Author Archives: Ralph

Part I

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Ralph

FILMED August 1974 From its very beginning television had a voracious appetite for product. For just the evening prime time airing hours of 8:00pm to 11:00pm (an hour earlier in the central part of the country) each of the three … Continue reading →

Posted in Death Cruise | 13 Comments

They’re Either Too Young Or Too Old

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Ralph

FILMED  November 1969 In November I reported back to MGM to prep the first of a four-picture commitment for THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER, this one a romantic comedy. The romantic triangle had been a staple of cinema for eons. … Continue reading →

Posted in The Courtship of Eddie's Father | 1 Comment

Gentleman Friend

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED July 1969 The third and last of my contracted commitments on THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER in the summer of 1969 was again a change in the tone of the script, but also changes in the visual presentation. Mrs. … Continue reading →

Posted in The Courtship of Eddie's Father | 11 Comments

The Promise

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED  December 1969 Last night the following message was left on my Facebook home page: hi ralph!!! this is so amazing. so good to find you. you know, 19 years ago tomorrow, we lost bill. the timing of finding you … Continue reading →

Posted in The Courtship of Eddie's Father | 4 Comments

To Denise, With Love And Murder

Posted on November 14, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED March 1973 Because BARNABY JONES had been a midseason replacement, it was still filming in the spring during what had become the television industry’s hiatus. That turned out to be a plus for me. Since QM Productions had completed … Continue reading →

Posted in Barnaby Jones | 19 Comments

The Murdering Class

Posted on November 8, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED January 1973 As I wended my way back into hour-long shows after the debacle of THE THOLIAN WEB, my major employment was in shows of crime, and I think that was because crime shows had become the programs of … Continue reading →

Posted in Barnaby Jones | 27 Comments

The Game Of Terror

Posted on October 29, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED August 1971 THE GAME OF TERROR was another first for me. Most of my bookings had been for series in their first or second season. There was an attrition that normally set into long-running series that made me want … Continue reading →

Posted in The FBI | 7 Comments

A Christmas Ballad

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED September 1969 The script for A CHRISTMAS BALLAD, my fourth and final commitment to THE BILL COSBY SHOW, started out as the most typical formulaic situation comedy of any of the shows I directed for the series. But things … Continue reading →

Posted in The Bill Cosby Show | 4 Comments

The Blind Date

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED August 1969 There was an open week between my filming GROWING, GROWING, GROWN and my next commitment on THE BILL COSBY SHOW, but I stayed on at the studio and used that time to prepare my director’s cut on … Continue reading →

Posted in The Bill Cosby Show | 7 Comments

Brotherly Love

Posted on October 12, 2012 by Ralph

FILMED  August 1969 After wrapping GROWING, GROWING, GROWN in July, I returned to MGM where I directed three more episodes of THE COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER and then back to Warner Bros. for three more of THE BILL COSBY SHOW. … Continue reading →

Posted in The Bill Cosby Show | 3 Comments