Gidget with special guest star Marvin Kaplan (1966) - Footage Offline - 8/17/08

Marvin Kaplan is one of my favorite character actors of the fifties and sixties. His wonderful voice will forever be identified with the character of Choo Choo on Hanna-Barbera's Top Cat. Recently I've been seeing a lot of him on Make Room For Daddy where he plays a waiter at Lindy's. Here he appears in an episode of a seriously mediocre sitcom with a high sense of style. Gidget only lasted one season. It was no skin off the nose of Sally Field who followed it up with The Flying Nun.

Password with guest Joey Bishop (1962) - Footage Offline - 09/13/09

Network Nights (1964)

What was prime time TV like on ABC in 1964?

Starting at 7:30 pm, it was the greatest of the Hanna-Barbera adventure cartoons, Johnny Quest. It was followed by the not-so-greatest of sitcoms, The Farmer's Daughter. This is actually my first exposure to The Farmer's Daughter, and probably my last. It survived a solid three seasons and three years after its cancellation, the program's star, Inger Stevens, committed suicide. Just prior to eight-thirty we see a soup commercial narrated by Sterling Holloway and featuring Mickey Mouse and then it is time for The Addams Family. This episode features the hilarious Frank "Yuhhhhhh-essssss?" Nelson as guest star. Next up it's a serious obscurity that's got absolutely everything going for it. Starring future Barney Miller favorite Jack Soo, it's Valentine's Day. The sitcom didn't last much longer than the annual event of the same name, and that's a damn shame. This hilarious episode features Mamie Van Doren as herself and an appearance by the voice of Judy Jetson (and several other teenage cartoon and radio characters), Janet Waldo. It is not only the funniest show on ABC's Friday night line-up, but also the most adult.

We move over to CBS for the end of the night. We're treated to a typical episode of Gomer Pyle, USMC and the George C. Scott drama East Side, West Side.

Check out all the fun here!

The Jack Benny Program with Nancy Kulp and Howard McNear (1961)

And as if those two familiar faces weren't enough, the episode also features a cameo from the moderator of What's My Line, Mr. John Charles Daly.

The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. (1966)

Here's one you don't see everyday. I haven't even been able to watch all three of these yet (I sat through one) so I don't expect you to either, but I figure I should post them now before they disappear from the internet forever, as happens with all too many videos I bookmark and save for later.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents with guest stars Bill Mumy and Olan Soule (1961)

What's My Line - Mystery Guest Martathon - Part Two

Steve Allen:
Van Johnson:

Kirk Douglas:

Jimmy Durante:
Greer Garson:

George Raft:

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson with guests Michael Landon and Don Rickles (1974)

The Bob Crosby Show (1955)

Dollar a Second with host Jan Murray (1954)

The 64,000 Challenge with guest Vincent Price (1956)

Arthur Godfrey Time (1955)

It's About Time starring Joe E. Ross and Imogene Coca (1966)

Batman with guest cameo by Joe E. Ross (1967)

Not to mention Eartha Kitt, of course, and a cameo from Dick "Hank" Kallman. Joe E. Ross you surely know from Sgt. Bilko, Car 54 Where Are You and It's About Time. I'll finally be uploading that dreadful Joe E. Ross comedy LP next week.

Twenty-One (1956)

What's My Line - Mystery Guest Marathon - Part One

Most of these are from the early fifties.

Mr. Peepers and Marlon Brando's best friend, Wally Cox:

Fred Allen:

Roy Campanella:
Nat King Cole:

Billy Rose:

Ann Southern:

Ronald Reagan:


Johnny Olsen:

The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson with guest host Don Rickles and guests Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and John Wayne (1970)

Don Rickles on The Twilight Zone (1961)

Password with guests Nancy Kulp and Frank Sutton (1967)

The Dick Cavett Show with guest Bobby Fischer (1971)

I've Got a Secret with guests John Cale and Karl Schenzer (1963)

From the YouTuber who uploaded this gem:

"John Cale was the guest on this September 16, 1963 episode of I've Got a Secret. His secret centered around his participation in an 18 hour piano playing marathon that was the first full length performance of Erik Satie's "Vexations". (Not mentioned, John Cage was also one of the pianists.) Also on stage was Off- Broadway actor, Karl Schenzer, who's secret was that he was the only person to stay for the entire concert performance."

The Mike Wallace Interview: Rod Serling (1959)

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour with guest George Carlin (1968)

What's My Line with mystery guest Rosalind Russell (1952)