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TV Seasons

1980

1980/81 – Dallas was #1 on CBS Friday.

Note: Any BOLD shows were cancelled in 1980 season; Charlie’s Angels was cancelled in the fifth season.

Anniversary: The David Susskind Show celebrated twenty years in syndication.

Australia Ties: Number 96 was based on the popular 1972–1977 Australian soap, Number 96.

Biggest New Hit: Magnum P.I. was #14 on CBS Thursday. No ladies could resist Tom Selleck. He was one sexy detective. Tom was supposed to play Indiana Jones in Raiders Of The Lost Ark; the role went to Harrison Ford. Thankfully, Tom was stuck playing Magnum P.I. The show made him a big star.

British Ties: Too Close For Comfort was based on Keep It In The Family.

Movies 2 TV:

Breaking Away – Barbara Barrie, Jackie Earle Haley and John Aston played the same roles from the 1979 Oscar nominated movie.

Flamingo Road was based on the 1949 Joan Crawford movie. It was NBC’s first attempt at a prime time soap. It was no match for Hart & Hart on ABC; it was cancelled next season.

Freebie & The Bean was based on the 1974 movie, Freebie & The Bean, starring James Caan & Alan Arkin. The show didn’t last long; it was against ABC’s The Love Boat.

Private Benjamin – Eileen Brennan & Hal Williams reprised their roles from the 1980 movie, starring Golden Hawn.

Walking Tall – Bo Svenson reprised his role from the 1973 movie, based on the true life of Buford Pusser.

Name Change:

The Misadventures Of Sheriff Lobo to Lobo.

Palmerston, U.S.A to Palmerston.

Second City TV to SCTV Network 90.

The Tomorrow Show to Tomorrow Coast To Coast.

Universe to Walter Cronkite's Universe.

Original Title: Dynasty was going to be called Oil.

The Return:

Barbara Eden returned in Harper Valley PTA. She was best known for I Dream Of Jeannie in the 1960’s with Larry Hagman, who became a ruthless oil tycoon on Dallas in 1978. To this day, I still want Jeannie to grant my three wishes.

Ann Jillian returned in It’s A Living after a fourteen year absence; she was in the last season on Hazel from 1965/66.

Shaun Cassidy returned in Breaking Away after a year absence. He was best known as one of The Hardy Boys with Parker Stevenson in the late 1970’s. He was a popular singer and teen idol like his half brother, David Cassidy of The Partridge Family.

Secrets Of Midland Heights

The series was supposed to be the first teen soap.

The series was Lorenzo Lamas’ first soap. His second soap was the popular Falcon Crest. He was in his first daytime soap, The Bold & The Beautiful, in 2004.

His costar, Mark Pinter, was a hugely popular soap star on the cancelled Another World and other numerous daytime soaps. Mark’s wife, Colleen Zenk Pinter, is on As The World Turns as Barbara Ryan.

The series was Linda Hamilton’s first series. She appeared in another failed soap, King’s Crossing, in 1982. She struck it gold in the 1984 Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, The Terminator. The 1987-90 fantasy series, Beauty & The Beast, brought her more success.

The series was Bibi Besch’s first series. Bibi was in a variety of daytime soaps from 1965-76. She was the mother, Dr. Carol Marcus, of Captain James T. Kirk's son in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Ironically, Bibi died one day before the 30th Anniversary of the premiere of Star Trek.

Simultaneous: John Forsythe was on two series - Charlie’s Angels and Dynasty. He was on TV nonstop for thirteen years.

Spin Off:

Enos from The Dukes Of Hazzard, Enos sure have wished he didn’t leave Daisy Duke for a failed TV series. Enos lasted for seventeen episodes. If I was him, I will stay behind and try to capture her heart and hand in marriage. Thank goodness that he went back home to Hazzard County. I sure missed him while he was gone. Sonny Shroyer was extremely popular as Enos that prompted Warner Bros and CBS to spin Enos into his own series.

Checking In from The Jeffersons.

Those Amazing Animals from the animal segments on That’s Incredible! This show was Priscilla Presley’s first series. She called Dallas home for five years, starting in 1983. She played Bobby Ewing’s ex girlfriend.

TV History: The Waltons entered the record books as the longest family drama for nine years! Good night, John Boy!

Tidbits:

Bosom Buddies is Tom Hanks’ first TV show. Ron Howard caught wind of Tom on that show and cast him in the lead of Splash. Even since, Tom went on to a successful movie career. Hmm, whatever became of Tom’s costar? Peter Scolari found success on Newhart in 1984. Tom and Peter were costars once again in the 2004 Tom Hanks movie, The Polar Express.

Just like Dallas, Dynasty wasn’t successful at first, till Alexis Carrington wrecked havoc next season. Alexis was Blake’s ex wife and Krystle’s rival.

Too Close for Comfort’s Nancy Dussault was Good Morning America’s first female co-anchor with David Hartman. Sandy Hill replaced her in 1977.

Nancy’s costar, Lydia Cornell, won the role of Sara Rush at age eighteen; she struggled with an eating disorder during her time on Too Close for Comfort. Lydia’s great-great grandmother is Harriet Beecher Stowe, famed author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Games People Play was Bryant Gumbel’s first series. Bryant went on to an excellent fifteen years run as a Today co-host, starting in 1982. Matt Lauer replaced him in 1997.

John Forsythe sure knows how to rock the cradle. My God! He went from three beautiful angels to a beautiful teenager! The Bachelor Father kissed his daughter’s friend. Somehow, they ended up in a Dynasty marriage.

John was not the original choice for Blake Carrington; it was George Peppard of The A-Team. George quit over differences with the writers.

I just realized something about Michael Learned. Michael “learned” how to became a real woman! Oh, yeah!

Aloha Paradise was a rip off of The Love Boat by...the same producers! Oh, boy! Can't the producers think of something ORIGINAL, instead of making a clone of their hit. Besides, the original is the best. You betcha!

Steven Bochco co–created Hill Street Blues. His ex wife, Barbara Bosson, played Fay Furillo, from 1981–1986.

NBC replaced The Midnight Special with SCTV Network 90 in May 1981. SCTV originally started in syndication in 1977 as Second City TV. Even John Candy rejoined the network series; he was first on SCTV from 1977–1979.

 

1980/81 Fall Season

An actor’s strike delayed the 1980/81 Season.

One Season (1980/81)

Barbara Mandrell & The Mandrell Sisters – 1980–1982, NBC, variety, Barbara Mandrell

Bosom Buddies – 1980–1982, ABC, comedy, Tom Hanks, Peter Scolari

Hill Street Blues – January 1981–1987, NBC, crime drama, Daniel J. Travanti, Dennis Franz, Michael Conrad

It’s A Living – 1980–1982, ABC, comedy, Ann Jillian

Magnum PI – 1980–1988, CBS, detective drama, Tom Selleck

NBC Magazine With David Brinkley – 1980–1982, NBC, newsmagazine, David Brinkley

Too Close For Comfort – 1980–1983, ABC, comedy, Ted Knight, Jim J. Bullock, Nancy Dussault

 

Cancelled TV Shows

Breaking Away – ABC, comedy, Shaun Cassidy, Vincent Gardenia

Enos – CBS, comedy, Sonny Shroyer, Samuel E. Wright

Freebie & The Bean – CBS, crime drama, Tom Mason, Hector Elizondo, William Daniels

Games People Play – NBC, sports, Bryant Gumbel

The Gangster Chronicles – NBC, drama, Joe Penny, Markie Post, Brian Benben

I’m A Big Girl Now – ABC, comedy, Diana Canova, Danny Thomas

Ladies’ Man – CBS, comedy, Lawrence Pressman

Marie – NBC, variety, Marie Osmond

Secrets Of Midland Heights – CBS, soap, Bibi Besch, Mark Pinter, Lorenzo Lamas, Linda Hamilton

Speak Up, America – NBC, human interest, Marjoe Gortner

Steve Allen Comedy Hour – NBC, variety, Steve Allen

Those Amazing Animals – ABC, animals, Priscilla Presley, Burgess Meredith

Walking Tall – NBC, crime drama, Bo Svenson

 

7 out of 20 new series SURVIVED for 1981/82

ABC – 3/6, Bosom Buddies, It’s A Living & Too Close For Comfort

CBS – 1/5, Magnum PI

NBC – 3/9, Barbara Mandrell & The Mandrell Sisters, The Facts Of Life, Hill Street Blues & NBC Magazine With David Brinkley

 

Mid season shows

Dynasty – January 1981–1989, ABC, soap, John Forsythe, Linda Evans

Flamingo Road – January 1981–1982, NBC, soap, Morgan Fairchild, Howard Duff

The Greatest American Hero – March 1981–1983, ABC, adventure, William Katt, Robert Culp, Connie Sellecca

Harper P.T.A. – January 1981–1982, NBC, comedy, Barbara Eden

Nurse – April 1981–1982, CBS, drama, Michael Learned, Robert Reed

Private Benjamin – April 1981–1983, CBS, comedy, Lorna Patterson

Two Of Us – April 1981–1982, CBS, comedy, Peter Cook, Mimi Kennedy

 

Cancelled Mid Season Shows

Aloha Paradise – ABC, comedy, Debbie Reynolds, Bill Daly

American Dream – ABC, drama, Stephen Macht

The Brady Brides – NBC, comedy, Maureen McCormick, Eve Plumb

Checking In – CBS, comedy, 4 episodes, Marla Gibbs, Liz Torres

Comedy Theater – NBC, comedy anthology, failed pilots

Concrete Cowboys – CBS, adventure, Jerry Reed

Darkroom – ABC, occult anthology, James Coburn

The Krypton Factor – ABC, quiz, 5 episodes, Dick Clark

Nero Wolfe – NBC, detective drama, William Conrad, Lee Horsley

Number 96 – NBC, soap, 6 episodes, Ellen Travolta

Park Place – CBS, comedy, 4 episodes, Harold Gould

Riker – CBS, crime drama, 5 episodes, Josh Taylor

Walking Tall – NBC, crime drama, Bo Svenson

 

Syndication

Solid Gold – 1980–1988, syndication, music, Dionne Warwick

 

Late Night

No Holds Barred – CBS, comedy/variety, Kelly Monteith

 

Two Seasons (1979/80)

Archie Bunker’s Place – 1979–1983, CBS, comedy

Benson – 1979–1986, ABC, comedy

Buck Rogers In 25th Century – 1979–1981, NBC, sci-fi

The Facts Of Life – August 1979–1988, NBC, comedy

Flo – March 1980–1981, CBS, comedy

Fridays – April 1980–1982, ABC, comedy/variety

Hart To Hart – 1979–1984, ABC, adventure

House Calls – December 1979–1982, CBS, comedy

Knots Landing – December 1979–1993, CBS, soap

Lobo – 1979–1981, NBC, comedy

Palmerston, U.S.A – March 1980–1981, drama

That’s Incredible – March 1980–1984, ABC, documentary

That’s My Line – summer of 1980, Feb–April 1981, CBS, comedy/variety

The Tim Conway Show – March 1980–1981, CBS, variety

240-Robert – 1979–1981, ABC, adventure

Walter Cronkite's Universe – July 1980–1982, CBS, science magazine

 

Three Season (1978/79)

B.J. & The Bear – February 1979–1981, NBC, adventure

Dance Fever – January 1979–1987, syndication, dance

Diff’rent Stokes – November 1978–1985, NBC; 1985/86, ABC, comedy

The Dukes Of Hazzard – January 1979–1985, CBS, comedy/adventure

Mork & Mindy –1978–1982, ABC, comedy

PM Magazine – 1978–1990, syndication, magazine

Real People – April 1979–1984, NBC, human interest

Taxi – 1978–1982, ABC; 1982/83, NBC, comedy

WKRP In Cincinnati – 1978–1982, CBS, comedy

The White Shadow – November 1978–1981, CBS, drama

Vega$ – 1978–1981, ABC, detective

 

Four Seasons (1977/78)

Chips – 1977–1983, NBC, crime drama

Dallas – April 1978–1991, CBS, soap

Family Feud – 1977–1985, syndication, quiz

Fantasy Island – January 1978–1984, ABC, romantic drama

The Incredible Hulk – March 1978–1982, CBS, adventure

Lou Grant – 1977–1982, CBS, drama

The Love Boat – 1977–1986, ABC, comedy

Second City TV – 1977–1981, syndication, comedy

Sha Na Na – 1977–1981, syndication, musical variety

Soap – 1977–1982, ABC, comedy

That's Hollywood – 1977–1982, syndication, documentary

20/20 – June 1978–present, ABC, newsmagazine

 

Five Seasons (1976/77)

Alice – 1976–1985, CBS, comedy

The Big Event – 1976–1981, NBC, various

Charlie’s Angels – 1976–1981, ABC, crime drama

Eight Is Enough – March 1977–1981, ABC, drama

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

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

The Muppet Show – 1976–1981, syndication, variety

Quincy, M.E. – 1976–1983, NBC, crime drama

Three’s Company – March 1977–1984, ABC, comedy

 

Six Seasons (1975/76)

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

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

Saturday Night Live – 1975–present, NBC, variety

 

Seven Seasons (1974/75)

Barney Miller – January 1975–1982, ABC, comedy

The Jeffersons – January 1975–1985, CBS, comedy

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

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

 

Eight Seasons (1973/74)

Don Kirshner's Rock Concert – 1973–1981, syndicated, music

Happy Days – January 1974–1984, ABC, comedy

The Tomorrow Show – 1973–1982, NBC, talk

 

Nine Seasons (1972/73)

M*A*S*H – 1972–1983,CBS, comedy

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

The Waltons – 1972–1981, CBS, drama

 

Eleven Seasons (1970/71)

Monday Night Football – 1970–2006, ABC, sports

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

 

Thirteen Seasons (1968/69)

Hee Haw – 1971–1993, syndication, variety

60 Minutes – 1968–present, CBS, newsmagazine

 

Fourteen Seasons (1967/68)

Wild Kingdom – 1971–1988, syndication, wildlife

 

Twenty Seasons (1961/62)

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

 

Twenty seven Seasons (1954/55)

Disney’s Wonderful World – 1954–1983, anthology

The Lawrence Welk Show – 1971–1982, syndication, music

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson – 1962–1992, NBC, talk/variety

 

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Any reproduction, duplication, or distribution in any form is expressly prohibited.
 
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