ABC
Of the four new series that debuted this week over the last 70 years, only one was a scripted, network series and it had the shortest run of the four, with some episodes never aired. The rest fall into the ‘reality’ genre with a long-running weekly sports anthology program, a comedy series and a game show filling the schedule. Let’s take a look and see if you remember any of this week’s new shows.
1951
- No new shows premiered this week in 1951.
1961
April 29 – Wide World of Sports
- Hosts: Jim McKay, Becky Dixon, Frank Gifford, Julie Moran, Robin Roberts
- Synopsis: American sports anthology television program
- Network: ABC
- Broadcast History: Thirty-seven seasons, last broadcast on January 3, 1998
- Trivia: The show’s catchphrase was ‘The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat’. While the weekly series ended, ABC continued to use the name for general sports programming until 2006. The debut program featured the Penn and Drake Relays. The coverage of a bowling event was so successful, a Professional Bowlers Tour spin-off was created in 1962. A second spin-off, The American Sportsman, was created in 1964 and aired for almost 20 years. A third spin-off, Superstars, debuted as a winter series in 1973 and aired for 10 years. The rise of cable television offering more outlets for sports programming, including ABC’s sister network ESPN, led to the show’s cancellation.
1971
- No new shows premiered this week in 1971.
1981
April 26 – American Dream
- Cast: Stephen Macht, Karen Carlson, Hans Conried, George Barrow, Michael Hershewe, Timothy Owen Waldrip, Andrea Smith, John McIntire
- Guest Cast: John Karlen, Scott Brady, John Malkovich, Tonya Pinkins. Dirk Blocker
- Synopsis: The series concerned a father (Macht) who worried that his children were learning bigotry and superficial values in the suburbs. So he moved his wife, Donna, and three children (teenage Casey and pre-teens Todd and Jenny) to multiracial urban Chicago.
- Network: ABC
- Broadcast History: One season, 7 episodes (2 unaired), last broadcast on June 10, 1981
- Trivia: Series creators Barney Rosenzweig and Barbara Corday would create Cagney & Lacey the following year.
1991
April 28 – The Sunday Comics
- Hosts: Jeff Altman, Lenny Clarke
- Synopsis: A prime time showcase of comedy that showcased not only standup comedy but also variety acts, and film shorts produced by comics including Bruce Baum, Gilbert Gottfried, Rich Hall, and Rick Overton.
- Network: FOX
- Broadcast History: One season, last broadcast on March 22, 1992
- Trivia: The show was filmed primarily at the Palace Theatre in Hollywood. Altman left the show in June 1991 and was replaced by Clarke until October. Guest hosts were used for the rest of the show’s run.
2001
- No new shows premiered this week in 2001.
2011
April 26 – Repo Games
- Hosts: Josh Lewis, Tom DeTone
- Synopsis: Owners of vehicles in danger of being repossessed are offered a chance to have the debt fully paid off by playing a trivia game.
- Network: Spike
- Broadcast History: Two seasons, 40 episodes, last broadcast on August 21, 2012
- Trivia: The first season was shot in Phoenix, Arizona, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Dallas, Texas. The second season was shot in South Jersey and Indiana. During the filming of an episode in Las Vegas, Carlos Barron shot at the film crew because the production van was parked outside of his home. He was arrested for attempted murder, sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years probation.
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