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Soap (TV Series)
''Soap'' is an American sitcom television series that originally ran on ABC from September 13, 1977, until April 20, 1981. The show was created as a nighttime parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format, and featured melodramatic plotlines including alien abduction, demonic possession, extramarital affairs, murder, kidnapping, unknown diseases, amnesia, cults, organized crime warfare, a communist revolution and teacher-student relationships. In 2007 it was listed as one of ''Time'' magazine's "100 Best TV Shows of All-''TIME''", and in 2010, the Tates and the Campbells ranked at number 17 in ''TV Guide''s list of "TV's Top Families". The show was created, written, and executive produced by Susan Harris, and also executive produced by Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas. Each returning season was preceded by a 90-minute retrospective of the previous season. Two of these ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 new characters in each sketch, and stand-up comedy, where a comedian tells jokes and stories to an audience. Sitcoms originated in radio, but today are found mostly on television as one of its dominant narrative forms. A situation comedy television program may be recorded in front of a studio audience, depending on the program's production format. The effect of a live studio audience can be imitated or enhanced by the use of a laugh track. Critics disagree over the utility of the term "sitcom" in classifying shows that have come into existence since the turn of the century. Many contemporary American sitcoms use the single-camera setup and do not feature a laugh track, thus often resembling the dramedy shows of the 1980s and 1990s rather t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Donnelly Rhodes
Henry Donnelly Rhodes (December 4, 1937 – January 8, 2018) was a Canadian actor, known professionally as Donnelly Rhodes. He had many American television and film credits, probably best known to American audiences as the hapless escaped convict Dutch Leitner on the soap opera spoof ''Soap'' and as Phillip Chancellor II on ''The Young and the Restless''. Rhodes was well-known to Canadian audiences as Sgt. Nick Raitt in the CBC TV series ''Sidestreet'' (1975–1978) and as Grant "Doc" Roberts in another CBC TV series, ''Danger Bay'' (1984–1990). He also starred as Doctor Cottle ("Doc") on ''Battlestar Galactica'' (2004–2009). Life and career Rhodes was born in 1937, although some sources say 1936, and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada. A large portion of Rhodes' career consists of guest-starring roles in American television. He appeared twice on '' Laredo'': in 1965, he played Bob Jamison in ''Rendezvous at Arillo'' an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbia TriStar Television
Columbia TriStar Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CTT) was an American television production and distribution company that was active from 1994 to 2002. It was operated as the third name of the early television studio Screen Gems and the fourth name of Pioneer Telefilms, both part of Sony Pictures Entertainment and the third company to use the Columbia and TriStar names together (the first being Columbia TriStar Home Video, later Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and the second, Columbia TriStar International Television, later rebranded as Sony Pictures Television International). History Beginnings Columbia TriStar Television was launched on February 21, 1994, from the merger of Columbia Pictures Television and TriStar Television, under the leadership of Jon Feltheimer, who was president of TriStar Television from 1991 to 1994 and of New World Television until 1991. After the merger, Columbia Pictures Television Distribution was renamed Columbia TriStar Television Distribution ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coca-Cola Telecommunications
Coca-Cola Telecommunications (CCT) was a short-lived first-run syndication unit of Columbia Pictures Television (then a unit of The Coca-Cola Company) created on November 24, 1986, that was a merger between CPT's first-run syndication division and The Television Program Source. The Television Program Source was a joint-venture between Alan Bennett, former King World president Robert King, and CPT that was founded on October 15, 1984. History The company brought on to revive the Screen Gems line, used for obscure and vintage never-before-seen Columbia Pictures Television programming, and assisted in colorization of black-and-white television shows, the 1950s programs ''The Real McCoys'' and ''The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp'', and bought a minority interest in Color Systems Technology. In 1987, Coca-Cola acquired assets of The Television Program Source outright, which included the assets, program and personnel, and Bob King would be president of the Coca-Cola Telecommunications ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Columbia Pictures Television
Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CPT) was launched on May 6, 1974, by Columbia Pictures as an American television production and distribution studio. It is the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gems (SG) and the third name of Pioneer Telefilms. For 26 years, the company was active from 1974 until New Year's Day 2001, when it was folded into Columbia TriStar Television (which is currently known as Sony Pictures Television), a merger between Columbia Pictures Television and TriStar Television. A separate entity of CPT continues to exist on paper as an intellectual property holder, and under the moniker CPT Holdings (the initials standing for Columbia Pictures Television) to hold the copyright for the TV show ''The Young and the Restless'', as well as old incarnations from the company's television library such as ''What's Happening!!'' History Screen Gems (1948–1974) Screen Gems was a television production company that was owned b ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hollywood, California
Hollywood is a neighborhood in the central region of Los Angeles, California. Its name has come to be a shorthand reference for the U.S. film industry and the people associated with it. Many notable film studios, such as Columbia Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., and Universal Pictures, are located near or in Hollywood. Hollywood was incorporated as a municipality in 1903. It was consolidated with the city of Los Angeles in 1910. Soon thereafter a prominent film industry emerged, having developed first on the East Coast. Eventually it became the most recognizable in the world. History Initial development H.J. Whitley, a real estate developer, arranged to buy the E.C. Hurd ranch. They agreed on a price and shook hands on the deal. Whitley shared his plans for the new town with General Harrison Gray Otis, publisher of the ''Los Angeles Times'', and Ivar Weid, a prominent businessman in the area. Daeida Wilcox, who donated land to help ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Prospect Studios
The Prospect Studios (also known as ABC Television Center [West]) is a lot containing several television studios located at 4151 Prospect Avenue in the Los Feliz, Los Angeles, Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles, at the corner of Prospect and Talmadge Street (named in honor of silent screen star Norma Talmadge), just east of Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood. For more than fifty years, this facility served as the West Coast of the United States, West Coast headquarters of the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) before the network moved its main headquarters to the Walt Disney Studios (Burbank), Walt Disney Studios in 1996. From 1949 to 1999, ABC-owned Los Angeles television station KABC-TV was also located there. The station moved to a new state-of-the-art facility located on a portion of Disney's Grand Central Creative Campus (GC3) in nearby Glendale, California, in December 1999. The Walt Disney Company, which acquired ABC, continues to own and operate the facility to this day ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Witt/Thomas Productions
Witt/Thomas Productions is an American television and movie production company run by TV producers Paul Junger Witt and Tony Thomas. The company was consistently productive between its founding in 1973 and 1999, but is still active, producing an occasional film or TV series project. It has produced more than 25 American primetime television series, mostly half-hour sitcoms. Witt/Thomas is perhaps best known for producing the popular sitcoms ''Soap'', ''Benson'', ''It's a Living'', ''The Golden Girls'' (along with its sequel, ''The Golden Palace''), ''Empty Nest'', ''Blossom'', and '' Brotherly Love''. Witt and Thomas have also produced many cinematic works, including the 1989 box-office success ''Dead Poets Society''. Numerous Witt/Thomas television series were created and co-executive produced by Susan Harris, then Witt's wife. The shows that had involvement from Harris were produced under the modified title Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions. History Work with other creators and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Tipton
George Aliceson Tipton (January 23, 1932 – February 12, 2016) was an American composer, musical arranger, and conductor, who is well known for his work in television and for his collaborations with singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. Among Tipton's works are the theme music for the TV shows ''Soap'' and its spinoff ''Benson'', ''It's a Living'', ''I'm a Big Girl Now'', and ''Empty Nest'', plus incidental music for numerous shows, including ''The Courtship of Eddie's Father'', ''Soap'', ''Mulligan's Stew'', ''The Love Boat'', ''Heartland'', ''The Golden Girls'', and ''The Golden Palace''. He also wrote the score for the film ''Badlands'' (1973), and for the television films '' Home for the Holidays'' (1972), '' The Affair'' (1973), ''The Stranger Who Looks Like Me'' (1974), ''The Gun and the Pulpit'' (1974), ''Hit Lady'' (1974), '' Griffin and Phoenix'' (1976), '' Red Alert'' (1977), '' The Gift'' (1979), '' Christmas Lilies of the Field'' (1979) and ''Gidget's Summer Reunion'' ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rod Roddy
Robert Ray Roddy (September 28, 1937 – October 27, 2003) was an American radio and television announcer. He was primarily known for his role as an offstage announcer on game shows. Among the shows that he announced are the CBS game shows ''Whew!'' and ''Press Your Luck.'' He is widely recognized by the signature line, "Come on down!" from ''The Price Is Right'', and it appears on his grave marker, although the phrase was originated and made popular by his predecessor Johnny Olson. Roddy succeeded original announcer Olson on ''The Price Is Right'' and held the role from 1986 until his death in 2003, and as of 2022, is the longest-serving announcer on the current incarnation of the show. On many episodes of ''Press Your Luck'' and ''The Price Is Right'', Roddy appeared on camera. He was also the voice of Mike the microphone on ''Disney's House of Mouse'' from 2001 until his death in 2003. Early career After graduating from Texas Christian University (TCU), Roddy began his profe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ted Wass
Edward Wass (born October 27, 1952) is an American television director and former actor. He is best known for his roles as Danny Dallas on the series ''Soap'' (1977–1981) and as Nick Russo on the NBC sitcom ''Blossom'' (1991–1995). After ''Blossom'' ended its run in 1995, Wass retired from acting and focused only on directing episodic television series, such as ''Spin City'', ''The Big Bang Theory'', ''Less than Perfect'' and '' 2 Broke Girls''. Wass returned to acting when he reunited with Mayim Bialik and played her father again on Bialik's ''Call Me Kat'' in 2022. Early life and education Wass was born in Lakewood, Ohio (just west of Cleveland). He was raised in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, bout west of Chicago">Chicago.html" ;"title="bout west of Chicago">bout west of Chicagoand graduated from Glenbard West High School there in 1970. He attended The Theatre School at DePaul University, Goodman School of Drama at the Art Institute of Chicago (now at DePaul University). Was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sal Viscuso
Sal Viscuso (born October 5, 1948 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American actor. He is best known for the role of Father Timothy Flotsky in ''Soap'' (1977-1981). Acting career He is known for playing the character Father Timothy Flotsky on the television series ''Soap'', a Roman Catholic priest struggling with his vow of celibacy. He appeared in the movies ''Spaceballs'' and '' The Taking of Pelham One Two Three''. Viscuso appeared in four different roles on the sitcom ''Barney Miller''. He has appeared in '' Diagnosis: Murder'' alongside Dick Van Dyke. He also played several weeks of the game show ''Pyramid'' with Dick Clark from 1977 to 1981. Viscuso was one of two regular public address announcers in the series ''M*A*S*H''. The more commonly heard voice was that of actor Todd Susman. He played the recurring role of "Bobby Bigmouth" on the TV series, '' Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' Education Viscuso is a graduate of Hiram W. Johnson High School in Sacrament ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
