Breaking The Fourth Wall - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 01-05-2004, 02:59 PM

George Burns, of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, is credited as the first television performer to use the theatrical convention of "breaking the fourth wall" between the audience and the performer. He frequently stepped out of a scene and out of character to address the audience, then rejoined the story.

On Three's Company, Norman Fell, as Mr. Roper, would sometimes look directly into the camera and give the audience a mischievous look. It was priceless.

Any others?

JT · 01-05-2004, 04:56 PM

On "Little House on the Prairie," sometimes Nels Oleson would make a wisecrack about his wife Harriet and he'd kinda look directly in the camera too.

Zack Morris on "Saved by the Bell" would almost always begin each episode of the show by giving a little introduction to the audience.

On the last episode of "Happy Days," Howard Cunningham toasted "to happy days" while looking at the camera.

D-Dey · 01-05-2004, 05:16 PM

Obviously Sally Field in "Gidget." I don't remember too much of this in the 1970's, but it was revived in the 1980's, and has stayed with us ever since.

barwars · 01-05-2004, 05:48 PM

On an episode of The Cosby Show, Cliff turns to the camera and says "Hammer Time!"

And on Cosby, Hilton would turn and talk to the camera regularly.

hawaii five-o · 01-05-2004, 08:53 PM

Dobie Gillis used to sit in the park by the statue of the Thinker and tell the TV audience his troubles.

TJL · 01-05-2004, 09:55 PM

Malcolm narrates the action while addressing the camera in "Malcolm In The Middle."

Bruce Willis often broke the fourth wall in "Moonlighting."

Garry Shandling went out of his way to include the audience in on the fun on "It's Garry Shandling's Show."

DianeChambers87 · 01-06-2004, 12:30 AM

In the Nickelodeon show "Clarissa explains it all" Clarissa would talk to the camera and the audience in almost every episode.

Kitt · 01-06-2004, 11:01 AM

Daffy Duck does that lot.

ClassicComedyFan2 · 01-06-2004, 11:44 AM

The brilliant, one-year-wonder anime, "Tokyo Pig" broke the fourth wall in every episode, and did so with style and great humor. Too bad ABC Family dropped it so quickly...

D-Dey · 01-06-2004, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kitt
Daffy Duck does that lot.

Yes, but so do plenty of other cartoon characters, especially those in Warner Bros. Outside of Warner Bros., you've got Woody Woodpecker(Walter Lantz) and Huckleberry Hound, Magilla Gorilla and others in the post-MGM era(Hanna-Barbera). It seems like it's more acceptable to do that in cartoons than in live-action shows.

Kitt · 01-06-2004, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by D-Dey
Yes, but so do plenty of other cartoon characters, especially those in Warner Bros. Outside of Warner Bros., you've got Woody Woodpecker(Walter Lantz) and Huckleberry Hound, Magilla Gorilla and others in the post-MGM era(Hanna-Barbera). It seems like it's more acceptable to do that in cartoons than in live-action shows.

Yes well, I know all of that. I was joking. I like Daffy Duck.

Sitcomwriter · 01-07-2004, 12:34 AM

America, Bernie Mac does that as well.

Truestrengthwith · 01-07-2004, 01:10 AM

On Growing Pains, there was an entire episode devoted to "breaking the fourth wall" Jeremy Miller (Ben Seaver) even ran up into the stands were the audience sat.

During the curtain call on the last episode of Family Ties, in 1989, each actor/actress was called out by name, bowed and waved.

sara · 01-08-2004, 04:15 AM

They did that on Fresh Prince sometimes. When they had a new actress playing the mom, Jazz said something about Mrs Banks looking different and Will gave a really funny look into the camera. Also they did a show where they when to Philly. Will was talking to Carlton about a bully, and mentioned that the bully was the guy spining him the opening credits.

dandelion wine · 01-08-2004, 11:51 PM

Tom Selleck would do the same thing on Magnum, including the way he'd share his thoughts with us throughout each episode.

01-05-2004, 02:59 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Breaking The Fourth Wall George Burns, of The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, is credited as the first television performer to use the theatrical convention of "breaking the fourth wall" between the audience and the performer. He frequently stepped out of a scene and out of character to address the audience, then rejoined the story. On Three's Company, Norman Fell, as Mr. Roper, would sometimes look directly into the camera and give the audience a mischievous look. It was priceless. Any others?

01-05-2004, 09:55 PM	#6
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Malcolm narrates the action while addressing the camera in "Malcolm In The Middle." Bruce Willis often broke the fourth wall in "Moonlighting." Garry Shandling went out of his way to include the audience in on the fun on "It's Garry Shandling's Show."
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

01-06-2004, 12:30 AM	#7
DianeChambers87 Elizabeth B. Malone Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 16, 2003 Location: Swampland USA Posts: 5,178	In the Nickelodeon show "Clarissa explains it all" Clarissa would talk to the camera and the audience in almost every episode.
	__________________ Strange Fascinations, Fascinating me

01-06-2004, 11:44 AM	#9
ClassicComedyFan2 Coolicious! Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 28, 2001 Location: AL, United States, Alpha Quadrant Posts: 698	The brilliant, one-year-wonder anime, "Tokyo Pig" broke the fourth wall in every episode, and did so with style and great humor. Too bad ABC Family dropped it so quickly...
	__________________ The world always looks brighter from behind a smile. ~Author Unknown Optimism is the foundation of courage. ~Nicholas Murray Butler Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are. ~Author Unknown It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. ~ John Cassis ~

01-08-2004, 04:15 AM	#14
sara Member Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2002 Location: grandville michigan Posts: 2,296	They did that on Fresh Prince sometimes. When they had a new actress playing the mom, Jazz said something about Mrs Banks looking different and Will gave a really funny look into the camera. Also they did a show where they when to Philly. Will was talking to Carlton about a bully, and mentioned that the bully was the guy spining him the opening credits.
	__________________ Help stamp out and eradicate superfluous redundancy!

01-05-2004, 04:56 PM	#2
JT Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Apr 29, 2001 Location: USA Posts: 7,223	On "Little House on the Prairie," sometimes Nels Oleson would make a wisecrack about his wife Harriet and he'd kinda look directly in the camera too. Zack Morris on "Saved by the Bell" would almost always begin each episode of the show by giving a little introduction to the audience. On the last episode of "Happy Days," Howard Cunningham toasted "to happy days" while looking at the camera.

01-05-2004, 05:16 PM	#3
D-Dey Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 11, 2000 Location: Long Island, New York, USA Posts: 5,530	Obviously Sally Field in "Gidget." I don't remember too much of this in the 1970's, but it was revived in the 1980's, and has stayed with us ever since.

01-05-2004, 05:48 PM	#4
barwars .. Forum Star Join Date: May 04, 2002 Posts: 13,273	On an episode of The Cosby Show, Cliff turns to the camera and says "Hammer Time!" And on Cosby, Hilton would turn and talk to the camera regularly.

01-05-2004, 08:53 PM	#5
hawaii five-o Book 'Em, Dano Senior Member Join Date: Jun 27, 2003 Location: At home, eating cereal straight out of the box Posts: 1,406	Dobie Gillis used to sit in the park by the statue of the Thinker and tell the TV audience his troubles.

01-06-2004, 11:01 AM	#8
Kitt James Dean Forum Veteran Join Date: Aug 16, 2001 Location: California Dreamin' Posts: 6,115	Daffy Duck does that lot.

01-07-2004, 12:34 AM	#12
Sitcomwriter Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 27, 2001 Posts: 7,356	America, Bernie Mac does that as well.

01-07-2004, 01:10 AM	#13
Truestrengthwith Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 25, 2003 Posts: 56	On Growing Pains, there was an entire episode devoted to "breaking the fourth wall" Jeremy Miller (Ben Seaver) even ran up into the stands were the audience sat. During the curtain call on the last episode of Family Ties, in 1989, each actor/actress was called out by name, bowed and waved.

01-08-2004, 11:51 PM	#15
dandelion wine ~ Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 20, 2003 Location: Behind the Couch Posts: 34,967	Tom Selleck would do the same thing on Magnum, including the way he'd share his thoughts with us throughout each episode.
	__________________ Fans of Jon-Erik Hexum Merry Christmas!