NBC thought they had a winner with Needles & Pins in 1973. What could go wrong with a domestic comedy set in New York's Fashion District?
Plenty, apparently, mostly a lack of ratings. Coupled with Screen Gems stablemate The Girl With Something Extra, Needles was slotted opposite ABC's Room 222 at the start of the season. It was supposed to be a star vehicle for newcomer Dierdre Lenihan, who'd later turn up on The Waltons in a recurring role. With a veteran supporting cast including Bernie Kopell (ex-Get Smart, That Girl, The Doris Day Show), Louis Nye (ex-The Steve Allen Show), Milt Seltzer, and Norman Fell, whose last series gig prior to this had been in a crime drama, Dan August, Lenihan had plenty of mentors to work with. Executive Producer David Gerber came over from 20th Century Fox, and I think this was one of his last sitcoms at that time, as he was moving toward drama himself (Police Story).
Gilmore Box provides the intro, which shows that the show was meant all along to be built around Lenihan, though she's not top-billed.
No rating. The parents preferred either the CBS movies or Room 222.
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