The Betty White Show (1977 TV series)
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| The Betty White Show | |
|---|---|
 John Hillerman and Betty White, 1977 | |
| Created by | Ed. Weinberger Stan Daniels |
| Developed by | David Lloyd |
| Directed by | James Burrows Harvey Medlinsky Noam Pitlik Doug Rogers |
| Starring | Betty White John Hillerman Georgia Engel |
| Composer | Dick DeBenedictis |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 14 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | Stan Daniels Ed. Weinberger |
| Producers | Bob Ellison Dale McRaven |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes |
| Production company | MTM Enterprises |
| Original release | |
| Network | CBS |
| Release | September 12, 1977 – January 2, 1978 |
The Betty White Show is an American sitcom which aired on CBS from September 12, 1977, to January 9, 1978. Fourteen episodes were broadcast. The series was produced by MTM Enterprises. Note: This program should not be confused with two earlier television programs that had the same title—a daytime talk show that ran on NBC February 8, 1954 – December 31, 1954, and a prime-time comedy variety show that ran on ABC February 5, 1958 – April 30, 1958.[1]
Synopsis
Joyce Whitman (Betty White), a middle-aged actress, lands the lead in a fictitious police series, Undercover Woman (a parody of Angie Dickinson's Police Woman). Joyce is thrilled with the show, but less pleased to learn that the director is her ex-husband, John Elliot (John Hillerman), whom she unfondly refers to as "old pickle puss". He responds in kind, supplying his star with an oversized male double named Hugo (Charles Cyphers), a sexy, much younger onscreen sidekick (Caren Kaye), and dialogue not nearly as sharp as her tongue. Also on hand are Joyce's best friend, Mitzi Maloney (Georgia Engel), co-star actor Fletcher Huff (Barney Phillips) and network penny-pincher Doug Porterfield (Alex Henteloff).
Reception
The series was scheduled opposite ABC's Monday Night Football and The NBC Monday Movie and failed to generate viewers. The show was canceled after fourteen episodes.[2]
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Betty White | Joyce Whitman |
| John Hillerman | John Elliot |
| Georgia Engel | Mitzi Maloney |
| Caren Kaye | Tracy Garrett |
| Charles Cyphers | Hugo Muncy |
| Alex Henteloff | Doug Porterfield |
| Barney Phillips | Fletcher Huff |
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Undercover Police Woman" | Burt Brinckerhoff | Bill Idelson | September 12, 1977 |
| 2 | "Mitzi's Cousin" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | September 19, 1977 |
| 3 | "Make Yourself at Home...Steal Something" | Unknown | Unknown | September 26, 1977 |
| 4 | "Doug Gets Fired" | Noam Pitlik | David Lloyd | October 3, 1977 |
| 5 | "We're Not Divorced: Part 1" | Harvey Medlinsky | David Lloyd | October 10, 1977 |
| 6 | "We're Not Divorced: Part 2" | Unknown | Unknown | October 17, 1977 |
| 7 | "Mitzi's Jealousy" | Unknown | Unknown | October 24, 1977 |
| 8 | "Good Night, Sweet Fletch" | Burt Brinckerhoff | Glen Charles & Les Charles | October 31, 1977 |
| 9 | "John's Mother" | Unknown | Unknown | November 7, 1977 |
| 10 | "Joyce, The Matchmaker" | Unknown | Unknown | November 14, 1977 |
| 11 | "Joyce's Wedding" | Unknown | Unknown | December 12, 1977 |
| 12 | "Play Misty for John" | Unknown | Unknown | December 19, 1977 |
| 13 | "Fletcher's Decision" | Unknown | Unknown | January 2, 1978 |
| 14 | "The Stunt Woman" | Unknown | Unknown | January 9, 1978 |
Syndication
The Betty White Show was briefly rerun on Nick at Nite and TV Land in the 1990s.
References
- ^ McNeil, Alex. (1996). Total Television: The Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-02-4916-8. P. 90.
- ^ Spadoni, Mike (August 2004). "TV Greats and Unsung Heroes: Betty White". televisionheaven.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-08-06.