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| This is a
collection of old news and obituaries from the Morty's TV
News page. Dates, where shown, represent the date the
story was originally posted on the web site. Because
these are old stories, links within the stories may no
longer be active. For current news and schedules, click
here. |
You Can Browse Old
News By Month...
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Schedules & DVD Releases
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| [May 23, 2003] As you may have seen, the schedules for TV Land, Nick @ Nite and Hallmark have been updated for summer. The new shows on TV Land, "Bewitched," "I Dream of Jeannie," "Fantasy Island," and the return of "The Munsters" start in June. July sees the return of "Dennis the Menace" and "Hazel" to Sunday's Better Living through Television Block.
 Nick will present another Summer Block Party in VertiVision, with Viewer Appreciation Summer starting July 7th. There are no new shows or "party crashers," but that may change if the ratings aren't up to par. You'll only find "Perfect Strangers" and "Head of the Class" on weekends at their current times.
Hallmark's making some minor adjustments on June 7th, "Bewitched" and "Jeannie" leave and are replaced by "Hogan's Heroes" and "The Beverly Hillbillies" Next week "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" leaves the schedule.
There's more TV series coming to DVD this summer. Not all the release dates and details are in, but you can see what available for pre-order now. CLICK HERE. You'll find the fourth seasons of "M*A*S*H," and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the real classic "Topper" and the movie that inspired it, more "I Love Lucy," and "The Simpsons" too.
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Robert Stack Dies at Age 84
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 [May 17, 2003] Robert Stack died of heart failure Wednesday, he was 84. Stack had a long career in films before achieving his greatest success playing legendary crime fighter Eliot Ness in the 1960s TV series "The Untouchables," later he had an even longer run on television as the deadpan host of "Unsolved Mysteries."
Stack made his screen debut in 1939 at age 20. The film was "First Love," a Cinderella story starring singing sensation Deanna Durbin. As Durbin's "Prince Charming," Stack generated international headlines by giving the teenage singer her first screen kiss.
Stack, who appeared in more than 70 films, received a best supporting actor Oscar nomination for "Written on the Wind," a 1956 melodrama starring Lauren Bacall and Rock Hudson.
His starring role as Ness in "The Untouchables," which ran from 1959 to 1963, earned Stack an Emmy Award in 1960. Stack went on to star in three other TV series, "The Name of the Game" (1968-71), "Most Wanted" (1976-77) and "Strike Force" (1981-82), as well as hosting "Unsolved Mysteries" from 1987 to 2002.
Stack also was known for his long marriage to Rosemarie, a former fashion cover girl and actress whom he married in 1956. It was the first marriage for both. In addition to his wife, Stack is survived by two children, Elizabeth and Charles, both of Los Angeles; and his brother, of Lake Tahoe.
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New
Shows Announced for TV Land & Nick @ Nite |
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[May 8, 2003] Because you read Morty's
TV, you may already know some of this, however Tuesday was
Viacom's day to make all these announcements official.
TV Land adds eight classic TV series to its line-up through
2004. New acquisitions include "Bewitched"
(May 31, 2003), "I Dream of Jeannie" (June 2,
2003), "Mister Ed" (September,
2003), "The Flip Wilson Show" (July 3,
2004), "Bonanza" (September, 2003), "Green
Acres" (January 1, 2004), "Fantasy
Island" (June 2, 2003), and "Carol Burnett
and Friends" (April 12, 2004).
Nick at Nite announces their first original series, "Fatherhood"
(January, 2004) based on the Bill Cosby book, and new
acquisitions include "Roseanne"
(September 21, 2003), "Full House" (October
6, 2003), "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air"
(September 13, 2004), and "Who’s The Boss?"
(June, 2004). |
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'Welcome,
Back Kotter' Actor Arrested |
 [May
7, 2003 Los Angeles AP ] Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, who
played Freddie "Boom Boom" Washington on the '70s
sitcom "Welcome, Back Kotter," was arrested
for investigation of misdemeanor domestic battery for
allegedly pushing a woman to the ground during an argument,
police said. 
Full Details |
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Pavan's
TV Stuff of the Day |
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[May 7, 2003] "The Golden Girls:
Their Greatest Moments" will now air Monday June 2,
8:00PM. At 9:30PM will be an episode of "The
Golden Girls," where Blanche is getting ready to
marry Harry but realizes she is a bigamist. At
10:00PM will be a rerun of "Intimate Portrait: Estelle
Getty," followed by the regular "Golden
Girls" airings at 11 and 11:30PM.
As of now, the "Designing Women" reunion is
on tap for July 21, though that can change as well.
A&E has been holding back a few episodes of "TVography,"
we now have airdates for all but one. "TVography:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer" will debut on Wednesday,
May 14, 2003 at 8:00PM with a repeat at midnight.
"TVography: Batman: Holy Batmania!"
will debut on Monday, July 7th, 2003 at 8:00PM with a repeat
at midnight.
"TVography: The Munsters: America's First Family of
Fright" will debut Tuesday, July 8th, 2003
8:00PM with a repeat at midnight.
"TVography: M*A*S*H: Television's Serious
Sitcom" will debut on Thursday, July 10th, 2003
at 8:00PM.
"TVography: All My Children: Welcome to Pine
Valley" still does not have an airdate. Other
TVographies are listed in the Viewer's
Guide, and on the official A&E
Web Site
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Look
What's On DVD this Month! |
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[May 7, 2003] We may have to wait for "The
Dick Van Dyke Show," but you these titles are ready
to go and will be shipped this month!
Cheers:
The Complete First Season All
22 episodes from the debut season--including "Give Me a
Ring Sometime," "Sam at Eleven," "Endless
Slumper," "The Spy Who Came in for a Cold One"
and the two-part "Show Down"--are collected in a
four-disc set. 9 hrs. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby
Digital Surround; featurettes; interviews; game; more.
Ships on May 20th.
Click
Here for More new titles, including, "Frasier",
"The Incredible Hulk," "Dark Angel,"
"Farscape," and more!
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Lois
& Clark Moves from TNT to TBS |
[May 6, 2003] "Lois
& Clark" is moving from TNT to TBS starting
Monday, May 12. It's 8:00AM airing on TNT will be
replaced by "The Pretender." Though,
now on TBS it will air twice weekdays. Here are the
changes only for TBS starting the 12th: 
| 8:00AM |
Lois
& Clark: The New Adventures of Superman |
| 9:00AM |
Lois
& Clark: The New Adventures of Superman |
| NOON |
Saved
By The Bell |
| 12:30PM |
Saved
By The Bell |
| 1:00PM |
Family
Matters |
| 1:30PM |
The
Cosby Show |
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TV
Stuff |
| [May 5, 2003] Pavan
sent me a lot of "TV Stuff" today. First,
you'll notice the "Bewitched Marathon" schedule is
complete. Then, the Nick @ Nite schedule has "Perfect
Strangers" and "Head of the Class"
episode info posted to June.
Beyond schedules, Joyce DeWitt will be on The Steve
Cochran Show, Thursday, May 8 on WGNRadio AM-720
3:20PM ET/2:20PM CT in Chicago. Don't live in
Chicago? Not a problem, listen live at www.wgnradio.com
Joyce DeWitt, talks about the TV movie "Behind the
Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Three's Company,"
which airs on Monday, May 12, on NBC. (BTW, This
internet radio stuff is terrific).
Next: NBC announced over the weekend it has pulled
its revival of the 1984-91 drama "Hunter" for
the remainder of sweeps after only three episodes (and two
movies, one in November and one in April). Fresh
installments of the network's "The Most Outrageous
Game Show Moments" specials will fill its Saturday,
8:00/7:00 central time slot for the remainder of May sweeps.
And although I received this weeks ago, and promptly added
it to the viewer's guide: Shelley Long and John Ratzenberger
of "Cheers" reunite as the Hennessys'
annoying neighbors, Fred and Mary Ellen Doyle on "8
Simple Rules..." The episode airs
tomorrow (Tuesday, May 5) at 8:00PM.
And lastly, "Friends" star Matt LaBlanc
has married his longtime fiancée Melissa McKnight, in a
star-studded cliffside wedding on the Hawaiian island of
Kauai.
Full Details |
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George
Wyle Wrote the theme song to "Gilligan's Island" |
| [May 4, 2003] George
Wyle, who wrote the theme song to "Gilligan's
Island" and directed music for singers including Andy
Williams, died Friday at the age of 87. "The Ballad of
Gilligan's Island," was co-written with the
show's creator and producer Sherwood Schwartz.
Wyle worked as choral director for television shows such as
"The Dinah Shore Show," "The Jerry Lewis
Show" and "The Andy Williams Show."
He also handled music for specials by magician David
Copperfield, Carol Channing, and for the People's Choice
Awards presentations.
In recent years, Wyle wrote music and lyrics and directed
choirs for community groups and schools in Thousand Oaks, just
north of Los Angeles. |
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Look
for More Classic TV Stars to Return |
| [May 4, 2003] Each
year Hollywood cranks out hundreds of TV pilots hoping that a
few will become hits like "Seinfeld," or "Friends."
Oh, hell, they're hoping they just get picked up for the
season. This year is seems there are a lot of familiar
names in the credits of these pilots. Familiar like:
Shirley Jones, Hal Linden, Delta Burke, Melissa Gilbert, and
Rhea Perlman. It could just be that John Ritter's
success on "8 Simple Rules for dating My Teenage
Daughter" has caused the networks to consider adding
more veteran performers to the casts.
Full Details |
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Three's
Company Book Author Feels Betrayed |
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[New!
Updated May 4, 2003 Click
Here for addition material]
[May 3, 2003] In 1998, Chris Mann's book
"Come and Knock on Our Door: A Hers and Hers and His
Guide to Three's Company" was published. In March
of 2002, Entertainment Weekly reported that NBC was
adapting the book for the movie that became "Behind
the Camera: The Unofficial Story of ‘Three’s
Company." So you would think Chris Mann would not
only be happy, but somewhat wealthier, and he's neither.
Mann alleges that Greg Gugliotta, the only executive
producer credited in the movie's main titles, stole his
book and participated in this NBC movie while he was
contractually and legally obligated to sell a movie based on
Mann's book. Whereas I said Mann "feels
betrayed," his words are somewhat stronger, "ripped
off, deceived, betrayed and backstabbed."
Full Details
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'Grace
Under Fire' Takes Heat |
 [May
1, 2003, 10:00 AM PT E! Online] Producer Chuck
Lorre is a few years late and a couple of million short but
the man wants his money.
Lorre, who created the '90s blue-collar sitcom "Grace
Under Fire," has filed a lawsuit against the show's
producers, Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, claiming he's lost
millions because profits were spent on hush money to placate
cast and crew members sexually harassed and verbally abused by
star Brett Butler, reports Reuters.
Full Details |
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Two
More Specials Added to Viewer's Guide |
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Jeremy Miller of “Growing
Pains" went on to culinary school and
hopes to open a
restaurant. |
[May 1, 2003] “Favorite
Stars: Then & Now 2 -- an E! Entertainment Television
Special” May 8 on ABC, Get re-acquainted with
favorite stars from the past in an all-new special that
catches up with child stars, reality show personalities, sexy
sirens, fabulous television daughters, cast ensembles -- and
highlights some of their more interesting current pastimes
and occupations.
Among the special’s featured stars are:
Jeremy Miller of “Growing Pains,” “Bachelor”
Alex Michel, members of the ensemble cast of “Revenge
of the Nerds,” Melissa Anderson from “Little
House on the Prairie” Allyce Beasley, better known as
Ms. Dipesto from “Moonlighting,” Kelly Le
Brock, most famous for her role in “Weird Science”
Brian Bonsall (“Family Ties”), Jonathan Taylor
Thomas (“Home Improvement”), Michael Fishman (“Roseanne”),
Susan Hawk & Kelly Wigglesworth (“Survivor”),
Kathyrn Price (“The Mole”), Puck (“The Real
World”), Elisabeth Filarski (“Survivor Australia”),
Will Wheaton (“Stand by Me”), Corey Feldman (“Stand
by Me”), Jerry O’Connell (“Stand by Me”),
Debbie Dunning (“Home Improvement”), Charlene
Tilton (“Dallas”), Emma Samms (“Dynasty”),
Jill Whelan (“Love Boat”) and many more.
 On
CBS, Angela Lansbury, reprises her role as Jessica
Fletcher from the long-running series "Murder, She
Wrote" in "Celtic Riddle."
Jessica journeys to Ireland for the reading of Eamon
Byrne's (Peter Donat) will and discovers that he has left her
a small cottage on his property, much to the chagrin of his
immediate heirs. Jessica later reveals to his daughter, Breeta
(Sarah-Jane Potts), that many years before Jessica gave a
second chance to Eamon when he was desperately in need of
one. Of course this leads to multiple
murders. "Murder, She Wrote: Celtic Riddle"
will air Friday, May 9th at 9:00PM on CBS. Related
Link: Murder
She Wrote Showcard.
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