Thursday, August 11, 2022

Hallmark Original Series Sets Cast; Remembering Pat Carroll, Roger E. Mosley and Vin Scully

Chyler Leigh

Chyler Leigh (Supergirl, Grey's Anatomy) has been cast in The Way Home, the network's new, original primetime series slated to begin production later this month for a 2023 premiere on Hallmark Channel. Leigh plays Kat Landry, who moved away from her small, Canadian farm town of Port Haven many years ago following a family tragedy, and remains estranged from her mother Del (Andie MacDowell) to this day. With her marriage coming to an end and having just been laid off from her job, Kat decides to return home after receiving an unexpected letter from Del urging her to come back. Although her 15-year-old daughter Alice is none-too-thrilled, Kat and her daughter arrive at her family's farm, though the reunion isn't what Kat had envisioned. As the three generations of women slowly work on finding their footing as a family, they embark on an enlightening - and surprising - journey none of them could have imagined.

Pat Carroll

Emmy-winning actress Pat Carroll, who starred as Bunny Halper on The Danny Thomas Show, has died. She died of pneumonia at her home on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on July 30. Ms. Carroll was 95.

Carroll made her television debut on the CBS variety show/sitcom The Red Buttons Show in 1953. She appeared in 45 episodes of the NBC sketch comedy series Caesar's Hour from 1954 to 1957. In 1957, she won the Emmy Award for Best Supporting Performance by an Actress for playing various roles. She appeared on The Saturday Night Revue in 1954. She was a regular on the game show Keep Talking from 1958 to 1960.

Pat Carroll and Sid Melton - The Danny Thomas Show

She starred as Bunny Halper in 40 episodes of The Danny Thomas Show on CBS from 1961 to 1964. Bunny Halper is the wife of Charley Halper (Sid Melton), the owner of the Copa Club where Danny Williams (Danny Thomas) frequently performed. The cast from seasons 9 to 11 included Danny Thomas, Marjorie Lord, Rusty Hamer, Angela Williams and Amanda Randolph.

Getting Together

Carroll starred as Rita Simon on the short-lived 1971-1972 ABC sitcom Getting Together. It starred Bobby Sherman and Wes Stern as Bobby Conway and Lionel Poindexter, a songwriting duo. Jennifer Conway (Susan Neher) is Bobby's 12-year-old sister. Rita is the motherly landlady at an antique shop. Officer Rudy Colcheck (Jack Burns) is her policeman boyfriend.

Busting Loose

She portrayed Pearl Markowitz, the mother of Lenny Markowitz (Adam Arkin), on the 1977 CBS sitcom Busting Loose. The series centers on a young man in New York City who has moved out of his parents' house to live on his own for the first time. The cast included Barbara Rhoades, Jack Kruschen, Danny Goldman, Steve Nathan, Greg Antonacci, Paul Sylvan, Paul B. Price, Ralph Wilcox and Louise Williams.

She's the Sheriff

Carroll starred as Gussie Holt, the bubbly mother of Sheriff Hildy Granger (Suzanne Somers), on the 1987-1989 first-run syndicated sitcom She's the Sheriff. The cast included George Wyner, Nicky Rose, Taliesin Jaffe, Lou Richards, Guich Kooch and Leonard Lightfoot.

Pat Carroll on The Ted Knight Show

She starred as Hope Stinson on The Ted Knight Show in first-run syndication from 1986 to 1987. Too Close for Comfort was retitled to The Ted Knight Show for the sixth and final season. Hope is the co-owner the local weekly newspaper, the Bugler. The cast included Ted Knight, Nancy Dussault, Jim J. Bullock (as Jm J. Bullock) and Lisa Antille.

Some of her sitcom guest appearances included The Dennis Day Show, The Mickey Rooney Show, The Ann Sothern Show, Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Arnie, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, My Three Sons, Love, American Style (2 episodes), Calucci's Department, Laverne & Shirley (as Lily Feeney, Shirley's mother), Good Heavens, C.P.O. Sharkey, The Love Boat, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, Evening Shade and Designing Women.

She appeared as Rebecca Chadwick in three episodes of ER in 2005. Some of her other drama guest appearances included Police Story, Police Woman, Flying High, Trapper John, M.D. (1985) and Crazy Like a Fox

Carroll was also known for her voice-over work. She portrayed the sea witch Ursula in Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989). Some of her television animated series credits included Galaxy High School, Foofur and Pound Puppies.

Survivors include daughters Kerry Karsian, Tara Karsian and granddaughter Evan Karsian-McCormick.

Ms. Carroll was a talented and funny actress. She had more than 100 television and film credits. We thank her for the laughs and entertainment that she brought us during her long career. She will be deeply missed.

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

Roger E. Mosley

Actor Roger E. Mosley, who was best known for his role as the helicopter pilot Theodore "T.C." Calvin on Magnum, P.I., has died. On August 4, he was involved in a car accident in Lynwood, California, becoming paralyzed from the shoulders down. He died three days later on August 7 from his injuries at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Mosley was 83.

Magnum, P.I.

Mosley starred as Theodore "T.C." Calvin on the crime drama Magnum, P.I., which aired on CBS from 1980 to 1988. Theodore "T.C." Calvin runs a one-person local helicopter charter and tour van service called "Island Hoppers", and often finds himself persuaded by Magnum (Tom Selleck) to fly him during various cases. Mosley directed an episode in 1984 and wrote an episode in 1986.

You Take the Kids

He starred as Michael Kirkland on the short-lived 1990-1991 CBS sitcom You Take the Kids. The series starred Nell Carter, who also performed the theme song "Nobody's Got It Easy". Nell's husband Michael worked as a school bus driver while Nell gave piano lessons at the family home for extra money. It also starred Dante Beze, Caryn Ward, Marlon Taylor, Trent Cameron and Leila Danette.

Mosley had a recurring role as Coach Ricketts in 10 episodes of the first season (1992-1993) of the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper. He is the coach of the Oakbridge Penguins boys' basketball team. The cast of the first season included Mark Curry, Holly Robinson (Peete), Dawnn Lewis, Omar Gooding, Marquise Wilson, George Lemore and Christopher Carter.

He starred as Milton 'Milt' Johnson on the second season (1999-2000) of the Showtime comedy Rude Awakening. The cast included Sherilyn Fenn, Lynn Redgrave, Jonathan Penner and Rain Pryor.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Sanford and Son, That's My Mama, The Love Boat, Night Court (2 episodes), The Sinbad Show, In the House and Arli$$.

He appeared as John Booky, T.C.'s (Stephen Hill) barber, in two episodes of the Magnum, P.I. reboot in 2019 and 2021. Some of his other television drama guest appearances included Cannon, Night Gallery (2 episodes), The Streets of San Francisco, Kung Fu, Kojak, McCloud, Baretta, The Rookies, Delvecchio, The Rockford Files, Starsky and Hutch (2 episodes), RoboCop (1994), Walker, Texas Ranger (2000), The District and Las Vegas.

Some of his film credits included Hit Man (1972), The Mack (1973), Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (1973), Terminal Island (1974), McQ (1974), Leadbelly (1976), The Greatest (1977), Semi-Tough (1977), Heart Condition (1990), Unlawful Entry (1992) and Pentathlon (1994).

Survivors include his wife, Antoinette (“Toni”) — they were together for nearly 60 years — son Brandonn; daughter Ch-a; grandson Austin; and Rahsan, among his many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Mosley was a solid and dependable actor. He was likable and memorable as T.C. on Magnum, P.I.. Though he was a certified helicopter pilot, he was not allowed to do his own stunts. We thank him for the entertainment that he brought us on television. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Magnum, P.I. message board. View photos in our galleries.

Vin Scully

Hall of Fame sportscaster Vin Scully was best known for his 67 seasons calling games for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning in 1950 (when the franchise was located in Brooklyn) and ending in 2016. He died on August 2 at his home in Hidden Hills, California. Mr. Scully was 94.

Occasional Wife

Scully was the uncredited narrator for the 1966-1967 NBC sitcom Occasional Wife. The lead character was Peter Christopher (Michael Callan), a bachelor who enjoyed the single life, but was blocked from professional advancement by not having a wife. Christopher asked a young hat check girl, Greta Patterson (Patricia Harty), to pose as his wife at company functions. Scully commented on the increasingly complicated problems created by the arrangement between Peter and Greta.

His voice as an announcer was heard in episodes of Mister Ed, The Joey Bishop Show and Brooklyn Bridge. Some of his other television voice credits included General Electric Theater, Michael Shayne, The New Breed, Alcoa Premiere, The Fugitive, Highway to Heaven and The X-Files.

It Takes Two

He served as the host for the NBC game show It Takes Two in 1969-1970. He hosted The Vin Scully Show, a weekday afternoon talk-variety show on CBS in 1973. In 1977, he hosted the prime-time Challenge of the Sexes for CBS.

Survivors include his children, Kevin, Todd, Erin, Kelly and Catherine; 21 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Mr. Scully was one of the best baseball announcers of all time. He had so many memorable calls over the years. He was a true professional and a great storyteller. He will be sorely missed.

Share your memories on our message board.


Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Sunday, October 4

Animal Control - "Seahawks and Piglets" (Fox, 7:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Frank leads the team in a work stoppage, but abandons his cause for the ultimate call — recovering the Seahawks' missing mascot.

Universal Basic Guys - "Two Marks" (Fox, 7:30PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
Mark enrolls in a dangerous science experiment to win a Super Bowl ticket.

The Simpsons - "Diary of a Chimpy Kid" (Fox, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Bart and Lisa adopt an abandoned baby chimp and clash over their surprisingly different parenting styles; when the chimp is abducted by a private wild animal zoo, the family goes on a mission to rescue him.

Animal Control - "Crows and Lizard Legs" (Fox, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Shred spirals when he discovers a negative online review about him that could reflect poorly on the precinct; Patel, Victoria and Emily try to break up Addy's new relationship.

Universal Basic Guys - "La Gloire Du Bouffon" (Fox, 9:00PM ET/PT)
Mark learns to play a new instrument; Tammy confronts her fear of clowns.

Grimsburg - "Stanbiscuit" (Fox, 9:30PM ET/PT)
Flute intervenes when Stan receives an alarming superlative; Wynona undergoes a brain procedure to improve her dating life outside of work.

Complete TV Listings


Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of September 28)

Friday, October 2

  • Lauren Lapkus (Stuart Fails to Save the Universe/Crashing/Clipped/Are You There, Chelsea?) - Watch Lauren on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
  • Jon Hamm (Grimsburg/Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) - Jon appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Sabrina Impacciatore (The Paper) - Sabrina is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
  • Caroline Rhea (Sydney to the Max/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Pride & Joy) and Tommy Davidson (The Varnell Hill Show/The Proud Family/Malcolm & Eddie/Between Brothers) - Caroline and Tommy will be on a repeat of Funny You Should Ask at 12:37am on CBS.
  • Danielle Brooks (Close Enough) - NBC's Today catches up with Danielle in the 10am hour.
  • Zach Braff (Scrubs/Alex, Inc.) and Donald Faison (Scrubs/Extended Family/The Exes/Clueless) - Zach and Donald talk about Scrubs with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. Donald chats about Scrubs on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.


New on DVD and Blu-ray

Abbott Elementary - The Complete Fourth Season (DVD) The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray) The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD) I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray) Perfect Strangers - 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)
06/16/26 - Difficult People - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
06/30/26 - Dastardly and Muttley in Their Flying Machines - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
07/14/26 - The Office - The Complete Series - Superfan Extended Episodes (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Bill Dana Show - The Complete Series (DVD)
07/28/26 - I Love Lucy - The Complete Series - 75th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
07/28/26 - The Paper - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
08/25/26 - Perfect Strangers - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
09/08/26 - Looney Tunes Collector's Vault - Volume 3 (Blu-ray)
09/22/26 - Bridget Loves Bernie - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
10/20/26 - The Quick Draw McGraw Show - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)

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


Recent SitcomsOnline.com News Blog Posts

10/03 - SitcomsOnline Digest: A Different World Renewed for Second Season; A First Look at Ted: The Animated Series
10/02 - Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head Season 4 Launch; Anthony Anderson Returns to Soul Train Awards
10/01 - Ted: The Animated Series Premieres December 17 on Peacock; Trailer for Apple TV's Small Prophets
09/30 - AMC Orders Charlie Sheen and Martin Sheen Sitcom; Netflix's The One About Matthew Perry Documentary Series
09/29 - Michael Che's Third Netflix Special; Remembering Dennis Haskins of Saved by the Bell
09/28 - Hulu's Family Guy Halloween Special; AMC Announces New York Comic Con Panels for 2026
09/27 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 28, 2026)
09/26 - SitcomsOnline Digest: Seth Meyers Developing The Game Room for NBC; Glee Reboot Script Written
09/25 - Apple TV's 2026 Holiday Lineup; First Look at SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of
09/24 - Netflix Announces Final Season for A Man on the Inside; Jamie Foxx Hulu Comedy Special Trailer
09/23 - Disney+ Orders New Darkwing Duck Series; Great American Christmas 2026 with 18 New Holiday Movies
09/22 - Who Is Martin Mull? Netflix Documentary; Dancing with the Stars 2-Night Premiere Scores Big
09/21 - JoAnna Garcia Swisher to Join New Netflix Series; AMC Announces New Family Drama for 2027
09/20 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 21, 2026)
09/19 - SitcomsOnline Digest: David Hyde Pierce Set to Star in Untitled NBC Sitcom; American Idol Moves to Atlanta
09/18 - South "America" Season 29 After 16th Emmy Win; HBO Max Orders Drama Series with Ray Romano and Kaley Cuoco
09/17 - They're Back on Call! Scrubs Season 2 Trailer; HBO's Kate Berlant Comedy Special
09/16 - AMC+ Half-Hour Drama Series Yaga Premieres October 23; Roku's Comedy Film with Kristin Cavallari
09/15 - 78th Primetime Emmy Award Winners; Netflix Announces Additional Cast for This Summer Will Be Different
09/14 - Scooby-Doo: Origins Wraps Production for 2027 Release; The Unusual Suspects with Kenya Barris & Malcolm Gladwell Season 2
09/13 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 14, 2026)
09/12 - SitcomsOnline Digest: South Park (or South America?) Returns September 16; City of Los Angeles Prepared for Second Season of Baywatch Reboot
09/11 - Nobody Wants This Season 3 Returns October 22; Sam Morrill Is Incorrect for Netflix
09/10 - NBC's 78th Emmy Awards Presenters Include Charlie's Angels Reunion; Apple TV's The Sisters Grimm Returns October 2
09/09 - UPtv's Most Uplifting Christmas Ever Includes The Rookie; Netflix Continues The Inbetweeners
09/08 - Abbott Elementary School House Rock Episode; NBC's Newlyweds First Look
09/07 - TV Marathons on Labor Day 2026 Include Alice's 50th Anniversary
09/06 - Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows; This Week in Sitcoms (Week of September 7, 2026)
09/05 - SitcomsOnline Digest: First Look at Newlyweds; Fox Orders Comedy from Modern Family Co-Creator
09/04 - Fox Orders Mammoth, Comedy from Modern Family Producers; Peacock's Fan Level Midnight: Devoted to The Office Docuseries
09/03 - Dancing with the Stars Season 35 Cast; Disney Comedy Vampirina: Teenage Vampire Returns October 6
09/02 - Freeform's 31 Nights of Halloween 2026 Schedule; Great Entertainment Television's Walker, Texas Ranger Labor Day Marathon