What is the show "It's a Great Life" about? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jem · 06-08-2003, 01:41 AM

What is the show "It's a Great Life" about? I was just wondering because I usually think the old sitcom shows, especially the ones from the '50s and '60s are quite funny to watch.

treky · 06-26-2003, 01:25 AM

first of all, the title "It's a Great Life" is misleading, as the show SHOULD have bbeen caled "IT'S A HORRIBLE SITCOM" !!! It's about three middle-aged men living in a boarding house, and the landlady was played by Francis Baviea (Aunt Bee on "The Andy Griffith show"). That's all I remember, cause I haven't seen the reruns in years, but I do remember what I said above! If you should ever run into it, DON'T, I repeat DON'T ever watch it!!!!

Dilly · 12-02-2003, 03:47 AM

Would like to know.

c:\windows\desktop\my pictures\afi hot guy.gif

tv star collector · 10-19-2005, 06:21 PM

I have not seen this sit-com since it last aired, and that was 49 years ago!
While it was not a great show, it certainly wasn't "horrible," either (or it would
not have lasted two full seasons on NBC). A brief synopsis (courtesy of THE
COMPLETE DIRECTORY TO PRIME TIME TV SHOWS): Denny (Michael O'Shea)
and Steve (William Bishop) were two discharged soldiers who decide to be
roommates while looking for civilian jobs. Frances Bavier ran the boarding house, and James Dunn was her brother, Uncle Earl, a conman who was
always trying to lure them into his moneymaking schemes.

treky · 10-20-2005, 02:20 AM

well, as my fathers old college professor used to say "Well, great minds differ!"

Big3sCompanyFan · 02-28-2009, 04:52 PM

Was this ever put on DVD? It may be worth checking out because today's shows really suck.

TV Knowledge Fan · 11-08-2009, 01:25 AM

...was created, produced, and most written by Ray Singer & Dick Chevillat, two very talented writers who also wrote the majority of "THE PHIL HARRIS AND ALICE FAYE SHOW" radio scripts from 1948 through 1952 (a few of those they adapted for "IT'S A GREAT LIFE"). Their best scripts took a "normal" situation and embellished it into an absurd one {"Denny Buys a Steer", for example}- in fact, some of those scripts they adapted for "THE LUCY SHOW" in the mid-'60s (two of them were "the vacuum cleaner salesman" episode, and the one with Joan Crawford {silent film star Laura LaPlante was featured in the original 1955 version}). The chemistry between Jimmy Dunn, Michael O'Shea and William Bishop was great! However, two factors were responsible for the show lasting just 78 episodes: a change in day and time in season two [with NBC moving it from Tuesdays at 10:30pm(et) to Sundays at 7pm in the fall of 1955, directly opposite CBS' "LASSIE"], and the recession of 1956, which caused the show's sponsor, Chrysler, to drop some of its sponsored series at the end of the 1955-'56 season because the market for its automobiles had "flattened"...and with the mediocre ratings "IT'S A GREAT LIFE" was gettting, that was the one that got the ax. It did well in syndication for several years (as "THE BACHELORS"), but it disappeared by the late '60s....

missy's pop pop · 11-20-2013, 01:18 PM

Ironically, that's the only thing I remember about "It's a Great Life" ... the opening, which proclaimed "CHRYSLER and your Chrysler dealer, presenting the great new 1956 PowerStyle Chrysler, present..."

Of course, Chrysler was also sponsoring "Climax!", "Shower of Stars," "You Bet Your Life," and "Lawrence Welk," so they could still sell tons of Plymouths, Dodges, DeSotos, Chryslers and Imperials elsewhere.

treky · 12-18-2018, 03:13 AM

I just read my post in this thread from15 years ago and just want to say: my opinion of this show hasn't changed.

06-08-2003, 01:41 AM	#1
Jem Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 25, 2003 Location: Canada Posts: 625	What is the show "It's a Great Life" about? What is the show "It's a Great Life" about? I was just wondering because I usually think the old sitcom shows, especially the ones from the '50s and '60s are quite funny to watch.
	__________________ There is no such thing as revenge You will not give as good as you got There is no such thing as an eye for an eye If you think you're the giver, you're not There is no such thing as regret There is no point in placing the blame Hate destroys the one who hates And everyone suffers the same There is only love and respect To thine own self be true When you point the finger There are three fingers pointing back at you

06-26-2003, 01:25 AM	#2
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	first of all, the title "It's a Great Life" is misleading, as the show SHOULD have bbeen caled "IT'S A HORRIBLE SITCOM" !!! It's about three middle-aged men living in a boarding house, and the landlady was played by Francis Baviea (Aunt Bee on "The Andy Griffith show"). That's all I remember, cause I haven't seen the reruns in years, but I do remember what I said above! If you should ever run into it, DON'T, I repeat DON'T ever watch it!!!!
	__________________ the Clampetts are in a fancy Beverly Hills jewelry store. Granny points to a tray of rubies. Granny: "How much fer one o' them red diamonds?" clerk: "Madam, those are rubies." Granny: "OK ask her kin we buy one offa her." clerk: " The ruby I am talking about is not a lady." Granny: "Lissen, how she got them diamonds is her business. I'm just sayin' ask her kin we buy one from her."

12-02-2003, 03:47 AM	#3
Dilly Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 03, 2003 Location: California Posts: 133	Would like to know. c:\windows\desktop\my pictures\afi hot guy.gif Attached Images

11-08-2009, 01:25 AM	#7
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	The series... ...was created, produced, and most written by Ray Singer & Dick Chevillat, two very talented writers who also wrote the majority of "THE PHIL HARRIS AND ALICE FAYE SHOW" radio scripts from 1948 through 1952 (a few of those they adapted for "IT'S A GREAT LIFE"). Their best scripts took a "normal" situation and embellished it into an absurd one {"Denny Buys a Steer", for example}- in fact, some of those scripts they adapted for "THE LUCY SHOW" in the mid-'60s (two of them were "the vacuum cleaner salesman" episode, and the one with Joan Crawford {silent film star Laura LaPlante was featured in the original 1955 version}). The chemistry between Jimmy Dunn, Michael O'Shea and William Bishop was great! However, two factors were responsible for the show lasting just 78 episodes: a change in day and time in season two [with NBC moving it from Tuesdays at 10:30pm(et) to Sundays at 7pm in the fall of 1955, directly opposite CBS' "LASSIE"], and the recession of 1956, which caused the show's sponsor, Chrysler, to drop some of its sponsored series at the end of the 1955-'56 season because the market for its automobiles had "flattened"...and with the mediocre ratings "IT'S A GREAT LIFE" was gettting, that was the one that got the ax. It did well in syndication for several years (as "THE BACHELORS"), but it disappeared by the late '60s....

11-20-2013, 01:18 PM	#8
missy's pop pop Hooray for "Hazel!" Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 19, 2013 Location: St. Louis Posts: 396	Ironically, that's the only thing I remember about "It's a Great Life" ... the opening, which proclaimed "CHRYSLER and your Chrysler dealer, presenting the great new 1956 PowerStyle Chrysler, present..." Of course, Chrysler was also sponsoring "Climax!", "Shower of Stars," "You Bet Your Life," and "Lawrence Welk," so they could still sell tons of Plymouths, Dodges, DeSotos, Chryslers and Imperials elsewhere.
	Last edited by missy's pop pop; 01-30-2014 at 08:39 PM.

10-19-2005, 06:21 PM	#4
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	I have not seen this sit-com since it last aired, and that was 49 years ago! While it was not a great show, it certainly wasn't "horrible," either (or it would not have lasted two full seasons on NBC). A brief synopsis (courtesy of THE COMPLETE DIRECTORY TO PRIME TIME TV SHOWS): Denny (Michael O'Shea) and Steve (William Bishop) were two discharged soldiers who decide to be roommates while looking for civilian jobs. Frances Bavier ran the boarding house, and James Dunn was her brother, Uncle Earl, a conman who was always trying to lure them into his moneymaking schemes.

10-20-2005, 02:20 AM	#5
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	well, as my fathers old college professor used to say "Well, great minds differ!"

02-28-2009, 04:52 PM	#6
Big3sCompanyFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2003 Posts: 2,493	Was this ever put on DVD? It may be worth checking out because today's shows really suck.

12-18-2018, 03:13 AM	#9
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	I just read my post in this thread from15 years ago and just want to say: my opinion of this show hasn't changed.