The first episode

[broadmoor]

I always wondered why the original pilot episode (later reconfigured into "The Cousins") wasn't utilized as the first episode. It served up the basic premise, gave ample time to the two girls, showed off the family to nice advantage, as well as Martin's job environment. An absolutely perfect introductory presentation, which is immediately endearing.

Instead, they went with "The French Teacher" for the series debut. A rather mediocre episode in many ways, and not really a good example to start off with. One of its primary stumbling-blocks (for me) is in the casting of Jean-Pierre Aumont. Admittedly, Aumont was a pretty big-name romantic idol of the 40s, and on paper, he undoubtedly sounded like an ideal fit for the role of the teacher. I remember seeing some of his films on the late-show, like "Heartbeat" (with Ginger Rogers) and "Wicked City." It probably seemed like quite a coup at the time, getting him to appear in a little American sitcom. However, by 1963 and this TPDS episode, Aumont's age had started catching up with him, and he's frankly looking a bit craggy... which makes it difficult to buy into Patty's head-over-heels falling for him. Much more believable was when a similar situation arose in 2nd-season's "Don't Monkey with Mendel," with guest-star Robert Goulet also as a teacher garnering Patty's affections. That did work, that time. But altogether, "The French Teacher" seemed to make for a less than satisfying launch, especially when compared to the so many fine episodes that were soon to follow right on its heels. Shoulda gone with "The Cousins."

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by broadmoor

I always wondered why the original pilot episode (later reconfigured into "The Cousins") wasn't utilized as the first episode. It served up the basic premise, gave ample time to the two girls, showed off the family to nice advantage, as well as Martin's job environment. An absolutely perfect introductory presentation, which is immediately endearing.

Instead, they went with "The French Teacher" for the series debut. A rather mediocre episode in many ways, and not really a good example to start off with. One of its primary stumbling-blocks (for me) is in the casting of Jean-Pierre Aumont. Admittedly, Aumont was a pretty big-name romantic idol of the 40s, and on paper, he undoubtedly sounded like an ideal fit for the role of the teacher. I remember seeing some of his films on the late-show, like "Heartbeat" (with Ginger Rogers) and "Wicked City." It probably seemed like quite a coup at the time, getting him to appear in a little American sitcom. However, by 1963 and this TPDS episode, Aumont's age had started catching up with him, and he's frankly looking a bit craggy... which makes it difficult to buy into Patty's head-over-heels falling for him. Much more believable was when a similar situation arose in 2nd-season's "Don't Monkey with Mendel," with guest-star Robert Goulet also as a teacher garnering Patty's affections. That did work, that time. But altogether, "The French Teacher" seemed to make for a less than satisfying launch, especially when compared to the so many fine episodes that were soon to follow right on its heels. Shoulda gone with "The Cousins."

I agree with you, The Cousins would have been a much more awesome launch. Re the crushes, since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, thought the two gents reasonable choices.

[1960'sTVfan]

This probably happened because there was a change in casting after the pilot. Different actors were chosen to play Patty's father and little brother. I agree that "The French Teacher" was an unusual choice for the debut airing, but in a way I can see why they went with it.

The first episode to be filmed after the pilot was "How To Be Popular". That really should have been the 1st episode aired, but it originally aired 12th.

[broadmoor]

It often struck me that among the first dozen or so episodes, they were at times apparently aired at variance to the filmed order. An obvious case being that 12th episode, "How to Be Popular," which had Cathy not knowing the modern teen-dance styles, whereas two episodes earlier, in "Double Date," she had not only mastered one, but was planning to be in the dance competition alongside Patty.

By the way, I was in no way criticizing Jean-Pierre Aumont himself. He was always a rather likeable, charming guy. And his actual performance in that TPDS episode was perfectly fine. He just seemed too long-in-the-tooth for the role. My criticism was entirely directed at the casting.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...had a different setting {San Francisco} and featured two cast members {Mark Miller, Charles Herbert} who were recast before the series was relocated from Hollywood to New York for weekly filming. There wasn't time to film an "official" pilot episode [although most of the original footage was reused in the season one "flashback" finale, "The Cousins"], so a "typical" episode was used for the premiere.

As Sidney Sheldon recalled in his autobiography "The Other Side Of Me", two episodes premiered as "the first episode":

"As the date approached for the first airing of 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW', we had a problem. Our producer-director, Bill Asher, was a man who liked to be simultaneously involved in several different projects. As a result, he was behind schedule on our show. None of the shows was completed.
Bill came to me and said, 'Ed{gar J.} Scherick, the head of ABC, wants to take a look at our pilot show. I'm not sure which one he'll like, 'The French Teacher' or 'House Guest'...I want you to run the two pictures for Scherick and let him pick the one that he likes best.'
'Fine', I agreed.
The following morning, we set up a screening for Ed Scherick and several other executives from ABC. He had brought his wife and his sister and there were cordial introdctions all around.
The lights dimmed and the screenings began. 'The French Teacher' had not yet been edited or scored because Bill Asher was so busy, and several special effects were missing. 'House Guest' had not yet been edited or scored and [again,] several special effects were missing. The overall effect was dreadful.
When the lights came up, Scherick got to his feet, glared at me and said, 'I don't give a damn which one you get on first'. He and his entourage stormed out of the room.
I sat there, deflated...."

"Our opening night premiere [September 18, 1963] was upon us and we had to make a decision. Asher now worked day and night to complete the two shows. Since the network no longer cared about our show, we had to decide which episode to air first.
Things were so chaotic that on the opening night of 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW', 'The French Teacher' played in the western half of the United States and 'House Guest' played in the eastern half."

[broadmoor]

Wow. Two different debut episodes for the two separate time-zone airings. How bizarre. Never heard of anything like that happening before! Appreciate learning all that info, "Fan!" thanks!

[1960'sTVfan]

I wasn't aware of the east/west thing, either. A couple reasons for "The French Teacher" being a logical choice for the debut episode, it was a "Patty" story and it made sense to kick off the series with an episode involving Patty as she was the main character in the show. And the story line about Patty falling in love with one of her teachers was a sensible choice to start the series off.

Episodes 1 to 16 of the series originally aired out of sequence, after that the shows pretty much aired via order of production.

[randyrandy]

Originally Posted by TV Knowledge Fan

...had a different setting {San Francisco} and featured two cast members {Mark Miller, Charles Herbert} who were recast before the series was relocated from Hollywood to New York for weekly filming. There wasn't time to film an "official" pilot episode [although most of the original footage was reused in the season one "flashback" finale, "The Cousins"], so a "typical" episode was used for the premiere.

As Sidney Sheldon recalled in his autobiography "The Other Side Of Me", two episodes premiered as "the first episode":

"As the date approached for the first airing of 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW', we had a problem. Our producer-director, Bill Asher, was a man who liked to be simultaneously involved in several different projects. As a result, he was behind schedule on our show. None of the shows was completed.
Bill came to me and said, 'Ed{gar J.} Scherick, the head of ABC, wants to take a look at our pilot show. I'm not sure which one he'll like, 'The French Teacher' or 'House Guest'...I want you to run the two pictures for Scherick and let him pick the one that he likes best.'
'Fine', I agreed.
The following morning, we set up a screening for Ed Scherick and several other executives from ABC. He had brought his wife and his sister and there were cordial introdctions all around.
The lights dimmed and the screenings began. 'The French Teacher' had not yet been edited or scored because Bill Asher was so busy, and several special effects were missing. 'House Guest' had not yet been edited or scored and [again,] several special effects were missing. The overall effect was dreadful.
When the lights came up, Scherick got to his feet, glared at me and said, 'I don't give a damn which one you get on first'. He and his entourage stormed out of the room.
I sat there, deflated...."

"Our opening night premiere [September 18, 1963] was upon us and we had to make a decision. Asher now worked day and night to complete the two shows. Since the network no longer cared about our show, we had to decide which episode to air first.
Things were so chaotic that on the opening night of 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW', 'The French Teacher' played in the western half of the United States and 'House Guest' played in the eastern half."

That's a great story. Thanks for sharing this. Kind of an interesting twist for the TV ratings when half the country saw an episode that the other half didn't. Did they just do the reverse when it came time to show the other episode?

[biffbronson]

That's a good question Randy. I'll be interested to find that out as well. Maybe its handling also affected repeat showings, where having 2 interchangable eps meant that neither half of the country later got a "rerun?"

I kind of hate to interfere on this thread, but I have a trivial question related to the pilot: Was the pilot filming the only time Jean Byron wore slacks in the series?

[randyrandy]

Originally Posted by biffbronson

I kind of hate to interfere on this thread, but I have a trivial question related to the pilot: Was the pilot filming the only time Jean Byron wore slacks in the series?

Maybe the third season episode where they went camping in the backyard?

[biffbronson]

Thanks -- I'm viewing Season 3 now, and I'll watch for that.