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
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
Wednesday, October 30
Abbott Elementary - "Costume Contest" (ABC, 9:30PM ET/PT)
It’s Halloween at Abbott Elementary! Janine and Gregory proudly show off their couple’s costume, but it fails to translate. Meanwhile, Barbara faces pushback from parents concerned about hygiene and her beloved apple-bobbing tradition.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Saved by the Spell" (Disney Channel, 8:00PM ET/PT)
On her first day of school, Billie uses magic to impress Roman's best friend; when a jealous Roman steals Billie's wand, he falls into the grasp of a wizard-hunting phantomus.
Wizards Beyond Waverly Place - "Something Wizard This Way Comes" (Disney Channel, 8:30PM ET/PT)
On Halloween, Billie tells Roman about Pumpkin Belly, a ghoul who eats anyone whose house isn't spookily decorated; Justin, Milo and Giada defend the home from pranksters.
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of October 28)
Wednesday, October 30
- Sheryl Lee Ralph (Abbott Elementary/Fam/Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Watch Sheryl on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Salma Hayek Pinault (The Sinbad Show) - Salma appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Kieran Culkin (Solar Opposites/Go Fish) - Kieran is a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
- Tom Hanks (Bosom Buddies) - Tom stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Emily Osment (Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage/Young Sheldon/Young & Hungry/Hannah Montana), Tien Tran (How I Met Your Father) and Vinny Thomas (Platonic) - Emily, Tien and Vinny are guests on After Midnight at 12:37am on CBS.
- Ronny Chieng (Young Rock/Ronny Chieng: International Student) - Ronny hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Adam Pally (Mr. Throwback/Indebted/Making History/The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen at 3:30am on Bravo.
- Keri Russell (Running Wilde/Daddy's Girls) - Keri talks about The Diplomat on ABC's Good Morning America some time between 7-9am and on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Matty Matheson (The Bear) - Matty talks about improvising scenes on the hit show The Bear and how he started his career in restaurants on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Anna Kendrick (Love Life) - Anna is chatting with Drew about directing her first film Woman of the Hour, the crazy serial killer case the movie is based on, finding boundaries in her life, turning 40 and more on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Mayan Lopez (Lopez vs Lopez) - Mayan discusses her sitcom Lopez vs Lopez on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
- Blair Underwood (Fatherhood/The New Adventures of Old Christine) - Blair is a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 9:30am.
- Marissa Jaret Winokur (What We Do in the Shadows/Retired at 35/Stacked) - Marissa appears on New York Living on WPIX in New York at 10:05am.
- Melissa Peterman (Happy's Place/Young Sheldon/Baby Daddy/Working Class/Reba) - Melissa talks about NBC's Happy's Place on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
09/10 - Rick and Morty - The Complete Seasons 1-7
09/10 - The Ropers - The Complete Series (VEI)
09/10 - Ted - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/17 - The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - Video Scrapbook
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)
11/05 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
11/19 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fourteenth Season
02/04 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
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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