"ABC's Wide World of Sports" (1961)TV series

Director:

Alan Pultz

Seasons:

16 | unknown

Release Date:

29 April 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Sport

Plot Keywords:

Acronym In Title | Famous Opening Theme | Non Fiction

Awards:

Won 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Chris Economaki	...	Himself - Pit Reporter (1 episode, 1961-1984)
Bobby Allison	...	Himself - Driver, #2 Mercury (1 episode, 1976)
Buddy Baker	...	Himself - Driver, #15 Ford (1 episode, 1976)
Bill Flemming	...	Himself - Announcer (1 episode, 1976)
A.J. Foyt	...	Himself - Driver #28, Chevrolet (1 episode, 1976)
Benny Parsons	...	Himself - Driver, #72 Chevrolet (1 episode, 1976)
David Pearson	...	Himself - Driver, #21 Mercury (1 episode, 1976)
Richard Petty	...	Himself - Driver, #43 Dodge (1 episode, 1976)
Jackie Stewart	...	Himself - Color Analyst (1 episode, 1976)
Darrell Waltrip	...	Himself - Driver, #88 Chevrolet (1 episode, 1976)

Runtime:

90 min (1961-1997)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

American Broadcasting Company (ABC) Sports

Trivia:

The intro was written by Stanley Ralph Ross.

Quotes:

[opening spiel]
Jim McKay: Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sports... the thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat... the human drama of athletic competition... This is "ABC's Wide World of Sports!"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Jon Lovitz/Jane's Addiction (#23.5)" (1997)

You didn't need to be athletic

... to appreciate "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat".

I was half-decent at a couple of track and field events back in schooldays, but I was never ever one of the serious sports fanatics. Even so, I always liked this show. With its magazine format, you never knew quite what you were going to get, but it was usually something exciting.

I hadn't thought of that name "Jim McKay" in years, but as soon as I saw it here I was immediately thinking Mexican cliff diving! Not to mention luge, and speedboat racing. You could always count on a bit of travelogue to go along with your sports, making this the best show outside of the Olympics, especially before the Olympics got really, really, really commercialized. (I don't watch the Olympics myself anymore.)

Isn't this show where I first heard Aaron Copland's thrilling "Fanfare for the Common Man"? Yep, "Wide World of Sports" was a class act all around.