Wednesday, June 24, 2015

TV Land Rebrands and Gets New Logo; Remembering Dick Van Patten

TV Land

TV Land is rebranding and recreating its look with a new logo and a complete overhaul of the network's brand identity to complement a slate of new, original programming. The rebrand debuted on the linear channel yesterday. The new look of the network reflects the three tenets of TV Land's reinvention: quality, cleverness, and truth. This new branding also strives to be more authentic, raw and emotive. With Darren Star's critically-acclaimed Younger – which just wrapped its first season with record growth numbers for the network – TV Land's brand reinvention began, moving towards original programming that is more serialized, takes more risks and reflects the life experiences of the Gen X viewer. That evolution continues with the network's new series premiering this summer – The Jim Gaffigan Show, starring comedian, actor and New York Times best-selling author Jim Gaffigan, and Impastor, a dark comedy starring Michael Rosenbaum (Smallville) and Sara Rue (Less Than Perfect) – and with season two of Younger, as well as the launch of Teachers from Chicago improv group The Katydids. TV Land also recently announced a script deal with Emmy®-winning producers John Wells and John Riggi for a single-camera period comedy project inspired by the life of Kyle Richards (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills).


Dick Van Patten

Actor Dick Van Patten, who was best known for his role as patriarch Tom Bradford in Eight Is Enough, has died. He died on June 23 at Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, California. The cause of death was listed as complications from diabetes. Mr. Van Patten was 86.

Van Patten's television career began with his role as Nels Hansen in the 1949-1956 CBS comedy-drama Mama. The series was about a Norwegian family of five living in San Francisco in the 1910s. It starred Peggy Wood, Judson Laure, Rosemary Rice, Iris Mann (1949), Robin Morgan (1950-1956) and Ruth Gates.

He starred as Sgt. Nelson Higgenbottom in the 1971-1972 NBC sitcom The Partners. The series was about a pair of bumbling detectives. It starred Don Adams, Rupert Crosse, John Doucette and Robert Karvelas. He later had a recurring role as a soap opera producer Max Mathias in the third season of The New Dick Van Dyke Show in 1973-1974. In 1975, he starred as Friar Tuck in the critically acclaimed but short-lived sitcom ABC sitcom When Things Were Rotten, which was created by Mel Brooks.

Eight Is Enough

Van Patten starred as the father, Tom Bradford, in the 1977-1981 ABC comedy-drama Eight Is Enough. The series was about a newspaper columnist for the fictional Sacramento Register and his family with eight children. It starred Diana Hyland (season 1), Betty Buckley (seasons 2-5), Grant Goodeve, Lani O'Grady, Laurie Walters, Susan Richardson, Dianne Kay, Connie Needham, Willie Aames and Adam Rich. Two reunion movies were broadcast on NBC: An Eight Is Enough Reunion on October 18, 1987, and An Eight Is Enough Wedding on October 22, 1989.

Some of his many sitcom guest appearances included I Dream of Jeannie, Arnie, That Girl, Sanford and Son, The Doris Day Show, Love, American Style, The Love Boat, Maude, What's Happening!!, One Day at a Time, Happy Days, The Facts of Life, Growing Pains, Arrested Development and Hot in Cleveland. He starred as weatherman Floyd Graham in the CBS drama WIOU in 1990-1991.

Van Patten's film credits included Charly, Joe Kidd, Snowball Express and Soylent Green. He appeared in several films directed by Mel Brooks, including High Anxiety, Spaceballs and Robin Hood: Men in Tights. He was interviewed for American Masters – Mel Brooks: Make A Noise (2013) on June 6, 2012.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him on May 11, 2011.

Survivors include his wife Pat Van Patten, whom he was married to for more than 60 years, and three sons: Vincent, Nels and Jimmy.

Mr. Van Patten was a talented and versatile actor. Tom Bradford was one of the best TV dads. We thank him for the many hours of entertainment he brought us. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Eight Is Enough message board. View photos in our galleries.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Monday, November 9

St. Denis Medical - "Is That a Dinosaur?" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron refuses to be babied on his first day back; Alex faces off with Val over some I.O.U.'s; Bruce deepens his relationship with Dr. Emerson.

The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins - "The Spaghetti Loop" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Tobin and Rusty both attempt to become financially independent of the Dinkins family, but Reggie has other ideas.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 9)

Monday, November 9

  • Andy Richter (Andy Barker, P.I./Quintuplets/Andy Richter Controls the Universe) - Watch Andy on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Pete Davidson (Bupkis) - Pete is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Watching Ellie/Seinfeld/Day by Day) - Julia appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Caroline Rhea (Sydney to the Max/Sabrina the Teenage Witch/Pride & Joy) - Caroline will be on Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Rachel Dratch (Grimsburg/Imaginary Mary/30 Rock), Sara Foster and Erin Foster (Producers of Nobody Wants This) - Andy Cohen interviews Rachel, Sara and Erin on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10pm on Bravo.
  • Danielle Fishel (Girl Meets World/Boy Meets World), Rider Strong (Girl Meets World/Boy Meets World/Julie) and Will Friedle (Boy Meets World) - Danielle, Rider and Will are guests on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Rose Byrne (Platonic/Physical) - Rose talks about The Good Daughter on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
  • Bobby Moynihan (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Mr. Mayor/Me, Myself & I) - NBC's Today catches up with Bobby in the 9am hour.
  • Julianne Moore (Sirens) - NBC's Today catches up with Julianne in the 10am hour.
  • Ali Wong (Big Mouth/American Housewife/Are You There, Chelsea?) and Stephanie Hsu (Laid) - Ali and Stephanie talk about Steps on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Niecy Nash-Betts (Reno 911!/Getting On/The Soul Man/Do Not Disturb) - Niecy tells Drew all about the upcoming season of All's Fair on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season Two (Blu-ray) Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fifth Season (DVD) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete Second Season (DVD) Superstore - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/29/26 - Happy's Place - Season Two (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/20/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fifth Season (DVD)
10/20/26 - The Brady Bunch - The Complete Original Series (2026 Release) (DVD)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - Shrinking - The Complete First and Second Seasons (DVD)
10/20/26 - South Park - The Complete Twenty-Seventh and Twenty-Eighth Seasons (DVD)
11/03/26 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete Second Season (DVD)
11/03/26 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Ninth Season (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/03/26 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Sixteenth Season (DVD)
11/03/26 - Superstore - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/24/26 - The Yogi Bear Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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