And I missed this last weekend, but Mike, Kevin and Bill riffed a pair of Gumby shorts as a double feature. Get it here.
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 Los Angeles — Actor Robert Blake, whose career stretched from child actor to Emmy-winning role as the cockatoo-owning undercover cop in the popular 1970s TV series “Baretta,” died of heart disease at his home here March 9. He was 89.
Blake was perhaps best known for his trial following the 2001 murder of his wife, of which he was acquitted. And there’s an MST3K connection to the trial. Gary McLarty and Ronald (Duffy) Hambleton, both of whom had small roles in the movie in episode 512- MITCHELL, testified against Blake at the trial. McLarty played one of Mistretta’s henchmen and Hambleton played mob boss Edmondo Bocca, who gets dropped by Mitchell just short of the green. Both testified that Blake explicitly discussed killing his wife. But, unfortunately for the prosecution, both of these guys had somewhat checkered pasts. Blake’s defense team successfully undermined the credibility of both witnesses, introducing evidence of mental illness, drug addiction, etc. In the end, their testimony may have actually helped Blake get off. MSTies may recall that he was mentioned in host segments in episodes 304- GAMERA VS. BARUGON and 305- STRANDED IN SPACE.  Tel Aviv, Israel — Chaim Topol, who became professionally known solely by his last name in a career that included starring in “Fiddler on the Roof” on stage and screen, died here after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 87.
MSTies may recall that he was mentioned (by “Jack Perkins”) in a host segment in episode 310- FUGITIVE ALIEN. Thanks to Tim for the heads up.  BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. — Bert I. Gordon, the sci-fi director who, in the 1950s and ’60s, created numerous low-budget films featuring colossal creatures, shrinking humans and radioactive monsters, died at his home here March 8, of complications from a fall. He was 100.
Gordon loomed large over MST3K for several seasons. He was the producer/director of the movies in episodes 313- EARTH VS. THE SPIDER, 319- WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST, 517- THE BEGINNING OF THE END (in which he was mentioned in a host segment), 523- VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS, 411- THE MAGIC SWORD, 414- TORMENTED, 411- THE MAGIC SWORD, 309- THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN and 210- KING DINOSAUR. The Hollywood Reporter has the story. Thanks to Tim for the heads up. |
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All content posted on Satellite News is copyright © 2024 by Chris Cornell and Brian Henry, except where otherwise noted. This Date in MSTory is written and compiled by Steve Finley, Chris Cornell and Brian Henry. Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved. Please do not reproduce This Date in MSTory items in any form without express written permission from the authors. Items of MST3K news may be duplicated or reposted, as long as Satellite News is cited as the source. The views and opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Satellite of Love, LLC. No warranty is expressed or implied that the information given herein is completely accurate, and in fact this information can and will change at any time. So there. Mystery Science Theater 3000, its characters and situations are copyrights and trademarks of Satellite of Love, LLC. Banner image created by Larry Lee Moniz. |
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