Television Sitcoms

A chat about the American sitcoms of the 1960s. Individual sitcoms are discussed year-by-year throughout the decade based on the year they debutted.

In 20 years of show business, Lucille Ball had only modest and sporadic success. Her TV program, I Love Lucy, was her last chance to fulfill the ambition that had sustained her through the frustrations of her professional life and the anguish of a failing marriage. The role of Lucy Ricardo revealed her true gifts, but it changed her life immeasurably. This definitive portrait of Lucille Ball is based on the recollections of fellow performers, her closest friends and family, and Lucille herself.

Since premiering in 2009, the groundbreaking television sitcom Modern Family has garnered tens of millions of devoted fans, earning 75 Emmy nominations and 22 Emmy Awards, including five in a row for Outstanding Comedy Series (one of only two sitcoms to ever achieve that feat). Professors have written about it. Psychologists have lectured on it. Leading publications, such as The New York Times and Washington Post, have explained their love for it.

Browse the world of 1950s sitcoms with or without a remote control in your hand. Opinionated and hopefully entertaining, this book covers the biggest hits and a few misses from the dawn of the television sitcom. From I Love Lucy though The Many Love of Dobie Gillis, the era of the 50s sitcom is covered with many topics of interest and possibly even humor that are the perfect size for bite sized reading unless you feel a binge coming on and then just go crazy. Desi Arnaz and his friends perfecting the three camera sitcom, Jackie Gleason creating a one season wonder in the Honeymooners after ...

An incisive and insightful celebrity memoir by Jaleel White, one of the most beloved icons of nineties pop culture and TV history, renowned for his portrayal of Steven Urkel on the hit sitcom Family Matters. At the tender age of twelve, Jaleel White auditioned for the role of Steve Urkel, the...

An InStyle 10 Books You Won't Be Able to Put Down This October SIX FRIENDS THAT BECAME A FAMILY. A TELEVISION SHOW THAT BECAME A PHENOMENON. Today, Friends is remembered as an icon of ’90s comedy and the Must See TV years. But when the series debuted in 1994, no one anticipated the sensation...

Now featuring exclusive new material including excerpts from Desi Arnaz’s unpublished second memoir and commentary by daughter Lucie Arnaz, here is the expanded edition of the New York Times bestselling memoir of Cuban American entertainment legend, TV pioneer, and I Love Lucy star Desi Arnaz...

In celebration of the Brady Bunch's 50th anniversary, TV writer Kimberly Potts writes a Seinfeldia-like definitive history of the show that changed the family sitcom and made an indelible impact on pop culture. There isn't a person in this country who hasn't heard of The Brady Bunch. Whether...

The complete TV soundtracks of dinnerladies, plus exclusive behind-the-scenes content “Brilliant, even with just the audio.” - Customer Review “Incredibly funny! These show the genius writing of Victoria Wood. As funny here as in the TV. Genius casting. Simply perfect.” - Customer Review...

"Brilliantly written, fresh and extremely funny..." ‘Unmade Classics’ features my sitcom scripts for ‘Falling Stars’ and ‘New Ageing’. Both comedies were optioned by production companies in the 2010s, but ultimately shunned like a wheezy child with a large booger. Hope remains they’ll make it onto the stage and screen one day, until then I’m proud to present my ‘unmade classics’ in this entertaining book. Falling Stars Two expiring celebrities struggle to keep up their media profile amid a wave of fresher faces crashing onto the scene. New Ageing Lifelong hippie Jim ...

Now available in Spanish language for the first time! Featuring new material including excerpts from Desi Arnaz’s unpublished second memoir and a revealing epilogue by daughter Lucie Arnaz, here is the revised edition of the New York Times bestselling memoir of Cuban American entertainment...

Peter thought he had the perfect life as a single dad with two wonderful girls, but his world is turned upside down when he discovers he’s been living in a television show. And it’s about to be cancelled. Now aware of his artificial existence, Peter flees into other sitcoms in hopes of discovering the true meaning for his own creation.

The groundbreaking inside look at the making — and unmaking — of a network TV series, back in print for the first time in thirty years. Smoldering Lust seemed like a sure-fire hit for NBC – a sexy new comedy-drama starring Kate Capshaw from Jay Tarses, the acclaimed, Emmy-awarding winning writer/producer of The Days and Nights of Molly Dodd, Buffalo Bill and The Bob Newhart Show. But things started to go wrong from the start and author Vance Muse was there to witness it all, from the development, casting, and production of the show all the way to the disastrous test screening, the ...

If there's one thing the nation can agree on--we all love Betty White! This spirited homage to Betty captures her unique humor, timeless wisdom, and impish irreverence that's made her one of America's longest lasting and most beloved stars. An unparalleled American icon, Betty White started show...

Lights, camera, quiz time! This book is your ultimate backstage pass to the world of television and film. Packed with 400 challenging and entertaining questions across 10 exciting chapters, it will take you on a thrilling journey through decades of iconic TV shows and blockbuster films. From classic British soaps like EastEnders to modern Netflix hits, cult sitcoms, and unforgettable reality TV moments, this book has something for every fan.

Kevin Scott once had it all. He reached the dizzying heights of stardom. He had fame and fortune, but fourteen years later he is a has-been actor that has to get used to getting through life the way ordinary mortals do.