Over the course of the next few days I’ll be posting promotional spots from ABC’s 1967-1968 fall promotional blitz. The network use the slogan “A Very Special Season” and distinctive kaleidoscopic imagery to promote its new and returning programs. New programs included N.Y.P.D., Cowboy in Africa, Good Company, The Flying Nun, Off To See the Wizard and Judd, for the Defense. Due to Labor Day, ABC kicked off its premiere week on Tuesday, September 5th. Here’s a 60-second spot for ABC’s new Monday night line-up, which started with a new show, Cowboy in Africa, followed by four returning shows: The Rat Patrol, Felony Squad, Peyton Place and The Big Valley.
View a Promotional Spot for ABC’s 1967-1968 Monday Night
Related:
Gary Owens was the announcer for these “Very Special Season” spots.
This was the Monday schedule (all times Eastern):
7:30 COWBOY IN AFRICA
8:30 THE RAT PATROL
9:00 THE FELONY SQUAD
9:30 PEYTON PLACE
10:00 THE BIG VALLEY
Speaking of this 1967-68 season, “Off to See the Wizard” replaced “The Green Hornet” on Friday nights in the 7:30 p.m time slot.
I’m surprised that ABC didn’t renew “Hornet” for a second season, even though it got decent ratings. (Or did it not?)
“THE GREEN HORNET” did not do that well opposite CBS’ “THE WILD WILD WEST” and NBC’s “TARZAN” at that hour, ‘P’- even when the “Hornet” made a joint appearance with (and on) “BATMAN” towards the end of the season in a futile effort to draw viewers over to his show. ABC decided to “cut their losses”, and cancelled the series in July 1967, moving “THE TIME TUNNEL” up a half-hour (it also vanished by the end of that season) to make room for the teen musical summer replacement show “MALIBU U.”, with Rick Nelson as host, at 8:30.
I actually liked “The Green Hornet” better than “Batman.” It was not nearly as silly (but of course “Batman” got sillier and sillier as it went on). “NYPD” was a good show that deserved a better fate– one of the last of the half-hour drama shows (along with “Felony Squad”). I remember watching it because it featured Frank Converse, who had starred that summer in “Coronet Blue.” I have read that CBS wanted to pick up “Coronet” after it got great ratings that summer but were stymied because Converse was already committed to “NYPD.” Don’t know if it’s true because I think “NYPD” only lasted half a season and they could certainly have gotten him after that (if he wanted to do it, which I don’t know). But “NYPD” was a gritty, realistic cop drama that also starred the great Jack Warden. It reminded me of the classic cop shows of the fifties, like “M Squad” and “The Detectives.” Maybe it was too much of an anachronism by 1967.
Re: “N.Y.P.D.”
FYI, “N.Y.P.D.” was slated to be cancelled by ABC after one season but, according to a NY Times article dated April 30, 1968, the network placed it back to the fall 1968-69 schedule because of improved ratings. The show eventually lasted a total of 2 seasons.
“N.Y.P.D.” WAS in a tough time period in its first season {Tuesdays, 9:30-10pm(et)}, opposite NBC’S “TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES” and CBS’ “GOOD MORNING WORLD”. The ratings did increase enough for the network to renew it for a second season, while “GOOD MORNING WORLD” was replaced by “THE DORIS DAY SHOW” [which "elbowed" "N.Y.P.D." off the air in 1969].