Memorable TV

US TV - CHANNING to CHiPS

CHANNING

ABC/Universal / 26x60m-e / 1963 black and white

Drama series. Stories of a new college professor and his older mentor.

With:- JASON EVERS / HENRY JONES

CBS / x30m-e / 1956/60  black and white

Sitcom. Stories of the owner of the Palm Springs Racquet Club, a one time actor.

With:-CHARLIE FARRELL / CHRIS WINNINGER / RICHARD DEACON / ANNA LEE /MARIE WINDSOR / JEFF SILVER / KATHRYN CARD

Warner/Wings/ December 3 / x60m-e / 1995

Creator: Robert Singer / Producers: William Schmidt, Frank Penzulli, Mark Harmon, Jan Michaels 

Crime drama series. Cases of private detective Charlie Grace, a single parent with a 12 year old daughter.

Charlie Grace................................... MARK HARMON

Crawford.......................................... ROBERT COSTANZO

Also with:- CINDY KATZ / LEELEE SOBIESKI 

CHARLIE LAWRENCE

CBS / x30 mins / 2003 (First Episode: Sunday June 15 / 8.30pm)

Sitcom. Charlie Lawrence, an openly gay former actor switches career gears and is elected to Congress as a representative from New Mexico.

Nathan Lane as Charlie Lawrence 

CHARLIE WILD, PRIVATE DETECTIVE

With:- KEVIN O'MORRISON as Charley Wild (1950-51) / JOHN McQUADE as Charley Wild (1951-52) / CLORIS LEACHMAN as Effie Perrine

CHARLIE'S ANGELS

ABC/TCF / 1x90m-e 109x60m-e / 1976-81

Executive Producer: Aaron Spelling, Leonard Goldberg / Theme Music: Henry Mancini 

"Once upon a time there were three little girls who went to the police academy....but I took them away from all that...my name is Charlie:.
so spake the opening lines of Charlie's Angels each week. Charlie's Angels practically invented "jiggle tv" (i.e. lots of running around in skimpy costumes and no bras and as such the show was very popular with the male viewing public, especially as the girls were all gorgeous).
The show concerned a trio of sexy private detectives working for the Charles Townsend Detective Agency, helped by Charlie's right hand man John Bosley, most of the girls cases involved them going undercover, the original trio were Kelly, Jill and Sabrina but after the first season Farrah Fawcett-Majors who played Jill left the show because she wanted to build a film career capitalising on the enormous popularity she had garnered thanks to her role in the show. A famous poster of Farrah in a swimsuit was a must have wall adornment for much of the seventies, it even appeared in Saturday Night Fever.
The shows producers were none too happy about this of course and took Farrah to court with the result that she appeared in occasional episodes (six in total) over the following three seasons. A new regular arrived in the form of Jill's sister Kris (who in fact stayed till the end).
But the show never really recovered from the loss of Sabrina, after Kate Jackson left the show continued for two more seasons (with a different girl making up the trio each season - these were Tiffany Welles and finally Julie Rogers).
Charles Townsend never actually appeared but was heard over the office intercom every episode, he would, however, make an occasional sort of appearance where you would see the back of his head or something as he sunned himself on some tropical beach attended to by assorted dusky maidens.
The late 1990's saw an explosive big screen revival of the series with Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz which was followed quickly by a second movie.

With:- JACLYN SMITH as Kelly Garrett / KATE JACKSON as Sabrina Duncan / FARRAH FAWCETT-MAJORS as Jill Munroe / DAVID DOYLE as John Bosley / JOHN FORSYTHE as Voice of Charlie Townsend / CHERYL LADD as Kris Munroe / SHELLEY HACK as Tiffany Welles / TANYA ROBERTS as  Julie Rogers

CBS/Universal/ Scholastic/Al Burton / 126x30m-e / 1984-90

Producers: Michael Jacobs, Al Burton, Jane Startz, 

Sitcom. Broke college student Charles gets a job as live in 'nanny' for the Pembrokes and their three kids. At the end of the first season CBS pulled the plug but the series carried on in syndication, Charles, however got a new family to look after following the departure of the Pembrokes, this time The Powells.

With:- SCOTT BAIO as Charles / WILLIE AAMES as Buddy Lembeck / JULIE COBB as Jill Pembroke(Season 1) / JAMES WIDDOES as Stan Pembroke(Season 1) / JONATHAN WARD as Douglas Pembroke(Season 1) / APRIL LERMAN as Lila Pembroke(Season 1) / MICHAEL PEARLMAN as Jason Pembroke(Season 1) / JENNIFER RUNYON as Gwendolyn Pierce(Season 1) / SANDRA KERNS as Ellen Powell(from Season 2) / NICOLE EGGERT as Jamie Powell(from Season 2) / JOSIE DAVIS as Sara Powell(from Season 2) / ALEXANDER POLINSKY as Adam Powell(from Season 2) / JAMES CALLAHAN as Walter Powell (from  Season 2) / ELLEN TRAVOLTA as Lillian (from Season 2)

Warner/Spelling-Paramount / x60m-e / 1999-continuing

Creator: Constance M. Burge / Executive Producer: Brad Kern, Constance M. Burge 

Fantasy drama series. Three sisters are left their grandmother's house where they find the book of Shadows which endows them with special magical witchly powers. For season 4 Rose McGowan was brought in to replace the departed Shannon Doherty.

With:- ALYSSA MILANO as Phoebe / SHANNON DOHERTY as Prue (Seasons 1 - 3) / HOLLY MARIE COMBS as Piper / BRIAN KRAUZE as Leo / ROSE McGOWAN as Paige

ABC/Sternin& Fraser Inc/ Columbia-Embassy / 28x30m-e / 1987-88

Producer: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser 

Sitcom. A modern dress fairy story, Snow White and Prince Charming find themselves transported to 1980's California.

With:- CAITLIN O'HEANEY as Snow White Charming(1) / CAROL HUSTON as Snow White(2) / CHRISTOPHER RICH as Prince Eric Charming / JUDY PARFITT as Queen Lillian White / GARETTE RATLIFFE as Cory Charming / BRANDON CALL as Thomas Charming / CORK HUBBERT as Luther / PAUL WINFIELD as Voice of the Mirror 

NBC/Charles-Barrow- Charles / 267x30m-e 2x60m-e 1x90m-e / 1982-93

Creators: Glen Charles, Les Charles, James Burrows / Theme Music: Judy Hart Angelo, Gary Portnoy / Producers: Glen Charles, James Burrows, Les Charles, Ken Levine, David  Isaacs, Tim Berry

Sitcom. Stories of the staff and regulars of a Boston bar, especially women loving owner, former baseball pro Sam Malone and his pursuit of stand offish barmaid Diane. Other characters included the drink obsessed Norm Peterson, boring postman Cliff Claven and psychiatrist Frasier Crane. Cheers garnered two spin-offs, the unsuccessful The Tortellis and the popular Frasier. 

With:- TED DANSON as Sam Malone / SHELLEY LONG as Diane Chambers(82-86/93) / RHEA PERLMAN as Carla / KIRSTIE ALLEY as Rebecca Howe(86-93) / NICHOLAS COLANSANTO as Coach'Ernie Pantusso(82-85) / WOODY HARRELSON as Woody Boyd / GEORGE WENDT as Norm Peterson / JOHN RATZENBERGER as Cliff Clavin / KELSEY GRAMMER as Dr Frasier Crane(84-93) / BEBE NEUWIRTH as Dr Lilith Sternin-Crane(86-93) / ROGER REES as Robin Colcord(89-91) / DAN HEDAYA as Nick Tortelli(83-86) / AL ROSEN as Al(84-89) / FRANCES STERNHAGEN as Esther Clavin(86-93) / TOM SKERRITT as Evan Drake(87-88) / JAY THOMAS as Eddie LeBec(87-89)

 ABC/Warner / 107x60m-e / 1956-63 black and white

Executive Producer: William T. Orr / Theme Music: William Lara / Producers: Roy Huggins, Arthur Silver 

Western drama series. Half breed Cheyenne Bodie wanders the west in the 1870's. See also spin off Bronco. 

With:- CLINT WALKER as Cheyenne Bodie / TY HARDIN as Bronco Layne / L. Q. JONES as Smitty

TCF/David E. Kelly Prod. / x60m-e / 1995-continuing

Creator: David E. Kelly / Theme Music: Mark Isham / Executive Producer: John Tinker 

Medical drama series. Cases of the doctors working in a large city hospital, the Chicago Hope of the title.

Dr Jeffrey Gerger................................ MANDY PATANKIN

dr Kate Austin................................... CHRISTINE LAHTI

Dr Philip Watters............................... HECTOR ELIZONDO

Dr Aaron Shutt.................................. ADAM ARKIN

Dr Jack McNeil................................. MARK HARMON

Dr Billy Cronk................................... PETER BERG

Dr Diane Grad.................................. JAYNE BROOK

Dr Dennis Hancock.......................... VONDIE CURTIS-HALL

CHICAGOLAND MYSTERY PLAYERS

CBS/Warner / 13x30m-e / 1971 17 Sep - 17 Dec

Producer: Jerry Thorpe / Director: Norman Tokar  

Period sitcom. Linc McCray and Uncle Latzi run a speakeasy, The Paradise Club, in Chicago during the 1920's.

Linc McCray...................................... DEAN JONES

Uncle Latzi....................................... JOHN BANNER

Big Nick Marr.................................... ART METRANO

Marvin.............................................. MARVIN KAPLAN

Lefty................................................ JAMIE FARR

Dutch.............................................. HUNTZ HALL

Julius.............................................. MIKE MAZURKI

Duke .............................................. MICKEY SHAUGHNESSY

CHICO AND THE MAN

NBC/Komack/David Wolper Prod. / 88x30m-e / 1974-78

Writers: Gary Jacobs, Ann L. Gibbs, Joel Kimmel, Jay Moriarty, Mike Milligan / Producer: James Komack 

Sitcom. Young Chicano Chico gets a job working for the garage owning Ed Brown. The show is mainly notable for the fact that in 1977 star Freddie Prinze killed himself. See also Can You Hear the Laughter?(film of Prinze's life). A new Chicano character called Raul was introduced following Prinze's death.

With:-  JACK ALBERTSON as Ed Brown(The Man) / FREDDIE PRINZ as Chico Rodriguez(74-77) / GABRIEL MELGAR as Raul Garcia(77-78) / BONNIE BOLAND as Mabel(74-75)  / SCATMAN CROTHERS as Louie Wilson /  ISAAC RUIZ as Mando / DELLA REESE as Della Rogers

CHILDREN'S LETTERS TO GOD

1x30m-e / 1969

A special hosted by Gene Kelly that mixed live action and animation to illustrate scores of innocent, frequently funny, sometimes poignant letters from children to God. The letters reflected their views of the world around them, the creation and the creator.

CHINA BEACH

ABC-Warner/Secert Inc / 1x120m-e x60m-e / 1988-91 (First Episode: 26 April 88)

Creators: William Broyles Jr, John Sacret Young,  / Original Music: John Rubinstein / Theme Music: Reflections by The Supremes 

Wartime drama series. Lt Colleen McMurphy joins a hard pressed American army field hospital during the Vietnam war. 

With:- DANA DELANY as Lt Colleen McMurphy / NAN WOODS as Cherry White (season 1) / MICHAEL BOATMAN as Sam Beckett / MARG HELGENBERGER as Karen Colleen KC Kolanski / ROBERT PICARDO as Dr Dick Richards / JEFF KOBER as Dodger / CONCETTA TOMEI as Major Lila Gureau / MEGAN GALLAGHER as Wayloo Marie Holmes (season 2) / NANCY GILES as Frankie (season 1) / RICKI LAKE as Holly (season 3) / TROY EVANS as Sgt Bartholomew Pepper / HAUNANI MINN as Hang / DEREK DE LINT as Dr Bernard (season 3)

CHINA SMITH 

USA / Syndicated / 52x30m-e / 1952-55 

Crime adventure type show featuring the South Sea exploits of China Smith, sometime adventurer some time private eye. There were two seasons of the show, the first was actually filmed in Mexico whilst season two went under the name of The New Adventures of China Smith. The show was known as The Affairs of China Smith. 

With:- DAN DURYEA as China Smith / DOUGLAS DUMBRILLE as Inspector Hobson / MYRNA DELL as Shira (the Empress) 

CHiPS

NBC/MGM/Rosner TV / 138x60m-e / 1977-83

Creator: Rick Rosner / Executive Producer: Cy Cermak / Producer: Rick Rosner, Ric Rondell 

Crime drama series. The exploits of two motorcycle cops working for the California Highway Patrol in Los Angeles.

 With:- LARRY WILCOX as Officer Jon Baker / ERIK ESTRADA as Off Frank 'Ponch' Poncherello / ROBERT PINE as Sgt Joe Getraer / BRIANNE LEARY as Officer Sindy Cahill / LOU WAGNER as Harlan / RANDI OAKES as Officer Bonnie Clark / TOM REILLY as Off Bobby 'Hot Dog' Nelson / MICHAEL DORN as Officer Turner / PAUL LINKE as Officer Grossman

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