My TV - old and new

The U of Texas Ransom Center Collection:

Mike Wallace rose to prominence in 1956 with the New York City television interview program, Night-Beat, which soon developed into the nationally televised prime-time program, The Mike Wallace Interview. Well prepared with extensive research, Wallace asked probing questions of guests framed in tight close-ups. The result was a series of compelling and revealing interviews with some of the most interesting and important people of the day.

The Mike Wallace Interview ran from 1957 to 1960, but the Ransom Center collection includes interviews from only 1957 and 1958. In the early 1960s, Mr. Wallace donated to the Ransom Center kinescopes of these programs and related materials, including his prepared questions, research material, and correspondence.

Copyright of all of the interviews is held by Mike Wallace, who generously agreed to allow the Ransom Center to present them here in their entirety. Any further use of this material requires the permission of both Mike Wallace and the Ransom Center.

So sad that Ashes to Ashes ends on Thursday with Episode 8< — This ep sees a visit to the station by Lord Scarman, played by Geofrey Palmer. After inner-city riots had hit parts of London, Liverpool, Manchester and Bristol in the spring/summer of 1981, the Govt. set up an enquiry into policing methods, it was headed by Lord Scarman and his findings proved to be a watershed for the old-school type of police enforcement practiced by the likes of Gene. Throughout the series this sea change has been bubbling away and ever growing. Gene knows it’s coming too and has said as much, so everything starts to head to a personal climax for all concerned.

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The Daily Mirror: Better “fire up the Quattro, Drake” - because you and DCI Gene Hunt are off to Monte Carlo! I’ve had a tip-off from a reliable informant that Ashes To Ashes will be up for some silverware at the 48th Monte Carlo Television Festival in June - even though the nominations aren’t out yet.

Philip Glenister - aka Hunt in the hit cop drama, which ends its run tomorrow - spilled the beans to his co-star Keeley Hawes (Alex Drake) who passed on the good news to me. She says: “Phil has just called to tell me we’re off to Monte Carlo. We’ve both been nominated in the TV Awards. “He joked I had to get loads of euros because we’ll be hitting the casino. He said to prepare my tartiest dress. Hopefully it will be a case of firing up the Ferrari! It’s thrilling news.” Start ironing those shoulder pads now, love…

Yeah!!!!! From Hollywood Daily - Nikki Finke — Lights continues for a third season!

From Variety via my Sewell Blog

Friday Night Lights” may shine on for another season — and on more than one network.

NBC Universal execs have decided they want to go the extra yard to ensure the drama returns for a third season. To make sure that happens, conglom is having serious conversations with several networks about a plan to carve out multiple broadcast windows for the show, which has received critical worship and has a cult-like following.

Great news!! Let’s hope……

EW.com: “Oh, that wacky Hollywood Foreign Press Association; when it comes to TV nominations, they go gaga over the middlebrow-daring (The Tudors, Dexter, Californication) while bypassing the truly innovative.”

Variety: Several of my favorites have been recognized - Mad Men and John Hamm, Bill Paxton in Big Love, Glenn Close, Rose Byrne and Ted Danson in Damages, Sally Field and Rachel Griffiths in Brothers and Sisters, Jason Isaacs for The State Within —

Also Five Days from HBO, The Company from Sony, Damages, Big Love

No Friday Night Lights!!! - No Brotherhood!!!

From all I hear and read, Cranford, the new miniseries on the BBC is top drawer. Here is the link to its web page. I hope it comes to these shores sooner than later.

Nice to read the Damien Lewis’s series “Life” was renewed for another season.

Gene Hunt will return, but right now he is going to “Cranford.”

Life After Mars
As no-nonsense, Cortina-driving cop Gene Hunt, Philip Glenister became a cult hero. Now he’s trading in the camel coat for a cravat and breeches, and swapping Seventies Salford for Victorian Cheshire