It's a Man's World

I too, remember this show. I can't remember specific episodes, but there must be a good reason for a ten year-old boy to keep a lasting impression of a TV show that was on over forty years ago. If memory serves, I believe it was on Monday nights on NBC. It's funny that all of us who remember this show were young children at the time. This was not a "kid's" show, per se. Although it was on only for a year, it is still fondly remembered even after all these years. That says something! I'm sure there are thousands more out there who feel the same. The cast and writers should be proud. I would like to see it again someday if it becomes available.

I was a junior in high school when It's a Man's World premiered in 1962. It is a shame that it received so little recognition and so few episodes were made. I think I saw every episode. It is sad to think that they no longer exist. My favorite episode is the one in which Vern decides that he will only tell people the "truth" for an entire day. The result of his decision is that his world descends into total chaos and everyone ends up hating him for telling them the truth.

I agree that the reason for the shows lack of success and untimely demise was that it was a head of its' time. The only modern popular show that comes close to it in terms of overall creativity is Seinfeld.

It's difficult to explain exactly why IAMW was such an extraordinarily fine piece of television theater. Partially, of course, is that it was produced at a time when most television drama was either heavy-duty major productions or amazingly stupid sit-coms. IAMW was well acted, well produced and well written. It showed a group of ordinary, nice people getting on with their lives as best they could. The dialog was intelligent. The characters were people you knew from your own life. There were no terrible crises, no violence, no darkness beyond people worrying about what the right thing to do was, but it wasn't Beaver Knows Best and Father is a Dope, which were your other choices. It wasn't bland. It wasn't simple. It wasn't boring. It was real and it was decent and it was interesting. What more can you ask for?

It's really nice to read the comments from those of you who remember, as do I, the best series of the early 60s. Like so many of you, I was absolutely crushed when I learned that the show was going to be canceled. If memory serves, that was the first time I was moved to write a letter of protest. (I was a teenager and identified strongly with the show--this may have laid the seeds of further activism a few years later, when protest truly came into its own.) The thing that stands out most to me as I think back now, is reading in TV Guide that the reason the show was being canceled is that it was considered "too intelligent". I was appalled! What a sad, sad commentary on the time, on our country, on the TV industry in general...

If we're voting, I cast mine with the rest of the people who would buy a DVD of the series. Come on, doesn't someone out there have (1) the necessary connections and (2) the desire to make some money??

It is Sunday and I was Googling around and ran out of people - so entered It's A Man's World not knowing I would actually find something! I was an extra in Hollywood back when extras were heavily unionized and one had to be registered with Central, Independent and other casting agencies to work. I landed a permanent job on It's A Man's World as double (for Glenn), stand-in (for Randy), and extra on all episodes. I submitted a story line that Peter Tewksbury and James Menzies (co-creators) almost bought - almost! So, they gave me an acting part in the episode entitled "I Count My Life in Coffee Cups" - one line "Hey Gerri" (to actress Diane Sayer). I've been 40+ year personal friends with Kate Murtagh (Mrs. Dobson) and saw Randy at a country music event at the Pomona Fairgrounds about ten years ago. I knew about Ted Bessell of course, but, until visiting this site, knew nothing of Michael Burns or the sad news about Glen. I heard that the negatives were lost - but the TV Archives at UCLA might have them. I would also like to know. This was posted earlier but my email address has changed - is now midnite-zephyr@kc.rr.com Bill Doty