1974/75 – All In The Family was #1 on CBS Saturday, fourth year running.
Note: Any BOLD shows were cancelled in 1974 season; Adam 12 was cancelled in
the seventh season.
Biggest New Hit: Chico And The Man was #3 on NBC Fridays. It was the first Latino show to be in the top 10, thanks
to the chemistry of Jack Albertson and Freddie Prinze.
Contract Dispute: Wayne Rogers left M*A*S*H at the end of the season. He didn't like the morals clause in the contract.
He was sued for breach of contract. As it turned out, he didn't sign the contract and the case was dismissed.
The Jeffersons/Good Times connections;
Never mind that both shows were from Norman Lear.
Ja'net DuBois (Willona Woods of Good Times) sung the theme song from The Jeffersons, "Movin' on Up." She composed
the song with Jerry Barry.
Mike Evans (Lionel of The Jeffersons) co–created Good Times with Eric Monte. Mike left his role on The Jeffersons
to work full time on Good Times; the Lionel role was recast. After Good Times was cancelled, Mike went back to The Jeffersons.
Would you believe The Jeffersons appeared on Good Times in one episode? Yep. That’s true. Most people missed their
“appearance” on Good Times. JJ Evan was on the couch, reading a magazine. There they were. The Jeffersons was
on the cover of the Ebony magazine.
Movies 2 TV:
Paper Moon was based on the 1973 Ryan & Tatum O'Neal movie. Ryan & Tatum are father & daughter.
Planet Of The Apes was based on the 1968–73 movies. Roddy McDowall played a different role on the series. There was
also a cartoon version, Beyond Of The Planet Of The Apes, on NBC’s Saturday morning for one season.
The New Land was loosely based on two Swedish movies, The Emigrants and The New Land.
NBC Mystery Movie: NBC gave up the second Mystery Movie on Wednesday/Tuesday; it wasn't quite popular. Most people
watched the popular Sunday version instead. It's funny thou. NBC Mystery Movie originally started on Wednesday. Amy Prentiss
replaced Hec Ramsey this season. Columbo, McCloud and McMillian & Wife were still on the mystery movie.
The Return:
Michael Landon returned in Little House On The Prairie after a year absence. He was previously on Bonanza for fourteen
years. Little House was his second big hit. The show was based on the “Little House” books, written by Laura Ingalls
Wilder.
Vic Tayback returned in a short-lived series, Kahn. He was previously in another failed series, Griff, his first series.
Spin Off:
The Jeffersons “moving on up” from All In The Family – George, Weezie, & Lionel lived in a luxury
high-rise apartment in Manhattan, thanks to George’ chain of dry cleaning stores. Tom and Helen Willis is TV’s
first interracial married couple; really, the honor goes to Ricky and Lucy Ricardo from I Love Lucy.
Rhoda from The Mary Tyler Moore Show – Rhoda returned for a short visit in New York and fell in love with Joe Gerard
TV History:
Gunsmoke is the longest western show from 1955–1975. So long, Matt Dillon. Bonanza is second with fourteen years.
Walt Disney officially became the oldest TV show in the prime time, twenty-one years and counting. Ed Sullivan doesn’t
count; his show ended after twenty–four years in 1971.
Tidbits:
Both Sonny and Cher returned to TV with SEPARATE variety shows after the divorce. Cher’s show was more popular than
Sonny’s show.
James Arness played Matt Dillon on Gunsmoke for twenty years. Originally, John Wayne was the first choice to be Matt Dillon.
The Duke suggested an unknown actor, James, for the role.
Jim Rockford was born out of a possible writer's strike. The character was written for a episode of Toma, which ABC rejected
the script. The rewritten script became the pilot for The Rockford Files. NBC had another big hit on their hands in 1974.
The show lasted for six seasons.
Alan Alda created We'll Get By, a failed CBS sitcom.
Raymond Burr's second hit show, Ironside, had a short eighth season; the show ended in January 1975. Archer replaced Ironside
on NBC Thursday two weeks later. Archer didn't come back for a second season.
1974/75 Fall Season
One Season (1974/75)
Chico & The Man – 1974–1978, CBS, comedy, Jack Albertson, Freddie Prinze
Harry-O – 1974–1976, ABC, mystery, David Janssen, Farrah Fawcett
Little House On The Prairie – 1974–1983, NBC, drama, Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert
Movin’ On – 1974–1976, NBC, adventure, Claude Akins
Petrocelli – 1974–1976, NBC, drama, Barry Newman
Police Woman – 1974–1978, NBC, crime drama, Angie Dickinson
Rhoda – 1974–1979, CBS, comedy, Valerie Harper, Nancy Walker, Julie Kavner
The Rockford Files – 1974–1980, NBC, crime drama, James Garner
That’s My Mama – 1974–1976, ABC, comedy, Clifton Davis, Theresa Merritt
Cancelled TV Shows
Amy Prentiss – NBC; crime drama, Jessica Walter
Born Free – NBC, adventure, Gary Collins, Diana Muldaur
Get Christine Love – ABC, crime drama, Teresa Graves
Kodiak – ABC, crime drama, 4 episodes, Clint Walker
Kolchak: The Night Stalker – ABC, occult, Darren McGavin
Lucas Tanner – NBC, drama, David Hartman
The Manhunter – CBS, detective drama, Ken Howard
Nakia – ABC, crime drama, Robert Forster
The New Land – ABC, adventure, 6 episodes, Kurt Russell
Paper Moon – ABC, comedy, Jodie Foster
Paul Sand In Friends & Lovers – CBS, comedy, Paul Sand
Planet Of The Apes – CBS, sci-fi, Roddy McDowall, James Naughton
Sierra – NBC, adventure, Susan Foster
Sonny Comedy Revue – ABC, variety, Sonny Bono, Terri Garr
Sons & Daughters – CBS, drama, Don Murray
Texas Wheelers – ABC, comedy, Gary Busey, Mark Hamill
9 out of 25 new series SURVIVED for 1975/76
ABC – 2/11, Harry–O & That’s My Mama
CBS – 2/6, Chico & The Man & Rhoda
NBC – 5/9, Little House On The Prairie, Movin’ On, Petrocelli,
Police Woman & Rockford Files
Mid season shows
Almost Anything Goes – July/August 1975, 1976, ABC, competition, Charlie Jones
Baretta – January 1975–1978, ABC, crime drama, Robert Blake, Dana Elcar
Barney Miller – January 1975–1982, ABC, comedy, Hal Linden, Abe Vigoda
The Bob Crane Show – NBC, comedy, Bob Crane
Cher – February 1975–1976, CBS, variety, Cher
The Jeffersons – January 1975–1985, CBS, comedy, Sherman Hemsley, Isabel Sanford
S.W.A.T – February 1975–1976, ABC, crime drama, Robert Urich, Steve Forrest
Tony Orlando & Dawn – July 1974–1977, CBS, variety, Tony Orlando, Telma Hopkins
Cancelled Mid Season Shows
Archer – NBC, detective drama, Brian Keith
Ben Vereen...Comin' At Ya – NBC, musical variety, 3 episodes, Ben Vereen, Liz Torres
Caribe – ABC, crime drama, Stacey Keach, Robert Mandan
Conversations – CBS, discussion, Eric Sevaried
The Dick Cavett Show – CBS, variety, 4 episodes, Dick Cavett
The Friday Night Comedy Special – CBS, comedy anthology, unsold pilots
The Gladys Knight And The Pips Show – NBC, musical variety, 4 episodes, Gladys Knight
Hot L Baltimore – ABC, comedy, James Cromwell
The Jim Stafford Show – ABC, comedy/variety, Jim Stafford, Valeria Curtin
Joey & Dad – CBS, musical variety, 4 episodes, Joey Heatherton
Karen – ABC, comedy, Denver Pyle
Keep On Truckin' – ABC, comedy/variety, 4 episodes, Wayland Flowers
Khan – CBS, detective drama, 4 episodes, Vic Tayback
Manhattan Transfer – CBS, variety, 4 episodes, Alan Paul
Moses–The Lawgiven – CBS, historical drama, Burt Lancaster
Sunshine – NBC, comedy, Bill Mumy, Meg Foster
We'll Get By – CBS, comedy, 10 episodes, Willie Aames, Paul Sorvino
Syndication
Lorne Greene's Last Of The Wild – 1974–1979, syndication, wildlife/nature, Lorne Greene
Pop! Goes The Country – 1974–1982, syndication, music, Ralph Emery
Sammy And Company – Early 1975–1977, syndication, talk/variety, Sammy Davis, Jr.
The $25,000 Pyramid – 1974–1979, syndication, quiz, Bill Cullen
Late Night
Weekend – 1974–1979, NBC, newsmagazine, Lloyd Dobyns
Two Seasons (1973/74)
Apple’s Way – February 1974–1975, ABC, drama
Dealer's Choice – Early 1974–1975, syndication, quiz
Don Kirshner's Rock Concert – 1973–1981, syndicated, music
Good Times – February 1974–1979, CBS, comedy
Happy Days – January 1974–1984, ABC, comedy
Kojak – 1973–1978, CBS, crime drama
The Mac Davis Show – July 1974–1976, NBC, musical variety
Police Story – 1973–1977, NBC, police anthology
The Six Million Dollar Man – January 1974–1978, ABC, adventure
The Tomorrow Show – 1973–1982, NBC, talk
The Wild, Wild World Of Animals – 1973–1978, syndication, wildlife
Three Seasons (1972/73)
Barnaby Jones – January 1973–1980, CBS, crime drama
Bob Newhart – 1972–1978, CBS, comedy
The Bobby Goldsboro Show – Early 1973–1975, syndication, music
Kung Fu – 1972–1975, ABC, western
M*A*S*H – 1972–1983,CBS, comedy
Maude – 1972–1978, CBS, comedy
The Midnight Special – February 1973–1981, NBC, music
The Rookies – 1972–1976, ABC, crime drama
Streets Of San Francisco – 1972–1977, ABC, crime drama
The Waltons – 1972–1981, CBS, drama
Four Seasons (1971/72)
The Amazing World Of Kreskin – 1971–1975, syndication, mind reading
The Baseball World Of Joe Garagiola – 1972–1975, NBC, sports commentary
Cannon – 1971–1976, CBS, crime drama
Columbo – 1971–1977, NBC, crime drama
Emergency – January 1972–1977, NBC, drama
McMillan & Wife – 1971–1977, NBC, crime drama
Sanford & Son – January 1972–1977, NBC, comedy
Untamed World – 1971–1975, syndication, documentary
Five Seasons (1970/71)
All In The Family – January 1971–1979, CBS, comedy
Mary Tyler Moore – 1970–1977, CBS, comedy
McCloud – 1970–1977, NBC, crime drama
Monday Night Football – 1970–2006, ABC, sports
Odd Couple – 1970–1975, ABC, comedy
That Good Ole Nashville Music – 1970–1985, syndication, music
Six Seasons (1969/70)
Marcus Welby MD – 1969–1976, ABC, drama
Medical Center – 1969–1976, CBS, drama
Safari To Adventure – 1969–1975, syndication, documentary
Seven Seasons (1968/69)
Adam 12 – 1968–1975, NBC, crime drama
Hawaii Five-O – 1968–1980, CBS, crime drama
Hee Haw – 1971–1993, syndication, variety
60 Minutes – 1968–present, CBS, newsmagazine
Eight Seasons (1967/68)
Carol Burnett – 1967–1978, CBS, variety
Ironside – 1967–1975, NBC, crime drama
Mannix – 1967–1975, CBS, crime drama
Wild Kingdom – 1971–1988, syndication, wildlife
Fourteen Seasons (1961/62)
The David Susskind Show – 1961–1987, syndication, talk
Twenty Seasons (1955/56)
Gunsmoke – 1955–1975, CBS, western
Twenty one Seasons (1954/55)
The Lawrence Welk Show – 1971–1982, syndication, music
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson – 1962–1992, NBC, talk/variety
Wonderful World of Disney – 1954–1983, anthology
Twenty three Seasons (1952/53)
Death Valley Days – 1952–1975, syndication, western anthology
|