Most people often get the misconception that British actress Judy Carne made her American debut on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In. However, that isn't true.
Carne had 2 failed sitcoms under her belt when she was cast by Screen Gems producers Harry Ackerman & Bernard Slade in Love on a Rooftop in 1966. On the show, she played Julie Hammond-Willis, whose father wasn't exactly thrilled with 1) her choice of husband (Peter Deuel, later of Alias Smith & Jones), whose salary was less than $100 a week, and 2) their spartan apartment accomodations.
Impressionist Rich Little, in his first series gig, played Stan, a neighbor of the Willises who was the Kramer of his time, popping in unannounced with some wacky get-rich-quick scheme. Unfortunately, the series was cancelled after 1 season, despite out-polling another ABC frosh, That Girl, in the ratings. Apparently, at ABC, if it wasn't Bewitched, a Screen Gems sitcom had difficulty sticking for a while.
GIlmore Box uploaded the open:
Cashing in on Alias Smith & Jones, ABC brought Rooftop out of the vaults in 1971 as a late-season replacement series, and that's how I came across the show.
Rating: B-.
I'd heard of this series - though never saw it.
ReplyDeleteI remember Judy Carne was talking about the experience as it related to her then husband, Burt Reynolds. His star hadn't begun to rise yet and she was the one working. He was a bit jealous and word has it he was physically abusive towards her.
Hmmmmmm. History shows he was a bigger star in the long term, as Judy never got another gig after Laugh-In. I wonder.....
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