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In November 1939, NBC's fledgling television station W2XBS
broadcast the first known holiday special, The Macy's Thanksgiving
Day Parade. Despite its small viewership (very few TV sets existed
at the time), the experimental telecast was a harbinger of a
now-beloved American tradition: the holiday television special.
This book offers a thorough account of holiday television specials
in the United States from 1939 to 2021, highlighting variety shows,
comedic performances, musical spectaculars and more. From familiar
favorites (1964's Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) to campy one-offs
(1985's He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special), the 1140 programs
are covered alphabetically and feature performance casts,
production credits and storylines for each. Three appendices cover
"lost" holiday specials, along with Christmas and Halloween-themed
episodes of popular television series.
The early years of television relied in part on already successful
narratives of another medium, as studios adapted radio programs
like Boston Blackie and Defense Attorney to the small screen. Many
shows were adapted more than once, like the radio program Blondie,
which inspired six television adaptations and 28 theatrical films.
These are but a very few of the 1164 programs covered in this
volume. Each program entry contains a detailed story line, years of
broadcast, performer and character casts and principal production
credits where possible. Two appendices ("Almost a Transition" and
"Television to Radio") and a performer's index conclude the book.
This first-of-its-kind encyclopedia covers many little-known
programs that have rarely been discussed in print (e.g., Real
George, based on Me and Janie; Volume One, based on Quiet, Please;
and Galaxy, based on X Minus One). Covered programs include The
Great Gildersleeve, Howdy Doody, My Friend Irma, My Little Margie,
Space Patrol and Vic and Sade.
In 1936, as television networks CBS, DuMont, and NBC experimented
with new ways to provide entertainment, NBC deviated from the
traditional method of single experimental programs to broadcast the
first multi-part program, Love Nest, over a three-episode arc. This
would come to be known as a miniseries. Although the term was not
coined until 1954, several other such miniseries were broadcast,
including Jack and the Beanstalk and Women in Wartime. In the
mid-1960s the concept was developed into a genre that still exists.
While the major broadcast networks pioneered the idea, it quickly
became popular with cable and streaming services. This encyclopedic
source contains a detailed history of 878 TV miniseries broadcast
from 1936 to 2020, complete with casts, networks, credits, episode
count and detailed plot information.
A fun and accessible guide to foreign television series that were
later broadcast in or adapted for the US, including popular
favorites such as The Office and Doctor Who. In Broadcast in the
US: Foreign TV Series Brought to America, Vincent Terrace delivers
a wonderful resource of over 400 foreign television shows broadcast
in the United States, along with their American adaptations. From
British comedies like Fawlty Towers and Keeping Up Appearances to
the Australian fantasy series The Girl from Tomorrow and the
Japanese cartoons Astro Boy and Kimba, the White Lion, this book
explores an often-overlooked side of American television and
popular culture. Each entry includes details regarding the cast,
genre, episodes, US and foreign networks, broadcast dates,
storylines, and trivia. Containing information not easily found
anywhere else, such as unsold script proposals, internet TV series,
and unaired pilots, this first and only guide to foreign television
series broadcast in the US is a valuable reference for all fans of
television history.
For the major broadcast networks, the heyday of made-for-TV movies
was 20th Century programming like The ABC Movie of the Week and NBC
Sunday Night at the Movies. But with changing economic times and
the race for ratings, the networks gradually dropped made-for-TV
movies while basic cable embraced the format, especially the
Hallmark Channel (with its numerous Christmas-themed movies) and
the Syfy Channel (with its array of shark attack movies and other
things that go bump in the night). From the waning days of the
broadcast networks to the influx of basic cable TV movies, this
encyclopedia covers 1,370 films produced during the period
2000-2020. For each film entry, the reader is presented with an
informative storyline, cast and character lists, technical credits
(producer, director, writer), air dates, and networks. It covers
the networks (ABC, CBS, Fox, Ion, and NBC) and such basic cable
channels as ABC Family, Disney, Fox Family, Freeform, Hallmark,
INSP, Lifetime, Nickelodeon, Syfy, TBS and TNT. There is also an
appendix of "Announced but Never Produced" TV movies and a
performer's index.
The first and only of its kind, this book is a straightforward
listing of trivia facts from hundreds of TV series aired between
1947 and 2019. Organized by topic, trivia facts include everything
from home addresses of characters, to names of pets and jobs that
characters worked. Featured programs include popular shows like The
Big Bang Theory and Friends and more obscure programs like A Date
with Judy or My Friend Irma. Included is an alphabetical program
index that lists trivia facts grouped by series.
Covering the years 1945-2017, this alphabetical listing provides
details about 3,000 unaired television series pilots, including
those that never went into production, and those that became series
but with a different cast, such as The Green Hornet, The Middle and
Superman. Rarities include proposed shows starring Bela Lugosi,
Doris Day, Humphrey Bogart, Barbara Stanwyck, Orson Welles,
Claudette Colbert and Mae West, along with such casting curiosities
as Mona Freeman, not Gale Storm, as Margie in My Little Margie, and
John Larkin as Perry Mason long before Raymond Burr played the
role.
Television screens in the 1980s reflected some of the most
memorable programs of all time. In that decade, such critically
acclaimed shows as Cheers, The Golden Girls, Hill Street Blues,
Newhart, and St. Elsewhere debuted. In that same decade, iconic
shows like The A-Team, Baywatch, Cagney & Lacey, Knight Rider,
MacGyver, Miami Vice, and Roseanne appealed to millions of viewers.
Even after these shows departed the airwaves, they live on in
syndication and on DVDs, entertaining many generations of viewers.
In Television Series of the 1980s: Essential Facts and Quirky
Details, Vincent Terrace presents readers with a cornucopia of
information about more than seventy programs from the decade. For
example, did you know that Sam Malone had an ex-wife named Deborah?
Or that MacGyver's alias was Dexter Fillmore? Or Dan Fielding's
license plate on Night Court read "Hot to Trot"? These are just a
handful of hundreds of fun and intriguing specifics found inside
this volume. Programs from all four major networks (ABC, CBS, FOX,
and NBC)-as well as select syndicated programs-are represented
here. This is not a book of opinions or essays about specific
television programs but a treasure trove of facts associated with
each show. From the name of Roseanne's diner to the title of
Jessica Fletcher's first novel, readers will discover a wealth of
fascinating information that, for the most part, cannot be found
elsewhere. In some cases, the factual data detailed herein is the
only such documentation that currently exists on bygone shows of
the era. Television Series of the 1980s is the ideal reference for
fans of this decade and anyone looking to stump even the most
knowledgeable trivia expert.
Often regarded as the first golden era of television, the 1950s was
a decade when many classic programs-from I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke
to The Honeymooners and Perry Mason, among others-made their
debuts. Even after these shows departed the airwaves, they lived on
in syndication, entertaining several generations of viewers.
Devoted and casual fans alike can probably remember basic facts
about these shows-like the names of Lucy and Ricky's neighbors or
the town where Marshall Matt Dillon kept the law. But more elusive
facts, like the location of the most successful defense attorney in
Los Angeles (Suite 904 of the Brent Building), might be harder to
recall. In Television Series of the 1950s: Essential Facts and
Quirky Details, Vincent Terrace presents readers with a cornucopia
of information about 100 programs from the decade. Did you know,
for example, that the middle initial of Dobie Gillis' friend
Maynard G. Krebs, stood for Walter? Or that Ralph Kramden's
electric bill came to only 39 cents a month? Or that on I Love
Lucy, Ricky originally performed at Manhattan's Tropicana Club?
These are but a few of the hundreds of fun and intriguing trivia
facts contained within this volume. Shows from all four networks
(ABC, CBS, NBC, and DuMont)-as well as select syndicated
programs-are represented here. This is not a book of opinions or
essays about specific television programs, but a treasure trove of
the facts associated with each of these programs. Readers will
discover a wealth of fascinating information that, for the most
part, cannot be found anywhere else. In some cases, the factual
data detailed herein is the only such documentation that exists
currently on bygone shows of the era. Television Series of the
1950s is the ideal reference for fans of this decade and anyone
looking to stump even the most knowledgeable trivia expert.
Since the beginning of network television, many shows have been
preceded by an announcement or theme song that served various
purposes. In the 1950s and '60s, it was common for announcers to
declare that a program had been "brought to you by" a sponsor who
paid for the privilege of introducing a show. Other programs, such
as The Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and The Odd Couple, provided a
brief encapsulation of the show's subject matter, a practice that
has continued for recent shows like Alias, Battlestar Galactica,
Person of Interest, and the various editions of Law & Order. In
Television Introductions: Narrated TV Program Openings since 1949,
Vincent Terrace has assembled openings for more than nine hundred
television shows from the past seven decades. The only documented
history of narrated television program introductions, this volume
is arranged by type of programming, such as comedy, drama, Western,
game show, soap opera, and children's show. In addition to quoting
the opening material, entries provide information about each show's
network history and years of broadcast. Many entries include
descriptions of the show, the names of announcers, and a list of
main cast members, as well as a sponsor pitch exactly as spoken.
Openings for programs with multiple introductions like The
Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and Charlie's Angels are also
included. For programs that featured new guest stars every
episode-such as game shows and variety programs-Terrace has
selected a representative introduction. In addition to the theme
song credits found in the main text, there are also appendixes of
theme songs and their composers and/or singers, as well as a
listing of commercial releases (on DVD, VHS, CD, and LP) of shows
and their soundtracks. A comprehensive resource for researchers and
pop culture aficionados alike, Television Introductions provides a
fascinating look at this neglected part of TV history.
In 1954 NBC President Pat Weaver introduced
"spectaculars"??????lavish entertainment shows designed to bring a
new dimension to television. Though special programs had been
around since 1939, Weaver's effort heralded a new age, with
programs ranging from variety shows with big name hosts (Judy
Garland, Cher, Perry Como, Bob Hope, for instance) through animated
holiday specials and outstanding dramas to acclaimed children's
programming. This is "the" guide to 3,197 entertainment specials,
1939 to 1993, that were broadcast on network, cable or syndicated
television. For each show the cast, including guest stars and
announcer, is provided. Also included are comprehensive production
credits (director, producer, writer and music), dates aired,
networks and running times, and program synopses.
Did you know that detective Adrian Mont (Monk) is afraid of milk?
That Pinky's real first name on The Roaring '20s is Delaware? That
on Charlie's Angels, Sabrina was the only Angel who was never seen
in a bikini or swimsuit? These are only a few of the more than
9,800 facts readers will find in this work, which presents detailed
information on 134 syndicated and cable series broadcast from 1948
to 2003, plus six experimental programs broadcast from 1937 to 1946
and 204 unsold pilots broadcast from 1948 to 1996, that featured
the work of television's law enforcers who risk their lives to
solve crimes and bring criminals to justice. The entries are
arranged alphabetically and provide such details as character
names, addresses, names of pets, telephone numbers, and license
plate numbers - in short, anything and everything that adds
interest to a program and its characters. Many of the entries
contain information about related projects, including TV movies and
pilots that were broadcast as part of a series (for example, Sharon
Stone's appearance as detective Dani Starr on the ""Hollywood
Starr"" episode of T.J. Hooker).
Superheroes and characters who fight crime by extraordinary means
have populated the television airwaves from the beginning. This
broad-ranging reference contains a trove of information on shows
featuring such characters, from Superman in its various
incarnations to programs like The A-Team, but excluding regular
police and detective shows. Alphabetical entries on 125 network and
syndicated series broadcast from 1949 to 2001, plus 26 pilot films,
deliver information about story premises, characters, and myriad
elements that add flavor and interest to the shows, as well as cast
listings and broadcast data. A handy index of performers is
included as well as an appendix listing the crime fighting machines
that appear in the programs.
By 1960, watching television had become the pastime of millions of
viewers around the world. Week after week, audiences tuned in to
watch their favorite programs and catch up with their favorite
characters. During the 1960s, some of the most beloved shows of all
time originally aired, including The Andy Griffith Show, The
Fugitive, Get Smart, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., and The Wild, Wild
West. Even after these shows departed the airwaves, they lived on
in syndication, entertaining several generations of viewers.
Devoted and casual fans alike can probably remember basic facts
about these shows-like the name of Rob Petrie's boss on The Dick
Van Dyke Show or the original captain of the USS Enterprise-but
more obscure facts, like Barney Fife's middle name, might be harder
to recall. In Television Series of the 1960s: Essential Facts and
Quirky Details, Vincent Terrace presents readers with a cornucopia
of information about more than seventy-five programs from the
decade. For example, did you know that on The Addams Family,
Lurch's mother wanted him to become a jockey? Or that on The
Avengers, John Steed had a pet dog named Freckles? Or that Patty
and Cathy Lane of The Patty Duke Show had a distant cousin named
Betsy Lane? These are but a few of the hundreds of fun and
intriguing specifics contained within this volume. Shows from all
three major networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC)-as well as select
syndicated programs-are represented here. This is not a book of
opinions or essays about specific television programs but a
treasure trove of the facts associated with each of these programs.
From Mister Ed's social security number to the zip code for
Hooterville on Green Acres, readers will discover a wealth of
fascinating information that, for the most part, cannot be found
anywhere else. In some cases, the factual data detailed herein is
the only such documentation that exists. Television Series of the
1960s is the ideal reference for fans of this decade and anyone
looking to stump even the most knowledgeable trivia expert.
Created around the world and available only on the web, internet
""television"" series are independently produced, mostly low budget
shows that often feature talented but unknown performers. Typically
financed through crowd-funding, they are filmed with borrowed
equipment and volunteer casts and crews, and viewers find them
through word of mouth or by chance. The fourth in a series focusing
on the largely undocumented world of internet TV, this book covers
573 children's series created for viewers 3 to 14. The genre
includes a broad range of cartoons, CGI, live-action comedies and
puppetry. Alphabetical entries provide websites, dates, casts,
credits, episode lists and storylines.
Created around the world and available only on the web, internet
""television"" series are independently produced, mostly low budget
shows that often feature talented but unknown performers. Typically
financed through crowd-funding, they are filmed with borrowed
equipment and volunteer casts and crews, and viewers find them
through word of mouth or by chance. The fourth in a series covering
Internet TV, this book takes a comprehensive look at 1,121 comedy
series produced exclusively for online audiences. Alphabetical
entries provide websites, dates, casts, credits, episode lists and
storylines.
This is the first ever book on Internet television and is a
detailed history of 393 programmes from 1998 to 2013. Each entry
contains a detailed storyline, descriptive episodes for each
series, cast and crew lists, the official website and a comment
regarding each programme. An index of actors and production credits
concludes the book. From Barry the Demon Hunter to Time Traveling
Lesbian to Hamilton Carver, Zombie P.I., it's a previously
unexplored world that is just now coming into focus.
How did Philip Gault become ""The Whisperer""? What radio series
was the proving ground for a motion picture? Who owned the Solomon
Levy Department Store? The answers to these and many other
questions can be found in this encyclopedic reference work to 1802
radio programs broadcast from the years 1924 through 1984. Entries
include casts, character relationships, plots and storylines,
announcers, musicians, producers, hosts, starting and ending dates
of the programs, networks, running times, production information
and, when appropriate, information on the radio show's adaptation
to television. Hundreds of program openings and closings are
included.
In the 1990s the big three networks were being challenged by
upstarts FOX and the WB for viewer loyalty. Alongside must-see
stalwarts like Frasier, Friends, and Seinfeld, the new networks
introduced pop culture touchstones like Buffy the Vampire Slayer
and The X-Files. Such shows not only made household names of their
stars, but also thrived in syndication and some even graduated to
the big screen. In that decade, shows such as ER, Everybody Loves
Raymond, and Northern Exposure were vying for awards while programs
like Beverly Hills, 90210 and Home Improvement drew in millions of
viewers each week. Even after these shows departed the airwaves,
they live on in syndication and on DVDs, entertaining many
generations of viewers. In Television Series of the 1990s:
Essential Facts and Quirky Details, Vincent Terrace presents
readers with a cornucopia of information about sixty programs from
the decade. For example, did you know that Ally McBeal's favorite
brand of ice cream is Ben and Jerry's? Or that Hank Hill's shoe
size is 12? Or that Carrie Bradshaw's favorite cookie is
Double-Stuff Oreos? These are just a handful of hundreds of fun and
intriguing specifics found inside this volume. Programs from all of
the major networks-as well as select syndicated programs and
HBO-are represented here. This is not a book of opinions or essays
about specific television programs but a treasure trove of facts
associated with each show. From Niles Crane's I.Q score to George
Constanza's high score on Frogger, readers will discover a wealth
of fascinating information that, for the most part, cannot be found
elsewhere. In some cases, the factual data detailed herein is the
only such documentation that currently exists on bygone shows of
the era. Television Series of the 1990s is the ideal reference for
fans of this decade and anyone looking to stump even the most
knowledgeable trivia expert.
In the first decade of the new millennium, the four major networks
struggled to hold their own as cable channels and unscripted shows
began to dominate the television landscape. Network powerhouses
like 24, Desperate Housewives, and Two and a Half Men competed for
viewers siphoned off by cult shows like The Closer, Gilmore Girls,
and Veronica Mars. In that decade, shows such as 30 Rock and Modern
Family were vying for awards while programs like Bones, CSI, and
Dexter were pushing the envelope for graphic violence. All of these
shows live on in syndication, streaming services, and DVDs,
generating a constant wave of new viewers. In Television Series of
the 2000s: Essential Facts and Quirky Details, Vincent Terrace
presents readers with a cornucopia of information about fifty
programs from the decade. For example, did you know that Adrian
Monk's father was a textbook writer? That psychic Shawn Spencer
carries a travel-size packet of Johnson's Baby Shampoo in his
wallet? Or that Gregory House's street address is the same as the
fictional world's greatest detective, Sherlock Holmes? These are
just a handful of hundreds of fun and intriguing specifics found
inside this volume. Programs from all of the major networks-as well
as select syndicated programs and premium cable channels-are
represented here. This is not a book of opinions or essays about
specific television programs but a treasure trove of facts
associated with each show. From the time of day that Sheldon Cooper
calls his "alone time" to the janitor's name on Scrubs, readers
will discover a wealth of fascinating information that, for the
most part, cannot be found elsewhere. In some cases, the factual
data detailed herein is the only such documentation that currently
exists on shows of the era. Television Series of the 2000s is the
ideal reference for fans of this decade and anyone looking to stump
even the most knowledgeable trivia expert.
Television of the 1970s reflected the shifting attitudes of the
nation, as more shows attempted to represent social changes across
the country. Edgier programs like All in the Family and M*A*S*H
pushed the boundaries of popular programming to become standards of
quality viewing. At the same time, the small screen began to
acknowledge that viewers were open to more diverse programming,
resulting in hit shows like Sanford and Son and Good Times. Some of
the most beloved shows of all time originally aired during the
1970s, including Columbo, Happy Days, Little House on the Prairie,
and The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Even after these shows departed the
airwaves, they live on in syndication and on DVDs, entertaining
many generations of viewers. In Television Series of the 1970s:
Essential Facts and Quirky Details, Vincent Terrace presents
readers with a cornucopia of information about more than seventy
programs from the decade. For example, did you know that Jim
Ignatowski on Taxi attended Harvard? Or that John-Boy Walton was a
reporter for the Jefferson County Times? Or that Lieutenant
Columbo's favorite sandwich was peanut butter and raisins? These
are just a handful of hundreds of fun and intriguing specifics
found inside this volume. Programs from all three major networks
(ABC, CBS, and NBC)-as well as select syndicated programs-are
represented here. This is not a book of opinions or essays about
specific television programs but a treasure trove of facts
associated with each show. From Oscar Madison's middle name on The
Odd Couple to Jim Rockford's license plate number, readers will
discover a wealth of fascinating information that, for the most
part, cannot be found elsewhere. In some cases, the factual data
detailed herein is the only such documentation that currently
exists on bygone shows of the era. Television Series of the 1970s
is the ideal reference for fans of this decade and anyone looking
to stump even the most knowledgeable trivia expert.
This is a complete revision of the author's 1993 McFarland book
Television Specials that not only updates entries contained within
that edition, but adds numerous programs not previously covered,
including beauty pageants, parades, awards programs, Broadway and
opera adaptations, musicals produced especially for television,
holiday specials (e.g., Christmas and New Year's Eve), the early
1936-1947 experimental specials, honours specials. In short, this
is a reference work to 5,336 programmes - the most complete source
for television specials ever published.
Over the course of 80 years television has produced countless
programs, many of which fit a particular profile. Did you know, for
example, some programs are devoted to ghosts, genies, angels and
even mermaids? Color broadcasting was first tested in 1941? Live
models were used to advertise lingerie as early as 1950? Or that
nudity (although accidental) occurred on TV long before cable was
even thought possible? These are just a few of the many facts and
firsts that can be found within the 145 entries included.
Appropriate for fans and scholars, and bursting with obscure facts,
this work traces the evolution of specific topics from 1925 through
the 2005-2006 season. Entries include such diverse themes as
adolescence, adult film actresses on TV, bars, espionage, gays,
immigrants, lawyers, transsexuals and truckers, as well as
locations like Canada, Hawaii, New York and Los Angeles. Each entry
is arranged as a timeline, clearly displaying how television's
treatment of the subject has changed through the years. Each entry
is as complete as possible and contains series, pilot, special and
experimental program information. Whether just a fan of television
and eager to know more about the medium or a scholar seeking
hard-to-find facts and information, this book traces the history of
specific topics from television's infancy to its changes in the
early twenty-first century.
In November of 1937, NBC presented the first known pilot film, then
called an "experimental." Over the years that followed, thousands
of aired pilot films have appeared on TV either as stand-alone
broadcasts or as part of a series. This reference work, the most
complete guide to aired television pilot films ever published (or
made available in any way), contains 2,470 alphabetically arranged
programs, each with story information, performer and character cast
listings, producers, air dates (where applicable), genre, and
network or cable association. This edition also includes an
appendix listing aired series spin-offs, like Agent Carter (2015),
Fuller House (2016) and Magnum P.I. (2018). (Information on unaired
pilot films can be found in the companion volume, Encyclopedia of
Unaired Television Pilots, 1945-2018.)
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