Fernwood 2 Night (or Fernwood Tonight) is a comedic TV show that ran from July 1977 to September 1977. It was created by Norman Lear as a spin-off/summer replacement from Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. It was a parody talk show, hosted by Barth Gimble (Martin Mull) and sidekick/announcer Jerry Hubbard (Fred Willard), complete with a stage band, Happy Kyne and His Mirthmakers (featuring Frank De Vol as the ironically dour "Happy" Kyne, and Tommy Tedesco as one of the guitarists). Barth was the twin brother of Garth Gimble from Mary Hartman.

    Like Mary Hartman, Fernwood 2Nite was set in the fictional town of Fernwood, Ohio. The show satirized real talk shows as well as the sort of fare one might expect from locally-produced, small-town, midwestern American television programming. Well-known actors usually appeared playing characters or a contrivance had to be written for the celebrity to appear as themselves. (In one episode, Tom Waits' tour bus happened to break down in Fernwood.)

    After one season of Fernwood, the producers revamped the show the following year as America 2-Night. In this second version, Barth and Jerry's show moved to Los Angeles (actually, they claimed to be broadcasting from "Alta Coma, the unfinished furniture capital of the world!") and was broadcast nationally on the fictional UBS network (presumably a reference to the film Network), whose slogan was "We put U before the BS". This change allowed the show to have well-known actors on the show as themselves.

    Thumbnail of Norman Lear

    Norman Lear on creating the show Fernwood 2-Night, its nonsensical nature and the comic talents of Martin Mull and Fred Willard

    02:59
    Thumbnail of Jeremy Stevens

    Jeremy Stevens on the production and guest stars of Fernwood 2-Night

    02:30
    Thumbnail of Jeremy Stevens

    Jeremy Stevens on writing Fernwood 2-Night with his writing partner Tom Moore

    01:30
    Thumbnail of Jeremy Stevens

    Jeremy Stevens on working with Norman Lear and the cast of Fernwood 2-Night

    04:04
    Thumbnail of Fred Willard

    Fred Willard on Fernwood 2-Night "going too far"

    03:56
    Thumbnail of Fred Willard

    Fred Willard on the critical reaction to Fernwood 2-Night

    02:28

    Melissa Gilbert

    Melissa Gilbert on doing an episode of Fernwood 2-Night

    00:54

    Louis J. Horvitz

    Louis J. Horvitz on directing Fernwood 2 Night with Martin Mull and Fred Willard

    09:23

    Norman Lear

    Norman Lear on creating the show Fernwood 2-Night, its nonsensical nature and the comic talents of Martin Mull and Fred Willard

    02:59

    Jeremy Stevens

    Jeremy Stevens on writing for Fernwood 2-Night

    07:31

    Jeremy Stevens on working with Norman Lear and the cast of Fernwood 2-Night

    04:04

    Jeremy Stevens on writing Fernwood 2-Night with his writing partner Tom Moore

    01:30

    Jeremy Stevens on the production and guest stars of Fernwood 2-Night

    02:30

    Norman Stiles

    Norman Stiles on writing for Fernwood 2-Night and America 2-Night

    10:52

    Howard Storm

    Howard Storm on directing Fernwood 2-Nite with Fred Willard and Martin Mull

    01:10

    Dan Wilcox

    Dan Wilcox on how he came to write for Fernwood 2 Night, and on working with Alan Thicke, who was the executive producer

    05:18

    Fred Willard

    Fred Willard on playing "Jerry Hubbard" on Fernwood 2-Night

    12:27

    Fred Willard on his character "Jerry Hubbard" on Fernwood 2-Night and his nightclub act

    09:04

    Fred Willard on the critical reaction to Fernwood 2-Night

    02:28

    Fred Willard on a typical production day on Fernwood 2-Night and the improv and writing process

    03:29

    Fred Willard on the atmosphere on the set of Fernwood 2-Night, and the acts who appeared on the show

    01:52

    Fred Willard on working with Martin Mull as "Barth Gimble" on Fernwood 2-Night

    01:52

    Fred Willard on the change from Fernwood 2-Night to America 2-Night

    00:38

    Fred Willard on various cast members of Fernwood 2-Night

    05:11

    Fred Willard on Fernwood 2-Night "going too far"

    03:56

    Fred Willard on the end of America 2-Night

    01:18

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