Randall On The Road

Playing Well With Others

2011-10-25T08:13:00.003-04:00

Can I admit it? Okay I will. I haven't been in a play with other actors since 1987 when I directed and performed in a production of "The Sunshine Boys" with my two former High School teachers Jerry Starr & Ron Swick.

That show was a blast and Buffalo's own Diva Mary Kate O'Connell rescued our production by coming in last minute to play the "older nurse". Back then I played the 30-something nephew Ben.

It isn't that I'm anti-social...it's just that performing solo as Mark Twain, Charles Dickens and as myself with Puppets & Magic has been EASIER to schedule. The BIG advantage was being able to rehearse whenever & wherever I could squeeze it in (In the car, in the shower-in the basement-but only when no one is home!)

Working nights for 10 years made it impossible to be in anything with anyone! My schedule now (getting up at 2am-and in bed by 7pm) has made it almost as difficult-but recently I bit the bullet and signed on to do a play with the Springville Center For The Arts. We rehearsed 3 nights a week-from 6:30-8:30pm-with my head hitting the pillow about 10 pm...leaving 4 hours of shut eye. Those 2am wake-up calls the morning have been painful.

The result is a show I'm proud to be a part of. We have four performances under our belts with another four scheduled for this weekend. Yes-I'm in "The Sunshine Boys" again!-but this time out-Doug Bailey took care of the directing duties and I got to play the 70-something Willie Clark.

My partner in crime Rick Manzone takes on the role of Al Lewis. It's a 1972 Neil Simon comedy-and provides tons of BIG laughs. I hope you can see it! Last 4 performances Thurs.-Sunday Oct. 27-30th. Call Springville Center or The Arts for tickets 716-592-9038.

Field Trip: Buffalo Zoo Part 2

2010-07-10T10:33:00.000-04:00

Field Trip: Buffalo Zoo Part 1

2010-07-10T10:32:00.001-04:00

Field Trip: Safe Boating

2010-07-10T10:26:00.001-04:00

This field trip has it all, from fake arrests and scared boaters to spider webs and inflatable life vests.

Field Trip: Roller Skating

2010-07-10T10:24:00.000-04:00

Field Trip: Lily Dale

2010-07-10T10:22:00.001-04:00

Mike and Bridget take a trip to the place known as, "The Town that Speaks with the Dead."

Darien Lake Visit-Part Two-SKYCOASTER

2010-07-10T10:08:00.000-04:00

Field Trip: Let's Learn About Yoga!

2010-07-10T10:03:00.001-04:00

Mike and Bridget honor the first roller coaster by heading to Darien Lake to take a spin on some modern day monster coasters.

2010-06-12T08:41:00.003-04:00

Field Trip: Aquarium of Niagara, Part 2

2010-06-12T08:41:00.001-04:00

Mike and Bridget head to the Aquarium of Niagara in Niagara Falls.

2010-06-12T08:33:00.001-04:00

When You're Hot You're Hot!

2010-04-27T07:46:00.002-04:00

New York State Lottery Spot I Did In 1978 or '79-

don't as me how I did it...it's MAGIC!!!

When You're Hot You're Hot!

2010-04-27T07:26:00.005-04:00

Kid's TV On Channel 7

2010-03-10T07:24:00.003-05:00

Check out this piece I put Together a few years ago about Tom Jolls, Rocketship 7 and Kid's TV at WKBW-TV BUFFALLO. Appearing courtesy of Steve Cichon-WBEN www.StaffAnnouncer.com

Sign Of Spring

2010-03-10T07:19:00.002-05:00

Lake Erie Ice Melting Already March 8, 2010

CHARLES DICKENS

2009-12-14T08:41:00.005-05:00

Finished up a four performance run at MusicalFare Theatre this past weekend of my solo production:
"Charles Dickens Presents:
A Christmas Carol"
Still a few performance left in Western New York- check the schedule to see if there is one near you!
http://www.charlesdickenslive.com/performance.html
Nice photo courtesy of Buffalo.Com that photographed opening night!

Haunted Central Terminal Part #1

2009-11-16T08:34:00.002-05:00

This Grand Old structure, the Buffalo Central Terminal is in the process of being fixed up with the help of an unlikely group called The Western New York Ghost Hunters. Besides doing fund raisers to help with the terminal's upkeep-these folks know how & where to FIND GHOSTS!!!

Haunted Central Terminal Part #2

2009-11-16T08:26:00.002-05:00

Chis Podosek did a FABULOUS putting these two pieces together-shooting IR video and trotting around that HAUNTED TERMINAL-he admits that he was a "little scared"

PIGMAN of ANGOLA! SCARY!!! Part #3

2009-11-16T08:20:00.002-05:00

Heard about this place originally from my son Nick who wrote the Pigman song used in this piece-photographer/ Editor Ed Reilly turned it into an instant Halloween Classic!

Haunted West End Inn, Hamburg, NY #4

2009-11-16T08:17:00.002-05:00

I love this place! Great fish fries and the ghosts aren't bad either!!! Another Ed Reilly spectacular!

Haunted West Seneca House Part #5

2009-11-16T08:15:00.000-05:00

Part Three Of Randall Rocks

2009-10-23T17:43:00.001-04:00

Final part of our series from the 80's with Strider.

Part 2 Of Randall Rocks-1987

2009-10-21T15:46:00.002-04:00

Starring Strider-and my kid Nick Randall-(who was 2 years old then!) now 24 and a GREAT musician you can find him:
http://www.myspace.com/nickrandallmusic

ROCKIN' IN THE 80's

2009-10-20T12:09:00.002-04:00

Here is Part One from a series that ran 22 years ago next month. The band I worked with "Strider" is planning a reunion show. The single we produced "Rock 'n Roll Rebel" went on to win a Buffalo Backstage music award~

This Is More Like It!

2009-10-19T18:00:00.003-04:00

Snow is okay in JANUARY & FEBRUARY-but I like my Octobers snow FREE! My latest pictures of my back yard. Never get tired of looking out the window!

October Snow! 2009

2009-10-18T01:37:00.001-04:00

Not a fan of snow in October...or snow in any other month with an "r" in it!

Sure Doesn't Look Like April!

2009-04-04T17:59:00.003-04:00

It's not the kind of April we like to get. But then in Western New York you have to be ready for almost anything Mother Nature springs on you. This is the view out my front window this morning-looks more like January!

April First Story-Sorry it's Late!

2009-04-02T17:36:00.002-04:00

This is from April 1st, 1985! I LOVED that dog.

Time For A NEW-old story!

2009-03-25T16:01:00.002-04:00

This one is from 1986-Called "Classy Cabbies" it won a few awards-UPI, AP and I think Ed Reilly Shot it. Enjoy!

A DIFFERENT SANTA STORY

2009-01-07T16:34:00.002-05:00

Actually-this is the one I was trying to track down before Christmas! Guess What? I FOUND IT! Now what does that mean? I'll have my Valentine's Day Story by Easter? The story was produced in 1992 to basically scam my 4 year old-who is now 20 and has never forgiven me. We all know that there is really only ONE SANTA!!! Right?

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T09:37:00.002-05:00

Wishing you all a healthy, happy & prosperous New Year!
And-hey-as long as you keep watching, I'll keep pulling out some of these old stories-This one I think is from 1985-Siskel & Ebert, the movie critics came to town and gave me thumbs up!

The "Santa" Gig

2008-12-24T10:48:00.004-05:00

What's not to like about being Santa Claus? Even if only for a day! Just in time for Christmas 2008-here's a look back to Christmas 1991-When I dressed like the Jolly Old Elf (even needed a pillow back then) and asked kids what they wanted for Christmas! The way some of them cried-you would have thought I was Scrooge or Marley instead of S.C.! Merry Christmas to all!-
& Happy Holidays.

WKBW-TV 50th Anniversary!

2008-11-30T21:13:00.002-05:00

Today-November 30th is our 50th anniversary at WKBW-TV Channel 7.
50 years ago today Rick Azar signed the station on the air and then introduced the James Cagney movie "Yankee Doodle Dandy" In honor of our BIG day-here's a retro Randall piece that I had fun shooting MANY years ago-(1984) about bowling.

What's Up With Commander Tom!?

2008-11-28T10:26:00.002-05:00

As the WKBW-TV 50th Anniversary Celebration continues, we wanted to catch up with Channel 7's favorite weatherman of all time-Tom Jolls and see how retirement was treating him. I was so glad that I was able to interview him before he hit the road for his 6 months in Florida!

Ghost Special Part #4

2008-10-28T18:41:00.002-04:00

Just in time for Halloween, here is the last part of my Western New York ghost series that originally aired in 1988-Enjoy! Two of my favorite pieces-The Pink House Of Wellsville and the Haunted Book Store that used to be on Elmwood.

GHOST SPECIAL PART #3

2008-10-19T18:57:00.002-04:00

Here's the third part (of four) of the Great Ghost Special we put together in 1988. This part includes a story about a local ghost buster-Nancy Labianca-and a strange ghost voice that appeared on our video tape. Also a fun piece on the Doll House Museum in Fort Erie-haunted of course!

GHOST SPECIAL PART 2

2008-10-09T13:36:00.003-04:00

As promised here is part two of my "Great Ghost Chase" special which appeared in 1988. This section includes a strange story about a UB Student and a look inside east Aurora's Spiritual Church...Spooky...

VERY SCARY SPECIAL PART #1

2008-10-06T18:36:00.002-04:00

In keeping with the theme of this blog-(my 25 years in review at WKBW-TV) I dug out one of my half hour specials and will deliver it up one chunk at a time over the next couple weeks. It's better in small doses! These are ghost stories in Western New York from 1988! Should provide you with a few chills and thrills...or hopefully-laughs!

“a long, long time ago in a Galaxy far, far away“.

2008-09-17T17:56:00.003-04:00

Here is some of the earliest stuff I could dig out of my basement-an old resume tape! Please note-the full head of hair and 32" waist. Also-if you look fast you'll find a quick clip of my ill fated New York State Lottery Commercial (more on that in the future) with the burning lottery tickets-and a REALLY embarrassing clip when I had a perm (I fit right in with the clowns) and a not so bad rendition of "Who's On First" with my PM Co-host Nancy Christopher. Hope it makes you laugh!

TV IS NOT SHAKESPEARE

2008-09-10T16:31:00.002-04:00

But once upon a time I did a feature story ON TV with Saul Elkin-the man who started one of the most popular and MOST attended annual Shakespeare Festivals in the country. That would be Shakespeare in Delaware Park-50,000 patrons a year, founded in 1976-Way to go Saul! The world is a stage-but is it also a TV set?

Groucho at WKBW Fall Presentation 1988

2008-09-08T10:19:00.003-04:00

We used to put together a "Fall Presentation" for clients of the station. It was then shown on a big screen at a HUGE party with hundreds of people. This one, produced by Rob Savarino was one of the more fun/creative efforts. It stars Dick Hummert, Dave Collin-as well as a young woman who's name escapes me and yours truly as Groucho Marx. The sketches are amusing-but it's VERY entertaining to see what everyone looked like 20 years ago-i.e. Alex Trebeck with dark hair! Yikes! (in two parts!)

AND part two!

"Bruce Almighty" Understudy

2008-09-04T16:39:00.004-04:00

In 2003 actor Jim Carrey played a feature reporter in "Bruce Almighty" who worked @ WKBW-TV in Buffalo, NY. In the movie he dressed up as Mark Twain for a TV LIVE-shot. Some people thought that was a strange coincidence considering I was a feature reporter working @ WKBW-TV in Buffalo, NY & on occasion I had dressed up as Mark Twain for LIVE shots. Here's a clip from the 1998 opening of the Mark Twain Room at the Buffalo & Erie County Library.

Playing Uncle Sam!

2008-09-02T17:27:00.003-04:00

Thought you might get a chuckle from this. Back before my TV career got off the ground (my starving actor period) I was hired to play Uncle Sam for this local TV commercial. It required 4 hours of make-up-a photo shoot, radio spots and this TV commercial. For all of that I think I got about $1.98-ah...Show Biz is my life! But I have the memories-oh yea-and this copy of the spot! Buffalo Savings Bank no longer exists and neither does the production company that produced this commercial-but I'm still here! (Did you catch a glimpse of Irv Weinstein at the end of the spot? I pulled this off from an old show tape! No extra charge!)

MY FIRST STORY @ 7 NEWS

2008-08-28T20:36:00.003-04:00

To commemorate my 25th Anniversary in the SAME JOB!!
There is a first time for everything. This is the audition piece
that landed me a 25 year year gig (so far) at WKBW-TV in
Buffalo, NY. Not bad for a former dinner theatre actor-
used to being at a job for 5 weeks! This aired
August 29th, 1983-my actual first day at circle 7.

One Of My OLD Friends

2008-08-10T18:26:00.002-04:00

I went to Kenmore West with this guy-he saved my tail more than once when I was Art Editor for the school newspaper (Paul was actually an artist-I was a doodler). We were in school plays together-"Rally 'Round The Flag Boys" and "Harvey" and Paul Bene still does some GREAT acting for the Niagara Regional Theatre Company. I thought of him the other day when I was driving through Niagara Falls and saw him standing in front of his comic book store "House Of Fantasy". He's still at it!! -(different location I think)-this story was shot and aired in 1983. And we are both still kicking!

Twain Stop-Victorville, California

2008-08-04T09:57:00.008-04:00

My annual Father's Day Weekend visit to the "Huck Finn Jubilee" to kick off one of the west coast's largest and most fun Blue Grass festivals. This year Mr. Twain posed with "Tom Sawyer & Becky Thatcher" all the way from Hannibal, MO and "Huck Finn" the winner of the look-a-like contest. More info about the Huck Finn Jubilee www.HuckFinn.com Video Clips of Mark Twain in action at www.MarkTwainLive.com

White Water In Western New York

2008-08-03T18:24:00.001-04:00

This was one of my early 7 Country Stories. Originally Aired July 1984-on WKBW-TV Buffalo, NY. Shot by award winning videographer Ed Reilly-who was held in the raft by my award winning wife Kathy-she does not appear on camera but you can hear her scream!

"ROCKETSHIP 7" the 90's remake

2008-07-30T20:35:00.004-04:00

Captain Mike, Thema Louise and "Admiral Promo"-he received a promotion and a paint job for this early 90's remake of the popular WKBW-TV Show. Thema was holding a mail carton to hide our yet unborn son Adam-his birthday March 5, 1993.
Here's a link where you can find some info about the original show and it's host...can you remember who it was? Here's a hint-he used to do "Dialing For Dollars" @WKBW, he moved off to Philadelphia-and his son stars on TV in "Bones".
okay click here-
http://www.rocketship7.com/

EYEWITNESS NEWS RAP

2008-07-29T10:51:00.002-04:00

A Popular & respected Buffalo anchor team performs a rap song
written my me-November 1987 Gotta LOVE their enthusiasm!

Who Didn't Love Red?!

2008-07-27T14:36:00.002-04:00

One of America's GREATEST Funny Men! Thrilled to meet him,
share some laughs and Get His Autograph!
Red Skelton July 18, 1913 – September 17, 1997

Buffalo Bob & me

2008-07-27T02:42:00.003-04:00

Celebrating 25 years @ one place and one of my fondest memories was getting to know Buffalo Bob of Howdy Doody fame. He was a childhood neighbor of my Dad and they lived in the same house as kids. BB upstairs and my Dad, his brothers and Mother downstairs on Rohr Street in Buffalo! Buffalo Bob, talented piano player, entertainer, TV Host and lover of puppets!

A Weatherman With No Maps!

2008-07-24T19:55:00.000-04:00

When the power goes out at your TV station-how does the weatherman do the weather WITH NO MAPS!!!?

When Mark Twain Had To Do The Weather

2008-07-23T22:31:00.002-04:00

Had a show and a weathercast to do on the same night in Ellicottville, NY-with an understanding News Director, a LIVE truck and good timing-"alls well that ends well!"

The Princess And The Jump Rope

2008-07-22T09:04:00.000-04:00

When it comes to magic-Kids are more interested in the "ride"
than the "destination"!

Planes, Trains & Beauty Salons

2008-07-21T22:08:00.000-04:00

Back when I had my hair done with JOHN CANDY!

Singing Like Bob Goulet For Bob Goulet

2008-07-20T15:59:00.000-04:00

Once I made fun of Robert Goulet-with his permission. He always had a great sence of humor about himself. "Never be afraid to laugh at yourself, after all, you could be missing out on the joke of the century." Dame Edna Everage, In a television interview with Joan Rivers

"Mike Randall & Friends"

2008-07-20T11:28:00.000-04:00

LIVE! On stage at Eastern Hills Mall. Dudley always gets more laughs.

Randall Feature-"Johnny Main Ventriloquist"

2008-07-19T23:13:00.000-04:00

One of my earliest, most fun and most difficult feature pieces. Johnny Main was a class act all the way. He loved the concept for the story and was thrilled to help make it spooky & fun. What can you say about a guy who loves puppets and knows how to bring them to life!? Awesome.