DAS BLAUE PALAIS (1972-1974) – This German science fiction series is criminally neglected. The title building is where scientists led by Louis Palm (Silvano Tranquilli) conduct interdisciplinary research and investigate unusual phenomena.
The Blue Palace reminded me of the 1972 German television series Alpha Alpha but on a much higher production budget. The Blue Palace resembled old British shows like Doomwatch or the even older Quatermass tv serials. It was also a forerunner of The X-Files, Fringe and similar programs, but hewed closer to reality like Doomwatch rather than use the more fantastic approach of those other shows.
Additional regulars included Lyne Chardonnet as Yvonne Boucher, Jean-Henri Chambois as Professor Manzini, Luminata Iacobescu as Sibilla Jacopescu and Dieter Laser as Enrico Polazzo. Rainer Erler wrote and directed every installment.
The Blue Palace was a series of five 90-minute telefilms. The individual stories are below.
ONE: THE GENIUS (October 15th, 1974) – The international group of scientists at the Blue Palace are pursuing their usual boundary-pushing research while periodically debating the ethics of various projects.
One of their current experiments involves attempts at transferring memory cells from one living organism to another. At present the Blue Palace team is still testing the process on rats but they’re soon faced with evidence that another organization has already been conducting similar experiments on human subjects. Continue reading
MARIE WALCAMP (1894-1936) – Like her fellow silent film icons 
TEMPEST CODY – Marie was already getting above the title billing by the time her two-reel Tempest Cody western shorts came along in 1919. Tempest was a hard-riding, two-fisted, straight-shooting woman of the old west who was always on the side of right. 
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The 2nd seeded WARRIORS from NELSON UNIVERSITY AT ARIZONA (formerly Nelson American Indian College) fought it out with the top seeds – the COLUMBIA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY RAMS. Come Halftime things were knotted up at 43-43, but after the break the Warriors asserted themselves, pulling away from CIU for an 89-74 triumph. Harley Upton’s 24 points led NU-Arizona, while teammate Rob Jenkins logged a Double Double of 20 points & 11 rebounds. 
FAB FOUR: FIRST BERTH – In this game the ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY FIRESTORM took the court against the GRACE COLLEGE LANCERS in what may have been the game of the day. Stellar defense put the Firestorm on top 32-27 at the Half, but from there they had to hang on tight against the Lancers. ACU won out 73-71. Fifteen points from Lorenzo Wright led the Firestorm. 
OMEGON (1915-1916) – Written by George Frederick Stratton, this serialized story dealt with a fictional war of super-scientific weaponry between the United States on one side and China, Japan and Mexico on the other. 
In the middle 1980s The Texas 27 Film Vault was the show to watch on Saturday nights to see “Film Vault Technicians First Class” Randy Clower and Richard Malmos show and mock bad and campy movies preceded by episodes of old serials. Machine-gun toting Randy and Richard would also have comedic sci-fi adventures before and after commercial breaks. 
SERIAL: Before the movie an episode of the 1950 Columbia serial Atom Man vs Superman was shown. Kirk Alyn starred as Superman with Lyle Talbot as his archenemy Lex Luthor. Lex has his own secret identity in this serial – each episode he dons a lead mask and oversees the villainy as “Atom Man”. 
FIRST QUARTERFINAL – The 3 seeds – the OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS – played the 6th seeded HOUGHTON UNIVERSITY HIGHLANDERS. Come Halftime the Trailblazers were on top 35-32, but after the break the Highlanders forced Overtime with a 68-68 tie. In the extra session OCU triumphed 84-76 led by Caleb Schmelzer’s 24 points.
TALES TO ASTONISH Vol 1 #49 (Nov 1963)
Meanwhile, an interdimensional villain called the Eraser has been abducting Earth’s greatest scientists via his hand-weapons that teleport them to his home dimension. Because the process looks like he’s erasing them bit by bit the media dubs him “the Eraser.” 
BLACK RAIN, also released as THE LAST WAVE (1977) – This was Aussie director Peter Weir’s eerie follow-up to Picnic at Hanging Rock from 1975. If you found the excellent 1975 movie perplexing, Black Rain will redefine that word for you. 
BEACON HILL (1975) – An attempt at an American version of Great Britain’s Upstairs, Downstairs, this short-lived series was set in Boston following World War One. As opposed to the British program’s “rich pigs upstairs” and “servants downstairs” dichotomy, Beacon Hill presented the wealthy Irish-American family the Lassiters and their servants, who live in a cheaper neighborhood. 
George Rose co-starred as Arthur Hacker, head butler and quasi-patriarch of the servants. Beatrice Straight played his wife Emmeline, the head housekeeper. Arthur’s nephew Brian Mallory (Paul Ryan Rudd) was the Lassiter chauffer who was having an affair with one of the Lassiter women, and his niece Maureen Mahaffey (Susan Blanchard) worked as one of the maids. 
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The 4th seeded NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (Shipbuilders) took the court against the 3 seeds – the VILLA MARIA COLLEGE VIKINGS. The Builders embarrassed Villa Maria College on both sides of the ball, leading them 33 to EIGHT (!) at Halftime. From there, the Apprentice School coasted to their 2nd National Championship in a row with a 64-43 victory. Chris Hinmon’s 16 points led the Builders, and teammate Donovon Means had a Double Double of 10 points & 10 rebounds. 
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