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TV Seasons

1976

1976/77 – Happy Days was #1 on ABC Tuesday.

Note: Any BOLD shows were cancelled in 1976 season; Sonny & Cher was cancelled in the second season.

Anniversary:

Carol Burnett celebrated ten years on TV. She is the only woman with a longest running variety show. Sadly, next year will be her last.

Wild Kingdom celebrated ten years on TV.

Biggest New Hit: Charlie’s Angels was #5 on ABC Wednesday. With three beautiful angels and an unseen boss, nothing could go wrong! Farrah Fawcett-Majors became a major star out of this detective series.

British Ties: Three’s Company was based on Man About The House.

Contract Dispute: I wouldn't say this was a contract dispute. Farrah Fawcett–Majors left on her free will, thus breaking her contract for a movie career. Aaron Spelling sued her for breach of contract. Farrah agreed to return to Charlie's Angels for guest spots in six episodes.

Daytime:

Chico And The Man was on NBC weekdays from May–December 1977.

Here's Lucy was on CBS weekdays from May–November 1977.

Death: Diana Hyland died on March 27, 1977 from cancer in John Travolta's arms after she only filmed four Eight Is Enough episodes. The following season, the mother has died as well about "a year ago" and Tom Bradford remarried to Abby Bradford. Betty Buckley, the famous Broadway star, replaced Diana. With eight kids, Tom needed a new mother for his kids. He couldn't raise the kids alone.

Movies 2 TV: Alice was based on the 1974 Ellen Burstyn movie, Alice Doesn't Live Here Any More. Ellen won an Oscar for her Alice role. Vic Tayback reprised Mel for the show. Diane Ladd, Flo in the movie, joined the TV series in 1980 as Belle Dupree, Flo's replacement. Alfred Lutter III reprised Tommy Hyatt in the TV pilot; Phillip McKeon quickly replaced him after the pilot. Phillip's sister is The Facts Of Life actress, Nancy McKeon.

NBC Mystery Movie: Quincy M.E. replaced McCoy this season. This was the last season of NBC Mystery Movie. Columbo, McCloud and McMillan were the only series to stay with NBC Mystery Movie throughout it's run. Quincy M.E. proved popular enough that it became a separated series on Friday nights in February 1977. Quincy M.E. lasted for seven years. Lanigan's Rabbi replaced Quincy M.E.

Name Change: McMillan & Wife to McMillan. Sally McMillan died in a plane crash; Susan Saint James quit last season.

Reruns: CBS aired The Jack Benny Show reruns in August 1977.

The Return:

Jack Klugman returned to a weekly series, Quincy M.D., after a year absence. He was previously on The Odd Couple with Tony Randall.

Liar's Club returned to syndication after a seven–year absence.

Spin Off:

Blansky's Beauties from Happy Days. Some people don't considered the series to be a spin off, but it does has a family tie. Nancy Blansky is Howard Cunningham's cousin; she introduced Howard to Marion as Nancy mentioned it on "the third anniversary show" episode of Happy Days on February 4, 1977. Blansky's Beauties premiered on 2/12/77. The series was set in the present day, the 1970's. Happy Days was still in the 1950's. Oddly, Pat Morita played the virtually same character from Happy Days. Also, "Nancy Remembers Laverne" as she recalled working with a clumsy Laverne DeFazio back in 1967.

Fish from Barney Miller.

Tidbits:

Sanford & Son, the first black comedy top 10 hit, ended after a successful six year run.

Sirota's Court was the template for Night Court years later on NBC. Both series took place at night.

Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr., real married couple, hosted their own variety show, The Marilyn McCoo And Billy Davis, Jr. Show. They were members of the original Fifth Dimension pop group.

Tom and John Keane were the youngest performers to host a variety series, The Keane Brothers Show. Tom was 13 and John was 12.

Shields And Yarnell was a big hit in the summer. Laverne & Shirley massacre them the following January.

Spencer's Pilots crash landed on my oldest sister's birthday. Did they make it out of alive? Hell, no! The ratings killed them all! Good riddance!

Bonnie Ebsen is Buddy Ebsen's daughter. Buddy was best known for The Beverly Hillbillies. Bonnie was on the short lived series, The Kallikaks. It was her first series and her last.

Caren Kaye, Lyndia Goodfriend, Scott Baio and Shirley Kirkes starred in the failed ABC series, Blansky's Beauties. All four actors starred in another NBC failed series, Who's Watching The Kids, in the fall of 1978!

 

 

1976/77 Fall Season

One Season (1976/77)

Alice – 1976–1985, CBS, comedy, Linda Lavin, Vic Tayback

Baa Baa Black Sheep – 1976–1978, NBC, drama, Robert Conrad, Dana Elcar

The Big Event – 1976–1981, NBC, various

Charlie’s Angels – 1976–1981, ABC, crime drama, Kate Jackson, John Forsythe

Quincy, M.E. – 1976–1983, NBC; crime drama, Jack Klugman

The Tony Randall Show – 1976–1978, ABC, comedy, Tony Randall

What’s Happening!! – 1976–1979, ABC, comedy, Ernest Thomas, Fred Berry, Haywood Nelson

 

Cancelled TV Shows

All’s Fair – CBS, comedy, Richard Crenna, Bernadette Peters

Ball Four – CBS, comedy, Jim Bouton

Captain & Tennille – ABC, variety, Daryl Dragon, Toni Tennille

Captain And The Kings – NBC, drama, Richard Jordan

Cos – ABC, variety, Bill Cosby

Delvecchio – CBS, crime drama, Judd Hirsh

Executive Suite – CBS, drama, Mitchell Ryan

Gemini Man – NBC, action/adventure, Ben Murphy

Holmes & Yo-Yo – ABC, comedy, Richard B. Skull, John Schuck

Mr. T & Tina – ABC, comedy, 5 episodes, Pat Morita

Most Wanted – ABC, crime drama, Robert Stack

NBC’s Best Sellers – NBC, drama

The Nancy Walker Show – ABC, comedy, Nancy Walker

The Quest – NBC, western, Kurt Russell, Tim Matheson

Rich Man, Poor Man – Book 2 – ABC, drama, Susan Sullivan

Serpico – NBC, crime drama, David Birney

Spencer’s Pilots – CBS, adventure, Christopher Stone

Van Dyke & Company – NBC, variety, Dick Van Dyke

 

7 out of 25 new series SURVIVED for 1977/78

ABC – 3/10, Charlie’s Angels & Tony Randall

CBS – 1/6, Alice

NBC – 3/9, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Big Event & Quincy, M.E.

 

Mid season shows

Busting Loose – January 1977–1978, CBS, comedy, Adam Arkin

Eight Is Enough – March 1977–1981, ABC, drama, Dick Van Patten, Diana Hyland

Fish – February 1977–1978, ABC, comedy, Abe Vigoda, Todd Bridges

The Hardy Boys Mysteries – January 1977–1979, ABC, adventure, Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson

The Life & Time Of Grizzly Adams – February 1977–1978, NBC, adventure, Dan Haggerty, Denver Pyle

The Nancy Drew Mysteries – February 1977–1978, ABC, adventure, Pamela Sue Martin

Shields And Yarnell – June 1977–1978, CBS, variety, Robert Shields, Lorene Yarnell

Sugar Time! – August 1977–1978, ABC, comedy, Barbi Benton

Three’s Company – March 1977–1984, ABC, comedy, John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, Suzanne Somers

Wonder Woman December 1976–July 1977, ABC; 1977–1979, CBS, adventure, Lynda Carter, Lyle Waggoner

 

Cancelled Mid Season Shows

ABC Monday Night Comedy Special – ABC, various

The Andros Targets – CBS, newspaper drama, Pamela Reed

Blansky's Beauties – ABC, comedy, Nancy Walker, Lyndia Goodfriend, Scott Baio

The Brady Bunch Hour – ABC, comedy, Robert Reed, Florence Henderson

Code R – CBS, adventure, Martin Kove

Comedy Time – NBC, comedy anthology, failed pilots

Dog And Cat – ABC, crime drama, Kim Basinger

Fantastic Journey – NBC, sci fi, Jared Martin

The Feather And Father Gang – ABC, crime drama, Stefanie Powers

Gibbsville – NBC, drama, Peggy McCay

Hunter – CBS, foreign intrigue, James Franciscus, Linda Evans

The Kallikaks – NBC, comedy, 5 episodes, Edie McClurg, Bonnie Ebsen

The Keane Brothers Show – CBS, musical variety, 4 episodes, Tom Keane, John Keane

Kingston: Confidential – NBC, newspaper drama, Raymond Burr

Lanigan's Rabbi – NBC, crime drama, Art Carney

Loves Me, Loves Me Not – CBS, comedy, Susan Dey

The Marilyn McCoo And Billy Davis, Jr. Show – CBS, musical variety, 6 episodes, Marilyn McCoo

The McLean Stevenson Show – NBC, comedy, McLean Stevenson

Nashville 99 – CBS, crime drama, 4 episodes, Claude Atkins, Jerry Reed

Once An Eagle – NBC, military drama, Melanie Griffith, Darleen Carr

The Rhinemann Exchange – NBC, foreign intrigue, Stephen Collins, Roddy McDowall

Seventh Avenue – NBC, drama, 3 episodes, Jane Seymour

Sirota's Court – NBC, comedy, 13 episodes, Fred Willard

The Starland Vocal Band Show – CBS, variety, Peter Bergman

Tales Of The Unexpected – NBC, suspense anthology, William Conrad

3 Girls 3 – NBC, variety, 4 episodes, Debbie Allen

Westside Medical – ABC, medical drama, 11 episodes, Linda Carlson

Who's Who – CBS, newsmagazine, Dan Rather

A Year At The Top – CBS, comedy, 5 episodes, Greg Evigan

 

Syndication

Dolly – syndication, music, Dolly Parton

Fernwood 2–Night – July 1977–1978, satire, Martin Mull, Fred Willard

The Gong Show – 1976–1980, syndication, comedy/audience participation, Gary Owens

In Search Of... – 1976–1982, syndication, documentary, Leonard Nimoy

The Joker's Wild – 1976–1986, syndication, quiz, Jack Barry

Liar's Club – 1976–1978, syndication, quiz, Bill Armstrong

The Muppet Show – 1976–1981, syndication, variety, Jim Henson, Frank Oz

Music Hall America – syndication, music, Dean Rutherford

The $128,000 Question – 1976–1978, syndication, quiz, Mike Darrow

The Peter Marshall Variety Hour – syndication, talk/variety, Peter Marshall

 

Two Seasons (1975/76)

Blue Knight – December 1975–1976, CBS, crime drama

Bionic Woman – January 1976–1978, ABC, adventure

The Bobby Vinton Show – 1975–1978, syndication, musical variety

The Cross–Wits – 1975–1980, syndication, quiz

Doc – 1975–1977, CBS, comedy

Donny & Marie – January 1976–1979, ABC, variety

Family – March 1976–1980, ABC, drama

Family Holvak – 1975–1977, NBC, drama

The Jacksons – June 1976–1977, CBS, musical variety

Laverne & Shirley – January 1976–1983, ABC, comedy

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman – January 1975–1978, syndication, soap

Match Game P.M. – 1975–1982, syndication, game

Nashville On The Road – 1975–1983, syndication, music

One Day At A Time – December 1975–1984, ABC, comedy

Phyllis – 1975–1977, CBS, comedy

The Practice – January 1976–1977, NBC, comedy

Saturday Night Live – 1975–present, NBC, variety

Sonny & Cher – February 1976–1977, CBS, variety

Space: 1999 – 1975–1977, syndication, sci-fi

Starsky & Hutch – 1975–1979, ABC, crime drama

Switch –1975–1978, CBS, crime drama

Welcome Back, Kotter – 1975–1979, ABC, comedy

 

Three Seasons (1974/75)

Baretta – January 1975–1978, ABC, crime drama

Barney Miller – January 1975–1982, ABC, comedy

Chico & The Man – 1974–1978, CBS, comedy

The Jeffersons – January 1975–1985, CBS, comedy

Little House On The Prairie – 1974–1983, NBC, drama

Lorne Greene's Last Of The Wild – 1974–1979, syndication, wildlife/nature

Police Woman – 1974–1978, NBC, crime drama

Pop! Goes The Country – 1974–1982, syndication, music

Rhoda – 1974–1979, CBS, comedy

Rockford Files – 1974–1980, NBC, crime drama

Sammy And Company – Early 1975–1977, syndication, talk/variety

Tony Orlando & Dawn Rainbow Hour – July 1974–1977, CBS, variety

The $25,000 Pyramid – 1974–1979, syndication, quiz

Weekend – 1974–1979, NBC, newsmagazine

 

Four Seasons (1973/74)

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

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

 

Five Seasons (1972/73)

Barnaby Jones – January 1973–1980, CBS, crime drama

The Bob Newhart Show – 1972–1978, CBS, comedy

M*A*S*H – 1972–1983,CBS, comedy

Maude – 1972–1978, CBS, comedy

The Midnight Special – February 1973–1981, NBC, music

Streets Of San Francisco – 1972–1977, ABC, crime drama

The Waltons – 1972–1981, CBS, drama

 

Six Seasons (1971/72)

Columbo – 1971–1977, NBC, crime drama

Emergency! – January 1972–1977, NBC, drama

McMillan – 1971–1977, NBC, crime drama

NBC Mystery Movie – 1971–1977, NBC

Sanford & Son – January 1972–1977, NBC, comedy

 

Seven Seasons (1970/71)

All In The Family – January 1971–1979, CBS, comedy

The Mary Tyler Moore Show – 1970–1977, CBS, comedy

McCloud – 1970–1977, NBC, crime drama

Monday Night Football – 1970–2006, ABC, sports

That Good Ole Nashville Music – 1970–1985, syndication, music

 

Nine Seasons (1968/69)

Hawaii Five-O – 1968–1980, CBS, crime drama

Hee Haw – 1971–1993, syndication, variety

60 Minutes – 1968–present, CBS, newsmagazine

 

Ten Seasons (1967/68)

The Carol Burnett Show – 1967–1978, CBS, variety

Wild Kingdom – 1971–1988, syndication, wildlife

 

Sixteen Seasons (1961/62)

The David Susskind Show – 1961–1987, syndication, talk

 

Twenty three 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

 

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