Enjoy a movie from Keith's infamous ill-spent childhood tonight on TCM

[Berry Cool]

While flicking through channels today, I noticed that from 10 to midnight ET tonight, TCM is showing a movie that Keith once mentioned--whether on Dan Patrick's radio show, Countdown or both--as the movie his parents took him to see on an occasion in which he obtained a bagful of miniature Reese's peanut-butter cups from the concession stand and happily ate them all during the movie...blissfully unaware at the time that each cup came individually wrapped, and that you were supposed to remove the wrapper before eating the cup. Fortunately, he didn't go into any TMI detail about what happened after that.



That movie is the Disney film Fitzwilly, starring Dick Van Dyke and Barbara Feldon, in which, so it seems, a loyal butler helps his formerly rich, now-destitute employer maintain her standard of living--and philanthropy--by stealing from still-wealthy people. Or something like that.

No doubt the boys in Olbermannwatch would claim that this was how his parents steered poor impressionable young Keith into thinking a life of socialism and robbing from the rich in order to make sure one was still able to give to the poor was an acceptable political philosophy. Child abuse, I tell you. As for eating the peanut butter cups, wrappers and all, that just goes to show what a stupid glutton Keith was even at a young age. Or no doubt they would say so.

Anyway, if you want to see this masterpiece of Keith's cinematic past for yourself, you can do so tonight. Be sure to have plenty of peanut butter cups on hand...but remove the wrappers first.

I'll be sure to let you all know when TCM is screening other films to which Mr. and Mrs. Olbermann subjected the still-developing mind of little boy Keith. Such as Irma la Douce, the heartwarming story of a French cop who falls in love with a hooker and decides the only solution is to pay for her company permanently, and The Graduate, about this young kid fresh out of college who sleeps with a cougar because MILFs turn him on. (No need to worry, obviously this one didn't take.)

Stay tuned for more word on the continuing Keith Olbermann Children's Film Festival!

[RevCheesehead]

1. "music composed and conducted by Johnny Williams"

Could it be the same John Williams of Star Wars and many other brilliant films?

It took a lot of digging, but yes, Johnny is indeed John Williams.
Did you know John wrote music for Gilligan's Island? Neither did I. (but not the theme)
He also did the theme song for Lost in Space.
AND - Meet the Press with Tim Russert.

You could spend hours looking at what that man's accomplished!

[Berry Cool]

2. OMG, it really is?

That's too funny. Now I have to hear the music, just to hear how much it sounds like "Star Wars" and "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Superman" and all that.

No, I did not know he also wrote music for Gilligan's Island. Too bad it wasn't the theme.

I didn't know he wrote the Lost in Space theme, either. Or Meet the Press with Tim. (Funny how it all comes full circle, huh?)

Wow, he sure does have a long resume. I wonder if the Schmenge Brothers included the music from Fitzwilly in their "Salute to John Villiams" on the "Happy Wanderers" show on SCTV.



This is a picture with Yosh in his Superman costume. Couldn't find one where he's dressed up like the shark from Jaws. Too bad.

"We'd like to thank thank Mrs. Vilve Yachke for the cabbage rolls and coffee."

[Berry Cool]

3. Interesting movie, actually.

Wasn't a Disney movie either (I suppose they'd still be clinging to it if it was). Maybe Keith just thought it was one when he was a kid because Dick Van Dyke was in it.

Was kind of an Ocean's Eleven with nothing but mansion staff. And the woman they were serving was never rich to begin with; she just thought she was, thanks to a bunch of rackets being run by her servants that would make Republicans proud. One of whom was Sam Waterston, playing a chauffeur.

I thought it was kind of funny that their last big caper was to rob Gimbel's on Christmas Eve. And that part of the plan involved positioning Boy Scouts at the inside of the doors, holding banners saying things like "REMEMBER THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS" and singing carols. Then putting signs in the store windows offering a free color TV with any purchase, no matter how small. Really, they looked more like John Gibson's or Bill O'Reilly's defense lines in the War on Christmas than anything else.