David Cassidy: Man Undercover

Starring: David Cassidy, Simon Oakland, Wendy Rastatter
First Aired: November 2, 1978
Number of Seasons: 1
Estimated Production Cost: $90,000* per episode with inflation

David Cassidy was at the height of his celebrity in the 1970s, thanks to his role in the television series The Partridge Family. He was a teen idol and a hugely popular young guy in his day and age. Following the conclusion of that show, David was cast in Man Undercover as undercover detective Dan Shay. Sadly, David was unable to salvage the series from its doom. On David Cassidy: Man Undercover, Dee Wallace was originally cast as Cassidy’s character’s wife; however, for reasons that were never revealed, NBC recast the part with Wendy Rastatter, a lesser-known actress. After Man Undercover, Columbia Pictures’ final series, during the show’s opening credits, a copyright notice appeared beneath the show’s emblem, indicating that the show had been copied. Each episode portrayed the story of Shay going undercover in a specific case and eventually getting to the heart of the crime, but it wasn’t enough to keep fans interested throughout the season. Only ten episodes of Man Undercover were produced before the show was canceled.

David Cassidy Man Undercover

It’s a Man’s World

Starring: Glenn Corbett, Michael Burns, Ted Bussell, Randy Boone
First Aired: September 17, 1962
Number of Seasons: 1
Estimated Production Cost: $85,000* per episode with inflation

Comedy dramas about a group of friends living together in an apartment are nothing new, but what about four guys living together on a houseboat? It’s a Man’s World had a fascinating mix of individuals that came together, including recently orphaned brothers Wes (Corbett) and Howie (Corbett) (Burns). Dawn Wells, Joan Tewkesbury, Hope Summers, and Med Flory were among the high-profile guests who appeared on It’s a Man’s World. Since there were no other programs on at the time, the NBC show didn’t have much competition from ABC or CBS for the 7:30ET Monday time slot. The only other programs on were Cheyenne (ABC) and two CBS quiz shows. Despite the show’s rich origins and compelling plotlines, NBC decided to terminate it midway through the season. There have been many praises for It’s a Man’s World, praising it for being ahead of its time in terms of subjects such as feminism and the ever-increasing dissatisfaction between different generations during a time of rapid change. Glenn Corbett went on to star in Route 66, which was a show that was similar to but more established.

It’s A Man’s World