"The Doris Day Show" (1968) TV series 1968-1973

Creator:

James Fritzell

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

24 September 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

After spending most of her life in big cities, widow Doris Martin decides to move back to the family ranch.

Plot Keywords:

Magazine | Widow | Son | Sitcom | Secretary

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes.

Cast

Doris Day	...	Doris Martin (128 episodes, 1968-1973)
Philip Brown	...	Billy Martin (79 episodes, 1968-1971)
Todd Starke	...	Toby Martin (79 episodes, 1968-1971)
Denver Pyle	...	Buck Webb (55 episodes, 1968-1970)

Runtime:

30 min (128 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:G | Singapore:PG | Australia:PG (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

650 California Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

Arwin Productions

Trivia:

Despite its longevity and ratings success, this series was rarely revived after its original network run on CBS ended in 1973. It was briefly rerun on a Christian cable channel in the mid-1980s, but was essentially unseen from then until its 2005 release on DVD.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The O'Reilly Factor: (2008-02-22)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)

Cute, But Confusing

When I was a kid this was my first exposure to Doris Day. I was only two when this show first aired and I used to watch it every week. However, it was fairly confusing due to the fact that it changed situations almost every season. In the first season she was the typical widowed mom raising her two kids in an almost carbon copy of "Green Acres", but without the surrealism of that show. In the second season we see her become a writer for a magazine, which she would remain, with slight variations for the next few years. However, in the final season, the show pretty much becomes another version of "Mary Tyler Moore" with her now playing a single girl and without the kids that she had for the first few years. However, despite these changes Doris Day retained the charm and grace that made her one of the most popular stars in television.

Also, one thing that is quite ironic is the fact that this show was set in San Francisco, which was the same locale as her former co-star, and close friend, Rock Hudson's series "McMillan and Wife". That fact could have led to all sorts of guest star possibilities.