1. FANTASY ISLAND-1977-1984
Za Plane! Za Plane! Good ole Herve climbed the stairs to ring that bell that the plane was coming with passengers eager to embark on their fantasy. The mysterious Mr. Roarke(played by the elegant Ricardo Montalban) would have Tattoo beside him and the gals and guys eager to help the passengers off the plane. Mr. Roarke would greet them with champagne and welcome them to Fantasy Island. Some of the fantasies involved time travel while others trekked through jungles, deserts or towns. Their fantasies never ended the way the guests thought it would end but they felt richer for it. Some fantasies were dramas but others were comical. . Charo, Florence Henderson, Barbi Benton were some who often came to the island but you also had some famous old stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood make an appearance like Lew Ayres, Ralph Bellamy and Yvonne DeCarlo. I watched this every week and enjoyed it even though T & A would pop up after every commercial break (usually bikini bods running).
2. THE LOVE BOAT-1977-1987
I had no idea this show was on for 10 seasons and I would love to watch these shows all over again. The show took place on a cruise ship headed by Captain Stubing, played by Gavin McLeod. You had the Cruise Director, Julie; the Purcer, Gopher; The Doctor, Doc and the Bartender, Isaac. They all had their own unique personalities with the Doctor playing a lech but still a nice guy, Isaac the Bartender being very cool especially with that moustache, the cruise director being sweet( until she left the ship for love but, in reality the actress, Lauren Tewes had a major coke habit and had to go), and Gopher being, well Gopher. You had guests come board, usually there were 3 story lines, one or 2 comical and the other more drama oriented. Florence Henderson appeared the most times on this show as well as Charo. The Love Boat was known to get some great film stars from the Golden Age like Ginger Rogers, Don Ameche and even Greer Garson! This is the first show to actually film in China! Yes...this show!! I remember watching this episode seeing the actors at the Great Wall Of China but they also traveled to Australia and other places than just Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco. Oh, after commercial break, the camera always zoomed on some gals tatas or ass as they got out of the pool and walked to the main characters.
3. FLYING HIGH-1978-1979
I actually watched this jiggle show where 3 very attractive stewardesses travelled getting into all sorts of antics. They would often spar, in a nice way, with the bumbling captain( yikes...he steered the plane!) while dealing with their passengers and their complicated romantic lives. The biggest star is the beautiful Connie Selleca but it was not that great a show. I watched it because they travelled around although mainly in the States. Again, just like Charlie's Angels, these women were friends with various IQs and bra sizes.
Which 3 come to your mind? Oh, since I am an SCTV fan, I can't help myself...
By the way, 30 years ago today I was hired as a Credit Counsellor!
I never heard of Flying High but I did watch the other two shows on occasion. Only one I could think of ws the remake of MacGyver which had them all over working their magic.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the anniversary. Most folks don't stay that long in one job anymore.
Thanks for congrats and yes, most people are not at work that long but we stay put..many of us. MacGyver is a great choice.
DeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteHow are you today, dear friend? I like your picks for scripted globetrotting TV series. I was a regular viewer of Fantasy Island and The Love Boat, two series that featured revolving casts, a mix of up-and-coming new stars and aging veterans eager to revive their careers. (Did you know that I was once married to Barbi Benton, who dumped Hef for me?... and THRICE married to Spanish fireball Charo, who left Cugie for me? True stories!) During the height of Fantasy Island's popularity, people everywhere were heard exclaiming "Ze plane, boss, ze plane!" as they imitated Roarke's assistant Tattoo. Sadly, Hervé Villechaize led a short and painful life and shot himself to death at the age of 50.
On The Love Boat, I was enamored of Julie - Lauren Tewes. I read that she beat her coke habit (by switching to Dr Pepper?) and returned to the cast in a later episode and appeared in Love Boat TV movies. Lauren will soon be age 68, can you believe?
I didn't watch Flying High, but remember "it girl" Connie Sellecca, a familiar face on the small screen in the 70s and 80s. I watched her series Hotel. Connie just turned age 66 two days ago.
During its long run, the sitcom Modern Family aired episodes that were filmed in Hawaii, Australia and Paris. Another one of my favorite TV shows of recent years, the period drama Pan Am, set at the dawn of the Jet Age, was naturally loaded with scenes of world travel.
Happy 30 year anniversary of becoming a Credit Counsellor! Speaking of anniversaries, just a reminder that this is a very important week on the Shady Dell calendar. You are invited to pay respects on my blog to Margaret Schneider who died four years ago this week. Thank you!
Enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend BB!
Herve was a talented artist and such a shame that he did not get the right recognition mainly because of his size. Yes, Lauren is much healthier now and had quite the road but she turned out ok I think. I think a lot of the old actors who appeared on these shows just wanted to work and not be forgotten. They didn’t want to become ultra famous again but just work. I didn’t watch Pan Am but wanted to and I bet it was good because it didn’t last. Well, who knew you were with 2 smoking hot babes. charo is a world class guitarist which you could showcase on your blog. Your Margaret is forever young.
DeleteThe only one of these I'm vaguely familiar with is The Love Boat. You stumped me this week!
ReplyDeleteGlad your husband had a good birthday.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid, I watched those first two all the time.
I enjoy travel documentaries and watch a lot of them. I could name off a lot of those. But...
ReplyDeleteYou picked some good ones and that helped me come up with my some of my own that I used to watch.
Route 66 was an excellent slice of America on the road. Likewise, The Fugitive certainly made his rounds of the country. I'm not coming up with any international travel shows other than maybe Time Tunnel where they traveled through time and went to places throughout the world. Funny how they always managed to pop into some major event.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
I thought you were going for a tie in for all three with Florence Henderson but I checked and Mrs. Brady never guested on Flying High....but Charo did!
ReplyDeleteI recall Flying High vaguely, I may or may not have seen an episode but it looks like it was gone pretty quickly. After looking at that guest list (Eve Arden!, Kaye Ballard!, Jim Backus!, Pat Carroll and on and on!!) I'd like to give it a peek now!
I watched neither on the regular but I've seen plenty of both Fantasy Island and Love Boat (which reruns here several times a day). They were pleasant if ridiculous time-passers.
This one was a challenge but being an inveterate TV watcher when I was a kid I remembered three I just loved then. Sadly none get shown frequently now.
It Takes a Thief (1968-1970)-Master cat burglar Alexander Mundy (Robert Wagner) is granted his release from prison on the proviso that he work with the US government using his particular skills to obtain sensitive info that they need to keep the world safe. Under the direction of agent Noah Bain (Malachi Thorne) who explains “Look Al, I’m not asking you to spy, I’m just asking you to steal!” Mundy jetted around the world to exotic locales on various jobs sometimes accompanied by his elegant thief of a father Alistair (Fred Astaire).
The Persuaders! (1971-1972)-After coming to blows in a bar fight fantastically rich globetrotting playboys English Lord Brett Sinclair (Roger Moore) and American Danny Wilde (Tony Curtis) are prevailed upon by the presiding judge to team up to use their distinctive expertise to solve crimes that have baffled the police. At first reluctant they soon become fast friends and adroit crime stoppers in far-flung spots around the world. The series only lasted a year because Moore departed to become the new James Bond.
Run for Your Life (1965-1968)-When attorney Paul Bryan (Ben Gazzara) is told by his doctor he has a terminal disease and will die within nine to eighteen months he decides he has a whole lot of livin’ to do and hits the road. Week after week Paul heads to a new place and new adventures as a man constantly on the move.
The first two had a good long wrong didn't they?
ReplyDeleteThirty years. Wow.
Hope you're having a pain free day.
Oh man, that takes me back. That was my Saturday night right there, Love Boat followed by Fantasy Island. I'm rather afraid to revisit those shows, though. I was a kid, and I imagine the shows haven't aged well.
ReplyDeleteYou did know that Gopher ended up in Congress, right?
I'm a tv addict, but have never seen any of these, although I have heard of the first two. I also thought of MacGyver, but I was thinking of the original, which shows on an oldie channel daily. He headed mainly to the middle east and Russia, which were hot spots in the 80s.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with any of these.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm glad your hubby had a great birthday.
Hi Birgit, Fantasy Island and The Love Boat I do remember. Loved Ricardo Montalban, he was gorgeous lol, Kate x
ReplyDeleteWell, first of all congratulations on your work anniversary (I am assuming I am right on this based on your last line, haha). I haven't seen any of these (I often say that I was born in the wrong era) but they seem quite interesting. Perhaps I'd give the love boat a shot this weekend! Anyways, thanks for these recommendations and have a great weekend ahead!
ReplyDeleteOoooh, I have heard about The Love Boat, but I haven't seen any of the shows you mentioned. 😅
ReplyDeleteI've never seen the original Love Boat, only the late 1990s revival.
ReplyDelete