Jennifer SwannIf you're looking to relive television shows from the '70s through the '90s and profess your fandom for long-forgotten action heroes, this weekend offers a bevy of conventions to satisfy your inner geek.
3. Still mourning the 2001 cancellation of cult TV show Xena: Warrior Princess? Travel back to ancient Greece — actually, the Burbank Airport Marriott — today through Sunday to meet nearly every actor, extra, crew member, caterer, stand-in and stunt double who's ever set foot on set of the fantasy adventure saga at the Official Xena Convention. Line up for photo ops with Xena alumni whose real names are even cooler than the names of their former characters: Paris Jefferson (Athena), Tsianina Joelson (Varia) and Musetta Vander (Ilainus) are a few of the names you might collect in your autograph book at this gathering. But the biggest name of all? Lucy Lawless, Miss Xena Warrior Princess herself, who we hope will leave her Chakram and sword at home during Sunday's photo op.
A still from Planet of the Apes; Credit: Photo via Wikipedia
2. If you grew up in the '70s, you might remember the short-lived TV series Planet of the Apes, based on the 1968 film of the same name and its sequels. The show was canceled after just half a season because of low ratings, but many of the series' stars are alive and well — and back on planet Earth — during Sunday's Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention at the Shrine Expo Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go ape posing for photos with actors Lou Wagner (who also starred in the late-'70s cop show CHiPS), Linda Harrison (the series' primitive cave babe who starred opposite Charlton Heston), Austin Stoker (a low-budget sci-fi star of flicks including Being From Another Planet) and more.
Bond girl Luciana Paluzzi
1. If you can't pick just one favorite retro television show to celebrate, geek out over them all at the Hollywood Show, a movie and TV memorabilia convention today through Sunday at the Westin just outside of LAX. This is a shameless opportunity for nostalgic fans and 1970s stars alike to meet, greet and throw down money for tacky, retro-tastic merch. The celeb lineup includes around 100 actors — many of whom you'll have to Google to remember their claim-to-fame roles — including 1960s Bond girl Luciana Paluzzi, 1970s Bond girl Britt Ekland, 1980s Bond villain Diana Lee Hsu, 1970s Bond assassin Bruce Glover and the first Bond girl ever, Eunice Gayson, who appeared in 1962's Dr. No. Not a Bond fanatic? Don't worry, you can still snag autographs from stars of series including Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dallas, My Three Sons, Father Knows Best, Hawaiian Eye and Bewitched. While bigger names include Debbie Gibson and siblings Michael and Virginia Madsen, our favorite Hollywood Show celeb in attendance is Carla Laemmle, the 103-year-old silent-film actress and niece of Universal Pictures founder Carl Laemmle.
Follow us on Twitter at @LAWeeklyArts and like us on Facebook.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.