Love, American Style

This show is definitely a show that worked for the era it was produced in, the late 60's/early 70's. This show came out at the height of the sexual revolution and could have easily been called "Lust, American Style". Each episode pretty much was about the same thing, men and women in constant pursuit of each other. Also, the most memorable trademark was the ever present brass bed. However, despite the emphasis on sex there were a few more touching episodes in this series. One that comes to mind is an episode in which an old man creates a sculpture of his deceased wife on the anniversary of her death and the angel of death (played hilariously by Soupy Sales) comes down to inform him that he is about to die. At the end of the episode, there is a shot of the old man, who has become a statue himself, holding his wife's hand. This was perhaps the most moving episode from one of the wildest show's of the early 70's.

As most mentioned, this was a moment in time not to be repeated again. Definitely a show that stood out as pure fun. I recall vividly seeing this show with my other brother and sisters. The instant we would see the still photos at the introduction to the show we knew it would be funny. I think we were too young to realize it had an adult theme (we thought love was too mushy) but we watched anyway! As soon as we saw someone like Joanne Worley in the beginning credits we knew it would be hilarious. We always like the busting fireworks at the end and who can forget the theme song?! Lovvvve American Style that's you and meeeeeee!!!!

With Boy Scout meetings getting over at 9:30 during Fridays from age 11-16(1967-1972) I missed the Partridge Family, Wild Wild West, Room 222, and Brady Bunch during their original runs(have seen most Brady Bunchs since but not the others which were never rerun fixtures). However, I remember walking into house on Friday night to see a big American Flag, Fireworks, and a pleasant song and would sit down to watch not knowing anything about Love, sex, girls etc. I did not mind it, and would love to go back to see now what I saw then, and would like to envision what my 14 year old head was thinking about all the changes that were to come over my life in the next 20 years. Bravo Love American style and I always love that "Love and the Happy Day" story where the combination of American Graffiti(great movie) and Grease combined to resurrect this little short into a 10 year TV show.

during the early to mid seventies, i looked forward to Friday nights on ABC to tuning in on the first and only comedic anthology series featuring a slew of well known actors, writers and directors. it's sad that the attempted updated version recently shown wasn't as successful as the version from the seventies. what the world needs now are series such as these in a world full of violence. Although the premise of the show was silly, it did have it's romantic overtones in a funny type manner which most of all the vignettes were family oriented, which i think was one of the keys toward its popularity. i personally enjoyed viewing performers Charles Nelson Reilly and Louisa Moritz to Flip Wilson and Gail Fisher. it would be nice to have it return more often in reruns or on video tape.

I seem to remember a vignette that is supposed to take place in the 50's, possibly featuring Ron Howard, in which a girl to whom he's attracted expresses an interest in him when she discovers that his parents just bought a television set. This may have been the pilot (of sorts) for "Happy Days". Does this ring a bell, anyone? Thanks.