One of the original reality TV shows - Real People

[Traxan]

Does anyone remember this? It was back in the 1970s, during daytime. The show was before a live audience with 5 hosts who sat akimbo, facing the audience. Sarah Purcell was the main "correspondant" and sat in the middle. I believe Charles Nelson Reilly was one of the other four. They went out and about the country meeting, well, real people. Normal folks. It was a fun show, but the ratings dropped, they got desperate and added some kid correspondant. He was like 8 years old or something.

I'd love to revisit these on DVD, to see how well they hold up, and if the concept wouldn't work today.

[Bill Needle]

I'm pretty sure this was prime time. It also had Byron Allen (who was a teenager at the time I believe), Skip Stephenson, and Fred Willard. Sort of a combo of Funniest Home Videos (before home videos) and Ripley's Believe It or Not. Ah, yes, I often look fondly back on the TV era of regular airings of "Battle of the Network Stars."

[GuessWho]

Originally Posted by Traxan

It was back in the 1970s, during daytime.

Mostly 80's (1979-84) and primetime

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_People

[calhoun07]

This needs to be on DVD.

[RobCA]

I used to watch that, along with That's Incredible!
There's no way I'd ever, ever buy them on DVD though.

From the link GuessWho posted:

Real People also gave fitness instructor Richard Simmons his major break into the mass media.

That's reason enough to hate the show.

Rob

[Palaver]

Ahh... the memories...

[Charlie Goose]

Originally Posted by RobCA

I used to watch that, along with That's Incredible!
There's no way I'd ever, ever buy them on DVD though.

Along with Those Amazing Animals!

[davejt1]

Originally Posted by Traxan

they got desperate and added some kid correspondant. He was like 8 years old or something.

It was Peter Billingsley from "A Christmas Story."

[calhoun07]

Originally Posted by Palaver

Ahh... the memories...

Fred Willard seems to have aged the best out of the lot.

[calhoun07]

Originally Posted by RobCA

I used to watch that, along with That's Incredible!
There's no way I'd ever, ever buy them on DVD though.

I couldn't see myself rewatching them over and over again like old Star Wars movies, but if they put out a decent size set...say a two-four DVD collection...and charged like ten to twenty bucks for it, I'd pick it up for a spin through the DVD player for the memories. You can't find the full episodes anywhere else. (At least I don't think you can...I don't have digital cable so maybe some smaller channel on the digital tier is showing these. They'd fit right in on the Fox Reality channel!)

This (and That's Incredible) are two shows I don't think demand season sets, but best of collections would be ideal (provided we got full episodes, not one DVD compiled of clips and snippets from past shows.)

[The Bus]

If this is "Reality TV" then so is World News Tonight.

[Traxan]

Ah I loved 'That's Incredible.' Cathy Lee Crosby was seriously hot and the subjects they covered weren't bad, either.

I also enjoyed 'Ripley's Believe it or Not!' back then, too. Good stuff, Jack was a hoot, and Holly was pretty cute, as I recall.

Second on Best of sets, not full seasons. There were filler episodes, after all. What would really be cool would be to go back and revisit some of the people or places from the original shows, but that would probably get expensive.

[calhoun07]

Originally Posted by The Bus

If this is "Reality TV" then so is World News Tonight.

I suppose by definition it would be...From Wikipedia...

Reality Television is a genre of television programming which presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and features ordinary people instead of professional actors.

IMDB lists the genre of Real People as Family Non Fiction.

That's probably because they didn't really use the term "reality TV" as a genre reference back in the 70's.

Coincidently, the That's Incredible reunion special is listed as reality TV on IMDB.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0378869/

[Trigger]

Originally Posted by davejt1

It was Peter Billingsley from "A Christmas Story."

I went to school with him - he was a cock.

I also used to watch this show as well as That's Incredible. My family was the type to have a tv in the kitchen/dining room where we would watch tv as we ate.

[CreamyGoodness]

"And now the REAL PEOPLE people....."

Ever had one of those moments when you just can't believe you used to watch something? I just had one. Yikes!

[Double_Oh_7]

R.I.P. Skip Stephenson
R.I.P. Byron Allen's career

[calhoun07]

Originally Posted by CreamyGoodness

"And now the REAL PEOPLE people....."

Ever had one of those moments when you just can't believe you used to watch something? I just had one. Yikes!

Those segments in the episode opener featured above all remind me of Daily Show segments. I really don't recall too much from watching this (I was extremely young at the time it was on...I have vague memories of bits here and there) so I don't know how the hosts of the show handled the segments, but I imagine that if they handled them with humor like the Daily Show people do, it could be quite entertaining to watch.

That said: I still wish they would release Daily Show DVD collections by the talent involved, like SNL DVDs, featuring their human interest stories and other funny segments from the show.

The Daily Show just strikes me as Real People, but better. And didn't Real People have a news segment on there as well?

[Jadzia]

I absolutely loved Real People. I always thought it was so much better than That's Incredible. I would love to see it on DVD.

[Bill Needle]

Originally Posted by calhoun07

Fred Willard seems to have aged the best out of the lot.

Perhaps not coincidentally he is/was the only one that had any real talent. He is a very funny man.

[Giantrobo]

I Remember this show. It was corny as hell but I watched it all the time.

[Charlie Goose]

Originally Posted by Trigger

I went to school with him - he was a cock.

I saw him do interviews back then, Merv Griffin and the like. I remember thinking that he came across like an obnoxious douche.

[wishbone]

I remember both of these shows. Being a kid at the time I was more familiar with Fran Tarkenton as a person on a TV show than as a football player.

Real People also gave fitness instructor Richard Simmons his major break into the mass media.

Now we know who is to blame!

[dhmac]

Originally Posted by calhoun07

Fred Willard seems to have aged the best out of the lot.

Looks-wise? Or career-wise?

[calhoun07]

Originally Posted by dhmac

Looks-wise? Or career-wise?

Looks wise. Career wise he has done pretty well too. He never really became a top billing star, but he manages to land on some pretty decent shows, even if they don't last for too long.