SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Mother's day is a little over a month away still, but you can still prepare! Centric will honor all mother's out there with a 24-hour marathon of the '70s sitcom That's My Mama on Mother's Day--Sunday, May 8, 2016 starting at 6am. This is the first time That's My Mama is airing on Centric. The series has aired from time to time on cable network TV One over the years. The classic sitcom which starred Theresa Merritt in the title role as Eloise "Mama" Curtis took place in Washington D.C. and centered around Clifton Curtis, Mama's son and young barber, he had inherited the family barbershop from his late father, Oscar Curtis. Mama wanted the best for her son and that meant a woman in his life, so she often tried finding him a mate even though he enjoyed bachelor life. The series also stars Clifton Davis and Jester Hairston (who both went on to star in another favorite Amen), Ted Lange (who went on to star in The Love Boat), Lynn Moody (Roots), and Theodore Wilson (Sweet Daddy from Good Times). Will Centric air the series as a regular? We will know soon, if they do, but for now enjoy it on Mother's Day!

Turning to sister network BET, they will have a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air marathon on Saturday, May 7, 2016 from 10am-5pm with the title "Will the Real Aunt Viv Please Stand Up?" Of course Aunt Viv was played by two different actors during the six-season run. Janet Hubert-Whitten had the role in Seasons 1-3 and Daphne Maxwell Reid took over from Seasons 4-6. Which Aunt Viv do you prefer? Find out when they go head-to-head on BET in this 7-hour event!

Oscar and Emmy-winnning actress Patty Duke, who starred as Patty and Cathy Lane in The Patty Duke Show, has died. She died on the morning of March 29 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, of sepsis from a ruptured intestine. Ms. Duke was 69.

Duke's early television guest appearances included The Brighter Day, Rendezvous, Kitty Foyle, Kraft Theatre, Armstrong Circle Theatre, Ben Casey and The United States Steel Hour. After winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at age 16 for her role as Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker in 1963, she was given her own TV series.

Duke played Patricia "Patty" Lane, a fun-loving American teenager who occasionally got into minor trouble at school and home, and her prim and proper "identical cousin" from Scotland, Catherine "Cathy" Lane, in The Patty Duke Show. The popular sitcom ran on ABC for three seasons from 1963-1966. The series also starred William Schallert, Jean Byron, Paul O'Keefe and Eddie Applegate. Duke received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actress in a Series for her roles in the series in 1964. The cast reunited in the 1999 CBS TV movie The Patty Duke Show: Still Rockin' In Brooklyn Heights. In 2009, the cast (except Byron, who died in February 2006) reunited again for a series of PSAs for the Social Security Administration.

She later starred in several short-lived sitcoms and dramas. She starred with Richard Crenna, Helen Hunt and Anthony Edwards in the 1982-1983 ABC sitcom It Takes Two. In 1985, she starred as President Julia Mansfield in the ABC sitcom Hail to the Chief. She played Karen Matthews in the 1987 Fox sitcom Karen's Song, which starred Lainie Kazan, Lewis Smith and Teri Hatcher. She starred in the short-lived 1995 NBC drama Amazing Grace.

Duke received her second Emmy Award in 1977 for the TV miniseries Captains and the Kings. Some of her other television guest appearances included The Virginian, Matt Lincoln, Night Gallery, Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law, Police Story, Police Woman, The Streets of San Francisco, The Love Boat, It's a Living, The Torkelsons, Frasier, Touched by an Angel (Emmy nominated), Judging Amy, Hawaii Five-0 and Glee. In one of her final roles, she guest starred as Grandma Janice and Great-Aunt Hilary, a pair of identical twins, in the Disney Channel's Liv and Maddie.

She appeared in many TV movies. She won her first Emmy Award for My Sweet Charlie in 1970. In 1980, she won her third Emmy Award for the the TV version of The Miracle Worker. Other TV movie credits included The Women's Room, The Girl on the Edge of Town and A Time to Triumph.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with her on December 8, 2013.

Survivors include her fourth husband, Michael Pearce; her brother, Raymond; two sons, actors Sean Astin and Mackenzie Astin; a stepdaughter, Charlene Gibson, from her marriage to Pearce; a son, Kevin, with Pearce; and six grandchildren. She was married to The Addams Family star John Astin from 1972-1985.

Ms. Duke was a talented and gifted actress. During her long and successful career, she received ten Emmy Award nominations, three Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. We thank her for the many hours of entertainment she brought us over the years. She will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our Patty Duke Show message board. View photos in our galleries.

Actor James Noble, who starred as Governor Eugene Gatling in Benson, has died. He died on March 28 at Norwalk Hospital in Norwalk, Connecticut. He had suffered a stroke last week. Mr. Noble was 94.

Noble's career began in soap operas. He appeared in 42 episodes of The Doctors in 1967-1968. Some of his soap opera guest appearances included The Brighter Day, As the World Turns, Another World, One Life to Live and A World Apart. Some of his other early television guest appearances included Actor's Studio, The Edge of Night, East Side/West Side, The Defenders, Directions, Coronet Blue, McCloud, Starsky and Hutch, Hart to Hart and Fantasy Island.

He starred as the sweet-natured but naive Governor Eugene Gatling in Benson. The popular sitcom ran for seven seasons on ABC from 1979-1986. The series also starred Robert Guillaume, Missy Gold, Inga Swenson, René Auberjonois (1980-1986), Ethan Phillips (1980-1985), Caroline McWilliams (1979-1981) and Didi Conn (1981-1985).

Noble later starred as Raymond Voss in the short-lived 1988 CBS sitcom First Impressions, which starred Brad Garrett. Some of his other television guest appearances included The Love Boat, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Murder, She Wrote, A Very Peculiar Practice, Father Dowling Mysteries, Walt Disney's World of Color, Perfect Strangers, The Bill, Law & Order and Where the Heart Is.

His film credits included 1776, One Summer Love, 10, Promises in the Dark, Being There, Airplane II: The Sequel, A Tiger's Tale, Paramedics and Chances Are.

He was married to actress Carolyn Coates until her death in 2005. Survivors include his daughter, Jessica Katherine Noble Cowan.

Mr. Noble was very funny and underrated in Benson. He seemed like a very nice man on and off-screen. He will be greatly missed.

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

Comedy Central has announced renewals and extensions for eight current series:

Tosh.0 was renewed for a ninth season. The series features razor-sharp humor and biting commentary from comedian Daniel Tosh.

Not Safe with Nikki Glaser was extended for an additional ten first season episodes. The comedy talk show currently airs Tuesdays at 10:30 p.m. It features self-proclaimed "curious perv" Nikki Glaser and is a destination to discover, ogle, and laugh about all things sex through a fun, frank, fast-paced show with panel discussion, field pieces, and social experiments that is equal parts hilarious and titillating.

Drunk History was renewed for a fourth season. The Emmy(R) Award-winning series pairs inebriated storytellers up with A-list talent to provide a unique take on the familiar and less familiar people and events from our country and around the world as they reenact moments in history with unforgettable results. The fourth season is set to premiere in September.

Review was renewed for a third and final season. The mockumentary series follows life reviewer Forrest MacNeil (played by Andy Daly) who avoids the boring subjects like film, food or art, instead opting for the tough subjects like joining the mile high club, living life according to the Magic 8 Ball, and even leading a cult.

This Is Not Happening was renewed for a third season. The stand-up series features host Ari Shaffir and his comedian friends telling hilarious and true stories in front of a live audience at Cheetahs in Hollywood.

Alternatino is a Comedy Central digital series. It returns to follow Broad City's Arturo Castro as he attempts to examine life as a modern Latino - whatever that means.

Nothin's Easy follows struggling comedian David Angelo (Shark Week, The Daily Show) as he encounters the everyday strangeness of life in L.A. and unloads his personal issues onto his accountant. Angelo is a writer/performer in the comedic sweet spot between "world-weary bitterness" and "being found unresponsive in a bus terminal."

Questionable Science is a Comedy Central digital series. It stars Rich Fulcher as "Professor Rich" and his Unfocused Group as they answer some of science's greatest mysteries. In season two, "Professor Rich" once again heads into uncharted scientific waters asking real scientists really dumb questions.

Previously announced renewals include Broad City (seasons four and five), Inside Amy Schumer (season five), South Park (seasons 20-23) and Workaholics (seasons six and seven).

Spring and summer programming includes Time Traveling Bong, a special-event, three-night series premiering April 20. Season four of Inside Amy Schumer will debut April 21. The summer seasons of Tosh.0 and Not Safe with Nikki Glaser will premiere June 7. Season two of sitcom Another Period debuts June 15.

We reported last week that TV Land was reinventing their annual awards ceremony as the TV Land Icon Awards in Celebration with Entertainment Weekly. Comedian George Lopez will host the evening honoring the very best of TV and entertainment, taping Sunday, April 10th at The Barker Hangar in Los Angeles, and airing Sunday, April 17th at 9pm ET/PT on TV Land. They have announced this year's honorees and additional guests for the star-studded event.

Three-time Emmy® Award winner Norman Lear will be honored with the Impact Icon Award, which praises individuals that have made a significant impression on American entertainment and culture. The incomparable Lear has been in the entertainment business for more than 60 years, creating some of the most memorable television comedy staples including The Jeffersons, One Day at a Time, All in the Family, Sanford and Son, Maude and Good Times, all of which have endured through generations and remain some of today's pop cultural favorites. In addition to being a multiple Emmy Award-winner, Lear is also a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and a Peabody Award, among other numerous accolades. Oscar®, Emmy®, Tony® and GRAMMY® winner Rita Moreno and Jimmie Walker will be on hand on hand for his tribute, and Glee star and recording artist Amber Riley, along with others to be announced, will perform a special medley of theme songs from Lear's shows. The Impact Icon Award will be presented to Lear by television and film creator Seth MacFarlane.

Also being honored at this year's ceremony is John Stamos, who will receive the Timeless Icon Award, which is presented to an entertainer whose extraordinary work spans generations. John Stamos is best known for his role as Jesse Katsopolis on the hit sitcom Full House, a role he recently reprised in the highly-anticipated follow up, Fuller House, which debuted in February on Netflix. He began his career as foster teen and dreamboat Blackie Parrish on General Hospital in 1982. After Full House, he went on to star on several seasons of ER as Dr. Tony Gates, played the title role in Jake in Progress, and currently stars on the FOX series Grandfathered. Stamos' Full House co-stars and longtime friends Dave Coulier and Lori Loughlin, his Grandfathered co-stars Paget Brewster and Josh Peck, and renowned television creator and film producer Garry Marshall will present him with his award. As part of his tribute, GRAMMY-winning band The Beach Boys will perform a medley of their hit songs.

TV Land and Darren Star's critical darling Younger has reached new series highs in Live+3 after the highly-anticipated season two finale aired last Wednesday (3/23/16), netting 1.3 million total viewers. The median age of the audience for the Sutton Foster comedy is 12 years younger (46 years old) than TV Land's channel prime average, and four years younger than season one. Season two has boasted impressive double-digit gains over season one. The show has also seen significant growth with its followers and fans on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Younger was already renewed for a 12-episode third season before the second season launched on January 13. We will keep you posted when they announce the season three premiere date.

Younger follows Liza (two-time Tony® winner Sutton Foster), a 40-year old woman who pretends to be 26 in order to get a job in the highly competitive world of publishing – and succeeds. Now working under the prickly Diana (Miriam Shor), Liza has to figure out how to balance her real life with best friend Maggie (Debi Mazar), and her "pretend" life with her new crew – friend/coworker Kellsey (Hilary Duff) and fashion publicist Lauren (Molly Bernard). At the end of season two, Liza's secret took a tragic turn when Kelsey's fiancé Thad (Dan Amboyer) was killed in an accident right after he discovered her lie, and Liza's love life is in disarray as she tries to choose between on-again/off-again boyfriend Josh (Nico Tortorella) and her boss Charles (Peter Hermann), with whom she has an undeniable connection. Season three is set to shoot in New York this summer.

CBS has announced renewals of the following returning series for the 2016-2017 season:

Blue Bloods
Elementary
Hawaii Five-0
Madam Secretary
Mom
NCIS: Los Angeles
NCIS: New Orleans
Scorpion
2 Broke Girls
Survivor
The Amazing Race

The Big Bang Theory was renewed through the 2016-2017 season in March 2014. NCIS was renewed for two additional seasons through the 2017-2018 season in February. Top-rated new comedy Life in Pieces has yet to be renewed. Fellow rookie series Supergirl, Limitless and Code Black are also awaiting word. Renewals for veteran series Criminal Minds and CSI: Cyber have yet to be announced.

CBS will finish this season as America’s most-watched network for the 13th time in 14 years. Season-to-date, CBS is also #1 in adults 18-49 and 25-54. Stay with us for the latest renewal and schedule news.

Fox has picked up comedies Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Last Man on Earth for the 2016-2017 season. Golden Globe winner Brooklyn Nine-Nine was renewed for a fourth season and The Last Man on Earth received a third-season order.

In the next all-new Brooklyn Nine-Nine, airing Tuesday, March 29 (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT), Rosa (Stephanie Beatriz) enlists Jake (Andy Samberg) to help change Terry’s (Terry Crews) disapproving opinion about her fast-moving relationship with Adrian Pimento (guest star Jason Mantzoukas). All-new episodes of The Last Man on Earth return Sunday, April 3 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT), when Carol (Kristen Schaal) is back on the campaign for repopulation with Phil (Will Forte).

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - Spinning Laughter: Profiles of 111 Proposed Comedy Spin-offs and Sequels That Never Became a Series

by Todd

The Andy Griffith Show begat Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C. The Mary Tyler Moore Show spun-off Rhoda and Phyllis. An episode of All in the Family became Maude and another episode became The Jeffersons. You remember the successful spin-offs, but you may now know about the spin-offs that never were.

Why did the characters of Fred and Ethel Mertz from I Love Lucy never star in their own spin-off? What animated spin-off pilot could be considered a forerunner of The Simpsons? Which situation comedy has had the greatest number of attempted spin-offs? Why did the idea of a Krusty the Krown spin-off from The Simpsons never become a series? What could have been the first gay family comedy? What was the live-action Monsignor Martinez pilot from King of the Hill series all about?

Discover rare summaries of treatments, scripts, and pilots along with comments from fifty writers, directors, producers, and actors involved with proposed spin-offs and sequels; actress Elinor Donahue remarks about the Father Knows Best reunion movies; actor Patrick Cassidy talks about his audition for The Nanny spin-off; former actress Sheila James describes why her character, Zelda from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, never got her own series; Eddie Mekka from Laverne & Shirley comments on the Lenny & Squiggy in the Army spin-off.

Author Richard Irvin is back with his latest book with a sitcom theme. His previous books have included Sitcom Bombs: A Guide to the Most Forgettable TV Comedies, Forgotten Laughs: An Episode Guide to 150 TV Sitcoms You Probably Never Saw and George Burns Television Productions: The Series and Pilots, 1950-1981. This time he focuses on proposed sitcom spin-offs which never became a series.

The book begins with an introduction where he describes the three types of television series spin-offs: the "character-spin-off", the "planted spin-off" and the "back-door pilot". He also talks about crossovers, which are not the same as spin-offs. Crossover examples included The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. A spin-offs and imitations section describes efforts to make a female version of M*A*S*H. Front-door pilots and anthology series examples include the "Love and the Happy Days" segment on Love, American Style, which was the pilot for Happy Days.

Each of the 111 proposed sitcom spin-offs receives an individual section. The book is divided into six parts by decades. It covers potential spin-offs from the mid-1950s and continuing through 2013. Each proposed spin-off includes a background section which provides general information, such as the episode title and original airdate. A complete summary of the storyline is provided for the episodes which actually aired. A concept section is included for proposed spin-offs which never made it to air. A postscript section includes comments from select actors and crew members on why it was not picked up to be a series or never aired in some cases. Some brief where are they now updates are provided for some of the people involved.

Dwayne Hickman's Chuck McDonald character from The Bob Cummings Show was the first proposed spin-off of a regular supporting character from one series to another. The Mertzes would have featured Vivian Vance and William Frawley, but they never had a good working relationship. The first attempted comedy sequel was My Wife Irma, which was a potential sequel to My Friend Irma. The Plumber and His Daughters was the first proposed spin-off (from The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) of an occasional character appearing on a sitcom. The first back-door pilot to air was Teenage Idol from Mr. Adams and Eve.

While many people think The Andy Griffith Show was the first sitcom spin-off in 1960, there was actually another series which spun-off from December Bride which premiered a few weeks earlier. Proposed spin-offs in the 1960s included three pilots each for possible spin-off series from The Donna Reed Show and Mister Ed. Some stars for proposed spin-offs included Miyoshi Umeki, Jack Carter, Pat Buttram and Ann B. Davis. Back-door pilots included episodes of The Ann Sothern Show, McKeever and the Colonel, The Danny Thomas Show and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

The 1970s saw a number of successful spin-off series which featured characters from hit series. These spin-offs included Rhoda, Phyllis, Lou Grant, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times, The Facts of Life, Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy. Proposed spin-offs and back-door pilots included episodes of My Three Sons, Green Acres, The Love Boat, Chico and the Man, Welcome Back, Kotter, The Brady Bunch, Laverne & Shirley, Here's Lucy, Green Acres, Happy Days, On the Rocks, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Barney Miller and The Doris Day Show.

Gilligan's Island was attempted to be revived with The Castaways on Gilligan's Island TV movie in 1979. While The Mary Tyler Moore Show had some successful spin-offs, there was a back-door pilot with Bill Daily that never made it to series. A Father Knows Best Reunion aired in 1977. It led to a second Christmas reunion movie later that year, but a series never materialized. George Lindsey's Goober Pyle character from The Andy Griffith Show was in a proposed spin-off called Goober and the Truckers' Paradise. A proposed sequel to My Little Margie never made it beyond the treatment stage. A pilot for a sequel to Dobie Gillis aired in 1977, but it never made it to series.

NBC had only Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life on its fall 1980 schedule, so their demand for more comedies led to many spin-off attempts. Of the 37 proposed spin-offs in the 1980s section, almost one-third came directly or indirectly from Norman Lear's company. The Facts of Life had five spin-off attempts, the most of any sitcom in history. One Day at a Time, Diff'rent Strokes and The Jeffersons each had one proposed spin-off. Family Ties twice attempted to spin-off Nick Moore's (Scott Valentine) character.

Other proposed spin-offs and back-door pilots in the 1980s included episodes of Webster, Gimme a Break! (three episodes), Who's the Boss? (two episodes), My Two Dads, Laverne & Shirley, Too Close for Comfort, Punky Brewster, 227 (two episodes), Kate & Allie, She's the Sheriff, Hooperman and The Cosby Show. CBS attempted to revive The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis again with the 1988 TV movie Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis. Animated spin-off attempts were made for Carlton Your Doorman (from Rhoda) and The Coneheads (from Saturday Night Live). The Munsters was attempted to be revived with The Musters' Revenge 1981 TV movie. A sequel to The Ropers was considered. M*A*S*H had a spin-off attempt with Gary Burghoff's Walter "Radar" O'Relly character from M*A*S*H in a pilot called W*A*L*T*E*R.

New broadcast networks and cable channels in the 1990s meant more opportunities for spin-off attempts. Charles in Charge had three proposed spin-offs in which a character from the series would play a lookalike but different relative in the proposed spin-off. They tried this with Ellen Travolta, Willie Aames and Nicole Eggert. A sequel to Clarissa Explains It All called Clarissa Now was filmed, but it wasn't picked up as a series. Phil Morris would have starred as his Jackie Chiles character from Seinfeld in the proposed The Jackie Chiles Show. A live-action Krusty the Clown (from The Simpsons) series was considered. A script for an Empty Nest spin-off was written but never shot. A spin-off of Roseanne featuring two married men taking care of a daughter was proposed but never shot. Other proposed spin-offs and back-door pilots included episodes of The Nanny, Malcolm & Eddie, Married with Children (two episodes), Martin, Evening Shade and All-American Girl.

Cable channels Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel were the major sources of spin-offs beginning in the 2000s. Proposed spin-offs were considered for The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and iCarly. Nickelodeon aired an animated spin-off of The Rugrats called The Carmichaels. NBC attempted a spin-off with Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) in an episode of The Office. That's So Raven had a spin-off pilot called Goin' Hollwood. Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper appeared in the Mary and Rhoda TV reunion movie in 2000, but ABC didn't move forward with a series. A live-action spin-off from King of the Hill called Monsignor Martinez was shot but never aired. Spin-offs for Daria and Hey Arnold! were proposed but never made. A Sabrina, the Teenage Witch spin-off aired as an episode, but it never became a series.

Of the 111 proposed spin-offs profiled in the book, I would have most wanted to see The Facts of Life spin-off with Lisa Whelchel. While she may not have starred as Blair Warner for as long as Kelsey Grammer played Frasier Crane in Cheers and Frasier, I think the show could have had a decent run in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The series would have featured a pre-Blossom Mayim Bialik, Seth Green and Juliette Lewis. It had all of the ingredients to be a hit.

The book is a good read at 218 pages. It includes a convenient Appendix, Endnotes and Index section. There are also 20 black and white publicity photos sprinkled throughout the pages.

I was thoroughly impressed with the book. It's well-researched, organized and contains all the information you could possibly want to know about these proposed spin-offs and sequels that never became a series. I think it's sometimes more interesting to read about the failed spin-offs rather than the successful hits. I found the comments from the fifty cast and crew members to be especially interesting and insightful. The behind-the scenes details and trivia nuggets are fascinating to read. The only thing that I would have liked to see done differently is to present the profiles in chronological order in the chapters rather than alphabetical order when they were already organized by decade, but that's a minor issue.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to all sitcom fans for their TV reference library. While there have been other books about spin-offs and revival series, this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date. The book was clearly a labor of love for Mr. Irvin who watched all of the available pilots and provided detailed summaries for them.

(5/5 stars)

To purchase this book, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:

Amazon.com

Check out Richard Irvin's other books:

Sitcom Bombs: A Guide to the Most Forgettable TV Comedies / Review

Forgotten Laughs: An Episode Guide to 150 TV Sitcoms You Probably Never Saw

George Burns Television Productions: The Series and Pilots, 1950-1981 / Review

• It was over a half decade ago (very near the beginning of Warner Archive) when it was announced that The New Adventures of Gilligan's Island (the animated spinoff of the classic series) would be released on DVD. We've been waiting for a long time, long enough that we assumed it was abandoned, but this week TVShowsOnDVD.com revealed that the wait will finally end on April 26.

• CPO Sharkey - The Best of Season Two (DVD, $12.95): Though we'd recommend splurging for a few extra dollars and going with the previously released complete second season in CPO Sharkey - The Complete Season Two, this option is available for those who just want the best episodes.

Actor and comedian Garry Shandling, who starred in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show, has died. He died on March 24. He suddenly collapsed at his home and was rushed to the hospital, suffering from an apparent medical emergency. No cause of death has been announced. Mr. Shandling was 66.

Shandling's career in Hollywood began as a sitcom writer. He wrote four episodes of Sanford and Son in 1975-1976, one episode of Welcome Back, Kotter in 1976 and one episode of The Harvey Korman Show in 1978 where he also worked as a story editor for the series. He became a stand-up comedian because he was frustrated by situation comedy's "formulaic writing".

Shandling performed his first stand-up routine at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles in 1978. He made his first appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on March 18, 1981. He guest hosted seven times in 1986-1987.

In 1984, he performed his first stand-up special, Garry Shandling: Alone in Vegas, for Showtime. A second special, The Garry Shandling Show: 25th Anniversary Special, aired on Showtime in 1986. His third special, Garry Shandling: Stand-Up, aired in 1991 as part of the HBO Comedy Hour.

He created the sitcom It's Garry Shandling's Show with Alan Zweibel for Showtime in 1986. Fox began airing reruns of the series in 1988 not long after they aired on Showtime. Shandling also wrote 15 episodes of the series. It starred Barbara Cason, Molly Cheek, Michael Tucci, Bernadette Birkett, Scott Nemes and Paul Wilson. The show was notable for its frequent use of breaking the fourth wall to allow characters to speak directly to the audience. It also had the memorable "This is the Theme to Garry's Show" theme song, which was performed by Los Angeles musician Bill Lynch. The show was nominated for four Emmy Awards from 1986-1990.

Shandling and Dennis Klein created his second sitcom, The Larry Sanders Show, for HBO in 1992. The successful series ran for 6 seasons and 89 episodes until 1998. It was set in the office and studio of a fictional late-night talk show called The Larry Sanders Show. The cast included Jeffrey Tambor, Rip Torn, Penny Johnson, Janeane Garofalo, Jeremy Piven, Wallace Langham and Mary Lynn Rajskub. Shandling was nominated for 18 Emmy Awards for the show and won the Primetime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series" in 1998, along with Peter Tolan, for writing the series finale, "Flip". Shandling wrote 38 episodes of the series, and directed three episodes in the final season.

He served as the host of the Emmys three times in 2000, 2003 (co-host) and 2004 and as host of the Grammys four times in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994. Some of his television guest appearances included The Ben Stiller Show, Caroline in the City, The X-Files and My Adventures in Television.

His film credits included Love Affair, Mixed Nuts, Dr. Doolittle (voice), Hurlyburly, What Planet Are You From? (also producer and writer), Town & Country, Iron Man 2 and Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him on June 9, 2011.

Mr. Shandling was brilliantly funny. He was wonderful in It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show. It's so nice the complete series are available on DVD. We thank him for the many laughs he brought us over the years. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our It's Garry Shandling's Show and The Larry Sanders Show message boards. View photos in our galleries.

To commemorate Garry Shandling, Antenna TV will be airing his first appearance on Johnny Carson tonight (Friday, March 25) at 11pm ET. The episode featuring Shandling's first appearance (stand-up comedy with praise from Johnny) originally aired on March 18, 1981. Find Antenna TV in your area at antenna.tv .

It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of March 28-April 1, 2016, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!


Monday, March 28, 2016

• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Watch Ashton on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Don Cheadle (House of Lies/The Golden Palace) - Don stops by The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• H. Jon Benjamin (Bob's Burgers/Home Movies) - H. Jon visits Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Jussie Smollett (On Our Own) - Jussie is a guest on a repeat of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore at 11:30pm on Comedy Central. He will also be on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• J.B. Smoove (The Millers/Bent/'Til Death/Curb Your Enthusiasm) - J.B. visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Craig Ferguson (The Drew Carey Show) - Craig stops by LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Seth Rogen (Undeclared/Freaks and Geeks) - Seth appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Jerry O'Connell (We Are Men/Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Jerry is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Judy Greer (Married/Miss Guided/Arrested Development) - Judy discusses her roles in everything from The Wedding Planner to 13 Going on 30 and Jurassic World on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Debi Mazar (Younger/Entourage/Working) - Debi and her husband travel the globe for exotic healthy edibles on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Kelsey Grammer (Partners/Frasier/Cheers) - Kelsey makes burgers with Michael Symon on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Kym Whitley (Young & Hungry/Animal Practice/Sparks) - Kym is part of the Plugged-In panel on a repeat of access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Jenny McCarthy (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny is a guest on People Now.

• Adam Driver (Girls) - Catch Adam on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Tracy Morgan (30 Rock/The Tracy Morgan Show) - Tracy is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) - Kunal appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Rob Corddry (Ballers/The Winner) - Rob visits The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson (Broad City) - Ilana and Abbi are guests on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm.
• Kevin Nealon (Weeds/Champs/Hiller and Diller) - Kevin appears on a repeat of @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Jim Jefferies (Legit) - Jim is a guest on @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Niecy Nash (The Soul Man/Getting On/Reno 911!) - Niecy stops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Crazy Ones) - Sarah shares two of her favorite dessert recipes you can make with your kids on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• George Lopez (Lopez/Saint George/George Lopez) - George chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. He will also be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Jaime King (Gary Unmarried/The Class/Kitchen Confidential) - Jaime is a guest on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Laura Prepon (Are You There, Chelsea?/That '70s Show) - Laura talks about the best new detox to overhaul your weight on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio talks about The Bet Honors on a repeat of Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.

• Mike Epps (Survivor's Remorse) - Watch Mike on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• James Spader (The Office)- James visits The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Colin Hanks (Life in Pieces) - Colin appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Eric stops by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) and Danny Masterson (Men at Work/That '70s Show) - Ashton and Danny are guests on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jon Bernthal (The Class) - Jon drops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Jennifer visits LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Julie Bowen (Modern Family/Ed) - Julie appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace is a guest on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Joey Lawrence (Melissa & Joey/Brotherly Love/Blossom/Gimme a Break) - Joey talks about Saved by Grace on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee talks about BET's Black Girls Rock on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Emeril Lagasse (Emeril) - Emeril appears on a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Lisa Kudrow (Friends/The Comeback) - Lisa is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James appears on Tavis Smiley on PBS, so check your local listings.

• Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Catch Andrew on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He talks about the current season of Girls on ABC's Good Morning America and on People Now.
• Jurnee Smollett-Bell (On Our Own/Full House) - Jurnee appears on a repeat of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
• Laurence Fishburne (black-ish) - Laurence and the cast of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice are guests on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) - Demi is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Eric talks about Confirmation on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Melissa Joan Hart (Melissa & Joey/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Clarissa Explains It All) and Robin Givens (Head of the Class) - Melissa and Robin talk about God's Not Dead 2 on NBC's Today in the 9am hour and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy gives the scoop on her latest book on a repeat of Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Tori Spelling (Mystery Girls) - Tori and Dead McDermott talk about their new cooking show Tori & Dean's Spring Picnic on a repeat of Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Don Cheadle (The Golden Palace/House of Lies) - Don is a guest on Tavis Smiley on PBS, so check your local listings.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee appears on Essence Live

• Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) - Watch Thomas on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Drea De Matteo (Joey) - Drea is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter) - John visits LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Ashton Kutcher (That '70s Show/Two and a Half Men) - Ashton appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Pamela Anderson (Stacked) - Pamela discusses her new shoe and makeup lines on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Christopher Meloni (Surviving Jack/The Fanelli Boys) - Christopher chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Leah Remini (The Exes/The Family Tools/The King of Queens) - Leah talks about her 80 pound weight loss and the Scientology scandal on The Dr. Oz Show, so check your local listings.
• Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew joins Clinton Kelly to recreate one of his childhood favorites on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Debra Messing (Will & Grace) - Debra plays a life-size game of rock, paper, scissors on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Carrie Preston (Crowded/Emeril) - Carrie talks about Crowded on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Jason Biggs (Mad Love/Drexell's Class) - Jason and his wife Jenny Mollen stop by the People Now studios to talk about their SiriusXM radio show.
• Robin Givens (Head of the Class) - Robin talks about God's Not Dead 2 on a repeat of Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Jaime King (Gary Unmarried/The Class/Kitchen Confidential) - Jaime talks about her show Attention Deficit Theater on a repeat of access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Tori Spelling (Mystery Girls) - Tori is a guest on People Now.

TV Land will air a George Lopez marathon for the first time on Saturday, April 23 from 4-11pm ET/PT. No word yet if the series will air in a regular timeslot. It currently airs on Nick at Nite in the late night/early morning hours. We will have complete marathon details when they become available.

The new TV Land comedy Lopez will premiere next Wednesday, March 30 at 10pm ET/PT. It's the real George Lopez we rarely get to see as he struggles to find his place among the worlds of race, class and fame. In the series premiere "Slave for a Day," George gets auctioned off at his daughter's elite private school fundraiser attended by his enemies. He doesn't want to embarrass himself or his daughter, or get bought by Snoop Dogg.

As we mentioned yesterday, George Lopez is hosting the TV Land Icon Awards on Sunday, April 17 at 9pm ET/PT. Stay with us for continued updates on all things George Lopez. Sheeow!

Director James Sheldon, who directed episodes of over 100 series, has died. He died from complications of cancer on March 12 at his home in Manhattan, New York. Mr. Sheldon was 95.

Sheldon's early sitcom directing credits included ten episodes of Mr. Peepers in 1952. He directed a full season of The Bing Crosby show in 1964-1965. In 1967, he directed eight episodes of My Three Sons. Other credits included seven episodes of That Girl, eight episodes of Room 222, eight episodes of Love, American Style and six episodes of Sanford and Son.

Some of his other sitcom directing credits included The Donna Reed Show, Angel, Margie, The Patty Duke Show, My Mother the Car, O.K. Crackerby!, Family Affair, Petticoat Junction, Julia, To Rome with Love, My World and Welcome to It, Bridget Loves Bernie, Alice, M*A*S*H, The Love Boat and Sledge Hammer!.

He was mostly known for his work directing dramas. He directed 44 episodes of The Millionaire from 1957-1960. He worked on 6 episodes of The Twilight Zone in 1961-1962, including the classic "It's a Good Life." Other series he directed multiple episodes of included Zane Grey Theater, Perry Mason, Death Valley Days, Naked City, Route 66, The Fugitive, Walt Disney's World of Color, Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law, Petrocelli, McMillan & Wife, The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo, The Dukes of Hazzard and Lottery!.

Survivors include his sons Tony and James, Jr., and three grandsons.

The Archive of American Television conducted an extensive interview with him on April 6, 2005.

His "It's a Good Life" episode of The Twilight Zone, which starred Bill Mumy and Cloris Leachman, is considered by some fans to be one of the best of the series. We thank him for the entertainment he brought us over the years. He will be deeply missed.

Actor Ken Howard, who was best known for his role as Ken Reeves in The White Shadow, has died. He died of a heart attack on March 23 in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Howard was 71.

Howard starred in the short-lived 1973 ABC sitcom Adam's Rib. The romantic comedy was based on the Spencer Tracy-Katherine Hepburn 1949 film of the same title. The series starred Blythe Danner, Dena Dietrich, Ron Rifkin, Edward Winter and Norman Bartold.

He later starred as Jack Long in the short-lived 1983 ABC sitcom It's Not Easy. The series starred Jayne Meadows, Rachael Jacobs, Evan Cohen, Carlene Watkins, Bert Convy and Billy Jacoby.

He had a recurring role as Hank Hooper, Jack Donaghy's (Alec Baldwin) boss from Kabletown, in nine episodes of 30 Rock from 2011 to 2013. Some of his other sitcom credits included The Golden Girls, Arli$$, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Office, George Lopez and The McCarthys.

Howard's best known role was as basketball coach and former Chicago Bulls player Ken Reeves in The White Shadow. The 1978-1981 CBS drama starred Ed Bernard, Joan Pringle, Thomas Carter, Kevin Hooks, Eric Kilpatrick, Nathan Cook, Timothy Van Patten, Ken Michelman, Ira Angustain and Byron Stewart.

He earlier starred in the crime drama The Manhunter, which aired on CBS in 1974-1975. He had a recurring role as Garrett Boydston in Dynasty and the spin-off series The Colbys. He appeared in five episodes of Melrose Place as George Andrews. Howard starred as Max Cavanaugh, Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh's (Jill Hennessy) father, in Crossing Jordan. In 2007, he appeared as the villain Joe Samuels in Cane.

His numerous television drama guest appearances included Bonanza, Medical Center, Hotel, Murder, She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder, The West Wing, The Practice, Family Law, Ghost Whisperer, Huff, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Brothers & Sisters, Eli Stone, Boston Legal, Cold Case, The Closer and Blue Bloods. He won an Emmy for his work in the 2009 HBO film Grey Gardens.

Survivors include his wife of 25 years, stuntwoman Linda Fetters Howard, and three stepchildren.

Mr. Howard was excellent in the classic and underrated The White Shadow. He always gave a solid performance in all of his television and film appearances. He will be greatly missed.

TV Land has reinvented the network's annual awards ceremony for 2016, dubbing it the TV Land Icon Awards in Celebration with Entertainment Weekly. The most passionate magazine about impactful, cutting edge TV will be coming together with the network to make this year's celebration bigger than ever. The TV Land Icon Awards honors the very best of all television and entertainment. Renowned comedian George Lopez, who stars in TV Land's new original comedy series Lopez, will host the event, taping Sunday, April 10 at The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, CA, and airing on Sunday, April 17 at 9pm ET/PT on TV Land. Honoree announcements are forthcoming. TV Land comedy Lopez explores the real George Lopez we rarely get to see, pushed and pulled between the worlds of race, class and fame, yet always having a hard time fitting in. The series premieres next Wednesday, March 30 at 10pm.

For the first time in network history, Showtime will hold a special launch for a new series, releasing all six episodes of the new comedy Dice at once to its subscribers. The full season of Dice will be available on Sunday, April 10 starting at 12am, on the Showtime streaming service, Showtime Anytime and Showtime On Demand. The first episode of Dice will also premiere on linear TV later that day at 9:30pm ET/PT on Showtime, with subsequent episodes continuing to air every Sunday. The scripted, semi-autobiographical series will follow the life of renowned comedian, Andrew Dice Clay, chronicling the stops and starts of his attempts at a career resurgence in his transplanted home base of Las Vegas. The series also stars Kevin Corrigan, and guest stars Natasha Leggero, Lorraine Bracco, Adrien Brody, Michael Rapaport, Wayne Newton, Criss Angel and Rita Rudner. Dice joins the Showtime comedy slate that includes Shameless, House of Lies, Episodes and the upcoming comedies Roadies and I'm Dying Up Here.

Last week we told you about the new docu-comedy series starring Christine Lakin, Jodie Sweetin and Beverly Mitchell, now we have more news from Pop (formerly known as TV Guide Network). Pop, a television network seen in more than 80 million homes with original programming that celebrates what fans are excited about, announced its 2016-2017 upfront slate, which showcases premium original series, award-winning talent and programming that taps into cultural trends and topics. The network's upfront programming line-up includes more than 400 hours of original content and a diverse mix of eight original shows, including: the two original scripted comedies Schitt's Creek and Nightcap; the previously mentioned Hollywood Darlings, a new docu-comedy spotlighting child stars of the '90s; the return of Sing It On, Rock this Boat: New Kids on the Block and Unusually Thicke; pop culture game show Easiest Game Show Ever; and the fan-engaged, live late night after-show Big Brother After Dark.

In the new comedy Nightcap, a clever, over-the-top culture-commentary comedy that dives into the hilarity that ensues behind-the-scenes of a fictitious late-night talk show, The Nightcap with Jimmy. The 10-episode original scripted comedy series stars Ali Wentworth (In Living Color, Head Case) and features a mix of improvisational actors and real-life celebrities. Each half-hour episode covers the hectic minutes prior to a live airing of a late-night talk show, which are fraught with insanity, urgency, absurdity, laughter and lip-sync rehearsals. Produced by Ali Wentworth, Tom Brunelle and Brad Wollack, Zero Point Zero and Troy Miller/Dakota Films for Lionsgate, Nightcap is set to premiere summer 2016. As for Alan Thicke's series, it will return on Pop fall 2016. Season two of Unusually Thicke will include 14 episodes featuring buzzworthy storylines and appearances from Alan's celebrity friends, including Lou Ferrigno, Wayne Brady, Cedric the Entertainer, Lance Bass, Russell Peters, Kato Kaelin, Jon Dore, Dave Foley, Alex Trebek, Cat Cora and Robin Thicke. An finally, Pop is in development on its third original scripted comedy series, The Joey McIntyre Project (working title). The network has completed a half-hour pilot starring Joey McIntyre as a fictionalized version of himself. The show catches up with Joey in an attempt to branch out from his New Kids on the Block fame and continue towards his goal of becoming a serious actor.

ABC's hilarious '90s themed comedy Fresh Off the Boat will have a very special episode on Tuesday, April 5, as it pays homage to a '90s classic. Jessica (Constance Wu) is obsessed with the primetime soap Melrose Place and is beside herself when the season comes to an end. So to fulfill her need for drama, Jessica and Honey (Chelsey Crisp) do some snooping and discover a juicy secret about Deidre (guest star Rachel Cannon). Meanwhile, Louis (Randall Park) and Eddie (Hudson Yang) help Emery (Forrest Wheeler) find a way to channel negative emotions. And to top off the Melrose Place themed episode, Melrose Place alum Courtney Thorne-Smith will guest star! Nothing more is being said, so perhaps she will be in character as Alison Parker or as herself? Stay tuned on Tuesday, April 5 at 8pm on ABC!

Fox is flipping some burgers on Sunday nights starting Sunday, April 3. Animated comedy Bob's Burgers and live-action comedy Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life will be switching timeslots on Sundays. Bob's Burgers will move to 8:30pm following The Simpsons, while Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life will move to 7:30pm following new episodes of Bordertown at 7pm. Bob's Burgers will air a special extra episode on Sunday, April 3 only at 9pm as well, in lieu of a Family Guy rerun. This is not good news for Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life, as it has struggled in the ratings. The recent move of Bordertown from 9:30pm to 7pm was also not good news for Bordertown. In Cooper, the series follows the charming misadventures of Cooper Barrett (Jack Cutmore-Scott) and his friends as they struggle through messy, terrible and hilarious disasters - a night in jail, crazy ex-girlfriends, going broke - giving us guidance so we can avoid the same mistakes. And Bordertown is a satirical look at the cultural shifts taking place in America, the series explores family, politics and everything in between. The comedy centers on two very different families living in a fictional Southwest desert town on the U.S. - Mexico border and stars the voices of Hank Azaria, Alex Borstein, Judah Friedlander, Nicholas Gonzalez and Missi Pyle.

Netflix, the world's leading Internet TV network, will exclusively launch worldwide in 2017 the new comedy series Santa Clarita Diet, from writer Victor Fresco (Better Off Ted, Andy Richter Controls the Universe). In the single-camera series, Joel (Timothy Olyphant, Justified) and Sheila (Drew Barrymore, Blended) are husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita, until Sheila goes through a dramatic change sending both their lives down a road of death and destruction...but in a good way. More info will come soon on this so stay tuned, but it will premiere sometime in 2017 only on Netflix.