CBS Television City in 1953

1953 CBS Television City shows, and the studios from which they originated;

ART LINKLETTER'S HOUSE PARTY 41
LIFE WITH FATHER 43
LUX VIDEO THEATER 43
MEET MILLIE 31
MEL ALLEN 31
MY FAVORITE HUSBAND 33
MY FRIEND IRMA 31
PLACE THE FACE 41
RADIO & RECORDS EVENT 31
THAT'S MY BOY 33
THE BOB CROSBY SHOW 33
THE RED SKELTON SHOW 31 (Johnny Carson's big break came on the Red Skelton show. Carson was a writer on the show. Red was injured, and Johnny filled in for him. Red predicted a bright future for the young Carson).

Information from Eyes Of A Generation Facebook page.

"Chef" is a Film Feast for Foodies

The star/writer/director of the new film Chef is Jon Favreau. This could be called food porn for its beautiful culinary photography, so it's a perfect film for foodies. It has an all-star cast including Dustin Hoffman, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson and more. I get the impression that this work was a labor of love for Favreau, like his breakout film that he wrote, Swingers, from 1996. Favreau plays Carl Casper, a chef who works in a restaurant that is owned by Dustin Hoffman. His ex-wife is played by Sofia Vergara and they have a son together, Percy (Emjay Anthony). Chef Casper wants to be creative with his food and take chances but his boss wants him to appeal to the masses. The chef gets poor reviews from a food blogger played by Oliver Platt who feels like the chef should be creative and not cater to the lowest common denominator. Chefs graduate from culinary arts school, and it really is an art to create excellent food. Anyone who has watched Food Network knows that the visual element of food is important. It's like film or TV or music, one can take chances or look to appeal to the masses. Those who appeal to a wide audience may have more monetary success, but the critics will not like them. The chef ends up leaving his job and starting his own business in Miami, the El Jefe Cuban food truck. He drives the truck cross country with his son and his friend Martin, played by John Leguizamo. The trip is a way for Carl to bond with his son Percy, who teaches him about the power of Twitter to promote the business. This film will not be a blockbuster that makes hundreds of millions of dollars, but it is a fine work based on a good story with likable characters. As of June 1, the gross box office total is $6.9 million. A good film does not need special effects, sex or violence. According to rottentomatoes.com, the approval rating is 88% from critics and 90% from audiences.

Information from imdb.com and rottentomatoes.com.

The Simpsons/Family Guy Crossover is Coming

Do you like The Simpsons? Do you like Family Guy? They will have a crossover episode this September. It will be cool to see Bart and Stewie together, and Homer and Peter hanging out at the bar drinking some beers. How will Brian get along with Santa's Little Helper? Will Marge and Lois like each other? Some might say that a crossover has already been happening since Family Guy borrows so much of their comedy from The Simpsons. Seth MacFarlane has built an empire to rival that of Simpsons creator Matt Groening. He has created Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show. Prior to Family Guy, MacFarlane was a writer for animated shows like Johnny Bravo and Dexter's Laboratory. Read about the crossover episode here.

*Some information from imdb.com.

Car Chasers on CNBC

Some people think of CNBC as nothing but a finance channel with stock market coverage 24/7. But, they are branching out now with some reality shows. The Profit has a business expert giving advice to struggling entrepreneurs to turn around their enterprises. Money Talks looks at a sports betting agent in Las Vegas. The Car Chasers is about a Lubbock, Texas business called Flat 12 Gallery that buys and sells unique cars. Jeff Allen owns the shop and he is assisted by Meg, who handles the money, and Perry and Eric, who renovate the cars. Jeff's dad, "Roundman" is also a car dealer and he is on the show once in awhile too. It's a good show, especially if you like classic cars. Find out more here.

Classic Film Review: The Graduate (1967)

Back in 1967, Dustin Hoffman was not a well known actor. His big break was a film directed by Mike Nichols, "The Graduate". His resume to that point had included a few TV roles. It is amazing to think about the iconic roles he had in the years after "The Graduate". His most popular films include "Midnight Cowboy" (1969), "All the President's Men" (1976), "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979), "Tootsie" (1982), "Rain Man" (1988), and many more.

In "The Graduate" Dustin Hoffman played Ben Braddock, a recent college graduate who is unsure about his future. He is seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft), and older woman who is the wife of his father's business partner. Later he falls for her daughter, Elaine, played by Katharine Ross. Ben's dad is played by William Daniels, who later played Dr. Mark Craig, from the TV drama St. Elsewhere. Ben's dad is like Dr. Craig in that they both are cranky guys expect only the best from others. Another actor in the movie known later for his TV role is Norman Fell. He rents a room to Ben in Berkeley, California when he is tracking down Elaine, Mrs. Robinson's daughter. Fell later played Mr. Roper on "Three's Company". Ben feels overwhelmed by his life since his parents put pressure on him to decide what to do about his future. A famous scene has Ben given advice by a friend of the family regarding his career. He tells Ben to work in plastics. The soundtrack is provided by Simon and Garfunkel, featuring songs such as "Scarborough Fair" and "Mrs. Robinson".

This is an excellent film about family pressures, temptations, and young love. Water seems to be a common theme in the film. The movie has Ben peering into an aquarium, putting on a scuba diving exhibition for family friends, and floating on an air mattress in the family's pool. Maybe Ben longs for the peace and quiet that exists under the water.

**Some information from imdb.com.