Mike McGreevey and Kurt Russell

[flossieskid]

As I have seen throughout so many posts, actors who have appeared on The Waltons with other actors who have a connection to the Waltons can truly rival the most ardent game of Six Degrees of Separation! We all know that Michael McGreevey starred in "The Braggart" episode of the show.  Plus, the picture that has been displayed many times on the Forum, from the movie "The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band", connects Kurt Russell with
Jon Walmsley as two of many co-stars of this fabulous movie.

I mentioned I first met Mike when we were about 10 and 12 years old and still continue our friendship today. I also have discussed his enduring friendship with Kurt Russell, as they had co-starred in many Walt Disney movies together when they were teenagers and their friendship has existed for more than 60 years and in Hollywood, that is something to be treasured. 

So, it was Mike's great honor (but hardly a surprise) when Kurt asked his dear friend to introduce him at his induction ceremony into the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, in Oklahoma City.  It was a very special evening,
because, although Kurt's father, actor, Bing Russell, died in 2003, he was also included as a 2022 inductee.

Bing Russell was a well-known character actor in Hollywood but would probably be best remembered as the Sheriff on 
the first colored TV series, the incredible western "Bonanza". Maybe some of you ardent TV fans didn't know, but NBC
made "Bonanza" in color so television audiences would want to be the first on their block to ditch their black and white set and buy a new color TV from RCA, who owned NBC at the time. Although "Bonanza" was almost cancelled because of
the cost of production in color, soon, everyone wanted to be the first to own this new fangled thing: "a color television." 

There was only one family on our block who had a color TV in the early '60s. It was Rod Peterson's. Rod, as you know, later went on to become head writer and executive producer of The Waltons. I would go over every week to watch "Bonanza" (seeing my dad in color was so cool!) and each December required viewing was "White Christmas".  We didn't get a color TV until after Dad co-starred in the series,"National Velvet".  That show was still shot in black and white, but any actor who had a steady gig made enough money to buy a new color TV.  We  moved one block away from Rod, so then WE became
the only family with a color television on our street.  But, to this day, I still like a lot of black- and- white shows; could
ANYONE imagine "Twilight Zone" in color?!?

But, back to the great evening at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.  Mike mentioned the dual induction was the first of its kind in the history of The Western Heritage Awards. Never before have they honored a famous son and his father. Mike told me he moderated a "Q & A" after the formal induction proceedings.  There was a lot of lively discussion from the sell-out crowd and it added to the joyful mood of the evening.

I wanted to thank so many of The Forum participants who expressed their prayers and well wishes for my husband.  
He is doing better every day and I think I will be able to get back to the enjoyment of posting my threads on a more
regular basis. As I have shared before, I really enjoy the wonderful camaraderie among all the very special Walton
fans - especially because you all tolerate my verbosity!!  Since I have had a lot of time to kill during my husband's long
naps, I have been trying to learn some new words.  Eat your heart out, Webster's!!!
 

[Easton]

So glad to hear about your husband's recovery. That must be a load off your mind.

I grew up with Kurt Russell, but I don't recall Michael in his earlier years.

[flossieskid]

If anyone Google’s “what movies did Kurt Russell co-star in with Michael McGreevey” about 4 or 5 Disney movies come up. The most popular was “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes”. But, most all the movies that Kurt and Mike did were in the ‘60s and early ‘70s and there are never reruns on network TV because they were owned by the Walt Disney company. They may show them perhaps on Disney+ or The Disney Channel, but they never made showings available on regular TV stations. So most people have never seen them - including me!

Since I grew up around Mike almost my whole life, I didn’t want to have to pay MONEY to go to a movie theater and actually see him on the screen! The only movie I saw them in was the first one, “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.” When I worked in program development at the Disney Channel in the mid ‘80s, all its content at that time were animated and low budget shows. It wasn’t until the Walt Disney Company offered it’s Disney+, or The Disney Channel that shows produced years ago could be seen through reruns.

In fact, I think the second TV series presented in color (after “Bonanza” was “The Wonderful World of Disney.“

[Easton]

I could only find 3:

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)

The Strongest Man in the World (1975)

This was a Disney trilogy featuring Kurt as Dexter Riley and Michael as Richard Schuyler, a pair of high school friends.

If you wish to read more about this, check out this page: www.cultfilmfreaks.com/2018/07/DexteReilly.html

Kurt never lost his dimples, did he?

[nedandres]

Has this event already taken place? I think it's so cool that he asked Mike to do this. BRAVO! And prayers for your husband, Tracey. Somehow I must have missed that. Sorry.