Synopsis of Saturday Morning Show

What went into a Hot Hero Sandwich? A little bit of everything. This early Saturday afternoon variety show filled its hour with skits, songs, celebrity interviews and comments from the kids in the studio audience.

Aimed at teens and preteens, Hot Hero Sandwich had a young, hip cast of regulars who performed short comedy bits in the “Hot Hero Sandwich Café.” In between these segments, celebrity guests—including KISS, Olivia Newton-John, Erik Estrada and Joe Jackson—showed up for an interview or to share a tune or two. Even if the more famous musicians didn’t have the time or the room to play, the show always delivered weekly performances from its own in-house combo, the Hot Hero Band.

The skits and musical numbers were all long-standing variety show traditions, but Hot Hero Sandwich had more on its platter than that. In one of the program’s more innovative segments, Harvard psychologist Dr. Tom Cottle talked to the studio audience about the social issues that week’s episode had discussed. It was a unique, educational touch, one that earned a great deal of praise from children’s television activists.

The show’s freewheeling format and creative energy were enough to win Hot Hero Sandwich an Emmy in its first season on the air, but they weren’t enough to bring it back for a second helping. By the start of the 1980’s, network variety shows were on the way out, and Hot Hero Sandwich was among the unfortunate casualties.

Release History

11/3/79 - 4/5/80 NBC

TV Sub Categories

live-action
variety
comedy

TV Studio

NBC

Television Cast

Regular L. Michael Craig
Regular Vicky Dawson
Regular Denny Dillon
Regular Frankie R. Faison
Regular Matt McCoy
Regular Nan-Lynn Nelson
Regular Paul O'Keefe
Regular Jason Smith Wrick
Dr. Tom Cottle Himself
Hot Hero Band Richie Steel

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