Q: In the '60s there was a TV show I watched as a kid with a flying superhero (I believe) who wore a cape and goggles and flapped the cape as he was flying. He also took a pill from a ring on his finger to help him fly (I also believe) and they played a theme song. It has been driving me crazy for many years! I know you can help me with the name of the show and the character's name.
A: After the humorous prime-time version of "Batman" became a hit in 1966, networks looked for comparable shows. The reference book "Total Television" mentions the 1967 efforts "Captain Nice" on NBC, with William Daniels as a police chemist who gained superpowers from a secret formula, and "Mr. Terrific" on CBS, with Stephen Strimpell as a guy who took a pill that gave him superpowers for an hour. Your show, based on our follow-up conversation, was "Mr. Terrific." But neither it nor "Captain Nice" proved super in the ratings, and their TV runs were short.
Brendan Fraser update
Q: Brendan Fraser has apparently deserted Hollywood and his fans with his decision to curtail his movie career. He is a natural and I especially enjoyed his role in the remake of "Journey to the Center of the Earth." Any chance to he could be persuaded to return to Hollywoodland?
A: While there have been times when Fraser stepped away from acting — see his GQ interview from 2018 for an abundance of details — in recent years he has worked plenty, mainly in TV projects including "Trust" (a miniseries based on the same story as the big-screen "All the Money in the World"), "Condor" and "Doom Patrol."
E-mail brenfels@gmail.com.
