David will always be the Dr. Pepper American Werewolf to me!

Irony is when the theme song for the show was on the charts longer than the show itself was on the air.

I remember Bill Murray dancing to the Makin’ It theme song in the movie Meatballs.

Cool therme song that became a big hit on the radio.

The song "Makin' It" was a staple in the disco clubs back in late '78 and most of '79. Great times!😁❤️💯

@David-yw2lv

6 ай бұрын

The show was a bomb,the theme was a hit.

This show is basically Happy Days set in the 70s. Instead of Arnold's being the hangout, it was a disco.

@cityhawk

3 жыл бұрын

Garry was more hit and miss than given credit. The Odd Couple, Happy Days, and Laverne & Shirley are classics, Makin’ It and Out of the Blue were tremendous flops, and Mork & Mindy started to show its age very fast.

@tomflorio7363

Жыл бұрын

Spot on, Jim. Even the opening credits - with the stars in the middle of a disco ball instead of an old 45

@zombiedodge1426

11 ай бұрын

@@cityhawknot many people get to produce even one classic sitcom, much less four. Marshall was a pretty funny actor, too. Ironically, he arguably had his greatest success in his worst medium, as a film director. (“Pretty Woman” is terrible. Yes, I went there.)

@purefoldnz3070

10 ай бұрын

Happy Days was also set in the 70s even though it was supposed to be the 50s.

@zombiedodge1426

10 ай бұрын

@@purefoldnz3070 As the series went on they got really sloppy with many of the period details. By the end, they didn't even make an effort to give Erin Moran early-sixties hairstyles.

The title song was written and produced by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris the same duo responsible for "I Will Survive" and "Shake Your Groove Thing".

Love this series. More episodes, please!

The scenes you showed were genuinely funny, especially Naughton's long-suffering frustration with his moron pals. "TWO GUNS, I need TWO GUNS."

@zanti4132

Жыл бұрын

When I heard that line, my thought was, "Why two guns? One gun, two bullets."

The show had everything going for it. It just seems like nothing fell into place. The show's theme song was great. Love it still. Personally, I loved Disco and still do. People who fell into the "Disco Sucks" craze were sheep.

Another 13 week theatre video should be about "Delta house" sitcom that was adapted from the 1978 film National Lampoon`s animal house. Aired 1/18/1979 - 4/21/1979 on ABC.

@jehobden

4 жыл бұрын

DELTA HOUSE had the strongest link back to "Animal House", since it had the same setup & a lot of the same actors. About the same time NBC had BROTHERS & SISTERS and CBS had CO-ED FEVER, which was cancelled after its 1 airing when it failed to hold the audience from the network premiere of "Rocky" in Feb. 1979.

@starey1

3 жыл бұрын

I remember it...AND IT SUCKED BIG TIME!!! The main problem with it was that the movie was rated R so it had a lot of raunchy humor and nudity that they couldn't do on TV. I remember reading an interview with one of the writers once and he was saying that was the problem

@yournamehere6002

2 жыл бұрын

@@starey1 I was a little kid then, and loved it because I couldn't see ANIMAL HOUSE, so it was a great replacement for the moment.

I knew David was a top shelf actor and had a nice voice but I had zero clue of his credentials ...pure dynamite just fan-damn-tastic

@jonsrecordcollection7172

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, he's really down-to-earth. You wouldn't necessarily guess that he's.an Ivy Leaguer who studied at the London Academy.

They based this sitcom on the movie Saturday Night Fever which I saw at the theater in December 1977. The Disco lifestyle started losing steam in 1978 and they released “Makin It” in February 1979. No wonder it was cancelled!

David Naughton is the younger brother of James Naughton who starred in the Planet of the Apes TV series, which has a 13-Week Theatre episode of its own!

@Mister_Listener

4 ай бұрын

James Naughton is HOT especially when he sings.

I’ve got one that’s tailor-made for this series, The Secret Diaries of Desmond Pfeiffer. The train wreck of all train wrecks.

@zombiedodge1426

Жыл бұрын

I bring you good news.

@cityhawk

Жыл бұрын

@@zombiedodge1426 I saw it, I wasn't disappointed. 😊

Sold to ITV - then the sole commercial channel in the UK - appreared in different slots, usually around teatime, in different areas

Just stumbled onto your channel. Very interesting stuff. I will binge watch and subscribe. Keep up the great work.

The show was s bomb, but the theme song hit #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

@PittsburghMarky

4 жыл бұрын

I remember the theme song. The show . . . Not so much.

@cityhawk

3 жыл бұрын

I got through the song longer than I did an episode of the show. What does that tell you?

@zombiedodge1426

11 ай бұрын

It was “The Heights” of 1979.

i used to watch this show on i can't believe it was this long ago i liked the show, but it got canceled. Quick i also remember. ghis commercials man I'm getting old

Of note in the cast is Greg Antonacci, who later (much later) was a key player in the last years of The Sopranos as Butch DeConcini

@whackamolechamp

3 жыл бұрын

Wow, that is cool to know! Greg lived on the LES of Manhattan in the 70's which is how I knew him and his son.

AT EASE (ABC, 1983) could be another candidate for 13-Week Theater, if you don't mind that it lasted less than 13 weeks, David Naughton co-starred with Jimmie Walker, though the alphabetical cast listings don't make them stand out as the stars. It also starred some pretty well-known character actors in Roger Bowen (Henry Blake from the movie "MASH") & Richard Jaeckel. You can see the show's opening credits here at 2:43: kzread.info/dash/bejne/l6OJw8OyaM_gc7Q.html

@cityhawk

Жыл бұрын

I saw it. It seemed like the 80s version of Sgt. Bilko. I liked the concept and casting, but I found the writing to be mediocre.

@neesi1570

11 ай бұрын

I actually remember this. Can't vouch for its quality, but nine-year-old me liked it.

Some of the best disco songs came from 79. The show failed because it was Saturday Night Fever light. Dancers are very serious people and comedy would be hard to do in that environment .

@cityhawk

Жыл бұрын

Didn't stop Eddie Mekka on Laverne & Shirley.

The videos on this channel are bringing back such very old memories that were stored in the attic of my memory. They would’ve been long forgotten if these videos didn’t dust them of.

But! Ellen Travolta finally got to pivot for the opening credits for a sitcom. She did it with such zing.

Another show I watched when it aired and loved!

Why does every TV intro from that time involve mishaps with food?

this is why they had mass burnings of disco records by the end of the 70s.

It was a good show. Set in Yonkers, I forgot about it.

Been waiting on this video for a while

@PabSungenis

4 жыл бұрын

In all my time I’ve only found one complete episode and the opening credits. Not even a promo with footage. So this one took a while.

This is a damn good channel!!

@PabSungenis

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you.

I loved this show as a young kid.. still do!

Feb. 1, 1979 fell on a Thursday. According to Wiki, ABC premiered MAKIN' IT on Thursday, Feb. 1 (after MORK & MINDY, replacing WHAT'S HAPPENING for that night) then put it in its regular time slot on Friday night the next night, Friday, Feb. 2.

@PabSungenis

4 жыл бұрын

My mistake.

Back in the day, I was so into Diff’rent Strokes, I wasn’t even aware Makin’ It existed. I’m pretty sure a number of people are envious of that.

I have to admit I really loved the theme song.

Garry Marshall was the Norman Lear of ABC if you think about it. Garry Marshall shows had much more lighter fare than Norman Lear shows.

One of the few disco songs I actually like

TV version of Saturday Night Fever. Glad this didn't have a 4-5 year run. It would've been dated by 1981 or 1982.

@chrislang9442

4 жыл бұрын

Well, if it had gotten renewed, they would have probably taken them out of disco and put them in later seasons at either an “Urban Cowboy”-type bar or something similar to CBGB’s.

In the opening credits, when he leaps over the couch and lands next to his dad, I always wondered "Why would the dad be laying on the very edge of the couch like that?" 😄

This channel is awesome!!

Sounds like an interesting show.i hope it will be on dvd.thank you for covering this show.please do an episode of the short lived TV series san pedro Beach bums.

Found your channel in a nostalgic shame spiral! Looks good! I was just reminded of Struck By Lightning, 8 or 11 episodes depending where you lived. Frankenstein descendant inherits a castle with the monster "Frank". Found an episode on the KZread!

I just found out about Joe and Valerie, Which was another show about disco. Can you review that one?

@Extratexture4

3 жыл бұрын

That was an odd one. Got revived briefly after Saturday Night Fever became a hit.

Man I only knew him from An American Warewolf in London never knew he sang but than again I was born in 89 so missed all the commercials

Midnight madness is one of my favorites

Barry Manilow wrote some iconic jingles.

Lesson: You chase a trend, you’ll get slaughtered.

The theme song was way more successful than the series it promoted ever did! However, David Naughton saw success teaming up with Mork and Mindy's Pam Dawber for the sitcom My Sister Sam in the Late 1980s.

104 out of 114 shows. I'm curious what show 114 was.

@PabSungenis

2 жыл бұрын

#114 was NBC's "Harris and Company." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harris_and_Company

@cityhawk

Жыл бұрын

@@PabSungenis Why am I not surprised that it would be an NBC show?

There was room for a couple of quick jokes around that time like "Makin' it" didn't make it...."Checking in" checked out! Haha!

Fun fact: "Be A Pepper" and "Dazed and Confused" were written by the same guy.

@MarceloRomero360

2 жыл бұрын

That IS a fun fact!

I use to watch this show and danced the theme song.....

This and The Heights in the early 90s are classic examples of the theme song being more popular than the show itself.

@Lotmeister

Жыл бұрын

And S.W.A.T.

Denise Miller! She was on Archie bunkers place after the failure of the show

@tomflorio7363

Жыл бұрын

and was on Fish prior

How ironic that a show called “Makin’ It” just didn’t live up to its name.

@geraldlewis4043

2 жыл бұрын

I wonder is there at least 9 lost episodes to Makin it

He also went on to play Elaine's alcoholic boyfriend who fell off the wagon on an episode of Seinfeld

Any Sugar-Free Peppers out there? I know since they stopped making it, you're "all blue"...! ;)

If the show had been a hit, they would have had to pivot the central music scene immediately, either to new wave or R&B, or leave music alone altogether.

@MegaMagicdog

Жыл бұрын

Or turn it into something similar to "Fame" which became a series in the 80s following THAT big screen hit. Naughton's character would have tried to be a dancer on Broadway or an aspiring singer.

Your information is incorrect: David Naughton actually was fired from his job as the spokesperson for Dr. Pepper in 1981 when the company found about about his nude scene in An American Werewolf In London.

@cityhawk

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like an excuse to get rid of him.

@mrmonty86

2 жыл бұрын

@@cityhawk It was the moral majority era of the 80s that shouldn't surprise anyone.

I actually liked the show even though I, too, was pretty sick of disco at the time. I thought it was an improved version of Happy Days. I liked the actors more and it didn't have the whole are-we-in-the-50s-or-are-we-in-the-70s dilemma that Happy Days struggled with. If it hadn't been so closely linked with disco, it could've become a good successor to Happy Days, which had literally jumped the shark at that point.

Everything is timing. So many shows never got a decent chance because of passing trends.

I'd rather watch that show than 99% of the garbage on TV now. Honestly, I'd travel back 45 years and live my life again. This time as a middle aged older, wiser man instead of a kid.

Looks like Denise Miller had a longer career stint than other cast members. Was Billie in Archie Bunker’s Place. Mild crush on her.

@johng1482

4 ай бұрын

Greg Antonacci's career was pretty good too. He was in The Sopranos and Boardwalk Empire.

The dude who talks about breaking down the walls and finding a secret passage would go on to play the punk who stole Pee Wee Herman's bike for Francis in "Pee Wee's Big Adventure"

Every time I hear the theme song to this show, I think of the 1999 movie Detroit Rock City. Underrated movie, the show, not so much.

@zombiedodge1426

11 ай бұрын

Good movie, but it was set in 1976, three years before the song came out. Aside from all the Kiss music, the film makes good use of Thin Lizzy’s “Jailbreak” (which actually was from 1976).

Its shows like this made some people in the 70s say disco sucks.

BBC blocked the episode about "coupling" outside the US maybe, I`m in Mexico and the video is blocked in my country.

@PabSungenis

4 жыл бұрын

I’m fighting it now.

I was never a fan of Gary Marshall shows outside of the fantastic "Odd Couple" and the very early episodes of "Happy Days"

@cityhawk

3 жыл бұрын

SweptAway529 Although I did love Soapdish, which is an insanely underrated movie with a terrific cast.

@SweptAway529

3 жыл бұрын

@@cityhawk Soapdish was cute, although it's been years since I've seen it!!

@ilovethetampabaylightning92

3 жыл бұрын

I love Garry Marshall. Laverne & Shirley is my favorite show of his.

@cityhawk

3 жыл бұрын

@@ilovethetampabaylightning92 I like Laverne & Shirley but not love. Lenny and Sguiggy were absolutely hilarious on the show.

@quad5186

2 жыл бұрын

Damn ! Well put !!! Thanks!!!! But really, early Laverne & Shirley has the early Happy Days sincerity. Always enjoy the early HD eps. Just perfect.

The show could have done better, but it came out right about the time disco died.

James doesn’t read at all as Italian, he’s so throughly Irish American, that must have been a big flaw as well. He doesn’t come off as Jersey either, firmly projects New England roots.

The theme song was making it , the show was faking it !

Oh sure, the show tanked, but has any other TV show had a theme song that later became a Top 40 hit?

@PabSungenis

Жыл бұрын

“The Greatest American Hero.”

@zanti4132

Жыл бұрын

Heh, out of curiosity I just did a Web search asking this question. The response came back with no less than 18 theme songs. I won't list all of them, but the theme song for the short-lived sitcom "Angie" is a second example of a theme song that outlived the show.

I found an episode of this online. It had barely any disco and it wasn't that funny. Not terrible, just generic. The theme song was great through!

@bltvd

4 жыл бұрын

Aiber Lane i have the 12” in my collection but have no idea how i acquired it!

@MomLAU

3 жыл бұрын

I saw 1 episode back in the day, and even then, I thought it was corny. The song is sooooo catchy, though!

@BhChicagoTVStationhistoriesand

2 жыл бұрын

@@MomLAU The theme song is quite good, I like it a lot. I just bought the album with both the vocal and instrumental versions of it on iTunes for $1.98! The much longer 12’ version is here on KZread! I was very surprised and happy to see the song was #5 on the Billboard chart! Hardly anyone remembers the show, but I’m glad some do remember the theme song still. I do plan to watch the one actual episode of the show that’s here on KZread but I’m going 😮 and asking myself where the hell that uploader managed to find even that much of it!

He was magnificent in the movie American werewolves i beautiful nude body

I saw the show ONCE. I didn't hate it, but I didn't laugh, either.

@cityhawk

2 жыл бұрын

I couldn’t get through the first five minutes of it.

Oh I hate those be a pepper commercials!

This show wasn't MAKIN IT. LOL

Well, the comedy writing sure didn't help.

The disco backlash did a lot to kill this show.

Sorry the flop of this tv show was during the disco peak february 79 before the demolition night july 79. This show obviously sucks, Disco still rules

Poor writing killed its chance.

This was a bad show. If it had come out a month AFTER Saturday Night Fever it might have lasted three weeks, but it was a VERY bad show.

I watched an episode of Makin' It. Totally unfunny.

Hold my disco skates.🛼🎶

Garry Marshall- the Adolf Hitler of bad sitcoms.