Fernwood 2-Night: The E! True Hollywood Story - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

bengay · 07-05-2016, 12:42 PM

Yesterday marked 39 years since the debut of "Fernwood 2-Night," a spin-off of the hit '70s Norman Lear sitcom "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman."

Just as "MHMH" was a satirical sitcom spoof on Soap Operas before the more-successful "Soap," created by Susan Harris, later in the decade, "F2N" was a satirical sitcom spoof of late-night talk shows e.g. Johnny Carson.

On "MHMH," Martin Mull played Garth Gimble, a wife beater who in a late 1976 episode killed himself on an Aluminum Christmas Tree in his Closet; on "F2N," Martin played Garth's identical twin brother, Barth, while Fred Willard portrayed Barth's "F2N" sidekick, Jerry Hubbard. Rounding out the main principal cast was Frank DeVol (writer of such TV theme songs as "My Three Sons" and "The Brady Bunch") as bandleader Happy Kyne.

As he'd done previously with "MHMH," Norman Lear syndicated "Fernwood 2-Night" himself to local Independent Stations such as KDFW-TV in Dallas, Texas; in April 1978, after retiring "MHMH" (known in its 2nd season from 1977-1978 as "Forever Fernwood" after Louise Lasser's abrupt departure), Norman brought back "F2N," rechristening it "America 2-Night" for its 2nd season, changing the setting from the fictional small town of Fernwood, Ohio to the fictional town of Alta Coma, California, the world's Furniture Capital.

During its 2nd season, "F2N" featured a handful of celebrities playing themselves, among them Charlton Heston, Sherman Hemsley, and in the series finale telecast on July 7, 1978, Martin Mull and Fred Willard, playing both themselves AND their respective "F2N" characters of Barth & Jerry.

Like MANY Norman Lear sitcoms in the late '90s & early 2000s e.g. "The Jeffersons," "Sanford & Son," "All in the Family" and "Maude" to name several examples, reruns of "F2N" were a Nick at Nite staple from 1990-1993.

In 2002, TV Land brought back reruns of "F2N" along with "MHMH" in a short-lived late-night block known as "TV Land Kitschen."

Until YouTube and various Torrent sites came along, neither "F2N" or "MHMH" were seen regularly, and though "MHMH" is now available on DVD, SHOUT! Factory has NEVER put the Complete "Fernwood 2-Night" series on DVD, and I wish they would to be honest.

Anyway, readers, thanks in advance for reading this write-up.

07-05-2016, 12:42 PM	#1
bengay Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jan 27, 2016 Posts: 31	Fernwood 2-Night: The E! True Hollywood Story Yesterday marked 39 years since the debut of "Fernwood 2-Night," a spin-off of the hit '70s Norman Lear sitcom "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman." Just as "MHMH" was a satirical sitcom spoof on Soap Operas before the more-successful "Soap," created by Susan Harris, later in the decade, "F2N" was a satirical sitcom spoof of late-night talk shows e.g. Johnny Carson. On "MHMH," Martin Mull played Garth Gimble, a wife beater who in a late 1976 episode killed himself on an Aluminum Christmas Tree in his Closet; on "F2N," Martin played Garth's identical twin brother, Barth, while Fred Willard portrayed Barth's "F2N" sidekick, Jerry Hubbard. Rounding out the main principal cast was Frank DeVol (writer of such TV theme songs as "My Three Sons" and "The Brady Bunch") as bandleader Happy Kyne. As he'd done previously with "MHMH," Norman Lear syndicated "Fernwood 2-Night" himself to local Independent Stations such as KDFW-TV in Dallas, Texas; in April 1978, after retiring "MHMH" (known in its 2nd season from 1977-1978 as "Forever Fernwood" after Louise Lasser's abrupt departure), Norman brought back "F2N," rechristening it "America 2-Night" for its 2nd season, changing the setting from the fictional small town of Fernwood, Ohio to the fictional town of Alta Coma, California, the world's Furniture Capital. During its 2nd season, "F2N" featured a handful of celebrities playing themselves, among them Charlton Heston, Sherman Hemsley, and in the series finale telecast on July 7, 1978, Martin Mull and Fred Willard, playing both themselves AND their respective "F2N" characters of Barth & Jerry. Like MANY Norman Lear sitcoms in the late '90s & early 2000s e.g. "The Jeffersons," "Sanford & Son," "All in the Family" and "Maude" to name several examples, reruns of "F2N" were a Nick at Nite staple from 1990-1993. In 2002, TV Land brought back reruns of "F2N" along with "MHMH" in a short-lived late-night block known as "TV Land Kitschen." Until YouTube and various Torrent sites came along, neither "F2N" or "MHMH" were seen regularly, and though "MHMH" is now available on DVD, SHOUT! Factory has NEVER put the Complete "Fernwood 2-Night" series on DVD, and I wish they would to be honest. Anyway, readers, thanks in advance for reading this write-up.