Today is “Retro Day” in The Starr Report — with a trip back to the 1970s.
First up is a note about the 40th anniversary of “Sanford and Son,” which premiered on NBC on Jan. 14, 1972 with star Redd Foxx — and immediately settled in as one of TV’s top-rated shows (usually trading the top spot with “All in the Family” — which, like “Sanford and Son,” was produced by Norman Lear and Bud Yorkin). “Sanford and Son,” which aired from 1972-77 was, up until recently, an integral part of TV Land’s nighttime lineup, but is no longer airing on that network. It can, however, be seen on Antenna TV.
(And, if you’re itching to learn more about the life of Redd Foxx, you can always check out the new book, “Black and Blue: The Redd Foxx Story,” written by yours truly.)
One of Redd Foxx’s TV contemporaries, “Kojak” star Telly Savalas, is getting the theatrical treatment in “Who Loves You, Baby?” in which Tom DiMenna portrays the chrome-domed TV star (the show borrows its title from Savalas’ catchphrase as chromed-domed Theo Kojak). DiMenna (as Savalas) croons, too, accompanied by pianist Alex Leonard.
The show, subtitled “A Posthumous Lounge Act,” has been extended at The Huron Club at The SoHo Playhouse (15 Vandam Street) and will run from Jan. 18 through April 15 (three times each week). It’s written by Hunter Nelson and is directed by veteran actor Taylor Negron (he played the stand-up comic in the 1988 Tom Hanks-Sally Field movie “Punchline” who had the memorable on-stage pronunciation of “area rug”). Negron, by the way, is also the cousin of Three Dog Night vocalist Chuck Negron.
“Who Loves You, Baby” co-stars Henry Kaiser as Telly Savalas’ brother, George, who played Det. Stavros in “Kojak.” Telly Savalas died in 1994 at the age of 72; George passed away in 1985 (he was 60).
And speaking of singing, TV producer Tony Biancosino (“Top Chef,” “Watch What Happens Live New Year’s Party,” “The Marriage Ref,” “Shark Tank”) is making his debut as a lyricist and composer in “LoveSick, or Things That Don’t Happen,” conceived and directed by his sister, Michole Biancosino.
The show, billed as a “anti-musical,” will run from Feb. 3 through Feb. 25 at 59E59 Theaters. It’s “a series of hilarious vignettes about love that doesn’t come with a happily ever after” and is being produced by Project Y Theatre Company.
It features a cast of 14 actor/musicians and was written by Lia Romeo with a set design by Kevin Judge and Jon Spurney’s musical direction.
More theatre: Playwright Richard Vetere will be feted on his 60th birthday with various readings of his plays at the Cherry Lane Theatre this Sunday.
The celebration, “A Life in the Theater,” will feature readings from 12 of Vetere’s plays featuring actors including Federico Castelluccio, Yvonne Maria Schaefer, Sean Patrick Reilly, Vincent Pastore and Mickey Sumner. There will also be special guests and speakers, including acclaimed playwright Israel Horovitz.
And TV personality and stand-up comedian John Fugelsang stars in “Guilt: A Love Story” for one night only on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Queens Theatre (14 United Nations Avenue South in Flushing Meadows Corona Park).
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Some ratings notes: The second-season premiere of Lifetime’s “Dance Moms” snared 2.5 million viewers Tuesday night (9 p.m.), up a whopping 150 percent from last season’s inaugural telecast and easily the most-watched episode in show history. It was also Lifetime’s best-ever Tuesday season opener (in total viewers) as life continued at the Pittsburgh-based Abby Lee Miller Dance Company.
Last week, in its first week sans former co-host Jillian Michaels (the week ending Jan. 8), “The Doctors” was up 13 percent (to a 1.5) from the previous week in the metered markets (final numbers won’t be available for a while).
Meanwhile, for the week ending Jan. 1, “Maury” (Maury Povich) hit a season-high 3.7 million viewers, his best numbers in nearly five years. “Judge Judy” (Judy Sheindlin) ruled the daytime roost that week with a whopping 10.8 million viewers, which was up 77 percent over the same week last year. Incredible.
“Rachael Ray,” which was just renewed for an additional two seasons, also hit a season high with a 1.8 household rating (and 2.5 million viewers) for the week ending Jan. 1.
In other numbers news, A&E’s “Shipping Wars” got off to a good start Tuesday night, averaging 3 million viewers with back-to-back episodes (9-10 p.m.).
And ABC Family’s “Pretty Little Liars” held its own Monday night against college football — ranking as TV’s top telecast in women 18-34, viewers 12-34 and females 12-34.
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Last, but not least:
* Radio Disney’s Ernie D. will be here to play the part of a Wildebeest in the Jan. 20 performance of “The Lion King” on Broadway . . . Accu Weather traffic guy Jim Kosek is leaving 1010 WINS . . . Ch. 4’s Bruce Beck has won the New York Sportscaster of the Year award for the fifth year running.