Wednesday, June 24, 2015
TV Land Rebrands and Gets New Logo; Remembering Dick Van Patten
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).
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.
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
Monday, January 25
The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Property" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Calvin discovers a member of the community plans to sell to greedy developers, he vows to find a buyer closer to home instead. However, the Butlers and Johnsons soon realize that the dilapidated property will require more work than they expected.
Bob Hearts Abishola - "Honest Yak Prices" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
With Abishola’s husband adamant that he’ll never agree to a divorce, Bob and Abishola grow disheartened that they will never be able to get married.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of January 25)
Monday, January 25
- Dax Shepard (Bless This Mess) - Watch Dax on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Jane Lynch (Angel from Hell) - Jane appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Kate Flannery (The Office) - Kate is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Nicole Byer (Loosely Exactly Nicole) - Nicole will be on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
- Yara Shahidi (grown-ish/black-ish) and Trevor Jackson (grown-ish) - Yara and Trevor talk about grown-ish on Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
- Dakota Johnson (Ben and Kate) - Dakota discusses growing up in the spotlight, how she's spent her quarantine and reveals the famous person's name she uses to get reservations on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Rob Lowe (The Grinder/Parks and Recreation - Rob talks about his hit show 9-1-1: Lone Star, and even shares some behind-the-scenes scoop on what it’s like working with his son who is a writer on the show on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
- Stanley Tucci (Central Park) - Stanley talks about Supernova on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
- Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Saved by the Bell/mixed-ish/Truth Be Told) and Tika Sumper (mixed-ish/The Game) - Mark-Paul and Tika talk about mixed-ish on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. Mark-Paul will also be on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Daveed Diggs (Central Park/black-ish) - Daveed talks about TNT's Snowpiercer on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie/Malibu Country) - Lily talks about Radium Girls on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
New on DVD/Blu-ray (September-January)
09/01 - It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Season 14
09/01 - What We Do in the Shadows - The Complete Second Season
09/01 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Third Season (Blu-ray)
09/15 - Mom - The Complete Seventh Season
09/15 - South Side - Season 1
09/22 - Brockmire - The Complete Second Season
09/22 - Brockmire - The Complete Third Season
09/22 - Brockmire - The Complete Fourth Season
09/22 - Man with a Plan - Season Three
09/29 - The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete Series (2020 Release)
10/13 - The Jetsons - The Complete Series (Diamond Collection)
10/13 - Our Cartoon President - Season Two
10/23 - Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - The Complete Collection
10/27 - The Flintstones - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/27 - Head of the Class - The Complete Second Season (WBShop.com)
11/10 - Letterkenny - Seasons 5 & 6
11/10 - The Office - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/10 - Schitt's Creek - The Complete Collection
11/17 - Carol's Second Act - The Complete Series
11/17 - Robbie - Season 1
11/24 - Corporate - Season 1
11/26 - Man with a Plan - Season Four
12/01 - The Neighborhood - Season Two
12/15 - Avenue 5 - The Complete First Season
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