Memories Of Late Night Television - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

jasonbigley · 05-22-2008, 04:35 PM

Does anybody have memories of late night television? Mine include:
___________________________________________________________
* infomercials (Ms. Cleo, Time Life Music, Censored In America)
* bars and tones test patterns
* classic reruns
* risque programming

sunshinefizzy · 05-22-2008, 05:32 PM

Remember the Legends: Classic Rock collections??? I grew to love classic rock because that was the music I went to bed listening to.

Heather987 · 05-23-2008, 12:21 AM

I remember the National Anthem being played around 4-5am on most stations
a long time ago.
Nick @ Nite was probably my best memory of late nite television, they used to show St. Jude Hospital Infomercials late at night from time to time with Marlo Thomas.
I remember on weekends they would show UP ALL NIGHT with Rhonda on USA.

treky · 05-23-2008, 12:41 AM

I remember back when stations used to go off the air around 4 to 5 a.m. (some would do it even earlier-around 1:30 or 2) and they used to play "THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER" while they showed a film of flags waving, armed forces perrsonell saluting, etc. And before that, they would show a priest giving a lecture about something, etc. Different stations had different names for it, it'd be called things like "SERMONETTE", "THOUGHT FOR TODAY" and many different names. Not every station did that, though. Some used to have late-night news which was just an announcer reading the news and some like "LATE NIGHT NEWS UPDATE" would be written on the screen. And some stations would show vintage reruns as a lead in to all this. I remember seeing reruns of "THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW", "F TROOP", "STAR TREK", "MY FAVORITE MARTIAN", "LOVE AMERICAN STYLE", "ADAM 12", and "THE RIFLEMAN" among others on local stations.

Ireneparalegal · 05-23-2008, 12:45 AM

My late night memories are of SNOW. I would wake up and find that I fell asleep with the tv on and there would be snow.

There was no such thing as 24 hour programming back then. I do remember the Star Spangled Banner being played.

I also remember the Johnny Carson show.

comedyfreak · 05-23-2008, 08:40 AM

I also remember the Star Spangled Banner then the snow, it was time for bed. I also remember watching Creature Features every Saturday night from 11:30 to 1am.

Jack1000 · 05-23-2008, 05:17 PM

I remember Elvira's Move Macabre on Saturday nights at 1:00 am from about 1981-1985. In the tradition of Mystery Science Theater 3000, she would show classic "bad" B-grade horror movies and make comments about them with little 5-10 second sound bites. The series became a cultural cult phenomenon. I wish ME-TV would pick this up or the Sci-Fi channel! The series was repeated around 1987-1988 because a friend of mine, knew someone who had a bit-part in one of the movies. Those were classics, and some network needs to get the rights again.

I also remember a local commercial station in my area, which was totally syndicated at the time, experimenting with uncut R-rated movies in the mid 80's at 1 am on Friday nights. They ran soft-core stuff like Private Lessons, and My Tutor, with a disclaimer that the shows were uncut and that parental discretion was advised. Most viewers did not take well to the change, and after about 3 weeks, with responses 3-1 against the movie they dropped the R-rated films. The station manager was fired some time later. It was widely believed, but never proven, that his termination was largely due to his decision to experiment with showing the uncut R-rated movies.

Jack

70s show watcher · 05-24-2008, 04:12 AM

the midnight special on friday nights with wolfman jack was sure a fun late night show to watch

70s show watcher · 05-24-2008, 04:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

My late night memories are of SNOW. I would wake up and find that I fell asleep with the tv on and there would be snow.

There was no such thing as 24 hour programming back then. I do remember the Star Spangled Banner being played.

I also remember the Johnny Carson show.

me too it seemes like just yesterday that he went off the air

MikeLutton · 05-24-2008, 05:35 AM

i use get up watch incredible hulk on tv greatest american hero great space coaster fredd nightmares on tv back in the day cartoon fall preview follwed b new cartoons the weekend later.

watching honeymooners late night usa up all night dont forget tbs use have baseball rain outs then reruns of happy days sanford come on all in the family.

ah good ol days

dav4463 · 05-24-2008, 07:06 AM

We used to get Night Owl Theater....with some classic Vincent Price horror flicks.....then for a while.....Waylan and Madam....what a dumb show that was!

oz615 · 05-24-2008, 07:49 PM

Infomercials
B-movies
1-900 ads
sign-offs

MariposaLKB · 05-24-2008, 09:07 PM

Fritz the Night Owl, who used the intro to Pink Floyd's "Time" for his theme music; Monty Python on PBS every night when I was in college; but most especially, being very young and being allowed to watch "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" only when we were on one of my dad's business trips, all cozy in a posh hotel bed LOL!

treky · 05-24-2008, 10:34 PM

I remember; our local ABC affiliate in the 70s used to premp ABCs late-night programing on Fridays and show a movie instead. Then they would show ABCs programing after the movie, around 1:30 or 2:00 A.M. I remember, back then stations used to show commercials for local buisnesses, record commercials, etc. late at night, and it'd be a little strange on that channel seeing promos for ABC shows, etc.

And, I remember the station used to show their movies a strange way-they wouldn't show the opening, and start showing it (the movie) with the opening scene, then when the movie would end, they'd show the ending, then show the opening of it, for some reason.

Czas na Zywiec · 05-25-2008, 12:16 AM

Mine is pretty lame haha. My mom used to work nights when I was a kid so I remember staying up because she would call every night at about 9PM, so I'd stay up watching Nick at Nite waiting for her phone call. Then she'd call, I'd talk to her for a few minutes, and then go back to my room to catch I Love Lucy at 9:30. But boy has that changed. Well my mom no longer calls me every night cause I don't live at home anymore and I'm 23 haha but still, sad to see how great N@N used to be and what it's turned into now.

05-22-2008, 04:35 PM	#1
jasonbigley Member Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 14, 2008 Location: California Posts: 501	Memories Of Late Night Television Does anybody have memories of late night television? Mine include: ___________________________________________________________ * infomercials (Ms. Cleo, Time Life Music, Censored In America) * bars and tones test patterns * classic reruns * risque programming

05-23-2008, 12:41 AM	#4
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	I remember back when stations used to go off the air around 4 to 5 a.m. (some would do it even earlier-around 1:30 or 2) and they used to play "THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER" while they showed a film of flags waving, armed forces perrsonell saluting, etc. And before that, they would show a priest giving a lecture about something, etc. Different stations had different names for it, it'd be called things like "SERMONETTE", "THOUGHT FOR TODAY" and many different names. Not every station did that, though. Some used to have late-night news which was just an announcer reading the news and some like "LATE NIGHT NEWS UPDATE" would be written on the screen. And some stations would show vintage reruns as a lead in to all this. I remember seeing reruns of "THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW", "F TROOP", "STAR TREK", "MY FAVORITE MARTIAN", "LOVE AMERICAN STYLE", "ADAM 12", and "THE RIFLEMAN" among others on local stations.
	__________________ 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."

05-23-2008, 12:45 AM	#5
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	My late night memories are of SNOW. I would wake up and find that I fell asleep with the tv on and there would be snow. There was no such thing as 24 hour programming back then. I do remember the Star Spangled Banner being played. I also remember the Johnny Carson show.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

05-23-2008, 08:40 AM	#6
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,061	I also remember the Star Spangled Banner then the snow, it was time for bed. I also remember watching Creature Features every Saturday night from 11:30 to 1am.
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak

05-24-2008, 09:07 PM	#13
MariposaLKB She flies alone Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Mar 06, 2001 Location: The great unknown Posts: 3,436	Fritz the Night Owl, who used the intro to Pink Floyd's "Time" for his theme music; Monty Python on PBS every night when I was in college; but most especially, being very young and being allowed to watch "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" only when we were on one of my dad's business trips, all cozy in a posh hotel bed LOL!
	__________________ Within a cage Try to escape Her silent rage But no one ever listens... -Butterfly (Mariposa)

05-22-2008, 05:32 PM	#2
sunshinefizzy Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 27, 2006 Location: Craptown Posts: 2,054	Remember the Legends: Classic Rock collections??? I grew to love classic rock because that was the music I went to bed listening to.

05-23-2008, 12:21 AM	#3
Heather987 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 476	I remember the National Anthem being played around 4-5am on most stations a long time ago. Nick @ Nite was probably my best memory of late nite television, they used to show St. Jude Hospital Infomercials late at night from time to time with Marlo Thomas. I remember on weekends they would show UP ALL NIGHT with Rhonda on USA.

05-23-2008, 05:17 PM	#7
Jack1000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 05, 2001 Posts: 2,055	I remember Elvira's Move Macabre on Saturday nights at 1:00 am from about 1981-1985. In the tradition of Mystery Science Theater 3000, she would show classic "bad" B-grade horror movies and make comments about them with little 5-10 second sound bites. The series became a cultural cult phenomenon. I wish ME-TV would pick this up or the Sci-Fi channel! The series was repeated around 1987-1988 because a friend of mine, knew someone who had a bit-part in one of the movies. Those were classics, and some network needs to get the rights again. I also remember a local commercial station in my area, which was totally syndicated at the time, experimenting with uncut R-rated movies in the mid 80's at 1 am on Friday nights. They ran soft-core stuff like Private Lessons, and My Tutor, with a disclaimer that the shows were uncut and that parental discretion was advised. Most viewers did not take well to the change, and after about 3 weeks, with responses 3-1 against the movie they dropped the R-rated films. The station manager was fired some time later. It was widely believed, but never proven, that his termination was largely due to his decision to experiment with showing the uncut R-rated movies. Jack

05-24-2008, 04:12 AM	#8
70s show watcher Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: May 20, 2008 Location: between point place and studio 8 h Posts: 4,549	the midnight special on friday nights with wolfman jack was sure a fun late night show to watch

05-24-2008, 05:35 AM	#10
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,887	i use get up watch incredible hulk on tv greatest american hero great space coaster fredd nightmares on tv back in the day cartoon fall preview follwed b new cartoons the weekend later. watching honeymooners late night usa up all night dont forget tbs use have baseball rain outs then reruns of happy days sanford come on all in the family. ah good ol days

05-24-2008, 07:06 AM	#11
dav4463 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 18, 2003 Location: texas Posts: 252	We used to get Night Owl Theater....with some classic Vincent Price horror flicks.....then for a while.....Waylan and Madam....what a dumb show that was!

05-24-2008, 07:49 PM	#12
oz615 Sitcoms Online Thread Killer Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 06, 2007 Location: Nashville,TN Posts: 268	Infomercials B-movies 1-900 ads sign-offs

05-24-2008, 10:34 PM	#14
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	I remember; our local ABC affiliate in the 70s used to premp ABCs late-night programing on Fridays and show a movie instead. Then they would show ABCs programing after the movie, around 1:30 or 2:00 A.M. I remember, back then stations used to show commercials for local buisnesses, record commercials, etc. late at night, and it'd be a little strange on that channel seeing promos for ABC shows, etc. And, I remember the station used to show their movies a strange way-they wouldn't show the opening, and start showing it (the movie) with the opening scene, then when the movie would end, they'd show the ending, then show the opening of it, for some reason.

05-25-2008, 12:16 AM	#15
Czas na Zywiec what up Forum Star Join Date: Jun 28, 2001 Location: Southwest Side, Chicago Posts: 18,398	Mine is pretty lame haha. My mom used to work nights when I was a kid so I remember staying up because she would call every night at about 9PM, so I'd stay up watching Nick at Nite waiting for her phone call. Then she'd call, I'd talk to her for a few minutes, and then go back to my room to catch I Love Lucy at 9:30. But boy has that changed. Well my mom no longer calls me every night cause I don't live at home anymore and I'm 23 haha but still, sad to see how great N@N used to be and what it's turned into now.