CBN's actual schedule 40 years ago

In Sunday's Top Ten, I mentioned a 1984 mention of CBN's ratings surge and added a comment about how it showed The 700 Club about 5 times a day. Well, the channel had a great lineup surrounding the religious programming. For context, let's look at the schedule on the Christian Broadcast Network 40 years ago tonight.

We'll start at 6:30 because 6:00 has a rerun of game show Treasure Hunt hosted by Geoff Edwards. 6:30 brings The Rifleman, a show we heartily endorsed last season.

Next up: Here Come the Brides, which to me doesn't hold up next to some of these other programs, but it was not one you saw everywhere, so it's cool CBN had it.

I Spy aired at 8:00. It's a cool show, and could you blame CBN for thinking the show fit in with its family values message in 1984?

700 Club follows and is on for a whopping 90 minutes.

Classic TV resumes at 10:30 with My Little Margie. For many years, this was the only place I ever saw the series.

11:00 is Another Life. Now, this is interesting: A nightly soap and CBN original that was syndicated as well as aired on the channel.

Now is when it really gets good: Late night on CBN.

11:30 is Best of Groucho, AKA You Bet Your Life. Excellent choice!

Burns and Allen follows at midnight. Tremendous program.

12:30 is Jack Benny, and I needn't tell you this is a classic.

I think that 11;30-1:00 block is up there with any block on Nick at Nite in its prime.

1:00 is I Married Joan, and CBN must have really loved it because it also aired earlier at 2:30 as a lead-on to The 700 Club.

1:30 is Love That Bob, a series that is mostly forgotten today but is often pretty funny, though I will grant that Bob Cummings and his character might not be for everyone.

2:00 is Bachelor Father, a program I enjoyed on those occasions when Young Master Brooks was up that late. It was not prominent for years, then RTV brought it back (the glory days when it showed old Universal library shows), followed by Antenna TV later.

It's followed by Life of Riley, another forgotten show that is quite enjoyable. I believe CBN showed the William Bendix episodes (a local NY station I got showed the Jackie Gleason episodes for a while in a super-early timeslot).

Then classic TV ends at 3 because it's time for The 700 Club again.

Is that a pretty good schedule or what? It would change over the years, and a few would drop out and others would come in, but CBN, not Nick at Nite, was my favorite cable source for vintage TV for several years.

Top Ten #298: Special "Is Spring almost over?" edition

1) Earth Day: My personal favorite Earth is Earth-2, but I guess this one is OK, too.

2) Battlestar Galactica: I'm so proud of this recent purchase, I have to show it again. How about a line of brand-new figures from the classic series?

3) Transformers: Hasbro has announced a "special event" coming in mid-May: A theatrical presentation of the first 4 episodes of the original animated series! I am hoping for an exclusive new presentation by Hector Ramirez.

4) National Record Store Day: Hope you found something cool yesterday! If you don't have a local store to support, Sam Goody is acceptable.

5) The 1974 Tony Awards: 50 years ago tonight, CBS aired the annual extravaganza,

6) Tony Danza and Brutus Beefcake: Two men who, in their own ways, epitomized masculinity in the Eighties celebrate birthdays today. By the way, Tony Danza did not win a Tony in 1974.

7) Skag: Anytime someone posts a promo for 1980 NBC, we pay attention:

8) CBN: 40 years ago in The New York Times, an article discussed the ratings success of the cable channel's vintage reruns, saying, "The network's schedule includes 1950's and 60's programs such as The Jack Benny Show and The Rifleman, as well as some religious programs." Some? Hey, I loved CBN's late-night schedule in that era, but it showed The 700 Club about 5 times a day, and I find it od the piece doesn't mention the initials stood for Christian Broadcast Network.

9) Mother Lode: What is special about this 1982 movie with Charlton Heston (it was written by him and directed by his son Fraser), Nick Mancuso, and Kim Basinger? I don't know, but for some reason, 40 years ago tonight, it aired at 6:00 P.M. on Showtime and then two hours later on competitor HBO! I guess the film was too good to be limited to just one premium cable network!

10) R.I.P. Robert McNeill: Both have their adherents, but for my money, he was always the sexier half of The McNeill/Lehrer News Hour.

Collectible Corner: A wonderful mix of beautiful and generic

I recently acquired this great-looking Battlestar Galactica toy. The toy itself is simple but effective, but, oh, what a card! 

I'd show you the card back, but there is nothing on it! They spent the money on that glorious front. I love the stylized "BattlestaR."

It's funny because back in the day, I cared little about the packaging after I got the toy. I would have torn this up and ditched it, then ran around the house zooming this cruiser through the sky. Now, of course, the cruiser is cool enough, but I got it for the packaging.

I will admit that once again I am tempted to open a vintage toy, if only to try that "free rolling." Don't sell short that "non toxic paint," either. It's good to know I could take this off the card and put it in my mouth with no ill effects!

Infinity: The Magazine Beyond Imagination is a slick, entertaining read

I have seen Infinity many times on the magazine shelves at Barnes & Noble. After the demise of so many other periodicals in the Entertainment section, it stands out even more for several reasons: It always has a cool cover, its glossy, slick look pops, and it's really expensive!

In fairness, the $12 cover price is because it's an import. It's only 4.5 quid in the UK! As so many of our domestically produced mags have faded, these Brit mags take up more space on the rack, but they often look great. Infinity is no exception, but I wonder if the cover space is designed with regards to the international market. It seems like the more Britcentric subjects get blurbs while the more "universal" (That is, stuff that we Yanks know and like) get the big pics!

That's fine with me. I finally purchased an issue a few weeks ago, and I admit it was almost by accident. I went out of my way to go to a store to get a baseball magazine, and a week after its newsstand date, it wasn't there. Couple that aggravation with a gift card in my pocket, and, folks, there was no chance I was leaving that building without buying something. So after years of admiring it, I finally picked up Infinity, in this case issue 68. It's likely several months behind, but, you know, import and all. Besides, it's not like it dates; this is a magazine about sci-fi/fantasy/genre nostalgia!

I was pleased with the mag. It's attractive in its design and loaded with great pics, and I am not saying that only because of the one of Sherry Jackson's Star Trek appearance on page 13. There is a nice mix of vintage publicity photos and shots of memorabilia. The articles are relatively short but impactful. A fanatic of cover subject Superman: The Movie might not learn a whole lot, but author Ernie Magnotta gives an excellent summary of the film's production and also includes interviews with stars Valerie Perrine and Jeff East. In a similar vein, John Martin's look at the career of Bruce Lee packs a lot into 6 pic-filled pages.

TV fans like us might enjoy the profile of Roddy McDowall, though, sadly, it doesn't mention his role as the Devil on Fantasy Island--a missed opportunity for a mag like this! There is an interesting choice of interview subject in stuntman Tony Brubaker, who doubled Mr. T on The A-Team. I am not so sure that the reports of strife between T and George Peppard are as overblown as Brubaker asserts, but I like hearing from him.

Those Britcentric pieces are cool, too. There are spotlights on Bob Monkhouse and a spectacular feature on the comic annuals of Stamford Pemberton Publishing, including books on the likes of Vega$ and Kojak.

The price is high, but I plan to keep an eye on this one now that I know it's so entertaining. I see digital copies are available, too, and I bet this looks good on a tablet. I recommend Infinity for fans of retro-focused magazines!

Top Ten #297

1) Good Times: A new show with that title is on Netflix this weekend. Let's just say the original is complete on DVD, streaming on Peacock, and on over the air on Get TV. You can hear us talk about that show right here.

2) Rulebreaker: The new book about Barbara Walters is out this week. If this book were made from a tree, what kind of tree would it be made from?

3) Franklin?: As we mentioned last week, Michael Douglas stars as Ben Franklin in a new Apple Plus series beginning this week. This comes on the heels of its original special in February spotlighting Franklin from Peanuts.

Is the next step a prestige documentary about Season 11 Batty winner Franklin Cover?

4) Check It Out!: For the second week in a row, VEI drops a surprising complete series DVD release. Clearly the world was not ready for the combined hilarity of this and Too Close for Comfort in one single week!

5) National Gardening Day: The perfect way to get outside and enjoy some sunshine, especially if maybe you can take a little TV out there with you.

6) Lionel Richie: I shared this extended version in our official Facebook group this week, and to me it's peak Lionel: Energetic, upbeat, and on message. And check out a cameo by a certain future TGIF star.

7) Verne Lundquist: I am not a big golf guy, save a brief era when I played Lee Trevino's Fighting Golf, but I want to salute this great sportscaster, who hangs it up after this weekend's Masters.

8) NBC Reports: You're Too Fat: On this night in 1974, NBC News looked at this then-pressing issue and concluded that surely advances in nutritional science and education along with sensible policy would make obesity obsolete in 50 years.

9) The Care Bears Battle the Freeze Machine: This special aired in syndication this weekend in 1984. I haven't seen it, but I am pretty sure I know who won.

10)  O.J. Simpson: In BOTNS World, we don't dwell on the NFL Hall of Famer killing two people in 1994. We try to focus on his post-football career as a mediocre actor, mediocre color commentator, and mediocre sideline reporter,

Actually, let me put this here: I have the following memory: One year on Thanksgiving, while I was watching football with extended family, towards the end of the telecast, O.J. got a bad cue or something on an NBC broadcast, and he cursed on the air before they could get the camera off him. I have never found a reference to this moment anywhere. Did anyone else see it?

Collectible Corner: Welcome (not back) to my collection!

Laurie and I attended a cool vintage toy show recently, and it seemed to be a huge success. I love seeing shows with low admission fees in contrast to the comic book shows that charge high ticket prices just to get in and buy stuff. This event was a success to me if only because I bought this beautiful item from 1976:

Now my question is: Dare I open this? This is in original shrinkwrapped form and in great shape. It almost seems like a shame to remove that and break up the packaging.

On the other hand, the box will still be in great shape, and Mr. Kotter will still look spectacular, even if I do open it up and check out the paper dolls inside.

For now, I am going to enjoy the box as is, but who knows if I will resist the urge to try out some different outfits on Mr. Kotter!

Top Ten #296: Special "Protect your eyes tomorrow" edition!

1) Total Eclipse of the Heart: I have this video in my head for some reason today.

Remember, people, be smart tomorrow and always. Never, ever look directly at Doc Severinsen's outfit.

2) Joe Flaherty: Special shout to the late Joe Flaherty, our Robert Pine Genius Award winner at the Season 9 Battys. What else can I say except he made us laugh real good.

3) National Beer Day: Speaking of Mr. Pine, you know we suggest you celebrate with a Lowenbrau:

4) Too Close for Comfort: VEI surprised by releasing a complete series set of the1980s sitcom this week. Unfortunately, it looks like they used syndicated (and edited) prints. So it's technically incomplete, but all the episodes are there!

Also, 40 years ago tonight, the series' fourth season premiered.

5) Dinah, Won't You Please Come Home: 50 years ago tonight, Dinah Shore starred in this music special from Nashville on NBC, welcoming guests like Glen Campbell, Isaac Hayes, and...Jack Benny? Maybe he played fiddle.

6) Michael Douglas: The star of Streets of San Francisco has been making the media rounds to promote upcoming Apple Plus show Franklin, in which he plays the legendary stateman--Ben, not Franklin Pierce--with a twinkle in his eye.

Come to think of it, has he reached the age when he plays everything with a twinkle in his eye?

7) National No Housework Day: The boys can give Mickey the day off.

8) The National Invitational Tournament: I have always maintained that the winner of the NCAA tourney is just a paper champ unless it accepts the challenge of the NIT winner.

9) Sanford: In a lean month for new shows on streaming, this show stands out as one of the few adds I saw--the 1980 version of the show. Tubi now has, uh, a handful of episodes of each of its two seasons. Well, I said it was a lean month.

10) R.I.P. Barbara Rush, Barbara Baldavin:

(Note: Post was edited to correct an error in the Joe Flaherty item. We featured SCTV in Season 9, not Season 10. We may be able to pick Geniuses, but apparently I am far from one!)