Roll Out - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

goodtimesfan29 · 09-10-2003, 04:28 PM

Does anyone remember the sitcom Roll Out? I think it starred Stu Gillium. also,I think Good Times replaced it in 74'.
I don't even remember what Roll Out was really about. I, just remember it had something to do with the service. I think Stu played a general.

Thanks for reading any commit whoud be appreciated.
Have a great no make that groovy day.lol

TVFactFan · 09-11-2003, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by goodtimesfan29
Does anyone remember the sitcom Roll Out? I think it starred Stu Gillium. also,I think Good Times replaced it in 74'.
I don't even remember what Roll Out was really about. I, just remember it had something to do with the service. I think Stu played a general.

Thanks for reading any commit whoud be appreciated.
Have a great no make that groovy day.lol

Roll out premeired on CBS on October 5, 1973 and was last aired on January 4, 1974. The show was based on story of an actual World War II transportation Unit.

These were some of the known actors who played on the show.

Mel Stewart-played Henry Jefferson on All in the Family

Theodore Wilson-played Sweet Daddy on Good Times

Garrett Morris-played on Jeffersons and played Stan on Martin.

TVFactFan · 09-11-2003, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by goodtimesfan29
Does anyone remember the sitcom Roll Out? I think it starred Stu Gillium. also,I think Good Times replaced it in 74'.
I don't even remember what Roll Out was really about. I, just remember it had something to do with the service. I think Stu played a general.

Thanks for reading any commit whoud be appreciated.
Have a great no make that groovy day.lol

You know i thought you were in your 50's because you asked about the show Roll Out but then i saw that you were born in 1974-LOL So how did you know about Roll Out?

TVFactFan · 09-11-2003, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by goodtimesfan29
Does anyone remember the sitcom Roll Out? I think it starred Stu Gillium. also,I think Good Times replaced it in 74'.
I don't even remember what Roll Out was really about. I, just remember it had something to do with the service. I think Stu played a general.

Thanks for reading any commit whoud be appreciated.
Have a great no make that groovy day.lol

Also Good times did replace Roll Out in the 8pm time slot on Friday Night in February of 1974.

*PinkLady* · 09-11-2003, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Sitcom Analyzer
You know i thought you were in your 50's because you asked about the show Roll Out but then i saw that you were born in 1974-LOL So how did you know about Roll Out?

You were born in 1975. How do you know about it?

TVFactFan · 09-11-2003, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by *PinkLady*
You were born in 1975. How do you know about it?

THe show Roll Out was mentioned on the true Hollywood story of Good Times. Good Times replaced Roll Out on the CBS Schedule

goodtimesfan29 · 09-11-2003, 01:08 PM

I heard about the show on the E True HollyWood Story.
I've always loved the 70's shows.
I just knew it was a short lived sitcom. and, I was just wondering about the show more or less. I've heard it wasn't that good.

W.J. Griffin · 10-03-2003, 02:38 PM

"Roll Out" was about an All-Black unit of truckers known as "The Red-Ball Express", an actual unit active during the Second World War (1939-1945). It did star Stu Gillam and Hilly Hicks, and Mel Stewart played their seargeant. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox and was intended as an African-American version of "M*A*S*H", which would probably explain why it didn't last long...(*sigh*)

Du Mont · 12-23-2009, 03:16 AM

I only watched a few episodes of 'Roll Out', and as service comedies go, I found it funny enough. I remember it was filmed on a really muddy set, and I think there was a gag in the credits where one of the actors gets sprayed with mud from a stuck, spinning tire.

'Roll Out' didn't have the toughest timeslot competition, but it had an abysmal lead in ('Calucci's Dept. at 8 pm, an unusual comedy in itself, which averaged 7.9HH and dead last at 81st that year). 'Roll Out' was up against 'The Odd Couple' on ABC which won the Friday 8:30 pm slot with a 17.2HH (ranking 47th), and 'The Girl With Something Extra' on NBC was just a fraction behind with a 17.1HH (ranking 48th). 'Roll Out' on CBS never really got any traction in the slot, and finished its half-season with a 12.9HH (ranking 72nd) before being replaced by 'Good Times' in February 1974 which was an instant time-period hit with a 21.4HH (ranked 17th).

I wouldn't mind watching this again on DVD or a cable network specializing in short-run series of merit. 'Roll Out' was created by Mr. Larry Gelbart and Mr. Gene Reynolds, and the comedy was intelligently handled in the same vein as 'M*A*S*H'.

Jude The Obscure · 12-23-2009, 04:20 PM

I remember when BET reran "Roll Out", but I didn't really watch it.

you'd think CBS would have wanted to please Larry Gelbart and place the show after an established hit.

bencasey · 12-24-2009, 01:35 AM

Fox Net ran the show in the early 90s when they were running stuff like Arnie and Karen.

TV Knowledge Fan · 12-24-2009, 02:55 AM

...who wanted "another 'M*A*S*H'" for his schedule in the fall of '73. Gene Reynolds later said something like, "If we'd been as honest with the soldiers on 'ROLL OUT' as we were with the doctors on 'M*A*S*H', the series might have lasted longer". The only reason Fox Net "exhumed" the show in the early '90s was because they needed "something" to fill their schedule- and they had plenty of "one-season wonders" in their library (including "ARNIE"- which actually lasted two seasons- and "KAREN") to "pass the time" until they could schedule more "first-run" shows and other effuvia.

09-10-2003, 04:28 PM	#1
goodtimesfan29 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 07, 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20	Roll Out Does anyone remember the sitcom Roll Out? I think it starred Stu Gillium. also,I think Good Times replaced it in 74'. I don't even remember what Roll Out was really about. I, just remember it had something to do with the service. I think Stu played a general. Thanks for reading any commit whoud be appreciated. Have a great no make that groovy day.lol
	__________________ Bradley L. Willis

12-23-2009, 03:16 AM	#9
Du Mont Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 15, 2007 Posts: 331	Worthwhile Comedy Worthy of DVD Manufacture I only watched a few episodes of 'Roll Out', and as service comedies go, I found it funny enough. I remember it was filmed on a really muddy set, and I think there was a gag in the credits where one of the actors gets sprayed with mud from a stuck, spinning tire. 'Roll Out' didn't have the toughest timeslot competition, but it had an abysmal lead in ('Calucci's Dept. at 8 pm, an unusual comedy in itself, which averaged 7.9HH and dead last at 81st that year). 'Roll Out' was up against 'The Odd Couple' on ABC which won the Friday 8:30 pm slot with a 17.2HH (ranking 47th), and 'The Girl With Something Extra' on NBC was just a fraction behind with a 17.1HH (ranking 48th). 'Roll Out' on CBS never really got any traction in the slot, and finished its half-season with a 12.9HH (ranking 72nd) before being replaced by 'Good Times' in February 1974 which was an instant time-period hit with a 21.4HH (ranked 17th). I wouldn't mind watching this again on DVD or a cable network specializing in short-run series of merit. 'Roll Out' was created by Mr. Larry Gelbart and Mr. Gene Reynolds, and the comedy was intelligently handled in the same vein as 'MAS*H'.

12-24-2009, 02:55 AM	#12
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	It was Fred Silverman of CBS... ...who wanted "another 'MASH'" for his schedule in the fall of '73. Gene Reynolds later said something like, "If we'd been as honest with the soldiers on 'ROLL OUT' as we were with the doctors on 'MASH', the series might have lasted longer". The only reason Fox Net "exhumed" the show in the early '90s was because they needed "something" to fill their schedule- and they had plenty of "one-season wonders" in their library (including "ARNIE"- which actually lasted two seasons- and "KAREN") to "pass the time" until they could schedule more "first-run" shows and other effuvia.

09-11-2003, 01:08 PM	#7
goodtimesfan29 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jun 07, 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20	I heard about the show on the E True HollyWood Story. I've always loved the 70's shows. I just knew it was a short lived sitcom. and, I was just wondering about the show more or less. I've heard it wasn't that good.

10-03-2003, 02:38 PM	#8
W.J. Griffin Member Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 29, 2002 Posts: 527	"Roll Out" was about an All-Black unit of truckers known as "The Red-Ball Express", an actual unit active during the Second World War (1939-1945). It did star Stu Gillam and Hilly Hicks, and Mel Stewart played their seargeant. The show was produced by 20th Century Fox and was intended as an African-American version of "MASH", which would probably explain why it didn't last long...(sigh*)

12-23-2009, 04:20 PM	#10
Jude The Obscure Retired Eternal Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 10, 2006 Posts: 7,520	I remember when BET reran "Roll Out", but I didn't really watch it. you'd think CBS would have wanted to please Larry Gelbart and place the show after an established hit.

12-24-2009, 01:35 AM	#11
bencasey Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: Long Beach Posts: 1,692	Fox Net ran the show in the early 90s when they were running stuff like Arnie and Karen.