Monday, May 18, 2020

Pop TV Slates Date for One Day at a Time Animated Episode; Remembering Fred Willard of Modern Family, Everybody Loves Raymond and Fernwood 2 Night

One Day at a Time Animated Special

Pop TV announced the One Day at a Time animated special will premiere on Tuesday, June 16 and include special guest stars Gloria Estefan, Melissa Fumero and Lin-Manuel Miranda. The critically acclaimed Sony Pictures Television series had its mid-season finale on Tuesday, April 14 due to production stoppages as a result of COVID-19. The animated special, titled, "The Politics Episode," will be fully executed remotely and premiere on Pop TV Tuesday, June 16 at 9:30PM ET/PT following a marathon of the current season.

Gloria Estefan and Melissa Fumero, both return to One Day at a Time, reprising their roles, but this time, they'll be animated. As for Lin-Manuel Miranda, he makes his debut on the series. The special will center around Penelope's conservative cousin Estrellita (Melissa Fumero), Tia Mirtha (Gloria Estefan), and Tio Juanito (Lin-Manuel Miranda) coming to visit and with the impending election, they won't be able to avoid fighting over politics. Produced by Sony Pictures Television, the award-winning comedy inspired by Emmy(R) winner Norman Lear's 1975 series of the same name tells the story of the Cuban American Alvarez family. The show features Penelope (Screen Actors Guild Award(R) winner Justina Machado), her mother Lydia (Emmy, Grammy(R), Oscar(R) and Tony(R) winner Rita Moreno), Dr. Berkowitz (Stephen Tobolowsky), Schneider (Todd Grinnell), Elena (Isabella Gomez) and Alex (Marcel Ruiz).


Fred Willard

Actor and comedian Fred Willard appeared as Jerry Hubbard in Fernwood 2 Night and America 2-Night, as Hank MacDougall in Everybody Loves Raymond and as Frank Dunphy in Modern Family. He died on May 15, 2020 at his Los Angeles home. The cause of death was cardiac arrest. Mr. Willard was 86.

Willard's early sitcom guest appearances included Pistols 'n' Petticoats, Hey, Landlord, Get Smart, Love, American Style, The Bob Newhart Show, Karen, Good Heavens and Laverne & Shirley. He was a regular on the 1973 ABC comedy/variety series The Burns and Schreiber Comedy Hour.

He starred as District Attorney H.R. 'Bud' Nugent in the short-lived 1976-1977 NBC sitcom Sirota's Court. The series also starred Michael Constantine, Cynthia Harris, Kathleen Miller, Ted Ross and Owen Bush.

Fernwood 2 Night - Frank De Vol, Martin Mull and Fred Willard

Willard starred as Jerry Hubbard, Barth Gimble's (Martin Mull) sidekick and announcer, in the Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman spin-off series Forever Fernwood (1977), Fernwood 2 Night (1977) and America 2-Night (1978). The Norman Lear created series parodied the nighttime talk shows of the day. It also featured Frank De Vol as bandleader Happy Kyne. Willard reunited with Mull in eight episodes of Roseanne from 1995 to 1997. He played Scott, a romantic partner of Leon Carp.

He played the bartender in the 1987-1989 syndicated sitcom D.C. Follies. The Sid and Marty Krofft created series was set at a Washington, D.C. bar and featured puppet caricatures of politicians and popular culture figures.

Georgia Engel, Fred Willard and Monica Horan

Willard had a recurring role as Hank MacDougall in 13 episodes of the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond from 2003 to 2005. Hank and Pat MacDougall (Georgia Engel) were Amy's (Monica Horan) parents. Willard received three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2003, 2004 and 2005 for the role. The series starred Ray Romano, Patricia Heaton, Brad Garrett, Doris Roberts, Peter Boyle and Madylin Sweeten.

He starred as Jerry Stage in the 2001-2002 The WB sitcom Maybe It's Me. The series was centered on the life of teenager Molly Stage (Reagan Dale Neis) and her eccentric and often-embarrassing family, including her parents (insanely frugal mom, played by Julia Sweeney, and soccer-obsessed dad, played by Fred Willard), her two older brothers, her little twin sisters, and her grandparents. The series also starred Vicki Davis, Andrew W. Walker, Patrick Levis, Daniella and Deanna Cantermen, Dabbs Greer and Ellen Albertini Dow.

Willard starred as Fred Hawkins, the father of Ryan Hawkins (Eric Lively), in the short-lived 2003 Fox sitcom A Minute with Stan Hooper. The series also starred Norm Macdonald, Penelope Ann Miller, Brian Howe, Raegan Dale Neis, Garret Dillahunt and Daniel Roebuck.

Back to You

He starred as Marsh McGinley, WURG's fairly dim-witted sports anchor, in the 2007-2008 Fox sitcom Back to You. The series also starred Kelsey Grammer, Patricia Heaton, Ayda Field, Josh Gad, Ty Burrell, Laura Marano and Lily Jackson.

Modern Family - Fred Willard

Willard had a recurring role as Frank Dunphy, the father of Phil Dunphy (Ty Burrell) and grandfather of Haley (Sarah Hyland), Alex (Ariel Winter) and Luke (Nolan Gould), in 14 episodes of Modern Family from 2009 to 2020. In 2010, he received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for the role.

He will appear in the recurring role of Fred Naird, the Secretary of the Defense, in the upcoming Netflix comedy Space Force. The series, which will premiere on May 29, stars Steve Carell, John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz, Diana Silvers and Tawny Newsome. Interestingly enough, Willard starred as Captain Thomas Woods in a 1978 NBC unsold sitcom pilot called Space Force.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances in the 1980s and 1990s included The Love Boat, Mama's Family, Fast Times, Out of This World, The Golden Girls, Nurses, Married with Children, Dream On, The Jackie Thomas Show, Dave's World, Family Matters, The Mommies, Murphy Brown, Friends, Clueless, Sister, Sister, Step by Step, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Mad About You, Just Shoot Me! and Ladies Man.

He had a recurring role as Mike Morton in three episodes of the 2013 HBO comedy Family Tree. Some of his later sitcom guest appearances included The Hughleys, That '70s Show, The Drew Carey Show, Worst Week, Everybody Hates Chris, Raising Hope, Hot in Cleveland, Community, The Odd Couple (2016) and 9JKL. He won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2015 for his role as John Forrester in the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.

Willard was one of the original hosts of the NBC reality series Real People in 1979 and again from 1981 to 1983. He returned with Sarah Purcell to host a one-hour retrospective special on October 1, 1991. He hosted the 1985-1986 talk show What's Hot, What's Not. It earned him a daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Talk Show Host. In 1990, Willard hosted the cable TV show Access America on the Ha! Comedy Network.

He was well known for his roles in the Christopher Guest mockumentary films Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), A Mighty Wind (2003), For Your Consideration (2006) and Mascots (2016). He played Air Force Lt. Bob Hookstratten in Rob Reiner's 1984 mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap. He starred as station director Edward "Ed" Harken in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013).

The Interviews: An Oral History of Television interviewed him on September 28, 2012.

Mr. Willard was a national treasure. He was a master at ad libbing. He could steal any scene with his deadpan delivery and impeccable comedic timing. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Everybody Loves Raymond messsage board. View photos in our galleries.

Jimmy Kimmel and Fred Willard

Jimmy Kimmel Live! will air a tribute to Fred Willard tonight (May 18) at 11:35pm on ABC. He frequently appeared in various comedy sketches on the show in recent years. 


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Friday, May 29

Happy's Place - "A New Chapter" (NBC, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
After Gabby's mother, Val, shows up unannounced, it's up to Bobbie to help Gabby navigate their delicate relationship; Isabella and Steve try to find out if Gabby's childhood horror stories are as bad as she claims.

Happy's Place - "Silence Was Golden" (NBC, 8:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
While Bobbie attempts to plan the perfect anniversary dinner for her and Emmett, Steve and Takoda must hide a secret from Isabella and Gabby that could ruin Bobbie's special evening.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of May 25)

Friday, May 29

  • John Travolta (Welcome Back, Kotter) - Watch John on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Ana Gasteyer (American Auto/People of Earth/Lady Dynamite/Suburgatory) - Ana appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Lena Dunham (Girls) - Lena is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda chats about Wanda Sykes: Legacy with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
  • Jackée Harry (The Paynes/The First Family/Sister, Sister/The Royal Family/227) - Sitcom legend Jackée is back with the TamFam for a revealing conversation about her headline-making cosmetic transformation and her acclaimed career on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
  • Laurie Metcalf (Big Mistakes/The Conners/Roseanne/The McCarthys/The Norm Show) - Laurie talks about Death of a Salesman on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
  • Jennette McCurdy (Sam & Cat/iCarly) - Jennette tells Drew about her latest book Half Her Age on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)

11/04/25 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11/25 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11/25 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/02/25 - Tom and Jerry - The Golden Era Anthology (1940-1958) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
12/16/25 - Lippy the Lion and Hardy Har Har - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
12/16/25 - Wally Gator - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
01/20/26 - The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Golden Age Collection (Blu-ray)
01/27/26 - The New Fred and Barney Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/11/26 - Tom and Jerry - The Complete CinemaScope Collection (Blu-ray)
03/24/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 2 (Blu-ray)
04/11/26 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD)
04/21/26 - Famous Studios Champion Collection (Blu-ray) (DVD)
05/19/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (DVD)
05/19/26 - Looney Tunes Cartoons - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)

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