Newsday TV Book, November 25-December 1, 1973.

 This week's TV Book is one I had previously only uploaded the cover for, so here are some more scans from the issue.

The cover is a color Gary Viskupic illustration for that week's NBC TV movie, Frankenstein: The True Story with Michael Sarrazin.

The TV Line Q&A is notable for a rather offensive question that appears to have had a longer answer, but an editor may have decided to put the kibosh on it. Also addressed: Kate Hepburn's marital status, Pamelyn Ferdin and the various Lucy's, and everything anyone ever wanted to know about Wayne Maunder (except that he died suddenly three years ago this month).

Holiday Spa (with a Plainview location, woot-woot!) offers some body magic, and a pic that probably inspired some TV Book readers to partake in a little sleight-of-hand of their own back in the day.

Newsday writer Bill Kaufman considers the many actors who have lumbered in the cumbersome boots of Frankenstein's Monster over the years.

Among the gift ideas suggested by advertisers, we find a Flipper Table at Minnesota Fats of Westbury, and a clip art table-saw Santa.

The late Monday schedule has many delights, including another Viskupic drawing in his inimitable style: lighthearted yet with a sense of unease. The last entry is a John Cashman review where he takes his customary potshot at Vera Hruba Ralston.

Tuesday's late sched features a Bob Newman illustration for Uncle Miltie's show biz celebration, and a Cashman review with another of his hallmarks: the not-entirely-damning "sitthroughable" designation.

Just becuz, here are all of Friday's and Saturday's listings. This first page, Friday morning, includes the weekly WPIX airing of Joya's Fun School (the rest of the week it was Magic Garden in that time slot), a beloved show that I've read is pretty much dust in the wind at this point. WNEW put some Musketeers in for Casper and Huckleberry Hound that day.

Yet another Visku-Pic up next, again for the cover movie. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town came to town on ABC, back when if you missed it, you missed it. Which was awful.

I forgot to mention the WSNL listings, Long Island's channel 67, and such barely-recalled shows as Strange  Paradise. Cashman shouts out to Maria Ouspenskaya.

Saturday's listings are chock full o' vintage-even-then horror and sci-fi flicks, with colossal men, cobra women...

...voodoo men, Bowery Boys meeting monsters, little women... (Oh wait, that movie is only horror if you're a young boy forced to sit through it.) Best of all, however, is the Christmas ad for Hicks Nurseries in Westbury!

Ned Levine contributes a whimsical take on that year's Army-Navy game, and Bill Daily hosts old pantalooned pal Barbara Eden on Hocus Pocus.

The week came to end with Bride of Frankenstein thoughtfully chosen for WOR's Fright Night feature, and a curious double feature for WABC's Saturday Night Movie line-up (presuming that's what it was called then, as it was later). Here's a link to the similar Sunday Night Movie open, on my YouTube channel.

CJC Kitchen Corporation of Copiague appears to be long gone, but this hectic ad (with its terrific clip art of an attractive young couple--resembling, to my eye, Christopher George and Jennifer Lawrence--gleefully pointing) is timeless.

If you're like me (and oh lord, pray you aren't), you prefer your Christmas and Chanukah financial planning to be no-nonsense. On the back cover, County Federal Savings claims to have your back... uh, covered.

NEXT TIME:
Beats me, but something Christmasy, I hope!

Newsday TV Book, November 19-25, 1978.

I first took a brief look at this issue, covering the week of Thanksgiving, back in 2006. I mentioned at the end that I hoped to add more. Well, now I have! And it only took fifteen years!

2024 UPDATE!
    And now I've rescanned the cover, plus a bunch of new scans, and deep-sixed the old post since it's now redundant!

This week brings us Aimee Eccles and Stephen Macht of The Immigrants.
(Click pics to enlarge)

TV Line tells us all about "Mr. Walters"--as in, "Goodnight, Mr.Walters."

Here's the cover story, which I have not read even though it's by my one-time penpal Bill Kaufman, sadly no longer with us.

There is a reason neither the word nor the concept "sitvar" has ever caught on. Read the blurb in the Off Camera column and you'll understand why.

I offer this page not only for Dan Howard's familiar Noseless Preggo, but for the Disney 50th anniversary special close-up (and then the NBC ad to go with it).

Monday began with the terrible news that as of last night, my favorite PBS station, the local WLIW, would be gone for a fortnight! If I remember correctly, it ended up being longer than two weeks--unless it just felt that way to the nerdling Non-Parader...

And now for the good stuff! Here are the holiday listings, along with Friday and Saturday.
Thanksgiving morning and afternoon featured yer various parades, Famous Classic Tales, and... Nothing Scared? (I kid, I kid the Newsday typesetter.)

Mighty Joe Young and King Kong!

Son of Kong and prime-time Woody Woodpecker.

Celebrate with the detectives of Barney Miller, or the cons of Sing-Sing.

If you were still feeling nostalgic for Halloween, you could enjoy a late Seance or Cobra Woman.

Friday brought Godzilla and his wacky pals, and... Yellow Submarine?!? I don't remember that at all!

Channel 9 gave you even more Godzilla, if you could handle it.

Saturday gave us Vampire Men, a Human Vapor, and a Beast of great depth.

A Viskupic illustration with a note from the man himself!

The season's first airing of Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol, butchered into an hour slot.

I wonder if Dick Clark's look at the "good old days" of Philadelphia
happened to mention the race riots...

Some classic flicks, a notable Saturday Night Live, and WOR's "Fright Night" serving up a big old slab o' Rondo Hatton.

Here are the sports (minus Sunday), specials and kiddie shows as listed in the Quick Guide. I loved the WNEW channel 5 "Holiday Festival" of cartoons at 8pm each night. Why was it so cool to see the same damn cartoons I watched every afternoon in prime time? Beats me, but it was!

I don't know about you but I'm stuffed!
Oh, alright, here's just a little bit more, an ad for my local favorite, the Nassau Farmers Market!

How about a tasteful ad for the Jolly Swagman Inn?

And finally, a page of various ads, including one for Emil Asch Paper Goods and Cleaning Supplies. It's not quite enough to put me off my dinner, but it is a bit chilling for the main course to advise me on how to dispose of his bones. (Check out the turkey's "Asch" to understand just what the heck I'm blathering on about.)

Happy Thanksgiving! Sorry it's not 1978 anymore, but I hope this helped!

Newsday TV Book, November 5-11, 1978.

This issue is one of the first, if not the first, of my collection. I've put several pictures from it on the webs, but at long last I'm taking the deep dive. The cover features Judd Hirsch of the recently-premiered Taxi, and the Bill Kaufman story follows.
(Click on the pics for easier reading.)

On the inside cover, the TV Line gave the skinny on Fred Astaire, Tim Matheson, the Onedin Line, and your various Labyorteaux (which is the correct spelling of their name, btw, despite how you may see it in their early credits).

An early Christmas ad suggested booking the Dining Car 1890 restaurant in East Setauket for your holiday festivities. Here we see Leslie Caron stopping by Dennis Farina’s table.

Off Camera dished about the Travolta attention issue, Lou Grant potentially influencing an election, and Ingrid Bergman's better side.

Here's a bit of Sunday listings, with a Ned Levine illustration for that night's The Sting (no Gary Viskupic art in this issue, alas) and an ad for Dan Howard Maternity Factory Outlet, with an obscure Long Island advertising character familiar to Newsday readers: the Noseless Preggo!

A few ads that caught my attention: VIP Formals, with a location in my hometown of Plainview; and Castro Convertibles, with a tiny representation of spokeskid Bernadette, well-known to area TV viewers into adulthood.

Late Sunday listings are accompanied by a political ad for Angelo F. Orazio, who served as a member of the New York State Assembly's 15th district through 1984. He died in 2018.

A few classic ads here, for the Enurtone Company's bedwetting cure for Johnny and his smelly house, and the North Shore Animal League's puzzling "puppy circus" come-on.

Here's all of Election Day, Tuesday the 7th, with a look at the network and local coverage. Plus: Terry Bradshaw scoring with New Man Qaylar, and another obscure LI advertising character: the Verdi Industries Snowman!

Here's Thursday's daytime listings, really just for the Belmont Racetrack Flea Market ad, and the peculiar, Egyptian-themed one for Ammis Haircutters.

I just liked this ad for Pioneer Diner Restaurants, can't say I'd ever heard of it.

The always-cool-to-see early Cable TV Highlights.

"Crosswords," starring Abe Vigoda, plus an Election Day ad for Dollar Shoe Outlet.

Finally, the back cover, a bank ad offering a Solid State Philco 12" portable B&W, just for slipping them a grand. Sweet!