They Had Their Own TV Show?

[Captain Steel]

This topic comes from a conversation a while back with Citizen Rules about the surprising number of (often 2nd string) celebrities who had their own television shows at some point - usually in the form of variety shows.

The reason the conversation started was due to the surprising number of celebrities (many of whom are now forgotten or who's names were barely recognized even at the time) who were granted their own TV shows from the 1950's thru the 1980's.

But I don't want to limit our conversation to just that. I'd also welcome any "star" who had a TV series named for them, whether a drama, or sitcom (such as The Paul Lynde Show, 1972 - 1973, where, although the title bore the star's name, he played a differently named character: "Paul Simms") or in the form of a talk show.

I'd also welcome any specials that were named for a host.

All reports, records or remembrances are welcome but the more obscure, the better! :)

[John McClane]

I still can’t believe they gave Pee-wee Herman a show

Then again, we never would have got this gem of a character

https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/y2GkA.xrM0rzqCGms0oRvA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTY0MDtoPTQ1Ng--/http://36.media.tumblr.com/be8334901d712da5ecc67ec7c84b4c9a/tumblr_inline_o493e0XqGY1t0ijhl_1280.jpg

[Torgo]

How soon we forget about the William Joel show:

https://youtu.be/Www07ZpRPKQ

[Citizen Rules]

Captain how about this did you ever see it? I might have
The Captain and Tennille (TV Series 1976-1977) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073970/)

[Citizen Rules]

Another one and I might have to watch this sometime;
The Dean Martin Show (TV Series 1965-1974) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058797/)

[Captain Steel]

How soon we forget about the William Joel show:

https://youtu.be/Www07ZpRPKQ

Okay, that had me going for a minute!
I was like, "this can't have been real." ;)

[Captain Steel]

Captain how about this did you ever see it? I might have
The Captain and Tennille (TV Series 1976-1977) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073970/)

Oh sure! Variety shows hosted by singers were at the top in the late 70's. Captain & Tennille were stiff competition for Donny & Marie and Sonny & Cher!

[Captain Steel]

Another one and I might have to watch this sometime;
The Dean Martin Show (TV Series 1965-1974) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058797/)

I really wish some of these nostalgia or comedy stations would air old episodes of The Dean Martin Show in the middle of the night instead of infomercials!
And not that they'd be considered sequels, but there were also The Dean Martin Roasts which were considered a series of TV specials!

[Captain Terror]

92842

[Captain Steel]

Speaking of specials - back in the late 70's there was a series of specials called "Alan King's Final Warning".
It was a socio-political sketch humor show about how to survive the times and save the world as we knew it. It emphasized some of the absurdities about how society around us was changing.
(Too bad someone couldn't make something similar now... they probably wouldn't know where to begin).

I was crazy with anticipation for these shows... I guess because I was at the age where I was just becoming aware there was a larger world outside my suburban life.

The only video from the show on YouTube is one of Alan explaining the Middle East...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEG6MuzfAl0&list=RDQlpMKSGNIMM&start_radio=1

[Citizen Rules]

I really wish some of these nostalgia or comedy stations would air old episodes of The Dean Martin Show in the middle of the night instead of infomercials!
And not that they'd be considered sequels, but there were also The Dean Martin Roasts which were considered a series of TV specials!Get yourself a cheap Roku device and you can watch all types of these old shows for free. I bough a Roku device at Wallmart for around $25. I watch it every night. No fees it's free to watch.

[Austruck]

Obviously this one was a favorite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlNZklyOzfk

And also this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKdESHfGK5k&list=PLvcfTKUh7lca9L1AVT-Y4tVaiAWj7V7dk

[Captain Steel]

Obviously this one was a favorite:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlNZklyOzfk

And also this one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKdESHfGK5k&list=PLvcfTKUh7lca9L1AVT-Y4tVaiAWj7V7dk

I was unaware of both of these!

[Captain Steel]

Here are some obscure ones:

The Alan Young Show 1950 - 1953 (variety)
The Loretta Young Show 1953 - 1961 (drama anthology)
The New Loretta Young Show 1962 - 1963 (sit-com / drama)
The Danny Thomas Show 1953 - 1965 (sit-com: originally titled "Make Room For Daddy")
The Jack Carson Show 1954 - 1955 (variety)
The Jerry Lewis Show 1957 - 1984 (variety: there were actually 4 separate shows & 1 special that bore this title, not including the yearly MDA Telethons!)
The Betty Hutton Show 1959 - 1960 (sit-com)
The Dick Powell Theatre 1961 - 1963 (drama anthology)
The Dick Emery Show 1963 - 1981 (comedy sketch show)
The Danny Kaye Show 1969 - 1967 (variety)

Just a few for now.

[Austruck]

I was unaware of both of these!

Clearly so was most of the viewing public! :) One season each.

[Siddon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6KufeXgdo4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3K7Qc6vW5Q


The Dana Carvey Show....great job ABC cancelling this one

[beelzebubble]

Here are some obscure ones:

The Alan Young Show 1950 - 1953 (variety)
The Loretta Young Show 1953 - 1961 (drama anthology)
The New Loretta Young Show 1962 - 1963 (sit-com / drama)
The Danny Thomas Show 1953 - 1965 (sit-com: originally titled "Make Room For Daddy")
The Jack Carson Show 1954 - 1955 (variety)
The Jerry Lewis Show 1957 - 1984 (variety: there were actually 4 separate shows & 1 special that bore this title, not including the yearly MDA Telethons!)
The Betty Hutton Show 1959 - 1960 (sit-com)
The Dick Powell Theatre 1961 - 1963 (drama anthology)
The Dick Emery Show 1963 - 1981 (comedy sketch show)
The Danny Kaye Show 1969 - 1967 (variety)

Just a few for now.
There was nothin obscure about the Danny Thomas show. He was a huge star and his show was quite popular. In fact, there is a bit of a tribute to him in the character of the character of Danny Stevens, a Jewish comic with his own TV show (though Danny Thomas was actually an Armenian Catholic) played by Hank Azaria in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. As a sidenote the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is excellent.

[beelzebubble]

I really wish some of these nostalgia or comedy stations would air old episodes of The Dean Martin Show in the middle of the night instead of infomercials!
And not that they'd be considered sequels, but there were also The Dean Martin Roasts which were considered a series of TV specials!
Youtube, my man, Youtube.

[beelzebubble]

I was very excited for The Carpenters variety show when I was a child. I think it was a summer replacement.

[Captain Steel]

The following are all music or variety (unless otherwise specified) shows hosted by musicians or singers:

Sing Along with Mitch (starring Mitch Miller) 1961
The Lawrence Welk Show 1951
The Dinah Shore Show 1951 (multiple variety, music and talk shows)
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour 1967
The Jim Nabors Hour
The Jim Stafford Show
The Jacksons (variety show & Jackson 5 cartoon)
The Bing Crosby Show (multiple variety shows & specials)
The Tom Jones Show
Perry Como
Andy Williams
Donny & Marie
Sonny & Cher
Captain & Tennille
John Davidson (talk show)

This is just the tip of the iceberg - there are way too many more than I have time to list!

[Captain Steel]

There was nothin obscure about the Danny Thomas show. He was a huge star and his show was quite popular. In fact, there is a bit of a tribute to him in the character of the character of Danny Stevens, a Jewish comic with his own TV show (though Danny Thomas was actually an Armenian Catholic) played by Hank Azaria in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. As a sidenote the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is excellent.

Agreed. I just started getting carried away with the list.

Same goes for Jerry Lewis & Danny Kaye (neither are obscure), but I do know there were some people here who never knew Danny Kaye had his own show the last time he was mentioned.

P.S. I was a big fan of Make Room for Daddy (a.k.a. The Danny Thomas Show). An obscure piece of trivia is that the Andy Griffith show was a spin-off from an episode of the Danny Thomas Show where "Danny Williams" finds himself in a rural, backwater town with an odd sheriff.

[WHITBISSELL!]

There was nothin obscure about the Danny Thomas show. He was a huge star and his show was quite popular.The Andy Griffith Show was a direct spinoff of Make Room for Daddy/The Danny Thomas Show. I remember having my mind blown when I randomly came across an episode (on TV Land I think) where Danny Thomas is traveling or touring in the South and he runs afoul of this folksy type of sheriff and his little son. The Andy Griffith Show was a Danny Thomas production as was The Dick Van Dyke Show, That Girl (starring his daughter Marlo) and The Mod Squad.

EDIT: Woops, didn't see Captain Steel's post. My bad.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I really wish some of these nostalgia or comedy stations would air old episodes of The Dean Martin Show in the middle of the night instead of infomercials!I remember The Golddiggers playing a big role in jump starting my puberty.

[WHITBISSELL!]

And whenever someone brings up odd variety shows I always think of Pink Lady and Jeff. They were a Japanese singing duo and he was a standup comedian that some might have caught on David Letterman. It only aired a few weeks before being axed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKUDIjLXTM8

[Captain Steel]

And whenever someone brings up odd variety shows I always think of Pink Lady and Jeff. They were a Japanese singing duo and he was a standup comedian that some might have caught on David Letterman. It only aired a few weeks before being axed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKUDIjLXTM8

Totally! Glad you mentioned it.
I was excited for it (you know... two beautiful Japanese girls).
It was awful - trying to be a Donny & Marie meets Tony Orlando & Dawn (hey, there's another one for the list).
So cringe-worthy (yet it had the two cute Asian girls and their original Japanese music was kinda catchy!) but the gimmick of the girls' broken English & mispronunciations wore thin pretty quickly. I always wondered if they'd paired Pink Lady up with someone other than Jeff Altman, if the show would've had a better chance since they were nice to look at, but Jeff was just so corny.

[GulfportDoc]

The Alan Young Show 1950 - 1953 (variety)
The Loretta Young Show 1953 - 1961 (drama anthology)
The New Loretta Young Show 1962 - 1963 (sit-com / drama)
The Danny Thomas Show 1953 - 1965 (sit-com: originally titled "Make Room For Daddy")
The Jack Carson Show 1954 - 1955 (variety)
The Jerry Lewis Show 1957 - 1984 (variety: there were actually 4 separate shows & 1 special that bore this title, not including the yearly MDA Telethons!)
The Betty Hutton Show 1959 - 1960 (sit-com)
The Dick Powell Theatre 1961 - 1963 (drama anthology)
The Dick Emery Show 1963 - 1981 (comedy sketch show)
The Danny Kaye Show 1969 - 1967 (variety) .
Those were good ones. The big ones in the '50s were The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show (5 years), The George Gobel Show (5 years), The Jack Benny Program (15 years), The Ed Sullivan Show (13 years), The Jackie Gleason Show (5 years), The Milton Berle Show (8 years), and The Red Skelton Show (20 years).

My personal favorites for humor were Jack Benny and George Gobel. But the most diverse was The Ed Sullivan Show.

I wish they'd bring back variety or sketch shows. The last best were The Smother Brothers Comedy Hour, and The Carol Burnett Show.

[Gideon58]

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BZDFlODUyYTYtYTNiNC00NTk0LWI3MDEtYTY1MGZjOWQyNmMyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjcyMDU4NA@@._V1_FMjpg_UX1000_.j pg

At the time this show was on, I didn't have a clue who Paul Sand was.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzY0MjdmYmMtMDcxZC00NjdmLWEyOWYtMjdmYTNjYWI2ZjUyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjI5MDUyNDU@._V1_.jpg

Again, when Funny Face premiered on CBS, I didn't have a clue who Sandy Duncan was.

[Holden Pike]

Before Jeff Goldblum became a star in the 1980s after The Big Chill, Into the Night, and The Fly the character actor got a co-starring role on a short-lived off-beat detective comedy from Stephen J. Cannell ("The Rockford Files") called "Tenspeed & Brownshoe" (1980) with Ben Vereen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acU1qeL5u5c

[Holden Pike]

Michael Keaton starred in two sitcoms before Night Shift and Mr. Mom launched him as a movie star. The first was "Working Stiffs" (1979) where he co-starred with Jim Belushi as a pair of scheming janitor brothers with bigger plans. Allan Arbus (the sympathetic shrink from "MASH") and Lorna Patterson (Airplane!, "Private Benjamin") were in support. It only aired four episodes before cancellation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LObZW6OC7o

Keaton's second sitcom as the star was "Report to Murphy" (1982), which aired only six episodes. Keaton played a parole officer and they were going for a "Barney Miller" type vibe. Donnelly Rhodes (Dutch on "Soap") and Olivia Cole ("Roots") lead the supporting cast.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oH-l64nFInI

[Captain Steel]

The list of celebrities who were awarded a lead role in any kind of TV show would be nearly endless (just about every TV series that existed starred somebody) - and one might argue that landing a leading role or having a show's very existence built around an actor would pretty much make them a celebrity, but this thread is dedicated to shows that were specifically named for the celebrity themselves (whether they appeared as themselves on the show, hosted it or played a differently named character within a show that carried their "real" acting name as or within the title.)

[Captain Terror]

Flatt and Scruggs hosted a TV show in the 50s (sponsored by Martha White Flour) and a surprising number of episodes have survived.


https://youtu.be/MNI2S1KkN-c

[Captain Steel]

The previously mentioned George Gobel Show is a perfect example of the irony featured in this thread.

It just seemed like in the 50's & 60's they'd give almost anybody their own show and there were so many of these variety shows hosted by a celebrity that the public virtually lost track of them all (another irony is that a genre that was so dominant is now almost non-existent on American television). So was George Gobel "just anybody"?

Well, he was foremost a humorist & comedian, an actor and dabbled in singing & music.

How many people here today have even HEARD of George Gobel? I only know of him for having appeared on the Hollywood Squares when I was a kid, but outside of that I have no memory of seeing him on TV or in any movies (although he appeared in both, mostly before my time).

He was never a superstar but known mostly during his heyday for the very variety show that bore his name.

[Captain Terror]

My grandmother was a regular watcher of this one, despite having little to no interest in country music.

92883

[Captain Steel]

My grandmother was a regular watcher of this one, despite having little to no interest in country music.

92883

Yeah! I had a crush on Irlene - the youngest sister! :)

[WHITBISSELL!]

I second that Ten Speed and Brown Shoe entry. I didn't know this could include non variety shows so I'll go with Grand Slam with Paul Rodriguez and John (Dukes of Hazzard) Schneider. They played bounty hunters working for competing bail bondsmen who end up teaming up. I watched it for the novelty factor. It didn't last very long and ran for 8 episodes in early 1990.

https://www.tvinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/grand-slam-1990-cbs.jpg

EDIT: Woops again

... but this thread is dedicated to shows that were specifically named for the celebrity themselves (whether they appeared as themselves on the show, hosted it or played a differently named character within a show that carried their "real" acting name as or within the title.)

[beelzebubble]

The previously mentioned George Gobel Show is a perfect example of the irony featured in this thread.

It just seemed like in the 50's & 60's they'd give almost anybody their own show and there were so many of these variety shows hosted by a celebrity that the public virtually lost track of them all (another irony is that a genre that was so dominant is now almost non-existent on American television). So was George Gobel "just anybody"?

Well, he was foremost a humorist & comedian, an actor and dabbled in singing & music.

How many people here today have even HEARD of George Gobel? I only know of him for having appeared on the Hollywood Squares when I was a kid, but outside of that I have no memory of seeing him on TV or in any movies (although he appeared in both, mostly before my time).

He was never a superstar but known mostly during his heyday for the very variety show that bore his name.
I know who George Gobel was. I found him funny. He was on every other talk show when I was a kid in the sixties.

[Captain Steel]

EDIT: Woops again

Exactly. If we mentioned every TV show that featured an actor, then we'd basically be listing almost every show that ever existed (except maybe for some anthology series, documentaries, news programs or cartoons where the voices used were unknown).

[WHITBISSELL!]

Eh, I was going mostly by the thread title. They had their own show? Really? Bizarre combinations. Like a Japanese singing duo and a little known standup comic. Ben Vereen and Jeff Goldblum? Paul Rodriguez and John Schneider? But I see your point. And to get back on topic how about The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show? It was on in '74 I think.

https://travsd.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/4553535572_81c4809de7_z.jpg

[Citizen Rules]

Eh, I was going mostly by the thread title. They had their own show? Really? Bizarre combinations. Like a Japanese singing duo and a little known standup comic. Ben Vereen and Jeff Goldblum? Paul Rodriguez and John Schneider? But I see your point. And to get back on topic how about The Hudson Brothers Razzle Dazzle Show? It was on in '74 I think.

https://travsd.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/4553535572_81c4809de7_z.jpgI use to watch that when I was a kid...didn't really like it though...the Sonny & Cher tv show was much better.

[ScannerDarkly]

Probably Mentioned but Chevy Chase hosted a late night talk show. I didn't see it live just clips here and there, and it was weird.

[Citizen Rules]

Probably Mentioned but Chevy Chase hosted a late night talk show. I didn't see it live just clips here and there, and it was weird.I seen it and it was one of the most painful things I've ever seen. I liked Chevy on SNL but on his opening night on his late night show he was so nervous that you could just hear the crickets as he bombed one joke attempt after the other. I felt bad for him.

[GulfportDoc]

Flatt and Scruggs hosted a TV show in the 50s (sponsored by Martha White Flour) and a surprising number of episodes have survived.
Great stuff, CT!! I was able to see them first hand at a small bluegrass club in Cincinnati called the Ken-Mil in the early '60s. The guys were flawless.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I seen it and it was one of the most painful things I've ever seen. I liked Chevy on SNL but on his opening night on his late night show he was so nervous that you could just hear the crickets as he bombed one joke attempt after the other. I felt bad for him.That was 30 years ago. I remember it too. That whole debacle went viral before viral was even a thing.

[GulfportDoc]

The previously mentioned George Gobel Show is a perfect example of the irony featured in this thread.

It just seemed like in the 50's & 60's they'd give almost anybody their own show and there were so many of these variety shows hosted by a celebrity that the public virtually lost track of them all (another irony is that a genre that was so dominant is now almost non-existent on American television). So was George Gobel "just anybody"?

Well, he was foremost a humorist & comedian, an actor and dabbled in singing & music.

How many people here today have even HEARD of George Gobel? I only know of him for having appeared on the Hollywood Squares when I was a kid, but outside of that I have no memory of seeing him on TV or in any movies (although he appeared in both, mostly before my time).

He was never a superstar but known mostly during his heyday for the very variety show that bore his name.
You're right. Lots of stars got their own shows because of name recognition. Some worked, some didn't. Gobel had been a well known entertainer after WWII, when he switched to comedy. When he got his show in the 1950s he was the right guy with the right delivery at the right time.

He was a riot, with his low key, ironic, and self effacing humor-- the complete opposite of slapstick. His show was all the rage for several years. But most shows came and went, with the exception of some of the shows I mentioned above.

[Captain Steel]

Anyone remember this?

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/84ad3ae5-9de4-4899-9e81-e2687cb525b3_1.07835e18c999e892e9124efaf234eca1.jpeg?odnHeight=612&odnWidth=612&odnBg=FFFFFF

[Citizen Rules]

I remember Lola Falana seen her recently too on the old Fantasy Island...but didn't know she had a show. Now this brings to mind Joey Heatherton, did she ever have her own show? Seems like she would.

[Captain Steel]

I remember Lola Falana seen her recently too on the old Fantasy Island...but didn't know she had a show. Now this brings to mind Joey Heatherton, did she ever have her own show? Seems like she would.

Wikipedia says she had a "series of specials", but IMDB says she had a TV show just called "Lola!" which was a variety series that lasted only 4 episodes. But I specifically remember "The Lola Falana Show" (as depicted in the photo I posted).

According to IMDB, Joey Heatherton had a TV series called "Joey and Dad" (which coincidentally also ran for 4 episodes)...
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072524/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_11_slf

[Citizen Rules]

...According to IMDB, Joey Heatherton had a TV series called "Joey and Dad" (which coincidentally also ran for 4 episodes)...
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072524/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_11_slfI'd watch that if I could find it.

Don't think this one has been mentioned:


https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcanvas-bridge02.tubitv.com%2FOlaCGBX8apb_TssD1-Y3KzU8DaE%3D%2F400x574%2Fsmart%2Fimg.adrise.tv%2Fbd7cf5c3-1c6d-401b-b03c-f8b5a66e02e2.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=d810e5cc7f3399309242af7adad9a73736362533e7e1327b53d9147528da20a0&ipo=images
The Joey Bishop Show (TV Series 1961-1965) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054552/)

[Citizen Rules]

Just ran into another celebrity who had their own show:

The Gale Storm Show (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gale_Storm_Show) (1956-1960)
'Gale Storm stars in this American sitcom about Susanna Pomery, a cruise director for an ocean liner that travels the world.'
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2F00%2Fs%2FMTYwMFgxMTUw%2Fz%2FjXMAAOxyOeBRzzPP%2F%24T2eC16J%2C!yUE9s6N EGmuBRzzPOhN-Q~~60_35.JPG&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=1b16635b8462cf8e25a0011e4c2d23503d0994d4f1d072e0c5f2ed214d622fd5&ipo=images

[GulfportDoc]

...
Don't think this one has been mentioned:


https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcanvas-bridge02.tubitv.com%2FOlaCGBX8apb_TssD1-Y3KzU8DaE%3D%2F400x574%2Fsmart%2Fimg.adrise.tv%2Fbd7cf5c3-1c6d-401b-b03c-f8b5a66e02e2.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=d810e5cc7f3399309242af7adad9a73736362533e7e1327b53d9147528da20a0&ipo=images
The Joey Bishop Show (TV Series 1961-1965) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054552/)

CR, I'll tell you funny story about The Joey Bishop Show (the later talk show version which aired only 2-1/2 years-- '67-'69).

Joey had a week off, and Shelley Winters was hired to fill in for him. She was allowed to pick the guests, so she hired the Mothers of Invention (Frank Zappa) for one of her segments. I was in the band at that time, and I'm guessing it was during late 1968. Shelley was a big fan of our group.

But when management found out about it, they wanted to cancel us due to our counterculture and risque reputation. Shelley said that if they didn't keep us in the show that she would walk off the program. They kept us in, and our performance was a lot of fun.

She had a beautiful home in Malibu at the time, and invited us out for a party that night. I evidently had something else going on because I didn't go out to her place. For the life of me I can't recall what it was because I blew a golden opportunity to get to kow-tow with that fascinating lady.

[crumbsroom]

The Tempest Bledsoe Show

[Citizen Rules]

CR, I'll tell you funny story about The Joey Bishop Show (the later talk show version which aired only 2-1/2 years-- '67-'69).

Joey had a week off, and Shelley Winters was hired to fill in for him. She was allowed to pick the guests, so she hired the Mothers of Invention (Frank Zappa) for one of her segments. I was in the band at that time, and I'm guessing it was during late 1968. Shelley was a big fan of our group.

But when management found out about it, they wanted to cancel us due to our counterculture and risque reputation. Shelley said that if they didn't keep us in the show that she would walk off the program. They kept us in, and our performance was a lot of fun.

She had a beautiful home in Malibu at the time, and invited us out for a party that night. I evidently had something else going on because I didn't go out to her place. For the life of me I can't recall what it was because I blew a golden opportunity to get to kow-tow with that fascinating lady.Very cool Doc! Love that story, you must have a lot of great memories from back in the day. I'm a big fan of Shelley Winters myself...she seemed like a gusty, take no crap lady, so I'm not surprised she went to the ropes for you guys and kept your band on the show. Have you ever looked for that episode? Seems like that would be a fun trip down memory lane.

BTW did you ever meet Howard Kaylan? He seemed like a pretty neat guy from the DVD extras on the movie he wrote My Dinner With Jimi? If you haven't seen that I recommend it, I bet you could definitely relate to that movie as you lived it.

[Captain Steel]

I found some very obscure ones not too long ago, but instead of posting them here I've forgotten what they were!

It's just surprising how many people (some of which weren't even well known in their OWN time) had their own TV shows.

P.S. There was a network (maybe "Antenna" TV - that was showing the Joey Bishop show a while back - maybe late at night - I caught a couple episodes.)

[Citizen Rules]

I plan on watching Gale Storm's show if I can find it. It sounded like an early version of The Love Boat.

[Captain Steel]

I plan on watching Gale Storm's show if I can find it. It sounded like an early version of The Love Boat.

It's very fitting then, that Gale Storm appeared in 2 episodes of The Love Boat!

[Citizen Rules]

It's very fitting then, that Gale Storm appeared in 2 episodes of The Love Boat!Yup!...and Marie Osmond was on 1 episode of The Love Boat...a special episode filmed on location in Greece. Ironically Greece was were Fred Grandy was burnt in the face and hands from a hydrogen filled balloon that someone brought into a car that he was in.

[Captain Steel]

Yup!...and Marie Osmond was on 1 episode of The Love Boat...a special episode filmed on location in Greece. Ironically Greece was were Fred Grandy was burnt in the face and hands from a hydrogen filled balloon that someone brought into a car that he was in.

Geez. I never heard that story. Sounds terrible.
Never heard of anyone burned by a balloon (except for the Hindenburg or if they were doing Whip-Its or something)!

(Years ago you could buy nitrous-oxide cartridges - as used in whip cream cans - thus they were called "Whip-Its" - and a special kind of "shooter" that punctured the cartridge. You'd put a balloon on the end of the shooter and fill it with the gas and then breath in & out of the balloon for a laughing gas high-time ride. BUT if your balloon accidentally slipped off the shooter after you punctured the cartridge, you could get sprayed with the gas which shot out so cold that it could instantly freeze (burn) your skin.)

[Citizen Rules]

(Years ago you could buy nitrous-oxide cartridges - as used in whip cream cans - thus they were called "Whip-Its" - and a special kind of "shooter" that punctured the cartridge. You'd put a balloon on the end of the shooter and fill it with the gas and then breath in & out of the balloon for a laughing gas high-time ride. BUT if your balloon accidentally slipped off the shooter after you punctured the cartridge, you could get sprayed with the gas which shot out so cold that it could instantly freeze (burn) your skin.)Wow, I never heard of whip-its or nitrous oxide cartridges, I guess I missed out on the frost bite fun. I would have loved that as a kid too.

Geez. I never heard that story. Sounds terrible.
Never heard of anyone burned by a balloon (except for the Hindenburg or if they were doing Whip-Its or something)!

Correction it was in Turkey that Fred Grandy was burnt...it was a two part special with the first part in Greece. I found this which quotes from the cast about the accident:

But in 1982, a scary accident occurred in a Turkish taxi: A cigarette ignited some balloons that were inexplicably filled with hydrogen, injuring Tewes, Grandy, and several others; Grandy suffered severe burns on his hands and face. Grandy It shot flames six feet in the air. The reaction by people outside was we’d been hit by terrorists.

Tewes We had giant pizza bubbles on our hands. I kept saying, ”We need ice, we need ice!” and somebody said, ”Booze?” ”No, we don’t need booze, we need ice!” Well, the word for ice in Turkish is buz. I found that out just a few years ago.

Grandy They get me to the ship. [The doctor] says, ”I have a confession. I am not a physician.” He was a first-year medical student who’d essentially conned his way on to the ship to meet girls. He didn’t even know how to put in an IV. Fortunately [a crew member] was a junkie, so I got the medication I needed.

*Well that's even a wilder story than the one I had heard, yikes!

[Captain Steel]

Correction it was in Turkey that Fred Grandy was burnt...it was a two part special with the first part in Greece. I found this which quotes from the cast about the accident:

But in 1982, a scary accident occurred in a Turkish taxi: A cigarette ignited some balloons that were inexplicably filled with hydrogen, injuring Tewes, Grandy, and several others; Grandy suffered severe burns on his hands and face. Grandy It shot flames six feet in the air. The reaction by people outside was we’d been hit by terrorists.

Tewes We had giant pizza bubbles on our hands. I kept saying, ”We need ice, we need ice!” and somebody said, ”Booze?” ”No, we don’t need booze, we need ice!” Well, the word for ice in Turkish is buz. I found that out just a few years ago.

Grandy They get me to the ship. [The doctor] says, ”I have a confession. I am not a physician.” He was a first-year medical student who’d essentially conned his way on to the ship to meet girls. He didn’t even know how to put in an IV. Fortunately [a crew member] was a junkie, so I got the medication I needed.

*Well that's even a wilder story than the one I had heard, yikes!

"Inexplicable" sounds right - never heard of balloons filled with hydrogen! (Only helium to make them float or air.)

The doctor story sounds like life imitating art (i.e. Dr. Bricker as played by Bernie Kopell).
I could see him saying, "Well, Gopher, I can't help you with your burns, but I can help fix you up with two bikini-clad blondes I just met on the Lido deck - they look just like the Landers sisters!"

[GulfportDoc]

Very cool Doc! Love that story, you must have a lot of great memories from back in the day. I'm a big fan of Shelley Winters myself...she seemed like a gusty, take no crap lady, so I'm not surprised she went to the ropes for you guys and kept your band on the show. Have you ever looked for that episode? Seems like that would be a fun trip down memory lane.

BTW did you ever meet Howard Kaylan? He seemed like a pretty neat guy from the DVD extras on the movie he wrote My Dinner With Jimi? If you haven't seen that I recommend it, I bet you could definitely relate to that movie as you lived it.
Yeah, Shelley Winters was a helluva package-- actually quite va-va-voom in the '40s, although as you know she played quite a few whiny roles. She had a lot of acting chops though. I haven't looked for the episode, but I did look up the date. It was on September 9, 1968 (the day before my 24th birthday..:)).

I don't recall ever meeting Howard Kaylan or Mark Volman. As you know they had been The Turtles. They were in the next iteration of MOI after mine. Frank broke us up in late '69. And he didn't form another band until later in '70. They were both good singer/songwriters.

I haven't seen My Dinner with Jimi, although it sounds like fun. I knew Hendrix. We played several festivals together. As a matter of fact I met my second wife at Jimi's pad in London in October, '68. She had been nanny for Rose and Graham Nash's kid.

Jimi was a great guitarist but had lots of problems. The last time I saw him was at a rock club in Hollywood on the East Sunset Strip called The Experience (named after Hendrix's band). I was sitting with him at a table with a couple of other guys, but Jimi was totally fried on drugs. He had no idea where he was or what day it was. It wasn't too long afterward that he died.

[Citizen Rules]

Yeah, Shelley Winters was a helluva package-- actually quite va-va-voom in the '40s, although as you know she played quite a few whiny roles. She had a lot of acting chops though. I haven't looked for the episode, but I did look up the date. It was on September 9, 1968 (the day before my 24th birthday..:)).

I don't recall ever meeting Howard Kaylan or Mark Volman. As you know they had been The Turtles. They were in the next iteration of MOI after mine. Frank broke us up in late '69. And he didn't form another band until later in '70. They were both good singer/songwriters.

I haven't seen My Dinner with Jimi, although it sounds like fun. I knew Hendrix. We played several festivals together. As a matter of fact I met my second wife at Jimi's pad in London in October, '68. She had been nanny for Rose and Graham Nash's kid.

Jimi was a great guitarist but had lots of problems. The last time I saw him was at a rock club in Hollywood on the East Sunset Strip called The Experience (named after Hendrix's band). I was sitting with him at a table with a couple of other guys, but Jimi was totally fried on drugs. He had no idea where he was or what day it was. It wasn't too long afterward that he died.Jimi Hendrix was huge on our local Seattle album rock radio station back when I was listening (late 70s, 80s and beyond). I don't really know much about him, except of course really liking his music. I remember a couple times listening to the radio and his father Al Hendrix stopped by the station to reminiscent about his son. You could tell he really missed him and I got the feeling that Jimi was basically a shy person. It's too bad about the drugs, he went before his time.

Speaking of Graham Nash, in the movie My Dinner With Jimi which is based on Kaylan and The Turtles experience when they went to London...according to Kaylan,
"It's an absolutely true story," Kaylan said. "It was our first trip to London, and we met Graham Nash, Donovan, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles—who played us Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band before it was released—all on the same night! I wound up eating dinner with Hendrix at 4 a.m. and getting violently ill and puking all over his red velvet suit!"

I see Frank Zappa is listed as a role in the movie too. I swear:p I'm not trying to talk you into watching it (well maybe a little!), but you of all people might get a kick out of it. (it is a tiny budget indie film, so if you watch it ever keep that in mind.) I once had it in my Top 10 movie profile.

BTW have you ever considered writing an autobiographical book about your time in the music business? With your background getting it published by a book publisher shouldn't be a problem...Probably a lot of work. Though I know celebrities and others have dictated or recorded their personal stories and then had a ghost writer put it down in ready to be published book form...with final control being up to the celebrity. Just a thought.

[GulfportDoc]

Jimi Hendrix was huge on our local Seattle album rock radio station back when I was listening (late 70s, 80s and beyond). I don't really know much about him, except of course really liking his music. I remember a couple times listening to the radio and his father Al Hendrix stopped by the station to reminiscent about his son. You could tell he really missed him and I got the feeling that Jimi was basically a shy person. It's too bad about the drugs, he went before his time.

Speaking of Graham Nash, in the movie My Dinner With Jimi which is based on Kaylan and The Turtles experience when they went to London...according to Kaylan,
"It's an absolutely true story," Kaylan said. "It was our first trip to London, and we met Graham Nash, Donovan, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles—who played us Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band before it was released—all on the same night! I wound up eating dinner with Hendrix at 4 a.m. and getting violently ill and puking all over his red velvet suit!"

I see Frank Zappa is listed as a role in the movie too. I swear:p I'm not trying to talk you into watching it (well maybe a little!), but you of all people might get a kick out of it. (it is a tiny budget indie film, so if you watch it ever keep that in mind.) I once had it in my Top 10 movie profile.

BTW have you ever considered writing an autobiographical book about your time in the music business? With your background getting it published by a book publisher shouldn't be a problem...Probably a lot of work. Though I know celebrities and others have dictated or recorded their personal stories and then had a ghost writer put it down in ready to be published book form...with final control being up to the celebrity. Just a thought.
That's interesting about Hendrix's dad. Must have broken his heart when Jimi OD'd. He was a great guitarist, although some of his gimmicks, like "eating" the guitar, he got from Bo Diddley.

Kaylan & Volman must have only been 20 years old when they made their first trip to London where they met some of the celebrities like Graham Nash, if "Sgt. Peppers" hadn't been released yet. They're about 3 years younger than I.

Funny story about Nash. With MOI/Zappa we did a big concert in October, '68 at Royal Festival Hall in London. It premiered "200 Motels" which later became a Zappa movie. Anyway it was a big event, and lots of luminaries were there like the Stones, Princess Margaret, Graham Nash, and others.

After the show I walked off the stage and Nash introduced himself to me. He said he'd been working on some new "far out" music, and invited me over to his flat to listen to it. When he played it, it sounded a lot like the Hollies, of which he'd been a member. It wasn't my kind of music (I was too far out), but I did comment that it was in the Hollies vein. Anyway it turned out that the stuff was early music for Crosby, Stills & Nash. What the hell did I know??..:)

I've been encouraged to write a book by several musician friends of mine over the years. I don't think I've got a whole book in me. I'm not famous, although I've played with lots of famous people. Plus my era is so long ago that nobody under 55 is likely to be familiar with that stuff. Even if I were able to do something book length it would have to sell 4000-5000 copies just to see enough profit to make it worth all the long and painstaking work.

I did write a pretty good article comparing/contrasting Frank Zappa with Captain Beefheart (Don Vliet), entitled Zappa vs. Beefheart: What Were They Really Like? I shopped it around to the rock magazines. Several liked it, although it was way too long (4500 words). I cut it down to 3500 words, which was still too long. The Rolling Stone editor was very complimentary, but said they only use articles by in house writers.

In the end I gave it to both the Beefheart and Zappa websites. If you're interested, here's a link: http://www.beefheart.com/zappa-vs-beefheart-what-were-they-really-like-by-art-tripp/ A cup of coffee will help you through it...:D

[beelzebubble]

Captain how about this did you ever see it? I might have
The Captain and Tennille (TV Series 1976-1977) (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073970/)


Oh yeah! I loved the Captain and Tennile as a young teen. My dad hated my taste in what he called bubblegum music. :D

[Citizen Rules]

Oh yeah! I loved the Captain and Tennile as a young teen. My dad hated my taste in what he called bubblegum music. :DCan't say I loved their music but I liked the show OK. Seeing how I relate everything to the original The Love Boat, I'll add that I see Toni Tennile as a guest star trice on that show..or wait was that on Fantasy Island? I watched both series recently.

[beelzebubble]

The previously mentioned George Gobel Show is a perfect example of the irony featured in this thread.

It just seemed like in the 50's & 60's they'd give almost anybody their own show and there were so many of these variety shows hosted by a celebrity that the public virtually lost track of them all (another irony is that a genre that was so dominant is now almost non-existent on American television). So was George Gobel "just anybody"?

Well, he was foremost a humorist & comedian, an actor and dabbled in singing & music.

How many people here today have even HEARD of George Gobel? I only know of him for having appeared on the Hollywood Squares when I was a kid, but outside of that I have no memory of seeing him on TV or in any movies (although he appeared in both, mostly before my time).

He was never a superstar but known mostly during his heyday for the very variety show that bore his name.
I remember seeing him on talk shows a lot.

[Citizen Rules]

...Funny story about Nash. With MOI/Zappa we did a big concert in October, '68 at Royal Festival Hall in London. It premiered "200 Motels" which later became a Zappa movie. Anyway it was a big event, and lots of luminaries were there like the Stones, Princess Margaret, Graham Nash, and others.

After the show I walked off the stage and Nash introduced himself to me. He said he'd been working on some new "far out" music, and invited me over to his flat to listen to it. When he played it, it sounded a lot like the Hollies, of which he'd been a member. It wasn't my kind of music (I was too far out), but I did comment that it was in the Hollies vein. Anyway it turned out that the stuff was early music for Crosby, Stills & Nash. What the hell did I know??....Love that story! All I can say is wow! Thanks for sharing and thanks for the link I'll take a look.

[beelzebubble]

I've been encouraged to write a book by several musician friends of mine over the years. I don't think I've got a whole book in me. I'm not famous, although I've played with lots of famous people. Plus my era is so long ago that nobody under 55 is likely to be familiar with that stuff. Even if I were able to do something book length it would have to sell 4000-5000 copies just to see enough profit to make it worth all the long and painstaking work.


Oh don't let that the age of your audience dissuade you. Lots of kids are interested in their parents and grandparents music.

[Captain Steel]

Oh don't let that the age of your audience dissuade you. Lots of kids are interested in their parents and grandparents music.

I don't blame them - there hasn't been much good music (in the popular / recording realm) for a few decades! :cool:

[Gideon58]

Does anyone remember a short-lived variety series starring Jimmy Durante and the Lennon Sisters? I think it was a summer replacement for The Hollywood Palace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqJwbMFr0Qg

[GulfportDoc]

Oh don't let that the age of your audience dissuade you. Lots of kids are interested in their parents and grandparents music.
You make a good point. I love a lot of music from the '40s and even the '30s, even though that was my parent's generation. And my daughter loves '60s rock 'n roll even though she wasn't born until 1968. And the "American Songbook" is full of thousands of wonderful songs. People really sang then. Now they chant...:rolleyes:

And the point certainly applies to my love of early noir films, and even '30s films and before that into the silents.

[matt72582]

The Mort Sahl Show
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6030610/


And then the one that's available only at USC. Almost went to LA from SF but met a girl and she changed my plans.


Mort Sahl (KTTV, Los Angeles, 5/20/1966)
Mort Sahl (KTTV, Los Angeles, 6/17/1966)


The only one that is on YouTube is his show on The Monitor Channel. Unfortunately, it went out of business after the 5th episode, which is mentioned in the episode, as well as my town.


https://youtu.be/JnHUStTmm3A

[GulfportDoc]

Does anyone remember a short-lived variety series starring Jimmy Durante and the Lennon Sisters? I think it was a summer replacement for The Hollywood Palace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqJwbMFr0Qg
I looked it up, and the show was called, "Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters", airing for a single season 1969-70 on ABC.

I wasn't watching any TV in those years, but I do vividly remember "The Jimmy Durante Show", airing on NBC from 1954-56. He always opened with "Inka Dinka Doo", and his closing line was always "Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are." It was on that show that the great Carmen Miranda had her last appearance in August of '55. During a dance comedy scene Miranda went down to one knee (which was a pre heart attack), but finished the bit. She went back to her hotel where she died later that night of a coronary.

Years ago I though Durante was an insufferable cornball. And I resented how he treated Buster Keaton on Durante's show. But later I realized what a great entertainer and personality he was. When he's in a scene it's hard to take one's eyes off of him, and his sincerity always comes across.

Here's one of my favorite scenes of his-- from The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942):
https://youtu.be/3dWAN4D3WEE

[Citizen Rules]

Find another one accidentally...The Tab Hunter Show (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053542/?ref_=nm_flmg_t_56_act)

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.XBJnbNbQP4A1frdkf3A-rAAAAA%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=429d89e91e0fce36bf3563a7aa62fbb1ca4b852685032ce2880f6098d8cf2bd8&ipo=images
https://c8.alamy.com/comp/HD5FYC/the-tab-hunter-show-joan-staley-mary-mcclure-lynn-presscott-tab-hunter-HD5FYC.jpg
I never seen it, never even heard of it.