A Year at the Top
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''A Year at the Top'' 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 ...
that aired for five episodes on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
from August 5 to September 2, 1977. Produced by T.A.T. Communications Company, the series was created by
Heywood Kling Woody Kling (April 14, 1925 – April 10, 1988) was an American television writer, producer, playwright, and composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, ...
and co-executive produced by
Don Kirshner Donald Kirshner (April 17, 1934 – January 17, 2011) was an American music publisher, music consultant, rock music record producer, producer, talent manager, and songwriter. Dubbed "the Man with the Golden Ear" by Time (magazine), ''Time' ...
and
Norman Lear Norman Milton Lear (born July 27, 1922) is an American producer and screenwriter, who has produced, written, created, or developed over 100 shows. Lear is known for many popular 1970s sitcoms, including the multi-award winning ''All in the Famil ...
.


Synopsis

Based on the
Faust Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540). The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...
legend, the series stars
Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer (born November 28, 1949) is a Canadian singer, composer, actor, author, comedian, and multi-instrumentalist who served as David Letterman's musical director, band leader, and sidekick on the entire run of both '' Late ...
and
Greg Evigan Gregory Ralph Evigan (born October 14, 1953) is an American film, stage, and television actor. He began his career in theater, appearing in the Broadway production of '' Jesus Christ Superstar'', followed by a stage production of the musical '' G ...
as two struggling musicians who make a pact with the son of the
devil A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in various cultures and religious traditions. It is seen as the objectification of a hostile and destructive force. Jeffrey Burton Russell states that the different conceptions of t ...
for a year of success. ''A Year at the Top'' also stars
Nedra Volz Nedra Volz (née Gordonier; June 18, 1908 – January 20, 2003) was an American actress. In television, she portrayed Aunt Iola on ''All in the Family'', Adelaide Brubaker on ''Diff'rent Strokes'', Emma Tisdale on ''The Dukes of Hazzard'', a ...
,
Priscilla Morrill Priscilla Alden Morrill (June 4, 1927 – November 9, 1994) was an American actress. She is best known for playing Edie Grant on the sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' in 1973 and 1975. Career Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, M ...
,
Gabriel Dell Gabriel Dell (born Gabriel Marcel Dell Vecchio; October 8, 1919 – July 3, 1988) was an American actor and one of the members of what came to be known as the Dead End Kids, then later the East Side Kids and finally The Bowery Boys. Acting care ...
, and
Julie Cobb Julie Frances Cobb is an American actress. She is the daughter of actor Lee J. Cobb. Early life Cobb was born in Los Angeles, California, to a Jewish family. Her parents were actor Lee J. Cobb and actress Helen Beverley. She went to Beverly Hil ...
.
Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...
guest-starred on the pilot episode. The series aired for only five episodes before being canceled by CBS in September 1977. Expecting the series to be a hit, a soundtrack LP titled ''Greg & Paul - A Year At The Top'' was released by
Casablanca Records Casablanca Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Republic Records. Under its founder Neil Bogart, Casablanca was most successful during the disco era of the mid to late 1970s. The label currently f ...
(#NBLP-7068). The album's executive producer was
Don Kirshner Donald Kirshner (April 17, 1934 – January 17, 2011) was an American music publisher, music consultant, rock music record producer, producer, talent manager, and songwriter. Dubbed "the Man with the Golden Ear" by Time (magazine), ''Time' ...
.


Cast

*
Greg Evigan Gregory Ralph Evigan (born October 14, 1953) is an American film, stage, and television actor. He began his career in theater, appearing in the Broadway production of '' Jesus Christ Superstar'', followed by a stage production of the musical '' G ...
as Greg *
Paul Shaffer Paul Allen Wood Shaffer (born November 28, 1949) is a Canadian singer, composer, actor, author, comedian, and multi-instrumentalist who served as David Letterman's musical director, band leader, and sidekick on the entire run of both '' Late ...
as Paul *
Gabriel Dell Gabriel Dell (born Gabriel Marcel Dell Vecchio; October 8, 1919 – July 3, 1988) was an American actor and one of the members of what came to be known as the Dead End Kids, then later the East Side Kids and finally The Bowery Boys. Acting care ...
as Frederick J. Hanover (aka "The Devil's Son") *
Julie Cobb Julie Frances Cobb is an American actress. She is the daughter of actor Lee J. Cobb. Early life Cobb was born in Los Angeles, California, to a Jewish family. Her parents were actor Lee J. Cobb and actress Helen Beverley. She went to Beverly Hil ...
as Trish *
Priscilla Morrill Priscilla Alden Morrill (June 4, 1927 – November 9, 1994) was an American actress. She is best known for playing Edie Grant on the sitcom ''The Mary Tyler Moore Show'' in 1973 and 1975. Career Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, M ...
as Miss Worley *
Nedra Volz Nedra Volz (née Gordonier; June 18, 1908 – January 20, 2003) was an American actress. In television, she portrayed Aunt Iola on ''All in the Family'', Adelaide Brubaker on ''Diff'rent Strokes'', Emma Tisdale on ''The Dukes of Hazzard'', a ...
as Grandma Belle Durbin


Episodes


References


External links

* 1977 American television series debuts 1977 American television series endings 1970s American musical comedy television series 1970s American sitcoms American fantasy television series CBS original programming English-language television shows Television series by Sony Pictures Television Television shows set in Idaho {{US-comedy-tv-prog-stub