''The Debbie Reynolds Show'' is an American
sitcom
A sitcom, a portmanteau of situation comedy, or situational comedy, is a genre of comedy centered on a fixed set of characters who mostly carry over from episode to episode. Sitcoms can be contrasted with sketch comedy, where a troupe may use ne ...
which aired on the
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
television network
A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or multichannel video programming distributo ...
during the
1969–70 television season. The series was produced by
Filmways
Filmways, Inc. (also known as Filmways Pictures and Filmways Television) was a television and film production company founded by American film executive Martin Ransohoff and Edwin Kasper in 1952. It is probably best remembered as the production c ...
.
Synopsis
Debbie Reynolds
Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...
portrayed Debbie Thompson, a housewife married to Jim, a successful
sportswriter
Sports journalism is a form of writing that reports on matters pertaining to sporting topics and competitions. Sports journalism started in the early 1800s when it was targeted to the social elite and transitioned into an integral part of the n ...
for the ''Los Angeles Sun''. Jim was portrayed by actor
Don Chastain
Don Chastain (September 2, 1935 – August 9, 2002) was an American actor, singer, and screenwriter. He worked in television in Los Angeles and New York and toured the United States and Canada.
Early years
Chastain was born in Oklahoma Ci ...
; his boss and brother-in-law was played by longtime television actor
Tom Bosley. Reynolds' attempts to amuse herself were regarded as being reminiscent of those of
Lucille Ball
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golden ...
on ''
Here's Lucy
''Here's Lucy'' is an American sitcom starring Lucille Ball. The series co-starred her long-time comedy partner Gale Gordon and her real-life children Lucie Arnaz and Desi Arnaz Jr. It was broadcast on CBS from 1968 to 1974. It was Ball's thir ...
''.
Creator/producer
Jess Oppenheimer
Jessurun James Oppenheimer (November 11, 1913 – December 27, 1988) was an American radio and television writer, producer, and director. He was the producer and head writer of the CBS sitcom ''I Love Lucy''.
Lucille Ball called Oppenheimer “ ...
was the original producer and co-creator of ''
I Love Lucy
''I Love Lucy'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from October 15, 1951, to May 6, 1957, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning six seasons. The show starred Lucille Ball, her husband, Desi Arnaz, along with ...
''. The show also employed
Bob Carroll Jr.
Robert Gordon Carroll Jr. (August 12, 1918 – January 27, 2007) was an American television writer notable for his creative role in the series ''I Love Lucy'', the first four seasons of which he wrote with his professional partner Madelyn Pugh, an ...
, and
Madelyn Davis
Madelyn Pugh (March 15, 1921 – April 20, 2011), sometimes credited as Madelyn Pugh Davis, Madelyn Davis, or Madelyn Martin, was a television writer who became known in the 1950s for her work on the ''I Love Lucy'' television series.
Early ...
, two longtime ''Lucy'' writers.
NBC was selling advertising time for cigarette commercials against Reynolds' wishes (even though she was assured no cigarette ads would be seen during the program). After Reynolds threatened to quit the show, American Brands (formerly known as American Tobacco) withdrew sponsorship. To make up for NBC's lost ad revenue, Reynolds agreed to give back to the network their guarantee of a second year of airing the program, as well as an NBC-backed film in which she would have starred, and her ownership in a subsequent NBC-produced series.
[Leszczak, Bob (2012). ''Single Season Sitcoms, 1948-1979: A Complete Guide'' (p. 34). McFarland & Co.]
Cast
*
Debbie Reynolds
Mary Frances "Debbie" Reynolds (April 1, 1932 – December 28, 2016) was an American actress, singer, and businesswoman. Her career spanned almost 70 years. She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer for her portra ...
as Debbie Thompson
*
Don Chastain
Don Chastain (September 2, 1935 – August 9, 2002) was an American actor, singer, and screenwriter. He worked in television in Los Angeles and New York and toured the United States and Canada.
Early years
Chastain was born in Oklahoma Ci ...
as Jim Thompson
*
Patricia Smith as Charlotte Landers
*
Tom Bosley as Bob Landers
Episodes
In popular culture
''
Monty Python's Flying Circus
''Monty Python's Flying Circus'' (also known as simply ''Monty Python'') is a British surreal sketch comedy series created by and starring Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam, who became known ...
'' spoofed the series in a sketch primarily written by
John Cleese
John Marwood Cleese ( ; born 27 October 1939) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. Emerging from the Cambridge Footlights in the 1960s, he first achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and as a scriptwriter and ...
and
Graham Chapman
Graham Chapman (8 January 1941 – 4 October 1989) was a British actor, comedian and writer. He was one of the six members of the surreal comedy group Monty Python. He portrayed authority figures such as The Colonel and the lead role in two P ...
entitled "The Attila the Hun Show". It pokes fun at ''The Debbie Reynolds Show'' (the opening title sequence in particular, which the Pythons closely parodied), as well as American comedy in general.
References
* Brooks, Tim and Marsh, Earle, ''
''
External links
*
1969 American television series debuts
1970 American television series endings
1960s American sitcoms
1970s American sitcoms
English-language television shows
NBC original programming
Television series about marriage
Television series by MGM Television
Television series by Filmways
Television shows set in Los Angeles
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