From The Archives: The New TV Seasons (from years gone by)

For all the hype of the new TV season, it just isn't the event that it used to be.

When I was a kid, the new season was a big deal.

Back then, there were no cable options, and only 3 networks.

During the Spring and Summer, they would actually show you the pilots for the new shows and then pick what they liked from our reaction to them.

All summer, you would see the promos and wait.

Finally, all of the new and old shows would return at the same time in one week.

We made sure to stay home that week and finished dinner in time not to miss a thing.

In my family, Dad decided what we'd watch (there weren't seperate TV's for each member of the family).

That meant comedies and detectives, no soaps, medical, or games shows.

With this sense of nostalgia, I've dug back into the WDEF archives to revive some new seasons from the past.

See how many shows you remember from the Golden Age of analog TV.

1996-97

This takes us back to some lean years for our network.  CBS was mired in third place, with a bunch of shows that skewed "too old."

I've pulled for you a briefing from the network bosses to individual affiliates on how they planned to turn it around.

They had 3 goals this year:

--- establish a big night for the networks on Monday, based on comedies. (That worked)

--- find something to take the steam out of #1 show E-R on Thursday (That failed).

--- and launch new shows to carry the network into a new, younger era.  (That didn't happen overnight, but one of these new shows would go on to dominate well into the new millenium- can you identify it?)

So here is the CBS schedule, promotion and pitch for the fall 1996 TV season.

1990

Now, let's make this one a trivia challenge.  Take a look at this CBS promo for the new fall season of 1990.  It features The Temptations singing the theme, with shocking, 80's artwork (all that color!), along with the stars from several CBS shows.  How many shows can you identify?  My cohorts here in the newsroom came up with 8 shows (including a news propgram).  How many can you spot?

 I'll have the answers at the end of the blog.

1984

The CBS campaign this year was "We've Got The Touch."  And it was hard to argue.  This two minute musical presentation is packed with classic CBS hits like Magnum P. I., Dallas and The Dukes.  But of the 5 new series they were hyping that year, only 2 were memorable (Murder She Wrote & Charles In Charge!). 

1981

Here is a golden nugget from our TV history.   There was a time when local stations tried to cash in on the new network season with our own local promotions.  This is the "Reach for the Stars" promo for us at TV 12.  It's even got it's own custom jingle for Chattanooga. 

You'll see some network clips, plus the syndicated show WKRP in Cincinnati that we would have run between 7:00 and 8:00. 

Bob BeckerYou also see TV 12 personalities like anchors Dale Harris, John Clark, Helen Hardin, Weatherman Bob Becker & Sportscaster Randy Smith. 

And you also get some shots of downtown Chattanooga from the early 80s.

1968-1973

This takes me back to when I was a kid.  Gunsmoke and Lucy were still around from the old days, but a new generation of comedies and detectives were emerging to take us into the 70s.

This was before satellite or video feeds.  So CBS sent out black and white photos to promote their shows.  We've still got a stash of hundreds of those promotional photos from this era.  So I dug some of them out for the month of September and I'm including the promotional lines attached to the photos.

And here are some TV trivia questions to go along with them.

1.  Which show was the longest running Network Drama on TV?

2.  Which actor played the most recurring roles on TV series?

3.  Which actor starred in the most shows?

4.  Which guest stars went on star in a medical comedy... as both a coal miner's daughter and a crazy woman's daughter.. and in the trial of Charles Manson?

5.  Which character is David Caruso channeling on CSI Miami?

Matt Dillon (James Arness) rescues a kidnapped saloon girl (guest star Shani Wallis) from Comanche renegades, on the conclusion of the two-part "Gunsmoke episode, Women for Sale," Monday, Sept. 17,1973 (8:00 PM)

Cass Elliot, formerly of the Mamas and the Papas singing group, will star on her own musical-variety presentation, planned as the prototype for a proposed regular series and titled The Cass Elliot Special, "Don't Call Me Mama Anymore," Friday, Sept. 28

John Boy (Richard Thomas) seeks privacy for his writing at an abandoned cabin and arrives just in time to help a young girl (Sissy Spacek) have a baby, on"The Odyssey" episode of "The Waltons" Thursday, Sept. 20, 1973 (8:00 PM)

Anthony Quinn, David Niven and Gregory Peck star in "The Guns of Navarone," to be presented in two parts, on successive nights, as the season premiere of "The CBS Thursday Night Movies" Thursday, Sept. 25, 1969

Rosemary Forsyth, playing the victim of a blackmail plot, seeks the help of Mike Connors, starring as private investigator Joe Mannix, when it appears that she is headed for jail, in the episode that launches the 5th season of "Mannix" Wed. Sept. 15,1971

The CBS Friday Night Movies present "Tora! Tora! Tora!" Friday, Sept. 21, 1973 (8:30 PM)

Dennis Weaver and Estelle Parsons portray parents who head out on a family camping trip that turns terrifying when a band of young thugs senselessly harasses them, in "Terror on the Beach," on "The New CBS Tuesday Night Movies" Sept. 18,1973 (9:30 PM)

Sonny and special guest star Telly Savalas (star of Kojak) play down-and-out bench-mates on the 3rd season premiere of "The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour" Wed., Sept. 12, 1973 (8:00 PM)

Guest Star John Wayne and Glen Campbell visit the gallery in California's new John Wayne Theatre, on the 4th season premiere of "The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour" Tuesday, Sept. 14,1971 (7:30 PM)

Dean Martin, as super-sleuth Matt Helm, stars with Sharon Tate in a suspense-adventure centered on an international gold heist, in "The Wrecking Crew" to be seen for the first time on television on "The CBS Friday Night Movies" Friday, Oct. 5, 1973

Buddy Ebsen starring as private detective Barnaby Jones, doubts evidence he finds presumably clearing a resort owner, played by guest star Wayne Rogers. It's the second hour of suspense on "The Mystery Double Feature: Mannix/Barnaby Jones" Sunday,9/30/73

Betty White guest stars as the hostess of a television cook show who is after the husband of Phyliss (Cloris Leachman), on the season premiere episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" Saturday, Sept. 15, 1973 (9:00)

Bob Newhart and Suzanne Pleshette star in the season premiere of "The Bob Newhart Show" on Sept. 15, 1973

Jack Lord questions Nancy Kwan about details of a case, in "Hawaii Five-O," which will be the color presentation on "The CBS Friday Night Movies." The film sets the stage for the full-hour television series which debuts Sept. 26, 1968

Fred MacMurray not only stars in his regular role as Steve Douglas but he also appears as Steve's look-alike Scottish cousin Fergus when "My Three Sons" has its season premiere Monday, Sept. 13, 1971 (10:00 PM)

Jo Van Fleet, an Oscar and Tony Award winner, portrays the frightened mother of a retarded daughter on "Medical Center" Monday, Sept. 17, 1973

Dick Preston, portrayed by Dick Van Dyke, finds an easy way to tumble into bed after a hard day's work, on "The New Dick Van Dyke Show" Monday, Sept. 17, 1973 (9;30)

Lucille Ball, as Lucille Carter, stops "on the way" from Los Angeles to San Francisco to visit the U.S. Air force Academy at Colorado Springs, in the first installment of a 2-part episode that opens the second season of "Here's Lucy," Mon, Sept. 22, 1969

Answers to trivia:

--- Gunsmoke last 20 seasons for more than 625 episodes (The Simpsons and The Red Skelton Shows also hit 20)

--- Betty White starred in 2 series (Life with Elizabeth & The Betty White Show.  But she also had recurring roles in dozens of shows, including these (The Bold & The Beautiful, Boston Legal, The Practice, That 70's Show, Ladies Man, The Golden Girls/Palace, Mama's Family, The Love Boat, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, & Date with The Angels).

--- Sure Buddy Ebsen, Bob Newhart and Dick Van Dyke had multiple starring roles on TV.  But none can top Lucille Ball.  She was on the air in some show from 1953-1986.  Can you name the shows? I Love Lucy (1951-57), The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour (1957-60), The Lucy Show (1962-68), Here's Lucy (1968-74), Life with Lucy (1986).

--- Wayne Rogers would later star in Mash.  Sissy Spacek went on to Coal Miner's Daughter & Carrie.  And actress Sharon Tate was murdered by the Manson Family.  

--- Is it just me, or is David Caruso playing Jack Lord from Hawaii 5-0 all over again on CSI, Miami?

1969

And finally, two items from the 1969 TV season.  One of the TV traditions that have lasted from near the beginning right up until today is the credit voice over.  While the credits roll on one show, an announcer's voice tells you about another show coming up.  For years, they used to do this live.  While the closing tape rolled on your favorite show, there was a guy in New York reading into a microphone for the whole country to hear.  I've got audio clips from a couple of these shows that aired in Chattanooga in 1969.  I hope they bring back some childhood memories.

Green Acres Credits (with some bonus theme music):

Petticoat Junction Credits:

I haven't forgotten our trivia question from 1990.

Here are the TV shows represented in the CBS promo.

Murphy Brown

Knotts Landing

Dallas

Major Dad

Designing Women

CBS This Morning (Harry Smith & Paula Zahn)

Baghdad Cafe (I'm impressed if you got that one with Whoopi Goldberg)