TV Time Capsule

‘Larry King Live:’ The Great NAFTA Debate

On November 9, 1993, Vice President Al Gore and Ross Perot debated the North American Free Trade Agreement on CNN’s “Larry King Live.”

NAFTA was one of President Clinton’s first-year priorities. Perot – who won 19 percent of the popular vote during the 1992 election – hoped to derail the pact, predicting it would hurt workers.

During the debate, Gore was unflappable; Perot, rude (“Quit talking!”).

Their performance shaped popular opinion on an issue that – despite its esotericism – captured the public’s imagination: The 90-minute debate was seen in 11.2 million homes, giving King his largest-ever audience.

Congress approved NAFTA the following week.

See for yourself: Highlights from the Gore-Perot debate are included in the “Larry King Live: The Greatest Interviews” DVD set.

 

On TV

Here’s the prime-time lineup for Tuesday, November 9, 1993:

8: “Full House” (ABC), “Rescue 911” (CBS), “Roc” (Fox), “Victim of Love” (NBC)

8:30: “Phenom” (ABC), “Die Hard 2” (CBS), “Bakersfield P.D.” (Fox)

9: “Roseanne” (ABC), “America’s Most Wanted” (Fox)

9:30: “Coach” (ABC)

10: “Barbara Walters Special” (ABC), “Dateline NBC”

 

The Record

For the week of November 7, 1993:

Top novel: “The Bridges of Madison County” by Robert James Waller

Top song: “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” by Meat Loaf

Top movie: “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

Top TV show: “60 Minutes” (CBS)

In the news: My health reform plan is best!

 

 

Captions: On November 9, 1993, Vice President Al Gore and diminutive Texas billionaire Ross Perot debated NAFTA on CNN’s “Larry King Live.”

‘Sinatra’ Swings

On November 8, 1992, CBS aired “Sinatra,” a two-part TV movie that chronicled Francis Albert Sinatra’s turbulent career and personal life.

The film depicted the crooner’s scrappy New Jersey youth; his early success in the big-band era; his comeback as an Oscar-winning actor; and his boozing and womanizing.

Critics gave “Sinatra” mixed reviews; USA Today’s Matt Roush called it “a great soundtrack that keeps being interrupted by a pesky movie.”

Star Philip Casnoff received universal raves: the Associated Press’s Scott Williams praised him for radiating Sinatra’s essence “so intensely … that their passing physical resemblance suddenly becomes uncanny.”

Casnoff’s costars included Olympia Dukakis as Sinatra’s mother Dolly, Gina Gershon as his first wife Nancy and Marcia Gay Harden as Ava Gardner, his second.

The first installment was seen in 16.5 million homes, ranking third in the weekly ratings; two nights later, part two drew 16 million homes, ranking eighth.

“Sinatra” won a Golden Globe for best TV movie and Emmys for direction and costume design.

See for yourself: “Sinatra” is on DVD.

 

On TV

Here’s the prime-time lineup for Sunday, November 8, 1992:

7: “Life Goes On” (ABC), “60 Minutes” (CBS), “Great Scott!” (Fox), “Secret Service” (NBC)

7:30: “The Ben Stiller Show” (Fox)

8: “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (ABC), “Sinatra, Part 1” (CBS), “In Living Color” (Fox) 

8:30: “America’s Funniest People” (ABC), “Roc” (Fox)

9: “Willing to Kill: The Texas Cheerleader Story” (ABC), “Married … With Children” (Fox) “The Hard Way” (NBC)

9:30: “Herman’s Head” (Fox)

10: “Flying Blind” (Fox)

10:30: “Woops!” (Fox)

 

The Record

For the week of November 8, 1992:

Top novel: “The Tale of the Body Thief” by Anne Rice

Top song: “End of the Road” by Boyz II Men

Top movie: “Passenger 57”

Top TV show: “60 Minutes” (CBS)

In the news: The president-elect rested 

 

 

 

 

Captions: Frank Sinatra in “The Tender Trap” and Philip Casnoff as Frank Sinatra on  TV Guide’s November 7, 1992, cover (top; Sinatra by Doc/Stills/Retna, Casnoff by Albert Sanchez); Casnoff in a CBS publicity still from that issue (middle, photo by Tony Esparza); and the network’s TV Guide advertisements for “Sinatra.”

‘I Dream of Jeannie,’ Uncorked Again (And Again)

On October 20, 1985, Barbara Eden reprised her most famous role in “I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later,” an NBC TV movie based on the network’s 1965-70 sitcom “I Dream of Jeannie.”

The flick finds Jeannie’s marriage to astronaut Tony Nelson being tested: When he postpones his retirement to go on one last mission, she takes their teenage son T.J. and moves out.

“Dallas” star Larry Hagman, who played Tony in the original “Jeannie” sitcom, reportedly wanted too much money to appear in the movie, so producers replaced him with “M*A*S*H’s” Wayne Rogers.

Two of Eden and Hagman’s original co-stars did return: Bill Dailey reprised his role as Tony’s best friend and fellow astronaut Roger Healey, while Hayden Rorke – in his final performance – again played NASA psychiatrist Alfred Bellows.

Mackenzie Astin, son of ’60s sitcom stars John Astin and Patty Duke, played T.J.

“I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later” is notable for featuring the first on-screen appearance of Eden’s navel, which NBC wasn’t allowed to show in the ’60s.

That probably helped the movie draw an impressive 18.4 million homes, making it the week’s 11th most-watched broadcast.

Exactly six years later – on October 20, 1991 – NBC aired a second reunion movie: “I Still Dream of Jeannie.”

This time, Tony was away on a top-secret mission, forcing Jeannie to hit singles bars in search of a new temporary master.

Daily again played Roger, Christopher Bolton portrayed Tony Jr. and Hagman’s “Dallas” nemesis Ken Kercheval appeared as one of Jeannie’s suitors.

“I Still Dream of Jeannie” was seen in 11 million homes, finishing 39th in the weekly ratings.

 

On TV

Here’s the prime-time lineup for Sunday, October 20, 1985:

7: World Series, Game 2 (ABC), “60 Minutes” (CBS), “Punky Brewster” (NBC)

7:30: “Silver Spoons” (NBC)

8: “Murder, She Wrote” (CBS), “Amazing Stories” (NBC)

8:30: “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” (NBC)

9: “Crazy Like a Fox” (CBS), “I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later” (NBC)

10: “MacGyver” (ABC), “Trapper John, M.D.” (CBS)

 … And the lineup for Sunday, October 20, 1991:

7: “Life Goes On” (ABC), “60 Minutes” (CBS), “True Colors”(Fox), “Adventures of Mark & Brian” (NBC)

7:30: “Parker Lewis Can’t Lose” (Fox), “Eerie, Indiana” (NBC)

8: “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (ABC), World Series, Game 2 (CBS), “In Living Color” (Fox), “Man of the People” (NBC)

8:30: “America’s Funniest People” (ABC), “Roc” (Fox), “Pacific Station” (NBC)

9: “Dynasty: The Reunion, Part 1” (ABC), “Married … With Children” (Fox), “I Still Dream of Jeannie” (NBC)

9:30: “Herman’s Head” (Fox)

 

The Record

For the week of October 20, 1985:

Top novel: “Texas” by James A. Michener

Top song: “Take On Me” by a-ha

Top movie: “Commando”

Top TV show: “The Cosby Show” (NBC)

In the news: President Reagan touted the proposed “Star Wars” missile defense system

… And the week of October 20, 1991:

Top novel: “Scarlett” by Alexandra Ripley

Top song: “Emotions” by Mariah Carey

Top movie: “Other People’s Money”

Top TV show: World Series, Game 6 (CBS)

In the news: Bill Clinton sought the Democratic presidential nomination

 

Caption: NBC’s advertisements for “I Dream of Jeannie: 15 Years Later” from TV Guide’s October 19, 1985, issue, and “I Still Dream of Jeannie” from the magazine’s October 19, 1991, edition.

Sunday, March 14, 1993

CBS aired “Men Don’t Tell,” a TV movie about domestic violence starring Peter Strauss and Judith Light, 17 years ago tonight.

The twist: Strauss’s character, construction executive Ed MacAffrey, was abused by his wife Laura, played by Light.

“The most sobering point about ‘Men Don’t Tell’ is that we go into the story conditioned to make jokes about wives hurling rolling pins at their husbands and then starkly witness how unfunny and terrifying it really is,” the Los Angeles Times’ Ray Loynd wrote.

He continued:

Light’s vicious, insecure wife is a harrowing portrait, although ultimately, to the actress's credit, touched with sympathy. Her bleak image in the movie’s last scene is shattering under the fine direction of Harry Viner. And Strauss’ pummeled husband – whose wife flails him with sudden, sharp fists that are so realistic they make you flinch – is a study of a warmly masculine man who is no wimp but no wife hitter either.

USA Today’s Matt Roush called the film “violent, unsettling and sympathetically acted,” while the New York Times’ John J. O’Connor praised the leads for their “searing” performances.

The Washington Post’s Tom Shales liked “Men Don’t Tell,” too, praising Light as “superb at bringing out the pathos as well as the hostility in this character.”

(Unfortunately, Shales’ review also included this tacky note: “[O]ne may wish for Light that her costar had been her old ‘Who’s the Boss?’ partner, Tony Danza, who deserves a few good whacks for the way he hammed it up on that awful show.” Shales also suggested that a version of “Men Don’t Tell” starring David Letterman and Sandra Bernhard would also be “tantalizing,” adding that he “shouldn’t joke” about spousal abuse.)

“Men Don’t Tell” was seen in 18.3 million homes, ranking third among the week’s prime time broadcast, behind ABC’s “Home Improvement” and CBS’s “60 Minutes.”

           

Elsewhere on Television

TV Guide listings for March 14, 1993:

8 PM FOX IN LIVING COLOR (CC)

Scheduled: David Alan Grier introduces one of the “Great Moments in Black History” in music; and plays Rev. Al Sharpton on a hunger strike. Tommy Davidson, James Carrey.

8:30 FOX ROC (CC)

Eleanor (Ella Joyce) fears the romance has left her marriage, but when Roc (Charles E. Dutton) tries to put it back in, everything backfires. Andrew: Carl Gordon. (Live)

 

For the Record

Also on March 14, 1993:

Snow’s “Informer” rules the music chart. The alien-abduction film “Fire in the Sky” is the week’s top film at the box office. Robert James Waller’s “The Bridges of Madison County” continues its long run at the top of the best sellers’ list. And the monstrous Blizzard of ’93 is blamed 33 deaths, cutting power to 2.5 million homes, forcing thousands to evacuate flooded shores, closing many airports and roads and virtually shutting down normal life in the eastern United States.

Sunday, Dec. 13, 1992

Seventeen years ago tonight, ABC aired “Charles and Diana: Unhappily Ever After,” a TV movie about the royal couple’s turbulent 11-year marriage.

Four days before the film was shown, British Prime Minister John Major announced Charles and Diana’s separation in a speech to Parliament. The news may have made the movie timely, but it didn’t help it win many viewers: “Charles and Diana” was seen in just 11.9 million households, finishing second in its time slot to CBS’s Lindsay Wagner tearjerker “A Message from Holly” and ranking 30th among the week’s 92 programs.

Perhaps by the time “Charles and Diana” aired, viewers had had their fill of the Windsors: The film was the third royal-themed TV movie to air during 1992-93 season, which was just three months old.

Then again, of the three flicks – the other two were NBC’s “Fergie and Andrew: Behind the Palace Doors” and CBS’s “The Women of Windsor” – “Charles and Diana” received the best reviews.

The New York Times’ John J. O’Connor praised the ABC movie’s lead actors, Roger Rees and Catherine Oxenberg, for delivering “solid and intelligent” performances that gave the movie “a bit more substance than most.”

The Washington Post’s Tom Shales called Rees “quite good,” commending him for infusing Charles with “anguish and loneliness.”

Shales called Oxenberg “far less compelling,” describing her acting as seemingly “motivated by the desire not to let an expression disfigure her features for too long.”

He also criticized the actress for making “something of a mini-career playing the princess,” noting she had previously portrayed Diana in “The Royal Romance of Charles and Diana,” a 1982 CBS movie.

“[O]ne can only dread the prospect of seeing her again in 10 years as ‘Princess Diana: The Girl Who Won’t Be Queen,” Shales wrote.

He wasn’t the only critic to speak too soon.

USA Today’s Matt Roush called the movie “great bad TV,” suggesting Americans should be thankful its newly elected president, Bill Clinton, hadn’t embarrassed his country the way the Windsors had theirs.

“This movie … makes you proud to be from a land where the president-elect can frequent McDonald’s and no one blinks,” Roush wrote.

If fast food had been Clinton’s only weakness!

 

From the Pages of TV Guide

Also airing Dec. 13, 1992:

8 PM FOX IN LIVING COLOR (CC)

Scheduled: Kelly Coffield as Madonna and Kim Wayans as Naomi Campbell in a video parody entitled  “Neurotica”; a holiday visit to “The Dysfunctional Home Show.” Keenan Ivory Wayans, James Carrey, Tommy Davidson, David Alan Grier, Alexandra Wentworth.

8:30 FOX ROC (CC)

Joey (Rocky Carroll) takes a paternal interest in a young man who admires his trumpet playing, but Roc (Charles S. Dutton) suspects the guy is just blowing smoke, and may be involved in something illegal. (Live)

10:30 FOX BEN STILLER (CC) – Comedy

Guests include David Cassidy, Mark DeCarlo (“Studs”), comedian Taylor Negron, Herve Villechaize and Gary Coleman. Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea also appears.

[Now seen at this new time.]