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April Archive Newsletter

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Classic "All in the Family" episode given the "Simpsons" Treatment

On the recent Simpsons episode "Stealing First Base" (airdate: 3/21/10) Sarah Silverman guest-starred as a girl who plants a kiss on Bart, leading to a Cinema Paradiso-inspired montage of famous movie

Chet Simmons, the First President of ESPN, Has Died

Chet Simmons, who served as ESPN's first President when the network started in 1979, has died at the age of 81. Simmons began in sports programming in the 1950s and was instrumental in the development

Producer-director Ira Skutch ("Match Game," "Philco Television Playhouse") Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

Ira Skutch, a producer-director and a television historian, has died at the age of 88. Skutch worked as a stage manager on some of the earliest regularly scheduled shows on NBC, including the landmark

"I Spy" Star Robert Culp Has Died-- Archive Interview Online

Robert Culp, an Emmy nominee for both writing and starring in I Spy, has died at the age of 79. Culp's considerable TV credits include the classic sci-fi anthology The Outer Limits, the comedy

"T.A.M.I. Show" on DVD-- Archive Interviewee Steve Binder Describes the Landmark Concert

1964's historic two-day rock/r&b concert, the T.A.M.I. Show, comes out on DVD today. Although the acronym T.A.M.I. was used inconsistently, it stood for either Teen Age Music International or

"Chicago Television"-- New Book from the Museum of Broadcast Communications

The Chicago-based Museum of Broadcast Communications recently released Chicago Television, a survey of the city's first fifty years of TV broadcasting. Chicago TV stations WBKB (now WBBM-TV), WENR

TV's Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone— Fess Parker, Has Died— Archive Interview Online

Fess Parker became a TV star portraying "Davy Crockett" in a series of adventures that aired on the anthology series Disneyland, earning him an Emmy nomination as Most Outstanding New Personality in

Happy St. Patrick's Day

The Archive of American Television is getting in the St. Paddy’s Day spirit by recognizing some of the most beloved Irish-American television greats. So, if green beer isn’t your thing, but you’d

You weren't the only one whose sister forced you to watch "Little House on the Prairie"

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences hosted "An Evening with Modern Family" on March 3rd. Short interviews with the show's ensemble on the press line are now posted on the Archive's new page for

"The Untouchables" Aired a Potent Series Episode Fifty Years Ago Today

As so aptly noted by The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows: "With the chatter of machine-gun fire and the squeal of tires on Chicago streets, The Untouchables brought furious

Stephen J. Cannell on "Wiseguy"

Wiseguy: The Collector's Edition gets released on DVD tomorrow. Although short-lived (it ran from 1987-90), Wiseguy garnered Emmy nominations for Best Drama series and acting nominations for star Ken

The Monsters Were Due on Maple Street Fifty Years Ago Today

One of The Twilight Zone's best remembered episodes— and a staple of Twilight Zone marathons— is the first season's "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street." Scripted by Rod Serling, it's one of the

"Moonlighting" Silver Anniversary Today

25 years and the Anselmo case is still unsolved. On March 3, 1985 Moonlighting debuted and a beloved television classic was born. Moonlighting fans have remained in such full force that an online

As Leno Returns, a Look Back to Where NBC Late Night Began

Starting tonight, Jay Leno returns to his Tonight Show berth, continuing the hosting duties he initially began in 1992. The Tonight Show's long history started with Steve Allen (photo, left), who