It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

1948-present

Moderator: Styles Bitchley

Message
Author
User avatar
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 2020
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#196 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

Speaking of lunchboxes when I was a young 'un and our family would drive down the Jersey shore we would pass this small town with a little antique store and displayed proudly in the storefront window was a KNIGHT RIDER lunchbox. One of those classic old lunchboxes - I think it was metal. Maybe plastic. But it looked metal. Every time we would stop at the traffic light near that store there they were (Michael and K.I.T.T.) staring straight at me. :) It was my favorite TV show at the time.

User avatar
Pahonu
Robin's Nest Expert Extraordinaire
Posts: 2652
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:19 am
Location: Long Beach CA

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#197 Post by Pahonu »

ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:43 pm Speaking of lunchboxes when I was a young 'un and our family would drive down the Jersey shore we would pass this small town with a little antique store and displayed proudly in the storefront window was a KNIGHT RIDER lunchbox. One of those classic old lunchboxes - I think it was metal. Maybe plastic. But it looked metal. Every time we would stop at the traffic light near that store there they were (Michael and K.I.T.T.) staring straight at me. :) It was my favorite TV show at the time.
Do you remember the town? I have family who live there, in Spring Lake and Manasquan. I also enjoyed visiting Sea Girt, Point Pleasant and Belmar Playland when we were back there.

User avatar
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 2020
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#198 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

Pahonu wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 4:44 am
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:43 pm Speaking of lunchboxes when I was a young 'un and our family would drive down the Jersey shore we would pass this small town with a little antique store and displayed proudly in the storefront window was a KNIGHT RIDER lunchbox. One of those classic old lunchboxes - I think it was metal. Maybe plastic. But it looked metal. Every time we would stop at the traffic light near that store there they were (Michael and K.I.T.T.) staring straight at me. :) It was my favorite TV show at the time.
Do you remember the town? I have family who live there, in Spring Lake and Manasquan. I also enjoyed visiting Sea Girt, Point Pleasant and Belmar Playland when we were back there.
I think the town was Barnegat. In fact I'm sure it was because we always went to Barnegat Beach and that antique store was not far from the beach. To be honest I never liked going to that beach because I wanted the "open ocean" (with the waves). Barnegat Beach was like a bay and the ocean floor tended to be muddy there in spots. No waves to speak of either. :( But that's what parents preferred so we kids were overruled. It also didn't help that we kept getting stung by these green ocean flies. Well, we called them ocean flies because they only seemed to live there. There were actually some reeds nearby across the road which was probably swampy ground. We figured they lived there. We had to keep spraying ourselves to keep from getting stung by those suckers. :( I still don't know why we tolerated that place for so long or why it didn't seem to bother my parents all that much.

User avatar
Pahonu
Robin's Nest Expert Extraordinaire
Posts: 2652
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:19 am
Location: Long Beach CA

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#199 Post by Pahonu »

ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 5:34 am
Pahonu wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 4:44 am
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:43 pm Speaking of lunchboxes when I was a young 'un and our family would drive down the Jersey shore we would pass this small town with a little antique store and displayed proudly in the storefront window was a KNIGHT RIDER lunchbox. One of those classic old lunchboxes - I think it was metal. Maybe plastic. But it looked metal. Every time we would stop at the traffic light near that store there they were (Michael and K.I.T.T.) staring straight at me. :) It was my favorite TV show at the time.
Do you remember the town? I have family who live there, in Spring Lake and Manasquan. I also enjoyed visiting Sea Girt, Point Pleasant and Belmar Playland when we were back there.
I think the town was Barnegat. In fact I'm sure it was because we always went to Barnegat Beach and that antique store was not far from the beach. To be honest I never liked going to that beach because I wanted the "open ocean" (with the waves). Barnegat Beach was like a bay and the ocean floor tended to be muddy there in spots. No waves to speak of either. :( But that's what parents preferred so we kids were overruled. It also didn't help that we kept getting stung by these green ocean flies. Well, we called them ocean flies because they only seemed to live there. There were actually some reeds nearby across the road which was probably swampy ground. We figured they lived there. We had to keep spraying ourselves to keep from getting stung by those suckers. :( I still don't know why we tolerated that place for so long or why it didn't seem to bother my parents all that much.
Barnegat is the name of the whole bay created by the barrier islands off the coast. It’s just south of the area I mentioned. My wife’s father worked long ago in Tom’s River in that area. There are some very nice sandy beaches with waves on the ocean side of the barrier islands. Funny that your parents always took you to the bayside which is brackish water. They must really have liked the antique shops.

All the bugs on the east coast in general are not typical here in SoCal and are downright annoying if you’re not used to them I guess. I’m definitely not! We don’t have screened porches or the like here, just open patios. Older homes, before AC was available, even had sleeping porches wide open. We have a balcony off our bedroom with a couch on it and I have slept out there on many a summer night. It’s quite nice, and no bugs! :lol: :lol: :lol:

User avatar
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 2020
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#200 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

Pahonu wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 3:25 pm
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 5:34 am
Pahonu wrote: Tue Jan 30, 2024 4:44 am
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Mon Jan 29, 2024 4:43 pm Speaking of lunchboxes when I was a young 'un and our family would drive down the Jersey shore we would pass this small town with a little antique store and displayed proudly in the storefront window was a KNIGHT RIDER lunchbox. One of those classic old lunchboxes - I think it was metal. Maybe plastic. But it looked metal. Every time we would stop at the traffic light near that store there they were (Michael and K.I.T.T.) staring straight at me. :) It was my favorite TV show at the time.
Do you remember the town? I have family who live there, in Spring Lake and Manasquan. I also enjoyed visiting Sea Girt, Point Pleasant and Belmar Playland when we were back there.
I think the town was Barnegat. In fact I'm sure it was because we always went to Barnegat Beach and that antique store was not far from the beach. To be honest I never liked going to that beach because I wanted the "open ocean" (with the waves). Barnegat Beach was like a bay and the ocean floor tended to be muddy there in spots. No waves to speak of either. :( But that's what parents preferred so we kids were overruled. It also didn't help that we kept getting stung by these green ocean flies. Well, we called them ocean flies because they only seemed to live there. There were actually some reeds nearby across the road which was probably swampy ground. We figured they lived there. We had to keep spraying ourselves to keep from getting stung by those suckers. :( I still don't know why we tolerated that place for so long or why it didn't seem to bother my parents all that much.
Barnegat is the name of the whole bay created by the barrier islands off the coast. It’s just south of the area I mentioned. My wife’s father worked long ago in Tom’s River in that area. There are some very nice sandy beaches with waves on the ocean side of the barrier islands. Funny that your parents always took you to the bayside which is brackish water. They must really have liked the antique shops.

All the bugs on the east coast in general are not typical here in SoCal and are downright annoying if you’re not used to them I guess. I’m definitely not! We don’t have screened porches or the like here, just open patios. Older homes, before AC was available, even had sleeping porches wide open. We have a balcony off our bedroom with a couch on it and I have slept out there on many a summer night. It’s quite nice, and no bugs! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Haha, my parents never visited a single antique shop there. So it was definitely not the antique shops that drew them there. :lol: My dad doesn't like to rock the boat too much (no pun intended). Once he finds a beach area that's more or less to his liking he doesn't bother to look for maybe something better. We first found Ship Bottom (not too far from Barnegat) and I liked it but mom and dad didn't like the big waves (they were both knocked off their feet and went head first into the sand) and that was it for them. So we packed into the car and started exploring what was nearby and somehow we stumbled onto Barnegat and that made them happy, so that was our new stomping ground from them on. :) Also I guess at the beginning the flies weren't too bothersome or maybe they just didn't bother us too much. But after a few more visits we really started to notice them. :x

User avatar
Luther's nephew Dobie
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 1272
Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 4:16 am
Location: Swamps of Jersey

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#201 Post by Luther's nephew Dobie »

by Pahonu - "I also enjoyed visiting Sea Girt, Point Pleasant and Belmar Playland when we were back there."
by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) -  "...we always went to Barnegat Beach"''

Aha, the rumors are true, you two were part of the cast of "The Jersey Shore". I had my suspicions when we found out that Mrs. Pahonu's family lived in Tom's River and that she is in fact a Jersey Girl.

User avatar
Pahonu
Robin's Nest Expert Extraordinaire
Posts: 2652
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:19 am
Location: Long Beach CA

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#202 Post by Pahonu »

Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 3:01 am by Pahonu - "I also enjoyed visiting Sea Girt, Point Pleasant and Belmar Playland when we were back there."
by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) -  "...we always went to Barnegat Beach"''

Aha, the rumors are true, you two were part of the cast of "The Jersey Shore". I had my suspicions when we found out that Mrs. Pahonu's family lived in Tom's River and that she is in fact a Jersey Girl.
LOL!!! Dobie. I can assure you that I was not part of the Jersey Shore “Situation” :wink: Can’t speak for Ivan!

I also have to disappoint you with the news that my wife is a 100% California girl, born and raised. She’s a swimmer and surfer and alumni of UC Santa Barbara. Her father was a SoCal boy too, but left for the Jersey Shore when she was finishing high school to be a CEO of a Tom’s River based HMO. Our relationship began while she was still at UCSB just after I finished my film degree and was working in production in the Santa Monica area. We soon moved to Long Beach, where we still reside, but have enjoyed many trips to the East Coast. Sadly her father passed from melanoma just before our marriage in 1997. We are still close with all the family there and love the Jersey Shore… despite the reality show!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

User avatar
Luther's nephew Dobie
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 1272
Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 4:16 am
Location: Swamps of Jersey

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#203 Post by Luther's nephew Dobie »

Pahonu wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 4:12 am
Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Wed Jan 31, 2024 3:01 am by Pahonu - "I also enjoyed visiting Sea Girt, Point Pleasant and Belmar Playland when we were back there."
by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) -  "...we always went to Barnegat Beach"''

Aha, the rumors are true, you two were part of the cast of "The Jersey Shore". I had my suspicions when we found out that Mrs. Pahonu's family lived in Tom's River and that she is in fact a Jersey Girl.
LOL!!! Dobie. I can assure you that I was not part of the Jersey Shore “Situation” :wink: Can’t speak for Ivan!

I also have to disappoint you with the news that my wife is a 100% California girl, born and raised. She’s a swimmer and surfer and alumni of UC Santa Barbara. Her father was a SoCal boy too, but left for the Jersey Shore when she was finishing high school to be a CEO of a Tom’s River based HMO. Our relationship began while she was still at UCSB just after I finished my film degree and was working in production in the Santa Monica area. We soon moved to Long Beach, where we still reside, but have enjoyed many trips to the East Coast. Sadly her father passed from melanoma just before our marriage in 1997. We are still close with all the family there and love the Jersey Shore… despite the reality show!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
Pahonu,
It sounds like you really lucked out with your California Girl. You guys might want to check out Cape May someday, very romantic, grand Victorian houses, pristine beaches, highly regarded restaurants,
without the party hearty scene of a lot of the other Shore towns. The ferry over to Delaware, 90 minutes one way, quaint town on the other side.
By the way, all those clowns on Jersey Shore were from New York. If they had pulled their punk level crap without all the off duty rented police security just off camera they would have gotten nightly
tune ups. The producers should have made that show with Canadians, they swamp the Shore in the summer, 100,000 from Quebec alone. Would have loved to seen some Yukon Cornelius type
from a lumber camp in the Great White North reacting to the Situation.
By the way, a tip of the hat for your "not part of the Jersey Shore 'Situation' " bit above, I got a good laugh. Tip, tip.

User avatar
Luther's nephew Dobie
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 1272
Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 4:16 am
Location: Swamps of Jersey

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#204 Post by Luther's nephew Dobie »

In the seventh season episode "Paper War" from  November 1986  Magnum and Higgins engage in a war of practical jokes which quickly escalate from the humorous to the dangerous.
The boys - if nothing else they have reduced themselves to the status of malevolent children - soon find themselves trapped in a elevator in a condemned building. 
Costly accusations and bitter truths emerge, as well as a knowing wink to the audience when Thomas accuses Higgins of being Robbin Masters.
Thomas adds that Higgins employs an actor channeling Orson Welles to play Robin to throw Magnum off the trail -

JH: What  are you talking about?"
TM: "The big lie, Higgins, admit it. You are Robin Masters."
JH: "And who may I ask, is the man we know and address as Robin Masters?"
TM: "I don't know. Some little guy with a voice like Orson Welles..."

I could be wrong but I believe the above byplay, besides being a continuing story thread, is also a three part in joke. 
1) The first  is that by the 1980's the real Orson Welles was notorious - and the butt of many Johnny Carson jokes - for doing anything for a buck and would have had no qualms taking on
a easy gig like voice acting the role of Robin for some quick cash.
2 )The second is that Orson Welles did in fact grab a quick paycheck to essay the role of Robin in real life as he did in fiction, for the past six seasons. Reality imitating fiction or is it vice versa?
3) The third is that Welles had passed away and this was a way to acknowledge a cast mate of a sort. He was after all Hollywood royalty and it's mind boggling he would do voice work on Magnum!

To be fair Welles chased every dime in order to finance his independent movies. He would film scenes till the funds ran out, then raise more money over a year or years and then resume production.

By the way his grandfather was President Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles. 
Some of the best interviews Dick Cavett did were with Welles, he had wonderful stories about his eccentric and fabulous family as well as Hollywood.  
It's fair to say Welles was one of the most sought after dinner/weekend guests of the 20th century. Both here and abroad, he lived an extraordinary life that never ceased to fascinate.

User avatar
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 2020
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#205 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 2:14 am In the seventh season episode "Paper War" from  November 1986  Magnum and Higgins engage in a war of practical jokes which quickly escalate from the humorous to the dangerous.
The boys - if nothing else they have reduced themselves to the status of malevolent children - soon find themselves trapped in a elevator in a condemned building. 
Costly accusations and bitter truths emerge, as well as a knowing wink to the audience when Thomas accuses Higgins of being Robbin Masters.
Thomas adds that Higgins employs an actor channeling Orson Welles to play Robin to throw Magnum off the trail -

JH: What  are you talking about?"
TM: "The big lie, Higgins, admit it. You are Robin Masters."
JH: "And who may I ask, is the man we know and address as Robin Masters?"
TM: "I don't know. Some little guy with a voice like Orson Welles..."

I could be wrong but I believe the above byplay, besides being a continuing story thread, is also a three part in joke. 
1) The first  is that by the 1980's the real Orson Welles was notorious - and the butt of many Johnny Carson jokes - for doing anything for a buck and would have had no qualms taking on
a easy gig like voice acting the role of Robin for some quick cash.
2 )The second is that Orson Welles did in fact grab a quick paycheck to essay the role of Robin in real life as he did in fiction, for the past six seasons. Reality imitating fiction or is it vice versa?
3) The third is that Welles had passed away and this was a way to acknowledge a cast mate of a sort. He was after all Hollywood royalty and it's mind boggling he would do voice work on Magnum!

To be fair Welles chased every dime in order to finance his independent movies. He would film scenes till the funds ran out, then raise more money over a year or years and then resume production.

By the way his grandfather was President Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles. 
Some of the best interviews Dick Cavett did were with Welles, he had wonderful stories about his eccentric and fabulous family as well as Hollywood.  
It's fair to say Welles was one of the most sought after dinner/weekend guests of the 20th century. Both here and abroad, he lived an extraordinary life that never ceased to fascinate.
Regarding Orson Welles... I saw CITIZEN KANE years ago because many (including Roger Ebert) considered it the greatest film ever made. So I needed to check out what all the hoopla was about. I didn't care for it. Aside from some advanced (at least for the time) cinematography and interesting camera angles the story just didn't do anything for me. I barely remember anything about the story. Something about some newspaper mogul and various flashbacks into his past and childhood and I guess his rise to being a mogul. But none of that was interesting. Yawn. Actually this film contributed only one thing of note if you ask me. It served as a major clue which eventually broke the case in probably my favorite COLUMBO episode "How to Dial a Murder". About the killer dobermans. Rosebud! If you've seen the episode you'll get it. :) One of the best!

The other 2 films with Welles that I've seen (and that were more to my liking) were THE THIRD MAN and TOUCH OF EVIL. Didn't love them either (found both pretty overrated, considering their reputations) but at least there was some mystery to solve so that's at least more up my alley than something like KANE. I did like the post-WWII Vienna setting in THE THIRD MAN. I think I enjoyed the old Europe atmosphere there more than the actual mystery they were trying to solve.

My first introduction to Orson, however, would have to be the I LOVE LUCY episode "Lucy Meets Orson Welles". :lol: I imagine everyone's first introductions to some of these old Hollywood stars had to be via a LUCY episode. :) Lucy meets a bunch of these celebrities during her visit to Hollywood. Then there was Charles Boyer whom she met in Europe. And Bob Hope too. I'm a huge fan of GASLIGHT with Boyer (the best Hitchcock film that Hitch never directed lol) but again my introduction to Boyer was via Lucy. :D

User avatar
Luther's nephew Dobie
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 1272
Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 4:16 am
Location: Swamps of Jersey

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#206 Post by Luther's nephew Dobie »

ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 5:12 pm
Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 2:14 am In the seventh season episode "Paper War" from  November 1986  Magnum and Higgins engage in a war of practical jokes which quickly escalate from the humorous to the dangerous.
The boys - if nothing else they have reduced themselves to the status of malevolent children - soon find themselves trapped in a elevator in a condemned building. 
Costly accusations and bitter truths emerge, as well as a knowing wink to the audience when Thomas accuses Higgins of being Robbin Masters.
Thomas adds that Higgins employs an actor channeling Orson Welles to play Robin to throw Magnum off the trail -

JH: What  are you talking about?"
TM: "The big lie, Higgins, admit it. You are Robin Masters."
JH: "And who may I ask, is the man we know and address as Robin Masters?"
TM: "I don't know. Some little guy with a voice like Orson Welles..."

I could be wrong but I believe the above byplay, besides being a continuing story thread, is also a three part in joke. 
1) The first  is that by the 1980's the real Orson Welles was notorious - and the butt of many Johnny Carson jokes - for doing anything for a buck and would have had no qualms taking on
a easy gig like voice acting the role of Robin for some quick cash.
2 )The second is that Orson Welles did in fact grab a quick paycheck to essay the role of Robin in real life as he did in fiction, for the past six seasons. Reality imitating fiction or is it vice versa?
3) The third is that Welles had passed away and this was a way to acknowledge a cast mate of a sort. He was after all Hollywood royalty and it's mind boggling he would do voice work on Magnum!
To be fair Welles chased every dime in order to finance his independent movies. He would film scenes till the funds ran out, then raise more money over a year or years and then resume production.
By the way his grandfather was President Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles. 
Some of the best interviews Dick Cavett did were with Welles, he had wonderful stories about his eccentric and fabulous family as well as Hollywood.  
It's fair to say Welles was one of the most sought after dinner/weekend guests of the 20th century. Both here and abroad, he lived an extraordinary life that never ceased to fascinate.
Regarding Orson Welles... I saw CITIZEN KANE years ago because many (including Roger Ebert) considered it the greatest film ever made. So I needed to check out what all the hoopla was about. I didn't care for it. Aside from some advanced (at least for the time) cinematography and interesting camera angles the story just didn't do anything for me. I barely remember anything about the story. Something about some newspaper mogul and various flashbacks into his past and childhood and I guess his rise to being a mogul. But none of that was interesting. Yawn. Actually this film contributed only one thing of note if you ask me. It served as a major clue which eventually broke the case in probably my favorite COLUMBO episode "How to Dial a Murder". About the killer dobermans. Rosebud! If you've seen the episode you'll get it. :) One of the best!
The other 2 films with Welles that I've seen (and that were more to my liking) were THE THIRD MAN and TOUCH OF EVIL. Didn't love them either (found both pretty overrated, considering their reputations) but at least there was some mystery to solve so that's at least more up my alley than something like KANE. I did like the post-WWII Vienna setting in THE THIRD MAN. I think I enjoyed the old Europe atmosphere there more than the actual mystery they were trying to solve.
My first introduction to Orson, however, would have to be the I LOVE LUCY episode "Lucy Meets Orson Welles". :lol: I imagine everyone's first introductions to some of these old Hollywood stars had to be via a LUCY episode. :) Lucy meets a bunch of these celebrities during her visit to Hollywood. Then there was Charles Boyer whom she met in Europe. And Bob Hope too. I'm a huge fan of GASLIGHT with Boyer (the best Hitchcock film that Hitch never directed lol) but again my introduction to Boyer was via Lucy. :D
Holy smokes Ivan, I will grant that you have the courage of your convictions, but I don't think many would agree with you.
However you did clue me in to a Columbo I somehow missed and must now see, if only to see how they handle the "Rosebud" clue.
Because it has a lot of potential for a wink wink nudge nudge in joke, as it did in Citizen Kane.
"Rosebud" was William Randolph Hearst's nickname for his mistress Marion Davies's hey nonny nonny, mappa tassie, etc. He would wax poetic about it at private dinners with the fellas at San Simeon.
Still he took great umbrage at Welles for mocking him by using it in Citizen Kane. He even attempted to buy the film so he could destroy all copies.
The Columbo writers had to know about that.

As for not liking great movies that seemingly everyone else esteems, I didn't like The Shining, I saw every twist in the movie before it came, it bored me.
Give me Huntz Hall in The Spook Chasers every time - "Hey chief, Routine Six, the ghosts have snatched Louie!"

User avatar
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 2020
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#207 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Fri Feb 02, 2024 5:36 am
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 5:12 pm
Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2024 2:14 am In the seventh season episode "Paper War" from  November 1986  Magnum and Higgins engage in a war of practical jokes which quickly escalate from the humorous to the dangerous.
The boys - if nothing else they have reduced themselves to the status of malevolent children - soon find themselves trapped in a elevator in a condemned building. 
Costly accusations and bitter truths emerge, as well as a knowing wink to the audience when Thomas accuses Higgins of being Robbin Masters.
Thomas adds that Higgins employs an actor channeling Orson Welles to play Robin to throw Magnum off the trail -

JH: What  are you talking about?"
TM: "The big lie, Higgins, admit it. You are Robin Masters."
JH: "And who may I ask, is the man we know and address as Robin Masters?"
TM: "I don't know. Some little guy with a voice like Orson Welles..."

I could be wrong but I believe the above byplay, besides being a continuing story thread, is also a three part in joke. 
1) The first  is that by the 1980's the real Orson Welles was notorious - and the butt of many Johnny Carson jokes - for doing anything for a buck and would have had no qualms taking on
a easy gig like voice acting the role of Robin for some quick cash.
2 )The second is that Orson Welles did in fact grab a quick paycheck to essay the role of Robin in real life as he did in fiction, for the past six seasons. Reality imitating fiction or is it vice versa?
3) The third is that Welles had passed away and this was a way to acknowledge a cast mate of a sort. He was after all Hollywood royalty and it's mind boggling he would do voice work on Magnum!
To be fair Welles chased every dime in order to finance his independent movies. He would film scenes till the funds ran out, then raise more money over a year or years and then resume production.
By the way his grandfather was President Lincoln's Secretary of the Navy, Gideon Welles. 
Some of the best interviews Dick Cavett did were with Welles, he had wonderful stories about his eccentric and fabulous family as well as Hollywood.  
It's fair to say Welles was one of the most sought after dinner/weekend guests of the 20th century. Both here and abroad, he lived an extraordinary life that never ceased to fascinate.
Regarding Orson Welles... I saw CITIZEN KANE years ago because many (including Roger Ebert) considered it the greatest film ever made. So I needed to check out what all the hoopla was about. I didn't care for it. Aside from some advanced (at least for the time) cinematography and interesting camera angles the story just didn't do anything for me. I barely remember anything about the story. Something about some newspaper mogul and various flashbacks into his past and childhood and I guess his rise to being a mogul. But none of that was interesting. Yawn. Actually this film contributed only one thing of note if you ask me. It served as a major clue which eventually broke the case in probably my favorite COLUMBO episode "How to Dial a Murder". About the killer dobermans. Rosebud! If you've seen the episode you'll get it. :) One of the best!
The other 2 films with Welles that I've seen (and that were more to my liking) were THE THIRD MAN and TOUCH OF EVIL. Didn't love them either (found both pretty overrated, considering their reputations) but at least there was some mystery to solve so that's at least more up my alley than something like KANE. I did like the post-WWII Vienna setting in THE THIRD MAN. I think I enjoyed the old Europe atmosphere there more than the actual mystery they were trying to solve.
My first introduction to Orson, however, would have to be the I LOVE LUCY episode "Lucy Meets Orson Welles". :lol: I imagine everyone's first introductions to some of these old Hollywood stars had to be via a LUCY episode. :) Lucy meets a bunch of these celebrities during her visit to Hollywood. Then there was Charles Boyer whom she met in Europe. And Bob Hope too. I'm a huge fan of GASLIGHT with Boyer (the best Hitchcock film that Hitch never directed lol) but again my introduction to Boyer was via Lucy. :D
Holy smokes Ivan, I will grant that you have the courage of your convictions, but I don't think many would agree with you.
However you did clue me in to a Columbo I somehow missed and must now see, if only to see how they handle the "Rosebud" clue.
Because it has a lot of potential for a wink wink nudge nudge in joke, as it did in Citizen Kane.
"Rosebud" was William Randolph Hearst's nickname for his mistress Marion Davies's hey nonny nonny, mappa tassie, etc. He would wax poetic about it at private dinners with the fellas at San Simeon.
Still he took great umbrage at Welles for mocking him by using it in Citizen Kane. He even attempted to buy the film so he could destroy all copies.
The Columbo writers had to know about that.

As for not liking great movies that seemingly everyone else esteems, I didn't like The Shining, I saw every twist in the movie before it came, it bored me.
Give me Huntz Hall in The Spook Chasers every time - "Hey chief, Routine Six, the ghosts have snatched Louie!"
Yes definitely check out that Columbo episode. I always thought that everyone must have seen it, even those who aren't Columbo fans. I feel like it's the most well-remembered or most popular Columbo (certainly the most unique) of all time. Probably the first one I ever saw too! Nicol Williamson plays the murderer (even though he physically doesn't kill anyone) and there's also a young Kim Cattrall and Ed Begley, Jr. in the supporting cast. It's a must for anyone who loves 70s crime capers or just pop culture in general.

Leave the gun... errr... Citizen Kane, take the Columbo. :)

User avatar
Luther's nephew Dobie
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 1272
Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 4:16 am
Location: Swamps of Jersey

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#208 Post by Luther's nephew Dobie »

I Dream of Jeannie, "My Master, the Author," Season Two Episode 16.

At the very start of the episode Jeannie and Major Nelson enter an art gallery. Jeannie spies a painting and dashes over to examine it more closely, exclaiming -

"Oh look master. It is an original 'Ansara'."

Barbara Eden's husband of course was the actor Michael Ansara, who played King Kamehameha in another episode of I Dream of Jeanie.
Syrian born Ansara played Kang the Klingon on three different Star Trek series. Star Trek, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

Barbara Eden is a direct descendant of Ben Franklin.

User avatar
Pahonu
Robin's Nest Expert Extraordinaire
Posts: 2652
Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2009 2:19 am
Location: Long Beach CA

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#209 Post by Pahonu »

Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2024 5:19 am I Dream of Jeannie, "My Master, the Author," Season Two Episode 16.

At the very start of the episode Jeannie and Major Nelson enter an art gallery. Jeannie spies a painting and dashes over to examine it more closely, exclaiming -

"Oh look master. It is an original 'Ansara'."

Barbara Eden's husband of course was the actor Michael Ansara, who played King Kamehameha in another episode of I Dream of Jeanie.
Syrian born Ansara played Kang the Klingon on three different Star Trek series. Star Trek, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

Barbara Eden is a direct descendant of Ben Franklin.
Ansara was great in a Rockford Files episode called Joey Blue Eyes. This was even before David (The Sopranos) Chases’s scripts led us to believe that LA was teeming with East Coast mobster types. LOL

User avatar
ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)
Fleet Admiral
Posts: 2020
Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2011 9:11 pm

Re: It Got By The Censor/In Jokes

#210 Post by ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan) »

Luther's nephew Dobie wrote: Fri Feb 23, 2024 5:19 am I Dream of Jeannie, "My Master, the Author," Season Two Episode 16.

At the very start of the episode Jeannie and Major Nelson enter an art gallery. Jeannie spies a painting and dashes over to examine it more closely, exclaiming -

"Oh look master. It is an original 'Ansara'."

Barbara Eden's husband of course was the actor Michael Ansara, who played King Kamehameha in another episode of I Dream of Jeanie.
Syrian born Ansara played Kang the Klingon on three different Star Trek series. Star Trek, Deep Space Nine and Voyager.

Barbara Eden is a direct descendant of Ben Franklin.
Michael Ansara was in several of his wife's episodes of I DREAM OF JEANNIE. The most famous is probably him playing the Blue Djinn in the season 2 premiere episode - the first one broadcast in color. Then there was him playing King Kamehameha (in season 3 I believe) and also some famous movie star I think in another episode. He was also very good as Hawaiian mobster Piro Manoa in the excellent season 5 opener of HAWAII FIVE-O - "Death is a Company Policy". In that one Duke (Herman Wedemeyer) is set up in an elaborate frame-up that makes it appear as if he's the leak and inside man to the mob underworld.

Speaking of I DREAM OF JEANNIE I often wondered why BEWITCHED was the huge hit (I think it regularly ranked in the top 5 or so every season) but JEANNIE I don't even think broke the top 20 for any of its 5 seasons. They were the 2 supernatural comedies which seemed to be competing with each other and it looks like BEWITCHED easily won that competition. But I personally found BEWITCHED kinda dull and lacking the sharp humor and wit and zaniness of JEANNIE. It was just another family-based sitcom (of which there were so many), with witchcraft thrown in. But on JEANNIE the setting was NASA, it was set during the space-race, it felt more unique. Plus Dr. Bellows always noticing strange things going on and never being able to prove it was a great premise and it never got old. Whereas Endora's endless spells on Darrin got old really quick. At least for me. So she turns him into a cat, then a dog, then a frog, etc. Boooring... :roll: At least Dick York had a certain energy to him that saved some of those episodes. The Dick Sargent episodes are practically unwatchable. So yeah, JEANNIE for me was a much more exciting and funny show! Plus that great Hugo Montenegro theme! :)

Post Reply