Name that TV show!

[tutusue]

Re: Name that TV show!

What comedy series featured a female character named Zelda?

Dobie Gillis featured Sheila James as Zelda. I worked with Sheila on a commerical in the mid 60s. My dad was the director and told me she was the consummate pro.

She's now a politician.

[lurkah]

Re: Name that TV show!

What show had a Japanese housekeeper and a child actor who later became part of the punk group "Dr. Know" and "The Dead Kennedys"?

The Courtship of Eddie's Makua Kane.

[mel]

Re: Name that TV show!

By now you're all victims of my long term memory!
So...which radio-turned-tv "star" and show caused TV set sales to skyrocket? That's a 2 part question!

OK. Orson Welles was wrong on this one. I would suspect so, since the movie War of the Worlds IMO would not be good enough to drive long term sales of TV. It would have been a one time TV event/movie that would play in prime time a few years after its 1953 theaterical debut.

Given that almost no sets at the time received color nor were there that many TV stations that probably could broadcast in color, that would not drive TV sales. War of the Worlds is a beautifully done scifi color movie, which loses it when seen in black & white.

Plus Orson Welles had nothing to do with the making of the 1953 movie. A TV series based on the same movie debut in syndication in 1988.

That all said, I would venture to guess that a program that would have propelled TV sales in the 1950s would be something like The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy or quite possibly The Ed Sullivan Show especially if the debut of Elvis Presley was publicized weeks in advance.

Anyway, those are my speculative guesses.

[lurkah]

Re: Name that TV show!

OK. Orson Welles was wrong on this one. I would suspect so, since the movie War of the Worlds IMO would not be good enough to drive long term sales of TV. It would have been a one time TV event/movie that would play in prime time a few years after its 1953 theaterical debut.

Given that almost no sets at the time received color nor were there that many TV stations that probably could broadcast in color, that would not drive TV sales. War of the Worlds is a beautifully done scifi color movie, which loses it when seen in black & white.

Plus Orson Welles had nothing to do with the making of the 1953 movie. A TV series based on the same movie debut in syndication in 1988.

That all said, I would venture to guess that a program that would have propelled TV sales in the 1950s would be something like The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy or quite possibly The Ed Sullivan Show especially if the debut of Elvis Presley was publicized weeks in advance.

Anyway, those are my speculative guesses.

Wow Mel, you could've just posted your speculative guesses without stomping all over my Orson Welles guess.

[mel]

Re: Name that TV show!

Gees... my little remark on Orson Welles was not an attack on anyone. I don't know why I get that ugly red chiclet face.

[kimo55]

Re: Name that TV show!

What show had a Japanese housekeeper and a child actor who later became part of the punk group "Dr. Know" and "The Dead Kennedys"?

brandon cruz

[tutusue]

Re: Name that TV show!

[...] That all said, I would venture to guess that a program that would have propelled TV sales in the 1950s would be something like The Honeymooners, I Love Lucy or quite possibly The Ed Sullivan Show especially if the debut of Elvis Presley was publicized weeks in advance.

Anyway, those are my speculative guesses.

Good guesses...but, keep guessing! The star and show I'm thinking of precede those above.

[mel]

Re: Name that TV show!

Good guesses...but, keep guessing! The star and show I'm thinking of precede those above.

Yep, kind of felt I had it wrong. I give up, but I offer this link of old radio shows. One of them on the list at the bottom is probably the program you're lookin' for.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old-time_radio

[kimo55]

Re: Name that TV show!

By now you're all victims of my long term memory!
So...which radio-turned-tv "star" and show caused TV set sales to skyrocket? That's a 2 part question!

part one:
Uncle

part two:
Milty

[tutusue]

Re: Name that TV show!

part one:
Uncle

part two:
Milty

I guess that makes part 3 Name that Show...ya ol' fut!

[tutusue]

Re: Name that TV show!

This is a multi part question that probably wouldn't even make Trivial Pursuit!

Name one of the original cast members of Peyton Place who was married to a former Gidget?

Name the former Gidget...both stage name and real name!

[mel]

Re: Name that TV show!

I guess that makes part 3 Name that Show...ya ol' fut!

OK since its been more than 6 hours since this was posted and no one answered the question after more hints were thrown, I looked up old Uncle Milton Berle and found out that he had a TV program called Texaco Star Theater in the early 50s. I have never seen it, but I do remember he getting the nickname "Mr. Television." I guess before that he must have been "Mr. Radio".

More details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Berle

NBC took the chance and named Berle the permanent host of Texaco Star Theater---and launched an American icon. The show and its host owned Tuesday nights for the next several years, hitting the number one slot in the Nielsen ratings and keeping it with as much as an 80 percent share of the recorded viewing audience. Berle individually and the show itself each won Emmy Awards after the first season. Theaters, restaurants, and other businesses either closed completely or simply shut down for the hour so their customers wouldn't miss Berle's antics. He was credited with a huge spike in television set sales (many believe Berle helped sell more television sets in the U.S. than anyone else in the medium's early years), and between that and his stature as the medium's first superstar Berle earned the nickname "Mr. Television."

[tutusue]

Re: Name that TV show!

OK since its been more than 6 hours since this was posted and no one answered the question after more hints were thrown, I looked up old Uncle Milton Berle and found out that he had a TV program called Texaco Star Theater in the early 50s. I have never seen it, but I do remember he getting the nickname "Mr. Television." I guess before that he must have been "Mr. Radio".

More details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Berle

And Part 3 Winner is...Uncle Mel!

I loved the reference you cited to businesses shutting down for the hour the show was on the air. I'm old enough to remember watching the show but I don't remember the stir it created.

[kimo55]

Re: Name that TV show!

Name the former Gidget...both stage name and real name!

Sandra Dee
played
Francine Lawrence.
everyone called her Gidget.
Girl midget.

[tutusue]

Re: Name that TV show!

Sandra Dee
played
Francine Lawrence.
everyone called her Gidget.
Girl midget.

GONG! Sorry, wrong Gidget! I don't recall Bobby Darrin appearing in Peyton Place. But, he did sing Mac the Knife to me in an elevator once! <swoom!>

Still looking for stage name and real name...not the character's name!
A reminder hint: she was married to one of the the original cast members of Peyton Place. Name that guy!
And, another clue: she was also a cast member of the "New Loretta Young Show".

Your answer, Kimo, brings up another coupla questions:
In addition to the Gidget you named and the one I'm thinking of, there's a 3rd movie Gidget. Name that one!

And...there was a tv series Gidget. Name her!

Now, here's an enticement none of you will be able to pass up!!! To the first person who answers all 5 questions above correctly in one reply (not a bunch of separate replies!) I will gift the song "Gidget Goes Hawaiian" from iTunes...if I can figure out how to do that! That offer, alone, is probably enough for all of you to put me on 'ignore'!