"Gilligan's Island" may be viewed as a classic sitcom now, but when the silly series about a group of island castaways aired from 1964 to 1967, it was far from a sure bet for its home network, CBS. As Laura Morowitz writes in the book "Critiquing the Sitcom," the series was "championed by the public" yet "routinely derided by critics." Anything but a classic in its time, the series ultimately became an enduring part of TV history thanks to its seemingly endless replays in syndication. According to Morowitz, it "would come to be the most repeated series in television history."
During its original airing, "Gilligan's Island" was pushed around the prime-time schedule like brussel sprouts on a picky kid's plate. It switched time slots three times during its relatively short run and was finally canceled in 1967. Except, the cancelation of "Gilligan's Island" wasn't straightforward; by several accounts, it came after the show had already seemingly been renewed,...
During its original airing, "Gilligan's Island" was pushed around the prime-time schedule like brussel sprouts on a picky kid's plate. It switched time slots three times during its relatively short run and was finally canceled in 1967. Except, the cancelation of "Gilligan's Island" wasn't straightforward; by several accounts, it came after the show had already seemingly been renewed,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
While I was growing up back in the days when dinosaurs still roamed the earth, there wasn’t a ton of debate over who the funniest women in show business were. It was Lucille Ball and Carol Burnett, usually (but not always) in that order. Lucy was the First Lady of Television, and Carol was the dame who seemingly could do anything on a stage. She could sing, she could dance, she could tell jokes, she could wear crazy outfits with uncommon flair. It didn’t even matter if she sang or danced well, because performing something poorly would simply make her the butt of the joke – and no one could do that better than her.
I attended Hollywood High School and was always proud that it was also Burnett’s alma mater. She took out a full-page ad annually in the yearbook congratulating that year’s senior class. It...
I attended Hollywood High School and was always proud that it was also Burnett’s alma mater. She took out a full-page ad annually in the yearbook congratulating that year’s senior class. It...
- 5/22/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
“Sesame Street” bowed 50 years ago, on Nov. 10, 1969, one week after the launch of PBS. A month later, Variety reporter Les Brown gushed, “It may be just the show to put public television on the ratings map.”
He was right. “Sesame Street” drew 1.9 million households — especially impressive since it was seen in only 67% of the country.
On Dec. 24, 1969, series creator Joan Ganz Cooney explained the show’s success to Variety: 18 months of research and planning, lack of interference from the companies funding the new show, and hiring the right people.
Not everyone was enthused. In May 1970, a Mississippi state commission banned the series, saying “Mississippi was not yet ready for” the integrated cast. A July 22, 1970, Variety story said that was the tip of the iceberg. Stations in seven Southern states had been preempting all PBS shows aimed at black audiences, citing a matter of “taste.” The shows included “Soul!,” Tony Brown...
He was right. “Sesame Street” drew 1.9 million households — especially impressive since it was seen in only 67% of the country.
On Dec. 24, 1969, series creator Joan Ganz Cooney explained the show’s success to Variety: 18 months of research and planning, lack of interference from the companies funding the new show, and hiring the right people.
Not everyone was enthused. In May 1970, a Mississippi state commission banned the series, saying “Mississippi was not yet ready for” the integrated cast. A July 22, 1970, Variety story said that was the tip of the iceberg. Stations in seven Southern states had been preempting all PBS shows aimed at black audiences, citing a matter of “taste.” The shows included “Soul!,” Tony Brown...
- 11/8/2019
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
Michael Dann, who steered CBS programming in the 1960s with hits such as The Beverly Hillbillies and The Mary Tyler Moore Show, died Friday at his home in Boca Raton, Fl, the New York Times reports. He was 94. Dann began his television career at NBC, where he created, along with Pat Weaver, programs such as Today and Tonight. He went on to CBS, rising to head of programming in 1963. Dann proved to be a shrewd marketer, beginning with CBS’ broadcast of movie Born Free…...
- 5/31/2016
- Deadline TV
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