Television On a two-hour episode of CBS period family drama “The Waltons” in 1978, an old coal mine is reopened to foster local employment but disaster struck: a cave-in that trapped John (Ralph Waite), Jim-Bob (David W. Harper), Jason (Jon Walmsley), Ben (Eric Scott) and other workers…”Wings Over the World,“ a made-for television film featuring Paul McCartney, Linda […]
Television The CBS Morning Show” premiered with hosts Walter Cronkite and Jack Paar in 1954, which could not find an audience opposite NBC’s dominant “Today” show…Two classic ABC series debuted in 1977: family dramedy “Eight is Enough” and sitcom “Three’s Company.” During that first short season of “Eight is Enough,” the late Diana Hyland was featured as Bradford matriarch Joan. ABC sitcom “Mr. Belvedere,” starring Christopher Hewitt, launched in 1985. […]
Television Camp classic “Batman” concluded on ABC after two-and-one half seasons in 1968 with Zsa Zsa Gabor as villainess Minerva. Launched twice per week on January 12, 1966, “Batman” was an immediate sensation, with both weekly episodes cracking the Top 10. But ratings dipped in season two and the arrival of Yvonne Craig as Batgirl in season three did […]
Television Stanley and Helen Roper (Norman Fell and Audra Lindley) moved from an apartment building to a townhouse in the premiere of the “Three’s Company” spin-off “The Ropers” on ABC in 1979. It delivered the second-highest rated series debut (in households) in TV history, with a 36.0 U.S. household rating and 55 share (behind the 36.3/52 […]
Television and Radio Que Sera, Sera: CBS sitcom “The Doris Day Show” concluded after five seasons in 1973…You bet your sweet bippy! Also ending in 1973 was “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” on NBC, which aired for six seasons. The fast-paced variety hour was the top-rated series in primetime from 1968 to 1970…Comic book character Wonder Woman […]
Television Children’s program “Small Fry Club” began its four season run on the Dumont Network in 1947…An unprecedented moment on this day in 1980: Student Curtis Jackson (Erik Kilpatrick) was shot and killed while witnessing a liquor store robbery on CBS’ “The White Shadow.“ The high school drama, starring Ken Howard, concluded on March 16, 1981 […]
Television “The Incredible Hulk,“ starring Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno, premiered as a regularly scheduled series in 1978. It aired through 1982 and was introduced as a two-hour pilot movie in November 1977…Also in 1978, CBS introduced short-lived dramedy “Husbands, Wives and Lovers”…Willard Scott joined NBC’s “Today” show in 1980 and stayed with the morning franchise through 2015…Also in 1980, game show “Wheel of […]
