Child stars—what became of—Barry and Stan Livingston

To avoid watching ABC news in the kitchen during breakfast, my husband’s been watching MeTV channel that plays old reruns.  Since “My three sons” ran for 12 years (1960-1972), I’ve seen a lot of the cute little Barry Livingston (Ernie), who is adopted by the father in the series (Fred MacMurray) after the oldest son gets married and leaves the show in 1965.  That way they didn’t have to change the title.

During the lockdown I’ve seen a lot of movies and TV shows, and I’ve been wondering what became of the children on those shows, so I looked up these talented, cute kids.  Here’s Barry Livingston singing a song about his own adopted brother, Gene.

https://youtu.be/rsNzI8wzFkw

Of all the characters on the show, according to Wikipedia he’s the only one still acting.  Apparently, he also has a YouTube Channel and enjoys singing and composing. He says his parents had 3 sons, adopted 3, and they were also foster parents.

And here’s a YouTube (2012) about Stanley Livingston (Chip) who is Barry Livingston’s (Ernie) real life brother. Provides some insights into how the show and cast worked together. https://youtu.be/KsaIfBo0mc0

Barry and Stan talk about 4 generations watching their show (now on MeTV) https://youtu.be/spmkw59Xnl4

Doc Martin and Downton Abbey

I thought Doc Martin the series on PBS was over, so I obviously missed season 8 (spring 2019). Now I see it's been cancelled after season 9.  My friend Bev says I can get it at the library.  I think 9 should be on soon.  The U.S. gets these later than U.K.

And then there’s Downton Abbey the movie.  Several Facebook friends have seen it and thought it quite good.  I guess we’ll miss that one too since it seems to be a limited engagement.

Trump supporters are compared to KKK and Nazis by—who else—failed entertainers

The latest was Jeff Daniels who hasn’t been seen since Full House emptied.

What is it about smaller government, lower taxes, a vibrant economy, a secure border, honest judges, employment for minorities and ex-felons, a growing conservative black middle class, babies who survive womb warfare, and more freedom that terrifies Democrats and they lapse into "Nazi" and "racist" when faced with the successes of the last two years?

One would think they knew nothing about their own history!! Jim Crow, pushing fathers out of the home, ignoring crime, bringing in drugs over the border to destroy the young, destroying small businesses with regulation to protect the big corporations from competition. Wake up!

My Crazy Ex-girlfriend

I noticed a comment about the CW TV show "My crazy ex-girlfriend" (written, produced, and acted in by Rachel Bloom), so I looked it up and watched part of one episode and read the description (sort of a musical comedy). Everyone is in therapy or sexually confused. Millennials, I think. Is it just a big joke about the culture or is it leading the culture? However, the music is great.

So I watched 3 episodes and sort of got to know the very strange characters, watched an explanation of how the music was written, and then. . . begin to like it.  Then learned 2018 is the last of the series because it’s not doing that well in the ratings.

https://www.cwtv.com/shows/crazy-ex-girlfriend/i-will-help-you/?play=834fff6e-2c14-4185-bc6f-bc7d8816d1f8

Lumpy has passed away

I didn’t see Leave it to Beaver until I was an adult and caught the popular early TV sit com on reruns.  My parents didn’t have a TV until after I went away to college. Interesting observation in this story about the death of one of the Beaver characters, Lumpy who went on to a successful career in business.

Beaver and Wally, and their pals Eddie Haskell and Lumpy Rutherford, were a complete breed apart from today's horrific sitcom children. They didn't mouth off. They were actual kids playing average kids - not secret rock stars or internet moguls. They were always respectful — even if it was fake, as in Eddie's case. Their parents knew more than they did. Their actions had consequences. Failure - in school or on the playing field - wasn't whitewashed with an undeserved "awesome!" and a "participation trophy." There was more reality in an episode of Leave It To Beaver than in an entire season of any given show today.

http://family.lifegoesstrong.com/article/another-leave-it-beaver-death?cmp=&utm_source=OB_LGS

In the footstep of Maude

In the 1970s, Maude was a plump, flashy, mouthy TV liberal character, married to her 4th husband, who let it all hang out--her female health problems, plastic surgery, her advocacy for better race relations, her adult daughter's love life and the tension between them. She got her start as a neighbor of the Jeffersons as I recall. Somehow, liberals (myself included since I was a Democrat then) were able to see the humor in her over-the-top extravagances. But if the shoe is ever on the other foot, the only conservative writers and producers could possibly find amusing is the straw woman--created for them to laugh at and knock down. If conservatives were presented as real people with black friends, gay sons or parents with AD, someone would jump in with more regulation and christen the show "hate speech" because real people aren't allowed on their political planet. Television's Strong Women Characters - WSJ.com