At first, we called it “radio movies.”
Variety has covered every aspect of the television business since the first flickers of the powerful medium emerged out of radio infrastructure in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The first use of the word “television” came in our Jan. 12, 1927, edition.
As we explained back then, “Television is a process of making possible the viewing of a broadcasting artist in one’s own home no matter how far away the broadcasting station may be.” Even in this moment of radical AI-fueled transformation, it’s still worth pausing to celebrate the miracle that inventors Philo T. Farsnworth, Vladimir Zworykin, John Logie Baird and others found the way to make pictures fly through the air — and land on a box in one’s own home.
To celebrate the business we love covering, as part of Variety‘s 120th anniversary retrospective, here’s a rich gallery of fabulous ads for great television shows, networks, studios and personalities that have graced our pages since 1949. For clarity, please note that the year cited in the headers for each entry reflect the year the ad ran in Variety.
Enjoy. And with all due respect to the legendary radio comedian Fred Allen, he was wrong when he famously quipped that television is “a medium because it is neither rare nor well done.” It’s a great line, but the ensuing pages prove otherwise.
RELATED CONTENT: Rare Movie Ads From 120 Years of Variety
Du Mont (1949)
As commercial television gained steam after the end of World War II, the Du Mont Company bragged about being early to recognize the power of television. Du Mont was a manufacturer of TV sets and the cathode ray tubes that make them function.
Du Mont went all the way to launching its own network — it was the original home of “The Honeymooners” — but the plug was pulled by mid-1956. The then-fledgling ABC network wound up buying a number of Du Mont stations.
From the April 13, 1949, edition of Variety
Football (1950)
Football has been part of television from the first down. There’s nothing like a hometown football rivalry to drive the penetration of a new medium. Just ask Netflix and Amazon.
From the July 26, 1950, edition of Variety
Your Show of Shows (1950)
Sid Caesar was TV’s first big star. His live Saturday night variety show, NBC’s “Your Show of Shows,” became appointment TV before most homes had TV sets.
From the May 24, 1950, edition of Variety
Your Show of Shows (1952)
“Your Show of Shows” producer Max Liebman qualifies as TV’s first super-star showrunner.
From the July 30, 1952, edition of Variety
Your Show of Shows (1951)
“Your Show of Shows” tested the mettle of 1950s coaxial cable technology that allowed TV to broadcast live coast-to-coast.
From the Nov. 9, 1951, edition of Daily Variety
William Esty Co. (1951)
The William Esty Co. advertising agency is bullish on the potential of television to move the goods for Camel.
From the Oct. 17, 1951, edition of Daily Variety
I Love Lucy (1951)
Welcome aboard!
The story of how Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz developed “I Love Lucy” as a filmed TV series is one of Hollywood’s great stories of ingenuity.
This ad ran just as the couple’s newly created Desilu Productions ramped up lensing on the series that was an overnight sensation after its Oct. 15, 1951, debut on CBS.
From the Sept. 5, 1951, edition of Daily Variety
Goodson-Todman Productions (1950)
Game shows, anyone?
From the July 26, 1950, edition of Variety
CBS (1951)
Ads like this for CBS’ early TV efforts explain why it was dubbed the Eye network.
From the Nov. 1, 1965, edition of Daily Variety
Today (1952)
Yes, there was a time many decades ago when NBC had to explain the concept of “Today” to industry insiders. Pat Weaver, for the win!
from the Jan. 30, 1952, edition of Variety
Kukla, Fran and Ollie (1952)
“Kukla, Fran and Ollie” was a popular NBC show that originated from Chicago.
Burr Tillstrom’s troupe was a forerunner of the Muppets as it blended puppets with live-action comedy — some of which went over the heads of younger viewers to entertain their parents.
From the Jan. 2, 1952, edition of Daily Variety
Time for Beany (1953)
“Time for Beany” was an early animated TV series offering from the famed “Looney Tunes” director Bob Clampett. Legend has it that this was one of Albert Einstein’s favorite shows when he lived in the U.S.
From the Feb. 18, 1953, edition of Variety
Requiem for a Heavyweight (1956)
“Requiem for a Heavyweight” was a landmark “Playhouse 90” production for CBS.
Jack Palance played a down-on-his-luck fighter struggling to come to grips with the end of his boxing career. It was written by Rod Serling, the celebrated writer who would go on to create and host CBS’ “The Twilight Zone.”
From the Oct. 18, 1956, edition of Daily Variety
Johnny Carson (1958)
Johnny Carson was a rising TV host at this time who was also still experimenting with legit theater. Four years after this ad ran, he would take the helm of NBC’s “The Tonight Show.”
From the Jan. 8, 1958, edition of Variety
This Is Your Life (1959)
Ralph Edwards was known to viewers as the host of “This Is Your Life.” His company also produced game shows such as “Truth or Consequences” and, many years later, “The People’s Court.”
From the Nov. 4, 1959, edition of Daily Variety
The Twilight Zone (1959)
No, it wasn’t a misprint. CBS sought to reinforce the point that “The Twilight Zone” was no ordinary anthology series with this eye-catching ad for its debut. An “itinerary of imaginative storytelling,” indeed.
From the Oct. 2, 1959, edition of Daily Variety
The Twilight Zone (1959)
The reviews were uniformly good for “The Twilight Zone,” as noted in this ad that CBS ran to tout the series’ second installment.
From the Oct. 9, 1959, edition of Daily Variety
The Twilight Zone (1960)
CBS stuck with the theme for its ad for the Season 2 premiere of “The Twilight Zone.”
From the Sept. 30, 1960, edition of Daily Variety
The Twilight Zone (1959)
Rod Serling and producer Buck Houghton had a lot of folks to thank for making the series that still runs regularly more than 60 years later. Serling and Houghton were well aware that television is a team sport.
From the Nov. 11, 1959, edition of Daily Variety
Hanna-Barbera (1960)
Ever wonder who created Hanna-Barbera characters Huckleberry Hound and Quick Draw McGraw? Now you know.
Bill Hanna and Joe Barbera pay their respects to the artists who brought their toons to life.
From the June 23, 1960, edition of Daily Variety
Huckleberry Hound (1960)
Well, aw shucks. The Tiffany-blue Southern gentleman was a hit by any definition for Hanna-Barbera.
From the April 26, 1960, edition of Daily Variety
The Phil Silvers Show (1960)
Bil-ko!
Phil Silvers starred in this comedy set against the backdrop of an Army unit. He played the irascible Sgt. Bilko, who was always getting in and out of scrapes with his men.
When “The Phil Silvers Show” went into syndication, the title was changed to “Sgt. Bilko.” Back then, there was concern that the exposure in syndication would hurt the first-run audience for new episodes, so networks insisted that studios come up with new titles for their rerun packages.
From the March 9, 1960, edition of Variety
Home Run Derby (1960)
Ziv Television was a syndication company, so it’s likely that this film was months old by the time it landed on TV stations around the country. Nonetheless, our money’s on Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays.
From the Feb. 17, 1960, edition of Variety
Naked City (1960)
There are a million stories in the naked city. This was a hard-boiled cop show, set in New York, that ran on ABC from 1958 to 1963.
The Three Stooges Scrapbook (1960)
The Three Stooges were far past their prime at the time that someone in their camp (aka Comedy III Productions) decided to develop a cartoon series revisiting some of their most famous adventures. A pilot was produced but the series was never ordered.
From the March 9, 1960, edition of Variety
Carol Burnett (1960)
Look at that laughing face.
Carol Burnett made her mark as part of the ensemble on the comedy-variety series hosted by Garry Moore. She’d soon graduate to name-above-the-title status with her own show.
From the Jan. 6, 1960, edition of Variety
Honey West (1965)
“Honey West” was an early hit for Aaron Spelling.
Anne Francis played a female detective who was so hip, she didn’t have a cat or a dog for a pet. She had a ocelot.
From the Sept. 16, 1965, edition of Daily Variety
Warner Bros. TV (1961)
Television is on the upbeat, for sure. This ad demonstrates that Warner Bros. was all-in on the new medium — even when some film studios were still wary.
Fun fact: In this era, television activity for the studio was headed by Jack L. Warner’s son-in-law, William Orr.
From the Jan. 26, 1961, edition of Daily Variety
Danger Man (1961)
The great Patrick McGoohan starred in this British spy thriller series that hit right around the same time that James Bond was starting his legendary box office run. The series was picked up for the U.S. by CBS.
From the Nov. 1, 1961, edition of Variety
Leave It to Beaver (1960)
“Leave It to Beaver” epitomized the G-rated domestic comedies that were popular in TV’s early days.
The series aired on ABC from 1958 to 1963. Rightly or wrongly, it is remembered as an example of TV pablum. Barbara Billingsley would later parody her image as a picture-perfect TV mom with a memorable cameo in 1980’s “Airplane.”
From the Sept. 6, 1960, edition of Daily Variety
The Dean Martin Show (1965)
Everybody loves somebody sometimes… but Dean Martin felt the love for all who helped him get his show on the air. “The Dean Martin Show” variety hour would run until 1974, albeit with some hiatuses.
Rowan and Martin (1966)
Dan Rowan and Dick Martin were comedy partners for years before they hit paydirt with NBC’s “Laugh-in” in 1967. The year before, they had a big tryout on NBC as guest hosts for Dean Martin’s variety hour.
From the Aug. 17, 1966, edition of Variety
Star Trek (1966)
Fanfare please — this is the first ad in Variety to mention “Star Trek.”
From the Aug. 17, 1966, edition of Variety
Star Trek (1968)
It’s hard to read, but in the upper right-hand corner you can see that this is an ad touting Teri Garr’s guest shot in the 1968 “Star Trek” episode “Assignment: Earth.”
From the March 29, 1968, edition of Daily Variety
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1966)
Tom and Dick Smothers were well established as nightclub comedians who had fielded successful comedy records. Here, as 1966 comes to close, the pair get started with early promotion for their upcoming CBS series “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.”
From the Dec. 28, 1966, edition of Daily Variety
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967)
Who knew? The Smothers Brothers collide with the world of Sid and Marty Krofft on the cusp of the Summer of Love.
This context of this ad isn’t entirely clear, but it would appear that the Krofft brothers crafted a big-head puppet costume for use on CBS’ “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.” Tom and Dick were eager to show their appreciation.
From the April 18, 1967, edition of Daily Variety
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Here, the William Morris Agency tubthumps its clients as “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour” wraps its first season.
From the July 24, 1967, edition of Daily Variety
Columbo (1968)
It’s hard to tell from this ad, but this is promoting the first installment of the beloved “Columbo” detective drama franchise.
The great Peter Falk would play the brilliant LAPD detective Lt. Columbo (the character never had a first name in the series), who was known for drawing a bead on perpretators with the innocent sounding query, “Just one more thing…”
“Columbo” episodes ran as a semi-regular series on NBC from 1971 through the late 1980s. Additional episodes aired on ABC in 1989 and 1990, and then occasionally through 2003.
From the Feb. 6, 1968, edition of Daily Variety
Sid and Marty Krofft (1968)
The crafty Krofft brothers were masters of marketing themselves — with help from Variety. This was the first of several pages of ads touting their shows and their production facilities in North Hollywood.
From the June 17, 1968, edition of Daily Variety
The Brady Bunch (1969)
Paramount Television touts the completion of the pilot for ABC’s “The Brady Bunch,” a show destined to run for 1,000 years in syndication.
“Brady Bunch” creator Sherwood Schwartz was once dubbed “Robin Hood’s rabbi” by a fellow comedy writer.
From the Feb. 8, 1969, edition of Variety
The Brady Bunch (1969)
The talent reps for the young stars of “The Brady Bunch” wanted to make sure Daily Variety readers knew their names.
Susan Olsen (aka Cindy) was first out of the gate with an ad that ran Oct. 10, 1969. Eve Plumb (Jan) followed two weeks later on Oct 24, 1969.
Mike Lookinland (Bobby) came in on Dec. 5, 1969, followed by Maureen McCormick (Marcia) on Dec. 12, 1969. Christopher Knight highlighted his work in a big episode for Peter Brady in the Feb. 20, 1970, edition.
Brian’s Song (1972)
This 1971 TV movie was such a sensation in its debut on ABC that it later played in limited engagements in theaters in the U.S. and abroad.
Billy Dee Williams and James Caan are both terrific in their roles as two professional football players who bond through adversity on and off the gridiron. It’s a tearjerker in the best way.
From the April 21, 1972, edition of Daily Variety
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1972)
“The Tonight Show” relocated from Manhattan to Burbank in 1972 as Johnny Carson sought a change of scenery and easier access to movie star guests.
The famed Mad magazine cartoonist Jack Davis delivered an illustration to mark the occasion.
From the May 3, 1972, edition of Variety
Free to Be … You and Me (1974)
Marlo Thomas was so ahead of her time. With 1974’s “Free to Be … You and Me,” she created a sui generis TV special that was designed to punch through gender stereotypes for women and for men.
Women can be tough, men can cry, don’t hold your breath for Prince Charming and it’s ok if girls and boys want to play with dolls. Those were some of the radical messages that Thomas infused into the special that included music and stars such as Alan Alda, Harry Belafonte, Mel Brooks and Cicely Tyson.
Thank you, Marlo!
From the March 11, 1874 edition of Daily Variety
Battle of the Network Stars (1976)
No, this isn’t an AI hallucination. This actually happened.
Somehow, producers convinced stars from three different networks to compete in sports-esque challenges for an ABC Sports special. “Barney Miller” versus “Kojak” versus “Sanford and Son”! ABC Sports managed to do a few more “Battle of the Network Stars” specials. But this was the first.
From the Nov. 10, 1976, edition of Variety
Saturday Night Live (1976)
“Saturday Night Live” gets its first promo push in Variety, about three months after its debut on Oct. 11, 1975.
From the Jan. 28, 1976, edition of Variety
Saturday Night Live (1976)
“A loaf of bread is fresh too, but it rarely gets laughs.”
NBC clearly knew what it had in “Saturday Night Live.” Here the network gives “SNL” an Emmy FYC push. The show would go on to win four Emmys for its freshman season, including best comedy-variety series.
From the March 31, 1976, edition of Variety
The Mike Douglas Show (1977)
Talk show host Mike Douglas was a staple of daytime TV in the 1960s and ’70s. It was hard not to like Mike, as John Lennon and Yoko Ono discovered when they guest-hosted the show with him in 1972.
From the April 27, 1977, edition of Variety
Police Story (1978)
Actress Dee Wallace struts her stuff in a pitch for her guest shot on the high-octane cop show co-created by Joseph Wambaugh. Four years later, Wallace would be on the big screen playing the mom in “ET the Extra-Terrestrial.”
Laverne & Shirley (1978)
The pride of Milwaukee.
“Laverne & Shirley,” starring Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams, was a staple of ABC from 1976 to 1983. This ad is notable for its focus on the show’s performance with distinct demographic groups — aka the “key demos” that would come to drive primetime TV ad sales for decades to come.
From the Sept. 13, 1978, edition of Variety
One Day at a Time (1978)
We’ll muddle through…
Norman Lear’s TAT Communications touted the show’s strength in summer reruns as the series prepared to launch its fourth season. The original “One Day at a Time” ran for nine seasons from 1975 to 1984 on CBS.
From the Sept. 13, 1978, edition of Variety
Univision (1978)
The network that would become Univision had its roots in the 1960s, but it took until the late 1970s and early ’80s for the Spanish-language outlet gained traction with viewers.
From the Sept. 13, 1978, edition of Variety
The Muppet Show (1979)
The most sensational, inspirational, celebrational …
“The Muppet Show” was a genius idea for a celebrity variety show that was rejected by U.S. networks, so Jim Henson hopped the pond and found backing for it from the U.K.’s ITC Entertainment. Lew Grade, for the win!
From the Jan. 31, 1979, edition of Variety
WKRP in Cincinnati (1979)
She was not a major character, but she was memorable for “WKRP in Cincinnati” fans.
Edie McClurg played Mrs. Herb Tarlek, and she made the most of her recurring role on one of the best sitcoms of all time. And as indicated here, McClurg is an O.G. of the Groundlings improv troupe.
From the Nov. 12, 1979, edition of Daily Variety
CNN (1980)
Ted Turner changed the world on June 1, 1980, with the launch of CNN.
Six months later, Turner bragged about CNN’s growth trajectory in Variety. Even Turner could not have imagined the depth of the cultural impact that CNN would have by ushering in the era of 24-hour global news.
From the Dec. 10, 1980, edition of Variety
Saturday Night Live (1980)
Here, NBC marks the 100th episode of “Saturday Night Live” as the show nears the end of its fifth season.
In 2025, “SNL” marked 50 seasons and logged its 1,000th episode.
From the March 14, 1980, edition of Daily Variety
Kim Richards (1982)
On her way to becoming a cast member of “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” Kim Richards grew up on screen. As the positioning of this ad proves, she paid her dues long before she was 18.
From the Oct. 20, 1982, edition of Daily Variety
The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour (1982)
The many faces of Billy — all of them funny.
From the March 5, 1982, edition of Daily Variety
Square Pegs (1982)
If you were a teenager in America in 1982, you watched every episode of “Square Pegs.” And you talked about it at school the next day.
This CBS comedy aimed at young adults was not destined for a long run. But no one who watched in the moment ever forgot it. There was nothing like it on TV at the time with its focus on teenage life. And it introduced us to Sarah Jessica Parker.
It take another decade before Fox and later the WB Network and UPN would serve up shows that tapped the pulse of teens and twentysomethings.
From the Oct. 4, 1982, edition of Daily Variety
Square Pegs (1982)
If only “Square Pegs” had gobbled up Nielsen ratings like Pac-Man gobbled up those dots.
From the Oct. 11, 1982, edition of Daily Variety
Square Pegs (1983)
“Square Pegs” had a female showrunner in Anne Beatts (an original “Saturday Night Live” writer) and it employed a lot of female writers and directors. What a legacy.
From the Jan. 3, 1983, edition of Daily Variety
Square Pegs (1983)
The show didn’t have long to live by the time this ad ran in February 1983. But the spirit of Weemawee High and its misfit students will never die.
From the Feb. 4, 1983, edition of Daily Variety
Jason Bateman, John Stamos, Kim Fields (1982)
The Jack Rose Agency had a strong roster of child actors destined for big things. Jason Bateman, Kim Fields, John Stamos and David Faustino all had big shows in their future.
From the Nov. 19, 1982, edition of Daily Variety
Siskel & Ebert at the Movies
Straight outta Chicago. “Siskel & Ebert At the Movies” brought the world of film criticism and previews of upcoming titles into America’s living rooms. Thumbs — and moviegoing — have never been the same.
From the Aug. 25, 1982, edition of Variety
Hart to Hart (1983)
Lionel Stander had an unusal path to mainstream stardom via “Hart to Hart.” He’d been a victim of the Blacklist in the 1950s. But 30 years later, Stander was a beloved second banana on the detective series that starred Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers.
From the Feb. 4, 1983, edition of Daily Variety
Fight Back With David Horowitz (1983)
Don’t let anyone rip you off!
David Horowitz was a consumer advocate and reporter for KNBC-TV Los Angeles who gained fame for busting scam artists and warning viewers of fraud schemes. He sought to take his show national via syndication but it did not last long.
Four years after this ad ran, Horowitz was involved in a bizarre incident while he was live on air when a man with a toy gun snuck in to the KNBC studio and tried to force him to read a statement. Horowitz was ultimately unhurt and the man was arrested without incident after the station briefly went dark.
From the April 27, 1983, edition of Variety
Just Men! Starring Betty White (1983)
Betty White hosted a short-lived NBC daytime game show in which female contestants were challenged to guess things about male celebrity guests. Two years later, White was more gainfully employed by NBC as a star of “The Golden Girls.”
From the Jan. 3, 1983, edition of Daily Variety
On the Air With Roger & Roger (1984)
Raise your hand if you subscribed to On TV in the early 1980s. Like Z Channel, On TV was a pay TV service a la HBO and Showtime.
“On the Air with Roger & Roger” is probably lost to history. But On TV remains a faint memory in the minds of early adopters who once had a shoebox-sized set top box on top of their TVs. To watch, you turned a dial on that set top box to “On.”
From the May 4, 1984, edition of Daily Variety
American Movie Classics
American Movie Classics was born as an ad-supported movie channel in 1984 so that “Mad Men” and “Breaking Bad” could soar more than 20 years later, on what is now known as AMC Network.
From the Nov. 7, 1984, edition of Variety
The Ewok Adventure (1984)
After the success of 1983’s “Return of the Jedi,” Lucasfilm sought to keep the Star Wars mythos alive with an ABC special that blended live-action and animation.
More than 25 years after “The Ewok Adventure,” George Lucas would sell his empire to the Mouse House. But at the time “Ewok Adventure” aired, Disney was still more than 10 years away from acquiring ABC.
From the Nov. 21, 1984, edition of Daily Variety
Cheers (1985)
Season 4 was a big test for “Cheers” as Woody Harrelson became a regular following the death of Nicholas Colasanto, aka “Coach.”
Harrelson and the ensemble passed with flying colors as “Cheers” ran for another seven seasons.
From the Sept. 26, 1985, edition of Daily Variety
Cable Ace Awards (1985)
Yes, there was a time when cable programs were not eligible to compete in the Emmy Awards derby. The Big 3 broadcast networks had little regard for their upstart rivals.
So the cable industry created its own kudos franchise, the Cable Ace Awards. They were handed out from 1978 to 1997. The Television Academy loosened up and let cable into the tent starting with the 1988 competition.
From the Oct. 30, 1985, edition of Daily Variety
Dynasty (1985)
Diahann Carroll, for the win! This is such a cool ad and there is so much confidence in her gaze.
If you know, you know — and if not, Google “Diahann Carroll,” “Dynasty” and “Moldavia” and you’ll figure it out. This ad ran the day after “Dynasty’s” Season 6 premiere on ABC.
From the Sept. 26, 1985, edition of Daily Variety
Oprah Winfrey (1986)
1985 and 1986 were big years of career growth for Oprah Winfrey.
This ad saluting her work in “The Color Purple” ran about eight months before her Chicago-based daytime talk show went national via syndication. She’s never stopped since.
From the Jan. 26, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986)
It’s no exaggeration. America embraced “The Oprah Winfrey Show” with lightning speed.
From the Oct. 29, 1986, edition of Variety
Saturday Night Live (1985)
Today, NBC would probably tout these films as vertical shorts; in 1985 that would’ve spurred a joke from host Billy Crystal about undergarments.
From the July 15, 1985, edition of Daily Variety
Late Night With David Letterman (1985)
That is a hall-of-fame list of writers and producers who toiled on NBC’s “Late Night With David Letterman.”
From the Oct. 2, 1985, edition of Variety
MTV Video Music Awards (1985)
The second outing of MTV’s enduring kudos franchise featured a who’s who of 1980s pop — as to be expected in the era when MTV was reaching its zenith.
From the Oct. 2, 1985, edition of Variety
The Facts of Life (1985)
This show, which aired from 1979 to 1988 on NBC, was a training ground for many writers, directors and producers. Some of us will go to our graves knowing all the words to its jaunty theme song. You take the good, you take the bad…
From the July 24, 1985, edition of Daily Variety
The Facts of Life (1986)
Veteran character actor Charlotte Rae played Edna Garrett, the benevolent supervisor on the series that revolved around teenage girls at an upper-crust boarding school. “The Facts of Life” ran for two more seasons after Rae’s departure.
The character of Edna Garrett first appeared on the NBC comedy “Diff’rent Strokes,” where she played the housekeeper.
From the May 2, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
Moonlighting (1986)
The six-episode first season of ABC’s offbeat dramedy “Moonlighting” is about as good as TV gets, then and now. But back then it was downright revolutionary in blending genres and playing with the form. Maddie and David 4-eva.
From the July 17, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
Moonlighting (1986)
Call it talent relations. This ad ran five days after the show’s Season 2 premiere.
From the Sept. 29, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
Fox Broadcasting Company (1986)
In the beginning…
This is the first Fox network-related ad to run in Variety. It ran one week before the network launched with one late-night series, “The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers.”
From the Oct. 2, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers (1986)
From Bella Abzug to Frank Zappa, here’s a handy list of people who guested on the first two months of Fox’s first-ever network series, “The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers.” The curtain came down on the late-night show five months later.
From the Dec. 5, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers (1987)
This must’ve been quite a sight — a flock of Joan Rivers’ impersonators on Sunset Boulevard.
This contest for Rivers’ look-alikes did take place on the show, according to the Classic TV Archive.
From the Feb. 12, 1987, edition of Daily Variety
The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers (1987)
The writing was on the wall for “The Late Show Starring Joan Rivers” by the time Louie Anderson was tapped to guest host the show. Three weeks after this ad ran, Rivers was fired following months of growing tension with Fox executives.
Notably, Anderson was represented at the time Ken Kragen, the same mega-manager who repped Rivers.
From the April 21, 1987, edition of Daily Variety
Z Channel (1986)
The Z Channel was a pay TV movie platform that was largely available only to L.A.’s Westside. It would shut down by mid-1989. But it had a big impact on cineastes, and it received a loving tribute in the 2004 documentary “Z Channel: A Magnificant Obsession” by Xan Cassavetes.
From the Dec. 5, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
The Golden Girls (1986)
Thank you for being a friend … to TV lovers. The collective power of these four incredible stars — Rue McClanahan, Bea Arthur, Estelle Getty and Betty White — kept NBC’s “The Golden Girls” on top for seven seasons.
From the Jan. 16, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
The Golden Girls (1987)
From “Life With Elizabeth” to “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” to “Hot in Cleveland,” Betty White was an awards magnet for most of her nearly 100 years. Respect.
From the May 27, 1987, edition of Daily Variety
The Golden Girls (1987)
Emmy voters were always good to “The Golden Girls.”
Betty White won the lead comedy actress trophy in 1986, for the show’s first season. Rue McClanahan won in that category the following year, and in 1988 the award went to Bea Arthur.
Estelle Getty, meanwhile, won for supporting actress in 1987. And the show prevailed as best comedy series with back-to-back wins in 1986 and 1987.
From the July 16, 1987, edition of Daily Variety
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (1986)
He was such an original. This show-within-a-show was so inventive, it holds up 40 years later. It would take another decade and a half for Showtime to invest big in a slate of original series. This early effort from Garry Shandling set a great, creatively adventurous tone.
From the Sept. 10, 1986, edition of Daily Variety
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show (1987)
Well deserved.
From the Aug. 11, 1987, edition of Daily Variety
21 Jump Street (1987)
The fledgling Fox network — aka Fox Broadcasting Co. — found traction with this Stephen J. Cannell-produced drama about undercover cops who pose as high school and college students to fight crime. It was the springboard for Johnny Depp’s movie career.
Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)
Actress Majel Barrett was married to the creator of “Star Trek,” writer-producer Gene Roddenberry. But she had a great sense of humor about herself, as indicated by this ad that bills her has “the Auntie Mame of the galaxy.”
Barrett played Nurse Chapel, who had a big crush on Mr. Spock, on the original “Star Trek” series. And she was a big part of bringing the series back 20 years later as “The Next Generation” in first-run syndication.
From the Dec. 11, 1987, edition of Daily Variety
Fox Broadcasting Company (1987)
This ad ran just before Fox carried its first live Emmy Awards telecast. The names on the right-hand page reflect all of that year’s Emmy nominees.
The Tracey Ullman Show (1988)
Go home! Go home!
Tracey Ullman famously ended most episodes of her Fox sketch-comedy series by coming out on stage in a bathrobe to address the studio audience, and shoo them out. This plucky Brit remains an international treasure.
From the May 25, 1988, edition of Variety
Gulliver Dark (1987)
Sam McMurray was a regular on Fox’s “The Tracey Ullman Show.” He had a recurring skit on the comedy-variety show in which he played a lounge-lizard singer named Gulliver Dark. By the looks of this ad, he took that silliness pretty seriously.
From the Dec. 11, 1987, edition of Daily Variety
Malcolm-Jamal Warner (1988)
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was a doer.
At the time this ad ran in 1988, Warner was five weeks away from turning 18. He was co-starring in the No. 1 TV show in America — NBC’s “The Cosby Show.” He was starring in an Off Broadway play, “Three Ways Home,” and he co-starred opposite Louis Gossett Jr. in the NBC TV movie “The Father Clements Story.” He also wrote an autobiographical book “Theo and Me — Growing Up O.K.,” a reference to his “Cosby Show” character.
Rest in power, Malcolm-Jamal Warner. We miss you.
From the July 8, 1988, edition of Daily Variety
Night Court (1988)
Marsha Warfield had a hard act to follow on “Night Court.”
She joined the cast as bailiff Roz in the show’s fourth season, after the death of the inimitable Selma Diamond, the multifaceted actor and writer who played bailiff Selma. But Warfield made the role her own for the next six seasons.
The daughter of NFL star Paul Warfield, she recently had a recurring role on ABC’s “9-1-1.”
From the July 8, 1988, edition of Daily Variety
Thirtysomething (1988)
Peter Horton has spent most of his time in recent decades behind the camera as a director and producer of such series as ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and NBC’s “New Amsterdam.”
But in the late 1980s, Horton was part of an ensemble series that tapped in to the Baby Boomer zeitgeist as the Reagan era came to a close. “Thirtysomething” captured the growing pains of a new adult life stage, thanks to the skill of creators and executive producers Marshall Herskovitz and Ed Zwick.
From the July 8, 1988, edition of Daily Variety
The Comedy Channel (1990)
A forerunner of Comedy Central, the Comedy Channel bowed on cable in November 1989 from Time Inc., the parent company of HBO at the time.
Viacom launched the Ha! channel around the same time. By 1991, the fledgling outlets were merged and renamed Comedy Central, which was jointly owned by Viacom and Time Warner until 2003 when Viacom (now Paramount Skydance) acquired the channel outright.
From the Jan. 17, 1990, edition of Daily Variety
Seinfeld 1991
Shapiro/West & Associates was a trademark of quality in comedy. So was “Seinfeld.”
From the April 8, 1991, edition of Daily Variety
Seinfeld (1991)
Elaine would like a word with Emmy voters for her “very special episode” of “Seinfeld.”
In fact, the installment touted here for Julia Louis-Dreyfus was “The Deal,” a memorable misadventure penned by the show’s pair of Larrys — David and Charles.
From the May 2, 1991, edition of Daily Variety
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1990)
Classy, as ever. Johnny Carson would have two more anniversary shows to go after this one before he signed off for good.
From the Sept. 27, 1990, edition of Daily Variety
The Chevy Chase Show (1993)
The benefit of hindsight helps, but it’s still hard to understand why Fox thought Chevy Chase was the right fit in late-night for the network’s younger-skewing audience.
“The Chevy Chase Show” famously lasted six weeks and was detrimental to Chase’s career.
From the Aug. 31, 1993, edition of Daily Variety
Bakersfield P.D. (1993)
This oddball Fox comedy deserved better. Now, its legacy lives on as a Brilliant But Canceled series. Yes, that’s Giancarlo Esposito in a fantastic fish-out-of-water role.
From the Sept. 21, 1993, edition of Daily Variety
Homicide: Life on the Street (1993)
David Simon, Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana delivered a gritty, no-easy-answers cop show that stands the test of time in “Homicide: Life on the Street.”
The series was destined to run seven seasons. It had been on NBC for about four months at the time of this ad, which is designed to pitch the show to international buyers.
But the show was still so new that the distributor got the name wrong as “Homicide: Life on the Streets.” That was probably a mix-up spurred by the title of the Simon’s 1991 nonfiction book on which it was based: “Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets.”
From the April 26, 1993, edition of Variety
Homicide: Life on the Street
“Homicide: Life on the Street” flexed its muscle in the creative community with writing and directing Emmy wins for executive producers Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana, respectively, for its first season.
Notice that all the people listed for thank-yous are mentioned by first name only.
From the Oct. 1, 1993, edition of Daily Variety
NBC (1994)
There’s a lot to enjoy here but clearly the eye is immediately drawn to … what on earth is going on with Jennifer Aniston’s hair?
For NBC, 1994-1995 was indeed a heck of a season.
From the Aug. 30, 1994, edition of Daily Variety
Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man (1994)
“Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man” would have fit right in on Adult Swim. But that outlet was still six years away at the time this launch ad ran.
It was a big swing by USA Network to take on an original animated series. Its crass lead character was voiced by Jason Alexander, who was in the midst of his “Seinfeld” run as George Costanza.
From the Nov. 2, 1994, edition of Daily Variety
Stephen J. Cannell Productions (1994)
One of the most successful indie producers of his day, Stephen J. Cannell was known to viewers for his end-credits slate that featured a shot of him pounding away on a typewriter and ripping the page out of the roller with dramatic flair.
At the time this ad ran, Cannell was about seven months away from selling his company to New World Entertainment. New World and Cannell’s library would be scooped up by Fox in 1996. Cannell had huge regrets at having surrendered his library, so he bought most of the shows back from Fox in 1998.
ER and Friends (1995)
The Must-See TV era comes in like a lion for NBC.
From the Jan. 1, 1995, edition of Daily Variety
Beavis and Butt-Head (1995)
Mike Judge’s animated series about “two easily amused teenagers” was a pop culture sensation in the mid-1990s for MTV.
From the Jan. 2, 1995, edition of Variety
UPN (1994)
UPN, we hardly knew ye.
The netlet, as Variety dubbed UPN and the WB Network, was a joint venture of Paramount Television and Chris-Craft/United, which owned TV stations in New York, Los Angeles and other big markets.
As indicated in this teaser ad, UPN set sail on Jan. 16, 1995, with the premiere of “Star Trek: Voyager.” WB Network had signed on the air five days before with “The Wayans Brothers” comedy series.
UPN eventually would be eclipsed by the WB Network in terms of buzz and hits. The netlets were destined to become one in 2006 through the merger that created the CW Network.
But at the start of the race in 1995, UPN was the one to beat, thanks in no small part to the pull of “Star Trek.”
From the Dec. 1, 1994, edition of Daily Variety
The Drew Carey Show (1997)
Before he took over the post-“Late Show” slot on CBS for 10 years, Craig Ferguson was a second banana on ABC’s “The Drew Carey Show.”
From the June 27, 1997, edition of Daily Variety
Home Improvement (1998)
More power and … a little respect, please?
This ad has a pointed message for Emmy voters about the hit ABC domestic comedy that made Tim Allen a star.
From the June 23, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1998)
“Buffy the Vampire Slayer” defied the conventions of TV in every way. Nearly 30 years after its debut, the “Buffy” brand is strong. A new iteration of the show is in the works for Hulu.
From the June 19, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Dawson’s Creek (1998)
They were fresh-faced and bound for stardom, all four of them. Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson, James Van Der Beek and Michelle Williams made for a potent ensemble.
Fun fact: The Los Angeles Daily News critic quoted here, Keith Marder, would soon join the PR department of the WB Network.
From the June 11, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Dawson’s Creek (1998)
How ’bout that WB Network logo? Michigan J. Frog was right at home with “Dawson’s Creek” (and the Beek). At this time, there was no bigger draw on TV for teenagers and young adults.
From the June 23, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Ellen (1998)
Raise your hand if you completely forgot that Jeremy Piven was on “Ellen,” the ABC sitcom.
This Emmy ad ran one year after the show made history when the character of Ellen Morgan, played by Ellen DeGeneres, came out as a lesbian in the landmark “The Puppy Episode.”
From the June 19, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Law & Order (1998)
Yes, Virginia, there was a brief period in the late 1990s when Barry Diller controlled Universal’s television assets, which at the time included the USA Network cabler (but not NBC yet.) The Universal Television production division was rechristened Studios USA Television.
The deal, and the name, did not stick. No doubt even industry insiders were confused by the studio moniker listed in this ad for “Law & Order,” which was heading into its ninth season at the time. This Emmy pitch ran the year after “Law & Order” won the top prize for best drama — the franchise’s one and only Emmy win for best series to date.
From the June 23, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Win Ben Stein’s Money (1998)
Before “The Man Show,” before “Windy City Heat,” before he gave voice to Corky the dog in “Road Trip,” Jimmy Kimmel paid his dues as the question reader on the syndicated quiz show “Win Ben Stein’s Money.” Respect.
From the Feb. 28, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Oz (1998)
HBO’s “Oz” was the ultra-intense prison drama that showrunner Tom Fontana tackled after “Homicide: Life on the Street.”
“Oz” racked up big wins at the 1997 CableAce Awards, including best drama and best actress for Rita Moreno. But it had very little Emmy traction over its six seasons.
From the June 19, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Gia (1998)
Angelina Jolie’s acting career took off after she starred in this HBO movie opposite Mercedes Ruehl and Faye Dunaway. The story of a fashion model’s rise and fall was co-written by “Bright Lights, Big City” author Jay McInerney.
From the June 11, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
BNN (1999)
This program was ahead of its time. BNN was a Canadian documentary anthology series that took on topics that resonate today.
From the April 15, 1999, edition of Variety
Spin City (1999)
Alex P. Keaton, Michael J. Fox’s character on “Family Ties,” famously aspired to move in to the White House like his idols, Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon (much to the chagrin of his aging-hippie parents).
A decade later, Fox’s character on ABC’s “Spin City” was the realistic version of the path that Keaton might’ve pursued in politics. Fox played a deputy mayor of New York who was always getting his boss in and out of bad PR scrapes.
At its best, “Spin City” was a showcase for Fox’s copious comedic skills. But Fox had to leave the series in 2000 as Parkinson’s disease took its a toll on his health. Fox won the Emmy for lead comedy actor that year, a bittersweet triumph that underscored for industry insiders the depth of his struggle and his sacrifice. Incredible respect.
From the Dec. 22, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
Spin City (1998)
The very best.
From the June 11, 1998, edition of Daily Variety
Felicity (1999)
Welcome to stardom, Keri Russell.
The WB Network’s “Felicity” was an early TV hit for J.J. Abrams. And yes, we’re still debating the impact of the Haircut of Destiny. Everyone except Russell, who embodied her collegiate character with her impetuous IRL decision to chop off the curly locks that made TV critics swoon.
This ad ran centerfold-style across two pages.
From the June 11, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
Freaks and Geeks (1999)
Give the casting director a retroactive bonus.
Every key member of the large, youthful ensemble of this beloved NBC dramedy is still a boldface name in Hollywood. Some of them — notably Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, James Franco and Busy Philipps — are also employing people as producers themselves.
Freaks and Geeks (2000)
They were brutally honest in their Emmy pitch. But there was no participation trophy for these crazy kids.
From the June 8, 2000, edition of Daily Variety
Freaks and Geeks (2000)
The fans not only spoke out, they shelled out for an ad urging NBC to reconsider giving “Freaks and Geeks” the ax.
From the April 27, 2000, edition of Daily Variety
The Sopranos (1999)
TV would never be the same, despite the fairly conventional TV series pitch in this ad that ran six days before “The Sopranos” premiered on HBO.
From the Oct. 4, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
The Sopranos (1999)
The swagger of the whole gang just jumps off the page. What a show.
From the June 9, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
The Sopranos (1999)
By this time, HBO knew it was stealing the thunder of every other network with the show that elevated the mob drama and the family drama all at once.
From the Dec. 22, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
Jackie’s Back (1999)
The great Jenifer Lewis plus Tim Curry plus Robert Townsend makes for a very funny sendup of the music business and stardom. If you loved “Girls5eva,” you’ve got to hunt down “Jackie’s Back.” It’s a Lifetime movie that is nothing like a (stereotypical) Lifetime movie.
John Leguizamo’s Freak (1999)
John Leguizamo held nothing back in this one man show filmed for an HBO special.
From the June 11, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
Sex and the City (1999)
Cheers for Season 2 of one of HBO’s most enduring shows.
From the June 19, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
NYPD Blue (1999)
ABC’s “NYPD Blue” had such a large ensemble cast that most actors took out their own Emmy pitch ads, a la this one for James McDaniel, who was a staple of the Steven Bochco-David Milch series.
From the June 9, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
Saturday Night Live (1999)
“Saturday Night Live,” by the numbers, as of its 25th anniversary.
From the Sept. 23, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
Saturday Night Live (1999)
Oooh, Yes!
Mr. Bill weighs in on “Saturday Night Live’s” 25th anniversary.
From the Sept. 24, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
Spelling Entertainment (1999)
This ad ran close to the end of Aaron Spelling’s run as an independent powerhouse.
From the April 5, 1999, edition of Variety
The West Wing (1999)
Viewers for Quality Television got the jump on the Television Academy and every other awards body in showing kudos on NBC’s “The West Wing” after it had been on the air for two months.
From the Nov. 17, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
The West Wing (1999)
Eight days after the series premiered on NBC, Aaron Sorkin and John Wells gave a shout-out to “The West Wing” director Thomas Schlamme.
From the Oct. 1, 1999, edition of Daily Variety
The West Wing (2000)
“The West Wing” creator Aaron Sorkin did win an Emmy for writing for the show’s first season, but it wasn’t for the pilot.
Sorkin earned two writing noms for the show that year, for the pilot and for “In Excelsis Deo.” He shared the win for the latter episode with scribe Rick Cleveland.
From the Aug. 7, 2000, edition of Daily Variety
The West Wing (2000)
NBC’s “The West Wing” earned the Emmy Award for best drama series four years in a row, starting in 2000.
From the June 16, 2000, edition of Daily Variety
