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Subject: Has-been Heroes

Author:
Conrad
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Date Posted: 09:29:39 12/26/07 Wed

With the New Year coming up, thought I'd bring up some of the movie fantasy heroes of yesteryear who've either been forgotten or shoved off to the side. There are some heroes who have incredible staying power (Superman, for example) but there are others that are household names for a long time and then just fade away. I'm going to list a few I remember and then ask other people to add other has-been heroes to the list:

1. Rin-Tin-Tin: When I was growing up, there were two movie/TV superdogs, Lassie the collie and Rin-Tin-Tin, a fearless German shepherd. (At least that's what I think he was; it's hard to remember.) But while Lassie is still a household name, no younger people have heard of Rin-Tin-Tin for decades. I'm inclined to think it's because his movies and his old TV show went out of print. I've only seen one of his films, "The Return of Rin-Tin-Tin" for sale as a DVD, and you never see his fifties-era TV show for sale anywhere.

2. Jungle Jim--When Johnny Weismuller became too old to play Tarzan, he became Jungle Jim, a fearless guide in darkest Africa, who he played in the movies and television. Once again, it looks like all those old films and shows have been out of print for decades.

3. Sheena, Queen of the Jungle--The only reason people remember her is the movie made sometime in the 1980s; but the older films are nowhere to be found. However, I did find one DVD of the 1950s Sheena TV show, but the print was really atrocious.

4. Robocop: The eighties are almost a "golden age" of movie heroes who were very popular in their day but who've lost their luster over the years. While people still remember the name Robocop, there hasn't been a new film or TV show of him in years.

5. Ghostbusters: Despite the popularity of its classic theme song, this is another monster hit of the eighties that has failed to stand the test of time. Though it spawned an incredibly successful cartoon series and one sequel, the lovable, laid back franchise failed to last into the high powered nineties. But with other eighties heroes making comebacks through special effects movies and cartoons (The Transformers, Ninja Turtles) maybe we'll the Ghostbusters again someday.

Anybody have has-been heroes of their own to share?

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Replies:

[> Subject: Thanks, Conrad! I remember watching Rin Tin Tin with childhood amnesia...I loved the dog, and knew he saved the day, but was never quite sure about the rest of the story I think I liked his owner, a good-looking guy in a calvary uniform. I once rode on a very old Calvary saddle, as the stable didn't have English saddles, and that was the closest to one. The entire length, from front to back of the saddle seat, was an open gap...the guys rode long and hard, and well, let's just say that things kept from being squashed! How the West was won!

Author:
Judith...also loved Jungle Jim! Johnny was my Dad's hero, as he was a champion swimmer.
[Edit]
Date Posted: 21:47:35 01/02/08 Wed

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>With the New Year coming up, thought I'd bring up some >of the movie fantasy heroes of yesteryear who've >either been forgotten or shoved off to the side. >There are some heroes who have incredible staying >power (Superman, for example) but there are others >that are household names for a long time and then just >fade away. I'm going to list a few I remember and then >ask other people to add other has-been heroes to the >list: > >1. Rin-Tin-Tin: When I was growing up, there were two >movie/TV superdogs, Lassie the collie and Rin-Tin-Tin, >a fearless German shepherd. (At least that's what I >think he was; it's hard to remember.) But while >Lassie is still a household name, no younger people >have heard of Rin-Tin-Tin for decades. I'm inclined >to think it's because his movies and his old TV show >went out of print. I've only seen one of his films, >"The Return of Rin-Tin-Tin" for sale as a DVD, and you >never see his fifties-era TV show for sale anywhere. > >2. Jungle Jim--When Johnny Weismuller became too old >to play Tarzan, he became Jungle Jim, a fearless guide >in darkest Africa, who he played in the movies and >television. Once again, it looks like all those old >films and shows have been out of print for decades. > >3. Sheena, Queen of the Jungle--The only reason people >remember her is the movie made sometime in the 1980s; >but the older films are nowhere to be found. However, >I did find one DVD of the 1950s Sheena TV show, but >the print was really atrocious. > >4. Robocop: The eighties are almost a "golden age" of >movie heroes who were very popular in their day but >who've lost their luster over the years. While people >still remember the name Robocop, there hasn't been a >new film or TV show of him in years. > >5. Ghostbusters: Despite the popularity of its classic >theme song, this is another monster hit of the >eighties that has failed to stand the test of time. >Though it spawned an incredibly successful cartoon >series and one sequel, the lovable, laid back >franchise failed to last into the high powered >nineties. But with other eighties heroes making >comebacks through special effects movies and cartoons >(The Transformers, Ninja Turtles) maybe we'll the >Ghostbusters again someday. > >Anybody have has-been heroes of their own to share?
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