George Burns, of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, is credited as the first television performer to use the theatrical convention of "breaking the fourth wall" between the audience and the performer. He frequently stepped out of a scene and out of character to address the audience, then rejoined the story.

On Three's Company, Norman Fell, as Mr. Roper, would sometimes look directly into the camera and give the audience a mischievous look. It was priceless.

Any others?

On "Little House on the Prairie," sometimes Nels Oleson would make a wisecrack about his wife Harriet and he'd kinda look directly in the camera too.

Zack Morris on "Saved by the Bell" would almost always begin each episode of the show by giving a little introduction to the audience.

On the last episode of "Happy Days," Howard Cunningham toasted "to happy days" while looking at the camera.

Obviously Sally Field in "Gidget." I don't remember too much of this in the 1970's, but it was revived in the 1980's, and has stayed with us ever since.

On an episode of The Cosby Show, Cliff turns to the camera and says "Hammer Time!"

And on Cosby, Hilton would turn and talk to the camera regularly.

Dobie Gillis used to sit in the park by the statue of the Thinker and tell the TV audience his troubles.

Malcolm narrates the action while addressing the camera in "Malcolm In The Middle."

Bruce Willis often broke the fourth wall in "Moonlighting."

Garry Shandling went out of his way to include the audience in on the fun on "It's Garry Shandling's Show."

In the Nickelodeon show "Clarissa explains it all" Clarissa would talk to the camera and the audience in almost every episode.

Daffy Duck does that lot.

The brilliant, one-year-wonder anime, "Tokyo Pig" broke the fourth wall in every episode, and did so with style and great humor. Too bad ABC Family dropped it so quickly... :(

Originally posted by Kitt
Daffy Duck does that lot.

Yes, but so do plenty of other cartoon characters, especially those in Warner Bros. Outside of Warner Bros., you've got Woody Woodpecker(Walter Lantz) and Huckleberry Hound, Magilla Gorilla and others in the post-MGM era(Hanna-Barbera). It seems like it's more acceptable to do that in cartoons than in live-action shows.

Originally posted by D-Dey
Yes, but so do plenty of other cartoon characters, especially those in Warner Bros. Outside of Warner Bros., you've got Woody Woodpecker(Walter Lantz) and Huckleberry Hound, Magilla Gorilla and others in the post-MGM era(Hanna-Barbera). It seems like it's more acceptable to do that in cartoons than in live-action shows. Yes well, I know all of that. I was joking. I like Daffy Duck.;)

America, Bernie Mac does that as well.

On Growing Pains, there was an entire episode devoted to "breaking the fourth wall" Jeremy Miller (Ben Seaver) even ran up into the stands were the audience sat.

During the curtain call on the last episode of Family Ties, in 1989, each actor/actress was called out by name, bowed and waved.

They did that on Fresh Prince sometimes. When they had a new actress playing the mom, Jazz said something about Mrs Banks looking different and Will gave a really funny look into the camera. Also they did a show where they when to Philly. Will was talking to Carlton about a bully, and mentioned that the bully was the guy spining him the opening credits.

Tom Selleck would do the same thing on Magnum, including the way he'd share his thoughts with us throughout each episode.

Originally posted by JT
Zack Morris on "Saved by the Bell" would almost always begin each episode of the show by giving a little introduction to the audience.


Most commonly, Zack will always use "time out" to talk directly to the audience during a scene.

Here are a few examples:

I Love Lucy - At the end of their one-and-only Christmas episode. :santa2:

The Dick Van Dyke Show - (Same notation.) :rednose:

The Monkees - Like...always, man! :cool:

I Dream of Jeannie - At the end of the very first episode, Jeannie turns to the camera, blinks, and the picture shrinks to a white dot.

Side note: :soapbox:
Usually, I hate this gimmick because it tends to be irritating and generally adds nothing to the story. I whinced every time Norman Fell grinned at the camera on Three's Company.

Originally posted by little insomniac
Tom Selleck would do the same thing on Magnum, including the way he'd share his thoughts with us throughout each episode.

I think that qualifies as simple narration.

on the only Christmas episode of "The Honeymooners"-the show was only on for one season, because Jackie Gleason called it quits. He didn't feel he was as funny as he was on his variety show- ANYWAY (where was I? Oh yea)-see how I can get carried away talking about TV? the cast did, in the last scene-sort of-after the scene ended, Jackie Gleason looked at the audience, smiled, and said something like "Exusce me for "stepping out of character", but I just want to say something. Nortons, would you come out here, please?" (Art Carney & Joyce Randolph came out. Audrey Meadows was already there). "We just want to wish you all a very, merry Christmas!"

At the end of the last episode of "The Mary Tyler Moore show", instead of the usual ending, (the closing theme, and all) Mary was on the newsroom set, and she introduced all the cast members, one by one-by their real name, not their characters name-and they all came out, while the audience applauded.
If you don't remember that, it's because that scene was, unfortunataly, cut out YEARS ago!!:mad: :mad:

I only have a faint memory of 'Ozzie and Harriet', but did Ozzie step out of character to address the audience?

Originally posted by treky
on the only Christmas episode of "The Honeymooners the cast did, in the last scene-sort of-after the scene ended, Jackie Gleason looked at the audience, smiled, and said something like "Exusce me for "stepping out of character", but I just want to say something. Nortons, would you come out here, please?" (Art Carney & Joyce Randolph came out. Audrey Meadows was already there). "We just want to wish you all a very, merry Christmas!"
I saw that last month for the first time. It was very touching. My husband just loved Jackie Gleason and The Honeymooners. He took his death bad.

Originally posted by D-Dey
I think that qualifies as simple narration.

Yeah, that's why I almost stayed out this thread but I wasn't too sure.

Christopher Titus would address the audience in the sitcom Titus.

Although he never spoke directly to the camera, Andy Ricther's inner monologue on "Andy Richter Controls The Universe" is a wall breaker.

Oh my God! How could I forget this one?

I Married Dora - final episode (Spring '88):

The show's male lead is boarding an airplane. He returns to the terminal where his friends, family and Dora are still gathered. They ask why he came back and he says, "It's been canceled." "The flight?" Dora asks. "No," the man replies, "our series!" (The camera pans back to reveal the studio audience as the whole cast shrugs, turns to the crowd and says "bye-bye"!)

Lousy show, but killer ending!!

Originally posted by TVgen62
Oh my God! How could I forget this one?

I Married Dora - final episode (Spring '88):

Lousy show, but killer ending!!

Agreed!

;)

it must have been REALLY lousy;and short-lived as I never even heard of it!

Originally posted by treky
it must have been REALLY lousy;and short-lived as I never even heard of it!

On Dec. 31, 2002, TV Land aired the episode I mentioned as part of their "Last Things Last" event. I looked up this series in a reference book and decided I had to see it's final episode. (So-o-o-o...I saw it.) :doh:

Daffy Duck does that lot.
In one of my faves, Duck Amuck, Daffy has to deal with "Mr. Rembrandt." YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewVrlNl3MyA)