The Early Twentieth Century On The OTN.

Yes, the OTN is back, and will not go away for a little while, anyway.
Today, I will be offering up two shows that took place in the first half of the twentieth century.
I don't necessarily think that either of them are exemplary.
They were, rather, examples of "least objectionable programming".
But I will admit to having enjoyed them when they were on.
Enough to find a place for them on the OTN.
The first is "Life With Father".
It was a sitcom that ran from 1953 to 1955.
It was based on what was one of the longest running Broadway plays of all time.
It took place round the turn of the century.
What was somewhat rare about it was that it was aired live.
Throughout its entire run.
Oh, Jack Benny and Burns and Allen dabbled in live shows, but mostly they were on film.
"Life With Father" had a great deal of charm and energy.
And it was genuinely funny.
It starred Leon Ames and the priceless Lurene Tuttle.
The cast also included a very young Marion Ross as Nora, the maid.
Once, on the set of "Happy Days", I challenged Marion to come up with the theme music for "Life With Father"
She couldn't, and was floored when I did.
It would just be nice to see it again.

Today's other entry is "The Roaring Twenties"
Warner Brothers made a great movie in the late thirties called "The Roaring Twenties" with Cagney and Bogart.
This wasn't it.
This TV version they made starred such luminaries as Rex Reason and Donald May.
Draw that one on a graph.
But it also had Dorothy Provine as the Texas Guinan-style nightclub owner and performer, and she was terrific.
She seemed headed for stardom.
She didn't get there.
"The Roaring Twenties" was cut from the same piece of Warner Brothers cloth as "77 Sunset Strip", and half a dozen other copies of that.
Only with different locales.
This is the only one that went for a different time period.
It was quite entertaining, in a way that the others really weren't.
Mainly due to Ms. Provine.
Now that she is gone, I think she should be unearthed in some way.

See you next time,
Mark Rothman, CEO of the OTN.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne & Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays", and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings remaining, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one.
If you'd like one, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.
And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne & Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

******