I thought he could be funny at times, and he was the guest star in the only episode of the little seen show ‘Turn On’ but it apparently contradicted his generally conservative approach comedy.
That said though, what was that Dorf thing all about? How was that even remotely funny?
I also hated it. I was not a fan of Conway in general, but I suppose I was in a small minority.
OK, Adam, you have officially scaled the Heights of Obscurity. How did you ever hear of this? It sounds like the story of the show would make a better show than the show, if that makes any sense.
BTW, to look it up on the IMDB, you have to type it as Turn-On, with the hyphen.
Yes, it totally makes sense, the show these days is one of those ‘famous for being famous.’ (Not that it’s famous) It’s in a 1980 book called “The Worst TV Shows Ever” by Bart Andrews. My brother bought it and I later took it from him.
However, as you likely read, the show also has many defenders who argue it was ahead of its time in terms of aspects of its production techniques many of which have been used in music videos especially.
In addition to being famous for being famous, it’s virtually impossible to find. I’ve never seen it, which is why I wrote that it ‘apparently’ contradicted Tim Conway’s comedic nature.
I have something of an interest in it because I’d like to judge for myself whether it’s actually bad or was just ahead of its time.
I agree. At the very least a full length documentary or docu-drama should be made about the show.
Just to add: the show really was cancelled before it even aired as several stations on the west coast wouldn’t air it.
However, while Turn-On was the first show to be cancelled after just one episode, for a while in the 1990s it seemed like there was at least one show a season that was cancelled after just one episode. I can’t remember the names of any of them, but the networks were very quick to cancel a series for a few years.
Technically I suppose the Jackie Gleason celebrity game show “You’re in the Picture” was also cancelled after one airing in that, in the second episode. Jackie Gleason apologized for the first episode and the show was then renamed The Jackie Gleason Show with an interview format. I have seen that and I didn’t think it was that bad as it had a certain charm to it, but its pacing was slow. (In a way I suppose Turn-On was cancelled for having a too fast pacing.) Pat Harrington who some may remember for being the apartment super (Schneider) in the original “One Day at a Time” was one of the panelists and I thought he was quite funny.
This show is also in Bart Andrews’ book and he mentions that Gleason’s apology without throwing any of the panelists or the production people under the bus cemented Gleason’s standing as a classy person.
I thought he could be funny at times, and he was the guest star in the only episode of the little seen show ‘Turn On’ but it apparently contradicted his generally conservative approach comedy.
That said though, what was that Dorf thing all about? How was that even remotely funny?
I also hated it. I was not a fan of Conway in general, but I suppose I was in a small minority.
OK, Adam, you have officially scaled the Heights of Obscurity. How did you ever hear of this? It sounds like the story of the show would make a better show than the show, if that makes any sense.
BTW, to look it up on the IMDB, you have to type it as Turn-On, with the hyphen.
Yes, it totally makes sense, the show these days is one of those ‘famous for being famous.’ (Not that it’s famous) It’s in a 1980 book called “The Worst TV Shows Ever” by Bart Andrews. My brother bought it and I later took it from him.
However, as you likely read, the show also has many defenders who argue it was ahead of its time in terms of aspects of its production techniques many of which have been used in music videos especially.
In addition to being famous for being famous, it’s virtually impossible to find. I’ve never seen it, which is why I wrote that it ‘apparently’ contradicted Tim Conway’s comedic nature.
I have something of an interest in it because I’d like to judge for myself whether it’s actually bad or was just ahead of its time.
I agree. At the very least a full length documentary or docu-drama should be made about the show.
Just to add: the show really was cancelled before it even aired as several stations on the west coast wouldn’t air it.
However, while Turn-On was the first show to be cancelled after just one episode, for a while in the 1990s it seemed like there was at least one show a season that was cancelled after just one episode. I can’t remember the names of any of them, but the networks were very quick to cancel a series for a few years.
Technically I suppose the Jackie Gleason celebrity game show “You’re in the Picture” was also cancelled after one airing in that, in the second episode. Jackie Gleason apologized for the first episode and the show was then renamed The Jackie Gleason Show with an interview format. I have seen that and I didn’t think it was that bad as it had a certain charm to it, but its pacing was slow. (In a way I suppose Turn-On was cancelled for having a too fast pacing.) Pat Harrington who some may remember for being the apartment super (Schneider) in the original “One Day at a Time” was one of the panelists and I thought he was quite funny.
This show is also in Bart Andrews’ book and he mentions that Gleason’s apology without throwing any of the panelists or the production people under the bus cemented Gleason’s standing as a classy person.