American TV Tried Three Times to Do "Fawlty Towers"

[Gregg.]

Fawlty Towers, starring John Cleese, is a classic British TV sitcom. My PBS station still runs it from time to time. Cleese did six episodes for BBC2 in 1976 and returned in 1979 for another six episodes. It was really funny, even though we might say some of the jokes and physical abuse to the Spanish immigrant waiter would not seen today. The British don't do sitcoms as well as Americans, but this is certainly the exception. The show is now four decades old but I think most of us still know Cleese from Fawlty Towers and all the times it's been shown on PBS.

I learned that Harvey Korman and Betty White did a pilot for ABC in 1978 called "Chateau Snavely." But that show never got picked up. It was set in a roadside motel somewhere in mid-America. John Cleese said they were too slow and afraid of the edgy material.

ABC later produced a show called "Amanda's," starring Bea Arthur. It was set in a California seaside resort and was originally called "Amanda's by the Sea." 13 episodes were done but three were not originally aired. It ran from Feb. to May in 1986. I remember A&E in its early days ran all the episodes.

Then CBS tried it in 1999. It was a midseason replacement show called "Payne." John Laroquette, who won four Emmys in "Night Court" played the John Cleese role, now known as Royal Payne, the hotel's owner. Nine episodes were produced but CBS quickly cancelled it, despite good reviews. Only eight shows aired.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Some things just don't translate.

After the success of prior remade Brit series (All in the Family, Sanford and Son) one could hardly
blame them for trying.

IMO a lot of Fawlty Towers' success hinged on John Cleese and his unique abilities to do physical comedy.
You'd have a hard time coming up with a lead who could match that. Perhaps Jim Carrey when he was younger.

 

[TheBigA]

Hmmm, sort of thought the Bob Newhart show was loosely based on FT.

 

[LKellerIII]

Hmmm, sort of thought the Bob Newhart show was loosely based on FT.

Not to be didactic, but I think you mean Newhart. The Bob Newhart Show was the earlier show where he played the Chicago psychologist - Suzanne Pleshette, and all that. In Newhart, he played the owner of a Bed & Breakfast who wrote instructional manuals.

 

[TheBigA]

Not to be didactic, but I think you mean Newhart.

Yes you are correct.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I learned that Harvey Korman and Betty White did a pilot for ABC in 1978 called "Chateau Snavely." But that show never got picked up. It was set in a roadside motel somewhere in mid-America. John Cleese said they were too slow and afraid of the edgy material.

Surprising amount of discussion about this show on various sites. The pilot is considered lost.

ABC later produced a show called "Amanda's," starring Bea Arthur. It was set in a California seaside resort and was originally called "Amanda's by the Sea." 13 episodes were done but three were not originally aired. It ran from Feb. to May in 1986. I remember A&E in its early days ran all the episodes.

It actually aired in 1983. All thirteen episodes are available online (Google is your friend.)

Then CBS tried it in 1999. It was a midseason replacement show called "Payne." John Laroquette, who won four Emmys in "Night Court" played the John Cleese role, now known as Royal Payne, the hotel's owner. Nine episodes were produced but CBS quickly cancelled it, despite good reviews. Only eight shows aired.

At least one episode is available online from a very quick search. Amazing what people have lying around on old VHS tapes.

It would probably never work, but I’ve long thought that a channel devoted to short-lived series or even unsold pilots would be interesting TV. I would imagine purchasing rights to such a hodge-lodge of material would be a nightmare for even experienced media buyers and sellers. And we would probably realize why those shows went nowhere. Still, there might be some surprising pearls amongst the rejects.

 

[crainbebo]

I think I found part of an 'Amanda's' episode once on a VHS, taped from A&E. Will have to watch it sometime and compare it to the UK sitcoms.
Of course, PBS aired Fawlty Towers and all the other British sitcoms, with a loyal audience. I haven't seen them on my local PBS in years, however. They would rather show pledge programming...

 

[installLSC]

It would probably never work, but I’ve long thought that a channel devoted to short-lived series or even unsold pilots would be interesting TV. I would imagine purchasing rights to such a hodge-lodge of material would be a nightmare for even experienced media buyers and sellers. And we would probably realize why those shows went nowhere. Still, there might be some surprising pearls amongst the rejects.

That was what the "Brilliant but Cancelled" series did on the old Trio network.

Of course, PBS aired Fawlty Towers and all the other British sitcoms, with a loyal audience. I haven't seen them on my local PBS in years, however. They would rather show pledge programming...

That varies by market. In the Seattle area we have KCTS (which doesn't air any Britcoms) and KBTC (which does air old faves like "As Time Goes By" and "Are You Being Served").

 

[onairb2014]

None of the remakes had John Cleese/Basil Fawlty's ability to be a jerk, but still retain viewer sympathy. Larroquette was able to do that as Dan on 'Night Court', but not as 'Payne'. As for 'Amanda's', maybe it was still too soon after 'Maude' for Bea Arthur. Her turn would come.