THEME:
“Breakin’ Loose,” written and performed by Jerry Reed
This was a countrified version of the early 1960s hit Route 66. J.D. and Will were two carefree cowpokes traveling around the country in search of adventure. J.D. was the fast-talking instigator, who usually made the decisions, while Will was his sidekick, more inhibited and more romantic than his buddy. They were slick operators in a card game, but when their gambling luck failed them they could still pick up a few bucks by taking on various odd jobs. Never staying long in one place, they roamed the concrete trails of modern-day America, sometimes finding trouble, always looking for adventure. Their home on wheels was a beat-up old camper.
Country music star Jerry Reed starred in the series and also served as its narrator. There was usually at least one opportunity in each episode for him to grab his guitar and do a little pickin’.
CONDO (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: February 10, 1983
LAST TELECAST: June 16, 1983
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Feb 1983-Mar 1983, ABC Thu 8:00–8:30
Mar 1983-Apr 1983, ABC Thu 8:30–9:00
May 1983-Jun 1983, ABC Thu 8:00–8:30
CAST:
| James Kirkridge | McLean Stevenson |
| Kiki Kirkridge | Brooke Alderson |
| Scott Kirkridge | Mark Schubb |
| Billy Kirkridge | Marc Price |
| Jesse Rodriguez | Luis Avalos |
| Maria Rodriguez | Yvonne Wilder |
| Linda Rodriguez | Julie Carmen |
| Jose Montoya | James Victor |
The declining fortunes of an opinionated WASP brought him next door to an upwardly mobile Latino family in this 1983 comedy. Insurance salesman James Kirkridge found it necessary to move his All-American family from their rambling house to a smaller condominium, where his next-door neighbor turned out to be Jesse Rodriguez, whose success in the landscaping business had recently allowed him to move up from the barrio. As if the clash of cultures wasn’t enough for traditionalist Kirkridge, his son Scott and Jesse’s daughter Linda soon announced that they were getting married and expecting a baby. Race and religion jokes flew thick and fast between James and Jesse, but not fast enough to save this series.
CONFESSION (Interview/Discussion)
FIRST TELECAST: June 19, 1958
LAST TELECAST: January 13, 1959
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 1958-Sep 1958, ABC Thu 10:00–10:30
Sep 1958-Jan 1959, ABC Tue 10:00–10:30
HOST:
Jack Wyatt
This series sought to probe the underlying causes of criminal acts. Filmed in Dallas, Texas, and moderated by Jack Wyatt, each show opened with an interview between Mr. Wyatt and a convicted criminal. Following the interview, Mr. Wyatt led a discussion group that attempted to analyze the reasons for the crime. The discussion group consisted of a lawyer, a clergyman, a penologist or sociologist, and a psychiatrist or psychologist.
CONFESSIONS OF CRIME (Information)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Lifetime Network
30 minutes
Produced: 1991 (13 episodes)
Premiered: July 23, 1991
HOSTESS:
Theresa Saldana
Reality series that used police interrogation tapes and reenactments to reconstruct a different violent crime each week and explore the reasons behind it. The emphasis was on attacks on everyday people, especially women, such as a wife held hostage by her husband, parents who were murdered by their son, or the actions of a violent cult. The host was petite and somewhat frightened looking movie actress Theresa Saldana, who had herself been attacked by a deranged fan and subsequently founded the advocacy group Victims for Victims.
CONFIDENTIAL REPORT, syndicated title for Dragnet
CONFLICT (Dramatic Anthology)
FIRST TELECAST: September 18, 1956
LAST TELECAST: September 3, 1957
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1956-Sep 1957, ABC Tue 7:30–8:30
These hour-long dramas, produced in Hollywood by Warner Bros., featured varying casts and were seen on alternate weeks with Cheyenne. The general theme was people in conflict, in settings ranging across time from Elizabethan England to the present. One of the better productions was “The Magic Brew,” starring Jim Backus as a medicine-show pitchman attempting to peddle his wares in a small town. At least two episodes served as prototypes for future series; in one, Will Hutchins appeared as an inept cowboy (his role a year later in Sugarfoot), and in the other Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., portrayed private detective Stuart Bailey (as he did in 1958’s 77 Sunset Strip). Among the others seen on Conflict were Tab Hunter, Virginia Mayo, and Jack Lord.
CONGRESSIONAL REPORT (Discussion)
FIRST TELECAST: June 15, 1969
LAST TELECAST: August 31, 1969
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 1969-Aug 1969, NBC Sun 6:00–6:30
MODERATOR:
Bill Monroe
Each week four members of Congress participated in a round-table discussion of an issue of current interest to the congressmen and their constituencies. Two members of the panel supported the issue and the other two opposed it. NBC newsman Bill Monroe was the moderator of this series, which had premiered as a Sunday afternoon show on April 13, 1969.
CONRAD BLOOM (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: September 21, 1998
LAST TELECAST: December 28, 1998
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1998-Nov 1998, NBC Mon 8:30–9:00
Dec 1998, NBC Mon 9:30–10:00
CAST:
| Conrad Bloom | Mark Feuerstein |
| Molly Davenport | Lauren Graham |
| Nina Bloom | Ever Carradine |
| Florie Bloom | Linda Lavin |
| Faye Reynolds | Paula Newsome |
| Shelley Rudetsky | Jessica Stone |
| George Dorsey | Steve Landesberg |
An amiable copywriter at a New York advertising agency was dominated by women in this rather bland workplace comedy. Conrad dated a lot, but never seemed to get very far, perhaps because he let every woman in sight tell him what to do. There was wholesome ex-girlfriend Molly; dippy, cause-obsessed sister Nina; guilt-inducing mom Florie (“Don’t change your plans just for me”); domineering boss Faye (she stood with her hands on her hips a lot), and new coworker Shelley. They all wanted him to take care of their problems, and he willingly obliged. George was the burned-out adman still living in the ’70s, whom Conrad for some reason admired.
CONSPIRACY ZONE, THE (Discussion)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
TNN
30 minutes
Original episodes: 2002–
Premiered: January 6, 2002
HOST:
Kevin Nealon
“If we’ve made just one person a little paranoid, we’ve done our job” was the tagline for this mock talk show. Comic Kevin Nealon appeared with three or four guest “experts” on a bare stage discussing such subjects as “Do psychics have paranormal powers?” “Did aliens land in Roswell?” “Was Marilyn Monroe murdered by the Kennedys?” “Was Sirhan Sirhan a mind-controlled CIA assassin?” and “Are we all unwitting puppets in Satan’s master plan to corrupt the world?” Guests included conspiracy specialists, authors (Harlan Ellison), intellectuals and a variety of celebrities (Coolio, Eric Idle, Lisa Ann Walter, Jimmy Kimmel).
CONTENDER, THE (Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: April 3, 1980
LAST TELECAST: May 1, 1980
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Apr 1980-May 1980, CBS Thu 10:00–11:00
CAST:
| Johnny Captor | Marc Singer |
| Jill Sindon | Katherine Cannon |
| George Beifus | Moses Gunn |
| Brian Captor | Alan Stock |
| Alma Captor | Louise Latham |
| Missy Dinwittie | Tina Andrews |
| Harry | Don Gordon |
| Andy | William Watson |
| Lucinda (Lou) Waverly | Susan Walden |
Johnny Captor was from a middle-class Oregon family. While he was in college, his father, a lumberjack, was paralyzed in a freak mill accident and committed suicide rather than face a life of total dependency on others. Johnny, trying to decide what to do with his life, and with the added burden of supporting his mother and his kid brother, Brian, decided to leave college and concentrate on a boxing career. This did not sit well with his girlfriend, Jill Sindon, a teacher at the college, who failed to understand why an intelligent person would want to earn a living in such a dangerous way. Former fighter George Beifus was Johnny’s trainer and manager and Missy Dinwittie, the teenage sister of “Killer” Dinwittie, another fighter. Missy seemed more interested in Johnny’s career than in her brother’s. Lou Waverly was a sportswriter working on an article about Johnny.
CONTINENTAL, THE (Romantic Monologue)
FIRST TELECAST: January 22, 1952
LAST TELECAST: January 6, 1953
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jan 1952-Apr 1952, CBS Tue/Thu 11:15–11:30
Oct 1952-Jan 1953, ABC Tue/Fri 11:00–11:15
HOST:
Renzo Cesana
For bored housewives looking to add a little excitement to their lives, CBS offered this live program, which followed the 11:00 P.M. local news twice a week. Suave, debonair, sultry-voiced Renzo Cesana, Italian by birth but American by choice, was the only performer. Each night, in a glamorous setting, he would provide a romantic monologue directed to the women in the audience. He was promoted as an Italian count and member of one of the leading families of Rome, and had been doing a similar program on a local station in Los Angeles for several months before CBS brought him to New York to perform on the network.
After a short tenure on that network he showed up on ABC in the fall for another brief run, this time meeting with couples out on their first date.
CONTINENTAL SHOWCASE (Variety)
FIRST TELECAST: June 11, 1966
LAST TELECAST: September 10, 1966
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 1966-Sep 1966, CBS Sat 7:30–8:30
REGULARS:
Jim Backus
The Kessler Twins
Heidi Bruhl
Bibi Johns
Esther & Abi Ofarim
The Peanuts
The Continental Showcase Dancers
The Hazy Osterwald Sextet
The Harry Segers Orchestra
Continental Showcase was the 1966 summer replacement for The Jackie Gleason Show. Host Jim Backus traveled throughout Europe with the production company filming many popular local acts, including singers, dancers, acrobats, and other European (and occasionally Oriental) performers. Although they were not officially regulars, the artists shown above appeared on more than half of the shows.
CONVERSATION WITH DINAH, A (Talk)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
The Nashville Network
30 minutes
Produced: 1989–1991 (30 episodes)
Premiered: August 28, 1989
HOST:
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore talked with celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, politics, and sports in this intimate interview series, her last.
CONVERSATIONS WITH ERIC SEVAREID (Discussion)
FIRST TELECAST: July 13, 1975
LAST TELECAST: August 31, 1975
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jul 1975-Aug 1975, CBS Sun 6:00–7:00
HOST:
Eric Sevareid
CBS News correspondent Eric Sevareid had an informal chat each Sunday with a person who had a background in, and understanding of, world affairs. Their talks usually dealt with developing economic and political situations. Among the guests were former West German President Willy Brandt and novelist Leo Rosten.
CONVOY (War Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: September 17, 1965
LAST TELECAST: December 10, 1965
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1965-Dec 1965, NBC Fri 8:30–9:00
CAST:
| Comdr. Dan Talbot | John Gavin |
| Merchant Capt. Ben Foster | John Larch |
| Chief Officer Steve Kirkland | Linden Chiles |
| Lt. Dick O’Connell | James Callahan |
The problems of transporting troops and supplies across the high seas during World War II provided the thrust for this series. Commander Dan Talbot of the U.S. Navy Destroyer Escort DD 181 was responsible for insuring the safety of a convoy of merchant ships, while civilian Captain Ben Foster ran the merchant freighter Flagship, the nerve center for the entire convoy. These two men, one military and one civilian, contended with the problems caused by war—air and U-boat attacks—as well as fogs, high seas, and other perils of the ocean. Foster’s chief aide was Chief Officer Steve Kirkland; his counterpart on the destroyer escort was Lt. Dick O’Connell.
COOK’S CHAMPAGNE PARTY, see Andy and Della Russell
COOL MILLION (Detective Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: October 25, 1972
LAST TELECAST: July 11, 1973
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1972-Jul 1973, NBC Wed 8:30–10:00
CAST:
| Jefferson Keyes | James Farentino |
| Elena | Adele Mara |
| Tony Baylor | Ed Bernard |
Jefferson Keyes was a former CIA agent who had become an extremely successful private investigator. He was so successful, in fact, that he demanded a $1 million fee for his services. With that kind of money he could afford to have his own executive jet, which he piloted himself to whatever destination, business or pleasure, he had in mind. His popularity as a raconteur as well as a sleuth created strong demands on his time whenever he was not occupied professionally. Cool Million was one of the three elements in the 1972–1973 version of NBC Wednesday Mystery Movie along with Banacek and Madigan.
COP AND THE KID, THE (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: December 4, 1975
LAST TELECAST: March 4, 1976
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Dec 1975, NBC Thu 8:30–9:00
Jan 1976-Mar 1976, NBC Thu 8:00–8:30
CAST:
| Officer Frank Murphy | Charles Durning |
| Lucas Adams | Tierre Turner |
| Mrs. Brigid Murphy | Patsy Kelly |
| Mary Goodhew | Sharon Spelman |
| Shortstuff | Curtiz Willis |
| Mouse | Eric Laneuville |
| Sgt. Zimmerman | William Pierson |
This was another of the ethnic comedies so popular in the 1970s. Through a strange circumstance, portly, middle-aged Irish cop Frank Murphy found himself assigned custody of Lucas, a young, black, streetwise orphan. Murphy had suffered an asthma attack while chasing Lucas, following a shoplifting incident. Knowing that the asthma could be cause for Murphy’s dismissal from the force, Lucas blackmailed Murphy into asking for leniency for him at his trial. Murphy did this so well that the court made him Lucas’s guardian. The efforts of Murphy and his mother to reform young Lucas provided the comedy.
COP ROCK (Police Musical/Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: September 26, 1990
LAST TELECAST: December 25, 1990
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1990-Dec 1990, ABC Wed 10:00–11:00
CAST:
THEME:
“Under the Gun,” written and performed by Randy Newman
Critics who complain that TV never tries anything really different must have missed this bizarre series from otherwise sane producer Steven Bochco (Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law). The premise was not just singing cops, as in the BBC’s absurdist farce The Singing Detective. This was a tough, brutal crime show with singing murderers, singing crack house denizens, singing corrupt politicians, and singing juries—just before they hanged someone.
The stories were similar to those on Hill Street Blues, set in the seediest parts of Los Angeles, where cops fought an often losing war against drugs, racism, and murder. Capt. Hollander was the no-nonsense, honest commander reporting to Chief Kendrick, an old-timer with a cowboy fixation and a developing affair with ambitious and corrupt Mayor Plank (“the Iron Lady”). Campo and Quinn were young patrol-car partners who were romantically attracted to each other, causing problems because Quinn was married to the much older Ruskin, a portly, balding forensics expert. Tough guy LaRusso caused the most problems, killing a murder suspect in cold blood in the opening episode; his subsequent trial, replete with cover-ups and sex with his cold-blooded defense attorney Trish, tore apart department loyalties. They all sang about their problems.
Unfortunately, it was less engrossing than disconcerting when an angry crowd of blacks taunted white cops making a ghetto bust by going into a rap song, “In these streets, we got the power.” Or when an agitated yuppie, watching his BMW being impounded after he was arrested for buying cocaine in a seedy parking lot, wailed the soulful lyrics “I want my Beemer back!” Critics and viewers applauded the effort, but reluctantly concluded that the “shotgun marriage of musical fantasy and inner-city mayhem” (as one writer put it) just didn’t work.
COP TALK: BEHIND THE SHIELD (Interview/Discussion)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
60 minutes
Produced: 1989 (26 episodes)
Released: January 1989
MODERATOR:
Sonny Grosso
Former policeman and current TV producer Sonny Grosso hosted this weekly series in which he talked with law enforcement officers from around the country about the real nature of their work, their actual experience and problems, and how police work affected their personal lives.
COPS (Police Documentary)
FIRST TELECAST: March 11, 1989
LAST TELECAST:
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Mar 1989-Jun 1989, FOX Sat 9:00–9:30
Jun 1989-Jul 1990, FOX Sat 8:00–8:30
Aug 1990-Dec 1990, FOX Sat 9:00–9:30
Dec 1990-Jul 1991, FOX Sat 9:00–10:00
Jul 1991–, FOX Sat 8:00–9:00
THEME:
“Bad Boys,” by Ian Lewis, performed by Inner Circle
“Bad boys, bad boys … whatcha gonna do when they come for you?” chanted the hypnotic theme song of this unusual and gripping cinéma vérité series about patrol cops and the dark underside of America. Newsweek called it “unlike anything in prime time,” and USA Today added that this was “real cops chasing real criminals down really mean streets.” It certainly was real. Production crews accompanied actual cops on their rounds, often at night, typically shooting one hundred 20-minute videotapes to get 22 minutes of broadcast material. Nothing was spared: dead bodies being pulled out of the water, drug dealers being slammed against the hood of a patrol car, scantily clad hookers being busted on their rounds, violence of all kinds. Adding to the realism, there was no narrator; the voices were those of the cops themselves on the scene.
The initial episodes of Cops were shot in 1988 in Broward County, Florida (Ft. Lauderdale), and aired on the Fox-owned television stations in early 1989. In March 1989 the series went on the full Fox network, and subsequent episodes were shot in many other locations including Portland, Oregon, and San Diego in 1989, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Anchorage, and Jersey City in 1990, and Tucson, Houston, and Kansas City in 1991. By the start of the 1998–1999 season Cops had chronicled the activities of police officers in more than 100 U.S. cities. There were also episodes following street cops in London, Hong Kong, Central and South America, Moscow, and Leningrad, where things weren’t much prettier than in the United States. The chief criticism of Cops in fact, was that it was exploitative and intensely voyeuristic. Indeed, the camera often lingered on the sleaziest aspects of a scene (at least one suspect mooned the camera) or on intense emotional trauma. Who could forget the close-up of a small boy screaming in terror as cops broke down the door and dragged off his drug-dealing father? On the other hand, Cops made it vividly clear that there was nothing glamorous about the pain and suffering brought on by crime.
The concept for Cops was originally proposed to and rejected by the major networks. Executive Producer John Langley later commented, “They had no faith in our concept and told us it was a legal nightmare.” But Fox took a chance and scored a notable success. Probably the most frequently asked question about the show was why the suspects allowed themselves to be put on TV in such an unflattering light. “It perplexes me,” said Langley. “Maybe it’s fame or immortality, or to have a videotape to claim innocence, but most people want to be on.” (About 50 percent signed the required release; others who were shown appeared with their faces electronically obscured.)
When Cops expanded to an hour in December 1990, each show consisted of two half-hour episodes from different cities, usually an original episode followed by a rerun.
CORLISS ARCHER, see Meet Corliss Archer
CORNER BAR, THE (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: June 21, 1972
LAST TELECAST: September 7, 1973
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 1972-Aug 1972, ABC Wed 8:30–9:00
Aug 1973-Sep 1973, ABC Fri 9:30–10:00
CAST:
| Harry Grant (1972) | Gabriel Dell |
| Fred Costello | J. J. Barry |
| Phil Bracken | Bill Fiore |
| Joe (1972) | Joe Keyes |
| Peter Panama (1972) | Vincent Schiavelli |
| Meyer Shapiro | Shimen Ruskin |
| Mary Ann (1972) | Langhorn Scruggs |
| Mae (1973) | Anne Meara |
| Frank Flynn (1973) | Eugene Roche |
| Donald Hooten (1973) | Ron Carey |
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Alan King
PRODUCER:
Howard Morris
This comedy about contemporary life focused on the patrons who frequented Grant’s Toomb, a neighborhood tavern in New York City. During the summer of 1972 Gabriel Dell (one of the original Bowery Boys) portrayed bartender-owner Harry Grant, but in 1973 the place was taken over by Mae and Frank (Anne Meara and Eugene Roche). The regular patrons in one or both seasons were Fred, a griping, hard-hat cab-driver; Phil, a scheming Wall Street lawyer; Peter Panama, a gay set designer; and Donald, a flamboyant actor. The hired help included Joe, the “liberated” black cook; Meyer, the long-suffering waiter; and Mary Ann, the sexy and slightly daft waitress.
CORONET BLUE (Mystery)
FIRST TELECAST: May 29, 1967
LAST TELECAST: September 4, 1967
BROADCAST HISTORY:
May 1967-Sep 1967, CBS Mon 10:00–11:00
CAST:
| Michael Alden | Frank Converse |
| Anthony | Brian Bedford |
| Max Spier | Joe Silver |
Michael Alden was not his real name. It was the name he used because he had suffered almost total amnesia after having been dumped off a freighter in New York harbor by someone trying to kill him. The only clue he could remember was that he had been mumbling the words “Coronet Blue” when the police fished him out of the water. In his attempt to ascertain his identity, Alden was befriended by a monk named Anthony and a coffee-shop owner named Max Spier. Danger and intrigue were the keynotes of this summer series as the unknown villains who had dumped Alden into the river pursued him to finish the job. Coronet Blue never made it to a full season’s run and no conclusion was ever filmed, so Alden—and the viewers—never did find out the meaning of those mysterious words.
CORRUPTORS, THE, see Target! The Corruptors
COS (Comedy/Variety)
FIRST TELECAST: September 19, 1976
LAST TELECAST: November 7, 1976
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1976-Nov 1976, ABC Sun 7:00–8:00
REGULARS:
Bill Cosby
Jeffrey Altman
Tim Thomerson
Marion Ramsey
Buzzy Linhart
Willie Bobo
Mauricio Jarrin
Cos was one of the few attempts to design a prime-time television series specifically for two- to twelve-year-olds. It was essentially a variety program, with guest celebrities, sports stars, puppets, and comedy and music that would appeal to the younger set. Bill Cosby opened each show with a monologue, which he never got to finish, because he was invariably interrupted in some fashion. Then he went through a “magic door” to various adventures. A “Cos” Repertory Company of youngsters was on hand to assist in the skits.
COSBY (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: September 16, 1996
LAST TELECAST: April 28, 2000
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1996-Aug 1998, CBS Mon 8:00–8:30
Aug 1998-Sep 1998, CBS Mon 8:00–9:00
Sep 1998-Jul 1999, CBS Mon 8:00–8:30
Jul 1999-Dec 1999, CBS Wed 8:00–8:30
Jan 2000-Apr 2000, CBS Fri 8:30–9:00
CAST:
| Hilton Lucas | Bill Cosby |
| Ruth Lucas | Phylicia Rashad |
| Pauline Fox | Madeline Kahn |
| Erica Lucas | T’ Keyah Crystal Keymah |
| Griffin Vesey | Doug E. Doug |
| Angelo (1997–1998) | Angelo Massagli |
| Jurnee (age 11) (1998–1999) | Jurnee Smollett |
| Darien Hall (1998–2000) | Darien Sills-Evans |
Four years after the long-running Cosby Show left the air, Bill Cosby returned to sitcom TV (with Phylicia Rashad again playing his wife) as a considerably less affluent New Yorker. Hilton Lucas was a cranky but lovable curmudgeon who, at age 60, was adjusting to a major life change: being unemployed. After thirty years of working for an airline, he had just been pink-slipped as part of a corporate downsizing. In addition to the frustrations attendant with having too much free time, Hilton was put out by all the little things he found wrong with the world—everything from misleading advertising, to having to take a number and stand in line at his doctor’s office, to the way people parked in front of his home. Ruthie, his loving wife, worked part-time with her eccentric best friend, Pauline, at a flower shop in their Queens, New York, neighborhood. Hilton’s daughter, Erica, a young attorney with a Manhattan law firm, was unsure about her career, which annoyed him no end. Griffin, Erica’s jittery high school classmate and current platonic roommate, was intent on wooing her, but she wasn’t interested.
At the start of Cosby’s second season, the living arrangements at the Lucas household got considerably more crowded. Erica left the law firm to become a chef. She moved back into her old room, and Griffin, licking his wounds after a failed business deal, moved into their attic. That way he could rent the house next door to Hilton’s, which he had just purchased, to a preschool. Angelo was one of the children at the preschool. The struggling flower shop started serving Erica’s cookies and coffee and and became so popular it was converted into a coffee shop and rechristened The Flower Café.
In the fall of 1998, Hilton took on the responsibility of watching young Jurnee after school until her dad, Del (Sinbad), got home from work. Griffin and Erica were about to move into his house when it burned to the ground, leaving the living arrangements as they had been for the previous year. Griffin, still trying to find himself, decided he wanted to become a teacher. He took courses so he could get a teaching license and did a little substitute teaching. In the spring of 1999 Erica and her new boyfriend, Darien, an airline flight attendant, got engaged. Their marriage took place in the second episode of the 1999–2000 season; Erica was working as a substitute teacher, which eventually led to a full-time position. In October Ruth took over the neighborhood bookstore and annexed it to The Flower Café. The last episode aired in 1999 was a special tribute to Madeline Kahn, who had passed away early in December.
Based on the British series One Foot in the Grave.
COSBY MYSTERIES, THE (Detective Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: September 21, 1994
LAST TELECAST: April 12, 1995
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1994-Apr 1995, NBC Wed 8:00–9:00
CAST:
| Guy Hanks | Bill Cosby |
| Det. Adam Sully | James Naughton |
| Barbara Lorenz (1994) | Lynn Whitfield |
| Dante (1994) | Dante Beze |
| Angie Corea | Rita Moreno |
| Robert Chapman | Robert Stanton |
Guy Hanks was a criminologist and forensics expert for the New York City Police Department who had struck it rich by winning the state lottery. Although he had taken early retirement and no longer needed to work, he missed the challenges and continued to consult on difficult cases, which, of course, he alone was able to solve with his shambling, Columbo-esque approach. Others populating this rather routine detective show included Detective Sully, his longtime colleague; Barbara, his good friend and widow of his former partner; Dante, an eager young street kid who was his unofficial assistant; and Angie, his fussy housekeeper.
COSBY SHOW, THE (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: September 20, 1984
LAST TELECAST: September 17, 1992
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1984-Jun 1992, NBC Thu 8:00–8:30
Jul 1992-Sep 1992, NBC Thu 8:30–9:00
CAST:
| Dr. Heathcliff (Cliff) Huxtable | Bill Cosby |
| Clair Huxtable | Phylicia Rashad |
| Sondra Huxtable Tibideaux (age 20) | Sabrina Le Beauf |
| Denise Huxtable Kendall (16) (1984–1991) | Lisa Bonet |
| Theodore Huxtable (14) | Malcolm-Jamal Warner |
| Vanessa Huxtable (8) | Tempestt Bledsoe |
| Rudy Huxtable (5) | Keshia Knight Pulliam |
| * Anna Huxtable | Clarice Taylor |
| *Russell Huxtable | Earle Hyman |
| *Peter Chiara (1985–1989) | Peter Costa |
| Elvin Tibideaux (1986–1992) | Geoffrey Owens |
| *Kenny (“Bud”) (1986–1992) | Deon Richmond |
| *Cockroach (1986–1987) | Carl Anthony Payne II |
| *Denny (1987–1991) | Troy Winbush |
| Lt. Martin Kendall (1989–1992) | Joseph C. Phillips |
| Olivia Kendall (1989–1992) | Raven-Symone |
| Pam Tucker (17) (1990–1992) | Erika Alexander |
| *Dabnis Brickey (1991–1992) | William Thomas, Jr. |
This gentle yet hip family comedy was the number-one program on television during the mid 1980s, and a striking reminder that TV series don’t have to be built on gimmicks to succeed. Most of the action took place at the Huxtable residence, a New York City brownstone where Cliff (an obstetrician) also maintained his office. He and his wife Clair (a legal aid attorney) tried to bring up the kids with a combination of love and parental firmness, while leading their own active professional lives. Sondra, the oldest daughter, was a senior at Princeton University during the first season, graduating early in the second; Denise and Theo (“No problem!”) were the know-it-all teenagers; Vanessa the rambunctious 8-year-old; and Rudy the adorable, if mischievous, little girl. “I just hope they get out of the house before we die,” murmured an exhausted Cliff as he sank into bed at the end of the premiere episode.
He would not be so lucky. As seasons went by and the children grew up, they brought home friends, then surprise spouses, and eventually babies. The first to wed was Sondra, who met Elvin at Princeton. They married during the 1986–1987 season and had twins, Winnie and Nelson, in November 1988. She was calm during the delivery, but Elvin almost passed out; he then decided to enroll in medical school. Independent-minded Denise was next, departing for Hillman College (and her own series, A Different World) in 1987, dropping out a year later and going to Africa to work as a photographer’s assistant. She returned home unexpectedly in 1989 complete with a husband, Navy Lieutenant Martin, and his four-year-old daughter, Olivia. The tyke won everybody’s heart, especially Cliff’s, as he now had a new cute child in the house to mug with.
Theo, the underachiever, enrolled at nearby New York University during the fifth season, while Vanessa later chose Lincoln University. She shocked everyone at the start of the eighth season by announcing that she had been engaged for the past six months to a maintenance man at her college, Dabnis, who was twelve years older than she was!
Although the main focus was on the immediate family, a number of other characters were seen occasionally. Cliff’s parents Anna and Russell and Clair’s folks Carrie and Al Hanks turned up once in a while, as did Rudy’s little friends Peter (one of the few whites in the cast) and Bud, and Theo’s buddies Cockroach and Denny. Clair’s cousin Pam, an underprivileged youth from the Bedford-Stuyvesant slums, came to live with the family in 1990, giving them all a taste of the “other half.”
About the only celebrities to appear on the show were some very famous musicians who reflected Cosby’s wide-ranging tastes in black music. Among them were Sammy Davis, Jr., Stevie Wonder, B. B. King, Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams (who played the occasional role of Clair’s dad, Al), and the entire Count Basie Band.
The Cosby Show had an interesting history. Originally proposed as a comedy about a blue-collar worker, it was turned down by ABC and NBC. Bill Cosby’s wife reportedly urged the comedian to change the lead characters to upscale professionals, whereupon the show was again rejected by ABC but was picked up by NBC, which agreed to Cosby’s condition that, unlike most network series, it would be taped in New York (he disliked working in Hollywood). Cosby also insisted on total creative control, which he used to shape the series into a showcase for the educational and child-rearing theories he had developed while pursuing his doctorate in education in the 1970s (the actor proudly included the redundant line “Dr. William H. Cosby, Jr., Ed.D.” in the credits for early episodes). Not everyone agreed with his approach: The Cosby Show was criticized for its unrealistic portrayal of blacks as wealthy, well-educated professionals, and for its lack of attention to black-white relations. Others defended it as providing role models for what blacks could achieve, and lessons for all races in how to raise a family in a calm and loving manner.
COSMOPOLITAN THEATRE (Dramatic Anthology)
FIRST TELECAST: October 2, 1951
LAST TELECAST: December 25, 1951
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1951-Dec 1951, DUM Tue 9:00–10:00
This major dramatic effort by DuMont presented live TV adaptations of stories from the pages of Cosmopolitan magazine, many of them mysteries or romantic dramas. Among the stars that appeared were Lee Tracy, Marsha Hunt, and Lon Chaney, Jr.
COSTELLO (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: September 15, 1998
LAST TELECAST: October 13, 1998
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1998-Oct 1998, FOX Tue 8:30–9:00
CAST:
| Sue Murphy | Sue Costello |
| James “Spud” Murphy | Dan Lauria |
| Lottie Murphy | Jenny O’Hara |
| Trish | Kerry O’Malley |
| Jimmy Murphy | Chuck Walczak |
| Mary McDonough | Josie DiVencenzo |
Sue was a spunky, outspoken, 27-year-old barmaid at The Bull and Dog Bar, in a working-class neighborhood of South Boston. She was trying to better herself and took a lot of abuse about it from her family and the beer-guzzling customers at the bar. Spud, her father, was a carpenter who frowned on her intellectual ambitions; Lottie, her mother, was a waitress at The Bull and
Dog; and Jimmy, her dim-witted, pretty-boy kid brother, made a career out of not having a real job. Trish, Sue’s best friend, was a fellow barmaid/bartender at the bar where Mary, her slutty nemesis who worked at the Department of Motor Vehicles, was a regular.
Although all the yelling and punching each other around was in good humor, Costello was lambasted by critics for being crude and offensive. (Jimmy, looking at a University of Massachusetts catalog: “These bitches need to get laid!”) The language was pretty salty by the standards of prime-time television, but the real problems with the show were its one-dimensional stereotyping of Boston’s working-class Irish, and its inability to find an audience. After a month on the air it became one of the first casualties of the season.
COULD IT BE A MIRACLE? (Religious/Paranormal)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
60 minutes
Produced: 1996–1997 (24 episodes)
Released: September 1996
HOST:
Robert Culp
MIRACLE RESEARCH TEAM:
| Sayer (1996) | Nicholas de Wolff |
| Lucia (1996) | Carla Jo Bailey |
| Michele (1996) | Michelle O’Bryant |
| Rob (1996) | Christopher Davis |
| Andee (1996) | Dawn Gray |
| Jim (1996) | P.J. Lambert |
MIRACLE RESEARCH CENTER HOSTS:
Michele Wolford
Bob B. Evans
A look at paranormal phenomena with a religious focus. Episodes featured interviews with actual participants and re-creations of unexplained events. Each episode opened with the “Miracle Research Team” discussing cases they had been investigating individually, and as they went into the details, the re-creations would start. After the recreations the “team” discussed the implications and whether or not the incident was, in fact, a miracle. Regularly featured were Brad Steiger and Sherry Hanson Steiger, Karen Goldman, and Joan Wester Anderson, all of whom had written books on miracles, along with guest authors who related miraculous events to home viewers. These included incidents involving visions, mysterious dreams, ghosts and other apparitions. The unifying factor was that all of those who were touched by “miraculous” experiences had faith in miracles: the “team” considered this the most vital tool in investigating cases.
After a month the “team,” along with their discussion and evaluation segments, was dropped, and two of the show’s producers—Michele Wolford and Bob Evans—introduced the interview and re-creation segments.
COUNTERATTACK: CRIME IN AMERICA (Information/Public Affairs)
FIRST TELECAST: May 2, 1982
LAST TELECAST: May 23, 1982
BROADCAST HISTORY:
May 1982, ABC Sun 7:00–8:00
HOST:
George Kennedy
This unusual program featured a national telephone hot line intended to help solve real-life crimes. It was produced in cooperation with WeTip, a California organization that had been operating a similar statewide hot line for ten years. Operators were seen standing by as host George Kennedy described recent crimes around the country that had baffled police, among them the “Catch Me Killer” in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the “Rotten Tooth .45-caliber Thief” in Nassau County, New York. Reenactments were also shown, and tips given on how to prevent crime.
COUNTERSTRIKE (Foreign Intrigue)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
USA Network
60 minutes
Produced: 1990–1993 (66 episodes)
Premiered: July 1, 1990
CAST:
| Alexander Addington | Christopher Plummer |
| Peter Sinclair | Simon MacCorkindale |
| Nikki Beaumont (1990–1991) | Cyrielle Claire |
| Luke Brenner (1990–1991) | Stephen Shellen |
| Suzanne Addington (1990–1991) | Laurence Ashley-Taboulet |
| Gabrielle Germont (1991–1993) | Sophie Michaud |
| Hector Stone (1991–1993) | James Purcell |
| Helene Previn (1991–1993) | Patricia Cartier |
| J.J | Andre Mayers |
| Bennett | Tom Kneebone |
Toronto billionaire Alexander Addington had reason to be angry. Terrorists had kidnapped and killed his beloved wife, but instead of blowing someone up he decided to use his considerable resources to form a crack international crime-fighting team, one that would take on similar cases that the authorities could not—or would not—tackle. Suave Peter, an ex-Scotland Yard operative, was the team’s leader, assisted in the first season by beautiful Nikki and strong-man Luke. At the beginning of year two Nikki got married and Luke was killed on a mission; they were replaced by Gabrielle, a nosy magazine writer, and Stone, an ex-Marine and Navy SEAL.
They all jetted about in Addington’s high-tech command plane, linked to the world and to his Paris headquarters by picture phones and other state-of-the-art communications devices. J.J. was the pilot, Bennett the butler, Helene was Addington’s efficient secretary, and Suzanne his beloved daughter.
COUNTRY CARNIVAL/COUNTRY MUSIC CARAVAN/COUNTRY MUSIC MEMORIES/COUNTRY SHOW, THE, see Grand Ole Opry
COUNTRY MUSIC JUBILEE, see Ozark Jubilee
COUNTRY MUSIC SPOTLIGHT (Music)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
The Family Channel
60 minutes
Produced: 1993–1994 (13 episodes)
Premiered: January 8, 1994
Country music concert series spotlighting such stars as Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and the Gatlins along with up-and-comers including John Michael Montgomery and Tracy Lawrence. Taped at various locations including Branson, Missouri, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
COUNTRY STYLE (Musical Variety)
FIRST TELECAST: July 29, 1950
LAST TELECAST: November 25, 1950
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jul 1950-Nov 1950, DUM Sat 8:00–9:00
REGULARS:
Peggy Ann Ellis
Gordon Dilworth
Pat Adair
Emily Barnes
Bob Austin
The Folk Dancers
Alvy West and the Volunteer Firemen, band This rustic musical variety hour was designed to simulate a Saturday night’s entertainment in a small town. The town bandstand, manned by the Volunteer Firemen’s band, was the setting around which musical numbers, square dancing, and comedy vignettes took place.
COUPLE OF JOES, A (Variety)
FIRST TELECAST: October 27, 1949
LAST TELECAST: July 12, 1950
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1949-Dec 1949, ABC Thu 11:15–12 Mid
Dec 1949-Feb 1950, ABC Wed 8:00–9:00
Mar 1950-Jul 1950, ABC Wed 9:00–9:30
REGULARS:
“Big” Joe Rosenfield
Joe Bushkin
Joan Barton (Sep-Feb)
Warren Hull (Dec-Mar)
Beryl Richards (Mar-Jul)
Pat Harrington (Mar-May)
Allyn Edwards (Mar-Jul)
Morgan the Dog
Mike Reilly Orchestra
Bobby Sherwood Orchestra (1950)
This combination music, variety, and giveaway program starred “Big” Joe Rosenfield and jazz pianist Joe Bushkin, with an assortment of regulars that included singer Joan Barton and, later, comic Pat Harrington. One of the biggest stars of the show seemed to be Morgan the Dog, who attracted much publicity and survived numerous cast changes. A Couple of Joes premiered as a local New York show in August 1949, moved to the network in a late-night time slot in October, and in December became a prime-time entry.
COURAGE (Documentary)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Fox Family Channel
60 minutes
Original episodes: 2000 (13 episodes)
Premiered: August 7, 2000
HOST:
Danny Glover
True-life stories of courage, heroism, and triumph narrated by a reverent Danny Glover. One episode profiled little Rudy, who ran, biked, and swam with artificial steel legs; an army medic recognized after many years for his incredible bravery during the war; a family in a plane crash saved by their brave teenage son; and a 66-year-old crossing guard who dived in front of a truck to save some children (with close-ups of the adorable kids).
COURAGE THE COWARDLY DOG (Cartoon)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Cartoon Network
30 minutes
Original episodes: 1999–
Premiered: November 12, 1999
VOICES:
| Courage | Marty Grabstein |
| Muriel Bagge | Thea White |
| Eustace Bagge (1999–2002) | Lionel Wilson |
| Eustace Bagge (2002–) | Arthur Anderson |
| The Computer | Simon Prebble |
| * Katz | Paul Schoeffler |
| *Di Lung | Tim Chi Ly |
| *Ma Bagge | Billie Lou Watt |
| *Shirley the Medium | Mary Testa |
This rather surrealistic cartoon centered on Courage, a plump pink dog who was afraid of almost everything. Abandoned as a pup, he now lived in a big ramshackle house in the middle of “Nowhere, Kansas” (portrayed as a vast empty plain), with his elderly owners, kindly, white-haired Muriel and her cranky husband, Eustace. The place was regularly invaded by aliens and monsters bent on demolishing it and its inhabitants, and it was up to Courage, with chattering teeth and frightened look, to outwit them. He got some help from his talking Computer, but none from self-centered Eustace, who could only mutter, “Stupid dog!” Katz was an evil red cat who walked on his hind legs and caused much trouble; Di Lung, a punk kid with a scientific bent; and Ma, Eustace’s irritable mother.
COURT, THE (Legal Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: March 26, 2002
LAST TELECAST: April 9, 2002
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Mar 2002-Apr 2002, ABC Tue 10:00–11:00
CAST:
| Justice Kate Nolan | Sally Field |
| Chief Justice Amos Townsend | Pat Hingle |
| Justice Roberto Martinez | Miguel Sandoval |
| Justice Lucas Voorhees | Chris Sarandon |
| Justice Angela DeSett | Diahann Carroll |
| Harlan Brandt | Craig Bierko |
| Betsy Tyler | Christina Hendricks |
| Alexis Cameron | Nicole DeHuff |
| Christopher Bell | Hill Harper |
| Dylan Hirsch | Josh Radnor |
Feisty, pixieish Sally Field was cast in the unlikely role of a Supreme Court justice in this short-lived drama. Kate Nolan was the governor of an unnamed midwestern state when she was appointed to the Court to replace a popular justice who had died unexpectedly in an auto accident. A wide-eyed idealist, she found a panel full of good ol’ boys and schemers, split evenly between liberals and conservatives, who treated her like the green new kid. Of course being the swing vote she promptly stirred up the pot and showed them a thing or two! Jowly Townsend was the chief justice, and Voorhees, an abrupt, domineering colleague. Alexis, Christopher and Dylan were eager clerks. Bedeviling Kate outside the marble halls were Harlan, an aggressive reporter trying to dig up dirt on her past, and his young production assistant Betsy. This was one of two Supreme Court dramas premiering in early 2002, the other being CBS’ First Monday.
COURT-MARTIAL (Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: April 8, 1966
LAST TELECAST: September 2, 1966
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Apr 1966-Sep 1966, ABC Fri 10:00–11:00
CAST:
| Capt. David Young | Bradford Dillman |
| Maj. Frank Whittaker | Peter Graves |
| M/Sgt. John MacCaskey | Kenneth J. Warren |
| Sgt. Wendy | Diane Clare |
At the center of this World War II drama were the officer-lawyers of the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Office, headquartered in England, who investigated and prosecuted crimes committed during wartime. The court-martial itself, the climactic part of each show, was preceded by lengthy investigations ranging across war-torn Europe. The series was filmed in England.
COURT OF CURRENT ISSUES (Debate)
FIRST TELECAST: February 9, 1948
LAST TELECAST: June 26, 1951
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Feb 1948-Jul 1948, DUM Tue 8:00–8:30
Jul 1948-Nov 1948, DUM Mon 9:30–10:00
Nov 1948-Jan 1949, DUM Mon 8:00–9:00
Jan 1949-Feb 1949, DUM Mon 10:00–11:00
Mar 1949-Apr 1949, DUM Mon 9:00–10:00
May 1949-Jun 1949, DUM Wed 9:00–10:00
Jun 1949-Jun 1951, DUM Tue 8:00–9:00
CREATOR/PRODUCER:
Irvin Paul Sulds
Court of Current Issues was one of a number of early programs that presented debates on public affairs, this one within the framework of a courtroom trial. A real judge or attorney sat on the bench, prominent persons on each side of the issue represented opposing counsel and witnesses, and a jury of 12 drawn from the audience handed down a verdict. During its last two years Court was scheduled on Tuesday night, opposite NBC’s Milton Berle, and a reviewer complained that a fine public-affairs show was being wasted—not a single person called in an audience survey was watching it.
The program was known during its early months as Court of Public Opinion.
COURT OF LAST RESORT, THE (Crime Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: October 4, 1957
LAST TELECAST: February 17, 1960
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1957-Apr 1958, NBC Fri 8:00–8:30
Aug 1959-Sep 1959, ABC Wed 8:00–8:30
Oct 1959-Feb 1960, ABC Wed 7:30–8:00
CAST:
The Court of Last Resort, in real life, was a committee of crime experts who investigated cases in which there was a possibility that the convicted prisoner was innocent. This series dramatized some of the actual cases taken on by this renowned group, founded in the early 1950s by the famous mystery writer Erle Stanley Gardner. Each episode depicted the crime for which a given person was imprisoned, and then followed the efforts of the members of the Court of Last Resort to verify his guilt or find evidence of his innocence. The names of the people involved were changed, since the cases were all based on real situations.
In the series Sam Larsen was a special investigator working with the seven members of the Court in their search for truth. At the close of each story, the actual seven-member board was seen briefly and one of them would discuss a specific point of law that was crucial in the drama just finished. On occasion this function was taken over by judges, law-enforcement officers, or district attorneys.
The ABC telecasts consisted of reruns from the original NBC series.
COURT OF PUBLIC OPINION, see Court of Current Issues
COURT TV (Network) (Cable Network)
LAUNCHED:
July 1, 1991
SUBSCRIBERS (MAY 2003):
75.3 million (71% U.S.)
Another of the “niche,” or specialty, networks founded in the 1990s. Court TV (whose formal name is Courtroom Television Network) carried live coverage of trials during the day, via in-court cameras, and summaries and analysis at night. The network claimed to cover over 125 trials per year in more than 75 municipalities. For obvious reasons the focus was often on high-profile or celebrity cases. In its first months it highlighted the trial of the Los Angeles policemen accused of beating Rodney King, the rape trial of William Kennedy Smith, and a case in which American Nazis defended their right to burn crosses. In early 1995 the network attracted much attention with its live, continuous coverage of the O. J. Simpson double-murder trial in Los Angeles.
Among the network’s early prime-time series were Prime Time Justice (a summary of the day’s legal events), Lock & Key (parole and death penalty hearings), In Context (analysis by Harvard law professor Arthur Miller), Trial Story (high-profile cases, summarized in an hour), Washington Watch (legal news from the capital), and various series hosted by famed attorney Johnnie Cochran. Court TV’s original chief anchor was former CBS law correspondent Fred Graham.
Beginning around 2000 the network started to shift its prime-time lineup away from trial-related subjects (trials continued during daytime) and toward the broader subject of crime and punishment. Among the documentary series introduced were Mugshots, Hollywood & Crime, Forensic Files, The System, and I, Detective. Off-network reruns included Cops, Homicide: Life on the Street, Wiseguy, Profiler, and N.Y.P.D. Blue. One documentary series that caused a storm of protest was Confessions (September 2000), in which real murderers and rapists described their horrific crimes. It was quickly pulled from the schedule.
COURT TV—INSIDE AMERICA’S COURTS (Legal/Information)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
30 minutes
Produced: 1993–1997
Released: October 1993
HOST:
Gregg Jarrett
Jami Floyd (1996–1997)
Chris Gordon (1996–1997)
REPORTER:
Cynthia McFadden (1993–1994)
June Grasso (1994–1995)
Kristin Jeannette-Meyers (1995–1997)
This weekly series summarized activities in cases from cable’s Court TV (The Courtroom Television Network). In addition to highlights from current and past cases, viewers were shown parole hearings and provided with information on the legal process and other related issues. Host Gregg Jarrett provided background material and Cynthia McFadden, later replaced by June Grasso and Kristin Jeannette-Meyers, updated currently active court cases.
When the series expanded to a weekday half hour in the fall of 1995, a weekend wrap-up edition, Court TV: Justice this Week, was added. The following fall Chris Gordon relieved Jarrett as host of the weekend show, and two months later Jami Floyd joined Jarrett as co-host of the weekday version. The following February the syndicated series ended its run, with all of its staff returning to full-time duty for its source, cable’s Court TV.
COURTHOUSE (Legal Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: September 13, 1995
LAST TELECAST: November 15, 1995
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1995-Nov 1995, CBS Wed 10:00–11:00
CAST:
| Judge Justine Parkes | Patricia Wettig |
| Lenore Laderman | Annabeth Gish |
| Suzanne Graham | Robin Givens |
| Judge Homer Conklin | Bob Gunton |
| Judge Wyatt E. Jackson | Brad Johnson |
| Judge Myron Winkelman | Michael Lerner |
| Judge Rosetta Reide | Jenifer Lewis |
| Edison Moore | Jeffrey D. Sams |
| Veronica Gilbert | Nia Peeples |
| Jonathan Mitchell | Dan Gauthier |
| Amy Chen | Jacqueline Kim |
| Nell | Shelley Morrison |
| Andrew Rawson | Cotter Smith |
| Sean | George Newbern |
| Gabe | John Mese |
Violent, sex-laden serial drama about the judges, lawyers, and staff working in an unnamed big-city courthouse in mythical Clark County. In the eye of the judicial hurricane, in a rotting building with limited budgetary resources and an overcrowded case load, was no-nonsense presiding judge Justine Parkes. The two Criminal Court judges on her staff were polar opposites—Conklin, the autocratic, by-the-book traditionalist; and Wyatt Earp Jackson, the hunky, recently arrived non-conformist from Montana. The other judges on the staff were Winkelman, the neurotic who presided over Family Court; and Reide, a struggling, gay single mother responsible for Juvenile Court. Among the others working in and around the courthouse were conceited prosecutor Mitchell, who was dating public defender Gilbert; ambitious young prosecutor Moore, who was carrying on a torrid secret affair with Graham, an investigator for the D.A.’s office; and young prosecutor Laderman, who was adjusting to reassignment to the sex crimes unit.
Series star Patricia Wettig, dissatisfied with the direction of her character, had announced her intention to leave Courthouse, but the show was canceled before her character was written out.
COURTSHIP OF EDDIE’S FATHER, THE (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: September 17, 1969
LAST TELECAST: June 14, 1972
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1969-Sep 1970, ABC Wed 8:00–8:30
Sep 1970-Sep 1971, ABC Wed 7:30–8:00
Sep 1971-Jan 1972, ABC Wed 8:30–9:00
Jan 1972-Jun 1972, ABC Wed 8:00–8:30
CAST:
| Tom Corbett | Bill Bixby |
| Eddie Corbett | Brandon Cruz |
| Mrs. Livingston | Miyoshi Umeki |
| Norman Tinker | James Komack |
| Tina Rickles | Kristina Holland |
THEME:
“Best Friend” by Harry Nilsson
Magazine publisher Tom Corbett was one of television’s many widowers saddled with the responsibility of running a motherless household. In this case his son, freckle-faced young Eddie (played by Brandon Cruz, who was seven years old when the series began), did most of the plotting. Eddie had a special penchant for getting his father romantically involved with prospective brides, which led to many warm and comic moments. Mrs. Livingston was Tom’s dependable, philosophical, but sometimes confused housekeeper; Tina his secretary; and Norman Tinker a mod photographer at the magazine. Although not a regular on the show, young Jodie Foster appeared from time to time as Eddie’s friend, Joey Kelly. The series was based on a novel by Mark Toby, also made into a 1963 movie starring Glenn Ford and Ronny Howard, and had a theme song (“Best Friend”) written by pop singer Harry Nilsson.
COUSIN SKEETER (Situation Comedy)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Nickelodeon
30 minutes
Produced: 1998–2000 (52 episodes)
Premiered: September 1, 1998
CAST:
| Skeeter (voice) | Bill Bellamy |
| Bobby Walker | Robert Ri’chard |
| Andre Walker | Rondell Sheridan |
| Vanessa Walker | Angela Means |
| Nina | Meagan Good |
| Nicole | Tisha Campbell |
| Sweetie | Christine Flores |
Cousin Skeeter, a sort of updated version of Alf, was a live-action sitcom about a shy 13-year-old black kid whose family moved from Los Angeles to New York City and promptly took in a cousin from Atlanta who became his new best friend. Bobby was your typical insecure teen, but there was nothing typical about Skeeter—he was a loud, wisecracking, trouble-causing, girl-chasing, cool dude, who also happened to be a puppet (though nobody seemed to notice). Skeeter dragged cautious Bobby into all sorts of exploits, which in the end, we were told, helped the lad open up and “bring some fun into his life.” Andre and Vanessa were Bobby’s easygoing parents, and Nina was the chatterbox neighbor girl, on whom Bobby had a crush.
COVER ME (Crime Drama)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
USA Network
60 minutes
Original episodes: 2000–2001 (25 episodes)
Premiered: March 5, 2000
CAST:
| Danny Arno | Peter Dobson |
| Barbara Arno | Melora Hardin |
| Celeste Arno (age 16) | Cameron Richardson |
| Ruby Arno (14) | Antoinette Picatto |
| Chance Arno (11) | Michael Angarano |
| Chance (older, voice only) | David Faustino |
Danny Arno was an excitable undercover agent who moonlighted for the F.B.I., D.E.A., Department of Justice, Interpol and other law enforcement agencies. He came with an unusual extra: his family. Rather than shield his wife and kids from his dangerous work, he brought them in on the gig. Barbara was his supportive wife who tried to provide a “normal” home life for the children when she wasn’t playing a floozy on some undercover assignment; Celeste was the eldest teen, who could flirt with a criminal’s son to gain information; Ruby, the brainy 14-year-old, who combined baby-sitting and surveillance; and Chance, the eager youngest, who adored his dad and filled in on such roles as bagman and lookout. (Who would suspect a kid?) Despite the risks they took—there were explosions and shoot-outs galore—the family seemed relatively bulletproof, although parents at home might have been a little uncomfortable seeing wacko Danny hand five-year-old Chance a loaded gun (in a flashback) and telling him, “Shoot it!” The show was narrated by Chance as an adult.
Believe it or not, the series was supposedly based on the true story of the Brown family, Carolyn Brown Brannon, Laura Brown, and Cory Patrick Brown. Its full title was Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family.
COVER STORY (Interview)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
USA Network
30 minutes
Produced: 1984–1989 (106 episodes)
Premiered: March 2, 1984
An inexpensive series of celebrity profiles utilizing film clips and interviews. The first subject was Carl Reiner; others included Stephanie Mills, Dennis Weaver, and Anthony Quinn.
COVER UP (Detective/Foreign Intrigue)
FIRST TELECAST: September 22, 1984
LAST TELECAST: July 6, 1985
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1984-Apr 1985, CBS Sat 10:00–11:00
May 1985-Jul 1985, CBS Sat 8:00–9:00
CAST:
| Mac Harper (1984) | Jon-Erik Hexum |
| Danielle Reynolds | Jennifer O’Neill |
| Henry Towler | Richard Anderson |
| Jack Striker | Antony Hamilton |
| Rick | Mykel T. Williamson |
| Gretchen | Ingrid Anderson |
| Billie | Irena Ferris |
| Ashley | Dana Sparks |
| Cindy (1984) | Heather McNair |
They traveled around the world on fashion assignments—Dani, the gorgeous professional photographer, and Mac, her handsome male model. At least that was their public job; actually they were secret agents working on a freelance basis for a mysterious U.S. government agency. They were well-suited to their clandestine roles—Mac was a former Green Beret who had served in Vietnam and was a specialist in karate, chemical interrogation, and foreign languages. Dani was no novice either, having been married to an agent whose death she and Mac avenged in the series’ premiere episode. Under the loose supervision of Towler they traveled from country to country, staging fashion shows and photo sessions with their scantily clad models, while rescuing Americans from dangerous situations. Rick was Dani’s photographic assistant and helped both her and Mac on espionage assignments, while Gretchen, Billie, Ashley, and Linda were her most frequently used models.
Antony Hamilton replaced Jon-Erik Hexum as Dani’s partner after Hexum’s tragic death following an accident in which he had shot himself in the head on the set of Cover Up.
COVER WARS (Talent)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
VH1
60 minutes
Original episodes: 2001
Premiered: June 23, 2001
REGULARS:
Paul Shaffer, Host
Sky Nellor, Assistant/Disk Jockey
Three cover bands competed on adjacent stages in front of a panel of three celebrity judges to win exposure and a van full of music gear in this fast-paced show. First came the Human Juke Box round in which each band had to play a song picked by one of the judges to test their repertoire; in the Style Jam round, they played a single song in different styles to test their versatility. One band was then eliminated, and the two remaining advanced to the Chops competition, where one band started and the other had to pick up the song without missing a beat or screwing up the lyrics. Judges were mostly music industry insiders such as Sebastian Bach, Duncan Sheik and Spacehog singer Royston Langston. Super-cool Paul Shaffer (all in black) hosted, and sidekick Sky boogied in her hot pants as the audience screamed.
COVINGTON CROSS (Adventure)
FIRST TELECAST: August 25, 1992
LAST TELECAST: October 31, 1992
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Aug 1992, ABC Tue 10:00–11:00
Sep 1992, ABC Fri 9:00–10:00
Sep 1992-October 1992, ABC Sat 8:00–9:00
CAST:
| Sir Thomas Gray | Nigel Terry |
| Richard Gray | Jonathan Firth |
| Cedric Gray | Glenn Quinn |
| Armus Gray | Tim Killick |
| Eleanor Gray | Ione Skye |
| Lady Elizabeth | Cherie Lunghi |
| Sir John Mullens | James Faulkner |
| Friar | Paul Brooke |
Political correctness, women’s liberation, and other wonders of the late twentieth century were transported to medieval England, much to the surprise of the villagers, in this rather silly swashbuckler filmed in the English countryside. Sir Thomas was an imposing but sensitive lord who shared his castle with four active offspring, manly Knights Richard and Armus, young Knight-wannabe Cedric (who was desperately trying to avoid the fate his late mother wished on him, to go into a monastery), and spunky, independent young daughter Eleanor. Sir Thomas’s main squeeze was fiercely independent Lady Elizabeth, who lived in her own castle down the road. The principal villain of the piece was evil-hearted Sir John, who plotted constantly to destroy the Grays and steal their land.
Another son, William, left for the Crusades in the first episode, apparently unaware that they had ended more than one hundred years earlier (historical accuracy was never the series’ strong point!). The villages were sparkling clean, and everyone looked ruddy and healthy, also unlikely for the period. At least the locale was authentic. Covington Cross was filmed on location at Allington Castle, Kent, and Penshurst Place, Kent, in England.
COW AND CHICKEN (Cartoon)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Cartoon Network
30 minutes
Produced: 1997–1999 (52 episodes)
Premiered: c. July 1, 1997
VOICES:
| Cow, Chicken, The Red Guy | Charlie Adler |
| Mom | Candi Milo |
| Dad | Dee Bradley Baker |
| Flem | Dan Castellaneta |
| Earl | Howard Morris |
“Mama had a chicken, Mama had a cow, Dad was proud, he didn’t care how,” went the jazzy theme of this frantic, Ren and Stimpy-style cartoon. Cow was the big, dumb sister, complete with a bulging udder, while her brother Chicken was a scrawny schemer. Their fast-paced adventures around the neighborhood often involved a big red bully who looked like a cross between a pig and the devil, called The Red Guy. Flem and Earl were Chicken’s school friends. Squabbling Mom and Dad were seen only from the knees down.
Originally seen on Cartoon Network’s World Premiere Toons.
FIRST TELECAST: September 11, 1967
LAST TELECAST: September 16, 1968
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1967-Sep 1968, ABC Mon 7:30–8:30
CAST:
| Jim Sinclair | Chuck Connors |
| John Henry | Tom Nardini |
| Wing Comdr. Howard Hayes | Ronald Howard |
| Samson | Gerald Edwards |
After TV had run through adult Westerns, dude Westerns, “empire” Westerns, contemporary Westerns, and comedy Westerns, ABC decided to try an African Western. Cowboy in Africa starred Chuck Connors as the world champion rodeo cowboy Jim Sinclair, who had been hired by an English landowner, Commander Hayes, to bring modern ranching methods to his game ranch in Kenya. Sinclair was assisted by his Navajo blood brother John Henry and was “adopted” by an orphaned, ten-year-old Kikuyu native boy named Samson.
The series was based on Ivan Tors’s theatrical film Africa—Texas Style and was shot in Africa (for the backgrounds) and the Africa, U. S.A., park in southern California.
COWBOY THEATRE (Western Anthology)
FIRST TELECAST: June 9, 1957
LAST TELECAST: September 15, 1957
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 1957, NBC Sun 6:30–7:00
Jun 1957-Sep 1957, NBC Sun 6:30–7:30
HOST:
Monty Hall
Re-edited Western feature films produced by Columbia Pictures in the 1930s and 1940s provided the material for this anthology, which was hosted and narrated by Monty Hall. The series began on Saturday afternoons in September 1956.
COWBOYS, THE (Western)
FIRST TELECAST: February 6, 1974
LAST TELECAST: August 14, 1974
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Feb 1974-Aug 1974, ABC Wed 8:00–8:30
CAST:
| Jebediah Nightlinger | Moses Gunn |
| Mrs. Annie Andersen | Diana Douglas |
| U.S. Marshal Bill Winter | Jim Davis |
| Cimarron | A Martinez |
| Slim | Robert Carradine |
| Jimmy | Sean Kelly |
| Homer | Kerry MacLane |
| Steve | Clint Howard |
| Hardy | Mitch Brown |
| Weedy | Clay O’Brien |
The Cowboys was a kind of teenage Western in which seven young boys, aged 9 to 17 years, faced the trials of growing into manhood while helping a widow run a ranch in the New Mexico Territory of the 1870s. The ranch foreman, Jebediah Nightlinger, and the widow, Mrs. Andersen, were around for adult supervision as the boys fought off teenage Comanches and adult rustlers. The series was based on the novel by William Dale Jennings and the movie starring John Wayne. Four of the boys in the series—Martinez, Carradine, Kelly, and O’Brien—also appeared in the film.
COWBOYS & INJUNS (Children’s)
FIRST TELECAST: October 15, 1950
LAST TELECAST: December 31, 1950
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1950-Dec 1950, ABC Sun 6:00–6:30
HOST:
Rex Bell
This was an unusually informative children’s show, consisting of demonstrations of real cowboy and Indian folklore. It was filmed in an outdoor corral and an Indian village as well as in indoor settings. Originally it was a local program in Los Angeles.
COWTOWN RODEO (Rodeo)
FIRST TELECAST: August 1, 1957
LAST TELECAST: September 8, 1958
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Aug 1957-Sep 1957, ABC Thu 8:00–9:00
Jun 1958-Sep 1958, ABC Mon 7:30–8:30
COMMENTATORS:
Marty Glickman
Howard “Stony” Harris
Top rodeo performers competed for cash prizes on this summertime show. Bronco busting, saddle and bareback riding, and calf roping were among the featured events. The program was produced at Cowtown Ranch in New Jersey, whose owner, Stony Harris, was one of the commentators.
CRACKER (Detective Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: September 18, 1997
LAST TELECAST: January 24, 1998
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1997-Dec 1997, ABC Thu 9:00–10:00
Jan 1998, ABC Sat 9:00–10:00
CAST:
| Gerry “Fitz” Fitzgerald | Robert Pastorelli |
| Judith Fitzgerald | Carolyn McCormick |
| Michael Fitzgerald (age 17) | Josh Harnett |
| Det. Hannah Tyler | Angela Featherstone |
| Det. Danny Watlington | Robert Wisdom |
| Lt. Fry | R. Lee Ermey |
Fitz was an eccentric psychologist who drank too much, gambled too much, fought too much, and seemed to have a direct connection to the dark side of the human soul. Oddly enough, it was those very traits that made him valuable as a consultant to the Los Angeles Police Department homicide squad. Lt. Fry was his grouchy boss, who grudgingly put up with Fitz’s antics because he was so effective in cracking the most gruesome, difficult cases. In fact, Fitz could look into the criminal mind. Hannah was the intense detective who both charmed and annoyed Fitz, and Danny the resident skeptic (“What do we need him for?”).
Fitz’s personal life was no less tortured. His wife Judith, a feminist lecturer, agonized about their rocky relationship, but stuck with him for the sake of their baby daughter. Insecure teenage son Michael had a hard time relating to his unreachable father. Fitz also lectured at the County University of Los Angeles, and hosted a radio show on station KZAB.
Based on the successful British series of the same name, starring Robbie Coltrane, which was seen in the U.S. on the A&E cable network.
CRAM (Quiz)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Game Show Network
30 minutes
Original episodes: 2003–
Premiered: January 6, 2003
REGULARS:
Graham Elwood, emcee
Andrea Hutchman (as Miss Pickwick)
Cram was billed as “the only game show that gives you the answers,” the hitch being that it provided far more answers than questions and wore you out in the process. Before each show was taped, two teams of two contestants each were sequestered for 24 hours and given a mountain of reference materials to study, including magazines, books of riddles, instruction manuals and trivia lists. Then, with no opportunity for sleep, the teams were given a series of quizzes based on those materials while simultaneously engaged in physical stunts designed to drain their energy. In round one the teams were put in two huge hamster wheels and told to talk on a subject continuously while running, weaving in a list of key words; every time they said “um” or went off topic they were buzzed. In round two the teams did physical matchups—for example, matching spiders with their scientific names or placing weather symbols on a map—while simultaneously answering unrelated questions. In round three one member of each team pedaled furiously on a stationary bicycle while the other answered questions. In round four the contestants were tucked into nice comfy beds and read a droning series of facts by Miss Pickwick, while trying to stay awake; they then had to jump out of the beds and punch in answers using those facts, in a speed round.
The team with the highest score won a grand prize of as much as $10,000, and then got a good night’s sleep.
CRANK YANKERS (Situation Comedy)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Comedy Central
30 minutes
Original episodes: 2002–
Premiered: June 2, 2002
VOICES:
| Dick Birchum | Adam Carolla |
| Elmer Higgins, The Nudge, Terrence, Karl Malone | Jimmy Kimmel |
| Special Ed, Bobby Fletcher | Jim Florentine |
| Spoonie Luv | Tracy Morgan |
| Hadassah Guberman | Sarah Silverman |
| Tony DeLoge, Bob Carlman | Bob Einstein (as Super Dave Osborne) |
Most people consider crank phone calls an annoyance, but on this series they were the joke. A wide range of comedians made crank calls to unsuspecting ordinary people, and the results were then used on the show, with the callers (and victims) portrayed by foam puppets living in the strange town of Yankerville. Among its inhabitants were gross disc jockey The Nudge, who called a 7-Eleven employee and convinced him to scream, “I peed in the slurpee machine!”; Birchum, an angry war veteran looking for a job; Elmer, an old coot who called for a hearing aid but couldn’t hear the salesperson; Bobby, who called about a job but kept belching throughout the conversation; Tony, a candidate for district selectman who offended everyone, and Spoonie Luv, a cool black dude who called a very proper flower shop to dictate an obscene greeting card to his ex. Among the guest stars making calls were Jack Black, David Alan Grier and Kevin Nealon.
Interspersed with the calls were short visual jokes, such as a Chinaman with a large gong announcing, “Confucius say: girl who sit on judge’s lap get honorable discharge.” Gong!
Crank Yankers was created by those princes of puerile humor, Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel, who were also responsible for The Man Show. Reportedly, all calls used were made in Nevada and New York, the only two states where harassment prosecution is not possible.
CRASH CORRIGAN’S RANCH (Children’s)
FIRST TELECAST: July 15, 1950
LAST TELECAST: September 29, 1950
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jul 1950-Aug 1950, ABC Sat 7:00–7:30
Aug 1950-Sep 1950, ABC Sun 6:30–7:00
Sep 1950, ABC Fri 7:30–8:00
HOST:
Ray (Crash) Corrigan
This variety show for children, starring Ray (Crash) Corrigan, featured musical and other acts in a Western setting.
CRAWFORD MYSTERY THEATRE (Drama/Quiz)
FIRST TELECAST: September 6, 1951
LAST TELECAST: September 27, 1951
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1951, DUM Thu 9:30–10:00
HOST/MODERATOR:
John Howard
Warren Hull
Detective-fiction writers and other guests guessed solutions to filmed mysteries in this early series, which was sponsored by Crawford Clothes. John Howard was host for the first two telecasts, after which he was replaced by Warren Hull (Howard later appeared as an actor in some of the dramas). The program was also known as Public Prosecutor. It was under the latter title that it remained on the air locally in New York until the end of February 1952.
CRAZY LIKE A FOX (Detective)
FIRST TELECAST: December 30, 1984
LAST TELECAST: September 4, 1986
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Dec 1984-Jan 1986, CBS Sun 9:00–10:00
Jan 1986-Mar 1986, CBS Wed 9:00–10:00
Apr 1986-Jun 1986, CBS Sat 8:00–9:00
Jun 1986-Jul 1986, CBS Thu 8:00–9:00
Aug 1986-Sep 1986, CBS Thu 9:00–10:00
CAST:
Harrison K. Fox was a conservative young attorney trying to develop a successful law practice in San Francisco to support his wife, Cindy, and his young son, Josh. Unfortunately his life was endlessly complicated by his unconventional father Harry, a lovable con artist and private eye who was constantly getting involved in murder cases. Harry was a real character. When he got involved in a dicey case, he would inevitably drag Harrison in with him— sometimes to get free legal advice (he had, after all, paid for Harrison’s education), sometimes to get Harrison to take on one of his trouble-prone friends as a client, most often to help with the legwork. That usually meant chasing people, breaking into offices, and getting shot at—just the sort of diversion a conservative attorney enjoys! Harrison’s secretary Allison grew used to seeing Harry barge into the office, interrupting important meetings.
Despite all this, and regardless of his better judgment, Harrison could never turn Harry down. He was, after all, a lovable old coot.
CREW, THE (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: August 31, 1995
LAST TELECAST: June 30, 1996
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Aug 1995-Jan 1996, FOX Thu 8:30–9:00
May 1996-Jun 1996, FOX Sun 9:30–10:00
CAST:
| Jess Jameson | Rose Jackson |
| Maggie Reynolds | Kristin Bauer |
| Paul Steadman | David Burke |
| Randy Anderson | Charles Esten |
| MacArthur Edwards | Dondre T. Whitfield |
| Lenora Zwick | Christine Estabrook |
| Capt. Rex Parker | Lane Davies |
A group of young people working for a small airline were at the center of this wacky sitcom, a sort of “Friends takes Wings.” Jess and Maggie were flight attendants for Miami-based Regency Airlines and lived in the trendy South Beach section of Miami Beach. Jess was a sexy woman whose temper sometimes got the best of her, even when she was on the job, and Maggie was her sensible roommate. Gay Paul and good-ole-boy Randy were fellow flight attendants, and mature Lenora, who made cracks about Paul’s gayness, was their obnoxious supervisor. Mac, the bartender at Mambo Mambo, the restaurant where the gang hung out, was in love with Jess, while Lenora had the hots for stately, clueless Regency pilot, Rex Parker. Spats was Jess’s never seen but overly possessive cat.
When the show returned in May, after a hiatus, Mac convinced Jess to move in with him. In June, Rex proposed to Lenora and she accepted. In the last episode—in the aftermath of a hurricane—Maggie and womanizing Randy ended up in bed, while Mac left Jess because he thought she couldn’t commit.
CRIME & PUNISHMENT (Police Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: March 3, 1993
LAST TELECAST: April 7, 1993
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Mar 1993, NBC Wed 10:00–11:00
Mar 1993, NBC Thu 10:00–11:00
Apr 1993, NBC Wed 9:00–10:00
CAST:
| Det. Ken O’Donnell | Jon Tenney |
| Det. Annette Rey | Rachel Ticotin |
| Lt. Anthony Bartoli | Carmen Argenziano |
| Jan Sorenson | Lisa Darr |
| Tanya | Maris Celedonio |
| “Interrogator” | James Sloyan |
Detectives O’Donnell and Rey were partners in the L.A.P.D. in this cop-show-with-a-gimmick. In addition to their police work, much time was spent on their personal lives—Ken’s relationship with his longtime girlfriend, Jan, a medical intern, and Rey’s troubled home life with her once-estranged 17-year-old daughter, Tanya. Lt. Bartoli was their understanding boss.
The gimmick? Each crime was followed from the point of view of the criminal, the victim, and the police, with an unseen “Interrogator” questioning characters in midaction. Variety called that “pretentious and interruptive,” but it made little difference as the series lasted for only six episodes.
CRIME & PUNISHMENT (Legal Documentary)
FIRST TELECAST: June 16, 2002
LAST TELECAST:
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 2002-Sep 2002, NBC Sun 10:00–11:00
Jun 2003–, NBC Sun 10:00–11:00
This documentary series looked at real-life criminal cases handled by the prosecutors in the San Diego District Attorney’s office. Though not quite as “behind the scenes” as ABC’s similar State v., which aired at the same time (and which even had access to jury deliberations), Crime & Punishment did show prosecutors conferring, talking to witnesses, building their case, and then appearing in the courtroom. Most of the crimes were violent, including murders, rapes and child molestation. Since the point of view was that of the prosecutors, the accused were almost always portrayed from the start as scumbags who were guilty as charged.
One case per episode was profiled, involving attorneys from the family protection unit, gang unit, high-tech crimes division and superior court division. They included supervisor Eugenia Eyherabide and deputies Dan Goldstein, Jill DiCarlo, Chris Lindberg, Garry Haehnle, Lisa Weinreb, Mark Amador, Michael Runyon, Michael Groch and Blaine Bowman.
CRIME PHOTOGRAPHER (Newspaper Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: April 19, 1951
LAST TELECAST: June 5, 1952
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Apr 1951-Jun 1952, CBS Thu 10:30–11:00
CAST:
| Casey (Apr-Jun 1951) | Richard Carlyle |
| Casey (Jun 1951–1952) | Darren McGavin |
| Ethelbert (Apr-Jun 1951) | John Gibson |
| Ethelbert (Jun 1951–1952) | Cliff Hall |
| Ann Williams | Jan Miner |
| Captain Logan | Donald McClelland |
| Jack Lipman | Archie Smith |
The adventures of Casey, crack photographer for The Morning Express, were told in this series, which moved to television after a highly successful run on radio in the 1940s. Casey hung out at the Blue Note Cafe, where the music was provided by the Tony Mottola Trio, and was friendly with Ethelbert the bartender, to whom he recounted his various exploits. Richard Carlyle and John Gibson portrayed the roles when the series premiered in April 1951, but by June they were replaced by Darren McGavin and Cliff Hall. Ann Williams, a reporter on The Morning Express, was Casey’s girlfriend. During the summer of 1951, he acquired a partner in cub reporter Jack Lipman, who wrote copy to go with Casey’s pictures. This live series was set in, and broadcast from, New York City. It was based on the Casey novels by George Harmon Coxe.
CRIME STOPPERS 800 (Public Service)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
30 minutes
Produced: 1989–1991 (104 episodes)
Released: October 1989
HOSTS:
Edwin Hart
Det. Larry Gross (1989–1990)
Officer Marete Edillo (1990–1991)
In this variation of Fox’s successful America’s Most Wanted, three to five cases involving wanted criminals were dramatized each week. Viewers were given a telephone-800 number to call, but unlike the Fox show, Crime Stoppers 800 offered possible rewards for information leading to the capture and conviction of the criminals profiled. Edwin Hart shared the hosting duties with real police officers.
CRIME STORY (Serial Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: September 18, 1986
LAST TELECAST: May 10, 1988
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1986, NBC Thu 9:00–11:00
Sep 1986, NBC Fri 10:00–11:00
Sep 1986-Nov 1986, NBC Tue 9:00–10:00
Dec 1986-Mar 1987, NBC Fri 10:00–11:00
Jun 1987-Sep 1987, NBC Fri 10:00–11:00
Sep 1987-May 1988, NBC Tue 10:00–11:00
CAST:
| Lt. Mike Torello | Dennis Farina |
| Ray Luca | Anthony Denison |
| Pauli Taglia | John Santucci |
| Atty David Abrams | Stephen Lang |
| Det. Danny Krychek | Bill Smitrovich |
| Det. Joey Indelli | William Campbell |
| Det. Walter Clemmons | Paul Butler |
| Det. Nate Grossman | Steve Ryan |
| Frank Holman | Ted Levine |
| Manny Weisbord | Joseph Wiseman |
| Cori Luca | Johann Carlo |
| Max Goldman | Andrew Clay |
| Julie Torello (1986–1987) | Darlanne Fluegel |
| Inga Thorson (1986–1987) | Patricia Charbonneau |
| Ted Kehoe (1986–1987) | Mark Hutter |
| Chief Kramer (1986–1987) | Ron Dean |
| Phil Bartoli (1986–1987) | Jon Polito |
| Steven Kordo (1987–1988) | Jay O. Sanders |
THEME:
“Runaway,” sung by Del Shannon
Crime Story was an unusual serialized police drama. It began in Chicago in the early 1960s, where Lt. Mike Torello was head of the city’s MCU (Major Crime Unit), and rising young gangster Ray Luca his chief target. Liberal prosecutor David Abrams, the son of a mobster himself, had forsaken the underworld and joined Torello in pursuing Luca. Julie was Torello’s estranged wife (they were divorced after a few episodes, whereupon Torello had an affair with Inga); Danny, Joey, Walter, and Nate were his team of hardbitten detectives. Despite their efforts—and his own blundering sidekick Pauli—Luca prospered, building a violent criminal empire with nationwide tentacles. Old-line crime lords Manny Weisbord and Phil Bartoli provided support. When Luca moved his base of operations to Las Vegas, Torello followed, as part of a federal task force headed by Abrams. Although Torello dogged Luca’s every step, he never could shut him down completely; the resilient gangster even survived an A-bomb blast at the end of the first season when he fled across Yucca Flats in the middle of a test. Period flavor was a major component of this series, as was authenticity. Star Dennis Farina had been a real-life cop in Chicago for 18 years before shifting his beat to TV.
CRIME SYNDICATED (Police Anthology)
FIRST TELECAST: September 18, 1951
LAST TELECAST: June 23, 1953
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1951-Jun 1953, CBS Tue 9:00–9:30
NARRATOR:
Rudolph Halley
Herbert R. O’Conor
Dramatizations of actual cases from the files of the Senate Crime Investigating Committee, the F.B.I., and local law-enforcement agencies were presented each week on this live series. Rudolph Halley, former chief counsel for the Senate Crime Investigating Committee, was the original host. When he became president of the New York City Council in late 1951 he decided to alternate narrator responsibilities with Sen. Herbert R. O’Conor of Maryland, former chairman of the Senate Crime Investigating Committee. In March 1952 Crime Syndicated was cut back from a weekly series to a biweekly series, alternating with City Hospital.
CRIME WITH FATHER (Police Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: August 31, 1951
LAST TELECAST: January 18, 1952
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Aug 1951-Jan 1952, ABC Fri 9:00–9:30
CAST:
| Capt. Jim Riland | Rusty Lane |
| Chris Riland | Peggy Lobbin |
This father-and-daughter detective show revolved around the cases of Capt. Jim Riland of the homicide squad. Jim’s daughter Chris was of greater help in solving cases than any of his plainclothesmen.
CRIMES OF THE CENTURY (Documentary)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
30 minutes
Produced: 1988 (28 episodes)
Released: January 1989
HOST:
Mike Connors
Hosted by former TV detective Mike Connors (Mannix), this weekly series focused on bizarre, strange, or violent crimes that had happened all over the country. Each episode included dramatizations of the actual cases and interviews with some of the real people involved in them.
CRIMETIME AFTER PRIMETIME (Various)
FIRST TELECAST: April 1, 1991
LAST TELECAST: January 4, 1995
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Apr 1991-Dec 1992, CBS Mon-Fri 11:30–12:30 A.M.
Jan 1993-Aug 1993, CBS Mon-Thu 11:30–1:30 A.M.
Jan 1993-Aug 1993, CBS Fri 11:30–12:30 A.M.
Sep 1993-Dec 1993, CBS Mon-Thu 12:35–1:35 A.M.
Dec 1993-Feb 1994, CBS Mon-Wed 12:35–1:35 A.M.
Mar 1994-Dec 1994, CBS Mon-Thu 12:35–1:35 A.M.
Dec 1994-Jan 1995, CBS Mon-Wed 1:05–2:05 A.M.
After almost two decades of airing a mix of original programs and reruns of former prime-time series under the titles The CBS Late Night Movie and CBS Late Night (see those entries for details), CBS put together a completely first-run late-night schedule under the umbrella title CrimeTime After Primetime. Listed below are the series that comprised CrimeTime After Primetime. Details on each can be found under their separate title headings.
Monday
Apr 1991-Dec 1992, Sweating Bullets
Jan 1993-Aug 1993, Sweating Bullets; Scene of the Crime
Sep 1993-Jan 1995, Sweating Bullets
Tuesday
Apr 1991-Oct 1991, The Exile
Oct 1991-Feb 1992, Urban Angel
Mar 1992-Apr 1992, Scene of the Crime
Apr 1992-Dec 1992, Forever Knight
Jan 1993-Mar 1993, Forever Knight; Urban Angel
Apr 1993-Aug 1993, Forever Knight; The Exile
Sep 1993-Nov 1993, Dark Justice
Nov 1993-Aug 1994, Forever Knight
Aug 1994-Jan 1995, Fly By Night
Wednesday
Apr 1991-Mar 1992, Scene of the Crime
Mar 1992-Dec 1992, Dangerous Curves
Jan 1993-Jun 1993, Dangerous Curves; Fly By Night
Jun 1993-Aug 1993, Johnny Bago; Fly By Night
Sep 1993-Dec 1993, Dangerous Curves
Dec 1993-Feb 1994, Dark Justice
Mar 1994-Aug 1994, Scene of the Crime
Aug 1994-Jan 1995, The Exile
Thursday
Apr 1991-Oct 1991, Fly By Night
Nov 1991-Dec 1992, Silk Stalkings
Jan 1993-Aug 1993, Silk Stalkings; Scene of the Crime
Sep 1993-Nov 1993, Silk Stalkings
Nov 1993-Dec 1993, Dark Justice
Mar 1994-Apr 1994, Dark Justice
Apr 1994-Dec 1994, Sweating Bullets
Friday
Apr 1991-Aug 1993, Dark Justice
CRIMEWATCH TONIGHT (Public Service)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
30 minutes
Produced: 1989–1990
Released: September 1989
HOST:
Ike Pappas
REPORTERS:
Jose Grinan
Jim Hill
Elizabeth Robinson
This Monday-Friday evening series was a potpourri of news on currently active criminal cases, stories on the activities of criminal justice agencies in various communities, and assorted anti-crime tips. Among the regular features were information on fugitives from justice, crime quizzes to test viewers’ knowledge of the law and the ways in which criminals operate, crime tips to help viewers reduce their chances of being victimized, and acknowledgment of the outstanding achievements of individual law enforcement professionals.
CRISIS, syndicated title for Kraft Mystery Theater
CRISIS, THE (Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: October 5, 1949
LAST TELECAST: December 28, 1949
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1949-Dec 1949, NBC Wed 8:00–8:30
INTERVIEWER:
Adrian Spies
“DIRECTOR”:
Arthur Peterson (Oct)
Bob Cunningham (Nov-Dec)
This unusual series used a real-life crisis as the subject of a studio dramatization. First a guest would describe for interviewer Spies the events leading up to a critical moment in his or her life. At the major turning point in the story the guest’s narrative was stopped, and professional actors—who were unaware of what actually happened next—would carry on, playing the scene as they imagined it might have been resolved. The actors worked unrehearsed and without scripts, improvising dialogue. An on-camera “director” provided some instructions and called for props. After each scene was played, the guest would return to explain what had actually happened. The show was produced live in Chicago and was directed by Norman Felton.
CRISIS CENTER (Medical Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: February 28, 1997
LAST TELECAST: April 4, 1997
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Feb 1997-Apr 1997, NBC Fri 10:00–11:00
CAST:
| Kathy Goodman | Kellie Martin |
| Dr. Rick Buckley | Matt Roth |
| Lily Gannon | Nia Peeples |
| Tess Robinson | Tina Lifford |
| Nando Taylor | Clifton Gonzales Gonzales |
| Off. Gary McDermott | Dana Ashbrook |
A suicide, a hostage situation, and a mother giving birth on a desk were all in a day’s work in this aptly named series, set in the hectic, bustling world of the San Francisco Assistance Center. Kathy was the innocent young intern, traumatized because the guy she was counseling on the telephone blew his brains out. Trying to give her a little support was the center’s earnest founder and co-director, Dr. Rick, a psychiatrist, and his businesslike co-director, Lily, who was trying to keep the place afloat. Tess was the center’s attorney (they needed one after that phone incident), and Nando the streetwise youth counselor. Gary was a young officer on the local beat who had eyes for Kathy. They were all terribly committed and frantically busy, giving this short-lived series an intensity that was apparently too much for viewers to take. It closed its doors after just six episodes.
CRITIC, THE (Cartoon)
FIRST TELECAST: January 26, 1994
LAST TELECAST: July 30, 1995
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jan 1994-Mar 1994, ABC Wed 8:30–9:00
Jun 1994-Jul 1994, ABC Wed 8:30–9:00
Mar 1995-Jul 1995, FOX Sun 8:30–9:00
VOICES:
| Jay Sherman | Jon Lovitz |
| Marty Sherman (age 11) | Christine Cavanaugh |
| Franklin | Gerrit Graham |
| Eleanor | Judith Ivey |
| Margo (16) | Nancy Cartwright, others |
| Duke Phillips | Charles Napier |
| Doris | Doris Grau |
| Jeremy Hawke | Maurice LaMarche |
| Vlada | Nick Jameson |
| Alice Tompkins (1995) | Park Overall |
| Penny Tompkins (4)(1995) | Russi Taylor |
| Various voices | Kath Soucie |
Pudgy, balding, sweater-clad movie critic Jay Sherman skewered movies and celebrities in this lampoon of popular culture. His own life was a bit of a mess. He was divorced and had no social life and no self-esteem. His wealthy adoptive parents, Franklin and Eleanor, paid little attention to him, and his chubby son, Marty, liked his ex-wife’s new boyfriend. At New York’s Channel 67, where Jay hosted Coming Attractions, he was constantly being put down by megalomaniacal owner Duke Phillips and makeup lady Doris. Only his pal Jeremy, an Australian actor (and the spitting image of Paul Hogan), offered some understanding. Despite all these slings and arrows, Jay never lost his wit when reviewing the latest ridiculous films, such as Home Alone 8, Rabbi P.I. (with Arnold Schwarzenegger), The Red Ballooon Part II— Revenge of the Balloon, Honey, I Ate the Kids, and Crocodile Gandhi. His usual review: “It stinks.”
The Critic had a short run on ABC, then returned the following year on Fox. Added to the cast was Southern divorcée Alice, who finally brought a little love interest into Jay’s life. Penny was Alice’s four-year-old daughter.
Among the show’s closing credits was this arch statement: “All impersonations were parodical … No celebrities were harmed in the filming of this episode.”
CRITIC AT LARGE (Discussion)
FIRST TELECAST: August 18, 1948
LAST TELECAST: April 20, 1949
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Aug 1948-Nov 1948, ABC Wed 7:30–8:00
Nov 1948-Jan 1949, ABC Thu 8:30–9:00
Jan 1949-Apr 1949, ABC Wed 8:30–9:00
MODERATOR:
John Mason Brown
Author and critic John Mason Brown, who once commented that “some television programs are so much chewing gum for the eyes,” offered this intellectual alternative in 1948–1949. It consisted of an informal living-room discussion on the arts with two or three guests, of the caliber of author James Michener, producer Billy Rose, publisher Bennett Cerf, and critic Bosley Crowther. The subjects ranged from modern art to new novels, films, the theater, and fashions.
CROCODILE HUNTER, THE (Documentary)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Animal Planet
60 minutes
Original episodes: 1997–
Premiered: January 1997
REGULARS:
Steve Irwin
Terri Irwin
The show that arguably put Animal Planet on the TV map was this over-the-top documentary series by Australian herpetologist Steve Irwin, a true wild man when it came to wrangling crocodiles. Irwin, who seemed to be completely fearless around the big beasts, took viewers into the Australia Outback, where he relocated rogue crocs using muscle, ropes and clever stratagems while doing as little harm to them (and himself) as possible in the process. All of this was accompanied by a big smile, enthusiastic narration (“Holy smokes that was close!”; “She’s a little ripper”; “Beaut bonza mate!”) and assistance from his sensible wife, Terri.
The first Crocodile Hunter documentary was filmed at Irwin’s Australia Zoo, in Queensland, in 1992. Crocodile Hunter premiered in the U.S. on the Discovery Channel in October 1996, and moved to sister Channel Animal Planet in January 1997 where it became that network’s flagship series. It was so popular that it spawned spin-off series Croc Files (1999), following Steve’s life in and around the zoo and featuring Steve, Terri, infant daughter Bindi Sue, best mate Wes Mannion and family dog Sui; and The Crocodile Hunter Diaries (2001).
CROOK AND CHASE (Magazine)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
The Nashville Network
30/60 minutes
Produced: 1986–1993
Premiered: April 28, 1986
REGULARS:
Lorianne Crook
Charlie Chase
Their sunny dispositions and playful banter led some to call them the Regis and Kathie Lee of country music (to which they responded, “Our next goal is to be the Beavis and Butt-head of country”). Crook and Chase began their live, nightly, Nashville-based show in 1986, quickly becoming a staple of the TNN schedule. Virtually every major star and up-and-comer in the field stopped by at one time or another. Originally half an hour in length, the series expanded to an hour in March 1991. In 1993 Crook and Chase moved to a 90-minute nightly variety format under the title Music City Tonight (q.v.).
CROOK AND CHASE TONIGHT (Magazine)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
The Nashville Network
60 minutes
Produced: 1999
Premiered: January 6, 1999
HOSTS:
Lorianne Crook
Charlie Chase
TNN favorites Crook and Chase hosted this homey prime-time hour consisting of entertainment news, on-location interviews, and comedy bits.
CROSS CURRENT, see Foreign Intrigue
CROSS QUESTION, see They Stand Accused
CROSSFIRE (Discussion)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
CNN
30 minutes
Produced: 1982–
Premiered: June 1982
REGULARS:
Pat Buchanan (1982–1999)
Tom Braden (1982–1989)
Michael Kinsley (1989–1995)
John Sununu (1992–1998)
Bill Press (1996–2002)
Robert Novak (1985–)
Mary Matalin (1999–2001)
James Carville (2002–)
Paul Begala (2002–)
Tucker Carlson (2002–)
A long and noisy political discussion that raged Monday through Friday nights at 7:30 P.M. for most of its history. The principal combatants have included conservative Pat Buchanan and liberal Tom Braden, although Buchanan periodically left the show to make his quixotic runs for the presidency.
CROSSING JORDAN (Police Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: September 24, 2001
LAST TELECAST:
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 2001-May 2003, NBC Mon 10:00–11:00
Jun 2003–, NBC Fri 8:00–9:00
CAST:
| Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh | Jill Hennessy |
| Dr. Garret Macy | Miguel Ferrer |
| Dr. Trey Sanders (2000–2001) | Mahershalalhashbaz Ali |
| Dr. Mahesh “Bug” Vijayaraghavensatyanaryana-murthy | Ravi Kapoor |
| Max Cavanaugh | Ken Howard |
| Lily Lebowski | Kathryn Hahn |
| Dr. Nigel Townsend | Steve Valentine |
| Elaine Duchamps (2002–2003) | Lorraine Toussaint |
| Det. Woody Hoyt (2002–) | Jerry O’Connell |
| * Abby Macy | Alex McKenna |
| Dr. Peter Winslow (2002–) | Ivan Sergei |
Jordan was a crusading medical examiner whose single-mindedness got her into trouble. Having screwed up her career in Los Angeles, she had come back to her hometown of Boston to plead with Dr. Macy, the man who had given her her start, for her old job back. She got it, but continued to skate on the edge of “acceptable behavior,” badgering witnesses, pilfering evidence and sometimes flouting laws in her quest to track down the guilty in the murders she was assigned (and sometimes in cases she was not assigned). Macy was her stressed-out boss, a man with many demons of his own, including his troubles with his drug-prone daughter Abby. Trey was a trainee who helped Jordan while angling for a date; Bug, the eccentric medical examiner who chased butterflies; Lily, the slightly strange office coordinator/grief counselor, and Nigel, the tall British criminalist. Also helping Jordan crack cases was her dad, a retired cop with a Down East accent (he called her “Jerden”), whose personal demon was the unsolved murder of his wife, Jordan’s mother, which haunted him as it did Jordan. He helped by role playing the events of a crime with Jordan. Joining in the second season were Woody, a boyish detective who reluctantly tagged along on Jordan’s investigations, and Elaine, an aggressive medical examiner assigned to Macy’s department against his will by the DA’s office.
In the 2002–2003 season finale Jordan and Woody edged closer to unraveling the mystery of her mother’s 1979 murder, which appeared to be connected to a police coverup of crooked cops involving both her father and her long-missing half-brother, James Horton (Michael T. Weiss).
CROSSING OVER WITH JOHN EDWARD (Psychic)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sci-Fi Channel and syndicated
30 minutes
Original episodes: 2000–
Premiered: July 10, 2000 (Sci-Fi Channel); September 2001 (syndication)
HOST:
John Edward
Dapper, casually dressed John Edward was a medium who fascinated audiences with his apparent ability to contact the deceased in this fast-moving talk show. John claimed that he couldn’t control who “came through” when he was channeling the spirits of the dead. As his Web site stated, “John has read the cameraman, soundman, and someone in the next room during rehearsals. If you feel you’ll be too embarrassed, too frazzled, or just not interested, we ask that you give up your seat to someone who’s anxious for a reading.” In addition to reading random people from the audience, there were also one-on-one segments with celebrities, such as Linda Dano from a soap opera named, appropriately enough, Another World. Many of the readings were teary attempts to put the subjects in touch with deceased loved ones, but some were amusing (Edward: “Is there a new animal in your family?” Subject: “My boyfriend?” Edward: “Not unless he crawls”).
Although skeptics claimed they could explain everything he did, and disclaimers were prominently displayed at the end of each episode, Crossing Over was an immediate hit as a late-night entry on the Sci-Fi Channel. In 2001 it went into daily syndication.
CROSSROADS (Dramatic Anthology)
FIRST TELECAST: October 7, 1955
LAST TELECAST: September 27, 1957
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1955-Sep 1957, ABC Fri 8:30–9:00
Crossroads would have been indistinguishable from many other competently done dramatic anthologies of the early and mid-1950s were it not for its unusual subject matter. The series dealt exclusively with dramatizations of the experiences of clergymen. The problems they faced in both their personal and professional lives were depicted by many fine actors, Vincent Price and Luther Adler among them. Clergymen of all faiths were treated at one time or another, and the dramas successfully made the point that these were real people, as well as representatives of their respective faiths.
CROSSROADS, see American Parade, The
CROSSROADS (Adventure)
FIRST TELECAST: September 14, 1992
LAST TELECAST: July 15, 1993
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1992, ABC Mon 8:00–9:00
Sep 1992, ABC Wed 10:00–11:00
Sep 1992-Oct 1992, ABC Sat 9:00–10:00
Jun 1993-Jul 1993, ABC Thu 9:00–10:00
Jul 1993, ABC Thu 8:00–9:00
CAST:
| Johnny Hawkins | Robert Urich |
| Dylan Hawkins | Dalton James |
Father-son bonding series in which Johnny Hawkins, a star New York City prosecutor in line for D.A., put his career on hold in order to rescue his rebellious 16-year-old son from a life of crime. Johnny had only himself to blame, since ten years earlier when his wife died he had left Dylan with his grandparents in Atlanta. Now the kid was getting into increasingly serious trouble. Making up for lost time, Johnny got them both leather jackets, set Dylan on the back of his vintage motorcycle, and embarked on a tour of America. Along the way they encountered and helped an assortment of people in the best Fugitive tradition.
CROSS-WITS, THE (Quiz/Audience Participation)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
30 minutes
Produced: 1975–1980, 1986–1987
Released: Fall 1975
HOST:
Jack Clark (1975–1980)
David Sparks (1986–1987)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
Ralph Edwards
This popular syndicated quiz show was a word game, based on a crossword puzzle. Two teams, each composed of two celebrities and one civilian, competed to fill in words in a crossword puzzle, from clues provided by the host. Points were awarded, and the winner advanced to the “Crossfire” finale, where he or she was assisted by a celebrity of his choice. The object here was to fill in 10 words in 60 seconds. The grand prize on the premiere was a trip to Paris.
Among the celebrities making frequent appearances were Alice Ghostley, Jo Anne Worley, Jamie Farr, Stu Gilliam, and Vicki Lawrence.
Six years after the original series had left the air, The New Cross-Wits surfaced, with David Sparks replacing the original host, Jack Clark.
CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, THE (Adventure)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
60 minutes
Produced: 1998–1999 (22 episodes)
Released: September 1998
CAST:
| Eric Draven | Mark Dacascos |
| Det. Daryl Albrecht | Marc Gomes |
| Shelly Webster | Sabine Karsenti |
| Sarah Mohr | Katie Stuart |
| Darla Mohr | Lynda Boyd |
| Lt. David Vicennes | Jon Cuthbert |
| Det. Jessica Capshaw | Christina Cox |
The tone of this brooding series was set in the opening narration by the lead character: “People once believed that when someone dies the crow carries their soul to the land of the dead—but sometimes something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it and the soul can’t rest. And sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring the soul back to put things right….”
Eric was one who had come back, a musician who returned from the dead to seek vengeance on the inner-city thugs who had killed him and his fiancée, Shelly, a year earlier. The crow had brought Eric back to Port Columbia, and served as his earthly spirit guide as he attempted to right the wrongs that had befallen them. Most of the time he looked normal, if a bit creepy, but in crises his pallor turned ghostly, his face had bizarre eye makeup, and his strength became superhuman. Eric could not be killed since he was actually in a sort of limbo between astral planes, his cuts healed almost immediately and bullet holes sealed themselves. There were flashbacks to happier times with his beloved Shelly, with whom he longed to be reunited.
Eric moved back into the seedy apartment building where he had been murdered, where he met Sarah, an intelligent child who befriended him and helped him deal with his demons. Darla, Sarah’s mother, was a former drug addict who worked at the local police precinct. Detective Albrecht was a local cop who was understandably skeptical of Eric’s incredible story. Already dead? They later worked out a deal in which Eric helped him on some of his cases and he cut the young man some slack. However, in February, Eric was put on trial and convicted of conspiracy to commit Shelly’s murder. Seeing him “alive,” the jury believed he had faked his death and was responsible for the crime, but the judge set him free on a technicality. Because of his association with Eric, Albrecht was demoted to beat cop (eventually he was reinstated) and his new partner, Capshaw, took over his case load.
Based on the comic book series by James O’Barr and the 1994 theatrical film The Crow, starring Brandon Lee as Eric and Ernie Hudson as Albrecht. Filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia.
BROADCAST HISTORY:
TNT Network
60 minutes
Original episodes: 1999 (13 episodes)
Premiered: June 9, 1999
CAST:
| Capt. Matthew Gideon | Gary Cole |
| Lt. John Matheson | Daniel Dae Kim |
| Max Eilerson | David Allen Brooks |
| Galen | Peter Woodward |
| Dr. Sarah Chambers | Marjean Holden |
| Dureena Nafeel | Carrie Dobro |
| Capt. Elizabeth Lochley | Tracy Scoggins |
This sequel to Babylon 5 took place a few years after the end of the Great War with the Shadows. In the series premiere Earth was quarantined after the insect-like Drakh, who had been allied with the Shadows, spread a biogenetic plague into the atmosphere. The plague would take five years to adapt itself to humanity and then would kill everyone on the planet. Since there was not enough time to develop a cure on Earth, the only hope was to search through the ruins of alien civilizations on other planets looking for a medical technology that could cure the disease. The vessel entrusted with this vital mission was the Excalibur, an advanced prototype starship whose no-nonsense captain, Matthew Gideon, had been chosen because of his extensive experience dealing with alien races. Among his crew members were First Officer Matheson, a telepath who had worked with Gideon before and was very familiar with the commander’s way of doing things; Galen, a hooded technomage who, nine years ago, had used his almost magical skills to save Gideon’s life after his ship had been destroyed; Eilerson, an arrogant archeologist and linguist whose ability to translate alien languages was invaluable; Nafeel, a member of the Thieves Guild who could break into otherwise impenetrable places; and Dr. Chambers, the ship’s chief medical officer. Elizabeth Lochley, commander of the Babylon 5 space station, was Gideon’s longtime friend and sometimes lover. Some episodes focused on their explorations and contacts with alien races and civilizations, while others dealt with other assignments and political issues.
Crusade was originally intended to run for five seasons, as had Babylon 5, but disagreements between its producers and TNT resulted in its premature cancelation. They never did find the cure.
CRUSADE IN EUROPE (Documentary)
FIRST TELECAST: May 5, 1949
LAST TELECAST: October 27, 1949
BROADCAST HISTORY:
May 1949-Oct 1949, ABC Thu 9:00–9:30
NARRATOR:
Westbrook Van Voorhis
Maurice Joyce
PRODUCER:
Richard de Rochemont
ADAPTED BY:
Fred Feldkamp
This film documentary series on the European theater of action during World War II was assembled from combat footage shot during the war. Crusade in Europe was one of the first major documentary series produced especially for television (by the March of Time film unit), and was based on General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s best-selling book of the same name. Its success led to a syndicated sequel titled Crusade in the Pacific. Westbrook Van Voorhis provided narration, while Maurice Joyce read quotes from Eisenhower’s book.
CRUSADER (International Intrigue)
FIRST TELECAST: October 7, 1955
LAST TELECAST: December 28, 1956
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1955-Dec 1956, CBS Fri 9:00–9:30
CAST:
| Matt Anders | Brian Keith |
Freelance writer Matt Anders devoted much of his time to one cause: helping the oppressed peoples living under dictatorial or Communist regimes escape to free countries. The reason for his devotion to this cause was simple. After overthrowing the Polish government, the Communists had kept his mother in Poland and sent her to a concentration camp, where she died. Holding the Communists responsible for her death, Matt used every means at his disposal to help save others from her fate.
CRUSADERS, THE (Newsmagazine)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
60 minutes
Produced: 1993–1995 Released: September 1993
SENIOR REPORTERS/HOSTS:
Mark Hyman (1993)
William LaJeunesse (1993)
Howard Thompson
Carla Wohl
When this investigative series premiered in 1993 its producer told the viewing audience that The Crusaders would provide a new brand of TV journalism, that there was someone on their side and that the stories it covered would make a difference, right wrongs, give help, and open doors that would lead to improvements in the legal and social systems around the country. There were features on blind cords that strangled children, an inner-city gang member who wanted to straighten out his life, a cop who almost lost his job after arresting a drunken driver city councilman, death benefits for a firefighter dying of cancer, cemetery fraud, and help for Midwest flood victims.
When the series premiered, the four senior reporters chatted with field reporters at the end of most stories and were occasionally out in the field themselves. By the end of the year two of them, Mark Hyman and William LaJeunesse, were gone, although Hyman stayed with the show as a field reporter. The producers provided a phone number, toll-free during the show’s first season, for people involved in their own crusades who needed assistance or who knew of other “crusaders” who needed help.
CRUSH (Audience Participation)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
USA Network
30 minutes
Original episodes: 2000
Premiered: March 27, 2000
Andrew Krasny
Three contestants claimed they had a crush on the same person—and tried to prove it—on this rather awkward early-evening show. Three girls talked about the same guy, and the guy then asked them questions designed to find out who really had a crush on him. At the end he picked the one he thought was his admirer, and they got a romantic vacation (if he picked wrong, the real admirer was “crushed”). When three guys confronted a girl, the talk generally got raunchier (“her butt’s tight and round—the best”), but the game was the same. The girls bounced around in short skirts and tight blouses while the audience shrieked.
CRYSTAL ROOM (Variety)
FIRST TELECAST: August 15, 1948
LAST TELECAST: September 12, 1948
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Aug 1948-Sep 1948, ABC Sun 8:30–9:00
HOSTESS:
Maggi McNellis
This short-lived variety program was set in an imaginary nightclub and featured Maggi McNellis, one of early TV’s ubiquitous personalities, and guests.
CUPID (Fantasy)
FIRST TELECAST: September 26, 1998
LAST TELECAST: February 11, 1999
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1998-Dec 1998, ABC Sat 10:00–11:00
Jan 1999-Feb 1999, ABC Thu 9:00–10:00
CAST:
| Trevor Hale (Cupid) | Jeremy Piven |
| Dr. Claire Allen | Paula Marshall |
| Champ Terrace | Jeffrey D. Sams |
THEME:
“Human,” performed by the Pretenders
Trevor was a glib, sarcastic young man, just released from a Chicago mental hospital, who claimed he was Cupid. Yeah, sure. He had no special powers (“they took away my bow and arrow”), although he did have a rather intimate knowledge of the denizens of Mount Olympus. He also seemed to have a knack, in his own pushy way, for helping couples discover, or rediscover, romance. He was on Earth, he claimed, as punishment for his sloppy work in the ’60s and ’70s (too many divorces); in order to be allowed back on Olympus, he would have to reunite a hundred couples, without the use of magic.
All this attracted uptight psychologist Claire, who didn’t believe the Cupid bit for a moment, but thought the delusional young man might be an interesting subject for her next book. Assigned by the mental health board to “monitor his progress,” she did begin to wonder. Champ, Trevor’s roommate, was a frustrated actor who groused a lot but usually helped him out when needed.
CURRENT AFFAIR, A (Newsmagazine)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Syndicated only
30 minutes
Produced: 1986–1996
Released: July 28, 1986
HOST: (Mon-Fri)
Maury Povich (1986–1990)
Maureen O’Boyle (1990–1994)
Jim Ryan (1994)
Penny Daniels (1994–1995)
John Scott (1995–1996)
HOST: (weekend)
Maureen O’Boyle (1990–1991, 1993)
Bill McGowan (1991–1992)
Alexander Johnson (1993)
Terry Willesee (1993–1995)
Penny Daniels (1995)
Mary Garofalo (1995–1996)
The first, and arguably the most successful, of what became known as the “Tabloid News” series in the late 1980s was A Current Affair. Hosted by former Washington TV anchorman Maury Povich, this nightly magazine series was bizarre, exploitive, and unabashedly sexy.
It was produced by Fox television, which was owned by Australian publisher Rupert Murdoch, whose newspapers around the world were themselves prime examples of the “tabloid” style. A Current Affair often resembled a TV version of Murdoch’s weekly Star magazine. Each episode contained two to four stories, favoring messy divorce and palimony cases, religious cults, gruesome murders, the troubles of the rich and famous, assorted show business gossip (often reported by gossip columnist Cindy Adams), and anything involving sexy women in bikinis or lingerie.
Occasionally, while looking for the dirt, the “investigative reporters” of A Current Affair ran across stories that actually made news. Two of the most notable involved videotapes they managed to acquire. The first was recorded at a 1988 party and showed Robert Chambers, who had strangled young Jennifer Levin in New York’s Central Park during what he claimed was rough sex, making a macabre joke of the murder only days before asking for leniency in a courtroom plea bargain. The second, which surfaced in the summer of 1989, was a tape made by actor Rob Lowe during the 1988 Democratic Convention in Atlanta. It showed a 16-year-old girl having sex with both another woman and with Lowe himself
Although Povich was the only on-camera regular, A Current Affair utilized the services of a whole host of Fox reporters including Rafael Abramovitz, Steve Dunleavy, Gordon Elliott, Bob Martin, Bill McGowan, Steve McPartlin, Maureen O’Boyle, and Krista Bradford. When Maury was on vacation or assignment, Maureen and Krista were the most frequent substitute hosts, and Maureen took over full-time in the fall of 1990 when Maury left to host his own daytime talk show.
It was also that fall that an hour-long weekend version, Current Affair Extra, premiered. Aussie Terry Willesee had been the original host of the Australian A Current Affair and was the only person to host the show in both countries.
CURSE OF DRACULA, THE (Serial)
FIRST TELECAST: February 27, 1979
LAST TELECAST: May 1, 1979
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Feb 1979-Mar 1979, NBC Tue 8:40–9:00
Mar 1979-May 1979, NBC Tue 8:00–8:20
CAST:
| Count Dracula | Michael Nouri |
| Kurt von Helsing | Stephen Johnson |
| Mary Gibbons | Carol Baxter |
| Antoinette | Antoinette Stella |
| Darryl | Mark Montgomery |
| Christine | Bever-Leigh Banfield |
| Amanda Gibbons | Louise Sorel |
In this contemporary serial, Count Dracula was “un-dead and well, and living in California.” The 500-year-old vampire was located in San Francisco and teaching a course in European history at South Bay College (Evening Division). One of the principal advantages of his teaching post was that it brought him in contact with attractive young students—Antoinette, Christine, and Darryl—who could be turned into vampires and join the legions of the undead. Seeking to destroy Dracula was Kurt von Helsing, grandson of Prof. von Helsing, a former nemesis of the count. Helping Kurt was Mary Gibbons, whose mother had been turned into a vampire by Dracula years before. Mary herself almost fell victim to the fatal charm of the count, but was saved by the intervention of her vampire mother, Amanda. In the climactic chapter, Mary drove a wooden stake through the heart of her mother, freeing her from the curse of the undead, and Kurt shot Dracula with a wooden arrow from a crossbow, destroying him … or so it seemed. After the others had escaped the burning wax museum where the confrontation had taken place, Dracula was seen regaining consciousness, pulling the stake from his chest and fleeing the building. Would he be back?
The Curse of Dracula was one of three serials aired under the umbrella title Cliff Hangers, and was the only one to reach its conclusion by the time the series was canceled.
CURSED (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: October 26, 2000
LAST TELECAST: April 26, 2001
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 2000–Jan 2001, NBC Thu 8:30–9:00
Mar 2001-Apr 2001, NBC Thu 8:30–9:00
CAST:
| Jack Nagle | Steven Weber |
| Melissa Taylor | Amy Pietz |
| Dr. Larry Heckman | Chris Elliott |
| Wendell Simms | Wendell Pierce |
| Katie | Paula Marshall |
Everything was going wrong for ladies’ man Jack, and for good reason—he was “cursed.” Literally. It seems that he had gone on a blind date with a woman who had put a hex on him. From that point forward his life was full of misunderstandings, little annoyances and irate dates. Melissa was his perky ex-girlfriend, an avant-garde artist, with whom he kept breaking up all over again; Larry, his gross, freeloading roommate, who happened to be a doctor; and Wendell, his wide-eyed, insecure boss in the marketing department at Flashware, an interactive software company. Katie was a gorgeous friend who was a lesbian. Drat! The setting was Chicago.
This series itself seemed to be cursed, judging by its behind-the-scenes history. Almost as soon as it went on the air NBC executives decided the premise was a mistake, so they fired the producers and ordered up scripts in which the “curse” was no longer mentioned. In December they changed the title to The Weber Show. Then, after numerous preemptions, they canceled it. Cursed, indeed.
CURTAIN CALL, syndicated title for Lux Video Theater
CURTAIN CALL (Dramatic Anthology)
FIRST TELECAST: June 20, 1952
LAST TELECAST: September 26, 1952
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 1952-Sep 1952, NBC Fri 8:00–8:30
Curtain Call, the 1952 summer replacement for The RCA Victor Show, was composed of live plays telecast from Hollywood.
CURTAIN TIME, syndicated title for Telephone Time
CURTAIN UP, see Movies—Prior to 1961
CUSTER (Western)
FIRST TELECAST: September 6, 1967
LAST TELECAST: December 27, 1967
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Sep 1967-Dec 1967, ABC Wed 7:30–8:30
CAST:
| Lt. Col. George A. Custer | Wayne Maunder |
| California Joe Milner | Slim Pickens |
| Sgt. James Bustard | Peter Palmer |
| Crazy Horse | Michael Dante |
| Brig. Gen. Alfred Terry | Robert F. Simon |
| Capt. Miles Keogh | Grant Woods |
This action Western was based on the career of George A. Custer between 1868 and 1875, the year before his death in the Battle of the Little Big Horn. In 1868, after losing his Civil War rank of brevet major general, Custer was posted to Fort Hays, Kansas, to take command of the 7th Cavalry Regiment. The 7th was a ragtag outfit of low reputation, made up of ex-Confederates, thieves, and renegades. With the help of California Joe Milner, a leathery old army scout and friend; Capt. Keogh, a shrewd and witty Irishman; and towering Sgt. Bustard, Custer managed to whip this sorry regiment into an effective force capable of protecting the settlers on the surrounding plains. Gen. Terry, commanding officer of Fort Hays, disliked Custer’s unconventional methods and appearance (including his shoulder-length blond hair), but supported him in his battles with Crazy Horse’s Sioux.
CUT, THE (Talent)
BROADCAST HISTORY:
MTV
30 minutes
Produced: 1998–1999
Premiered: September 28, 1998
HOST:
Lisa Lopes
A fairly straightforward talent competition, in which three music business professionals (including artists and executives) judged aspiring young musicians on a scale of one to ten, with the winner getting to appear in his or her own music video. The host was a saucy sexpot in a halter, who boogied to the acts and urged the audience to “Give it up!” for the contestants.
CUTTER TO HOUSTON (Medical Drama)
FIRST TELECAST: October 1, 1983
LAST TELECAST: December 31, 1983
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Oct 1983, CBS Sat 8:00–9:00
Dec 1983, CBS Sat 8:00–9:00
CAST:
| Dr. Andy Fenton | Jim Metzler |
| Dr. Beth Gilbert | Shelley Hack |
| Dr. Hal Wexler | Alec Baldwin |
| Nurse Connie Buford | K Callan |
| Mayor Warren Jarvis | Noble Willingham |
| Nurse Patty Alvarez | Susan Styles |
TV’s hotshot young doctors usually work their miracles in sprawling urban medical centers, but in this series three of them were dumped in the boondocks— with varying reactions. Rural Cutter, Texas, pop. 5231, was only 60 miles from Houston, but it seemed like a million miles to ambitious young surgeon Beth Gilbert, who had to serve her apprenticeship in the town’s newly opened clinic before returning to the prestigious Texas Medical Center. Andy Fenton didn’t mind it, though; he was a local boy and was eager to repay the townsfolk who had encouraged his career. Internist Hal Wexler hadn’t made up his mind about Cutter. Since he had been convicted of writing illegal prescriptions and was serving his probation in Cutter, he was glad to be working at all.
Though the town was small it was mighty proud of its new facility, and provided plenty of business, including victims of bar brawls, oil-well explosions, and crimes, as well as normal cases of pregnancy and disease. Whenever things got worse than could be handled with Cutter’s limited equipment, Houston’s Texas Medical Center could be reached by helicopter, radio, or computer linkup (hence the call, “Cutter to Houston …”).
CUTTERS (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: June 11, 1993
LAST TELECAST: July 9, 1993
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jun 1993-Jul 1993, CBS Fri 8:30–9:00
CAST:
| Joe Polachek | Robert Hays |
| Harry Polachek | Dakin Matthews |
| Adrienne St. John | Margaret Whitton |
| Lynn Fletcher | Julia Campbell |
| Deborah Hart | Robin Tunney |
| Troy King | Julius Carry |
| Chad Connors | Ray Buktenica |
Joe Polachek had returned home to Buffalo, New York, to work with his grumpy widowed father, Harry, in the family barbershop after an unsuccessful career as a professional golfer. Despite Harry’s misgivings, Joe convinced the old man to tear down the wall between the failing barbershop and “Adrienne of Buffalo,” the very successful and trendy beauty salon next door. Harry had never been happy about renting the space to Adrienne, but now he had to share space with her expanding business to keep his from going under. Harry and his old-line customers, including Chad, felt particularly uncomfortable in the frilly pink world of Adrienne’s. Working for Adrienne were Lynn, a beautician infatuated with Joe; Deborah, the manicurist; and—much to Harry’s chagrin—Troy, an openly gay black stylist who was once an Olympic track star.
CYBILL (Situation Comedy)
FIRST TELECAST: January 2, 1995
LAST TELECAST: July 13, 1998
BROADCAST HISTORY:
Jan 1995-Sep 1995, CBS Mon 9:30–10:00
Sep 1995-Apr 1996, CBS Sun 8:00–8:30
Apr 1996-Feb 1997, CBS Mon 9:30–10:00
Mar 1997-Dec 1997, CBS Mon 9:00–9:30
Mar 1998-Apr 1998, CBS Wed 8:30–9:00
May 1998-Jun 1998, CBS Mon 9:00–9:30
Jun 1998-Jul 1998, CBS Mon 9:30–10:00
CAST:
| Cybill Sheridan | Cybill Shepherd |
| Maryann Thorpe | Christine Baranski |
| Jeff Robbins (1995–1996) | Tom Wopat |
| Rachel Blanders (1995–1997) | Dedee Pfeiffer |
| Zoey Woodbine | Alicia Witt |
| Ira Woodbine | Alan Rosenberg |
| Waiter | Tim Macaulan |
| Kevin Blanders (1995–1997) | Peter Krause |
| Sean (1995–1996) | Jay Paulson |
| Justin Thorpe (1997–1998) | Danny Masterson |
| Dr. Richard Thorpe (1997–1998) | Ray Baker |
Cybill was a wisecracking actress in Los Angeles whose professional and personal life was in constant turmoil. At fortysomething, the roles she was offered were mostly small parts for older women—each episode opened with her filming a scene from a movie or TV show in which she had a small part—not the glamorous roles she had been offered when she was a young beauty. She wasn’t unattractive, she was just starting to show her age. Then there were the leftovers from her two failed marriages. Her first hubby was Jeff, a handsome stuntman currently living on the couch in Cybill’s living room. Their married daughter Rachel had recently announced that Mom was going to be a grandmother. Zoey, the moody 16-year-old from her second marriage, was also living with her. Zoey’s father, Ira, a successful but incredibly neurotic novelist, still had strong feelings for Cybill and was hoping to rekindle their romance. Fat chance. Cybill’s best friend was Maryann, a cynical divorcée whose ex-husband had left her quite well off. Maryann had been to the Betty Ford Clinic to cure her drinking problem but desperately needed a booster shot. The two of them dished the dirt, which included their respective dating problems, at the trendy restaurant where they lunched in almost every episode.
Maryann’s obsession with making life miserable for her ex, the notorious Dr. Dick, continued to get her and Cybill into precarious situations in slapstick adventures reminiscent of I Love Lucy. In the fall of 1995 Rachel gave birth to a son, and two years later, to a daughter. Jeff moved out of Cybill’s home in late 1995 and was seen only occasionally from 1996 on. In the spring of 1996, Ira and Maryann started dating (it didn’t last) and Zoey broke up with Sean, the busboy.
That fall Rachel and her family moved in with Cybill, while Kevin looked for a new job, and Zoey got her own apartment. Cybill starred for a time in a new science fiction series, and when Jeff’s career got hot, he gave Rachel and Kevin money for a down payment on a new home. Early in 1997, Maryann started dating a nice veterinarian who—ugh!—was another Dr. Dick. In the spring of 1998, Maryann’s son, Justin, who had been friendly with Zoey, moved to San Francisco for a new job. In the series finale Maryann was left broke after Dr. Dick bribed her business manager into having her sign a form giving him power of attorney.
He cleaned her out and, at the episode’s end, she and Cybill were arrested for murdering Dr. Dick. He had apparently been in the Chris-Craft boat that, among other things, they had gleefully blown up on his property. As they were led off, “To be continued” flashed on the screen, but since Cybill had been canceled, there was no resolution.