"Rawhide" - Old Wild Western TV Adventure

Rawhide was a fine 50s TV show packed with romantic interests, never-ending adventures, always changing sceneries and an interesting show as the fourth longest western tv series (beyond Gunsmoke, Bonanza and The Virginian). Rawhide made top 20 in Nielsen Ratings for it's premiere episode and one of America's top 10 shows.

The Rawhide's storyline about the adventures a North Texans trail boss Gil Favor of a continuous cattle drive (about 3000 head herd cattle) headed to the Sedalia, Kansas market. Gil (starred by Eric Fleming) was assisted crews; a young ranch ramrod scout Rowdy Yates (starred by Clint Eastwood, his first major role), the trail whiskered cook Harkness “Mushy” Mushgrove, scout Wishbone (Paul Brinegar, the one who provides comic relief with “mother” element for Rowdy), old hands scout experts Pete Nolan and Jim Quince, they take adventures and meet people and trouble on the trail. They encounter inconveniences and confronts, they get drawn solving problems and situations in towns, they rescue cattle in dangers in Old West (diseases, injuries, stampedes and lack of water, etc.), but they proved it as a true cowboys in gunfights, brawls and journey on the way. The series made it very realistic and convincing, packed with romance and comic plus a movie-like quality (music in full studio orchestra and scenes view as expansive as West).

The fascinating Rawhide TV series was premiered on January 1959 and end on December 1965 with 8 seasons and 217 episodes, now full 8 seasons available on DVD.

The Rawhide DVD at TV Shows on DVD

Casts:

• Gil Favor, Trail Boss ....... Eric Fleming
• Rowdy Yates ....... Clint Eastwood
• Simon Blake, Scout ....... Raymond St. Jacques
• G. W. Wishbone, Cook ....... Paul Brinegar
• Jed Colby, Scout ....... John Ireland
• Clay Forrester, Scout ....... Charles Gray

"Jake and the Fatman" - 80's TV Series

- Jake and the Fatman -

Jake and The Fatman was 80's television crime drama mixed with action, humor and chemistry of main characters and a tv series which seems everybody in the show was solving the crime. Although the show in just typical (which was first set in Los Angeles), later attract viewers when the setting moved to Honolulu, Hawaii.

The story line about an overweight with rumbling voice Los Angeles District Attorney Jason Lochinvar “Fatman” McCabe (played by William Conrad, well-known as Marchall Matt Dillon of 'Gunsmoke'), a former HPD officer turned as prosecutor (the character based on aging prosecutor in two-part episode entitled “The Don” of TV show Matlock). Fatty was partnered with a young handsome, happy-go-lucky and hunky energetic special investigator Jake Styles (played by Joe Penny) in finding evidence, witnesses, provide footworks and of course, sort of romantic interests, and also with District Attorney assistant Derek Mitchnell, together they find everything Fatty needs to solve and prosecute his cases. In shows most cases, they usually get help from the people around or those initially involved in crime, to provide they are innocent they became also crime solver (doctors, lawyers, shoe salesmen, etc.). Considered the best years of the show was when the locale was switched from L.A. To Honolulu (after the demise of TV Show Magnum P.I.), this seemed something added to the shows and boost it's rating.

The crime drama comedy adventures of Jake and the Fatman, broadcast by CBS from September 1987 to May 1992, completed 5 seasons with 106 episodes, now availabe on DVD.

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"Hogan's Heroes" - 60's War Situational Comedy

60's War SitCom – Hogan's Heroes -

The Hogan's Heroes, which was inspired and lightly based on the 1953 film Stalag 17, was a 60's TV situational comedy focused on the exploits of brave Prisoners of War (POW) in World War II, the “under the cover” allies and war participants in sabotaging and espionage of German war effort, they turn and set the Nazi prison camp into comedy ground. As called upon to perform soldier duties, they accomplish missions to their utmost whatever it takes or any means necessary and they perform it with mix humors and laughters even in real war situation.

The series was set in World War II in the fictional POW camp Stalag 13 in Hammelburg (although Stalag 13 really exists), where the captured senior American army Air Force Lt. Colonel Robert E. Hogan (played by charismatic Bob Crane) lead a humorous group as they provide intelligence for allies, help other prisoners escape, aid the underground opposition, disrupt German war effort and foil the easily fooled bumbling overweight camp Nazi leaders Sgt. Schultz and Commandant Klink (who were afraid to reassigned and set in front of war, they want to operate the camp smoothly). Hogan plan strategies (occasionally to got a girl), with his skilled crews; Sgt. Kinch (communication expert), Sgt. Carter (bomb expert), Cpl. LeBeau (photographer, disguiser and cook), and Cpl. Newkirk (pocket picker, marksman and impersonator), together they steal maps, kidnap scientists, bomb bridges, photograph strategic files, get information of tank & battalion movements and make fun out of their missions conducting espionage and sabotage right under warders' noses, they help allied soldiers to get back to England using their secret network tunnels.

The Hogan's Heroes, won Emmy Awards, was a 30-minute comedy shows aired by CBS from September 1965 and lasted until April 1971, completed 6 seasons with 168 episodes, now available on DVD.

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"The New Adventures of Charlie Chan"

The New Adventures of Charlie Chan TV series, based from the characters of the novel created by Earl Derr Biggers in 1925, was the sequel of 1930's and 1940's several radio series. The series story, some said were loosely based on real life Honolulu police detective Chang Apana.

A crime drama story of a fictional famous Oriental Detective and Honolulu Police Inspector Charlie Chan (played by J. Carroll Naish, an Irish heritage) and his ventures were across the globe in handling and solving special assignments. Charlie always involved in baffling difficult murder investigations around the world, with the aide of his more modern Number One Son, Barry Chan (played by James Hong, an actual Asian) in solving difficult cases. Charlie taught his son some lessons by quoting pseudo-oriental aphorisms in the manner of Confucius. The show made success from radio movies until 1950's but was not continued in 70's due to no oriental cast to play Charlie Chan.

The New Adventures of Charlie Chan TV Series, aired from August 1957 until 1958, completed 39 monochrome episodes of Charlie's great investigations, available now on DVD.

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"The Petticoat Junction" - The 60's Wholesome TV Show

A 60's classic comedy of a family living in rural town Hooterville, trying to get rich quick, running the Shady Rest Hotel, living within rural lifestyle escaping from hectic urban life and although nothing much ever happens, the their living situation gives comic humors and a wholesome family life situation. The series happenings followed on The Shady Hotel, owned by a cook expert and hospitable but widow Kate Bradley with her three beautiful daughters Billie Jo(the eldest, blond and boy-crazy), Bobbie Jo (the brunette, astute and literate) and Betty Jo (the redheaded, a tomboy), with her Uncle Joe (a genial old gentleman but lazy, "General Manager" always finding any way of getting out of the hotel once the work is done).

The Shady Hotel, located directly between the farming valley of Hooterville and its only slightly more "evolved" neighbor of Pixley can only be reached by the Hooterville Cannonball, an ancient steam-driven train (town's chief public transportation) taking regular stops in order to go fishing or pick fruit for Kate Bradley's menu. The title "Petticoat Junction", the "petticoat" implied that Kate's three daughters swam nude in a water tower and their petticoats hung over in the side while the "junction" refers to the hotel situated on a train line. The shows "villain" was J, Homer Bedloe who attempted to shutdown the Cannonball, but never succeeding.

The Petticoat Junction, created by Paul Henning, shared success and considered as The Beverly Hillbillies "sister series". The show completed 7 seasons with total of 222 episodes and was aired from September 1963 lasted until April 1970., now available on DVD.

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"The Courtship of Eddie's Father" - The Comedy TV Series

A remarkable TV series of early 70's showing the family values in finding happiness, completeness and fulfillment with every member's need. The Courtship of Eddie's Father developed deep relation showing not only looking for someone to be new member of their family but also relation between father and son.

Every boy needs a mother...even if Dad has to marry her!

Based on 1963's Film and book written by Mark Toby with the same title, The Courtship of Eddie's Father TV series also gained popularity and respect in small screen and theater. A drama comedy story about a thirtyish widowed father Tom Corbett took responsibilities in raising his young son, Eddie, and pursue a normal life and with help of their housekeeper , Mrs. Livingston. Tom, a magazine photographer, try to date women around him but his freckled-faced, six-year-old son Eddie attempts to reinvigorate his father's love life and disapprove with the women his father interested in; showing Eddie's special penchant for his father to get romantically involved with prospective brides which led the series to many warm and comic moments. Tom with patience and understanding, guides his small son through the difficult life lessons of growing up while Eddie taught his father the memorable lessons they've together, turning the series into courtship of father-son and their love affair. Mrs. Livingston, on the other hand served as mother figure to Eddie and has important role as a very diplomatic and dependable with full of sage advice to Tom.

A funny TV show, including the characters Tina Rickes, their company secretary) and Norman Tinker, a radical photographer. Glenn Ford as Tom and Ron Howard as Eddie, showed good chemistry in father-son relationship and bonding in The Courtship of Eddie's Father TV Series, aired from September 1969 - June 1972, completed 3 seasons with total of 72 episodes on ABC, now on DVD.

The Courtship of Eddie's Father DVD at TV Shows on DVD

"Land of the Giants" - Classic Sci-Fi

One of Irvin Allen's sci- fi/fantasy TV Series, Land of the Giants was his fourth and last produced sci-fi show (others are Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Time Tunnel), which was marked as high budget episodes record for the series (about $ 250,000) and highest rated show.

The Land of the Giants' story was started when the Spindrift spaceship take the commercial sub-orbital flight in 1983 from New York City to London, boarding three crews and four passengers. Accidentally, Spindrift crash when they hit a strange turbulence and enter a mystical cloud space warp (later learned as "dimensional lock") and land into a Earth like planet, inhabited with very large creatures compare to than the Earth's normal size. The never named planet is evolved in different turn, humans are about 12 times the natural size of Spindrift's passengers, the animals huge like cats that roars and as large as a lion. The castaways' missions are: to survive and hunt for their food, to escape from totalitarian government who rules the planet, to run from animals hunting them for meal & giant children wanted them as toys, and opportunist & giant scientist hunting them to use their advance technology. The castaways managed to survive with the help of good giants but find hard to repair the damaged Spindrift with about 50 years less technology of giants.

Established method to reach the planet in Land of the Giants are:

• can be reached by some high altitude spacecrafts interact with low-defined "time warp"
• some postulate that the planet is in the same orbit with the Earth in either 6 months forward or backward

In the final episodes, they manage to return to the time during the Spindrift flight using an alien device "space time manipulator" and relive the original trip again. The interesting classic sci-fi story of "Land of the Giants" by Irvin Allen, the series completed 2 seasons with 51 episodes, aired from 1968 to 1970, now available on DVD.

The Land of the Giants DVD at TV Shows on DVD

The Land of Giants Characters:

The Crew

1. Steve Burton (played by Gary Conway) was the captain of the ship; he was your rugged all-American do-gooder type.
2. Dan Erickson (played by Don Marshall) was the trusty co-pilot and flight engineer.
3. Betty Hamilton (played by Heather Young) completed the crew as stewardess; she always wore very short skirts and bizarrely coloured outfits.

The Passengers

1. Mark Wilson (played by Don Matheson) was an expert and arrogant engineer, who just happened to have had a major hand in the development of the Spindrift.
2. Valerie Scott (played by Deanna Lund) the sexy jet-setter and the spoilt rich actress of the group.
3. Barry Lockridge (played by Stefan Arngrim) a young boy, accompanied by his loveable mutt Chipper.
4. Alexander Fitzhugh (played by Kurt Kaznar) completed the passenger roster; the mysterious rogue known as Commander Fitzhugh.

"The Fall Guy "- 1980's TV Series

Classic 1980's Action TV series, The Fall Guy was well known for it's some crazy out of this world action (jumping from plane without parachute or jumping from tall bridges into deep water) and with crazier characters (many beautiful women and famous stars). The viewers love the shows mediocre acting, although sometimes with cheesy plot but with morality factor and with much appealing, scantily dressed women.

The story is about a Hollywood stunt man in movies, Colt Seavers, and doing heroic missions when out of screen. And when the moonlight comes, Colt picking up extra money as a bounty hunter by tracking down and capturing bail jumpers, using is amazing daredevil stunt knowledge and skills. Colt, teamed up with young eager cousin Howie and with sexy stunning Jody, they are taking not so simple assignments from Big Jack, Terri Shannon and later from Pearl to capture fugitives & criminals and bring them back to justice.

Lee Major played as Colt Seaver in 1981-1986 tv series The Fall Guy, which completed 5 seasons with 113 episodes aired by ABC.

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- "Zorro" - Over 85 Years of Action Adventure

From the term "fox" in Spanish, Zorro is a fictional nobleman, master swordsman, and the romantic defender of justice. The man in black custom with Spanish cape, the flat-bimmed Andalusian-style hat, the black cowl mask covers from eye level up to the head and equipped with a pistol (in the original story), a braided leather single tailed whip "bullwhip" and a sharp pointer sword "rapeir" which he often use to leave a mark "Z" by three quick cuts. Zorro learned his skills like acrobatics from swinging on ship masts, his fencing from Spanish master Manuel Escalante, various tricks from gypsies and a ship's cook and his disguising pattern from swashbuckling pirate. Zorro's two horses, Tornado the black one and Phantom the white horse.

Zorro is the secret identity of Don Diego de la Vega, born in the 1790's, son of Asturian Captain Don Alejandro de la Vega and lived in Spanish-ear California. His mission, with the help of his fathers mute and deaf servant Bernardo, they defend the weak and fight the landowning nobility "the Caballeros", the pompous Don Rafael Montero and the corrupt tranny of the Spanish governor.

Zorro was first appeared in the 1919 serialized pulp magazine All-Story Weekly with the title of The Curse of Capistrano | Zorro. Walt Disney produced the 1957 TV Series of Zorro, with the story in 1820's, Don Alejandro requested Don Diego to return in Monterey, California and to help ending the evil reigning of corrupt local military of vicious Spanish commandant, Captain Monastario. The huge fans of this Zorro tv series, tuning every Thursday night at 7:30, recalls the very popular lyrics:

Out of the night, when the full moon is bright, comes a horseman known as Zorro.
This bold renegade carves a Z with his blade, a Z that stands for Zorro.

Zorro, the fox so cunning and free.
Zorro, who makes the sign of the Z.

Riding his black stallion with lightning sky background, the words echoed,

Zorro...Zorro...Zorro...

The Disney's anthology TV series live-action of Zorro was played by Guy Williams, completed 3 seasons with 83 episodes, aired from 1957-1959 on ABC, now available on DVD at TVAddicts.tv

"Knight Rider" - Action/Sci-Fi TV Series

A 1982 TV series about a modern day knight crime fighter for law and justice with his incredible advanced super-car with artificial intelligence. The story starts when a dying billionaire philanthropist and founder of Foundation for Law and Government (FLAG) Wilton Knight rescued an ambushed young undercover cop Michael Long who was publicly believed dead. After few surgeries, Wilton change Michael's identity into Michael Knight, a modern knight special type of here with new mission as a crime fighter and armed with super advanced black car named Knight Industries Two Thousand (KITT). The customized armor car equipped with weapons flamethrower, smoke bombs, peevish, capable of accelerating 300 mph, jumping obstacle about 50 feet & other capabilities, and having artificial intelligence by on board computer "Knight 2000 Microprocessor" talking car and deliver sarcastic one-liners to Michael and communicated via a wrist communicator watch "comlink". Together they root out evils that are above the law, avoid violence whenever possible and take adventures with no back up.

In the final season, the KITT was being improved by streetwise mechanics after being neutralized into more powerful car with 40% speed increase (483 km/h), more technical gadgets and prepared to become Knight Industries Four Thousand. Michael is now teamed up with a female cop with a chip of her head and shoulder and take more adventure as the crimes rampant around Seattle.

Knight Rider's Michael Knight starred by David Hasselhoff in the 1982-1986 tv series, completed 4 seasons with total of 90 episodes, written by Tom Greene and Glen Larson. Now available on DVD at TVAddicts.tv

"Miami Vice" - 1984 Actions & Adventures

Styled differed from earlier police shows, Miami Vice got the revolutionary aspects reflecting the more glitzy and gritty feel of 1980's new Wave culture. Phil Collins, Glen Frey Peter Gabriel, U2 and more artists' music added dramatical background to the show made specially for MTV audience, the lyrics and tempo contributes to the storyline showing character's images, emotions and energies.

Miami Vice was a story about two cops; Detective James "Sonny Burnett" Crockett - a former University of Florida Gators football legend but injured, drafted to US Army and served two tours in Southeast Asia and lately became uniformed patrol cop and live in his sailboat St. Vitus' Dance guarded by his crocodile pet, Elvis. Sonny's partner, Detective Ricardo Tubbs - a black ex-New York street cop came to south to find the drug dealer who murdered his brother. Together they cruise around Miami using Sonny's Ferrari Daytona Spyder 365 GTS/4 taking down Florida drug world, crime, prostitution, end large gunbattles, drug traffickers and throw down big Latin American drug dealer in series finale. In the emotional ending episodes, Tubbs says goodbye planning going back to "the big bad Bronx" while Sonny ask if Tubbs consider a career in further south law enforcer where the water is warm and drinks are cold, the two from being engaged in cynical and burned out still sharing close friendship.

MTV-influenced action tv series Miami Vice launced in 1984 until 1989, made five seasons with 111 episodes of adventures and misadventures, now available on DVD at TVAddicts.tv

"Gummi Bears" Disney's Adventure

An animated TV series about seven anthropomorphic bears lived in medieval time at once populous big tree called Gummi Glen. The great gummies are refugees and looking for their ancient city with the help of their human friends and the Great Book of Gummi to resurrect the city and reunite all other bears scattered around the world. The bears are also the secret defenders of the Dunwyn Kingdom against former knight Duke Sigmund Igthorn and his created ogres army, but when the bears consume their secret Gummibeary juice give ability to bounce and also give human to temporarily become superhumans.

The seven gummies living Gummi Glen:

• Gruffi - Gruffi also can be viewed as the de facto leader of the Gummi Bears. A no-nonsense, perfectionist and conservative every-job-Gummi.
  
• Zummi - The colony's "keeper of Gummi wisdom" turned magician with unreliable skill. Frequently forgets important things, including spells, at the worst possible moment and does spoonerisms when stressed.
  
• Grammi - The matriach of the Gummi clan, she cooks and cleans and prepares the gummiberry juice. Her cookings - which sometimes are purely experimental - are not always appreciated by the others.
• Tummi - the gluttonous teenaged Gummi who is seemingly slow in thinking and action, but is as courageous as the rest. He has a sweet tooth and is a talented planter and loves building model boats.
  
• Sunni - "token adolescent" of the bunch who often rebels against the clan but learns her lessons eventually. She is quite fond of rather 'radical' fashions. Her dream is to one day be a princess. Even though Sunni and Calla are best friends, Sunni occasionally displays mild jealously of Calla because she is a princess.
• Cubbi - the youngest Gummi. An aspiring knight, he is always looking for adventure, and often finds it. Because of his youth, he is often not taken seriously by the others, which is just as frequently a huge mistake. When fighting crime at Dunwyn, he uses the masked identity of the Crimson Avenger.
• Gusto (Augustus) - the artistic Gummi and an individualist, he lives away from Gummi Glen with his toucan friend, Artie Deco. Gusto is an artist who is very creative with mercurial moods depending on how well his (sometimes unsophisticated) work is going or being appreciated. He sometimes goes to Gummi Glen to visit the rest of the Gummis.
  

Gummi Bear Friends/Ally:

• Cavin - Cavin is the squire of Sir Tuxford, the highest knight in King Gregor's court. Cavin befriends the Gummi Bears in the first episode and shares the same ambition as Cubbi - to become a knight. Cavin also had the medallion, given to him by his grandfather, that opened The Great Book of Gummi, the source of all Gummi Bear wisdom. The young squire also has a secret crush on Princess Calla.
• Princess Calla - Princess Calla is the daughter of King Gregor, ruler of Dunwyn. She is an adventurous character and she often drags the dumbstruck Cavin (who she is overly fond of) into story situations. Calla also befriended the Gummi Bears and is close friends with Sunni. She hates the pomp and circumstance that comes with being royalty while wishing to be more involved in the governance and defense of the realm. Consequently, she tends to be somewhat rebellious at times, often spurning her father's admonishment that "a princess must set an example for her people."

• King Gregor - King Gregor is the ruler of Dunwyn. He is a brave figure and protects his people from villains like Duke Igthorn with the help of Sir Tuxford and his knights. Gregor is unaware of the Gummi Bears' existence or involvement in saving his kingdom many times. His pride and joy is his daughter, Calla, which later included considerable respect of her previously hidden fighting prowess.

Catch the adventurous Gummi Bears DVD full 6 seasons aired from 1985 to 1991 on DVDAvenue.tv!

"The Six Million Dollar Man" - TV Series::.

The Six Million Dollar Man TV Series aired on 1973 and end on 1978 at ABC Network features Lee Majors as the major character.

The Six Million Dollar Man is a TV Series about a cyborg working for US OSI Secret Service. Steve Austin is a former astronaut involved in NASA's Northrop M2-F2 lifting body accident crash due to pilot error. Steve was severely injured and his body being rebuild by an operation costing six million dollars.

His strength, speed and vision enhanced after the implants in his right arm, both legs and in his left eye and he also popularly called the Bionic Man. He work as a Secret Agent for Office of Strategic Intelligence.

Watch the complete 5 Seasons of The Six Million Dollar TV Series on DVD only at TV Shows on DVD

.:: Batman 1960's Complete 3 Seasons ::.

Batman 1960's TV Series on DVD

The Batman 1960 TV Series, a story of multi-billionaire man Bruce Wayne living in Gotham city who also the man behind the custom and codename as Batman.

A crime fighting superhero with his advance high-tech gadgets and vehicle, capture criminals and bring them to justice. Together with his sidekick Robin, a former circus acrobat, they fight big time criminals such as the Joker, Penguin, Scarecrow, the Riddler and Catwoman.

Full TV Series Season in 120 episodes on DVD, shown exactly as aired in American Television, available at TV Shows on DVD