Tuned In: MeTV Shuffles Morning Lineup, New Diginet Launches October 31

News and notes from the world of classic TV…

  • Classic TV diginet MeTV is switching up their morning schedule, expanding their sitcom block to four hours beginning Monday October 26. The new schedule (all times Eastern) leads off at 5AM with Gomer Pyle USMC, followed by The Donna Reed Show, My Three Sons, I Love Lucy, The Brady Bunch and Petticoat Junction. The comedy block wraps with back-to-back episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies from 8-9AM. The Abbott and Costello Show, Daniel Boone and Family Affair are leaving the MeTV lineup.
  • A comet is coming on Halloween! Comet is the name of a new sci-fi themed digital broadcast network from MGM and Sinclair Television Group. It will feature a mix of series (Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot,The Outer Limits, Stargate: SG-1) and movies. Among the charter affiliates are KDOC 56.8 Los Angeles, WOCH 41.2 Chicago, KCNS 38.4 San Francisco and WMFP 632.4 Boston. For a complete affiliate list and program schedule, visit the Comet website

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Rest In Peace, Classic TV Friends

The list of classic TV contributors who have passed away in 2015 continues to grow. In the past few months, we have said goodbye to:

  • Producer Merv Adelson, co-founder of Lorimar Television (Dallas, Eight Is Enough, Knot’s Landing, The Waltons)
  • Composer Van Alexander, who worked on the music for such classic series as Bewitched, Dennis The Menace, The Farmer’s Daughter, Hazel and I Dream of Jeannie
  • British actress Judy Carne, best known for her work on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In (Sock it to me!)
  • Actor George Coe, who appeared on daytime dramas The Doctors and Somerset. He was also an original cast member of Saturday Night Live and most recently the voice of Woodhouse on the animated series Archer
  • Actor John Connell, who worked on such early television shows as Danger, Mister Peepers and Studio One. He starred in the daytime drama Young Dr. Malone and later appeared on the classic gothic serial Dark Shadows
  • Child actor Kevin Corcoran, who appeared in a number of Mickey Mouse Club serials like Spin and Marty. He also worked in a number of movies including Old Yeller and The Shaggy Dog
  • Actress Yvonne Craig, forever known to classic TV fans as Barbara Gordon (a.k.a Batgirl) on the 1960s superhero series Batman
  • Child actress Jean Darling, one of the original cast of Our Gang (The Little Rascals) film shorts
  • Football player-turned-commentator Frank Gifford, best known as the long-time voice of ABC’s Monday Night Football
  • Television executive Peter Grad, who served as president of MTM Studios and helped develop such series as The Fall Guy, L.A. Law and Mr. Belvedere
  • Actor-turned-educator Bruce Hyde, who portrayed Lt. Kevin Riley in the original Star Trek
  • Actor-comedian Marty Ingels (I’m Dickens He’s Fenster), the long-time spouse of actress Shirley Jones
  • Writer Ray Jessel, who penned episodes of 1970s classics The Bob Newhart Show, The Carol Burnett Show and The Love Boat
  • Actor Dean Jones, who appeared on classic TV series like Bonanza, Burke’s Law and Ensign O’Toole. He is best known for his work on Disney films including That Darn Cat and Herbie The Love Bug. The latter spawned a short-lived 1982 TV series
  • Actor Jack Larson, photographer-cub reporter Jimmy Olsen on The Adventures of Superman
  • Film actress Joan Leslie, who later guested on television series like Branded, Charlie’s Angels, The Incredible Hulk and Studio 57
  • Television executive Howard Lipstone, who teamed with partner Alan Landsburg to produce such series as In Search Of…, That’s Incredible!, Gimme A Break! and Kate and Allie
  • Actress-writer Peg Lynch, who wrote and starred in the long-running radio and TV sitcom Ethel and Albert
  • Actor Martin Milner, best known for his starring roles on Route 66 (Tod Stiles) and Adam-12 (Officer Pete Malloy)
  • Actress Melody Patterson, Wrangler Jane on the classic 1960s sitcom F-Troop
  • Actor Alex Rocco, who guested on numerous classic series including Batman, Cannon, The Mary Tyler Moore Show and Starsky & Hutch. He is perhaps best remembered for his big-screen role as Moe Greene in The Godfather
  • Welsh actor Roger Rees, known for his portrayal of tycoon Robin Colcord on Cheers
  • Producer-director Lela Swift (Dark Shadows, Ryan’s Hope)
  • Actress-singer Pat Woodell, the original Bobbie Jo Bradley on the 1960s sitcom Petticoat Junction. She left after two seasons and was replaced by Lori Saunders
  • Producer Bud Yorkin, who partnered with Norman Lear on classic 1970s sitcoms All In The Family, The Jeffersons, Maude, and Sanford and Son. Lear and Yorkin first worked together on 1950s variety series The Colgate Comedy Hour and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show