They gave up Mike Douglas for this? Hour Magazine (1980)

 Group W (Westinghouse) cut their ties with Mike Douglas at the dawn of the 80's, as the traditional talk-variety show, they felt, was dying. The suits wanted to try something new. While Douglas and his new distributor, Syndicast, lasted maybe a couple of years, Group W got nearly 10 out of their new show, Hour Magazine.

Gary Collins (ex-The Sixth Sense, Iron Horse, Born Free, The Wackiest Ship in The Army) served as host for the entirety of the series' 9 year run, with a variety of co-hosts. The show was geared toward the type of audience attracted to, say for example, Phil Donahue's daytime yack-fest.

This sample from 1988 features Linda Kelsey (ex-Lou Grant) as co-host, with Dr. Joyce Brothers and Dean Butler (The New Gidget, ex-Little House on The Prairie) among the guests. I believe Gary plugged Day by Day, which might've been the show Kelsey was working on at the time, at the end of the show.

Collins cut his interview chops on Sixth Sense, when film legend Joan Crawford was the guest star. Collins barely appeared in character as Dr. Michael Rhodes, and the story ended early to allow Collins to interview Crawford.

Rating: A. Yeah, my folks watched this back in the day.