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Last Update: 03-24-2012

Phantom Of The Open Hearth

TV Pilot - written by Jean Shepherd

1979

Season: - Episode:

This is a never released pilot which was shot for ABC but woundup on the shelf. Director of Photography: Ozzie Smith Art Director: Jim Hulsey Film Editor: Dick Bartlett Production Associate: Leigh Brown Running Time: 60 Min Written and narrated by Jean Shepherd Storylines: The Blind Date "Friendly Fred" the used car dealer Baseball for the United Brethren By Jay Sharbutt The Associated Press October 1978 "Jean Shepherd-once told of a kid who got his first job in a steel mill and learned to dream the American dream -- of the beautiful future, the glorious past, and the crummy now." That was in "Phantom of the Open Hearth," the wryly funny PBS television drama he wrote and narrated. Aired in 1976, it hailed blue-collar life in "the great inverted bowl of darkness" -- the Midwest. Now the Chicago-born maestro of Americana is at it again with a new version of "Phantom" he's making at 20th Century-Fox Television as a movie for ABC. It could become a weekly series." Thanks to John Shepherd (No Relation)
The only people from the original PBS production are Barbara Bolton as "Mom", William Lampley as "Flick" and Leigh Brown who switched roles from "Lovely Arlita" to "Mrs. Kissel" Jean Shepherd - Ralph John Shepherd (No relation) - Young Ralph Richard Venture - The Old Man Barbara Bolton - Mom Damon Raskin - Randy Mike Hammett - Schwartz William Lampley - Flick Jerome Guardino - Friendly Fred Warren Munson - Junie Jo's Father David Byrd - Mr. Dirks Joe Medalis - Zudoc Milt Kogan - Gertz Nancy Bell - Junie Jo Michael Barbera - Boring Date Leigh Brown - Mrs Kissel Jon Terry - Uncle Carl Bill Sorrells - Mill Worker Edwin Owens - John Melissa Sherman - Clara Mae Mattingly

Production Information:
Studio / Network:	Twentieth Century Fox Television	Exec Director:		Executive Producer:
Running Time:	60 Min	Director:	John Rich	Producer:	John Rich
		Asst Director:		Asst Producer:
		Contr Director:		Contr Producer:

Related Plots / Story Lines and Other References Used

Category	Date	Title	Comments	Time
• People		Flick
• People		Schwartz, Paul
• Plots / Story Lines		John's Lunch
• People		Shepherd, Randy
• People		Hickey, Wanda

Photos:

October 25,1978
The Index Journal

Courtesy: Steve Glazer

September 09,1979
San Bernadino County Sun

Courtesy: Steve Glazer

Screenshots:

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - Title

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - Shep

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - Mom

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - Mrs Kissel (Leigh Brown)

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - The blind date

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - Randy helps with flat tire

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - Ohhhhh....

Phantom of the Open Hearth - TV Pilot - fffudggge!!!!!

"Can you imagine 4,000 years passing, and you're not even a memory?
Think about it, friends. It's not just a possibility. It is a certainty." - Jean Shepherd - 1975