John Amos is awesome! But the set of Good Times was not.

Have you ever heard the behind-the-scenes trivia of the actors versus producers battle of the CBS 1970's hit "Good Times"? No, then listen up. But first, do you remember what series "Good Times" was a spin off from? Esther Role was the no-nonsense maid from Bea Arthur's hit show "Maude". Audiences liked her so much that they gave her a spin off. Created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans (the original Lionel on "All In The Family and The Jeffersons) the show hit the airwaves in 1974 on CBS. It was one of the first TV shows that featured the struggles of a lower income african american family in which the mother and father were strong and upheld good values for their kids. The show wasn't afraid of taking chances with controversial topics like race and unemployment.

Apparently, as the show progressed John Amos and Esther Role were fighting to keep the show's reputation of pushing-the-limits in tact. But as Jimmie Walker's character of JJ began to take-off the plots began turning more toward his goofy character and away from those social issue based episodes.

As a result John Amos left after 2 seasons and Esther Role left after 3. The show's last episode aired on August 1st 1979 but it still rings as a groundbreaking show from the 1970's that still has legs today. You can still see it on TV Land to this day ( www.tvland.com )

....and don't forget to look for Janet Jackson's adorable Penny.

Eric Chilton

CLASSIC TV GETS THE STAMP OF APPROVAL

HEY COLLECTORS here's your next list of things to get. The US Postal Service is issuing commemorative stamps dealing with some of our favorite classic TV shows.
With these stamps, the U.S. Postal Service commemorates 20 great shows from TV’s golden age of the 1950s. For more than half a century, Americans have turned to television for entertainment and information. To those watching in its early days, TV offered the additional excitement of the new. Whether laughing at the first situation comedies, tingling at crime dramas, or identifying with ordinary people who had their day in the spotlight on game shows, audiences were charmed by the novelty of the young medium. Today, memories from television’s “childhood”—often especially vivid—are a pure pleasure.
The stamps recognize The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet; Alfred Hitchcock Presents; Dinah Shore Show; Dragnet; Ed Sullivan Show; George Burns & Gracie Allen Show; Hopalong Cassidy; The Honeymooners; Howdy Doody; I Love Lucy; Kukla, Fran and Ollie; Lassie; The Lone Ranger; Perry Mason; Phil Silvers Show; The Red Skelton Show; Texaco Star Theater; The Tonight Show; Twilight Zone; and You Bet Your Life.
These are an awesome collectable for those...like myself....who love the glory days of the "little screen". I'll see you in line at the Post Office. LOL

CLICK HERE to go to the USPS Commemorative Stamp page!

JOHN HUGHES: The voice of a generation

John Hughes was a legend for anyone who was a tween or a teen in the 80's. I grew up with his coming of age movies. Who couldn't find SOMEONE in one of his movies that you could identify with. He was either a writer, producer or a director for literally ALL movies that explored the hormone-driven, angst-ridden amusement park ride called adolescence. I remember once saying...this John Hughes guy is like 15 years older than me but he just GETS IT. How did he do it. He was a guy in his mid 30's writing movies for teenagers!! I actually think that "The Breakfast Club" was a piece of movie magic. To capture the cross-section of teenaged stew and splatter it on the screen mixed with a soundtrack that rivals ALL soundtracks is something rarely seen before or since. It was Hughes who gave us The Brat Pack.... he gave us National Lampoon's Vacation, Ferris Bueller, Molly Ringwald, "Ducky", Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy and the list goes on. He was brilliant and I was...and will always be...a true fan. Ya know its really sobering to watch as the icons of my 80's adolesence leave us one by one. Just when I thought I was realizing that MJ was actually gone...now I have this to deal with.
I think we should all go to our old VHS stack and blow the dust off of "The Breakfast Club" and relive what is THE movie for the 80's teenager. We all KNEW someone in that movie whether it was ourselves or someone in high school...we knew them.
Now go watch....remember...reflect... and have a glass of wine (its ok...you're legal now. LOL)

John Hughes was a master. We were lucky to have his vision brought into our crazy, confusing teenage lives.