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For 20 years, mass communication professor Mike Trinklein taught his 色花堂app students about television. On Jan. 2, his audience expands to include the entire country. Trinklein鈥檚 latest effort is 鈥淧ioneers of Television,鈥� a four-part documentary series for the national Public Broadcasting Service that airs on Wednesdays throughout the month.

Trinklein, now professor emeritus, has spent the last two years interviewing some of the pioneering entertainers of early television, gradually piecing together a fascinating chronicle of  many of TV鈥檚 first stars. The list of celebrities Trinklein interviewed on-camera includes Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, Andy Griffith, Betty White, Regis Philbin, Phyllis Diller, Dick Cavett, Tony Orlando, Marlo Thomas, Jonathan Winters, Ed McMahon, Bob Barker, Tommy Smothers and the late Merv Griffin, among many others.

鈥淚鈥檇 love to get back into the classroom now,鈥� Trinklein said. 鈥淚 have so many great new stories to tell the students.鈥�

Trinklein added that the biggest lesson he learned was that talent is not the key factor in success鈥攊t鈥檚 tenacity.

鈥淲hat shocked me was how often these people were rejected early in their careers,鈥� Trinklein said. 鈥淢ary Tyler Moore, for example, explained to me that she had lost 10 roles in a row and was quitting the business鈥攂ut she figured she鈥檇 do one last audition, for 鈥楾he Dick Van Dyke Show.鈥� Of course, that made her career.鈥�

It鈥檚 a point Trinklein made regularly to his students during his 20-years of teaching at ISU.

鈥淭he students who succeeded were the ones who realized the need to aggressively pursue their goals outside the classroom,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 college degree is just the first small step.鈥�

Trinklein added that Monty Hall told a story that every college student should hear. 鈥淲hen Monty was a nobody in his early 20s, he sent a letter to every network executive in

New York鈥攚eekly,鈥� Trinklein said. 鈥淭his went on for months; he had no idea if anyone was reading these things. But the head of NBC appreciated Hall鈥檚 tenacity鈥攁nd gave him his first big break.鈥�

The 鈥淧ioneers of Television鈥� series airs Wednesdays in January, at 7 p.m. Mountain Standard Time on PBS, beginning Jan. 2.  Each of the new High Definition episodes focuses on a different genre: sitcoms, late night, variety and game shows.

鈥淪ITCOMS,鈥� Wednesday, Jan. 2, 8 p.m.

This episode focuses on the five key sitcoms that shaped the genre: 鈥淚 Love Lucy,鈥� 鈥淭he Honeymooners,鈥� 鈥淢ake Room for Daddy,鈥� 鈥淭he Andy Griffith Show鈥� and 鈥淭he Dick Van Dyke Show.鈥�

The last remaining Honeymooner, Joyce Randolph, speaks candidly about Jackie Gleason鈥檚 distinctive personality. Similarly, Marlo Thomas offers fascinating insights about her father Danny鈥攁nd the genesis of his sitcom idea.

Andy Griffith typically avoids TV interviews, but he agreed to sit for an extended interview鈥攖he result was a rare inside look at the people and techniques that made Griffith鈥檚 show work. The episode also includes interviews with both Mary Tyler Moore and Dick Van Dyke鈥攔ecounting their years together on the breakthrough Dick Van Dyke Show.

Hundreds of sitcom episodes were culled for the most-entertaining tidbits鈥攊ncluding lost episode clips unseen for five decades.

鈥淟ATE NIGHT,鈥� Wednesday, Jan. 9, 8 p.m.

The distinct contributions of Johnny Carson, Steve Allen, and Jack Paar and headline this episode. Merv Griffin also emerges as a key player on the late-night scene. His interview with Pioneers of Television was his last before passing away. Regis Philbin offers revelations about has years as a late-night sidekick to Joey Bishop. And Dick Cavett and Arsenio Hall provide insight into how their shows broadened the late-night audience.

For the first time, Sigourney Weaver offers personal details about her father Pat鈥攖he inventor of 鈥淭onight,鈥� and the most-visionary TV executive ever, according to Trinklein.

This episode is peppered with dozens of never-before-seen clips, including Johnny Carson performing in his early 20s.

鈥淰ARIETY,鈥� Wednesday Jan. 16, 8 p.m.

This episode begins with Ed Sullivan鈥檚 鈥淭oast of the Town鈥� and Milton Berle鈥檚 鈥淭exaco Star Theater鈥� and progresses through 鈥淭he Carol Burnett Show,鈥� 鈥淪mothers Brothers鈥� and 鈥淟augh-in,鈥� among others.

Tim Conway and Jonathan Winters tell hilarious stories about their variety show years. And Tommy Smothers reveals new details about the behind-the-scenes story of his landmark show.

Pat Boone offers a compelling first-hand account of the racist policies that made it difficult for him to book African-American guests. In the same vein, Tony Orlando reveals the back story behind his role as the first Hispanic host of a variety series.

Additionally, this episode includes fresh bites from our earlier interviews with Milton Berle, Red Skelton and Sid Caesar. Clips for this episode include standouts such as Flip Wilson鈥檚 Geraldine, and Andy Williams singing 鈥淢oon River.鈥�

鈥淕AME SHOWS,鈥� Wednesday Jan. 23, 8 p.m.

This episode traces one of broadcasting鈥檚 strongest genres鈥攆rom its nascent beginnings in radio through it鈥檚 heyday in the late 60s.

Bob Barker talks about his earliest work, and Merv Griffin details the eureka moments that led to the creation of 鈥淲heel of Fortune鈥� and 鈥淛eopardy.鈥� Also, Monty Hall recounts his compelling rags-to-riches story. And Betty White remembers her role as the first female emcee.  

In addition, this episode features rare backstage footage of 鈥淭he Price is Right鈥� 鈥攆ilmed the very day Bob Barker announced his retirement.

Clips for this episode are wide-ranging, and include Phyllis Diller鈥檚 first TV appearance鈥攁s a painfully shy contestant on Groucho Marx鈥檚 鈥淵ou Bet Your Life.鈥�

For more information, visit: pbs.org/pioneersoftelevision.