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Where's "Battle of the Network Stars"??

post #1 of 42
1/28/05 at 12:19pm
Thread Starter 
Does anyone else remember this annual show that aired from 1976 to 1985? It pitted stars of shows on ABC, NBC and CBS against each other. At the time it got some big name stars to appear. And who can forget Gabe Kaplan beating tough guy Robert Conrad in an event. I would love for someone to release these shows (Shout Factory?)

ps-I know in '03 the did a knock off. But, it wasn't that good and wasn't the networks. Can you imagine if they did it right now. You have 6 networks or 8 if you include HBO & Showtime.
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post #2 of 42
1/28/05 at 12:21pm
HAH! I was just watching my tapes of I Love the 70s from Vh1 and this was on there! Add my voice to the question. One would think with most of the shows that stared the er... stars featured in Battle out on DVD now, this would be a natural.
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post #3 of 42
1/28/05 at 12:29pm
I remember that.

I also remember "Circus of the Stars." (Imagine for a moment Vanilla Ice as a human cannonball ... or David Hasselhoff as a lion tamer. Back then, TV's biggest stars would get together and put on a circus.)

You couldn't do those shows today (The potential liability is outrageous. )
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post #4 of 42
1/28/05 at 2:39pm
I'm sure negotiating the rights to these wouldn't be easy or cheap, if all the participants had to be paid and/or sign off on it.

Also, much as I'd like to see the likes of Lynda Carter, et al in swimsuits and the dunking booth, I'd say that ABC (or whomever owns the rights now) probably doesn't see much of a market for these.

Those of you lucky enough to get the Trio channel may get to see some of them, though. They aired a few of the specials a year or two back.
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post #5 of 42
1/28/05 at 9:01pm
Remember SNL?

"Battle of the Network Ts and As! The biggest Ts! The nicest As! See Lynda Carter, Loni Anderson, Adrienne Barbeau and Carol Wayne compete!"



Regards,

Joe
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post #6 of 42
1/28/05 at 10:30pm
I would love this entire series on Dvd!
These are my kind of stars, not like now.
Besides, I especially loved seeing Lynda Carter and Erin Gray compete. Two of my biggest crushes of all time!
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post #7 of 42
1/29/05 at 12:26am
That was the whole point of the "competition". It was soft porn. Let's put TV's hottest looking women in skimpy t-shirts without bras on and get them wet. They only aired them during sweeps periods. I actually think they were all rerun not long ago on Trio.
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post #8 of 42
1/29/05 at 12:30am
Quote:
That was the whole point of the "competition". It was soft porn. Let's put TV's hottest looking women in skimpy t-shirts without bras on and get them wet.


You say that like it's a bad thing.

Quote:
These are my kind of stars, not like now.


Yeah, who would want to see Kate Moss and Calista Flockhart running around in skimpy, wet, t-shirts?

Joe
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post #9 of 42
1/29/05 at 2:20am
Quote:
You say that like it's a bad thing.
If anyone wants soft porn just watch network tv nowadays.

Quote:
Yeah, who would want to see Kate Moss and Calista Flockhart running around in skimpy, wet, t-shirts?

Jeez, don't even get me started on those two.

Anyway, back to the series itself...
I would love to see "Battle" and "Circus Of The Stars" both on dvd. Trio did rerun it, and it was cool seeing it again because I had only seen a couple of episodes when they first aired.
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post #10 of 42
1/29/05 at 1:15pm
Quote:
Yeah, who would want to see Kate Moss and Calista Flockhart running around in skimpy, wet, t-shirts?


Oh, God ... and after I've just had lunch, too!



Do they even MAKE t-shirts in negative sizes?
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post #11 of 42
1/29/05 at 2:14pm
Can you imagine if they did it right now. You have 6 networks or 8 if you include HBO & Showtime


Somehow I could imagine James Gandolfini doing the "Triple Lindy" to the voice of Howard Cosell in a diving/swimming competition. But I dont know If I could handle watching all those has beens of yesteryear. Might be fun watching once. Though I'm always for releasing everything for history's sake.
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post #12 of 42
1/29/05 at 3:49pm
Quote:
But I dont know If I could handle watching all those has beens of yesteryear.

They're not has beens to me.

I would'nt even watch a new version, there's noone I can even stomach now.

And... who's James Gandolfini??

I may be stuck in the 70's but can you blame me?
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post #13 of 42
1/30/05 at 8:34am
We all love the 70s... and any classic era for TV. It's why TV on DVD exists.

I'm very curious about the rights clearances neccessary to release the show. Like I said earlier, with shows like Wonder Woman and Kojac out on DVD already, this seems a natural follow up. Just good clean fun, ya know?
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post #14 of 42
1/30/05 at 2:12pm
these would be great. I think Mr. T lead a team on the last one.

I would also live Wildest West Show Of The Stars, that featured Pee Wee Herman in a shoot out!

I think the next SCTV boxset should feature "Battle Of The PBS Stars" that features the classic Mr. Rodgers VS Julia Childs boxing match.
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post #15 of 42
1/30/05 at 6:33pm
Quote:
I think the next SCTV boxset should feature "Battle Of The PBS Stars" that features the classic Mr. Rodgers VS Julia Childs boxing match.


It does.
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post #16 of 42
2/2/05 at 7:06pm
I'd be all over "Battle of the Network Stars" for the kitsch factor alone...
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post #17 of 42
2/3/05 at 8:20am
Once, circa 1986, Letterman was a guest on Carson to promote a Late Night prime time special (remember, Letterman was on NBC at the time).

In his usual self-depriciative way, Letterman was moaning that the special would tank, joking that it had been scheduled opposite "Battle of the Network Breasts".
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post #18 of 42
2/3/05 at 9:27am
FYI, the show is owned by TWI.
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post #19 of 42
2/3/05 at 9:48am
Thread Starter 
This show seems like a perfect Shout Factory title.
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post #20 of 42
9/4/05 at 4:38pm
Thread Starter 
Just to bump this. On Bravo they have been airing a "Battle of the Network Reality Stars". 4 teams made up of people from various reality shows. Anyway, during the show they have been showing clips from the original series. And even have been using the original site...Pepperdine University.

The original so needs to be released. It is amazing the stars they were able to get to come on the original. I find it hard to believe that todays stars would be as accomidating.

Just found this news tidbit...
Quote:
Battle of the Network Stars coming to the big screen
By Colin Mahan | more stories by this author
August 25, 2005 at 03:35:00 PM

The camp '70s show, which recently got a reality-show makeover, is now being readied for the big screen.

There's never too much of a good thing. The seemingly never-ending stream of television content splurting onto the big screen continues with a film adaptation of Battle of the Network Stars. The camp late-1970s show featured celebrities from shows of the era, including Melissa Gilbert from Little House on the Prairie, Robert Conrad from Black Sheep Squadron, and Gabe Kaplan from Welcome Back, Kotter, competing in physical challenges such as tug-of-war, sack races, and plate-twirling. The show was hosted by a deadpan Howard Cosell.
The current movie adaptation is being written by former King of the Hill scribe Etan Cohen and will be executive produced by Barry Frank, one of the producers of the original Battle. As of yet, no network stars have been mentioned for the roles of the Network Stars.
Currently, Bravo is airing a reimagining of the show, titled Battle of the Network Reality Stars. The new show features former contestants of shows such as The Apprentice, Survivor, and The Swan attempting to protract their time in the media spotlight.
It is interesting to note that at the same time Hollywood is increasingly turning television shows into movies, the theatrical box office is mired in a slump. One cause of the slump could be that audiences don't want to pay $10 a ticket to see something they used to watch for free on TV.
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post #21 of 42
9/5/05 at 9:58pm
I used to watch every episode of this series. But it's so campy and of dubious taste that I'm just not sure there is a big enough audience for it to be released.
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post #22 of 42
9/6/05 at 10:09am
Yep. I SO remember this show. I think I saw just about every episode of it in the 70s. Does anyone remember the one where Marcia Wallace was trying to dunk Dan Haggerty? There sat Grizzly Adams in the dunk tank and he started working his ab muscles in a funny way and poor Marcia tured beat red. Hilarious. Yep. I'd buy this on DVD in a heartbeat.
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post #23 of 42
9/6/05 at 11:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
I used to watch every episode of this series. But it's so campy and of dubious taste that I'm just not sure there is a big enough audience for it to be released.

If Lady & Jeff(or whatever it was called) can get released. I am sure this could be too. Don't underestimated the nostalgia factor for this show.
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post #24 of 42
9/6/05 at 9:28pm
OMG!!!!!!

I absolutely LOVED this show! Does anyone remember the magic moment when ABC was in third place in the relay and Jaclyn Smith came up from behind and won the event? Or the time Billy Crystal got tripped up during the obstacle course and fell flat on his face? Or Robert Conrad's striptease on the way to the dunk tank (proving that this wasn't just a T & A show)?

This show was just too, too dreamy for words, especially for a kid growing up in the 1970s. I mean, Farrah Fawcett participated! Can you imagine today's equivalent (in terms of star power) doing a show like this? Or, going back to the '90s, the casts of FRIENDS, SEINFELD, or FRASIER? Everyone is far too image-conscious to be seen competing in athletic events.

(Actually, I wonder if the stars really wanted to do those shows, or if they were "strongly encouraged" by the networks to be there.)

At the very least, I'd rent these if they were released on DVD, provided they went back to the first year.
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post #25 of 42
9/6/05 at 9:57pm
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If Lady & Jeff (or whatever it was called)


Pink Lady and Jeff, Pink Lady being the name of a popular (in Japan) signing duo who spoke little or no English and Jeff being hapless comedian Jeff Altman - who has probably never lived doing this show down. (The late Jim "Hey Vern" Varney also starred) The show seems to have lasted all of five episodes in 1980 - at least that's all that aired. This this got released on DVD? I'm stunned.

Regards,

Joe
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post #26 of 42
9/7/05 at 1:28pm
The stars probably did these shows on the condition they never be re-syndicated or re-released in any other format.
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post #27 of 42
9/7/05 at 7:19pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
The stars probably did these shows on the condition they never be re-syndicated or re-released in any other format.

Well a couple of years ago it aired on the Trio channel. So syndication is possible.
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post #28 of 42
11/1/06 at 9:53pm

Re: Where's "Battle of the Network Stars"??

.
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post #29 of 42
11/2/06 at 5:48am

Re: Where's "Battle of the Network Stars"??

Such fond memories (or in the case of Lynda Carter, mammaries!):

Gabe Kaplan making Robert Conrad look like a fool on the track, Penny Marshall proving herself to be the best jock ABC had, the commentary from the likes of Howard Cosell and Telly Savalas, and a then-unknown David Letterman proving that he was better on dry land than in a kayak!

One thing, though- I always wished that there had been a Battle of the Daytime Stars- imagine Susan Lucci, Genie Francis, and Deidre Hall in swim suits while Tony Geary ran the obstacle course!
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post #30 of 42
11/2/06 at 2:45pm

Re: Where's "Battle of the Network Stars"??

Maybe they can do a best of ... like they're doing with Match Game. 30 shows from a 10 year period.

Gord, get on it!
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