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4 Famous TV Co-workers (who struggled to get along)

Every work environment has its personality conflicts "“ that one co-worker that gets on your last nerve. Sure, you can do your best to avoid that person. But what happens if it's someone you absolutely have to "make nice with" in front of millions of TV viewers and your career depends on it? The following are 4 great examples of just that. 1. The Shlemiel and Shlimazel between Laverne and Shirley Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams originally appeared as the characters Laverne... READ ON

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4 More things to know about Jack Webb (Part Deux in a series)

After the color reincarnation of Dragnet had exhausted its run, TV genius Jack Webb decided there were plenty of stories to be mined from the day-to-day exploits of the average cop on patrol duty. Thus was the genesis for Adam-12, which premiered in 1968 and ran for seven seasons. (ed. note: if you haven't checked out Kara's terrific post on Jack Webb and Dragnet, be sure to read it here) 1. How Adam-12 got the name The title of the show was inspired by the official LAPD designation for a two-man patrol... READ ON

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Thank God It's Friday: 7 Reasons to Love Dragnet

Many of today's crime dramas owe a debt to Dragnet and its creator, Jack Webb. This week, let's take a closer look at the man, the legend. 1. It started with a documentary (sort of) John Rudolph "Jack" Webb became fascinated by the intricate, behind-the-scenes details of police investigations while working on the 1948 film-noir He Walked by Night. The movie was based on a real-life murder case, and Webb was cast as a crime lab technician. The quasi-documentary style of the film gave him an idea... READ ON

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5 Vintage TV Commercials Worth a Second Look

Many of today's TV shows omit an opening theme altogether and then use a credit squeeze over the ending credits just so they can cram in more commercials. (I hate that, by the way.) But quantity doesn't always mean quality. Whatever happened to creative commercials that used catchy, original music that got stuck in your head for days on end? Maybe you remember some of these: 1. You Deserve a Break Today Do you remember when McDonald's had teams of enthusiastic 30-year-old men scrubbing... READ ON
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Why Carlton has two moms: 5 TV Switches we weren't supposed to notice

Having more than one actor portray the same character happens more often than you'd think on many popular TV series. The reason behind the switcheroo is not always explained to the viewing public, which means of course that we automatically assume the actor asked for a raise. But that's not always the case. 1. Yo, Janet, smell ya later! Janet Hubert-Whitten portrayed Will Smith's Aunt Vivian on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air from 1990 until 1993. Her real-life pregnancy wasn't an... READ ON

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Come On Down!: 4 Great Moments in The Price is Right

When I was growing up, part of the fun of Christmas vacation was being able to lounge around in my PJs and watch daytime game shows on TV. Dad was home, too, which meant he had supreme and ultimate TV control. And one game show he never missed during his days off was The Price is Right. He claimed it was an educational show, with mathematical games that demonstrated the laws of averages and percentages. I think Mom saw through his façade when she snorted: "Hmph, he's just checking out the... READ ON

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The Real Story Behind A Charlie Brown Christmas (and why it almost wasn't shown)

In my mind, the Christmas season doesn't officially start until CBS shows A Charlie Brown Christmas. Who out there doesn't picture Snoopy dancing joyfully with his nose in the air whenever they hear the familiar strains of that jazzy piano music? Interestingly enough, this Christmas staple - the longest-running holiday special on TV - started out as an afterthought. The Original Dog-umentary Back in 1963, TV producer Lee Mendelson had the idea to make a documentary film about cartoonist... READ ON

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7 (More) Rockers and their Gratuitous TV Appearances

After my post on pop groups who appeared on TV shows - your comments reminded me (or taught me) about a few more examples. Okay, you twisted my arm... here are a few more memorable TV musical moments. 1. The Doobie Brothers figure out What's Happening!! Here's a plot line that doesn't stretch the imagination much: the Doobie Brothers, one of the hottest bands of the mid-1970s, show up at their old high school to play a concert on an episode of What's Happening!! (When's the... READ ON

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7 Pop Groups and their Ridiculous TV Guest Spots

Musicians have always needed some sort of platform from which to promote themselves, and before music videos became commonplace, the logical avenue was prime time television. Even if the premise was painfully clichéd (the Mosquitoes on Gilligan's Island, anyone?), it was a mutually beneficial arrangement; the episode was guaranteed to attract hordes of teen viewers, and the band garnered valuable exposure. Here are seven examples. 1. Chad & Jeremy Invade U.S. TV British duo Chad and Jeremy... READ ON

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5 Dumb Moments in TV Careers

I suppose that unless you hire Sylvia Browne as your manager, it's impossible to predict which TV shows are going to be hits when considering prospective scripts. But it's always fun to laugh at self-important celebrities after the fact, isn't it? Or do I just have a mean streak? 1. Jerry Van Dyke turns down Gilligan We've all read interviews with actors who lament about being typecast, and that list includes some of the folks who worked on Gilligan's Island. Interestingly... READ ON

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