Newsday TV Books, February 1974.

I'm back in the swing of things (whatever the fuck that means) with another look at a month of old Newsday TV Books! We're well into February/damn near into March, so let's get cracking with a look at the littlest month of 1974!
(Remember: click on images to enlarge.)

GAAAH!!! Unenlarge! Unenlarge! Yikes, I wasn't expecting Jeanette Nolan without makeup. Or teeth. Or Dack Rambo trying to lingually extract a Jujube from his own choppers, for that matter. As the titular Dirty Sally in this Gunsmoke spin-off, Nolan played it heavy on the cornpone in a performance that had Irene Ryan saying, "Jeez, turn it down a notch, lady." Here's the explanatory theme song.

This week's TV Line tells us about Ricky Segall, who was born a fortnight before me in my very own hometown. I mainly recall him singing "Say Hey Willie" on The Partridge Family (although he also sang this memorable tune). Also, creepy P.D. of Elmont wants TMI about the kids of Zoom.

Here's more about Dirty Sally, and I don't mean the kind mentioned in the Urban Dictionary.

There's quite a cast in Sunday's "The Migrants," an episode of the revived CBS Playhouse 90.

And there was another fine cast on Monday's Mitzi Gaynor special, including Josephine the Plumber.

I've already posted this Gary Viskupic drawing for the TV movie version of Dracula, but not only is this one slightly different, the caption mentions that the original airing was pre-empted by Watergate business.

Here's Saturday's late-night schedule, just because I like Saturday late-night schedules.

Bonus Ad: It's Howard Stern's beloved Camp Baumann!

I almost didn't include this article written by Leslie Gourse, who typically covers jazz musicians. However, it's unusual for the TV Book to include a second article, and the topic (celebrity commercials of the day) is totally up my alley. I just don't think it's particularly well-written.

As with last December, I'm missing another issue here, goddamn it, so we jump ahead to this Paul Winfield cover. He played Roy Campanella in the TV movie It's Good to Be Alive, detailing the Dodger catcher's career-ending paralysis. Is it just me or is there something seriously spooky about Winfield's eyes in this pic?

The TV Line has an interesting note about why Peter Sellers didn't appear on a Bob Hope special as advertised, and claims that Amos and Andy were played by white guys in blackface on their TV show, which is not true. TV Line will eat its words.

Late Monday, sleepy New Yorkers had the bedtime choice of watching Psycho, a classic Twilight Zone, or Gary Collins playing against type. (I'd go with Mr. Corwin.) Wait, I just noticed that Wayne Newton was guest-hosting The Tonight Show--now there's your chills!

This Viskupic drawing is elsewhere on the blog, so I present it now in its original Wednesday night context. Check out the "Horror Hall of Fame" special at 11:30.

The reputedly unpleasant Joey Bishop appears perplexed by his booking on Thursday's Music Country USA.

Now here's a Visku-pic that I haven't reproduced anywhere: It's Jack Benny being literally roasted, get it? Because he's being "roasted" on The Dean Martin Comedy Hour, by show biz pals such as... Mark Spitz?

Since I'm missing that issue this month, and next week's edition is scant on items I found interesting, here's the entire Saturday schedule. (Plus, I realized I haven't posted a Saturday morning sched in about a year, and that needs to be remedied.)

Now here's something for you true TV nostalgia fans: a crossword puzzle filled with now-obscure references! Print it out and give it a shot, answers at the end of the post...

Bonus Ads: TM at the Vet's Club, and GW's B-Day...

Here's the back cover, an atypically subdued Colonial Shoppes ad. (Yes, this is subdued for the Colonial Shoppes.)

Lastly, a chewed-corner cartoon cover for the aforementioned Music Country USA (nee Dean Martin Presents Country Music).

Musings on the Batman theme, 70's hottie Christina Raines, and the misandrous All in the Family chair trick are among the delights to be found in this week's TV Line, (along with that mea culpa about Amos N' Andy).

This Sunday evening would have been a long-awaited one for many, as it featured the annual pre-Easter airing of The Wizard of Oz. This one was shortly before my fifth birthday, so it may have been my introduction to its enchantments and wonders (to which reviewer John Cashman refers).

If the week began with enchantment, let Viskupic end it with horror--his gruesome depiction of the unquietly doomed Rosenbergs for a Saturday PBS special.

Here's that puzzle answer. If you couldn't solve it, well, eat my Will Shortz!

Stay tuned for March--I'll be coming in like a teevee-addled lion!