Thursday, August 20, 2015

ABC Family Orders 3rd Season of Young & Hungry; Remembering Bud Yorkin and Yvonne Craig

Young & Hungry

ABC Family announced that it has picked up a third season of the hit comedy series Young & Hungry. For its recent Spring 2015 finale, Young & Hungry set a series high in adults 18-49 (973,000) and delivered its #2 telecast of all time in adults 18-34 (685,000), and for the season, ranked as cable's No. 1 original series in its Wednesday-at-8 timeslot among adults 18-49, adults 18-34 and key female demos. Launch to date, Young & Hungry is ABC Family's #1 comedy in women 18-34 (471,000), viewers 12-34 (837,000) and females 12-34 (681,000). The series and cast have been nominated for five Teen Choice Awards since its premiere last summer. In May's mid-season finale, Gabi (Emily Osment) left Josh (Jonathan Sadowski) to start a dream job in Switzerland just as they were about to finally take their relationship to the next level. In tonight's season premiere, Gabi and Josh must decide where they go from here, both professionally and personally. The series returned last night with its mid-season premiere, as it wraps up the second half of its second season.

Last night, Gabi returned from her internship in Switzerland and is anxious to face Josh after how things were left between them. But Josh insists he's fine and encourages Gabi to take a job with his new neighbor. But when Josh thinks his neighbor might have a thing for Gabi, he takes to spying to learn the truth.


Bud Yorkin

Television producer, director, and writer Bud Yorkin has died. He died of natural causes on August 18 at his home in Bel Air, California. Mr. Yorkin was 89.

Yorkin's early golden age television work included musical variety shows and specials. He worked as a producer on The Tony Martin Show and The Ford Show (aka The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show). He directed The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Tony Martin Show, The George Goebel Show and The Ford Show.

In 1958, he founded Tandem Productions with television writer/producer Norman Lear. Yorkin directed and produced the 1958 TV special An Evening With Fred Astaire, which won nine Emmy Awards. He won his second Emmy Award with Ralph Levy for directing The Jack Benny Show in 1960.

Yorkin and Lear's string of sitcom hits in the 1970s included All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude and Good Times. Yorkin directed the second pilot episode of All in the Family (Those Were the Days in 1969), seven episodes of Sanford and Son from 1972-1975, and one episode of Maude in 1972. He worked as an executive producer on All in the Family and Sanford and Son.

After he ended his partnership with Lear in 1975, he formed Bud Yorkin Productions. He created the short-lived Sanford and Son spin-off series Grady. He worked as an executive producer on the spin-off Sanford Arms. In 1976, he formed TOY Productions with Saul Turteltaub and Bernie Orenstein. Their two hits were ABC's What's Happening!! from 1976-1979 and Carter Country from 1977-1979. Columbia Pictures Television acquired TOY Productions in 1979.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him on December 2, 1997.

Surviors include his second wife, actress Cynthia Sikes Yorkin; two children from his first marriage to Peg Yorkin, Nicole (a television writer and producer) and David; two children with Sikes, Michael and Jessica; two sisters, Ruth Drazen and Martha Berman; and four grandchildren.

Yvonne Craig

Actress Yvonne Craig, who was best known for her role as Batgirl in Batman, has died. She died at her home in Pacific Palisades, California on August 17 from metastatic breast cancer that had spread to her liver. Ms. Craig was 78.

Craig's early television drama guest appearances included Perry Mason, Bronco, Mr. Lucky, Checkmate, The Detectives, 77 Sunset Strip, Dr. Kildare, Wagon Train, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Man from U.N.C.L.E, Ben Casey, The Big Valley and The Wild Wild West. Some of her 1960s sitcom guest appearances included Hennesey, Peter Loves Mary, The Jim Backus Show, Margie, Ichabod and Me, The Gertrude Berg Show, I'm Dickens, He's Fenster, McHale's Navy and My Favorite Martian. She made five guest appearances in various roles as Dobie's (Dwayne Hickman) girlfriend in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis from 1959-1962.

Yvonne Craig - Batman

She starred as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl in the third and final season of Batman in 1967-1968. She was Commissioner Gordon's daughter who worked at the Gotham Library. As Batgirl she wore a purple and yellow outfit and rode a purple motorcycle with white lace. Burt Ward and Craig reunited as Robin and Batgirl for an 'Equal Pay' public service announcement in 1972.

Some of her later television drama guest appearances included It Takes a Thief, Mod Squad, Star Trek, Land of the Giants, Mannix, The Magician, Kojak, Emergency, The Six Million Dollar Man, Starsky and Hutch and Fantasy Island. Her other sitcom guest appearances included The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Good Guys, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, The Partners, Love, American Style and Holmes and Yo-Yo. She provided the voice of Grandma in the animated series Olivia from 2009-2011.

Survivors include her husband, Kenneth Aldrich, and her sister, Meridel Carson.

Share your memories on our Batman message board. View photos in our galleries.

We thank them for the entertainment they brought us. They will will be greatly missed.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 23

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Country Club, a Yokel and a New Boss" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Georgie’s plan to make new clients at the local country club backfires when its outdated policies upset Audrey. Meanwhile, Mandy struggles to prove herself at work.

Ghosts - "The Investor" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When a promising opportunity to save Woodstone is threatened by a personal conflict, Sam and Jay are forced into a difficult choice. Meanwhile, election day arrives as Flower and Isaac go head‑to‑head to become Ghost Representative. Justin Kirk gest sars as Tad, the Mayor.

Animal Control - "Golden Moose and Wiener Dogs" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT)
The team arrives at the Animal Control Officer of the Year awards and party ahead of the ceremony; it's Frank vs. Templeton for the big prize; Shred and Emily's secret romance is finally exposed.

Going Dutch - "NATOcean's Eleven" (Fox, 9:32PM ET/PT)
Gen. Martin launches a takeover of the base and plans to fire its entire staff; Maj. Shah grapples with a midlife crisis.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 20)

Thursday, April 23

  • Ray Romano (Running Point/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Catch Ray on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Tracy Morgan (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins/Crutch/The Last O.G./30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy is a guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
  • Kate Hudson (Running Point) - Kate is a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Running Point on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • John Lithgow (Trial & Error/Twenty Good Years/3rd Rock from the Sun) - John talks about the Broadway play Giant on CBS Mornings sometime between 7-9am.
  • Kate Hudson (Running Point and Justin Theroux (Running Point) - Kate and Justin chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. Justin will also be on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
  • Cedric The Entertainer (The Neighborhood/The Last O.G./The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric talks about Broadway's Joe Turner’s Come and Gone on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
  • Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about Happy's Place on a repeat of Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
  • D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys) - D.L. tells Sherri about his latest comedy tour on Sherri, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD) St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (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)
09/30 - Touché Turtle and Dum Dum - The Complete 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)
12/16 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)

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

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04/22 - Stavros Halkias Returns to Netflix; CNN to Air Matt Friend Comedy Special Friday
04/21 - COZI TV Acquires Two and a Half Men and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper This May; Deli Boys Season 2 First Look
04/20 - Pluto TV Spring Slate Includes My Wife and Kids; Hulu Adding Podcasts with New Girl, Prison Break and This Is Us Stars
04/19 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 20, 2026)
04/18 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Law & Order: Organized Crime Ending After Five Seasons; Price Is Right to Get Live Primetime Episode in December
04/17 - Great Entertainment Television Acquires Community; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Stars Reuniting
04/16 - CBS Fall 2026-27 Schedule; The White Lotus Season 4 Filming Commences
04/15 - Audible Series with Kevin Hart This Father's Day; Pop Culture Jeopardy! Returns May 11
04/14 - Peacock Renews The 'Burbs; ABC's Drama Hits Get 2026-27 Renewals
04/13 - FETV Acquires Car 54, Where Are You?; Hacks Events Ahead of Final Season
04/12 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 13, 2026)
04/11 - SitcomsOnline Digest: ABC Buys Multi-Cam Pilot Pitch from Creator of Mom; Final Three Saturday Night Live Hosts Announced
04/10 - HBO Renews Rooster for Season 2; Studio C with Special Guest Star Rainn Wilson
04/09 - Additional Stars for Nobody Wants This Season 3; Saturday Night Live Closes Out Season 51 in May
04/08 - Mindy Kaling's Not Suitable for Work Drops June 2; Lisa Ann Walter: It Was An Accident Premieres May 15 on Hulu
04/07 - CBS Announces Late-Night Lineup After Colbert Ends; Hulu Special Nikki Glaser: Good Girl Drops April 24
04/06 - Bonus Episodes of Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat Coming to Prime Video; Ramy Youssef's Third HBO Special
04/05 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of April 6, 2026)
04/04 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Colin Jost Lands Role in New Peacock Series; Cincinnati Radio Station Gets WKRP Letters
04/03 - Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Final 4-Part Event; Hulu's Deli Boys Returns May 28
04/02 - Prime Video Releases More Details on Kevin; Additional Cast Members Joining Tires Season 3 on Netflix
04/01 - Hulu Releases First Look at Alice and Steve; Tubi to Stream 250 Sesame Street Episodes
03/31 - CBS 2026 Season Finale Dates; Wanda Sykes Returns with Third Netflix Special
03/30 - Saturday Night Live April 2026 Schedule; NBC Renews Chicago Series for 2026-27
03/29 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of March 30, 2026)
03/28 - SitcomsOnline Digest: More Casting News for Reboot of A Different World; Amy Poehler Produced Comedy in Development at Netflix
03/27 - The Ms. Pat Show Renewed for Season 6; SisterS Returns April 22 on AMC+, Acorn TV and IFC TV
03/26 - Great Entertainment Television to Honor Chuck Norris; ABC's R.J. Decker Gets Time Slot Upgrade
03/25 - Netflix Announces Details of Nobody Wants This Season 3; Paramount+ Renews School Spirits for Season 4
03/24 - Hacks Returns for Final Season on April 9; America Says Is Back for Sixth Season on Game Show Network
03/23 - The Roast of Kevin Hart LIVE on Netflix; HBO Renews Late-Night Series