On the Air
Encyclopedia
On the Air is an American sitcom
created by David Lynch
and Mark Frost
and broadcast by ABC
. In the United States, only three episodes were aired although seven were filmed. The program followed the antics of the staff of a fictional 1950s television network (Zoblotnick Broadcasting Company or ZBC), as they tried to put on a live variety program called "The Lester Guy Show" with disastrous results.
It starred Ian Buchanan
, Marla Rubinoff, Nancye Ferguson, Miguel Ferrer
, Gary Grossman
, and Mel Johnson, Jr.
Directors included David Lynch
, Mark Frost
, Jack Fisk
, Jonathan Sanger, Lesli Linka Glatter, and Betty Thomas
.
, in Sweden by SVT
, in Finland by MTV3
and in France by Canal Jimmy. At least four episodes were aired in Canada. The entire run was aired in Australia on The Comedy Channel
through the Foxtel
cable TV provider. Some episodes have been aired by the Bulgarian Nova Television
.
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...
created by David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
and Mark Frost
Mark Frost
Mark Frost is an American novelist, television/film writer, director, who is best known as a writer for the TV show Hill Street Blues and co-creator of the show Twin Peaks.-Personal life:...
and broadcast 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...
. In the United States, only three episodes were aired although seven were filmed. The program followed the antics of the staff of a fictional 1950s television network (Zoblotnick Broadcasting Company or ZBC), as they tried to put on a live variety program called "The Lester Guy Show" with disastrous results.
It starred Ian Buchanan
Ian Buchanan
Ian Buchanan is a Scottish television actor who appeared on the soap opera All My Children as Dr. Greg Madden.His first major work in the United States was playing the characters Duke Lavery on the soap General Hospital from 1986 to 1989, and Ian McFyfer in series three and four of the comedy...
, Marla Rubinoff, Nancye Ferguson, Miguel Ferrer
Miguel Ferrer
Miguel José Ferrer is an American actor and voice actor who is often cast as a villain. His notable roles include Bob Morton, a supporting character in RoboCop , the short tempered FBI agent Albert Rosenfield in Twin Peaks, and Dr...
, Gary Grossman
Gary Grossman
Gary Grossman was the primary developer of ActionScript programming language used by thousands of developers today to add interactivity to Flash content and applications....
, and Mel Johnson, Jr.
Mel Johnson, Jr.
Mel Johnson, Jr. is an American actor and film producer from Queensbridge, Queens in New York City.-Biography:Among his best known roles, Johnson portrays the mutant cab driver Benny in the 1990 hit science fiction film, Total Recall...
Directors included David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
, Mark Frost
Mark Frost
Mark Frost is an American novelist, television/film writer, director, who is best known as a writer for the TV show Hill Street Blues and co-creator of the show Twin Peaks.-Personal life:...
, Jack Fisk
Jack Fisk
Jack Fisk is an American movie industry professional, frequently working as either a production designer or art director on Hollywood movies.Fisk met Sissy Spacek when working on Terrence Malick's 1973 movie Badlands...
, Jonathan Sanger, Lesli Linka Glatter, and Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas
Betty Thomas is an American actress and director in television and motion pictures.-Life and career:Born Betty Thomas Nienhauser in St. Louis, Missouri, Thomas graduated from Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree...
.
Characters
- Lester Guy (Ian Buchanan) - a washed up movie star, he got his show because of the fondness of network owner Mr. Zoblotnick for his work in the musical "Piccadilly Circus". Mr. Zoblotnik is to Mr. Guy's surprise, totally unfamiliar with his work in film. He expects to be the star and is chagrined when Betty Hudson's popularity soars.
- Betty Hudson (Marla Rubinoff) - the ingenue. Although not terribly bright, she is unfailingly sweet and earnest and quickly wins a tremendous fan base.
- Bud Budwaller (Miguel Ferrer) - network liaison who develops a loathing for Betty.
- Nicole Thorne (Kim McGuire) - Budwaller's assistant. She is sycophantically devoted to Lester.
- Dwight McGonigle (Marvin Kaplan)
- Vadja Gochktch (David L. Lander) - Mr. Zoblotnick's nephew and director of the "The Lester Guy Show." He speaks English with a near-incomprehensible accent.
- Ruth Trueworthy (Nancye Ferguson) - Mr. Gochktch's assistant and the only person who can understand him.
- Bert Schein (Gary Grossman) - another "Lester Guy Show" cast member.
- Blinky Watts (Tracey Walter) - sound board operator for the show. He suffers from "Bozeman's Simplex," a disease that causes him to see 25.62 times more than everyone else (usually such things as floating Santas and gardening tools).
- Mickey (Mel Johnson, Jr.) - The assistant sound board operator.
- Shorty (Irwin Keyes) - A stagehand.
- The Hurry Up Twins (Raleigh Friend and Raymond Friend) - Two men wearing one two-necked sweater; before the show, they walk by the cast while saying "Hurry up" over and over.
- Snaps the Dog - reluctant spokesdog for show sponsor Welby Snaps brand dog food.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Director | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | U.S. airdate |
|---|
International broadcasts
All seven episodes were aired in the United Kingdom by BBC2, in the Netherlands by VPROVPRO
The VPRO was established in the Netherlands in 1926 as a religious broadcasting organization. Falling under the Protestant pillar, it represented the Liberal Protestant current...
, in Sweden by SVT
Sveriges Television
Sveriges Television AB , Sweden's Television, is a national television broadcaster based in Sweden, funded by a compulsory fee to be paid by all television owners...
, in Finland by MTV3
MTV3
MTV3 is a Finnish commercial television station owned by Bonnier. It had the biggest audience share of all Finnish TV channels until Finnish Broadcasting Company’s YLE1 took the lead. The letters MTV stand for Mainos-TV , due to the channel getting its revenue from running commercials...
and in France by Canal Jimmy. At least four episodes were aired in Canada. The entire run was aired in Australia on The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel
The Comedy Channel is an Australian subscription television channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television.-History:...
through the Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
cable TV provider. Some episodes have been aired by the Bulgarian Nova Television
Nova Television
Nova Television is the first Bulgarian commercial television network launched on July 16, 1994....
.
External links
- On the Air at LynchNet.com, with images, screenplay, episode guide, sound samples, cast.
- On the Air at the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
guide to comedy.