2004 UPDATES

UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2004

Alrighty then, it's new UPDATE time here.  There's a lot of showbiz "stuff" that's possibly happening, but I'm not going to talk about any of that at this point. I'm only going to talk about showbiz stuff that IS happening. So... I've finished my sixth solo Mumy album. It's titled "Los Angeles Times". It has 15 original Mumy songs on it. I've played every instrument and sung every vocal on the album.  The design as usual has been handled quite nicely by my pal Angela Cartwright and features a few brand new artsy photos and several "vintage" photos from the mid to late 1950's. I've taken longer to officially pronounce this album finished than any other album I've ever made. I think it's a very strong album with no "weak" songs on it. It was mastered by my brilliant friend Frank Wolf, and it sounds really good.  I do hope you'll check it out.  Don't know when it will be released...but keep an eye out for it.     
   

After many years of procrastination, the Jenerators finally made it into the recording studio and we've finished recording our new album. Frank Wolf produced and recorded it.  We were very lucky to work in one of the best studios in Los Angeles; Signet Sound.  The album will have 14 songs on it.  The tentative title is "Pony Up".  Frank will start mixing it soon. No release date yet. But it has been recorded. Stay tuned.  Meanwhile, the band continues to perform regularly at Rusty's Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier. Come on down.
 
I'm narrating a new series for Animal Planet called "Animal Icons". Check it out. Not sure of the air dates. I've only done a handful of them so far.
 
My son Seth has started high school and is on the football team. He's a tailback. He's gained 20 pounds of muscle in the past couple of months.  My daughter Liliana continues to be a prolific actor. She'll be seen soon in an episode of "Crossing Jordan" with my Jenerator pal Miguel Ferrer. She's also doing voice overs; check her out in "Lilo and Stitch" as "Mertle", and in Nickelodeon's new "Cat Scratch" as "Human Kimberly". She's also the voice of "Twinkle" in the upcoming new Disney show, "Higgly Town Heroes".  My wife Eileen continues to keep us all on track.
 
The NEW 'Twilight Zone' series just came out on DVD. That set features me, Liliana and Cloris Leachman in the sequel to the classic, "It's A Good Life", last year's "It's Still A Good Life". It comes highly recommended by your Mumy. Also in that set is an episode called "Found and Lost", story by yours truly.  The OLD Munsters first season just came out on DVD featuring yours truly as "Googie" in the "Come Back Little Googie" episode.  And, the second season of Lost in Space volume 1 is out now as well. So...with all the other DVD's that are already out, there's a TON of Mumy in pristine condition out there to check out. Recent as well as vintage.
 
That's it for right now.  VOTE.
 
Peace,
Bill

"Boy, you'd better look around. How long you think that you can run that body down? How many nights you think that you can do what you been doin? Now who you foolin?" 
Paul Simon "Run That Body Down"

 

UPDATE JUNE 2004

Here we are at the dawn of summer 2004... I hope you're all feelin' good and enjoying yourselves.  It's been quite awhile since the last "official" update here at the website, although I do answer questions in the guestbook here several times a week, so there have been many "mini" updates.

It's a busy time at Mumy Manor.  My son Seth graduates middle school this week. He's starting high school and is looking forward to playing on the football and basketball teams. He's already as tall as me and growin' fast.  Sports is his passion.  He's also into filmmaking and has just finished a cool video of Matthew Beckley's song "The Disappointed" that he shot and edited himself. That should be up on Matt's website soon for all to see. 
Liliana's been workin' a lot lately, although the poor little gal has the flu right now and isn't feelin' good at all. She's asleep on the sofa in the TV room right now.  But, she's been doin' lots of animation and on camera TV work in TV and commercials. You can check out her official site within this official site.

I've been doing a LOT of things lately. I've narrated the new "Animal Icons" series debut episode for Animal Planet Network and I like that network a lot. I've written several themes for new cable TV shows and I'm co-producing a mini series for later this year on the history of films that originated as comic books. I'm doing lots of new "Farmer's Insurance" TV and radio commercials, which I'm quite happy about. I have several "bigtime showbiz" projects in various stages of being pitched and developed and I don't want to talk about stuff like that in detail before it actually becomes reality. In the entertainment business, things can change dramatically within a few hours time.

I've just now finished recording and mixing my next solo album. It's called "Los Angeles Times", and I think it's a very strong record.  My pal the multitalented Angela Cartwright will be supplying the photographs and designing the package as usual, and I'm eager to see what she comes up with. The album should be available by the end of summer. You'll be able to order it here thru the website, and through amazon.com, etc... I do hope you'll check it out.  
 
The Jenerators are heading into the studio this summer to record our long overdue next album and we'll be back gigging around Los Angeles in July.

Barnes and Barnes have finally finished getting all our old albums remastered including bonus tracks and they should start coming out by the end of this year. THEN we'll start recording a new studio album. Due to be re-released: "Amazing Adult Fantasy", "Sicks" and "Kodovoner". All will feature extensive liner notes and unreleased "bonus" tracks.

The current issue of TV Guide ranks the 25 Top "Cult" shows of all time... Babylon 5 is # 13, and The Twilight Zone is # 8. (there's a quote from me regarding Rod Serling in it). That's cool. I'm proud to have made that list twice.

On a sad note: some of you know that Rick Biggs, who played "Dr. Stephen Franklin" on Babylon 5 passed away suddenly last month.  It was a huge shock to all of us. Rick was only 44 years old. Very happy, working prolifically, loving his wife and two little sons... and just...boom! gone.  Everyone from Babylon 5 attended his funeral and memorial. It was inspiring and depressing. Rick was a great guy who will always be missed. But there is a lesson to be learned here, and it's a very hard one to stay focused on, but... we must appreciate the moment. We must live in the present and embrace what is NOW.  I'm trying to remember that every day. Every minute. I suggest you do the same. 

'Nuff said.
 
Peace,
Bill

"You say you want a revolution well, you know we all want to change the world
You tell me that it's evolution, well, you know we all want to change the world.
But when you talk about destruction, don't you know that you can count me out."
"Revolution", Lennon-McCartney
 

UPDATE JANUARY 2004
2004...Wow!  That sounds so "futuristic" to me!  But, here we are. In a few weeks I'll turn 50 years old. Halfway to a hundred. Yikes. Seems like I was just eleven chasing the bloop and Angela Cartwright around the set of "Lost in Space". Time is a fast river...

Well, here's what's been goin' on in Mumyland... My daughter' Liliana's new film "Cheaper by the Dozen" is a big hit and we're all happy about that.  She's currently working on two animated series for Disney, "Lilo and Stitch" (where she plays "Mertyle" the mean little red haired girl") and "Higgly Town Heroes" which will air on Disney's Playhouse Disney. She sings in that one every episode and her character's name is "Twinkle".  Check out Liliana's page when you get a chance.  My son Seth is playing basketball on his school team and prepping for high school entrance exams. Seems like only yesterday he was 5 years old and starring with Patrick Swayzee in "3 Wishes"... Both Seth and Liliana are also expressing interest in learning the guitar these days... My wife Eileen is running around non-stop trying to keep us all on schedule. Our three dogs, Hurley, Bucky and Minnie continue to entertain each other and us all the time!
 
 As some of you know, I've recently released a double CD of all new recordings of 45 songs written and performed by me and my old REDWOOD band mates, Paul Gordon and Gary David. "Redwood: Lost, But Not Really" I'm very proud of that and I've been getting a lot of positive feedback from folks regarding that ambitious project. You can find that here at the "Mumy Mall".  I'm also finishing up the next solo Mumy CD at the time being, and will hopefully have that ready for release by the end of spring. As usual, both those will be available on Renaissance Records.  The Jenerators are performing here in Los Angeles, and we have a new album's worth of material ready to record.  We keep saying we're "going into the studio soon" but... we haven't done it yet!  And, Barnes and Barnes broke a long hiatus from the studio last month to try out some new wacky ideas. Hopefully we'll carry on with it and there will be a new Barnes and Barnes album in the near future. You never know...
 
Look for me in the brand new film "COMIC BOOK: THE MOVIE" directed by and starring my pal Mark Hamill. That will be coming out at the end of this month.
 
I continue to narrate "BIOGRAPHY" for A&E. I enjoy that job very much. I've narrated over 50 episodes of the series so far.  Other voice over work continues to roll in and that's a good thing.
I'd love to report more on-camera projects, but for the time being, I'm not really actively pursuing that, so... I can't report more stuff there!  I have several pilots and other projects I've written and co-written that are being "shopped" around and that's a good thing.
 
Babylon 5 continues to be released on DVD and I think season 4 is coming out anyday now. The first season of Lost in Space will be released on DVD next month.
 
I'll be traveling to a few conventions in the next several months to connect with fans. My whole family will be at "Farpoint" in Baltimore, February 14-16, and then I'll be appearing in Orlando, Florida, March  5-7 at MegaCon with several of the Lost in Space cast members. So, if you're in those neighborhoods at those times... come on out and say howdy.
 
Well, that's it for now. I continue to monitor the guest book here and answer questions there quite often.  Thanks for your continued support of my projects. 
Don't forget to vote this year. It's very important! 
Peace,
Bill
 
"I listen to the wind
To the wind of my soul
Where I’ll end up well I think,
Only God really knows..."
Cat Stevens "The Wind"