MEET THE PRODUCERS THEY MADE TV WHAT IT IS, BOTH YESTERDAY AND TODAY.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic IT'S SHOCKING how many people in the television business have a smug ignorance of the history of the industry that has made them incredibly wealthy. TV Land's documentary series ``TV Land Moguls'' represents a baby step to correct that scandal. Hosted by Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. (July 6 1925 – August 12 2007) was an American talk show host, game show host, entertainer, pianist, television personality and raconteur. , ``TV Land Moguls'' is essentially TV 101, a breezy historical overview of prime-time television from the viewpoint of the show's creators and producers, with a little ``Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous'' thrown in for good measure (via cursory sentences mentioning someone's ``parties on yachts'' or ``homes from Manhattan to Malibu''). Those familiar with the industry will know much of what the series reports, but for them it represents painless viewing - and for everyone else it represents a nice starting point Noun 1. starting point - earliest limiting point terminus a quo commencement, get-go, offset, outset, showtime, starting time, beginning, start, kickoff, first - the time at which something is supposed to begin; "they got an early start"; "she knew from the for understanding how scripted entertainment on television has evolved. Divided roughly by decades - with the '70s meriting two episodes, one exploring the quality showrunners (Grant Tinker Grant A. Tinker (born January 11, 1925) is the former chairman and CEO of NBC from 1981 to 1986, co-founder of MTM Enterprises, and television producer. Tinker is the former husband of television actress, Mary Tyler Moore and also known as "the man who saved NBC". , Norman Lear Norman Milton Lear (born July 27 1922 in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American television writer and producer who produced such popular sitcoms as All in the Family, Sanford and Son, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Good Times and ) and the other focusing on kitschier programming (Aaron Spelling, etc.) - ``TV Land Moguls'' emphasizes the innovations each producer brought to the medium. Tonight's episode on the '50s examines Desi Arnaz Desi Arnaz (born Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y de Acha III) (March 2, 1917 – December 2, 1986) was a Cuban musician, actor, comedian and television producer. Early life Desi Arnaz was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba's second largest city, to a wealthy family. (who, famously, essentially invented the three- or four-camera sitcom) and Lucille Ball; and Danny Thomas and Sheldon Leonard - ``the nightclub comic and the movie mobster'' - whose creations really took off in the '60s (Dick Van Dyke  This page is protected from moves until disputes have been resolved on the .The reason for its protection is listed on the protection policy page. and Andy Griffith's legendary shows, ``I Spy'' and so on). Next week's episode relates the sagas of Jack Webb
John Randolph "Jack" Webb (April 2 1920 – December 23 1982) was an American actor, television producer, director and writer who is most famous for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the - who comes in for more subtle editorial ribbing than anyone else covered in the series - and Quinn Martin (``The Fugitive,'' ``The Streets of San Francisco''). It also celebrates the guys who dumbed-down the sitcom: Sherwood Schwartz and Paul Henning, with the latter's ``Beverly Hillbillies'' remarkably described as ``part Steinbeck and part absurdity'' - hyperbole that might give Donald Trump pause. Episode three follows Tinker and Lear as they try to wrest wrest tr.v. wrest·ed, wrest·ing, wrests 1. To obtain by or as if by pulling with violent twisting movements: wrested the book out of his hands; wrested the islands from the settlers. sitcoms from the realm of idiocy IDIOCY, med. jur. That condition of mind, in which the reflective, or all or a part of the affective powers, are either entirely wanting, or are manifested to the least possible extent. 2. Idiocy generally depends upon organic defects. and fantasy and reinfuse them with intelligence. As the series progresses, however, and begins to rely on its own interviews and access to showrunners rather than archival footage, ``TV Land Moguls'' becomes a little capricious in who it chooses to highlight (apparently, anyone who agreed to a sit-down) and more than a little fawning fawn 1 intr.v. fawned, fawn·ing, fawns 1. To exhibit affection or attempt to please, as a dog does by wagging its tail, whining, or cringing. 2. - everyone becomes a genius and a maverick. In addition to the obvious selections - Marcy Carsey and Tom Werner, Stephen Bochco, David E. Kelley and Dick Wolf - there are some curious inclusions. Steve Cannell is a decent guy with a hit-and-miss resume (``The A Team,'' ``Wiseguy''), but his only innovation was in beginning the runaway production boom to Vancouver, yet he's declared to be representative of '80s TV. And Rob Burnett, David Letterman's right-hand man and creator of the modest and recently canceled ``Ed,'' gets it exactly right when he says, ``If you're using me as a mogul, clearly, you're running out of moguls.'' Meanwhile, not a peep about John Wells (``ER,'' ``The West Wing,'' ``Third Watch''). Or, say, Dan Curtis (``Dark Shadows'' and many major miniseries); or John Meston (``Gunsmoke,'' ``Hec Ramsey''); or William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, who defined TV animation for a couple of decades; or Matt Groening, who defines it today; or David Crane and Marta Kaufman, creators of ``Friends.'' Or even Barry Fanaro and Mort Nathan, creators of ``The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer'' and ``Platypus platypus (plăt`əpəs), semiaquatic egg-laying mammal, Ornithorhynchus anatinus, of Tasmania and E Australia. Also called duckbill, or duckbilled platypus, it belongs to the order Monotremata (see monotreme), the most primitive group Man.'' OK, scratch that last one. David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke(at)dailynews.com TV LAND MOGULS - Three stars What: Six-part documentary series on TV's most influential producers. Where: TV Land. When: 9 tonight. In a nutshell: TV 101, briskly and efficiently explained. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Joey Bishop, left, Dick Van Dyke, Sheldon Leonard, Danny Thomas and Andy Griffith fill a room with TV talent. ``TV Land Moguls'' explores the way producers, including Leonard and Thomas, have shaped the medium from the '50s to the present day. |
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