What a thrill to have this largely-forgotten "one season wonder" back in the spotlight thanks to this beautifully-assembled DVD release. MY LIVING DOLL (1964-65) comes from the same delightfully-screwy decade which brought witches, genies, talking horses, flying nuns and monster families into TV viewers' homes all over the world. Why it flopped was a combination of creative differences and less than ideal ratings, but the final result is still quite enjoyable.
Space Center psychiatrist Dr Robert McDonald (Bob Cummings) finds himself as the unwitting babysitter for a lovely female robot named Rhoda (Julie Newmar) when her inventor suddenly jets off to the Middle East. Completely ill-equipped to understand the specific needs of his female houseguest - let alone a ROBOT female houseguest - Bob must attempt to assimilate and tame Rhoda into an ordinary young woman. Complications exist in the form of Bob's glam but nosey sister Irene (Doris Dowling) and his randy apartment neighbour Peter Robinson (Jack Mullaney).
The show itself is quite cleverly put together. As expected, a lot of the stories hinge on the "Pygmalion"-like relationship between Bob and Rhoda. Bob Cummings ("The Bob Cummings Show", "My Hero") was coming to the end of his days as a viable 'romantic leading man' when he took on this series - and apparently ruffled many a feather on the set with his attempts to re-write scripts and make the series more focused on his character and less about the LIVING DOLL. Much controversy still clouds the chain of events that saw Bob Cummings ultimately leave the show before the end of the season.
Which brings us to the series' true star - Julie Newmar. She is utter perfection as Rhoda, bringing a lovely naïve, non-threatening quality to the obvious sexiness which the role might have otherwise implied. Well-trained in the art of mime and in all forms of dance, her physicality is truly something to witness. Had the series managed to go on for at least another season, without a doubt, Newmar as Rhoda would have been placed alongside Elizabeth Montgomery (from "Bewitched") and Barbara Eden ("I Dream of Jeannie") on that rarefied pedestal reserved for the great Sixties sitcom leading ladies.
For a series as "forgotten" as MY LIVING DOLL still is, sadly not all the episodes from its single season have been able to be pristinely preserved like "Bewitched" and "Jeannie". Only 11 episodes have been located for this 2-DVD set. MPI Video is actively searching for more missing episodes and I'd urge anybody who can assist in that department to please get in touch with either MPI or The Jack & Florence Chertok Trust. This set is labelled as "Volume One", so fingers crossed there are at least a few more episodes around the corner.
Extra Features are plentiful, as to be expected. MPI has proven to be quite the treasure trove when it comes to their vintage TV releases and this release doesn't disappoint. For starters there is "Remembering My Living Doll" which runs almost 30 minutes and includes new interviews with Julie Newmar, producer Howard Leeds and Jackie Joseph (guest star in the episode "The Love Machine"). "Let's Talk to Lucy with Julie Newmar" is a vintage audio interview taken from Lucille Ball's radio show (other episodes have found their way to MPI's "Here's Lucy" releases). An alternate opening credits sequence sees Julie Newmar in a very cute (but risqué for the time) baby-doll nightie which was soon dumped in favour of the evening gown seen in the final version. There's also an assortment of original sponsorship bumps, interactive photo gallery, plus a bonus episode from "The Bob Cummings Show" - might MPI be considering bringing out some complete seasons sets of that series?
MY LIVING DOLL will be an essential purchase for lovers of Sixties TV comedies. Despite its brief life, the show remains a refreshing delight. What fun to have Rhoda back again.
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Welcome back Julie Newmar as Rhoda - the Living Doll...
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2013
What a thrill to have this largely-forgotten "one season wonder" back in the spotlight thanks to this beautifully-assembled DVD release. MY LIVING DOLL (1964-65) comes from the same delightfully-screwy decade which brought witches, genies, talking horses, flying nuns and monster families into TV viewers' homes all over the world. Why it flopped was a combination of creative differences and less than ideal ratings, but the final result is still quite enjoyable.Space Center psychiatrist Dr Robert McDonald (Bob Cummings) finds himself as the unwitting babysitter for a lovely female robot named Rhoda (Julie Newmar) when her inventor suddenly jets off to the Middle East. Completely ill-equipped to understand the specific needs of his female houseguest - let alone a ROBOT female houseguest - Bob must attempt to assimilate and tame Rhoda into an ordinary young woman. Complications exist in the form of Bob's glam but nosey sister Irene (Doris Dowling) and his randy apartment neighbour Peter Robinson (Jack Mullaney).The show itself is quite cleverly put together. As expected, a lot of the stories hinge on the "Pygmalion"-like relationship between Bob and Rhoda. Bob Cummings ("The Bob Cummings Show", "My Hero") was coming to the end of his days as a viable 'romantic leading man' when he took on this series - and apparently ruffled many a feather on the set with his attempts to re-write scripts and make the series more focused on his character and less about the LIVING DOLL. Much controversy still clouds the chain of events that saw Bob Cummings ultimately leave the show before the end of the season.Which brings us to the series' true star - Julie Newmar. She is utter perfection as Rhoda, bringing a lovely naïve, non-threatening quality to the obvious sexiness which the role might have otherwise implied. Well-trained in the art of mime and in all forms of dance, her physicality is truly something to witness. Had the series managed to go on for at least another season, without a doubt, Newmar as Rhoda would have been placed alongside Elizabeth Montgomery (from "Bewitched") and Barbara Eden ("I Dream of Jeannie") on that rarefied pedestal reserved for the great Sixties sitcom leading ladies.For a series as "forgotten" as MY LIVING DOLL still is, sadly not all the episodes from its single season have been able to be pristinely preserved like "Bewitched" and "Jeannie". Only 11 episodes have been located for this 2-DVD set. MPI Video is actively searching for more missing episodes and I'd urge anybody who can assist in that department to please get in touch with either MPI or The Jack & Florence Chertok Trust. This set is labelled as "Volume One", so fingers crossed there are at least a few more episodes around the corner.Extra Features are plentiful, as to be expected. MPI has proven to be quite the treasure trove when it comes to their vintage TV releases and this release doesn't disappoint. For starters there is "Remembering My Living Doll" which runs almost 30 minutes and includes new interviews with Julie Newmar, producer Howard Leeds and Jackie Joseph (guest star in the episode "The Love Machine"). "Let's Talk to Lucy with Julie Newmar" is a vintage audio interview taken from Lucille Ball's radio show (other episodes have found their way to MPI's "Here's Lucy" releases). An alternate opening credits sequence sees Julie Newmar in a very cute (but risqué for the time) baby-doll nightie which was soon dumped in favour of the evening gown seen in the final version. There's also an assortment of original sponsorship bumps, interactive photo gallery, plus a bonus episode from "The Bob Cummings Show" - might MPI be considering bringing out some complete seasons sets of that series?MY LIVING DOLL will be an essential purchase for lovers of Sixties TV comedies. Despite its brief life, the show remains a refreshing delight. What fun to have Rhoda back again.
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2013
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Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2013
Space Center psychiatrist Dr Robert McDonald (Bob Cummings) finds himself as the unwitting babysitter for a lovely female robot named Rhoda (Julie Newmar) when her inventor suddenly jets off to the Middle East. Completely ill-equipped to understand the specific needs of his female houseguest - let alone a ROBOT female houseguest - Bob must attempt to assimilate and tame Rhoda into an ordinary young woman. Complications exist in the form of Bob's glam but nosey sister Irene (Doris Dowling) and his randy apartment neighbour Peter Robinson (Jack Mullaney).
The show itself is quite cleverly put together. As expected, a lot of the stories hinge on the "Pygmalion"-like relationship between Bob and Rhoda. Bob Cummings ("The Bob Cummings Show", "My Hero") was coming to the end of his days as a viable 'romantic leading man' when he took on this series - and apparently ruffled many a feather on the set with his attempts to re-write scripts and make the series more focused on his character and less about the LIVING DOLL. Much controversy still clouds the chain of events that saw Bob Cummings ultimately leave the show before the end of the season.
Which brings us to the series' true star - Julie Newmar. She is utter perfection as Rhoda, bringing a lovely naïve, non-threatening quality to the obvious sexiness which the role might have otherwise implied. Well-trained in the art of mime and in all forms of dance, her physicality is truly something to witness. Had the series managed to go on for at least another season, without a doubt, Newmar as Rhoda would have been placed alongside Elizabeth Montgomery (from "Bewitched") and Barbara Eden ("I Dream of Jeannie") on that rarefied pedestal reserved for the great Sixties sitcom leading ladies.
For a series as "forgotten" as MY LIVING DOLL still is, sadly not all the episodes from its single season have been able to be pristinely preserved like "Bewitched" and "Jeannie". Only 11 episodes have been located for this 2-DVD set. MPI Video is actively searching for more missing episodes and I'd urge anybody who can assist in that department to please get in touch with either MPI or The Jack & Florence Chertok Trust. This set is labelled as "Volume One", so fingers crossed there are at least a few more episodes around the corner.
Extra Features are plentiful, as to be expected. MPI has proven to be quite the treasure trove when it comes to their vintage TV releases and this release doesn't disappoint. For starters there is "Remembering My Living Doll" which runs almost 30 minutes and includes new interviews with Julie Newmar, producer Howard Leeds and Jackie Joseph (guest star in the episode "The Love Machine"). "Let's Talk to Lucy with Julie Newmar" is a vintage audio interview taken from Lucille Ball's radio show (other episodes have found their way to MPI's "Here's Lucy" releases). An alternate opening credits sequence sees Julie Newmar in a very cute (but risqué for the time) baby-doll nightie which was soon dumped in favour of the evening gown seen in the final version. There's also an assortment of original sponsorship bumps, interactive photo gallery, plus a bonus episode from "The Bob Cummings Show" - might MPI be considering bringing out some complete seasons sets of that series?
MY LIVING DOLL will be an essential purchase for lovers of Sixties TV comedies. Despite its brief life, the show remains a refreshing delight. What fun to have Rhoda back again.
Welcome back Julie Newmar as Rhoda - the Living Doll...
By Byron Kolln on February 5, 2013
What a thrill to have this largely-forgotten "one season wonder" back in the spotlight thanks to this beautifully-assembled DVD release. MY LIVING DOLL (1964-65) comes from the same delightfully-screwy decade which brought witches, genies, talking horses, flying nuns and monster families into TV viewers' homes all over the world. Why it flopped was a combination of creative differences and less than ideal ratings, but the final result is still quite enjoyable.By Byron Kolln on February 5, 2013
Space Center psychiatrist Dr Robert McDonald (Bob Cummings) finds himself as the unwitting babysitter for a lovely female robot named Rhoda (Julie Newmar) when her inventor suddenly jets off to the Middle East. Completely ill-equipped to understand the specific needs of his female houseguest - let alone a ROBOT female houseguest - Bob must attempt to assimilate and tame Rhoda into an ordinary young woman. Complications exist in the form of Bob's glam but nosey sister Irene (Doris Dowling) and his randy apartment neighbour Peter Robinson (Jack Mullaney).
The show itself is quite cleverly put together. As expected, a lot of the stories hinge on the "Pygmalion"-like relationship between Bob and Rhoda. Bob Cummings ("The Bob Cummings Show", "My Hero") was coming to the end of his days as a viable 'romantic leading man' when he took on this series - and apparently ruffled many a feather on the set with his attempts to re-write scripts and make the series more focused on his character and less about the LIVING DOLL. Much controversy still clouds the chain of events that saw Bob Cummings ultimately leave the show before the end of the season.
Which brings us to the series' true star - Julie Newmar. She is utter perfection as Rhoda, bringing a lovely naïve, non-threatening quality to the obvious sexiness which the role might have otherwise implied. Well-trained in the art of mime and in all forms of dance, her physicality is truly something to witness. Had the series managed to go on for at least another season, without a doubt, Newmar as Rhoda would have been placed alongside Elizabeth Montgomery (from "Bewitched") and Barbara Eden ("I Dream of Jeannie") on that rarefied pedestal reserved for the great Sixties sitcom leading ladies.
For a series as "forgotten" as MY LIVING DOLL still is, sadly not all the episodes from its single season have been able to be pristinely preserved like "Bewitched" and "Jeannie". Only 11 episodes have been located for this 2-DVD set. MPI Video is actively searching for more missing episodes and I'd urge anybody who can assist in that department to please get in touch with either MPI or The Jack & Florence Chertok Trust. This set is labelled as "Volume One", so fingers crossed there are at least a few more episodes around the corner.
Extra Features are plentiful, as to be expected. MPI has proven to be quite the treasure trove when it comes to their vintage TV releases and this release doesn't disappoint. For starters there is "Remembering My Living Doll" which runs almost 30 minutes and includes new interviews with Julie Newmar, producer Howard Leeds and Jackie Joseph (guest star in the episode "The Love Machine"). "Let's Talk to Lucy with Julie Newmar" is a vintage audio interview taken from Lucille Ball's radio show (other episodes have found their way to MPI's "Here's Lucy" releases). An alternate opening credits sequence sees Julie Newmar in a very cute (but risqué for the time) baby-doll nightie which was soon dumped in favour of the evening gown seen in the final version. There's also an assortment of original sponsorship bumps, interactive photo gallery, plus a bonus episode from "The Bob Cummings Show" - might MPI be considering bringing out some complete seasons sets of that series?
MY LIVING DOLL will be an essential purchase for lovers of Sixties TV comedies. Despite its brief life, the show remains a refreshing delight. What fun to have Rhoda back again.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2012
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somewhere in England
Gentle American SF sit com about seven oh nine.
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Elaine M Davis
An old favourite reborn!
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