Thursday, March 13, 2008
My World... And Welcome to It with Henry Morgan and Ray Walston (1969)
This rare sitcom had a serious cult following when it aired for one season in 1969-70. Based on "drawings, stories, inspirational pieces and things that go bump in the night" by James Thurber, it featured a lead character scared by real life, who retreated into his drawing board. Sounds sort of like me, except my drawing board is old TV shows on the internet. After NBC got rid of the show, CBS bought it and aired it from May 1972 until September.
The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson with guest host Vikki Carr and guests Steve Martin and Doug Sanders (1974)
The first half of this episode was posted earlier this week here. Steve Martin mentioned in his recent memoir that after running out of 'A' material after his first Tonight Show appearances and, essentially, bombing with the sub-grade material he used in subsequent appearances, Carson relegated Martin to appearing on nights featuring guest hosts. Here is a sample of one of those nights.
The Fountain of Youth with guest star Nancy Kulp (1958) - Footage Offline 10/12/09
Did you know Nancy Kulp worked with Orson Welles? Welles made this half-hour drama for Desilu that aired as a brief summer replacement in 1958. It was his attempt to prove to himself, and perhaps the networks, that he could be just as innovative in television as he had been in film. However, it didn't lead to much. If the studios had trouble with Orson, just imagine what it would have been like seeing Welles deal with advertisers who dictated content. Apparently this is one of only two surviving episodes.
Sanford and Son with guest star Nancy Kulp (1975)
This episode introduced Nancy Kulp as a regular to the cast of Sanford and Son. Kulp and Foxx together is a fine, fine combination in my book.
Network Nights (1964)
What was on ABC on a Tuesday night in 1964? Plenty of cartoons!
At seven-thirty, the evening starts with Tang's The Bugs Bunny Show.
At eight o'clock it's the sitcom Bachelor Father. Recently we saw a hilarious episode of Valentine's Day featuring Jack Soo as an Asian lead character who did not speak in pigeon english or take part in any of the other shameful Hollywood characteristics that Asians were forced to portray. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the part Sammee Tong was made to play in the Bachelor Father. His role as the slow-minded houseboy may have been what led to his suicide later in 1964 (okay, it was actually gambling debts).
At eight-thirty it was another cartoon, this one a bit more offensive, removed from the air due to some vocal protests. Calvin and Colonel was basically an Amos n' Andy soundtrack paired with splendid nineteen sixties TV animation. The cartoon was written by some of the people responsible for Leave it to Beaver and The Munsters. A nice glimpse into a serious rarity.
Watch the whole night's worth here.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Password with guests Carol Burnett and Peter Lawford (1963)
The interesting film Johnny Cool featuring Joey Bishop, Mort Sahl and a cast of other interesting characters is referenced several times in this entertaining episode of Password.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
That Girl with guest star Murray Roman (1967) - Footage Offline - 1/14/09
Counterculture comedian Murray Roman made only a handful of appearances on television outside of The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. He appeared in an episode of The Monkees, an episode of Batman and an episode of That Girl. He took that TV money and bought a lot of reefer and LSD. Murray Roman was a fascinating character who released the most experimental comedy LPs of all time. I was quite pleased with the cast of characters I had a chance to interview for my article The Forgotten Murray Roman, which I vainly encourage you to read, if you haven't already. Of course, I don't mind if you bypass the article for the transcripts of the interviews themselves (I feel like I am making grammatical errors here, but I'm not sure):
Tom Smothers on Murray Roman
Steve Martin on Murray Roman
Bob Einstein on Murray Roman
Mason Williams on Murray Roman
Murray is the horn-rimmed sporting bowling alley employee. This episode also features a brief appearance from a young Rob Reiner who joined Murray shortly after this as a writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
Tom Smothers on Murray Roman
Steve Martin on Murray Roman
Bob Einstein on Murray Roman
Mason Williams on Murray Roman
Murray is the horn-rimmed sporting bowling alley employee. This episode also features a brief appearance from a young Rob Reiner who joined Murray shortly after this as a writer on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.
The Twilight Zone with guest star Nancy Kulp (1962)
It's all Nancy Kulp all the time here at Classic Television Showbiz! Nancy appeared on the March 9th, 1962 episode of The Twilight Zone titled The Fugitive.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
My Favorite Martian with guest star Alan Hale Jr. (1964)
It always feels weird watching The Skipper appear in a 1960s sitcom other than Gilligan's Island. It just seems so adulterous!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Margie (1961)
This rare sitcom aired for one season on ABC and is not related in any way to the superior My Little Margie. This was set in the 1920s, but other than references to Paul Whiteman and Rudy Vallee, you wouldn't know it.
Dragnet 68 with special guest star Ann Morgan Guilbert (1968)
This has to go down in history as the episode of Dragnet with the least amount of action. Nothing happens. A minor crime occurs right at the very end just so the whole show isn't a total write-off. It's actually quite amusing thanks to the deadpan comedic talents of Harry Morgan. It also features a surprise turn from Millie, the neighbor on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Turns out she was also Detective Gannon's neighbor!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
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.
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)
Friday, March 7, 2008
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.
What's My Line - Mystery Guest Martathon - Part Two
Steve Allen:
Van Johnson:
Kirk Douglas:
Jimmy Durante:
Greer Garson:
George Raft:
Van Johnson:
Kirk Douglas:
Jimmy Durante:
Greer Garson:
George Raft:
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