Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (television)
Encyclopedia
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice was a situation comedy
broadcast in the United States
by ABC
as part of its 1973 fall lineup
. It was based on the movie of the same title
. It was produced by Screen Gems.
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice was of necessity somewhat different from the R-rated
1969
movie upon which it was based. The film involved the (short-lived) desire of the two title couples to engage in a sexual foursome, which would have been obviously unacceptable on U.S. broadcast television in 1973. Instead, it made do with plots which were attempts at titilation by the broadcast standards of the time, but which stood a chance of surviving the censors
at the network's Division of Standards and Practices. These included skinny dipping
, premarital sex
, and unmarried couples cohabiting, which were still thought to be racy topics for network television by many at the time. Generally, Ted and Alice Henderson were more conservative than the "liberated" Bob and Carol Sanders. No members of the original film cast reprised their roles in the series.
Apparently, the show was too tame to appeal to the crowds who had gone to see the movie, but still too risqué for much of the general television viewing public, as it received very low Nielsen ratings
, also because it had to compete with CBS's Top 10 hit The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour and NBC's Top 30 hit Adam-12
and was canceled less than two months after its premiere.
The show is perhaps best remembered for featuring a then eleven-year old Jodie Foster
as Ted and Alice's daughter. (This differed from the movie version, in which the characters had actually had a son, rather than a daughter.)
* These episodes finally appeared on USA Cable Network
, with the rest of the series, in 1984.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
broadcast in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
as part of its 1973 fall lineup
1973-74 United States network television schedule
This was the television schedule on all three networks for the fall season beginning in September 1973. All times are Eastern and Pacific, with a few exceptions, such as Monday Night Football....
. It was based on the movie of the same title
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice is a 1969 comedy-drama film directed by Paul Mazursky. It stars Natalie Wood, Robert Culp, Elliott Gould and Dyan Cannon....
. It was produced by Screen Gems.
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice was of necessity somewhat different from the R-rated
MPAA film rating system
The Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The MPAA system applies only to motion pictures that are submitted for rating. Other media may be rated by other entities...
1969
1969 in film
The year 1969 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Last year for prize giving at the Venice Film Festival until it is revived in 1980...
movie upon which it was based. The film involved the (short-lived) desire of the two title couples to engage in a sexual foursome, which would have been obviously unacceptable on U.S. broadcast television in 1973. Instead, it made do with plots which were attempts at titilation by the broadcast standards of the time, but which stood a chance of surviving the censors
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
at the network's Division of Standards and Practices. These included skinny dipping
Nudity
Nudity is the state of wearing no clothing. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic. The amount of clothing worn depends on functional considerations and social considerations...
, premarital sex
Premarital sex
Premarital sex is sexual activity, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex, practiced by persons who are unmarried. Although it has always been practiced, in the West it has increased in prevalence since the mid-1950s...
, and unmarried couples cohabiting, which were still thought to be racy topics for network television by many at the time. Generally, Ted and Alice Henderson were more conservative than the "liberated" Bob and Carol Sanders. No members of the original film cast reprised their roles in the series.
Apparently, the show was too tame to appeal to the crowds who had gone to see the movie, but still too risqué for much of the general television viewing public, as it received very low Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
, also because it had to compete with CBS's Top 10 hit The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour and NBC's Top 30 hit Adam-12
Adam-12
Adam-12 was a television police drama which followed two police officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, Pete Malloy and Jim Reed, as they patrolled the streets of Los Angeles in their patrol unit, 1-Adam-12. Created by Jack Webb who is known for creating Dragnet, the series captured a...
and was canceled less than two months after its premiere.
The show is perhaps best remembered for featuring a then eleven-year old Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster
Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
as Ted and Alice's daughter. (This differed from the movie version, in which the characters had actually had a son, rather than a daughter.)
Cast
- Robert UrichRobert UrichRobert Urich was an American actor. He played the starring roles in the television series Vega$ and Spenser: For Hire...
as Bob Sanders - Anne ArcherAnne ArcherAnne Archer is an American actress who has performed in feature films, television, and stage and was named Miss Golden Globe in 1971. Among her best known roles is that of Beth Gallagher in the 1987 movie Fatal Attraction, for which she received a nomination for an Academy Award.-Career:Archer's...
as Carol Sanders - David Spielberg as Ted Henderson
- Anita GilletteAnita GilletteAnita Gillette is an American actress, most notable for her work on Broadway and as a celebrity guest on various game shows....
as Alice Henderson - Brad SavageBrad SavageBrad Savage is an American actor best known for his role as Danny in the 1984 movie Red Dawn, for which he received a nomination for the Young Artist Award in the category "Best Young Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama".-Biography:Brad Savage was born in...
as Sean Sanders - Jodie FosterJodie FosterAlicia Christian "Jodie" Foster is an American actress, film director, producer as well as a former child actress....
as Elizabeth Henderson
Episode list
| Episode # | Episode title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1-1 | "Can I Help It If She's Crazy About Me?" | September 26, 1973 |
| 1-2 | "Alice's Wild Oat" | October 3, 1973 |
| 1-3 | "Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice" (pilot) | October 10, 1973 |
| 1-4 | "I'm Not Jealous, Only Curious" | October 17, 1973 |
| 1-5 | "Open Marriage, Closed Mind" | October 24, 1973 |
| 1-6 | "Nobody Wants To Talk About It" | October 31, 1973 |
| 1-7 | "The Bare Truth Hurts" | November 7, 1973 |
| 1-8 | "Such Good Friends" | unaired* |
| 1-9 | "Walk A Mile In My Clogs" | unaired* |
| 1-10 | "Double, Double, Doyle & Trouble" | unaired* |
| 1-11 | "Inadmissable Evidence" | unaired* |
| 1-12 | "My Butcher Is A Thief" | unaired* |
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
, with the rest of the series, in 1984.