This is the crap FOX would run in the afternoons

November 11, 2005 9:20 AM

Name that show: late 70's or early 80's sitcom set in a lounge at the top of a hotel.

It may have been set in Las Vegas, I'm not sure. Main characters were 3 cocktail waitresses (very Charlie's Angels-esque), an old b*tchy hostess, and a skeevy piano player. It wasn't very good, but I have dim memories of this show and it's driving me nuts not knowing the name.

posted by junkbox to Media & Arts (12 answers total)

It's a Living?
posted by chococat at 9:26 AM on November 11, 2005

was it with Ann Jillian?
posted by chococat at 9:27 AM on November 11, 2005

Best answer: it's a living with ann jillian
posted by crush-onastick at 9:27 AM on November 11, 2005

I have a vague memory of it being changed to "Making a Living" or perhaps the other way around.
posted by chococat at 9:27 AM on November 11, 2005

Response by poster: Oh, the things we repress; I had forgotten Ann Jillian ever existed. Bless me.
posted by junkbox at 9:34 AM on November 11, 2005

From the site crush posted: If audience's are not having fun, then the important message got lost!

Thank goodness she's not a motivational writer.
posted by phearlez at 9:35 AM on November 11, 2005

Response by poster: Bonus Trivia: Joss Whedon's dad Tom worked on the show when it was at ABC.
posted by junkbox at 9:43 AM on November 11, 2005

I had forgotten Ann Jillian ever existed. Bless me.

Oh, come ON. She was freaking hot in Mr. Mom.
posted by thanotopsis at 11:15 AM on November 11, 2005

Strange. It looks like it only ran on ABC for two seasons, and that they made new episodes when it went to syndication??
posted by smackfu at 12:31 PM on November 11, 2005

Strange. It looks like it only ran on ABC for two seasons, and that they made new episodes when it went to syndication??

There was a period when half hour sitcoms were often made as syndication originals: Small Wonder, Throb, and She's the Sheriff were all syndication originals if memory serves. It's a Living was a strange one, starting as a network show, and I think syndication only comedies are non-existent today.

That show had a terrific theme tune too.
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 1:11 PM on November 11, 2005

Yet More Bonus Trivia: That "skeevy piano player" was named Sunny Mann and was played by my cousin, Paul Kreppel.
posted by fraying at 10:19 PM on November 11, 2005

Yeah, there were a number of shows of this nature as PST notes -- probably the best known was the atrocious Mama's Family. They were very much lowest-common-denominator time-filler entertainment. I can't imagine anyone actually being a fan.

The title changes occurred due to syndication contracts, e.g. Happy Days vs. Happy Days Again. But I think the original episodes in this case would have been broadcast as It's a Living, only changing to Making a Living when purchased as a syndication rerun package.
posted by dhartung at 12:49 AM on November 12, 2005