SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

It's time for another edition of Fri-Yay (but today it's on a Monday to open up 2022)! That means we will take a look back on some sitcom happenings in recent days or weeks or other fun sitcomy stuff. It's a sitcom lover's paradise! Happy Fri-Yay!

by Vincent

This TV season, there were a handful of new sitcoms on network TV that I was looking forward to. However, nearly all of them (with the exception of CBS' Ghosts) were held for mid-season, as the networks seem to be prioritizing unscripted shows over sitcoms again. That said, there are two sitcoms that I'm interested in: NBC's American Auto and ABC's Abbott Elementary (both had special preview premieres in December).

American Auto technically already premiered (in a preview role), and the first two episodes have been entertaining. The show is very much in vein of Superstore (which it shares a creator with), and like that show, I expect a few episodes for it to really find its voice. I still miss Superstore and felt it really had another good season or two left in it, so if American Auto can take after it, I'd be very happy. The show does need to find its own identity beyond just being "the new Office/Superstore," but solid performances from its promising cast make it one to keep an eye on.

I'm also very interested in Abott Elementary (which also had its preview premiere in December, that encores tonight at 10pm, episode two premieres tommorow at 9). There have been few sitcoms to take place in elementary schools, so it seems like an interesting new setting for a workplace comedy. It also has gotten really solid reviews and seems to have a very talented cast. With so many sitcoms having ended in the past 2 years, there really haven’t been many new sitcoms to step up and fill their shoes. Let's hope the spring 2022 class can reach that goal.

Betty White tributes started on Saturday, with TV Land airing the first marathon titled "Celebration of Betty White" with marathon blocks of The Golden Girls and Hot in Cleveland rotating all weekend starting 6pm on Saturday and continuing to 6am this morning. TV Land Sitcoms channel on Pluto TV has been airing non-stop Hot in Cleveland all weekend. NBC re-aired Betty's SNL guest host appearance from 2010 on Saturday at 11:35pm. The Hallmark Channel aired a tribute last night titled "The Lost Valentine: Remembering Betty White," an encore of their Hallmark Hall of Fame movie from 2011 from 8-10pm, followed by a The Golden Girls block from 10pm-1am. But there are much more tributes and marathons to come! Today (January 3) all-day from 9am-4am ET, CMT will celebrate the iconic Betty White with The Golden Girls All-Day Marathon featuring back-to-back episodes of some of the best Rose Nylund episodes of all-time. DECADES airs the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Betty White on Friday, January 7 at 9pm ET and select episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and encore presentations of her Celebrity Roast all weekend long beginning Saturday, January 8 at 12pm ET.

MeTV will air a Sunday block for Betty White with four episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, two episodes of Mama's Family and a guest appearance from The Love Boat on Sunday, January 9 from 2-6pm ET/PT. There were planned 100th birthday marathons already scheduled, as we mentioned a few weeks back, but MeTV has moved those Mary Tyler Moore Show episodes to Jan. 9 instead and will no longer do a 100th birthday salute on the 16th. As of now, Hallmark Channel is still airing the Golden Girls marathon from Jan. 15-17.

This Saturday, January 8 starting at 9 a.m. ET, Game Show Network will air an 8-hour marathon of Match Game episodes featuring the golden girl of game shows and America's sweetheart, Betty White. Buzzr will begin their celebration of Betty White on Saturday, January 8, at 10:30 am EST with episodes of Match Game and Match Game PM. They will feature more game shows on January 16 and 17. Keep it right here with continued updates as we get more information from other TV networks/services.

Canadian-American television personality and game show host Alex Trebek, who was best known as the longtime host of Jeopardy!, has died. He died at his home in Los Angeles on November 8 after a nearly two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Mr. Trebek was 80.

Trebek's television career began in 1961 in his native Canada where he worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC). His first hosting job was on a music program called Music Hop in 1963. He hosted the Toronto version of the high school quiz show Reach for the Top from 1966 to 1973. In 1969, he hosted the game show Strategy. He hosted the short film series Pick and Choose in 1971. He hosted I'm Here Til 9, the local morning drive radio show on CBC Toronto, from 1971 to 1972.

He moved to the United States in 1973. He hosted the 1973-1974 NBC daytime game show The Wizard of Odds. A year later he began hosting NBC's High Rollers from 1974 to 1976. It was brought back from 1978 until 1980. Between his stints on High Rollers, he hosted the short-lived CBS game show Double Dare from 1976 to 1977, which was produced by Mark Goodson—Bill Todman Productions. He hosted the second season of the syndicated game show The $128,000 Question from 1977 to 1978. He hosted the syndicated Pitfall from 1981 to 1982. After High Rollers was cancelled in 1980, he moved to NBC where he hosted Battlestars (1981-1982) and later The New Battlestars (1983).

Trebek began hosting the syndicated game show Jeopardy! when it was revived in 1984. He hosted the series for 36 years and over 8,000 episodes from 1984 until his death. His last day filming in the studio was on October 29. His final broadcast will air on Christmas Day on December 25. Trebek received the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Game Show Host seven times (1989, 1990, 2003, 2006, 2008, 2019, and 2020) for his work on Jeopardy!. The series has won a record 39 Daytime Emmy Awards as well as a Peabody Award. He hosed Super Jeopardy! in 1990. In January 2020, he hosted ABC's primetime tournament Jeopardy! The Greatest of All Time.

He hosted the NBC daytime game show Classic Concentration from 1987 to 1991. This was his second show for Mark Goodson. In 1991, he made broadcast history by becoming the first person to host three American game shows at the same time when he began hosting NBC's To Tell the Truth. He hosted the show from February to March 1991.

Trebek also made appearances in numerous television series, in which he usually played himself. Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Mama's Family, Cheers, Pacific Station, The Golden Girls, The Larry Sanders Show, Dave's World, The Nanny, Blossom, Seinfeld, Ned and Stacey, Ladies Man, How I Met Your Mother and Hot in Cleveland. His voice credits included Rugrats, The Simpsons, Arthur and Family Guy. Some of his other television guest appearances included Vega$ (as Arthur Martin, credited as Alex Trebeck), Beverly Hills 90210, The X-Files, Baywatch and Orange Is the New Black.

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on August 22, 2007.

Mr. Trebek was a true game show host legend. It will be hard to imagine Jeopardy! without him. He made learning trivia fun and cool. We thank him for the many hours of entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

ABC aired a 20/20: Alex Trebek Remembered special last night (November 8). It's available on their website and on demand.

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

Decades is making some schedule changes beginning Monday, Nov. 30. Since The Jeffersons is moving to Antenna TV this January, it will be off the lineup on Decades. The Odd Couple will be joining the lineup and will air weekdays at 5pm & 5:30pm. Then at 6pm, The Love Boat will be airing every weeknight, followed by The Best of the Ed Sullivan Show at 7pm, which will also air from 7-8am in the morning, too. Only other schedule change is 6-7am with back-to-back airings of The Millionaire. The weekdays 9am-5pm "Television Across the Decades" sitcom line-up from the '50s to the '80s will remain as is (The Lucy Show, The Donna Reed Show, Family Affair, Petticoat Junction, I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and The Bob Newhart Show/Newhart). The late fringe sitcoms will also remain as is from 10pm-5am and you can still see Decades Weekend Binges all weekend long. The Jeffersons will get one final Weekend Binge Dec. 5-6. View the full Decades schedule that begins Nov. 30.

Starting Monday, October 5, Decades is bringing you a whole new block of late-night laughs. These comedies were far ahead of their time — and are bound to keep you up for hours with Smart Com! Every weeknight beginning at 10pm ET | 7pm PT, catch your new favorite block of comedy all starting with The Dick Van Dyke Show! Afterward, you can stop on by the place where everybody knows your name with comedy classic Cheers at 11 and catch a ride with Danny DeVito and Andy Kaufman on Taxi at 12 midnight. The classic Bob Newhart Show will air at 12:30am. In the overnight from 1am-5am it's more classic laughs with an episode each of The Lost Honeymooners, Get Smart, The Phil Silvers Show, Car 54, Dobie Gillis, Abbott & Costello and back-to-back Our Miss Brooks.

There is comedy in the morning, daytime and afternoons as well. Starting early in the morning at 6am with Laugh-In, followed by back-to-back episodes of The Jeffersons at 7am. Daytime comedy starts at 9am with two episodes each of The Lucy Show, The Donna Reed Show, Family Affair, Petticoat Junction, I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show and an episode each of The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart round it out at 4pm. Early evening and primetime remain the same starting at 5pm with The Jeffersons. Check out the full Decades Fall 2020 line-up.

Effective immediately, American Housewife reruns are now on CMT as of yesterday (Sept. 21). The ABC comedy starring Katy Mixon is entering its fifth season this fall (starts Oct. 28 at 8:30pm). CMT will air it Monday to Wednesdays from 11pm-1am in late fringe, following the Mom primetime block. CMT airs sitcoms all day as well with blocks of Roseanne, The Golden Girls, The King of Queens, and Last Man Standing also airing on weekdays. CMT mainstay Reba also airs in late fringe on some nights. The network has also recently aired Married...with Children and Home Improvement, but are currently not on the line-up. Back to American Housewife, this is its first off-network airing and CMT will also air a marathon on Sunday (Sept. 27) starting at 12 noon. American Housewife will be eligible for local broadcast syndication in Fall 2021, so we could see more networks airing it by then. The series stars Katy Mixon, Diedrich Bader, Meg Donnelly, Daniel DiMaggio, Julia Butters, Ali Wong and Carly Hughes. 

Emmy-winning actor, comedian, screenwriter, director and author Carl Reiner, who created The Dick Van Dyke Show and appeared as Alan Brady, has died. He died of natural causes at his Beverly Hills, California, home on June 29. Mr. Reiner was 98.

Reiner's television career began as a regular performer on the 1950-1954 NBC variety series Your Show of Shows. He also contributed ideas to writers such as Mel Brooks and Neil Simon. He received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 1954. The series also starred Sid Caesar, Imogene Coca, Howard Morris, Bill Hayes, Judy Johnson and James Starbuck.

He worked with Sid Caesar again on the 1954-1957 NBC comedy/variety series Caesar's Hour. He played George Hansen in the series, which had a varied format from a full hour sitcom, to musical revues, to a variety show or a combination of all three. Reiner also wrote three episodes. He won Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in 1957 and 1958. The cast included Howard Morris, Nanette Fabray, Milt Kamen and Janet Blair.

Reiner was best known as the creator, producer, writer, and actor on 1961-1966 CBS sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show. He appeared as Alan Brady. He was the egocentric, demanding, high maintenance, toupee-wearing star of The Alan Brady Show. The character was originally an unseen character with his back to the camera or only in voice, but he began to make full-face appearances in season four. The Alan Brady character was voiced or seen in 32 episodes. Reiner wrote and worked as a story consultant for many episodes. The series was preceded by the 1960 pilot Head of the Family with a different cast. He wrote the pilot and starred as Robbie Petrie. It was based on his own experiences as a TV writer.

The Dick Van Dyke Show won 15 Emmy Awards. The cast included Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Larry Matthews, Richard Deacon, Jerry Paris and Ann Morgan Guilbert. Reiner reprised the role of Alan Brady on the February 16, 1995, episode of Mad About You. He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for the role. He reunited with the surviving cast members for the 2004 special The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited.

Reiner created the 1971-1974 CBS sitcom The New Dick Van Dyke Show. He also wrote 13 episodes and directed 10 episodes of the series. He created the short-lived 1973-1974 NBC sitcom Lotsa Luck with Bill Persky and Sam Denoff. Reiner worked as an executive producer and directed four episodes of the 1967-1968 sitcom Good Morning, World.

He starred as Mr. Angel, an emissary of heaven who came down to Earth to grant wishes to those who had performed a good deed, in the short-lived 1976 ABC sitcom Good Heavens. He also worked as an executive producer and directed seven episodes of the series.

Reiner had a recurring role as Max Miller, Elka's (Betty White) on-again/off-again (mostly off) boyfriend, in eight episodes of the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland from 2010 to 2014. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Frasier (voice), The Larry Sanders Show, The Bernie Mac Show (3 episodes), Life with Bonnie (3 episodes as station owner Mr. Portinbody), Two and a Half Men (4 episodes as Marty Pepper), Parks and Recreation, Young & Hungry and Angie Tribeca.

He provided the voice of Sarmoti in the 2004-2005 NBC animated sitcom Father of the Pride. Some of his other television voice credits included King of the Hill, Disney's Hercules: The Animated Series, The Penguins of Madagascar, The Cleveland Show (he also wrote an episode), American Dad!, Bob's Burgers, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, WordGirl, Shimmer and Shine, Family Guy and Justice League: Action. He provided the voice of Carl Reineroceros for the 2019 film Toy Story 4 and one episode of the Disney+ series Forky Asks a Question.

Reiner teamed with Mel Brooks as a comedy duo on The Steve Allen Show starting in 1960. He played the straight man in 2000 Year Old Man. They released a series of 5 comedy albums and a 1975 animated television special, with the last album in the series winning a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Comedy Album in 1998. They were featured in the 2017 documentary If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast.

He directed the Steve Martin films The Jerk (1979), Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982), The Man with Two Brains (1983) and All of Me (1984). His other directing credits included Enter Laughing (1967), The Comic (1969), Where's Poppa? (1970), Oh, God! (1977), The One and Only (1978), Summer Rental (1985), Summer School (1987), Bert Rigby, You're a Fool (1989), Sibling Rivalry (1990), Fatal Instinct (1993) and That Old Feeling (1997). He also appeared in many of his films.

Reiner starred as Saul Bloom in Ocean's Eleven (2001), Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007). Some of his other film acting credits included Happy Anniversary (1958), The Gazebo (1959), It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) and The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming (1966).

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on March 23, 1998.

Survivors include his son Rob, an actor and director; son Lucas, an artist; daughter Annie, an author; and five grandchildren. He was married to Estelle Lebost for 64 years until her death in 2008.

Mr. Reiner was a true comedic legend and one of the greats from the Golden Age of TV. He was a man of many talents as an actor, comedian, screenwriter, director and author. He always told some great stories on the late night talk shows. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his long career, which spanned seven decades. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our The Dick Van Dyke Show message board. View photos in our galleries.

The MeTV Network will celebrate legendary writer, director and actor Carl Reiner with a special, month-long presentation of his favorite episodes of 15-time Emmy award-winning sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show. The tribute begins this Sunday, July 5 at 10p & 10:30p ET/PT and will air every Sunday night through July 26 on MeTV.

Week 1 (Sunday, 7/5/20)

10:00pm ET/PT- "Coast to Coast Big Mouth"
Laura accidentally reveals that Alan Brady is bald on live TV!

10:30pm ET/PT- "That's My Boy??"
Rob and Laura think they brought the wrong baby home from the hospital.

Week 2 (Sunday, 7/12/20)

10:00pm ET/PT- "It May Look Like a Walnut"
Rob falls asleep with a sci-fi movie on and gets visited by an alien from another planet.

10:30pm ET/PT- "The Curious Thing About Women"
Laura is shocked when Rob uses their breakfast banter as basis for an "Alan Brady" sketch.

Week 3 (Sunday, 7/19/20)

10:00pm ET/PT- "Never Bathe on a Saturday"
Laura gets stuck in the bathtub.

10:30pm ET/PT- "Where Did I Come From?"
Richie's simple question unfolds the hilarious tale of the day he was born.

Week 4 (Sunday, 7/26/20)

10:00pm ET/PT- "October Eve"
Laura's past comes back to haunt her in form of a naked painting.

10:30pm ET/PT- "All About Eavesdropping"
Richie's toy intercom leads to trouble when Rob and Laura turn into eavesdroppers.

The DECADES Network will celebrate legendary writer, director and actor Carl Reiner with a special weekend binge of 15-time Emmy award winning sitcom The Dick Van Dyke Show. The tribute begins Friday, July 10 at 9p ET with an episode of The Dick Cavett Show featuring Carl Reiner. Following at 9:30p ET, DECADES will present Head of the Family, the rarely-seen pilot that preceded The Dick Van Dyke Show. At 10p & 10:30p ET, The Dick Van Dyke Show will air in its regular time period featuring two of Reiner's iconic appearances in the series, "Coast to Coast Big Mouth" and "A Day in the Life of Alan Brady."

Then, viewers can relive and celebrate classic episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show all weekend long during the DECADES Weekend Binge, starting Saturday, July 11 at 12p ET and airing through Monday, July 13 at 7a ET. (Complete schedule is outlined below).

Friday, July 10th

9pm ET – The Dick Cavett Show feat. Carl Reiner
9:30pm ET – "Head of the Family" Pilot Episode
10pm ET – The Dick Van Dyke Show "Coast to Coast Big Mouth"
Laura accidentally reveals that Alan Brady is bald on live TV!
10:30pm ET – The Dick Van Dyke Show "A Day in the Life of Alan Brady"
A film crew takes over the Petrie house for an Alan Brady documentary that aims to show the megalomaniac's "human" side.

Saturday, July 11th and Sunday, July 12th

12pm ET – The DECADES Weekend Binge: The Dick Van Dyke Show

CBS will honor the memory of legendary actor, producer, director, writer, comedian and Emmy Award winner Carl Reiner with THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW – NOW IN LIVING COLOR! A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO CARL REINER, featuring two colorized back-to-back classic episodes of the beloved 1960s series, Friday, July 3 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. As series creator and co-star, Carl Reiner personally supervised the original colorization of the episodes.

The special features “Coast to Coast Big Mouth,” which ranked #8 on TV Guide’s list of the “100 Greatest TV Episodes of All-Time,” and “October Eve,” which Mr. Reiner considered to be one of the series’ funniest episodes. Both were written by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff.

In “Coast to Coast Big Mouth,” Laura Petrie blurts out a top secret on a national television quiz show, revealing that comedian Alan Brady wears a toupee. The episode, which was the show’s fifth and final season premiere, was originally broadcast on Sept. 15, 1965. “Coast to Coast Big Mouth” won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1966.

In “October Eve,” a painting of Laura returns to haunt her when, despite her having posed fully clothed, the artist (played by Carl Reiner) takes the liberty of “undraping” her. The episode was first presented on April 8, 1964, during season three.

HBO has renewed the Emmy® and Golden Globe-winning comedy series Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Larry David, for an eleventh season. Originally debuting on HBO in 2001 and presenting 100 episodes to date, Curb Your Enthusiasm stars Seinfeld co-creator David as an over-the-top version of himself in an unsparing but tongue-in-cheek depiction of his fictionalized life. The series' ten-episode tenth season debuted January 19, 2020 and brought back series veterans including Susie Essman (Broad City), Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs), Emmy® nominee Cheryl Hines (Suburgatory), Richard Lewis (Anything But Love), J.B. Smoove (The Millers) and Emmy® winner Ted Danson (Cheers, The Good Place). The comedy series continues to prove how seemingly trivial details of one's day-to-day life – a cold cup of coffee, a stained shirt, a missing toothbrush – can precipitate a chain of misfortune to hilarious effect. To keep the narrative spontaneous, the series is shot without a script and cast members are given scene outlines and improvise lines as they go.

The DECADES TV Network invites viewers to "cross over into the Twilight Zone" this 4th of July when the annual marathon holiday presentation of "Rod, White & Blue: A Twilight Zone Celebration" returns, starting Saturday, July 4 at 12pm ET and continuing thru Monday, July 6 at 7am ET. All weekend long, fans of the landmark anthology TV series can binge 78 iconic episodes back-to-back, including fan favorites Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, The Masks, The Living Doll, The Eye of the Beholder, Time Enough At Last and The Monsters are Due on Maple Street.

Created and hosted by the legendary Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone originally aired on CBS from 1959-1964, and forever changed the television landscape with its trademark blend of science fiction, horror and fantasy narratives. Each episode featured a moral or unexpected plot twist, and many aimed to inform viewers on the social causes and issues that dominated the 1960s. Since the series ended more than 50 years ago, its signature brand of storytelling continues to resonate with television audiences today. 2020 marks the third year that DECADES will feature "Rod, White & Blue: A Twilight Zone Celebration" as a 4th of July marathon event, having debuted in 2018 to positive audience response and excitement.

DECADES is available across the country, including on the Fox Television digital subchannels in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Detroit, Atlanta, Tampa, Phoenix, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Austin and Gainesville. Fox recently added DECADES to cable homes on Comcast systems in New York/New Jersey, San Francisco, Houston, Detroit, Atlanta and Minneapolis- St. Paul.

Freeform announced the cast of the limited comedy series event, Love in the Time of Corona, including Tony® and GRAMMY® Award winner Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton), Nicolette Robinson (The Affair), Tommy Dorfman (13 Reasons Why), Rainey Qualley (Mad Men), Gil Bellows (Patriot), Rya Kihlstedt (One Mississippi), Ava Bellows (This Too Shall Pass) and L. Scott Caldwell (Lost). The series, from executive producers Joanna Johnson, Christine Sacani, Anonymous Content's Robyn Meisinger, began production in Los Angeles yesterday.

Filmed using remote technologies and shot in the talents' actual homes, this four-part limited series follows four interwoven stories about the hopeful search for love and connection during this time of quarantine. Real-life couple Leslie Odom Jr. and Nicolette Robinson, who also serve as executive producers on the project, portray James and Sade, a couple who have been living somewhat separate lives: He has a busy career that keeps him on the road, and she is at home raising their daughter. Once the pandemic puts them under one roof, their time together leads them to reevaluate their relationship and their priorities. Tommy Dorfman stars as Oscar, a successful nonbinary stylist, and Rainey Qualley stars as Elle, an aspiring singer-songwriter. With the uncertainty of the pandemic, Oscar and Elle’s mostly platonic friendship becomes increasingly complicated as Oscar's latest online date progresses toward relationship territory just as Elle’s neighborly crush starts to blossom.

Gil Bellows plays Paul, Bellows' real-life wife Rya Kihlstedt will portray Sarah, and their daughter Ava Bellows plays Sophie. After quietly separating months earlier, Paul and Sarah reluctantly decide to quarantine together when their sweet yet intense daughter, Sophie, returns home from college. But when Sophie's high school sweetheart suddenly breaks up with her, Paul and Sarah struggle to continue their "happy couple" ruse for their daughter's sake. L. Scott Caldwell plays Nanda, a headstrong woman determined to celebrate her 50th wedding anniversary with her husband, Charles. Played by guest star Charlie Robinson (Night Court), Charles is unable to come home from a rehab facility when COVID-19 causes them to go into lockdown. Love in the Time of Corona will premiere in August. 

Actor and comedian Jerry Stiller, who was best known for his roles as Frank Costanza in Seinfeld and as Arthur Spooner in The King of Queens, has died. He died from natural causes at his home on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on May 11. Mr. Stiller was 92.

Stiller married Anne Meara in 1954. The comedy duo Stiller and Meara was successful in the 1960s and 1970s. They made numerous appearances on variety and talk shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show, The Merv Griffin Show and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. They played Barney and Grace Dickerson, Howie Dickerson's (John Calvin) parents, in four episodes of The Paul Lynde Show in 1972-1973. Some of their other sitcom guest appearances together included The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Love, American Style, Rhoda, Archie Bunker's Place and The Love Boat. They hosted HBO Sneak Previews from 1979 to 1982. They had a sitcom pilot called The Stiller & Meara Show in 1986. In 2010, they had a Yahoo! web series called Stiller & Meara.

He starred as Gus Duzik in the short-lived 1975-1976 CBS sitcom Joe and Sons. He was the best friend of Joe Vitale (Richard Casellano) and worked with him at the Hobooken Sheet and Tube Company. The series also starred Florence Stanley, Bobbi Jordan, Barry Miller and Jimmy Baio.

Stiller played Sid Wilbur, the loyal maitre d' at a posh Manhattan restaurant, in the 1988-1989 comedy-drama Tattingers. The cast included Stephen Collins, Blythe Danner, Patrice Colihan, Chay Lentin, Jessica Prunell, Mary Beth Hurt, Roderick Cook, Zach Grenier, Rob Morrow, Sue Francis Pai, Yusef Bulos, Robert Clohessy, Simon Jones, Chris Elliott and Anna Levine.

He appeared as the cantankerous Frank Costanza, the father of George Costanza (Jason Alexander) and husband of Estelle Costanza (Estelle Harris), in 26 episodes of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld from 1993 to 1998. Frank Costanza was a former cook in the Army and learned to speak Korean in while serving in the Korean War. He invented the holiday Festivus as a reaction to the cultural commercialism of Christmas. Stiller received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 1997 and won an American Comedy Award for Funniest Male Guest Appearance in a TV Series in 1998 for the role. The series also starred Jerry Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Michael Richards.

He starred as the eccentric Arthur Spooner in the 1998-2007 CBS sitcom The King of Queens. Arthur Spooner was the widowed father of Carrie Heffernan (Leah Remini) and father-in-law of Doug Heffernan (Kevin James). He lived in the basement of their Rego Park, Queens, New York house. His fourth marriage was to Spence's (Patton Oswalt) mother Veronica Olcin (Anne Meara) in the final season. The series also starred Victor Williams, Larry Romano (1998-2001), Lisa Rieffel (1998), Gary Valentine (1999-2007) and Nicole Sullivan (2001-2005).

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Phyllis, Private Benjamin, Alice, Amanda's, The Larry Sanders Show and Sex and the City.

He provided the voice of Uncle Max for The Lion King 1½ and Harvey for Planes: Fire and Rescue. Some of his other voice credits included Linus! The Lion Hearted, Teacher's Pet, Fish Hooks and Foodfight!.

Stiller appeared with his actor son Ben Stiller in films such as Zoolander, Heavyweights, Hot Pursuit, The Heartbreak Kid and Zoolander 2. Some of his other film credits included The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, The Ritz, Nadine, Hairspray (1988), A Fish in the Bathtub and My 5 Wives.

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television on December 12, 2005.

Survivors include his son Ben, daughter Amy (an actress) and two grandchildren. Anne Meara, his wife of over 60 years, died in 2015.

Mr. Stiller was a true comedic legend. He was perfectly cast as Frank Costanza and Arthur Spooner. He made everything he appeared in funnier. We thank him for the many laughs and entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Seinfeld and The King of Queens message boards. View photos in our galleries.

DECADES TV Network will honor the life and career of late comedian and actor Jerry Stiller with two back-to-back episodes of The Dick Cavett Show featuring the icon and his wife Anne Meara. Airing Wednesday, May 13 at 9p ET, viewers can relive a 1995 interview where Stiller discusses Seinfeld and his days on The Ed Sullivan Show. Following at 9:30p ET, the DECADES network will present a 1995 interview with Anne Meara.

HBO Max announced it has ordered the adult animated series Santa Inc. from global content leader Lionsgate featuring voice performances by leads Sarah Silverman and Seth Rogen. The 8 episode, half-hour series will be written by showrunner Alexandra Rushfield (Shrill) and will be produced by Rogen's Point Grey Pictures as part of their multiplatform partnership with Lionsgate. Santa Inc. is the story of Candy Smalls (Silverman), the highest-ranking female elf in the North Pole. When the successor to Santa Claus (Rogen) is poached by Amazon on Christmas Eve, Candy goes for her ultimate dream— to become the first woman Santa Claus in the history of Christmas.

DECADES television network will honor the 90th birthday and enduring comedic style of Primetime Emmy Award winner Bob Newhart with a weekend binge of his most celebrated primetime series: The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart and Bob. DECADES will present 82 select episodes spanning each eponymous series, along with interviews from The Dick Cavett Show, starting Saturday, September 7 at 1:00PM ET, and continuing through Monday, September 9 at 7:00AM ET. In November, The Paley Center for Media will present Newhart with the Paley Honors Award for his enduring impact on television comedy. Viewers can see the complete DECADES network schedule and find out where to watch by visiting www.decades.com

Mike Epps and Wanda Sykes are set to star in the new comedy series, The Upshaws. Mike and Wanda bring their distinct voices to this multi-camera comedy that centers on a working-class Africian American family in Indiana struggling to make it work and make it right without the blueprints to do it. Wanda Sykes (Wanda Sykes: Not Normal) will star, executive produce, and serve as co-showrunner. Sykes is a 2019 Emmy nominee for 'variety special' and 'writing for a variety special' on Wanda Sykes: Not Normal. Mike Epps (Dolemite is My Name, Only One Mike) will star and executive produce. Regina Hicks (The L Word, Generations Q, Central Park, Insecure) will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Dan Spilo (Sunnyside) will serve as an executive producer. Page Hurwitz (Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, Tiffany Haddish Presents They Ready) will serve as an executive producer. She is a 2019 Emmy nominee for Wanda Sykes: Not Normal. Niles Kirchner (Only One Mike) will serve as an executive producer.

CBS 2019-20

Fall 2019

Mondays
8:00PM The Neighborhood
8:30PM Bob ♥ Abishola (NEW!)
9:00PM All Rise (NEW!)
10:00PM Bull

Tuesdays
8:00PM NCIS
9:00PM FBI
10:00PM NCIS: New Orleans

Wednesdays
8:00PM Survivor
9:00PM SEAL Team
10:00PM S.W.A.T. (new time period)

Thursdays
8:00PM Young Sheldon (new time period)
8:30PM The Unicorn (NEW!)
9:00PM Mom
9:30PM Carol's Second Act (NEW!)
10:00PM Evil (NEW!)

Fridays
8:00PM Hawaii Five-O (new time period)
9:00PM Magnum P.I. (new time period)
10:00PM Blue Bloods

Saturdays
8:00PM Crimetime Saturday (encores)
9:00PM Crimetime Saturday (encores)
10:00PM 48 Hours

Sundays
7:00PM 60 Minutes
8:00PM God Friended Me
9:00PM NCIS: Los Angeles
10:00PM Madam Secretary

 
Unscheduled Mid-Season 2020:
COMEDY: Broke
DRAMA: FBI: Most Wanted, Tommy
REALITY:
Returning Series: Big Brother, Criminal Minds, MacGyver, Man with a Plan, The Amazing Race and Undercover Boss

NOTES: The lineup features four new comedies, four new dramas and 24 returning series. The new fall series are the comedies Bob ♥ Abishola, Carol's Second Act and The Unicorn, and the dramas All Rise and Evil. New dramas FBI: Most Wanted and Tommy and new comedy Broke will debut later in the season. Returning favorites later in the season include Big Brother, Criminal Minds, MacGyver, Man with a Plan, The Amazing Race and Undercover Boss.

Discuss CBS's 2019-20 lineup and view the full press release.

Actress, singer, and animal welfare activist Doris Day, who starred as Doris Martin in The Doris Day Show, has died. She died on May 13 in Carmel Valley Village, California, after contracting pneumonia. Ms. Day was 97.

Day starred as Doris Martin in the 1968-1973 CBS sitcom The Doris Day Show. The series ran for 5 seasons and 128 episodes. Doris Martin was a widow with two young sons, Billy (Philip Brown) and Toby (Todd Starke, credited as Tod Starke in the series). She moved her family from New York City to her father's rural ranch in Cotina in Mill Valley, California. She worked as a secretary at Today's World magazine in San Francisco. The cast in the first three seasons included Denver Pyle (1968-1970), Fran Ryan (1968), James Hampton (1968-1969), Naomi Stevens (1968-1969), Rose Marie (1969-1971), McLean Stevenson (1969-1971), Paul Smith (1969-1971), Kaye Ballard (1970-1971) and Bernie Kopell (1970-1971). Day performed the series theme song Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be). She received a Golden Globe Award nomination in 1969 for the role.

The format of the series changed drastically in the fourth season. Doris Martin continued to work for Today's World. She was now a carefree, single full-time staff writer. Her children and most of the characters from the previous seasons never appeared or were mentioned again. The cast in seasons four and five included John Dehner (1971-1973) as her new editor Cy Bennett, Jackie Joseph (1971-1973) as Jackie Parker, Doris' friend and Cy's secretary, and Peter Lawford (1971-1973) as Dr. Peter Lawrence, a boyfriend of Doris. Day also served as an executive producer on the series for the 1972-1973 season.

Day appeared in 39 feature films released between 1948 and 1968. She made her feature film debut in Romance on the High Seas in 1948. In 1953, she starred in the hit musical Calamity Jane. Her song Secret Love won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Some of her other film credits included I'll See You in My Dreams, Love Me or Leave Me, The Man Who Knew Too Much (she sang Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be) which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song), Pillow Talk (Academy Award-nominated for Best Actress), Please Don't Eat the Daisies, Move Over Darling, The Thrill of It All, Do Not Disturb, Where Were You When the Lights Went Out? and With Six You Get Eggroll.

She began her career as a big band singer in 1939. Her first hit recording was Sentimental Journey with Les Brown & His Band of Renown in 1945. She recorded more than 650 songs from 1947 to 1967 during her solo career. Her 29th studio album, My Heart, was released in 2011. She received three Grammy Hall of Fame Awards, in 1998, 1999 and 2012, for her recordings of Sentimental Journey, Secret Love, and Que Sera, Sera, respectively. She received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 and a Legend Award from the Society of Singers in 2010.

Day largely retired from acting after The Doris Day Show ended in 1973. She hosted her own television talk show Doris Day's Best Friends on CBN in 1985-1986.

She was well known for her work as an animal welfare activist for many years. She founded the Doris Day Pet Foundation 1978, which is now the Doris Day Animal Foundation (DDAF). She formed the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) in 1987. In 2004, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work in the entertainment industry and for her work on the behalf of animals.

Ms. Day was a woman of many talents as an actress, singer and animal welfare activist. She was a real sweetheart and a true Hollywood legend. We thank her for the many hours of entertainment she brought us during her career. She will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our The Doris Day Show message board. View photos in our galleries.

DECADES TV Network will honor the life and career of late Hollywood legend Doris Day with a weekend binge of The Doris Day Show. Starting Saturday, May 25 at 1:00PM ET, DECADES will present 68 episodes of the beloved sitcom airing back to back through Monday, May 27 at 7:00AM ET.

Remembered for its ever-changing premise and cast, the cheery series served as the legend's last major on screen performance. Originally formatted as a rural, family-centric sitcom with Day in the role of a widowed mother of two young sons, the series changed abruptly in Season 4 as Day took on the role of a single, career woman in an attempt to keep up with changing audience sensibilities of the early 1970s.

Viewers can see the complete schedule and find out where to watch by visiting www.decades.com .

We have news on another tribute marathon. DECADES TV Network will honor the he life and career of the late actress Peggy Lipton with a weekend binge of The Mod Squad. Starting Saturday, May 18 at 1:00PM ET, DECADES will present 42 episodes of the groundbreaking series airing back to back through Monday, May 20 at 7:00AM ET.

In 1968, Lipton, a former teen model, landed the role of street-savvy Julia Barnes on The Mod Squad and was catapulted into stardom, becoming the "It Girl" of the early 1970s with her authentic vibrancy, fresh take on the character, and of course, her signature long blond hair and hippie-chic style. Also starring Michael Cole and Clarence Williams III, The Mod Squad is remembered for being a modern riff on the police drama genre, attempting to reach a new, young audience who was turning off their parents' TV in favor of current movies, music and social movements. The formula of a young, interracial cast of outsiders taking on the establishment worked, and the show was a hit. At the time executive producer Aaron Spelling was quoted, "We're telling it like it is. Somebody has to help adults understand young people. They've got so many hang-ups and nobody seems to care. Love is the answer. Those hippies are right. Those kids are so totally involved with life, they've involved me."

Over five seasons, the series tackled hard-hitting, socially relevant issues in a new and more realistic way for TV, ranging from drugs and domestic violence, to police brutality and even complex aspects of the Vietnam War. Lipton earned four Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 1971.

In 1974, Lipton married prolific music producer Quincy Jones and soon gave birth to two daughters, Kidada and Rashida Jones. Following their 1989 divorce, Lipton returned to the small screen in the role of Norma Jennings in cult hit Twin Peaks. Lipton's most recent credits include films When in Rome and A Dog's Purpose and appearances on TV series Alias, Crash, House of Lies and the Twin Peaks 2017 revival.

Viewers can see the complete schedule and find out where to watch by visiting www.decades.com .

Emmy-winning actor and comedian Tim Conway, who starred in McHale's Navy and The Carol Burnett Show, has died. He died from complications of normal pressure hydrocephalus on May 14 in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Conway was 85.

Conway's first television starring role was as Ensign Charles Beaumont Parker in the 1962-1966 ABC sitcom McHale's Navy. Ensign Charles Parker was the bumbling, naive Executive Officer of the World War II PT-73. The series also starred Ernest Borgnine, Joe Flynn, Carl Ballantine, Gary Vinson, Bob Hastings, Billy Sands, Edson Stroll, Jane Dulo (1962-1964), Gavin MacLeod (1962-1964), John Wright (1964-1966) and Yoshio Yoda. Conway wrote the story for one episode in 1963. He received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role by an Actor for the role in 1963. He also appeared in the 1964 film McHale's Navy and McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force in 1965.

He next starred in the short-lived 1967 ABC western sitcom Rango. Rango was an incompetent Texas Ranger who was assigned to Deep Wells Ranger Station, the quietest post in the state. The series also starred Guy Marks and Norman Alden.

Conway reunited with Joe Flynn in the short-lived 1970 CBS sitcom The Tim Conway Show. He played Spud Barrett, the well-meaning but bumbling chief pilot – in fact, the only pilot – and part-owner of Triple A Airlines, a charter airline based at Crawford Airfield in Los Angeles, California. The series also starred Anne Seymour, Johnnie Collins III, Emily Banks, Fabian Dean and Dennis Robertson.

Conway was a frequent guest on the CBS variety/sketch comedy series The Carol Burnett Show for the show's first eight seasons from 1967 to 1975. He became a regular on the series starting with the 1975-1976 season. His memorable characters included The Oldest Man and Mr. Tudball. He won four Emmy Awards for his work on the series: three for his performances in 1973, 1977 and 1978 and one for writing for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy-Variety or Music Series in 1978. The popular series also starred Carol Burnett, Harvey Korman (1967-1977), Lyle Waggoner (1967-1974) and Vicki Lawrence. Conway returned for the short-lived 1979 ABC variety/sketch comedy series Carol Burnett & Company.

He hosted the short-lived 1970 CBS variety/sketch comedy series The Tim Conway Comedy Hour. He guest starred in Turn-On, which aired for a single episode on ABC on February 5, 1969. He made guest appearances in Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in 1970 and 1971. Conway starred in variety/sketch comedy series The Tim Conway Show, which ran for two seasons on CBS from 1980 to 1981. He starred in the 1990 ABC comedy reality series Tim Conway's Funny America. In 2003, he starred as Mr. Henderson in The WB short-lived sketch comedy series On the Spot.

Conway starred as Ace Crawford in the short-lived 1983 CBS sitcom Ace Crawford, Private Eye. Ace Crawford was a trench-coated private detective who always solves the case and catches the bad guy, despite his constant bumbling. The series also starred Joe Regalbuto, Billy Barty, Shera Danese, Bill Henderson and Dick Christie. Conway created and produced the series.

He had a recurring role as Tom Warner in seven episodes of the CBS sitcom Yes, Dear from 2001 to 2005. Vicki Lawrence played his wife, Natalie Warner. He received Emmy nominations for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Kenny in a 1996 episode of Coach titled The Gardener and for his role as Bucky Bright in the 2008 30 Rock episode titled Subway Hero. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Newhart, The Golden Palace, Cybill, Married with Children (as Ephraim Wanker in four episodes), The Larry Sanders Show, Cosby, Suddenly Susan, The Drew Carey Show, Mad About You and Hot in Cleveland.

Conway was also known for his voice work. He was the voice of Barnacle Boy in the animated series SpongeBob SquarePants. Some of his other voice credits included The Simpsons, Hercules, Lloyd in Space, The Wild Thornberrys, What's New, Scooby-Doo?, The Proud Family, Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy!, and Dragons: Riders of Berk.

He co-starred with Don Knotts in the films The Apple Dumpling Gang, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, The Prize Fighter and The Private Eyes. Some of his other feature film credits included The World's Greatest Athlete, Gus, The Shaggy D.A., The Billion Dollar Hobo, The Longshot, Dear God and Air Bud: Golden Receiver. He starred as the title character in the Dorf series of comedy films.

Mr. Conway was a comedic genius. He was so funny in McHale's Navy and The Carol Burnett Show. He made everything he appeared in much funnier and better. We thank him for the many laughs and hours of entertainment he brought us during his long career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our McHale's Navy message board. View photos in our galleries.

To celebrate the comedic genius of Tim Conway, MeTV is proud to present select episodes of The Carol Burnett Show that spotlight his iconic characters and trademark brand of humor. Though Conway is one of the faces most associated with the pioneering 1967–78 sketch comedy series, he did not become a regular on The Carol Burnett Show until the 1975–76 season. Up to that point, Conway was merely a frequent guest and friend of the show. By then, he had already crafted and introduced the world to hilarious characters like Mr. Tudball and the Oldest Man.

Tune in Monday through Friday next week, May 20–24, to revisit these side-splitting comedy sketches as MeTV Remembers Tim Conway. These special episodes of The Carol Burnett Show will air in the show's regular time slot, weeknights at 11PM | 10C.

Here are the Conway gems you will see.

Monday, May 20
11PM | 10C
"Guest Steve Lawrence"
Season 4, episode 3
Mr. Tudball (Tim Conway) tries to teach Mrs. Wiggins how to use an intercom.

Tuesday, May 21
11PM | 10C
"Guest Bernadette Peters"
Season 6, episode 21
In a reprise of his famous Dentist sketch, Tim has another mishap with novocaine.

Wednesday, May 22
11PM | 10C
"Guest Tim Conway"
Season 3, episode 7
Harvey Korman gets his grandfather clock fixed by the Oldest Man (Conway).

Thursday, May 23
11PM | 10C
"Guest Jim Nabors"
Season 3, episode 15
The Queen and King try to give their Hollow soldier (Conway) a blue pony.

Friday, May 24
11PM | 10C
"Guests Tim Conway and Valerie Harper"
Season 1, episode 16
Harvey's house is on fire, and the Oldest Man comes to his rescue.

In memory of beloved funny man Tim Conway, who died Tuesday at age 85, getTV will air four episodes of Married with Children featuring Conway on Sunday, May 19 beginning at 12 Midnight ET. Conway portrayed farmer Ephraim Wanker, father of Peg Bundy (Katey Sagal) in the four episodes from the long-running comedy series’ 10th season (1995-1996): Guess Who’s Coming to Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner; Bearly Men; Love Conquers Al; and The Joke’s on Al.

Antenna TV will have a McHale's Navy marathon (26 episodes) on Sunday from 9AM to 10PM. Conway's August 10, 1979, appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson will follow.

The DECADES TV Network salutes the land of the unusual and home of the fantastical with "Rod, White & Blue: A Twilight Zone Celebration," an all-day July 4th dimension event, bringing fans of the landmark American anthology TV series The Twilight Zone together this 4th of July Holiday. Viewers can enjoy 46 iconic episodes back-to-back from the original The Twilight Zone series starting at 7:00 am ET Wednesday, July 4 through 6:30 am ET Thursday, July 5. Many beloved episodes will be featured in this marathon event including: Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, The Eye of the Beholder, The Invaders, It's a Good Life, and The Monsters are Due on Maple Street.

Created by the legendary Rod Serling and originally airing from 1959-1964, The Twilight Zone featured many quest appearances by actor who would go on to film and TV stardom, and to this day remains the role model for TV anthologies. The series was among the first to introduce American TV audiences to science fiction, suspense, fantasy and psychological thrillers- all with a moral or an unexpected plot twist. "Rod, White & Blue: A Twilight Zone Celebration" on DECADES will feature guest star appearances from Ron Howard, Carol Burnett, William Shatner, Robert Redford, Dick York, Buster Keaton, Burgess Meredith, Gladys Cooper, Suzy Parker and Cloris Leachman.

YouTube has given a straight-to-series order for Weird City, a half-hour comedic sci-fi anthology co-created by Academy Award and Emmy Award winning writer Jordan Peele and Emmy Award nominated writer Charlie Sanders (Key and Peele). The six-episode series will debut exclusively on YouTube Premium in 2019. Emmy winner Adam Bernstein (Fargo, Scrubs, 30 Rock) is set to direct the first two episodes.

Weird City is an anthology set in the not-too-distant future metropolis of Weird. Each episode is an exploration of issues that pertains to present day life, stories that could only be told now through the prism of sci-fi and comedy. Weird City is written by Jordan Peele (Get Out, Key & Peele, The Last O.G.) and Charlie Sanders (Key & Peele), and produced by Monkeypaw Productions, Sonar Entertainment, Mosaic and Raskal Productions. Jose Molina (The Tick, Marvel's Agent Carter, Sleepy Hollow) will serve as showrunner and executive producer. Peele, Sanders and Bernstein will also serve as executive producers along with Win Rosenfeld who will executive produce through Monkeypaw, Tom Lesinski and Jenna Santoianni through Sonar Entertainment, Sam Hansen and Jimmy Miller through Mosaic and Keith Raskin and Linda Morel through Raskal Productions.