Dan Aykroyd could not attend Netflix’s AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy, but his words still became part of the night. The comedy legend had prepared remarks for his former Trading Places costar, and his daughter, Belle, stepped in to deliver them onstage. The moment gave the tribute a warm family touch. According to Entertainment Weekly, Dan Aykroyd had planned to appear in person, but when life got in the way, Belle read his message to Murphy before an audience filled with comedy legends and longtime admirers of the actor’s career. Belle Aykroyd Delivered Her Father’s Message Onstage Everett Collection Belle began by explaining that her father had truly wanted to be there. He had planned to attend, written his remarks, and prepared to honor Murphy himself. Since he could not make it, she stood in his place and helped make sure his tribute still reached the room. Eddie Murphy/Instagram Her appearance added a sweet twist to the evening, especially since the tribute celebrated one of Murphy’s most influential screen partnerships. Aykroyd and Murphy starred together in the 1983 comedy Trading Places, a film that paired two very different comic energies and turned them into one of the decade’s most memorable duos. ‘Trading Places’ Remains A Comedy Classic DRAGNET, Dan Aykroyd, 1987. ph: ©Universal Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection Trading Places followed Murphy’s Billy Ray Valentine and Aykroyd’s Louis Winthorpe III as their lives changed because of a cruel bet between wealthy businessmen. The movie became both a critical and financial success. Over time, it also found new life as a holiday favorite, with many fans still returning to it every Christmas season. TRADING PLACES, Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Denholm Elliott, Eddie Murphy, 1983/Everett Collection In the remarks Belle read, Aykroyd praised Murphy’s talent, charisma, and power as the force that helped push the movie into greatness. The timing of the film also mattered. Aykroyd had already made his mark on Saturday Night Live and The Blues Brothers, while Murphy was still in his SNL run and only beginning his film career. Just one year later, Beverly Hills Cop would turn Murphy into one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. The tribute ended with a nod to their famous film, as Dan Aykroyd closed his message with the unforgettable Trading Places line, “Looking good, Billy Ray.” Next up: The Only ‘My Three Sons’ Cast Members Still Alive Today The post Dan Aykroyd’s Daughter Makes Rare Appearance While Honoring Eddie Murphy In Her Father’s Place appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Ruth A

  Aside from the fear, radiation clouds and suicide squads, the nuclear arms race and Cold War was the golden age of consoles, buttons and dials. The photographer Eric Lusito has been looking at former Soviet scientific institutes. In the 1990s, after the fall of the Soviet Union, many institutions across the empire were abandoned. Others survived, albeit is much reduced circumstances. Above his his picture of a console at the Usikov Institute for Radiophysics and Electronics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, part of the Ukrainian Institute of Physics and Technology. The laboratory of electromagnetic oscillations, was established in 1930. Led by Abram Slutskin, it pioneered research into electrical engineering and electromagnetic waves. Effective microwave oscillators, magnetrons in particular, became key components of radar systems, a priority of the Red Army. The original Soviet-era staff attendance board is still a fixture at the entrance to the institute     UTR-2 antenna control panel, Institute of Radio Astronomy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine The Ukrainian T-shaped radio telescope, second modification (UTR-2) is the world’s largest low-frequency radio telescope. Made up of a network of 2,040 antennas known as dipoles, the entire structure covers 15 hectares and takes the form of a giant letter T. The telescope is used to analyse radio signals from a range of cosmic sources, particularly those from the sun, lightning on Saturn and pulsars, as well as emissions from interstellar and interplanetary space.     The reactor control room (unchanged since its construction in the 1950s) at the Horia Hulubei National Institute for Research and Development in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Mǎgurele, Romania. The Romanian nuclear programme began in 1955 after a bilateral agreement with the USSR. In 1956, construction began on the country’s first two major research facilities, the VVR-S nuclear reactor and the U-120 cyclotron. The VVR-S was the first reactor to be approved by the USSR outside of its own borders. It was operational until its shutdown in 1997.       Synchrotron control room, Yerevan Physics Institute, Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory, Yerevan, Armenia. In 1956, the Soviet physicist Artem Alikhanian began the development of the Armenian accelerator, known as Arus. His aim was to construct the most powerful electron synchrotron in the world, capable of accelerating particles to nearly the speed of light around a closed loop. Along with the creation of new departments, services and laboratories, a new town nicknamed ‘Physcity’ was built incorporating housing, schools, nurseries, shops, clinics, a cultural centre and a hotel.     Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine In 1932, the cryogenic laboratory led by Lev Shubnikov was the first in the USSR to achieve helium liquefaction, a technological breakthrough that facilitated further research, culminating in the discovery of type II superconductivity (named the Shubnikov phase) in 1936. These spherical containers were used for the storage of liquid hydrogen.     Interdepartmental Training and Technology Centre for High-Voltage Pulse Engineering, Polytechnic Institute Kharkiv, Ukraine The high-voltage hall has remained almost unchanged for a century. A Soviet-era mural depicts a hand grasping a lightning bolt.       Institute of Materials Science of the Uzbekistan Academy of Sciences, Uzbekistan The Big Solar Furnace is one of the world’s largest solar research facilities. Built in 1981, this monumental installation harnesses the power of the sun for cutting-edge science. The solar energy concentrator uses 10,700 mirrors to focus light reflected from an array of heliostats on to a single focal point. Today the facility is used for civilian research and specialist industrial orders.     Byurakan astrophysical observatory, Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Byurakan, Armenia BOA was founded in 1946 by Viktor Ambartsumian, who served as director of the BAO and president of the Armenian Academy of Sciences for 42 and 46 years respectively. In 1947 he discovered stellar associations, very loose clusters of about 10 to 1,000 stars. Observing these, he concluded that star formation was a continuous process, a concept that countered contemporary scientific ideas and powerfully influenced subsequent research in this field.     Control panel and mural at the Byurakan astrophysical observatory, Armenia     Byurakan astrophysical observatory, Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Byurakan, Armenia BOA was founded in 1946 by Viktor Ambartsumian, who served as director of the BAO and president of the Armenian Academy of Sciences for 42 and 46 years respectively. In 1947 he discovered stellar associations, very loose clusters of about 10 to 1,000 stars. Observing these, he concluded that star formation was a continuous process, a concept that countered contemporary scientific ideas and powerfully influenced subsequent research in this field.     Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, Armenian National Academy of Sciences, Byurakan, Armenia This 1-metre Schmidt telescope, installed in 1960, was instrumental in several significant discoveries, including Markarian galaxies. It ceased operating in 1991 but after modernisation in 2015 was brought back into use. Here, Henrik Sargsyan, an engineer who has worked at the observatory since 1958, illuminates the hatch housing a new digital sensor.     Andronikashvili Institute of Physics, Tbilisi, Georgia As the Soviet quest to develop nuclear capabilities in weaponry and energy progressed, experimental prototype reactors were assembled. The first of the IRT reactors was constructed near Tbilisi. Scientists at the institute accurately modelled conditions found in space, allowing them to study the effects of low-temperature irradiation on various materials. The standard research reactor is a pool-type reactor using water as moderator, neutron reflector and coolant as part of the biological shielding of the reactor   Alikhanyan National Science Laboratory’s Aragats cosmic ray research station, Armenia After the collapse of the USSR, with funding discontinued, the station’s survival seemed uncertain. International grants and support from the Armenian diaspora bridged the gap, allowing Aragats to continue its work.     Institute of Radio Astronomy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kharkiv, Ukraine A stairwell in the damaged building. The painting depicts the first spacewalk, performed in 1965 by the cosmonaut Alexei Leonov. And what a story his is.   Via: Soviet Scientific Institutes by Eric Lusito by FUEL The post Soviet Science After The Fall appeared first on Flashbak.

Jon Bauman has been performing as the iconic character for 57 years.

Mattel is bringing back one of its most nostalgic maker toys with a modern twist. Decades after children used the original ThingMaker to create Creepy Crawlers, flowers, mini-dragons, and other small toys with heated molds, the company has reimagined the idea for a new generation. According to KSDK, Mattel ThingMaker is returning as a $299.99 family-friendly 3D printer created in collaboration with Autodesk. The updated device combines nostalgia with modern design tools, allowing users to create small toys, jewelry, robots, dinosaurs, and other figures through a mobile app before sending them to print. The Classic Toy Gets A Modern 3D Printing Upgrade YouTube Screenshot The original ThingMaker arrived in the 1960s, long before most families imagined having anything close to a 3D printer at home. Children created toys by pouring liquid plastic into molds, then heating and cooling the designs. The new version keeps the spirit of hands-on creativity but replaces the old process with digital templates, app-based design, and standard PLA filament. The ThingMaker app works on iOS and Android and lets users build items with drag-and-drop parts. They can choose templates, adjust colors, and see how movable parts may behave before printing. For safety, the printer door locks automatically once printing begins, which helps make the device more suitable for families. Mattel designed the printer for users ages 13 and up, though the small printed parts are rated as safe toys for children ages 3 and older. Mattel Hopes To Make Home 3D Printing More Accessible Creepy Crawlers made with a Thingmaker still generate nostalgia / Wikimedia Commons   Home 3D printers have often struggled to attract everyday families. Many models have seemed too expensive, slow, or complicated for casual users. Mattel is approaching the category from a toy and consumer electronics angle, hoping the familiar ThingMaker name can make the technology feel less intimidating and more playful. The company plans to release the printer in the fall, with preorders starting earlier on Amazon. Printing will still require patience, since a small ring may take about 30 minutes, while a larger toy could take six to eight hours. Still, the idea of designing a toy before bedtime and waking up to a finished creation carries the same kind of magic that made the original Mattel ThingMaker memorable. The company has not yet confirmed whether users will eventually print Barbie, Hot Wheels, or other famous Mattel toys, but it has hinted that its iconic brands could become part of a longer-term plan. A new Thingmaker by Mattel / YouTube screenshot Next up: Clint Eastwood Celebrates His 96th Birthday As His Son Confirms Retirement The post The Nostalgic ThingMaker Got A High-Tech Makeover From Mattel appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Ruth A

For more than a decade, ‘My Three Sons’ felt like a member of the family in households across America. Week after week, viewers tuned in to watch the Douglas family navigate life’s ups and downs with warmth, humor, and plenty of heart, helping make the sitcom one of television’s most enduring classics. The years have brought many changes since the series left the air, and the cast members followed very different paths in life. From successful careers beyond the show to quieter lives away from the spotlight, here is a look at what happened to the stars of ‘My Three Sons’ and which familiar faces from the beloved cast are still with us today. Is Fred MacMurray still alive? Everett Collection / YouTube Screenshot Steve Douglas is a widower and aeronautical engineer navigating the highs and lows of raising his children as a single parent, kind of. As he had a little help from Bub, and then Charley for the later seasons. But Fred was the heart of the show, delivering very tender moments, advising his kids or explaining something to them. He came across as someone who was actually attached to these children. Fred MacMurray began acting way back in 1929, and his aunt — named Fay Holderness — was actually a film actress, too. Throughout his early career, he co-starred with the leading ladies of the time… Katharine Hepburn in Alice Adams, and Joan Crawford in Above Suspicion. But he became one of Hollywood’s most sought-after actors when he starred in Billy Wilder’s crime drama Double Indemnity in 1944. Possibly the best film-noir ever made. MY THREE SONS, Fred MacMurray, 1960-72. TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection Not many actors booked film roles as easily as Fred – and he would reteam with Wilder for the Oscar-winning film The Apartment, released the same year My Three Sons kicked off on ABC. Many originally thought the show was from Disney, because he was linked to the Mouse company with several films, highlighted by The Shaggy Dog. My Three Sons was actually one of his final roles, and he filmed it his way. Literally, using the MacMurray method, where he would do all of his scenes in 65 nonconsecutive days, two big chunks, so the rest of the cast would often just act without their dad there. This meant the regulars got haircuts once a week and guest stars would have to return months later to complete the episode. All kitchen scenes would be done together, then all the scenes upstairs, etc. Of his four post-Douglas-patriarch roles, his final was 1978’s The Swarm. He retired and moved to his remote ranch. Fred was widely known as one of the more frugal actors in the biz with stories circulating of his famous hard-boiled egg brown bag lunches and stingy tips, and this was the 1960s when he had been collecting mighty fine paychecks for decades. The actor was also a heavy smoker, and developed throat cancer in the late ‘70s, hence his retirement. But he battled for years, finally passing away in 1991 at the age of 83, marking the death of a deeply beloved My Three Sons cast member. Is William Frawley still alive? Everett Collection Bub is Steve’s father-in-law who helps raise the sons for the first 5 seasons, the black and white era. He serves as the housekeeper and it reunited him with Fred MacMurray from the movie Car 99 25 years earlier. One of Frawley’s early highlights included co-starring with The Duke in The Fighting Seabees in 1944. Then three years later, he was a part of the holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street. MY THREE SONS, William Frawley, 1960-72 (1964 photo) / Everett Collection By 1951, he had appeared in over 100 movies. That was when he learned the legendary Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball were creating a new comedy series, and after some convincing, he landed the role of landlord Fred Mertz. Desi and Lucy were well aware of William’s talents, but CBS was unsure of the choice. You see, William had a habit of showing up to work in some state of drunkenness. So Desi’s one condition was to forfeit the drinking at work, done and done, and he and Desi actually became very close friends. Frawley was so accustomed to filming I Love Lucy in order, that he was one of the more disgruntled actors forced into the MacMurray method, but that wasn’t the reason he left the show – it was a health issue as production could no longer attain insurance on the aging actor. He, otherwise, enjoyed his time on the show. And to make matters worse… he was replaced by an actor whom he despised. William Frawley passed away the following year in 1966 at age 79 from a severe heart attack. Is Tim Considine still alive? Everett Collection / YouTube Screenshot Mike Douglas is Steve’s oldest son, who eventually marries his fiancée Sally Ann, and is written off the show. And the program never mentioned him again… which seems odd. Instead, they add another son to keep the “three” thing going. Tim made his acting debut in 1953 at 13 years old, co-starring with a true clown playing a clown… really, acting alongside Red Skelton in The Clown. You’ll probably remember his Disney stints, like The Adventures of Spin and Marty where he played Spin, and two Hardy Boys series where he played Frank Hardy. Tell me in the comments if you remember these ’50s series. MY THREE SONS, William Frawley, Stanley Livingston, Fred MacMurray, Tim Considine, Don Grady, 1960-72 After My Three Sons, Tim guest starred on Bonanza, a two-parter of Gunsmoke, and then was the lucky ducky who got slapped by George C. Scott, in the 1970 war epic, Patton. Maybe lucky, as the slap took several takes to get right… ouch. Tired of getting slapped by the entertainment biz in his adult life, Tim was an automobile historian, photographer, and writer with a specialty in motorsports. He also showed up for fan conventions and spoke at panels on My Three Sons. Sadly, Tim Considine died in March of 2022 at the age of 81. Is William Demarest still alive? Everett Collection Charley is the younger brother of Bub and Steve’s uncle-in-law, joining the show to replace the ill Frawley. The two were acting rivals and the tension could even be felt onset, at least for the transition period. Demarest began his lengthy Hollywood career in the late ’20s. Some of those earlier films include 1941’s The Lady Eve and Sullivan’s Travels. MY THREE SONS, (from left): Fred MacMurray, William Demarest, 1960-72 / Everett Collection Prior to his Charley, he enjoyed television success as Jeb Gaine on Season 6 of Tales of Wells Fargo in the early ‘60s. We last saw him act in a TV movie trying to revive the old ’50s program The Millionaire in 1978. He was a fine character actor with a quiet intensity and comic timing that kept him employed well into his eighties. He was nominated just once for an Oscar, as Best Supporting Actor in the biopic The Jolson Story, but the project he is most proud of is My Three Sons. Demarest died in 1983, at the age of 91, but from vaudeville to boxing — this guy seemed to do it all. Is Don Grady still alive? Everett Collection Next boy up is the middle child, Robbie Douglas, who enjoyed a marriage himself on the show, to his college sweetheart Katie – but Don appeared in every episode but one. Grady stepped onto the scene in the late ‘50s – first becoming a Mouseketeer, along with 23 other lucky kids, then transitioning into guest appearances on TV shows, like three one-offs of The Restless Gun and two of The Rifleman. That took him right to the Douglas clan, but his role on My Three Sons was one of his final. He did make one resurgence in 1983, with two episodes of Simon and Simon. He never left Hollywood, just transitioned to another department. Music. MY THREE SONS, Fred MacMurray, Don Grady, 1960-1972 / Everett Collection He’s composed for various films and TV shows, it all began with My Three Sons and culminated when he wrote the theme song for The Phil Donahue Show, which was heard a lot – over a thousand episodes actually. We’ve already talked about his sister on this channel in our Eight is Enough episode. Lani O’Grady played Mary Bradford, the oldest Bradford girl for five seasons. Remember? Sadly, her older brother Don died in June of 2012 at the age of 68 from myeloma. Is Tina Cole still alive? Everett Collection / Admedia/ImageCollect Katie is Robbie’s wife and Steve’s daughter-in-law. And if you thought she looked familiar, it’s because she is inherently a member of The King Family Singers, her mother being Yvonne King and she is the niece of the King Sisters. So Tina was a part of The King Cousins. Then she became the director of the Sacramento Children’s Theatre. While she has semi-revisited, appearing in the movie Reawakened in 2020. MY THREE SONS, Tina Cole, (shot Feb 1968), 1960-72. photo: Tony Esparza/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection Today she’s 81 years old and still occasionally does interviews where she talks about her time on My Three Sons. And if you thought she and Don had great chemistry, it’s because they did enjoy a long relationship during the show. Is Stanley Livingston still alive? Everett Collection / YouTube Screenshot Chip Douglas is Steve’s youngest son, at least at the beginning of the show. He and Fred and the only actors to appear in every episode. And it’s really neat to see him grow in 12 seasons of work and actual life. Heck in the final season, Chip even married his high school sweetheart Polly. After Chip was through, he did some voice work for Hanna-Barbera, beginning with The Roman Holidays and then Devlin. MY THREE SONS, from left, Fred MacMurray, Stanley Livingston, 1960-72 (1962 photo by George Long) At 18 he married a go-go dancer, Sandra Livingston, and their six-year marriage ended in 1974 after they had a daughter, Samantha Livingston. Then in 2015, he married an actress named Paula Drake, and the two are still married today. In his later years, he spent time as a producer and director in LA. In the early 2000s, he was directing children’s shows for PBS. Today, Stanley is 74, and check out his website if you want to see interviews and upcoming panel appearances. Now we go to Stanley’s real life and TV little brother. Is Barry Livingston still alive? Everett Collection / Carrie Nelson/ImageCollect Ernie is the son that Steve adopts into his family, and is Stanley’s real younger brother and probably had the best acting career of any of the children. Barry began The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, just like his bro did. Or maybe you remember him from that season one episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. He got to be a part of some big film productions too, like 1987’s Masters of the Universe, and 1992’s The Nutt House, and is actually very much still at it today. MY THREE SONS, from left: Stanley Livingston, Fred MacMurray, Barry Livingston, 1960-72. TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection He was in three episodes of Bosch as Gary Potter and even reprised the role for Bosch: Legacy in 2022. In October of 2011, Barry released his autobiography, The Importance of Being Ernie — detailing his career from My Three Sons to Mad Men and beyond. We hope to see this 71-year-old actor for years to come. That was the cast of My Three Sons. So now it’s your turn… who was your favorite son in My Three Sons? Did you prefer William Frawley or William #2? Did this classic sitcom overstay its welcome on air after 12 long years? Get in the comments and tell us  everything you recall about this legendary program. MY THREE SONS, from left: William Frawley, Fred MacMurray, Stanley Livingston (front), Tim Considine, Don Grady, 1960-1972 / Everett Collection Next up: The Nostalgic ThingMaker Got A High-Tech Makeover From Mattel The post The Only ‘My Three Sons’ Cast Members Still Alive Today appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Dana Daly