TV on Radio

Television historian Ed Robertson alerts us to a recent installment of Talking Television with Dave White, broadcast on “global radio station KSAV.org,” that addressed the subject of 1970s small-screen horror flicks. He explains that the usual hosts “were joined by David Deal, author of Television Fright Films of the 1970s, a comprehensive guide to The Night Stalker, Duel, Trilogy of Terror, and other scary or suspense-filled movies made exclusively for television. While the genre is somewhat forgotten in terms of network programming today, these movies are still very much alive in the hearts and minds of folks who grew up watching them on The ABC Movie of the Week, NBC World Premiere, and other TV-movie franchises.” Count me among those.

This program is available online here. It can also be found in podcast form via iTunes.

While we’re on the subject of Talking Television with Dave White (a pretty terrific show, for the nostalgic among us), note that this week’s program paid tribute to actress Suzanne Pleshette, who died late last month from respiratory failure. According to Robertson, the guest line-up for that episode featured “veteran DGA [Directors Guild of America] member Bob Rubin, a longtime friend of Suzanne’s who also worked with her on The Fugitive, The F.B.I., and other shows for QM Productions; and Robert Newhart (Bob’s son), whose family friendship with Suzanne Pleshette continued well beyond the end of The Bob Newhart Show.”

At last check, the Pleshette episode wasn’t yet available via the Talking Television archive page, but it should be soon. Also to be found on that Web page are links to previous shows showcasing The Man from U.N.C.L.E., TV legal dramas, Diagnosis: Murder, and Mission: Impossible. All worth a listen.

UPDATE: There’s now a link to the Suzanne Pleshette retrospective. Click here to listen in.