It's About Time - E01 - Astronauts Meet Cavemen

Mac and Hector introduce present day birthday customs to the cave people.

Episode 1. "And Then I Wrote 'Happy Birthday to You'"
Directed by Richard Donner
Written by David P. Harmon, Elroy Schwartz, Sherwood Schwartz
Aired September 11, 1966

It's About Time is an American science fantasy comedy TV series that aired on CBS for one season of 26 episodes in 1966–1967. The series was created by Sherwood Schwartz, and used sets, props and incidental music from Schwartz's other television series in production at the time, Gilligan's Island.

Astronauts Mac McKenzie (Frank Aletter) and Hector Canfield (Jack Mullaney) travel faster than the speed of light, resulting in being sent back in time to prehistoric days where they have to adjust to living with a cave-dwelling family led by Shag/Shad (Imogene Coca) and Gronk (Joe E. Ross). Their children were 18 year-old Mlor (Mary Grace) and 14 year-old Breer (Pat Cardi). Tribe chief Boss (Cliff Norton) and his right-hand man Clon (Mike Mazurki) were always suspicious of the astronauts.

Ratings were impressive for the first few weeks on the air, but they soon plunged. Show creator Schwartz concluded that three factors were the cause of the decline in audience interest:

Repetition of the astronauts being in danger from dinosaurs, clubs, spears, volcanoes, and cavemen.
An unattractive look to the show (e.g., caves, dirt streets, etc.).
The cave dwellers speaking a primitive form of English that was difficult to listen to.

He retooled the series beginning with the January 22, 1967 episode, after 18 episodes set in prehistoric times, essentially reversing the premise which had been shown the first half of the season. The astronauts repair their space capsule and return to 1967, with Shad, Gronk, and their children in tow. Boss and Clon make their final appearances in this episode, which also introduces two new supporting characters who remained with the show: Alan DeWitt as Mr. Tyler, manager of the apartment building where Mac and Hector live, and Frank Wilcox as General Morley, their commanding officer.

The prehistoric family begins adjusting to life in the 1960s, reacting to the unfamiliar surroundings and setting up home in 20th-century Los Angeles. For example, Gronk and Shad had to learn to write their names and sign them for many salesmen who brought "presents" which had to be paid for later. Mac and Hector also had to convince their disbelieving superior that they really did travel in time, and are not playing some sort of elaborate practical joke. Seven episodes were produced with this new premise before the series was cancelled at the end of the season.

According to Pat Cardi who played Greer, CBS considered reversing their cancellation decision after ratings improved during summer reruns, however Imogene Coca and Joe E. Ross had already committed to other projects, officially ending the series.

[michaelhegyan]

I was eight when series was on TV..used to watch it with my older sister..good times..

[jmakarose]

I was 6 at the time. Now, some 50 years later, I can still remember the song.

[ThomasNewman-xeig]

Just another version of Gilligan's Island. But it's pretty good.

[fshepinc]

When this was on we had more fun with the show's theme song than with the show itself.
It's about time
It's about space
It's about time I slapped your face!

[marklauzon]

This was my first lunchbox in 1st grade. Ill never forget it😂!!

[robiny.]

Talk about memories. I forgot about this show when i was a kid. I remembered part of the inteo song forever

[valerienewsome]

I was today years old when I first heard of this show.

[BRH]

I love that the cave men speak broken english😂😂😂

[brenthill]

I watched this when I was 9.
I got a kick out of it at the time.

[Rocket_Man]

🔔 IAT Trivia Time: The hyper-realistic space capsule landing sequence @ 0:01 inspired Stanley Kubrick to make 2001: A Space Odyssey

[John-ihbx]

Thank you for the upload. I watched this when I was a kid. Hysterical. I didn't get the inference to Shag's name.

[strafrag]

It was so bad; it was actually funny. LOVE 60s TV.

[roachtoasties]

After The Flintstones were on for a few years, viewers were convinced that dinosaurs and humans roamed the earth at the same time. Yep. The Flintstones were for real. This show is real too, and just like Gilligan's Island.

[Rocket_Man]

🔔 IAT Trivia Time: The then-daring decision to go with a complete absence of a laugh track in a TV comedy show (ESPECIALLY in moments where it would make no sense at all to put laughing) inspired Norman Lear to take it one step further and film All In The Family LIVE before a studio audience!

[larryb]

Thanks for providing these videos. Can you get the rest of them?

[philipinchina]

I can see why it didn't catch on.

[TheFishingNomad]

How did this show make it past the pilot?

[michaeldeloatch]

I get the impression the dumb astronaut was Bob Denver's understudy on the Gilligan set. Or he just went to the Bob Denver school of acting.

[tomster]

Oh, 5 million year-old caveman that speak English. Even if it’s only broken English.

[mystylove]

Never even heard of it and I'm 68. Was it an east coast thing?