Think of The Westdale as a time machine as
we go back 50 and 60 years to how TV shows were introduced to viewers in two
rare, Fall Preview promotional films that will be screened on 16mm film!
Have We Got a Fall for You looks at
what may be the best crop of rookie shows ever launched by one network. Among
the winners launched in the fall of 1972 by CBS were M*A*S*H, Maude, The
Waltons and The Bob Newhart Show. Among the misses: short-lived
series from Bill Cosby, Yul Brenner and Sandy Duncan. One other series that
should have been a hit: Bridget Loves Bernie was tucked behind No. 1 hit All in
the Family. It remains the highest-rated TV series ever cancelled after just
one season.
The second film goes back ever farther.
CBS The Stars’ Address features an earlier generation of veteran
stars who introduce shows from each night of the week. Lucille Ball, Jack
Benny, Clint Eastwood (from the western “Rawhide”), Alfred Hitchcock, Phil
Silvers and Ed Sullivan are featured in the film, as are CBS’s biggest stars at
the time, The Beverly Hillbillies. Walter Cronkite also discusses CBS’ plans to
expand the nightly newscast from 15 minutes to a full half hour. Two months
later, he’d be reporting on the assassination of President John F.
Kennedy.
Bill Brioux, who has covered
television for 40 years for The Canadian Press, The Toronto Sun, TV Guide and
others, explains what happened to Bridget and Bernie and puts the whole season
in perspective in a Q&A session as part of the screening.
There will be retro trivia with prizes from
Paramount Plus and Super Channel!