Tucked into this story from QMI Agency in Canada about Scottish actor and comedian Billy Connolly is this intriguing little excerpt: Following his Canadian tour, Connolly plans to take the show to New Zealand and Australia early next year before filming begins on another travel series. Connolly filmed Journey to the Edge of the World, … Continue reading Comedian planning a Route 66 trip for TV
Category: Television
A word from our sponsor
The Schlotzsky's Route 66 promotion ended a few weeks ago, but it looks like the restaurant chain has a new one. This is the first time I've seen this commercial. And it's pretty cool. The big prize is a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro. I spotted the Desert Hills Motel in Tulsa, featured rather prominently in the … Continue reading A word from our sponsor
And now another message from our sponsor …
While we're on the subject of weird television commercials, I'd be negligent if I didn't mention the Dirt Cheap ads that run in the St. Louis area. The ads for this regional liquor-beer-wine-cigarettes chain have always been quirky and irreverent, but this one goes into the redline of the weirdness meter even by Dirt Cheap standards: … Continue reading And now another message from our sponsor …
That jumped to my attention
Check out the bizarre mascot in a television ad for the Route 66 Flea Market in Granite City, Ill.
“Route 66” television series marks 50th anniversary
On this day in 1960, the first episode of the "Route 66" television show aired on CBS. Although the drama would last just four seasons and seldom took place on the Mother Road, you can chalk up "Route 66" as a big reason the real Route 66 became the legend it is today. "Route 66" … Continue reading “Route 66” television series marks 50th anniversary
Endurance athlete talks about his Route 66 accident
British endurance athlete James Cracknell wrote a column for The Telegraph in London about his serious cycling accident on Route 66 in Arizona in July. According to initial reports, Cracknell suffered a fractured skull when a truck hit him when he was trying to go across the United States in 18 days for a Discovery … Continue reading Endurance athlete talks about his Route 66 accident
TV producers looking for a colorful Route 66 cafe
A development team is seeking nominations for a colorful Route 66 diner that will be featured on a reality TV show on a "major cable network," according to a spokesman. Here's a news release about the project: “Diner” will follow the lives of the staff (and of course the locals) of a home-town diner. We’ll face … Continue reading TV producers looking for a colorful Route 66 cafe
Car-restoration TV show coming this spring
Greene HD Productions, which has produced previous programs about Route 66, has shot a reality-television series, "Reality Rides," about restoring a 1955 Buick Special. The program is set to air in spring 2011. Brian Greene says it's a 12-part series shot in high-definition video. A five-man team restored the Buick from the frame up, even … Continue reading Car-restoration TV show coming this spring
Businesses urge cleanup of Amarillo Boulevard
Ordinarily I don't advocate viewing a video over a written story. But in the case of this KFDA-TV report about Amarillo Boulevard, aka Route 66, in Amarillo, Texas, it is an exception. Here's the gist: Business owners along Amarillo Boulevard are complaining about crime, crumbling sidewalks, prostitution and other alleged neglect. They think these things … Continue reading Businesses urge cleanup of Amarillo Boulevard
Notes from the road
The documentary "Route 66: Ten Years Later" will have its debut at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Portage Theater in Chicago. Writer Tim Steil and photographer Jim Luning collaborated on their "Route 66" book during a Mother Road trip in 1999. A decade later, they decided to revisit the places they saw and see … Continue reading Notes from the road