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Here’s a promotional spot for ABC’s Wide World of Entertainment. Based on the look of the spot and the voiceover (“The most exciting new idea in late night television”) this was likely promoting the debut of the late night conglomeration in January 1973.
Yes, this was shown just before, and during the first few weeks of, the series’ debut in January 1973. There was one week of “THE DICK CAVETT SHOW”, one week of “JACK PAAR TONITE” (his final attempt at a late-night talk show)- and the other weeks every month featured specials, news/documentaries, 90 minute videotaped mystery/horror “movies” produced in England and Canada, and “IN CONCERT” on Friday nights. Johnny Carson, on NBC, had nothing to worry about….
Danny Dark is the announcer.
I would think anything not talk was reasonable counter-programming for a different audience.
Correct me if I’m wrong here, but although the initial “title” of WWOE failed, it seems that ABC stuck with the “idea” of WWOE (Movie Of The Week/sitcom reruns, plus rerunning The Edge of Night briefly after P/G brought it over from CBS) until the Iranian hostage crisis eventually birthed Nightline. Am I close here?
WWOE didn’t fail, it was a hit and several offshoots were created including Wide World of…’Mystery’, ‘Flying’, ‘Animals’, ‘Wrestling’, ‘Disney’, and ‘Learning’ (the flagship ‘Sports’ was first, predating WWOE).
But yes, Wide World of Mystery continued through 1978, the latter two years consisting mostly of MOTW and WWOE reruns as well as shows like ‘Mannix’ and ‘The Edge of Night’.
I’ve pieced together the entire film line-up here:
https://letterboxd.com/campnightmare/list/abcs-wide-world-of-mystery-complete-episode/detail/
This format might have worked had Paar and Cavett, instead of one week a month for five nights that week, been on once a week on the same night every week.
Likewise, there could have been mystery specials one night a week on the same night every week, comedy specials one night a week on the same night every week, and “In Concert” every Friday night.
This set-up was very confusing to viewers. No wonder Johnny Carson enjoyed a ratings spike in 1973!