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21
The Honeymooners

CBS (ended 1978)

328 Chauncey Street, Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York is where the apartment residences of the Kramdens and the Nortons stand. These four people, fifteen years after the depression are still struggling to make ends meet. Ralph Kramden and Alice Gibson married following his acquiring employment as a bus driver with the Gotham Bus Company. Edward Lillywhite Norton, a sewer worker, and his wife, Thelma 'Trixie', live above the Kramdens. The stories depict the sincere attempts of two men attempting to better their lives, and the ensuing frustrations when their schemes to strike it rich inevitably backfire. Although "The Honeymooners" is one of the best remembered comedy highlights of TV's golden age, it was seen for most of its history as a segment within other programs. In 1951, "The Honeymooners" was first seen as a sketch within DuMont's "Cavalcade of Stars", with Pert Kelton originating the role of Alice and with Art Carney's first appearance as a cop. (See season 12 - Special: Really Lost Debut Episodes). In 1952, Jackie moved his show to CBS as "The Jackie Gleason Show" (see seasons 1-3), Audrey Meadows assumed the role of Alice. On 3/30/1952 Jackie Gleason and Art Carney perform a 10 minute "Honeymooners" sketch on "Toast of the Town" (Season 5, Episode 30) titled "The Ring". Ralph is Jealous of Joe the Jeweler. This sketch can be found on rare "Best of Ed Sullivan" VHS's that float around the internet through various traders. On 5/4/52 Jackie Gleason, Art Carney & Pert Kelton perform a 10 minute "Honeymooners" sketch on "Toast of the Town" (Season 5, Episode 35) titled "The Dance". Ralph & Alice getting dressed for a night out. This sketch can be found on rare "Best of Ed Sullivan" VHS's that float around the internet through various traders. Note: This would be the last time Pert Kelton would portray Alice. In 1955 Gleason wanted a respite from the full-hour live weekly variety show. Thus the "Classic 39" were born (see season 4). It was decided to film a full season of half-hour Honeymooners shows. In 1956, after the less-than-anticipated response to the filmed "Honeymooners", Gleason returned to a regular variety format for 1 additional season (see season 5). In 1957 as part of the final season of "The Jackie Gleason Show", Jackie brought aboard Jerry Bresler & Lyn Duddy to create what is now known as the 1957 - Trip To Europe musical episodes. On 1/26/1958 Audrey Meadows, Jack Benny and Dennis Day perform a "Honeymooners" sketch on "The Jack Benny Program". Jack Benny portrays Ralph & Dennis Day portrays Ed. This sketch can be found on very scarce "Best of Jack Benny" VHS's that float around the internet. In 1962, after a 5 year hiatus from Television, Jackie returned to TV with "Jackie Gleason and His American Scene Magazine" (see season 6). From 1962 to 1964 this show was from New York. Only 2 "Honeymooners" sketches were performed with Sue Ann Langdon taking on the role of Alice and Patricia Wilson as Trixie. In 1964 Jackie moved his "American Scene Magazine" from NY to Miami. To move the entire crew and staff Jackie chartered a train of 14 cars for over 100 passengers and dubbed it "The Great Gleason Express". This would be where the remaining "Honeymooners" would be filmed, though still set in Bensonhurst. In 1966, Audrey Meadows returned for 1 special episode, "The Adoption", a classic Jerry Bresler & Lyn Duddy musical episode featuring Ralph & Alice's attempt to adopt a baby. This would be the last episode filmed in black & white and is a precursor to what is now known as the "Color Honeymooners" over the next 4 seasons. From 1966 to 1970, the majority of these episodes were Jerry Bresler & Lyn Duddy mini-musicals, now known as the "Color Honeymooners". Sheila MacRea would portray Alice and Jane Kean as Trixie. These episodes can be seen on the "American Life TV Network" with all 4 seasons now on DVD. On 1/7/1967 Audrey Meadows & Ray Bolger portray Alice & Ralph Kramden in a "Honeymooners" sketch on "The Hollywood Palace". On 9/30/1968 Jackie appears uncredited as Ralph Kramden in one of the funniest episodes of "Here's Lucy" titled "Lucy Visits Jack Benny". Jack Benny appears as himself. Tis episode appears on "Here's Lucy" DVD Season 1. On 10/11/1973, Jackie Gleason brought "The Honeymooners" back in a 1 time special that aired on CBS titles "Women's Lib" (see season 11). On 5/22/1974, Jackie Gleason and Julie Andrews portray Ralph Kramden & Ed Norton on the special "Julie & Jackie: How Sweet It Is". This would mark the only time Jackie would portray Ralph to anyone else portraying Ed Norton. Jackie always said he could never do Ralph without any other guy other than Art Carney. He kept his word!! And from 1976 to 1978, the last 4 "Honeymooners" were filmed in Miami and Atlantic City (see season 11). These holiday themed specials that aired on ABC would see the return of Audrey Meadows as Alice and Jane Kean as Trixie. On February 6, 1985 Jackie Gleason holds a press conference at New York's "21 Club" with Audrey Meadows and Joyce Randolph by his side. It is here that Jackie announces that the "The Honeymooners: The Lost Episodes" will make their television debut on Showtime in September 1985. On May 13, 1985 NBC airs "The Honeymooners Reunion" a new special showing numerous clips and scenes of upcoming "Lost Episodes". From May through August 1985 the "Museum of Broadcasting" presents "Discovery: Lost Episodes" airing 17 "Lost Episodes" ready for public viewing. On September 2, 1985 Showtime airs a 3 & 1/2 hour "Lost Episodes Marathon" airing 8 complete "Lost" classics. In September 1986 the "Lost Episodes" made their non-cable debut bumping the total # of "Honeymooners" episodes in syndication from 39 to 118. Thank you Jackie Gleason!! NOTE: This episode guide contains all episodes of "The Honeymooners" that were either sketches as seen on "The Jackie Gleason Show" and "American Scene Magazine" as well as the "Classic 39" and TV specials. Season 12 is set up for "Honeymooners" specials as well as specials that celebrated Jackie Gleason in which "Honeymooners" clips and sketches aired. A new website maintained by the Gleason estate is now up & fully running... http://www.jackiegleason.com/moreless
22
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

PBS (ended 2001)

"In a little toy neighborhood, a tiny trolley rolls past a house at the end of a street. Welcome toMister Rogers' Neighborhood." In the annals of children's TV, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood ranks among the longest-lasting and beloved shows. Upon its conclusion, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood was the longest-running series in PBS history (a record eclipsed by Sesame Street in 2003). Host Fred Rogers (known to millions as simply "Mister Rogers") used his gentle charm and mannerisms to communicate with his audience of children. Topics centered on nearly every inconceivable matter of concern to children, ranging from everyday fears related to going to sleep, getting immunizations and disappointment about not getting one's way to losing a loved one to death and physical handicaps. Rogers used simple songs and, on nearly every show, segments from the Neighborhood of Make-Believe (NOM) to make his point. A scale-model trolley was often (but not always) used to segue into the Make-Believe segments, said neighborhood being inhabited by puppet characters including King Friday XIII, Lady Elaine Fairchild and Daniel Striped Tiger. Many shows also featured visits from cast members – most often Mr. McFeely (tagline: "Speedy Delivery"), Robert Trow, Joe Negri and Chef Brockett (the local baker). Many times, Rogers also visited the neighborhood shops of both the regulars and guests. Each show began and ended with a camera panning over a scale neighborhood (said to represent the town where Rogers lived). Production History While today's longer-running PBS Kids shows reinvent themselves every five years, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood achieved, throughout its 31 seasons, that rarest of elements: consistency. It is a legacy that can all be traced through every aspect of Fred Rogers' television career. Some of the characters in Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, both real and imagined, had appeared in two of Fred Rogers' earlier programs, The Children's Corner for Pittsburgh's WQED in 1954 and the CBC's Misterogers in 1963. It was for Misterogers that Fred first appeared on-camera. Rogers returned to WQED in Pittsburgh to begin writing and hosting Mister Rogers' Neighborhood May 22, 1967. Several other public television stations from Chicago to Boston carried the show on a trial basis that year. Beginning February 19, 1968, the Mister Rogers' Neighborhood program that we know today, began airing nationwide on National Educational Television (NET), the predecessor to PBS. This was also the year David Newell, returned from Europe, began work for Rogers. He was in charge of the production as well as the neighborhood's Speedy Delivery service. (AN ASIDE: Rogers wanted to call the delivery man Mr. McCurdy after the man at the Sears-Roebuck Foundation, whose support launched Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. But the people at Sears-Roebuck called Rogers and said "Mr. McCurdy" was too self-serving. Thus Rogers went to his roots to rename Newell's deliveryman. "McFeely" was Rogers' middle name and the last name of his maternal grandfather.) Shows were produced as a daily strip from 1968 to 1976, at which time production was suspended. Counting black-and-white episodes, 590 shows were produced in that span. Production resumed at the beginning of the remote video age in 1979. Rogers went on location more, supervising videos of how people make things (a precursor to the TVO series Here's How!). Other characters would be introduced in the subsequent two decades. In all, 305 new programs were taped from 1979 through 2001. Of that volume, the most notable shows came in 1991, with Rogers focusing on calming children's fears during the first U.S. war with Iraq. PBS gradually narrowed the window for the 460 "pre-79" episodes with each new season from 1980 onward. When the number of "post-75" episodes was enough to cover entire years, the classic shows were retired, last airing on PBS in the summer of 1995. Despite the production stoppage and the subsequent passing of Fred Rogers on February 27, 2003, PBS continues to repeat Mister Roger's Neighborhood in all its original glory–an accomplishment unique among all PBS Kids shows.moreless
23
The Facts of Life

NBC (ended 1988)

The Facts of Life began in August of 1979 and aired on NBC. It was a spin-off to the sitcom Diff'rent Strokes on which Charlotte Rae played Mrs. Garrett, housekeeper to Philip Drummond's household. In The Facts of Life, Mrs. Garrett has become headmistress to an exclusive girls school, Eastland. Although the series had a rocky start, including low ratings and a cast overhaul. The series went on to becomes one of the longest running sitcoms of the 80's. In the first season the stories revolved around Mrs. Garrett and her adjustment to her new job. The first season also introduced to us seven girls, Nancy, Blair, Sue Ann, Cindy, Molly, Natalie and Tootie. At the beginning of the second season, the cast was trimmed down to Mrs. Garrett and four primary girls, Blair, Tootie, Natalie and a new girl, Jo. These four girls would remain until the end of the series with Mrs. Garrett re-marrying and leaving in 1986 and Cloris Leachman coming in to play Mrs. Garrett's sister, Beverly Ann from 1986-1988. On November 18, 2001, ABC aired The Facts of Life Reunion, in which Mrs. Garrett, Natalie, Blair and Tootie reunite. First Telecast: August 24, 1979 Last Telecast: September 10, 1988 Episodes: 209 Color Episodes Theme Song: "The Facts of Life" Written by: Alan Thicke, Gloria Loring and Al Burton Sung by: Charlotte Rae (Season 1) and Gloria Loring (Seasons 2-9) Spin-off of : Diff'rent Strokes NBC Broadcast History August-September 1979----Fridays----8:30 p.m. March-May 1980----Fridays----8:30 p.m. June-July 1980----Wednesdays----9:30 p.m. August-October 1980----Fridays----8:30 p.m. November 1980-October 1981----Wednesdays----9:30 p.m. October 1981-August 1985----Wednesdays----9:00 p.m. September 1985-June 1986----Saturdays----8:30 p.m. June 1986-May 1987----Saturdays----8:00 p.m. June-July 1987----Wednesdays----9:00 p.m. July 1987-September 1988----Saturdays----8:00 p.m. Nielsen Ratings: (Top 35 or Better) #26 in the 1980-1981 Season #24 in the 1981-1982 Season #24 in the 1983-1984 Season #32 in the 1984-1985 Season #27 in the 1985-1986 Seasonmoreless
24
Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!

CBS (ended 1972)

Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! premiered on September 13, 1969. This cartoon introduced four kids and a dog named Scooby-Doo. These kids were Daphne Blake, Freddy Jones, Velma Dinkley, Norville "Shaggy" Rogers, and their mascot. They traveled around in a green van known as "The Mystery Machine" and solved many scary mysteries along the way. In 1972, this show became The New Scooby-Doo Movies, which were hour-long episodes in which the gang teamed up with famous animated stars and celebrites to solve mysteries. This format aired until 1973. Scooby-Doo was so popular to Hanna-Barbara that it spawned many different cartoon series throughout the 1970's and the early 1980's. These shows were as follows: The Scooby-Doo Show, a revamped format of this show, Scooby and Scrappy-Doo, which introduced the character Scrappy-Doo, The 13 Ghosts of Scooby-Doo, and the last incarnation, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, which featured the cast as kids. After more than a decade-long absence of original weekly shows, a new series, What's New Scooby-Doo?, began airing in September 2002. Theme Song Lyrics Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you? We got some work to do now, Scooby-Dooby-Doo, where are you? We need some help from you now. Come on, Scooby-Doo, I see you Pretending you've got a sliver, But you're not foolin' me, 'Cuz I can see The way you shake and shiver! You know we got a mystery to solve So Scooby-Doo, be ready for your act! (Scooby: Uh uh!) Don't hold back! And Scooby-Doo, if you come through You're gonna have yourself a Scooby Snack! That's a fact! Scooby-Dooby-Doo, here are you, You're ready and you're willing! If we can count on you, Scooby-Doo I know you'll catch that villian! Show Times Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! airs repeats every Monday-Thursday on Boomerang at 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM, it also technically airs Tuesday-Friday early mornings at 1:00 AM. It also airs on Cartoon Network Saturday early mornings at 4:30 AM. Scooby-Doo Where Are You? released 9 movies currently in 1999 - present. Scooby-Doo On Zombie Island Scooby-Doo And The Witch's Ghost Scooby-Doo And The Alien Invaders Scooby-Doo And The Cyber Chase Scooby-Doo And The Monster Of Mexico Scooby-Doo And The Loch Ness Monster Scooby-Doo And The Legend Of The Vampire Aloha Scooby-Doo Scooby-Doo in Where's Your Mummy? The show also lead to a current 10th series Shaggy And Scooby-Doo Get A Clue due to start this fall on CW. There were two live action Scooby-Doo Movies recently released in 2002 and 2004. Character Bios: Scooby "Scoobert" Doo: (Don Messick) Scooby-Doo is a great, "Great Dane". Though he's supposed to help the gang for sniffing out the clues, he's always the one running away from them. His very best friend is Shaggy! (Original name: Too Much) Freddy Jones: (Frank Welker) Freddy is the leader of the gang, he makes sure everything is going right! He usually pairs up with Daphne or Velma when looking for clues. (Original names: Geoff, Ronnie) Daphne Blake: (Heather North) Blinded by her beautiful looks, Daphne is also very ditzy at times. She is the one always finding the clues but not on purpose. She's also the one who gets kidnapped a lot and held for randsom. She should have her very own randsom note! (Original name: Kelly) Norville "Shaggy" Rogers: (Casey Kasem) Shaggy is a scaredy-cat just like Scooby. Only problem is neither one of Scooby or Shaggy is cats and they still got that nickname! Shaggy's best friend and dog is Scooby-Doo! (Original name: W.W.) Velma Dinkley: (Nicole Jaffe) Velma is the smartie of the bunch. She comes in handy when the gang doesnt know the name of something or needs help... Literally! (Original name: Linda) FAQ What is the investigating club that Scooby and the gang belong to? Mystery, Inc. What type of dog is Scooby-Doo? A Great Dane. What is Scooby-Doo's real name? Scoobert-Doo. How many classic Scooby-Doo episodes are there? 310 episodes comprising 230 half-hours.moreless
25
Last of the Summer Wine

BBC (ended 2010)

The longest running comedy series in the world started out, as many British comedy successes did, with a 1973 episode of the BBC series "Comedy Playhouse". The basis was simple but complex at the same time, telling the stories of three old men, who in all essence couldn't be more young at heart. The original trio consisted of Bill Owen, as Compo Simmonite, the scruffiest man in Yorkshire, with only two passions in life: his ferrets and Nora Batty (Kathy Staff). The second man of the group, Norman Clegg, played by Peter Sallis, was from the beginning shown as the most timid of the group, and also the one who gets carried away by the crazy ideas and schemes of his companions, which always seem to get him in trouble. Initially the third man of the group was Blamire, played by Michael Bates, but he was soon replaced by Foggy Dewhurst (Brian Wilde) who always seems to have a scheme or a story that somehow leads to his old days as a war hero... or so he says. In 1986 Brian Wilde left the series, to start filming his new sitcom, which proved to be a wrong move, as the show hadn't the success needed to sustain even a second series. during his 4 year absence from last of the summer wine Michael Aldridge played Seymour, the new third man of the trio, until 1990. Brian Wilde returned to do the next seven years of the show. When Brian Wilde left the series for the second time in 1997 Frank Thornton replaced him as the new third man on the trio as Truly Truelove of the Yard, an ex-police officer who's always remembering his past, both in the police force and in his former marriage to the former Mrs Truelove. When Bill Owen passed away, his son Tom joined the series, replacing him for the rest of the season as Compo's long lost son, Tom. Compo's permanent replacement would come the next year when Keith Clifford joined the cast as Billy Hardcastle, a man who fancies himself the descendant of Robin Hood. In 2003, the traditional trio became a quartet with the addition of Brian Murphy as Alvin Smedley, Nora Batty's new next door neigbour. With the addition of Alvin, an element of physical humour missing since Compo's death returned to the series. The quartet once again became a trio when Keith Clifford left the series in 2006. In 2009, the series was once again redesigned to allow Sallis and Thornton a reduced role on the series. A new third man was introduced in the form of Hobbo Hobdyke (Russ Abbott), a former milkman who fancies himself a former MI-5 agent. By combining Hobbo with Alvin and the electrical repairman, Entwistle (Burt Kwouk), a new trio was formed, proving once again the ability of the show to redesign itself over time. The main cast has always been surrounded by some amazing supporting cast throughout the run of the series, who helped to mantain the series as fresh today as it was when it premiered on the BBC.moreless
26
The Mary Tyler Moore Show

CBS (ended 1977)

The Mary Tyler Moore Show first aired in September of 1970 and was a breakthrough of sorts with women's liberation. The Mary Tyler Moore ran for seven years on CBS and was one of the most popular and acclaimed sitcoms of the seventies.
The show centered around Mary Richards, who moved to Minneapolis after a breakup with her fiancee and got a job as associate producer at a TV station, WJM-TV.
Production Company: MTM Productions, Inc. (Copyright currently held by 20th Century Fox Film Corporation)
Spinoffs: Rhoda Phyllis Lou Grant
CBS Broadcast History September 1970-December 1971 – Saturday 9:30 December 1971-September 1972 – Saturday 8:30 September 1972-November 1976 – Saturday 9:00 November 1976-September 1977 – Saturday 8:00 Nielsen Ratings #22 in the 1970-1971 Season #10 in the 1971-1972 Season #7 in the 1972-1973 Season #9 in the 1973-1974 Season #11 in the 1974-1975 Season #19 in the 1975-1976 Season #39 in the 1976-1977 Seasonmoreless
27
The Jeffersons

CBS (ended 1985)

The Jeffersons first aired in January of 1975 on CBS as a mid-season replacement. The series was a spinoff ofAll in the Family in which the Jeffersons were Archie and Edith Bunker's next door neighbors. In 1975, The Jeffersons moved on up when George found success in a dry cleaning business. This allowed him and his wife, Louise and their son Lionel to "move on up" into a spacious high rise apartment. At the beginning of the series, Lionel was attending college and graduated in February 1976. He married Jenny Willis in December of the same year and they had a daughter in 1979, Jessica Jefferson. Other members of the cast include, Tom and Helen Willis were upstairs neighbors and also Jenny's parents. Florence Johnston was the Jefferson's sassy maid who was hired as a part-time maid in the first episode but in October 1976 moved in and became a full-time maid. Mother Jefferson was George's fiesty mother who forever put Louise down but deep down loved her. Harry Bentley was the British, next door neighbor. Besides being quite eccentric and forever borrowing things from the Jeffersons, Bentley worked as a translator at the United Nations. In 1981, Bentley was written out as being transferred to Russia, but returned in 1983. Ralph was the building doorman who forever begged for tips from George and the other tennents in the building. Tom and Helen Willis were controversial characters since they were most likely TV's first interracial couple. Helen was Louise's best friend and they ran a Help Center which opened in 1977. As for Tom and George, it took the entire run of the series to develop their love/hate friendship. The series was unceremoniously pulled from the air with no warning, so the cast, bitter that they never got to shoot an appropriate finale episode, later reunited for a theatrical stage play. Sherman and Isabel also reprised their roles as George and Louise Jefferson on a couple episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in the mid-90's and have most recently reprised their roles on Denny's commercials. Spinoff of: All in the Family Spinoffs: Checking In CBS Broadcast History January-August 1975----Saturdays----8:30 p.m. September 1975-October 1976----Saturdays----8:00 p.m. November 1976-January 1977----Wednesdays----8:00 p.m. January 1977-August 1977----Mondays----8:00 p.m. September 1977-March 1978----Saturdays----9:00 p.m. April-May 1978----Saturdays----8:00 p.m. June-September 1978----Mondays----8:00 p.m. September 1978-January 1979----Wednesdays----8:00 p.m. January-March 1979----Wednesdays----9:30 p.m. March-June 1979----Wednesdays----8:00 p.m. June 1979-September 1982----Sundays----9:30 p.m. September 1982-December 1984----Sundays----9:00 p.m. January-March 1985----Tuesdays----8:00 p.m. June-July 1985----Tuesdays----8:00 p.m. Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better) #4 in the 1974-1975 Season #21 in the 1975-1976 Season #24 in the 1976-1977 Season #8 in the 1979-1980 Season #6 in the 1980-1981 Season #3 in the 1981-1982 Season #12 in the 1982-1983 Season #19 in the 1983-1984 Season #56 in the 1984-1985 Season Never hit the top 30 First Telecast: January 18, 1975 Last Telecast: July 23, 1985 Episodes: 253 Color Episodes Theme Song: "Movin' On Up" Written by: Jeff Barry and Ja'net DuBois Sung by: Ja'net DuBois Well we're movin on up,to the east side. To a deluxe apartment in the sky. Movin on up, to the east side. We finally got a piece of the pie. Fish don't fry in the kitchen; Beans don't burn on the grill. Took a whole lotta tryin', just to get up that hill. Now we're up in the big leagues, gettin' our turn at bat. As long as we live, it's you and me baby, and there ain't nothin' wrong with that. Well we're movin on up, to the east side. To a deluxe apartment in the sky. Movin on up, to the east side. We finally got a piece of the pie.moreless
28
The Odd Couple

ABC (ended 1975)

If comedy thrives on contrasts, The Odd Couple offered a perfect situation. Felix was a prim, fastidious photographer, a compulsive cleaner; Oscar was a gruff, sloppy sportswriter for the fictional New York Herald, to whom a floor was a place to toss things. The conflicts were obvious and endless, as each upset the other's way of life. Frequently seen early in the series were Oscar's poker partners, notably Murray the cop, Speed the compulsive gambler, and meek Vinnie. Later supporting characters included Dr. Nancy Cunningham, who would treat Felix and date Oscar, Miriam Welby, a girlfriend for Felix and Myrna Turner, Oscar's secretary. Introduced in the second half of the first season, the memorable opening narration (intoned by William Woodson) went: "On November 13th, Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence. That request came from his wife. Deep down he knew she was right. But he also knew that someday he would return to her. With nowhere else to go, he appeared at the home of his childhood friend, Oscar Madison. Sometime earlier, Madison's wife had thrown him out, requesting that he never return. Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?" By the second season, the "childhood" reference was deleted and the narration was eliminated entirely in the fourth and fifth seasons in favor of clips from earlier episodes. 114 color episodes were filmed at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. This show never ranked above #25 in the Nielsen Ratings, even though it went as high as #36 in the 1972-73 season. Primetime time slots that The Odd Couple held during its 5 year run: September 24, 1970 to January 14, 1971: Thursdays from 9:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. January 22, 1971 to September 7, 1973: Fridays from 9:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. September 14, 1973 to January 11, 1974: Fridays from 8:30 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. January 18, 1974 to September 6, 1974: Fridays from 9:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. September 12, 1974 to January 23, 1975: Thursdays from 8:00 P.M. to 8:30 P.M. January 31, 1975 to July 1975: Fridays from 9:30 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. The Odd Couple was based on the Neil Simon stage play and the 1968 movie of the same name. Simon has said Felix was based on the life of his own brother. Time-Life released the first season on DVD on August 18, 2006.moreless
29
WKRP in Cincinnati

CBS (ended 1982)

WKRP in Cincinnati, an MTM production, was created by Hugh Wilson, who had previously written scripts for MTM's The Bob Newhart Show and served as a producer on the short-lived MTM production The Tony Randall Show. MTM, which had not had a big comedy hit since Rhoda several years earlier, was counting on WKRP to revive the company's reputation as the best producer of situation comedies. WKRP debuted in a tough slot, 8:00 on Monday nights, followed by a forgettable and short-lived show called People. Despite strong reviews for the pilot episode, and some positive buzz for an episode called "Turkeys Away," WKRP did poorly in the ratings and was put on hiatus by CBS with five episodes still unaired. Most reports at the time suggested that this "hiatus" was likely to be permanent, but CBS surprised many by bringing the show back in January of 1979, again on Monday nights but this time following the long-running hit M*A*S*H. Though CBS claimed that the series had been "retooled" in the interim, not much had changed except the construction of a new set (the "bullpen" with desks for Les, Bailey, Herb and the DJs) and a slight shift in emphasis: Whereas earlier episodes had focused mostly on Andy Travis, Mr. Carlson and Johnny Fever, WKRP re-emerged as a true ensemble series in which all eight regular characters were of roughly equal importance. In this new time slot, WKRP was a hit, part of a high-quality CBS Monday night lineup of M*A*S*H followed by three series from MTM: WKRP In Cincinnati, The White Shadow, and Lou Grant. Loni Anderson, as Jennifer, became a national sex symbol, while Howard Hesseman as Johnny Fever almost matched her in popularity. Early in 1980, however, CBS moved WKRP away from Monday nights, trying to find a night where it could anchor an uneven lineup. Unfortunately some CBS executives apparently did not care for WKRP, and other executives mistook it for a kids' show based on the rock n' roll music and loud clothes. Thus they had a habit of preceding and following it with shows that were much more lowbrow than the MTM-style humor of WKRP -- for example, on one night WKRP was followed by the Alice spin-off, Flo. In time slots like these, WKRP's ratings dropped badly. The time-slot changes eventually became more frequent and more ill-considered as CBS looked for a spot where WKRP would finally fit in. The show also seems to have received only limited support from MTM (particularly after the departure of MTM founder Grant Tinker, who left to run NBC), which was busy conquering the world of hour long drama with shows like Hill Street Blues. In the summer of 1982, CBS announced that WKRP had been canceled. To the surprise of almost everyone, WKRP finally became a breakout hit when its 90 episodes were released to syndication; its long life in syndication eventually made it, according to Grant Tinker, the biggest moneymaker in the history of MTM. Some cast members remarked that WKRP was a hit in reruns because viewers finally new where to find it.moreless
30
Fawlty Towers

BBC Two (ended 1979)

The genesis of Fawlty Towers came when John Cleese and the rest of the Pythons went filming in the Southwest of England in May 1971. They were scheduled to spend two weeks at the Gleneagles in Torquay, but cut their stay to one night. It all had to do with the "wonderfully rude" hotel manager, the late Donald Sinclair. Sinclair hated all the guests who had the shortsightedness to stay in the Gleneagles. Worse, Sinclair was only 5'4" and was married to a large, domineering wife. Cleese turned Sinclair into a character for a Doctor in the House script for the BBC in 1973. This was just after Cleese had finished his TV chores on Monty Python's Flying Circus. Cleese wanted to strike out with his now-separated wife, Connie Booth, so the BBC gave both the offer to do a series. It didn't take long at all for Cleese and Booth to make the series out of that Torquay hotel, which they named Fawlty Towers. Cleese cast himself as manager Basil Fawlty, who felt that the main nuisances in a hotel were the guests. Wife Sybil Fawlty was Basil's equal and opposite, the competent co-owner who could lash out at Basil and win on the first stroke. ("We reversed the sizes [of manager and wife]," said the 6'4" Cleese.) Rounding out the regular staff at Fawlty Towers were Andrew Sachs as Manuel, the dumb waiter from Barcelona who could not make sense of Basil's commands (¿Qué?), and Connie Booth as Polly, whose calmness was sorely tested in each of Basil's schemes and cover-ups. While most sitcom writers spend two weeks turning out an episode, John Cleese and Connie Booth spent six weeks writing each episode of Fawlty Towers. Cleese said each program started with two or three plot threads, which start parallel, but begin to intertwine. The best shows, of course, are those in which the plot threads touch at the end. The production team spent nearly an hour editing each minute of every program, spending up to 25 hours on each show. With such intense work put into each episode, Fawlty Towers drew raves around the world, exceeding the success of Monty Python's Flying Circus in some countries. But Cleese limited the run of Fawlty Towers to approximately twelve shows. He did not want to diminish the impact Fawlty Towers has had. And there has been plenty of impact. America tried three times to regenerate the show, none of which worked. The best U.S. homage to the show may be a hotel called "Fawlty Towers" in Cocoa Beach, Florida (near Ron Jon's Surf Shop). Its owners have adopted the pseudonyms Basil and Sybil. The show won 3 BAFTA Awards and one Broadcasting Press Guild Award. Despite being very short - lived and not airing too often, Fawlty Towers is recognised as one of the greatest British TV shows of all time. It was ranked #5 in the British Comedy Guide's list of Top 50 British Sitcoms. Fawlty Towers was voted #1 In the British Film Instuite TV 100. Other awards the show has won are; 'The Royal Television Society Programme Awards'for outstanding creative achievements which went to John Cleese in May 1976, In April 1982, the two episodes of Fawlty Towers that were used as training films won a Queens Award for Export Acheivement, In 2001 the new Fawlty Towers DVD set won the 'Quality Street DVD award' for being the best comedy on DVD, Basil Fawlty was recognised as the most Monstrous Boss on British TV in May 2003 by UK Satellite Channel UK Gold, just beating David Brent from The Office. Fawlty Towers has aired in over 60 countries in places like Tonga, China, Pakistan, Latvia, Malta and Denmark.moreless
31
Barney Miller

ABC (ended 1982)

Captain Barney Miller and his officers fight crime in this humorous classic TV series. Captain Barney Miller is the consummate boss, earning the loyalty of the officers under him. The early shows featured scenes from Barney's home life, but it was soon put on the back burner to emphasize the characters with whom he interacted at the twelfth precinct. Detective Ron Harris would rather be an author, and even publishes a book about the precinct that isn't exactly flying off the shelves. Nick Yemana is a Japanese American cop from Omaha who is so low key he's almost napping. Wojciehowicz, or Wojo, is the innocent of the group who doesn't seem very bright but speaks for everyone with his simple statements of truth. Dietrich is the intellectual who could be doing anything for a living, but chooses to be a detective. Fish is the seen-it-all veteran who can't wait for retirement, even though that would mean more time with his wife, Bernice. All of them worked together to make one of the funniest sitcoms ever on the air.moreless
32
Scooby-Doo

ABC (ended 1978)

The Scooby Doo Show premiered on ABC in September 1976 as part of The Scooby-Doo-Dynomutt Hour, in which new episodes of Scooby Doo shared an hour with a superhero dog named Dynomutt. It was a revamped version of Scooby Doo, Where Are You? which started on CBS in 1969. In September of 1977, The Scooby-Doo Show once again shared an hour with The All-Star Laff-A-Lympics,which placed Scooby's team, Yogi's team, and Dread Baron's team competing to win points for their team. In 1978, the show had its own 30-minute segment until it was replaced with Scooby and Scrappy Doo in 1979.moreless
33
Soap

ABC (ended 1981)

Soap is a tale about two sisters, Mary Campbell & Jessica Tate. While the Tates are a rich family, the Campbells are just another blue-collared family, but they go through amazing and crazy situations. This series will make you travel through a world of crazy and funny situation that happen all in the family.

#13 in the 1977-1978 Season

#19 in the 1978-1979 Season

#25 in the 1979-1980 Season

Not in Top 30 in the 1980-1981 Season

From September 1977 to March 1978 it was aired on Tuesdays from 9:00 to 9:30pm

From September 1978 to March 1980 it was aired on Thursdays from 9:00 to 9:30pm

From October 1980 to January 1981 it was aired on Wednesdays from 9:00 to 9:30pm

From March to April 1981 it was aired on Mondays from 10:30 to 11:00pmmoreless
34
Green Acres

CBS (ended 1971)

Successful New York lawyer Oliver Wendell Douglas gives up the rat race to fulfill his dream: living the life of the traditional American farmer. Fighting the move to rural life is his glamorous, boa-wearing, city-loving wife, Lisa. This quaint premise, however, doesn't begin to capture the screwball absurdity of Green Acres. After a few episodes that were somewhat rooted in reality, the series' true oddness started to bloom. The characters see the opening credits as they appear on screen (or on chicken eggs); they talk with baseball-playing pigs who become movie stars; fife music accompanies Oliver's patriotic speeches and is heard by everyone but him; a full-sized Eiffel tower is built on the Douglases' lawn. Hooterville is clearly operating in its own bizarre universe where Oliver is the only normal, reasonable person--and that's questionable at times. The tiny town revolves around Sam Drucker's General Store, where Sam acts as shopkeeper, postmaster, justice of the peace and publisher of the "Hooterville World Guardian". He's one of the more level-headed residents of the valley, but that's relative. The other locals are considerable more bizarre and are a constant frustration to Oliver. Hank Kimball, the county agricultural agent, is a prime example. His short-term memory is so poor he regularly forgets what he's talking about mid-sentence. Fellow farmer Fred Ziffel is an elderly overalls-wearing man who, with his wife Doris, treats their pig Arnold like an actual child. Arnold attends school, reads, writes, skates, and speaks several languages (though they all sound like oinking). Con man Eustace Haney, who sold Oliver his dump of a farm, is always trying to fleece someone out of their cash. Apparently possessing ESP, he shows up outside of Oliver's door with whatever he and Lisa have just been discussing. The Douglases' farmhand, Eb, lives in their barn and considers Oliver and Lisa to be his parents. Lisa, a stylish Hungarian woman who Oliver met during the war, is hardly cut out for domestic life. Wearing ostrich feathers and diamonds around the farm, she can only cook "hotscakes" (badly) and her mangling of the English language is impressive. Matt Groening once accurately described Green Acres as "Oliver Douglas in hell". All he wants to do is farm, but the constant interruptions from the loony locals, the endless double-talk, the ambitious pig all conspire to make it impossible. Oliver earns his reputation as a "hothead" as his face turns red and he bellows about the latest aggravation.
Green Acres
began when CBS handed Paul Henning, the very successful producer of The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junctionmoreless
35
Father Knows Best

CBS (ended 1960)

Father Knows Best was the classic wholesome family situation comedy. It was set in the typical Midwestern community of Springfield, where Jim Anderson was an agent for the General Insurance Company. Every evening he would come home from work, take off his sport jacket, put on his comfortable sweater, and deal with the everyday problems of a growing family. In contrast to most other family comedies of the period, in which one of the other parents was a blundering idiot, both Jim and his wife Margaret were portrayed as thoughtful, responsible adults. When a family crisis arose, Jim would clam the waters with a warm smile and some sensible advice. When Father Knows Best went on television in 1954, the three children were aged 14 [Bud], and 9 [Kathy]. As the seasons passed two of them graduated from High School, first Betty [1956] and then Bud [1959]. Neither left home, howevery, both electing to go to Springfield's own State College. The Andersons were truly an idealized family, the sort that viewers could relate to and wish to emulate. The children went through the normal problems of growing up, included those concerning school, friends, and members of the opposite sex. They didn't always agree with their parents, but the bickering was miminal, and everything seemed to work out by the end of the half-hour. Father Knows Best began as an NBC radio series in 1948, with Robert Young in the starting role. He was the only member of the radio cast that made the transition to TV in 1954. The TV series was not partculiarly successful at first and CBS cancelled it in March 1955. A flood of viewer protests demanding that the program be reinstated and moved to an earlier time slot so that the whole family could watch it, prompted NBC to pick it up for the following season with an 8:30 p.m. started time. Father Knows Best prospered for the next five years.moreless
36
The Wild Wild West (1969)

CBS (ended 1969)

The Wild Wild West ran for four seasons, and featured the adventures of two Secret Service Agents working for President Ulysses S. Grant. The two men were James West, former Union soldier and current man-of-action, gunman, and womanizer. His partner was Artemus Gordon, a former con man and master of disguise and invention. Together, the two fought various menaces aimed at the United States and President Grant, as well as investigating other Federal crimes. Riding on the post-James Bond spy craze of the 60's, WWW featured not only all of the typical "spy gimmicks" like boot knives, miniature explosives, and spike-firing grapple guns, but featured a variety of criminal masterminds wielding high-tech items (for 1880) like robot squids, cyborgs, exo-skeletons, steam-powered giant puppets, earthquake machines, hallucinogenic drugs, shrinking potions, and much much more. Their major nemesis, the diminutive Dr. Miguelito Loveless, was a master of such gadgets and gizmos. The show's producers and writers mixed all of these with typical Western movie conventions, a nod to the old movie serials, and some modern-day stylings as well to produce a unique series that has rarely been seen since. (pictured l to r: Ross Martin, Robert Conrad)moreless
37
The Carol Burnett Show

CBS (ended 1978)

The Carol Burnett Show is one of Televisions greatest show's in history. Lasting 11 successful years starting in 1967 and ending in 1978 not without winning 25 Emmy Awards, 8 Golden Globe Awards and 3 People's Choice Awards. CBS Broadcast History
September 1967-May 1971......Monday 10:00-11:00
September 1971-November 1972......Wednesday 8:00-9:00
December 1972-December 1977......Saturday 10:00-11:00
December 1977-March 1978......Sunday 10:00-11:00
Nielsen Ratings: (Top 25 or better) #24 in the 1968-1969 Season
#13 in the 1969-1970 Season
#25 in the 1970-1971 Season
#23 in the 1971-1972 Season
#22 in the 1972-1973 Season
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38
Family Affair

CBS (ended 1971)

Family Affair was one of those successful family comedies of the 1960's. Bill Davis' carefree existence as a swinging bachelor was just about perfect. A highly paid consulting engineer, he maintained an elegant apartment off Fifth Avenue in Manhattan and had his domestic needs cared for by a very English gentleman's gentleman, Mr. French. Into this life of independence came three young orphans, the 6-year old twins Buffy and Jody and 15-year-old Cissy. Their parents, Bill's brother and sister-in-law, had died in an accident, and other relatives felt that Bill could best provide for them. Despite initial misgivings, Bill and French became very attached to the children and learned to adjust their lifestyle to make room for the new members of the household. Mr. French, a stickler for neatness and order, had the toughest adjustment to make, he was with the children all the time while Bill was often out of town on assignments. All in all, they were a happy family. Family Affair aka Fedderson & Hartmann's Family Affair is A DON FEDDERSON PRODUCTION in association with the CBS Television Network. Distributed by Paramount-VIACOM Television and CBS Television Network Distribution. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Broadcast History: {CBS Nighttime} Sep. 12, 1966-Sep. 15, 1969, CBS Monday at 9:30-10:00pm Sep. 25, 1969-Sep. 9, 1971, CBS Thursday at 7:30-8:00pm. {CBS Daytime} Sep. 7, 1970-Sep. 1, 1972 at 11:00-11:30am on CBS-TV Sep. 4, 1972-Jan. 12, 1973 at 4:00-4:30pm on CBS-TV. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Ranks in the top 30 Nielsen Ratings No. 14 (tie) in the 1966-1967 Season (with "The Dean Martin Show") No. 4 (tie) in the 1967-1968 Season (with "Gunsmoke" & "Bonanza") No. 5 in the 1968-1969 & 1969-1970 Seasons No Ranking in the 1970-1971 Season.moreless
39
Mork & Mindy

ABC (ended 1982)

Mork & Mindy was a sitcom that ran on ABC from 1978 until 1982. The series starred a relative newcomer Robin Williams as Mork, an alien who came to Earth in a large egg-shaped space ship from the planet Ork, and Pam Dawber as Mindy McConnell, the human woman who he lives with. The series was a originally a spin-off of Happy Days where Mork first appeared in the season 5 episode, "My Favorite Orkan". In that episode he threatened to kidnap Richie Cunningham and take him to the planet Ork, however his plan is foiled by Fonzie. In the spin-off series Mindy discovers Mork after he lands near Boulder Colorado. When she finds out he is an alien she vows to keep his identity a secret and allows Mork to move into the attic. Afterwards, many hilarious situations arise. Story-lines centered on Mork's attempts to understand American culture and human interaction. At the end of each episode Mork reported to his boss back on Ork (Orson) and said what he had learned on earth in that episode.moreless
40
The Bob Newhart Show

CBS (ended 1978)

Comedian Bob Newhart plays Dr. Robert Hartley, a clinical psychologist living in Chicago with his wife Emily, an elementary schoolteacher. His across-the-hallway neighbor, Howard Borden, is a divorced airline navigator. One of Bob's best friends is Dr. Jerry Robinson, an orthodontist who works on the same floor as Bob. There's also Bob's and Jerry's receptionist Carol Kester, as well as Bob's many clients, including Elliot Carlin, Lillian Bakerman, Emil Peterson and Victor Gianelli.

The Bob Newhart Show was part of CBS' highly successful Saturday night lineup which also featured The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Carol Burnett Show and All in the Family. Another connection to The Mary Tyler Moore Show was that The Bob Newhart Show was produced by the same team that made that series a success.

First Telecast: September 16, 1972 Last Telecast: April 1, 1978

Episodes: 142 Color Episodes, 1 Special & 1 Unaired Pilot

CBS Broadcast History September 1972-October 1976----Saturdays----9:30 p.m November 1976-September 1977----Saturdays----8:30 p.m. September 1977-April 1978----Saturdays----8:00 p.m. June 1978-September 1978----Saturdays----8:00 p.m. Characters: Stars: Dr. Robert Anthony "Bob" Hartley - A Clinical Psychologist who grew up in the Chicago area with an easy-going father and a manipulative, talkative mother. Bob attended Loyola University, where his best friend was Cliff "The Peeper" Murdock. Bob's office is in downtown Chicago, and he and his wife, Emily, live in a high-rise twenty minutes from his office. He often takes the train to work, but may take his car, especially if one of his groups has a session in the evening. Late in the show's run Bob publishes a book and is away for several episodes doing a book tour. Emily Joyce Hartley - Bob's wife, A schoolteacher. Emily comes from an expressive, gregarious family from the Seattle area. She married Bob after both had begun their careers, and they celebrate only their third anniversary during the show's first season. After working as a teacher for several years, Emily becomes principal, giving her a well-respected position.

Howard Mark Borden - Next door neighbor, a divorced airplane navigator. For much of the series Howard's identity is shaped by his divorce. He is helpless around the house and depends on Emily and Bob for almost everything. He is a bit of a "swinger," dating stewardesses quite regularly, but deep-down he is a lonely soul. A bright spot in his life is his son, Howie. For a time Howard is engaged to Bob's sister, Ellen. Dr. Jerome "Jerry" Robinson - An Orthodontist whose office is near Bob's. Jerry was raised in an orphanage and, for the most part, is happy with shallow romantic relationships. He is a good sounding board for Bob, as Bob is for Jerry.

Carol Kester Bondurant - The receptionist for all the doctor's on the floor where Bob has his office. After being overweight for much of her young life in Iowa, Carol lost over 100 pounds, then started a new life in Chicago. Carol always longed for Mr. Right until she met him in Larry Bondurant. They married after a very short courtship. Carol is an excellent receptionist, but sometimes longs for more meaning in her job. Thankfully, Bob is always ready to listen to her problems. Ellen Inez Hartley (1974-1976) - Bob's sister and Howard's girlfriend. Ellen is a part-time reporter, picking up any story she can until she can establish her career. Bob's Group Regulars: Elliot Carlin - The insecure, hostile patient Victor Gianelli - The hostile, insensitive patient Emil Peterson - The hen-pecked patient Lillian Bakerman - The insecure, motherly patient Michelle Nardo - The insecure, overweight patient Ed Herd - The timid door-to-door salesman patient. Other Doctors at the Timpau Medical Arts Building: Dr. Bernie Tupperman - The Urologist Dr. Phillip Newman - The ego-centric Plastic Surgeonmoreless
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