Quick Takes - Sept. 25, 2010

‘Judge Judy’ tops ‘Oprah’

“Judge Judy” won a ratings verdict over “Oprah” last season to rank No. 1 among daytime series.

According to Nielsen figures, Judy Sheindlin’s courtroom show averaged 6.3 million daily viewers, compared with 5.7 million for Oprah Winfrey’s talk show. “Judge Judy” became the first show to knock “Oprah” out of the top spot in a decade — and it was “Judge Judy” that did it the last time too.

Winfrey relied on more reruns than usual last season, which affected her ratings.

Sheindlin is in her 15th year with the legal show. Winfrey, who’s in the 25th and final season of her syndicated show, will launch a new cable network in January.

“Judge Judy” has been renewed through 2013.

Associated Press

‘Big Bang’ does just that for CBS

CBS’ gutsy decision to open the night with a sitcom block paid big dividends Thursday as “The Big Bang Theory” — imported this season from its old Monday berth — rounded up 14 million viewers, dominating its 8 p.m. time slot, according to the Nielsen Co.

“Big Bang” in turn boosted the premiere of “$#*! My Dad Says,” the new William Shatner comedy, which likewise won the 8:30 block with 12.5 million viewers, although it won’t be clear for some weeks how audiences are responding to the series on its own merits.

The CBS comedy freight train left a layer of dust on everyone else. ABC’s new youth drama “My Generation” bombed in its premiere, connecting with just 5.2 million viewers. NBC’s rival comedy block was stymied: “Community” was held to just 5 million viewers and “30 Rock” suffered the worst opening in its five-year history (5.8 million).

—Scott Collins

Forbes to sell its toy figures

The Forbes collection of miniature vintage toy soldiers and boats — from kings and queens to luxury ocean liners and warships — is going on the auction block in December.

The charming collectibles have been on view for 25 years in a series of dioramas and vignettes in the lobby of the Forbes magazine headquarters in Manhattan.

Totaling 7,500 pieces crafted from the 1870s through the 1950s, they will be sold in 250 lots on Dec. 17 at Sotheby’s. They are expected to bring $3 million to $5 million.

—Associated Press

Ray Charles library opens

On what would have been his 80th birthday, Ray Charles has joined the likes of past presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan with his own namesake library in Southern California.

The Ray Charles Memorial Library officially opened its doors Thursday night. Housed in the studio and office building Charles built in South Los Angeles in the early 1960s, the library features interactive exhibits about the musician’s life and career.

Charles’ friends and colleagues — including Quincy Jones, B.B. King, producer Jimmy Jam and filmmaker Taylor Hackford — welcome visitors via video to each section of the library, which is more like an interactive museum. Touch screens invite guests to explore Charles’ most memorable recordings, while exhibits feature some of his Grammy awards, stage costumes, old contracts and ever-present sunglasses.

Charles’ fans can see his personal piano and saxophone, his collection of microphones and letters he received from Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Johnny Cash. The library also includes a mixing station, where visitors can compose their own mixes of Charles’ classic rhythms and melodies, and a karaoke room, where they can sing along with Charles and the Raelettes.

—Associated Press

Bing Crosby saves the game

Bing Crosby was part owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1946 until his death in 1977. But the avid sportsman was such a nervous wreck watching the team that when they played the Yankees in the 1960 World Series, he went on a European vacation with his wife, Kathryn, and hired a company to record the TV broadcast by kinescope.

His zealous support and superstition wound up being a good thing for baseball fans: Found in his wine cellar was film of the deciding Game 7, in which Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski hit a game-ending homer to beat the New York Yankees, that was thought to be lost forever.

The New York Times reported Friday that the complete NBC broadcast had been discovered in Crosby’s longtime home near San Francisco. It was thought that one of the greatest games ever played had survived only through radio broadcasts, grainy photographs and the written word.

The five reels have now been transferred to DVD, and fans will get a chance to view the game during the offseason on the MLB Network. Bob Costas is set to host the special, which will include interviews with former players and other additional programming.

—Associated Press