Off Topic: Speedracer5's Nick at Nite Thread

[Casablanca100views]

That's hilarious, Holden... I've noticed that "uh oh" for years. There's another laugh track reaction I've caught as well, on multiple sitcoms, which is a small chuckle and a sound like, "Awww". Maybe it was also included in Lucy.

 

In the later Burns and Allen shows, there's a repeated reaction of a quiet, "All right!" that can get kind of annoying...

 

I've also noticed a prop carried over in multiple shows, and even in an old movie, a painting of a boat sailing in the sunset... Once, in a 1930s movie, I saw a not very well known painting that I've owned for years...

 

Anyway, sorry to get off track, but it was interesting to read that others picked up on the laugh track business.

 

I got all distracted about Lucy's hat..  

 

I was going to say, on the Burns and Allen Show, I could hear Don DeFore (stretching it, playing Don DeFore) laughing in the when he's not in the scene, off camera.  It would seem to cause a pause reaction from George like he was milking it to get Don to keep laughing, but I figure that was George Burns for you.   

 

Jack Benny used to bait laughs from his sidekick, Don Wilson--off camera- all the time too.  I get a kick out of the rough shod production values of those days myself.  

 

I have been in the studio audience a couple times in visits to LA,  My favorite show tapings were Frasier, which ran about 90 min per episode.  

[speedracer5]

I LOVE that line in "Lucy Does a TV Commercial", in all its variations:

 

"But you know, it's HOT in here!"

 

My favorite Lucy of all time.

 

Lol! 

 

My favorite part of that episode is when an already inebriated Lucy is trying to go through her spiel again and she says:

 

"Do you pop out at parties? Are you unpoopular?" 

 

Then with a bit of a smirk, she goes: "Well ARE you?" 

[speedracer5]

I got all distracted about Lucy's hat..  

 

I was going to say, on the Burns and Allen Show, I could hear Don DeFore (stretching it, playing Don DeFore) laughing in the when he's not in the scene, off camera.  It would seem to cause a pause reaction from George like he was milking it to get Don to keep laughing, but I figure that was George Burns for you.   

 

Jack Benny used to bait laughs from his sidekick, Don Wilson--off camera- all the time too.  I get a kick out of the rough shod production values of those days myself.  

 

I have been in the studio audience a couple times in visits to LA,  My favorite show tapings were Frasier, which ran about 90 min per episode.  

 

Ooh I would have loved to have seen Frasier.  The only show taping I've been to was an episode of Conan.  It was about 2 hours.

[Casablanca100views]

I LOVE that line in "Lucy Does a TV Commercial", in all its variations:

 

"But you know, it's HOT in here!"

 

My favorite Lucy of all time.

 

Please forgive me.  I write, so I am always rewriting.. oops.

[speedracer5]

I used to get hung up on looking for hats, that was my odd detail.  Lucy's funky helmet-style pillbox with white chunky lace was one she wore quite a bit:  Her Vita-meata-vegamin episode is ranks up there, it's one of my poopular favorites of them all.  

"Is it gettin' hot in here?"

 

 

Another favorite, her loving-cup model:

 

 

Covering it all with a chiffon scarf, then getting on the subway, priceless.

Lol.  My favorite part of the loving cup episode is when she tries to nonchalantly read the newspaper on the subway, as if she always wears a loving cup on her head.

 

I love Lucy's giant cowboy hat from the "Oil Wells" episode:

 

[Casablanca100views]

Ooh I would have loved to have seen Frasier.  The only show taping I've been to was an episode of Conan.  It was about 2 hours.

 

The Frasier team were pros. no doubt about it.  Their warm-up comic was very much of a Frasier-style of humor the two times I saw it, I guess to set up a better reception and lots of guffaws during the taping.  Once the shooting started, the actors were like ON and they hit every mark and the cameras flew about to stay on them.  It's funny, I didn't appreciate how long their scenes were,  Frasier's penthouse condo was larger than I expected.

[EugeniaH]

I know in a couple episodes, you can hear Desi Arnaz laughing as well.

When we were growing up watching this show (in reruns), my brother used to love pointing this out. Desi's laugh is hard to miss.

 

My mom used to always say to us, as a joke, "Take it tizzy," making fun of Ricky's, "Take it easy."

[EugeniaH]

The Frasier team were pros. no doubt about it.  Their warm-up comic was very much of a Frasier-style of humor the two times I saw it, I guess to set up a better reception and lots of guffaws during the taping.  Once the shooting started, the actors were like ON and they hit every mark and the cameras flew about to stay on them.  It's funny, I didn't appreciate how long their scenes were,  Frasier's penthouse condo was larger than I expected.

Great story! I liked Frasier a lot and always thought it was one of the more intelligent modern shows.

[speedracer5]

The Frasier team were pros. no doubt about it.  Their warm-up comic was very much of a Frasier-style of humor the two times I saw it, I guess to set up a better reception and lots of guffaws during the taping.  Once the shooting started, the actors were like ON and they hit every mark and the cameras flew about to stay on them.  It's funny, I didn't appreciate how long their scenes were,  Frasier's penthouse condo was larger than I expected.

That's interesting that his set looked bigger than you expected.  Usually the opposite is true.  I thought Conan's set looked smaller than I would have thought.  I also saw the Wheel of Fortune soundstage.  It's tiny. 

 

I love Frasier, it's just as funny, if not funnier than its parent program, Cheers.  My favorite part of each show is the interplay between Frasier and Niles.  They even appear on an episode of The Simpsons, they're not playing the same characters, but they pretty much are.  Kelsey Grammar provides the voice of Sideshow Bob on the series.  David Hyde Pierce appears in one episode as Sideshow Bob's brother, Cecil, who wanted to be Krusty the Klown's assistant, Sideshow Cecil, but he sucked at it.  Cecil's brother Bob ends up being spotted in the audience and he reluctantly is ushered into the position as Sideshow Bob.  Cecil is trying to get revenge against Bob for stealing his job--he's tired of being in Bob's shadow all the time.  This episode is funny because there are all kinds of in-jokes related to Frasier, and the relationship of Cecil and Bob is the same as the relationship between Frasier and Niles. 

[speedracer5]

When we were growing up watching this show (in reruns), my brother used to love pointing this out. Desi's laugh is hard to miss.

 

My mom used to always say to us, as a joke, "Take it tizzy," making fun of Ricky's, "Take it easy."

 

Lol.  

 

I like to use Ricky's "Don't spin the beans out of the cat bag." 

[speedracer5]

Great story! I liked Frasier a lot and always thought it was one of the more intelligent modern shows.

I wasn't as big a fan of Frasier when they made Daphne and Niles a couple.  It was funnier when Daphne kept unknowingly getting Niles all hot and bothered.  

 

One of the episodes of the later seasons that I do like is the one with Patrick Stewart.  He is gay and Frasier doesn't know.  Stewart is a high mucky muck in the art world and he keeps inviting Frasier to accompany him to all these big benefits and other events. Frasier is oblivious that he's Stewart's date and he's just eating up his high society life.  When Niles finally tells Frasier what's going on and it clicks for Frasier, he doesn't seem to care saying: "I always wanted to be part of a power couple!" 

[HoldenIsHere]

I wasn't as big a fan of Frasier when they made Daphne and Niles a couple.  It was funnier when Daphne kept unknowingly getting Niles all hot and bothered.  

 

 

In the early episodes of FRASIER, Daphne made frequent references to being "a bit psychic," but I think that element of her character was eventually dropped for the most part.

[Casablanca100views]

In the early episodes of FRASIER, Daphne made frequent references to being "a bit psychic," but I think that element of her character was eventually dropped for the most part.

 

That psychic thing played out as to how badly she could read minds and forecast the future.  I think the writers wisely thought that trait would grow tiresome and not be that positive a trait.  Though, in season 6, Daphne scores a home run on seeing something psychically and then she has trouble seeing what it means, but it is about Niles.

 

When the family came from England, that was writing gold in characterizations, not Daphne's quirks, but her family's quirks.

 

One of my favorite episodes is from season 4:  Mixed Doubles, where Daphne obliviously dates a doppelganger of Niles.   

[Casablanca100views]

why I love Frasier.   

 

 

[HoldenIsHere]

That psychic thing played out as to how badly she could read minds and forecast the future.  I think the writers wisely thought that trait would grow tiresome and not be that positive a trait.  Though, in season 6, Daphne scores a home run on seeing something psychically and then she has trouble seeing what it means, but it is about Niles.

 

When the family came from England, that was writing gold in characterizations, not Daphne's quirks, but her family's quirks.

 

 

It was weird that Daphne had a "North Country" English accent (she stated frequently that she was from Manchester) but for some reason her brother Simon spoke with a Cockney (London)  accent!

[Casablanca100views]

The producers were hoping you wouldn't notice.  Still, it had become popular in the UK as well.

[speedracer5]

Yes.  Niles' doppleganger was hilarious.  

 

I also liked their party episodes where Frasier and Niles always have a theme, but of course, they expect everyone to have the same pretentious take on the theme that they do.  It is usually Roz and Martin that show up in something that fits the theme but isn't as intellectual as Frasier and Niles were hoping.  In one party, everyone was supposed to dress up as their favorite hero and Roz shows up dressed as Wonder Woman.

[speedracer5]

I'm watching Mister Ed right now.  This show is hilarious.  A show centered around a man owning a talking horse could very easily have veered into the stupid, ridiculous (not in a fun way), category.  However, I think Alan Young's portrayal of Wilbur is what makes the show believable (well as far as a talking horse goes) and what makes it work. 

 

And as some were discussing on the thread focused on Young, Wilbur does in fact ride Mr. Ed.  I just watched an episode where he was riding Mr. Ed in the park.

[HoldenIsHere]

I'm watching Mister Ed right now.  This show is hilarious.  A show centered around a man owning a talking horse could very easily have veered into the stupid, ridiculous (not in a fun way), category.  However, I think Alan Young's portrayal of Wilbur is what makes the show believable (well as far as a talking horse goes) and what makes it work. 

 

And as some were discussing on the thread focused on Young, Wilbur does in fact ride Mr. Ed.  I just watched an episode where he was riding Mr. Ed in the park.

 

I recently watched the "Solid Gold Mother-In-Law" episode of BEWITCHED from Season 4.

Endora turned Darrin into a horse after he accused her of riding him.

 

 

Darrin has already been transformed when the episode begins.

[speedracer5]

I recently watched the "Solid Gold Mother-In-Law" episode of BEWITCHED from Season 4.

Endora turned Darrin into a horse after he accused her of riding him.

 

 

Darrin has already been transformed when the episode begins.

 

Lol! I didn't see that episode.

 

I have heard the "uh oh lady" in two different episodes of Mister Ed.  Obviously, this show must have borrowed I Love Lucy's laugh track.

[Casablanca100views]

I'm watching Mister Ed right now.  This show is hilarious.  A show centered around a man owning a talking horse could very easily have veered into the stupid, ridiculous (not in a fun way), category.  However, I think Alan Young's portrayal of Wilbur is what makes the show believable (well as far as a talking horse goes) and what makes it work. 

 

And as some were discussing on the thread focused on Young, Wilbur does in fact ride Mr. Ed.  I just watched an episode where he was riding Mr. Ed in the park.

 

 

This will date me, but here goes.

 

I remember Mr. Ed very well.  I watched it as a kid, and Wilbur and Carol drove Studebaker's.  Our family owned one.  

 

 

[TikiSoo]

After a hard day at work, I was rewarded with Mary Tyler Moore Show season 2 episode featuring my fave JACK CASSIDY!!

 

He played Ted Baxter's brother to perfection! I'm sure I had seen it when it was first run, but there's too much stuff in my frontal lobe memory for this kind of factual chaff.

 

Cassidy was so excellent and the story line of Mary as Ted's girlfriend had me laughing out loud. Poor Mary is trying to be helpful to an idiot co-worker in a bind....all at her own expense. I felt her pain, but oh so funny when it happens to someone else!

I've noticed season 2 episodes thus far have mostly been written by women. Very funny storylines....

 

And I'd like to throw in my love for Lisa Garritson as Bess, Phyliss' daughter.

She was everywhere on TV when I was a kid, and I was fully aware this young lady is the same age as me, & I was blown away by her talent even then. (somewhat reminds me of great Quinn *****ings) Her grandparents were silent actors True & Virginia Boardman, but I don't know who they are. But thankfully, they encouraged Lisa to go into acting.

She was outstanding!

[speedracer5]

Ooh Tiki! That's a good episode.  Jack Cassidy was perfectly cast as Ted Knight's brother.  They even looked like they could be brothers in real life.  Apparently, Cassidy was the first one offered the role of Ted Baxter, but he didn't want to be on a show with a female lead (BIG MISTAKE, imo. But definitely a coup for Ted Knight).  I loved the part when Ted, convinced that his brother was spending the night with Rhoda, forced Mary to let him stay at her apartment all night so that his brother would think he had something hot and heavy going with his "girlfriend" Mary.  

 

I also agree about Bess.  She was excellent.  I'm not usually a fan of children in adult-centric shows (e.g. My whipping boy, Ritchie from "The Dick Van Dyke Show," terrible child actor WHO WOULD ALWAYS SHOUT HIS LINES!, come on Dick and Mary, get that boy under control), but I liked Bess because she was natural.  She wasn't hammy like some kids and she was a nice antithesis to the Phyllis character.  My favorite Bess moment is the one where Mary is dating the handsome ski instructor.  Phyllis gets Mary to realize that the only reason she's dating the ski instructor is for his looks.  Mary doesn't want to believe her, because she doesn't want to admit she's dating him for a shallow reason.  Anyway, Bess tells Mary to keep dating him, saying something to the effect of: "Men have been using women for hundreds of years, it's high time that we use 'em back!" 

 

I also like the episode where Mary is tasked with babysitting Bess for the weekend and has a chance to date someone she's been interested in for awhile.  She hires a babysitter and ends up with this girl who is younger than Bess! She decides to take that girl home and ends up hiring Mr. Grant to watch Bess.  The scenes of the gruff Mr. Grant making cookies with Bess and later playing poker (using said cookies as the chips) is very sweet and funny.

[HoldenIsHere]

After a hard day at work, I was rewarded with Mary Tyler Moore Show season 2 episode featuring my fave JACK CASSIDY!!

 

He played Ted Baxter's brother to perfection! I'm sure I had seen it when it was first run, but there's too much stuff in my frontal lobe memory for this kind of factual chaff.

 

Cassidy was so excellent and the story line of Mary as Ted's girlfriend had me laughing out loud. Poor Mary is trying to be helpful to an idiot co-worker in a bind....all at her own expense. I felt her pain, but oh so funny when it happens to someone else!

 

 

The episode with Jack Cassidy as Ted Baxter's brother is a funny one.

Isn't that the episode where Ted refers to Rhoda as "that Israeli woman"?

 

Ted Baxter's childhood history would later be retconned on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW.

While originally Ted and his brother were raised by two parents who encouraged competition among the brothers, in later seasons Ted would become an only child raised by his mother as Ted's father had deserted the family when Ted was very young. There was even an episode where Ted finally met his estranged father.

[speedracer5]

The episode with Jack Cassidy as Ted Baxter's brother is a funny one.

Isn't that the episode where Ted refers to Rhoda as "that Israeli woman"?

 

Ted Baxter's childhood history would later be retconned on THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW.

While originally Ted and his brother were raised by two parents who encouraged competition among the brothers, in later seasons Ted would become an only child raised by his mother as Ted's father had deserted the family when Ted was very young. There was even an episode where Ted finally met his estranged father.

 

Yes.  I think that is that episode! Doesn't Ted constantly call Rhoda "Rhonda" too? It might not be specifically this episode, but I seem to remember him calling her by the wrong name constantly. 

 

Yes, Ted's backstory did change.  I didn't think about that, but you're right.  Ted always seemed like a mama's boy.  He sent her money every month and she always wanted him to take her to the Teddy Award banquets.  He mentioned his mom often.  I don't think we ever see his mom, do we?