1972-73 Television Season 50th Anniversary: The Doris Day Show (opening credits - 3/12/73)

We continue our look back at the 1972-1973 season, and like all television seasons, come winter/spring, there comes a time when we must bid farewell to long running series that have reached the end of the line. Such was the case with a fan favorite on the night of March 12, 1973... fifty years ago tonight, The Doris Day Show aired its final episode.

This final episode is titled "Byline, Alias Doris", and revolves around the story of Doris writing magazine articles for her co-worker Scotty.

The Doris Day Show began its run on the CBS network five years (and 128 episodes) earlier on September 24, 1968. By the time the show ended in March 1973, the show, along with Here's Lucy, were two of the last remaining 1960s-era comedies on prime time television prior to 1969/1970.

The Doris Day Show had an interesting run, with four different formats along the way. Ms. Day, playing widow Doris Martin, was joined by Denver Pyle and two young sons on her father's ranch that first season... a more rural tone.

By the second season, there was a format change to some extent, with Doris taking on a job in San Francisco as an executive secretary in a magazine office. The wonderful Rose Marie joined the cast that season as Doris' friend and fellow co-worker.

By season three, Doris relocates to, and rents an apartment in, San Francisco (to avoid that difficult commute across the Golden Gate Bridge to and from Marin County).

Season four and season five had a different format... Doris was still Doris working in San Francisco, but the format changed to focus on her life and career in The City, and there was a significant cast change. For these final two seasons, Doris was joined by veteran actor John Dehner (as her boss Cyril) and actress Jackie Joseph (real life wife of actor Ken Berry). Billy DeWolfe, Kay Ballard and Bernie Kopell were still on hand as well in season four, as was Peter Lawford, who made several guest appearances as Doris' new romantic interest, Dr. Peter Lawrence. By season five, Dewolfe, Ballard, Kopell and Lawford had all left the series, and Patrick O'Neal joined the cast from time to time as Doris' new romantic interest.

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One final clip from the series coming right up...

Видео 1972-73 Television Season 50th Anniversary: The Doris Day Show (opening credits - 3/12/73) канала TelevisionVanguard