Benson was the butler on SOAP. I thought he wasnt w/ that family when he had his own sitcom.
Just the same character.
Benson was a butler for the Govenor then he became state senator on "Benson"
From Wiki:
Benson worked his way up the ladder during the series, going from head of household affairs, to state budget director (at which time his surname -- DuBois -- was revealed), and eventually was elevated to the position of Lieutenant Governor. During the final episodes of the 1985-1986 season, Benson ran for governor against Gatling. Kraus (who had herself moved up to head of household affairs, then state budget director) proved to be Benson's biggest supporter during this time as well. So much so, that he made her his personal assistant and campaign manager.
haha. I dont think there ever was a single black actor in sienfeld.
wrong...the attorney Jackie Childs
and there was also one of Kramer's girlfriends, the black family that George was trying to get to know, and that smartass guy in the Cinco de Mayo traffic jam (played by Mario Joyner). maybe more, but really...those were recurring or one-episode roles, so to call Seinfeld "black TV" is stretching it
New York Undercover - I never was into it but cats were always talkin about it. I think the familiar songs behind the action helped the show.
The Wire - I dont fusk w/ it, but I know ya'll do.
On the superhero tip - The short-lived Blade & The Mantis.
The Mantis is one of the worst examples of Hollywood fuskin up a good product. The pilot episode was on some real deep shit. Dude had an underwater headquarters w/ African Scientists for assistants. Shit was very Afro-Centric Sci-Fi. By the time it came on tv as a regular show, they de-powered the main character, stripped him of all his resources, dropped the Afrocentricity, and added a street smart caucasoid skateboarder to the mix. Str8 horrible.
I watched the show as a real little kid(parents had it on) and only really remember the intros and the OG of cross-dressing Blackmen - Geraldine.
Same here. My childhood memories of the show are vague, but my adult memories are fresh - both TV Land and Nick At Nite have rerun the series off and on over the last 12 years, and I've watched that.
The humor was very lightweight...amusing, but nothing to make you roll on the floor laughing. Sorta like the Arsenio Hall of his time.
It's still worth seeing those old shows for the diversity of the guests: Slappy White, Taj Mahal, the (Sesame Street) Muppets, Moms Mabley, Donny Hathaway, Slim Gaillard, Staple Singers, Jackson Five, Sha Na Na, Johnny Cash & June Carter, George Carlin, Roberta Flack, Roger Miller, Chi-Lites, Bill Withers, Papa John Creach, Ray Charles, etc..
Did Flip Wilson have a regular comedy staff around him ala Carol Burnett Show?
You mean, like a troupe of actors? No, it was basically him working with whoever was guesting that week.
A Different World was my shit. That show was good even after it jumped the shark. So many classic eps. Remember the LA Riots episodes? Dwayne proposing? Tupac episode? One of my favorite shows.
A Different World was really good tv. Black College on tv was a first. Funny, how it got better once Lisa Bonet left.
Married With Children may not have had a regular black cast member (aside from Griff and Officer Dan from NO MAAM), but it was created by a black writer, and it's probably the most successful show created by an African-American.
Married With Children may not have had a regular black cast member (aside from Griff and Officer Dan from NO MAAM), but it was created by a black writer, and it's probably the most successful show created by an African-American.
Married With Children may not have had a regular Black cast member (aside from Griff and Officer Dan from NO MAAM), but it was created by a Black writer, and it's probably the most successful show created by an African-American.
I'm probably one of three people on this board old enough to remember 'Room 222'. Great show I'd like to get on DVD.
That's another one of those programs that TV Land used to show in the nineties but dropped.
One episode I remember seeing was one where Bernie Kopell (later of Love Boat) starred as an older teacher trying to be "hip"...he almost gets framed when the white kid with the frizzy Afro slipped him a joint that turned out to be pencil shavings wrapped in toilet paper.
If you ever see that ep, watch out for the scene where Richie's funk band plays at the high school dance (with Mr. White Afro on guitar)...if they had actually existed and cut a record, I'm sure all the rare-groove collectors would be fighting over it by now. (In real life, the character of Richie - one of the black kids, BTW - DID cut a single for Wand, as "Richie's Room 222 Gang." But I've never heard it.)
Denise Nicholas...hubba, hubba....
As you likely know, she was Mrs. Bill Withers for less than a year. Wonder if the upcoming Withers documentary will deal with that...
I'm probably one of three people on this board old enough to remember 'Room 222'. Great show I'd like to get on DVD.
That's another one of those programs that TV Land used to show in the nineties but dropped.
One episode I remember seeing was one where Bernie Kopell (later of Love Boat) starred as an older teacher trying to be "hip"...he almost gets framed when the white kid with the frizzy Afro slipped him a joint that turned out to be pencil shavings wrapped in toilet paper.
If you ever see that ep, watch out for the scene where Richie's funk band plays at the high school dance (with Mr. White Afro on guitar)...if they had actually existed and cut a record, I'm sure all the rare-groove collectors would be fighting over it by now. (In real life, the character of Richie - one of the black kids, BTW - DID cut a single for Wand, as "Richie's Room 222 Gang." But I've never heard it.)
Denise Nicholas...hubba, hubba....
As you likely know, she was Mrs. Bill Withers for less than a year. Wonder if the upcoming Withers documentary will deal with that...
I remember seeing Richard Dreyfuss, Bruno Kirby and Ed Begley Jr playing high school students on the show, and the kid that played Larry, Eric Laneuville went on to be on St Elsewhere, and became a big TV director.
I didn't know that about Denise Nicholas and Bill Withers. I do remember her on 'In the Heat of the Night'.
I'm probably one of three people on this board old enough to remember 'Room 222'. Great show I'd like to get on DVD.
That's another one of those programs that TV Land used to show in the nineties but dropped.
One episode I remember seeing was one where Bernie Kopell (later of Love Boat) starred as an older teacher trying to be "hip"...he almost gets framed when the white kid with the frizzy Afro slipped him a joint that turned out to be pencil shavings wrapped in toilet paper.
If you ever see that ep, watch out for the scene where Richie's funk band plays at the high school dance (with Mr. White Afro on guitar)...if they had actually existed and cut a record, I'm sure all the rare-groove collectors would be fighting over it by now. (In real life, the character of Richie - one of the black kids, BTW - DID cut a single for Wand, as "Richie's Room 222 Gang." But I've never heard it.)
Denise Nicholas...hubba, hubba....
As you likely know, she was Mrs. Bill Withers for less than a year. Wonder if the upcoming Withers documentary will deal with that...
I remember seeing Richard Dreyfuss, Bruno Kirby and Ed Begley Jr playing high school students on the show, and the kid that played Larry, Eric Laneuville went on to be on St Elsewhere, and became a big TV director.
Believe it or not, Aretha Franklin had a guest spot on the show as well.
I didn't know that about Denise Nicholas and Bill Withers. I do remember her on 'In the Heat of the Night'.
Look closely at the inset photos on the inner gatefold of Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall, Denise appears in one of them...
Around 1972-73, there used to be a syndicated variety show called Black Omnibus. It was hosted by James Earl Jones and was similar to Soul!. Here's some further info, along with some frustratingly short clips:
Hangin' with Mr.Cooper - The show was a lukewarm Welcome Back Mr Kotter retread, but Mark Curry's standup from the era was hilarious.
Lasted, what, three episodes? Fun fact: they tried to 'update' the series in the early 00s by replacing Hawk with an equally stereotypical ( and yet, still awesome) Latino character named....wait for it...Cholo, who was played by Luis Guzman.
I'm still waiting for the Traffic/Boogie Nights sequel where Guzman and Cheadle completely wreck shit. Probably never happen.
I promise not to talk about The Adventures of Sonny Spoon.
Comments
and Benson was the butler.
ugh.
I guess I need to watch more incredible episodes of Living Single...
Benson was the butler on SOAP. I thought he wasnt w/ that family when he had his own sitcom.
Just the same character.
Benson was a butler for the Govenor then he became state senator on "Benson"
From Wiki:
Benson worked his way up the ladder during the series, going from head of household affairs, to state budget director (at which time his surname -- DuBois -- was revealed), and eventually was elevated to the position of Lieutenant Governor. During the final episodes of the 1985-1986 season, Benson ran for governor against Gatling. Kraus (who had herself moved up to head of household affairs, then state budget director) proved to be Benson's biggest supporter during this time as well. So much so, that he made her his personal assistant and campaign manager.
and there was also one of Kramer's girlfriends, the black family that George was trying to get to know, and that smartass guy in the Cinco de Mayo traffic jam (played by Mario Joyner). maybe more, but really...those were recurring or one-episode roles, so to call Seinfeld "black TV" is stretching it
"jazz, we're invincible!"
"granted my brother, we are good, but people can still see us"
Phillip Michael Thomas on Miami Vice.
Blair Underwood on LA Law.
Carl on The Simpsons.
New York Undercover - I never was into it but cats were always talkin about it. I think the familiar songs behind the action helped the show.
The Wire - I dont fusk w/ it, but I know ya'll do.
On the superhero tip - The short-lived Blade & The Mantis.
The Mantis is one of the worst examples of Hollywood fuskin up a good product. The pilot episode was on some real deep shit. Dude had an underwater headquarters w/ African Scientists for assistants. Shit was very Afro-Centric Sci-Fi.
By the time it came on tv as a regular show, they de-powered the main character, stripped him of all his resources, dropped the Afrocentricity, and added a street smart caucasoid skateboarder to the mix. Str8 horrible.
SAY IT!!!
Damn, man, we haven't even discussed The Flip Wilson Show yet, and here you go gettin' hung up on The Wire!
I watched the show as a real little kid(parents had it on) and only really remember the intros and the OG of cross-dressing Blackmen - Geraldine.
Did Flip Wilson have a regular comedy staff around him ala Carol Burnett Show?
Same here. My childhood memories of the show are vague, but my adult memories are fresh - both TV Land and Nick At Nite have rerun the series off and on over the last 12 years, and I've watched that.
The humor was very lightweight...amusing, but nothing to make you roll on the floor laughing. Sorta like the Arsenio Hall of his time.
It's still worth seeing those old shows for the diversity of the guests: Slappy White, Taj Mahal, the (Sesame Street) Muppets, Moms Mabley, Donny Hathaway, Slim Gaillard, Staple Singers, Jackson Five, Sha Na Na, Johnny Cash & June Carter, George Carlin, Roberta Flack, Roger Miller, Chi-Lites, Bill Withers, Papa John Creach, Ray Charles, etc..
You mean, like a troupe of actors? No, it was basically him working with whoever was guesting that week.
Denise Nicholas...hubba, hubba....
Featuring Heshimu (at left) and the guy who played 'Bernie' (right) with the giant red 'fro...
I'd completely forgotten about that ish..
The white girl in the middle was DynaGirl on 'Elektra Woman and DynaGirl' (talk about hubba hubba)
I knew she looked familiar!
Rickety Rocket - What's Happenin' in outer space. Late 70's cartoon.
More "successful" than The Cosby Show?
That's another one of those programs that TV Land used to show in the nineties but dropped.
One episode I remember seeing was one where Bernie Kopell (later of Love Boat) starred as an older teacher trying to be "hip"...he almost gets framed when the white kid with the frizzy Afro slipped him a joint that turned out to be pencil shavings wrapped in toilet paper.
If you ever see that ep, watch out for the scene where Richie's funk band plays at the high school dance (with Mr. White Afro on guitar)...if they had actually existed and cut a record, I'm sure all the rare-groove collectors would be fighting over it by now. (In real life, the character of Richie - one of the black kids, BTW - DID cut a single for Wand, as "Richie's Room 222 Gang." But I've never heard it.)
As you likely know, she was Mrs. Bill Withers for less than a year. Wonder if the upcoming Withers documentary will deal with that...
I remember seeing Richard Dreyfuss, Bruno Kirby and Ed Begley Jr playing high school students on the show, and the kid that played Larry, Eric Laneuville went on to be on St Elsewhere, and became a big TV director.
I didn't know that about Denise Nicholas and Bill Withers. I do remember her on 'In the Heat of the Night'.
Believe it or not, Aretha Franklin had a guest spot on the show as well.
Look closely at the inset photos on the inner gatefold of Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall, Denise appears in one of them...
http://www.thirteen.org/broadcastingwhileblack/2009/02/04/black-omnibus-hosted-by-james-earl-jones/
http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2008/07/genius-on-the-b.html
Hangin' with Mr.Cooper - The show was a lukewarm Welcome Back Mr Kotter retread, but Mark Curry's standup from the era was hilarious.
Lasted, what, three episodes? Fun fact: they tried to 'update' the series in the early 00s by replacing Hawk with an equally stereotypical ( and yet, still awesome) Latino character named....wait for it...Cholo, who was played by Luis Guzman.
I'm still waiting for the Traffic/Boogie Nights sequel where Guzman and Cheadle completely wreck shit. Probably never happen.
I promise not to talk about The Adventures of Sonny Spoon.