BEHIND THE LAUGHS: THE UNTOLD STORIES OF
TELEVISION'S FAVORITE COMEDIES: A MUSEUM OF
TELEVISION & RADIO SPECIAL (TV)
Summary
Presented by The Museum of Television & Radio, this special features a backstage look at the world of television comedy series. Host Mike Farrell, filmed at The Museum of Television & Radio in Los Angeles, uses clips from various series to examine the history and development of television comedy. The first segment focuses on shows based on producers' lives and personal experiences, and also examines how changes are made during the creative process. Garry Marshall and Ron Howard discuss the origins of "Happy Days," and Marlo Thomas explains that "That Girl" grew out of her nickname "Miss Independence." Producers David Crane and Marta Kauffman explain that their own experiences in their twenties inspired "Friends," and Courteney Cox describes the process that landed her the part of Monica in that series, even after she read for the role of Rachel. In the second segment, producers Bud Yorkin, Ron Howard, and Don Taffner, and actor John Ritter, discuss how some American shows evolved from British comedy series, such as "All in the Family" from "Till Death Us Do Part," and "Three's Company" from "Man About the House." The third segment examines how certain comedy sketches become shows themselves. The long-lost pilot episode of "I Love Lucy" is shown, and the history behind the creation of "The Honeymooners" and "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is detailed by Joyce Randolph, Dick Van Dyke, and Carl Reiner. The fourth segment profiles series' secondary characters, called breakout characters, who have an enormous impact on the show in which they appear. Gabe Kaplan describes the attraction of John Travolta as Vinnie Barbarino on "Welcome Back, Kotter," Ron Howard and Henry Winkler comment on the development of Fonzie on "Happy Days," Betty White and Ed Asner describe Sue Ann Nivens on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," and Jaleel White and Reginald VelJohnson explain the appeal of Steve Urkel on "Family Matters." The fifth segment explores spin-off series such as "The Andy Griffith Show." Producer Garry Marshall talks about the inspiration for the characters and the opening song for "Laverne and Shirley," Ron Howard and Henry Winkler discuss the beginnings of "Mork and Mindy," and Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, and creator/executive producer David Lee introduce the spin-off of "Frasier" from "Cheers." The sixth segment shows actors leaving comedy series at the height of their popularity, and it discusses the ways in which their characters and the show's plot have handled this change. Wayne Rogers and writer Larry Gelbart comment on a clip of McLean Stevenson's exit from "M*A*S*H" as Henry Blake, and a never-before-seen episode of "Cheers" dealing with Sam and Diane's wedding ceremony is introduced by Ted Danson and executive producer/director James Burrows. The seventh and final segment reviews the many ways used to end a program with a final episode and the differing emotional responses that are elicited. Included here are the finales to "Cheers," introduced by Ted Danson and James Burrows; "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," introduced by Ed Asner; "Newhart"; and "M*A*S*H." Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: FOX
- DATE: May 27, 1998 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:34:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:49611
- GENRE: Comedy; Public affairs/Documentaries; Specials
- SUBJECT HEADING: Arts documentaries; Comedy; She Made It Collection (Marta Kauffman); Television - History
- SERIES RUN: FOX - TV, 1998
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Bruce Nash … Executive Producer, Writer
- Robert M. Batscha … Executive Producer, The Museum of Television & Radio
- Dan Goldberg … Production (Misc.), Executive in Charge of Production
- Diane Lewis … Production (Misc.), Executive in Charge of Production, The Museum of Television & Radio
- Robyn Nash … Producer
- Robin Schlien … Production (Misc.), Line Producer
- Janet Turner … Production (Misc.), Line Producer
- Jeff Copeland … Production (Misc.), Segment Producer
- Jonathan Dowdell … Production (Misc.), Segment Producer
- Steve Marmalstein … Production (Misc.), Segment Producer
- Beth O'Day … Production (Misc.), Segment Producer
- David Bohnert … Production (Misc.), Post Production Supervisor
- John Rogan … Production (Misc.), Post Production Supervisor
- Kent Weed … Director
- Leona Barad … Researcher
- Jennifer Bergmark … Researcher
- Bob Logan … Writer
- Allen Rucker … Writer
- Mike Fleiss … Writer
- Susan B. Fisher … Creative Consultant
- Scooter Pietsch … Music by
- Steve Crum … Music by
- Mike Farrell … Host
- Mark Thompson … Announcer
- Alan Alda
- Kirstie Alley
- Jennifer Aniston
- Desi Arnaz
- Ed Asner
- Lucille Ball
- Gary Burghoff
- Tom Bosley
- James Burrows
- George Carlin
- Art Carney
- Courteney Cox
- Ted Danson
- Davis, Madelyn Pugh (See also: Pugh, Madelyn; Martin, Madelyn)
- Pam Dawber
- Larry Gelbart
- Kelsey Grammer
- Andy Griffith
- Sherman Hemsley
- Ron Howard
- Gabe Kaplan
- Marta Kauffman
- Pert Kelton
- Don Knots
- Lisa Kudrow
- Steve Landesberg
- Matt LeBlanc
- David Lee
- Shelley Long
- Garry Marshall
- Penny Marshall
- Audrey Meadows
- Mary Tyler Moore
- Bob Newhart
- Matthew Perry
- David Hyde Pierce
- Suzanne Pleshette
- Joyce Randolph
- Carl Reiner
- John Ritter
- Wayne Rogers
- David Schwimmer
- McLean Stevenson
- Don Taffner
- Danny Thomas
- Marlo Thomas
- John Travolta
- Dick Van Dyke
- Reginald VelJohnson
- White Betty
- Jaleel White
- Cindy Williams
- Robin Williams
- Henry Winkler
- Bud Yorkin