Learning the Ropes

Learning the Ropes is a Canadian-produced sitcom that aired on CTV in Canada and in syndication in the United States from September 1988 to March 1989. The series stars Lyle Alzado as Robert Randall, a teacher who works as a professional wrestler in the evening. Although his children knew about Randall's double life, the family was forced to keep it secret at school. The series featured guest appearances by many wrestlers of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). The sitcom was shot in Toronto.[2]

Learning the Ropes
GenreSitcom
Created byEd Self
Developed byGeorge Tricker
Neil Rosen
Directed byAlan Erlich[1]
StarringLyle Alzado
Country of originCanada
United States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes26
Production
Executive producer(s)Charles Falzon
Producer(s)M. William Hadley
Editor(s)Judi Babcock
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time22–24 minutes
Production company(s)Cineplex Odeon Television
Release
Original networkCTV (Canada)
Syndication
(United States)
Original releaseSeptember 18, 1988 (1988-09-18) –
March 31, 1989 (1989-03-31)

Synopsis

Learning the Ropes follows a single father who works as a private school teacher and vice principal, and also moonlights as a professional wrestler. Robert Randall, played by retired National Football League defensive lineman Lyle Alzado, would balance day to day problems with his students and with his kids Ellen, played by Nicole Stoffman and Mark, portrayed by Yannick Bisson.[1] Randall had an ex-wife who was enrolled in a law school in London, leaving him to raise the children by himself.[3] He worked as a wrestler to help pay his bills, but was forced by his school's principal to keep his second job a secret.[1] Randall's children and the people he worked with at the wrestling shows knew about his teaching job, however.[3] The show also featured the relationship between Randall and Carol Dixon, one of his fellow teachers. Dixon, who was the niece of Principal Whitcomb Mallory, was attracted to Randall and frequently pursued him.[1][3]

Each episode featured several minutes of footage of National Wrestling Alliance wrestlers competing in the ring, including Ric Flair, Tully Blanchard, Ronnie Garvin, and The Road Warriors.[1][4] In wrestling segments filmed for the sitcom, Randall's character (known as the rulebreaking "Masked Maniac") was played by real-life wrestler Steve Williams. During the filming of the show, Williams sustained some legitimate injuries, including a blown knee and a cut that required 39 stitches. He has referred to his pay from the show as "the most painful $2,000" that he ever earned.[4] Randall was not a successful wrestler, competing as a jobber to the stars.[3]

The show premiered in October 1988 and ran for one season, totaling 26 episodes.[5] It was created by Ed Self and directed by Alan Erlich.[6] The show's connection to the National Wrestling Alliance allowed for cross-promotion, and Alzado appeared on the NWA's Clash of the Champions II event to discuss and promote the sitcom.[7] It has been inducted on the WrestleCrap website, which bills itself as a collection of the "very worst of pro wrestling".[8]

Cast
  • Lyle Alzado ... Robert Randall
  • Steve Williams... The Masked Maniac (as Steve 'Dr. Death' Williams)
  • Yannick Bisson ... Mark Randall
  • Nicole Stoffman ... Ellen Randall
  • Cheryl Wilson ... Carol Dixon
  • Richard W. Farrell ... Principal Whitcomb Mallory
  • Barry Stevens ... Dr. Jerry Larson
  • Jacqueline Mahon ... Beth
  • Gordon Michael Woolvett ... Brad
  • Grant Cowan ... Bertie Baxter
  • Jefferson Mappin ... Cheetah
  • Kevin Rushton ... Q Ball

The show would also feature actual wrestlers from the National Wrestling Alliance. In each episode there would be matches involving such wrestling stars as Sting, Lex Luger, Ric Flair, Hawk and Animal of The Road Warriors, Ron Simmons, Dick Murdoch and many more.

DVD release

To date, the show has not been released on DVD in Canada or the United States.[9]

Stations
City Station
Charleston WVAH 11[10]
Cornwall CJOH 8[11]
Detroit WKBD 50[12]
Florence WPDE 15[13]
Fort Wayne WFFT 55[14]
Glendive KXGN 5[15]
Green Bay WXGZ 32[16]
Greensboro WGGT 48[17]
Honolulu KMGT 26[18]
Kansas City KZKC 62[19]
Kitchener CKCO 13[20]
Miami WSVN 7[21]
New Haven WTNH 8[22]
New York WNYW 5[23]
Phoenix KUTP 10[24]
Pittsburgh WPXI 11[25]
Oklahoma City KAUT 43[26]
Sacramento KRBK 31[27]
Salt Lake City KOOG 16[28]
Seattle KTZZ 22[29]
Washington, D.C. WFTY 50[30]
Winnipeg CKY 7[31]
Wichita KSAS 24[32]
gollark: You can!
gollark: What topic?
gollark: You can be okay with something without also wanting it to be advertised constantly in kind of spammy ways, it's a self-consistent position.
gollark: I'm not sure what the point of adding one is.
gollark: I actually have a signed version of How To, because Waterstones happened to be selling signed copies when it was released. It's very good.

References
  1. "Learning the Ropes". TVArchive.ca. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  2. Lindquist, Jerry. "RASSLIN': IT MIGHT NOT BE REAL, BUT ITS RATINGS ARE." Richmond Times-Dispatch, 5 Feb. 1988, City, Sports, p. D-4. NewsBank, infoweb.newsbank.com/resources/doc/nb/news/0EB4F708D858A696?p=AWNB. Accessed 16 Oct. 2017.
  3. Brooks, Tim; Earle Marsh (2003). The complete directory to prime time network and cable TV shows, 1946-present (8 ed.). Random House of Canada. p. 673. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  4. Williams, Steve; Tom Caiazzo (2007). Steve Williams: How Dr. Death Became Dr. Life. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 45. ISBN 1-59670-180-3.
  5. Brooks, Tim; Earle Marsh (2003). The complete directory to prime time network and cable TV shows, 1946-present (8 ed.). Random House of Canada. p. 672. ISBN 0-345-45542-8.
  6. "Learning the Ropes TV Show". Film.com. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  7. Anderson, Ken (2001-09-17). "411 Video Review: Clash Of Champions 2: Miami Mayhem". 411mania. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  8. "Previous Inductions". WrestleCrap. Retrieved 2009-12-24. Learning the Ropes: Sitcom starring Lyle Alzado in which the Rock & Roll Express taught us how to love again.
  9. "Learning the Ropes". TVShowOnDVD.com. Archived from the original on 2012-10-10. Retrieved 2009-12-24.
  10. WVAH Learning the Ropes & My Secret Identity promos, 1988 on YouTube
  11. "Retro: Montreal/Southern Quebec Fri, July 7, 1989". Radio Discussions. July 7, 2010.
  12. "Retro: Windsor/Detroit Sat, Mar 18, 1989 (afternoon/evening, ch 2-54)". Radio Discussions. June 20, 2007.
  13. "Retro: Wilmington, NC, Saturday, May 20, 1989". Radio Discussions. October 24, 2017.
  14. "Northern Indiana - Saturday, February 25, 1989". Radio Discussions. October 11, 2006.
  15. "Retro: Montana Sat, Aug 26, 1989". Radio Discussions. August 21, 2012.
  16. Richards, Tom (November 10, 1988). "Lyle_Alzado's talents bloom on TV". The Post-Crescent.
  17. LEARNING THE ROPES on YouTube
  18. "Hawaii, November 28-December 2, 1988". Radio Discussions. March 25, 2010.
  19. "Retro: Kansas City, Sun. September 24th, 1989". Radio Discussions. February 22, 2015.
  20. 1989 - CKCO - Learning the Ropes Promo on YouTube
  21. "Retro: Miami/West Palm Beach, Saturday, January 21, 1989". Radio Discussions. August 13, 2017.
  22. "Retro: Meriden, CT, Sunday, January 8, 1989". Radio Discussions. March 15, 2018.
  23. "NEW YORK TV- FALL 1988 (Part 3)". Radio Discussions. December 10, 2005.
  24. Wilkinson, Bud (October 9, 1988). "First and long". Arizona Republic.
  25. "Retro: Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 30, 1989". Radio Discussions. March 19, 2019.
  26. Davis, Chuck (October 9, 1988). "Alzado 'Learns the Ropes'". The Daily Oklahoman.
  27. KRBK-31 late night commercials, late September 1988 part 2 on YouTube
  28. "Salt Lake City (network & indies) Monday, July 17, 1989". Radio Discussions. August 2, 2005.
  29. "Retro: Seattle/Tacoma, Sun. April 9th, 1989". Radio Discussions. August 3, 2012.
  30. WFTY commercials and Classic Mystery Theatre segments (April 20, 1988) on YouTube
  31. Learning the Ropes - CKY TV Show Promo on YouTube
  32. "Retro: Kansas Sat, May 6, 1989". Radio Discussions. May 3, 2011.
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