Makin' It
Encyclopedia
Makin' It is an American sitcom starring David Naughton
as a disco
dancer in the late 1970s. The series only lasted nine episodes, airing on Fridays at 8:00PM on ABC
from February 1 through March 23, 1979 before being canceled. It also aired in the United Kingdom
on ITV
from April 25 through June 13, 1979.
In 2002 TV Guide
ranked it number 40 on its TV Guide's 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time list.
and was about the daily life of Billy Manucci, a young man who frequented the local disco club, Inferno, at night while working at an ice cream parlor
called Tasty Treats during the day. Manucci was highly influenced by the disco craze and the movie Saturday Night Fever
specifically.
Robert Stigwood
, the producer of Saturday Night Fever as well as the Bee Gees
' manager, was involved in the show's creation, as was Garry Marshall
. The theme song
, sung by David Naughton, reached #5 on the Billboard Top 40 charts in 1979. It entered the Top 40 on May 12, nearly two months after the show had been canceled. The song was also featured in the Bill Murray movie Meatballs
.
David Naughton (actor)
David Walsh Naughton is an American actor and singer best known for his starring roles in the 1981 horror film An American Werewolf in London, the 1980 Walt Disney comedy, Midnight Madness, the 1984 comedies Hot Dog.....
as a disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
dancer in the late 1970s. The series only lasted nine episodes, airing on Fridays at 8:00PM on 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...
from February 1 through March 23, 1979 before being canceled. It also aired in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
from April 25 through June 13, 1979.
In 2002 TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
ranked it number 40 on its TV Guide's 50 Worst TV Shows of All Time list.
Synopsis
The show was set in Passaic, New JerseyPassaic, New Jersey
Passaic is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 69,781, maintaining its status as the 15th largest municipality in New Jersey with an increase of 1,920 residents from the 2000 Census population of 67,861...
and was about the daily life of Billy Manucci, a young man who frequented the local disco club, Inferno, at night while working at an ice cream parlor
Ice cream parlor
Ice cream parlors are places that sell ice cream and frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is normally sold in two varieties in these stores: soft-serve ice cream , and hard-packed, which has an assortment of flavors, as well as frozen yogurt, which is a low-fat alternative and tastes slightly...
called Tasty Treats during the day. Manucci was highly influenced by the disco craze and the movie Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever
Saturday Night Fever is a 1977 drama film directed by John Badham and starring: John Travolta as Tony Manero, an immature young man whose weekends are spent visiting a local Brooklyn discothèque; Karen Lynn Gorney as his dance partner and eventual friend; and Donna Pescow as Tony's former dance...
specifically.
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood
Robert Stigwood is an impresario and entertainment entrepreneur who relocated to England in 1954...
, the producer of Saturday Night Fever as well as the Bee Gees
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees are a musical group that originally comprised three brothers: Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was successful for most of their 40-plus years of recording music, but they had two distinct periods of exceptional success: as a pop act in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and as a...
' manager, was involved in the show's creation, as was Garry Marshall
Garry Marshall
Garry Kent Marshall is an American actor, director, writer and producer. His notable credits include creating Happy Days and The Odd Couple and directing Nothing In Common, Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride, Valentine's Day, and The Princess Diaries.-Early life:Marshall was born in the New York City...
. The theme song
Makin' It (song)
"Makin' It" was a 1979 pop song performed by David Naughton. It was the theme song for the television show Makin' It, in which Naughton starred. It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, the team also responsible for Gloria Gaynor's #1 hit "I Will Survive" and Peaches and Herb's #5 hit...
, sung by David Naughton, reached #5 on the Billboard Top 40 charts in 1979. It entered the Top 40 on May 12, nearly two months after the show had been canceled. The song was also featured in the Bill Murray movie Meatballs
Meatballs (film)
Meatballs is a 1979 Canadian comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman. It is noted for the first film appearance of Bill Murray in a starring role and for launching Reitman into a distinguished career of financially successful comedies including Stripes and Ghostbusters , both starring Murray...
.
Cast
- David NaughtonDavid Naughton (actor)David Walsh Naughton is an American actor and singer best known for his starring roles in the 1981 horror film An American Werewolf in London, the 1980 Walt Disney comedy, Midnight Madness, the 1984 comedies Hot Dog.....
- Billy Manucci - Greg AntonacciGreg AntonacciGregory Antonacci is an American television actor, director, producer and writer.As a director, producer and writer, he worked on a number of television series namely Brothers, The Tortellis, Perfect Strangers, The Royal Family, The John Larroquette Show, Herman's Head, It's a Living and other...
- Tony Manucci - Denise MillerDenise MillerDenise Miller was an American actress who appeared in television sit-coms Archie Bunker's Place, Fish, and the made-for-television movie Sooner or Later....
- Tina Manucci - Ellen TravoltaEllen TravoltaEllen Travolta is an American actress, the eldest sibling of John Travolta. She is probably best known for her portrayal of Louisa Arcola Delvecchio, the mother of Chachi Arcola in the 1950s-based sitcom Happy Days, and its unsuccessful spinoff, Joanie Loves Chachi...
- Dorothy Manucci - Lou AntonioLou AntonioLou Antonio is an American actor and TV director best known for performing in the films Cool Hand Luke and America, America...
- Joseph Manucci - Ralph Seymour - Al "Kingfish" Sorrentino
- Rebecca BaldingRebecca BaldingRebecca Balding is an American actress who was born in Little Rock, Arkansas.- Life and career :Balding may be best known for her 23 appearances, from 2002 through 2006, in the television series Charmed as Elise Rothman, newspaper editor-in-chief and Phoebe's boss Rebecca Balding (born on...
- Corky Crandall - Jennifer Perito - Ivy Papastegios
- Gary Prendergast - Bernard Fusco
- Wendy Hoffman - Suzanne
Episodes
- PC = Production code numberProduction code numberA production code number, also known as the production code or episode code is an alphanumeric designation used to uniquely identify episodes within a television series...
| № | Title | Original airdate | PC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Staying Alive" | February 1, 1979 | 001 |
| 2 | "Art Auction" | February 2, 1979 | 003 |
| 3 | "Big Brother Is Watching" | February 9, 1979 | 002 |
| 4 | "Fun, Fun, Fun (Part 1)" | February 16, 1979 | 004 |
| 5 | "Fun, Fun, Fun (Part 2)" | February 23, 1979 | 005 |
| 6 | "Something for Ma" | March 2, 1979 | 007 |
| 7 | "Little Orphan Fusco" | March 9, 1979 | 010 |
| 8 | "Tony's Homecoming" | March 16, 1979 | 008 |
| 9 | "Friends for Life" | March 23, 1979 | 009 |