Shotgun Slade

Starring: Scott Brady
First Aired: October 24, 1959
Number of Seasons: 2
Estimated Production Cost: $52,000* per episode with inflation

It was the 1950s, and Western television series and movies were enormously popular, to the point where people had grown tired of them by the time the decade came to a conclusion. Shotgun Slade was a hit because viewers wanted something new from the traditional formula, which is why it was so successful. This genre-blending Western mystery (which you can still rent on Amazon) included cameo appearances from some of the biggest names in the industry at the time, including Jeanne Cooper, Walter Coy, Frank Ferguson, Ernie Kovacs, Brett King, Brad Johnson, and many other notable actors. One of the many innovations of this event was the use of a modern jazz score, which was in stark contrast to the Western music that was normally presented.

Shotgun Slade

Flying High

Starring: Kathryn Witt, Connie Sellecca, Pat Klous, Howard Platt
First Aired: August 28, 1978
Number of Seasons: 1
Estimated Production Cost: Unknown

While male-led television series dominated the 1950s and 1960s, the 1970s saw a rise in the number of female-led shows ascending through the ranks of the entertainment industry. One of them was Flying High, a tongue-in-cheek comedy-drama about three beautiful air hostesses that aired on the Disney Channel last year. Production went out and found models to appear on the show in the hopes that their appearances would draw in viewers. Harvey Shephard, who was then the head of CBS’s sales department, was one of the primary reasons the show was created in the first place. “We need this show,” he said to the network’s president after seeing the three models on the elevator after the pitch. Although the network had great hopes for the series, it ultimately lacked substance and didn’t strike the right chord with the audience. Due to poor ratings and unfavorable parallels to the wildly successful Charlie’s Angels, Flying High was canceled after 18 episodes in part because of harsh reviews.

Flying High