Famous Latter-day Saints

9 TV Shows That Starred Mormons

30922.jpg

When it comes to TV shows, everyone has their own opinions. While some people prefer reality TV and others prefer fictional dramas, TV shows are as various as viewers' opinions. Ranging from talk and variety shows to family dramas, here are 9 TV shows that featured members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the main stars:

1. Donny & Marie
Image title

Image retrieved from Biography.com.

(1976–1979 variety show, 1997–2000 talk show)

Before YouTube, there were variety shows exhibiting the best music and dancing acts around the country for families at home to enjoy. The Osmonds won the hearts of America as a family act, and Donny and Marie were the breakout stars, known for their family values and clean image.

When the brother-sister duo teamed up to co-host The Mike Douglas Show, they charmed the public, leading producers to give them their own variety show, Donny & Marie. First airing on January 23, 1976, Donny and Marie Osmond were the primetime TV duo that sang, danced, and entertained audiences with their friendly sibling banter and flashy costumes. Garnering a historical 14 million viewers every Friday night, they led the variety show to indisputable success. 

While the Donny & Marie show included some of the hippest stars of music and comedy in the '70s, including Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Tina Turner, Chuck Berry, and Sonny and Cher, viewers didn't just tune in to see the music and comedy stars. Viewers loved watching Donny and Marie, no matter how corny the jokes or crazy the costumes.

2. The King Family Show

Image title

Image retrieved from The Official King Family website.

(1965–1966, revived in 1969) 

Before the Osmonds came the Kings, who were referred to as “America’s First Family of Song” in the 1960s. With more than 30 extended family members, the King family was one of the most popular music acts of the 1960s and '70s.

Back in the 1920s, music teacher and father William King Driggs Sr. (also known as "King") created a family orchestra, recruiting his wife, Pearl, and their seven children to move to California. Initially appearing on The Hollywood Palace, their popularity led TV producers to feature the family on a television special The Family is King, which received high ratings and over 60,000 fan letters. After their smashing success as a family act TV special, they were given a weekly TV showcase, The King Family Show, which ran from January 1965 to January 1966.

The King family performed in various groupings, and some of which continued on to reach further success, like The King Sisters, The King Cousins, and King Kids. With a mixture of comedy and talent, the King family put on a clean, fun, and family-friendly musical show that resonated positively with viewers.

3. Playhouse Masters

Image title

Image retrieved from Instagram.

(2016–Current)

After entering a local home and garden show in their hometown of Alberta, Canada, an LDS couple's Rapunzel-themed playhouse went viral. Tyson and Audrey Leavitt founded their own business, Charmed Playhouses, and garnered enough attention to star in their own reality TV show on TLC, called Playhouse Masters

Catering to high-profile customerslike NBA star Steph Curry, the Leavitts create custom playhouses, treehouses, and doghouses that are completely unique and built from scratch. After innovative architect Wayne Visbeen creates a sketch of the playhouse, Tyson and his crew start building, and Audrey starts to find small, fun decorations for the interior. 

Tyson and Audrey find inspiration for their whimsical playhouse pirate ships and fairytale castles from their three children, Emmett, Miles, and Lydia, as well as their own childhood fantasies. The Leavitts keep their family and their faith at the forefront of their lives, making sure they balance work with their family and Church responsibilities.

4. Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files

Image title

Image retrieved from Wikia.

(2010–2012)

As the host of Syfy channel's Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, investigator Ben Hansen explores paranormal phenomena. Traveling around with camera crews and other scientists and researchers, Hansen explained or debunked mysterious events or unusual sightings.

With a paranormal twist on MythBusters, Hansen joins a team of researchers and scientists who travel around studying claims of hauntings, UFO sightings, and government conspiracy theories. Whether or not the claims have a clear explanation on the show, Hansen doesn't discount all conspiracy theories.

"[People] wonder if I've ever seen or experienced things that make me question my faith. I tell them, 'absolutely not,'" Hansen said in an interview with LDS Living. "Yes, while it's true that I've seen many things most people would find hard to believe, there's nothing I've experienced that makes me doubt the gospel. It all fits in somehow . . . the universe is filled with mysteries, and I'm okay waiting a bit for the answers."

5. Mormon Half Love

Image title

Image retrieved from Discovery Press Web.

(2014)

Melinda Bird was born with caudal regression syndrome (also known as sacral agenesis), which means her spine stopped growing below her rib cage. With non-functional legs, Melinda learned how to walk on her hands and how play sports, including quad biking (similar to four wheeling) and surfing. 

Doctors told Melinda's parents that she wouldn't live longer than a year. However, Melinda defied expectations. In 2014, 40-year-old Melinda wanted to find love. TLC created the show Mormon Half Love, where matchmakers gave Melinda a new makeover and took her on a shopping spree before setting her up on dates. As a naturally lively person, Melinda was determined to try new things, including reality TV and dating websites.

Although she didn't find love on the show, she told Daily Mail in 2015, "I think I've got better at dating. I still have my profile online and I've gotten more hits of late. I haven't given up hope that someday it will happen. . . . There has got to be somebody out there for me."

6. Pyramid

Image title

Image retrieved from metro.co.uk.

(2002–2004)

Donny Osmond returned again to host a celebrity game show called Pyramid. Originally appearing on TV in 1973, Pyramid was hosted by celebrities like Dick Clark and Bill Cullen. When Donny became the host in a revamped version of the popular game show in 2002, many viewers started referring to the show as Donnymid. 

In Donny's version of Pyramid, the show experienced criticism for unpopular rule changes, the celebrity guests, and poor writing. However, Donny brought his usual character and energy to the show and was able to keep it alive until 2004.

Although many have attempted to revive Pyramid since then, Donny has not revisited his role as host. Instead, he and his sister Marie Osmond introduced a live Donny & Marie show in Las Vegas in 2008.

7. Father Murphy 

Image title

Image retrieved from get.tv.

(1981–1983)

After a highly successful football career, Latter-day Saint Merlin Olsen starred in Father Murphy. Olsen, who was a three-time academic All-American at Utah State University and a Hall of Fame football star, also played the part of Jonathan Garvey in the highly successful Little House on the Prairie television series.

Father Murphy is a heartwarming family drama about a man named John Murphy, who poses as a priest to protect a group of orphans from being sent to a workhouse. Enlisting the help of a local school teacher, Mae, "Father" Murphy organizes an orphanage called Gold Hill School and attempts to provide for two dozen children. 

By the end of the first season, Father Murphy and Mae got married and adopted all of the orphans. Father Murphy lasted for two seasons.

8. Rattled 

Image title

Image retrieved from twitter.com, via Tyson Gardner.

(2016–Current)

The family of Ashley and Tyson Gardner is often referred to as the "Gardner Quad Squad." The Gardners initially struggled with infertility before finding out they were expecting. They soon found out, however, that instead of expecting one baby, they were expecting four—two sets of identical twin girls.

After sharing their story, TLC featured the Gardners on a new TV show called Rattled, which follows four couples dealing with the challenges of being new parents. Excited to share their journey with viewers, the Gardners face the physical and emotional demands of raising four newborns. 

Since the premiere in February 2016, Tyson and Ashley have four healthy baby girls—Indie Mae, Esme Jane, Scarlett Elizabeth, and Evangeline Faith. Rattled continues to follow the Gardner family as they face their first year as new parents.

9. Billy Barty's Big Show 

Image title

Image retrieved from latimes.com.

(1963–1967)

Standing at 3 feet and 9 inches tall, William John Bertanzetti, who was more commonly known as Billy Barty, entertained audiences with his bright sense of humor while advocating for those with dwarfism. 

With a career spanning seven decades, Billy Barty started acting when he was only 3 years old. After initially appearing in films, he also became involved in vaudeville, radio, and television. He hosted Billy Barty's Big Show, a daily talk show for kids. He filled the space between reruns of The Three Stooges with entertaining skits and teaching moments. 

Earning his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Billy Barty made a difference in Hollywood with his charismatic personality and sparkling wit. He passed away in 2000 from heart and lung failure, leaving a legacy of light and courage in his wake.

Know of any other Mormons that have starred on a TV show? Let us know in the comments below.

Lead images retrieved from abc7news.compinterest.com, and eonline.com.
30906.jpg
30915.jpg
30809.jpg
30897.jpg
30885.jpg
30739.jpg
30738.jpg
30913.jpg
30890.jpg

Share
Stay in the loop!
Enter your email to receive updates on our LDS Living content