Blondie (1968 TV series)

Blondie (also known as The New Blondie) is an American sitcom that aired on CBS during the 1968–69 television season. The series is an updated version of the 1957 TV series that was based on the comic strip of the same name. The series stars Patricia Harty at the title character and Will Hutchins as her husband Dagwood Bumstead. Jim Backus played Dagwood's boss Mr. Dithers, with his real life wife Henny Backus playing Cora Dithers. The series also featured the noted child character actress Pamelyn Ferdin as the Bumstead's daughter, Cookie, and character actor Bryan O'Byrne as the hapless mailman, always getting run over by Dagwood hurrying out the door, late for work.

Blondie
The Bumstead family.
Also known asThe New Blondie
GenreSitcom
Created byChic Young
Written byDanny Simon
Directed byNorman Abbott
Peter Baldwin
Bruce Bilson
Gene Nelson
StarringPatricia Harty
Will Hutchins
Jim Backus
Pamelyn Ferdin
Peter Robbins
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes14 (1 unaired)
Production
Executive producer(s)Al Brodax
Producer(s)Joe Connelly
Irving Paley (assistant)
Running time24 mins.
Production company(s)Kayro Productions
King Features Syndicate
DistributorCBS Television Distribution
Release
Original networkCBS
Audio formatMonaural
Original releaseSeptember 26, 1968 (1968-09-26) –
January 9, 1969 (1969-01-09)
Chronology
Preceded byBlondie
Related showsBlondie

Synopsis

Blondie stars Patricia Harty and Will Hutchins as Blondie and Dagwood Bumstead, a suburban couple raising two precocious children. Plots mixed typical sitcom tropes from home life and work life. The series is best remembered for its opening theme, which featured the comic strip characters in animated form before transforming into the actors playing the characters.

Like the 1957 version, which lasted only one season, the series was not a hit, lasting a total of 13 weeks before being canceled, with the final episode remaining unaired.[1]

Cast
Jim and Henny Backus as Mr. and Mrs. Dithers

Ferdin and Robbins would later reunite on the 1969 television special It Was a Short Summer, Charlie Brown and the 1969 film A Boy Named Charlie Brown, being the last time Robbins played Charlie Brown.

Production notes

This version of the series, jointly produced by CBS Productions (which owns the distribution rights in the United States), King Features Syndicate and Kayro Productions, ran from September 26, 1968, to January 9, 1969.

Episode list
Nº Title Directed by Written by Air date PC
1"Sayanora Dagwood"Norman AbbottGary Belkin and George TibblesSeptember 26, 1968 (1968-09-26)1
2"My Camp Runneth Over"TBATBAOctober 3, 1968 (1968-10-03)8
3"Blondie-Flower Child"TBATBAOctober 10, 1968 (1968-10-10)4
4"The Gladiators"TBATBAOctober 17, 1968 (1968-10-17)9
5"Angel in Disguise"TBATBAOctober 31, 1968 (1968-10-31)10
6"Dither's Damned Dog"TBATBANovember 7, 1968 (1968-11-07)2
7"Dagwood the Wheeler Dealer"TBATBANovember 14, 1968 (1968-11-14)6
8"Blondie's Good Citizen"TBATBANovember 21, 1968 (1968-11-21)3
9"Blondie's Birthday"TBATBADecember 5, 1968 (1968-12-05)13
10"Marriage Menders"TBATBADecember 12, 1968 (1968-12-12)5
11"Blondie's Masquerade"TBATBADecember 19, 1968 (1968-12-19)11
12"Once Upon a Guru"TBATBADecember 26, 1968 (1968-12-26)7
13"Pick on a Bully Your Own Size"TBATBAJanuary 9, 1969 (1969-01-09)14
14"Run Buddy Run"TBATBAUNAIRED15

References
  1. Tucker, David C. (2010). Lost Laughs of '50s and '60s Television: Thirty Sitcoms That Faded Off Screen. McFarland. p. 99. ISBN 0-786-44466-5.

Further reading
  • Blondie Goes to Hollywood, by Carol Lynn Scherling. Albany, 2010. BearManor Media. ISBN 978-1-59393-401-9.
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