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Did TV ever inspire a good flick?

Name a decent movie made from a TV series From Carrie Rickey's "Flickgrrl" http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/flickgrrl/ Besides Star Trek, has there ever been a decent big-screen entertainment made from a small-screen franchise?

Name a decent movie made from a TV series

From Carrie Rickey's "Flickgrrl"

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/flickgrrl/

Besides Star Trek, has there ever been a decent big-screen entertainment made from a small-screen franchise?

Friday's release of The A-Team occasions this question, to which Flickgrrl's knee-jerk response is "no, no, no." Two words: The Avengers. Two more: McHale's Navy.

A more reasoned response would consider The Muppet Movie (1979), The Naked Gun (1988), The Fugitive (1993), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995, with the Bradys still stuck in the 1970s), Maverick (1994, carried by the charms of Jodie Foster, James Garner, and Mel Gibson), and Sex and the City (2008). In that subcategory of Saturday Night Live routines expanded to features, Flickgrrl would allow The Blues Brothers (1980) and Wayne's World (1992).

Are there rules that govern what kind of TV material is adaptable to film? What titles do you nominate?

Philly Pops back on Independence Mall

From Peter Dobrin's "ArtsWatch"

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/artswatch/

It's one of ArtsWatch's favorite summer traditions: Sitting on the grassy expanse north of Independence Hall, the summer sky turning Maxfield Parrish blue, while listening to the Philly Pops. Then walking a few blocks to the Franklin Fountain for peach ice cream and lemon sorbet.

So we felt a little empty upon learning that the concert had failed to attract funding this year, and had been scrapped.

But now we hear that Mayor Nutter has put his hands on the cash, and the concert is back on.

It's July 2 at 8 p.m., with Peter Nero conducting. No program has been announced, but it's safe to think that Nero will weave a patriotic thread through the program.

The concert is free.

The cute Beatle to play the Wachovia Center

From Dan DeLuca's "In the Mix"

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inthemix/

Paul McCartney skipped Philadelphia on his East Coast stadium tour last summer, but the 67-year-old cute Beatle will bring his Up and Coming Tour indoors to the Wachovia Center on Aug. 14. Macca, who last performed in Philadelphia in 2005, promises a career-spanning set, from the Fab Four to songs from Electric Arguments, his 2008 collaboration with British producer Youth as The Fireman. Last week, the left-handed bassist with a knack for a hummable tune was honored with the Gershwin Prize at the White House by President Obama. Tickets for the Wachovia show go on sale Monday, June 21, at 10 a.m. through ComcastTix.com and LiveNation.com.