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I 40 Paradise

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I 40 Paradise
Theme music composerLionel Cartwright[1]
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerRoss Bagwell
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkThe Nashville Network
ReleaseMarch 1983 (1983-03) –
April 1986 (1986-04)

I-40 Paradise is a 30-minute daily cable TV sitcom broadcast on The Nashville Network from March 1983,[2] when the network was first launched,[3] and lasted until at least April 1986.[4]

The series was so popular that a weekly 30 minute spinoff, Pickin’ at the Paradise, began in December 1983.[5]

Premise

"The havoc and hi-jinks involved in running a restaurant and entertainment spot just outside Nashville are explored with hilarious results" was how early television listings described the series.[6][7]

The series was set in the small town of Crab Orchard, Tennessee, and most scenes took place in the roadside diner, I-40 Paradise, that had a separate-room tavern where country artists often stopped to perform.[8] There was a house-band, The Mighty Notes, headed by singer Buck Taylor. Buck's younger brother, Randy, was also in the band.[5]

Local residents frequented I-40 Paradise, and they were part of the episode storylines. Stories included: Sonny, Buck, Orvis and Calvin join a group that helps fatherless boys, but have to share Crab Orchard's only orphan;[9] Will Georgia quit her job to pursue a career in art?;[10] Lathrop is kidnapped and held for ransom;[11] and Velma and Calvin consider marriage.[12]

Cast

  • Barbara George as Paradise owner LuAnn Bledsoe
  • Bruce Camahan as mechanic Sonny Rollins
  • John Ribble as bartender Stogie
  • Trish Dougherty as waitress Georgia
  • Jack Crook as singer Buck Taylor[5]
  • Lionel Cartwright as singer Randy Taylor[5]
  • Kelli Warren as singer Melody Dawn Rainey[5]
  • Bruce Borin as shoe factory worker Calvin[13]
  • Mike McElroy as pool hall owner Lathrop
  • Park Overall as banker's daughter Tina Fudball (occasional role)[14]

Guest stars

Country music performers would drop in on their way to Nashville and sing a couple of songs on each episode. One of the first guest stars to tape segments for the show was Helen Cornelius, [15] and Ty Herndon was on several episodes before he became well known.[16] Reba McEntire was on two episodes. In one she just sang, but the other had her take part in a conversation about video games, which was one of her first opportunities to act.[17]

Production

The series was produced by Cinetel Productions in Knoxville, Tennessee. Producer Ross Bagwell rented a warehouse to use as a studio, and hired mostly local dinner-theater actors as regulars.[8] Outside shots of the I-40 Paradise building were of the nearby Mount Olive Trading Post, a grocery store that closed in 1987.[18]

Lionel Cartwright, who'd been working at the Wheeling Jamboree, wrote the series theme song, and acted as one of the house-band singers.[19]

Spin off series

On December 25, 1983 Pickin’ at the Paradise began a six-week pilot run as a 30-minute Sunday series, advertised as a weekly visit to the Paradise's music room, where Crab Orchard residents would stop by to hear the house-band sing. Regulars included Lionel Cartwright as Randy, Jack Crook as Buck, and Kelli Warren as Melody Dawn.[5] Lionel Cartwright wrote the series theme song.[19]

The Cineteo Productions[5] series was popular enough that additional episodes were made, and the series aired until at least March 1986.[20]


References

  1. ^ Erlewine, Michael, All Music Guide to Country, page 78, Miller-Freedman, 1997
  2. ^ Daily Listings, The Times Recorder, March 18, 1983, page 15
  3. ^ Coming Soon! - TNN ad, The Germantown News (Germantown, TN), March 3, 1983, page 5
  4. ^ Television and Radio, The Boston Globe, April 25, 1986, page 23
  5. ^ a b c d e f g New special is paradise, The Daily News-Journal (Murfreesboro, TN), December 11, 1983, page 80
  6. ^ TV listing, Longview News-Journal, March 27, 1983, page 126
  7. ^ Cable Tonight, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, April 13, 1983, page 46
  8. ^ a b Wolfe, Charles K, & Akenson, James E., Country Music Annual 2001 (ebook), University Press of Kentucky, page 16-17
  9. ^ Weekday TV, New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels, TX) December 14, 1984, page 34
  10. ^ Weekday TV, New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels, TX), November 4, 1984, page 55
  11. ^ Weekday TV, New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels, TX) March 31, 1985, page 49]
  12. ^ Weekday TV, New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung (New Braunfels, Texas), December 23, 1984, page 43]
  13. ^ Otto, Becky, Actor wants to contribute to new theater movement, Kingsport Times-News (Kingsport, TN), January 1, 1988, page 90
  14. ^ Hull, Christopher, Actress learns to fly on television series, The Morning Star (Vernon, BC, Canada ), December 21, 1989, page 45
  15. ^ Davis, Doug, Country Happenings, The Times Recorder (Zanesville, Ohio), March 11, 1983, page 31
  16. ^ Oermann, Robert K., Herndon goes from 'pretty boy' to hit maker. The Tennessean, May 13, 1995, page 30
  17. ^ Sandvold, Jon, Softball to benefit from McEntire show, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, May 13, 1983, page 33
  18. ^ For Decades, Store Sold Beer On One Side, But Not On Other, The Herald-Sun (Durham, NC), May 17, 1987, page 41
  19. ^ a b 'Chance' carries singer to top, The Tennessean, October 28, 1989, page 57
  20. ^ Pay Television, The Province, March 27, 1986, page 158
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