I-40 Paradise is a 30-minute daily cable TV sitcom broadcast on The Nashville Network from March 1983, when the network was first launched, and lasted until at least April 1986. The series was so popular that a weekly 30 minute spinoff, Pickin’ at the Paradise, began in December 1983.

Premise

"The havoc and hi-jinks involved in running a restaurant and entertainment spot just outside Nashville are explored with hilarious results" was how early television listings described the series. The series was set in the small town of Crab Orchard, Tennessee, and most scenes took place in the roadside diner, I-40 Paradise, that had a separate-room tavern where country artists often stopped to perform. There was a house-band, The Mighty Notes, headed by singer Buck Taylor. Buck's younger brother, Randy, was also in the band. Local residents frequented I-40 Paradise, and they were part of the episode storylines. Stories included: Sonny, Buck, Orvis and Calvin join a group that helps fatherless boys, but have to share Crab Orchard's only orphan; Will Georgia quit her job to pursue a career in art?; Lathrop is kidnapped and held for ransom; and Velma and Calvin consider marriage.

Cast

Guest stars

Country music performers would drop in on their way to Nashville and sing a couple of songs on each episode. One of the first guest stars to tape segments for the show was Helen Cornelius, and Ty Herndon was on several episodes before he became well known. Reba McEntire was on two episodes. In one she just sang, but the other had her take part in a conversation about video games, which was one of her first opportunities to act.

Production

The series was produced by Cinetel Productions in Knoxville, Tennessee. Producer Ross Bagwell rented a warehouse to use as a studio, and hired mostly local dinner-theater actors as regulars. Outside shots of the I-40 Paradise building were of the nearby Mount Olive Trading Post, a grocery store that closed in 1987. Lionel Cartwright, who'd been working at the Wheeling Jamboree, wrote the series theme song, and acted as one of the house-band singers.

Spin off series

On December 25, 1983 Pickin’ at the Paradise began a six-week pilot run as a 30-minute Sunday series, advertised as a weekly visit to the Paradise's music room, where Crab Orchard residents would stop by to hear the house-band sing. Regulars included Lionel Cartwright as Randy, Jack Crook as Buck, and Kelli Warren as Melody Dawn. Lionel Cartwright wrote the series theme song. The Cineteo Productions series was popular enough that additional episodes were made, and the series aired until at least March 1986.