Steven Helmer Publications

Synopsis: While Jed ( Buddy Ebsen ) and his family settle in Beverly Hills, Cousin Pearl ( Bea Benaderet ) watches over his family homestead and learns about his new home from oil man John Brewster ( Frank Wilcox ). My Thoughts:  It still baffles me Milburn Drysdale ( Raymond Bailey ) didn't do any research on the Clampetts. I know he only really cares about the millions they put in his bank but, based on his comment about Jed's "mansion" back home, it appears he didn't even realize Jed was a new millionaire and not someone who came from money. Even without the research, you would think he would have figured it out. I mean, just based on the truck they were driving and their clothes alone, it shouldn't have been difficult to determine they may not quite understand the concept of modern conveniences and had his secretary, Jane Hathaway (Nancy Kulp) give them the basics on things like running water. Which brings me back to a previous question, why does Pearl se...

Synopsis: Milicent Patrick lived a full life in Hollywood. She worked in the animation department for Walt Disney, spent some time working as a model and, most famously, helped design the Gill Man costume for Creature from the Black Lagoon . However, because of her gender, most of her accomplishments, including that last one, have been erased from history and/or claimed by men. In this non-fiction biography, the author chases down Milicent's lost legacy and helps her reclaim credit for her work. Review: I love classic monster movies, but I am almost equally a fan of the history surrounding a lot of those classic films. So, when I learned about The Lady from the Black Lagoon, I decided to request a copy from my library and give it a read. I was not disappointed. Truth-be-told, I never heard the name Milicent Patrick before reading this book but, as it turns out, there is good reason for that - as much as she accomplished in her time in Hollywood, including one of the most iconic m...

Synopsis: No longer in high school, Slip Mahoney is struggling to hold onto a job, frustrating his sister, Mary, who has promised to take care of him. Not wanting to disappoint her, Slip reluctantly takes a job as a skip tracer and proves to be a natural. However, an assignment to serve a summon to auto thieves puts his life in danger and reveals information about Mary's boss, Herbert Sayers, just as she is about to travel to Mexico with him. Who's in it? The movie stars Leo Gorcey , Huntz Hall , Pamela Blake , John Eldredge and Bobby Jordan . Review: It had been a short while since I last watched a Bowery Boys movie and, after coming across Live Wires , the first film to introduce that version of Leo Gorcey and his crew, I decided to take the time to watch it. After finishing it, I have to say I liked it. While the movie was Slip (Gorcey) focused and had the rest of the Bowery Boys, even Sach (Hall) more in a supporting role, I thought the overall story was entertaining. I...

Synopsis: Bud and Lou are stranded in Egypt but see a way home if they can convince Dr. Gustav Zoomer to hire them to accompany the recently discovered mummy, Klaris, back to America. They, however, find Zoomer murdered and become the top suspects. In addition, they are hunted by both Klaris' followers and businesswoman Madame Rontru, seeking a medallion Lou found that is the key to finding a hidden treasure undead Klaris is guarding. Things become even more complicated for the duo when Lou accidentally swallows the artifact. Who's in it? The movie stars Bud Abbott , Lou Costello , Marie Windsor , Richard Deacon and Eddie Parker. Review: It had been a while since I watched Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy and while I remembered not liking it as much as their other monster-themed films, I couldn't remember the details. So, I decided to give it another try. After re-watching it, I concluded the movie is better than I remembered, though I still stand by my earlier opinio...

  My wife and I made a much-needed Costco run yesterday morning, and it didn't take long for us to be above the budget I had hoped we'd be able to stick to. Despite this, as we were walking through one of the freezer aisles, I spotted a box of Red's Meat Lovers Breakfast Burritos and, figuring it would be a good breakfast option for when I'm at my office, I picked them up. I gave the burritos a try this morning and thought they were worth the $14.99 I spent on the box of them. One of my biggest problems with store bought breakfast burritos is, more often than not, they don't have much in them. That was not the case with these. I had two of them for breakfast and only had maybe one bite that was just the outer wrapping with no meat or eggs in it. This both added flavor and made the burritos much more filling. I also thought the burritos had a good taste to them. The sausage was well-seasoned, giving it a bit of a kick without being too spicy while the cheese sauce al...

My oldest daughter and I handed out packets of hot cocoa to trick-or-treaters in shifts yesterday evening and, while she was taking her turn, I decided to move one of my trail cameras back to the backyard. I retrieved it this morning and learned it picked up quite a bit of activity back there. Here are some of the photos: ____________________________________________________________________ Here are some of my other trail camera photos: Trail Camera Photos (9/26/2026-9/27/2026) Trail Camera Photos (10/11/2026-10/12/2026) Trail Camera Photos (7/23/2026-7/24/2026) Trail Camera Photos (7/25/2026-7/26/2026)