For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands of time and others, soon to be rediscovered, will become fan favorites for a whole new generation. Each week we will feature just one of the many hidden gems that you can see on ATVN with insights and commentaries on classic television shows and legendary cinematic performances.

As part of ATVN’s celebration of Black History Month, here at the “Showplace” we are putting the spotlight on African American actors who excelled not just on the big and small screens but who also inspired change with their courage and perseverance.
For over 20 years, Earth Kitt had traveled the globe and found success as a singer, actress in film, television and theater and had become an active voice in speaking out against social injustice and as a proponent of peace.
In 1966, she established the Kittsville Youth Foundation, a chartered and non-profit organization for underprivileged youths in the Watts area of Los Angeles. She was also involved with a group of youths in the area of Anacostia in Washington, D.C., who called themselves “Rebels with a Cause”. Kitt supported the groups’ efforts to clean up streets and establish recreation areas in an effort to keep them out of trouble by testifying with them before the House General Subcommittee on Education of the Committee on Education and Labor.
In her May 1967 testimony, Kitt stated that the Rebels’ “achievements and accomplishments should certainly make the adult ‘do-gooders’ realize that these young men and women have performed in one short year – with limited finances – that which was not achieved by the same people who might object to turning over some of the duties of planning, rehabilitation, and prevention of juvenile delinquents and juvenile delinquency to those who understand it and are living it”. She added that “the Rebels could act as a model for all urban areas throughout the United States with similar problems.”
“Rebels with a Cause” subsequently received the needed funding. Kitt was also a member of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; her criticism of the Vietnam War and its connection to poverty and racial unrest in 1968 can be seen as part of a larger commitment to peace activism.
Her career cooled for the first time following a 1968 invitation from Lyndon Johnson to the White House where she made anti-war statements about the American involvement in the Vietnam War.
Except for a few appearances in theatrical productions overseas, her career was nearly frozen for almost ten years before her job opportunities began to resurface.
Kitt made a successful return to United States audiences in a 1978 Broadway production of Timbuktu! Following that performance, she continued a busy schedule performing in film and theater, singing, doing voiceover work and activism. In her later years she expanded her support for social equality and became an advocate for LGBTQ rights and was a frequent speaker at fundraisers.
In the year leading up to her death, she performed live at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival and did animation voiceover work for the films, My Life as a Teenage Robot and The Emperor’s New Groove, and for a guest starring spot on the television show, The Simpsons.
Kitt died of colon cancer at her home in Connecticut on December 25, 2008. She was 82.

Check back next week here at “The Showplace” for more stories of inspiration and achievement both in the entertainment industry and in the ongoing search for equality and social justice.
To view the complete rundown of classic programming on ATVN, check out the weekly listings on our website.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Last week we started honoring the student-athletes who were named to “all-star” teams for either league, district or state-wide honors.
This week, we will feature the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference all-league members for golf, as well as boys and girls cross-country teams.
PLEASE NOTE: the Colonial League decided as an organization a few years ago to NOT identify individual standout performers for certain sports and no longer produce “all league” teams. That is the schools’ decision and therefore, that is why teams from that league are not represented below.

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2021 EPC Cross Country All-Stars

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For boys and girls golf…

EPC Most Valuable Player (Male): Matt Vital, Liberty
EPC Most Valuable Player (Female): Everlyn Wong, Emmaus

EPC Golf First Team All-Conference:

EPC Golf Second Team All-Conference:

EPC Golf Third Team All-Conference:

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As always, we welcome anyone to share postseason accolades and accomplishments to us to share here at The Shop and on our “SportsTalk” program on ATVN.
Also, special thanks to our marketing team for taking the time to post these honors during one of the busiest times of the year!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands of time and others, soon to be rediscovered, will become fan favorites for a whole new generation.

Each week we will feature just one of the many hidden gems that you can see on ATVN with insights and commentaries on classic television shows and legendary cinematic performances.

As part of ATVN’s celebration of Black History Month, here at the “Showplace” we are putting the spotlight on African American actors who excelled not just on the big and small screens but those who also inspired change with their courage and perseverance.

Few entertainers have influenced the world for as many decades…and in as many ways…as Eartha Kitt.
Born Eartha Mae Keith on January 17th, 1927 in a small town of North, South Carolina, Eartha’s birth and early years are shrouded in a bit of a mystery. She did not know who her father was, and the person she believed to be her mother died at an early age. Her step-father refused her because he believed her skin was too light and she was sent to live with a relative named Mamie Kitt–who may have been her actual biological mother.
Kitt began her entertaining career in 1942 by joining the Katherine Dunham Company. The Chicago based company was the first professional-based organization in America to prominently feature African-American singers, dancers, musicians and entertainers.
While with the group, she recorded a number of songs that registered on national charts, including “Let’s Do It”, “Champagne Taste”, “Just an Old Fashioned Girl”, “Je cherche un homme”, “Love for Sale” and “I’d Rather Be Burned as a Witch.”
In 1945 she earned her first appearance on Broadway in the 1945 original theater production of the musical Carib Song. She left the company in 1948 but her success continued in the early 1950s, hitting charts in both the United States and overseas. She had six US Top 30 hits, including “Uska Dara” and “I Want to Be Evil”. Her other notable recordings include the UK Top 10 hit “Under the Bridges of Paris” and “Just an Old Fashioned Girl.”
Also in 1950, she secured her first starring role when Orson Wells spotted her, reportedly referring to her as the most exciting woman in the world. Wells cast her as Helen of Troy in the picture, Dr. Faustus. Two years later, she was cast in the revue New Faces of 1952, introducing “Monotonous” and “Bal, Petit Bal”, two songs with which she is still identified. In 1954, 20th Century Fox distributed an independently filmed version of the revue entitled New Faces, in which she performed “Monotonous”, “Uska Dara” and “C’est si bon,” as well as the now annual Christmas favorite, the original “Santa Baby.”
Throughout the rest of the 1950s and early 1960s, she recorded; worked in film, television, and nightclubs; and returned to the Broadway stage, in Mrs. Patterson (during the 1954–1955 season), in 1957’s Shinbone Alley, and the 1959 production of Jolly’s Progress. In 1964, Kitt helped open the Circle Star Theater in San Carlos, California. In the late 1960s, Batman featured Kitt as Catwoman after Julie Newmar had left the show in 1967. Also in 1967, Kitt guest-starred on the popular spy-thrilling television show, Mission: Impossible, in an episode called “The Traitor,” portraying a contortionist.
Eartha was also very active in a number of major civil rights movements throughout the 1950s and 1960 and was just beginning to make her voice heard internationally fighting for civil rights and social justice. But in 1968 an event occurred that would attempt to silence her voice–both professionally and personally.
We’ll examine that event and feature many more hurdles Kitt had to overcome as well as many more glorious accomplishments that she would achieve, next week here at “The Showplace”.
In the meantime, be on the lookout for Eartha’s starring performance in Mark of the Hawk this month on ATVN.

To view the complete rundown of classic programming on ATVN, check out the weekly listings on our website.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands of time and others, soon to be rediscovered, will become fan favorites for a whole new generation.
Each week we will feature just one of the many hidden gems that you can see on ATVN with insights and commentaries on classic television shows and legendary cinematic performances.

This week, on what would have been his 105th birthday, we continue our salute to the talented career of Ernest Borgnine.
Borgnine swept the award circuit with his 1955 portrayal of the titular character in the Academy Award winning film, Marty, but his career was far from over.
While not known for making an abundance of pictures, Ernest had very few films that were not successful in xterms of financial and commercial success. Furthermore, he was frequently praised for the depth and diversity of his work–both as an individual and in the genres of movies in which he worked.
Some of his highlights over the following three decades included the 1965 survival drama The Flight Of The Phoenix, the 1969 western classic The Wild Bunch, 1972’s epic disaster blockbuster The Poseidon Adventure, the 1973 action adventure movie The Emperor Of The North, the 1978 road adventure film Convoy and the 1979 Walt Disney sci-fi flick The Black Hole.
His performance in Poseidon was especially touching as he was one of the leaders of a small band of survivors fighting for their lives aboard a doomed, overturned luxury liner…only to (SPOILER ALERT)…lose the love of his life just before the film’s dramatic climax.
But one of his longest and most endearing roles was that of Lieutenant Commander Quinton McHale on McHale’s Navy. People may not remember that this popular situation-comedy starring Borgnine that ran from 1962 to 1966 actually started as a serious hour-long program called Seven Against The Sea.
The show was quickly reworked for laughs and added TV veteran Joe Flynn and a relative newcomer to television, Tim Conway, playing McHale’s sidekick/ensign.
Borgnine and Conway formed an instant friendship and the chemistry between the two was evident from the earliest episodes of the program. In more than one interview, Conway would recall what a gregarious individual Ernest was to everyone on the Universal set. Recalls Conway: “It was the beginning of the trams going through Universal. Ernie was probably one of the few people at Universal who would stop the trams and say, ‘Hello, how are you?’ He would talk to everybody on the trams.”

The two remained close friends for over 40 years.
Borgnine would star in the 1980s adventure show, Airwolf. He also gave some of the most memorable guest-starring performances on some of television’s longest running shows including Little House On The Prairie, The Love Boat, Magnum P.I., Murder, She Wrote, Walker, Texas Ranger, Touched By An Angel, Highway To Heaven and others.
His appearance on “Little House,” not only earned him an Emmy but the two-part episode he guest-starred in was later featured prominently in a retrospective look back at the show’s most special moments.
He also continued performing live action roles well up into his mid-90s. Among them was his fourth and final appearance on the series finale of ER, a guest role as a husband who’s lost his wife. Borgnine earned another Emmy award for this performance.
On October 2, 2010, Borgnine appeared as himself in a sketch with Morgan Freeman on Saturday Night Live. On October 15, 2010, he appeared in Red, which was filmed earlier that year. In late 2011, Borgnine completed what would be his last film, playing Rex Page in The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez.
His voice also became synonymous with a popular character on one of the longest running cartoons of all time, SpongeBob Square Pants. Borgnine voiced the Batman-esque “superhero,” Mermaid Man, from the start of the series in the 1990s until his death in 2012. Mermaid Man’s trusty sidekick on the program? His old pal from his McHale’s Navy days–Tim Conway.
Borgnine died of lung cancer (he was a heavy smoker for many years) on July 29, 2012. He was 95.
Be sure to look for classic television and film performances from Ernest Borgnine on ATVN. To view the complete rundown of classic programming on ATVN, check out the weekly listings here on our website.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands of time and others, soon to be rediscovered, will become fan favorites for a whole new generation.
Each week we will feature just one of the many hidden gems that you can see on ATVN with insights and commentaries on classic television shows and legendary cinematic performances.

As we approach the birth date anniversary of one of television and films great actors, we salute the talented career of Ernest Borgnine.

Born Ermes Effron Borgnino, Ernest on January 24th, 1917 in Harriden, Connecticut to the son of immigrant parents. When he was two years old, his parents divorced and Ernest went to live with his mother in Italy.
Four years later his parents reconciled and he grew up in Hartford, Connecticut. According to the book Real To Reel: 25 Years Of Celebrity Interviews, Borgnine (it was his father that changed the family name when the couple reunited) showed only interest in sports and had no thought whatsoever about working in the entertainment industry. Upon graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Navy. While he was honorably discharged in 1941, he quickly reenlisted when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

He was honorably discharged again after the conclusion of World War II and received a hero’s welcome when he returned home to his parents house in Connecticut. But after a few weeks his mother was strongly suggesting he move on with his life. He applied for a job as a factory worker but his heart wasn’t into his work and his mother suggested he try something more “glamorous.”

According to an interview with the British Film Institute conducted on October 7th, 2007, Borgnine outlines the path that led him to a successful career in acting and his mother’s role in making that happen: “She said, ‘You always like getting in front of people and making a fool of yourself, why don’t you give it a try?’ I was sitting at the kitchen table and I saw this light. No kidding. It sounds crazy. And 10 years later, I had Grace Kelly handing me an Academy Award.”

Just some of his early career highlights between his kitchen table and Grace Kelly, include the following….
He went to actors in Connecticut and then in Virginia, early small roles in State of the Union and The Glass Menagerie before playing the role of the Nurse in the Broadway runaway hit, Harvey. After one TV appearance in Captain Video and a handful of small films, Borgnine landed a major role in the film classic, From Here To Eternity.

In 1955, the actor starred as a warmhearted butcher in Marty, the film version of the television play of the same title. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor over fellow nominees Frank Sinatra, James Dean (who had died by the time of the ceremony), and former Best Actor winners Spencer Tracy and James Cagney.
For the same role, he also captured the following awards: BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a drama motion picture, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor and the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor.

But his stellar career and success on the stage, in television and in films was just getting started. We’ll continue our look at Borgnine’s career, next week here at The Showplace. In the meantime, you can see Ernest Borgnine in films like Laser Mission and other classic performances on ATVN.

To view the complete rundown of classic programming on ATVN, check out the weekly listings here on our website.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Astound Broadband or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

With so much going on locally of a more negative nature (i.e., scheduling changes, recruitment issues, officials shortages, et al), it’s important to take time to focus on the positive contributions of our student-athletes!
We periodically like to honor the young people who were recognized by their league, district of state-wide honors and named to “all-star” teams. We appreciate the sports chairs, athletic directors, administrators and even parents and the players themselves sharing that information with us and welcome anyone to share students’ accolades with us from throughout our ATVN viewing area.
This week, we focus on the scholastic gridiron to recognize those who received post-season honors. We hope you check back to The Shop next week as we continue highlighting boys and girls sports receiving accolades.

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FIRST TEAM 

SECOND TEAM 

OFFENSIVE MVP: Bobby McClosky

DEFENSIVE MVP: Caden Reph

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The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

Before we take a look at highlights of recent games broadcast on RCN-TV, a few observations on what has been an interesting start to the winter 2022 sports season in our viewing area.
Of our first five broadcasts for the winter season, three of the games’ outcomes have been decided by a COMBINED total of nine points, including last Friday’s broadcast featuring a thrilling victory by the defending state champion, Central Catholic basketball team. The fourth game was a five-point contest with less than two minutes left in the game.
With the exception of Parkland’s size being a little too much for Allen to handle, we’ve seen some very competitive games on RCN-TV to start this winter. We are very excited and remain optimistic on bringing you more great match-ups on the horizon.
As most people know, the big challenge high schools are facing right now is keeping everyone healthy while trying to get on the court. Easton High School, for example, is already five games behind other schools in terms of games played due to health issues, and just lost another game last Friday due to the snow storm.
Unlike last year when COVID protocols allowed for flexible scheduling, a team like the Red Rovers are going to be playing a TON of games over the next few weeks in order to get caught up to other schools, just to complete district requirements and have a chance at postseason action.
Our friends at Lafayette College have had an even more arduous time trying to play this season. Although we are less than a week away from the midpoint of the collegiate season, the Leopards have played ZERO league games so far, and our RCN/LSN crew is still waiting to broadcast our first game of the winter season.
Everyone’s health remains a priority – as it should be. But with COVID numbers currently on the rise, collegiate and scholastic administrators will continue to be tested and a rollercoaster type of season will not level off anytime soon this winter.

Now, here’s highlights of our recent high school broadcasts on RCN-TV.

1. RCN Sports: Southern Col. vs. Northern Lehigh (12/21)
https://youtu.be/P2fyMiwMuKk
2. RCN Sports: Dieruff vs. Easton (12/21)
https://youtu.be/8IraCae4jN4
3. RCN Sports: Northampton vs. Liberty (12/21)
https://youtu.be/_o7kyTicbPw
4. RCN Sports: Catasauqua vs. Northern Lehigh (12/21)
https://youtu.be/Dxo9yUVtlUI
5. RCN Sports: Allen vs. Parkland (12/21)
https://youtu.be/Fb4y9lHscGM

All of these games will be available to watch for free for RCN customers through RCN On-Demand for two months. DVD copies are available to be purchased when you call 610-443-2909!
Also…be on the lookout for some big news coming to our website and RCN-TV very soon!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

For over a hundred years some of the greatest video treasures of all time have been produced. Some have been lost in the sands of time and others, soon to be rediscovered, will become fan favorites for a whole new generation.

Each week we will feature just one of the many hidden gems that you can see on RCN TV with insights and commentaries on classic television shows, key names in the “Golden Age” of entertainment history and legendary cinematic performances.

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I hope all our readers had a wonderful holiday season and everyone has been enjoying reading background insights and little known information about our classic programs while watching them on RCN TV.

Now it’s time to test your knowledge by taking our Classic Video Showplace “winter 2022” edition of our quiz.

See how you do answering the following questions and then check out the answers listed below.

Have fun!

1. Which classic character actor from Wizard of Oz, also scored a hit in the 1946 film People Are Funny?

2. Who is credited with the first successful comedy television show in the medium’s history?

3. Which early television dramatic program frequently featured storylines taken directly from classic literary giants like Charles Dickens, Agatha Christie, Edgar Allen Poe and others?

4. Name the actor who portrayed Dracula who also starred in classic films like Ghosts on the Loose, The Veiled Woman and White Zombie.

5. Which Gale Storm-led TV show excelled in the ratings on TWO networks during the program’s initial run?

6. Name the actor who starred in original versions of Moulin Rouge and Cyrano de Burgerac.

7. Which Bonanza star also had a hit movie and a Top 10 single on the charts during the classic television’s shows run?

8. What was the original name of The Mickey Rooney Show?

9. Which star of classic Charlie Chaplin films like Modern Times and The Great Dictator was also lauded by critics for her performance in the film, Second Chorus?

10. Name one of the earliest successful television shows on ABC that gained a wide audience because of its realistic science fiction elements, unique marketing approach, extensive (for its time) production elements and was one of the first dramas to break television’s “fourth wall.”

Answers:

1. Jack Haley / “The Tin Man”
2. Milton Berle
3. Suspense
4. Bela Lugosi
5. My Little Margie
6. Jose Ferrar
7. Michael Landon
8. Hey Mulligan
9. Paulette Goddard
10. Space Patrol

You can see many of the above mentioned classic films and television shows during this winter’s programming lineup on RCN-TV. To see the full listing of classic programming on RCN TV, check out the weekly listings on our website.

Don’t forget to keep checking back to the Showplace for more classic trivia and little-known bits of information about some of the greatest shows and movies of all time.

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

First of all, we hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and your new year is off to a great start!

There’s lots of exciting things happening within the RCN family…new faces, different approaches and other news that we will be unveiling soon, so keep checking back to “The Shop” so you don’t miss any of the surprises and changes occurring over the upcoming weeks.

Secondly, we have some highlights from the last few weeks of the high school football season, along with our first look at highlights from broadcasts of our first wrestling matches and basketball games of the new season.

Here’s a look…

RCN Sports: Northampton vs. Freedom (11/21)
https://youtu.be/rj1DdRthtLQ

RCN Sports: Parkland vs. Emmaus (11/21)
https://youtu.be/TnuQkSCpJlQ

RCN Sports: Freedom vs. St. Joseph’s Prep (11/21)
https://youtu.be/VakjiyFQVIM

RCN Sports: Emmaus vs. Freedom (11/21)
https://youtu.be/ssznMJ2eGlw

RCN Sports: West Catholic vs. Northern Lehigh (11/21)
https://youtu.be/t36mQGDqsuM

All of these games are still available for free for RCN customers through RCN On-Demand and DVD copies are available by calling 610-443-2909 during normal business hours!

Remember to check back to our website over the next few weeks for some exciting news concerning RCN and our sports coverage!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.

It was another unique fall sports season!
As we continue to reflect back on this past year, we saw two more Lehigh Valley teams win state championships (Emmaus field hockey, Central Catholic girls soccer) and several individuals do well in golf, tennis and cross country. We actually had less teams than normal advance to the state playoffs in football, but were represented well with several impressive showings from Freedom and Northern Lehigh.
There’s also a bunch of talented players coming back and squads like Emmaus, Nazareth, Notre-Dame (to name a few) should be fun to watch in 2022.
Now, here’s part three of our look back at the best plays and highlights of this past season for games we broadcast on RCN-TV…

RCN Sports: Freedom vs. Liberty (10/21)
https://youtu.be/gxMt9sLXQLs

RCN Sports: Easton vs. Emmaus (10/21)
https://youtu.be/1cdK82N2j3A

RCN Sports: Polo (10/21)
https://youtu.be/hMKfxc5dySA

RCN Sports: Easton vs. Freedom (11/21)
https://youtu.be/efchTzUSTTk

RCN Sports:Nazareth vs. Emmaus (11/21
https://youtu.be/K9-csJIKo_w

RCN Sports: Notre Dame vs. Jim Thorpe (11/21)
https://youtu.be/RjL4137zsy0

Don’t forget, RCN customers can still watch many of these games–for free–at any time by visiting our Video On Demand platform. In addition to viewing these games, you can also purchase DVD copies of all of our sports productions and studio shows by calling (610) 443-2909.
Happy holidays everyone!

The views expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.