‘MELBA’ TO BE PULLED AFTER ITS SECOND SEGMENT ON TUESDAY, CBS ANNOUNCES

Only three days after the premiere of “Melba,” a comedy series starring Melba Moore, CBS said Friday it will take the show off the air following its second telecast Tuesday.

The uncommonly quick decision came in the wake of disastrous ratings for the first show. It was viewed in about 7.9 million homes, in contrast to about 20.2 million for ABC’s “Who’s the Boss?” and 14.1 million for NBC’s “The A-Team,” its competition.

Also being bounced with “Melba” is “Charlie & Company,” which had just moved to a new time period behind “Melba.” Its ratings were even lower than “Melba’s.”

CBS said both shows will return to the schedule in the spring.

In the meantime, CBS will fill the Tuesday 8 p.m. hour with children’s specials Feb. 11 and, beginning Feb. 18, with “Trapper John, M.D.”