Archie tv series 1976

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     Archie has been in comics since 1941. The character was popular enough to get a radio show starting in 1943. Cartoons of Archie and the gang ran from 1968-1978. There have been a few live-action pilots that went nowhere. Then in 1997 the CW network had a grim take with their series Riverdale that lasted seven seasons. In 1976, however, ABC put on a "special" of Archie. It featured short sketches and musical interludes. It wasn't picked up as a series but two years they tried again with The Archie Situation Comedy Musical Variety Show. It had the same cast and again did not make it to series.

      Dennis Bowen, who played the title character, was also a student at Buchanan High in five episodes of Welcome Back Kotter. Deryl Maury (Jughead) was part of The Massacre at Central High. Hilarie Thompson was on the tv series of Operation Petticoat after she was Veronica. Audrey Landers, who was Betty Cooper, had better success on the series Dallas, where she played Afton Cooper. She also played a character named Veronica on four episodes of Burn Notice. Gordon Jump had the most success, after being Archie's dad he went on to WKRP in Cincinnati.

     The only way to watch the original pilot is one that was uploaded to YouTube from a worn out VHS copy. Some glitches blank out punchlines but check out Bill Mumy's awesome facial hair at the end: (REUPLOAD) Archie ABC Pilot (Longer)



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