Memorable TV

US TV F4 - FRESNO to FYI

CBS/MTM / 1x120m-e 4x60m-e / 1986

Creator/Executive Producer: Barry Kemp / Writers: Barry Kemp, Mark Ganzel, Michael Petryni / Producer: R. W. Goodwin / Director: Jeff Bleckner

Comedy serial. A blatant send up of Falcon Crest/Dallas et al. Rivalries between two raisin dynasties The Canes and the Kensingtons.

With:- CAROL BURNETT as Charlotte Kensington / DABNEY COLEMAN as Tyler Cane  / CHARLES GRODIN as Cane Kensington / TERRI GARR as Talon Kensington / GREGORY HARRISON as Juan / EARL DUKE as Earl Duke / PAT CORLEY as Kevin / Kensington / VALERIE MAHAFFEY as Tiffany Kensington / TERESA GANZEL as Bobbi Jo Bobb / BILL PAXTON as Billy Joe Bobb / JERRY VAN DYKE as Tucker Aga Janian / CHARLES KEATING as Charles

FRIDAY THE 13th: THE SERIES

Syndicated / 78x30m-e / 1987-90

Fantasy horror drama series with only the title giving it any connection to the film series. Micki Foster inherits her dead uncle's antiques shop not knowing that each of the items in said shop carries a deadly curse.

With:- LOUISE ROBEY as Micki Foster / JOHN D. LE MAY as Ryan Dallion (1987-89) / CHRIS WIGGINS as Jack Marshak / STEVEN MONAQUE as Johnny Ventura (1989-90    

NBC/Bright-Kauffman- Marta Crane Prod./Warner / 100+x30m-e 2x60m-e / 1994-2004

Creators: Marta Kauffman, David Crane / Executive Producers: Kevin S. Bright, Kauffman, David Crane 

Sitcom. The lives of group of six late twenty somethings/early 30's in Manhattan - three men, wisecracking office exec. Chandler, would be actor Joey and boring paleontologist Ross and three gorgeous women, ditzy guitar playing Phoebe, chef Monica and waitress/office exec. Rachel. Monica and Ross were brother and sister. There was occasional interlocking between "Friends" and the fellow sitcom "Mad About You" with Phoebe's twin sister Ursula (played again by Lisa Kudrow) appearing as a semi-regular in "Mad About You" as a waitress. Final episode aired 6 May 2004. Matt Le Blanc went straight into the spin off Joey. 

With:- JENNIFER ANISTON as Rachel Green / COURTENEY COX as Monica Geller / LISA KUDROW as Phoebe Buffay / MATTHEW PERRY as Chandler Bing / MATT LE BLANC as Joey Tribbiani / DAVID SCHWIMMER as Ross Geller 

FRIENDS AND LOVERS

MTM / 13x30m-e / 1974

Producer: Steve Pritzker 

Sitcom. The exploits of a violinist who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

With:- PAUL SAND / MICHAEL PATAKI / PENNY MARSHALL 

Columbia/Bennett- Kartleman / x60m-e / 1979

Producer: Buzz Kulick / Novel: James Jones / Music: Walter Scharf 

Wartime drama series. Stories of the marines based in Hawaii leading upto the attack on Pearl Harbour by the Japanese. Hard to match up to the 1953 film classic.

With:- WILLIAM DEVANE / NATALIE WOOD / ROY THINNES / PETER BOYLE / STEVE RAILSBACK / KIM BASINGER

A well remembered Proctor and Gamble sponsored NBC  soap that starred Ann Flood as Liz Fraser returning to her New England family home after her father has a heart attack. Her father, Ben, owned the town newspaper The Strathfield Record. Much of the action of the show centered around the activities of Liz and the rest of her family who besides Ben also included Liz's sister Emily and her mill foreman husband Jim Benson and their kids Tim and Lyddy. Liz's brother Ben Jr and his wife Rose and their kids Dan, Robin and Sarah. Liz was initially involved with magazine publisher Bruce Crawford before marrying in 1960 playwright David Allen. Big plotlines included Emily and Jim's marriage breaking up after Jim admitted to a long standing affair and David Allen almost being tempted by an actress who was working in one of his plays. The show ended in 1961 and unusually for a soap managed to tie up all its loose ends in doing so.

With:- ANN FLOOD as Liz Fraser Alen / GRANT CODE as Ben Fraser sr (1958) replaced by ROD HENDRICKSON (1958-61) and then JOSEPH MACAULEY (1961) / HELEN SHIELDS as Emily Fraser Benson / HENDERSON FORSYTHE as Jim Benson / SARAH HARDY as Lyddy Benson / JOHN STEWART as Tim Benson / ROBERT MANDAN as David Allen / RICHARD THOMAS as Richard (1961) / DOLORES SUTTON as Luisa Corelli (1959-60) / BYRON SANDERS as Bruce Crawford (1958-69)

CBS/MCA/Calliope / 26x60m-e /  1961 black and white

Western drama series. Stories of a circus in the days of the old West.

With:- CHILL WILLS / JOHN DEREK / RICHARD JAECKEL

ABC / 65x30m-e(34 episodes in bw) / September 14, 1965 – August 31, 1967

Creator: Richard Bluel / Producers: William T. Orr, Hy Averback 

Western sitcom. Exploits of the men of F Troop at Fort Courage just after the Civil War; Captain Wilton Parminter is generally out of his depth having been promoted from the ranks, his sergeant Morgan O’Rourke is more concerned with setting up deals with the Indians (the Hekawi) to make himself some money. Parminter’ love interest was provided by Jane Angelica Thrift, a cowgirl known as Wrangler Jane. Made in the mid sixties The Beatles managed to find themselves referenced in one episode when a cavalry trooper turned up called Wrongo Starr (played by Henry Gibson).  

With: - KEN BERRY as Capt. Wilton Parmenter / FORREST TUCKER as Sgt. Morgan O’Rourke / LARRY STORCH as Cpl. Randolph Agarn / MELODY PATTERSON as Jane Angelica Thrift (Wrangler Jane) / FRANK deKOVA as Chief Wild Eagle / DON DIAMOND as Crazy Cat / JAMES HAMPTON as Bugler Hannibal Dobbs / BOB STEELE  as Trooper Duffy / JOE BROOKS as Trooper Vanderbilt

HBO/Clavius Base/ Imagine /  12x60m-e / 1998

Executive Producer: Tom Hanks, Erik Bork / Producers: Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Michael Bostick

Period drama series. The story of the American space programme between the years 1961-62.

Neil Armstrong................................ TONY GOLDWYN

Michael Collins............................... CARY ELWES

Buzz Aldrin.................................... BRYAN CRANSTON

Pete Conrad................................... PAUL McCRANE

Richard Gordon.............................. TOM VERICA

Alan 'Al' Bear................................. DAVE FOLEY

C.C. Williams................................ JIM LEAVY

Ed White...................................... CHRIS ISAAK

Frank Burns.................................. PETER HORTON

Jean-Luc Despont(Final ep) ........... TOM HANKS

ABC-Quinn Martin / 120x60m-e (90 color /30 black and white) / 1963-67 17 Sep 63 - Aug 29  67 Tuesdays 10.00pm

Creator: Roy Huggins / Executive Producer: Quinn Martin / Music: Bill Raisch 

Drama series. Richard Kimble is forced to go on the run when he is believed to be responsible for the murder of his wife. Kimble goes in search of the one armed man he believes really committed the crime. In the final two part episode Kimble tracked down the one armed man and proved his innocence. At the time this show was probably the most popular on TV. In the mid 1990's a big screen version was made with Harrison Ford in the lead role and then in 2000 a lacklustre revival aired with Tim Daly as Kimble (see below).

With:- DAVID JANSSEN as Dr Richard Kimble / BARRY MORSE as Lt Philip Gerard / BILL RAISCH as Fred Johnson (one armed man) / JACQUELINE SCOTT as Donna Taft

CBS / x60m-e/ 2000

Executive Producers: Arnold and Anne Kopelson, Roy Huggins

Drama series. A revival of the classic sixties series, see above, with Dr Richard Kimble again out to prove his self innocent of murder. Each edition travelled to a different part of the country and the series was more in line with the Harrison Ford movie rather than the series.

With:- TIM DALY as Dr Richard Kimble / MYKELTI WILLIAMSON as Lt Philip Gerard / BOB MORRISSEY as Captain McLaren / STEPHEN LANG as The One Armed Man 

FULL CIRCLE

USA / CBS / x30m-e / June 27, 1960-March 10, 1961
Broadcast Mon.-Fri. 2-2:30 p.m. black and white 

"Meet Gary Donovan, restless wanderer. His only companions
are romance and adventure," purred the ads for this, the first network serial to air live from Hollywood. The tag line was true. Donovan did find both "companions" in Crowder, Virginia, where, in the show's debut, he settled down and met Lisa Linda Crowder, a young woman unhappily married to Loyal, an older descendent of the towns founder, and Dr. Kit Aldrich, who fell in love with him. As he dealt with his attraction to the medic, he also developed an interest in unraveling the mystery behind the death of Lisas first husband while working at Loyal's mill along with Virgil Denker.
Donovan did not have to wait long for the murder investigation to produce results. A deputy arrested Loyal for the crime, and although he did not go to jail, Lisa divorced him anyway and went after the affections first of Gary, during a period when he and Kit were on the outs, and then of musician David Talton, who decided to marry Chris instead. Both the married Chris and David and the dating Kit and Gary had rocky on-and-off romances for months.
A slew of other characters worked their way into the action, though they added very little to the plot in comparison with the principals. Busybody Beth Perce made sure to pry her way into hearing about all of these details for a time. In 1961, shortly before the show was canceled, life became more pleasant for the citizens of Crowder. David and Chris were expecting a child, Lisa had married again,
this time to a minor character named Tony, and even Loyal, who had managed to keep running his mill following his arrest, looked to be developing a romantic image. As for the restless wanderer, the TV Guide write-up of the finale said, "The future looks bright for Kit and Gary." Maybe that meant they got to leave town?
Cast
Gary Donovan.... Robert Fortier
Lisa Linda Crowder.... Dyan Cannon
Loyal Crowder.... John McNamara
Dr. KitAldrich..... Jean Byron
Virgil Denker..... Michael Ross
Ellen Denker..... Nancy Millard
Ray Pollard..... Andrew Colmar
David Talton.... Bill Lundmark
Chris Talton (fall 1960-61).... Ann Daniels
Parker Hill (fall 1960).... Gene Lyons
Carter Talton, David's dad (I960).... Byron Foulger
The Deputy (1960).... Sam Edwards
Beth Perce (I960).... Amzie Strickland

Paramount / 13x30m-e / 1971

Sitcom. Stories of a college student who was also involved in the world of TV.

With:- SANDY DUNCAN

NBC/Bill Persky/Sam Denoff / 13x60m-e / 1971

Comedy. Sketch show, hosted by Gene Kelly, featuring five couples from varying classes and creeds, poking fun at modern life. The cast included Pat Finley, Warren Berlinger, Jenna McMahon, Cindy Williams, John Amos, Teresa Graves.

THE FURTHER ADVENTURES OF ELLERY QUEEN

NBC / x60m-e / 1958-59 Fridays 8.00pm

Creators: Frederic Dannay, Manfred Bennington Lee

Crime drama series. The cases of murder solving mystery writer Ellery Queen. Previously made as The Adventures of Ellery Queen  and Ellery Queen and later again as Ellery Queen. This series itself had its title shortened to just Ellery Queen on 24 October 1958.

With:- GEORGE NADER as Ellery Queen (1958-59) / LEE PHILLIPS as Ellery Queen (1959) / LEE TREMAYNE as Inspector Richard Queen  

 Fox/Curiosity/ 30th Century Fox / x30m-e / 1999-continuing

Creator: Matt Groenig / Devisor: Matt Groenig, David X. Cohen / Music: Christopher Tyng / Executive Producers: Ken Keeler, Eric Horsted, Matt Groenig, David X. Cohen

Animated scifi sitcom. Delivery boy Fry is accidentally frozen on New Years Eve 1999, he awakes a thousand years later to an amazing and fantastic new world.

Fry..................................................... BILLY WEST

Leela.................................................. KATEY SEGAL

Bender............................................... JOHN D'MAGGIO

Paramount/Culzean/ Tovern / 1x120m-e  6x60m-e / 1976

Producer: Gary Damsker, Anthony Wilson 

Scifi crime drama series. Cases of a cop and his new robot partner.

With:- ERNEST BORGNINE / MICHAEL SHANNON / JOHN AMOS / JOHN LARCH 

F.X: THE SERIES  

Syndicated / 39x60 minutes episodes / September 1996 – 1998  

Action adventure series. Australian Rollie Taylor is a special effects guru working on hit films and TV but his real work is with The New York Police Department – initially working with Detective Leo McCarthy in Manhattan's midtown south precinct. Tyler had a fully equipped van (jam packed with electronic gadgets, make up and other tools of his trade) as his HQ and a young helper called Angie. Tyler also sometimes called in actress Lucinda to help him when undercover. Season two saw the departure of Leo and the arrival of Detective Mira Sanchez. Based on two Bryan Brown movies, F/X and F/X2.

With: - CAMERON DADDO as Rollie Tyler / KEVIN DOBSON as Det. Leo McCarthy (1996-1997) / CHRISTINE COX as Angie Ramirez / CARRIE-ANNE MOSS as Lucinda Scott (1996-1997) / SHERRY MILLER as Colleen O’Malley (1996-1997) / RICHARD WAUGH as Det. Francis Gattie / JASON BLICKER as Capt. Marvin Vanduren / JACQUELINE TORRES as Det. Mira Sanchez (1997-1998)

F.Y.I.

CBS / x30 minute episodes / 1960 (5 June – 25 September)

This public affairs style show had a magazine format and tackled all manner of different subjects from mental breakdowns to political election prodedures. Initially a Sunday Morning show before graduating to prime time. Hosted by Douglas Edwards.

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