Sherman Hemsley on Stage in 'Odd Couple'

Hollywood Legend  Katharine Hepburn Dies at 96

[June 29, 2003] [ABC News] Katharine Hepburn, the revered American actress whose career spanned well over six decades, has died. She was 96.

The Hollywood legend died at her home in Connecticut, ABCNEWS has learned. She was surrounded by family and friends.

One of the last stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Hepburn's roles ranged from ingenue in A Bill of Divorcement to indomitable queen in The Lion in Winter. Some of her better-known films include Bringing Up Baby, The Philadelphia Story, The African Queen, Pat and Mike, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? and On Golden Pond.  Full Details. 

Summer Surprises

[June 27, 2003]

You'll also see TV Land has scheduled the "Bonanza" launch, with a series of the more humorous episodes.  "Bonanza" and "Mister Ed" start in September.  No schedule info for September yet (so stop asking).  TV Land's contract to air "The Mary Tyler Moore" runs out at the end of August.  TV Land has not announced whether they've renewed, or if it will be renewed.  We'll just have to wait for the September schedule to find out.

And the latest news Pavan sent me today is that "The Incredible Hulk" will be ripping his shirt off on The Sci-Fi channel starting Monday, July 21, airing weekdays at 6PM. The June 20 release of the new film  has a lot to do with the series returning to Sci-Fi.
Related Links:  Morty's Bonanza Store   Incredible Hulk Posters

Happy Birthday Captain Kangaroo

[June 26, 2003]

Unfortunately, Buffalo Bob and Bob Keeshan didn't like each other. Keeshan was fired in 1950, and replaced by another performer - but a flood of phone calls and mail from skeptical kids who could tell the difference in the clowns forced producers to re-hire him a few weeks later. Keeshan was fired again (along with almost all of the rest of the supporting cast of 'Howdy Doody'), when he led an uprising over more money minutes before going on the air live in December, 1952.  Two years later, Clarabell got restless. He wanted to talk. So, despite what Buffalo Bob and an NBC players contract said, Clarabell was determined to talk -- even silently. As relations between the clown and the star of the show got even more tense, Clarabell mouthed the words “Bye Kids” at the close of a Howdy Doody show and was fired on the spot. 

In 1955 Bob Keeshan signed  with CBS for the only network children’s show to be broadcast on a daily basis. That show, Captain Kangaroo, became an integral part of American culture for two decades. Keeshan introduced us to Grandfather Clock, Mr. Green Jeans, Bunny Rabbit, Mr. Moose and many other characters who taught kids a lesson. The phrase, “And be sure to say ‘please’ ... and ‘thank you’!” was just one of many.

The Captain Kangaroo Show lasted until 1984 and became the model for children’s television which led the way to "Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood" and "Sesame Street." 

Related Links:  Streetcar Mike  Captain's Page at Tim's TV Showcase  TV Party With Captain Kangaroo and Tom Terrific   And get the Music CD: Day With Captain Kangaroo

Highlights From the Viewer's Guide

Details and much more in the Viewer's Guide.

Passings

[June 16, 2003]

Herschel Burke Gilbert, an Oscar- and Emmy-nominated composer died at age 85. Gilbert wrote the memorable music for "The Rifleman" and a string of other TV shows, has died. A pioneer of background music scoring for television, Gilbert's theme and music for "The Rifleman" led to his being hired as executive music director for Four Star Television. From 1959 to 1964, he composed music for numerous Four Star series, including "The Dick Powell Theatre" (for which he received two Emmy nominations), "The Detectives, Starring Robert Taylor," "The Rogues," "The DuPont Show," "Burke's Law" and "The Loretta Young Show."  From 1965 to 1966, Gilbert was executive music director for the CBS Television Network, serving as composer, conductor and music supervisor for 300 CBS TV show episodes. His score for "Damon's Road," a two-hour episode of "Rawhide," received a Western Heritage Award from the Cowboy Hall of Fame.  Gilbert, who later produced classical chamber music recordings on his own labels, died Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles after having a stroke in March.

William Marshall, actor died at age 78. Marshall, an actor of stage, screen and television who played a wide variety of roles, from "Othello"  to "Blacula" in the camp movie classic, and who appeared in such popular television series as "Star Trek" in the 1960s and "The Jeffersons" in the 1980.  Marshall was born in Gary, Ind., and studied acting at the Actors Studio and the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City after spending several years as an art student at New York University. From the start of his acting career, he combined his love of theater with his commitment to promoting African American heritage.  For the last several years, Marshall had Alzheimer's disease. He died in a Los Angeles rest home Wednesday.

Still No Spike

The network's latest statement read: "We are continuing on our path to build the first network for men, and we will proceed on schedule with the premieres of our exciting new programs. Until this matter is resolved, we will remain the New TNN."

Viacom returns to court tomorrow to make its case before the full panel of the Appellate Division. They never would have had this problem if they listened to me and called it "Balls."

Oops, I Missed One

TV Land Miscellany

Now for those of you watching classic TV in the Great White North, take off, you've got you're own TV Land web site: www.tvlandcanada.com. TV Land Canada was launched in September 2001. They currently air mix of classic American and Canadian shows:  "Rhoda," "Twilight Zone" "Brady Bunch," "Sanford & Son," "I Love Lucy," "Happy Days," "Mary Tyler Moore," and "Get Smart"  The Canadian classics include, Don Adams in "Check it Out," "Forest Rangers" and "The Beachcombers." Coming this fall to TV Land Canada, are shows like "MacGyver," "The Addams Family," "Car 54," and the Canadian classic "King of Kensington."

More TV Coming to a Theatre Near You

A big-screen version of the TV cop show "Starsky and Hutch" is also in production at Warner Bros.  The studio is bringing other television properties to the big screen:  "The Dukes of Hazzard," and "Knight Rider" are also in the works. The series' creator, Glen Larson and David Hasselhoff  are working together to bring and "Knight Rider," to the big screen.

Hallmark's Military Might

M*A*S*H Joins the Hallmark Line-up in September.

Look for J*A*G in January 2005

[June 13, 2003] The Hallmark Channel has agreed to lay out a minimum of $36.2 million for rerun rights to Paramount TV's "JAG." "We really went  after 'JAG,' " said Dave Kenin, exec VP of programming for the Hallmark Channel. "It's a mainstream show with a loyal, established audience, and we might schedule it in combination with 'MASH,' which is one of our successful series."

Hallmark will pony up about $200,000 per episode plus license fees to get the 181 hours of "JAG" for two runs a day, in primetime and latenight. Contract begins in January 2005 and runs for 7½ years. Hallmark also has agreed to buy any episodes beyond the 181 that constitute the show's output in its weekly run on CBS through the 2003-04 season.

Last July Hallmark bought exclusive cable rights to all 255 episodes of the award winning series "M*A*S*H".   Hallmark  reportedly is paying  $250,000 an episode, multiply that by 255 episodes and you're in the $64 million neighborhood. You, of course, can own the first three seasons on DVD for much less. Click Here

Honeymooners to Air in Color?

This time the announcement comes from "Goodlife TV,"  let's hope this announcement sticks better than the first. Pavan adds this note:

A release that is suppose to be released on the 17th, oh well, 5 days earlier I'm not sure if this will affect any other changes yet, but here is the release:

“AND AWAY WE GO…” AFTER 33 YEAR ABSENCE, “COLOR HONEYMOONERS”  RETURNING TO TV FOR FIRST TIME VIA YEAR-OLD GOODLIFE NETWORK.

"The Honeymooners” are back, but this time in living color, following a 33-year absence from TV.  Forty-two, one-hour episodes of the classic TV show, starring Jackie Gleason and Art Carney, will air in color, for the first time since 1970, on the GoodLife TV Network (www.goodtv.com), beginning June 28, it was announced today by Lawrence Meli, president and COO of the Baby Boomer cable network.  

“After so many years, it’s an honor to be able to bring these great examples of classic television back to the small screen,” says Meli, a 25-year cable veteran, most recently with National Geographic Channels International.

Marilyn Gleason, widow of the legendary entertainer, and actress Jane Kean, who played “Trixie” in the later, color versions of “The Honeymooners,” are expected in Hollywood to herald the TV encore.

“The Honeymooners” debuted in 1951 and quickly became an enduring series of 39 black and white, half-hour shows.

The “Color Honeymooners” will air Saturday and Sunday nights at 9 PM (EDT)/9PM (PDT) on GoodLife TV Network. Check local listings for channel.

Funnier than Fiction

You see, Spike Lee has nothing to do with Spike TV, I never made that mistake, but he claims that Viacom, the owners of  Nick @ Nite, TV Land, MTV, CBS and just about everything else, deliberately renamed "TNN," "SpikeTV," so that  the public would think Spike Lee was involved. Spike Lee hired lawyer Johnnie Cochran  "It's clear when you say Spike everybody knows who you are talking about," Cochran told Justice Walter Tolub. "They hope to get a boost in the ratings. They don't have a right to misappropriate his name to do that," reported The New York Daily News on Tuesday.

I get such a kick out this.  Because of my age, every time someone says "Spike," I think of Spike Jones, a band leader that had novelty song hits through in the '40's, with songs like "Der Fuhrer's Face" and "Cocktails for Two."  The thing that cracks me up is that Lee's real name is "Shelton Lee"   Now don't confuse the bandleader with director "Spike Jonzes" who directs the Beastie Boys videos.  There was also a member of the "Our Gang" gang by the name of  Spike Lee, who was born "Henry," but then there's over 50 other people in Hollywood using the nickname "Spike" listed in the IMDb.  If you do a Google^® search on "Spike," the one number result is "Spike Magazine," which also has nothing to do with Spike Lee.

So why am I telling you now?   Today, a Manhattan judge granted the petition by Spike Lee and ordered Viacom Inc. to temporarily stop using Spike TV as the new name for its TNN network.  State Supreme Court Justice Walter Tolub said he was temporarily enjoining the network from using the name Spike pending a trial on the issue. He ordered Lee to post a $500,000 bond to cover Viacom's losses in case the company wins.

"Contrary to defendants' position, the court is of the opinion that in the age of mass communication, a celebrity can in fact establish a vested right in the use of only their first name or a surname," the judge wrote. "There are many celebrities that are so recognized, including Cher, Madonna, Sting and Liza."  Viacom will appeal immediately and seek a stay of the judge's order.

While Johnnie's working on that, he should get Spike.com back from the guy in Hong Kong that owns it, then he can get my "Morty" domain back for me. Frankly, I think "MTV" was named to mislead people into thinking I'm involved. 

Congratulations to SitcomsOnline

[June 12, 2003]  In the June 14-20 issue of TV Guide, Sharon Edry selected, Todd Fuller's web site, SitcomsOnline.com as their "Pick of the Clicks" in the category of "sitcoms."  The listing failed to mention the active forums that help keep us fans in touch and informed.  So TV Guide just found out that SitcomsOnline.com is a great web site, big deal!  I've known that for years, and with over a million hits, it's not a secret.  Cheers to TV Guide and Todd.  Visit the web site.

Passings

David Brinkley, broadcast journalist died last night at his home in Houston at the age of 82.  Brinkley was a major figure in network television news since 1956, when he teamed with Chet Huntley to anchor NBC's "The Huntley-Brinkley Report."  Brinkley's career spanned more than 50 years in broadcast news.  He joined ABC News in 1981 as the anchor of the critically acclaimed "This Week With David Brinkley" for 15 years, stepping down from the broadcast in 1996. "This Week" set the standard in Sunday news programming, and was hailed as a dynamic and innovative contrast to traditional Sunday morning news programming.

A veteran political reporter,  Brinkley covered every presidential election and nominating convention since 1956. He was a familiar figure on election night, regularly co-anchoring ABC's political coverage with Peter Jennings. Brinkley's distinguished career in broadcasting began in 1943, when he joined NBC News as White House Correspondent. He reported on every president since FDR. During his career,  Brinkley won every major broadcasting award, including ten Emmys and three George Foster Peabody Awards. In 1995 the Museum of Television and Radio honored him for lifetime achievement. He has also received the Radio and Television News Directors Association's Paul White Award for distinguished service to broadcast journalism; the Lowell Thomas Award from Marist College; the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith's Hubert H. Humphrey First Amendment Freedoms Prize; the Fourth Estate Award presented by the National Press Club of Washington, DC; the Joan Barone Award; and a special tribute at the 40th annual Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards ceremony for his "unique contributions to broadcast journalism."  While with ABC News, he  wrote and co-anchored  the ABC documentary, "Pearl Harbor: Two Hours that Changed the World," commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. This documentary won the George Foster Peabody Award.

Richard Cusack,  actor-writer-producer and patriarch of the acting Cusack family died June 3 at age 77.  Cusack was an advertising executive until 1970, he appeared in many films over the course of his late-blooming, acting career, many of which starred his children which includes his children John, Joan, Ann, Susie and Bill.  His works include “High Fidelity”, “Eight Men Out” “My Bodyguard,” and “Class” His last TV appearance was in 1997 on "Early Edition" playing "Elderly Man" in episode: "The Wall: Part 2." Cusanck died of pancreatic cancer in Chicago.

Henry Garson,  screenwriter died May 29th at age 91. Garson's credits include Elvis Presley’s “G.I. Blues” and the Jerry Lewis films “Visit to a Small Planet” and “Don’t Give Up the Ship”, who also wrote for television on shows like “Make Room For Daddy”, “I Love Lucy”, “My Three Sons” and “All In The Family.”  Garson died in Woodland Hills, CA after a lengthy illness .

Karl Genus,  television director died May 29 in Ashville, NC at age 84.  Genus worked for almost a decade for CBS, beginning in 1954, who directed hundreds of programs which included “Studio One” and “Playhouse 90”, and who was the recipient of several Emmy nominations,

Basil Langton,  Classically-trained, British-born actor died May 29 in Santa Monica at age 91.  Langton once was an understudy to Laurence Olivier in a production of “Macbeth”, who moved to the U.S. in 1947 and appeared in TV shows like “Dark Shadows” and “Star Trek: Voyager”, but who may be best known as a photographer and his photos of artists at work, including Henry Moore, David Hockney and Georgia O'Keeffe, which have been displayed at the Metropoltan Museum of Art,

Peter MacLean, Shakespearian actor died May 28 of lymphoma in Los Angeles at age 67.  MacLean acted in hundreds of theatre productions around the U.S., and also appeared on television in dozens of shows including “Starsky & Hutch,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “Murder, She Wrote," and movies like “The Friends of Eddie Coyle” and “Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo.”

Gregory Peck, Oscar-Winner for 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'Roman Holiday' star, dies at 87.   Peck debuted in 1944 with "Days of Glory," he portrayed a priest in "Keys of the Kingdom," combat heroes in "Twelve O'Clock High" and "Pork Chop Hill," Westerners in "Yellow Sky" and "The Gunfighter," a romantic in "Roman Holiday." His roles included legendary characters: King David in "David and Bathsheba," sea captains in "Captain Horatio Hornblower" and "Moby Dick," F. Scott Fitzgerald in "Beloved Infidel," the war leader "MacArthur," and Abraham Lincoln in the TV miniseries "The Blue and the Grey."

Former JAG Star Found Dead

[June 10, 2003] 

Goddard's television credits are extensive, ranging from "Murphy Brown", "Empty Nest" and "The Commish" to "Dark Justice" and "Renegade". In 1998, Goddard began a recurring part on the military TV series "JAG" as Lt. Cmdr. Michael "Mic" Brumby, a role he played until 2001.  Other film credits include 1998's "Deep Rising," an uncredited role in 2000's car-theft thriller "Gone in 60 Seconds" and the role of Grapple in Disney's upcoming "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."

More Classic TV Star to Date

[June 9, 2003] 

This season viewers find out what's happening with Fred Berry (Rerun, What's Happening), Jimmie Walker (Good Times), Mary McDonough (Erin from The Waltons), Robbie Rist (Cousin Oliver from The Brady Bunch), Debra Wilson (MadTV), E.G. Daly (Valley Girl, Pee Wee's Big Adventure, Rug Rats), and `80s pop stars Leif Garrett and Tiffany, and others as they rock climb, surf, Flamenco dance, wine, dine and shake it up with their dates, all delightfully captured by E!'s cameras. Joining the show as host, driver and therapist is the king of cool, Reggie Haskins. The first episode features the one and only "Rerun," Fred Berry, as he kicks up his heels with two dynamic ladies.

Last season, viewers saw some of their favorite childhood stars including Butch Patrick (The Munsters), Jill Whelan (The Love Boat), Dustin Diamond (Saved By the Bell), Kim Fields (Facts of Life) and others as they danced, dined, lifted weights and shared their dating war stories on two blind dates with single non-celebrities.
Related Links:  What's Happening!  What's Happening Resource Page

Child Stars, Then and Now Gets Airdate

[June 6, 2003]

We remember the characters, but whatever became of the young actors who made them famous? Malcolm-Jamal Warner (“The Cosby Show”) narrates “Child Stars, Then and Now,” a special one-hour look at 15 of America’s most beloved child stars. “Child Stars, Then and Now” will be telecast on Saturday, June 21, 8:00PM on NBC.

There is life after stardom, and these actors prove it. “Child Stars, Then and Now” shows us the many different and often surprising life paths of 15 former young stars. The special features interviews with the stars and chronicles the rise to fame and current whereabouts of Lisa Loring and Ken Weatherwax (Wednesday and Pugsley Addams, “The Addams Family”); Cary Guffey (Barry Guiler, “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”); Larry Mathews (Richard ‘Richie’ Petrie, “The Dick Van Dyke Show”); Willie Aames (Tommy Bradford, “Eight Is Enough”); Candace Cameron (Donna Jo ‘D.J.’ Tanner, “Full House”); Angela Cartwright and Bill Mumy (Penny and Will Robinson, “Lost In Space”); Jill Whelan (Vicki Stubing, “The Love Boat”); Butch Patrick (Eddie Munster, “The Munsters”); Emmanuel Lewis (Webster Long, “Webster”); Haywood Nelson (Dwayne Nelson, “What’s Happening!!”); Danielle Spencer (Dee Thomas, “What’s Happening!!”); Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket, “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory”), and Jason Hervey (Wayne Arnold, “The Wonder Years”). The special also contains private footage and photos of the stars then and now.

The special will be followed by "The Cosby Show: A Look Back" at 9:00PM

Watch This

Morty's Miscellany

Richard Chamberlain is gay.

[June 2, 2003] Richard Chamberlain who played the handsome nurse-magnet medic in the 1960s TV series "Dr. Kildare"  and the priest in love with a woman in the 1983 miniseries "The Thorn Birds," has announced that he's gay.  In true celebrity style, the 68-year-old actor is outing himself very publicly, in tandem with a promotional tour of his autobiography, Shattered Love, published next week by ReganBooks.  Chamberlain lives in Hawaii with his partner of many years, Martin Rabbett, an actor, director.

If Chamberlain was single, he could go on "Boy Meets Boy," the Bravo cable network's new dating show that goes where no dating show has gone before: matchmaking gay men.  "Boy Meets Boy," a six-episode series that also twists reality show conventions by secretly including straight men among the pool of dating prospects. Although I've had a lot of mail asking "when?" I only know it'll be in July.  When a date is set, it'll be posted in the Viewer's Guide.

Now that I've segwayed into reality TV, my "Big Brother" big debut date has been set for Tuesday, July 8th.  I'll try not to burden my classic TV fans with details, but I'll be doing the full coverage bit again this year on"Big Brother 4."  "Amazing Race" started last Thursday and already looks pretty good.  "Amazing Race 4" airs on Thursday's on CBS at 8:00PM, even the ratings are up this time. 

Remember "The Family" ?  It's the reality show that was described as "'Dynasty' meets 'The Sopranos' meets 'Upstairs, Downstairs.'"  I kinda liked it, but it tanked in the ratings and was cancelled.  It will now return on Wednesday, July 30th in all its dysfunctional glory. 

Now that I got that reality stuff out of the way....  Betty Garrett who co-starred as Edna Babish on  "Laverne & Shirley,"  and on "All in the Family" as the chatty neighbor, Irene Lorenzo, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The ceremony marked Garrett's 84th birthday, and friends including actors Jeff and Beau Bridges attended to help her celebrate.

Garrett and her late husband Larry Parks were both briefly blacklisted during the McCarthy era for their interest in communism in the early 1950s.  Garrett returned to work in 1955 to star with Janet Leigh and Jack Lemmon in the musical version of "My Sister Eileen."

Passings

[June 2,2003]

Don Hanmer, actor who appeared in dozens of TV shows died at age 83.  Hanmer started on TV  with “Actor’s Studio” in 1948 at the inception of television, and who acted in shows like “Sgt. Bilko,” “Gunsmoke,” “Bonanza,” “Kojak", “Kung Fu” “The Waltons,” “Hill Street Blues,” and “China Beach." You might have seen him this weekend in the "Bewitched" marathon.  Hanmer played the reporter that wanted to interview baby Tabitha after Endora made her speak in "Baby's First Paragraph."  Hanmer died May 24 in Monterey, CA .

Rachel Kempson, actress and matriarch of the Redgrave acting family died at age 92.  Kempson was married to actor Michael Redgrave for 50 years, producing the acting children Vanessa, Lynn and Corin Redgrave, who is best known for her classical stage work in England, but who appeared in many movies as well including “Tom Jones”, “Georgy Girl” and “Out of Africa”,  also appeared in several TV miniseries.  Kemoson died May 24 in Milbrook, NY.

Jules Levy, TV producer died at age 80. He served under actor (and future Gov. and President) Ronald Reagan and began working with the two men who would become his business partners, Arthur Gardner and Arnold Laven who jointly produced:  "The Rifleman," starring Chuck Connors; "The Big Valley," with Barbara Stanwyck as matriarch of a pioneering ranching clan in California's Central Valley; and "The Detectives," Starring Robert Taylor. They also made profitable independent films, initially bypassing top-price stars for lesser known but solid talents such as Tom Tryon and Harve Presnell in 1965's "The Glory Guys," the first feature by a young writer named Sam Peckinpah. Later films included 1974's "McQ," starring John Wayne.  Levy died May 24 in Los Angeles after a long illness.

Martha Scott, actress has died, she was 90.  Scott  appeared in more than 20 films, including "The Howards of Virginia" with Cary Grant, "One Foot in Heaven" with Fredric March, "In Old Oklahoma," with John Wayne, "The Desperate Hours" with Humphrey Bogart, "Sayonara" with Marlon Brando and "The Ten Commandments" and "Ben-Hur," both with Charlton Heston. She also did a voice-over for the animated film "Charlotte's Web."  During the 70's and 80's Scott appeared on dozens of  TV shows including the roles of Patricia Shepard on "Dallas"  Helen Elgin on "The Bionic Woman," and  Jennifer Talbot on "General Hospital." TV Land fans will remember her as Martha Hartley, Bob's mother on "The Bob Newhart Show."

Albert Sendrey, a motion picture and television orchestrator, arranger and composer has died, he was 91  Sendrey worked at MGM in the 1940s and '50s and became singer Tony Martin's longtime pianist, conductor and arranger.
As a studio arranger and orchestrator, Sendrey,  though sometimes uncredited,  contributed to more than 170 movies, including  "The Yearling," "Ride the High Country," "Thoroughly Modern Millie," "The Oscar" and "Finian's Rainbow."  In television, Sendrey was the orchestrator for the 1956 production of "Peter Pan," starring Mary Martin. Among his other TV credits were "Bonanza," "Laramie," "Wagon Train," "Ben Casey," "The High Chaparral," "The Monroes," "SWAT" and various David L. Wolper documentaries.  Sendrey died of congestive heart failure May 18 at the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills.

Ernest (Ernie) Wallengren, screenwriter for numerous TV shows has died at age 50. Wallengren wrote family fare like “The Waltons”, “Touched By An Angel”, “Little House on the Prarie”, “Eight Is Enough” and most recently “Doc”, Wallengren died May 27 of ALS in Los Angeles.

Lionel Wilson,  an actor proficient in voice-overs for commercials and cartoon characters has died at age 79.  Wilson voiced all the characters of the "Tom Terrific" cartoons produced by Terrytoons from 1957 to 1959 — superhero Tom, Mighty Manfred the Wonder Dog, and such villains as Crabby Appleton. He also voiced other cartoons, including the character Eustace in "Courage the Cowardly Dog" series, on the air since 1999. Wilson  did voice-overs and cartoon characters on "Captain Kangaroo" and authored numerous books for children.  Wilson died of pneumonia April 30 in New York City.