Forgotten Network/Syndicated TV Shows of the Past

[milwaukee_dave]

WWOR also had something w/ umbrella title "Comedy Wheel," which included the short-lived sitcom "Coming of Age" w/ Alan Young & Phyllis Newman.....for the life of me I cannot recall what other shows were included, but they likely flopped as bad as CoA.

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I remember the Comedy Wheel block on the ole' WWOR EMI Service. Talk about a treasure-trove of obscurities! TV Guide always listed the block with "To Be Announced," so it was anyone's guess what would show up in that time slot. In addition to the aforementioned "Coming of Age" and "Delta House" (in Eric Stein's excellent post that gave a great backstory to the origins of SyndEx), a few other Universal properties that come to mind within that block include "Leo and Liz in Beverly Hills," "He's the Mayor," "George Burns Comedy Week" and "Fast Times" (a TV series based on the movie "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"). I do remember EMI blacking out "Perfect Strangers" reruns at 6:30 p.m. Eastern and substituting it with the Comedy Wheel in 1991. Once in a while, if you were lucky, you'd see a few seconds to the "Perfect Strangers" open, followed by a black screen and the beginning of the substitute show. Eastern Microwave (WWOR) was never as savvy as Universal Video (WGN) with the substitute programming.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Speaking of USA Network overnights, I recall a campy series that was rerun on the network in the wee hours of the night: "Madame's Place," a sitcom that starred a talking puppet. It initially ran in syndication in the early 1980s.

Wayland Flowers and Madame, a human/puppet duo that was on every talk show you could find in the 1970s and early 1980s. I forgot about the series.

IIRC they made cameos on other series, too.

 

[cordeliachase]

So Eric Stein and milwaukee_dave,

Was the programming black out situation on WGN in the early '90's similar to what happened in the mid '90's when WGN became a UPN affiliate? I recall the local UPN affiliates were upset with the duplication in programming so WGN had to black out it's UPN feed so viewers could only watch UPN programming on the local affiliate. I guess that's why WGN quit being a UPN affiliate.

 

[milwaukee_dave]

So Eric Stein and milwaukee_dave,

Was the programming black out situation on WGN in the early '90's similar to what happened in the mid '90's when WGN became a UPN affiliate? I recall the local UPN affiliates were upset with the duplication in programming so WGN had to black out it's UPN feed so viewers could only watch UPN programming on the local affiliate. I guess that's why WGN quit being a UPN affiliate.

Cordeliachase: WGN actually was an affiliate of the WB in 1995; fellow superstation WWOR was a UPN affiliate in 1995. Warner Bros. allowed WGN to carry WB programming nationwide for nearly five years (January 1995-September 1999). But WWOR was never permitted to carry UPN programming in the two years a split local-national signal remained after the launch of UPN. From my understanding, Warner Bros. permitted the WGN arrangement because the WB didn't have a strong stable of affiliates out of the gate. (Here in Milwaukee, we didn't get a WB affiliate until early 1997, so WGN was our sole source of WB programming for the first two years.) By late 1999, WB had a stronger stable of affiliates and a cable-only feed for markets without an over-the-air affiliate, so the arrangement with WGN came to an end, and United Video (the satellite uplinker at the time) and WGN placed alternate programming on the national feed.

 

[Corky Marlowe]

WWOR also had something w/ umbrella title "Comedy Wheel," which included the short-lived sitcom "Coming of Age" w/ Alan Young & Phyllis Newman.....for the life of me I cannot recall what other shows were included, but they likely flopped as bad as CoA.

Wow...Never heard of this show. When did it air? (I know Alan Young was off TV for a long time; after "Mr. Ed" ended, he spent quite a while heading the radio/TV arm of the Christian Science church.)

 

[milwaukee_dave]

WWOR also had something w/ umbrella title "Comedy Wheel," which included the short-lived sitcom "Coming of Age" w/ Alan Young & Phyllis Newman.....for the life of me I cannot recall what other shows were included, but they likely flopped as bad as CoA.

Wow...Never heard of this show. When did it air? (I know Alan Young was off TV for a long time; after "Mr. Ed" ended, he spent quite a while heading the radio/TV arm of the Christian Science church.)

Corky -- I didn't catch "Coming of Age" during its initial network run (1988-89) on CBS, but I do remember the reruns on WWOR EMI Service. My memories of it are faint, but it seemed like a pretty good show. According to IMDB, the series had an interesting run, airing as a midseason replacement in 1987-88 and being pulled after three low-rated episodes. It returned to the 1988-89 fall schedule, was taken off after four low-rated episodes, then burned off in the summer. It appears 15 episodes total were produced.

 

[bpatrick]

How about these attempts to keep the Western going in the
mid and late '60s:

The Legend Of Jesse James (ABC, 1965-66)

A Man Called Shenandoah (Robert Horton as an amnesiac,
ABC, 1965-66)

The Loner (Lloyd Bridges as a retired Union officer roaming
the West to try to forget the Civil War, show created by
Rod Serling, CBS, 1965-66)

Iron Horse (Dale Robertson tries to make the trains run on time,
ABC, 1966-68)

The Road West (NBC, 1966-67)

Cimarron Strip (still plays in reruns on the Encore Westerns channel,
CBS, 1967-68)

And a couple from the '70s:

(James Garner As) Nichols: Audiences didn't buy into Garner's
portrayal of a cowardly sheriff (shades of Bret Maverick), so
the character was killed off and Garner began playing Nichols'
more heroic brother, with no better results, NBC, 1971-72)

The Oregon Trail (NBC, 1977)

 

[flashback]

another western from the mid 1960`s.

the guns of will sonnet with walter brenon.he had a catch phraise."no brag .just fact."

 

[azumanga]

I remember the Comedy Wheel block on the ole' WWOR EMI Service. Talk about a treasure-trove of obscurities! TV Guide always listed the block with "To Be Announced," so it was anyone's guess what would show up in that time slot.

My local paper, the St. Pete Times, always listed "Comedy Block" as such, but of course, never mentioned what was on the air. As I do recall, while the selection of shows seem random, their broadcasts aren't -- they show all the available episodes of one series, then move on to the next series.

Once in a while, if you were lucky, you'd see a few seconds to the "Perfect Strangers" open, followed by a black screen and the beginning of the substitute show. Eastern Microwave (WWOR) was never as savvy as Universal Video (WGN) with the substitute programming.

The EMI Service is not as slick as WGN's -- EMI always had PI ads during the break, and their commercial breaks seem to never be where the natural commercial breaks are, which made watching "Dragnet" on WWOR in 1996 a little less comfortable than watching it when it was on Nick-at-Nite in 1995.

WGN's superstation ad load early on was also PI ads, but they later began to pursue traditional advertisers, while EMI never did for WWOR.

 

[ShawnHill1]

Once in a while, if you were lucky, you'd see a few seconds to the "Perfect Strangers" open, followed by a black screen and the beginning of the substitute show. Eastern Microwave (WWOR) was never as savvy as Universal Video (WGN) with the substitute programming.

The EMI Service is not as slick as WGN's -- EMI always had PI ads during the break, and their commercial breaks seem to never be where the natural commercial breaks are, which made watching "Dragnet" on WWOR in 1996 a little less comfortable than watching it when it was on Nick-at-Nite in 1995.

WGN's superstation ad load early on was also PI ads, but they later began to pursue traditional advertisers, while EMI never did for WWOR.

I never had the opportunity to watch much of the WWOR EMI Service, because I was always in an area where the WGN Superstation feed was always available. Of course one of the major differences was that WGN wasn't as blackout-heavy was WWOR was, at least in those early days. It was always the case whenever WGN showed a program both nationally and locally, everything was usually intact, specifically the advertistments.

I remember during the first or second year of the Syndex era, The Partridge Family was one of WGN's replacement shows on the national feed (it covered-up WKRP in Cincinnati weekdays at 5:30pm CT). WGN also had the reruns rights to Hunter in Chicago, but nationally, the Uptown Comedy Club (which featured up-and-coming comedians like Debra Wilson, Tracy Morgan, and Jim Brewer) aired in its place on the Superstation.

 

[cordeliachase]

Has anyone mentioned "Diamonds?" This was a mid '80's Canadian production that starred Nicholas Campbell of "DaVinci's Inquest" fame. CBS aired "Diamonds" late nights around the same time frame it aired "Night Heat."

There was also a private investigator show called "Adderly" in which the lead character always wore a glove on one hand because of some injury he had suffered. I think this injury caused him to have to leave the police force and become a PI. This was another Canadian show aired on CBS late nights in the mid '80's.

Speaking of Nicholas Campbell, he and Stoney Jackson had a pretty funny show on ABC one summer in the mid '80's. It was a buddy-cop type show but I think they were reporters.

This next show should fall under the category of brilliant yet cancelled. "Boomtown" was an excellent show that aired on NBC around 2002. It starred Donnie Walberg, Mykelti Williamson and Jason Gedrick as Los Angeles police officers. At first, the show used a story telling technique that showed the points-of-view of all the characters. This technique was abandoned the second season and the show was gone by Christmas.

 

[johnnya2k6]

Just dug up a few more:

E/R (CBS, 1984), starring Elliott Gould and some young chap named George Clooney
Together We Stand (CBS, 1986), also starring Elliott Gould
Our World (ABC, 1986), which wouldn't have been forgotten if ABC put it on Saturdays instead of Thursdays opposite that 800-pound gorilla known as The Cosby Show!!
The Price Is Right Special (CBS, 1986), six primetime summer episodes of TPIR which CBS had the ill-fated task of airing opposite you-know-who
The Reel to Reel Picture Show (Ion, 2000), which was competely forgotten right from the start, and why? Just like Pitfall (syndicated, 1981) and Alex Trebek, host Peter Marshall didn't get paid JACK SQUAT for his duties; the contestants never got their prizes either!!!
Monopoly (ABC, 1990)
Rodeo Drive (Lifetime, 1990)
Sanchez of Bel Air (syndicated/USA Network, 1986), four years Will Smith moved in
Brooklyn South (CBS, 1997), co-starring Yancy Butler who would later star in...
Witchblade (TNT, 2001)

 

[cd637299]

^ I thought that "Reel to Reel Picture Show" was 1998---it was part of PAX's debut week I thought----but regardless.....

Peter Marshall was not exactly fortunate in game shows outside of "Hollywood Squares." Does anybody remember "Yahtzee"? This one lasted 13 weeks in 1988, from Atlantic City, with B-list celebs (I think this was the last time I saw Alan Sues on TV outside of retro clips).

Anyway, check it on YouTube by typing yahtzee marshall ...this was a total mess of a game show, with too many rules.

I am not positive, but I think that just like "Reel to Reel," "Yahtzee" didn't pay the contestants their prizes, and possibly the host & celebs got short-changed, but don't quote me.

Also the original "Lingo" (1987 w/ Michael Reagan), I think, also met the same fate.

And both "Lingo" & "Yahtzee" were Ralph "You Don't Say" Andrews productions, if I am correct.

(I have Marshall's autobio at home, but never finished reading it. I need to. I'd hope he mentioned Yahtzee, but if not, that speaks volumes!)

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[WMC2006]

Baywatch Nights, which ran from 1995-1997. Ratings were never strong but at least we had Angie Harmon and Donna D'Errico.

 

[EricStein]

Once in a while, if you were lucky, you'd see a few seconds to the "Perfect Strangers" open, followed by a black screen and the beginning of the substitute show. Eastern Microwave (WWOR) was never as savvy as Universal Video (WGN) with the substitute programming.

There would also be times between shows - while WWOR was airing local ads - the EMI service would show a generic slate for 20-30 seconds which said "WWOR 9" accompanied by the musical theme for Bob Ross' PBS show "The Joy of Painting."

The EMI Service is not as slick as WGN's -- EMI always had PI ads during the break, and their commercial breaks seem to never be where the natural commercial breaks are, which made watching "Dragnet" on WWOR in 1996 a little less comfortable than watching it when it was on Nick-at-Nite in 1995.

The same people who ran the WWOR EMI Service (by '96, it was called "WWOR AEC Service") went on to operate RTV!

WGN's superstation ad load early on was also PI ads, but they later began to pursue traditional advertisers, while EMI never did for WWOR.

I remember WGN Superstation airing the '50s-era "Choo Choo Charlie" Good 'N Plenty candy ad a number of times at commercial breaks during the summer of '92. Could this have been the first "Retromercial?"

 

[EricStein]

I remember during the first or second year of the Syndex era, The Partridge Family was one of WGN's replacement shows on the national feed (it covered-up WKRP in Cincinnati weekdays at 5:30pm CT). WGN also had the reruns rights to Hunter in Chicago, but nationally, the Uptown Comedy Club (which featured up-and-coming comedians like Debra Wilson, Tracy Morgan, and Jim Brewer) aired in its place on the Superstation.

Some distributors "Syndex-proofed" their programs. Tribune Entertainment's shows, with a few exceptions, aired on the WGN Superstation. Rysher Entertainment ("Saved By The Bell," "Highlander," "Uptown Comedy Club") was another. I was told once that some station groups refused to buy Tribune syndicated product because it would be aired nationally on WGN (I believe Chris Craft/United was one of those groups).

I could not understand why "WKRP" would be classified under Syndex. Unless it was the early-'90s first-run version, the original would have been on its third or fourth syndication cycle by 1991.

 

[azumanga]

I could not understand why "WKRP" would be classified under Syndex. Unless it was the early-'90s first-run version, the original would have been on its third or fourth syndication cycle by 1991.

I think reruns are eligible for Syndex, regardless of what rerun cycle they are in. I recall "The Cosby Show" being syndex-proof in its first cycle on WWOR, meaning that both NYC and national viewers saw it on WWOR, but later on when WWOR renewed the show for the second cycle, it got blacked out on the national feed, replaced by another program.

Also, "Cheers" has been repeated on many cycles on WGN, but since 1990, it was never seen on the superstation feed.

 

[milwaukee_dave]

I could not understand why "WKRP" would be classified under Syndex. Unless it was the early-'90s first-run version, the original would have been on its third or fourth syndication cycle by 1991.
[/quote]


In those early days of SyndEx, the blacking out of shows did seem rather hodge-podge; I suppose it all went down to the agreement terms of each specific series. In 1990, United Video and Eastern Microwave Inc. must've been careful about covering up any series that had the potential of a request to be blacked out by a station within a given market. When "WKRP in Cincinnati" ran on WGN, I didn't receive it in Milwaukee via any local station, so I was miffed I couldn't see anything. But UV and EMI clearly did a blanket cover-up of the shows, not on a market-by-market basis, obviously. These days, WGN America (still technically a superstation by law) can negotiate full signal rights for a series, even if it will air on local stations within a market. In other words, there are ways of jumping around SyndEx.

 

[milwaukee_dave]

Once in a while, if you were lucky, you'd see a few seconds to the "Perfect Strangers" open, followed by a black screen and the beginning of the substitute show. Eastern Microwave (WWOR) was never as savvy as Universal Video (WGN) with the substitute programming.

There would also be times between shows - while WWOR was airing local ads - the EMI service would show a generic slate for 20-30 seconds which said "WWOR 9" accompanied by the musical theme for Bob Ross' PBS show "The Joy of Painting."



I recall the scenario you're referring to, Eric. The image had a blue background with that oh-so-gentle music. (I have a few VHS recordings lying around somewhere in my house of transitions from the national feed back to local.) It always seemed as the EMI was waiting for a covered-up program on the local version of WWOR to end or not jump back into the local feed if a promo to a covered-up show was running.

Since EMI always ran the local feed raw (in the few instances throughout the broadcast day it was able to do so) and UV ran WGN with the Chicago commercials (in the early years, at least), it could really be confusing! I recall watching "Who's the Boss?" reruns on WWOR at 10:30 a.m. Eastern in fall 1995. For whatever reason, this program was NOT covered up -- WWOR must've had national rights to the series -- and ads would be promoting the smattering of talk shows coming up in the afternoon. WWOR EMI Service, however, had to cover up all of these talk shows. UPN programming also was promoted heavily during this era (when the local version wasn't covered), despite the fact the network shows never once saw the light of day on the superstation feed.

I used to love the Chicago and New York-centric commercials on WGN and WWOR, respectively, but I understand why WGN now has a split commercial load between the feeds (even during the newscasts). That's valuable real estate, after all.

 

[charlestondxman]

All those talk shows in the late 90s and early 2000s. Charleston carried every one of them.

Forgive and Forget with Robin Givens then Mother Love, Queen Latifah (led into the 5pm news here), Iyanla (one of Oprah's disciples), Ananda Lewis, and several others.

For a couple of seasons, we even missed out on Regis, including the entire season with Regis alone and the beginning of Kelly's run.

We missed out of several syndicated game shows, like To Tell The Truth and others.