Barefoot In The Park (1970-71) sitcom (3 Viewers)

[Hoagie78]

Back in the late 90's I remember this short lived series based on the film and play by Neil Simon airing on TVLand (when they aired classics and before the channel became a joke). It was part of the syndication package of Love American Style that would air in the early morning hours of 8 or 9 am. The series starred Scoey Mitchell and Tracy Reed as Paul & Corie Brad Bratter. Thelma Carpenter co-starred as Corrie's mother and Nipsy Russel as Honey.

ABC had hoped this adaption along with Simon's The Odd Couple would bring in the ratings. This series and OC were both produced by Gary Marshall and Jerry Belson. Scoey Mitchell proved to be difficult to work with and he fought with writers and producers about script content. Mitchell eventually was fired after filming about 12 episodes when he supposedly punched an executive at Paramount. There was talk about bringing in Cleavon Little as a recast for Mitchell, but ABC got fed up and decided to cut their losses and pull the plug.

Tracy Reed had worked the previous season (1969-1970) for Paramount on Love American style in the sketches between segments. She continued to work on that series and went on to have a lengthy career in film and TV. Scoey Mitchell died in 2022. He was nearly 20 years older than Reed when he played her husband.

It would be great if this series would become available on DVD. They could have added it as an extra on The Odd Couple releases.

 

[Jack P]

They originally filmed a pilot with a white cast in 1969 that didn't sell (the pilot was burned off in a first season "Love American Style" episode) and then went with the all-black cast.

I remember how for years, idiots at IMDB would keep mixing up the credits of the Tracy Reed in this show with the same named white British actress who was in "Dr. Strangelove" until someone finally straightened that out.

 

[Hoagie78]

They originally filmed a pilot with a white cast in 1969 that didn't sell (the pilot was burned off in a first season "Love American Style" episode) and then went with the all-black cast.

I remember how for years, idiots at IMDB would keep mixing up the credits of the Tracy Reed in this show with the same named white British actress who was in "Dr. Strangelove" until someone finally straightened that out.

Yes, I saw the first pilot on LAS. Jane Wyatt from Father Knows Best played the mother of Corrie. Skye Aubrey who played Corrie was the daughter of the infamous Jim Aubrey who was once the president of CBS. They referred to him as the smiling cobra.

 

[Neil Brock]

At one point, all of the episodes were included in the Love American Style syndication package but when Decades ran a marathon of the show, those episodes were no longer included.

 

[Hoagie78]

At one point, all of the episodes were included in the Love American Style syndication package but when Decades ran a marathon of the show, those episodes were no longer included.

The last time I saw them was in the late 90's on TVLand with LAS. I was surprised to see this series as I was born a few years after it had ended and never knew it existed. I tuned into watch Love American Style one morning and Barefoot came on and I thought what's this show ? It turned out to be a cute series and I watched the episodes they ran. They would run them in the early morning around 8 or 9 am.

When you search on YouTube only 1 episode "The Bed" is on there and the opening credits. "The Bed" was also the episode made with the first pilot that aired on LAS.

 

[Hoagie78]

 

[Lecagr]

I don't remember this series at all but I'm familiar with the Barefoot In The Park movie which stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

 

[Hoagie78]

I don't remember this series at all but I'm familiar with the Barefoot In The Park movie which stars Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

It was very short lived and only aired for 12 episodes in 1970. The series was rerun on TVLand in the 90's.

 

[Hoagie78]