Father Knows Best: Family Entertainment

 Father Knows Best may seem like the typical 1950s prime time family sitcom created to soothe the suffering masses recovering from World War II,, but there was clearly something special about this show. According to its fan page, fatherknowsbest.com, the show competed with 19 other family sitcoms that ran at the same time and survived them all. 

Publicity photo for Father Knows Best featuring the cast: Top row, from left: Elinor Donahue, Robert Young, Jane Wyatt. Bottom row, from left: Lauren Chapin, and Billy Gray.

Father Knows Best was created and written by Ed James with the intention of portraying a cheerful, middle class family living in the Midwest with the focus on post-war recovery. According to Jeff Huyboom, author of the website Father Knows Best.Com, "The program was like a Norman Rockwell painting- filled with cheery lovable characters and a non-threatening humor that was middle America's idea of itself."

The goal of the writers of Father Knows Best seemed to be to present a family that reflected the type of families they were seeing in post-war 1950s America with parents that were capable of surviving their teenagers with their dignity intact and three children who were raised to know right from wrong and to treat their parents, neighbors, friends, and each other with respect.

A Weak Pilot

One of the many reasons the creators and writers of this show were able to accomplish their goal was due to the strong cast chosen for the television version of Father Knows Best and the characters, who were revised from the radio show to reflect a happier, stronger family unit. 

It didn't start out this way. In fact, when Father Knows Best was first moved from radio to television it had a different cast with somewhat different characters. The show first aired on May 27, 1954 as part of The Ford Television Theatre, and it even had a different title: Keep it in the Family, which implies family unity, but also implies a troubled family with secrets. Robert Young was Tim Warren, head of the Warren family. He was married to Grace (Ellen Drew) and had an older daughter, Peggy (Sally Fraser), younger daughter, Patty (Tina Thompson) and son, Jeff (Gordon Gerbert). This show was intended to be the pilot for Father Knows Best. It ran for 26 minutes and focused on Peggy who dreams of becoming an actress and falls prey to a talent scout who is simply looking for people to join his acting school--a common ploy in both the acting and modeling fields. The show did not receive high ratings, but it wasn't cancelled. Instead, it was revamped and moved to CBS Television.

Move to CBS Where Father Really Does Know Best   

The CBS series began on October 3, 1954, sponsored by Lorillard's Kent Cigarettes the first season and Scott Paper company when it moved to NBC. When the show returned to CBS it was sponsored by Lever Brothers. This is an interesting aspect of television shows of the 1950s--the connection between sponsors and content. 

Robert Young is the anchor actor in this show. He played the father in all versions, and it is possible that it was his star status that kept the show on the air in the early years. By the time Robert Young appeared on the radio show he already had years of experience in radio and film. Robert Young always plays the father, James Anderson, Sr., and in Father Knows Best he is the loving provider and head of the family who works as a salesman and manager of General Insurance Company in Springfield, Illinois. He is always the voice of reason when he returns home from work to face the inevitable conflicts that arise in a typical family life. He is thoughtful, kind, and always has the right answer, offering solid advice to his children. 

By the time Jane Wyatt joined the cast of Father Knows Best she also had a solid acting career including regular appearances on the classic anthology Robert Montgomery Presents. She plays Margaret Anderson, the loving housewife who also provides a voice of reason in the home, but generally waits for her husband to return from work so they can confer with each other and work as a parenting team. 

Robert Young and Jane Wyman, the loving parents in Father Knows Best.

Elinor Donahue plays Betty "Princess" Anderson. In the television show she is called "Princess" by her father, it is not intended as a reflection of her character. She begins the show in high school, and when the show ends she is a student at State College in Springfield. 

Billy Gray plays James "Bud" Anderson, Jr. who also begins the show in high school and ends the show at State College in Springfield. Lauren Chapin plays Kathy "Kitten" Anderson. Again, Kitten is a pet name from her father, a loving title and not intended to reflect her character. By the end of the show she is a high school student.  

Robert Young left the series in 1960 to return to his film acting career, but it would have been difficult to continue the show much longer considering the ages of the children.

Father Knows Best cast from 1959.

Radio to Television

Although this is a blog about television, I think it's important to discuss the radio show because, unlike other radio-to television programs like Dragnet, the radio version of Father Knows Best was different from the television version. 

Like so many television shows from the 1950s, Father Knows Best began as a radio show. The show was sponsored by General Foods and began on August 25, 1949. It was heard on Thursday evenings on NBC radio until March 25, 1954. 

I have not heard the radio version of the show, but according to a Wikipedia article about the radio show, the radio version of Jim Anderson's (Robert Young) character was more sarcastic than supportive. Instead of playing the loving adviser to his children he was the ruler, or head of the house and sometimes said things to, and about his children that could be considered a bit mean to contemporary listeners. 

For instance, he often said, "What a bunch of stupid children I have," the type of statement that would shock contemporary listeners, and possibly even the television audience of the 1950s as they were watching the show with the anticipation of something completely different--a demonstration of a happy home life. He also calls his children mean names.

Actor Robert Young in 1942.

Margaret (June Whitley, then Jean Vander Pyl) is pretty much the same character on radio as on television except, perhaps, when the plot shows her acting a bit naive. Betty (Rhonda Williams) is a boy-crazy snob who over-reacts to every situation. Bud (Ted Donaldson) is stuck answering the door every time a visitor arrives, which he despises, but this is his main role in the show. He apparently is an "All-American" type of boy in school, but his father, Jim, treats him with disrespect, often telling him to "jump in the lake." Bud responds in kind with comments such as, "Okay Dad. Which lake do you want me to jump into today?" Kathy (Norma Jean Nillson) whines, complains, and is generally ignored by the rest of the family. 

In contrast, the radio show clearly has a different goal than the television version of Father Knows Best. The television version seems to be attempting to raise the spirits of a war-weary country and help its families return to their happy, normal, pre-war lives through example. The radio version is sarcastic entertainment focusing on a frustrated father and a family that in contemporary terms would be described as dysfunctional. 

Awards

From the time Father Knows Best first aired on CBS until its final show, 203 episodes were produced. As a testament to its popularity, from 1960 to 1963, reruns of the show appeared on all three networks. 

According to the Internet Movie Database, Father Knows Best won six well-earned Emmys and was nominated for 13 others. Jane Wyatt received three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Series and Robert Young received two Emmy Awards for Best Continuing Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic or Comedy Series. Peter Tewksbury received an Emmy and a few nominations for Best Direction and Elinor Donahue and Billy Gray were both nominated for Emmy Awards for their performances on the show. 

Sources:

• Father Knows Best. Creator: Ed James. Perf. Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray Lauren Chapin, Elinor Donahue. Rodney Young Productions/Screen Gems Television. Running Time: 30 min. 
• Huyboom, Jeff. "History." fatherknowsbest.com Retrieved April 6, 2013. 

Mr. Ed: The Talking Horse

 Like many young girls, I dreamed of owning my own horse ranch when I grew older. I had a beautiful Arabian/Quarter Horse named Sioux who I adored. I often wondered how much fun it would be if she could talk to me. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed the conversations quite as much if she spoke to me the way the talking horse speaks to his owner in Mr. Ed, though! 

Mr. Ed

Mr. Ed was a half hour sitcom that aired on CBS from 1960 to 1965. It never ranked in the Top 25 shows, but it was well-loved by its fans. Mr. Ed wasn't a rescue horse, saving lost little children like Lassie. He didn't splash his best friend with a flap of his tail like Flipper. Mr. Ed was an eight year old Palomino horse who spent his time in a horse stall, complaining to his owner. Yes, you read that correctly. Mr. Ed was a grumpy, opinionated, talking horse. 

Mr. Ed had plenty of opportunities to talk to others. He was often visited by the neighbors, the Addisons and the Kirkwoods. He received regular visits from the local veterinarian. Nevertheless, when others were present, Mr. Ed remained silent.

Mr. Ed's ability to talk was never explained and rarely contemplated. According to an article on Wikipedia, in one show, Wilbur mentioned that he would like to figure out how Mr. Ed was able to speak to him and Mr. Ed replied, "Don't try! It's bigger than both of us!"

Wilbur Post Moves to the Country

One might think that owning a talking horse would be fun. It should be fun! It wasn't fun. Mr. Ed only spoke to his owner, Wilbur Post (Alan Young), an architect who moved to the city with his wife, Carol (Connie Hines), to relax in the fresh air and sunshine at his California country farm. Wilbur was not aware that his country home included a barn, and he certainly was not aware that the barn came with a talking horse!

A Talking Horse? 

Mr. Ed wasn't the first talking animal in Hollywood. Francis the Talking Mule starred in a series of films from 1950 to 1955, and she was also a bit of a chatter box. The Francis films were directed by Arthur Lubin, who not-so-coincidentally also directed Mr. Ed. Mr. Lubin's secretary introduced him to the idea of creating a television show around the character of a talking horse. 

The actual concept for Mr. Ed actually came from a series of short stories printed in Liberty Magazine. The series was called "The Talking Horse" and was written by author Walter R. Brooks. Mr. Ed was not the first talking animal for Walter Brooks, either. He also had a series of children's books about a character named Freddy the Pig who talked to humans and found ways to help them stay out of trouble in much the same way Mr. Ed helps Wilbur Post.  

The Cast of Mr. Ed

Alan Young, who plays Wilbur Post, Mr. Ed's owner, was a popular comedian, radio and television star in the 1940s and 50s. He had his own sitcom in 1953, The Alan Young Show, but the show was cancelled due to constant disputes with CBS, so Young moved to England where he was even more popular. When he decided to return to the U.S. he discovered the only job he could get was as the companion to a talking horse! He took the job and, in spite of the fact that he really did not like horses. Horses, unfortunately, are very sensitive (this is a fact) and Mr. Ed didn't like Alan Young, either! Nevertheless, Young did very well with Mr. Ed, perhaps due to the fact that he owned part of the show and was able to retire quite comfortably when the show ended.  

Wilbur Post (Alan Young) and Mr. Ed (Bamboo Harvester)

Connie Hines, who plays Wilbur's wife, left the Midwest for Hollywood with dreams of becoming a star. On her fourth day in California she was stopped by a police officer who made a sarcastic comment about the number of young women flocking to Hollywood. The officer told her to go home. Hines refused. She had an audition. She landed her first role that same day. Connie Hines worked steadily on television, including her five year role on Mr. Ed.

Larry Keating played neighbor Roger Addison. Addison was an important cast member in the plot of Mr. Ed, however, Keating was dying of cancer, refused to tell anyone, and refused to stop working. (I would probably do the same.) Keating died after the start of the 1963-64 season and his wife, Kay Addison, played by Edna Skinner, was written out of the show. 

Mr. Ed's voice was the voice of Rocky Lane. Rocky Lane was a real cowboy! He also played cowboys in Western films, such as King of the Mounties, Red Gulch Renegades, and the Silver City Kid. Lane generally performed with his own horse, Black Jack. He was a popular Western performer in the 1940s and 50s and once starred in the series Red Ryder. 

Wilbur (Alan Young) and Mr. Ed (Bamboo Harvester)

Bamboo Harvester as Mr. Ed

The most important cast member was Mr. Ed! Mr. Ed was played by Bamboo Harvester. Bamboo Harvester was 11 years old at the beginning of the show. He stood 15 hands high and weighed 1100 pounds. He was a gorgeous Palomino that cost Filmways Studios $1500, which was quite a bit of money in 1961, but how often do you get the chance to buy a talking horse?

Bamboo Harvester was a quirky eater. He ate 20 pounds of hay each day, then washed it down with sweet tea! The tea contained the only sugar he was allowed, though. He did receive carrots when he behaved, and he did behave. He was a hard-working actor who arrived on the set at 7:30 in the morning and worked until 6 at night. He also toured the country for 15 years after the show ended and Mr. Ed gained its cult status, then died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 33. 

Sources: 

• Javna, John. Cult TV. St. Martin’s Press. New York: 1985. 
• "Mr. Ed." Wikipedia. Retrieved April 5, 2013.
• Winship, Michael. Television. Random House. New York: 1988.

Dragnet: Radio and Television Crime Drama

Dragnet was the first successful police drama on television. It was also the highest rated police show in television history for many years. Joe Friday's (Jack Webb) "Just the facts, Ma'am," may have been irritating to me, but the public loved him! 

I always thought the show made housewives appear to be gossipy and irritating, but this wasn't the intention of the show. The goal was to present an ordinary, working-man, Los Angeles cop who was trying to maintain his objectivity in the sad, often depressing world of the inner city. 

Unlike the glitzy comic book hero cops of the 1950s, Joe Friday did not spend his working hours crashing cars and chasing crooks with his gun drawn, he spent his days knocking on doors, looking for leads, filling out paperwork, and leaving the scene of a crime with remarkably witty put-downs for the criminals. In one show, as Friday watched a hoodlum rise very slowly from his chair in a menacing way, he commented dryly, "If you're not growin' sit back down." 

 

Dragnet promo card with Jack Webb, 1951.

Viewers loved the mysteries on Dragnet, they loved focusing on solving the crime instead of focusing on the antics of wild-eyed police officers chasing bad guys in dark alleys. Apparently, Joe Friday enjoyed this life, as well. His only friends in this imaginary world were the four partners he was assigned during the run of the show. His partners had wives, children, lives outside the show, but for Joe, it was a "just the facts" kind of life, a life spent solving crimes and filling out paperwork back at the station. 

Jack Webb's Inspiration for Dragnet 

Jack Webb's childhood dream was not to become an actor, but a cartoonist. He even created a portfolio of cartoons that he presented to Walt Disney. He was turned down for the job, but later became friends with Disney and one of the Dragnet episodes was shot on the Disney lot. 

When he realized his career as a cartoonist was not to be, Webb joined the armed services. When he returned home he applied for work at a radio station and was hired as an announcer in San Francisco. This led to a role in the radio police drama Pat Novak for hire in 1946-47. The show had a short, but successful run and when it ended, Webb moved to Los Angeles where he was hired for both radio and television shows. He was finally offered a role as a forensic scientist in They Walk by Night, a film noir detective show starring Richard Basehart. 

Richard Basehart, 1969.

Webb spent a great deal of time on the set talking to the film's technical adviser LAPD Sergeant Marty Wynn. Webb started spending time at the police headquarters, attended training classes with police officers, then approached NBC with the plot for a police drama that showed the seemingly mundane true-life detailed work of police officers. NBC was reluctant, but eventually allowed Webb to produce the show on radio.

Joe Friday's Partners 

The show had a rough start, particularly after Joe Friday's first on-air partner, Barton Yarborough, Friday's partner for the 1951-52 season, died of a heart attack. Yarborough's death, and the consequential death of his character, Sgt. Ben Romero, was handled in the episode "The Big Sorrow." When Friday arrives for work he is told of the death of his partner. There is a close-up of his face, and the audience can see that he is crying. This was actually the first television episode--a rather painful start for the show. 

Following his death, Joe Friday had a long succession of partners, which made it difficult for the audience to connect to the characters. Friday's next partner was Sergeant Ed Jacobs (Barney Philips), who was transferred to the police academy in the show to work as an instructor. Then Sgt. Ben Romero's nephew, Officer Bill Lockwood (Martin Milner), joined Friday from April to May of 1952. Lockwood was followed by Officer Frank Smith (Herb Ellis), who was also Friday's partner in 1952. Herb Ellis was replaced by Ben Alexander, creating even more confusion. Raymond Burr, however, played the Chief of Detectives, the glue that held this string of partners together so Friday could concentrate on getting "just the facts."  In spite of the chaos, Dragnet was one of the top-rated radio shows.

Raymond Burr, 1956. 

The Importance of Partners

It seemed as though Webb was beginning to recognize the importance of the role of partners in police shows as he began to emphasize their relationships after the quick succession in earlier shows. From 1953 to 57, Ben Alexander, who took over the role of Officer Frank Smith, was given a stronger personality. Alexander, a well-known child actor, was a wealthy man who accepted the role on Dragnet just for fun, and he had fun with the role. Like his partner, Joe Friday, he was focused and dedicated, but he also chattered endlessly about his married life. This behavior helped establish Friday's character. Friday became known as the prototype of the single, dedicated cop whose partners had wives, children, families, but Friday spent his working and off hours tracking leads and completing paperwork at the station. 

Jack Webb and Harry Morgan in Dragnet, 1969. 

The partner that I remember most was Harry Morgan who played Officer Bill Gannon from 1967 to 1969. In this relationship, the focus was obviously on the role partners play in police work. Gannon had a little bit less of the hard-nose detective approach of his partner, and he was charming and funny. He was a good cop, but he made it clear that he enjoyed his private life, something he also believed Joe Friday needed to improve in his own life. Gannon spoke often of his love of cooking, as well as his love for his wife, and his belief that Friday needed a wife of his own. Gannon was also a bit of a hypochondriac, which made his character more realistic. 

The Comeback

Dragnet aired from 1952 to 1957. During this time, Dragnet aired both on television and radio. It was briefly taken off the air when ratings dropped, then made a remarkable comeback when it returned in 1967 and ran until 1970. The episodes that ran from 1967 to 1970 were tightly focused on community issues of the day, such as war protests, violence, drug abuse, which made the show even more popular than before. In fact. it is considered to be one of few television shows to make a successful comeback in its time. 

The show had numerous episodes that ranked in the Top 25, including four during the 1952-53 season; three in the following season; eight in the 1955-56 season; eleven in the 1956-57 season; and a remarkable 20 top shows in the 1968-69 television season. 

Cutting Edge Drama

Although some critics have said the later shows were so extreme that they bordered on camp, as a child viewer, I was riveted to the television, stunned by the intense drama of these episodes. In fact, there is one episode that I have never been able to forget, "The Big High," episode 8 of season 2. The episode ran on November 21, 1967, when I was still a child and recently learned that my baby cousin had drowned. 

In this episode, Friday and Morgan receive a visit from the wealthy and successful Charles Porter (Ed Prentiss) who is concerned for the welfare of his granddaughter, Robin Shipley. Porter has learned that his daughter, Jean Shipley (Brenda Scott), a housewife, and her husband, Paul Shipley (Tim Donnelly), a computer programmer. are smoking marijuana. This was an interesting premise as it emphasized that marijuana was not just a street drug. 

Friday and Gannon visit the family and ask if they can search their home. The mother, Jean, refuses, though she admits that she smokes marijuana. Her husband arrives home from work, clearly upset by the interference in their private life, but he also admits to smoking. However, there is no evidence that the couple has committed a crime. Although Friday and Gannon are concerned, they are forced to leave the couple. They return to the station to discuss the case with Officer Dorothy Miller (Merry Anders) who works with severe child abuse situations. Miller points out that there is really very little that Friday and Gannon can do in this situation. 

Then a marijuana dealer, Fred Ludden (James Oliver) is arrested for possession and interrogated by Friday and Gannon. Ludden admits that he actually receives marijuana for free from the Shipleys. Friday and Gannon decide to raid the Shipley home as they appear to be the source of the marijuana problem in that area of town. 

The police arrive when the Shipleys are having a "pot party" and the couple are both clearly annoyed by the appearance of Friday and Gannon. Gannon find an ounce of "reefer," and while he's holding it in his hand, he suddenly notices that baby Robin is not in her playpen. He asks Paul Shipley about the baby, but Paul cannot remember where she is, so he turns to his wife. Jean seems confused at first, then begins to sob hysterically as she runs down the hall to the bathroom--a scene I will never forget. 

When Jean opens the door she sees her baby in the bathtub, face down and drowned. The water is overflowing on the floor. Jean and Paul collapse, sobbing. Gannon leaves the room and vomits. Friday, who now has the bag of marijuana, walks toward the camera. We cannot see his face. The Dragnet theme song begins to play. We see Friday's hand. It tightens, hard, around the bag of marijuana and we feel the intensity of his anger, his rage, and sorrow. 

At the end of the show, Paul Shipley is charged with involuntary manslaughter and received probation. Jean goes insane with grief and is sent to a mental hospital. Friday and Gannon, this one time, in this one instance, have lost their "just the fact" objectivity and clearly will never be the same. 

Sources:

• Javna, John. Cult TV. St. Martin’s Press. New York: 1985. 
• "The Big High." Dragnet. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved April 4, 2013. 
• Winship, Michael. Television. Random House. New York: 1988.

  

Cheers: Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Cheers is the story of a group of lonely people who gather and work at a Boston bar owned by Sam Malone (Ted Danson). The show ran on NBC from 1982 to 1983, and I personally believe the show owes this long run to the actors who made it great. Ted Danson, Shelly Long, Kelsey Grammer, George Wendt, Woody Harrelson, Kirstie Alley, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger--remarkably, most of these Hollywood stars got their start in this small basement bar in Boston where television history was made. 

The sign leading to the basement bar where "everybody knows your name!" 

During my college years, I worked two and three jobs at a time to support myself and my children, and one of those jobs was generally in a bar (the other was at a local newspaper.) Those who know me well know that I do not drink, and I do not like bars--there's something about a college bar that quickly discourages one from the temptations of alcohol. Nevertheless, I have always enjoyed this show, in spite of the fact that it takes place in a bar, because it's not really a show about a bar, it's a show about loneliness, friendship, compassion, and learning how to laugh when life gets you down. 

That Place Where Everybody Knows Your Name

Everybody needs a place to go where people know them well. It's part of being human, that need to connect with people who understand you, people who will listen when you need a friend and laugh when you need some fun. Cheers is that place. Bars, however, often give people a negative impression, because often that is where people go when they are depressed. The writers had to work hard to build a family atmosphere using bar customers and employees, but they finally succeeded.

It was slow going at first. In fact, John Javna's Cult TV mentions Cheers in his 1985 book, but says very little about it and I suspect the author did not believe the sitcom would last. The show premiered in September of 1982 and came close to cancellation. I'm surprised it wasn't cancelled--it ranked last in the ratings. Then suddenly, the ratings shot up and Cheers became one of the highest rated shows in the country, ranking in the Top Ten for 8 of 11 seasons. It was the number one show in the country for one season!

Ted Danson, Star of Cheers.

The success of Cheers is due largely to its stellar cast, beginning with Ted Danson who already had nine years of television experience before taking on the role of Sam Malone, the former baseball player turned bar owner. Danson was nominated nine times for Best Actor in a Comedy Series for his Cheers performances and won twice. In the early years of the show, Malone has a mysterious attraction to one of his employees, Diane Chambers, played by Shelley Long. The attraction is mysterious because Malone is a bit of a womanizer and likes to tease Chambers when they're working together because Chambers is a graduate student/writer who is a bit too proud of her education and tends to be pretentious. Diane Chambers, or Shelley Long, is eventually written out of the series and Malone sells the bar to a corporation, then tries to seduce the corporate representative, Rebecca Howe (Kirstie Alley.) Howe rejects Malone's advances for many episodes, though they do eventually connect. In the end, however, Malone admits he has a sex addiction and seeks therapy. 

Nicholas Colasanto was also a prominent figure in the cast during the early years of the show. Colasanto played Ernie Pantusso, or "Coach." He was also a former baseball player and coach, which explains the bond between Malone and Pantusso. When Colasanto died he was replaced on the show by Woody Harrelson who played Woody Boyd, an intellectually challenged young man whose inability to understand simple instructions is part of his charm and amusing to the audience. 

Woody Harrelson in 2007. Photo by David Shankbone. 

My favorite episode involving Woody is Season 7 Episode 19 "The Gift of the Woodi."  Woody falls in love with a wealthy young woman named Kelly Gaines Boyd (Jackie Swanson). Kelly is the daughter of one of the corporate Vice Presidents. Kelly, who is the perfect emotional match for Woody, collects dolls. Woody cannot afford a birthday present for her so instead he sings her a song where he repeats her name dozens of times: "Kelly, my darlin, you are my sunshine. When we're together, I feel fine. Your smile is so lovely, your hair is so clean. You make me feel the whole world is mine. Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly..."

Rhea Perlman plays Carla Tortelli in the show, a cynical waitress with many children who are constantly calling her at work. Carla is rude, obnoxious, and her children are just like her. Later in the series she has four more children (Perlman's pregnancies in real life) with her ex-husband, Nick Tortelli (Dan Hedaya). She is a terrible flirt. Carla marries a famous hockey player in the show, Eddie LeBec, and their relationship shocks the employees and customers of Cheers. LeBec dies in an accident, and Carla discovers he was actually married to another woman while married to her, which provides for an emotional episode.

The unemployed accountant "regular" bar customer Norm Peterson is played by George Wendt. When he enters Cheers, the employees and customers shout out "Norm!" He complains constantly about his marriage to Vera, who never appears, but it is clear that he loves his wife.

Another bar regular, the postal employee, Cliff Clavin, is played by John Ratzenberger. Clavin lives with his mother who actually appears on the show: Esther Clavin (Frances Sternhagen). Cliff is a nuisance character, the foil to the popular Norm Peterson. Cliff makes annoying and inaccurate comments, the typical "I know everything" type of person who in actuality knows very little, but thinks if he keeps talking he can hide that fact.

Kelsey Grammer. Photo by U.S. Navy Employee. 

Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) is a psychiatrist and regular customer who is coping with a horrible marriage to another psychiatrist, Dr. Lilith Sternin-Crane (Bebe Neuwirth), known simply as "Lilith." Frasier started in the show as Diane Chamber's lover, but she abandoned him on their wedding day and left for Europe. Frasier decided to give his ex-wife, Lilith, custody of their son and he moved back home to Seattle, which is where his show begins. 

Theme Song

The Cheers theme song was surprisingly popular, as well. "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" was composed by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo who also wrote songs for Broadway musicals. After the producers of Cheers rejected three of their others songs.  The songwriting pair read the plot for the series and wrote "Another Day." Then they learned that NBC commissioned numerous episodes for the series, and apparently "Another Day" seemed like it referred to one day, or one show, so they revised the song and it became the now famous "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." 

Cheers Bar in Boston. Photo by Ian Howard.

Cheers has 275 episodes and the last one aired on May 20, 1993. It was nominated for the Emmy Awards Outstanding Comedy Series every season it was on the air, even when its ratings were low! Cheers was awarded 26 Emmys and nominated for 111 (I have two disputing sources on these figures), which was a record in 1993. It's success was not a complete surprise considering the producers of the show, Glen and Les Charles, also produced and wrote another cult classic, Taxi! 

A Sweet Ending and a New Beginning for Dr. Frasier Crane

In 1993, Paramount announced that Cheers would be cancelled due to budget constraints--Ted Danson's salary alone had reached $450, 000 per episode. Paramount spent $65 million on the 1991-92 season according to The Museum of Broadcast Communications. The series finale attracted a huge audience--64% of the evening's viewing audience--and aired on May 20, 1993. 

When Cheers ended, Kelsey Grammer was given his own spin-off show, Frasier, playing Dr. Frasier Crane, a divorced psychiatrist who lives with his father Martin Crane (John Mahoney); his father's adorable dog Eddie, played by Moose; and his father's nurse, Daphne Moon, played by Jane Leeves. The family is frequently visited by Frasier's brother, Dr. Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) and the producer for his radio show, Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin). Frasier is one of my all-time favorite sitcoms. This show also ran for 11 seasons and its many episodes frequently included guest appearances from most of the original cast of Cheers (actor/director Nicholas Colasanto, who played Coach Ernie Pantusso, died in 1985 and was replaced by Woody Harrelson as the bartender). Frasier won three Golden Globes, five American Comedy Awards, and was nominated for 195 additional awards. 

Sources: 

• Bird, J.B. "Cheers." U.S. Situation Comedy. The Museum of Broadcast Communications. 
• Javna, John. Cult TV. St. Martin’s Press. New York: 1985. 
• Winship, Michael. Television. Random House. New York: 1988.

The Brady Bunch: The Happiest Family on Television

The Brady Bunch truly were exceptionally happy. In fact, their extreme happiness may have been their downfall--after awhile, the viewing audience started to see the show as a bit sappy. Nevertheless, the man named Brady and his perfectly matched family of boys and girls continued to entertain us from September of 1969 to March of 1974. According to Wikipedia, an episode of The Brady Bunch was broadcast somewhere in the US or abroad every day of every year from 1975 to 2008. 

The cast from the Brady Bunch, from left to right, top row: Peter Brady (Christopher Knight), Greg Brady (Barry Williams), Alice the live-in housekeeper (Ann B. Davis). Second Row: Jan Brady (Eve Plumb), Mom, Carol Brady (Florence Henderson), Dad, Mike Brady (Robert Reed), and of course, the oldest sister, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia Brady (Maureen McCormick). Front Row: Cindy Brady (Susan Olsen), Bobby Brady (Mike Lookinland.) 

The funny thing is, as much as we loved to laugh at the Bradys in the 1970s, when we were children in the 60s we adored them. I clearly remember my favorite episodes, such as the Season 4 Episode 18 "The Subject was Noses," (such a great title!), which aired on February 9, 1973. Doug Simpson (Nicholas Hammond), who is, of course, the most handsome boy in school, asks the oldest daughter, Marcia Brady (Maureen McCormick) on a date. Marcia accepts, but accidentally makes a date for the same night with another boy, Charlie (Stuart Goetz). Marcia decides to break her date with Charlie because Doug is more popular than Charlie. I, of course, was angry at Marcia. Charlie was the nice boy! 

Marcia tells Charlie that "Something suddenly came up." Marcia returns home to find her brothers playing football. One of them tosses the ball and it hits her nose, which swells up like a clown nose. Doug cancels their date and she cries herself to sleep. Charlie, however, agrees to date Marcia, clown nose and all. While they are on the date they run into Doug and the two boys start to fight. Charlie punches Doug in the nose and Doug  leaves, literally looking like a clown. Marcia has learned her lesson, and this is an important aspect of the show--the children always learn a lesson. 

Singer/Actor Davy Jones from The Monkees and Maureen McCormick from The Brady Bunch

in the 1971 episode "Getting Davy Jones."

My second favorite episode once again involved he self-absorbed Marcia (even though I felt more emotionally connected to the middle child, Jan, played by Eve Plumb.) In "Getting Davy Jones." Marcia brags to her friends at school that she can convince the popular singer Davy Jones to make an appearance at the school dance. Marcia goes to ridiculous extremes to contact Davy Jones and convince him to appear, and she thinks she fails, but he suddenly shows up at her house. 

This episode was rated #37 in TV Guide's 100 Greatest Television Episodes of all Time. I'm not really sure why, it is rather silly, but the reason I like the show is because the children eventually work together to try and help Marcia achieve her dream, and this seems to be a running theme through the show--the gradual bonding of these six children whose parents are trying to create one family from two--a blended family.

Theme Song and Introduction

The focus on the blended family is obvious in the show's theme song, as well. "Here's a story of a man named Brady..." it was a catchy tune that we all sang at school. The song was written by Schwartz and Frank De Vol and performed by the Peppermint Trolley Company. This was actually one of my favorite parts of the show--the introduction. A tic tac toe board appeared on the screen and one by one the family members appeared in the boxes. As the music played, they looked around in different directions as if they could see each other in their separate boxes. Corny, but fun. 

Who Were the Bradys? 

The Brady family was what was called a "blended family" in the 1960s. Mike Brady (Robert Reed), a widowed architect, meets Carol Ann Martin (Florence Henderson) and they fall in love. The problem? Brady has three sons and Martin has three daughters, and to complicate matters even further, each of the three Brady boys is approximately the same age of one of the three Martin girls. It seems like a complicated situation, but they decide to make it work and join their families. They hire a housekeeper, Alice Nelson (Ann B. Davis) who has a boyfriend, Sam Franklin (Allan Melvin), the owner of the local butcher shop. The family also has a dog, Tiger, who features prominently in many episodes until he was killed in an accident with a florist truck. Tiger's disappearance was never explained and his dog house remained on the set of the show. 

Marcia (Maureen McCormick) and Jan (Eve Plumb) in a rare moment 

when Jan is not ranting about the attention paid to "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" 

The children had typical personalities according to child psychology. The two oldest children, Greg (Barry Williams) and Marcia (Maureen McCormick) performed well in school and were attractive and popular. The middle children, Peter (Christopher Knight) and Jan (Eve Plumb) were less popular and occasionally struggled with jealousy issues. In fact, one of my favorite lines from the movie was Jan's frustrated, "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" Something she often repeated when she grew tired of the constant attention paid to her older sister. The two youngest children, Bobby (Mike Lookinland) and Cindy (Susan Olsen) were sweet youngsters who rarely caused trouble. The children were the focus of the show, which highlighted their instant bond and protective nature toward each other. 

The Musical Bradys

As part of their cult status the Bradys also became pop musical performers. They recorded four albums for Paramount Records, including: Merry Christmas from The Brady Bunch; Meet the Brady Bunch; The Kids from The Brady Bunch; and The Brady Bunch Phonographic Album. At one point, Christopher Knight, Maureen McCormick and Barry Williams worked on a solo album, recording six tracks, but the project was cancelled.

The Brady Bunch Satire

In 1995, a completely new cast starred in a satire of the Brady family. The film is set in the 90s, but the Bradys believe they are still living in the 1970s. Mike Brady (Gary Cole) and Carol Brady (Shelly Long) are living in the same home with Alice (Henriette Mantel) as their housekeeper. Jan (Jennifer Elise Cox) is still trying desperately to cope with her self-esteem issues and her jealousy of the ever-popular Marcia, played by Christine Taylor, who looks remarkably like Maureen McCormick. Cindy's character (Olivia Hack) is now exaggerated so that she is the tattle tale of the family, Greg (Christopher Daniel Barnes) dreams of becoming a 70s rock star, Peter (Paul Sutera) is struggling with the fact that he is maturing and Bobby (Jesse Lee) is the hall monitor at school, a role he played in one of the original episodes. The satire succeeds in this film, in my opinion. While it appears to mock this iconic American family, it does so in a light-hearted, comfortable manner and is very amusing. 

The Cult of the Bradys

The Brady Bunch became a cult show with fan clubs, documentaries, movies, and spin-offs. One of the spin-off shows was a TV reunion called The Brady Girls Get Married, which aired in 1981 in three episodes. This was followed by The Brady Brides. I liked the way the producers brought the show to an end all those years later by allowing fans to reunite with the family in a "this is what they're doing now" fashion. In the spin-offs, Mike Brady is still an architect, but Carol is now working as a real estate agent. Marcia has become a fashion designer (of course). Jan followed in her father's footsteps to become an architect. Greg Brady is a doctor, and Peter joined the US Air Force. Bobby and Cindy are both in college. Alice has finally married Sam. The family reunites to witness the double wedding of Marcia and Jan. I felt sorry for Jan, in a way. A woman's wedding day is supposed to be the one day of her life when she is the most important person in the family, and once again, Marcia moves in on Jan's glory. Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!

Sources: 

• "The Brady Bunch." Documentary. The Biography Channel. Aired on June 16, 2008.
• "The Brady Bunch." The Museum of Broadcast Communications. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
• Winship, Michael. Television. Random House. New York: 1988.

The Andy Griffith Show: Small Town Goodness

The Andy Griffith Show was a prime time, rural sitcom with a warm summer day on a front porch eating apple pie atmosphere that made fans feel warm and cozy when they watched the show, an important factor considering it first aired on October 3, 1960 and the last show aired on September 16, 1968--the show ran during the height of the Vietnam conflict and the Cold War. The older generation of Americans needed something warm and cozy to come home to at night. The younger generation in the 1960s was obsessed with supernatural television, monsters, aliens, and U.F.Os!

Andy Griffith in 1961. Screenshot from The Andy Griffith Show.

The Feel-Good Character of Andy Taylor

I think if I could name one aspect of The Andy Griffith Show that made it stand out from all other television shows of its time it would be the character of Sheriff Andy Jackson Taylor. Taylor was professional, competent, efficient, and yet, he had a way of always making people feel good about themselves. He was...comforting, and at the height of rage and turmoil of the 1960s, an officer of the law who made the public feel comfortable was rare, welcome, and reassuring to the viewing audience who only had to flip the channel to feel overwhelmed with the chaos of the day. 

Andy Griffith and Ron Howard

Andy Taylor was a widower who lived at home with his son, Opie, played by the young Ron Howard, now one of the most famous actor/director/producers in Hollywood. Taylor and his son were cared for by his spinster Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) who cooked, cleaned, and loved Taylor as if he were her own son. She even brought him lunch at the jailhouse in a picnic basket. 

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts

Deputy Barney P. Fife

Andy Taylor's sidekick was Deputy Barney Fife played by Don Knotts who was so hysterically funny he was considered an equal star of this show. Barney was most often seen in the single cell jailhouse making a fool of himself, generally by trying too hard to be a professional peace officer, something that just seemed natural to Andy Taylor. Barney occasionally stopped by the Taylor home to mooch food from Aunt Bee, but she also brought him food in the daily lunch baskets. Barney was always looking for trouble, but he rarely found it, except when he was the cause. Barney was also known for making the world's worst coffee. 

Love is in the air...

Andy and Barney both had love interests who were also best friends. Andy dated Helen Crump (Aneta Corsaut), who he eventually married in the show, and Barney dated Thelma Lou (Betty Lynn). The two couples generally double-dated for a dinner at the local restaurant, but they also spent time at the Taylor home, sitting on the front porch, talking. In fact, there were just as many scenes in this show shot on the front porch of the Taylor home as there were in the jailhouse.

George Lindsey played Goober Pyle, Gomer's cousin, in the Andy Griffith Show. 

The Goofy Mechanic and his Cousin

Jim Nabors played the goofy gas station attendant Gomer Pyle on the show. Although he hasn't made an appearance since 1991, Nabors had a remarkable career that included work with the United Nations. He left the show for his own spinoff, Gomer Pyle U.S.M.C., which was one of the top-rated shows of the 1960s and is believed by many to be the reason the supernatural cult classic Star Trek was taken off the air. When Nabors left the show he was replaced by veteran actor George Lindsey who played his cousin, Goober Pyle. Lindsey was also a popular actor in the sixties and made numerous appearances on shows such as The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, in three of the most famous episodes, including "The Return of Verge Liken."

Town Barber and Town Drunk

Mayberry, North Carolina had a town drunk, Otis Campbell (Hal Smith), who would stumble into the jailhouse and lock himself in when he needed to sleep off a binge. The town barber, Floyd Lawson (Howard McNear) was also a popular character with his bumbling, stuttering style of conversation. Floyd didn't seem to work much. He spent most of his time sitting on a bench in front of the barber shop making observations of the people walking past. 

Andy Griffith and Don Knotts revived their roles in 1970 

for a skit on the Jim Nabors television special. 

A Misunderstanding Ends the Show

These characters pretty much made all the excitement Deputy Barney Fife and Sheriff Andy Taylor could handle in this small town, but they were enough to hold the attention of the viewing audience for eight years. The show lost its momentum when Don Knotts left through a sad misunderstanding. Don Knotts made it clear that he loved the show--he won five Prime Time Emmys in seven years! 

Either through rumor or misunderstanding, Knotts was told that Andy Griffith did not want to do the show for more than five years and thought he was pushing his luck when the show continued for eight. Knotts was a popular star before joining Andy Griffith, and when he thought the show was coming to an end he began accepting movie contracts. He was deeply disappointed when he learned that he was wrong, that Andy Griffith intended to continue the show all along. It was a sad ending to a remarkably funny and charming partnership. Knotts did return for a few special appearances after he left the show. 

Julie Newmar: The Original Catwoman

In 1995, Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo had me laughing through my tears with their portrayals of drag queen pageant winners traveling to California to compete for Drag Queen of America. They bring along a photo of actress Julie Newmar autographed with the title signature. They are stranded in a small town and eventually help the locals focus on improving their lives and their opinions of each other. When they finally arrive at the pageant, the crown is presented by Julie Newmar.

Julie Newmar is a favorite of drag queens, and she explained her fame in a 1995 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle stating, "[Drag queens] know my secret. We have three things in common. We like to play in the makeup box, wear four-inch heels--actually, mine are five--and put on lots of sparkle."

Julie Newmar as Catwoman, photographed in 1966 on the set of Batman.

To baby boomers reliving their favorite childhood stars, there are few who can compare to the curvaceous Julie Newmar. Six foot five inches of sex appeal.

Julie Newmar has lived an enchanted life. She graduated high school at 15 and toured Europe with her family. She studied ballet and was Prima Ballerina for the Los Angeles Opera. Her acting career began with Broadway musicals, and she later appeared in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. In 1964 she starred as Rhoda the Robot in the popular television series My Living Doll. In 1966 she was offered the role of Catwoman in the Batman series, a role that made her wildly popular. The popularity of Batman was unexpected and Newmar was contracted to a film during the third season of the series, so the role of Catwoman was give to the very talented Eartha Kitt. Remarkably, both women are still remembered for their outstanding performances in the same role.

Newmar's film commitment was to Mackenna's Gold (1969), which also starred Gregory Peck, Omar Sharif and Telly Savalas. Mackenna's Gold is a great film, if you can stand the illogical cutaways to a vulture in flight. Newmar plays Hesh-Ke, an attractive Indian woman who doesn't look anything like an Indian except for the trademark headband. She does have a provocative nude swimming scene in this film and truly shines in her portrayal of the jealous ex-girlfriend seeking to harm Gregory Peck's new love interest. The vulture made me laugh, but Julie Newmar kept me watching to the end.

"Tell me I'm beautiful, it's nothing. Tell me I'm intellectual - I know it. Tell me I'm funny and it's the greatest compliment in the world anyone could give me." --Actress Julie Newmar