SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Remembering Howard Hesseman of WKRP in Cincinnati and Head of the Class; Nick Renews That Girl Lay Lay for Season 2

Actor Howard Hesseman, who starred as malcontent disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on WKRP in Cincinnati and as history teacher Charlie Moore on Head of the Class, has died. He died from complications of colorectal surgery in Los Angeles, California, on January 29. Mr. Hesseman was 81.

Hesseman's early sitcom guest appearances included The Andy Griffith Show (2 episodes), Rhoda, Sanford and Son, Laverne & Shirley, Blansky's Beauties and Husbands, Wives & Lovers. He had a recurring role as Dr. Robert Williams on 13 episodes of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman from 1976 to 1977. He appeared as Craig Plager, a member of the group therapy ensemble who was later revealed to be gay, on five episodes of The Bob Newhart Show from 1974 to 1978. In several other episodes of the show, his voice can be heard as a TV announcer (Augie). He had a recurring role as Mr. Franklin on seven episodes of Soap in 1977.

He starred as anti-disco disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever (real name John R. Caravella) on the 1978-1982 CBS sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. Dr. Johnny Fever is a veteran disc jockey who comes to WKRP after being fired from a major Los Angeles station when he said "booger" on the air. Hesseman prepared for the role by working as a DJ in San Francisco at KMPX-FM for several months. He received two Emmy nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 1980 and 1981. He wrote an episode in 1981 and directed an episode in 1982. The cast included Gary Sandy, Gordon Jump, Loni Anderson, Richard Sanders, Frank Bonner, Jan Smithers and Tim Reid.

Hesseman had a recurring role as Sam Royer on 16 episodes of the the last two seasons (1982-1984) of the CBS sitcom One Day at a Time. Sam Royer is the father of Mark Royer (Boyd Gaines), who is Barbara's (Valerie Bertinelli) boyfriend and later husband. Sam Royer later becomes Ann Romano's (Bonnie Franklin) second husband.

He next starred as Charlie Moore on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class. Charlie Moore is a history and social studies teacher at Manhattan's Monroe High School (later changed to Millard Fillmore High School in the final season) who teaches the honors program to intellectual geniuses and helps them aim for their dreams. Hesseman left the series after the fourth season in 1990 and was replaced by Scottish comedian Billy Connolly (in his first major American production) as teacher Billy MacGregor for the final season. The cast included William G. Schilling, Jeannetta Arnette, Leslie Bega (seasons 1-3), Dan Frischman, Robin Givens, Khrystyne Haje, Jory Husain (aka Joher Coleman) (seasons 1–3), Tony O'Dell, Brian Robbins, Kimberly Russell, Dan Schneider, Tannis Valley (seasons 1–3; guest, season 5), Rain Pryor (seasons 3-5), Michael DeLorenzo (seasons 4-5), Lara Piper (seasons 4-5), Jonathan Ke Quan (seasons 4-5) and De'voreaux White (seasons 4-5).

Hesseman reprised his role of Dr. Johnny Fever on nine episodes of the 1991-1993 first-run syndicated sitcom The New WKRP in Cincinnati. He appeared on four episodes in the first season and five episodes in season two. He participated in a four-episode story arc as WKRP's overnight DJ in season two, although he left the station (and the series) before the season ended. He also directed two episodes of the series revival in 1993. The cast included Gordon Jump, Richard Sanders, Frank Bonner, Mykel (Mykelti) T. Williamson, Tawny Kitaen and French Stewart.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included 9 to 5 (1982), Love, Sidney (1983), Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998), Three Sisters, That '70s Show (3 episodes as Max), Maybe It's Me, It's All Relative, Oliver Beene, Mike & Molly and Fresh Off the Boat (2 episodes as Mr. Royce). He hosted Saturday Night Live three times in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

He played Judge Robert Thompson on three episodes of Boston Legal from 2006 to 2007. Some of his other drama guest appearances included Dragnet 1967, Mannix, The Blue Knight, Harry O, Family, Switch, Baretta, Delvecchio, Westside Medical, Quincy M.E, The Rockford Files, Murder, She Wrote (1985), The Ray Bradbury Theatre (1992), Burke's Law, The Outer Limits (1997), The Practice, Family Law, The Pretender, Touched by an Angel, Level 9, Thieves, Crossing Jordan, Boomtown, House, Psych, John from Cincinnati (2 episodes), ER, Lie to Me, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Drop Dead Diva and Chicago Med.

Hesseman starred as Captain Pete Lassard in the film Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment (1985). Some of his other film credits included Steelyard Blues (1973), Loose Shoes (1978), Private Lessons (1981), Doctor Detroit (1983), This Is Spinal Tap (1984), My Chauffeur (1986), Flight of the Navigator (1986), Heat (1986), Inside Out (1986), Rubin & Ed (1991), Little Miss Millions (aka Home for Christmas) (1994) and The Sky Is Falling (1999).

Survivors include his third wife of 33 years, actress and acting teacher Caroline Ducrocq.

Mr. Hesseman was a talented and versatile actor. He was funny and memorable on WKRP in Cincinnati and Head of the Class. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our WKRP in Cincinnati and Head of the Class message boards. View photos in our galleries.

MeTV Network Remembers Howard Hesseman

Sunday, February 6 at 4:00 p.m. ET

4:00 p.m. WKRP in Cincinnati
"Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide (Part 1)"
Forced to host a disco dance show on TV, Johnny comes up with a new alter ego; the phony, smarmy "Rip Tide."
4:30pm WKRP in Cincinnati
"Dr. Fever and Mr. Tide (Part 2)
Forced to host a disco dance show on TV, Johnny comes up with a new alter ego; the phony, smarmy "Rip Tide."

Decades will have an all-day binge marathon (48 episodes) of WKRP in Cincinnati on Saturday, February 5.

We also remember child actor Peter Robbins. He was best known for being the first actor to voice Charlie Brown in the Peanuts animated specials. He died by suicide on January 18 in Oceanside, California. He had a lifelong battle with mental illness. Mr. Robbins was 65.

Robbins provided the voice of Charlie Brown, whom he considered to be his childhood hero, in one television documentary, six Peanuts television specials and one movie from 1963 to 1969, including the film A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) and the television specials A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966).

He starred as Alexander Bumstead on the short-lived 1968-1969 CBS sitcom Blondie, which was an updated version of the 1957 TV series that was based on the comic strip of the same name. Alexander Bumstead is the son of Dagwood Bumstead (Will Hutchins) and Blondie (Patricia Harty). The series also starred Jim Backus, Pamelyn Ferdin, Henny Backus, Bobbi Jordan and Bryan O'Bourne.

Robbins played Elmer Dudley in The Munsters episode "Rock-a-Bye Munster" in 1964. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Donna Reed Show, The Farmer's Daughter, The Joey Bishop Show, Love on a Rooftop, F Troop, Get Smart and My Three Sons.

His drama guest appearances included Rawhide, The F.B.I. and Bracken's World. He appeared as Grover Martin in the 1963 film A Ticklish Affair, which starred Shirley Jones, Gig Young and Red Buttons. He played Brandon in the 1967 film Good Times, which starred Sonny & Cher.

Mr. Robbins retired from the entertainment industry in 1972, and later pursued his career in real estate, with brief stints in radio. We thank him for his voice work as Charlie Brown and his appearances on television. He will be missed.

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

Nickelodeon announced that it has greenlit a 13-episode second season of its hit live-action multi-camera buddy comedy That Girl Lay Lay. The series follows Lay Lay (Alaya "That Girl Lay Lay" High), an avatar from a personal affirmation app that magically comes to life, and her best friend Sadie (Gabrielle Nevaeh Green) as they navigate life as teenagers and discover who they truly are. Season one of That Girl Lay Lay shattered records this Fall with premieres delivering double digit gains on Thursday nights and consistent #1 rankings in the time slot across all TV among K6-11. That Girl Lay Lay follows Lay Lay, a virtual hype avatar who magically comes to life after her best friend Sadie wishes on a star. For her work on the series, That Girl Lay Lay is currently nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the "Outstanding Performance by a Youth (Series, Special, Television Movie or Limited-Series)" category. Season two of That Girl Lay Lay will begin production early this year in Los Angeles with a premiere slated for this summer on Nickelodeon.

Season two of the series will bring more music and magical powers as the two best friends continue to go on even more exciting adventures, working to fulfill Lay Lay's desire to experience everything that comes with being a real teenager. That Girl Lay Lay also stars Peyton Perrine III as Sadie's brother, Marky; Tiffany Daniels as Sadie's mom, Trish; and Thomas Hobson as Sadie's dad, Bryce.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Head of the Class, Mary Hartman, Nickelodeon, Obits, One Day at a Time, Peanuts, That Girl Lay Lay, WKRP in Cincinnati

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 31, 2022)

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 3:00 PM

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Labels: Talk Shows, This Week in Sitcoms

SitcomsOnline Digest: Comedy Central Sets Fairview Premiere Date; ABC Seeing Success with Abbott Elementary

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! For the second week in a row, we have no news of reboots or revivals (we're sure those stories will be back, though!), but we do have info on an upcoming Comedy Central series, a return to Late Night for David Letterman (for one night, anyway), and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• The new Comedy Central animated comedy Fairview will debut on February 9. (Deadline)
• Seth Meyers is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the NBC series Late Night by having original host David Letterman as his guest on Tuesday. (Deadline)
• ABC might just have a hit with Abbott Elementary, as the audience has been growing significantly for the series since it debuted. (Deadline)
• MSNBC has finalized their plans for the 11 PM hour that used to be filled with Brian Williams. (AP News)
• In advance of NBC's Monday night special, Celebrating Betty White: America’s Golden Girl, a preview featuring Cher singing the theme song for The Golden Girls has been released. (Deadline)
• If you enjoy the sitcoms on CBS, then you'll be happy to hear that most of them have been renewed for next season, while the rest are still awaiting their fate. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 4)

• My Three Sons is this weekend's binge on Decades, and they're featuring the earlier years of the show.
• NBC's Celebrating Betty White: America’s Golden Girl is set to air Monday night at 10.
• South Park finally returns for a new season on Wednesday night on Comedy Central, though it will actually air at 8 instead of the usual 10 PM timeslot (though it appears it will return to the usual timeslot next week).
• You can watch the new animated adult comedy Doomlands, which was developed for the failed Quibi streaming service, now on The Roku Channel.
• The opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics air Friday on NBC.
• Saturday Night Live is new tonight (and this is the last new one for a while, as the series will be taking a few weeks off for the Winter Olympics), with Willem Dafoe as host.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Abbott Elementary, Betty White, Comedy Central, Fairview, Late Night, SitcomsOnline Digest

Fri-Yay: Are Network Sitcoms Back…Again?; More Details About Betty White NBC Special

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

After a few off years, the network sitcom might be back. This season we have several solid new sitcoms garnering both critical acclaim and even solid viewership numbers. CBS's Ghosts, ABC's Abbott Elementary, and NBC's American Auto and Grand Crew are all really good sitcoms with the potential to grow into something even better. And all of these shows feel like the type of shows that still could only exist on network TV, which shows that - despite the fact that broadcast is a far less relevant medium than it was even 10 years ago - it may still be the place to be for sitcoms.

All of these sitcoms combine solid characters, quick joke writing and interesting premises. They may not have the experimentation of streaming or cable sitcoms, but sometimes, that just isn't what you want. You want a good, relaxing and funny sitcom to disappear into for a few episodes. And that's exactly what these shows prove network sitcoms can still provide.

President Joe Biden, Drew Barrymore, Valerie Bertinelli, Cher, Bryan Cranston, Ted Danson, Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Ana Gasteyer, Goldie Hawn, Vicki Lawrence, Jane Leeves, Jay Leno, Anthony Mackie, Wendie Malick, Joel McHale, Tracy Morgan, Jean Smart, Mary Steenburgen and more will come together to pay tribute to the late actress and animal advocate in NBC's primetime special Celebrating Betty White: America's Golden Girl. The special airs Monday, Jan. 31 at 10 p.m. on NBC and will be available the next day on Peacock. Co-stars, friends, admirers and those who shared special moments with White recount their favorite memories and reveal untold stories to commemorate the life and legacy of the trailblazing television star. The telecast will include clips and never-before-seen footage that best capture White's irreverent tone, spirit and impeccable comedic timing that are a hallmark of her decades-long career.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Abbott Elementary, ABC, American Auto, Betty White, CBS, Fri-Yay, Ghosts, Grand Crew, NBC

Antenna TV's Love Is In (Over) the Air Valentine's Day Marathon; Fox's Spring 2022 Midseason Lineup

Antenna TV has announced their Valentine's Day stunt, that we previously hinted during our Q1 2022 story. Cuddle up with a special someone and say "I do" to an all-day marathon of romantic episodes airing Valentine's Day on Antenna TV. "Love Is In (Over) the Air" will feature curated selections from Antenna TV's lineup including Bewitched, The Jeffersons and Three's Company. "Love Is In (Over) the Air" Valentine's Day Marathon airs Monday, February 14 starting at 5am ET on Antenna TV with regularly scheduled shows but with this love theme.

Fox is announcing premiere dates for The Masked Singer (March 9), Domino Masters (March 9), MasterChef Junior (March 17) and Name That Tune (March 29), as well as for the spring return of hit drama 9-1-1 (March 21). Additionally, the Sunday Animation Domination block returns with all-new episodes Feb. 27. Featuring all-new secret celebrities, The Masked Singer, returns for its seventh season Wednesday, March 9 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT). Following the return of The Masked Singer, all-new competition series Domino Masters (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) debuts. Hosted by multi-Emmy Award-winning actor Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), the series features teams of domino enthusiasts facing off in an unbelievable domino toppling and chain reaction tournament. Hit culinary competition MasterChef Junior returns Thursday, March 17 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).

Fox's #1 drama series, 9-1-1, starring Angela Bassett, Peter Krause and Jennifer Love Hewitt, returns for its spring premiere with all-new rescues beginning Monday, March 21 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT), followed by all-new episodes of 9-1-1: Lone Star in its new time period, for a night of saving lives. Hosted by Tony Award winner Jane Krakowski, with Grammy Award winner Randy Jackson serving as band leader, Season Two of the beloved musical game show Name That Tune premieres Tuesday, March 29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). And ss previously announced, new single-cam docu-com Welcome to the Flatch premieres on Thursday, March 17 (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT). Additional schedule details to be announced Season finale dates for the following programs are as follows: Next Level Chef (March 2); I Can See Your Voice (March 2, last telecast in time period; March 8, season finale); Joe Millionaire: For Richer or Poorer (March 10); Pivoting (March 10) and The Cleaning Lady (March 14).

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: 9-1-1, Antenna TV, Bewitched, Fox, The Jeffersons, Three's Company, Welcome to Flatch

HBO's The Righteous Gemstones Renewed for Season 3; To Tell the Truth Returns Feb. 22 on ABC

HBO announced that the critically acclaimed comedy series The Righteous Gemstones has been renewed for a third season. The nine-episode second season of The Righteous Gemstones, starring Danny McBride, John Goodman, Edi Patterson and Adam Devine, kicked off on January 9 with episodes airing weekly on HBO and HBO Max. The season two finale airs on February 27. Created, written and executive produced by Danny McBride (HBO's Vice Principals and Eastbound & Down), and marking his third HBO comedy series from Rough House Pictures, The Righteous Gemstones tells the story of a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed and charitable work. Season two finds our blessed Gemstone family threatened by outsiders from both the past and present who wish to destroy their empire. McBride collaborators Jody Hill and David Gordon Green also serve as executive producers and directors. Season two cast includes Danny McBride, Adam Devine, Edi Patterson, John Goodman, Cassidy Freeman, Tony Cavalero, Tim Baltz, Skyler Gisondo, Greg Alan Williams, Walton Goggins, Jennifer Nettles, Jody Hill, Valyn Hall, Kelton DuMont, Gavin Munn, Jason Schwartzman, Eric Roberts, Eric Andre and Jessica Lowe.

Comedic game show To Tell the Truth is back to finish off its sixth season! Anthony Anderson revealed it yesterday on Instagram. Cynthia Erivo, Gary Owen and Donald Faison join as celebrity panelists when everyone's favorite guessing game returns Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 10/9c on ABC. It will air for 6 weeks. When it returns on Feb. 22, Cynthia Erivo, Gary Owen and Donald Faison make up the celebrity panel on To Tell the Truth, airing Tuesday, Feb. 22 from 10:00-11:00 p.m. EDT on ABC. And when it returns that night, the panel isn't clowning around! Panelists include a celeb makeup artist, pee app developer, dino poop collector, clown of the year and duck master. Episodes can also be viewed the next day on demand and on Hulu.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: ABC, HBO, The Righteous Gemstones, To Tell the Truth

CBS Brings Back Ghosts and Monday Comedy Duo for 2022-23; Netflix Orders Comedy with Michelle Buteau

CBS announced that it has renewed its hit new Thursday comedy Ghosts and its popular Monday night comedy hour of The Neighborhood and Bob ♥ Abishola. These three CBS comedy series join veteran Thursday comedy series Young Sheldon, which was previously renewed for three additional years, beginning with the 2021-2022 broadcast season. So as of now, CBS is bringing back at least four comedies for the 2022-2023 season. No word yet on Thursday comedies B Positive and United States of Al, while upcoming new sitcom How We Roll premieres on March 31. Stay tuned for further updates as we get closer to the May upfront.

Netflix ordered eight episodes of Survival of the Thickest, a scripted comedy starring Michelle Buteau, based on her acclaimed book of essays. Survival of the Thickest centers on Mavis Beaumont (Buteau). Black, plus-size and newly single, Mavis Beaumont unexpectedly finds herself having to rebuild her life after putting all her eggs in one man's basket, but she's determined to not only survive but thrive with the support of her chosen family, a positive attitude, and a cute v-neck with some lip gloss. The series was created by Buteau and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel and will be executive produced by Ravi Nandan and Alli Reich from A24. Sanchez-Witzel is also the showrunner for the series, following the recent announcement of her overall deal with Netflix that also includes show development.

The series continues Netflix's relationship with Buteau, who also has her own Netflix stand-up special, Michelle Buteau: Welcome to Buteaupia; hosts unscripted competition series The Circle; narrates upcoming docuseries The Principles of Pleasure; is set to host the second season of Barbecue Showdown; and starred in the feature film Always Be My Maybe, as well as the series Tales of the City.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: B Positive, Bob ♥ Abishola, CBS, Ghosts, How We Roll, Netflix, Survival of the Thickest, The Neighborhood, United States of Al, Young Sheldon

Remembering Comedian Louie Anderson; Central Park Returns March 4 on Apple TV+

Emmy-winning actor, game show host and stand-up comedian Louie Anderson, who starred as Christine Baskets on Baskets, has died. He died on January 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada, of complications from large B-cell lymphoma. Mr. Anderson was 68.

Anderson created and produced the 1994-1998 Fox animated series Life with Louie. The first two episodes aired in primetime on December 18, 1994, before moving to Saturday mornings on Fox Kids in 1995. The series was based on Anderson's childhood with 10 siblings, a sweet-hearted mother and a loud, war-crazed father. He provided the voices of Little Louie and Andy Anderson, Louie's difficult, but caring father. He won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program in 1997 and 1998.

He starred as Dr. Louie Lundgren on the short-lived 1996 CBS sitcom The Louie Show. Dr. Louie Lundgren is a psychotherapist dealing with his friends and family in Duluth, Minnesota. The series also starred Bryan Cranston, Kate Hodge, Paul Feig, Laura Innes, Nancy Becker Kennedy and Kimmy Robertson.

Anderson was the host of Family Feud from 1999 to 2002. He was a regular panelist on Funny You Should Ask from September 2018 until the show went on hiatus in 2020. He appeared on The New Hollywood Squares and Hollywood Squares. In 2013, he appeared on the ABC reality competition series Splash.

He starred as Christine Baskets on the 2016-2019 FX comedy-drama Baskets. Christine Baskets is the mother of identical twin brothers Chip Baskets and Dale Everett Baskets (Zach Galifianakis). Anderson received three consecutive nominations for Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and won once in 2016 for the role.

Anderson played Lou Appleton on the Perfect Strangers unaired pilot episode. When the show was picked up, he was replaced by Mark Linn-Baker in the role of Appleton (whose first name was then changed from Lou to Larry) as the producers didn't think the chemistry between Anderson and Bronson Pinchot was quite right.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Trying Times, Grace Under Fire, Love & War, Scrubs, Half & Half, Joey, Young Sheldon, Search Party (5 episodes as Bob) and Twenties (2 episodes). His drama guest appearnces included Remington Steele, Chicago Hope, Touched by an Angel, Ally McBeal, Nash Bridges and V.I.P. (2001).

He starred as Maurice in the 1988 film Coming to America and the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America. Some of his other film credits included Quicksilver (1986), Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), The Wrong Guys (1988), Mr. Wrong (1996), Cook Off! (2007) and Sandy Wexler (2017).

His survivors include his sisters Lisa and Shanna Anderson.

Mr. Anderson was a gifted comedian and performer. His late night talk show appearances were always very funny. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his career. He will be sorely missed.

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

We also remember television and film director Jim Drake. He worked on Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (1976-1977), Gimme a Break!, The Golden Girls and Night Court. He died on January 10 in Freeland, Washington. Mr. Drake was 77.

Some of his sitcom directing credits included Alice (2 episodes), Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (157), Fernwood Tonight (8), The Facts of Life (3), Sanford (26), Gimme a Break! (14), Buffalo Bill (9), We Got It Made (6), Domestic Life (5), Double Trouble (5), Newhart (5), It's Your Move (4), The Golden Girls (8), Who's the Boss? (5), Roomies (5), Boys Will Be Boys (9), Night Court (63), Dave's World (24), The Suite Life of Zack & Cody (7) and The Suite Life on Deck (2).

He directed the films Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol (1987) and Speed Zone (1989).

In addition to his wife Brigit, he is survived by his daughter Christina, son Kevin and his daughter River, stepdaughter Christel Layton and husband Bob and their daughter Katrina, his brother Tom, and also by his first wife Kirsten.

Mr. Drake received Emmy nominations for his work on Buffalo Bill in 1983 and The Golden Girls in 1986. We thank him for bringing us many sitcom episodes from 1976 to 2008. He will be greatly missed.

Apple TV+ announced that Central Park, the critically acclaimed, hit animated musical comedy series, will return with eight all-new episodes on Friday, March 4 on Apple TV+. From creator, writer and executive producer Loren Bouchard, Josh Gad and Nora Smith, the second season of the series will debut three new episodes on March 4, followed by one new episode weekly every Friday thereafter through April 8, 2022. Central Park stars a renowned voice cast that includes Josh Gad, Leslie Odom Jr., Daveed Diggs, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Kathryn Hahn, Tituss Burgess and Stanley Tucci. New guest stars featured this season include Aparna Nancherla, Billy Porter, Catherine O'Hara, Ellie Kemper and Naomi Ekperigin. In a first look at the second half of the new season, Josh Gad and Rory O'Malley reunite for a catchy musical number called "You are the Music." The song is written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez and also features Tituss Burgess and Emmy Raver-Lampman.

As season two of Central Park unfolds with eight new episodes, the Tillerman family continues to navigate living in and caring for the world's most famous park. Molly experiences the trials and tribulations of adolescence, Cole is challenged by a truly embarrassing moment at school, Paige continues to chase down the Mayor's corruption story, and Owen juggles managing the park, his staff, and his family all with a smile on his face. Meanwhile, Bitsy inches ever closer to her sinister goal of claiming Central Park as her own; with Helen by her side, eternally wondering whether she's made it into Bitsy's will. Every step of the way, we are guided along by our friendly, fumbling, fiddler narrator, Birdie. The complete first season and the first half of the second season of Central Park are now streaming on Apple TV+. Since its global debut, the series has been recognized with Emmy Award nominations for stars Leslie Odom Jr., Tituss Burgess and Stanley Tucci, and an NAACP Image Awards nomination in the Outstanding Animated Series category.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Apple TV+, Baskets, Central Park, Family Feud, FX, Obits

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of January 24, 2022)

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 2:15 PM

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Labels: Talk Shows, This Week in Sitcoms

SitcomsOnline Digest: Fox Going All in on Monday Night Animated Comedies (in May 2023); CBS Cancels Bull After Six Seasons

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we're hearing about Fox expanding their animation lineup to a full two hours on Monday nights (not until 2023, though), a new series on Fox with an... interesting... title, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Animation is king at Fox, and now, they're looking over a year ahead and planning to go full animation on Monday nights in May 2023. (Deadline)
• Fox has a new series in the works with a title that is, umm, interesting (and unless they're going for shock value or move it to a streaming outlet, we feel this could change before making it onto air). (Deadline)
• Betty White recorded a last message just weeks before her death, just for her fans, and now her personal assistant has posted it on Instagram. (Deadline)
• CBS has cancelled Bull a show that some people may not have even realized existed anyway, after six seasons. (TVLine)
• Louie Anderson, known to TV fans mostly for his role as host of Family Feud, Life with Louie, and the FX comedy Baskets, died this week at age 68, just days after announcing he was receiving treatment for cancer. (CNN)
• Tim Allen is returning to his role of Scott Calvin/Santa Claus in a Disney+ series. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (JANUARY 15 - JANUARY 21)

• American Dad! returns for a new season on TBS on Monday.
• Decades has a binge of the classic series Batman this weekend.
• Promised Land, which is not the same as and not to be confused with the Touched by an Angel spinoff that starred Gerald McRaney and aired on CBS in the late 90s, debuts on Monday on ABC.
• Looking for some obscure and lost sitcoms to enjoy that have been available on streaming for a while, but we never actually mentioned here? All 22 episodes of the 1977-1978 sitcom On Our Own can be found on Amazon Prime Video, and four (out of six) episodes of the 1986 CBS sitcom Melba (cancelled after just one episode) are available on Crackle.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 1:00 PM

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Labels: Animation Domination, Betty White, Bull, Fox, SitcomsOnline Digest

One Tree Hill Reunion on New CBS Series; Bel-Air Announces Recurring Cast, Including Karrueche Tran & Duane Martin

Yesterday, Good Sam star Sophia Bush reunited with her One Tree Hill co-stars Hilarie Burton and Bethany Joy Lenz on the Toronto set of her new CBS medical drama. Burton and Lenz are set to guest star in an upcoming episode, which began shooting today. On Good Sam, Burton and Lenz will play sisters, Gretchen and Amy Taylor, respectively, who cross paths with Dr. Sam Griffith (Bush) when Amy is admitted as a patient at Detroit's Lakeshore Sentinel Hospital. Additional details about the episode will be announced at a later date, including an air date. Currently, the trio co-host the iHeartRadio podcast Drama Queens, which revisits the experience of filming The CW's beloved coming-of-age drama that wrapped 10 years ago. Their characters - Bush's Brooke Davis, Burton's Peyton Sawyer and Lenz's Haley James - were close friends who weathered life's highs and lows, from high school into early adulthood, together.

Good Sam stars Sophia Bush and Jason Isaacs in a drama about Dr. Sam Griffith, a gifted heart surgeon who excels in her new leadership role as chief of surgery after her renowned boss falls into a coma. When her former boss wakes up months later demanding to resume his duties, Sam is tasked with supervising this egotistical expert with a scalpel who never acknowledged her stellar talent. Complicating matters, the caustic and arrogant Dr. Rob "Griff" Griffith also happens to be her father. As Griff defies Sam's authority and challenges her medical expertise, the big question becomes whether this father and daughter will ever be able to mend their own relationship as expertly as they heal the hearts of their patients. Good Sam airs Wednesdays, 10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT on the CBS Television Network, and is available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

Peacock's highly anticipated drama series Bel-Air has cast Karrueche Tran, Duane Martin, April Parker Jones, SteVonté Hart, Joe Holt, Scottie Thompson, Jon Beavers, Tyler Barnhardt and Charlie Hall as recurring guest stars.   Bel-Air will premiere on Peacock on Super Bowl Sunday (February 13, 2022) with three episodes at launch and new episodes released every Thursday. Karrueche Tran (Claws, The Bay) will play Ivy, a top-tier social media influencer who offers to help Hilary with her influencer business. Duane Martin (All of Us, Real Husbands of Hollywood) will play Steven Lewis, Philip Banks' campaign manager on his run for LA District Attorney. Steven is a seasoned political strategist and has operated in Democratic Party politics for his entire career. He believes that he can help Phil win. April Parker Jones (If Loving You is Wrong, Supergirl) will play Viola 'Vy' Smith, Will's mother and Aunt Viv's older sister. Having always put her son first, Vy makes the tough decision to send Will to live with her sister, even though they haven't spoken in years. SteVonté Hart (Little Fires Everywhere, Queen Sugar) will play Tray Melbert, Will's best friend and basketball teammate from West Philly. With Will's sudden departure to Bel-Air, Tray risks falling victim to the streets of West Philly. Joe Holt (The Walking Dead: World Beyond, The Punisher) will play Fred Wilkes, the Police Chief and Lisa's father. Wilkes and the Banks' family have run in the same circles for years. Scottie Thompson (NCIS, Macguyver, 12 Monkeys) will play Angela, an interior designer, newly married to Police Chief and Lisa's father, Fred Wilkes. Angela tries to navigate her new role in the family. Jon Beavers (Licorice Pizza, Animal Kingdom) will play Kylo, a social media influencer. He provides Hilary Banks with an interview opportunity to join his influencer house. Tyler Barnhardt (13 Reasons Why, Tales From The Loop) will play Connor Satterfield, Carlton's best friend, lacrosse teammate and the most popular kid in school, second to Carlton. Connor crosses boundaries that cause tension between him and Will. Charlie Hall (Single Drunk Female, Moxie) will play Tyler Laramy, a member of the Bel-Air Academy basketball team and one of Will's good friends at school. Tyler is known for being the class-clown and pushing his teachers' buttons.

Set in modern-day America, Peacock's new one-hour drama series Bel-Air imagines the beloved sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air through a new, dramatic take on Will's complicated journey from the streets of West Philadelphia to the gated mansions of Bel-Air. As these two worlds collide, Will reckons with the power of second chances while navigating the conflicts, emotions, and biases of a world far different from the only one he's ever known. Executive produced by Will Smith, and inspired by Morgan Cooper's viral trailer that reimagined the iconic, culture-defining '90s sitcom, Bel-Air takes a fresh and raw approach to this world of swagger, style, and aspiration, while exploring Will's complex journey through a current lens. The new series features an ensemble cast that introduces Jabari Banks as Will and a creative team that includes Cooper, who serves as director, co-writer, and executive producer, and co-showrunners and executive producers T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: CBS, One Tree Hill, Peacock, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

REELZ Announces I Love Lucy, Gilligan's Island Unknown Story Specials; The Proud Family Revival Premieres Feb. 23 on Disney+

REELZ announced its February 2022 lineup with new original stories every weekend of the month about towering rockers Jon Bon Jovi, Alice Cooper and KISS stars Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, the hits that made Whitesnake, the band breakups of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest and looks at beloved shows I Love Lucy and Gilligan's Island. February 2022 premieres are anchored by the previously announced original documentary America's Deadliest Rock Concert: The Guest List. On Saturday, February 26 it's the premiere of The Unknown Story new original specials with back-to-back stories about the legendary sitcoms I Love Lucy and Gilligan's Island revealing the brilliant talent and timeless comedy that made both shows popular for generations of fans. First at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT it's I Love Lucy: The Unknown Story about the six seasons of unforgettable moments that made this TV show a massive hit with stars Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz reinventing television along the way to create a show that is still adored and imitated decades later. Then at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT it's Gilligan's Island: The Unknown Story with the incredible story of how exactly a show about seven shipwrecked castaways that no network wanted to air became one of the most recognizable TV shows in the world. And when Gilligan's Island came to an abrupt end find out why that was both a blessing and curse to its stars and how passionate fandom played a role in changing the fates of the castaways.

Disney+ announced the February 23 premiere date for The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, the highly-anticipated revival of the groundbreaking Disney Channel series, The Proud Family. Featuring an all-star celebrity cast, new episodes will debut Wednesdays on the streaming platform. Lauded television and film composer, songwriter and producer Kurt Farquhar, who wrote and composed The Proud Family theme song, returns as series songwriter and composer for The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Preserving the lyrics and melody of the iconic and beloved original theme song, Farquhar reimagined a contemporary version for the revival, performed by rising R&B star Joyce Wrice.

The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder will pick up the story of its central character, Penny Proud, and include her madcap family: parents Oscar and Trudy, twin siblings BeBe and CeCe, and grandmother Suga Mama (and Puff!). Of course, it would not be "The Proud Family" without Penny's loyal crew Dijonay Jones, LaCienega Boulevardez and Zoey Howzer, among others. Cast members reprising their roles from the original series are: Kyla Pratt as Penny Proud, Tommy Davidson as Oscar Proud, Paula Jai Parker as Trudy Proud, JoMarie Payton as Suga Mama, Cedric the Entertainer as Uncle Bobby, Karen Malina White as Dijonay Jones, Soleil Moon Frye as Zoey Howzer, Alisa Reyes as LaCienega Boulevardez, Carlos Mencia as Felix Boulevardez, Maria Canals-Barrera as Sunset Boulevardez, Alvaro Gutierrez as Papi, Raquel Lee Bolleau as Nubia Gross, Marcus T. Paulk as Myron, Aldis Hodge as Frankie, Aries Spears as Wizard Kelly, Cree Summer as Peabo, Patricia Belcher as Principal Hightower and Kevin Michael Richardson as Dr. Payne.

Recurring new voices are: Keke Palmer as Maya Leibowitz-Jenkins, Billy Porter and Zachary Quinto as Randall and Barry Leibowitz-Jenkins, rapper Artist "A Boogie" Dubose as Francis "KG" Leibowitz-Jenkins, EJ Johnson as Michael Collins, Asante Blackk as Kareem, Bresha Webb as CeCe, and Aiden Dodson as BeBe. Guest cast includes: Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Chance the Rapper, Normani, Leslie Odom Jr, Tiffany Haddish, Lena Waithe, Anthony Anderson, Gabrielle Union, Debbie Allen, James Pickens Jr., Courtney B. Vance, Jane Lynch, Marsai Martin, Jaden Smith, Glynn Turman, Lamorne Morris, Brenda Song, Tina Knowles, Eva Longoria, Holly Robinson Peete, Al Roker, Bretman Rock, Gabby Douglas, Laurie Hernandez, Dominique Dawes, Daniel "Desus Nice" Baker, D.C. Young Fly, Kid Capri, Art Evans, Arturo Castro, Ashton Sanders, Dominique Fishback, Jeremy O. Harris, Karrie Martin, Logan Browning and Princess Nokia.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

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Labels: Disney+, Gilligan's Island, I Love Lucy, REELZ Channel, ReelzChannel, The Proud Family