SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

SitcomsOnline Digest: Chevy Chase "Hurt" By Not Being Invited to SNL 50th Anniversary; New Lineups for Antenna TV and Rewind TV

 Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! It's a very slow Christmas news week, but we have some news about a cast member of The Middle and Friends who has died, new year lineups for Antenna TV and Rewind TV, and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Chevy Chase, who built a reputation of being difficult to work with and had purportedly been banned from appearing on the show several times (but was often invited back anyway), says he is "hurt" that wasn't invited to appear on the SNL50: The Anniversary Special. (Entertainment Weekly)
• Pat Finn, who appeared on The Middle and Friends, has died. (Entertainment Weekly)
• We're learning more about the Netflix sequel to A Different World. (SitcomsOnline)
• The new year lineups for Antenna TV and Rewind TV (which start next week) have been released, and some of the moves will leave people confused as to the purpose of each channel. (SitcomsOnline)

• MeTV is having a "A Very Special Sunday" tomorrow with anniversary reunion specials (previously aired decades ago) of Happy Days, The Andy Griffith Show, I Love Lucy, and more.
• Catchy Comedy is celebrating a "new year" with a Catchy Binge of Newhart tomorrow.
• Catchy Comedy is also airing Here's Lucy starting Monday, paired with I Love Lucy and The Lucy Show every weekday.
• Antenna TV brings back One Day at a Time and Sanford & Son on Thursday, starting with a marathon of first episodes for all series on the network.
• The final episodes of Stranger Things arrive on Netflix on Wednesday.
• And of course, it is the new year, and that wouldn't be complete without Twilight Zone marathons, which you can find on both Heroes & Icons as well as Syfy later this week.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: A Different World, Antenna TV, Friends, Here's Lucy, Newhart, One Day at a Time, Rewind TV, Sanford and Son, Saturday Night Live, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Middle, Twilight Zone

SitcomsOnline Digest: Shifting Gears Picked Up for Three Additional Episodes; The Paper Renewed for Season Two

Welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! This week, we are hearing more about the Scrubs reboot, the renewal of The Paper (already!), and more. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Shifting Gears was picked up for a few additional episodes for the upcoming season, but not quite a full season, which suggests that the reboot of Scrubs will be the midseason replacement for it. (Deadline)
• Speaking of Scrubs, we also learned this week that John McGinley will be returning to his role on the reboot. (Variety)
• Hopefully fans are enjoying The Paper, because it was renewed for a second season before the first season even aired. (Variety)
• King of the Hill and Wednesday have both proven to be major hits on streaming. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Kristen Johnston has been cast in the second season of Going Dutch. (Deadline)
• Going Dutch has a new show runner for the upcoming season. (Deadline)
• We have a season premiere date for Crutch, the spinoff of The Neighborhood that will stream on Paramount+. (TheWrap)
• A live staged reading of a Three's Company episode featuring Adam Devine and Kaley Cuoco is set for next week. (SitcomsOnline)

• A new season of Only Murders in the Building debuts Tuesday on Hulu.
• The new comedy series Kiss or Die debuts Tuesday on Netflix.
• After several weeks of multiple show binges on Catchy Comedy, they go back to one series this weekend with Newhart.
• With so many marathons going on last weekend, we forgot to mention some new series and season debuts from last week, including The Paper (the offshoot of The Office) on Peacock and Beavis and Butt-Head on Comedy Central/Paramount+.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Beavis and Butt-Head, Crutch, Going Dutch, King of the Hill, Kiss or Die, Newhart, Only Murders in the Building, Scrubs, Shifting Gears, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Paper, Three's Company

FETV Acquires Dragnet; CBS Special for Bob Newhart

FETV (Family Entertainment Television), home to beloved and timeless television series and movies carried across cable, satellite, and virtual platforms, announced that Dragnet will join the network's programming lineup beginning Monday, August 19. The show will debut in its regular time slot weekday mornings at 8a ET and weekday afternoons at 6p ET. To celebrate the launch of the show, FETV will conduct a Watch & Win Trivia Contest during telecasts of Dragnet the week of August 19. Dragnet 1967 stars Jack Webb as Sgt. Joe Friday and Harry Morgan as Officer Bill Gannon. Set in Los Angeles, California, episodes were drawn from official LAPD case files. Dragnet is perhaps the most influential police procedural in television history, airing for the entirely of the 1950s before seeing a revival in the late 1960s. The relaunched series aired on NBC from 1967 to 1970.

CBS announced a new Entertainment Tonight special, Bob Newhart: A Legacy of Laughter, to air tonight - Monday, July 22 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).

Hosted by Entertainment Tonight's Nischelle Turner, this one-hour tribute honors the late comedian with a look back at his 70-year career, featuring never-before-seen interviews, and his final interview from his home in Los Angeles. The special takes an in-depth look at his journey from accountant to comedian to Hollywood icon, with rare behind-the-scenes footage of Bob on the set of his sitcoms and feature films, from the Entertainment Tonight vault. Included are new and archival interviews with some of Bob's closest friends and co-stars, including Jim Parsons, Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Jason Bateman and Michael Weatherly. The show takes an intimate look inside Bob's personal life and his marriage to the love of his life, Ginnie, with newly revealed stories about how he changed American culture through comedy.

Bob starred as Chicago psychologist Robert Hartley on the CBS television series The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978, and then as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon on Newhart from 1982 to 1990, also on the Network. He had two other sitcoms on CBS in the 1990s, Bob and George and Leo. Bob played the recurring role of Professor Proton on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory from 2013 to 2018, for which he received his first Primetime Emmy Award.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Bob, Bob Newhart Show, CBS, Dragnet, FETV, George and Leo, Newhart

Remembering TV Legend Bob Newhart, TV Bad Girl Shannen Doherty of Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed, and Doogie Howser TV Dad James B. Sikking

Emmy-winning actor and comedian Bob Newhart, who starred as Bob Hartley in The Bob Newhart Show and as Dick Loudon in Newhart, has died. He died from complications of several short illnesses at his home in Los Angeles, California, on July 18. Mr. Newhart was 94.

Newhart starred on the 1961-1962 NBC comedy variety show The Bob Newhart Show. The show was awarded the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Program Achievement in the Field of Humor (now known as the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series) in 1962. It also won a Peabody Award in 1961. Regulars included Mickey Manners (1961), Joe Flynn, Jackie Joseph, Andy Albin, Dan Sorkin, Ken Westfall (1961), Jack Grinnage (1961), Ken Berry (1962) and Paul Weston and His Orchestra.

He starred as Dr. Robert "Bob" Hartley in the 1972-1978 CBS sitcom The Bob Newhart Show. The show centers on Robert "Bob" Hartley, a Chicago psychologist, his work and home life, with his supportive, though occasionally sarcastic, wife Emily (Suzanne Pleshette), and their friendly but mildly pesky neighbor, airline navigator Howard Borden (Bill Daily). The series also starred Peter Bonerz as Dr. Jerry Robinson, Bob's friend, an orthodontist, and Marcia Wallace as Carol Kester, Bob and Jerry's receptionist. In 1977, the show received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series. The entire cast assembled for the one-hour clip show The Bob Newhart Show: The 19th Anniversary Special in 1991, which finds the show's characters in the present day. Newhart and Wallace reprised their roles in a 1994 episode of Murphy Brown. Newhart reprised Hartley twice in the February 11, 1995, episode of Saturday Night Live.

Newhart starred as Dick Loudon in the 1982-1990 CBS sitcom Newhart. The series stars Newhart and Mary Frann as an author and his wife who own and operate the Stratford Inn in rural Vermont. Dick Loudon is also the host of a local television show, Vermont Today, where he interviews an assortment of bizarre and colorful guests. The show was nominated for 25 Emmy Awards but never won. The cast included Tom Poston, Jennifer Holmes (1982-1983), Steven Kampmann (1982-1984), Julia Duffy (1983-1990), Peter Scolari (1984-1990), William Sanderson, Tony Papenfuss and John Voldstad. Recurring cast members included Thomas Hill, William Lanteau, Rebecca York (1983-1984), Jeff Doucette (1983-1988), Fred Applegate (1984-1987), Ralph Manza (1984-1990), Linda Carlson (1984-1987), Todd Susman (1984-1990), José Ferrer (1985-1987), Priscilla Morrill (1985-1989), Melanie Chartoff (1987-1990), Kathy Kinney (1989-1990) and David Pressman (1989-1990).

He starred as Bob McKay in the 1992-1993 CBS sitcom Bob. Bob McKay is a greeting card artist who discovers a comic book he created is getting revived. He is the creator of the 1950s comic book superhero Mad-Dog. The series, which aired for two seasons, also starred Carlene Watkins, Cynthia Stevenson, John Cygan (season 1), Andrew Bilgore (season 1), Timothy Fall (season 1), Ruth Kobart (season 1), Betty White (season 2), Jere Burns (season 2), Eric Allan Kramer (season 2) and Megan Cavanagh. Recurring cast members included Lisa Kudrow, Tom Poston (season 1), Dorothy Lyman, Dick Martin and Christine Dunford (season 1).

Newhart starred as George Stoody in the 1997-1998 CBS sitcom George & Leo. Newhart and Hirsch starred as the respective title characters, widely divergent men who become in-laws when their children get married. The cast inclued Jason Bateman, Bess Meyer (episodes 1-7), Robyn Lively (episodes 9-22) and Darryl Theirse.

He played Professor Proton (Arthur Jeffries) in six episodes of the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory from 2013 to 2018. Professor Proton (Arthur Jeffries) is the star of a fictional in-universe science show that Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and Leonard (Johnny Galecki) watched as children. Newhart won his first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2013. He appeared as the character in three episodes of Young Sheldon from 2017 to 2020.

Newhart appeared as Bob Sr., Bob's (David Foley) father and the father-in-law of Joy Scroggs (Jane Leeves), in the series finale of Hot in Cleveland in 2015. Some of his other sitcom guest appearances included Captain Nice, The Don Rickles Show, It's Garry Shandling's Show, Everybody Loves Raymond and Committed. He voiced himself in a 1996 episode of The Simpsons.

In 2003, he guest starred as Ben Hollander in three episodes of ER in a rare dramatic role that earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, his first in nearly 20 years. He had a recurring role as Morty Flickman, the on-again/off-again boyfriend of Sophie (Lesley Ann Warren), Susan Mayer's (Teri Hatcher) mother, in three episodes of Desperate Housewives in 2005. Some of his other television drama credits included The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, NCIS and The Librarians (3 episodes).

He appeared on The Dean Martin Show 21 times and on The Ed Sullivan Show seven times. He was one of the initial three co-hosts of the variety show The Entertainers in 1964, with Carol Burnett and Caterina Valente. He guest-hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 87 times. He hosted Saturday Night Live in 1980 and 1995.

Newhart's 1960 comedy album The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart was the first comedy album to make number one on the Billboard charts and peaked at number two in the UK Albums Chart. It won two Grammy Awards in 1961 for Album of the Year and Best New Artist. The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart remains the 20th-best-selling album in history. A follow-up album, The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!, was released six months later and won a Grammy Award for Best Comedy Performance – Spoken Word that year.

He starred as Papa Elf in Elf (2003). Some of his other film credits included Catch-22 (1970), Cold Turkey (1971), First Family (1980) and In & Out (1997). He also voiced Bernard in the Disney animated films The Rescuers (1977) and The Rescuers Down Under (1990).

He was interviewed on May 29, 2001 in Westwood, California, and on June 15, 2001 in Bel Air, California, for The Interviews: An Oral History of Television.

Mr. Newhart was a TV and comedy icon. He was very funny and memorable as Bob Hartley and Dick Loudon. He was always a great late night guest. His deadpan delivery and dry sense of humor were fantastic. We thank him for the many laughs and for the entertainment that he brought during his legendary career. He will be greatly missed.

Catchy Comedy will celebrate legendary actor Bob Newhart with a special Catchy Weekend Binge presentation of The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart and Bob TV Series. The tribute begins Saturday, July 20 at 12 noon ET/PT on Catchy Comedy. The special Binge will continue all weekend through Monday, July 21 at 6:00 am ET/PT.

CBS announced a new Entertainment Tonight special, Bob Newhart: A Legacy of Laughter, to air Monday, July 22 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs)*.

Hosted by Entertainment Tonight’s Nischelle Turner, this one-hour tribute honors the late comedian with a look back at his 70-year career, featuring never-before-seen interviews, and his final interview from his home in Los Angeles. The special takes an in-depth look at his journey from accountant to comedian to Hollywood icon, with rare behind-the-scenes footage of Bob on the set of his sitcoms and feature films, from the Entertainment Tonight vault. Included are new and archival interviews with some of Bob’s closest friends and co-stars, including Jim Parsons, Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Jason Bateman and Michael Weatherly. The show takes an intimate look inside Bob’s personal life and his marriage to the love of his life, Ginnie, with newly revealed stories about how he changed American culture through comedy.

Bob starred as Chicago psychologist Robert Hartley on the CBS television series The Bob Newhart Show from 1972 to 1978, and then as Vermont innkeeper Dick Loudon on Newhart from 1982 to 1990, also on the Network. He had two other sitcoms on CBS in the 1990s, Bob and George and Leo. Bob played the recurring role of Professor Proton on the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory from 2013 to 2018, for which he received his first Primetime Emmy Award.

TBS is celebrating the life of comedian and actor Bob Newhart with a Big Bang Theory marathon featuring the Best of Professor Proton episodes. Beginning Sunday, July 21 at 8PM on TBS, the marathon includes six classic episodes from various seasons including "The Proton Resurgence," "The Proton Displacement," "The Proton Transmogrification," and more.

Big Bang Theory follows two brilliant physicists, Leonard and Sheldon, who understand how the universe works. But none of that genius helps them interact with people. All this begins to change when a free-spirited beauty named Penny moves next door.

Full scheduling details are below:

Sunday, July 21 (8PM-11PM)
1. "The Proton Resurgence" (Season 6, Episode 22)
2. "The Proton Displacement" (Season 7, Episode 7)
3. "The Proton Transmogrification" (Season 7, Episode 22)
4. "The Opening Night Excitation" (Season 9, Episode 11)
5. "The Proton Regeneration" (Season 11, Episode 6)
6. "The Planetarium Collision" (Season 12, Episode 5)

Actress Shannen Doherty, who starred as Brenda Walsh in Beverly Hills, 90210 and as Prue Halliwell in Charmed, has died. She died from cancer at her home in Malibu, California, on July 13. Ms. Doherty was 53.

Doherty had a recurring role as Jenny Wilder in 18 episodes of the ninth and final season (1982-1983) of the NBC Western historical drama Little House on the Prairie. Almanzo (Dean Butler) and Laura (Melissa Gilbert) take in their niece, Jenny Wilder, when Almanzo's brother dies and raise her alongside their daughter, Rose. She returned in the three post-series movies in 1983 and 1984.

She starred as Kris Witherspoon in the 1986-1988 NBC drama Our House. The series centers on the Witherspoon family and the challenges they face adjusting to life with three generations living in the same house. 15-year-old Kris aimed to become an Air Force test pilot someday. The cast included Wilford Brimley, Deidre Hall, Chad Allen, Keri Houlihan and Gerald S. O'Loughlin.

Doherty starred as Brenda Walsh in the Fox teen drama from 1990 to 1994. The initial premise of the show was based on the adjustment and culture shock that twins Brandon (Jason Priestley) and Brenda Walsh experienced when they and their parents, Jim (James Eckhouse) and Cindy (Carol Potter), moved from Minneapolis, Minnesota, to Beverly Hills, California. Doherty was fired from the series at the end of the fourth season in 1994.

She starred as Prue Halliwell in The WB's fantasy drama Charmed from 1998 to 2001. The series initially focuses on the three Halliwell sisters, Prue, Piper (Holly Marie Combs), and Phoebe (Alyssa Milano) who are witches. Prue is the eldest sister who initially receives the power to move objects with her mind by channelling telekinesis through her eyes. Doherty also directed three episodes during the second and third seasons. She was was allegedly fired by producer Aaron Spelling after the third season after he received an ultimatum from Milano because of their on-set and off-set tensions between them.

Doherty had a recurring role Alexandra Hudson in 11 episodes of the 2004-2005 Fox drama North Shore. Alexandra Hudson is Walter Booth's (Christopher McDonald) supposed illegitimate child by a secretary – thus making her Nicole's (Brooke Burns) half-sister.

She reprised her role as Brenda Walsh in seven episodes of the first season (2008-2009) of The CW's teen drama 90210. She played herself in the short-lived 2009 Fox comedy-drama BH90210. The series focuses on the original cast members of Beverly Hills, 90210 — Jason Priestley, Jennie Garth, Ian Ziering, Gabrielle Carteris, Brian Austin Green, Tori Spelling, and Shannen Doherty — playing heightened, fictionalized versions of themselves. The cast also served as executive producers.

Doherty guest starred with Christina Applegate and Robyn Lively in a 1985 episode of The New Leave it to Beaver. She appeared with other Beverly Hills, 90210 stars in a 1992 episode of Parker Lewis Can't Lose.

She had several attempts at starring in a sitcom. In 1984, she starred with Richard Kline, Shelley Fabares and Dana Kimmell in the CBS pilot episode of His and Hers. In 1997, she was cast with Orlando Jones and William Ragsdale as hip young private investigators in Los Angeles in the Fox sitcom pilot Faster Baby, Kill! It wasn't picked up as a series. In 2005, she starred as Denise Johnson in the unaired pilot of the UPN sitcom Love, Inc.. The series was originally developed as a vehicle and sitcom debut for Doherty under the working title Wingwoman. Though picked up by UPN, Doherty was removed from the project at the request of the network due to her poor reception by preview audiences. She was replaced by Busy Philipps.

Some of her other television guest apperances included Father Murphy (2 episodes), The Phoenix, Voyagers!, Magnum, P.I. (1983), Airwolf, Highway to Heaven, 21 Jump Street, Life Goes On and Heathers (3 episodes). She appeared as a stranded motorist on Riverdale as part of a tribute to Luke Perry, who died in 2019.

She starred as Maggie Malene in the 1985 teen movie comedy Girls Just Want to Have Fun alongside Helen Hunt and Sarah Jessica Parker. She played Heather Duke in the 1988 teen black comedy film Heathers. In 1995, she starred as Rene Mosier in Kevin Smith's buddy comedy film Mallrats. She had a cameo as herself in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001).

Ms. Doherty was very good and memorable in her television dramas over the years. She could play good girl and bad girl roles equally well. Our House is a somewhat forgotten family drama, which should be available on DVD or streaming. We thank her for her work on television and in films. She bravely battled cancer since 2015. She will be deeply missed.

Actor James B. Sikking, who starred as Lt. Howard Hunter in Hill Street Blues and as Dr. David Howser in Doogie Howser, M.D., has died. He died of complications from dementia at his home in Los Angeles, California, on July 13. Mr. Sikking was 90.

Sikking starred as Geoffrey St. James in the short-lived 1979 NBC sitcom Turnabout, which was based on a 1931 novel of the same title by Thorne Smith. The plot was about a husband and wife who found themselves inhabiting each other's bodies. The series also starred John Schuck, Sharon Gless, Richard Stahl, Bobbi Jordan and Bruce Kirby.

He starred as Lt. Howard Hunter in the 1981-1987 NBC police drama Hill Street Blues. Initially a Sergeant, he is promoted to (or perhaps merely re-written as) Lieutenant early in season 1 without mention. Hunter is the commander of the Emergency Action Team (EAT, or "EATers"), who loves to postulate and theorize about the degeneration of society. In 1984, Sikking's performance earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.

Sikking starred as Dr. David Howser in the 1989-1993 ABC medical comedy/drama Doogie Howser, M.D.. Dr. David Howser is Doogie Howser's (Neil Patrick Harris) father. He's a Vietnam War MASH veteran with a family practice. The cast included Max Casella, Belinda Montgomery, Lawrence Pressman, Mitchell Anderson (1989-1991), Kathryn Layng, Lisa Dean Ryan (1989-1992), Lucy Boryer (1989-1992), Markus Redmond (1990-1993), Rif Hutton (recurring from 1990-1993) and Robyn Lively (recurring from 1991-1993).

He starred as Capt. Stan Jonas in the 1997-1998 CBS police drama Brooklyn South. The focus for Brooklyn South was the 74th Precinct in Brooklyn. The series won a People's Choice Award for Favorite Television New Dramatic Series in 1998.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included O.K. Crackerby!, My Favorite Martian, My Mother the Car (2 episodes), Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Here Come the Brides (2 episodes), The Bob Newhart Show, The Doris Day Show (3 episodes), M*A*S*H, Room 222 (2 episodes), Who's the Boss? and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2 episodes).

Sikking played Jim Hobart, an alcoholic surgeon, in the ABC soap opera General Hospital from 1971 to 1976. Some of his other television guest appearances included Perry Mason, Combat! (2 episodes), Rawhide, The Outer Limits (2 episodes), The Fugitive (3 episodes), Run for Your Life (2 episodes), The Invaders, Bonanza (2 episodes), Adam-12, Night Gallery (2 episodes), Mission: Impossible (2 episodes), Mod Squad (3 episodes), The Rookies (2 episodes), Mannix (2 episodes), Cannon (2 episodes), Delvecchio (3 episodes), The Feather & Father Gang (2 episodes), The Rockford Files (2 episodes), Hawaii Five-O (2 episodes), Charlie's Angels (2 episodes), Hunter (3 episodes) and The Guardian (2 episodes)

He voiced General Gordon on the The WB's 1998 animated science fiction series Invasion America. Some of his other voice credits included Batman Beyond (2 episodes) and Rocket Power (2 episodes).

Sikking starred as FBI Director Denton Voyles in the 1993 American legal thriller film The Pelican Brief. Some of his other film credits included Ordinary People (1980), The Competition (1980), Outland (1981), The Star Chamber (1983), Up the Creek (1984), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Narrow Margin (1990), Fever Pitch (2005) and Made of Honor (2008).

Mr. Sikking was a solid and dependable actor. He was best known for his yeoman work as hard-charging, hardheaded SWAT leader Lt. Howard Hunter on Hill Street Blues. We thank him for his work on television and in films. He will be sorely missed.

Posted by Todd -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:30 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: 90210, Beverly Hills 90210, BH90210, Bob, Bob Newhart Show, Catchy Comedy, CBS, Charmed, Doogie Howser MD, George and Leo, Hill Street Blues, Newhart, Obits

Remembering Peter Scolari of Bosom Buddies and Newhart; Mythic Quest Gets 2 Season Renewal

Emmy-winning actor Peter Scolari, who starred as Henry Desmond on Bosom Buddies and as Michael Harris on Newhart, has died. He died from leukemia in Manhattan on October 22. He had been diagnosed with the disease two years earlier. Mr. Scolari was 66.

Scolari's first sitcom starring role was as Benny Loman on the short-lived 1980 ABC series Goodtime Girls. The comedy was set in 1942 in Washington, D.C., during World War II. Benny Loman was a street performer whose pantomime, juggling and unicycle acts were part of the regular physical comedy and pratfalls seen in every episode. He was the roommate of macho hustler cabbie Frankie Millardo (Adrian Zmed). The series also starred Annie Potts, Lorna Patterson, Georgia Engel, Francine Tacker, Marcia Lewis, Merwin Goldsmith and Sparky Marcus.

He next starred as Henry Desmond with Tom Hanks (Kip Wilson) on the 1980-1982 ABC sitcom Bosom Buddies. The show features the misadventures of two single men, working in creative advertising, struggling in their industry while disguising themselves as women (Hildegarde and Buffy) in order to live in the one apartment they could afford. Henry Desmond was a junior copywriter (and aspiring painter) working at a New York City advertising agency. The series also starred Wendie Jo Sperber, Donna Dixon, Telma Hopkins, Lucille Benson (1980-1981) and Holland Taylor.

Scolari starred as Eddie Riddle on the short-lived 1983 ABC sitcom Baby Makes Five. Eddie Riddle was an accountant who found his family growing faster than expected. The series also starred Louise Williams, Janis Paige, Prsicilla Morrill, Andre Gower, Emily Moultrie and Brandy Gold.

He starred as Michael Harris on the CBS sitcom Newhart from 1984 to 1990. Michael Harris was the yuppie producer of Dick Loudon's (Bob Newhart) television show and Stephanie Vanderkellen's (Julia Duffy) husband. Scolari joined the cast a recurring cast member in the second season before becoming a main cast member in the third season. He received three Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for the role in 1987, 1988 and 1989. He also directed one episode of the series in 1990. The cast included Mary Frann, Tom Poston, Jennifer Holmes (1982-1983), Steven Kampmann (1982-1984), William Sanderson, Tony Papenfuss and John Voldstad.

Scolari starred as Dr. Jonathan Lerner on the short-lived 1993 CBS sitcom Family Album. Jonathan and Denise Lerner (Pamela Reed) and their three children move from California to Philadelphia to be closer to their relatives. The cast included Ashlee Levitch, Christopher Miranda, Philip Van Dyke, Doris Belack, Alan North, Rhoda Gemignani, Nancy Cassaro and Giovanni Ribisi.

He starred as Warren Mosbey on the short-lived 1995 CBS sitcom Dweebs. Warren Mosbey was a young computer software writer who owned the highly successful software company named Cyberbyte in Seattle. The series also starred Farrah Forke, Corey Feldman, David Kaufman, Stephen Tobolowsky and Adam Biesk.

Scolari starred as Wayne Szalinski on Disney's Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The 1997-2000 syndicated series was based on the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Wayne Szalinski was a wacky inventor in Matheson, Colorado. Scolari directed five episodes of the series. The science fiction comedy series also starred Barbara Alyn Woods, Hillary Tuck, Thomas Dekker, George Buza (1998-2000) and Andrew T. Grant (1998-2000).

He had a recurring role as Tad Horvath, the father of Hannah Helene Horvath (Lena Dunham), in 21 episodes of the HBO comedy-drama Girls from 2012 to 2017. He won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for the role in 2016.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Angie, Happy Days, Family Ties, The Love Boat (3 episodes), Trying Times, Nurses, Empty Nest, The Mommies (2 episodes), A Whole New Ballgame (2 episodes), Can't Hurry Love, Dave's World (2 episodes), The Home Court (2 episodes), The Drew Carey Show, The Nanny, George & Leo, Reba, The King of Queens, What I Like About You, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (2003), Listen Up (2 episodes), Odd Mom Out and Murphy Brown (2018).

Scolari had a recurring role as Gillian B. Loeb, Gotham City’s corrupt police commissioner, in five episodes of Gotham in 2015. He appeared as Bishop Thomas Marx in nine episodes of Evil from 2019 to 2021. Some of his other drama guest appearances included Remington Steele, Finders of Lost Loves, Hotel, The New Mike Hammer, The Twilight Zone (1988), Burke's Law, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Touched by an Angel, Ally McBeal, ER, The West Wing and White Collar.

Some of his voice credits for animated series included Batman: The Animated Series, Animaniacs, Gargoyles, Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man, Pinky and the Brain, Hey Arnold!, What's New, Scooby Doo? and Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Mr. Scolari was a talented and versatile actor. He was also an avid juggler who occassionally showcased his talents on Circus of the Stars and on TV talk shows. He was funny and memorable on Bosom Buddies, Newhart and many other television series. We thank him for the laughs and entertainment he brought us during his career. He will be greatly missed.

Share your memories on our Bosom Buddies and Newhart message boards. View photos in our galleries.

Actor James Michael Tyler, who was best known for his role as Gunther on Friends, has died. He died from prostate cancer at his home in Los Angeles on October 24. Mr. Tyler was 59.

Tyler played the recurring role of Gunther in 148 episodes of the NBC sitcom Friends from 1994 to 2004. Gunther was the manager of the Central Perk coffee house who had unrequited love for Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston). He appeared in more episodes than any other recurring character. In 2021, he appeared via Zoom on the Friends: The Reunion HBO Max special.

Some of his sitcom guest appearances included Just Shoot Me!, Sabrina, the Teenage Witch (2001) and Scrubs. He played himself in a 2012 episode of Episodes, in which Matt LeBlanc tries unsuccessfully to get the other main stars from Friends to appear in the promotional video for the fictional television show Pucks. He appeared as Chad Levitz in the 2013 web series Modern Music.

Mr. Tyler was a familiar face and a fan favorite on Friends. It was nice that he was able to appear on the Friends: The Reunion special earlier this year. He will be sorely missed.

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

Apple TV+ announced a season three and four pick up of Mythic Quest, the hit sitcom from creators Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Megan Ganz, which has been hailed by critics as "hilarious and endearing," "a ton of fun," and "the best workplace comedy on TV." McElhenney, who also stars, shared the news in his signature comedic style with a video featuring fellow Apple TV+ star and Emmy Award-winner Jason Sudeikis (Ted Lasso), and Academy Award-winner Sir Anthony Hopkins, who recently earned a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Narrator for his guest star role in the Mythic Quest special, "Everlight." Boasting a 100% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, the series is set to open the writers' room for season three later this year.

Mythic Quest follows the team behind the biggest multiplayer video game of all time. In addition to McElhenney, who stars as the fictional company's creative director, Ian Grimm, the ensemble cast includes Academy Award-winner F. Murray Abraham, Danny Pudi, Imani Hakim, Charlotte Nicdao, Ashly Burch, Jessie Ennis and David Hornsby, who also executive produces. Additional cast includes Naomi Ekperigin, Caitlin McGee, Humphrey Ker, Chris Naoki Lee and Jonathan Wiggs. The series is produced for Apple TV+ by Lionsgate, 3 Arts Entertainment and Ubisoft Film & Television.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:40 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Apple TV+, Bosom Buddies, Friends, Girls, Mythic Quest, Newhart, Obits

SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC Orders Lopez vs. Lopez Pilot; Tyler Perry's Sistas Renewed for Season Four

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

• Lopez vs. Lopez, a comedy featuring (who else?) George Lopez, has been ordered at NBC. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Peter Scolari, known for his roles in Bosom Buddies and Newhart, has died at age 66. (CNN)
• Tyler Perry's Sistas has been renewed for a fourth season. (Deadline)
• CBS has given Ghosts a full season order. (SitcomsOnline)

WEEKLY PLANNER (OCTOBER 23 - OCTOBER 29)

• Season 4 of The Last O.G. debuts Tuesday on TBS. 
• It doesn't matter if you're ready, the Christmas movies have already started on Hallmark.
  
• Decades has a binge of The New Twilight Zone this weekend.
  
• There is a new Saturday Night Live tonight with Jason Sudekis as host.
  

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: George Lopez, Ghosts, Newhart, SitcomsOnline Digest, Tyler Perry

Decades Fall 2020 Schedule; CMT Acquires American Housewife

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. 

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: American Housewife, Bob Newhart Show, Cheers, CMT, Decades, Dick Van Dyke Show, I Love Lucy, Newhart, Taxi, The Jeffersons

SitcomsOnline Digest: The Detour and Grace and Frankie Coming to an End; Decades Celebrates Bob Newhart's 90th Birthday

• The TBS series, The Detour, is coming to a dead end as it has been cancelled after four seasons. (Variety)
• Netflix has announced Grace and Frankie will come to an end after the seventh season. (CNN)
• Although it's not exactly based upon the college admissions scandal (it's in fact based upon a Korean series that predates the scandal), NBC has nabbed a drama series that has a similar story. (Deadline)
• A premiere date has been set for the Mad About You reboot. (Deadline)
• There are a lot of TV anniversaries coming up, including the 25th for Friends and the 50th for The Brady Bunch, and of course, marathons will happen. (SitcomsOnline)  

• Decades has a binge of The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart, and even the short-lived series Bob this weekend, in honor of the 90th birthday of the star of those series.
• MeTV is airing a tribute to Valerie Harper with episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Rhoda on Sunday, beginning at 5 PM ET/PT.
• The limited series A Very Brady Renovation debuts Monday on HGTV.
• The new comedy series, Mr. Mom, debuts Thursday on Vudu.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Bob, Bob Newhart Show, Brady Bunch, Grace and Frankie, Mad About You, Newhart, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Detour

Decades Celebrates Bob Newhart's 90th Birthday with Big Marathon; Wanda Sykes & Mike Epps Get Netflix Sitcom

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.

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Bob, Bob Newhart Show, Decades, Netflix, Newhart, The Upshaws

Decades Acquires Newhart Starting March 2018; Santa Clarita Diet Brings Out More Stars for Season 2

Decades has acquired the rights to Newhart beginning in March. Newhart was last seen on Antenna TV up until end of 2017. Decades will begin a regular weekday schedule starting Monday, March 5 with shows from sister network MeTV being added. Back-to-back sitcom episodes will air from 9am-8pm. Sitcoms airing are I Love Lucy, Our Miss Brooks, I Married Joan, The Donna Reed Show, Family Affair, Petticoat Junction, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart, Ed Sullivan, and Laugh-In. In the overnight, after movies there will be other series such as The Loretta Young Show, Honey West, Mr. Lucky and more. Weekends will still be the Decades Weekend Binge with all-day marathons for two days, as this past weekend was The Facts of Life, next weekend will bring The Mod Squad. The weekend of March 3-4 will be The Mary Tyler Moore Show, followed by The Doris Day Show on the weekend of March 10-11. View the full Decades schedule that begins March 5. Keep it right here for continued updates on all things Decades.

Netflix unveiled some delicious casting news and a first look at the much-anticipated second season of comedy Santa Clarita Diet, launching this spring. Joel McHale and Maggie Lawson guest star as Chris and Christa, married realtors in Santa Clarita -- and a more successful, more aggressive version of Sheila and Joel. Gerald McRaney guest stars as Ed Thune, a retired army colonel who Joel finds very intimidating. Zachary Knighton guest stars as Paul, the chill descendent of Serbian ancestors who has been tasked with pursuing the truth of the undead, no matter who or what stands in his way. In Santa Clarita Diet, Joel (Timothy Olyphant) and Sheila (Drew Barrymore) are husband and wife realtors leading vaguely discontented lives in the L.A. suburb of Santa Clarita with their teenaged daughter Abby (Liv Hewson), until Sheila goes through a dramatic change sending their lives down a road of death and destruction...but in a good way.

Picking up right where we left off, Season 2 of Santa Clarita Diet finds the Hammonds trying to adapt to Sheila's now-advanced undead state -- even though she's desperately working to hold on to her suburban lifestyle and not be defined as just another monster. Unfortunately -- while the family has become markedly better at murder -- the number of missing people in Santa Clarita is starting to pile up and it's no longer going unnoticed. Meanwhile, the Hammonds are chasing the source of the virus so they can stop it from spreading and save humanity -- which seems important. Through it all, Sheila and Joel are grounded by their unconditional love for one another. Sure, being undead -- or loving someone who is -- isn't always easy, but don't all relationships have their challenges?

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Bob Newhart Show, Decades, Donna Reed Show, Family Affair, I Love Lucy, Laugh-In, Mary Tyler Moore Show, Netflix, Newhart, Petticoat Junction, Santa Clarita Diet

SitcomsOnline Digest: Mad About You Reboot in the Works?; Marathons and More for New Year's Eve and Beyond

• Every series that was a hit in the 90s needs new episodes, or at least that's what Sony is thinking when it comes to Mad About You, as they want to bring that series back. (AV Club)
• CBS doesn't seem to have any plans to bring back any of their successful 90s sitcoms (not that they really had that many to begin with), but they have been busy colorizing their old 50s and 60s sitcoms, and they've been performing rather decently when it comes to ratings. (Deadline)
• Vox has their list of the 35 best TV episodes of 2017, so go take a look and check out what you may have missed from the shows you don't watch regularly. (Vox)
• Make no mistake: sports leagues will do everything to cater to their TV audience, and that is demonstrated very clearly in the NFL cancelling their Sunday Night Football game that would have aired on NBC due to low ratings expectations that New Year's Eve would bring. (Yahoo)
• Rose Marie, who was best known for her role on The Dick Van Dyke Show (and also starred in two seasons of The Doris Day Show), died this week. (CNN)
• We mention some of them for your convenience in our Weekly Planner feature, but here is a larger list of all of the marathons that you can catch this weekend. (SitcomsOnline)

• Antenna TV is having a Newhart marathon all day on New Year's Eve, then that will be followed up with a Coach marathon on New Year's Day.
• Antenna TV also starts their new completely revamped lineup on Tuesday, with several new series joining the lineup: Alice, Coach, Gimme a Break, Growing Pains, Head of the Class, The Hogan Family, Murphy Brown, and Silver Spoons, as well as the return of Benson, The Jack Benny Program, McHale's Navy, and Soap. You can find the complete printable schedule here.
• Not included on that new Antenna TV lineup: All in the Family, Good Times, and Sanford & Son, but getTV will be airing them in their First Families of Funny block that will be airing weeknights starting Tuesday (after an all day marathon on Monday).
• MeTV starts their new lineup on January 1, and while it isn't a complete makeover of the entire lineup like Antenna TV is doing, it does bring Diff'rent Strokes to the lineup.
• If it's New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, it should come as no shock that Syfy is doing their Twilight Zone marathon.
• Full House joins the Hallmark Channel lineup on Tuesday, after a marathon on Monday.
• Not to be a broken record on series joining a lineup after a marathon on Monday, but the same can be said about The Nanny on COZI TV.
• If you're looking for something fresh on TV this week as opposed to classic series joining a new network, most broadcast network primetime sitcoms return to new episodes starting Tuesday evening, with Fox even introducing a brand new comedy series (L.A. to Vegas).
• Of course, it wouldn't be the weekend without the Weekend Binge on Decades, and this weekend it is Diagnosis Murder.

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

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Coach, Dick Van Dyke Show, Full House, Mad About You, Newhart, SitcomsOnline Digest, The Nanny, Twilight Zone

SitcomsOnline Digest: CBS Considering Honeymooners Reboot; How I Met Your Mother Spinoff Back in the Works Again?

• CBS is indisputably the king of reboots, with three reasonably successful reboots of classic TV series airing on the network right now, and now they want to give that treatment to The Honeymooners. (Hollywood Reporter)
• The on-again, off-again, saga of a spinoff of How I Met Your Mother, may be back on again. (Deadline)
• Once 2017 begins, it'll be time to start the second half of the TV season (or as it is usually referred to, "midseason"), and Deadline has a recap on when to expect many of your favorite series as well as debut dates for the new series set to begin in the winter and spring months. (Deadline)
• Mike Judge, creator of the animated series Beavis and Butthead and King of the Hill, as well as the current HBO live-action series Silicon Valley, is set to receive a lifetime achievement award from the WGA for his work on animated series.
• Alan Thicke, best known for his role of Dr. Jason Seaver on Growing Pains (and perhaps less known for his work of composing some of the most memorable theme songs of the late 70s and early 80s, as well his talk show that was too innovative for the early 80s), died this week at age 69. (SitcomsOnline)  
• Bernard Fox, best known for his role of Dr. Bombay on Bewitched, died this week at age 89. (NY Times)

• It was only last week that Newhart - The Complete Seventh Season was released, and Shout! Factory is wrapping up that series very quickly on March 14, with their upcoming release of Newhart - The Final Season, which of course will contain the most memorable episode of the series, the final episode.
• American Dad! has (finally) moved forward on DVD again, with this week's MOD release of American Dad! - Volume 11.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 2:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: American Dad, Honeymooners, How I Met Your Mother, Newhart, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: NBC to Bring Late Night to Primetime for New Year's Eve; Candace Cameron Bure Leaves The View

• Carson Daly will be ringing in the new year on NBC as usual, but he'll have sort of a pre-show this year, as Seth Meyers brings Late Night to primetime with a star-studded New Year's Eve special. (Hollywood Reporter)
• Candace Cameron Bure is the latest person to announce her exit from The View. (LA Times)
• Joseph Mascolo, who was best known for his role of villain Stefano off and on over over a 34 year period on Days of Our Lives (as well as many appearances on classic TV series, particularly in the 1970s), died this week at age 87. (Variety)
• William H. Macy is the bigger name and officially considered the star of Showtime's Shameless, but many who watch the show know that the plots and stories are often much more dependent upon Emmy Rosum's character Fiona, and now she not only wants equal pay to Macy, but actually more than his. (Hollywood Reporter)  
• "This is it, this is the trailer, the one you get, so go and have a ball," as Netflix has released the trailer for their reboot of the sitcom One Day at a Time. (SitcomsOnline)

• Newhart - The Complete Seventh Season (DVD, $29.93): The classic Bob Newhart sitcom continues on DVD with this release of the next-to-last season.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 3:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Late Night, Newhart, Shameless, SitcomsOnline Digest, The View

SitcomsOnline Digest: New Pilots from Zach Braff and Judge Judy?; Popular Scripted Cable Series Coming to an End

• Zach Braff is looking to return to the sitcom world as both star and director in a new put pilot for ABC. (Deadline)
• Lifetime has canceled the series Devious Maids after four seasons. (Deadline)
• The cult favorite Pretty Little Liars is coming to an end as well. (ABC News)
• If two hours a day of Judge Judy on your local TV station wasn't enough for you, then CBS is convinced that you'd be interested in an autobiographical drama series about her life that is in development. (New York Daily News)
• Is it too soon to be talking about a revival of the NBC series Parenthood? The cast and crew of the NBC series don't think it is, and it might just become a reality if they have their way. (Variety)
• Actor Gene Wilder died this week, and while his career was more memorable for his movie roles, such as his starring role in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, he did occasionally appear on television. Most notably, he starred in his own series called Something Wilder on NBC in the 1990s, which included an unlikely union with Alice Cooper in one episode. (Bloody Disgusting)
• Silver Spoons stayed in relative obscurity in reruns for over two decades (occasionally popping up here and there), but now, it has once again been added to another network, and this time it is FamilyNet. (SitcomsOnline) 
• In case you missed it, here is our interview of Josie Davis from yesterday. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

• Shout! Factory is cranking through those release of Newhart, with Newhart - The Complete Seventh Season expected on December 13.

TUESDAY (AUGUST 30) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

• Coach - Seasons One and Two (DVD, $14.98): Mill Creek makes their first release of this series on DVD (which was previously released by Universal) with this two season combo pack. Season 1 and season 2 also available individually.
• South Park - The Nineteenth Season (DVD, $29.99; Blu-ray, $42.99): Just in time for the upcoming debut of the 20th season of the Comedy Central series, this release comes to DVD and Blu-ray.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 3:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Devious Maids, Newhart, Parenthood, Pretty Little Liars, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: CMT Brings Nashville Back to Life; Shout! to Release Sixth Season of Newhart

• Nashville didn't make it to the 2016-2017 ABC lineup, but that is OK because now CMT has picked it up, and will air a full 22 episode fifth season. (Entertainment Weekly)
• Remember that spinoff of Everybody Loves Raymond that starred Brad Garrett? Well, it never happened, but it could have happened. (Variety)
• The movie Mallrats has been waiting for years for a sequel, and it turns out one is coming, but instead of a movie, it will reportedly be a 10 episode TV series. (Gizmodo)
• Netflix rarely gives any insight on ratings or viewing patterns of their content (there really is no reason for them to do so), but they are discussing the types of series views binge on. (Deadline)
• The cable network Logo continues to evolve into a place for classic sitcoms, as the network is now airing What's Happening!! (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

• Shout! Factory is moving ahead with Newhart, with a release of Newhart - The Complete Sixth Season set for release on September 13. This leaves only the final two seasons to be released.

TUESDAY (JUNE 14) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

• Maude - The Complete Fifth Season (DVD, $26.99): Shout! Factory gets closer to finishing season sets of this series on DVD with this release of the next-to-last season.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 3:30 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Everybody Loves Raymond, Nashville, Newhart, SitcomsOnline Digest

SitcomsOnline Digest: Sketch Comedy Returning to Fox Saturday Nights; Pair of MacGyver Reboots in the Works; New Shout! Factory May Releases

• Fox is bringing sketch comedy back to Saturday nights next month with Party Over Here, which comes from The Lonely Island (best known for their Saturday Night Live fame). However, the series will only air for a half hour at 11:00 PM, to avoid going head-to-head with Saturday Night Live (which has a lot to do with the fact that The Lonely Island, which included Andy Samberg, owe their career to Saturday Night Live and wouldn't feel right becoming the competition). (Hollywood Reporter)
• MacGyver is set to get two reboots, one in the form of a potential new series on CBS and the other in the form of a theatrical release. (/FILM)
• Netflix is going big on what is perhaps their biggest series, Orange is the New Black, by sentencing it to three more seasons, not including the fourth season that begins in July. (CNNMoney)
• Joe Alaskey, known for playing many cartoon voices (including Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck in recent years), died this week. (CNN)
• ASPiRE has added the sitcom Room 222 to their lineup. (SitcomsOnline)

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

• Shout! Factory made a very surprising announcement this week, by announcing that they will be releasing Cop Rock on DVD. Cop Rock - The Complete Series is due to arrive on May 17.
• That wasn't the only surprise announcement this week. The other surprise announcement from Shout! Factory this week was the spinoff of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Lou Grant. Lou Grant - The Complete First Season will arrive on May 3.
• Finally, Shout! has announced one other release that is much less of a surprise (but it is a continuation of a series that hasn't seen a release in a while), with Newhart - The Complete Fifth Season on May 10.

TUESDAY (FEBRUARY 9) HOME MEDIA RELEASES

• The Carol Burnett Show - Treasures From the Vault (DVD, $59.95): Available as a retail release for the first time, this six disc set brings 15 classic episodes from the earlier years of The Carol Burnett Show to DVD. Also available (with fewer episodes) in a three disc and single disc configuration.

Posted by Skees -- SitcomsOnline.com at 3:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Cop Rock, Lou Grant, MacGyver, Newhart, Party Over Here, SitcomsOnline Digest

Antenna TV January 2015 Schedule; Remembering Donna Douglas from The Beverly Hillbillies

Last summer we announced that Antenna TV had acquired many series for 2015. Now some of them are launching right now in January! In fact, the new Antenna TV January 2015 schedule starts today. Six of the eleven series they announced are joining the schedule. The series joining the line-up are Leave it to Beaver, Mr. Belvedere, Newhart, Doogie Howser M.D., Small Wonder and Evening Shade (one note is that Leave it to Beaver is returning to Antenna TV after airing on MeTV). So you'll have to wait later this year for the other series: The Jeffersons, Mork & Mindy, One Day at a Time, Family Ties, and Dear John. Anyway, back to the January 2015 schedule, as always there are a lot of time changes. Hazel is also returning to the schedule (airing weekdays 9-10am), while The Ropers and Three's a Crowd get regular weekend airings now (Saturdays 6-7pm and Sundays 12-1pm) instead of airing within the Three's Company rotation. Also returning to Antenna TV is The Three Stooges, airing Sundays 7-8am. As for the new series, Leave it to Beaver will air weekdays from 4-5pm, Saturdays 5-6pm and Sundays 2-3pm. Mr. Belvedere will air weekdays from 5-6pm, Saturdays 11pm-12am and Sundays 6-7pm. Newhart launches tonight with a special finale/pilot episode event, with the series finale airing first at 10pm, followed by the pilot episode at 10:30pm. The Bob Newhart '80s comedy will air weekdays 10-11pm and weekends 9-10pm. Doogie Howser M.D. will air late nights on weeknights from 2-3am, Saturdays 10-11pm and Sundays 7-8pm. Small Wonder and Evening Shade will only air on weekends, with Small Wonder on Saturdays 3-4pm and Sundays 5-6pm. Evening Shade is weekends from 8-9pm.

With all of these additions and returns, some series will be leaving the schedule. Expiring or on hiatus series are: Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Bachelor Father, Diff'rent Strokes, Flipper, It Takes A Thief, Married...with Children, Partridge Family, Sanford And Son, The Nanny and Tooned In. The weekday morning schedule will consist of black and white sitcoms from 6am-5pm, while the '70s/'80s comedies take over from 5pm-3am. The Saturday primetime line-up features the new '80s additions, as does Sundays from 5pm-9pm. View and discuss the entire Antenna TV January 2015 schedule so you don't miss any of your favorites!

Actress Donna Douglas, best known for her role as Elly May Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies, has died. She died at Baton Rouge General Hospital in Zachary, Louisiana on January 1 from pancreatic cancer. Ms. Douglas was 82.

Douglas' early sitcom appearances included Bachelor Father, Hennesey, Pete and Gladys and Mister Ed. Some of her drama appearances included Tightrope, U.S. Marshal, Whirlybirds, Lock Up, The Detectives, Route 66, Thriller, Checkmate, 77 Sunset Strip, Surfside 6, Dr. Kildare and Twilight Zone. Her film credits included Career, Lover Come Back and Frankie and Johnny (with Elvis Presley).

Douglas was selected from among 500 young actresses for the role of Elly May Clampett in The Beverly Hillbillies. The popular CBS sitcom ran for nine seasons and 274 episodes from 1962-1971. The series also starred Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Max Baer, Jr, Raymond Bailey and Nancy Kulp. Elly May was the only child of Jed and Rose Ellen Clampett. She was a tomboy who loved all kinds of critters. Douglas joined Ebsen and Culp in the 1981 CBS TV movie Return of the Beverly Hillbillies. She reunited with Ebsen and Baer in the 1993 CBS TV special The Legend of the Beverly Hillbillies.

Some of her later television appearances included Night Gallery, Love, American Style, Adam-12, McMillan & Wife, Project U.F.O., The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! and The Nanny. Following her acting career, she briefly worked as a real estate agent. She frequently performed as a gospel singer and was an inspirational speaker at many church groups, youth groups and schools. Douglas wrote several children's books and published a cookbook in 2013.

Survivors include her son, Danny P. Bourgeois, and a niece, Charlene Smith. Donna was a talented and beautiful actress. She seemed like a very sweet lady with all of her charity work. She always appeared to be appreciative of her fans. We will deeply miss her.

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

Posted by Pavan -- SitcomsOnline.com at 12:00 PM

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to FacebookShare to Pinterest

Labels: Antenna TV, Beverly Hillibillies, Diff'rent Strokes, Doogie Howser MD, Evening Shade, Leave it to Beaver, Married with Children, Mr. Belvedere, Newhart, Obits, Partridge Family, Sanford and Son, Small Wonder