TVC 689.1: Part 2 of a conversation that began two programs ago with Dore Page, author of Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood: Daystar Productions, Kate Manx and the Making of Private Property, a deep dive into the life and career of the maverick television writer and producer best known as the creator of The Outer Limits that particularly focuses on the making of Private Property (1960), the New Wave-style erotic thriller starring Corey Allen, Warren Oates, and Stevens’ wife at the time, Kate Manx. April 2025 marked the 65th anniversary of the release of Private Property. In this segment, Ed, Dore, and guest co-host Chuck Harter discuss the mysterious nature of Manx’s death in November 1964, as well as the reasons why Private Property was branded as “indecent” at the time it was originally released—even though the subject matter is quite tame when viewed through a contemporary lens. Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood is available through McFarland Books.

TVC 689.2: Dore Page, author of Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood: Daystar Productions, Kate Manx and the Making of Private Property, talks to Ed and guest co-host Chuck Harter about Stoney Burke (ABC, 1962-1963), the “art house” look at the lives of 20th-century rodeo riders starring Jack Lord, Bruce Dern, and Warren Oates and produced by Leslie Stevens that ABC canceled after one season—despite garnering a 38 share—partly because the show was considered too ethereal for sponsors to get behind. Other topics this segment include how Warren Oates’ character on Stoney Burke can be considered a forerunner to Angel Martin (the character that Stuart Margolin later played on The Rockford Files), and how Stevens came to pattern his independent production company, Daystar Productions, after Quinn Martin Productions once Stevens decided to focus on developing projects for television. Leslie Stevens Goes to Hollywood is available through McFarland Books.

TVC 689.3: Ed welcomes back singer, actress, and philanthropist Ruta Lee (High Rollers, Witness for the Prosecution, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Consider Your Ass Kissed). Ruta will celebrate her ninetieth birthday this coming Friday, May 30 with an evening of song and stories at the Debbie Reynolds Main Stage at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Proceeds for the evening will support The Thalians, the charitable organization to which Ruta has dedicated much of her life over the past sixty years, and which to date has raised has raised more than $50 million for mental health related causes. (NOTE: Though Ruta’s performance on May 30 has sold out, you can still make a donation to The Thalians in any amount by going to Thalians.org.)

Among other topics this segment, Ruta shares a few memories of co-starring opposite Patrick O’Neal in “A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain,” an episode of The Twilight Zone from 1963 that Ruta considers one of her all-time favorite television performances, not only because of the character she played, but for the opportunity to perform the words of the great Rod Serling. Ruta also tells Ed why her experience filming Sergeants 3 (1962) with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop—and hanging out with the Rat Pack in general—ranks as her “favorite time in life.”

TVC 689.4: Entertainment legend Ruta Lee talks to Ed about how she landed her role in Witness for the Prosecution after producer Arthur Hornblow Jr. spotted her in the audience at a Frank Sinatra concert; why it’s important to recognize those moments in life when a benefit happens, and to be grateful for that benefit; the story of Dean Martin’s playful nickname for Ruta; and the great compliment that playwright and composer Meredith Willson (The Music Man, The Unsinkable Molly Brown) paid Ruta when he first saw her play Molly Brown on stage at Casa Manana in Texas.

Ruta Lee will celebrate her ninetieth birthday on Friday, May 30 with an evening of song and stories at the Debbie Reynolds Main Stage at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Proceeds will support The Thalians, the charitable organization to which Ruta has dedicated much of her life over the past sixty years. Though the May 30 performance has sold out, you can still donate to The Thalians by going to Thalians.org.

TVC 688.1: TV Confidential remembers longtime radio host, author, recording artist, and game show legend Wink Martindale (Gambit, Debt, Tic Tac Dough, Winking at Life, “Deck of Cards”) with a special program-length tribute to the man who became synonymous with the words “emcee” and “host.” Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at the age of ninety-one. In this segment, Steve Beverly, retired professor of broadcast journalism at Union University in Jackson, TN (the hometown of Wink Martindale), game show historian, and the host of Steve Beverly’s TV Classics, talks to Ed about Martindale developed his skills as a “quality ad-libber” early in his career by doing play-by-play for high school sports broadcasts; how he was often a de facto producer on the set of his game shows, always adapting to changing conditions in the format of the game (particularly in moments when things when awry); and why, unlike most broadcasters, Martindale was never afraid to take a risk by going to a bigger market.

Steve Beverly recently re-aired Wink Comes Home, a 90-minute special that he hosted in November 2007 at Union University in which Wink discussed his life and career and took questions from the studio audience, as part of Steve Beverly’s TV Classics. That episode is now available for viewing on demand on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop by going to EPlusTV6.com or, if you have the PBS app, typing in West TN PBS, where you’ll find Steve Beverly’s TV Classics on the drop-down menu of Local Shows.

TVC 688.2: Steve Beverly, retired professor of broadcast journalism at Union University in Jackson, TN (the hometown of Wink Martindale), game show historian, and the host of Steve Beverly’s TV Classics, talks to Ed about how Wink never lost sights of his roots in Jackson, TN; how the success of the Martindale version of Tic Tac Dough in the 1970s forever changed the public perception of that particular game show (because the original Tic Tac Dough had been tarnished by the quiz show scandal of the late 1950s); and how Martindale’s Tic Tac Dough really took off in syndication in 1979, becoming the No. 1. syndicated game show (after failing on CBS the year before), with the “Ken Jennings-like” success of contestant Thom McKee. Also in this segment: Steve and Ed discuss the new version of Tic Tac Dough, hosted by Brooke Burns, which premiered on Game Show Network on Apr. 14, 2025. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-nine.

Steve Beverly recently re-aired Wink Comes Home, a 90-minute special that he hosted in November 2007 at Union University in which Wink discussed his life and career and took questions from the studio audience, as part of Steve Beverly’s TV Classics. That episode is now available for viewing on demand on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop by going to EPlusTV6.com or, if you have the PBS app, typing in West TN PBS, where you’ll find Steve Beverly’s TV Classics on the drop-down menu of Local Shows.

TVC 688.3: Longtime television announcer Randy West joins Ed as TV Confidential continues its special program-length tribute to game show legend Wink Martindale. Randy was Wink’s announcer on five game shows for the Family Channel, including Trivial Pursuit, Boggle, and Jumble. Among other topics in this segment, Randy mentions what he believes are the two reasons for Martindale’s great success: his roots in Middle America (which Wink never forgot), and his genuine love for people, which particularly showed during Wink’s interactions with the contestants on his various shows. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-nine.

TVC 688.4: Randy West, Wink Martindale’s announcer on five game shows for the Family Channel, talks to Ed about Wink’s career as a spoken-word recording artists (including “Deck of Cards,” “Heavenly Child,” and “I Stand for Everyone”). He also shares a funny story about Wink and Mary Steck, the cue card lady on Trivial Pursuit, that gives you a window into who Martindale was a person. Wink Martindale passed away on Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 at age ninety-nine.