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1
Saturday Night Live

NBC

"Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" Saturday Night Live is a sketch comedy show that has run since the fall of 1975. Many now-famous actors and actresses such as Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray, Gilda Radner, Paul Shaffer, Eddie Murphy, Joe Piscopo, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Martin Short, Damon Wayans, Joan Cusack, Robert Downey Jr., Dennis Miller, Phil Hartman, Jon Lovitz, Conan O'Brien, Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, David Spade, Chris Farley, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, Norm MacDonald, Molly Shannon, Will Ferrell, JimmyFallon,Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, and Amy Poehler got their start from Saturday Night Live. SNL is still unique amongst other sketch shows because of the fact that it has always been live. Also known as: "NBC's Saturday Night" from October 11, 1975 to July 31, 1976. "Saturday Night" from September 18, 1976 to March 19, 1977. "Saturday Night Live" since March 26, 1977. "Good night and have a pleasant tommorow!"moreless
2
Doctor Who (1963)

BBC (ended 1989)

"My name is William Hartnell, and as Doctor Who, I make my debut on Saturday 23rd November at 5.15." Doctor Who is the longest-running science fiction TV series in history, airing initially from 1963 to 1989. The series told the story of the Doctor, a mysterious traveller in space and time, whose TARDIS can take him and his companions anywhere in time and space. Inevitably he finds evil at work wherever he goes… The series was postponed indefintely in 1989, but fans of the series would not allow it to die, and a whole cottage industry was created around original novels and audio-only productions. There was an abortive attempt to renew the franchise as a series of telemovies in the U.S., but ratings for the pilot were judged insufficient. In 2003, the BBC announced that, at long last, it would commission a revival of Doctor Who. The series, initially starring Christopher Eccleston as the Doctor, was launched in 2005. You can read about the new series here. Traditionally listed by production, the data on this site has now been amended to TV.com standards and lists each of the 697 broadcast episodes from the original series. I hope that you find the site useful, and that it might act as a springboard to the wider world of Doctor Who appreciation. TheOldBillmoreless
3
Today Show

NBC

On January 14 1952, The Today Show, a long running morning news program on NBC, went on the air. It aired at 7:00 A.M. (Eastern Time) as a 2-hour news and information show. For many years it was a 2-hour program from 7:00 to 9:00 ET, until NBC expanded it to 3 hours (7-10 A.M. Eastern Time) on October 2, 2000. On September 10, 2007 a fourth hour was added to the show. Today was the first of its genre when it first signed on with host Dave Garroway. The show successfully blends national news headlines, in-depth interviews with newsmakers, lifestyle features, other light news and gimmicks (including the presence of the chimpanzee J. Fred Muggs as the show's mascot during the early years), and local news updates. It has spawned several other shows of a similar type, including ABC's Good Morning America, CBS's The Early Show, and the Canadian series, Canada AM. The show is filmed and produced at studio 1A in Rockefeller Center, New York, just across the street from NBC headquarters at the GE Building. The studio is located right next to the street and many times the hosts do the weather or other events from outside. Today was the brainchild of Pat Weaver, who was then vice-president of NBC. Later, he became president of the company from 1953 to 1955, and then served as chairman of the board for another year. The show is currently hosted by Meredith Viera and Matt Lauer. Al Roker does weather updates and Ann Curry reads news headlines. Gene Shalit is the entertainment critic. Previous hosts have included Bryant Gumbel, Jane Pauley, Deborah Norville, Tom Brokaw, Barbara Walters, Hugh Downs, and Flyod Kalber. Popular former weathercaster Willard Scott still appears on the show daily doing the 100th birthday announcements he first became famous for in the 1980s.moreless
4
Little House on the Prairie

NBC (ended 1983)

This award-winning family drama was based upon Laura Ingalls Wilder's 9-part series of autobiographical books. Television producer and NBC executive Ed Friendly became aware of this enduring story in the early 1970s. He asked Michael Landon to direct the pilot movie, who agreed on the condition that he could also play Charles Ingalls. TIME: beginning in the 1870s. PLACE: the American frontier - more specifically, Walnut Grove in the state of Minnesota. THE CHARACTERS: Charles/Pa Ingalls: a homesteader farmer/woodworker; compassionate and loving, yet quick-tempered and ready to throw a defensive punch whenever necessary Caroline/Ma Ingalls: Patient and understanding wife and mother; the ideal prairie woman Laura Ingalls Wilder: The winsome, tomboyish second daughter of Charles and Caroline, who serves as the voice of the entire series, and eventually married Almanzo Wilder Mary Ingalls Kendall: Charles and Caroline's pretty and ultra-responsible oldest daughter, who longs to be a teacher and goes completely blind at the age of 15. She later marries Adam Kendall, although this is a fictional piece created just for the TV series Carrie Ingalls: The cute third daughter of Charles and Caroline, who didn't have a large role but was always portrayed as a very sweet little girl Grace Ingalls: Charles and Caroline's fifth and final child, who was only about 4 when her role in the series ended Jack: the loyal, lovable family dog, who was replaced by Bandit when he died in Season 4. Albert Quinn Ingalls: The fictional adopted son of Charles and Caroline--an orphaned runaway whom the Ingalls meet while living temporarily in Winoka James Cooper Ingalls: The fictional adopted son of Charles and Caroline, who comes to live with them after the death of his parents Cassandra Cooper Ingalls: The fictional adopted daughter of Charles and Caroline, and the younger sister of James Supporting characters include: Miss Eva Beadle: The first teacher of Walnut Grove, who taught Laura to read and helped Mary realize her dream to teach Dr. Hiram Baker: the loyal town physician Reverend Robert Alden: The town's devout and hugely caring Church minister Mr. Isaiah Edwards: The mountain-man/drifter-turned-farmer who settled in Walnut Grove, who had a drinking problem and, despite his happy-go-lucky exterior, had a lot of emotional turmoil in his life Grace Snider: A widow and town postmistress who marries Isaiah and adopts three orphaned children with him John Sanderson Edwards: the oldest adopted son of Isaiah and Grace, who lives with them after the death of his widowed mother, and becomes a writer Carl Sanderson Edwards: Isaiah and Grace's second adopted child, brother of John and Alicia Alicia Sanderson Edwards: The sweet youngest adopted child of Isaiah and Grace, and the younger sister of John and Carl Lars Hanson: The beloved founder of Walnut Grove, and proprietor of the Hanson Lumber Mill, where Charles and Isaiah worked Nels Oleson: father and proprietor of the mercantile (general store). Harriet Oleson: The rude, gossiping woman who spoils her children rotten and has a perpetual hold on her ever-patient husband Nellie Oleson Dalton: The bratty oldest child of Nels and Harriet, who butts heads with Laura throughout their childhood and later marries Percival Dalton (another fictional event). Willie Oleson: Nels and Harriet's youngest child, who is mischievous but has more of his father's kindhearted traits; eventually marries Rachel Brown Adam Kendall: Mary's husband, who is also blind and wins her heart by teaching her to reclaim her life when she first goes blind. Has two children with Mary, but they both die in infancy Almanzo Wilder: Laura's charismatic husband, a farmer who has two children with Laura, one of whom dies in infancy John Carter: A blacksmith and family man who moves from Walnut Grove to New York in Season 9 with his wife and two sons, moving into the Ingalls house when they relocate to Iowa. Sarah Carter: A newspaper editor and loving mother, wife of John Carter. Jeb Carter: John and Sarah's oldest child, fairly underdeveloped, but always a good kid Jason Carter: John and Sarah's adorable, endearing youngest son who was often Michael Landon's go-to kid for comic relief in some of the darker episodes from Seasons 9 and 10 Jenny Wilder: the sweet, effervescent fictional niece of Laura and Almanzo, who comes to live with them permanently after the death of her father, Almanzo's brother Royal. Nancy Oleson: A young girl that Nels and Harriet adopt once Nellie is grown; a monstrous, manipulative child who has her mother wrapped around her little fingermoreless
5
The Brady Bunch

ABC (ended 1974)

The Brady Bunch was first seen in September 1969, Friday nights on ABC. The series was created by Sherwood Schwartz the same person who had created Gilligan's Island, 5 years earlier. In this series, Michael Paul Brady marries Carol Ann Tyler Martin and they combine their families. Mike had three sons from a previous marriage and Carol had three daughters also from a previous marriage. Mike's previous wife had died and the fate of Carol's previous husband was never explained. However, creator Sherwood Schwartz, originally intended Carol to have been divorced, but ABC balked at that idea. So thus we have two parents (Mike and Carol),six kids (Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby & Cindy), one housekeeper (Alice), and the family dog (Tiger), all living under one roof. Thus setting the scene for one of the most popular family sitcoms of all-time. The first season revolved mainly around the family adjusting to living together. The following seasons then revolved mainly around the six kids growing up and going through puberty and childhood adolescents. Other notable characters included, Sam Franklin, who was Alice's steady boyfriend, appeared several times throughout the 5-year run. In the final season, the character of Oliver, Carol's nephew was introduced mainly to add some of the cuteness back into the show since Cindy and Bobby had outgrown that stage. The series ended it's run in 1974, but the Brady family was far from gone. Two years prior, a animated cartoon, The Brady Kids had been created and aired Saturday mornings. In 1977, a variety show, The Brady Bunch Hour was created but lasted after only a handful of episodes. In 1981, NBC decided to break apart the reunion movie, The Brady Girls Get Married into a weekly series called, The Brady Brides. That too failed. Then the Brady Bunch was revived yet again in 1988, with the CBS TV-movie, A Very Brady Christmas. The movie was the highest rated TV movie of the year and forever cemented The Brady Bunch's immortality in pop culture. To date, the last spin-off aired in 1990 as a weekly hour-long drama called, The Bradys. In 1989, most of the cast returned to their roles on an episode of the short lived, series, Day by Day. The episode was called A Very Brady Episode. Interesting enough, Christopher Daniel Barnes starred in the series and would later portray Greg in the 1995 feature film, The Brady Bunch Movie and a year later in A Very Brady Sequel. Spin-offs: The Brady Kids, The Brady Bunch Hour, The Brady Brides and The Bradys ABC Broadcast History September 1969-September 1970----Fridays----8:00 p.m. September 1970-September 1971----Fridays----7:30 p.m. September 1971-August 1974----Fridays----8:00 p.m. Nielsen Ratings: (Top 30 or Better) Never hit the top 30 First Telecast: September 26, 1969 Last Telecast: August 31, 1974 Episodes: 117 Color Episodes Theme Song: "The Brady Bunch" Written by: Frank DeVol and Sherwood Schwartz Sung by: The Peppermint Trolley Company (Season 1) and The Brady Kids (Seasons 2-5) Here's a story of a lovely lady, Who was bringing up three very lovely girls. All of them had hair of gold, like their mother, The youngest one in curls. It's a story, of a man named Brady, Who was busy with three boys of his own. They were four men, living all together, Yet they were all alone. 'Till the one day when the lady met this fellow, And they knew they we're much more than a hunch. That this group must somehow form a family. That's the way (we)* all became the Brady Bunch. The Brady Bunch, The Brady Bunch. That's the way (we)* became the Brady Bunch. *they instead of we during Season 1 only.moreless
6
M*A*S*H

CBS (ended 1983)

M*A*S*H was a true ensemble series. Whilst characters such as Kellye, Igor, Rizzo, Goldman and Ginger are listed where they appear as specific characters central to the plot, they also appeared regularly as non-speaking cast members. This is also true of many of the nurses, corpsmen, orderlies and drivers listed as guest stars. Based on the 1968 novel by Richard Hooker and the 1970 20th Century-Fox movie of the same name, M*A*S*H aired on CBS from September 17, 1972 to February 26th, 1983 for 251 episodes, and has become one of the most celebrated television series in the history of the medium. During its initial season, however, M*A*S*H was in danger of being canceled due to low ratings. The show reached the top ten program list the following year, and never fell out of the top twenty rated programs during the remainder of its run. The final episode of M*A*S*H was a two and one half hour special that attracted the largest audience to ever view a single television program episode. In many ways the series set the standard for some of the best programming to appear later. The show used multiple plot lines in a half-hour episodes, usually with at least one story in the comedic vein and another dramatic. Some later versions of this form, e.g. Hooperman (ABC 1987-1989) and The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd (NBC 1987-1989), would be known as the dramady, half-hour programs incorporating elements of both comedy and drama. Other comedies would forgo the more serious aspects of M*A*S*H, but maintain its focus on character and motive. And some dramatic programming, such as St. Elsewhere and Moonlighting would draw on the mixture of elements to distinguish themselves from more conventional television. M*A*S*H was set in Uijeongbu, South Korea, north of Seoul, during the Korean War. The series focused on the group of doctors and nurses whose job was to heal the wounded who arrived at this "Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" by helicopter, ambulance or bus. The hospital compound was isolated from the rest of the world. One road ran through the camp; a mountain blocked one perimeter and a minefield the other. Here the wounded were patched up and sent home--or back to the front. Here, too, the loyal audience came to know and respond to an exceptional ensemble cast of characters. The original cast assumed roles created in Altman's movie. The protagonists were Dr. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce(Alan Alda) and Dr. "Trapper" John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers). Pierce and McIntyre were excellent surgeons who preferred to chase female nurses and drink homemade gin to operating and who had little, if any use for military discipline or authority. As a result, they often ran afoul of two other medical officers, staunch military types, Dr. Frank Burns (Larry Linville) and Senior Nurse, Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit). The camp commander, Lt. Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson), was a genial bumbler whose energies were often directed toward preventing Burns and Houlihan from court martialing Pierce and McIntyre. The camp was actually run by Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff), the company clerk who could spontaneously finish Blake's unspoken sentences and hear incoming helicopters before they were audible to other human ears. Other regulars were Corporal Max Klinger (Jamie Farr) who, in the early seasons, usually dressed in women's clothing in an ongoing attempt to secure a medical (mental) discharge, and Father Francis Mulcahy (William Christopher), the kindly camp priest who looked out for an orphanage. In the course of its eleven years the series experienced many cast changes. McIntyre was "discharged" after the 1974-75 season because of a contract dispute between the producers and Rogers. He was replaced by Dr. B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell), a clean cut family man quite different from Pierce's lecherous doctor. Frank Burns was given a psychiatric discharge in the beginning of the 1977-78 season and was replaced by Dr. Charles Emerson Winchester (David Ogden Stiers), a Boston blueblood who disdained the condition of the camp and tent mates Pierce and Hunnicutt. O'Reilly's departure at the beginning of the 1979-80 season was explained by the death of his fictional uncle, and Klinger took over the company clerk position. Perhaps the most significant change for the group occurred with the leave-taking of Henry Blake. His exit was written into the series in tragic fashion. As his plane was flying home over the Sea of Japan it was shot down and the character killed. Despite the "realism" of this narrative development, public sentiment toward the event was so negative that the producers promised never to have another character depart the same way. Colonel Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan), a doctor with a regular Army experience in the cavalry, replaced Blake as camp commander and became more both more complex and more involved with the other characters than Blake had been. Though the series was set in Korea, M*A*S*H, both the movie and the series, was initially developed as a critique of the Vietnam War. As that war dragged toward conclusion, however, the series focused more on characters than situations--a major development for situation comedy. Characters were given room to learn from their mistakes, to adapt and change. Houlihan became less the rigid military nurse and more a friend to both her subordinates and the doctors. Pierce changed from a gin-guzzling skirt chaser to a more "enlightened" male who cares about women and their issues, a reflection of Alda himself. O'Reilly outgrew his youthful innocence, and Klinger gave up his skirts and wedding dresses to assume more authority. This focus on character rather than character type set M*A*S*H apart from other comedies of the day and the style of the show departed from the norm in many other ways as well, both in terms of its style and its mode of production. While most other contemporary sitcoms took place indoors and were largely produced on videotape in front of a live audience, M*A*S*H was shot on film on location in Southern California, as well as in a closed studio set (studio #9 at 20th Century Fox). Outdoor shooting at times presented problems. While shooting the final episode, for example, forest fires destroyed the set, causing a delay in filming. The series also made innovative uses of the laugh track. In early seasons, the laugh track was employed during the entire episode. As the series developed, the laugh track was removed from scenes that occurred in the operating room. In a few episodes, the laugh track was removed entirely, another departure from sitcom conventions. The most striking technical aspect of the series is found in its aggressively cinematic visual style. Instead of relying on straight cuts and short takes episodes often used long shots with people and vehicles moving between the characters and the camera. Tracking shots moved with action, and changed direction when the story was "handed off" from one group of characters to another. These and other camera movements, wedded to complex editing techniques, enabled the series to explore character psychology in powerful ways, and to assert the preeminence of the ensemble over any single individual. In this way M*A*S*H seemed to be asserting the central fact of war, that individual human beings are caught in the tangled mesh of other lives and there must struggle to retain some sense of humanity and compassion. This approach was grounded in Altman's film style and enabled M*A*S*H to manipulate its multiple story lines and its mixture of comedy and drama with techniques that matched the complex, absurd tragedy of war itself. M*A*S*H was one of the most innovative sitcoms of the 1970s and 1980s. Its stylistic flair and narrative mix drew critical acclaim, while the solid writing and vitally drawn characters helped the series maintain high ratings. The show also made stars of it performers, none more so than Alda, who went on to a successful career in film. The popularity of M*A*S*H was quite evident in the 1978-79 season. CBS aired new episodes during primetime on Monday and programmed reruns of the series in the daytime and on Thursday late night, giving the show a remarkable seven appearances on a single network in a five day period. The series produced one unsuccessful spin-off, AfterMASH, which aired on CBS from 1983-85. The true popularity of M*A*S*H can still be seen, for the series is one of the most widely syndicated series throughout the world. Despite the historical setting, the characters and issues in this series remain fresh, funny and compelling in ways that continue to stand as excellent television. Some of the above info from the article in the Museum Of Broadcast Communications: M*A*S*H page, written by Jeff Shires. M*A*S*H Theme Song - "Suicide Is Painless" Written by Digital Tradition Mirror (Lyrics shortened for television theme) Through early morning fog I see, Visions of the things to be, The pains that are withheld for me, I realize and I can see... That suicide is painless, It brings on many changes, And I can take or leave it if I please. Ratings (Top 30 or Better) – 1972-1973:Not in Top 30 1973-1974:#4 1974-1975:#5 1975-1976:#15 1976-1977:#4 1977-1978:#9 1978-1979:#7 1979-1980:#5 1980-1981:#4 1981-1982:#9 1982-1983:#3 Telecast: CBS September 17, 1972 - September 19, 1983 Broadcast History (all times Eastern): Sep 1972 - Sep 1973, CBS Sun 8:00-8:30 Sep 1973 - Sep 1974, CBS Sat 8:30-9:00 Sep 1974 - Sep 1975, CBS Tue 8:30-9:00 Sep 1975 - Nov 1975, CBS Fri 8:30-9:00 Dec 1975 - Dec 1977, CBS Tue 9:00-9:30 Jan 1978 - Sep 1983, CBS Mon 9:00-9:30 251 Episodes In Color On Film Repeats air on Hallmark Channel.moreless
7
Bonanza

NBC (ended 1973)

White-haired Ben was the proud patriarch of the Cartwrights, the family at the center of one of TV's most beloved and long-running series. Their ranch, the Ponderosa, was 1,000 square-miles (600,000 acres) in size and sprawled from mountainous shores of Lake Tahoe to the desert terrain near Virginia City in the Nevada Territory. Ben oversaw his frontier empire with the help of his three sons: Adam, Hoss, and Joe. The series was set in 1859 when the series began and would progress through and following the Civil War.
---------------------------------- Series creator and producer David Dortort, who oversaw the series during its 14 year network run on NBC, says he first first got the idea for the series writing the 1953 episode of "Fireside Theatre" titled "Man of the Comstock."
---------------------------------- By 1959, NBC wanted a big filmed series to promote the sales of color television sets. NBC was the only network investing in color programs since its parent company RCA owned the electronic color transmitting system used by TV. "Bonanza" was just the type of show the network needed to "show off" its living color. In its initial season, it floundered in the ratings on Saturday nights against CBS' "Perry Mason"; it's said its renewal had a lot to do with its being shot in color. In the second season, "Bonanza" more than held its own in the Nielsens. It was the network's decision to move the series to Sunday nights that allowed it explode into a Top-10 hit.
---------------------------------- "Bonanza" differed in many ways from the dozens of other westerns on the air during its run. It relied more heavily on the characters than it did on action--though there was plenty of that. Good and bad weren't always as simple as "black hats" vs. "white hats"; many times, good people didn't live happily ever after. Despite that, Ben imparted a high code of ethics upon his sons. Among the principles: 1-Intolerance and bigotry were not acceptable. The Cartwrights often came to the defense of Indians, Chinese, and others who were the targets of the narrow-minded. 2-Once a man had paid his debt to society and was released from prison, he deserved a clean slate and a chance to start over. 3-The land was sacred. Ben's greatest business headaches came from his refusal to allow his land to be polluted and destroyed for profit. When the Cartwrights cut down a tree for lumber, they planted another. Their environmental concerns remain unique for a television series.
---------------------------------- Ben's path to his dream home of the Ponderosa (named for the Ponderosa Pine, plentiful in that area) was a long time in coming. He was a seaman, acting as first mate for Captain Abel Stoddard, when he met his boss' daughter Elizabeth and fell in love. She died after giving birth to first child Adam. Leaving the sad memories behind in the Northeast, he traveled to St. Louis and opened a trading company. He met and married the Swedish stunner Inger Inger Borgstrom who loved horses and shooting. She gave birth to son Hoss en route to the frontier, but was killed by an arrow during an ambush. Moving to New Orleans, Ben became an importer/exporter and fell for Creole beauty Marie DeMarigny. He made her wife number three and finally made it to the West. They established the Ponderosa and she gave him another son, Joseph. Marie died several years later in a riding accident. The story of each of these romance were detailed in individual episodes early in the series' run.
---------------------------------- The high mortality rate of women encountered by Ben and his sons, known jokingly as the "Cartwright Curse," became a running gag among comedians and viewers alike. If a female became a love interest to any of the show's men, even money says she'll be sick, dying, or dead by the end credits.
--------------------------- Location filming kept the series from feeling "studio bound" and gave Bonanza a chance to highlight its color cinematography. Though much was filmed on a huge sound stage at Paramount Studios, scenes were regularly shot on the studio's outdoor "Western Street" and on locations throughout Southern California and Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The rising cost of shooting at Paramount eventually forced a move to the Warner Brothers studio in Burbank. To explain the new appearance of Virginia City, Season 12 began with "The Night Virginia City Died" where a huge fire destroyed the "old" town.
---------------------------------- Changes inevitably took place among cast members during "Bonanza"'s long run. After several years of complaining about being held back from a movie career, Pernell Roberts was finally sent on his merry way after of Season 6. Prior to that, amid fears of Roberts' departure, Guy Williams was brought in for a few episodes as Ben's nephew Will Cartwright. It's said the cast resented his character being added and he disappeared after five appearances. Beginning with "Sense of Duty" in Season 9, David Canary joined the cast as Ponderosa ranch foreman Candy Canady. He practically became a Cartwright, appearing in roughly a third of the series' total episodes. He disappeared with no mention at the end of season eleven after failing to get a raise from producer Dortort. Young orphaned teenager Jamie Hunter did become a real fourth Cartwright son when he was taken in by Ben in Season 12 and legally adopted in "A Home for Jamie" the next season. In the wake of Dan Blocker's death following Season 13, the cast was beefed up. David Canary returned as Candy (reportedly Michael Landon personally asked him to appear) and Tim Matheson was added a Griff King, a young man paroled into Ben's custody who was hired as a ranch hand.
---------------------------------- The loss of Blocker left a hole that simply couldn't be filled. This, combined with the show's move to Tuesday nights after eleven years on Sunday, dealt the series a death blow. Ratings took a nosedive and Bonanza aired it final episode in the middle of Season 14 on January 16. 1973.
---------------------------------- After all these years, Bonanza remains hugely popular. Besides the quality of the program itself, having filmed in color has kept it from looking "old". Episodes began to be released by CBS/Paramount on DVD beginning in 2009, and were uncut from their network airing with all the original music intact.
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8
60 Minutes

CBS

60 Minutes has been on the air since 1968, beginning on a Tuesday, but spending most of its time on Sundays, where it remains today. This popular news magazine provides both hard hitting investigations, interviews and features, along with people in the news and current events.

60 Minutes has set unprecedented records in the Nielsen's ratings with a number 1 rating, five times, making it among the most successful t.v. programs in all of television history. This series has won more Emmy awards than any other news program and in 2003, Don Hewitt, the creator (back in 1968), was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Emmy, along with the 60 Minute correspondents. For the 2009 season, correspondents include Steve Kroft, Lesley Stahl, Bob Simon, Scott Pelley, Morley Safer, Katie Couric, Byron Pitts, Lara Logan, Charlie Rose, Anderson Cooper, and Andy Rooney. Added to the 11 Peabody awards, this phenomenally long-lived series has collected 78 awards up to the 2005 season and remains among the viewers top choice for news magazine features.moreless
9
Gunsmoke

CBS (ended 1975)

Dodge City, known as the Sodom and Gomorrah of the plains, is a typical frontier city of the late 1800s with typical problems ranging from rumored Indian raids to bank and stage robberies, cattle rustling, and family feuds. All of these must be dealt with within the law and that task falls to Matt Dillon, US Marshal (James Arness).

Dillon is a man who prefers the use of logic over the use of the gun but the nature of the people passing through Dodge doesn't always leave him that choice. Aided by various assistants and deputies over the years (played by Dennis Weaver, Burt Reynolds, and Ken Curtis), he does his best to keep the lawless element out of his town and his territory. Matt often solves his crimes through keen observation and deduction, an innovative approach for the times.

Crucial information about cases is often provided by his beautiful companion, Long Branch owner Kitty Russell(Amanda Blake), while they drink beer or whiskey in her establishment. Matt also often exchanges banter or bounces his theories off of the crusty town doctor, Galen Adams (Milburn Stone).moreless
10
Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune is in its 26th season (2008-2009 Season) with Pat Sajak & Vanna White. Wheel debuted in 1982.Wheel of Fortune has been renewed through the 2011-2012 season.

One of the most successful game shows in history, Wheel of Fortune actually is a version of the children's game Hangman (with a large carnival wheel and prizes added). The game show, which did modestly well in the 1970s, became a worldwide phenomenon in the 1980s through syndication and made household names out of its hosts, Pat Sajak and Vanna White. Simply put, the Wheel has never stopped spinning since its premiere as an NBC daytime show that winter day in January 1975. (Ironically, the series replaced Jeopardy!, which later in 1984 when it returned, became its current companion in syndication.)

The rules of the game Three contestants -- at various times during the run, including a returning champion -- compete. The host announces a category to a mystery puzzle (person, place, thing, phrase, quotation, event, landmark, occupation, etc.). The puzzle was originally contained on a three-tier, 36-space board (in 1981, changed to a four-tier, 52-space board; and in 1997, an all-electronic four-tier, 52-space board).

The contestant selected to go first (by blind draw before the show) spin a large horizontally-situated carnival wheel containing dollar amounts and other spaces (including Bankrupt, Lose a Turn and Free Spin). If the contestant landed on a dollar amount, he/she could guess a letter thought to be in the puzzle; if it appeared, they received the cash multiplied by the number of times it appears in the puzzle (ergo, if the player guessed "T" after landing on $250, and "T" appeared twice, they received $500). An incorrect guess or landing on a penalty space (Bankrupt or Lose a Turn) caused control of the wheel to pass to the next contestant.

At any point, the contestant in control of the wheel could spin again, ask to buy a vowel (at which point $250 was deducted from their score, and only if they had at least $250) or attempt to solve the puzzle; very early in the show's run, a player had to land on a Buy a Vowel space in order to buy a vowel, but this idea was scrapped before Wheel completed its first month on the air. The Bankrupt space caused the player to lose his accumulated winnings for that round (though all previous winnings were considered safe -- hence, "Once you buy a prize, it's yours to keep").

If the player correctly guessed the puzzle's solution, he/she got to keep their accumulated winnings. Any contestant solving the puzzle and not having at least $100 (later $200 and still later, $500) was spotted that amount "on the house." Early rounds typically had lower dollar values on the wheel ($500 as a top space on round 1 early in the run/Bob Goen version, later that was changed to $750), but increased in subsequent rounds ($1,000 and $2,000 for the later rounds, to increase the excitement; $1,250 when Bob Goen hosted).

Originally, the winnings were used to "go shopping" (i.e., purchase prizes) in one of the three revolving rooms on the set -- each containing: * Furniture -- enough to fill any room in the house, from the living room and dining room to bedroom or game room. * Appliances -- large and small, enough to make that dream kitchen or efficient laundry room. * Things for outside -- everything from swimming pools and patio furniture to barbecues, lawn games and garden equipment. * Clothing -- for every occasion. * Trips -- to any place imaginable, domestic or foreign. And don't forget the luggage and camera outfits. * Electronics -- TVs, stereos and much more! The show was among the first to offer early versions of VCRs (c. 1976), home video game units (c. 1978, Atari) and satellite dishes (late-1970s). * Gift Certificates -- everywhere to restaurants (Bonanza, Dairy Queen), clothing outlets (Casual Corner) and any other store (Western Auto). * Food -- from steaks from the Iowa Beef Council and chocolates to items from the Dessert of the Month Club. * Overall comfort and fun -- from a central air conditioning system and pinball machines to hot tubs and pizza parties. * Miscellaneous items -- everything from magazine subscriptions and collections of LPs from a record label to those famous ceramnic dalmations. and MUCH more.

There were other announced prizes, usually worth much more than in the revolving rooms. While some prizes offered during the early years were no doubt unusual (such as rare antiques and African masks), the favorite prize, of course, were the cars. In the daytime show, there were two or three available, usually, a sports model (such as a Chevrolet Camaro) and an economy model (a Chevrolet Monza), but there were also more upmarket family cars (the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme) and exotic foreign cars (a Lancia Beta coupe).

Other top-ticket items proving popular were: * Other forms of transportation -- everything from boats, motorcycles and camping trailers. There was even, at one time, a 4-seat airplane and a motorhome available! * Furs -- before the animal rights groups got their way. * Jewelry -- everything from rings, necklaces, pearls, earrings, watches and much more!

Starting in 1987 (primetime) and 1989 (daytime), the winner of a round received his accumulated bank in cash (thanks to beefs from contestants who had to pay steep taxes and preferred cash). During the shopping era, a contestant could elect to place any unused cash "on account" (which they could claim only upon winning a subsequent round AND avoiding the bankrupt space in the meantime); otherwise, unused winnings were placed on a gift certificate (usually to Gucci, Dicker and Dicker of Beverly Hills or another luxury shop seen on Rodeo Drive).

If time ran short (signified by a series of "dings"), a "speed up" round was played, wherein the host gave the wheel one final spin, with vowels worth nothing and all consonants worth whatever the host landed on. The top-winning contestant after so many rounds completed within each show was the day's champion. In case of a tie, one of several things happened, depending on the year:

* At first, all three players returned on the next show (even the third-place player). Everyone kept what they won on all shows. * Later, the two (or possibly all three) tied players played a one-round speedround to determine the champion. This format was used once the permanent bonus round was started.

End Game - The Bonus Round At first, there was no bonus round, the top winner simply returned. Starting in 1981, the champion advanced to a bonus round, where they could select a prize (always worth $1,000 or more and signified with a gold star (or announced in some other way)) and, after choosing five consonants and one vowel, had 15 seconds to solve the puzzle.

Prior to the bonus round becoming a permanent part of the game, there were several special weeks where bonus rounds were played. Games included (but not limited to):

* 1975 hour-long format Bonus Round - Played during Wheel's short-lived 60-minute format, the day's overall winner selected one of four puzzles (labeled easy, medium, difficult and hard); the level of difficulty determined the prize (e.g., an easy puzzle may have been worth a TV-stereo console, while the difficult puzzle may have won the player a new Cadillac). The player then chose four consonants and a vowel and tried to solve the puzzle within 15 seconds. This is very similar to the current bonus round, except the level of difficulty did not necessarily correspond with the prize's value.

* Any Prize in the House - The top winner simply chose a prize and they got it.

* Star Bonus - By landing on a special token on the wheel, a contestant had the opportunity to advance to a special bonus round if they were one of the runners-up. That player could become champion by solving a puzzle and winning a prize that was worth more than the amount of the first-place player's lead. As with the 60-minute format's bonus round, the prize's value corresponded with the difficulty of the puzzle.

This short-lived format wasn't always played, however, since the Star Bonus token sometimes wasn't landed on the entire show; the token could serve as insurance for a dominating player who wins the game (and possibly purchases the most-expensive prize, thereby making it unavailable for the opponents); or the expensive prize's value was not worth enough to cover the difference between the champion's winnings and his/her opponents.

The rules of other games varied, but usually, the show had a bigger prize budget than during regular weeks.

Changes through the years Many changes were made through the years, some very successful (luxury prizes in the syndicated version; $25,000 cash top bonus round prize), while others weren't (e.g., a "Doubler" token, which allowed contestants to double the potential value of the next spin; Rolf Benirschke as host of the daytime show; the infamous Megaword category, where a contestant had to correctly use the revealed word in a coherent sentence for an extra $500). Some of the more successful changes are detailed below.

* For the syndicated version, decidedly luxury prizes were often advertised ("This $41,000 customized Cadillac Seville! "A $60,000 log cabin!" "A $25,000 trip around the world!"); plus a silver $5,000 space on the wheel's third round (replacing the $2,000 daytime show top space, though early syndicated shows had both the $2,000 and $5,000 spaces). Also, a bonus prize space was added in the second round of the syndicated show (and in 1987, a different bonus to the fourth round).

* Meanwhile, in the daytime show, a "Jackpot" bonus space was added to the second round in 1987; it based at $1,000 and grew by $1,000 per show until claimed.

* With the syndicated show's change to an all-cash format in 1987, the bonus round changed to having four (or sometimes, as many as six) grand prizes and $25,000 cash available as prizes. Originally meant to be a month-long promotion (the "Big Bonanza of Cash" before reverting to the tried-and-true post-puzzle shopping), this well-received format allowed more rounds – save for celebrity week gabfests, always at least four – to be played. Originally, the top wheel values were set thusly:

- Round 1: $1,000. - Round 2: $2,500 (plus a bonus prize). - Round 3: $3,500. - Round 4-on: $5,000 (plus a bonus prize for Round 4 only, if time permits; sometimes, the bonus was used in Round 3 instead).

This has since been changed, with the current setup as follows:

- Round 1: $2,500, plus an $1,000 online shopping spree card that is placed on the wheel for the rest of the show a la the Free Spin, and may be picked up if a letter is correctly guessed. - Round 2: $3,500, plus a bonus prize, which remains on the wheel until a contestant picks it up. Until 2002, additional bonus prizes were placed on the wheel in subsequent rounds. – Round 3: $3,500, plus the Mystery Round spaces. - Round 4-on: $5,000, including the speed round.

* During the 1988-1989 season, the contestant was given the six most popular letters -- R, S, T, L, N and E, and asked to select three more consonants and one vowel; the bonus round time limit was then shortened to 10 seconds.

* Starting in 1989 (since $25,000 cash was far and away the most popular prize choice), the five grand prizes were placed in a blind draw, and could only be won once per week.

* In 1996, the "returning champions" idea was scrapped, with a "Friday Finals" format instituted. Three new contestants appeared Monday through Thursday, with the week's top winners returning on Friday (regardless if they were their show's top winner) to play for a jackpot prize package. The latter format lasted only a couple of seasons before it, too, was scuttled.

* In the 1990s, a Surprise space was added to the wheel, which was simply a prize that was announced only if won (usually a trip); this space has since been scrapped.

* In the mid-1990s, a Jackpot round (third round initially, later the second round) allowed a contestant to claim an accumulating jackpot -- which based at $5,000 and accumulated with each dollar space landed on -- if they landed on a Jackpot space, correctly guessed a letter and solved the puzzle all in the same turn.

* A few years after the jackpot round, a $10,000 space added to the wheel. The space was not multipliable; rather, it simply added $10,000 to the contestant's winnings if they solved the puzzle and avoided bankrupt. The space took up the center third of a standard wheel space, with two bankrupt spaces taking up the remainder (to add to the suspense). If the $10,000 part of the space was landed on and the contestant guessed correctly, it was placed face down in front of the contestant to read $10,000 (unlike the standard prize space, which was left face up).

* "Toss Up" puzzles -- to determine who started the game -- were added prior to the first and fourth rounds, starting in the 2000-2001 season, each worth $1,000; a year later, two "Toss Up" puzzles were played, once before the contestant introductions and the second (now worth $2,000) to determine first round wheel control, with the pre-fourth round "Toss Up" now worth $3,000. If a contestant made an incorrect guess, he/she was out of the remainder of the puzzle; if all the letters were filled in or everyone guessed wrong, nobody won anything and wheel control began either with the left-most contestant or wherever it left off before.

* During the 2000-2001 season, the "speed up" round was changed, wherein $1,000 was added to whatever dollar amount Sajak landed on. There was some cool music added, too.

* Changes to the Bonus Round in October 2001. The contestant spun a mini- wheel containing 25 envelopes; Sajak removed the envelope; and win or lose, revealed the prize contained within (a car, $25,000 cash or a new top prize of $100,000; the top prize was contained in just one of the envelopes). In 2002-2003, more money amounts (one each of amounts between $30,000 and $50,000, each in $5,000 increments) were thrown into the mix. There have been at least five $100,000 winners and several others who have not been quite as fortunate.

* Starting in 2002-2003, contestants who won nothing during the front game were given $500 just for playing (in addition to those lovely parting gifts).

* A new Mystery space, added in the 2002-2003 season. Played in Round 3, two such spaces were placed on the wheel, with a $500 dollar value. Contestants landing on this space guessed a letter could either spin again or risk their accumulated bank, not knowing what's on the other side of the Mystery card. It could be Bankrupt or a new car (on occasion, it could be another prize, such as a $10,000 shopping spree). If it was a car, the contestant had to solve the puzzle and avoid the Bankrupt spaces to claim the car. The other Mystery space was then put out of play, becoming a regular $500 space. In September 2004, the values of the Mystery spaces dooubled to $1,000.

• A prize puzzle, added in the 2003-2004 season. One puzzle on each show (usually the second or third round) had some connection to a prize the contestant would win for solving the puzzle. For example, a contestant solving the puzzle "Check Your Local Listings" could win a plasma wall-screen television. The set underwent some revisions, too.

Chuck and Susan and Pat and Vanna When the show started in 1975, Chuck Woolery was the host. For a brief time in the fall of 1979, Alex Trebek served as substitute host when Woolery took a leave of absence. In 1981, Woolery left for good when he was denied a pay raise (he wanted $500,000 per year, more than Merv Griffin was willing to offer. Chuck left, and Pat Sajak replaced him. Most of the Chuck Woolery episodes are hard to find, due to NBC's practice of destroying tapes from old shows. On the daytime version, ex-football star Benirschke on January 10, 1989, but he didn't work out too well. When the show moved from NBC to CBS, 6 months later, Bob Goen became the host, and was the host for two years (the show moved back to NBC in 1991 for 9 months). Pat Sajak still hosts the nighttime syndicated version.

Susan Stafford was the original "letter turner." She was replaced by Summer Bartholemew on October 22, 1982, then Vicky McCarty three weeks later. (None of the Summer Bartholemew episodes exist due to NBC's practice of destroying tapes of old shows.) On December 13, 1982, McCarty left, and Vanna White became the new permanent hostess (BTW -- Vanna's first letter turned was a "T," in the puzzle "General Hospital"). As most game show fans know, this is not Vanna's first appearance on a game show. In June 1980, 2 1/2 years before her first appearance on Wheel of Fortune, America's favorite hostess was a contestant on The Price is Right in 1980, but she never left contestant's row (BTW – as a recurring joke, TPiR former icon/host Bob Barker always wondered aloud whatever became of her).

Originally, Vanna rarely spoke on-camera (though she occasionally engaged in small talk with Pat at the end of the show); back then, Sajak would be introduced and then he would introduce Vanna, who always showed off a different dress or outfit (and for the record, no, she did NOT get to keep her clothes, which always come from the most glamorous of shops). However, as Vanna gained acclaim with the viewing audience, she talked more and more. Today, both Pat and Vanna walk out together and they always conversate after each program. Vanna often does the car prize descriptions prior to each bonus round.

Charlie O'Donnell as the original announcer when Wheel of Fortune began. He left in 1982, and Jack Clark (who had earlier announced on occasion) took over full-time. Clark died of cancer in 1988 (Sajak offered a tribute to the long-time announcer in the 1988-1989 syndicated season premiere), and after a five-month stint by M.G. Kelly, O'Donnell returned, his trademark phrasing "WH-EEEEEEE-L OF FORTUNE" and "25 THOOOOOOOOOUSAND DOLLARS" intact.

Retrospectives and going on the road Several tributes to the series have been shown through the years, most commonly as part of daytime talk shows and occasional bloopers specials. During its syndicated run, Wheel of Fortune has aired two retrospectives of its own - the first in November 1998, to mark its 3,000th show; and again in November 2003, when its 4,000th show aired, as part of a series of shows taped in New York.

Speaking of which, Wheel of Fortune has gone "on the road" all over the country to tape shows. Among the first aired in November 1988, when the show taped from New York's Radio City Music Hall (legendary NBC announcer Don Pardo did voiceovers). Other cities have included (but are not limited to) Chicago, Nashville, Phoenix and Honolulu; and many of those episodes were part of special theme weeks (such as Best Friends Week) or have paired contestants with celebrities from a particular genre (e.g., NFL football players, country music stars).

From Hangman to Wheel and everything in between The idea for the game show that eventually became Wheel of Fortune grew from a game known as Shopper's Bazaar. Two such pilots were produced – one in 1973 with Woolery as host, the other (from 1974) helmed by Edd Byrnes (best known as "Kookie" from the 1958-1964 detective drama, 77 Sunset Strip). The rules for the earlier pilot, hosted by Woolery, was quite different from the game we all came to know and love (e.g., a self-spinning wheel and the host pressing a button at the contestant's direction; prize money carried over to subsequent rounds and always "at risk;" etc.).

The later pilot, hosted by Byrnes and a more talkative Stafford, was similar to what viewers first saw in 1975. When Merv Griffin Enterprises made their final plans to enter production in late 1974, a host had yet to be chosen. The story goes that Griffin's decision was made when he saw the producer's first choice, Byrnes, in the hallways prior to the taping of the first shows, repeating "A-E-I-O-U, A-E-I-O-U;" in an attempt to recall the vowels.

It's the 60-minute Wh-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-l of Fortune In December 1975, a month after The Price is Right became a one-hour show, NBC experimented with an hour-long version of Wheel of Fortune.

The game played thusly: Two sets of three contestants compete in three-round games each, as usual, with the returning champion playing in the second set of games. The top money winners of each three-round match met in a one-puzzle showdown for the right to advance to the bonus round (described above).

The hour-long Wheel of Fortune lasted but a month, and returned to the 30-minute game we all came to love by the end of January 1976. BTW, several other NBC game show hits, including The Hollywood Squares, also briefly expanded to 60 minutes as part of the networks' promotion.

Syndication Wheel of Fortune's phenomenal run in syndication almost never happened. As early as the fall of 1975, there was interest in producing a weekly nighttime show, but few syndicators were wanting to try and even fewer stations willing to buy, particularly because there were other powerhouse game shows airing (either Match Game PM or Family Feud, depending on the year) that were seen as insurmountable in the ratings.

In 1983, King World Productions – a small-time distributor that had edited Our Gang shorts for television airing – took a chance on the show ... and it paid off royally! Airing on just 59 stations when the premiere aired Sept. 19, 1983, Wheel of Fortune (often pitted against latter-day Dawson's Family Feud) quickly soared in the ratings and within two years, was airing on nearly 200 stations and began its (thus far) permanent reign as the nation's top syndicated program. Jeopardy! rates second, with Friends reruns currently the shows' closest competitor.

Wheel across the world (and (yuck) a kid's version, too) As Wheel of Fortune grew in popularity during the mid-1980s, countries all over the world began staging their own versions; each had their own "Pat and Vanna," and minor rules changes. Clips of these international versions are seen from time to time on the U.S. version.

Also, a children's version of the program under the name Wheel 2000 also aired on CBS during the 1997-1998 season (with many modifications, see page for details).

Merchandising Merchandise ... thy name is Wheel of Fortune. Even in the mid-1970s, there were two editions of the home game issued by Milton Bradley (complete with wheel, puzzle board and prize cards).

But that was just the beginning, as by the mid-1980s, there were T-shirts, key chains, calendars and even an album of prize cue music featured on the show. Vanna merchandise also appeared, including her biography "Vanna Speaks."

Home video games - from electronic hand-held units to cartridges and CD-ROMs for units that connect to TV - have also been highly popular (and have seen, in addition to subsequent editions with more puzzles and categories, special editions for children and sports fans).

And through it all, one thing has not changed -- a vowel still costs you $250 (except during the Bob Goen network era/1989-91 CBS and 1991 NBC, when those A's, E's, I's, O's and U's cost just $100).moreless
11
Coronation Street

ITV

Welcome to the Coronation Street guide at TV.com. Coronation Street is credited as being one of the longest running soaps in the world and the longest running television soap in Britain (with the longest running overall being The Archers on BBC radio). The show has been on British TV screens since 1960 and has aired over 6,000 episodes. Coronation Street was created by Tony Warren, who drew on his own experiences living in Salford when developing the show for Granada Television in Manchester. The show's working title was Florizel Street. In a memo from Tony Warren to Granada, he explains the basis of the show: "A fascinating freemasonary, a volume of unwritten rules. These are the driving forces behind life in a working class street in the north of England. The purpose of Florizel Street is to examine a community of this nature, and to entertain." The first episode of Coronation Street, written by Tony Warren and containing the first airing of the iconic theme music (composed by Eric Spear), was transmitted live at 7.00pm on Friday 9th December 1960 and was an instant success due to its eliment of "realism". The series began as a twice weekly serial (airing originally on Wednesdays and Fridays) and was initially only commissioned for twelve episodes but due to the series' success with the viewers it became a perminant fixture, soon changing its transmission days to Monday and Wednesdays. Almost 30 years later the number of episodes increased to three per week in 1989 (additional episode on Fridays) and then to four in 1996 (additional episode on Sundays). Recently that has increased again with a second episode being added on a Monday night at 8.30, leaving a half hour gap between the end of the first episode of the evening and the start of the second. Coronation Street, Corrie or The Street (however you know it) has been at the top of the ratings for most of it's long run and despite tough competition from new soaps and even new TV channels it remains the highest rated programme on British television. William Roache is now the only original cast member remaining - he's played Ken Barlow since episode one. The Set: In early 1960, after Granada Television commissioned twelve episodes of Coronation Street, the set designer Denis Parkin was taken on a tour of Salford by series creator Tony Warren for inspiration on the set. The street's set was based on Archie Street in the Ordsall district, a film shot of which was used in the opening credits of the programme from 1960 to 1964. Archie Street itself was knocked down in 1971. The original television set was built indoors, the cobbles and paving slabs were painted to the floor and the houses were made out of wood. The set was so big and the studio so small that it had to be erected in two parts which explains why shots of the entire street were not seen until 1968 when Granada decided that the interior set was too limiting and so re-erected the set outside in a yard rented from British Railways on Grape Street on Manchester, behind the Granada studios. The cast hated it! They complained that it was draughty and cold; nevertheless it was soon re-built in bricks and mortar and survived until the end of the 1970s when the decision was made to incorporate the set into the Granada Studios Tour. By 1982 a brand new set had been erected on a new site just a few hundred yards away. When the set was complete it was opened by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. The new set was first seen on-screen in episode 2210, broadcast on Monday 7 June 1982. From 1982 up until 1999, it was possible for fans of the show to visit the exterior set as part of the Granada Studios Tour. With the closure of the tour, Granada were able to expanded the exterior set to incorporate further buildings on Rosamund Street (the Health Centre) and later on Victoria Street (Roy's Rolls & Elliot and Son). Coronation Street currently airs on the following days in the UK: Monday @ 7.30pm & 8.30pm, Wednesday @ 7.30pm, Friday @ 7.30pm, Sunday @ 7.30pm. Note: This episode guide mirrors the episode numbers that are used by Granada Television. These, in turn, are based on the episode production numbers. On the odd occasion over the years these have proven to be slightly haphazard. To explain; the first episode of the programme was production code P228/1, the second P228/2, etc. In 1970, the production team reached episode 999 with the episode that was broadcast on Wednesday 19th August that year. The next episode, the 1000th, was not given the production code of P228/1000 but instead was given the new production code of P694 and the number 1! (To confuse matters more, Granada also publicised episode 999 as the 1000th episode!). The actual 1000th episode was therefore known as episode P694/1. As the seventies went on, two episodes (P694/26 and P694/27) were edited down into one half-hour episode, supposedly because Doris Speed - playing Annie Walker - was ill, and four episode numbers were not used at all - P694/503, P694/504, P694/505 and P694/549. You will therefore not find episodes 1503, 1504, 1505 or 1549 in this guide - because they were never made! When the 4000th episode was broadcast in April 1996, Granada's production codes skipped from P694/2999 to P694/4000, thereby mirroring better the actual episode number being shown and publicised. The fact remains though that other episode numbers have been skipped or counted as double episodes and therefore the publicity over episodes such as number 6000 in 2005 are a few episodes out. This is no big secret and, on occasion, comments have appeared in the UK press about this anomoly.moreless
12
The Waltons

CBS (ended 1981)

This is the story of the Waltons. The show takes place during the Depression and then during World War II. John & Olivia had eight kids, three girls and five boys. One of the boys died at birth; he was a twin to Jim-Bob. John and Olivia's children names are John-Boy, Jason, Mary Ellen, Erin, Ben, twins Jim-Bob & Joseph, and Elizabeth; Joseph died at birth. John's parents also lived with them - Esther and Zeb. The Waltons was based on the life of the Hamner family. Earl Hamner Jr. was the show's creator and narrator. This show was based on his life growing up.moreless
13
The Price is Right

CBS

The Price Is Right has long been a staple of daytime and nighttime television. It has seen five incarnations: the 1956-1965 daytime version hosted by Bill Cullen on NBC and ABC, the 1972-1980 nighttime version hosted by Dennis James and Bob Barker, the 1985 nighttime version hosted by Tom Kennedy, the 1994-1995 nighttime version hosted by Doug Davidson, and the current daytime version hosted by Barker and Drew Carey. This guide covers the current daytime version. The object of The Price Is Right is to correctly guess the retail prices of items, without going over, to either win the items themselves or other prizes. At the beginning of each show, the announcer calls out the names of four contestants, imploring each to "come on down!" A prize is announced for which each contestant (one at a time) makes a bid (called the One Bid). After the host announces the actual retail price, the contestant who bid closest without going over is invited on stage to play a pricing game for a larger prize. If a contestant's bid is exactly correct, he/she wins a $500 bonus (on the Armed Forces and $1,000,000 Spectacular Specials, the bonus for an exact bid is $1000). Frequently, during Barker's tenure as host, an animal would be brought out on stage by one of the models during the One Bid prize plugs. Barker would then comment that the pet was available for adoption at an area animal shelter. He also encouraged viewers to visit their local humane society. Pricing game prizes often include cars, trips, rooms of furniture, cash, and various other items. Furs were also given away during the early years, but this practice was dropped per Barker's wishes due to his involvement with animal-rights issues. The episodes that offer furs as prizes will likely never be seen again as Barker continues to fight against their re-airing. There were over 100 total individual pricing games with 72 in the current rotation. Some games involved pricing grocery or small, everyday items. Others involved chance, deduction, skill and/or patience. Many games quickly became very popular. Contestants chomp at the bit to play such entries as Plinko, Ten Chances, Cliff Hangers, Any Number, Grocery Game, Range Game, Race Game, and many others. While each of the pricing games uses only one player, there was one game (known by fans as Bullseye 2) which used two players. This game, which was retired during the first season, had the players alternating bids on a car or boat, and the first to guess the price exactly won. The second contestant was determined by immediately playing another One Bid. Some pricing games have been retired. The reasons include frequent mechanical malfunctions, complicated rules, low odds of winning, and negative responses from viewers. Pictures, audio files, and videos of most of the retired pricing games can be seen on various fan pages on the World Wide Web. After each pricing game is played (except for the final game of the day), one more contestant is called from the audience to "come on down," and another One Bid item is shown for another chance to play a pricing game. Until the fourth season, the two contestants with the highest winnings after all three pricing games had been played went to the Showcase round. Two showcases (prize packages worth several thousand dollars) are shown, one at a time. After the first showcase is revealed, the top winning contestant has the choice to bid on the showcase or pass it to his/her opponent and force him/her to bid. The contestant coming closest to the actual retail price of his/her own showcase without going over wins their showcase. Originally, the contestant could win only his/her showcase. Early in the show's run, a stipulation was added stating that if a contestant's bid came within $100 of his/her showcase's actual retail price, they'd win everything in both showcases. In 1998, the stipulation was modified, and, now, winning contestants who are $250 or less away from the actual retail price of their showcase win both showcases. For the week of November 3-7, 1975 the show expanded from 30 to 60 minutes, following a successful week of experimental hour-long shows the week of September 8-12. A new round called the Showcase Showdown was added. After three contestants have played their pricing games, each has the chance to spin a large wheel called "The Big Wheel." The order of spinning is determined by each contestant's winnings with the player having won the least going first and the player having won the most going last. The Big Wheel contains 20 spaces with numbers in increments of five cents (not in order). Each contestant gets up to two spins in an attempt to get as close to $1.00 without going over. If he/she does not have $1.00 after the first spin, the contestant can choose to spin again to get closer to $1.00 or stop at their current score with the hope that the other contestants will either score lower or go over $1.00. Getting $1.00 exactly earns the contestant a $1000 bonus. Going over $1.00 automatically disqualifies the contestant from going any further. A one-spin spin-off is held if there is a tie between two or all three contestants. If the first two contestants go over $1.00, the third player automatically advances to the Showcase but is still entitled to one spin. After the first Showcase Showdown of each show, three more pricing games are played, followed by the second Showcase Showdown. When the Showcase Showdown was first introduced, during the experimental hour-long week, the wheel spun sideways, and there was no $1000 bonus. When the hour-long show became permanent on November 3, 1975, the $1000 bonus was added, and the current wheel debuted. Beginning in June, 1978, contestants scoring $1.00 were now allowed to spin again in an attempt to win an additional $5000 for hitting one of the green sections above or below the $1.00 space (five and 15 cents) or $10,000 for hitting the $1.00 space. During the prime time specials that first aired in 2002, contestants that hit $1.00 during the bonus spin win $100,000. During the $1,000,000 Spectacular specials airing in 2003, this bonus was increased to one million dollars. The winners of each Showcase Showdown (two per show) advance to the Showcase round. Numerous other changes have taken place through the years, and several prime time specials have aired. The Price Is Right's 5000th episode aired in March, 1998 at which time the studio at CBS's Television City where the show is shot was renamed the Bob Barker Studio. Also, the set and some of the pricing game boards went through numerous minor changes due to inflation or to give it a modern look. The bloopers that have occurred on The Price is Right are among the most celebrated in television history. In early 1976, a woman called to Contestant's Row was in the ladies' room. Her husband had to leave the studio to tell her she'd been called. At the beginning of an episode early in the sixth season, a woman's tube top slipped down as she was running toward Contestant's Row. Also during that season, a woman fainted when she learned she won her showcase ($11,000 in prizes). Other bloopers include cars with malfunctioning brakes and other prizes which give way at the wrong time. Usually, one of the models is often a victim of these unfortunate mishaps (such as Janice Pennington and Rachel Reynolds hitting the wall with the car they are revealing for the Lucky $even pricing game). Many pricing games have malfunctioned at one time or another. Many contestants spinning the Big Wheel spin it so hard that they fall to the floor. There have been a fair share of contestants who claim to or actually don't understand how to play a given game. The most notable is the Check Game (where the contestant writes in an amount that when added to the actual retail price of a prize must total between $5000 and $6000. In addition, one game was victimized by a cheater on the April 4, 2005 playing of Flip Flop (where a contestant is presented a string of two sets of two numbers, representing an incorrect price, and must correct one or both sets to win a prize). The contestant, after receiving input from the audience, pressed the reveal button without making any changes. Barker awarded the contestant the prize anyway, although many fans believe the player should have been disqualified. Some contestants eventually became celebrities - Vanna White in particular. She was called to "come on down" in June, 1980, but did not get out of Contestant's Row. Other future stars include Rick Schroeder and Linda Cardellini. Main Title Theme Song "The Price Is Right Theme" by Edd Kalehoff CBS Broadcast History September 4, 1972 - March 23, 1973 .... Monday - Friday at 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM March 26, 1973 - August 15, 1975 .... Monday - Friday at 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM August 15, 1975 - November 28, 1975 .... Monday - Friday at 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM November 3, 1975 - March 25, 1977 .... Monday - Friday at 10:00 AM 11:00 AM March 28, 1977 - November 4, 1977 .... Monday - Friday at 10:30AM - 11:30 AM November 7, 1977 - December 16, 1977 .... Monday - Friday at 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM December 19, 1977 - April 20, 1979 .... Monday - Friday at 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM April 23, 1979 -present .... Monday - Friday at 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Emmy Awards Nominations Outstanding Host in a Game Show or Audience Participation Show 1975 - Bob Barker Outstanding Game Show Host 1979 - Bob Barker 1982 - Bob Barker (winner) 1985 - Bob Barker 1986 - Bob Barker 1987 - Bob Barker (winner) 1990 - Bob Barker (winner) 1991 - Bob Barker (winner) 1992 - Bob Barker (winner) 1993 - Bob Barker 1994 - Bob Barker (winner) 1995 - Bob Barker (winner) 1996 - Bob Barker (winner) 2000 - Bob Barker (winner) 2002 - Bob Barker (winner) 2003 - Bob Barker 2004 - Bob Barker (winner) 2005 - Bob Barker 2007 - Bob Barker (winner) Outstanding Game Show Host/Hostess 1984 - Bob Barker (winner) 1988 - Bob Barker (winner) Outstanding Game Show 1976 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 (winner) 1989 1990 1992 1993 1994 1995 Outstanding Game/Audience Participation Show 2002 2003 2004 (winner) 2005 2007 (winner) 2008 Outstanding Technical Direction/Camera/Video for a Miniseries or a Special 1997 - The Price Is Right 25th Anniversary Primetime Specialmoreless
14
Sesame Street

PBS

Sesame Street is a widely recognized and perpetually daring experiment in educational children's programming. This show has taken popular-culture and turned it upside-down. The fast-paced advertisements that had parents of the new era worrying for their children were the basis for the original format of this show. The show has often satirized pop culture, and made itself easier for parents to watch along too. And thus, the positive impact this show has had on modern society is beyond another. No show is more recognized the world over by as many generations and walks of life. Shown in its original format or with changes to reflect a regional education focus, Sesame Street is now seen in over 140 countries. The show that Entertainment Weekly named the "20th Best Ever Show" has changed the education scene to focus on "entertainment." This has turned out to be a valuable theory that not only helps the medicinal learning go down easier, but it also increases the effectiveness of the information being taught. In an almost backwards sense, the show stays fresh by recycling programming ideas every three years, by which time a new group of kids is watching. Unlike most PBS Kids shows, which have an original run, then go into continuous repeats until getting dropped by PBS or sold to another network, Sesame Street has created many new episodes every season since its debut Nov. 10, 1969. American teachers now expect children to arrive on the first day of school knowing the basics about letters, numbers, and language. "Kindergarten now does what first grade used to do," creator Joan Ganz Cooney has said, "and I think that's directly due to Sesame Street." International versions have changed Sesame Street to be more relevant to their culture and environments. They adjust the unique American inner city, with a cast made up mainly of Muppets, African-Americans, Spaniards and Chinese to reflect their own lifestyles. For example, Canada's Sesame Park features a small suburban town inhabited by folks like an otter and a bear, a bush pilot, a disabled child in a wheel-chair and her cat and Russia's Ulitsa Sesame set in a Russian dvor (courtyard) has a 9-foot tall tree spirit who has his joyous and problem-solving Muppet friends. No show can help in tumultuous or troubled times like Sesame Street. For example: • The Israelis and the Palestinians have now merged their independent spin-offs, to help teach the fighting cultures to accept each other for who they are, not what they have done in the past. • The original American Sesame Street helped children deal with the incidents of 9-11 • On the week of October 4-8, 2004, Sesame Workshop actually dug up reruns of Sesame Street episodes from its 32nd season, in which a hurricane plundered the neighborhood. This move was to come to grips with those disabused by the four hurricanes that struck Florida in a six-week span the previous August and September. It also sent a message about the news' propensity for covering violent acts. • The current South African government has not taken much action on the matters of HIV and AIDS, so in 2003, the South African version of Sesame Street added in a 5-year-old girl monster who manages to go about daily life with ease, even though she intercepted HIV through a blood transfusion shortly after birth. This led to an American backlash, even though her exposure in the States has always been restricted to sesameworkshop.org. Undoubtedly, she is the hardest-edged Muppet since Jim Henson's ill-fated "Creatures from the Planet Gorch" on Saturday Night Live's first season. • No other puppet than a Muppet, namely Elmo, could be taken seriously when asking America's congressional Education Appropriations Subcommittee for more funding to school music programs, so that "when Elmo goes to school, there will be the instruments to play." (Unfortunately, Newt Gingrich's Congress chose instead to divert to Sesame Street production funds from other PBS series. Among the casualties was one of Sesame Street's godchildren, Ghostwriter.) •In the mid-70s, they introduced Linda Bove, a deaf actress playing a deaf librarian that lives a life equal to all the rest of the area's inhabitants. Please note that Sesame Street's air time varies between various PBS stations in America. In recent years, a few PBS stations have dropped the show (including WNYE in New York, whose last airing was in June 2003). sesame street even had a touring show, SESAME STREET LIVE,which has just recently celebrated 25 years of performing. Characters Cookie Monster Cookie Monster has always had a passion for cookies, gobbling them up whenever he can. However, in order to promote healthy eating habits, Cookie Monster recently learned that cookies are a "sometime" food. So now, Cookie Monster also eats fruits and vegetables in addition to his trademark snack. Elmo Elmo is a cute little red monster, who wants to know more about the world he is growing up in. Oscar the Grouch Oscar lives in a dustbin, sure its not the most hygienic of places, but Oscar isn't the most hygienic of creatures. He likes to cause mischief but also enjoys learning. Ernie and Bert Best friends and room-mates, both showing us how people get along with each other and how sometimes you may even fall-out with your best friend. The Count The Count, would teaches us to count, whether it be really difficult numbers or easy numbers, the Counts thing is maths and counting, and he sure is good at it. Big Bird A huge yellow bird, who's everyone's friend. No matter what species, color or race you are.moreless
15
Emmerdale

ITV

Emmerdale first screened on ITV on the 16th of October 1972, which makes it one of the longest running soaps in British Television History.
16
Good Morning America

ABC

For ABC, this was a much more successful morning news series than A.M. America, which had lasted the first ten months of 1975. ABC looked at one of its affiliates, WEWS in Cleveland, and admired the station's very successful news/talk series called The Morning Exchange (1972-1999). Network programming president Fred Silverman oversaw ABC's using The Morning Exchange as a model for their new program. Today the show is anchored by Robin Roberts and George Stephanopoulos. Sam Champion gives weather reports throughout the morning, Josh Elliott does the news, and Lara Spencer does the lifestyle reports. The show is usally in a battle for #1 with rival morning news show "Today" START YOUR DAY GOOD TO GO!moreless
17
Columbo

NBC (ended 2003)

Many criminals made the mistake of underestimating Lieutenant Columbo, a homicide investigator with a crumpled trench-coat and a beat-up car, who certainly acted as an incompetent bumbler. But he was so polite to every suspect, and he talked so much about his wife (who we never got to see on any episode, but who many believe later had her own show, starring Kate Mulgrew, later of Star Trek: Voyager fame) that he lulled even the shrewdest murderer into a false sense of security. And although the audience had witnessed the murder in the beginning of each episode, it was still a surprise to see what mistakes the killers had made during the seemingly perfect murder. Peter Falk carried the old trench-coat for 7 seasons of 90 and 120 minute movies on NBC, before the series ended. But over a decade later, Falk agreed to revive the character on ABC for an additional 2 seasons with a subsequent string of TV-movies with the loveable detective once again using his calling-card false good-byes: "Oh, there´s just one more thing..." (A note on the running time of the episode: During the first 7 seasons, 18 episodes were 120 minutes long, while the other 27 episodes were 90 minutes long. The episodes after that were all 120 minutes long. In the episode guide, I have only marked out the 90 minute-episodes.)moreless
18
Hawaii Five-O

CBS (ended 1980)

Hawaii Five-O was created by Leonard Freeman as a series that not only featured law and order issues but also presented the beauty of the Hawaiian islands.

The original cast featured Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett, head of Hawaii Five-0, with James McArthur playing Danny Williams (replacing Tim O'Kelley from the pilot), Zulu as Kono Kalakaua and Kam Fong as Chin Ho Kelly. At the end of the 1971-72 season, Zulu left the series after a disagreement and was replaced by Al Harrington as Ben Kokua. After Leonard Freeman died, Al Harrington was dropped with no reason given, after 10 appearances in the 1974-75 season although his episodes were scattered throughout the year.

Douglas Mossman helped to replace the 'Ben' role in later episodes as Frank Kemana. By the 1976-77 season, supporting character Duke Lukela, played by Herman Wedemeyer, was so popular that he was given star billing on the show, following Kam Fong. When CBS delayed making a decision on the show's future at the end of the 1978-79 season due to falling ratings and the perception of poorly executed stories, James MacArthur took the opportunity to leave the series after 11 years.

The 1979-80 season saw major changes in the show. William Smith, as James 'Kimo' Carew, was bought in to replace James MacArthur, and the producers also added a new female Five-0 member, Sharon Farrell as Lori Wilson. Completing the new line-up were existing Five-0 member Duke, and Moe Keale as Truck Kealoha. CBS finished Hawaii Five-0's prime-time run on April 5, 1980

===============

Other Info Pilot (Coccoon) only

1. Company credits Production Companies * CBS Television * Leonard Freeman Production

Distributors * CBS Television (original airing) * Paramount Pictures ------- 2. Awards Emmy Awards 1969 -- Nominated -- Outstanding Achievement in Musical Composition -- Morton Stevens (composer) ------ 3. Filming Locations: Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA ------ 4. Release dates: USA -- 20 September 1968

======================

Other Info Series

1. Company credits Production Companies * CBS Television * Leonard Freeman Production

Distributors * CBS Television * Independent Television (ITV) * Paramount Television * Viacom

Other Companies * Ford Motor Company consideration furnisher * Polifroni/Sabba casting ------ 2. Awards American Cinema Editors, USA 1976 -- Nominated -- Best Edited Episode from a Television Series -- Jack Gleason [For episode "Turkey Shoot".] 1974 -- Nominated -- Best Edited Episode from a Television Series -- Jack Gleason [For episode "One Big Happy Family".] Edgar Allan Poe Awards 1974 -- Nominated -- Best Television Episode -- Jerome Coopersmith [For episode "Here Today, Gone Tonight".] 1973 -- Nominated -- Best Television Episode -- Will Lorin [For episode "Bait Once, Bait Twice".] Emmy Awards 1976 -- Nominated -- Outstanding Lead Actress for a Single Appearance in a Drama or Comedy Series -- Helen Hayes [For episode "Retire In Sunny Hawaii... Forever".] 1974 -- Won -- Best Music Composition - For a Series, a Single Program of a Series -- Morton Stevens (composer) [For episode "Hookman".] 1970 -- Won -- Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition - For a Series or a Single Program of a Series (In Its First Year Only) -- Morton Stevens (composer) [For episode "A Thousand Pardons, You're Dead".] ------ 3. Release dates USA -- 26 September 1968 Netherlands -- 19 April 1969 UK -- 19 July 1970 West Germany -- 30 April 1971 France -- 15 July 1973 ------ 4. Filming Locations

Hawaii Film Studio - 18th Avenue & Diamond Head Road, Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA (studio)

Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA O`ahu, Hawaii, USA

========================

Literature: Monographic related book: Rhodes, Karen. Booking Hawaii Five-0: An Episode Guide and Critical History of the 1968-1980 Television Detective Series. McFarland & Company, Inc. (Jefferson, North Carolina), 1997, ISBN: 0786401710

======================

Series Trivia * Gregory Peck was offered the lead role of McGarrett. He turned it down. * Kam Fong, who played Det. Chin Ho Kelly (1968-78), was an actual officer with the Honolulu Police Department who served from 1946 to his retirement in 1962 to take up a career in real estate. * Other than Wo Fat, other notable adversaries for McGarrett that appeared in more than one episode included mob bosses Henore Vaschon (played by Harold Gould) and Tony Alika (played by Ross Martin), pimp Big Chicken (played by Gavin MacLeod) and the Robin Hood-like Lewis Avery Filer (played by Hume Cronyn). * Jack Lord was the only member of the cast to stay with the series during it's entire 12 year run. Kam Fong (Chin Ho Kelly) left after the 10th season. James MacArthur (Danny Williams) left after the 11th season. * At the end of the episode "A Death In The Family", where Chin Ho Kelly was murdered, Steve McGarrett (Jack Lord) books the suspect himself, saying, "Chin would have liked that." It was the only time during the series that McGarrett personally booked a suspect. * The character of Duke Lukela first appeared as an HPD sergeant before becoming a Hawaii Five-O investigator. * The syndicate that Tony Alika headed was called "Kumu". * McGarrett finally caught Wo Fat in the final episode of the series. However, at the end of the episode, Wo Fat can be seen digging into his boot and taking out a file leaving it open for a possible reunion episode. * "Magnum, P.I." (1980) began production soon after this series wrapped its last episode. In order to keep some sort of continuity, reference to characters from this show were included in early episodes of Magnum. However, a plan to have Jack Lord appear as McGarrett never came to pass. Lord retired from acting after the series went off the air. * Chin Ho Kelly (Kam Fong) was the only member of the cast to be "killed off". He was murdered in the episode "A Death in the Family" while investigating a protection racket. * McGarrett was a Naval Intelligence officer before he became head of Five-O. In fact, he was in the reserves and went on active duty from time to time to assist the Navy on special cases. * In the episode "The Singapore File" McGarrett flies to Singapore to retrieve a witness, and returns to Honolulu. Singapore was actually downtown Honolulu. At the end of the episode, they are at a temple in Manila; they were actually at the Valley of the Temples in Kaneohe, Hawaii. * McGarrett actually caught Wo Fat in one encounter, but was forced to give him up because the Chinese government wanted him back in trade for a downed U2 pilot. * Zulu (Det. Kono) was the first of the regular cast to depart the show. He left in the 4th season. * McGarrett has a sister that lives in California. * Like McGarrett, Jack Lord was in the Navy. He was a public affairs officer, attaining the rank of lieutenant. * Before joining Five-O, Danny attended the University of Hawaii and then transferred to the University of California where he graduated with a degree in Criminology. * McGarrett often referred to Kono as "Big Kanaka". * McGarrett often referred to his secretary, May, as "Love". * McGarrett was a Korean War veteran. * McGarrett supposedly had his office in Iolani Palace, the actual palace used by the last kings and queens of Hawaii. This building was in danger of being leveled for a parking lot, but today it has been restored and can be toured for a $20 fee. It has never been used by the state police. * Besides government intelligence chief Jonathan Kaye, another recurring character was policewoman Sandy Welles. * "Danny" was played by a different actor in the pilot. * Several actors played different roles in various episodes before becoming recurring cast members. * Chin Ho (Kam Fong) smoked a pipe. * Al Harrington and Herman Wedemeyer both appeared in different roles on the show before assuming the roles of Ben and Duke respectively. Wedemeyer was in the very first episode playing Honolulu police Lt. Balta. * Despite the attention that Hawaii Five-0 brought to Hawaiian state law enforcement, Hawaii is the only state that has no state police agency. * The hula dancer in the opening montage is played by Helen Kuoha-Torco, now a professor at Windward Community college.

=====================

Continuity Goofs for Series

*In some earlier episodes, McGarrett can be seen leaving his headquarters in a 1967 Mercury 2 door sedan. When he reaches his destination, he's driving a 1968 Mercury 4 door sedan. *After the original 1968 Mercury was retired, and replaced with a '74 Marquis Brougham 4-door hardtop, some stock footage was used of the '68 passing or in traffic. *From 1970 to 1976, Al Eben played Doc Bergman. In one episode, "A Bullet for McGarrett", his name is Doc Abraham.

====================

Rockford Judged Top TV Detective: 4 July 2000 (StudioBriefing) The Rockford Files (1974) Jim Rockford has topped a TV Guide survey in which readers were asked to name their favorite TV detectives ever. The magazine commented, "The crimes he solved were hardly complex. And his detective work was rudimentary at best. But from the moment he told a client, 'I get 200 dollars-a-day, plus expenses,' you were hooked." Columbo placed second in the survey, but Jessica Fletcher of the long-running Murder, She Wrote did not even make the top 10, coming in at 13. The top ten are: 1. James Garner as Jim Rockford in The Rockford Files (1974) 2. Peter Falk, Columbo 3. Andre Braugher as Frank Pembleton in Homicide: Life on the Street 4. Tyne Daly and Sharon Gless in Cagney and Lacey 5. Telly Savalas, Kojak 6. Tom Selleck, Magnum P.I. 7. Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect 8. Cybil Shepherd and Bruce Willis as Maddie Hayes and David Addison in Moonlighting 9. Jack Lord as Steve McGarrett in Hawaii Five-0 10. Dennis Franz as Andy Sipowicz in NYPD Blue.moreless
19
Looney Tunes

Cartoon Network

Looney Tunes is a show that reruns classic cartoons featuring Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety, Sylvester, Pepe le Pew, Road Runner, Wile E. Coyote, Foghorn Leghorn and more. These classic characters were featured in 1000+ theatrical cartoons and many prime-time specials made for TV as well as numerous classic cartoon excerpts. Looney Tunes was originally aimed at an adult audience when it aired for the first time in 1955, but unfortunately it was censored. It eventually became a show for children known as The Bugs Bunny Show in 1960, which aired on ABC. Looney Tunes made it's way to Nickelodeon along with numerous Warner Bros. classic cartoons including some of their oldest black-and-whites and almost their complete canon of '60s cartoons. This show started in 1988 and ended in 1999. Now, the Boomerang block on Cartoon Network is the only place in the US where you can still see these timeless classic characters and their animated antics.moreless
20
American Bandstand

ABC (ended 1989)

American Bandstand brought rock 'n' roll music into millions of households and showed Americans how to do the latest dance steps. Dick Clark, "America's Oldest Teenager" hosted the series for most of its run.
Regular Bandstand segments were "The Spotlight Dance," "Rate-A-Record" and The "American Bandstand" Top 10 Countdown. "The Spotlight Dance" featured 2 or more couples dancing to a softer tune. "Rate-A-Record" had teenage contestants rate and comment on a record played on the show. The "American Bandstand Top Ten" was a countdown of the Top 10 hits of the day.
American Bandstand began as a local Philadelphia show called Bandstand, which made its debut October 13, 1952 on WFIL-TV Channel 6.
The series was retitled American Bandstand on August 5, 1957 when ABC began broadcasting it nationwide. For its first 6 seasons, American Bandstand aired Mondays through Fridays.
Two major changes took place during the 1963-64 season. On September 7, 1963, it became a once-a-week series airing Saturday afternoons. A few months later on February 8, 1964, production of the show moved from Philadelphia, PA to its new home in Los Angeles, CA.
Despite the changes, American Bandstand's fans remained loyal to the series, as it continued to present the latest music and dances. It even inspired another long-running dance show, Soul Train.
American Bandstand's long association with ABC ended on September 5, 1987. The series returned 2 weeks later on September 19, 1987 in first-run syndication. On April 8, 1989, American Bandstand made another move, this time to the USA cable network. It also featured a new host, David Hirsch. This version lasted only 6 months with the final show airing on October 7, 1989. In 1995, VH-1 began showing c episodes of American Bandstand. These edited 30-minute reruns featured many of the stars that the show helped make famous.
Bandstand Air Dates (local Philadelphia show)
(1) "Bob Horn's Bandstand" (hosted by Bob Horn) October 13, 1952 - July 6, 1956
(2) "Bandstand" (hosted by Dick Clark) July 9, 1956 - August 2, 1957
American Bandstand Air Dates
Weekday Afternoon shows (ABC-TV network, Monday-Friday) August 5, 1957 - August 30, 1963
Broadcast times:
August 5-November 15, 1957 - AB aired from 3:00 to 4:30pm.
November 18, 1957-October 10, 1958 - AB was split into 2 shows airing from 3:00 to 3:30pm and from 4:00 to 5:00pm. AB was split up by the game show Who Do You Trust?
October 13, 1958-September 29, 1961 - one show airing from 4:00pm to 5:30pm.
October 2, 1961-September 28, 1962 - from 4:00 to 4:50pm*
October 1, 1962-August 30, 1963 - from 4:00 to 4:55pm.*
Note: *From October 2, 1961 through August 30, 1963, AB was followed by "American Newsstand," a current affairs program produced by ABC News.
Nighttime shows (ABC network, Monday nights 7:30-8:00pm) In addition to the weekday shows, American Bandstand had a 13-week (October 7 - December 30, 1957) Prime-time run. (Note: This shouldn't be confused with The Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show, which ran from February 15, 1958 to September 10, 1960.)
Saturday Afternoon shows (abc-TV network) September 7, 1963 - September 6, 1986 During these 23 years, the air times varied anywhere between 12:30 and 2:30pm on Saturdays (sometimes earlier on the West Coast). Most of these shows were an hour long. (Some episodes were shortened for sporting events.)
On AB's Last Season on ABC-TV, it aired from 12:30 to 1:00pm (from September 13, 1986 through September 5, 1987).
Syndicated American Bandstand episodes ran from September 19, 1987 to August 27, 1988 (times varied by city). This version was syndicated by LBS Communications. (According to some sources the syndicated series ran through April 1, 1989. But we haven't been able to find any listings past August 27, 1988.)
USA Cable Network (Saturday afternoons) From April 8 to October 7, 1989, AB aired from 12noon to 1:00pm. David Hirsch was the host of this final version.moreless
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