Remember WENN

I miss this show. Sadly, I also missed a large portion of the series' final run due to awkward scheduling. But what I remember about it can still bring a smile to my face. I won't even try to name all the things I liked about the show. I loved the way Mr. Foley's every attempt to speak was invariably thwarted by someone who had something ever-so-important to say right at that moment. Then there was the teddy bear-like Mackie Bloom, always a welcome sight. And it never hurt to see the pretty face of Betty Roberts, either. Her sweetness, among other delights in this show, makes me long for a more innocent time and place. Wow, how profound! So sue me (in the modern tradition).

A Halloween episode, for me, stands out as an absolutely hilarious example of what made me look forward to dropping in on these quirky old-time radio players on a regular basis. Mr. Foley, by the way, was the station's sound-effects provider. Ever heard of Foley artists in film and television? Coincidence? I think not!

So, did Mr. Foley ever get his chance to actually verbalise a thought or opinion? I hope to find out someday.

For people who like to slow life down and visit the relaxing innocence of times long gone, "Remember WENN" was a wonderful means to accomplishing this. I always looked eagerly ahead to the weekly visits with my radio friends in Pittsburgh. But, like those days of yore, the visits have ceased and all I have are memories. The best memory I have is one which I relive on tape every year at this time - the episode known as "Christmas in the Airwaves". The cast is at their charming best here and the music is fantastic. Peter Noone does a wonderful rendition of "Winter Wonderland" and Betty Buckley is superb with the two original Christmas songs written by Rupert Holmes. This was a great Christmas present from AMC to the fans of this show but watching it every year makes me miss "Remember WENN" all the more.

Remember WENN was an unusual show and a very good one. I became a fan of it while still in the midst of high school. By the time I graduated from university, it was not only long gone but had left a considerably more pathetic AMC in its wake. (Not to say that AMC never shows anything worthwhile anymore--it's just become a situation of "few and far between"!) If only they'd release Remember WENN on DVD or VHS--I'd be an instant buyer.

I'd recommend Remember WENN to any fan of old time radio and/or witty television, but I'm not sure where it's even available for viewing anymore.

If AMC ever decides to show reruns, I suggest you take advantage of the opportunity and watch them!

I imagine that I am of a minority within my age group (early 20s) to say that I find this show to be one of the best ever broadcast. I was truly sorry to see it taken off the air, and the television scene is all the more desolate for WENN's absence. The characters created on the show were timeless and loveable; the writing, while not always stellar, was more often than not witty and enjoyable, without having to resort to the lowest common denominator that the vast majority of today's television does. The episode in which Molly Ringwold guest-starred as blind, love-struck "Angela from Avalon" will always remain one of my favorite television moments.

I have been a huge fan of Rupert Holmes' work since "Hi Honey I'm Home!" and am happy to see that a person who shares my interests in 20th-century entertainment and culture is working to share those interests with audiences. I only wish that there were more of an audience for his great work, because it deserves to be celebrated.

One of the most unique comedies on TV, Remember WENN is a sentimental journey through pre-WWII Pittsburgh radio. With writing and original music from Rupert Holmes and a cast of stage veterans, the show has class, style and a heart. One-liners zing past faster than flaming arrows, but the show is always character-specific and actually gives the audience a plot. Because the show does not follow the guidelines of typical network sitcoms, it may take awhile for the viewer to adjust. The entire cast has almost too much talent for the cold medium of television (most notable: Christopher Murney and Melinda Mullins). Episodes not to miss: On the Air (premier), World of Tomorrow, Close Quarters, Who's Scott Sherwood, From the Pen of Gertrude Reece (a Casablanca send-up), If I Die Before I Sleep, and All's Quiet on the Pittsburgh Front. (finale).