Where are the old "Arnie" shows? Surely, Nick at Nite ought to be able to locate some episodes and use as occasional filler, or perhaps as part of a "forgotten" list of programs that are worth remembering.
I can remember a handful of such shows from my youth, including "Then Came Bronson" with Michael Parks, that were quality productions with unfortunately short life spans. "Arnie" was perhaps a better example, because it was a comedy that truly was funny. But it lasted only two seasons, which was a shame, because there really were elements in the cast and plot that suggested a much-longer run.
Like the old "summer replacement" shows, perhaps Nick can bring back some of these old classics like "Arnie" in the summertime.
Indeed, when "Arnie" debuted along with "Mary Tyler Moore" on the Saturday night CBS fall 1970 lineup, it was hard to tell for a while which was the better show. It seemed to be a dynamite 1-2 comedy punch on Saturday nights. I have never been able to figure out why the show lost its steam and then disappeared completely after the next season, never even surfacing in reruns!
Herschel Bernardi was a multi-talented actor, on both screen and stage, and the back-and-forth between his Arnie Nuvo character and Roger Bowen's Hamilton Majors III was absolute magic, belonging somewhere in the sitcom pantheon. Bowen's character was one of the handful of eccentrics that spiced up the series, all playing off Bernardi. Although he was more renowned for serious roles, Bernardi seemed very comfy in this comedic assignment, with a clever wit complementing his straight-man role much as Judd Hirsch would do in future shows such as Taxi and Dear John.
"Arnie" was awfully funny, but I would also like to see reruns to get another look at the early 70's version of Sue Ane Langdon. I was in my early teens during the "Arnie" years, and sometimes I think my recollections are a bit distorted, but her figure absolutely defied description. My memory might not even do her justice, as I recently saw an old "Love American Style" rerun with Sue Ane and Van Johnson that confirmed my long-ago observations. I was definitely not imagining things; Sue Ane Langdon really was beyond hot in those days. Heck, even the Charlie's Angels girls stood no chance in comparison to Sue Ane in a bikini.
So let's find those old "Arnie" shows. Not only for a good laugh, but for another chance to check out vintage Sue Ane Langdon in action...
