Obscurity factor: 5
Paula (Prentiss) and Dick (Benjamin) are a young married couple living in a cozy apartment in New York. Paula is a social worker and Dick is a cartoonist. His comic book has been turned into a television series and his superhero is played by very vain, hammy actor, Oscar North (Jack Cassidy). They also have a crazy building super and a crazy firefighter neighbor (Kenneth Mars) who visits them by walking across a plank suspended between their two windows. As with all situation comedies, this troupe of characters came together to make a little magic each week. This situation comedy is said to be the forerunner of the style of comedy featured on iconic 70's sitcoms like Mary Tyler Moore, though it was a bit before its time. It was canceled after only one season. That's a shame, really, because it's a very cute show. Below is the first installment of the episode titled The Phantom of 84th Street.
He & She isn't on DVD, though several full episodes have been uploaded to YouTube. You can however find a DVD set on iOffer.com.
Obscurity factor: 5 (somewhat iconic and remembered by hard core TV fans, mostly unknown otherwise, available on YouTube)
It wasn't until you mentioned the plank between apartments that I had a sudden childhood flash of this show. Do I remember anything else about it? Not really but now I'm anxious to investigate,
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a vivid image... Hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteI do not remember seeing this show when it was originally aired, but I do remember my late mother saying she really liked it. I finally saw it thanks to YouTube. It really has the look and feel of an MTM show, but three years before MTM existed! It was part of a very strange lineup on Wednesday nights - "Lost in Space," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Green Acres," "He & She," and "Dundee and the Culhane." The demographic was all over the map! I wonder if it had been placed in a different time slot if it would have made it. Maybe if it had been scheduled back-to-back with "Good Morning, World" both shows would have had better chances. It certainly was one of the most sophisticated sitcoms of the era (along with "Good Morning, World").
ReplyDeleteYes, the Green Acres lead in was a strange choice for a sophisticated urban sitcom...
ReplyDeleteI loved this show. And it had a situation that I often remember. At one point Kenneth Mars looks across from the firhouse and sees Fernando Lamas massaging Paula's foot . He is shocked. He relates the incident to Richard Benjamin and says: I was so angry that I opened up my wallet and took out Paula's picture and ripped it up and then I took out Fernando Lamas's picture and ripped it up as well. Richard says: Fernando Lamas? and Kenneth Mars says: "It came with the wallet."
ReplyDeleteHmm... Early gay humor?
ReplyDelete