By Sylvia Gurinsky
NBC News anchor Brian Williams' very funny imitation of talk show host Regis Philbin earlier this week on "Late Show With David Letterman" alluded to something that happens frequently with guests, even very famous ones, on talk shows: They can be dull, and both questions and answers can be formulaic.
That didn't happen when actor James Stewart appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." When Stewart described what he did on his summer vacation, he often did so in verse.
Stewart became known for his poems, including the classic "The Top Step In the Hotel in Junin (Is Mean)," about a balky step at an Argentina hotel. Here's another one about his trip to Lake Barengo in Kenya. Get ready for a surprise if you haven't heard it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rQJutUBHTo
Stewart's travels also resulted in a poem about a destroyed movie camera - from the camera's perspective.
Many of Stewart's poems were published in a book, appropriately called "Jimmy Stewart and His Poems," in 1989. Some of them are available for viewing in DVDs of some of Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" episodes.
Here's another classic to wrap things up: Stewart's emotional tribute to his dog Beau:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUNJjIwlHk8
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Week of July 22: "All In the Family"'s Pilot Trio
By Sylvia Gurinsky
Last week's look at the original pilot of "That Girl," with Harold Gould and Penny Santon playing the parents of Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) - in roles played in the regular series by Lew Parker and Rosemary DeCamp - triggered another find - in fact, two of them.
Check out this unaired 1968 pilot of "Justice For All," featuring Tim McIntire ("Rich Man Poor Man," "Soap") and character actress Kelly Jean Peters as young newlyweds - along with her parents, Archie and Edith, played by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton.
What? You say it sounds just like "All In the Family?" It is in every way - except for some changed words in "Those Were the Days," sung by O'Connor and Stapleton, O'Connor's haircut (thankfully) - and the casting of the young newlyweds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xwKhHoQ-_w
That pilot was taped for ABC, which said, "Not now." Series creator Norman Lear tried again in 1969 with Oakland Raider football player Chip Oliver and character actress Candice Azzara as the young couple:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlboZuvBFNM&feature=related
The show was getting closer to full bloom, with familiar opening titles and the classic song. It was obvious that O'Connor and Stapleton were magic as Archie and Edith. But not to ABC, which said No again.
Then CBS said Yes to the gutsiest show in television history and re-titled it "All In the Family." And, of course, the third time was the charm, with "Smothers Brothers" comedy writer (and Carl's son) Rob Reiner cast as Mike and up-and-comer Sally Struthers as Gloria (not to mention "Good Times" co-creator Mike Evans as Lionel Jefferson):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf0sgaB3mkc&feature=related
The two rejected pilots are on the "All In the Family" first season DVD. Of course, the entire series is now available on DVD.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Last week's look at the original pilot of "That Girl," with Harold Gould and Penny Santon playing the parents of Ann Marie (Marlo Thomas) - in roles played in the regular series by Lew Parker and Rosemary DeCamp - triggered another find - in fact, two of them.
Check out this unaired 1968 pilot of "Justice For All," featuring Tim McIntire ("Rich Man Poor Man," "Soap") and character actress Kelly Jean Peters as young newlyweds - along with her parents, Archie and Edith, played by Carroll O'Connor and Jean Stapleton.
What? You say it sounds just like "All In the Family?" It is in every way - except for some changed words in "Those Were the Days," sung by O'Connor and Stapleton, O'Connor's haircut (thankfully) - and the casting of the young newlyweds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xwKhHoQ-_w
That pilot was taped for ABC, which said, "Not now." Series creator Norman Lear tried again in 1969 with Oakland Raider football player Chip Oliver and character actress Candice Azzara as the young couple:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlboZuvBFNM&feature=related
The show was getting closer to full bloom, with familiar opening titles and the classic song. It was obvious that O'Connor and Stapleton were magic as Archie and Edith. But not to ABC, which said No again.
Then CBS said Yes to the gutsiest show in television history and re-titled it "All In the Family." And, of course, the third time was the charm, with "Smothers Brothers" comedy writer (and Carl's son) Rob Reiner cast as Mike and up-and-comer Sally Struthers as Gloria (not to mention "Good Times" co-creator Mike Evans as Lionel Jefferson):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf0sgaB3mkc&feature=related
The two rejected pilots are on the "All In the Family" first season DVD. Of course, the entire series is now available on DVD.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Friday, July 15, 2011
Week of July 15: Remembering Schwartz and Denoff
By Sylvia Gurinsky
Sherwood Schwartz and Sam Denoff were two people who captured the formula to make people laugh during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Schwartz was the better known of the pair because he created "Gilligan's Island," which perfectly corresponded to the sillier notions of '60s comedy, and "The Brady Bunch," which became a family favorite, then a cult favorite because of the changing fashions, the groovy lingo and the situations.
Schwartz began as a writer for the comedy series "I Married Joan," then wrote for Red Skelton's comedy shows. Then he came up with an idea for a boat captain and his mate out on a three-hour pleasure cruise with five tourists.
The result was television history. "Gilligan's Island" ran on CBS from 1964-67 and immortalized its cast and the characters they played - as well as Schwartz. This writer still believes that show inspired the ABC hit "Lost."
Schwartz came up with an idea for a show about a blended family even before the success of the 1968 movie "Yours, Mine and Ours," which was based on a true story. That movie is what prompted the green light for Schwartz to develop what became "The Brady Bunch."
The show ran on ABC from 1969-74 and was particularly popular among teenagers and young children. It evolved from blended family issues to campiness - which has helped it gain a cult following (including follow-up specials and two feature films) in subsequent years.
Sam Denoff was not as well known as Schwartz, but probably more prolific in his talent. He came out of the "Your Show of Shows" writing stable and wrote for programs such as "McHale's Navy" before he put his experience on "Your Show of Shows" to work as a writer for "The Dick Van Dyke Show."
In 1966, Denoff and Bill Persky created "That Girl," a landmark sitcom. Running on ABC until 1971, the show starred Marlo Thomas as aspiring actress Ann Marie. It was considered the springboard to more feminist shows such as "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Murphy Brown."
Here's something fun: A look at the unaired pilot of "That Girl." Ted Bessell, who of course would play Ann's boyfriend, journalist Donald Hollinger, throughout the series, was originally cast as her agent, named Donald Blue Sky (!) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHFkbwwbbVs
It wasn't the last time Harold Gould, who lost the role of Ann's dad to Lew Parker, would be in this situation: He played Howard Cunningham in the "Love, American Style" episode that led to the creation of "Happy Days." Rosemary DeCamp would play Ann's mother in the series.
All of Schwartz and Denoff's principal shows are available on DVD. Here's to their work.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Sherwood Schwartz and Sam Denoff were two people who captured the formula to make people laugh during the 1960s and early 1970s.
Schwartz was the better known of the pair because he created "Gilligan's Island," which perfectly corresponded to the sillier notions of '60s comedy, and "The Brady Bunch," which became a family favorite, then a cult favorite because of the changing fashions, the groovy lingo and the situations.
Schwartz began as a writer for the comedy series "I Married Joan," then wrote for Red Skelton's comedy shows. Then he came up with an idea for a boat captain and his mate out on a three-hour pleasure cruise with five tourists.
The result was television history. "Gilligan's Island" ran on CBS from 1964-67 and immortalized its cast and the characters they played - as well as Schwartz. This writer still believes that show inspired the ABC hit "Lost."
Schwartz came up with an idea for a show about a blended family even before the success of the 1968 movie "Yours, Mine and Ours," which was based on a true story. That movie is what prompted the green light for Schwartz to develop what became "The Brady Bunch."
The show ran on ABC from 1969-74 and was particularly popular among teenagers and young children. It evolved from blended family issues to campiness - which has helped it gain a cult following (including follow-up specials and two feature films) in subsequent years.
Sam Denoff was not as well known as Schwartz, but probably more prolific in his talent. He came out of the "Your Show of Shows" writing stable and wrote for programs such as "McHale's Navy" before he put his experience on "Your Show of Shows" to work as a writer for "The Dick Van Dyke Show."
In 1966, Denoff and Bill Persky created "That Girl," a landmark sitcom. Running on ABC until 1971, the show starred Marlo Thomas as aspiring actress Ann Marie. It was considered the springboard to more feminist shows such as "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Murphy Brown."
Here's something fun: A look at the unaired pilot of "That Girl." Ted Bessell, who of course would play Ann's boyfriend, journalist Donald Hollinger, throughout the series, was originally cast as her agent, named Donald Blue Sky (!) :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHFkbwwbbVs
It wasn't the last time Harold Gould, who lost the role of Ann's dad to Lew Parker, would be in this situation: He played Howard Cunningham in the "Love, American Style" episode that led to the creation of "Happy Days." Rosemary DeCamp would play Ann's mother in the series.
All of Schwartz and Denoff's principal shows are available on DVD. Here's to their work.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Week of July 8: All Star and Space Shuttle Memories
By Sylvia Gurinsky
Major League Baseball has been having a competition for the best moment in an All Star Game. Many great moments have been featured at MLB.com.
Alas, such moments as Reggie Jackson's 1971 tape-measure home run in Tiger Stadium in Detroit and Dave Parker's putout at home plate in Seattle in 1979 are shown in film clips, not the original live television. And Tony Perez' 15th-inning home run in Anaheim in 1967 isn't shown at all.
But what's there is still worth watching. Just go to
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2011/midsummer_classic_moments/index.jsp
*************************************************************************************
With today's final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis, it's good to remember the first Space Shuttle launch - of Columbia, which carried astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen in April, 1981.
ABC News coverage that day included Frank Reynolds anchoring, Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan providing commentary and Jules Bergman - so important to ABC's coverage of many space triumphs and disasters for three decades - providing analysis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt6Bt1pZ4Is
*************************************************************************
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Major League Baseball has been having a competition for the best moment in an All Star Game. Many great moments have been featured at MLB.com.
Alas, such moments as Reggie Jackson's 1971 tape-measure home run in Tiger Stadium in Detroit and Dave Parker's putout at home plate in Seattle in 1979 are shown in film clips, not the original live television. And Tony Perez' 15th-inning home run in Anaheim in 1967 isn't shown at all.
But what's there is still worth watching. Just go to
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2011/midsummer_classic_moments/index.jsp
*************************************************************************************
With today's final launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis, it's good to remember the first Space Shuttle launch - of Columbia, which carried astronauts John Young and Bob Crippen in April, 1981.
ABC News coverage that day included Frank Reynolds anchoring, Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan providing commentary and Jules Bergman - so important to ABC's coverage of many space triumphs and disasters for three decades - providing analysis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pt6Bt1pZ4Is
*************************************************************************
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
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