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

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.


Ramy Youssef

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.

Conrad Janis

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.

Bonino

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.

Quark

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.

Mork & Mindy

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).

Conrad Janis

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).

Conrad Janis and Jonathan Winters

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

Monday, April 28

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Yippedy-Dip" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
The Butlers visit a nostalgic, rundown restaurant from Calvin’s childhood and encounter its owner, Jasper (Garrett Morris). Meanwhile, Dave, Gemma, and Dave’s mother, Paula (Marilu Henner), pay a visit to Lamar (Kevin Pollack) in prison.

Poppa's House - "Magic Shine Again" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Poppa prepares to reveal a big secret to Ivy. Meanwhile, Nina takes over Junior’s short film project.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 28)

Monday, April 28

  • Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Watch Anna on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC. She also talks about Another Simple Favor on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
  • Wanda Sykes (The Upshaws/The New Adventures of Old Christine/Wanda at Large) - Wanda is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Cole Escola (Human Resources/Search Party/Mozart in the Jungle/Difficult People) - Cole appears on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
  • Jason Ritter (Another Period/The Class) and Joel Kim Booster (Loot/Shrill) - Jason and Joel are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Eva Longoria (Only Murders in the Building/Telenovela) and Sandra Bernhard (Roseanne) - Eva and Sandra are guests on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 9pm on Bravo.
  • Luke Kirby (Étoile) - Luke talks about Étoile on CBS Mornings Plus in the 9am hour.
  • Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs (Welcome Back, Kotter) - Lawrence shares details about his new role in Jason’s Lyric at the King’s Theatre in Brooklyn on Sherri, so check your local listings.
  • Valerie Bertinelli (Hot in Cleveland/Café Americain/Sydney/One Day at a Time) - In this a little bit extra episode Drew shares more of her conversation about beauty and aging with makeup free Gillian Anderson, Gayle King and Valerie on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
  • Pamela Anderson (Stacked/Home Improvement) - Drew shares more of her conversation with Pamela on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray) The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series Frasier (2023) - Season Two

11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/12 - The King of Queens - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (2024 Release)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
11/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Choice - Volume 4 (Blu-ray)
12/03 - Angel (1960-1961) - The Complete Series, Volume 1
12/17 - Seinfeld - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (4K UHD)
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season

More Recent and Upcoming TV DVD and Blu-ray Releases / TV Shows on DVD, Blu-ray and Prime Video / DVD Reviews Archive


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