The Chief's brother, to a degree. The "Flashback" episode shows her alive when the girls were relatively young, but still old enough to remember her. In fact it, along with Fame, Hill Street Blues, Cheers and Taxi became the original Thursday night anchors of "Must See TV" programming on NBC. He was funny, and changed as the show went on, from the senile old goat to a wise old man. [citation needed] The uneasy interaction heightened as the show's success grew heavily in the early seasons, so much that Mitchell and Neigher were dismissed from the show at the behest of Carter just prior to the start of the 198384 season. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), was added to the Kanisky household in season three. Nell, first for the girls' mother, and then later after the death of their father. Most of the show's humor came from the clashes of culture (Nell, the Sassy Black Woman from the South vs. straightlaced second-generation Polish Chief Kanisky) and generation (Nell and Carl vs. the girls) in an otherwise standard 80s Dom Com setting. Wonderful show with many risqu , over the top episodes. With Nell Carter's personal issues behind the scenes with her drug use, weight struggle, intense mood swings plaguing production and yet another proposed retooling NBC finally had enough and canceled Gimme a Break! Joey Lawrence was asked in an interview if he had the choice to reboot Blossom or Gimme a Break!, which show would he pick. is an American sitcom which aired on NBC from October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. Altered Carbon. Nelle was the most loyal, lovable, and funny person. Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carls father), Adelaide Addy Wilson (Nells best friend, played by Telma Hopkins), Rue McClanahan is listed in the opening credits along with the other regulars even though, She was 54. Over the course of the 198485 season, Sweet's health went into serious decline as the cancer further ravaged his body. Considering it was a. (TV Series) Julie Smokes (1983) Full Cast & Crew See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Directed by Jim Drake Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) Produced by Film Editing by Larry Harris Casting By Randy Stone Art Direction by Peter Clemens Costume Design by Palmer Brown Makeup Department Production Management The original unaired pilot had the same plot as season one, episode one, "Katie the Crook", but it had a different set for the house, and the third Kanisky child was a redheaded boy named Matthew. Gimme a Break! It's cool that we have reruns of it. Watch Gimme a Break! Carter also said that she called other cast members by their character names for the same reason. I was very young when it originally aired. She can do it all sing, dance and act. "The day it was announced we had an MBA class and the topic was corporate culture. Netflix has announced that Daybreak will not be renewed for a second season. The episode "Cat Story" was performed and broadcast live on March 2, 1985, as a promotional gimmick, which the cast was able to pull off without a hitch. So three different actors were cast in the role of the youngest Kanisky child; a boy and two girls. To the show's credit, they initially did handwave her mother's change in personality as a reaction to her husband's death, but they also changed her name (from Emma to Maybelle) and the actress. my shows | like | set your list <preferences> Gimme a Break! Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carls father), Adelaide Addy Wilson (Nells best friend, played by Telma Hopkins), adopted son Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Nells mother, Maybelle. Lara Jill Miller, in particular, was quite close to her. Other cast members consisted of Dolph Sweet, Kari Michaelsen, Lauri Hendler, Lara Jill Miller, John Hoyt, Joey Lawrence & his brother Matthew Lawrence, Telma Hopkins, Jonathan Silverman, Rosetta LeNoire, Rosie O'Donnell and Paul Sand. / Gimme a Break! Dolph Sweet was absent in the first six episodes of the fourth season due to stomach surgery. The show was produced by Alan Landsburg Productions (renamed as Reeves Entertainment Group in 1985). Reportedly, Nell's maternal instincts towards the girls and Joey on the show were quite real. Parker said Carter spoiled him for a good two years and then suddenly turned on him. He then claimed she wasn't very nice to Lawrence and didn't want to do much with him. Nell agreed, so as a favor to Margaret she moved into the Kanisky home and took over motherly duties. Nell Carter and Rosie O'Donnell never got along in the final season of the show. We heart you!!! We heart living like a star. There were two reasons why it didn't happen. Required fields are marked *. 38 on TV Land's list of "The 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments"; the latter episode depicted Joey dressing and performing in blackface at Nell's church benefit at Sam's behest after Nell did not allow Sam to go on an unchaperoned fishing trip. Two of them were during the first season and one was during the second. O'Donnell later revealed how, at first, she was thrilled and excited at being cast on a major prime time television show, yet very quickly became disappointed and disheartened at feeling snubbed by most of the cast, who, for the most part, treated her more as an interloper than as a fellow actor. Lara Jill Miller was shown in opening credits as a regular cast member, rather than a guest star, in the episodes where she appeared. Nell Carter was deemed difficult to work with most of the time. In 2009, VEI announced that they plan on releasing the entire series in a complete series box set in 2010. I still remember watching this show on Saturday nights back in the '80's over at my grandparents house.I believe it was on NBC-at 830pm right after Diff'rent Strokes (another classic sitcom that also has finally made it to DVD).It was an amazing show-It had the premise of a maid taking care of her employer-a police chief and his 3 teenage daughters.After 25 years since its premiere, several cast members have went to that great casting couch in the sky- Dolph Sweet (Chief Kanisky), Nell Carter (Nell Harper) and Howard Morton (Officer Ralph Simpson: They will live on forever via DVD. Carter found that she saw eye to eye more often with Parker and Cooper on all levels, and due to the stability the latter team would stay with the program for the rest of its run. Also, I don't think I've seen every episode. Gimme A Break was in the sitcom line-up, on NBC in the 80s. Rosie O' Donnell revealed in a podcast interview with actress Busy Phillips, that on her first day on set was a toxic experience. It revolves around the manager of a Greek restaurant and his assistant investigate the disappearance of Nell's purse while dealing with the manager's father, who owns the restaurant. Dolph Sweet, the lovingly sarcastic police chief on television's "Gimme A Break" and an actor who began his career in a World War II prison camp, died May 8th, 1985 (shortly after filming the final episode of the 1984-1985 season) of cancer at Tarzana Hospital in Tarzana, California.He was 64. Spring break was eliminated as a way of reducing travel and thus the spread of COVID-19 amongst The University of Alabama campus community. Gimme a Break! In the episode he slaps Julie, Carl reveals his regret he never slapped Margaret (his now late wife and daughters' late mother) when he couldn't get her to stop smoking, in what would have been a misguided (to say the least) attempt to wake her up to the fact that she was killing herself with her chronic smoking. Hazel,The Nanny, Mr. Belvedere, Benson,and Family Affair. Nell Carter won an Emmy and a Tony Award. Later additions to the cast included Stanley Kanisky (Carl's father), Adelaide "Addy" Wilson (Nell's best friend, played by Telma Hopkins), adopted son Joey (Joey Lawrence) and Nell's mother, Maybelle. "The Purse Snatcher" also seems to be one of these. "Parents' Week". She appeared in a Season 1 episode as one of Katie's friends. on February 14, 2006, available in the United States only. In Season 6, actors were only shown in the opening credits for episodes in which they appeared. NBC warned the producers that if they wanted a sixth season, drastic changes would have to be made or the series would be canceled. Nell Carter and Joey Lawrence perform a "Me and My Shadow" number, much like Beatrice Arthur did with Esther Rolle on Maude (1972) due in part that both shows were executive produced by Hal Cooper. Sweet had missed four episodes in the 1983-84 season because of In this episode, she was a busy body on a hospital pay phone. episodes. How long ago Margaret died. The first two seasons use a different theme than the later seasons. I think I'd rather watch Mr. Belvedere! A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence), was added to the Kanisky household in season three. While it can be assumed he started a new life after marrying, some lines act as if the Chief were an only child. Addy got a job in New York City, so Nell, Grandpa and Joey came to New York to join her. Helen Hunt portrayed Katie's pregnant friend Valerie in season 1. The original third child was a red-headed boy named Matthew, as seen in the original pilot. Alter Ego. True Hollywood Story, she was adamant that frequently calling her "Maggie" was a tactic to help young Joey and Matthew Lawrence focus on their lines, rehearsals and shootings without acting up, as kids often do. NBC president Brandon Tartikoff had a lot of faith in Nell Carter and thought she had potential to become a breakout star. She did, however, return for an episode in Season 4, this time as a romantic interest for Grandpa. Now, maybe it's just because I watched the three or four episodes that were the exception to the rule, but didn't that oldest daughter ever have any lines? One of Nell and Addy's New York neighbors was a young lady named Maggie O'Brien, played by Rosie O'Donnell. Gimme a Break! During the filming of the backdoor pilot Nell and the Kid, Nell and Don Rickles didn't get along and were clashing all over the place. John Hoyt's final acting role was Gimme A Break. Typical family situation comedy, nothing special. Like the episodes "Nell and the Kid" and "The Center", this episode does not rely on any Gimme A Break! Although I don't remember much about it, I must say that it was a pretty good show. Whitney was very young on Gimme A Break, and only had a minute or two on screen. Nell Carter and Dolph Sweet were very close and she was at his side when he died in 1985. Nellie Ruth "Nell" Harper (Nell Carter) agrees to be a housekeeper for the Kanisky household as a special favor to her late friend, Margaret Kanisky (ne Huffmann) (played in flashback by Sharon Spelman), who was the wife of police chief Carl Kanisky (Dolph Sweet). But,they should of been in the show not wiped out all together. The series premiered on October 29, 1981. Nell's Mama Maybelle (Rosetta LeNoire) began being seen in more recurring roles starting in season six after previous guest appearances. Nell even predicted it, teasing her co-star that she would soon be dating Andy Gibb even before he came to the set; she was right. They should of had a Gimme a Break reunion movie. It was a sitcom that ran for a total of 6 seasons and consisted of 137 episodes. Julie and Jonathan, who were now living in the Chief's old room, found out they were expecting a baby; their daughter, whom they named after Nell, was born before season's end. Houston played Rita, a friend of Katie Kanisky (Kari Michaelsen). I would be very interested in what anyone here thinks of it. The next networks I'm going to write to are TBS, PAX TV, and possibly ABC Family and request that they bring this incredibly show back on the air so I can tape it. We heart books. He shared the accountability together with his spouse's buddy, Nell Harper, performed by Tony-winning actor Nell Carter. [14], This article is about the television series. The Amazing Race. The only other storyline in the episode consisted of the activities director Lilly, a four time widow, having a crush on one of the senior members named Andy, and how he refused to go to her house for dinner many times. Minelli flew her to a special rehab center the Halzalden Clinic in Minnesota where she kicked her habit a second time and lost over 90 pounds. Carl has to deal with the aftermath of shooting a man dead. When the show started, it was stated that the girls mother had recently passed six months prior. Nell Carter, Jonathan Silverman, Joey Lawrence, and Matthew Lawrence all play characters named after themselves. It's about Nell visiting Samantha at the latter's college and becoming the house mother to her and her dorm-mates. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence) was added in season 3. When they brought the character back in season 2 she was replaced with actress Bonnie Urseth. This episode dealt with a Greek restaurant called "Two Guys From Greece" and the two guys who worked at it, Nicky, and his friend Tyler. Hopkins portrayed Addy Wilson, a longtime childhood best friend of Nell and a Ph.D graduate. From 1981 to 1987, viewers tuned into Gimme a Break! The American syndication rights are held by NBC Universal Television Distribution, the successor company to original syndication MCA Television. Carter's character works in the home of a widowed chief of police who needs help taking care of his three daughters. While never a powerhouse in the ratings, Gimme a Break! Joey accidentally shoots Nell in the leg while playing with Carl's gun, not realizing that it was loaded. IHeartHollywood.com is an online magazine about all thing "Hollywood." Unreliable citations may be challenged or deleted. However, Samantha usually acted as if she never knew her mother. It turns out that he was a jazz musician that knew her mother When Grandpa comes to get the boys pajamas, since they are sleeping in his apartment because Addy is sick in bed, he tells Nell that her mother has a date. I used to watch this show when I was a little girl. The only sitcom where there was an earthquake in two episodes. But I actually like Mama's Family so go figure. Joey: Part 1: Directed by Hal Cooper. The overhaul and changes made for the sixth season didn't work out, so the producers quickly scrambled to retool yet again with the ratings continuing to decline. They either recast them, lose cast members or cancel their show. Reruns of the series are a mainstay of many of Sinclair Broadcast Group's The CW, MeTV and MyNetworkTV stations, especially in low-traffic time periods, due to the low-cost barter setup of The Program Exchange. Ironically, Tracey Gold, who was herself replaced last minute before the show went to series; wound up doing this herself to another actress for another family sitcom 4 years later. We heart Beverly Hills. We heart influencers and interesting people. He never did, however, and eventually, Carl's worst fears losing his wife and partner in raising their daughters to lung cancer came true. During the downtimes from Gimme a Break, Joey Lawrence would tour with Nell Carter and Sammy Davis Junior, and would perform with them frequently. She finally sees eye to eye with him, and thanks God for everyone around her, letting him know she also thanks God for him. GIMME A BREAK. That wasn't me; it was just a job.[4], The show received mixed reviews from critics when it premiered. However, because of Dolph Sweet's death, the ratings dropped during the fifth season. Laurie Hendler on the other hand, was upset and caught by surprise because she had recently purchased a new house. All rights reserved. Dolph Sweet and Nell Carter both died young. The sitcom took place in the fictional Los Angeles, California, suburb of Glenlawn. How much bleeding is normal in early pregnancy? is an American sitcom that ran on NBC for six seasons (1981-87), starring Nell Carter as Nell Harper, a once-aspiring singer who became a housekeeper for the Kaniskys: patriarch Carl, the chief of police of the fictional Glenlawn, California, and his daughters Katie, Julie and Samantha (the last of the kids played by a young Lara Jill Miller). Nell Harper is the no-nonsense housekeeper and surrogate mother for police chief Carl Kanisky's children: Samantha, Julie and Katie. Jane Dulo who portrayed Mildred Kanisky, mother of Carl Kanisky (played by Dolph Sweet) was born October 13, 1917 (some sources give 1912 and 1918 as her birth year); and with Sweet being born July 18, 1920, he and Dulo are too close in age to be playing mother and son credibly. A very young Joey Lawrence also appeared in it as a young street-hustler-turned-foster-kid-for-the-family. Though the sitcom was hardly groundbreaking for its time,the series earned Nell Carter two Emmy nominations for her work and in turn gave her an opportunity to sing and dance in some of the episodes occasionally. I loved it when I was little but imo this has not aged well. This was the first show in NBC's all-star Thursday night line-up. NBC president Brandon Tartikoff had a lot of faith in Nell Carter and thought she had potential to become a breakout star. However, another good one that I think deserves mentioning is Hazel Shermet. Carter distanced herself from the show following its run. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available from thestaff@tvtropes.org. The producers wanted a foil for Nell to interact with instead of just solving the girls problems. A foster son, Joey (Joey Lawrence) was added in Season 3. For the final season, the show underwent a Retool, with most of the cast (minus the older Kanisky daughters) moving to New York City. Early episodes implied it was recent, and any bad behavior from the girls was treated as a reaction to it, and the plotlines of a few early episodes revolve around Nell getting used to the family. Answer (1 of 2): A2A When Gimme A Break started out it was mildly funny. Gimme A Break, was certainly in the same league as any of NBC's other popular comedy shows. Carter performed the lyrics in both versions of the theme song. Ms. Carter collapsed and was found by one of her sons, said her spokesman, Roger Lane. The students suggested that if Culverhouse cared, we would give them a break. Before she landed her own sitcom, Nell Carter made an appearance in Hair (1979). Michaelson would binge, purge, and fast. The network fired the three daughters, Jonathan Silverman, and Howard Morton, the location was changed from Glenlawn, California to more upscale Manhattan, New York, Nell became an assistant at a publishing house, and Joey Lawrence's younger brother Matthew Lawrence was added to the cast. is an American television sitcom created by Mort Lachman and Sy Rosen, that aired on NBC for six seasons from October 29, 1981, to May 12, 1987. Kari Michaelson and Nell Carter both had eating disorders during production. Nell intervenes (by standing in the way) and stops him, and he eventually cools off and backs away. She had moved in with her other daughter and son-in-law, who also recently moved to New York and was a TV weatherman. A guide listing the titles AND air dates for episodes of the TV series Gimme a Break!. Nell also served as a parent to the Chief's three daughters, Katie (Kari Michaelsen), Julie (Lauri Hendler), and Samantha (Lara Jill Miller). Nell Carter portraying Nell Harper was awesome. Like Laura Jill Miller previously, Joey Lawrence was getting older. Over the six-year run, a number of celebrities appeared on the show, including singer Whitney Houston, Andy Gibb, Sammy Davis, Jr., and Ray Parker, Jr.. When the two are arguing, Katie makes a snide remark about why she thinks her father wanted her to take the test, prompting him to warn her to stop, and when she presses on, he takes off his belt and chases after her. This instance accidentally retcons the pilot episode's instance by having Carl say he's never slapped one of his daughters before. Logo TV may used to air this show reruns from 2015 until the end of 2017. Reruns have also aired nationally on WWOR EMI Service and USA. to his question about how she'd think her mother would react if she knew her daughter had been arrested. Nell was at Dolph's bedside during his death, and read his eulogy at his funeral. Carters publicist Roger Lane said Carter collapsed and died of natural causes in her Beverly Hills home. was an American sitcom that ran on NBC for six seasons from 1981-87, starring Nell Carter as Nell Harper, a once-aspiring singer who became a housekeeper for the Kaniskys: patriarch Carl, the chief of police of the fictional Glenlawn, California, and his daughters Katie, Julie, and Samantha. Despite these extensive changes, ratings continued to decline as NBC began to move the show around to various spots in its schedule (the show averaged out at #42 in the Nielsens for season six, which was actually 7 spots higher than in its third season, when NBC evidently gave the show more support). The writers wrote a two part backdoor pilot towards the end of the sixth season titled Parent's Weeks. / Everyone was ideally cast, the costume design was great. The husband (played by Dolph Sweet) is the chief of police of Glenlawn CA. However, if you ask me, it was still a good show. The Bachelor: The Greatest Seasons Ever! All these years later I watched a couple episodes just to "check in", and it was pretty much as I'd remembered it. I don't remember the original theme song and after looking up old episodes on YouTube I hate it. I wish I could sue NBC for the grievous consternation, intestinal distress and aggravated low moaning I have suffered as a result of Gimme a Break, Shales wrote, going on to criticize the shows sex jokes and what he found to be the racial stereotypes embodied by Carters character. Parker sat down with Lawrence and had numerous talks with him because he loved the kid and thought was a real pro. To this day I have written letters to the Hallmark Channel, KSMO WB 62, KCMI 38, USA, and KCWE 29 networks requesting that they bring this show back on the air. Nell Carter to check out the antics of the Kanisky family. If you want to be free from the ads forever consider buying spotify premium! The boss, Mr. Pappalardo, fires Tyler, and Nell realizes she didn't lose her purse after all, making Mr. Papallardo re-hire him. Later, when he comes back, the two boys try to prove that he stole her purse by putting another purse out to be stolen, along with money from the cash register. Writing for the Washington Post, Tom Shales wrote an especially scathing review of the pilot episode. After Gimme a Break wrapped in the spring of 1987, Telma Hopkins and Rosetta Lenoire would co-star two years later in the smash hit ABC sitcom Family Matters. Antenna TV aired the show from January 2, 2018 until December 31, 2021. I was young when this show aired. I still have not received not even an email from them and I still continue to check on all the following channels just to see if they have brought back this show. Prior to the pilot episode . so it is a very stressful job on top of raising his daughters without their mother, But the chemistry Nell and Dolph had was terrific. / "Baby of the Family" had a resentful and jealous Samantha dressing up Joey in black face for a performance at Nell's black church, to get even with Nell for ignoring her. Nell Carter's debut on television was not this show but Cindy; a TV movie which was a 1978 black musical satire of Cinderella. I am sure if Nell Carter hadn't passed away, they would be bringing this show back. Nell Carter was interred in Hillside Memorial Park in Culver City, California. I forgot about this show and I've been watching the reruns . It was released as the third and final single from the album on March 3, 2008, by Jive Records.The song was written by Nate "Danja" Hills, Jim Beanz, Keri Hilson and Marcella Araica, while production was handled by Danja and vocal production was handled by Beanz.