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Bobby holds up the wall.

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Remember Undaunted Mettle? There's a classic half-turn by Bobby in the architect's office, just before he points with part of the model, that looks just like this:

Science Fiction Double Feature

When I went to that famous Late Night Double Feature Picture Show in the mid-late 1970s, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, paired with the super-lame Phantom of the Paradise, a few minutes after the appearance of the wonderful Tim Curry the guy behind's crunching of his popcorn slowed, then ceased altogether as with disbelief he uttered, "here, they're all a load of poofs"!

A few years later, I went to a Rocky Horror party. It remains the best and most memorable party I've ever been to.

I think it was there that I discovered that all across small-town America, the film was a cult classic that showed every weekend, with everyone dressed up in the appropriate gear, and singing and dancing along with the film. As far as I know, they still do. And who could blame them? I've only once been to a live performance of the musical, and it was a great experience.

So you can imagine how pleased I was to be watching an episode of Cold Case last night that I'd never seen before, in which a serial killer, played by the inimitable and ultra-talented Barry Bostwick, was about to be released, and the team needed to find an old murder outside his plea agreement so that he could continue to be held. And the murder they decided might be his - and probably his first - was wrapped up with this weekly cult of Rocky Horror.

Barry looked a bit like this in the programme,

but very mean and nasty.

But the end credits for the TV programme were done Rocky Horror style,

and they split the screen to show Barry as Brad.

It was such a treat. I must watch that movie again soon, and maybe go to the show if it turns up somewhere nearby.

And if you have never seen it - you must! Tim Curry the sexiest thing in fishnets, Meatloaf as the bike-riding Eddie, Susan Sarandon in the earliest stages of her stardom. If you liked Valentino, you'll love Frank'n'Furter.

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Towering talent.



I love to see him dominate a scene. We've seen from people's videos of the day's filming that they had to redo this bit a few times, with poor Kathryn standing outside in the rain with the brolly.

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With the long-suffering Rodgers.

A Literary Vixen

Those of you who are a little newer to VDO-land than others may not know about our Wendy, pen name Portia Da Costa, a British writer of erotic romances. She fell like the rest of us for the delicious Det Goren, and wrote a book featuring a character based on him:



It is EXTREMELY sexy and very well-written. And it is still on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Entertaining-Mr-Stone-Black-Lace/dp/0352340290

I think it's also available as an e-book.

Wendy/Portia followed up her success with Suite Seventeen, which also has Mr Stone in, but the hero of the book is the incredibly sexy Valentino. No prizes for guessing where the inspiration for him came from! Though I do take credit for his lipstick, as I mentioned while Wendy was writing it that they'd used a strange orangey lipstick on Vincent when he was under-the-weather during Season 4.



It too is available from Amazon or on download:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Suite-Seventeen-Black-Portia-Costa/dp/0352341092

There are a couple of other short stories by Wendy inspired by our man. And unlike fanfiction, it's quality asured from a real published author!

You can look at her other literary achievements on her website, http://wendyportia.blogspot.com/

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Rolling out the carpet:

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Respect indeed. Great acting, interesting story, and our detectives right back on form.

There's a new Walk


Lots of our favourite expressions

















Bobby enjoying himself (and probably Vincent too)


A brief visit from The Python





The mountainous back to climb


A specially strengthened footstool to take our Huge Hero


The hands








The camp voice and laugh


Eames' amusement





The handcuff handshake


And the rough handling we'd all love to experience.

They are indeed back with a bang! And with the "doink-doinks"! With dates that are from just last week.

Causes for Celebration and Sadness

I hate to rejoice in someone's death, but it's difficult not to be very happy that Osama Bin Laden is dead. He should be happy, too - now he must be with all those virgins he encouraged others to commit suicide missions for.


His death did push the death of a much-loved son of Britain down the running order, however. Yesterday, Our 'Enry - heavyweight boxer Henry Cooper - also died, aged 76. He was a lovable character, always gentlemanly and full of cockney charm. The main obstacle to his becoming world champion was that his eyes (or more properly his eyebrows) used to bleed very easily, and many a fight he might otherwise have won was stopped because of it. He was British and European champion for many years. In 2000 he was knighted, thus becoming Sir Henry Cooper.



Henry's greatest achievement was using his famed left hook to floor Cassius Clay, before the young American boxer had become world champion and then changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

Henry had an identical twin brother, George, also a boxer, though less successful, who died almost exactly a year ago.

The Good Gambler

Unlike Donald Trump, Britain's most famous gambler and casino owner, John Aspinall, put his fortune into something really worthwhile. He bought a couple of country estates in Kent, in south east England, and dedicated them to the preservation of endangered species. He died in 2000, but his legacy lives on in the Aspinall Foundation, which owns and runs the two wild animal parks I regularly visit and post about, Howletts and Port Lympne. He is actually buried at Howletts.

I went on one of my jaunts there today.

They breed gorillas successfully and have reintroduced some into the wild on their huge reserve in gabon. I wonder if these two babies and playful youngster will ever return to the wild?



The North China leopard is severely endangered (I wonder what parts they like to use in their medicine?) They have a pair that have produced a couple of cubs, but they are all very shy and difficult to see.


They recently had a twin elephant birth, though sadly one died. I think this tiny creature under its mother's trunk must be the remaining twin.


I've never seen elephants crashed out like this before. They were on a slope, which must make it easier for them to get themselves up again.


The Sumatran tiger female couldn't run away with her food, as they'd tethered it. She looks big until...



...you see the Siberian male - Malchek is possibly the biggest tiger in the world.



Anyone fancy flossing his teeth for him?



I guess you can afford to be this relaxed when you are the top of the top predators.

Ruthless Rhyme

Tender-Heartedness

Billy, in one of his nice new sashes,

Fell in the fire and was burnt to ashes;

Now, although the rom grows chilly,

I haven't the heart to poke poor Billy.