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"The Joey Bishop Show" pilot, "Everything Happens To Me" aired on March 27, 1961 as an episode of "Make Room For Daddy." Six months later, on September 20, 1961, "The Joey Bishop Show" debuted and began its four-season run on NBC Television Network. In the first season, the show produced thirty-two black and white episodes. The series revolved around Joey Bishop's character, Joey Barnes, a publicist, and his family. The show had many regular characters, four which were gone by the middle of the first season:  Joey's older sister, Betty and her husband Frank, an unsuccessful salesman; Mr. Willoughby's secretary, Barbara, and Mr. Willoughby. Joey's mother, his stage-struck sister Stella, and his younger brother Larry, only stayed on until the end of the first season.

The start of the second season, the format of the show had changed and the show was now being filmed in color. Joey Bishop still starred as Joey Barnes but was now a TV Talk Show Host. In the first episode of this season, Joey marries his longtime girlfriend Ellie, played by Abby Dalton. Guy Marks was starring as Joey's manager, but only stayed about halfway through the second season. When Guy Marks left the show, a new character, Larry Corbett, played by Corbett Monica replaced his character's role. Starring as Mr. J.J. Jillson, the superintendent was Joe Besser. Also starring, but not yet a member of the cast was Mary Treen who played Joey's maid, Hilda. Near the end of the second season, Abby Dalton came up pregnant, and it was written into the show that Joey and Ellie have a baby. In the final episode of the second season, Ellie gives birth to Joey Barnes, Jr. whom was played by Abby Dalton's infant son Matthew David Smith.

At the start of the third season, the show began having various guest stars, who appear as themselves. Mary Treen by now had become a member of the cast. At the end of the third season, "The Joey Bishop Show" has guest star Andy Williams, starring as a guest star on his TV Talk Show. They discuss next years schedule then Andy says that his show has been picked up for another season, which Joey says "that's funny I haven't heard anything."

After ninety-seven episodes "The Joey Bishop Show" was canceled by NBC on September 5, 1964, only to be picked back up by CBS on September 27, 1964, with the show again, filmed in black and white. Abby Dalton was pregnant again. This pregnancy was also written into the show. On March 23, 1965, the baby was born and was played by Abby's new child, Kathleen Kinmont Smith. For the second time, the show was canceled again on September 7, 1965 because of bad ratings. In its four year run, the series produced 123 episodes, 58 in black and white, and 65 in color.

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