Henry Winkler and More in New NBC Comedy Event Series; Remembering Jack Riley of The Bob Newhart Show

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Henry Winkler and More in New NBC Comedy Event Series; Remembering Jack Riley of The Bob Newhart Show

Well, it's premiering tonight and we're better later than never, but NBC is launching its new comedy event series Better Late Than Never tonight at 10|9c. Based on a popular Korean format, Better Late Than Never is a fish-out-of-water show that follows cultural icons Henry Winkler (Happy Days), William Shatner (Star Trek), Terry Bradshaw (NFL legend) and George Foreman (boxing legend) on their greatest adventure yet. Deciding it's better late than never, these four national treasures embark on the journey of a lifetime, traveling across Asia on their own with no schedule and no itinerary. The only help will come from Jeff Dye, a young tech-savvy comedian with an agenda of his own and who isn't above leading the men off track. Each stop is packed with hilarious cultural experiences, heartwarming spectacles and unexpected twists as our legends take on this unforgettable adventure. The 4 week comedy event starts tonight and will air for the next four Tuesdays at 10|9c through Sept. 13.

Jack Riley

Actor and comedian Jack Riley, who played Elliot Carlin in The Bob Newhart Show, has died. He died on August 19 in Los Angeles due to pneumonia. Mr. Riley was 80.

Riley's television career began with a semi-regular role in the short-lived 1966-1967 NBC sitcom Occasional Wife. He appeared as Wally Frick in seven episodes of the series, which starred Michael Callan and Patricia Harty.

Some of his television guest appearances in the 1960s and 1970s included Gomer Pyle, USMC, The Flying Nun, I Dream of Jeannie, Love, American Style, The Partridge Family, Hogan's Heroes, The Good Life, Getting Together, M*A*S*H, Mary Tyler Moore, The Girl with Something Extra, Happy Days, Alice and Barney Miller.

Bob Newhart and Jack Riley - The Bob Newhart Show

Riley was best known for his role as Elliot Carlin, the neurotic, sour and selfish patient in The Bob Newhart Show. He appeared in 49 episodes of the series from 1972-1978. Carlin was ranked 49th in TV Guide's List of the 50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time. He reprised the role in a 1985 episode of St. Elsewhere, a 1987 episode of ALF and a 1988 episode of Newhart. In 1991, the cast reunited for The Bob Newhart Show 19th Anniversary.

His later sitcom guest appearances included Too Close for Comfort, Family Ties, One Day at a Time, The Love Boat, Diff'rent Strokes (4 episodes), Silver Spoons, Gimme a Break, Punky Brewster, Charles in Charge, My Two Dads, Night Court (7 episodes), Family Matters, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, Married with Children, The Drew Carey Show, Seinfeld, That '70s Show and Yes, Dear. He played Leon Buachanan in the short-lived 1987 CBS sitcom Roxie. He had a recurring role as Chappy in the 2000-2002 FX comedy Son of the Beach.

He was also known for his voice work in animated series and commercials. He voiced Stu Pickles, the father of the main protagonist Tommy, in Rugrats and the spin-off All Grown Up!. He did commercial spots for Country Crock margarine and CompUSA.

Survivors include his wife, Ginger Lawrence, and two children.

Mr. Riley was a fine character actor. His Elliot Carlin character was very funny and memorable. He played him to perfection. We thank him for all the laughs and entertainment he brought us over the years. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on Bob Newhart Show message board. View photos in our galleries.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, November 22

Happy's Place - "Happy's House" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bobbie agrees to take Isabella to Happy's house in search of a connection to their late father, leading Bobbie to worry about what they may find; Gabby hopes to strike it rich by searching through Happy's penny collection looking for a rarity.

Lopez vs Lopez - "Lopez vs Orlando" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT)
When Rosie's spoiled nephew Orlando visits, Mayan sets out to expose Rosie's cultural gender bias; George wants to teach Chance the value of hard work, but, instead, helps him create a toxic work environment.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Whacking the Mole" (The CW, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Abishola has a romantic dream about Bob, she tries to suppress her feelings for him and pays the price.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Ralph Lauren and Fish" (The CW, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob and Abishola finally go on a proper date, which is interrupted by Dottie's medical emergency.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Tough Like a Laundromat Washing Machine" (The CW, 9:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Bob hires Abishola to take care of Dottie in his home while she recovers; Dottie has a hard time dealing with her limitations and takes it out on Abishola.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "Useless Potheads" (The CW, 9:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
With Abishola only helping part-time, Bob, Douglas and Christina struggle to take care of Dottie.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Wiz-Taken Identity" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When Billie struggles with a spell, Roman says he could do it if he was a wizard: to prove him wrong, Billie uses a Power Glass to transfer her powers to Roman.

Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - " Ain't Gnome Party Like a Wizard Party" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Justin embraces mortality to live with his family; his new challenge arises when Alex introduces Billie, a wizard-in-training, seeking Justin's mentorship.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of November 18)

Friday, November 22

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Watch Kerry on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Jimmy O. Yang (Interior Chinatown/Space Force/Silicon Valley) - Jimmy is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
Ariana Grande (Sam & Cat/Victorious) - Ariana appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Andy Richter (Andy Barker, P.I./Quintuplets/Andy Richter Controls the Universe), Thomas Lennon (The Odd Couple/Sean Saves the World/Reno 911!) and Aparna Nancherla (Lopez vs Lopez/Search Party/Corporate) - Andy, Thomas and Aparna are guests on a repeat of After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
Keke Palmer (Scream Queens/True Jackson, VP) - Keke talks about her new book Master of Me: The Secret to Controlling Your Narrative on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Drew is joined by the hilarious Andrew to celebrate all things Thanksgiving on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Rosie Perez (Human Resources/Search Party) - Rosie tells Sherri about her new Apple TV+ psychological thriller Before on Sherri, so check your local listings.
Candace Cameron Bure (Fuller House/Full House) - Candace will be on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:15am.