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BLT · 04-07-2003, 02:32 PM

pilots that weren't picked up...

I heard that dick van dyke and suzanne summers both had pilots in the early 80s-does anyone remember details of these or any other proposed series that weren't picked up. A year or two there was a proposed sitcom starring Bob Newhart & Sisqo. And the Mary Tyler Moore tv-movie "Mary & Rhoda" was originally going to be a pilot for a new series.

TV Guy · 04-07-2003, 11:50 PM

Suzanne Somers had a thirteen-episode commitment with CBS for a series that was to be developed once "Three's Company" ended. She signed this deal while she was still on TC and on reasonably good terms with the producers, which did not make ABC happy -- they wanted first crack at a new Suzanne series once TC ended. Little did they know then that Suzanne would be gone well before TC was.

She did two pilots under this contract: "Suzanne" and "The Suzanne Somers Show". In one of them, she played a flight attendant with a couple of roommates. I don't know what the premise for the other one was. CBS didn't like either of them and paid her off for the balance of the contract (11 episodes). A couple of years later, she did a pilot for ABC called "Goodbye, Charlie", where she played a man reincarnated as a woman. This pilot actually aired and wasn't bad. It supposedly came close to being picked up as a series, but ABC passed at the last minute (perhaps there was lingering resentment at the network after Suzanne's unpleasant contract negotiations with TC).

BLT · 04-24-2003, 10:13 AM

Irene Ryan (Grandma from Beverly Hillbillies) was set to star in a sitcom for ABC entitled "Whistler's Mother" right before she died.

James · 04-24-2003, 01:27 PM

After The Waltons ended its nine-year run in 1981, there was talk of a spin-off entitled Walton's Mountain, focusing on things other than the Walton family (Ike's General Store), as well as other residents like the Godseys and Baldwins. (I think that was the premise--I may be wrong!)

Sitcomwriter · 04-24-2003, 06:30 PM

That's the problem with this time of year.You look forward to certain shows and then they never happen.I remember waiting to see that Bob Newhart and Siquo show only to find out that it would never happen.I hope The WB picks up that show with Bow Wow.

harper · 05-22-2003, 10:47 AM

her series didn't last because it was so unfunny.Dick van Dyke and Van Dyke And Company with his son Barry.That was better show of the two.

04-07-2003, 02:32 PM	#1
BLT Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 06, 2003 Posts: 496	tv classics that never were pilots that weren't picked up... I heard that dick van dyke and suzanne summers both had pilots in the early 80s-does anyone remember details of these or any other proposed series that weren't picked up. A year or two there was a proposed sitcom starring Bob Newhart & Sisqo. And the Mary Tyler Moore tv-movie "Mary & Rhoda" was originally going to be a pilot for a new series.

05-22-2003, 10:47 AM	#6
harper gentlegiant Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 04, 2003 Location: Towson,Maryland Posts: 130	S.Somers had she's the sheriff her series didn't last because it was so unfunny.Dick van Dyke and Van Dyke And Company with his son Barry.That was better show of the two.
	__________________ sincerly Happy harper

04-07-2003, 11:50 PM	#2
TV Guy Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Jun 25, 2001 Location: Boston, MA, USA Posts: 3,419	Suzanne Somers had a thirteen-episode commitment with CBS for a series that was to be developed once "Three's Company" ended. She signed this deal while she was still on TC and on reasonably good terms with the producers, which did not make ABC happy -- they wanted first crack at a new Suzanne series once TC ended. Little did they know then that Suzanne would be gone well before TC was. She did two pilots under this contract: "Suzanne" and "The Suzanne Somers Show". In one of them, she played a flight attendant with a couple of roommates. I don't know what the premise for the other one was. CBS didn't like either of them and paid her off for the balance of the contract (11 episodes). A couple of years later, she did a pilot for ABC called "Goodbye, Charlie", where she played a man reincarnated as a woman. This pilot actually aired and wasn't bad. It supposedly came close to being picked up as a series, but ABC passed at the last minute (perhaps there was lingering resentment at the network after Suzanne's unpleasant contract negotiations with TC).

04-24-2003, 10:13 AM	#3
BLT Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 06, 2003 Posts: 496	Irene Ryan (Grandma from Beverly Hillbillies) was set to star in a sitcom for ABC entitled "Whistler's Mother" right before she died.

04-24-2003, 01:27 PM	#4
James Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Dayton, Ohio, USA Posts: 6,370	After The Waltons ended its nine-year run in 1981, there was talk of a spin-off entitled Walton's Mountain, focusing on things other than the Walton family (Ike's General Store), as well as other residents like the Godseys and Baldwins. (I think that was the premise--I may be wrong!)

04-24-2003, 06:30 PM	#5
Sitcomwriter Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 27, 2001 Posts: 7,356	That's the problem with this time of year.You look forward to certain shows and then they never happen.I remember waiting to see that Bob Newhart and Siquo show only to find out that it would never happen.I hope The WB picks up that show with Bow Wow.