tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8467535072239636897..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Was MASH ever asked to change its title?By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28786014991965546462020-03-05T00:10:09.129-08:002020-03-05T00:10:09.129-08:00I have a distant recollection of the syndicated re...I have a distant recollection of the syndicated reruns being retitled "M*A*S*H 4077," perhaps at a time when both new and rerun episodes were still running on CBS under the original title. This might have been only for a year or so.<br /><br />The goofiest retitling of a series I can remember was "Ironside," which was first syndicated as "The Raymond Burr Show," a title that sounds more like a musical-variety hour.<br /><br />"Lassie" was on for something like 25 years; the retitling as "Jeff's Collie" and "Timmy and Lassie" was as much to differentiate the cast changes as any other reason. They just piled up so damn many episodes!jeffm12012https://www.blogger.com/profile/17430827566250598471noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-50038781642179819512018-02-23T15:31:11.246-08:002018-02-23T15:31:11.246-08:00I grew up in farm country and have injured myself ...I grew up in farm country and have injured myself on more than one sharp cornpone.<br />Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06169920944565828337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62507588215799873852011-05-11T11:00:38.048-07:002011-05-11T11:00:38.048-07:00"W*A*R?"
War is Hell(arious)?
A*C*T*U*A*..."W*A*R?"<br />War is Hell(arious)?<br />A*C*T*U*A*L*LY A*B*O*U*T <br />V*I*E*T N*A*M?<br />(Left by Beckdog)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76777743614104239632011-03-17T12:32:41.675-07:002011-03-17T12:32:41.675-07:00"... the 40-something star continuing to play..."... the 40-something star continuing to play a 7 year old boy."<br /><br />Maybe Charlie Sheen is doing 2 1/2 Men a favor since the kid is so old now they have had plots where he has competed with Uncle Charlie for the same 20ish woman.Dana Gabbardhttp://socata.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53944207083261942992011-03-14T20:54:04.740-07:002011-03-14T20:54:04.740-07:00Chris G. and Lansing's comments above remind m...Chris G. and Lansing's comments above remind me of a late SCTV bit about a "Dennis the Menace" type show titled "Oh That Rusty!" that had premiered in 1952 and was still running in 1983 with the 40-something star continuing to play a 7 year old boy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20442591650228174132011-03-14T20:15:50.221-07:002011-03-14T20:15:50.221-07:00Though I greatly admired the talent of the late Lu...Though I greatly admired the talent of the late Lucille Ball, her personal life frankly wasn't that interesting. It's why those biographical TV movies of her weren't that successful. She had a troubled marriage, it ended, she remarried and that one did last. Same thing has happened to a lot of people.<br /><br />Now, her professional life, on the other hand, was very interesting. However, her husband - not her - was the creative force behind their production company. And as good as he was, I have no doubt that even if Desilu never existed, Gene Roddenberry still would have created Star Trek, and Bruce Geller would have created Mission Impossible. Those shows just would have happened at different studios.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59540850045416985422011-03-14T13:14:29.758-07:002011-03-14T13:14:29.758-07:00Interesting trivia on the Sgt. Bilko Show (from ID...Interesting trivia on the Sgt. Bilko Show (from IDMB): Although the ratings were still good in the show's final season, it was canceled by CBS because they wanted to sell the reruns in syndication. At the time, it was believed that a series could not still be in production in order to do well in reruns. The reruns were sold to NBC and aired continuously for 40 years.Johnny Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13302545167970532080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-15939729519214772842011-03-14T10:36:08.579-07:002011-03-14T10:36:08.579-07:00Ken,
So, I work in an office building (not in fil...Ken,<br /><br />So, I work in an office building (not in film/tv industry) and the office next to mine was recently rented by an extremely well known producer/writer's production team for an upcoming feature film. I don't have any completed scripts/specs or any experience in the film industry other than what my actor uncle has talked to me about. Would it be completely out of line for me to slip a cover letter/resume under the door, inquiring about any open position for after I get out of my regular day job? Who would I address it to? Like I said, I don't have any experience in the industry and was curious if this would be a way to get my head in the door. Thanks!<br /><br />Vinny<br /><br />VinnyVinnyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02193078991750789304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14051814829926298132011-03-12T17:52:25.074-08:002011-03-12T17:52:25.074-08:00How about KOREA: THE ELEVEN-YEAR WAR?How about KOREA: THE ELEVEN-YEAR WAR?jbryantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26881216312695651742011-03-12T15:58:58.810-08:002011-03-12T15:58:58.810-08:00What about the occasional episode I saw in syndica...What about the occasional episode I saw in syndication as "M*A*S*H 4077" ?Earl Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8373722519510956042011-03-12T07:43:45.641-08:002011-03-12T07:43:45.641-08:00When CBS was running Hawaii Five-O reruns in late ...When CBS was running Hawaii Five-O reruns in late night, they were renamed "McGarrett," so I assume it would have been "Hawkeye" which sounds like a Burt Reynolds detective show. <br /><br />And when USA was running Duckman, they once had Duckman watching a TV with the announcer saying "Wings, Wings, Wings and Wings will not be seen tonight..."Rays profilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13375762252351537791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84339293266086677792011-03-12T07:32:47.468-08:002011-03-12T07:32:47.468-08:00I think the "Dick Van Dyke Daytime Show"...<i> I think the "Dick Van Dyke Daytime Show" was used on CBS daytime, but I don't think any of Lucy's series were renamed on network daytime. Curious.<br /><br />I vote for "Hawkeye's Hijinks".</i><br /><br />Au contraire! After I.L.L. went off the air, for a short time CBS bundled up the last half of the last season where the show moved to Connecticut, and aired them as....are you ready..."Lucy in Connecticut" Also, between when Lucy had started in 1951, and 1954, the number of TV markets in the country had tripled, so a lot of places had not seen the first couple of seasons of Lucy, so CBS bundled THOSE up, and aired them early Sunday evening as 'The Sunday Lucy Show' whew!LouOCNYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151395857835632917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64471510561046644722011-03-11T21:57:29.941-08:002011-03-11T21:57:29.941-08:00Yes, "Laverne & Shirley" was called
...Yes, "Laverne & Shirley" was called<br /><br />Laverne<br />&<br />Shirley<br />&<br />Company<br /><br />in syndication. I think the "Dick Van Dyke Daytime Show" was used on CBS daytime, but I don't think any of Lucy's series were renamed on network daytime. Curious.<br /><br />I vote for "Hawkeye's Hijinks".Mike Schryverhttp://www.live365.com/stations/o_t_r_comedynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6580227500566715072011-03-11T20:51:18.876-08:002011-03-11T20:51:18.876-08:00My favorite show name change was for the early epi...My favorite show name change was for the early episodes of "Lassie". For syndication some "genius" came up with "Jeff's Collie". How lame is that?Jeffrey Leonardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29562669152433398992011-03-11T18:44:09.702-08:002011-03-11T18:44:09.702-08:00Hi Ken
This is a follow-on to Chris G’s question ...Hi Ken<br /><br />This is a follow-on to Chris G’s question above. Do writers on a long term show perceive when the quality of a program is in decline? A substantial decline in ratings makes this obvious to everyone. However, a ratings decline can substantially lag a quality decline.<br /><br />A quality decline could be a reflection of actively fighting losing battle against time (how many fresh situations can anyone come up with for a given sitcom). Conversely, it could be that the writers are oblivious to a slow gradual decline until it is too late to turn it around. I’m curious if you have any insights on this situation?<br /><br />As background, I thought of this question after watching last week’s Simpsons (A Scorpion’s Tale). To me, that show hit a new low in what I perceive to be a steady decline in quality for at least the last three years. Story driven humour has been replaced by meaningless plots used to frame random jokes . Rather than building humour from the deeply developed characters, the current writers have reduced these characters to stereotypes so they can take the easy path to cheap jokes. I just wonder if this is conscious or unconscious.Lansinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13047549956272465309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24118318977504450722011-03-11T17:51:28.988-08:002011-03-11T17:51:28.988-08:00When a show is not just a hit that will run for fi...When a show is not just a hit that will run for five or six or seven years but a legitimate institution that runs for over a decade (MASH, Cheers, Frasier) or two (Law & Order, Simpsons) or three (SNL), at what point do the folks making it realize this? Is there ever a point where the showrunners and producers realize they're doing something that will have that sort of a run? And if they do, does that realization affect the way the show gets made?Chris G.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7192013248991268442011-03-11T16:55:20.186-08:002011-03-11T16:55:20.186-08:00Funny that Ken happened to make the joke about Cha...Funny that Ken happened to make the joke about Charlie Sheen being 107 in 2071 - This year is the 100th anniversary of Lucille Ball's birth. If you know her story at all, Lucy had one the hardest struggles in show biz history - family tragedies...one setback after another etc, etc. Her and Desi did I.L.L. on THEIR terms, and ended up inventing the modern sitcom. And Desi invented the modern TV production company, and took risks even when they had the #1 show on TV, by buying more properties and taking risks on shows like THE UNTOUCHABLES. <br /><br />And remember - with out I Love Lucy, there's no STAR TREK...no MISSION IMPOSSIBLE either. <br /><br /><br />I know more than few put I Love Lucy down, but will people be laughing at SEINFELD in 60 years?LouOCNYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151395857835632917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89459941429938495472011-03-11T16:32:51.592-08:002011-03-11T16:32:51.592-08:00Just so you know, M*I*S*H*M*O*S*H and M*A*S*H*U*G*...<i>Just so you know, M*I*S*H*M*O*S*H and M*A*S*H*U*G*A are both from M*A*D M*A*G*A*Z*I*N*E</i><br /><br />ding ding ding<br /><br /><br />I believe that M*A*S*H is the only series that MAD ever did two official parodies of while it was still on the prime time schedule. the first title was done during the Henry Blake era, and the second title was done in either season 9 or 10. <br /><br />The second parody was the best, as they skewered EVERY thing that was wrong with the show those years.<br /><br />Our local library once had a MAD editor (Joe Riaola) as a speaker, and I had a chance to chat with him and comment on how the quality of a MAD TV/Movie parody is directly inverse to the quality of the show/movie they are using. <br /><br />What is really cool, is that as a result of that visit, MAD gave our library a PERPETUAL subscription to MAD! So to this day, MAD sits on the magazine racks at the library, right next to MADMOISELLE.LouOCNYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16151395857835632917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60334800987639958932011-03-11T15:43:32.239-08:002011-03-11T15:43:32.239-08:00I remember when "Marcus Welby, MD" went ...I remember when "Marcus Welby, MD" went syndicated it was called "Robert Young, Family Doctor" which led someone (I wish I could remember who)thought a good name for MASH would be, "Alan Alda, Subversive Surgeon"unkystannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18773492207185785092011-03-11T14:46:45.700-08:002011-03-11T14:46:45.700-08:00Just so you know, M*I*S*H*M*O*S*H and M*A*S*H*U*G*...Just so you know, M*I*S*H*M*O*S*H and M*A*S*H*U*G*A are both from M*A*D M*A*G*A*Z*I*N*Emikenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69577053575039672852011-03-11T14:42:40.765-08:002011-03-11T14:42:40.765-08:00Another fine example of the (ex-)genre: "Jim ...Another fine example of the (ex-)genre: "Jim Rockford, Private Investigator." Really makes you want to watch, doesn't it?gottacooknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77530650857629662352011-03-11T13:19:24.032-08:002011-03-11T13:19:24.032-08:00200 people dedicated to one show?! I find that ver...200 people dedicated to one show?! I find that very hard to believe. Surely 150+ are supporting other shows at the same time, no?Brucenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77733698692662537682011-03-11T12:59:14.422-08:002011-03-11T12:59:14.422-08:00I actually do remember watching, at least on the N...I actually do remember watching, at least on the NYC stations, "Laverne & Shirley & Company."chalmersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59840811093425160172011-03-11T12:31:22.243-08:002011-03-11T12:31:22.243-08:00Thanks for answering my question. I do think ther...Thanks for answering my question. I do think there are regional sensibilities and humor. It is pure genius to create something that everyone finds funny. Although, my husband thinks the Three Stoogies is funny we both like Raising Hope and the Big Bang Theory.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28897849159094355882011-03-11T12:20:20.699-08:002011-03-11T12:20:20.699-08:00In the latter first-run years of M*A*S*H, KTTV-11 ...In the latter first-run years of M*A*S*H, KTTV-11 here in L.A. ran reruns at 7, 730, and 11pm. So on Monday nights, when first-run eps aired on CBS, it was actually possible without VCR/DVR to watch four episodes of M*A*S*H in a single evening. Heaven.<br /><br />Alternative title: eps that focused on Hawkeye, Trapper/B.J., and Rader could have been tagged "Two and a Half Men"...<br /><br />What? Why are you all looking at me like that?Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00740239938140454237noreply@blogger.com