# Your TV "holy grails" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099 "2012-03-18T01:41:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/41 "2012-03-18T15:40:54Z")
Paulus the Little Gnome. I remember watching this when we lived in the UK, and then thought for years that it was my imagination. And yet, [here it is](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqJcXSYG2-s)! There was another show I associate with this one, where someone used pipecleaners to make figures of people and tell stories. I wonder what show that was? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/42 "2012-03-18T15:46:03Z")
The _Amerika_ miniseries from 1986. I don’t believe it has ever been repeated nor released on VHS or DVD. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/43 "2012-03-18T18:59:48Z")
Not that it’s a life or death matter, but I wish there was an uncut DVD of A Muppet Family Christmas from the 80’s. I do have it taped off TV on an ancient videotape ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/44 "2012-03-18T20:30:38Z")
> [@Corcaigh](#): > > There was a movie on TV in the 70s [guessing] can’t remember the name of it, might have been _Soul Survivor_, but it was about a squadron of US fighter pilots who’s planes had gone down in the desert and they were waiting to be rescued > > Turns out they were all dead > > Never been shown on TV since, and doesn’t appear to be available on VHS, DVD or anything else. It often gets asked about online. I remember Shatner, at a particularly dramatic moment, whipping off his dark glasses. When I first saw Horatio Caine doing the same on CSI: Miami, I flashed back to this movie! My own holy grail is known to be unavailable: The original broadcast of the **Hallmark Hall of Fame** performance of _Amahl and the Night Visitors_. There is a later version that can be found, but the kinescopes of the original B&W broadcast were destroyed. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/45 "2012-03-18T20:49:38Z")
Mine would be the episode of SNL hosted by Raquel Welch. I loved the SNL Muppets, I lust/love/worship Raquel, but I missed the original broadcast. I heard Skred went completely insane during the monologue. (I’m too lazy to see if it’s on Hulu. Please tell me it’s on Hulu, even though I have a zillion other things to do tonight.) ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/46 "2012-03-18T20:50:33Z")
I’ve been searching to no avail to find a clip of **Charlie Callas** doing one of his routines with that goofy dancing he did. Back in the 1960s it was funny as hell but today it looks just like those hip hop dances they do now. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/47 "2012-03-18T22:06:24Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > _Maya_ (1966) with teen idol Sajid Khan (befriending a post-Dennis the Menace Jay North)? Darn, I had high hopes, but I don’t think so. I remember him having longer hair. Thanks though. ---
**Author:** ![minionkat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@minionkat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minionkat)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/48 "2012-03-18T22:17:42Z")
I would love to see Read All About It! again. It was on TVOntario when I was a kid. I remember it being a bit creepy, but when I read the Wikipedia article, I can’t seem to find a reason why. [Read All About It - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Read_All_About_It)! It’s not, nor will it ever be, available on DVD. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2012, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/49 "2012-03-18T22:46:21Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Darn, I had high hopes, but I don’t think so. I remember him having longer hair. > Thanks though. I’m guessing it’s the 1942 [Jungle Book](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034928/) starring [Sabu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabu_Dastagir) as Mowgli. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/50 "2012-03-19T06:18:12Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > My own holy grail is known to be unavailable: The original broadcast of the **Hallmark Hall of Fame** performance of _Amahl and the Night Visitors_. There is a later version that can be found, but the kinescopes of the original B&W broadcast were destroyed. There was a 54-minute version on YouTube briefly that I saved. It starts with a shot of Bosch’s _Adoration of the Magi_. Then Menotti enters and gives some opening remarks. He then introduces on camera the camera director, Kurt Browning, and the conductor, Thomas Schippers, and the set designer. Isn’t that THE original broadcast? ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/51 "2012-03-19T11:07:23Z")
> [@xenophon41](#): > > I’m guessing it’s the 1942 [Jungle Book](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034928/) starring [Sabu](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabu_Dastagir) as Mowgli. Sadly, that’s not him either. I really get the strong impression of Johnny Quest for some reason. Thanks for trying. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/52 "2012-03-19T11:08:03Z")
The Last Episode of Newhart. I know what happenes and have seen the final scene, but not the whole episode. One time it was supposed to be re-run according to the (generec Newspaper) TV Guide, but it wasn’t Brian ---
**Author:** ![Corcaigh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Corcaigh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Corcaigh)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/53 "2012-03-19T13:20:17Z")
> [@Typo\_Knig](#): > > I remember the 'bomber in the desert" one! I’ve seen it repeated once - Bill Shatner was in it. [IMDB link](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0065007/) > > No quotes on the IMDB page, but as I recall > > The crew left their desert survival gear on the plane, and bailed out with their ocean gear. Because the desert “looks like the sea at night.” Also, Shatner 's character bailed early and survived, coming back to the site years later. The ghosts of the rest of the crew appeared to him just long enough to get hm to confess, and have a breakdown. Nope, Shatner wasn’t in the movie I saw - I’d have recognised him 🙂 > [@PlainJain](#): > > I think I remember this. Might it have been a Twilight Zone episode? I believe there is a similar Twilight Zone episode, but this was a full length movie. I’ll have to ask around and see if anyone remembers the title of it… ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/54 "2012-03-19T13:24:52Z")
> [@Beastly\_Rotter](#): > > It ran on TV until 1978, and continued to tour as late as 1987. The last ever episode. Enjoy: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KoYOraDt1_k/hqdefault.jpg "The Black & White Minstrel Show 1978 - Part 1") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoYOraDt1_k) ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/55 "2012-03-19T13:27:28Z")
A Saturday morning live-action TV show called _The Kids from_ _CAPER_. ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/56 "2012-03-19T13:44:56Z")
The Gong Show with two girls (women?) deep throating popsicles - Chuck bnaged the gong pretty quick! ---
**Author:** ![deadindays](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce73a5/32.png) [@deadindays](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deadindays)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/57 "2012-03-19T13:46:57Z")
Mid-70’s. I remember watching something with the letters SST. I asked my brother if he remembers SST but now he thinks it was a sponsor or something and not the title of the show. Here’s an episode I remember: a man is investigating a medium who can conjure an Indian head float out of nowhere. The investigator, thinking it’s a trick, tears down the curtains around the floating head and tries to look for a hidden compartment. In the end, it turns out the medium is the real thing and the floating Indian head shoots him with an arrow. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/58 "2012-03-19T13:47:14Z")
All of mine are locally produced programming from the Pittsburgh and Johnstown markets in the 1960’s. Even still photos of this stuff are few and far between; kinescopes and videotapes appear to be non-existent. Just one example: In the early-to-mid 1960’s, one of WTAE Pittsburgh’s news anchors was a fellow named Carl Ide. The people who still remember him mostly do so because he wore an eye patch…a rarity among TV news anchors. A few websites mention him by name, can’t find a single photo, no video available on the web at all. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/59 "2012-03-19T13:55:13Z")
1- Everything Goes- a stripping game show from the early 1980s that was on Escapade (later Playboy). 2- The Buck Barry Show (local children’s show host from Grand Rapids WOOD-TV in the 1960s) 3- Too Close For Comfort (I just want to see Lydia Cornell) 4- The Time Tunnel- 1960s sci-fi 5- Disney’s Song of the South- about as un-PC as you can get but I’ve never seen it and they’ll never put it on video. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099/60 "2012-03-19T13:57:19Z")
> [@Corcaigh](#): > > Nope, Shatner wasn’t in the movie I saw - I’d have recognised him 🙂 > > I believe there is a similar Twilight Zone episode, but this was a full length movie. > > I’ll have to ask around and see if anyone remembers the title of it… Aside from the Twilight Zone episode and the Shatner TV movie, I don’t recall anything – I saw both of those. They’re both apparently based on the real-life plane the **Lady Be Good**. The wikipedia article lists only the Twilight Zone episide _King Nine Will Not Return_ and the Shatner movie _Sole Survivor_ as fiction ibnspired by the incident: > **[Lady Be Good (aircraft)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Be_Good_(aircraft))** > > Lady Be Good is a B-24D Liberator bomber that disappeared without a trace on its first combat mission during World War II. The plane, which was from 376th Bomb Group of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), was believed to have been lost—with its nine-man crew—in the Mediterranean Sea while returning to its base in Libya following a bombing raid on Naples on April 4, 1943. However, the wreck was accidentally discovered 710 km (440 mi) inland in the Libyan Desert by an oil exploration team ... [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-tv-holy-grails/616099.md?page=4)