Turn-On! (1969)

For TV historians and fans of bizarre stuff, here is a short clip of the unaired second episode of "Turn-On". This infamous show was canceled after (and on some stations during) the first episode.

This is the only footage I've seen of this, and I'd love to see more! Has anyone seen the first episode, or any other footage?

Note: This clip was uploaded for historical and educational purposes. If there are any objections to this upload, I will delete it immediately. Thanks!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Turn
• On
• 1969
• canceled
• first
• episode
• ABC
• TV
• network
• television
• comedy
• surreal
• George
• Schlatter
• Tim
• Conway

[hotrode96]

i'm a black 15 year old kid and that scene with the kkk scaried the shit out of me i turn around to see if theirs any one now i'm glad they canceled it

[haveajam]

@hotrode96: That's one scene that I didn't see the point of, and I thought it was in extremely poor taste. I'm sorry that you were offended by it; that certainly wasn't my intention when I posted this.

[Freenbean]

February 1969. At dinner my brother says there is a new show premiering that night called Turn-On. Done by the same people who created Laugh-In (which we all loved at the time). Supposed to be hosted by a computer, & said to be TWICE AS CRAZY as Laugh-In. So we tune in at 8:30. On KOMO there appeared a slide "Programming Change". Announcer says the station management had viewed the show in advance & decided it violated their broadcast standards. Reran their public affairs show instead

[zkg]

@haveajam The first and SECOND episodes of Turn-On are available for viewing at the Paley Center in NYC. I've seen them both.

[lednerg]

George Schlatter gave an interview a couple years back, going much more in depth about the circumstances behind the cancellation. watch?v=Gbz3irCcMEo

I hope he releases the series in its entirety. Sounds like at the very least it would make for an interesting television time capsule.

[Noodles37UK]

@SomeFluffer64 They'd faint with boredom in the UK. It's all programmes about buying houses in the country and selling antiques. I'm exaggerating but fellow Brits will get me...

[SomeFluffer64]

Cancelled half way through the first episode because it was too offensive. If the people of 1969 saw what was on tv today... well, they would probably faint.

[The4EverYoung85]

@TheXLTE If it's any consolation, MADtv's been canned since 2009 (though it has come back in the form of MAD, the Cartoon Network sketch show that's more in tune with the magazine). And I like SNL, I don't care what anyone else says. Turn-On's humor is basically what SNL would do six years later.

[SkyRifter]

IT REMINDS ME OF

- Ernest tv show

"HEY VERN I"M ON TV -" Annoying as hell.

[86am]

@ManOfWealthnTaste Learn to spell, please.

[cheeriosinabowl]

It has a vague similarity to Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in.

Remember back in 1969, things were so clean and proper,  no swearing or nudity. By today's standards this Turn-On show would be considered quite tame.

[lenwood69]

LOL! This show was cancelled DURING it's first episode. One station pulled it after 15 minutes and replaced it with organ music. How awesome is that!