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"Be seeing you!" - On the bizarre
espionage series THE PRISONER/CBS/1968-69 Number
Six (Patrick McGoohan) and other reluctant
residents of "The Village" would part company by
saying "Be seeing you!" The expression was
combined with a saluting hand signal which had
the thumb and index finger touching as the hand
was brought up to one's eye (as if to peep
through). According to Patrick McGoohan (as told
by actress Norma West), the hand sign was the
same one used by the ancient Christians: the
sign of the fish. The "seeing" aspect of the
sign could also be interpreted as an inference
that "Big Brother is watching"!...that he's got
an "eye" on you. The same sign was used by Mr.
Bester (Walter Koenig), a ruthless PSI Corps
officer on the syndicated sci-fi series BABYLON
5/SYN/1994-98.
"Good night, John Boy" - On the rural
drama THE WALTONS/CBS/1972-81 the last scene of
each episode featured a night view of the Walton
homestead with its windows illuminated and
someone in the family starting to say goodnight
to the rest of the family. This started a
cascade of responses as each member of the
Walton family wished each other goodnight. This
classic program closing originated on Christmas
eve in 1931 when a tired Elizabeth (Kami Cotler)
tried to say goodnight to everyone but was
interrupted by her sister Mary Ellen (Judy
Norton-Taylor) who said "Don't say goodnight
yet. Wait until we're all in bed and the last
light is out." Thus began the now famous
Goodnight Ma, Pa, Grandpa, Grandma, John-Boy,
Mary Ellen, Elizabeth, Zeb, Erin, Jason, Ben,
and Jim-Bob scenario. According to the two-hour
special "TV Road Trip" (2002) hosted by John
Ritter for The Travel Channel, the classic
Walton's "Good Night" ritual was based on the
real life of experiences of Earl Hamner, the
series creator and narrator. Apparently, at one
point in his life, Hamner's sibling of seven
brothers and sister used to bid each other
lengthy goodnights at bed time. Sometimes taking
up to ten minutes. Eventually, however, Hamner's
father had enough of the practice and told the
kids to knock it off and just go to bed.
"I'll be back next week at this same time with
another Sea Hunt story" - One of many closing
comments made by actor Lloyd Bridges as he
concluded his action maritime adventure SEA
HUNT/SYN/1957-61. For more closing monologues
from the program check out
BEGINNING & ENDING NARRATIONS OF TV SHOWS -
Action/Adventure (Contemporary).
"Same bat time. Same bat channel!" - The
episode closing line of the fantasy adventure
BATMAN/ABC/1966-68. At the conclusion of each
episode, an unseen announcer (voice of William
Dozier) petitioned the viewers to tune in to the
next episode "Same bat time. Same bat channel!"
to discover the fate of the Dynamic Duo, Batman
(Adam West) and his sidekick, Robin (Burt Ward)
who were usually about to be killed by some
nefarious scheme.
"Say goodnight, Gracie" - What comedian
George Burns said to his wife, Gracie Allen at
the conclusion of every episode of the sitcom
THE GEORGE BURNS AND GRACIE ALLEN
SHOW/CBS/1950-58. At the close of each show,
Gracie would say something silly, or illogical.
Instead of responding to Gracie, George simply
said "Say goodnight, Gracie." The scatterbrained
Gracie would in turn say "Goodnight." In the
1960s, a similar closing was used on the
conclusion of the comedy variety program ROWAN
AND MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN/NBC/1968-73. When Dan
Rowan asked his partner Dick Martin to "Say
goodnight, Dick" after he had enough of his
silliness, Dick responded "Goodnight Dick."
"So long for now and spaceman's luck to all
of you" - The weekly sign-off of Tom Corbett
(Frankie Thomas), a member of the Solar Guards
featured in the early episodes of the sci-fi
series TOM CORBETT, SPACE CADET/CBS/ABC/NBC/DUM/
1950-55.
"Toodles" - What Francine "Gidget"
Lawrence (Sally Field), the daughter of
Professor Russ Lawrence (Don Porter) said when
she departed from her house or friends on the
teenage sitcom GIDGET/ABC/1965-66.
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