How TV Covered The Death of Rock Hudson

TVC 709.1: From October 2015: Tony, Donna, and Ed remember the premiere of Captain Kangaroo (CBS, 1955-1984) and its impact on other children’s television programs, including Romper Room and Bozo the Clown.

TVC 709.2: From October 2015: Tony, Donna, and Ed continue their look at the broadcast history of Captain Kangaroo (CBS, 1955-1984), including a few word about The New Captain Kangaroo, the reboot starring John McDonough, which ran on the Fox Family Channel from 1997-2000.

TVC 709.3: Part 2 of the conversation that began last week with Howard Smith, author of My Friend Johnny, a memoir of Howard’s twenty-year friendship with Johnny Carson, which began in 1985 when Howard found himself living four doors down the street from Carson in Malibu, and which continued until the end of Carson’s life. Topics this segment include a look at some of the other celebrities from business, sports, politics, and entertainment that Howard came to know during his career as a tech mogul, including NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton and President Gerald Ford. My Friend Johnny is available at MyFriendJohnny.com. Calendar year 2025 marks not only the twentieth anniversary of Carson’s passing, but the 100th anniversary of his birth.

TVC 709.4: Howard Smith shares a poignant memory of the last time he and his wife had dinner with Johnny Carson, just before a few days before Carson’s death in January 2005. Also in this segment: Howard shares a few memories of his friendship with actor Lloyd Haynes, which began a few years before Haynes became a star on Room 222 (ABC, 1969-1974), and which continued until Haynes’ death in December 1986. Howard’s new book, My Friend Johnny, is now available at MyFriendJohnny.com.

TVC 709.5: Ed welcomes Emmy Award-winning actress, producer, and author Mariette Hartley (The Incredible Hulk, Goodnight, Beantown, Breaking the Silence, Law and Order: SVU). Mariette stars, along with her husband Jerry Sroka (who we also hear from in this segment), in Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story, a romantic comedy about two people of a certain age who meet online, strike up an unlikely romance, and weather the storm when an untimely illness threatens to tear them apart. Mariette and Jerry co-wrote the film, as well as produced it, while the cast includes such other film and TV favorites as Tess Harper, Bernie Kopell, Morgan Fairchild, Peter Onorati, Peter MacNichol, Stuart Pankin, John Rubinstein, Jack McGee, Sam McMurray, Don Scardino, and many, many others. Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story is available now for streaming on demand on Amazon Prime and other major platforms; it is also available on DVD and Blu-ray.

TVC 709.6: Emmy Award-winning actress Mariette Hartley talks to Ed about some of her other movie and TV roles, including the back story of the long-running, highly successful series of commercials that she did with James Garner for Polaroid cameras—and how the chemistry between her and Garner was so natural, many viewers believed that they were actually married. Mariette co-stars, co-wrote, and co-produced, along with her husband Jerry Sroka, in Our (Almost Completely True) Love Story, a romantic comedy that is available now for streaming on demand on Amazon Prime and other major platforms; it is also available on DVD and Blu-ray. Photo of James Garner and Mariette Hartley courtesy Polaroid.

TVC 708.1: From October 2015: Tony, Donna, and Ed remember the premiere of The Flintstones (ABC, 1960-1966), the first animated series development for prime time, along with the various spinoffs and reimaginings of The Flintstones over the ensuing decades.

TVC 708.2: From October 2015: Tony, Donna, and Ed look back to Game 1 of the 1955 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, the first time that a World Series game was broadcast in color. Mel Allen and Vin Scully covered the game for NBC. Photo courtesy National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

TVC 708.3: From October 2015: Tony, Donna, and Ed remember the premiere of Baywatch Nights (Synd., 1995-1997), the spinoff of Baywatch starring David Hasselhoff, Gregory Alan Williams, Angie Harmon, and Donna D’Errico, the premise of which was more or less “Mitch Buchannon, private detective.”  

TVC 708.4: From October 2015: Tony, Donna, and Ed look back at how the print and television media covered the death of Rock Hudson. The legendary actor and screen heartthrob died from complications on Oct. 2, 1985. Photo of Rock Hudson courtesy People magazine