Television

The prop budget for “Captain Video” (Du-Mont, 1949-55) was twenty-five dollars per week, which covered items like Video Decoder Rings and Astra-Viewers.

The name of the Italian mouse on “The Ed Sullivan Show” (CBS, 1948-71) was Topo Gigio.

The first of the four Nixon-Kennedy debates was held on September 26, 1960, in Chicago. Howard K. Smith was the moderator. The panel included Robert Fleming (ABC), Stuart Novins (CBS), Sander Vanocur (NBC), and Charles Warren (Mutual Radio).

The Fugitive’s name (“The Fugitive,” ABC, 1963-67) was Dr. Richard Kimble, played by David Janssen.

Ted Turner owns Cable News Network (CNN), Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), Turner Network Television (TNT), and CNN Headline News. As of 1989, they accounted for 31 percent of basic cable viewing.

Maya Angelou played Nyo Boto in the TV mini-series “Roots” (ABC, 1977).

Dow Chemical originally concentrated its Saran Wrap commercials on “Today” in the early 1950s. Dave Garroway would hold up a piece of the wrap to demonstrate how clear it was.

The “Today” show premiered on January 14, 1952, on NBC, broadcasting from New York. The host was Dave Garroway. Garroway’s sign-off line was “Peace.”

Jill Ireland played Spock’s love interest Leila on the “Star Trek” (NBC, 1966-69) episode called “This Side of Paradise”.

Only Audrey Meadows, who played Alice Kramden, received residuals from the endless reruns of “The Honeymooners” (CBS, 1955-56). Her manager negotiated for TV residual rights before most people took them seriously.

Johnny Carson took over NBC’s “Tonight Show” (NBC, 1954) in 1962. He left the show in May 1992. When did he introduce Carnac the Magnificent? Aunt Blabby? Art Fern? In 1964, 1964, and 1971 respectively.

Cecily and Gwendolyn Pigeon, played by Monica Evans and Carole Shelley, respectively, were the Pigeon Sisters on “The Odd Couple” (ABC, 1970-75).

The names of Hope and Michael Steadman’s children on “thirtysomething” were Grendel, Janie, and Leo, respectively.

Francine Lawrence was the real name of “Gidget”, played by Sally Field on the TV show “Gidget” (ABC, 1965-66).

Ann B. Davis was Charmaine “Shultzy” Schultz, secretary to Bob Cummings’s fashion photo reporter Bob Collings on “Love That Bob” (ABC, 1955-59). She was also Miss Wilson on “The John Forsythe Show” (NBC, 1965-66), besides housekeeper Alice Nelson on “The Brady Bunch” (ABC, 1969-74).

New York mayor Edward Koch once appeared on the daytime TV drama “All My Children” (ABC, 1970).

What is now the magazine TV Guide with the largest national circulation first appeared on April 3, 1953. It had editions in ten cities and an initial circulation of 1,560,000.

It meant the kids had to move out of the master bedroom when their show-business father (Danny Thomas) returned from a tour on the TV series “Make Room for Daddy” (ABC, CBS, 1953-64).

In the 1960s, Clayton Moore and Jay Silverheels (The Lone Ranger and Tonto, respectively) advertised Jeno’s Pizza Rolls.

Jerry Lewis has been chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Drive since 1950.

Flip Wilson’s “Reverend Leroy” was affiliated with The What’s Happening Now Church.

At the opening of “Mission: Impossible” (CBS, 1966-73), it took five seconds for the tape to self-destruct. What was the name of the force that responded to the call? The I.M. Force.

Harvey Korman played Bud and Buddy Hackett played Lou in the TV movie “Bud and Lou” (1978).

Edward Platt did not play the Chief in The Nude Bomb (1980), the movie based on “Get Smart” (NBC, 1965-70). He starred as the Chief in the series but who died in 1974. Dana Elcar, later the “chief” in “MacGyver” (ABC, 1986), took the role. The porn star Sylvia Kristel played Agent 34 in the … Read more

Yes, Richard Beymer and Russ Tamblyn teamed up between West Side Story (1961) and “Twin Peaks” (ABC, 1990-91) in Free Grass (1969). It also starred Natalie Wood’s sister, Lana Wood.

The TV version of “Planet of the Apes” ran for four months, from September to December 1974 on CBS, six years after the successful movie first ran. Galen the chimpanzee was played by Roddy McDowall.

Dick Gautier played Hymie the Robot on “Get Smart” (NBC, CBS, 1965-70). He later played Robin Hood on “When Things Were Rotten” (ABC, 1975).

The TV show Dallas was not set in Dallas, but nearby in rural Braddock, Texas. The Ewing ranch there was called Southfork.

Flury S. Truman’s inauguration was the first to be televised, in January 1949.

Joe E. Ross was Gronk and Imogene Coca was Shad, the lead cave dwellers befriending the lost astronauts on “It’s About Time” (CBS, 1966-67).

The question Ralph Kramden (“The Honeymooners,” CBS, 1955-56) missed when he appeared on “The $99,000 Answer”? was Who is the composer of “Swanee River”? Stephen Foster was the correct answer. Ralph guessed Ed Norton.

The Ponderosa ranch in “Bonanza” (NBC, 1959-73) was near Virginia City, Nevada. The age order of the Cartwright sons from oldest to youngest were: Adam (Pernell Roberts) Eric “Hoss” (Dan Blocker) Joseph “Little Joe” (Michael Landon)

“The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet” was on the radio eight years from 1944-52 before it started on TV. It on both TV and radio for two years-1952-54. The TV version continued until September 1966.

Howard Cosell, his broadcasting partner on ABC’s “Monday Night Football” in 1970-73 and 1977-83, said, “I do not understand Don Meredith and I never will”.

The Estes Kefauver investigations of politics and crime began in 1951, and like the Watergate investigations in the early 1970s, were broadcast during the day.

The “ten-minute ticker” is a rule devised by Michael Weisman, NBC Sports producer, requiring production assistants covering a game to update the scores for other games every ten minutes.

Eleanor Roosevelt endorsed Good Luck Margarine on TV. She was paid $35,000 for the endorsement.

Winston cigarettes tasted good “like a cigarette should.” The first commercial using the jingle appeared in 1956.

Anne Francis played the female private detective “Honey West” during the 1965-66 season on ABC. Her pet ocelot was named Bruce.

“Reflections,” by Diana Ross and the Supremes was the theme song for “China Beach” (ABC, 1988-91).

Lorenzo Music provided the voice of Carlton the Doorman on “Rhoda” (CBS, 1974-78). He was never seen.

Leonard Bernstein led the Young People’s Concerts, for CBS.

Walter Cronkite, astronaut Wally Schirra, and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke (author of 2001), did CBS’s news commentary on July 20, 1969, the day of the first moon landing.

The pilot for “Happy Days” (ABC, 197484) first appeared on February 1972, as a segment of “Love, American Style” (ABC, 1969-74), called “Love and the Happy Days.”

Bert and Harry, the “Piels Brothers”, were the names of the Piels Beer drinkers whose voices were provided by Bob Elliott and Ray Goulding The Piels Beer ad first appeared in 1955.

Peter Jennings was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1938. He anchored the “ABC Evening News” from 1965 to 1968. Jennings became co-anchor of ABC’s “World News Tonight” in 1978, and sole anchor in 1983.

Lily Tomlin was a regular on “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” from 1970-73.

Susan Lucci has played villainous Erica Kane on “All My Children” (ABC, 1970) since the the TV show’s debut in 1970.

Mr. T’s real name on the TV series “The A-Team” was Lawrence Tero. He was born in Chicago in 1952 and appeared as Sgt. Bosco “B.A.” Baracus on “The A-Team” from 1983 to 1987.

ABC telecast the match between Billie Jean King play Bobby Riggs at 8:00 P.M. on September 20, 1973. It was played in the Astrodome in Houston. The prize was $100,000. King won the five-set match.

David Leisure was the pathological liar in the 1980s Isuzu car commercials. He has also appeared on the TV sitcom “Empty Nest” (NBC, 1988).

Catherine Coulson played the Log Lady on the TV series “Twin Peaks” (ABC, 1990-91).

“The Naked City” was New York City, where the ABC police drama was set and shot from 1958 to 1963.

Officers Toody (Joe E. Ross) and Muldoon (Fred Gwynne) were in the 53rd Precinct, located in the Bronx, where “Car 54, Where Are You?” (NBC, 1961-63) was shot.

Giles French (Sebastian Cabot) was the name of the housekeeper on the TV series “Family Affair” (CBS, 1966-71). On “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” (ABC, 1969-72)? Mrs. Livingston (Miyoshi Umeki). On “The Jetsons” (ABC, 1962-63)? Rosie the Robot (voice by Jean VanderPyl).

The Wizard of Oz (1939) was first broadcast on TV on November 3, 1956, from 9:00 to 11:00 P.M. EST on CBS. It got a 33.9 rating and a 52.7 percent audience share.

The seventeen-year Goodson-Todman production “What’s My Line” was hosted by John Daly and featured these panelists: Hal Block (1950-53), Arlene Francis, Dorothy Kilgallen (1950-65), Louis Untermeyer (1950-51), Bennett Cerf (1951-67), Steve Allen (1953-54), and Fred Allen (1954-56).

John Wayne introduced the first episode of “Gunsmoke” (CBS, 1955-75). On September 10, 1955, Wayne explained that he was not able to star in the show, but had recommended a young actor named James Arness for the part of Marshal Matt Dillon.

The governor’s name on the TV series “Benson” (ABC, 1979-86) was James Gatling (played by James Noble). The governor’s name on “The Governor and J.J.” (CBS, 1969-72) was William Drinkwater (played by Dan Dailey).

“The Andy Griffith Show” (CBS, 1960-68) spawned “Mayberry, RFD” (CBS, 1968-71) and “Gomer Pyle, USMC” (CBS, 1964-70).

Their first names of Scott, Chekov, and McCoy on “Star Trek” are as follows: Montgomery Scott Pavel Andreivich Chekov Leonard McCoy

Yes, before “The Tonight Show,” Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon worked together on a TV game show called “Do You Trust Your Wife?” (CBS, 1956-57). On the show, Edgar Bergen was the host, Johnny Carson was the emcee, and Ed McMahon was the announcer.

Two people: Ethel Waters (1950-52) and Louise Beavers (1952-53) played Beulah the maid in “Beulah” (ABC, 1950-53). Shirley Booth was Hazel Burke the maid in “Hazel” (NBC, CBS, 1961-66). Ann B. Davis played Alice Nelson, the housekeeper in “The Brady Bunch” (ABC, 1969-70).

“Dallas” (CBS, 1978-91) was the top-rated TV series in 1980.

The DuMont TV network started operating in 1944 with station WABD in New York (now WNYW). It had financing from Paramount Pictures but lacked a radio network such as the other networks had. Owning a radio network made it easier to sign up TV station affiliates. Further, complicated court rulings prevented DuMont from owning as … Read more

Lucy had her baby on “I Love Lucy” (CBS, 1951-57) on January 19, 1953.

Kristin Shepard (Mary Crosby), J. R.’s sister-in-law, shot J. R in the last episode of the 1979-80 season of “Dallas” (CBS, 1978-91). J. R. Ewing was played by Larry Hagman.

Liberace’s real name was Wladziu Valentino Liberace.

George Wyle and “Gilligan’s Island” producer Sherwood Schwartz wrote “The Ballad of Gilligan’s Island” for the TV series.

Gunilla Knutson coaxed men to “take it off” with Noxzema shave cream, to the strains of “The Stripper” in the 1960s.

Acerbic comedian Paul Lynde usually sat in the center square on the original TV game show “Hollywood Squares” (NBC, 1966-80). He also played Uncle Arthur on “Bewitched” (ABC, 1964-72). Lynde died in 1982.

Ted Koppel was born in Lancashire, England, in 1940. He has hosted ABC’s “Nightline” since 1979.

Tenspeed was con artist E. L. Turner (Ben Vereen) and Brown Shoe was Lionel Whitney (Jeff Goldblum). The two ran a Los Angeles detective agency on the TV series “Tenspeed and Brown Shoe”.

No, Dooley Wilson didn’t actually play the piano in Casablanca (1942). Wilson sang in the movie, but couldn’t play piano. Accompaniment was dubbed in.

The bar aboard the Enterprise on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” was called Ten Forward. Whoopi Goldberg, as Guinan, runs it.

On “The New Adventures of Charlie Chan,” a syndicated TV program in the 1956-57 season, the sleuth was played by J. Carroll Naish, an Irishman from New York.

Alf, Uncle Martin, and Mork’s home planets on the TV series Mork and Mindy are as follows: Alf (voice by Paul Fusco) Melmac Uncle Martin (Ray Walston) Mars Mork (Robin Williams) Ork

“The Flying Nun” (ABC, 1967-70) was based on the novel The Fifteenth Pelican by Tere Rios.

Ernie Bilko (Phil Silvers) served in the army in “The Phil Silvers Show,” which ran from 1955 to 1959.

“Richie Brockelman, Private Eye” (NBC, 1978), starring Dennis Dugan in the title role, was a spinoff of the TV series “The Rockford Files” (NBC, 1974-80).

The Bedford Falls Company, producers of “thirtysomething” (ABC, 1987-1991), got its name from the town of Bedford Falls, New York, in It’s a Wonderful Life (1947). The company’s logo is a house in a snowstorm, based on the house in the movie, with the musical tag “. . . and dance by the light of … Read more

NBC began national nightly newscasts in April 1944. CBS began national nightly newscasts in May 1948, read by Douglas Edwards. ABC began national nightly newscasts in August 1948, read by H. R. Baukhage and Jim Gibbons.

The chimp’s name on the TV series “Me and the Chimp” (CBS, 1972) was Buttons, played by Jackie. The chimp’s human sidekick was Mike Reynolds, played by Ted Bessell.

Jim Henson and the Muppets made their national TV debut in 1957 on “The Tonight Show” (NBC, 1954), hosted then by Steve Allen. Kermit (only one year old at the time) sang “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Your Face” to a monster who ate its own face and tried to eat Kermit’s as well.

Mie Nemoto and Kei Masuda were the popular Japanese musical team Pink Lady, whose American variety show “Pink Lady and Jeff” lasted only one year (1980) on NBC. Jeff Altman was their American sidekick.