Who aired what where: Lesser-known syndicated shows

[bpatrick]

Besides "The Evil Touch" there was "Orson Welles' Great Mysteries," a series of unmemorable tales which he introduced, about the time he was starting to get better-known for his wine commercials ("we shall sell no wine before its time"). Anthony Quayle was host of "The Evil Touch."

Like "PM Magazine," I'm not sure "The Galloping Gourmet" qualifies as a lesser-known syndicated show; it had a wide syndication from 1969 into the early '70s. After Graham Kerr and his wife Treena were nearly killed in an automobile accident, he became a born-again Christian and swore off wine, even for cooking.

And how many of you remember John Davidson's Group W-produced talk show which replaced Mike Douglas in 1980 (while Douglas found a new syndicator)?

 

[JeffM]

Thanks for mentioning the Orson Welles series; my memories were crossed after all these years. I'd looked at the Wikipedia entry on "The Evil Touch," with Anthony Quayle, and had been thinking, "Didn't Orson Welles host that show?" Maybe the similarity in titles to Welles' movie "Touch of Evil" caused the confusion.

I don't recall saying that "The Galloping Gourmet" was a lesser-known show, only that it's a now-forgotten series; you are correct that it was widely distributed at one time, as was "Sha-Na-Na" and some of the others I mentioned. As far as I know, Graham Kerr is still alive and well and is about 80 now. With the plethora of lifestyle, cooking, etc. channels, I'm surprised "Gourmet" hasn't been rerun; I can't imagine how a recipe show could become dated.

 

[ftballfan]

I don't remember many of the shows mentioned airing in Traverse City, MI, but I do remember WPBN airing Iyanla

 

[johnnya2k6]

More lesser-knowns that got some airtime on -- you guessed it -- WSB Atlanta:

The Parent Game
Superior Court
The New Gidget
Reunion
Prime Suspect
You Write The Songs
Preview: The Best of the New

The latter three were produced by Television Program Enterprises (TPE)...whose parent company, Cox, happens to own WSB (TPE merged with Rysher Entertainment sometime in the 90s and its library is currently owned by CBS)!!!

And "Nightlife with David Brenner"? It was a weekly show; WXIA aired it Sunday nights at 11:30 after the late news.

But WAGA and WXIA were pretty smart when it came to buying (and scheduling) syndicated shows; WSB on the other hand wanted to bury some of theirs to late nights/early mornings thinking nobody would watch them. In the early 2000s, while WAGA had first-runs "Stargate SG-1" and "The Outer Limits", WSB countered with..."Cleopatra 2525" and "Jack of All Trades"! I'm sure Monica Pearson must've moonlighted as their programming manager back then.

Meanwhile, WXIA scheduled "The Lost World" after Saturday Night Live; I may have to look again at what WSB threw in opposite them.

 

[johnnya2k6]

ANOTHER CORRECTION: In Atlanta, The Lost World aired on WUPA and later WXIA (Fairbanks? Either KFXF or K13XD).

Speaking of WUPA, they also had "The Howard Stern Radio Show" (and probably his WWOR-produced show prior to that; I'll look at some 1990-91 listings from the Journal-Constitution to confirm this).

WAGA definitely carried "Good Day Live" (sister station KTTV's short-lived national version of Good Day L.A.), which I saw on KATN.

And Acapulco H.E.A.T.? Season 1 was on WGCL, but Season 2 aired on WAGA after both a few years' hiatus and 'AGA switching from CBS to Fox). PSI Factor would later move from WSB to WATL.

 

[bpatrick]

Actually, "Nightlife" was a nightly show that aired after "Nightline" on the ABC o&os and on a number of ABC affiliates (every ABC station in North Carolina in 1986, with the exception of WLOS, carried the show; I seem to recall the ABC stations in Richmond and Norfolk airing it as well). WXIA (NBC) ran it after Letterman. (My strongest memory of that show is that David Brenner once said that superstars don't always make for the best interviews; he cited Dennis Hopper as one of the best guests he ever had, full of stories about Hollywood.)

The Food Channel did rerun "The Galloping Gourmet" back around 2011 but didn't have much luck with it; on top of that, it was chopped to pieces (no attempt at humor there) by commercials.

Personal note: "The Galloping Gourmet" was probably the hottest daytime show of 1969, even though it was syndicated; we got it in Greenville, SC, on WLOS following the station's morning movie. I remember one morning the movie ran about 10 minutes short and the host, Munsey Millaway (who was also the station's sports director), ad-libbed for 10 minutes on how great Graham Kerr was. (I also remember that WCCB Charlotte, then an ABC affiliate, ran Kerr twice a day, at 4:30 and 11 PM.)

And Kerr does turn 80 this year.

 

[crainbebo]

Good Day Live was on KCPQ. So was "The Morning Show with Mike & Juliet" which aired between 2007-09.
Superior Court was on WBBM in Chicago!
1990s Outer Limits was on KCPQ in Seattle as well.

 

[johnnya2k6]

The 1981 CBS O&O sales tape (which is on YouTube) showed that WCBS had two forgettable shows that didn't last long: "Leave It To The Women" and "The World Of People."

WXYZ in Detroit around that same time had something called "Teletone News", which to me sounded like a PM Magazine ripoff.

 

[thomwim]

Any say on "Tama and Friends"? It aired on Fox, Viacom, Tribune, and Sinclair stations across the USA.

 

[Avid Listener]

Like "PM Magazine," I'm not sure "The Galloping Gourmet" qualifies as a lesser-known syndicated show; it had a wide syndication from 1969 into the early '70s. After Graham Kerr and his wife Treena were nearly killed in an automobile accident, he became a born-again Christian and swore off wine, even for cooking.

That was one of my favorite shows. It started me on a lifetime hobby. I'm now an extremely accomplished amateur chef, thanks to watching the Galloping Gourmet.

And how many of you remember John Davidson's Group W-produced talk show which replaced Mike Douglas in 1980 (while Douglas found a new syndicator)?

I recall watching that when I'd get home from work early, just before cooking dinner. Truth be told, it wasn't half bad.

 

[JeffM]

The 1981 CBS O&O sales tape (which is on YouTube) showed that WCBS had two forgettable shows that didn't last long: "Leave It To The Women" and "The World Of People."

WXYZ in Detroit around that same time had something called "Teletone News", which to me sounded like a PM Magazine ripoff.

I'd forgotten all about "The World Of People"! That was one of the knock-offs that came in the wake of "Real People." It wasn't bad as I recall; it didn't have the freak-show atmosphere of "That's Incredible," instead had more of a "PM Magazine" feel about it.

Anybody remember "Independent Network News"? It was a pretty good no-frills half-hour nightly roundup produced by WPIX in NYC, and ran for half a dozen years or so as a means for non-network stations to offer a national news report.

 

[onairb]

I'd forgotten all about "The World Of People"! That was one of the knock-offs that came in the wake of "Real People." It wasn't bad as I recall; it didn't have the freak-show atmosphere of "That's Incredible," instead had more of a "PM Magazine" feel about it.

Anybody remember "Independent Network News"? It was a pretty good no-frills half-hour nightly roundup produced by WPIX in NYC, and ran for half a dozen years or so as a means for non-network stations to offer a national news report.

I vaguely remember Teletone news, only for using graphics and fonts that were ripped off from the old Movietone News.It must have been 1980-81. This Toledo-based site has a Detroit TV Guide ad for it from mid-November 1980:
http://vintagetoledotv.squarespace.com/print-ads-wxyz/wxyz-tv-7-print-ads/4147911
In San Francisco, it aired on KGO, so perhaps it was an ABC O & O-distributed show. In the fall of '81, syndicators started offering shows 5 nights a week, which encouraged the twice-weekly game shows that remained to expand to 5 nights a week, and put an end to once-a-week fare like this. KGO filled the early-access slot with 'The People's Court' in the fall of '81.

 

[johnnya2k6]

Some more from Atlanta, this time breaking down by station:

WAGA:
Breakaway
Taking Advantage
Crimewatch Tonight
Charlie Rose (his early '80s talker, NOT his PBS show)
America's New Country
Woman to Woman
Stuntmasters (reruns repackaged years later as Summer Stunts Spectacular)
Missing/Reward
Memories...Then and Now (hosted by WNBC anchor and former WAGA alum Chuck Scarborough)
Jackpot! (1989; yes, they aired it at 5:00 am!)

WXIA:
Fernwood/America 2-Night
Morning Stretch
Now It Can Be Told

WATL:
Pop 'n Rocker Game
Everyday with Joan Lunden
Crime Stoppers 800 (that show, Crimewatch, and Prime Suspect were all short-lived attempts to take on America's Most Wanted)
Swans Crossing

WGCL:
Harry and the Hendersons
Dennis Miller Show
What A Dummy
Police Academy: The Series
Remote Control (weekly syndicated version of MTV game show)
RollerGames
Freddy's Nightmares

WUPA:
Denver, The Last Dinosaur
Talk About

And finally, the worst offender of them all...WSB:
Weekend Travel Update
After Hours
Trial by Jury

As for The Mouse Factory? After searching through different listings from 1972 and 1973, my conclusion is it didn't air in Atlanta. The same could also be said for the '70s Mickey Mouse Club, unless otherwise.

But I'm not done yet!!!

 

[HamptonRoadsMediaFan]

Just got some tapes out of storage this week, and have some additional items to add (among them; WGNT ran The Jane Whitney Show).

WTVZ also ran The Dennis Prager Show at one point (Prager is a conservative Jewish commentator).

 

[johnnya2k6]

Before you get to that, some more additions to the Atlanta column:

The New Lassie--WSB
Emergency Call--WXIA and WAGA
Truth or Consequences '87--WXIA (Finally found out!)
Matchmaker--WUPA
9 to 5--WSB
The New Monkees--WATL
Laugh Trax--WSB
Captain Power--WGCL
All-New Newlywed Game--WSB
Wil Shriner--WXIA
All-New Dating Game--WXIA
The Comic Strip--WATL
Bustin' Loose--WGCL
University Hospital--WATL
Robin's Hoods--WATL
Heaven Help Us--WGCL (the latter three were all Aaron Spelling shows)
Wild West Showdown--WATL (crainbebo, there's your answer!)
Sirens--WAGA
Trauma Center--WATL
Thunder in Paradise (starring Hulk Hogan)--WXIA
The Newz--WGCL
Court TV: Inside America's Courts--WSB and WAGA
Last Call (without Carson Daly)--WUPA
Jon Stewart Show--WSB
Juvenile Justice--WAGA
Susan Powter--WGCL
Judge for Yourself--WATL
Gordon Elliott--WATL
Charles Perez--WGCL
Beach Clash--WUPA
The Extraordinary--WUPA
Blade Warriors--WUPA
Romance Theatre (whatever that was)--WSB
Sha Na Na--WATL
The Next Step Beyond--WSB
The Comedy Shop--WXIA
Home Videos of the Stars--WSB
Xuxa--WATL
Widget--WUPA
Why Didn't I Think Of That? (invention show also hosted by Wil Shriner)--WXIA
Mad Scientist Toon Club--WUPA
Instant Recall--WXIA
Wake, Rattle & Roll--WGCL
Party Machine with Nia Peeples--WAGA
Howard Stern--WUPA (yes, it's been confirmed!)
Smash Hits--WUPA
Livin' Large--WSB
Celebrity Justice--WSB
Starting Over--WXIA
EXtreme Dating(hosted by Jillian Barberie)--WAGA
Hot Ticket--WSB
Classmates--WAGA
Weekend Vibe--WSB
Live in Hollywood--WSB
Excused--WUPA

Unfortunately, for College Mad House (the grown-up weekly spinoff of Fun House)...I'm afraid it got bupkis clearance in the ATL; the same could be said for Dance 360, as I've looked harder at random listings from 1989 and 2004 for those two shows.

A few are still unknown, including Richard Bey, Wild Things! (either or both on WUPA and/or WATL, though there are dozens of clips of Bey's show on YouTube), and The Talent Agency (hosted by Eva Longoria pre-Desperate Housewives). Heck, if they had the audacity to air Live in Hollywood, Weekend Vibe, and Livin' Large, I'm sure WSB might've done the same to Talent Agency! I'll see about those next time.

 

[crainbebo]

Home Videos of the Stars was on KTZZ. Never saw it but I suppose it was videos of celebrities when they were younger.
Runaway with the Rich and Famous was on KGW-8 in Portland and I think KTZZ in Seattle as well (They ran Lifestyles of the R&F in the early-mid 90s)
Why Didn't I Think of That was on KOMO-4 in Seattle.
Gordon Elliott was on KTZZ in Seattle and aired late nights on KIMA 29/KEPR 19 in Yakima Tri Cities.
Jon Stewart's late night show was on KIRO 7.
Susan Powter was on EARLY mornings on KSTW-11 around 1995. They also aired Marilu Henner's show.
Finally, the Extraordinary was on KCPQ 13 in Seattle.

What was "Juvenile Justice"? Was it similar to Nickelodeon's "Kids Court" in the late 1980s - preteen "actors" in a courtroom?
And have you found an Atlanta station for the hip-hop newsmagazine "The Source All Access" yet? It aired at 2:35AM Sunday mornings on KIRO 7 in Seattle in 2001-02, after Tracker (another short-lived show).

-crainbebo

 

[johnnya2k6]

What was "Juvenile Justice"? Was it similar to Nickelodeon's "Kids Court" in the late 1980s - preteen "actors" in a courtroom?
And have you found an Atlanta station for the hip-hop newsmagazine "The Source All Access" yet? It aired at 2:35AM Sunday mornings on KIRO 7 in Seattle in 2001-02, after Tracker (another short-lived show).

I have no idea; it never aired in Alaska. By the way, WUPA had "Wild Things" according to these listings posted here, and I'm thinking they might have had Richard Bey as well.

And as already mentioned in Page 2, WSB had The Source: All Access. But speaking of WSB...since all of the good syndicated movie packages were already sold to the other stations, I wonder if they ended up with that awful "Movie Greats Network." Ccook55 and/or bpatrick should shed some light on this.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

I don't recall saying that "The Galloping Gourmet" was a lesser-known show, only that it's a now-forgotten series; you are correct that it was widely distributed at one time, as was "Sha-Na-Na" and some of the others I mentioned. As far as I know, Graham Kerr is still alive and well and is about 80 now. With the plethora of lifestyle, cooking, etc. channels, I'm surprised "Gourmet" hasn't been rerun; I can't imagine how a recipe show could become dated.

Circa 2009/2010, the Cooking Channel was rerunning "The Galloping Gourmet" in the afternoons

 

[crainbebo]

Movie Greats Network was on KPDX 49 in Portland, late night around 3AM weeknights.

-crainbebo

 

[bpatrick]

IIRC, Charlie Rose's show originated in Dallas; I remember when it started on KXAS. WSMV Nashville and WYFF Greenville, SC, also carried his show.

Does anyone remember the 1973-74 remake of the old radio favorite "It Pays To Be Ignorant," the show where the panel always failed to answer the simplest questions? Stefan Hatos and Monty Hall produced the '70s version, with host Joe Flynn and panelists Charles Nelson Reilly, Jo Anne Worley, and Billy Baxter. Hatos-Hall fared no better the following year with a remake of "Masquerade Party" with host Richard Dawson and panelists Bill Bixby, Lee Meriwether, and Nipsey Russell.