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Forgotten Network/Syndicated TV Shows of the Past
- Thread starter spencerkarter85
- Start date
C
cd637299
Guest
azumanga said:
I may be the only one who liked "All Star Blitz" in 1985 from Merrill Heatter Productions. It had a Q-&-A similar to Squares, but only with 4 celebrities (not quite Squares' A-list), and basically the object was to solve a word-puzzle with 6 sections.....some sections had only 1 letter, some as many as 4 (maybe more?), which made it either easy or extremely difficult to guess, unless more letters had to be revealed.
cd
Several others:
The Edge (Fox, 1992), a sketch comedy series starring Jennifer Aniston a couple years before "Friends" made her a household name
USA Today: The Television Show (syndicated, 1988-90)
Knights and Warriors (syndicated, 1992), a medieval American Gladiators ripoff
The Peter Marshall Variety Show (syndicated, 1976), which according to the E! True Hollywood Story about Hollywood Squares, featured a 22-piece orchestra! Its budget for the time and Peter's refusal to cut costs were perhaps why it lasted only a season.
That's My Line (CBS, 1980), Goodson-Todman's attempt to cash in on the That's Incredible/Real People craze and was one of the few non-game shows by them
Townsend Television (Fox, 1993), a sketch/variety show hosted by Robert Townsend
After Hours (syndicated, 1989), which was trying to be an offbeat version of Entertainment Tonight but failed
Allen Ludden's Gallery (syndicated, 1969), a talk show he was doing in between the CBS and ABC runs of Password
America (syndicated, 1986), an Hour Magazine ripoff hosted by Sarah Purcell (ironically, CBS owns both shows now)
The 1980-81 version of Let's Make A Deal (syndicated), which was done in Canada but got poor syndication clearance in the U.S.
Play The Percentages (syndicated, 1980)
Models Inc. (Fox, 1994)
New York News (CBS, 1995), which didn't help CBS pull out of then-last place...even with Mary Tyler Moore!
Public Morals (CBS, 1996), which lasted only one episode
She TV (ABC, 1994), featuring Jennifer Coolidge
Emily's Reasons Why Not (ABC, 2006), same as Public Morals despite the heavy touting for it and star Heather Graham (who would bounce back into the spotlight with The Hangover)
The Will (CBS, 2005), though the entire series would later air in New Zealand
And outside the U.S.:
Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos (Nine Network (Australia), 1992): Halfway into the show, Nine's owner Kerry Packer was incensed and got on the phone telling network master control to "Get that (expletive) off the air!!!" This is what happened next. But in 2008, the special would finally be aired in its entirety.
The Edge (Fox, 1992), a sketch comedy series starring Jennifer Aniston a couple years before "Friends" made her a household name
USA Today: The Television Show (syndicated, 1988-90)
Knights and Warriors (syndicated, 1992), a medieval American Gladiators ripoff
The Peter Marshall Variety Show (syndicated, 1976), which according to the E! True Hollywood Story about Hollywood Squares, featured a 22-piece orchestra! Its budget for the time and Peter's refusal to cut costs were perhaps why it lasted only a season.
That's My Line (CBS, 1980), Goodson-Todman's attempt to cash in on the That's Incredible/Real People craze and was one of the few non-game shows by them
Townsend Television (Fox, 1993), a sketch/variety show hosted by Robert Townsend
After Hours (syndicated, 1989), which was trying to be an offbeat version of Entertainment Tonight but failed
Allen Ludden's Gallery (syndicated, 1969), a talk show he was doing in between the CBS and ABC runs of Password
America (syndicated, 1986), an Hour Magazine ripoff hosted by Sarah Purcell (ironically, CBS owns both shows now)
The 1980-81 version of Let's Make A Deal (syndicated), which was done in Canada but got poor syndication clearance in the U.S.
Play The Percentages (syndicated, 1980)
Models Inc. (Fox, 1994)
New York News (CBS, 1995), which didn't help CBS pull out of then-last place...even with Mary Tyler Moore!
Public Morals (CBS, 1996), which lasted only one episode
She TV (ABC, 1994), featuring Jennifer Coolidge
Emily's Reasons Why Not (ABC, 2006), same as Public Morals despite the heavy touting for it and star Heather Graham (who would bounce back into the spotlight with The Hangover)
The Will (CBS, 2005), though the entire series would later air in New Zealand
And outside the U.S.:
Australia's Naughtiest Home Videos (Nine Network (Australia), 1992): Halfway into the show, Nine's owner Kerry Packer was incensed and got on the phone telling network master control to "Get that (expletive) off the air!!!" This is what happened next. But in 2008, the special would finally be aired in its entirety.
The Uptown Comedy Club (syndicated, 1992-94): "Urban" comedy show with stand-up comedians, original sketches, and a musical guest. Was the springboard for future SNL cast members Tracy Morgan and Jim Breuer.
New Music Showcase (syndicated, 1990): Rap music show produce by hip-hop "mogul" Russell Simmons. Mainly featured artists signed to his Def Jam label.
Not Just News (syndicated, 1991-95?): Show about current events targeted for kids, hosted by Steve Doocy, later of "Fox and Friends"
Why Didn't I Think of That? (syndicated, 1992-94): Featured interesting inventions.
Dr. Fad (syndicated, 1988): Inventions from kids. The host invented the "Wacky Wallwalker" that gained notoriety after being placed in kids' cereal boxes.
Firefighters (syndicated, 1993): Similar to the description of "On Scene: Emergency Response" in a previous message.
Preview: The Best of the New: (syndicated, 1990-91): Daily magazine show; producers tried to position itself between entertainment news shows such as "Entertainment Tonight" and tabloid TV like "A Current Affair" and "Hard Copy"
The Les Brown Show (syndicated, 1993): There was big fanfare over the debut of this talk show, hosted by a motivational speaker. Was replaced by Rolonda Watts' talk show after a half a season.
And in network TV:
"A Whole New Ballgame" (ABC, 1995): Corbin Bernsen plays a baseball player who became a TV sports anchor during a baseball strike. Coincidentally, this was right in the middle of the big MLB players strike.
Champs (ABC, 1996): Was DreamWorks TV's first show. The show was a comedy about a high-school basketball coach getting back together with his old players and reminiscing about old times.
New Music Showcase (syndicated, 1990): Rap music show produce by hip-hop "mogul" Russell Simmons. Mainly featured artists signed to his Def Jam label.
Not Just News (syndicated, 1991-95?): Show about current events targeted for kids, hosted by Steve Doocy, later of "Fox and Friends"
Why Didn't I Think of That? (syndicated, 1992-94): Featured interesting inventions.
Dr. Fad (syndicated, 1988): Inventions from kids. The host invented the "Wacky Wallwalker" that gained notoriety after being placed in kids' cereal boxes.
Firefighters (syndicated, 1993): Similar to the description of "On Scene: Emergency Response" in a previous message.
Preview: The Best of the New: (syndicated, 1990-91): Daily magazine show; producers tried to position itself between entertainment news shows such as "Entertainment Tonight" and tabloid TV like "A Current Affair" and "Hard Copy"
The Les Brown Show (syndicated, 1993): There was big fanfare over the debut of this talk show, hosted by a motivational speaker. Was replaced by Rolonda Watts' talk show after a half a season.
And in network TV:
"A Whole New Ballgame" (ABC, 1995): Corbin Bernsen plays a baseball player who became a TV sports anchor during a baseball strike. Coincidentally, this was right in the middle of the big MLB players strike.
Champs (ABC, 1996): Was DreamWorks TV's first show. The show was a comedy about a high-school basketball coach getting back together with his old players and reminiscing about old times.
There's more!!!
Fish Police (CBS, 1992), which came around the time Hanna-Barbera was getting a new owner: Ted Turner!
Now It Can Be Told (syndicated, 1991), with Geraldo Rivera
The Crusaders (syndicated, 1993), a magazine with solutions
Guilty or Innocent (syndicated, 1984), which was forgotten the moment the syndicator picked up the nighttime Sale Of The Century
Another Life (CBN/syndicated, 1982), the "soap with hope"
The Paranormal Borderline (UPN, 1996), hosted by Jonathan Frakes
Muscle (The WB, 1995)
Battle Dome (syndicated, 1999)
Couch Potatoes (syndicated, 1988), Marc Summers' other show besides Double Dare
Beyond Tomorrow (Fox, 1989), which was like the U.S. version of Australia's Beyond 2000
30 Minutes (CBS, 1978), the children's version of 60 Minutes
Moral Court (syndicated, 2000)
And if we can include cable:
McEnroe (CNBC, 2004), which I believe got a ZERO rating for the channel!
Fish Police (CBS, 1992), which came around the time Hanna-Barbera was getting a new owner: Ted Turner!
Now It Can Be Told (syndicated, 1991), with Geraldo Rivera
The Crusaders (syndicated, 1993), a magazine with solutions
Guilty or Innocent (syndicated, 1984), which was forgotten the moment the syndicator picked up the nighttime Sale Of The Century
Another Life (CBN/syndicated, 1982), the "soap with hope"
The Paranormal Borderline (UPN, 1996), hosted by Jonathan Frakes
Muscle (The WB, 1995)
Battle Dome (syndicated, 1999)
Couch Potatoes (syndicated, 1988), Marc Summers' other show besides Double Dare
Beyond Tomorrow (Fox, 1989), which was like the U.S. version of Australia's Beyond 2000
30 Minutes (CBS, 1978), the children's version of 60 Minutes
Moral Court (syndicated, 2000)
And if we can include cable:
McEnroe (CNBC, 2004), which I believe got a ZERO rating for the channel!
F
flashback
Guest
i don`t think anyone mentioned aftermash.the short lived series with some of the mash charactors in post korean war civilian life.
azumanga said:
Sorry to have to correct you; Bert Parks never emceed "Celebrity Game." He did emcee the pilot for "Hollywood Squares," which was made for CBS; Fred Silverman turned it down in favor of another show which belongs on this thread, Bob Stewart's "The Face Is Familiar," which Jack Whitaker hosted in the summer of 1966. NBC then took a look at the "Squares" pilot, thought Parks too dramatic (you'll see why if you watch it), rejected a second pilot with Sandy Baron as host, then picked Peter Marshall after Merrill Heatter's wife, Elaine Stewart (the dealer on the CBS version of "Gambit," also a Heatter-Quigley show), saw him on a Kellogg's commercial (coincidentally, Dennis James was spokesperson for Kellogg's before this). Parks never hosted another game show; his only regular assignment (aside from the Miss America Pageant) after that was as host of the '70s syndicated show "Circus!".
I might add that the last game show Parks was picked to
emcee was "Yours For A Song" (ABC, 1961-63). Contestants were
shown song lyrics with six words left blank; correctly filling in the
missing words was worth $10 apiece on the daytime and $20 apiece
on the primetime version. Parks got to lead the audience in singalongs
of old standbys like "Bicycle Built For Two" and "Meet Me In St. Louis,
Louis." The show's announcer is still very much a part of the game-show
scene: Mr. "THIS--IS--JEOPARDY!" himself, Johnny Gilbert.
Somebody mentioned "Allen Ludden's Gallery." Does anyone remember
"The Real Tom Kennedy Show" (syndicated, 1970)?
And back to primetime: "The New Odd Couple" (ABC, 1982-83). Ron
Glass, fresh from "Barney Miller," was Felix; Demond Wilson was Oscar.
I've always felt that this show flopped not because Glass and Wilson
are African-American, but because most of the episodes, IIRC, were
remakes from the Tony Randall-Jack Klugman era, and those shows were
rerunning quite successfully in syndication at the time. So the Glass/Wilson
version was branded as inferior from day one.
And is there anyone other than Nancy Walker who had two forgettable
failures in one season: "The Nancy Walker Show" and "Blansky's Beauties"
(ABC, 1976-77)?
And let us not forget a show that practically defined the word "flop" for
many years: "The Tammy Grimes Show" (ABC, 1966), which lasted all of
four weeks. Dick Sargent, before replacing Dick York on "Bewitched," played
Tammy's brother; the premise was that they were heirs to a fortune and it
was his job to keep her temptation to spend, spend, spend under control--
or something like that.
emcee was "Yours For A Song" (ABC, 1961-63). Contestants were
shown song lyrics with six words left blank; correctly filling in the
missing words was worth $10 apiece on the daytime and $20 apiece
on the primetime version. Parks got to lead the audience in singalongs
of old standbys like "Bicycle Built For Two" and "Meet Me In St. Louis,
Louis." The show's announcer is still very much a part of the game-show
scene: Mr. "THIS--IS--JEOPARDY!" himself, Johnny Gilbert.
Somebody mentioned "Allen Ludden's Gallery." Does anyone remember
"The Real Tom Kennedy Show" (syndicated, 1970)?
And back to primetime: "The New Odd Couple" (ABC, 1982-83). Ron
Glass, fresh from "Barney Miller," was Felix; Demond Wilson was Oscar.
I've always felt that this show flopped not because Glass and Wilson
are African-American, but because most of the episodes, IIRC, were
remakes from the Tony Randall-Jack Klugman era, and those shows were
rerunning quite successfully in syndication at the time. So the Glass/Wilson
version was branded as inferior from day one.
And is there anyone other than Nancy Walker who had two forgettable
failures in one season: "The Nancy Walker Show" and "Blansky's Beauties"
(ABC, 1976-77)?
And let us not forget a show that practically defined the word "flop" for
many years: "The Tammy Grimes Show" (ABC, 1966), which lasted all of
four weeks. Dick Sargent, before replacing Dick York on "Bewitched," played
Tammy's brother; the premise was that they were heirs to a fortune and it
was his job to keep her temptation to spend, spend, spend under control--
or something like that.
There's two shows I'd would like to see again come out on DVD: "Babes" and "Jennifer Slept Here."
Azumanga, what you saw, according to Wikipedia, was a 1968 pilot for
a revival of "Celebrity Game," which Parks hosted but which
did not sell. That means I'm wrong about the "Squares" pilot
being his last game-show hosting gig. However, the "Celebrity
Game" episodes that CBS aired on Sunday afternoons in the
1967-68 season were all reruns, with Carl Reiner hosting.
a revival of "Celebrity Game," which Parks hosted but which
did not sell. That means I'm wrong about the "Squares" pilot
being his last game-show hosting gig. However, the "Celebrity
Game" episodes that CBS aired on Sunday afternoons in the
1967-68 season were all reruns, with Carl Reiner hosting.
Anyone remember Delta House?
Eric Stein said:
...was a far worthier endeavor for Mr Connie Chung than the HoozYerDaddy nonsense he does now. No arguing the facts; Povich's poorest project ever is pulling down some numbers, but then this show airs on "daytime", not exactly the most fertile breeding grounds for quality TV.
I've got more!!!
Flying Blind (Fox, 1992), starring Tea Leoni, aka Mrs. David Duchovny
Good Grief (Fox, 1990), starring Howie Mandel...when he still had hair!
Homeroom (ABC, 1989)
T and T (syndicated, 1987), Mr. T's first show since The A-Team
Everyday with Joan Lunden (syndicated, 1989)
Live Shot (UPN, 1995)
Pepper Dennis (The WB, 2006; it was that network's last new series that wouldn't carry over to The CW), starring Rebecca Romijn
Get This Party Started (UPN, 2006), hosted by Kristin Cavallari; it was over after only two episodes
Sex, Love, & Secrets (UPN, 2005), starring Denise Richards
The Oldest Rookie (CBS, 1987)
Inside Track (syndicated, 1978), which was sort of like a young adult version of Circle Square; both were produced by Crossroads, the same producers of 100 Huntley Street
Eerie, Indiana (NBC, 1991), from the same production team that brought us Unsolved Mysteries
Wake, Rattle, and Roll (syndicated, 1990; retitled Jump, Rattle, and Roll for The Disney Channel in 1991)
Name Your Adventure, Brains & Brawn, and Running The Halls (all NBC, 1993; the former two were hosted by Mario Lopez and Mark-Paul Gosselaar respectively)
The Byron Allen Show (syndicated, 1989)
Any instructional program from Mississippi Public Broadcasting that wasn't Clyde Frog or Tomes and Talismans!
Flying Blind (Fox, 1992), starring Tea Leoni, aka Mrs. David Duchovny
Good Grief (Fox, 1990), starring Howie Mandel...when he still had hair!
Homeroom (ABC, 1989)
T and T (syndicated, 1987), Mr. T's first show since The A-Team
Everyday with Joan Lunden (syndicated, 1989)
Live Shot (UPN, 1995)
Pepper Dennis (The WB, 2006; it was that network's last new series that wouldn't carry over to The CW), starring Rebecca Romijn
Get This Party Started (UPN, 2006), hosted by Kristin Cavallari; it was over after only two episodes
Sex, Love, & Secrets (UPN, 2005), starring Denise Richards
The Oldest Rookie (CBS, 1987)
Inside Track (syndicated, 1978), which was sort of like a young adult version of Circle Square; both were produced by Crossroads, the same producers of 100 Huntley Street
Eerie, Indiana (NBC, 1991), from the same production team that brought us Unsolved Mysteries
Wake, Rattle, and Roll (syndicated, 1990; retitled Jump, Rattle, and Roll for The Disney Channel in 1991)
Name Your Adventure, Brains & Brawn, and Running The Halls (all NBC, 1993; the former two were hosted by Mario Lopez and Mark-Paul Gosselaar respectively)
The Byron Allen Show (syndicated, 1989)
Any instructional program from Mississippi Public Broadcasting that wasn't Clyde Frog or Tomes and Talismans!
Betty White did two unique TV shows in the mid-1950s, "Life With Elizabeth" and "The Betty White Show". "Unique", since both shows gave her turn-key control both behind and in-front-of the camera. She effectively played herself on both shows, navigating a trail blazed by the story lines of 2 other iconic '50s sitcoms, The Burns & Allen and Ozzie & Harriet (Nelson) shows.
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