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Category: Television

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In Search of “Sailor Moon”

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

Over 20 years ago, two unassuming VHS tapes were delivered to the Library of Congress’s Packard Campus as part of a copyright deposit.  This past month, they became an internet and anime sensation. It took some dogged, dedicated detective work to finally, fully understand the notoriety of these two works.  It was a long-simmering puzzle, …

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Remembering TV’s “Khan!”

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

The history of Asian-American representation on prime time television is one that, sadly, falls into three distinct categories. While many Asian-American actors have been able to play Asian-American characters over the course of TV history (Category #1), they have often been, until recently, regulated to supporting roles. Consider: Oscar-winning actress Miyoshi Umeki on “The Courtship …

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PBS Goes for Laughs: “The Steven Banks Show” of 1994

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

With the exception of some carefully chosen British imports, you might not normally associate public television with broad-based comedy.  But, in 1994, America’s own PBS did something that they’ve never done since:  they produced and aired a 30-minute sitcom. The program, “The Steven Banks Show,” ran for 13 episodes in 1994.  Five episodes of the …

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THINGS UNSEEN: Recalling TV’s “The Next Step Beyond” (1978)

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

The 1970’s TV series “The Next Step Beyond” is not to be (completely) confused with the 1959-1961 series “One Step Beyond” and its weekly tales of real-life, “documented” psychic phenomenon. “Next Step” was that show’s remake/sequel/revival—a one-season wonder, made for first-run syndication, and once again hosted by John Newland. Twenty-five 30-minute episodes were produced and …

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Now Playing at the Packard Campus Theater — January 9 -11, 2020

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

The following is a guest post by Jenny Paxson of the Packard Campus. Thursday, January 9 (7:30 p.m.) Crime and Punishment (Columbia, 1935) Hungarian actor Peter Lorre, who became internationally known for playing a serial killer in Fritz Lang’s German thriller M (1931), left Europe when Adolf Hitler came to power. In only his second …

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Now Playing at the Packard Campus Theater (December 5 – 7, 2019)

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

The following is a guest post by Jenny Paxson of the Packard Campus. Thursday, December 5 (7:30 p.m.) Late Show with David Letterman (CBS, 1993-2015) Following an 11-year run of a highly popular late night variety show on NBC, David Letterman moved to CBS with Late Show with David Letterman which debuted on August 30, …

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At the Packard Campus — December 2019

Posted by: Cary O’Dell

Packard Campus Theater Schedule for December 2019 As a follow-up to the November video presentation of musical highlights from David Letterman’s late night program on NBC (from 1982-1993), the Packard Campus Theater kicks off the month with musical performers seen on Letterman’s CBS series, Late Show with David Letterman (1993-2015). Two films depicting the Battle …