| OCR Text |
By TAYLOR MICHAELS TVData Features Syndicate mu Q: Who was the actor who played Cramps on the original TV show “Lassie”? Jan Clayton was the mother and Tommy Rettig was JefT Also who were the adoptive parents for Timmy (Jon Provost) before June Lockhart and the other actor I can’t remember? - Alan Verbitski Dumont N A: An actor named George Cleveland played the grandfather of Jeff Miller (Tommy Rettig) when "Lassie” premiered in 1954 After Rettig outgrew his role the producers entrusted their star canine to an orphan named J Timmy Martin with multiple Emmy winner Cloris Leachman as his adop tive mom Ruth Martin and Jon She- podd as her husband Paul The roles were recast after one season with Lockhart and Hugh Reilly Q: You recently wrote of Mike Minor of “Petticoat Junction” as if he were still with us I am a necrologist and I am forwarding information I found in my Tiles reporting that Michael Minor died of AIDS in MAY 13 - 20 2000 - 1987 at age 46 Helen Moshrook' Lake Havasu City Ariz A: None of the sources I checked " included news of Minor's death but the supplementary career facts included in the death notice you sent match the other information 1 reported Thanks so much for providing this information although fans will be saddened Q: I recently enjoyed “What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?” on American Movie Classics Did either Bette Davis or Joan Crawford win an Oscar for their work in this movie? Pat Mallon Lake Worth Fla A: Only Davis was nominated for her performance in that brilliant black comedy She lost to Anne Bancroft who won for “The Miracle Worker" Q: Who was the actor who died in an airplane accident while filming “Twilight Zone: The Movie”? -WJD in Chicago A: Vic Morrow the former star of “Combat!” died along with (wo when special effects young pyrotechnics sent a helicopter out of - rs Standard-Examin- er control during a scene for the movie you mention Q: A few years ago Melissa Gilbert played a lawyer in a series in which she went into practice with n woman What an was that show and who was the other aetress? Mindy Gunns Erie Pa A: Gilbert starred with multiple Emmy winner Cicely Tyson in 1994-9- 5 d “Sweet Justice” a NBC drama Q: You recently stated in your column that James Mitchell danced in Laurey’s dream sequence in “Oklahoma!” I have always thought James Mason was the dancer Am I right? C Saylor Meyersville Pa A: No but that's a very funny mental picture Thanks! Send questions of general interest to TV Pipeline TVData Features Syndicate 333 Glen St Glens Falls NY 12801 or to tvpipelinetvdatacom Only questions selected for this colunm n ill be answered Personal replies cannot be sent African-America- - short-live- - 31 |
