By Sylvia Gurinsky
Jack Klugman and Charles Durning made significant marks in television.
Klugman's most famous role, of course, was as Oscar Madison on "The Odd Couple" (ABC, 1970-75). But the issue-oriented "Quincy, M.E.," which ran on NBC from 1976-83 (starting as part of the "NBC Mystery Movie"), was just as good. Here's a clip from Season 2's "A Good Smack in the Head," about abuse:
Quincy
Durning was in numerous shows, including the CBS comedy "Evening Shade" (1990-94). But his most moving television was his own story. For years, he co-hosted "The National Memorial Day Concert" on PBS. In 2007, he talked about his D-Day experience:
D-Day
The entire series of "The Odd Couple," the first four seasons of "Quincy, M.E." and the first season of "Evening Shade" have been released on DVD.
See you next week.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Week of December 4: How Do You Do: Television Show Introductions
By Sylvia Gurinsky
While viewing clips of Larry Hagman in preparation for last week's tribute, I went back and looked at the introduction to the original "Dallas." Here's the opening from the third season, which would end with the shooting of J.R. Ewing:
Dallas Intro
Jerrold Immel's theme song is perfectly mixed with an action-filled look at the main cast - a good way to introduce a prime-time soap opera.
A television theme song is the first introduction most viewers get to a television show. There are shows that succeed in spite of the introductions. (I was never a fan, for instance, of "The Cosby Show" introductions from Season 2 onward, though I love the show; I enjoyed the first season intros, with Huxtable family pictures.)
The Cosby Show
Then there are shows whose introductions seem to handicap them. Here are 18 shows that never got beyond Season 1. Many of the intros didn't help:
18 Intros
How does a show do it right? Like casting and scripts, it may be the luck of the draw.
Sometimes, animation helps; "Bewitched" is one example:
Bewitched
And "The Nanny," whose animation also told the story:
The Nanny
The MTM shows were a nice study in realism in introductions, starting with Mary Tyler Moore herself and Bob Newhart. Alas, those introductions are not available. But there is "Lou Grant." I think this intro made me want to work at a newspaper:
Lou Grant
Realism was a hallmark of the intros of many of the TV shows of the 1970s and 1980s. So was retro - used most effectively in the introduction to "Cheers":
Cheers
The 1990s were the last gasp (or note?) for most of the truly good introductions. "The West Wing" intro is majestic, fitting with its theme of the American presidency:
The West Wing
Sadly, full-scale introductions on television have become a mostly lost art form, with the exceptions of shows such as the "NCIS" family. But even "NCIS" gets its inspiration from an earlier show: The original "Hawaii Five-0." Nothing said Hawaii like Morton Stevens' music, Jack Lord at the top of the Ilikai hotel, Zulu as Kono and Kam Fong as Chin Ho:
Five-0
We end with a great way to introduce an episode in less than a minute: The theme from "Mission: Impossible" (Season 1, with Steven Hill heading the cast):
Mission: Impossible
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
While viewing clips of Larry Hagman in preparation for last week's tribute, I went back and looked at the introduction to the original "Dallas." Here's the opening from the third season, which would end with the shooting of J.R. Ewing:
Dallas Intro
Jerrold Immel's theme song is perfectly mixed with an action-filled look at the main cast - a good way to introduce a prime-time soap opera.
A television theme song is the first introduction most viewers get to a television show. There are shows that succeed in spite of the introductions. (I was never a fan, for instance, of "The Cosby Show" introductions from Season 2 onward, though I love the show; I enjoyed the first season intros, with Huxtable family pictures.)
The Cosby Show
Then there are shows whose introductions seem to handicap them. Here are 18 shows that never got beyond Season 1. Many of the intros didn't help:
18 Intros
How does a show do it right? Like casting and scripts, it may be the luck of the draw.
Sometimes, animation helps; "Bewitched" is one example:
Bewitched
And "The Nanny," whose animation also told the story:
The Nanny
The MTM shows were a nice study in realism in introductions, starting with Mary Tyler Moore herself and Bob Newhart. Alas, those introductions are not available. But there is "Lou Grant." I think this intro made me want to work at a newspaper:
Lou Grant
Realism was a hallmark of the intros of many of the TV shows of the 1970s and 1980s. So was retro - used most effectively in the introduction to "Cheers":
Cheers
The 1990s were the last gasp (or note?) for most of the truly good introductions. "The West Wing" intro is majestic, fitting with its theme of the American presidency:
The West Wing
Sadly, full-scale introductions on television have become a mostly lost art form, with the exceptions of shows such as the "NCIS" family. But even "NCIS" gets its inspiration from an earlier show: The original "Hawaii Five-0." Nothing said Hawaii like Morton Stevens' music, Jack Lord at the top of the Ilikai hotel, Zulu as Kono and Kam Fong as Chin Ho:
Five-0
We end with a great way to introduce an episode in less than a minute: The theme from "Mission: Impossible" (Season 1, with Steven Hill heading the cast):
Mission: Impossible
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Week of November 30: Lesser-known Larry Hagman
By Sylvia Gurinsky
Before a mention of that other soap opera, here's Larry Hagman's first turn as a soap opera actor - on "The Edge of Night" in 1961:
The Edge of Night
Of course, Hagman, who died this week, is much better known for two other shows, though he guest-starred in others and starred in still more.
One of those shows Hagman tried was NBC's "The Good Life," which was on the air for just one season, 1971-72. Hagman and Donna Mills - later Abby Ewing on the "Dallas" spinoff "Knots Landing," played an upwardly mobile married couple who pretended to be servants to a millionaire played by David Wayne ("House Calls"). Alas, only the introduction to that show is online; no clips yet.
But there are plenty of clips of Hagman in his greatest, Emmy-nominated role - as evil oil tycoon J.R. Ewing on "Dallas." Enjoy this clip, and Hagman's timing with his lines. Thanks for the memories, Larry (and J.R.):
J.R.
*********************************************************************
Starting next week, the YesterTube blog will move to Tuesdays.
Happy Viewing!
Before a mention of that other soap opera, here's Larry Hagman's first turn as a soap opera actor - on "The Edge of Night" in 1961:
The Edge of Night
Of course, Hagman, who died this week, is much better known for two other shows, though he guest-starred in others and starred in still more.
One of those shows Hagman tried was NBC's "The Good Life," which was on the air for just one season, 1971-72. Hagman and Donna Mills - later Abby Ewing on the "Dallas" spinoff "Knots Landing," played an upwardly mobile married couple who pretended to be servants to a millionaire played by David Wayne ("House Calls"). Alas, only the introduction to that show is online; no clips yet.
But there are plenty of clips of Hagman in his greatest, Emmy-nominated role - as evil oil tycoon J.R. Ewing on "Dallas." Enjoy this clip, and Hagman's timing with his lines. Thanks for the memories, Larry (and J.R.):
J.R.
*********************************************************************
Starting next week, the YesterTube blog will move to Tuesdays.
Happy Viewing!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Week of 11/9: Bob Brunner Was More Than "Jumping the Shark"
By Sylvia Gurinsky
The words "Jump the Shark" have unfortunately been at the top of many notifications about the death of television writer and producer Bob Brunner. That's because he wrote the "Happy Days" episode in which Fonzie (Henry Winkler) jumped over a shark cage with his motorcycle when the whole gang was in California.
But Brunner did plenty more for the show, giving Arthur Fonzarelli's character his famous nickname, coining the catchphrase "Sit On It" and writing plenty of episodes. (And to be fair, "Happy Days" continued to have plenty of mileage on it after that episode; the show didn't start to lose steam until star Ron Howard left in 1980.)
Brunner also wrote for "The Odd Couple," "Laverne & Shirley" and many other television shows through the 1980s. He also produced many of those shows.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
The words "Jump the Shark" have unfortunately been at the top of many notifications about the death of television writer and producer Bob Brunner. That's because he wrote the "Happy Days" episode in which Fonzie (Henry Winkler) jumped over a shark cage with his motorcycle when the whole gang was in California.
But Brunner did plenty more for the show, giving Arthur Fonzarelli's character his famous nickname, coining the catchphrase "Sit On It" and writing plenty of episodes. (And to be fair, "Happy Days" continued to have plenty of mileage on it after that episode; the show didn't start to lose steam until star Ron Howard left in 1980.)
Brunner also wrote for "The Odd Couple," "Laverne & Shirley" and many other television shows through the 1980s. He also produced many of those shows.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Week of November 2: Television News In Its Purest Form
By Sylvia Gurinsky
It often takes a disaster to remind us what television news is supposed to do.
Viewers discovered that again this week with coverage of Hurricane Sandy. The reports by New York television stations are just what they were by the Miami television stations after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 or the New Orleans stations after Katrina in 2005: A lifeline.
It is only during the last 35 years or so, during the era of live television news coverage, that television news departments have been able to develop this response during crises. For natural disasters, besides the mourning of the dead and treatment of the injured, there are the basics of searching for food, water, batteries, places with electricity and so forth.
When television news often consists of bubbleheaded sweeps stories and election coverage resembling an episode of "American Idol," it's refreshing to know that when it counts the most, reporters remember what they learned in journalism school.
See you next week.
It often takes a disaster to remind us what television news is supposed to do.
Viewers discovered that again this week with coverage of Hurricane Sandy. The reports by New York television stations are just what they were by the Miami television stations after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 or the New Orleans stations after Katrina in 2005: A lifeline.
It is only during the last 35 years or so, during the era of live television news coverage, that television news departments have been able to develop this response during crises. For natural disasters, besides the mourning of the dead and treatment of the injured, there are the basics of searching for food, water, batteries, places with electricity and so forth.
When television news often consists of bubbleheaded sweeps stories and election coverage resembling an episode of "American Idol," it's refreshing to know that when it counts the most, reporters remember what they learned in journalism school.
See you next week.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Greatest Television Programs: #90-81
By Sylvia Gurinsky
YesterTube continues a look at the Top 100 television programs of all time with numbers 90 to 81:
90. Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii (NBC, 1973): The first television program ever shown live around the world via satellite showed The King still at his best, performing a lot of his hits and raising money for charity besides.
89. Rich Man, Poor Man (ABC, 1976): Based on Irwin Shaw's novel, this mini-series about the Jordache family made many stars (including leads Nick Nolte and Peter Strauss) and kicked off America's love affair with the mini-series.
88. Moonlighting (ABC, 1985-89): The detective show starring Cybill Shepard and an up-and-coming Bruce Willis harked back to old-fashioned detective movies at its peak - including a black-and-white salute, and even a tribute to William Shakespeare. Allyce Beasley added to the fun as the rhyming secretary Agnes DiPesto.
87. The Lawrence Welk Show (Various, 1955-81): America's longest running music show (still shown on PBS today). Critics called it corn, but bandleader Welk latched on to a fundamental rule: Let talented singers perform songs people like to hear, the way they like to hear them.
86. The French Chef (PBS, 1962-73): A star - and a new form of television- was born when chef and author Julia Child took her recipes to PBS. Never has watching someone cooking been more fun - and tasty.
85. Wild Kingdom (Syndicated, 1963-85): Also known as "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom," the show - with hosts Marlon Perkins and Jim Fowler - launched viewers' up-close-and-personal relationship with animals.
84. American Masters (PBS, Since 1985): PBS' excellent continuing salutes to everyone who has been anyone in American culture. Always a program to look forward to, no matter who the subject.
83. The American Experience (PBS, Since 1987): This program, whose subjects have included wars, storms, illnesses, crises, presidents and so forth, provides more insight about our past in a two-hour episode than watching a whole year of The History Channel.
82. Get Smart (NBC, 1965-69; CBS, 1969-70): Would you believe that this spoof of spy shows and films might have led to the creation of cellphones (fortunately not from shoes)? Don Adams was terrific as the bumbling (but successful) Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. Sometimes it seems the scenes are not too far from reality.
81. 1960 Presidential Debates: For better or worse, the 1960 debates between presidential nominees John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon opened up new debates about substance versus style and political image making. Today's debates are nothing but theater, but the nominees had something to say back then.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
YesterTube continues a look at the Top 100 television programs of all time with numbers 90 to 81:
90. Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii (NBC, 1973): The first television program ever shown live around the world via satellite showed The King still at his best, performing a lot of his hits and raising money for charity besides.
89. Rich Man, Poor Man (ABC, 1976): Based on Irwin Shaw's novel, this mini-series about the Jordache family made many stars (including leads Nick Nolte and Peter Strauss) and kicked off America's love affair with the mini-series.
88. Moonlighting (ABC, 1985-89): The detective show starring Cybill Shepard and an up-and-coming Bruce Willis harked back to old-fashioned detective movies at its peak - including a black-and-white salute, and even a tribute to William Shakespeare. Allyce Beasley added to the fun as the rhyming secretary Agnes DiPesto.
87. The Lawrence Welk Show (Various, 1955-81): America's longest running music show (still shown on PBS today). Critics called it corn, but bandleader Welk latched on to a fundamental rule: Let talented singers perform songs people like to hear, the way they like to hear them.
86. The French Chef (PBS, 1962-73): A star - and a new form of television- was born when chef and author Julia Child took her recipes to PBS. Never has watching someone cooking been more fun - and tasty.
85. Wild Kingdom (Syndicated, 1963-85): Also known as "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom," the show - with hosts Marlon Perkins and Jim Fowler - launched viewers' up-close-and-personal relationship with animals.
84. American Masters (PBS, Since 1985): PBS' excellent continuing salutes to everyone who has been anyone in American culture. Always a program to look forward to, no matter who the subject.
83. The American Experience (PBS, Since 1987): This program, whose subjects have included wars, storms, illnesses, crises, presidents and so forth, provides more insight about our past in a two-hour episode than watching a whole year of The History Channel.
82. Get Smart (NBC, 1965-69; CBS, 1969-70): Would you believe that this spoof of spy shows and films might have led to the creation of cellphones (fortunately not from shoes)? Don Adams was terrific as the bumbling (but successful) Agent 86, Maxwell Smart. Sometimes it seems the scenes are not too far from reality.
81. 1960 Presidential Debates: For better or worse, the 1960 debates between presidential nominees John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon opened up new debates about substance versus style and political image making. Today's debates are nothing but theater, but the nominees had something to say back then.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Week of October 19: So, What's a Presidential Debate?
By Sylvia Gurinsky
This year's presidential debates have been the topics for plenty of discussion and questions. One question at the top of the list is: Is what we've seen the past few weeks - complete with personal attacks - actually a "debate?"
Certainly the tone of such debates has evolved since John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon engaged in the first televised presidential debates in 1960. Here's a look, for instance, at the third debate between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter in 1976:
Carter-Ford #3
It's kind of refreshing hearing them say what they'd do, rather than attacking their opponents beyond disagreeing with policy. (It's also refreshing to hear Ford, a Republican, talk about helping people, and Carter be honest about his discomfort with the fallout from his interview with Playboy magazine.) It was a close election, but Ford and Carter later became friends after their presidencies, and served in many public-service organizations.
The debate also has a far more serious tone - one that lends itself to a serious journalist such as Jim Lehrer, who wound up being criticized for his moderating of the first Obama-Romney debate this year. The real problem was that the debate style (Romney's, in any case, given Obama's passiveness) more closely resembled "American Idol" judges than a serious discussion of the issues.
For many years, televised formats did not let candidates address each other, leading television anchor and reporter Dan Rather to refer to the debates as "joint press conferences."
Now? It seems debates have gone from one extreme to the other.
Somewhere between the two lies a perfect presidential debate.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
This year's presidential debates have been the topics for plenty of discussion and questions. One question at the top of the list is: Is what we've seen the past few weeks - complete with personal attacks - actually a "debate?"
Certainly the tone of such debates has evolved since John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon engaged in the first televised presidential debates in 1960. Here's a look, for instance, at the third debate between Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter in 1976:
Carter-Ford #3
It's kind of refreshing hearing them say what they'd do, rather than attacking their opponents beyond disagreeing with policy. (It's also refreshing to hear Ford, a Republican, talk about helping people, and Carter be honest about his discomfort with the fallout from his interview with Playboy magazine.) It was a close election, but Ford and Carter later became friends after their presidencies, and served in many public-service organizations.
The debate also has a far more serious tone - one that lends itself to a serious journalist such as Jim Lehrer, who wound up being criticized for his moderating of the first Obama-Romney debate this year. The real problem was that the debate style (Romney's, in any case, given Obama's passiveness) more closely resembled "American Idol" judges than a serious discussion of the issues.
For many years, televised formats did not let candidates address each other, leading television anchor and reporter Dan Rather to refer to the debates as "joint press conferences."
Now? It seems debates have gone from one extreme to the other.
Somewhere between the two lies a perfect presidential debate.
See you next week. Until then, Happy Viewing!
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