Some TV Trivia

[tv star collector]

Can't remember if I've posted these facts before, so here goes ...

The first image ever to appear on television was Felix the Cat. In 1928, when
the first experimental TV broadcast occurred, the subject was a Felix doll.

In 1953, at age 27, Andy Griffith recorded a comedy monologue entitled "What
It Was, Was Football." It sold over a million copies.

To cast THE MONKEES, the show's producers placed an ad in Variety magazine. The final four (Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and
Peter Tork) were selected from 437 aspiring rock stars who answered the ad.
Davy Jones was the only member who was not picked through the ad.

David Lander and Michael McKean were originally hired as writers/consultants
on LAVERNE & SHIRLEY. They wrote themselves into the show as Squiggy and
Lenny--two characters they had created in college in 1966.

Jerry Mathers ("The Beaver") was discovered at age 2 by a department store
manager who used his photo on the store's Christmas calendar. He made his
TV debut, at age 2 1/2 on THE ED WYNN SHOW (1954).

Tony Dow, the son of a member of Our Gang, got into acting accidentally,
accompanying a friend to an audition for moral support. But he was hired
instead of his friend.

Producer Sherwood Schwartz interviewed 464 girls and boys to find the right
kids for THE BRADY BUNCH. By the way, the stand-ins for the Brady kids
were a middle-aged midget couple. [No, I don't make up this stuff.]

Gabe Kaplan (WELCOME BACK, KOTTER) dropped out of high school to become
a minor league baseball player, but he couldn't run fast enough to get on a team. Instead, he became a standup comedian. When the National Education
Association wanted a "technical adviser" on the set "to protect the image of
school teachers," Kaplan answered: "Would you believe a technical adviser
on the set of SANFORD & SON to protect the image of junk dealers?"

The character Mister Ed originated in a series of magazine stories in which
the horse not only talked, but got drunk.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY was based on Charles Addams' New Yorker magazine
cartoons, but he had never named them. He did so specifically for the show.

The Hooterville Cannonball on PETTICOAT JUNCTION was a plastic shell that
was originally built for the Marilyn Monroe film "Ticket to Tomahawk." There
was only one set of wheels, which were moved from locomotive to baggage
car to passenger car as scenes required.

When shooting on BEWITCHED began, Elizabeth Montgomery was 8 months
pregnant. Director Bill Asher had to shoot the first five shows without her,
adding in her parts later.

Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye in Cincinnati, Ohio) was 39 years old when
THE ROY ROGERS SHOW debuted (1951). He and Dale Evans were married
in 1947. Trigger, his horse, was purchased in 1938 for $2500--a bargain,
considering what he was worth to Rogers over the next 20 years. Roy
performed most of his own stunts on the show.

NBC wanted established stars for BONANZA but the show's creator, David
Dortort, insisted that TV could make its own stars. Pernell Roberts was a
New York stage actor; Lorne Greene, a former radio announcer for the
Canadian Broadcasting Company; and Dan Blocker, a former Texas school
teacher. Michael Landon had appeared as a guest on many TV shows but
had never been offered a starring role until Little Joe Cartwright came along.

Mighty Mouse was originally conceived as a super fly by one of Paul Terry's
artists, and changed to a mouse at Terry's suggestion.

The first Lassie was bought for $10 in 1943 by trainer Rudd Weatherwax.

Believe it or not, the highest STAR TREK (the original series) ever ranked in
a year's ratings was #52! William Shatner, by the way, turned down the
lead role in DR. KILDARE a few years earlier. It took three years for Gene
Roddenberry to convince a network to air STAR TREK.

Seriously overweight, Raymond Burr isolated himself in a cheap hotel for six
months until he was thin enough to look the part of Perry Mason.

[Source: TV memorabilia collector and author John Javna]

[AB]

That's some pretty interesting info. I especially enjoyed the trivia about Lenny & Squiggy.

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by tv star collector

Can't remember if I've posted these facts before, so here goes ...

The first image ever to appear on television was Felix the Cat. In 1928, when
the first experimental TV broadcast occurred, the subject was a Felix doll.

In 1953, at age 27, Andy Griffith recorded a comedy monologue entitled "What
It Was, Was Football." It sold over a million copies.

To cast THE MONKEES, the show's producers placed an ad in Variety magazine. The final four (Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and
Peter Tork) were selected from 437 aspiring rock stars who answered the ad.
Davy Jones was the only member who was not picked through the ad.

David Lander and Michael McKean were originally hired as writers/consultants
on LAVERNE & SHIRLEY. They wrote themselves into the show as Squiggy and
Lenny--two characters they had created in college in 1966.

Jerry Mathers ("The Beaver") was discovered at age 2 by a department store
manager who used his photo on the store's Christmas calendar. He made his
TV debut, at age 2 1/2 on THE ED WYNN SHOW (1954).

Tony Dow, the son of a member of Our Gang, got into acting accidentally,
accompanying a friend to an audition for moral support. But he was hired
instead of his friend.

Producer Sherwood Schwartz interviewed 464 girls and boys to find the right
kids for THE BRADY BUNCH. By the way, the stand-ins for the Brady kids
were a middle-aged midget couple. [No, I don't make up this stuff.]

Gabe Kaplan (WELCOME BACK, KOTTER) dropped out of high school to become
a minor league baseball player, but he couldn't run fast enough to get on a team. Instead, he became a standup comedian. When the National Education
Association wanted a "technical adviser" on the set "to protect the image of
school teachers," Kaplan answered: "Would you believe a technical adviser
on the set of SANFORD & SON to protect the image of junk dealers?"

The character Mister Ed originated in a series of magazine stories in which
the horse not only talked, but got drunk.

THE ADDAMS FAMILY was based on Charles Addams' New Yorker magazine
cartoons, but he had never named them. He did so specifically for the show.

The Hooterville Cannonball on PETTICOAT JUNCTION was a plastic shell that
was originally built for the Marilyn Monroe film "Ticket to Tomahawk." There
was only one set of wheels, which were moved from locomotive to baggage
car to passenger car as scenes required.

When shooting on BEWITCHED began, Elizabeth Montgomery was 8 months
pregnant. Director Bill Asher had to shoot the first five shows without her,
adding in her parts later.

Roy Rogers (born Leonard Slye in Cincinnati, Ohio) was 39 years old when
THE ROY ROGERS SHOW debuted (1951). He and Dale Evans were married
in 1947. Trigger, his horse, was purchased in 1938 for $2500--a bargain,
considering what he was worth to Rogers over the next 20 years. Roy
performed most of his own stunts on the show.

NBC wanted established stars for BONANZA but the show's creator, David
Dortort, insisted that TV could make its own stars. Pernell Roberts was a
New York stage actor; Lorne Greene, a former radio announcer for the
Canadian Broadcasting Company; and Dan Blocker, a former Texas school
teacher. Michael Landon had appeared as a guest on many TV shows but
had never been offered a starring role until Little Joe Cartwright came along.

Mighty Mouse was originally conceived as a super fly by one of Paul Terry's
artists, and changed to a mouse at Terry's suggestion.

The first Lassie was bought for $10 in 1943 by trainer Rudd Weatherwax.

Believe it or not, the highest STAR TREK (the original series) ever ranked in
a year's ratings was #52! William Shatner, by the way, turned down the
lead role in DR. KILDARE a few years earlier. It took three years for Gene
Roddenberry to convince a network to air STAR TREK.

Seriously overweight, Raymond Burr isolated himself in a cheap hotel for six
months until he was thin enough to look the part of Perry Mason.

[Source: TV memorabilia collector and author John Javna]

Cool stuff. Thx