Television Obscurities » Video Vault

1960s Twister Commercial

RGJ — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:05:44 +0000

I don’t know exactly when this commercial was broadcast but Twister was first released by Milton Bradley in 1966. It’s unfortunate that the commercial is in black and white given that the game involves so many colors.

1960s Twister Commercial

Marcus Welby, M.D. Promotional Spot

RGJ — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:00:08 +0000

Here’s a promotional spot for ABC’s Marcus Welby, M.D.. Like this similar spot for The Mod Squad, it is from the 1971-1972 season.

Marcus Welby, M.D. Promotional Spot

The Mod Squad Promotional Spot

RGJ — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 21:03:22 +0000

Here’s a promotional spot for ABC’s The Mod Squad. I believe it is from the 1970-1971 season but I don’t know for sure.

The Mod Squad Promotional Spot

Brooklyn Bridge Promotional Spot

RGJ — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:34:09 +0000

Here’s a short promotional spot for Brooklyn Bridge, created by Gary David Goldberg, which ran on CBS from 1991 to 1993 for a total of 34 episodes. It’s not often you see the creator of a series pitching it.

Brooklyn Bridge Promotional Spot

Bus Stop Promotional Spot

RGJ — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:48:07 +0000

Here’s a promotional spot for ABC’s Bus Stop, based on the 1956 film of the same name starring Marilyn Monroe. It aired on Sundays from 9-10PM during the 1961-1962 season.

Bus Stop Promotional Spot

The Karen Valentine Program Opening Credits

RGJ — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:07:03 +0000

Here are the opening and closing credits to an unsold sitcom pilot called The Karen Valentine Program. A few seconds are missing:

The Karen Valentine Program Opening Credits

I featured Karen Valentine’s 1975 ABC drama series, simply titled Karen, in a Show Spotlight last month. Barry I. Grauman was kind enough to contribute some comments about an earlier, unsold pilot starring Karen Valentine that ABC turned down in 1974. It was called The Karen Valentine Program and, according to its entry in the UCLA Film & Television Archive, was shown on television. If it did, I haven’t find any record of it in television listings.

In a January 24th, 1974 article, The Chicago Tribune reported that Valentine would be shooting the pilot for The Karen Valentine Program, in which she would star as a recently divorced woman looking for work, in February [1]. On May 10th, The Los Angeles Times reported that The Karen Valentine Program would debut in January of 1975 [2]. But on June 10th, Aaron Gold revealed in The Chicago Tribune that Valentine had just been signed by Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds to star in a pilot for a potential mid-season replacement, noting that it would be her “third try at a series” [3].

Thus, it appears the turnaround between The Karen Valentine Program and what would become Karen (apparently originally titled The Karen Valentine Show) was relatively quick. Karen ran for all of thirteen weeks between January and May of 1975. For the record, Valentine’s first sitcom pilot was called The Karen Valentine Show and was produced 1973. Her character was the assistant to a wacky public relations specialist played by Charles Nelson Reilly. It aired on Monday, May 12st, 1973 as part of a two-hour “Comedy Trio” block featuring two other unsold pilots: The Barbara Eden Show (with Barbara Eden and Joe Flynn) and Catch-22 (with Richard Dreyfuss and Dana Elcar).

Works Cited:

1 Browning, Norma Lee. “Lee Marvin has fallen off the wagon.” Chicago Tribune. 24 Jan. 1974: A13.
2 “Karen Valentine to Star in Series.” Los Angeles Times. 10 May 1974: E34.
3 Gold, Aaron. “Tower Ticker.” Chicago Tribune. 10 Jun. 1974: B12.

Scarecrow and Mrs. King Premiere Promo

RGJ — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 01:02:29 +0000

Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson starred in this CBS drama about a secret agent (Scarecrow) and a divorced mother of two (Mrs. King) who team up to take on all sorts of characters with villainous plots. The series premiered on Monday, October 3rd, 1983. Here’s a promotional spot for the first episode:

Scarecrow and Mrs. King Premiere Promo

Emerald Point N.A.S. Premiere Promo

RGJ — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 23:10:46 +0000

Here’s a promotional spot for the series premiere of Emerald Point N.A.S.. The prime time soap aired on CBS beginning September 26th, 1983 and lasted just one season. The cast included Dennis Weaver, Maud Adams, Susan Dey, Richard Dean Anderson, Robert Loggia, Sela Ward, Robert Vaughn and Jill St. John.

Emerald Point N.A.S. Premiere Promo

Hey, Landlord! Fall Preview

RGJ — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 21:32:41 +0000

Here’s NBC’s fall preview for its new sitcom Hey, Landlord!, which premiered in September of 1966 and was off the air after a single season. Hey, Landlord! Fall Preview Related posts:CBS Will Air Fall Preview Special on September 2ndNBC Fall Preview to Debut August 8thQ & A: The Power Within, Hey, Landlord Related posts:

Star Trek Convention Commercials

RGJ — Mon, 11 May 2009 01:10:08 +0000

Here are three commercials for Star Trek conventions that took place in the early 1990s. All were aired on WTXX-TV in Connecticut. The first was aired in late October of 1991. The convention itself, Trekfest, was held on November 16th in Hartford, Connecticut, with the late James Doohan as the special guest.

Star Trek Convention Commercials

The second is from mid-October of 1992 for Wishcon 2, which took place in Springfield, Massachussetts on November 7th and 8th. Special guests were George Takei, the late Majel Barrett Roddenberry and Wil Wheaton.

Star Trek Convention Commercials

The third and final commercial is for Trekday Hartford, held on February 13th, 1994. Obviously, it was held in Hartford. John de Lancie was the special guest. The commercial was aired during late January.

Star Trek Convention Commercials