Useless sitcom trivia

[Crazyk1294]

Scrubs is filmed in a decommissioned hospital in North Hollywood called the North Hollywood Medical Center. Most all of the show and all of the sets for the show are contained in the building.

Also, in Spin City... in the last episode, Michael J. Fox returned and mentioned that an Alex P. Keaton was a junior Senator for Ohio. Another twist is that almost every character on Spin City had cameo appearances on Scrubs because they shared the same producer, Bill Lawrence.

Michael Boatman - Played Carter Heywood on Spin City, played Dr. Cox's friend in Scrubs who had an autistic child
Alan Ruck (from Ferris Bueller fame) - Played Stuart Bondek on Spin City, played a cancer patient who sued Dr. Elliot Reid (Sarah Chalke) after she declared he had 6 months to live.
Richard Kind - Played Paul Lassiter in Spin City, played hypochondriac Mr. Gorman in Scrubs
The Mayor - Played Randall Winston in Spin City, played prostate cancer patient in Scrubs
James from Spin City played narcotic addict/con man in Scrubs
Michael J. Fox - Mike Flaherty in Spin City and Dr. Kevin Casey, the OCD doctor in Scrubs.

Don't forget Heather Locklear in as the sexy Pharmaceutical Rep in Season 2.

[Fatter than Joey]

One of Kirk Cameron's on-screen girlfriends was fired from the show after Joanna Kerns filed a complaint on her when she appeared in Playboy Magazine.

 

This gal was Julie McCullough -- who is now a comedienne. She was in fact fired by Cameron

[bjkrautk]

Here's a bit of trivia for everyone: What is the single greatest television show ever created? Think about it...got it? Wrong!

 

 

 

The answer is "You Can't Do That On Television". It defined a network (Nickelodeon), it gave us slime and made us wary of using the phrase "I Don't Know" without an umbrella. It was incredibly UN-politically correct. I doubt you could get away with a show like that today. Imagine a kids show poking fun at the Middle East the way "You Can't..." poked fun at Russia and the Cold War. Episodes about drugs, adoption, smoking on a sketch comedy show sporting an cast of child actors would never make it today. There was a recurring sketch in which the only adult male in the cast played a character who tried desperately to kill the child character (the kids always out smarted him though). Try doing that today.

 

My mom hated it, tried to keep me from watching. She told me it was "demeaning and gross", but I think it was Canada's richest contribution to American television (take that William Shatner).

You can't talk about "You Can't Do That on Television" in a TV trivia thread without at least mentioning that Alanis became a bit more famous in her second career as a musician.

 

"You Can't" was classic TV satire. Blip's Arcade (I think there were two adult males, but I'm not about to check), the firing squad, Barth's, the locker jokes, and of course, the Green Slime that defined the network for about a decade.

Is this show (or Turkey Television, to bring up another classic sketch show that helped define my already warped sense of humor) available on DVD?

[Paul77]

20fry.....don't encourage your mother. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Classic.

[jwill535]

Dont forget about"Out of Control". "Cut it Out" was the catch phrase of Dave Coulie with hand gesture (scissors, point, and thumb jerk)

 

The only thing i remember from Turkey Tele was "Fish Heads" and the video.

[Paul77]

You can't talk about "You Can't Do That on Television" in a TV trivia thread without at least mentioning that Alanis became a bit more famous in her second career as a musician........Is this show (or Turkey Television, to bring up another classic sketch show that helped define my already warped sense of humor) available on DVD?

I skipped the bit about Alanis, but I'll drop a new bit of trivia later in this post. To answer your question, this show is not on DVD though a few sites on the internet pop up here and there selling unofficial DVD's and Divx of old VHS & BETA recordings. There are apparently to many royalty issues keeping anyone from seriously thinking about releasing the show. There was an official VHS release called "The Worst of You Can't...". But it was basically only episodes from the 1989 season . The 1989 season featured a mostly new cast and was part of the contracts the kids signed for that season so no royalties negotiations were needed.

 

Christine McGlade ("Moose") said back in 2005 that she was contacted about a DVD, but I've heard nothing of it since. Carleton Productions was working on getting the show on DVD, but that would have been a Canada only release. I think part of the problem was that Nickelodeon never owed the show. It was the product of a local over the air Canadian television station in Ottawa, Ontario. Can you believe that? The biggest show in the history of America's biggest kids network were just reruns of a low budget Canadian tv stations local Saturday morning show.

 

Les Lyle, the only adult male actor credited on the show said, years ago, that he was working on developing a reunion project, but that seems very unlikely. I'm not even sure if he's still alive. EDIT: There was a reunion, two in fact. I can't believe i missed this. Watch it here 2004 You Can't Do That On Television. I'll admit it's a little unnerving to here old cast members referring to the likes of Britney Spears and J-lo.

 

More trivia :

 

The original You Can't Do That on Television was based on a show first produced in Britain by Roger Price. After a successful run Price moved to Canada and set out on making a new Canadian version. It debuted as "You Can't Do That On Television" in February 1979 on a local CJOH-TV in Ottawa, Ontario. It was broadcast live and featured a studio audience as well as live musical performances, live phone calls from kids in Ottawa, interactive games (ala Bozo the Clown) and slap stick comedy routines. Other than the set and some of the actors, the show would be somewhat unfamiliar to most American "You Can't" fans.

 

The Canadian tv network CTV contacted the producers and asked for a network version of the show to be shown nationwide. Three months later the producers of "You Can't" came up with "Whatever Turns You On". It was filmed on the same familiar set as "You can't". It had a nearly identical cast as "You Can't" but instead of being filmed live it was pre recorded. The call in portion of the show disappeared along with most of the musical acts. The comedy was more topical and less slap stick and was presented in a fast paced sketch format. It also aired in prime time. Ratings were terrible and the show was canceled after 8 months.

 

Despite the low ratings and the network cancellation the producers favored the format of "Whatever Turns You On" to the original "You Can't". So when production resumed for the 1980 season the producers simply decided to continue producing "Whatever Turns you on" but changed the name to "You Can't Do That On Television" and history was made. The show stayed largely unchanged until 1986.

 

With the original (pre1987) cast of kids simply growing to old the producers needed to make some changes. Out were the only true original cast members from the 1979 shows. When only 5 episodes were commissioned for the 1987 season creator/producer Roger Price was sure the shows run was over. He even sent letters telling the cast members to go find other work. He himself left for France. But Nickelodeon did in fact want more episodes. But with Price in France the show was left in limbo causing Nickelodeon to drop a planned direct to VHS project.

 

No new episodes were produced in 1988. In 1989 Price was persuaded by Nickelodeon to return to produce a tenth season. But when production resumed only one semi familiar face returned. The others either declined or were not contacted. Nevertheless, 25 episodes were produced and aired with a new cast. Five more episodes were made the following year before production shut down for good in 1990. The show stayed on Nickelodeon in reruns for another 4 years. Interestingly though they almost exclusively aired the 30 episodes from the 1989/90 seasons between 1990 - 1994. . Episodes from the early years were all but forgotten, buried on the weekend schedule.

 

And now you know the story of the greatest television show ever created.

[brewcrewnation]

Doggie Houser also came out of the closet in real life.

[Thats Freakin Sweet]

Doggie Houser also came out of the closet in real life.

 

I know! I don't really care, but it totally ruined 'Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle' for me though! Neil Patrick Harris as 'himself' was the best part of that movie...well, that or Freakshow. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

 

 

[brewcrewnation]

I hate to admit to this, i bought the book growing up Brady by Barry Williams(aka Greg) In the book he said he had the day off so he tried for the first time some drugs, and then he got called in to work and there is a scene in the brady's driveway where Greg trips over a bike and they show his face and he is all spaced out. Yes Greg and Mrs. Brady did go out on a date, but it meant more to Greg. In the final show where Greg hair turns orange, Mr brady was not in that espisode because he was writtien out of the esposse beacasue he thought it was so stupid and the creactor of the Brady bunch was thinging about killing off Mike Brady or recasting but the show was canceled. In real life Mr. Brady was gay. I also wanted to be cousin Oliver. I have seen every esposide of the Brady bunch, plus the brady girls get married, a very brady christmas and the hour hour show the Bradys which lasted 7 weeks..... Happy days, i liked how they mentioned, Waukesha, Madison, Green Bay, Shebogan, Kenosha, the Phister and one show Hank Arron was on and how the Braves were moving to Atlanta.

[jaybird2001wi]

Its funny how they base shows in Wisconsin and everytime they mention sports, the Brewers are never even mentioned. Wasn't Laverne and Shirley's a 70's based TV show? How come they never mentioned the Brewers even when they worked at a brewery?

I remember in ER (non-sitcom), a patient's girlfriend mentioned Racine once.

[brewcrewnation]

laverine and shirly was based in the late 50s early 60s same had happy days.

[Paul77]

Its funny how they base shows in Wisconsin and everytime they mention sports, the Brewers are never even mentioned. Wasn't Laverne and Shirley's a 70's based TV show? How come they never mentioned the Brewers even when they worked at a brewery?

 

"Laverne and Shirley" was a spin off of "Happy Days" which was a spin off of "Love American Style". Though filmed in the 1970's they were set in the 1950's. OK, here's where it get fun...

 

One day, back in the 1959 - which was really 1978, in a sleepy Midwest city named Milwaukee ,which as admirably played by Hollywood California, an alien from a planet called Ork arrived . After a tense battle with a guy named "The Fonz", Mork left 1959 Milwaukee and landed in 1978 Boulder Colorado where he met a gal named "Mindy". Once in 1978 Boulder, he and his new friend Mindy promptly return to 1962 Milwaukee to be reunited with the Fonz. But the Fonz is to busy to hang with his old pal so he introduces Mork to h is friend, Laverne whom he dates briefly before retruning, for good, to good old 1978 Boulder.

 

And so is the story of one of TV's most improbable spin offs, "Mork and Mindy".

 

And to the original point, I remember one episode in which the Cunningham clan tripped it over to County Stadium to catch a Braves game. They used stock footage of a Braves game ror inserts in the episode.

 

 

[brewcrewnation]

Mr. C and Potsie and shortcake went to a braves game.

[whizkid]

The first episode of Happy Days had Earl Gillespie calling some Braves action on the car radio.

[1992casey]

A few more:

• Step by Step: The series was set in Port Washington.
• Step by Step: At the time the series made its debut, stars Patrick Duffy and Sasha Mitchell had spent the previous two seasons starring as uncle and nephew on Dallas.

• I Dream of Jeannie: This one is more Dallas trivia, but to stay on the topic of sitcoms, I'll work backwards. Anyway...

  Barbara Eden appeared in several episodes during Dallas' final season, playing a "villainess" seeking revenge on J.R. Whether or not she qualified as a villainess is debatable; many might have considered her as 'in the right' After all, J.R. was the one she was out to get.

  The story line was that J.R. had impregnated her 20 years previously and had suddenly dumped her without knowing about the pregnancy. Her botched illegal abortion made it impossible for her to bear more children. Throughout all those episodes, J.R. didn't even remember who she was.
   

  This was all pretty eerie because it was hard not to separate J.R. Ewing and Lee Ann De La Vega from Major Nelson and Jeannie. There's no way Major Nelson would have left Jeannie. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif The story turned out with 'Jeannie' winning the battle and Ewing Oil.

• I Dream of Jeannie: In addition to the traditional red and white, Jeannie's blood had green corpuscles.

[Paul77]

This qualifies for this thread because it in part includes the sitcom-ish "Arrested Development" & the "Simpsons".

 

The character "Detective John Munch" has appeared in 10 different television shows, always played by Richard Belzer, a record for a fictional character.

 

The character debuted in 1993 on NBC's "Homicide: Life On The Street" and made a cross over appearance on another NBC drama "Law & Order" (2). Later Detective Munch appeared on FOX's "The X Files"(3). Once "Homicide..." was canceled the character moved to a the NBC drama, "Law & Order:Special Victims Unit" (4) where he crossed over to another L&O spin off, "Trial By Jury" (5). In 2000 he turned up on UPN's "The Beat" (6), most impressive because this show only lasted to 6 episodes.

 

Since then the stand up comedian turned dramatic actor, Belzer has provided voice over work on "The Simpsons" (7) & for an animated version of Detective Munch. He also provided the voice of the Detective Munch muppet in a "Sesame Street" (8) skit called "Law & Order: Special Letters Unit". Belzer was on the series "Arrested Development" (9) twice, once as Detective Munch and again later as himself.

 

The character will crossover again this year to HBO's "The Wire" (10) and is expected to make an appearance as an "American detective in France" for the upcoming French version of "Law & Order". Sounds like number 11 is already planned.

 

And to think, most actors are afraid of being typecast!

[jaybird2001wi]

20fry, wow and I thought Kelsey Grammer had the record for playing a character the longest, well he does with just two shows. That is another fact, Frasier Crane is the only character to appear in every episode in Cheers AND every episode of Frasier.

Here is another tidbit, when the Simpsons spoofed "Cheers" in an episode where Homer tries to find a new bar and winds up at Cheers, all of the characters said at least one word, except Frasier. The reason is because Kelsey Grammer voiced Sideshow Bob and they didn't want to confuse the voices too much.

[Paul77]

I think Frasier joined the Cheers gang in 1983, in season two. (edited to add the following) If not in season two, maybe it was season one but I don't remember him in the pilot. I seem to recall, though I could be wrong, that Diane came back from a trip where she met Fraiser and brought him back to the bar. Hmm... I just don't remember.

[1992casey]

Kelsey's 20 years would have been from 1984-2004.

• Cheers Internet Movie Database page
• Frasier Internet Movie Database page
• Kelsey Grammer Internet Movie Database page

What isn't clear is exactly when Kelsey showed up on Cheers: spring of 1984 (season two) or fall of 1984 (season three). I'm sure that could be found out with more digging.

 

This isn't a sitcom, but the longest-running character on a single scripted show would have been James Arness, Marshall Dillon on Gunsmoke.

[NeedMoreFans]

Step by Step: The series was set in Port Washington.

I'm from Port Washington, and when that show first came on, we were all angry that they didn't use any scenery from Port. When they showed the sign, "Port Washington, Wisconsin", they even had the population wrong. What was worse was the stupid amusement park. People would come to Port and ask where it was. When I got to college and told people where I was from, they all said, "Oh, Step by Step". I got in an argument with someone once about that blasted amusement park. She told me that she was there over the summer and went to the park, and she didn't believe me when I said we didn't have one, but it was 90 miles south.

[Mike Felder]

Here's a bit of trivia for everyone: What is the single greatest television show ever created? Think about it...got it? Wrong!

 

 

 

The answer is "You Can't Do That On Television". It defined a network (Nickelodeon), it gave us slime and made us wary of using the phrase "I Don't Know" without an umbrella. It was incredibly UN-politically correct. I doubt you could get away with a show like that today.

This show RULED. I was probably a little young for their target audience (born in '82) but that show cracked me up nonetheless. The little intros before the show ("Batman's Hairdryer Fries Robin" will not be seen today...) always made me laugh and the family scenes made me dead set against liver and lima beans, even though I had never tried either.

 

[jaybird2001wi]

NeedMoreFans, I think the amusement park shown on the Step by Step intro is Six Flags: Magic Mountain because there is a major coastline by the roller coaster. The folks at ABC should have done more research on creating the show because it is so inaccurate of the way they portrayed everything. Like when Cody left and they brought in Bronson Pinchot as Carol's hairstylist friend, there was one episode where Fabio hires him to cut his hair. I am like saying to myself, "Why in the world would Fabio come to Port Washington to get his hair cut when he probably has his own guy in LA or something?" I know it is just a TV show, but it was not at all realistic.

There was an extremely short lived sitcom (like 3 or 4 episodes) with Corbin Bernsen starring as a sports anchor for a Milwaukee TV station.

[brewcrewnation]

That show was called a whole new ballgame.

[jaybird2001wi]

Here was the cast of "A Whole New Ballgame" from imdb.com

 

Series Complete credited cast)

 

Corbin Bernsen ... Brett Sooner

Julia Campbell ... Meg O'Donnell

 

Richard Kind ... Dwight Kling

 

Stephen Tobolowsky ... Dr. Warner Brakefield

Kari Coleman ... Libby Desoto

John O'Hurley ... Tad Sherman

 

Shashawnee Hall ... Mickey

Pat Millicano ... Pat

 

I had no idea Richard Kind was in the show. Oh, and the same guy who Directed "Coach" also directed this show, Barry Kemp.

[jaybird2001wi]

By the way, imdb.com has a cool feature where you can actually find out what movies/shows were filmed in Milwaukee:

 

"America" (1971) TV Series

...aka "Jean Shepherd's America" (1971) (USA)

"Blueprint for Disaster" (2005) TV Series 8.3/10 (6 votes)

"CNN Presents" (1993): True Believers: Life Inside the Dean Campaign TV Episode

"Independent Lens" (2002): Almost Home TV Episode 3.3/10 (14 votes)

"Laverne & Shirley" (1976) TV Series 6.5/10 (251 votes)

...aka "Laverne & Shirley & Company" (1976) (USA: syndication title)

...aka "Laverne & Shirley & Friends" (1976) (USA: syndication title)

"Long Way Round" (2004) (mini) TV Series 9.3/10 (1643 votes)

"Rescue 911" (1989): 911 Python Baby-Sitter/CPR Parking Lot/Hostage Hot Pursuit/911 Car-Phone Kid TV Episode

"SexTV" (1998): Andre Williams/Gay Sex in the 70s/Jen Davis TV Episode

"Tracks Ahead" (1990) TV Series

"Whole New Ballgame, A" (1995) TV Series

"WWE Monday Night RAW" (2005): (Episode dated 10 April 2006) TV Episode

"WWF Raw Is War" (1997) TV Series

...aka "Raw Is War" (1997) (USA: short title)

...aka "WWE Raw" (1997) (USA: new title)

...aka "WWF Raw" (2001) (USA: new title)

"Zoo Parade" (1950) TV Series

2002 MLB All-Star Game (2002) (TV) 6.6/10 (19 votes)

5000 Miles (2006) (V) 3.5/10 (7 votes)

American Beer (2004) 8.1/10 (55 votes)

American Movie (1999) 7.6/10 (4970 votes)

American Ride (2005)

American Surfrider (2007)

Backyards & Bullets (2007) (TV)

Basic Football (1994) (V) 3.9/10 (24 votes)

Before the Light Turns Green (2000)

Big One, The (1997) 7.3/10 (3795 votes)

Blues Brothers, The (1980) 7.8/10 (42598 votes)

Breach of Faith: Family of Cops II (1997) (TV) 5.5/10 (181 votes)

...aka Family of Cops II (1997) (TV) (Canada: English title) (Canada: French title)

Camel's Back, The (2007)

Can You Imagine (1936)

Champ Car Season Preview (2006) (TV)

Chump Change (2001) 5.5/10 (204 votes)

Colony Mutation (1995) 5.4/10 (5 votes)

Czar of Make Believe (1999)

Dahmer (2002) 5.3/10 (1682 votes)

Dillinger (1991) (TV) 5.7/10 (217 votes)

Disbelief (2004) 7.4/10 (40 votes)

...aka Loose Change in Russia (2004) (USA: informal title)

Double Pleasure, Double Pain (2008)

Dragon (2006/II) 2.7/10 (183 votes)

Dreamland (1998)

Electrifying North Shore Line, The (1986)

Fall, The (2007)

Family of Cops (1995) (TV) 5.4/10 (241 votes)

...aka Une famille de flics (1995) (TV) (Canada: French title)

Floral Parade (1903)

Fools Parade (1903)

Funkytown (1998) 8.5/10 (6 votes)

Gaily, Gaily (1969) 5.1/10 (79 votes)

...aka Chicago, Chicago (1970) (UK)

Gettin' Grown (2004) 7.0/10 (25 votes)

Hank Aaron: Chasing the Dream (1995) 8.1/10 (48 votes)

Heart of the 100th (2005)

Heebie Jeebies (2005) (V) 2.9/10 (124 votes)

Helping Hand (2006)

Henry Aaron's Summer Up North (2005)

Hindenburg, The (1975) 5.9/10 (1019 votes)

Hoop Dreams (1994) 7.8/10 (6828 votes)

How to Live with a Vegan Without Killing Them (2004) 6.0/10 (22 votes)

Ice Cream Social, The (2004) 9.2/10 (13 votes)

Indulgence (2004/I) (V) 3.2/10 (11 votes)

It's Happiness: A Polka Documentary (2006) 8.1/10 (9 votes)

King of the Ring (1996) (V) 6.0/10 (57 votes)

...aka WWF King of the Ring (1996) (V) (USA: promotional title)

Lady in the Box (2001) 6.3/10 (76 votes)

Last Great Ride, The (1999) 4.4/10 (86 votes)

Legend Trip, The (2006) 6.9/10 (37 votes)

Lift (2006/I) 7.8/10 (10 votes)

Losing the Thread (2006) 8.8/10 (24 votes)

Love and Fate (2003)

Major League (1989) 6.8/10 (13430 votes)

Milwaukee, Minnesota (2003) 6.2/10 (310 votes)

Misleading Lady, The (1916)

Modus Operandi (2007)

Most Wonderful People (2004)

Mr. 3000 (2004) 5.6/10 (3759 votes)

Naked (1999) 4.9/10 (58 votes)

New Sideshow, The (2002) (TV)

Night of the Living Dead: Live from Wisconsin - Hosted by Mark & Mike (2006) (TV) 9.2/10 (15 votes)

Not in Our Name! (2006) 9.5/10 (17 votes)

Obvious Moment of Happiness, An (2003) 9.4/10 (8 votes)

One Night Stand (1997) 5.6/10 (2517 votes)

One Way Boogie Woogie (1977) 7.1/10 (11 votes)

One Way Boogie Woogie/27 Years Later (2005) 7.7/10 (11 votes)

Ornithology (2006)

Paint Job, The (1992) 6.5/10 (108 votes)

...aka Painted Heart (1992) (UK)

Pimp Snooky (2000) (TV)

Recovered, The (2007) (V)

Red Betsy (2003) 6.8/10 (53 votes)

Reeseville (2003) 5.8/10 (79 votes)

Scare Me (2008)

Self-Important Empirical Film #3, with Voice-Over (2005)

She's Mine (2005)

Skin Tone (2005) 9.0/10 (26 votes)

Snare (2007/II) 9.2/10 (8 votes)

Snowed (2005) 9.5/10 (13 votes)

Storm That Follows Me, The (1994)

Used Innocence (1989)

WCW Mayhem 2000 (2000) (TV) 3.9/10 (8 votes)

Westing Game, The (1997) (TV) 5.6/10 (260 votes)

What Remains (2004) 8.9/10 (18 votes)

WWE Taboo Tuesday (2004) (TV) 6.7/10 (85 votes)

WWF No Way Out (2002) (V) 6.6/10 (109 votes)

WWF Over the Edge (1998) (V) 5.3/10 (49 votes)

You & I Will Play (1995)

Young Sinner, The (1965)

Zombi de Cap-Rouge, Le (1997) 2.8/10 (11 votes)