Robert Hays | The Girl, The Gold Watch & Everything

I loved Robert Hays when I was 8.

Although I was only 8, I had the biggest crush on Robert Hays of Airplane fame. I first spotted him on Angie, a short-lived sitcom from 1979. A year later he starred alongside Mork & Mindy's Pam Dawber, in a made-for-TV-movie called The Girl, The Gold Watch & Everything. 

If you ask me, this movie was, well, inappropriate for children. I don't even know why my folks allowed me to watch it. I'm sure they had no idea I was in the den glued to the tube. Years later, the details are fuzzy, but the concept was fascinating.

Adorable Kirby (Robert Hays) inherited a fancy gold stopwatch from his wealthy, eccentric uncle. This watch had the ability to stop time. So Kirby  would sort of freeze everyone around him, yet somehow he and his girl (Pam) weren't affected. Zaniness ensued, etc.Cool to a kid!

Does anyone remember this made for TV movie?

Here's the intro and first few minutes. You can view all of The Girl, The Gold Watch & Everything on YouTube. 

NKOTB Cartoon Series on ABC

Remember the New Kids on the Block cartoon?

Between 1990-1991, New Kids on the Block had their own animated ABC TV show featuring the band in teen sitcom style situations. The group appeared in live bits before each cartoon began, but due to legalities, actors voiced the different members of the group. 

I was too old and too cool for NKOTB, however I remember the younger kids lovin' on them big time. By the time this cartoon aired, I was off to college. Does anyone remember watching Donnie, Jordan, Joe, Jonathan and Danny in cartoon form? 

Though the cartoon was only on for about a year, Disney Channel picked the series up and aired the repeats.

Here's a clip of the New Kids on the Block cartoon for you.

Greatest American Hero William Katt

William Katt was awesome as the Greatest American Hero.

At nine years old, I loved this silly weekly TV show starring William Katt as The Greatest American Hero. My little brother and I would anxiously wait for Wednesday nights to catch William Katt and Robert Culp in ABC's brilliant 60-minute comedy drama. Researching, I'm surprised to learn it actually only lasted three seasons and 44 episodes. I guess when you're young three seasons feels like an eternity. 

Part of me wonders if it was the "Believe It or Not" theme song I liked best about The Greatest American Hero, or maybe Bill Katt's wild blond curls. I also found Robert Culp to be quite handsome, even though he was old enough to be my grandpa back in 1981. 

The show featured William Katt as Ralph, a special education teacher turned superhero. I loved how Ralph becomes a superhero with superhuman powers thanks to a run in with some aliens who gift him a spiffy red superhero costume.

Does anyone else remember this early 1980s TV show, The Greatest American Hero? 

HUB TV Channel Airs 1980s Classics

We've Moved!

If we're tight on Facebook, you know we've recently relocated from North Jersey to the Clearwater / St. Petersburg, Florida area. My hubs found a new job and I found hub. If you're unfamiliar with this amazing cable network, let me explain...

What No ID?

When I signed up for Brighthouse Networks, the cable TV carrier in our new lo-caysh, the first question I asked was, "What channel is Discovery ID?" Over the past few years, I seem to have developed an obsession for forensics and true crime.  Hot damn! It turns out Discovery ID channel is unavailable in Florida. My personal theory is it would be a bad influence on viewers. Let's face it, Florida is the "Number Six State for Crime in America." Scary, right? 

i love hub!

Last night, we stumbled upon hub. Where the hell have I been that I've never noticed this awesome 80s channel back home? We had the same cable plan in Jerz. Anyway, hub, a joint venture between Discovery and Hasbro, focuses on kids and family television programming. Hub replaced the Discovery Kids TV channel almost a year ago. Hello? I was too busy watching Discovery ID!

The hub channel was launched in October, 2010 and has an incredible line-up of evening programming for us 1980s freaks. Check out the evening schedule featuring Happy Days, Wonder Years, Doogie Howser, M.D., Family Ties and Laverne & Shirley. How awesome is that? Hoping they add Silver Spoons and Growing Pains at some point. You know how much I love my Jason Bateman and Kirk Cameron.

What's In My Trapper Keeper? Video Blog | Gimme A Break!

So what's in my trust old 1980s Trapper Keeper this Saturday? Why it's an autographed photo of the Gimme A Break! cast. Gimme A Break was a popular NBC sitcom. The show had a pretty significant six year run from 1981-1987. 

The plot focused around the no-nonsense, but lovable Nell Carter who played a housekeeper and all-around house mom to a cop (Dolph Sweet) and his three teenage daughters, Katie (Kari Michaelsen), Julie (Lauri Hendler) and Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). I remember relating closet to Samantha as she was the youngest and closer to my age at the time.They added adorable cast members Joey Lawrence and little brother Matt Lawrence to the show which helped boost ratings I'm sure. 

So I'm guessing I wrote the Lawrence Brothers a letter and this was what they sent me in return.