I've adored her since watching her on "The New Dick Van Dyke Show" in the early 70s. A truly lovely lady & gifted actress and singer. Yowzer.....she could really belt out a tune !!
This was a well done pilot. I am quite surprised another network didn't pick this up. NBC was really hurting for a comedy in the early 70's. However this may have been added to the long list of shows that didn't make a full season at NBC. CBS ruled that genre then competing with some very good shows on ABC. In the mid 70's I don't think I ever changed the channel from ABC. I need to look at some old TV guides to see what my memory is lacking.
Thanks. It was a little busy, but enjoyable. I wonder why it wasn't picked up. I never felt like Nancy was used that well on Too Close For Comfort so it was nice to see her in a starring role.
How right you are ! What a dynamite singer ! I can see why she was such a big success on Broadway ! Of course, I already knew she was a wonderful comedic actress.
No, because she was taken a backseat to Ted knight and jm j.bullock very funny antics and shenanigans, acting as an competent straight woman.but fortunately she got to sing every now and then on her series.
Interesting show, in that style of rapid banter "behind the scenes show biz" comedy Carl Reiner was famous for going back to the Dick Van Dyke show in the 1960's. You see the beginning of the 1970's Mary Tyler Moore show's style of comedy with the quirky collection of characters, music, even opening gritty filmed title scenes. Dussault was a fantastic singer with incredible vocal technique, obviously classically trained but who could belt and move between the two styles...the precursor of Chenowith, O'Hara, and McDonald. Her cabaret style TV shows in the 1980's displayed her musicianship and versatility.
This pilot was telecast as part of CBS' "TRIPLE PLAY" movie "special" on May 8, 1973 (the other pilots- also considered for the network's 1973-'74 season- were "TWO'S COMPANY" and "THE TED BESSELL SHOW"). Carl Reiner, of course, wrote the script. This was part of a deal Dick had with the network to attempt to sell them a series through his "Cave Creek" production company [which also produced his own series at the time].
It feels almost like an apology for dumping Dussault from the cast of "The New Dick Van Dyke Show" (on which Reiner served as writer, director, and creative consultant) when the premise was changed from "talk show host in Arizona" to "soap opera actor in Hollywood."
I honestly believe Carl- and Dick, who produced the pilot- wanted to give Nancy a chance to be her own star. Unfortunately, CBS had too many successful sitcoms on their 1973-'74 schedule to find room for a series featuring her.
I just watched this and really enjoyed it. I wish they had done more. I so enjoyed seeing Nancy and Karen together. This was quite good. I just love Too Close for Comfort and am so glad Nancy was in it with Ted Knight for 6 seasons.
Trivia note: This pilot had an unusual second life when it was shown to test audiences _supposedly_ as a potential new show. What the audiences didn't know was they were actually being tested for their response to the new commercials being run during the program.
Thanks for posting. Hollywood types like Reiner became, assume tv audiences are just waiting to make all broadway stars tv stars. NOPE! Audiences could never relate to this show! Now, Nancy was GREAT on too close for comfort.
I remember seeing this on TV for the first time many years ago and I was oblivious to the fact that it was written by Carl Reiner and that is directed by Dick Van Dyke.
She's lovely, some very funny lines, but where would you go from here? First fight, meet the parents, chance for a nationwide tour, etc. But situation comedies thrive with characters, not the situation.
I rather liked this. Bright, funny, a little goofy in spots. Lots of personality. Nancy Dussault (who I knew mostly from "Good Morning America") was charming and adorable. Rather interesting they kept the "raw" audience laughter.
This is the first time I've seen the pronunciation of the star's name included in the opening credits. Of course this being a pilot, it was intended to be shown to network execs, not likely ever the public.
The Case of the Hidden Kitchen ! Very cute & entertaining pilot. A shame it didn't get picked up by the network. Could have been a fascinating look at the backstage life of Broadway folk in the early 70s. Been a LONG time fan of the wonderfully talented Nancy Dussault. Thank you SO much for uploading for us to enjoy ! Though I can't recommend marrying someone on such short notice. 😎👍
It's interesting to see Karen Morrow in this. I once read an interview with Morrow who said that Nancy Dussault was one of the reasons she never quite became a big star on Broadway. Dussault she said, "had something special" that she (Morrow) lacked.
I sat through this whole show. It reminds me of Barefoot in the Park. It should have gotten an order for a few episodes but I can understand why it didn’t. Where was it going to go?
She'd have better luck with Ted Knight, though. Carl Reiner may have created this show under Cave Creek Enterprises, but to me, this feels more like MTM Enterprises could've done something like this, considering it filmed at their CBS Studio Center.
@@trueshy Actually, I do. Of course, nowadays, on Star Trek Discovery, we have the female character of Michael Burnham. You could also mention (Miss) Jeff Donnell, who played support in many movies from the 40s on. Apparently she got the nickname Jeff from the old Mutt & Jeff comics. I remember her as being one of two actresses to play Peter Parker's Aunt May on the 1970s Spider-Man TV series, but she was on General Hospital for years.
They actually put how to pronounce her name, that's hilarious. Funniest thing about this dreary pilot. Dew Sew sounds a lot like Mary Tyler Moore in her successful series, probably intentionally. I'm surprised she didn't take her hat off and throw it in the air. I liked Too Close For Comfort, but not because of her. This is just a poor setup that relies too much on snappy patter that isn't snappy and character comedy from characters who aren't particularly funny.
