Stories

Alan Hale Jr. was constantly mistaken for his father in the '60s

Everyone thought Alan Hale Jr. was Alan Hale Sr. throughout his acting career. A real like father, like son moment.

Harvey Korman said that he didn't look for ''comedy'' in sketches on The Carol Burnett Show

Korman was a professional.

Carol Burnett said she was ''fortunate'' that her work never interfered with her private life

"Actually, I've been very lucky," said Burnett

Bob Denver and Dawn Wells said Gilligan's Island wasn't just for kids

It didn't matter if you were a kid or an adult, getting stranded on Gilligan's Island was an easy thing to do.

Tina Louise would have picked Manhattan over Gilligan's Island

Oops! Looks like Tina Louise would have rather been stranded somewhere else.

When Gilligan's Island ended, an exhausted Bob Denver got a boat of his own

The actor had worked a three-year tour with just one day off.

Carroll O'Connor began an anti-drug crusade in memory of his son

He used his platform to make a difference.

M*A*S*H actor Gary Burghoff hated being called cute

The man with a teddy bear hated being called cute.

Tom Hanks had this to say about dressing in drag during his time on Bosom Buddies

Sometimes it takes a pair of high heels to reach great heights.

Tom Hanks had some critiques for Bosom Buddies in the early '80s

Tom Hanks was a fresh face in Hollywood at the time, yet he still knew how to make a hit TV series.

Bosom Buddies helped Peter Scolari be known as a funny man

The critics may not have believed in Bosom Buddies, but they definitely took notice of Peter Scolari's comedic talent.

M*A*S*H's McLean Stevenson didn't think kids should watch TV

He wanted kids to give up TV and turn the page to reading—even if it meant fewer kids were watching M*A*S*H.

Gary Burghoff wanted M*A*S*H fans to connect with Radar

He was one of the few non-officers on M*A*S*H but had all the characteristics needed to be one.

Leslie Nielsen landed a role on Police Squad because of his acting in Airplane!

After the '80s movie Airplane!, Leslie Nielsen was flying high in his career.

Get Smart's Don Adams was a real-life Maxwell Smart

Before Get Smart he was lying about his age and performing stand-up comedy in dive bars.

Loretta Swit said her role on M*A*S*H was one of the hardest to play

"She's human and humane, and I try to justify her outrageous behavior by being the best nurse in Korea," Loretta Swit said about her M*A*S*H character.

Don Adams on the secret formula to Get Smart's success

Although he wasn't conducting James Bond-level spy work, his dedication to the job paid off.

Barbara Feldon was famous for commercials before she was on Get Smart

From selling men's pomade and purring at the audience to playing Agent 99 in a spy spoof, Feldon was a queen of TV.

Mel Brooks was aiming for a ''dangerous comedy'' with When Things Were Rotten

Things were never rotten for Mel Brooks or his incredible career.

Jamie Farr wanted M*A*S*H fans to accept him with or without the dress

Farr didn't need Gary Burghoff or a pretty dress for Klinger to shine.

Leslie Nielsen found a love for comedy through Police Squad!

He was known for being a serious actor until he went and did something as silly as Airplane! and Police Squad!

Henry Winkler on how he'd like to see The Fonz leave Happy Days

It was tough to say goodbye to a character he loved so much.

Success caught Get Smart's Barbara Feldon by surprise

Forget money and fame; being Agent 99 was enough of a ''status symbol'' for Barbara Feldon.

Alan Alda wanted a very private life for him and his family during his time on M*A*S*H

He was a ladies' man who only cared about one woman.

David Rasche said Sledge Hammer reminded him of improv classes

This funny guy took the Sledge Hammer! series very seriously.

Henry Winkler explained the frustrating part of playing The Fonz

"I don't mind talking about the show at all, it's just that I don't want to be The Fonz."

Cher shares Lucy's less-than-sunny Bono bon mot

The singer reached out to her famous peer for advice.

Henry Winkler agreed to play the Fonz — on one condition

"I got a call and they asked if I’d like the role."

Harvey Korman loved The Carol Burnett Show, but hated some of the costumes

After all, fake mustaches, feathers, tutus, and tiaras can only take you so far.

Tim Conway thought more comedy was needed in TV and film

This funny guy on TV wanted to be a funny guy in the movies, too!

10 behind-the-scenes photos of Christmas on classic TV to get you in the holiday spirit

Get into the holiday spirit with your favorite classic TV stars!

Originally, we were never meant to see more than the back of Alan Brady's head on The Dick Van Dyke Show

Initially, the character had a much smaller role planned.

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams mended their friendship fifteen years after Laverne & Shirley ended

"We got together at my house and had the conversation I wished I'd been able to have fifteen years earlier," wrote Marshall.

Ron Howard said that the teens of the fifties weren't so different from the young people of today

The actor believed that the two groups were more alike than they were different.

Gilda Radner was briefly considered for the role of Shirley Feeney in Laverne & Shirley

The SNL actor was nearly the star of the hit sitcom.

Carl Reiner based The Dick Van Dyke Show on his feelings for his wife, Estelle

"When I was no longer involved in making the piece and just sitting back as an audience, I was really amazed at how many of them are very, very funny."

Here's what Christmas meant to Lucille Ball, Mike Connors and more in 1973

Here's what Christmas meant to these six celebrities, guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit!

Penny Marshall enjoyed drinking milk and Pepsi as a child, long before she starred on Laverne & Shirley

Laverne and Penny shared a drink of choice.

Andy Griffith once calculated what it would cost to give the Twelve Days of Christmas

"Plus sales tax."

The Honeymooners had a Christmas special in the '70s

Ralph directs a Christmas play!

8 things we learned about Norman Lear from the book: ''Norman Lear: His Life and Times''

Here are eight reasons why Norman Lear was the groundbreaking man behind more than five hit series, according to the book Norman Lear: His Life and Times.

Not all actors wanted to be roasted by Dean Martin on The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast

And with a look at some of the roasters, we could understand why!

Please enjoy this pep talk from Florence Henderson

Feeling down? Take a dose of Carol Brady.

Here's Marlo Thomas' reaction to ending her hit series That Girl

She carried parts of Ann Marie with her long after the cameras stopped rolling.

Dick Van Dyke: ''I never thought I would be anything''

The multi-hyphenate talent never saw stardom ahead.

How Marlo Thomas gave Danny Thomas the worst Father’s Day gift possible

The decision to act came easily for everyone—except Marlo's parents.

That Girl's Marlo Thomas was tired of talking about her dad in interviews

Her famous father wasn’t her only acting inspiration!

Catchy Comedy celebrates Thanksgiving with a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast marathon on Nov. 28th

We're dishing out a heaping helping of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roast starting Nov. 28th at 6a ET on Catchy Comedy.

When he wasn't acting on Mama's Family, Ken Berry loved to ride motorcycles

"It's more than a hobby with me," said the actor.

Susan Olsen had a crush on her on-screen sibling during the filming of The Brady Bunch

"I had two thousand various crushes on him," said Olsen.

Maureen McCormick on why she doesn't like to watch The Brady Bunch

The actor wasn't a fan of reruns.

This was Susan Olsen's proudest moment in her acting career

No, it wasn't on the set of The Brady Bunch.

That evil woodpecker that terrorized Ritchie in The Dick Van Dyke Show was based off a real (and terrifying) bird

Watch out: There's a bird on the loose!

Eve Plumb had to channel her inner Jan Brady for The Brady Brides

The Brady Brides marked one of her first times seeing her on-screen sister in years.

Dick Van Dyke had to be reminded frequently that he was a star

The actor kept humble.

Florence Henderson called seeing everyone all grown up on A Very Brady Christmas ''strange''

Henderson called this family reunion a "little strange."

Marion Ross called Tom Bosley the ''father'' of the Happy Days cast and crew

The actor was a father figure, on-screen and off.

Tom Bosley wasn't upset that he had to share the stage in Happy Days

"I don't miss front and center," said the actor.

Vicki Lawrence fought for better scripts on Mama's Family

Having worked under Burnett, she knew not to settle.

R.I.P. Quincy Jones, titan of American music

He created theme songs for classic TV and film and worked with everyone from Sinatra to Michael Jackson. He was 91 years old.

Lucille Ball perfected I Love Lucy on the road before it ever aired its first episode

Ball was an expert in her craft.

Fear was a powerful motivator for Henry Winkler

How Winkler used his anxieties to his advantage.

Compared to My Three Sons, Fred MacMurray said being a father was harder at home

Fatherhood was so much easier for MacMurray when it was written out in My Three Sons.

Fred MacMurray tried to keep My Three Sons as fresh as possible

MacMurray and his three sons were no strangers to change.

Desi Arnaz on playing a character after Ricky Ricardo: ''I wanted to get as far away as possible from I Love Lucy.''

It was the series that made him a star, but why did he want to get away?

Did you catch this horror movie easter egg in Night Court?

Horror fans may have spotted the in-joke to one of John Larroquette's early roles.

At 20, Don Grady was an actor, a writer and composer for My Three Sons

Grady became a triple threat at the age of 20!

Here's a few reasons why ALF was Max Wright's hardest work

Whenever he felt on top of the world, ALF was there to help ground him.

Despite his role in My Three Sons, William Frawley was ''undomesticated''

The character was the authority on cooking, cleaning and caretaking; the actor lacked that skill set.

Here's the reason Paul Fusco believed everyone loved ALF

ALF took the world by storm, and he wasn’t even from this planet!

Fred MacMurray was ''semi-retired'' while on My Three Sons

MacMurray was such a low-pressure kind of guy that he even "semi-retired" while still working.

ALF's Paul Fusco enjoyed creating shows for families and kids

ALF gave us an out of this world look into a planet he wasn't even from.

The misstatement of the century: Mary Tyler Moore once referred to herself as ''plain'' and ''simple''

Moore was often approached by fans for style tips.

Anne Schedeen thanked ALF for bringing her up to star status

All she needed was a working spaceship to help her land her star status.

Max Wright said ALF the alien made him feel more human

It took an alien from outer space to help Max Wright find his humanity in the world.

Ron Howard on his time as a university student while playing a high schooler on Happy Days

"It would be a lack of foresight to think I had it made now and didn't have to continue to improve myself," the actor said.

Terror on the high seas: 10 Love Boat guest stars in horror movies

It's an open smile on a friendly shore. Or is it?!

Penny Marshall: ''I didn’t want to be in show business''

The story is as unexpected as it is interesting!

One weird fact connects Halloween (1978) and Mama's Family

Mama's in the house. But Michael Myers is, too!

The creator of Happy Days said that it would be difficult to write a comedy about modern teenagers

Would those days still be happy if they were happening in the 1970s?

Vivian Vance commended Lucille Ball on her talent as a performer

Vance called Ball "a great clown."

Lucille Ball didn't mind sharing her series with farm animals

Lucille Ball took "rural humor" to a new extreme!

Ron Howard's Happy Days departure was sudden and unexpected

He couldn't stay Richie forever!

Vivian Vance said that success made her mean for a while

Learning to love Ethel was no easy task for Vance.

Making Lucy iconic: How writers crafted Lucille Ball's TV character

Here's what it was like, straight from the source.

This was the moment during Henry Winkler's Happy Days audition that won him the role of The Fonz

Winkler turned a four-line audition into a showstopper.

Henry Winkler said that the reason Fonzie was so appealing was because he genuinely enjoyed playing the character

He's Henry Winkler's favorite cool guy!

The Three Stooges said children would attack them in public

A nine-year-old thwacked them with a cane on the boardwalk.

Did you catch this Happy Days easter egg in one of the biggest horror franchises?

It was a reference 26 years in the making!

Here's why the iconic comedy duo Laurel and Hardy broke up

The comedy duo had to separate in order to team up against the studio!

Stan Laurel of Laurel and Hardy used to compare comedy to sports

A boxer studies the timing of each punch, while a comedian studies the punchline.

Anson Williams beat out 400 other actors for the role of Potsie

Williams fought hard to be called a Potsie!

Starring in Laverne & Shirley put a real damper on Cindy Williams' love life

"I wonder the real motive now when somebody wants to date me," she said.

R.I.P. John Amos, star of Good Times, Roots and The Mary Tyler Moore Show

Catchy Comedy will celebrate actor John Amos with a tribute featuring special episodes of Good Times. Tune in to remember John Amos starting Wednesday Oct. 2nd through Friday, Oct. 4th starting at 6p ET | 3p PT each day.

Carol Burnett, Buddy Hackett, Lucille Ball and other stars gave up their privacy for fame

Stars, like everyone else, just want some peace and quiet from time to time.

Audrey Meadows on how she got the role of Alice Kramden

Meadows was rich both in wealth and in her career.

Cindy Williams would reenact childhood memories during episodes of Laverne & Shirley

Williams called her acting career "a love affair."

Henry Winkler ensured that The Fonz was a good influence on children

The actor wanted to keep a clean reputation.

Here's the advice Audrey Meadows would get from Honeymooners fans

Meadows received advice from women all over the country on how to handle her fictional husband!

Desi Arnaz explained how he and Lucille Ball created I Love Lucy

The series developed from the couple's desire to see a family on television.

Desi Arnaz Jr. revealed that his superstar parents were actually just like everybody else

"We put them on a pedestal and think of them as being different. Even I bought into that!"

Marlo Thomas was a girl who just wanted her privacy

She liked to keep her guard up at all times — sometimes quite literally — as she often had issues with the press.

The producer and Jim Nabors spent a lot of time perfecting Gomer Pyle: USMC

Jim Nabors and Gomer Pyle were both small-town boys with a lot of optimism.

Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams only appeared in Happy Days as a favor to executive producer Garry Marshall

Nobody expected the characters to be a hit, least of all the actors playing them.

In the '60s, Carol Burnett and Jim Nabors went on the road together

They were as good of friends offstage as they were comedians onstage together.

Frank Sutton didn't like talking about politics during his time on Gomer Pyle: U.S.M.C.

Frank Sutton was only an actor, and he wanted both interviewers and his fans to know that.

Penny Marshall explained how Laverne & Shirley's success affected her marriage to Rob Reiner

Here's how Marshall coped with stardom.

A separated Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz had to share one last kiss during the final episode of I Love Lucy

Read Arnaz's recount of the experience and try not to cry, we dare you.

Frank Sutton used his real military experience on Gomer Pyle: USMC

Sutton was a real Army veteran with a fictional Marine background.

Marines loved Frank Sutton and he loved the Marines

Sutton's popularity in the role of Sgt. Carter had people running to sign up for the Marine Corps.

After Gomer Pyle, Jim Nabors became a nut farmer in Hawaii and needed a life-saving liver transplant

''I raise macadamia nuts in Hawaii and that's good enough for me.''

Henry Winkler on the act of ''un-Fonzing'' himself

The de-Fonzification process is an age-old art.

Carroll O'Connor would ask All in the Family writers to rewrite jokes

"They often balked and more than once threatened to quit, but I too more than once threatened to quit."

Cindy Williams had a hard time adjusting to the fame that came with Laverne & Shirley

"One minute, you know, you're living from hand to mouth and the next minute you're this person with this incredible salary," she said.

In 1992, Cheers star John Ratzenberger saluted the Cliff Clavins of the world

Ratzenberger said everyone needed a friend like Cliff Clavin in their life.

Rob Reiner and the struggles of standing in someone else's shadow

"I went through a painful struggle," said Reiner.

No, Desi Arnaz Jr. did not play Little Ricky on I Love Lucy

How Arnaz felt about losing out on the role.

Dick Van Dyke on new love in old age: ''It's not too late!''

He also says you should exercise!

An acting class refused a sixteen-year-old Lucille Ball and said that she had ''no talent''

Imagine telling Lucille Ball that she isn't funny.

Fans would stop Marlo Thomas on the street just to call her ''That Girl''

She was "that girl" on TV and "that girl" on the streets.

Rhea Perlman envied her character's personality on Cheers

Perlman envied her character's quick quips on the series.

Al Molinaro from Happy Days would've been happy leaving it all behind

"If there was aggravation, I'd get out of the business today."

12 frothy facts about Cheers

Learn how Lucille Ball, Prince, pregnancy and "Hilary" relate to the beloved bar sitcom.

There was nothing in the norm when it came to George Wendt's success on Cheers

George Wendt loved many things about playing the role of Norm, but surprisingly, drinking beer wasn't one of them.

It took Betty Garrett longer than expected to figure out her character on Laverne & Shirley

"I came into the show without any real idea of what they wanted," she wrote.

Lucille Ball missed I Love Lucy as much as viewers did when it went off the air

Ball never lost any love for her iconic character.

Penny Marshall explained why she always had a massive ''L'' on her clothing during Laverne & Shirley

It's not just an adorable outfit.

Anson Williams actually enjoyed the live audience of Happy Days

Williams had no fear.

Taxi's Tony Danza traded in his boxing gloves for a yellow cab

Like in boxing, he went with the punches and worked hard on his acting career.

Donny Most helped shape the Ralph Malph we all know and love

The bubble gum was mostly Most!

Lucy and Desi credited each other when asked who was responsible for their success

"We both believe you have to give a little and take a little to make a go of it."

Judd Hirsch wanted Taxi fans to step up after the series was put on hold by NBC

On paper, Taxi had everything it needed to succeed, but in reality, the series had many ups and downs.

It turns out that the character of Fonzie was partially based off of Garry Marshall's childhood friends

The character who was just too cool actually has some roots in reality.

Norman Lear said that the characters of All in the Family ''were a combination of the script and the actors''

Think of All in the Family as one big group project.

Series creator Garry Marshall on the evolution of Happy Days

The characters quickly proved more important than the retro setting.

Laverne & Shirley was often compared to I Love Lucy

"It's hard to find two attractive girls who will let themselves seem unattractive."

Penny Marshall wanted Laverne & Shirley to be a more risqué show

Marshall wanted Laverne & Shirley to be a very different show.

Ron Howard protested when Happy Days was nearly renamed ''Fonzie's Happy Days'' in '75

Howard had the power to make a change.

Florence Henderson provided a calming effect on Robert Reed during tense moments on the set of The Brady Bunch

The two were close, on and off the screen.

Henry Winkler locked himself in his apartment for 24 hours after The Fonz became popular

Winkler dealt with his success in an unusual way.

Cindy Williams initially refused to do Laverne & Shirley

Shirley Feeney was almost played by a different Williams!

Henry Winkler shaped The Fonz, and insisted on showing what was there ''underneath the cool''

Here's how Winkler broadened his characterization to make The Fonz a whole person.

Here's the real reason why Laura Petrie wore pants on The Dick Van Dyke Show

Moore put on her pants just like everybody else: One leg at a time...

Barry Williams on how he made peace with The Brady Bunch

Williams went on a journey with the show.

Here's why the 1972 season was crucial for The Odd Couple's success

The Odd Couple's second and third seasons were titled "the most crucial seasons" for the hit-series.

Carroll O'Connor said that criticism of his shows got to him

Carroll O'Connor had a candid critique of TV critics.

The Odd Couple changed Tony Randall's outlook on life

He quickly became one of the most successful neat freaks on television!

At first, Isabel Sanford didn't want to star in a spinoff series for The Jeffersons — she wanted to stay on All in the Family

Sanford wasn't interested in letting go of a good thing.

Jean Stapleton pushed All in the Family writers to develop stories about equal rights

Stapleton thought it was important to focus on issues of the time.

Before starring in Car 54, Where Are You?, Joe E. Ross was afraid of cops

For someone who spent his youth avoiding cops, he never imagined he’d become one.

R.I.P. Phil Donahue, pioneer of TV talk and husband of Marlo Thomas

He changed the future of TV talk shows, and met his wife when she first appeared on his show.

The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis star Dwayne Hickman believed television needed more comedians

Hickman's comedic style helped the cast connect with teens across the country.

Bob Denver felt ''trapped'' in his role as Maynard G. Krebs

Although the character helped him become famous, he could never completely escape the beard.

''There is no rivalry between The Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family,'' says Barry Williams

The inside scoop is different from public perception.

Here's why Ted Bessell of That Girl wanted to leave the series

There was a lot of pressure being the guy to That Girl on the hit 1966 series.

Here was Danny Thomas' advice to his daughter during her time on That Girl

"Like father, like daughter" was never truer than in Marlo's and Danny's father-daughter relationship.

Fred Grandy said he ''reached a plateau'' on The Love Boat, so he pivoted to politics

Gopher was a politician, too!

Marlo Thomas was an inspiration to strong, independent women

Marlo Thomas stood on business.

Dick Van Dyke nearly left show business to speak to youth full time

He never quite stepped away, but he meant to!

Marlo Thomas was determined to prove critics wrong about her series, That Girl

Thomas said that even if she didn't become a big star, she knew That Girl would be a big hit.

Danny Thomas said he worked with ''Hollywood's finest child actor'' on The Danny Thomas Show

The fictional father-son duo kept up the act even after the cameras quit rolling.

Florence Henderson loved children as much as Carol Brady

Henderson was America's mother.

Much like his character on The Brady Bunch Robert Reed also had a passion for architecture

We think that Mike Brady and Robert Reed would have been great friends.

Jackie Gleason preferred his actors to have less rehearsal time on The Honeymooners

Gleason's rehearsal method might have seemed unconventional, but it definitely worked well.

This actor was deemed too hot to play Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch

It's the age-old question: How hot can a dad be?

How My Three Sons star Fred MacMurray became one of the wealthiest actors in the biz

The film noir and sitcom star was a true business mogul.

Carl Reiner once surprised Morey Amsterdam by including his gags in The Dick Van Dyke Show

Even before he was on The Dick Van Dyke Show, Amsterdam was an accomplished comedian.

A pre-Brady interview with Florence Henderson reveals who she really was as a person

Before she was Carol Brady, she had her priorities straight.

Barry Williams on the disastrous Brady Kids concert costumes

Polyester! Bellbottoms! Fringe! Oh my!

Bob Saget used to compare Full House to Happy Days

"We kid that I'm Richie Cunningham and we're doing Happy Days," Saget said.

Harvey Korman loved being in the background on The Carol Burnett Show

Korman didn't need to shine bright to be considered a star.

The Odd Couple helped Jack Klugman overcome his ''gangster'' image

Before he was the lovable odd guy from The Odd Couple, he struggled with being the odd man out.

Tim Conway didn't take a technical approach to comedy

Conway was an off-the-cuff comedian.

Mary Tyler Moore said that working with Dick Van Dyke ''spoiled'' her

The two actors loved working with each other.

At first, Norman Lear was against Sammy Davis Jr. appearing in All in the Family

The popular episode that almost never was.

Art Carney hated ''the second banana business''

Gleason and Carney were decidedly not on equal footing.

Carroll O'Connor refused to film All in the Family after CBS workers went on strike

"I cannot work with strikebreakers," O'Connor said.

Bob Newhart used humor to help cope with life's hardest moments

Newhart used humor to get through life's hardships and suggested you do the same.

Bob Newhart was the expert of playing himself onscreen

If you ever noticed a similar theme across all of Newhart's series, there's a reason: He put himself into everything he did.

R.I.P. Bob Newhart, considered one of the greatest comedians in history

Catchy Comedy celebrates the comedian with a binge of The Bob Newhart Show, Newhart, and Bob all weekend long starting at 12P | 11C on Saturday, July 20