Failed TV Pilot: "Meet The O'Briens" (1954)

★★★★★ · A rare unsold pilot from Roland Reed · bgrauman · 2011-04-19

This unaired, unsold 1954 sitcom pilot was produced by the same man who previously brought you Stu Erwin's "TROUBLE WITH FATHER" {in fact, the theme music used for this pilot- an Alexander Laszlo stock cue from his Structual production music library- was also used in the closing credits of several syndicated episodes of "FATHER"}, Gale Storm's "MY LITTLE MARGIE", and several seasons of "THE BEULAH SHOW" (and "ROCKY JONES- SPACE RANGER"), filmed at his "home base" at Hal Roach Studios. Reed KNEW what people wanted to see, and most of his pilots became series. By 1954, however, his status as a…

★★★★★ · It could pass for a two-reeler · Terry K · 2010-09-20

Dave O'Brien's career really covered the waterfront. Aside from his Pete Smith shorts, he rode the range as one of "The Range Busters" and was "Captain Midnight" in the movie serial adaptation of the popular radio serial. Oh, and does anyone remember him as the guy driven murderously insane by the evil weed in "Reefer Madness"?

★★★★★ · Good pilot for a TV sitcom · ShojoRulz04 · 2021-08-25

It doesn't really look like a '40s comedy short film/subject to me, I mean, it's a sitcom, so it does have laugh track. Overall, This is a good pilot, even though it isn't picked up, It's still a good pilot nonetheless.

★★★★★ · Not So Bad???? · Vintage Retro Flashback · 2021-08-29

Good clean comedy. It had potential considering it was only a decade after WW2 and people were still needing a good laugh.

★★★★ · A good show · The Bridge · 2010-12-04

Wish I had known in the 50's that this was trying to be a regular show, I would have watched it. I always liked anything Jeff Donnell did, she was pretty, perky, and a good actress. Truly sorry I didn't know at the time that it was around. Thank you all for having this for us to see.

★★★★ · Meet The O'Briens · EJEFFREY · 2010-04-21

This pilot was shot at Hal Roach studios with some of the same technical crew that were doing MY LITTLE MARGIE, THE STU ERWIN SHOW etc. However Dave O'Brien was co-scripter and producer under his real name "David Barclay- the same duties he did at MGM for his starring PETE SMITH SPECIALS. Soon after this he became a writer for THE RED SKELTON SHOW