This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points.(September 2016) |
The George Carlin Show | |
---|---|
![]() Promotional image of the cast members from The George Carlin Show | |
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | George Carlin Sam Simon |
Written by | Sam Simon |
Directed by | Jeffrey Melman Rob Schiller Sam Simon |
Starring | George Carlin Alex Rocco Paige French Anthony Starke Christopher Rich Susan Sullivan Mike Hagerty |
Theme music composer | Chandler Travis |
Composer | Roger Boyce |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 2 |
No. of episodes | 27 |
Production | |
Executive producers | George Carlin Sam Simon Jerry Hamza |
Producer | Michael Stanislavsky |
Cinematography | Gregg Heschong |
Editor | Brian K. Roberts |
Camera setup | Multi-camera |
Running time | 22–24 minutes |
Production companies | Sweet Freedom Productions Main Sequence Warner Bros. Television |
Original release | |
Network | Fox |
Release | January 16, 1994 – July 16, 1995 |
The George Carlin Show is an American sitcom that aired Sunday at 9:30 pm on the Fox network from January 1994 to July 1995. It was created by Sam Simon, who executive produced the show jointly with the show's namesake, comedian George Carlin. [1] [2] On the show, Carlin played a New York City taxicab driver.
The action was centered on George O'Grady (George Carlin), a taxicab driver living in New York City. Most of the scenes took place in The Moylan Tavern, owned and run by bartender Jack Donahue (Anthony Starke), who had inherited the establishment from his father. The setting's real-life basis was the actual, now-defunct Moylan Tavern, a bar that existed during Carlin's childhood on Broadway between La Salle Street and Tiemann Place in the Morningside Heights neighborhood, and owned by the grandparents of film critic and author Maitland McDonagh. [3] As Carlin recalled in 1994, "It was where I saw Oswald shot. It was where I headed during the [1965] blackout. The Moylan is where I came of age." [4] The name of the show's bartender character, Jack Donahue, was taken from that of real-life owner Jimmy Donahue, who bought the bar from the original owners. [4] The set itself, however, resembled another upper-Broadway bar, Carlin said: "Cannon's—where my father used to drink." [4]
The following characters appeared in at least 5 episodes:
Note that while Sullivan appeared in publicity cast photos, she appeared in only 7 episodes, receiving "Special Guest Star" billing in the closing credits.
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | "When Unexpected Things Happen to George" | Sam Simon | Story by : Sam Simon Teleplay by : George Carlin & Sam Simon | January 16, 1994 | |
Dr. Neil Beck, plastic surgeon and new denizen of the Moylan Tavern, loses a bet to George. Unable to come up with cash on the spot, he gives George his dog as payment—a Yorkshire terrier he renames Miles, after jazz great Miles Davis. | ||||||
2 | 2 | "George Sees an Airplane" | Sam Simon | Sam Simon | January 23, 1994 | |
Driving Dr. Beck to his home in Connecticut, George sees what looks like a U.F.O. in the sky. In attempting to convince his fellow Moylan patrons that he saw it, his sanity is questioned. | ||||||
3 | 3 | "George Goes on a Date: Part 1" | Sam Simon | Sam Simon | February 6, 1994 | |
George decides to ask pet-shop owner Kathleen Rachowski out on a date, over 8 years after his last real relationship. | ||||||
4 | 4 | "George Goes on a Date: Part 2" | Sam Simon | Sam Simon | February 13, 1994 | |
George's date with pet-shop owner Kathleen is interrupted when he discovers his dog Miles has run away. | ||||||
5 | 5 | "George Helps Sidney" | Steve Zuckerman | Heide Perlman & Sam Simon | February 20, 1994 | |
George encourages Sydney to jump-start her languishing modeling career. As she is about to leave The Moylan for a hard-won interview with an agency, George accidentally hits her in the nose with a billiard ball, leaving her temporarily disfigured. Undaunted, she arrives for the interview. | ||||||
6 | 6 | "George Expresses Himself" | Rob Schiller | Story by : Sam Simon Teleplay by : George Carlin & Sam Simon | February 27, 1994 | |
George lands an appearance on the local TV news to rebut a recent on-air editorial that he feels is hypercritical of cabbies. However, he ends up delivering a rebuttal that is different than the one he'd initially planned. | ||||||
7 | 7 | "George Gets Some Money" | Sam Simon | Maria Semple | March 6, 1994 | |
George takes a fare who is passed-out drunk on an hours-long ride around Central Park. His friends call his ethics into question when he nets over $600 for the fare. | ||||||
8 | 8 | "George Destroys a Way of Life" | Jeff Melman | Brian Pollack & Mert Rich | March 20, 1994 | |
The obsessed cinephiles of an abruptly closed classic-movie revival house descend upon The Moylan to drown their sorrows, commandeering the television for several nights, much to the consternation of the sports-loving regular clientele. | ||||||
9 | 9 | "George Loses His Thermos" | Rob Schiller | Jim McCoulf | March 27, 1994 | |
George brings his prized Thermos into The Moylan. When it disappears, he accuses his friends of stealing it, much to their dismay. | ||||||
10 | 10 | "George Digs Rock ‘n’ Roll Music" | Rob Schiller | Brian Pollack & Mert Rich | April 10, 1994 | |
George attempts to help once-famous but now down-and-out musician Tommy Rawlins (guest star Brian Doyle Murray) to regain some self-respect and get back on his feet. | ||||||
11 | 11 | "George Speaks His Mind" | Rob Schiller | Jim McCoulf | April 24, 1994 | |
After an encounter with his ex-wife in his cab, George, now in a very dark mood, runs afoul of an undercover inspector from the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, drawing a citation for using profanity on the job. He goes before the commissioner in a hearing to plead his case. | ||||||
12 | 12 | "George Looks Down the Wrong End of a .38" | Jeff Melman | Robert Rabinowitz & Ronald Winter | May 1, 1994 | |
George is driving Dr. Beck to the Moylan Tavern when a desperate criminal hijacks the taxicab. The cowardly Beck escapes, leaving George to fend for himself. | ||||||
13 | 13 | "George Plays a Mean Pinball" | Jeff Melman | Dennis Carlin & Patrick Carlin | May 8, 1994 | |
After learning the hard way that Kathleen is the better pinball player, George's views of feminism are challenged. | ||||||
14 | 14 | "George Lifts the Holy Spirit" | Sam Simon | Andrew Nicholls and Darrell Vickers | May 15, 1994 | |
Harry steals a shipping truck containing a statue of Jesus Christ in the cargo area, then enlists a reluctant George to help him hide it. |
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
15 | 1 | "George Gets a Big Surprise" | Jeff Melman | Andrew Nicholls & Darrell Vickers | October 16, 1994 | |
George discovers he has a son, and takes him ice fishing. | ||||||
16 | 2 | "George Runs Into an Old Friend" | Jeff Melman | Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger | October 23, 1994 | |
George intercepts a package meant for his neighbor (guest star Tommy Chong) which turns out to contain marijuana, and attempts to get rid of it. | ||||||
17 | 3 | "George Goes Too Far" | Jeff Melman | Spike Feresten | October 30, 1994 | |
George is caught on hidden camera cheating a fare who turns out to be an investigative reporter from the local TV news. The footage is aired, and George must deal with the fallout. | ||||||
18 | 4 | "George Gets Hoist by His Own Petard" | Jeff Melman | Jim McCoulf & Jeff Lowell | November 6, 1994 | |
George becomes concerned when Sydney and Dr. Beck decide to begin dating, and chaperones them on an evening visit to Beck's parents' mansion. | ||||||
19 | 5 | "George Pulls the Plug" | Jeff Melman | Kelly Carlin-McCall & Bob McCall | November 27, 1994 | |
George is inexplicably given power of attorney over a stranger who is in a coma, and must decide whether or not he is taken off life support. | ||||||
20 | 6 | "George Gets Caught in the Middle" | Jeff Melman | Jim McCoulf & Jeff Lowell | November 27, 1994 | |
Harry's wife (guest star Adrienne Barbeau) blackmails George in an attempt to find out if and with whom Harry is having an affair. | ||||||
21 | 7 | "George Really Does It This Time" | Jeff Melman | Robert Borden | December 4, 1994 | |
After cleaning his apartment George causes apocalyptic problems. | ||||||
22 | 8 | "George Shoots Himself in the Foot" | Brian K. Roberts | Jim McCoulf & Jeff Lowell | December 11, 1994 | |
Both of George's ex-wives show up and he tries to pair them off with his friends. | ||||||
23 | 9 | "George Does a Bad Thing" | Rob Schiller | Story by : Roger Garrett Teleplay by : Jim McCoulf & Jeff Lowell | December 18, 1994 | |
After being asked, George purchases a pornographic magazine for a child. | ||||||
24 | 10 | "George Puts On a Happy Face" | Jeff Melman | Rick Cunningham | December 25, 1994 | |
After being confronted with numerous taxi customer complaints George is asked to smile more. | ||||||
25 | 11 | "George Helps a Friend" | Rob Schiller | Patrick Carlin | January 1, 1995 | |
George helps his priest friend as he questions leaving the priesthood. | ||||||
26 | 12 | "George Tells the Truth" | Jeff Melman | Jeff Lowell | July 9, 1995 | |
Jack tries to Irish theme the bar, and George takes a truth serum while looking to buy a gift for his girlfriend. | ||||||
27 | 13 | "George Likes a Good War" | Jeff Melman | Jim McCoulf | July 16, 1995 | |
George and Harry feud when they find an old bet between their fathers, based around which side would win World War II. Frank gets his jaw wired shut, and Beck has an epiphany. |
Carlin noted on his website:
January, 1994 - "The George Carlin Show" premieres on Fox Television. Lasts 27 episodes. Lesson learned: always check mental health of creative partner beforehand. Loved the actors, loved the crew. Had a great time. Couldn't wait to get the fuck out of there. Canceled December, 1995. [5]
He later elaborated in his posthumously published autobiography Last Words :
I had a great time. I never laughed so much, so often, so hard as I did with cast members Alex Rocco, Chris Rich, Tony Starke. There was a very strange, very good sense of humor on that stage...The biggest problem, though, was that Sam Simon was a fucking horrible person to be around. Very, very funny, extremely bright and brilliant, but an unhappy person who treated other people poorly...I was incredibly happy when the show was canceled. I was frustrated that it had taken me away from my true work. [6]
He went on to speak in the book of not enjoying the committee-style writer's room, which he felt alienated anyone who was not a professional television writer.
Simon in 2013 addressed Carlin's comments, saying:
I think the cancellation [of the show] affected George's attitude towards the work in retrospect, because he was always just a complete doll [to work with], and I know that he had some bitterness... that I heard later on. Which made me feel really bad, because we got along really well, I loved him, and I consider it a very special period of my life... He was just fantastic. [7]
The show received an approval rating of 88% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, based on eight reviews. [8]
Todd Everett of Variety , gave the show a positive review, saying: "The Moylan Tavern -- and Carlin's aging hipster character translates well to the sitcom stage. This is the comic without much of the acid that frequently flows in his standup routines. It's a half hour that's easy to take, and Carlin fans won't be disappointed." [9]
David Hiltbrand of People Magazine , also gave a positive review of the show, saying: "The sitcom’s flavor is somewhat bland, with just a whiff of desperation about it. But the mix of characters is likable, and how many Fox shows can you say that about?” [10]
Cheers is an American sitcom television series that ran on NBC from 1982 to 1993, with a total of 275 22-26 minute episodes across eleven seasons. The show was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions in association with Paramount Network Television and was created by the team of James Burrows and Glen and Les Charles. The show is set in the eponymous bar in Boston, where a group of locals meet to drink, relax, socialize, and escape from their day to day issues.
Moammar "Moe" Szyslak is a recurring character from the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Hank Azaria and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". Moe is the proprietor and bartender of Moe's Tavern, a Springfield bar frequented by Homer Simpson, Barney Gumble, Lenny Leonard, Carl Carlson, Sam, Larry, and others.
George Denis Patrick Carlin was an American comedian, actor, author, and social critic. Regarded as one of the most important and influential stand-up comedians of all time, he was dubbed "the dean of counterculture comedians". He was known for his black comedy and reflections on politics, the English language, psychology, religion, and taboo subjects.
Hilary Norman Peterson is a regular fictional character on the American television show Cheers. The character was portrayed by actor George Wendt and is named Hilary after his paternal grandfather.
Duffy's Tavern is an American radio situation comedy that ran for a decade on several networks, concluding with the December 28, 1951, broadcast.
Samuel "Mayday" Malone is a fictional character on the American television show Cheers, portrayed by Ted Danson and created by Glen and Les Charles. The protagonist of the series, Sam is a former relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox baseball team who owns and tends the bar called "Cheers". He is also a recovering alcoholic and a notorious womanizer. Although his celebrity status was short-lived, Sam retains that standing within the confines of Cheers, where he is beloved by the regular patrons. Along with Carla Tortelli and Norm Peterson, he is one of only three characters to appear in all episodes of Cheers. Sam has an on-again, off-again relationship with the bar waitress Diane Chambers for the series' first five seasons until her departure from the series. Then he tries to seduce Diane's replacement, Rebecca Howe, who frequently rejects his advances. Sam also appears in "The Show Where Sam Shows Up", a crossover episode of the spin-off Frasier.
"Burns Verkaufen der Kraftwerk" is the eleventh episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 5, 1991. In the episode, Mr. Burns sells the power plant to two German investors for $100 million. The new owners immediately fire Homer, the plant's safety inspector, for his incompetence. Burns soon realizes his former workers no longer fear him and buys the plant back to regain their respect.
"Homer the Moe" is the third episode of the thirteenth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox Network in the United States on November 18, 2001. In the episode, Moe, following the advice of his former bartending professor, decides to modernize his bar. The bar's new image attracts several customers, but leaves Moe's four regular customers, Homer, Lenny, Carl, and Barney, feeling alienated, which in turn prompts Homer to open his private bar, disguising it as a hunting club to avoid liquor license restrictions.
Samuel Michael Simon was an American television producer and animal rights activist who co-developed the television series The Simpsons.
"Flaming Moe's" is the tenth episode of the third season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on November 21, 1991. In the episode, Homer tells Moe Szyslak about the Flaming Homer, an alcoholic cocktail of cough medicine and fire that he invented. Moe steals Homer's recipe, renames it the Flaming Moe and sells it at his tavern. The drink is wildly successful and boosts Moe's business, but Homer is angry at him for his betrayal and seeks revenge.
"Fear of Flying" is the eleventh episode of the sixth season of the American animated television series The Simpsons. It was first broadcast on the Fox network in the United States on December 18, 1994. In the episode, the family attempts to go on a vacation but soon discovers that Marge is afraid of flying.
Alex Rocco was an American actor. Known for his distinctive, gravelly voice, he was often cast as villains, including Moe Greene in The Godfather (1972) and his Primetime Emmy Award–winning role in The Famous Teddy Z. Rocco did a significant amount of voice-over work later in his career.
Living Dolls is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 26 to December 30, 1989. It was a spin-off created by a writer from Who's the Boss? and featuring characters introduced during an episode of that show. The show was the acting debut of Halle Berry. Both Who's the Boss? and Living Dolls were produced by ELP Communications through Columbia Pictures Television and ABC.
Sibs is an American sitcom broadcast by ABC from September 17, 1991 until April 29, 1992. The series chronicled the relationship of three sisters, and the support the youngest two especially needed from their eldest married sister. Sibs was created by Heide Perlman and executive produced by Perlman, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon, all of whom had been showrunners of Fox's The Tracey Ullman Show. The series was backed by Brooks' Gracie Films company and Columbia Pictures Television.
Mr. President is an American sitcom created by Johnny Carson's company, Carson Productions, that starred George C. Scott and premiered on May 3, 1987. It was part of the Fox Broadcasting Company's premiere season of prime time entertainment, alongside Married... with Children, The Tracey Ullman Show, and Duet.
"Give Me a Ring Sometime" is the first episode of the American situation comedy Cheers. Written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows, the episode first aired September 30, 1982, on NBC in the contiguous United States and on October 14, 1982 in Alaska. The pilot episode introduces the characters at the Cheers bar in Boston: employees Sam Malone, Diane Chambers, Coach Ernie Pantusso, and Carla Tortelli; and regular customers Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin. In this episode, Diane, brought in by her fiancé, meets the employees and patrons of the bar. When she realizes that her fiancé has left her alone in the bar, Diane accepts Sam's offer to be the bar's waitress to start over.
"Showdown" is the two-part first-season finale of the American television sitcom Cheers, written by Glen and Les Charles and directed by James Burrows. It originally aired on NBC on March 24 and 31, 1983. In the Cheers pilot, college-educated Diane Chambers was neglected by her previous lover and then hired as a waitress by bartender Sam Malone. Since then, they flirted and resisted each other throughout the season. In this two-part episode Sam's more-successful brother Derek becomes Diane's love interest, leaving Diane torn between Derek and Sam. In the end, Sam and Diane passionately embrace in the office.
"The Show Where Sam Shows Up" is the 16th episode of the second season of the American sitcom Frasier. This episode originally aired on February 21, 1995, on NBC, intended as part of a February ratings sweep by the network. It features a special guest appearance by Ted Danson as Sam Malone, a recovering sex addict, bartender and ex-baseball player. In this episode, Sam arrives in Seattle to see his old friend Frasier and is then introduced to Frasier's family at a dinner in Frasier's home, where the inconsistencies about Martin's supposed "death" are cleared up. While visiting Seattle, Sam ends his relationship with a woman named Sheila after discovering her dalliance with other men. Danson's appearance in this episode has received mixed reviews, and the positive highlight about it is his interaction with the cast of Frasier.
The fourth season of Cheers, an American television sitcom, originally aired on NBC in the United States between September 26, 1985, and May 15, 1986, as part of the network's Thursday lineup. This season marks Woody Harrelson's television debut as Woody Boyd after Nicholas Colasanto, who portrayed Coach Ernie Pantusso, died during the previous season. The show was created by director James Burrows and writers Glen and Les Charles, under production team Charles Burrows Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Television.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)