tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6816057099848979364..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: This is why there are no TV opening titles todayBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81225648348201607902009-07-24T02:31:09.203-07:002009-07-24T02:31:09.203-07:00My father was on the production staff of LIFE WITH...My father was on the production staff of LIFE WITH LUCY, and he's told me that an interesting thing happened with that show. Pretty much everyone involved--including Lucille Ball herself--had reservations about it going in, but he said what threw everybody off balance was that the tapings were unbelievably successful. The audience responded with such enthusiasm that even small lines were getting great response, and any little bit of business Ball did invariably brought screams of laughter. Dad said he never saw anything like it. Watching those tapings, he said it was impossible not to start to think that you were wrong to have any misgivings about the series. Doing the final edit of each episode always involved removing sometimes long stretches of wild audience response just to get the things down to air length. What no one realized until it was too late, he said, is that their audiences weren't responding to the show's scripts at all. They were just so thrilled to be able to see Lucy in person and taping a comedy show that their critical faculties went completely out the window. That she was past her prime or that the material she was given to work with wasn't even up to HERE'S LUCY standards was completely irrelevant. Unfortunately, that enthusiasm didn't transfer to television audiences, to whom the show's shortcomings were all too clear, not having a television legend performing a few feet away from them. (He said staff later took to remarking among themselves that if the series had been a stage play it would have had a five year, standing room only run.)Ken--NOT Levinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58625053153892737422009-07-13T10:10:53.599-07:002009-07-13T10:10:53.599-07:00"Easy Street" had some good talent on bo..."Easy Street" had some good talent on both sides of the camera. With a good time slot and some tweaking, it might have grown into a moderate success. <br /><br />However, it was probably doomed by the fact that the show wasn't nearly as compelling to America as Loni Anderson's personal life at the time. <br /><br />Kind of like Lindsay Lohan now, she was one of those actresses who was overexposed even when she wasn't collecting a paycheck. Her ups and downs with Burt Reynolds made a standard issue fish-out-of-water sitcom seem pretty stale.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73844601452334060302009-07-13T09:48:15.201-07:002009-07-13T09:48:15.201-07:00For those curious, the mojo behind Amen was Johnny...For those curious, the mojo behind Amen was Johnny Carson. Given the scandalous amont of money he made for the network is it any wonder they greenlit a show produced by Carson Productions? It was an OK show about the contemporary urban black community. Helmsley basically played George Jefferson as a church deacon s.o.b., which he was very skilled at playing. <br /><br />At least it had some level of reality versus the recent parade of black sitcoms whose casts are an interchangable stream of young hotties ivolved in an endless round of dating travails.Dana Gabbardhttp://socata.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-59996362371231771372009-07-13T09:41:45.259-07:002009-07-13T09:41:45.259-07:00"Easy Street" had a solid cast and the g..."Easy Street" had a solid cast and the great Hugh Wilson ("WKRP," "Frank's Place") as the creator. Did it really suck. I don't remember it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56355318888538556472009-07-13T07:10:24.117-07:002009-07-13T07:10:24.117-07:00Wow, Shannen Doherty and Wilford Brimley on the sa...Wow, Shannen Doherty and Wilford Brimley on the same show. I bet the set was a tense place with those two divas.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89386327268917588702009-07-12T18:16:28.266-07:002009-07-12T18:16:28.266-07:00Wow, I haven't thought about "Valerie&quo...Wow, I haven't thought about "Valerie" in forever, and I'd forgotten Jason Bateman was on it. I do remember the big drama when Valerie Harper left the show--as I recall, she demanded more money on the theory that they couldn't do the show without her, and the studio said, "hey, what's Sandy Duncan up to these days?" (Though wow, I didn't remember they did more episodes without her than with her--iMDB says she left in the second season.)Tim Susmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02354987680992285327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46991650938379577412009-07-12T11:43:58.980-07:002009-07-12T11:43:58.980-07:00I thought Lucille Ball was funny on I LOVE LUCY, w...I thought Lucille Ball was funny on I LOVE LUCY, where she played a more multidimensional character. Lucy Ricardo wasn't stupid, but she was overly eager, overly ambitious, and thus got into situations over head. The Lucy on the other shows was just a comic contrivance that got into trouble for no real reason most of the time.Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37645029245039775262009-07-12T11:20:38.719-07:002009-07-12T11:20:38.719-07:00I remember liking the Starman TV show. The credit...I remember liking the Starman TV show. The credits did a pretty good job letting the audience in on the story, especially if (like me) they didn't see the original movie. I guess I'm a little more forgiving.<br /><br />The credits also had to keep reminding you which show you were watching, since it was likely that you would forget (what with the passage of time and all).Ianzunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35620722407406375622009-07-12T10:07:33.989-07:002009-07-12T10:07:33.989-07:00Well, I still think Lucille Ball is very funny, an...Well, I still think Lucille Ball is very funny, and as for I Love Lucy being overrated...I own much of the show on DVD and watch them often. I still find the show quite funny.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19816877011900344002009-07-12T02:12:36.096-07:002009-07-12T02:12:36.096-07:00'Hard to believe the same people who wrote the...'Hard to believe the same people who wrote the theme to "Cheers" wrote the the theme to "Mr. Belvedere".'<br /><br />Not hard at all, IMHO. Apart from the montages with rostrum shots being similar, the cheesy theme song was the one thing about "Cheers" I thought was totally incongruous.blogwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07362291687463326731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34276478397818909562009-07-11T22:30:06.560-07:002009-07-11T22:30:06.560-07:00I'll give Lucille Ball credit for being a pion...I'll give Lucille Ball credit for being a pioneer, and I realize that but for her there would be no Carol Burnette, no Gilda Radner, no Roseanne, no Tina Fey, etc. But honestly, I never thought she was funny, and I don't think I have ever known anyone who did.UncleWaltynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-69087113787992162009-07-11T19:17:43.764-07:002009-07-11T19:17:43.764-07:00It's funny how all those opening titles look a...It's funny how all those opening titles look as if they were inspired by laxative commercials.Vermonter17032http://welcometosherwood.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19498985612471811622009-07-11T18:12:53.484-07:002009-07-11T18:12:53.484-07:00Cap'n Bob Napier said...
"Lucy wanted G...Cap'n Bob Napier said... <br /><br /><i>"Lucy wanted Gale Gordon to play Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy, but he was contractually obligated to do something else. Thank god. Not that I don't like him, I do. But he wouldn't have been right for Fred"</i>...<br /><br />If I've got my facts right, at the time I LOVE LUCY started, I think Gale Gordon's contractual obligation was that he was playing a regular character on the Jack Benny radio show. And later in the fities he had a role in the TV series OUR MISS BROOKS with Eve Arden.Tom Quigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959628996361620134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-16593516203861866862009-07-11T17:56:22.173-07:002009-07-11T17:56:22.173-07:00Ni titles, perhaps, but I saw a show in which the ...Ni titles, perhaps, but I saw a show in which the credits played over the action for NINE MINUTES! Sheesh!Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14644813062569727172009-07-11T17:48:30.401-07:002009-07-11T17:48:30.401-07:00Lucy wanted Gale Gordon to play Fred Mertz on I Lo...Lucy wanted Gale Gordon to play Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy, but he was contractually obligated to do something else. Thank god. Not that I don't like him, I do. But he wouldn't have been right for Fred.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1505305576501482132009-07-11T16:40:23.374-07:002009-07-11T16:40:23.374-07:00WOW - Bruce Miller!
Now that's an impressiv...WOW - Bruce Miller! <br /><br />Now that's an impressive career!emilynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-87573496738041534692009-07-11T15:10:41.904-07:002009-07-11T15:10:41.904-07:00Wow. I must be young. I only remembered Mr. Belv...Wow. I must be young. I only remembered Mr. Belvedere.gilliebeanhttp://clubfritch.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31645177247014854182009-07-11T14:55:32.852-07:002009-07-11T14:55:32.852-07:00That "script" font on the Telemation Com...That "script" font on the Telemation Compositor should have been destroyed! Wow is that ugly! I guess we all thought it looked cool way back in the day (or didn't want to work with art cards - "is it straight? is it centered? is it in focus?"). Thanks for the memories.thevidiothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12675078560145080204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-60782639401060793612009-07-11T13:18:05.320-07:002009-07-11T13:18:05.320-07:00The network clearly felt it was owed to Lucille Ba...<i>The network clearly felt it was owed to Lucille Ball for how much she'd meant to TV--or was owed her by inron-clad contract. One of the two... </i><br /><br />Or they figured a few million people would tune in just out of habit. I seem to remember Ball herself was embarrassed by that show. Just the opening credits were painful and i think I Love Lucy is hugely overrated. That may have been the most painful one to watch. Who knew Gale Gordon lasted that long? <br /><br />Another thing, except for Jason Bateman and Megan Mullaly, I don't think I spotted one person who had much of a later career, that I noticed anyway.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-66237332374551825352009-07-11T12:50:48.793-07:002009-07-11T12:50:48.793-07:00AMEN was written and produced by a man who had pre...AMEN was written and produced by a man who had previously written and produced for the MARY TYLER MOORE show. MR BELVEDERE was produced by a couple of guys who wrote for BARNEY MILLER.<br /><br />I blame Reagan.Kirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02155991693956178030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-41316087115800290382009-07-11T12:29:41.884-07:002009-07-11T12:29:41.884-07:00sorry I didn't compose it.....that honor goes ...sorry I didn't compose it.....that honor goes to the great Hoagy Carmichael, but I did have the opportunity to do all, but the very first version of "Georgia On My Mind" during my 7 years on "Designing Women" . The icing on the cake for me was doing the string arrangement behind Ray Charles himself singing the song he was so well known for. A major highlight in my career. I always loved that song for that show!bruce millernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31088172657081888042009-07-11T12:25:22.503-07:002009-07-11T12:25:22.503-07:00Hehe, I'm addicted to these clips! Look what ...Hehe, I'm addicted to these clips! Look what I found at 3:01 on this compilation from 1983: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LogaEI3wB_QDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18071935856995207444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12028848176282755142009-07-11T12:12:44.622-07:002009-07-11T12:12:44.622-07:00Rinaldo,
I will go to my grave believing the best...Rinaldo,<br /><br />I will go to my grave believing the best work Jason Bateman ever did was in the spectacularly underrated <i>It's Your Move</i>, with his "Derek" on <i>Silver Spoons</i> being worth an Honorable Mention.<br /><br />WVW - terapie, which is what you get when Maurice Chevalier is your shrink.Joehttp://blog.vinapedia.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3554269190993180002009-07-11T10:23:32.719-07:002009-07-11T10:23:32.719-07:00Remember, if we run into each other in another cit...Remember, if we run into each other in another city, the code word is "Brocktoon." <br /><br />I'm probably the last person in America who still associates Shannen Doherty with a straight-A goody two shoes type based on her "Our House" character. <br /><br />My favorite "Our House" bit was when Wilford Brimley's friend, Joe Kaplan, rhapsodized about how Hank Greenberg was the best slugger, Max Baer the best boxer and Sid Luckman the best QB. <br /><br />Wilford Brimley snorted, "Kaplan, how come all of your best athletes were Jewish? Weren't there any good Catholics or Methodists?"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-68895396337814052382009-07-11T09:17:31.060-07:002009-07-11T09:17:31.060-07:00I saw Christopher Hewitt at a party at Sony Studio...I saw Christopher Hewitt at a party at Sony Studios a couple of years after MR. BELVEDERE went off the air. He alsmost seemed like he felt lost without anything to to work on...<br /><br />BTW, I imagine a lot of people in Milwaukee probably felt that the only thing worse than sitting through an episode of BELVEDERE was having to sit through the baseball career of Bob Uecker... <br /><br />wv: allycoff -- what it is that Ms. McBeal does when she has a cold...Tom Quigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959628996361620134noreply@blogger.com