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Marie, SS Casino, Vampire, Hot Stuff and a few others did air as specials or TV movies over the course of the season or in Summer.

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Many of those pilots sound just plain awful, lol!

  • 1 month later...
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Death and Taxes, intended for NBC in 1993. Starring Teri Garr and Craig Bierko, with a supporting cast including Cynthia Harris, Iqbal Theba, Patrick Warbuton, and Dakin Matthews and guest star Wallace Shawn. Watch it on YouTube for co-creator Darrell Vickers' candid commentary.

ETA: Are Teri and Craig in the living room from Family Matters?

 

And, courtesy of Variety, a rundown of NBC's 1993 pilots slate.

https://variety.com/1993/tv/news/nbc-seeks-young-and-the-rest-105297/

Edited by Franko

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On 10/5/2024 at 10:50 PM, Paul Raven said:

Some pilots in contention for ABC's Fall 79 schedule. Shows that were picked up for Fall and later in the season in bold.

Benson stars Robert Guillaume as the Man Friday of an inexperienced governor. His duties include management of the governor's mansion and his 8- year -old daughter. Producers: Susan Harris, Tony Thomas and Paul Junger Witt for Witt /Thomas /Harris Productions. 

Bizarre stars Richard Dawson as the host of this half -hour collection of off -center sketches and celebrity interviews. Producers: Alan Blye and Bob Einstein for Blye /Einstein Productions. Camp Grizzly concerns the adventures of an oddball camp counselor and his feisty campers. Producers: Nick Vanoff and Bob Klane for Nick Vanoff Productions.

Detective School -One Flight Up concerns *. night school for aspiring private detectives. Pro ducers: Bernie Kukoff and Jeff Harris for Boiney Stoones Productions.

For Heavens Sake stars Ray Bolger as Simon Amister, a wise old angel who assumes various physical identities to intervene in people's lives at crucial turning points. Executive producers: Bill Blinn and Jerry Thorpe for Bline /Thorpe/ Viacom Productions.

Redd Foxx is both the title and star of this series about a bartender whose friendship with leaving him his fortune. Executive producer: Redd Foxx for Redd Foxx Productions.

Hart In San Francisco concerns a San Francisco'police officer who sends a bumbling detective to Scotland Yard and gets an Inspector Clousseau -type in return. Producers: Arnie Salton and Chris Hayward -(Sultan /Hayward Productions) for Universal.

Hart To Hart stars R.J. Wagner and Stephanie Powers as a well -to -do couple who work together as private investigators. Executive producers: Aaron Spelling and Len Goldberg for Spelling /Goldberg Productions.

Hot Stuff is a variety program 'featuring Lisa Hartmanh and Ricci Martin. Producer: George Schlatter for George Schlatter Productions.

I Do, I Don't stars John Considine as a con- firmed ex- bachelor who finds himself married yo a woman with two teen -age children. Pro - Áucer: Joe Hamilton for Joe Hamilton Productions.

Lazarus Syndrome stars Lou Gossett Jr. as Dr. MacArthur St. Clair, a heart surgeon who saves the life of.Joe Hamill, a tough reporter. Fate surprises them both and they end up running the hospital together. Executive producers: Bill Blinn and Jerry Thorpe for Blinn /Thorpe Productions.

Man with the Power stars Art Hindle as Chris, a Vietnam vet who develops superstrength and a wide range of electrical powers when he is struck by lightning. Executive producers: Aaron Spelling and Doug Kramer for Aaron Spelling Productions.

Marie stars Marie Osmond as a warm- hearted Midwestern girl who goes to New York to seek stardom. Producer: Dennis Johnson for Osmond Productions.

Maxx is about a young divorced father suddenly faced with raising his daughter when her mother unexpectedly turns over custody to him. Producer: James Komack for James Komack Productions.

A New Kind Of Family concerns two divorced mothers forced to pool their resources to survive. Producers: Margie Gordon and Jane Eisner for Gordon /Eisner Productions.

Nightside is a realistic look at the emergencies that arise from dusk to dawn in a major metropolis and how professionals from police to disk jockeys handle them. Executive producers: Glen Larson and Steve Cannell for Universal.

People of the Book is an anthology series focusing on emotional conflicts portrayed in an ecumenical spirit. The pilot features "The Story of Esther." Executive producer: David Victor for 'Universal:

The Ropers features Norman Fell and Audra Lindley as the upstairs couple from Three's Company who move to a new condominium development whose owner is less than thrilled at having them as next -door neighbors. Producers: Don Nichol, Michael Ross and Bernie West for Nichol /Ross /West Productions.

Samurai stars Joe Penny as Lee Cantrell, a Eurasian who by day is a San Francisco D.A. and by night is a fierce warrior for justice. Executive producers: Danny Thomas /Ron Jacobs /Fernando Lamas for Universal.

Second Time Around is a domestic comedy starring Edward Winter and Marlette Hartley as husband -and -wife marriage counselors who agree to live together again after a two -year legal separation. Producer: Jerry Tokofsky for Jerry Tokofsky Productions.

Semi - Tough, taken from the motion picture, focuses on the relationship between two professional football players and the daughter of the team's owner. Producer: Bud Wiser for Universal.

S.S. Casino concerns a former CIA operative turned gambling ship proprietor who becomes involved in the intrigues of his high -powered clients. Executive producer: Aaron Spelling for Aaron Spelling Productions.

Stone stars Dennis Weaver as a police officer turned writer who continues to work on major crimes. Executive producers: Steve Cannel, Richard Levinson and William Link for Universal.

2100 is a futuristic Rip Van Winkle comedy in which two young men from 1979 wake up in the year 2100. Producers: Austin and Irma Kalish for Paramount TV.

The Two of Us concerns young friends who drive across the country gaining valuable insights into themselves and the world around them. The series features Grant Goodeve as David Bradford; the eldest son in Eight is Enough. Executive producer: Lee Rich for Lorimar.

240 -Robert features two male deputies and a female chopper pilot who are faced with life and death challenges while rescuing victims from a variety of natural dangers. Executive producer: Rick Rosner for Filmways TV /Rosner TV.

Vampire stars Jason Miller as a reclusive billionaire by day who assumes the enormous primal power of an ageless, driven fiend by night. Executive producer: Steve Bochco for MTM Productions.

When The Whistle Blows is a comedy- adventure -drama about four construction workers and the good times they have on and off the time clock. Executive producers: Leonard Goldberg and Jerry Weintraub for Goldberg/ Weintraub Productions.

Where's Poppa, based on the motion picture, concerns an overprotective elderly mother and the attempts of her lawyer son to lead his own life. Producers: Marvin Worth and Bob Klane for Marvin Worth Productions.

The Yeagers is the story of tough and conservative family that owns and operates a lumber and mining company in the Pacific Northwest. Executive producers: Paul Witt and Tony Thomas for Witt /Thomas Productions.

Art Hindle is a Great guy

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4 hours ago, Franko said:

Death and Taxes, intended for NBC in 1993. Starring Teri Garr and Craig Bierko, with a supporting cast including Cynthia Harris, Iqbal Theba, Patrick Warbuton, and Dakin Matthews and guest star Wallace Shawn. Watch it on YouTube for co-creator Darrell Vickers' candid commentary.

Thanks. Never heard of this or seen it. Teri had some bad breaks on TV. 

Patrick really was all over TV in these years. A very unique presence.

They also have a pilot up for the attempt at revamping It Had To Be You, and a blog post about their struggles.

FAYE DUNAWAY (PART NINE) | Nicholls and Vickers

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Oh dear God. It Had to Be You. I've been dying to hear more about this.

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Much appreciated, @DRW50! I'm always up for some good backstage stories.

ETA: I'm enjoying the dish about "Boris & Natasha"

Spoiler

Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming

 

Edited by Franko

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@Franko I forgot they helped Lois & Clark run aground. They later wrote for Supernatural, and fans always derided their episodes. An infamous one had poor Mishael Morgan as a dog on a leash, and while in human form, was the servant/sex partner of a white warlock (played by ever-handsome Christian Campbell).

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Taking a shot in the dark, I'm going to guess that the unfunny male writing team from a recently-concluded series would be Danny Margosis & Robert Horn, who would have worked with David Steinberg on Designing Women.

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23 hours ago, Vee said:

Oh dear God. It Had to Be You. I've been dying to hear more about this.

Faye Dunaway in a sitcom.  It's a memory I'll never be able to repress.

22 hours ago, DRW50 said:

@Franko I forgot they helped Lois & Clark run aground. They later wrote for Supernatural, and fans always derided their episodes.

They also co-created and show-ran "Scarecrow & Mrs. King" before Kate Jackson - another "difficult" actor - forced them out after the first 10 episodes.

Fun fact: Eugenie Ross-Leming, a Second City veteran, was in the "Park Moms" scene in the movie "Baby Boom" with Diane Keaton, Dori Brenner and Jane Elliot (yes, THAT Jane Elliot).  Ross-Leming is the brunette who's kvetching with the other Upper East Side NYC moms about making sure their toddlers get into the right pre-schools that will set them up for life.

"Death & Taxes" sounds like a show about a tax auditor who also runs a funeral parlor.

22 hours ago, Franko said:

Taking a shot in the dark, I'm going to guess that the unfunny male writing team from a recently-concluded series would be Danny Margosis & Robert Horn, who would have worked with David Steinberg on Designing Women.

You're probably not wrong.  The last season of DW was pretty [!@#$%^&*] awful.

Edited by Khan

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17 minutes ago, Khan said:

"Death & Taxes" sounds like a show about a tax auditor who also runs a funeral parlor.

Throw in an estate lawyer, and you've got a one-stop shop for widows and widowers.

  • Member
25 minutes ago, Khan said:

Faye Dunaway in a sitcom.  It's a memory I'll never be able to repress.

They've got like nine entries about It Had to be You on their blog connected to that Teri Garr pilot! It's quite a ride.

  • Member
2 minutes ago, Vee said:

They've got like nine entries about It Had to be You on their blog connected to that Teri Garr pilot! It's quite a ride.

Speaking of that, they didn't write in depth about Death and Taxes, did they? The blog is nice, but a little hard to navigate.

  • Member
13 minutes ago, Franko said:

Throw in an estate lawyer, and you've got a one-stop shop for widows and widowers.

It reminds me of when I came across this tea room/tattoo parlor in NYC.  Even now, I can just imagine the kind of clientele they had at that place, lol.

  • Member
15 minutes ago, Vee said:

They've got like nine entries about It Had to be You on their blog connected to that Teri Garr pilot! It's quite a ride.

I'd have to agree with "the suits": Twiggy, whom Faye Dunaway replaced, can't carry a series.  Moreover, Terence Knox, who was cast as the male lead before Robert Urich, is too just intense to be on a sitcom.  Anyone who watched "All is Forgiven," as I did (for Bess Armstrong), could tell you that, lol.

John Steven Owen (RIP) was onto something when he created IHTBY as a Tracy/Hepburn-style romance for the '90's.  (Remember, IHTBY premiered the same season as "Frasier," when intelligent, witty, character-driven comedy still had a place on network TV.)  In order for Tracy/Hepburn-like romances to work, however, I think the couple has to have something in common, or something that keeps them in each other's orbit, or else it makes no sense for them to still be together after a certain point.

For example, Sam and Diane had Cheers.  David and Maddie ("Moonlighting") had the Blue Moon Detective Agency. Tony was Angela's live-in housekeeper on "Who's the Boss?".  Even George and Katherine had little Webster!  But what did Mitch Quinn have in common with Laura Scofield beyond renovating her office or whatever?  And is THAT going to be the engine that keeps the series going long enough to go into syndication?

Then, you add in the fact that Mitch was a widower with not one, not two, but THREE kids (and all boys).  Sure, you could argue that a lot of humor could be gotten from someone like Laura, who's never been around kids, now having to adjust to being with a man with kids literally crawling over him, but THREE KIDS??  That's veering into Miller/Boyett territory; and that's also blending two styles of television comedy - specifically, romantic comedy and domestic/family comedy - that target different audiences with different sensibilities.  When you do THAT, you're creating an identity crisis for your show, because just who exactly are we writing and producing this show FOR?  ("Who's the Boss?" suffered from the same problem, IMO.  Angela had the baggage of being a single mom when Tony as the single parent would have sufficed).

At best, Mitch could've had just ONE kid, and maybe an older father figure in his household - his own father, or maybe his father-in-law - to serve as his sounding board as he navigates his relationship with Laura.  Again, that doesn't really solve the series' central problem - what business do a book editor and a carpenter have being with each other? - but it does help to focus more on the rom-com aspects and, God willing, keep the second-act hug-and-learns with the overly precocious kids at bay.

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