1968: 8.

“Movies on TV.” The Sydney Morning Herald: TV Guide. 12 May 1975: 1.

“Movies on TV.” The Sydney Morning Herald: Monday Guide. 27 March 1978: 3.

“Movies on TV.” The Sydney Morning Herald: 7-Day Guide. 29 January 1979: 3.

“Movies on TV.” The Sun-Herald. 15 April 1984: 84.

Musgrove, Nan. “Two Women on His Mind.” The Australian Women’s Weekly. 36: 20, 16 October 1968: 2.

“New Boom for Star Musicals.” The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 October 1968: 18.

Palmer, Howard. “Julie Proves It.” The Sun Weekend Magazine. 26 October 1968: 27.

“Sunday TV.” The Age TV-Radio Guide. 30 March 1975: 8.

“Television.” The Age. 3 April 1980: 2.

“Television.” The Age. 28 August 1981: 2.

“Television.” The Age. 21 January 1989: 18.

“Today’s TV.” The Sun-Herald. 21 October 1973: 71.

Veitch, Jack. “Why Robert Wise Doesn’t Need to Work Again.” The Sun- Herald. 6 October 1968: 18.

“What Was the Name of that Film?” The Age. 8 October 1968: 16.

#julie andrews #Star!#star!50 #gertrude lawrence #Robert Wise #Twentieth Century Fox #musical #old hollywood #fiftieth anniversary #classic film #australia #film poster #film advertising #hoyts

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nathjonesey-75 · 5 years

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The Thirty-Year Itch

When I was a young boy, I used to think that even twenty years was a lifetime – thirty was a millennium. When I turned thirty, I had the sinister feeling that I would have to grow up, start behaving maturely and that my young, green and careless days would be naturally terminated as instantaneously as my twenties.

As it happens, looking back for three decades – my thirties were possibly more enjoyable, along with the realisation that – as the meme suggests – “Don’t grow up, it’s a trap!” So, turning back the clock to the year of 1989; an unbelievably pivotal year, not only for its eventful happenings, good and bad; but for the long-term change for the world.

Globally, we had the start of crumbling dictatorships and old regimes as the “Iron Curtain” began to flake. Romania’s overthrowing of its communist president, Nicolae Ceausescu and overhaul of the old communist republic, the smoother Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia and even more famously – the majestically powerful opening of the Berlin Wall, ending one of the biggest divisions of the twentieth century, starting the reuniting of what we now know as Germany.

From the eyes of a naïve, small-town boy from Wales who had two passions – sport and music, this particular year was an eye-opening door to wowing, new worlds and understanding heartache in a cruel world. In the sporting sense, it should have been another year remembered for success and silverware for my teams Llanelli RFC and Liverpool FC. Tragically, the events in Sheffield on April 15th, 1989 would change the landscape of years to come for my Merseyside second home after the loss of ninety-six lives at Hillsborough. With only a month to go until the anniversary of that colossal tragedy, I’d only like to think of Liverpool as a city more solidified through its guts, grit and togetherness ever since.

Not only did the injustice, corruption and governmental evil epitomise the darker days of Thatcherite Britain and its inappropriate old guard of politicians and so-called leaders; but the legacy of loss and undermanagement in football changed how sport was facilitated, law was conducted – and how Liverpool and a city and as a football club – was both seen and run. Solidarity and deep doggedness from the Justice for the 96 team is something which I have grown, supported and seen – and wholeheartedly admired from Anne Williams, Margaret Aspinall and Trevor Hicks and all of their league of big, fighting hearts. Finally, some justice was seen two years ago – but did not replace those lost.

This would be something which also deeply personified but affected one of my first heroes, Sir Kenny Dalglish. As much as it makes me proud to see him acknowledged in being knighted for his compassionate work in the city’s communities as well as for the football club, his career as our manager was torn apart by this maelstrom, forcing him to resign less than two years later. Probably my most memorable flashback of the year was watching the horror unfold on my grandparents’ old television on that fateful day. If 1989 produced some vintage wines in the way of the aforementioned freedom around the world – this one was a poisonous drop.

On a more positive sporting note, while this was the height of passion in old Welsh rugby days – pre-Hillsborough’s standing areas meaning you could fit way, way over capacity in each stadium; I remember sitting as a ball boy in the Scarlets matches on frosty, cold nights with what must have been around 20,000 people watching derby matches in a stadium which only held 10,800 people. Possibly the link of two happenings as a ball boy was being interviewed by a New Zealand TV crew, as I was wearing an All Blacks jersey on the side of the pitch one evening – as a precursor to their tour in October 1989. Meeting the squad – one of the best teams (even to this day) I have ever seen, the day after they beat Llanelli 11-0 the previous day. Sir John Kirwan, the towering winger signed his autograph in my little old book with “Go For It”, leaving me open-mouthed, as if I’d met a god.

In culture, my most-watched movie (apart from Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope) in cinemas was released in June 1989, among the most memorable of marketing campaigns I can remember as a child. Tim Burton’s Batman was something which I can honestly say – changed my life. I watched it four times in cinemas, then countless times when released on VHS later that year. The soundtrack by Prince, the score by Danny Elfman as well as the gothic darkness were elements with which I identified, more so than Spider-Man, after collecting tens of comics as a younger kid. It began a lifetime of slight obsession with the DC Comics character – which only petered out once Zac Snyder started making (and tarring) the Caped Crusader films with his green screen only style.

Furthermore to the Prince soundtrack, as it was a world of far fewer musical genres back then; I was a Hip-Hop child. It was a time of mullets, soft rock and heavy metal along the mainstream music world – so discovering Hip-Hop in ’87 was something which kept me a bit one-eyed (or eared) as far as music went. 1989, it can be argued – was the best vintage year for the genre. Before the USA’s absurdly possessive copyright laws came into effect, we heard a year of sublime releases. Genre-expanding, sample-tastic albums, using the essence of Hip-Hop’s DJ styles – cutting pieces of tracks into new grooves were extending this brand of music method with new sub-genre styles. After years of Gangster Rap and politically charged messages from bands such as Ice-T, NWA and Public Enemy, a new wave of artists with alternate points to make had arrived, as did a segway from the underground to commercial hip-hop via some huge hits (Tone Loc, Neneh Cherry and so on).

This week holds significance as the thirty-year anniversary of the release of one of my most influential albums. My copy of De La Soul’s “3 Feet High And Rising” became one of my school year’s most passed-around tapes. Along with this fresh piece of genius (which incidentally cost the band more money because of the samples used, than made them cash – and which they are currently battling with Tommy Boy Records for being finally released digitally), we were blessed with rap pearls such as Beastie Boys’ Paul’s Boutique, Young MC’s Stone Cold Rhymin’, Queen Latifah’s All Hail The Queen, 3rd Bass’s The Cactus Album….the list goes on. London’s Mixmaster supreme DJ Yoda even agrees with me on this!

Agreed, as DJ Yoda mentioned, there would definitely be some degree of personal nostalgia, vis-à-vis the albums which saw your personal growth and happy memories, but also the longevity of these album releases, as well as significance at the time. Latifah’s giant step for women in hip-hop, music’s expansion to new land and social equality through the softer messages of new types of rapping, following the domination of ‘Gangsta Rap’ and political bravery in the previous few years.

One massive encounter in connection with this brand of music – was seeing the DMC Technics DJ Mixing Championship for the first time, on the television. Despite it not becoming my selected style of mixing material years later, this is where it all started for me. Cutmaster Swift was the first non-American to win the title, but it was the imprint on my mind of analogue mixing brilliance which pushed me further into records – and what can be done with them.

At the time of this all happening, a new wave of music had begun. One of which I may have seen snippets on Top Of The Pops via certain tracks – in fact one which is now on my wall, after it was number 1 in the charts that year. L’il Louis’s French Kiss sounded like an excuse for “rudies” in a song to a fourteen-year-old heathen sheltered lad. After listening to Ice-T and especially Public Enemy’s Fight The Power – rebellion at the time for me was listening to lots of wise uprising, occasionally violent lyrics with lots of swearing and lots of putting White American policies to the ethical sword. It was five years later I caught the club-bug - and discovered House Music properly. But in 1989, it was blowing up as a scene. The effects of raves in Britain and the USA, not to mention the early stages of the club DJ superstar was catching headlines, being targeted by police and the tabloid press – with a late-eighties revamp of punk’s rebellious anti-establishment stance via electronic music and the drug Ecstasy. It was such a big year on so many levels.

Finally, in other news – let’s have a look at what quirky little differences or nuances our kids would be baffled by – or at least raising eyebrows towards. In 1989, Madonna released the highly-anticipated, then controversial “Like A Prayer” video (for depicting Jesus as a person of colour) via a Pepsi commercial when we only had four TV channels in Britain. Now, we anticipate when she will finally call it a day. It’s not as if the royalties dried up a few years ago, is it?

Adverts were good. I rest my case (click on link).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYkrvoI_oVE

Mullets and Shell Suits. *twitches uncontrollably*

*twitches uncontrollably again as Australia – proudly – announces mullets are back*

Dear Generations Y and Z, there is a reason these garments have not been worn for over twenty-five years. This is called ‘not being a chav or bogan’. I hope you can understand why it would be dangerous to revisit this abhorrent get-up.

To close – in 1989, Sir Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web, or what we now know as the Internet. You wouldn’t be reading this now without it.

Cheers.

#1989 #Thirty Year Itch #history #tragedy #Hip Hop #House Music #Liverpool FC #Hillsborough #DJ #Mixing #Technics #Bad Taste #Mullets #Shell Suits #Growing Up #Political Change #Freedom #Communism

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elizadoolittlethings · 5 years

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Cyberons, sexy Zygons and Mark Gatiss: the bizarre world of the unofficial Doctor Who spin-offs

An oral history of the franchise's unlicensed spin-offs with Sylvester McCoy, Nick Briggs and those at the heart of Who's fan-made films

By Thomas Ling

Tuesday, 27th November 2018 at 1:19 pm

Colin Baker, the man who played The Sixth and arguably proudest Doctor, was next to naked. But he didn’t seem bothered by the bare front peeking through his limp dressing gown. And nor by the vision of a dying Peter Davison that had caused him to collapse while presenting a live TV weather report moments earlier.

Instead, in this semi-stripped moment, his focus belonged solely to Nicola Bryant, the actor who had played Doctor Who companion Peri – and the woman currently planting kisses down his exposed chest.

The 7 biggest contradictions in Doctor Who canon

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A surprising turn, many would think, but Baker seemed completely at ease. Yet soon there would be things he couldn’t ignore.

Soon he’d unearth a plot to replace humans with a synthetic race that could survive a poisoned atmosphere. Soon he would encounter a mysterious Michael Moore-style filmmaker who took the appearance of Sylvester McCoy. And, perhaps most worrying of all, soon he’d witness an apparition of Jon Pertwee that would vanish as unexplained as it had appeared.

Of all the directions Doctor Who could have taken, few could have predicted this. Yet the above is exactly how many fans celebrated the show’s 30th anniversary in 1993: watching a half-naked Colin Baker in The Airzone Solution, a fan-made straight-to-video multi-Doctor story.

Except this wasn’t actually a Doctor Who story. Not officially, anyway. But while Baker, Davidson, McCoy and Pertwee weren’t actually playing Time Lords, The Airzone Solution was Doctor Who in all but name. As McCoy explains to us, the film was “a kind of shadow of Who. Something different with major Whovian influences.”

And although not a licenced Doctor Who production, The Airzone Solution had more of a standing in the fandom than anything the BBC had gifted Whovians since putting the show on hiatus four years earlier in 1989.

While the amateur filmmakers behind Airzone managed to reunite four Doctors for an hour-long special, the BBC’s planned anniversary extravaganza The Dark Dimension collapsed completely mid-production. From its wreckage the Beeb merely marked three decades of the most influential British sci-fi creation with a Doctor Who/EastEnders crossover introduced by Noel Edmonds.

True, this Children in Need short saw the Tardis back on BBC1, but Romana riffing with the Mitchell brothers and the Fifth Doctor crossing paths with Pat Butcher was hardly the glorious return of the Time Lords many had imagined.

So, with fans’ appetites unsatisfied, thousands fed their hunger for Who with The Airzone Solution and the string of 24 other spin-offs films that emerged in the show’s wilderness years – the decade and a half without a regular Doctor Who TV series.

They weren’t official BBC stories, but they did heavily borrow from Doctor Who mythology and featured a mix of past actors, characters and suspiciously familiar monsters (no points for guessing what the ‘Cyberons’ were based on).

More importantly, though, these films nurtured Who’s biggest stars of the revived series. Writer and actor Mark Gatiss, voice of the Daleks Nicholas Briggs and writer Robert Shearman, alongside the likes of Alan Cumming and Reece Shearsmith: all cut their teeth on these films.

And while many of these stars might look back at them with a blush, the spin-offs may well be the reason they ended up working on the revival show.

Despite their shaky CGI, shoestring Sontarans and nymphomaniac Zygons (more on that below), these films actually silently shaped the Doctor Who we know today…

The first, the unoriginal, you might say

It all started in Wartime. All 25 spin-offs were sparked by this 35-minute one-off, a fan-made story that centred on Whovian favourite Sergeant Benton. Although not a household name for modern Who viewers, Benton was a stalwart soldier of the Pertwee era of the show, a key UNIT officer who battled against Cybermen, Daleks and even dinosaurs on Britain’s streets.

Yet it’s not the return of original actor John Levene as Benton, the character’s surreal confrontation with his soon-to-be-widowed mother or even the fantastically 1980s CGI skull that stands out about Wartime. It’s the release date: 1987, two years before Who was pulled off air.

In other words, Wartime wasn’t made in response to the cancellation, but for a very different reason.

“We made Wartime because we weren’t happy with the way that Doctor Who was going and we thought we could do better,” says Wartime producer Keith Barnfather, one of the founding members of the Doctor Who Appreciation Society and former BBC and Channel 4 employee.

“That was an absolute joke considering the funds available. The only reason that [Wartime] got made was that everyone who did it did it virtually for nothing.”

With borrowed costumes, a minuscule budget of only a few thousand pounds and a filming location they had never visited beforehand, Barnfather and his newly-formed production company ReelTime Pictures got Wartime in the can in just three days – about a fifth of the time it takes to film a modern Who episode.

The result: a creaky-looking drama with questionable effects and an enthusiastic but ultimately forced performance from Levene. But all these glaring flaws weren’t important. All that mattered was it had got made. A group of fans had actually put together a real self-contained show set in the world of Doctor Who.

“I was happy – it was the first time we did anything and we actually finished it!” says Barnfather. “It’s not a bad little drama. Even today I can watch it and not cringe.”

Most importantly, however, Wartime proved that independent spin-offs were possible. It showed that Doctor Who stories didn’t require Doctor Who on BBC1. Because when the show was finally cancelled two years later in 1989, other also looked to put their own Who adventures on camera.

And this time the Doctors themselves would want in…

The Time Lords materialise

Determined, brilliant, completely barking mad: there are many ways to describe Who filmmaker Bill Baggs. Indeed, some labelled him all three after he founded BBV Pictures in 1991, kick-starting projects with some truly out-of-this-world ambitions.

Why? Although only a young video editor at BBC Nottingham, the aspiring director/actor aimed to do more than tell Doctor Who stories about background UNIT soldiers. Baggs wanted the Doctors ��– and plenty of them.

Staggeringly, he got one in his first film. After a script was cobbled together for short drama Summoned by Shadows, Baggs approached Colin Baker to play a lead character known simply as The Stranger, a mysterious and eccentric unnamed traveller who roams time and space with a younger companion. Nothing like The Doctor, of course.

And despite not actually playing a Time Lord, or knowing virtually anything about the film, or having met the man behind it, Baker signed up.

“I could not believe it. I was wetting myself with excitement!” remembers Baggs. “As a Doctor Who fan you have little fantasies about this, but you never expect them to pan out! I was blown away and deeply honoured.”

Although we can’t be sure of Baker’s motives for coming on board – he declined to speak to us about the spin-offs – Baggs puts forward one theory: “I think from Colin’s point of view, he was doing a lot of theatre work after Doctor Who, so why not give up a few days and potentially invest in me, fool that he was,” he says with a laugh.

“From his point of view, I had no profile. He didn’t know me from Adam, apart from being this potentially up-and-coming director. But if you show passion and desire then often people will support you.”

Whatever the reason, Baker did join the project. And despite Baggs becoming cripplingly star-struck after meeting him at rehearsals (“I asked him for a cup of tea and disappeared down the corridor!”), filming soon started in true Doctor Who style: in an empty quarry – the same one, in fact, where Baker had filmed Attack of the Cybermen years earlier.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/xanrcw

Like Wartime, this drama had a minuscule budget (just £3000 in total) and, as with the majority of Doctor Who’s 1980s episodes, it hasn’t aged well. Baker’s wonderfully understated performance, however, still shines through. He’s quiet and thoughtful throughout, showing fans exactly what his widely-criticised Doctor could have been.

As Mark Gatiss later told Doctor Who magazine (issue 332) about the films: “I remember watching them and thinking they didn’t look very flashy, but in terms of trying to portray real characters they were a massive improvement on Doctor Who!”

Gatiss wasn’t the only one taken with Summoned by Shadows and what would become ‘The Stranger series’ – thousands bought the films on VHS by post and at conventions.

Demand became too high, in fact. “I had to set up three VHS machines in my bedroom and I was duplicating videos through the night,” says Baggs, recalling how he had to call on his parents to help his videotaping “mini-factory”.

Above: a clip from The Stranger: More than a Messiah

So many copies would be sold, in fact, that by 1993 Baggs had the confidence to embark on a project bigger than anything he done before: a one-off special for Who’s 30th Birthday, The Airzone Solution, the film that would eventually feature a scantily-clad Colin Baker.

Fortunately, that scene doesn’t represent most of the film. Penned by the emerging Nicholas Briggs, Airzone was an environmental thriller set in a near-future Britain where pollution forces the government to build giant filtration plants to clean the dying planet.

And in true Doctor Who style, these centres actually serve a much more sinister agenda: kidnapping and experimenting on innocents to create a new species of human.

Baker once again signed onto the project and Baggs convinced Peter Davison to jump aboard (“that was another moment of punching the air!” Baggs recalls). This was soon followed by McCoy, a monumental achievement considering he was technically still Who’s incumbent Doctor.

Like previous spin-offs, this was by no means a major project with BBC1 exposure and a large pay-packet. But, for McCoy at least, it was a way of keeping the fandom thriving.

“We wanted to feed a hunger that was alive at that time for more Doctor Who,” he says. “I knew the BBC had made a huge mistake by putting Doctor Who into hiatus. I also knew the fans loved [the spin-offs]. For the fans I thought ‘yeah I’ll do this!’”

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Furthermore, with a TV revival appearing absurdly unlikely in 1993, McCoy considered the project the only way Who could survive on screen.

“You might find this hard to believe, but I don’t really have a Tardis. I couldn’t really travel back in time and tell everyone ‘we’re going to make a TV film and then they’re going to bring it back again!’” he chuckles.

With these three star signings, others followed suit. Actors including Nicola Bryant, original Davros star Michael Wisher and the then-relatively-unknown Alan Cumming all joined the film.

But then someone even the omni-ambitious Baggs thought too unattainable got in touch: Jon Pertwee, The Third Doctor. “Sylvester came to me one day and he said ‘I’ve been speaking to Jon Pertwee and he’s been asking why he’s not in it. He might get in touch!’” Baggs remembers.

Sure enough, the call came, with Baggs happily at the former Doctor’s mercy. “It was very charming to actually have an actor so connected to the show call and say ‘I’m in it, whether you like it or not!’”

Pertwee may have been completely unfamiliar with the script when he turned up to set the next day – Peter Davidson actually had to hold up cue cards for him during scenes – but in it he was. And for two days, four Doctor Who leads were brought together for some good old-fashioned low-budget sci-fi.

“It obviously didn’t have quite the financial support that the BBC gave Doctor Who. But it was great because the fans were so involved,” recalls McCoy “We were treated very well. We all had a great time!”

McCoy’s recollections of the shoot are all positive, whether teasing Baker “for taking his job”, filming a chase scene that would fail any modern risk assessment (“I took my glasses off and would be driving around half blind!”), or simply spending time with his Doctor Who co-stars.

“I remember filming and just sharing the day with Colin, Peter and the glorious Jon Pertwee. It was great because it was still alive. When the BBC stopped it, you thought ‘well, that’s it, goodbye’. Doctor Who is one of the great jobs,” he says.

“And although this wasn’t Doctor Who, it was very like Doctor Who.”

The Pandorica opens

As suddenly as the Tardis surfacing from the time vortex, a whole series of Doctor Who spin-offs materialised after The Airzone Solution. Some good. Some bad. All brilliantly weird.

For ReelTime, the makers of Wartime, the next Who project entailed a team-up between Elisabeth Sladen’s Sarah Jane Smith and The Brigadier (a role reprised by original actor Nicholas Courtney) in a story called Downtime featuring the Great Intelligence and some gloriously low-budget Yeti monsters.

This was followed up by adventures featuring Sontarans, a Shakespeare-loving Draconian and even former Doctor Who companion Sophie Aldred, this time playing an unnamed character with, completely coincidently, the same direct way with words as Ace.

But while these characters were typically used with the BBC’s permission, other spin-offs – mostly those created by maverick Bill Baggs under BBV Pictures – simply gave a heavy nod to Who, such as the murderous robotic machines featured in Cyberon or the aforementioned interstellar traveller The Stranger.

But despite the glaring similarities, there seemed to be little fear of the BBC shutting down production. “We didn’t care!” laughs McCoy, who starred in many of Baggs’s later spin-offs. “They deserved to get annoyed because they abandoned it and the fans!”

On other occasions the dramas blended the show’s characters and actors in ways that, simply put, just didn’t make a lot of sense – even by Doctor Who’s timey-wimey standards.

Take the Torchwood-esque PROBE series, directed by Baggs and penned by future Who and Sherlock stalwart Mark Gatiss, a writer slowly gaining success with The League of Gentlemen at the time.

This mid-1990s series centred on the Preternatural Research Bureau, a paranormal investigations unit led by classic Doctor Who companion Liz Shaw, a character Baggs had got permission to use. Original actor Caroline John even reprised the role, a casting that appeared to ground the drama firmly within the world of Who.

However, for rights reasons PROBE wasn’t permitted to mention The Doctor or most events surrounding the show – a restriction that meant Liz was forced not to recognise a non-Time Lord character played by John Pertwee, an actor she had shared adventures with during his tenure as The Doctor.

Mostly, however, the spin-offs followed new characters battling old Doctor Who baddies as they wreaked havoc over the planet. Most notable of which were the Auton films.

Featuring the likes of Reece Shearsmith and CGI that rivalled that seen in the 2005 revival show, the first two of BBV’s ‘Auton Trilogy’ of the late nineties are widely considered the best independent Who spin-offs.

“They are by no means perfect, in fact they’re horribly flawed. But I wrote and directed both of them under fairly impossible budgetary and time constraints, with a lovely team of actors,” says Nicholas Briggs. “I think we managed to create something that worked pretty well.”

However, Auton’s biggest impact on the Who fandom came just before the revival of the main show. Just as the BBC had to reach a deal with the Terry Nation estate to use the Daleks in the show (negotiations that fell through at one point overallegations the broadcaster wanted to make a ‘gay Dalek’ cartoon), they had to consult Bill Baggs, who still held the rights to the Autons thanks to an agreement with the estate of creator Robert Holmes.

“Before it restarted, the BBC phoned me up and asked me if was okay for me to do an Auton show,” laughs Baggs.

“I told this to my wife thinking she wouldn’t say anything, but it happened to be the weekend she was at the Gallifrey convention. And a bit later I got a phone call saying ‘why does the whole universe know that the first episode is an Auton one?!’ I had to apologise humbly.”

Furthermore, some have said characters created for these fan-made spin-offs may have actually inspired those that appear in the main show. Foremost of which: Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, UNIT commander and daughter of the Brigadier.

Kate appeared in Chris Chibnall’s The Power of Three in 2012 and the 50thanniversary special The Day of the Doctor – but a character with the same name, background and blonde hair first featured in fan-made film Downtime 17 years earlier.

“Let’s just say we came to an accommodation,” says Downtime producer Barnfather on his subsequent chats with the BBC around their use of the character. “I would never do anything that would hurt the programme or bring it into disrepute.”

Yet Kate Stewart aside, can we say these fan-made spin-offs really gave more to Doctor Who than they took? Did they really inspire the plots of modern Who? Considering the stories the show has produced since its 2005 revival: absolutely not.

However, what if you judge the impact of the spin-offs by the talent they gifted to the main show years later? Well, that’s when things get a lot more interesting…

Stars are born

However flawed these films were, they’re where the Who writers of today learned their craft. They didn’t just make talent like Mark Gatiss and Big Finish head Nick Briggs known amongst dedicated fans, they also gave them a platform to jump to the main show. And, even more importantly, they nurtured the creativity needed for their later projects.

Briggs is the prime example here. Through his extensive work in the world of unlicensed Who he perfected performing Dalek voices, mastering the equipment and vocal tics needed to make a convincing tinpot terror. And this meant when the BBC announced the Doctor Who revival, Russell T Davies was quick to get Briggs on board.

“[Davies] had me in mind from the moment he’d decided he was bringing the Daleks back – not just because he thought I was good at doing Dalek voices, but because he was aware that I had the technical know-how to recreate them,” Briggs explains. “In the absence of a BBC Radiophonic Workshop, I was the sort of total solution. Very lucky for me.”

However, the spin-offs did much more than offer Briggs a route onto the main show. “Any ‘turn around the block’ creating something, no matter how flawed, is invaluable experience for a writer or director or any kind of creative person,” he says.

“It’s one thing to dream, but it’s quite another thing to get the practical experience of actually creating and finishing something.

“[The spin-offs] gave us a real ‘go’ at bringing a dream to life, and helped us realise that we could not only create something, but create something worthy of an audience.

“Actually making things engenders a feeling of permission to create. That’s a big hurdle for any creative person. Do I have the right to create, to communicate, to entertain? Having practice at making something helps to give you that feeling of permission.”

Mark Gatiss echoed a similar sentiment in a League of Gentlemen blog, explaining that although he didn’t want it to be released on DVD, he had gained valuable experience writing The Zero Imperative, his first ever TV script.

“Christ, for all I knew, they were the only things I would ever get to make,” he said. “And I learned a frightening amount from working on them.”

And one of the lessons Gatiss appears to have learned is how to work with some tricky characters. Namely, Bill Baggs.

“I’m a constant meddler when it comes to the scripts,” recalls Baggs. “But Mark tolerated that really well. I remember we would sit together and improvise scenes, which I loved. I’d like to get hold of his writing sometimes and give it a tweak and an edit, but I take my hat off to him. He’s been so successful. There’s nobody else who deserves more and having that experience with him is fantastic.

“But Mark probably wouldn’t have his career in Doctor Who without BBV.”

So, why didn’t Baggs end up working on Doctor Who like Gatiss? Why is it that the man at the heart of the unofficial fandom spent, as he puts it, “a lot of time wondering when the phone was going to ring”?

Rather than being asked to direct an episode, why did Baggs fail to break through to the show, instead funnelling his energy into an alternative medicine, Emotional Energy Healing, and becoming an ‘Akki energetics practitioner’?

Despite Baggs’s assertion that he could work on the main show if he wanted to but simply chooses not to, there could be another reason behind his absence. As Gatiss once told Doctor Who magazine, although he had a “great time”, Baggs “had some very strange ideas as a producer.”

And although Gatiss was referring to Baggs’s tendency to swap scenes around “arbitrarily”, this isn’t one of the strange ideas that fans eventually knew him for.

The misadventures of Doctor Screw

We should say this up front: Bill Baggs wasn’t the first to bring sex into the Whoniverse. During the show’s hiatus years, characters such as Bernice Summerfield (written as a companion of Sylvester McCoy’s Seventh Doctor) were often portrayed enjoying some, shall we say, advanced docking maneuverers on the Tardis. Summerfield even apparently had a fumble with The Eighth Doctor himself in book The Dying Days.

However, while ReelTime Pictures kept their films PG and in a similar style and ilk to the main show, stablemate BBV and Bill Baggs became ever more proactive in bringing the saucier side of Who to screen.

That image of a naked Colin Baker we brought up before? The one where he romped with Nicola Bryant, who played Peri in Who? That was thanks to Baggs, who directed the unscripted scene (from under the bed – “I had to! There was no space in that room!”) against the wishes of writer Nicholas Briggs.

“I’m credited as the writer of The Airzone Solution, but I did not write that scene,” Briggs says adamantly. “It was irrelevant to the plot. [Baggs] seemed to agree with me. But I later found out that he just gave up arguing because he could see I wouldn’t change my mind. Then he deliberately deceived me and wrote the scene in any way.”

Baggs, however, stands by it. “Everyone had an opinion about it,” he says. “People got grossed out by it and some found no problem at all.”

But that scene was nothing compared to 2008’s Zygon: When Being You Just Isn’t Enough, dubbed by one reviewer as “the only Zygon-based soft-porn film ever to have been made”. And that’s not an exaggeration. Fortunately, it doesn’t feature the red starfish-like aliens making use of their suckers, but the 18-rated film does see the Zygons at the centre of some very NSFW activities in human form.

Although billed as a serious drama, Baggs openly says it was initially envisioned as something more titillating. “I met a guy at a convention who was into soft porn and he convinced me there was a market for it – not that I had a massive desire to produce a soft porn film, but you’re always interested as a director/producer what markets there were.”

But looking back now, Baggs concedes the project was a misstep. “It was my mistake and nobody else’s,” he adds, before quickly adding: “I’m glad I tried it, though. It was a massive learning experience.”

Zygon wasn’t quite the end of Baggs’s spin-off ideas, with BBV releasing When to Die, a PROBE drama in memory of Liz Shaw star Caroline John in 2012.

However, since then Baggs has been focused on producing theatre dramas, and although he and McCoy still enjoy times together at conventions, the sun has set on the golden time (and space) of BBV films.

A fandom regenerates

26th March 2005, 7pm. For fans across the world, this was the moment the ‘real’ Doctor Who returned to screens. After over 15 years of waiting, the universe’s foremost Time Lord returned in a regular series, captivating a whole new generation of Whovians.

But for the makers of the spin-off films, it was a bittersweet moment. Producers like Bill Baggs had spent years trying to cater for fans with nowhere else to go, fuelling the fandom with films made possible by pure passion for Who. And now it was over: the fans just didn’t need BBV.

As Baggs says, “It was frustrating on one hand and utterly delighting on the other.

“Before they announced they were reviving Who, Alan Cumming and I were actually going to do a special drama, an anniversary special for BBC South with Alan Cumming as The Doctor,” he laments. “But we ended up getting a call from a Who producer telling us we had to stop because the show was coming back – that’s when I first found out.”

Today BBV only operates a small web business and while Barnfather and ReelTime Pictures still film an occasional Who spin-off, they mostly specialise in the likes of archaeological videos in the Greek world (“We’ve got quite the reputation in Cyprus”).

Yet some still claim that fans owe a great debt to Barnfather and Baggs. “Thereason why we’ve got Doctor Who now on television is thanks to those fans who did it way back then,” says McCoy. “The fans of today should be thankful to him because he helped keep alive Doctor Who.”

But is it really true that without their work keeping the fandom alive, the BBC would have never recommissioned the show? Not everyone is convinced.

“That’s absolutely rubbish,” says Barnfather. “The programme would have come back – it’s a franchise that will never die! Even if the Doctor Who fandom didn’t exist, the BBC would have brought it back.”

“The facts just don’t support it,” agrees Briggs. “The people who made the decision to bring back Doctor Who to television had no idea that any of these things existed.”

Yet while it may not be the reason for Doctor Who’s revival, it’s undeniable that these films fostered talent that would change the Tardis forever.

Perhaps more than anything, the films represent how the fandom and the series are forever intertwined. These 25 forgotten spin-offs demonstrate that the line between dedicated fans and the show is beautifully permeable, ideas and talent forever travelling between the two.

And that’s still true to this day. Remember WhoLock, the viral video that imagined two of TV’s greatest characters together? Or the perfect fan-made trailer for Peter Capaldi’s first series? The editor of these films, who goes by the pseudonym John Smith, actually went on to work as a VFX artist for Doctor Who.

This is the real beauty of Who: its fans are constantly creating, inventing new ideas that could make their way on screen in years to come. It’s a collaboration that makes Who and its lead Time Lord arguably stronger than any other sci-fi fandom.

And sure, this symbiotic relationship might bring to light some of the stranger facets of the fandom, or a nymphomaniac Zygon or two. But, just like the Tardis, these spin-offs have often taken The Doctor where he didn’t want to go, but precisely where he needed to.