The networks were forced to rework their Fall 1974 schedules after a court ruled that the FCC could not immediately relax the Prime Time Access Rule, and six sitcoms were pulled.
The Fall 1974 That Wasn’t
Articles
Enjoy more than 80 articles covering a wide variety of topics relating to obscure or forgotten TV. You can browse or select from the following categories: Obscure TV Shows, The Networks, The TV Industry, Miscellany
Broadcast Twice a Week (or More)
During the mid-1960s the networks experimented with airing serialized TV shows like Peyton Place twice a week (or more) but the fad quickly died out.
My Living Doll
My Living Doll starred Bob Cummings as a scientist caring for an advanced robot and Julie Newmar as the lovely robot. It ran for 26 episodes on CBS during the 1964-1965 season. Cummings quit before the season ended.
Unsold Pilots on Television, 1956-1966
A look at unsold pilots aired between 1956 and 1966 on shows like G.E. Summer Originals, Vacation Playhouse, Summer Playhouse, and New Comedy Showcase.
SEARCH
SEARCH starred Hugh O’Brian, Tony Franciosa and Doug McClure as sophisicated, high tech agents tasked with recovering valuable items. It ran on NBC for 23 episodes during the 1972-1973 season.
CBS and Psycho
CBS planned to air Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho in September 1966 but pulled it after a tragic murder took place just days before it was set to air. The network attempted to reschedule but finally decided not to air the movie.
Programs Cancelled Before They Premiered, 1963-1988
Between 1963 and 1988, only a handful of shows were pulled abruptly without airing a single episode: The Robert Taylor Show, Snip, Mister Dugan, and The Dictator.
The Mike Wallace Interview
Mike Wallace had a number of local newscasts under his belt when he started hosting this half-hour interview series on ABC in April 1957. By the time it went off the air in September 1958 it had generated a slew of complaints, accusations, and lawsuits.
90 Bristol Court
90 Bristol Court consisted of three separate 30-minute sitcoms–Karen, Harris Against the World and Tom, Dick and Mary–set at the same apartment complex. NBC cancelled two of them halfway through the 1964-1965 season.
Joe and Mabel
Joe and Mabel took a torturous route to television, with six scrapped episodes and multiple missed air dates. 13 episodes eventually aired in 1956. Larry Blyden and Nita Talbot starred.
Nielsen Black Weeks
Until 1973, several times a year there were no TV ratings. These Nielsen Black Weeks were an opportunity for the networks to air prestige programs.
The Mysterious Case of Selena Mead
In 1964, CBS came very close to airing a spy series in starring Polly Bergan as Selena Mead, a character created by author Patricia McGerr. Learn why the series failed to materialize.
Coronet Blue
Frank Converse starred in this short-lived, enigmatic CBS drama. The network kept the show on the shelf for years before finally airing 11 episodes during the summer of 1967. Two episodes never aired.
Television Programs in 1941
Believe it or not there were television programs in 1941, including some that included commercials, primarily on stations in New York City.
William Dozier’s Unsold Dick Tracy Pilot
The success of Batman led William Dozier to produce a Dick Tracy pilot for NBC. The network almost put it on the air twice but ultimately passed.
Toma
Based on a real life police officer, this 1973-1974 ABC series starred Tony Musante, who shocked the network by quitting the series after one season just as he had promised he would.
Mid-Season 1979
Midway through the 1978-1979 season, the networks rolled out their mid-season replacements. Most were flops, including Delta House, Little Women, Cliffhangers, Turnabout, and Married: The First Year.
A Brief History of Television Writers: 1949-1979
This brief history of television writers spans the first three decades of network television and covers guilds, contracts, and strikes.
Irwin Allen’s Swiss Family Robinson
Irwin Allen’s Swiss Family Robinson aired for one low-rated season on ABC from 1975 to 1976, sticking the show in a tough Sunday time slot. Martin Milner and Pat Delany starred.
Janet Dean, Registered Nurse
This syndicated half-hour series starring Ella Raines was the first to feature a nurse in the lead role. It premiered in March 1954. A total of 39 episodes were produced.