It's an interesting attempt that still seemed underrealized in many ways. One thing that is bothersome is the rather generic-sounding music. A more Country/Western/Hillbilly band type of music would have suited the atmosphere much better. This was demonstrated on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. As it is, the music used here is dull and destroys a lot of the momentum.
The opening titles are cheap and unimaginative. A comic strip motif would have been better. Lastly, the pacing is too slow.
It's an interesting attempt that still seemed underrealized in many ways. One thing that is bothersome is the rather generic-sounding music. A more Country/Western/Hillbilly band type of music would have suited the atmosphere much better. This was demonstrated on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. As it is, the music used here is dull and destroys a lot of the momentum.
The opening titles are cheap and unimaginative. A comic strip motif would have been better. Lastly, the pacing is too slow.
@TheNeonRabbit It wasn't known to the public then, and it was not an issue. He was an actor, period. His sexual orientation had nothing to do with his ability to act a part. But I do find his delivery lacking in a number of ways, and it was up to Coby Ruskin, an experienced Director to have brought out a better performance.
We boomers are settled in our ways, buying the same products that we were introduced to in our youth. We're far less likely to change our minds based on a new commercial for a new product or a different brand.Old and new companies make commercials to win over the young people whose buying patterns have yet to be established and entrenched. The networks greenlight shows based on their chances of getting companies to buy commercial air time.
The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction were still very big so a copycat series (even though Lil Abner was around longer) would not get a green light.
What was I Dream Of Jeanie if not a copycat series of Bewitched? What was Big Valley if not a copycat series of Bonanza?
Li'l Abner would have been set in dirt poor Dogpatch.
The Bevery Hillbillies was set in a wealthy environment.
Petticoat Junction was set in the country. Li'l Abner could have explored much zanier situations than the ones found in The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction.
Wacky inventions, over the top characterizations, dark humor, political and social commentary.
@westeightyone I totally agree that this was ill-conceived on many levels. It's basically dull and pedestrian. Also some of the casting is not good. Judy Canova is too tall and not excentric enough for Mammy Yokum. Why wasn't Billie Hayes considered? She was still available and was in the original stage and movie versions of the the musical.
Billy Hayes would have been great but is there an outside chance that she turned them down ? A lot of actors thought of television as a step down rather than a step up back in the 60s. Many actors feared getting typecast in a role and not being offered another role after the series went off the air. In 1966 an actor only got paid residuals for the first 3 times that an episode appeared in reruns.
@westeightyone Not so. BILLIE Hayes took the role of WITCHY POO on H.R. PUFFENSTUFF. That was on television as you may recall. The fact remains. Judy Canova was miscast.
I agree that Judy Canova was miscast. Billie Hayes performed the role of Witchiepoo on H.R. Puffnstuff in 1969. The pilot in this video was from 1966.
Three years difference. A lot can happen in three years ( unemployment, funds running out, an expensive illness in the family, seeing members of her peer group who were once doing well struggling to make ends meet ) that would make a person say 'yes' to what they previously said 'no' to.
She might have been offered a nice hunk of change to perform in the pilot for H.R. Puffnstuff.
She ( and she wouldn't have been the first actor or actress to do this )
could have signed on expecting that the show wouldn't sell on the basis of the pilot. She'd sign a contract to appear in the series if the show got the greenlight and she would have been held to it.
The fact that she was so heavily made up in H.R.Puffnstuff , essentially hiding her face, reduced her chances of being type cast.
1:15 what's with the acent?
tomyazvids 3 months ago
totally unbelievable,Robert Reed is gay, he wouldn't be interested in a girl that looked like that.
smkwaterjack 7 months ago
Why didn't this show make it? Many shows like these were popular back then
stargazerlily86 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
It's an interesting attempt that still seemed underrealized in many ways. One thing that is bothersome is the rather generic-sounding music. A more Country/Western/Hillbilly band type of music would have suited the atmosphere much better. This was demonstrated on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. As it is, the music used here is dull and destroys a lot of the momentum.
The opening titles are cheap and unimaginative. A comic strip motif would have been better. Lastly, the pacing is too slow.
RayPointer 1 year ago
It's an interesting attempt that still seemed underrealized in many ways. One thing that is bothersome is the rather generic-sounding music. A more Country/Western/Hillbilly band type of music would have suited the atmosphere much better. This was demonstrated on THE BEVERLY HILLBILLIES. As it is, the music used here is dull and destroys a lot of the momentum.
The opening titles are cheap and unimaginative. A comic strip motif would have been better. Lastly, the pacing is too slow.
RayPointer 1 year ago
whos the girl who plays dasiey mae
kassidykayte123 1 year ago
@kassidykayte123 That's Jeannine Riley who played Billie Jo Bradley for a couple of seasons on PETTICOAT JUNCTION.
ToonORama 1 year ago
@ToonORama ohhlol my spanish teacher did a tv thing for lil abner and played dasiey mae and i was trying to find her
kassidykayte123 1 year ago
Wasn't he gay?
TheNeonRabbit 1 year ago
@TheNeonRabbit Robert Reed? Yes, he was. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
MarkFanboyX 1 year ago
@TheNeonRabbit It wasn't known to the public then, and it was not an issue. He was an actor, period. His sexual orientation had nothing to do with his ability to act a part. But I do find his delivery lacking in a number of ways, and it was up to Coby Ruskin, an experienced Director to have brought out a better performance.
RayPointer 1 year ago
Judy Canova was super! That was my granny's fav.
philbertwormly 1 year ago
Why don't they try it now? We boomers would love to see something decent on TV again!
Gaygarious 2 years ago
@Gaygarious
We boomers are settled in our ways, buying the same products that we were introduced to in our youth. We're far less likely to change our minds based on a new commercial for a new product or a different brand.Old and new companies make commercials to win over the young people whose buying patterns have yet to be established and entrenched. The networks greenlight shows based on their chances of getting companies to buy commercial air time.
westeightyone 1 year ago
Quite a high-powered cast, but Abner just would not lend itself to a series.
waynebrasler 3 years ago
The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction were still very big so a copycat series (even though Lil Abner was around longer) would not get a green light.
mookindahouse 2 years ago
What was I Dream Of Jeanie if not a copycat series of Bewitched? What was Big Valley if not a copycat series of Bonanza?
Li'l Abner would have been set in dirt poor Dogpatch.
The Bevery Hillbillies was set in a wealthy environment.
Petticoat Junction was set in the country. Li'l Abner could have explored much zanier situations than the ones found in The Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction.
Wacky inventions, over the top characterizations, dark humor, political and social commentary.
westeightyone 2 years ago
@westeightyone I totally agree that this was ill-conceived on many levels. It's basically dull and pedestrian. Also some of the casting is not good. Judy Canova is too tall and not excentric enough for Mammy Yokum. Why wasn't Billie Hayes considered? She was still available and was in the original stage and movie versions of the the musical.
RayPointer 1 year ago
@RayPointer
Billy Hayes would have been great but is there an outside chance that she turned them down ? A lot of actors thought of television as a step down rather than a step up back in the 60s. Many actors feared getting typecast in a role and not being offered another role after the series went off the air. In 1966 an actor only got paid residuals for the first 3 times that an episode appeared in reruns.
westeightyone 1 year ago
@westeightyone Not so. BILLIE Hayes took the role of WITCHY POO on H.R. PUFFENSTUFF. That was on television as you may recall. The fact remains. Judy Canova was miscast.
RayPointer 1 year ago
Comment removed
westeightyone 1 year ago
Comment removed
westeightyone 1 year ago
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@RayPointer
I agree that Judy Canova was miscast. Billie Hayes performed the role of Witchiepoo on H.R. Puffnstuff in 1969. The pilot in this video was from 1966.
Three years difference. A lot can happen in three years ( unemployment, funds running out, an expensive illness in the family, seeing members of her peer group who were once doing well struggling to make ends meet ) that would make a person say 'yes' to what they previously said 'no' to.
westeightyone 1 year ago
She might have been offered a nice hunk of change to perform in the pilot for H.R. Puffnstuff.
She ( and she wouldn't have been the first actor or actress to do this )
could have signed on expecting that the show wouldn't sell on the basis of the pilot. She'd sign a contract to appear in the series if the show got the greenlight and she would have been held to it.
The fact that she was so heavily made up in H.R.Puffnstuff , essentially hiding her face, reduced her chances of being type cast.
westeightyone 1 year ago
Very nice version of the classic comic strip!
MelodyThePussycat 3 years ago