Friday, May 30, 2008

Chris Mann Launches New Website and New Projects; Remembering Harvey Korman

Our good friend Chris Mann has launched a new website and once again is back in full gear with lots of new updates! Chris of course is best known to TV fans as the author of the 1998 TV tell-all book Come on Knock on Our Door, a wonderful Three's Company book. Chris then went on to do many TV interviews regarding the book and various Three's Company related interviews and projects such as E! True Hollywood Story: Three's Company and the NBC 2003 film Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of Three's Company. Chris served as a consulting producer in that movie. Since then Chris has done some great work in writing for TV Guide, emmy, and many other magazines & publications.
Now Chris has launched a website! It is a new retro-reality web zine located at www.Retroality.TV. The premiere "issue" includes exclusive and revealing interviews with the ever-ass-kicking Wonder Woman herself, Lynda Carter, as well as The Brady Bunch's "youngest one in curls," Susan Olsen.
The site also links to his recent health magazine interviews with Mario Lopez, Hulk Hogan, Leeza Gibbons, reality star/actor/fitness cover model Greg Plitt and his Bob Barker/Barker's Beauties Radar.com exposé.
And he attempts tongue-in-cheek humor in the feature "Ascot Hot," which salutes the "man scarf" as seen on TV adorning Mr. Howell, Mr. Furley, Scooby Doo's Freddy and Daphne, Bea Arthur, Ellen DeGeneres, Conrad Bain and, most recently, American Idol's rockin' (and oh-so-robbed) Michael Johns.
Chris says, "Wonder Woman, Maude, Michael Johns and Conrad Bain--on the same web site! Really, is there any reason to surf the web now? Methinks not."
The site will be fully functional by July, so please bookmark it and check back in coming weeks for more retroality fun!
The site also announces that Chris Mann has a John Ritter book in the works! It will be about the late actor's brilliant life and legacy with interviews with many of his family members and colleagues. The book sounds great and Chris will find a lot of success with it, I'm sure. I personally can't wait for it! In addition, Chris also has a Price is Right book in the works. Chris is certainly keeping busy and we wish him the best! We will keep you up to date on his various projects. Once again the website is www.Retroality.TV ... check it out, it is great (and interesting!) right now and will be even better when it fully launches in July!
And you can listen to Chris promote the website on WGN Radio AM720 in Chicago this Sunday night at 11:05pm CT (12:05am ET/9:05pm PT) or you can listen online if you're not in Chicago at www.wgnradio.com. He will be on Nick Digilio's show, produced by Andy Hermann. Both Nick and Andy are also friends of ours and Chris'. Andy is a big Three's Company fan.

Harvey Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to the sketch comedy The Carol Burnett Show from 1967-1978 and played a conniving politician to hilarious effect in the 1974 movie Blazing Saddles, died yesterday. Korman died at UCLA Medical Center after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said. He had undergone several major operations.
Before The Carol Burnett Show, Korman had guest appearances on various series such as Hennesey, The Danny Kaye Show, The Red Skelton Show, Surfside 6, Perry Mason, Dennis the Menace, Hazel, Gidget, The Lucy Show, The Jack Benny Show, F Troop, and The Munsters. In 1965 he landed the role as the voice of The Great Gazoo on the last season or two of The Flintstones. He appeared in the 1966 big screen movie The Man Called Flintstone as well, voicing various characters. Then in 1967 he signed on with CBS for The Carol Burnett Show. Korman's claim to fame was playing the perfect straight man to the outrageous slapstick comedy of the other actors in the cast, but mainly Burnett and fellow cast member Tim Conway. They, and the fourth member of the variety show's core ensemble, Vicki Lawrence, spoofed a number of iconic films and television series throughout the show's run. During the show, in 1976 Harvey appeared on the very first Love Boat movie in 1976. Guest stars included Florence Henderson, Tom Boslet, Don Adams, Hal Linden, Gabe Kaplan, Dick Van Patten and Cloris Leachman.
After Carol Burnett ended, he had his own show called The Harvey Korman Show in 1978 on ABC opposite Christine Lahti. It didn't last long. He joined his former Carol Burnett star Tim Conway on his show The Tim Conway Show in 1980. That show was also short-lived. In 1982 he played Ed in the CBS TV movie Eunice opposite Carol Burnett and Vicki Lawrence, both from Carol Burnett Show. Eunice was the film which led to the series Mama's Family in 1983. Vicki Lawrence starred in the series and Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman made a handful of guest appearances as Eunice and Ed. His other guest appearances include The Love Boat (4 times from 1982-85), The Golden Palace, Garfield & Friends, Burke's Law, Ellen, Suddenly Susan, ER, and Diagnosis Murder. In 1986 he returned to series television in the short-lived CBS comedy Leo & Liz in Beverly Hills. His big screen work includes Blazing Saddles, Huckleberry Finn, Americathon, Trail of the Pink Panther, Curse of the Pink Panther, The Flintstones, Jingle All the Way, and Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.
He will be deeply missed. Let's hope there is a Carol Burnett Show marathon somewhere on TV soon. We will let you know if there is one or any Korman tributes. Mr. Korman was 81.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Tuesday, February 4

St. Denis Medical - "People Just Say Stuff Online" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Ron's bedside manner earns him a complaint from a frustrated patient; Alex insists an unflattering online review was not about her; Bruce confronts his high-school bully.

Night Court - "Age Against the Machine" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Dan must defend his job after he gets a bad review on one of the city's new satisfaction kiosks; Abby and Gurgs receive some shocking information from Wyatt's daughter.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of February 3)

Tuesday, February 4

  • Lauren Graham (The Z-Suite/M.Y.O.B./Conrad Bloom/Townies/Good Company) - Catch Lauren on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Roy Wood Jr. (Sullivan & Son) - Roy appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Melissa Rauch (Night Court/The Big Bang Theory), Jessica St. Clair (Avenue 5/Playing House/Best Friends Forever/In the Motherhood) and Nico Santos (Superstore) - Melissa, Jessica and Nico are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Harry Hamlin (Movie Stars) - Harry stops by Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10:15pm on Bravo. He also talks about Mayfair Witches on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Kyle Richards (Down to Earth - Kyle appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 10:15pm on Bravo.
  • Harrison Ford (Shrinking) - E! News has an interview with Harrison at 11pm on E!. He also talks about “Captain America: Brave New World on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
  • Damon Wayans (Poppa's House/My Wife and Kids/Damon) - Damon talks about Poppa's House on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Sterling K. Brown (Starved) - Sterling is telling Drew all about playing a secret service agent in the thrilling new show Paradise on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings. They're also chatting about how he got his start acting in high school and working with “This is Us” creator Dan Fogelman to get real life secret service experience for their new series.
  • MC Lyte (Partners in Ryhme) - MC talks about her 1 of 1 Reflections of Lyte Tour on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series

10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series

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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

02/04 - NBC Summer Staples Return in Summer 2025; Gronk Guests on Animal Control
02/03 - The Conners Final Season Premieres March 26; Tyler Perry Gets 2nd Comedy Series for Netflix
02/02 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of February 3, 2025)
02/01 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Little House on the Prairie Reboot Headed to Netflix; George Sr. Set to Return on Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage
01/31 - Final Season of The Righteous Gemstones; Kenya Barris and Malcolm Gladwell's Audible Original
01/30 - Netflix's New Little House on the Prairie Series Coming Soon; Sabrina Brier Gets Awesomeness TV Series
01/29 - MGM+ Orders Comedy Series; Peacock's Amanda Seyfried Series Premieres March 13
01/28 - Ellen Pompeo's Hulu Series Gets Premiere Date; The White Lotus Season 3 Launches February 16
01/27 - Hulu's Deli Boys Adds Tan France; Joel McHale Taking Over The 1% Club
01/26 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 27, 2025)
01/25 - SitcomsOnline Digest: The Righteous Gemstones to End After Upcoming Season; Mid-Century Modern to Pay Tribute to Linda Lavin
01/24 - Prime Video George Lopez Special; Netflix Renews The Lincoln Lawyer for Season 4
01/23 - Tubi's New Comedy The Z-Suite Launches February 6; The White Lotus Renewed for Season 4
01/22 - Fox Announces Animation Domination 2025 Schedule; Abbott Elementary Renewed for Season 5
01/21 - Fox Renews Murder in a Small Town; O.J. Simpson Netflix Docuseries
01/20 - Rewind TV February 2025 Schedule; Shifting Gears and Abbott Elementary Score Big for Premieres
01/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 20, 2025)
01/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Frasier Reboot Canceled at Paramount+; Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Coming to MeTV Toons
01/17 - Remembering Bob Uecker of Mr. Belvedere, Punky Brewster Creator David W. Duclon, and Others We Recently Lost
01/16 - Apple TV+ Prime Target Trailer; Apple Cider Vinegar Premieres in February on Netflix
01/15 - My Three Sons to Join FETV Lineup Starting February 3; St. Denis Medical Renewed for Season 2
01/14 - Game Show Network Acquires The Wall; NBC's The Hunting Party to Premiere After NFL Divisional Playoff Game
01/13 - Antenna TV February 2025 Schedule; SNL First Two 2025 Episodes Before 50th Anniversary Event
01/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 13, 2025)
01/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Saturday Night Live Hosts Announced; The West Wing Returns to Max After Brief Disappearance
01/10 - The Jeffersons 50th Anniversary Marathon on Antenna TV; FETV to Air Uncut Episodes of Most Series
01/09 - Trailer for Apple TV+ Comedy Mythic Quest; Upcoming Season of Harlem Is Final Season
01/08 - Roy Wood Jr. Comedy Special on Hulu; The Late Show Gets Post AFC Championship Game Airing
01/07 - HGTV's Celebrity IOU New Season; Joey King and Cooper Koch to Announce 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations
01/06 - 82nd Golden Globe Winners; Shoresy Returns in February on Hulu
01/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 6, 2025)
01/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: HBO Cancels The Franchise; Alice Actress Linda Lavin Dies