Just for Laughs (1974 TV series)

Last updated
Just for Laughs
Genre Anthology series
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4
Production
Running time30 minutes
Original release
Network ABC
ReleaseAugust 8 (1974-08-08) –
August 29, 1974 (1974-08-29)

Just for Laughs is an American anthology television series that aired on ABC in the summer of 1974. The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots for situation comedies.

Contents

Background

The practice of television executives of ordering dozens of pilots for proposed television series each year – far more than their networks could possibly broadcast as series – created a sizable body of unsold pilots that had never aired. [1] Packaging these unsold pilots in anthology series and airing them during the summer provided television networks with a way of both providing fresh programming during the summer rerun season and recouping at least some of the expense of producing them. [1] Just for Laughs was one of these series, aired by ABC in the summer of 1974, [2] and it consisted entirely of unsold pilots for situation comedies. [2] Stars appearing in the series included Frank Sutton, Cloris Leachman, Dick Van Patten, Hal Linden, and Barbara Eden. [2]

The third episode of Just for Laughs, "The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller," served as the basis for the premiere episode of the successful situation comedy Barney Miller , which began its seven-season run in January 1975. After the pilot failed to sell, the show's concept was reworked, with a revamped cast and most of Miller's domestic life eliminated, although the premiere episode largely reused the script from the pilot aired on Just for Laughs. [3]

Broadcast history

Just for Laughs ran for four episodes over the course of four consecutive weeks in August 1974, airing on ABC from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday evenings. [2] It premiered on August 8, [2] and its last episode aired on August 29. [2]

Episodes

SOURCES [2] [4] [5] [6] [7]

No. in
season		TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
1"Ernie, Madge, and Artie"UnknownUnknownAugust 8, 1974 (1974-08-08)
A recently married middle-aged couple is haunted by the spirit of the wife's dead first husband, creating an unusual marital love triangle. Starring Frank Sutton, Cloris Leachman, and Dick Van Patten.
2"Ann in Blue"UnknownUnknownAugust 15, 1974 (1974-08-15)
Tired of being stuck behind desks on public relations duties, a four-woman New York City Police Department neighborhood police team in Manhattan tries to get involved in real police work. Starring Penny Fuller, Marybeth Hurt, Mary Elaine Monte, and Hattie Winston.
3"The Life And Times of Captain Barney Miller" Theodore J. Flicker Danny Arnold & Theodore J. FlickerAugust 22, 1974 (1974-08-22)
Captain Barney Miller, a New York City Police Department precinct captain, faces pressure from his wife to give up his dangerous work and get a safer and better-paying job, but when a drug addict takes his precinct hostage, he has to talk the addict out of it. Starring Hal Linden, Abby Dalton, Abe Vigoda, Rod Perry, Charles Haid, Val Bisoglio, Henry Beckman, Chu Chu Malave, and Buddy Lester. A reworked version of this pilot, with a revamped cast but reusing most of the script, became the January 23, 1975, premiere episode of the situation comedy Barney Miller .
4"The Barbara Eden Show"UnknownUnknownAugust 29, 1974 (1974-08-29)
The head writer for a hit soap opera has a hectic life. At work, she faces a number of problems, including the refusal of the show's mean-spirited star to go along with the plot lines she develops, while at home she has trouble dealing with her husband and son. Starring Barbara Eden, Moosie Drier, Joe Flynn, Roger Perry, Lyle Waggoner, Bob Harks, and Pat Morita.

Related Research Articles

A television pilot in United Kingdom and United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distributor. A pilot is created to be a testing ground to gauge whether a series will be successful. It is, therefore, a test episode for the intended television series, an early step in the series development, much like pilot studies serve as precursors to the start of larger activity.

<i>Barney Miller</i> American sitcom

Barney Miller is an American sitcom television series set in a New York City Police Department police station on East 6th Street in Greenwich Village. The series was broadcast on ABC from January 23, 1975, to May 20, 1982. It was created by Danny Arnold and Theodore J. Flicker. Noam Pitlik directed the majority of the episodes. It spawned a spin-off series, Fish, that ran from February 5, 1977, to May 18, 1978, focusing on the character Philip K. Fish.

The following is the 1976–77 network television schedule for the three major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1976 through August 1977. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1975–76 season. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with certain exceptions, such as Monday Night Football.

The 1955–56 network television schedule for the four major English language commercial broadcast networks in the United States. The schedule covers primetime hours from September 1955 through March 1956. The schedule is followed by a list per network of returning series, new series, and series cancelled after the 1954–55 season.

Decision is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC in 1958 as a summer replacement for The Loretta Young Show.

<i>G.E. Summer Originals</i> American television anthology series

G.E. Summer Originals, referred to in some sources as General Electric Summer Originals, is an American anthology television series that aired on the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) in the summer of 1956. The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots.

<i>Vacation Playhouse</i> 1963 American TV series or program

Vacation Playhouse is an American anthology television series that was broadcast on CBS during the summer months from 1963 through 1967.

<i>Summer Playhouse</i> (1964 TV series) 1964 American TV series or program

Summer Playhouse is a 30-minute anthology television series that aired on CBS during the summers of 1964 and 1965. It consisted of unsold television pilots.

Premiere is an American anthology television series that aired on CBS during the summer of 1968. It consisted of unsold television pilots..

Sneak Preview is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC in the summer of 1956. The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots.

New Comedy Showcase is an American anthology television series that aired on CBS in the summer of 1960. The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots.

Summer Fun is an American anthology television series that aired on ABC in the summer of 1966. The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots.

Preview Tonight is an American anthology television series that aired on ABC in the summer of 1966. The 60-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots.

Comedy Playhouse is an American anthology television series that aired on CBS in the summer of 1971. The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots.

Comedy Theatre is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC in the summers of 1976 and 1979. The episodes consisted of unsold television pilots for situation comedies.

Comedy Theater is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC in the summer of 1981. The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots for situation comedies.

Comedy Time is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC in the summer of 1977. In a mix of 30-minute and 60-minute episodes, it aired unsold television pilots for situation comedies.

<i>The Comedy Spot</i> American television anthology series

The Comedy Spot is an American anthology television series that aired on CBS in the summers of 1960, 1961, and 1962. The 30-minute episodes consisted of a combination of unsold television pilots and repeats of episodes aired previously on other anthology series.

Westinghouse Preview Theatre is an American anthology television series that aired on NBC in the summer of 1961 The 30-minute episodes consisted of unsold television pilots for situation comedies and one musical program.

Colgate Theatre is a 30-minute dramatic anthology television series broadcast on NBC during the summer and early autumn of 1958. It consisted entirely of unsold television pilots.

References

  1. 1 2 "UNSOLD PILOTS ON TELEVISION, 1956–1966". tvobscurities.com. Television Obscurities. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "UNSOLD PILOTS ON TELEVISION, 1967-1989". tvobscurities.com. Television Obscurities. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  3. ↑ Jay, Robert. "1974 Development Season: ABC's Pilots". htvobscurities.com. Television Obscurities. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  4. ↑ "Prime-time network TV listings for Thursday August 8, 1974". ultimate70s.com. Ultimate70s.com. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  5. ↑ "Prime-time network TV listings for Thursday August 15, 1974". ultimate70s.com. Ultimate70s.com. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  6. ↑ "Prime-time network TV listings for Thursday August 22, 1974". ultimate70s.com. Ultimate70s.com. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  7. ↑ Deisinger, Daniel (May 10, 2024). "The Woman We All Dream of: The Life of Barbara Eden". heraldweekly.com. Heraldweekly. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.