For Mash get Smash!.....

The Smash Martians were the stars of a series of 1970's and early 1980's TV advertising campaigns for Smash instant mashed potato in the UK. They were a family of Martian robots who would watch humans laboriously preparing mashed potato the traditional way on TV. The robots would then mock what they saw by chortling as they heard how the "Earth people peeled their own potatoes with their metal knives, boiled them for twenty of their minutes, then smashed them all to bits" – instead of using Smash instant mash. The catchphrase 'For Mash Get Smash' is still an iconic advertising slogan in the UK. The adverts featuring the Smash Martians were voted TV ad of the century by Campaign Magazine.

The Martians' behaviour and personalities were initially developed while the puppeteers were messing around on set. The Smash Martians were designed for the advertising agency Boase Massimi Pollitt by Sian Vickers and Chris Wilkins, also responsible for the four-wheeled red telephone used to advertise Dirct Line,The Gocompare opera singer, Sheila's Wheels commercials and Mr.Mouse, a blue American Rodent advertising the insurenace group esure. Unauthorised copies of the Martians were made from car parts by workers at the Ford Halewood factory near Liverpool.

Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1948)

The sixth film in the Sherlock Holmes series starring Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce, "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" is an entertaining and intriguing mystery.

"Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" is based on the Arthur Conan Doyle story "The Musgrave Ritual." While it is not the same story, there are many similarities. The names of some characters (Brunton) and places (Hurlstone) appear in both the story and the film. Both story and film involve something valuable, which is hidden in the cellar of an ancient manor, and clues to its location are hidden in a series of questions and answers, called The Musgrave Ritual. And in both the story and the film Sherlock Holmes deduces the meaning of the ritual and solves the mystery. At the beginning of the Conan Doyle story, Watson writes about Holmes adorning the wall of their London flat with bullet pocks. Sure enough, in Holme's first scene he is at 221B Baker St., shooting his gun at a figure drawn on the wall!

Thankfully the mystery in "Sherlock Holmes Faces Death" has nothing to do with Nazis, and the characters of Holmes and Watson are more in keeping with the way Conan Doyle wrote them. That makes this film especially enjoyable for a Holmes fan. Musgrave Manor is a splendid, spooky old mansion, complete with secret passageways and howling wind outside. The Musgrave siblings, Geoffrey, Phillip and Sally, have opened their home to convalescing soldiers. Dr. Watson and Dr. Sexton are also staying at Musgrave Manor, taking care of the patients.

Holmes comes to the Manor after an attempt is made to kill Dr. Sexton. Shortly thereafter both Geoffrey and Phillip are murdered. Upon assuming her inheritance Sally must recite the centuries-old ritual, which is meaningless for her. Holmes realizes that the words in the ritual describe movements of chess pieces, which are in fact clues to the location of something. Since the black and white floor of the main hall resembles a chess board, Holmes has the rest of the household move as human chess pieces. Eventually he finds a crypt in which is hidden an ancient land grant signed by King Henry I. Also in the crypt is the body of the butler. Holmes very cleverly devises a plan to lure the killer back to the crypt later that evening, and traps him into confessing all the murders. Holmes then fakes his own death and allows the killer to leave -- but he walks right into the hands of Lestrade and half a dozen policemen.

It may be of interest to note that Captain Vickery, the love interest of Sally Musgrave, is played by a young Milburn Stone (Doc Adams of "Gunsmoke" fame). A 20-year-old Peter Lawford appears in the pub scene at the beginning of the film. He plays the sailor at the bar who bandages his friend's hand and says "Blimey!" when he hears about the raven.

The Persuaders - Episode Four - Angie, Angie (1971)

The French Riviera is the setting for the fourth episode of the classic ITC series, The Persuaders. Danny Wilde meets up with a friend from way back and learns, too late, that the gaiety of a film festival is a mask for murder. Kyle Sandor (John Alderson) has come to the Cannes Film Festival to enjoy himself, somebody else has come to kill him, but who?.....This is what Judge Fulton (Laurence Naismith) wants Brett Sinclair 
(Roger Moore) and Danny Wilde (Tony Curtis) to find out!

Sandor, ex-boss of a big union in the United States intends to testify at a Congressional Investigation into criminals taking over the Unions. The Hoods intend to see that he never makes the stand. Only Brett's speed saves Sandor from a bullet fired through the French windows at the casino where Sndor is playing the tables with his right hand man Ben (Lionel Murton) and two guards. Brett chases the gun-man into the grounds, but he gets away!

Brett has a lead - the girl, Marissa (Kirsten Lindholm) who had caught his eye as she opened the window for the mystery gunman and set up the shot for him. When he sees her again, she is with Angie (Larry Storch). Angie is Danny's boyhood pal from the slums of New York. He has turned up in Cannes, but is evasive about what he is doing there. Danny refuses to believe a suggestion that Angie could be the hit man for the crooks and sets out to prove to Brett that he is making a mistake. Angie is in trouble. He is warned that he must miss the Union boss next time, and it is Ben, Sandor's trusted Lieutenant who is giving him his orders.

That night, Sandor is to attend a special film screening and he ensures that his old friend Danny will not be there by giving him a drugged drink, and efforts to remove Brett from the scene are made by his being sent off on a wild goose chase and attacked. Brett escapes, however, and races to the cinema in time to save Kyle Sandor for a second time. In the fight that follows, Angie escapes but returns to his hotel to bid farewell to his old pal, the half conscious Danny. Danny, now knowing the truth, strains to clear his drugged senses and gives chase, following Angie to a remote mountain spot where, just like the games they played as kids, they stalk each other. This time their guns are real.

But it's more than Danny can bring himself to do, when the chance presents itself for him to kill Angie. The from the shadows a new voice breaks the night and Danny pivots to see Ben, machine pistol at his hip and aimed in their direction. He is about to fire when a rock, thrown from behind, hits his hand. It's Brett, who has forced Marissa to tell him where Angie has gone.

The advantage, though, still lies with Ben, until Danny takes a gamble on Brett's lucky number at roulette.

Record Mirror (1973)

Record Mirror was a UK 32-page newspaper magazine, this cover dates back to 1973 with Paul McCartney on the cover. Includes an interview with Paul & Linda, plus articles on Ringo and John Lennon.

Brian Cant - Mister Play School!.....

Born in Ipswich Brian Cant currently lives in Buckinghamshire and is married to writer and director Cherry Britton, sister of TV presenter Fern Britton and actor Jasper Britton. They have three children, daughter Rose, and twins Christabel and Peter. He has two sons from his first marriage, Nicholas and Richard, who is also an actor. He is the son-in-law of the British actor Tony Britton and brother-in-law of the television chef Phil Vickery.

In 1999 Brian was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, referring to this in an interview with BBC Breakfast which was shown on 24 November 2010.

The multi-talented Brian Cant for kids of my generation is a legend and is well known for his work on many classic BBC children's programmes from the 1960s to the 1980s, including Play School, Play Away, Trumpton, Chigley, Camberwick Green and Bric-A-Brac. He was performing in drama-based BBC TV Schools Programmes about the Romans when he heard that auditions were being held for a new children's pre-school programme which was to be shown on the new BBC2 channel. At his audition he was asked by programme editor Joy Whitby to get in a cardboard box and pretend to 'row out to sea'. He pretended to fish from his 'boat' and caught a wellington boot full of custard. He was cast as a presenter and first appeared on the third week in May 1964, and stayed with the programme for twenty-one years, becoming to many viewers 'Mr Play School'.

During the 1990s Cant starred as 'Brian' the farmer in the children's puppetry television programme, Dappledown Farm, as well as providing the voice for one of the characters, Harry the Heron.

Cant is the storyteller of the UK version of Jay Jay and the Jet Plane, and the narrator for the popular Canadian children's show Bruno.

Aside from his work on childrens television, Cant is also an established actor. In the 1960s he appeared in two Doctor Who stories, in 1965 as "Kert Gantry" in The Daleks Masterplan and in 1968 as "Tensa" in The Dominators. He was one of the guest presenters used in the 1982 series of the game show It's A Knockout after Eddie Waring retired.

In 1998 Cant parodied his previous contributions as a narrator in 'The Organ Gang', a weekly segment in Lee Herring's This Morning with Richard, Not Judy a BBC TV Sunday afternoon comedy show.

In 2001 Cant appeared in a music video on Orbital's DVD The Altogether. The clip is similar to Play School, featuring Cant in his familiar presenter role^].

In April 2007 Cant was named as the best-loved voice from UK children's television, in poll of over 1,200 people for Underground Emie magazine. Cant beat Bagpuss and Ivor the Engine narrator Olicer Postgate into second place, with David Jason (Dangermouse) polling third.

He read the second half of Ann Jungman's Vlad the Drac books for audiobook, replacing Anthony Daniels.

In May 2008 Cant recorded a brand new audio series of children's stories for free download from 'The Great Little Traders Club.

On 28 November 2010 Cant received the special award at the Children's Baftas for his work in children's television.

On 5 April 2011, Cant appeared in the BBC1 daytime drama, Doctors. It was his third appearance in the show, all as different characters.

Brian Cant's theatre credits include Still Playing Away, The Railway Children, Present Laughter, An Ideal Husband, Habeas Corpus, Gaslight, Side by Side by Sondheim, The Cantebury Tales (in which he memorably ad-libbed a reference to his work on Play School), Oh Coward, There's No Place Like a Home and many more, as well as thirty two pantomimes, including an adaptation of "Aladdin" at the Wolverhampton Grand written by Ian Billings.

A Handful of Songs!....

Made by Granada studios in the late 1970s - early 1980s, this pre-school lunchtime programme was shown on ITV around midday (Muriel Young was the Senior Producer of Children's Programmes at the time before she became Director of Children's Television). Each episode lasted approximately ten minutes and was hosted by two presenters (one male and one female). Kathy Jones (Tricia Hopkins in Coronation Street) was the first presenter on the show partnered with a chap called Alistair Johns.

Kathy then partnered Keith for a while until Maria Morgan came along to replace her. Maria partnered Keith right up until the last episode (379th) was recorded. At the start of each programme, the duo (Kathy or Maria) would be perched on their seats, microphones at the ready, Keith with his guitar.

Muriel Young had got the idea for "A Handful of Songs" after working with Wally Wyton. Wally Wyton had released an album of nursery rhymes but was busy with Folk Club on Radio 2. Hence Muriel Young chose Kathy Jones and another presenter called Alistair Johns. The show was only shown in the Granada region to begin with (explains how Kathy having spent 16 years being brought up in Manchester). When it went to ITV though, Keith and Maria joined the show. Just when the show got up to programme 379, Muriel Young decided to retire and the new Director of Children's television cancelled "A Handful of Songs" as well as other classics like "Clapperboard" (long time since I have seen that one presented by Chris Kelly). Maria went off to the West End to play Evita. Keith now runs a family business building exhibition stands around the world.

Kathy and Alistair, then Kathy and Keith and then Maria and Keith would sing a variety of songs each week but the all time favourite of mine was "A windmill in Old Amsterdam." Such was the popularity of the duos, several LPs were released . The first LP title was "A Handful of Songs."

Kathy was also the presenter on other Granada children's programs such as "Songbook" and "Kathy's Quiz." first shown in 1976 (see below). Most people though, may remember her from "How We Used To Live" one of ITV's classic school children's programmes as well as Coronation Street.

Song Book was similar to the other programs, but the guitarist was called Leo Dove. Kathy and Leo would have a different guest singer on for each program. Kathy informed me that if anyone carefully watched the series they would note that the actual song book differed from week to week, because they kept losing it. One week it was kept in Mu's (Muriel Young) office, then someone else would move it to props department. It never dawned on us to keep it safe, even though it was only a cover that we used to keep the scripts in!

Keith and Maria released an another "A Handful of Songs" which had classic songs such as: A Handful of Songs, Yellow Submarine, Rupert the Bear, The Owl and the Pussycat, Puff the Magic Dragon and A Windmill in Old Amsterdam.

The third LP was called "Another Handful of Songs." Maria Morgan also released a few singles, the titles being "Best Part of Breaking Up" and "Touch me Baby."

This little show was an absolute gem for young kids and is truly missed. It's a shame they do not try to resurrect such ideas for today's children instead of dishing up weakly scripted and awfully drawn animations by the dozen. "A Handful of Songs," "Stepping Stones," and "Hickory House" certainly set a mark which few other pre-school programs could ever hope to reach let alone surpass.

The World's Greatest Cliff-hanger - Who Shot JR? (1980)

In the final scene of the 1979–1980 season, the character J.R. Ewing played by Larry Hagman, was shot by a hidden assailant. The episode, titled "A House Divided", was broadcast on March 21, 1980. Viewers had to wait all summer and most of the autumn because of a Hollywood actors' strike (and Hagman's own holdout), to learn whether J. R. would survive, and which of his many enemies was responsible.

T-shirts printed with such references as "Who Shot J. R.?" and "I Shot J. R." became common over the summer, the latter eventually being seen in the first episode of British/Irish sitcom, Father Ted. Betting parlors worldwide took bets as to which one of the 10 or so principal characters had actually pulled the trigger. A session of the Turkish Parliament was suspended to allow legislators a chance to get home in time to view the Dallas episode. During the 1980 US Presidential Elections, the Republicans distributed campaign buttons that claimed "A Democrat shot J. R.", while Democratic incumbent Jimmy Carter joked that he would have no problem financing his campaign if he knew who shot J. R. When Hagman was offered £100,000 during a British vacation for the identity of the shooter, he admitted that neither he nor anyone in the cast knew the answer.

Viewers had to wait an additional two months to find out the answer to the famous question, as a strike by the Screen Actors' Guild in July 1980 caused the production of most new network shows to be delayed by eight weeks. Ultimately, the person who pulled the trigger was revealed to be Kristin Shepard (played by Mary Crosby) in the "Who Done it" episode which aired on November 21, 1980. Kristin was J. R.'s scheming sister-in-law and mistress, who shot him in a fit of anger. J. R. didn't press charges, as Kristin claimed she was pregnant with his child as a result of their affair.

It was, at the time, the highest rated television episode in US history. It had a Neilsen rating of 53.3 and a 76% share, and it was estimated that 83,000,000 people watched the episode. The previous record for a TV episode, not counting the final installment of the miniseries Roots, had been the 1967 finale for The Fugitive. "Who Shot J. R.?" now sits third on the list, beaten in 1983 by M*A*S*H* and Super Bowl XL1V but still remains the highest rated non-finale episode of a TV series by a wide margin. In 2011, Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly named the episode number one of the seven most "Unforgettable Cliff-Hangers" of prime time dramatic television.

The great success of this 1980 stunt helped popularize in the US the practice of ending a television season with a cliff-hanger. The episode also inspired a novelty record by radio personality Gary Burbank which hit the Billboard Top 100 in 1980.

The Bill star dies - Tributes paid to Colin Tarrant

A Star of hit cop show "The Bill" has died after being found injured at home. Colin Tarrant, 59, played Inspector Andrew Monroe in the long-running show and was popular with fans. It was reported last night Mr Tarrant had died in a suspected suicide after being discovered with knife wounds. He had been seen performing in a number of stage shows after the police drama was axed after 2,400 episodes in 2010.

Last night actors off the show united in paying their respects to Mr Tarrant and his grief-stricken family. Writing on Twitter, Jeff Stewart - the show's PC Reg Hollis, said: "Shocked by sudden news of Colin Tarrant's death. "A lovely man who was a greatly admired colleague. RIP." And Andrew Lancel, who played DI Neil Manson, said: "Very sad to hear about Colin Tarrant. A huge part of The Bill. "We never worked together but Inspector Monroe was iconic to bill fans. RIP." Their thoughts were echoed by West End theatre producer David Pugh. He added: "Colin was a lovely man, he loved the theatre, his politics and his family. "Our hearts must go out to his son Juma, his partner Sabrina and their baby son Louis."

Radio Times Presents the Third Doctor Who! (1970)

I really can not believe that it is now forty two years, but way back in January 1970 the BBC, or rather the Radio Times introduced the late, great Jon Pertwee to the world as the third incarnation of Doctor Who in the story, Spearhead from Space. Jon Pertwee turned out to be the best of all the great Doctor's incarnations. Inside there was a short introduction to the new TV season and highlights Jon Pertwee's arrival, while his inaugural episode is treated to a photograph on the listings page.

Roger Moore as Ivanhoe (1958)

Long before Roger Moore found fame as Simon Templar and then James Bond the youthful actor was cast in his first television role as the dashing Knight, Ivanhoe. Ivanhoe the British television series first shown on ITV in 1958-59 a series of adventures aimed at a children's audience. It used characters drawn loosely from Sir Walter Scott's 1819 novel.

The series was set in England during the 12th century reign of King Richard the Lionheart, who had gone to fight in the crusades and failed to return. In his absence, power had been taken by his younger brother, the ambitious and wicked Prince John, who sought to strip the people of their rights and land. The dashing and heroic Knight Ivanhoe, with his father-and-son companions Gurth and Bart whom he had freed from servitude (from the evil Sir Maurice), attempted to right wrongs, secure justice, help those in need, and thwart John and his allies.

Swashbuckling adventures for a younger audience, such as The Adventures of the Scarlet Pimpernel, The Adventures of Robin Hood and The Adventures of Sir Lancelot, were a mainstay of television programming in Britain in the mid-1950s. In December 1956, Columbia Pictures signed up Roger Moore, then working with limited success in Hollywood, to play the title role in an intended series for transmission in both America and the UK. The series was a co-production between Columbia subsidiary Screen Gems and British producer Sydney Box.

The budget was far more lavish than that of the Robin Hood series running at the time and filming started in early 1957, mostly at the ABC Studios at Elstree Studios and on location around Buckinghamshire in England, but with some shooting also taking place in California. The series premiered on ITV in January 1958, while filming continued to complete all 39 episodes through to June 1958. Although a pilot episode was filmed in colour, the series was shot in black and white. The executive producer was Peter Rogers, who shortly afterwards began producing the Carry On films. Guest stars on the series included Christopher Lee and John Schlesinger. Other supporting actors included Jon Pertwee, Paul Eddington, Leonard Sachs, Kenneth Cope and Adrienne Corri.

Moore insisted on undertaking much of the stunt work himself, resulting in several injuries including three cracked ribs from a fight scene and being knocked unconscious when a battleaxe hit his helmeted skull. Moore later commented: "I felt a complete Charlie riding around in all that armour and damned stupid plumed helmet. I felt like a medieval fireman."

The series finished when Roger Moore returned to Hollywood after Warner Brothers offered him a movie role in The Miracle.

Each episode started with the title song:

"Ivanhoe, Ivanhoe

Side by side we’re proud to ride with Ivanhoe

At his call we spring to help him ride along

The song we sing is free and joyous song

Ivanhoe, Ivanhoe

Far and wide throughout the countryside they know

There’s freedom on his banner

Justice in his sword

He rides against the manor

Where tyranny is lord

Rich and poor

Together we go

Forward with Ivanhoe

With I-van-hoe."

Each episode ends with the following song:

"Ivanhoe, Ivanhoe

To adventure, bold adventure watch him go

There's no power on earth can stop what he's begun

With Bart and Gurth, he'll fight 'till he has won

Ivanhoe, Ivanhoe

He's a friend who will defend the people's foe

He'll strike with speed like lightning bold and brave and game

In justice he is fighting to win the fairest dame.

Shout a cheer, adventure is here

Riding with Ivanhoe

With I-van-hoe."

Stacy Keach as Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer

Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, with Stacy Keach in the title role, was the classic television series that originally aired on CBS from January 28, 1984 to January 12, 1985. The series was 24 sixty minute episodes. The show follows the adventures of Mike Hammer, the fictitious private detective created by crime novelist Mickey Spillane, as he hunts down criminals on the mean streets of New York. While firmly situated in the 1980s, the tone of the show also incorporated elements of classic film noir detective films, such as The Maltese Falcon. For example, each show featured the protagonist's narrative voice-over and, much like the archetypal hard boiled detectives of years gone by, Hammer would rarely be seen without his wrinkled suit, fedora and trench coat. While his get-up made a particularly awkward fashion statement for the time, the juxtaposition of old and new was a central theme in the show. Indeed, Keach's Mike Hammer left the viewer with the impression that this detective had been somehow transported from a 1940s film set to 1980s New York City. The show's theme song "Harlem Nocturne" by Earle Hagen, a jazz tune featuring a deeply melancholy saxophone, set a gritty tone for each episode. The song proved to be one of the most popular elements of the program.

In contrast to the charming male leads in other popular detective shows of the day (e.g.,Remington Steele, Thomas Magnum), Mike Hammer was unapologetically masculine with little concern for political correctness. A prominent feature of most episodes was the inclusion of a number of female characters (known in casting sessions "Hammer-ettes") who would exchange a double entendre or two with Hammer while wearing very low tops and push-up bras emphasizing their ample cleavage. Hammer would regularly wind up in bed with the highly-sexualized female characters in the show, who would never fail to melt once they had fixed their eyes upon the brawny detective. The show's writers latched on to this element of clashing eras and often used it a comic relief in the show. Examples of this include Hammer's love for cigarettes being at odds with the growing social disdain for smoking and the detective's humorous inability to comprehend the youth trends of the decade.

Like its 1950s predecessor, Keach's Mike Hammer never shied away from violence. Whether it was with his fists or his trusty gun, "Betsy," a Colt Model 1911A1 .45 ACP semiautomatic pistol, which was always tucked neatly inside a leather shoulder holster worn under his suit jacket, Hammer would never fail to stop a criminal dead in his tracks. Mickey Spillane insisted that Stacy Keach carry the .45 caliber pistol in the show because that was the weapon Mike Hammer carried in all of Spillane's "Mike Hammer" mystery novels. Unlike most detective shows of the decade, the bad guys onMickey Spillane's Mike Hammer were usually killed by the protagonist by the time the closing credits rolled.

Prior to the show's debut, Keach starred as Mike Hammer in two made-for-TV movies Murder Me, Murder You (April 9, 1983) and More than Murder (January 26, 1984). Like the syndicated series, these two-hour movies were executed under the guidance of acclaimed Executive Producer Jay Bernstein.

Other actors who played prominent roles in Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer include Don Stroud as Captain Pat Chambers, Lindsay Bloom as Hammer's secretary Velda, Kent Williams as Assistant District Attorney Lawrence D. Barrington, Danny Goldman as "Ozzie the Answer", and Donna Denton as "The Face"—a beautiful and mysterious woman who Hammer would see briefly in each episode but would then vanish before he had a chance to meet her.

Production of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer was interrupted near the end of the season when Keach was arrested in England for smuggling1¼ ounces of cocaine. He was in the country filming Mistral's Daughter, a television mini series based on a novel by Judith Krantz. Keach found himself sentenced to nine months in Reading Prison but he was released after six months with time off for good behaviour.

A year later, Stacy Keach returned to his role as Hammer in the made-for-TV movie The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, which aired on April 18, 1986. Thanks to the positive reception of the movie and the tenacity of Jay Bernstein, a new Mike Hammer series, The New mike Hammer, went to air on CBS on September 27, 1986. In the new series, several recurring characters were absent and elements previously criticized as sexist were significantly downplayed—although the violence was not. The show was cancelled after one season with the final episode airing on May 21, 1989.

Keach's version of Hammer was revived with 26 more syndicated episodes produced in 1997–1998 under the title Mike Hammer, Private Eye. The revived version failed to establish wide distribution or much of an audience and was cancelled after one season.

Bernie Hamilton (1928 - 2008)

Bernie Hamilton (June 12, 1928 – December 30, 2008) American Actor was born in East Los Angeles and attended Oakland Technical High School, where he first became interested in acting. In films from 1950, he laboured in bit roles for years before getting noticed in the film One Potato, Two Potato (1964), the story of an inter-racial marriage. He is best remembered for his role as the brusque, no-nonsense Captain Dobey in the classic 1970s police series Starsky and Hutch.

Bernie Hamilton was the brother of jazz drummer Chico Hamilton. Hamilton was also an impresario; since the late 1960s he had run a nightclub/art gallery called Citadel d’Haiti on Sunset Boulevard. Hamilton also produced Rhythm and Blues Gospel music recordings on his own record label called Chocolate Snowman. One of his releases featured himself, it was entitled Captain Dobey Sings the Blues.

Fred Williamson, the action star of two movies that Hamilton appeared in during the '70s -- the crime dramas "Hammer" and "Bucktown" -- has called Hamilton "an extraordinary actor." "He's a very versatile actor and never really got the recognition he deserved for his work," Williamson, who played Capt. Dobey in the 2004 movie version of "Starsky and Hutch," told the Oakland Tribune at the time.

Raoul Hamilton said his father's "authoritative" police captain performance hit close to home. "It was an extension of who he was as a real person," he said. "He was a self-made man. He comes from a family of five brothers and one sister from the east side of Los Angeles; they came from humble beginnings."

He phased out of acting after "Starsky and Hutch" and spent the next 20 years in the music business producing R&B and gospel records. Hamilton also sang, and one of the albums he produced was called "Capt. Dobey Sings the Blues." His record label was called Chocolate Snowman. And in the early '80s, his son said, he created a children's doll called the Chocolate Snowman that was manufactured in South Korea and sold at Toys "R" Us. In addition to his son, Bernie was survived by his daughter, Candy Hazarika Hamilton; his brothers Chico and Don; and two grandchildren.

The Death of Elvis Presley - August 16th 1977

Elvis Presley died at Graceland on August 16, 1977. He was 42 years old.

Through the early morning of the 16th Elvis took care of last minute tour details and relaxed with family and staff. He was to fly to Portland, Maine that night and do a show there on the 17th, then continue the scheduled tour.

Elvis retired to his master suite at Graceland around 7:00 AM to rest for his evening flight. By late morning, Elvis Presley had died of heart failure.

In a matter of hours the shock registered around the world.

Paramedics were called, but they failed to revive Elvis, and he was taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital where further attempts to resuscitate him failed. He was pronounced dead by his physician, Dr. George Nichopolous, who listed the official cause of death as erratic heartbeat, or cardiac arrhythmia.

As the news of Elvis' death spread across the country, radio stations immediately began to play his records. Some stations quickly organized tributes to Elvis while others simply played his music at the request of listeners, many of whom were in a state of shock over his sudden death.

Some people called their favorite radio stations just because they wanted to tell someone their stories about the first time they'd heard Elvis sing or to talk about how much his talent and his music meant to them.

In the same way that many people remember exactly where they were when they heard President John F. Kennedy had been killed, most of Elvis' fans remember where they were the day Elvis died. Mick Fleetwood, of rock group Fleetwood Mac, recalls, 'The news came over like a ton of bricks. I was driving back from the mountains, and I had the radio on. They were playing an Elvis medley, and I thought, 'Great' --- And then they came back with the news'.

The staff of television newsrooms considered Elvis' death a late-breaking story. There was not enough time for TV reporters who had been sent to Memphis to file stories for the evening news. Executives had to decide quickly what film footage they could use from their files and where to place the story in relation to the other news of the day. NBC-TV not only rewrote their news lineup to lead off with the story of Elvis' death, but the network also made immediate plans to delay The Tonight Show and put together a late-night news documentary. David Brinkley, a national news anchor for NBC at the time, opened his broadcast with three minutes devoted to Elvis' sudden death. ABC-TV also decided to lead with the Presley story.

When they learned that NBC would be doing a late-night news special about the significance of Elvis Presley to American music, ABC announced that they would also air a half-hour documentary.

CBS did not follow suit, however. The CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite, featuring the most respected man in broadcasting at that time, had led the news program ratings for more than a decade. CBS executives chose not to open the evening broadcast with the Presley story. Arbitron's records indicate that when millions of viewers realized this they immediately switched the channel to another network.

The CBS decision not to lead with Elvis' death gave the CBS Evening News its lowest ratings in years. (For the record, Roger Mudd was substituting for Walter Cronkite that evening.) CBS devoted only 70 seconds to its story on Elvis, placing it after a lengthy segment on the Panama Canal. The producer for that evening's news was vehemently opposed to leading off with Elvis' death, in spite of other members of the CBS programming staff suggesting it repeatedly. Interviewed later, the producer agreed that he was out of sync with the national consciousness. Two days later, CBS tried to save face by putting together a documentary on Elvis.

Even though Elvis never performed in Europe, countries from all over the world sent reporters to Memphis. The press coverage in foreign newspapers and on European television was almost as extensive as the reporting in the United States. Everywhere in the world, people lamented the loss of an irreplaceable entertainer.

Within one hour after Elvis' death, fans began to gather in front of Graceland.

Numerous celebrities attended Elvis' funeral, including Caroline Kennedy, country music guitarist Chet Atkins, performers Ann-Margret and George Hamilton, and television evangelist Rex Humbard, who was one of the speakers during the service. Comedian Jackie Kahane, who had opened many of Elvis' concert performances, delivered his eulogy, and a local minister also spoke. Gospel performers sang, including Jake Hess, J.D. Sumner, James Blackwood, and their vocal groups, as well as singer Kathy Westmoreland. The casket was carried to Forest Hill Cemetery in a long motor cortege of all-white automobiles.

Later, when someone threatened to steal Elvis' remains, his casket was moved to the Meditation Garden behind Graceland. Gladys's body was also moved to the Meditation Garden in 1977; Vernon Presley died and was buried there in 1979; and Minnie Mae Presley was laid to rest beside the rest of her family in 1980.

Vernon Presley, Elvis Presley's father, places a rose on his son's grave Nov. 24, 1977, as newspeople were permitted inside the grounds at Graceland in Memphis, Tenn., for the first time since Elvis' funeral.