November 26, 2014

Bonus! Thanksgiving Day listings: November 25, 1971

I
thought it might be fun to offer a little bonus content for the holidays, so here's the broadcasting schedule for Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 1971.  The stations are some of those listed in the Minnesota State Edition of TV Guide - the Twin Cities stations, plus those in Duluth, Alexandria and Mankato.  I'll be back tomorrow with some special Thanksgiving content!

KTCA, Channel 2 (PBS)
Morning
10:00a
The Electric Company
Afternoon
12:05p
Sesame Street
02:30p
World Symphony Orchestra
04:00p
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood
04:30p
Sesame Street
05:30p
The Electric Company
Evening
06:00p
To Be Announced
06:30p
Captives of Communism
07:00p
Thirty Minutes
07:30p
Washington Week in Review
08:00p
Hollywood Television Theatre
09:00p
Public Policy Panels
09:30p
Town and Country

Easy day for Channel 2, running a limited broadcasting schedule.  From the end of The Electric Company, the station is off until Sesame Street, and then again until their broadcast of the World Symphony Orchestra, featuring Arthur Fiedler at the October grand opening of Disney World!

KDAL, Channel 3 (Duluth) (CBS)
Morning
07:00a
CBS Morning News (John Hart)
08:00a
CBS Thanksgiving Day Parades (special)
11:00a
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (special)
Afternoon
12:30p
As the World Turns
01:00p
Love is a Many Splendored Thing
01:30p
The Guiding Light
02:00p
Football Pre-Game (special)
02:30p
NFL Football (Los Angeles at Dallas) (special)
05:30p
CBS Evening News (Walter Cronkite) (time approximate)
Evening
06:00p
News (local)
06:30p
Dick Van Dyke (B&W)
07:00p
Bearcats!
08:00p
60 Minutes (special)
09:00p
CBS Reports (special)
10:00p
News (local)
10:30p
The Merv Griffin Show

Unfortunately, no word on Merv's guests at 10:30, so we don't know how he compared to Johnny.  The CBS parades are from New York, Philadelphia, Detroit and Toronto, and are hosted by Bill Baird and his marionettes.  For my money, still the best Thanksgiving Day parade lineup.

WCCO, Channel 4 (CBS)
Morning
07:00a
Clancy and Carmen
07:30a
Clancy and Willie
08:00a
CBS Thanksgiving Day Parades (special)
11:00a
Where the Heart Is (special)
11:25a
Live Today
11:30a
Search for Tomorrow
Afternoon
12:00p
News (local)
12:30p
As the World Turns
01:00p
Love is a Many Splendored Thing
01:30p
Sportsman’s Holiday
01:45p
Pro Football Preview
02:00p
Football Pre-Game (special)
02:30p
NFL Football (Los Angeles at Dallas) (special)
05:30p
CBS Evening News (Walter Cronkite) (time approximate)
Evening
06:00p
News (local)
06:30p
Rollin’ on the River
07:00p
Bearcats!
08:00p
60 Minutes (special)
09:00p
CBS Reports (special)
10:00p
News (local)
10:50p
Movie – “That Forsyte Woman”
01:05a
The Saint

No Merv on Channel 4 (they were very erratic over the years in their CBS late-night coverage), but a color episode of Roger Moore in The Saint is always welcome!

KSTP, Channel 5 (NBC)
Morning
06:30a
Minnesota Today
07:00a
Today
08:00a
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (special)
11:00a
NFL Football (Kansas City at Detroit) (special)
Afternoon
02:00p
The Cricket on the Hearth (time approximate) (special)
03:00p
The Mouse on the Mayflower (special)
04:00p
Virginia Graham (guests Tab Hunter, Natalie Schafer, Cassietta George, Arthur Hailey)
05:00p
Hogan’s Heroes
05:30p
NBC Nightly News (John Chancellor)
Evening
06:00p
News (local)
06:30p
Circus!
07:00p
The Flip Wilson Show (guests Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Lena Horne)
08:00p
Ironside
09:00p
The Dean Martin Show (guests Carol Channing, Dan Blocker)
10:00p
News (local)
10:30p
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
12:00a
Ski Scene
12:30a
The David Frost Show (guests Richard Harris, Bobby Goldsboro)

Someone mentioned this in the comments section a couple of weeks ago - Virginia Graham, host of the talk show at 4:00pm (which used to be called Girl Talk), was once a well-known television personality.  Today - does anyone but us remember her?

WDSM, Channel 6 (Duluth) (NBC)
Morning
07:00a
Today
08:00a
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (special)
11:00a
NFL Football (Kansas City at Detroit) (special)
Afternoon
02:00p
The Cricket on the Hearth (time approximate) (special)
03:00p
The Mouse on the Mayflower (special)
04:00p
Mr. Toot
04:30p
The Munsters (B&W)
05:00p
Dick Van Dyke (B&W)
05:30p
Truth or Consequences
Evening
06:00p
News (local)
06:30p
NBC Nightly News (John Chancellor)
07:00p
The Flip Wilson Show (guests Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Lena Horne)
08:00p
Ironside
09:00p
The Dean Martin Show (guests Carol Channing, Dan Blocker)
10:00p
News (local)
10:30p
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

No word on Johnny's guests either, but the Monday listing said "Johnny returns to New York."  The show was still based in The Big Apple back then, so Johnny was coming back from one of his periodic broadcasting trips to Burbank.

KCMT, Channel 7 (Alexandria.) (NBC, ABC)
Morning
07:00a
Today
08:00a
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (special)
11:00a
NFL Football (Kansas City at Detroit) (special)
Afternoon
02:00p
College Football (Nebraska at Oklahoma) (time approximate, joined in progress) (special)
05:00p
The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (time approximate)
05:30p
NBC Nightly News (John Chancellor)
Evening
06:00p
News (local)
06:30p
The Partridge Family
07:00p
The Flip Wilson Show (guests Sid Caesar, Carl Reiner, Lena Horne)
08:00p
Ironside
09:00p
The Dean Martin Show (guests Carol Channing, Dan Blocker)
10:00p
News (local)
10:30p
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

I take shots at Channel 7 frequently, but I have to hand it to them - they used their split affiliation correctly today.  The NFL game at 11am, then switching directly to the "Game of the Century" on ABC.  Well played, KCMT, well played.

WDSE, Channel 8 (Duluth) (PBS)
Afternoon
04:30p
Sesame Street
05:30p
The Electric Company
Evening
06:00p
Film
06:30p
Milestones of Progress
07:00p
Thirty Minutes
07:30p
Washington Week in Review
08:00p
Hollywood Television Theatre
09:00p
Space in the 70s
09:30p
Town and Country
10:00p
Firing Line

Easy programming day, huh?

KMSP, Channel 9 (ABC)
Morning
07:00a
CBS Morning News (John Hart)
08:00a
News and Views
09:00a
Romper Room
10:00a
Green Acres
11:00a
Bewitched
11:30a
Password (Panelists Martin Milner, Abby Dalton)
Afternoon
12:00p
All My Children
12:30p
Let’s Make a Deal
01:00p
The Newlywed Game
01:30p
Football Pre-Game (special)
01:45p
College Football (Nebraska at Oklahoma) (special)
05:00p
News, Weather, Sports (local) (time approximate)
05:30p
ABC Evening News (Howard K. Smith/Harry Reasoner)
Evening
06:00p
To Tell the Truth (panelists Orson Bean, Kitty Carlisle, Peggy Cass, Bill Cullen)
06:30p
Truth or Consequences
07:00p
College Football (Georgia at Georgia Tech) (special)
10:00p
News (local) (time approximate)
10:30p
The Wild Wild West
11:30p
The Dick Cavett Show (guest Danny Kaye)
01:00a
News (local)

That Cavett show, which was originally on ABC the night before, is one of those great shows in which he talks with a single guest for the entire 90 minutes.  I can't imagine a better conversationalist and entertainer for that than Danny Kaye.

WDIO, Channel 10 (Duluth) (ABC)
Morning
08:30a
Cartoon Carnival
09:00a
Romper Room
09:30a
Jack LaLanne
10:00a
Mantrap (guests Jack Carter, Pamela Mason, Karen Valentine)
11:00a
Bewitched
Afternoon
12:00p
The Dating Game
12:30p
Comedy Carnival (B&W)
01:00p
The Newlywed Game
01:30p
Football Pre-Game  (special)
01:45p
College Football (Nebraska at Oklahoma) (special)
05:00p
Gilligan’s Island (time approximate)
05:30p
ABC Evening News (Howard K. Smith/Harry Reasoner)
Evening
06:00p
News (local)
06:30p
Death Valley Days
07:00p
College Football (Georgia at Georgia Tech) (special)
10:00p
News (local) (time approximate)
10:40p
Movie – “The Egyptian”

Another easy programming day, especially for ABC. Football in the afternoon, football in the evening.  Sounds like a plan to me, although I remember being totally exhausted from Nebraska-Oklahoma.  How I was able to get going for another game is beyond me.

WTCN, Channel 11 (Ind.)
Morning
07:30a
Batman
08:00a
Casey and Houndhouse
08:30a
Hobo Kelly
09:00a
News (local)
09:30a
Jack LaLanne
10:00a
Dialing for Dollars
10:30a
Patty Duke
11:00a
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (special)
Afternoon
12:30p
Lunch With Casey
01:00p
Movie – “The Success” (B&W)
02:30p
Lucille Rivers
03:00p
Beat the Clock
03:30p
Fred and Friends
04:00p
Gentle Ben
04:30p
Gilligan’s Island
05:00p
Petticoat Junction
05:30p
Star Trek
Evening
06:30p
I Dream of Jeannie
07:00p
Bracken’s World
08:00p
The Virginian
09:30p
News (local)
10:00p
Dragnet
10:30p
Movie – “Imitation of Life”

Pretty standard fare for WTCN, although you don't see Bracken's World in syndication that often.

KEYC, Channel 12 (Mankato) (CBS)
Morning
07:00a
CBS Morning News (John Hart)
08:00a
CBS Thanksgiving Day Parades (special)
11:00a
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (special)
Afternoon
12:30p
As the World Turns
01:00p
Love is a Many Splendored Thing
01:30p
The Guiding Light
02:00p
Football Pre-Game (special)
02:30p
NFL Football (Los Angeles at Dallas) (special)
05:30p
CBS Evening News (Walter Cronkite) (time approximate)
Evening
06:00p
News (local)
06:15p
Commercial Film
06:30p
My Three Sons
07:00p
Bearcats!
08:00p
60 Minutes (special)
09:00p
CBS Reports (special)
10:00p
News (local)
10:30p
The Merv Griffin Show

What else can I say, but a great TV day?  Will tomorrow be as good to you? TV  

3 comments:

  1. You know, I actually remember this day...I remember that sometime after the LA-Dallas game played in the brand-new Texas Stadium, CBS had on Brian Piccolo's widow to preview "Brian's Song" (which appeared on ABC).

    ReplyDelete
  2. There are a couple of YouTube account holders who have uploaded entire episodes of The Dick Cavett Show and they are really incredible to watch. I've seen 90 minute interviews with Bob Hope, Jack Benny, Carol Burnett, Bette Davis, Lucile Ball and even a shorter version of an impromptu interview given by Katherine Hepburn inside an empty studio with just her and Cavett. Other shows which have multiple guests are fascinating because of the diversity of the guests for that night. the one that comes to mind is a program with Chet Huntley, Janis Joplin and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. I never knew about the Danny Kaye show which you've listed above, but that would certainly be another one that would be great to watch.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just found my Chicago edition of this issue.
    There was still local TV in Chicago in '71, but it was in transition.
    There were three commercial UHF stations by this time, but they still didn't sign on until afternoons on weekdays (Exception: ch26 had business news and a ticker crawl mornings and afternoons, giving way to Spanish-language programs in prime time).
    Ch32 was slowly expanding to a longer broadcast day, mainly syndie reruns and movies, with the occasional local talking head.
    Ch44 had a shorter day , with syndie leftovers and local talk and news, featuring old Chicago hands like Jim Conway, Merri Dee, and Sig Sakowicz.
    Yes - thatSig Sakowicz.
    Bet you thought Jackie Vernon made that name up, didn't you?
    Sig Sakowicz was hugely popular in Chicago radio for decades; this was his first extended TV gig, and Sig put ch44 on the map more than just about anyone else in that early period.
    Sig Sakowicz passed away in the '80s, but his name lives on in his son, Father Gary Sakowicz, who presides over many of the important Catholic funerals (sorry - make that Masses of the Resurrection) in town.
    I'd better change the subject now, because every time I type 'Sakowicz' the spell-check on my confuser goes gaga.

    Meanwhile, ch9, the major independent in town, mostly had reruns and movies, plus their kid blocks - Ray Rayner in the mornings, Bozo at noon, Garfield Goose after school.
    There was also a local talker in the early afternoon with Roy Leonard, who had become a staple on WGN radio - and remained so until his retirement a few years ago.
    Roy Leonard passed on just a few weeks ago, and Chicago mourned.
    So much for Thanksgiving.

    There was another local talker I ought to mention - Howard Miller, who had the midnight slot on ch7, the ABC station.
    Miller was somewhat right-wing in his views, and had had trouble holding on to his radio gigs, changing stations fairly often. He got the ch7 midnight spot when he substituted for the not-very-popular incumbent and doubled his numbers.
    In those days, midnight wasn't a favored time slot, and Howard Miller got away with quite a bit that he might not have in another day part.
    On one show, for example, Miller flew in Father Charles Coughlin, the notorious Detroit "radio priest" from the '30s, who most people thought had long since died. Nothing much happened that night, and I don't know if ch7 saved the tape - it would be interesting to look at today, for sure.
    Howard Miller didn't keep this show for very long - one of his sponsors was an Arizona real estate company in which he had an interest, and the FCC looked askance at that. Ultimately, ch7 started using their morning host, Bob Kennedy, to tape an extra hour for midnight use.

    It's late, and I'm kind of dry now, so I'll stand down.
    (Actually, I just wanted to get the plug in for Sig Sakowicz.)

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for writing! Drive safely!