David Hiltbrand

A true child of television, David Hiltbrand spent his childhood in Brooklyn in front of the set watching Sky King and Roy Rogers. He wanted to grow up to be Peter Gunn or T. Hewitt Edward Cat, but instead became an entertainment writer. Hiltbrand is the author of the Jim McNamara mystery series.

His column "Dave on Demand" appears every week in Saturday ReViews.

Buy his latest novel in our online store.

Email David at dhiltbrand@phillynews.com

Television networks planning Jackson coverage
TV One to begin Sunday show aimed at blacks
Poll: Which TV shows would be on your bottom 10 list? (236 votes)

A supporting role satisfied Brendan Wayne, who plays an outlaw named Randy in the remake of "Angel and the Badman."

Another Wayne

defers to Duke

By David Hiltbrand, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted 07/01/2009

What actor wouldn't want to star in a movie? Brendan Wayne. He was content to take a supporting role in Angel and the Badman, a remake of the 1947 western scheduled to run on the Hallmark Channel on Sunday night.

Dave on Demand: Celebrity-athlete pairings on ABC are not one bit super - 06/27/2009: By David Hiltbrand, For the Inquirer

When you cover television, you take the good with the bad. Mostly the latter this time of year. Case in point: The Superstars, which debuted on ABC this week. As remakes of made-for-TV competitions go, this puppy is even worse than the recent American Gladiators.
TV's Jon and Kate call it quits - 06/23/2009: By David Hiltbrand, Inquirer Staff Writer

Boy, when the Gosselins promise sweeping life changes, they don't mess around. Near the end of last night's hour-long episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8, the screen was filled with a graphic: "On Monday, June 22, 2009, legal proceedings were initiated in Pennsylvania to dissolve the ten-year marriage of Jon and Kate Gosselin."
'Merlin' series reworks a legend - 06/19/2009: By David Hiltbrand, Inquirer Staff Writer

It's tough to squeeze fresh life out of a legend as overtilled as Camelot, but Merlin, a 13-part summer series on NBC, debuting tonight, finds a workable approach: Dial the traditional tale back a few decades and twist the premise.
Dave on Demand: Jon & Kate Plus Plugs - 06/20/2009: TLC used the Gosselins to cross-promote other shows. Viewers responded with multiple yawns. Cue the conjugal melodrama.

By David Hiltbrand, For the Inquirer

Everybody knows that Jon & Kate Plus 8 opened its fifth season with monster numbers, proving yet again that lurid tabloid covers are the best publicity.
Dave on Demand: Having missed the slam-bang Tonys opener - 06/13/2009: By David Hiltbrand, For the Inquirer

Never thought I'd find myself typing these words, but I was looking forward to last Sunday's Tony Awards. All it took was Neil Patrick Harris delivering his "Top Ten Signs That You've Hired a Bad Tonys Host" for David Letterman on the Late Show. No. 2: "Plans to have a bare-assed Angela Lansbury lowered onto Eminem." Funny, she wrote.
Songs for sale - 06/13/2009: Kenny Loggins is the latest to peddle his musical wares on QVC.

By David Hiltbrand, Inquirer Staff Writer

Irrepressible QVC program host Shawn Killinger is launching Q Check, the home shopping network's noon segment. At the top, she teases the appearance of Kenny Loggins. Behind her, the veteran singer-songwriter and his backing trio perform the opening chorus of Donovan's "There Is a Mountain."
B.J. Novak gives at 'The Office' and out of it - 06/11/2009: By David Hiltbrand, Inquirer Staff Writer

In his stand-up act, B. J. Novak has questioned the showbiz definition of a triple threat. "That is a term for somebody who can act and sing and dance," he observes. "To me that sounds like the least threatening guy alive."
Dave on Demand: Speidi, weaving an in-your-face web - 06/06/2009: By David Hiltbrand, For the Inquirer

Certain people will do anything to extend their 15 minutes of fame. Let's not beat around the shrubbery here: We're talking about Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, a.k.a. Speidi. (In this case, a.k.a. stands for "annoyingly known as.")
Conan's cuckoo debut - 06/04/2009: "The Tonight Show," now nuttier: O'Brien skips past Jay and Johnny and Jack right back to Steve Allen silliness.

By David Hiltbrand, Inquirer Staff Writer

Inheriting The Tonight Show throne this week, Conan O'Brien has taken NBC's late-night institution old-school. Steve Allen old. O'Brien's approach is the most off-the-wall and unpredictable since Steverino invented the job in the '50s.
Dave on Demand: On the face of it, curious laugh lines - 05/30/2009: By David Hiltbrand, For the Inquirer

Boy, when the season ends, the networks slam down the shutters with the alacrity of DMV clerks at closing time. Suddenly, you can hear crickets during prime time.