Sean Snow
12-11-2001, 09:10 PM
This is from the Ask Morty site:
[December 10, 2001] Johnny Stearns, who starred in and wrote for TV's first domestic comedy, "Mary Kay and Johnny," died Wednesday (December 5th) in Newport Beach, Calif., of complications from a fall. He was 85.
I'm sure most of you have never heard of Johnny Stearns or "Mary Kay and Johnny," however these names are the answer to the most asked question on the "Ask Morty" web site: "Who was the first sit-com couple to share the same bed?" The answer: Mary Kay and Johnny, on the show of the same name.
"Mary Kay and Johnny" premiered on the DuMont Network in 1947, four years before "I Love Lucy." The 15-minute show, in which Stearns and his wife, Mary Kay, played versions of themselves, was an instant hit. The show expanded to a half-hour when it moved to NBC in 1948 and ran until 1950. Stearns went on to become a successful producer, working on a precursor to "The Tonight Show" at WNBC-TV in New York and "The Arthur Murray Dance Party" on NBC. Stearns continued to work in TV until last week when he recorded a voice over for the show "Agriculture USA," which he produced since 1961, and also hosted through the 90's.
[December 10, 2001] Johnny Stearns, who starred in and wrote for TV's first domestic comedy, "Mary Kay and Johnny," died Wednesday (December 5th) in Newport Beach, Calif., of complications from a fall. He was 85.
I'm sure most of you have never heard of Johnny Stearns or "Mary Kay and Johnny," however these names are the answer to the most asked question on the "Ask Morty" web site: "Who was the first sit-com couple to share the same bed?" The answer: Mary Kay and Johnny, on the show of the same name.
"Mary Kay and Johnny" premiered on the DuMont Network in 1947, four years before "I Love Lucy." The 15-minute show, in which Stearns and his wife, Mary Kay, played versions of themselves, was an instant hit. The show expanded to a half-hour when it moved to NBC in 1948 and ran until 1950. Stearns went on to become a successful producer, working on a precursor to "The Tonight Show" at WNBC-TV in New York and "The Arthur Murray Dance Party" on NBC. Stearns continued to work in TV until last week when he recorded a voice over for the show "Agriculture USA," which he produced since 1961, and also hosted through the 90's.