This Saturday, Ch. 13 will air a special broadcast version of “Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him?),” John Scheinfeld’s 2006 documentary about the multi-talented singer/songwriter who died in 1994 at the age of 52.
Nilsson, who was very friendly with The Beatles, particularly Ringo Starr and John Lennon, has a TV tie-in of which many people aren’t aware — he wrote and sang the theme song for “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father,” the gentle sitcom which aired on ABC from 1969-72 with stars Bill Bixby and Brandon Cruz. Nilsson also won two Grammys: one in 1969 for “Everybody’s Talkin’ ” from the Oscar-winning movie “Midnight Cowboy” — one of the few songs he sang that he didn’t write — and a 1972 Grammy for “Without You.”
(One of the more famous Nilsson stories concerns the drunken night in 1973 that he and Lennon heckled Tom and Dick Smothers at the Troubador in LA —and were tossed out on their rumps.)
The Brooklyn-born Nilsson eventually fell prey to his inner demons (excessive alcohol and drug use) — but, sadly, had cleaned up his act when he suffered his fatal heart attack.
“Who Is Harry Nilsson” will air Saturday at 10:30 p.m. on Ch. 13 — almost exactly 40 years to the day that Nilsson won his Grammy (Best Male Pop Vocal) for “Without You.” It has a different ending than the 2006 theatrical version (which is also available on DVD) — more upbeat in tone, I’m told.
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Last, but not least:
* Peter Capaldi, who recently starred as Randall Brown in Season 2 of BBC America’s “The Hour,” will star in the network’s new drama series, “The Musketeers,” which premieres next year . . . PowerWomenTV, which is all-about content for women, launches in New York City cabs this Friday. It’s the brainchild of Amy Palmer . . . Children’s recording artist Laurie Berkner’s new series, “Sing It, Laurie!” premieres March 25 on Sprout. It’s co-created by Josh Selig (Little Airplane Productions) and marks a move into more original programming for the pre-school network . . . Last Saturday night’s “48 Hours” topped the night in viewers (5.2 million) in recounting the story of a man serving a 40-year prison sentence — even though his accuser and an eyewitness have since recanted their stories . . . Monday night’s episode of“Switched at Birth” (ABC Family) was cable’s top scripted series in women 18-34, 18-49 and 12-34.