I still don't understand sending a telegram to announce James's death

[nerrad]

Or maybe Monte should've whispered it to Thelma.

[jamesanthony]

I grew up when this show was being produced and don't ever remember our family getting a telegram for anything. Maybe when James was killed whoever found his body found his wallet and it only had an address, but no phone number??? I don't really know the answer to this one. I suppose it was more dramatic for Florida to read that James was killed than for her to react to someone talking to her on the phone or some authority showing up at the door during the party.

Receiving a telegram is like getting a notification via the internet today.

[TVFactFan]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
I grew up when this show was being produced and don't ever remember our family getting a telegram for anything. Maybe when James was killed whoever found his body found his wallet and it only had an address, but no phone number??? I don't really know the answer to this one. I suppose it was more dramatic for Florida to read that James was killed than for her to react to someone talking to her on the phone or some authority showing up at the door during the party.

Receiving a telegram is like getting a notification via the internet today.

Do you remember your reaction to this episode back in 1976?

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Do you remember your reaction to this episode back in 1976?

Hey:

You asked me this once before. I saw this episode when it first came on in 1976, but for some reason I don't remember having a reaction to it. i remember the record Movin by Brass Construction that was playing in the background, but I think I had heard that John Amos had quit so I wasn't totally shocked by his death. There are other episodes from this show that left more of an impression on me when I first saw them in prime time:

Esther Rolle walking out in her robe in the first telecast- the audience clapped for her. That episode aired on a Friday night. It was a big deal to see a black family show on TV then, a real event where everybody would gather around the TV to see it.

JJ getting shot (Florida and James were going to see Diahann Carroll's movie Claudine, Florida commented, "Julia on welfare, now this I've gotta see!")

Thelma and Keith arguing in part 2 of the wedding episode

Gary Coleman's guest appearnance in year 5.

James lying to Florida about paying for her surgery when he didn't know how he was going to pay for it.

I saw all the episodes when they were syndicated starting in the fall of 1979. They came on about 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon on a local station. So there are episodes that are clearer in my memory from syndication than from first run on cbs.

[TVFactFan]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Hey:

You asked me this once before. I saw this episode when it first came on in 1976, but for some reason I don't remember having a reaction to it. i remember the record Movin by Brass Construction that was playing in the background, but I think I had heard that John Amos had quit so I wasn't totally shocked by his death. There are other episodes from this show that left more of an impression on me when I first saw them in prime time:

Esther Rolle walking out in her robe in the first telecast- the audience clapped for her. That episode aired on a Friday night. It was a big deal to see a black family show on TV then, a real event where everybody would gather around the TV to see it.

JJ getting shot (Florida and James were going to see Diahann Carroll's movie Claudine, Florida commented, "Julia on welfare, now this I've gotta see!")

Thelma and Keith arguing in part 2 of the wedding episode

Gary Coleman's guest appearnance in year 5.

James lying to Florida about paying for her surgery when he didn't know how he was going to pay for it.

I saw all the episodes when they were syndicated starting in the fall of 1979. They came on about 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon on a local station. So there are episodes that are clearer in my memory from syndication than from first run on cbs.

Yeah that ep whn Florida walks out in her robe was Getting Up The Rent.

[vashti1999]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
There are other episodes from this show that left more of an impression on me when I first saw them in prime time:

JJ getting shot (Florida and James were going to see Diahann Carroll's movie Claudine, Florida commented, "Julia on welfare, now this I've gotta see!")

I saw all the episodes when they were syndicated starting in the fall of 1979. They came on about 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon on a local station. So there are episodes that are clearer in my memory from syndication than from first run on cbs.

jamesanthony, you're better than me. I remember stuff more from seeing them originally on CBS than I do in syndication (assuming you're talking about a station here in NYC, I don't even remember what channel broadcast Good Times reruns back in '79). But JJ getting shot (among other episodes) was one episode that I remember having a certain reaction too when it first aired.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by vashti1999
jamesanthony, you're better than me. I remember stuff more from seeing them originally on CBS than I do in syndication (assuming you're talking about a station here in NYC, I don't even remember what channel broadcast Good Times reruns back in '79). But JJ getting shot (among other episodes) was one episode that I remember having a certain reaction too when it first aired.

Good Times came on wpix Channel 11 in NYC starting in 1979 in the afternoons like 4:30 or 5:00 pm. In the early 90s that same station carried it at about 1 pm. I saw all the episodes on this channel. I don't remember clearly most of what I saw of this series in prime time because I was only in elementary school when it first came on.

[TVFactFan]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
Good Times came on wpix Channel 11 in NYC starting in 1979 in the afternoons like 4:30 or 5:00 pm. In the early 90s that same station carried it at about 1 pm. I saw all the episodes on this channel. I don't remember clearly most of what I saw of this series in prime time because I was only in elementary school when it first came on.

The only shows i remember watching in primetime when i was in elementary school was the Cosby Show, Jeffersons, and Alice.

[jamesanthony]

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
The only shows i remember watching in primetime when i was in elementary school was the Cosby Show, Jeffersons, and Alice.

I remember only a handful of stuff myself, like the fall 1976 premiere of Happy Days with Pinky Tuscadero falling for Fonzie, I remember watching Cher and Kojak on Sunday nights in 1975, obscure shows like Holmes and Yoyo and the Tony Randall Show, the first episodes of Three's Company in 1977 and a couple episodes of the Jeffersons. My memory improves greatly when I get to my junior high school years: CBS Sunday night sitcoms, ABC Tuesday sitcoms, The White Shadow, Police Squad, Benson and a lot of long forgotten or shortlived shows like Detective School, The Ropers, Sanford, Different Strokes, Hello Larry, Angie and Bosom Buddies, Mork and Mindy, probably more that if I thought about it I could remember seeing.

[laneyday]

Originally posted by nerrad
Or maybe Monte should've whispered it to Thelma.

When my father died, my mother received a telegram. I guess it is usually how they do it if the deceased is not in the state or country. In my case, my father was in Jamaica and my mother was in Canada.

[Lady T]

Originally posted by jamesanthony
I remember only a handful of stuff myself, like the fall 1976 premiere of Happy Days with Pinky Tuscadero falling for Fonzie, I remember watching Cher and Kojak on Sunday nights in 1975, obscure shows like Holmes and Yoyo and the Tony Randall Show, the first episodes of Three's Company in 1977 and a couple episodes of the Jeffersons. My memory improves greatly when I get to my junior high school years: CBS Sunday night sitcoms, ABC Tuesday sitcoms, The White Shadow, Police Squad, Benson and a lot of long forgotten or shortlived shows like Detective School, The Ropers, Sanford, Different Strokes, Hello Larry, Angie and Bosom Buddies, Mork and Mindy, probably more that if I thought about it I could remember seeing.

I remember when Three's Company first season back in 1977, also I remember watching shows like Happy Days and Laverne and Shirley; I vaguely remember watching Good Times, I do recall watching the show during it's final and last season back in 1979

[catlover79]

I never understood the telegram thing myself. It would've made more sense (and been more powerful) had the phone rang during that joyous party. Florida would've picked up and found out the horrible news. The Evans' phone WAS still connected. Plus James was going into business with a RELATIVE. Would a family member really send a telegram instead of phoning?? I don't think so.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I never understood the telegram thing myself. It would've made more sense (and been more powerful) had the phone rang during that joyous party. Florida would've picked up and found out the horrible news. The Evans' phone WAS still connected. Plus James was going into business with a RELATIVE. Would a family member really send a telegram instead of phoning?? I don't think so.

It is horrible seeing such a faux pas. I don't understand who thought that a telegram was a way to tell someone their loved one died IN THE 70'S!!!!!! I have never heard of such a thing. When I first seen this episode back then, I was like "WTF??? Who sends telegrams?" This was not Little House on the Prairie here. A phone call would have been much more dramatic and more plausible.

I don't even get the whole telegram thingy. Why would Alderman Davis and other people SEND A TELEGRAM to wish them good luck and so forth? Why not send a card or call them or tell them in person? I can't imagine a neighbor who lives in the ghetto can afford to send a telegram!!!!!!