tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post3626325033963187519..comments2024-03-27T22:27:16.556-04:00Comments on It's About TV: This week in TV Guide: June 24, 1967Mitchell Hadleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08695771505209080030noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post-43856565611174052072019-07-04T01:11:33.898-04:002019-07-04T01:11:33.898-04:00That summer Steve Allen had a comedy show on CBS, ...That summer Steve Allen had a comedy show on CBS, in the Wednesday night slot where Danny Kaye had finished his four season run.<br /><br />Paultomservo56954https://www.blogger.com/profile/16574973421722288825noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post-30228428125103807452019-07-01T11:49:16.589-04:002019-07-01T11:49:16.589-04:00Hate to be the one to break the history to you …
...Hate to be the one to break the history to you …<br /><br />When John Mantley came onto <i>Buck Rogers</i> -<br />- which happened to be on NBC during a period when the network had totally forgotten how to promote new series -<br />- which was already circling the drain in a tough time slot (against <i>The Waltons</i>, mainly) -<br />- and which had just lost half a season to an industry strike -<br /><br />I remember that the network promos for <i>Buck Rogers</i> that season (January of '81) spotlighted John Mantley as The Guy Who Would Save The Show - and if NBC hadn't been in back-up-the-truck mode at the time (check the schedules that year), he might have had a shot.<br />But scapegoating has always been a favorite pastime among genre dweebs, then, now, and (sadly) always.<br />To all who say nay, I have a name in response - Fred Freiberger, the SciFi Crowd's all-time fave "show-killer" … at least until you read what really happened.<br />The foregoing is the main reason why I've never been a "fanboy" - and why I'm grateful that I managed to avoid it. Mike Doranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14427528138598549103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post-50388271609332101932019-06-30T18:35:10.771-04:002019-06-30T18:35:10.771-04:00Unless the show was "Buck Rogers". Then...Unless the show was "Buck Rogers". Then, he found a way to run it into the ground during the very first episode that he produced. Chuck Collinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06053542340077418929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post-18796214199052952812019-06-29T20:09:31.944-04:002019-06-29T20:09:31.944-04:00That "idea" of yours about Festus And Do...That "idea" of yours about <i>Festus And Doc</i>?<br /><br />Funny thing - <i>it actually happened</i>.<br /><br />Not quite the way you posited it, of course.<br /><br />Some time about midway in <i>Gunsmoke</i>'s 20-year run - specifically, about the point when they went to color - the producer's job was taken over by a writer-producer named John Mantley.<br />Mantley, who'd written for the show in the past, had great respect for <i>Gunsmoke</i>, and was determined to keep the quality high.<br />During this period, Jim Arness was starting to have some health problems, mainly about some leg injuries he'd suffered during his war service, but also because he was just plain getting older.<br />John Mantley decided to take advantage of <i>Gunsmoke</i>'s ensemble cast, and whenever possible brought Doc, Festus, Kitty, and ultimately even Newly, to carry certain episodes, so that Matt could get some down time.<br />Also, Mantley had a "repertory" guest policy, where actors like Victor French, Jack Elam, Ken Swofford, Lane Bradbury, and quite a few others could come in for annual or semi-annual appearances, thereby spreading the work out through the long years.<br />Not forgetting here that <i>Gunsmoke</i> always attracted name guest stars, who knew that it was the best-run set in the business.<br /><br />OK, not exactly your "idea", but John Mantley was a pro, who knew his business and how to keep it going - for twenty years.Mike Doranhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14427528138598549103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6042603612494762084.post-7924974974772528202019-06-29T11:02:14.373-04:002019-06-29T11:02:14.373-04:00I'm watching that M3S episode, "TV or Not...I'm watching that M3S episode, "TV or Not TV", that I recorded off Me-TV, now. Robbie's girlfriend's satire show is certainly very cynical, and it's a terrible flop. That episode title was used for quite a few sitcoms, including MY MOTHER THE CAR.Jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00483417885845331990noreply@blogger.com