A few weeks ago, my sister called to ask me a question: “Who writes the Castle mysteries?”

Well, being of fan of the TV series and the mystery novels, as well as being a librarian with access to the Library of Congress catalog, I answered truthfully: “I have no idea.”
 

From the earliest days of television, there were spin-offs.  Series that featured characters who started on one series and then graduated to a series of their own.  Even The Andy Griffith Show began as an episode of Make Room for Daddy (a.k.a. The Danny Thomas Show).
 

No, that’s not a typo.  This is a Springtime edition of Happy Holidays, because this weekend brings us both Passover and Easter.  These are celebrations that bring families together and encourage even the youngest members to participate.  While tradition usually dictates our observance of the holidays, there are also DVDs and videos for children that give us the true meanings of the holidays – and some of the fun things, too.

Passover
 

And now for a different kind of March “Mad”-ness: the return of AMC’s Mad Men on Sunday, March 25.  The series, which premiered in 2007, has garnered a lot of attention and praise, earning several Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.  The drama, set in the 1960s, looks at the world of advertising executives of Madison Avenue.  While the advertising game and its strategies are part of the story, the main draw is the private lives of the men and women

It’s one of the sure signs of spring.  No, not new bright green leaves on the trees.  No, not the blooming of bluebonnets.   No, not even the warmer temperatures.  None of those.

It’s March Madness!  The NCAA basketball playoffs to determine the best college teams in the country.

Whether you’re a basketball fan or not, it’s hard not to take some interest in the competition.  Sweet Sixteen.  Elite Eight.  Final Four.  National Championship.  It’s exciting to see if your favorite or a local team advances in the rounds.

PBS is accustomed to having programs that become somewhat popular in the United States.  Oh, not like American Idol or The Big Bang Theory popular.  No, just programs that develop a devoted following among the PBS viewers.  Masterpiece is one of their most watched series.  That program carries British series divided into three categories: Classic, Contemporary, and Mystery.  And in 2011, they struck gold with a Classic series – Downton Abbey.

There are various sayings for it.  Everything old is new again.  What goes around comes around.  It’s déjà vu all over again.  (Ya gotta love Yogi Berra!)  In any case, it’s certainly true for Hollywood this past year.  One of the biggest films of 2011, a movie causing a lot of buzz, is a black & white, silent film.
 

There’s no doubt about it.  Betty White has become America’s sweetheart.  And who could blame us for falling for her, whether for the first time or all over again?  The woman is sharp, talented, lovely – and possesses the kind of comedy timing that is only honed over years in show business.

Back in the 50s, there was a television series titled December Bride.  It starred Spring Byington as a widow who longed to find a suitable man and remarry.  A character actor played the next-door neighbor named Pete.  The actor was Harry Morgan.  He went on to star in a spinoff series titled Pete and Gladys, a show that I remember.  My grandmother was a great fan of both shows; and no matter what other series Morgan was in, she always called him “Ol’ Pete.”  So when Harry Morgan passed away this past December, I guess it was natural for me to think, “Ol’ Pete is gone.”<

Christmas is full of bright colors.  Red Santa suit.  Green Christmas tree.  Silver tinsel.  Gold stars.

So why are my favorite holiday movies in black & white?

I don’t know.  They just are.