The Debbie Reynolds Show | |
---|---|
Genre | Sitcom |
Created by | Jess Oppenheimer |
Directed by | Ezra Stone |
Starring |
Debbie Reynolds Don Chastain Tom Bosley Patricia Smith |
Opening theme | "With a Little Love (Just a Little Love)" |
Composer(s) |
Jack Marshall Tony Romeo |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of seasons | 1 |
No. of episodes | 26 |
Production | |
Producer(s) | Jess Oppenheimer |
Running time | 22–24 minutes |
Production company(s) | Filmways Television |
Release | |
Original network | NBC |
Audio format | Monaural |
Original release | September 16, 1969 | – April 14, 1970
The Debbie Reynolds Show is an American situation comedy which aired on the NBC television network during the 1969–70 television season. The series was produced by Filmways.
Debbie Reynolds portrayed Debbie Thompson, a housewife married to Jim, a successful sportswriter for the Los Angeles Sun. Jim was portrayed by actor Don Chastain, his boss by longtime television actor Tom Bosley. Reynolds' attempts to amuse herself were regarded as being reminiscent of those of Lucille Ball on Here's Lucy.
Creator/producer Jess Oppenheimer was the original producer and co-creator of I Love Lucy. The show also employed Bob Carroll Jr., and Madelyn Davis, two longtime Lucy writers.
The series only lasted one season because NBC was selling ad-time to cigarette commercials against Reynolds' wishes. Because Reynolds signed a two-year contract with NBC and owned half of the program, she was unable to be fired so she walked away from the show instead.
Monty Python's Flying Circus spoofed the series in a sketch primarily written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman entitled "The Attila the Hun Show". It pokes fun at The Debbie Reynolds Show (the opening title sequence in particular), as well as American comedy in general.