Temperatures Rising

This short-lived hospital sitcom set in Washington, DC lasted only two seasons but had three distinct versions during that time. The only constant throughout the show's run was Cleavon Little. After one season featuring Little, James Whitmore as an older doc, and several nurses and staffers, the show was reconfigured into "The New Temperatures Rising" with Paul Lynde, Alice Ghostley and Sudie Bond brought in as the family who owned the hospital and were primarily concerned with cutting costs. After a few months with them, the show was put on hiatus, only to return a few months later in a third version with more new cast members (plus Nancy Fox from the original cast) but without Lynde, Ghostley and Bond. Needless to say, a third season was not forthcoming. In all three versions, the laugh count was about average for this type of show (that is to say, too low). TV never has really managed to produce a top quality, long-running hospital sitcom; we'll have to see if "Scrubs" stands the test of time.

Season One was out of this world. Our nation was in a dark, cynical mood in the early 70s. Our government had lied to us about Vietnam, gas was costing way more that it had, and racism was a huge issue. In this dark world Temperature's Rising exploded like a breath of fresh air. Cleavon Little owned this show with a perfectly supporting cast. He was a high-energy comedian portraying a very effective doctor who also loved fun in the workplace. With three gorgeous nurses, each with their own brand of comedy, and James Whitmore, a sterling straight-man, the comedy writers had plenty of horsepower and this show was LOL every episode. One of the earliest funny racist jokes was told by Cleavon Little, with a "flesh colored" band aid on his hand, he faked outrage and, like a doctor, commanded the nurse "and get some FLESH colored band aids!". LOL.

Season Two totally reeked. Funny Man Paul Lynde was in, James Whitmore was out, and the show's chemistry totally changed: only Mr Lynde was given funny lines, the nurses' lines were straight man, and Cleavon Little had like two lines the whole season, both serious. So whereas before comedy was coming from all directions with different styles, now the show became long setups for which Paul Lynde was to make funny observations. Yawn.

Paul Lynde's brand of comedy was to cynically speak a line while wiggling his head. His characters were great guest stars, when the cast could set up the jokes for his cynical comments. His characters HAD to follow Jeannie and Tony or Samantha and Darren, watch them put all the energy and comedy into a scenario, and then make his comment. Haha. His cynical-commenting character could not provide the energy to carry a show.

Too bad the original version of the show was never given the run it deserved. Season One deserves ten stars, it was as good as Scrubs. Season Two deserves zero stars, thanks to whatever genius changed (ruined) the show. Therefore I give five stars.

I recall this series and the first season was funny. OK, so as a 12 year old my tastes were a bit different than now, but regardless, I did find it funny. Clevon Little was (is?) a comic master and was allowed to be funny. Then the show was 're-configured' with some, eh, funny people and the emphasis was taken off Little and he was made essentially a straight man for some very marginally funny cast members. I don't recall the last season, maybe I just gave up at that point. The few past posts I've done and all future ones concerning TV will show what my true feelings are towards television executives. Too much responsibility placed on too little brain power.

There, I've said it.

When I was little, I could remember very few things at the age of seven on television except Captain Kangaroo. However, lightening had struck the night I first saw Nancy Fox on ABC's "Temperature's Rising". She was my FIRST childhood crush. I can remember seeing her in TV Guide, and when my dad threw the magazine in the garbage, I had lost my soul-mate and my whole world was in a mess.

The only reason that I am giving this TV show a perfect "10" is because of Nancy's presence on the sitcom. I remember she played a gorgeous, dim-witted student nurse, Ellen Turner. After the show went off the air, I searched and searched for Nancy, but I couldn't find her on TV. She was such a goddess, and I'm sure she still is, and had a sultry, perky voice with fabulous curves. For years I thought she had played "Vera" on the popular CBS TV show, "Alice", but it was a different actress, Beth Howland. Nancy did appear on episodes of "Charlie's Angels" and was a childhood friend of Jaclyn Smith.

In case you should happen to come across this writing, Nancy, I guess the world wants to know how you're doing these days??? You should have a website and photos on the Internet. We, who miss you, bow in prayer and say, "Hail, Nancy!"

I just watched a "Columbo" episode that either included Nancy Fox or a very good double for her. But she has no "Columbo" episodes listed for her in IMDb. The time frame would have been perfect to parallel her work in "Temperature's Rising" -- the Columbo episode was done in 1973.

In any case, Nancy Fox was a "dream girl" for me, back then, and I used to watch "Temperature's Rising" each week, just to see her!

The "Columbo" episode sent me here to see if she was in its cast. And in the process of checking it out, it appears that she hasn't worked as an actress since 1989. 17 years ago!

So does anyone know why she left, and what she's doing now? Just curious. She was beautiful and talented, so it puzzles me that she no longer seems to be acting.