18 UNEARTHED TV INTROS TO SHORT-LIVED 70s SITCOMS

[@farpointgamingdirect]

If you grew up during the 70s, you're actually able to identify which show a network was on based on the camera work. ABC, NBC, and CBS each had their own "look"

[@daltong75]

Yep, absolutely. That phenomenon was true in the 80s too, come to think of it.

[@fp5495]

It's still true in the 21st century. You can just tell by the studio lighting if it's a stage show. Thinking about the most popular shows in the past 15 years; CBS has overly bright lighting (Big Bang Theory). NBC is more moody (Friends). ABC has the most natural (Roseanne).

[@rjc7289]

Spot on about that. Depending on the network, the tone of the footage was different.

[@annagitana1]

I grew up in the 70’s. No clue as to the difference. And now, the shows seem all filmed very similarly. I notice most of the theme songs can blend well with one another. Many on the same exact keys. Shows have similar themes too.

[@akrenwinkle]

@@annagitana1 Maybe you were very young then. The OP is very true. A person with a keen eye and ear could spot the difference very quickly. It's the same as those classic movies. Each studio had a certain imprint on all its products.

[@jgirlLVR]

So much awfulmess crammed into under fifteen minutes. You're a hero.

[@pettykittyfam]

Awfulness? Are you CRAZY 🤣 THIS IS AMAZING 😍

[@davidfinch7407]

I remember "Hot L Baltimore". Pretty sleazy for the time, as I recall. The rest I drew a blank on. It was fun seeing Rob Lowe as a child actor.

[@AmyLSchulte]

Same. My Mom loved that show.

[@jatredies]

Little known fact: One sitcom in the '70s was developed without Norman Lear, resulting in a rip in the space-time continuum, forcing the Avengers to go back in time to fix it. #sacredtimeline

[@talcoge67]

That’s pretty funny! I’m only use to seeing all his hits, and after watching this video all i see is Norman Lear…

[@marktaylor8659]

Sounds like the Mandela Effect.

[@chrisakarazor9612]

Lol

[@darlenegattus8190]

🤣

[@bryanburnap4537]

I realize Norman Lear had some successful shows in the 70's. But holy shit he created some serious garbage as well. If I wrote 100 shows I would have come across 1 or 2 good ones as well.

[@donsmith3477]

You can make a drinking game out of the number of times you see "Norman Lear" in the credits.

[@klandersen42]

I found the one for the Dumplings that said "Developed With Norman Lear" to be an interesting variation of credits. Usually it is a "Developed by" or "Created by" but "Developed With"? That is a new one on me.

[@DavidTSmith-jn5bs]

I'm surprised "All's Fair" wasn't among them! Maybe there's a sequel to this posting...

[@DavidTSmith-jn5bs]

@@klandersen42 Maybe Norman was a script doctor for the pilot and not one of the creators...

[@jackdull5699]

Yeah, you can

[@rbrearey]

I’m enough of an alcoholic to know my limits

[@IronDiva]

Any time you feel bad about yourself, just remember not even Norman Lear batted a thousand, and Rob Lowe had an awkward phase.

[@Muzikgirl67]

So many recognizable faces and names in each and every one of these "flops"...I tend to feel somewhat different than some of the others who have commented, as I find the 70's TV Shows (short-lived or not) have a certain charm that I find entertaining, and I would be willing, interested and excited to see a few episodes from these shows anytime! They look better to me than 95% of the so-called comedy TV shows that are on today! Count me in!👍 Thanks for posting, and have a neat-O weekend! Take Care! Ms. Elizabeth 📀📺📼📀📺📼

[@luckdragongirl]

Oh yes! I would rather watch "All in the Family" than anything on today. They could tackle real social issues and politics without being preachy. Talented writers and a good cast makes all the difference. Sadly, they won't even show that show nowadays. You can't even get it streaming. I'm glad I bought the full series a few years ago.

[@Laceykat66]

Hot L Baltimore was a favorite of mine from the mid-1970s though I thought it was the early 80s for the longest time. I must have mistaken it for another show of the same kind.

[@luckdragongirl]

@@homelesshannah50 Ah, the teenage rage. School should be starting back soon. That'll help you.

[@templedrake6890]

they're triggered cuz these shows don't have any child drag queens or transsexuals.

[@wallyman292]

Between failed sitcoms and variety shows, the 70's was definitely an era in TV shows!

[@elijahvincent985]

It's crazy to think a lot of these shows were made by Norman Lear, who is not only alive at 101 years young, but still actively producing shows.

[@charlessedlacek5754]

The devil's associates tend to live a long time..

[@jebgleason-allured5686]

You can also see how many misses even the geniuses had.

[@erin8205]

Amazing man and Jimmy Carter.

[@4u2c59]

👍( ͡❛ ͜ʖ ͡❛👍)

[@nordicfrost]

@@shannon4386Jesus died in his 30s what are you even getting at?

[@ashleyelliott444]

I had no idea Norman Lear made so many shows that didn't make it. That is so crazy to think about knowing how many of his shows are classics that had multiple seasons and are still running in syndication.

[@1968dogg]

Even "great ones" crawl before walking and flying.

[@jaredjlinden]

Most of Lear’s bombs came after he hit it big with All in the Family, Maude, Sanford and Son, and The Jeffersons. In the mid to late 70s, all the networks wanted to be in the Norman Lear business.

[@RandyTheWildHorse]

@@1968dogg That is true.

[@frankbonini7085]

Even Babe Ruth Struck Out/Got Hits Off of Him Once in a While

[@carlosrvra]

I think it’s the same way that Will Ferrell has been in a TON of comedies but we only really see the three or four best on regular rotation. Probably the same with Norman Lear. For all his great ones, and there were more than a few, there are not so great ones since why wouldn’t he keep himself busy with work 😄

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

I remember a very small handful of all those shows.. my favorite was Hot L Baltimore! I was in my mid-teens at the time and thought that was the greatest show ever! LOL!!

[@Frogchannelgaming]

I say they need a streaming service with every tv show ever,no matter how popular it was or wasn't... I'd buy it in a second

[@luisreyes1963]

Be careful of what you wish for...😅

[@debi7227]

MeTV channel runs nothing but old TV from the 50s thru 70s.

[@Tomovox_PAMS_Radio_JIngles]

@@debi7227 But they are the tried and true shows that are proven hits with audiences. We've seen those forever. Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes I wish there was a network that would run some of these one and two season shows. It would just be interesting to see something different sometimes.

[@jerseytomato100]

@@Tomovox_PAMS_Radio_JIngles I agree. All the shows on MeTV are the same old stuff we’ve seen forever

[@Tomovox_PAMS_Radio_JIngles]

@@jerseytomato100 Yeah. In the beginning I was a huge fan and vocal supporter of the network, but now, I don't watch nearly as much as I did before. They actually started a second version of MeTV, but not everyone gets it- we don't. But I found out their lineup and I fell like it's just such a waste of space- use it for something new like these short-lived shows.

[@mel_bee]

Even leaving aside Norman Lear, there are a lot of familiar names and faces. If you missed these shows, you certainly saw these people on other shows in the 70s. Also, there were only 3 fonts used in the 1970s, and we see them all in these credits.

[@Rockhound6165]

Well, Christopher Knight did do a sitcom that was a little more successful than the one shown here. You might have heard it.

[@MomMom4Cubs]

And 80's, where some of those folks made it to the silver screen.

[@amiblueful]

I didn't realize Norman Lear had that many bombs. Still, he has a lot of successes to be proud of.

[@kumada84]

Bookman, Windsor, and Cooper Black 😁

[@JoeVideoed]

@@MomMom4CubsLike Rob Lowe. Totally shocked he was here as a teenager.

[@jamesryan6008]

To this day I remember "Hot L Baltimore" with fondness.

[@randallulrich]

My family would watch this show regularly while it lasted. I recall that it was a pretty funny show.

[@TedJohnson85]

Me to. I thought Conchita Farrell made that show.

[@josieadams3107]

Me too. I believe it was on Friday nights. It must have been on opposite something really big.

[@chrisakarazor9612]

It's the only one of these that I watched and enjoyed.

[@thadstudebaker3370]

While I don’t remember the show with fondness, Hot L Baltimore was the only one I could remember.

[@lesabeaty7415]

I was 11 years old in 1975. I sure do miss the 70s TV shows. They were about all kinds of people, and most of them lived in average homes and were average-looking. Today everyone is generic, has perfect teeth, live in upper middle class homes, etc. Shows were simultaneously more real and more fanciful back then. I mean who'd make a sitcom like the one with James Coco today? Or the other one about the awkward-looking couple running toward each other? Guess I'm getting old and nostalgic.

[@bloodrunsclear]

Norman Lear must have produced one show for every couple of weeks O_O

[@donbagert]

Yeah, this video was front-loaded with them :)

[@cityhawk]

Even Michael Jordan missed a shot every once and while.

[@aspireahead8388]

Yeah, and most of them flops...

[@jackcovey1832]

Does anybody remember when Lear hosted SNL? In one skit, a writer pitches a prospective sitcom ... "A family of four, two parents and two adult kids living together. Dad is a factory worker who leads a union; Mom is his boss in management; their grown daughter is a nun, and their grown son is a gay state trooper, but here's the twist. They're all practicing snake handlers!" Lear okays this, and you then see a filmed intro, created just for the show, like the ones in this video , with song lyrics, "Papa's a union man. Mama's his boss. And Sis is a nun, and Junior is Gay, and they're all practicing snake handlers!" It was both funny and bizarre.I can't believe I can remember all this. If someone owns the DVD OF SNL Season Two, please post this, as its not on KZbin yet.

[@boristheamerican2938]

I swear the first one had the actual Archie Bunker living room with different furniture. lol

[@ftsjr]

Makes me wish I could go back to the 1970s.

[@eydie57]

I absolutely love this. I remember several of these shows and I really wish they were available to watch the episodes of.

[@luisreyes1963]

Even "The Dumplings"? 😓

[@Attmay]

Somebody needs to do a video about why that failed when *What’s Happening!!* was successful in spite of barely resembling its R-rated source material.

[@jimgardner1306]

Ok, who else thought that was two dudes running towards each other in “We Got Each Other”?

[@clemdane]

I thought they were father and son until they said her name was Beverly.

[@lisa8817]

🙋🏻‍♀️

[@zefallafez]

Beverly definitely would have benefited from stuffing socks in her training bra.

[@somepig2k]

they even put nipple diamonds on her sweater to draw the eye to her boobs and I still would've thought she was a prepubescent boy

[@definitedoll]

Well Beverly archers done a lot of stuff she's basically well known for playing Iola Boylanon Mama's family for many years. This show is supposed to showcase two people that weren't the greatest looking people in the world but that they were very much in love and had a great relationship and that's what mattered most...

[@nebakanezer13]

Anyone else remember Angie with Robert Hayes and Donna Pescow? Maureen McGovern sang the theme song.

[@JulianAlpsNews]

The lyrics from one of the intros--"You're never gonna know until you try"--are poignantly appropriate for this compilation of failures.

[@sumthingwikked4257]

Quite a depressing irony there.

[@Attmay]

There is no flop quite like a 1970s flop. Imagine being rejected then when you see what was successful.

[@wkmwvsalon]

The short lived SHIRLEY starring Shirley Jones and Peter Barton also had a nice theme song.

[@edmartin3784]

I remember about half of the intros presented. A shout out for the 70’s here. If you grew up in the 70’s as I did, I think you would be better off all around. Looking back it was pure bliss.

[@Lynn17]

I'm a simple lady, I see this and I immediately click. Also, I remember you adding promos to some of these shows in your other videos, it's good to finally see the theme songs themselves!

[@johndavis3921]

ALMOST HALF of the shows (The first 6 minutes) involved Norman Lear. One involved the partnering of Norman Lear and the team behind Three's Company. One involved Danny Arnold creator of Barney Miller. One of the writers of The Super was Rob Reiner. Nice to see Christopher Knight still trying to break away from the Brady Bunch. And much, much more.

[@Attmay]

The failure of the variety hour must have been monumental if he was so desperate to wash the taste of it out of his mouth that he would work for Norman Lear.

[@ColeslawVariant]

These videos fascinate me. Most of these shows were on before I was born or when I was too little to remember them. Thank you for making this!

[@AmyLSacks]

I'm 55 this year and I vaguely remember watching both "Doc" and "Fay." Most of the others I'd never heard of until now.

[@JerryMinion]

0:01 Apple Pie 0:39 Hotel Baltimore 1:29 The Dumplings 2:23 The Nancy Walker Show 3:09 Fay 4:11 A New Kind of Family 5:14 Miss Winslow & Son 6:11 Big Eddie 6:42 Joe and Sons 7:30 Joe’s World 8:19 Love Thy Neighbor 8:49 We’ve Got Each Other 9:50 Loves Me, Loves Me Not 10:25 Hanging In 11:15 Doc 12:02 A.E.S Hudson Street 12:57 The Super

[@maundamartin59]

James Cromwell!!!!

[@os5573]

Thank you.

[@Dorelaxen]

Ahh, Richard Castellano. "Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

[@TheEWFX29]

@Tim Kozlowski Most definitely,

[@twiggyb67]

Paul Castellano`s nephew

[@Xayjohns]

I watched "Edward Scissorhands" a few months ago for the first time in years and did not know that the late Conchata Ferrell was in it. I mainly knew of her from "Two and a Half Men", and seeing her here in the intro for "Hotel Baltimore", I didn't realize that her career goes back all the way to the 70s.

[@motherdaughterproductions]

Hot L Baltimore was awesome!

[@Dularr]

From prostitute to housekeeper

[@tejaswoman]

Oh, she was in all sorts of things in the 1970s, '80s, and '90s before she was in that piece of crap a few years ago. L.A. Law, E/R (the sitcom, not the long-running drama, although both had George Clooney) long-running drama, an incredibly memorable guest spot on _Good Times_ ...

[@square-on-wheels]

Check out the movie "Heartland" from '79.

[@drbkap3]

Yes. That was one of George Clooney’s first roles. She played his aunt. Elliot Gould was a goofy doctor a la Hawkeye Pierce. Jason Alexander (with toupee) was head of the hospital. And Mary McDonald (dances with wolves) was, I believe the head doc in the ER and Elliot Gould drove her crazy. The show was actually very funny.

[@brianhochberg6957]

I remember watching "Hot L Baltimore," "The Nancy Walker Show," and "The Super." They were all hysterical shows that should have lasted much longer than they did on network television. Brings back some good memories.

[@randallulrich]

I remember "Hot L Baltimore" being a funny show and liking it when it was on.

[@luisreyes1963]

Anything Nancy Walker was on (with the exception of Rhoda) was video cyanide. ☠️

[@luisreyes1963]

@@randallulrich ABC took a huge chance in a sitcom with a gay elderly couple in it (Lee Bergere & Henry Calvert).

[@murraymall5116]

I remember watching "The Hot L Baltimore.!" In fact, it was based on a Broadway or Off-Broadway play. I acted in a local production of it.

[@DonRamiro1]

I couldn't watch Nancy Walker. She was so damn ugly.

[@esterdrass4964]

Never recall any of these. Amazing how many shows come out and disappear and no one remembers. So few are memorable. All I remember from the 70s are Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Good Times and Night Stalker.

[@Lucky7tattooNettahoe]

I have a whole new awareness of Norman Lear creating a great deal of failures! thanks for the fun

[@harperstacey9604]

Norman lear had more failures than hits.

[@Mister_Listener]

Yes, but all he was doing was creating content. He had so many successes, lots of his stuff got the green light, and if it failed with audiences, it still didn’t stop the machine.

[@ellasbaba]

I miss the 70's. Great time to grow up

[@trevorbarnhill3399]

I don't remember a thing about the 70s. I was born in 1977. I remember from bits of 1980 or 1981 and then more going forward. But my older brother was 7 and older sister was 6 in 1979 and they remember a little bit of growing up during that decade. From stories I heard, it was a great decade to grow up in. However, growing up in the 80s wasn't bad at all, either.

[@ellasbaba]

No dark side for me

[@lakephillip]

I am a former young teenager of the 70's and TV was very important because there was little else except radio, and records. Four maybe 5 channels in Chicago. All of these themes are horrible. It is no wonder they flopped. I don't recall any of these shows. When the TV guide for Sept premieres came it was an event. These were so short lived can't remember them. You feel sorry for some of the great stars that were in these TV themes. Give me Petticoat Junction Theme.....

[@chrisakarazor9612]

Chicago has the most professional news programs. Detroit and other large cities looked like low power high school T.V. stations. A few of the Chicago news personalities have moved to New Buffalo Michigan. Steve Dahl also lives there now.

[@zefallafez]

Lots of Norman Lear shows, you bet Even more when you get, to the 70s

[@michellemoore4585]

I was just explaining to kids what a TV guide was and remembering the September premiers. The networks had an annual preview with the stars of the upcoming shows.

[@TheGritherr]

I just heard the Fay theme for the first time and thought it excellent. I like that cheesy old sound.

[@ninademci1500]

@lakephillip, as a kid of the 2970s who watched a lot of TV, I don’t remember any of these.

[@jebgleason-allured5686]

I deeply respect 70s television's commitment toward absolute boredom. Each show trying to outdo watching paint dry.

[@Attmay]

Imagine what the last 50+ years could have been without Lear’s degenerate buckbreaker propaganda.

[@brianarbenz1329]

@@Attmay That's not related to the post. No one is interested in your agenda of resentment of Lear.

[@chrissosenko2556]

Norman Lear just adapted British shows for American TV and he was lucky about 5 made it

[@Attmay]

Yeah, it seems like his collaborators were actually doing all the grunt work while he got all the credit.

[@frankrossi6972]

Great reel of intros rarely seen in other such KZbin reels. Never knew Clemenza from "The Godfather" scored sitcom pilots, though he was really the only comic relief in the movie. This reel further indicates that K Callan is the queen of pilots. I've heard that working character actors can make a living off doing pilots, even those spawn short-lived series or are not even picked up, though she also has some film credits and a long-running recurring role on "Lois and Clark."

[@bfan6032]

that's why his character wasn't in GF2.

[@Qboro66]

The Super starring Castellano and co-starring Bruno Kirby(as B. Kirby Jr) both playing the character of Clemenza in their respective Godfather movies...

[@bradyguy7701]

@@Qboro66NICE!!! I came down here to write the same thing!! Crazy casting coincidence...except for the stereotyping of Italian(Ish) actors....Bruno was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu

[@2313Productions]

Fat Clemenza

[@Qboro66]

@@2313ProductionsNice! Solozzo reference...😂

[@ThatDonChannel]

That was actually the second version of the intro for "Doc" - the first one had someone (I want to say Barnard Hughes) singing a different theme song. Speaking of trivia, although this is probably well-known to people who would watch nostalgia videos like this, "Hangin' In" was originally written with Bea Arthur as Maude as the main character (at the end of "Maude," she is appointed to fill a vacancy in Congress, but Bea Arthur decided she didn't want to continue with the character for some reason, so the new series was retooled - "coincidentally," with Bill Macy, who played Maude's husband Walter, as the Representative).

[@spacefury65]

Some of those theme songs / intros were brutal ....

[@donculotta1551]

I would rather have these cheesy sitcoms then the “reality” shows on every channel today. Give me Apple Pie over the Kardashians ANYDAY. That being said, you can actually see why there were so many serial killers in the 70s. There was nothing to watch and no technology to occupy their time.

[@1922Skidoo]

Please

[@rman52]

The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and Mad Men were excellent ground breaking shows. As Gig Young's dad said approximately in the greatest episode in TV history, Walking Distance from the twilight Zone, "maybe there is cotton candy and merry go rounds where you are now too". It was Serlings mini auto biography. Many of his stories dealt with the theme of wanting to return to his youth. This one was a work of art in every way. Story, acting, directing, cinamaticography, and musical score.

[@herbbirdsfoot]

After listening to seven of these theme songs I totally agree this is why there were so many serial killers in the 70s.😂

[@otiscarter1356]

Ok boomer

[@jackb348]

1. Nobody had technology in the 70s so that was never a second thought. 2. There was plenty of reruns of good shows running, no stupid infomercials and the shows that were popular were of very good quality.

[@KB32000]

The hotel show “Hotel Baltimore “ is giving me “are you being served “. Vibes

[@Marthabrannonbabe]

It gave me "Fawlty Towers" vibes. It actually looked like it was an interesting show.

[@buckster2575]

I thought that to.

[@abdul-malikasad3785]

Lol I remember the show because of Al Freeman Jr the title was actually Hot L Baltimore.

[@Cheerfultoday]

Hot L Baltimore was hilarious! I was crushed when it was canceled, and it probably wasn’t on long enough to go into syndication. What a shame, because it was a truly funny show.

[@jimklein4066]

Who else recognized Zefron Cochrane (Star Trek) in Hot L Baltimore?

[@surfingmoose]

Did Norman Lear just throw s$%t at a wall to see what sticks?

[@CTback]

So does Chuck Lorre.

[@TJ52359]

and the 'Big Three' handed him Cash by the Barrel to do it... All in the Family being CBS' Juggernaut (and generating it's own 'universe' of spin offs) it's a safe bet they green-lit a lot of stuff sight unseen to keep him happy - if they balked NBC & ABC were right there hoping he could give them their 'AITF'

[@Jdwify]

I used to enjoy watching Hotel Baltimore every Friday night. I don't remember nothing about the show, but I did enjoy it.

[@robmclean4352]

"Short-lived"? You said it! These 18 series aired a grand total of *197* episodes, or about 11 per show. (For comparison's sake, "One Day at a Time" had 209 all by itself!) "Doc" was by far the longest-lived, with 29 episodes in 1975-76, with "The Corner Bar" a distant second with 16. (I do not remember this program *at all* , but I was only about seven years old when it ran in 1972-73; as far as I know, it has not been shown anywhere since then.) Least number of airings? "Apple Pie" with just two in 1978 (although eight were filmed). The rest: "Hot L Baltimore" (13 episodes in 1975; based on an off-Broadway play); "The Dumplings" (10 in 76; based on a comic strip); "The Nancy Walker Show" (13 in 76); "Fay" (10 in 75-76); "A New Kind of Family" (10 in 79-80); "Miss Winslow and Son" (6 in 79; still doesn't have its own Wiki page, but it *is* mentioned on the page for the UK series it was based on, "Miss Jones and Son"); "Big Eddie" (10 in 75); "Joe and Sons" (14 in 75-76); "Joe's World" (11 in 79-80; it was set in Detroit, I believe); "Love Thy Neighbor" (12 in 73; also based on a Britcom); "We've Got Each Other" (13 in 77-78); "Loves Me, Loves Me Not" (6 in 77); "Hangin In" (4 in 79; created from the wreckage of the infamous "Mr. Dugan" [look it up]); "AES Hudson Street" (5 in 78) and "The Super" (13 in 72; a show that starred Richard S. Castellano, apparently because somebody at ABC thought, "What America really needs is a sitcom starring Richard S. Castellano...!") You're...welcome...?

[@patrickeffiom97]

Love Thy Neighbor was very controversial in the U.K Some would say you guys had better taste because it was cancelled so quickly over there.I think Archie Trump..sorry Bunker(Till Death Us Do Part-U.K version)did well but it was in the same mode of controversy.

[@robmclean4352]

@@patrickeffiom97 I'm guessing the US version avoided using phrases like (quoting Wiki): ""nig-nog", "Sambo", "choc-ice" and "King Kong"."

[@larrydevore6657]

Never heard of any of them.

[@DavidTSmith-jn5bs]

I liked "Doc" and was sorry when it was cancelled. But I've always liked Barnard Hughes and Mary Wickes in anything they appeared in, even when it stinks. "The Corner Bar' reminded me a little of "Duffy's Tavern" and "Cheers." They tried to be character-driven like those shows but it was hard to keep up with the changing line-up. Odd how many of these shows were recycled Britcoms and several of them were "developed" by Norman Lear!

[@SlapthePissouttayew]

THESE are why I was out playing on the RR tracks! 100% literally!

[@juliereynolds3488]

Wow - I'm a child of the '70s and we watched a lot of television , but I don't remember a single one of these! They must have been short-lived indeed.

[@PoohbearPlus]

Boy have times changed. I clearly remember Hot L Baltimore and ABC warning viewers about it's "mature subject matter". I saw a couple of episodes and in one of them James Cromwell picked up the phone and said "Yeah, this is the damn motel". Back then saying damn on TV was heavy stuff. Today I wouldn't be surprised to hear that in one of those Nickelodeon kids comedies.

[@Attmay]

Disney and Nick hired people who worked for Norman Lear. When Kenan Thompson said “investigate more,” this was the tree they should have been barking up.

[@edog1243]

Thanks for sharing these with us. I never knew there were so many of them with some great actors who went on to other more successful shows, or were in successful shows then tried their hand at other sitcoms that flopped right off the bat and or were short lived.

[@luisreyes1963]

At least Beverly Archer had success with Mama's Family and later, Major Dad. James Cromwell became an established movie actor years later.

[@Autostade67]

In the Paradise of of Eternal Television there simply MUST be a 1 hour dual episode of 'Fay' and 'Phyllis' with Lee Grant and Clorish Leachman tearing around San Francisco and into each other and into the scenery in numerous high style 1975 outfits...I think I would sell my soul to see that.

[@m.woodsrobinson9244]

Turtlenecks, bellbottoms and maxi coats for days! 🤣

[@debi7227]

I loved “Phyllis”. Claris Leachman was always entertaining to watch.

[@davidlitz9600]

Both super-hot 70s broads 😎

[@richardpatrick2852]

The show was kind of not-so-great but I remember the pilot/debut episode when Phyllis moved to SF as truly hysterical. Went downhill after that.​@@debi7227

[@tymz-r-achangin]

I think from the intros alone we can see why they were short-lived shows

[@SpaceCadet45s]

Exactly! That Fay theme song felt like it would go on forever. Was that lady drunk or something? Jeez! They're all awful.

[@zanti4132]

Oh, sure. And I suppose the intros to the shows that became hits were invariably great. These intros provide no clues as to the quality of the shows.

[@teresapflaumer5717]

Hot L Baltimore! I have heard so much about this rare ABC show (Norman Lear's first show on ABC). I want to see this and The Nancy Walker Show badly! Nancy's show also was a Norman Lear ABC show as well.

[@trainluvr]

I remember seeing Hot L after exposure to all the Norman Lear / quirky character hype and thinking it had such a modern look and feel, representing a new level in the evolution of television. I liked it enough to watch several episodes. I was pretty heavy into TV as a 12 to 14 year old and I don't remember almost all of these shows. The late 70s was such crap compared to all the classics then in syndication. Also, I once met an older guy in the 90s (in my wild youth in New York) who was a writer cranking out these sort of sitcom turds. He was one of the most miserable, selfish and self hating people I have ever met. Just a total Harvey Weinstein, but without the gravitas or career success.

[@eshevin]

Hot L Baltimore was based on an off Broadway play that outlasted the TV show. When I went to see the play, a poster outside the theater promoted it as "Too hot for television!"

[@Attmay]

Perhaps a new adaptation without Lear can do the source material justice.

[@morepowerr]

thank you I will try to find some of these to watch in the near further.

[@wayfarer4578]

For as many top tier shows Norman Lear had, there were just as many fails.

[@manofmanyinterests]

Just what I thought. Some of these seem good, but maybe not.

[@juanelorriaga2840]

I was thinking the same thing sone great shows but he must’ve struck out a lot more with a lot of this piles of shit

[@TheAzmountaineer]

The lesson to be learned is: Keep trying!

[@tomlovin8931]

...or more.

[@jackb348]

All successful tv producers have mostly flops. It’s a numbers game.

[@BodaciousWench]

The dumplings. I think I used to switch over to hear the theme song and then went back my usual show.

[@fromthesidelines]

It was based on a comic strip.

[@scottstewart5784]

I enjoyed seeing Peter Brady and Lori Partridge trying new gigs. That James Cromwell/Conchatta ___ one looks great - she was Berta on 2.5 dudes.

[@jackb348]

Holy crap that is Berta. I had to go back and take a second look.

[@averythecoolcat]

My sister used to watch the Laurie Partridge one, Loves Me Love Me Not. That's the only reason I remember it.

[@laustcawz2089]

Conchata Ferrell also appeared briefly in the film "Edward Scissorhands" & was on TV's "L.A. Law" in the early '90s.

[@Attmay]

After Susan Dey left.

[@TheJetfighter666]

I love to watch these shows. Some were really good. TV is my personal time machine. I go back in my mind. I imagine I am young again, watching with my father( didn’t have a mom) TV was my entire world outside of school. I never played sports , so it was TV after school until bedtime. Early morning it was always on, watched before school. Stayed up to watch Carson later on. Now I go back and watch the shows that never made it. I love tv so much. American tv is the best in the world. I learned so much about life, proper educate, right and wrong and about girls. Ahh girls❤️

[@jesseMadoo]

I only remember one, "Doc". Richard Castellano (twice!), James Cromwell (with hair!) and Rob Lowe (pre-Brat Pack!) Having an animated credits sequence is the kiss of death. But for these shows, *not* having one was also the kiss of death

[@scottlarson1548]

There seemed to be people in the industry who felt that Castellano and Cromwell were going to be big TV stars eventually. I love that twenty years later Stretch Cunningham ended up in great feature films like L.A. Confidential and acclaimed series like Six Feet Under.

[@jesseMadoo]

@@scottlarson1548 Cromwell played Stretch Cunningham? Wow

[@scottlarson1548]

@@jesseMadoo Yes, he did. He did several guest appearance on sitcoms including Barney Miller. Whenever you saw a tall guy you knew it was Cromwell.

[@homelesshannah50]

@@scottlarson1548 He was the cop on Three's Company that thought Chrissy was a prostitute

[@jackb348]

@@scottlarson1548 don’t forget he was Zefram Cochran on Star Trek: First Contact.

[@johnerwin9024]

Love these type vids, shows that ever if only briefly existed-some understandably so-and then sometimes finding a 'diamond in the rough'-

[@montesol]

I finally understand the inspiration for Too Many Cooks

[@Bixfan78]

Thank you for posting all of these! So many great memories! Thank you!!

[@Portugal2025]

Hotl Baltimore was a summer replacement series and probably deserved more of a shot than it got. I am glad it at least kept James Cromwell working who in my view is one of the finest actors

[@HC-cb4yp]

My family really liked that show and we were hoping it would succeed but it didn't. I've always loved Conchata Ferrel.

[@evelynsmith8419]

James Cromwell was in the movie about a pig named Babe

[@HC-cb4yp]

@@evelynsmith8419 And played Prince Phillip in The Queen.

[@Portugal2025]

@@evelynsmith8419 That is what really boosted his career and it has projected ever since. Six Feet Under, the Queen, LA Confidential, Boardwalk Empire, The Young Pope. He is a vintage wine

[@thewkovacs316]

@@Portugal2025 but he didnt get taken seriously as an actor till later in life, which is a shame

[@amywalker3684]

I must have been listening to albums through all of these. I've never heard of a single one. Amazing how many well-known actors were in flops.

[@jackb348]

It’s called paying your dues.

[@thelorax9622]

Interesting to see that Norman Lear must have had as many failures as successes - though we only hear about the good ones. I saw quite a few people I knew, but none of these shows made it to Australia.

[@branagain]

Some of these shows had great actors. Most of these shows I’ve never heard of but I do know many of these actors.

[@Rock-Forehead]

The Norman Lear blooper real...

[@Attmay]

His whole career was one long blooper reel in hindsight.

[@robertdesantis729]

Any show he had that was a success was a remake of an English sitcom. Everything else was a flop

[@folgore1]

I remember seeing commercials for a number of these but "Joe and Sons" was the only one I watched faithfully while it was on.

[@fromthesidelines]

*NOTHING* CBS scheduled opposite ABC on Tuesdays during the 8 o'clock hour lasted for long during the second half of the 1970's.

[@jay1hi547]

Almost didn't recognize Beverly Archer I'm so used to her on Mama's Family and Major Dad.

[@Attmay]

She actually has a writing credit for an *ALF* episode.

[@debstawecki6843]

The Dumplings was so like King of Queens. Maybe it was their inspiration. This is a good collection .

[@lindasue4237]

Norman Lear had wonderful shows in the 70s and gave it his all for more. Sometimes nothing sticks

[@wylierichardson-tu6zs]

Certainly his top-rated shows 'stuck', tho.

[@booksteer7057]

I wonder how many of these big stars look back on these old shows and thank god they were quickly pulled.

[@NGMonocrom]

Wouldn't mind watching the Pilot episode of each one of these "flops." Bet they'd each be more entertaining than the vomit-inducing garbage we have on TV now. Wondering how many of them got cancelled back in the 1970s because they weren't given a chance to establish themselves. Surprising number of Hit shows out there with terrible opening seasons. Not just the first one, but the second one too.

[@MrRyan-wu4jx]

There’s a lot of trash out there these days but also plenty of very well written programs that are as good or better than anything from the 70s. Especially this sitcom schlock.

[@scottybbadd]

I'd watch em for shock value

[@moxie96]

Some of these are Americanized versions of British shows with new names or some with the same name. Despite no cable yet, television was needing airable content of any kind, even some of the British programs were copied or borrowed for some stations

[@RedSiegfried]

You know, I'm no big fan of today's garbage TV ... but there's a reason why these shows flopped.

[@fromthesidelines]

Some of them- including "LOVES ME, LOVES ME NOT"- were "six episode wonders", meaning the network gave those shows exactly six episodes to "find" their audience, or face oblivion. With rare exceptions, most of them did.

[@rosseganjr9402]

I haven't heard of any of these classic (almost ) shows! but I would say any of these shows is better than what is on tv today!

[@jackmessick2869]

I can remember that "Doc" and "As Long as We've Got Each Other" being in the Saturday night line-up at 830 pm behind "All in the Family" but they just couldn't hold the audience so they were cancelled after half a season or a year. 900 pm was Mary Tyler Moore, then Bob Newhart, followed up by Carol Burnett.

[@trevorbarnhill3399]

In the 70s and 80s, Saturday nights was the night of Must See TV. I remember growing up in the 80s, watching The Facts of Life, The Golden Girls, and Amen with my Mom. And then the next night on Sunday, that was the night I would watch Married...With Children with my Dad. But mostly, Saturday nights consists of news shows, reality shows, and SNL reruns unless it's College Football Season as people no longer want to stay home on Saturday night. Most rather hit the bars and/or clubs, go out to eat, go to the movies, or just go shopping. I remember Saturday being my favorite day of the week. Watching Saturday morning cartoons, watching pro wrestling with my brother in the early afternoon, going to town and having McDonald's for lunch, going to the Wal-Mart or K-Mart where Mom would shop while my older brother, sister, and I would spend our weekly allowance, then go grocery shopping, rent a couple of movies, and then go home to have dinner and then get in front of the TV to watch great programming. Now, I work every Saturday at my job until usually 8PM and then go home and have dinner, stream a TV show, and fall asleep. Unfortunately, Saturdya is no longer my favorite day and are not like the ones I grew up with.

[@Tomovox_PAMS_Radio_JIngles]

As young as I was back then, I do remember liking "Doc" a lot. I was confused when it suddenly was no longer on TV. Some good shows just never find their audience.

[@CampItClub]

Good lord, I can see why none of these shows made it.

[@ferociousgumby]

You're never going to know until you try You gotta take a chance and reach for the sky 'Cause we're living for this moment And what we have right now Helping one another find Some happiness somehow 'Cause each day is what you make it Let's make this one our own And it's better when you share it 'Cause it's twice as hard alone Our roads have come together And it's time for something new Letting me be be Letting you be you 'Cause each day is what you make it Our hopes are riding high And it's better when you share it But we'll never know until we try

[@ryankieth1675]

Norman Lear may be remembered for some great shows, but MY GOD he turned out a lot of failures!

[@001Flange]

Throw enough crap against the wall and some sticks.

[@eugeneodonnell4680]

I think Lear was making some big money lending his name to other peoples projects.

[@smith1958b]

Two of Lear's biggest successes were knockoffs of british sitcoms that were already in existence, All In The Family and Sanford and Son.

[@ryankieth1675]

@@smith1958b bet you didn't know this, though. All in the Family had multiple spinoffs, one of which was the wildly successful Maude. It was such a big hit that there was a British ripoff of it, but it had nothing to do with the shows that inspired All in the Family because there was no analogous character. So it was an entirely stand alone show over there.

[@smith1958b]

@@ryankieth1675 How do you mean I wouldn't know this? I lived in the 70s, I seen all these shows first run. All in the family had the Jeffersons, Archie Bunkers Place, Gloria, of course Maude. And Good Times was a spin off of Maude. Have you seen the Britcoms Till Death do us part and Steptoe and Son?

[@cdonabeach1]

As a child of the 70s, I totally remember Doc and A New Kind of Family because that boy Rob Lowe was so dreamy. I also remember Hot L Baltimore. But all of the actors in all of these are such familiar sitcom/movie mainstays, that I loved seeing their faces and names.

[@harperstacey9604]

Janet Jackson was also on a new kind of family.

[@paulcolburn3855]

Rob Lowe was SodaPop in the Outsiders as well. LOL. Dreamy! Heh

[@zephyrite1264]

Chris Pine's mother was one of the mothers in A New Kind of Family.

[@Attmay]

The producer of that show was Michael Eisner’s wife.

[@danielwillens5876]

James Cromwell was the kiss of death for sitcoms.

[@Attmay]

But not for pigs.

[@carole2403xqv1]

James Cromwell was Strech Cunningham on All in the Family.

[@welcome_to_the_collapse]

I loved Doc. I watched it first run. I miss the 70s so much. What a wretched world we live in today.

[@3506Dodge]

They're all about people living ordinary middle class lives. The celebration of glamour, wealth, and spectacle hasn't started yet.

[@Attmay]

It was already in progress, even before *Dallas* and *Dynasty* began, *Guiding Light* added the wealthy Spaulding family and the focus of the show shifted towards them.

[@militarymom6690]

The one I seem to remember is “Doc” with Barnard Hughes. Rob Lowe looked so adorable!

[@Lynn17]

Did that one have multiple theme songs? I remember the "New shows of 1975" video had the slow "let me be your friend" song.

[@mel_bee]

I have a fleeting memory of seeing Rob Lowe on a TV show in the 70s. Don't remember the show at all, just him. I thought he was about the prettiest thing I'd ever seen in my life.

[@rick43pen]

Never saw any of these although I recognize lots of "B" stars. It must be so heartbreaking as a bit actor to finally land a lead role with a good income in a new series only to see it fail quickly.

[@jackb348]

They don’t start making really good income until a show is an established hit.

[@whamsie4022]

Doesn’t get any more A-list than Rob Lowe!

[@trey81373]

Was it ever not dreary and cold in the 70’s?! 🤣

[@sandpuppy6128]

Not only lots of Norman Lear, but 4 of the first 6 shows here featured someone who starred in the movie "Murder by Death" (Cromwell, Coco, Walker, Brennan).

[@JackieApril]

James Cromwell? Rob Lowe? Yes!❤ Did anyone else see the name Sheldon Leonard? 😊

[@faustuskrauss6457]

The theme for “Joe’s World” was written by Alan Thick. You can hear him sing in the background.

[@recordman64]

Thicke also sang the Diff'rent Strokes theme song. He'd written and sang quite a few sitcom themes prior to becoming a sitcom star in his own right.

[@faustuskrauss6457]

@@recordman64I knew that as well. I watched those shows as a kid and Different Strokes was my show! His wife, Gloria Loring , was also his co-writer. GOOD STUFF!

[@memphisdevin]

I like all these intros with the characters walking around their cities and singing about their lives. I’d like to see this intro. We’ll call the show “Penny”: starts off the music and an drone shot of the Statue of Liberty. Then we see Penny ordering coffee from a vendor with the Seattle Space Needle in the background. She waves and it’s her boyfriend Allan, a cop in his car that says “Dallas Police.” She walks more and waves to her best friend Ruth who is picking oranges off a tree. Then she waves to Michael and Lisa, her mom and dad, Arizona park rangers who emerge behind a giant saguaro cactus and wave back, then you see Penny board a San Fransico cable car as the song ends. First scene is Penny, who we find is a TV meteorologist, whose first words are “Good morning, fellow Midwesterners. It’s going the be a cool morning here in beautiful Kansas City!”

[@fromthesidelines]

Starring SUSAN ANTON as "Penny".

[@timriggins70]

It's funny seeing the familiar actors known for other things.

[@cdrugly]

Hot L Baltimore is the only show I actually recognized.

[@mayorb3366]

Audra Lindley, here in Fay, 3:44 was best known for her role as Mrs. Roper on Three's Company. I had no idea she had such a lengthy, consistent acting career starting way back in 1941. She has 83 credits (IMDB) working every year from 1951all the way up her death in 1997. Amazing lady.

[@Mister_Listener]

She is awesome in Bridget Loves Bernie.

[@cydkriletich6538]

I remember a few of these shows. I’ve always loved Lee Grant, so watched “Fay” for the time it was on. I thought “Doc” with Bernard Hughes ran for awhile; he was a terrific presence. I noticed one (either the second from last or last) was written by Rob Reiner. It must be so disappointing for all involved to think they’ve got a winner and then have their show cancelled. Richard Catellano was in two of these failed shows. This was fun to watch. Thank you!

[@captmurdock]

"Fay" got cancelled so fast she had been booked on the Carson show and appeared AFTER it was cancelled.

[@cydkriletich6538]

@@captmurdock such a shame they just don’t give shows to ever get their footing.

[@sha11235]

Some shows have potential, it's just they don't find their audience.

[@WarpedRecord]

I think I watched every episode of “Fay” and “Doc” - Thursday and Monday nights respectively, as I recall.

[@recordman64]

First off, it's BARNARD Hughes, not Bernard. Secondly, I remember there was some sort of controversy regarding the show Fay that aided in its cancellation. Danny Thomas's company produced Fay.

[@Ian16545]

Norman Lear's not the only common bond here-there's also Richard Castellano and Beverly Archer.

[@marka.graffakasnakebitenat3736]

Beverly was in Mama's Family (The one in sindacaton.), Major Dad, and a guest star on Married With Children.

[@robfilmer]

Norman Lear sure was busy back then.

[@TJ52359]

he knocked it out of the Park with All in the Family in January of 71... and considering the spin off Universe (Maude, Jeffersons, Good times) it created he was a Golden Goose... even if he dropped lead a few times

[@Attmay]

Yeah, demoralizing the American public with one crap show after another takes time and energy.

[@damienthorn8601]

Some of the intros to these shows were so relaxing and peaceful to me for some reason.

[@dannyreilly1459]

The sad thing is, I remember when some of these shows when they came out, and it reminds me of how old I really am🙁

[@horrorfilmking1330]

You're only as old as you feel,

[@dannyreilly1459]

@@horrorfilmking1330 true

[@VesnaVK]

What's sad about that?

[@dannyreilly1459]

@@VesnaVK I'm not really sad, it was kind of a joke but it did remind me of just how old I really am because sometimes I forget, but I guess that's a good thing😊

[@VesnaVK]

@@dannyreilly1459 that's awesome! Being alive long enough to know things and have memories is great. 😎 People too often talk about it like it's somehow less than.

[@Gilmorebox]

thanks for the mention and the link. Decades of searching and scrounging were involved to unearth these beauties.

[@RwDt09]

I appreciate the hard work you've done, you deserve a link credit. I'm at a loss as to how you come across some of the rarer intros, i.e. Apple Pie, which apparently aired only 2 episodes back in 1978. But along with your uploads and those of The Rap Sheet, Steven Brandt, Bob Parker, among innumerable others, I've been able to create mostly thematic videos, especially my Stay Tuned and Fall TV ones, to try to accurately recapture the various viewing flavors of past eras, and I can only be grateful for that.

[@herbcraven7146]

It's really interesting to see some of the actors before (Conchata Ferrel, Audra Lindley, Roscoe Lee Browne), after (Christopher Knight), or between (Susan Dey) the roles that made them household names. And I had no idea Sheldon Leonard actually starred in a sitcom in those days, as opposed to creating them.

[@sun622]

Did you see Rob Lowe?

[@zefallafez]

He was Nick the bartender in It’s a Wonderful Life. I’m surprised he would do acting after not only being a producer but becoming a successful author.

[@2005dave]

@@sun622 right after another future sitcom star, Lauri Hendler, in A New Kind of Family. Lauri later co-starred on Gimme A Break.

[@larkefedifero]

I think you mean Sidney Sheldon?

[@mikemcmahon8982]

I wonder if Sheldon Leonard had anything to do with The Big Bang Theory.

[@twold4this]

Quirky people. Lots of laughs.... and a few tears! Love and family ultimately overcomes all arguments and misunderstandings. All of this larded with the wisdom of small children and the middle-aged, the wag of a dogs tail...etc Happy days!

[@b.deville3236]

The 1970's was a time when pop culture still had a streak of desire to rise up to sophistication and literacy. Today, shows don't even have opening themes becasue the average viewer doesn't have enough of an attention span.

[@wylierichardson-tu6zs]

Most shows do have opening themes, along with credits. The main difference in programming between then and now is the lead-in time between shows. Back in the earlier days of TV, at least one or two ads or network promos would air between shows. Nowadays, there are so many channels that networks immediately air another TV show as soon as one ends, to try and 'hook' the viewer (i.e. entice him / her to keep watching that network).

[@JoeVideoed]

You can see preludes of ideas that didn't make it then but made it later like "Cheers" & "Roseanne".

[@smichelle65]

I have been looking for a clip of the "Big Eddie" theme -- or any clip, really -- for years. I really liked that show. It won Quinn Cummings her Oscar-nominated role in "The Goodbye Girl."

[@thewkovacs316]

and then she ended up on family

[@Mister_Listener]

Do you follow Quinn on Twitter? Her content is fun.

[@rp8889]

Makes me appreciate the relative rarity of a truly successful show. Even when they are funny and have a good time slot ("Doc"), they don't always manage to stick around.

[@davidv.3135]

Doc was great!