u/Kal-Ed1

To millions of viewers, Richard Long was the calm, intelligent Jarrod Barkley on The Big Valley and the lovable Professor Everett on Nanny and the Professor. Off camera, however, he endured personal tragedy, health problems and a turbulent marriage that tested him throughout his life.

Our latest look back explores Long's remarkable career, the devastating loss of his first wife Suzan Ball, his complicated relationship with Mara Corday and the heart condition that ultimately claimed his life far too soon. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/richard-long-tragic-life-behind-his-the-big-valley-fame

To millions of viewers, Richard Long was the calm, intelligent Jarrod Barkley on The Big Valley and the lovable Professor Everett on Nanny and the Professor. Off camera, however, he endured personal tragedy, health problems and a turbulent marriage that tested him throughout his life.

Our latest look back explores Long's remarkable career, the devastating loss of his first wife Suzan Ball, his complicated relationship with Mara Corday and the heart condition that ultimately claimed his life far too soon. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/richard-long-tragic-life-behind-his-the-big-valley-fame

At last year's Mayberry Days — the celebration of all things 'The Andy Griffith Show' — I spent about an hour speaking with the late Dennis Rush, who played Howie Pruitt on the show and had a fascinating career as a child actor, ranging from that show to working with people like James Cagney (who literally gave him his start as an actor) and Lucille Ball. I hope you'll check out our conversation about a former child star who turned out just fine. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/dennis-rush-dies-andy-griffity-star-opens-up-final-interview

I recently spoke to actress Kathy Garver about her life and career, with a focus on the making of 'Family Affair,' reflecting on the loss of Anissa Jones (who played Buffy), working with Johnny Whitaker, Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot and so much more. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/kathy-garver-recalls-family-affair-and-what-happened-to-her-costars

For decades, Paul McCartney has told some of rock’s most famous stories — dreaming “Yesterday,” the “Live and Let Die” saga, the Band on the Run mugging and more. But according to Beatles historian Allan Kozinn, many of those stories evolved over time into carefully polished “set pieces.” This new feature explores McCartney’s mythology, media savvy and the fascinating way memory and legend blurred together over 50 years. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/music/paul-mccartney-biography-reveals-truth-behind-beatles-myths-exclusive

For years, Stuart Bloom was the most unlikely member of The Big Bang Theory gang — awkward, insecure and usually one bad day away from total collapse. Now he’s leading his own HBO Max sci-fi comedy, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.

I spoke exclusively with franchise producers Steve Holland and Steve Molaro, along with 'Big Bang Theory' oral historian Jessica Radloff, about:why Chuck Lorre wanted this show for years, how Kevin Sussman almost played Howard Wolowitz, why Stuart became so relatable to fans and why the new series is “totally unlike anything” in the franchise before. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/tv-shows/stuart-fails-to-save-the-universe-wildest-big-bang-spinoff

For years, Stuart Bloom was the most unlikely member of The Big Bang Theory gang — awkward, insecure and usually one bad day away from total collapse. Now he’s leading his own HBO Max sci-fi comedy, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.

I spoke exclusively with franchise producers Steve Holland and Steve Molaro, along with 'Big Bang Theory' oral historian Jessica Radloff, about:why Chuck Lorre wanted this show for years, how Kevin Sussman almost played Howard Wolowitz, why Stuart became so relatable to fans and why the new series is “totally unlike anything” in the franchise before. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/tv-shows/stuart-fails-to-save-the-universe-wildest-big-bang-spinoff

Long before HBO, Michael Crichton’s 1973 ‘Westworld’ mixed classic Western imagery with science fiction horror, casting Yul Brynner as one of cinema’s most unforgettable gunslingers. With a new reboot now in development, I'm taking a look back at the entire strange evolution of the franchise. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/movies/warner-bros-westworld-movie-reboot-is-on-the-way-everything-we-know

With a new MGM+ version on the way, Western historian Rob Word looks back at the long history of The Magnificent Seven — from the original 1960 classic through the sequels, TV series and 2016 remake.

The piece includes stories about Steve McQueen stealing scenes from Yul Brynner, why the original almost didn’t work, and what made the first film connect with audiences in a way the later versions struggled to match. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/movies/history-of-the-magnificent-seven-movie-sequels-and-remake

After Star Trek’s second season, fans launched one of television’s first major letter-writing campaigns and actually convinced NBC to renew the show. But just as the Enterprise was getting a third season, Gene Roddenberry stepped away from producing it.

Looking back now through interviews with Roddenberry himself, George Takei, David Gerrold, Fred Freiberger and others, the situation was far more complicated than many fans realized. Exhaustion, network battles, budget cuts and frustration over the Friday night time slot all played a role. And strangely enough, the show ending when it did may have helped Star Trek survive long enough to become the phenomenon it eventually became. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/gene-roddenberry-star-trek-exit-changed-the-franchise-forever

Spending about 90 minutes chatting with Family Affair star Johnny Whitaker turned out to be far more honest and revealing than I'd ever expected going into it. During it, he shared the deeply personal story of child stardom, tragedy, addiction and recovery. From losing co-stars Anissa Jones and Brian Keith to a decade-long spiral to finding sobriety and purpose, this is a powerful look at what happens off-stage as well as on. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/family-affair-child-star-johnny-whitaker-on-life-after-tv-fame

A new Magnificent Seven series is being developed for MGM+ with Tim Kring (Heroes) at the helm. According to Western historian Rob Word, the focus will be on character over spectacle, with a streaming format that allows the story to unfold more like a long movie. The series is expected to introduce new characters rather than remake the original film. There’s also a funny moment involving “Matt Dillon” in this conversation that says a lot about how each generation connects to Westerns.

Full breakdown of what’s known so far—and what it could bring to the genre. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/tv-shows/the-magificient-seven-reboot-matt-dillon-joins-new-western-series

In my continuing deep dive into the history of Star Trek — particularly the 1970s, which led to the concept's rebirth — here are four more proposed film projects, which include those written by Gene Roddenberry, Harlan Ellison, Robert Silverberg and more. These are stories where Scotty rewrites history, Earth is on a countdown to destruction because of a a black hole and even one where reality itself starts breaking down. It still seems hard to believe how many attempted versions of rebirth there actually were during that period. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/inside-lost-star-trek-films-of-the-1970s-exclusive

Back in the 1960s, Lucille Ball, via Desilu, gave the go ahead to three significant series: Star Trek and Mission: Impossiblek both of which celebrate 60th anniversaries this year, and then in 1967, the Mike Connors gritty detective series Mannix. Well, I've taken an in depth look at both the show and the life and career of Connors. The article quotes the actor himself as well as the author of the definitive book on Mannix. https://www.womansworld.com/uncategorized/mike-connors-the-life-career-and-legacy-of-the-mannix-star

Are there many fans of Wiseguy out there? I got completely hooked on the show when it originall aired in the 1980s and was lucky enough to speak to many of the people involved for a book I wrote in 1990 (the only one on the show to date — although next year I'll be updating it for the 40th anniversary). In the time before binge-TV, this show really set the stage for it with its story arcs that would span 4 to 10 episodes and feature an amazing array of guest stars, among them Ray Sharkey, Kevin Spacey, Jerry Lewis, Stanley Tucci, Tim Curry and so many more (as well as series regulars Ken Wahl, Jonathan Banks and Jim Byrnes). So, what are your thoughts on the show?

Family Affair is celebrating its 60th anniversary alongside a number of other shows (including Star Trek, Dark Shadows and Batman), so in continuing my deep dives into classic TV, I met up with Kathy Garver, Cissy from the show, and we spent about 90 minutes or so talking about it, why it endures the way that it does and the tragic fates of a couple of its stars. Due to the length of the interview, I'm breaking it into several articles, this first one looking at why it has continued to live on.

I'm genuinely curious what the feeling is about Family Affair. Are you a fan and, if so, why? What appeals to you about the series. Is it comfort TV like The Andy Griffith Show or something else? https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/kathy-garver-looks-back-on-family-affair

Back in the 1970s, I not only had a growing obsession with Star Trek in general, but was desperate for news on the aborted Phase II television series. Flash forward to the 1980s and the aftermath of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and I had begun working as an entertainment journalist, through which I began really digging for information in Phase II. The result was the first book on the subject, Trek: The Lost Years, which chronicled the making of Phase II and featured interviews with many of the key players. That got expanded even more in the oral history book I co-wrote with Mark A. Altman, The Fifty-Year Mission. And now I've put together this guide—featuring the comments of various writers and producers, looking at 19 stories written for that show that was never to be. I hope you'll check it out and welcome your feelings about Star Trek: Phase II as a whole. https://www.womansworld.com/entertainment/classic-tv/lost-star-trek-episodes-from-the-unproduced-phase-ii-series