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Happy Valentines Month
Welcome to Central Illinois' On-Line Broadcast Museum. This website documents in detail the history of each of the viewable TV stations, past and present, across mid-Illinois in text, photos, and videos, as well as each station's current status. This site also includes local radio history and automated analog formats, again told in pictures, videos, and text.
Note that this website displays best on a full-size monitor, desktop, or laptop computer. If you're watching on your mobile phone, the mobile phone view has been replaced by the desktop view throughout this site. You can zoom in on the page if needed. Also, you may have to sign in to YouTube to view some videos. Some browsers do not allow some embedded videos to play, so click on the "YouTube" logo on the video to view it from YouTube.
Above: Me at the home studio, January 2026
Doug Quick
Radio/TV Broadcaster/Historian, Author, Webmaster
complete bio available here.
Featured Videos
Mid-February Valentine’s Month
“Loving Couples Featured Videos”
Welcome to Central Illinois' On-Line Broadcast Museum, and if you're a return visitor, welcome back!
This month’s Featured Videos celebrate February and Valentine’s Day with seven TV couples, starting with George Burns and Gracie Allen from 1954. They spent more than 40 years working together in vaudeville, radio, and television.
Next is another loving couple, this time from fiction. The TV series was based on a classic film named after its villain, and the later movies and TV shows kept that name. “The Thin Man” TV series starred a member of Sinatra’s Rat Pack, who was also a future president’s brother-in-law, alongside co-star Phyllis Kirk.
The third video features a series about a young man searching for love, who often shared his thoughts directly with viewers. This show was very popular with young audiences and ran in syndication for years.
Next is a series that changed how married couples were shown on TV, from how they acted and dressed to how they loved each other. It featured a show within a show, a strong contrast between home and work, and one of the best casts in TV history—including a star from Mid-Illinois.
From 1967, there’s an ABC series about newlyweds living in a top-floor San Francisco apartment with no windows and not much money.
The next video, from a 1968 series, features a real-life married couple who are still together today. Both went on to become stars. The show also included a co-star who later became the father and husband of future TV stars.
Finally, there’s an updated show similar to “The Thin Man,” featuring a wealthy couple who solve crimes. The video is the pilot for a successful ABC series that started in 1979.
This time, the classic radio pick dates to 1948 and features a married couple from central Illinois. I’ll also share their story and explain why they often mentioned central Illinois cities in their broadcasts from 1935 to 1953. As a bonus, there’s the 1960 TV pilot based on this classic radio show.
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
George Burns and Gracie Allen (1954) CBS
The ultimate radio and TV classic couple starred in vaudeville and classic radio from the 1930s through 1950, when they made the move to CBS Television from October 12, 1950 to September 22, 1958 when Gracie Allen retired from the act, leaving George to continue solo, which he did with "The George Burns Show" which aired for one year with the original cast of the "Burns and Allen Show" without Gracie. It lasted one year. He followed that with several special shows and eventually recreated a sketch in which he played a landlord bantering with a young, newly married tenant, played by Connie Stevens, much like it was on the original "Burns and Allen Show." "Wendy and Me" aired on ABC during the 1964-65 season.
In Burns and Allen, George would break the 4th wall and address the audience with comments about what Gracie was up to, as well as the rest of the cast. In later years, he would watch the show in progress on his TV in his den above the garage, commenting on it as if it were a live show, then joining in the scenes when needed.
I remember watching those episodes as a kid, as the original series was part of the CBS daytime schedule during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Even as a 4- to 7-year-old, I found George's talking to the audience intriguing.
"George Burns and Gracie Allen" predates the first broadcasts across Mid-Illinois by WCIA, WMBD-TV, KHQA, KWK-TV (later KMOX-TV), and WTHI-TV. The show was added to the local station's schedule as the advertising agency that owned the series purchased time on the individual local stations. Go to the TV History and click on the individual stations' history pages for details on their first broadcast dates.
George and Gracie discussing some important situation from the episode above.
(YouTube screen grab)
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
The Thin Man (1958) NBC Peter Lawford, Phyllis Kirk
This NBC series was a classy TV adaptation of the classic movie series “The Thin Man.” Of course, the movie series was incredibly well done and beautifully cast with William Powell and Myrna Loy. Even if you’re not a fan of black-and-white movies from the 1930s and '40s, I strongly recommend the first entry in the series, released in 1934, and then watch the remaining six films. It was also a classic radio series, a TV series, and a mid-70s TV movie. It’s the NBC TV series we're showing you here. Unfortunately, it’s protected by copyright and isn't available on YouTube, but it still occasionally appears on nostalgia TV channels and streaming services. So what you’ll see above includes the opening and closing credits from the two seasons that aired on NBC in 1957-1959, on Friday evenings at 8:30-9 pm (CT).
The series “The Thin Man” starred Rat Pack member, Peter Lawford (brother-in-law to future president John F. Kennedy) and Broadway veteran, movie actress, and Emmy nominee (for her role of Nora Charles), Phyllis Kirk. Let’s not forget the other co-star of the movie series and TV series, the wire-haired fox terrier known as “Asta!”
Peter Lawford with Phyllis Kirk, as Nick and Nora Charges in "The Thin Man." They are pictured here with their dog "Asta."
Nick Charles was a former private detective who struck it rich with his marriage to Nora, a rich socialite. He retired, but was drawn back into investigating crime since he had many connections to the underworld. The characters were created by novelist Dashiell Hammett.
By the way, (I shouldn’t have to tell you this, but) the thin man does not refer to Nick Charles, but to the villain in the first movie installment.
“The Thin Man” was seen across Mid-Illinois from September 20, 1957, through June 26, 1959, on WICS, WEEK, WGEM-TV, and KSD-TV. It was also seen on NBC daytime from September 1959 through February 1960.
WCIA Fall Promo 1981
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1961) CBS Dwayne Hickman
Dobie Gillis, played by Dwayne Hickman, was always on the hunt for love. He was called a typical teenager, a son of a small family grocery store owner, Herbert T. Gillis, and his wife, Winnie, played by Frank Faylen (“It’s a Wonderful Life”) and Florida Friebus. Dobie also had an older brother, who seemed to disappear (similar to Chuck, Richie’s older brother on “Happy Days”). In this case, though, he was actually played by Dwayne's older brother, Darryl Hickman, during the 1959-60 season. Darryl had his own acting career, as a child actor in the 1930s and 40s, and continued acting through the 1990s. Among his roles was that of Winfield Joad in “The Grapes of Wrath” in 1939.
Let’s get back to the subject: Dobie Gillis led in the episode above, and one of my favorite actors/voice-over artists, William Schallert, played instructor Mr. Pomfritt. Others in the cast over the long term were Sheila James as Zelda Gilroy, who was always trying to be Dobie's love interest. Two other semi-regular cast members went on to showbiz stardom. Tuesday Weld played Thalia Menninger, and Warren Beatty played the rich boy, Milton Armitage. In this episode, the role of “the rich boy,” Chatsworth Osborne Jr., was played by Steve Franken.
This episode was from season three (1961-62), episode 10 (misidentified as episode 9), and aired on CBS, seen across Mid-Illinois on WCIA, WMBD-TV, KHQA-TV, WTHI-TV, and KMOX-TV.
William Schallart with Dwayne Hickman and Bob Denver as Mr. Pomfritt, Dobie Gillis, and Maynard G. Krebs in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.
(YouTube screen grab)
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) CBS “Jealousy”
What can be said about “The Dick Van Dyke Show” that hasn’t already been covered on this website? This first-season episode is called “Jealousy” because Laura is worried when Rob (Dick Van Dyke) has to work nights to prepare beautiful guest star Valerie Blake, played by Joan Staley, for an appearance on “The Alan Brady Show.” All the regulars are in the show, including Mary Tyler Moore, Larry Mathews, Rose Marie, Morey Amsterdam, Jerry Paris, and Ann Morgan Guilbert.
It’s hard to believe that during this time, it appeared that “The Dick Van Dyke Show” was headed for cancellation. It wasn’t until the summer of 1962 that the show began to pick up an audience during rerun season, and Sheldon Leonard (short version of the story) visited the show's sponsors and the network and made a deal for the show to continue. “The Dick Van Dyke Show” continued and became a hit, placing it in the top 10 the following year and at number three the year after (1963-64).
Mary Tyler Moorer as Laura, and Dick Van Dyke as Rob Petre at the morning breakfast table from the episode of "The Dick Van Dyke Show" above.
(YouTube screen grab)
This episode aired on CBS on November 7, 1961, and was seen locally on WCIA, WMBD-TV, KHQA-TV, WTHI-TV, and KMOX-TV.
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
Love on a Rooftop (1966) ABC Peter Deuel Judy Carne
This mid- to late-1960s sitcom starred Peter Deuel and Judy Carne, who were married and lived in a high-rise apartment building with no windows, though they had a stairway to the roof that gave them an exclusive, terrific view of San Francisco. Julie Willis, played by Judy Carne, is an art student with rich parents, while David Willis, played by Peter Deuel, is a not-so-rich apprentice architect.
Description from YouTube: "This short-lived series - staffed behind-the-scenes by people who also had involvement in two other TV series on the air at the time, Bewitched and I Dream of Jeannie - starred Peter Deuel (later Pete Duel of Alias Smith and Jones fame) as apprentice architect Dave Willis and a pre-Laugh-In Judy Carne as his young wife, art student Julie Campbell Willis, struggling to make it in San Francisco. Rounding out the cast were Rich Little (later to become a famous impressionist) and Barbara Bostock (aka Barbara Lawson) as their neighbors, Stan and Carol Parker, and Herb Voland and Edith Atwater as Julie's parents. Yet with all this talent, the program would fizzle out after only 30 episodes.
"In this one, Julie gets a mysterious phone call while Dave is supposed to be out playing poker but in fact was somewhere else, thus causing her to become jealous and jump to the wrong conclusions about the situation. Also features Reta Shaw, Virginia Sale, Dick Balduzzi, Jim Begg, Hollis Morrison, and Sandy Kenyon."
Judy Carne (later in "Laugh-In" with Peter Duel (later in "Alias Smith and Jones). Both starred in "Love on a Rooftop" for ABC in 1966.
(YouTube screen grab)
Sandy Kenyon (“Seinfeld”) was David’s coworker, Jim. Julie’s parents were played by Herb Voland and Edith Atwater. The show was produced by Harry Ackerman, who was a vice-president of programs at CBS in the 1950s, and later worked at Screen Gems-Columbia Pictures in program development, and was involved in many shows, including “Bewitched,” “I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Monkees,” “The Partridge Family,” and others. He was married to a much younger Elinor Donahue in 1962.
“Love on a Rooftop” was part of ABC’s Thursday night lineup, which included “Bewitched” and “That Girl.” It was seen over the region on WAND, WIRL-TV, and KTVI. This video is from a 16mm film of the episode, which also contained full network commercials and promos. It's part of the Fuzzy Memories TV Collection and the Museum of Classic Chicago Television YouTube video. See more from the collection at their YouTube Channel.
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
He and She (1967) CBS Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss
Here was one of the rare TV series (along with George Burns and Gracie Allen above and Jim and Marion Jordan below in Classic Radio) in which the stars played husband and wife, and were married in real life. In fact, they still are, 64 years later!
Talk about long-lasting love!
Paula Prentiss continued with a successful film career with roles in “Where the Boys Are” (1964) to “The Stepford Wives” (1975) and more. Richard had film roles in "Goodbye, Columbus” (1969), “Catch-22” (1970), and "Saturday the 14th (1981), among others. Richard also directed one of my top 10 movies, “My Favorite Year” (1982), as well as “City Heat” (1984), and “Marci X” (2003). Both Paula and Richard graduated from Northwestern University.
Real life married couple, Richard Benjamin and Paul Prentiss together in "He & She" for CBS in 1967.
(YouTube screen grab)
"He and She" aired on CBS from September 6, 1967, through September 11, 1970, and was seen on WCIA, WMBD-TV, KHQA-TV, WTHI-TV, and KMOX-TV. In this series, Richard, as Dick Hollister, played a cartoonist, the creator of "Jetman," which became a TV series starring Oscar North, played by Jack Cassidy (father of David Cassidy and former husband of Shirley Jones, both of "The Partridge Family"). Paula played Paula Hollister, a social worker who was always getting into the personal lives of those she worked with. Many said it was an updated version of "The Dick Van Dyke Show." You be the judge.
The video above was the second episode of the series, "The Second Time Around," which aired on September 13, 1967. This refers to the couple's sixth anniversary, when they plan a second wedding and end up with two best men.
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
Fibber McGee and Molly (1948) NBC Radio Bowling Night
JIm Jordan and Marion Driscoll as "Fibber McGee and Molly" for NBC.
(File Picture)
This classic radio series episode of “Fibber McGee and Molly” aired on November 16, 1948. The story of Fibber McGee and Molly is a central Illinois success story, but it wasn’t without struggles on the way. According to the “Encyclopedia of Old Time Radio,” the biographies of the leading characters, Jim Jordan and Marion Driscoll, began in Peoria, Illinois. Jim was born on a farm near the river city of Peoria on November 16, 1896. Marion was born April 15, 1898, in Peoria. His family sold the farm and moved to Peoria, where he met Marion. They both had dreams of a life entertaining people in vaudeville. She was teaching piano when Jim left Peoria and toured with a revue for 39 weeks, during which he suffered loneliness and homesickness, and chose to return to Peoria, where he married Marion on August 31, 1918.
Five days after his wedding, he was drafted and shipped to France, arriving right before the end of World War I. While he was there, he joined a troupe of entertainers and toured France after the war. After his service, he returned to Peoria as Marion continued to teach music. It was then that they decided to try to entertain as a team. For four years, they toured the Midwest, probably stopping in all Mid-Illinois cities to entertain at lodge halls, opera stages, and movie theaters. After Marion returned home to give birth to their first child, Elizabeth, she returned to be with Jim and tour, while his parents were left to care for their daughter. After the birth of their second child, Jim Jr., she stayed home while Jim went out as a single act. After realizing their failure, Marion rejoined Jim, taking the children with them as they entertained and toured together.
In 1923, they found themselves broke and stranded in Lincoln, Illinois. Their parents wired them money to come home. Jim went to work at a department store in Peoria selling toys, but found his pay wasn’t enough for his family to live on, so they returned to the vaudeville stage once again. Still, they struggled, and she returned home to Peoria with the children. Jim continued with a trip to Chicago to visit his brother, and Marion and the kids joined him there.
Legend has it that Jim and his family were listening to the radio when a musical act came on, and Jim told his brother that he and Marion could do better than that. Jim's brother bet him $10 that he couldn’t. With that challenge, Jim and Marion rushed to the nearby radio station in downtown Chicago. They talked to the show's producer to let them know they could sing a couple of songs. They sang them, and were offered a contract to perform once a week on the “Oh Henry” Show for $10 a show for six months. The radio station was WENR. That was from 1925 to 1927. Between the two of them, they developed the skill of changing voice impressions of characters for their first show, called “Smackout” in the early 1930s. After that, they were cast in several shows, using different voices, through the era, taking them well into the 1930s. At that time, the couple met Don Quinn, who would become their future writer for the “Fibber McGee and Molly Show.”
“Fibber McGee and Molly” was first on the air on April 16, 1935, on the NBC Blue Network, first from New York and, a few weeks later, from Chicago. In June of 1936, they were moved to the NBC Red Network. The show's sponsor was Johnson’s Wax from 1935 to 1950. The couple’s sitcom also featured several other cast members, with a couple playing more than one voice character. Among those were Gale Gordon, Bill Thompson, Cliff Arquette (played the character Charlie Weaver on “Hollywood Squares” and grandfather to Rosanna and David Arquette), Harold Peary, Arthur Q. Bryan, and Bea Benaderet (classic radio voice actor, “Jack Benny Show,” “Burns and Allen,” “The Flintstones”(as Betty Rubble), “Petticoat Junction”). Harlow Wilcox was the announcer for the series, and the music was from Billy Mills and his Orchestra.
Some of the show's gags included the dreaded hall closet opening in which an avalanche of junk could be heard falling out onto the floor for 30 seconds or so, and followed by Fibber’s, “I’ve got to clean out that closet one of these days…” and Molly’s “t’aint funny McGee…”
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
Fibber McGee and Molly (1959) NBC Pilot
There was a short-lived TV series called “Fibber McGee and Molly,” but it didn’t last, despite featuring many of the radio staff, including Don Quinn and Jim Jordan Jr., and being produced by William Asher. Bob Sweeney played Fibber, and Cathy Lewis played Molly. It ran on NBC from September 15, 1959, through January 19, 1960. The pilot episode of the series is above.
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Latest Updates to the Museum
2026-0116 The group of pages under TV TODAY have been updatd to reflect many changes in the channel lineups of many TV stations (full and low power).
New networks include Sports First, Black Vision TV and Aqui-TV. Unfortunatly, they are not available in all markets. Visit your viewing market under TV TODAY.
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Much of the information on the history of TV pages on this site comes directly from my 2016 book "Pictures on the Prairie: The First Ten Years of Mid-Illinois Television." There are many more pictures on this site than in the book as space was limited.
Latest TV
Headlines
Groups File Against the Nexstar Purchase of Tegna TV Stations.
2026-0106 Several labor unions and public interest groups have asked the Federal Communications Commission to block the Nexstar-Tegna merger, arguing it would break station ownership limits and go against the public interest.
The petitioners wrote, “Though Nexstar and Tegna seek a waiver of this limit, the Commission is prohibited by law from waiving, altering, or eliminating this National Cap.”
Across the Mid-Illinois region, Nexstar owns and/or operates WCIA (CBS), Champaign, IL; WCIX-TV (MyTV), Springfield, IL; WMBD-TV (CBS), Peoria, IL; WYZZ (FOX), Bloomington, IL; WHBF-TV (CBS), Quad Cities; KGCW (CW), Quad Cities; KLJB (FOX), Quad Cities; WTWO-TV (NBC), Terre Haute, IN; WAWV (ABC), Terre Haute, IN; WTTV-TV (CBS), Indianapolis, IN; WXIN-TV (FOX), Indianapolis, IN; KTVI (FOX) St. Louis, MO: and KPLR (CW); St. Louis, MO.
The Tegna Stations include: WQAD-TV (ABC), Moline, IL, WTHR (NBC), Indianapolis, IN; WALV-CD (MeTV), Indianapolis, IN; KSDK-TV (NBC), St. Louis, MO.
The sale is still not "official" since the announcement in September 2025. The FCC still has to approve the sale for it to be finalized.
Trump FCC Ruling Could Affect Network TV Talk Shows
2026-0122 The FCC, under direct control of the Trump Administration, has now made a ruling that could have a major impact on daytime and late-night talk shows. Namely, “The View,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and “Late Night with Steven Colbert.”
The headlines read that opposing candidates must be "offered" equal time on select late night talk shows and on "The View." Offered...but will they take it?
To read more about this incredible abuse of power go to my blog here.
Now Streaming Nationally
Click on the image above to listen to MeTVFM. It's the popular music companion to MeTV, Memorable Entertainment Television, America’s #1 all classic television network. Launched at 87.7FM in late February, 2015, MeTVFM features a unique mix of timeless and memorable music incorporating a wide variety of classic hits, deep tracks and softer sounds spanning several decades of popular music.
Previously on Videos of the Week...
If you've missed any of the "Videos of the Week" or "Classic Radio" recordings, you'll find them here. Unfortunately, there's no written narrative to go along with each. You have to visit each week for that.
Bewitched (1964) Scene from the First Episode
Bewitched (1964) Opening Credits
The Munsters Unaired pilot in color
The Munsters (1964) First Broadcast Episode
Addams Family (1964) ABC First Episode
Alf (1988) NBC "Can I Get A Witness?"
The Invaders (1968) ABC Final Episode
The Outer Limits (1963) ABC Episode Synopsis
War of the Worlds (1938) CBS Radio
The Ed Sullivan Show-The Beatles (1964) CBS Feb 9, 1964
The Ed Sullivan Show-The Beatles (1964) CBS Feb 16, 1964
The Ed Sullivan Show-The Beatles (1964) CBS Feb 23, 1964
The Ed Sullivan Show-The Beatles (1964) CBS Sept 12, 1965
The Late Show with David Letterman (2009) CBS
Our Fair Beatles (1964) WISH-TV Indianapolis
Follow the Beatles (1964) British TV Documentary
A Hard Day's Night Intro (1968) NBC
A Hard Day's Night (1964) The Movie
The Music of Lennon and McCartney (1965) Granada TV
The Beatles Cartoon TV Series (1965-66) ABC Saturday
KXOK (1965) Johnny Rabbitt awards Beatles Tix
As these are seasonal, the Thanksgiving and Christmas links have been removed.
The Phil Silvers Special (1960) CBS The Slowest Gun in the West
High School USA (1984) NBC-one showing
Out of Time (1988) NBC TV Movie
Lookwell (1991) NBC pilot, Adam West
Heat Vision and Jack (1999) FOX Pilot
Time Tunnel (2002) unaired pilot
Classic Radio
WDBR Springfield, IL (1974) Rich Styles
WDBR Springfield, IL (1976) Rich Styles
Nero Wolf (1959) unsold pilot William Shatner
Three Stooges Scrapbook (1960) Unaired Pilot
Head of the Family (1960) Carl Reiner
The Phantom (1961) unsold pilot
Philbert (Three's a Crowd) (1963) William Schallert
Accidental Family (1967) NBC Jerry Van Dyke
Steve Martin-Best Show Ever (1981) NBC
“Don't Ask” or is it “Puppetman”? (1987) John Goodman
“The Bowman's” or “The Good Life” (1994) NBC John Caponera, Drew Carey
Classic Radio
KSHE (1974) Crestwood/St. Louis, MO
Marcus Welby M.D. (1969) Guest: David Cassidy
Flip Wilson Show (1970) NBC Guests include: Bobby Darin
Ironside (1967-1975) NBC Episode open/close
Gunsmoke (1970) CBS opening credits
ABC Movie of the Week (1971) ABC
Classic Radio
WLS Chicago (1970) Chuck Buell
WLS Chicago (1970) Larry Lujack
KXOK St. Louis (1966) William A. Hopkins
KXOK St. Louis (1968) Johnny Rabbitt and Bruno J. Grunion
KSHE(FM) St. Louis (1969) Don Corey
George Burns and Gracie Allen (1954) CBS
The Thin Man (1958) NBC Peter Lawford, Phyllis Kirk
The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis (1961) CBS Dwayne Hickman
The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961) CBS “Jealousy”
Love on a Rooftop (1966) ABC Peter Deuel Judy Carne
He and She (1967) CBS Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss
Hart to Hart (1979) ABC Robert Wagner Stefanie Powers
Fibber McGee and Molly (1959) NBC Pilot
Classic Radio
Fibber McGee and Molly (1948) NBC Radio Bowling Night
Next Regular Update on Saturday February 21
Central Illinois On-Line Broadcast Museum and dougquick.com supports the work of the St. Louis Media History Foundation.
Visit their website at:
Classic Radio
in memory of
Gary Hackler
1960-2026
A WCIA former general manager. Gary Hackler and I go back to our days in Danville radio, when we worked at competing radio stations in the 1980s. In 1994, he was in the sales department of WICD and helped me get hired at Channel 15 as a promotions director. He later moved to WCIA as Station Manager. About five years ago, he returned to his radio roots at WITY and, more recently, moved to WDAN/WDNL/WRHK.
Click on the image to watch the video directly from YouTube.
Hart to Hart (1979) ABC Robert Wagner Stefanie Powers
With February being Valentine’s Month, I had to include “Hart to Hart” as one of the Featured Videos this time around. “Hart to Hart” was one of the products from the Aaron Spelling Production company. I’ve read Aaron Spelling’s autobiography, and in it, he explains the background of this successful ABC series. “Hart to Hart” was created by Sidney Sheldon (who also created “I Dream of Jeanne”) back in the early 1960s, but Mr. Spelling thought it was a bit dated. He hired Tom Mankiewicz to bring it up to date as a remake of “The Thin Man” (see the video for “The Thin Man” above).
Sheldon referred to it as “a couple who travel in their private jet and solve crimes once they arrive. Jonathan (played by Robert Wagner) was a self-made millionaire, the head of his own conglomerate, and Jennifer (his wife, played by Stefani Powers) was an international journalist.” The couple's loyal chauffeur, Max, was played by Lionel Stander.
You might think that Lionel Stander was just a character actor with a raspy voice, but his history goes back 70 years to 1928. In the late 1940’s, he was subpoenaed before the House Un-American Activities Committee and was blacklisted from acting through the mid 1960s. He was also a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild and was involved in many social and progressive political causes.
Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powaers in "Hart to Hart" from the 1970 pilot episode .
(YouTube screen grab)
Now back to “Hart to Hart.” The series aired on ABC from August 25, 1979, through July 31, 1984. It was seen over Mid-Illinois on WAND, WRAU, WBAK-TV, and KTVI.