More Peanuts commercials!

Here's a recent upload of some Peanuts ads I had never seen! Go to the great BetaGems channel for more like this:

Brooks on Books: "The Partridge Family Album" by Joey Green

During our recent Partridge Family episode, I mentioned reading Joey Green's 1994 book "The Partridge Family Album." It's very much in the vein of Green's Hi, Bob! It's a sure winner for fans of the show or anyone learning more about it but maybe a bit padded with inessential info for the others.

Green's books don't quite have as much production detail as I might like; however, there is a lot of info in this one. There's a full episode guide with Green's subjective ratings of each installment, and there's even a guide to the band's music. Like the work about The Bob Newhart Show, this one has a sense of humor; there's a faux analysis of the albums that is amusing if a bit long. In a similar sense, much of the book consists of lists gleaned from tracking things throughout all 96 episodes. A list of Danny's get-rich schemes, say, might have been of more value in the pre-Internet era, but now it seems a bit like padding.

I feel a bit unfair complaining about a book offering too much information. It's just that I am more interested in the behind-the-scenes info than I am the trivia. It's not so much a narrative history of the series as it is a collection of sections, but if you read carefully you do get some great info. 

Green conducts his own interviews and draws on archival quotes to get thoughts of creator Bernard Slade, the cast (Susan Dey didn't participate), and others. They are often presented almost like an oral history without context, but here you get great tidbits about what the production thought of the acting ability of the youngest cast members (not much) and the musings of Dave Madden. The former Rueben Kincaid cracks me up with his matter-of-fact practical takes on what the show is about and its ambitions.

One of the best treats in the book is the reprinting of the original Mad parody of the series, "The Putrid Family." Arnie Kogen and Angelo Torres' 1972 piece is exactly what you think it will be. There's also lyrics, merchandising photos, and other ephemera. If you have any interest in the series and can find this used, as I did, it's a no-brainer to pick it up.

Top Ten #397

1) Anson Williams at Seaworld: Ian Talks Comedy discussed this syndicated 1977 special a while back, and then I had to go and see it for myself, and I don't think I have recovered. Lou Rawls singing "Pure Imagination" is top notch, though.

2) The Oscars: Will anyone on that stage tonight match Anson Williams's tribute to Al Jolson? Color me skeptical.

3) Gavin MacLeod: I read his book and wrote about it. His AUTOGRAPHED book. Yeah, baby!

4) Nell Carter...Never too Old to Dream: A review of this variety special aired 40 years ago tonight on NBC said that Carter was upstaged in her own special by Phylicia Rashad, and that amused me. Harry Anderson and Levi Stubbs also starred.

5) Black Gold Awards: The third annual airing of this award show took place 40 years ago tonight as well. I guess it's a good thing Phylicia Rashad wasn't there to upstage hosts Lou Rawls (Hey, there HE is again!) and Melba Moore.

6) Alfred Hitchcock: A MeTv story discussed the legendary director's TV work, which we discussed a few weeks ago. In a stunning twist, the end of the article was about The Twilight Zone.

7) Good Heavens: An episode of this Carl Reiner sitcom debuting 50 years ago tonight featured Robert F. Simon, one of the stars of our Spider-Man episode from this season.

8) Black Adder: Peacock added the classic Britcom last week.

9) Judd Hirsch: Happy birthday to the Taxi star, who turns 91 today!

10) R.I.P. Jennifer Runyon:

Brooks on Books: "This Is Your Captain Speaking" by Gavin MacLeod

What a wonderful surprise it was when my wife gifted me an autographed copy of Gavin MacLeod's autobiography. It's great just to have it in my TV collection, but of course I wanted to read the book as well as admire it.

It's a solid read that covers a lot of ground, though it is also breezy and a fast read. The conversational tone suits its subject, though. One of the charming aspects of the text is MacLeod's frequent interjections of how thrilled he was to be doing this or how honored he was to be working with whoever (Joe Flaherty's impersonation on SCTV comes to mind). It feels genuine, though, and is usually an aside after an anecdote. That is, it's not like he spends the whole book naming names and sharing "gee whiz" enthusiasm.

His enthusiasm for his life and career is palpable, though, and it makes for an engaging narrative. You may be surprised at some of the darkness in the early part of MacLeod's professional career. The most alarming story in the bio is Gavin's telling of nearly driving off Mulholland in despair, then ending up at the home of his good friend Robert Blake (!) to get advice. One of the biggest revelations for me is learning how miserable MacLeod was on McHale's Navy. He took the gig, which was a way smaller part than reflected his career status as an actor, because he wanted the security after buying a new house. With little to do on the series, though, he felt stifled, leading to depression and increased drinking.

He got out of the show, though (and out of Robert Blake's house), and has great things to say about his other high-profile gigs. He loved his time on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and was great friends with Ted Knight. As for The Love Boat, MacLeod appreciated the series, the joy it brought to people, and the opportunities it gave him, and it's nice reading him express that gratitude.

One of the amusing recurring threads in This Is Your Captain Speaking concerns his hairpiece. The story of how he got the piece he used in his early days is a good one, and before he finally discards it, it is a regular part of his career. MacLeod's self-deprecating humor about this topic is refreshing, and it's the kind of thing you don't always get in showbiz memoirs--both the honesty and the topic itself.

Later in life, after being born again, he took roles in faith-based projects, and his role in 2008's The Secret of Jonathan Sperry is one that gave him the most pride late in life. I hadn't heard of this film, but MacLeod's enthusiasm for it is appealing. Overall, his treatment of his faith is sincere and, while it does dominate much of the last third of the book, it seems like the natural progression of his life story. You don't feel like it comes at the "expense" of Love Boat stories.

MacLeod, with collaborator Mark Dagostino, tells his journey in an appealing manner. He draws you in with his casual, accessible style. He doesn't ignore the dark aspects of his life, like his drinking problem and early career stagnation, but he maintains an upbeat tone throughout the book that has you rooting for him and happy to get to the triumphs. I'm sure Love Boat fans would love even more about the show, but there are plenty of fun anecdotes about the cast, the guest stars, and the travels associated with that hit series. 

Top Ten #396

1) Peanuts: Our season finale (But stay tuned for Battys!) looks at It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown; a 1983 animated special with some really funny stuff. We enjoyed talking about the specials as a whole, though, since we feel the non-holiday installments don't get the attention they deserve. I am glad that most have a stable if not permanent home on Apple Plus after years of neglect on broadcast and cable.

2) Good ol' Charlie Brown: Watching so many of those specials, I was appalled by Charlie's behavior in a some of them, but overall I still think he's the man.

 

3) Miami Vice: The iconic series is back on Tubi for free streaming, no thanks to that nasty Calderon.

4) Yogi's Gang: Out of the list of seemingly hundreds of cartoons announced as coming to Tubi, about a dozen actually appeared, and most of those are from this century. It's good to see this 1973 ecology-focused series there, though.

5) National Proofreading Day: I am going to keep this blurb short to avoid making an error. You know who must have had good proofreaders? TV Guide. I don't remember seeing a lot of boo-boos there.

6) Easter Seals Telethon: The 15th annual event aired 40 years ago this weekend. Pat Boone and Donna Mills appeared.

8) Classified Love: 40 years ago, CBS aired this television movie featuring Michael McKean, Dinah Manoff, and Stephanie Faracy as three friends trying to find romance through the classified ads.

9) Facts of Life: Antenna TV has a marathon of the sitcom today. It would be funny if the showed nothing but Edna's Edibles episodes.

10) R.I.P. Bob Rosenfarb: The writer and producer worked on shows such as Heathcliff, Head of the Class, and St. Elsewhere. There's some variety!

Also, goodbye to the streaming service Brown Sugar. I remember when it launched. I hoped it would add shows like Julia and Tenafly, but I think Get Christie Love was one of the only TV series it carried.

Peanuts action figures are great!

My wonderful wife Laurie gifted me some more cool stuff for Valentine's Day, and I think Peanuts week here at the podcast is a good time to share this Super 7 toy. I am not sure if the front is charming or creepy, but I love it either way. It's nice to have Charlie in the lesser-acclaimed blue shirt, too.

I already have a figure from It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown; Super 7 issued a Mr. Sack a few years ago. I wouldn't mind getting a tree-eating Charlie Brown, though, with the maniacal expression on his mug after his big chomp.

Credit to The Entertainment Nut for this pic, and please check out the site for a fine summary of the original storyline from the strip. The Nut confirms that this shot above is an extra for the special and not taken from the source material!

YouTube Spotlight: McDonald's drinking glasses

This week, our season finale of the podcast (But stay tuned for the Battys!) looks at It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown; and our YouTube playlist this week is filled with Peanuts. One of the more intriguing clips is this ad for a McDonald's promotional premium (see below).

I can't be alone in thinking that we lost more than just cool glasses when fast food chains stopped giving out stuff like this with value meals (and a 99-cent surcharge or whatever). Nowadays you are lucky to get a small plastic cup with a Happy Meal.

Glasses, whether they feature characters from Peanuts, Garfield, or Star Wars, are cool. They can be reused. They look nice in a cabinet or on a shelf. Also, they have heft! Taking one of those home with the food made it all a little harder to carry, perhaps, but they gave a sense of more. It felt like value! I don't need to tell you that fast food doesn't seem like nearly the same kind of value these days.

But really I just miss getting the cool drinking glasses.

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-15: It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown

*Thank you for joining us for another fun season of the podcast! This week we look at the 1983 Peanuts special, It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown! The special is available on Apple Plus.

*The official Peanuts podcast Mike mentions is here. Later in the episode, I mention It's a Podcast, Charlie Brown.

*The motocross special is You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown; and the ice skating special is She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown. The one centered on Lucy and Schroeder is Play It Again, Charlie Brown.

The election one is You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown. Snoopy joins the circus in Life Is a Circus, Charlie Brown.

*I just got an e-book version of The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials by Charles Solomon. it looks like it focuses on the art, but it does devote space to most of the specials. I say "most" because it does not have a blurb about It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown!

*This Is America, Charlie Brown is an 8-episode series that CBS broadcast in Fall 1988 to Spring 1989.

*Here is the Frank Wing cartoon referenced in the original Peanuts strip and in the special, courtesy of a Reddit user.

*The "What, Me Worry?" gag is in our video playlist this week (See below).

*The Environmental Protection Agency began in 1970.

*Please enjoy this episode's video playlist, with lots of promos, commercials, and more with the Peanuts gang! Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them! Get happy!

Episode 13-15: It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown

We round out season 13 by taking a look at the Peanuts non-holiday TV specials. Most folks have fond memories of the holiday specials, but do they remember ones about camp, decathalons, school, motocross, and more? We give special attention to It's an Adventure, Charlie Brown, an hour-long special made up of shorter pieces adapted from the comics, including "The Kite-eating Tree" and the classic "Sack." Don't be a blockhead and pass up on this episode.

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YouTube Spotlight: Paddy the Pelican

I had a little fun with Mike's harrowing story of a pelican attack on this week's podcast. At the end of the YT playlist this week is Paddy the Pelican in "Piggy Bank Robbery." You may wonder, what the heck is Paddy the Pelican?

The Adventures of Paddy the Pelican is an animated (and I use the term loosely) series that launched on ABC in 1950 and apparently got some airplay on Chicago stations in 1954 (Maybe other markets as well?). Paddy shows up on many "worst cartoon" lists, and you have to see it to really get it.

Top Ten #395

1) The Partridge Family: This week on the podcast, we get happy. Boy, do we ever get happy!

2) Dave Madden: My favorite performer on The Partridge Family is also my almost-favorite regular at Mel's Diner on Alice (Can't top Henry Beesmeyer): Madden, whose Reuben Kincaid is always interesting to watch. 

3) Dick Clark: I think we undersold his cameo in "Star Quality," the episode we talked about. I mean, sure, it wasn't particularly lengthy or notable, and I can't remember much about it, but--OK, maybe we didn't undersell it. Still, in the dream sequence, Clark's presence provided instant pop idol credibility for Danny as a "single."

4) The kids that played Tracy and Chris: Hey, they tried. I really felt bad for them reading some of the quotes in The Partridge Family Album book by Joey Green.

5) Valerie: The troubled sitcom headlined by Valerie Harper debuted on NBC 40 years ago tonight( The trouble came later).

6) King Kong Bundy: Also 40 years ago tonight, Bundy attacked Hulk Hogan during the Hulkster's world title match against Magnificent Muraco on a taped Saturday Night's Main Event, setting up a main event showdown at Wrestlemania II with Danny Ponce as guest referee (I'm kidding about that last part).

7) The Killing Fields: I can't get away from this night in 1986. This prestigious 1984 film debuted on pay cable March 1, 1986--on both HBO and Showtime. I always thought it was odd when the competitors showed the same movie at the same time.

8) Cartoons: Oodles of Warner Brothers toons from all eras start popping up on Tubi today. A lot of stuff is on the way, but not all of it might be there today. So, folks, be patient; Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels will be there eventually.

9) 227: It's a big week for stars of the Eighties NBC sitcom, which we discuss here. Regina Hall won an AARP Movies for Grownups award, and Marla Gibbs' new memoir, It's Never Too Late, just hit bookstores.

10) R.I.P. Robert Carradine:

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-14: The Partridge Family

*Thank you for listening to this week's episode, in which we discuss The Partridge Family!

*The Partridge Family aired 4 seasons on ABC from 1970-1974, running a total of 96 episodes. The Brady Bunch was on ABC 5 seasons, 1969-1974. Both series aired their final episodes in March 1974.

*Danny is drafted into the U.S. Army in the series' fourth episode, "See Here, Private Partridge."

*The Partridge Family Album (a book) by Joey Green was published in 1994. David Cassidy wrote two memoirs, but the one I refer to is 1994's C'mon Get Happy...Fear and Loathing on the Partridge Family Bus. Shirley Jones' Shirley Jones: A Memoir appeared in 2013.

*The Cowsills started performing in 1965. Mike mentions the 2011 documentary Family Band.

*Norman Farrell is played by Jean-Michel Michenaud, who earned an Emmy nomination for producing All in the Family 20th Anniversary Special.

*"Star Quality" premiered Friday, December 18, 1970 at 8:30 PM.

*Here is our look at The Brady Bunch.

*William Schallert played Retired Man in Legends of the Superheroes.

*Howard Cosell and Bert Convy guest in the Marineland episode, Season 2's "Whatever Happened to Moby Dick?"

*Partridge Family 2200 A.D. is a 1974 Saturday morning cartoon produced by Hanna Barbera. Somehow we don't mention it on the pod!

*Please enjoy this episode's video playlist, with promos, intros, commercials, and more! There's a lot of music in this one! Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them! Get happy!

Episode 13-14: The Partridge Family

In the early 1970s, a fictional family became a fictional band, which became a real phenomenon. For a while the Partridge Family ruled the hearts and minds of teeny boppers across the country with a mix of music and laidback family comedy, and David Cassidy became a worldwide sensation. In the fictional world of the Partridges, young Danny reads an article that praises him above the others, and he decides he needs to become a "single act." Does his plan succeed? Does it make any sense? Is he ready for the big time all on his own? In the real world, does the show hold up? Are we starting to confuse ourselves? Find out on this week's Battle of the Network Shows.

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I didn't expect to see a Gary Deeb quote in a baseball book!

Last week, I finished reading David Krell's 1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era, and I enjoyed it, but it's a bit quirky. For a season in which all 4 division races were close and one (Red Sox/Yankees) ended in a memorable playoff, there is a lot of "America" in the text and not as much "Baseball" as I expected.

Krell does cover the events in MLB, even happenings like the Hall of Fame inductees as he takes a month-by-month approach. However, he also goes on tangents about Garry Marshall's ABC sitcoms, American Hot Wax, and the release of Herman Wouk's novel War and Remembrance.

At one point, Krell writes about the debut of CBS' WKRP in Cincinnati, and one of the critics he quotes is our old friend Gary Deeb from the Donahue episode of the podcast:

Under the loving care of producer (Hugh) Wilson, WKRP seems pointed toward the same literate, occasionally elegant comedy that characterizes MASH, Barney Miller, and the old MTM show. Rather than glorify stupidity and antisocial conduct, WKRP gently spoofs the human condition.

Yep, that sounds like Deeb, all right!

There is also an extensive passage on The White Shadow, which I enjoyed seeing because that series doesn't get a lot of attention. I don't know Deeb's thoughts on that one, though.

Top Ten #394: Special "Is it gonna snow again?" Edition!

1) Alfred Hitchcock Presents: We had a blast watching AHP episodes for this week's podcast. I wonder of the fame of Hitchcock himself and his legendary film output overshadows how good this series is.

2) Aaron Spelling: We gave James Edwards a shout on the pod for his career and his brief appearance in "Breakdown" on AHP, but it's also a kick to see a young Spelling in a small role. And his dad wasn't even the executive producer!

3) Suspicion: During the long run of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, the filmmaker also was a producer on 1957's short-lived NBC anthology Suspicion (Of course, also the name of his 1941 classic movie). The show mixed live and filmed episodes.

4) Perry Como's Hawaiian Holiday: 50 years ago tonight, NBC gave us this special. You'll be shocked to learn that Don Ho was one of the guests.

5) Weird Al's Guide to the Grammys:  CBS ran this special 40 years ago today, and, man, I want to see it.

6) Ray Bradbury Theater: 40 years ago tonight, after its debut a year earlier, this anthology returned to HBO with a trio of stories starring Peter O'Toole, Drew Barrymore, and Jeff Goldblum. The reviewer in The New Yok Times referred to the 10-year-old Barrymore as "pouty and pudgy as ever." Ouch!

7) Fortune Dane: The series' second episode premiered this night in 1986 and was titled "Bay City." 

Wait. Bay City? Is Fortune Dane in the Rockford universe?

8) Paul Dooley: Happy 98th birthday to Dooley!

9) Yogi Bear: MeTV Toons celebrates the 65th anniversary of The Yogi Bear Show today with a Yogi-thon featuring cartoons from his various series. Did someone say that he was so popular no one bothered to watch him anymore?

10) R.I.P. Jesse Jackson: Not a TV star, per se, but here's an excuse to post this Saturday Night Live sketch. I'm trying a Dailymotion embed because NBC is annoying and so I couldn't find the sketch on YouTube, but it's "The Question Is Moot."

YouTube Spotlight: The Loretta Young Show

 Let's talk about The Loretta Young Show!

If you're here this week for Alfred Hitchcock Presents, I apologize. Here's one of my favorite clips from our video playlist this week:

Also in the playlist, though, is a look at The Loretta Young Show, one of the television programs that aired the same night as "Breakdown," the AHP episode we talk about this week on the pod.

Young and her anthology show are largely forgotten nowadays, but she was a big deal back in the day. I must admit my perception of the series' popularity may be colored by the fact that Mad used to poke fun at it. One of the notable aspects of the series was Young's glorious entrances. Each week, she made a bold entrance, twirling a fashionable gown or dress as she entered a doorway. Young's resplendent appearance summoned the glamour of her Hollywood heyday in the previous decades. 

The series began as Letter to Loretta, then dropped the framing gimmick of answering fan mail to become a straight-up anthology. Young didn't appear in all episodes but was a constant presence as the host. NBC ran the series for 8 seasons, up to 1961. I don't think this program has circulated for years, but many episodes are available online and from other sources.

Alfred Hitchcock: Man of Mystery! And games! And Funkos!

On the podcast this week, I mention a board game Laurie and I have. We have not had the chance to play it yet (It says 8 players on the box, and maybe we don't need quite so many, but the "audio cassettes" aspect is a bit inconvenient), but here is a look:

Additionally, Laurie got me a few Funkos based on Big Al's movies for Christmas: Rear Window (one of my favorites), North by Northwest (ditto), and The Birds (not one of my favorite flicks, but it's a fantastic Funko):

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-13: Alfred Hitchcock Presents

*Thank you for listening to this season's "retro retro" show! This week, we look at Alfred Hitchcock Presents, an anthology that aired mostly on CBS (also on NBC, though) for 7 seasons (1955-1962). Many consider the hourlong version, essentially the same show but twice as long, part of the same series, which would make the total 10 seasons (1955-1965) and 361 episodes.

*Season 4's 'Six People, No Music" is the John McGiver episode Mike mentions. The Claude Rains story I cite is Season 7's "The Door without a Key." 

*The missing episodes we discuss are available on DVD but not in the streaming packages.

*The NBC revival premiered May 5, 1985, and then the network did pair it with Amazing Stories on Sunday nights in the Fall. It only lasted one season, but USA Network picked it up in 1987. The stories were new, but the intros/outros were colorized versions of the ones Hitchcock did on the original.

*Dave Poland's Substack is here.

*Here is a look at the record album Mike mentions. The entire LP is available online:

*"Breakdown" premiered on CBS Sunday, November 13, 1955.

*We talk about Killdozer here.

*"The Glass Eye" kicks off Season 3. "You Got to Have Luck" with John Cassavetes is in the middle of the series' first season. Mike also refers to Season 4's "Design for Loving" with Norman Lloyd.

*Never Again" is in Season 1. "Bang! You're Dead" aired in Season 7. "The Crooked Road" is early in Season 4. "Shopping for Death" in Season 1 is another Ray Bradbury story.

*Before meeting a grim end late in life, Robert Stevens directed scores of AHP episodes but also the Twilight Zone pilot and an episode of Amazing Stories.

*Please enjoy this episode's video playlist, with promos, intros, commercials, and more! Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-13: Retro Retro: Alfred Hitchcock Presents

For this season's Retro Retro episode, we asked listeners to vote on one of three suspense anthologies, and they overwhelmingly selected Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The original half-hour version aired for seven seasons around the time Hitchock was also making classic films like North By Northwest, Vertigo, and Psycho. Besides lending his name and likeness to the show, he starred in intro and outro segments and even directed some episodes, including the one we discuss here "Breakdown" in which a cold businessman played by the great Joseph Cotten takes a fateful drive.

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From the Game Show Vault: "Just Men" Episode 15

Speaking of game shows, as we do in this week's encore presentation on the podcast, let's talk about a recent upload by the great Game Show Vault channel: A full episode of Betty White's short-lived 1983 NBC daytime game show, Just Men!

(Not to be confused with the 1959 ITV series Four Just Men. Nobody was confused? Oh. Carry on, then!)

OK, if you haven't watched the clip yet, I urge you to check it out not because I am going to reveal the best thing about it.

I warned you. Get ready for some joy!

One of the members of the panel is the great ROBERT PINE! Yes, the inaugural Genius Award winner is one of the men who answer questions so that contestants can guess what they are like based on--Well, the game itself is a mess.

Betty White is an energetic, engaging host--no shock there--but the format doesn't do much for me. Two contestants ask a series of questions in order to determine which of the 7 men answered yes or no to a specific larger question. The idea is to generate some witty banter, but there isn't enough there to make up for what strikes me as lackluster gameplay. It feels like the game is just the slimmest excuse for the banter, but the banter is not always compelling, and the sheer number of celebrity men panelists mean there isn't enough time to have interesting discussion.

That said, there are some good moments in here, and it's fun seeing a young Jerry Seinfeld--and not getting all that much to do, either. Here he is a token comedian instead of the superstar he would later be. Pine is charming if a bit out of place. It's just that the game structure is a head scratcher, with contestants asking seemingly random questions to get the answers to questions that are all 50/50 anyway.

This game show ran a mere 13 weeks after premiering in January 1983, though White did win a Daytime Emmy for her performance as host. I can see why this didn't last, but it's fun to see an episode and enjoy the odd assortment of celebrities, like former NL Rookie of the Year Steve Sax.

Top Ten #393

1) Game Shows: Our encore presentation on the podcast this week is an earlier episode we did talking about game shows! It's a great time to be a fan of old game shows, with many free streaming options for classics and rarities.

2) Warner Brothers TV toons: Folks, the motherload is coming to Tubi in March: Tons of WB-owned animation, including stuff that has been on streaming recently (Super Friends) and stuff that has not (The New Adventures of Gilligan's Island). It looks like a lot of the old Filmation superhero material will be available on demand, and so will classics like Quick Draw McGraw. It's not everything by a long shot, but it's a lot more than we got on HBO Max.

Oh, and a series we just talked about, Super Globetrotters, is also coming to Tubi next month!

3) Laff-a-Lympics: As the Winter Olympics rolls on in Italy, Warner Archives prepares to unleash perhaps the finest animated athletic competition. This week it announced a March Blu-Ray release of the 1977 Laff-a-Lympics.

4) Harem: When we marked the 50th anniversary of the debut of this TV miniseries in our Facebook group earlier this week, one of our friends (I won't name him here) actually started watching it and found some interesting things. Maybe the movie...isn't total trash? Join our FB group to have more discussions about obscure 40-year-old TV events!

5) The Six Million Dollar Man: I find it interesting that 50 years ago tonight, ABC showed Winter Olympics coverage at 7:00, then went away from Austria to show a brand-new Six Million Dollar Man, and then went back to the sports. That's a nice endorsement of how popular the series was at the time.

6) The Wizard of Oz: MeTV acquired broadcast rights to the classic, meaning this October it returns to broadcast TV after an absence of several decades. Also, CBS aired this movie this very night 40 years ago!

7) Fortune Dane: Also on this night in 1986, ABC premiered this short-lived action series with Carl Weathers. The show turned up on Crackle, much to my astonishment, back when that streamer was really emptying out the vaults.

8) Meeno Peluce: The great Secret Galaxy channel posted a video about Voyagers! this week, and I have to say, when we did our own episode on that 1980s series, I'm afraid we mispronounced "Peluce." Please consider this a Meeno culpa.

9) Valentine's Day weekend: Love is in the air, so why isn't Love. American Style on our airwaves? 

At least give us some Karen Valentine!

10) NBA All-Star Game: Cheers to all who enjoy this weekend's festivities, but I'm stuck in 1984.

Encore: Game Shows

With the Big Game and the Big International Sporting Competition in the air, we thought it would be a good time to revisit the truest form of competition known to humankind--the game show! In this season two episode, we dive into the world of game shows with a look at the syndicated "Face the Music" and NBC's fast-paced "$ale of the Century." Plus, an all-new TV Guide Game! Will one of us go home with a radar range?!

Read full show notes and more at https://www.battleofthenetworkshows.com/

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Top Ten #392: Special "Pizza or wings? The answer is yes" Edition!

1) The Muppet Show: A huge event in the Muppet world took place this week: We reran our first-season podcast episode on the show! 

Oh, and also, a new special/pilot premiered! I haven't seen it yet, but I hear it's good.

2) The Big Game: Hey, who's ready for football today! You know, it's hard to have a Super Bowl sneak up on you, but I haven't really been thinking about this year's game very much this week. It's never a bad time to revisit the Steel Curtain, though:

4) Up with People: I was able to psych myself up for the football by watching this recent upload of the 1982 Super Bowl halftime show, one that featured the one act everyone could get behind and support: 

5) Winter Olympics: Another big sporting event is underway in Italy, but 50 years ago, Innsbruck, Austria; hosted the Games after Denver, Colorado; pulled out of contention.

6) Mallory Circumstantial Evidence: 50 years ago tonight, NBC ran this pilot movie starring Raymond Burr as...an attorney. What a stretch! Also starring: Robert Loggia, Peter Mark Richman, William Lucking, A Martinez, and Mark Hamill!

7) Steven Spielberg: His Grammy win last weekend for producing Music by John Williams puts him just one step away from BEGOT status. If only we had an Outstanding Director category...

8) Blade Runner: The Ridley Scott movie aired on CBS on this night in 1986--another sign that CBS wasn't always the staid, most uptight of the 3 broadcast networks. I mean, don't get me wrong, though; CBS still edited out about half the movie. The version also added this intro:

9) NBC Special Treat:  I think this anthology series which ran in the sweet spot of the BOTNS era is forgotten compared to ABC's Afterschool Special and even CBS' Schoolbreak Special.

50 years ago today, NBC showed "Papa and Me," the story of a grandfather and grandson. I can't find any trace of it now, but it seems to be beloved by those who remember it.

10) R.I.P. Sonny Jurgensen: The Hall of Fame quarterback had a long media career, including as a color commentator on CBS' NFL coverage. It's a tough week for Washington-area sports with this loss and the Post killing off its sports section, 

RetroFan #42

It's been a while since I wrote about my favorite magazine, but fortunately, TwoMorrows' great bimonthly is still around, and the latest (Well, until the new issue hits my mailbox next week, I think) is another fine issue. Cover star Adam West gets a nice feature, though I must say there is little mention of his Seventies work like the live-action NBC specials.

Sigmund and the Sea Monsters is the subject of another feature. It's not one of my favorite shows, but I do enjoy the piece. Andy Mangels always delivers.

Rick Goldschmidt's annual Rankin-Bass pieces are a holiday staple of the mag, and this time he talks about The Year Without a Santa Claus. I believe this is one of his better RetroFan articles.

Will Murray contributes two stories, one on The Executioner novels and another on the long history of The Phantom and creator Lee Falk. Both are quality articles on subjects I hadn't read about in depth before.

Now let me talk about what should have been my favorite story in issue 42: "Fantastic Fall Previews," a look at TV Guide Fall preview issues of the late Seventies and Early Eighties. I love the idea, and there are some interesting illustrations. Of course I always enjoy reading about network TV of the era.

However, it seems like a missed opportunity. Robert Jeschonek goes through the issues and summarizes the new shows for a run of seasons. It's a nice story, but most of the illustrations are publicity photos and the like. There should be more scans from the magazines themselves. The story touches on but doesn't go in depth on how the Guide predicted the fates of the shows. 

I want to see more reviews, more of the actual Guide comments, more of the ads the networks used to promote those shows. I mean, I have all the issues, so I can look at the originals, but the article is more a summary of the new shows each TV season than a look at how TV Guide covered them, which to me would be more unique and valuable.

Scott Saavedra offers a look at old TV commercials with "before they were stars" appearances. It's mostly screencaps and brief commentary, but it's a fun topic and a nice change of pace.

It's not TV related, but Scott Shaw!'s profile of Roy Chapman Andrews is a highlight. The author/adventurer/museum director is thought to be an inspiration for Indiana Jones, and he certainly lived an interesting life--maybe not Indy-level interesting, but it's a good feature on someone whose fame has evaporated over the years.

Encore: The Muppet Show with Steve Martin

Far be it from us to hop on a hype train, but with a new Muppet Show special arriving soon, we figured it might be a good time to revisit our season one episode about the TV classic. Featuring guest and human Muppet Steve Martin (at the height of Steve Martin mania), the episode breaks the Muppet Show's usual format but still provides plenty of variety-style comedy and music and Muppet-style absurdity.

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Power Rankings: Comic strip characters on "Too Close for Comfort"

I watched the episode Mike mentioned in which Garfield creator Jim Davis guests. Henry goes to a convention and is excited to sign up the strip for the Marin Bugler. He brings back some promotional materials and plans a huge publicity campaign, with one of his key strategies putting Monroe into a Garfield suit. Sounds great, until his partner/boss tells him she hates comic strips and doesn't want any of them in the Bugler. Uh-oh!

I was amused by the idea that one comic strip, no matter how popular, could make a difference in the fortunes of an independent newspaper. I mean, Henry touts the fact that it's in umpteeen newspapers, which is proof of its popularity, but doesn't that mean it's easily found elsewhere?

Here is my ranking of comic strip characters I would like to have seen interact with Henry on Too Close. Remember, this list is based on how these characters would fare against each other on a neutral field in Dogpatch, Kentucky.

1) Fred Bassett: As funny as the idea of Monroe in a giant Marmaduke costume sounds, I'd rather see the unassuming Fred show up in some capacity.

2) Mark Slackmeyer: It wouldn't be funny now, but in the mid 1980s, Doonesbury's firebrand would make a compelling clash of personalities and ideologies with Henry.

3) Mary Worth: She could clean up the Henry/Monroe relationship in no time. Of course, it would be about 3 months due to comic strip time.

4) The Lockhorns: I envision a wacky dinner in which Henry and Muriel wind up at the Lockhorns' house thinking they are wealthy potential advertisers who are thinking of buying space in the paper. Kicker is, they aren't!

5) Dick Tracy: Henry could be overly eager to help the famous police detective on a case. Can't be the Warren Beatty Dick Tracy, though...unless it's the 2023 Dick Tracy who showed up on TCM.

ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Hi Flagston, Broom Hilda, Bill the Cat, Brenda Starr

R.I.P. Uncle Floyd

I should have included Floyd Vivino, AKA Uncle Floyd, in yesterday's top ten to commemorate his passing on January 22. No slight was intended, though I don't have much experience with the performer and his work.

While not a New Yorker, I did grow up on New York to an extent, but The Uncle Floyd Show was not on the channels I received. I believe it was mostly on UHF stations in New Jersey, and my NJ station was WOR (out of Secacucus). I do remember vacationing in New Jersey in the Eighties and tuning into a station and seeing Uncle Floyd.

"What the heck is this?" I wondered. It was cool that even then there were still quirky local entertainment programs. That's one of the things broadcast TV lacks today. R.I.P.! The official YouTube channel has posted material from the program and maintained its legacy.

Top Ten #391: Special "sick of the cold" edition!

1) Too Close for Comfort: This week's podcast looks at the 6-season Ted Knight sitcom. It's not talked about that much but is now easily found. It ran 3 seasons on network TV, then 3 in first-run syndication. Its final season was renamed The Ted Knight Show. To me, that's an interesting production history.

Plus Henry yells at Monroe a lot.

2) Ted Knight: Even when an episode isn't particularly inspired, I find there's almost always some bit of amusing business from its star, be it a sputter or a grimace or whatever.

3) Nancy Dussault: She doesn't always get a lot to do on the show, but I think she does what she is there for and does it very well. She could be used better on the program.

4) Rich Man, Poor Man: The blockbuster miniseries premiered 50 years ago tonight on ABC. Nick Nolte and Peter Strauss star along with the likes of Ed Asner and Robert Reed (Did those two star in every ABC miniseries of the era?).

5) Sonny and Cher: Also 50 years ago tonight, this popular duo reunited after their divorce and started a new variety show together. Among the guests: Carol Burnett, Raymond Burr, Tony Orlando, and Don Meredith.

6) S.W.A.T.: FETV adds this Seventies action show to its weekend lineup today. I love that the passage of time automatically makes shows blander. I don't think S.W.A.T. was considered "Family Entertainment" when it aired on ABC in 1975. It was considered violent television!

7) Grammy Awards: Tonight is the annual ceremony honoring the best in music...except for TV theme songs! Why is there not a category for those? Because they aren't released as records? Well, why aren't they released as records?

8) Bart Braverman: Happy 80th to the former star of Vega$!

9) Life's Most Embarrassing Moments: The second-to-last in the series of occasional blooper-centric specials ABC ran from 1983-1986, this installment ran 40 years ago tonight. Wikipedia notes it was dead last in the ratings that week. Hey, this was 1986. America wasn't in the mood to be embarrassed anymore!

10) R.I.P. Catherine O'Hara, Demond Wilson:

YouTube Spotlight: Ted Knight for Southgate Mall

Ted Knight appeared in multiple commercials for Southgate USA, a shopping center in Maple Heights, Ohio. We feature this one in our video playlist this week:

There are more, though! Ted must have really enjoyed shopping there when he went through Ohio. These ads showed up well into the mid Eighties on TV stations in the Cleveland area.

Show Notes and Video Playlist: Episode 13-12: Too Close for Comfort

*Thank you for listening to this week's episode, in which we discuss the 6-season sitcom Too Close for Comfort, which ran on ABC for 3 seasons, then moved to first-run syndication for 3 more.

*Keep It in the Family is available on an unofficial basis on YouTube. It aired for 5 "series" from 1980 to 1983 on ITV.

*What a Country! ran for a mere 26 episodes.

*Too Close has 129 total episodes, including the sixth season which aired as The Ted Knight Show.

*The complete series is available on DVD and as of now on Tubi and Pluto. It also airs weekdays on Antenna TV.

*Hamilton Camp plays Mr. Wainwright. Deena Freeman is April.

*Ted Knight died at age 62.

*The episode with Jim Davis (creator of Garfield) is in the show's sixth season: "Garfield the Cat Joins the Marin Bugler." I suppose you could have guessed that after looking at a list of episode titles.

*Go to the end of the third season for the two backdoor pilots Mike mentions: "Don't Rock the Boat" and "Family Business." The former features Dick Van Patten--that's right, our beloved DVP--as an old Navy buddy of Henry who marries a woman half his age. Lanie Kazan headlines the latter episode as the head of a family-run construction outfit.

*Ted Knight and Gavin MacLeod were very good friends in real life.

*Nancy Dussault was nominated for two Tonys in the 1960s. She co-hosted Good Morning America from the show's inception in 1975 until early 1977. She also appears in ABC's Night of 100 Stars special, which we talk about here.

*Barry Blitzer worked on The Phil Silvers Show, Get Smart, and The Love Boat among other classic series.

*The agent who speaks at the end of this episode is played by Rene Le Vant. One of his most interesting credits is doing "additional voices" in multiple episodes of The Flintstone Kids.

*To hear more of why we like Leonard Lightfoot so much, check out our Silver Spoons episode.

*Season 4's "Shipmates" is the episode with Henry's old Navy colleague--not DVP, but another one.

*"Quick on the Draw," also in Season 4, sees Henry break his arm and hire another cartoonist. Sara dates the baseball player in "High and Inside," which is in--you guessed it--Season 4.

*Please enjoy this episode's video playlist, with promos, intros, commercials, and more! Click below to go right to it, or you can always visit our official YouTube page for all of our past episodes and similar lists for each one of them!

Episode 13-12: Too Close For Comfort

In Too Close For Comfort, the great Ted Knight played cartoonist Henry Rush. He and his wife Muriel (and eventually baby Andrew) lived upstairs, and their two adult daughters Jackie and Sara lived in an apartment downstairs. After a few seasons, Sara's friend and Henry's nemesis Monroe moved into the attic. They all lived on ABC for three seasons, then moved into first-run syndication. All along, fans watched for a deep but humorous study of family dynamics in eighties America.

Nahhh! They watched to see Ted Knight lose his cool at Monroe's bumbling and some attractive women...but mostly the former. In season 4 episode "Goodbye, Mr. Chip," Monroe borrows a computer. Henry wants nothing to do with it...until he finds out he could win some money on horse racing. Guess what happens next!

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Tomorrow on Battle of the Network Shows...

 

YouTube Spotlight: Meadowlark Lemon Presents the World

Mike mentioned this short film on our Globetrotters episode last week: Meadowlark Lemon Presents the World.

This educational film from 1979 showcases the charm of the Globetrotter legend while teaching youth about geography basics. I couldn't find much information about it, but I wanted to spotlight it here as a recommended addition to our roster of educational films this season (See also Mulligan Stew).

Top Ten #390

1) The Harlem Globetrotters: This week's podcast looks at the world's greatest showmen...that belong to a group that has been around a hundred years, are focused on basketball entertainment, and have starred in various media through the decades (Not to demean them, just want to cover ourselves).

2) ABC'S Wide World of Sports: Speaking of the Globetrotters, guess who was on ABC 50 years ago today this afternoon?

That's right, Hubert H. Humphrey, who guested on Issues and Answers! But the Globetrotters also appeared, starring in Wide World of Sports at...Attica!

Check out the description: "A 90-minute special featuring the famous basketball team performing for the inmates at the maximum security penitentiary in Upstate New York, the scene in 1971 of the bloodiest prison uprising in American history. Howard Cosell is the host."

Hey, sounds like a blast! Cue "Sweet Georgia Brown!"

3) Curly Neal: Meadowlark got so much of the love in the Seventies that I want to mention Curly, who was Mike's favorite Trotter!

4) Hello, Larry: I am still intrigued by the fact that Meadowlark Lemon was a regular on this short-lived sitcom. I feel like this should be talked about more. I don't have much more to say about it, but someone should!

5) Celebration: The American Spirit: ABC helped kick off bicentennial festivities with this 90-minute David L. Wolper special 50 years ago tonight. Among those celebrating were Gabe Kaplan, Frank Sinatra, and Don Adams!

6) Bob Hope's All-Star Super Bowl Party: Ain't no one throws a party like Bob Hope in 1986! This special aired on NBC 40 years ago tonight, and you know the joint was jumping with the likes of Morgan Fairchild, Emmanuel Lewis, and Dick Butkus.

OK, I just looked at the listing. this one has Donna Mills, Don Rickles, and Jim McMahon. The 1985 special DOES have Fairchild!

7) Everything 80s: Jamie Logie's podcast just released an episode discussing the most-watched TV broadcasts of the Eighties--events, sports, movies, and more! It's a great listen even if it somehow overlooks the premiere of The Rousters.

8) The Canadian Conspiracy Part 1: According to a newspaper listing from 40 years ago today, this aired as part of the Cinemax Comedy Experiment series, yet Wikipedia says the Canadian production premiered up there in June 1986. Did it debut in the States before showing up on CBC?

The mockumentary "exposed" the infiltration of prominent Canadians into the United States.

9) Blake's 7: A reboot is in the works, according to this article. Unlike some other recent announcements, I am not cringing at this one. I think that an updated perspective and new technology could make this a worthwhile reimagining of the original. However, I recognize that if you grew up on the show, you probably just fear that they will screw it up.

10) R.I.P. Bruce Bilson: Longtime TV director shot many episodes of series TV.

The Harlem Globetrotters Meet the White Shadow Q&A

Mike here. Inspired by our Harlem Globetrotters episode, I picked up the first two seasons of The White Shadow on DVD (alas, the third never made it) and watched the Globetrotters episode, titled appropriately enough "Globetrotters." It aired November 5, 1979, as the seventh episode of the second season. John Masius wrote it, and Bruce Paltrow directed.

I had Rick send me his burning questions about the episode and will try to answer them below. As you'll see, it, in fact, doesn't involve Coolidge considering dropping out to join the Trotters. (I think I confused that with episode 4, where Coolidge considers signing with an agent and ruining his chance at playing in college).

So how does Carver High get involved with the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters?

The Globetrotters are in L.A. to play a series of dates at the "The Dome," which I assume isn't a real venue. They're also helping out at a United Way car wash event that Coach Reeves is managing (I think). Players from the Lakers and Rams are at other locations. Reeves wants the team to volunteer on Saturday, but they're high on themselves after winning 10 straight and give him the brush-off. However, on Friday, he sends them to the car wash where the Trotters are volunteering. All nine of the team members (minus a few scrubs) pile into Salami's junky convertible and head over, where they don't recognize the Globetrotters and give them a hard time about doing "manual labor."

After the team runs rough-shod on the school and the neighborhood and runs up the score on another team, Reeves calls Nate Branch to bring in the Globetrotters to teach the guys a little humility and raise a few bucks for the school.

Please tell me Coach Reeves considers the Trotters "good friends from way back."

Sadly, they're only professional acquaintances, but Reeves admits he always wanted to be a Globetrotter. Curly says if they need a slow white forward, they'll give him a call.

Does Coach Reeves suit up and do some stunts?

No, but Geese hops up in the stands, while wearing Goldstein's glasses, and kisses his cheek or something. It's a little unclear.

Does anyone get doused with a bucket of water?

Yes! Goldstein as the finale of a series of humiliations throughout the episode that starts with the guys throwing him in the back of Salami's open convertible as it goes through the car wash, then continues with Thorpe smashing his face into a slice of banana cream pie and Coolidge shoving him in the seats of the car.

Who fares better: The show's cast interacting with the Trotters on the court or the Trotters interacting with the show's cast on screen?

The Trotters interacting with the show's cast on the screen. They might not be natural actors, but they're having fun busting Reeves' chops and looking down on the players.

Is it wrong that I want the Globetrotters to demolish the kids?

No! They act like jerks most of the episode and get what they deserve--demolition!

Their sins during the episode include taking advantage of their "fame" and all that brings their way (girls), talking smack to adults, shirking the volunteer opportunity, considering a dine-and-dash (Coolidge and Thorpe with Goldstein as their conscience), shoplifting and causing general chaos in a sporting good store (Salami and his cousin Nick), flirting with Miss Buchanan (Thorpe), and beating up a guy in the bathroom (Salami, but that guy had it coming after hogging a stall to smoke and stepping on Thorpe's contact lens).

Which is more realistic, this episode or the average episode of Super Globetrotters?

Well, Sweet Lou Dunbar doesn't pull anything out of his afro, so I'll have to go with Super Globetrotters.

Does anyone learn a lesson, and if so, what is it?

Yes! The team. They learn humility and the difference between winning and being winners and sportsmanship, and Reeves throws a bunch of platitudes at them. 

Also, they miss out on comps to the Globetrotters game because they ditched volunteering.

Bonus feature: fun items from the commentary by Kevin Hooks (Thorpe), Byron Stewart (Coolidge), Erik Kilpatrick (Jackson), Ira Angustain (Gomez).

• Much of the cast had basketball experience, including Hooks and Stewart, who both played in high school. Others, who go unnamed, didn't.
• Much like the Globetrotters, the Carver High guys played against the same players every week, who'd wear different uniforms to represent different teams.
• The production used a special ramp for scenes where Ken Howard had to dunk.
• Hooks thinks "Globetrotters" was their first episode to crack the top 10 and says their level of fame changed after that.
• A lot of love for Bruce Paltrow and the opportunities he gave people.
• Hooks and Stewart say Meadowlark was there, but he wasn't.
• Angustain left the show with Paltrow's blessing to play Freddie Prinze in Can You Hear Me Laugh? The Story of Freddie Prinze.
• Russell Philip Robinson, the infamous team manager, tried to get into every shot regardless of how it affected continuity. Stewart tried to get out of master shots because he knew getting in one would mean staying on set all day.

A Globetrotter memento

My wonderful wife Laurie got this for me as a surprise to celebrate this week's Harlem Globetrotters episodes:

As you can see, the set is dated 1992. I don't remember this at all, but I love having this card, one of 90 in the collection. Love that play on the front. It's just like they drew it up, I'm sure!