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CBS Special I Love Lucy: 75 Years of Laughter; Remembering Stacy Keach of Titus and Anthony Clark of Yes, Dear

CBS presents a special night of programming celebrating the groundbreaking series I Love Lucy, beginning with I Love Lucy: 75 Years of Laughter, an Entertainment Tonight special, Thursday, December 17 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), followed by back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series: "The Christmas Show" (9:00-9:30 PM, ET/PT) and "Never Do Business with Friends" (9:30-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming live on Paramount+ (Premium) and next day. In addition to the special evening of programming on CBS, fans can enjoy the beloved series on Paramount+, which features six seasons of I Love Lucy, including an Iconic Episodes collection with "Lucy Does a TV Commercial" and "Lucy's Italian Movie," among others, as well as on Pluto TV's dedicated I Love Lucy channel and on-demand.

I Love Lucy premiered on October 15, 1951, and over six seasons delivered 180 episodes that helped define the television sitcom. An unprecedented ratings phenomenon, it became the first sitcom to top the Nielsen charts and pioneered the traditional multi-camera format that continues to shape comedy production today. With four Emmy(R) Awards, 20 nominations and two honors from the Television Academy, I Love Lucy remains one of the most influential and beloved series in television history.

To commemorate the landmark anniversary, I Love Lucy: 75 Years of Laughter brings together exclusive footage from the ET Vault, memorable moments and new interviews with Carol Burnett, Paul W. Downs, Lucia Aniello, Andy Garcia, Carrie Preston, Amy Poehler and more to celebrate the beloved series that continues to make audiences laugh 75 years later.

Following the special, viewers can revisit two fan-favorite episodes, newly colorized with a palette inspired by the era in which they were originally filmed. In "The Christmas Show," the Ricardos and Mertzes decorate Lucy and Ricky's Christmas tree and reminisce about the life-changing moments surrounding the arrival of Little Ricky (Keith Thibodeaux). Through a series of memorable flashbacks, the episode revisits some of the series' most cherished moments, including Lucy's pregnancy reveal, her surprise appearance in a barbershop quartet and the family's preparations for Little Ricky's birth. In the newly colorized "Never Do Business with Friends," the Ricardos sell their old washing machine to the Mertzes after purchasing a new one. When the machine breaks down before payment is made, a simple transaction quickly escalates into a classic battle between friends.

I Love Lucy stars Lucille Ball as Lucy, Desi Arnaz as Ricky Ricardo, Vivian Vance as Ethel Mertz, and William Frawley as Fred Mertz.

Actor Stacy Keach, who starred as Ken Titus in Titus and as Joe Burns in Man with a Plan, has died. He died from heart failure complicated by heart disease at his home in Magdalenka, Poland, on November 10. Mr. Keach was 85.

Keach starred as Ken Titus in the 2000-2002 Fox sitcom Titus. The sitcom is based on Christopher Titus's stand-up comedy act, more specifically his one-man show Norman Rockwell is Bleeding (which itself would be broadcast on television in 2004), which was based loosely upon his real-life family. Lines from Norman Rockwell is Bleeding were spoken by Titus as commentary. Ken Titus is his arrogantly lewd, bigoted, heavy smoking and drinking, womanizing, divorced multiple times father. The series also starred Cynthia Watros, Zach Ward, David Shatraw, and Rachel Roth (2001-2002).

He starred as Bob Moore in the short-lived 2016 NBC sitcom Crowded. Bob Moore is Mike Moore's (Patrick Warburton) father. He is a retired police officer who runs his own bar, Bob's Blue Room. The series also starred Carrie Preston, Miranda Cosgrove, Mia Serafino, and Carlease Burke.

Keach starred as Joe Burns in the 2016-2020 CBS sitcom Man with a Plan. When his wife Andi (Liza Snyder) returns to work, old-school father Adam Burns (Matt LeBlanc) takes on more of the responsibilities of parenting his three rambunctious children (Kate, Teddy and Emme). Adam must learn to balance this challenge with running a contracting business with his elder brother Don (Kevin Nealson), while at the same time dealing with his overbearing father Joe. Keach recurred in the first season before being upgraded to a regular cast member in later seasons. The cast included Grace Kaufman, Hala Finley, Matthew McCann, Jessica Chaffin (season 1), Matt Cook, Diana-Maria Riva (season 1), Kali Rocha (seasons 3–4; recurring seasons 1–2).

He had a recurring role as Tom, Chelsea Melini's (Jennifer Taylor) father and the boyfriend of Edward (Ed) Boyton (John Amos), in four episodes of Two and a Half Men in 2010. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Will & Grace (2005), George Lopez, Bored to Death (2 episodes), 30 Rock, The Neighbors (3 episodes as Dominick Weaver), Sean Saves the World (3 episodes as Lee Weaver), 1600 Penn (2 episodes), Anger Management, Malibu Country, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Enlisted, Jennifer Falls, The Exes, Hot in Cleveland (2 episodes as Alex Chase), Blunt Talk (2 episodes), and Kidding. He voiced Duff Brewery president Howard K. Duff VIII in five episodes of The Simpsons from 2001 to 2016.

Keach starred as Lieutenant Ben Logan in the short-lived 1975 ABC crime drama Caribe. He starred as Mike Hammer in the 1984-1987 CBS crime drama Mickey Spillane's Miker Hammer (later titled The New Mike Hammer. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Drama in 1985. He reprised the role in the syndicated series Mike Hammer, Private Eye, which aired from 1997 to 1998.

He portrayed Ernest Hemingway in the 1988 miniseries Hemingway, which earned him a Golden Globe Award as well as a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award. He had a recurring role as Warden Henry Pope in the Fox drama Prison Break from 2005 to 2007. In 2011, he starred as Robert "Pops" Leary in the FX boxing drama Lights Out. He had a recurring role as Archbishop Kevin Kearns in 11 episodes of the CBS police drama Blue Bloods from 2016 to 2024. He portrayed Robert Vesco, a former mentor of Raymond Reddington, in six episodes of The Blacklist from 2019 to 2023.

Some of his other television guest appearances included In the Heat of the Night (2 episodes), The Outer Limits (2000), Girls Club, Touched by an Angel (2 episodes), Boomtown, ER (3 episodes), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Ray Donovan (2 episodes). He appeared as Cassius Pride, the father of NCIS agent Dwayne Pride, in six episodes of NCIS: New Orleans from 2015 to 2019.

He was the host and narrator of the 1989-1992 syndicated informational reenactment show Missing: Reward, which had a similar format to the popular Unsolved Mysteries at the time. He was the narrator of the 2007-2023 CNBC documentary series American Greed.

Keach starred as Billy Tully in Fat City (1972). Some of his other film credits included The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1968), Brewster McCloud (1970), Doc (1971), The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), The New Centurions (1972), Luther (1974), The Ninth Configuration (1980), The Long Riders (1980), Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993), Escape from L.A. (1996), American History X (1998), The Bourne Legacy (2012), Nebraska (2013), and Jay Kelly (2025).

Mr. Keach was a talented and versatile character actor. He had more than 200 television and film credits during his legendary career, which spanned more than 60 years. He was funny and memorable as Ken Titus and Joe Burns. We thank him for his work on television and in films. He will be greatly missed.

Actor and comedian Anthony Clark, who starred as Greg Warner in Yes, Dear, has died. He died of complications from pneumonia on November 10. Mr. Clark was 62.

Clark had a recurring role as Will Davies in four episodes of season three (1995-1996) of the ABC sitcom Ellen. Will Davies is a member of Ellen Morgan's (Ellen DeGeneres) book club. He is portrayed as a somewhat dim-witted, redneck-type character.

He starred as Boyd Pritchett in the 1996-1997 NBC sitcom Boston Common. Boyd Pritchett is a genial, easy-going twenty-something from Virginia who delivers his sister Wyleen (Hedy Burress) to college in Boston. Then Boyd falls in love with Joy Byrnes (Traylor Howard) and decides to stay, much to Wyleen's dismay. The series also starred Steve Paymer, Tasha Smith, Vincent Ventresca, and Roger Rees (season 2).

Clark starred as Reverend Todd Tucker in the 1997-1998 ABC sitcom Soul Man. Reverend Mike Weber (Dan Aykroyd) is a widowed Episcopal priest who must deal with his four children, his quirky parishioners in Royal Oak, Michigan, and a wet-behind-the-ears curate (Reverend Todd Tucker) who happens to be the nephew of his bishop. The cast included Kevin Sheridan, Brendon Ryan Barrett, Courtney Chase, Spencer Breslin (season 1), Michael Finiguerra, and Dakin Matthews.

He was best known for starring as Greg Warner in the 2000-2006 CBS sitcom Yes, Dear. Greg Warner, a successful businessman in the film industry, and Kim (Jean Louisa Kelly), his level-headed stay-at-home wife, do their best to be the perfect parents to their young son Sammy (Anthony and Michael Bain) and later daughter Emily (Madison and Marissa Poer). Things become difficult when Kim's sister Christine (Liza Snyder) and her husband Jimmy Hughes (Mike O'Malley) move into the Warners' guest house with their two rambunctious boys, Dominic (Joel Homan) and Logan (Brendon Baerg).

Clark made four appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno from 1994 to 1997, seven appearances on Late Show with David Letterman from 1995 to 2000, and four appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien from 1997 to 2000. He hosted the fourth season of NBC's Last Comic Standing in 2006.

He starred as Paul the Hotel Barber in The Rock (1996). Some of his other film credits included The Thing Called Love (1993) and My Uncle Rafael (2012), which starred John Michael Higgins and Missi Pyle.

Mr. Clark was a funny actor and comedian. Yes, Dear is an underrated show, which quietly aired on CBS for six seasons and 122 episodes. It should be available on DVD or streaming. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment. He will be sorely missed.

We also remember actress and model Toukie Smith. She starred as Eva Rawley in 227 from 1989 to 1990. She died from complications of multiple sclerosis at a hospital in New York, on November 4. Ms. Smith was 74.

Smith starred as Eva Rawley in 24 episodes of the NBC sitcom 227 from 1989 to 1990. Eva Rawley is an artist who moves into 227 Lexington Place at the end of season four where she becomes the building manager. By season five, she loses the building manager job when Julian c. Barlow (Paul Winfield) comes into view. Eva would later get a job at an art gallery.

She appeared as Angie, the personal assistant to singer Caitlin Davies (Sheena Easton), in three episodes of Miami Vice from 1987 to 1988. Some of her film credits included Talkin' Dirty After Dark (1991), I Like It Like That (1994), Joe's Apartment (1996), and The Preacher's Wife (1996).

Ms. Smith had a successful print career as a model, including a photo campaign for Yves St. Laurent as well as appearances in the magazines Vogue, ELLE, Ebony, Cosmopolitan, Redbook, and Seventeen. We thank her work on 227. She will be deeply missed.

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

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Labels: 227, CBS, Crowded, I Love Lucy, Man with a Plan, Obits, Pluto TV, Titus, Yes Dear