Friday, March 11, 2022
Adult Swim's Live-Action Comedy Returns for Season 3; Amazon Orders Ramy Youssef Animated Comedy; Remembering Conrad Janis of Mork & Mindy
![Three Busy Debras](https://www.sitcomsonline.com/photos/threebusydebras.jpg)
It's time for brunch, and the second season of Three Busy Debras is on the menu! The Debras are back and more Debra than ever, taking Lemoncurd by storm in a season that is so busy, it could only be Debra. Return to the offbeat world of the Debras when the live-action comedy created by and starring Sandy Honig, Mitra Jouhari, and Alyssa Stonoha returns to Adult Swim at midnight the evening of April 24. Fans can also catch up on season one and enjoy new episodes of Three Busy Debras on HBO Max. Three Busy Debras is created by and stars Honig, Jouhari, and Stonoha, who serve as executive producers alongside Amy Poehler and Kim Lessing of Paper Kite Productions. Produced by Alive and Kicking, Inc.
Amazon Studios announced a two-season order of an animated comedy series from Emmy-nominated actor, director, and comedian Ramy Youssef and A24. Additionally, Amazon Studios inked a first-look deal with Youssef's production imprint Cairo Cowboy, co-led by Andy Campagna, who was previously senior vice president of television for Esmail Corp. Youssef, through his Cairo Cowboy banner, will create and produce content that, along with the animated series, will exclusively stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. The animated comedy series will explore the experiences of a Muslim-American family that must learn how to code-switch as they navigate the early 2000s: A time of fear, war, and the rapid expansion of the boy-band industrial complex.
Actor and jazz trombonist Conrad Janis, who starred as Fred McConnell on Mork & Mindy, has died. He died of organ failure on March 1 in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Janis was 94.
Janis' first sitcom starring role was as Edward on the 1953 live NBC sitcom Bonino. The series is about an Italian-American opera singer named Bonino (Ezio Pinza) trying to rear his eight children after the death of their mother. Edward is the eldest son. The cast included Lenka Peterson, Chet Allen, Donald Harris, Oliver Andes, Gaye Huston, Van Dyke Parks, Mary Wickes, Mike Kellin, David Opatoshu and Fred (Anthony) Eisley.
He starred as Otto Bob Palindrome on the short-lived 1977-1978 NBC science fiction sitcom Quark. Otto Bob Palindrome is in charge of Perma One, and gives Commander Adam Quark (Richard Benjamin) his assignments. His first name, "Otto", is a palindrome, as is his middle name, "Bob." The series also starred Tim Thomerson, Richard Kelton, Tricia Barnstable, Cyb Barnstable, Bobby Porter and Alan Caillou.
Janis starred as Fred McConnell, Mindy McConnell's (Pam Dawber) father, on the 1978-1982 ABC sitcom Mork & Mindy. Fred McConnell is a widower with conservative values. He owned a music shop with Cora Hudson (Elizabeth Kerr) in the first season. In the third season, Fred became the conductor of the Boulder Symphony Orchestra. Janis appeared in a total of 53 episodes. He also voiced the character on the 1982-1983 ABC animated series Mork & Mindy/Laverne & Shirley/Fonz Hour. The cast of Mork & Mindy included Robin Williams, Jeffrey Jacquet (1978-1979), Ralph James (voice only), Tom Poston, Jay Thomas (1979-1981), Gina Hecht (1979-1981), Jim Staahl (1979-1981), Robert Donner, Crissy Wilzak (1980-1981), Foster Brooks (1981) and Jonathan Winters (1981-1982).
Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Get Smart, My Favorite Martian, Maude, Happy Days, The Jeffersons, Husbands, Wives & Lovers (1978), The Love Boat, House Calls, Laverne & Shirley, Mama's Family, The Golden Girls and Frasier (3 episodes as Albert).
He starred as Officer Jimmy Hughes on the short-lived 1953 police drama Jimmy Hughes, Rookie Cop. Some of his televison guest appearances from the 1950s and 1960s included Actor's Studio (2 episodes), Starlight Theatre (2 episodes), The Philco Television Playhouse (2 episodes), The Big Story (2 episodes), Suspense (8 episodes), The Doctor, Danger (2 episodes), Kraft Theatre (3 episodes), The Untouchables and The United States Steel Hour (3 episodes).
Some of his 1970s and later guest apperances included Banacek, Cannon, Baretta, The Waltons, The Streets of San Francisco, Police Story, Kojak, Barnaby Jones, Here's Boomer, Trapper John, M.D. (1983), St. Elsewhere (2 episodes), Remington Steele (2 episodes), V: The Series, Highway to Heaven, Murder, She Wrote (3 episodes), Baywatch, Diagnosis Murder, L.A. Heat and Family Law.
His film credits included Margie (1946), That Hagen Girl (1947), The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (1976), The Buddy Holly Story (1978), Oh, God! Book II (1978), Brewster's Millions (1978), Mr. Saturday Night (1992), The Feminine Touch (1995) (also director) and The Cable Guy (1996).
He was a skilled trombonist and a longtime advocate of traditional jazz. He formed the Beverly Hills Unlisted Jazz Band in the 1970s which performed multiple times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and gave eight sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall. Conrad Janis and the Unlisted Jazz Band appeared in the 1986 film Nothing in Common.
Survivors include his brother; two children from his first marriage to Vicki Quarles, Christopher and Carin Janis; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. His third wife, Maria Grimm, died in September 2021.
Mr. Janis was a dependable character actor and a talented musician. He had more than 100 television and film credits. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment he brought us on Mork & Mindy and his many other roles. He will be greatly missed.
Share your memories on Mork & Mindy message board. View photos in our galleries.
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Saturday, September 7
Johnson - "Bahama Breeze" (Bounce TV, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Naomi is impressed with Omar's growth; Antionette makes Jarvis a proposal at a much-needed time; Greg reconnects with Jada; Omar, Keith and Jarvis hit the club.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 2)
Friday, September 6
- Kumail Nanjiani (Bless the Harts/Silicon Valley) - Watch Kumail on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Michael Keaton (Report to Murphy/Working Stiffs/All's Fair) - Michael appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Conner O'Malley (Shrill) - Conner is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Edie Falco (Bupkis/Nurse Jackie) - Edie talks about her film I'll Be Right There on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Josh Gad (Wolf Like Me/Avenue 5/The Comedians/1600 Penn/Back to You) - Josh is joining Drew and telling her about getting denied from his college's musical theater program and making his return to Broadway after eleven years with bestie Andrew Rannells on a repeat of The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Diane Farr (Splitting Together/Like Family/The Job) - Diane discusses the CBS drama series Fire Country on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
04/03 - Too Close for Comfort - The Complete Series (VEI)
04/08 - Check It Out! - The Complete Series (VEI)
05/21 - Frasier (2023) - Season One
06/11 - The Jeffersons - The Complete Series (2024 Release)
06/11 - Welcome Back, Kotter - The Complete Series (2024 Release)
07/05 - Letterkenny - Season 12 (Final Season)
07/30 - Ted Lasso - The Richmond Way (The Complete Series) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
09/17 - Top Cat - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
09/24 - Friends - The Complete Series (4K Ultra HD)
09/24 - Young Sheldon - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD) / The Complete Series (DVD) (Blu-ray)
10/08 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Twelfth Season / The Complete Series
10/22 - Veep - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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