DAVE AND TONY AND TOM AND JAY

One year after "The Odd Couple" went off the air, Tony Randall ("Felix Unger") returned to ABC prime time in a situation comedy produced by MTM. In "The Tony Randall Show", Tony played a judge in Philadelphia. This was an extremely funny and well-written show. It was produced by Tom Patchett and Jay Tarses, the two comedy writers-producers responsible for the classic "Bob Newhart Show". Pretty good pedigree. I have very fond memories of this show and its theme music. Tony's hangdog assistant was played by Barney Martin who later played Jerry's dad on "Seinfeld". After one season, the program moved to CBS for a season. This show needs to be released on DVD.


After writing and producing a surprisingly tasteless "Animal House" rip-off originally titled "Mad Magazine's Up the Academy" (directed by cult filmmaker Robert Downey Sr.), Patchett and Tarses produced an ABC sitcom about a convenience store which lasted a couple of episodes after tons of hype. They had an interesting guest star in one episode:


Speaking of Dave, he often had Tony Randall as a guest on his show. Randall, always classy, was a great sport usually appearing in a gag sequence. Some funny clips from early NBC-era Dave and lastly a classic clip from CBS Dave:

Fred Silverman, Nancy Walker, and Scooby Doo

I was just reading about Fred Silverman. He was an influential programmer and innovator for network tv in the 60's and 70's. His career highlights seem to greatly influence the elements of programming that meant the most to me.

Silverman started programming for CBS in the mid-60's. He brought all of the superhero shows to Saturday Morning. All the cartoon product tie-ins which have been so prevalent in childrens programming really started with this guy. Yes, there were sponsorships by toy companies and cereals in the early 60's but Silverman really got the whole programming block concept going on Saturday mornings. So, not only did he greenlight Space Ghost, Frankenstein Jr., Herculoids, and the Wacky Races but he was responsible for bringing one of the most popular characters in the history of animation to audiences: Scooby Doo. Scooby started a whole decade of meddling, crime-fighting teenagers with goofy animal buddies. He also brought back the Flintstones in new episodes with a teenage Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm.


When he began programming prime time, he was responsible for the "rural purge". He cancelled every show with a tree in it, regardless of the ratings. So "Beverly Hillbillies", "Mayberry RFD", "Green Acres" and "Hee Haw" were axed. Silverman decided to cater to the new baby boomers with a much more sophisticated brand of sitcom. Thus was born "Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "All in the Family".
Basically, he was responsible for making CBS the Tiffany Network. At this time, the quality of programming was unmatched (to this day, in my opinion). The Lear and MTM labels flourished in the early 70's. Also, "Sonny and Cher", "Good Times", "Bob Newhart Show" and "The Waltons" became sensations.

Then ABC grabbed him in '75. Now Silverman became responsible for what became, for me as a young male, paradise. He made ABC a powerhouse with the "jiggle TV" concept. He put "Happy Days" in front of a howling studio audience. Now, he did for Garry Marshall and his stable of comedies what he did for Lear and MTM on CBS. The Fonzie phenomenon started a trend of shows devoted to sex symbols and wet t-shirts. Along for the ride, some stars were made: Farrah ("Charlie's Angels), Travolta ("Welcome Back, Kotter"), Suzanne Somers ("Three's Company"), Robert Blake ("Baretta"), Donny and Marie, "Love Boat" and "Fantasy Island". He brought "Roots" to TV, starting the trend of miniseries. Oh, and "Battle of the Network Stars". Well, the latter seems more like an entry in his next chapter. He also brought Scooby Doo to ABC with all these huge Saturday morning blocks with Laff-a-Lympics, Scrappy Doo, Dynomutt, and Scooby Dum. Velma even looked a little hotter.

Prime Time sex stars olympics:

Scooby's olympics:


Quicky, it is interesting to point out that Silverman also really capitalized on the spin-off phenomenon. On CBS there were the All in the Family offspring: "Maude", "The Jeffersons", "Good Times". And the MTM children: "Rhoda", "Phyllis". On ABC, "Happy Days" bred "Laverne and Shirley" and "Mork and Mindy".


He also must have really liked Nancy Walker. She played Rosie in the paper towel commercials, remember? Well, she rose to fame and won Emmy nods for playing Rhoda's mother on MTM and "Rhoda". When Silverman moved to ABC, Lear created a show for her on that network aptly titled, "The Nancy Walker Show" (she played a Hollywood talent agent). That was cancelled very quickly in the fall of '76 and she starred in "Blansky's Beauties", a very strained spinoff of "Happy Days". She ran a showgirl chorus line in a Vegas casino in the fifties...I think Chachi worked with her. She ended up back with Rhoda on CBS. Funny, she worked with all the big sitcom producers in the 70's at one time or another.

Back to Silverman. After his phenomenal success at ABC, NBC made him president and CEO. Can he pull off a hat trick? Well, while ABC continued to titillate and CBS went back to huge audiences by going back to the country ("Dukes of Hazzard" "Flo", "Dallas"), NBC refused to escape from its seventies doldrums. So Silverman tried a Love Boat type show called "Supertrain". Flop. A quality Larry Gelbart-scripted dramedy called "United States". Flop. HIs own cornpone country show spinoff, "Sheriff Lobo". Sort of flopped. He brought back his favorite family, The Flintstones, in prime time. Flop. He brought back friendly animals, "Here's Boomer". Flop.
 

He brought back the only hit character NBC had in his own show, Fred Sanford himself. Flop. He created a weekly "Big Event" which could be anything. Flop. His main success at this time was a new family of sitcoms derived from "Diff'rent Strokes" ("Facts of Life" and, oooof, "Hello Larry"). But he woudn't let us down. Before he left NBC, he brought us "Hill Street Blues". When David Letterman failed in his morning show, Silverman kept him at the network until he launched the now legendary late late night show after Carson. Whereas launching the eighties with Bochco inspired dramedies and Letterman lunacy leaves a wonderful legacy, he also left us with "The Smurfs" and started reality tv with "Real People". Ouch.

Well, my fondest memories of TV in my favorite TV years were thanks to this guy. Tiffany TV, T and A TV, and NBCTNT TV. Yes, I have fond memories of the bad NBC years. That's just me. The Flintstones, Scooby Doo, McLean Stevenson, and Nancy Walker all thank you.

NBC Highlights - Peacock Envy

There was something magical about television before cable and vcr/dvr. I believe NBC coined the term “Must See TV” or “Appointment” television. LIke on Thursday nights with Cosby and Cheers. That’s when you must actually watch a show when it is broadcast or be banished to the world of a second rerun during the seasons run. In the late 70’s, NBC had something called “The Big Event”, a primetime block of two hours once a week, which could encompass a variety show, a sporting event, unsold pilots, or large anti-drug extravaganzas produced by major movie studios (I’m talking about you, Evans).

The three main networks gained their identity this way. There was no cross-broadcasting of shows with sister cable stations. Season one or two didn’t end up on DVD before the season was even over. You could actually read the credits at the end of a show with no advertising crowding out the name of the wardrobe person.

Those “identities” manifested themselves in my TV addicted days and each network had a feel to it. A look. CBS was course but clear. ABC was smooth and sometimes had double images. NBC was very smooth and bold.

Here are my fond NBC memories through the years:

**The Macy’s Parade was a commercial event yet not too commercial. The balloons and Ed McMahon. The bad Broadway showcases in front of the main doors of Macy’s. The tie-ins to holiday programming.


**Variety. NBC always had interesting programming. Dean Martin’s celebrity roasts were a highlight, from the MGM Grand in Vegas. The psychedelic Laugh-In went over my head. The incredible Flip Wilson. The 70s had some very short runs of a few memorable variety series: Dick Van Dyke in ’76 with a young Andy Kaufman; the infamous Pink Lady and Jeff (noted as one of the worst programs in history--look it up); Mac Davis (that’s right!); and animators Hanna Barbera had a show called “Happy Hour” with marionettes. And this is where Bob Hope would plop his specials, getting cornier by the year.

**Sitcoms. Friday nights belonged to Sanford and Son. Followed by Chico and the Man. CBS and ABC owned the sitcom world in the 70’s so there weren’t too many but the few were very memorable. Didn’t last long and obscure as hell: Norman Lear’s “The Dumplings” about fat people in love; Danny Thomas wearing a bad wig in “The Practice”; Brian Keith in Hawaii in “Little People”; Don Rickles in the Navy “CPO Sharkey” (a favorite); sci-fi spoof “Quark”; Sanford spin-off “Grady; an MTM-produced sitcom starring Bob Crane as an ad-executive father.(not long before he was killed); McLean Stevenson’s first solo outing after leaving MASH (bad move); Joe Namath in “Waverly Wonders”; Jim Belushi in “Who’s Watching the Kids?” set in the showrooms of Las Vegas; and David Brenner as a hairdresser in “Snip”. “Snip” never aired but it was hyped so much in ’76 I felt it had.



Late night:
Two words: Johnny Carson. You felt like you were in the studio.
Three more words: It’s Saturday Night. That’s the way Chevy Chase would introduce the show after a “fall”. I can remember watching live the first season. I think Robert Klein hosted the first one I saw. There is no way to describe the feel of those early SNL years. It looked dingy and felt like a hangover and was so new and daring. Hosts like Ron Nessen, Carter’s press secretary. Buck Henry, Steve Martin, Elliot Gould, Candice Bergen (who loved Belushi’s antics). Akryoyd’s Tom Snyder and Laraine Newman’s waif. Acerbic Jane Curtin and the brilliant Gilda Radner. Bill Murray taking over for Chevy and the comedy team of Al Franken and Tom Davis. Oh, and Andy Kaufman and Muppets!
Oh, yeah, Tom Snyder on Tomorrow Show after Carson.
When Lorne Michaels left SNL after the fifth year I lost interest. But, SCTV was broadcast Friday nights and I was introduced to an odd group from Canada, the incredible skits with Bob and Doug; Count Floyd, Edith Prickley, Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis as Bob Hope and Woody Allen, anything Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara did. Heaven with a slightly off-kilter laughtrack.


**Daytime


The Today Show before heading to school. Jane Pauley in a ponytail, Tom Brokaw, Bryant Gumbel, Willard Scott, and Gene Shalit. And that theme. The very cool and relaxed riff on the “peacock” chord. Always a great lead-in to the Thanksgiving parade.
Hollywood Squares. Need I say more?
The first Letterman show. A ninety-minute talk/comedy show that was on after Today Show. Lasted a couple of months. I think Dave has people excommunicated for mentioning it.


**Saturday Mornings belonged to the Pink Panther in all his incarnations. And one season, he shared the show with this crazy comedian called Lenny Schultz and the Ritz Puppets. The Inspector. Ant and the Aardvark.
Remember Pink himself exiting the sports car in Burbank?

**More Saturday Morning notes:
A childrens version of Hollywood Squares where celebrities dressed up as storybook characters.
Rebroadcasts of Underdog and The Jetsons. One season of each was originally produced and they ran forever!
The beginnings of really wacked out LSD-inspired fun for kids in ’68 and ’69: The Banana Splits, HR Pufnstuf, and The Bugaloos.
I particularly remember loving the ’72 lineup with The Barkleys, The Houndcats, The Roman Holidays and the ORIGINAL Sealab 2020.
Great live-actions series: Land of the Lost, Sigmund and Sea Monsters, Run Joe Run.
The animated Star Trek.
Inch High Private Eye, Butch Cassidy, Wheelie, and CB Bears.
In ’76, there was a lineup of live-action sitcoms produced by the guys that brought you “Love American Style”:
“McDuff, the Talking Dog”, “Monster Squad” and my favorite, “Big John-Little John”.
Godzilla’s Power Hour and Yogi’s Space Race in ’78.
Reruns of Space Ghost, Frankenstein Jr. and Jonny Quest. Yea!

Right before the 80’s, NBC really bit it when Fred Silverman moved over as programmer from his success at ABC. Prime-time was a wasteland. It was bad tv at it’s best: Supertrain, Number 96, Sheriff Lobo, Here’s Boomer. The only redeeming show was “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century”. Thanks to a new lineup of comedies spawned from “Diff’rent Strokes” the ratings started picking up. (I must admit to watching the first couple of years of “Stroke’s spin-off Facts of Life as I was hot for snotty Blair. Always liked the snobby girls in high school)

Then: something amazing happened:

“Hill Street Blues”…..My first few years in college were with NBC. “Hill Street” was amazing as was “St. Elsewhere” (featuring Denzel himself). Then came “Cheers” on Thursday night. Dave had his late-night show after Carson and those early years of Letterman felt like the early years of SNL: raw and fuzzy. Eddie Murphy and Joe Piscopo were the only reason to watch SNL these years.

The remainder of the 80’s basically involved sporadic viewing of the new Thursday night power lineup of Cosby, Family Ties and Cheers. And Golden Girls on Saturday night (when I was home, OK?). And the incredible Hartman-Carvey-Hooks years on SNL.

Epilogue: NBC continued to be my most watched network, mostly on Thursday nights: Seinfeld, Mad About You, Newsradio, Just Shoot Me. I stuck with the entire runs of Friends, Frasier, and (still, aaaahg), ER. (Like a bad heroin addiction).

Today, I still go there on Thursdays for The Office and 30 Rock. And struggle through the now sold-out SNL that caters to Lorne Michael’s political whims.

But that’s another post.

Here’s to the peacock!