Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1960s Television
    1960s Television Comedy Shows T 2 Mins Read

    That’s Life

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 6 8 – 1 9 6 9 (USA)
    26 x 60 minute episodes

    Produced in New York, this unusual ABC series combined the format of a comedy serial and the Broadway-paced blend of romance, music, comedy and song with stories relating the meeting and courtship of Robert Dickson (Robert Morse), a junior executive with a chalk company, and Gloria Quigley (E.J. Peaker), a beautiful salesgirl.

    Though set in the (fictional) town of Ridgeville and always featuring Bobby and Gloria, episodes were otherwise relatively unstructured – in a sense, a predecessor of Love, American Style which premiered the following year.

    Both shows made heavy use of guest celebrities in cameo roles. For example, the first episode of That’s Life opened with a monologue by George Burns, punctuated by short songs, dances and skits. There followed a dream sequence in which Gloria imagined herself married to Rodney Wonderful (Tony Randall).

    Later, back in reality, Rodney arranged a blind date for Gloria and she met Bobby at a discotheque, where the music was provided by the rock group The Turtles.

    Their romance began and was followed through subsequent shows as they married, set up housekeeping, had their first child, etc.

    Using monologues, sketches and song and dance routines, the episodes dealt with their marriage, struggles as newlyweds and their attempts to adjust to parenthood when their son, Robert Dickson Jr. was born.

    Guest stars included George Burns, Phyllis Diller, Louis Armstrong, Phil Silvers, Liza Minnelli, Agnes Moorehead, Terry-Thomas, Tony Randall, Frank Gorshin, Paul Lynde, Ethel Merman, Shelley Winters, Rodney Dangerfield, Ruth Buzzi, Betty White, Flip Wilson, Mel Tormé, Wally Cox, Jerry Stiller, Robert Goulet, Jack Cassidy, Kermit the Frog, The Turtles, Spanky & Our Gang and Little Anthony and the Imperials.

    Robert ‘Bobby’ Dickson
    Robert Morse
    Gloria Quigley Dickson
    E.J. Peaker
    Mrs Quigley
    Kay Medford
    Mr Quigley
    Shelley Berman

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Eggheads, The
      Eggheads, The
      1 9 6 1 (UK) 7 x 25 minute episodes Bryan (Bryan Blackburn), Peter (Peter Reeves), Bob (Robert Jackson) and Vivien…
    • Hot L Baltimore
      Hot L Baltimore
      1 9 7 5 (USA) 13 x 30 minute episodes Even though it was on the air for less than six months,…
    • All-American Girl
      All-American Girl
      1 9 9 4 - 1 9 9 5 (USA) 19 x 30 minute episodes Korean-American Margaret Cho was one of…
    • Love American Style
      Love American Style
      1 9 6 9 - 1 9 7 4 (USA) 109 x 60 minute episodes “Love seen from all sides; young…
    • ABC Stage 67
      ABC Stage 67
      1 9 6 6 - 1 9 6 7 (USA) 26 x 60 minute episodes ABC presented this series of…
    • ABC Comedy Hour, The
      ABC Comedy Hour, The
      1 9 7 2 (USA) 13 x 60 minute episodes The ABC Comedy Hour aired between 12 January 1972 and 5…
    • ABC Monday Night Comedy Special, The
      ABC Monday Night Comedy Special, The
      1 9 7 7 (USA) The ABC Monday Night Comedy Special (broadcast between May and September 1977) was an umbrella title covering…
    • Send Foster
      Send Foster
      1 9 6 7 (UK) 12 x 30 minute episodes 18-year-old Johnny Foster (Hayward Morse, son of actor Barry Morse) is…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleTed Knight Show, The
    Next Article Thorns, The

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site

    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small. 

    Thank you so much.
    Enjoy your trip in the time machine!

    You may also like

    • Hot L Baltimore
      Hot L Baltimore
      1 9 7 5 (USA) 13 x 30 minute episodes Even though it was on the air for less than six months,…
    • Gloria
      Gloria
      1 9 8 2 - 1 9 8 3 (USA) 1 x 60 minute episode 21 x 30 minute episodes Yet…
    • Alcoa Premiere
      Alcoa Premiere
      1 9 6 1 - 1 9 6 3 (USA) 60 x 60 minute episodes Introduced by dancer and actor Fred…
    • ABC Comedy Hour, The
      ABC Comedy Hour, The
      1 9 7 2 (USA) 13 x 60 minute episodes The ABC Comedy Hour aired between 12 January 1972 and 5…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.