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- In "All About Faces," two celebrity teams were shown a vignette in which an average person was secretly filmed. The "average Joe" was eventually caught in the middle of a moral or ethical dilemma; as the situation reached its climax, the vignette was stopped and the celebrities would then wager money on how they think the situation will be resolved (the subject's facial expressions also figured into the teams' decisions; hence the show's title). The rest of the film vignette was then shown with the outcome; whichever team amassed the most cash at the end of the show won the game.
- Dick Van Dyke hosted this splashy, "one-shot wonder" special - from the producers of "The Carol Burnett Show" - celebrating the then-upcoming 1977-78 TV season on CBS, featuring musical production numbers, comedy sketches, clips from new and returning CBS shows, and cameo appearances by many CBS stars (including Carol Burnett herself). Van Dyke also took viewers on a guided tour of the CBS Television City facility in Hollywood, where many CBS series and specials were videotaped.
- An updated 70's version of such 60's musical shows as "Shindig" and "Hullabaloo." Pop singers John Valenti and Tina Turner were guest stars, as were jazz vocal group the Manhattan Transfer and country star Doug Kershaw. A then-unknown Kathie Lee Gifford - billed as Kathie Epstein - was a featured singer in "Constantinople"'s cast.
- This family series revolved around the trials and tribulations of the people of the small town of Faithville, Ontario ("The town that lives up to its name") around the mid-to-late (postwar)-1940's. Mayor Hope oversaw Faithville, assisted by his secretary, Miss Evidence, and Officer Wisdom was the town's police officer. Mr. and Mrs. Waterwell owned the local dairy farm, Mr. Cutwright was the barber, Mr. Up owned the gas station and garage, Miss Charity owned the local diner, Miss Correct was the schoolteacher, Miss Cordial ran the local inn, Mr. and Mrs. I. B. Lieve (get it?) ran the Miracle Grocery, Mr. Doubt ran the local hardware store, Mr. Loonie was the town banker, Miss Rosa Sharon (get that one, too?) was the local florist, and Pastor Shepherd was in charge of the local church. Each episode revolved around a spiritual theme tied in with a life lesson and how it applied to the people of Faithville. There were also three interstitial segments: "Proverb of the Week," in which Officer Wisdom imparted a quote from the Book of Proverbs to Freddie Fool - and later, his brother, Frankie - and how it applied to the Fools' wrongdoings; "Think About It," in which Miss Correct or one of the other Faithville residents applied a short object lesson to the theme of each show; and "Bible Story of the Week," in which Executive Producer Pastor Tom Collins related a Bible story to the theme of each show.
- NBC Network series: the audience wrote in to request 'fantasies' for others by telling a great story about why they deserved to be rewarded. The show received over 100, 000 letters a day as it pre-dated the Internet.
- Roxana Banana is an orangutan that escaped from the zoo and was adopted by the Cole family. One night, a mysterious spaceship comes down from the sky and endows Roxana with super powers via a lightning bolt. Roxana is pursued by two crooks who want to use her super powers for their own ill will, but Roxana's outdodging them by means of her powers, as well as the predicaments she creates for the Coles, provide much of the comedy for this series. Also included was "Jungle Jukebox," a takeoff on the then-popular music videos using popular songs with animals in the visuals, as well as parodies of then-current TV shows and commercials using animals (e.g. "Magnum P.U. starring Tom Smellick").
- Pam's sheepdog, Daisy, wanders into nosy neighbor Mrs. Sesslick's yard and starts harassing her cat, Ballard. Mrs. Sesslick chases Daisy with her broom, and after Daisy breaks Mrs. Sesslick's front screen door she calls the dog pound. Grandpa also starts chasing Ballard, and when Mr. Conroy, the dog catcher arrives, Grandpa bumps into him and both Conroy and Grandpa lose their glasses. Conroy mistakenly puts on Grandpa's glasses and takes him to the dog pound, thinking Grandpa is a dog. It's then up to Scott, his family, Stiles, and Boof to rescue Grandpa from the pound.
- Rusty is the scourge of his his 6th grade class. He plays practical jokes on and constantly gets into fights with other kids, but he is especially perturbed because he has been dubbed "the strikeout king" by other members of the baseball team (Rusty is shorter in stature than the other kids). One day, Rusty's friend Janie is in the library and sees him trying to study for a math test; Janie tells Rusty not to compare himself to her and if he allows Jesus to come into his life, things might take a turn for the better. Rusty thumbs his nose at that advice and continues to repudiate it; however, a few days later, after he pulls a prank on Janie with dangerous consequences, Rusty begins to seriously reflect on what Janie said, and finally asks Jesus to come into his life and help him.
- A panel attempts to guess unusual objects submitted by viewers; as with "What's My Line?," the item was shown to the in-person audience and the home viewer, but not to the panel. The panel then asked questions about the item; each question asked raised the "retail value" (up to $150). Once the item was guessed correctly, three additional questions were asked; if all three questions were correctly answered, the item's "value" was tripled, and awarded to the at-home seller.
- Three teams, each comprised of two contestants, attempted to guess a numerical response to an improbable question (e.g. how many miles a man could walk on a treadmill before the half-hour is up). One team member responded, then the second, and then the contestants on the second and third teams guessed. The teams' responses were then averaged, after which the correct answer was revealed; the team that came closest won $100, and the second closest team won $75. The teams played four more rounds, with each question's value increasing up to $1000 for the closest and $500 for the second closest (during the final round). The winning team kept their cash award and then proceeded to the "Brainteaser" bonus round. To win the bonus, the team had to be +/- 25% of the correct answer.
- "Kid Talk" was promoted as "family-friendly" programming in the early 1970's. Actually, "Kid Talk" ran opposite ABC's "Juvenile Jury." Then, programming by the only networks in that day, NBC, ABC, and CBS, made attempts to "recover" "family-programming" from the 1950's and the 1960's; however, they tried to accomplish this by promoting the "kid's point-of-view," perhaps, to attempt to divert the public's attention from the more important issues of the day. Ultimately, neither "Kid Talk" nor "Juvenile Jury" fared well in ratings, primarily, due to the television viewers' other more obvious interests at that time (i.e., Watergate and Vietnam) and because in that day, the opinion of "kids," truly, was not welcome (unlike today, then, "kids" were seen and not heard and that carried-through to television programming); consequently, both networks cancelled their respective "kid host" talk shows. It was not until a production hosted by Bill Cosby in the 2000's that the format reoriginated. (That series, too, did not fare well.)
- Miss Cathie is the host of this energetic half-hour for youngsters - and the young in heart - that employs original songs, puppetry, and live-action comedy sketches. Miss Cathie is often joined by her cohorts Jailhouse Joe and Boxcar Billy, and occasionally they hosted some episodes of "Kids Like You" by themselves. Other regulars included Boxcar Bertha; Beauticia, the beauty shop owner; Miss Agnes, who, it seemed, never had anything nice to say; Peachy, the Southern belle and her father, owner of the estate; Dixie, Pixie, the resident homemaker, and Le Doctaire, a nutty scientist. Puppet regulars included Betty Lou, Charlie Blue, Daisy, Grueney (who has a clutch of green hair), Jeremiah, Laura Lamb, Mr. Heart, Patty Sue, Penelope Turtle, Reggie, Rusty, Vinnie, and Violet, as well as bad guys Big John and Butch. Each episode revolved around a life lesson (e.g. avoiding temptation, not filling yourself with negative images and messages, using self-control, not running away from your problems) and challenged youngsters' thinking on how to solve each problem. The show was recorded mostly on location throughout Arkansas (the production company is based in Little Rock), although some episodes were taped in other locations around the country, such as in the Black Hills area of South Dakota and Mount Rushmore.
- In the small town of Faithville, Ontario, Miss Charity is the proprietress of the local diner, where many of the neighborhood children come to visit. Miss Charity enjoys the children's company and, in addition to her and her resident cook Karl making the meals for them and the other guests, she also gives advice to the kids regarding how to overcome whatever problems they may have. Other denizens of Faithville who also have their own segments within the show (and who also visited Miss Charity's on occasion) included Farmer Shalom and his dog, Dusty, who often related the theme of the day to how members of the animal kingdom live and work; Miss Geranium, the local florist who is often joined by her friend, Mr. Bookworm, and enjoys telling stories about two boys, Chuckie and Gordy; Sue Lynn and Josiah, two neighborhood kids who visit the diner and are joined by Mr. Dan or Mr. Stan, who help in Miss Charity's kitchen and inventory the stockroom, and often helped quell Sue Lynn and Josiah's disagreements; and Constable Howie, the neighborhood policeman who also enjoys visiting with the kids and who imparted useful safety tips to them (Constable Howie's office is right next door to Miss Charity's Diner). Each episode revolved around a particular life lesson; e.g. being thankful, persevering, being neat, dealing with bullies, and avoiding gossip (at the beginning of each episode, Miss Charity would have the day's theme written out on a cake). Mr. Marty and his Music Makers provided musical interludes, with the lyrics of the songs shown on the screen so the kids at home could sing along with them.
- This was a very eclectic, and entertaining, variety show. "Music Hall America" had no regular host, but among those guest hosting included Ray Stevens (on the premiere episode), Dottie West, Ken Berry, Vicki Carr, Jim Stafford, and Burl Ives. There was a resident song-and-dance group, The Even Dozen, whose members also did solo spots; e.g. there were vocalists Sandi Burnett, Dean Rutherford (who was dubbed "The Bionic Songwriter"), and Hollis Peyser, and members Denise DiRenzo performed a song-and-dance number on one episode and Eddie Pruett did a salute to George M. Cohan on another. "Music Hall America," even though it was videotaped at Opryland, U.S.A. in Nashville, wasn't just Country; for example, on the premiere episode rock group Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods ("Billy, Don't Be a Hero")performed a song called "Teenage Rampage," and on another episode JoAnne Worley ("Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In") did a comedy sketch recalling how she began in opera (she even sang!). There were also recurring "quickie" comedy sketches in which The Even Dozen were members of an orchestra and traded jokes among themselves, and with Eddie Pruett as a member of the French Foreign Legion who had some outrageous last requests before being executed by the squad, and managed to escape that fate every time. Perfect family viewing for a Saturday night (or Sunday, depending on when and where it was shown). They certainly don't make them like this anymore!
- "Quigley's Village" is a kids' show which employs both live actors and puppets. Mr. Quigley is the leader of the town, with Trundle, a toucan, living in a cage on Quigley's front porch. Other neighborhood kids include Bubba, a chimp; Danny Lion and his younger sister, Lemon (so named because of her pastel yellow-colored fur); Spike, a girl porcupine who talks with a bit of a Brooklyn accent; Milty, a moose; and Alex, a fox. The humans who work and live in the village besides Mr. Quigley include Dexter, a handyman; Molly, the letter carrier; and Dr. Caramore, the local physician who is always glad to help the kids whenever they're ill. Each episode centered around a particular life lesson; for example, hard work and practice (Spike wanted to tap dance in the village's talent show, but she never practiced and froze up on stage), avoiding temptation (Bubba's mother made three banana cream pies for the village's bake sale, but ate them after his mother told him not to), overcoming fear (Lemon was frightened when Dr. Caramore told her she had to give Lemon a shot for her sore throat, but Lemon didn't feel the shot), and exercising patience (Danny and Bubba wanted to make popcorn in Mr. Quigley's popcorn popping machine, but Mr. Quigley told them to wait until he got the top half of the popper. Danny and Bubba went ahead anyway and popcorn flew all over the playground).
- In "Shopping Spree," two teams, each comprised of two players, tried to guess a prize one of the players on each team chose beforehand, which was hidden inside one of six on-stage "stores." If player #2 on the first team correctly guessed the prize player #1 picked on the first try, they won the prize and moved on to the next "store," where the process was repeated; if player #2 made a wrong guess, there were clues pinned (!) all over player #1 to help player #2. Shortly thereafter, the second team played; whichever team amassed the most prizes in the least time won. The winning team then went on to play two more rounds, the next of which (called "The Double-Up Derby") was similar to the first but the prize was now picked by a member of the studio audience and the dollar amounts were doubled. In the final round (the "Birthday Party"), the team had to guess, within one minute and fifteen seconds, what items were identified with certain stars. If the team supplied all the right answers within that time limit, they won either a cash award or the title prize and a vacation (which was determined by the results of the previous round).
- "Johnny Mann's Stand Up and Cheer" was an energetic, feel-good half hour of singing, dancing, and occasional comedy. Despite the title's implications, "Stand Up and Cheer" wasn't all patriotic music; it was, however, mostly adult contemporary standards - and even show tunes - but no rock and roll. Among those who guest-starred on "Stand Up and Cheer" were Jim Backus (singing "You Gotta Have Heart," Mr. Magoo-style, with the regulars), Bob Crane (who also played the drums), Milton Berle, Ken Berry (who sang with the regulars and did a tap number), and even Lassie (the regulars sang "I Wish I Had a Puppy" around her while she was on stage)! Each show ended with Mann saying, "Always remember....," after which the chorus sang, "Keep your eye on the grand old flag!" as a giant American flag appeared behind them. A terrific variety show that could be enjoyed by the entire family.
- "Take a Giant Step" was a live-action Saturday morning show in which three unknown teens hosted. They explored different themes relevant to their target audience, for which they had gathered advance information rather meticulously. When the show returned the following fall the title became "Talking With a Giant," which was trimmed to only half an hour but was a little lighter in tone as the teenage hosts interviewed major stars (In one episode I do remember, Doc Severinson was a guest and played his trumpet).
- In this pilot episode, Scott's Grandma comes across the old family album; Scott's ancestors likewise turned into werewolves during a full moon. Scott runs into Pam on the way home from school and Mick, Pam's jealous boyfriend, threatens Scott. Scott's family album becomes mixed into Pam's pile of books; the family album is in the back seat of Mick's car (which looks very much like a 1986 Camaro). Scott, with Stiles' help, attempts to retrieve the family album before all his other friends discover his family's secret.
- This lightwight summer series (which apparently very few people remember) was a comeback of sorts for Dave Garroway. Over the last few years before this series aired, he had discovered most of the cast at various venues across the United States (e.g. nightclubs, dinner theaters). The series was supposed to be the launching pad for the regulars listed below, but very few went on to stardom and if they did they were in forgettable roles. Although this was primarily a musical show, there were also comedy sketches, with comedy troupe The Good Humor Company as regulars. This family-friendly show added the perfect touch to a warm summer's night back in 1971. Sadly, it hasn't been seen since it left the air on September 6 of that year. Maybe a good idea for a TV retrospective airing?
- "The Dumb Bunnies" was an animated series where, as the saying goes, "anything can happen - and it usually does." The Bunnies did the direct opposite of the normal course of action (e.g. they put on winter coats in the summertime to protect themselves from the sun), and they often didn't use their heads when they first saw something unfamiliar (e.g. the Bunnies thought the revolving door to the local museum was a kind of carnival ride the museum offered as an added attraction). The Bunnies also had some adversaries in their next-door neighbors, The Uppitys (a family of normal and well-to-do rabbits), and Sly Fox, the local con artist, but somehow the Bunnies managed to outwit them in their own naive way.
- "The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour" was certainly a different kind of variety show. It was hosted by two life-size puppets, Honey and Sis (voiced by Udana Powers and Wendy McKenzie, respectively), who were "animated" from behind by a group of puppeteers (and "chroma-keyed" out of the picture), sang, and also participated in such comedy sketches as "The Disco of Life," "The Truth Tub," and "Name That Honey Hit." There were also parodies of currently popular TV shows (e.g. "Lavine and Shrilly," "The Ka-Bong Show"), and such costumed Hanna-Barbera characters as Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, and Snagglepuss (voiced by Daws Butler) made cameo appearances. Tony Randall, Dan Haggerty, Melissa Gilbert, Twiggy, and Linda Lavin were among those who guest-starred on "The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour" (and, for some strange reason, the stars introduced themselves, rather than by an announcer). Sadly, "The Hanna-Barbera Happy Hour" lasted only four weeks in the spring of 1978, but considering how awful the entertainment would become later that year, "Hanna-Barbera" would definitely have been a much-welcome and entertaining breath of fresh air!
- In 1971, when 95% of all TV shows were still family-friendly, CBS trotted out this pleasant, 8-episode Sunday night summer series. "The Ice Palace" was a big-scale, as well as unique, variety show; all the regulars were stars of the Ice Capades, and they performed inside the fictitious title locale. The guest stars listed hosted one episode each. A perfect way to end a warm summer night!
- "The Kingdom of Could Be You" was a spin-off series of "The Most Important Person;" it explored the various occupations adults have as well as what school-aged children would like to do when they get older, hence the title. The animated kids from "The Most Important Person" (Mike, Cindy, Nicola, Pablo, etc.) returned, but in place of Fumble, Hairy, and Bird, they were joined by a wizard who acted as their guide through the kingdom and who often cast spells that backfired. There was also an unnamed animated duck-billed platypus wearing a black-and-yellow striped sweater that provided commentary throughout each episode.
- A group of kids and animals explore various aspects of life.
- This was the "Hollywood Squares" host's first - and only - attempt at a variety show of his own; Peter Marshall was already an accomplished singer, which not too many people were aware of when this show premiered (he even made a few albums in the mid-to-late 1960's). In addition to a talk-show style format, there were musical numbers, some of which Mr. Marshall performed with resident singing group The Chapter Five, as well as comedy sketches with regulars Rod Gist and Denny Evans. Sadly, Mr. Marshall's series lasted only five months; it was certainly a pleasant way to end a Sunday evening (or Saturday, depending on when and where Mr. Marshall's series was shown as it was syndicated).
- In "Wait 'Til You Have Kids!!," three teams of married couples were asked questions about raising children and what they think the outcome of certain situations will be. After the couples chose what they thought was the correct answer, a resident parenting expert explained the answers and eventually revealed the correct one. The couple who chose the answer that matched the expert's advice won and went on to the next round (there was a total of three rounds). The couple with the most points at the end of the third round went on to play a fourth bonus game.