Shadow of a Doubt

I usually watch a Partridge Family episode on Friday to remind me of my childhood, but I was busy with A’s games during the weekend, so I saw “This Male Chauvinist Piggy Went to Market.” I thought that the grease stains on Laurie’s face didn’t look real. There was a familiar denim jacket in the episode. San Pueblo was having its 103rd anniversary celebrating, so it must have been founded in 1869. The featured song was “God Bless You Girl.” I went to work and felt extremely tired afterwards. I heard that Tampa Bay had lost, so the A’s were in the playoffs. I sat down to watch “Shadow of a Doubt,” the Hitchcock classic starring Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright. It had the small town feeling of “Our Town” or “It’s a Wonderful Life” with the criminal mind with something to hide, like “Psycho.” There was something like “Suspicion” going on with the story, so it wasn’t surprising that Hitchcock wanted to use Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine for the cast. Young Charlie is naïve and bored and wishes for the excitement that someone like Uncle Charlie would bring to this sleepy town of Santa Rosa. Cotten was great in films like “Citizen Kane” and “The Third Man.” The story was not the most believable. The police were stupid. They went straight into the house pretending to do a survey. Uncle Charlie is the most suspicious person in the world. His attempts at murder are terrible and clumsy. How did he go so long without getting caught? The cop who directs traffic knows young Charlie’s name, as does the librarian. Her illusions about her uncle are shattered when she looks at the newspaper in the library. We see a shot of the camera pulling back from her, and apparently the shadow of the camera is on Teresa’s back. I got tired of The Merry Widow Waltz. I found the relationship between young Charlie and the detective unbelievable. The last scene with her and her uncle was hard to believe, too. What was the reaction of the townspeople afterwards? I had to wonder whether the truth came out. There are strong emotions running through the movie, even from the kids. I wondered whether young Charlie had the slightest bit of sense, protecting a murderer because she was afraid of her mother’s response. This was Hume Cronyn’s first movie. I wouldn’t see him in a movie until “Cocoon,” I believe. This was Hitchcock’s personal favorite of all his films. I really liked his films in color, like “Rear Window” and “Vertigo.” Some of the people who died on September 25 include Ring Lardner (1933), John Bonham (1980), Walter Pidgeon (1984), Mary Astor (1987), Billy Carter (1988), George Plimpton (2003), Don Adams (2005), Andy Williams (2012), and Arnold Palmer (2016). Today is a birthday for Catherine Zeta-Jones (49), Heather Locklear (57), Mark Hamill (67), Michael Douglas (74), and Barbara Walters (89). According to the Brandon Brooks Rewind radio segment for September 25, “The Partridge Family,” loosely based on the story of The Cowsills, made its debut on ABC in 1970. In 1979, “Evita” had its Broadway premiere. In 1981, the Rolling Stones began their American concert tour at JFK Stadium in Philadelphia.

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Trevor Cahill’s Ineffectiveness

I awoke and watched CBS Sunday Morning.  One segment was about the return of “Murphy Brown.”  I liked the feature on Leonard Bernstein.  I felt for the Coliseum early because there was an event for A’s season ticket holders.  I got to the line in Lot K early but had to stand near a man who wouldn’t quit talking.  I had never been in the bowels of the stadium before.  I saw stadium employees looking over some canned goods and produce like celery.  I took a spot on the left field warning track.  I got autographs from Glen Kuiper, Edwin Jackson, Bob Melvin, Ken Korach, and Dustin Fowler.  Ryan Buchter borrowed my Sharpie to sign for someone else but passed me by, which I thought was curious.  I got photos of Stephen Piscotty and Mike Aldrete.  Kara Tsuboi interviewed a fan who visited all the way from London.  I made my way to the food trucks and bought a chicken cheesesteak and a root beer float.  With the team about to make it to the playoffs, it seemed that a larger crowd should have showed up, but I thought a lot of them were watching football on television.  Trevor Cahill was the starting pitcher for the A’s, facing the Twins on this Sunday afternoon.  Cahill had been pitching well at the Coliseum this season, but this would be a rough afternoon for him. He gave up a single to the first hitter of the game, and after a strikeout, he allowed a two-run home run.  He had a clean second inning and third inning, but would run into trouble in the fourth.  The A’s had two singles in the first inning, but Matt Chapman hit into a double play.  Matt Olson hit a home run in the second inning to make the score 2-1.  Ramon Laureano followed with a double, but no one was able to bring him in.  Cahill started the top of the fourth inning with a strikeout, but then he allowed a single, and then on a ground ball that appeared to be a double play about to happen, Chapman made a bad throw to second base for an error.  After a single and a double, Melvin took Cahill out of the game and brought in Shawn Kelley.  A sacrifice fly made the score 5-1 before Kelley got the third out.  In the bottom of the inning, Khris Davis walked but nothing came of it.  Yusmeiro Petit pitched the top of the fifth inning and allowed only a single.  In the bottom of the inning, Lucroy and Martinti walked with one out, but Chapman hit into a double play.  The Twins’ third baseman made a good play on Chapman’s ball that could have produced at least one run.  Nancy Finley, daughter of Charlie Finley, was selling her book “Finley Ball,” and I went by her table but didn’t like what I saw, and so decided to buy the book later.  Emilio Pagan went out to pitch the top of the sixth inning.  He struck out the first hitter, but Lucroy made an error that allowed the runner to reach first inning.  Pagan got the next three outs and so essentially got four outs in the inning.  In This Date in A’s History, Jose Canseco reached 40 stolen bases and 40 home runs in 1988.  In the bottom of the sixth inning, Olson and Laureano singled with two outs, but Semien swung at the first pitch and flied out.  Dennis Eckersley was able to win the Big Head race, possibly the last one of the year.  Liam Hendriks went out to pitch an inning that wasn’t the first inning for a change.  He allowed a single, but a double play and a ground ball ended the inning.  Hendriks also pitched the eighth inning.  He again gave up a single to the first hitter, but then a fly ball to left field was the first out, a runner thrown out trying to steal second base was the second out, and a strikeout was the third out.  In the bottom of the inning, Piscotty singled with one out and Olson singled with two outs, but Laureano struck out, so the score was stuck at 5-1.  J.B. Wendelken pitched the top of the ninth inning.  After getting the first out, he gave up a hit, but a double play ended the inning.  It didn’t seem as though the A’s were going to come back from four runs behind in the last inning, and they didn’t.  They managed only a walk from Lowrie.  Martini made the last out with a strikeout.  Playoff merchandise might have gone on sale at the team store if the A’s had won, but now I didn’t have to spend that money.  The A’s lost ground to the Astros and missed the chance to gain ground on the Yankees.  I didn’t say goodbye to the usher, even though I may not see them again until next year.  This game began at 1:07 with a game time temperature of 71 degrees, and it ended at 4:09.  The attendance was 35,754.  I made my way home on a train car that was noisy with the sound of beer bottles rolling on the floor.  Back at home, I fell asleep watching the football game with the Patriots and the Lions.  The Raiders had a bad loss.  I listened to Robert Hilburn’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Times radio program on KCSN.  He played songs from Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bruce Springsteen, and Moby.  I heard the news that Tiger Woods won a tournament.  Some of the people who died on September 24 include John Bonham (1980), Neil Hamilton (1984), and Dr. Seuss (1991).  Today is a birthday for Joe Greene (72).  According to the Brandon Brooks Rewind radio segment for September 24, “Three Days of the Condor,” starring Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway, was released in 1975.  In 1978, the Mary Tyler Moore variety television series “Mary” premiered, although it would last only for three episodes.  In 1982, “Amityville II: The Possession” was released.  In 1983, Billy Joel had the Number One single, “Tell Her About It.”  In 1991, Nirvana released their “Nevermind” album.  In 1993, the Richard Linklater film “Dazed and Confused,” featuring Ben Affleck and Matthew McConaughey, was released.

Stephen Piscotty’s Run on a Walk-Off Wild Pitch

I walked out of the theatre over to the BART station and took a train out to the Coliseum.  I reached the stadium just after 3:30 and got through the season ticket holder line and went to my seat.  I watched the A’s take batting practice, and I prepared my scorebook.  Perhaps I should have bought a scratch-off ticket for the jersey giveaway.  I went over to the team store and bought a 1989 World Series cap, and then I headed to the food trucks for chicken teriyaki and a mango peach Italian ice.  I settled into my seat.  A feisty old man sat in front of me.  Mike Fiers was the A’s starting pitcher facing the Twins on this Saturday night.  He had a strong first inning with three strikeouts.  He allowed only a single with two outs in the second inning.  In the third inning, a double, a single, and a sacrifice fly would give the Twins the game’s first run.  The A’s didn’t answer until the bottom of the fifth inning.  After Stephen Piscotty flied out, Ramon Laureano singled and Marcus Semien hit a home run.  The A’s would load the bases, but Khris Davis struck out.  Fiers would finish his night with a clean sixth inning.  Matt Olson helped him out with a great play on a ground ball for the second out.  In the previous inning, Matt Chapman got the third out with a very good play on a bunt.  In the Big Head race, Rickey Henderson stopped to pick up third base and carry it the rest of the way, allowing Dennis Eckersley to win.  Jeurys Familia replaced Mike Fiers on the mound for the top of the seventh inning.  After getting a ground out, Familia allowed a double and a single, giving the Twins the tying run at 2-2.  He did get the next batter out, and then Bob Melvin called upon Ryan Buchter, who got the third out.  Buchter allowed a walk to start off the eighth inning, but he picked off the runner and then got a fly ball to left field for the second out.  Melvin went with a pitching change to Fernando Rodney, who allowed a walk before getting the third out on a ground ball.  The bottom of the inning started out well for the A’s with singles from Chapman and Lowrie, but after a pitching change, Khris Davis hit into a double play.  After another pitching change, Matt Olson grounded out.  Blake Treinen went out to pitch the top of the ninth inning.  He allowed only a single with two outs, so the bottom of the ninth inning started with the score still tied at 2-2.  Piscotty doubled.  Laureano struck out.  Semien reached base on a throwing error by the shortstop, with Piscotty going to third base.  Matt Joyce came in to pinch-hit for Lucroy, but he was intentionally walked to load the bases.  Mark Canha struck out, so we were in danger of going to extra innings.  However, with Matt Chapman batting, a wild pitch allowed Piscotty to score from third base.  Suddenly, the game was over with a 3-2 win.  The A’s were close to securing a playoff spot.  This game started at 6:08 with a game time temperature of 64 degrees, and it ended at 9:11.  The attendance was 36,731.  The fans who won the jerseys off the player’s backs went down the aisle near me onto the field.  I took photos and got into the line to go onto the field for the fireworks show.  I sat on the grass in front of the A’s dugout.  I watched the video more than the fireworks.  As I left the stadium, the usher in my section said that she would see me tomorrow.  This afternoon’s game could be the last home game of the season.  The Angels and the Orioles were not helping out the A’s at all.  I headed back home on a crowded train.  I had missed the Saturday Night Movie on KQED, which was “Ocean’s 11.”  According to the Brandon Brooks Rewind radio segment for September 23, the Walker Brothers reached Number One on the singles chart in the U.K. with “Make It Easy on Yourself” in 1965.  In 1969, the first episode of “Marcus Welby, M.D.” aired on ABC.  In 1979, “Archie Bunker’s Place” debuted on CBS.

Kusama: Infinity

I went over to the theatre and saw “Kusama: Infinity,” the documentary about Yayoi Kusama.  She has become a popular artist, but she did struggle to become accepted.  Her creations show a lot of polka dots, or they are rooms with mirrors.  She made statements against the Vietnam War and held happenings with nudity.  Back in Japan, her name was erased from her high school graduation record, as she was considered an embarrassment to her conservative hometown.  It felt like there was a little bit of Janis Joplin in her story.  She presided over the happening “Homosexual Wedding” in 1968.  The movie didn’t convince me that she is a genius.  I couldn’t tell how much she really had to say.  She said that now that her life is in its last phase, she is focused on art.  She was born on March 22, 1929 and so is 89 years old.  This film is not what I would call brilliant, but you might want to see it to get a glimpse of Kusama’s work and her life.  Some of the people who died on September 23 include Sigmund Freud (1939), Pablo Neruda (1973), Cliff Arquette (1974), and Bob Fosse (1987).  Today is a birthday for Jason Alexander (59) and Bruce Springsteen (69).

Khris Davis’ Bookend Home Run for a Walk-Off Win

After work, I took the bus over to the Rockridge BART station and made my way to the Coliseum.  I got there early and was one of the first people in the season ticket holder line.  I stood there listening to the radio.  The giveaway was a Sean Manaea bobblehead, and we also got Mark McGwire cheer cards.  I took my seat for a while and watched batting practice.  I filled out my scorecard before heading to the food trucks.  I bought a cheesesteak sandwich and a root beer float.  The A’s were not getting any help in the playoff race this night, as the Yankees and Astros were winning.  The Twins were the visiting team on this Friday night.  Liam Hendriks was starting, or opening, this game for the A’s.  After a strikeout, he got into a bit of trouble with a walk and a single, but he escaped with another strikeout and a ground ball.  The A’s scored in the bottom of the inning.  With two outs, Jed Lowrie walked and Khris Davis hit a home run. Chris Bassitt pitched the top of the second inning and had a clean inning.  In the bottom of the inning, Ramon Laureano singled with one out, went to third base on Marcus Semien’s single, and scored on Jonathan Lucroy’s sacrifice fly.  Bassitt allowed a walk and hit a batter with a pitch in the top of the third inning, but he kept the score at 3-0.  He allowed only a two-out double in the fourth inning.  In the bottom of that inning, the A’s scored again.  Stephen Piscotty was hit by a pitch.  He went to Laureano’s single and scored on a fly ball from Semien.  Things were looking pretty good with a 4-0 score after Bassitt pitched a clean fifth inning with two strikeouts.  However, when Lou Trivino came in for the sixth inning, he didn’t pitch well, facing four batters and not getting any of them out.  He allowed a double, and then a home run that made the score 4-2.  After two more singles, Bob Melvin went out to the mound and called for Shawn Kelley.  A double made the score 4-3.  Two balls hit to Piscotty went for two outs, and then Melvin decided on the intentional walk to Joe Maurer to load the bases.  That turned out to be the wrong decision, as Kelley gave up a double that scored three runs, putting the Twins ahead, 6-4, although the A’s caught the runner between second and third for an out that went 8-5-6-3.  However, the A’s didn’t crumble, as they responded in the bottom of the inning.  Piscotty drew a walk.  Laureano and Semien were both called out on strikes, but Mark Canha, pinch-hitting for Matt Joyce, who was pinch-hitting for Jonathan Lucroy, hit a big home run that tied the score at 6-6.  In the Big Head race, Rickey Henderson pushed aside Dennis Eckersley and won.  Ryan Buchter pitched a clean seventh inning.  Jeurys Familia pitched the top of the eighth inning and allowed only a two-out single.  In the bottom of the inning, Matt Olson appeared to have a hit with a ground ball that hit first base, but the umpires missed it.  Olson ended up with a single, but nothing came of it.  Blake Treinen went out to pitch the top of the ninth inning.  Olson made a good play for the first out, and Treinen went on to have a clean inning.  With the chance to win the game in the bottom of the inning, the A’s got a walk from Canha with one out and a double from Chapman with two outs, but Lowrie swung at the first pitch and made the third out.  Treinen went out for the tenth inning and pitched a clean and quick inning.  Khris Davis came up to bat in the bottom of the inning.  He took the first pitch for ball one, but then swung at the next pitch, and it went over the fence for the bookend home run and the walk-off win.  The final score was 7-6.  The fans acted like they didn’t want to leave.  I moved towards the exit.  The game had started at 7:07 with a game time temperature of 60 degrees, and it ended at 10:28.  The attendance was 27,558.  The fans were happy.  I hurried on home.  I saw Loni Anderson on Match Game 78 and went to sleep.  Some of the people who died on September 22 include Dan Rowan (1987), Irving Berlin (1989), Dorothy Lamour (1994), George C. Scott (1999), Isaac Stern (2001), Marcel Marceau (2007), and Eddie Fisher (2010), and Yogi Berra (2015).  Today is a birthday for Bonnie Hunt (57), Andrea Bocelli (60), Joan Jett (60), and Debby Boone (62).  According to the Brandon Brooks Rewind radio segment for September 22, The Band’s self-titled second album was released in 1969.  In 1986, “ALF” had its television premiere on NBC.  In 1994, “Friends” debuted on NBC.  In 2003, Gordon Jump of “WKRP in Cincinnati” died of lung disease at age 71.

Marcus Semien’s 5 RBI

I took BART over to the Coliseum.  I watched the A’s pitchers on the field doing their game preparations.  I went to the food trucks and bought sliders.  I saw Ken Korach going to the Capelo’s Barbecue truck.  I bought a strawberry sorbet and sat down in the shade.  I bought a 1974 World Series cap and hung out the Treehouse.  Edwin Jackson was the starting pitcher for the A’s, facing the Angels, and there was some confusion about the count to the first batter.  It seemed as though five of eight pitches were balls, but either way it was a walk before a single.  Jackson did get the next three batters out, two of them by strikeout.  Jacoson had a clean second inning with another two strikeouts.  He would give up a walk and a double in the third inning, giving the Angels a 1-0 lead.  The bottom of the third inning started with singles from Josh Phegley and Nick Martini.  Matt Chapman doubled for two runs and a 2-1 lead.  Jed Lowrie singled, but Khris Davis struck out swinging.  Matt Olson was called out on strikes, but Piscotty hit a home run to left center field.  The score was 5-1.  After a pitching change, Laureano grounded out.  The fourth inning was a good one for Jackson, as he struck out everyone he faced.  The bottom of the inning started with Marcus Semien, but then Josh Phegley lined into a double play.  Nick Martini reached base on a throwing error.  Chapman, Lowrie and Davis each singled, pushing the score to 7-1.  Olson singled, and the score was 8-1, and Piscotty singled, making the score 9-1.  After a pitching change, Laureano doubled, and the score was 10-1, and then Semien singled, making the score 12-1.  Phegley made the last out.  Jackson continued pitching well, getting three grounds in the fifth inning.  In the sixth inning, Jackson got the first out, but then he allowed a home run to Mike Trout.  After a walk to Ohtani, Bob Melvin called on Emilio Pagan, who got a ground out and a strikeout.  In the bottom of the inning, Khris Davis doubled and Matt Olson walked.  Piscotty walked to load the bases.  Dustin Fowler came in pinch-run for Piscotty, and then Ramon Laureano singled for one walk, and the score was 13-2.  Semien doubled, making the score 16-2.  After a pitching change, Phegley singled for a 17-2 score.  Martini singled, and then Chad Pinder entered the game as Matt Chapman’s servant.  Pinder walked to load the bases.  Franklin Barreto, pinch-hitting for Lowrie, grounded into a double play, but a run came into the home, making the score 18-2.  Pinch-hitter Beau Taylor replaced Davis, and he walked.  Matt Olson walked.  Fowler struck out.  J.B. Wendelken replaced Pagan for the top of the seventh inning.  Olson caught a foul ball for the first out, and Pinder caught a foul ball for the second out.  A ground out to Semien was the third out.  In the bottom of the inning, Angels catcher Francisco Arcia pitched.  Matt Joyce pinch-hit for Laureano and popped out to shortstop.  Semien lined out to center.  Phegley singled.  Nick Martini hit his first home run, pushing the score to 20-2, and Pinder followed with another home run, making it 21-2.  Barreto flied out for the third out.  Dean Kiekhefer pitched the top of the eighth inning.  He gave up a double, but then he got a strikeout.  Two ground outs followed.  In the bottom of the inning, Canha singled, and that was it.  Chris Hatcher pitched the top of the ninth inning.  A ground ball to Barreto was the first out, and a fly ball to Fowler was the second out.  Hatcher then gave up a home run to Arcia, the catcher who had just given up two home runs.  A ball hit to Pinder was the last out of the game.  The final football score was 21-3.  This game started at 12:37 with a game time temperature of 79 degrees, and it ended at 3:59.  The attendance was 17,217.  I had some work to do for my classes.  I discovered that the FedEx deliverer had come by and left my package at a Walgreens.  It was the box containing my Warriors season tickets.  It came with a lanyard and a car flag.  I wanted to sleep.  Some of the people who died on September 21 include Virgil (19 BC), Walter Brennan (1974), Jacquelin Susann (1974), Jaco Pastorius (1987), Florence Griffith Joyner (1998), and Alice Ghostley (2007).  Today is a birthday for Liam Gallagher (46), Luke Wilson (47), Bill Murray (68) and Stephen King (71), and Fannie Flagg (74).  According to the Brandon Brooks Rewind radio segment for September 21, “Perry Mason” had its television debut in 1957.  In 1963, Bobby Vinton was Number One on the singles chart with “Blue Velvet.”  In 1968, Jeanne C. Riley was Number One on the singles chart with “Harper Valley P.T.A.”  In 1970, Monday Night Football on ABC had its premiere with a game featuring the Cleveland Browns and the New York Jets.  In 1979, various media reported that The Beatles were considering a reunion to benefit Vietnamese boat people.  In 2001, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, U2, Neil Young, and Billy Joel performed for the benefit concert called America: A Tribute to Heroes.  In 2004, a plane with Yusef Islam on board was diverted to Bangor, Maine because his name was on the No Fly List. 

Stephen Piscotty’s 5 RBI

I finished grading papers and stopped at home for a few minutes before catching the buses out to the Fruitvale BART station. I made my way to the Coliseum just before the doors opened for season ticket holders. The A’s weren’t out for batting practice, so I sat down in my seat and wrote in my scorebook. I went out to the food trucks and bought a California beef burrito and then a mint Oreo shake. It was Cal and Stanford Night, and I saw the Stanford tree in the stands. The A’s starting pitcher in this game with the Angels was Brett Anderson, and for a change we were seeing a pitcher who worked at a good pace, unlike someone like Cory Gearrin. Anderson got 12 of the first 13 hitters he faced out, and 19 out of first 21. He was one out shy of finishing seven innings, and he allowed only three hits with no walks. The A’s did nothing with their bats in the first three innings, but in the fourth inning their first seven hitters all reached base safely. During that stretch, a Jed Lowrie double scored two runs, as did a Stephen Piscotty double, and Ramon Laureno singled in one more run. Marcus Semien stuck out, but Jonathan Lucroy hit a sacrifice fly that brought in the sixth run of the inning. Nick Martini grounded out to end the inning. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Chapman singled but Lowrie popped out to second. Khris Davis walked. Matt Olson stuck out, but Piscotty hit an impressive home run that made the score 9-0 and seemed to put away the game. We saw Rickey Henderson easily win another Big Head race. Ryan Dull got the last out of the top of the seventh inning with one pitch. During the seventh inning stretch, we heard KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight.” In the bottom of the inning, Franklin Barreto pinch-hit for Lowrie and struck out. Matt Joyce pinch-hit for Davis and singled. Olson reached base when the first baseman tried to throw to second base for a force out but made an error. Piscotty was hit by a pitch to load the bass. Laureano hit a sacrifice fly, and Joyce came home on the play, making the score 10-0. Dustin Fowler went out to pinch-run for Piscotty. Semien walked. Beau Taylor pinch-hit for Lucroy and grounded out to the pitcher. Chad Pinder replaced Chapman at third base. Ryan Dull faced two hitters in the top of the eighth inning and got both of them out. Frankie Montas came in to replace Dull and he got the third out on a fly ball to right field. Aaron Brooks pitched the ninth inning. A ground ball to Semien was the first out, and a ground ball to Barreto was the second out. Brooks allowed a single, but a pop to Semien was the last out of the game. The Yankees, the Rays, and the Mariners all won, but the Astros lost, so the A’s gained ground against one team. I saw the Banjo Man in my section during the fourth inning. The Stanford band played loudly during some of the breaks. The Wave was started briefly at about 9:19. This Date in A’s History showed Matt Olson hitting a home run in 2017. I saw more A’s caps in Cal colors than in Stanford colors among the fans in the stands. The game had started at 7:06 with a game time temperature of 70 degrees, and it ended at 9:29. The attendance was 16,425. I headed home to watch the news. I also saw Jane Fonda on the Stephen Colbert show. Some of the people who died on September 20 include Jean Sibelius (1957), Jim Croce (1973), Steve Goodman (1984), Roy Kinnear (1988), and Jack Larson (2015). Today is a birthday for Sophia Loren (84). According to the Brandon Brooks Rewind radio segment for September 20, the television series “Burke’s Law” with Gene Barry made its debut on ABC in 1963. In 1973, Jim Croce died at age 30 in a plane crash in Louisiana. In 1976, “The Captain and Tennille” premiered on ABC, with the first episode featuring Jackie Gleason, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Gabe Kaplan, Penny Marshall, and Ron Palillo. In 1977, the spinoff series “Lou Grant” premiered on CBS. In 1984, the first episode of “The Cosby Show” aired on NBC. 1985, the Robert Urich television series “Spencer: For Hire” debuted on ABC. In In 1986, the television series “Matlock,” starring Andy Griffith, debuted on NBC in 1986.