Time For More Adventures With Dick Tracy

Time for Chapter Four of our 1937 Republic Pictures Dick Tracy serial, "Death Rides The Sky."  Ralph Byrd stars in the title role.

 
 

MLB Playoffs: Mark Teixeira 7th-Inning Blast Gives Series Opener To Yankees

At Minneapolis:

Mark Teixeira's two-run homer in the 7th inning broke a 4-4 deadlock as the New York Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins 6-4 in game one of their American League divisional playoff series on Wednesday night.  The Yankees have now won 10 of 12 playoff games from the Twins since 2003.  It was the first outdoor playoff game in the Twin Cities since 1970.

Not Bad For A Postseason Debut: Roy Halladay Pitches First Postseason No-Hitter Since '56

At Philadephia:

Roy Halliday---making his post-season debut---pitched the first post-season no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series on Wednesday.  He gave up one walk and struck out eight batters as the Philadelphia Phillies blanked the visiting Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in the opening game of their National League divisional playoff series.  This marks the Reds' first playoff appearance since 1995. 

Charlie, The Smoking Chimp, R. I. P.

Charlie, the chimpanzee best remembered for his cigarette-smoking habit, has passed away at his home at the Manguang Zoo in Bloemfontein, South Africa at age 52.

MLB Divisional Playoffs: Cliff Lee Carries Rangers To Game-One Win

At St. Petersburg, Florida:

Cliff Lee pitched seven innings, struck out ten batters and walked nobody and surrendered only one earned run as the Texas Rangers, the only Major League Baseball team that has never won a playoff series, dominated the Tampa Bay Rays 5-1 on the road in the opening game of their American League Divisional Playoff Series as the MLB postseason got under way on Wednesday. 

Sleepy Sam

Here are a couple of digital snapshots, taken in recent days, of Sam the Chihuahua.

 

Time For A Nice, Long Commercial Break

Here is a roughly four-minute break full of commercials that aired on Thames TV in Great Britain back in 1980, including one commercial familiar to we Americans.

Got A Cold?

Stay in bed, drink plenty of fluids, and take some Bayer Aspirin for cryin' out loud as this 1960 commercial illustrates.

Headache, Mate? Here's Something From Down Under

Here's a commercial for Aspro aspirin which aired in the early 1970s on Australian television.

Viewer Discretion Advised

From 1933, here's Willie Whopper starring in his first cartoon, "Air Race, " in which tells this fantastic yarn about himself participating in an airplane race.  This cartoon, produced in Los Angeles by Ub Iwerks at his cartoon studio, was released theatrically by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.  The reason for the header can be found at 4:46 of this video.  After two cartoons, as was the case with another Iwerks star Flip the Frog, Willie would be redesigned, transformed into a freckle-faced, roly-poly redhead. 

More Egyptian Fun

From 1931, here's a Walt Disney Silly Symphony cartoon, Egyptian Melodies, directed by Wilfred Jackson, and originally released theatrically by Columbia Pictures (yes, Harry Cohn's company did distribute Walt's cartoons for about three years).  In this one, a spider makes trek into an Egpytian tomb.

Let's Go To Egypt and Get Gypped!

From 1930, in living black and white, it's Waffles the Cat and Don the Dog starring in "Gypped In Egypt," an Aesop's Sound Fables cartoon produced in New York City by the Van Beuren Corporation and distributed by Pathe (whose US operations would soon be taken over by RKO).  In this one, the boys travel to Egypt and get into one big problem after another. 





This cartoon, with music by Gene Rodemich, was directed by John Foster and Mannie Davis, both of whom would later be reunited with their old boss Paul Terry at Terrytoons.

Is Harry Happy?

From 1963, it's time for the Modern Madcap cartoon, "Harry Happy."  In this one, his name may be Harry Happy, but Harry isn't always happy. 





This cartoon, produced in New York City by Paramount Cartoon Studios and released by Paramount Pictures, was directed by studio veteran Seymour Kneitel, with story by Albert Pross and I. Klein, animation by Marty Taras, John Gentilella, and William B. Pattengill, scenics by Anton Loeb, and music by Winston Sharples.

Time For A Ragtime Classic From Jo Ann!

In this kinescoped clip from a 1959 ABC Network telecast of The Lawrence Welk Show, here's Ragtime Piano Gal Jo Ann Castle, in one of her earliest appearances as a regular member of the show's cast,  with her rendition of Scott Joplin's "Maple Leaf Rag."

Will Goofy Wind Up On Some MLB Team's Playoff Roster?

With the Major League Baseball playoffs set to start this coming Wednesday, I thought it would be a good ieda to present this instructional film.  From Walt Disney Productions, we bring you "How To Play Baseball."  This 1942 cartoon, originally realeased theatrically by RKO Radio Pictures, was directed by Jack Kinney.

Time For A Movie Trailer!

Here's a trailer for the 1960 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer motion picture "Where The Boys Are," which starred Delores Hart, George Hamilton, Yvette Mimieux, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, and featured Connie Francis.  Yes, folks, that is the recently-deceased Art Gilmore narrating the trailer.

AP Poll: Ducks Jump Broncos; Beavers Not In Rankings But Get Votes

After their Saturday night 52-31 home win over Stanford, the Oregon Ducks climbed up to #3 in the new Associated Press media poll, moving up past Boise State (59-0 winners at New Mexico State).  

As for Oregon State, they remained absent from the AP poll, but did get some support. They would be ranked #31. 

Falcons Come Back To Top Niners

At Atlanta:

Matt Ryan threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Harry Douglas while Matt Bryant made all three field goal attempts, including the game winner from 42 yards out with two seconds remaining as the Atlanta Falcons (3-1) came back from an early 14-point deficit to upend the visiting San Francisco 49ers (0-4) 16-14 in Sunday National Football League action.

Even with their best effort of the season to date, the Niners still could not pick up their first victory. 

Roosters Foiled In Grand Final By St. George Illawarra

At Sydney, Australia:

Jason Nightingale scored two tries (worth four points each in Rugby League) in the second half as the St. George Illawarra Dragons broke open a game in which they had trailed 8-6 at halftime and buried the Sydney Roosters 32-8 on Sunday to win Australia's National Rugby League Grand Final.  The Roosters were gunning to become the first team since 1934 to win the championship the year after finishing in the bottom of the league standings. 

Roughriders Lock Up Grey Cup Playoff Berth

At Toronto:

Quarterback Darian Durant threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third as the Saskatchewan Roughriders (9-4) locked up a playoff berth with their third straight win, a 27-16 decision on the road over the Toronto Argonauts (6-7) in Saturday Canadian Football League action.