TVXOHOF TRIBUTE - MIKE DITKA!

 
From Wikipedia:
Michael Keller Ditka (born Michael Dyczko; October 18, 1939 – October 9, 2026) was an American professional football player, coach, and commentator. During his playing career as a tight end, he was UPI NFL Rookie of Year in 1961, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and a six-time All-Pro with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles, and Dallas Cowboys in the National Football League (NFL); he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988. Ditka was the first tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 yards receiving in his rookie season.

He was an NFL champion with the 1963 Bears and a three-time Super Bowl champion, playing on the Cowboys' Super Bowl VI team, winning as an assistant coach for the Cowboys in Super Bowl XII, and coaching the Bears to victory in Super Bowl XX. He has been named to the NFL's 75th- and 100th-Anniversary All-Time Teams.

As a head coach for the Bears from 1982 to 1992, he was twice both the AP and UPI NFL Coach of Year (1985 and 1988). He also was the head coach of the New Orleans Saints from 1997 to 1999.

Ditka and Tom Flores are the only people in NFL history to win a Super Bowl as a player, an assistant coach, and a head coach. Ditka, Flores, Gary Kubiak, and Doug Pederson are also the only people in modern NFL history to win a championship as head coach of a team for which they played previously.[1] Ditka is the only person to participate in both of the last two Chicago Bears' league championships, as a player in 1963 and head coach in 1985.

MIKE DITKA

With his oversized, bellicose personality, Ditka was a natural for playing himself in various TV shows, mostly sitcoms.  (While he did appear in '3rd Rock From The Sun' as another character, he was still a coach.)  That's why he's going into the TVXOHOF as a member of the League of Themselves.

Here's his tally which qualified him for membership.

BRIAN'S SONG (1971)

O'Bservation: A unique situation in that Ditka shows up in the archival footage of the games, but an extra stood in for him during scenes of practice.

THE TONIGHT SHOW with JOHNNY CARSON (1987)

O'Bservation: Both the televersions of Carson and the show itself are in the Hall, so I'm including this appearance.

CAMPBELL'S CHUNKY SIRLOIN BURGER SOUP COMMERCIAL (1988)

O'Bservation: Behind the scenes in Toobworld, a celebrity endorsement is a sign that you made it.  

L.A. LAW
THE LAST GASP (1990)

From the IMDb: Kelsey represents a frustrated Chicago Bears fan who is suing the team's staff.

O'Bservation: Mike Ditka was sworn in to testify and I don't think his combative attitude helped either side.

CHEERS
ONE FOR THE ROAD (1993)

O'Bservation: In the series finale, Ditka and Kim Alexis presented a Cable Ace award for writing to Diane Chambers.

COACH
A PLAYER TO BE NAMED LATER (1996)

O'Bservation: In a panic, Hayden Fox called Ditka for advice during the draft picks.  Ditka thought it was somebody pranking him.  

BECKER
THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (2001)

O'Bservation: Becker entered the coffee shop with a typical rant, complaining about pro football players.  Ditka was already in there and he shot down Becker's argument.  I don't know about the other characters, but I don't think Dr. Becker realized who that was.  

ACCORDING TO JIM
CARS & CHICKS (2002)

O'Bservation: Jim saw Mike Ditka and was awestruck by the aura of his celebrity status.

SECOND STRING (TV MOVIE 2002)

O'Bservation: This was fictional, but using real team names (the Buffalo Bills) and people like Ditka.  But that's okay.  All of these entries took place only in Earth Prime-Time.  We're not inducting the real Ditka, but his televersion.  That's how it's always been for the League of Themselves.

ENTOURAGE
THE END (2011)

O'Bservation: Alls I know is that Ditka met with Ari Gold in the series finale.

Because he appeared in sketches in two episodes of 'Saturday Night Live,' Ditka is a multi-dimensional.

SKITLANDIA

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
S18 E10

S23 E04

O'Bservations: In both shows, he made cameo appearances in "Da Bears" sketches.

In another episode, a Christmas show hosted by John Goodman, Ditka was played by Phil Hartman who was hosting his own holiday special.  Ditka got into a fight with Santa Claus (played by Goodman.)

"As I go to press" (always wanted a reason to say that!), I'm curious if 'Saturday Night Live' will have a tribute vanity card for him at the end of the show.  We shall see what we shall view.

Welcome to the Hall, Coach.  

TVXOHOF TRIBUTE - GLORIA STEINEM

 
NEW YORK (AP) — Gloria Steinem, the celebrated author and activist who became one of the most visible symbols and potent voices of the U.S. women’s movement and a fierce advocate for feminist causes throughout her life, has died. She was 92.

With her trademark streaked hair parted down the middle and large aviator glasses, Steinem, a co-founder of Ms. Magazine, was a hugely recognizable presence wherever she went. And she went everywhere: Much of her life as an advocate was spent on the road, speaking at college campuses and community centers, at rallies and marches.

She died Wednesday at her home in New York City, according to her and her foundation’s social media pages.

GLORIA STEINEM

From Wikipedia:
Gloria Marie Steinem (March 25, 1934 – September 2, 2026) was an American journalist and social movement activist who emerged as a nationally recognized leader of second-wave feminism in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and who was particularly popular in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Steinem was a columnist for New York magazine, and co-founder of Ms. magazine. In 1969, Steinem published an article, "After Black Power, Women's Liberation," which brought her national attention and positioned her as a feminist leader. In 1971, she co-founded the National Women's Political Caucus which provides training and support for women who seek elected and appointed offices in government. Also in 1971, she co-founded the Women's Action Alliance which, until 1997, provided support to a network of feminist activists and worked to advance feminist causes and legislation. In the 1990s, Steinem helped establish Take Our Daughters to Work Day, an occasion for young girls to learn about future career opportunities. In 2005, Steinem, Jane Fonda, and Robin Morgan co-founded the Women's Media Center, an organization that "works to make women visible and powerful in the media."

Here are her appearances as her fictional televersion which secured her a place in the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.

TANNER '88
SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING NEW (1988)

NEW YORK NEWS
GOODBYE, GATOR (1995)

THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW
LARRY'S ON VACATION (1995)

THE L WORD
LACUNA (2005)

THE COLBERT REPORT
4 EPISODES (2006-2014)

THE GOOD WIFE
DEAR GOD (2014)

AND JUST LIKE THAT....
ALIVE! (2023)

Welcome to the TVXOHOF....

"Good night and may God bless."

TVXOHOF UPDATE - HANNA CALLED UP

 
April 21, 2026

Tonight, TVXOHOF member Sam Hanna adds another episode to his collection of appearances on the main show in the 'NCIS' franchise.  There will be another before the season ends and then he'll have another series to add to his tally in the Fall.

Here's TV Insider Matt Roush with a preview:

LL Cool J can’t get enough of the 'NCIS' universe, and the feeling is obviously mutual. The rapper-turned-actor, who played Sam Hanna on 'NCIS: Los Angeles' for 14 seasons and made guest appearances on the Hawaii spinoff and the original series, was recently tapped to star alongside 'Hawaii Five-0' alum Scott Caan in a New York spinoff to air in the fall. But before then, he’s back on the mothership for the first of two guest appearances.

Sam steps into the darkness to help Kasie (Diona Reasonover) and a skeleton crew when they’re stalked and bunted by an unknown intruder in an otherwise abandoned building, with the mainframe shut down for an overnight upgrade and the rest of the regular NCIS crew nowhere to be seen.

TVXOHOF MEMORIAL TRIBUTE - KATHY "KITTEN" ANDERSON

From People
[Brenton Blanchet]:
Lauren Chapin, a former child star known for her role in '50s sitcom Father Knows Best, has died. She was 80.
Chapin's son, Matthew, announced the news via Facebook on Tuesday, Feb. 24, and shared that the actress died following a cancer diagnosis.

"After a long hard-fought battle over the past 5 years, the time has come. My mother, Lauren Chapin passed away from her battle with cancer tonight," Matthew wrote, tagging a fan page for his mom. "I'm at a complete loss for words right now. Please keep my sister and family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this incredibly tough time."

And hopefully, the Television Crossover Hall of Fame will do just that with the memorial tribute induction of

KATHY "KITTEN" ANDERSON

From Wikipedia:
Lauren Ann Chapin (May 23, 1945 – February 24, 2026) was an American actress who played the role of the youngest child "Kathy Anderson" (nicknamed "Kitten") on the television show 'Father Knows Best' between 1954 and 1960. She appeared in 196 episodes of the 203 in the series. Chapin was awarded five Junior Emmys for Best Child Actress.

The TV cast reunited for a pair of TV films on NBC: "Father Knows Best Reunion" on May 15, 1977, and "Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas" on December 18, 1977.

In the 17 years since the series had ended, the characters of Betty and Bud had both married and had families of their own. Betty was the widowed mother of two girls, Jenny (Cari Anne Warder) and Ellen (Kyle Richards), while Bud and his wife Jean (Susan Adams) were the parents of a son, Robert "Robby" (Christopher Gardner).

Kathy had become engaged to a doctor, Jason Harper (Hal England).

Here are the productions which get "Kitten" in the TVXOHOF:

FATHER KNOWS BEST
201 Episodes (1954-1960)

THE FATHER KNOWS BEST REUNION (1977 TV movie)

FATHER KNOWS BEST: HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (1977 TV movie)

Three separate productions are all that is needed for membership in the Hall.  And the two reunion movies are distinct from the actual series.

Welcome to the Hall, Lauren Chapin.  As Red Skelton would say, "Good night and may God bless...."

TVXOHOF TRIBUTE 02/24/2026 - SAM McGUIRE

 
From Deadline
[by Mike Fleming, Jr.]:
Robert Carradine has died at age 71. He took his own life Monday. The actor is best known for his roles in The Long Riders, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire.

A beloved member of the storied clan of actors, Carradine was the bedrock of his family, according to surviving older brother Keith Carradine. But he struggled for two decades with bipolar disorder and ultimately it got the best of him.

SAM McGUIRE

From Wikipedia:
Robert Reed Carradine (March 24, 1954 – February 23, 2026) was an American actor. A member of the Carradine family, he made his first appearances on television Western series such as Bonanza and his brother David's TV series, Kung Fu.

Carradine is also well remembered for his roles as fraternity nerd Lewis Skolnick in the Revenge of the Nerds films and Sam McGuire in the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire.

From 2001 to 2004, Carradine played father Sam McGuire on 'Lizzie McGuire', starring Hilary Duff. The series was widely popular among young viewers, and its realistic portrayal of adolescent issues also appealed to parents.  (Sam McGuire sometimes struggles with the pressure of raising a teenager and is a bit slow-minded.)

A feature film based on the series, "The Lizzie McGuire Movie", was released in 2003.   It serves as the finale of the Disney Channel television series 'Lizzie McGuire' and was the first theatrical film based on a Disney Channel show. It follows the title character and her classmates on a graduation trip to Rome, where she gets mistaken for a famous Italian pop star and embarks on an unexpected adventure. The events of the film take place after the second and final season of 'Lizzie McGuire'.

A revival series was announced in August 2019 to be entering production for Disney+, with Duff reprising her role and Minsky returning as showrunner, but Minsky later departed from the role. Lamberg, Thomas, Todd and Carradine were also attached to return to the series in their original roles. The series began production in association with Disney Channel, but entered a hiatus after Minsky's departure and did not resume; the revival was officially canceled in December 2020.

LIZZIE McGUIRE
65 Episodes (2001-2004)

THE LIZZIE McGUIRE MOVIE (2003)

LIZZIE McGUIRE (2020)
2 Episodes

Eventually Hilary Duff, Hallie Todd, and Jake Thomas should enter the TVXOHOF as well, with those exact same qualifications.  But hopefully there will be plenty of time for that.

For now, the Hall salutes the memory of Robert Carradine.

TVXOHOF, FEBRUARY 2026 - GEORGE FOREMAN

 

Boxing legend George Foreman died March 21 last year.  It was my decision to hold off his deserved induction into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame so that he could get this monthly showcase for February.  George Foreman certainly deserved to represent Black History Month.

GEORGE FOREMAN

From ESPN:
"Big" George Foreman, one of the most influential and recognizable boxers of all time, died Friday, his family announced on his social media account. He was 76.

Foreman, who won an Olympic gold medal in 1968, was a two-time heavyweight champion and Hall of Fame boxer.

He is perhaps best known for the historic Rumble in the Jungle bout with Muhammad Ali in 1974 in Zaire, a fight Foreman lost in an upset via eighth-round knockout. It's arguably the most famous fight of all time, and the "When We Were Kings" film that chronicled the fight won an Oscar for best documentary feature.

Foreman made history yet again later in his career. He fought five more times after he lost the heavyweight championship to Ali at age 25, including a fifth-round TKO victory over Joe Frazier (whom he stopped in two rounds to first win the title) and a fifth-round knockout of Ron Lyle in a classic slugfest.

After that fifth fight at 28, Foreman shockingly announced his retirement and began a career as an ordained minister in his native Texas.

Foreman was retired for 10 years. He returned to boxing in 1987 at age 38 and mounted arguably the most impressive sports comeback ever.

At first, Foreman padded his record with easy wins. One of them was a second-round knockout of Gerry Cooney. But in 1991, Foreman proved this comeback was for real when he pushed the great Evander Holyfield to the brink in a classic heavyweight title fight at age 42. Though he was unsuccessful in his bid to become a two-time heavyweight champion, Foreman was undeterred.

Five fights later, after a loss to Tommy Morrison, Foreman accomplished the unthinkable.

Down on the scorecards in another title fight, Foreman landed a two-punch combination that laid Michael Moorer down for the count of 10 in 1994. At 45 years, 299 days old, Foreman was once again the heavyweight champion of the world, the oldest man to hold boxing's greatest prize (and also the oldest champion ever, a record that stood for 20 years).

Foreman went on to have a successful career as an HBO boxing analyst. But his greatest success outside the ring was yet to come.

The same year that Foreman defeated Moorer, he launched his eponymous grill, which went on to sell more than 100 million units worldwide. In 1999, he sold the commercial rights to the George Foreman grill for $138 million.

As a member of the League of Themselves, George Foreman’s appearances on these shows locked in his candidacy for joining the TVXOHOF:

HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
12 Episodes (1973-75)

O'Bservation:
I'm surprised that I haven't been able to find a picture of him in one of the boxes on this game show.

SANFORD AND SON
THE DIRECTOR (1976)

Starstruck Fred assumes the director's chair when the champ George Foreman comes to star in a play for Lamont's theater workshop.

Elroy:
Godzilla and George Foreman.
Fred G. Sanford:
Now that would be a fight.
Elroy:
Godzilla would knock him out.
Fred G. Sanford:
No way. George would win blindfolded.
Elroy:
Oh, yeah? How about King Kong?
Fred G. Sanford:
Blindfolded!
Elroy:
Esther?
Fred G. Sanford: [Wincing]
The only way he could beat Esther IS blindfolded.

GOOD SPORTS
LOVE MEANS NEVER HAVING TO SAY YOU'RE HAPPY (1991)

As a guest on their talk show, Foreman talks about his upcoming fight with Gayle and Bobby.  But he also talks about his faith.

HOME IMPROVEMENT
UNCHAINED MALADY(1992)

At home: Tim receives a chain letter with the instructions that it be sent forward to 10 people within 24 hours or else something bad will happen. Tim doesn't buy into that and disregards the letter, despite Jill's warnings. Randy breaks his new bike and has to figure out how to explain that to his parents.

In ‘Tool Time’: Tim is late because his car battery had been dry and someone had parked in his space on the parking lot. He tells Al about the letter and he also warns Tim of the consequences. Turns out he sent Tim the letter and then later found a $20 bill on the street and won a shovel in a radio contest... and Lisa asks if she can stay the night at Al's place because the heating at her place does not work. Even after he accidentally dyes his hands green, Tim refuses to believe in the chain letter's curse because George Foreman himself is coming to make an appearance in ‘Tool Time’.

THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW
HANK'S CONTRACT (1992)

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE

S. 20 E. 09 (1994)

FAMILY FOREMAN
6 Episodes (2008)

A short-lived reality series.  I'm adding it as flavor to the full tally of his fictional televersion.

And making him a multidimensional….

THE TOONIVERSE

KING OF THE HILL
BOXING LUANNE (2003)

George Foreman:
Hey, Maybe there's something you can do for me. How would feel about carrying my grill in your shop?

Hank Hill:
Oh, huh... sorry. We have a strict policy about that, no novelty grills.

George Foreman:
NOVELTY GRILL?

Hank Hill:
Yeah, you know, no offense, but your grill is kinda like an iron.

George Foreman:
YOU'RE CALLING MY GRILL AN IRON? I've been hit below the belt before, but nothing like this.

Hank Hill:
I think it's a great product for dieters and little girls who want to play barbeque. But you can't compare it to a propane powered grill.

George Foreman:
FIGHT'S ON!

Hank Hill:
WHAT?  No.

George Foreman:
I said ‘Fight's On!’ What's the matter? SMELLING ALL THAT PROPANE CAUSED YOU BRAIN DAMAGE?

[yelling in front of a crowd of people]
George Foreman:
THAT'S WHAT IT DOES, YOU KNOW!

Hank Hill: [also talking to the crowd]
NO, THAT IS NOT ACCURATE. Those studies were done on sick monkeys. And at least my grill isn't sold in... housewares.

George Foreman:
I respect that you wanna protect your niece. You know, I didn't want my daughter to become a boxer. Neither did Muhammad. But Joe Frazier, on the other hand, he had his baby girl boxin' in the crib.

Then there are those times when his existence is verified in various Toobworlds because his name is mentioned.
Among these would be:
WHEN BILLIE BEAT BOBBY (2001 TV MOVIE)
BECKER - JAKE’S JAUNT (2001)
FRASIER - ROZ IN THE DOGHOUSE (1995)
GOOD TIMES - J.J. BECOMES A MAN [PART 2: J.J. GETS ARRESTED] (1974)
- THE MAN I MOST ADMIRE (1974)
THE JOHN LARROQUETTE SHOW - AN ODD CUP OF TEA (1995)
THE OFFICE - THE INJURY (2006)
SUPERNATURAL - PHANTOM TRAVELER (2005)
- LUCIFER RISING (2009)
Zachariah: "The Apocalypse." Poor name, bad marketing, puts people off. When all it is, is Ali/Foreman, on a slightly larger scale, and we like our chances. When our side wins - and we will - it's Paradise on Earth! What's not to like about that?
- SLICE GIRLS (2012)
Dean Winchester: Lydia's handing this kid who's calling her mommy over to these two women, right? But this is not a baby. No, no, this kid's got to be 5. And same name -- Emma.
Sam Winchester: You know, George Foreman named all his sons George.
Dean Winchester: Are you deliberately messing with me?
THE X-FILES - AUBREY (1995)
CSI - ENDING HAPPY (2007)
MODERN FAMILY - FINALE, PART 2 (2020)
THE YOUNG OFFENDERS - EPISODE 3.5 (2020)
BETTER OFF TED - RACIAL INSENSITIVITY (2009)
GLEE - GRILLED CHEESUS (2010)
Finn Hudson: It all started a week ago. I was super hungry, and my mom was gone, so I busted out the George Foreman. It wasn't making the cool grill marks it used to after I tried to use it to dry my shoes, but when it comes to grilled cheese, I'm not that fancy. And when I pulled the sandwich out, I saw the face of God... Literally. I had made a Grilled Cheesus.
THE BIG BANG THEORY - THE ROBOTIC MANIPULATION (2010)
Penny: So, um, Amy, what about you? Do you date much?
Amy Farrah Fowler: Once a year. It's a deal I made with my mother in exchange for her silence on the matter, as well as the occasional use of her George Foreman Grill that seals in the flavor without the fat.
WHITE COLLAR - GLOVES OFF (2012)
BIG SKY - WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S FIRE (2022)
BONES - THE CHEAT IN THE SHEET (2013)
FRIENDS & NEIGHBORS - THEORETICAL HERPES (2025)
AMERICAN CRIME STORY - THE RACE CARD (2016)  
EMPIRE - MORE THAN KIN (2016)
THE PUNISHER - CROSSHAIRS (2017)
Lewis and his dad watch a recording of Ali vs Foreman on TV.  Lewis's dad mentions that the Muhammad Ali fight he was watching was from 1974.
THE CARMICHAEL SHOW - LOW EXPECTATIONS (2017)
MacGYVER - SKULL + ELECTROMAGNET (2017)
BULL - THANKSGIVING (2017)
BOB’S BURGERS - CHEER UP, SLEEPY GENE (2018)
RAMY - DUDE, WHERE’S MY COUNTRY? (2019)
From those references, Foreman picked up another credit for the Tooniverse, and several others for alternate Toobworlds.
Finally, here are some other members of the League of Themselves with Big George….

Johnny Carson
Classic TV Inductee 2007

Jay Leno
Classic TV Inductee 2010

Donald Trump
April Fool Inductee 2009
[Had to share the month with three others]

Welcome to the Hall, Mr. Foreman.  Make yourself at home….