Museum Honors The Best of Television


Each year the Museum of Television and Radio in Los Angeles, California, hosts a tribute to several classic television series. Fans attending the festival are treated to screenings of classic episodes of each series. Afterward, cast members and production personnel of the various shows assemble on stage. Audience members are able to hear the cast and crew talk about about each program as well as ask them questions.

The festival is always a delight. Over the years I've attended tributes to such shows as THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW, THE WONDER YEARS, SOAP and COLUMBO to name just a few.

The festival, now in its 16th year, is entitled the William S. Paley Television Festival. It is named after the legendary founder of the CBS Television Network. This year the festival is being co-sponsored by the museum and ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT. It is scheduled to take place at the Directors Guild of America in Los Angeles, California, between March 2nd and 16th.

This year's schedule honors new and old shows which the museum feels brought out the best that television has to offer. Tributes are scheduled for THIS IS SINATRA! (a 1962 concert broadcast on the BBC and taped at London¹s Royal Festival Hall); FELICITY, SPORTS NIGHT (by far the best new series this season); MOESHA, L.A. LAW; THE TWILIGHT ZONE (one of my favorite shows of all time); THE BEN STILLER SHOW; THIRTYSOMETHING; NEWSRADIO; EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND (including the museum staff, apparently); LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O¹BRIEN and THE JEFFERSONS. This year the museum has also scheduled a tribute to the legendary Carl Reiner.

For more information on the festival and the Museum of Television and Radio, check out their web site at http://motr.com.

THIS WEEK IN TELEVISION HISTORY: February 9, 1977 marks the debut of THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GRIZZLY ADAMS on NBC-TV. Starring Dan Haggerty and Denver Pyle, the series was set in the late 1800s. It told the story of mountain man Grizzly Adams and his peaceful existence with nature. The series was based on the theatrical release of the same name. It ended on July 26, 1978.

Here are my television viewing recommendations for the week of February 6th.

Saturday, February 6th

EARLY EDITION, CBS, 8:00 - 9:00 p.m., PST Gary decides to tell Erica about the newspaper but she doesn't believe him.

THE BEACH BOYS: THE LOST CONCERT, American Movie Classics, 8:30 - 9:00 p.m., PST Rare concert footage of the ultimate Southern California band in a 1964 concert.

The copyright of the article Museum Honors The Best of Television in American Television is owned by F. Colin Kingston. Permission to republish Museum Honors The Best of Television in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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