Newsday TV Book, January 13-19, 1974.

Here's a fifty-two-year-old NTVB that I've only published the cover from previously (with the next paragraph, about the accompanying story by the late Bill Kaufman), so let's take a closer look, shall we?

In the article for this week's cover story, Bill Bixby claimed to have become an accomplished magician under the tutelage of Mark Wilson. Bixby's show, The Magician, was retooled after folks found part of the premise too far-fetched: in early episodes, the title crime-fighting character traveled around in an enormous jet which served as his base (and garage for his Corvette), flown by a single pilot. This conceit was scrapped and his home became a mansion, reportedly based on the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

At the end of the article, Bixby considers a return to the sitcom form--which did happen later, but in the meantime he became the iconic David Banner for five seasons of The Incredible Hulk (and related TV movies until 1990, three years before his death).

The TV Line gives us the deets on Peanuts, where to procure Tarot cards, the theme to the ABC Wednesday Movie of the Week, and the new Romper Room host, Miss Mary Ann (Pedersen, replacing my host, Miss Louise).

Sunday morning, for your Abbott & Costello/Bowery Boys fix. (Oh, and that Super Bowl thing was on, too, with a cartoony close-up that's uncredited but probably by Art Sudduth.)

Newsday readers could always count on Gary Viskupic to deliver the freaky factor with his illustrations, and his take on the first Night Stalker TV movie did not disappoint.

Thursday night brought Bud & Lou back for an atypical mid-week double-feature.

And now, here's all day Friday and Saturday!
The lost, lamented Joya's Fun School stood in for The Magic Garden at 12:30.

For some reason, The Midnight Special gets an afternoon shout-out.

Other rock 'n roll artists appear in the wee hours, including Jerry Lee Lewis, so I am compelled to mention that I once saw the Killer's genitals live and in person.

Saturday morning finds reviewer John Cashman damning films with his familiar faint praise: "sitthroughable," "buy the premise, buy the flick," and "passable."

The Children's Film Festival on CBS was a Czech offering called "Six Bears and a Clown."
SPOILER ALERT: the sequel was called "Six Bears."

Cashman also advises viewers not to miss Witness for the Prosecution, a recommendation I have always found rewarding (although I haven't watched this one yet).

That's it! Next week's issue is one I began scanning pages from, intending to present the whole shebang. Well, that unfinished post was a mere 17 years ago (!!!), so maybe I'll take a crack at finishing it...