I have mentioned the failure of the above-average GOOD MORNING, WORLD, that was on Tuesday nights in 1967 - 1968. Ironically the same year that that fine program failed, a Wednesday night comedy which was superbly funny failed as well - despite critical acclaim. HE & SHE was set in Manhattan, where Dick and Paula Hollister (Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss) lived in an apartment in a building where the super was Andrew Hummell (Hamilton Camp) and their closest friend was Harry Zarakados (Kenneth Mars) lives next door (Harry is a fireman, who enters their apartment through a board balanced between his window sill and the Hollisters). Mars, when not fighting fires, frequently dropped over to see them - which sounds like Cosmo Kramer's frequently dashing into Jerry's apartment in the later series SEINFELD.
Dick was a cartoonist who did a cartoon called JETMAN, which had just been turned into a successful television series starring Oscar North (Jack Cassidy). It was an obvious spoof of the then popular series BATMAN (starring Adam West), but Cassidy's "North" was not like Adam West, who from all accounts is a gentleman and very professional. Cassidy's North was a very egotistical type, who hired an elderly man (in one episode) as his new sidekick because he would not steal scenes like an alternative child actor or a trained animal. The elderly man (who could only speak Greek) would have no dialog in his part, and would be called "Mr. Shush".
The weekly story lines were very original. Dick and Paula have birthdays on the same day. They have spent huge sums on each other to impress each other in the past. Suddenly Dick announces that they should try to get each other some meaningful item showing their affection for under $10.00 each. So Paula remembers that when Dick proposed to her, they were in an area where rocks were falling frequently - he got hit with one just as he proposed. She has kept it all these years. She gives him the rock (she will have it made into a key chain/keepsake shortly). But Dick, forgetting his rule, has bought her a fur coat. He's naturally less than thrilled with the rock, once he finds it does nothing special (no hidden section revealing a treasure of some type). Andrew (always there fixing some plumbing or electric problem) notes the rock, and says, "You are lucky Mr. Hollister. That's upstate Grey stone. They say that is worth $500.00." Dick is amazed at this piece of good fortune. "Are you sure it's worth $500.00?", he asks. "Yes," says the helpful Andrew, "$500 a ton." In another episode, the Hollisters are having a large dinner party, including Dick's business associates, their wives, and Oscar. They have dined on part of it, when Harry comes in to report that a little cat that belongs to the firehouse, and was caught nibbling on some of the Hollisters food, has taken ill. It may be ptomaine poisoning. What to do with the guests inside. Oscar hears this, and showing surprising nerve (given his usual character) says he will explain things. They go inside, Oscar leading. Turning to the guests, Oscar sternly says, "Friends..." Immediately he collapses and gasps out, "WE'VE BEEN POISONED!!" and dashes out of the apartment. Later it turns out the cat is sick because it was pregnant. As everyone congratulates themselves on a close call, Oscar returns, collar opened - looking disheveled. He asks if anyone can change a $20 for a cab ride to the hospital.
It was a well acted ensemble, and it should have succeeded. Instead it lasted that one season. A year later it was shown in reruns, and the T.V. Guide (when it returned) said it just may have been too far ahead of it's time. Possibly so. It was Jack Cassidy's best comic role, and Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentice, Hamilton Camp, and Kenneth Mars did well in it too. Maybe one day it will be put on DVD or on cable again.
