Four stories that made the 1970s series unforgettable
The 10-episode series features 100 TV stars from 14 different networks and cable companies.
Actors from current hits such as Modern Family and Scandal will compete with stars from past shows such as The West Wing and CHiPs. Classic events such as tug of war, kayak relay and, of course, the dunk tank are all part of the mix. It takes place at the same venue as the original: the Pepperdine University campus in Malibu, Calif.
What made the original so unforgettable? Here are four stories: Battle of the Canadian star Art Hindle — known in Canada for shows such as E.N.G. and Paradise Falls — was for many years a familiar face on U. S.television. In the ’70s and ’80s, he appeared on everything from Cannon and Baretta to Dallas. In 1977, he was the lone Canadian on Battle of the Network Stars. (William Shatner and Michael J. Fox competed in later years.)
“I’ve always thought of myself as a pretty good athlete, so it was right up my alley,” Hindle says, then co-starring on the short-lived series Kingston: Confidential. Growing up paddling on Ashbridge’s Bay helped Hindle ace the kayak relay. The result earned him some face time with legendary sports commentator Howard Cosell, who singled the Canuck out as NBC’s star athlete.
Hindle was confident he’d ace the obstacle course, scoring the best time in practice. A one-time Toronto Argo hopeful, he had the upper body strength for the monkey bars and the wall climb. “Howard would have to interview me again,” he figured.
On race day, disaster struck. Hindle caught his foot on the tires and went down hard, breaking his arm. In shock, he got up and tried to continue. “Then the adrenalin hit my knees and I kind of collapsed,” he recalls.
“The next thing I know, everything’s kind of swimming and I’m laying on my back . . . when suddenly over my head appears Loretta Swit.”
Swit was then starring as nurse Margaret (Hot Lips) Houlihan on the hit CBS series M*A*S*H.
“And she says, ‘Art! Art! Stay still! Don’t worry, I’m a nurse.’ ”
To prepare for M*A*S*H, Swit did indeed have some nursing training.
Still dazed, Hindle said, “OK Loretta, just don’t let Alan Alda operate on me.”
The bad news: The injury forced Hindle to miss an episode of Kingston: Confidential, leading to lost wages. The good news: Hindle’s team went on to win as network champs that year, earning him $20,000 (U.S.). “That was big money in those days,” he says. Jenner vaults into the broadcast booth Coming off a record-setting win in the decathlon at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, Bruce Jenner signed a deal with ABC and immediately joined Cosell as part of the Battle broadcast team.
“I had never held a microphone before,” says Caitlyn Jenner, who admitted to Cosell to being a raw rookie in the booth. “I asked if I could follow him around and learn from a true superstar in the industry.”
Cosell put his arm around Jenner, gave the athlete a hug and said, “Stick with me, kid.”
It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. “He was always very nice to me,” Jenner says. “He was my mentor.” LeVar Burton’s running start LeVar Burton’s first TV acting job was playing Kunta Kinte on the smash hit 1977 miniseries Roots. His second was participating in the original Battle of the Network Stars.
“I was a 19-year-old kid from Sacramento, Calif.,” Burton says, “so to be dropped into the middle of that universe was really kind of overwhelming.”
Burton recalls various versions of Battle, including a U.S. vs. the World celebrity competition. “Because I was born on a German military base, I was on the rest-of-the-world team,” he says. “I met Roger Daltrey (of the Who) and Dudley Moore on the British team. It was crazy! They don’t make television like that anymore.” Spoofing the stars Battle of the Network Stars led to one of the most memorable SCTV sketches ever: “Battle of the PBS Stars.”
The late, great John Candy got in the ring as towering PBS chef Julia Child battling Martin Short as children’s host Fred Rogers. “Down goes Rogers!” boomed ringside reporter Howard Cosell (Eugene Levy).