My Favorite Martian
Encyclopedia
My Favorite Martian is an American television
sitcom that aired on CBS
from September 29, 1963 to May 1, 1966 for 107 episodes (75 in black and white 1963
–1965
, 32 color 1965
–1966
). The show starred Ray Walston
as Uncle Martin (the Martian) and Bill Bixby
as Tim O'Hara.
This series was produced by Jack Chertok
.
in a one-man spaceship crash-lands near Los Angeles
. The ship's pilot is, in fact, an anthropologist from Mars
and is now stranded on Earth
. Tim O'Hara, a young newspaper reporter for The Los Angeles Sun, is on his way home from Edwards Air Force Base
(where he had gone to report on the flight of the X-15) back to Los Angeles when he spots the spaceship coming down. The X-15 nearly hit the martian's spaceship and caused it to crash.
Tim takes the Martian
in as his roommate and passes him off as his Uncle Martin. Uncle Martin refuses to reveal any of his Martian traits to people other than Tim, to avoid publicity (or panic), and Tim agrees to keep Martin's identity a secret while the Martian attempts to repair his ship. Uncle Martin has various unusual powers: he can raise from his head two retractable antennae and become invisible; he is telepathic
and can read and influence minds; he can levitate objects with the motion of his finger; he can communicate with animals; and he can also speed himself (and other people) up to do work.
Ostensibly an inventor by trade, Martin also builds several advanced devices, such as a time machine
which can transport Tim and the Martian back to Medieval England
and other times and places, such as St. Louis
in 1849, the early days of Hollywood, or bring Leonardo da Vinci
and Jesse James into the present. Another device he builds is a "molecular separator" which can take apart the molecule
s of a physical object, or rearrange them (a squirrel was made into a human). Another device can take memories and store them in pill
form to "relearn" them later. Another device can create temporary duplicates, and another item which can levitate himself and others without the need of his finger.
Tim and Uncle Martin live in a garage apartment owned by a congenial but scatterbrained landlady, Mrs. Lorelei Brown, who often shows up when not wanted. She and Martin have an awkward romance from time to time but Martin never gets serious for fear of going home to Mars. She later dates a vain, cold-hearted, plain-clothes police officer
, Detective Bill Brennan, who dislikes Uncle Martin and is highly suspicious of him.
The first two seasons were filmed in black-and-white (at Desilu), but the final season was shot in color (at MGM), resulting in minor changes in the set and the format of the show. In addition to the extraterrestrial powers indicated in the first two seasons, Martin seemed to be able to do much more in the final season, such as stimulating facial hair to provide him and Tim with a quick disguise, and levitating with his nose. Brennan's boss, the police chief, was involved in many episodes in the third season, generally as a device to humiliate the overzealous detective.
In its first season, My Favorite Martian did extremely well in the Nielsen ratings ranking at #10. However, by the end of the second season, the show had dipped to #24. Still, the series was doing well enough to be renewed for a third season.
"Martin O'Hara's" real name is Exigius 12½. Revealed in "We Love You, Mrs. Pringle," it was heard again when his real nephew, Andromeda, crash-landed on Earth in the show's third season. Andromeda, originally devised to bring younger viewers to the aging show, disappeared without explanation after this single episode and he was never referred to again. Andromeda was, however, a regular on the later animated series My Favorite Martians. Andromeda had a single antenna, which Martin explained was because his baby antennae had fallen out and only one adult antenna had come in so far. Ironically this is the reason for the series cancellation. In an interview with Starlog magazine, Ray Walston stated once CBS heard that Andromeda was to be a regular in the fourth season they soon announced the series' cancellation.
My Favorite Martian was produced at the same time as other situation comedies featuring characters who could do extraordinary things, as a parody of the standard family situation comedy. The show was an example of science fiction
comedy, differing from Bewitched
and I Dream Of Jeannie
in that the central character was a man, and he relied on science and advanced technology rather than magic.
. The show was later syndicated by Telepictures
, and later by successor-in-interest Warner Bros. Television Distribution
. The Chertok Company continues to hold all copyrights for the show; Rhino Entertainment
held U.S. video rights until August 2008. In 2010, MPI Home Video
acquired the rights to the series for home video, and re-releases of the show on DVD are now in the works. Australian and New Zealand video rights are held by Umbrella Entertainment. Currently, Warner Bros.
holds domestic and international syndication rights for the series.
In October 2011, the series became available on Netflix
through their streaming service.
released the first two seasons on DVD in Region 1 in 2004–2005. The third season was never released, however the season 3 release from Umbrella Entertainment
of Australia was released in North America on February 5, 2008 as an import. This release is classified as 'Region 0', thus making it viewable around the world to anyone with a region-free DVD player. Rhino also released a 3-DVD box of "The Best of My Favorite Martian" in 2007 comprising episodes 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24, 29, 31, 34 and 37.
MPI Home Video
recently struck a deal with Chertok Television for a domestic Region 1 release of The Complete 3rd Season for "Late Summer 2010." http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Favorite-Martian-Season-3/13271 But so far no official announcement has been made. 2010 has come and gone and no release from MPI.
In Region 4, Umbrella Entertainment
has released all 3 seasons on DVD in Australia. These releases are all Region Free.
, and ran on CBS
, from September 1973
to September 1975
on Saturday mornings. The series features Tim, Martin, Mrs. Brown and Detective Brennan (Brennan is considerably different). To appeal to a younger audience, Uncle Martin is joined by his Martian nephew named Andromeda, nicknamed "Andy", who only has one antenna and thus lesser powers than Uncle Martin and did appear in one episode of the television series. The pair also have a Martian pet named Okey, a sort of bouncing sheepdog with antennae. Tim also had a niece named Katy living with them. None of the characters were voiced by the original actors; Jonathan Harris
voiced Martin.
in 1999
starring Christopher Lloyd
as the Martian and Jeff Daniels
as Tim. This film was released and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
. Ray Walston was featured in the film (both Bill Bixby and Pamela Britton had since died) and played another Martian who had been trapped on Earth since the time of the first series and wore a similar space suit from the series; his cover was now that of a Government investigator of unidentified flying objects. However, the premise was changed: Martians such as Lloyd's "Uncle Martin" are now non-humanoids with four arms, four legs, and three eyes who use a "gumball" (which they call "nerplex") to assume human form. The "nerplex" comes in a selection that will turn the person ingesting it into assorted life forms, including Martian and one to "never use" (Venox 7).
Cartoon series:
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sitcom that aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from September 29, 1963 to May 1, 1966 for 107 episodes (75 in black and white 1963
1963 in television
The year 1963 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1963.-Events:*January 13 – BBC Television broadcasts the play The Madhouse on Castle Street in the Sunday-Night Theatre strand...
–1965
1965 in television
The year 1965 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1965.For the American TV schedule, see: 1965-66 American network television schedule.-Events:...
, 32 color 1965
1965 in television
The year 1965 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1965.For the American TV schedule, see: 1965-66 American network television schedule.-Events:...
–1966
1966 in television
The year 1966 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1966.For the American TV schedule, see: 1966-67 American network television schedule.-Events:...
). The show starred Ray Walston
Ray Walston
Ray Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
as Uncle Martin (the Martian) and Bill Bixby
Bill Bixby
Wilfred Bailey Everett “Bill” Bixby III was an American film and television actor, director, and frequent game show panelist.His career spanned over three decades; he appeared on stage, in motion pictures and TV series...
as Tim O'Hara.
This series was produced by Jack Chertok
Jack Chertok
Jack Chertok was an American film and television producer perhaps best known to modern viewers as producer for the 182 black and white episodes of The Lone Ranger.-Career:...
.
Premise
A human-looking extraterrestrialExtraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
in a one-man spaceship crash-lands near Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. The ship's pilot is, in fact, an anthropologist from Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
and is now stranded on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
. Tim O'Hara, a young newspaper reporter for The Los Angeles Sun, is on his way home from Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base
Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County, California, in the Antelope Valley. It is southwest of the central business district of North Edwards, California and due east of Rosamond.It is named in...
(where he had gone to report on the flight of the X-15) back to Los Angeles when he spots the spaceship coming down. The X-15 nearly hit the martian's spaceship and caused it to crash.
Tim takes the Martian
Martian
As an adjective, the term martian is used to describe anything pertaining to the planet Mars.However, a Martian is more usually a hypothetical or fictional native inhabitant of the planet Mars. Historically, life on Mars has often been hypothesized, although there is currently no solid evidence of...
in as his roommate and passes him off as his Uncle Martin. Uncle Martin refuses to reveal any of his Martian traits to people other than Tim, to avoid publicity (or panic), and Tim agrees to keep Martin's identity a secret while the Martian attempts to repair his ship. Uncle Martin has various unusual powers: he can raise from his head two retractable antennae and become invisible; he is telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
and can read and influence minds; he can levitate objects with the motion of his finger; he can communicate with animals; and he can also speed himself (and other people) up to do work.
Ostensibly an inventor by trade, Martin also builds several advanced devices, such as a time machine
Time travel
Time travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
which can transport Tim and the Martian back to Medieval England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and other times and places, such as St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
in 1849, the early days of Hollywood, or bring Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci was an Italian Renaissance polymath: painter, sculptor, architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist and writer whose genius, perhaps more than that of any other figure, epitomized the Renaissance...
and Jesse James into the present. Another device he builds is a "molecular separator" which can take apart the molecule
Molecule
A molecule is an electrically neutral group of at least two atoms held together by covalent chemical bonds. Molecules are distinguished from ions by their electrical charge...
s of a physical object, or rearrange them (a squirrel was made into a human). Another device can take memories and store them in pill
Pill
Pill or The Pill may refer to:* Pill , referring to anything small and round for a specific dose of medicine. The term is used colloquially in several ways:** A tablet or capsule which replaced dosing via pill...
form to "relearn" them later. Another device can create temporary duplicates, and another item which can levitate himself and others without the need of his finger.
Tim and Uncle Martin live in a garage apartment owned by a congenial but scatterbrained landlady, Mrs. Lorelei Brown, who often shows up when not wanted. She and Martin have an awkward romance from time to time but Martin never gets serious for fear of going home to Mars. She later dates a vain, cold-hearted, plain-clothes police officer
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
, Detective Bill Brennan, who dislikes Uncle Martin and is highly suspicious of him.
The first two seasons were filmed in black-and-white (at Desilu), but the final season was shot in color (at MGM), resulting in minor changes in the set and the format of the show. In addition to the extraterrestrial powers indicated in the first two seasons, Martin seemed to be able to do much more in the final season, such as stimulating facial hair to provide him and Tim with a quick disguise, and levitating with his nose. Brennan's boss, the police chief, was involved in many episodes in the third season, generally as a device to humiliate the overzealous detective.
In its first season, My Favorite Martian did extremely well in the Nielsen ratings ranking at #10. However, by the end of the second season, the show had dipped to #24. Still, the series was doing well enough to be renewed for a third season.
"Martin O'Hara's" real name is Exigius 12½. Revealed in "We Love You, Mrs. Pringle," it was heard again when his real nephew, Andromeda, crash-landed on Earth in the show's third season. Andromeda, originally devised to bring younger viewers to the aging show, disappeared without explanation after this single episode and he was never referred to again. Andromeda was, however, a regular on the later animated series My Favorite Martians. Andromeda had a single antenna, which Martin explained was because his baby antennae had fallen out and only one adult antenna had come in so far. Ironically this is the reason for the series cancellation. In an interview with Starlog magazine, Ray Walston stated once CBS heard that Andromeda was to be a regular in the fourth season they soon announced the series' cancellation.
My Favorite Martian was produced at the same time as other situation comedies featuring characters who could do extraordinary things, as a parody of the standard family situation comedy. The show was an example of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
comedy, differing from Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
and I Dream Of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
in that the central character was a man, and he relied on science and advanced technology rather than magic.
Characters
- Uncle Martin O'Hara (the Martian), played by Ray WalstonRay WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
- Tim O'Hara, played by Bill BixbyBill BixbyWilfred Bailey Everett “Bill” Bixby III was an American film and television actor, director, and frequent game show panelist.His career spanned over three decades; he appeared on stage, in motion pictures and TV series...
- Mrs. Loralei Brown, played by Pamela BrittonPamela BrittonPamela Britton was an American actress best known for appearing as "Loralee Brown" in the television series My Favorite Martian . She also starred in the film noir classic D.O.A. .-Early career:...
- Mr. Burns, played by J. Pat O'MalleyJ. Pat O'MalleyJames Patrick O'Malley was an English singer and character actor, who appeared in many American films and television programs during the 1940s–1970s, using the stage name J. Pat O'Malley...
, first season only, as Tim's boss at the newspaper - Detective Bill Brennan, played by Alan HewittAlan HewittAlan Hewitt was an American film, television and stage actor.He never became a major star, but he did have a lengthy career which included smaller parts in several well-known programs, including Daktari, I Dream Of Jeannie, Dr...
, second and third seasons only - Police Chief, played by Roy EngelRoy EngelRoy Engel was an American television and film actor. Engel was born in New York, New York, United States.-Career:...
, third season only - Andromeda, played by Wayne Stam, third season, one show only
Production and distribution
The series was produced by Jack Chertok Television in association with CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. The show was later syndicated by Telepictures
Telepictures
Telepictures is an American production company, currently operating as a label of Warner Bros. Television, with Hilary Estey McLoughlin currently serving as President...
, and later by successor-in-interest Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Television Distribution
Warner Bros. Television Distribution is an American television distribution arm of Warner Bros. Television, itself a part of Time Warner formed circa 1960. In 1989, the studio formed Warner Bros...
. The Chertok Company continues to hold all copyrights for the show; Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
held U.S. video rights until August 2008. In 2010, MPI Home Video
MPI Home Video
MPI Home Video is a home entertainment company that produces and distributes popular documentaries, films and television series on DVD & Blu-ray for the home video market. MPI Home Video is a subsidiary of MPI Media Group which was founded in 1976 by brothers Malik & Waleed Ali...
acquired the rights to the series for home video, and re-releases of the show on DVD are now in the works. Australian and New Zealand video rights are held by Umbrella Entertainment. Currently, Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
holds domestic and international syndication rights for the series.
In October 2011, the series became available on Netflix
Netflix
Netflix, Inc., is an American provider of on-demand internet streaming media in the United States, Canada, and Latin America and flat rate DVD-by-mail in the United States. The company was established in 1997 and is headquartered in Los Gatos, California...
through their streaming service.
Season One
| № | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "My Favorite Martin" | 1963.09.29 |
| 2 | "The Matchmakers" | 1963.10.06 |
| 3 | "There Is No Cure For The Common Martian" | 1963.10.13 |
| 4 | "Russians 'R' In Season" | 1963.10.20 |
| 5 | "Man or Amoeba" | 1963.10.27 |
| 6 | "The Man on the Couch" | 1963.11.03 |
| 7 | "A Loaf of Bread, A Jug of Wine, and Peaches" | 1963.11.10 |
| 8 | "The Awful Truth" | 1963.11.17 |
| 9 | "Rocket To Mars" | 1963.12.01 |
| 10 | "Raffles No.2" | 1963.12.08 |
| 11 | "The Atom Misers" | 1963.12.15 |
| 12 | "That Little Old Matchmaker, Martin" | 1963.12.22 |
| 13 | "How To Be A Hero Without Really Trying" | 1963.12.29 |
| 14 | "Blood is Thicker Than the Martian" | 1964.01.05 |
| 15 | "Poor Little Rich Cat" | 1964.01.12 |
| 16 | "Rx for Martin" | 1964.01.19 |
| 17 | "Going, Going, Gone" | 1964.02.04 |
| 18 | "Who Am I?" | 1964.02.09 |
| 19 | "Now You See It, Now You Don't" | 1964.02.16 |
| 20 | "My Nephew The Artist" | 1964.02.23 |
| 21 | "Hitchhike to Mars" | 1964.03.01 |
| 22 | "Uncle Martin's Broadcast" | 1964.03.08 |
| 23 | "An Old, Old Friend of the Family" | 1964.03.15 |
| 24 | "Super-Duper Snooper" | 1964.03.22 |
| 25 | "The Sinkable Mrs. Brown" | 1964.04.05 |
| 26 | "Martin and the Eternal Triangle" | 1964.04.12 |
| 27 | "Danger! High Voltage!" | 1964.04.19 |
| 28 | "If You Can't Lick Them" | 1964.04.26 |
| 29 | "Unidentified Flying Uncle Martin" | 1964.05.03 |
| 30 | "How Are You Gonna Keep Them Down on the Pharmacy?" | 1964.05.10 |
| 31 | "Miss Jekyll and Hyde" | 1964.05.17 |
| 32 | "Who's Got The Power?" | 1964.05.24 |
| 33 | "Oh, My Aching Antenna" | 1964.05.31 |
| 34 | "The Disastro-nauts" | 1964.06.07 |
| 35 | "Shake Well and Don't Use" | 1964.06.14 |
| 36 | "A Nose for News" | 1964.06.21 |
| 37 | "Uncle Martin's Wisdom Tooth" | 1964.06.28 |
Season Two
| № | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | "Dreaming Can Make It So" | 1964.09.27 |
| 39 | "The Memory Pill" | 1964.10.04 |
| 40 | "Three To Make Ready" | 1964.10.11 |
| 41 | "Nothing But The Truth" | 1964.10.18 |
| 42 | "Dial M for Martin" | 1964.10.25 |
| 43 | "Extra! Extra! Sensory Perception!" | 1964.11.01 |
| 44 | "My Uncle the Folk Singer" | 1964.11.08 |
| 45 | "The Great Brain Robbery" | 1964.11.15 |
| 46 | "Double Trouble" | 1964.11.22 |
| 47 | "Has Anybody Seen My Electro-Magnetic Neutron Converting Gravitator?" | 1964.11.29 |
| 48 | "Don't Rain on my Parade" | 1964.12.06 |
| 49 | "Night Life of Uncle Martin" | 1964.12.13 |
| 50 | "To Make a Rabbit Stew, First Catch a Martian" | 1964.12.20 |
| 51 | "Won't You Come Home, Uncle Martin, Won't You Come Home?" | 1964.12.27 |
| 52 | "The Case of the Missing Sleuth" | 1965.01.03 |
| 53 | "How're Things in Glocca Martin?" | 1965.01.10 |
| 54 | "Geshundheit, Uncle Martin" | 1965.01.24 |
| 55 | "Martin Report #1" | 1965.01.31 |
| 56 | "Uncle Martin and the Identified Flying Object" | 1965.02.07 |
| 57 | "A Martian Fiddles Around" | 1965.02.14 |
| 58 | "Humbug, Mrs. Brown" | 1965.02.21 |
| 59 | "Crash Diet" | 1965.02.28 |
| 60 | "Gone But Not Forgotten" | 1965.03.07 |
| 61 | "Stop or I'll Steam" | 1965.03.14 |
| 62 | "The Magnetic Personality and Who Needs It" | 1965.03.21 |
| 63 | "We Love You, Miss Pringle" | 1965.03.28 |
| 64 | "Uncle Baby" | 1965.04.04 |
| 65 | "Once Upon a Martian Mother's Day" | 1965.04.11 |
| 66 | "Uncle Martin's Bedtime Story" | 1965.04.25 |
| 67 | "006 3/4" | 1965.05.02 |
| 68 | "Never Trust a Naked Martian" | 1965.05.09 |
| 69 | "Martin's Favorite Martian" | 1965.05.16 |
| 70 | "The Martian's Fair Hobo" | 1965.05.23 |
| 71 | "A Martian's Sonata in Mrs. B's Flat" | 1965.05.30 |
| 72 | "The Green Eyed Martian" | 1965.06.06 |
| 73 | "El Señor from Mars" | 1965.06.21 |
| 74 | "Time Out for Martin" | 1965.06.20 |
| 75 | "Portrait in Brown" | 1965.06.27 |
Season Three
| № | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 76 | "Go West, Young Martin (1)" | 1965.09.12 |
| 77 | "Go West, Young Martin (2)" | 1965.09.19 |
| 78 | "Martian of the Movies" | 1965.09.26 |
| 79 | "Keep Me From The Church on Time" | 1965.10.03 |
| 80 | "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch" | 1965.10.10 |
| 81 | "Tim, The Mastermind" | 1965.10.17 |
| 82 | "Martin Goldfinger" | 1965.10.24 |
| 83 | "Bottled Martin" | 1965.10.31 |
| 84 | "Hate Me a Little" | 1965.11.07 |
| 85 | "Girl in the Flying Machine" | 1965.11.14 |
| 86 | "The Time Machine is Waking Up That Old Gang of Mine" | 1965.11.21 |
| 87 | "Avenue "C" Mob" | 1965.11.28 |
| 88 | "Tim and Tim Again" | 1965.12.05 |
| 89 | "Lorelei Brown vs. Everybody" | 1965.12.12 |
| 90 | "The O'Hare Caper" | 1965.12.19 |
| 91 | "Who's Got A Secret?" | 1965.12.26 |
| 92 | "Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow" | 1966.01.02 |
| 93 | "Martin's Revoltin' Development" | 1966.01.16 |
| 94 | "TV or Not TV" | 1966.01.23 |
| 95 | "Man from Uncle Martin" | 1966.01.30 |
| 96 | "Martin the Mannequin" | 1966.02.06 |
| 97 | "Butterball" | 1966.02.13 |
| 98 | "When a Martian Makes his Violin Cry" | 1966.02.20 |
| 99 | "When You Get Back Home to Mars, Are You Going to Get It" | 1966.02.27 |
| 100 | "Doggone Martin" | 1966.03.06 |
| 101 | "Virus M for Martin" | 1966.03.13 |
| 102 | "Our Notorious Landlady" | 1966.03.20 |
| 103 | "Martin Meets his Match" | 1966.03.27 |
| 104 | "Horse and Buggy Martin" | 1966.04.03 |
| 105 | "Stop The Presses, I Want to Get Off" | 1966.04.17 |
| 106 | "My Nut Cup Runneth Over" | 1966.04.24 |
| 107 | "Pay The Man The $24" | 1966.05.01 |
DVD releases
Rhino EntertainmentRhino Entertainment
Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...
released the first two seasons on DVD in Region 1 in 2004–2005. The third season was never released, however the season 3 release from Umbrella Entertainment
Umbrella entertainment
Umbrella Entertainment is an Australian owned, independent all-rights feature film, documentary and television program distribution company that was set up in 2001 by Jeff Harrison...
of Australia was released in North America on February 5, 2008 as an import. This release is classified as 'Region 0', thus making it viewable around the world to anyone with a region-free DVD player. Rhino also released a 3-DVD box of "The Best of My Favorite Martian" in 2007 comprising episodes 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 14, 16, 18, 22, 24, 29, 31, 34 and 37.
MPI Home Video
MPI Home Video
MPI Home Video is a home entertainment company that produces and distributes popular documentaries, films and television series on DVD & Blu-ray for the home video market. MPI Home Video is a subsidiary of MPI Media Group which was founded in 1976 by brothers Malik & Waleed Ali...
recently struck a deal with Chertok Television for a domestic Region 1 release of The Complete 3rd Season for "Late Summer 2010." http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/Favorite-Martian-Season-3/13271 But so far no official announcement has been made. 2010 has come and gone and no release from MPI.
In Region 4, Umbrella Entertainment
Umbrella entertainment
Umbrella Entertainment is an Australian owned, independent all-rights feature film, documentary and television program distribution company that was set up in 2001 by Jeff Harrison...
has released all 3 seasons on DVD in Australia. These releases are all Region Free.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 4 | ||
| The Complete 1st Season | 37 | September 7, 2004 | March 3, 2008 |
| The Complete 2nd Season | 38 | May 10, 2005 | September 2, 2008 |
| The Best of My Favorite Martian | 15 | July 17, 2007 | |
| The Complete 3rd Season | 32 | February 5, 2008 | November 5, 2007 |
Animated series
An animated series, My Favorite Martians, was made by FilmationFilmation
Filmation Associates was an American production company that produced animation and live action programming for television during the latter half of the 20th century. Located in Reseda, California, the animation studio was founded in 1963...
, and ran on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, from September 1973
1973 in television
The year 1973 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1973.-Events:*January 4 – The record breaking, long-running comedy series in the UK and the world "Last of the Summer Wine" starts as a 30-minute pilot on BBC1's Comedy Playhouse show....
to September 1975
1975 in television
The year 1975 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1975.For the American TV schedule, see: 1975-76 United States network television schedule.-Events:...
on Saturday mornings. The series features Tim, Martin, Mrs. Brown and Detective Brennan (Brennan is considerably different). To appeal to a younger audience, Uncle Martin is joined by his Martian nephew named Andromeda, nicknamed "Andy", who only has one antenna and thus lesser powers than Uncle Martin and did appear in one episode of the television series. The pair also have a Martian pet named Okey, a sort of bouncing sheepdog with antennae. Tim also had a niece named Katy living with them. None of the characters were voiced by the original actors; Jonathan Harris
Jonathan Harris
Jonathan Harris was an American stage and film character actor. Two of his best-known roles were as the timid accountant Bradford Webster in the TV version of The Third Man, and the comic villain Dr. Zachary Smith, in the 1960s sci-fi television series, Lost in Space...
voiced Martin.
Episode list
| № | Title | Original airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Check-Up" | 1973.09.08 |
| 2 | "Life Style" | 1973.09.15 |
| 3 | "Home Schtick" | 1973.09.22 |
| 4 | "Wall to Wall Flower" | 1973.09.29 |
| 5 | "The Cleo Caper" | 1973.10.06 |
| 6 | "Robot Tailor" | 1973.10.13 |
| 7 | "Lonely Okie?" | 1973.10.20 |
| 8 | "Triple Trouble" | 1973.10.27 |
| 9 | "The Incredible Shrinking Ship" | 1973.11.03 |
| 10 | "My Favorite Neighbor" | 1973.11.10 |
| 11 | "Allergy" | 1973.11.17 |
| 12 | "Truant Teacher" | 1973.11.24 |
| 13 | "Love: Martian Style" | 1973.12.01 |
| 14 | "The Chump Who Cried Chimp" | 1973.12.08 |
| 15 | "Credibility Gap" | 1973.12.15 |
| 16 | "Garage Sale" | 1973.12.22 |
Feature film
The series was also remade as a feature filmFeature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
in 1999
1999 in film
The year 1999 in film involved several noteworthy events and has been called "The Year That Changed Movies". Several significant feature films, including Stanley Kubrick's final film Eyes Wide Shut, Pedro Almodóvar's first Oscar-winning film All About My Mother, science fiction The Matrix, Deep...
starring Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Lloyd
Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He is best known for playing Emmett Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy, Uncle Fester in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values, and Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. He played Reverend Jim Ignatowski in the television series Taxi and more...
as the Martian and Jeff Daniels
Jeff Daniels
Jeffrey Warren "Jeff" Daniels is an American actor, musician and playwright. He founded a non-profit theatre company, the Purple Rose Theatre Company, in his home state of Michigan...
as Tim. This film was released and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
. Ray Walston was featured in the film (both Bill Bixby and Pamela Britton had since died) and played another Martian who had been trapped on Earth since the time of the first series and wore a similar space suit from the series; his cover was now that of a Government investigator of unidentified flying objects. However, the premise was changed: Martians such as Lloyd's "Uncle Martin" are now non-humanoids with four arms, four legs, and three eyes who use a "gumball" (which they call "nerplex") to assume human form. The "nerplex" comes in a selection that will turn the person ingesting it into assorted life forms, including Martian and one to "never use" (Venox 7).
In popular culture
- Ray WalstonRay WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
appeared in a television commercial for AT&TAT&TAT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
in 2000. The conversation makes it evident to those who remember the TV series that he is playing the role of Uncle Martin, still on Earth. He asks if the rates AT&T offers also apply for phoning fellow Martians living in the United States. - In an episode of the TV series Picket FencesPicket FencesPicket Fences is a 60-minute American television drama about the residents of the fictional town of Rome, Wisconsin, created and produced by David E. Kelley. The show initially ran from September 18, 1992, to June 26, 1996, on the CBS television network in the United States...
, Walston's character, Judge Henry Bone, attends a Halloween party wearing antennae like those he wore on Martian. - In the end title theme music for the film Spaced InvadersSpaced InvadersSpaced Invaders is a 1990 science fiction comedy directed by Patrick Read Johnson and starring Douglas Barr, Royal Dano and Ariana Richards.-Plot:...
, a HalloweenHalloweenHallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
comedy involving incompetent invaders from Mars, one of the Martians hums the first bars of the theme from My Favorite Martian. - Gold Key ComicsGold Key ComicsGold Key Comics was an imprint of Western Publishing created for comic books distributed to newsstands. Also known as Whitman Comics, Gold Key operated from 1962 to 1984.-History:...
published a My Favorite Martian comic for nine issues, Oct 1963–July 1966. Hermes Press will be issuing a 2 volume archive series of the comic in 2011. - Ray WalstonRay WalstonRay Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
and Bill Bixby were reunited in the TV series The Incredible Hulk (another series in which Bixby starred) in Season 3, Episode 5 entitled "My Favorite Magician", an obvious allusion to the series, as well as to The MagicianThe Magician (TV series)The Magician was an American television series that ran during the 1973–1974 season. It starred Bill Bixby as stage illusionist Anthony "Tony" Blake, a playboy philanthropist who used his skills to solve difficult crimes as needed. In the series pilot, the character was instead named Anthony...
, yet another Bixby series.
External links
Original series:Cartoon series:
- Episode index at the Big Cartoon DataBaseBig Cartoon DataBaseThe Big Cartoon DataBase is an online database of information about animated cartoons, animated feature films, animated television shows and cartoon shorts....