Here's most of The Suzanne Somers Special (except for about ten minutes unaccounted for) as aired on the CBS Network via WBBM Channel 2, taped on board the U.S.S. Ranger in San Diego before an audience of 6,000 Navy sailors. Joining Ms. Somers (working her way back from her firing from Three's Company) are Flip Wilson, Gladys Knight and The Pips (in a "special appearance"), and special guest star Marie Osmond. (This was alluded to during her appearance shown earlier in the day on The Regis Philbin Show as seen here: • NBC Network - The Regi... )
Includes:
Opening with faraway shot of carrier, followed by medley of 1950's rock and roll classics
Title sequence with introduction of guests, followed by sponsor billboard for Clairol Nice 'n Easy
Commercials for:
Clairol Nice 'n Easy
Comtrex Multi-Symptom Cold Reliever
Among the highlights of Segment 2, Suzanne says a few words to the assembled audience, then performs "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"; Gladys and the Pips perform "Friendship Train" and "Midnight Train to Georgia"; and another musical number
Commercials for:
New Nabisco Potato 'n Sesame
Atari Video Computer System
Promo for 24th Annual Grammy Awards for Wednesday
Promo for Archie Bunker's Place for Sunday
In Segment 3, yet another "big number" from Suzanne and her dancers, then she and Marie do a duet, afterwards she speaks with airman Michael Peters from Sacramento - then sings to him; next is another musical segment ("Over the Edge") with her and Marie
Commercials for:
Ban Roll-On (saw this woman on some TV show - who might she be?)
Kindness from Clairol
Return bumper
Promo for special movie presentation of "Ivanhoe" (a new production, not the 1952 film) for Tuesday, and for "The In-Laws" for Sunday
CBS 'Eye-D' (voiceover by Lee Jordan)
Commercial: Paul Masson Emerald Dry
Station ID / promo for THE 10 O'Clock News with Bill Kurtis (previewing story of Wayne Williams trial)
Sponsor billboard for Non-Aerosol Final Net
In Segment 4, Suzanne reads Q&A's from Rory Pritchard of Reno, NV; Alan Michaels; Bobby R. Rutherford; Larry Fennell (?) of Huntington Beach; and Master Chief David Hobbs (who gives her a flight jacket); afterwards Flip as Geraldine comes onto the stage (looking like Rick James), followed by another chance for Suzanne to show her singing prowess
Recording cuts out after that (with the ending of that segment, the commercial break, and part of the next segment missing - about 10 minutes, give or take) to another segment with Suzanne in a red dress, leading up to a rendition of "America the Beautiful," during which the end credits come up:
The Suzanne Somers Special
Executive Producer - Alan Hamel
Produced and Directed by Art Fisher
Written by Bruce Vilanch
Special Musical Material by Earl Brown
Associate Producer - Nancy Henson
Music Supervised and Conducted by Artie Butler
Executive in Charge of Production - Bob Levinson
Costumes Designed by Ret Turner
Art Director - Rene Lagler
Choreographer - Carl Jablonski
"Over the Edge" Choreography by Rick Atwell
Associate Director - David Grossman
Stage Managers - Bob Graner, John Sprague
Dialogue Consultant - Andrea Giambrone
Assistant to the Producer - Susie Kain-Maddux
Production Assistant - Syngehilde Schweikart
Assistant Choreographer - Judy Lawrence
Production Coordinator - John Dobry
Lighting Director - Leard Davis
Wardrobe - Rachel Manderino, Kirk Ramsey
Technical Director - Keith Winikoff
Audio - Doug Nelson
Senior Video - Tom Weber
Staging Supervisor - Ray Brannigan
Make Up - Ralph Gulko
Hair - Lynn Del Kail
Style Consultant - Bjorn Sailor
Video Tape Editor - Raymond M. Bush
Thanks to Jo Loesser
A Very Special Thanks to Captain Dan Pedersen and the Officers and Men of the U.S.S. Ranger
Media Officer - Lt. Bob Anderson
Mobile Video Facilities - Sun Television
(that last line seen very briefly before the recording ends)
"Never been in a room with so many sailors before."
This aired on local Chicago TV on Monday, February 22nd 1982 during the 9:00pm to 10:00pm timeframe.
About The Museum of Classic Chicago Television:
The MCCTv (FuzzyMemoriesTV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose primary mission is the preservation and display of off-air, early home videotape recordings (70s to early 80s, mostly) recorded off of TV (in Chicago or other cities now too); things which would likely be lost if not sought out and preserved digitally. If you have any old 1970s videotapes recorded off of TV please email: tapes@fuzzy.tv Even though (mostly) short clips are displayed here, we preserve the entire broadcasts in our archives - the complete programs with breaks (or however much is present on the tape), for historical preservation. For information on how to help in our mission, to donate or lend tapes to be converted to DVD, please e-mail tapes@fuzzy.tv Thank you for your help!