User reviews

I have to agree with the majority here. He & She deserves to be on DVD -- I have hoped for this show to come to home video for a long time.

Think Mary Tyler Moore Show. Think Dick Van Dyke Show. Think Bob Newhart Show. The show had that kind of feel, with a small pinch of "madcap" added.

Jack Cassidy was a pompous precursor of Ted Baxter, Kenneth Marrs was as amiable and gently insane as ever, Paula Prentiss was a funny beautiful woman, a bit dingy, but not "whacky". Dick and Paula played a wonderful straight counterpart to the others.

My memory is dim, not having seen this show for a Jillion years, but I remember many scenes, and I know I always felt satisfied after watching it.

Bring it to DVD!!

This show rocked and was eons before it's time! Kudo's to CBS for having the courage to put it on the air, even if it did have a terrible time slot.

To me, what made this show truly ahead of it's time, not to mention hysterically funny, was the ongoing sub-plot that implied Cassidy's character "offscreen" was gay. My God, what WOULD have happened in the 60's if the fictitious Jetman fans had actually known their beloved super-hero and a man's man was portrayed by a Gay? Some of the best scenes and lines from He and She depicted Poor Richard and his writers always having to keep "Jetman" in the closet, particularly during the mandatory public appearance gigs.

The He and She writers were great at laying it all between the lines for CBS viewers. Exceptionally well written. Jetman's "offscreen" personna was the heart of the show I thought.

Bring it Back!!!!

I was 14 when this show came on TV and after all these years I have never forgotten how fantastic it was. Jack Cassidy was superb as the utterly self-adoring actor who played "Jetman." Paula Prentiss portrayed, I believe, an airline stewardess, as they called them back then. Kenneth Mars was a fireman who would cross over into Dick and Paula's apartment via a plank between the fire station and their living room. Hamilton Camp played the building superintendent. I can't remember a single episode in detail but I do remember how enchanting it was to see a married couple, obviously crazy about each other, surrounded by friends of a seriously kooky persuasion. I am glad that someone else besides myself remembers this show!

I have mentioned the failure of the above-average GOOD MORNING, WORLD, that was on Tuesday nights in 1967 - 1968. Ironically the same year that that fine program failed, a Wednesday night comedy which was superbly funny failed as well - despite critical acclaim. HE & SHE was set in Manhattan, where Dick and Paula Hollister (Richard Benjamin and Paula Prentiss) lived in an apartment in a building where the super was Andrew Hummell (Hamilton Camp) and their closest friend was Harry Zarakados (Kenneth Mars) lives next door (Harry is a fireman, who enters their apartment through a board balanced between his window sill and the Hollisters). Mars, when not fighting fires, frequently dropped over to see them - which sounds like Cosmo Kramer's frequently dashing into Jerry's apartment in the later series SEINFELD.

Dick was a cartoonist who did a cartoon called JETMAN, which had just been turned into a successful television series starring Oscar North (Jack Cassidy). It was an obvious spoof of the then popular series BATMAN (starring Adam West), but Cassidy's "North" was not like Adam West, who from all accounts is a gentleman and very professional. Cassidy's North was a very egotistical type, who hired an elderly man (in one episode) as his new sidekick because he would not steal scenes like an alternative child actor or a trained animal. The elderly man (who could only speak Greek) would have no dialog in his part, and would be called "Mr. Shush".

The weekly story lines were very original. Dick and Paula have birthdays on the same day. They have spent huge sums on each other to impress each other in the past. Suddenly Dick announces that they should try to get each other some meaningful item showing their affection for under $10.00 each. So Paula remembers that when Dick proposed to her, they were in an area where rocks were falling frequently - he got hit with one just as he proposed. She has kept it all these years. She gives him the rock (she will have it made into a key chain/keepsake shortly). But Dick, forgetting his rule, has bought her a fur coat. He's naturally less than thrilled with the rock, once he finds it does nothing special (no hidden section revealing a treasure of some type). Andrew (always there fixing some plumbing or electric problem) notes the rock, and says, "You are lucky Mr. Hollister. That's upstate Grey stone. They say that is worth $500.00." Dick is amazed at this piece of good fortune. "Are you sure it's worth $500.00?", he asks. "Yes," says the helpful Andrew, "$500 a ton." In another episode, the Hollisters are having a large dinner party, including Dick's business associates, their wives, and Oscar. They have dined on part of it, when Harry comes in to report that a little cat that belongs to the firehouse, and was caught nibbling on some of the Hollisters food, has taken ill. It may be ptomaine poisoning. What to do with the guests inside. Oscar hears this, and showing surprising nerve (given his usual character) says he will explain things. They go inside, Oscar leading. Turning to the guests, Oscar sternly says, "Friends..." Immediately he collapses and gasps out, "WE'VE BEEN POISONED!!" and dashes out of the apartment. Later it turns out the cat is sick because it was pregnant. As everyone congratulates themselves on a close call, Oscar returns, collar opened - looking disheveled. He asks if anyone can change a $20 for a cab ride to the hospital.

It was a well acted ensemble, and it should have succeeded. Instead it lasted that one season. A year later it was shown in reruns, and the T.V. Guide (when it returned) said it just may have been too far ahead of it's time. Possibly so. It was Jack Cassidy's best comic role, and Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentice, Hamilton Camp, and Kenneth Mars did well in it too. Maybe one day it will be put on DVD or on cable again.

Please Richard and Paula, or to whom it may concern, can you please try and get this very funny series out on DVD, once and for all. It's only one year(season), it could all fit into one box. I, myself, have other favorites, and when I see them being released on DVD, one season after another, to tell you the truth, I am reluctant to purchase them because of the huge out lay of cash to purchase every year, one after another, such as Bewitched. However, I did purchase the cartoon series Topcat, and The Jetsons, since they were only on for one season, and I knew ahead of time that I could still enjoy my favorite shows and not have to shell out money for each succeeding season. So, PLEASE again, try and get this HIP series out on DVD, while the cast members can still make comments on it.

This vehicle had strong writing and top talents in all departments. The real life husband & wife Richard Benjamin & Paula Prentiss definitely have a chemistry that showed in this series. Arne Sultan, a vet of the Get Smart series showed he could do well in this series too. The question is what happened? CBS had so many good shows in 1967 that this one got lost in the shuffle. It is a shame as this was one of several shows that should have succeeded. I particularly remember the handy man being very funny but it was the sophistication of the show that made it funny.

As far as attraction, Paul Prentiss is at her best in this show. Years later when I saw her in the Stepford Wives, it was this show that made me remember who she was and how talented she was. I wish she had done more stuff in her career as besides being funny, she is by far one of the most attractive women doing comedy ever.

The Hollisters lived in a Manhatten apartment set that looks like the same place Mary Richards used as an apartment on Mary Tyler Moore on CBS later. Dick Hollister, creator of comic hero JetMan and his lovely, talented wife live a Ricardo style of life with Paula doing some great physical comedy during the all too brief one season CBS ran this.

Jack Cassidy(Jet Man) is near the top of his career and the perfect foil here. What is interesting with the late actor is that in spite of having a very large ego, the body of work considered career by Jack is not all that good. Cassidy is at his best on this show.

I often think the Nielsen families back then were pretty inaccurate. It seems like all my friends & I were watching this show. Too bad those Nielson folks never did, they missed another good one here.

I saw this as a teenager and even then I was deeply impressed with everything about it, the writing, the casting, the superb performances. I thought that Dick and Paula would certainly become the Lunt and Fontanne of my generation, a gifted married couple who could play comedy brilliantly, and drama, too! But CBS never gave this show the slot it deserved or the promotion it needed. It got rave reviews and had a devoted if small audience, but it was canceled after only one season. I liked it so much I made (audio) recordings of several episodes, just for the writing and to hear the way these two, Benjamin and Prentiss, played off of each other. Sheer brilliance!

There are so many shows on television now that are inappropriate for all to see. This would be a wonderful change. It has a family quality that is missing from today's programming. This was one of our family's favorite comedy series. We would love to have this on a DVD series for all of us to enjoy over and over again with our grandchildren! Please consider this one for a DVD series. What do we have to do to get this to DVD? It is an all-time favorite and we would buy it in a minute. It reminds me of an old time family comedy. Every age would appreciate the funny humor of Paula Prentiss and Richard Benjamin. Their comedy is universal!

I remember that I was terribly disappointed that it was only on one season. I especially loved Richard Benjamin's deadpan delivery. He and real life wife Paula Prentiss were perfect together. Hamilton Camp was hilarious.

The ways in which this show influenced the MTM show a few years later are obvious. The apartment resembles Mary's, the Ted Baxter character is a copy of the Oscar North character, etc. In fact, the show feels more like it was made in the 70s than the 60s. I have mixed feelings about it. There are some good, funny lines, and the chemistry and affection between the two leads is obvious (they were married in real life). It was also nice to FINALLY see a married couple sleeping in the same bed (no ridiculous twin beds). The way that Jack Cassidy played Oscar North was also funny. But it's not perfect. I found the handyman character to be annoying. I also thought the concept of a fire station just a few feet from their living room was ridiculous, but Harry the fireman was a good part of the ensemble.

This show was so funny, it never should have been cancelled! It was way ahead of it's time!

And who was that?

The 21 people who gave this tepid show 9 and 10-star reviews.

I just watched a couple episodes on youtube, and come on -- there's a clear reason why He and She only lasted a year: It wasn't very funny. At all.

And it was so obvious that there wasn't much money for the production. The sets were small, cramped and looked really cheap -- and it looked like there were about three in total.

Benjamin and Prentiss do their best, but unfortunately they could only do so much with weak, feeble writing.

The nail in the coffin however was the snickering, preening 'acting' by Jack Cassidy -- his one schtick being sneering straight (pardon the pun) into the camera.

I know I'll be downvoted, but whatever. Ask yourself this:

Was "He and She" as good as The Dick Van Dyke Show? Or the Mary Tyler Moore Show? Were the characters as 'real' or well-acted as in either of those shows?

It wasn't. Not even close.

I was only 9 when this was on but I remember it very well. It was one of those true comedies that just flowed so well and was funny naturally. I mean that it is like "Mad about You" in that it got it's humour from real life married situations. One of first true universal comedies on TV.

The chemistry between real life husband & wife Richard Benjaman and Paula Prentiss is a marvel to watch. Then you add in a cast of characters, leading off with the hilarious Jack Cassidy (father of David) and you get a classic sitcom that for some stupid reason did not get renewed for a second season. WHY NOT??

EMMY nominated for Best Actor In A Comedy-Benjaman, Best Actress In A Comedy-Prentiss, Best Supporting Actor In A Comedy-Cassidy and two Best Comedy Writing Emmys(got one).

It would not have been nominated if it wasn't good people. I only hope that I get the chance, as well as others, to see it once again and it get the praise it deserves. Definitely ahead of it's time. WATCH IT!!

I heard about this on Gilbert Godfreid's podcast. I watched a few episodes on you tube. It was very smart. Done by the guys behind Get Smart though it is more like the Dick Van Dyke show. And there is no god awful laugh track!

What an amazing show. I was 11 when this was on and I had to pull every con game imaginable to get to stay up late enough to watch it. Prentiss and Benjamin were great together, having the real chemistry of actual married people (they were and still are, wed). They were funny and a pleasure to watch. Hamilton Camp was hilarious, too, but best of all was Jack Cassidy (father of David and Shaun) as the ultimate Hollywood schnorrer. I loved this and was really upset when it got axed, basically because the show that came on before it was a completely dud. For a while there was talk about reviving it, but it never happened. Produced by David Davis who was one of the geniuses who created the first "Mary Tyler Moore Show", this had much the same flavor. One of the funniest episodes of the latter series was where Jack Cassidy appeared as Ted Knight's ultra-competitive brother. If you ever get the opportunity to see episodes of "He & She", don't pass it up.

Someone should rerun "He & She" on a regular basis (are you listening, TV Land?) because it's one of the true underrated gems in TV sitcom history. The cast and the writing are all first-rate, and it's one of the few sitcoms of the '60s to be filmed in front of a live studio audience, which means there's no annoying laugh track. It really is a forerunner of "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Cheers", and perhaps it came along too soon. But it's a witty, intelligent show that tried to do something different. I've caught a few episodes of it here and there. (TV Land used to run an occasional episode every once in a while, usually part of a "box set" of shows with a common theme.) "He & She" deserves to be seen again.

If you research CBS's fall schedule in 1967-68, they placed this show in a terrible time slot. "He & She" was out-of-place on the network to begin with, which, at the time was loaded with rural sitcoms. I believe this show was on right after "Green Acres." It was an adult type show that deserved to be on Saturday nights, perhaps following a classic, like "The Jackie Gleason Show." Jack Cassidy definitely was a pre-Ted Baxter and Paula Prentiss and Richard Benjamin were a post Rob & Laura. This show was filmed in front of a live audience and most shows back then were not. It was a shame. CBS never gave this show a chance and it was years ahead of its time. When the network purged all of their rural sitcoms in 1971, they should have brought this gem back, first in re-runs, and then new production starting right after. TV Land did re-run an episode or two, but for the most part, nobody has seen this show since it left the airwaves in 1968.

This show was actually hip when in 1967 nothing was hip unless it was camp like Get Smart or bad like Lost in Space. And it was just as funny as rural classics like The Andy Griffith Show and campers like Get Smart. While this wasn't the first show to feature a married couple sans children, its writing and plots pointed more toward sitcoms of the 80s (e.g. Cheers). If it's ever shown on one of the re-run channels or released on video, catch it! Classic dialog: She, "What are you saying?" He, "Never mind what I'm saying, just listen to me!"

This show definitely had a Mary Tyler Moore Show feel to it. The reason? It was produced by David Davis, who went on to produce all those classic sitcoms for MTM Studios in the early 70's (MTM, Bob Newhart, Rhoda, etc). If this show had come along 3 years later, it would have fit right into that popular CBS Saturday night comedy block & would have been held in equal esteem with those aforementioned classics. The premise: Benjamin & Prentiss as the anti-Petries! Benjamin's character being a sort of Rob Petrie with the deadpan of a Bob Hartley & Prentiss as a less-whiney Laura Petrie/Mary Richards (see the connection?). Davis backed them up with his usual brilliant ensemble casting: Jack Cassidy in his most cartoonish role ever as 'actor' Oscar North, a precursor of Ted Baxter (but even MORE vain, if you can imagine) & the great Kenneth Mars (Franz Liebkind in "The Producers") lending his talents as Harry the fireman, who regularly made his entrance from the fire station into the Hollister's living room via a wooden plank precariously placed on the window ledges between the buildings (yet another great running gag). Sadly, CBS didn't know what to do with this one & the show was bounced around the schedule before suffering it's untimely demise after just one underrated & under-appreciated season.

Someone PLEASE bring this one back!

I would say this show deserves special recognition in tv history. It totally was ahead of its time; it would have been a hit in like 1971 or so. cbs was the worst network for it. it was brilliant. next time you are watching one of the thousands of idiotic shows on tv with no humanity and no good acting; think of this. i doubt it is on dvd, but it must be somewhere. it is truly unique. how many shows had outstanding writing, direction, acting romantic and acting chemistry. jack cassidy was insanely watchable.

The fit of the characters was perfect. Cassidy was smarmy and Hamilton Camp was...Camp. Each great at working off of the other characters. I always believed it was waaaay ahead of its time and a bit too hip for the times.