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Bewitched Marathon

Today, WTXX-TV 20 Waterbury, CT at 4:30 is having a marathon of Bewitched in preparation for the big screen version of the TV show coming later this month. Would seem appropriate as the show was set in Westport. Any TV stations doing this? Looks to me though like it could be from the Screen Gems network package. The marathon goes till 10:00 PM<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by RobertAnthony on 06/18/05 01:12 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> Today, WTXX-TV 20 Waterbury, CT at 4:30 is having a marathon
> of Bewitched in preparation for the big screen version of
> the TV show coming later this month. Would seem appropriate
> as the show was set in Westport. Any TV stations doing
> this? Looks to me though like it could be from the Screen
> Gems network package. The marathon goes till 10:00 PM
>

Same here in south florida on WBZL-TV, however it starts from noon to 5:30.
 
In Seattle, KTWB-22 will air it this Sataurday[June 18th] from 1PM to 6:30.
 
This afternoon (June 18th), WLVI-56 in Boston had it too.
 
> Today, WTXX-TV 20 Waterbury, CT at 4:30 is having a marathon
> of Bewitched in preparation for the big screen version of
> the TV show coming later this month. Would seem appropriate
> as the show was set in Westport. Any TV stations doing
> this? Looks to me though like it could be from the Screen
> Gems network package. The marathon goes till 10:00 PM
>
It's on several other stations esp. Tribune-owned ones...like WLVI/56 in Boston
 
> Today, WTXX-TV 20 Waterbury, CT at 4:30 is having a marathon
> of Bewitched in preparation for the big screen version of
> the TV show coming later this month. Would seem appropriate
> as the show was set in Westport. Any TV stations doing
> this? Looks to me though like it could be from the Screen
> Gems network package. The marathon goes till 10:00 PM
>

It aired on KHWB (Tribune) in Houston from 12:30-6:00. The bumpers had the Tribune voice-over guy (the same guy from WGN), so draw your own conclusions.
 
It was on WPIX, too.<P ID="signature">______________
WCBS = We're Crazy Buffoons and Schmucks
<a href=http://chuck.spotteddogs.org/tv/>Spotted Dog TV Talk - for all your non-news TV Talk</a></P>
 
All of the Tribune-owned WB stations did this marathon (I would assume). Do they (Tribune) have a stake in the movie's production and/or a percentage of the profits in the end?
 
> This afternoon (June 18th), WLVI-56 in Boston had it too.
>
Ditto on KTLA and KWGN. It was a nice way to spend an evening here in the east (via Dish Network)
 
> Today, WTXX-TV 20 Waterbury, CT at 4:30 is having a marathon
> of Bewitched in preparation for the big screen version of
> the TV show coming later this month. Would seem appropriate
> as the show was set in Westport. Any TV stations doing
> this? Looks to me though like it could be from the Screen
> Gems network package. The marathon goes till 10:00 PM

As has already been noted, this package is running on all the Tribune WB stations. Here in Dallas/Fort Worth, the Tribune station (KDAF/33) ran it on Saturday from 11:30 AM to 5 PM. It looks like it ran yesterday (Saturday) on all the Tribune stations, but the time period varied slightly.

And no, this is not the "Screen Gems Network" package -- "Bewitched" is no longer part of that package and hasn't been for several years. "Bewitched" is being sold in syndication on a cash basis (SGN was bartered) by Sony Pictures. It was reported on an LPTV discussion loop that consists primarily of station operators that Sony offered a special "short run" package consisting of just a few episodes combined with the rights for the purchasing station to run a special screening of the movie. Obviously, this is intended to build promotional energy for the movie, although I suspect Sony is also hoping that some of the stations airing the special package will be happy enough with the ratings to purchase rerun rights for the whole series.

While the specific terms of the limited package were negotiable between Sony and each station, the LPTV loop poster did indicate the offer he was given: 30 episodes plus the movie screening for a total price of $3,000. Obviously, Tribune opted to whittle that package down a bit, since they seem to have run the same ten episodes on all their stations.
 
Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

Now that was interesting to learn. I still have 4 Hours of the Marathon on Tape, and loved some of those facts they were feeding us. Can't wait to see the Movie, Steve Correll as Uncle Arthur, sounds great!

> Today, WTXX-TV 20 Waterbury, CT at 4:30 is having a marathon
> of Bewitched in preparation for the big screen version of
> the TV show coming later this month. Would seem appropriate
> as the show was set in Westport. Any TV stations doing
> this? Looks to me though like it could be from the Screen
> Gems network package. The marathon goes till 10:00 PM
>
 
Re: Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

> Now that was interesting to learn. I still have 4 Hours of
> the Marathon on Tape, and loved some of those facts they
> were feeding us. Can't wait to see the Movie, Steve Correll
> as Uncle Arthur, sounds great!

That may explain why every episode had a Chevy. Makes one wonder if they were credited as being the first "Infomercial" on TV. After all a lot of prime time shows at the time did have sponsors and from time to time you would see a well known product slip in [like Kellogg's Corn Flakes in "The Beverly Hillbillies"].
 
Re: Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

Yes the first 5 Years featured only Chevrolet Products, which by itself really isn’t that strange, however the Chevrolet Jingle/Bewitched Theme thing, and when the animated Samantha is shown on her Broom during the end of the Opening, she supposedly is shaped like a Chevrolet Logo or Symbol, again according to the Marathon Yesterday.


> That may explain why every episode had a Chevy. Makes one
> wonder if they were credited as being the first
> "Infomercial" on TV. After all a lot of prime time shows at
> the time did have sponsors and from time to time you would
> see a well known product slip in [like Kellogg's Corn Flakes
> in "The Beverly Hillbillies"].
>
 
Re: Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

> Yes the first 5 Years featured only Chevrolet Products,
> which by itself really isn’t that strange, however the
> Chevrolet Jingle/Bewitched Theme thing, and when the
> animated Samantha is shown on her Broom during the end of
> the Opening, she supposedly is shaped like a Chevrolet Logo
> or Symbol, again according to the Marathon Yesterday.

Speaking of the animated opening, I'm surprised that Hanna-Barbera never got any credit for that one. After all, the animated Samantha did appear on "The Flintstones" in 1964.
 
Re: Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

> That may explain why every episode had a Chevy. Makes one
> wonder if they were credited as being the first
> "Infomercial" on TV. After all a lot of prime time shows at
> the time did have sponsors and from time to time you would
> see a well known product slip in [like Kellogg's Corn Flakes
> in "The Beverly Hillbillies"].
>
Bewitched wasn't the first "infomercial" for that exact reason -- many shows from the late-1950s to the early-1970s had at least one sponsor, maybe two (in that case, the other is the "alternate sponsor", with the sponsors switching places the next week).

If you want the first "infomercials", try the Golden Age, when the advertisers had virtual control of the TV schedule, along with seamless commercials and blatant product placement.

One other sitcom that had a car company as a sponsor was "My Three Sons" -- the ending credits in the early episodes featured some automobiles in the background.
 
Re: Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

> Now that was interesting to learn. I still have 4 Hours of
> the Marathon on Tape, and loved some of those facts they
> were feeding us. Can't wait to see the Movie, Steve Correll
> as Uncle Arthur, sounds great!
>
> > Today, WTXX-TV 20 Waterbury, CT at 4:30 is having a
> marathon
> > of Bewitched in preparation for the big screen version of
> > the TV show coming later this month. Would seem
> appropriate
> > as the show was set in Westport. Any TV stations doing
> > this? Looks to me though like it could be from the Screen
>
> > Gems network package. The marathon goes till 10:00 PM
> >
>
If you look through Peggy Lee's extensive list of songs she performed you
will find her cover of the song "Bewitched". Its quite nice! Did the marathon
even mention that she did the song?
 
Re: Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

Back in the early sixties, just after "My Three Sons" came on the air I saw something very interesting.

There was one Friday morning I couldn't sleep so I turned on the TV. This is 6-7:30 a.m. The ABC affiliate had its test pattern on, which was unusual since they didn't have any programming at that hour. At 7 a.m. there was a half-hour program specifically aimed at Chevrolet dealers. Fred MacMurray, the star of "My Three Sons," did some voice over stuff, but also did on camera stuff at the beginning and end of the program, including an invitation to the dealers to tune into his show.

At the end of the program the station signed off and stayed that way until their normal sign on routine an hour or so later.

This was before VCRs in the home and business, so these people had to get up to see this. It was one shot. If you didn't see it, you missed it.

I guess this method was better than churning out thousands of prints to ship to the dealers.

I had no idea this was going to be played as it was not a regularly scheduled program. I just happened to catch it.

Mike


> > That may explain why every episode had a Chevy. Makes one
> > wonder if they were credited as being the first
> > "Infomercial" on TV. After all a lot of prime time shows
> at
> > the time did have sponsors and from time to time you would
>
> > see a well known product slip in [like Kellogg's Corn
> Flakes
> > in "The Beverly Hillbillies"].
> >
> Bewitched wasn't the first "infomercial" for that exact
> reason -- many shows from the late-1950s to the early-1970s
> had at least one sponsor, maybe two (in that case, the other
> is the "alternate sponsor", with the sponsors switching
> places the next week).
>
> If you want the first "infomercials", try the Golden Age,
> when the advertisers had virtual control of the TV schedule,
> along with seamless commercials and blatant product
> placement.
>
> One other sitcom that had a car company as a sponsor was "My
> Three Sons" -- the ending credits in the early episodes
> featured some automobiles in the background.
>
 
Wow Peggy Lee Rocks, Steve Lawrence not too bad either?

Thanks for bringing this up. Much More Music & Facts ahead at http://www.bewitched.net/music.htm

Oh, and no, they did not bring up this Subject, however I do have an Hour or so left with the Marathon.

> If you look through Peggy Lee's extensive list of songs she
> performed you
> will find her cover of the song "Bewitched". Its quite nice!
> Did the marathon
> even mention that she did the song?
>
 
miamimadman

> Thanks for bringing this up. Much More Music & Facts ahead
> at http://www.bewitched.net/music.htm
>
> Oh, and no, they did not bring up this Subject, however I do
> have an Hour or so left with the Marathon.
>
> > If you look through Peggy Lee's extensive list of songs
> she
> > performed you
> > will find her cover of the song "Bewitched". Its quite
> nice!
> > Did the marathon
> > even mention that she did the song?
> >
>
Ya gotta love Gary Owens doing the voice-overs at the beginning of the sponsored show opennings!!!!! Terrific!!! Thanks for turning me on to the site!
 
Re: Bewitched Theme was a Chevrolet Jingle??

>
> That may explain why every episode had a Chevy. Makes one
> wonder if they were credited as being the first
> "Infomercial" on TV. After all a lot of prime time shows at
> the time did have sponsors and from time to time you would
> see a well known product slip in [like Kellogg's Corn Flakes
> in "The Beverly Hillbillies"].
>
Just as everyone on The FBI drove Fords, because Ford Motor
Company sponsored that show.

BTW, didn't Quaker Oats alternate sponsorship of Bewitched
with Chevrolet?<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by bpatrick on 06/20/05 08:26 PM.</FONT></P>
 
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