5 specials of Battle of the Network Stars airing on Trio

[Pavan]

Before all this reality TV hype, was Battle of the Network Stars--the original reality show. Where network stars from ABC, CBS, and NBC battled. They battled two times a year during sweeps from 1976-1988, Trio will be showing 5 specials, from 1976, 77, 78, 79, and 80. Some stars you'll see are Joyce DeWitt, Suzanne Somers, Farrah Fawcett, Gabe Kaplan and more:

DIRECTOR QUENTIN TARANTINO AND COLUMNIST JOEL STEIN TO CURATE MY TR!O

Pink Lady & Jeff, Battle of the Network Stars, and My Mother The Car -- Premiere On TR!O July 20-27

Writer/Director Quentin Tarantino and Time magazine columnist Joel Stein have been commissioned for the first two quarterly editions of MY TR!O, where guest programmers schedule the network's primetime line-up for one week, it was announced by Lauren Zalaznick, President, TR!O.

"We're taking our pop culture mission one step further by hiring the icons and arbiters of pop culture to program TR!O for a week at a time, " said Ms. Zalaznick. "Whether it's film, television, comedy or anything else, TR!O will be obsessed with whatever cultural artifacts our curators are obsessed with."

"MY TR!O: Joel Stein Week" kicks off on Sunday, July 20 at 9:00 p.m., ET/PT with the premiere of My TR!O: Joel Stein, a half-hour special that explains the curator's unusual programming choices for the week. The special features clips from the upcoming week's shows as well as phone interviews with Welcome Back, Kotter's Gabe Kaplan (who appeared on Battle of the Network Stars), Jeff Altman (Pink Lady & Jeff) and Greg Fitzsimmons (Idiot Savants).

The first episode of TR!O's limited original series Good Clean Porn, follows at 9:30 p.m., ET/PT. This three-edition series spotlights the subtlety of the acting and the complex narrative storylines of four classic porn films, without any of those distracting sex scenes. The films Debbie Does Dallas, The Devil in Miss Jones, Through the Looking Glass, and I Dream of Jenna are each the subject of their own episode.

Among Joel's hand-selected acquired series will be five episodes (from 1976, 77, 78, 79 and 80) of the reality show "Battle of the Network Stars" (1976-1988) which featured teams from the three major broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) who compete against each other in physical challenges. Stars include Billy Crystal (Soap), David Letterman (Mary), Robin Williams (Mork and Mindy), Farrah Fawcett (Charlie's Angels), Penny Marshall (Laverne & Shirley), Ron Howard (Happy Days), Rob Reiner (All in the Family) and many more. The series premieres on TR!O on Sunday, July 20 at 10:00 p.m., ET/PT (re-airs 1:00AM ET/PT) and airs Monday through Friday that week (July 21-25) at 7:00 p.m., ET/4:00 p.m., PT (re-airs 11:00PM ET and 8:00PM PT). (All five episodes from that week will re-air on Sunday, July 27 in a marathon)

Additionally, the weeknight primetime schedule will include the camp favorite "Pink Lady and Jeff," a short-lived 1980 NBC drama series featuring a female Japanese rock duo (Pink Lady) and comedian Jeff Altman, airing Monday to Friday that week (July 21-25) at 10:00 p.m., ET/7:00 p.m., PT (re-airs 1:00AM ET/10:00PM PT). Guests include Sherman Hemsley, Larry Hagman, Sid Caesar, Donny Osmond, Florence "Mrs. Brady" Henderson, and Hugh Heffner ans his Playboy Playmates. All 6 episodes will re-air throughout the day on Saturday, July 26.

In keeping with the camp theme are the first five episodes of the Jerry Van Dyke classic "My Mother the Car" (1965-66), a comedy about a mother who was re-incarnated as 1928 automobile. Dave (Van Dyke), her son, was the only one who could hear her speak. This series airs Monday to Friday at 9:30 p.m., ET/6:30 p.m., PT (re-airs 1:30AM ET/10:30PM PT). Episodes will re-air throughout the day on Saturday, July 26 as well.

Idiot Savants -- another personal favorite of Joel's -- is a 1996-97 MTV quiz show in which four college-age contestants were asked pop culture questions by wiseguy host Greg Fitzsimmons. An episode featuring a younger Joel Stein as a contestant premieres on Monday, July 21 at 9:00 p.m., ET/6:00 p.m., PT.

To celebrate Joel's birthday on July 23, Late Night with David Letterman, airing during MY TR!O week in the special time period of 6:00 p.m., ET/3:00 p.m., PT, will feature the episode in which the talk show host reads a letter written by Joel Stein when he was a child.

"MY TR!O: Quentin Tarantino Week" premieres Sunday, October 5 and airs through Monday, October 13 (Columbus Day). The acclaimed director's eagerly-anticipated film Kill Bill starring Uma Thurman is slated to premiere in October. Details for this and future editions of "MY TR!O", hosted and programmed by other industry luminaries, will be announced shortly.

[TVJunkie101]

I can't wait to see them. Thanks for the scoop Pav!

[Pavan]

Originally posted by TVJunkie101
I can't wait to see them. Thanks for the scoop Pav!

GRRRRR!!!!!!!! I want to see these badly!! Tell me which ones actually air, because the episode info for each just say the years, and they had 2-3 a year. I want to see Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers, and everyone else, lol!

[TVJunkie101]

Originally posted by pavanbadal
GRRRRR!!!!!!!! I want to see these badly!! Tell me which ones actually air, because the episode info for each just say the years, and they had 2-3 a year. I want to see Joyce DeWitt and Suzanne Somers, and everyone else, lol!

I will. I'm definitely taping them. Sorry you don't get Trio. It's just getting better and better, if only Trio would air ALL episodes of the shows they pick up, especially now My Mother the Car.

[Sitcomwriter]

Originally posted by pavanbadal
GRRRRR!!!!!!!! I want to see these badly!! Tell me which ones actually air

I know! I loved "Idiot Savants"!

[GrapeJelly]

I have Battle #6 and it's from 1981 so I think Trio is showing Battle #1 through #5. I believe they didn't start doing Battles twice a year until 1982.



P.S. I also have #7, #8, #9, #11, #14, #15 and #19

[Pavan]

Originally posted by GrapeJelly
I have Battle #6 and it's from 1981 so I think Trio is showing Battle #1 through #5. I believe they didn't start doing Battles twice a year until 1982.



P.S. I also have #7, #8, #9, #11, #14, #15 and #19

According to TVTome, they had two a year from 77-84:
http://tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/Epi.../showid-10267/

[GrapeJelly]

Originally posted by pavanbadal
According to TVTome, they had two a year from 77-84:
http://tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet/Epi.../showid-10267/

Oh, I used IMDB.com. I guess internet sources are fallable.

[Pavan]

Here are the episodes they are airing:

Special #1 -- 1976: Kaplan, Gabe; Carter, Lynda; Carr, Darlene; Fawcett, Farrah; Hatch, Richard; Hegyes, Bobby; Howard, Ron; Linden, Hal; Marshall, Penny; Sehuck, John: Savalas, Telly; Barbeau, Adrienne; Burghoff, Gary; Dobson, Kevin; Harrington,
Pat; Macy, Bill; Merriwether, Lee; Phillips, Mackenzie; Swit, Loretts; Walker, Jimmie; Conrad, Robert; Anderson, Melissa Sue; Grassie, Karen; Matheson, Tim; Murphy, Ben; Parkins, Barbara; Pettit, Joanna; Tighe, Kevin; Troup, Bobby; Wilson, Demond.
Venue: Pepperdine University -- Host: Howard Cosell

Special #2 -- 1977: Savalas, Telly; Conrad, Robert; Kapland, Gabe; Burton, LaVar; Carr, Darlene; Hatch, Richard; Howard, Ron; Hilton Jacobs, Lawrence; Linden, Hal; Marshall, Penny; McNichol, Kristy; Smith, Jaclyn; Bono, Sonny; Dobson, Kevin; Farrell, Mike; Groh, David; Lavin, Linda; Meriwether, Lee; Reiner, Rob; Swit,
Loretta; Wallace, Marcia; Allen, Elizabeth; Franklin, Carl; George, Lynda Day; Grassle, Karen; Haggerty, Dan; Hindle, Art; Russell, Kurt; Seymour, Jane; Stratton, W.K.
Venue: Pepperdine University -- Host: Howard Cosell

Special #4 -- 1978: Kaplan, Gabe; Boone, Debby; Tennille, Toni; Dragon, Daryl; Principal, Victoria; Gilbert, Melissa; Bates, Rhonda; Holliday, Rene; Stevenson, Parker; Svenson, Bo; Phillips, Mackenzie; MacArthur, James; Dobson, Kevin; Wilcox, Larry;
Kerwin, Lance; Dugan, Dennis; Walker, Jimmie; Randall, Tony; Benjamin, Richard; Tiegs, Cheryl; Nicholas, Denise; Curtin, Jane; Johnson, Arte; King, Micki; Landesberg, Steve; Goldstein, Lou; Swann, Lynn; Dragoti, Stan; Dobson, Susan.
Venue: Pepperdine University -- Hosts: Howard Cosell, Suzanne Somers, and Bruce Jenner.

Special #7 -- 1979: Conrad, Robert; Aames, Willie; McNichol, Kristy; Cassidy, Joanna; Gail, Max; Hays, Robert; Canova, Diana; Smith, Shelley; Van Patten, Dick; Norton-Taylor, Judy; Williams, Allen; Hessemen, Howard; Scott, Kathryn Leigh; Harrison, Greg; Smithers, Jan; Bertinelli, Valerie; Asner, Ed; Purcell, Sarah; Gray, Erin; Wayne, Pat; Gerard, Gil; Oakes, Randi; Gilbert, Melissa; Evigan, Greg; Brett, George; Twiki.
Venue: Pepperdine University -- Hosts: Howard Cosell and Billy Crystal.

Special #9 -- 1980: Gray, Erin; Norton-Taylor, Judy; Davidson, John; Johnson, Arte; Ferr, Jamie; Willie, Aames; Scott, Baio; Davis, Phyllis; Dixon, Donna; Gail, Max; Jillian, Ann; Richardson, Susan; Allen, Byron; Purcell, Sarah; Beck, John; Evigan, Greg; Landers, Judy; Rains, Christina; Harrison, Greg; Ladd, Diane; Mills, Donna; Ark, Joan Van; Selleck, Tom; Walden, Robert
Venue: Pepperdine University -- Hosts: Howard Cosell and Cathy Lee Crosby


So they are not airing special #3 (with Suzanne Somers as a guest, they are airing #4 though with Suzanne as co-host), they are not airing both of Joyce DeWitt's episodes either (she was on #5 as guest and #8 she co-hosted).

[Pavan]

Entertainment Tonight has a preview of the 5 specials they are airing tonight: http://www.etonline.com/celebrity/a16707.htm

[Pavan]

Looks like Trio changed the episodes they are airing. The 1976 one (special #1) was fine, but they aired special #3 from 1977 last night instead of special #2 from 1977. I think it was a better move, special #3 had stars like Suzanne Somers and Fred Berry as competitors.

So tonight special #4 from 1978 is scheduled (with co-host Suzanne Somers), but I'm guessing that will not air, and special #5 from 1978 will air, with competitors like Joyce DeWitt and David Letterman.

On Wednesday, special #7 from 1979 is scheduled (with Billy Crystal as co-host), but I'm guessing that will not air, and special #6 from 1979 will air, with competitors like Ed Asner and Todd Bridges.

Finally, on Thursday, special #9 from 1980 is scheduled (with Cathy Lee Crosby as co-host), but I'm guessing that will not air, and special #8 from 1980 will air, with co-host Joyce DeWitt and competitors like Sherman Hemsley and Catherine Bach.

So to recap, episodes 1, 2, 4, 7, and 9 were scheduled, but I think now it will be 1, 3, 5, 6, and 8. Entertainment Tonight even showed clips from where Joyce DeWitt co-hosted and Suzanne Somers talking about exercising from special #3, so it seems VERY likely that 1, 3, 5, 6, and 8 are airing instead. Guess we'll find out, 1 and 3 have aired thus far.

(To view all the stars from 1, 3, 5, 6, and 8 go here: http://www.tvtome.com/tvtome/servlet.../showid-10267/)

[Pavan]

I was right in 4 of the 5 airings. The 1979 one that was originally scheduled did air as planned.

So this is the schedule:
Special #1 -- 1976
Host: Howard Cosell

ABC Team
Gabriel Kaplan - Team Captain
Darleen Carr
Lynda Carter
Farrah Fawcett
Richard Hatch
Robert Hegyes
Ron Howard
Hal Linden
Penny Marshall
John Schuck

CBS Team
Telly Savalas - Team Captain
Adrienne Barbeau
Gary Burghoff
Kevin Dobson
Pat Harrington, Jr.
Bill Macy
Lee Meriwether
Mackenzie Phillips
Loretta Swit
Jimmie Walker

NBC Team
Robert Conrad - Team Captain
Melissa Sue Anderson
Karen Grassle
Tim Matheson
Ben Murphy
Barbara Parkins
Joanna Pettet
Kevin Tighe
Bobby Troupe
Demond Wilson


Special #3 -- 1977
Hosts: Howard Cosell & Telly Savalas

ABC Team
Gabriel Kaplan - Team Captain
Fred Berry
Billy Crystal
Chris DeRose
Victor French
Cheryl Ladd
Kristy McNichol
Penny Marshall
Suzanne Somers
Parker Stevenson

CBS Team
Jimmie Walker - Team Captain
Adrienne Barbeau
Valerie Bertinelli
Kevin Dobson
Jamie Farr
Caren Kaye
James MacArthur
James Vincent McNichol
Loretta Swit
Lyle Waggoner

NBC Team
Dan Haggerty - Team Captain
Robert Conrad
Elinor Donahue
Patrick Duffy
Peter Isacksen
Lance Kerwin
Donna Mills
Belinda Montgomery
Michelle Phillips
Larry Wilcox



Special #5 -- 1978
Hosts: Howard Cosell & Frank Gifford

ABC Team
Gabriel Kaplan - Team Captain
Debby Boone
Billy Crystal
Joyce DeWitt
Richard Hatch
Maren Jensen
Robert Urich

CBS Team
McLean Stevenson - Team Captain
Valerie Bertinelli
LeVar Burton
Lou Ferrigno
Patricia Klous
David Letterman
Tim Reid
Charlene Tilton

NBC Team
Robert Conrad - Team Captain
Joseph Bottoms
William Devane
Pamela Hensley
Brianne Leary
Wendy Rastatter
William Shatner
Caskey Swaim


Special #7 -- 1979
Hosts: Howard Cosell & Billy Crystal

ABC Team
Dick Van Patten - Team Captain
Willie Aames
Diana Canova
Joanna Cassidy
Max Gail
Kristy McNichol
Shelley Smith

CBS Team
Edward Asner - Team Captain
Valerie Bertinelli
Gregory Harrison
Kathryn Leigh Scott
Judy Norton
Jan Smithers
Allen Williams

NBC Team
Robert Conrad - Team Captain
Greg Evigan
Gil Gerard
Melissa Gilbert
Erin Gray
Randi Oakes
Sarah Purcell
Patrick Wayne


Special #8 -- 1980
Hosts: Howard Cosell & Joyce DeWitt

ABC Team
Cathy Lee Crosby - Team Captain
Scott Baio
Robyn Douglass
Grant Goodeve
Kent McCord
Caroline McWilliams
Joan Prather

CBS Team
Chad Everett - Team Captain
Jonelle Allen
Catherine Bach
Gregory Harrison
Sherman Hemsley
Gary Sandy
Charlene Tilton

NBC Team
Joan Van Ark - Team Captain
William Devane
Karen Grassle
Pamela Hensley
Brian Kerwin
Randi Oakes
Sarah Purcell
Larry Wilcox