It's About Time (TV series)

It's About Time
Created by Sherwood Schwartz
Starring Frank Aletter
Jack Mullaney
Imogene Coca
Joe E. Ross
Theme music composer Gerald Fried
George Wyle
Sherwood Schwartz
Composer(s) Gerald Fried
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 1
No. of episodes 26 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer(s) Sherwood Schwartz
Running time 30 minutes per episode
Production company(s) Redwood Productions, Inc.
Gladasya Productions, Inc.
United Artists Television
Distributor United Artists Television
Release
Original network CBS
Original release September 11, 1966 – April 2, 1967

It's About Time is an American fantasy/science-fiction comedy TV series that aired on CBS for one season of 26 episodes in 1966–1967. The series was created by Sherwood Schwartz, and used sets, props and incidental music from Schwartz's other television series in production at the time, Gilligan's Island.

Description

The cave family in the 20th century.

Two astronauts, Mac McKenzie (Frank Aletter) and Hector Canfield (Jack Mullaney), travel faster than the speed of light, resulting in being sent back in time to prehistoric days. There, they have to adjust to living with a cave family led by Shad (Imogene Coca) and Gronk (Joe E. Ross). (Coca's character's name was originally pronounced "Shag" in the first episode, after which her character's name was pronounced "Shad" (evidenced in the re-run episodes on Antenna TV), though in the opening titles her billing still read "IMOGENE COCA as SHAG"; this changed in the episode "20th Century Here We Come" when new opening titles were created for the series' retooling (see below) and her billing was changed to read "IMOGENE COCA as SHAD". Their children were 18-year-old Mlor (Mary Grace, credited in the retooled closing titles as Mary Graham Grace) and 14-year-old Breer (Pat Cardi). The chief of the tribe, Boss (Cliff Norton) and his right-hand man Clon (Mike Mazurki) were always suspicious of the astronauts.

Ratings were impressive for the first few weeks on the air, but they soon plunged. Show creator Sherwood Schwartz came to the conclusion that three factors were the cause of the decline in audience interest:

For these reasons, after eighteen broadcast episodes set in prehistoric times, the series was retooled beginning with the January 22, 1967 episode. (A nineteenth "prehistoric" episode had been completed, but it was not broadcast until after the end of the series' original run; this could possibly have been due to its originally scheduled broadcast being preempted for special programming, which happened occasionally to many TV shows, throwing their original broadcast order out of sync when the networks would broadcast the episode at the end of the season's first-run episodes rather than postponing the broadcast until the following week.) Essentially reversing the premise which had been followed the first half of the season, on the January 22 episode the astronauts repair their space capsule and return to 1967, with Shad, Gronk, and their children in tow. Boss and Clon make their final appearances in this episode, which also introduces two new supporting characters who would stay with the show going forward: Alan DeWitt as Mr. Tyler, manager of the apartment building where Mac and Hector live, and Frank Wilcox as General Morley, their commanding officer.

In the retooled version of the show (which had an updated theme song, explaining the new premise) the prehistoric family must begin adjusting to life in the 1960s, reacting to the unfamiliar surroundings, and setting up home in 20th-century Los Angeles. For example, one episode had Gronk and Shad learning to write their names and signing them for many salesmen who brought "presents", which later had to be paid for. Mac and Hector also had to convince their disbelieving superior that they really did travel in time, and are not playing some sort of elaborate practical joke. Seven episodes were produced with this new premise before the series was cancelled at the end of the season.

Episodes

"It's About Time" is a 1960s typical 'silly' comedy of the times (think Gilligan's Island, also Created by Sherwood Schwartz) about two astronauts who accidentally break the speed of light with their spacecraft and travel back in time to prehistoric Earth, replete with cavemen (and cavewomen) and, anachronistically, dinosaurs. Unable to return to Earth, they make friends with the "natives", usually through humorous interactions, misunderstandings and dilemmas. Eventually, they do return to 'modern day' Earth, taking some of the cavepeople back with them, who must then adjust to living in 1960s Los Angeles.

No. Title Original air date
1"And Then I Wrote 'Happy Birthday to You'"September 11, 1966
Mac and Hector introduce present day birthday customs to the cave people.
2"The Copper Caper"September 18, 1966
Astronauts need copper, but the local supply is limited to a necklace worn by the unfriendly chief.
3"The Initiation"September 25, 1966
Astronauts try to obtain a dinosaur tooth.
4"Tailor Made Hero"October 2, 1966
Gronk tries to prove he's as heroic as the astronauts.
5"The Rainmakers"October 9, 1966
Hector and Mac must end a drought or they'll be sacrificed to the water spirit.
6"Me Caveman—You Woman"October 16, 1966
7"The Champ"October 23, 1966
The cave people learn how to use a slingshot.
8"Mark Your Ballots"October 30, 1966
Mac and Hector try to persuade the cave people to elect a new leader.
9"Have I Got A Girl for You"November 6, 1966
Shad tries to find perfect mates for Mac and Hector.
10"Cave Movies"November 13, 1966
Hector and Mac try to document their prehistoric predicament by filming daily activities.
11"Androcles and Clon"November 20, 1966
Boss (Cliff Norton) wants to execute the astronauts because they've made an evil device.
12"Love Me, Love My Gnook"November 27, 1966
A puppy has the astronauts facing death sentences - the cave dwellers believe dogs are bad luck.
13"The Broken Idol"December 4, 1966
14"The Sacrifice"December 11, 1966
15"King Hec"December 18, 1966
16"The Mother-in-law"December 25, 1966
17"Which Doctor's Witch?"January 1, 1967
18"To Catch a Thief"January 8, 1967
19"20th Century Here We Come"January 22, 1967
20"Shad Rack and Other Tortures"January 29, 1967
21"The Cave Family Swingers"February 5, 1967
22"To Sign or Not to Sign"February 19, 1967
23"School Days, School Days"February 26, 1967
24"Our Brothers' Keepers"March 5, 1967
25"The Stone Age Diplomats"March 12, 1967
26"The Stowaway"April 2, 1967

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Bob. "It's About Time Undergoing Changes" Ocala Star-Banner (December 28, 1966)

External links

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