Only Audrey Meadows, who played Alice Kramden, received residuals from the endless reruns of “The Honeymooners” (CBS, 1955-56).
Her manager negotiated for TV residual rights before most people took them seriously.
Appearing long before “Peyton Place” (ABC, 1964-69), the first prime-time soap opera was “A Woman to Remember,” starring Patricia Wheel. The series, which was based on a daytime serial, ran on the DuMont network from May to July, 1949.
The question Ralph Kramden (“The Honeymooners,” CBS, 1955-56) missed when he appeared on “The $99,000 Answer”? was Who is the composer of “Swanee River”? Stephen Foster was the correct answer. Ralph guessed Ed Norton.
Gomer Pyle was the gas station attendant in Mayberry on “The Andy Griffith Show” (CBS, 1960-68) before he joined the Marines.
“Dallas” (CBS, 1978-91) was the top-rated TV series in 1980.
Playwright Arthur Miller wrote the teleplay for the CBS TV movie “Playing for Time” (1980). Vanessa Redgrave played Auschwitz prisoner Fania Fenelon.
Jim Henson and the Muppets were regulars on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 1975) in 1975-76.