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SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - There I Go Again: How I Came to Be Mr. Feeny, John Adams, Dr. Craig, KITT, and Many Others

by Pavan

William Daniels is an actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild. He won two Emmy Awards for his role as Dr. Mark Craig in St. Elsewhere and more recently reprised his role as Mr. Feeny in the Disney Channel sitcom Girl Meets World, the sequel series to Boy Meets World. There I Go Again is a celebrity memoir like no other, revealing the life of a man whose acting career has been so rich that millions of Americans know his face even while they might not recognize his name. William Daniels is an enigma -- a rare chameleon who has enjoyed massive success both in Hollywood and on Broadway and been embraced by fans of successive generations. Few of his peers inspire the fervor with which buffs celebrate his most iconic roles, among them George Feeny in Boy Meets World, the voice of KITT in Knight Rider, Dr. Mark Craig in St. Elsewhere, and John Adams in the play and film 1776. Daniels guides readers through some of Hollywood’s most cherished productions, offering recollections of entertainment legends including Lauren Bacall, Warren Beatty, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Mike Nichols, Jason Robards, Barbra Streisand, and many more. Looking back on his seventy-five-plus-year career, Daniels realizes that although he never had the courage to say "no" to being an actor, he backed into stardom. With his wife, actress Bonnie Bartlett, by his side, he came to realize that he wound up exactly where he was supposed to be: on the screen and stage.

This book by the legendary William Daniels is basically a complete detailed synopsis of his great career and memories. It's an easy 207 page read with 17 thought-out chapters. There are also very rare illustrations in the book, along with acknowledgements. Some of the illustrations are from Mr. Daniels' own collection, so they are nice to see. Mr. Daniels goes into detail about his career, but also shares awesome stories from his time on shows like St. Elsewhere. He starts the book out with a story about going to the Emmy's in 1985 that will hook you to keep on reading. It is a clever way to begin the book indeed. Mr. Daniels also gives some personal insight from his life, such as his life with his mother, father and growing up in Brooklyn. He also goes into details about his decision process to attend Northwestern.

The book goes in a nice chronological order of events and has a good pace. Mr. Daniels also talks about his theater work in New York on off-Broadway. He later talks about one of his first big breaks, the film 1776. He then continues with some of his other roles like KITT on Knight Rider and sitcom fans will most remember him from the role of Mr. Feeny on the popular sitcom Boy Meets World. Without giving anything away, the fifteenth chapter ("Boy Oh Boy") is all about his time on that sitcom. A must read. The book ends with a great epilogue, and Mr. Daniels says it is the end of the book, not for his career, obviously. In the appendix, there is an awesome feature with Lin-Manuel Miranda. Feeny meets Hamilton!

Mr. Daniels is going to be turning 90 later this month. It is hard to believe that. In this book, he shows a vivid memory and lots of details on his life and career. Everybody has seen this man in something over the years, whether it is as Mr. Feeny, Dr. Craig or as the voice of KITT. Mr. Daniels mentions in the book that he is grateful to hear how they feel that Me. Feeny somehow had an influence on their education, but that is the truth as his characters were all so relatable to people. His favorite role was Dr. Craig though from St. Elsewhere, which is understandable since his portrayal was Emmy material (and he won twice). This book is one of the best written books by an actor I've seen. It's fun, informative and it makes you feel like you've known Mr. Daniels as a friend or family member. I truly recommend this book because it is written by such a fine man. Feeny for the win!

(4.5/5 stars)

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Award-winning producer Ryan Murphy's highly anticipated new anthology limited series Feud: Bette and Joan does not premiere until this Sunday, March 5, but FX announced that is has already placed a 10-episode order for the second installment of the Feud franchise, Feud: Charles and Diana, which is scheduled to debut in 2018. Murphy and Jon Robin Baitz will write Feud: Charles and Diana and serve as Executive Producers. Dede Gardner, Plan B Entertainment and Alexis Martin Woodall are Executive Producers. The limited series is produced by Fox 21 Television Studios. Ryan Murphy is the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning writer, producer and director who pioneered the modern anthological limited series with award-winning hit American Horror Story, which is now heading into its seventh year and has been ordered through season nine. American Crime Story, his most recent anthology franchise, debuted in February of 2016 and its first installment, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, won the Emmy and Golden Globe award for best limited series and it was the highest-rated show in FX history. Previously, Murphy co-created of the award-winning hit musical comedy series Glee (FOX) and created the award-winning hit drama Nip/Tuck (FX).

Happy Easter to everyone from all of us at SitcomsOnline.com! Our regular weekly TV Ratings and Analysis will return next week. Today we bring you a special edition of our SitcomsOnline Book Club.

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - Spinning Laughter: Profiles of 111 Proposed Comedy Spin-offs and Sequels That Never Became a Series

by Todd

The Andy Griffith Show begat Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C. The Mary Tyler Moore Show spun-off Rhoda and Phyllis. An episode of All in the Family became Maude and another episode became The Jeffersons. You remember the successful spin-offs, but you may now know about the spin-offs that never were.

Why did the characters of Fred and Ethel Mertz from I Love Lucy never star in their own spin-off? What animated spin-off pilot could be considered a forerunner of The Simpsons? Which situation comedy has had the greatest number of attempted spin-offs? Why did the idea of a Krusty the Krown spin-off from The Simpsons never become a series? What could have been the first gay family comedy? What was the live-action Monsignor Martinez pilot from King of the Hill series all about?

Discover rare summaries of treatments, scripts, and pilots along with comments from fifty writers, directors, producers, and actors involved with proposed spin-offs and sequels; actress Elinor Donahue remarks about the Father Knows Best reunion movies; actor Patrick Cassidy talks about his audition for The Nanny spin-off; former actress Sheila James describes why her character, Zelda from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, never got her own series; Eddie Mekka from Laverne & Shirley comments on the Lenny & Squiggy in the Army spin-off.

Author Richard Irvin is back with his latest book with a sitcom theme. His previous books have included Sitcom Bombs: A Guide to the Most Forgettable TV Comedies, Forgotten Laughs: An Episode Guide to 150 TV Sitcoms You Probably Never Saw and George Burns Television Productions: The Series and Pilots, 1950-1981. This time he focuses on proposed sitcom spin-offs which never became a series.

The book begins with an introduction where he describes the three types of television series spin-offs: the "character-spin-off", the "planted spin-off" and the "back-door pilot". He also talks about crossovers, which are not the same as spin-offs. Crossover examples included The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction and Green Acres. A spin-offs and imitations section describes efforts to make a female version of M*A*S*H. Front-door pilots and anthology series examples include the "Love and the Happy Days" segment on Love, American Style, which was the pilot for Happy Days.

Each of the 111 proposed sitcom spin-offs receives an individual section. The book is divided into six parts by decades. It covers potential spin-offs from the mid-1950s and continuing through 2013. Each proposed spin-off includes a background section which provides general information, such as the episode title and original airdate. A complete summary of the storyline is provided for the episodes which actually aired. A concept section is included for proposed spin-offs which never made it to air. A postscript section includes comments from select actors and crew members on why it was not picked up to be a series or never aired in some cases. Some brief where are they now updates are provided for some of the people involved.

Dwayne Hickman's Chuck McDonald character from The Bob Cummings Show was the first proposed spin-off of a regular supporting character from one series to another. The Mertzes would have featured Vivian Vance and William Frawley, but they never had a good working relationship. The first attempted comedy sequel was My Wife Irma, which was a potential sequel to My Friend Irma. The Plumber and His Daughters was the first proposed spin-off (from The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show) of an occasional character appearing on a sitcom. The first back-door pilot to air was Teenage Idol from Mr. Adams and Eve.

While many people think The Andy Griffith Show was the first sitcom spin-off in 1960, there was actually another series which spun-off from December Bride which premiered a few weeks earlier. Proposed spin-offs in the 1960s included three pilots each for possible spin-off series from The Donna Reed Show and Mister Ed. Some stars for proposed spin-offs included Miyoshi Umeki, Jack Carter, Pat Buttram and Ann B. Davis. Back-door pilots included episodes of The Ann Sothern Show, McKeever and the Colonel, The Danny Thomas Show and The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

The 1970s saw a number of successful spin-off series which featured characters from hit series. These spin-offs included Rhoda, Phyllis, Lou Grant, The Jeffersons, Maude, Good Times, The Facts of Life, Laverne & Shirley and Mork & Mindy. Proposed spin-offs and back-door pilots included episodes of My Three Sons, Green Acres, The Love Boat, Chico and the Man, Welcome Back, Kotter, The Brady Bunch, Laverne & Shirley, Here's Lucy, Green Acres, Happy Days, On the Rocks, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Barney Miller and The Doris Day Show.

Gilligan's Island was attempted to be revived with The Castaways on Gilligan's Island TV movie in 1979. While The Mary Tyler Moore Show had some successful spin-offs, there was a back-door pilot with Bill Daily that never made it to series. A Father Knows Best Reunion aired in 1977. It led to a second Christmas reunion movie later that year, but a series never materialized. George Lindsey's Goober Pyle character from The Andy Griffith Show was in a proposed spin-off called Goober and the Truckers' Paradise. A proposed sequel to My Little Margie never made it beyond the treatment stage. A pilot for a sequel to Dobie Gillis aired in 1977, but it never made it to series.

NBC had only Diff'rent Strokes and The Facts of Life on its fall 1980 schedule, so their demand for more comedies led to many spin-off attempts. Of the 37 proposed spin-offs in the 1980s section, almost one-third came directly or indirectly from Norman Lear's company. The Facts of Life had five spin-off attempts, the most of any sitcom in history. One Day at a Time, Diff'rent Strokes and The Jeffersons each had one proposed spin-off. Family Ties twice attempted to spin-off Nick Moore's (Scott Valentine) character.

Other proposed spin-offs and back-door pilots in the 1980s included episodes of Webster, Gimme a Break! (three episodes), Who's the Boss? (two episodes), My Two Dads, Laverne & Shirley, Too Close for Comfort, Punky Brewster, 227 (two episodes), Kate & Allie, She's the Sheriff, Hooperman and The Cosby Show. CBS attempted to revive The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis again with the 1988 TV movie Bring Me the Head of Dobie Gillis. Animated spin-off attempts were made for Carlton Your Doorman (from Rhoda) and The Coneheads (from Saturday Night Live). The Munsters was attempted to be revived with The Musters' Revenge 1981 TV movie. A sequel to The Ropers was considered. M*A*S*H had a spin-off attempt with Gary Burghoff's Walter "Radar" O'Relly character from M*A*S*H in a pilot called W*A*L*T*E*R.

New broadcast networks and cable channels in the 1990s meant more opportunities for spin-off attempts. Charles in Charge had three proposed spin-offs in which a character from the series would play a lookalike but different relative in the proposed spin-off. They tried this with Ellen Travolta, Willie Aames and Nicole Eggert. A sequel to Clarissa Explains It All called Clarissa Now was filmed, but it wasn't picked up as a series. Phil Morris would have starred as his Jackie Chiles character from Seinfeld in the proposed The Jackie Chiles Show. A live-action Krusty the Clown (from The Simpsons) series was considered. A script for an Empty Nest spin-off was written but never shot. A spin-off of Roseanne featuring two married men taking care of a daughter was proposed but never shot. Other proposed spin-offs and back-door pilots included episodes of The Nanny, Malcolm & Eddie, Married with Children (two episodes), Martin, Evening Shade and All-American Girl.

Cable channels Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel were the major sources of spin-offs beginning in the 2000s. Proposed spin-offs were considered for The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and iCarly. Nickelodeon aired an animated spin-off of The Rugrats called The Carmichaels. NBC attempted a spin-off with Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson) in an episode of The Office. That's So Raven had a spin-off pilot called Goin' Hollwood. Mary Tyler Moore and Valerie Harper appeared in the Mary and Rhoda TV reunion movie in 2000, but ABC didn't move forward with a series. A live-action spin-off from King of the Hill called Monsignor Martinez was shot but never aired. Spin-offs for Daria and Hey Arnold! were proposed but never made. A Sabrina, the Teenage Witch spin-off aired as an episode, but it never became a series.

Of the 111 proposed spin-offs profiled in the book, I would have most wanted to see The Facts of Life spin-off with Lisa Whelchel. While she may not have starred as Blair Warner for as long as Kelsey Grammer played Frasier Crane in Cheers and Frasier, I think the show could have had a decent run in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The series would have featured a pre-Blossom Mayim Bialik, Seth Green and Juliette Lewis. It had all of the ingredients to be a hit.

The book is a good read at 218 pages. It includes a convenient Appendix, Endnotes and Index section. There are also 20 black and white publicity photos sprinkled throughout the pages.

I was thoroughly impressed with the book. It's well-researched, organized and contains all the information you could possibly want to know about these proposed spin-offs and sequels that never became a series. I think it's sometimes more interesting to read about the failed spin-offs rather than the successful hits. I found the comments from the fifty cast and crew members to be especially interesting and insightful. The behind-the scenes details and trivia nuggets are fascinating to read. The only thing that I would have liked to see done differently is to present the profiles in chronological order in the chapters rather than alphabetical order when they were already organized by decade, but that's a minor issue.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to all sitcom fans for their TV reference library. While there have been other books about spin-offs and revival series, this is the most comprehensive and up-to-date. The book was clearly a labor of love for Mr. Irvin who watched all of the available pilots and provided detailed summaries for them.

(5/5 stars)

To purchase this book, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:

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Check out Richard Irvin's other books:

Sitcom Bombs: A Guide to the Most Forgettable TV Comedies / Review

Forgotten Laughs: An Episode Guide to 150 TV Sitcoms You Probably Never Saw

George Burns Television Productions: The Series and Pilots, 1950-1981 / Review

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - Situation Momedy

by Skees

Jenna von Oy has had many challenges throughout her life and career as a sitcom actress, and is best known for her role on Six on the Blossom and Stevie on The Parkers. But both of those experiences are a little different than her current experiences of being a mother. In her new book, Situation Momedy, she guides mothers through her experiences, in what is described as "a first-time mom's guide to laughing your way through pregnancy and year one."

So one may wonder why von Oy decided to write a book about motherhood. She even acknowledges this herself. What qualifies a former sitcom actress to write a book about motherhood? She addresses this right away in the preface of the book, appropriately titled "The Only Thing I'm an Expert at Is Being a Novice." She acknowledges right from the beginning that she isn't the expert, but rather that her experiences of being a mother were just like those she is writing the book for: she had no clue what she was doing. Her goal is not to tell mothers "how to" be a parent, but to try to guide them through the experiences based upon she handled them.

The question that sitcom fans may be asking at this point is "what does any of this have to do with sitcoms?" Well, it's pretty simple. As the book flows from chapter to chapter, each chapter is broken into three parts: "A Scenic View of My Past," "Cradle Chronicles," and "Moral of the Story." The first part is the part that brings her past (sometimes in relation to her career, but often not) to life, where she discusses anecdotes of her past that relate to the topic of the chapter. The remaining parts of each chapter bring us to the current day and her current experiences with motherhood.

For example, the book begins with the first chapter where she discusses being "different" on the set of The Parkers in the fourth season. But it wasn't a reference to her being the only white cast member. Instead, it was a reference to her being the "child" on the cast, the only one who wasn't a parent. It discusses how she coped with that, which was surprisingly difficult for her.

As the book progresses, over a total of 22 chapters, we get walked through the entire pregnancy experience, from the difficulties of morning sickness, creating the baby registry, and getting everybody prepared, including the father. Then we are brought into the actual birth of the child and how to deal with everything that happens after that, including getting life (and your body) back to normal following birth. The later chapters focus on the experience of going through motherhood beyond those first few days. Currently, her oldest daughter is still a toddler, so as one would expect, this only goes through the earliest days of motherhood.

The book really is a very well-written book, although if you aren't a new mother (I think fathers could possibly get some out of it as well), you may have a difficult time relating to much of it. If you're looking for a book that is about her career or any experiences from Blossom or The Parkers, you won't find so much of that here, although there are some small anecdotes. For that reason, this book has a narrow audience among sitcom fans, but it has a much broader audience among new parents who just need a little soothing and understanding from a real mom, a mom who also happened to be a sitcom actress.

(3/5 stars)

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TBS has announced an airdate for its upcoming comedy Angie Tribeca, which was ordered for 10 episodes, but now 10 more have been ordered. TBS will introduce viewers to its first-ever "comedic" police procedural with a massive, international multiplatform launch on Sunday, Jan. 17, giving subscribers the opportunity to binge on the first 10 episodes of season one commercial-free through a 25-hour on-air marathon (Sunday 9pm – Monday 10pm ET/PT), as well as through TBS's VOD, digital and mobile platforms. Yep, you'll be able to watch the first ten episodes five times each during this marathon. Then on Monday, Jan. 25, TBS will begin rolling out the remaining 10 episodes. The new episodes (episodes 11-20) will launch weekly across TBS platforms each Monday at 9:30pm (ET/PT) followed by an encore (episodes 1-10) that aired during the Jan. 17 marathon at 10pm.

Real, brooding and shockingly alive, Angie Tribeca is the brainchild of Steve and Nancy Carell, who executive-produce the series through their Carousel Television. The series follows a squad of committed LAPD detectives who investigate the most serious cases, from the murder of a ventriloquist to a rash of baker suicides...but not really. OK the cat is out of the bag...Angie Tribeca is TBS's spoof of police procedurals, a comedic take on cop shows. Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation, The Office) stars in this single-camera comedy as Angie Tribeca, a ten-year veteran of the LAPD. Her fellow officers in the squad are an eccentric but brilliant group of people who investigate crime, reveal way too much personal information about themselves and refuse to rest until justice has been served...sort of. A spoof in the tradition of The Naked Gun and Airplane!, you won't be disappointed. Also starring in the series are Hayes MacArthur (Life As We Know It, Go On), Jere Burns (Justified, Dear John), Deon Cole and Andrée Vermeulen.

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.

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - Andy & Don: The Making of a Friendship and a Classic American TV Show

by Skees

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts came from somewhat similar (but different) backgrounds, both from working-class and low-income families from the south, and both had dreams and aspirations to get to something bigger. Daniel de Visé's biography, Andy & Don, takes readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of how these two actors from the south came to know each other on the stage on Broadway, and proceeded to head their own direction in their careers shortly thereafter... only to find that a big part of their success came in working with each other.

The primary focus of the book, of course, is on the one place that almost every fan of the actors associate them with: The Andy Griffith Show. More than a third of the book is dedicated to this, carefully detailing everything from the moment that the show was born, the insistence of Griffith to cast Knotts in a role in the series. The book continues to follow through with all of the ups and downs of the series, including casting and some behind-the-scenes drama. As most fans know, Knotts left the series after the fifth season, but the book gets readers a bit more in-depth on the exact reasons why, and they're not quite as many believe. It also discusses how the series proceeded without Knotts, and later without Griffith, and it seems that neither of these shakeups were ones that Griffith enjoyed.

Despite all of the success that both of them had throughout their life, the book also exposes how both of them had some rather large dry spells in their careers, and how they spent their personal lives during those spells. Griffith, in particular, struggled following the completion of The Andy Griffith Show. A handful of short-lived series didn't quite give him the satisfaction in life that he was hoping for, and things got much worse for him after a paralyzing illness in 1983. Meanwhile, Knotts had a string of movies that weren't exactly blockbuster hits after leaving The Andy Griffith Show, though he did land the role of Mr. Furley on Three's Company, a role that was nearly as iconic as his role of Barney Fife.

It was that relationship between two men, though, that brought them one last big round of success together, with the series Matlock. The series finally brought Griffith back into the spotlight (and managed to keep him there) after over a decade and a half of struggling to find a role that actually worked for him. The series was a success for him when he was alone, but by the third season, at the insistence of Griffith once again, he was reunited with Knotts, as Knotts began a recurring role on the series that lasted for four seasons (he disappeared around the time that the series shifted from NBC to ABC).

The book concludes with "Death in Mayberry," a nice tribute to the final days of both Knotts and Griffith. There are also some acknowledgements of how the author came to know Don Knotts (they were in-laws) and Griffith (it came much later in life), and finally a synopsis of what the author considers to be the twenty great episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

As much as I've admired the work of both Andy Griffith and Don Knotts over the years, I've honestly never stopped to look into much of their lives beyond their TV success. This is a particularly well-written book that gives more insight into their personal lives and gives a lot more background into how their frequent appearances together over a span of five separate decades was not just mere coincidence, but had a lot to do with their own personal friendship. Even more importantly, with a few exceptions, both of them seemed to thrive most when they were on screen together.

This book is one that great read for fans of either of these actors, although given how much of their career has been together, it is highly unlikely one would be a fan of one and not the other. This isn't one of those books that just repackages information readily available online and adds more to it as filler, it is a well-written and heavily sourced book with details that may be new or even surprising to some fans.

(4/5 stars)

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NBC will ring in the New Year with the launch of two of its highest profile comedies on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, but viewers will get an early look at both Superstore and Telenovela with sneak previews for two consecutive Mondays in late November and early December behind live episodes of The Voice. On Monday, Nov. 30, two original episodes of the ensemble workplace comedy Superstore, starring Emmy winner America Ferrera, will air back-to-back from 10-11pm ET following the two-hour telecast of NBC's Emmy Award-winning musical competition The Voice. Back-to-back episodes of the behind-the-scenes comedy Telenovela, featuring Eva Longoria as the star of a hit Spanish soap opera, will air Dec. 7 from 10-11pm following the penultimate Monday telecast of The Voice. Both series will then make their official launches on Monday, Jan. 4 with Superstore" premiering at 8pm and Telenovela at 8:30pm.

In Superstore, America Ferrara (Ugly Betty) and Ben Feldman (A to Z) star in a hilarious workplace comedy (from the producer of The Office) about a unique family of employees at a super-sized megastore. From the bright-eyed newbies and the seen-it-all veterans to the clueless summer hires and in-it-for-life managers, together they hilariously tackle the day-to-day grind of rabid bargain hunters, riot-causing sales and nap-worthy training sessions. The cast includes Mark McKinney, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nichole Bloom and Nico Santos.

In Telenovela, if you think the steamy sex, sensational scandals and wrenching heartbreak on Latino soap operas are a little extreme, just wait until you see what happens behind the scenes. Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives) stars in this new comedy about Ana Sofia, a sizzling TV superstar and her lively family of cast and crew all competing to steal the spotlight. When the cameras turn off, the drama turns up as Ana battles pesky network execs, drunken script writers, narcissistic co-stars, and an unfortunately familiar new onscreen love interest. The cast includes Jencarlos Canela, Diana Maria Riva, Jose Moreno Brooks, Alex Meneses, Amaury Nolasco, Jadyn Maria and Izzy Diaz.

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen: A History with Cast and Crew Profiles and an Episode Guide

by Skees

Playwright and screenwriter Neil Simon has had many successes over a five decade period, mostly on stage, but one of his greatest successes on stage transcended to the big screen and to the small screen (and beyond): The Odd Couple. It's a story that almost everybody knows: two recently divorced men, Felix Unger and Oscar Madison, one a neat-freak and the other a slob, sharing an apartment, and trying to do so without driving each other crazy. What many don't know, though, is that The Odd Couple was based in part upon the real-life experiences of Danny Simon, the recently divorced brother of playwright Neil Simon. As it turns out, Danny Simon was much like a Felix himself, and found himself sharing an apartment with an Oscar type of person... and Danny's brother, Neil, knew that he had solid gold when it came to writing a play.

Of course, that play blossomed into much more. The play debuted on Broadway in 1965, and was a huge success. In fact, the stage production is regarded as a classic, and variations of it continue to be performed across the country to this day. By 1968, the play was turned into a movie starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Mattheau... which was also a success. And, of course, in 1970, Jack Klugman and Tony Randall became known as the sitcom version of The Odd Couple. The series which never was quite a hit series for the five seasons that it originally aired, but today, it is regarded as one of the greatest sitcom classics of all time. Bob Leszczak's book, The Odd Couple on Stage and Screen, talks about all of these.

The first part of the book gets into a history of the inspiration behind the play, and how it evolved into a movie and a sitcom... and beyond. The history that is provided is a bit short, but concise and gets into all of the important details in 20 pages. A lot is said about the development of the series, including the constant demands from ABC about making sure that viewers knew that they were not a same-sex couple, trying to find the right style for the series, and there's even discussion of the much less successful variations of the series, including The Oddball Couple (an animated version of the series) and The New Odd Couple (an African American take on the series starring Demond Wilson and Ron Glass).

The next two sections discuss the cast and the crew of all variations of The Odd Couple, including all of the main cast members, but also some of the more memorable guest stars. The bios are generally a few paragraphs for each person that is included. As for the crew, there are a lot of names listed here that aren't so familiar, but when you read their bios, you begin to realize that they were involved with a lot of things that you loved. There isn't anything particularly special to point out here, but it is a nice reference.

The fourth section of the book is just for the TV series fans: episode guides from all of the TV series. Not only do we get an episode guide for the classic Tony Randall and Jack Klugman series, but we also get episode guides for The Oddball Couple and The New Odd Couple. Complete descriptions (roughly a paragraph) and airdates are given for each episode, along with writing, directing, and guest star credits.

The fifth section of the book is perhaps the most interesting part of the book: Extras, Flubs, and Factoids. This section stars with a brief introduction to the series, including biographies for all of the regular and recurring characters. There is even a mention of the original sponsors of the series, which included one that was a bit surprising: R.J. Reynolds (surprising since less than four months after the first episode aired, cigarette advertising was banned on television). The series had a fair share of inconsistencies, and you'll find many of them listed here as well. Real life parallels are also given, such as the significance of the date November 13 (you'll have to read to know!). There is also a list, with brief descriptions, of TV series and even web series that have roommates as the premise, many of which were (disputably) inspired by The Odd Couple in some way. You'll even find a list of those who have played the couple on stage. One of the most interesting pairings here: Pat Morita as Felix and Sherman Hemsley as Oscar. Even more "odd" is a stage performance in which Pat Sajak played Felix. The section ends with a glossary of all the people and terms that you need to know to know The Odd Couple.

Overall, it's a good book, and fans (or even casual fans) are certain to appreciate it. It gives a nice concise history of the series (and stage performances and films), and the information about the cast (including guest cast) and crew is very nice to read. I found the episode guides and extras/flubs/factoids sections to be even more valuable, though. My only gripe about this book (as minor as it is) is the lack of perspective from those involved with the series. It would have been nice to have had some interviews to provide a bit of a deeper perspective into the behind-the-scenes aspects of the series, and a little more on the history. But it is also understandable as to why it is becoming more of a challenge to do these things, particularly seeing that the most famous actors portraying the duo are no longer living. The book makes an excellent resource, and it is certain to be appreciated by fans.

(4/5 stars)

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Amazon.com



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 Oct. 13-17, 2014, 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!


Monday, October 13, 2014

• Casey Wilson (Marry Me/Happy Endings) - Watch Casey on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC. She will also be on HuffPost Live at 3:20pm.
• Shia LaBeouf (Even Stevens) - Shia visits Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Minnie Driver (About a Boy) - Minnie appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She will also be on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
• Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project) - Ike is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Stark Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil talks about his book (Choose Your Own Autobiography) on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. He will also be on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Maura Tierney (NewsRadio) - Maura discusses the new series The Affair on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Jeff Garlin (The Goldbergs/Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Jeff joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The New Class) - Mario joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Sheryl Lee Ralph (Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl joins the Plugged In panel on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Suzanne Somers (Three's Company/Step by Step) - Suzanne will be on Fox & Friends on Fox News Channel sometime between 6-9am. She can also be heard on Kilmeade & Friends at 9am.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

• Cristela Alonzo (Cristela) - Catch Cristela on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Kristen Schaal (The Hotwives of Orlando/Bob's Burgers/30 Rock) - Watch Kristen on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• T.J. Miller (Silicon Valley/The Goodwin Games/Carpoolers) - T.J. visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Minnie Driver (About a Boy) - Minnie chats and performs for the audience on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development) - Portia appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• David Walton (About a Boy/Bent/Perfect Couples) - David stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings. He will also be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Nasim Pedrad (Mulaney) - Nasim talks about playing Kim Kardashian, her first gig on ER and more on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Casey Wilson (Marry Me/Happy Endings) - Casey will be NBC's Today in the 9am hour. She is also a guest on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Kelen Coleman (The McCarthys) - Kelen discusses her highly anticipated comedy series The McCarthys on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Kevin Hart (The Big House/Undeclared) - Kevin is a guest on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Candace Cameron Bure (Full House) - Candace weighs in on last night's Dancing with the Stars performances on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Hector Elizondo (Last Man Standing/Foley Square) - Hector and Cheech Marin discuss Book of Life on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Suzanne Somers (Three's Company/Step by Step) - Suzanne is a guest on HuffPost Live at 1:00pm. She will also be on Squawk Box on CNBC at 6am. Other appearances include the Kathie Lee and Company podcast, The Willis Report on Fox Business, and on SiriusXM Radio on Just Jenny, Frank DeCaro and Freewheelin'.
• Lucie Arnaz (The Lucy Show/Here's Lucy) - Lucie PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 8:45am.

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

• Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Watch Selena on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• T.J. Miller (Silicon Valley/The Goodwin Games/Carpoolers) - Catch T.J. on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Minnie Driver (About a Boy) - Minnie stops by on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. She also performs on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Mary Lynn Rajskub (How to Be a Gentleman) - Mary is a guest on @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Suzanne Somers (Three's Company/Step by Step) - Suzanne talks about her latest book (I'm Too Young for This) LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP) - Keke discusses starring in True Jackson, VP and her BET talk show Just Keke on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Reed Between the Lines/Girlfriends) - Tracee is a guest on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Norman Lear (Producer of All in the Family/Sanford and Son/The Jeffersons/Good Times) - Norman discusses his new memoir (Even This I Get to Experience) on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. He will also be on Morning Joe on MSNBC sometime between 6-9am. Finally, he is a guest on The Cycle on MSNBC at 3pm.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

• Portia de Rossi (Arrested Development) - Catch Portia on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Jenny Slate (Married/Parks and Recreation) - Jenny stops by The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS. She will also be on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Chelsea Handler (Are You There, Chelsea?) - Chelsea is a guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• John Mulaney (Mulaney) - John visits The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project) - Ike appears on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Miranda Cosgrove (iCarly/Drake & Josh) - Miranda dishes with Rach on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Carl Reiner (The Dick Van Dyke Show) - Carl is a guest on The Queen Latifah Show on your local station or at 2am on BET.
• Dan Cortese (Veronica's Closet/What I Like About You) - Dan stops by SportsNation at 3pm on ESPN2.
• Lea Thompson (Caroline in the City) - Lea talks about her strategy of winning this season of Dancing with the Stars on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Kate Walsh (Bad Judge) - Kate visits Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Megan Mullally (Will & Grace/Breaking In) - Megan is a guest on HuffPost Live at 3:45pm.
• Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother) - Josh appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Suzanne Somers (Three's Company/Step by Step) - Suzanne is a guest on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.

Friday, October 17, 2014

• Sean Hayes (The Millers/Sean Saves the World/Will & Grace) - Watch Sean on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Martin Short (Mulaney) - Martin appears on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent/Arrested Development/The Larry Sanders Show) - Jeffrey is a guest on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Megan Mullally (Will & Grace/Breaking In) - Megan chats on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Cristela Alonzo (Cristela) - Cristela joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) - Selena discusses her new film Rudderless on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Gerald McRaney (Major Dad) - Gerald talks about The Best of Me and House of Cards on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
He is also tentatively scheduled to appear on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Tia Mowry-Hardrict (Instant Mom/The Game/Sister, Sister) - Tia will be on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Nathan Lane (Modern Family/Encore! Encore!/Charlie Lawrence) - Nathan and Matthew Broderick chat with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Jonathan Kite (2 Broke Girls) - Jonathan talks about 2 Broke Girls on Arise TV on their website at 3pm and on Monday on Centric at 7pm.

All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - Soap: The Unauthorized Inside Story of the Sitcom That Broke All the Rules

by Pavan

From its tumultuous beginnings in 1977 to its end by firing squad - on screen and off - Soap was as passionate and controversial as the times in which it was made. During its four-year run, it tackled sex, death, depression and infidelity, all with a wit and gentleness never before seen on American television. Throughout that time, a vocal minority hounded the sitcom and parent network ABC over its perceived irreverence toward the mores of a declining generation, even as the real world was convulsed by terrorism, energy crises, and fallout from the Vietnam conflict and governmental malfeasance. For the first time ever, Soap: The Unauthorized Inside Story of the Sitcom That Broke All the Rules takes you behind the scenes, from the producers' battles with network censors over an earlier series, to the creation of enduring story lines such as the death of Peter Campbell, and Burt's abduction by aliens. Based on interviews with nearly 30 members of the cast and crew, this book offers an extensive examination of each episode, and may finally reveal the societal forces that really led to the series' premature demise

This book by A.S. Berman is basically a complete detailed guide to everything Soap. It is filled with facts, quotes, episode info and tons of pictures from the series. Soap was a controversial series in its time and this book deals a lot about the controversy. It was the '70s and that decade was probably the first decade where television pushed the limits with shows like Soap, Three's Company and Charlie's Angels. Looking back today, they kind of seem tame, but this book explains how it was like in the '70s in America and also details all the controversy on Soap. Berman's research is quite good and you'll learn a lot about what happened with the pressure groups. I didn't know nearly everything about it and Berman's section in this book did an adequate job in filling us all in.

Berman then goes in much detail about each of the four seasons for the bulk of the book. I've never seen a TV show book laid out this way, but it works quite well. Each episode is outlined with lots of information and quotes. Confused? You won't be when you read these recaps. If you ever want to take notes on a TV episode, you should read Berman's episode recaps. It's great note-taking at its best. There are new interviews with the cast as well, so it makes these notes even more better. After the episode recaps, Berman gives us in-depth biographies of each cast member along with the main producers and director. It's a "where are they now" section and it's very interesting to read. Like did you know that Diana Canova (Corrine!) is now a professor at Manhattanville College? Go take her class if you live in New York!

After the biographies/where are they now, there is a short section called "The Children of Soap." It's about 8 people who grew up with the show and their stories and how Soap affected them and changed their lives. It's a unique section, I think. The book ends with some acknowledgements and a nice-looking index. Soap was such a good show, not because it was controversial, but because the story-lines were relatable and it did what a sitcom was supposed to do -- make people laugh. The concept of a parody of a soap opera was genius. This book covers anything you could think of for Soap. The only thing that I would have added are Nielsen ratings for the original airings, only because I'm a TV nerd like that. Everything else research wise was spot on!

It's hard to believe Soap premiered 37 years ago tomorrow. We timed this review perfectly, I guess. This book is in the same league as some of the top TV show books ever, which include Come and Knock on Our Door: A Hers and Hers and His Guide to Three's Company by Chris Mann. Berman gives us a 455-page cookbook of Soap. It's delicious and you'll want to keep on eating, I mean reading! Pick-up this book today because you'll want to read all this and pick-up great knowledge on Soap and hear reactions from the cast. Confused? You won't be because A.J. Berman explains nicely.

(4.5/5 stars)

To purchase this book, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com





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 Sept. 15-19, 2014, 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!


Monday, September 15, 2014

• Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project) - Watch Ike on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Mindy is a guest on The Colbert Report at 11:30pm on Comedy Central. She will also be on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Nasim Pedrad (Mulaney) - Nasim appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Connie Britton (Spin City/The Fighting Fitzgeralds) - Connie visits Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Justin Long (Mom/Ed) - Justin stops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Queen Latifah (Living Single) - Queen Latifah chats on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael is a guest on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Judith Light (Who's the Boss?/Phenom) - Judith drops by the Better Show, so check your local listings. She will also be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Steve Harvey (The Steve Harvey Show) - Steve dishes on taking Meredith's Ice Bucket Challenge and reveals secrets from his new book (Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success) on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Nathan Gamble (Hank) - Nathan talks about working with his animal co-stars in Dolphin Tale 2 on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Holly Robinson Peete (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/For Your Love) - Holly and her husband Rodney Peete are guests on SportsNation at 3pm on ESPN2.
• James Van Der Beek (Friends with Better Lives/Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23) - James will be on HuffPost Live at 1:30pm. He is also a guest on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 7:45am.
• Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP) - Keke will be on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York at 8:35am.
• Bebe Neuwirth (Cheers/Frasier) - Bebe is a guest on HuffPost Live at 5:30pm.
• Kathy Griffin (Suddenly Susan) - Kathy appears on Larry King Now at 2/5pm PT/ET on Ora.tv and Hulu.
• Jada Pinkett-Smith (A Different World) - Jada talks about her new series Gotham on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
• Haley Joel Osment (Thunder Alley/The Jeff Foxworthy Show) - Haley Joel is a guest on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

• Tina Fey (30 Rock) - Catch Tina on a repeat of The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Kevin Nealon (Weeds/Hiller and Diller/Champs) - Kevin visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Justin Long (Mom/Ed) - Justin is a guest on @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Drew Carey (The Drew Carey Show/The Good Life) - Drew stops by The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) - Zooey stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Tamera Mowery-Housley (Sister/Roommates) - Tamera appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Sherri Shepherd (Less Than Perfect/Sherri) - Sherri shares her take on the latest Hot Topics including the drama at The View, her Broadway debut in Cinderella and her own recent personal struggles on The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Jada Pinkett-Smith (A Different World) - Jada talks about her new series Gotham on 106 & Park at 6pm on BET.
• Billy Crystal (Soap) - Billy discusses his book (Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?) on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
• Craig Ferguson (The Drew Carey Show) - Craig is a guest on Larry King Now at 2/5pm PT/ET on Ora.tv and Hulu.
• Jenny McCarthy (Two and a Half Men/Jenny) - Jenny will be on Good Day New York on WNYW-Fox5 in New York sometime between 7-10am.
• Max Greenfield (New Girl) - Max is a guest on Good Day New York on WNYW-Fox5 in New York sometime between 7-10am.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

• Ty Burrell (Modern Family/Back to You/Out of Practice) - Watch Ty on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC. He will also be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Michael Cera (Arrested Development) - Michal appears on a repeat of The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Paul Reiser (Mad About You) - Paul is a guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Aimee Garcia (George Lopez/Greetings from Tucson) - Aimee visits The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Tina Fey (30 Rock) - Tina stops by Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Adam Pally (The Mindy Project/Happy Endings) - Adam appears on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He also talks about The Mindy Project on NBC's Today in the 10am hour. He will also be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Craig Ferguson (The Drew Carey Show) - Craig is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. He also talks about Celebrity Name Game on NBC's Today in the 10am hour.
• Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Free Agents) - Hank drops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Tamera Mowery-Housley (Sister/Roommates) - Tamera and the ladies of The Real are guests on 106 & Park on BET at 6pm.
• Debra Messing (Will & Grace) - Debra talks about The Mysteries of Laura on NBC's Today between 7-9am and in the 10am hour.
• Dawn Wells (Gilligan's Island) - Dawn discusses her new book (What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life) on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
• Cybill Shepherd (Cybill) - Cybill discusses her latest project on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Stark Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

• Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory/8 Simple Rules) - Catch Kaley on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Anthony Anderson (Black-ish/Guys with Kids/All About the Andersons) - Anthony appears on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Billy Crystal (Soap) - Billy stops by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Hank Azaria (The Simpsons/Free Agents) - Hank is a guest on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Téa Leoni (The Naked Truth/Flying Blind) - Téa talks about her new series Madam Secretary on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings. She will also be on CBS This Morning sometime between 7-9am.
• Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) - Jason visits The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Stark Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil talks about his recent wedding in Italy and his return to Broadway on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Holly Robinson Peete (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/For Your Love) - Holly and her husband Rodney Peete discuss their latest projects on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Katherine LaNasa (Three Sisters) - Katherine talks about her new series Satisfaction on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) - Kunal is a guest on The Queen Latifah Show on your local station or at 2am on BET.
• Nicole Ari Parker (Second Time Around) - Nicole and her husband Boris Kodjoe join the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Dawn Wells (Gilligan's Island) - Dawn discusses her new book (What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life) on the following radio networks:

  8:00 WMMR Philadelphia Preston and Steve
  8:08 KSCH Dallas Rod and Dave
  8:16 WHBO/WHOO Tampa/Orlando Matthew Sardo and Amanda Borges
  8:24 WLAD Danbury, CT Bart Busterna
  8:32 CFRB Toronto John Moore
  8:40 KFNS St. Louis Chris and DC
  8:48 WHQG Milwaukee Bob & Brian
  8:56 WOC Cedar Rapids-Davenport, IA Steve and Dan
  9:04 WCOL Columbus Woody, Zuko and Kayla
  9:12 IHeartRadio-4 networks NY-Charlotte-DC-Phoenix Arroe Collins
  9:20 KRLD Dallas Mitch Carr
  9:28 KXRK Salt Lake City Kerry Bill and Gina
  9:36 WTRC South Bend Mark McGill
  9:52 KNLV Lincoln, NE JJ Johnnie James
  10:00 KZPS Dallas Bo Roberts and Jim White
  10:08 WDHA NY-Metro Jim Monaghan and Kim Mulligan
  10:16 WUSN Chicago Ray & Lisa
  10:24 Premiere Prep National Mike McCann
  10:32 WLTW New York Bob Bronson & Christine Nagy
  10:40 WOR New York, NY Mark Simone
  10:48 KZRR Albuquerque Swami Rob, Skyler and Mahoney
  10:56 WRNQ Poughkeepsie Joe Daily

  1:25pm Arrival - 3:00pm (EST): CONFIRMED
  Interview - Sirius Radio (National)
  Interviewer - 1:40-2:00 - Freewheelin' - LIVE

Friday, September 19, 2014

• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Watch Michael on a repeat of The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Tina Fey (30 Rock) - Catch Tina on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings. She will also be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory/8 Simple Rules) - Kaley appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother/Stark Raving Mad/Doogie Howser, M.D.) - Neil is a guest on Rachael Ray, so check your local listings.
• Marlon Wayans (The Wayans Bros.) - Marlon is tentatively scheduled to appear on Good Day New York on WNYW-Fox5 in New York sometime between 7-10am.
• Craig Ferguson (The Drew Carey Show) - Craig joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Rachel Lefevre (Life on a Stick/Big Wolf on Campus) - Rachel will be on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Billy Crystal (Soap) - Billy chats with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Dawn Wells (Gilligan's Island) - Dawn talks about her new book (What Would Mary Ann Do? A Guide to Life) on Fox & Friends on Fox News Channel at 8:52am.

All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!

SitcomsOnline Book Club Review - Cosby: His Life and Times

by Skees

Bill Cosby is, by all means, one of the greatest and most well-known comedians of the past fifty years. In fact, he is considered by many to be an American icon. Many of his fans know of his work on television and stand-up comedy (or as he prefers, sit-down comedy), and perhaps they know a little bit about his background. Through it all, though, Cosby has never quite had a major biography written about him. That is, until now, as former CNN managing editor Mark Whitaker has finally taken on the task of writing a through and detailed (and authorized) biography of the legendary actor and comedian, complete with actual stories and accounts of the life of Cosby directly from Cosby and many of his closest friends and associates.

The average Bill Cosby fan remembers that he got his start on television series I Spy, and look at the great things that happened in his life from that point forward. But Cosby's life took on so much more before he went into this role, and much of it was far from perfect. His ancestors spent their lives in slavery, and freedom from the slavery was not complete freedom in life. Eventually, his family made their way to Philadelphia. In 1936, Anna Hite and William Cosby were married, and gave birth to their son, William Henry Cosby Jr., almost a year later. Everything appeared to be going well for the family on the surface, but at home, he was dealing with an abusive father who also happened to be an alcoholic, which lead to a childhood of living in the Philadelphia housing projects.

Naturally, his childhood was not the perfect way to grow up, but he repeatedly showed potential throughout school. Unfortunately, there were a lot of distractions along the way, which ultimately caused him to leave high school… but he was determined to go on, and he does in the Navy and eventually to Temple University, where he becomes a bartender at a bar called the Cellar, and it was here where he discovered his talents, and was on to become comedian and eventually a much beloved actor. In fact, his comedic success ended up leading to an appearance on The Tonight Show in 1963 that a sixteen-year-old Rob Reiner happened to be watching. The appearance impressed the young Reiner so much that his father, Carl, had to meet Cosby, which ended up leading Cosby to a meeting with Sheldon Leonard, and of course, most Cosby fans know what happened from that point.

And that is just a (very) small part of what Whitaker captures in the first 1/3 of his book. From this point, readers get to experience the person Cosby is best known for today, including his experiences and anecdotes from I Spy, The Bill Cosby Show, Fat Albert, The Cosby Show, Cosby, and even The Cosby Mysteries… and beyond. Every detail that a fan could possibly want to know is in this book. It tells of his successes in standup, as well as some of his less memorable events of life, such as a revival of the Groucho Marx series You Bet Your Life. And of course, there is a significant amount of material in the book dedicated to his son Ennis Cosby, and the tragedy of his death in 1996 and other family struggles. The only thing missing from the book is what will come in the future.

Personally, I've never been a huge fan of biographies, but this is one that is well worth reading. At 468 pages, along with a complete "Cosbyography" of everything he has done and a gallery of 38 photos, virtually every detail that any fan would want to know about Cosby's life can be found here. This is a book that will take a while to read and has moments of triumph as well as tragedy, but every last detail is worth reading. So far, Cosby has lead a fascinating life and the details are great, and even though this book is most likely incomplete given that he seems to have quite a future ahead (as seen in the recent resurgence in interest in his stand-up comedy appearances and a potential new sitcom that could be in the works). But for now, fans of Cosby can read this book, which would be more aptly titled Bill Cosby: His Life and Times (So Far).

(5/5 stars)

To purchase this book, click below and help support SitcomsOnline.com:
Amazon.com

Mark Whitaker Discusses Bill Cosby:
The History of the Cosby Sweater
Bill Cosby's Take on Race Relations in America
A Personal Connection to Cosby



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 Sept. 8-12, 2014, 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!


Monday, September 8, 2014

• Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) - Watch Jason on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Steve Harvey (The Steve Harvey Show) - Steve appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC. He will also be on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. Finally, he is a guest on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Lena Dunham (Girls) - Lena stops by Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation/House of Lies) - Ben talks about his new film This Is Where I Leave You on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Katey Sagal (8 Simple Rules/Married with Children) - Katey visits The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Max Greenfield (New Girl/Modern Men) - Max is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. He will also be on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• John Lithgow (3rd Rock from the Sun/Twenty Good Years) - John drops by The Colbert Report at 11:30pm on Comedy Central.
• Michael J. Fox (The Michael J. Fox Show/Spin City/Family Ties) - Michael chats with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Zosia Mamet (Girls) - Zosia is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. She will also be on Morning Joe sometime between 6-9am on MSNBC. Finally, she is a guest on HuffPost Live at 4pm.
• Jennie Garth (Mystery Girls/What I Like About You) - Jennie talks about single parenting and her BFF Tori Spelling on the Better Show, so check your local listings.
• The Cast of The Carol Burnett Show - Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Vicki Lawrence, Lyle Waggoner and costume designer Bob Mackie reunite on a repeat of of The Queen Latifah Show on your local station or at 3am on BET.
• Danielle Fishel (Girl Meets World/Boy Meets World) - Danielle talks about her new book (Normally, This Would Be Cause for Concern: Tales of Calamity and Unrelenting Awkwardness) on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
• Donal Logue (Grounded for Life/The Knights of Prosperity) - Donal talks about Gotham on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Judith Light (Who's the Boss?/Phenom) - Judith will be on HuffPost Live at 3:30pm.

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

• Debra Messing (Will & Grace) - Catch Debra on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael visits The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Louie Anderson (Life with Louie/The Louie Show) - Louie drops by The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jason Segel (How I Met Your Mother) - Jason is a guest on The Colbert Report at 11:30pm on Comedy Central. He also talks about his book (Nightmares!) on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
• Anna Faris (Mom) - Anna appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move) - Jason visits ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am. He also talks about his new film This Is Where I Leave You, on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Keke Palmer (True Jackson, VP) - Keke discusses her role in Broadway's Cinderella on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Chris Rock (Everybody Hates Chris) - Chris appears on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Steve Harvey (The Steve Harvey Show) - Steve joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• George Lopez (Saint George/George Lopez) - George is a guest on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show on your local station or at 3am on BET.
• Florence Henderson (The Brady Bunch) - Tune in to see Florence on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show on your local station or at 3am on BET.
• Zosia Mamet (Girls) - Zosia will be on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Connie Britton (Spin City/The Fighting Fitzgeralds) - Connie is a guest on HuffPost Live at 12pm.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

• Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Nick on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Queen Latifah (Living Single) - Queen Latifah visits Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Connie Britton (Spin City/The Fighting Fitzgeralds) - Connie is a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC. She will also be on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Cheryl Hines (Suburgatory/Curb Your Enthusiasm) - Tune in to see Cheryl on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson at 12:37am on CBS.
• Lennon Parham and Jessica St. Clair (Playing House/Best Friends Forever) - Lennon and Jessica are guests on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Seth Green (Dads/Family Guy/Greg the Bunny) - Seth appears on Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Steve Harvey (The Steve Harvey Show) - Steve stops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Nick Jonas (JONAS L.A.) - Nick is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Modern Family/The Class and Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family) - Jesse and Eric chat with the ladies of The View on a repeat on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT.
• Justin Long (Mom/Ed) - Justin drops by LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City/Square Pegs) - Sarah appears on a repeat of The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Kim Wayans (In the House/A Different World) - Kim shares the inside scoop of her new movie role on a repeat of Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Josh Charles (Sports Night) - Josh talks about Bird People on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Danielle Fishel (Girl Meets World/Boy Meets World) - Danielle talks about her new book (Normally, This Would Be Cause for Concern: Tales of Calamity and Unrelenting Awkwardness) on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Judith Light (Who's the Boss?/Phenom) - Judith will be on Morning Joe on MSNC sometime between 6-9am.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

• Jason Bateman (Arrested Development/The Hogan Family/It's Your Move) - Catch Jason on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS.
• Jeffrey Tambor (Arrested Development/The Larry Sanders Show/The Ropers) - Watch Jeffrey on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC. He can also be heard on EW Live on EW Radio on SiriusXM at 10:30am.
• Josh Charles (Sports Night) - Josh visits Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Nick Jonas (JONAS L.A.) - Nick is the musical guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) - Kunal stops by Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation/House of Lies) - Ben visits Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• George Lopez (Saint George/George Lopez) - Catch George on The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!) - David appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Sara Gilbert (Roseanne/The Big Bang Theory/Bad Teacher) - Sara is a guest on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show on your local station or at 3am on BET.
• Danielle Fishel (Girl Meets World/Boy Meets World) - Danielle chats about her new book (Normally, This Would Be Cause for Concern: Tales of Calamity and Unrelenting Awkwardness) on Wake Up with Taylor on SiriusXM Stars Channel 109 sometime between 7-10am.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael will be on SI Now at 1pm.

Friday, September 12, 2014

• Mindy Kaling (The Mindy Project/The Office) - Watch Mindy on The Late Show with David Letterman at 11:35pm on CBS. She talks about The Mindy Project on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. She will also be on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings. Finally, she is a guest on HuffPost Live at 11:45am.
• Justin Long (Mom/Ed) - Justin appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) - Sarah is a guest on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Connie Britton (Spin City/The Fighting Fitzgeralds) - Connie talks about her new film This Is Where I Leave You on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Michael joins the Chew Crew on ABC's The Chew at 1pm ET/12pm PT/CT.
• Jennie Garth (Mystery Girls/What I Like About You) - Jennie discusses her new book (Deep Thoughts from a Hollywood Blonde) on a repeat of Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Nick Jonas (JONAS L.A.) - Nick performs live on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am. He will also be on in the 9am hour.
• Danielle Fishel (Girl Meets World/Boy Meets World) - Danielle discusses her new book (Normally, This Would Be Cause for Concern: Tales of Calamity and Unrelenting Awkwardness) on Windy City Live in Chicago on WLS-ABC7 at 11am CT.

All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!