The Jacksons (TV series)

The Jacksons was an American variety show featuring the Jackson siblings.

The Jacksons
1977 CBS photo, top row, from left: Jackie, Michael, Tito, and Marlon Jackson. Middle row: Randy, La Toya, and Rebbie Jackson. Bottom: Janet Jackson.
GenreVariety
Written byThomas C. Chapman
Ray Jessel
Wayne Kline
Arnie Kogen
Biff Manard
Winston Moss
Jim Mulligan
David Smilow
Jim Tisdale
Directed byBill Davis
StarringRebbie Jackson
Jackie Jackson
Tito Jackson
La Toya Jackson
Marlon Jackson
Michael Jackson
Randy Jackson
Janet Jackson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes12
Production
Executive producersRichard Arons
Bill Davis
Joe Jackson
ProducersRay Jessel
Arnie Kogen
EditorJimmy B. Frazier
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time22–24 minutes
Production companiesCarefree Video Company
Jackson Television Productions
Original release
NetworkCBS
ReleaseJune 16, 1976 (1976-06-16) –
March 9, 1977 (1977-03-09)
Randy, Marlon, Jackie, Joey Bishop, Michael and Tito (1976)

History

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The show featured all of the Jackson siblings except for Jermaine, who was signed to Motown while the Jackson group was signed to the Epic/CBS record label. It was the first variety show where the entire cast were siblings or an African-American family.[1] The thirty-minute Wednesday evening show began airing on CBS as a summer 1976 show and it continued into the 1976–1977 season, finishing on March 9, 1977 after running for 12 episodes.[2]

As with the Jackson 5 regular performances, Michael Jackson was the lead performer in musical and dance performances. Despite the public acclaim following the early episodes, he was not enthusiastic with the overall project, later calling it "a dumb move" and adding he "hated every minute of it".[1]

Cast

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Episodes

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Broadcast date Guest stars Songs performed
June 16, 1976 Sonny Bono

"Forever Came Today"
"Love Will Keep Us Together"
"More Than You Know"/"Am I Blue?"/"For Once in My Life"/"Try a Little Tenderness"
"Steppin' Out with My Baby"
"Dancing Machine"

June 23, 1976 Mackenzie Phillips

"(You Were Made) Especially for Me"
"Do the Fonz"
"A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll"/"Deep Purple"
"Convoy"
"Junk Food Junkie"
"Ben"
"Goin' Back to Indiana"

June 30, 1976 Ed McMahon

"Rockin' Robin"
"Flat Foot Floogie"
"World of Sunshine"
"Save the Bones for Henry Jones"
"The Love You Save"

July 7, 1976 Joey Bishop

"I Want You Back"/"ABC"
"Fever"
"I Got You Babe"
"Down by the Old Mill Stream"
"Never Can Say Goodbye"

January 19, 1977 Redd Foxx

"Enjoy Yourself"
"They Can't Take That Away from Me"/"Broadway Rhythm"/"Puttin' on the Ritz"
"Blues Away"
"Bei Mir Bist Du Schön (Means You're Grand)"
"Keep on Dancing"

January 26, 1977 Carroll O'Connor

"Hum Along and Dance"
"Get Happy"/"I Got Rhythm"
"I Got You Babe"
"Coconut"
"I Let a Song Go Out of My Heart"/"Don't Get Around Much Anymore"/"Caravan"/"Take the "A" Train"
"Show You the Way to Go"

February 2, 1977 Dom DeLuise/

George Miller/
Muhammad Ali

"Moving Violation"
"On the Wall"
"That's the Way (I Like It)"/"Pick Up the Pieces"
"Style of Life"
"Steppin' Out with My Baby"
"Hello, Dolly!"
"Life of the Party"

February 9, 1977 Betty White

"Get It Together"
"On the Wall"
"Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy"
"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree"
"Dreamer"
"Opus No. 1"
"Just a Little Bit of You"

February 16, 1977 Georgia Engel/

David Letterman

"Sugar Daddy"
"On the Wall"
"Cisco Kid"/"I Shot the Sheriff"
"One"
"Ben"
"I Am Love"

February 23, 1977 John Byner/

Nicholas Brothers

"What You Don't Know"
"On the Wall"
"Midnight at the Oasis"
"Get Ready"
"Good Times"
"I Can't Quit Your Love"

March 2, 1977 Lynda Carter

"Think Happy"
"On the Wall"
"On the Good Ship Lollipop"
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
"Thank God I'm a Country Boy"
"Living Together"
"I'll Be There"

March 9, 1977 Tim Conway/

David Letterman

"Dancing Machine"
"On the Wall"
"Behind Closed Doors"
"Yes Sir, That's My Baby"
"I'm Going to Jackson"
"Flat Foot Floogie"
"World of Sunshine"
"Body Language"

References

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  1. ^ a b Easlea, Daryl (October 15, 2016). Michael Jackson: Rewind: The Life and Legacy of Pop Music's King. New York: Race Point Publishing. p. 145. ISBN 978-1631062537.
  2. ^ Fearn-Banks, Kathleen; Burford-Johnson, Anne (2014). Historical Dictionary of African American Television (2 ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 236. ISBN 978-0810879164.
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