James Garner suffers a stroke

James Garner remains hospitalized in Los Angeles after suffering a stroke earlier this week. He underwent surgery related to the stroke and is doing well and expected to go home soon according to an article at CNN. Garner was best known for his acting roles in the TV series Maverick which ran from 1957-1962 and Jim Rockford in the long running Rockford Files from 1974-1980. Rockford was the cool talking private investigator who, when he wasn’t talking his way out of a fight he was running in the other direction. He won an Emmy for this television role in 1977. The show always started with the phone ringing and the voice on the answering machine said, "This is Jim Rockford. At the tone, leave your name and number. I'll get back to you."

My brother and I watched the entire series and had the chance to watch the filming of one the Rockford Files episodes in Burbank, Ca. It was always a common site to see the TV shows being filmed around the valley area, but there was no mistaking that brown Firebird car parked on the street. It was a small scene that had Garner in the store, and he walked out to his car and drove away. Of course, it never happened that fast, but took almost an hour to film that one scene.

Garner’s last TV role was playing the grandfather in the hit TV series, 8 Rules For . . . . Dating My Teenage Daughter, starring John Ritter. Ritter died during the shows second season.

James Garner turned 80 in April and I certainly wish for him many more healthy birthdays.

~Valley Girl~

A Valley Girl Sings Her Way into Our Hearts

A local "Valley Girl" has sung her way into American Idols Judge, Simon Cowell's heart. Brook White age 24 from Van Nuys was picked as one of the 24 semifinalists on the 7th Season of American Idol. Brooke mentions that she was raised on the soulful sounds of the 70's, thanks to her parents.

Four other Southern Californian's were picked to be in the semi-finals. Tune in on Tuesday for the men's finals and on Wednesday to see if Brooke sings her way into America's heart.

Sing your heart out Brooke, we're voting for you.

Dancing With the Stars Finale

Picking a Dancing with the Stars winner wasn't about fame, or favorites, it came down to the underdog who learned how to dance, gave 110 percent at every dance and worked to win over the crowd in the end. I believe that the Final Dance competition on Monday night, November 26th, is what propelled Helio into winning form. Had Mel and Max and Marie and Jonathon danced something other than those disappointing final dances the competition might have crowned a different winner.

The Dancing with the Stars is done for another season with the rightful winners It's over! finally! For the last ten weeks my entire household have sat on the edge of their seats with each elimination. Some eliminations were fair, others were shocking. I haven't felt this much of a building climax in a television series since all those years ago when television audiences everywhere watched and waited to see who shot J.R. Ewing on the popular television series, Dallas.

~Valley Girl~

Stars Among Us

I've heard it said that there are movie stars living among us in the San Fernando Valley, but they are elusive in their disguises and while they might turn up at any moment I wonder if we would even recognize them if we were face to face with them?

Not to long ago a friend went to dinner and she recognized a voice from another table. The lady was much older than her televison days, but it was her. It was the actress Rose Marie who played Sally Rogers on the Dick Van Dyke show.

The Dick Van Dyke show is an American television situation comedy created by Carl Reiner and starred Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore. It aired on CBS television from 1961 to 1966.

~Valley Girl~

Nobody Writes in Los Angeles

As the writers strike continues the Veterans Building in the North East San Fernando Valley has become a ghost town. It used to be a bustle of activity in the morning with the filming of the many television shows that use these grounds. Television stars trailers are delivered right after the first rays of sun become visible in the east part of the valley. A few hours later crews are busy with setting up food tents for the people involved in the days filming. On the streets yellow signs with black arrows and the name of the show are always posted on nearby light poles. Some days the signs have a code name for the television show and at other times the code name is forgotten and the name of the television show is on the sign. It totally makes for an interesting drive in the morning.

~Valley Girl~