chedderchester Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Are they going to do a special screening of the "pilot" in Jamestown in September? Some of us were not born yet when LWL premiered. I believe that if I was 17 or even 27 in 1986 (my mom and my dad were 27 and my mom was 7 months pregnant with my older sis) I'd stay with it until the end. I'm turning 27 in June. Who's bright idea was it to put it on Saturday nights, on ABC? The Golden Girls, and The Love Boat were hugely popular Saturday night prime time sitcoms at the time, on NBC and ABC. Boat was in it's final season though.Why didn't CBS want her anymore? The only sitcom I've heard of that aired on CBS on Monday nights in the fall of 1986 was Newhart. Never heard of My Sister Sam or Kate & Allie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted January 13, 2016 Report Share Posted January 13, 2016 Aaron Spellings development deal was with ABC so that determined what network it was going to be on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chedderchester Posted January 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 What about the time slot? Lucy ruled Monday nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 ABC wanted a show that they thought could compete in the Saturday night slot, and if anyone could do that, it would be Lucy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 I think ABC should have put her on a Monday or even Tuesday night. Saturday was a mistake. I did get to see a taping of the show. It was a thrill to see Lucy perform live. I ended up getting tickets to the Mother of the Bride taping. Gary Morton did the warm up in the audience before the show. I will never forget it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Gary Morton did the warm up in the audience before the show. I will never forget it.I don't think I would forget something like that either... XD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 I don't think I would forget something like that either... XD Thankfully that's one of the many memories of the premiere filming I've long forgotten! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Thankfully that's one of the many memories of the premiere filming I've long forgotten! Well if it was anything like his warmup in the behind the scenes on Here Lucy that I've seen, no wonder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chedderchester Posted January 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Did Lucy seem like she was in a bad mood during the taping or just her usual self? I heard that she was so excited when they taped the John Ritter episode, she had "Ritter-itus" the entire week of rehearsals. haha. I heard that she kept blowing a whistle like a referee and she wasn't in a good mood. Yeah Monday or Tuesday would've been better. Wonder how it would've competed against ALF which also first premiered 2 nights after LWL, only on NBC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 No she didn't seem like she was in a bad mood. Gary introduced everyone in the cast before filming except Lucy, so when Lucy did appear in her first scene, she got tremendous applause from the audience. She did yell out from back stage and one point saying "Gary, I Love You" Some retakes were done after the filming (audio issues) with the boy and with Gale Gordon and Lucy was not around for that. She was of course introduced at the end. I do remember Gary saying that they had one more show to film and then they would be taking a short vacation. I saw the show on Oct 16 or 17th. I would have to check my ticket (which I saved). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvsbway Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 It’s often sited that one of the biggest problems with the audience and their reaction was NOT having Lucy introduced to the audience first. In all her other series she was introduced last and would come running out from one end of the bleachers to another waving. She then would say a few things to the audience and everyone got acquainted with each other. They got to see and hear her up close so the shock of seeing her in the first scene had passed. As stated this did not happen on any episode of LWL. The reaction on the first episode was so HUGE because the audience was waiting so long to see her. In denying them that upfront with her all their reactions got spent on her first entrance in the scene and from a home viewers standpoint it totally threw off the comedy and pacing. Plus the continued overreaction of any “Lucyism” that they were just so happy to see and went nuts. This did not translate when you were watching it at home. I have a feeling that this was all Gary’s idea in trying to build her up to the audience. Yes we know she is special but it worked fine for 25 years, why fix it? I get the sense from all I have read and heard from those who worked closely on the series that he put too much stock in her. That she could make anything good. Yes we know she is great but Lucy was the first to admit how important everyone else was from the writers to her fellow actors. Too much was given to her to do and not spread around enough. Lucy herself even voiced this at one point that she could not carry the show, she needed the ensemble to take some of it. I love hearing tales of this series because it ranges so much from the good to the bad and I love that we had some members here who were around to witness it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I always enjoy her LWL entrances because of the suspense and subsequent waves of love from the audience, but you're totally right. The applause and audience overreactions on that show made Married With Children look subtle. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I always enjoy her LWL entrances because of the suspense and subsequent waves of love from the audience, but you're totally right. The applause and audience overreactions on that show made Married With Children look subtle. Perhaps...but when you're there "in the moment" the energy and excitement is palpable and real....I think I kept pinching myself thinking I can't believe I got in to witness this, something I never thought (up to that point) I'd ever have the opportunity to since she'd sworn up and down since the end of Here's Lucy that she'd never do another (her own) sitcom again. Of course in retrospect ...perhaps she should have left well enough alone since watching a filming of an episode and watching the same on broadcast was a very different...experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 No she didn't seem like she was in a bad mood. Gary introduced everyone in the cast before filming except Lucy, so when Lucy did appear in her first scene, she got tremendous applause from the audience. She did yell out from back stage and one point saying "Gary, I Love You" Some retakes were done after the filming (audio issues) with the boy and with Gale Gordon and Lucy was not around for that. She was of course introduced at the end. I do remember Gary saying that they had one more show to film and then they would be taking a short vacation. I saw the show on Oct 16 or 17th. I would have to check my ticket (which I saved). I find it ...interesting that Gary made that comment at all knowing full well that the show had been axed. Why mention it at all? It's just one more thing to learn about him (I was never a fan!) that makes me think he was much more disingenuous than we realized. Schmuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 It’s often sited that one of the biggest problems with the audience and their reaction was NOT having Lucy introduced to the audience first. In all her other series she was introduced last and would come running out from one end of the bleachers to another waving. She then would say a few things to the audience and everyone got acquainted with each other. They got to see and hear her up close so the shock of seeing her in the first scene had passed. As stated this did not happen on any episode of LWL. The reaction on the first episode was so HUGE because the audience was waiting so long to see her. In denying them that upfront with her all their reactions got spent on her first entrance in the scene and from a home viewers standpoint it totally threw off the comedy and pacing. Plus the continued overreaction of any “Lucyism” that they were just so happy to see and went nuts. This did not translate when you were watching it at home. I have a feeling that this was all Gary’s idea in trying to build her up to the audience. Yes we know she is special but it worked fine for 25 years, why fix it? I get the sense from all I have read and heard from those who worked closely on the series that he put too much stock in her. That she could make anything good. Yes we know she is great but Lucy was the first to admit how important everyone else was from the writers to her fellow actors. Too much was given to her to do and not spread around enough. Lucy herself even voiced this at one point that she could not carry the show, she needed the ensemble to take some of it. I love hearing tales of this series because it ranges so much from the good to the bad and I love that we had some members here who were around to witness it. Yes I agree I think it was Gary's idea and the applause does not translate that well at home. I was looking forward to her entrance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Perhaps...but when you're there "in the moment" the energy and excitement is palpable and real....I think I kept pinching myself thinking I can't believe I got in to witness this, something I never thought (up to that point) I'd ever have the opportunity to since she'd sworn up and down since the end of Here's Lucy that she'd never do another (her own) sitcom again. Of course in retrospect ...perhaps she should have left well enough alone since watching a filming of an episode and watching the same on broadcast was a very different...experience. This was a dream come true seeing Lucy live. As soon as she announced she was coming back to TV, I kept trying to find out how to get tickets and I did and went to LA and saw the show with a friend who was living there at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 I find it ...interesting that Gary made that comment at all knowing full well that the show had been axed. Why mention it at all? It's just one more thing to learn about him (I was never a fan!) that makes me think he was much more disingenuous than we realized. Schmuck. Did they know at that time that the show was axed? We didn't know and I think it was the following week that we may have found out. Does anyone know the date it was axed. Maybe Gary just didn't want to say anything then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 It’s often sited that one of the biggest problems with the audience and their reaction was NOT having Lucy introduced to the audience first. In all her other series she was introduced last and would come running out from one end of the bleachers to another waving. She then would say a few things to the audience and everyone got acquainted with each other. They got to see and hear her up close so the shock of seeing her in the first scene had passed. As stated this did not happen on any episode of LWL. The reaction on the first episode was so HUGE because the audience was waiting so long to see her. In denying them that upfront with her all their reactions got spent on her first entrance in the scene and from a home viewers standpoint it totally threw off the comedy and pacing. Plus the continued overreaction of any “Lucyism” that they were just so happy to see and went nuts. This did not translate when you were watching it at home. I have a feeling that this was all Gary’s idea in trying to build her up to the audience. Yes we know she is special but it worked fine for 25 years, why fix it? I get the sense from all I have read and heard from those who worked closely on the series that he put too much stock in her. That she could make anything good. Yes we know she is great but Lucy was the first to admit how important everyone else was from the writers to her fellow actors. Too much was given to her to do and not spread around enough. Lucy herself even voiced this at one point that she could not carry the show, she needed the ensemble to take some of it. I love hearing tales of this series because it ranges so much from the good to the bad and I love that we had some members here who were around to witness it. "...the shock of seeing her in the first scene"?? Sorry I don't agree with that theory, not at all having been there and it was a THRILL to see her introduced that way and if you watch closely, at least in the premiere episode, her entrance response is heavily edited down to what it was "live", especially if you compare it to Gale's, which if I recall was nearly as long and sustained as hers; his however (I'd have to rewatch and pay closer attention) didn't seem to be, as it played, he had time given the scene to slowly walk from the front door over to the couch before, unlike her, he had his first (not counting the adlibbed greetings) line. As a matter of fact, given the response to his entrance I don't think (wish I could remember exactly!) he was introduced to us prior either, hence the sustained applause/reaction to his first scene. I rather miss the "old school" (Lucy's) way of having The Big Guest Star of the Week have an entrance on camera and resultant applause, I don't think it adversely affects the show and it certainly gives the performer a "boost" since the whole point of having an audience is to having them there for the actors to bounce off of ...and the true "pros" know how to work that reaction: watch any classic sitcom episode from Lucy to MTM to Newhart to Big Bang Theory and whenever the actor has to wait for the laugh to subside to proceed, it's definitely worth it...and IMHO fun to watch! You rarely see these days the TBGSotW get to have an entrance "moment" although I've witnessed one recently that was a pleasant surprise -- although I'm pretty sure she was introduced with the cast prior to her entrance - and that was a recent appearance by Reba on her friend (and former Reba co-star) Melissa Peterson's Baby Daddy sitcom on ABCFamily>Freeform, even if only for seeing two of their favorite "adversaries" appearing together again, it was cool to see. While writing this I flashed on one of the last TLS episodes where everyone -- including Lucy, and with each entrance! -- was greeted with big applause on their entrance in the Milton Berle episode with his wife and The Movie Star Miss Ruta Lee -- which was not the norm at the time but I enjoyed it and to this day, it remains one of my favorite episodes, especially for the later Hollywood seasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Did they know at that time that the show was axed? We didn't know and I think it was the following week that we may have found out. Does anyone know the date it was axed. Maybe Gary just didn't want to say anything then. My recollection is that yes he got a call from was it a Spelling underling (?) (Spelling reportedly didn't want to be the one to deliver the bad news) who told Gary of ABC's edict before filming started that Friday night but of course, "the show must go on" so rightly so, he kept the news till afterward knowing full well Lucy would be devastated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie2 Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Frasier was a show that never did entrance applause. I think it worked there because it really fit in with the show's nature. However, allowing for lots of cheers from the audience in something like Hot In Cleveland's MTM reunion made the episode way more enjoyable. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Frasier was a show that never did entrance applause. I think it worked there because it really fit in with the show's nature. However, allowing for lots of cheers from the audience in something like Hot In Cleveland's MTM reunion made the episode way more enjoyable. Frasier like Cheers was directed by the legendary James (Jimmy) Brooks, and I think he had a lot to do with that as I've seen other shows he's directed and the same held true: the cast was all introduced before filming began and they then proceeded, no "surprises" thereafter. (He was also one of the producers so that may have played into it as well.) I witnessed this myself attending filmings of Will & Grace, Good Morning Miami (don't ask) and others he's helmed so I would think that was his call. As for HIC I agree, it made it part of the fun....and look at all the great guest stars that show had! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryCarter Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Life with Lucy was cancelled the day they filmed World's Greatest Grandma not Mother of the Bride. The cancellation came on November 6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Was Mother of the Bride the last show filmed or was there one after that episode? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickie Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Life with Lucy was cancelled the day they filmed World's Greatest Grandma not Mother of the Bride. The cancellation came on November 6. Thank you. I didn't see that post before I posted mine asking about the last episode of Life With Lucy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted January 15, 2016 Report Share Posted January 15, 2016 Was Mother of the Bride the last show filmed or was there one after that episode? Correct. MOB was the last ep to AIR, WGG last one filmed and the script was written (I believe) for the following episode -- which would have been the Christmas episode -- which, as we all know, never materialized due to the abrupt cancellation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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