The Terrible Catsafterme

SEASON 1 – CBS

Based on the radio series “Gunsmoke” which broadcast from 1952-1961, which was created by Norman Macdonnell and John Meston. The 30-minute episodes of the first six season was retitled “Marshal Dillon” in syndication

TV series developed by Charles Marquis Warren

Theme music: “Old Trails” (aka “Boothill”) written by Rex Koury, arranged by William Lava. TV version conducted by Lud Gluskin. Lyrics were written by Glenn Spencer, and performed by Tex Ritter, but were not used in the show itself. 

• 001. Matt Gets It – 9/10/1955
  • Western actor John Wayne (himself) introduces the program. Matt Dillon (James Arness) is the United States Marshal in Dodge City, Kansas during the latter third of the 19th century, and he is assisted by his friend Chester Goode (Dennis Weaver), who walks with a limp and acts as a deputy even if he isn’t one officially. In Amarillo, a gunfighter named Don Grat (Paul Richards) has just killed another man after a crooked card game, but when he is told by his friend Bird (Malcolm Atterbury) that the man was unarmed, he decides to leave town in shame and head for Dodge City. Amarillo Sheriff Jim Hill (Robert Anderson) comes to Dodge to meet him there and arrest him, and announces himself to Matt. While visiting the Long Branch Saloon and his friend Miss Kitty Russell (Amanda Blake), Matt runs into Grat, who warns Dillon that he likes to be left alone and that he’s good with his gun. Dillon tells him he can do whatever he wants except for break the law… which includes resisting arrest. Hill meets Grat outside and attempt to take him in, but Grat shoots and kill him when Hill approaches. Matt witnesses the murder and confronts Grat, but he is shot in the chest as well. Kitty and Chester take him to Dr. Galen “Doc” Adams (Milburn Stone), who can’t immediately diagnose his condition. Chester vows that he will kill Grat if Matt dies. Fortunately, Matt makes a full recovery and starts to move around town, but makes sure that he is unarmed, so Grat won’t do anything other than taunt him. Once he recovers, he goes to see Grat at the Dodge House where he’s staying and is told by the manager Mr. Jim Uzzell (Howard Culver) which room he’s in. Grat tries to get Matt to come close to him to arrest him, but Matt keeps his distance, surmising that Grat may be the fastest gunslinger he’s ever seen, but seems to always want his victim close because he has no aim. Grat attempts to fire on him and misses, giving Matt the chance to shoot and kill Grat. 6/24/21

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SEASON 1 – NBC

Created by Michael Jacobs and Danielle Alexandra

Theme song: “You Can Count on Me” written by Greg Evigan, Lenny Macaluso, and Michael Jacobs, and performed by Greg Evigan

• 001. Pilot (aka My Two Dads) – 9/20/1987
  • New York City financial advisor Michael Taylor (Paul Reiser) is called to appear before Judge Margaret W. Wilbur (Florence Stanley) for the reading of the will of a former love interested named Marcy Bradford. He comes accompanied by his attorney and potential love interest Kathryn (Amanda Horan Kennedy). Also attending the reading is artist Joey Harris (Greg Evigan), who also had a fling with Marcy, which caused the falling out between him and Michael when they competed for her on a trip to Key West thirteen years earlier. They are both awarded custody of her Marcy’s daughter Nicole (Staci Keanan), with the hopes that they can live together as a family. Michael is unsure, and realizes that this would be life-changing, while Joey is more impulsive and takes her home with him. However, Joey’s lifestyle is messy, and he quickly has to cancel out on taking her ice skating to attend a meeting about getting his artwork in a gallery. Nicole takes the subway to see Michael, who returns with her, irate that Michael is unfit to take care of her. This causes a huge fight between the dads, and Nicole declares that she doesn’t want to live with either one of them since they don’t seem to really want to make room in their lives for her. After she goes to bed, Michael and Joey discuss it over champagne and decide to try and cooperate to raise her. Judge Wilbur comes to check up on them, but the guys find that Nicole has left. They are about to admit this to the judge, when Nicole comes home with breakfast. The guys acknowledge that they are very different, but they agree that having a daughter is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Max Perlich is the pizza delivery boy. NOTE: Theme song in the pilot: You’re a Friend of Mine by Jackson Browne and Clarence Clemons. 6/26/21

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SEASON 1 – Syndicated

Created by Walter R. Brooks, derived on a series of his own short stories beginning with “The Talking Horse,” first published in “Liberty” magazine September 18, 1937

Theme music “Mister Ed” by Ray Evans and Jay Livingston, instrumental version for the first seven episodes, thereafter sang by Jay Livingston

• 001. The First Meeting – 1/5/1961
  • Architect Wilbur Post (Alan Young) and his newlywed bride Carol (Connie Hines) move into their new home in the San Fernando Valley of California, and after being taken to the home by their real estate agent Mr. Reeves (Howard Wendell), Wilbur discovers that their barn contains a horse. They had purchased the home from their neighbor Roger Addison (Larry Keating), and he explains that the house’s former tenants, the Olkens, had need to leave in a hurry and left the horse for them to either keep or sell. Carol wants to sell him, while Wilbur would rather keep him, even more so when it appears that the horse seems to understand everything he says. Carol wastes no time in bringing in horse dealer Mr. Parker (Jason Johnson), who pays $50 for him. The horse then feigns illness in order to get Parker to return the money and refuse to buy. The horse then reveals to Wilbur that he can talk, and tells him that his name is Ed (Bamboo Harvester, voiced by Allan “Rocky” Lane). Wilbur tries to convince both Carol and Addison that the horse can talk, but Ed refuses to speak around anyone but Wilbur. Soon word spreads around town that Wilbur thinks his horse can talk, and Addison uninvites him from a neighborhood party he is planning. Wilbur laments his predicament to Ed, so hatches a plan for Wilbur to convince Addison through Mr. Reeves that he was trying to make Addison believe he was crazy so that he could back out on the deal. Addison falls for it, and not only decides that Wilbur isn’t crazy and re-invites them to the party, but also knocks $2000 off the selling price of the house. 6/25/21

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SEASON 1 – ABC

Created by Neal Marlens

Theme song: “As Long As We Got Each Other” written by John Bettis and Steve Dorff, performed by B.J. Thomas

• 000. Pilot – 1985 UNAIRED
  • Psychiatrist Dr. Jason and Maggie Seaver head a family of three in the Huntington suburbs of Long Island, New York. Maggie has just decided to return to work as a reporter after fifteen years of raising her children 15-year-old troublemaker Mike, bookish Carol (Elizabeth Ward), and the youngest Ben, who follows Mike as his role model. Jason is now running his practice out of his home and is doing most of the caregiving for the kids. Ben is starting to miss having his mother around, while Mike thinks he can use his father to start bending the rules. In this case, he wants to go to a dance club called House of Sweat with his friend Jerry DeLish, and although he knows that Maggie would never approve, Jason decides to give him some leeway, but also asks that Mike start behaving responsibly. Maggie doesn’t agree with the choice, but Jason thinks Mike is old enough to get the chance to prove himself. He quickly regrets it when he gets a call from the police, who tells him that Mike was arrested for driving the car. The family goes to the jail to meet him and find out that Jerry is drunk on the floor of the cell, and that Mike was doing donuts in the parking lot of the House of Sweat and side-swiped a police car. Jason is livid and ground him for two months. Even after getting back home, he can’t seem to get past his anger. Maggie tries to talk him down and tell him that Mike has made just as bad of mistakes in the past and will probably make more. Jason finally decides to talk to Mike, and he tells him how he wanted to have a more trusting, loving relationship with him, which he and his father never had. He also admits that he did some silly things as a youth, including mooning everyone as he and his friends drove through town, including the mayor’s wife. After they’ve finished talking, Jason calls Mike back into the room and attempts to moon him… but it is Maggie who comes in and gets the full effect. NOTE: The DVD release features only the scenes that include Elizabeth Ward, all of which were re-filmed with Tracey Gold.  6/24/21

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SEASON 1 – ABC

Theme song: “Iron John’s Rock” by Dan Foliart

• 001. Pilot – 9/17/1991
  • Tim Taylor (Tim Allen) is the manly host of his own Detroit-based home improvement show Tool Time with co-host Al Borland (Richard Karn), sponsored by the Binford Tool Company, with which Tim used to be a tool salesman. Tim’s is married to Jill (Patricia Richardson), and they have three sons: Brad (Zachery Ty Bryan), Randy (Jonathan Taylor Thomas), and Mark (Taran Noah Smith). Tim frequently converses with his next door neighbor Wilson Wilson (Earl Hindman), who is generally hidden from the eyes down by the fence between their properties. Tim has the philosophy that everything is better with ‘more power’… and demonstrates this on the show by using a giant drill to create a hole in a door. Tim has to bypass a trip to a tool sale at Sears so that Jill can go to a job interview. While Tim stays at home with the kids, he occupies himself by re-wiring and souping up the dishwasher. As he works on it with Mark, he ends up getting a giant electrical shock and burn. Tim gets the call from Jill’s prospective employer before she even gets home, leaving the message that she didn’t get the job. However he doesn’t have the heart to tell her when she gets home excited about her interview. When he demonstrates the dishwasher, it blows a hole through the back of the counter. Mark then spills the beans to his mother about not getting the job, which infuriates Jill who feels unfulfilled by not working even though Tim makes enough for them both. Wilson advises Tim that sometimes women just need to be listened to. Tim gives an apology on the show, via giving advice how to be ‘symmetrical’ with one’s wife. Pamela Anderson aka Pamela Denise Anderson is ‘tool girl’ Lisa. John Cothran Jr. appears as the handyman Phil. 6/21/16

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