by David Krell | Jun 13, 2015 | David Krell
Brandon Tartikoff saw the best of times and the worst of times during his reign as the programming chief for NBC in the 1980s. The best of times: Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, Miami Vice, Cheers, St. Elsewhere, Family Ties, The Cosby Show, Hunter, Late Night with...
by David Krell | May 17, 2015 | David Krell
In the 1980s, NBC’s peacock rose like a phoenix after startling programming disasters, including Pink Lady and Jeff, Supertrain, and the departure of the original Not Ready for Prime Time cast of Saturday Night Live. Under programming guru Brandon Tartikoff and...
by David Krell | Apr 16, 2015 | David Krell
Some television spinoffs do very well. Frasier. Laverne & Shirley. The Jeffersons. Others, not so much. Joey. Models Inc. Richie Brockelman, Private Eye. A spinoff of NBC’s The Rockford Files starring James Garner, Richie Brockelman, Private Eye starred...
by David Krell | Mar 27, 2015 | David Krell
Major League thrilled movie audiences in 1989 with its classic underdog theme. Focusing on a fictional version of the Cleveland Indians, Major League starred Charlie Sheen as rookie pitching sensation Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn, Tom Berenger as veteran...
by David Krell | Oct 2, 2013 | David Krell
Media historians will likely document the 1980s as the Decade of the Peacock. As television approached its 40th anniversary since Milton Berle launched the medium into mass status in 1948 with Texaco Star Theatre, NBC’s avian emblem emerged like a phoenix,...