I'm pretty sure I read somewhere, maybe in the two movies' screenplay book, that it was, indeed, suppose to be Michael Stroka.  But then, don't be too sure I read that right.

Gerard

Like Adamsgirl, I also saw the very first episode (and continued to watch the entire spiel to the very end in April 1971, save for missing episodes from battling with mom over me watching that or her watching Art Linkletter's House Party, or going on the usual family vacation).  What caused me to watch it as well was the spooky promo just before it aired.  I wonder how many of us "first-episoders" there are left out there, kind of like the survivors of the Titanic (the last one passing away just a few weeks ago)?

Gerard

Welcome back, Zahir!  Also had computer problems a couple weeks ago ($350) and missed several days of our board, so I know what you went through!

Gerard

It was neat seeing one of DS's best "character actors" getting a chance to be in show-business again!  Being out of work so long, guess he was right about being "type-casted" after the show went off the air!  (Although I think I read somewhere he almost got the lead roll in Ally McBeal, but Calista Flockhart beat him out because she was thinner.)   Maybe Depp can somehow provide a cameo for him in the up-coming movie.

Gerard

It is one of my favorite storylines, too, primarily because of the acting which was among the best, if not the best, of the entire series.  The Loomises were simply incredible.  The one major clunker to it all was, of course, how so many of them were absent for a long time because they were "vacationing" together at Lyndhurst so we didn't get to see enough of them.

Gerard

That aired the day after my birthday, when I turned 12!  Holy cow!  I didn't see it because Merv Griffin wasn't carried on any of the channels in my area at that time (and those of you who are 175 years old like me will remember that most places had only three channels).

Gerard

Now I'm really getting depressed!  When I was living in Alaska, our local cable provider picked up Sci-Fi from the very first day it hit the airwaves.  When was that - '91? - '92?  Something like that.  It was such a good network back then, airing not only our beloved DS, but so many other old, classic TV sci-fi/horror programs, along with great classic movies, documentaries, those wonderful little vinettes, and network-produced shows.  What depresses me is that I really have to wrack my brain to remember those shows, like Sci-Fi Trader.  At first, I had no recollection of it, but when I forced the cells between my ears to function, I then recalled it.  There was another Sci-Fi program I liked to watch - Trailer Park I think it was called.  It showed the old trailers from classic (and not so classic) horror and sci-fi movies that appeared in theaters.  But so much of the original, enjoyable (and some not so enjoyable) programs produced by Sci-Fi, which I watched religiously, are now muddled or even lost in my memory.  Despite its bump-and-grind in its first few years, Sci-Fi was a really classy cable network.  Now it's so schlecky and I rarely watch it anymore, save for an occasional thing or two.  And what's a shame to me, is that it's so difficult for me to remember anymore how good it use to be.

Gerard