SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

• Just in time for the 60th anniversary of the series, Antenna TV is featuring a 60 episode marathon of I Dream of Jeannie today and tomorrow.
• Catchy Comedy has a binge of Laugh-In tomorrow.

Take a vow to watch Antenna TV this Valentine's Day! All day long your favorite characters will fall in love and get married during the Antenna TV Wedding Party Marathon. Antenna TV's program schedule will air in regular pattern from 5am–4am on Thursday, February 14 but will feature special wedding-themed episodes of Coach, I Dream of Jeannie, Alice, Archie Bunker's Place, Three's Company, Welcome Back Kotter and many more. Cozy up with your loved ones and watch the Wedding Party on Antenna TV, this Valentine's Day, February 14. Full list of series and episodes are below:

5:00 am Three's Company "Larry Loves Janet"
5:30 am Three's Company "Larry's Bride"
6:00 am The Burns and Allen Show "Gracie Gives Wedding in Payment of a Favor"
6:30 am The Burns and Allen Show "Alice Gets Married"
7:00 am The Joey Bishop Show "A Young Man's Fancy"
7:30 am The Joey Bishop Show "The Honeymoon"
8:00 am McHale's Navy "Operation Wedding Party"
8:30 am McHale's Navy "One Enchanted Weekend"
9:00 am Father Knows Best "Bud the Bridesmaid"
9:30 am Father Knows Best "Cupid Knows Best"
10:00 am Dennis the Menace "Dennis and the Wedding"
10:30 am Dennis the Menace "Dennis, the Confused Cupid"
11:00 am Hazel "So Long Brown Eyes"
11:30 am Hazel "Piccolo Mondo"
12:00 pm The Partridge Family "Promise Her Anything But Give Her a Punch"
12:30 pm The Partridge Family "A Penny for His Thoughts"
1:00 pm I Dream of Jeannie "Guess Who's Going to Be a Bride?"
1:30 pm I Dream of Jeannie "Guess Who's Going to Be a Bride?"
2:00 pm Bewitched "Samantha's Wedding Present"
2:30 pm Bewitched "Marriage, Witches' Style"
3:00 pm Welcome Back, Kotter "OO-OO, I Do"
3:30 pm Welcome Back, Kotter "OO-OO, I Do"
4:00 pm Benson "Marcy's Wedding"
4:30 pm 227 "Fifty Big Ones"
5:00 pm 227 "Double Your Pleasure"
5:30 pm Gimme a Break "Eddie Gets Married"
6:00 pm Maude "Mrs. Naugatuck in Love"
6:30 pm Maude "Mrs. Naugatuck's Wedding"
7:00 pm Archie Bunker's Place "The Second Time Around"
7:30 pm Archie Bunker's Place "The Boys' Night Out"
8:00 pm Alice "Carrie's Wedding"
8:30 pm Alice "Vera's Wedding"
9:00 pm Barney Miller "Grand Hotel"
9:30 pm Barney Miller "Old Love"
11:00 pm Three's Company "Friends and Lovers"
11:30 pm Three's Company "Friends and Lovers"
12:00 am Coach "One for the Road"
12:30 am Murphy Brown "Rumble in the Alley"
1:00 am Becker "V-Day"
1:30 am Wings "Here It Is: The Big Wedding"
2:00 am Growing Pains "Mike and Julie's Wedding"
2:30 am Family Ties "Anniversary Waltz"
3:00 am Bewitched "The Cat's Meow"
3:30 am I Dream of Jeannie "The World's Greatest Lover"

Comedy Central, the #1 brand in comedy, announced a new late night series with David Spade; the return of Crank Yankers; a second season order for new, hit scripted series The Other Two; the first look at new scripted comedy South Side; and scripted projects in development with Naomi Ekperigin, Matteo Lane and Samantha Irby. The announcements come on the heels of Comedy Central's seventh consecutive quarter of year-over-year share growth. While Comedy Central remains the #1 full-day cable entertainment network with people 18-34, in 2018 the brand recorded its highest-rated year among women 18-49 since 2014, up +13% from the previous year. To start 2019, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah is the highest-rated late night series across all of TV among men 18-34.

Comedy icon David Spade will lead a new 11:30 p.m. series featuring his signature take on the pop culture news of the day (watch his announcement here). The yet-to-be-titled nightly series will include a rotating group of Spade's comedian and celebrity friends, while also incorporating field segments that mirror his popular Instagram stories. The show will follow The Daily Show with Trevor Noah on Monday through Thursday nights starting later this year. The show is executive produced by Spade, Alex Murray and Marc Gurvitz. Brad Wollack and Tom Brunelle of Free 90 Media serve as executive producers and showrunners. Comedy Central ordered 20 episodes of 30-minute comedy Crank Yankers, marking the beloved series' return to the brand.

The brand ordered a second season of the critically-adored 30-minute series The Other Two, which is already "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes. Created and written by former Saturday Night Live head-writers Chris Kelly and Sarah Schneider, the Emmy-contending series stars Drew Tarver as a 28-year-old actor struggling to get better auditions than "Man At Party Who Smells Fart," and Heléne Yorke as his 30-year-old sister, who is struggling in general. As the two work toward finding themselves, their lives are completely upended when their 13-year-old brother, ChaseDreams played by Case Walker, becomes incredibly famous overnight. The Other Two also features Molly Shannon, who plays the siblings' fame-ready mother, Ken Marino as ChaseDreams' newly-hired manager and Wanda Sykes as Chase's publicist. The series airs Thursdays at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. Scripted comedy South Side debuted its first look ahead of a summer premiere and teased the first season guest stars, which includes Lil Rel Howery, Nathaniel "Earthquake" Stroman, Jeff Tweedy, LisaRaye McCoy, Kel Mitchell and Ed Lover. The aspirational, scripted comedy is set in and around the working class neighborhood of Englewood on the South Side of Chicago.

COZI TV is bringing back The Office to broadcast TV. The network has announced that the iconic workplace sitcom will have a new home when the critically acclaimed hit begins airing on COZI TV on January 1, 2019. The show will join Will & Grace and Frasier as part of the network's prime time comedy line-up.

The Office premiered in 2005 on NBC and ran for nine seasons with 201 episodes. Based on the British series of the same name, The Office won numerous awards during its run including five Emmy® awards out of 42 nominations. The series also launched the careers of Steve Carell, John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer, Rainn Wilson, Mindy Kaling, B. J. Novak and others. The success of its trademark deadpan style, produced without a laugh track or musical scoring, helped popularized the mockumentary genre in American television.

The show was set in the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company of Scranton, Pennsylvania, the apparent subject of a documentary film. Carell played Michael Scott, the always inappropriate and desperate for approval Regional Manager. Krasinski played salesman Jim Halpert, Fischer played Pam the receptionist and Wilson was Dwight Schrute, the Assistant Regional Sales Manager.

Over the course of the series, fans followed the romance of Jim and Pam, the endless prank-fueled rivalry between Dwight and Jim, Michael's own inter-office romances and the comings and goings of a variety of corporate supervisors, HR advisors, and other instigators. Memorable moments include the "Office Olympics," a Survivor-style competition to determine the branch's next manager, the "Dundies" award shows, and, of course, Jim and Pam's wedding.

Actor, director and producer Burt Reynolds, who starred as Wood Newton in Evening Shade, has died. He died on September 6 at the Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida. He had suffered heart problems for a number of years. Mr. Reynolds was 82.

Reynolds' early television guest appearances included Flight, M Squad, Schlitz Playhouse, The Lawless Years and Pony Express. His first starring role was with Darren McGavin in the NBC adventure series Riverboat from 1959 to 1960. He appeared in 20 episodes as Ben Frazier, the colead and boat pilot for The Enterprise.

Some of his other early 1960s television guest appearances included Playhouse 90, Johnny Ringo, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Lock Up, The Blue Angels, Michael Shayne, Zane Grey Theater, The Aquanauts, The Brothers Brannagan, Naked City, Ripcord, Everglades, Route 66, Perry Mason and The Twilight Zone.

His next starring role was in the CBS western Gunsmoke from 1962 to 1965. He appeared as Quint Asper, the town blacksmith, in 50 episodes of the series. He continued to make guest appearances on series such as Branded, Flipper and 12 O'Clock High.

He starred as Native American Detective Lt. John Hawk in the short-lived 1966 ABC police drama Hawk. The series also starred Wayne Grice, Bruce Glover and Leon Janney. Reynolds directed one episode of the series. Some of his other 1960s and 1970s guest appearances included The F.B.I., Premiere, Fade In and Love, American Style.

Reynolds starred as Detective Lt. Dan August in the 1970-1971 ABC police drama Dan August. Dan August investigated homicide cases in the fictional town of Santa Luisa, California. The series also starred Norman Fell, Ned Romero, Richard Anderson and Ena Hartmann.

He provided the voice of Troy Garland, Evie Garland's (Maureen Flanigan) father, in the 1987-1991 syndicated sitcom Out of This World. The series also starred Donna Pescow, Doug McClure, Joe Alaskey (1987-1990), Buzz Belmondo, Christina Nigra and Steve Burton.

Reynolds starred in the short-lived 1989-1990 ABC detective series B.L. Stryker. Buddy Lee Stryker, aka B.L., was a Vietnam war vet and retired New Orleans police officer who moved back home to the other side of the tracks in Palm Beach, Florida to work as a private investigator. The series starred Ossie Davis, Dana Kaminski, Michael O. Smith, Alfie Wise and Rita Moreno. Reynolds also served as an executive producer and directed three episodes of the series.

His longest running television role was in the 1990-1994 CBS sitcom Evening Shade. Reynolds starred as Wood Newton, an ex-professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who returns to rural Evening Shade, Arkansas, to coach a high-school football team with a long losing streak. The series also starred Marilu Henner, Hal Holbrook, Ossie Davis, Charles Durning, Elizabeth Ashley, Michael Jeter, Jay R. Ferguson, Ann Wedgeworth, Charlie Dell, Candace Hutson and Jacob Parker. Reynolds won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Comedy or Musical for the role in 1992. He also directed 35 episodes and wrote 3 episodes of the series. He was one of the executive producers.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included The Golden Girls, The Larry Sanders Show, Hope & Gloria, Cybill, Emeril, The King of Queens, Freddie and My Name Is Earl. His voice credits included King of the Hill, Duckman, Robot Chicken, Duck Dodgers, American Dad! and Archer.

Reynolds was best known for his many film roles. His box office hits included Deliverance, The Longest Yard, Smokey and the Bandit, Semi-Tough, Hooper (also a producer), Smokey and the Bandit II, The Cannonball Run and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. He directed and starred in Gator (the sequel to White Lightning), The End, Sharky's Machine, Stick and The Last Producer. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Jack Horner in Boogie Nights.

Mr. Reynolds was wonderful in his many television and film roles. Hopefully the complete series of Evening Shade will be released on DVD one day. We thank him for the many laughs and hours of entertainment he brought us during his 50-year career. He will be greatly missed.

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

Actor and comedian Bill Daily, who was best known for his roles as Roger Healey in I Dream of Jeannie and as Howard Borden in The Bob Newhart Show, has died. He died on September 4 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Mr. Daily was 91.

Daily's early work was as a stand-up comedian performing around the country. He made sitcom guest appearances in Bewitched, My Mother the Car and The Farmer's Daughter. Sitcom writer Sidney Sheldon liked his work and gave him a supporting role in I Dream of Jeannie.

He starred as Captain/Major Roger Healey in the 1965-1970 NBC sitcom I Dream of Jeannie. Roger Healey was Tony Nelson's (Larry Hagman) girl-crazy buddy and fellow astronaut. The series also starred Barbara Eden and Hayden Rorke. Daily wrote one episode of the series. He reprised his role in TV reunion movies I Dream of Jeannie... Fifteen Years Later in 1985 and I Still Dream of Jeannie in 1991.

Daily next starred as Howard Borden in the 1972-1978 CBS sitcom The Bob Newhart Show. Howard Borden was a divorced commercial airline navigator and later a co-captain. He was the next-door neighbor of Bob Hartley (Bob Newhart) and his wife, Emily (Suzanne Pleshette). The series also starred Peter Bonerz and Marcia Wallace. Daily returned for The Bob Newhart Show: The 19th Anniversary Special in 1991.

He co-starred with Debbie Reynolds in the short-lived 1981 ABC sitcom Aloha Paradise. The series followed the lives of the staff and guests at The Paradise Village resort, located on the coast of Kona, Hawaii. Daily played Curtis Shea, the resort's assistant manager. It also starred Pat Klous, Mokihana and Stephen Shortridge.

Daily appeared as Dr. Hanratty in the short-lived 1983 CBS sitcom Small & Frye. Dr. Hanratty was the eccentric head of the Police Criminal Lab. The series also starred Darren McGavin, Jack Blessing, Debbie Zipp, Warren Berlinger, Victoria Carroll and Dick Wilson.

He starred as veterinarian Dr. James Shepherd in the 1988-1989 syndicated sitcom Starting from Scratch. The series also starred Connie Stevens, Heidi Helmer, Jason Marin and Nita Talbot.

Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Love, American Style, Getting Together, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Love Boat, ALF, The Munsters Today, The Naked Truth and Caroline in the City. He reunited with Bob Newhart in Newhart, Bob and George and Leo. His other television guest appearances included Flying High, CHiPs, The Powers of Matthew Star and Trapper John, M.D..

He was interviewed for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television in 2003.

Mr. Daily was very funny and memorable in his roles as the sidekick in I Dream of Jeannie and The Bob Newhart Show. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment he brought us in his series and guest appearances. He will be deeply missed.

Share your memories on our I Dream of Jeannie and The Bob Newhart Show message boards. View photos in our galleries.

Legendary TV icon Barbara Eden (I Dream of Jeannie) revisits her genie roots and gets animated in a brand-new episode of Nickelodeon's hit preschool series Shimmer and Shine. In "The Crystal Queen," premiering Friday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m. (ET/PT), Eden plays Empress Caliana, a quirky genie empress and mentor to Samira, the genie princess. When power-hungry sorceress Zeta traps Samira in a magical crystal cave, Shimmer, Shine and Leah team up with Empress Caliana to save the day. Shimmer and Shine follows the adventures of twin genies-in-training, Shimmer and Shine, and features a social-emotional curriculum highlighting the importance of teamwork, resilience and overcoming obstacles. Shimmer and Shine currently ranks as the number-one preschool show in its timeslot across all TV.

It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of Nov. 14-18, 2016, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!


Saturday, November 12, 2016

• Alan Ruck (Spin City) - Alan will be featured on Oprah: Where Are They Now? at 10pm ET/PT on OWN.

• Billy Bob Thornton (Hearts Afire) - Watch Billy Bob on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC. He also talks about Bad Santa 2 on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. The cast of Bad Santa 2 will be on the AOL Build ShoW at 1pm.
• Billy Eichner (Difficult People) - Billy visits Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Adrian Grenier (Entourage) - Adrian appears on Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm.
• Arden Myrin (Working) - Arden is a guest on @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly) - Billy guest co-hosts LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings.
• Garcelle Beauvais (The Jamie Foxx Show) - Garcelle talks about Window Warriors on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT and on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Katey Sagal (8 Simple Rules/Married with Children) - Katey talks about Bleed For This on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James talks about Hallmark's I'll Be Home for Christmas on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• D.L. Hughley (The Hughleys, Cedric the Entertainer (The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) and Mike Epps (Uncle Buck/Survivor's Remorse) - The Original Kings of Comedy reunite on Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
• Ben Vereen (Webster) - Ben is a guest on the AOL Build Show at 11am.

• Billy Bob Thornton (Hearts Afire) - Catch Billy Bob on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about Bad Santa 2 on LIVE! with Kelly, so check your listings and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• America Ferrera (Superstore) - America appears on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Matt LeBlanc (Man with a Plan/Episodes/Friends) - Matt is a guest on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Emeril Lagasse (Emeril) - Emeril will be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Ben Vereen (Webster) - Ben is a guest on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Lori Loughlin (Fuller House/Full House) - Lori talks about why Michael Phelps was over her house on People Now at 8:30am.
• George Lopez (Lopez/Saint George/George Lopez) - George is a guest on Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
• Fortune Feimster (The Mindy Project) - Fortune appears on Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
• Billy Eichner (Difficult People) - Billy is a guest on The Wendy Williams Show at 2am on BET or on your local stations.
• Jack Griffo (The Thundermans) - Jack appears on the AOL Build Show 11am.
• Juliette Lewis (I Married Dora) - Juliette is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.

• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Watch Michael on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Thomas Haden Church (Divorce/Wings) - Thomas visits Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Dan Fogler (Man Up!) - Dan stops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. He also talks about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on People Now at 8:30am.
• Ashton Kutcher (The Ranch/Two and a Half Men/That '70s Show) - Ashton stops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Skylar Astin (Graves/Ground Floor) - Skylar is a guest on Harry, so check your local listings.
• Jessie T. Usher (Survivor's Remorse) - Jessie appears on The Real, so check your local listings.
• Andrew Rannells (Girls/The New Normal) - Andrew joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Melissa Joan Hart (Melissa & Joey/Sabrina, the Teenage Witch/Clarissa Explains It All) - Melissa talks about Broadcast Christmas on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Tim Allen (Last Man Standing/Home Improvement) - Tim is a guest on Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
• Alia Shawkat (Search Party/Arrested Development) - Alia appears on the AOL Build Show 12pm.
• America Ferrera (Superstore) - America is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.

• Billy Crystal (The Comedians/Soap) - Catch Billy on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent/Arrested Development/The Larry Sanders Show) - Jeffrey visits Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm.
• David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!), Norm Macdonald (Norm) and Rob Schneider (Rob) - David, Norm and Rob are guests on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Sarah Jessica Parker (Divorce/Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - Sarah is a guest on Chelsea on Netflix.
• Rob Lowe (The Grinder/Parks and Recreation) - Rob appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• James Brolin (Life in Pieces) - James talks about Hallmark's I'll Be Home for Christmas on Harry, so check your local listings.
• Billy Eichner (Difficult People) - Billy joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) - Danica stops by a special holiday primetime Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 8pm ET/PT.
• Tony Danza (Who's the Boss?/Taxi) - Tony will be on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Sinbad (A Different World/The Sinbad Show) - Sinbad is a guest on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Margaret Cho (All-American Girl) - Margaret appears on Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
• Kathy Griffin (Suddenly Susan) - Kathy is a guest on the AOL Build Show at 5pm.
• Jerry O'Connell (We Are Men/Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Jerry will be on Good Day New York on WNYW-Fox5 in New York sometime between 7-10am.

• Jamie Lee Curtis (Scream Queens/Anything But Love) - Watch Jamie Lee on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) - Kumail is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Matt LeBlanc (Man with a Plan/Episodes/Friends) - Matt appears on Chelsea on Netflix.
• Whoopi Goldberg (Whoopi/Bagdad Cafe) - Whoopi visits Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) - Danica is a guest on a rebroadcast of a special holiday Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT. She also talks about My Christmas Dream on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Dan Fogler (Man Up!) - Dan chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• David Alan Grier (The Carmichael Show/Bad Teacher/Life with Bonnie/DAG) - David is a guest on Steve Harvey, so check your local listings.
• Nick Kroll (The League/Cavemen) - Nick talks about Loving on the AOL Build Show at 11am.
• Sarah Hyland (Modern Family) - Sarah is a guest on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Jerry O'Connell (We Are Men/Carpoolers/My Secret Identity) - Jerry will be on Good Morning Football on the NFL Network.

LAFF, the country's first-ever, over-the-air broadcast television network devoted to comedy around-the-clock, added to its lineup of the most popular and biggest EMMY-winning sitcoms in contemporary television acquiring the broadcast television rights to five hit series from Carsey-Werner Productions. In the multi-year licensing agreements announced today, LAFF acquires: Roseanne (Nine seasons, 222 episodes), That '70s Show (Eight seasons, 200 eps), 3rd Rock from the Sun (Six seasons, 139 eps), Grounded for Life (Five seasons, 91 eps) and Cybill (Four seasons, 87 eps). There is no set timeframe on when they will launch on the network just yet. As of now, they are not slated thru end of May. LAFF currently airs The Drew Carey Show, Spin City, Empty Nest, Ellen, The Bernie Mac Show, Night Court and Carsey-Werner's Grace Under Fire. The network is closing in on its first anniversary this week (April 15). Stay with us for continued updates as these five sitcoms join the line-up. Will any of the current sitcoms be leaving? You'll have to stay tuned!

Groovy! The Brady Bunch is coming to Logo starting this morning! It will air five days a week every morning starting at 9am following I Dream of Jeannie (starting at 6am). The Brady Bunch will vary from day to day, as sometimes it will air thru 6pm and some days thru 1pm. Roseanne, The Nanny, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Designing Women, and Samantha Who? are the other sitcoms still on the line-up with this new addition. The Brady Bunch currently also airs on The MeTV Network, but hasn't been on cable lately, as TV Land aired it last in 2015. Prior to TV Land, The Brady Bunch was briefly on The Hallmark Channel. Stay with us for continued updates on The Brady Bunch on Logo.

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - The Facts of My Life

by Todd

Charlotte Rae's career spans more than seventy years, from the golden age of television to Shakespeare in the Park, the New York Cabaret scene of the late 1940s and 50s to her hit series, The Facts of Life and well beyond.

Off stage and screen, Charlotte's life has been of joy and challenge, raising an autistic son, coming to terms with alcoholism, the heartache of a broken marriage, the revelation of a gay husband and the sudden challenge of facing middle-age with financial and emotional uncertainties--an crisis she ultimately turned into the determination that brought her stardom.

The Facts of My Life is written by Charlotte Rae and her son, Larry Strauss. It's the first opportunity for Charlotte fans to explore the fascinating story of her extraordinary life; poignant and hilarious, a story of courage and triumph, one that speaks for a generation of women breaking barriers, taking on challenges, overcoming personal tragedy, and paving the way for others.

The early chapters of the book focus on her childhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She talks about how her parents, Meyer and Esther, first met. Charlotte Rae Lubotsky was born on April 22, 1926, in Milwaukee. Her father owned a tire store. She has two sisters, the late Beverly and Mimi. Beverly and Charlotte were always very competitive with each other. They didn't always have the best relationship until their later years. She talks about her family often throughout the book.

Rae attended Shorewood High School where she became passionate about theatre. She discusses her time at Northwestern University where she studied acting. Her classmates included her future Facts of Life sister Cloris Leachman and Paul Lynde. Leachman and Rae also shared an apartment in New York City for a time. Rae talks about changing her last name and how it upset her father. She discusses her early work as a saloon and cabaret singer when she was making $60 a week.

Much of the book details her work as a stage actress. She received two Tony nominations for her roles in Pickwick in 1966 and Morning, Noon and Night in 1969. She shares many behind-the-scenes details of her work in various plays and musicals. Rae gives much praise to many people she worked with, but she's also not afraid to talk about a few people she found difficult to work with.

She married composer John Strauss on November 4, 1951. They had two children together, Andy and Larry. She provides many stories about her sons sprinkled throughout the chapters. Her son, Andy, had autism. They struggled to get him help as not much was known about autism back then compared to today. She also discusses her husband coming out as bisexual and their divorce in 1976. Other struggles she discusses in detail include her battle with alcoholism and various health problems. She's had sobriety for over 40 years. She's also a pancreatic cancer survivor.

Rae provides many details about her television work throughout the book. She talks about her guest appearance on The Phil Silvers Show, which her husband worked on in the sound department. She briefly talks about her role as Sylvia Schnauser, the wife of Officer Leo Schnauser (Al Lewis), in Car 54, Where Are You? In 1975, she starred as Mrs. Bellotti in the short-lived Hot L Baltimore. She that this was Norman Lear's favorite series, interestingly enough. She shares a story about her appearance on All in the Family as the tupperware lady, Miss Lillian Henderson.

Her time on Diff'rent Strokes is discussed in a chapter titled Strokes of Good Fortune. She talks about how about she almost didn't play Mrs. Garrett because she was under contract with CBS at at the time. She has some nice things to say about the cast members, but she thought the parents were problematic. It's interesting that she didn't really enjoy her time on the series very much. She was concerned they were phasing her character out by giving her fewer lines.

The Facts of Life is talked about in parts of two chapters. Rae has given many interviews over the years, so there is probably not much new information here for the die-hard fans. Topics she discusses include how she discovered Mindy Cohn, the first season cast, her weight loss after the first season, her favorite guest star and her decision to leave the series. She also talks about her favorite trip to Paris when they filmed The Facts of Life Goes to Paris. I thought it was a little surprising that she didn't mention the 2001 reunion movie at all.

The final two chapters detail her life after The Facts of Life. Despite some health struggles in recent years, she has continued to have roles on television and in films. Most recently she had a small role in Ricki and the Flash.

There's a nice section of over 75 black and white photos in the middle of the book. She provides captions of the many photos of her family and from her show business career. There is one with Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges. Several Facts of Life cast photos and one with Geri Jewell are included. These are fun to see, so it's great that she shared them. Her career highlights and acknowledgments are presented at the end of the book.

If you're a fan of Charlotte Rae, this is a must read. There's only a limited amount of information on her available online, so this book provides her complete life story from her early childhood in Milwaukee up to the present day. They do a nice job of blending in the details of her personal life with her professional career. There's a good mix of comedic and dramatic sections. She also shares some pretty wild stories, such as the first time she smoked pot! It's easy to picture her as Mrs. Garrett, but she has a bit of a mischievous side.

Fans of The Facts of Life may be a little disappointed that only two chapters are devoted to the series, but I think it's a fair amount. This wasn't meant to be a tell-all book on the series. She talks about many of the highlights and has many good things to say about the cast and her time on the show.

The book is well written. It provides all the facts you could ever want to know about Charlotte Rae. It feels like she is almost talking to you as she shares many funny and heartbreaking stories. She has an incredible memory to recall so many names and details. She has overcome many struggles in her 89 years. I don't think you have to be a fan of The Facts of Life or her other work to be inspired by her life story. She seems like a very sweet little woman. She has been blessed to live a long and productive life. Hopefully she has many more healthy years and projects in the future. We have been blessed to have her bring us so many great laughs and memories over her 70 years in show business.

(4/5 stars)

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TV Land has re-added Bewitched to its lineup. The classic '60s sitcom is airing on the network weekdays from 5-6pm replacing an hour of Gilligan's Island. That sitcom will continue to air in the mornings from 10am-12pm following Three's Company which moves to an earlier timeslot replacing I Dream of Jeannie. So essentially, Bewitched is back, and Jeannie is out. The rest of the TV Land line-up will remain the same including The Facts of Life every weeknight from 6-8pm. Both Bewitched and Jeannie will also continue to air on sister Viacom network Logo. Keep it right here for continued updates.

After just celebrating its 50th anniversary, I Dream of Jeannie is returning to TV Land. The sitcom will air weekdays from 9-10am beginning Monday, October 5, 2015. With the addition of Jeannie, the morning sitcoms shift timeslots a bit, with Gilligan's Island now 10am-11:30am and Three's Company from 11:30am-1pm. TV Land will be removing Gunsmoke from the line-up, so it is all Bonanza during TV Land Goes West from 1pm-5pm leading into Gilligan (5-6pm) and Facts of Life (6-8pm). Gunsmoke will be actually off the line-up as of October 1, as its contract has expired. I Dream of Jeannie has also aired on Viacom-owned Logo. The series of course stars Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and whom she eventually marries. Stay with us for continued updates.

Starz announced the series development of Trapped in association with Mila Kunis' Orchard Farm Productions with Kunis (Black Swan, Ted, Family Guy, Jupiter Ascending) serving as Executive Producer alongside Rob Zombie (House of 1,000 Corpses, The Devil's Rejects, Halloween) who will also direct. Created and written by Joey Slamon (Arrested Development) and produced in association with Orchard Farm Productions, the half-hour horror comedy series takes places over a single night in the home of a wealthy family under attack by a murderous cult. Susan Curtis, Cami Curtis and Lisa Sterbakov of Orchard Farm Productions will also executive produce. Back to Mila, sitcom fans of course remember has as Jackie Burkhart on the television series That '70s Show. Keep it right here should this series get a series order.

Antenna TV is celebrating 50 years of I Dream of Jeannie and its enduring popularity with "Still Dreaming of Jeannie," a 50 episode marathon of the classic series to air on Saturday, September 19 beginning at 8pm ET. Antenna TV's marathon will be hosted by Barbara Eden, who starred as the 2000 year-old genie, during the show's original run from 1965 to 1970. Barbara will host the 50 episode/25 hour marathon and provide insights and commentary in interstitial segments between the episodes. The marathon will feature a selection of the top episodes from the series, including Barbara's favorite episodes. Antenna TV, which airs in in 102 TV markets across the U.S. reaching 78% of TV households is available in all of the Top 20 TV U.S. markets. I Dream of Jeannie airs regularly on Antenna TV weekdays 1pm ET/10am PT, Tue-Sat 4am ET/1am PT and Sundays 3pm ET/12pm PT. The "Still Dreaming of Jeannie" marathon will feature the following episodes (Episodes in BOLD are Barbara Eden's favorite episodes):

8:00PM Lady in the Bottle
8:30PM Americanization of Jeannie
9:00PM Whatever Happened to Baby Custer?
9:30PM What House Across the Street
10:00PM Richest Astronaut in the World
10:30PM How Lucky Can You Get?
11:00PM Watch the Birdie
11:30PM My Master, the Great Rembrandt
12:00AM I'll Never Forget What's Her Name
12:30AM Jeannie Breaks the Bank
1:00AM Happy Anniversary
1:30AM My Master, The Rich Tycoon
2:00AM My Master, The Great Caruso
2:30AM World's Greatest Lover
3:00AM You Can't Arrest Me...I Don't Have a Driver's License
3:30AM Greatest Entertainer in the World
4:00AM Jeannie or the Tiger
4:30AM 2nd Greatest Con Artist in the World
5:00AM My Master, the Weakling
5:30AM Everybody's a Star
6:00AM Meet My Master's Mother
6:30AM Here Comes Bootise Nightengale
7:00AM Jeannie and the Bank Robbery
7:30AM Jeannie Goes to Honolulu
8:00AM Genie, Genie Who's Got the Genie Part 1
8:30AM Genie, Genie Who's Got the Genie Part 2
9:00AM Genie, Genie Who's Got the Genie Part 3
9:30AM Genie, Genie Who's Got the Genie Part 4
10:00AM Please Don't Feed the Astronauts
10:30AM Divorce, Genie Style
11:00AM Tomorrow is Not Another Day
11:30AM Strongest Man in the World
12:00PM Indispensable Jeannie
12:30PM How to Marry an Astronaut
1:00PM Dr. Bellows Goes Sane
1:30PM My Vanishing Master Part 1
2:00PM My Vanishing Master Part 2
2:30PM House for Sale
3:00PM Jeannie, the Governor's Wife
3:30PM Biggest Star in Hollywood
4:00PM Jeannie-Go-Round
4:30PM Blackmail Order Bride
5:00PM Jeannie at the Piano
5:30PM Jeannie and the Bachelor Party
6:00PM The Wedding
6:30PM My Sister, The Home Wrecker
7:00PM Never Put Jeannie on a Budget
7:30PM Mrs. Djinn Djinn
8:00PM One Jeannie Beats Four of a Kind
8:30PM Hurricane Jeannie

Our good friend Eric of JustMyShow.com is back and has started a new podcast - rebranding Just My Show to The Throwback. It's a fitting day to post this since it is "Throwback Thursday!" His first episode features a new interview with Ken Osmond, aka Eddie Haskell, from Leave it to Beaver. Eddie Haskell is one of the great characters in sitcom history. Did you know he later became an officer in the LAPD? He has also posted a fun interview he did with director Jay Sandrich a few years back in which he talks about a bunch of the shows he directed such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Cosby Show, Soap and the pilot for The Golden Girls. So without further adieu, please listen to the very first episode of The Throwback with guest Ken Osmond! And listen to the "throwback" interview with Jay Sandrich also.

• Moving ahead with re-releases of things previously released by Sony, it looks as if re-releases of the complete series of both Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie will be coming October 6 from Mill Creek.
• Shout! Factory released Mr. Belvedere - Season Four as a Shout! Select release several years ago, but it seems these days that Shout! Select has ceased to exist and that all releases are coming through traditional retailers. While most of the older releases have not been released in such a manner yet, it looks like Mr. Belvedere - Season Four is on the verge of being released in that manner.

The '60s classic I Dream of Jeannie is now on Logo! The Barbara Eden/Larry Hagman sitcom is airing on Logo in block format to go along with its other sitcoms such as Bewitched, Roseanne, Will & Grace, Just Shoot Me!, Samantha Who, Happy Endings, and The Golden Girls. Back to Jeannie, the show of course starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and whom she eventually marries. You'll have to check your listings to see when exactly it will air, as it will not have a set time. For example, today it is airing from 10am-1pm. I Dream of Jeannie can also be seen on the cable network FamilyNet and on the digital simulcast network Antenna TV.

Disney Channel has ordered the comedy series Best Friends Whenever, starring Landry Bender (Disney XD's Crash & Bernstein) as Cyd, newcomer Lauren Taylor as Shelby and Gus Kamp (Deadtime Stories: The Beast of Baskerville) as Barry. Production begins in March for a premiere later this year. Best Friends Whenever centers on teenagers Shelby and Cyd, who when a science experiment goes wrong, become unstuck in time, leaping forward and backward whenever they want - and sometimes even when they don't. Now with the help of their next-door neighbor, teenage genius Barry, the girls must learn to master their awesome new power as they time-shift through high school.

The series was created by Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas (both of Disney XD's Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja). Michael Kaplan (Dog With A Blog), along with Elinoff and Thomas, will serve as executive producers. Shelley Jensen (Austin & Ally, Good Luck Charlie) will direct multiple episodes. Stay with us for continued updates, including a premiere date.