Monday, October 23, 2006
Remembering 'Father Knows Best' TV Mom Jane Wyatt; 'Doris Day Show' DVD Delayed
We have lost one of the great TV moms of all-time. Jane Wyatt, the actress who for six years on Father Knows Best (starring Robert Young) was one of TV's favorite moms, has died. Wyatt died Friday in her sleep of natural causes at her Bel-Air home, according to publicist Meg McDonald. She experienced health problems since suffering a stroke at 85, but her mind was sharp until her death, her son Christopher Ward said. She was best known for her role on the family sitcom as Robert Young's TV wife, Margaret Anderson that brought the actress her lasting fame. She appeared in 207 half-hour episodes from 1954 to 1960 and won three Emmys as best actress in a dramatic series in the years 1958 to 1960. The show began as a radio sitcom in 1949; it moved to television in 1954. After its run ended, it continued in reruns on CBS and ABC for three years in primetime, a TV rarity. The show came to an end because Young, who had also played the father in the radio version, had enough. Wyatt remarked in 1965 that she was tired, too. Besides this show, she did mostly movies, but she did have some other TV works (mainly one-hour dramas) such as Star Trek, Love American Style, Here Come the Brides, Marcus Welby, Owen Marshall, Alias Smith & Jones, The Virginian, Medical Center, Quincy, St. Elsewhere, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Hotel, and even Happy Days. She will be deeply missed and here is hoping we see Father Knows Best on DVD soon. Ms. Wyatt lived a long life and was 96.
Related Links:
Internet Movie Database entry for Jane Wyatt
Father Knows Best Message Board
Father Knows Best Photo Gallery
And staying in the '50s/'60s decade, the fourth season DVD of The Doris Day Show has been delayed, MPI Home Video tells us. The set was scheduled for release on October 31, but no retailers I believe ever put it up for sale, so we asked MPI and they told us the set has been delayed until February 27, 2007. So, fans of this classic sitcom take note of this but rest assue we will get this season in the coming months. MPI is still on schedule for the Family Affair release in November.
We shall return if we have more news to share.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Thursday, December 18
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Payback and a Partial Shebang" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s feud with a rival store threatens his partnership with Ruben. Meanwhile, Mandy finds out Georgie’s been keeping secrets from her.
Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "Miami Beach and a Magical Family Christmas" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Georgie and Mandy struggle to balance work, family and the holidays when Audrey plans an unexpected Christmas vacation.
Ghosts - "It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol: Part One" (CBS, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Sam’s big Christmas Eve TV interview with Walter Storm (Larry Wilmore) takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, Trevor and Patience bond over their mutual disinterest in celebrating Christmas.
Ghosts - "It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol: Part Two" (CBS, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Sam gets a glimpse of what her life would be like if she could never see the ghosts.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 15)
Thursday, December 18
- Paul Shaffer (A Year at the Top) - Paul appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - THE LATE SHOW Presents: "Colbert's Canceled Christmas: The Last Noel", narrated by Nick on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Ariana Grande (Sam & Cat/Victorious) - Ariana appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Fran Drescher (Indebted/Happily Divorced/Living with Fran/The Nanny/Princesses) - Fran is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She also talks about Marty Supreme on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Star Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil talks about What's in the Box? on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
- Tisha Campbell (Act Your Age/Uncoupled/Outmatched/Dr. Ken/Rita Rocks/My Wife and Kids/Martin) - NBC's Today catches up with Tisha in the 10am hour.
- Jamie Lee Curtis (The Sticky/Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee tells Drew about her upcoming new movie Ella McCay on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Matthew Lawrence (Gimme a Break!/Drexell's Class/Walter & Emily/Brotherly Love/Boy Meets World) - Matthew appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:30am.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2 (DVD)
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
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