Barney Miller Thursdays Episode 1 (SERIES PREMIERE) The Two Pilots

[@SteveBerryhill]

Seeing them both back to back...Fantastic! The similarities and the differences. Big 70's kid fun.

[@andyharman3022]

It was amazing to see Charles Haid in the 1st pilot. That must have been about seven years before he landed the role of Renko in Hill Street Blues.

[@FigaroHey]

Ah, I was just thinking, 'Isn't that the redneck cop from Hill Street Blues?'

[@BeeSmith]

An object lesson is how a bit of judicious cutting from the first draft, a shift of emphasis from home to work, a bit of reenvisioning the c😊😊ast anc your get a brilliant final draft of a script.

[@patriciagerresheim2500]

My favorite bit is when Chano slips into a British accent. I discovered Jack Soo through a little-known sitcom called 'Valentine's Day'. He played a valet named Rocky, and he made such an impression that i recognized him here, in 'Flower Drum Song', Thoroughly Modern Millie', and other roles. Interesting Fact: Jack Soo (real name: Goro Suzuki), like George Takei, spent time in a Japanese-American intern camp during World War II. A few years ago, George Takei published a manga-style book about his experiences, entitled 'They Called Us Enemy'.

[@howie9751]

I watched "Valentine's Day" when it was on.

[@rossleonardsayer2006]

Charles Haid I remember him he came to Whakatane with Betty Thomas as we had in New Zealand a telethon which we do not have anymore

[@jtshark9283]

OMG..I have been looking everywhere for the first pilot. Thank you

[@karenwood2033]

WOW The second pilot is so much better. That first character lineup was soooooo flat no chemistry whatsoever in either the home or the squad room. So glad they changed it.

[@jnadle1]

And it felt too much like it could've been like Mary Tyler Moore show, considering both shot at the same facility. Glad they went with a more bass-heavy funk theme instead.

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

​@@jnadle1yeah but they should have kept Abby Dalton as the wife

[@Phillyfan45]

@@RedGarnett-n2pagreed. Barbara Barrie just whined and nagged Barney through season 1.

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

@@Phillyfan45 and Abby Dalton was still 🔥🔥

[@RedGarnett-n2p]

@@Phillyfan45 was she still with Joey bishop I wonder

[@richardwatson298]

"He's Jewish, it's practically the same thing." 😂

[@katiekofemug]

love how the handcuff comes and goes in 1st pilot - the sitcommy music and focus didn't fit any better than the cuffs. TFS! the contrast between the two makes me love Barney even more!!!

[@robinnewton1482]

I agree. When I heard the music I was thinking "WTF?" The cast we know didn't need that. They got their point across with great acting.

[@STho205]

Pilots often use a canned cut and paste music and titles, plus often pull in a pool of pilot actors (Like Harry Gould was a sitcom pilot dad about 20 times). When the network authorizes a 2nd pilot the producers know they have a deal and spend more money to get it closer to right. Barney Miller, Dick van Dyke Show, Gilligan's Island, Star Trek, That Girl, Happy Days. Usually the 2nd pilot is a broadcast episode and closer to familiar.

[@davehinz4598]

Second pilot was so much better than the first. Amazing development in just one episode.

[@tesstickles1280]

During its broadcast run, amid the many cop shows on television at the time, many real-life police officers considered this the show that best depicted the realities of police life.

[@maryvalentine9090]

Really! I did not know that! Thanks for sharing that tidbit!

[@74Spirit1]

Hill Street Blues connection!

[@dannythomas417]

Chano even played an ADA too.

[@callmeanythingbutlatefordinner]

"He's not Puerto Rican!" ... "He's Jewish, practically the same thing." LMFAO 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@benjaminwigley4132]

i damnd near coughed up my wine!!!!

[@peterketterer4687]

Haven’t seen this in a long time thanks for posting I’m 61 years old this is my stuff . No wojo no yemanna No chano only fish

[@kewanw16]

The first pilot was filmed at CBS and the second one was filmed at ABC .

[@superpan218]

The second pilot was actually videotaped rather than filmed.

[@larrygrebler5054]

Thanks for the info.

[@KasperKali]

How cool! Loves seeing how it all started 😊 Thanks!

[@KebabMusicLtd]

The series was a totally different animal to what it later became. In 1975 all sitcoms were based around the family unit. I first picked up on Barney Miller towards the end of the 70s around the time when Dietrich first appeared. In the UK it was shown on a Sunday 10.30pm and so I always associated it with having a very laid-back feel to it.

[@STho205]

I teally appreciate seeing the executive pilot. Thanks.

[@PincoPallino-zh8wm]

I think this show was originally supposed to be Barney Miller's Family life PLUS Police work. Instead it quickly turned into Barney Miller Captain of a police squad MINUS Family life; probably because there would have been too many stories, too many characters and an extra location to cover. I think they could have just renamed it to '12th Precinct' early on instead of keeping the name Barney Miller, because the show was no longer about him and his private life after the first 2-3 episodes.

[@HailAnts]

First time I’ve ever seen the first one. The second pilot was sold into syndication. The biggest difference between the two, the first one was shot on film! The second (and subsequent ones) was shot on videotape.

[@williampetersen9915]

The original pilot has the cleanest version of the squad room you'll ever see.

[@FigaroHey]

Barbara Barrie was a better actress and had much better chemistry with Barney than the bland blonde from the other pilot. She seems like a smarter person, with more snappy delivery.

[@12345682900]

Wow! I'm a Barney Miller fan but have NEVER seen that first pilot. THANK YOU!

[@jimmymac9843]

Interesting alternate world version, but the one they eventually used was much better. Good choice.

[@wickedmirage]

That was awesome. Thanks for the upload.

[@sarabarruffe5373]

If a woman married to a police captain does not know and is upset that his line of work involves being around guns then she needs to have her head examined.

[@FigaroHey]

The first pilot explains why Liz was so fed up with him being a police officer: it was supposed to be only a temporary choice until he went into a safer line of work. Bait-and-switch, in a way: she didn't marry a man she expected to be a career police officer. And given their daughter's age, New York must have been a much less violent, dangerous place when they were dating than it was in the 1970s when it was nearly bankrupt and NOBODY wanted to go to New York City: it was synonymous with crime, corruption, violence - a swamp. (I was alive then; the whole country thought going to New York City was like volunteering to get mugged and killed and raped any time you stepped outdoors.)

[@jonathanswift2251]

First pilot looks like it was shot on 35mm film (with incidental music), the second (which I watched when it first aired) was definitely on video tape, as was the entire series.

[@merlinsclaw]

Good to see Charles Haid (Det. Kazinski) who went on to star on Hill Street Blues as Andy Renko.

[@merlinsclaw]

WOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW! Thank you for posting this. ❤

[@zekelucente9702]

Agree it’s very cool to see the changes they made. Barney Miller was one of the best shows in the 70’s with an all star cast of guest actors.

[@Riogi]

Both versions are nice, with strengths and weaknesses. I am glad they made cast changes.

[@howie9751]

Me too, but the first cast looked more like cops.

[@zekelucente9702]

Glad they got away from the married story line and focused on the 12th and the crazy characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this show back in the 70’s. Damn I’m almost as old as Fish now. Thank goodness 65 looks and feels different in 2013 vs 1975.

[@brenthenderson3983]

1974..

[@roderickstockdale1678]

And you typed that in 2023.

[@brendanperry6429]

Ramone? What happened to Santos? Ha!

[@kevinnelson66]

Fun to watch how it all started.

[@Thomas-jl3gn]

The cast changes were perfect. The first show seems like it would have been terrible. Pilots can be a bit odd due to undeveloped chemistry between characters. So maybe it would have gotten better. But, the 2 shows are like night & day.

[@STho205]

Same script and same sets but I agree. Cast changes and some directing choices made a big difference. Linden was pushed more into the straight man role in pilot 2...and the quirks of the other detectives were enhanced. Eventually the family subplot would be removed entirely in S2 and after Hash, Barney almost never got a punch line as the detectives were the comic characters and the suspects were the guest whacky comedians.

[@UndertaleFan424]

The guy sitting at Nick Yemana's desk, Val Bisoglio playing Grimaldi. He would have been in the final cast instead of being replaced by Jack Soo, but he had later appeared in a porno film according to Hal Linden. Although Val did appear in a few later episodes.

[@howie9751]

Wasn't he on "Quincy, ME"?

[@UndertaleFan424]

@@howie9751 Yes he was Danny Tovo on Quincy, M.E.

[@johnny-becker]

The "Liz Miller" character of the first episode gave me a "Mary Richards" vibe of Mary Tyler Moore Show, on air roughly the same era

[@springstud]

this show is like watching master class in acting at a univercity

[@markkonzerowsky8871]

Pilot #1 looks like something from the Mary Tyler Moore camp. Easy to see why it wouldn't have lasted. It's actually more dated than the show we know.

[@STho205]

Well MTM, Grant Tinker was the 1st customer....it was filmed at CBS Studio Center. 2nd pilot was for ABC and had more of an Odd Couple vibe.

[@cabronicusmaximuschingonic1062]

Both were splendid, but I can see why they went with the second one. The first one, despite being well written and funny, was a bit campy. And the theme song, come on... that bass starts playing, and you immediately get hooked!

[@chrissmith7669]

I loved that show as a teen when I was just starting to understand all the jokes they didn’t have to say. Back when TV loved to slip in moral and ethics discussions.

[@gardenlover9663]

I was watching an interview, and Hal mentioned there were two pilots. So different! And only Abe made it two the second pilot.

[@thinkfloyd2594]

Um, and Hal.

[@jaredjlinden]

I think the actress who played Barney and Liz’s daughter in the pilot appeared a few times in the regular series, too.

[@davidbender9531]

Ramon is the same too, right?

[@scottjo63]

And Chu Chu Malave!!

[@neilstrickland4937]

I’d never seen the first pilot before so I was able to look at the two with a fresh perspective. The first pilot was good but I didn’t feel that there were many truly funny lines, the extremely heavy emphasis on Barney’s home life didn’t feel appropriate and the cast (excluding Hal Linden and Abe Vigoda) didn’t seem to gel;; the second pilot, despite reusing some of the same material as the original, seems to work better with a different cast and I laughed much more. I’m glad that the network went with the second pilot (which lead to a great series).

[@courtneydines9086]

Detrick was a fake preacher now cop 😂😂😂😂

[@wayneg.8232]

A big fan of this show. I doubt it would have been as successful with the cast from the first pilot. The cast from the second pilot was so much better.

[@stephentaege6255]

Apart from Barney and abe i feel every one else is terrible glad they put hal Jack ron abe in series 👍👍🤠⭐🦅🍀

[@justingameshowchannel7668]

i do agree one of them val bisolgilo sorry if i spelled his last name wrong was much better on quincy m.e than barney miller

[@robbwhite13]

thank you for this. made my day

[@JodiSmith-c6r]

Charles Haid went on to do... Hill Street Blues...

[@KeithCindyPanama]

Isn’t the red head cop from Hill Street Blue??

[@TheSleepingonit]

Silly kid lamb chops are great

[@Eddie42023]

I saw the first few minutes of this and left. I came back now, after watching several other episodes. Chicken farming seems to be a running gag on the show.

[@charlestonchewy]

Isn’t Sgt Grimaldi John Travolta’s father in “Saturday Night Fever?”

[@maryvalentine9090]

Yes, Val Bisoglio did play that role.

[@amywilson3593]

gerry wilson always glad to learn something new didn't know there'd been two barney miller pilots loved abby dalton on joey bishop/hollywood squares but barbara barrie the only barney miller star still around besides max gail and hal linden was better as liz

[@ElChingonFPV]

That boss-ass theme song in the second version was an improvement as well.

[@maryvalentine9090]

Yes! Back in the mid 70s, I lived in an area where we only got a couple of TV stations- mountains of Southern Oregon, quite remote. Barney Miller and M*A*S*H were on the menu! I was making dinner one night and my husband and I had the show on and it just started, and I said, “I’m not gonna lie, that theme music is outstanding! And here- I am a rock ‘n’ roll person saying this!“ And my husband totally agreed! It was really a stand out tune!

[@First._.Last.]

Out of all this entire script, what stands out as unbelievable is that a police captain written as level-headed and rational would describe to his child that the purpose and use of an officer's gun as "playing".

[@mark.8949]

This was 50 years ago, a lifetime ago and a much simpler time.

[@DrMike430]

I like the addition scenes in the original I agree Wojo is better by Max.

[@Thomas-jl3gn]

For me the real flaw in this lies within the negotiating a deal with Ramon. He was honest in that situation, as what, a definition of character. Yet, is incredibly misleading regarding the use of guns to a child. If, you will deceive a child to preserve innocence. Why wouldn't you be deceptive to save lives? That makes no sense.

[@STho205]

It's a sitcom, not instructions for life and a documentary. I winced a bit too even at 12 when this first aired...but silly things are said and done in sitcoms. Like why those poor people couldn't get off the island despite all their visitors.

[@tyrese3745]

The theme song composed by Jack Elliot & Allyn Ferguson for the unaired first pilot sounds a helluva lot different than the "jazz fusion" theme we've all come to know about, especially the one used for Season 3.

[@zekelucente9702]

The bass beat intro is synonymous with B. Miller. Back then pilots had a better chance of finding their legs.

[@roderickstockdale1678]

Season 2. Season 3 had the one they used for the rest of the show.

[@tyrese3745]

@@roderickstockdale1678 The 1976-77 season, I meant.

[@roderickstockdale1678]

@@tyrese3745 yea that was season 3 and that was the one they used for most of the rest of the show.

[@mesocorny4366]

If u thought the 70s had a split personality the contrasts in these 2 pilots (music & recording format) r probably a good demonstration

[@fredflintstoner596]

Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view !" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam ." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window ? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment ?"

[@maryvalentine9090]

😂😂😂🤣👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 I really could not stand the way the writers wrote the character of Elizabeth Miller. She was annoying, emotionally manipulative and constantly making Barney’s life way more stressful than it needed to be. I absolutely could not stand that character, although I really enjoyed Barbara Berrie’s performance because she’s a very fine actress. I don’t know why they wrote her such a whining, complaining, miserable person! She would’ve been much more interesting and engaging as a loving and supportive spouse.

[@fredflintstoner596]

@@maryvalentine9090 FORGET ABOUT THE HORSE YOU KNOW NOTHING !

[@The.Man.WithAPlan]

So glad they made the changes to the cast.

[@callmeanythingbutlatefordinner]

So glad they kept Abe Vigoda. (Fish)

[@howie9751]

I am too, but the first cast looked more like cops.

[@brenthenderson3983]

How about that... A Canadian football!..

[@lvlinda6]

Have to agree with everyone, the first pilot really was horrible; although seeing a younger Abe Vigoda & Hal Linden was a real treat. The 2nd pilot was much more engaging. You can see the writers really added much more thought with background story of Barney’s morning & how he got Mankowintz’s business card. Thank you for sharing both pilots. ✌🏻💖🌺

[@zekelucente9702]

A woman as neurotic as Barney’s wife would have either accepted his job or left him. Unfortunately too many cop marriages end in divorce.

[@umarbentley4953]

Wasn't Barney and his wife eventually got divorced later on in the series run?The later episodes seasons 5-8 there were very limited to no scenes or even mention of her.

[@dereksmith4177]

Is that the guy who was in hill street blues ?

[@andyharman3022]

Yes, Charles Haid.

[@dracoQuest]

Wow I didn't know. There are 2 pilots with just some dialog change that both basically the same. And have some minor changes in cast which made the difference.

[@STho205]

The second pilot added the morning life with his wife, instead of the photo montage of his family life. The rework was to enhance the apartment homelife...like Dick van Dyke show. As the show progressed they dropped the family life completely...so more of just the squadroom like pilot 1, but with sitcom trained comedian actors instead of character actors.

[@ericnelson9100]

Abby Dalton was too refined and polished for such a gritty show.

[@wheelinthesky300]

Charles Haid slimmed down a bit for Hill Street Blues.

[@maryvalentine9090]

Abby Dalton was the actress who played the “first” Mrs. Barney Miller. Interesting to see someone else playing her. Barbara Barrie was the final choice for Elizabeth Miller, and I think a VERY good one, but I have to be honest, I wasn’t crazy about the character she played… She knew she was marrying a police officer when she married him, so her incessant complaining about his job and her emotional blackmail of him and constantly pressuring him to change careers when he clearly loved his work, just really got on my nerves. It started right from the pilot episode too where they had her pressuring him to slack off a day’s work and go do something with her because she was having a little tantrum and wanted him to do what SHE wanted! She was practically making it an ultimatum, like if he didn’t do this that meant he didn’t love her! I’m sure many will disagree with me, but NGL, her character pissed me off repeatedly. Barbara did a great job of playing her and, naturally, she had to play the character like they told her to, but it was just so cliché. I have a very dear, close friend who was a career police officer in my town, and a VERY good one. It was hard on his wife at times, but she stood by him and supported him, and never threatened to leave him if he didn’t do what she wanted like the character, Elizabeth Miller, did. My friend is retired now and they have a wonderful life together enjoying their retirement years. He really did some very brave things and also was responsible for developing the K9 department at the city police in our town. he bought the department’s very first dog imported from Czechoslovakia (before it became the Czech Republic in ‘92) out of his OWN pocket! One of the coolest things he ever did was use his awesome German Shepherd Dog, Toro, to track down and find a two-year-old girl who had been kidnapped out of her own bedroom through her window! They got on the creep’s track really quickly and he found her stuffed under someone’s front porch step! She was physically unharmed and had not been sexually molested, all because my police officer friend was on the spot with his excellent dog! The last thing a police officer needs is whining complaining wife. It’s very important that the spouses of police officers are treated with respect and consideration and compassion, but for them to sabotage and blackmail their spouse psychologically and emotionally is just evil. I’m sorry if I offend anyone by saying this, that’s how I see it, and I won’t back down.

[@cmcull987]

Gosh, Miller's wife looks and seems like Mary Tyler Moore.

[@wheelinthesky300]

I wish they filmed the series rather than videotaped it. Looks more like the Mary Tyler Moore Show here. Though the videotaped episodes have a certain grittiness and immediacy.

[@Overlord24]

Well they had to show the melting pot of new york and no token black guy gimmick. But at the end just one AA at the end of the series with all white males.

[@wheelinthesky300]

The original cast was pretty wonderful. They were not the reason a second pilot was ordered.

[@cindydott452]

Barney should know better (The Thumbnail) You *DO NOT* put your finger within the trigger guard unless you are about to fire!

[@rickysig]

You are so right. This is what got Alec Baldwin in trouble.

[@davep1103]

THANK GOODNESS THE CHANGED THE ORIGINAL. THAT….. WAS BORING !

[@mordechai-]

I liked the first one better, though the second had its points.

[@courtneydines9086]

Who the ?

[@courtneydines9086]

Thats not his wife

[@sheenaghmcmahon9665]

Wife #1 was way more believable as Jewish than #2 who was cast permanently. I wonder why they cast a W.A.S.P. as a Jewish housewife?

[@roderickstockdale1678]

Wife #2 is actually Jewish, Barbara Barrie(Barbara Berman from Chicago).

[@courtneydines9086]

Wrong wrong

[@pacz8114]

Pilot #1 was not very engaging. The opening music was awful; having Barney married to "Mary Tyler Moore" was ridiculous and every '70s show with Val Vicoglio in it was guaranteed to suck. With the 2nd shot, the script got a solid upgrade and the squadroom staging is much improved. Chano really made the pilot and all the other new characters (Nic, Stan, Ron) were improvements. Glad the homelife was removed from the show,

[@maryvalentine9090]

Yeah I would say that this actress wife was very “Mary Tyler Moore-ish” with that toothy MTM “perma smile”. The actresses name was Abby Dalton. Barbara Berrie was a good casting for Elizabeth Miller… but it annoyed me that the writers wrote the character into an incessantly complaining wife who basically emotionally blackmailed her husband because she didn’t like him being a cop. She- the character, not the actress, REALLY got on my nerves.

[@pacz8114]

@@maryvalentine9090 Agreed. Liz' continuous complaining made no sense at that time in their relationship as she'd been married to a career cop for approximately 20 years by that point.

[@scottbubb2946]

@@maryvalentine9090 Reminded me of Welcome Back Kotter. The scenes at the school were great. But I didn't care for the "at home" stuff. I'm glad the took that out of Barney Miller. Who needs more than one set anyway. 🤣 Also, it's just not the same without that famous theme song with the iconic bass line by Chuck Berghofer. That's one of the reasons I became a bass player.

[@WilliamNorrie-c1n]

keep watching those cuffs on santos

[@jillv4006]

Ahhh, the disappearing/reappearing cuffs. Thanks for pointing that out

[@rogerw.biverjr.7952]

I didn’t know there was two episodes the same

[@PuncherOfAbs]

Wow I remember this credits