Our Miss Brooks

[Chris109]

Of course on Decades. This was a funny show. Richard Crenna was supposed to be a teenager but was actually in his later 20's.
Some instances with 'innuendo'.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

Of course on Decades. This was a funny show. Richard Crenna was supposed to be a teenager but was actually in his later 20's.
Some instances with 'innuendo'.

Hi Chris,
It's from the folks at Desilu and I may be a heretic but the now seasoned crew behind "I Love Lucy" produced a funnier series in "Our Miss Brooks".
Of course they had the advantage of carrying on from the very popular radio show, with well established characters and writers who had the
series and it's "world" down pat.
I admit "I Love Lucy" has those many moments of unrivaled genius, but for me there is too much same old, same old.
"Our Miss Brooks" writing is consistently snappy, sharp.
I just watched a scene - on Decades as I write - and found myself forgetting the plot and just admiring the patter, there is no fat, every word crisply advancing the plot/humor.
It's perfectly cast, star Eve Arden has no problem letting others shine. Gale Gordon gives what I think is his best ongoing performance,
one that blows away his better known(now) but one note "Mister Mooney".
There are in jokes as well as the innuendo you mention, as when Walter shows Miss Brooks a toy alien in a space suit and asks her what she thinks it might be.
Miss Brooks replies, "did Lucy have another baby"?

[Chris109]

Of course on Decades. This was a funny show. Richard Crenna was supposed to be a teenager but was actually in his later 20's.
Some instances with 'innuendo'.

Hi Chris,
It's from the folks at Desilu and I may be a heretic but the now seasoned crew behind "I Love Lucy" produced a funnier series in "Our Miss Brooks".
Of course they had the advantage of carrying on from the very popular radio show, with well established characters and writers who had the
series and it's "world" down pat.
I admit "I Love Lucy" has those many moments of unrivaled genius, but for me there is too much same old, same old.
"Our Miss Brooks" writing is consistently snappy, sharp.
I just watched a scene - on Decades as I write - and found myself forgetting the plot and just admiring the patter, there is no fat, every word crisply advancing the plot/humor.
It's perfectly cast, star Eve Arden has no problem letting others shine. Gale Gordon gives what I think is his best ongoing performance,
one that blows away his better known(now) but one note "Mister Mooney".
There are in jokes as well as the innuendo you mention, as when Walter shows Miss Brooks a toy alien in a space suit and asks her what she thinks it might be.
Miss Brooks replies, "did Lucy have another baby"?

I was never a fan of Gordon. He really did always play the meanie. But in Miss Brooks, he was always on the receiving end of any 'situation' that had arisen.

And one episode that I saw yesterday was one with Joseph Kearns who played Superintendent Edgar Stone. He played Mr. Wilson in Dennis the Menace and Gordon became the new Mr. Wilson (the brother of the original) after Kearns died.

As for Lucy, I never really cared for that show. Don't know why. Just never clicked with any of her shows. She just seemed to me like she way over-acted. She graduated from the William Shatner School of Overacting even before The Shat built the school.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I've never seen OUR MISS BROOKS but few shows are as timeless or have such staying power as I LOVE LUCY. There's a show that simply never ages! Very few shows can compete with it. It's physical comedy at its very best!! I don't know another show that is as well known for its physical comedy as LUCY is. Does MISS BROOKS have that kind of physical humor? Something tells me that it doesn't. Now, I personally love physical comedy but maybe it's not something everyone appreciates. If not then I suppose some might not find Lucy's antics very amusing. But I certainly do! And quite frankly I don't ever remember MISS BROOKS being on any lists of greatest sitcoms of all time. Perhaps I need to give it a whirl sometime to decide for myself. Though I doubt it will be on LUCY's level.

Now, does anyone recall a show called I MARRIED JOAN? Apparently that was NBC's answer to I LOVE LUCY. It lasted 3 seasons and did pretty good in the ratings but it just couldn't compete with LUCY. I saw snippets of it here and there and I bet I would enjoy it more than MISS BROOKS. If it's anything like LUCY then it's a good thing.

[Chris109]

I've never seen OUR MISS BROOKS but few shows are as timeless or have such staying power as I LOVE LUCY. There's a show that simply never ages! Very few shows can compete with it. It's physical comedy at its very best!! I don't know another show that is as well known for its physical comedy as LUCY is. Does MISS BROOKS have that kind of physical humor? Something tells me that it doesn't. Now, I personally love physical comedy but maybe it's not something everyone appreciates. If not then I suppose some might not find Lucy's antics very amusing. But I certainly do! And quite frankly I don't ever remember MISS BROOKS being on any lists of greatest sitcoms of all time. Perhaps I need to give it a whirl sometime to decide for myself. Though I doubt it will be on LUCY's level.

Now, does anyone recall a show called I MARRIED JOAN? Apparently that was NBC's answer to I LOVE LUCY. It lasted 3 seasons and did pretty good in the ratings but it just couldn't compete with LUCY. I saw snippets of it here and there and I bet I would enjoy it more than MISS BROOKS. If it's anything like LUCY then it's a good thing.

There wouldn't be any physical comedy since it was basically a reworking of the radio show. You probably could listen to the tv show and not even need to watch it cause it was really all vocal. You just wouldn't see Arden's facial expressions.

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

I've never seen OUR MISS BROOKS but few shows are as timeless or have such staying power as I LOVE LUCY. There's a show that simply never ages! Very few shows can compete with it. It's physical comedy at its very best!! I don't know another show that is as well known for its physical comedy as LUCY is. Does MISS BROOKS have that kind of physical humor? Something tells me that it doesn't. Now, I personally love physical comedy but maybe it's not something everyone appreciates. If not then I suppose some might not find Lucy's antics very amusing. But I certainly do! And quite frankly I don't ever remember MISS BROOKS being on any lists of greatest sitcoms of all time. Perhaps I need to give it a whirl sometime to decide for myself. Though I doubt it will be on LUCY's level.

Now, does anyone recall a show called I MARRIED JOAN? Apparently that was NBC's answer to I LOVE LUCY. It lasted 3 seasons and did pretty good in the ratings but it just couldn't compete with LUCY. I saw snippets of it here and there and I bet I would enjoy it more than MISS BROOKS. If it's anything like LUCY then it's a good thing.

There wouldn't be any physical comedy since it was basically a reworking of the radio show. You probably could listen to the tv show and not even need to watch it cause it was really all vocal. You just wouldn't see Arden's facial expressions.

Chris,
Great point, that's why there is no lull in the stories as if you are writing for radio - out of habit - then the words drive everything.

Ivan, to be fair I have seen every "I Love Lucy" episode at least 10 times and the magic is gone for me, I know every line and scene to the point where, like The Maltese Falcon,
the story no longer exists. The Law of Diminishing Returns.
So Our Miss Brooks, which is new to me as I can't recall it ever being shown in the NYC/NJ market in my lifetime, is a breath of fresh air.
Well, as fresh as air from 1956 is gonna get.
I looked it up and the series is very well regarded, it even spawned a theatrical movie.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I've never seen OUR MISS BROOKS but few shows are as timeless or have such staying power as I LOVE LUCY. There's a show that simply never ages! Very few shows can compete with it. It's physical comedy at its very best!! I don't know another show that is as well known for its physical comedy as LUCY is. Does MISS BROOKS have that kind of physical humor? Something tells me that it doesn't. Now, I personally love physical comedy but maybe it's not something everyone appreciates. If not then I suppose some might not find Lucy's antics very amusing. But I certainly do! And quite frankly I don't ever remember MISS BROOKS being on any lists of greatest sitcoms of all time. Perhaps I need to give it a whirl sometime to decide for myself. Though I doubt it will be on LUCY's level.

Now, does anyone recall a show called I MARRIED JOAN? Apparently that was NBC's answer to I LOVE LUCY. It lasted 3 seasons and did pretty good in the ratings but it just couldn't compete with LUCY. I saw snippets of it here and there and I bet I would enjoy it more than MISS BROOKS. If it's anything like LUCY then it's a good thing.

There wouldn't be any physical comedy since it was basically a reworking of the radio show. You probably could listen to the tv show and not even need to watch it cause it was really all vocal. You just wouldn't see Arden's facial expressions.

Chris,
Great point, that's why there is no lull in the stories as if you are writing for radio - out of habit - then the words drive everything.

Ivan, to be fair I have seen every "I Love Lucy" episode at least 10 times and the magic is gone for me, I know every line and scene to the point where, like The Maltese Falcon,
the story no longer exists. The Law of Diminishing Returns.
So Our Miss Brooks, which is new to me as I can't recall it ever being shown in the NYC/NJ market in my lifetime, is a breath of fresh air.
Well, as fresh as air from 1956 is gonna get.
I looked it up and the series is very well regarded, it even spawned a theatrical movie.

Dobie, have you seen I MARRIED JOAN? The complete series is currently on YouTube. It was recently shown (maybe still is) on some local channel showing old B&W shows. RetroTV maybe?

[Luther's nephew Dobie]

I've never seen OUR MISS BROOKS but few shows are as timeless or have such staying power as I LOVE LUCY. There's a show that simply never ages! Very few shows can compete with it. It's physical comedy at its very best!! I don't know another show that is as well known for its physical comedy as LUCY is. Does MISS BROOKS have that kind of physical humor? Something tells me that it doesn't. Now, I personally love physical comedy but maybe it's not something everyone appreciates. If not then I suppose some might not find Lucy's antics very amusing. But I certainly do! And quite frankly I don't ever remember MISS BROOKS being on any lists of greatest sitcoms of all time. Perhaps I need to give it a whirl sometime to decide for myself. Though I doubt it will be on LUCY's level.

Now, does anyone recall a show called I MARRIED JOAN? Apparently that was NBC's answer to I LOVE LUCY. It lasted 3 seasons and did pretty good in the ratings but it just couldn't compete with LUCY. I saw snippets of it here and there and I bet I would enjoy it more than MISS BROOKS. If it's anything like LUCY then it's a good thing.

There wouldn't be any physical comedy since it was basically a reworking of the radio show. You probably could listen to the tv show and not even need to watch it cause it was really all vocal. You just wouldn't see Arden's facial expressions.

Chris,
Great point, that's why there is no lull in the stories as if you are writing for radio - out of habit - then the words drive everything.

Ivan, to be fair I have seen every "I Love Lucy" episode at least 10 times and the magic is gone for me, I know every line and scene to the point where, like The Maltese Falcon,
the story no longer exists. The Law of Diminishing Returns.
So Our Miss Brooks, which is new to me as I can't recall it ever being shown in the NYC/NJ market in my lifetime, is a breath of fresh air.
Well, as fresh as air from 1956 is gonna get.
I looked it up and the series is very well regarded, it even spawned a theatrical movie.

Dobie, have you seen I MARRIED JOAN? The complete series is currently on YouTube. It was recently shown (maybe still is) on some local channel showing old B&W shows. RetroTV maybe?

Ivan,
Yes I have seen it.
It ran on MeTV in the early AM maybe 7 years ago. It wasn't bad slapstick, but I only saw maybe 10 episodes.
Coming the season after I Love Lucy debuted and clearly inspired by that juggernaut, it ran 98 episodes and is rarely shown anymore.
The Dick Van Dyke Show is one of the greats and one of it's most cited episodes is when Laura accidentally inflates a large life raft in the living room.
But I saw that same thing happen on I Married Joan, so Carl Reiner swiped it from that earlier Jim Backus series.
Later on The Joey Bishop Show they swiped the raft gambit as well.
That episode as well was notable for the guest starring credit "Deputy Don Knotts played by Barney Fife". Barney's short Hollywood career apparently consisted of a one off appearance
as a rural deputy - in full Mayberry Police uniform - on the very funny Bishop show. I wonder if Ange and Mayor Pike knew Barney was moonlighting?

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Later on The Joey Bishop Show they swiped the raft gambit as well.
That episode as well was notable for the guest starring credit "Deputy Don Knotts played by Barney Fife". Barney's short Hollywood career apparently consisted of a one off appearance
as a rural deputy - in full Mayberry Police uniform - on the very funny Bishop show. I wonder if Ange and Mayor Pike knew Barney was moonlighting?

Yep, I saw that episode. Barney Fife as Don Knotts!

There was also a 1993 episode of STEP BY STEP (the sitcom that starred Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Somers) called "Christmas Story" (hey, same as a TAGS episode!) which guest starred Don Knotts as Deputy Feif!

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

Hi Dobie,

I forgot about The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show. Did you like that one?? I saw several episodes and actually found the show quite enjoyable. Especially Gracie! Yeah, I know her scatterbrained routine is really over the top (basically going out of her way to misunderstand things) but I still find it pretty hilarious. As well as George's reactions to Gracie. He was a good straight-man to her zaniness. But Gracie really stole the show! When it comes to the early to mid 50s I would place this sitcom second only to I LOVE LUCY. Of course in 1955 we got THE HONEYMOONERS and THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW, both of which I would place above Burns and Allen.

[Chris109]

Hi Dobie,

I forgot about The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show. Did you like that one?? I saw several episodes and actually found the show quite enjoyable. Especially Gracie! Yeah, I know her scatterbrained routine is really over the top (basically going out of her way to misunderstand things) but I still find it pretty hilarious. As well as George's reactions to Gracie. He was a good straight-man to her zaniness. But Gracie really stole the show! When it comes to the early to mid 50s I would place this sitcom second only to I LOVE LUCY. Of course in 1955 we got THE HONEYMOONERS and THE PHIL SILVERS SHOW, both of which I would place above Burns and Allen.

I started to watch Burns and Allen a few months back, but didn't care for it. Don't know why, but maybe it's the way they portray Gracie or the way George never did wrong. I do know a girl with that kind of dumbness (?) and feel bad for her but it's the way she is.
A story with her is: last year there was a conversation between guys about estes model rockets and the way they are ignited. One guy was trying to explain it to his 5 year old son and he wasn't grasping it. The girl comes out and says, "What don't you get? It's not rocket science."

I have watched Jack Benny. I find that rather funny cause nothing ever went right. And it's another show that started on radio with those shows rather funny.

[ZelenskyTheValiant (Ivan)]

I started to watch Burns and Allen a few months back, but didn't care for it. Don't know why, but maybe it's the way they portray Gracie or the way George never did wrong. I do know a girl with that kind of dumbness (?) and feel bad for her but it's the way she is.

Personally I think it's refreshing to see a show with the husband who's got it all together while his wife is the ditzy one. Nowadays all males/husbands are presented as idiots/morons whose wives need to keep setting them straight. Oh how things have changed. Back in the day there was a better balance. I mean THE HONEYMOONERS had the wife (Alice) as the level-headed one and Ralph was the sap. But every show didn't beat you over the head that men are stupid. We certainly won't get another Ward Cleaver in this day and age.

But apart from that I just think Burns and Allen was a funny show. Well written and well acted. Again, Gracie was especially great!

[Chris109]

I started to watch Burns and Allen a few months back, but didn't care for it. Don't know why, but maybe it's the way they portray Gracie or the way George never did wrong. I do know a girl with that kind of dumbness (?) and feel bad for her but it's the way she is.

Personally I think it's refreshing to see a show with the husband who's got it all together while his wife is the ditzy one. Nowadays all males/husbands are presented as idiots/morons whose wives need to keep setting them straight. Oh how things have changed. Back in the day there was a better balance. I mean THE HONEYMOONERS had the wife (Alice) as the level-headed one and Ralph was the sap. But every show didn't beat you over the head that men are stupid. We certainly won't get another Ward Cleaver in this day and age.

But apart from that I just think Burns and Allen was a funny show. Well written and well acted. Again, Gracie was especially great!

You left out the commercials that have been out for a few years where the guy is a total idiot.