Mr. Television

Television  “McHale’s Navy” began its four season run on ABC in 1962. The sitcom originated from an episode called “Seven Against the Sea” with Ernest Borgnine on anthology series “Alcoa Premiere”…“Live from New York…it’s Saturday Night!” Late night NBC staple “Saturday Night Live” debuted in 1975 with Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Garrett Morris, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner as the original “Not Ready for Prime Time Players”…Critically acclaimed (but perennially low-rated) NBC […]

Television Prior to his two long-running sitcoms, Bob Newhart headlined his own self-titled variety hour. It ran for one season beginning on this day in 1961. PBS favorite “Upstairs, Downstairs,” starring Jean Marsh and Eileen Atkins, made its debut on British network ITV in 1971. It ran for four seasons. CBS tried to copy the format in the fall of 1975 care of […]

Television “Cavalcade of America” was first broadcast on CBS radio in 1935…“Land of the Lost” debuted on ABC radio in 1943…Doc Severinsen took over as musical director on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” in 1967. The identity of the dead woman floating in the Ewing pool at Southfork is revealed to be Sue Ellen’s sister Kristin Shepard (Mary […]

Television “The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet” debuted on CBS radio in 1942. The TV show version aired for 14 seasons on ABC (from 1952 to 1966) and remains the longest running live action scripted broadcast network sitcom in TV history. Also in 1942: Comedy duo Abbott and Costello launched their weekly radio show. There were four […]

Television “Ol’ Blue Eyes,” Frank Sinatra, made his initial plunge into regularly scheduled series television as host of CBS’ variety driven “The Frank Sinatra Show” beginning in 1950. The hour lasted two seasons. Other series premieres: “Route 66” (CBS, 1960), “Mr. Merlin” (CBS, 1981), “It Takes Two” (ABC, 1982). A short-lived edition of “American Bandstand,“ hosted by Dick Clark, opened on […]

Television ABC’s “The Dating Game” moved into primetime in 1966 in place of canceled sitcom “The Tammy Grimes Show”…Nickelodeon debuted its first game show “Double Dare” in 1986…“Dear John,” based on the British comedy of the same name, premiered on NBC in 1988. The sitcom, starring Judd Hirsch, ran for four seasons, thanks to initially following “Cheers” on Thursday nights…Lois (Teri Hatcher) and Clark […]