The Carol Burnett Show

In the 1960's, Carol Burnett was a hot commodity and as a result, she was eagerly signed by CBS to a ten year contract. Ms. Burnett, as part of the contract, was required to do two guest starring roles per year on CBS shows. Additionally, she could force CBS to create a variety show for her in the first five years of the contract.

Literally days before the conclusion of the five year option, Carol decided to pull the trigger and asked CBS for her variety show. The network balked and tried to talk her into doing a sitcom. She insisted on the contractually agreed upon variety show and CBS reluctantly agreed. Despite CBS' reluctance, the show went on to run 11 seasons and became a classic television show.

The First Ronald McDonald

The character of Ronald McDonald has been putting smiles on kids faces for decades, but did you know that the very first Ronald McDonald would later become very famous? Here's how he looked way back when:

That side-splitting clown was none other than ex-Today Show weatherman Willard Scott, who actually created the character for McDonald's. 

You Might Remember Him From Such Films As....

Dial M for Murderousness 

The Electric Gigolo 

The Erotic Adventures of Hercules 

Give My Remains to Broadway 

Gladys the Groovy Mule

Good-Time Slim, Uncle Doobie, and the Great 'Frisco Freak-Out' 

The Greatest Story Ever Hulaed

Here Comes the Coast Guard

Crazy Concepts- Manimal

In 1983, NBC introduced Manimal, a show that featured a man who could change into any animal he wished. Crippled by fake looking effects, a ridiculous concept and airing on the third place network, Manimal didn't last long and was canceled after just a few months.

TV Quote Weekends

“Push her down son.”

-Homer Simpson, commanding Bart to push down Marge so that the family can get out of doing chores.

TV Quote Weekends

“Wow. That guy makes Speedy Gonzalez look like Regular Gonzalez.”

-Phillip J. Fry from Futurama

Famous Relatives

Dateline NBC's comically ghoulish murder correspondent Keith Morrison:

Is the stepfather of former Friends star Matthew Perry:

GLOW: The Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling

Imagine you own various enterprises that include a Las Vegas casino and a cosmetics company. How could you promote them both at the same time? If you're Meshulam Riklis, you start up a league of eccentric women wrestlers. Originally conceived as an infomercial for the Riviera Casino and Faberge Hair Care products, G.L.O.W - the Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling- hit late night airwaves, often airing after Saturday Night Live. Many people, most of them nursing the beginnings of hangovers, happened upon the show with its garish costumes, lively skits and crazy story lines. The show soon took on a life of its own.

Despite beginning life as a loss leading advertisement, GLOW soon became a hit on its own. "Mount Fuji", "Ninotchka" and "California Doll" became recognizable and would get mobbed at personal appearances. Mr. Riklis soon found these gorgeous ladies were huge money makers. It looked like these ladies would be wrestling for years to come, but their biggest foe was actually Mr. Riklis' wife, Pia Zadora. Ms. Zadora was threatened by these gorgeous wrestlers and gave her husband an ultimatum; them or me. Mr. Riklis cancelled the show during their offseason, which meant that the cast was sadly unable to say goodbye.

You Might Remember Him From Such Films As....

The Boatjacking of Supership '79 ...

... Calling All Quakers ...

... The Contrabulous Fabtraption of Professor Horatio Hufnagel ...

... Cry Yuma ...

... David versus Super Goliath

Same Show, Different Character: Ted McGinley

Ted McGinley is known for his role as Jefferson D'Arcy, Marcy Rhodes' second husband on Married... With Children but he originally appeared on the show as a different character....

He played Peggy's husband in an alternate world where Al Bundy never existed. Despite the fact that everyone was better off without him, Al chooses to return to the land of the living. After all, he figures that if they made his life miserable, why shouldn't he make theirs a living hell?

Murder They Wrote

In 1980, Angela Lansbury starred as Agatha Christie's snooping sleuth Miss Marple. The movie was only a modest success, but it sparked CBS into thinking a weekly series starring Ms. Lansbury as Miss Marple might be a good idea.

However, negotiations with Agatha Christie's estate proved difficult and the costs prohibitive. Failure? Not really. Make the leading character a mystery writer, change her name to Jessica Fletcher and move her from the U.K. to Cabot Cove, Maine. Voila! CBS had a hit show without the costly licensing fees. Murder, She Wrote ran for twelve seasons.

The Famous Mr. Ed

Mr. Ed was quite an amazing horse. He also had an amazing television show. Even more amazing? It was the first and one of the only television shows that went from first run syndication to network TV. 

Mrs. Olson for Folgers Coffee

Persons of a certain age might remember an era before every town had four Starbucks that many people brewed their own coffee at home. And chances are the coffee they brewed was Folgers Coffee, which was endorsed by the matronly "Mrs. Olson".

Played by the veteran actress Virginia Christine, Mrs. Olson never turned down an opportunity to recommend Folgers Coffee to anyone. From 1965 until 1986, she appeared in over 100 commercials, becoming a pop culture icon. In fact, she was so well known that her home town still honors her to this day with a water tower painted to look like a teakettle. (Either that or there really isn't much going on in Stanton, Iowa.)

Virginia Christine passed away in 1996, having been retired from show business for many years.