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APRIL 2023 PREMIERES SHOWCASE NEW ORIGINAL STORIES ABOUT BELOVED TV ICONS ELIZABETH MONTGOMERY, ROBERT REED AND FLIP WILSON
"On Patrol: Live" New Episodes Every Friday and Saturday Night Starting at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT Featuring Host and Executive Producer Dan Abrams and Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin Alongside Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson
"Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life" New Original Special Celebrates the Nose Twitching Star and the Series About a Witch Next Door Who Had Audiences Spellbound
"Autopsy: The Last Hours of... " Returns with New Stories About the Memorable Careers of Actor Robert Reed and Comedian Flip Wilson While Examining Their Untimely Deaths
New "MLW Underground Wrestling" Events Every Tuesday in Primetime Showcase Professional Wrestling for a New Generation
(Albuquerque, NM) Tuesday, March 21, 2023 - REELZ today announced its April 2023 premieres led by poignant new original stories about the lives and legacies of TV, movie and comedy legends Elizabeth Montgomery, Robert Reed and Flip Wilson along with new episodes of MLW Underground Wrestling and new episodes of hit documentary series On Patrol: Live every Friday and Saturday at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT. Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life celebrates the series about the pretty witch married to a skeptical mortal that became an award winning hit series. Sharing their stories of Bewitched and its star are Montgomery's son Billy Asher and actors Richard Dreyfuss, Sally Struthers and Bernie Kopell among many others. Autopsy: The Last Hours of... returns with new stories focused on towering talents Robert Reed and Flip Wilson including examining the causes of their untimely deaths from rare forms of cancer. Both Reed and Wilson led markedly different lives than the jovial onscreen characters they portrayed often indulging heavily in toxic vices. Using medical records and first-hand accounts from people close to them Autopsy: The Last Hours of... sheds light on whether their off screen habits played a role in their deaths.
"April 2023 premieres spotlight beloved stars and the monumental shows they gave life to, their memorable characters who made us laugh and the legacies they forged," said Steve Cheskin, SVP of Programming at REELZ. "April also brings must-see TV in primetime every week with new episodes every Friday and Saturday of the hit series On Patrol: Live where the action is as real as it gets and what happens is always unexpected."
April 2023 premieres are led by live action in primetime with new episodes of On Patrol: Live every Friday and Saturday at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT. On Patrol: Live follows live news-gathering protocols as its cameras document for viewers in real time the work of police officers on patrol from diverse departments across the country. Host and executive producer Dan Abrams, alongside Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin (ret.) and Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson provide minute-by-minute live analysis and context, offering unique insight into the experiences of men and women of law enforcement appearing on the show. Before every new episode of On Patrol: Live is a new episode of On Patrol: First Shift every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT featuring Abrams, Larkin and Wilson who provide updates of past stories covered by the show and present a look forward to the coming live episode.
The supernatural housewife witch Samantha Stephens on Bewitched always had a trick up her sleeve. Elizabeth Montgomery was brilliant in her role as the nose twitching spellcaster for eight seasons earning five Emmy Award(R) nominations. On Sunday, April 16 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT new original special Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life shows the magic behind the hit sitcom that ran from 1964-1972 and its star whose real life was far from enchanted as she grappled with growing up in the shadow of her disapproving famous father Robert Montgomery. Narrated by Erin Murphy who played Samantha's daughter Tabitha on Bewitched the special also features new interviews with Richard Dreyfuss who recalls his fifth ever onscreen role as a shapeshifting warlock on Bewitched and Nancy Kovack who discusses the palpable tension on set while shooting the pilot. Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life also delves into the complex relationship between Montgomery and her father that many say drove her personal and professional decision making throughout her life.
As one of the most sought after TV stars of his generation Robert Reed had become hugely popular as family dad Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch. But despite his fame from The Brady Bunch as well as more than 100 TV and movie roles over a nearly 40 year career in Hollywood Reed still managed to hide massive secrets about his personal life. His death at just 59 years old shocked the world and left many questions about what caused him to lose his life at such a relatively young age. On Sunday, April 23 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Robert Reed" highlights his remarkable career and examines the circumstances surrounding his untimely death from a rare form of colon cancer that makes up less than a percent of all colon cancer cases in the U.S. While his acting talent was renowned many including The Brady Bunch producer Lloyd J. Schwartz recall his onset outbursts and subsequent binge drinking incidents that would occasionally derail filming. Was the vicious cycle of stress coupled with an unhealthy coping mechanism a factor in his death? And were there other deeper experiences that Reed was struggling to manage that might have played a role?
Wrapping up April 2023 premieres is a new story about legendary comedian and actor Flip Wilson in Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Flip Wilson" on Sunday, April 30 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT. Known for his iconic comedy characters most notably the irrepressible Geraldine, Wilson coined some of the greatest comedy catchphrases of all time including Geraldine's "The devil made me do it". Wilson rose from poverty to become one of the most successful comedians of his generation but his death at the relatively young age of 64 years old devastated friends, family and fans. Wilson had a rare form of biliary cancer that has a very low survival rate but what were the possible causes for the cancer and was there anything in his life that could shed light on how this vicious cancer originated?
Below is April 2023 programming listed by premiere date and time. Full synopses for every show follow this list.
Saturday, April 1
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Tuesday, April 4
*NEW* MLW Underground Wrestling at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT
Friday, April 7
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Saturday, April 8
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Tuesday, April 11
*NEW* MLW Underground Wrestling at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT
Friday, April 14
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Saturday, April 15
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Sunday, April 16
Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Tuesday, April 18
*NEW* MLW Underground Wrestling at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT
Friday, April 21
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Saturday, April 22
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Sunday, April 23
*NEW* Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Robert Reed" at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Tuesday, April 25
*NEW* MLW Underground Wrestling at 10pm ET/ 7pm PT
Friday, April 28
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Saturday, April 29
*NEW* On Patrol: First Shift at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT
*NEW* On Patrol: Live at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Sunday, April 30
*NEW* Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Flip Wilson" at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT
Below are detailed descriptions for April 2023 programming in order of premiere date and time:
On Patrol: First Shift new episodes every Friday and Saturday at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT. Dan Abrams, Sean "Sticks" Larkin and Curtis Wilson provide updates of past stories covered by the show and present a look forward to the coming live episode. On Patrol: First Shift is produced by Half Moon Pictures for REELZ.
On Patrol: Live new episodes every Friday and Saturday at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT. On Patrol: Live follows live news-gathering protocols as its more than 50 cameras document for viewers in real time the everyday work of police officers on patrol. Series host and Executive Producer Dan Abrams, alongside Sgt. Sean "Sticks" Larkin (ret.) and Deputy Sheriff Curtis Wilson, provide minute-by-minute live analysis and context, offering viewers unique insight into the experiences of the men and women of law enforcement appearing on the show. On Patrol: Live also engages the community by inviting them into the series. "Citizen Ride-Alongs" give local residents, within the communities of the departments appearing on the show, a first-hand perspective as they ride along with officers followed by On Patrol: Live cameras on live nights; "Citizens On-Set" invites community members into the studio as guests where they can share their Ride-Along experiences and observations and comment on the night's live activities. Both features offer a unique opportunity for viewers and members of the community to gain unprecedented access to law enforcement - from routine calls and high-stakes incidents to tracking down fugitives of justice and recovering missing children. The live show content is complemented by public-service segments dedicated to tracking down America's worst and most wanted criminals as well as finding missing children through weekly "Missing" segments that air in conjunction with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the Black and Missing Foundation (BAMFI). During these segments, series hosts Dan Abrams, Sean "Sticks" Larkin and Curtis Wilson call on the viewing public and OPL's broad social media footprint, known as #OPNation, to reach out to NCMEC's and BAMFI's special hotlines, should they have any information related to the missing persons. The segments are also shared via the show's platforms on Twitter (@OfficialOPLive), Instagram (@officialoplive) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/ReelzOfficialOPLive/). Since the series premiere last summer five minors have been recovered and reunited with loved ones after On Patrol: Live viewers saw the "Missing" segments and sent in tips. On Patrol: Live is produced by Half Moon Pictures for REELZ. Executive Producers are Dan Cesareo, John Zito, Lucilla D'Agostino, Paul Gordon, Joe Venafro and Dan Abrams.
Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life premieres on Sunday April 16 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT. Among the most enduring TV sitcoms of all time Bewitched remains treasured nearly 60 years after its debut. The star of the series Elizabeth Montgomery was a complex and strong-willed woman whose life and career became an ongoing quest for love and recognition she never received from her movie star father. Bewitched was one of the biggest hits on TV during the turbulent 1960s as the playful magic on the series served as an escape from the era's unrest that included the JFK assassination and the Vietnam War. But despite being a comedy that brought laughter to millions it was the drama on set that began to curse the show as infidelities entangled series director Bill Asher who at the time was married to Montgomery. The slight led Montgomery herself to have an affair with another Bewitched director. Piling onto the off screen drama was a wider shift within the TV landscape as audiences were leaving fantasy hijinks behind in favor of the edgier storytelling seen in All in the Family. Following Bewitched, Montgomery unexpectedly received another wave of fame becoming the small screen's first "Queen of the TV movies" with groundbreaking movies including A Case of Rape and The Legend of Lizzie Borden. She eventually marries a fourth and final time to actor Robert Foxworth and dies at just 62 years old from colon cancer. But like Lucille Ball before her Montgomery becomes an influential Hollywood female powerhouse and trailblazer who continues to bewitch millions of TV viewers around the world. Elizabeth Montgomery: A Bewitched Life is produced by AMS Pictures.
Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Robert Reed" premieres on Sunday, April 23 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT. Boasting a career that spanned nearly 40 years, Robert Reed starred in more than 100 movie and TV shows. Reed caught his first big break on the legal drama The Defenders which led to him to signing a development deal with a studio. Reed was reluctant when they offered him the father role in a new sitcom pilot called The Brady Bunch but it was the part of Mike Brady that catapulted him to stardom. Reed became a household name often described as "The Dad of America" and one of the best-known actors of his generation. Alongside the many Brady sitcom spin-offs Reed continued to take on more serious acting roles three of which earned him Emmy Award(R) nominations. But behind his jovial onscreen image was an often unhappy man who battled with living a double life for many years. His death at just 59 years old was attributed to a rare form of colon cancer. After his passing came shocking revelations that told a story about his life vastly different from the charming onscreen Brady many knew. His public persona was a façade concealing many secrets including some that impacted his health. So why did one of America's most treasured actors die so young? And how did he succumb to the deadly disease so quickly? Renowned forensic pathologist and medical examiner Dr. Michael Hunter looks into Reed's personal history, lifestyle and medical past in order to find the answers. Autopsy: The Last Hours of... is produced by Potato, part of ITV Studios.
Autopsy: The Last Hours of... "Flip Wilson" premieres on Sunday, April 30 at 9pm ET/ 6pm PT. Flip Wilson was a groundbreaking funny man who was renowned for his generosity and sharing his success with extended family and helping to pave the way for rising stars through his own primetime comedy show The Flip Wilson Show. With his one of a kind characters and comedy Wilson was a true original who overcame a childhood marred by terrible abuse and poverty to become a millionaire, winning Emmy Awards(R) and a Grammy Award(R) but remained tormented by the ghosts from his past and wrestled with drinking and drugs throughout his illustrious career. On the night of November 25, 1998 Wilson died at just 64 years old from a rare form of colon cancer. Wilson will always be remembered as the gifted comedian who burned fiercely, lighting up our television screens in the 1970s. Despite employing a tenacity that took him from the starving streets of Jersey City to the glamorous bright lights of Hollywood he was brought down by an incurable cancer that took his life in a matter of months. Now renowned medical examiner and forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Hunter investigates and analyzes all the available evidence including his medical history along with first-hand accounts from his life to find out what caused the deadly cancer that took such an incredible comedy icon's life. Autopsy: The Last Hours of... is produced by Potato, part of ITV Studios.
About REELZ - REAL LIVES. REAL STORIES. REAL CELEBRITIES.(R)
REELZ is a leading independent television network that is home to the hit original series On Patrol: Live that follows law enforcement officers live from a diverse mix of police departments and sheriff offices across America. REELZ original programming is focused on real people in revealing stories ranging from the critically acclaimed and award-winning The Kennedys to Autopsy: The Last Hours of... and the network is also home to true crime stories and law enforcement action including Gangsters: America's Most Wanted, Mobsters, COPS, COPS Reloaded and Jail that take place in real communities across America.
REELZ is available in more than 40 million homes on DIRECTV (238), DISH Network (299), Verizon FiOS TV (692HD), AT&T U-verse (799/1799HD) and Xfinity, Spectrum, Optimum, Mediacom, Peacock, Philo, Freecast, DIRECTV Stream, Dish Sling and many other cable systems and major streaming services nationwide. Find REELZ in your area by visiting www.reelz.com. If REELZ is not available, or not in HD, on your cable, telco or streaming provider, we encourage viewers to call them and ask for it. Owned by Hubbard Media Group, REELZ is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM with national ad sales based in New York City with offices in Chicago and Los Angeles.
REELZ library programing is available in more than 30 million additional homes and growing via major streaming platforms such as Amazon Channels, Fire TV, Roku, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, Samsung Smart TV+, Vizio, Crackle, Xumo, Redbox, FreeVee and Local Now.
As one of the last truly independent television networks remaining in today's media landscape REELZ has created the Independence Happens Here(R) website to help keep free thought and innovation alive by highlighting the importance of independent businesses. The website can be found at http://IndependenceHappensHere.com.
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