Archive for the ‘Comedy’ Category
Bewitched: Nobody But a Frog Knows How to Live
From Season 3, Episode 32
Original Airdate: April 27, 1967
A frog turned into a man wants Samantha to change him back.
John Fiedler plays Fergus, who wants to be changed back into a frog. If you needed a high-pitched, squeeky voiced, pipsqueek of a character, then John Fiedler was your man. His long career included roles as the nervous Juror #2 in “12 Angry Men,” in Star Trek’s “Wolf in the Fold” and in the role of Mr. Peterson on one of my favorite shows, The Bob Newhart Show. He was also the voice on numerous Walt Disney animated films including the “Winnie the Pooh” films as the voice of Piglet.
Leave it to Beaver
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The series ran from 1957 to 1963 and forever after in syndication. For a generation of Baby Boomers, Leave it to Beaver epitomized a Utopian vision of a perfect American family, living in the perfect American suburb. It seemed as if Beaver got in the same or maybe worse predicaments that we got into, and faced the same anxiety we faced. Beaver was lucky to have a wise mother and understanding father who helped make it all right in the end. Did it ever resemble our real childhoods? Can today’s kids even remotely relate to the cleaver family? Whatever the case, it is still enjoyable to watch.
My Mother the Car: You Can’t Get There from Here
From Season 1, Episode 21
Original Airdate: February 1, 1966
While driving the kids to camp, Dave is stopped by a sheriff who asks him for his driver’s license and discovers that it has expired.
Luckily for Ann Sothern, her role in this historically panned series was limited to the voice of the car. In fact, a bout of hepatitis had left her appearing bloated, so she preferred not being seen. Her final role was in the 1987 film, “The Whales of August,” playing opposite film legends Lillian Gish, Bette Davis and Vincent Price. It brought Sothern a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nomination.
McHale’s Navy: Marriage McHale Style
From Season 4, Episode 3
Original Airdate: September 28, 1965
McHale’s crew pressures him into performing a wedding ceremony aboard the PT-73.
For some reason the crew of PT-73 have been transferred to Italy. However, it does give me the chance to say a few words about Jay Novello, who plays the conniving, profit-seeking mayor. His career spans almost 50 years. He never had a starring role, but had a steady career, often playing ethnic characters. He was in a lot of those movie serials in the 40′s that ended up playing on Saturday afternoon television in the 60′s. He also had a long career in guest starring roles in TV series and was a favorite of Lucille Ball.
I Dream of Jeannie: Jeannie, The Hip Hippie.
From Season 3, Episode 6
Original Airdate: October 17, 1967
Jeannie assembles a singing group so Tony can go on vacation.
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart were the songwriting duo who wrote most of the successful songs for The Monkees. They also recorded a couple of albums on their own with their best song being “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight,” which reached #8 in early 1968. This episode also a features a brief appearance by Phil Spector. It so sad that he has ended up a such a pathetic character, serving a prison sentence for murder.
The Andy Griffith Show
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The Andy Griffith Show ran on CBS from 1960 to 1968. The series never placed lower than seventh in the Nielsen ratings and when Andy Griffith decided to move on to other projects and the series ended, it finished its final season at number one. The show was piloted as an episode of The Danny Thomas Show, and created two spin-off series: Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. and Mayberry R.F.D. The series was just as much a success in syndication, first on broadcast and local TV and later on cable television.
